Catching the smell of blood in the air, Sesshomaru was stirred from his sleep. Though he was naturally a light sleeper, this new smell was unusual. There was a thickness to it like he could taste the blood in his mouth now, and the wetness of it was almost misty like a fog had risen and was touching his skin. Within the freshness of the scent was the familiar smell and burn of the Netherworld. So, Lady Meioshi was still out at this hour and the Netherland wolf must have been found or is weaker. Letting Jaken and the dragon sleep, Sesshomaru quietly left the guest bedroom and walked to the kitchen to leave through the back opening. Heiwa, as a whole, was practically asleep. Only nocturnal demons or night shift workers were still awake. One demon, in particular, was surprised to see Sesshomaru out and about and decided to greet him.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" the demon asked, walking up to the western lord and gaining his attention.
"What is it?" Sesshomaru responded, only partially annoyed until he got a good look at the demon approaching him.
He was an akaname demon dressed in a very eye-catching purple pair of hakama pants and almost sheer jacket. Perfect for the summer. He had a mane of black hair, and his skin was a vibrant turquoise and dark green. His eyes were circular and yellow with black dots in their centers to mark the pupils. Though true to his name with the large and lengthy tongue, he had interestingly sharp teeth. The akaname demon was carrying bath house items in one hand and a fresh water in a bucket in the other hand. He must work nights here.
"Wow! It really is you!" the demon cheered in a whispery voice and stars glittering around his head. "This is such an honor! I'm actually cleaning the guest house occupied by the great western lord's son! I simply must give you a gift to commemorate this night!"
"That isn't necessary," Sesshomaru responded, not quite understanding why this demon finds honor in cleaning behind him.
"Nonsense! It's my pleasure to serve you, my lord," the akaname said with genuine honesty and a gentle nod and smile. "I am Mizu Hoseki. I'll be happy to give you something useful for your journey. Are you only staying for the night?"
"I am here to speak to someone," Sesshomaru replied. "You may know her as the hell doctor."
"Oh, then you want Lady Meioshi!" Mizu said with a small laugh. "She's still out on patrol, but I think she might be on her way back. The barrier is getting stronger. I heard some travelers were filling up her clinic. Ice demons were attacking them. It was odd to hear, but I imagine they're out for a reason. Looks like you can smell the blood in the air, too."
"Indeed," Sesshomaru responded. "What do you know about Lady Meioshi, Mizu?"
"Well, she's an excellent doctor," Mizu started, placing his buckets down for a moment. There wasn't much to clean in the guest inn division. "It's a pity that she can't do more with her talents, but I'd say that's the fault of the priest here. He's the one that soiled her family's name and purposely scared other humans away from her because she also heals demons like us. However, Lady Meioshi also has powers that shouldn't belong to just any human. She is able to purify demons the way her ancestors have, but she does things differently. Certain demons she doesn't purify. She will kill them if necessary. The blood we smell means these demons weren't worth saving. If you want an in-depth description of Lady Meioshi, you'd want to speak with Lord Aka. He was very close to her grandfather, Arimasa. I was closer to her mother, Suiren, the gentle purifier. I know more about her healing capabilities than I do her exorcism skills."
"Does Lady Meioshi fight?" Sesshomaru asked, cutting straight to the point.
"She does, but I wouldn't want to fight her," Mizu answered, placing a hand on his chest to show emphasis. "She was trained well. Fact, she's been training to fight one particular person. I often pray for that enemy's soul. I don't think there's enough mercy on this Earth to save them."
"Moeru said something like that earlier. If Lady Meioshi is as kind as he says, I don't quite understand the necessity of wanting to harm another," Sesshomaru said, hearing a mechanism rumbling and grinding.
Both demons were quiet as they turned their heads to the direction of the noise. The locking mechanism on the village gates was moving to unlock itself. Someone was coming inside of the village. The barrier was lighting up with a kaleidoscope of color before solidifying and expanding. Mizu hummed in response and felt a light wind dance around his body. Lady Meioshi was returning!
"Ah, you're in luck, Lord Sesshomaru. That's our girl now!" Mizu said with a bright smile. "Oh! I better make sure the bowl is filled with water."
Mizu picked up his buckets and nodded at Sesshomaru to follow him. The western lord was eager to finally meet this woman that the Netherland wolf wanted dead, but... something was telling him not to proceed yet. It was completely unlike him to stand down from a new opponent, but there was something he had to know about the doctor first. Before he spilled her blood, he had to know more about the person he was dealing with, and he didn't want to destroy this village in battle. He had other plans for Heiwa. Knowing that what he was about to do goes against the grain of who he was, Sesshomaru decided not to follow Mizu and instead return to the guest inn. He would send Jaken to find Lord Aka instead and follow the scent of Netherworld blood to trace the wolf if possible.
Meioshi lightly pushed the village gate open before closing it back for the night. There were a few ice demons further out along the path, but she would have to deal with them later. At the very least, Heiwa was safe for the next couple of miles. Tomorrow, she would have to guard Yuko's farmland and her shrine. Yamashi, from what Yuko had said to her, was going to be away for at least another day, so Meioshi wouldn't have to worry about Yamashi blowing a fuse that his wife wasn't at home during this dangerous time. Yamashi was the least of Meioshi's worries, however. Locking the gates back, Meioshi removed her shawl and instead wrapped it around her hips like a belt. She walked to the diviner's bowl only a few feet away and saw Mizu running towards it to ensure the water level of the bowl was correct. It amazed her how well her mother tamed Mizu.
Mizu filled up the bowl to the proper level with his water and stepped back to bow before Meioshi. She smiled gently at him, walked past the bowl, and placed a gentle hand on Mizu's shoulder before embracing him. Mizu blushed at this and gave Meioshi a proper greeting with a warm hug. Though he was wary of telling Lord Sesshomaru this, Mizu used to babysit Meioshi sometimes when Suiren needed a break and kept her busy with different activities. Eventually, the two became playmates and Meioshi would be allowed to stay up at night if Mizu had a short night shift much like tonight.
"Welcome back, my girl!" Mizu whispered.
"That's better! I was starting to wonder if I upset you," Meioshi said, releasing Mizu and removing her gloves to place them in pockets. "We have guests?"
"A famous one!" Mizu replied, raising a proud fist in the air. "I have to find him a proper gift, but he's a very special guest indeed. At least to the demons. You and the other humans might not know him. He's a great general's son."
"Oh?" Meioshi responded, putting her hair in a ponytail. Once done, she placed her hands in the water and cupped some in her hands to rinse her face. "What's a celebrity like that doing way out here?"
"He came to see you actually. He's right - huh?" Mizu started, noticing that Lord Sesshomaru was no longer with him. He could've sworn he followed him! He looked behind some trees to see if the lord had hidden himself, but, when he didn't see any sign or trace of the man, Mizu could only sigh and scratch his head. "Well, he was with me. Was he nervous or something?"
Meioshi lightly giggled at Mizu's question and then said, "He might've just been tired and didn't want to be rude. It is late in the hour. The sun will be rising soon. How are you, my friend?"
"Well," Mizu answered, no longer interested in Sesshomaru's absence. Meioshi was probably right. He then said, "I look forward to gifting the young lord. I'll have to be creative with this one. I heard you were busy, though."
"Thanks to Yuko, I've been able to patrol the area. There aren't many of those creatures near here, but they are aggressive and will harm any and all living creatures. You'll be having a bit more work at the guest inn division once my patients are released. The furthest they can go is probably the farmlands where Yuko works," Meioshi informed.
"What are these creatures?" Mizu asked out of curiosity.
"They look like the guardian beast I had to fight upon my last visit to hell," Meioshi replied, placing a thumb between her hip and pants to let her hand hang as she explained what she had been seeing. "At least in parts. Some have wolf heads, some have wolf feet, some have the claws or arms of the wolf. But these creatures are men and women that it devoured in the past. It must've used its powers to give the remains life to hunt and kill. Whatever parts were missing, I suppose it gave them parts of itself. The snow and ice that's been falling is a result of the wolf's powers as well. In order to keep these creatures 'alive', it changed the environment of the living world into the environment it thrives in. Once the creatures die out, the environment returns to what it was prior but wherever the creature intends to be released is where the creatures are strongest. I haven't found the threshold of the creature, so I know for certain it's not here."
"Be careful, my little one," Mizu said, looking down. "I don't want to lose you to the clutches of this guardian demon."
"I don't want to lose any of you either. Honestly, I'm considering Yuko's words more and more," Meioshi responded, kneeling in front of Mizu to look him in the eye. "This creature guarded that sword for a reason. I don't think it's really evil or angry. I think it's something else."
"Like what?"
"Yuko said the creature hesitated when she asked it if it was looking for something. That it took on the form of a wolf as a reflection of its feelings. Demons shouldn't be allowed to guard divine weapons because it would harm them, but this one can and it hid it away. I wonder if there's a way to help it find what or who it's looking for."
Mizu hummed in thought and suggested, "Maybe you need to fly. Speak to a soul carrier perhaps. They may know something."
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"Mei-o-shi-sa~n!"
A little girl called, running into Meioshi's house. Her name was Kyoko. She was Meioshi's smaller nursing apprentice of age 8 after Yuko. Meioshi and Yuko giggled at little Kyoko as she bolted into the lounge and dining room. Yuko took note to Kyoko's bright clothing: a charming yellow kimono with sunflowers on the sides and black geta sandals with orange and green striped cotton straps. She dressed as brightly as her personality. Kyoko was going to be a bubbly young lady when she was older if the schoolboys who always wanted to play with her or tease her weren't a clue. Meioshi taught Kyoko how to defend herself, if necessary, quite well when she too noticed that some boys were taking a liking to Kyoko's fiery spirit. However, Meioshi also took note to Kyoko's friends, Shotaro and Musuko, who were always ready to defend her, but the doctor mentioned that she would be keeping an eye on Musuko the most. Yuko was never told why, but she had a hunch that the doctor could see something growing from him the most. Kyoko immediately jumped into Meioshi's arms for a hug and was happy to receive a warm embrace in return. Meioshi lightly kissed Kyoko on her little head of light brown hair before singing her name in return.
"Ky-o-ko-cha~n!"
"I finished all my schoolwork, Lady Meioshi," Kyoko said with a big smile. "Katsui-sensei said I'm free to go on vacation!"
"That's good, Kyoko!" Meioshi said with equal excitement. "Told you school was easy."
"Can I go swimming in the pond now?" Kyoko asked with bright stars in her eyes.
"Of course, you can, little one," Meioshi replied, softly nodding. "But I have to go shopping first. We are all out of meat, and I'm releasing the patients today. I might only have to keep one here for another day or so, but Yuko did an excellent job in taking care of everyone despite wanting to pull her hair out."
"I did?" Yuko questioned, blushing from pride and the sincerity of the compliment.
"Yes, you did," Meioshi replied gently with a soft smile. "We're running low on medical items ourselves. The sheets and bedding need to be sterilized and washed thoroughly in case of any lingering impurities. We'll have to head to the market today. While we're out, I can check on the villagers' scroll for all guest names. The barrier will have to be reset to accommodate our new and visiting arrivals."
"Oh!" Kyoko said, sitting up straight and remembering something. "Shotaro and Musuko said they wrote Lord Jaken's name in the scroll. I think Lord Moeru said something about writing a pass for the same person - uh, demon - um, creature! I don't know who or what Lord Jaken is."
"Well, Lord Moeru did take his family into town this morning to see the beach," Yuko said, drinking more tea. She would have to remind herself to take some home. She then continued, "You'll likely see his writing if there's another person here besides this Lord Jaken."
"Ah, there actually is another!" Meioshi said, closing her eyes to remember the other guest's name. "I don't think I ever got his name, but he's supposed to be a kind of idol among other demons. Mizu told me about him last night. He was staying in the guest inns."
"Maybe you can ask them what they know about the recent attacks that caused all this trouble," Yuko suggested, finishing her tea. "See if they saw anything different that might give you some clues."
"You can visit a forest or two," Kyoko suggested, gaining the women's attention. "People always get lost in the forests when it's the snowy season and ghosts are usually in them."
Meioshi immediately thought of something and smiled toothily before saying, "You, my little detective, might be onto something."
"That means trouble, doesn't it?" Yuko questioned, looking at Meioshi's feline grin.
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Jaken finally was able to observe Heiwa per his lord's instructions without getting sent into space by some unforeseen barrier of wind. Unfortunately, Lord Sesshomaru left him behind once again to investigate something else. The number of questions his lord has must be mounting because Sesshomaru hardly ever bothers himself with these kinds of matters. However, Jaken did as told when Sesshomaru returned to the inn that morning. He didn't even know Sesshomaru left until he saw the man standing in the lounge room and looking out at the sea. The view must have been quite beautiful for him to have this mesmerized look in his eyes.
"Jaken, go into the village and search for a demon named Aka. He's supposedly close to other members of Lady Meioshi's family. See what else you can find about her. I'll return soon," he said calmly.
"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru, but what information am I looking for that I can't get from Moeru?" Jaken asked.
"The history of her family is what I seek. What souls do they save? Gather what you will after that," Sesshomaru replied, leaving the inn.
Determined to satisfy his lord, Jaken made it his mission to find information on this Aka and Lady Meioshi's family. He already had one accomplishment in the bag seeing as though Sesshomaru was even more curious about Meioshi. Seeing familiar faces from yesterday's tour, Jaken was able to properly greet lords and ladies who were above him in class, physical power, or stature with a low bow and others on his level a polite nod.
"Hey, Kappa Jaken, watch out!"
"Huh?" Jaken responded, turning to see a ball coming straight for him.
Unable to react fast enough, the fairly weighty ball knocked him in the head and made him stumble from the impact. Luckily, it was still fairly early and not too many people were out in the streets, so he didn't have to worry about the embarrassment, but he knew that embarrassing name only came from two little people. Shotaro and Musuko ran right up to him to see if he was okay.
"Jaken, are you okay?" Musuko asked, checking his head for scarring or some other damage. "I'm sorry! I kicked the ball pretty far and didn't see you. Your head's swelling up!"
"I'm alright, but I have one request," Jaken said, eyes swirling from the impact of the ball. He managed to be able to lift a solidary finger for his request, though, and waited for the boy to respond.
"Yeah, what is it?" Musuko asked, feeling guilty for hurting Jaken.
But, Jaken immediately shot out of his dazed state and pressed his nose and forehead flush against Musuko's face to demand from him, "Stop calling me, Kappa Jaken! It's Lord Jaken! I'm not even a kappa!"
"Should've kicked the ball harder," Musuko grumbled. He sighed at Jaken's request, backed away from him, and stood up straight. He then said, "Sorry, Lord Jaken. What are you doing near the school?"
"School?" Jaken questioned, looking to the side.
There was a fairly open and wide play area next to it, which is where Jaken must have been walking next to, but the school was a nice size. It looked like kids of varying ages and backgrounds were playing outside, but Jaken could see in the front door and windows of the school. It looked like the teachers were on a break. They were helping each other clean the classrooms. Ink seemed to be on some of the desks and papers. A few scrolls were stacked to show where a child was seated, and loose papers were either turned or drooping off the table to show that a child in the middle of a lesson. It was a minor thing, but the teachers were organizing things for the kids to return to their studies. Some teachers were no older than the students at heart and were playing or teasing each other by taking fruit off tables and putting them in a cubby or some other place. The level of playfulness from adult to child was almost endearing and sweet.
Suddenly remembering what he was supposed to do, Jaken shook those thoughts from his head violently and said, "Oh, I guess you're on a break. I didn't realize the morning went by so quickly."
"Must be nice to be able to wake up whenever you want," Musuko responded, placing the ball behind his head and holding it in place. "Hope you don't mind Shotaro giving your dragon snacks again. I think it likes the fruit and nut jerky better than the lamb ones he had."
Jaken snapped his head around to look at Aa and Un, and, sure enough, the other boy he met before gave the dragon another food offering. Apparently, Aa and Un appreciated the snack very much since Aa picked the boy up by the collar and placed him on his back. Shotaro got a free ride on the back of a dragon! That had to be amazing for a child.
Jaken then said, "Huh, I guess he did like it."
"Oh, did you ever meet up with Lady Meioshi? She came back home," Shotaro asked, trying to observe Jaken's reactions.
"Unfortunately, no, but I did meet Moeru and his family from the eastern lands. They were very friendly," Jaken replied. "He told me more about Lady Meioshi's family. I have a little more information to get, but I have to meet a man named Aka for it."
"Lord Aka the herdsman, you mean?" Shotaro questioned, peeking his head from behind the dragon heads. "He's a livestock helper. You have to go on the edge of the village. You're closer to the fishing docks and the pebble stone beach than the livestock farms. Just beyond that is Lady Meioshi's clinic. Kyoko just went to visit her to swim in the pond."
"She doesn't like school, I take it," Jaken responded.
"She likes it a lot more now since she gets to work with Lady Meioshi," Musuko corrected, looking at the dragon with admiration. "She teaches us some stuff, too."
"Like how to check for injuries?" Jaken asked, gaining Musuko's attention just as he was about to pet Un. "You inspected me for scratches earlier."
"Oh, uh," Musuko stuttered, blushing from the observation. He scratched his head bashfully then said, "Yeah, just in case. Kyoko wants to be a nurse like Lady Meioshi. I just want to look out for my parents in case they get hurt."
A gong rang and stopped the kids from their playtime before a voice called everyone. It sounded like a man's voice. He said, "Everyone, back inside! You won't be released for time off until all work is complete!"
"C'mon, Lord Jaken! You can come with us!" Shotaro said, falling off the dragon to get back to class in a hurry. "Ouch!"
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Jaken was seated next to Musuko on an island in the center of a pond. The island was a study. It was made of wood and built like a small house (with exception to the lack of furniture and its size) with a black marble writing table positioned in a diagonal view. Aa and Un were swimming in the pond, enjoying the peace of mind. Jaken was beyond impressed by the village's serenity. There were all sorts of demons who had been living here for years, yet he never heard of this place. Why? Shotaro mentioned there were demons living in another village with humans as well; he called it the sister town. There were scholars near the shrine further into the village who could explain Heiwa's history in finer detail, so Jaken made plans to visit the temple north. First, he had to gather his thoughts and interpret them into questions for Aka. Lord Sesshomaru ordered him to investigate for more information on Lady Meioshi. That was his focus.
"You, human boy," Jaken called, looking at Musuko.
"My name is Musuko, Lord Jaken," Musuko responded, annoyed by being called out of his name. "I thought we agreed not to call each other names. Do ya want me to call ya, Kappa Jaken, that badly?"
"No! It sounds ridiculous!" Jaken argued. He then cleared his throat and asked, "What is Lady Meioshi like?"
"He didn't," Shotaro said, looking at Jaken incredulously. Musuko likes to talk about Meioshi in the weirdest ways, and he'll sometimes take until tomorrow to finish his thoughts. "Lord Jaken, I don't think - !"
"What's she like?" Musuko questioned, standing up with his eyes closed and nose growing out to a point. "She's...the greatest woman in the world! Where should I begin?"
Shotaro threw a clean brush at his friend and popped Musuko in the forehead before saying, "Let's skip to the present for starters! Jeez! Well, Lady Meioshi keeps herself busy a lot nowadays, but she said she used to study the stars and learned how to be a map maker when she was younger. She travels most of the time to help people, but she'll stay here at length if something is going wrong in the village. I heard my mother say she was going to travel again soon."
"She is?" Musuko asked, eyes sparkling and cheeks beginning to color.
Shotaro nodded, used to his friend's antics, and said, "Uh-huh. Besides her travels, she gathers a lot of food in her barn to ration most of it for traveling. She has everything she needs except meat, which some travelers will sell to her. Maybe after school, we can ask Kyoko's mom what it was like being under Lady Meioshi's care. Now, you can describe her, Musuko."
"Lady Meioshi has a very kind heart, and she has a lot of working skills. I think she said she learned a lot of 'em from this school she used to go. It closed down when she was younger, and this school was supposed to be a replacement for it. We met her when Kyoko's mom was really sick. She taught us a bunch of things when we visited and lets us hang around at her estate when school is over or during a holiday. She always checks on her patients to ensure nothing else happens to their health. She's nice no matter how spiteful others can be, and her beautiful smile can melt anyone's heart," Musuko said, sighing. Hearts seeming to float around him. "That's all I can say."
"That's it?" Shotaro shouted. "What about your undying loyalty and your admiration and how she took care of your dad and how beautiful she is when the heavens shine upon her? You always say those things!"
"Well, that'd take too long, and Lord Jaken doesn't have time for that," Musuko replied, looking at Shotaro. "Besides, he'll be able to see all the things I like about her if we can catch her before she goes home."
"Unbelievable..." Shotaro muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "If it were anyone else, you'd rave on about everything you know about Lady Meioshi and now you're taking it easy? What a load of pishposh!"
"Shotaro...are you in love with Lady Meioshi too?" Musuko asked, face full of stars glittering about. "You just said one of her favorite phrases!"
"I'm not in love with Lady Meioshi like you! She just sounds all sophisticated and intelligent when she talks sometimes. She's got that accent," Shotaro admitted, blushing.
"So, you're in love with the woman. We get it," Jaken and Musuko said in unison.
"I am not!" Shotaro defended.
"Musuko. Shotaro. You may take your friends and go into town. Your lesson for today is over," a man called. "Enjoy your time off, boys."
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"Boys! Where are we going?" Jaken questioned, following the cheerful lads through the village. Some of the neighboring demons were watching them as they walked. "We better not be going in circles."
"Circles?" Musuko questioned. "Puh-lease! We know the village like the back of our hand. Calm down, Lord Jaken. First thing we gotta do is find out where you want to go. You said you wanted to investigate, right?"
"I know what I said!" Jaken argued. "First, I should find this Lord Aka."
"Alright. Hey, that's Kyoko's mother," Musuko said, pointing to a home close by. "I think I saw feed being thrown to the chickens. Let's go see. She'd know where Lord Aka is. They're friends."
"Come on, Lord Jaken!" Shotaro called, pulling Jaken's arm.
They arrived at the front door of the house. Musuko and Shotaro removed their geta sandals while Jaken was steadily being pulled by Shotaro. Musuko called out to the mother until she responded. They rushed to the backyard where the chickens were running around. Musuko loved to run after the fowl. Shotaro released Jaken's arm to tell the mother about Jaken then turned his attention to Musuko. He called out to him, trying to stop Musuko from catching the chickens while they ate.
"Lord Jaken," the woman called, startling Jaken. He crept towards her then waited. She said, "Shotaro tells me you wish to speak with me about your investigation. How may I be of help?"
The mother was an attractive woman. Her skin looked fresh, and her hair was shining in the sun's glow. She was wearing a pale rose kimono adorned with a fuchsia hyacinth at the hem of the skirt. If she were ill, it would be hard to tell. Her husband must be proud. In her earlier years, she must have been stunning!
"Oh, uh, ahem!" Jaken said, coughing. "My lord has requested that I find more information about Lady Meioshi. The boys have told me that she had taken care of you before, and that you would also be able to introduce me to Lord Aka. I'm looking for him as well."
"Yes," she said, nodding. "Lady Meioshi said I was suffering from pallor and has been treating me for some months now. My daughter went to go see her this morning. They may return here for a check-up before she leaves home for the evening. Sometimes, it feels like she's my other daughter."
"Hm," Jaken hummed, furrowing his forehead. "The boys have also told me that you have gone to her home for treatment. Could you tell me your experiences?"
"Certainly," the mother agreed, walking to the engawa to sit. "It was in the middle of winter. I had been experiencing severe aching in my head and nothing seemed to help relieve the pain. I tried many natural herbs in my cooking and teas, but it felt as though they worsened the sheer multitude of the aching tenfold. The head priest, Master Bokushi, had kept me in his study for the rest of the season. He told me that evil spirits were resting in my skull, and the spirits were interfering with my prayers to the gods. I followed his instructions to rid the spirits by allowing one of the priests to do one-inch incisions on each side of my head, right where the temples are located; thus, allowing the same man to place a clove of garlic on the cuts."
"That's barbaric! I would prefer Lady Kaede's treatments than his," Jaken remarked, seating himself down. He had decided to go to the temple directly after this. Speaking with Meioshi would have to wait.
"Ah, this Lady Kaede is a doctor from your village?" the mother asked, feeling the sun's rays beam on her face.
"No, she is an elder," Jaken corrected. "I don't live in a village like you all, and I left my tribe many years ago. Lady Kaede is an ally of ours. My lord might not care about Master Bokushi, but I'd like to know how garlic in the brain is supposed to ward off evil spirits."
"It's part of a process. After the incision, I was to pray for three days without sleeping," she said, showing remorse in her eyes. "Master Bokushi said the spirits will ravage my body and make me weaker if I become vulnerable for a moment. I returned home after this procedure. I had to lie that I was feeling better so that I could see my husband and daughter. The villagers only pitied me, but one demon saw my agony: Lord Aka. In the middle of the night, I had been crying after the house was aslumber. Lord Aka had secretly called for a woman to help me. Early morning, she had come to check on my condition. She introduced herself: Jigoku Meioshi-san. I thought she was going to be another useless doctor, but she stayed with me for three days and watched over me. After the third day, she found other things wrong with me and told me that I was suffering from different causes relative to pallor. My skin was paling in my mouth and on my palms. She said the disease wasn't significant since it could be treated by acknowledging the other symptoms, but it would take time to find the root cause. This was the beginning of spring when she diagnosed me, and it was then that she brought me to her home for several days."