"Monks, priestess and our special guest! I thank you for accepting my call, to combat the dark forces that stalk my city and terrorize innocent civilians!"
Wearing a traditional brown Japanese costume, a biretta cap of the same color, at the same time he stands in an elevated area of the hall and sits on a zabuton.
He obese feudal lord begins to speak, while keeping his back straight and looking towards all the people in the hall.
"I would like to speak now on the subject at hand, but it is so horrible that I fear you may not be able to eat after hearing it. then enjoy your meal!"
Clapping their palms about twice, from the sliding doors a few ladies begin to enter the hall, who carry plates of food and drinks to the various tables.
Finishing that action gracefully, they bow to the center of the room, before leaving in an orderly fashion, at the same time as the Lord also rises and exits through a door placed behind.
"I guess this calls for an explanation."
Turning from looking to where the feudal lord just left, I speak to Kikyo who has been staring at me since I entered the room later than the rest.
"It's not an obligation, but I'd like to know."
"Don't you think it's more interesting what happened while we were apart, besides how I got here?"
"They must have locked you in, you looked like a beggar. About the second thing, you obviously escaped."
Speaking with complete rationality, Kikyo changes from an analytical look to one that shows just a hint of curiosity, letting it be seen that she has managed to take control of her feelings these past few days.
"You are right on both counts. At first they locked me in a cold, damp place, obviously I escaped, leaving behind only a few unconscious people."
"So much fuss and no one noticed?"
"It wasn't quite like that, I knocked everyone unconscious with just a few words. Then I tracked down the owner of the place and brainwashed him."
I'm pretty proud of my actions, I didn't harm anyone and now I control the whole castle from the shadows... Isn't that how foxes act in folklore?
"So now you're an Onmyōji priest?"
Yes, I'm dressed as an Onmyōji. With his weird long cap and equally long sandals... all very strange. The only important thing is that it's quite a comfortable suit to move around in and its materials are of high quality... Besides that it was the only good thing I got.
"Not a simple Onmyōji priest, but Asahiko, he who will fix this problem. what? Was it this name or Abe no Seimei?"
Obviously I couldn't use something like Abe no Seimei, which is too popular, so I settled for Asahiko, "Prince of the Morning" or something like that.
"How are you going to"
"Don't panic, I was even able to steal a talisman phage and a fine feather fan I have stashed inside the suit.
Finishing speaking and still with Kikyo's slightly surprised look, had I thought I did everything in a hurry? I should add that it wasn't like that, I had everything planned out.
Slowly dipping my hand inside the suit, she managed to pull out a feather fan with eyes in them, giving it away as a peacock feather fan.
"Are you thinking of waving the talismans in the air and pretending they'll work?"
"No, no, Kikyo. That would obviously be a scam, a very bad thing. I plan to wave them in the air, shout the name of some Shinto god and throw them together with my flames."
I'm not going to scam anyone, same result with slightly different products.
"Heh, you're not afraid they'll notice."
"They'll notice? None of them seem like a problem, even though I'm buying them with you... Besides, none of them have noticed the illusion I use to eat our two dishes."
Observing the room with a scrutinizing gaze, I only confirm my words that they are all weak.
Maybe comparing them to Kikyo, the special case among the special ones, isn't the best choice... But what can you do if she's the first priestess I saw.
"Seeing as you have finished your meal, it's time to talk about what is truly important."
Returning again to the hall through the door that retreated, the feudal lord takes a posture with a straight back, standing upright and with firm eyes making everyone take him seriously, despite his appearance.
"Hell, that's what they are! They parade freely through my city every night, it used to be bearable, being that you only had to warn the inhabitants once a month. But now it's every night, they show up and do their thing, and they've even started trying to invade the inside of the castle!"
Raising his voice and without a hint of weakness, although the tiredness that can be seen in his eyes. The feudal Lord begins to give his speech under the attentive gaze of the group gathered here.
"They are insatiable and infinite in our view, but this time we do not seek to defeat them, but to keep them under control for a few days or until we can... Do something".
Having finished speaking and seeming to have nothing more to say, he knocks twice with his hands, causing the ladies to come back in to take the guests away.
...Some time later...
"Have you been able to locate the shard?"
Talking to Kikyo who is in the same room as me, after an intense talk with the lady who was accompanying us.
She asked her about what brought us here in my opinion and I bet I've got it right, as this doesn't seem to be something that normally happens.
"Yes and no. At first I could feel it all over the city and more strongly inside the castle. Now that we entered the castle grounds, that feeling disappeared completely and was replaced by feeling it more strongly in the city."
"Maybe it's being carried by one person and is moving between the two sides?"
Although he thought about my proposal for a few seconds, he then shakes his head, before he puts on a thoughtful look and begins to state his opinion.
"No, I'm sure it's not a person who has it. I can feel its presence in all the shadows of the city albeit sporadically."
Stowing my fan inside my suit, I guide one of my hands to my chin before thinking... Yes, no idea has come to my mind, but I am not to blame.
I've only lived here less than a month, maybe Saya knows something, though I haven't seen him lately.