"Do you know what the essence of sorcery is?"

"The answer is 'lies'."

-Tsuchimikado Yakou.

It was an incident that happened many years ago.

When the adult relatives gathered for an occasion, Harutora and Natsume would often play with each other.

The playful Harutora would often get hurt, but Natsume, the princess of the main family, was very modest and docile. She was scared of meeting strangers and had few friends. Thus, whenever Harutora came by, her face would flush with excitement. She would listen to whatever Harutora would say and would follow him wherever he went.

The place they played at was the courtyard inside the main family mansion.

There was a bamboo forest in this wide garden, a lake, some stone lanterns, some fake hills, moss, little insects, shrines and so on. It was filled with delight and adventure.

But during one time, when they were playing, Natsume was suddenly frightened as she hid behind Harutora. She would give a crying look when they were playing tag or hide and seek, and she would hug Harutora tightly as she said,

"I think there's something,

Looking right at me."

Harutora could not see anything.

At first, he thought that Natsume was being too scared, called her a scaredy-cat, a crybaby, and even told her off.

Just go back to the adults if you're so scared. I can play on my own.

Because of Harutora, Natsume almost ended up crying. However, she did not do so, but managed to endure, forcing a smile as she continued to play with Harutora.

But when Harutora heard from his parents that Natsume was 'a child who could see', he knew he was wrong.

Natsume was not scared, but saw something Harutora did not see.

"Sorry."

Natsume's eyes widened when she saw Harutora lower his head in apology. Harutora continued to insist that he was to blame and apologized saying that it was his fault.

I can't see anything that scares me, and whatever I can't see can't scare me.

Thus, when you're scared, I'll definitely protect you, Natsume.

And so, Natsume suddenly mumbled some words to herself, and then gave Harutora an expectant look.

Can you become my shikigami?

At that time, Harutora did not understand the meaning behind her words. What's a shikigami? He asked, and Natsume shook her head, saying, I don't know. Granny said that a shikigami would protect me, you will become my shikigami as part of our family's 'tradition', Harutora, and you will stay by me and protect me.

But Harutora still did not understand.

What is this 'tradition'?

It's decided between my family and your family, Harutora.

Is that so? Why didn't I hear of it?

But it was determined as such.

Natsume answered with a forced tone, feeling like her most valuable incantations had been treated with disdain, and Harutora felt embarra.s.sed by it. Natsume then showed an insecure look the moment she saw Harutora's expression.

Will you not…become my shikigami?

Her voice was trembling, and Harutora panicked, thinking he had made her cry again.

However, Natsume was not crying. She was restless, scared, and her eyes looked like they were about to cry, but Harutora saw that those eyes were not wavering. Those eyes looked like they were a lake surface on a mountain in the clouds, showing only the reflection of the skies and s.p.a.ce. There was a strong-willed determination of a kind Harutora did not know of.

He seemed attracted by Natsume's eyes. It's fine, he answered.

Okay, I'll become your shikigami, Natsume. I'll always stay by you and protect you.

Natsume raised her right hand and extended her little finger. Harutora too reached his right hand out and used his own little finger to hook onto Natsume's finger.

Natsume started to chant, and looked so serious it was scary. Harutora too followed, and their voices formed a promise.

Once she released her hand, Natsume looked like she won the biggest lottery in life as she showed a radiant smile. Harutora saw that dazzling smile and thought that they finally made up.

But why was I not smiling as brightly as Natsume? His mind was thinking that this was good, but there was a part in his heart where he just could not calm down. It felt like he swallowed a piece of candy that was as large as a fist.

It felt heavy, painful, but he could not spit it out—

It felt very sweet when he licked it.

After that, both of them continued to play in the mansion's garden like usual. Whenever Natsume looked scared, Harutora would look at the place where there was nothing, swing his fists, yell bravely and pursue the thing only Natsume could see.

No matter what happened, he definitely must not let her get hurt.

—That had been many years ago.

Back then, Harutora still did not understand what the 'future' meant.

Miasma had already overflowed into the surroundings when the personnel carrier arrived.

Most of the people in the shopping district had gone to shelters, leaving behind an empty street. Onmyouji wearing clothing that protected them from miasma came out from the carriage that had pulled an emergency stop.

The source of the spiritual disaster was an ancient tree growing in the middle of the shopping district. The big tree gave off an abnormal spiritual pressure, twisting its trunk as if it were an animal.

Aura - something that filled every creature.

That aura would often oscillate and waver, maintaining a stable state throughout the whole body.

But, occasionally the oscillation would go out of control, and the clearly imbalanced aura would become miasma, further skewing the imbalance.

An accident where the aura was unable to recover, where it far exceeded the acceptable range for self-purification - those were the spiritual disasters recognized by those versed in Onmyoudou. And driving out the spirit - 'Exorcism' - was the duty of the Onmyouji, members of the Onmyou Agency.

Like a group of ravens dancing in the Tokyo night, they encircled the ancient tree, drawing out small daggers from their pockets one by one.

They chanted the incantation, thrusting their daggers down towards the asphalt road. The daggers filled with magical energy pierced the road, sticking into it. White light flashed off of the blades, spreading along the ground, encircling the ancient tree, forming a nimbus of light, cutting off the source of the spiritual disaster from the outside world, and creating a barrier.

The ancient tree didn't stop moving from this. It continued spewing out miasmas as if spraying out spores, and the branches struggled to resist the force, as if it wanted to break the barrier.

The spiritual disaster had already reached the second phase, and the situation didn't allow for the Onmyouji to take it lightly. If this went on, it would soon enter phase three, and the miasma would take form, birthing 'demons'.

Just then...

"Sorry, I've made you all wait!"

A motorcycle approached from behind the Onmyouji who were maintaining the barrier.

A sharp-eyed man sprinted swiftly from the motorcycle.

He wasn't wearing the miasma-protection clothing of the Onmyouji, but instead wore a colorful shirt and a pair of jeans with holes in the knees, looking completely unlike an Onmyouji.

But, he was the commander leading this group, the top of the country's Onmyouji - one of the National First-Cla.s.s Onmyouji.

"I've finally caught up. I'll get rid of this demon in one strike, you guys stay sharp and maintain the barrier!"

The man wore a katana on his waist. He dismounted from the motorcycle, rushing forward and drawing the katana.

He slashed the blade through the air, drawing a complex pattern. He manipulated aura, converting it to magical force, and the blade shone with a blinding light as if it were engulfed in flame.

The commander of the ravens chanted:

"By the five elements, keen spirit of metal, cut down the spirit of wood! Metal overcomes wood! Disperse, demonic miasma!"

The raised sword cleaved towards the ancient tree--

☆

"Wow, awesome!"

Tsuchimikado Harutora slurped noodles with disposable chopsticks, staring intently at the television screen.

He was sitting in a small udon shop with an atmosphere reminiscent of the old Showa era. The windows of the shop were open wide, and the old electric fan circulated the cool air, blowing away the summer heat.

The television screen was currently live-broadcasting the Onmyouji eliminating the spiritual disaster. Since almost all spiritual disasters happened inside Tokyo, it was an almost foreign scene to Harutora who lived in this kind of countryside place.

Harutora pointed his chopsticks at the television in the shop.

"Look, Touji. That tree's at least two meters in diameter, but it was cut down instantly, almost like a manga."

He was full of excitement as he spoke to Ato Touji who sat across from him.

Touji had finished eating long ago, slumped lazily in his seat. He listened to Harutora's words, turning his head to look at the television behind him. The fierce pair of eyes cast a bored gaze from under the bandanna around his forehead.

"...After all, elites like Onmyouji aren't too different from manga in the first place."

"Elites?"

"The ones who qualify through the 'First-Cla.s.s Onmyou Exam', also known as the National First-Cla.s.s Onmyouji... Wasn't there a special report in that magazine I let you read earlier?"

"Huh? So that katana guy is one of the 'Twelve Divine Generals'? Amazing!"

Harutora moved his gaze to the television again. The live-streamed broadcast had switched to a reporter making a statement on the scene, and Harutora still stared happily at the television, only remembering that he was still eating after a while, and then continuing to eat his noodles.

Generally speaking, being an Onmyouji was quite a peculiar profession.

But once one became a National First-Cla.s.s Onmyouji, it was a completely different position.

The so-called 'Twelve Divine Generals' was just a t.i.tle bestowed upon them by the media, since there were only a dozen National First-Cla.s.s Onmyouji who had pa.s.sed the First-Cla.s.s Onmyou Exam. It could be said that these were even more extraordinary elite Onmyouji.

"These kinds of broadcasts are becoming more common recently." Harutora slurped udon as he spoke.

"Seems like spiritual disasters are on an increasing trend... But, that's all Tokyo's business." Touji looked out the window.

"This place is very peaceful."

Harutora set down his chopsticks in the middle of eating his udon, looking at Touji.

"What is it, are you thinking of your family after being away for a long time?"

"That's not it, I don't hate the peace."

"Haha, don't lie. When you were in Tokyo you were a violent juvenile delinquent."

"Shut up, go eat your noodles."

Touji narrowed his eyes and creased his brow, and Harutora laughed while reaching his hand towards the small bottle of hot sauce.

☆

Once they walked out of the store, Harutora couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the dazzling sunlight and the vast expanse of whiteness in front of them.

The August sun was high in the sky, strong heat reflected off the asphalt road, and cicadas chirped in bursts like the crashing of waves.

On the other side of the street was a park full of greenery. Raising his gaze, the blue sky was before him, big white clouds stretching across the sky.

It was summer.

Harutora and Touji walked out of the noodle shop and stood in front of the store for a while.

"...It's so hot."

"Summer, you know."

Their ears could almost hear the sound of their skin being fried as they stood underneath the hot sunlight. When they crossed the road and moved underneath the shade of the trees, they resumed their aimless stroll again.

It was currently summer vacation, and today they had been receiving summer remedial cla.s.ses for the entire morning, and not until just now on the road home had they dealt with their late lunch.

The two of them wore the uniform of white short-sleeved shirts and gray pants for the remedial cla.s.s just now, but Touji had a bandanna wrapped around his forehead, keeping back his long hair.

Maybe the atmospheres that the two gave off were different, as even if they were both wearing uniforms, Touji appeared much more handsome. The two of them were like a tiger sticking his tongue out from the heat and a wolf that calmly looked for prey. Touji had grown to be quite handsome in the first place, and of course that could be one of the reasons creating the disparity between the two.

"My mouth is still really spicy."

"You put in too much hot sauce."

"I didn't do it on purpose, it's cause the lid of the bottle fell off."

"Your luck is still as bad as ever."

Touji snickered.

Actually, Harutora's luck was strangely poor, and the lid of the bottle falling off when he was pouring hot sauce even counted as a small matter. For example, he had been in car accidents twelve times. It was really hard to judge whether being run over by cars twelve times but still being alive meant his luck was good or bad.

"This is definitely a curse inherited by my ancestors."

"Well, with your lineage, the probability's pretty high."

As usual, Harutora's complaints didn't stop, and Touji who walked beside him replied sarcastically.

The sunlight pa.s.sed through the leaves and shone on the asphalt road, as if luminescence had been scattered everywhere. Clearly outlined dark shadows contrasted with the patchy light, and looking at that scene made the heat seem like it had lowered somewhat.

"Alright... What should we do next?"

Harutora was still muttering. His phone promptly sounded as if it had taken that opportunity,

"Oh." Harutora fished his phone out of his pocket.

He flipped open the folding phone, and after seeing the name displayed on the screen, immediately closed his eyes halfway, closing the phone without saying a word. Then, he put the phone back into his pocket as if nothing had happened.

"...Hokuto?" Touji slanted his gaze towards him, confirming.

"...It was Hokuto."

Harutora didn't explain further, nor did Touji pursue the question.

The two of them listened to the cicadas while strolling leisurely.

"What will we do later? I don't have any money on me, but should we still just go to the arcade to hang out?" Harutora proposed this, his spirits restored.

"...No, unfortunately, you're wasting your effort."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You've already been caught, as expected of your bad luck."

Touji pointed slightly behind Harutora's back.

"You Bakatora!"

A voice that seemed to exemplify vitality sounded with a light, brisk tone.

Then, Harutora heard the sound of footsteps stamping on the asphalt road - and soon after, something warm and soft jumped onto his back.

"I found you! Why didn't you pick up your phone? Hurry up and say it! Bakatora!"

"D, Don't be like that, Hokuto! I can't breathe--! I'm gonna die--!"

Two hands reached out from behind Harutora's back, grabbing his neck. Short, light-colored hair floated lightly in the summer breeze.

Harutora's neck was being throttled vigorously, and he desperately tried to loosen Hokuto's arms. But Hokuto didn't give up the opportunity to deliver the finishing blow, and she raised her arms grinding them on Harutora's head.

"Bakatora! Bakatora!"

"Hey, stop it. Don't lean on me, it's too hot, you tomboy!"

"What did you say! Harutora's the one who smells like sweat."

"Don't smell me!"

"Ah, there's the smell of soup, did you eat udon again?"

"Didn't I tell you not to smell other peoples' bodies! Are you a dog!"

Red-faced, Harutora took a big step back. Hokuto finally released him, showing a bright smile, and saying with a youthful tone:

"The weather's so hot, I never expected you to be able to eat udon, your brain really must have gotten fried."

"Be a little less nosy! Also, don't you look down on udon, udon is j.a.pan's profound-"

"Touji, what did you eat?"

"Soba."

"Are you forgetting about me? Or just deliberately ignoring me?"

Harutora roared with intensity, but Hokuto who had him in the palm of her hand seemed at leisure.

He and Hokuto had been like this since junior high up through today. Her eyes were wide, her lips would naturally curve upwards, and her manner of speech was like a boy's, but she had a well-formed, cute face, which seemed extremely unexpected. She wore a tight-fitting polo shirt and a miniskirt, with her hands and feet tanned slightly brown by the sun.

She swung her pretty toned legs back and forth, moving back and forth between the frustrated-looking Harutora and Touji who didn't bother with her.

"You guys went to remedials today, too? As expected of the King of Failing and the Skipping School Master."

"You're noisy, what did you come here to do, anyway?"

"Hmm? Nothing, I just came here for a walk."

"A walk on this kind of super hot day? Are you the one whose brain got fried?"

"At least it's much more meaningful than remedial cla.s.ses. Did you know, Harutora? In this world, only clever people prosper."

"Uh, this guy's power of persuasion is truly annoying..."

"I'm not a guy, I'm a girl, Bakatora."

"Shut up, you tomboy."

Frustrated, Harutora stared at the dramatizing Hokuto.

Incidentally, 'Bakatora' was Hokuto's original creation, who had described Harutora as 'An old tiger, pa.s.sing a spring day by sleeping lazily while showing its belly' to belittle him. As the a.n.a.logy was very apt, she hadn't been able to resist praising her own creativity when she had thought of this nickname, but Harutora just felt furious at its origins.

Touji sighed wordlessly as he watched the two of them bickering as usual.

"Speaking of which, you still have that uncanny intuition like always. Did you also see the broadcast just now?"

"Yeah, and Touji too, you're looking sharp as usual."

"So then, I should go over it again..."[1]

How unbearable. Touji turned to the side, shifting his gaze away. Harutora just looked displeased as if he were a tiger whose head had been shaved.

Hokuto didn't concern herself with the reactions of the two.

"In short! Regardless of why I called out to you guys, Harutora has to pay for ignoring my phone call first. Hurry up, come on!"

After Hokuto straightened her back and delivered this announcement, she grabbed Harutora's hand, pulling him into a run.

Her arm was slim like a girl's, but her strength was surprisingly great. "Hey, what are you doing!" As Hokuto towed Harutora away, he was forced to follow along.

Touji raised an eyebrow, looking quite helpless.

Then, he stuck both hands in his pants pockets, slowly following in the pair's footsteps.

"...I really can't understand, why do I have to treat Hokuto to shaved ice? Why, I don't get it at all..."

Ten minutes later.

Harutora sat on a park bench, staring at the shaved ice in a plastic cup, complaining with a displeased tone and look.

In contrast, Hokuto who had received her compensation looked overjoyed.

"You're stupid, Harutora, no wonder you always fail your exams."

"Don't talk nonsense! It's my right to pick up my phone or not, and as for shaved ice--"

"...Yum."

"Hey, don't silently eat someone else's shaved ice! Also, you ate the layer on top, what the h.e.l.l!"

Harutora roared, moving the cup away from Hokuto. Because Hokuto had eaten too rapidly, she screwed up her face and rubbed her temple, which could be called a self-inflicted pain.[2]

"...Hokuto, are you here to advise Harutora to be an Onmyouji again?" Touji opened his mouth to ask this as he drank a soda off to the side.

As he said this, Hokuto straightened her back as if responding.

"Harutora."

Hokuto slipped her face in close, staring straight into his eyes. Harutora unconsciously shrank backwards from being stared at by her large eyes.

"W, What?"

"You saw the broadcast on TV right now, right?"

"Y, Yes..."

"Didn't you imagine being like them? Do you want to? You should have, right? It definitely made you think about becoming just like them, right?"

Hokuto's tone was extremely excited.

Harutora had a premonition that the words that had been said more than ten times were going to be repeated, and couldn't help from sighing.

"...I don't want to at all."

"Why? Harutora, you're the descendant of Abe no Seimei, from the Tsuchimikado family of genuine Onmyouji!"

Annoyed, Harutora made a face at Hokuto's aggressive att.i.tude.

Every word Hokuto said was true.

Abe no Seimei had been active during the Heian era, a distinguished Onmyouji of the time. After he died, his sons claimed to be 'Tsuchimikado', genuine Onmyouji, and for a long time dominated the world of Onmyoudou, until the Meiji era. It was needless to say, Harutora - Tsuchimikado Harutora was a descendant of this famous family.

But.

"I told you, Hokuto. I've said this so much I don't even want to say it anymore, though I'm a Tsuchimikado, my family is a 'branch family', completely different from the incredible 'main family'."

"Even so, you're still a Tsuchimikado! You were born in a legitimate family with history since the Heian era! But you go to a mediocre high school, laze around all day, fail your tests and not care, take remedial cla.s.ses everyday after school, and complain endlessly... Don't you think you're pathetic like that?"

"You don't need to be that nosy..."

Harutora listened to Hokuto speak clearly and logically, but couldn't help from frowning.

Before this, Hokuto had tried to persuade Harutora several times, wanting him to 'Become an Onmyouji'. And every time she saw news about Onmyouji, it would intensify. She always said the same things about him being born in a famous family, and her style of convincing could be said to be enthusiastic, but was closer to stubborn.

"Since you were born in a famous family, don't you have an obligation?"

"Not at all, what era are you from?"

"Harutora, you're too irresponsible!"

"What do you mean responsible or irresponsible, I just happened to be born in the Tsuchimikado branch family, I'm just an ordinary, uninteresting high school student... Even if my dad was a specialized Onmyouji, he was just a countryside Onmyou doctor."

"Right?" Harutora tried to solicit Touji's approval. Touji who was quietly watching their interaction from the side showed a wry smile, nodding his head.

"I know that. After all, he's my savior."

When Touji had been in Tokyo once before, he had been embroiled in a spiritual disaster, hovering on the brink between life and death, and had happened by an Onmyou doctor - a specialized doctor who used Onmyoudou techniques for treatment - who had been in Tokyo, who had managed to save him and his life.

That Onmyou doctor who had treated Touji was Harutora's father.

Even now, Touji still had remnants from the spiritual disaster lingering in his body, and he often had to receive treatment from Harutora's father because of this. The reason he had gone to remedial cla.s.ses this time wasn't because his scores were bad, but because his treatment resulted in him spending too few hours in cla.s.s. He had dabbled a bit in Onmyoudou, and had suffered first-hand effects, so he was quite knowledgeable about Onmyoudou techniques.

"Harutora's father is an excellent Onmyou doctor who doesn't shame the Tsuchimikado family one bit, completely different from his good-for-nothing son."

"Whatever, in any case I don't have any talent for Onmyouji techniques. I can't even see aura, but it's not bad, nothing's inconvenient about that."

Harutora dropped those remarks, and then raised his face to gulp a big chunk of ice.

An Onmyouji was a kind of extremely peculiar profession, and obviously a basic condition was some talent or quality, such as being able to sense aura - a clairvoyant ability known as 'spirit-seeing'. Strength was also an essential endowment to be an Onmyouji.

But, Harutora didn't have the ability to see spirits, or in other words, Harutora wasn't suitable to become an Onmyouji. That was the most powerful evidence.

Hokuto was the only one who didn't accept that way of seeing things.

"Isn't it enough if you ask your dad to let you be able to 'see'? Such spells are included in Onmyouji techniques, right, Touji?"

"I think so. I've heard that with treatment from an Onmyouji with exceptional ability, the effects could last for many years."

Touji added his words. Hokuto showed a 'you see' look, staring at Harutora. Harutora just turned his head, reb.u.t.ting:

"I said, for now it's not inconvenient this way.

More importantly, the golden age of the Tsuchimikado family was over a long time ago. Right now even the main family is declining like the aristocracy, and a branch family like mine isn't much different from an ordinary family."

"In that case, Harutora can become an incredibly strong Onmyouji, and revive the Tsuchimikado family!"

"...Where does that enthusiasm of yours come from..."

An exhausted feeling of futility attacked Harutora, wearing him out. He wasn't interested and didn't believe himself to have talent, so it was really hard to accept that he had to be persuaded to become an Onmyouji just because he had been born to a notable family. He didn't understand why Hokuto was so interested.

"Ah, also, there's a talented girl the same age as me in the main family, so I don't need to bother with the mission of reviving the Tsuchimikado family."

Harutora said it like an aside, but Hokuto's eyes flashed when she heard that.

"...Are you talking about the girl you brought up before - that relative?"

"Right, she's talented. She went to Tokyo to study after graduating middle school. She's studying at a famous school that trains Onmyouji. Moreover, she's only sixteen, but was already designated as the heir to the Tsuchimikado family. I'll hand the Tsuchimikado family over to her, and the family honor will be maintained without worry."

"What are you saying? The other person's a girl, don't you feel frustrated?"

"Not a bit."

He replied quickly, and the girl lowered her head, downcast.

"...How sad, at the least you should feel a bit embarra.s.sed."

"But the difference in ability between me and her is too big, so I don't have any reason to compare myself with her."

Harutora spoke casually.

"But, thanks to the main family having a talented girl, the people around her naturally won't expect much of a branch family child like me. When I told my mom and dad I was going to go to a mediocre high school, they didn't say much. I could even say that my days became much more relaxed because of her."

The final words were his true thoughts. Harutora wasn't jealous or envious of the main family girl at all, let alone feel inferior. In the end, he had no desire to become an Onmyouji, nor was he able to imagine having such a desire.

They had still contacted each other when he was small, but after middle school, their relationship had gradually become distant.

Especially now...

"...Really?"

Hokuto asked quietly.

"What?"

"Is it really true that no one has expectations for you, Harutora?"

"I just said, probably... not..."

Hokuto's eyes revealed a hurt feeling that they had never shown before, and Harutora became more and more hesitant as he spoke.

Hokuto stared straight into Harutora's eyes. He still hadn't made sense of the meaning in Hokuto's gaze, and felt as if his soul was almost absorbed into her big eyes.

The noise of the cicadas suddenly grew distant.

The scene from half a year before awakened in his mind. That winter day of his third year in middle school, when Harutora had decided to study in a normal high school...

A pair of magnificent, beautiful eyes stared straight at Harutora.

Tears suddenly glistened in the silent, moist almond eyes.

"Liar."

A daydream that flashed across his mind.

His chest was restless, and a deep pain ached like an old wound.

Now.

"...It's dripping."

Touji said.

Looking carefully, his shaved ice had melted, and most of it was dripping out of the cup in Harutora's hand. "s.h.i.t!' Harutora hastily stood up, but unfortunately a wet spot had long since been soaked into his pants.

At some time, the sun had moved, and only Harutora's hand was no longer under the shade of the trees. As expected of the unfortunate Harutora.

"Why didn't you say so earlier!"

"You should have noticed yourself first."

"...It looks like you peed yourself."

"You seem very happy, Hokuto!"

Harutora's face reddened, and Hokuto recovered her normal expression, laughing cheerfully. "Here." She offered her handkerchief. Despite being unwilling for many reasons, all Harutora could do was take her handkerchief and borrow it from her for the time being.

"...Alright, today's consultation will come to an end here. The branch family's eldest son is still in his first year of high school, so there should be no rush to decide his future path right now."

Touji squinted his eyes, looking at the clouds from under his bandanna.

Indeed, in this wave of increasing heat, the future seemed like there was a hazy picture presented by a mirage.

In any case, no one could accurately say what was to come.

More importantly, right now was summer vacation.

"Those people who want to become specialized Onmyouji work hard towards their Onmyouji goal once they graduate from middle school." Hokuto replied, still unconvinced.

"It's no use even if you compare with other people, since in the end, Harutora can't see spirits. Do you think the current him can become an Onmyouji?"

"But..."

"In particular, his other grades are also so bad."

"Ah-"

"Why don't you have a reb.u.t.tal to that! And Touji, you're too nosy!"

The sound of the cicadas overshadowed Harutora's sounds of protest, and the sounds of Hokuto's laugh and Touji's sigh mixed in with it.

An August afternoon.

The blazing sun didn't show any signs of dying out.

After that, Harutora and the others went to the arcade center, leisurely pa.s.sing time, and separating when the sun began to drop.

In the last few days, they had been living this kind of life. Hokuto and Harutora weren't attending the same high school, but once summer vacation came, the three of them got together almost every day.

"Peace is really peaceful..."

"Boredom is also really boring."

Harutora replied to Touji's words as they walked along the shop-lined street towards the tram station during the evening. Since the direction back to Hokuto's home was different, she had separated from them earlier. The two males were together, both giving off the same lazy air.

The shopping street was bustling, and there was a swarm of people everywhere who had come to buy dinner. The smell of cola drifted by from the food stores, stimulating Harutora's hunger.

He noticed that posters announcing the fireworks festival were stuck on the walls of the stores and the utility poles. The fireworks festival was a festival held at the local shrine, and with the fireworks performance, it was highly attended every year.

The festival would be held tomorrow, and of course Harutora and the others, with nothing else to do, had decided to join in the fun together.

"Speaking of festivals, Touji, this is your first time attending."

Touji had moved here this spring, and the two of them had become friends at that time.

"Last year you went with Hokuto, right?"

"Right, I remember we went last year and the year before."

"Is that alright? This year there's gonna be a third wheel like me."

"Hey hey, Hokuto and I are normal friends, you couldn't be thinking that that tomboy and I are going out, right? The way she talks is the same as a guy."

Though she looked cute, she was a person who would throttle other people's necks from behind without thinking about it. The way she talked wasn't like a girl either, but rather the same as a boy, though he could only freely and casually hang out with Hokuto because of this.

After Touji heard Harutora's response, he slightly raised his right eyebrow.

"You two are just normal friends?'

"Right, the very first time we attended the festival, I only said something like 'It really seems like we're on a date'..."

"...She got mad, and denied it?"

"Right, I frantically explained that I was joking, and who knows if she heard it, since she kept making me treat her to things. That time was really unfortunate."

"...Harutora."

"What?"

"The nickname Bakatora is quite apt."

"What!"

Harutora stared at Touji, unconvinced. Touji was too bored to make a reply, but instead the faint trace of a smile pa.s.sed by his lips.

"But, Hokuto wasn't that annoying at the time, and she wouldn't bring up Onmyouji matters much. It probably started at the beginning of this year? She suddenly started pestering me... But actually, I don't know what evil ideas she's planning."

Harutora could understand if she wanted to become an Onmyouji herself. But he didn't know what was in her brain, trying to make a person who just happened to be in a notable family become an Onmyouji on the basis of his family's history. Even if she were just having fun, this kind of att.i.tude was way too annoying.

"...She can't accept that you're being looked down upon, huh?"

"No one's looking down on me. To say the truth, she's the one who's looking down on me the most."

"That's true."

"Also, she doesn't get the circ.u.mstances, the Tsuchimikado lost their position long ago."

Harutora didn't stop muttering complaints.

A clearly deriding smirk emerged on Touji's face as he listened.

"You can't fault her for that, since after all she's not clear on the inside information. You should just flat-out tell her that the current Tsuchimikado family can't be called notable, and they're actually pushed out of things."

Touji's words were icy, and Harutora couldn't help but display his bitterness.

Hokuto had spoken the truth. The Tsuchimikado family had truly been the legitimate clan through the Heian era, a famous Onmyoudou family.

However, that name had become much harder to say in the onmyoudou community since modern j.a.pan.

The Tsuchimikado family's ancestor Abe no Seimei, of whom countless stories were told, was well known even today. But his children, the Tsuchimikado family, were almost unknown to anyone, and for the most part only people 'in the industry' would react upon hearing that name.

After the Meiji Restoration, the Onmyou Bureau - the organization in charge of the various Onmyouji - was abolished due to the implementation of new policies, and the Tsuchimikado no longer held a famous name in Onmyoudou. The decline of the Tsuchimikado could even be traced further back to the Tokugawa Shogunate, when a large part of the actual Onmyoudou-related power was shifted to the Kurahashi and Wakasugi branch families, and though Tsuchimikado was the main family, it was reduced to an empty sh.e.l.l.

But, when the Meiji era ended, after the Taishou era ended and entered the Showa, j.a.pan was enveloped by the fires of war, and the Tsuchimikado family unexpectedly received attention again.

On the eve of the outbreak of the Pacific War, the higher ups in the j.a.panese military who believed in religion and supernatural powers planned to utilize magic in the war effort.

This group of people revived the Onmyou Bureau, and appointed the youth who had just become the head of the Tsuchimikado family - Tsuchimikado Yakou - to lead it.

However, things might actually have been just the opposite.

The military revived the strange, ancient Onmyou Bureau, wiped off the dust and reconstructed it, and even invested large sums of money into research and development, all because they had been clearly shown the effects of one man's 'magic'. And that person was Tsuchimikado Yakou. His strength and incomparable magical talent provoked the military's attention.

The young head of the Tsuchimikado family received the military's support with funding and manpower, succeeding in a historic reform of j.a.panese magic.

Not only did he study magic, moreover, he integrated Esoteric Buddhism, Shugendo, Shinto, and other j.a.panese religious denominations with magic, and added unique insights, forming a brand-new system of magic. At the same time, this was a completion of the kind of extremely viable and useful magic that the military had requested.

Near the war's end, the completed system of magic was refined and development was further streamlined, becoming the Onmyoudou of modern j.a.pan--

'General Onmyoudou'. In other words, Tsuchimikado Yakou could be said to be the father of modern magic.

Even so, the name Yakou had now become taboo amongst the magic community.

The source of this taboo happened during the final days of j.a.pan's defeat in the Pacific war.

At the time, the military turned to the Onmyou Bureau in their dead end, escaping from reality and gradually losing their sanity. The military pleaded Yakou to hold a large-scale magic ritual to turn the tables - which ultimately ended in failure.

There were no detailed records left behind related to this ritual, but it led to quite devastating aftereffects. Yakou who was performing the ritual was killed, but not only this, as an effect of the ritual, the aura of Tokyo was heavily disrupted, destroying the original balance and leading to a huge spiritual disaster like never before.

It was rumored at the time that the Hyakki Yagyou[3] had strode into the capital overnight.

But, Tokyo was being hit by a United States military raid at the time, and the city was almost paralyzed, so in actuality there was no way to grasp the truth of the situation, and what had actually happened was unclear.

"...But it sounds to me like these were a long time ago... It was just a big blunder made by your ancestor during the last century."

"Right." Harutora replied quietly in a dry voice.

In any case, the disruption of aura had gradually stabilized to some degree as time pa.s.sed, but a complete recovery of the disruption still couldn't be seen even after the war was over. The researchers all believed that during Yakou's ritual, some sort of critical change had occurred.

As a result, during the occupation by the United States government, the Onmyou Bureau was a.s.signed to deal with spiritual disasters that continued occurring even after the war - everything was handed over to the Onmyou Bureau to dispose of. After Yakou's death, the half-ruined Onmyou Bureau also separated from the military, focusing on countering Tokyo's spiritual disasters. Ironically, what they used was Yakou's powerful completed Onmyoudou.

Now, the Onmyou Bureau had changed its name to the Onmyou Agency, and supervised all of the various magic-users of the country, but its main duty was to suppress spiritual disasters that broke out in j.a.pan - most of which were in Tokyo.

The traces that Yakou had left behind still bound j.a.pan's magic community, and Onmyoudou history went hand in hand with the Tsuchimikado family's woes. It wouldn't be too much to say that the situation of the modern j.a.panese magic community had deep roots in the Tsuchimikado family.

"You really were born in a complicated family."

"You don't say."

There were piles of books related to this history, of which not a single part was left in the dark.

But, except people like Touji who involved himself of his own initiative, no one would have the opportunity to come in contact with this knowledge.

"Why don't you go find Hokuto and explain to her what a complex situation the Tsuchimikado family is in right now?'

"But, I'm scared she'll reply to me 'Then it's up to you to wash off your ancestor's stigma!' and get even more excited."

"There's a good chance."

"Speaking of which, does she really not know about these things, seeing as she's so excited to persuade?"

"The great spiritual disaster was mentioned in the textbooks at school, but Yakou's name doesn't appear."

"But she somehow knows that the Tsuchimikado family was famous. That's quite obscure knowledge."

"Talking about it right now is no use, and more importantly she was full of mystery from the start, so it wouldn't be strange whatever the circ.u.mstances."

"Yeah..."

Harutora crossed his arms as he walked on the road, becoming vexed.

He and Hokuto had known each other for a long time, but actually the two of them had met each other by chance. The two of them were of a similar age, but he didn't know what high school Hokuto attended, where she lived, or even her last name. In addition, Hokuto always avoided those matters with a laugh.

"Could it be that she's a spy for the Onmyouji?"

"It's a national organization, what 'spies'."

"Then, could it be that she's a member of an underground magic organization?"

"To think you even started thinking about the underground."

Touji's cold gaze glanced over at Harutora who was deep in thought as useless thoughts unfolded before him.

"What do you think yourself, Harutora?"

"Huh? Think about what?"

"About Onmyouji. Do you want to become an Onmyouji?"

"Hey, how come even you're saying those things, didn't you just say that I didn't have the talent?"

"It doesn't matter whether you have talent or not, I asked whether you were interested."

Touji asked with a teasing tone. Touji always had the bad habit of talking about ridiculous topics with a serious tone.

"...Honestly, when I was small I believed that I would definitely become an Onmyouji in the future... I truly thought that."

"Really."

"But it wasn't because I wanted to, but rather just because the 'traditions' were like that, so I had no choice - that's all I thought."

"Tradition?"

"Yeah, it counts as 'family tradition' ...I guess."

Harutora replied vaguely.

"But, it was all when I was small. I asked my dad once, and the 'tradition' seems like it was just a custom from the past. He also told me before I decided to attend this high school that the current era was different, and that I could decide for myself."

When he was a child, he had admired Abe no Seimei, and played Onmyouji games whole-heartedly. Until he entered middle school, every day he would always practice the motions of taking out talismans from a box and throwing them, and would make poses standing in front of the mirror. It was a past he couldn't confess to Touji even if he had to die for it.

After he learned that he had no talent, that enthusiasm also gradually dissipated, and he changed to thinking about other things - extremely normal things.

That sort of shift shouldn't be strange. There were quite a few children who wanted to become athletes or astronauts, but the vast majority of them soon forgot their childhood dreams.

"...If I had the talent, maybe things wouldn't be the same..."

If he, the branch family son, had been able to see spirits, his life would definitely be vastly different from how it was now. He didn't know whether this way was good or bad.

Just when he was thinking about this...

"...I feel like you have talent."

Touji said this casually. Harutora was surprised, and couldn't help from smiling bitterly.

"What are you saying, it's creepy. Don't comfort me."

"I'm just saying the truth. Can't you use talismans?"

"Talismans? Are you talking about healing charms? That's just imitating my dad's movements. The only incantation I know is the standard 'Order', and more importantly I can't even see spirits, so I would just be s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around."

'Though I even studied what stances to make.' Harutora secretly added that in his heart.

Harutora had been hit by cars twelve times, and had gotten used to injuries long ago. When he was injured, occasionally he would quietly steal some healing charms from his father's treatment room. The charms he stole were used for treating injuries, and even a normal person could see results if the spirit energy of the user or the target was strong.

"...But, they're pretty effective."

"No way, that's normal."

Harutora grinned, waving his hand lightly. Touji looked at him thoughtfully without saying anything.

"Even a Bakatora is still a tiger..."

"Touji, why are you calling me Bakatora too?"

Harutora got angry, and Touji snickered.

After they left the shopping street, they reached the tram station. "Bye." Touji waved his hand, walking out of the turnstile.

Harutora's home was on the other end of the tram station, and he walked towards the bridge over the tram tracks after saying bye to Touji.

He climbed the stairs, walking up the bridge.

The tram pa.s.sed by below his feet, making a rattling noise.

There weren't many big buildings nearby, and the view from on top of the bridge was extensive, providing a view of the twilight streetscape, and even the vast fields and the mountain ridges in the distance were within view.

At this time, the originally vigorous sunlight had also diminished from how it had been in the afternoon, and the wind sweeping past the bridge and blowing against his sweaty back was incredibly comfortable.

Early tomorrow he would have to take remedial cla.s.ses again, but the festival was that evening. Takoyaki, fried noodles, and candied apples. The excited Hokuto and the easygoing Touji.

It seemed like it would be very fun.

...This wasn't bad.

Harutora unconsciously relaxed, enjoying the twilight of the summer sunset, leisurely walking across the bridge.

He walked to the stairs on the other end, and was about to walk down, when he ran into a pedestrian walking up from the bottom.

He gasped.

The pedestrian raised her head, perhaps noticing something strange above her - then, her feet stopped on the stairs as if she had been frozen.

A pair of magnificent, beautiful eyes opened wide.

The girl wore a plain black dress whose chest was decorated with lace. She held a small handbag, from which a brown straw hat entwined with an orange ribbon hung down.

The straw hat danced about from the buffeting of the bridge's strong wind. The wind blew out her long hair, drawing out an arc in the air. She didn't move at all, quietly gazing at Harutora. Harutora was the same.

She should be in Tokyo.

Why was she here?

Just as Harutora was wondering...

"It, It's been a long time, Harutora-kun."

His childhood friend with the same family name softly called out to Harutora, still showing a look of surprise.

Harutora silently nodded his head to reply, standing still and not saying a word.

The youngster of the branch family and the maiden of the main family--

Tsuchimikado Harutora and Tsuchumikado Natsume, separated for a long time, met again.

☆

She had finally finished it.

Her taut nerves were released, and the girl exhaled deeply.

She had been staying alone in the personal research lab that she had specially prepared, and a sharp smile of victory emerged on her face. Before her eyes was a square gla.s.s case one meter long, placed on a large table, and a black cat impatiently walked back and forth inside the case.

Just one hour before, that black cat had been in a state of death.

This was just an experiment, but she had already fully grasped the procedure, and all that was left was to fulfill all of the requirements.

In other words - she just needed to prepare the altar and the priest.

She reached her hand to the phone in the research lab, dialed an outside line, planning to call for the target with some fabricated reason.

But, the reply from the other side was outside of her expectations.

"Summer vacation?"

Her lips unconsciously thinned. She had lived a life isolated from the world for so long, she hadn't had time to pay attention to her target's schedule.

After hanging up the phone, she turned around to look at a corner of the room. There was a giant container there with a strong magic placed on it, but it wasn't just any container.

It was a coffin.

The coffin's lid was closed tight. A slight trace of emotion flashed through the depths of the girl's eyes.

Just then, a faint sound came from behind her. She turned back around, and the black cat in the gla.s.s case had collapsed again.

She had failed. She ground her teeth strongly, driving herself on.

"There's no problem... I'll definitely succeed."

Just then--

The doors of the research lab were kicked open, and a group of men wearing suits rushed in.

They held guns or gripped talismans.

"Don't move! You're under arrest for suspicion of using forbidden magic!"

The man who was the leader pointed his gun at the girl, showing proof of his ident.i.ty. They were investigators of magical crimes - known as Mystical Investigators. They must have always been performing secret surveillance on her to have broken in at this time.

The corners of the girl's mouth curved in an arrogant smile.

"...Who do you think you are?"

In that moment, the girl launched the plans that she had been preparing for a long time.

Hokuto is talking endlessly by herself. Hokuto has a brain freeze. Parade of a Hundred Demons