Towako looked relieved, though a hint of irritation remained in her eyes. "Of course," she nodded. "You'll get what you want, Kaoru. Just make sure you bring the Star-Eye Relic back as soon as possible."
With the negotiation complete, Kaoru finally left the mansion, preparing himself to face the Nine Child Dragon Association and retrieve the missing Relic. He knew the mission would be dangerous, but this wasn't his first time facing a high-stakes situation. The agreement had been made, and he would fulfill his part of it.
---
Inside the mansion, after Kaoru's departure…
Reika walked quietly down the mansion's corridor, heading to a secluded room deep within. Dim light filled the silent hallway, and faint shadows danced on the walls as she passed by. When she reached an old wooden door, she opened it carefully.
Inside the dimly lit room, a white cat sat calmly atop a low table, gazing at Reika with deep, mysterious eyes. Reika lowered herself, kneeling and pressing her hands to the floor in a respectful posture.
"Reika pays her respects to the ancestor Onmyoji, Abe Yumei-sama!" she said in a reverent tone.
The white cat, clearly more than an ordinary cat, moved its tail slowly, gazing at Reika with wise, emerald-green eyes that shone softly in the dim light, as if piercing the soul of anyone who looked into them.
"You have done well, Reika," a gentle yet powerful voice echoed in the room. Though it didn't come from the cat's mouth, Reika knew it belonged to the spirit residing within the cat's body—the great ancestral spirit Abe Yumei, one of the most esteemed Onmyoji in Japanese history.
"I have been observing these developments," continued the gentle voice emanating from the white cat, calm but full of vigilance. "As I suspected, I cannot gauge the spiritual power of that young man."
Reika, still kneeling before Abe Yumei, nodded slightly. "The same goes for me, Abe-sama," she said seriously. "Just using my mystical eye to observe him was exhausting." The memory of when she greeted Kaoru at the mansion's door resurfaced. She had intentionally used her mystical eye to assess Kaoru's power—only to be met with a sight that made her shiver. Beneath Kaoru's seemingly ordinary appearance, she saw hundreds of compound eyes staring back at her, radiating power and secrets she could not fully comprehend. In that moment, Reika had to fight to keep her composure, pretending nothing was amiss.
Abe Yumei, through his cat form, nodded slightly. "I see... That explains a lot. The boy possesses something far stronger than we can imagine, something hidden beneath his surface," he said wisely, though a hint of concern laced his words. "That's why I allowed my granddaughter, Towako, to handle this meeting. If I had intervened myself, my presence might have triggered unnecessary conflict or complications."
Reika nodded again, though a touch of confusion lingered in her heart. She knew that Abe Yumei rarely admitted his inability to measure someone. If even he couldn't comprehend the depths of Kaoru's power, then there was something truly unusual about the man.
"What should we do next, Abe-sama?" Reika asked respectfully, keeping her tone steady despite her mind swirling with countless possibilities about Kaoru and the hidden power within him.
The white cat, embodying Abe Yumei's spirit, swayed its tail slowly. Its sharp emerald eyes gazed at Reika with an intensity that held the wisdom of thousands of years. "We will continue to monitor this situation," replied Abe Yumei, his voice firm and calculated. "Just keep an eye on that young man. After all, we're fortunate to have his assistance in retrieving that dangerous Relic."
Reika nodded slightly, though a faint confusion flickered in her eyes. "I didn't expect him to agree so quickly either," Reika murmured, half-speaking to herself.
Abe Yumei sighed lightly through the white cat's body. "To be honest, neither did I. What's more surprising is his motivation... the fact that he agreed because of my wife's collection phone."
Reika paused for a moment, trying to digest Abe Yumei's words. *The phone?* she thought, surprised. How could a small, seemingly insignificant item like an old phone become a motivation for someone like Kaoru, who clearly possessed great power and potential beyond ordinary humans?
"That dangerous Relic must indeed be reclaimed soon, but remember, there is more at stake in this mission than just an ancient artifact," Abe Yumei continued, his cat voice soft but laden with warning. "You must keep a close watch on Kaoru. Make sure he does not take an interest in things he isn't meant to know. If he uncovers the secrets behind the Relic, the situation could become far more complicated."
"I understand, Abe-sama," Reika replied firmly, though a sliver of concern lingered in her heart. She knew there were many secrets hidden within this agreement, possibly more than were being kept from Kaoru. But her orders were clear: ensure Kaoru retrieves the Relic without learning too much.
"Good," Abe Yumei replied, the mysterious gaze of his cat eyes gradually softening. "I trust you, Reika. You have shown your loyalty all this time, and I know you'll carry out your duties well. We cannot afford to lose this opportunity."
Reika bowed once more, speaking her words with deep reverence. "I won't disappoint you, Abe-sama."
The white cat swayed its tail once more, signaling the meeting's end. Reika rose, leaving the room with more assured steps. Although her heart was still full of questions, her duty was clear—to ensure Kaoru stayed focused on the mission they had planned.
In the quiet room, Abe Yumei, in his white cat form, remained silent, gazing out the dimly lit window. He knew there were far greater powers out there, forces even he did not fully understand. Kaoru Rasputin might hold the key to unlocking the veil of that mystery—but whether he would become an ally or a threat was still a daunting question.