99 – Arrival.
Has the right person truly arrived?
Is the kid in front of him really the top exorcist in Kanto?
Or could he have mistaken him for someone else?
The air filled with complex suspicion and subtle glances was instantly dispersed by the arrival of the head of the Hashimoto family, Gaju Hashimoto, who had just regained his composure.
“What are you doing now! Treating a guest who came from a distant land like this!”
Truly a fierce presence comparable to a mountain lord.
As the head of the family and the ultimate authority in this place, Gaju Hashimoto, with a stern expression, also turned his doubtful eyes away from Kenichi when he fiercely expressed his displeasure.
Gaju Hashimoto, showing discontent with the rudeness, approached the exorcist from Kanto who was still standing there blankly and asked.
“Hmm, I hope our rudeness did not offend you.”
“It wasn’t rude…”
“No, it was rude. You came all the way from Kanto for Hashimoto Gaju, and we welcome you with such a foolish reception. If this isn’t rude, then what is.”
“…Um.”
Though he had come as a substitute for his teacher just for a brief visit during the school trip, Kenichi couldn’t say a word.
He simply listened attentively to the extremely hostile words of his interlocutor, who had his eyes fixed on his disciples.
Gaju Hashimoto, the head of the Hashimoto family spanning Kyoto, stared intensely at his disciples and said.
“If any of my foolish children still harbor any resentment, speak up now. I’ll immediately use unjust spells to burn their mouths-“
……Burn it down?
Even though Kenichi already felt guilty, he briskly responded in a somewhat hostile atmosphere.
“It’s fine.”
“Hmm? Shouldn’t we punish at least one of them to get everyone back on track-“
“I will forgive them all.”
“Ho, the exorcist from Tokyo seems to possess a saintly heart.”
With a satisfied expression, Shigekuni nodded, saying,
“It’s a rare parent who doesn’t want to burn their child’s mouth.”
Feeling relieved that Kenichi had chosen the right answer, Hashimoto’s patriarch chuckled and said to him,
“Well, shall we go straight to banishing the demon?”
“…What? Already?”
“Do we really need to drag out the time? The seal seems like it could break at any moment.”
“…”
There was no room for argument; what he said was undeniably true.
From Noble mtl dot com
As Kenichi stood there speechless, Hashimoto Shigekuni gestured with his hand, leading the way towards the shrine where the demon was sealed.
“From now on, the monster you will face is a great demon sealed by the first patriarch of the Hashimoto family at the cost of his life, leaving us with a great task.”
“Yes.”
“The creature’s carapace always seems to be burning like the righteousness of Hashimoto, its eyes emit a dazzling light, and it swallows all kinds of food with its mouth.”
“Uh…”
“It is said to have swallowed all the waterways of the region, causing all the fields to burn, similar to the legendary Baijing that Seihei defended against.”
“Uh…”
Listening intently to the explanation of the demon, Kenichi’s complexion gradually darkened.
It was supposed to be a simple task during his free time.
“No, a task indeed.”
A major demon?
Emitting a dazzling light from its eyes?
Similar to the giant he faced in Shibuya before, is it a type of colossal monster?
Kenichi was puzzled as he followed the old man guiding him.
“Damn, what should I do now.”
It was too late to say that I couldn’t do it; in fact, it would be awkward to admit that I was not the exorcist they thought I was.
Even if they didn’t go berserk, spewing curses and gluttony in rage, they would surely look at me with disappointment.
At the age of 17, the brave warrior Kitagawa Kenichi was particularly vulnerable to such emotional damage.
“Ha-ha, truth be told, I was quite tense knowing that the major demon was unleashed near my territory, but it’s such a relief that you’ve come.”
“Ha-ha, is that so?”
“Well, thanks to you, I feel at ease. The children may lack respect and make arrogant remarks, but at least you show a bit of respect to me.”
“Uh… What do you see in me?”
“Ha-ha-ha, what indeed! You are the future that will reveal the fortune of our Hashimoto clan!”
“Uh-ha-ha.”
With a sense of impending doom, Kenichi continued to follow Shigekuni, still unsure of what was to come.
Internally, he deeply regretted realizing that it wasn’t Shiki from the start.
It seemed to be an affluent area similar to Shihei, so why weren’t they even confirming identities…?
He was reaching the point of resentment towards the elderly man and his subordinates who were guiding him without any suspicion.
“Here we are. The shrine where the demon is sealed.”
“…”
Kenichi blankly stared at the giant door and building towering three stories high.
Originally similar in structure to the shrine he knew, but one floor larger.
However, the reddishly painted jade door in front, as if something was sealed, felt ominous.
As he furrowed his brow uneasily at the broken crevice on one side of the door, Hashimoto Shigekuni, right beside him, casually asked, his face unperturbed.
“You didn’t bring any sealing materials, did you?”
“…Pardon?”
No, he had never heard of such a thing.
As Kenichi, who was gradually losing his composure to the point of evaporating, blinked his eyes, Shigekuni chuckled and nodded.
“Oh, my apologies. I know you’ve come solely for the extermination of the demon, but as the one responsible for the seal, I felt a brief moment of unease.”
“No, it’s fine to feel uneasy.”
“Oh, so you’re that confident?”
“…No, that’s not it—”
Kenichi Kitagawa suddenly thought.
I want to die like this.
Since going home seemed like a selfish desire, he wanted to die just to avoid this situation.
His intestines twisted like a wrung-out towel, and now he felt nothing at all.
Rather than specific sensations, there was only the pressure of the impending death.
“Well, let’s open it now.”
“…”
As the shrine’s door began to creak open, Kenichi grasped the charm around his neck.
A cross-shaped necklace.
A cursed sword possessing the power of nullification.
As he held onto the power that had evolved along with his swordsmanship, his cluttered mind cleared.
“Well, I don’t know.”
It’s either do or die, right?
***
“Was it okay to leave him alone?”
“Pardon?”
“Kenichi seemed like he was going somewhere earlier.”
Perhaps after a month of hardship together in Okinawa, they had grown a bit closer.
Sawamura Sento seemed concerned about Kenichi, who had left his seat, as if she was worried about him going mad.
Seeing her like that, I tilted my head slightly, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
“Well, it’s just a simple matter.”
“It’s simple from your perspective, but how much of a headache is it for us.”
“Oh, are you feeling a sense of camaraderie with Kenichi?”
“Well, a bit? It’s a bit pitiful to struggle alone while we’re having fun.”
“Ah.”
It seemed like a relationship where we felt empathy rather than affection for each other.
Feeling relieved inwardly, I explained about the foolish Kenichi’s work as I played the game.
“Hm-hm-ha-ha, it may seem like a challenging task from others’ perspective.”
“Indeed.”
“Still, Kenichi should find it an easy opponent. Although it’s a stage that requires a one-on-one battle against a monster that devours both magic and physical strength, he should be able to win easily since his physical strength and abilities are effective.”
“…Is that so?”
Sento narrowed his eyes with a doubtful expression, but in reality, the boss of the “Jongmalko” episode during the math trip – Chapter 6 was the easiest.
Whether the intention was to make the students enjoy their math trip to the fullest or if it was just a poorly balanced game, Kenichi’s compatibility was good enough to not even die ten times until the first clear.
“On the other hand, he did die a few times.”
Despite being a fool, I hadn’t been neglecting his training for over half a year.
Even if he might be a fool, I had been teaching him for more than six months.
I replied with a chuckle, “Kenichi has indeed become quite strong.”
Due to the abundance of monsters around, it was a mismatch compared to “Jongmalko.”
Well, even if the fool became strong, he was more of a super fool, but I could entrust him with such simple tasks.
And within a few months, it wasn’t just Kenichi who had grown stronger beyond my expectations.
As I gazed at him, Sento avoided my gaze with a fresh face.
“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“Hmph, how boring.”
Sawamura Sento.
In the game, she had been consumed by her wild nature and poured her strength into it, but now she had become a sorceress.
Although she was still lacking in divine power, just starting to manipulate the universe of souls was a significant achievement.
Given a little more time to grow, she would become strong enough to easily repel the evil spirits of the Apocalypse Religion or the spirits of the Divine Palace.
It was a comforting fact.
To reach any goal, one had to consider many things and sacrifice a lot.
Moreover, the dazzling potential in front of me was not just an increase in a long-term piece.
Truly, a vast difference.
If I could use it in time, my heart could only feel secure.
Feeling my chest swelling, I smiled earnestly and played the game diligently, while Sento, dressed in a kimono, asked with a strange expression.
“So, how far are we going?”
“hahahaha, we should go all the way to the opposite side.”
Chyaak-chyaak-
It was the free time given during the math trip.
At this point, it was right to engage in leisurely activities in Tokyo with nothing else to do.
As a result, we dressed in kimonos and yukatas, and boarded a boat on the lake.
Before we knew it, it was autumn.
With the leaves turning red and yellow, as we crossed the lake in the middle of the forest, it felt like stepping into a serene fairy tale.
During the chilly season when emotions tend to fluctuate, it’s inevitable.
Well, whether that’s true or not.
“It feels like I’m heading in the completely opposite direction from everyone else.”
“hahahaha, it’s all about the mood.”
“…It’s not about the mood at all. Why are we going so far away?”
“Um, testing our luck? Or rather, testing my weak heart?”
“…What on earth does that mean?”
Sawamura Sento let out a deep sigh, chuckled lightly, and leaned back against the gunwale of the boat, looking at the water like a lady watching over her servant.
“If the boat capsizes, you won’t just stand there.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
The boat slowly drifted across to the other side of the lake.
***
School trips were often a chance for students who weren’t close to become friends, thanks to the existence of secrets and a sense of camaraderie.
That was the case for these individuals right here.
“Eris, isn’t this hairpin beautiful?”
“…I’m not sure. I mean, can a hairpin even be beautiful to begin with?”
“Yes, of course.”
“…I really can’t understand.”
From Noble mtl dot com
The priestess, Ichinose Hotaru, strolled through the streets with her classmate Eris, browsing the street stalls. The priestess bought hairpins and Buddhist statues, followed by a magician who trailed along with a bored expression.
Eris Betelgeuse couldn’t comprehend the aesthetics of hairpins at all, but she couldn’t escape the pure yet assertive grip of the priestess. Perhaps it was due to the disappearance of Hotaru’s closest friends, followed by her next closest friend, or maybe because of a certain man’s request.
“hahahaha, I’ll need a bodyguard while I’m away for a bit.”
Without further explanation, Ichimaru Shiki left Hotaru behind and went on a date.
‘If he comes back, I’ll kill him.’
While Eris, who harbored such murderous intent, roamed the streets with an innocent air, Hotaru wandered around with a naive expression, completely oblivious.
As someone who had left her hometown for the first time in a while, everything around her felt fresh and enjoyable. The different atmosphere of the streets compared to Tokyo’s Shibuya and Shinjuku was nice, as well as the traditional souvenirs.
Occasionally savoring tanhoru or yakitori was a delight.
‘Well, Kenichi and Shiki vanished in the blink of an eye.’
Apart from the disappearance of Sen and Chihiro, everything else about the trip was perfect.
Though her silly childhood friend Kenichi was missing, Shiki seemed to be off on a date.
“Hmm, as long as Eris-chan is here, it’s fine.”
“…Chan?”
“hehehe, isn’t that cute?”
“…Don’t address me like I’m some kid!”
She quietly hoped that next time, they could all hang out together rather than do individual activities.
Hotaru tried to calm down the now agitated Eris as they moved on to the next street.
I need to find a souvenir to present to the Lord of the Manor…
At that moment, someone brushed past her, causing her to smile brightly.
“Is this how the maidens of our time look?”
Despite the faintly reflected figure in his sight, the woman with striking beauty akin to Eris, a blonde woman, passed by.
Her appearance was so stunning that one couldn’t help but be captivated by it.
In Hataru’s dazed state, a voice he had forgotten about suddenly resurfaced in his mind.
“Maybe I should just kill her since keeping her alive would be a bother.”
A season of falling snow.
A woman gazing down coldly, surrounded by scattered people.
A child with a face full of resentment.
In his unknown memories, the boy somehow resembled her friend.
“Ah.”
As Ichinose Hataru’s mind finally settled, his vision cleared up as well.
The gaze of someone chasing after another became clearer, yet the passing woman had already vanished.
The bustling streets of Kyoto were filled with laughing people and autumn leaves.