Tokyo Ravens Volume 5 Chapter 4

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The sky was still dusky when Touji woke up.

Tenma next to him still hadn't woken up, and most of the students were still snoring in slumber. Weak rays of light pa.s.sed through the gap in the wooden door, and he could faintly hear the sound of bird songs outside. Maybe dawn had just broken.

Anyway, he wouldn't be able to fall asleep if he went back to sleep. Judging this, Touji decided to leave his bed a bit early, making as little sound as he could and quietly walking out of the room.

He washed his face in the bathroom, then walked out of the auditorium.

Behind him was a forest. Fog pervaded the surroundings of the auditorium. He walked straight to the courtyard, clearly appreciating the beautiful scenery of Mount Fuji bathed in the light of dawn. Touji didn't have much interest in natural scenery, but the scene before him made him inadvertently squint his eyes and gaze in a trance.

"Touji?" Just then, a voice sounded from behind him. It was Natsume. She walked to the courtyard from the forest behind the auditorium.

She had already changed to her uniform. It seemed that she had been up for a while.

"Can't sleep?"

"Yeah...... I slept for a while, but I didn't sleep well. I kept waking up in the middle of the night." Natsume answered Touji's question, seeming a bit embarra.s.sed.

Though she hadn't slept well, she didn't look too bad. She even seemed more refreshed than yesterday night, right after they had finished their discussion.

Touji glanced towards the forest behind Natsume. The warehouse was in the direction she had walked from. Maybe she wasn't using the morning to go stroll outside, but returning to the place from last evening instead, going back and re-thinking the talk that time by herself.

"......Things seem cleared up--"

"Huh?"

"But actually, there haven't been any developments at all. But in the first place, it's very easy to stall when everyone gathers to talk." Touji turned towards Mount Fuji, speaking casually. He had brought about that congregation behind the scenes, but still said those kind of opinionated words. It was extremely like his style.

"Honestly, yesterday really wasn't like something you would do." Natsume said, not comprehending.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you always give off an independent, solitary feeling."

"Preconceived notions are truly frightening."

"But...... thanks."

"You don't need to thank me, it's too early now - but since you want to, I'll accept it graciously."

Upon hearing Touji's supercilious remark, Natsume laughed lightly, her body shaking slightly. Then, she gazed at the distant, beautiful Mount Fuji along with Touji.

The sun shone on the summit, showing a kind of mysterious beauty. The beautiful scene was reflected on the surface of the mountain lake, like a famous painting.

"You and Harutora... When you run into critical times, you're always extremely loyal to your own ways of thinking. I really admire you two." Natsume suddenly spoke up.

Touji looked at Natsume's face, puzzled. He was silent, not saying anything, realizing that Natsume's words contained no intention of wanting him to reply.

Natsume didn't notice Touji's expression, staring straight at Mount Fuji.

Then, she seemed to finally make her decision.

"......Touji, Dairenji-san hates me."

"......I thought as much."

"She has a lot of reasons for hating me, and I don't know how to deal with her, so I can't... face her openly. But, this didn't just start after she learned I was a girl, and I don't think it's because she caught on to my weak point...... Of course, she's a Divine General, and maybe her specialty in Yakou research is a reason. But...... the most fundamental reason is......"

Natsume's remark seemed like a confession. Touji didn't reply to her with carefree words, very clear as to the meaning in her words - Touji could understand the implication in those words without any extra words of explanation.

"......She hates me." Natsume said it again. "But, I hope that I can face her with more of a sincere and honest att.i.tude. I believe I have to do that, and I hope I can manage it. That's why I was troubled for the whole night, thinking about how I could eliminate the s.p.a.ce between us."

"......From your tone, it seems like you've already reached a conclusion."

"Yeah...... But...... If I could, I wanted to hear your opinion." She asked a bit bashfully, her cheeks reddening from tension.

Touji's reply was very clear. He shrugged his shoulders, saying indifferently: "Go then, go clear things up with Harutora."

Natsume's face flushed, and Touji couldn't help but snicker upon seeing.

Suzuka always made fun of Harutora, which was the main reason Natsume wasn't good at dealing with Suzuka. Moreover, Natsume might vaguely feel what kind of att.i.tude Suzuka truly held towards Harutora - though Suzuka herself would deny it. After all, she wasn't a fool. Suzuka was always talking big, but she was extremely happy when she spoke with Harutora. It was really hard not to notice that demeanor.

That's why she didn't know what to do when she faced Suzuka. She inadvertently - feared.

"But..." Touji spoke lamentingly. "So you finally had the thought."

"Uh, I, I don't want to...... c-confess...... Don't misunderstand. A, Anyway, I just wanted to f-first confirm what Harutora thought, I wasn't thinking about anything else...... I wasn't thinking about anything else at all......!"

She spoke in a stammer even more severe than Kon's, also forgetting to lower her voice. She rigidly made meaningless resistance - pointing out what she believed was an extremely important and crucial difference - of course, Touji didn't take those words as true.

But come to think of it, the conclusion Natsume had reached was actually identical to Touji's opinion.

It wasn't easy to learn of Suzuka's true feelings, but if she could understand Harutora's thoughts... Natsume could come forward and face Suzuka if she grasped Harutora's feelings to a degree. Natsume believed that she wouldn't change her mind regardless of what kind of answer she got in the end.

"Alright, strike when the iron's hot. Go wake him up."

"I, It's not that urgent! Also, going over especially to wake him up...... I, I can't do that!"

"Don't think too much of it. The conclusion won't change no matter how long you drag it out anyway."

"This is modesty!"

Natsume firmly refused, unable to throw away her modesty as a girl. Touji showed annoyance on his expression, but just then--

"Ah, found you! Natsume! Touji!" The person in question - Harutora - walked out of the auditorium, surprising Natsume so much that she jumped.

"What are you doing here! Everyone's putting their futons away."

Harutora spoke while walking out of the courtyard. Natsume was fl.u.s.tered, and Touji patted her on the back, but she hastily shouted out: "Okay! I'm coming right now!", rus.h.i.+ng quickly towards Harutora who walked towards her without even looking at him. She ran into the auditorium entrance, practically in a full sprint. Stunned upon seeing her react like that, Harutora gaped and stopped his feet.

Touji narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction Natsume left, and bluntly cursed: "......Coward."

Harutora scratched his head, walking towards Touji in confusion.

"What's up with Natsume?"

"It's nothing, she's the same as usual."

"Uh, Touji, that's very different from usual."

"That's where you're wrong, Harutora. The difference is whether she expresses it or not. She's actually the same as usual."

Harutora faced Touji who seemed to know everything, full of doubt. "Wah, Mount Fuji's so pretty." Then, he noticed the scene before him, slowly breaking into a smile. These two were practically of the same mold...... Touji seemed to have something else to say, casting a cold gaze to his side.

"But...... Poor Dairenji, she completely lost at the starting line."

"What? What does that mean?'

"Nothing much - Alright, it's about time for breakfast. Let's go, Harutora."

Touji patted his good friend's shoulder, walking towards the auditorium in the direction Natsume had left. Harutora first frowned, and then looked at Mount Fuji again, smiling slightly and following in Touji's footsteps.

The second day of the practical skills training camp, where they would have cla.s.s together with the third-years, finally arrived. Harutora's cla.s.s moved to the interior of the Zokusho shrine with the third-year students, holding something close to a standard 'magic compet.i.tion' in a corner of the area.

Ohtomo and a teacher of the third-year students were responsible for supervising them on the side. This teacher happened to be the examiner who had administered the practical skills exam for advancing to the second-year[1] - the instructor who had once been an exorcist.

His name was Fujiwara. After the exam last time, he had helped out training Touji on how to control the demon inside him. When he saw the second-year Touji, he lightly called out: "I'm looking forward to your performance, Ato." Touji shrugged his shoulders, slightly raising his hand in regard.

The contents of the curriculum were very simple. The second-years and the third-years would have a magic compet.i.tion, where three second-years would face one third-year in a magic battle. Magical tools were not allowed other than the charms that had been prepared beforehand, and no restrictions were placed on contracted s.h.i.+kigami. If one side forfeited or one of the teachers responsible for supervising recognized a winner, the compet.i.tion would be declared over. In other words, if that condition wasn't satisfied, the two had to keep fighting until a winner was decided. It was quite a ruthless rule.

In the morning, inside the clean shrine interior and within the barrier the two teachers had set up, the students held a showdown. Naturally, from the perspective of pure magical energy, the second-years had an overwhelming superiority in a three against one battle - but, the third-years were the victors in terms of win rates.

From the compet.i.tion, it could be seen why Natsume had evaluated the third-years as 'semi-professional Onmyouji' at the start. Though every student's level of ability was different, the third-year students as a whole performed quite outstandingly. Harutora had seen professional Onmyouji cast magic several times first-hand, and as he saw it, the third-years had several students who were at the level where it wouldn't be strange to think they had already obtained their qualifications. Anyway, as the second-years hadn't formally studied first-cla.s.s magic for long, it was a beating to face the third years' successive use of magic.

However, Harutora's cla.s.smates weren't bad. Among them, Natsume and Kyouko's performances were especially eye-catching.

Frankly speaking, the third-year who fought against Kyouko's group was completely doomed. Just dealing with Kyouko's defensive s.h.i.+kigami Hakuou and Kokfuu already exhausted him - it could be seen how strong this student's power was by the fact that he was able to deal with two s.h.i.+kigami simultaneously - however, there were also two other second-year students attacking at once. The victor was decided instantly, and Fujiwara-sensei's face sank.

Natsume's performance was even more outstanding. The battle was especially carried out in a one against one format, and she didn't even need to summon her s.h.i.+kigami Hokuto, winning effortlessly. She had originally been an excellent pract.i.tioner with a strong power, and recently her ability had become even more sophisticated. Kyouko and others cheered loudly for Natsume.

Also, Suzuka didn't partic.i.p.ate in this compet.i.tion, maybe because they believed that they couldn't let a National First-Cla.s.s Onmyouji like Suzuka fight against students. Of course, she herself and the other students didn't have any problems with this decision.

Strangely, Suzuka was inexplicably well-behaved today. She had practically stormed off at the end of yesterday, but she seemed to even feel a bit awkward, naturally avoiding Harutora and the others, and was even more inexplicably distant from Kyouko. She didn't seem like she was avoiding Kyouko, but more like she was fleeing from her. Kyouko had wanted to find her to chat once, but she instantly paled and hastily fled. Harutora couldn't help but doubt whether he was seeing things.

"......That's weird, what happened with those girls?"

"I don't know...... They should have been sleeping in the same room yesterday. Kyouko probably did something."

Touji's tone was grateful. It seemed that Kyouko had secretly taken some action to rope Suzuka in...... Natsume showed a complex expression on the side as she listened to Harutora and Touji's discussion.

In the end, Touji didn't use his oni's strength. He won the fight, but he seemed not to fight seriously. Fujiwara-sensei raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction, but Touji deliberately ignored it.

"What's wrong, Touji. Even if you have no reason to 'transform', do you think you can't use your oni's strength during cla.s.s?"

"If I'm not a bit prudent, won't it be no surprise when I truly need to use it?" Touji shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

So that's what it was, Harutora thought. Touji had actually deliberately held back. It seemed that he had no intention of letting others see him become a demon other than the people he truly trusted.

Next, the third-year won against Tenma's group. Though the members also had problems, Tenma himself didn't seem to be good at fighting against others. After the compet.i.tion ended, he slumped his shoulders in dejection.

Then, it was finally Harutora's turn.

"......So nervous......" Harutora muttered. Kon had already materialized beneath his feet, looking raring to go and stretching her shoulders menacingly.

But, just as Harutora was about to step into the barrier - "Okay, the morning compet.i.tions will end here. We'll continue in the afternoon, so everyone eat first." Ohtomo announced leisurely.

★

The lunches on the second day were bentoes sent from outside. Harutora looked for Natsume, Touji, and Tenma, eating in the shrine interior together underneath the shade of the trees. He had originally wanted to invite Kyouko and Suzuka, but the two of them had slipped away without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The other three people who ate together were abnormally quiet. Natsume kept her head lowered for some reason, Touji silently immersed himself in eating, and Tenma seemed to still be down about his loss just now - he had received a big shock, chiefly because his own power wasn't sufficiently strong. He kept sighing heavily. It was a good lunch, but the atmosphere was very awkward.

Harutora keenly noticed that something was wrong.

"Some other day we should find Kyouko and Suzuka and continue the topic from yesterday."

"The third-years are really incredible. Can we grow to that level after a year?"

"It really is nice to eat outdoors. Not only is there a great feeling of freedom, it feels awesome!"

He tried hard to liven up the atmosphere, but unfortunately his work was for nothing. He was even the first person to finish eating his bento. "I'm leaving for a bit." Bored to tears, he excused himself to the bathroom and rose to leave.

"......I can't stand this. At the least I need to get Kyouko over here."

Harutora scratched his head, walking around the shrine.

Just like Harutora and his group, the other students were gathered together eating in twos and threes. Kyouko ought to be in another group of people, but it would be a lot of work to find someone in the vast interior of Zokusho shrine. He also considered having Kon help him search, but he couldn't decide, feeling that he shouldn't dispatch his s.h.i.+kigami so leisurely.

"What should I do?"

Harutora murmured, suddenly thinking of Suzuka's matter.

Kyouko could probably be found eating with several other students, but what about Suzuka? She was a first-year student in the first place, and she was still keeping up her young idol persona in front of the other students and didn't really get along with others. Other than Harutora's group, there probably wouldn't be anyone eating with her.

...Come to think of it, that girl had also eaten breakfast alone in the morning.

Maybe she and Kyouko were together. But considering Suzuka's personality, it was really hard to imagine that there would be a third person with them. Maybe Kyouko was concerned about Suzuka eating alone, and had gone to her to keep her company.

"......I'll go look around the auditorium."

The second and third years were currently all in the shrine interior, and the auditorium ought to be devoid of people. If Suzuka, who was concerned about the attention from others, was alone - or eating her bento with Kyouko - it was very possible that she had chosen to return to the auditorium.

In order to confirm whether his thoughts were correct, Harutora hastily returned to the auditorium from the shrine interior.

He first went around the courtyard, not noticing anyone at all. Then, he quickly looped around to the forest behind the auditorium, looking for a while around the warehouse. This area was vast, and it was difficult to look in every corner after all, but that was because he couldn't hear anyone. If there was someone here, they should have been able to notice him running over.

However, he didn't find Suzuka or Kyouko here either. Unlike the shrine interior, this forest was tranquil, seeming to be a place without people.

If this went on, lunchtime would be about over even if he successfully found them. Helpless, Harutora could only turn back to the shrine, but before he went back, he decided to give it a try and test his luck by entering the auditorium.

He looped around to the entrance of the auditorium, pulling open the large door.

A figure appeared before him.

The person sat by the entrance, currently tying her shoelaces. Pulling open the door, Harutora walked in. That person raised her head in surprise (but there was no expression on her face, and it was actually unclear whether she was truly surprised), stopping her hands.

It was a short-haired, small-bodied girl. She wore a pure white uniform that was too large, with overly-long sleeves. Because her body was small, she looked younger than Harutora, but she was actually Harutora's senpai.

The girl gazed motionlessly at Harutora with her pretty face that essentially didn't have any change in expression at all. Harutora's instincts were correct. Her expression, with her eyes slightly widened, might be showing surprise.

Of course, the two of them hadn't expected to run into each other, and Harutora was equally surprised.

"Huh? Oh, senpai? Why are you here--"

"Tch."

"That kind of att.i.tude as soon as we meet, when we haven't seen each other for so long?"

"Who are you?"

"What do you mean, who am I!? After you bothered me for so long before, could it be that you're pretending not to know me now? You just clicked your tongue just now, it's obvious that's a reaction you made after recognizing me!"

"I don't recognize any branch family son."

"You clearly know! Anyway, even now I still don't know senpai's name!"

"Don't get so familiar."

"Hey, what kind of att.i.tude is that? I didn't care in the first place, but this kind of hurtful att.i.tude really makes me mad!"

When Harutora had just advanced to his second year, he had met this third-year student several times. Before, it had always been her taking the initiative to accost him, but now she was cold and emotionless, feigning as if she had completely forgotten about that.

"Go away."

She expressionlessly spoke those words, continuing to tie her shoelaces. Harutora actually didn't have any intention of getting on good terms with her, but being treated so coldly still made him mad and displeased.

Harutora ground his teeth, lowering his head to gaze at the senpai, and calling out: "......Kon."

The senpai's fingers shook as she tied her shoelaces.

Kon, who had been summoned, immediately dropped her stealth and materialized. A pair of pointed ears sprouted from her head, and a leaf-shaped tail grew from behind her back. She floated in front of Harutora like a j.a.panese doll in the form of a young girl.

Harutora put his hands on Kon's shoulders, lightly pus.h.i.+ng Kon forward to let the senpai see clearly. Kon was a bit timid, but she still listened and faced the senpai.

The senpai went motionless, her gaze stopped on her shoelaces. Not long after, she tied her shoelaces again, stubbornly refusing to raise her head. Harutora narrowed his eyes provocatively.

He gently touched the s.h.i.+kigami's head, saying: "Kon, let's do our best in the afternoon~"

"H-H-Harutora-sama?'

"I haven't touched your tail in a long time. Let me touch it for a bit. Oh my, your fur feels so comfortable~"

"H-Harutora-sama, w-why are you...... s-suddenly......!"

The senpai became less and less able to move her fingers calmly. She failed at tying her shoelaces several times, and then undid the knot.

In the end, she pulled tightly, finis.h.i.+ng the tie.

"......I thought of who you were. It's been a while, Tsuchimikado Harutora."

She spoke coldly, keeping the same expression on her face. Harutora let go of Kon, smiling maliciously and speaking.

"Yeah, I hope you're doing well, Senpai...... Alright, as you wanted, I'll hurry up and leave--"

"Hold on."

"Huh, what's wrong, Senpai? Didn't you hate others getting too familiar?'

"That...... isn't it."

"Oh, then could it be that want to talk to me, Senpai?"

"......Yeah......"

"You- want to- talk to- me?"

"......I, I...... want to...... talk......"

The senpai's shoulders trembled as she managed to utter those words. Harutora nodded his head in satisfaction. Kon watched the two of them from the side, her face twitching slightly.

"......Despicable, to think you would use a little girl as bait......"

"The one baited should think about herself."

"In that case, at least let me bring her home......"

"Give it a break! Exactly how much do you like little girls!"

"Okay, I'll settle, just let me touch her tail--"

"Oh my, what are you saying, senpai, I didn't agree to let you touch--"

"...Ahh, I can't stand you. Alright, I'll let you touch, don't stare at me like that. It should be okay if she just touches a bit, right, Kon?"

"Yes......"

Harutora turned back to look at that expressionless yet strangely urgent face. When he replied, Kon could only helplessly offer her tail towards the senpai. "Ohh." Moved, the senpai's tone trembled, and she reached her hand towards Kon's tail.

She touched, constantly and gently rubbing the tail back and forth.

"......So great."

"......Thank you for the praise."

"......Give her to me."

"Don't even think about it."

If she went on touching like this, the senpai might start rubbing with her face. Harutora saw the opportunity, calling out - his tone a bit apologetic - "Kon."

Kon immediately retracted her tail, indifferently hiding behind Harutora's back. A defensive s.h.i.+kigami really shouldn't use its master as a s.h.i.+eld, but it was hard to blame her in this kind of situation. The senpai seemed satisfied, not bringing up any other requests, just following Kon with her gaze as she escaped behind Harutora's back.

She had been like this when they met before as well. It was scary that he didn't understand how serious senpai was. Though he had deliberately provoked senpai, Harutora finally regained his calm bit by bit.

"So the third-year cla.s.s that came this time was senpai's cla.s.s, what a coincidence."

Yesterday, when Harutora and the others had arrived at the camp, the third-year students had been training on the mountain behind the shrine. After they came back in the evening, they had been separated from the second-years during dinner and bathtime, and hence the second-years hadn't had any contact with them until today.

"Why did you pretend you didn't recognize me just now? Didn't you especially look for me to talk before?"

"......I don't want anyone to know I'm here."

"Why!? Ah! Could it be that you're skipping cla.s.s? If you weren't skipping cla.s.s, I would have noticed that you were here in the morning!" Harutora laughed, stunned.

"You came to partic.i.p.ate in the camp yet you're skipping cla.s.s. Senpai, you're pretty unique."

"Don't call me the same as you."

"What's wrong with it, I won't tell anyone."

"I'm not skipping cla.s.s."

"You don't need to lie, why else would you not have come to cla.s.s in the morning?'

"Menstrual leave."

"I'm on menstrual leave."

"......S, Sorry, I didn't......"

"I'm currently on menstrual leave--"

"I'm really sorry! I was wrong!"

Harutora immediately surrendered without saying anything, lowering his head in apology with a red face. If it were Touji, he might roll his eyes and say 'girls have it tough', but as a physically and mentally innocent male student, Harutora had no way of dealing with this kind of situation other than apologizing and hurriedly escaping the area.

The senpai's expression didn't change, shrugging her shoulders abnormally coldly. She had instantly reversed the situation, gaining an overwhelming advantage. She looked satisfied at Harutora lowering his head in apology.

"Did you know? Once every month, girls--"

"I, I know! Ah, no, I'm actually not too clear on the details!"

"I'm just resting--"

"Right, that's right! How could senpai be skipping cla.s.s!"

"I didn't think... someone would frame me..."

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"And you even slandered me, how terrible!"

"It was all my mistake! Please forgive me!"

Harutora apologized again, almost kneeling for mercy. This might - no, this was definitely retaliation. Harutora knew this, but couldn't counterattack.

The senpai continued pursuing victory, facing her kouhai who desperately raised the white flag of surrender.

She snickered, saying:

"......Virgin......"

"Ugh! Urgh......!"

Harutora had the urge to hit her, but grit his teeth and endured the rush.

Even if he had been treated with spite from the start, he was stupid to have deliberately made trouble. He couldn't help but feel extremely regretful for his actions one minute ago.

"So, what do you need with me?'

"......Uh, nothing, actually......"

"I see, then let's talk about female bodies--"

"Right, I need to partic.i.p.ate in the magic compet.i.tion in the afternoon! The third-year students all seem very powerful, so please give me some advice, senpai!"

"Magic compet.i.tion? You have to use first-cla.s.s magic to fight, right?"

"Yes! Please feel free to comment and suggest!" He straightened his back and asked.

The senpai let out a 'hmm', putting her hand on her slender jaw.

"If the opponent's a girl, you just need to wait until 'that day'--"

"Doing that is a bit too evil!"

"You're too naive, as expected of a virgin--"

"Shut up! That's a basic issue of human ethics!"

"If you're like that, you won't be able to win against an enemy who uses women as a weapon--"

"I don't want to fight with that kind of person either!"

He couldn't stand it. Harutora lamented, practically crying. No, tears had already welled in his eyes. Maybe noticing that her master was falling into a predicament, Kon's expression became serious. Despite the intolerable humiliation, the master and servant could only grit their teeth and endure.

But the senpai seemed to feel that she had retaliated enough - or was simply tired of it. "Let me think." Her att.i.tude changed a bit and she thought.

"I would recommend...... just do as you like."

"......Thank you for your valuable words...... I'm grateful......"

"I'm serious." The senpai's expression was still indifferent, and her tone hadn't changed. "To tell the truth, magic is just a 'pattern'. The important part is the specification, or essentially the 'order' of things."

Surprisingly, the senpai brought up a serious topic. Harutora asked in incomprehension: "What does that mean?'

"s.h.i.+kigami are a very good example."

"s.h.i.+kigami...... huh?"

"s.h.i.+kigami can be simply called 'patterns'. This 'patterns' means the same as a 'formula' from mathematics." [2]

"Huh? The same?"

Harutora asked back in surprise. The senpai calmly said: "Yes." and nodded her head.

"One plus one is two, two minus one is one. s.h.i.+kigami's 'patterns' are rooted in similar reasoning. Though basic theory and limitations are different from mathematics, the two both obey set 'specifications'."

"......H, Honestly, this is really too hard to understand......"

"Do you have a phone?"

"I, I do."

"Are you familiar with how the phone is constructed?'

"N, No."

"But you know that there are 'components' in the phone, right? Regardless of whether you're familiar or not, the 'components' indeed exist. s.h.i.+kigami are the same. Honestly, this can also be applied to 'humans'. Components essentially also exist in humans. That view is the origin of magic. Magic is based on those 'components', a technique controlling the boundary between 'knowing' and 'not knowing'."

Harutora was taken aback. He hadn't thought that he would hear reason from Senpai - from this particular senpai's mouth.

Frankly, the current Harutora almost couldn't understand the senpai's meaning at all. He only vaguely knew that it was extremely deep 'magic theory'.

"B, But, Senpai, since you're emphasizing the structure and specification of magic, isn't that conflicting with your proposal?"

"There is a conflict."

"Then--"

"But, that's how 'magic' is. The most peculiar part of magic's 'specification' is that its 'components' do not exclude contradictions. As a whole, contradictions are also mixed into the integrated specifications, and hence it is both versatile and coordinated. This could be called the trickiest area, as well as the most meaningful part."

Harutora was stunned speechless. This talk was far outside his range of understanding.

But...

...Come to think of it......

Ohtomo had once said similar words as this senpai. Maybe you feel that it's contradictory, but contradictions are the roots of magic - at the time, he had thought those words were just casual deceit of the students, believing that to be Ohtomo's actual goal, but maybe he couldn't just take his remark to be deliberate misdirection.

The senpai seemed to see that Harutora was completely clueless and at a loss. "Simply put, the problem is how you use it. You don't have to be too constrained." Though it was a bit deviant from her original meaning, she re-offered her suggestion, putting it in another easy-to-understand format.

"......I'm extremely grateful for your suggestion." Harutora thanked her whole-heartedly.

...The third-years really were incredible......

He felt admiration from the bottom of his heart, but unfortunately that was completely destroyed by the senpai's extra words. She seriously added: "Praise me some more."

"......I really wish I had an opportunity to see some amazing magic that senpai cast."

He originally could have witnessed the senpai's 'practical' power through the magic compet.i.tion with the third-years. Now that he had missed this opportunity today, he still had trouble concealing his regret, though he had no choice in the matter.

"You've already seen it." The senpai said.

"What? Oh, are you talking about the stealth magic you cast when we met?"

"A curse."

"When? Where? To who?"

"Just wait a little longer, the one obstructing us will disappear soon."

"Don't say such easy-to-misunderstand words to Kon! It sounds like I was the one who was cursed!"

"It was a joke."

"That's terrible!"

"I wouldn't make Kon-chan cry."

"......To think you would casually address her so intimately."

"Kon-chan, just wait a bit, I'll rope in this person and then we can stand in the same position--"

"I definitely won't take you as a s.h.i.+kigami!"

In the end, the senpai was still the same. Harutora couldn't help but feel that he had been an idiot for slightly admiring her. He also felt scared that he had gradually and unconsciously become used to such a way of interacting with her.

The senpai said with a never-changing expression: "Then I'll go to cla.s.s."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for your suggestion."

"Goodbye, my mas--"[3]

"Go, go, hurry up and go if you have to."

The senpai stood up with a difficult effort, saying "Goodbye" and walking quickly towards the auditorium. Harutora and Kon sighed heavily in unison, watching the senpai's small back as she left.

That's weird, wasn't she excused from cla.s.s - Only after several minutes did Harutora realize that things were strange.

Harutora's group won easily in the magical compet.i.tion held in the afternoon. He cast magic, venting all of his anger at being tricked in the attack. It was one of the crucial reasons they won so smoothly.

The practical skills training camp's curriculum ended. It had already gotten close to six in the evening.

Since there wasn't much time to rest during cla.s.s, the second-years and the third-year students were mentally and physically depleted. But because the camp had ended, they felt a sense of accomplishment in addition to their fatigue.

Now, they had less than one hour of time to do whatever they wanted before returning to Tokyo. At the same time, they had to make their departure preparations in this time. The students enjoyed the freedom of their liberation from coursework, reminiscing about the camp. Since there were quite a few students who had gotten along with the third-years they had cla.s.s with, there were students everywhere taking out their phones to take memorial pictures.

This was the first leisure time that school activities ought to have since they had arrived at the camp.

Of course, there were also people who didn't fit in with the surrounding atmosphere. Natsume was one of them. She didn't have any interest in reminiscing about the camp that had already ended, but instead prepared for things to be settled, looking everywhere extremely anxiously for Harutora.

Whether her expression or att.i.tude, everything showed that she was tense and fretful. She hadn't found Harutora, but her tension was already approaching its limits.

She walked to the room of the second-year students, noticing Touji.

"T, Touji!"

"Oh, Natsume, are you prepared to go back--"

"H, Have you seen Harutora?"

"Harutora? Come to think of it, I don't know where he's gone--" Touji replied casually. "Ah." One second later, he seemed to think of something.

He leisurely sat on the tatami, looking up at Natsume.

"Right, I forgot you wanted to confess."

"What did you forget? I, I'm not going to confess, I, I just want to confirm......!"

"Didn't I tell you to act in the morning?'

"Isn't that putting the cart before the horse? Also, we had cla.s.s after that, so how could I say it......!"

Natsume's face reddened as she declared with a lowered voice. Touji put his hands behind his back and leaned back on the ground, coldly tolling his eyes at Natsume, his expression like he was asking, 'does this girl know that there's nowhere to go after getting on the bus'?

Then, he thought of something.

"Right, I saw Harutora just now."

"Where?"

"It seems like he was called over by Kyouko."

"Kurahas.h.i.+-san?"

Natsume's face sank unconsciously.

She had business with Harutora. That situation made her feel distraught. Since yesterday morning, Kyouko's att.i.tude had been a bit different from usual.

Her bad premonition became larger and larger like a s...o...b..ll being rolled. She even remembered that at the start, when Harutora had entered the Onmyou Academy, Kyouko had asked him whether he liked her. She became more and more fl.u.s.tered.

"I, I'm going to look for Harutora!"

"Yeah, do your best."

"You come too!"

"What? Why do I have to--"

"Don't speak nonsense!"

The cla.s.smates around them didn't get what had happened, looking at Touji and Natsume one by one. Natsume didn't pay their gazes any heed, urgently rus.h.i.+ng out of the room while pulling Touji along.

★

Kyouko brought Harutora next to the warehouse behind the auditorium.

Perplexed, Harutora asked again: "Kyouko, what's going on exactly?" Kyouko firmly kept her mouth shut in front of others, only saying: "Just come with me" and forcefully bringing Harutora along.

Harutora thought she was mad, but that didn't seem to be it. Her att.i.tude was serious, giving off an air that was difficult to describe. ...Was this matter related to Suzuka?

Kyouko hadn't come in contact with Harutora and the others for the whole day, not just during lunch, and Suzuka had been avoiding Kyouko. Harutora thought of what Touji had said, that Kyouko might have secretly taken some action.

Kyouko didn't say a word, walking straight to the place they had their discussion last night. After arriving, she finally turned around to look at Harutora. The atmosphere between the two of them was like a repeat of the scene last night.

"Sorry for calling you out so suddenly, Harutora."

"It's alright, is it something concerning Suzuka?"

"Oh my, your observational ability this time is pretty sharp."

"Thanks... Did something happen with you and that girl?" Harutora asked directly, and Kyouko nodded her head unconcernedly.

"After last night, the two of us chatted for a while. It was secret girls' talk."

"......G, Girls' talk?"

"That's right. That's why she seems to be wary of me." Kyouko playfully stuck out her tongue as she said this.

Never mind Kyouko for now, it was very hard to imagine Suzuka chatting about something like 'girls' talk'. Maybe it was actually Kyouko one-sidedly pulling her along. Harutora unconsciously thought about 'owners that became hated by capricious kittens because of their excessive enthusiasm'.

"No wonder she was running away from you today. Isn't it counter-effective like this?"

"That's not the case. I also knew that it wouldn't succeed easily. Also, there will be many opportunities to reverse the situation later."

Kyouko replied without a care and without remorse to Harutora's helpless expression.

"Also, that girl won't let anyone get close if you're not a bit forceful."

"What do you mean by getting close?"

"I meant that she won't open her heart."

Kyouko put her finger to her lip, glancing down mischievously. Her att.i.tude was like she was playing around, but she spoke very seriously.

Harutora felt admiration from the bottom of this heart.

...This girl's observation is truly thorough.

Harutora also felt that bickering and holding a war of words with Suzuka was the best way to draw closer to her. Suzuka's personality was twisted, and she always hid the feelings in her heart. Kyouko might also have come to the same conclusion as Harutora not long after seeing the unaffected, 'true' side of Suzuka.

"Also, I roughly figured out Suzuka-chan's personality."

"S, Suzuka-chan?"

"She herself agreed to let me call her that."

"To think she would agree... Exactly what methods did you use......"

"The secret is to start by applying strong pressure and slowly soften your att.i.tude."

She casually explained in a cute voice, but Harutora broke into a cold sweat upon hearing that. He didn't know what exactly they had done last night, but he couldn't help but feel sympathetic for Suzuka.

"We chatted last night, and I think--" Kyouko changed her tone, staring at Harutora with clear eyes.

Harutora inadvertently straightened his back.

"I believe that if we want Suzuka-chan's help, the key isn't something like having Natsume help her experiments like Touji proposed. It's actually you. You're the key." Kyouko plainly spoke her thoughts.

"Me?"

"That's right." Kyouko nodded her head seriously towards the confused Harutora.

"Honestly, Suzuka-chan and Natsume-kun don't get along very well, and she even made it clear that she 'hates' Natsume-kun...... Though it's not clear whether those are her true feelings judging from her personality, she's so stubborn that she won't possibly compromise with someone she hates. Also, not only is Suzuka-chan that way, Natsume-kun is also very stubborn, and he won't easily accept others......"

"Th, That's right."

"I think their personalities are actually very pure. It's not impossible to break down the wall, but it will need a very long time. If we have don't have many opportunities to gather like yesterday, they might never get along."

"......That's true."

Harutora believed that even if a meeting like yesterday was held a few more times, it wouldn't be that easy to undo the knot between Natsume and Suzuka. But he also understood and agreed with the meaning in Kyouko's words. In the first place, it was impossible for the two of them to construct an amicable relations.h.i.+p in a short time. They weren't the same as Touji, they weren't people who acted for their own 'benefit'.

Kyouko smiled, embarra.s.sed.

"Actually, I don't really like doing things behind their backs and criticizing friends for not getting along well...... But I don't want to see Suzuka-chan continue to be alone either. Especially after hearing the things from last night, I agree with Touji's opinion and I think that everyone should establish good relations.h.i.+ps with each other."

"......It's great that you think that way."

Regarding the information that had crossed hands last night, it was all about the Tsuchimikado family. Even though Kyouko was their cla.s.smate, she had no relation to the entire matter. However, she took the matter as something that had happened to her own self, thinking seriously about countermeasures. Harutora really felt grateful from his heart.

"You mean that we'll put Natsume and Suzuka's issue to the side for now and first establish a good relations.h.i.+p with Suzuka, right? Okay, I got it. Though she loves to mess around with me, I'll try to take the initiative to talk to her."

Harutora hadn't been able to hold his head high in front of Suzuka since Natsume's true ident.i.ty had been revealed. However, plain honesty couldn't gain Suzuka's trust, and even if the fact that she held his weak point in her hand didn't change, he ought to shorten the distance between them as much as he could.

...Anyway, I'll definitely just get tossed around again.

Though Suzuka was threatening, she hadn't revealed Natsume's ident.i.ty yet. Maybe it was simply on a whim...... He might as well follow Kyouko's lead and try to trust Suzuka.

Though it was hard to unravel his enmity with Suzuka, Harutora had interacted with her for a very long time after all.

...Alright.

Harutora made his decision.

However, Kyouko used a sort of somewhat unusual expression to gaze at the resolving Harutora, speaking with unparalleled calmness:

"As for that...... I want to take the opportunity to ask clearly."

"About what?"

"What do you think of Suzuka-chan?"

"What do you mean, what do I think?"

"Do you like her?"

Harutora was impressively surprised. "What are you talking nonsense about!?"

"What, I'm not saying anything that's nonsense, it's a very serious question. Most of the students in the cla.s.s think that you two are going out. Doesn't she call you 'darling'?"

"Th, That's true...... But you know that girl's personality, right? It's all a prank, she's just using that matter to mess around with me!"

"......Do you really believe that?"

"I don't just think that, she herself admitted it!" Harutora was a bit angry.

Among the pranks Suzuka had pulled, the most serious were the rumors of the two supposedly going out. Beginning with the 'first kiss announcement', he had long since gotten tired of Suzuka's endless teasing.

Upon hearing Harutora's agitated reb.u.t.tal, Kyouko just furrowed her eyebrows worriedly, murmuring: "Really." Then, she sank into thought like a tutor who had heard a stupid student reply with a stupid answer.

"......I wanted to know your thoughts excluding 'that part'... I didn't think I would encounter a bottleneck at this stage."

"What does that mean? What exactly are you talking about?"

"Bakatora."

"Ugh!"

An extremely familiar scolding sounded in his ears. He felt a bit moved for some reason.

Kyouko changed to an easier-to-understand format and explained in detail: "Harutora, do you remember how I said you were the 'key'? I mentioned Suzuka-chan's personality just now too. She talks big, but she actually--"[4]

"Shut up, cowt.i.ts!"

An angry roar momentarily sounded, interrupting Kyouko's words from the side.

Harutora and Kyouko were taken aback, hastily looking back and noticing that Suzuka was scrambling at them, her face red. Kon immediately appeared, guarding Harutora's body by standing between them, but Suzuka who had suddenly burst in didn't pay her any heed at all.

"I can't listen any longer! Don't think so highly of yourself! You're always spewing nonsense and talking about useless c.r.a.p!"

She rushed in front of the stunned-speechless pair, spewing abuse.

"d.a.m.n, d.a.m.n! Go die! Die! You... you b.i.t.c.h!"

Suzuka cursed wildly. Her normal eloquent demeanor wasn't visible at all. It was clear that she was fretful, so agitated that she didn't care about what she was cursing. Harutora and Kon stared blankly from the side as they watched her Divine General self shouting and making a scene.

On the other hand, Kyouko showed a gentle smile as if she were sorry upon seeing Suzuka cursing with a red face. She honestly admitted: "Sorry, I just couldn't sit and watch Suzuka-chan, but I really shouldn't have gone ahead by myself - Sorry!" After saying that, she put her hands together, lowering her head in apology to Suzuka.

Such an apologetic att.i.tude - She had been caught red-handed yet her att.i.tude was unmoved. It seemed to make Suzuka even more annoyed.

"Shut up! You're so annoying! If you want to apologize, go die! Go!"

Suzuka bared her teeth, viciously cursing without stopping. Unfortunately, even Harutora also felt that her ferocious appearance lacked vigor, like a puppy barking at a large dog quietly lying nearby. He couldn't help but feel that Suzuka wasn't scary and that Kyouko's dignified presence was the true fright.

"Right, Suzuka, why are you here?"

"Isn't it just coincidence? I just happened to pa.s.s by!"

"Oh my, but didn't you just say 'I can't listen any longer'......"

"I, I didn't! I didn't say such a thing!"

"After just one night, you two get along this well......"

"What? Has your brain gone bad? How is this getting along well at all?"

"We actually have a naked relations.h.i.+p." [5]

"Don't call it something like that! Has your brain gone rotten too? Also, you forced me into the bath!"

"I see, that's why you were talking about t.i.ts--"

"You don't need to remember that kind of thing so clearly!"

"Listen to me! You two, listen- to- me!"

Kyouko hit Harutora forcefully to stop his remark. Kon's regretful expression seemed like she hated herself for being unable to defend him, but it was truly Harutora's fault for receiving that blow.

Suzuka was furious, stomping the ground out of anger.

"I said so many times, I don't want to be a.s.sociated with you guys! I don't care about your lives, didn't I emphasize that? But why do you still do this? You're older than me, you should be able to understand what people say!"

That hysterical, angry roar sounded like it was a roar coming straight from her heart. Harutora and Kyouko couldn't help but self-reflect deeply after the girl's intense accusation. What Suzuka said was right, they were indeed older than she was.

"Also, as for what you were talking about just now, it's like this idiot says!" She turned to Kyouko, pointing at Harutora and speaking agitatedly. "I'm just messing around with him! I'm playing around with this idiot because his reactions are really interesting, understood? More importantly, I also said yesterday, this idiot b.a.s.t.a.r.d has someone he likes! I messed around with him on purpose because I knew that!"

Suzuka spoke firmly. When the wary Kon heard those words, her ears shook keenly.

"What?" The man in question, Harutora, widened his eyes in surprise. Suzuka's words sounded in his ears like a thunderbolt out of the blue.

"Huh? Uh...... umm......?" Harutora looked at Suzuka and then looked at Kyouko. Finally, he looked back at Suzuka, his mouth becoming more and more rigid. The tail of Kon under his feet swished back and forth anxiously.

Kyouko crossed her arms, glaring ferociously at Harutora.

"......Hmph, I half-doubted it when I heard yesterday...... It seems like it wasn't a lie."

"Uh, no...... It's not like that, Kyouko, I don't......"

Kyouko narrowed her eyes further, staring at the fl.u.s.tered Harutora. "......Right, I remember you liked me when you entered the academy. You couldn't still be yearning for me, right?" She looked like a hooligan deliberately picking a fight.

"...Huh." The originally furious Suzuka underwent a dramatic change, her att.i.tude instantly becoming cold as if she had taken a bullet through her heart. The fur on Kon's ears and tail also suddenly bristled. "What did you say?" But Harutora, the subject in question, couldn't understand what Kyouko meant for a while, his face stunned.

"Didn't I reject you back then? I already have someone I like. Give up."

"No... That's not it, you're wrong, what are you saying, that's not it at all! I said back then, you were just mistaken - also, what do you mean by 'yearning', that's so old!"

Harutora finally came to his senses, fully negating Kyouko's speculation. Even though he denied it as much as he could - "Really?" Kyouko's expression was still full of doubt.

"Then who do you like?"

"UH, that question's a bit too sudden!"

"I know! Could it be like Fujino-san imagines--"

"Every single thing that pervert manager said is pure fantasy!" [6]

"Th, Then Kon-chan--"

"I explained many times, the hotel thing was a misunderstanding!"[7]

"......The only one left is Kinos.h.i.+ta-senpai--"[8]

"Don't mention him in front of me!"

Past scars were reopened one by one, bringing Harutora a shock far surpa.s.sing his expectations and making him remember the miserable days of his youth that he had somehow gotten through.

"M, More importantly, Suzuka, why don't you say who I like? You're just pretending, right?"

He strengthened his tone unnaturally. "Quiet." Kyouko glared, speaking up to stop him.

Suzuka heard him say that and bit her lower lip. Then, she smiled coldly, making herself seem as arrogant as possible, and said: "......There's no use hiding it. Last year..... You said the girl last summer wasn't your girlfriend... But you like her, right? After we met again, didn't you joyfully say that she was actually still alive!? That the pract.i.tioner - the 'real Hokuto' was still living in this world."

Suzuka glared ferociously at Harutora, as if spitting gloom from her heart. Her gaze held indescribably complex emotions.

Harutora's heart thumped.

He hadn't expected to hear Hokuto's name at this kind of time. He felt even more alarmed that hearing Hokuto's name made him distraught.

This situation was as if a sneakily hidden diary was recited out loud by others. A problem that he had deliberately ignored and avoided thinking about had appeared in front of him at a time he hadn't expected.

"Hokuto? Who's Hokuto? Natsume-kun's s.h.i.+kigami also has that name......"

Kyouko questioned Harutora, and Kon also turned towards Harutora, forgetting to guard her master. Possibly concerned because she had heard the other party was a s.h.i.+kigami, Kon looked up at Harutora in alarm.

"......Honestly." Harutora laughed listlessly.

He was a bit embarra.s.sed and felt a bit awkward, unwilling to let others learn about his sentimental past. He opposed and refused to let others step into this area.

But...

...Right, I've already decided to be honest.

He dismantled the wall in his heart, explaining to Kyouko - and Kon, and also letting Suzuka hear his confession from the beginning again.

Hokuto.

She was his first irreplaceable friend, who had encouraged him to become an Onmyouji.

During the explanation, memories of Hokuto were awakened one after another. Every ordinary and normal day, messing around meaninglessly, laughing and doing stupid things, the unique, precious memories left behind. At the time, Harutora didn't care about the future and wasn't concerned about society. He just naturally lived a monotonous everyday life one day after another. Thinking back now, at the time he had practically been the same as a child - he knew that he hadn't grown much, but he still couldn't help but think that way.

The golden period during the transition from childhood to p.u.b.erty.

Hokuto was the symbol of those brilliant years. Harutora felt inexplicably pained as he talked about her.

One impression was especially bright. It was the night of the summer festival.

His first time seeing Hokuto wearing a yukata.

Hokuto stepping on her sandals with wooden sounds, shuttling back and forth between the booths, innocent as a child.

She incited Harutora into playing a shooting game, teasing him with a remark. Hokuto's proud and joyful smile afterwards crossed his mind, her tearful confession under the dazzling fireworks and her weeping face deeply pained his heart.

He wanted to see her so much.

He wanted to meet and talk with her so much.

That hard-to-control, intense thought a.s.saulted Harutora, stimulating him. He desperately suppressed it, not letting his emotions explode.

He forced himself to endure.

At the start, Kyouko had been half-doubtful, but she knew that Harutora had no reason to lie. More importantly, Suzuka had seen the s.h.i.+kigami - Hokuto - with her own eyes, and had seen that the s.h.i.+kigami Hokuto truly existed. Hence, she could only silently listen to Harutora's explanation.

Kon seriously perked her ears up to listen to Harutora's explanation. She seemed to be very interested in her master's past. She stayed silent and motionless, never interrupting.

Of course, Suzuka was the same.

Harutora finished explaining the ins and outs of it, smiling slightly.

"Even now, I actually have no idea at all about that girl's true ident.i.ty. I don't understand why she appeared before me or what her goal was. But I believe, no, I know, that there's a bond between us far more important than those reasons."

Harutora spoke, looking at Kyouko, Kon - and Suzuka - in turn.

"So, I still want to see her now. If she's unwilling to say, I won't force her to say the reason. I just want to meet her... and talk with her... and have fun and laugh with her like before..... I want to see her smile."

He felt a bit lonely, but he still sincerely voiced his inner thoughts.

Kon gazed at Harutora, lightly and sadly calling out: "Harutora-sama......" On the other hand, Kyouko said nothing, staring straight at Harutora.

Suzuka turned her face like she couldn't stand it anymore, her face full of anxiety and anguish that had nowhere to go.

"Didn't I say?" She said angrily and self-derisively. "I said already...... I knew that from the beginning, and that's why I messed around with him. What an immoral guy. To think you like a s.h.i.+kigami... I can't stand you......"

She spoke mockingly, shrugging her shoulders as if to express 'This topic is over, can we please end it'. Harutora didn't refute Suzuka's insult, as it was the truth after all.

Kyouko's reaction was different from Suzuka's, who chose to 'escape'. She had no intention of compromising at all.

She revealed a sharp gaze.

"I understand now...... But, so what? You 'like' that pract.i.tioner - the one who controlled the simple s.h.i.+kigami Hokuto, right? Do you 'love' her?"

"Hey hey, you're so pushy, I was so honest already."

Harutora smiled bitterly and uneasily, but Kyouko didn't let him go, forcefully asking him to speak: "Hurry up and say it."

"That...... I don't know either." Harutora said after pondering for a while.

Suzuka raised her head to look at Harutora in surprise after hearing this. Kon also gazed solemnly at Harutora.

"Honestly, that girl is my 'good friend', and I never thought about such a thing. Things just happened afterwards...... That's why we weren't able to meet again. Indeed, there isn't the relations.h.i.+p of 'good friends' between us anymore, but as for whether I like or hate her...... I don't really feel anything like love......" Harutora spoke embarra.s.sedly.

Suzuka stared at Harutora with complete focus, as if she didn't want to miss a single word that he said.

"......So?" Kyouko nodded her head, continuing to question him. Harutora looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.

"So... I, I probably like her. But even though we had a good relations.h.i.+p, that girl was basically a mystery. There will be a lot of changes if we meet again. Anyway, I just want to 'see her again' for now! As for what kind of changes...... I don't know until I meet her!"

Harutora shouted out his inner thoughts almost self-deprecatingly. He also knew that his face was red to the tips of his ears. He hadn't been very good at dealing with such topics in the first place, and especially since it was Hokuto's matter, he was practically embarra.s.sed to death.

But, everything he said was true. Harutora's love - he himself didn't know whether he could call it love - had been paused that summer day. The love couldn't be called a success or failure, it had become an unsolved mystery.

Harutora could do nothing about it either.

...Also......

Also, even if he met Hokuto again...... Even if Hokuto confessed again, Harutora didn't believe that the current him would have the same reply as he would have back then. After things had happened, he was no longer his past self. His feelings from back then were now memories sleeping deep inside his heart and he could no longer put them into words.

But even so, he had never been able to truly face his own feelings. Hokuto's issue had bound his legs somehow, making him dare not advance, dare not think deeply, dare not come up with an answer.

If he didn't meet Hokuto again, he might never be able to move forward.

"......How very romantic."

Kyouko seemed to accept his answer, giving him a few words of comment. Harutora, feeling wronged, said quietly: "Shut up."

"Hmm......" Kyouko muttered, furrowing her brows and crossing her arms, as if encountering a difficult problem outside of her expectations.

"Who exactly is that?"

"Would I have this much trouble if I knew?"

"If what you said just now is the truth, it means that pract.i.tioner's ability is quite high. Not only did Suzuka-chan fail to spot it immediately, she and Harutora interacted for several years. Even if you didn't have any spirit-sensing ability at the time, you didn't notice anything wrong. Normally, that would be impossible."

"......Tenma also said similar things. He said that that person's a powerful professional Onmyouji for that to be possible.' Harutora spoke, thinking of their conversation when they had been making curry. Kyouko also affirmed Tenma's opinion, nodding and saying: "I think so too."

"That person isn't necessary a powerful, professional Onmyouji, but it's undeniable that she's exceptionally skilled. Supposing it was someone around you...... Only Natsume-kun would be able to do such a thing."

Suzuka staggered upon hearing Kyouko's casually-mentioned conclusion, her whole body stiff.

"What?" Harutora inadvertently asked back, then couldn't help but laugh loudly. "Hahahaha! What nonsense are you saying, Kyouko. How could Natsume do it, that's ridiculous. What reason would Natsume have to waste so much effort doing such a thing?"

"You're the stupid one, Harutora. I was just bringing up a technical possibility. Could it be that you didn't hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, sorry, that's true. But it's such a stretch that you thought that way. 'Natsume' and 'Hokuto'? Hahaha, what a ridiculous combination!"

Harutora thought of the difference between the two and then laughed even harder as if a joke had perfectly hit the mark. Kyouko and even Kon couldn't help but stare blankly at Harutora's appearance. Since they had been talking about a serious, sensitive topic until now, he instantly eased up.

After laughing for a while-- "Uh...... My bad, sorry. If you knew Hokuto, you definitely would have thought the comparison just now was ridiculous. It's too funny." Harutora explained, managing to suppress his impulse to laugh.

Among them, only Suzuka stared at Harutora's reaction with an expression of incomprehension, as if an a.s.sumption she had already made had been completely overturned and she had fallen into confusion.

"......H......" She hesitated over what to say. "H, Hey?"

"Huh? What is it?"

"So that means...... If you 'knew', things wouldn't turn out that way......"

"Huh? I can't really understand what you mean......?"

This person was probably looking for trouble again. Harutora raised his alertness, asking back honestly.

However, Suz