Volume 11 Chapter 3 (1/2)

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”Let's think about the future”

Principal Kurahashi+ was the first to speak up after Amami announced this

”I'll go back”

A cal

”I have to go back in my position Also, I need to talk with my son”

The principal explained to the students as if she was already done speaking with Amami

”Forgive my rudeness”

Touji immediately spoke up:

”I don't think you'll have any breathing rooo back?”

”Yes, that's right, Touji-kun That's my duty as a mother”

The principal smiled resolutely ”Grandmother” Kyouko let out a sad voice

”In the end, I have no other options After all, I have no chance of winning even if I openly resist The 'Kurahashi+' is a famous family, but my son currently has all of its influence I would have had soo But now, that's also difficult With that, I'm essentially useless”

”Isn't the principal's divination valuable fighting power?”

”Oh th as a 'diviner' has already vanished for the est proof is that I allowed these events to happen in front of my eyes I'm truly no use”

The principal maintained her proper posture and spoke honestly

The principal was a great astrologist who had been called the 'Kurahashi+ Diviner' in the past In addition to the ic community, there had even been many people with faith in her froh she had been in the politically-neutral position of the Onmyou Academy Principal, she had also assisted the developency She had that kind of a past Her relationshi+ps froreatest 'weapon'

But when her opponent was her son - Kurahashi+ Genji - the situation was very unfavorable Even if she could use her connections for a brief period of time, once he realized them, he would intervene And afterwards, the pressure of Kurahashi+ Genji was overwhelly more powerful than the plea of Kurahashi+ Miyo If the 'positions' of the two people were made public, then the principal's relationshi+ps would undoubtedly become completely powerless

Also, it was a fact that her fate-reading strength as a 'diviner' was already gradually drying up With that, even the principal herself would have trouble beco power'

”P-Please wait! If Chief Kurahashi+ was the mastermind behind the Twin-Horned Syndicate and involved in spiritual disaster terrorist attacks, then why don't we just report it to the authorities? Maybe the police or the governht? He's a criminal after all, isn't he?”

It was Tenma who said this

Why weren't they talking about that? Tenma's expression was confused about that Indeed, that was reasonable - or perhaps even natural - if one thought normally

But the situation wasn't that simple

”Unfortunately, we have no evidence, youngster”

Aain from the sofa to address Tenma's doubt

”You're Tenard After all, even this Amami Daizen didn't catch hiht now, but the opponent will have taken counter”

”But not everyone's on Chief Kurahashi+'s good side Even if we have no evidence, there are people ould listen to Amami-san's words--”

Aive an immature yet pleasant subordinate as he desperately clutched at straws

But he immediately returned to his stern expression and said:

”For exa I were in the position of the Chief and was reported to the authorities If I immediately portrayed that person as the leader of the Twin-Horned Syndicate, I would invalidate his credibility I would fabricate heaps of evidence and witnesses Also, I'd use ic”

”That--!”

”It's natural, since that ic is used to fabricate evidence and witnesses, the police and the authorities won't be able to see that they're fake Only a fellow practitioner would be able to see through it - in short, those Mystical Investigators And Chief Kurahashi+ is currently the Chief of the Mystical Investigators”

Tenma lost his words because of Amami's merciless proclamation It wasn't just Tenma Kyouko showed a look of shock when she heard, and Touji and Suzuka's faces grew bitter

Things weren't so si the truth After all, the opponent was a person who had manipulated Yakou fanatics, the people who used spiritual disasters for terrorist attacks At this point, he wouldn't hesitate at fra his adversaries Also, the opponent held the central influence in the ic community There were no opportunities to defeat him face-to-face

”Understand? That's what 'opposing the Onency' is”

A words see his head in dejection and slu his shoulders

The principal smiled bitterly ”Anyways” She pulled the topic back

”In these kinds of circumstances, even I have no last resorts Hence, I'll run back to my son's side for now and wait for an opportunity”

This ti more Just like the Principal had said herself at the start, she had no other options

”Is that alright?”

Suzuka, who had been silent for a long while, asked The principal'sthat words of worry would ever have come from her mouth

”Thank you, Suzuka-kun But it's alright I won't be killed even if I return Yeah At the ht? Also, he should be extremely worried about ht, Amami-kun?”

”Yeah Even the Chief probably doesn'tto do would be to have you withdraw froo into seclusion”

Areement with the Principal's opinion

Though she had given control of the family to her son, Principal Kurahashi+ was the current Onh she had withdrawn from the frontlines, she was still viewed as an authority in thethat even the Chief couldn't ignore

Also, it would easily raise relevant and unnecessary suspicions around the In the end, it would be ideal to have her secretly vanish without anyone knowing With that, the Chief would probably 'guarantee' her life as long as she didn't rashly resist In order to keep up appearances

”But nothing will be guaranteed after a year First off, your actions will be greatly limited - Or rather, you'll become unable to move freely You'll have to prepare yourself for that”

”I understand My son's not naive enough to allow ize However--”

Saying this, the Principal suddenly looked at Kyouko Kyouko aze, completely stiff

”I'll definitely be perhter Then I'll do the only thing that I can from now on - Kyouko-san, I'll train you”

”Train me?”

The principal nodded at the surprised Kyouko with a straightforward expression

”Kyouko-san, you have to come home with me”

”B-But”

”Listen, Kyouko-san Even if you want to do so now, it's not a situation where you can acco Even you understand soht?”

Kyouko sed her words, unable to rebut because of the principal's strict voice

”But you awakened your ability as a 'diviner' As long as you hone that ability, it will becoth to protect everyone and protect yourself”

”I”

Kyouko had divined a few short hours ago That was the bud of an extreic community The words of Kyouko's divination had pushed Ohtomo out of his confusion, and as a result, liberated their companions from a stalemate

But Kyouko had immediately lost consciousness afterwards and had already been carried to a different location when she awoke Though she re of divination, on the other hand, it didn't really feel real to her that she had entered such a state

”Kyouko-san, you will go back withthe strength of 'divination' That will be your 'battle'”

The principal announced resolutely As if that were her final divination

Kyouko stared at her grandmother with a face drained of blood

Then, she clenched her fists in front of her chests and nodded resolutely

The feeling during divination see on the person Of course, since there were extremely few people with the power of divination, that was very difficult to say, but at least there were huge disparities in the impressions that Miyo and Kyouko explained to each other

Miyo's situation was apparently colors She read theIt see

In contrast, Kyouko was light A different universe overlapped with the reality before her Letting her spirit float in that universe, she 'saw' the light of her targets - stars

First, she used the Liu Ren board to stimulate her consciousness

It was an inexplicable feeling, as if her soul was floating away from her body She heard the wind roar and was released froravity Kyouko slowly floated in the truly e with reality

An instinctive fear and a burst of liberation as she alone was pushed down froh her body as she was released fro her

But Kyouko was as cal to so a Kurahashi+ Kyouko whosethrough various oscillating e The room of the residence annex and the boundless, vast universe Gaps floated between those torlds, and Kyouko's standards, coe were all twisted askew because of those huge, large-scale disparities Yin and yang ed

What was true and as mistaken? What should she do and what should she desire? Who was she exactly? Kyouko's consciousness expanded and becah her heart

But--

”Kyouko-san”

Kurahashi+ Miyo spoke

Kurahashi+ Kyouko didn't respond But Kyouko turned her attention to the voice that called to her She solidified because of that attention

”Focus your mind and firmly maintain your consciousness You can't be swept away You won't be able to return”

Kurahashi+ Kyouko and Kurahashi+ Miyo sat in a japanese-styled room on the second floor of the annex Kurahashi+ Kyouko was sitting in seiza[1] before a saze on the Liu Ren board with a half-awake expression Kurahashi+ Miyo sat to her side, patiently speaking to her granddaughter

”You don't place yourself in the flow, you create a flow You can't be engulfed by the sensations that you feel In contrast, you have to put thes, you have to consciously 'look'”

Kyouko tried to respond to Kurahashi+ Miyo's instructions She fir froaze towards the depths of the universe Gaps of space had nothere, and even the concept of ti was spread out everywhere

Kyouko's thoughts were reflected in the universe, and she allowed a shadow of the distant reality to appear before her Perhaps one could say that she condensed everything in the real world and radually looked around the universe with a sensation similar to clairvoyance

But it was a scenery exceeding human comprehension Never es An overly vague whirlpool of iazed at it, desperately trying her best to read the '' of it

They should be there Natsume Harutora The stars of the two of the universe that Kyouko su therains of sand

The roaring wind of the universe suddenly gained in force

This again She was blown flying Kyouko reflexively resisted, trying to stop, but the strong hippeduniverse Kyouko was also easily picked up by the wind and her consciousness started rapidly fading

”Ah”

When she came to her senses, Kyouko was in front of the japanese-style desk where the Liu Ren board was placed She was sitting in seiza with her hands on her knees, leaning forwards lightly and staring at the Liu Ren board

She was dizzy and chilled Also, her body was astonishi+ngly stiff But it seemed that she had only lost consciousness for a o when she had divined for the first time, she had fainted and hadn't awakened for a period of time Anyways, she was already 'used to' this

Also, she had become able to quite consciously enter the divination state It was evidence of progress as compared to before

That said, it hadn't reached the level where she could call it a 'fighting power'

”You worked hard, Kyouko-san I'll go ht now, so please relax for a while”

Miyo gently patted Kyouko's shoulder, rising and leaving the room Kyouko's expression was still dazed as she started slowly relaxing her legs from seiza

After a while, Miyo walked back from the first floor with a tray Kyouko finally cah after cli the stairs

”Ah, sorry I should have made it”

”It's alright, my body will quickly become bad if I don't even do this much activity”

After Miyo replied brightly, she returned to Kyouko's side and placed the tray on the tatami Kyouko hastily pushed the Liu Ren board aside froreen tea from the teapot into the cups that were set out

Kyouko gingerly pursed her lips and blew the steareen tea

The fragrant green tea seemed to seep into her body Kyouko's entire body relaxed with a relieved expression

”Kyouko-san, hoas it today?”

Though Miyo asked that, she seemed to have noticed as well Kyouko shook her head listlessly with a bitter smile

”No good It really is difficult to see the stars of people who aren't here”

”Yes I think it will beco But that alone is soht by others”

Miyo spoke regretfully, but the eyes that stared at her granddaughter smiled serenely It was so that she wouldn't put any pressure on Kyouko But to Kyouko, it wasn't very helpful It had already been a year and a half since Miyo had started giving her special training She was e unable to freely control her 'divination' strength

”Maybe I don't have any talent for astrology”

”Hoho, is that so? The way you think and decide for yourself no ist”

”Believing or not believing in astrology has nothing to do with divination, right?”

”Really? Though you can't get fanatic about astrology, isn't it pretty sis from the results? Like a hunch about how successful you'll be in the lottery”

”Well, second-class astrology can only be used as a topic for chatting”

”Or like being able to see at first glance what kind of person a guy you meet is--”

”That can also be called 'instinct'”

Kyouko's shoulders drooped in a dull hter of hers

”After all, you're very smart, Kyouko-san But you won't be able to take the last step if you always say only pessis, you know?”

It could be seen that Miyo was still healthy and vigorous fros with a harreen tea she sipped rapidly increased in astringency

”It's about whether you can always keep your intuition honed About how much you can trust that intuition Divination isn't rational, you know”

Kyouko replied ”Yes yes” out of boredorandmother's words

But the intimate and unreserved conversation still alleviated her heart Even if it was trivial - no,because it was trivial

Honestly, I'm not cut out for this

She wanted to hurry up and talk like this with everyone With Harutora, Natsume, Touji, Tenma, and Suzuka

For this, she hoped to use the power of divination to find everyone's stars That feeling was so strong, but

”You can't be too desperate, you know?”

Her grand into her heart Kyouko ca divination, it was ideal for the body andoverly pressured or too emotional were counterproductive

Her emotions had been unstable recently It was because she was feeling such a long isolation Even if she understood that unstable feelings would only affect her divination negatively, she couldn't resolve it on a fundamental level It was difficult She could only deal with it by being tough, cheerful, and forward-looking like she had thought while returning home

”Kyouko-san, you have a good feeling of ic as a whole, so you'll i of it You don't need to be obstinate, nor do you need to be careless instead Let's continue training”

”Okay”

Miyo nodded gently to her granddaughter as slightly embarrassed yet replied sincerely

But hness, this time it was Miyo's turn for her expression to darken

The mood that she had kept uplifted settled down and she inadvertently muttered some words

”I'm sorry I even involved you in such a situation”

”It's nothing What are you saying at this time, Grandmother First of all, I was completely implicated from the start whether you involved me or not”

They were unembellished words of truth, but Kyouko also understood that Miyo's troubles weren't about that

After that incident, Miyo had brought Kyouko back to the residence just like she had said to everyone in the villa Afterwards, she and Kyouko's father had a long, one-on-one discussion Though she had summarized the contents of the conversation to Kyouko, there were probably a good as that she hadn't told Kyouko

On the other hand, Kyouko almost hadn't been able to speak with her father at all

Of course, it wasn't that she hadn't been able to meet him She had met him directly after the incident and thrown out several questions there That was natural It was probably the first time since she birth that she had felt so conflicted towards her father

However, her father hadn't seriously answered Kyouko's questions Moreover, he had one-sidedly forced her into this state of 'seclusion' If she hadn't decided to behave obediently towards father for the special training, Kyouko ht there Of course, she didn't believe she could escape from her father's hands

Anyways, her father see in contact with Harutora and Natsu about the On on as the 'Kurahashi+ faht to have a li hiht now Also, she had no opportunity Her father didn't ask for his daughter's understanding, nor did he put on a good face

That was probably the reason Miyo's expression was dark

Miyo had been thinking in her heart Thinking that hter another way Thinking that maybe she should have listened to what her father said instead of walking this thorny road, that ither to happiness in the end even if she were agonized at the start

To Kyouko, that was downright ridiculous She flatly rejected that way of life

But it seerandmother', Miyo was repeatedly visited byoff that kind of pathetic atic that her father had cast, then it could be called quite the insidious ic

Also, there was another item related to her father to worry about Kyouko's divination

Needless to say, Kyouko hadn't told her father that her 'divination' had awakened The ability of 'divination' was the greatest and the only tru that they had to keep hi that they couldn't let other people know about thefrom an observation of her father's attitude, her father still hadn't realized her daughter's awakening - that hat Kyouko and Miyo judged

But there was a possibility Amami had warned them of this when they had discussed in the villa After As from the students, he had confirmed this

'In other words, that guy Kogure witnessed the ht?'

The National First-Class Onure Zenjirou He had transferred froency Mystical Criation Department after that incident And the current Chief of the Mystical Investigators was her father In other words, the probability that Kogure had reported on Kyouko's situation to her father was not sed that her father still hadn't realized after considering that point

'You have to be extremely careful If 'divination' somehow falls into the Chief's hands, it would be hard to deal with'

Though Kyouko had been restricted in various ways, she had been permitted to meet with Miyo every day That hy she was able to continue the special training to practice her 'divination' every day

But if What if her father knew about the special training? What if they were playing into her father's hand? That thought was a terror that plucked the tiny bud of hope

Her father was too powerful an opponent

”Ah, right I had a rare craving for sweets yesterday, so I bought some yokan[2] There's still soo with tea”

Miyo s Kyouko who hastily rose halfway saying ”Let me”, she left the room and went down to the first floor

She wanted to change the atement she had let out Kyouko also patted her cheeks with her hands, ain

How can I let myself lose

Not just her Tenma, Touji, Suzuka, Harutora, and Natsuht in their oays Thinking that way, Kyouko couldn't feel like she was the only one in a poor situation Kyouko had to continue fighting until the days came when she could leisurely chat and smile with everyone

But

Would that day come?

If she continued fighting, would Kyouko's desire truly become reality? Miyo had wavered just now because she wasn't sure - because she didn't have confidence

Kyouko put down the teacup, lowering her face Her gaze dropped to the tatami, and she blankly stared at the pushed-aside Liu Ren board

Normally she would be fine

But occasionally she would hope for 'help' She wanted to rely on someone ould support her Someone that she could rely on and have faith in from the bottom of her heart

Someone who definitely wouldn't succumb to any kind of difficulty, who could accurately break out of any crisis--

In addition, soht--

Souide their immature selves--

Just then--

At that moment

Huh?

She suddenly noticed Her consciousness was floating upwards A vast universe was gradually overlapping with the scenery before her It was divination She had unconsciously entered her divining state

But it didn't have the feeling of the skeorld that she had felt divining up until now Also, it was too fast A s absorbed into the universe It was as if she were being integrated into a series of coears and just happened to fit and turn consistently She could hear the sound of wind rushi+ng through the universe But it wasn't the usual roaring sound, but instead a leisurely breeze

Also, she could 'see' a star

A star that she knew A star she had seen once One of the stars that had been there when Kyouko saw stars for the first time Ohtomo-sensei, Kyouko called out ”Ohtomo-sensei” Kurahashi+ Kyouko ic tears welled up in Kurahashi+ Kyouko's eyes

But

Huh? What?

Like clouds obscuring the moon, hazy darkness covered that star Darkness that closely followed Ohtoht of the star, yet still had more darkness left over

An ancient darkness that Kyouko couldn't see through with her eyesight

Wait, how!

She tried looking again, but she failed She felt that her condition itself wasn't bad It was the best up till now But Kyouko had depleted her spiritual power because of her first divination She couldn't stop here again

Ugh!

The star and universe grew distant Her consciousness was forcefully pulled backwards Sensei, Kyouko called out But her voice also dissipated in the wind--

”Kyouko-san! Get a grip!”

When she ca held by Miyo

An unprecedented feeling of certainty lingered inside her body

Also, the o she had observed from the other part

”Just now, that was”

Miyo revealed a relieved expression, understanding that Kyouko's consciousness had successfully returned

But Kyouko collapsed where she was, unable to move for a period of time

Barstools were

Thatbehind him several times with an unsettled expression

Though he wore a plain suit, he had no tie Also, he hadn't changed his clothes in several days, and he was overall unkempt and somewhat dirty

But that suited the shop atmosphere even more

The shop was vast and crowded Though it was called a bar, it was actually round hs of drunken patrons resounded nonstop The custoarettes, hair gel, and various other odors filled the area, war system It was a low-class bar that fit the word 'trash heap'

The man twisted his body several ti the beer he had ordered The man had entered the shop for fifteen minutes already The workers at the bar brazenly shot unfriendly gazes towards his listless face, but the man didn't seem to be about to leave

Then, five more minutes later

A group of three customers entered the shop The man at the bar immediately turned his body and looked back

The three in the group were all ht were dressed in suits, and only thecasual wear tothe rinned and approached

Thethree with a solemn look The three swiftly advanced between the tables, and the two suited ot close to the bar Only the ain and sat down in the seat next to him

”Ah, nice to ' Call me shi+moda”

”What is this supposed to mean?”

”Hah? Ahh, these two? They're just escorts Please don't get too e”

The man in the coat - shi+moda - smiled and spoke with a flippant tone But it was only his ed in his eyes ”Tch” Kengyou quietly clicked his tongue, casting his gaze at the two standing men

”They're based off of 'Yaksha'?”

After he flatly pointed that out, shi+moda's wicked smile momentarily skipped a beat

But he immediately spoke with deliberate admiration:

”As expected of a priest from the dark temple Just as you say, they're 'G2' Their exteriors were ht? But I didn't think they would be seen through at a glance It ht not look like it, but I admit I spend quite a lot of effort on them”

”They're indeed superb But whatyour defensive shi+kigami in human forms”

”Hoho It's visible at a glance with spirit sight, but our business deals with ure[3] appearances, that would give rise to some bad effects I shouldn't have to explain each and every thing to a dark temple practitioner, huh?”

He aze he shot over, and his voice also contained disdain

Kengyou spoke fretfully:

”I'm the emissary of the temple I don't usually come in contact with 'work' directly”

”Hah, alright then But since you wanted to throw yourself into 'Gathering', then you'll have to give that up”

”I understand that sort of thing”

Kengyou spoke resentfully after clicking his tongue again

The dark teed to was foron temple that had accepted practitioners since ancient times, as well as one of the representative forces in the 'interior' of the ic coency's rasp There were also those who had fallen into the dark side of ic outside of the law Or the people who had lost their paths due to ic karma That temple was the society where those people who lived in the darkness of the athered

However, last year in the beginning of winter, Seishuku Tele Onmyouji - or so it was said He couldn't say for sure because Kengyou had been outside the teyou's occupation inside the temple was to maintain their network of connections in society Hence, his outside time, which was rare for soly abundant That blessing had allowed him to escape the catastrophe

The current Seishuku Teement after its destruction Most people of the monastery had been arrested or detained Then, a scant nu froyou was one of them

Fortunately, Kengyou had the contacts he had cultivated through his maintenance of relationshi+ps He had used the channels froanization The envoy of that organization was the shi+moda currently in front of him

The organization shi+ Rather than being an organization, it was more like a community of practitioners ould assist each other The secret organizations of the ic community had powerful senses of loyalty, and in most occasions didn't welco - which had originally been established by a soloin Hence, he had been willing to take the risk of slipping into the Onency's Tokyo and run here to ask them for aid