Arifureta Chapter 425
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AN: I said that there is much more to write but, the things that I want to write increased while I was writing……
※Warning: This chapter was uploaded at 2 November (Tuesday). There was also update at 30 October (Saturday), so please go the previous chapter first for those who haven’t read it!
It was already one month since the battle that decided the fate of the world.
Time flies like an arrow. Such saying was really fitting to express just how the month passed like in a blink of eye.
The world was still in great commotion that hadn’t calm down at all.
It was only natural. After all abnormal phenomenons that were impossible to happen naturally happened on parade. The historical records that mankind had accumulated until now and the researches about nature were completely useless to explain the unknown phenomenons and they happened in a scale that swallowed a whole country.
In addition, witnesses appeared endlessly and their testimonies were also really out there.
──I saw a giant and terrifying illusion of dragon
──I heard roars that were impossible for any existing animals to make
──I saw god descended
──The sea suddenly started to be stormy and then calmed down just as suddenly
──I was enveloped in darkness and couldn’t see anything
──I was enveloped in light and couldn’t see anything
──The temperature suddenly was below zero. I thought I was going to freeze
──The temperature suddenly became really hot I got dehydration
──There was a typhoon like sudden evening shower
──The torii of the Inari Shrine nearby was shining
──My wound and the damage on my house were erased when I realized
──Mountain Fuji shined divinely
If it was before the cataclysm, all of those comments would only be considered material to be written in third rate occult magazine or became urban legend in internet that was posted half in jest and wouldn’t gather any interest.
But, such contents that would be dismissed with a laugh before were spreading widely right now as a public truth.
The people in Japan, whether they were foreigner or mass media staff or government employee or police officer and the like, even people who investigated because they originally doubted it were experiencing those things by themselves, so they couldn’t just disregard them as mere cock-and-bull story.
Or rather, the number of recordings of the cataclysm were numbering as many as the star in the sky. And the sources also came from all kinds of party and places, from media to individual from the whole country.
In addition there were even recordings from all over the world that witnessed dragon, and the young men and women, or perhaps fantastical beasts fully loaded with weapons facing them……
Not to mention that despite such storm of supernatural phenomenons, the number of death or injury that were directly caused by them was zero. It was impossible whether to consider these events as disaster or miracle. That was the current situation.
As the result, even the specialists all over the world couldn’t give any answer. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the world was still in the midst of chaos. It needn’t be said how was the situation in Japan.
In regard to this, Japan government’s opinion was as stated below.
──Perhaps the eruption of Mountain Fuji caused some kind of chain reaction that resulted in the occurrence of phenomenons in the nature that originally only had astronomical chance of happening naturally.
In the end all those phenomenons only occurred due to a miraculous chain of events, because of that they all died down in a night and the nature also returned back to normal. At present, there was no sign of activity at Mountain Fuji. Because it was completely in a calm state, the possibility of similar phenomenon occurring once more must be extremely low. That was the conclusion of the specialist committee.
A specialist research institution was being set up near Mountain Fuji right now. At the same time, it was also decided that in case the worst happened, a rapid reaction force of JSDF would also be stationed nearby for five years so that they could quickly evacuate the people.
The research of the cause would still continue from here on without sparing any effort for it──
In other words. The cause is unknown but, perhaps it won’t happen anymore you know? We have also made preparation in case the worst happen, and the investigation is also still ongoing, so rest assured okay? That was the government’s stance.
In reality, that was no different from saying that they didn’t know anything. Everyday experts and specialists showed up in television and acted in complete confusion while also screaming and acting deranged.
Also, naturally Japan government’s upper echelon knew about the truth.
But, they couldn’t possibly go public with the truth. They couldn’t push Japan and the world into even more chaos than this, and doing that might cause a conflict surrounding supernatural power with the returnees at the forefront.
The people who participated in the battle at the sea of trees weren’t seen because from the start the nearby populace had been evacuated. And the weather had also become a raging storm when the fight reached the sky, so it was possible for anyone to get their face even if they used camera with telephoto lens.
Also, the videos and images of the classmates who dealt with the dragon shadows were also dealt by Hajime using his usual method, so they wouldn’t get exposed from there too.
What was unexpected was that a lot of foreigners rushed into the countries that were attacked by such incomprehensible cataclysm.
Though among the Japanese people, there were also some who went 「Who can possibly stay in a country where such crazy disaster occurred!」 and escaped to foreign country……
The visitors consisted of the obvious ones like research institutions from other governments, United State, or even private institutions. Other than them there were also people all over the world whose curiosity was tickled and occult believer. Rather they were scrambling to get ahead of each other to enter the country and that was still continuing even now.
Thanks to that, it seemed that the country would be able to obtain high economic effect for a while from their spending here, so the government officials who knew about the truth were all smiling wryly.
「The perception of society on the surface is like that. ……Are you listening?」
「Of course, I’m listening completely.」
A bunch of skyscraper that were towering high and crammed close with each other, the jammed pack stream of cars coming and going without end, the overwhelming amount of crowd that walked in a hurry.
Kousuke stared reproachfully at the beauty who was staring at those sights with deep interest beside him as he asked that question.
Long white hair and black kimono. The woman with height of 170 cm looked gorgeous, however there was also this obscene atmosphere that could be felt somewhat from her. This woman was Shuten Douji──Yaya no Hidzuki.
Height that reached two meters was too inconspicuous, so she shortened herself. She also made her horn to be out of sight with her own power. It was apparently the result of Hidzuki in her own way to hide her true identity so that she wouldn’t stand out after a fashion.
She was still normally drawing gazes from the passerby due to her atmosphere and beauty though.
Perhaps she was used to being the center of attention. The person herself looked like she didn’t care at all.
Hidzuki were looking at the state of the modern world with deep interest as though to say that she wouldn’t tire of it no matter how many times she saw it. Then she turned her gaze to Kousuke. The height of their eyes was almost the same, so he felt a bit daunted from her eyes that were radiating bewitching radiance and her beautiful features.
「And, how about at behind the scene?」
It seemed that she was really listening.
They were walking to their destination──actually they could arrive there right away, but Hidzuki pestered him for a modest date by walking together through this present world, so Kousuke met her demands which also doubled as a show of his grattiude──while Kousuke continued talking.
「It seems they were told the truth.」
「The truth, is it?」
Kousuke nodded while protecting Hidzuki from the man who was approaching in a daze because they didn’t notice Kousuke’s existence and got lured by Hidzuki’s atmosphere that induced carnal desire……
Not, in order to protect the man from Hidzuki, Kousuke tightly caught the oni’s hand that almost sprang up while activating his stealth to also cover Hidzuki, averting away the man’s perception from her.
「The truth about the existence of supernatural power and its revival. The secret maneuver of Shadow Monk and our fight. The existence of apparition and……the true form of Japan. In addition they were also told about the source of that supernatural power──the willpower, and who is in control of it.」
They weren’t told about the sanctuary at Britain and the King Tree, and about other worlds like the fairy world, but they were given the general explanation for things other than that
The unknown was scary. And if that became the cause of incomprehensible cataclysm, nations absolutely couldn’t turn a blind eye to that. After all they didn’t know when such disaster would also happen to their country.
In that case the investigation to Japan would also become extreme both at the surface and behind the scene. They must actually know the cause right? Other countries would think like that and used every means in their disposal to find out.
That would be troubling. Therefore they were given what they wanted. Along with a deadly poison though.
「Fufufu. What a truly terrifying story that is. They learned the truth while also having a knife pressed at their jugular.」
The master of mine beloved art very much a nice person, Hidzuki-san said with a gruesome smile. She looked truly demonic.
Kousuke couldn’t deny that impression. He could only smile wryly.
After all the leaders of all countries were kidnapped, and in the end they were showed about the difference in power with the show of force of devils and divine spirits obeying the other side.
That wasn’t an explanatory meeting or an negotiation anymore. It was just a coercion……everyone thought so.
Nobody couldn’t possibly imagine right now that when Liliana migrated and set up a new religious group years from now, the same thing would be carried out once more to deal with that.
「There is a proper reason for that okay?」
「There art no need to make any excuse. It’s only natural for the strong to rule over the weak.」
「Stop acting like a barbarian savage so naturally. Also you see. He did it because he hate to that ruling thing.」
「?」
Hidzuki put her index finger on her cheek and tilted her head to show her incomprehension. Even though her fundamental way of thinking was no different than a savage tribe, every single one of her gesture was so lively that it was unfair. Kousuke sighed inside his heart.
He explained that the effort required to continue to manipulate people’s perception and information in a world scale was already too bothersome.
That too was caused by the existences of the awakened.
No matter how complete Hajime’s control over the willpower of this planet was, there was nothing that could be done about the people who already awakened. It was a power that earthling possessed from the start. It was something that was produced inside the body of anyone living, so they would be able to use power no matter what unless they were massacred or something.
Also, it was thought that the awakened was people with high aptitude──like the descendant of people who married with other species who woke up to their power right away after the King Tree was revived, but in the end it was just a hypothesis. There was no guarantee that awakened people would stop appearing from here on.
Furthermore, there were surely other individual and organization that had been passing down the way of handling willpower as technique like the onmyouji and Shadow Monk.
「There won’t be any end of it. Massacring them is also out of question, and doing things like ruling over them will be beyond troublesome. To say nothing of watching over them continuously, that’s just impossible.」
「Even though he hath a godlike power?」
「Yes, even though he has godlike power.」
「Fuumu……」
「Well, it might be a hard to understand way of thinking for an oni chief like Hidzuki though……」
If that guy had that kind of craving for domination, surely he wouldn’t try to go home from another world so crazily desperate like that, Kousuke thought with a wry smile.
Because, if Hajime wanted to rule the world, there was a world where he could do that far more easily than earth──in Tortus. What’s more it wouldn’t be a tyrannical rule, in that world he would be able to rule as a worshipped existence that was accepted by the people favorably.
Even after Ehito was defeated, he had no change of heart and still wished to be reunited with his family and returned once more to his daily life in the past. It was to a degree where that extreme wish was materialized as a concept.
For Hajime, nothing was more important than “the few close people rather than the many others” and “the daily life with those close people” whether it was then or now.
「That’s why, if we’re working with the premise that the awakened exist, the world will notice the existence of supernatural power no matter what we did.」
Kousuke pulled her hand slightly forcefully to change the topic. Hidzuki also switched her mood and perhaps it was just his imagination, but it felt like her feeling was elevated with him acting forceful with her.
「And then, if the world noticed that, it will also be just a matter of time for people to arrive at the thought that the cause of Japan’s cataclysm wasn’t “natural phenomenon that was the result of miraculous chain reaction”, but “it was possibly caused artificially” right?」
「Certainly, that wouldst be the case.」
At that point, anyone would surely recall.
The matter of the pioneer of occult news that thoroughly shook the society──the “returnees”. Some countries had already gotten instigated by Shadow monk to target the relatives of the returnees, so it would even be more so.
「I see, I couldst imagine the rest. Laying your hand on the attractive fruit that art the returnees wouldst result in a painful retribution. That’s why, if it’s just a struggle for the small fruits then do as ye please……that art his thinking.」
「Well, something like that apparently. However, it seems that he formed an agreement only with China behind the scene.」
「Why art……aa, I see. So Shadow Monk was left alive for that.」
Kousuke shrugged. Apparently she was correct.
In fact, Japan and China were making a secret pact after the incident this time.
The organization of supernatural phenomenon expert with the largest scale in the world and established as national asset the fastest──”Shadow Monk”, in this secret agreement they were asked to serve as the world police to manage the sorcery world, the world that was even more behind the scene of the world’s underworld that would definitely form after this. They were also asked to share their information and their result with Japan.
In other words, all the troublesome matters regarding the awakened from here on were delegated wholesale to them.
Bluntly speaking, all the best parts were taken away by the other party while they were left to take care of all the unpleasantness. Normally this kind of agreement wouldn’t be accepted.
But, they had no other choice than swallowing such term in return of the Shadow Monk members, and due to the fact that they brought danger to the world, and most of all, how they incurred the anger of the returnees and even got their source of willpower wrested away from them. They were in a situation where there was nothing they could do due to how wide the gap of power was.
However in this point, the agreement also included stipulation that they not only had cooperative relationship not with just Japan government, but also with the returnees, and depending on the situation it was also possible that the returnees (Abyssgate) would give assistance, so from where they were standing it wasn’t a bad exchange.
Although it was depending on Hajime’s discretion, they were allowed to continue using their sacred grounds, and they were able to have non-hostile connection with the returnees. Also judging from the objective of their plan at first, although they failed in turning Japan into their puppet, they were still able to secure the minimum benefit.
「It’s important for a nation to save face when making agreement. In most case, there will only be loss and tragedy when a nation is cornered too much. That was what Fukube-san said but, it looked like even Nagumo consulted him for making adjustment with the agreement. And, both sides also dispatched human personnel……well, it’s inhuman personnel in Nagumo’s case……dispatched to each other to serve as watcher and contact person, and with that both sides struck a deal more or less.」
Of course, while Hajime was making political action to take care of the world situation, Yue and others were also moving around.
They used the compass to find anyone wounded or dead or any damage from the incident. Not only those who could use regeneration magic, Team Doctor Arachne (self-styled) and Maestro Arachne Group (self-styled) were also going out in force to heal and repair any damage all over the place.
The classmates were also running around to do things like sharing information with Britain’s security bureau and Vatican, or changing the temporary seal of legendary dragons everywhere to full blown seal. The Shadow Monks were also repairing “Saten no Hokora” at Izumo, “Uten no Hokora” at Mountain Fuji, holding ritual to redeploy the barrier, searching for a way to strengthen the Great Barrier of Heavenly Star, investigating the state of the seals sealing apparitions everywhere as well sealing apparitions, etc.
Thanks to that, the number of people who died and damage due to that cataclysm was zero. The sea of trees was also regaining its former look.
「I see. I understand the gist of things now.」
「Hadn’t you heard about all these from Hinata-chan?」
Actually, they were heading to Hinata’s place right now.
It was to pick her up.
Actually, the things that had to be done had greatly decreased after one month passed, so on this occasion, they decided to hold an appreciation party for the people who participated in the battle this time.
The place was astonishingly would be at that “Miniature Garden”. Hajime would open a gate for them later, but a request from Hinata’s mother Chikage came, asking that she wanted to greet Kousuke by any means before that, so he was heading there now in respond to that.
In this one month, every single one of them was busy with dealing with things, so he was unable to even meet with Hinata often. With Chikage, he had only greeted her through phone and her thanking him. They hadn’t even met face to face. And so, it seemed that she wanted to thank him directly now.
Also, Hinata was an important personage so naturally it would be better for her to have bodyguard, but due to various reasons she didn’t have clone attached to her. In exchange Hidzuki was asked to be her bodyguard.
Right now, the horn catalyst that served as Hidzuki’s core was in Hinata’s possession. Hidzuki would appear instantly if she summoned her, and she would also automatically protect Hinata if there was a magical danger just like that time with Kousuke.
Of course, Hinata also had marking so she could call Kousuke too. However, in that case Kousuke would be materialized at Hinata’s location. That would be a bit troublesome.
Returning to the main topic.
「I myself was also busy with mine own business. The fairy world art also hectic with revelry.」
「Aa, yes. Guess there is also that isn’t it~」
Kousuke got a faraway look. Naturally there was also the case of all the dragons going mad and went into rampage, but the incident of the fairy world’s flower on high peak, Hidzuki getting a boyfriend was also a major matter.
After all, the dragons in the end returned to their sanity after the “Dragon” slept, but that wasn’t a reason for those who were seriously in love with Shuten Douji to stop rampaging.
Hidzuki’s subordinates were all ‘hyahhaa’ bunch, but it was also just a matter of time until her relatively weak subordinates got put under the brunt of the rampage, so Hidzuki was also really busy in her own way in order to take care of that matter.
She got summoned to earth several times but, she had to spend the majority of her time at the other side.
「Fufu. Rest assured mine beloved. Ye are the only man who I couldst not turn into stain on the ground.」
「……By that, do you mean you turned everyone else at the fairy world into stain on the ground?」
「Mine beloved, ye don’t need to worry about anything♪」
Hidzuki-san smiled sweetly and linked her arms with him, then she snuggled up to him and leaned coquettishly. Her bewitchment tripled with her face looking ecstatic and her cheeks blushing.
The stealth was broken! The businessmen & women who were passing by got hit by the atmosphere and looked captivated!
「W-w-w-wait, Hidzuki-san!」
「What is it, mine beloved?」
Sweet. Whether it was her tone, or her expression, or the aura she was radiating. Perhaps it was just imagination, but it felt like there was also a sweet smell from her.
「~~~~~tsu, we’re going to be late at this rateee-, let’s walk a bit fasterr-」
「Ahn, mine beloved art really forceful♪」
「Can you not make lewd voice like that while in publiccc!? And your lewd atmosphere too!」
The business district before noon was going to fall into chaos, so Kousuke used all his strength to ignore the soft sensation enveloping his arm and Hidzuki’s wanton eyes and hurried toward their destination half running.
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「……This is seriously lavish.」
It was a tower mansion that stood straight right in the middle of a certain business district in Tokyo. The entrance was already telling him clearly. “Those without qualification, ought not to pass under this gate”. Of course, that was just the hallucination of a pure lower middle class like Kousuke.
However. It couldn’t be helped that he faltered like that. This was a district where it felt like land would be in hot contest, but it was only the surrounding of this tower mansion that was very spacious.
It had a park that was at smallish side but with abundant nature. The surrounding avenue was also well maintained and overflowing with sense of cleanliness. It was also fully furnished with large sized automatic multi-storey car park. He could also faintly see a floor that seemed to be a fitness gym with terrace attached.
And most of all, the caretaker at the entrance wasn’t an elderly which was the usual state of thing, but a tough looking man in black suit. Furthermore he wasn’t alone, there was more of him. With the atmosphere they were giving off, he wouldn’t be surprised even if he was told that they had just returned from battlefield.
When he tried sensing the presence, he could feel more presences further inside that felt like guards not from the respectable sort.
If he wasn’t in Stealth together with Hidzuki, sharp gazes would definitely pierce him from the way he was obviously an outsider standing in a daze at the entrance.
Of course, he wasn’t completely unnoticed though……
No, it seemed it was just one person who noticed him. Furthermore, it had been from some time ago.
The guards suddenly started to act flustered. They turned their gazes at further inside the entrance and it seemed they were exchanging words through the wireless on their ear.
「Looks like our pick up art coming.」
It was just as Hidzuki muttered as she kept clinging tightly on him. Hinata showed up the moment the elevator’s door opened.
Surprisingly, she had an appearance that was the first time for him. She was wearing a western attire of white dress that reached until above her knee. Coupled with her long and glossy black hair, she was like a princess that came out directly from a picture book.
The guards who seemed to receive some kind of contact tried to stop Hinata from going outside with a troubled look. Hinata’s gaze turned to outside.
Her eyes met Kousuke’s gaze perfectly even though he was in hiding. Her expression slackened *funya-*. And then, her expression turned blank instantly the moment she saw Hidzuki snuggling on him. And yet, she suddenly turned bright red *kyuu~~* as though she was witnessing an adult scene.
「Kuku, what a splendid comical expressions.」
「Yes yes, let me go for a bit.」
「Ahn, ye unkind person.」
He peeled off Hidzuki from him and dispelled the stealth. At the very least Hidzuki’s existence would be noticed with this.
The guards looked taken aback when they noticed that someone had came until the entrance and took a fighting stance right at the next moment. Their movement came from practice after many years. They looked more like veteran VIP bodyguard rather than mere security guard.
「They are my guests today. Please let them pass.」
Hinata’s clear voice resounded. It made the guards looked at each other. They must have been informed beforehand. They immediately opened the gate.
「It’s been a bit long isn’t it, Hinata-chan.」
「Indeed. We could only meet twice during this one month.」
Hinata approached with light footsteps in a small jog. She was close. In this distance she was practically looking up at him from right below. Her gaze was packed full with a bit of loneliness and deep affection. It made Kousuke smiled with a bit of embarrassment.
「This is the first time I see you in western-style clothes……you look good in them.」
「! I-is that so? This is just how I usually dressed but, thank you very much.」
Even though her face almost split into wide grin from delight, she was desperately trying to maintain her composed face. It was extremely adorable.
In contrast, the guards were expressionless. How extremely terrifying. Their gazes were a bit unusual. Perhaps, they weren’t just simply mansion guards, but the guards of Fujiwara family. We’re gonna murder you if you lay your hand on our little miss……because their eyes were saying that.
But, before they actually said something, Hinata’s gaze moved toward Hidzuki. It was a reproachful stare. She seemed angry.
「Hidzuki, I’ll be forced to put a “binding” on you if you act too willfully you know?」
「Eh. Hidzuki, you, you didn’t ask permission from Hinata-chan first before coming at my place?」
「I never said anything like that.」
Hidzuki looked aside with a huff. Apparently, she made Hinata summoned her, after that she ignored Hinata’s effort to stop her and rushed at Kousuke’s location.
「I understand that you are interested with the present world, but what are you thinking making me summoned you and each time you would go around as you please? It might be fine if it was just once or twice, but you are lacking the self-awareness as my Zenki……」
She looked like she was going to start a lecture, but suddenly Hinata stopped talking.
Her big and round eyes opened wide and stared at a single point. A single point, yes, a point on Kousuke’s neck where there was red bruise and what seemed to be a trace of a bite. From a glance she could see that they were fresh……
Hinata’s gaze snapped toward Hidzuki. Her eyes narrowed, she noticed something, the she looked at Kousuke once more. Her gaze looked very strict.
「Endou-sama!」
「Y-yes!」
「You gave your blood to Hidzuki didn’t you!?」
「Yes ma’am!!」
「What are you thinking! Giving yourself to an oni to be eaten, unbelievable!」
「No, because, I was thinking that, I need to thank her for like when she came to save me, and also for protecting Hinata-chan in my place. As expected allowing her to take a bite is impossible but, if it’s just blood……you know, Nagumo also often got kapuchuu~ed by Yue-san……」
「C-certainly I also think it’s important to show gratitude but, even then this──」
The eyes of the black suits darted back and forth at the exchange between Hinata and Kousuke. They looked at Hidzuki and flinched seeing her licking her lips. Her atmosphere was too bewitching and too predatory.
Hidzuki ignored those onlookers and pointed out with an amused tone.
「Don’t make a commotion here, little girl. Speaketh honestly, that “I also wanteth to carve the proof of kiss on the man I love”.」
「Nnnya!?」
A strange voice came out from Hinata. Her face was dyed red in the blink of eye. She was in the middle of lecturing about the danger of offering flesh and blood to oni, but perhaps she was actually just jealous.
「T-that’s not it. There is no way I ever think about such indecent thing-. Endou-sama! I, umm, it’s not like what you’re thinking!」
「Ah, yes.」
The eyes of the black suits were increasingly getting harder. Hidzuki crouched and grinned while poking on Hinata’s squishy cheek with her fingertip.
「Besides, I said that I wouldst “protect” ye but, I never said anything about absolute obedience. There shouldst not be any reason for mine action to be restricted isn’t it?」
「Uh……that’s……certainly that’s true but……」
「What’s with yer look of dissatisfaction. Mine beloved, it seemst that ye wouldst have it hard in the future. This little girl, she might be a type that tied down her man and wouldst not let go. In the worst case, there art a risk she might even confine ye……」
「I won’t do that kind of thing-!」
「Then, ye wouldst not mind my going on a pleasure jaunt in this modern era sometimes riight?」
「Uh, uu……」
Hinata was gradually looking tearful while her cheek was getting poked. Adorable groan uu~, uuu even came out from her.
Even though she looked that gallant when standing at the front line as an onmyouji, she was behaving relatively befitting a girl her age in her everyday life.
She asked for help from Kousuke with her gaze against this wheedling from Hidzuki who had lived through a time of different order of magnitude from her.
It would be a different story if Hidzuki did something like eating human when she went out. But, even Hinata had noticed that Hidzuki just wanted to take care of her stress from getting approached by many men in the fairy world by looking around this world.
She was also watching over her using Shiki, so she also knew that she really didn’t make any problem at all except by causing a lot of people to be enchanted by her atmosphere.
That was why she couldn’t say anything back and could only puffed out her cheeks……
The way Hidzuki was toying with such Hinata in delight and Hinata glaring back tearfully at her made the scene looked like the scene of two sisters frolicking with each other.
In any case, due to the hard gazes of the black suits and in order to respond to the rescue request from Hinata, Kousuke took a step forward──
He turned on the spot. He brushed up his hair and sighed ‘fuh’ with a smile.
「This caprice between two byutifull ladies is truly a sight for sore eyes but, let’s stop there. Do it for me’s sake, okay?」
「Endou-sama?」
「Mine beloved?」
Time stopped. Especially, Kousuke’s.
He froze in his cool pose of brushing up his hair. Cold sweats started to trickle down like rivers. He even started hyperventilating!
A beat later he stopped posing with a trembling body. While everyone was looking at him with eyes widened like saucer, he raised his hand that brushed up his hair and *paan*, a trike. He slapped his own face.
「Endou-sama!?」
「Mine beloved!?」
Hinata and Hidzuki were dumbfounded. The black suits were also making disgusted expression that said 「This guy-, is he doing drug!?」.
「Wait for a bit.」
Kousuke said that with an ephemeral expression and took out a small case from his breast pocket. He opened the sliding lid, snapped his wrist and threw the content, some pills into his mouth. And then he gulped them right away.
「Tsu, fuu~, my heart is calming down……」
「Young miss! Get away from him! This guy, he is doing drug just as we thought!」
「Oi, security room! Call the police!」
「Please wait everyone! There is a reason for this!」
Hinata’s desperate defense made the black suits to obey her reluctantly but, their gazes toward Kousuke were extremely harsh.
「Mine beloved. Ye art still not fully recovered even after a month hath passed?」
「……Yeah. Though I have gotten a lot better than before.」
Kousuke smiled an ephemeral smile still like before.
Actually this was an after-effect. From Abyss Lord’s coolness depth VI.
Kousuke who sank into untrodden depth of abyss was confined to his bed for three whole days from mental agony, and then he was in a state where he lived as half shut-in for a week, but the after-effect was still remaining a bit even now after a month had passed.
Even though he wasn’t in abyss lord mode, his action would become completely chuuni if he let his guard down.
The atmosphere would freeze every time inadvertently blundered. Each time his heart would be in the verge of dying from embarrassment, and he would be overcame with anxiety and despair, wondering that perhaps he would never recover to normal again.
Right now, thanks to Emily-chan’s specially made mind stabilizing medicine, he was more or less heading toward recovery. But, he really wasn’t in a state where he could make clone to guard Hinata. That was the reason he relied on Hidzuki for that.
「Aa, this isn’t good. The medicine will run out soon. Haa haa, I need to ask Emily to quickly prepare the next batch……」
Kousuke can’t go on anymore unless he has my medicine! It’s fine, leave it to me! I’ll take care of you forever! The figure of Emily-chan mixing the medicine with wide smile on her face surfaced in his mind.
「Endou-sama……it’s fine, it’ll be fine. There is nothing to be embarrassed about at the slightest. See?」
「Be strong, mine beloved.」
Kousuke got his back rubbed by a little girl and a beautiful woman. Even the black suits looked really conflicted, perhaps sympathy welled up inside them from how pitiful he looked.
There, a new voice came.
「And I wondered why nobody came up no matter how long I waited……just what are doing over there?」
The one who showed up from the elevator was a woman in the prime of her youth looking a little bit exasperated.
She looked exactly like Hinata if she grew into an adult. However, she had the same face like that woman who the fake Tsubaki disguised herself as, only with the area around her eyes looking a bit sharper.
It was clear from a glance that she was Hinata’s mother. Her hair was firmly bundled at the back of her head. She might be working until just now because she was wearing a business suit stylishly. Her appearance with that was really cool.
「Ah, nice to meet you, my name is Endou Kousuke. I’m sorry for making a ruckus at the entrance.」
「Nice to meet you. We can finally meet each other. I’m Hinata’s mother──my name is Fujiwara Chikage.」
Chikage-san bowed with a movement that invoked admiration and smiled sweetly. It was an amiable and lovely smile but, it felt like there was a bit of fatigue seeping out from her.
Many of the upper echelons of the clan were forced to engage in onmyouji work especially Taisei who was their leader. During such time, she was commanding a corporate giant like Fujiwara Group by herself as one of the senior leadership, so it was only natural for her to be tired.
「I was only able to give a greeting through phone even though you were the one who saved my daughter, husband, and also the lives of my relatives. I have been acting extremely rud.」
「No no-, that’s not true! I was also greatly helped, so please don’t worry about it. Also there is no need to act so politely against a youngster like me.」
「Fufu, even this is already me speaking somewhat informally though……at any rate, I have heard so much about Endou-san from Hinata so, don’t be a stranger──」
「Okaa-sama!!」
「Our association will surely become an everlasting one, so Endou-san too, it will please me if you can think of me like your mother──」
「O – ka- a – sa – maa!!」
Hinata’s face reddened and she jumped to cling on Chikage’s suits. Chikage mama chuckled and ignored that.
Certainly, this woman was strong. As expected from an elite among elites who was in command of such gigantic business group and the mother of the strongest onmyou girl.
「Today after this, all of you will go to this “Miniature Garden” of your friend correct? I heard that it’s an invitation to a truly lovely place but, please allow me to entertain you with food and drink to the best of our ability. Perhaps my husband’s attitude toward you is going to be unpleasant sometimes but, he actually recognized Endou-sama inside his heart, so please be considerate of his fatherly feeling.」
「He, recognized me? Err, you mean ability wise aren’t you?」
「Also by all means, please allow me to set up a dinner party with all members of Endou family before long.」
「Ignored!? No, well, yes. I’ll tell them.」
He wondered what was this. It felt like this mother had no objection of becoming a mother in law, like she was being proactive with her daughter’s romance, like she was already starting to act in order to cut off any path of escape……
Just how did Hinata-chan had described about “Endou-sama” to her mother during this one month.
The person in question was covering her face with both hands to hide her bright red face, so there was no way to check with her but, why was the mother’s positivity level was so high like this……
(Mine beloved. Be careful. This woman, she is exceedingly formidable.)
(Hidzuki?)
Kousuke was surprised by the sudden telepathy. Even so he endured so that it didn’t show in his face.
(She hath the guts to be unshakeable even when she learned mine true identity, at the same time her ability to grasp human heart and reading the trend of the times are astonishing. She isn’t a boorish woman who wouldst mix debt of gratitude with personal benefit but……when ye realize it ye might find yerself the one joining their family as son-in-law instead of Hinata joining yer family.)
(……Seriously?)
(She just indirectly insinuated of how ye might succeed Taisei. Ye didst not even notice.)
(Seriously?)
Smile smile, smile smile. Chikage-san gave him a friendly and cheerful smile. He wondered why, he suddenly felt scared.
「Now, there are also other things that I wish to talk about, but first let’s change the location.」
Chikage said that and urged him to the elevator. Kousuke followed her while making a dry smile.
He got into a mood like someone who came to the house of a lover for a marriage greeting. Even though he had no such intention at all!
Hinata kept looking down from embarrassment. She followed behind him quietly.
Hidzuki acted as usual. She had warned him, and she looked like she was satisfied from the date and toying with Hinata. Her figure slowly vanished into thin air. She must be transforming into her spiritual form.
Seeing that, Kousuke got into the elevator while muttering out 「Crap……」. The moment Hidzuki vanished was witnessed by the black suits……
「Don’t worry. They are the exclusive SP of our family. They aren’t onmyouji but, they are in the know.」
「As, as expected it’s like that huh. Thank god. But, all of them? It’s amazing that the SP of your personal home is also mixed in with the mansion’s security.」
Kousuke patted his chest in relief while asking question. His eyes turned into dot when he casually saw the elevator’s floor buttons. After the first floor button, there were only several more buttons until the middle floor, after that the floor number skipped all at once to floor 45 until floor 50.
Chikage pushed the button for floor 45 while answering like it was nothing.
「This mansion itself belong to our family after all.」
「……I, I see.」
Kousuke’s look became far away. True rich person didn’t just buy a single room in a tower mansion. They owned the tower mansion itself.
「Although, the space we are actually living in is only from floor 45 above, while the rest are rented for company housing.」
「I see.」
He could only say that. In other words, this elevator too must be exclusive for Fujiwara family. Yep, its rising speed is also really fast! Ah, you can see outside from here! Waa~ii, so hi~igh!
「U-umm! Endou-sama, is there something that bothers you? Your eyes look dead……」
「It’s nothing at all, Hinata-chan.」
「My, that’s horrible. Could it be that you are not good with high place? This place is like a villa that we built for the convenience of our work, so if you like we can move instead to our main house right away──」
「I, love high place. This place is fine.」
He could only say that. Also, their house that was located at the Tokyo suburb was a Japanese-style house and its garden had the size that was as big as a baseball field.
There would be no difference whichever one he visited. Kousuke firmly refused the consideration of the mother and daughter with a clear expression like a Buddha.
Like that, Kousuke was led to a terrace that was like a hanging garden with the whole surface covered by glass. Taisei was there and welcomed him with a smile of someone who had swallowed a bitter bug. They exchanged greeting with twitching smile.
After that delicious tea and snack were served. He was thanked again to a degree that made him felt obliged, asked through-and-through about his relationship with Rana and others, and before he realized it he was made to harbor interest in studying business administration with a nonchalant conversation skill.
He received cards including the share for Rana and others too that could be used to use facility related to Fujiwara Group for free, and he was almost made to form an official engagement with Hinata through a nonchalant conversation skill.
She made a definite promise about Fujiwara clan’s intention of giving full support when the returnees wanted to do something in the future, and through a nonchalant conversation skill Kousuke was almost made to agree with being used as a reason to refuse any marriage proposal that came for Hinata.
While they were having a very lively talk while waiting until the promised time with Hajime, Kousuke yelled inside his heart while putting a stiff smile on his face.
Hinata-chan’s mama is scaryyy───He thought.
She had no need of something like onmyou technique. Chikage-san almost manipulated him in various things with just conversational skill.
The daughter had inherited talent as onmyouji from her father to the highest level. In the end, was she also inheriting the temperament and talent of her mother……
「Endou-sama?」
Hinata tilted her head in puzzlement. Kousuke couldn’t help feeling a worrying portent for the future from her.
.
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.
After that.
He was saved──he meant, it was unfortunate, but Chikage had an urgent work that she had to deal with no matter what. With Kousuke also urging her to take care of her business and no need to be so considerate to him, she returned to her work even while looking apologetic.
「Umm, Endou-sama. I’m really sorry about my mother.」
「The talk itself was really fun, so don’t mind it. Fuh, I’m also satisfied from being able to hear a lot of things about my princess──excuse me for a bit. It’s time for medicine.」
「You just drank it not long ago wasn’t it!? Please stop with the excessive consumption! ……I’m happy to hear you calling me your princess!」
「Hinata, aren’t you being a bit too bold? Otou-sama is sad. You’re also sitting too close, perhaps you should be a bit more modest……」
Hinata stopped Kousuke by tightly hugging his hand on her chest. It caused Taisei papa’s eyes to twitch uncontrollably.
He understood that as a father it must be displeasing to see this, so he wished that he would stop taking out charm from his pocket. Also looking at his eyes that seemed to say 「I’ll curse you to death-」. It was strange. He had the same presence like a certain blasphemous priest papa.
「E-even so, the reason why Fujiwara clan and Tsuchimikado clan exchanged name is really unexpected!」
Kousuke desperately changed the topic while sweating rivers. Although, this topic was something that even Hinata only learned during the chatting just now, so she easily got on board of the topic.
「……I never even dreamed that the reason was for revenge against the government that abolished the bureau of onmyou.」
「U-umu. Well, that’s why this matter is never told to anyone than the clan head.」
In the past it was none other than Fujiwara clan that introduced themselves as Tsuchimikado. The clan name of Fujiwara belonged to Tsuchimikado clan’s branch house. At that time, the Tsuchimikado clan head of that time who ordered the exchange of family name wrote the reason in his diary so it had been passed down through generations.
According to it, when the abolition of Bureau of Onmyou was decided, the head of Tsuchimikado apparently yelled this to the government’s case officer.
『Haa~~a, you guys are impossible! Firing us so suddenly like this, what modernization! What westernization! Aah the hell with it! If that’s what you guys want, then the hell with it all! To hell with serving the country, I quit! You better remember this! If it’s like this then I’m going to fatten up my own wallet using all of our onmyoudou tricks! Ten years from now, I’m going to tell you serves you right, 『We who singlehandedly supported the country in guiding its fortune got fired, so we created a giant enterprise group with the strongest onmyoudou and live as we pleased without care, saying “Too late already!” when they got troubled and asked us to come back later!』, remember thattt!!』
It was a parting line that sounded as though he had seen the future trend of a certain web novel posting site. The Tsuchimikado clan head of that time was living in the future too much.
On top of that, the name Tsuchimikado was too conspicuous. It would be troubling if there was government’s interference while they were in the middle of fattening their wallet, so they exchanged family name with Fujiwara Clan.
The Fujiwara now turned Tsuchimikado clan would show a laudable attitude of “Tsuchimikado is obedient. We have also converted to Shintoism. So don’t bully us again?” while the real Tsuchimikado was raising up a business group to a level that could influence the nation’s economy strongly like a heaven-sent child of capitalism……
「Our ancestor got completely hooked with doing business……」
Taisei said that with a faraway gaze. The seals throughout the country? Ritual? You guys are the Tsuchimikado now so take care of the rest please! We are busy here with the money game! It seemed that those words were actually said for real in the past.
No wonder, and that was still continuing until this generation, so it couldn’t be helped even if the elderly nobleman called Fujiwara clan 「This materialist!」.
「Aren’t you going to return the names back to before? The elder also suggested to do it right away wasn’t he? He also said that this moment is just the right timing to do that.」
「No, but……what’s the point doing that at this late hour don’t you think so? It will be really troublesome to do that, like the paperwork……」
「Otou-sama……」
「H-Hinata too, you don’t want to introduce yourself as Tsuchimikado Hinata at this point right? Imagine it, how you’re going to explain it to your friend at school, see?」
「True there is that, but……」
Perhaps, there was no doubt that the biggest reason for Taisei was the “troublesomeness” factor.
Although, certainly it was already much too late at this stage. And yet, for some reason the elder made such suggestion. If asked the reason.
「From where the elder is standing, this is the realization of their dearest wish, the revival of the Bureau of Onmyou. As expected, he must want to use the proper family name for it you know?」
Yes, in this occasion, the Bureau of Onmyou ended up being revived as a bureau in the government.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a public organization.
It would be revived as a secret organization that was included within a newly established department in respond to the unprecedented danger that occurred this time.
And then, the name of that department that included the Bureau of Onmyou was,
──National Police Agency Defense Department Returnees Respond Division
Fukube was appointed as its first head and the Bureau of Onmyou was added into it as an internal organization.
Regarding the case this time, the government was put in the back foot too much. A part of it was also because the opponent was using supernatural power, but it was also a problem that the departments that were dealing with various concerns were too scattered.
There, a suggestion was made for “a specialist department that could make unified decision regarding case where the government wished to ask for the returnees to deal with it as well as to respond when the returnees made a demand”. There was also a pressing need to establish a way to deal with the supernatural power of other countries, so finally the department was founded.
「Although, the first Head Onmyou(Onmyou no Kami) of the rebirth Bureau of Onmyou is also the elder. As expected, it will be better if we don’t change the family names. Yep.」
「Isn’t that only because Otou-sama selfishly said 『I’m already really busy as the group’s head right now, it’s impossible for me to also act as the leader of a secret organization』 to the elder?」
「It’s not selfishness. It’s the truth.」
「……What Otou-sama really thinks is that you just don’t want your time for horse racing to be reduced, isn’t that right?」
「……Haha. Don’t say such stupid thing.」
Taisei papa absolutely wouldn’t meet his daughter’s gaze. His behavior spoke of his true intention more eloquently than anything else.
Certainly, a work as onmyouji where it would be required to deal with incidents that happened sporadically could possibly affect his horse racing hobby. When he imagined that he would be called back while he was watching the dream derby, it was so terrifying that he couldn’t sleep at night.
Although, as a daughter, such behavior of her father must made her felt conflicted.
While watching that offense and defense between father and daughter, Kousuke who had exchanged a promise between man to one day brought him to meet with horse girl in Tortus sipped his tea saying 「Expensive tea is so tastyy~」 like it was not his business at all so that he wouldn’t getting dragged into the argument.
He also recalled the time when he was called for personnel introduction at the day the Returnee Respond Division was officially operating.
That time, other than Hajime and Kousuke, Taisei and Hinata, and then the elder were also there, but a small incident occurred after they had finished greeting the personnel of the division in general.
For some reason there were personnels who wouldn’t come out from a small room next door even after Fukube called at them.
──What are you doing? Please get out quickly!
──Nee-sama, we are called. We need to give our greeting……
──A-are you saying that this humiliation is still not enough!?
──You look good! You look good in that!!
Such voices could be heard. Everyone in Returnees Respond Division smiled wryly.
But right after that, Hajime shrugged and activated Crystal Key. He opened a gate midair, 「Uwaah」「Hyaa!?」and two people fell from there while screaming.
One was a small female wearing normal suits and trouser……
And the other one, was a maid for some reason, with a face of despair.
──Eh, Zhen Ying? Why a maid? Hobby?
──Kuh……kill me-
──Nee-sama! Please calm down!
Yes, the one there was Zhen Ying dressed as maid. Beside her was Ying Hu. She wasn’t wearing a mask. Her bobcut style hair and adorable face were exposed.
──I tried making her a maid as punishment of targeting our families
Hajime said that. Kousuke muttered 「You oni」. Those words definitely represented the voices of the heart of everyone there. Zhen Ying-san’s expression was just that grim. Though she certainly looked good in it.
According to Hajime, it seemed she was put in the list of combat maid group that he was secretly planning. But, he tried putting her in as candidate because he was interested with curse magic, however with her aptitude and personality, the possibility was high that this would only end as mere punishment.
Putting that aside, if asked why she was affiliated with the Returnee Respond Division……
Due to her exposing her face, Zhen Ying wasn’t a Shadow Monk anymore now. She couldn’t even return home to her homeland and intended to commit suicide, but after a discussion between Hajime and Shadow Monk, it was decided for both sides to dispatch personnel to each other for a role like an ambassador for the sake of cooperation between organizations. And so she was chosen because she was just the right person for it.
Even though she wasn’t Shadow Monk anymore, her patriotism was unwavering.
The master who raised her and the upper echelons of Shadow Monk must knew about that too. Or perhaps, they simply wanted to leave behind a path where she didn’t need to die even while still protecting the rule.
In any case, as a dispatched personnel from Shadow Monk, she was stripped of her code name Zhen Ying and in exchange she introduced herself as Zhu and walked a new path in life.
She ended up experiencing another despair from being made into a maid though.
Ying Hu was worried for Zhu and decided to resigned from Shadow Monk too. She introduced herself as Liu and accompanied her to here.
Although, in a sense, it might be Hinata who dealt the finishing blow to her.
──Kuh, cursed Fujiwara Hinata-. What’s with those eyes! Are you mocking me!
──I’m not though!?
It seemed Zhu felt humiliated by Hinata’s sympathetic gaze, so she tearfully flared up at her. After that.
That Hinata asked Hajime to let off Zhu. It seemed that became another humiliation. Zhu was trembling fiercely while becoming driven with self-abandonment「I’d rather be killeddd」.
──The one who was harmed the most was hinata-chan right? Then you can make her to dress with another outfit. The outfit can be attached and detached forcefully you see. What about magical girl? Right now it’s also has glittery effect as bonus
──Just kill me deaddd!!
──Nee-sama! Please don’t keep asking to die every time!
──Nagumo-sama! You don’t need to mind about me, so please give mercy!
In the end, Hinata’s pleading worked and Zhu returned into wearing suits. Even so,
──Kuh, I’m not going to thank you-, Fujiwara Hinata!
──Ah, yes. No need
──Nn-. ……But, I won’t mind to do you a favor if it’s just for a bit
──No. No need
──Wh, at?
Such conversation happened. Zhu-san who seemed to harbor a conflicted feeling toward Hinata got plainly depressed. She started reciting a farewell poem nonchalantly, and in the end Kousuke shared Emily’s special mind stabilizing medicine with her. With that the place somehow settled down.
Even now apparently she was still a bit unstable mentally but……they could only leave it to Liu-chan to take care of that. It seemed there was a difference of age of around ten years between her and Zhu, but he wished that she would work hard by all means.
「Geez, really Otou-sama! Endou-sama too, please say something to Otou-sama!」
「Eh? What are you talking about?」
His mind returned from his recollection to reality. He wasn’t listening at all so Kousuke was confused. Hinata’s eyebrows formed a sad frown.
Ah, crap……while Kousuke was feeling a bit flustered, a reinforcement or rather the pickup came with superb timing.
「Ah, it’s time!」
A gate opened at the terrace. Hajime came out from there.
「Endou, how are you feeling? Are you sane?」
「You should choose your words correctly yeah」
Are you fine from abyss lord mode’s after effect already? That was what Hajime meant. Kousuke understood what he meant, but he still looked back at him with a cold gaze.
Hajime ignored him, greeted Taisei and Hinata, then he immediately invited them into the gate.
Their sight was blinded just for a moment.
The next thing they felt was the scent of abundant nature, and the soft sensation of standing on grass.
Right after that, what entered their sight was……
「Uwaa!!」
「This is simply……」
Hinata sported a childish wide smile, while Taisei’s eyes opened wide in astonishment.
「Welcome, to the Miniature Garden.」
Even Hajime’s welcoming words didn’t enter their ears.
It couldn’t be helped. After all, the scenery was just too magnificent.
Clear azure sky that expanded endlessly. A gigantic tree with preposterous height that penetrated that sky.
They came out on top of a smallish hill, but the enormity of the tree made them felt like their sense of distance would become haywire. The top of the tree was even covered by cloud and couldn’t be seen.
And then, the path from the hill until the gigantic tree──the Treasure Tree was a gently sloping grassy field that extended until the horizon. At the right they could see grand mountains and a lake at the base.
The lake surface reflected the dazzling sunlight. From the lake there were multiple rivers extending. When they traced the river with their eyes, they found a forest that was spreading endlessly next. When they looked back, they could also see what seemed to be a sea faraway.
It was a grand nature that would be impossible to find in Japan.
Just those would be more than enough to make anyone speechless, but the scenery was added with fairytale existences──divine spirit, fairy, fantastical beast (the inside were demons), and even flock of western dragon and Chinese dragon. This world was already an authentic fantasy world.
By the way, many dragons migrated to here wasn’t because Hajime poached them as he pleased from the fairy world again.
The cause was Yue-sama.
Yue-sama was already in an unparalleled state, and then she obtained infinite magic power in addition. She became even more unmanageable after that. Even the dragon gods and god dragons whose power were increasing as time passed weren’t even allowed to counterattack. All the dragons were made to crawl on the ground together.
In addition because she became high from the special made drink, her sadistic nature was working in full forceand she even used soul magic to smash the pride of the dragons into small pieces.
As the result, somehow she got worshipped as god.
It was even reaching until a level of producing a new conception that was based on faith. That faith even magnified Yue’s power completely.
Just like when Hajime became like a demon god, Yue also became like the goddess of the dragons.
And, like this many dragons passionately desired to migrate to the Miniature Garden because they wished to serve that goddess.
The number of god class dragons was sharply reduced in the fairy world. The manly goddess and former goddess cried a little.
Returning back to the main topic.
「Nagumo. How vast this place is right now? When you showed it to me around two weeks ago, there wasn’t anything like a sea at the north side right?」
「Who knows. I was also busy so I haven’t checked the detail. According to Enti, it seems there is still a continent at the other side of the sea, there is a desert region at the other side of the forest, and it look slike the other side of the mountain range is starting to turn into a snowy area you know?」
「Seriously?」
「I mostly leave it to the divine spirits to construct the natural environment. I’m planning to explore when things calmed down.」
「You, bring me along too at that time, absolutely don’t forget okay! That sounds like it will be pretty fun!」
The fantasy world with no external enemy still continued to expand even now. Certainly, the name “Miniature Garden” was really to the point.
The fact that this world was created by the man before them made Hinata and Taisei to be speechless.
The scale was too big for their understanding. Even Hinata who knew about the other world of the Great Barrier of Heavenly Star could only fell astonishment.
There, a voice called out.
「You are finally here, children of man. Be welcomed.」
Wind of light green color whirled and what descended from there was the goddess of this world after a fashion, Enti.
It seemed she was doing her best to imitate Lutria, but she couldn’t her natural liveliness so she felt like a kid who was trying to make herself looked mature.
「However, never forget to properly show respect to this Enti-sama──」
「Who cares about that, let’s go. Everyone is gathered at the base of the Treasure Tree.」
「Waiiitt, I’m goddess you know, goddess! Your goddesss! Respect me more!」
Even though she descended while going as far as acting divine, her godly majesty dispersed instantly. She placed her smallish butt on Hajime’s head and kicked her legs back and forth while protesting. With such appearance, as expected she was a child……
Hinata and Taisei finally regained their senses seeing that exchange. They smiled wryly to each other. And then they immediately followed behind Hajime and Kousuke who were starting going down the hill.
After a while, the base of the Treasure Tree came into view. Then.
「Kou-ku~~n! Hinata-cha~n! Over here~!」
Rana was waving her hand to this direction.
Emily, Vanessa, and Claudia were also waving their hand. Other than them, practically everyone who participated in the defensive battle of the sea of trees that day were also there. In addition to them, Chief Magdanese and Director Dime were also present.
Naturally, Sumire, Shuu, Yue and other Nagumo family members, the classmates, and a part of their families were also there.
There were also many wooden tables and chairs placed there. There was also a corner where the barbeque set and a lot of ingredients were placed. It looked like they were already starting to grill. Nice smell was brought to them by the breeze.
「Hina-chan! Welcome nano!」
「Myuu-chan!」
Myuu was heading toward them with a wide smile. *DODODODO-* Riding on a water horse apparition Kelpy.
Actually, when they got acquainted with Hajime, Hinata also met with the Nagumo family.
Hinata was a bit older but, even for Hinata, Myuu was the first existence with close age and same gender that she had no need to keep secret from because both of them were involved with apparition. They instantly hit it off.
「No way, Kelpy!? Excuse me but, can I take a close look at that horse──」
「Otou-sama?」
「……Now then, I’m going to go around greeting everyone.」
Taisei papa was instantly defeated against his daughter’s eyes that lacked highlight in them. He immediately headed toward the elder and the others who were looking at him in exasperation.
Right after that, Hidzuki who was in her spiritual form materialized.
「Geh, Shuten Douji-」
The one who raised that displeased voice was Shia who was in charge of grilling the meat. Hidzuki’s gaze also went straight at Shia and blazed fierily.
「O ye lovely lovely rabbit? Mine heart is fierily seething once more for this another chance for our tryst. Please, let us get along with each other ♪」
「Don’t wanna desu. You understand just from looking right? Right now it’s time for food.」
「Yes, yes. That’s exactly why I asketh ye to accompany me.」
*Slurp* Hidzuki-san licked her lips. Her cheeks were flushed. Alluring aura and fighting spirit were overflowing from her whole body! The way she was closing the distance gracefully was like a hungry beast that found a rabbit!
Hidzuki who witnessed Shia’s power in the battle at the sea of trees immediately challenged her after that. Of course, Shia refused and ran away. But when she saw Shia, it seemed her oni nature would throb no matter what.
「If it’s here then a little bit of fun wouldst be allowed correct? Right, miss rabbit?」
「Aa geez, why is it that all the fellows who got fixated on me are all like thisss-」
In order to prevent the meats that she had grilled well after much effort turning into victim, Shia dashed away and ran with all her might.
「So we art playing oni gokko(tag)? Fufu, I accept! Wait, wait for mee~ ♪」(TN: Oni gokko, a game of pretending getting chased by oni, or in other words playing tag)
Hidzuki began a literal oni gokko with a look of a maiden in love.
The masochist elf Altena, the mad dog imperial princess Tracy, the yandere divine spirit Soare. And then now the brawl lover oni god was also added to that list.
「O-oi! Hidzuki! Stop that!」
「It’s fine, it’s fine! It’s Shia-oneechan after all! More importantly Hina-chan! Come over here nano! Myuu will introduce you to my friends!」
「Awawa, don’t pull me Myuu-chan~」
「We’ll do youkai battle later nano!」
「Youkai battle!? You mean making Shikigami fight!?」
「Myuu’s first youkai is, Kel-chan! Myuu chose you!」
「Listen to what I’m sayinggg~」
Hinata formed a sword seal with her hand and recited words of power to stop Myuu, but her hand was pulled and she was dragged toward Myuu’s friends──in other words, the demon rangers and the water element apparitions.
The classmates called out to Kousuke as though to replace them.
「Yoo, lolico──Kousuke. Is that kid the rumored new wife candidate?」
「Endou-kun. Turn yourself in, okay?」
「Kousuke. I’ll accompany you to the police station.」
「Nine years old is it? As expected that’s just disgusting.」
In order, it was Kentarou, Ryoko, Juugo, Mao who talked. Yuuka and the other female classmates were also looking from afar with an expression that seemed to say「That guy, he finally reached out into a territory where one mustn’t enter」 toward him. Even Fukube was grinning while going along with the mood and took out a handcuff while saying「Oh, should I arrest him?」.
「It’s a misunderstanding! I’m not looking at Hinata-chan in that way!」
「But she likes you right? This is the Marry me when I’m older! Trope right? With that kind “super beautiful young lady with promised future”. ──You should just go die.」
「Nakanoo! There are things that can be said and cannot be……ah, no, it’s nothing.」
Shinji-kun was quietly crying blood for real while expressionlessly tearing into a meat. It was too eerie that even Yoshiki wouldn’t approach him.
Kousuke also shut his mouth. Because his big brother Sousuke looked exactly like that when he introduced Hinata and Hidzuki to his family.
Today Endou family didn’t come, but it would be terrifying if those two met. He absolutely didn’t want to allow the two to meet.
While the Kousuke bullying by the classmates was causing the target to be sweating rivers, a reinforcement came because she couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. It was Rana! As expected from the first wife! She stood in front of Kousuke to protect him and spoke sternly.
「Geez, everyone, don’t tease Kou-kun too much! This is something that only natural for boss’s right hand! It’s no different from Myuu-chan!」
「Hey, don’t group me together with Endou.」
「What do you mean by that-. No, I understand it well, me friendo. After all we are birds of a feather! ──Ah, the medicine……I got to drink my medicine……eh? There is no more?」
「Kousuke! If you’re looking for medicine then I have it here!」
Emily-chan came running happily. Vanessa and Claudia looked like blood had been drained from their face saying「Eh, Doctor Emily? Didn’t you say just now that medicine is a prototype!?」「Emily-san!? You are too reckless recently-」 and they also came running.
At the other side, Myuu was dejected after hearing Hajime’s voice.
In respond Sumire, Shuu, Yue and others spoke up in criticism. Sharon-obaachan also snapped and pulled out a gun, so Barnard and others desperately moved to stop her.
Taisei and Director Dime were finding a kindred spirit in each other, perhaps because they could sympathize with each other as father whose daughter was taken away by some harem bastard. They both were looking at Kousuke with eyes that seemed to say 「As I thought, I’ll beat you bastard to death-」「As I thought, I’ll curse you bastard to death-」……
But they didn’t stop there. Perhaps because they had drunk alcohol, they were about to carry out their intent for real. Each of their subordinates were all working together to stop them.
From afar there were voices 「SHAORAAAAAAAAA」「AHAH, AHAHAHAHAH」 that were accompanied with absurdly loud thunderous sound.
The purpose of today wasn’t just to unveil Miniature Garden, the biggest purpose was──to gather under the pretext of having a congratulatory party for overcoming a danger to the world, and yet the venue was gradually descending to chaos.
It was then, Fukube’s mobile phone rang with call ringtone.
About Fukube’s phone, Hajime judged that it was necessary in order to coordinate with the Returnees Respond Division, so he was the only one within the division permitted to carry a prototype portable communicator that could communicate across worlds.
There was also just one non-portable type of the communicator installed in the Returnees Respond Division for emergency. It seemed the call came from there.
Fukube’s expression changed and he picked the call. After conversing for a while……
「Dear me, even though this is an off day. It seems that a civilian occult organization is starting a sacrificial ritual. The report said that something like a miasma is already flowing out.」
He turned his gaze toward the elder with a wry smile. However, his gaze also turned toward Hinata right away. It must mean that this was work for the Returnees Respond Division, no, for the Bureau of Onmyou. At the same time, there was no doubt that Fukube judged that it was at a level where Hinata’s strength was necessary.
The elder nodded and he was going to ask for Hinata’s help──but before he could,
「I’m going.」
Hinata herself declared that. Even though she was overwhelmed by Myuu’s momentum until just now, the girl who was showing a happy smile that was appropriate for her age now looked like a different person.
She stepped forward with the face of this generation’s strongest onmyouji who was overflowing with vigor and gallantry.
「Hidzuki.」
「Yes, right here.」
When she called out strongly with a single word, Hidzuki who was enjoying a battle with Shia until just now instantly came running.
「Endou-sama, can you lend me your assistance?」
「Of course.」
Kousuke answered readily without any hesitation. He sported a lively but restrained smile.
「Myu-. Hina-chan, want some help?」
「Princess, we shall accompany you too.」
「There is no way I can let my daughter go off alone.」
Many offers for help were given. Amidst that, even Hajime asked 「Do you need help?」 with a faintly amused smile.
「I’m greatly obliged by everyone’s consideration」 Hinata said with a polite bow. However, when she lifted her face, on her face was a smile that could even be called as fearless.
「But, please I ask everyone to enjoy this lovely holiday as you are. We too shall return immediately after we finish our task.」
「Can you?」
「Yes, there won’t be any problem. After all, I have a reliable Zenki and──」
She looked at Hidzuki and narrowed her eyes, then next she turned a gaze that was filled with tremendous trust and a maiden’s passion toward Kousuke.
「The number hero in the world as my Gouki accompanying me.」
She declared so.
Hidzuki’s expression seemed to say that it was only natural, while Kousuke too, although he looked a bit embarrassed, he smiled proudly with his head held high.
Seeing that scene, Hajime, Yue and others, and then the classmates spontaneously──
Cringed.
「「「「「Goki?」」」」」
「K-Kousuke. You……why the hell are you looking happy from being called as such thing!」
「He is happy a little girl’s verbal abuse……what a deviant!」
「Certainly Kousuke is like gokib*ri(cockr*ach) when he multiplied though-」
「The after effect of abyss lord mode is this bad-」
「Kaori! Heal Endou-kun’s head!」
「Leave it to me! Shine, Endou-kun’s messed up head!」
The pitying and sympathizing and scorning gaze and words from his comrades made Kousuke’s smile froze on his face while his head shined from healing magic.
He somehow massaged his forehead with a trembling hand, took a deep deep breath, and a beat passed.
While Hinata was looking flustered, and Rana and other members of the sea of trees defensive battle were shaking from holding back their laughter,
「Enough already with that damn jokeeeee──────!!!」
The cry of his soul echoed through the beautiful world of Miniature Garden.
Arifureta Chapter 425
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AN: I said that there is much more to write but, the things that I want to write increased while I was writing……
※Warning: This chapter was uploaded at 2 November (Tuesday). There was also update at 30 October (Saturday), so please go the previous chapter first for those who haven’t read it!
It was already one month since the battle that decided the fate of the world.
Time flies like an arrow. Such saying was really fitting to express just how the month passed like in a blink of eye.
The world was still in great commotion that hadn’t calm down at all.
It was only natural. After all abnormal phenomenons that were impossible to happen naturally happened on parade. The historical records that mankind had accumulated until now and the researches about nature were completely useless to explain the unknown phenomenons and they happened in a scale that swallowed a whole country.
In addition, witnesses appeared endlessly and their testimonies were also really out there.
──I saw a giant and terrifying illusion of dragon
──I heard roars that were impossible for any existing animals to make
──I saw god descended
──The sea suddenly started to be stormy and then calmed down just as suddenly
──I was enveloped in darkness and couldn’t see anything
──I was enveloped in light and couldn’t see anything
──The temperature suddenly was below zero. I thought I was going to freeze
──The temperature suddenly became really hot I got dehydration
──There was a typhoon like sudden evening shower
──The torii of the Inari Shrine nearby was shining
──My wound and the damage on my house were erased when I realized
──Mountain Fuji shined divinely
If it was before the cataclysm, all of those comments would only be considered material to be written in third rate occult magazine or became urban legend in internet that was posted half in jest and wouldn’t gather any interest.
But, such contents that would be dismissed with a laugh before were spreading widely right now as a public truth.
The people in Japan, whether they were foreigner or mass media staff or government employee or police officer and the like, even people who investigated because they originally doubted it were experiencing those things by themselves, so they couldn’t just disregard them as mere cock-and-bull story.
Or rather, the number of recordings of the cataclysm were numbering as many as the star in the sky. And the sources also came from all kinds of party and places, from media to individual from the whole country.
In addition there were even recordings from all over the world that witnessed dragon, and the young men and women, or perhaps fantastical beasts fully loaded with weapons facing them……
Not to mention that despite such storm of supernatural phenomenons, the number of death or injury that were directly caused by them was zero. It was impossible whether to consider these events as disaster or miracle. That was the current situation.
As the result, even the specialists all over the world couldn’t give any answer. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the world was still in the midst of chaos. It needn’t be said how was the situation in Japan.
In regard to this, Japan government’s opinion was as stated below.
──Perhaps the eruption of Mountain Fuji caused some kind of chain reaction that resulted in the occurrence of phenomenons in the nature that originally only had astronomical chance of happening naturally.
In the end all those phenomenons only occurred due to a miraculous chain of events, because of that they all died down in a night and the nature also returned back to normal. At present, there was no sign of activity at Mountain Fuji. Because it was completely in a calm state, the possibility of similar phenomenon occurring once more must be extremely low. That was the conclusion of the specialist committee.
A specialist research institution was being set up near Mountain Fuji right now. At the same time, it was also decided that in case the worst happened, a rapid reaction force of JSDF would also be stationed nearby for five years so that they could quickly evacuate the people.
The research of the cause would still continue from here on without sparing any effort for it──
In other words. The cause is unknown but, perhaps it won’t happen anymore you know? We have also made preparation in case the worst happen, and the investigation is also still ongoing, so rest assured okay? That was the government’s stance.
In reality, that was no different from saying that they didn’t know anything. Everyday experts and specialists showed up in television and acted in complete confusion while also screaming and acting deranged.
Also, naturally Japan government’s upper echelon knew about the truth.
But, they couldn’t possibly go public with the truth. They couldn’t push Japan and the world into even more chaos than this, and doing that might cause a conflict surrounding supernatural power with the returnees at the forefront.
The people who participated in the battle at the sea of trees weren’t seen because from the start the nearby populace had been evacuated. And the weather had also become a raging storm when the fight reached the sky, so it was possible for anyone to get their face even if they used camera with telephoto lens.
Also, the videos and images of the classmates who dealt with the dragon shadows were also dealt by Hajime using his usual method, so they wouldn’t get exposed from there too.
What was unexpected was that a lot of foreigners rushed into the countries that were attacked by such incomprehensible cataclysm.
Though among the Japanese people, there were also some who went 「Who can possibly stay in a country where such crazy disaster occurred!」 and escaped to foreign country……
The visitors consisted of the obvious ones like research institutions from other governments, United State, or even private institutions. Other than them there were also people all over the world whose curiosity was tickled and occult believer. Rather they were scrambling to get ahead of each other to enter the country and that was still continuing even now.
Thanks to that, it seemed that the country would be able to obtain high economic effect for a while from their spending here, so the government officials who knew about the truth were all smiling wryly.
「The perception of society on the surface is like that. ……Are you listening?」
「Of course, I’m listening completely.」
A bunch of skyscraper that were towering high and crammed close with each other, the jammed pack stream of cars coming and going without end, the overwhelming amount of crowd that walked in a hurry.
Kousuke stared reproachfully at the beauty who was staring at those sights with deep interest beside him as he asked that question.
Long white hair and black kimono. The woman with height of 170 cm looked gorgeous, however there was also this obscene atmosphere that could be felt somewhat from her. This woman was Shuten Douji──Yaya no Hidzuki.
Height that reached two meters was too inconspicuous, so she shortened herself. She also made her horn to be out of sight with her own power. It was apparently the result of Hidzuki in her own way to hide her true identity so that she wouldn’t stand out after a fashion.
She was still normally drawing gazes from the passerby due to her atmosphere and beauty though.
Perhaps she was used to being the center of attention. The person herself looked like she didn’t care at all.
Hidzuki were looking at the state of the modern world with deep interest as though to say that she wouldn’t tire of it no matter how many times she saw it. Then she turned her gaze to Kousuke. The height of their eyes was almost the same, so he felt a bit daunted from her eyes that were radiating bewitching radiance and her beautiful features.
「And, how about at behind the scene?」
It seemed that she was really listening.
They were walking to their destination──actually they could arrive there right away, but Hidzuki pestered him for a modest date by walking together through this present world, so Kousuke met her demands which also doubled as a show of his grattiude──while Kousuke continued talking.
「It seems they were told the truth.」
「The truth, is it?」
Kousuke nodded while protecting Hidzuki from the man who was approaching in a daze because they didn’t notice Kousuke’s existence and got lured by Hidzuki’s atmosphere that induced carnal desire……
Not, in order to protect the man from Hidzuki, Kousuke tightly caught the oni’s hand that almost sprang up while activating his stealth to also cover Hidzuki, averting away the man’s perception from her.
「The truth about the existence of supernatural power and its revival. The secret maneuver of Shadow Monk and our fight. The existence of apparition and……the true form of Japan. In addition they were also told about the source of that supernatural power──the willpower, and who is in control of it.」
They weren’t told about the sanctuary at Britain and the King Tree, and about other worlds like the fairy world, but they were given the general explanation for things other than that
The unknown was scary. And if that became the cause of incomprehensible cataclysm, nations absolutely couldn’t turn a blind eye to that. After all they didn’t know when such disaster would also happen to their country.
In that case the investigation to Japan would also become extreme both at the surface and behind the scene. They must actually know the cause right? Other countries would think like that and used every means in their disposal to find out.
That would be troubling. Therefore they were given what they wanted. Along with a deadly poison though.
「Fufufu. What a truly terrifying story that is. They learned the truth while also having a knife pressed at their jugular.」
The master of mine beloved art very much a nice person, Hidzuki-san said with a gruesome smile. She looked truly demonic.
Kousuke couldn’t deny that impression. He could only smile wryly.
After all the leaders of all countries were kidnapped, and in the end they were showed about the difference in power with the show of force of devils and divine spirits obeying the other side.
That wasn’t an explanatory meeting or an negotiation anymore. It was just a coercion……everyone thought so.
Nobody couldn’t possibly imagine right now that when Liliana migrated and set up a new religious group years from now, the same thing would be carried out once more to deal with that.
「There is a proper reason for that okay?」
「There art no need to make any excuse. It’s only natural for the strong to rule over the weak.」
「Stop acting like a barbarian savage so naturally. Also you see. He did it because he hate to that ruling thing.」
「?」
Hidzuki put her index finger on her cheek and tilted her head to show her incomprehension. Even though her fundamental way of thinking was no different than a savage tribe, every single one of her gesture was so lively that it was unfair. Kousuke sighed inside his heart.
He explained that the effort required to continue to manipulate people’s perception and information in a world scale was already too bothersome.
That too was caused by the existences of the awakened.
No matter how complete Hajime’s control over the willpower of this planet was, there was nothing that could be done about the people who already awakened. It was a power that earthling possessed from the start. It was something that was produced inside the body of anyone living, so they would be able to use power no matter what unless they were massacred or something.
Also, it was thought that the awakened was people with high aptitude──like the descendant of people who married with other species who woke up to their power right away after the King Tree was revived, but in the end it was just a hypothesis. There was no guarantee that awakened people would stop appearing from here on.
Furthermore, there were surely other individual and organization that had been passing down the way of handling willpower as technique like the onmyouji and Shadow Monk.
「There won’t be any end of it. Massacring them is also out of question, and doing things like ruling over them will be beyond troublesome. To say nothing of watching over them continuously, that’s just impossible.」
「Even though he hath a godlike power?」
「Yes, even though he has godlike power.」
「Fuumu……」
「Well, it might be a hard to understand way of thinking for an oni chief like Hidzuki though……」
If that guy had that kind of craving for domination, surely he wouldn’t try to go home from another world so crazily desperate like that, Kousuke thought with a wry smile.
Because, if Hajime wanted to rule the world, there was a world where he could do that far more easily than earth──in Tortus. What’s more it wouldn’t be a tyrannical rule, in that world he would be able to rule as a worshipped existence that was accepted by the people favorably.
Even after Ehito was defeated, he had no change of heart and still wished to be reunited with his family and returned once more to his daily life in the past. It was to a degree where that extreme wish was materialized as a concept.
For Hajime, nothing was more important than “the few close people rather than the many others” and “the daily life with those close people” whether it was then or now.
「That’s why, if we’re working with the premise that the awakened exist, the world will notice the existence of supernatural power no matter what we did.」
Kousuke pulled her hand slightly forcefully to change the topic. Hidzuki also switched her mood and perhaps it was just his imagination, but it felt like her feeling was elevated with him acting forceful with her.
「And then, if the world noticed that, it will also be just a matter of time for people to arrive at the thought that the cause of Japan’s cataclysm wasn’t “natural phenomenon that was the result of miraculous chain reaction”, but “it was possibly caused artificially” right?」
「Certainly, that wouldst be the case.」
At that point, anyone would surely recall.
The matter of the pioneer of occult news that thoroughly shook the society──the “returnees”. Some countries had already gotten instigated by Shadow monk to target the relatives of the returnees, so it would even be more so.
「I see, I couldst imagine the rest. Laying your hand on the attractive fruit that art the returnees wouldst result in a painful retribution. That’s why, if it’s just a struggle for the small fruits then do as ye please……that art his thinking.」
「Well, something like that apparently. However, it seems that he formed an agreement only with China behind the scene.」
「Why art……aa, I see. So Shadow Monk was left alive for that.」
Kousuke shrugged. Apparently she was correct.
In fact, Japan and China were making a secret pact after the incident this time.
The organization of supernatural phenomenon expert with the largest scale in the world and established as national asset the fastest──”Shadow Monk”, in this secret agreement they were asked to serve as the world police to manage the sorcery world, the world that was even more behind the scene of the world’s underworld that would definitely form after this. They were also asked to share their information and their result with Japan.
In other words, all the troublesome matters regarding the awakened from here on were delegated wholesale to them.
Bluntly speaking, all the best parts were taken away by the other party while they were left to take care of all the unpleasantness. Normally this kind of agreement wouldn’t be accepted.
But, they had no other choice than swallowing such term in return of the Shadow Monk members, and due to the fact that they brought danger to the world, and most of all, how they incurred the anger of the returnees and even got their source of willpower wrested away from them. They were in a situation where there was nothing they could do due to how wide the gap of power was.
However in this point, the agreement also included stipulation that they not only had cooperative relationship not with just Japan government, but also with the returnees, and depending on the situation it was also possible that the returnees (Abyssgate) would give assistance, so from where they were standing it wasn’t a bad exchange.
Although it was depending on Hajime’s discretion, they were allowed to continue using their sacred grounds, and they were able to have non-hostile connection with the returnees. Also judging from the objective of their plan at first, although they failed in turning Japan into their puppet, they were still able to secure the minimum benefit.
「It’s important for a nation to save face when making agreement. In most case, there will only be loss and tragedy when a nation is cornered too much. That was what Fukube-san said but, it looked like even Nagumo consulted him for making adjustment with the agreement. And, both sides also dispatched human personnel……well, it’s inhuman personnel in Nagumo’s case……dispatched to each other to serve as watcher and contact person, and with that both sides struck a deal more or less.」
Of course, while Hajime was making political action to take care of the world situation, Yue and others were also moving around.
They used the compass to find anyone wounded or dead or any damage from the incident. Not only those who could use regeneration magic, Team Doctor Arachne (self-styled) and Maestro Arachne Group (self-styled) were also going out in force to heal and repair any damage all over the place.
The classmates were also running around to do things like sharing information with Britain’s security bureau and Vatican, or changing the temporary seal of legendary dragons everywhere to full blown seal. The Shadow Monks were also repairing “Saten no Hokora” at Izumo, “Uten no Hokora” at Mountain Fuji, holding ritual to redeploy the barrier, searching for a way to strengthen the Great Barrier of Heavenly Star, investigating the state of the seals sealing apparitions everywhere as well sealing apparitions, etc.
Thanks to that, the number of people who died and damage due to that cataclysm was zero. The sea of trees was also regaining its former look.
「I see. I understand the gist of things now.」
「Hadn’t you heard about all these from Hinata-chan?」
Actually, they were heading to Hinata’s place right now.
It was to pick her up.
Actually, the things that had to be done had greatly decreased after one month passed, so on this occasion, they decided to hold an appreciation party for the people who participated in the battle this time.
The place was astonishingly would be at that “Miniature Garden”. Hajime would open a gate for them later, but a request from Hinata’s mother Chikage came, asking that she wanted to greet Kousuke by any means before that, so he was heading there now in respond to that.
In this one month, every single one of them was busy with dealing with things, so he was unable to even meet with Hinata often. With Chikage, he had only greeted her through phone and her thanking him. They hadn’t even met face to face. And so, it seemed that she wanted to thank him directly now.
Also, Hinata was an important personage so naturally it would be better for her to have bodyguard, but due to various reasons she didn’t have clone attached to her. In exchange Hidzuki was asked to be her bodyguard.
Right now, the horn catalyst that served as Hidzuki’s core was in Hinata’s possession. Hidzuki would appear instantly if she summoned her, and she would also automatically protect Hinata if there was a magical danger just like that time with Kousuke.
Of course, Hinata also had marking so she could call Kousuke too. However, in that case Kousuke would be materialized at Hinata’s location. That would be a bit troublesome.
Returning to the main topic.
「I myself was also busy with mine own business. The fairy world art also hectic with revelry.」
「Aa, yes. Guess there is also that isn’t it~」
Kousuke got a faraway look. Naturally there was also the case of all the dragons going mad and went into rampage, but the incident of the fairy world’s flower on high peak, Hidzuki getting a boyfriend was also a major matter.
After all, the dragons in the end returned to their sanity after the “Dragon” slept, but that wasn’t a reason for those who were seriously in love with Shuten Douji to stop rampaging.
Hidzuki’s subordinates were all ‘hyahhaa’ bunch, but it was also just a matter of time until her relatively weak subordinates got put under the brunt of the rampage, so Hidzuki was also really busy in her own way in order to take care of that matter.
She got summoned to earth several times but, she had to spend the majority of her time at the other side.
「Fufu. Rest assured mine beloved. Ye are the only man who I couldst not turn into stain on the ground.」
「……By that, do you mean you turned everyone else at the fairy world into stain on the ground?」
「Mine beloved, ye don’t need to worry about anything♪」
Hidzuki-san smiled sweetly and linked her arms with him, then she snuggled up to him and leaned coquettishly. Her bewitchment tripled with her face looking ecstatic and her cheeks blushing.
The stealth was broken! The businessmen & women who were passing by got hit by the atmosphere and looked captivated!
「W-w-w-wait, Hidzuki-san!」
「What is it, mine beloved?」
Sweet. Whether it was her tone, or her expression, or the aura she was radiating. Perhaps it was just imagination, but it felt like there was also a sweet smell from her.
「~~~~~tsu, we’re going to be late at this rateee-, let’s walk a bit fasterr-」
「Ahn, mine beloved art really forceful♪」
「Can you not make lewd voice like that while in publiccc!? And your lewd atmosphere too!」
The business district before noon was going to fall into chaos, so Kousuke used all his strength to ignore the soft sensation enveloping his arm and Hidzuki’s wanton eyes and hurried toward their destination half running.
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「……This is seriously lavish.」
It was a tower mansion that stood straight right in the middle of a certain business district in Tokyo. The entrance was already telling him clearly. “Those without qualification, ought not to pass under this gate”. Of course, that was just the hallucination of a pure lower middle class like Kousuke.
However. It couldn’t be helped that he faltered like that. This was a district where it felt like land would be in hot contest, but it was only the surrounding of this tower mansion that was very spacious.
It had a park that was at smallish side but with abundant nature. The surrounding avenue was also well maintained and overflowing with sense of cleanliness. It was also fully furnished with large sized automatic multi-storey car park. He could also faintly see a floor that seemed to be a fitness gym with terrace attached.
And most of all, the caretaker at the entrance wasn’t an elderly which was the usual state of thing, but a tough looking man in black suit. Furthermore he wasn’t alone, there was more of him. With the atmosphere they were giving off, he wouldn’t be surprised even if he was told that they had just returned from battlefield.
When he tried sensing the presence, he could feel more presences further inside that felt like guards not from the respectable sort.
If he wasn’t in Stealth together with Hidzuki, sharp gazes would definitely pierce him from the way he was obviously an outsider standing in a daze at the entrance.
Of course, he wasn’t completely unnoticed though……
No, it seemed it was just one person who noticed him. Furthermore, it had been from some time ago.
The guards suddenly started to act flustered. They turned their gazes at further inside the entrance and it seemed they were exchanging words through the wireless on their ear.
「Looks like our pick up art coming.」
It was just as Hidzuki muttered as she kept clinging tightly on him. Hinata showed up the moment the elevator’s door opened.
Surprisingly, she had an appearance that was the first time for him. She was wearing a western attire of white dress that reached until above her knee. Coupled with her long and glossy black hair, she was like a princess that came out directly from a picture book.
The guards who seemed to receive some kind of contact tried to stop Hinata from going outside with a troubled look. Hinata’s gaze turned to outside.
Her eyes met Kousuke’s gaze perfectly even though he was in hiding. Her expression slackened *funya-*. And then, her expression turned blank instantly the moment she saw Hidzuki snuggling on him. And yet, she suddenly turned bright red *kyuu~~* as though she was witnessing an adult scene.
「Kuku, what a splendid comical expressions.」
「Yes yes, let me go for a bit.」
「Ahn, ye unkind person.」
He peeled off Hidzuki from him and dispelled the stealth. At the very least Hidzuki’s existence would be noticed with this.
The guards looked taken aback when they noticed that someone had came until the entrance and took a fighting stance right at the next moment. Their movement came from practice after many years. They looked more like veteran VIP bodyguard rather than mere security guard.
「They are my guests today. Please let them pass.」
Hinata’s clear voice resounded. It made the guards looked at each other. They must have been informed beforehand. They immediately opened the gate.
「It’s been a bit long isn’t it, Hinata-chan.」
「Indeed. We could only meet twice during this one month.」
Hinata approached with light footsteps in a small jog. She was close. In this distance she was practically looking up at him from right below. Her gaze was packed full with a bit of loneliness and deep affection. It made Kousuke smiled with a bit of embarrassment.
「This is the first time I see you in western-style clothes……you look good in them.」
「! I-is that so? This is just how I usually dressed but, thank you very much.」
Even though her face almost split into wide grin from delight, she was desperately trying to maintain her composed face. It was extremely adorable.
In contrast, the guards were expressionless. How extremely terrifying. Their gazes were a bit unusual. Perhaps, they weren’t just simply mansion guards, but the guards of Fujiwara family. We’re gonna murder you if you lay your hand on our little miss……because their eyes were saying that.
But, before they actually said something, Hinata’s gaze moved toward Hidzuki. It was a reproachful stare. She seemed angry.
「Hidzuki, I’ll be forced to put a “binding” on you if you act too willfully you know?」
「Eh. Hidzuki, you, you didn’t ask permission from Hinata-chan first before coming at my place?」
「I never said anything like that.」
Hidzuki looked aside with a huff. Apparently, she made Hinata summoned her, after that she ignored Hinata’s effort to stop her and rushed at Kousuke’s location.
「I understand that you are interested with the present world, but what are you thinking making me summoned you and each time you would go around as you please? It might be fine if it was just once or twice, but you are lacking the self-awareness as my Zenki……」
She looked like she was going to start a lecture, but suddenly Hinata stopped talking.
Her big and round eyes opened wide and stared at a single point. A single point, yes, a point on Kousuke’s neck where there was red bruise and what seemed to be a trace of a bite. From a glance she could see that they were fresh……
Hinata’s gaze snapped toward Hidzuki. Her eyes narrowed, she noticed something, the she looked at Kousuke once more. Her gaze looked very strict.
「Endou-sama!」
「Y-yes!」
「You gave your blood to Hidzuki didn’t you!?」
「Yes ma’am!!」
「What are you thinking! Giving yourself to an oni to be eaten, unbelievable!」
「No, because, I was thinking that, I need to thank her for like when she came to save me, and also for protecting Hinata-chan in my place. As expected allowing her to take a bite is impossible but, if it’s just blood……you know, Nagumo also often got kapuchuu~ed by Yue-san……」
「C-certainly I also think it’s important to show gratitude but, even then this──」
The eyes of the black suits darted back and forth at the exchange between Hinata and Kousuke. They looked at Hidzuki and flinched seeing her licking her lips. Her atmosphere was too bewitching and too predatory.
Hidzuki ignored those onlookers and pointed out with an amused tone.
「Don’t make a commotion here, little girl. Speaketh honestly, that “I also wanteth to carve the proof of kiss on the man I love”.」
「Nnnya!?」
A strange voice came out from Hinata. Her face was dyed red in the blink of eye. She was in the middle of lecturing about the danger of offering flesh and blood to oni, but perhaps she was actually just jealous.
「T-that’s not it. There is no way I ever think about such indecent thing-. Endou-sama! I, umm, it’s not like what you’re thinking!」
「Ah, yes.」
The eyes of the black suits were increasingly getting harder. Hidzuki crouched and grinned while poking on Hinata’s squishy cheek with her fingertip.
「Besides, I said that I wouldst “protect” ye but, I never said anything about absolute obedience. There shouldst not be any reason for mine action to be restricted isn’t it?」
「Uh……that’s……certainly that’s true but……」
「What’s with yer look of dissatisfaction. Mine beloved, it seemst that ye wouldst have it hard in the future. This little girl, she might be a type that tied down her man and wouldst not let go. In the worst case, there art a risk she might even confine ye……」
「I won’t do that kind of thing-!」
「Then, ye wouldst not mind my going on a pleasure jaunt in this modern era sometimes riight?」
「Uh, uu……」
Hinata was gradually looking tearful while her cheek was getting poked. Adorable groan uu~, uuu even came out from her.
Even though she looked that gallant when standing at the front line as an onmyouji, she was behaving relatively befitting a girl her age in her everyday life.
She asked for help from Kousuke with her gaze against this wheedling from Hidzuki who had lived through a time of different order of magnitude from her.
It would be a different story if Hidzuki did something like eating human when she went out. But, even Hinata had noticed that Hidzuki just wanted to take care of her stress from getting approached by many men in the fairy world by looking around this world.
She was also watching over her using Shiki, so she also knew that she really didn’t make any problem at all except by causing a lot of people to be enchanted by her atmosphere.
That was why she couldn’t say anything back and could only puffed out her cheeks……
The way Hidzuki was toying with such Hinata in delight and Hinata glaring back tearfully at her made the scene looked like the scene of two sisters frolicking with each other.
In any case, due to the hard gazes of the black suits and in order to respond to the rescue request from Hinata, Kousuke took a step forward──
He turned on the spot. He brushed up his hair and sighed ‘fuh’ with a smile.
「This caprice between two byutifull ladies is truly a sight for sore eyes but, let’s stop there. Do it for me’s sake, okay?」
「Endou-sama?」
「Mine beloved?」
Time stopped. Especially, Kousuke’s.
He froze in his cool pose of brushing up his hair. Cold sweats started to trickle down like rivers. He even started hyperventilating!
A beat later he stopped posing with a trembling body. While everyone was looking at him with eyes widened like saucer, he raised his hand that brushed up his hair and *paan*, a trike. He slapped his own face.
「Endou-sama!?」
「Mine beloved!?」
Hinata and Hidzuki were dumbfounded. The black suits were also making disgusted expression that said 「This guy-, is he doing drug!?」.
「Wait for a bit.」
Kousuke said that with an ephemeral expression and took out a small case from his breast pocket. He opened the sliding lid, snapped his wrist and threw the content, some pills into his mouth. And then he gulped them right away.
「Tsu, fuu~, my heart is calming down……」
「Young miss! Get away from him! This guy, he is doing drug just as we thought!」
「Oi, security room! Call the police!」
「Please wait everyone! There is a reason for this!」
Hinata’s desperate defense made the black suits to obey her reluctantly but, their gazes toward Kousuke were extremely harsh.
「Mine beloved. Ye art still not fully recovered even after a month hath passed?」
「……Yeah. Though I have gotten a lot better than before.」
Kousuke smiled an ephemeral smile still like before.
Actually this was an after-effect. From Abyss Lord’s coolness depth VI.
Kousuke who sank into untrodden depth of abyss was confined to his bed for three whole days from mental agony, and then he was in a state where he lived as half shut-in for a week, but the after-effect was still remaining a bit even now after a month had passed.
Even though he wasn’t in abyss lord mode, his action would become completely chuuni if he let his guard down.
The atmosphere would freeze every time inadvertently blundered. Each time his heart would be in the verge of dying from embarrassment, and he would be overcame with anxiety and despair, wondering that perhaps he would never recover to normal again.
Right now, thanks to Emily-chan’s specially made mind stabilizing medicine, he was more or less heading toward recovery. But, he really wasn’t in a state where he could make clone to guard Hinata. That was the reason he relied on Hidzuki for that.
「Aa, this isn’t good. The medicine will run out soon. Haa haa, I need to ask Emily to quickly prepare the next batch……」
Kousuke can’t go on anymore unless he has my medicine! It’s fine, leave it to me! I’ll take care of you forever! The figure of Emily-chan mixing the medicine with wide smile on her face surfaced in his mind.
「Endou-sama……it’s fine, it’ll be fine. There is nothing to be embarrassed about at the slightest. See?」
「Be strong, mine beloved.」
Kousuke got his back rubbed by a little girl and a beautiful woman. Even the black suits looked really conflicted, perhaps sympathy welled up inside them from how pitiful he looked.
There, a new voice came.
「And I wondered why nobody came up no matter how long I waited……just what are doing over there?」
The one who showed up from the elevator was a woman in the prime of her youth looking a little bit exasperated.
She looked exactly like Hinata if she grew into an adult. However, she had the same face like that woman who the fake Tsubaki disguised herself as, only with the area around her eyes looking a bit sharper.
It was clear from a glance that she was Hinata’s mother. Her hair was firmly bundled at the back of her head. She might be working until just now because she was wearing a business suit stylishly. Her appearance with that was really cool.
「Ah, nice to meet you, my name is Endou Kousuke. I’m sorry for making a ruckus at the entrance.」
「Nice to meet you. We can finally meet each other. I’m Hinata’s mother──my name is Fujiwara Chikage.」
Chikage-san bowed with a movement that invoked admiration and smiled sweetly. It was an amiable and lovely smile but, it felt like there was a bit of fatigue seeping out from her.
Many of the upper echelons of the clan were forced to engage in onmyouji work especially Taisei who was their leader. During such time, she was commanding a corporate giant like Fujiwara Group by herself as one of the senior leadership, so it was only natural for her to be tired.
「I was only able to give a greeting through phone even though you were the one who saved my daughter, husband, and also the lives of my relatives. I have been acting extremely rud.」
「No no-, that’s not true! I was also greatly helped, so please don’t worry about it. Also there is no need to act so politely against a youngster like me.」
「Fufu, even this is already me speaking somewhat informally though……at any rate, I have heard so much about Endou-san from Hinata so, don’t be a stranger──」
「Okaa-sama!!」
「Our association will surely become an everlasting one, so Endou-san too, it will please me if you can think of me like your mother──」
「O – ka- a – sa – maa!!」
Hinata’s face reddened and she jumped to cling on Chikage’s suits. Chikage mama chuckled and ignored that.
Certainly, this woman was strong. As expected from an elite among elites who was in command of such gigantic business group and the mother of the strongest onmyou girl.
「Today after this, all of you will go to this “Miniature Garden” of your friend correct? I heard that it’s an invitation to a truly lovely place but, please allow me to entertain you with food and drink to the best of our ability. Perhaps my husband’s attitude toward you is going to be unpleasant sometimes but, he actually recognized Endou-sama inside his heart, so please be considerate of his fatherly feeling.」
「He, recognized me? Err, you mean ability wise aren’t you?」
「Also by all means, please allow me to set up a dinner party with all members of Endou family before long.」
「Ignored!? No, well, yes. I’ll tell them.」
He wondered what was this. It felt like this mother had no objection of becoming a mother in law, like she was being proactive with her daughter’s romance, like she was already starting to act in order to cut off any path of escape……
Just how did Hinata-chan had described about “Endou-sama” to her mother during this one month.
The person in question was covering her face with both hands to hide her bright red face, so there was no way to check with her but, why was the mother’s positivity level was so high like this……
(Mine beloved. Be careful. This woman, she is exceedingly formidable.)
(Hidzuki?)
Kousuke was surprised by the sudden telepathy. Even so he endured so that it didn’t show in his face.
(She hath the guts to be unshakeable even when she learned mine true identity, at the same time her ability to grasp human heart and reading the trend of the times are astonishing. She isn’t a boorish woman who wouldst mix debt of gratitude with personal benefit but……when ye realize it ye might find yerself the one joining their family as son-in-law instead of Hinata joining yer family.)
(……Seriously?)
(She just indirectly insinuated of how ye might succeed Taisei. Ye didst not even notice.)
(Seriously?)
Smile smile, smile smile. Chikage-san gave him a friendly and cheerful smile. He wondered why, he suddenly felt scared.
「Now, there are also other things that I wish to talk about, but first let’s change the location.」
Chikage said that and urged him to the elevator. Kousuke followed her while making a dry smile.
He got into a mood like someone who came to the house of a lover for a marriage greeting. Even though he had no such intention at all!
Hinata kept looking down from embarrassment. She followed behind him quietly.
Hidzuki acted as usual. She had warned him, and she looked like she was satisfied from the date and toying with Hinata. Her figure slowly vanished into thin air. She must be transforming into her spiritual form.
Seeing that, Kousuke got into the elevator while muttering out 「Crap……」. The moment Hidzuki vanished was witnessed by the black suits……
「Don’t worry. They are the exclusive SP of our family. They aren’t onmyouji but, they are in the know.」
「As, as expected it’s like that huh. Thank god. But, all of them? It’s amazing that the SP of your personal home is also mixed in with the mansion’s security.」
Kousuke patted his chest in relief while asking question. His eyes turned into dot when he casually saw the elevator’s floor buttons. After the first floor button, there were only several more buttons until the middle floor, after that the floor number skipped all at once to floor 45 until floor 50.
Chikage pushed the button for floor 45 while answering like it was nothing.
「This mansion itself belong to our family after all.」
「……I, I see.」
Kousuke’s look became far away. True rich person didn’t just buy a single room in a tower mansion. They owned the tower mansion itself.
「Although, the space we are actually living in is only from floor 45 above, while the rest are rented for company housing.」
「I see.」
He could only say that. In other words, this elevator too must be exclusive for Fujiwara family. Yep, its rising speed is also really fast! Ah, you can see outside from here! Waa~ii, so hi~igh!
「U-umm! Endou-sama, is there something that bothers you? Your eyes look dead……」
「It’s nothing at all, Hinata-chan.」
「My, that’s horrible. Could it be that you are not good with high place? This place is like a villa that we built for the convenience of our work, so if you like we can move instead to our main house right away──」
「I, love high place. This place is fine.」
He could only say that. Also, their house that was located at the Tokyo suburb was a Japanese-style house and its garden had the size that was as big as a baseball field.
There would be no difference whichever one he visited. Kousuke firmly refused the consideration of the mother and daughter with a clear expression like a Buddha.
Like that, Kousuke was led to a terrace that was like a hanging garden with the whole surface covered by glass. Taisei was there and welcomed him with a smile of someone who had swallowed a bitter bug. They exchanged greeting with twitching smile.
After that delicious tea and snack were served. He was thanked again to a degree that made him felt obliged, asked through-and-through about his relationship with Rana and others, and before he realized it he was made to harbor interest in studying business administration with a nonchalant conversation skill.
He received cards including the share for Rana and others too that could be used to use facility related to Fujiwara Group for free, and he was almost made to form an official engagement with Hinata through a nonchalant conversation skill.
She made a definite promise about Fujiwara clan’s intention of giving full support when the returnees wanted to do something in the future, and through a nonchalant conversation skill Kousuke was almost made to agree with being used as a reason to refuse any marriage proposal that came for Hinata.
While they were having a very lively talk while waiting until the promised time with Hajime, Kousuke yelled inside his heart while putting a stiff smile on his face.
Hinata-chan’s mama is scaryyy───He thought.
She had no need of something like onmyou technique. Chikage-san almost manipulated him in various things with just conversational skill.
The daughter had inherited talent as onmyouji from her father to the highest level. In the end, was she also inheriting the temperament and talent of her mother……
「Endou-sama?」
Hinata tilted her head in puzzlement. Kousuke couldn’t help feeling a worrying portent for the future from her.
.
.
.
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.
.
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.
.
After that.
He was saved──he meant, it was unfortunate, but Chikage had an urgent work that she had to deal with no matter what. With Kousuke also urging her to take care of her business and no need to be so considerate to him, she returned to her work even while looking apologetic.
「Umm, Endou-sama. I’m really sorry about my mother.」
「The talk itself was really fun, so don’t mind it. Fuh, I’m also satisfied from being able to hear a lot of things about my princess──excuse me for a bit. It’s time for medicine.」
「You just drank it not long ago wasn’t it!? Please stop with the excessive consumption! ……I’m happy to hear you calling me your princess!」
「Hinata, aren’t you being a bit too bold? Otou-sama is sad. You’re also sitting too close, perhaps you should be a bit more modest……」
Hinata stopped Kousuke by tightly hugging his hand on her chest. It caused Taisei papa’s eyes to twitch uncontrollably.
He understood that as a father it must be displeasing to see this, so he wished that he would stop taking out charm from his pocket. Also looking at his eyes that seemed to say 「I’ll curse you to death-」. It was strange. He had the same presence like a certain blasphemous priest papa.
「E-even so, the reason why Fujiwara clan and Tsuchimikado clan exchanged name is really unexpected!」
Kousuke desperately changed the topic while sweating rivers. Although, this topic was something that even Hinata only learned during the chatting just now, so she easily got on board of the topic.
「……I never even dreamed that the reason was for revenge against the government that abolished the bureau of onmyou.」
「U-umu. Well, that’s why this matter is never told to anyone than the clan head.」
In the past it was none other than Fujiwara clan that introduced themselves as Tsuchimikado. The clan name of Fujiwara belonged to Tsuchimikado clan’s branch house. At that time, the Tsuchimikado clan head of that time who ordered the exchange of family name wrote the reason in his diary so it had been passed down through generations.
According to it, when the abolition of Bureau of Onmyou was decided, the head of Tsuchimikado apparently yelled this to the government’s case officer.
『Haa~~a, you guys are impossible! Firing us so suddenly like this, what modernization! What westernization! Aah the hell with it! If that’s what you guys want, then the hell with it all! To hell with serving the country, I quit! You better remember this! If it’s like this then I’m going to fatten up my own wallet using all of our onmyoudou tricks! Ten years from now, I’m going to tell you serves you right, 『We who singlehandedly supported the country in guiding its fortune got fired, so we created a giant enterprise group with the strongest onmyoudou and live as we pleased without care, saying “Too late already!” when they got troubled and asked us to come back later!』, remember thattt!!』
It was a parting line that sounded as though he had seen the future trend of a certain web novel posting site. The Tsuchimikado clan head of that time was living in the future too much.
On top of that, the name Tsuchimikado was too conspicuous. It would be troubling if there was government’s interference while they were in the middle of fattening their wallet, so they exchanged family name with Fujiwara Clan.
The Fujiwara now turned Tsuchimikado clan would show a laudable attitude of “Tsuchimikado is obedient. We have also converted to Shintoism. So don’t bully us again?” while the real Tsuchimikado was raising up a business group to a level that could influence the nation’s economy strongly like a heaven-sent child of capitalism……
「Our ancestor got completely hooked with doing business……」
Taisei said that with a faraway gaze. The seals throughout the country? Ritual? You guys are the Tsuchimikado now so take care of the rest please! We are busy here with the money game! It seemed that those words were actually said for real in the past.
No wonder, and that was still continuing until this generation, so it couldn’t be helped even if the elderly nobleman called Fujiwara clan 「This materialist!」.
「Aren’t you going to return the names back to before? The elder also suggested to do it right away wasn’t he? He also said that this moment is just the right timing to do that.」
「No, but……what’s the point doing that at this late hour don’t you think so? It will be really troublesome to do that, like the paperwork……」
「Otou-sama……」
「H-Hinata too, you don’t want to introduce yourself as Tsuchimikado Hinata at this point right? Imagine it, how you’re going to explain it to your friend at school, see?」
「True there is that, but……」
Perhaps, there was no doubt that the biggest reason for Taisei was the “troublesomeness” factor.
Although, certainly it was already much too late at this stage. And yet, for some reason the elder made such suggestion. If asked the reason.
「From where the elder is standing, this is the realization of their dearest wish, the revival of the Bureau of Onmyou. As expected, he must want to use the proper family name for it you know?」
Yes, in this occasion, the Bureau of Onmyou ended up being revived as a bureau in the government.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a public organization.
It would be revived as a secret organization that was included within a newly established department in respond to the unprecedented danger that occurred this time.
And then, the name of that department that included the Bureau of Onmyou was,
──National Police Agency Defense Department Returnees Respond Division
Fukube was appointed as its first head and the Bureau of Onmyou was added into it as an internal organization.
Regarding the case this time, the government was put in the back foot too much. A part of it was also because the opponent was using supernatural power, but it was also a problem that the departments that were dealing with various concerns were too scattered.
There, a suggestion was made for “a specialist department that could make unified decision regarding case where the government wished to ask for the returnees to deal with it as well as to respond when the returnees made a demand”. There was also a pressing need to establish a way to deal with the supernatural power of other countries, so finally the department was founded.
「Although, the first Head Onmyou(Onmyou no Kami) of the rebirth Bureau of Onmyou is also the elder. As expected, it will be better if we don’t change the family names. Yep.」
「Isn’t that only because Otou-sama selfishly said 『I’m already really busy as the group’s head right now, it’s impossible for me to also act as the leader of a secret organization』 to the elder?」
「It’s not selfishness. It’s the truth.」
「……What Otou-sama really thinks is that you just don’t want your time for horse racing to be reduced, isn’t that right?」
「……Haha. Don’t say such stupid thing.」
Taisei papa absolutely wouldn’t meet his daughter’s gaze. His behavior spoke of his true intention more eloquently than anything else.
Certainly, a work as onmyouji where it would be required to deal with incidents that happened sporadically could possibly affect his horse racing hobby. When he imagined that he would be called back while he was watching the dream derby, it was so terrifying that he couldn’t sleep at night.
Although, as a daughter, such behavior of her father must made her felt conflicted.
While watching that offense and defense between father and daughter, Kousuke who had exchanged a promise between man to one day brought him to meet with horse girl in Tortus sipped his tea saying 「Expensive tea is so tastyy~」 like it was not his business at all so that he wouldn’t getting dragged into the argument.
He also recalled the time when he was called for personnel introduction at the day the Returnee Respond Division was officially operating.
That time, other than Hajime and Kousuke, Taisei and Hinata, and then the elder were also there, but a small incident occurred after they had finished greeting the personnel of the division in general.
For some reason there were personnels who wouldn’t come out from a small room next door even after Fukube called at them.
──What are you doing? Please get out quickly!
──Nee-sama, we are called. We need to give our greeting……
──A-are you saying that this humiliation is still not enough!?
──You look good! You look good in that!!
Such voices could be heard. Everyone in Returnees Respond Division smiled wryly.
But right after that, Hajime shrugged and activated Crystal Key. He opened a gate midair, 「Uwaah」「Hyaa!?」and two people fell from there while screaming.
One was a small female wearing normal suits and trouser……
And the other one, was a maid for some reason, with a face of despair.
──Eh, Zhen Ying? Why a maid? Hobby?
──Kuh……kill me-
──Nee-sama! Please calm down!
Yes, the one there was Zhen Ying dressed as maid. Beside her was Ying Hu. She wasn’t wearing a mask. Her bobcut style hair and adorable face were exposed.
──I tried making her a maid as punishment of targeting our families
Hajime said that. Kousuke muttered 「You oni」. Those words definitely represented the voices of the heart of everyone there. Zhen Ying-san’s expression was just that grim. Though she certainly looked good in it.
According to Hajime, it seemed she was put in the list of combat maid group that he was secretly planning. But, he tried putting her in as candidate because he was interested with curse magic, however with her aptitude and personality, the possibility was high that this would only end as mere punishment.
Putting that aside, if asked why she was affiliated with the Returnee Respond Division……
Due to her exposing her face, Zhen Ying wasn’t a Shadow Monk anymore now. She couldn’t even return home to her homeland and intended to commit suicide, but after a discussion between Hajime and Shadow Monk, it was decided for both sides to dispatch personnel to each other for a role like an ambassador for the sake of cooperation between organizations. And so she was chosen because she was just the right person for it.
Even though she wasn’t Shadow Monk anymore, her patriotism was unwavering.
The master who raised her and the upper echelons of Shadow Monk must knew about that too. Or perhaps, they simply wanted to leave behind a path where she didn’t need to die even while still protecting the rule.
In any case, as a dispatched personnel from Shadow Monk, she was stripped of her code name Zhen Ying and in exchange she introduced herself as Zhu and walked a new path in life.
She ended up experiencing another despair from being made into a maid though.
Ying Hu was worried for Zhu and decided to resigned from Shadow Monk too. She introduced herself as Liu and accompanied her to here.
Although, in a sense, it might be Hinata who dealt the finishing blow to her.
──Kuh, cursed Fujiwara Hinata-. What’s with those eyes! Are you mocking me!
──I’m not though!?
It seemed Zhu felt humiliated by Hinata’s sympathetic gaze, so she tearfully flared up at her. After that.
That Hinata asked Hajime to let off Zhu. It seemed that became another humiliation. Zhu was trembling fiercely while becoming driven with self-abandonment「I’d rather be killeddd」.
──The one who was harmed the most was hinata-chan right? Then you can make her to dress with another outfit. The outfit can be attached and detached forcefully you see. What about magical girl? Right now it’s also has glittery effect as bonus
──Just kill me deaddd!!
──Nee-sama! Please don’t keep asking to die every time!
──Nagumo-sama! You don’t need to mind about me, so please give mercy!
In the end, Hinata’s pleading worked and Zhu returned into wearing suits. Even so,
──Kuh, I’m not going to thank you-, Fujiwara Hinata!
──Ah, yes. No need
──Nn-. ……But, I won’t mind to do you a favor if it’s just for a bit
──No. No need
──Wh, at?
Such conversation happened. Zhu-san who seemed to harbor a conflicted feeling toward Hinata got plainly depressed. She started reciting a farewell poem nonchalantly, and in the end Kousuke shared Emily’s special mind stabilizing medicine with her. With that the place somehow settled down.
Even now apparently she was still a bit unstable mentally but……they could only leave it to Liu-chan to take care of that. It seemed there was a difference of age of around ten years between her and Zhu, but he wished that she would work hard by all means.
「Geez, really Otou-sama! Endou-sama too, please say something to Otou-sama!」
「Eh? What are you talking about?」
His mind returned from his recollection to reality. He wasn’t listening at all so Kousuke was confused. Hinata’s eyebrows formed a sad frown.
Ah, crap……while Kousuke was feeling a bit flustered, a reinforcement or rather the pickup came with superb timing.
「Ah, it’s time!」
A gate opened at the terrace. Hajime came out from there.
「Endou, how are you feeling? Are you sane?」
「You should choose your words correctly yeah」
Are you fine from abyss lord mode’s after effect already? That was what Hajime meant. Kousuke understood what he meant, but he still looked back at him with a cold gaze.
Hajime ignored him, greeted Taisei and Hinata, then he immediately invited them into the gate.
Their sight was blinded just for a moment.
The next thing they felt was the scent of abundant nature, and the soft sensation of standing on grass.
Right after that, what entered their sight was……
「Uwaa!!」
「This is simply……」
Hinata sported a childish wide smile, while Taisei’s eyes opened wide in astonishment.
「Welcome, to the Miniature Garden.」
Even Hajime’s welcoming words didn’t enter their ears.
It couldn’t be helped. After all, the scenery was just too magnificent.
Clear azure sky that expanded endlessly. A gigantic tree with preposterous height that penetrated that sky.
They came out on top of a smallish hill, but the enormity of the tree made them felt like their sense of distance would become haywire. The top of the tree was even covered by cloud and couldn’t be seen.
And then, the path from the hill until the gigantic tree──the Treasure Tree was a gently sloping grassy field that extended until the horizon. At the right they could see grand mountains and a lake at the base.
The lake surface reflected the dazzling sunlight. From the lake there were multiple rivers extending. When they traced the river with their eyes, they found a forest that was spreading endlessly next. When they looked back, they could also see what seemed to be a sea faraway.
It was a grand nature that would be impossible to find in Japan.
Just those would be more than enough to make anyone speechless, but the scenery was added with fairytale existences──divine spirit, fairy, fantastical beast (the inside were demons), and even flock of western dragon and Chinese dragon. This world was already an authentic fantasy world.
By the way, many dragons migrated to here wasn’t because Hajime poached them as he pleased from the fairy world again.
The cause was Yue-sama.
Yue-sama was already in an unparalleled state, and then she obtained infinite magic power in addition. She became even more unmanageable after that. Even the dragon gods and god dragons whose power were increasing as time passed weren’t even allowed to counterattack. All the dragons were made to crawl on the ground together.
In addition because she became high from the special made drink, her sadistic nature was working in full forceand she even used soul magic to smash the pride of the dragons into small pieces.
As the result, somehow she got worshipped as god.
It was even reaching until a level of producing a new conception that was based on faith. That faith even magnified Yue’s power completely.
Just like when Hajime became like a demon god, Yue also became like the goddess of the dragons.
And, like this many dragons passionately desired to migrate to the Miniature Garden because they wished to serve that goddess.
The number of god class dragons was sharply reduced in the fairy world. The manly goddess and former goddess cried a little.
Returning back to the main topic.
「Nagumo. How vast this place is right now? When you showed it to me around two weeks ago, there wasn’t anything like a sea at the north side right?」
「Who knows. I was also busy so I haven’t checked the detail. According to Enti, it seems there is still a continent at the other side of the sea, there is a desert region at the other side of the forest, and it look slike the other side of the mountain range is starting to turn into a snowy area you know?」
「Seriously?」
「I mostly leave it to the divine spirits to construct the natural environment. I’m planning to explore when things calmed down.」
「You, bring me along too at that time, absolutely don’t forget okay! That sounds like it will be pretty fun!」
The fantasy world with no external enemy still continued to expand even now. Certainly, the name “Miniature Garden” was really to the point.
The fact that this world was created by the man before them made Hinata and Taisei to be speechless.
The scale was too big for their understanding. Even Hinata who knew about the other world of the Great Barrier of Heavenly Star could only fell astonishment.
There, a voice called out.
「You are finally here, children of man. Be welcomed.」
Wind of light green color whirled and what descended from there was the goddess of this world after a fashion, Enti.
It seemed she was doing her best to imitate Lutria, but she couldn’t her natural liveliness so she felt like a kid who was trying to make herself looked mature.
「However, never forget to properly show respect to this Enti-sama──」
「Who cares about that, let’s go. Everyone is gathered at the base of the Treasure Tree.」
「Waiiitt, I’m goddess you know, goddess! Your goddesss! Respect me more!」
Even though she descended while going as far as acting divine, her godly majesty dispersed instantly. She placed her smallish butt on Hajime’s head and kicked her legs back and forth while protesting. With such appearance, as expected she was a child……
Hinata and Taisei finally regained their senses seeing that exchange. They smiled wryly to each other. And then they immediately followed behind Hajime and Kousuke who were starting going down the hill.
After a while, the base of the Treasure Tree came into view. Then.
「Kou-ku~~n! Hinata-cha~n! Over here~!」
Rana was waving her hand to this direction.
Emily, Vanessa, and Claudia were also waving their hand. Other than them, practically everyone who participated in the defensive battle of the sea of trees that day were also there. In addition to them, Chief Magdanese and Director Dime were also present.
Naturally, Sumire, Shuu, Yue and other Nagumo family members, the classmates, and a part of their families were also there.
There were also many wooden tables and chairs placed there. There was also a corner where the barbeque set and a lot of ingredients were placed. It looked like they were already starting to grill. Nice smell was brought to them by the breeze.
「Hina-chan! Welcome nano!」
「Myuu-chan!」
Myuu was heading toward them with a wide smile. *DODODODO-* Riding on a water horse apparition Kelpy.
Actually, when they got acquainted with Hajime, Hinata also met with the Nagumo family.
Hinata was a bit older but, even for Hinata, Myuu was the first existence with close age and same gender that she had no need to keep secret from because both of them were involved with apparition. They instantly hit it off.
「No way, Kelpy!? Excuse me but, can I take a close look at that horse──」
「Otou-sama?」
「……Now then, I’m going to go around greeting everyone.」
Taisei papa was instantly defeated against his daughter’s eyes that lacked highlight in them. He immediately headed toward the elder and the others who were looking at him in exasperation.
Right after that, Hidzuki who was in her spiritual form materialized.
「Geh, Shuten Douji-」
The one who raised that displeased voice was Shia who was in charge of grilling the meat. Hidzuki’s gaze also went straight at Shia and blazed fierily.
「O ye lovely lovely rabbit? Mine heart is fierily seething once more for this another chance for our tryst. Please, let us get along with each other ♪」
「Don’t wanna desu. You understand just from looking right? Right now it’s time for food.」
「Yes, yes. That’s exactly why I asketh ye to accompany me.」
*Slurp* Hidzuki-san licked her lips. Her cheeks were flushed. Alluring aura and fighting spirit were overflowing from her whole body! The way she was closing the distance gracefully was like a hungry beast that found a rabbit!
Hidzuki who witnessed Shia’s power in the battle at the sea of trees immediately challenged her after that. Of course, Shia refused and ran away. But when she saw Shia, it seemed her oni nature would throb no matter what.
「If it’s here then a little bit of fun wouldst be allowed correct? Right, miss rabbit?」
「Aa geez, why is it that all the fellows who got fixated on me are all like thisss-」
In order to prevent the meats that she had grilled well after much effort turning into victim, Shia dashed away and ran with all her might.
「So we art playing oni gokko(tag)? Fufu, I accept! Wait, wait for mee~ ♪」(TN: Oni gokko, a game of pretending getting chased by oni, or in other words playing tag)
Hidzuki began a literal oni gokko with a look of a maiden in love.
The masochist elf Altena, the mad dog imperial princess Tracy, the yandere divine spirit Soare. And then now the brawl lover oni god was also added to that list.
「O-oi! Hidzuki! Stop that!」
「It’s fine, it’s fine! It’s Shia-oneechan after all! More importantly Hina-chan! Come over here nano! Myuu will introduce you to my friends!」
「Awawa, don’t pull me Myuu-chan~」
「We’ll do youkai battle later nano!」
「Youkai battle!? You mean making Shikigami fight!?」
「Myuu’s first youkai is, Kel-chan! Myuu chose you!」
「Listen to what I’m sayinggg~」
Hinata formed a sword seal with her hand and recited words of power to stop Myuu, but her hand was pulled and she was dragged toward Myuu’s friends──in other words, the demon rangers and the water element apparitions.
The classmates called out to Kousuke as though to replace them.
「Yoo, lolico──Kousuke. Is that kid the rumored new wife candidate?」
「Endou-kun. Turn yourself in, okay?」
「Kousuke. I’ll accompany you to the police station.」
「Nine years old is it? As expected that’s just disgusting.」
In order, it was Kentarou, Ryoko, Juugo, Mao who talked. Yuuka and the other female classmates were also looking from afar with an expression that seemed to say「That guy, he finally reached out into a territory where one mustn’t enter」 toward him. Even Fukube was grinning while going along with the mood and took out a handcuff while saying「Oh, should I arrest him?」.
「It’s a misunderstanding! I’m not looking at Hinata-chan in that way!」
「But she likes you right? This is the Marry me when I’m older! Trope right? With that kind “super beautiful young lady with promised future”. ──You should just go die.」
「Nakanoo! There are things that can be said and cannot be……ah, no, it’s nothing.」
Shinji-kun was quietly crying blood for real while expressionlessly tearing into a meat. It was too eerie that even Yoshiki wouldn’t approach him.
Kousuke also shut his mouth. Because his big brother Sousuke looked exactly like that when he introduced Hinata and Hidzuki to his family.
Today Endou family didn’t come, but it would be terrifying if those two met. He absolutely didn’t want to allow the two to meet.
While the Kousuke bullying by the classmates was causing the target to be sweating rivers, a reinforcement came because she couldn’t bear to watch it anymore. It was Rana! As expected from the first wife! She stood in front of Kousuke to protect him and spoke sternly.
「Geez, everyone, don’t tease Kou-kun too much! This is something that only natural for boss’s right hand! It’s no different from Myuu-chan!」
「Hey, don’t group me together with Endou.」
「What do you mean by that-. No, I understand it well, me friendo. After all we are birds of a feather! ──Ah, the medicine……I got to drink my medicine……eh? There is no more?」
「Kousuke! If you’re looking for medicine then I have it here!」
Emily-chan came running happily. Vanessa and Claudia looked like blood had been drained from their face saying「Eh, Doctor Emily? Didn’t you say just now that medicine is a prototype!?」「Emily-san!? You are too reckless recently-」 and they also came running.
At the other side, Myuu was dejected after hearing Hajime’s voice.
In respond Sumire, Shuu, Yue and others spoke up in criticism. Sharon-obaachan also snapped and pulled out a gun, so Barnard and others desperately moved to stop her.
Taisei and Director Dime were finding a kindred spirit in each other, perhaps because they could sympathize with each other as father whose daughter was taken away by some harem bastard. They both were looking at Kousuke with eyes that seemed to say 「As I thought, I’ll beat you bastard to death-」「As I thought, I’ll curse you bastard to death-」……
But they didn’t stop there. Perhaps because they had drunk alcohol, they were about to carry out their intent for real. Each of their subordinates were all working together to stop them.
From afar there were voices 「SHAORAAAAAAAAA」「AHAH, AHAHAHAHAH」 that were accompanied with absurdly loud thunderous sound.
The purpose of today wasn’t just to unveil Miniature Garden, the biggest purpose was──to gather under the pretext of having a congratulatory party for overcoming a danger to the world, and yet the venue was gradually descending to chaos.
It was then, Fukube’s mobile phone rang with call ringtone.
About Fukube’s phone, Hajime judged that it was necessary in order to coordinate with the Returnees Respond Division, so he was the only one within the division permitted to carry a prototype portable communicator that could communicate across worlds.
There was also just one non-portable type of the communicator installed in the Returnees Respond Division for emergency. It seemed the call came from there.
Fukube’s expression changed and he picked the call. After conversing for a while……
「Dear me, even though this is an off day. It seems that a civilian occult organization is starting a sacrificial ritual. The report said that something like a miasma is already flowing out.」
He turned his gaze toward the elder with a wry smile. However, his gaze also turned toward Hinata right away. It must mean that this was work for the Returnees Respond Division, no, for the Bureau of Onmyou. At the same time, there was no doubt that Fukube judged that it was at a level where Hinata’s strength was necessary.
The elder nodded and he was going to ask for Hinata’s help──but before he could,
「I’m going.」
Hinata herself declared that. Even though she was overwhelmed by Myuu’s momentum until just now, the girl who was showing a happy smile that was appropriate for her age now looked like a different person.
She stepped forward with the face of this generation’s strongest onmyouji who was overflowing with vigor and gallantry.
「Hidzuki.」
「Yes, right here.」
When she called out strongly with a single word, Hidzuki who was enjoying a battle with Shia until just now instantly came running.
「Endou-sama, can you lend me your assistance?」
「Of course.」
Kousuke answered readily without any hesitation. He sported a lively but restrained smile.
「Myu-. Hina-chan, want some help?」
「Princess, we shall accompany you too.」
「There is no way I can let my daughter go off alone.」
Many offers for help were given. Amidst that, even Hajime asked 「Do you need help?」 with a faintly amused smile.
「I’m greatly obliged by everyone’s consideration」 Hinata said with a polite bow. However, when she lifted her face, on her face was a smile that could even be called as fearless.
「But, please I ask everyone to enjoy this lovely holiday as you are. We too shall return immediately after we finish our task.」
「Can you?」
「Yes, there won’t be any problem. After all, I have a reliable Zenki and──」
She looked at Hidzuki and narrowed her eyes, then next she turned a gaze that was filled with tremendous trust and a maiden’s passion toward Kousuke.
「The number hero in the world as my Gouki accompanying me.」
She declared so.
Hidzuki’s expression seemed to say that it was only natural, while Kousuke too, although he looked a bit embarrassed, he smiled proudly with his head held high.
Seeing that scene, Hajime, Yue and others, and then the classmates spontaneously──
Cringed.
「「「「「Goki?」」」」」
「K-Kousuke. You……why the hell are you looking happy from being called as such thing!」
「He is happy a little girl’s verbal abuse……what a deviant!」
「Certainly Kousuke is like gokib*ri(cockr*ach) when he multiplied though-」
「The after effect of abyss lord mode is this bad-」
「Kaori! Heal Endou-kun’s head!」
「Leave it to me! Shine, Endou-kun’s messed up head!」
The pitying and sympathizing and scorning gaze and words from his comrades made Kousuke’s smile froze on his face while his head shined from healing magic.
He somehow massaged his forehead with a trembling hand, took a deep deep breath, and a beat passed.
While Hinata was looking flustered, and Rana and other members of the sea of trees defensive battle were shaking from holding back their laughter,
「Enough already with that damn jokeeeee──────!!!」
The cry of his soul echoed through the beautiful world of Miniature Garden.
