Part 1
"W-why don't you clean it up a little bit? Yuck! Cough!"
A mysterious man suddenly appeared.
The man was dressed like a nobleman of the Heian period, something rarely seen in this era. In addition, he was well-dressed and gave the impression of being a good-natured person.
Of course, I was curious about the man's unusual appearance, but what surprised me even more was the fact that he was──.
"Oh──"
"Hmm? Oh?"
"A ghooossstt!?"
"Eeeeehhhh! G-ghost!? Where, where?"
"I'm talking about you, though!"
"Huh? Me?"
I couldn't help but retort to the man who was looking around in fear. Rather than that, the man in front of me had the appearance of a ghost, just like how everyone imagined.
I looked down at the man's feet and saw that he had no feet, and they were thin and transparent.
Even Ouma-san and the others who were watching the exchange between the man and me looked astonished.
"Mmm… I've seen insubstantial beings like wraiths before, but they have a certain presence. But I don't feel any presence at all from this ghost…"
"Woof…"
"Fugo?"
"Pippi!"
Night also seems to be puzzled, but Akatsuki and Ciel only twisted their heads curiously and did not seem to be that bothered by it.
"Astonishment. Ghosts, they're real?"
"That's amazing! I mean, what is that outfit? I haven't seen anyone wearing that since I came to Earth…"
"Hey, Lexia! How can you be so calm?"
"Eh? Because it's Yuuya-sama's house, and I was wondering if something like this could happen…"
"…That's true too."
"You're convinced?"
It's difficult to be convinced that a startling situation can happen just because it's my house, but I can't remain surprised forever.
I called out to the man who was strangely convinced by my tsukkomi.
"Well, I am dead, aren't I? I inadvertently accidentally…"
"U-um…"
"Hmm? Oh, you're the one that put me on… Right! First of all, I'm not a ghost! W-well, I'm dead, sure. But I'm not one of those youkais! Okay?" [T/n: I decided to change specter to youkai from this chapter onwards, youkai basically means strange apparition. Since that's too long, so I just decided to use the Japanese word for it, and I think everyone knows about youkai at this point.]
"I-I'm sorry!"
I called out to him, but after his flowing speech, I apologized to him.
But the man seemed satisfied with that and nodded his head.
"Umu, well, that's good. So, what is it?"
"N-no, um… I was wondering who you are…"
When I finally said what I wanted to ask, the man smiled and puffed out his chest.
"I am so glad you asked! I am the most powerful sorcerer of the Heian period, Tenjou Kuuya!"
The man with the most confident look on his face… is named Tenjou Kuuya-san.
…Hmm? Tenjou?
When I responded to the unexpected last name, Kuuya-san grinned.
"Well, it's nice to meet you──Descendant."
"Eh… Eeeeeeeeeeeehhh!"
──My screams echoed throughout the house.
＊＊＊
"Muhoo! Modern confectionery is so sweet! It's the best, the best, the best!"
"Y-yes…"
──After that, I moved to the living room with Kuuya-san in order to calm down and listen to his story.
When I introduced myself again, I prepared some sweets, and he reacted strongly to them. It seems that Kuuya-san is a fan of sweets.
Even now, he is stuffing his mouth full of sweets and looking like a squirrel. Well, you don't have to be in such a hurry, no one is going to take it…
"Astonishing. Nobody can take that much candy in their mouth."
"That's amazing. Well, if he eats that many sweets, it's no wonder he's like that."
"Right. However, he is Yuuya's ancestor, isn't he? They don't look much alike…"
"Is that so? I think they have the same airiness about them."
"Hmm? When you say it… they look completely different, but both of them have this kind of mysterious air that envelops them…"
Seeing Kuuya-san engrossed in the sweets in front of them, Lexia-san and the others were whispering something to each other, but the content of their conversation did not reach my ears.
"Phew~. It was very delicious, wasn't it?"
"T-that's good to hear."
"By the way, I don't see any of my descendants here except for you."
"Oh… T-that's…"
I was wondering what to say when Kuuya-san's eyes suddenly flashed with a mysterious light.
It was only for a moment, but I could see it glowed purple as its gaze rested on me.
"Hoho… I see. It's a pity. How can a child of the same blood not be loved equally…?"
"Huh? H-how can you…"
I looked at Kuuya-san, who seemed to see through everything I said and did, even though I hadn't told him anything.
However, Kuuya-san stares at me in disbelief at my reaction.
"Didn't I tell you? I am the most powerful sorcerer. Compared to destroying a great youkai, seeing through people's minds is nothing."
"Eh, was it true that you are a sorcerer?"
"Did you doubt me?"
I thought it was rude, but I couldn't believe it when I was suddenly told that he was a sorcerer.
Come to think of it, it's a wonder that I am able to meet the ghost Kuuya-san in this way, and more importantly, given my knowledge of the existence of the other world and aliens, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a sorcerer.
But when I am told that my ancestor was a sorcerer, it's a different story.
My grandfather also ended up obtaining the blueprints Merl was looking for, but even so, he was just a traveler with the habit of collecting stuff, and I'm sure he didn't really know what it was that he collected in that warehouse.
My father and the others were very normal people, and there was no indication that they had any unusual powers, or for that matter, were able to use sorcery or anything like that…
Then, as if he had looked into my family and read my mind, Kuuya-san covered his face with his hands sadly.
"Should I rejoice that the world is now at peace thanks to my efforts, or should I lament that the skills of the greatest and most powerful sorcerer have fallen into ruins…?"
"Y-you call yourself the best and the strongest, don't you…?"
"Since no one else said it for me!"
It's sad…
I was about to burst into tears, too, but Kuuya-san stared at me.
"Even so… I am surprised that you are my descendent."
"Eh? Why is that?"
"Because you're not fat."
"That's…"
My grandfather, my father and the others were thin.
In comparison, I was fat in the past… so does that mean that I used to look like Kuuya-san…?
Then, Lexia-san and the others also have a subtle look on their faces at Kuuya-san's words.
"I don't think you should be surprised by whether he's fat or not, do you?"
"Right. The body shape can be managed by exercising."
"Affirmative. You and Yuuya don't look much alike right now."
"Hmph. Well, Yuuya is similar to you only in that he is a strange being."
"Woof."
"Buhi."
"Pii."
"Huh? I'm in total denial?"
In response to everyone's comments, Kuuya-san's cheeks tightened, and he cleared his throat.
"Ahem. I'm telling you, it's not just about whether it's fat or not, you know. In my case, there is a great deal of significance in my physique."
"Eh? What does that mean…?"
"Oh, I see… The knowledge of sorcery has ceased, and the constitution has also ceased at some point in your life."
"Constitution?"
When I asked him back, Kuuya-san nodded his head.
"Right. I've always had an abundance of… 'Spiritual Power,' or the power to use magic. And that power has grown to such an extraordinary amount that it has been stored in the form of an expanding body."
"Eh?"
"So, even if I wanted to lose weight, I would not be able to. It is not just fat or muscle but the result of the accumulation of spiritual power in the body. That is why I am not good at exercising, but I am very good at sorcery! Ahem."
Kuuya-san was puffing out his chest, but I was not concerned about that.
Before I entered the other world, I had never been able to lose weight, no matter how much I tried muscle training, exercise, and dietary restrictions.
Even if I suspected that I was sick… my body was healthy, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Looking at me dumbfounded, Kuuya-san twisted his head, and once again… the purple light in his eyes, probably the spiritual power he was talking about earlier, was in his eyes.
"Hmm? You… you seem to have come to your current form in some strange way… What is it? You must have inherited my constitution, didn't you? No wonder you have so much power… and yet your body shape is the opposite of mine. I'm surprised."
After saying this, Kuuya-san looked at me in a somewhat pitiful way.
"But I see… because you suddenly inherited my constitution, and all knowledge of sorcery disappeared from the world, you were shunned by my other descendants… As a result, you, like myself when I was a child, have been wasting your time trying to lose weight."
"W-wasted my time?"
"Yes. I told you, right? I told you that the body is not a storehouse of fat and muscle but a storehouse of spiritual power. Since the body has been transformed into a storage of spiritual power, there is neither muscle nor fat. No matter how hard you work, you will never be able to lose weight because the spiritual power is not dissipated."
I was appalled to learn the secret of my old body.
It is true that I was not able to lose weight, but there was another serious problem that I had in the past.
"I-I was bullied in the past because people around me said I stunk…? Did that have something to do with that mysterious power…?"
"Oh… is that right? Spiritual power, in other words, is the power of youkais. It is something that humans subconsciously fear and loathe. And you have the same constitution as me and, by the looks of it, a great deal of spiritual power. Consequently, in the past, you were able to channel this immense power out of your body. However, this is incomprehensible to ordinary people. Therefore, your spiritual power was perceived as body odor, and you were estranged from those around you."
"N-no way…"
Really, what have I been doing all this time?
I had been taking a proper bath and doing all the muscle training, exercise, and diet that I could.
Still, nothing had changed.
I can't believe all of that was due to a constitution that I suddenly inherited from my ancestor…
Kuuya-san looked at me with a pained expression as I was seriously depressed.
"…It seems that in your case, you have more spiritual power than me. The result is that your human body can no longer contain it, and your physical body has become more like that of a youkai. This must also be the reason for the pain you are going through."
"….."
"D-don't be so downhearted! No, I had no idea that one of my descendants would suffer because of my constitution! I am so sorry! As an apology, I will teach you all my skills and knowledge! Huh?"
I couldn't help but smile when I saw Kuuya-san trying desperately to cheer me up.
"…Fufu. I'm fine. I've learned the reason for this, and as a result, I've been able to change. And I even found my family and friends."
When I said this and turned my attention to Lexia-san and the others, she raised her hand.
"Yes, yes! I don't know what it is, but I'm Yuuya-sama's fiancée!"
"How can you raise your hand if you don't know what it is? Besides, you're not Yuuya's fiancée. …Well, I don't fully grasp the flow of the conversation either, but the fact that Yuuya is an important person nonetheless is for certain."
"Affirmative. Yuuya, important."
"…Well, I don't want him to go away."
"Woof!"
"Buhi!"
"Pii!"
"…Thank you all. I'm having fun living like this now!"
"You're such a good descendant; it's hard for me."
I was happy that everyone was being so frank and gentle with me, and as Night and others rubbed up against me, I patted them gently.
"That's nice; I wish I could be petted by Yuuya-sama too!"
"No, that's… Not that that's bad, but…"
"…These guys are as if they're on their last days."
As I was enjoying the feel of Night and the others, I heard Ouma-san's dismayed voice. What's wrong with him?
Then Kuuya-san, who was watching our exchange, let out a sigh.
"Hah… you say so, but as for me, I must reflect on what I have done to cause your suffering… But then again, it's a strange world. As for the Night and your family members, they are exquisitely different from Earth's monsters, although their presence may be similar. However, it seems that the dragon there is not so different from the dragon on Earth."
"Eh?"
"What? Are there beings like me in this world?"
Kuuya-san's unexpected comment made my eyes widen.
Rather, I wonder how Kuuya-san recognized the existence of the other world, and in addition, that Night and the others came from the other world, when I have not yet properly explained about the other world to him…
Maybe he learned about the other world in the same way, just as he has been aware of many things about my situation since a while ago? For example, maybe he's looking at the memories of everyone here… Whatever it is, it's a tremendous power.
When I thought about that, Kuuya-san nodded like it was nothing.
"You don't see dragons in this day and age, but in the past, I saw them aplenty, and I slayed a lot of them."
"Eeeehhh!? There were dragons on Earth in the past?"
"Yes, there were. I am a sorcerer, you know. Besides dragons, I have exterminated most of the famous youkai. Well, I'm sure few people in this world know about it, and the ones that do are probably credited to other people, not to me."
"Eh? I-is that right?"
"Hmm? That's fine. The important thing is the result of exterminating them, and it doesn't matter who exterminated them. Besides, it's a dangerous world, and it's not for the people to know about it. And I will fight to keep it that way. The fact that no one knows about the danger is a sign of peace. It is a good thing that these stories, which have been passed down to this time, are still being enjoyed as fairy tales."
Seeing Kuuya-san with such a bright and cheerful expression on his face, I felt proud to be his descendant.
As we talked, I remembered that I had a question I wanted to ask him.
"Right! Actually, a purple power rose from my body a while ago, and as a result of being guided by it, I touched the scroll and met Kuuya-san… Do you have any idea about that purple power?"
"What are you talking about? That's the spiritual power, of course."
"Is that it…?"
"Well, since knowledge of spiritual power has been lost, it's no wonder you don't know how to use it…"
I did have that feeling from earlier when I saw Kuuya-san's eyes glowing purple from time to time.
However, I just don't understand why this power suddenly became accessible.
That's exactly what happened when I fought the monster in that alleyway… and was that monster a youkai that Kuuya-san was talking about?
"Um, actually, I encountered a strange monster today, and when I fought it, I was able to use my spiritual power."
"Mm? A monster, you say? Speaking of which, the scroll that sealed this me is now unsealed──"
Kuuya-san was about to say that much when he seemed to notice something and looked at me with a serious expression on his face.
"Wait, what did that monster… look like?"
"Eh? It looked like a child, just about my waist height, with huge claws that it dragged behind it."
"I've never seen a creature like that before."
"Come to think of it, you mentioned something like that. Were they really there?"
Ouma-san was still skeptical, but Kuuya-san seemed to believe my story and continued without any mischievousness.
"There is no doubt about it. It's a demon."
"Demon?"
"Moreover, judging from its appearance, it must be a demon that has escaped from the lower levels of the underworld."
"Eh, u-underworld?"
The explanation continued one after the other, and my head was confused, but Kuuya-san explained it to me slowly.
"First of all, sorcerers like me dealt mainly with demons. A youkai, to put it simply for you, is a being similar to a demon."
"I-I see."
"The demon is slightly different from the youkai and refers to the soul of a dead creature that has been transformed. Therefore, unlike a youkai, it is already dead."
"Eehh?"
"The souls of dead creatures originally do not emerge from the underworld. Especially the souls that transform into demons are more strictly controlled in the underworld. However, in order to be able to deal with demons should they appear in this world for any reason, I sealed my thoughts in that picture scroll before my death. So that future generations of sorcerers will have no difficulty in exterminating demons."
"So…"
The trigger for Kuuya-san to be released from the scroll was for the scroll to be touched by a person with spiritual power in their body, but it seemed that another condition that needed to be met was for demons to appear in this world.
"I see… I understand what you said. But the demons you mentioned earlier have already been defeated by Yuuya, right?"
"Yes! Yuuya-sama defeated it in a cool way!"
"…If that is the only demon that appeared in this world, that would be fine. But that's not the case, is it?"
"That's…"
From what I've heard from Sawada-sensei and Yukine, it seems that strange phenomena are occurring in various places, and when I think about it, I can't believe that the demons are just that one.
However, Ouma-san, who had not seen any demons, sniffed in a bored manner.
"Hmph. No matter how many of them appear, I'm going to wipe them out."
"Not so fast. I told you, didn't I? I told you that demons are already dead. I ask you, can you make a dead person disappear?"
"T-that's…"
"That is where a sorcerer like me comes in. With the spiritual power that resides in Yuuya and me or another kind of power, it is possible to interfere with the demons of the dead."
"I see."
As I was convinced by Kuuya-san's words, Kuuya-san gathered the spiritual power in his eyes and looked at me again.
"Fumu… you seem to have suddenly released your spiritual power, but you still can't manipulate it as you wish, can you?"
"T-that's right."
I answered, and Kuuya-san laughed and puffed out his chest.
"Don't worry! You have me here with you! I will raise Yuuya to be a great sorcerer!"
"Eeeeeehh!"
Before I knew it, it was decided that I would become a sorcerer, and this was how it was decided that I was to learn about spiritual powers from Kuuya-san.
Part 2
──We are now changing places to the world after death, the underworld.
"Reimei-sama. I have more to tell you."
"More?"
Reimei had finished dealing with the demons in the underworld that had escaped from the seal and did not want any more trouble, but one of her subordinates wonderfully ignored her wishes and continued.
"The soul of the false god has indeed disappeared, but it doesn't change the fact that his soul has moved on until it came to this place."
"W-what? So what about it? Tell me without any pretense!"
"It seems that not only the boundary between this world and the underworld, but also the boundaries between the various parallel worlds that the soul of the false god touched before reaching this place, and even the boundaries of the time axis, have disappeared."
"───"
Reimei almost fainted.
Originally, this world and the underworld were considered two in one.
But if what Ikkaku said is true, this incident is no longer something that can be dealt with in one world. Because it means that the underworld in which they are now living has become connected to countless other worlds.
Moreover, if even the boundaries of the time axis had disappeared, the worlds could collide, and one of them could swallow the other and merge.
"I-if, as I suspect, the boundary with the other underworlds is also…?"
"It's gone. Rather, the soul that caused trouble this time is a soul that originally existed in another world, and it just arrived at this underworld while destroying the boundary between worlds."
"───"
It was beyond the realm of what Reimei alone could solve.
"In other words, my underworld was hit by a stray bullet that flew in from another world… what a mess…"
If it had happened in the underworld under her control, she would be willing to take responsibility and deal with it, but this time, since it was the victim of a false god's soul that came from a completely different world, Reimei could only hold her head in her hands.
Then, Ikkaku added another blow to Reimei's mind.
"And one more thing."
"One more thing?"
"──Meiko's seal is also gone."
"….."
Reimei looked up to the heavens at the words she did not want to hear the most at this moment.
"…So seal her again…?"
"It is not impossible, but like the restoration of the boundary between this world and the next, it will take time. Fortunately, Meiko herself seems to be still quiet…"
Besides the restoration of the boundary, the resealing of Meiko.
"I don't know what to do anymore…"
When Reimei was in tears, wondering where to start, Ikkaku made a suggestion.
"Reimei-sama. I have one suggestion for you."
"What is it…?"
"You may already know this, but this matter cannot be solved by Reimei-sama or us alone. So, I'd like to bring in some collaborators."
"Collaborators…? I'm telling you, you can't get people from the heavenly realms. You think that with the divine authority of those who live in the heavenly realms, the boundaries between the various worlds can be quickly restored, don't you? I certainly think it is a good idea, but since divine authority was necessary to defeat the false god, there is a high possibility that the boundaries of the worlds annihilated by the false god cannot be restored quickly even with the available divine authority. Above all, the heavenly world is too far away from this underworld. The longer it takes now, the more damage will spread, won't it?"
"Yes, I am well aware of that. I am not talking about the observers in the heavenly realm. Besides, I am asking this person to seal up Meiko."
"What?"
Reimei's eyes widened at the unexpected words.
"The truth is, I had tried to find out how the soul of the false god drifted to this underworld before it was annihilated. As a result, I found out that it was sent to the underworld of another world by the hand of a single person."
"What? You mean that this person defeated the false god──"
"As you may have guessed, this person seems to be able to use divine authority."
"Hmm… But he is from a different world, isn't he?"
"No. He is from the Earth, the counterpart of our underworld."
"What? There is someone with that kind of power on Earth?"
Although there are not many, there are a few people with special powers on Earth as well.
However, Reimei could not hide her surprise at the fact that a person with such a powerful power, like divine authority, existed on Earth.
"In the first place, why is that earthling related to a different world, is that person a false god or a godlike being?"
"It seems that the human's home has a mysterious door that crosses over the world…"
"T-that person even possesses such a thing?"
"Yes. And this person also seems to be capable of… dealing with spiritual power."
"In addition to divine authority, that person also possesses spiritual power?"
The information that was being added one after another left Reimei baffled.
But if Ikkaku's words were true, it would not be a bad thing for Reimei.
"In addition, we are not at fault in this matter, and it is all due to what happened in the other world. So I thought it would be possible to request cooperation with that underworld, which is the counterpart of that different world. If we do so, I think it would help to seal Meiko."
Reimei pondered over Ikkaku's words.
"…If it is a human, it's far easier to bring that person to the underworld than it is to bring someone from the heavenly realm. And even though we don't know how far the divine authority will go in restoring the world's boundaries, we can't say that it will be totally ineffective. And if that person also has spiritual power, then even more so… If that is the case, we may be able to have Meiko resealed while the boundaries of our world are being restored. Above all, if the help of the underworld of another world is also added…"
Having reached a certain point in her thinking, Reimei looked over at the oni.
"I give you a royal command! Bring me a human who can use that divine authority right now!"
"Yes!"
"Ikkaku, contact the underworld of the world where this incident originated and get them to cooperate with us at all costs! Is that clear?"
"Understood."
───Thus, unbeknownst to Yuuya, he was about to be involved in yet another trouble.
＊＊＊
It was the day after it was decided that I was to practice sorcery with Kuuya-san.
After finishing school without incident, I called out to the people I went to that alleyway with after school yesterday.
"It was so unusual for you to invite me out, Yuuya-kun! What's the matter?"
"…Maybe you got hooked on the occult after yesterday's experience?"
"Eehh!? W-well, are you talking about going on another exploration?"
"T-that's not it! I mean… you all remember that encounter with the monster, don't you…?"
I asked, and they all looked at each other and nodded.
"Well, how can you forget something so shocking…?"
"Y-yeah. I'm not sure if anyone would believe me if I told them, but…"
"As expected, it's impossible that they don't exist when you can see them so clearly."
"Haha… I don't think I'll ever forget it, you know."
As expected, the encounter with the monster seemed to be a shock to everyone, and they all had indescribable expressions on their faces.
"That's the thing, after all, we've encountered such an eerie presence; I think we should exorcise it…"
"E-exorcism? Could it be that we've been cursed?"
"…I'm interested."
"Yukine-chan?"
I didn't mean to scare her more than necessary, but Kaede was frightened by my words. On the contrary, Yukine's eyes are shining… What can I say? She has a very unobtrusive personality.
However, there was a good reason why I made this suggestion.
That was yesterday, after I heard about the demons from Kuuya-san.
＊＊＊
"You should exorcise the residue of the demon."
"Eh?"
Kuuya-san suddenly told me that.
I was surprised at the sudden words, but Kuuya-san continued with a serious expression on his face.
"I told you earlier, demons are already dead. Yuuya may be able to withstand the residues of demons because of your spiritual power, but even so, you are not currently able to use your spiritual power to its fullest extent. That means that there is no telling where it will have an adverse effect on your body. Above all, I'm sure that… other children have also come into contact with the demon."
"They didn't touch it directly, but…"
"It doesn't matter if they touched it or not. Just being in close proximity to that demon is enough of an influence. Anyway, the children there do not have spiritual power. If that is the case, they will continue to accumulate the demon's residue in their bodies."
"You want me to have them exorcised…"
"Yes, that's right. If it were true, I would be the one to exorcise it… but as you can see, I'm dead. In other words, you can say that I wear the stain of death as much as the demons do. Therefore, I cannot exorcise them."
"Eh? So, does that mean it's really dangerous for me to be talking to Kuuya-san like this…?"
"No? The demon spreads the stain of death to its surroundings, but for me it is no big deal to keep that stain inside my own body. Therefore, Yuuya and the others will not be affected."
After saying all that, Kuuya-san gathered his spiritual power in his eyes and stared up at the sky.
"Hmm… I wonder how much information about the spiritual power and the impurities is left in this world… but it seems that there are people who have the power to purify the impurities. If you go there…"
"Uh…?"
"…Good, I've found it. Is that okay? You will be exorcised at the place I am about to tell you. It's──"
＊＊＊
And so, I was reminded by Kuuya-san to go for an exorcism.
Certainly, I felt a somewhat sinister presence from that monster… that demon, and regardless of whether it was just me who had an effect, it would be bad to have a bad influence on everyone else.
"Hmm… well, it's surely weird to keep going like this."
"I agree! I think I should go for an exorcism too!"
"You are too scared, Kaede."
"Are you not scared, Rin-chan?"
"Well, I think it's creepy, but I don't know if it's that bad."
"Eeehhh? W-what about Kaori?"
"I'm not that bothered by it either…"
"Unbelievable!"
Well, as for Kaori, she knows about the existence of the other world, so there's a good chance that when she sees that monster, she's just as likely to recognize it as a monster from the other world.
While Kaede was surprised at the lack of rejection from everyone, Merl opened her mouth with a serious expression on her face.
"Kaede-san. I do understand."
"Me-Merl-san…!"
"Such an unscientific existence… can't possibly be believed…! It's impossible… it's impossible…!"
"Me-Merl-san…?"
"I think Merl's way of being scared is scarier than yours."
As she smiled bitterly at that, Rin turned her gaze toward me.
"So, I understand the exorcism, but where are we going?"
"Let's see, do you remember the shrine where we tried to test our courage during the summer vacation?"
"Eh? If I'm not mistaken, that's the place where a girl named Mai Kagurazaka was, right?"
"Hey, hey, are we going to get exorcised at the place where we tested our courage?"
"…But if you think about it, that place is a shrine, right?"
"If it's Mai's place, you can be certain!"
When Lexia-san, who knows Kagurazaka-san well, said so, Kaede and the others, who did not know the situation, tilted their heads.
"Huh? Lexia-san, do you know Kagurazaka-san?"
"Of course! Mai is on the other side of the world──Mmgh!"
"Ah! Ignore what this girl says. We just happen to know each other by chance."
"I-is that so?"
Luna hurriedly held Lexia-san's mouth, and Lexia-san, who finally got out of that restraint, was angry at Luna.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean what am I doing to you, you idiot! We are from another world is a secret, you know?"
"Oh, that's right."
"You… well, fine. Anyway, don't say or do anything that might raise suspicion. Do you understand?"
"It can't be helped."
Lexia-san, who was whispering with Luna, nodded her head reluctantly, perhaps convinced.
"A-anyway! I've heard that they have a great reputation for exorcisms there."
"I see. Well, I'm a little nervous about spending the rest of my life like this, so I thought, why not?"
"T-that's right! Now that it's decided, let's go right away!"
We decided to go to Kagurazaka-san's shrine, so we made our plans together and headed once again to Kagurazaka-san's shrine on the next day off.
Part 3
Around the time Yuuya and the others were talking about exorcism.
At Ousei Academy, the student council president, Kitaraku, was beginning to push forward with the school idol project.
"──So, school idol, let's do it!"
"What are you talking about…?"
The gym teacher, Ohki, was tired of dealing with Kitaraku's frequent and sudden arrivals.
"What, you ask…? It's school idols, you know!"
"No, I don't understand what you're talking about in the first place…"
In response to Ohki, who was simply bewildered, Kitaraku continued with his usual tone.
"Oh, right. Actually, I'm thinking of making this school even more exciting…"
"Making this school even more exciting?"
The teachers, including Ohki, are aware that Ousei Academy has already become the talk of the town.
The reason is that every year, the school held large-scale athletic and school festivals, and this year, with the arrival of Yuuya, who was a remarkable newcomer, each school event had become more exciting than ever before.
But Kitaraku is not satisfied with that and wants to make the school even more exciting.
"Surely, even now, the school has already become a hot topic of conversation."
"R-right? In that case, It's not──"
"That's naive!"
"!?"
"You're being too naive, Ohki-sensei!"
Kitaraku interrupted Ohki's words and declared so.
"Didn't you realize something at the school festival the other day?"
"W-what do you mean?"
"What did you think of it? Certainly, thanks to me, the school is now showing a great deal of excitement."
"You say that it is thanks to you…?"
"The other day, at the school festival… we ended up competing with Nittei Academy, and I was made keenly aware of this. I was struck by how much effort they put into advertising their products and services, while ours did not."
"Y-you say so, but in the end, we won."
"That perception is naive. We managed to win that competition because of Yuuya Tenjou, who has recently been the talk of the town in our school… Without him, it wouldn't have even been a contest."
"That's…"
Ohki could not deny Kitaraku's words.
In fact, Yuuya's existence made it possible to win the competition against Nittei Academy.
…However, no one here pointed out that if not for Yuuya, the school festival competition with Nittei Academy wouldn't have happened in the first place.
"Of course, winning or losing the school festival competition is one thing, but what I am more concerned about is what lies in our future."
"What?"
"…Unfortunately, I will be graduating from this academy and going on to higher education next year. This means that I will no longer be able to make this school as exciting as it is now."
The current third-year student, Kitaraku, will be entering the University Affiliate of the same Ousei Academy next year.
Although he will still be in the same academy, he will no longer be able to meddle in the policies of the high school.
When the next student council president is chosen, Ohki knows that there is no way his successor would be able to act in the same way as him.
"It will be fine while I am here. I can take every possible means to publicize the charms of Ousei Academy to the outside world. However, once I am gone, there will be no one left to take on that role. Then, this school, even though it is currently attracting a lot of attention, will gradually lose its appeal."
In the school festival competition, they won against Nittei Academy, but Nittei Academy was clearly superior in terms of the quality of its facilities, and the teachers there were also excellent.
Moreover, perhaps because of the defeat in the school festival, Nittei Academy, which until now had only admitted students from well-financed families, began to actively accept talented commoners, just as Ousei Academy had done.
This was an instruction by Mirei Kamiyama, the student council president of Nittei Academy.
She was trying to lead the school in a better direction by removing the hierarchical class consciousness that had been entrenched in their school up until now.
"And Yuuya-kun, who is now attracting a lot of attention, will also graduate from this school in due course. There is no guarantee that a talent as good as him will come back to this school. That is why I want to leave something behind that will attract as many new students as possible to this school."
"Kitaraku…"
While Kitaraku said this with a serious expression, Ohki, who was listening silently, was trembling as if he was moved.
But…
"N-no! That's no good, no good! …I was almost swept away for a moment, but I don't know what would happen if I let you have your way! Besides, how could I possibly decide on such a big project on my own?"
"Tch…"
"Did you just click your tongue?"
"No, it was just your imagination."
Ohki's expression was indescribable as Kitaraku smiled refreshingly.
"But I'm in trouble… I can't proceed with the project without your approval…"
"You know… think back on your past behavior. And even if I were to approve it, it doesn't necessarily mean that the other teachers would approve of it. It's more likely that they will stop you. So give up."
Ohki told him and left to prepare for his next class.
"Mm… As I thought, teachers are wary when I make a move… Well, it can't be helped, but it is what it is."
Kitaraku was also aware that he had done quite a few things in the past, so he had already assumed that he would be rejected by the teacher in this way.
"In this case, it would be better to put someone other than myself as the representative… and it would also be better to put someone with a good reputation among the teachers… but who would do it…?"
At this time, other members of the student council came into Kitaraku's mind.
"Um… Inukai is energetic but a bit of a goofball. Even though not as much as me, he's causing trouble for the teachers, and Nekota isn't very positive about this plan in the first place… although Houjou is the most realistic of the three… Mm… wait?"
As he thinks about this, a certain person comes to mind.
"Right… how about that Yuuya Tenjou, who has made the event so much fun…? He'll be well received by the teachers, and he'll be able to make good progress in gathering potential idol girls, which is key to this plan… Yeah, that's good, isn't it?"
Kitaraku's eyes lit up, and he immediately began to move.
"Ahahahaha! Once that's decided, let's start planning again with him as the main focus!"
──Thus, it was decided that Yuuya would be involved in another big project without even knowing it.
＊＊＊
"So, could you please perform an exorcism for me…?"
"You, why are you getting involved in so many things…?"
We immediately headed to Kagurazaka-san.
When we arrived at the shrine, we soon met Kagurazaka-san, who was cleaning the grounds.
I had visited here at night during the summer vacation, so I had not been able to get a good look at the shrine grounds, but the shrine was very quiet with a somewhat sacred atmosphere.
Ryo and the others were looking around with interest because the situation was so different from the time of the courage test.
"Heh… it's like this in the daytime, huh?"
"In this way, it doesn't look like it is haunted at all. It looks rather purifying…"
"It sure looks like they can do a proper exorcism here!"
While each of them shared their thoughts with the others, Lexia-san and the others were also looking around and getting excited.
"So this is Mai's house! What can I say? It feels like… a church? It's so relaxing; it's like I'm surrounded by a divine atmosphere."
"Right. I don't usually believe in God, but the clean air of this place… might suggest that God is real."
While I am the one who met the observer, a god-like being, the holiness I felt in this place was a different type of holiness.
Then Kagurazaka-san noticed Lexia-san and Luna and opened her eyes.
"H-hey! Why are you here?"
"Oh… actually, those two have decided to study abroad at an academy in this world."
"Studying abroad?"
When I lightly explained the situation, Kagurazaka-san let out a sigh of exasperation.
"There are really too many things happening… Lexia-san and the others are studying abroad, but then suddenly there are demons… those are different from evil beasts, aren't they?"
"I suppose so…"
"I really wish you would give me a break."
No, really.
Of course, I welcome Lexia-san and Luna to this world, but I don't want them to get into trouble with demons and other needless trouble, you know?
As I nodded my head in agreement with Kagurazaka-san's words, for some reason, she gave me a cold look.
"You are nodding about something, but it's mostly your fault, isn't it?"
"Eh?"
"Hah… well, that's okay. You want an exorcism, right? To be honest, I don't really know what this spiritual power or demon is, but I'll do what I can to help."
We were led to the shrine and made to sit there.
"Other places have a lot of chanting and other rituals, but ours is just this."
While saying that, Kagurazaka-san pulled out a mysterious talisman.
"Well, you probably don't understand even if I explain the details, so I'll just do it quickly. First, close your eyes."
We sat down and were instructed to close our eyes, and we did so obediently.
I know that Kagurazaka-san was fighting the evil beasts with those talismans, but how would she perform the exorcism?
But since we were told to close our eyes, there was no way to check.
"───"
As I waited, somewhat somberly, a sacred presence was suddenly released from Kagurazaka-san's side.
As I recall, Kagurazaka-san was summoned to the Regal Kingdom as a 'saint' and should be able to use the same Holy power as me.
However, I think the feeling I'm getting now is something different from the Holy power.
I can't say which is better or worse compared to Holy power… but this feeling seems to penetrate deep into my body, and it's very comfortable.
It felt as if it was purifying all the bad energy that had built up inside my body.
After a while of surrendering to this comforting feeling, Kagurazaka-san called out to us.
"Phew… that's enough."
"Oh…"
"As expected of Mai! How can I say this? I feel refreshed!"
"What's that abstract impression… but Lexia is right. I felt like I was being healed from the inside out."
"I'm glad you felt that way."
Kagurazaka-san smiled after hearing Lexia-san's and Luna's impressions and shifted her gaze toward me.
"I think you're all good now for now. As I said at your last test of courage, these things need to be done in moderation or you'll be in trouble someday, you hear me?"
"R-right, Yukine-chan! Be careful, okay?"
"…I'll think about it a little bit when you say that much."
"Not just a little, but think about it properly!"
While I was smiling at Yukine, who didn't seem to have learned her lesson at all, Rin suddenly mentioned something that was bothering her.
"I was wondering what this shrine is known for?"
"Oh, certainly. The exorcism earlier was amazing, but is it also known for warding off bad luck?"
"…I wonder what god they worship."
As each of us talked about the shrine's deity, Kagurazaka-san answered.
"We are a matchmaking shrine."
Part 4
"We are a matchmaking shrine."
"Matchmaking?"
Lexia-san, Luna, Yuti, and Merl twisted their necks, perhaps not being accustomed to hearing this word.
"Yes. There are various requests to get a job at a good company or to connect with friends, but… the most obvious request is to find love."
"Love?"
The moment they heard those words, I thought the eyes of Lexia-san and the others had changed.
"For example, we have a lot of things like love fortune and spots to increase your luck in love."
Heh… I didn't know it was a place like that.
Because I came here before for a test of courage, I didn't have that impression.
After a brief explanation, Lexia-san's eyes lit up.
"I-I want to do all of that! No, I'll do it!"
"R-right. It is also important for us to investigate the God of this country. Yes."
"I-I'm curious too…!"
"Is that so? Then go ahead and do it."
Thus, overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of some of the girls, we were led by Kagurazaka-san.
First, we were taken to a place where we could draw fortunes.
"You can draw the omikuji here."
"What's an omikuji?"
"Well, to put it simply, it is something that predicts a person's fortune… Ours is a love omikuji, so it only predicts things related to love. What do you do? Do you want to draw it?"
"Of course!"
"O-oh… everyone's so motivated!"
"Y-yeah… women in love are so strong…"
Ryo and Shingo-kun were a little taken back in front of the exploding enthusiasm of the girls. I-it's true that it's a great amount of energy…
However, since we're here, we decided to join in as well.
Lexia-san and the others seemed a little hesitant to see the contents, so they decided to read the fortune that Ryo, Shingo-kun, and I had drawn first.
"Hmm, 'Shokichi,' huh? What is it…? 'Since you have a good sense of humor, although you have many friends of the opposite sex, it is unlikely that you will be able to make progress beyond that point. Therefore, it is difficult for them to realize that you are interested in them, and it is important that you are able to recognize this.' …It's kind of specific, isn't it…?"
"I'm 'Chukichi' …"Enjoy your hobbies and interests to the fullest and expand the circle of your community. You may talk passionately with other people who share your interests, but it is also important to stay cool and not get too passionate.' That's what it says…"
What can I say? I am quite surprised at the content of the omikuji, which seems to be tailored to Ryo and Shingo-kun.
Although I don't know what the two of them are actually like, I didn't think the content would be so suited to them.
"I know you were surprised, weren't you? The omikuji at this shrine often come true."
"O-often comes true…"
"Well, but you shouldn't worry too much about it. It is important how you feel and how you act after reading it."
That's certainly true…
While admiring Kagurazaka-san's words, I checked my omikuji too.
"Let's see… Eh?"
The omikuji should have said 'Shokichi" or 'Chukichi,' but what was written on it was the symbol───'?' a mark question symbol.
"W-what is it? This is…"
"Hmm? …What is that?"
"I want to know about it too, though…"
I was so confused that Kagurazaka-san peeked into my hand, and her eyes widened at the omikuji I had drawn.
"What did you do to get such incomprehensible luck?"
"Is it my fault?"
I don't think it's my fault at all…
Anyway, although my fortune was '?' just like Ryo and the others, there was an explanation written under it, and the content is:
"'What is it? This strange destiny is… so complicated with various connections that I can't see what's to come… but if you do well, you could be connected to all of these connections. I'm curious too, so please do your best.' …What is it? It's like it's talking to me!?"
The content is a mess, and what is this omikuji?
I mean, is my connection so complicated…? Is this also something to do with spiritual power?
I'm curious about that too, but isn't it bad to be tied to all the connections? This is a love fortune, right? Also, this country is monogamous… And I can't imagine myself being that way in the first place…
I felt indescribable: I believed in the existence of God because of the fortune that spoke clearly to me, but I didn't really believe in the content of the fortune itself.
Well, I have met an observer, a being close to God, and it would not be surprising if God existed on this Earth.
While I was pondering the contents of my own omikuji, Rin, Yuti, and Yukine were reading the contents of the omikuji that they had drawn.
"It's good luck… "Think about your own happiness," huh…?"
"Medium luck. 'Engage with others as much as possible and learn the subtleties of the heart.' …Difficult to understand."
"…Small fortune. 'Be moderate in your hobbies.' …I think it's working for me right now."
Each of them groaned in front of the omikuji as if they had their own thoughts on the subject.
And Lexia-san and the others, who are the most serious about their omikuji, have finally made up their minds and decided to read what's inside.
"Let's go… Eeehh! ──Eh?"
"──Eehh?"
Lexia-san read the contents first, but her eyes were dotted with what was written.
And Kaori and the others who followed her also dotted their eyes when they checked their contents.
"It seems that everyone has the same thing written on it…"
"It says 'do your best' …What does it mean…?"
"Eehh!? That's… true."
Kagurazaka-san immediately checked, but everyone's omikuji had only a brief encouraging sentence, "Please do your best.'
After that, at Kagurazaka-san's suggestion, Lexia-san and the others drew their fortune again, but the result was still the same.
"Aaah! I feel kind of bewildered!"
"That's for sure…"
"B-but, but maybe I'm a little relieved…"
"That's… you're right."
"…Action is still the only way to go, isn't it…?"
Everyone seemed disappointed that they didn't know what the contents were about but also somewhat relieved. Well, I wouldn't like it if something bad was written on it, would I?
"The omikuji ended up being kind of weird, but… I'm sure the love spots I'm going to take you to now will be no problem."
"Oh, that's right! There's that one, too, isn't there?"
"I guess this is where the battle begins…"
"I-I'll do my best!"
Kaori and the others show their motivation once again.
The place we were led to was a pond inside a shrine with a small island floating in the middle.
"It is said that if you can throw coins from this position and have them land on the small island, it will bring good luck to your love life."
"I see. It's not that easy! Then, Luna, give me the money!"
"Good grief…"
Luna, in amazement, handed Lexia-san some coins, and Lexia-san put her arm around it and threw it as hard as she could.
However… Lexia-san's coins did not reach the small island but fell into the pond.
"Eeeehhh? No way!"
"Pfft… too bad, huh? Lexia. Now your love is over."
"Why do you say thaaaaaat?"
When Luna snickered, Lexia-san complained with tears in her eyes, but Luna didn't seem to mind and took the coins in her hand.
"Well, just watch me there. This is the difference between you and me──!"
Luna's coins, thrown sharply, flew straight to the small island in the pond.
But──.
"Meow!"
"Wha-!?"
A cat suddenly crossed there and knocked away Luna's thrown coins.
"That stray cat… often comes to visit our shrine…"
Luna trembled at Kagurazaka-san's words.
On the contrary, Lexia-san smiled happily.
"Ara ara ara!? I'm so sorry to hear that. You must be even unluckier than I am to be stopped like that!"
"Ugh! N-no, you couldn't even reach it by yourself! You must have had worse luck than me!"
"What did you say?"
"What?"
""Gnunununu…""
We didn't know what to say to the two of them, who were snarling at each other face-to-face.
Then Kagurazaka-san quieted them down, looking somewhat dismayed.
"You see… I understand how you feel, but as I said before, the important thing is what you do, okay? This is just wishful thinking. You shouldn't worry too much about it."
"T-that's true, too…"
"I got carried away…"
"Well, okay, now what? Who's up for the challenge next?"
"I-I'll go next!"
The next person who raised her hand was Kaori.
But when I saw that, I had a bad feeling.
And it turned out to be right on the money.
"I'm ready… Eeii!"
"Whoa!"
"Why is it coming this way?"
The coins flew toward us, who were watching from behind at an unbelievable speed!
"H-huh! I-I'm sorry! O-once more… Eeiii!"
"Hyii!"
She tried again, but this time the coins flew out like they were going to cut my cheeks. Oh, that was dangerous… If it had been off by a few more centimeters, it would have been really painful.
After that, Kaori tried several more times, but in the end, she couldn't make the coins fly forward and had to give up.
"Ugh… I hate myself for my lack of athletic ability…"
"I wonder how it could fly so neatly right to the back…"
"I-it was like in a manga…"
"Ah…"
Kaori was depressed by Ryo and Shingo-kun's impressions. D-don't mind it…
While Lexia-san, Luna, and Kaori continued to fail, Kaede and Merl also tried, but both ended up failing.
"N-no way…"
"I-it's strange… both the force and angle of the throw should have been calculated…"
Merl even seemed to have done the calculations using the technology of the planet Amel, but suddenly a strong wind blew, agitating the coin and causing it to fall into the pond.
As the most motivated of them all went down, we were a little nervous, but then Yuti raised her hand and said.
"Challenge. I'll give it a try."
"Eh?"
I was surprised that Yuti raised her hand because I thought she was not interested in this kind of event in the first place.
But when I heard what she said, I understood.
"Question. Since a while ago, it seems that something has been blocking the coins with a strange force. I want to see if my technique will work."
"Ah, I see."
The most likely to succeed, Luna also failed, so as a disciple of the Bow Saint, she probably wanted to test her own abilities.
In that sense, I'm certainly concerned… because, looking at the flow of events up to this point, I couldn't help but think that a great invisible power, like God, was affecting the small coins that were being thrown.
As everyone watched, Yuti gazed at the small island in the pond with a serious expression on her face.
And then──.
"──Saw it. [Comet]!"
"You're going to use that?"
I couldn't help but raise my voice at the unexpectedly exquisite technique.
The coin was thrown with such force that it pierced through the gusts of wind that blocked the path and the twigs that flew up in the air and pierced into a small island in the pond.
"Oooohhhh! A-amazing!"
"I-it went straight through!"
"N-no way…!"
"D-did we lose…?"
Unlike Ryo and the others, who were excited by Yuti's divine feat, Lexia-san and the others had a despairing look on their faces, like it was the end of the world. That's how depressed they are!
I was surprised at the extreme reactions of everyone, and then Yuti came in front of me.
"Show off. Yuuya, is it great?"
"Eh? Ah, y-yeah. That was amazing!"
"…I see."
When I told her honestly, Yuti hid her face as if she was a little embarrassed.
"Kiiiii! I wanted to be praised by Yuuya-sama too!"
"Mai! Is there anything else out there? Something even we could do…!"
"Eehh? I thought you did that one just now well enough, but… well, okay. There's one last thing, and I'll take you there."
As we followed Kagurazaka-san, who had an indescribable expression on her face, we saw a magnificent tree growing there.
The size of the tree was overwhelming, but combined with the serene atmosphere of the surroundings, it seemed sacred.
"This tree is called 'the great tree of the rim,' do you see the hollow there?"
"Oh, it's true."
I looked in the direction indicated by Kagurazaka-san, and sure enough, there was a hole just large enough for one person to pass through.
"It is said that if you can go through that hole in a figure of eight, you will be blessed with the chance to be united with the person you love. It is said that it means 'to mesh the ties by going through in a figure of eight.'"
"That sounds like something we can do!"
Indeed, while the previous wish involved physical ability and luck, this one seemed easy enough to do since all we had to do was go through the hole.
The hole is certainly narrow, but it seems that the girls here could at least get through it.
So Lexia-san was the first to try, and this time she succeeded in making a wish.
"I did it… I did it! Mai, I succeeded!"
"Mhm… then me too…!"
Following Lexia-san's lead, Luna and the others also tried, and all succeeded.
"I succeeded too!"
"I think we're in the clear."
I thought it would be a relief if they all succeeded, but… it didn't work out that way.
"Ueeeeeee! Something got stuck, and I can't get through!"
To my surprise, It was Kaede.. that, her chest got stuck in the hole, and she couldn't get through.
We boys felt uncomfortable with this situation, but the girls were in despair when they saw the reason for Kaede's failure.
"S-so this is what you call a gap in strength…"
"It's strange… we should have succeeded, but why do we feel so defeated….!"
"Kaede, it's not fair…"
"…Yeah. Kaede, it's not fair."
"Eeeeeeeehhhh!? Why am I being blamed for this?"
Kaede must have felt terrible because even though she failed to make a wish, she was blamed by everyone.
Thus, despite all the happenings, we were able to accomplish the goal of the exorcism as originally planned.