《I Was Reincarnated in a Modern Day Onmyoji Family》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    I wanted to be something I was never meant to be.


    A novelist, a musician, a celebrity, a baseball yer, anything, anything at all. I just wanted to be a professional in those fields, a celebrity who excelled in one skill.


    But sadly, I couldn''t find the path I wanted to pursue.


    If you don''t have the passion, you''ll never make it big on that path. In fact, I couldn''t get passionate about any of them, and every time I hit a wall of growth, I ran for the easy way out.


    I could have done something about that. In hindsight, I probably should have challenged myself in more different fields. I should have challenged more diverse fields so that I could find a path that interested me.


    However, I''m not a kind of person who can venture into the unknown.


    I wanted to find something that I could dedicate my life to. However, unfortunately, that was all just me dreaming. I was so busy living day by day, wearing out my life to make money, that I realized that many of my possibilities were destroyed.


    It''s hard to start something and be a celebrity at my age. As Iy alone in my hospital bed, I didn''t even have the strength to take the first step, and the only thing I could do to pass the time was to stare at myputer screen.


    "Another world reincarnation......Ha......"


    If there is such a thing, let''s be more proactive in the next life. I will try new things. Have a strong heart that is not afraid of anything. Even if you get rejected, it''s okay to confess your feelings to a cute girl. It''s better to have regrets after doing it than regrets after not doing it.


    You could literally die and start over.


    Well, that can''t happen in real life.


    I had already received a death sentence of terminal cancer, and I already have the Grim Reaper''s scythe attached to my neck.


    I gave up and ended my life as a coward who could never be someone.


    If such a thing were to happen in real life, I could do my best. That''s what I told you.


    Then this is the first step.


    I''m standing at a crossroads in my life. Technically, I''m lying on my back on a baby futon.


    "I see."


    As I steeled myself with an inarticte voice, I became aware of a small humanoid figure climbing around my mouth.


    It was an unknown, translucent creature that was much smaller than my infant face.


    It''s a strange creature that I''ve never seen in my previous life, and to be honest, I don''t even know if this world is really Japan. I wondered if it was really a good idea to take this thing in, or if it would take over my body.


    But I''ve already died once.


    Even if I took a safety precaution and lived a long life, I would surely die as an ordinary man, unable to be anything more.


    If that''s the case, why don''t I take a big gamble, hoping for the slightest possibility, even if it''s only a hunch?


    "Huh huh (It is better to regret doing it than regret not doing it)"


    Prepared, I opened my mouth as wide as I could.


    Then, the translucent humanoid that had been mbering around my mouth suddenly appeared and entered therge hole.


    "Uhhhh (I''ll eat it)"


    It was much smaller than my reincarnated infant self, but it was thergest of all the strange creatures that had tried to enter my mouth so far. In other words, if I ate this thing, it would prove my hypothesis.


    There is no physical sensation, but I feel that something foreign has entered my mouth. I bite down on it with my toothless mouth and try to swallow it. I have to neutralize the foreign object in order to get it into my body as safely as possible.


    From the outside, it looks like a baby gurgling its mouth, but I''m fighting now. I''m fighting the race for survival with this unintelligible creature, and the fear of ending up as an ordinary man.


    --If you feed on the impersonation of a demon, you may gain power as an Onmyoji.


    I took the first step towards such an unrealistic dream-like possibility.


    To be someone I had once dreamed of bing... to be the world''s strongest Onmyoji.


    ***


    T/N - Hey everyone, I will be your trantor for this novel. Just a heads-up this is the first novel I ever tried tranting so it probably wont be perfect, so please if you have some stuff you think I need to improve just tell me. Also I dont know how to speak or read Japanese, so this novel is tranted using a MTL but I will try to make it as easy to read as possible.


    T/N - If you want to support us or speed up our trantions our Patreon is now live - /firsttimetrantions

 Chapter 2: Parent Gacha

    Chapter 2: Parent Gacha


    When I died, I was reincarnated and turned into a baby.


    It''s only 18 words long, but I was dumbfounded for a while as I experienced this unworldly phenomenon.


    The womb feels like this .......


    A woman''s cunt ...... can be spread out like this .......(T/N - uhoh)


    In my previous life, I had a history of not having a girlfriend, equal to my age, so my mind was filled with the mysteries of the female body.


    I forgot about it when I got older, bute to think of it, I''m a guy too. How could I not be interested in such things?


    No, no, no. Now is not the time to be thinking about that.


    What the hell has happened to me is what''s important.


    However, the people around me would not leave me alone. After all, I had just gotten out of the bath.


    Something was attached to my ankle. Is this a name band?


    Oh no, I suddenly got liquid in my eyes!


    Hey, what are you doing to a newborn baby?


    Confused through a number of strange experiences, I was held in my arms by a woman who appeared to be a midwife. I was then immediately handed over to another woman.


    Compared to the time when I was being cared for by a nurse, I''ve be much easier to carry around.


    "Hey, let''s have your mother hold you."


    "Ah......I can finally meet you. My boy."


    Perhaps because of my baby''s eyesight, I couldn''t see the face of the woman I thought was my mother, but I wondered if this was the receptive power of a mother, as I felt very safe in the arms of this woman.


    ......... haha


    No, no, no. I had forgotten all the painful memories of my previous life and was about to reset my memory.


    I don''t know why, but now I have the opportunity to start my life over with the memories of my previous life, and I can''t let this chance pass me by.


    In my new life, I want to find something that I am absolutely passionate about. For that, I have to be proactive from the time I am a baby.


    One of the reincarnation manga I read because of an advertisement had something called knowledge cheats.


    You use the knowledge from your previous life to be called a genius from childhood. If you are in a different world, you can use the advanced technology of Japan to invent things.


    However, the possibility of this being another world is extremely low. In fact, it''s probably Japan.


    The voices I''ve been hearing are all in Japanese, and this well-equipped white room must be a hospital.


    In other words, I''ve been reborn in Japan.


    After being separated from my mother, I was taken to the newborn room. I was dressed in 100% cotton baby clothes and shared a room with a lot of older babies.


    Even though they were born a few days earlier than me, they just cried and didn''t even try to express their wishes. On the other hand, I don''t cry at all, so I''m a good kid who doesn''t need any help.


    "Yoshida-san, this child doesn''t cry at all. Is he all right?


    "There are children like that sometimes, you know. Come on, change your clothes, change your clothes."


    They say that not crying at all makes them worry. Should I cry once in a while when my motheres?


    Life in the newborn room was much busier than I had expected. I was weighed, my height was measured, a thermometer was stuck in my anus, my head and chest circumferences were measured, my pulse and heartbeat were checked, and every inch of my body was examined by the doctors.


    I felt like I was checked on more things than when I was hospitalized in my previous life.


    After four days of this, I was finally released from the hospital with my mother.


    "Now, let''s go home together."


    The mother looks very happy and peers at me.


    For now, let''s give her a smile as a family service.


    ...... No, my facial muscles don''t do their job at all. I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a pretty good idea. It''s no wonder I'' m a baby.


    I''m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it''s a great idea.


    "Oh, he justughed. I wonder if he''s happy to know that he''s going to meet his father."


    Yes, there''s something I''ve always wondered.


    I haven''t seen my father ever since I was born.


    I''ve been in the newborn room for a long time, and maybe he came while I was asleep, but shouldn''t he be the first one toe running when his child is born?


    He didn''t evene to pick me up on the day his wife left the hospital.


    "Your father works very hard for us," she said.


    "He''s blunt, but he''s kind."


    Huh, he''s a workaholic, isn''t he?


    I don''t understand why he would leave his beautiful wife and newborn baby behind and give priority to his work.


    I died a virgin, so I don''t understand how he feels at all.


    After a bus ride and a walk, we arrived at a quaint house with a sense of history. ...... sounds good, but to put it simply, it was a shabby ce.


    The house was probably over 100 years old.


    The building is a one-story Japanese house, and the grounds are quiterge.


    However, the garden is not well maintained and seems to have been overwhelmed by the wildness of nature. The building was in a state of disrepair, so I could not help but notice the current state of the house where I will be raised.


    "This is where you''ll live from this day forward."


    "Ahh(I''m so worried...)


    When I saw my beautiful mother, I thought that in this life I was born into a wealthy family.


    So I was even more disappointed when I saw a house that looked poorer than the one in my previous life.


    Having no money means that you are restricted in many ways. It means you can''t try new things or genres that cost a lot of money. The economic situation of parents has a lot to do with the environment in which their children are raised.


    "Your father hasn''te home yet. Shall we go to the bedroom first?"


    The outside of the house was shabby, but the inside was cleaner than I had expected.


    There was hardly any trash around the entrance, corridors, and other ces that were prone to dirt.


    No doubt thanks to my mother''s hard work.


    The interior was a good old Japanese house, with sliding doors and tatami mats still in use in many of the rooms.


    "Stay here and be a good boy. Your mother will go and pack up your things."


    I was put to sleep in what I thought was a bedroom in the back of the house.


    Now that I was alone, I could sort out the situation again.


    "Uuu(It''s a bigger house than I thought. Looks like taxes are high).


    From the exterior of the building, I imagined it to be a famous family that had fallen into ruin.


    They used to be powerful, but the waves of the times have swallowed them up.


    However, the fact that they were able to maintain the building as it was when they were a prominent family in a crooked way suggests that they may have earned enough money.


    "Wow (Then, what I should do from now on is to train for the future)"


    With my worries gone, I decided to take action.


    The goal, of course, was to be a celebrity in some way.


    I hadn''t found that path yet, but no matter what you do, your body is your capital. In the manga I read at that time, there was a development that showed how hard work from childhood can make you stand out from others.


    I consciously moved my body, which was not moving satisfactorily, and tried my best to grow as much as I could --- before I knew it, I was asleep.


    "Ohh(When did I fall asleep? Was the baby''s body this poor?).


    Babies spend most of their days asleep.


    I knew that, but I didn''t expect to be so sleepy.


    I closed my half-opened mouth and managed to regain my dignity as an adult.


    I tried to look around to see where my mother was, but remembered that I couldn''t move my head at all.


    "Ahhh(it''s inconvenient. I can''t move at all even when I say exercise. Does this make sense? Oh, what''s that?)"


    I moved my eyes and neck as far as I could and could barely see anything but the ceiling.


    It was moving slowly on the tatami. I should be the only one in the room at the moment.


    In other words, that''s .......


    "Onyaah!(Rat?! Cockroach?! Hey, father, you should at least take care of the baby''s room!).

 Chapter 3: Mysterious creature

    Chapter 3: Mysterious creature


    "Onyaah!( Rat?! Cockroach?! Hey, father, you should at least take care of the baby''s room!).


    As a baby, I''m helpless.


    I can''t kill pests or drive vermin out of the house.


    On top of that, I heard that babies have a very low immune system. A germ that is no big deal to an adult could be fatal to a baby.


    In this situation, there was no other choice. Let''s put aside shame and outward appearances and ask the mother for help.


    "Hey, mom hase. You''re already awake. I wonder if you''re hungry?"


    As a result of my grand crying, my mother came running to me, wiping her hands on her apron.


    Thank God, please get rid of that dangerous creature quickly!


    I tried to tell her with my desperate gestures, but my mother didn''t understand.


    No, those big tits are always attractive, but that''s not what I meant.


    "Are you not hungry? Diapers ... looks okay. What''s wrong, did you miss your mom?"


    My mother was bobbing me up and down as if she was trying to soothe me.


    No, she'' s not getting the message at all. Her position as she spins around and tries to nurse me just so happens to bring her gaze in the direction where I found the dangerous creature earlier.


    "Ugyaa! (There it is! There it is!)


    "What''s the matter, you''re in a bad mood. Parenting is difficult."


    I can finally see the dangerous creature, but is it even a creature in the first ce?


    It''s kind of translucent and transparent?!


    It was like a forest spirit from Princess Mononoke, or a deformed mascot, a non-human thing with a vague outline.


    It was not a human being or even an existing creature.


    Is that a ......? A ghost? A spirit?


    "Alright, alright, there''s nothing to be afraid of. Your mother is here, you know."


    "Ah (Don''t you notice that? It seems in the first ce you cant see it).


    No matter how I think about it, I would be aware if such a strange creature was in the room.


    However, the mother didn''t seem to notice it at all.


    I wondered if it might have been some kind of ghost that only babies can see, or something like that.


    I have often heard that babies can see the world that adults cannot. Could it be that imaginary friends are actually these people?


    As I was bewildered by the unknown experience, she put me back on the futon, probably because I stopped crying.


    "Your mother has to do the housework. I''ll be right around the corner, don''t worry. Please be a good boy and wait for me."


    No, no, no, wait, am I going to be okay alone with this fellow?


    Won''t I be killed by some mysterious creature as soon as I was reincarnated?


    My dependable mother left the room, leaving me stuck in anxiety.


    Even though she was doing the housework for me, I was left in a pretty scary situation.


    "Ah (I can''t see it)"


    The strange creature seemed to be moving slowly and was no longer visible from my position.


    I was wary of my surroundings for a while, but eventually I felt sleepy again, probably because I was tired of crying.


    Ugh. ...... It''s okay, right? I grew up to be an adult once in Japan, and I may have had a funny interaction with that strange creature as a baby, though I probably just forgot about it.


    He could be a surprisingly nice guy when you talk to him.


    My guess was denied by the strange sensation I felt in my mouth.


    "Agyaa (There''s something, something in my mouth!).


    A deep, dreamless sleep led to an instant awakening.


    The cause of this was a foreign object that I had never experienced in my entire life.


    I felt something in my mouth, something soft, something hard, something fluffy that was neither solid nor liquid.(T/N - For some reason this sounds really wrong.)


    I desperately tried to spit out the foreign object by moving my mouth, which had yet to grow teeth, but I guess the necessary muscles had not yet developed, so I reflexively made sucking movements.


    I want to spit it out, but I can only take it in!


    "Ahhhhh! (It'' s going in, it'' s going in! )"


    My body rejected the unpleasant texture.


    However, the foreign object had already entered the back of my throat, and I had been invaded to the point where there was nothing I could do.


    It was only at this stage that I realized what the foreign object was.


    This was the strange creature I had spotted earlier.


    I was convinced that it had entered my half-opened mouth.


    "Abuu (Can this be digested? Is my body okay ?!)"


    As I started crying again, I heard the sound of my mother''s footstepsing towards me.


    "It''s time to eat, isn''t it? Yes, it''s time for boobs."


    No, now is not the time for that---oh, sadly breastfeeding is governed by instinct. My mouth twitches on its own and sucks in the breast milk.


    This is a champon* of the strange creature I just swallowed and my mother''s milk, isn''t it?


    What''s been going on with my life since my reincarnation?


    I was probably nk-eyed as I sucked on my mother''s milk, and I could feel the presence of a strange creature raging in my stomach.


    I wasn''t being physically punched in the stomach. It was more like it was slowly consuming me.


    It might have been a ghost that was taking over my body.


    I can''t bear to lose! I got a second chance at reincarnation, and I won''t ept dying right after birth!


    Even though I am a baby, I try to resist erosion with all my might. However, I couldn''t manipte spiritual power, so I just tried to be brave.


    "Mmmm, you must have been very hungry, sucking so hard."


    I''m sorry for the inconvenience, mother. I never wanted to suck on your big tits.


    My body is trying to nourish itself ...... with breast milk.


    I felt like I had been fighting for a very long time, but I guess that was just an illusion.


    The strong erosion that I had fought so hard to resist began to weaken, and the ufortable feeling in my stomach disappeared.


    At the same time, my mother patted me on the back, probably assuming that I had finished breastfeeding.


    <i>Cloth wrapped</i>


    A cute little burp came out of my mouth.


    Digestion wasplete.


    I think I was able to digest that foreign substance along with my mother''s milk.


    "Now that you''re full, let''s go lie down. Oh, by the way, be careful not to vomit or you''ll choke.


    The mothery down next to me and nursed me.


    To be honest, I didn''t like being treated like a baby, as I was an adult. Or rather, I had a hard time epting it.


    However, through the battle I just had, I realized. Mothers are great, breast milk is great.


    The energy that I took from my mother''s milk was definitely useful in defeating the wonder creature. If I hadn''t had that power, the mysterious creature might have taken over my body.


    I had felt like a stranger to my mother, but now I felt the love of my family. I had no other way but to call her mother.


    "Good night, my little boy."


    My mother said loving words to me and quietly left the room.


    I opened my eyes with the sound of the sliding door closing.


    I felt a little drowsy, but I couldn''t sleep because I was more worried about something else.


    "Ah (what is this, this chilling sensation?).


    A strange sensation runs through my small body that I have never felt in my previous life.


    My heartrate was at its strongest, coursing through my body along with my blood.


    No doubt, this is what I got for taking in that wonder creature.


    I had no idea what this meant, but I was sure it wasn''t anything bad. Every time this tingling sensation went through my body, I felt a surge of energy.


    "Eh (What was that guy in the end? There he is again!).


    When I was finally relieved that the mysterious creature was gone from my room, I found him by my futon again. If you look closely, you can see that the shape is slightly different. The shape of the eyes and mouth were different, and the arms and legs were quite unbnced.


    I can''t help but feel that he''s weaker than the one from earlier.


    "Ah (I''m falling asleep yet again, but I''m sure he''lle into my mouth once more no matter what I think!).


    At the time of my death in my previous life, I was old, ill, and had few emotional ups and downs.


    It was then that I was reborn, and the surprises kepting. I felt in a strange way that I was really in a new body.


    "Aaagh!"


    I was asleep before I knew it. It was in my mouth. I swallowed it.


    Mother, help me!

 Chapter 4: Rite of Awakening

    Chapter 4: Rite of Awakening


    Eventually, a few of these strange creatures found their way into my mouth every day since then.


    And as I was sleeping unprotected, I had to fight them in my stomach.


    "Ah (Hmm, are you at this level? I don''t think you can beat me with this level of skill)"


    Gradually I began to ept this situation.


    The first and second creatures surprised me on the first day, but as you can imagine, you get used to it after a while.


    Moreover, thanks to the power of the two magical creatures, I was able to digest the third one without any resistance. In short, defeating these guys was getting easier by the day.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------


    Yes, I drank a lot and grow up.


    Furthermore, with the addition of my mother''s breast milk power, I don''t feel like I''m going to lose to a strange creature.


    However, I don''t know what will happen if I lose, so this backup from my mother is reassuring.


    My dad iste. I think he is working hard again. I can''t wait for you to meet your little boy.


    It''s been a few days since I moved to my parents'' house, but I still haven''t seen my father.


    He says he''s working, but I wonder what he''s really doing. Is he working at a ckpany where he has to stay overnight every day?


    On the night I was saying this, the father of my current life came home.


    "It''s gettingte. Let''s get this ritual started."


    The man who said this as soon as he came into the bedroom was a skinny guy.


    He said he was my father, a man with ack of vigor that waspletely out of proportion to my mother, who was beautiful and had big tits.


    He looked older than his age due to his worn-out suit and head of graying hair. He should not be older than his early forties, since he was married to my mother.


    "Huh? (What? He''s my father? I was hoping for something else because my mother is beautiful, but who do I look like?)"


    If I look like my father, he may not be ugly, but he definitely isn''t a ikamen.


    I really hope that I look like my mother.


    "He''s a very dashing boy, just like you."


    "I don''t think so, his eyes and nose look like yours....Now it is not the time for this, we have to prepare for the ritual.


    "Eh? ( What? ! I don''t care about the lovebirds'' love affair or anything else right now, just give me some concrete details!)"


    As a child, I was relieved that the couple seemed to be getting along well, but now I was more concerned about the disturbing word - ritual.


    The workaholic father left the room once and came back after changing his clothes.


    He was dressed in a kimono, hakama, and suiboshi ...... in one word: Onmyoji style.


    Perhaps it was because he looked so old, but he appeared strangely well dressed.


    My father, who was dressed in a formal costume that was too worn out to be a costume, set up a rope around the bedroom, put up some bills, ced small tes on all sides, lit a candle, and burned some very smelly incense.


    Then he brought a kind of incense stick with an intense light at the tip close in front of me.


    As I looked away from the re, my father nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "I think he'' s got potential. I''m ready to start ....... Reika, are you all set?"


    "Yes, I''d be willing to die for the boy."


    Oh,e on, what a mess we''re making of things.


    I mean, what''s going to happen now?


    The bedroom I''ve been ustomed to for the past few days has taken on a very suspicious atmosphere with all the decorations.


    It''s as if it''s really a magic ritual.


    In this case, am I a sacrifice?


    "I will now perform the birth ceremony!"


    Before I knew it, my father was holding a ritual tool in his hand, like a priest would hold during an exorcism, and approaching me as Iy on the bed.


    "Master Momiji, the founder of the Kyobe family..."


    The father is waving the money from side to side, mumbling something.


    I don''t know what he''s doing, but he said it was a birth ceremony, so it doesn''t sound like a sacrifice.


    I had heard the surname "Kyobe" a few times at the hospital, but this was the first time I had heard the name of my mother.


    With so much new informationing at me at once, the ritual proceeded while I stayed confused.


    There are too many things that I really don''t understand.


    I''m proud to say that I havemon knowledge, but I can''t understand a word, so I guess they are technical terms.


    I could only just barely make out thest part.


    He said something at the end that bothered me.


    Hey, I wasn''t told I was going to be tested!


    What do you mean, " the dad in costume"!?


    "Here is the spirit of awakening that has been handed down in the House of Kyobe."


    "Yes."


    The sliding door opens and my motheres in with a bowl of rice.


    The mother, who has the same Onmyoji appearance as the father, kneels down beside me, and the father grabs the food on the table.


    "Eat, and ovee the challenges."


    The father holds a ck rice ball in his hand. It was the size of a baby''s bite, and it was brought to my mouth.


    If it had been just a simple rice ball, I would have opened my mouth honestly. But this one is no good.


    "Hmm (What''s that, translucent maggots and translucent feather bugs are gathering. It''s definitely rotten)"


    "Open your mouth like an adult.We have no choice."


    He brings it close to my mouth, which is clearly a breeding ground for strange creatures. That was enough to convince me that my father could not be trusted. There was no way I was going to open my mouth!


    Even though I was determined to do so, the baby''s jaw could easily be opened by an adult.


    Just by pressing both sides of my cheeks, a hole the size of a rice ball was made.


    "Aaaaahhh (Stooooooop it!)"


    "Boy, good luck.


    Damn it, I have to do my best now that my mother is cheering me on.


    No matter how you look at it, it''s not something that people should eat, and it''s wrong to feed rice to an infant, but if my mother insists that I eat it, then I''ll try it.


    gaping (esp. mouth)


    The nostalgic texture of onigiri (rice balls) and the indescribable texture of the strange creature that I''ve gotten used to recently coborated in my mouth.


    Ugh, I knew this rice was rotten. It clearly has a taste that is not meant to be eaten.


    "Reika."


    "Yes. Boy, for God''s sake, drink your titties, okay?"


    So, my mother''s breasts are suddenly given to me.


    Oh, is this part of the ritual?


    I don''t even have the teeth to bite down on the rice, so I''m just managing to squish it with my gums. The wriggling sensation of the strange creatures is disgusting, and I''m grateful for the breast milk as I want to swallow this disgusting food as quickly as possible.


    Chuu-chuu-chuu ...... chuu?


    What is this warm flow of power?


    Something unusual is flowing into me through my mother''s milk.


    Oh, this is simr to the energy I got from absorbing those mysterious creatures.


    The mother''s milk made the shitty rice flow down my throat. Along with it, a strange creatures in the shape of maggots and winged insects fell into my stomach.


    What unfolded in my stomach was a battle against the invading strange creatures.


    If I win, it will energize me. If I lose, what will happen to ... me?


    "Please, baby. Please, boy, drink more milk from my titties. Or else you''ll be ...!"


    What''s going to happen to me?


    What? Hey, I honestly don''t need to drink any more of your boobs, but if you push me that hard,..., I''ll just drink a little bit more.


    The moment I sucked on my mother''s nipple, an explosion went off in my stomach.


    "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"


    "Oh, boy, good luck. Don''t lose!"


    "Tomoo-sama, Tomimura-sama, please bless him.


    Ohhhhhh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!


    I''ve never felt such a strong erosion before.


    There must have been an egg nted by a winged insect in the rice ball, and it hatched all at once when it felt threatened. I can feel more of them rampaging in my stomach than any other strange creature I''ve ever swallowed.


    If I''m not careful, I''ll lose. Hey, are you trying to kill me by doing this to a newborn baby?


    Fortunately, I''m not just a baby, I have a bigger mental capacity because of my former life.


    When I was first admitted to the hospital, I went through many painful experiences like this. So, I can endure. I can endure it, but I doubt if I can win.


    "Boy, drink the milk, please!"


    "Well, I guess the amount was too much."


    "Agyaaaaa (Hey, asshole dad, what do you mean, "after all"?What do you mean, "I knew it"?You did that on purpose, didn''t you?)


    I obeyed my mother''s almost pleading voice and sucked again on the nipple that had been pressed against me.


    I can''t win this without my mother''s breast milk enhancement.


    Thankfully, she decided to lend me her power.


    Then, the kind of vitality I had felt earlier flowed in with it, and I was able to suppress the explosive attack of the mysterious creatures at once.


    As expected of my mother''s breast milk, it is more reliable than nutritional drinks.


    "Ugh. Ugh."


    "Reika, please."


    "Yes, for the sake of the boy, for the sake of the Kyobe family, if only I could do something about it myself.


    Um, judging from that meaningful line, I''m guessing it''s a bad idea to suck on her breast milk any longer.


    I immediately took my mouth off her tits.


    No matter how I listen to it, the energy that''s pouring in must be something that''s rted to my mother''s life.


    That''s not good. I''ve just gotten a second chance at life, and I can''t ept the unhappy development of my mother dying at the same time as my birth.


    I''m a happy-ending supremacist.(T/N  Happy-ending supremacist rise)


    I don''t care about others, but I want my loved ones to be happy no matter what.


    I decide not to suck on her tits any more, but my mother begs me to do it.


    "Boy, please! Please drink even if you''re full! If you don''t, you''ll be in big trouble. I''ll protect you, please drink, hey!"


    "You''re not absorbing enough of Reika''s spiritual power. You need to drink more."


    Mother, I''m sorry, but I can''t grant you that request.


    I''m sorry, Mother. I''ve had enough already, you idiot.


    I have no blind spot as I have taken in the vitality, or spiritual power, from my mother.


    In the first ce, I''ve taken in a lot of strange creatures in the past few days. The power I''ve gained from them is definitely on my side.


    I already knew with my senses that this spiritual power would be the key to my battle with these guys.


    "Uuuah"


    I put all my energy into it and consciously filled my entire body with spiritual power.


    The momentum of my efforts caused some silky poop to leak out, but I didn''t care at this point.


    One by one, I subdue the strange creatures rampaging in my stomach and feel a chilling sensation --- I increase my spiritual power even more.


    Damn it, I can''t lose to this stupid ritual!


    I''m going to grow up and beat the shit out of my father.


    A feeling of anger, which I had forgotten in my previous life, stimted my body.


    With a boost from my mother''s spiritual power, the power of the mysterious creatures that was about to explode finally subsided.


    How''s that? There you go. I won. Whoa.


    "What ... did you ovee Rite of Awakening on your own?"


    There''s no way I could lose. Ooooh.


    But what exactly happens if you lose?


    While it''s good that I won this time, I''m a little curious.


    "Then I give you the name of the one who has survived the ordeal. The name of this newborn is..."

 Chapter 5: Fuck my Dad

    Chapter 5: Fuck my Dad


    After the fierce battle with the mysterious creature, I fell into a slumber.


    When I woke up, the warmth of my mother''s body wrapped around me and seemed to be praising me for my good fight.


    "Ah, Saint Hijiri. You''re finally awake, aren''t you? Ugh, thank goodness ... I''m so d you''re alive ...!"


    Just before I fell asleep, I was given a new name for this life.


    Originally, I was supposed to be given a name before I was born, but my mother had always called me "little boy.


    I guess it was decided from the beginning that I would be given a name when I get through this ceremony.


    This is just a prediction, but I think they might have taken into ount the possibility that the ritual might kill the child, and only gave the name to the child if he survived.


    I''m really d I didn''t lose.


    The name that was given to me was "Kyobe Kyo, Saint Sei Shujin Dai Eishinro". What kind of divine name is that? Or rather, what kind of priesthood name is this?(T/N - I am not 100% sure about this sentence)


    Saint Hijiri is something of a nickname.


    I don''t know what happened to the ritual after that, but I guess it was over.


    All the decorations that looked like ritual tools had been put away, and my diaper had been changed.


    As I slept in the warmth of my mother''s arms, I heard the sound of someone''s footsteps approaching.


    There are only a few people in this house.


    As expected, my father came into the room.


    "Looks like Saint is awake."


    "Yes, my dear. He will grow up to be a strong boy just like you. Come on, you can hold him."


    My mother passes me and my custody is given to my shitty father.


    "Agyaaaaa (Don''te over here, you shitty father, I hate you and you''re hurting me.)


    "Mm..."


    I froze, not knowing what to do, so I started crying.


    Huh, I already feel no shame in crying, so no damage done.


    "Oh my God, you think he doesn''t know you? Don''t worry, this man is your father."


    "Angyaaaaaah!"


    "Hmm ... ask."


    Finally, my father, who was having trouble coping, returned me to my mother''s arms.


    I immediately stopped crying.


    "I guess, since we suddenly did the ritual, he thinks you are a scary person, do you agree with me? I think it would been nice to take a little time to get to know your child."


    "No, it should have been done as soon as he was born, if it was possible. I had to hurry because I was dyed by my mission, and the Awakening Spirit didnt left me too much time. We couldn''t wait any longer."


    Oooooh, you''re revealing a hell of a lot because you think I don''t understand what you are saying, aren''t you!


    It''s been a long time since I was born. If you leave the child unattended for too long, he or she will be rotten. I''m sure he''s a shitty father who puts his work before his kids. I''ll never call him father.


    "Maybe he understands that I was trying to sacrifice your life. I tried to take your mother away from you, and you have every right to hate me."


    Oh, I''ve noticed.


    And it''s a given that I don''t like you.


    "That''s what I have decided to do for the future of Kyobe and Saint---"


    "No, of course, if I had the power, I wouldn''t have had to do that. I don''t want to speak ill of the ancestors, but if the Kyobe family had the power they once had, this would not have happened."


    Yes, my family seems to be in decline after all.


    I don''t know what they do for a living, but they seem to be in a much diminished state.


    When you say power, do you mean that thing you called spiritual power?


    If that''s the case, I wonder if he''s a true Onmyoji?


    "But this child has ovee the ritual. I''m sure he''ll be the most gifted Onmyoji since the beginning of the Kyobe family."


    "Well, I hear that when I was a baby, three times the dose nearly killed me. This child could withstand ten times the amount. He''ll definitely get stronger."


    Hey!


    What kind of criteria did you use to jump from 3 times to 10 times?


    A normal baby would be dead by your standards!


    And then, our family''s business is revealed to me.


    Onmyoji refers to... Maybe this isn''t the Japan I was living in.


    Rituals are performed without exnation, there is apetition for survival with strange creatures, and I don''t understand what is going on at all.


    It seems that my future lies with Onmyoji, and my determination to try all sorts of things without hesitation has been quickly crushed.


    My father is a scumbag, and he puts his work first, so I end up being the one who has to pay the price.


    To put it simply, it''s a crappy ce to reincarnate.


    But.......


    "Ah (I''ve finally found it. I''ve finally found what I want to do with my life.)


    Onmyoji, what a mind-blowing word!


    My soul trembled, and intuitively I understood that this was the encounter of destiny.


    Onmyoji, this is exactly what I''ve been looking for.


    I''m really --- lucky --- to find the path I was looking for so soon after my reincarnation.

 Chapter 6: Old tale

    Chapter 6: Old tale


    "Come on, Saint. I''ll read you a picture book."


    At night, the mother reads to me in a room gently lit by anachronistterns.


    It''s the same story every night for the past few days.


    "Once upon a time, in a certain ce, there was born the founder of the Kyobe family, Momiji-sama. Born the son of a farmer, he was a very good boy who ate well, learned well, and worked hard."


    The content is highly educational. This is not surprising since it is a picture book for children.


    But it is interesting to note that the path of this education is a straight line of Onmyoji.


    "One day, while he was plowing his family''s field, a yokai ran out from deep in the forest. He and his family rushed to escape, and his younger sister fell down in front of him. For the sake of his sister, who had failed to escape, Momiji-sama confronted the yokai."


    It is reckless by any measure.


    It seems that the yokai is a powerful enemy that even an Onmyoji cannot defeat so easily.


    I understand not wanting to leave his sister to die, but standing there without a countermeasure will only result in one more dead body.


    Well, children''s picture books are not required to have such sense of reality.


    "At that moment when the yokai attacked, Momiji-sama wrote the formation in his head to the ground and shouted. "I, the one who feeds on spiritual power and seeks to make a connection with the other world. Answer my call and lend me your power!" Then the formation glowed and a dragon emerged from the swirl of light."


    It is doubtful that he really called the dragon. I suspect it is quite a stretch.


    I, a dirty adult at heart, could not honestly be impressed by this story.


    Nevertheless, there must have been simr events. As the founder, Momiji-sama must have had tremendous talent.


    Now, this story tells the beginning of our Kyobe family in a very clear way.


    From a peasant to a skilled Onmyoji in a generation, he quickly rose to the top and lived happily ever after with a beautiful wife. The end.


    In summary, here''s what we have.


    Unlike picture books sold on the market, these are handmade items handed down in the family.


    Enlightenment about Onmyoji is mixed in here and there, and the will of the parents that Onmyoji is cool and that you should study hard is intervening.


    It''s pretty shabby, the pictures are old, and you can guess that they had a hard time raising their children in the past.


    "Yes, that''s it for today. It''s time for bedtime. I''m going to turn off the light."


    With that, she turns off thenterns and gets into the futon next to me.


    There is no shitty father.


    The day after he performed that ritual, he went back to work or something.


    For some time now, I''ve been living alone with my mother.


    Apparently, he is working overnight and is not able toe home.


    A little bit of a monopoly. Hell yeah.


    Well, if I remember that I used to be apany stockbreeder, I can''t help but feel a little sympathy for him.


    The mother is also asleep, and they reappear in the bedroom, where she has fallen asleep.


    They show up during the day ande near my mouth when I''m sleeping. However, they don''t touch me in front of my mother when she is watching.


    They are probably targeting only frail beings like babies.


    Now the creepy maggots and winged insects areing closer.


    In all likelihood, it had something to do with the onigiri rice balls father made me eat during that ritual.


    I suspect that the winged insects are breeding somewhere in this building, just as the eggs were nted in the rice balls, I presume.


    These days, insects appear more often than humans. I can only imagine that.


    But this is the situation one would hope for.


    Considering the fact that I was fed a mysterious creature in a ritual, I think it is vital for me to train my spiritual power as an Onmyoji. Like muscle training for athletes.


    And that ritual increased my spiritual power considerably. I was so strong that no wonder beings that entered through my mouth could beat me.


    If this happens, it would be gratifying to have the foode to me on its own.


    "Ahh (Pfft, you can be the foundation of my supremacy)."


    This is exactly the kind of growth cheat that only reincarnated people can undertake.


    Actively epting wonder organisms into my mouth, I consciously digest and absorb them


    If I work hard now, I am sure I can be a promising Onmyoji in the future.


    Not knowing what happens if you lose is a little scary, but you can''t get a return without taking a risk.


    To be a celebrity, I had to fight against this unpleasant sensation again today.

 Chapter 7: Moonlight Bathing

    Chapter 7: Moonlight Bathing


    "Oh, busy, busy. Saint is a good boy and very helpful."


    Mother is a very wonderful woman who works like a spineless mouse.


    It''s been a while since I''ve been here, and the room, which was a little dusty, is now clean.


    Apparently, mother has not been married here for very long.


    I guess she did not intend things to be the way they were when I first arrived, because the house is getting cleaner just by having mother here.


    Such a hardworking mother is foldingundry next to me right now.


    This is not the usual bedroom, but a room facing the sunlit garden.


    I assume it is a guest room, given that it has a slightly nicer table and a cushion.


    I''m lying on a fluffy cushion.


    Hmm, the sun is dazzling.


    It''s not bad to bask in the sun like this, once in a while.


    But......


    "Ahh(I''m bored.)


    There is little that can be done with a baby''s body.


    Even if I tried to work out, I could not move satisfactorily, and even if I tried to eat mysterious creatures, they would not show themselves in the presence of my mother.


    I just can'' t do anything buty around in a daze.


    If it was a normal baby, that would probably be fine.


    Maybe they learn a lot by seeing a different view than usual.


    But I''m an adult.


    This idle time seems like a waste.


    Besides, I feel bad remembering those days when I was in the hospital and had no choice but to rest.


    I would like to use my time in some meaningful way.


    Yes, to do something to make it big as an Onmyoji.


    It is only by spending this kind of time that one can qualify to be a professional. That''s what I think.


    To be stronger as an Onmyoji, it is still important to develop spiritual power. What I can do now that I can''t do predation, which is the means to that end, is...


    "Dabu (I wonder if this spiritual power can be moved)"


    Such an idea popped into my head.


    I think in a reincarnation manga I read in a previous life, they were doing something about transferring magic power.


    Mine is not a magical power, but it is no less a mysterious power that travels through the body.


    So, it may be worth the challenge.


    I try to manipte the spiritual power around my body intentionally, even if it doesn''t work.


    Mmmm...


    Mmm


    Mmmm~~~


    Phew. Mother, could you please change my diaper?(T/N  How did we get from moving spiritual power to changing diapers??)


    From that day on, I began to experiment with ways to manage my spiritual power.


    It''s a cloud-catching, aimless task, but it''s all I can handle at the moment, so there''s nothing I can do about it.


    Besides, it''s fun to think of it as training to be a Onmyoji.


    I have never felt this sensation even in my previous life. I don''t even know what kind of work a Onmyoji does, and yet it is a somber and painful time, and I don''t even know if sess will mean anything, but this feeling makes my heart race.


    Yes, I was looking for something like this.


    -------------------------


    And so a month passed.


    A baby''s body grows very fast. I can now p my arms and legs and move my head a little.


    Until now, I have felt a dullness, as if my body were my own but without nerves, but now it is finally obeying my will.


    Now, I honestly don''t care about physical growth.


    I knew that if I left it alone, it would grow on its own.


    It''s not about that, it''s about spirituality.


    Finally, finally, it finally worked.


    Around the two week mark, I asked, "Isn''t it just like physical activity, it just doesn''t work in the first ce?" I began to suspect that it was the only thing that turned the tide slightly.


    The spiritual power that travels from the heart through the blood vessels became stagnant in the area around the stomach, in what is called the tanden, I believe.


    If I am not careful, I will soon return to the regr flow, but I am pleased to be able to move it anyway.


    How this can really be utilized remains to be seen. For now, I would like to train myself to be more versatile.


    Today, as always, I was gaining strength by absorbing the mysterious creatures that entered my mouth.


    "Ahhhh (I feel like I''m getting much more spiritual power. I wonder if it''s umting instead of consuming)."


    It is the nature of this spiritual power that has been bothering metely.


    At first, I thought it was like nutrients, which decrease in amount as they are used and should be taken daily, but it seems that this is not the case.


    The spiritual power circting in the body shows no sign of decreasing, and the more it is absorbed, the more it increases.


    "Ehhhhh (Maybe using the Onmyojutsu technique reduces it. How much does it reduce it at one time?)"


    Depending on that, the amount of spiritual power umted now may be as much as a child''s allowance.


    Just as arge sum of money as a child can change the order of magnitude of the money you spend once you start earning your own money, so too is the possibility that your current efforts may not amount to much.


    After all, I can''t wait to learn many things as an Onmyoji.


    However, it is difficult to do so when one cannot even have a proper conversation yet.


    It''s a world of Onmyoji, and if you suddenly start talking, they might say you have a demon attached to you or something and throw you away.


    For the sake of mother, I should y the role of a normal boy who grows up a little faster than the others around him.


    After all, there is no other way but to try things by groping with the spiritual power I have now.


    It is also called maintaining the status quo.


    "Today is a full moon. Let''s watch the moon together."


    At this time of the day, when I would normally go to bed, for some reason, my mother took me out to the porch.


    If you show a baby the moon, he won''t think anything of it. Is it part of emotional education?


    "Yes, please stay still on this formation. If you do so, I hear that you can borrow a little of the moon''s power."


    What''s that? Did the moon have such mysterious power?


    When I believed mother''s words and remained still, I did indeed feel a creeping sensation in my body.


    This is the feeling I get when I absorb a mysterious creature and my spiritual power increases.


    The moonlight should only reflect sunlight. If that is the case, I would think that the same effect could be achieved by sunlight during the daytime, but I guess there must be some kind of reasoning along that path in the world of Onmyoji.


    If just taking a nap every day would make you stronger, everyone would be doing it.


    Besides, the spiritual power gained by moonlighting is much smaller than the spiritual power gained by absorbing mysterious creatures. It is a no-risk, low-return training method.


    "I am sure your father is working hard right now. Your father is amazing. He is guarding the head of the of the Goken family."


    What, escort?


    Do Onmyoji escort people?


    By the way, which family is the Goken family?


    The job of the asshole father is finally revealed, but to be frank, I don''t know what exactly he''s doing.


    I had always thought that they were exterminating monsters, since they are called "Onmyoji.


    However, it must be a prestigious job, judging from the way the mother talks about it. If you are protecting the head of a prestigious family, you certainly have to have a certain level of trust in the person you are working with.


    I''m persuaded that it''s an escort mission and that''s why he'' s staying overnight.


    Then the mother looked up at the moon for a while.


    I wonder if she is thinking of my shitty father who works far away from home. On a facial level, it''s really ufortable because it''s totally out of character.


    What kind of rtionship did they have to get married?


    Unfortunately, clouds came in and hid the full moon.


    The moonlight bathing was withdrawn after about three hours, and the world-filling wonder experience came to an end.


    Today was a meaningful day, as I discovered new ways to do this other than absorbing mysterious creatures.


    At this point, I intend to immerse myself in the world of the Onmyoji.

 Chapter 8: Reincarnation Lead

    Chapter 8: Reincarnation Lead


    One day, when I was able to move my spiritual power up and down, left and right, I felt a strange sensation.


    It was a new sensation, neither like the erosion of strange creatures or from an increase in spiritual power.


    "Ehhhh (Is this the separation of ... spirituality?)"


    I was just a few moments ago moving the spiritual power I had gathered around my tanden up and down, left and right.


    It didn''t mean anything, I was just practicing to move it.


    However, at the moment the highest speed I had ever achieved, I felt a blurring of the spiritual forces that were moving as one.


    When I moved it again, I still felt that if I reached a certain speed, the spiritual power would be divided.


    In response to this phenomenon, I intuitively understood what had happened.


    Maybe because it''s literally happening inside my body.


    I knew that the spiritual power, something that constituted it, was separated by a difference in density.


    Just as blood isposed of sma and blood cells, spiritual power can actually be ssified into something of a microscopic level.


    If it is the same as blood, it is an unknown substance that corresponds to blood cells ... tentatively named Reigen. By moving it quickly, this was separated from the substance that corresponds to sma.


    And what does this mean?


    I did it because I can, but I have no use for a tiny bit of separated spiritual elements at the moment. Moreover, this Reigen, even when I stop moving the spiritual power, stays in the tanden.


    Huh, I don''t know what to do with this.


    "Ahhhhhh! (Hey, did my spiritual power go down?!)"


    The spiritual power in my body decreased dramatically due to the removal of the Reigen.


    The sensation of a drop in vitality, something I have never felt before, is inexplicably disheartening.


    Maybe I''vemitted a terrible sin.


    Such anxietyes over me.


    "Oh my goodness, what''s wrong Saint. Did you see something scary?"


    Mother picks me up and soothes me.


    But that doesn''t make my anxiety go away.


    For the first time, my body felt an uncontroble fear, and I had no way to stop the tears from spilling out.


    Eventually, I was so tired of crying that I fell asleep before I knew it.


    "You, during the day, Saint seemed to have seen something scary and was crying. Are there any ghosts in the ward?"


    "There is nothing wrong with the wards. It is working properly and was created by powerful ancestors long ago. They are much more powerful than mine."


    "So ... then I must be wrong about this ..."


    When I woke up, I found that my father, a rare urrence for me, hade home.


    Before I knew it, it was nighttime, and the light from thenterns faintly illuminated the bedroom.


    "You''re awake, Saint. Your father is home. It''s going to be all right now."


    "Hmm ... I don''t feel any impurity at all ... It must be my imagination. Or I''m looking at it wrong. No need to worry."


    You have no right to worry about me.


    You almost murdered me, you know, over there. No, I don''t even know if you die in the ritual.


    At least I had a good night''s sleep and was free of that uneasy feeling. No more crying..., or rather, my spiritual energy is back to normal.


    Huh? The separated Reigen remains in the tanden as it is.


    Then where on earth did this spiritual powere from? Did I crunch another mysterious creature in my sleep?


    No, this amount is not an overnight increase.


    Then, this phenomenon can be seen as a result of...


    While I was thinking, my parents were still talking.


    "So, it''s possible that it''s not a yokai, but a disease"


    "You worry too much. I have heard from Shiraishi-dono that babies are startled by the slightest thing and begin to cry."


    "I''m so anxious and worried."


    Then the mother beside the shitty father said so.


    Oh, wait, aren''t you starting to use me as an excuse to make out?


    No kidding, the baby is watching. In a ce like this, eh, wow, kissing is so erotic.(T/N  Didnt expect this)


    I stopped thinking that night because the scene was so stimting.


    The only thing I understood is that in the not too distant future I will have a little brother or sister.


    ----


    I can''t get the shocking scene from the other day out of my head.


    It was so much more graphic than the porn I was treated to in a previous life, but now is not the time to be thinking about that.


    "Ah (After all, it''s back to normal. It''s about the same spiritual power as before taking out the Reigen)"


    It is a feeling, hence it is a piece of cake.*


    Still, who knows if the diminished spiritual power will be restored to its original state.


    Based on this urrence, I think that even if the spiritual power is reduced, it will be restored after a night''s sleep.


    In game-like terms, the maximum MP increases by absorbing mysterious creatures, MP is consumed by taking out the spiritual element, and MP is fully restored after a night''s sleep at an inn.(T/N  MP  magic points or mana points)


    Something like that, huh?


    In reality, there is no such thing as a full recovery, so I would say that a good night''s rest will help you recover enough to do so. I am afraid that when I get older, I may not recover fully after a night''s sleep.


    In fact, that was the norm in my previous life.


    I''d almost forgotten about it because I''d taken for granted the daily routine of being a baby and making a full recovery every day.


    If ites to that.


    "Ahh (Shouldn''t I collect this spirit element while I am still young?)"


    It''s a spiritual power I have no use for anyway.


    It would be better to convert it to a spiritual element that I might find a use for someday than to just keep it in my possesion.


    Besides, I am a shadow game lover*, and I have a tendency to think that the overflowing stamina from my previous life is a waste of resources.


    And this makes the absorption of mysterious creatures even more vital.


    Needless to say, though, this means that increasing maximum spiritual power is of tremendous importance. If one has more maximum spiritual power, he/she will be able to use more powerful onmyojutsu.(T/N  Onmyojutsu in this context means Onmyojo techniques)


    And what''s more, it''s strange that adults don''t have this important training. At least I''ve never seen a fucking father absorb a mysterious creature. The wonder creatures never appear or seem to see the adults in the first ce.


    The answer I derived from this is that the means to increase maximum spiritual power can only be used now, in the time of infancy.


    "Ahhhhhh (A means of rapid growth for a limited period of time. This has to be earned while itsts)"


    I know very well from previous life experiences how important it is to work hard while you are young.


    If you struggle now, it will definitely help you in the future.


    Then there is no other way but to do it.


    And I would actively incorporate the mysterious creatures based on my hypothetical theory on top of theoretical assumptions.


    ----


    A/N - And now to the first part of the story.

 Chapter 9: Mundane Ambitions

    Chapter 9: Mundane Ambitions


    "Fu(As expected, it is one of thergest wonder creatures of all time. It was quite a formidable foe. But I won!)


    The excitement is rising after a battle with a strong enemy.


    Without using my mother''s milk enhancement, I made full use of the spiritual power in my body to prevent the erosion of the mysterious creature.


    Like the hero of a manga, my spiritual power has increased dramatically after defeating a powerful enemy.


    It feels very good to be rewarded with growth that I can actually feel.


    "Ahhhh (I couldn''t have grown up like this when I was an old man)."


    Once again, I realize the magnificence of young bodies.


    And I feel like my spirit has been dragging on my bodytely.


    I had always been determined to be proactive, but I''m sure I wasn''t this upbeat at the time of my death.


    Perhaps it is not a lie to say that a sound mindes from a sound body.


    I have regained my sexual desire, which I had forgotten about, and being young is a wonderful thing that cannot be reced by anything else.


    "Kepu (Now, let''s finish the break. I have to increase my spiritual power as much as possible)"


    After a sort of after-dinner break, I''m back to fighting the mysterious creatures.


    So far, I have always been passive, but from now on I will guide the mysterious creature, which onlyes close but does not approach my mouth.


    Specifically, I extend my arms, which are finally able to move, and provide a path to my mouth.


    The mysterious creature had a problem climbing my face, or maybe it was just a neckline, but that''s the only way it could move up to my mouth.


    Then immediately, I will eat it.


    I still feel sick to my stomach, but that''s nothing when I think of the growth that will follow.


    I remembered my various desires along with my libido, and I thought of the things I would like to do when I became a celebrity in the Onmyouji world.


    First, I want to have a girlfriend.(T/N  The most important goal!)


    My previous life was not colorful at all. Still, there was always only a yearning. When I was young, I thought I could fall in love and get married at any time, but I was wrong. No one taught me that love is a limited-time event, something you can only do when you are young. The fact that I was lonely and felt mother''s love on my deathbed made me finally realize that I was starving for human warmth.


    In this life I want to die surrounded by my family. If I be a famous Onmyoji, I will be able to pursue a nice girl.


    And next, money.


    Without something to precede you, you can''t do anything. In my previous life, I ended up wasting most of my life trying to make money. I don''t want to live like that anymore. I want to create an environment where I can work as a professional Onmyoji and not have to worry about money.


    Finally, to help others.


    I was an ordinary guy who could never be anything, I wanted to be special. I want to be as grand and sessful as the hero of the story, and I want to shine like a celebrity who cheers up his fans. It is not a wish that can be fulfilled so easily, but since I have risked my life twice, I might as well give it a try.


    As an Onmyoji, I dash to the rescue of those in trouble against Yokai. Sometimes it is not bad to be a hero without thinking about profit and loss.


    All of this is a desire that can only be fulfilled when one gains strength as an Onmyoji and can afford it.


    Be the cornerstone to make that desiree true---I need you to be the cornerstone.


    Thus, I was absorbing the mysterious creatures more aggressively than ever before.


    ----


    "Ah (Babies grow up so fast. I''m already sitting on my head.)"


    Finally my neck sat up, that''s what they told me when they examined me at my 3 month checkup.


    I hear a lot about neck sitting, but this is what it feels like.


    My dangling neck is now firmly supported by the muscles.


    Other growth conditions are also favorable, ording to the doctor.


    "Saint, it''s Mama. Mamma."


    And at three months, it is the time when babies begin to distinguish between their mothers and other humans.


    Until then, all humans feel the same way to a normal baby.


    That''s what the doctor said.


    "As expected, he cant speak yet... After all, they seem to vocalize simrly to mom and dad at about 6 months."


    That''s what my fucking father, who searched for it on his phone, says.


    Is this what parenting is like today? It''s not surprising, but with easily searchable smartphones, we can borrow as much wisdom from our ancestors as we want.


    I''m also of the generation that used to use smart phones with vigor, but I don''t have the experience of raising children, so it''s somewhat unnerving to see this kind of scene.


    I feel a sense of unselfish love from my parents who are doing some serious research for me, I guess


    "......It''s Dad."


    But I ain''t gonna forget what you did.


    No matter how many enhancement and training programs were in ce, that was a lethal level.


    Don''t think you''ll be forgiven if you show some delicacy.


    When I grow up, I''m going to treat him like a hard-headed, stubborn father, I suppose. I''m sure when I grow up, I will be treated like a stubborn old man who is the head of the household. I can almost imagine that when I see this clumsiness.


    "You also want me to call you Saint, don''t you? Mm-hmm."


    "......"


    I will absolutely not be making such a call.


    I''ll start with "mama" and speak various words, and at the end I''ll say " pa ...... papa ...... paia".


    "You, too, are you in good shape?"


    "Yes, I''ve been through this with Saint, so I''ll be fine."


    He suddenly shifts from talking about me to talking about mom, showing his concern in his clumsy asshole father way. It''s no wonder.


    After all, mother got pregnant.(T/N  WHAT?!Well that was unexpected)


    That''s because if you have sex that much without contraception, you will have children.


    Yay Saint, your family will grow.


    What a time to say that. What kind of a family n is it to get your wife pregnant when you have a baby with her? I mean, how hard would it be to raise two kids at the same time, when my asshole of a father doesn''te home much.


    All I can do is be a good, hands-off kid.


    Except for the concern about the burden on the mother, it is a blessing to be graced with a child.


    I don''t know if it''s a brother or sister, but I can''t imagine much since I was an only child in my previous life.


    I want to be thought of as a dependable and cool older brother.


    "Ah (Then I guess the question is only about the mysterious creatures)."


    Spiritual element collection is progressing well.


    I''m getting the hang of moving the spirit power, and I''m able to separate the spirit elements efficiently. If a physical volume existed in therge amount of spiritual elements gathered, it would have umted to the point where my stomach would have burst.


    But it doesn''t work that way. Perhaps the spirit element is something energy-like.


    I spend most of the day in bed, and every time I wake up, I take out the spiritual element from my recovering spiritual power.


    And there were changes in the mysterious creatures.


    "Ew (What''s with the increased percentage of winged insects?)"


    The number of winged insects, probably an evolved form of maggots, is increasing.


    I call them evolved forms, and they are very invasive.


    That said, when you absorb those guys, your spiritual power increases greatly.


    After all, you have to defeat a strong enemy to grow.


    I kind of hate the situation of insects breeding in my house, even though they are mysterious creatures necessary for my growth. I feel like this house that my mother is working so hard to clean is being made dirty.


    They are not insects to begin with, but I still feel bad at the sight of them.


    I myself must be the most ufortable from the standpoint of others as I greet the winged insect with my mouth half open while thinking about such a thing.


    It is a shocking scene that could be used in a horror moviemercial.


    It''s just for now. Because it''s the only time you can get a spiritual boost.


    I''ll do it without hesitation.


    Other than that, the absorption of this mysterious organism is a simple and unremarkable process that is not worth mentioning.


    I have to wait for the other side to challenge me to battle, and no one can see the infighting in my belly. Now that my spiritual power is abundant, there are no more mysterious creatures that can threaten me. Even the winged insects are perceived merely as "a little bit crunchy.


    I''ve gotten a lot stronger, too, maybe because I was thinking like that.


    One afternoon, that guy came to me as I was sleeping lightly.

 Chapter 10: Irregular

    Chapter 10: Irregr


    I, who move my spiritual power by eating and sleeping, was lying down in my bedroom again today.


    I can'' t even turn over yet, so I have no choice but to lie down.


    "Ugh...(Come to think of it, I haven''t seen a single mysterious creature yet today)."


    The mysterious creatures that usually appear once every few hours did not appear at all today.


    However, I had expected that there would be days like that, as I was only a little over three months old.


    "Ah?! (No, wait. Could it be the end of the spiritual growth period?!)


    When that possibility urred to me, I instantly became nervous.


    While there is nothing that can be done about the urgency of the situation, this is a venerable problem.


    If I can no longer see those mysterious creatures in the same way as the adults, that means that I am getting closer to being a normal human being.


    As a person who aspired to be special, I was unexpectedly proud of the fact that I was the only one who could see the mysterious creature.


    "Ehh (It was an irregr event to begin with, and I should consider myself lucky, even if only temporarily. Huh. ....... ...... hmm? What''s this feeling?)"


    I was depressed, and I became instantly more attentive.


    This feeling is something I have rarely felt in my life. However, it is one that I have felt just recently.


    "Ogyaaaaaa (Scary, scary, scary, what''s this. This is absolutely dangerous!)"


    In my previous life, I have only felt fear, at best, to the point of not being able to go to the bathroom after hearing a ghost story. Even that was not because I was in danger, but I was just mentally frightened in the midst of my peaceful daily life.


    However, the feeling from something that is approaching here and now is not such a simple thing.


    There was something frightening about it, a cowering feeling, as if a wild instinct that hadpletely degenerated convinced me that I had to get out of the ce as soon as possible.


    "Yes~yes, yes, what''s wrong with Saint. Oh, it''s almost time to eat. I''ll give it to you now."


    Thank God, mother came right away.


    The mysterious creature will not approach a conscious adult.


    I don''t know why, but it is a fact that has been found as a rule based on my experience.


    I was naive to take this as a sign of rtive peace of mind. It was impossible for an irregrity to appear out of nowhere and continue as before.


    As my mother lifted me up, I turned my head, which was finally able to move, just a little to the side and looked at the irregrs who had invaded my bedroom.


    (Oh ...... ish ...... & #............ ish... just ...... ki$%su ......)


    "Gyaa (He is talking. This guy is saying something!)"


    "What''s the matter, you were so hungry. I''ll give it to you now."


    Mother gave her breasts, but this is no time for a leisurely meal.


    We have to get away from this guy as soon as possible.


    We can'' t win. I can''te up with a vision to absorb this guy. I mean, he''s the same size as me. I''m not going to get this thing in my mouth.


    Confused, I managed to get my mother to move from this ce, but she didn''t realize my intention.


    She sat down on the futon I was sleeping on and got into a breastfeeding position.


    What to do, what to do.


    He doesn''t run away when there are adults around, he''s clearly superior, I don''t know what that guy is trying to do.


    Where the hell did theye from in the first ce?


    The irregr strange creature was humanoid in shape.


    It looks like a forest spirit grown to infant size, with what looks like insect wings on its back.


    The eyes of the apparition are the darkest and deepest jet-ck I have ever seen in a mysterious creature.


    It looked up at the winged insect flying in the corridor, then suddenly held up its hand and sprouted a thin tentacle-like thing from its fingertip. The tentacle slowly extended to the winged insect and wrapped around itszily flying body.


    The return was instantaneous. The captive winged insect was sucked into the mouth of the Irregr and swallowed.


    (o...... ishi...... theta %............ go...chi''*l...sama.........)


    I knew it when I saw it.


    I don''t know why the mysterious creature didn''te under my roof today, or why such arge, unseen wonder creature was born.


    That''s right. Weak beings, including myself, are at the bottom of the food chain. Then it is only natural that there are beings that prey on them.


    This guy has grown so big by eating little wonder creatures just like me.


    (Oh ...... and ......! ( ...yo ......... i...just ...... #@@@@@@@ ......)


    I could see the joyful emotion in his one-word speech as he shook his head from side to side.


    I bet you are, and from your point of view, I must be an extraordinarily delicious food.


    It is growing by taking in plenty of mysterious organisms.


    I still don''t know what happens if I lose to the erosion. Will I die or will the enemy take me in?


    It will not be pleasant, however, by any stretch of the imagination.


    So I was ready for it.


    It''s like a birth ritual.


    Maybe these guys are my test to live in this world.


    I thought it was too convenient not to pay any price to be reborn.


    I''m going to beat this guy and live. And I will be even stronger and fulfill all my mundane wishes!


    The fight began quietly.


    Irregr extend tentacle from its fingertips and slowly close in on us.


    It seems to have only one tentacle that it can extend, and it is slowly and graduallying closer to us.


    I hesitate to put this in my mouth, but I must not say so. In the first ce, there is no example of preventing the invasion of mysterious creatures.


    If you areing,e, the moment of contact is slowly approaching.


    Finally, when it was only 30cm away from touching me, I felt a strange sensation.


    Ah? (Are you going to break in through the belly instead of the mouth?)"


    Irregr''s tentacles extend well below my mouth.


    I thought it would invade directly into the stomach, where the battle would take ce, because it couldn''t enter through the mouth, but that expectation was wrong--- in a horrible way.


    "Oh? Were you not hungry? Your diaper is not wet. What''s wrong?"


    The trajectory of the tentacle headed not for me, but for my mother''s stomach.


    In other words, the Irregr'' s target is not me, but my not-yet-born sibling.


    The weakest person in the room is indeed my not even born sibling. That said, I never thought it would go after someone like that.


    If these tentacles touch the fetus, it will be helplessly eaten by the mighty Irregr.


    I cannot. If the child dies, the mother will be sad. Even the damn father will cry. This life is much more precious than mine, which lived once in that world.


    And most of all, I can''t stand to have my first sibling taken away from me by this iprehensible bastard.


    "Ah (Hey, don''t look away. I''m the guy)"


    Anger stifles feelings of fear.


    I know only with my sixth sense that this frail-looking tentacle has strong power.


    Still, I cannot let the beings beyond us get their hands on it.


    I desperately reached out with my short hand and grabbed the tentacle.


    "Ahhhh (You''re not the only one who can invade!)"


    (Pain .................. kill ......!)


    I gathered the spiritual power circting in my body into my right hand and forcefully pushed it into the tentacles I had grabbed.


    I had never practiced this before, but I imagined I could do it. Because I had experienced the invasive sensation in my abdomen so many times, I was aware that the attack was caused by the pration of spiritual power.


    The tentacles, which had been approaching unprotected, retreat in an instant as if touched by fire.


    It seems to have done more damage than expected.


    (Ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch... ouch...)


    I wonder if it is reflected in Irregr''s mouth, and his voice arrives as a creepy echo that sounds like wood spirits in a cave. I swallow my spit at the quiet anger in his voice.


    I guess he''s identified me as the enemy, and the target is nowpletely in my direction.


    That''s good. This is all right, but what do I do now?


    Not having studied as an Onmyoji, I have no means of attack.


    The only thing I can do is to move my spiritual power, and I know only the primitive way of fighting, which is to sh with my spiritual power.


    The iregr has learned the dangers of using its tentacles, and the main body itself is approaching us.


    The slow speed at which it moves forward and the fast speed at which it retracts suggests that those tentacles have be acute sensory organs.


    If I'' m going to attack, I should aim for his tentacles..., but I attacked him to get his attention, which made him wary of me.


    While I''m wondering what to do, this guy never stops walking.


    At times like this, only the protagonist''s thoughts are supposed to elerate in time, but my world moves forward mercilessly and precisely.


    In the end, withouting up with any countermeasures, the Irregr arrived in front of me.


    (Sad ...... ............ kill ...... ...... Hey ...... i ...... i ...... i ...... )


    Irregr''s hand reaches for my mouth.


    Ah, I knew this would happen.


    The only difference is that instead of his entire body entering mine, the right half remains in front of me.


    Only the left half of his body is in my mouth.


    The cross section is like a haze, a thin string of haze leading to my mouth.


    I could only make such an observation for a moment.


    My belly is being eroded with the same, if not more, force as the birth ceremony.


    Even though I have already mobilized all the spiritual energy in my body to subdue the situation, it has not stopped at all.


    ---Unptable---


    If this continues, I will definitely lose.


    Damn, ugh, oh no, I can''t hold it in my stomach.


    "A-ga-keh-fu."


    "Saint, what''s wrong!"


    It seems that my mother has found out about this unusual situation.


    That doesn''t help either, because my right leg is cramping up.


    The mother who is holding me sideways naturally notices.


    It''s my first experience.


    The erosion leaked out of my abdomen and down into my legs.


    At the same time, control of the right leg was taken away.


    After all, it seems that if the erosion were to defeat you, it would take over your body. The other party is a ghost-like entity. Even though it is a story of creation, there are many cases of ghosts and monsters taking over a person''s body once they enter the human body.


    I wonder what will happen if it continues on to invade my brain.


    With my position clearly inferior, I hurriedly decided to ask for help from my mother.


    "Suddenly he started drinking milk from my boobs. What''s wrong with him? Should I take him to the hospital?


    It is a mother''s breast milk enhancer.


    Mother''s milk has the effect of strengthening me without taking away my spiritual power. I don''t know why, but it actually works, so that''s good.


    Okay, the erosion beyond the right leg was stopped.


    Still, it is being pushed slowly.


    Furthermore, the opponent still has half a body left.


    If the whole bodyes in, it might be pushed all at once. What should I do?


    As an ordinary man in a previous life, I can''t be expected to have a spark of genius.


    While I was searching for a solution, the enemy was on the move.


    "Puah (Hey, is there such a thing!)"


    The Iregr left half of his body on the surface, and his right hand stretched out to my neck. I was unable to move to maintain my mother''s milk enhancement, so I was easily grabbed by the neck and my mouth was removed from my mother''s nipple.


    Gosh, it is more powerful than I thought. This monstrous power in spite of small hands, is it the effect of spiritual power?


    Come to think of it, the reincarnation manga also used some kind of body enhancement or other technology ......, but that''s not the case now.


    The neck of the baby, which had no significant muscles, tightened and the airway constricted. If I don''t do something, I''ll run out of oxygen.


    As consciousness fades, control of spiritual power also decreases.


    Bad, bad, bad, bad!


    Iregr also realizes that I''ve exposed a gap.


    He misted up another half of his body and poured it into my mouth.


    He was trying to take advantage of the opportunity.


    That ...... if I keep going like this, I''m really going to lose. ......At the moment such an ending passed through my mind, the goddess of salvation arose.


    "You should still go to the hospital. We have to do it soon! Hang in there a little longer. Good luck, Saint!"


    It''s my mother.


    Mother suddenly stood up and leapt out of the bedroom.


    I thought I could shake off the irregrity now, but this guy is still attached to me and continues to erode.


    Running down the hallway, Mamma grabbed her bag as if to snatch it and ran straight out the front door.


    It is a beautiful sunny day outside, and the brilliant sun is dazzling.


    The difference between my bedroom, which is always dimly lit because it does not face the outside, is painful to the eyes.


    However, there is someone who is in more pain than I am.


    (Pain ...... I +'''' =  ...... No ... Return ... ... "____? Te ... shadow ^ ")


    The tremendous offense of the Irregr, who had been trying with all his might to put a stop to it, subsided at once. Could it be that these guys are weak against sunlight?


    This is a great opportunity.


    I don''t have a great brain to be able to get a spark of genius. Still, with this much time on my hands, I cane up with at least one idea. I don''t know if I can, but it''s worth a try. If there''s even a chance of beating this guy!


    "Ahhhhhhhh."


    Move! If I don''t move now, I''ll be inside the bus and the sunlight will be blocked.


    It''s now or never, move as fast as you can!


    I moved my spiritual power---no, I moved the umted spiritual elements generated from it with an unprecedented desperation.


    It had been moving only at a sluggish pace, but now I was able to move it at the same level as the spiritual power.


    This is a major counter-offensive operation that can only be done while the irregr is weakened.


    The desperation of risking one''s life broke the limiter of one''s body, and led to sess beyond its limits.


    Ah, I can hear it. The background music of victory. The game hasn''t been decided yet, and I shouldn''t let my guard down, but my heart is convinced of victory.


    "Ahh (I''ve been aiming for this all along, the moment you put out those tentacles. Eat me!)"


    A writhing tentacle sprang out from the fingers gripping my neck, probably unintentional from being exposed to the sun.


    I grabbed the tentacle without missing it and poured the dense spiritual substance into it as fast as I could.


    The effect was visible.


    The spiritual power of the Irregr that had been atrophying inside me suddenly went wild.


    Even the quarter of the main body that was outside was greatly disturbed in its pale outline.


    It is much more effective than when I first poured the spiritual power into it. After all, among the spiritual powers, the spiritual element is probably the most important. It was a good thing I had collected them.


    If that is the case, I tried to hit the spiritual power of the irregrs that entered my body, and I found that each spiritual element ate through the violent erosion.


    It was so powerful that it was ridiculous that I had been shing with the spiritual power until now.


    If there is such a difference in power, the results are immediate.


    My spiritual elementpletely eroded the Irregr''s spiritual power, and sucked out all the energy that had been outside his body,pleting the victory.


    My right leg, which had been deprived of control, also returned to normal.


    Good. It was really good.


    My consciousness was cut off here.


    It seems I''ve done something reckless to move the spirit element.

 Chapter 11: Tentacle

    Chapter 11: Tentacle


    A/N - Contains light undertones.


    ------


    I woke up that evening.


    Before I knew it, I was back at home and was tucked in my usual bedroom.


    My mother was sleeping next to me. I could see traces of tears on her face. I must have worried her a lot.


    Iter overheard that the doctor diagnosed that the son was quite healthy, and the mother was not convinced.


    That would be hard to believe if they told her I was healthy when I suddenly started screaming and then suddenly started sleeping.


    In the end, the mother didn''t know what to do, so she just cuddled with me, praying for my safety.


    I am truly sorry for causing you to worry.


    But it''s all worth it, and I''m doing great right now.


    It''s no wonder. I have taken in an irregr who has a higher spiritual power than I do.


    The more spiritual power I have, the more vitality I have.


    I even feel like I can do anything now.


    Yeah, maybe I could recreate the technique that guy used.


    ------


    I was able to do it.


    After just a few attempts, I was able to reproduce it.


    I finished it before mother woke up.


    First, tentacles.


    It continuously drains spiritual power out of the body and extends it far. It consumes spiritual power little by little while it is being used, and since it is also a mass of vitality, if it is damaged, it will be transferred to me as it is.


    Even considering these disadvantages, this technique is useful.


    After all, it has physical power even though it is supposed to be a mass of spiritual power. For me, who still can''t even crawl, being able to move something that is far away is a great help.


    Next, physical strengthening.


    I just had to think about it, along with the image of imbuing my cells with spiritual power.


    It was extremely easy to learn, and the effects were tremendous.


    To my surprise, I was able to turn over in my sleep!


    This is a great thing. I can prevent bedsores by myself.


    No need to call mother every time.


    By the way, normal babies can turn over at around 5 months of age. I am now two months ahead of them. Two months is a big time for a baby who grows day by day. This is a great example of the power of physical strengthening.


    Whether these were learned because I absorbed irregrities or because anyone with spiritual power could use them and knew how to use them is a mystery.


    My spiritual power exploded and I was able to learn two new skills.


    I don''t want to experience being deprived of my body again, though this is quite an aplishment for a 3-month-old.


    I am steadily climbing thedder from mediocrity to celebrity.


    Dreaming of a brighter future, I caught the mysterious creature peering at me from behind the sliding doors with my tentacles.


    -----


    Since the battle with Irregrs, I had been leaning toward training in spirit control.


    I have been training new techniques, but the decisive factor that saved my life was this element.


    I refine it daily from the explosive increase in spiritual power, and I have umted an unmatched amount of spiritual elements. There is no physical volume, so it doesn''t matter how much I store.


    "Ahh (Yes, that sounds good. I guess I can now move it as fast as my spiritual power)"


    The spirit element, which moves much more sluggishly than the spirit power, now also moves with a whizzing motion.


    If I fight the irregrs again, I''m sure I could inflict a fatal wound on them with my first move.


    Now, when I was able to move around the buzzer, I felt that sensation again.


    "Oh (Again, I feel separated. I wonder if this is a difference in the size of the spirit element.)"


    When moving them up and down, left and right, there is a group that is not moving in any way.


    They move with a dy when exceeding a certain speed.


    The fact that it is the same sensation as when a spirit element is extracted from a spiritual power means that there may be further ssifications within the spirit element.


    I decided to separate and collect these sluggish spiritual elements. Then, I tried to be conscious of them umted in my body, to move them around, and tried various things, and I found out something.


    "Daa(This isrger and heavier than the other elements. It isrger and heavier than the other spiritual elements, so to speak. Maybe if I collect only this one, I can do something different?)"


    When only the spiritual elements were collected, they were able to do a lot of damage to the irregrs.


    It means that the root of the spiritual power was in the spirit element.


    Then, what would happen if only these heavy elements were collected and attacked, the power is likely to be further improved.


    After all, its effectiveness cannot be known until it is put into practice.


    And a strong enemy that would be its target seldom appears.


    The current situation, in which one cannot be sure without learning the art of Onmyojutsu, is quite frustrating and unbearable.


    I will continue to research spirituality in my own way, despite all that is not there.


    The more I y with spiritual power, the more new discoveries I make.


    I will name the element I have discovered this time as "heavy element," and I will call the process of extracting this element "refining No. 2."


    The first refining is the process of extracting the element from the spiritual power.


    Refining spiritual elements---the further upstream you go, the stronger you be, and the closer you get to the root of spiritual power.


    I decided to devote myself to this research, which I feel has unlimited possibilities.


    -----


    Not only did I devote myself to it, but I spent almost every waking hour researching it, and as a result, I reached the corporal refinement at the age of five months.


    It was pretty easy to get to this point. My ideas came to fruition very quickly.


    It is the result of my body, or rather, the infinite spiritual space, in which the elements move ording to my will.


    However, from this point on, things were not going well.


    I was stuck in this research with no answers, wondering if I was doing it wrong, or if it would not work unless I did it in the right order, or if the elements would not change like that in the first ce.


    However, this does not mean that there is nothing that can be done.


    The fourth refining process is something I want to try out, and the fifth refining process itself takes time.


    I can spend a lot of time for refining because I am a baby, but I will not be able to do so when I grow up.


    As the refining process progresses, more and more elements will be needed, and therefore more and more spiritual power will be necessary to produce the elements.


    The number of mysterious creatures visiting my bedroom has been decreasingtely, and it will be necessary for me to leave my room and go around the house soon.


    Yes, at five months old, I was able to crawl. With physical strengthening.


    A normal baby is supposed to be able to finally turn over and start to be familiar with other people.


    It is 8 months old when a normal baby is able to crawl.


    Yeah, I can see the benefit of physical strengthening.


    If you have something to support you, you can just barely stand. I couldn''t even stand at the time of my death, so I was moved. I''m really d I was able to reincarnate, because that dream I had then of walking and running on my own once again is almosting true...


    And how important it is to have a healthy body. I will definitely extend the healthy life span of this body more than my previous life.


    Well, I can''t surprise my mother by showing her such premature growth.


    I decided to use other means to expand my range of activities and increase the amount of mysterious creatures I capture.


    Yes, tentacles.


    These tentacles have a weakness.


    While it can move things at a distance and capture mysterious creatures, it is sensitive to spiritual damage.


    The other day, when I caught a mysterious creature, I felt a pricking pain as if I had been pricked by a needle.


    I let go of it without thinking, and the creature ran away.


    I was so frustrated because I wanted to increase my spiritual power as much as possible.


    So, I would like to train myself to be more resistant to stimtion.


    In fact, this tentacle looks a lot like a certain human organ.


    It is that organ that only men have...... yes, the rod between the legs.


    The pain you feel when you peel off the skin and touch it with your finger for the first time, that is the closest to the sensation of a tentacle.


    I wonder if women can somehow feel it too.


    And there are ways to ovee this.


    You get used to small stimtions, thickening and peeling the skin.


    What, you ask, are we talking about tentacles?


    Immediately, I hit the tentacles extended from my right hand with spiritual power from the outside.


    ......... No.


    It doesn''t hurt at all because it is my spiritual power. The released spiritual power just melts into a wave of spiritual energy in the form of tentacles.


    Then, I changed my policy.


    Instead of getting used to the stimtion, let''s build a skin that protects me from it.


    It is a self-enclosure technique.


    Spiritual power over spiritual energy... just made the tentacles thicker. Failure.


    Covering spiritual power with a spiritual element... dissolves into the flow of spiritual energy that builds the... tentacles. Failure.


    Covering spiritual power with heavy spiritual elements:... Whoa, that''s it!


    I can do it.


    I was convinced that this method would work.


    All I have to do now is to conduct a verification experiment.


    After waiting for a while, I found a reasonable mysterious creature and captured it with an improved version of the enveloping tentacles.


    Awaiting a counterattack from the creature.


    ----


    I don''t see a counterattacking.


    No, maybe they are already fighting back.


    I did the overwhelmingly strongman move and, as usual, tried to remove the tentacle''s heavy element.


    "Geez."


    The strong who let their guard down are fought back by the weak. It happened as a matter of course.


    I re-covered my tentacles with heavy spiritual elements and took them into my body as if I were hurling frustration at them.


    I hit it with a grain of the corporal refined spiritual element, and it instantly stopped resisting. That'' s it!


    Thus I mastered a new technique, the enveloping tentacle, apanied by pain.


    Since it consumes more precious elements than spiritual power, the tentacles must be used efficiently.


    I will use it only after I have a certain amount of control.

 Chapter 12: Body Strengthening

    Chapter 12: Body Strengthening


    I''m now 8 months old.


    Now I''m finally in a situation where I can crawl.


    And, to my surprise, with some body strengthening, I was able to totter around.


    This is a happy thing. My dying wish hade true.


    I congratted myself on the day I stood up for the first time, but after that, I was not particrly impressed. It was only natural, since I had been walking normally for several decades.


    In fact, I am so frustrated with myself that I stagger.


    Recently, I have been practicing every day under the watchful eye of my mother, aiming to develop my muscr strength.


    But maybe it was a good thing that I did that today. If my mother saw me walking on the road, she would have thought I had a demon in me.


    "Saint is walking?"


    Oh no.


    I waspletely caught off guard.


    Just as I was about to do a little training when I heard the sound of theundry being finished and heard my mother''s footsteps heading in my direction.


    I don''t know why she came back this way, but it was too bad that she saw me.


    I quickly stumbled over and pretended to fall down, burying my face in the fluffy futon to think.


    (Seen. What kind of baby starts walking at 8 months old? ording to the information the doctor gave me, at 12 months old, they can stand up and take a few steps on their own, or something like that. I''m pretty sure I''ve been seen taking a step, albeit staggering. (What is the perception of having a demon in the Onmyoji world? Am I going to be killed?)


    My mind is panicking with the biggest sense of urgency in my life since I was born again.


    If I think about it calmly, there is no way that my mother would do anything to me.


    As I was burying my face in the covers, mother made a move.


    She slowly, slowly walks over to me and kneels down beside me.


    The sound of her heart is loud. I gulp down a mouthful of spit, which is slowly swallowed.


    What''s going to happen, what''s going to happen, what''s going to happen!


    "I can''t believe you can walk now! I can''t believe he can walk already! Oh, my boy was a genius!"


    Huh?


    What a wonderful surprise.


    Is it okay to walk at 8 months?


    I look at my mother, who is seven months pregnant and has a very tight stomach, as she holds me in her arms.


    Mother was in a good mood the whole day and was looking at me with expectant eyes to see if I would start walking again.


    What? Are you sure? Are you seriously sure about me walking?


    That night, my shitty father, who had just returned home, was surprised to hear the story from my mother.


    "What? You walked already? ..."


    "Yes! I knew that there were very few children who walked earlier, but I didn''t know that Saint was an example of that. I was surprised, too."


    "But you''ve probably only recently started crawling. You haven''t been grabbing or practicing. And there''s nothing to grab onto in the bedroom. ......"


    "That is why Saint is a genius. He will be a great Onmyoji like you!"


    The fucking father gives off a happy air with that line.


    His face remains Buddha-like, but he can''t hide what''s in his heart.


    "By the way, Goken-sama told me. He said that spiritual power has the same effect as inner energy. Ah, the warrior monks have inherited that technique."


    Is a warrior monk ...... a fighting monk?


    Do those people use body strengthening?


    I think Goken-sama was the name of the guy my shitty father worked for. What''s with the shyness?


    No, more importantly, isn''t the technique of body enhancement generally widespread?


    Maybe the technology is kept secret in each family.


    Huh? If that is the case, am I not strong enough to learn both my family''s and the warrior monk''s techniques?


    Wait, wait, there is a possibility that the warrior monks may think that their secret techniques have been stolen.


    Too much to think about.


    I''ll think about itter for now, but it looks like I''m good to walk.


    Good.


    Apparently there are true geniuses in the world who start walking without body strengthening.


    As a cheater, I''ll take advantage of their achievements for convenience.


    "Oh, Saint wants to stand up."


    "Mu."


    The asshole father takes out his smartphone.


    What, you''re going to take a picture?


    "Wow, good luck with that, Saint. One to another, one to another."


    "Oh ......"


    I took two steps in front of my parents.


    Even though I was strengthening my body, I staggered more than before, so you could see that I was trying my best to walk, not acting.


    I could go further, but I''ll just take two steps for now and see how it goes.


    If it looks okay, I''ll try to walk with my mother observing me...


    "Ahhhh, I knew Saint was a genius!"


    "Can you no longer walk?"


    I was about to copse on the carpet when my mother picked me up.


    Mother''s face is smiling at me and the corners of her mouth are upturned.


    I can''t believe how happy she looks even though I just walked.


    Unlike the birth ceremony, it''s not a big deal. It''s an event that only I, who had once lost the ability to walk, could be moved by.


    Oh, also ...... this feeling of warmth deep in my chest and itching all over.


    I don''t know how much they love me.


    Two people much younger than me, about the age of my grandchildren, are definitely my parents.


    I will never forget this feeling of fulfillment.


    All I could do was to be a good Onmyoji.


    The next day, I started practicing walking as fast as I could and absorbing mysterious creatures in the house as soon as I found them.


    "Saint! Don''te over here. It''s dangerous if you fall down."


    It was a mistake to worry mother.


    I guess I''ll have to walk stealthily after all.


    If I don''t, I might be put in a baby circle.


    I walked around, hiding again, and ate the mysterious creatures outside my bedroom.

 Chapter 13: Eggs of the Sacred Beast

    Chapter 13: Eggs of the Sacred Beast


    One day, my asshole father came home from work and brought me a souvenir.


    "Honey, what the hell is this ......?"


    It seemed that as soon as I came home, I came straight to the bedroom, and my mother, who had received my bag with great care, was following behind me. She was sitting beside me, looking at something my father was holding and making a questioning face.


    It was an attache case, the kind that looks like it might hold 100 million yen or something.


    It was something that did not fit in our Japanese-style house.


    "It''s a spirit beast egg."


    He said so and meticulously ced the attache case on my futon.


    He unlocks the attache case, removes the sp, and nervously opens the box.


    As I am lying on my side, I cannot see the contents of the attache case. I can barely see part of the egg. I guessed from its shape that it was arge, pure white egg, simr to an ostrich egg.


    "Is it an egg? Is a spirit beast different from a yokai?"


    Nice mother.


    I don''t understand that part either. I''ve been fighting with mysterious creatures and irregrs, and I don''t doubt the existence of yokai and the like now.


    But I am overwhelminglycking in knowledge. I''d like to know more about it.


    " Ykai are beings that harm people, but spirit beasts can live together with people. Unlike yokai, which feed on the negative emotions, spirit beasts, like people, live on spiritual power."


    Another word I don''t understand. What do you mean by "gloomy"? I hope you don''t mean me in my previous life.


    I can''t help but understand the meaning of the word, but I still want to get a good education in Onmyoji.


    I wonder if I will grow up soon.


    "So, how did you get that spirit beast egg over here?"


    "It is to make it a holy ceremony. When a spirit beast is given spiritual power when it is an egg, it recognizes that person as family. Having a ceremony which never betrays us is thest lifeline for us in our work. This child, who holds the fate of the Kyobe family in his hands, will need it."


    Then the fucking father lifted me up.


    Hey, the way he lifted me up hurts my sides. Totally, this is why fathers don''t assist in raising their children.


    The father who picked me up grabs my hand and leads me toward the eggs.


    I looked at the whole thing again and it still looks like an ostrich egg.


    "Touch this egg. The first person who touches it will learn its spiritual power."


    What is that, a new kind of imprinting?


    I touched the egg as my father guided me.


    It is warm. There is life inside. I felt the life inside with such a strange sensation, as if the spiritual power inside my body was resonating with it.


    It is a strange sensation, but I have a feeling that this child is hungry. All right, it looks like it will be my partner in the future, so I''ll give it a treat. I was just saving up my spiritual power for the purpose of collecting spiritual elements.


    I pour my spiritual power through my palms.


    My spiritual power has been steadily increasing from the battle with irregrs, and it has expanded several thousand timespared to when I first came to the house.


    When most of that spiritual power was poured into the egg, I could feel a sense of satisfaction from the egg.


    Good, good, you will grow up to be a fine partner of the world''s strongest Onmyoji ( to be).


    As I nodded inwardly with satisfaction, the asshole dad took me off the egg and put me on hisp. Um, can you put me back on the futon?


    "If you''ve touched my hand this much, you''ve received some spiritual power. Now you can leave the rest near Saint."


    "Hah ...... this egg has the same power as that yokai ....... It''s kind of strange. By the way, how long does it take toy?"


    "About ten years from now."


    Ten years? !


    I was surprised at the unexpectedly long period of time.


    Aren''t eggs supposed to be hatched much earlier?


    What are you doing inside the shell for 10 years?


    "Do you have to keep them warm that long? If so, should I buy an hatchery?"


    "No, you don''t need to warm it up. If you leave them alone they will grow on their own and they are sturdy enough that you can hit them with a hammer and they won''t break. I don''t have the money to buy an hatchery. ...... And I don''t have the money to buy an incubator."


    Hmm? What, the usually confident asshole of a father uncharacteristically muffled his words.


    No money?


    "Money ......? How much did this egg cost?"


    Then, the mother also asked in an unusually strong tone of voice.


    Wait a minute, how much did this egg really cost?


    I don''t know the market price even if you say it''s a spirit beast''s egg.


    The fucking father extends one hand. It means he held up five fingers.


    What, five million? ! This egg costs 5 million? !


    "It cost you 50 million yen!"


    The mother screamed and the asshole father nodded with a batshit look on his face.


    It was a different order of magnitude.


    Our house was so shabby, I had no idea we had that kind of extra cash.


    Wow, damn dad, did you buy such expensive egg for me!


    50 million yen...... is an amount of money that I, who lived as amoner, can''t rte to. If you''re in a rural area, you can get a house withnd. Although I didn''t need it as a single person, the purchase of a house is known as the most expensive purchase in one''s life.


    Giving it to a baby under one year old who might die suddenly is a terrible choice.


    Ummm...maybe the amount of money he makes ...... is different, but judging by the reaction of the mother, it''s not cheap for our family either.


    Maybe it''s time to take a break from shitty fathers, yes.


    "You lost all our savings, didn''t you! What if something happens to you!"


    Hey, asshole father, that''s just not right, is it?


    He''s actually an idiot who looks like he can do a good job, spending all his money without consulting his family!


    I can''t believe that he would go broke at a time when his second child is due in a few weeks, when money is at a premium.


    "Nn......, but I happened to get it on this mission. They acknowledged my achievement and gave it to me at a very low price, which would have originally cost 1 billion yen. If I missed this opportunity, I may never be able to get it again. I hear that if you don''t have someone by your side from the time you are a baby, you won''t be able to pick them up. ...... Don''t worry, my next assignment promises to be a big payday."


    I''m curious to know what kind of work the asshole father is doing, but the high pay must mean that there must be amensurate level of difficulty. Either it is technically difficult or he is risking his life, but either way, it will be a bummer.


    It is said that poverty makes you dull. Don''t make my mother sad, whatever the case may be.


    Nevertheless, as the recipient of the gift, I have no choice but to ept it dly.


    In any case, since I have poured spiritual power into the egg, I can''t even do a cancetion.


    How can we get the money back?


    "Besides, you never know what will be born from a spirit beast egg. If we are lucky, a ck wolf or a sublunar dragon may be born. If so, the ceremony alone will be enough to exorcise most of the yokai."


    "Please don''t give all your money for such a gamble!"


    That is too true to refute.


    Moreover, the results will not be known until 10 years from now.


    It is more of a gamble than an investment.


    "If a powerful spirit beast is born, the egg is said to have a pattern on it. The Onmyoji with powerful spirit beasts generally possessed high spiritual power and talent. If this child has survived the ordeal of the birth agenda,...... would he be a ...... n?"


    "Patterns? ......This egg was pure white just now, wasn''t it? Did it have this color on it?"


    I was too distracted by the mother''s anger and the 50 million yen to notice, but the egg sitting on top of the attache case had changed.


    The white shell had a brownish mottled pattern.


    The white part of the egg seemed to be shiny as well.


    And the most obvious change was that it wasrger than before.


    Could it be because I gave it plenty of spiritual power?


    "Look! There''s a pattern on the egg! I was told that the pattern would appear slowly over a period of ten years, but as soon as he touched the egg, the pattern appeared! There''s no doubt about it, Saint will be the genius Onmyoji who will save the Kyobe family!"


    "Let''s call it a ...... cheap deal if it protects the Saint from strong yokai....Huh ......"


    I had never seen my father so excited. He was on his knees, and he was showing his joy by raising me up high.


    Mother, who had been angry with him earlier, was now in a giving up mode if we could get a strong spirit beast. From her deep sigh, I can imagine the hardships of her future life. I hope it won''t have a bad influence on the child in her belly.


    I, being a person who is highly exalted, suddenly had an idea.


    Strong spirit beasts of the past that spent 10 years umting spiritual power and had patterns on their eggs.


    If that is the case, then if I poured arge amount of spiritual power into the eggs every day for 10 years, I would be able to obtain an incredibly strong spirit animal.


    I''ve been running a little low on spiritual powertely, so it''s perfect.


    I''ll use the extra spiritual power to nurture an egg.


    Thus, egg care was added to my daily routine.

 Chapter 14: Birthday

    Chapter 14: Birthday


    Time passed a little again, and I reached the age of one.


    My first birthday in this world.


    I never thought that the day woulde when I would look forward to the birthday that I had hoped would arrive no more after I turned 30.


    "Mamma, rice."


    "Yes, dear. Please wait a little, Saint. I''m making a special meal for you."


    Mother responds to me with a soft smile.


    As my first birthday approached, I unleashed my vocabry.


    Of course, the first word was "manma," which I uttered with the intention of saying "as it is."


    I said it in front of my shitty father.


    Then, little by little, I increased the number of words I learned while pretending to imitate my mother.


    I did "Pa......paiya" very well. I still remember the birth of the baby.


    I said "Pa-pa-pa," which Mother had been pushing for as hard as she could, a monthter, because I had no choice.


    I also owe her an ovum.


    After two months of growth, I can now walk on two legs with dignity.


    I can speak at least three words as a matter of course, and I feel like I''m finally free of my restrictions.


    I''m just a little disappointed that I can no longer use my mother''s breast milk enhancement because I''ve beenpletely weaned.


    And the most important thing is spiritual power.


    Since then, the amount of spiritual power has been steadily increasing day by day, and now the total production is so high that even if I refined it all day long, I would not be able to keep up with it.


    I am looking forward to my 11th birthday.


    As for refining, I''ve finally just found a method fornd-based refining. I think this is probably the right way.


    It is a very time-consuming process, so it will take years to mass produce it.


    All of this is going well.


    It has been going so well that it scares me after my reincarnation.


    Except for the fact that I have almost died a few times, I am living a very peaceful life.


    ......If you almost die, isn''t that bad?


    "Here you go, dear. Your evening meal is ready."


    "Yummy!"


    "Mm, looks delicious."


    The day I was born, my shitty dad was in the middle of an important mission and couldn''te back, but this year he made it back.


    Or rather, he had taken a paid holiday sincest year.


    I wonder if there is such a thing as a paid holiday in the Onmyoji world.


    It''s my birthday, so today''s table is a feast.


    Roast beef, sds, potatoes, and other dazzling delicacies.


    I can''t eat them, though.


    I''ve only recently made the full transition to baby food, and I''m still only eating soft and lightly vored foods.


    I think that if we strengthen our bodies, we can also strengthen our internal organs. The baby food that mother makes is delicious, so I''m not that dissatisfied with the current situation.


    However, when I look at today''s delicious-looking dishes, I regret that I am too young.


    "Mm, delicious."


    "Really? I''m d to hear that. I put a lot of effort into it. Yes, Saint, perhaps you''d like to try a little bit."


    "Tabeyu"


    Oh!


    The first solid food I''ve had in a long time.


    Mother unwraps the chicken meat. My mouth is full of saliva as I watch the juices ooze out of the tight white meat.


    I grab a fork and bring the meat to my pte on a kid''s te.


    "Yummy!"


    "I hope you will eat plenty of it."


    Mother smiles as she watches me eat.


    My father also nces at me.


    I wonder if children are that cute. If so, I should have had a child in a previous life. I never had a girlfriend, let alone a wife, before that, so it''s just a dream of mine.


    When our bellies were full, the tes on the table were cleared.


    Then the lights in the dining room were turned off and a single candle light approached from the kitchen.


    "Happy Birthday to you"


    "Happy Birthday to You."


    "Happy Birthday, Dear Saint~"


    "Happy Birthday to You."


    "Saint, blow out the candles. Woof."


    A single candle on a one-hole cake flickered.


    Blessed by their song, I blow out the candle.


    With the only source of light gone, the dining room goes dark.


    When the mother turned on the light, I could see a small cake with plenty of strawberries on it.


    It looks so delicious.


    "Is it safe to let Saint eat cake?"


    "Yes, I used bread instead of sponge, and the cream was made with half yogurt, and I kept the sweetness low so it wouldn''t be too much for the baby''s body."


    What, it looks like a standard cake, but they devised a lot of things to make it look like a normal cake.


    My mom made a baby cake while researching the recipe so that I could eat it.


    That alone makes this cake worth a fortune.


    "Come on, Saint this is your first time eating cake. I bet it'' tastes good."


    "Here you go."


    Looking at the cross section of the cake she cut for me, I saw that it was indeed made of bread.


    I could feel the mother''s love put into the cake, and I felt it was a shame to eat it.


    Still, I took a bite.


    Yes, it was sufficiently sweet for a child''s pte.


    "Yee-hee."


    "Yes, thank goodness."


    I expressed my impressions while stuffing my mouth full of yogurt cream.


    I wonder if I was able to convey my excitement. I wonder if I was able to convey my emotions of joy that even brought tears to my eyes.


    When was thest time someone celebrated my birthday so enthusiastically?


    Since I started living alone, I have done nothing special other than eating out.


    Without apanion, I was always alone, whether it was my birthday or not. I enjoyed my free and easy life, but I seem to have forgotten how much I missed it.


    ---Having a family is such a blessing.


    "You have cream on your cheeks. Mmm-hmm."


    "Saint is now one year old. It''s time to start educating him as an Onmyoji."


    He said what...?


    I''m pretty sure that these words uttered by my asshole of a father were the best birthday present I could have ever gotten.

 Chapter 15: Onmyoji Channel

    Chapter 15: Onmyoji Channel


    I woke up early this morning to hear that my Onmyoji education was about to begin.


    I quickly made my way from my bedroom to the living room.


    Walking down the hallway with a fairly steady stride, I couldn''t contain my excitement.


    I have been curious about the information about spiritual power for a long time.


    I would like to hear it. Even though I can speak thenguage now, my father has never talked to me as a baby about his work.


    I can''t lead the conversation or ask questions without a reason.


    Maybe I can ask him a lot of questions with today''s education. With that in mind, I''m looking forward to this opportunity to solve a mystery that has been building over the past year.


    When I forcefully opened the sliding door, there was my mother, taking a sip of tea and taking a break.


    "Huh? Pa-pa?"


    There''s no sign of the damn father.


    Where the hell is he?


    I can''t wait for him to tell me about Onmyoji.


    "Daddy went to work just a few minutes ago. Did you want to go?"


    What?


    Work?


    Because once he goes to work, he won''t be back for at least three days. On weekdays, he basically stays over and works. Yesterday was my birthday, so he just came home.


    "What about the Onmyoji?"


    "Oh, Saint is interested in Daddy''s work? Just perfect, let''s watch the Onmyouji Channel together after breakfast."


    Onmyouji Channel?


    The flow was strange for my poor tone of voice.


    Bewildered, I followed her instructions, ate my baby food maturely, and returned to the living room.


    Mother was operating arge TV set that didn''t fit in the Japanese-style room.


    After connecting to the Inte, she opened the YouT0be application.


    With a familiar look, she moved to the list of channels she had subscribed to. At the top of the list was a parenting cooking channel, and one below that was the one we were looking for.


    |Onmyoji Channel|


    "From now on, if you watch it every morning, you will be a great Onmyoji like your dad."


    I don''t have to be like my shitty father, but I want to be a good Onmyoji.


    So ...... education nowadays is done via video .......


    That''s a method that wouldn''t have been possible when I was a kid. But sure, I watched videos often in my previous life. This way of teaching the necessary knowledge to those who need it anytime and anywhere seems reasonable.


    Mother immediately ys "No. 1 Onmyoji no Shigoto" (No. 1 Onmyoji''s Work).


    Oh, it ysmercials.


    Thirty secondster, the main program started.


    ["Hello~. Is everyone using their spiritual power? My name is Lioness Shido, and I''m your elder sister!"]


    ["Nice to meet you. My name is Shimabane Shigeru, and I''m your older brother. From today, let''s take a look into the world of Onmyoji together!"]


    It was apletely educational channel.


    It seemed to be abination of an older sister and an older brother teaching us about Onmyoji, like a public service broadcast.


    Maybe there will be a mascot character after this.


    ["Does everyone know what kind of work a Onmyoji does?"]


    ["Me and my sister Shido have graduated from the Onmyoji apprenticeship and are working as Onmyoji."]


    ["To put it inly, we are in the business of defeating evil - Yokai and helping those in need!"]


    ["Everyone''s father and mother are doing a very fine job."]


    From the lines he speaks, I guess this channel is only essible to families of Onmyoji.


    That''s right, because this is an industry where the techniques of body strengthening are kept a secret.


    But if that is the case, it is contradictory that two members of the Shido and Shimabane families are releasing videos like this.


    ["I''m defeating the monsters, but I''m told there are other roles I can y."]


    ["Yes, that''s right. I do not exterminate Yokai, but rather protect people who have little spiritual power, which is my job as an escort. I also cleanse spiritually dangerousnds, pacify deities in rituals, and make amulets to keep Yokai away. Onmyoji are involved in all kinds of work rted to Spirits and Yokai.]


    It''s about what I expected.


    There is no way that Onmyoji are only supposed to fight monsters.


    However, it never urred to me that they appease gods. Shrines, and by extension religion, may also be rted to Onmyoji.


    ["Well then, let''s see what we can do together today, my job, exterminating Yokai~"]


    The scene changes, from the studio to an abandoned building in the middle of the night.


    Sister Shido''s attire has also changed to a full-fledged Onmyoji style.


    ["Today''s request is to exterminate the Demon Haze that y tricks on the mountain! They are bad demons that set fire to abandoned viges in the mountains and cause fires. So we, Onmyoji, will exterminate them!'']


    The film crew moves through the building.


    asionally the camera will show a wall, showing the scorch marks that remain on it.


    Most of the scorch marks are small, as if seared with a match, but some are sorge that the entire ruin could have burned down.


    ["When the Demon Haze growsrge, it can make a big fire. But when they are small, they can only burn things while they are using their power. With this big scorch mark on it, the Demon Fire will soon be able to handle real fire."]


    Sister Shido''s tone had changed to a serious one, perhaps because she was at work.


    She is always looking around, and even through the screen, you can sense her determination as a person involved inbat.


    Is that what Demon Haze is like? Maybe someday I will fight against such a thing.


    After exploring the mansion for a while, the group went outside and went around the abandoned vige.


    ["There you are, a group of Demon Haze. From now on, as Onmyoji, we will exterminate the evil Yokai~!"]


    The actual situation is somewhat amateurish.


    But now it''s not about that, it''s thebat scene.


    They stand still at a considerable distance from the group of Demon Hazes. Can they attack from a long distance?


    ["Put your spiritual power into this paper and move it ording to your will."]


    The sister Shido took a piece of paper with some words written on it out of her pocket. She muttered something with her eyes closed, then opened them and threw the paper at the group of Demon Hazes. The paper should have just fluttered down, but the paper with spiritual power in it flew straight up, defying the wind.


    As if with a will of its own, the paper avoided the smaller Demon Hazes and hit thergest Demon Haze in the center of the group.


    Ba-boom!


    The moment it hit the Demon Haze, a mass of water exploded from the paper.


    What the hell was that? How dare you ignore thews of physics.


    Oh, my tentacles also ignored thews of physics.


    As I thought, the Onmyoji''s technique is interesting. I can''t wait to use that technique myself.


    ["We did it! We defeated the strongest Demon Haze~! Let''s take down all the remaining small Demon Hazes at once!"]


    With that said, the next thing she took out was a small bag of sand-like grains.


    ["O soul of rain, power to the purifying tide!"]


    Chanting! It''s cool, but isn''t it embarrassing to say that in public? The image would be broadcasted all over the country.


    I guessed from the chanting that she took a pinch of purified salt from a sachet.


    She threw it up in the air as if to pour it down on the group of Demon Haze.


    The salt does not fall easily, even though it was not raised that high.


    In the meantime, small Demon Haze attacked the assants.


    ["Yo, ha! This level of attack won''t hit us~"]


    The body hits of the Demon Fire are as fast as an elementary school student''s dodgeball.


    It would be impossible for someone with poor reflexes to avoid them. Moreover, they attacked continuously.


    I don''t think I could have avoided them in my previous life.


    And it seems that while they were avoiding it, its time hade.


    ["Let the purifying rain fall!"]


    The sister''s voice became cheerful as it was in the studio, as if she was rxed after reaching a definite winning situation.


    The salt must have had some effect, for rain began to fall from the supposedly clear sky.


    The rain was faintly glowing, and when it touched the Demon Haze, it extinguished the fire that made up the body of the Demon.


    What kind of Onmyoudo is this purifying rain?


    ["Mission aplished! All the evil Demon Fires have been exterminated."]


    At this point, the scene changes and the stage returns to the studio.


    ["I wonder if everyone now understands what it''s like to exterminate a Yokai!"]


    ["Our sister Shido was very cool as she used her Onmyojutsu to exterminate the Demon Haze in a spectacr manner.]


    ["If you all study as Onmyoji, you''ll be able to defeat Yokai like me~!"]


    ["Well, that''s all for this time. Next time, I will teach you about the most vital aspect of spiritual power for a Onmyoji."]


    ["''Bai-bai-bai''."]


    And here the video ends.


    I guess there is no need to ask for a Channel subscription.


    "Hah, I had heard about this from Mr. Tsuyoshi, but I didn''t realize that Onmyoji performs this kind of work."


    It seems that mother had never seen it before.


    I thought she had already taken the course.


    "Mom didn''t see it either, because she wanted to study with Saint."


    Ufufu, smiling mother is as cute as being my own mother. I can hardly believe that she will be a mother of two next month.


    I really wonder why such a wonderful woman married my shitty father.


    That man is too clumsy. Is that what makes him so patronizing?


    Oh, and that''s not what I''m talking about, it''s the Onmyoji battle scene.


    It was very interesting.


    I guess they are using spiritual power, but how in the world can they create such magical phenomena?


    Tentacles and body enhancements are rather realistic in theory, but those werepletely different.


    I wonder if more videos would allow me to use the same technique.


    "Mamma, next!"


    The next story I''m going to tell you is about spiritual power.


    You''ll get the information I''ve been wanting to know. Maybe I''ll even learn a trick or two sooner rather thanter!


    Mother nodded her head at me with some enthusiasm.


    "Let''s look at one every day. If you look at them all at once, you''ll get bored."


    That''s not true!


    My passion for the Onmyoji will not cool down just because of that. If it''s that bad, then I'' would have been bored by the time I was looking for the second refinement. I want to move forward on the path of Onmyoji with a curiosity stronger than anything I''ve tried so far.


    "Look, look, please y vigorously today. It is also important to build up your body well."


    No, I''m not going to be able to change my mother''s decision.


    I quietly exit the living room and walk down the hallway.


    If I can''t watch the Onmyoji video anymore, I''ll just have to search for the mysterious creatures as usual.


    After exploring the house for a while, I finally realized


    I was in big trouble.


    "Mysterious creatures, not present."

 Chapter 16: Mysterious creatures that have disappeared

    Chapter 16: Mysterious creatures that have disappeared


    After exploring the house for a while, I finally realized


    I was in big trouble.


    "Mysterious creatures, not present."


    -----


    It''s not just about the Onmyouji Channel.


    The only way to significantly increase my total spiritual production is gone.


    I hurriedly search the shadows around the bedroom.


    They are often in ces where there is no sunlight.


    "But there aren''t any!"


    I''ve looked everywhere for them, but there are no shadows or shapes.


    They''re not even shadows to begin with, and their outlines are fuzzy.


    Anyway, they are nowhere to be found!


    What to do, what to do, what to do.


    I was pacing around my bedroom, thinking.


    No, wait.


    Thinking about it again, I don''t think there''s any need to panic.


    My total production of spiritual power still exceeds the amount I can refine in a day.


    So there is no need to increase it any further...


    No---I would have answered like that in my previous life.


    I remember those days when I couldn''t give my all to something I wasn''t interested in.


    When I was in elementary school, I went to swimming school.


    The reason I started going to swimming school was because I couldn''t swim in gym ss.


    When I told my parents that I couldn''t swim in gym ss, they suggested that I try something new.


    I guess they saw the flyer and thought that sports would help me build a healthy body for growing up.


    But I honestly didn''t think anything of it.


    I didn''t see the point of swimming. I just brought up the fact that I couldn''t swim as a topic of conversation at dinner.


    However, it was not that I disliked swimming, so I went to swimming school and became a normal swimmer.


    Swimming school has a system of earning well, and you can advance to the next educational course by the system of advancement. Starting with the kick stretch, I gradually learned how to swim the crawl, backstroke, and breaststroke.


    There were no major obstacles up to this point. Even I, who had no interest in swimming, could continue to swim once a week.


    However, I stumbled in thest swim, the butterfly.


    I was moving my body as instructed by the instructor, but I was not making any progress.


    I was consuming the same amount of energy as the 25-meter crawl, but I could only advance 10 meters.


    "Mom, I''m quitting swimming school."


    After learning the butterfly and advancing to the next level, the next step is to practice swimming long distances using the swimming techniques that you have learned so far.


    I withdrew from the butterfly ss because I was not improving at all.


    There was no point in advancing any further, and since I could now swim the three main swimming techniques, I figured that was enough.


    This was the beginning of the firstpromise and escape in my life.


    After all, I couldn''t swim butterfly properly until the day I died.


    It didn''t bother me that I couldn''t swim, and I was even d to have saved the exam fee for advancement. But I started making excuses like that, and I would repeat the same behavior in the rest of my life.


    Yes, no.


    Compromise is not an option here.


    Once youpromise, you startpromising again and again.


    This is the first time I have found something I can get so absorbed in.


    If Ipromise even this, the world of Onmyoji, which I finally found after my reincarnation, I will never be a celebrity no matter how many times I redo my life.


    "I will definitely find you."


    I will raise my total production of spiritual power and be the most powerful Onmyoji in the world.


    With renewed determination, I sat down on the futon and thought about the cause of the problem in the first ce.


    It is hard to imagine that the mysterious creatures are no longer.


    Because I was absorbing it every single day and I didn''t see it decrease until today.


    Then it is not gone.


    "Have you lost your sight?"


    Yes, I cannot see those guys as an adult.


    I turned one yesterday. To be honest, I think one year old is still in the category of a baby, but it is a big change from 0 to 1.


    I don''t even know if age has anything to do with it. I think that a person who started walking like an adult would be an object of fear for someone who is so weak that he or she can be beaten by a baby. It is even possible that they may hide from me now that I am walking around the house.


    In other words, it was not the mysterious creature that had changed, but me.


    "I could kick your ass. Even if you could get rid of them, they''re still out there somewhere."


    Even if they could disappear, if they are somewhere in this house, there are......ways to do it.


    I''ll get to work on one idea right away.


    "A touch of the color."


    I extend my encased tentacles from both hands.


    I have gained so much spiritual power that I can now produce two tentacles at the same time. Moreover, I can recycle the tentacles by putting them back into my body.


    "Oh, something touched me. I can feel it."


    In the shadow in the corner of the hallway, when the tentacle passed through there, I felt something touch me. It was more like it slipped through than touched. There was only a slight sensation of resistance, and the tentacle could not grasp anything.


    After all, the mysterious creatures are there.


    But I can''t see them, and even my tentacles, which usually catch them, are striking out.


    They are definitely hiding from me.


    Whether it was my age, my spiritual power level, or my physical ability, I couldn''t catch it if it hid from me.


    Now that I think about it, since I have been able to use my tentacles, the mysterious creatures no longere into my mouth.


    They began to attack me, and before I knew it, I had advanced to the top of the ecological pyramid.


    So how do you catch a herbivore running and hiding from a predator?


    The answer is easy for humans to figure out.


    Unlike wild beasts, humans are tool-using creatures.


    "Let''s make a trap."


    A second n was fairly easy toe up with.


    However, there is something fatally missing from this n.


    --- Bait.


    I need a bait to lure them in.


    Tentacles would be a good tool to capture them. But there is no bait.


    Something that would be suspiciously tempting for the mysterious creatures to bite...... babies?


    They were literally eating each other, and if I used a baby as bait,...... no, no, there is no way I would use my soon-to-be-born sibling as bait.


    "Mmm-hmm."


    He said, "Saint, what''s the matter with you, groaning? It''s time for lunch."


    In the end, I could note up with a good solution this day.


    However, I was not going to give up on this problem that I could not solve even after worrying and twisting my head around it.

 Chapter 17:

    Chapter 17:


    The bait problem I couldn''t solve even after 3 days and 3 nights of thinking about it. It was the Onmyoji channel that gave me the answer.


    ["No. 4 - Your body is the best onmyodo in the world."]


    Sister Shido and brother Shimabane, plus Shikigami Komainu, who appeared for the first time in thest issue, are giving the opening talk.


    ["I like it. I wish I could summon a strong Shikigami too~"]


    ["Doggie".]


    Sister Shido hugs Komainu, saying, "He''s so cute!


    Brother Shimabane chuckles and teaches us some new onmyou knowledge.


    ["The Shido family didn''t inherit the summoning line. If your father or mother used Shikigami, you might all be able to summon Shikigami too."]


    I learned from the previous conversation that each family deals with different onmyojutsu, and that, apart from the basics such as rituals and the handling of amulets, what each family can do is subdivided into smaller groups.


    Among them, there are few families that deal with Shikigami, while those that can use powerful Shikigami are said to be prosperous.


    I read in a picture book that the founder of the Kyobe family summoned a dragon, but looking at our family''s current situation, we may only be able to summon weak Shikigami now.


    ["But I can''t give up! I want to summon a strong Shikigami to fight with me~"]


    ["That''s right. There''s only one chance for someone like me to do that."]


    Hoh? Can you summon a new Shikigami?


    I was suddenly interested.


    The screen switches with the action of Brother Shimabane, and the deformed characters bounce around and exin things.


    ["We all know that in Onmyojutsu, we need spiritual power to activate the technique. But actually, there are other things that can be used in Onmyojutsu besides spiritual power.]


    ["What do you need to summon a Shikigami?"]


    ["Doggie".]


    ["A very special thing that makes not only Shikigami but also all other Onmyoujutsu very strong. It is... our bodies."]


    Brother Shimabane''s miniature character sparkles and shines. It is as if his body itself is a rare item.


    [" An Onmyoji has spiritual power in his body, so he can use the Onmyojutsu. So, body parts be very valuable and powerful tools."]


    ["Eh~ I don''t want to hurt my body!"]


    ["Of course, all you good boys and girls shouldn''t hurt your bodies. The parts of the body that Onmyoji use are hair and nails that won''t hurt if you cut them. Therefore, Onmyoji must take good care of their bodies and be prepared for any emergency."]


    ["So that''s why my mother told me to take care of my hair! I guess that''s why my mother and father taught me to wash my hair down to my toes in the bathtub!"]


    ["If you mix powdered hair and nails into the ink that you use to draw the summoning formation, you can summon a Shikigami that is stronger than when drawn with regr ink," he said.]


    I''m curious about the Shikigami, but I''m more concerned about something else.


    The bait that has been bothering me all along, and that I might be able to use my own hair and nails for it.


    ["In addition to the summoning formation, parts of the body of the Onmyoji are also used in important rituals. I have heard that even heroes who defeated powerful Yokai of the disaster ss used their hair, which they had groomed and grown long since childhood, for their special techniques."]


    ["Wow, then I''ll use my very long hair to make a reliable Shikigami-chan--"]


    ["Wait for it. Just because you use a body part doesn''t mean it will be sessful. People who cut their hair every year lose their effectiveness because their spiritual power hasn''t permeated their hair, and if they don''t have enough spiritual power, the ritual will fail. You should take care of yourself when you are young and use it as a trump card when you grow up to be a professional Onmyoji.]


    ["I see, you have to take care of the body your father and mother gave you!"]


    Onmyouji Channel No. 4 closed with a summary of a lesson taught.


    I knew the lesson of course, without needing to be told it. However, having experienced reincarnation and knowing more than anyone else the importance of the body my parents gave me, I was about to defy that lesson head-on.


    "Oh my, Saint, where are you going?"


    "Ummm."


    My reply was all over the ce.


    I''m sorry, Mother. But I still can''t seem to give up my ambition.


    After watching the Ommyoji channel, I realized once again that spiritual power is the standard for the power of an Onmyoji.


    It seems that the absorption of mysterious creatures that raise my spiritual power was more important than I thought.


    Operation to capture the mysterious creatures.


    I must do it even more than before.


    The trump card is hair, which has been carefully grown since infancy. It is important, but if one''s spiritual power is fundamentally improved, cutting one''s hair every year will be enough to prate one''s spiritual power.


    I, who have trained to control spiritual power with my tentacles, can''t just gather spiritual power in each part of my body.


    After all, I think I should increase the total amount of spiritual power produced while I am a child.


    My hair is finally just starting to grow out, and for the most part it''s just soft hair.


    If I cut this hair, my mother would definitely notice.


    The scissors are out of my reach to begin with. I now hate my parents'' love of hiding dangerous things in high ces when their children be able to stand.


    The contradiction of how to get the food, ...... in spite of ...... own body, but not easy to get it, haunts me.


    When I returned to my bedroom, I looked down at the towel that served as my pillow and saw my loose hairs on it.


    I was told that a baby''s soft hair grows back and bes the same hair as an adult. I was told that even if I went bald, it would not be a problem.


    "Easy peasy, I got it."


    Unlike fingernails, you don''t have to cut your hair to get it.


    I''m reminded now of an all toomon physiological phenomenon.


    But that''s crazy.


    I slept all my life until I could walk, and if I had hair on my pillow, I would have seen it. But now that I remember, I haven''t seen my own hair loss in thest year or so.


    What if the mysterious creatures ate them without my knowledge?


    I don''t know the truth, but I can make a trap out of this.


    I quickly extended my tentacles out of the bedroom and ced a hair in the darkness to serve as bait.


    The hair was surrounded by a thin mesh of deformed tentacles that spread out thinly, so that when it approached the hair, I could sense its presence and instantly capture it.


    Not yet...


    Not showing...


    Hey, how many hours has it been?


    It must have been at least three hours.


    And yet, there is no sign of any prey.


    Could this be a failure?


    When I think of hair used in witchcraft, I think of the scene where the hair is cut in a sh at the moment of using the technique. That was a movie, so I don''t know how a real Onmyoji would use it.


    However, if you can collect hair and use powerful Onmyoji techniques, even the Onmyoji channel would say, "Keep the hair you lose.


    In other words, naturally shed hair cannot be used for onmyoujutsu, which means it is probably worthless.


    Then what should I do: ......


    "Reiroku, komete miyu."


    Let''s try to freshen it up.


    I think the difference between hair that has been cut and hair that has fallen out is whether or not spiritual power remains...


    Then I can put spiritual power into it again.


    "Sukkoku, nachimu."


    Perhaps because it was my former body, the spiritual power I poured into it permeated quickly.


    It was the first time for me to try pouring spiritual power into another object, but it was no different from the action of moving spiritual power outward, which I had be ustomed to through tentacle maniption.


    I poured a full amount of spiritual power into my hair and immediately ced it in the dark.


    "Here ites!"


    This time, I didn''t have to wait three minutes before my prey was on the hook.


    This familiar feeling was definitely that of a strange creature.


    I captured it with my tentacles and brought it right up to my eyes.


    "I can''t see it."


    The tentacles definitely feel like they are holding the mysterious creature, but my eyes don''t see anything.


    Moreover, the creature that is trying to escape seems to be slipping through the tentacles at this very moment. It''s a strange sensation, as if I have a hold on it, but I don''t. I throw it into my mouth before it can escape.


    "As usual, I am sorry."


    But this muzziness is habit-forming, I guess.


    Yes, even though I couldn''t see it, the mysterious creature still existed.


    I feel a surge of spiritual power as I instantly kill that thing that fell into my stomach with a wave of spiritual power.


    I see, after all, spiritual power is all-important.


    It is not the hair itself, but the spiritual power contained within it that is important.


    Thus, I took the next step toward bing a Onmyoji, and at the same time, I was reunited with the mysterious creature.

 Chapter 18: Tonobe family

    Chapter 18: Tonobe family


    "Take good care of Saint."


    "Oh, you got it."


    Today was my first time outside of the hospital and supermarket. It was also the first time I went out with my father.


    We headed for the house two doors down from ours, a somewhat dpidated house with the name "Tonobu" written on the namete.


    We were greeted by a man with a very stout build and dark face.


    Tonobe Debe Husk Momi


    He is the head of the Tonobe family, and apparently is good friends with my shitty father.


    Since they are neighbors and appear to be the same age, I guess they have known each other since childhood.


    We were led into the living room and subsequently introduced to his wife, Hiroko Tonobe. And sitting on herp is their daughter, Kana.


    There is a reason why the entire Tonobe family came out to greet us.


    "My wife will take care of him while Reika is away. While my wife is away, Reika takes care of her. It''s a win-win situation."


    "I thank you. When the timees, you can count on my family."


    "And you''ve put up a lot of effort, haven''t you? You must have started working on it right after Seibo was born."(T/N - Seibo or Saint boy)


    "You''re being a little rude."


    "Ha-ha, I see that too. No, but I don''t think there is a family around here that doesn''t want to have children. It''s time for my family to have another."


    "Hey, not in front of Mr. Kyobe, ......//"


    Well, that''s what happened.


    The due date is approaching and the mother has finally been admitted to the hospital.


    Her regr checkups show that she is growing healthy, and we know the sex is male.


    I''m going to have a little brother... I''m deeply moved.


    Well, I''m happy for her, but I''ll be in trouble if my mother is hospitalized.


    I am an adult on the inside, but my body is a child, and my body has not caught up with the experience of living on my own.


    My parents had made a decision to leave me in the care of my grandparents, who would never leave a baby like that.


    Usually, in cases like this, I would rely on the paternal grandparents, but since they never came to see the baby until it was one year old, I thought they might be dead. There is a Buddhist altar in the house.


    "Seibo, you can think of this ce as your home. I know you miss your mother, but if you are a man, don''t cry."


    "Taisoshobu."


    "Oh, you can take it well? That''s great!"


    Somehow, the asshole father is putting on an air of bravado.


    That''s because he''s an adult on the outside, so he can do this.


    "My wife told me that Saint is a good, unruly boy. She says she writes many things in this notebook about him. Hiroko-dono, I would appreciate it if you could read it."


    "...... hmmm....it says a lot about Saint..."


    Eh, what did the mother say about me?


    I would like to read some of it.


    Hiroko-san is a pleasant, cheerful-looking woman who is easy to get to know, even though we have never met before.


    She seems like any olddy you would find around.


    "Best regards."


    "Yes, don''t worry. I will take care of Saint-chan responsibly. Please be good to him, Kana-chan."


    "Yes."


    Kana, a girl my age sitting on Hiroko-san''sp, grumbles and groans.


    I guess that was her reaction to the fact that her parents don''t like her anymore because they only care about me.


    I''m sorry, I don''t mean to take away your parents, I''m just visiting for a week or so.


    "Pleased to meet you."


    "Yes."


    "Oh, oh, our princess seems to be in a bad mood. I''m sorry, Seibo. Please be good to her."


    Being neighbors, we are bound to have some kind of connection in the future.


    We are also children of the celebrated Onmyoji, and we can be friends even if we are not told.


    "Now then, excuse me, I have some work to do. Saint, be a good boy.


    "Yeah."


    You wanted me to say good-bye? Hmm?


    I''m not going to tell you. You''re going to have to redeem yourself a little more to get over the grudge that almost got me killed.


    This is how I came to be taken care of by the Tonobe family.


    Even in my previous life, I don''t think I was ever taken care of at someone else''s house except for school events.


    I will be mature so as not to cause any trouble.


    "Okay, then, Seibo, I''m going to carry your luggage to your room. You want me to carry that thing on your back with me?"


    "Nah, this one goes in my hands."


    "It''s a big bag, what''s in it?"


    Hiroko-san was also interested in the knapsack made by my mother.


    It was a heavy bag for a one-year-old child to carry, but I, who had been strengthening my body, could carry it with ease.


    I took the knapsack down and showed her the contents.


    "Tamako of Reiju."


    "Oh, so this is the spirit animal egg you were talking about! I heard from the Tsuyoshi-san that you have such a precious thing. What''s more, it even has a pattern on it!"


    "I''ve only heard rumors, but I''ve heard they''re extremely expensive."


    "The price is one thing, but the fact that the pattern is showing means that a very powerful spirit animal should be born. It''s a big size for this time of year, and I''m looking forward to seeing it in the future."


    Hoh, it seems that for Onmyoji, the eggs of spirit beasts are a gem that makes them excited.


    If it were not for the imprinting by spiritual power, they would be likely to be stolen.


    Perhaps because her parents are staring at the egg with interest, Kana is also showing interest in the egg.


    She leaned forward from Hiroko-san''sp and extended her hand to the egg.


    "Yes."


    "Kana-chan?!"


    Kana''s hand hit the egg hard.


    However, it was only a baby''s p. It was not very powerful.


    Even so, Hiroko-san was extremely flustered.


    "Oh, no cracks? ! What if it scratches?"


    "Hi, ugh, oh my gosh."


    Hiroko-san doesn''t seem to know the strength of the egg - that it won''t crack if you hit it with a hammer.


    They are ridiculously expensive eggs, and it''s no wonder she doesn''t know the details of a product she has no connection to. I knew that, and that''s why I didn''t let her avoid the eggs.


    It was Momi-san who calmed her panicked and sobbing daughter down.


    "Haha, it will not be hurt by that much. If a baby could defeat it, we Onmyoji wouldn''t have a hard time."


    "Yeah, that''s true too. I was surprised. Ah, Kana-chan, I''m sorry for yelling all of a sudden."


    Kana went straight to sleep, tired of crying, and I had to take a nap in the bedroom with her.


    I heard Momi-san leaving the house, as he seemed to have some work to do as well.


    Iy down on the futon, but still not sleepy at all.


    "I wonder if they''re here, too."


    I immediately started looking for mysterious creatures in other people''s house.


    I''m a baby, so I''m sure I won''t be scolded for exploring other people''s homes, but here I should probably do my own secret tentacle search for mysterious creatures by myself.


    I must be able to be a specialized Onmyoji by using this kind of opportunity.


    I put spiritual power into my loose hairs that I brought from home and set a trap in the darkness of the closet in the room.


    ---


    They didn''te.


    When they finally came, they didn''te again for a while.


    What is it? Are there not so many mysterious creatures in this house?


    I continued to capture the mysterious creatures for a while, but when I came to, I was asleep.


    I refined my fully recovered spiritual power, ate lunch, and went back to sleep...and so began a routine that has never changed.

 Chapter 19: Heroine Requirements

    Chapter 19: Heroine Requirements


    On the third day of my sleepover, I was finally epted by Kana.


    "Hiii! Kyaaaah!"


    "Wait, wait~"


    I walk leisurely and chase after Kana-chan.


    I don''t know what the fun is, but Kana is running like a toddler, yapping and giggling.


    I''m not sure when she''s going to fall, but Hiroko-san is nearby, so I think she''ll be fine.


    "Kana, you seem to enjoy having him y with you. It''s like you'' re brother and sister."


    Well, I''m an adult inside.


    I''m indebted to you, and this is the least I can do to repay you.


    "Kyaaaahhhh!"


    I don''t have to say it.


    "Ugh, ugh, ugh."


    "Taisho-butaisho-bu."


    "Thank you, Saint-chan. There, there, there, don''t cry."


    I have somehow be ustomed to the Tonobe family.


    Hiroko-san is kind, Momi-sanes home every night and is a good father, and Kana-chan is adorable.


    Kana is also lovely. It''s partly because I''m a baby with no responsibilities, but it''s not a bad ce to live.


    There is only one disappointment.


    "Childhood friends ...?"


    Speaking of childhood friends, they are the heroines in various works.


    In my previous life, I only had childhood friends of the same sex, so such a sweet and sour development did not happen, but in this life, I have Kana.


    I had a little hope that she would wake me up every morning with one of her childhood friends, a heroine move that only exists in creations.


    But there is just one problem I have with......1.


    ---Kana''s appearance is not my cup of tea.


    It may be the worst statement for a woman in the world to make.


    However, whether you are a man or a woman, looks are still important in the end.


    Good-looking men are popr and beautiful women are popr. Other than that, we have to rely on other factors.


    In a previous life I was married for a while. Although I had never even been in love.


    I was over 30 years old, I missed human skin, I was worried about a lonely future, and most of all, I was afraid of dying alone.


    However, with a face level worse than other people''s, I was never matched with a woman of my liking.


    Even when I did meet up with them asionally, I simply bought them lunch. My investment, which started with the registration fee, was all in vain.


    Perhaps all I had to do was lower the standards I demanded of my partner.


    However, they say that a beautiful woman gets bored in three days, and a child born to a beautiful woman will definitely inherit her genes.


    Is it wrong to hope that a cute child will meet a good-looking partner so that he or she will not have to go through the same hardships as I did in the future?


    No!


    There''s no way the heroine of this story called life can be ugly!


    So, I''m going for the pretty one, even though I remember my failure in my previous life!


    Besides, my body, which was given to me by my parents after my reincarnation, is rather well-formed.


    First of all, my mother is beautiful to begin with, so I''m above average because I inherited her genes. I hate to admit it, but my father is not bad looking either. He''s far from handsome, but he''s better than average.


    I was born as a result of the merging of their genes, and at a very young age, I already have a face with a promising future.


    Furthermore, in this life, I n to be a professional Onmyoji.


    If I have the rightbination of looks and ability, women wille to me.


    From my point of view, I wonder if Kana is not ......that.......


    I don''t mean to be rude, but I don''t think I would ever see her as the opposite sex.


    Hiroko-san is a very kind and nice mother, but yes, I can totally see what Kana would look like in the future.


    Yes, let''s get along as normal childhood friends.


    I don''t think we need to force ourselves to create childhood memories or anything like that.


    I made a lousy decision inwardly.


    ---


    "Oh, Seibo is already watching the Onmyouji channel? Is it interesting?"


    "Yeah, interesting."


    Dinner on the fourth day, we eat together with Momi-san, who came home early.


    Kana and I have gradually started eating the same food as the adults.


    After her first birthday, she eats rice-like food that is thinly seasoned and cut into small pieces. The end of the weaning process is approaching.


    However, I am still going through the steps. It is about 2/3 baby food and 1/3 rice.


    "Oh my, you spilled it. Here, let me wipe it up."


    "Seibo can eat well on his own, he watches the Onmyouji channel, he''s so well-behaved."


    Oh, when you put it like that.


    "Uh ...... yay!"


    "Hey, spoons are not for throwing. Sorry, Saint-chan, are you okay?"


    "Momi-san is bad."


    "Yeah, this guy''s bad."


    "Ugh, my bad. Come on,e on, princess, put yourself back in a good mood."


    Kana is listening to the adults very well.


    She is still immature, but in a little while she will be able tomunicate well.


    Usually boys are slower in development, but I am an exception.


    Please don''t say things likeparing them too much.


    "Momi-san, tell us about the things you do."


    "Whoa, okay. I''ve been working today, inspecting the spiritual barriers at the county government office. Inyman''s terms..."


    Momi-san, he''s a nice guy because he talks a lot about what I would like to hear.


    Momi-san himself is happy that kids are interested in his work, and he''s happy to talk about it here and there.


    "So, the fears of those in charge were unfounded. I knew my camp had been maintained without a scratch, and I just had to replenish my spiritual power and that was it."


    "Kiss, Tsukuno."


    "There is no way that low-grade Ykai will be able to get even a scratch on my formation. Even in the intermediate level, it will not be broken. But it''s not good if it''s higher level. Well, if such a big guy gets out of control, the local Onmyoji will be dispatched immediately..."


    Momi-san''s story is full of interesting information.


    I knew from the Onmyouji channel that there are sses of Ykai, but I didn''t know specifically how strong they are.


    The Tonobe family is said to have inherited the Onmyojutsu, the art of building defensive barriers, also known as warding.


    It has a long history and is said to be able to construct special camps that no other family can imitate.


    The fact that they aremissioned to work at the center of power, the prefectural government, shows their credibility.


    And I also learned about the work situation of Onmyoji.


    He said that it is not unusual for him to work as an overnight escort, like my shitty father. Momi-san also said that although he is able to make day trips now, he has to go on many business trips and is sad to leave Kana every time he does.


    After all, Ykai are generally active at night. If he doesn''t stay overnight, he can''t move at a moment''s notice.


    Momi-san is a valuable source of information, answering anything I want to ask.


    "Well, I still like boys. Daughters are cute, but boys who are interested in work like this have a different cuteness. Next time, I want a boy."


    "Oh, God, there you go again with that."


    "Kana would love to have a cute little brother, wouldn''t you?"


    "Yes."


    I''m sorry, Kana.


    Because I did something unnecessary again. But I can''t stop in front of the source of information.


    To be a good Onmyoji, I must gather information well in advance.


    It is only natural that adults understand the importance of gathering information.


    If you don''t know, you will miss out on benefits that are avable to you if you know.


    We can learn from this kind of data what is needed by professionals.


    "Thanks for the food. It was delicious."


    "Yes, thank you very much."


    "Oh, I''m so d to hear that!"


    "Yes~, great job Kana-chan, great job for being able to address people. It''s different when you have a role model to follow, isn''t it? I''m d Saint-chan came."


    It was like having a little sister and I was smitten too.


    After interacting with a real one-year-old, I realized that my acting was pretty crappy.


    I kept realizing that this is what kids my age are like.


    There is no such thing as a one year old who can remember difficult words as fast as I can. I was just barely able to fake being a fast-growing child.


    I was just barely able to start walking, and it was probably pretty bad.


    It was all the fault of the physical strengthening, and by extension, the irregrities. It''s not my fault.


    The stay, which was very exciting for me and the Tonobe family, was extended for one week longer than originally nned, and ended with my mother''s discharge from the hospital.


    ---


    A/N - I got my first rating! Thank you!

 Chapter 20: Y

    Chapter 20: Y


    "Wee back, mama."


    "I''m back, Saint. You''ve grown up again while I haven''t seen you."


    Mother came home.


    Hiroko-san took me with her and I waited in front of the house ahead of her.


    I really wanted to say "Wee home" to my mother.


    "The support from Saint made mom do her best. Thank you."


    While she was in the hospital, she called me every day.


    So I continued to send my poor words of support to her as she worked hard.


    I wanted to cheer her up, even if just a little.


    "Look, this is Saint''s little brother. My boy, he''s your big brother. Say, it''s nice to meet you."


    Oh ...... this is my little brother?


    He''s so small.............No, I''m small, too.


    What can I say......yeah, I should protect him.


    The birth of my new family member hit me in a way that I can''t even describe.


    It''s a warmth that''s indescribable, like a warm, mushy feeling deep in my chest.


    "I am d that both mother and child are safe. Saint-chan was a very good boy."


    "Thank you very much, Hiroko-san. Thanks to you, I was able to give birth with peace of mind."


    Hiroko-san left early because she was probably tired.


    Thank you so much for your help.


    "I''m home~"


    Entering our home for the first time in a long time, my mother heads to the bedroom with my brother.


    My brother was tucked in and the ce where I once slept was now his.


    Mother should have rested, but she pushed her tired body to do the housework. I want her to rest......but I resent this young body that will starve if I don''t have food prepared.


    And then, I guess he took advantage of the reminder of what happened to me, and the damn father came home during the night.


    "Performing the Rite of Awakening."


    Not again, not again, damn dad.


    Not ten times the amount, hey?


    Well, I''m here this time.


    If it looks bad, I''ll save him with my full spiritual power.


    I walked to the kitchen and sure enough, there it was.


    A lump of pitch-ck rice that had been called the "spirit of awakening" or something like that.


    I stroked around it with my tentacles and found that there were maggots, but no winged insects.


    I wonder if this would be okay for a baby.


    When I returned to the bedroom, I found the damn father dressed in Onmyoji''s formal attire.


    The mother, dressed infortable nursing clothes, is also waiting inside.


    "Saint, you wait in the living room."


    "..."


    I imitate Kana and move next to my mother.


    I can always support him from here.


    Two people who can''t see mysterious creatures are too anxious.


    I don''t know how we''ve made it this far.


    "It can''t be helped, stay there and be quiet. We will now perform the birth ceremony."


    The ceremonial venue set up that was also prepared at my time is already done.


    I think they are more careful in their workpared to my time. Maybe they were in a hurry then, so they had to rush.


    Then, as he did with me, he held a lighted incense-like object with a lighted tip in front of my brother''s eyes.


    Hm? The fucking father''s expression changed.


    His facial muscles didn''t move, but his mood seemed to change.


    "What''s wrong, my dear?"


    Without answering my mother''s question, the damn father waves the incense from side to side.


    But the younger brother shows no reaction. I would think he would react even if he didn''t want to if something so dazzling was put in front of him.


    "This child has no talent as an Onmyoji. The birth ceremony is canceled."


    Huh? What is that?


    You''ve prepared so much and now you want to cancel it?


    How can you tell from that incense that he has no talent?


    I am puzzled, and next to me, my mother is drooping her head.


    "I''m sorry, honey. I''m sorry, Yuya. It''s my fault......"


    "No, it''s not. Onmyoji''s talent is due to luck. Saint is a good example. It is not your fault."


    For some reason, the mother is drooping with an extremely sad expression on her face.


    My father is hugging her andforting her, but I wonder what is wrong with her.


    From the conversation, I would guess that the gift of Onmyoji is inherited.


    I guess mother did not know much about Onmyoji, i.e., she was amon person.


    So, the mother mes herself for my brother''sck of talent,......maybe something like this.


    When I visited the Tonobe family, Momi-san said that there is no Onmyoji family around here that doesn''t want to have children.


    This is also my guess, but something must have happened that caused the number of Onmyoji to decrease drastically. A powerful enemy attacked us.


    There are no rtives in my family. No grandparents either.


    So, as soon as I was born, they had another child. To increase the number of Onmyoji.


    Hmmm...for the survival of the family or something like that?


    I''ve heard about it, but I don''t really understand it as I didn''t have those values in my previous life.


    I can assure you that there is no way I would despise Yuya because of my mother and my shitty father.


    But this is a situation where I, as an older brother, should do my best to make my younger brother feel at ease.


    "Father, Mother."


    ""Saint?""(T/N - They both said it)


    "I''ll do my best."


    Maybe too fluent for a one year old.


    Well, it''s toote for that.


    Let''s make sure they are well aware that I''m a somewhat fast-growing child.


    "I''m going to be the first one to make a proper impression."


    As I dered with a sly grin, the mother shed even more tears.


    "Thank you, Saint. I''ll do my best, too. I can''t cry, I can''t."


    The mother, who cried as if she was shrieking, was full of more power than before.


    It was worth the risk.


    "Thank you, Saint. As a big brother, keep up the good work."


    I''ll do my best even if you don''t tell me.


    My brother is not gifted as an Onmyoji, apparently. That means he can''t resist mysterious creatures and Ykai. Then, I should protect him.


    I will be famous as a professional Onmyoji. And protect my family.


    It was both my original goal and a new determination.


    With a new determination, I was determined to push forward with increasing my spiritual power.

 Chapter 21: Park

    Chapter 21: Park


    Another month has passed since my little brother was born.


    The baby has grown so fast that he can sit up in just six months.


    He seems to recognize me as family, and the way he innocently grabs my nose is adorable.


    While we''re bonding as a family, I''m also growing.


    My spiritual power as well as my refining speed has increased. I have now gathered so much that I don''t mind wasting some of my precious spiritual elements.


    Still, I don''t know how much spiritual elements I will use for onmyojutsu. I am still refining as hard as I can so that I can increase my future cards as much as possible.


    Hmm, here we go again.


    I immediately captured the mysterious creature I detected with my tentacles.


    The creature was after my younger brother, Yuya.


    It tried to crawl up to the mouth of my sleeping brother, but it was caught by my webbed tentacles.


    I am not at all caught off guard or unprepared.


    It seems that my brother has no Onmyoji talent at all, so to speak, he has the same body as I did in my previous life.


    He can''t see mysterious creatures, he can''t manipte spiritual power, and spiritual power doesn''t exist in his body to begin with.


    Therefore, if the creature attacks him, he will be defeated.


    I can''t allow my brother to be taken over by the mysterious creature.


    I was protecting my brother with traps 24 hours a day.


    But then I am wondering what has been done so far when a child is born without the gift of Onmyoji.


    This house is obviously a hangout for mysterious creatures.


    No matter how hard we try, we can''t get rid of them, and before we know it, they are approaching the baby''s mouth.


    If the average person''s body cannot stand up to the mysterious creatures, they will take over in no time and will not survive till adulthood.


    Even I would have given up on this task if I couldn''t extend the tentacles'' range of motion from one end of the house to the other.


    Maybe adults who cannot recognize the mysterious creature think the child died suddenly.


    It seems to happen rather often in modern Japan, so maybe the mysterious creatures are the cause.


    "Yuya just went to bed, let''s go for a little walk together."


    From time to time, the mother would make these suggestions.


    ording to a child-rearing magazine in the living room, "The birth of a younger brother makes the older brother lonely because he is no longer left alone with you. So, let''s give him some time alone with you, even if it''s just for a short time, and give him some love and affection."


    Don''t worry, I feel more than enough affection.


    Rather, if I leave Yuya too much now, I will not be able to protect him.


    "When Yuya wakes up, let''s go together."


    "You are a good brother who loves his little brother. It''s okay to be selfish once in a while."


    The mother hugs me from behind saying so.


    Herrge breasts are touching the back of my head, but I do not feel any erotic feelings at all; I am simply enveloped in a sense of security.


    Silence fills the room, and only the sound of Mother''s heartbeat can be heard.


    This kind of peaceful time is only avable now. You will never experience it again when you grow up.


    Perhaps the normies are still enjoying it when they grow up? No, no, no. Even the normies can''t escape from their work, their challenges, their worries, and so on.


    The time we have now, when we arepletely free from such ties, is irreceable.


    I wish this time couldst forever.


    "Well then, let''s take a walk when Yuya wakes up. Until then, your mother will be cleaning up."


    The warmth of my mother is leaving me.


    It''s a pity, but I know very well that this kind of time won''tst forever.


    I must do my best to achieve a better future, even if only a little, by the time I am on my own.


    "What should I do?"


    Truth be told, I was stuck on spiritual refining.


    It took me several months to find Dai-ichi Roku refinement, but I still had some semnce of a response in the process of searching for it.


    However, there was no response at all for Daijirushi shichi refinement.


    I have been trying to find the Dai Riku refinement spiritual element, but everything is spinning out of control. There was no clear vision for the next step.


    "In the first ce, if you don''t practice onmyoujutsu, you won''t know how wonderful it is."


    I have been watching the Onmyouji channel for about half a year now and have acquired some basic knowledge.


    However, I have not learned anything about onmyoujutsu, which is my main mission.


    That''s right, because every family keeps their onmyoujutsu a secret.


    Even on the Onmyouji channel, all that was taught was the knowledge that everyone knew. This included the birth ceremony and the spirit of awakening.


    However, the fact that the spirit of awakening is not ck, the wording of the celebration is different, and there are many other differences makes me think that each house has its own twist on it.


    In the end, all of this is a half-baked knowledge.


    Recently, I have been refining the Daiji Riku all the time I am awake, and I have umted enough for one tentacle. I would like to find out how powerful it will be in the onmyoujutsu that has been handed down in my family, and whether the refining itself is meaningful in the first ce.


    Well, the spiritual element of the first refinement protected me from irregrities, so I guess it is not meaningless.


    "Ah."


    "Are you ready? Let''s go for a walk with your brother."


    Time passed quickly as I was refining and my brother woke up.


    If I pat him on the head, he gives me a cute smile that almost has a "nip" sound effect.


    He knows I am his big brother.


    "Uh-oh!"


    When I held his finger as he tried to grab it, he was so happy and innocent.


    He is so cute.


    When I see my little brother in front of me, the only adjective thates to mind is "adorable.


    "Yuya''s awake, isn''t he? Well then, let''s take a walk to the park."


    Going outside with the mother.


    There is a park at a good distance for a one-year-old to take a walk.


    Yuya is on the road in a stroller.


    This stroller was bought after Yuya was born, and I have never used it.


    I realized after Yuya was born that I had not been out of the house as far as I was concerned from birth to this age.


    Normally, one would take a baby outside to show him the outside scenery, to stimte him, and to promote his physical growth. In fact, Yuya often goes for a walk. I, on the other hand, stayed indoors until I turned one and they brought me outside only for regr checkups or when it was impossible to leave without me.


    They even bought their groceries at the supermarket''s online store and had them delivered to me.


    I wonder if there is a reason for this thoroughness.


    Ordinary people and Onmyoji.


    I have experienced both, and all I know is that either they have spiritual power or they don''t.


    I wonder how such a difference can arise, even though they are supposed to be exactly the same in terms of living beings.


    "Come on, Saint, you can go y."


    "Yeah."


    There were quite a few first-timers at the park we came to.


    It was Sunday.


    Many parents probably take their children out for the weekend.


    The mother was quite sociable and quickly formed a group of good friends.


    The wives in the group are kind of elegant, and many of them have gentle personalities just like our mother.


    Among them, our mother is the most beautiful. I feel like I''ve won.


    Well, I''m going to y, too.


    I sit down in the corner of the sandbox, which has been my regr ce since I starteding here, and y with the sand---I make it look like I''m ying with sand, but in fact, I concentrate all my attention on refining my spiritual power.


    Since there are no strange creatures outside, there is no need to guard Yuya.


    Now that all my capabilities are free, I just continue to refine the first to the second refinement, and at the same time, I repeat the trial for the discovery of the Dai Riku refinement.


    In the mysterious space within the body, spiritual power can move as it wishes.


    Moreover, as I grow older, this ability is improving.


    I noticed that the amount of spiritual power I can refine per day has increased since I was just one year old.


    The number of spiritual elements increases, the number of heavy spiritual elements increases, and the limited number of spiritual elements beyond that also increases day by day.


    When I find the first Dai Riku refining, I will put the spiritual elements that have increased to a certain extent into it.


    "Saint, you are ying in the sand today. I wonder if you like to y by yourself."


    "You''re still so little, aren''t you afraid of the older kids?"


    "I''ll tell my boys to take care of him. My oldest son is used to dealing with younger people. I''m sure he''ll have more fun ying with everyone."


    As I was immersed in refining, I heard such a conversation.


    Am I being worrisome?


    As an adult inside, I''m doing this because I''m bored ying on the yground equipment and it''s hard to act like a little kid.


    Objectively speaking, doesn''t it make you worried that your child won''t make friends anytime soon?


    "Thank you all for your concern. I am also very pleased with Yukari''s suggestion. However, Saint is a bright boy, and I am sure that he thinks in his own way and does what he likes. We''ll see how things go a little more, and maybe we''ll ask him to do it then."


    Mother, you''re refusing, but you''re so worried about me.


    It''s my fault. But I can''t help it.


    I can''t even converse with kids my own age.


    Like Kana, I have to deal with them, who seem to like to put disparate words together as they please. That''s not y, that''s the job of a childcare worker.


    Why should I have to take care of other people''s children if I don''t like them? If you are going to make connections, at least after kindergarten, when you will still be remembered as an adult, is preferable.


    Then, I think this kind of time should also be used for training to be a well-known person.


    I should make friends with.......


    I don''t go to the park much after this because my mother worries about me.


    It''s not a fundamental solution, but it''s good enough for now. When I get a little older, I''ll do my best towork with people in the future.


    "Ahhhh."


    "Yuya, make lots of friends."


    I watched my younger brother grow up, working steadily toward the future.

 Chapter 22: Untalented child

    Chapter 22: Untalented child


    "Yuya is ......?"


    "He was doing well every day."


    "I see," he muttered, his tense expression loosening.


    When he returned home from work, he checked on his son''s safety before saying "I''m home."


    It was as if he was worried that something might have happened to his son.


    "Saint is by Yuya''s side all day long and takes good care of him. He even misses him more than me."


    "...... I see."


    He takes off his suit and changes into his room clothes with the help of his wife.


    He wonders inwardly what his children think of him for not being home all the time, and whether they have forgotten his face.


    "You''re off tomorrow, right? Please y with the children."


    "It''s difficult. We need to replenish our talismans and buy all the supplies for the summoning ritual. And we have to give the ceremonial deity the spiritual power for the reward."


    "This is the only time you can make memories with your children. Why can''t you just do it?"


    Passing on spiritual power significantly drains one''s strength.


    Since he has used a particrlyrge number of Shikigami in this job, he will not have enough time to y with the children.


    The Kyobe family is now in a critical situation.


    If they do not push themselves a little harder, they will not be able to protect their precious family.


    Tsuyoshi did not reply to Reika and headed for the bedroom.


    Gently opening the sliding door, he finds children sleeping peacefully.


    "......Really, you survived for six months."


    "Yes, and I check the talismans every day, and there isn''t a single scorch mark on them."


    Yuya, the son who did not inherit the Onmyoji talent.


    It was a wager whether this child would live for six months in the Kyobe family.


    "Honey, is Yuya really in danger in this house? I don''t mean to doubt you, but I don''t really feel it."


    "......I am told I had two older brothers, both of whom died suddenly within a few months of each other. There are many simr examples in the records. For those without the gift of Onmyoji, thisnd is tantamount to a curse. Even with a talisman, it would be a miracle if you could survive for a year."


    As Saint predicted, ordinary people cannot survive in a Onmyoji family.


    Of course, there are many children born in the Kyobe family who did not inherit the Onmyoji talent, and there are some who were able to properly grow up to adulthood. However, they are few and far between, and in many cases they were adopted out of this family.


    It is the same in other families. It is an inevitable fate.


    "Leaving this house is......"


    "No, no. Saint must be raised on thisnd......spiritual vein. The tradition of the Kyobe family is absolute."


    Since the cause of the problem is known, it is normal to think, "Just abandon the house".


    However, this is not possible, which is why the heads of the family have been suffering from this problem for generations.


    ["A child raised in and in contact with a spiritual vein will have high spiritual power."](T/N - This isnt something a father is saying, this is something like a saying or a quote in Kyobe family)


    It is not the spirit vein itself, but the direct cause of the mysterious creature, as Saint calls it, that has not yet been revealed.


    Even though the adults cannot see the mysterious creatures, they know this by rule of experience. Therefore, there is a tradition in the Kyobe family to "keep them inside the house as much as possible until they are over one year old".


    And in order for the Kyobe family to maintain their position as Onmyoji, they cannot afford to give up this advantage.


    Reika knows this very well. She also knew that it would be better to remain on thisnd for the sake of her family and the Saint, and that it would be better to give Yuya up for adoption.


    Still, she could not let go of her newborn, adorable child.


    As a civilian, she could not separate the two for the sake of her family.


    Seeing his wife struggling between reason and instinct, Tsuyoshi dropped the idea of giving Yuya up for adoption.


    He then purchased an expensive amulet, produced through a sacred ritual, and used it as Yuya''s protection.


    The effectiveness of this amulet is somewhat reliable, and it is famous for being used by the big three families in the Onmyoji world.


    "If he survived this long, there is no need to put him up for adoption anymore. Under normal circumstances, there was a good chance he would burn out his protective talisman in six months or so and die; you can''t give two blessings to one child."


    The sacred amulet, a divine blessing, cannot be used consecutively.


    Therefore, even among the three families, children without the talent of Onmyoji are usually put up for adoption.


    It is too painful to watch your own child die.


    Then the current situation is strange.


    The current situation where the protective talisman is not stained at all and Yuya is in good health is too abnormal.


    "Maybe this boy is really protecting him."


    Reika says while patting the head of the sleeping Saint.


    That possibility was impossible, Strong''s reason assured him, but it never left his mouth.


    This is because he could not forget the strong will he felt from Saint when he performed the birth ceremony for Yuya.


    There are still many things in the art of onmyoujutsu that have yet to be elucidated. Even the summoning technique, in which the Kyobe family specializes, has not yet been rified in detail.


    If so, it cannot be dismissed that the strong will of a young child can perform miracles.


    "Maybe, maybe not."


    "Of course it has to be so. Saint is an excellent child, and I''m sure he''ll make a fine Onmyoji."


    You might call me a parental idiot, but I am already seeing glimpses of this.


    Perhaps he will really make the Kyobe family prosperous.


    Looking at his eldest son sleeping peacefully, Tsuyoshi''s cheeks unconsciously rxes.

 Chapter 23: Tenkyo-jin

    Chapter 23: Tenkyo-jin


    I turned 2 years old.


    A child''s body grows very fast.


    I can now run, and I can move my tongue to its fullest.


    With the addition of physical strengthening, I am able to do almost anything.


    Even now, I am putting on clothes that I took out of the wardrobe in my bedroom.


    "Are you able to change by yourself now? I didn''t teach that to you."


    As expected, it was difficult at the age of one due to problems with the range of motion of my arms, but now that I am two, I am able to change my clothes.


    I am now able to go to the bathroom by myself, and I am finally free from the caregiving situation.


    I gave up my sense of shame a long time ago, but being taken care of by others is something that makes me feel...sorry about it.


    "I want to do things on my own."


    "You can spoil your mother a little longer."


    The mother seems really disappointed.


    But I know, I know, that between the ages of one and a half and three is called the early toddler years, the time when autonomy is nurtured. It was in the mother''s parenting book.


    From this time on, children start to say, "I''ll do it myself! I''ll do it myself!", It''s no surprise that I started doing things on my own.


    "Mama."


    "Yuya is growing up so fast, imitating his older brother, and I''m a little sad about that."


    Indeed, at one year old, Yuya began to imitate me.


    He tries to walk by imitating me, he tries to change his clothes, he tries to eat by himself, and he even wants to go to the bathroom by himself.


    But he can''t do any of these things well, so he only bothers his mother more than usual.


    Even so, I can see a great deal of growth in Yuya as he walks unsteadily toward mother.


    "That''s cute."


    "Saint is cute too. Come on, let''s go out when you''re done getting dressed."


    Today was my first outing in a while.


    I rarely go to the park, and recently I''ve been staying at home, not even going shopping.


    To put it simply, I am a hermit.


    There are several reasons, but the biggest reason is that there are no mysterious creatures outside. It takes time to trap and capture them, so I can use my time more effectively if I stay at home.


    Normally, I would tell them to go outside and y, but for some reason, the mother does not say that.


    Is it the Onmyoji''s educational policy, or does she value the diversity of her children?


    I wonder if she understands the indoor life, because Onmyoji world is a shady ce to be.


    Either way, it was convenient for me.


    The purpose of my first outing in a while was to go on a little outing and have a pic.


    I heard that it is a ce rich in nature, a hidden spot in the true sense of the word, where only people rted to Onmyoji are allowed to enter.


    "Okay, we''re all here. Let''s go."


    This time, unusually, my asshole of a father is with us. It''s a family outing.


    It was the first time in my life that I had ever gone out with my father, who is always away from home or sleeping even on holidays.


    I had only ever seen him in kimonos or suits, but he was dressed more normally than I had expected. Or rather, he was in uniform.


    Since we do not have a car at home, we use public transportation such as buses and trains to get around.


    Yuya, who can''t walk well yet, is in a stroller, and I am struggling to move my short legs to keep up with them.


    My father, who is holding my hand, looks somewhat happy.


    I can remember how hard it was for me when I was a corporate employee. I have some sympathy for him, as he is so busy that he can''t provide much family service at all.


    However, I wish he would spoil my mother more. She seems like a newlywed, so he should take better care of his wife than his son.


    After about an hour of travel, we reached our destination.


    "So this is Amahashi Lakeside Park. It is a very beautiful ce."


    "It''s not safe by theke. Let''s spread the sheet around here."


    The park is surrounded by fences, and "No Entry Except by Authorized Persons" signs can be seen everywhere.


    It is surrounded by deep trees, probably because it is located in the mountains, and no one seems to be able to enter except on the well-maintained paths.


    As we followed the road, the view suddenly opened up and we saw argeke shining in the sunlight. Theke was surrounded by a beautifulwn.


    There were many pickers around thewn just like us, and it was more crowded than I had expected.


    It is said that only people rted to Onmyoji are allowed toe here, but there are quite a lot of people.


    "Saint, if you want to go y, please say a word to your mother."


    "Yeah."


    I nodded obediently, but I wasn''t nning to move from here without telling her.


    A group of children were ying, and the mother probably thought I would join them.


    Of course, as an adult, there was no way I was going to join them.


    "It''s twelve o''clock, so let''s have a quick lunch."


    At the mother''s urging, we gathered around the bento box.


    The bento was very tasty and the setting was perfect.


    Both the sandwich and the meatballs were very tasty.


    Now that I''mfortable, my gaze is drawn to the center of the park.


    Theke, the park''s most famousndmark, has been on my mind since a while ago.


    "It''s so... adult-like to be able to enjoy the view when you''re in, Saint..."


    "Yuya is a grass tosser. It seems that even in the best of environments, personalities do emerge."


    My parents seem to enjoy watching us, but I wonder if the two of them are bothered by it.


    Thatke looks strangely too sparkling to be reflecting sunlight.


    It''s as if theke itself is glowing.


    "If...... Saint, can you see?"


    Maybe it''s because I''ve been looking at theke the whole time, the damn father asks that question.


    "It''s so sparkly. What is that?"


    "...... That is the light of Tenkyo-jin ...."


    A celestial being?


    Tenkyo-jin ...... Ah, Tenkyo-jin!


    That onmyoujutsu, that''s the one I learned on the Onmyouji channel!


    "It''s arge scale onmyoujutsu formation used in ceremonies to guide the souls of those who have failed to attain Buddhahood back to heaven."


    "......That''s right. Where did you learn that?"


    "Because, as you instructed, Saint is watching the Onmyouji channel earnestly. You remembered it correctly, great job, Saint."


    Mother pats me on the head.


    It is a funny thing to think about my age, but I am honestly happy when she praises me like this.


    It seems that my already high motivation to be a Onmyoji is going to increase even more.


    The Tenkyo-jin is exactly what I just answered.


    To the average person, this is an ultic story that raises eyebrows, but it seems that "souls" do exist. It is apparentlymon knowledge in Onmyoji circles that dead people ascend to the Heavens and are reincarnated in the cycle of life.


    However, there are exceptions to every rule, and some souls cannot ascend to Heaven and remain on Earth. That in itself is not a big problem. A mere soul does not have the power to harm others.


    However, the story changes when impurities gather in such souls.


    Souls easily gather impurities, and if they do, they be Ykai.


    Onmyoji cannot stand the increase in the number of Ykai, the arch-enemies of Onmyoji. This formation was built to prevent it.


    The Tenkyo-jin have the effect of attracting souls that have been lost, and the Onmyoji will raise them to heaven.


    Each area has its own Tenkyo-jin, and the Onmyoji take it in turns to perform periodic exorcisms in order to suppress the urrence of Ykai.


    One might think that exorcism is the domain of monks and the like, but it seems that this is not the case anymore.


    In today''s increasingly diverse world, the work of Onmyoji seems to be diverse.


    It can be said that they had no choice but to do so in order to gain...... profit. How can I put it, this is a very difficult world to live in.


    "This is the Tenkyo-jin......this? That means we''re not here for a pic today, but for an exorcism."


    "It is also a pic. but then we perform a ritual."


    It means that themunity rotation hase to the Kyobe family.


    It may be a tedious job for the father, but for my part, I am d to have this opportunity.


    After all, I would finally be able to witness the ritual.


    "Dad, can I watch you?"


    "...... Ahh."


    What''s the pause?


    Oh well. I''m curious about the use of spiritual power and so much more. Let''s have a good look.


    Mother and Yuya stay where they are, and the damn father takes me with him to theke.


    "Have you finished watching the Onmyouji channel yet?"


    "Yeah. I''m still watching it, though, because it''s updated weekly."


    "I see."


    So hurry up and teach me the secret of our family''s onmyoujutsu.


    I replied with such expectations, but the father''s reply was curt.


    I thought to myself, "As expected, he wouldn''t teach the art of Onmyoji to a 2 year old boy".


    As we moved to the edge of theke, we noticed a small boat floating by.


    The damn father lifts me up and we get in the boat and we move to the center of theke.

 Chapter 24: Tenkyo-jin

    Chapter 24: Tenkyo-jin


    The fucking father lifts me up, we get in the boat and we move to the center of theke.


    "Something''s glowing. Is that the Tenkyo-jin?"


    "That is the center of the Tenkyo-jin. The Tenkyo-jin itself is built over the entireke. At each apex of the pentagram, there is salt for purification and a talismann for filling, which is activated by pouring spiritual power into the central talisman.


    My shitty father who bes instantly talkative when ites to Onmyoji.


    He has a simr personality to me in my previous life. How could he marry my mother with this kind of personality?


    "Don''t you have to go put down the purifying salt?"


    "I had it ready yesterday. All that''s left is to finish it up."


    I would like to know from the preparation stage if possible.


    I''m excited by the scale of the project, like building a formation around the entireke.


    I wonder if one day I will be able to build such a huge formation.


    The next thing I knew, the boat with us on board was plunging into the light, and we were surrounded by the light rising from the bottom of the water.


    I looked around restlessly at the fantastic sight.


    My father, who was sitting across from me, stood up. He seemed stable even though he was on a boat. I wonder if he might be a thin macho man.


    "I have hidden the central talisman so that it cannot be destroyed by outsiders or insolent people. --I am one of the Onmyoji who protect thisnd and build a bridge to the spirits who remain in this world."


    Chanting like an incantation, the fucking father suddenly started shubba-ba-ba-ba-ba-baing his hands.


    That''s a seal! He''s making a seal!


    Wow, is that a seal? I guess a veteran of the Onmyoji job has a better grasp of the craft.


    Although the term "in" is best known from the very popr ninja manga, in reality it is a means of mental unification that originated in Shingon esoteric Buddhism. It was intended to increase concentration and prepare for battle.(T/N - I am not 100% sure this sentence is correctly tranted)


    Its effectiveness has been proven in the modern Kraepelin test, and it is said to put the mind in a state of concentration while the body remains calm.*


    So far is the intro section of the Onmyoji Channel.


    Beyond this point, there was a typical exnation of the Onmyoujis.


    It is natural that they have the same effect as ordinary people, but in the case of Onmyoji, it is said that they work to change the flow of spiritual power.


    Spiritual power circtes in the body like blood, and moving it around has various effects.


    For example, by creating a specific kind of spiritual power, as my fucking father is doing right now, he can release a seal. It is used like a key.


    What the hell is spiritual power, now that you mention it? It''s too useful.


    The seals demonstrated on the Onmyoji channel were only a few simple ones that even a child could do, and they were deliberately chosen so as not to generate any effect.


    So I only knew of three seals, and they didn''t change the movement of spiritual power in the slightest.


    It is very interesting to see how the father changes his hands one after another.


    As I stare at him, he suddenly stops moving his hands.


    Then, a talisman suddenly appears in the empty space in front of him.


    "It''s unlocked."


    "Wow!"


    What is this, a magic trick? No, it''s onmyojutsu!


    I''ve only seen it on the screen all my life, but now I''m finally witnessing it!


    What the hell just happened? Did the flow of my father''s spiritual power change?


    Damn, it''s too bad I can''t visualize spiritual power other than my own.


    "Is this amazing?"


    "Amazing!"


    Because magical phenomena that only existed in fantasy are now happening in reality. How could I not be excited?


    And the fact that I will eventually be able to do the same thing makes my heart swell with anticipation.


    "I see......."


    The asshole father looks happy to be able to look cool in front of his son. After a few moments of my sparkling gaze, he takes the talisman floating in front of him and starts to meditate.


    "What are you doing?"


    "......"


    There is no reply.


    It''s not that he is ignoring me, it''s that he is so focused that he can''t seem to hear me.


    I remembered what I had learned on the Onmyoji Channel, that they seemed to be putting spiritual power into the talismans.


    ording to the exnation I heardter, the talismans with intricate patterns on them had the function of supplying energy to the formation, and the formation was activated through talismans.


    Then, after a good half hour, the entireke begins to glow, and the damn father''s eyelids slowly rise.


    "Send down from Heaven a helping hand to the souls bound to the earth. Show us a new path to the wretched children who are trapped in filth. Now, with my spiritual power as my sustenance, let meunch the Tenkyo-jin."


    With these words, as if dering to someone, the Tenkyo-jin shines brightly and strongly.


    Then, as if being sucked into a ck hole, the specters around theke were drawn into the water.


    Like mysterious creatures, their outlines became dim and they ascended to the Heavens, trailing a tail of particles.


    The bands of light converged at the center of theke, forming a pir of light.


    What a fantastic sight!


    Soon all the people disappeared into the sky and so did the pir of light.


    At the same time, talisman that the damn father was holding also disappeared without warning, just as it had appeared.


    "Phew ...... this is the end of my work. Let''s head back."


    I was so taken by the fantastic sight that I couldn''t get over the aftermath until we reached the shore.


    When my asshole father pulled me by the hand back to the pic seat, my mother greeted me.


    "Thank you for your hard work. Have a cup of tea and take a break."


    The shithead father has been walking back here with a steady gait, but if you look closely, he looks quite fatigued. Even though he already looks old, his cheeks are hollowed out and he has gone from looking like a man of the cloth to that of a hobo.


    It seems that the Tenkyo-jin consumes more spiritual power than I had imagined.


    I guess it is necessary to increase the maximum spiritual power by absorbing mysterious creatures.


    "How was it to see your father''s work up close, Saint? Wasn''t he cool?"


    The mother''s face was very proud as she asked me this.


    I see, this couple, whose face deviation is out of proportion to each other, must have earned their good impression in this way.


    If I be a professional Onmyoji, I might naturally be popr.


    "Normally, father would do the work of three people all by himself."


    One person doing three people''s work?


    That must be exhausting.


    He is an enviable man sleeping on my mother''sp, but that''s how much work he had to do.


    I guessed that a good night''s sleep had restored his spiritual energy, and he was drinking his tea with a better face than before.


    I asked him what I had wanted to ask him for a long time.


    "Were all those people around you really ghosts?"


    The people I thought were rted to Onmyoji were ascended to heaven by the Tenkyo-jin. In other words, they were human souls, not people.


    In a previous life, it would have been a frightening experience to experience ghostly phenomena. However, strangely enough, I was not very shaken, and I felt more like being content with the situation.


    ording to my asshole father, people who have the gift of Onmyoji have the ability to see souls and ghosts. This is what ismonly referred to as spiritual sense.


    Powerful Ykai and beings with a strong connection to this world can be seen by ordinary people, but not the weaker ones, only Onmyoji can see them.


    There are ways around this, such as photographing through a lens or being on a spiritual vein.


    "This ce is on a spiritual vein. Even Reika can see it if she wears sses. It would have been natural for Saint to be able to see it......."


    "The fact that you can see things so clearly at your age means that you are naturally gifted! It means that Saint is very great."


    Then my mother hugs me.


    She is more pleased than I am that I have the gift of Onmyoji.


    Well, it''s no surprise ...... that I saw ghosts, so I didn''t instinctively feel scared......


    "Hey, tell me more."


    How does spiritual power move from talisman to formation, how does spiritual power work, what happens to spirits who ascend to Heaven, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.


    I asked a lot of questions but was told "I''m tired, maybe next time"......


    Such an awesome jobing on a rotating basis, I knew the world of Onmyoji was interesting!


    I want to learn more about onmyojutsu and see more of our family''s summoning techniques than I ever have before.


    Today''s visit to a workce has aroused my Onmyoji fever even more.


    ---


    A/N - Thanks to your support, this work was able to be included in the Rofan daily ranking.


    Thank you so much!


    I will continue to write the rest of the story with this joy.

 Chapter 25:

    Chapter 25:


    "Have the kids gone to bed?"


    "Yes, they are sound asleep. I think they''re tired from all the excitement."


    That evening after the pic and work at the Tenhyo-jin, the couple was rxing in the living room.


    The husband was reading the news on his tablet when the wife came back from the bedroom and leaned against him.


    Herrge breasts, which would make any man look twice, were pressed against the husband''s arm, and the serious expression on the wife''s face became even more intense.


    "What were you looking at?"


    "Nn...... I heard that there was a Yokai with a Threat Level of just Under 5 in the Tohoku area."


    Tsuyoshi suppressed his sexual desire and calmly handed the tablet to his wife.


    Reika received the tablet and her eyes widened when she heard the indecator of Under 5.


    "There must have been a great deal of damage."


    "No. If you read till the end, you''ll see that the Shiosa family seems to have exterminated them."


    And that in just 30 minutes.


    The fact that only one family was able to quickly resolve a disaster-ss outbreak of Yokai is astonishing.


    "Oh my God, ......, if I remember correctly, the Under 5 Level Ykai were the ones that were dealt with by all the Onmyou in the region, weren''t they?"


    "Oh, you sure do know it well."


    "I learned it from the Saint and Onmyoji channel."


    This indicator of the Threat Level of a Yokai represents an intensity simr to that of an earthquake.


    1: Harmless. They look like a mere shadow.


    2: A small fry that can only y tricks on people.


    3: A Ykai with some power to create a Poltergeist. Onmyoji can deal with them alone.


    4: A Ykai that can cause damage on a regional scale. It is best if several houses cooperate to safely exterminate them. In some cases, national authorities will deal with the problem.


    Lower 5: The mere presence of a Yokai is enough to make people in the vicinity feel unwell. This is a disaster ss Yokai that requires the mobilization of all houses in themunity to deal with. State agencies will intervene.


    Upper 5: When a Yokai appears, there are deaths. Only Onmyoji with high spiritual power can confront it. Endure until the National Onmyoji Forces arrive.


    Lower 6: Aplete disaster. Human lives are threatened in a wide area. Onmyoji in the vicinity will be obliged to deal with the situation. Any more than this and you will have to engage in a nation-wide battle.


    Upper 6: An ordinary Onmyoji cannot evene close to it. A monster of historical significance. Cooperation will be requested from other countries.


    7: An enemy of mankind. An existence that must be dealt with beyond the borders of a nation.


    This indicator was created because Ykai take a thousand different forms and each has a different level of strength.


    The Under 5 Level Ykai that appeared in Tohoku are in a very strong category.


    They are powerful Ykai that may or may not appear once every few years.


    "There are some very strong Onmyoji."


    "The Shiosa family is special. They are famous for being the most powerful Onmyoji family in Japan."


    And the cost of that strength is also well-known.


    "But even Saint is not losing. He studies every day watching Onmyoji Channel, and he overcame the Awakening Spirit."


    "I agree. At least he has more qualities than I do."


    When Saint said he could see the spirits clearly, Tsuyoshi was surprised.


    He could only see a thinly veiled human figure, but its outline was blurred. His first encounter with an obviously non-human entity, he had expected to be asked the question, "What is that?" when he arrived at Amahashi Lakeside Park.


    But when he didn''t ask him that question, and instead he asked him, "Were all the people around you ghosts?" He was wondering if that was the case. By that, he meant that Saint could see them as clearly as he could see human beings. This is proof that, as an Onmyoji, he has superior sensory perception, which is the second most important aspect of spirituality.


    He could clearly see the light of the Tenkyo-jin, andpared to when he was a child, he was much more gifted.


    "By the way, Saint asked you a question, and I am curious about the answer. When you teach Saint, I hope you will teach me too."


    He wanted to nod in a cool way at the request of his wife, who appreciated his work, but to his chagrin, he could only nod vaguely.


    This is because he does not really understand the flow of spiritual power.


    He understood the meaning of the words written on the talismans, but he could not remember how they supplied spiritual power to the formation without looking at the instruction manual that had been handed down in the family.


    Tsuyoshi''s ability to vaguely see the spirit is superior to other Onmyoji in terms of sensory perception. He was able to grasp most of what he had learned through his senses, and if he could use the tools, he could do the work.


    Above all, the summoning technique, which is the pride of the Kyobe family, is not at all logical.


    It has been handed down as a sensory thing since the time of the first ancestors, and the family has been using the inherited summoning technique with great care.


    Since the transmission of techniques is direct practical instruction, there is no problem even if the people do not particrly understand the logic of the techniques.


    The truth is that at the time he put off answering the question with the excuse that he was tired, but in reality he was just dodging the question because he couldn''t exin it.


    "......I really need to relearn some things too."


    "Will you begin teaching Saint?"


    The wife asked a slightly off-kilter question to her husband''s wordy monologue.


    Reika knows that her son is interested in Onmyoji, so she asked the question in the hope that he would start teaching him.


    "...... Yeah, I''d have no problem teaching him the basics at ....... Or no, that one would be dangerous. If it''s a talisman, if we make a practice one, it''s like ...... there was an instructional book for teaching......."


    "Uh-huh."


    Reika''s heart warmed when she saw her husband pondering over their son''s education n.


    Recalling the first time she met Tsuyoshi that day, when he treated her with a cold attitude, his serious consideration for the child born between them seems like a miracle.


    "What is it?"


    "No, nothing. I''ll help you too, and we''ll work on it together."


    "Ah. Sorry for the hassle."


    "Please don''t say that. As I said at the time, I would do anything to make you smile. Don''t hesitate to ask me to spoil you."


    This line gives us a good idea of which one of them made the attack before the marriage.


    Surprisingly for Saint, it was Reika''s fierce attack that broke his father''s fortitude.


    "I feel shameful as a man, so please don''t go any further."


    "That kind of thinking is outdated in this genderless age."


    A smallugh echoed through the living room.


    The two quietly cuddle together and spend a fleeting moment as husband and wife.

 Chapter 26: Results of the MC

    Chapter 26: Results of the MC


    The seasons have changed again since that day when we went out for a pic, and summer has arrived with the sun shining brightly.


    While my younger brother is growing up rapidly, I am still absorbing mysterious creatures and refining my spiritual power.


    I have not been able to find a method ofcquer refining, and I cannot deny the feeling of stagnation.


    Then one day, a big change came.


    "Today I will start teaching the art of Onmyo."


    It was announced abruptly at the morning table.


    I was eating a sandwich and it took me only a few moments to understand the meaning of the words.


    I swallowed the bread I was chewing and was finally able to respond when I saw the serious eyes of my asshole father staring straight at me.


    "You''re going to teach me?!"


    "...... Oh, we''ll start with the easy ones. Once you''ve mastered all of them, you will eventually inherit the summoning line of the Kyobe family."


    At longst, at longst, I get to learn the onmyojutsu of the Kyobe family!


    Although I had learned somemon sense in the Onmyoji Channel about the Onmyojimunity, I had no practical knowledge of the Onmyoji like I learned during my visit to the Tenbashi-jin.


    My training to be a professional Onmyoji was also in a state of exploration. However, that will end today. From now on, I am sure that I will be able to train further based on correct knowledge.


    "Thank you very much for your help!"


    "......Ahh."


    My shitty father, getting pushed away by my enthusiasm.


    Hey,e on, you should be praising your child''s enthusiasm to take on the responsibility of the next generation of the Kyobe family.


    Well, I don''t care about that.


    Come on,e on,e on, tell me!


    I put breakfast away quickly and followed my asshole of a father.


    There I found myself in a courtyard that waspletely enclosed. The courtyard, which would have been beautifullyndscaped in the past, was now nothing but a lonely clothes-drying pole.


    "Whenever you practice onmyojutsu , you must do it here. Only when it is raining will you be allowed to practice in the bedroom."


    "Yes!"


    I see, so you''re choosing to designate a secluded ce for secrecy purposes.


    Understood!


    "The first thing I''m going to teach you is the basics of the onmyojutsu, which I also learned first--spiritual infusion."


    "Yes!"


    I started to get excited a while ago and I can''t help it.


    This feeling of wanting to know something and not being able to wait is the first time in my life, including my previous life.


    "...... Mm. Then, try to pour the spiritual power in your body into this talisman. It has a pattern on it so that it will glow if the spiritual power is poured in correctly.


    He handed me a piece of Japanese paper with a mysterious pattern on it.


    The non-Japanese characters were drawn in a series of circles and lines. It was the same as the ones I had seen on the Onmyoji Channel and at the Tenkyo-jin, but I guess the contents were different.


    I will have to practice by copying them into my free-form book next time.


    "First of all, spiritual power is a power that we Onmyoji are born with. People like Reika and Yuya, who were not blessed with the qualities of Onmyoji, do not have spiritual power. This spiritual power is what makes the art of Onmyo--"


    "Dad, I already know that. It was exined on the Onmyoji channel.


    "...... I see. The infusion of spiritual power into the talisman is the process of transferring spiritual power from the inside of the body to the outside of the body. It is done with the image of being conscious of the spiritual power inside the body and pouring it into the talismans. At first, you will not be able to feel it at all, and it will seem boring. However, if you practice daily without giving up, you will feel the spiritual power flowing naturally from your palm to the tags. This practice is the foundation and the essence of onmyojutsu. Keep persevering every day..."


    It glowed.


    It was easier than I had expected.


    I mean, it was a natural task for me, who feeds the spirit animal''s egg every day without fail.


    That is the very act of releasing spiritual power out of the body.


    I tried it during my father''s exnation, and it glowed.


    Even his smug face was shaken up by this.


    "...... you''ve been practicing?"


    "...... Nah. I just did what father told me to do and I was able to do it."


    "...... I see."


    The fucking father shut his mouth there.


    I thought I was being unreasonable, but the asshole father was convinced by my lies.


    I was in no hurry to see what would happen if he pursued the matter.


    Unable to hide his surprise, the asshole father said, "Wait a minute," and began reading the tattered book in his hand.


    If you steal a nce at the title on the spine, it reads, "The Kyobe Family''s Onmyojutsu Instruction Manual".


    Perhaps this book contains instructions on how to train an Onmyoji student to be a sessful Onmyoji.


    The bastard father''s n would have been to give me tips on how to infuse spiritual power, and the rest would be self-practice. He said it was going to take at least a few weeks.


    He must not have thought it would be a one-shot sess.


    He''s wondering what to do next.


    "Okay, now that you can put spiritual power into a talisman, let it float away."


    "...... how do you do that?"


    When I heard about flying talisman, I thought of the method of lifting talismans into the air with tentacles.


    But by all ounts, this is not the way to do it. I have never seen my father use his tentacles.


    I should be taught how to do it properly.


    "Didn''t you see this on the Onmyoji channel?"


    "I did, but they didn''t give me any easy-to-understand tips like father did."


    Brother Shimabane also told us that if we put our spiritual power into it, we could manipte the talismans.


    That was the only exnation, and after that, the n was just to send the talismans whizzing by.


    Now that I think about it, that was probably just a bait to make us work harder in the painful training of infusing spiritual power. If you do your best in the training, you will be able to y with flying talismans.


    "So ....... The spiritual power released out of the body is the same as a part of your own body. If it is a minor talisman, you can move it freely by feeding off the separated spiritual power. Even if it is in the air."


    "Is it something that can be moved?"


    I half-heartedly tried to move the taliman I had poured spiritual power into.


    Hmmm, hmm, hmm, hmm...


    It was surprisingly unresponsive.


    I don''t think I can do it as well as the first time I tried to move the spiritual power inside my body.


    "This is how you do it."


    The asshole father flew a talisman and demonstrated it.


    From the talismans flying through the air in all directions, more so than a drone, it looked as easy as moving a part of your own body, just as the asshole father said.


    "Huh. You may do this exercise at ....... When you can move it as well as I just showed you, we can move on to the next course."


    After saying that, the fucking father heads off to work.


    Toward the end, he seemed somewhat relieved.


    He was confused because his n had gone awry right from the start, so I guess that''s how he should have reacted. Will it be.......?


    "Shouldn''t he be happy his son is so good? Oh, if I'' m going to be a celebrity, I should have an anecdote. Interview my parents and answer something like ''I was dealing with spiritual power before I had any teaching'' or something like that. ...... hmmm."


    As I was pondering my bright future, I heard a voice from around the corner.


    "It''s this way. Good luck, Yuya!


    "Mamma~, ehihihihi."


    It was my little brother, Yuya, who appeared with a cute voice.


    Yuya has finally learned to walk.


    It is so funny to see him waddling toward our mother like this.


    "Well done! Yuya can walk so well now. Look, there''s your big brother."


    "Ni~"


    "Yuya, you''re doing great. Good job!"


    Yuya, who was being carried by mother, reached out his hand toward me.


    I take his hand and pat his head with my free hand.


    I felt my cheeks rx when I heard him call me "Nii" before "Papa".


    I had never known that a little brother could be so cute. I should have told my parents in my previous life that I wanted a brother.


    "Has your father left for work yet?"


    "Yeah, he''s done his assignment then left."


    As I was ying with Yuya, mother scurried around and asked me about it.


    When I showed her the talisman given to me by the asshole father, she tilted her head with a cute little smile, not like a mother of two.


    "Have you finished with learning the spiritual infusion yet? I was told it would take some time to get the hang of it."


    The mother seemed a bit disappointed, as she wanted to observe the teaching session with my asshole father and me.


    "I was able to do the spiritual infusion right away. Now he told me to practice flying the talismans."


    "What? Are you finished already, really? I was told it would take six months at the earliest, a year at the most. ......"


    I took the opportunity to brag about it, and to my mother''s surprise, she was amazed.


    And I was surprised too. The spiritual infusion was supposed to take six months to a year.


    That''s right, even my father was upset.


    "Well, well, well, well, Saint is a genius after all! As expected of Mr. Tsuyoshi''s child!"


    "Wow!"


    I was caught in the arm opposite the one holding Yuya, and I was forced to dive into my mother''s ample breasts.


    I should have been proud of myself, but mother was much more pleased than I was. Her overflowing feelings of joy were expressed in the form of stroking my head.


    "Hah ...... sorry for interrupting your training. We''ll be in the living room, so keep up the good work."


    She stroked me until she was satisfied and finally released me with a kiss on the cheek.


    I was left alone in the hallway facing the courtyard, basking in the afterglow.


    I had worked hard to be a professional Onmyoji.


    I had fought mysterious creatures, refined my spiritual power, improved my tentacles, searched for missing mysterious creatures, and watched the Ommyoji channel intently.


    All this time I had no idea how much significance all these things had. In fact, there were nights when I worried that everything I was doing was meaningless.


    However, seeing my mother''s happy face made me feel as if all my efforts had been rewarded.


    It was worth fighting the irregrities if we consider that the deadly battles with the irregrities elerated the acquisition of skills that would have taken a year to acquire.


    If I keep up the good work, bing a top Onmyoji might be a reality.


    "Okay! Let''s practice flying the talismans."


    Thus, with renewed energy, I tackled my first onmyojutsu assignment.

 Chapter 27: Talisman Flying and Ink Processing

    Chapter 27: Talisman Flying and Ink Processing


    "What? Seibo can already put spiritual power into a talisman?!"


    "Yeah, it was done right away. But I can''t fly it at all."


    I''m currently visiting the Tonobe family.


    They have a child the same age as mine, so we y at each other''s house once every two months.


    Today, the head of the family, Momi-san, happens to be on his day off, so he is taking care of their only daughter, Kana-chan.


    He is ying with blocks and I am chatting with him.


    "Huh, maybe Seibo has a talent for Onmyoji. I do envy you. Should we start teaching our princess?


    "No, he is indeed too quick. If we start now, she won''t be able to concentrate for long."


    Mr. Momi''s wife, Hiroko, chides him for saying so.


    From our past rtionship, I know that the Kyobe and Tonobe families have a fairly close rtionship. I can''t talk about the secrets of the Kyobe family, but I have no problem with the basic principles of onmyoujutsu, such as flying a talisman.


    "But Seibo has already started."


    "Kana''s going to do onmyou too!"


    "Look, Kana''s on board too!"


    Kana-chanes forward topete with me, the one who is being treated so nicely.


    We have be good friends through ying together, but she oftenpetes with me at times like this.


    My presence seems to be a good stimulus for Kana-chan, and for that reason I am weed in the Tonobe household.


    "I''ll ask your father to let you watch the Onmyoji Channel through to the end."


    "I see."


    In a normal house, it is hard to get children to watch the Onmyoji Channel.


    The first part of the channel is exciting for children with its ceremonial deities and battle scenes, but after that, the content bes more and more uninteresting, such as the humble practices of the Onmyoji and the introduction of rotating jobs.


    The information that can be disclosed to anyone is limited because the fancy techniques are kept secret in each family.


    As for me, it was more enjoyable than reading contracts and paperwork, so I was able to keep on watching.


    There is no way an ordinary child could continue to watch all the episodes with such content, and they would get bored and fall asleep halfway through.


    Kana-chan also seems to have stopped at the early stages of the Onmyoji Channel.


    "I''m looking forward to teaching Kana. We''re going to have our first son in three months, and I''m so happy to have so much to look forward to."


    "Kana will be a big sister."


    "I see, that''s great."


    Kana told me proudly.


    This topices up every time we meet these days.


    The Tonobe family is expecting a long-awaited baby boy, and they are all very excited about it. Kana seems delighted to see her parents happy.


    "I''m Yuya-chan''s big sister, and he''s Ototo''s big brother."


    "Nee nee, you may have it!"


    "Thanks!"


    Momi, Kana, and my little brother Yuya are ying together.


    Kana knows what it is like to have a younger brother through Yuya.


    She is a girl, and she grows up fast. She has already developed a desire to protect those who are smaller than her.


    She is growing up to be a really good girl. It is a shame that I don''t like her face.


    "Saint-chan is setting a good example of being a good big brother, so Kana can be a good big sister too. Thank you.


    "Yeah, I guess I should do something to repay Seibo."


    I haven''t done much, but if you''re going to thank me, feel free to give it to me.


    Any tips on how to make the talismans fly?


    "Tips for talisman flying, huh?... I can''t think of any. It''s important to be able to take it for granted that you can do onmyojutsu."


    "It''s natural to be able to do it?


    "Yes, the spiritual power is a part of the body. It is natural to be able to dispatch the spiritual power that is the basis of onmyojutsu. In fact, the spells are drawn on the talismans to give them this ability, but in the end, it is your own spiritual power. It would be strange to question the ability to move one''s own body. At that point, you will never be able to make the talismans fly."


    What does that mean?


    You''re saying that because I don''t believe I can make talismans fly, they''ll never fly?


    What are you saying? It''s not about ability, it''s about mentality. What about all the efforts I have made so far?


    "Onmyoujutsu, like science, is not a phenomenon that can be exined logically. It is often based on interfering in other worlds, the Divine Realm, and other Realms that we don''t understand. Seibo is still a little boy but he is very smart. You shouldn''t think too hard.


    "Anyway, you mean I should simply put it into practice?"


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    It is a very sports-oriented spirit.


    I was a member of an athletic club in a previous life, but I couldn''t keep up with that kind of groove.


    You could say I am a bit stone cold.


    But I think I can......in order to be a Onmyoji, do my best.


    "But it''s probably only recently that you started practicing. If you practice more and gain confidence, you will be able to do it on your own. If you''re able to infuse spiritual power, only time can tell."


    Thanks to Momi''s helpful advice, I was able to fly the talismans the next day.


    Then, at night, my shitty dad came home at the right time.


    "......You can do it already?"


    "Yeah, once it clicked in my head, the rest was easy."


    Momi''s advice was spot on.


    I tried again, assuming that it was natural that I could move the spiritual power that I had put outside, just as I had done with the tentacles I had handled so many times, and I seeded easily.


    It was so easy that I wondered what all the hard work I had done so far had been about.


    Well, I cleared it in a month, so I guess it was fast enough.


    As a proof of this, you can see my father''s eyes are wide open.


    "You can now really start letting it fly.......The speed is still slow, but that''s going to catch up soon."


    That''s because what I''m flying right now is a spiritual element.


    They''re much heavier and harder to handle than spiritual power.


    In light of what Onmyoji Channel, my father, and Momi-san have told me, it seems that the existence of such things as spiritual elements and heavy spiritual elements is notmon knowledge.


    However, since they were originally spiritual power, they could be put into talismans like this, and they could also fly.


    I feel that when I put a spiritual element in a talisman, it increases the power of the talisman. The light became stronger, the speed of flying in a straight line increased, and other changes were observed.


    It seems that if I use heavy spiritual elements, the effect will be even greater.


    "......I''ll give you the next challenge. Put your spiritual power into this water."


    "Is this tap water?"


    It was just tap water.


    It is in a smaller jar.


    I wonder if this is some kind of training.


    "As the basis of the onmyojutsu, it is necessary to draw spells on the tags. To do this, you must prepare a special ink that is filled with spiritual power. It ismon for people to prepare these supplies themselves. This assignment is meant to familiarize you with infusing spiritual power into liquids, which is more difficult than doing it with solids. First, we will start with water, which is less difficult than ink."


    "I did it."


    Sure, it was harder to do than a talisman or an egg, but it was a lot easier than putting out a tentacle.


    The fucking father was again interrupted in the middle of his exnation and was stunned.


    The asshole father took a brush and a nk talisman out of his pocket.


    He dipped the brush into the water I had put the spiritual power into and seemed to be drawing a spell.


    "...... You sure you got it done? No, it doesn''t matter if you put in a little bit of it. If you don''t put enough water into it to saturate it, you won''t be able to perform your onmyou......."


    The talisman was glowing by a mysterious principle, which must have been the result of the spiritual power flowing through it.


    The task is nowplete.


    The next ...... can be understood without being told.


    "Ink next?"


    "...... yeah. Wait a little.


    As expected, he didn''t have any ink ready.


    I waited in the bedroom for a while, and then the asshole father came back with a simr jar.


    "...... try the same procedure."


    Do I have the same instructions again?


    Or maybe he thinks it is going to be clear soon enough.


    "Done."


    You were correct in that prediction, Mr. Damn Father.


    I did feel a little bit of the resistance, but I guess it didn''t make much of a difference.


    Now, what''s the next challenge?


    "You were able to ......, you''re able to ......."


    The talisman is glowing again.


    But it''s as light as water.


    "Why couldn''t it be water, which is easier than ink?"


    "Water loses its potency when it dries. Good old ink retains its spiritual power the best, and can be used to draw delicate patterns."


    Is this true?


    It seems like a mechanical pencil or an ultra-fine ballpoint pen would be better for drawing delicate patterns than sumi ink.


    I''ll give it a try next time.


    "I see you''ve done this too. Wait a minute."


    This time, he took out the "Kyobe Family Onmyoujutsu Instructional Manual" from his pocket, turned his back to me, and began to read it.


    Now, what would he teach me next?


    It is interesting and mysterious to see flying and glowing talismans, but I want him to teach me something more spectacr, like summoning a Shikigami.


    Unfortunately, my wish was not granted.


    "Start practicing your hiragana."


    I can do that. You''re making fun of me! I was about to say out loud, "I can do that"!


    I was two years old now. Rounding up, I was somehow a three-year-old.


    It was normal for me not to be able to write hiragana. I was an ignorant being who couldn''t even do addition.


    And I fully understand why the damn father wants me to practice hiragana. I am sure it is a preliminary step to teach me the spells to draw on the talismans. I can''t reject it just because I can understand it.


    What should I do? If I don''t do anything, he will prepare a hiragana practice book for me.


    I didn''t imagine that I would be taught general education in Onmyoji''s education.


    I lived to be an old man and now I''m learning hiragana, what a humiliation.


    If it''s hiragana, can I say I learned it by watching?


    But whates after that is definitely katakana and kanji. As you would expect, a two-year-old would feel ufortable when he starts writing katakana and kanji.


    "Ya, I''ll do it. ......"


    "Mm."


    I couldn''te up with a good excuse, so I quietly started studying hiragana.

 Chapter 28: Kana is staying over.

    Chapter 28: Kana is staying over.


    As the due date for the birth of the Tonobe family''s first son approached, Hiroko-san was admitted to the hospital with plenty of time to spare. Momi-san, contrary to his dynamic personality, is said to be quite a worrier. He took Hiroko-san, who was having her second baby and had a rxed attitude, to the hospital in case something went wrong.


    Kana is now staying at the Kyobe family''s house.


    It is a strange feeling to have guests in our home all the time. It is as if our house is not our house anymore.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m studying hiragana."


    As I was filling in my hiragana exercise book, Kana peeked at me from the side.


    I have been doing this assignment for three months now.


    At first I had an illusory feeling that I was doing something wrong, but when I followed the model, the lines were much shakier than I had expected.


    My handwriting is not beautiful, but it is not that bad either.


    My handwriting had developed habits without me noticing, and often deviated from the model.


    In other words, my handwriting was far from the ideal form, and it was messy.


    The shocking fact that the letters I had taken for granted from my previous life were written poorly made me change my attitude toward this assignment.


    Since I was going to start my life over, I decided to write beautiful letters.


    There were people at work who had beautiful handwriting, and I was impressed every time I saw them.


    From then on, I looked at the letters in my exercise book carefully, traced them urately, and practiced with an awareness of making the letters look simr to the model.


    However, I was wrong in thinking that since I had learned the letters once, it would be quick and easy.


    I had a habit from a previous life that I have not been able to get rid of, and it is taking me a long time to correct it.


    If I follow a model, I can write beautiful letters, but if I write in a capus notebook, I can''t write the same thing. If I''m not careful, I can easily fall into the habit. I never thought that the experience of my previous life would be a stumbling block.


    "Kana will do it too."


    "Okay. Use this."


    Kana''s rivalry spirit was on full disy here.


    Or, rather, "My good friend is doing it, so I want to do it, too".


    It''s just a little used hiragana exercise book, but it''s good enough for Kana to y with.


    "Trace these lines. The order is like this. This is an "A".


    "A!"


    Kana traces letters while pronouncing them.


    She loves to draw and is used to handling a pencil.


    I''ll have to ask her kindergarten teacher to teach her the correct way to hold the pencil when she gets older.


    "Oh my, you have beautiful handwriting. I''m sure your father will be delighted when he sees it."


    "Really?


    "Yes, it''s true. I''m sure he will be happy to hear that Kana-chan has grown up."


    "Hehehe."


    When Kana''s mother noticed that Kana-chan was taking the initiative in her studies, she said something like that.


    It was the perfect support to motivate Kana-chan.


    Kana was all smiles, but suddenly her face showed signs of anxiety.


    "Will Mama be pleased?"


    "Yes, I''m sure she''ll be delighted. I''ll tell your mother, who is working hard in the hospital, that you practiced writing letters."


    "Yes!"


    Even a young child must be worried when his mother is hospitalized.


    I think she must be anxious about being separated from her mother for the first time in her life, and she may not have time to rx since she will be spending time at someone else''s house.


    Maybe I should give her a little more attention.


    After that, Kana called Hiroko-san, and she quickly recovered.


    Children are so emotionally unbnced.


    I''ve been in the hospital myself, so I''m used to it.


    Kana, who was praised by Hiroko-san, worked even harder on her hiragana practice.


    I was deeply moved by the way she learned the letters one at a time, even though they were childishly squiggly, butpletely foreign to her.


    I couldn''t let her down.


    Kana and I continued to quietly practice hiragana together.


    ---


    "Ah, it''s Reiju''s egg!"


    After a nap time peculiar to children, Kana found an egg in the corner of my bedroom.


    It was the 50 million yen egg my father had bought for me when I was eight months old.


    Since then, it has grown evenrger and is now the size of a school bag. The pattern has be more intricate, and I am looking forward to seeing what it will produce.


    Every day the egg devours spiritual power, and the amount it demands increases every day. If a small fish is born, it will be a waste of food.


    "I want it. I wish."


    I don''t even look at her with such expectant eyes.


    Maybe it''s because I allow Kana to be selfish most of the time, but she thinks she can have anything she wants if she asks for it.


    In the first ce, Kana only yearns for things from me because of the spirit animal eggs that have sucked my spiritual power.


    And it''s 50 million.


    "What kind of baby is going to be born?"


    "A spirit animal. You don''t know what kind of beast you''re going to have until it''s born."


    "I understand Kana''s dad."


    That being said, if we used ultrasound or a CT scan to look through the egg''s contents, we might be able to see what''s inside.


    It would be an interesting experiment, but I would not dare to use a 50 million yen specimen.


    I would have to make sure that the egg is born safe and sound, and that it performs to its full potential to make up for the price.


    "Okay, good."


    Kana has grown up a lot since those days when she used to tap the eggs with curiosity, and she caresses them as if she were handling something fragile.


    Her appearance already shows a glimpse of herpassion as a big sister.


    She knows that eggs are fragile and that there is a baby inside of them.


    You''ve really grown up, Kana.


    I feel like a father who has a daughter.


    "When the baby is born, give it to me."


    "I can''t do that."


    "Why not?"


    The princess, spoiled by Momi-san and me, was honest about her desires.


    I see, you also know about the foster care system. You''ve really increased your knowledge, haven''t you?


    But I can''t fulfill that request.


    You can buy it if you beg your father for a regr price of 1 billion yen. Good luck with that.


    Momi-san will probably request a spirit animal egg for her daughter''s birthday present this year, but I don''t think it''s possible. Even if I were to buy one, the only person I would choose to give it to would be my eldest son.


    The Onmyoji family still has a strong tradition of eldest son inheritance. The eldest son is responsible for the session of onmyojutsu and the inheritance of the family. The second son and after are taught onmyojutsu other than the secret arts and support the main family as a branch family.


    Women, including Kana, are taught only the basics of onmyojutsu. This is because they will eventually marry into some Onmyoji family and they need to know their husband''s work.


    This was also taught on the Onmyouji Channel.


    Well, I heard that as modernization progresses, more and more exceptions are being made, and gradually more and more women are learning onmyojutsu like Sister Shido, so it is not absolutely certain.


    "Hey! Let''s y!


    "Yuya! Okay, I''ll y with you!


    Yuya, who had woken up before I knew it, found Kana and started to get excited.


    She, in turn, also began to get excited as she demonstrated her big sisterly personality.


    Children''s interests are easily changeable.


    Forgetting about the motionless spirit animal eggs, the two of them started to y with each other.


    I guess big brother should join in once in a while.

 Chapter 29: The Hidden Power of Body Strengthening

    Chapter 29: The Hidden Power of Body Strengthening


    A few months have passed since Kana''s little brother was born and I turned 3 years old.


    Some children go to preschool at the age of three, but our family seems to have an educational policy of enrolling children in kindergarten at the age of four. Well, I have been practicing Onmyojutsu and it is more convenient for me to stay at home.


    Although there has been no progress in spiritual power refining, the efficiency of the first through the second refining that I have discovered so far has increased. There is not any particr reason for this, but simply thanks to the fact that I have be ustomed to it. I am now able to refine at the same time as I go about my daily life.


    My practice of Onmyojutsu is going well, and I am now able to write beautiful letters, and I am also able to make my own "glowing and flying talismans," which my father prepared for me at the beginning.


    It was difficult to handle the sumi ink, but my young body was like a sponge, absorbing new things. I am now practicing the 10 different patterns needed to make the talismans.


    However, things are not going well with the mysterious creatures. They started to run away from me more and more.


    Even when I set traps, they disappear like spiders when I approach them.


    The number of creatures I catch is decreasing day by day. Meanwhile my tentacle-handling skills are improving in inverse proportion.


    Now I can move so delicately that I can do such and such things to the princess knight.(T/N - I was waiting for him to say something like this)


    There were many changes, but most important was my physical capabilities.


    The technique I call Body Strengthening was awakened.


    The Body Strengthening, which until now had been activated by intentionally manipting spiritual power, is now always activated without any particr awareness. Yes, if I were to use an analogy, it would be a state like the breathing always-on state of Zenshu0.


    A more urate example would be the intracellr symbiosis theory of mitochondria and chlorosts.


    The theory is that mitochondria and chlorosts, which are eukaryotic cells, were originally independent organisms, but survived through symbiosis by being incorporated into animal and nt cells.


    Until now, I had been activating my cells by applying spiritual power to my entire body, but I thought it might be possible to apply my spiritual power to my cells, so I tried to insert a spiritual element into my cells and the reaction I got was unexpected.


    It remained in the cell for a long time and did not disappear. Moreover, it had the same effect of strengthening the body even inside the cell.


    Cells should be dying every minute and every second, but the Body Strengthening has not disappeared. In other words, along with cell division, the spiritual element is also dividing and multiplying.


    It was as if I was demonstrating the intracellr symbiosis theory.


    I am not sure if it is true or not because it is all based on my senses, but I know my body well. Through a process like that, the Body Strengthening was awakened.


    I wonder if I can still call myself a homosapien.


    I became obsessed with Body Strengthening after trying it out on a whim and achieving great results.


    I wondered if there might be some other hidden potential.


    Six months passed.


    I was now three years and six months old, and my body was getting stronger and stronger.


    I reced the spiritual elements that had been injected into my cells with heavy spiritual elements, and my robustness increased. My hand doesn''t hurt when I hit a stone, and the tip of a needle crushed when I tried to stick it in.


    I think I might have ceased to be a human being after all.


    Although I was a little worried, this is the Onmyoji world where you are not even able tobat Ykai at this level.


    After I started practicing Onmyojutsu, the damn father started talking to me about his work.


    From what he told me, Ykai far exceed human''s physical strength and move at an unbelievable speed.


    To counter them, Onmyoji use Shikigami, and they also use talismans and rituals.


    And it is the Samurai whopete with such Ykai of inhuman strength with their physical abilities.


    ......Onmyoji are an anachronism, I wonder who the Samurai are and where is the decree on the abolition of the sword.


    The only thing I can think of is that the "Gokenke" (the family of the sword), in which my father works, is also a Samurai family.


    If Onmyoji are the rear guard, the Samurai are the vanguard.


    I heard that they fight against non-human enemies by sharing roles.


    I wish I had been told about this earlier.


    Incidentally, I heard that the Samurai family members use not "spiritual power" but "internal energy" to strengthen their bodies and gain superhuman strength.


    Another unknown source of energy was discovered.


    It was this moment I began to wonder if this world was really the Japan I used to live in.


    With these new facts, I decided that it was safe for me to train this Body Strengthening for real.


    In addition to the traditional Samurai, I heard that a type of onmyojutsu master called a Warrior Monk has a technique simr to Body Strengthening, so I decided that it was toote to worry about bing a non-human.


    It is obvious that a professional Onmyoji should be able to deal with meleebat.


    "Nunununu, Gugugugu, Nungaaaaaaa"


    I didn''t realize it until I was reincarnated.


    I discovered that when I''m passionate about something, I get into it so much that it bes a little too much.


    In my previous life, I had literally lost my life because I didn''t know that I could have such fun.


    Now I''m trying to push the limits of my physical strength.


    I''m going around with spiritual power all over my body, moving my spiritual elements as well, mobilizing all the heavy spiritual elements in my cells. I always stop when I feel something like a wall, but this time I want to go beyond that wall.


    It is well known that human muscles are instinctively put on a limiter, as in the phrase "foolhardiness on fire".


    Which means, I bet I could exert my physical strength beyond its limits, too!


    This was the concept that had me roaring in my house while my family was away from home.


    The time limit is until my mother and Yuya return from shopping.


    By then, I''ll somehow.....woooooooooooow!


    I hate the sports club atmosphere, but I couldn''t help but let out a yell of enthusiasm.


    Perhaps it worked, but the Body Strengthening showed a new effect.


    --- with the consequence of a phase shift to the underworld.


    --------


    "Where am I?"


    I had been meditating to get myself in the right frame of mind, but when I opened my eyes to a pleasant breeze caressing my cheeks, I found myself in a different world.


    I was standing alone in a town with a nostalgic atmosphere and a sunset sky.


    I was standing alone in a ce I had no recollection of.


    The bedroom I was in earlier was also dimly lit, but it would have still been bright in thete afternoon.


    In the first ce, there was no way I was standing outside barefoot.


    Looking around carefully, I found that the ce where I was standing seemed to be in a crampedpound.


    Behind me is a shrine building enshrining something, and the deep shadows of the building create a strange aura.


    Outside thepound are rows of one-story houses, so I guess this is a small shrine in a residential area.


    It is so dimly lit that it cannot be exined simply by the fact that it is evening, and the air is filled with a sticky feeling as one breathes, creating an inexplicably unsettling atmosphere.


    It''s a strange situation that could be upsetting, but as someone who has experienced reincarnation once, I can''t help but think that something like this could happen.


    Because I know the reason.


    "No doubt it has to do something with the Body Strengthening technique. I don''t know how in the world it got me here though."


    I know the cause, but I don''t know how to deal with it.


    I wondered where I was, how I could get home, and if I could do something before my mother and the others returned.


    As I was thinking about these things and looking around, my head began to throb without warning.


    "Ugh, what is this? My whole body is aching, what in the world is going on?"


    Even though I have experienced severe pain from cancer, I don''t think I can endure this headache.


    I don''t have any medicine on hand, and I don''t know how to get home, and this is too hard to endure.


    As I was holding my head in pain, a voice suddenly called out to me from behind.


    "+`>`+_>"! *+_*%#&? <Are you a spirit, by any chance?>"


    There was a shadow of a child in that ce where there should have been no one when I looked back earlier.


    The shadow does not mean a trace, but the figure of the child standing there is pitch ck, as if the shadow of the child had floated up,...... and it is hard to believe that it is a human being.


    However, I could sense the child''s characteristic poor speech.


    In addition to that, the call I had just heard.


    I felt a strong sense of difort, as if the meaning of the word was forcibly etched into my brain, even though I did not know thenguage at all.


    The streets were the same as in the normal human world, but after encountering this child, I understood clearly that this was not a world where humans lived.

 Chapter 30: First Battle

    Chapter 30: First Battle


    The streets are the same as in the normal human world, but after a chance encounter with a strange looking child, I clearly realized---this is not a world inhabited by humans.


    "Do you understand mynguage? #$*+P"%! %#"


    "`+*#`%I knew you were a +#*! `You`re a genie, aren`t you? #+#%#%#_You''ll have to y with me! #+#%#_If you lose, you''ll be the #+#%#_ henchman of the winner!"


    I know what he said, but I can''t get the meaning of what he''s saying.


    What is this guy, a kid general? Are you making a friendship guide?


    Genie? I''m a human being. You must be confusing me with something.


    I don''t want to talk to this kind of guy when I have a headache.


    "I''m a human being. I don''t know what the $$%#`*# game is or what it means."''* + {*? ** and where are we in the first ce! %$~=`*"


    "`*#*#`What are you, #? $``Return to the spirit world#*{}'''' gone? $P would be just fine. ~{+*$#%''(If you beat me, I''ll #? $~{*`I''ll draw you. #? $~{*`Well, if you lose to me you get to be my henchman #? $~{*`(Even if you lose and be my henchman, after we sign the contract, I will #? $~{*`I''ll send you home."


    Spirit world?


    Return formation?


    Contract?


    There are too many words I''m curious about.


    I don''t know what they are.


    I just know that this guy has a way out of this ce.


    "It looks like you''re not going to let me leave without a match. So, what''s the game? I''ve had a headache for a while now, and it''s pretty painful. And as you can see, I''m an toddler, so there''s only so much I can do. ......"


    "Ho? You can afford to expose your weaknesses. The game has been decided, let''s duel!"


    "Hey, wait a minute! Listen to me! Please, hear me out."


    I tried to be polite, but the mystery boy wouldn''t listen.


    He seems to be the type of person who doesn''t listen to others.


    I, on the other hand, began to understand more and more the meaning of the unknownnguage as I interacted with him.


    He picked up a wooden stick and drew arge circle on the ground, surrounding us as if to say, this is the battlefield.


    "My name is Dragalde, son of Dragrad and Gargnea! Now, you, too, tell me your name! This is a sacred duel for your true name!"


    His pitch-ck face is so dark that it is impossible to read his facial expression.


    Yet, I could tell that he was smiling belligerently.


    I guess I have no choice but to ept the challenge. He is the only one I can rely on, he has not listened to me when I have asked him for help, and even if I lose, he is going to let me go home.


    Above all, I don''t want to stay in this ce for too long. Not to mention the headache, but I kind of feel like I shouldn''t stay here. I''m beginning to feel an eeriefort that makes me want to stay and live here. It''s not logical, it''s instinct that''s screaming at me.


    But what is a true name?


    I have never heard of such a fantastic thing. ...... Oh, by the way, Sei is a part of the name given to me in the birth ceremony.


    I believe it''s......


    "My name is Kyobe Kyo, Sei Shujin Dai Eishinro . I will ept this duel. You''ll really send me home, won''t you?"(T(N - From this point on I am changing the name of MC from Saint to Sei)


    "Of course. The sacred duel is absolutely secured, you know. So you, too, be my henchman if you lose!"


    It''s a match, but it''s still a smiley fight between kids.


    If we strengthen our bodies, we''ll end up unscathed, right?


    Such expectationse to mind, but I have a bad feeling about it.


    "Admit defeat or lose your consciousness! *The bell at the eleventh hour signals the start of the contest. Ready!"


    Maybe I''vee to the world of battle manga.


    I never expected that I would have to fight at the age of three and a half, even though I have lived a lifepletely free of battles from my previous life until now.


    Huh? Come to think of it, I''ve been fighting with mysterious creatures since I was born. I guess that''s a fight in a sense, too.


    Haha, my head hurts and I can''t think straight. I want to leave this ce as soon as possible.


    Win or lose, though, I''m a man, and I want to win a fight.


    But how can I win a fight? Is it like a golden target or something? In the first ce, this guy is not a human being, so does he have kryptonite or not?


    Time was running out for my thoughts to go round and round.


    G----- G---- G-----


    The bell, rang.


    "Ugh!


    "What, even if you''re a genie, this is nothing. You can''t do much about it."


    It''s such a strange world, you never know what might happen. I had consciously increased the physical strength of my entire body, just in case.


    I thought that most attacks would be painless, but then a boy''s fist punched me in the stomach.


    I felt the most intense pain and shock I had ever felt in my life.


    My internal organs and bones screamed.


    What the heck, there''s no way I''m going to punch a 3 year old this seriously!


    "What, you''re not going to fight back? Then give up quickly."


    I was crouched on my stomach and a fist bone rained down on my head.


    My face hit the ground.


    Ouch, ouch, ouch.


    This is not a children''s fight. It''s a killing match.


    It takes an extraordinary physical strength to hurt me, who is harder than a stone.


    If there is such a being, it seems to be......


    "Ah!"


    "Come on, this whole thing makes it sound like I''m bullying you instead of dueling you. My father''s duels were so much cooler."


    I fell to the ground, got kicked in the side of my stomach, and rolled around the grounds with a rumble.


    I''m not sure, but I think I may have cracked a rib or something.


    Ouch, ouch, ouch.


    The enemy looking down at me was saying something, but my brain, which was already tortured by a headache and in a state of panic after receiving EMERGENCY from my body, had no time to understand it.


    I had more important things to do than that.


    Who is this guy?


    "You...... Ykai. Only a Ykai can use such a ridiculous power. This must be a different space, like a ward created by Ykai or something like that. Oh, I see. It''s not because of the Body Strengthening, it''s because Ykai have invaded my house."


    "What? What are you talking about?


    I had never met a real Ykai before, so I didn''t realize it.


    Oh, right, Ykai can also change their appearance and deceive people.


    Do Ykai usenguage to deceive us?


    "If you''re a Ykai, you can kill me."


    If it''s not a children''s fight, if the other party is a Ykai, then I can use these talismans.


    What I took out of my jacket pocket was a homemade talismans thatbined three of the ten different patterns I learned from my shitty father.


    "I''m afraid of you hurting me. I''m afraid of you hurting my family. I''m afraid of you who I have no idea what you''re talking about. So, I have to exterminate you scary Ykai."


    Scary, if I don''t kill this guy, I might lose everything I hold dear.


    Painful, I could get a second chance at life, but it might be over in just three years.


    No, no, no, no, no, no, no!


    I''ll get rid of this monster and I''ll make it home for sure!


    The physical pain, which I had never experienced even inbat with the Irregrs, was causing adrenaline to be pumped out of me and my brain to turn bright red.


    The Body Strengthening that was no longer unconsciously operating at full capacity was beginning to push me over the edge, just as it had done when I arrived here.


    "The firstnd refinement--the full release of my treasured spiritual elements! This is my full power! Eat this!"


    My body, filled to the brim with energy, quickly carried the spiritual element to the talisman.


    I named it "Hoyu Reinori," which is a jewel-like shining spiritual element perfected by the firstnd refining process.


    Each time a piece of the jewel-like spiritual element is ced on a talisman, a dazzling light illuminates the temple grounds.


    The space around the temple appears to shimmer, as if to show off the power of this highly polished spiritual element.


    "Hey, what''s this? Perhaps this is the art of the genie?!"


    I released a talisman in the direction of the Ykai that was speaking aloud.


    It flew through the air due to the "talisman flying" effect on the tag, and my spiritual power maniption changed the trajectory of the talisman. It seems that the Ykai apparently did not see the irregr trajectory of the talisman. Without so much as dodging, it hit him in the temple.


    "The Dragrads can withstand this much..."


    The irascible voice disappeared with the impact of the talismans.


    Suck it up.


    The remaining two formations I drew on the talismans were "Vibration" and "Rotation".


    By themselves, they have no significant effect.


    "Vibration" makes the talismans shake like the vibrations of a smartphone, and "Rotation" just makes the talismans spin around and around. It is a simple pattern suitable for beginners.


    However, the Kyobe Family Onmyojutsu Instructional Manual describes a further application of the technique.


    By ovepping these two formations, connecting them with 12 keyways, and enclosing them with a single circle, it bes a vicious talisman that twists and turns through space with vibration and rotation.


    Of course, there was no way such a technique could be taught to a three-year-old, so I learned it by stealing an instructional manual that was left behind when my asshole father was out of his seat.


    I tried it once and the stone was cut off like a piece of paper. It is a heinous technique that should not be used against people.


    .........No, I''m well aware that it''s not okay to disobey my supervisor''s instructions, or even my educator''s guidance policy. ......... I''m sorry about this my shitty father.


    I knew very well that it was better for a kid to learn the safe stuff first, and that it would be a bad thing if things should go out of control and lead to a serious ident.


    However, through the battles with the irregrs, I realized that I never know when the enemy will attack.


    Since you never know when or where you will require power, you must always be prepared with a means to attack.


    Therefore, I mastered this formation by tearing up the side of the paper and made a talisman.


    So that I would be able to survive in case of emergency.


    When I remembered the fear of having my legs stolen by irregrities, I could easily learn this veryplicated formation.


    It is difficult to mass-produce them, though, because you have to be extremely precise in order to produce a sessful one.


    But, well, it was ordinary spiritual power that I poured into the talismans when I tried it out, so I didn''t know what would happen until I used my treasured spiritual elements.


    Space was distorted around the Ykai''s belly, and the effect reached a spherical shape with a radius of 10 meters.


    All the cobblestones in the precinct were blown to pieces, and the ground was gouged into a hemispherical shape.


    The Ykai in the center had its limbs twisted in every direction, and in the next instant they were twisted apart, sprinkling ck blood.


    Perhaps because of the distorted space, the screaming Ykai''s voice was blocked out.


    The effect of the talismanssted for about a minute and then disappeared in a huff as if the storm had passed.


    The result was about a thousand times more terrifying than when I first tried it.


    The throbbing pain in my head subsided with the disappearance of the talismans.


    I don''t know why, but it doesn''t matter at this point.


    I must put an end to the Ykai in front of me.


    To my surprise, the Ykai still retained its original form.


    The twisted limbs had not been shattered into pieces, and the torso had only been torn in eight pieces. The fact that the head was still attached to the body left me speechless with astonishment.


    It''s hard to say for the person who did it, but I have underestimated Ykai, to think that even such tremendous destructive power couldn''t kill them.


    The opponent is a Ykai.


    It might not be enough for them to die from a lot of blood loss. It would be better to crush his head.


    I should burn the body as well, just to be safe.


    I''ve used up all of my umted treasure spiritual elements, so I''m going to give him another blow with the fifth refinement spiritual element.


    With that in mind, I took the talismans out of my pocket, and at that moment, I was back in my own home.


    I blinked and the whole scene changed.


    It was exactly the same as when I wandered into the other world.


    "What about ......? Huh? What happened? Why is everything back to normal?"


    Did something ward-like disappear because I killed the Ykai, or is there another reason?


    Oh, the Body Strengthening has been over the limit for some time now.


    Could that be the cause?


    Thus, my first battle ended without me knowing why.

 Chapter 31:

    Chapter 31:


    After the battle with the Ykai, or rather, after I was transferred to another world, my spiritual power increased exponentially.


    At the time, I seemed to have lost myposure due to the headache and did not realize what the eerie feeling was, but it was the feeling I had when my spiritual power was full.


    Normally, after spending spiritual power, I recover it while sleeping, but I guess that space was filled with spiritual power outside of my body, and it was entering my body .......


    There is no way to be sure even if I wanted to find the right exnation, and so I was satisfied with that answer.


    I think that headache was also a spiritual pressure thumbing like the difference in air pressure.


    If I push the limits of Body Strengthening again, I might be able to go to another world, but I don''t want to go back there again. If it was a Ykai''s ward in the first ce, that guy would be dead and the answer would be in the dark forever.


    I thought about talking to my asshole father about it, but I decided not to, because if he found out about my homemade talismans, he would get angry and sentence me to "stop teaching Onmyojutsu".


    "Dad, is the house ward okay?"


    "...... what''s wrong all of a sudden. Did you dream of some Ykai?"


    The damn father answered in a very curious way. I was relieved to see that no Ykai seemed to have invaded the house.


    The clothes that should have been soiled by rolling on the ground are somehow back to normal, and there is no evidence of it anywhere.


    It''s just that one of my homemade talisman has been diminished and my carefully craftednd refinement spiritual element has beenpletely wiped out.


    In return, my maximum spiritual power was about three times higher than before.


    I am genuinely happy about this growth. I had begun to be dissatisfied with the speed of the spiritual power refinement efficiency.


    Now I can give my remaining spiritual power to the spirit animal egg again.


    And one more thing.


    Before I knew it, a pitch-ck gradient gem was in my pocket.


    Somehow I thought it might be rted to the Ykai I had killed, but there was no way to confirm this either.


    At first I tried to throw it away. I didn''t want to keep such a spooky thing, because it might be a source of trouble someday.


    But then, before I knew it, the gem, which I had tossed outside, was back in my pocket.


    Like a cursed doll, it kepting back no matter how many times I threw it away, so I finally gave up.


    I had no choice but to keep it, partly because I have had it for a while and it has done me no harm.


    When I learn how to perform an exorcism, I''m going to try it on this guy straight away.


    "You paint well. Your brushwork is bing more consistent."


    "Yes. It''s because of my father''s good teaching skills."


    Today was another day of practice to paint the formation.


    After correcting the letters with a pencil, I had to practice with a brush.


    It was difficult to handle the brushes, but my father taught me well, and I was able to master the art of brush strokes much faster than I had expected.


    In a previous life, I had only done brush strokes in Japanese as a student, so it was probably a good thing that I had not developed any strange habits.


    "You''ve learned ten varieties already?"


    "Yeah. What''s next?


    "...... isn''t it hard to learn it ......?"


    It is probably lukewarmpared to work.


    Anyway, Onmyojutsu is more interesting than the sses you learn in school.


    What''s with all the supernatural phenomena that can be created just by drawing a circle with a series of small letters? What is going on in this world? Where are thews of physics? I can''t help but be intrigued!


    I am very happy that I have been able to put into practical use the spiritual elements that I have been steadily increasing since my birth, after learning that formation.


    I have even been able to use them not only in practice but in actual battle, and I havee to conclusion that the firstnd refinement is still not enough.


    Instead of being bitter, I am just getting more and more motivated.


    When I told him of my enthusiasm, the asshole father reacted as if he was amused.


    Was I doing something strange?


    It is not unusual for a child who is passionate about something to disy unusual enthusiasm and memorization.


    "Well ...... then, I''ll teach you the next spell if you want to."


    "Oh!"


    The talisman making was Onmyoji-like, but the spells are even more Onmyoji-like.


    I would love to learn it.


    Thus, after the painting practice, the spell learning began.

 Chapter 32: Fathers Worries

    Chapter 32: Father''s Worries


    A/N - This chapter is from the 3rd person point of view.


    ---


    "My boy ...... Sei ...... might be a genius."


    "What, bushwhacking. I said you were the one who should bring it up once in a while, I didn''t say you should brag about it."


    In a wooded area deep in the mountains, two men were waiting in a simple tent that was camouged so that they would not be seen by others.


    This time, the target would not appear unless several natural conditions were met.


    In such a case, they would have to stay overnight while keeping watch from a distance.


    "Well, I''m too busy to listen to you. You must have been a pretty stupid parent yourself."


    Hiding with Tsuyoshi is Shiraishi, an Onmyoji with whom he often teams up on elimination missions.


    His gradient technique goes well with Tsuyoshi''s summoning technique, and they have many opportunities to talk in the simple tent.


    While Tsuyoshi senses the search reportsing from the Shikigami, he expresses a thought that he has been harboring for the past three years: "I want to be a part of the team that can destroy the enemy".


    "At first I thought it was parental favoritism, too. But Sei''s growing up too fast."


    "It''s your first, right? Children grow up too fast, you know."


    Shiraishi, who has a son five years older than Sei, said so.


    He felt the same way himself, but in the end he was just a silly parent.


    Heter realized that it was just because it was his own child that he thought of him as special, and that he was just average in terms of growth.


    "He started walking at eight months. He skipped the grabbing and started walking suddenly. I was looking for a walker and didn''t need one anymore."


    "That''s pretty fast. Is he athletic or just mischievous? But you should not use a walker because it may interfere with the development of the baby''s lower body."


    "We''ll talk about thatter."


    Tsuyoshi was quietly upset that he had allowed Yuya to use his walker.


    "The physical growth still makes sense. But he started watching the Onmyoji Channel when he was one year old and already seems to have memorized most of the content."


    "Wow, he''s very studious. I want my son to watch it too."


    Shiraishi''s son started watching the program when he was 4 years old and hasn''t finished watching thetest episode yet.


    He inevitably gets bored halfway through and goes outside to y, or he watches it but forgets the content because he has no interest in it.


    Still, it is a good content to dip one foot into the world of Onmyoji at a young age, and it has be quite famous in the Onmyoji world.


    It is more appreciated by adults than children.


    "And in less than two years, he was able to make talismans."


    "What? Your eldest son is not yet four years old, right? That means you started teaching him about Onmyoji when he was two?!"


    "Oh, he wanted me to teach him, so I gave it a try and as you can see ....... He seeded in infusing spiritual power in one shot, quickly learned to fly talismans, and was able to draw the ten basic types of formation in no time."


    "And he writes better than me," a fact he couldn''t say because his pride got in the way.


    "Pencil?"


    "A brush."


    "Seriously?!"


    Shiraishi was truly astonished.


    Not only did he have the memory to memorize Onmyojutsu in no time at all, but his ability to concentrate all the time at his writing desk at the age of two, when he was in the prime of his ying years, was extraordinary.


    Shiraishi was envious of the difference between his own son, who would go outside to y whenever he had the chance, and his son, who spent most of his time at his desk.


    "No wonder that you said he is a genius. That makes me want to be proud of you. You don''t look too happy about it ......, what''s up?"


    If he were bragging, he would have an uncontroble smirk on his face, but his intense face has a somber expression.


    "I am.... worried because he is only three years old but he doesn''t act childlike."


    Clumsy and awkward, Tsuyoshi managed to put his feelings into words while stumbling.


    He showed great interest in his father''s work, never bothered his mother, took better care of his younger brother than his father, never repeated himself if you warned him, and never showed any need to be spoiled by his parents unless you told him to be selfish.


    The birth of Yuya has made him realize once again the uniqueness of Sei.


    "He is mature in speech and can already converse with adults. While I was away from home on business, he practiced by himself without anyone telling him to, and learned the letters and Onmyojutsu in no time. I heard that he rarely cried at night. He really is a very hands-off child."


    "That''s an enviable problem. Usually, parents would cry and rejoice if their children behaved like that. I can''t imagine him practicing Onmyojutsu on his own."


    "Me neither."


    Practicing Onmyojutsu is a tedious process.


    It is physically and mentally exhausting, consuming spiritual power, learning the shapes of the formations by writing letters and learning the ritual techniques.


    There is no ce to demonstrate the skills they have acquired, and they do not realize the fruits of theirbor until the day they are able to follow their parents as apprentice Onmyoji practitioners.


    This is why there is a constant stream of children who have inherited the gift of Onmyoji but choose another path.


    "I didn''t understand until I became a parent, how hard it is to teach Onmyojutsu to my children. But you still have to teach them, even though it''s a pain in the ass. I can now see how great school teachers are."


    Both Tsuyoshi and Shiraishi have memories of Onmyoji education starting at the age of four and of crying and running away from it.


    To draw one basic formation, they had to memorize 50 different kanji characters. There was no way they could keep up if they were told to memorize kanji that they did not know the meaning of as well as the shapes of the formation.


    Even so, if you don''t learn them early on, you will never be proficient enough to use them in battle. If they do not be proficient, they will lose their lives in times of emergency.


    That is why parents desperately try to get their children to practice. The child hates Onmyojutsu even more and runs away from it. This is an offensive and defensive battle that can be seen in many families.


    "That''s why I don''t understand Sei''s thoughts. I can''t exin it just because of his quiet nature."


    A son who is my own child, but is so different from himself and so talented.


    A son who is so talented that he can master in an instant the skills that it took him more than half a year to master.


    He felt an inexpressible sense of difort at seeing his son grow up so differently from himself.


    He could not talk about this even to his wife.


    This is because he has a strong personality that broods over things alone.


    Shiraishi could not help but think, "What is he talking about?"


    "You know, a child can''t be a carbon copy of you in every way. Half of it is the mother''s blood. It is not strange that a Onmyoji genius was suddenly born by a gic miracle. The environment and times are different, so it''s natural that they don''t understand our ideas. Still, we have not forgotten what our parents taught us. Raising children means passing on those important lessons, don''t you think? Well, I don''t really know what I''m talking about, because I leave it to my wife to raise the kids."


    Although Shiraishi has a ratherx personality, his words as a senior dad touched Tsuyoshi''s heart.


    Tsuyoshi recalled what his parents, who passed away early, had taught him. He failed to sessfully inherit Shikigami, but thanks to his parents'' discipline and education, he is now able to behave as an adult.


    He realized that he is the person he is today thanks to having followed his parents'' backs.


    And he also realized that for Sei, that back was his own.


    "...... I see. It''s natural that they don''t understand."


    "Even parents don''t understand it easily, that''s why they came up with the phrase ''be the greatest understanding person for your child.'' As long as you try, that''s all that matters."


    The anxiety that had been mping down on Tsuyoshi''s heart was suddenly dissolved.


    It was nothing to worry about; it was the kind of worry that could be solved by talking to someone.


    "I''ll buy you a drink sometime."


    "I''ll look forward to it."


    There was no movement of targets as the moon dipped.


    The educational discussion continued for a while during the tedious waiting period.


    "I''m worried about the part where he only ys by himself at the park and never ys with anyone else."


    "Maybe he''s just too intelligent to hang out with people his own age because their intelligence levels are too different, or something like that."


    ording to what Reika told him, Sei does not try to make friends. That frankly worried them.


    Despite the fact that he gets along well with his childhood friend Kana, he only ys by himself at the park, and there was concern that he might be too shy.


    "Well, then, isn''t this uing get-together a great opportunity? It''s a gathering of kids their own age, and maybe he will find at least one person he would befortable with."


    A get-together.


    It was a get-together hosted by the Abe family, one of the three major Onmyoji families in Japan.


    The invitation to this party was also sent to the Kyobe family.


    The Shiraishi family had not received it and had only heard about it.


    "Don''t worry about your son all the time, you should work on your interactions too."


    "Oh."


    In the end, the target did not show up that night, and the two decided to spend another night there.


    ----


    A/N - 1,000,000,000 PV exceeded! At the same time, we surpassed 100,000 unique PV! Thanks to your support, we have been able to appear in various rankings. Thank you very much. I will repay you by continuing to update this site every day for as long as possible.

 Chapter 33: Social gathering

    Chapter 33: Social gathering


    This year, when I turn 4 years old, I will start attending kindergarten.


    As I had always been a stay-at-home kid, it was in a sense my debut in the world of society.


    I am going to make my debut in the Onmyoji world ordingly.


    I heard that a get-together will be held for children of the same age and their parents.


    The host of the party is the Abe family, a family that is considered as one of the three major Onmyoji families in Japan and the head of the Kanto region.


    The Abe family, founded by the famous Onmyoji Abe no Seimei, has been in existence for more than 1,000 years and is considered the most influential of the three major Onmyoji.


    There was no way I could just sit back and enjoy a get-together held by someone who could be described as the president of thepany where my father worked.


    The Abe family has two children. The eldest son, Seikyu Haruku (6 years old), and the eldest daughter, Akari (4 years old).


    They are the stars of this get-together and are important figures in the future of the Onmyoji world.


    I would like to get to know them somehow.


    Connections and money are important in society.


    I regretted that fact when I became an adult and found out that I had few friends.


    "Please make it a little taller. Yes, I think the length looks just right."


    The mother is happily preparing my formal wear.


    She had prepared a well-tailored outfit for me, even though I would soon outgrow the clothes of a four-year-old child. However, if I had to describe the outfit in one word, it would be Onmyoji fashion. If we were not Onmyoji, it would be aplete cosy.


    "You have grown up, haven''t you? Your mother is happy that Sei has grown up so well."


    I guess it''s like the 7-5-3 day for my parents.(T/N - 7-5-3 or Shichi-Go-San is a day of prayer for the healthy growth of young children. It is also called 7-5-3 because in most regions around the country, boys and girls aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven visit a Shinto shrine with their parents.)


    Seeing my Onmyoji look, my mother had a big smile on her face.


    That smile is a sign of happiness for my growth, and I can feel her deep affection for me. It made me feel itchy, but it also made my heart warm and fuzzy.


    ...... I remember that even in my previous life, I went to a photography studio to take pictures at the time of Shichi-Go-San. ...... I wonder if the growth of a child is a joyful thing for any parent. ...... Well, my parents in my previous life gave me a lot of love, too.


    I thought about it at the funeral, but now I regret that I didn''t give them much filial piety.


    I will be very filial to my parents in this life.


    As a first act of filial piety, should I give my shitty father the gift of a connection with his boss?


    To do so, I need to get the main actors to remember my name at this get-together. Since I have memories of my past life, I will y a trick that only a child can pull off in a mature and grown-up way.


    ---


    The Abe family''s mansion was magnificent beyond anyparison to our home.


    It is a two-story Japanese-style house, lovingly preserved by the passage of time and of great historical value. The Japanese garden, which extends from the main gate to the entrance, must be tended daily by a full-time gardener, and is a work of art that makes one sigh in admiration.


    Even though I was too old to appreciate bonsai, I could understand the beauty of this house with my heart.


    However, I was also thinking, "How much does it cost to maintain this house?"


    The Kyobe family enters this mansion with the stream of participants who arrive one after another.


    I walk alongside my father, and my younger brother is carried in our mother''s arms.


    The main invitees this time are children around five years old and their fathers. It also says that the whole family should attend, but that is in order for the mothers to take care of the children so that the heads of the families can talk without distraction.


    Although the society is calling for gender equality, the old customs still prevail in the small world of the Onmyojimunity.


    Even this is a much more liberal arrangement, ording to my father.


    Also, ording to my father, in my great-grandfather''s generation, women walked three steps behind men, were not allowed to attend social gatherings, and werepletely male-dominated.


    Well, that too was abolished with the arrival of strong female Onmyoji, along with the modern trend.


    Thest part of this conversation was, "Be kind to women, especially to your mother. Especially to your mother".


    "You guys go to this room. I''ll be in the back chatting with the others. Call me if you need anything.


    "Yes, please don''t worry about us here. Good luck."


    The mother''s cheering on fucking father who proceeds to the back of the mansion.


    The adults interact with the adults.


    And we kids interact with the other kids.


    "Ha-ha-ha, over here, over here."


    "Wait!"


    "I''m Erica, and you are?"


    "Well, I''m ...... ugh ...... still~"


    It was like a kindergarten setting, or rather, like free time.


    The boys were running around in the tatami room. Children''s cries could be heard everywhere, and mothers were engaged in small talk.


    Now, let''s see where the main characters are this time.


    As I look around, my mother crouches down to talk to me.


    "They are all your friends who want to be Onmyoji just like Sei. If you get to know each other, I''m sure you will have fun. Come on."


    Mother pushes my back as she says so.


    I''m always ying by myself, even in the park.


    She must be worried about me.


    With Yuya in her arms, the mother heads toward the group of women. She seems to be concerned about me from time to time, and to reassure her, I''ll make a friend or two to invite them to y with me. I will do that in addition to finding my true love and making connections.


    Now, who should I call out to?


    After all, I would prefer a boy who looks promising or a girl who looks like she will be beautiful in the future.


    As I look around the hall, the sliding doors in the back start to open.


    Then, the children who had been ying so excitedly be quiet. They must have instinctively sensed the auraing from behind the sliding doors.


    I, too, cowered a little at the presence of this unknown aura.


    When the servant opened the sliding door, a man in his 30s appeared. He looked like he was at the peak of his physical and mental maturity required for a Samurai that was fighting against Ykai.


    The current head of the Abe family, the 57th head - Abe no Haruaki.


    He was the man at the top of the Onmyoji world.

 Chapter 34: Abe Family

    Chapter 34: Abe Family


    The current head of the Abe family, the 57th head Abe no Haruaki.


    There he is, the man at the top of the Onmyoji world.


    I feel the same thing from him as I felt from the president of argepany I had seen once in a previous life. It is like a powerful aura that leads numerous people.


    "Good evening, everyone. I have arranged this asion to give you, the next generation of Onmyoji, an opportunity to meet new people. My children are the same age as you. I hope you will be friends with them. ......I know you will be ufortable in my presence, so I will leave you now. I hope you all have a good time."


    With these words, the head of the Abe family leaves the room.


    He patted the shoulders of the children who were waiting next to him, as if to encourage them.


    "Abe, Haruku! I''m 6 years old. Nice to meet you!"


    "I am Abe Akari! Nice to meet you!"


    The one who greeted us cheerfully was the eldest son of the Abe family, a rising star who is expected to lead the next generation of Onmyoji. He is my main target this time. If I get along with him, it will definitely give me an advantage in the future. I must definitely get along with him.


    So I thought. ......


    I changed my mind when I saw Akari, the Abe family''s daughter, greeting us in a reserved voice after him.


    Her pretty ...... glossy ck hair flows smoothly. She has a doll-like face and tworge eyes that sway uneasily as she catches the gaze of the crowd. I know I wasn''t a pedophile, but I couldn''t help but feel the desire to hug her and reassure her.


    My main target changed.


    Akari-chan might be the heroine of my life. The first love I had experienced in my previous life was a shock to me.


    The two were pushed into the circle of children by their mother, who was standing further back.


    The children seemed to feel ufortable talking to the two, whose atmosphere was somewhat different from their own environment, and kept them at a distance.


    Then, one of the children approaches Haruku, after being whispered to by his mother.


    "Nice to meet you, I''m Shoshi Kagura. Please treat me well!"


    "Oh, nice to meet you!"


    Sheesh, I couldn''t carry out my strategy of talking to them first and leaving an impression.


    There is a child who is already talking with Akari''s side.


    From their surnames, they are the children of a prominent family in the world of Onmyoji.


    I guess that at a get-together like this, people of high status are the first to speak to each other.


    However, this is a story for adults at a social gathering. Children don''t care about such things.


    The children gradually realized that the two children were not scary people, and they crowded around them.


    They are interested in them because they have something they don''t have, and they are interested in those that others are interested in. With a very childlike principle of behavior, the two were quickly surrounded, and two groups of boys and girls were formed.


    Hmm, I''m not sure I want to go through this circle of people .......


    No, no, no, I thought I had decided to live proactively.


    But I''d feel sorry for the kids if I pushed them away.


    Just when I decided to wait and see, the central figure in the circle spoke up.


    "Hey, let''s y together! Let''s y tag!"


    The boys gathered around him all raised their hands and announced their participation.


    He is indeed the son of the top Onmyoji leader, as he naturally leads others even though he is still a child.


    However, his proposal was childish. ying tag?


    But then again, I''m also one of those people who raised his hand, so why worry about it?


    "Hey, get some paper!"


    Haruku-kun gives orders to his servants.


    Wow, he has no hesitation in using people. Is he copying what his parents do?


    Compared to him, Akari-chan has a restrained personality.


    I wonder if it is just her personality. Unlike Haruku-kun, who soon got tired of greeting people, Akari-chan politely talks to each and every girl around her, which is cute.


    In the meantime, a servant woman was handing out paper talismans cut out in human shapes to the children.


    On the paper, a flying formation was drawn in ck ink.


    I see, we are Onmyoji children, and instead of moving our own bodies, we manipte our spiritual power to y tag,...... interesting.


    "I''m the first demon! Get ready to ...... start ......!"


    Everyone is putting their spiritual power into the dolls'' bodies.


    Children who cannot yet put spiritual power into the dolls or who are not good at it are struggling. Most of the children around the age of 4 seem to be physically unable to fly the dolls, while those around the age of 5 concentrate on their spiritual power and fly them, and those around the age of 6 fly them smoothly as if it were a matter of course.


    In other words, the few children around 4 years old who were able to fly their doll talismans right away are probably the talented ones. Let''s keep them in mind.


    Don''t tell me that Haruku-kun proposed the game of tag with such an aim in mind?


    The game of tag begins without regard to the children who cannot put their spiritual power into it.


    The childlike inability to wait, and the developing ability to take on the challenge of being the first one y the role of a demon, I havee to understand his character somewhat.


    "Wait, wait~!"


    "Whoa, it''sing this way!"


    "You''re moving too fast!"


    Wow, that''s quite a lot of spiritual power.


    The fact that he doesn''t run out of gas at that speed means that his spiritual power must be about the same amount as after I absorbed Irregrs.


    He is flying around like a maniac, taunting the fleeing dolls.


    "Hehehe, try to catch me!"


    Haha. This is that one.


    I''ve yed this game so many times, I knew I had strong spiritual powers. And I saw that he was in pretty good shape.


    In fact, the adults in his peer group would praise him, and he had plenty of servants to obey him at all times. On top of that, with all this spiritual power and talent, his parents must be very proud of him.


    I would be in a good mood in such an environment.


    But that is not good.


    There are extremely rare people who, If they get to carried away as children, they will end up living with the same frame of mind even as an adult.


    Such people are generally troublesome. They are ufortable to work with because they can''t act like adults while still maintaining their childish attitude. Furthermore, they have no malicious intent, so they are very annoying to deal with.


    Bing an adult does not necessarily mean being an adult. Only the will to be an adult is a qualification for bing an adult.


    So here''s one thing I'' d like you to understand about the feelings of ordinary people.


    If he falls into a setback as an adult, he will be seriously harmed, but as a child, he can learn safely by ying.


    He should be taught that he should not get carried away just because he is a little stronger than others.


    Huh? Am I in better shape than you?


    I have to be careful.


    But it''s true that I''m currently one step ahead of him.


    And while we''re at it, let''s make them aware of my existence.


    The opposite of like is dislike. It doesn''t matter if it''s a rival position or anything else. The first thing is to make them remember me.


    Okay, I''ve be a demon. Naturally, my target is...


    "Hehehe, this way, this way...Uhe on,e on."


    Haruku-kun cracked a smile with plenty of energy to spare.


    His previous tag games must have been a field he was definitely a winner in.


    When my doll talisman was closing in on him, he hurriedly increased his speed. He was pretty good at manipting his spiritual power, moving around curves and sharp angles to try to pull away from me.


    He was so cute. From my point of view, it was a child''s y. Don''t think you can run away from me like that.


    My mischievous sidees out, and I intentionally try to get around Haruka-kun before he does, or close behind him just in time for him to touch me.


    Ah, I remember the cruel mischievousness of a child like this. It brings back memories.


    "Ughhhhhh ...... this oh my! ...... ugh, I''m caught."


    He persisted quite well, but there was no way he could match my well-trained spiritual power.


    Haruku-kun is breathing hard and bitterly thinking about his defeat.


    Behind every victory lies many defeats. If you understand the feelings of those below you, you will never think of being arrogant.


    Hey, my current attitude seems pretty arrogant too. ...... I''ll be careful.


    There is a possibility that one day Haruku-kun will overtake me in the skill of flying talismans, and I must work hard and keep practicing.


    The other children who were watching the battle between me and Haruku-kun were stunned with their mouths hanging open. I guess they had lost control of their spiritual power, because their doll talismans were falling down in a fluttering motion.


    You guys will be able to do this in a few years. Not many kids will be able to do it at this time of their lives, though.


    "My brother lost."


    The voice echoed in therge, silent room.

 Chapter 35: Protagonist and Rival Characters

    Chapter 35: Protagonist and Rival Characters


    "My brother lost."


    The voice echoed in therge, quiet room.


    Before I knew it, the girls and their mothers were watching us fight.


    Akari-chan, who was in the center of the group, mumbled a few words regarding the fact that we were fighting.


    Hearing her voice, Haruku-kun came to his senses, looked around, and asked a question.


    "Who''s that?"


    Me.


    "Nice to meet you. My name is Kyobe Sei, the eldest son of the Kyobe family. Please allow me to extend my regards to you."


    I bow with the grace I''ve seen in some TV drama.


    It''s exactly what I was aiming for.


    Now I had made an memorable first impression. It was a good thing I didn''t blend in with the crowd.


    Now, I wondered how he would react to the person who had beaten him.


    After all this time, I found myself whispering in my mind, "What if he doesn''t like me?


    I kept my head down and waited for his reaction.


    "You''re awesome! Next time I won''t lose!"


    What ...... is .......


    I thought at best he might throw a tantrum and run off, but what a hero move.


    I''m totally the rival character in this one. Oh, that was the point, wasn''t it?


    "What are you doing! You all need to get your asses to the paper, fast!"


    And I have not forgotten the children around me.


    I understood this by what he said and did.


    He is not like me, who aspires to be a celebrity. He was born to be above the masses.


    I am envious of him.


    Even at my age, I can''t seem topete in terms of humanity, so I guess I have no choice but to refine my spiritual power.


    I feel like I can go to the next level of refinement. I''m not a sore loser.


    The game of tag begins again ording to Haruku-kun order.


    I was caught by a doll controlled by another boy in an appropriate manner, and when I became an demon, I chased after Haruku-kun.


    Haruku-kun happily fled, chased after me when I became an demon, and unexpectedly targeted a nearby opponent when he decided that he could not run away from me.


    As expected, as a mentally mature adult, I couldn''t be any more of an adult.


    I focused on game management so that everyone could have fun.


    It was worth it, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.


    I, on my part, approached and talked to a promising girl who was effortlessly manipting her spiritual power, and it was quite a fruitful time.


    However, it is time for me to get in touch with my main target.


    I wonder if I can somehow make friends with Akari.


    There is no doubt that Akari is cute. She is much more attractive than the child actors on TV, and it is definite that she will be a beautiful woman in the future. Because her mother is also a beautiful woman.


    I would love to get close to her. They say love is blind, but my mind is upied with how to approach Akari.


    Even I, as blind as I am, can at least see the spectacle in front of me.


    I got a hint from the sight of the dolls flying around, and I asked the servant for a favor.


    The request was immediately granted. As expected of the servants of the Abe family, they are excellent.


    "What will you do with the paper?"


    "You''ll see."


    I put my spiritual power into about 30 sheets of paper.


    When I have put a lot of energy into the paper, I close my eyes and think of the desired result in my mind.


    "Wow, the letters are popping up...!"


    Spiritual power can be used in many ways.


    It is easy to burn a piece of paper if you stimte it with a mass of energy. It''s a little trick I learned from my asshole of a father.


    The paper, which has been prepared, is manipted with spiritual power and folded into a butterfly shape in the manner of origami.


    The sight of 30 sheets being folded at the same time is quite interesting to the eye.


    Thepleted butterflies flutter down to the girls, flying like real butterflies.


    "Wow, what''s this?"


    "Butterflies!"


    The butterflies perched on their shoulders and their palms are slowly being opened by spiritual power maniption.


    Then, there is a greeting from me.


    As the girls and boys are naturally separated, if I greeted the girls alone, I would appear to be out of ce among the boys.


    With this, it is possible to greet girls in a fashionable way without the boys knowing about it. The flying doll talismans were a good hint.


    The result was a sess.


    "Wow, it''s a handwritten letter."


    "What does it say?"


    A letter disguised as a butterfly. The girls who got it are showing it to each other and exchanging their impressions with each other.


    Well, they all had the same sentence.


    Thest line was written in a fortune-telling style, something like "lucky color <red>. I remembered that fortune-telling was popr among girls when I was a child.


    Only one person, my true love, had a very borate letter addressed to her.


    I also added a picture that I thought she would like.


    As I had hoped, she left the circle of girls and came to me alone.


    It was a good thing I had moved closer to her beforehand.


    "What is this picture?"


    Ah, the tilting of the head looks good. I wonder if someone could take a picture of it.


    The picture of the egg is drawn in the letter.


    This is exactly what I''ve set her up for, something she''ll be interested in. One of the few things I seem to have inmon with her.


    "This is my spirit animal egg. It''s already got a pattern on it."


    "No way! Because my father said that the pattern would appear when a child turns 10 years old."


    My prediction came true.


    After all, the children of the Abe family were given spirit animal eggs.


    And the eggs of the spirit animal I drew have a pattern on it. This is strange to anyone who knows about eggs. On the other hand, if it did not have such a pattern, it would be nothing more than a simple egg drawing.


    This is how I should get back the original 50 million yen.


    "I''m not lying. The pattern is just like in this picture. If you like,e to my house sometime and I will show it to you."


    Phew, perfect flow of conversation.


    I even suspected that maybe it was her reading my mental script.


    This series of dialogue would not only give me a chance to meet her again, but would also convey to the Onmyoji leaders in a natural and easy-to-understand way that my spiritual power is excellent.


    It was a perfect development for me.


    In this way, I was able to be acquainted with the children of the Abe family.

 Chapter 36: Relatives Association - Minamoto family

    Chapter 36: Rtives'' Association - Minamoto family


    -POV change-


    I could not help but be astonished at the sight.


    I was also awed by the fact that the Abe family''s eldest son, Haruku-sama, was able to manipte the human-shaped dolls at will despite being only six years old, which is still understandable. The Abe family''s education for gifted children is tremendous, and all the children of sessive generations of the Abe family are blessed with talent and have honed that talent from early on.


    Hence, there are other reasons for my embarrassingly distorted face.


    "Oh, who is controlling that doll talisman?"


    "I don''t know. Among those gathered here today, the rumored children are, of course, the Minamoto family, the Kagura family, the Kami family, and the Nishikido family, I believe."


    "None of them are under the age of six, and even I couldn''t do those moves now."


    Oh, good. I''m d to hear that.


    It seems I was not the only one surprised.


    Everyone who belongs to the Minamoto family is surprised.


    I can''t me them. You have to be really good at manipting spiritual power to do suchplicated moves, and even if you could, you''d probably run out of spiritual power and fall off.


    He must have the appropriate spiritual power to match his skill.


    I never thought I would see such advancedbat in a game of tag that I myself used to y.


    "Calm down, folks. Let''s find the mother of the boy who is manipting that doll."


    Following my instructions, everyone looks around.


    Every adult in the hall has a look of astonishment on their faces. They are probably not the mothers of the operators.


    Like us, a group of people looking for the mother of the sorcerer stops in their tracks. They are under the Nishikido family. They are also excluded.


    Then, Ito-san, who belongs to the Minamoto family, sends us a signal.


    "Mistress over there, she is not surprised at all."


    After she had whispered in my ear, I looked at her and sure enough, there was a woman with a face that seemed to say "of course" at the sight in front of her.


    She must be the mother of that doll operator.


    "Let''s go, everyone."


    With such a promising boy and a family that did not belong to any faction, there was no way I would not be able to bring them in.


    I led a faction of the Minamoto family consisting of about 10 members and surround the woman in question.


    "Excuse me, is that doll talisman owned by your son?"


    "Yes, without a doubt. It is my son''s doll."


    I have never seen her face as she answered me in this way.


    This must be her first time attending this get-together. She is still young, and more and more men are marrying ordinary women these days, not those in the Onmyoji world. Many women who were not closely associated with the Onmyoji world are new additions like this.


    "So very talented. I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for him."


    "Yes, our child will definitely be a genius Onmyoji who will leave his mark in history."


    As proof of this, this woman ispletely unfazed in front of me.


    She probably does not know that I am from a branch of the Abe family, which stands at the top of the Onmyoji world, and that I am the wife of the head of the Minamoto family, who is the right-hand man of the Abe family.


    If they don''t know, they just need to be informed.


    We are going to have a long rtionship from now on.


    "By the way, does your son already have a fiance?"


    "What, a fiance, you say?"


    Yes, the general public is not familiar with such a custom.


    But in the Onmyoji world, it is still well known asmon knowledge.


    Onmyoji talents are often inherited, and children born to gifted men and women often have abundant spiritual power.


    Even if one parent is an ordinary person, a gifted child may be born by chance in this way, but it is still a world where the thickness of blood is respected.


    "My daughter is four this year, how about that one?"


    "He'' s four years old. Um, it is indeed too early to get engaged."


    "That''s not true---''No, no, no, it''s a good opportunity, and I don''t want to miss this chance.'' My child is also four years old, so why don''t you consider her?''"


    Damn, the circle of encirclement has been broken.


    It was the slut of the Nishikido family, a traitor with a taste for luxury, who came.


    "Well, nowadays, we have freedom to love---''Freedom is important, of course, but it is also a mother''s duty to take care of the family.'' A powerful boy brings with him a certain amount ofmitment, so don''t you think you should also provide him with the grace to match?''"(T/N - If you didn''t already figure out author put the thoughts they have in the middle of their talking so for that I marked it with {''})


    There was no way the Nishikido family would let such an excellent asset get away.


    How could I let this woman, who doesn''t listen to others and doesn''t know the meaning of elegance, take it away from me?


    "Nishikido-san, you are being very pushy. Unlike us, this woman is an ordinary person. How about not imposing ourmon sense on her?"


    "Oh, dear, you are talking nonsense. This is the center of the Onmyoji world, the Abe family. There should be no outsider here. This person is also a rted person, so it is only natural that we should be the first to present a wonderful proposal for the betterment of our rtionship. In the first ce, wasn''t it you who first proposed the engagement?"


    This b*tch.......


    I have not liked her for a long time, but this sidestepping is beyond revolting.


    It is aughable joke that the Nishikido family, who drip poison into the heart of the Onmyoji world, is talking about the Abe family.


    "You would be wise not to listen to this woman''s words, or you will be saddled with debt and your precious one will be used as a puppet."


    "Please don''t make false usations. My family has done nothing more than lend a helping hand to a family in need. We have done nothing to earn your gratitude or resentment."


    "Oh, who is it that is causing the poverty? Who is it in the west that is...?


    "Oh, um, I''m not sure that you should be fighting over me."


    I shouldn''t have done that, I did a shameful act.


    Returning my gaze to the talisman game that had been the source of all this, I was tempted to say, "You''re kidding".


    "Oh, he wasn''t serious yet with all that?"


    "He''s ying with Haruku-sama: ......"


    Yes, this was an even more advanced battle than the previous one.


    This was no longer a game. It is a battle.


    Even the shameless people of the Nishikido family were dazzled by the spectacle.


    No, all the people in the room were watching the high-speed battle between the dolls, which they could barely follow with their eyes, and there was aplete silence.


    Then the battle was over, and the scene was set in motion by Akari-sama''s words, "My brother has lost".


    "Let''s get him engaged to my daughter. I will invite you to my home afterwards. I would love to hear your views on raising a child."


    "Hey, you''re barging in and being too pushy - ''Do you mind getting out of my way?'' Come on, please follow me.''"


    The mother of a boy who would not only be a superior specimen, but a central figure of the next generation.


    The Nishikido family even threw away the cat''s skin they were barely wearing and snatched her up in a factional human wave.


    "By the way, where do you live?"


    "I am free--"


    I bit my lip involuntarily as they took the initiative---"Who the hell are you!"


    "Nice to meet you. My name is Kyobe Sei, the eldest son of the Kyobe family. Please ept my regards."


    What?


    It''s not at all the same as the name of his mother''s family, which I just barely heard earlier.


    My fellow faction members shake their heads. They didn''t seem to have any idea.


    I look around and see the Nishikido family and that mother who had stopped moving.


    And right near the table where the Nishikidos and I had been sitting before we moved, there was a woman with a big smile on her face.


    "Sei, you made a friend right away. I''m d."


    There you are!


    Without me having to give them any instructions, the Minamoto family members surrounded her.


    She must have been surprised earlier at that sight, so it never urred to me that she was his mother.


    "You, what is your name?"


    "Eh? Well, my name is Kyobe Reika. Nice to meet you. I am the wife of Kyobe Tsuyoshi."


    An unfamiliar name, definitely a regr person.


    And thest name confirmed that she was the mother of that sorcerer.


    "I apologize for not saying my name first. My name is Minamoto Aya, wife of the head of the Minamoto family, Minamoto no Aranran. I look forward getting to know you."


    I will not let them be sidetracked by the Nishikido family anymore.


    They should just get along with the mothers who don''t even know what their children are capable of.


    "By the way, it was your son who was operating that doll talisman, wasn''t he? He seems to have had a very good training."


    "Yes, I was surprised too. I never thought he could make paper dolls fly that fast."


    ...... This mother also doesn''t seem to have a grasp of her own child''s abilities.


    I wonder if the regr person wouldn''t be concerned about her own child''s spiritual power.


    "What kind of education did you give him? I''d love to hear about it."


    Every woman around me listens. If their own child is even remotely close to a genius like that, what woman wouldn''t want the information?


    So I won''t let her speak here.


    "There is an empty room just over there, so let''s talk there. Reika, let me introduce you to my friends as well."


    "But the Sei is ......."


    "If it''s your son, you can ask the servants to look after him."


    This is what happened when I thought there was no activity going on in the Nishikido family.


    Right before our eyes, that boy was making his move again.


    The paper, which must have been prepared by the servants, began to move all at once; as many as 30rge sheets of paper were folded to resemble butterflies. That alone was amazing, but the butterflies were all moving their wings as if they had a separate life of their own.


    How much control does one have to have to be able to do something like that?


    At least, a higher skill that even I, who have been active as an Onmyoji, cannot do.


    Moreover, it is soaring down to the girls who are gathered at a distance.


    All of them are precise, even the ones that are tucked in, they ce it on their hands.


    "Wow, a letter."


    A letter?


    A boy of that age writing a letter to a girl?


    Using a doll that resembles a butterfly?


    When did he write these letters?


    It''s not normal.


    Not only in his actions and abilities, but even his thoughts are not those of a child.


    I wonder if I should bring this boy in as an ally.


    No, Shizuku is also quite mature, and I guess some boys are like that.


    A little lost in my mind, I hear the voice of his unusual mother.


    "Well, I can''t believe he gets along with girls too, he''s going to be a wonderful Onmyoji in the future, just like Tsuyoshi-san."


    No, this mother does not feel any sense of crisis at all.


    A mother with a child of such potential could be taken advantage of if she is ignorant.


    Let her be well educated and helpful under the protection of us, and by extension, the Abe family.


    ---


    T/N - I really like when POV change happens and this was a long chapter. It is personally one of my favorite so far. If you notice any mistakes please tell me and I will try to fix it when I can. I hope you enjoyed the chapter :).

 Chapter 37: Reception of the Heads of Families

    Chapter 37: Reception of the Heads of Families


    A/N - This chapter is from the 3rd person point of view.


    ---


    Unlike the room where thedies gather, the room where the heads of the families gather has a heavy air.


    People in formal Onmyoji attire are lined up in a row, as if the aristocrats of the Heian period were having a dinner party.


    The interior of the room is also of high quality, reminding one of the weights of time. The gold leaf-strewn fusuma (sliding doors) reflected the light of the andonnterns, twinkling like stars. They represent the wealth of the Abe family.


    The heads of each family exchanged information over a sumptuous meal.


    Since the Onmyoji world is a small society and hidden from the public, the information obtained at these meetings is very valuable.


    There is often super-important information that will lead to a major incidentter on, mixed in among the rumors that are not covered in the Onmyou newspapers.


    Tsuyoshi also exchanged information with his peers sitting beside him in the banquet.


    They work in the field and have firsthand information. It is highly likely that they have more valuable information than those who sit in the upper seats of this auditorium.


    "It''s pretty bad in Tokyo. Along with the recession, the number of Ykai of the third degree of threat has increased."


    "It''s not just Tokyo. There is an atmosphere of gloom and doom throughout Japan. It''s a situation that allows for the umtion of impurities.


    "Maybe that''s why the seal deep in the mountains has been broken."


    A Ykai with a threat level of 5 or slightly lower that had been sealed deep in the mountains of the Tohoku region.


    Its appearance was still the talk of the town.


    And the most powerful Onmyoji in Japan who exterminated it was also a topic of conversation.


    "As I thought, Shiangsuna Ensa-dono is not here?"


    "He recently used his power. It is understandable."


    "His only daughter is five years old this year, isn''t she? Wasn''t she invited?


    "I heard that the session is going so well that they can''t even converse with each other. I know it can''t be helped, but it still pains me."


    While listening to the voices around him, Tsuyoshi also talked with a colleague sitting next to him.


    He seemed interested in the information that Tsuyoshi had.


    "I see that Goken-dono is still alive and well. I thought he would be retired by now, since he is old enough."


    "He has been rather active since his son took over the reigns as head of the family. He has just recently appeased the wrath of the mountain."


    "I see, I see, he is as dynamic as ever."


    The manughs happily when he hears Tsuyoshi''s story.


    The man looked to be about 50 years old from his appearance, perhaps old enough to be retired by now.


    Tsuyoshi does not know his family name, as he had not seen him at any of the gatherings in the past few years.


    "I am Rai, the current head of the Henua Hea family. I am sorry it took me so long to tell you my name. I have only known you for a short time.


    "Well, how did you heard about me?"


    "As you may have guessed, I was working for Goken-sama. I was injured before you arrived. I was relieved when I heard that you had reced me."


    He then rubs his right hand.


    Just from the back of his hand, there is a deep scar running through it.


    The scar continued to the forearm and must have reached the nerves. Rai was holding chopsticks with his left hand.


    If one hand cannot move satisfactorily, it will be a disadvantage in expeditions, and he will not be able to make his mark in battle. This would be fatal for a team member of a Samurai family whose profession is to exterminate Ykai.


    "So you are Henua-dono, huh? I have heard of you. Everyone says that you are a wonderful calligrapher."


    "Haha, I think the rumors are greatly exaggerated. I don''t have that much power."


    He has a good-natured smile on his face, but he used to be a fine fighter, just as he was rumored to be.


    The serious injury that caused him to resign was also an honorable injury, protecting his friends from a Ykai''s surprise attack.


    "You are very collected. I hate to say this, but I don''t think you''re suited forbat that much. You could have taken another path, couldn''t you?"


    A statement that some listeners might resent.


    However, his words conveyed a genuine sense of concern.


    Tsuyoshi, who has always been self-aware, responded in a straightforward manner.


    "It''s profitable, you see."


    "But you have young children. I''d rather ...... have a safe job than take a risk right now."


    "We were in dire need in order to raise that child."


    "Perhaps the Nishikidos?"


    Rai whispered in his ear, and Tsuyoshi gave a small nod.


    The two peered sideways into the upper room. Their gazes were directed toward the man sitting to the left of Abe no Haruaki, the head of the Nishikido family.


    This man is connected to the three major Onmyoji in Kyoto, Japan, and is known for putting economic pressure on the weaker Onmyoji families to bring them down and take away the techniques passed down in their families.


    The reason why such a man can sit in the top seat is that he has established a major faction in the Kanto region, and a bad decision would affect the governance of the entire region.


    The current head of the Nishikido family has been overlooked because of the many contributions he has made to the Abe family. Yes, that is the rumor.


    And the Kyobe family was among its targets.


    Tsuyoshi''s parents and ancestors lost most of the wealth they had risked their lives to earn because the Nishikido family acted in the dark.


    If Tsuyoshi had not worked so hard and been picked up by the former head of the Goken family, hisnd and secret knowledge would have been taken from him.


    "Ah, the Kyobe family is a user of the summoning technique. I hear that the summoning team was their priority target. Is that your connection to Goken-sama?"


    "No, my parents were in his care for a while. ......"


    "...... I see. It was a tough time for you."


    Havinge to know each other''s situation, the two were able to exchange the information they were seeking.


    This naturally included the purpose of their visit here today.


    He asked Rai about it, as it would have been difficult for the younger Tsuyoshi to bring up the subjectter.


    "I am hoping to find a fiance for my son."


    "It is really unusual hearing about arranged marriages. Even in my time, it was rare to actually hear of such a thing."


    The main reason Tsuyoshi attended this get-together was to find a fiance with an Onmyoji background for Sei.


    In order to rebuild the Kyobe family from now on, what is needed is ady who understands the work of an Onmyoji. Although it would be nice to just have someone like Reika to help them, there are still many things that can only be done with knowledge and experience.


    Furthermore, if they can establish connections with other families, they will be able to help each other in times of need.


    However, the only people who can find a fiance at this age are the members of three major Onmyoji families. With the advent of the age of free love, the old custom of arranged marriages has be outdated, even in the Onmyoji world.


    "Have you found a good match?"


    "Many people have the same view as Henua-dono ....... Also, it seems that our family''s track record is not attractive enough."


    "That''s unfortunate."


    Tsuyoshi''s conversation with Rai made him think that he could have a friendship with him and his family.


    If the Henua family had a daughter around his son''s age,...... he asked with such expectations.


    "Is Henua-dono here today on behalf of your family?"


    "No, I''m here today to look for my adopted son."


    Today he was invited to a house with children close to the age of Haruku.


    Rai is too old to have a child around 6 years old. Considering his injuries, it is not surprising that he has already given up the reigns of the family.


    When he asked if he was here on behalf of his busy son, his guess turned out to be wrong.


    "Adopted son?"


    "Unfortunately, we were both not blessed with the gift of Onmyoji. We can''t afford to have any more children, so we gave up long ago. They are now adults and have refused to continue the tradition, saying they are not even interested in Onmyoji. To the average person, it must seem like a dangerous world, so we had no choice."


    In the olden days, people had concubines and mistresses and could have many children.


    Today, it is not possible to keep on having children until a talented child is born.


    It is so difficult thatrge families attract public attention through TV programs.


    "Still, it would be unbearable for our ancestors to let our family''s secret technique die out. ...... I have been asking the Minamoto family for a long time. I was specially invited today."


    "Oh, I see. ...... have you found a good candidate for ......?"


    "You are the first candidate. Do you have a second or third son? I would be willing to entrust my family''s secret art to your child. I suppose so."


    "I am honored to hear that, but unfortunately my second son does not have the talent. Another one is not easy to have, and considering the burden on my wife, we thought it would be difficult to have any more."


    "Well, that''s too bad."


    Chuckling, Rai took a sip of his sake.


    It was disappointing for Tsuyoshi, too, because he found out that the Henua family had no daughters.


    Both of them stood up from their seats, hoping that someone in the room would be able to solve their difficult problems.


    The tes on the table had long been emptied and were being taken away by the servants.


    From here, the group moved to a round-table with drinks in hand.


    "May you have a wonderful karma."


    "You too."


    They wished each other good luck, but God was not listening.


    The banquet ended without any sess.

 Chapter 38: Beginning of love

    Chapter 38: Beginning of love


    My brilliant maneuvering allowed me to sell my name to the big boys.


    If I could befriend them, it would be to the benefit of my asshole of a father.


    I was able to stand out really well.


    I had never been in public like that in a previous life, so I was pretty nervous.


    I''m sure it''s ...... okay, I''m sure that was fine. I think it was good. ...... Really?


    Are you sure you didn''t miss ...... something? Did you make a mistake, like offending someone else?


    ......The stakes are high......I just remembered a nasty saying.


    I''ll believe that ......... was a brilliant strategy.


    "I couldn''t have done that if I didn''t know I had more spiritual power than other people."


    The most important part of this operation was to know what I was capable of.


    As part of the Onmyojutsu training, I had the opportunity to observe my father at work.


    At that time, he was putting spiritual power into the ink, paying the God of Shikigami with spiritual power as a gratitude, and consuming spiritual power frequently.


    And by nightfall, he was exhausted. He went to bed right after dinner.


    This was the reason why my father could not service his family at all. That was the first time I found out.


    "Dad, is it okay if I do the spiritual power giving?"


    "There is quite a lot of spiritual power to give to the God of Shikigami. If you feel you are about to faint, tell me right away."


    Surprisingly, he did not object when I offered to help.


    I was happy to use my spiritual power, knowing that I would be able to measure how much I actually have... and it didn''t diminish at all.


    What, the damn father only has this much spiritual power?


    I''d use up all this stuff for refining in 10 seconds.


    How can he fight Ykai if he only has this much?


    It''s an amount that can''t even make one grain of Daichiku refining spiritual element that I used when I fought the shadow Ykai.


    Even with this, the damn father is still quite good in terms of spirituality, and is said to have almost three times higher spiritual power than others.


    This means that the average Onmyoji has much lower spiritual power.


    I was shocked.


    I was shocked to learn that the total spiritual power of an active Onmyoji is this small.


    I was ted.


    I knew that my spiritual power, which had been increasing since my birth, had be a tremendous advantage.


    The damn father also noticed that my spiritual power was quite high and he was pondering about something.


    I would really like you to speed up my future Onmyoji training n. I want to practice summoning Shikigami as soon as possible.


    I now understood a little more about my own capabilities.


    It seems that the spiritual power I had put into the talisman was excessive, and I was able to achieve both speed and durability with an overwhelming amount of output.


    However, to be a professional Onmyoji, one must train in other areas as well.


    Spiritual power is only the fuel for Onmyojutsu, and there are many things to learn, such as ritual preparation, replenishment of equipment, meeting with clients, and cooperation with other practitioners.


    I will try to do my job in such a way that I can be recognized as a professional while taking advantage of my spiritual power.


    If I do so, I will naturally be famous.


    "Okay, let''s do our best."


    As I was trapping the mysterious creature today, my mother, who was unusually deep in thought, unexpectedly spoke to me.


    "Hijiri*, what kind of girls do you like?"(T/N - Sticking with the name Hijiri from now on to avoid confusion.)


    Mother, what are you asking a 4-year-old?


    I could reveal my preferences here, but that is indeed too strange for my age.


    Oh, but wait. There was one answer I had no problem saying here.


    "Hah ......, what am I asking my child? I''m sorry, forget the question I just asked."


    "Me, I want to marry someone like my mom."


    This is my true intention.


    With her long, shiny ck hair and actress-like beauty, it is hard to believe that she is a mother of two, and she remains a very popr person at the park.


    She is always kind to us no matter how busy she is, full of love for her family, does her household chores perfectly, and always has a smile on her face.


    As far as she is concerned, she is always willing to support her husband, who neveres home, and she is very supportive of him on the outside and very spoiled on the inside.


    My mother, with her perfect personality, appearance, and specs, I would have proposed to her if she wasn''t my own mother.


    Well, in my previous life, I probably wouldn''t have been epted.


    My mother smiled broadly at my deration, which was not a lie.


    "Well, well! That makes me so happy to hear Hijiri. Your mother loves Hijiri, too."


    Although I am embraced by my mother''s ample breasts, I do not feel any sexual desire at all. Perhaps it is because she is my own mother, but I only feel affection for her as a family member.


    That''s why I feel so relieved when I am hugged by her bosom. ......


    I will be forever grateful to her for giving me protection when I was struggling to survive.


    "Yes, of course it is better to find someone you like by yourself. Let''s say so to Tsuyoshi. Even if you don''t have a fiance, Hijiri who looks like his father is bound to attract plenty of girls."


    Wait a minute, Mother.


    Was that conversation you just had about deciding on me potentially having a fiance?


    I thought we were talking about my type of sexual preference for the opposite sex.


    Having a fiance is something I admire about this kind of rtionships.


    First of all, the fact that there is a guarantee of marriage in the future is amazing.


    I couldn''t even get a girlfriend in my whole life.


    In romanticedies, there is always a marital rtionship. Usually with the losing heroine, though.


    In my previous life, I wanted to live a sweet and sour adolescence, such as being with a woman who was conscious of the opposite sex from the time we were students.


    However, the fact that the appearance and personality of the marriage partner cannot be changed is a major negative.


    If you meet a woman with a striking appearance like my mother while you have a fiance, you will face the obstacle of opposition from the people around you.


    And finally, in light of how I look, I can say which one is more nuanced.


    As I evolved from an infant to a toddler, I was finally able to properly appreciate my facial features.


    To be honest, I looked like my fucking father.


    Thanks to the mother factor, I had a much more presentable face than I had in my previous life, but it seems that bnce is everything when ites to human beauty and ugliness, and I am no longer a great-looking man after being ruined just a little bit by my asshole father.


    The parts of my face look exactly like my unsociable asshole father, and I would like to change my single eyelid for my mother''s double eyelid or anything like that.


    Overall, I''d say I'' m a medium to good looking guy. It seems to leave room for me to turn into a good-looking man if I take care of my appearance. I do not deny that there is probably some wishful thinking mixed in.


    In other words, even if I have someone I like, I''m not sure if I can win her over.


    If that''s the case, I''d rather have a fiance.


    But I don''t think I can choose who I marry. Can I love someone whom my parents have decided for me?


    To begin with, I didn''t think that the custom of marriage of convenience still existed in the world of Onmyoji.


    I never thought that the day woulde when I would have to worry about whether or not to enter into a marital union at the mere age of four. ......!


    The partner of your choice...... ah.


    "Akari-chan was cute."


    "Akari-chan? ...... Oh, the daughter of Abe''s family." ......


    I know I sound like she''s the daughter of an acquaintance, but she''s a big shot.


    As you can imagine, I can''t allow myself to marry into her family, but I''d like to make my preferences known anyway.


    If possible, I''ll get to know her and earn her liking while I still can and confess to her when she''s in high school.


    Since my future is to be a futsumen, I have to make a pact with her at an early age, when facial features are irrelevant. (T/N - Futsumen - normal, average looking guy)


    Aim to be a modern-day Hikaru Genji*.


    "She certainly looked like she is going to be a beautiful girl in the future. Her mother is beautiful, as well."


    "My mother is more beautiful than hers."


    I got another hug.


    I know some of it was half aimed, but I was just telling the truth.


    How can I really marry a woman like my mother?


    "Mom, why did you marry my father?"


    "Oh my, are you curious about how we got together all the way to Hijiri?"


    "Yes."


    I wonder if this remark was heard at the get-together.


    From mother''s reaction, it seems that no matter how many times she spoke about it, she never had enough to say.


    Please let us know for future reference.


    "When I was still a college student, my club activities dragged on and I went homete."


    Mother, there are words that toddlers don''t understand that appear frequently.


    And it is easy to imagine what follows.


    "At that time, winter was deepening, and the sun was setting much earlier. I still remember the mysterious sky with its mixture of sunset and night darkness. I was toldter that at such times one is most likely to be attacked by Ykai."


    Mother''s narration is so smooth.


    She must have told this story many times already.


    "As I was hurrying home, arge Ykai suddenly appeared in front of me. It came out of nowhere, without warning, and I fell on my buttocks as I collided with the Ykai''s stomach. It was only then that I caught a glimpse of the Ykai in all its glory, and I was frozen in fear.


    Hey, can you tell me what it looked like?


    I wonder if it had an R18 appearance.


    When it suddenly appears, it is the same as a shadow Ykai.


    "The time that followed seemed very long. The Ykai slowly raised its right arm and tried to slice me open with its sharp ws. I remember its mouth, which was ripped open vertically, twisted with glee. All I could do was stare, and only when the ws were down and death was at hand was, I finally was able to cry out, "Help! I realized that in a real crisis, a person cannot even ask for help."


    Oh, I didn''t know that.


    The story of my mother''s past that she tells me with her bodynguage.


    I could picture her face stained with fear, the desperate situation where no help wasing, and such scenes.


    Before I knew it, I was immersed in my mother''s storytelling.


    "But its deadly ws did not reach me. Before I knew it, the talismans that had been ced around me had formed a protective formation. It was your father who saved me as I was stunned in the area of the barrier. Tsuyoshi-san, who happened to be nearby, rushed to my aid. The Shikigami who followed him attacked the Ykai and drove it far away from me. And the sight of that man fighting with me on his back was ...... very cool."


    Mother has the face of a maiden.


    The development was more tentative than I expected, and I was worried about the mother''s choosiness.


    "I tried to thank the benefactor who saved me, but Tsuyoshi-san refused to ept it because it was his job, and he just left. Still, I really wanted to see him again, so Imissioned a detective agency--"


    Hmm?


    A detective agency?


    "After I tracked down his house, I thanked Mr. Tsuyoshi, and then we began to interact with each other and became friends, and we ended up getting married."


    Second half of the story is a little more detailed.


    I wondered how a fuddy-duddy like my shitty father married a beautiful woman, but it was my mother who made the first move to approach him.


    I thought he had a calm personality, but maybe he is a predator when ites to opposite-sex rtionships.


    Come to think of it, the night is also a good time for mother to visit ..........


    "That''s how Hijiri and Yuya were born. You must be thankful to your father for saving everyone."


    "Yeah."


    I''m grateful.


    I''m appreciative.


    I know how hard he works for us every day.


    But it''s a little hard to forget the birth ceremony that took ce right after I was born.


    And I''ve gotten used to calling him that.


    However, it''s been four years since then, ...... so maybe it''s time to forgive him.


    If I were to refer to what my mother told me, I would have to rush to the scene of a very standard but extremely difficult situation, which is to "save a girl in a pinch and make her fall in love with me".


    If that is the case, it would be much more realistic to go on the offensive and try to court a beautiful girl.


    After happily chatting with my mother, she went to prepare dinner, while I sat alone in the living room, pondering how to make my unrealistic fantasye true.


    ---


    *T/N - Thanks to an advice from one of the readers I am going to stick with the name Hijiri from now on because otherwise it is going to get confusing. So, yeah thanks again to the readers for always helping me with this trantion. If you see any mistakes, feel free to write it down in thements and I will correct it.


    *Hikaru Genji

 Chapter 39: Kindergarten

    Chapter 39: Kindergarten


    Finally, I made my entry into the academic world.


    "I am delighted to meet so many new people on this wonderful day---"


    Kindergarten entrance ceremony.


    I must have experienced this in a previous life, but I have no memory of it.


    The only memories I have of my time in kindergarten are ying with blocks during break time, ying in the sand, ying with origami, ...... and ying alone.


    But not in this life.


    Memories from the age of four onward will remain so-so, even as adults.


    All children who attend this kindergarten will go to the same elementary school, so they will continue to be connected for some time toe.


    In other words, future friendships will be useful in the future.


    So in this life, I will be more involved with others.


    It will be hard to deal with kindergartners, but it''s a small price to pay considering the connections I may make that will be useful in the future.


    "Good luck, Hijiri. Please tell me all about kindergarten when you get home."


    The first day of kindergarten, I headed there with a mother''s encouragement.


    The interaction with the children, having been reincarnated anding to the kindergarten with a new resolve, was...


    "Wait, wait, wait!"


    "Ha-ha-ha!"


    "Wow, this guy is fast."


    "Ha ha ha ha ...... ha ha ...... Huh? Surprisingly fun?"


    It was fun to y tag with arge group of children, running around the small but spacious kindergarten grounds as fast as we could.


    I remember that in my previous life, I was slower than others, so it was no fun to get caught as soon as I was targeted.


    However, now I am the one who has acquired leg strength that surpasses that of my peers due to body strengthening.


    The narrow premises meant that there were few safe zones, and the game of tag, in which you were surrounded by multiple demons if you let your guard down for a moment, had just the right level of difficulty.


    "Yay, I got the elbow!"


    "I got caught. Okay, everyone, run away. I''m the next demon."


    I turn my red and white hat inside out and chase after the fleeing children.


    There are children who use the yground equipment as a wall to escape, children who run as fast as they can, children who feel safe in a crowded ce, and children of all kinds.


    I run around the kindergarten yard, giving each child a sense of aplishment for having escaped, without concentrating on just one.


    As was the case at the get-together, winning and losing in y is rtively unimportant to adults. I can afford to get caught by the demons in moderation, st the kids who look bored, and adjust the difficulty level.


    Seeing the smiles on the children''s faces makes me happy, too. I think I understand a little how kindergarten teachers feel.


    "Okay, so in a previous life I was a proud, headstrong kid who couldn''t have fun. Then I guess I''ll do better this time."


    "Hijiri is here, get out of the way~"


    I remember that in my previous life, when I was told these things, I got mad and chased after them, and in the end, I couldn''t catch up with them and got into ying by myself because group y was no fun.


    I recalled the forgotten memories of my previous life and continued to enjoy my second kindergarten life.


    I could report to my mother, without lying, that I had made a lot of friends.


    After all, the cheerful children be friends immediately when they y together. Theirmunication skills are terrific.


    Above all, in kindergarten, the strongest and the fastest are the best.


    My ssmates, who instinctively understood my strength through y, naturally began to recognize me as the top of the caste.


    I had forgotten that there was this kind of unspoken atmosphere in kindergarten. Human beings are deep-rooted creatures, even at an early age.


    And so, I quickly became the center of the ss.


    I never know what life has in store for me, that in a previous life I was making transformable dragons out of blocks, and now I''m at the top of a group of jolly boys ying outdoors.


    However, my goal is not to pretend to be the king of the mountain.


    My goal is to make connections that will be useful in the future.


    As I was exploring the kindergarten to see if there were any sons of powerful people anywhere, I heard several voicesing from the staff room.


    "Mamoru, again slipped out of ss. I think it''s time to give him a warning."


    "When Mamoru''s older brother was a student here four years ago, his mother came to protest when the homeroom teacher gave him a warning."


    "Isn''t that nonsense? That''s troublesome, isn''t it?


    "His father is a fine politician, why did he choose such a woman?"


    "Hey, you don''t know who is listening. That kind of badnguage will be passed on to the children."


    "Okay."


    I overheard the mncholyints of working adults.


    The principal is right, you never know where or who is listening.


    The teacher who wasining is the homeroom teacher next door, so Mamoru-kun would be there. I was hiding behind the fish tank and started moving as soon as I could.


    I already remember the names of the guys I y outside with.


    I also know them well, as they y in the sand and use the yground equipment without any trouble.


    In other words, Mamoru must be an indoor person.


    Based on my guess, I peeked into the neighboring Violet ss and found that about half of the ss was ying indoors.


    I couldn''t tell who was Mamoru-kun.


    As I was considering how to find him, I noticed a familiar face.


    "Kana-chan."


    I probably should have called out louder, but the mysterious outsider feeling of being in another ss,bined with the fact that I was an outsider, made me keep my voice low.


    Still, my long-time friend realized I was calling her and turned to me.


    "Hijiri, what''s up?"


    "Do you know which one is Mamoru-kun?"


    "Mamoru-kun is that boy."


    I thought he might be a naughty boy since he was said to sneak out of ss, but he had a mature appearance that would put an average indoor student to shame.


    If I had to pick out his best feature, it would be his hair. His hair is loose and fluffy, and just by looking at it, you can feel the love of his parents.


    His face is sleek, and he has the potential of having a face deviation score of 63 or so in the future.


    However, I am worried that he is a bit too hunched over, perhaps a saga of being an indoor person.


    He is enthusiastically stacking blocks to create something of a rectangr shape.


    "Thank you, Kana. Let''s y maybe some other time."


    Kana and I still y together frequently.


    We often y together, including the eldest son of the Tonoobe family. I''m the one who takes care of them.


    So, this time, I''m going to prioritize my objective.


    "Hey, what are you making?"


    "........."


    There was no reply.


    He didn''t seem to realize that I was talking to him.


    After interacting with the children for a number of times, I havee to understand how to interact with them, and I look them squarely in the eye and talk to them. This way I could get along with the kids I was meeting for the first time.


    It was supposed to work ......, but this kid seems to be a different type.


    "Mamoru-kun, what are you making?"


    This time I spoke so loudly and at such close range that it was impossible not to notice.


    However, Mamoru-kun nced at me and immediately returned his gaze to the blocks.


    "........."


    Oh, I know this feeling.


    It''s just like me in my previous life.


    Suddenly a stranger speaks to me and I am at a loss for what to do.


    I guess I''m in a brainstorming session, looking for the right answer, what to say or how to act.


    You must not push these types of people too hard.


    You have to sit quietly next to him and take your time with him to open up to you.


    If I were him, that''s what I would want me to do.


    So, I decided to y with blocks too.


    The type of blocks is different from the ones I had at home in my previous life. It would be difficult to recreate the transforming dragon model series.


    "I''m going to move the box a little bit."


    Most of these block models have a picture of a person who will serve as a model on the vessel.


    It is quite fun just to imitate them.


    The end result of this imitation is the transforming dragon series, so children''s creativity is not to be underestimated.


    "........."


    "........."


    He ys with blocks silently.


    I don''t talk to Mamoru-kun.


    I am still an outsider in his mind.


    Talking to him here would only annoy him.


    That day, I spoke to him first, and after that, we finished our break time without exchanging any words.


    The next day, I just greeted him with "Hi, I''ll use the block too," and we assembled the blocks in silence from then on.


    The next day, and the next, and the Monday after Saturday and Sunday, I continued to y blocks next to him.


    One day, I came from the yard to the Violet ss and started to y with blocks, but he, sitting next to me, called out to me.


    "I want that one."


    He pointed to a blue blocks that I had been gathering.


    I was nning to use them for the bottom of a cargo ship I was working on, but it didn''t matter if it was blue or not.


    I said, "Okay," and handed him the pile of blue blocks.


    No further conversation urred that day.


    Only a person with goodmunication skills would think, "Oh, I think we''ve be friends".


    A person like Mamoru will not open his heart after just one conversation.


    At least I wouldn''t.


    I am the type of person who carefully selects the best friends whom I let inside my heart.


    And so, a month passed.


    "........."


    "........."


    There is still no conversation between us.


    We just silently put the blocks together.


    "Give me that."


    "Okay."


    However, these casual conversations became more frequent.


    This is evidence that my presence in his mind has been upgraded from "a scary person whom I don''t know well" to "a person whom I can talk to".


    This is a big progress.


    It''s probably safe for me to talk to him now.


    "Hey, what are you making?"


    "........."


    I guess I still didn''t seed.


    Maybe the walls of his heart are higher than mine in my previous life.


    Just as I was about to give up, I heard a small voice from next to me.


    "......district."


    I turned my head next to him and saw the profile of Mamoru-kun, who was staring at the block and silently continuing his creation.


    I guess this is ...... a sign that we have be a little closer.


    "Cool."


    "........."


    No reply came.


    However, I was indescribably moved by the fact that his heart had opened up a bit.


    I had been trying to befriend him with impure motives, but after approaching him every day like this, it is surprising that I really want to be friends with him.


    Maybe I bonded with him before he did with me.

 Chapter 40: Mamoru-kun

    Chapter 40: Mamoru-kun


    Life in kindergarten was going well.


    One day after that, I had been talking with Mamoru-kun from time to time, and we were getting along well.


    While I was in math ss, I saw a shadow crossing the sliding ss door on the yard side of the school.


    "Sir, can I go to the bathroom?"


    "Yes, that''s fine, are you sure you''re okay going by yourself?"


    "Yes, I''m fine. It will take a while, but don''t worry."


    At times like this, trust is a powerful thing.


    While pretending to listen to the ss seriously, I explore the "secondcquer refinement," quicklypleting the assignments given to me, and helping the children in need around me.


    I am the only one among the toddlers who can speak properly with adults, and I have earned the immense trust of my teachers as a child who is not to be messed with.


    So I can lie and get out of ss.


    I do not like such a cunning kindergartener very much. I''m sorry, teacher.


    I left the ssroom and walked toward the shadow.


    Then I heard a loud voice from behind me.


    "Mamoru-kun! Where did you go~"


    This is the voice of the homeroom teacher of the Violet ss. It sounds like she''s going to the staff room to issue a rescue mission.


    It''s not easy when you have a problem child. Thank you for the information.


    I saw a glimpse of a shadow, I thought perhaps it was, but thanks to her, I''m sure of it.


    I decided to search the whole kindergarten to avoid being found by the other teachers.


    It''s a game of hide-and-seek to find just one person on the kindergarten grounds. How will I find him?


    If he is not in the ssroom, the best ce to hide would be in the yground equipment.


    "Are you there?"


    I looked around to see where to look next, and what I saw was an evacuation slide.


    "Mamoru-kun, what are you doing here?"


    "......"


    I found him right away.


    The slide for evacuation, which is used to go down from the second floor in the event of a disaster, is closed off with a rope ced below it.


    In this shady and secluded spot, Mamoru was alone ying with the sand.


    If you look closely, you can see that he is drawing something on the sand.


    "What is it, a lion?"


    "Dolphin!"


    I deliberately gave him misguided expectations, which he denied, just as I had hoped.


    At any rate, if I didn''t get him to open his mouth, there would be no conversation.


    "I see, dolphins. ...... ...... sses are boring, right?"


    "...... yeah."


    From Mamoru-kun''s point of view, I guess he saw me as a fellow ss escapee, too.


    He kept up with my abrupt change of topic.


    He is always silently piling up blocks, but he must be somewhat depressed because he knows this is wrong.


    "Mamoru, are you bad at studying?"


    "...... yeah ......... it''s boring."


    "Do you like to draw pictures and y with blocks?"


    "Yes, I do."


    He responded in no time.


    From what I''ve learned about his personality over the past month, I think Mamoru-kun has the temperament of an artist with a touch of genius.


    He is devoted to what he is interested in, but not passionate about anything else. He is that type.


    I knew someone like that in a previous life. Mamoru-kun somehow carries an air simr to him.


    From his point of view, the sses must be very boring. So much so that he escapes from it again and again.


    "Your drawings, they''re good."


    "......"


    "And the blocks, you''re so good that I can see what you''re building."


    "........."


    "If you''re going to do something you love with all your might, you should stick to that attitude. You can''t half-ass it. You must keep your passion burning so that even if you hit a wall, you can ovee it. You should push forward with a burning determination, without worrying if people around you get in your way. Otherwise, you will die with regrets just like me."


    "......?"


    I know, you don''t understand what I mean when I say this out of the blue.


    But this is the only advice I can give you.


    "If you''ve found something you love to do, I think you should keep trying to do it, no matter what your teachers tell you, keep creating."


    It will bother your teachers, your parents will be worried, and you may have trouble with your education in the future.


    But it would be a waste to hold back when you have found something you love.


    You have your whole life ahead of you, so live it doing what you love.


    Nevertheless, Mamoru-kun feels guilty and it would be a real shame if he could not concentrate on his favorite activities such as drawing.


    He is a more sensible person than I thought, and I would like to give him an idea on how to get back on the right track.


    Please let me know if you have any: .......


    I draw a picture on the ground next to Mamoru-kun while pondering. Let''s draw a sketch simr to the formation to serve as a revision.


    I''m not a genius, so I can''te up with a good idea. It would be cool if I could solve the problem in a sh, but I don''t think I can.


    I wonder if there is anything, anything at all.


    It was almost the end of ss time.


    I looked around to see if there were any ideas lying around and saw the principal observing us from a little distance away.


    He is not warning us or trying to bring us back to the ssroom, he is just watching us.


    I thought I had stopped hearing the teachers'' voices calling out for Mamoru-kun, is this why?


    Either they have a mysterious trust in me, or they are just being cautious, but either way, this was a convenient arrangement for me.


    Somewhat at ease, I suddenly noticed Mamoru-kun ying with his fingers next to me. He probably had sand under his fingernails.


    Finger ...... Oh, that would be handy.


    "Mamoru-kun, do you know how to write a seal?"


    "What''s a seal?"


    The "writing the seal" action was poprized by a famous ninjaic strip.


    It has two effects: one is Onmyojutsu and the other is a physical effect.


    Onmyojutsu can change the flow of spiritual power into a specific flow and can be used to break the seal of the Tenkyo-jin.


    The other is the physical effect. This one is meaningful even to the average person.


    By making a seal, the brain waves and parasympathetic nervous system are changed, and the ability to concentrate is increased.


    "Like this, like this, and then like this."


    "......... like this?"


    Onmyojutsu instruction proceeded, and the damn father taught me how to make a full-fledged seal.


    All I know is that it''s safe and of little Onmyojutsu significance, but it''ll have to suffice in this case.


    "Yes, yes, good, good. If you get bored in ss, try this. It might calm you down. If that doesn''t work, don''t run away from the ssroom, but instead create inside the ssroom."


    "......"


    It''s the words of someone he has gotten to know a little bit, and I hope he believes me and tries it.


    In the meantime, I''ll have him stop running away from the ssroom because it''s unsafe.


    I hear the sound of children''s footsteps running around the sses.


    ss must have ended.


    I decided to return to the ssroom, wondering what to say to the teacher.


    It would be good if Mamoru could adjust well to kindergarten. It would be even better if his friendship level with me increased.


    Good luck to him as he crouches in the shadow of the slide for evacuation.

 Chapter 41: Tea Party

    Chapter 41: Tea Party


    By the time I was getting used to the daily routine of attending kindergarten, I received a rare invitation from the mother to go out with her.


    "Hijiri, thising Saturday, there is a tea party at Minamoto-sama''s house, would you like to go with me?"


    Minamoto...... the only people I know with thatst name are the heroine of the anime named after the cat-shaped robot and the long-time supporter of the Abe family, who is a powerful figure in the Onmyoji world.......


    What? Isn''t she one of the biggest names in the Onmyoji world!


    A VIP that even the Onmyoji Channel, which is supposed to be a children''s show, introduced.


    "You see, there was the madam who greeted you at the end of the social gathering. That''s her."


    "Hmm........ Oh, that person?"


    At the end of the gathering, my mother took me to greet many of the other wives.


    At that time, mother introduced me to their sons as casually as if she were introducing me to a mother''s friend.


    I had thought that she was of the same family status as the Kyobe family, but then I realized that she was Minamoto-sama.


    I wonder if she''s doing okay, I don''t remember her being rude or anything.


    And this tea party ...... tea party is really .......


    "What do you do at a tea party?"


    "It is a gathering where we talk over tea and sweets. Children should be allowed to y as they please, but it may be a little different when it is in the Onmyoji''s home. But Hijiri is a very well-behaved child, so there is no need to worry."


    I am pleasantly surprised at the trust that my mother has ced in me.


    Yes, of course I will behave.


    Does this mean that the wives and their children who were invited to the get-together will be there to further socialize with each other?


    Maybe some of the talented kids I spoke to at the reception will be there.


    I can''t help but want to go to this event to make connections for the future.


    "I''ll go."


    "Understood. Minamoto-sama asked me and Yuya toe also, so the three of us will go together."


    Thus, the next Saturday, we visited the Minamoto family.


    ---


    The day of the tea party.


    I had assumed that we would take public transportation to get there, but it seems that was not the case this time.


    "Here you go, ma''am. Please get in."


    "Thank you for having us. Come on, Hijiri, go ahead and get in."


    This time, to our surprise, there was a car to pick us up from the Minamoto family.


    A man iming to be the exclusive driver of the family opened the door for us.


    This kind of service is reserved for VIPs, like the president of a bigpany.


    I never thought I would be able to experience this before bing a professional Onmyoji.


    I got into the car, impressed.


    From mother''s point of view, it must have looked like I was excited to ride in a private car for the first time.


    In fact, Yuya was very excited to ride in a car for the first time. He was so excited that mother warned him not to jump on the seat.


    "Then we will depart for the Minamoto family."


    "Please."


    The mother''s behavior toward the driver was very familiar to me.


    I had already noticed this, but I wondered if the mother came from a good family.


    For some reason, she always spoke politely, had clothes for a small party in advance, and always wore an aura of affluence. Even though our house is shabby.


    I heard that my grandparents on my father''s side have gone to heaven, but I have never met or heard of my grandparents on my mother''s side.


    Shall I ask my mother about them someday?


    While the car is not a limousine, it is a high-quality domestic car that is acoustically quiet andfortable.


    I am not a stranger to second-hand cars, as I only bought pre-owned cars in my previous life.


    The fact that they have a full-time chauffeur shows the wealth of the Minamoto family.


    "The cars, they''re moving. Hurry, hurry, hurry!"


    "Don''t put your face on the window."


    "Yes."


    Yuya is reallyposed for his age, probably because he is imitating me.


    He would not do anything wrong.


    Even if I make a mistake, I have nothing to fear now that I have the best excuse ever: "I''m just a kid".


    It is only in the second year of working that I should be afraid of making a mistake.


    For now, all I can do is move forward.


    "The ck roof over there is the Minamoto family mansion. We will be arriving soon."


    The driver''s voice made me turn my head forward and I saw a Japanese house with a ck tiled roof at the foot of the mountain. Like the Abe family''s house, it has vast grounds, a well-kept garden, and a main house that evokes a sense of history, all of which represent the authority of the Minamoto family.


    Witnessing such a downgraded version of the Abe residence, it suddenly urred to me.


    "There''s going to be a lot of mysterious creatures here."


    Now I can''''t see any mysteryous creatures at all. However, I can tell if there are any mysterious creatures out there by using my tentacles and spirit-filled shed hairs.


    As a result, it turns out that there were none in kindergartens or parks, but there are some in my house and Tonobe''s house.


    There are mysterious creatures in Onmyoji''s houses. Perhaps, on the contrary, the houses are built in the ces where there are mysterious creatures. It is a very interesting question.


    I might try to set a trap during the tea party.


    If I extend it to the maximum distance possible to get the maximum number of visitors, I could determine if there are a lot of mysterious creatures.


    It doesn''t matter whether I understand it or not, I want to unravel all the mysteries about Onmyoji.


    To satisfy my pure desire for knowledge, I decided to experiment in my spare time.


    "Thank you for riding with me. We have arrived."


    "Thank you."


    ""Thank you.""


    At any rate, I patted my brother on the head who was able to exchange proper courtesies.


    Once the driver opened the door for me and I got out of the car, I felt like a real VIP.


    When we passed through the open entrance, we were greeted by a servant, just like the Abe family. We followed her lead across the corridor facing the Japanese garden and entered the tea ceremony hall.


    "Wee to our house. I am very happy to see you here today, Hijiri, Reika, and Yuya. We have been looking forward to seeing you again."


    Stopping to chat with the madam who presumably came before us, the host of the tea party, the madam of the Minamoto family, greeted us with a weing speech.


    She was obviously dressed in a kimono of good quality, which she wore naturally. Her strong-willed, pinched eyes and neatly coiffed, glossy ck hair gave her the air of a work-ready businesswoman.


    She was about the same age as mother and already possessed the dignity befitting the wife of a great man.


    Although her appearance may give the impression that she is a strict person, from the first time we greeted her, she always had a smile on her face, giving the impression that she is friendly, despite her high status.


    The gap between her strong-willed, dangling eyes and her smile is enough to make a man fall in love with her.


    The head of the Minamoto family must have been charmed by her smile.


    "I''m so d Hijiri-san came to see us. My daughter was looking forward to meeting you, too."


    "Ha, ha ...... thank you for inviting us to the tea party."


    After the greeting, the first thing Minamoto-sama did was to speak to me, not my mother.


    I was surprised. I couldn''t believe I was greeting a socialite, something you wouldn''t expect from a four-year-old.


    "Thank you for having me!"


    "Ummm, as I thought at the reception, the Kyobe family is doing a great job of educating their children. I must make my daughter learn from you."


    "No, no, we are doing nothing special. Our children are growing day by day by themselves--"


    Using the child as a topic of conversation, the mother talk began.


    As one would expect from the wife of a great man, she is very shrewd.


    The servant who had brought us to this point showed us to the next room, saying, "Please take the children to the next room," and we were released from holding on to them.


    The children''s y area is connected to the room where the wives gather, and by removing the sliding doors, the view ispletely transparent. If anything happens, anyone can rush to the room immediately.


    However, there is no need to worry about that, because a babysitter is standing in the corner of the room, keeping an eye on everyone.


    When we arrived, there were already about 10 kids there.


    Half of them were sitting on cushions watching TV and eating snacks while the other half were spreading out their toys and ying.


    While holding hands with Yuya, I was pondering which one to join, when a servant called out to us.


    "You must be Hijiri and Yuya. It''s snack time, so pleasee this way. After you finish your snacks, you are free to y."


    It was snack time, which is appropriate for a tea party.


    The children are having a pseudo-tea party.


    Following the servant''s instructions, we headed for the table.


    Once we were seated on the cushions, the servant quickly offered us a cup of tea and some sweets.


    "Ni, what is this?"


    "It''s a Yokan*."


    Is it something you serve to children?


    I didn''t realize how good Yokan was until I was much older.


    This slight sweetness and the vor of azuki beans that fills your mouth, it''s so ...... delicious. This is definitely a luxury item. It''s not something you would serve to children in another sense of the word.


    The tea is also selected to go well with the Yokan. It is probably a luxury item.


    This is the hospitality of the rich.


    "Not tasty. ......"


    That''s right. It''s a vor we''re not used to.


    Cookies and stuff are better for kids.


    "Big brother will eat the rest. You can go y."


    Yuya walked to the toy box with a apologetic look on his face.


    We learned from our mother to take good care of our food.


    Looking at the children sitting in front of us, there were some who were so engrossed in the TV that they stopped eating, but none of them looked at the Yokan with a reproachful gaze, and they all seemed to be eating it with relish.


    They all seemed to be ustomed to eating it. I would like to take a peek at other Onmyoji''s houses to see what kind of eating habits they have.


    The Tonobe family is an ordinary family, simr to ours.


    ---


    *Yokan - is a wagashi (Japanese confection) made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar.

 Chapter 42: Princess of the Minamoto family

    Chapter 42: Princess of the Minamoto family


    I ate my brother''s portion of Yokan and finished the meal with a cup of tea to cleanse my pte.


    "Thanks for the food."


    Phew, it was delicious.


    Now, what is Yuya doing?


    I turned around and there he was, my little brother was ying with a girl.


    "What do you want to be in the future, Yuya-kun?, I want to be a flower shop owner."


    "I am a ne!"


    There is a remarkable difference in their mental maturity.


    Oh well, maybe the girls already have dreams for the future.


    "Yuya is making friends on his own, and I''m going to do my own socializing ...... but first I will do some research."


    I have tried secretly waving my tentacles at an Abe family get-together and no one noticed.


    A little tentacle crawling should be no problem.


    I let the tentacles grab one of my strands of hair and stretch it far away.


    When I have extended it to the maximum, I set a trap and leave it for a while---.


    "Wow, there''s a lot of them."


    Less than a minute after setting the trap, the mysterious creaturestched onto, two of them at once.


    They were as unguarded as unscratched fish.


    As I suspected, Onmyoji''s house must have a lot of mysterious creatures. Perhaps powerful Onmyoji upy this kind ofnd or houses. As a result, there is a difference in spiritual power from the time they are babies, and the difference in their spiritual power leads to a difference in performance, which in turn leads to more authority. ......


    Is it no different from the harsh reality of any other society?


    So, I wonder if there are more of them in the Abe family.


    I was indeed hesitant to set a trap because there were too many active Onmyoji at that time, but I should have tried.


    "Something on your mind?"


    The voice of a young girl asking me this question reaches my right ear.


    I knew the girl was approaching me from the feel of her stepping on my tentacles.


    "No, I couldn''t decide what I wanted to y with."


    I faced the owner of the voice with a deceptive smile on my face.


    In front of me stood a young girl in a kimono, a little taller than me.


    The kimono was of the same design as the one I had seen just a few moments before, and her face was also very simr to the one I had seen just a few moments before.


    However, since her facial muscles were not working properly, the impression I got was very different.


    "I haven''t seen you since the get-together. How are you doing, Minamoto-san?"


    She is the eldest daughter of the Minamoto family, Minamoto ...... Minamoto ...... Oh, it''s not Shizuka, it''s a name close to that ....... I can''t get Shizuka out of my head.


    Let''s see, what was her name again? I think it was a cool-looking name that matched her appearance.


    "Hi, Kyobe-san, I''m d to hear you are doing well."


    A textbook exchange.


    However, I felt something strange.


    Yes, the fact that two children are having such a conversation is strange to begin with.


    I lived until I became an old man in a previous life, but this girl is the same age as me in this life, I believe.


    She speaks in a very sophisticated manner for a 4-year-old.


    My kindergarten ssmates speak in a flutterier manner.


    "Thank you for inviting me here today."


    "No, I didn''t do anything. Everything was prepared by my parents."


    See, I knew it. This girl is much smarterpared to the other kids.


    I feel like it''s been a while since I had a proper conversation with someone of the same height.


    Her matter-of-fact way of speaking makes me feel nostalgic, in a way it is simr to a female colleague making a work-rted administrative call.


    By the way, that particrdy raises her voice by one tone only for good-looking men.


    "This is sudden, but I have one question for Kyobe-san."


    In other words, I naturally responded to her as an adult because of the way she talked to me.


    Normally, I would act like a four-year-old but changing to child mode now would make me feel ufortable. I guess I''ll just have to stick with it for now.


    "Ask me anything, I''m at your disposal."


    What was her intention in suddenly talking to me in this position between the table and the toy box, out of the way of other children?


    It''s not a child''s job to entertain invited guests. ...... or maybe she saw my tentacles using Onmyojutsu ......?


    "What do you think of all the children that are here?"


    "........."


    I can''t decipher the purpose of this question.


    I mean, it''s not a question a 4-year-old would ask.


    Don''t tell me this girl is a reincarnated person like me?


    "What do you mean?"


    "Don''t the children here, or rather children of our age, seem to be too childish?"


    Both you and I are childish enough in appearance.


    How can you expect me to answer that?


    Childish huh? ...... That''s urate because they are children old enough to go to kindergarten, but to her it probably looks different.


    She may be growing up mentally much faster than the little girl who wants to be a florist.


    Looking into her intense eyes, that prediction is the most usible.


    She is not a cheat like me who got reincarnated, she is a natural born genius.


    "Yes, they may be childishpared to us. But isn''t that fine?"


    "......... you don''t think it''s weird?"


    "It''s more like we''re the ones who are acting weird. So, I don''t think you need to worry about it."


    I wondered if this was the right answer. An ordinary person cannot understand what a genius is looking for.


    After hearing my answer, she stared at me with a nk expression on her face.


    Her eyes, which are hung like her mother''s, give her a stern impression, but I think she will be a beauty when she grows up and her face matures.


    Right now, her eyes doesn''t suit her because she has plump face that''s typical of children, but her face will be slender once she grows up.


    While Akari has a cute tanuki face, this girl has the potential to grow up to be a cool fox-looking beauty.


    Her mother is also beautiful, no doubt about it. If she were an actress, she would look perfect as a wife of a mobster.


    Like her mother, she wears her ck hair in a bun at the back of her head, so I don''t know how long it is, but I''m sure she has grown it out like I have. After all hair is a trump card when ites to Onmyojutsu.


    While I was observing her, she seemed to have reached some kind of conclusion, nodded her head once and began to speak.


    "I see, it certainly doesn''t sound like I need to worry about it."


    "I hope my opinion was helpful to you, Minamoto-san."


    I wonder what the hell is going on in her head.


    What kind of mind does she have to have to worry about the differences between herself and others at the age of four?


    Those questions should havee to her in the eighth grade or high school.


    "By the way, ......"


    She said to me, who was surprised at the chance encounter with a genius whom I had never met even in my previous life.


    "My name is Shizuku. Since you don''t seem to remember my name, I would like to introduce myself once again."


    "Oh, I''m ...... Kyobe Hijiri. Thank you for your consideration."


    My voice unintentionally lowers in embarrassment.


    Wait, how did she know?


    Is she reading my mind?


    I mean, if you''re a genius, is mind-reading a standard feature?


    There are those above me.


    I never thought I would meet a genius in a ce like this, someone I could not beat even in my second life cycle.


    And the other party is born into money and power.


    Just a few minutes ago, I said something like, "Don''t worry about your peers," but yet now I was feeling the disparity.


    "Kyobe-san, if you''re not in the mood for anything else, why don''t youe over there and y cards with me?"


    "With pleasure. I''d like to ......, but ...... you don''t have to worry about ...... me. I I''m sure you''re quite busy, Minamoto-san."


    I don''t think of this little girl as a little girl anymore.


    I will treat her as an adult. If she is like an adult, she probably has to entertain the invited guests.


    The children here are from much richer and more powerful families than the Kyobe family.


    They must have higher priority.


    "It is not a problem. Now pleasee this way."


    She brushed off myment and sat down close to the room where the adults were.


    The servants have prepared cushions for us to sit on before long, while I take a seat in front of her.


    It looks like I''ll have to wait untilter to interact with the promising-looking kids who came to the tea party.


    "So, what shall we do; there''s not much we can do with just the two of us. Let''s invite the other children to join us."


    "No, let''s y with just the two of us. How about Speed*?"


    Minamoto-san was strong.


    Her brain specs were off the charts, and her decision-making speed was clearly faster than mine.


    When I was about to take out a card, Minamoto-san''s has already tossed that card.


    In the end, I had to resort to using Body Strengthening to win.


    I did something that waspletely immature.


    Who said that winning or losing doesn''t matter when ying?


    "It was the first time I yed cards with kids my age and found it fun. Thank you very much for your time."


    "No, I was the one who had a good time."


    It''s been a long time since I''ve given my all for a game like this. It wasn''t bad.


    She said, "Excuse me," and then spoke to a girl nearby.


    Probably, she was going to go around greeting others.


    With the name of Minamoto Shizuku etched in my memory, I too approached a promising young fellow I had met at a social gathering.


    ---


    *Speed

 Chapter 43: Side Story: Shizuku - Elegant and talented Princess

    Chapter 43: Side Story: Shizuku - Elegant and talented Princess


    I am not able to converse with children of my age who are invited to my home.


    "Shizuku-chan, you know, my mom got me these stickers."


    "I see. You don''t have to report to me. Also, could you speak more clearly?"


    "Shi-chan, let''s y house together."


    "No thanks."


    "Ooooh, ooooh."


    "Why are you crying? Please exin why. If you don''t exin, I won''t be able to help you."


    I can have conversations with my parents and the servants who work in our home, but I don''t understand the incoherent behavior of children my age.


    "Is there something wrong with me?"


    The way I learned to speak from the adults around me is also "strange" to other children, they said.


    That is not right.


    The ultimate goal of children should be to speak and act like adults.


    Why is it that children who speak and act differently from adults are more convinced that they are speaking and acting in a way that is right?


    "I don''t understand ......"


    My parents and servants praise and approve of my behavior.


    Without a doubt, this choice must be the right one.


    However, I cannot help but be bothered by their word "strange".


    That is when I met Kyobe-san.


    "Nice to meet you, my name is Kyobe Hijiri."


    His speech was identical to that of an adult, unlike other children.


    He tried to put on an act, but I could tell at a nce.


    Just after we parted with the Kyobe family, my mother said to me, "I''m sorry, but I''m afraid I''m not sure what you mean by ''acting?''".


    "Shizuku-san, would you please befriend Hijiri-san, who just greeted you. He has the potential to be the next leader of the Onmyoji world. We must seek his help for the Minamoto family, and by extension, the Abe family."


    I can understand what my mother means quite well too.


    I too have only recently be able to fly a talisman, but the speed and uracy when I do so is extraordinary.


    If I had not spent my entire life practicing Onmyojutsu from the moment I was born, practicing every day, I would not be able to reach that level of performance at my age.


    He could not possibly do so. Then, he is definitely a genius in Onmyojutsu.


    He is an irregrity that could not have urred except in a unique environment like the Abe family.


    "I''ll invite them to an uing tea party, and I''ll ask them for a favor then."


    "Yes, Mother."


    Although Haruku-sama is much more mature in his speech, he is not rational in his actions.


    Perhaps Kyobe-san could or--.


    "After all, we''re the same kind of people."


    On the day of the tea party, I could tell just by observing him from a distance.


    His words and actions are the same as those of an adult.


    The way he took care of his younger brother was the same as the servant who takes care of me.


    However, I do not understand why he is standing there alone.


    Let''s ask him directly.


    "Something on your mind?"


    "No, I couldn''t decide what I wanted to y with."


    It''s a lie.


    Kyobe-san in his eyes is not showing the slightest bit of interest in a children''s toys.


    You are mistaken about something.......


    "I haven''t seen you since the get-together. How are you doing, Minamoto-san?"


    "Hi, Kyobe-san, I''m d to hear you are doing well."


    You just now could not remember my name and chose myst name.


    For a moment there was a waver in your tone.


    "Thank you for inviting me here today."


    "No, I didn''t do anything. Everything was prepared by my parents."


    It''s happening.


    My ideal conversation is urring.


    We''re having the proper conversation, like adults do.


    He''s the same kind of person as me.


    "This is sudden, but I have one question for Kyobe-san."


    "Ask me anything, I''m at your disposal."


    The current pleasantries are one that the children would never be able to imitate.


    This is afortable flow.


    "What do you think of all the children that are here?"


    "What do you mean?"


    You didn''t understand ...... No, the question was too abstract.


    There were too many answer choices in this case.


    Let''s change it to two choices.


    "Don''t the children here, or rather children of our age, seem to be too childish?"


    This time he understood.


    After all, he must have thought the same thing.


    Otherwise, he would not have the expression he has now.


    After a short pondering, Kyobe-san gave his answer.


    "Yes, they may be childishpared to us. But isn''t that fine?"


    That''s fine. ...... So, you are saying that I should resign myself to it. ......


    That this question doesn''t need to be resolved?


    Then I would not have asked the question in the first ce.


    "......... you don''t think it''s weird?"


    "It''s more like we''re the ones who are acting weird. So, I don''t think you need to worry about it."


    ---


    His answer changed my perspective.


    There is not much of a problem with us ... being weird. Even if we can''t have a meaningful conversation with them currently, it doesn''t create a major issue.


    Although we can''t have regr conversations with children our own age, that''s just for now, it is a problem that will be solved when we grow up.


    Then we shouldn''t worry about these differences and just wait for the time toe.


    "I see, it certainly doesn''t sound like I need to worry about it."


    "I hope my opinion was helpful to you, Minamoto-san."


    It is absurd to ask others to change.


    Looking back, why was I so concerned about such trivial matters?


    Thanks to Kyobe-san, I was able to change my point of view.


    "By the way, .... My name is Shizuku. Since you don''t seem to remember my name, I would like to introduce myself once again."


    "Oh, I''m ...... Kyobe Hijiri. Thank you for your consideration."


    Not a problem.


    If you have forgotten it, you just have to learn it again.


    I then followed my mother''s instructions andpleted the task of ying with and getting to know Kyobe-san under the watchful eyes of all the invited guests.


    To my surprise, for the first time outside of family and other adults in my immediate family, a game of cards was yed.


    Hisst hand movement was clearly unusual, but there is no way to prove he was cheating.


    Next time, however, I will not lose.


    After parting with Kyobe-san, I headed to greet Ito-san, who was closely associated with the Minamoto family, being the most important of the invited guests.


    "Ito-san, wee to our tea party. Are you enjoying yourself?"


    "Eh? Uh, I''m having fun."


    "That''s good to hear. Please continue to enjoy yourself."


    "Eh, what?"


    Let''s move on to the next guest.


    The girl I was talking to earlier seemed to think I was strange, but there is nothing wrong with that.


    It''s nothing to worry about.


    As long as I understand what they are trying to tell me, that''s all that matters.


    I will just do my thing until they grow up someday.

 Chapter 44: The Ending of L

    Chapter 44: The Ending of L


    A month has passed since the day I gave Mamoru-kun the advice.


    As a result, Mamoru-kun has stopped skipping his sses.


    It seems that the effect of making a seal was significant for him, who is a sensitive person. I think I did a good job.


    Thanks to this, Mamoru-kun''s friendship with me has increased.


    "Hijiri, take that one."


    "Sure."


    The silent moments continued on........


    The content of the conversation remains perfunctory, but this is a big step forward.


    After all, he started calling me by my name.


    In general, you don''t need to remember people''s names to have a conversation, just call out "Hey," and use the second person speech. I was never good at remembering people''s names, so I lived my life without remembering names except for those who were close to me.


    Nevertheless, Mamoru-kun calls me by my name. It is a great progress.


    "Look at this, Hijiri."


    Mamoru-kun was fidgeting.


    Mamoru-kun approached me and suddenly pulled out a sheet of drawing paper from his bag and showed me his new creation.


    "Oh, you went to the aquarium. Wow, beautiful."


    He went to the aquarium with his familyst Sunday, and in the painting there was a back view of his parents and brother.


    The people and fish are realistic, and even the shadows are drawn with an attention to the light source. The backgrounds were also urately depicted using an urate perspective, and the beauty of the scene as he saw it was captured in the painting.


    Although it still looks a little crude, it has an exceptional power of representation for an artist of his age. At least, it is much better than the picture of my family that I painted in my second life.


    "......Thank you."


    The way he smiled at me was unimaginable a few months ago.


    Oveing problems together and fostering friendships... that''s the royal road.


    "Don''t you draw in your sses in kindergarten?"


    "They can see me; I don''t want to."


    If you ask him why he doesn''t draw during his breaks, which he is so good at and loves to do, he always gives the same answer.


    At only four years old, he was already an artist in his own right.


    "Did someone teach you how to draw?"


    "I go to drawing ss every day."


    Taking lessons at the age of four?


    Seems a little early, but then again, maybe that''s normal nowadays?


    Olympic athletes are said to be given special training for gifted children since their childhood. More than anything else, I am learning Onmyojutsu, so I can''t speak about others.


    "Fun?"


    "Fun!"


    Whether he was fortunate to have a good teacher or his own talent, his drawings are improving every time I see them.


    I won''t lose to him.


    My Onmyojutsu education is progressing well: memorizing spells, practicing the formation, studying the ritual tools, and so on.


    If I keep up the good work at this rate, I am sure I will be a fine Onmyoji.


    If there is one concern, it is the decrease in the number of mysterious creatures being captured.


    "Only one today, huh?"


    I came home from kindergarten and was in the living room, scribbling down spells and setting up tentacle traps.


    But after three hours, I had only caught one fish. Not long ago, I would have gotten at least six.


    This phenomenon is simr to when I started watching the Onmyoji Channel.


    Maybe I''ve be too strong, or maybe I''m getting closer to adulthood. I guess the interaction with them, or rather, the limited-time spiritual power increase event, will be over soon.


    The increase in spiritual power from a single mysterious creature is a mere triflepared to the spiritual power I currently possess. However, I had been absorbing mysterious creatures for more than four years, and it had be a habit.


    "Are you hungry? Dinner will be ready soon."


    "I''m not hungry. Why?"


    "Because you were munching."


    I wonder if I had be a bit hungrier without even realizing it.


    The indescribable crunchiness and texture on the tongue, the sensation of increasing spiritual power and feeling creepy - I used to think they were disgusting, but now I feel as if they were a familiar dish.


    Truffles, foie gras, and mysterious creatures. I think they should be added to the world''s top three delicacies.


    "Ni, I''ll give you my boiled rice."


    "Thank you Yuya. Onii-chan is happy. All right."


    When I pat my gentle brother''s head, he grabs my hand with a giggle and a squeal.


    Yes, these treats are tastier than the mysterious creatures. Family love is the greatest seasoning.


    At the age of three, Yuya haspletely escaped the threat of the mysterious creatures.


    I remember when he was over one year old, there was a drastic decrease in attacks, and when he was two years old, there were less than three attacks.


    I don''t think my little brother will be threatened again.


    Onii-chan''s hard work paid off. Mysterious creatures were also caught, killing two birds with one stone.


    "Do that thing where you fly your talisman, do it!"


    "Hey, your brother is studying. Don''t bother him."


    "It''s okay, Mom. My hands are getting a little bit tired, so I''m going to go practice the talisman flying."


    I can''t say no when my adorable little brother asks me to do something for him.


    I head for the courtyard with the chick in tow and a homemade talisman in my hand.


    "Here we go, wham!"


    "Wham!"


    As I flew the talisman, Yuya threw a paper airne.


    Seeing his brother manipting something so interesting, I knew that my younger brother would say, "I want to fly it, too".


    Yuya, who has no spiritual power, cannot manipte talismans. So, as a desperate measure, I taught him how to make paper airnes.


    Yuya, being an optimistic boy, was satisfied with that.


    I didn''t think it would be his dream in the future.


    A paper airne thrown by a three-year-old would fall down immediately, regardless of whether it was thrown by a real pro or a three-year-old. On the other hand, if a talisman filled with my abundant spiritual power keeps flying endlessly, Yuya is likely to sulk.


    "Come on - let''s go! It''s time to get going~ ...... Boon!"


    "Wow!!!!"


    Of course, that is where I will take over.


    I generated wind from the other formation I have drawn on the talisman and make the paper ne fly up into the sky again.


    My brother was so excited that he cheered when I called out to him.


    It was worth the effort.


    Of course, it''s good practice for me too.


    The effectiveness of the formation can change depending on how it is drawn. I am learning through experimentation and through making mistakes as I y with it, whether this way of drawing is correct, how much spiritual power to use, how much output can be obtained, and how to activate the talisman flying and wind formation at the same time.


    In particr, the effect of the formation changes drastically depending on the type of spiritual element that is put into it, so I need to have a firm grasp of it.


    The first time I used the continental refinement jade element, I desperately put in the element and activated it. Even though I was in the terrible shape physically, looking back on it now, it was a mess.


    In order to properly demonstrate the effects of the formation, one must carefully consider and select the properties of the elements and then control the formation.


    I was training Onmyojutsu today in preparation for the battle that would eventuallye.


    "Hey, hey, one more time! One more time!


    "I guess I don''t have a choice!"


    "Whooo!"

 Chapter 45: Prequel story of the Kyobe family

    Chapter 45: Prequel story of the Kyobe family


    It was Sunday.


    I was helping out before my Onmyoji training.


    My father found out that my spiritual power was ridiculously high because I helped him with a job once before the social gathering.


    He got a taste of it and started making me do the work that uses my spiritual power prior to my Onmyoji training.


    Doesn''t he have any pride as the patriarch of the family, throwing a tiring job to a child?


    However, I''m notining. From my point of view, the amount of spiritual power I consume is miniscule, and it would be better for me to have my training after this so that I can be in perfect condition.


    Since I am being provided for, I will show at least this much filial piety.


    I''ve finished with my payment to the Shikigami and now I''m in the process of injecting spiritual power into the ink pots.


    I put my fingers into the small ink pots lined up on the desk and put spiritual power into them.


    "Dad, my hair is in the way, can''t you just cut it off?"


    "No."


    It was an immediate answer.


    I already knew the answer.


    Hair is a versatile item that can be a trump card for Onmyoji.


    It can enhance Onmyojutsu or be used as apensation for Shikigami.


    Such a useful item has an expiration date the moment it is cut off.


    There is no expiration date, but the potency and value of the item will decrease significantly.


    That is why Onmyoji basically do not have the custom of getting a haircut.


    I, too, have never had my hair cut since I was born, and I keep my shoulder-length hair tied up at the back of my neck.


    I was ridiculed at my first day of kindergarten for looking like a woman because it was an unusual hairstyle for a man, and the boy who made thatment that was likely to spread fire on social media had to be reprimanded through a game of tag, so we are good friends now.


    "....... .......... ....... Evil Demon"


    In my previous life, I went to a store that offered 1,000-yen haircuts once every three months and said, "Please shorten the overall length of my hair. Please trim the back and both sides at 6mm." My standard was to have a non-popr haircut with an emphasis on practical use.


    In short, I had lived with short hair all my life, so when my bangs got in the way like this, I couldn''t help but be bothered.


    Hanging a tuft of hair over one''s ear, for example, is a gesture that is for the benefit of no one, especially if done by a man.


    This kind of gesture looks good only when a beautiful woman does it, and for me, it''s just depressing.


    I want to use a hair clip to tie it back together, but I can''t because my fingers are now wet with ink.


    I only have two more ink pots to go, so I''ll just have to put up with it.


    "Father, you have a short hair, don''t you? What did you use it for?"


    Yes, my dad immediately replied to me that I shouldn''t cut my hair, but he is getting himself a clear haircut.


    That means he used it for some Onmyojutsu.


    And it means that he''s been using it frequently.


    It''s been bothering me quite a bit up until now, and I''ve been waiting for an opportunity to ask him.


    "....... I used it for Hijiri and Yuya''s birth ceremony."


    "I see."


    Certainly, a major event like the birth of one''s own child is an appropriate situation to use one''s precious hair. But that was more than three years ago.


    In three years, hair grows a lot.


    If you''re deceiving me, are you using it for something you wouldn''t want to tell your child about?


    I''m a little curious, but it seems that in some Onmyoji cultures, "longer hair is better looking", so I''m not going to pursue it too much.


    "So, when was the first time you made use of it?"


    "First time huh ......?"


    Hair that has been growing for a long time is infused with spiritual power and its value increases.


    Since we all don''t use our hair when we are children, it is usually the hair we first use as adults that has the most value.


    I will probably use my hair someday. I would like to use this as a reference.


    "The first time I used it was when I fought a Threat Level 4 Ykai that appeared in our city."


    Hey, there''s something heavy in the air.


    It''s like when you hear something you shouldn''t .......


    The atmosphere in the room changed drastically as my father began to talk with a somber expression on his face.


    "Threat Level 4, that''s the one that the surrounding houses have to work together to fight, right?"


    "That''s right. Depending on the strength of the enemy, a national Onmyoji unit will be deployed."


    National Onmyoji Unit.


    It is a group of Onmyoji specialized inrge-scale rites.


    It is said to have been established to defeat an opponent who cannot be defeated by individual forces that are working together to fight an extremely powerful Ykai.


    It is also said that it is mainly used as a ce of employment for the second and third sons of Onmyoji families. It was mentioned on the Onmyoji Channel.


    Therefore, the head of each family is required to have personal capabilities to fight such Ykai.


    A Ykai with a Threat Level of 4 is an opponent that can only be defeated by an elite group of individuals.


    It is a very formidable foe.


    "Those in the vicinity at that time were my family, the Tonobe family, then the Uraki family, the Rimono family, and the Ejiri family."


    "So, there was a lot of families."


    I''ve only been to the Tonobe family, so I don''t have a clue about the other families. I guess there are quite a few Onmyoji around here.


    "No, they don''t exist anymore. Only we and the Tonobe family."


    Hmm? Does that mean that three families were destroyed by that Ykai?


    How strong was it?


    "The first to arrive were my family and the Tonobe family. Each head of the family, their wives, and I, the next head of the family, as well as Momi, fought together against the Ykai that was spreading the impurities."


    Momi-san was also a participant?


    And it seems that the former head of the Kyobe family, who died before I was born, and my grandparents on my father''s side were alive at that time.


    "The Ykai waster certified as a Threat Level 4, but from my senses as I was fighting it, it was equivalent to a Threat Level - Lower 5. The Tonobe family built a ward and the Kyobe family summoned a Shikigami. This method, which had be a standard practice, did not work on him."


    I thought they were awfully well acquainted, but I didn''t know they used to fight together.


    But they don''t seem to be working together now. ......Something must have happened in this battle.


    As soon as my father, who is always a man of few words, started talking about it at length, I knew that was the case.


    "The wards were destroyed with no effort at all, and the Shikigamicked any effective counterattacks. We moved into dyedbat once it became clear that the three slow-arriving families were our best bets. We waited for the three families that would not arrive anytime soon."


    I sense some kind of conspiracy.


    "Why didn''t theye?"


    "You don''t need to know yet. At that time, the former heads of the family did everything in their power and managed to suppress the Ykai. The attack by me and Momi was only as a deterrent, though, and we could do little more than watch. When the call came that the national Onmyoji force would be arriving in a few moments, my father ...... copsed."


    Grandpa, were you killed by a Ykai?


    My father was not sure what to say, but I, who had died once, had no need for such concern.


    I was prepared for this as soon as I learned that I was going to fight Ykai.


    "When the vanguard was broken and the bnce could no longer be maintained, I cut my hair. After my father died, I gave it as apensation to the Shikigami whose contract had expired, and we managed to get through the situation. Not long after that, the national Onmyoji force arrived and sealed the ce."


    "Not exterminated, but sealed?"


    "It was that strong. I am convinced that Ykai was Threat Level - Lower 5.


    I see, my father cut his hair for the first time to fight such a powerful enemy.


    It turned out to be a more epic story than I had expected.


    I had imagined it would be something like, "I used it to summon a new Shikigami".


    I thought the story was over, but I was astonished to hear what happened next.


    "Shortly after that, my mother and the former head of the Tonobe family copsed."


    "What?"


    "The doctor said it was caused by getting too close during the battle and allowing the impurities to enter their bodies through injuries. The curse was so powerful that it could not even be lifted in time."


    Eh, they won, but they died, that'' s really unfortunate.


    I did hear that there are such types of Ykai, though.


    "The curse of Ykai cannot bepletely healed. Momi''s mother was also cursed, and she did notst a month before falling ill. The Tonobe family managed toplete the inheritance, but for the Kyobe family, the session of the Shikigami has been interrupted."


    Does this have anything to do with the fact that our house is in shabby condition?


    I think I heard the term "inheritance of the Shikigami" once on the Onmyoji Channel, but I''m not sure what it means.


    "Therefore, it is a problem for you Hijiri. Kyobe''s family is only able to partially carry on the family''s summoning formation."


    "When will I inherit it?"


    "When I retire. Until then, you will practice with the Shikigami I don''t use."


    Oh well, that''s a ways off.


    I can provide the spiritual power for thepensation on my own, and I was hoping to do that soon.


    Still, it was quite a good story with a lot of room for consideration.


    I now know a little more about the current state of my family and the harshness of the world of Onmyoji. I will refer to it as the history built by our predecessors.


    My father stands up and walks over to me and puts his hand on my head.


    "An Onmyoji who makes his living by fighting never knows when he will die. I do not intend to die until I have told you everything I know, but if ...... the time doese ......, please take care of Reika and Yuya."


    Dad ...... that is a g .......


    "I will protect Yuya. But father, it is your role to protect mother, isn''t it? Mother told me everything. Mom married you because you saved her, and she fell in love with you."


    "You talked about it ..........................?"


    He''s shy.


    But, yeah, ...... my dad is ready to die, I guess. ...... He''s working hard, too. ......


    In that respect, he''s different from me in my previous life. I''ve lived in a peaceful world all my life.


    I wonder how on Earth he feels when he goes to work.


    To keep my happiness in my daily life, my whole family has to be present.


    As was the case with my mother''s love story, I need to find a way to run to her when she is in a pinch.


    I wonder if there is any way I can do something with spiritual element.


    While I was listening to my father''s past story, I had finished injecting spiritual power into the ink pot.


    After that, it was time to study the formations. There are a number of different types of formations that need to be learned, such as simple warding, breaking spells, and dissolving curses, to name a few.


    "Tonight is the full moon. Finish your studies early and have a good night''s sleep."


    "Then at midnight, teach me how to draw a moonbathing formation."


    "...... All right."


    That look on his face is one of amazement, "How can you study so much without getting bored"?


    Naturally, if it is such an interesting subject to study, I can keep going as long as I would like to. That''s logical for someone who aspires to be a professional Onmyoji.


    That being said, my dad is going to run out of things to tell me soon enough.


    Please, just don''t die prematurely because of some strange gs.

 Chapter 46: Grandmother

    Chapter 46: Grandmother


    "Then let''s get going."


    ""Yes ma''am.""


    One of the daily routines that has been incorporated since I started going to kindergarten.


    We take a walk together as a family when I go to kindergarten.


    Yuya is still too young to be left alone at home, so the three of us take a walk in the morning sun.


    "Mother."


    "What is it?"


    I asked the mother who was walking between two young children.


    Something has been bothering me ever since the social gathering ended.


    "Have you received any word from Akari-chan?"


    "Akari-chan is the daughter of the Abe family, isn''t she? I haven''t received any word from her, but did you arrange to y with her?"


    Yes, that''s right.


    I invited her toe to my house with a spirit animal egg as a bait, but I haven''t heard from her at all since then.


    I thought a child might be able to move around with less fuss, but neither a call for a visit nor a letter of invitation hase.


    I wondered if I had been rejected.


    "By the way, you said Akari-chan was cute. Do you like her?"


    "Well, I think liking and saying she''s cute are two different things. But she is so lovely that I''m really curious about her."


    "Oh my, you already know what ''like'' means, don''t you?"


    That''s because I have already experienced life all the way to the end.


    I have experienced both the sweet and sour love of adolescence and the dry rtionships of adulthood.


    I tried to make it sound like it was a good time, but my adolescent years were more like acid memories of just being rejected after confessing, rather than being sweet and sour, and my adult years consisted of treating someone to a meal and that was the end of it.


    Still, I''m sure I understand it much better than I did when I was a kid.


    It should be.......


    "I love sweets."


    "Don''t you also like mommy?"


    "I like mommy too!"


    Brother, you will always remain pure and lovely.


    Don''t grow up to look at people and judge them by their wrappings like I did.


    "I have no way of contacting the Abe family directly, so I can''t ask them for confirmation. If I hear from them, you will be the first to know."


    "Okay, thank you."


    She seemed to be quite interested in the egg drawing, but I wonder if she actually wasn''t very interested in it.


    Since she is a young child with easily shifting interests, she may have forgotten about it after the social gathering was over.


    "By the way, Minamoto-sama said, ''The Abe family members are given special training''. Perhaps they are not a very yful family. If you don''t hear from her, please don''t be mad at her for breaking her promise."


    "Of course. I really like that about you, mom."


    "Hmm, thank you. I love you both for being so kind as well."


    I admire your concern for others, because I myself can''t do that.


    In my previous life, I did not have the luxury of being able to focus on the people around me, just like a person who spots an empty ss at a drinking party.


    I wonder if I have inherited a generous heart like my mother''s.


    Speaking of having a luxury: ......


    "Mother, mother."


    "What is it, Hijiri?"


    "Where is mother''s father and mother?"


    My guess is that they are already dead or otherwise live in a very insted ce.


    It is strange that they never came to see their grandchildren even once when they were born.


    It is not in ordance with the universal rule that grandparents love their grandchildren. There must be a reason.


    "My father, your grandfather died as a result of illness. As for your grandmother, she is alive."


    Grandpa passed away long before we were born.


    And Grandma is said to be ill and has been in and out of the hospital for a while.


    Is that why she never visited our house?


    "She'' s always happy when she sees a picture of the two of you, and she''s always happy to see how cute you both are. See?"


    We stopped at the end of the street and mother opened the messaging app on her phone.


    She showed me a private chat with "mother" as the name of the room.


    There, a number of photos of me and Yuya were uploaded, interspersed withical messages such as "Cute! I like it," and "Respectful death," among otherical messages. Grandma, you really know your way around a smartphone, don''t you?


    It was a ridiculous status report.


    Far from being insted.


    "Why didn''t we go see her ourselves?"


    "Ummm, I don''t want ...... Hijiri to know about that yet. I''m sorry."


    Mother said this with a very sad expression on her face.


    It is frustrating to be told that I cannot be told things because I am a child, just like the past of the Kyobe family.


    The environment that surrounds me, I need to understand it more deeply.


    But I know that this is because of the love my parents have for their child, so I can''t really press the matter.


    "Birthday presents and New Year''s gifts for the two of you have been properly given."


    What? Was that so?


    I remember that my parents received them in my previous life as well.


    Did I also receive my grandmother''s love for me without even knowing it? ......


    It''s pathetic that I''ve lived a full circle of life and I still didn''t realize it.


    And if one looks closely, it was given to me as an electronic gift.


    Grandma knows how to use her phone better than I do.


    I didn''t have anyone to give the gift to, so I don''t know how to use that feature.


    "It''s a good opportunity, shall we go visit her sometime?"


    "Yeah."


    "Who''s Grandma?"


    "Grandma is the name of..."


    We arrived at the kindergarten and our conversation ended there for the day.


    The next day off, I decided to go visit my grandmother as soon as possible.


    Oddly enough, my dad came with me.


    He is definitely counting on my help today.


    As soon as we arrived at the hospital, he left us at the entrance and my dad went to my grandmother''s room first.


    "Wait here for a moment."


    I guess they wanted to talk about something alone.


    We sat on the couch and waited until I received a message that said, "The conversation is over".


    "Here it is. Let''s knock together."


    The room that my mother guided me to was a private room in the special care ward.


    Her family is rich, after all.


    When you have a private room instead of a four-person room, you have to pay the difference in bed charges.


    For a few days, I would consider paying for thefort of a private room, but a long-term stay in a special care ward would be too much of a burden for an ordinary family. At least, it is so expensive that I, in my previous life, would have maturely chosen a four-person room.


    "Mom, we''reing in, okay?"


    "Hello, excuse us."


    "Hello, dear."


    I entered the room and understood.


    This room ...... is a special private room!


    They charge more for more facilities than a regr private room. It was so expensive that I, who was single and had savings for retirement, would not have chosen this option in the first ce.


    I am curious about what mom''s family has been doing, but more important right now is the first meeting with the person in front of me.


    "Nice to meet you. My name is Kyobe Hijiri, and I''m four years old."


    "Hello! I''m Kyobe Yuya, 3 years old!"


    "Well, it''s great that you can greet people so well. I am your grandmother, Miyano."


    My grandmother, who broke into a smile at our greeting, was a woman just like my mother.


    Or perhaps it was the other way around: my mother resembled my grandmother.


    Her ck hair, mixed with gray, is kept short because of her hospital stay, but in her younger days, it must have been long and glossy like mother''s.


    Her face is exactly what I expect my mother to look like in the future after she ages gracefully.


    Perhaps because of her frailty, she is not likely to get up with her back resting on the electric bed. But why does her bearing give off a sense of elegance?


    I had no connection with a wealthy people in my previous life, yet I can tell that the world they live in is different just by the atmosphere they give off. Since the beginning of this year, this kind of connections have been increasing.


    Compared to my grandmother, my mother seems more like a beautiful and kind sister in the neighborhood, and I can''t help but feel that she is more like amoner.


    "Miya miya miya yo?"


    "Ufufu, it''s hard to say name for a child. Please just call me Grandma."


    "Grandma-chan."


    "Yes, well done. Come this way. I have some sweets for you."


    "Candy?"


    My little brother, who was attracted by the sweets readily approached her.


    He is not shy at all, simr to how he was at the tea party.


    I''m afraid that one day he might be kidnapped by someone who offers him some sweets.


    "How about you, Hijiri? This stuff looks delicious."


    "Thanks for the meal."


    There is a small basket on the side table with several small bags of candy.


    They are not something you eat when you are hungry, rather they must have been prepared in advance when she found out that her grandchildren wereing to visit.


    Seeing Yuya earnestly wondering which one to choose, the grandmother has an expression on her face that says, "He''s so cute".


    Then she turned her face towards me with the same expression on her face.


    "So Hijiri-san is already a respectable older brother. I wonder if Tsuyoshi-san''s education helped him."


    "No, it is nothing of that sort. It''s all the result of Reika-san''s upbringing."


    "Hijiri has been growing up splendidly without my intervention. I''m sure it''s because he has a great role model right beside him."


    "You two are as harmonious as ever."


    It''s true. I wish I would have had a marriage like this in my past life.


    I never thought I would be vomiting out sugar when dealing with my parents.


    My grandmother and my mother are simr not only in appearance, but also in what''s on the inside.


    They are familiar in the way they speak and in their choice of words.


    However, my grandmother''s mannerisms are more refined than my mother''s, and I think the analogy I just used was quite urate.


    My grandmother, who possesses a dignity that resembles that of the wives I met at the social gathering, serenely continued her conversation with the two of them.


    "Hijiri-san looks like Ken Suguru, doesn''t he?"


    "Now that you mention it, he might look like your brother."


    After the parents'' status reports were over, the main topic of conversation naturally centered on their children.


    Although it is ufortable to be talked about in front of me, I don''t feel bad about it because all of them areplimentaryments about me.


    As I grow older, I will have no one to give mepliments.


    Let''s satisfy my need for approval while I still can.


    "But I''m a little worried. The boy has never been very good at taking advantage of people. Sometimes it''s okay to depend on others, even if there is no reason to."


    My grandmother pats my head.


    Her strength feels very fragile, and there is a hint of death in the air, which I also experienced in the past.


    But I still feel some weight and warmth, probably because she has lived a much more profound life than I did in my previous life. The depth of the wrinkles is different.


    I don''t want to worry my grandmother who raised a wonderful woman which is my mother.


    I reply with a nice smile on my face.


    "Mom is very kind...Dad too."


    "You are right, I don''t have to worry if you have your mother and father. The most important thing to remember is that you can''t be too careful when ites to your health and wellbeing. Reika is very protective and affectionate like her father, and Tsuyoshi is very family oriented as well."


    I''m a little curious about my grandmother''sment that she just said.


    Mother looks like my grandmother in every sense of the word, but ording to her words, she looks like my grandfather.

 Chapter 47: Grandfather and the Amulet

    Chapter 47: Grandfather and the Amulet


    I wondered for a moment if I should ask, but if I left this question unanswered, it would surely bother me for a long time. With the innocence of a child, I asked.


    "What was grandpa like?"


    "He was a very loving man and very hard working."


    "I would love to hear about him too."


    Thanks to my dad''s prompting, I was able to hear the details of the story.


    My grandmother, who spoke of herte husband, was not sad, but very happy.


    My grandmother, who was a real richdy, fell in love at first sight with my grandfather, who was amoner, and after a fierce appeal, they got married.


    The grandmother''s father was opposed to the marriage, but they overcame his opposition and were sessfully married.


    To convince his father-inw, my grandfather worked hard at his job and became a key member of a venturepany, and eventually he was epted. It is amazing that thatpany is now a major corporation known to everyone.


    It was a development that could have been made into a drama just by hearing the brief summary of the story.


    He must have been a very loving person, because he did it all for the sake of the grandmother he loved so dearly.


    Maybe he died prematurely because he lived his life way too fast.


    And I understood what she said about how mother resembled grandfather.


    I could think of too many things that ring a bell, like the part where she attacked my dad, or the part where she was willing to risk her life for her son.


    I am begging you, mother, please live a long life.


    "Are my brothersing to visit you?"


    "No, they are busy with work. But we still keep in touch. Video calls are very convenient these days. Reika, please show them your face at least once in a while."


    I had recently heard that my mother had siblings, but I did not know how they were doing now.


    After listening to her while eating sweets, I learned that the eldest son, Suguru, has taken his grandfather''s ce, and the eldest daughter, Mirei, is married and has a child.


    The eldest son already has a son in high school, and it seems that the future of the Miyano family is secure.


    Yuya, who had been engrossed in eating sweets for a while, suddenly turned to his grandmother and said.


    "Granny, you want some too?"


    In his hand was a candy that looked like a vor Yuya would like.


    "Thank you. Oh my, it''s delicious."


    Yuya is adding the grandchildponent on my behalf.


    This kind of innocent kindness, I can''t imitate it.


    "What kind of games do you like to y, Yuya?"


    "Hikoki!"


    "Paper airnes. I fly the talismans first, and then Yuya joins me in flying the paper airnes."


    "Thank you for teaching me. I''ll try to learn how to fold them next time."


    My grandmother became acquainted with our world when she became an Onmyoji rted person.


    She is one of the few people I can talk to about such things.


    I replied as my grandmother asked me about my devotion in studying to be an Onmyoji, helping my father with his work, and about the friends I made in kindergarten.


    Yuya also gave answers in a clumsy manner.


    My grandmother squinted dazzlingly every time she heard us talk.


    I can understand that feeling a little.


    A children with so many promising possibilities awaiting them are too dazzling for a person whose prospects have been fading over time.


    I am able to start over again, by some miracle, to make that change, which was supposed to be irreversible.


    Once again, I must be thankful for my second life.


    Grandmother and grandsons, mother and daughter, mother-inw and son-inw, we talked as if we were filling in the time we had not seen each other before, and before long the end of visiting hours was approaching.


    "Well, then, it is time for us to leave."


    "I would have liked to talk to you more, for sure, but we have no time left. Let''s talk via video call sometime."


    I felt a little sad to say goodbye to my grandmother.


    But it was only for a moment. For my grandmother, who has adapted to the digital world, distance was not a big issue.


    As we were preparing to leave, my dad pulls something out of his pocket.


    "The one I gave you before is no longer in effect. Please take this one."


    It was a small amulet - a "protective amulet" made by Onmyoji - that was given to my grandmother.


    This amulet has the effect of counteracting defilements and curses around its owner. It is like an air purifier.


    Naturally, it is much less powerful than a real amulet blessed by God. Even so, Onmyoji-made amulets are more convenient to purchase than the real thing, which is rarely avable, and are therefore very popr in such circles.


    It is said that even Ykai with a Threat Level of 4 are hesitant to approach an amulet that was seriously made by a professional Onmyoji.


    The effectiveness of the amulet varies depending on the price.


    I see. I''ve been wanting to do something for my grandmother.


    I can make a rudimentary protection amulet for her.


    "Dad, I want to give her an amulet too. Can I?"


    "I don''t have any ink avable."


    In other words, "making it by myself is not a problem"?


    Then let''s get to work.


    "Grandma, can I borrow your ballpoint pen?"


    "Yes, be my guest."


    My grandmother watches me making an amulet with great interest.


    It is not often that one sees an Onmyoji at work, so this is a natural reaction.


    The most important part of the amulet is the talisman, which itself is so popr that it has been introduced on Onmyoji Channel.


    In the Onmyoji industry, which protects mankind from Ykai and spiritual threats, the removal of impurities and curses, which are the root of such threats, is a matter of supreme importance.


    Therefore, the method of making amulets has been shared among Onmyoji since long ago.


    I pick up a ballpoint pen that I had left next to my notepad and fill the pen with the spiritual elements.


    Unlike the specially made ink used by Onmyoji, ordinary ink has a very low spiritual power capacity and drains easily from the side it is filled with.


    However, this problem can be alleviated by converting the spiritual power into spiritual elements. Higher upstream you go in the refining process, the higher the retaining power will be.


    My father does not know this fact, which was discovered by me after testing it at home. Therefore, from the side, it looked like I was trying to ovee the problem by using spiritual power, and he was very impressed.


    "How do you never run out of spiritual power? ......"


    "Because I only have spiritual power."


    To my chagrin, my dad''s amulet performs better.


    I think my handwriting is more beautiful than his, but it seems that it is more important in Onmyojutsu to capture the shape of the formation as well as some other key points. My father''s amuletsted for about a year, but my amulet ran out of power after three months.


    ording to him, "the spiritual power was leaking".


    As expected, it seems that even if I studied a little harder, I can''t outperform the experience of a professional.


    Since there is my father''s amulet, my amulet is just a bonus.


    It is too much of a waste to use thend refinement jade for a free amulet.


    I think the spiritual elements will suffice here.


    Instead, I will at least put my feelings into it.


    Without my grandmother, there would be no mother, and by extension, I would never have been born again.


    To my grandmother, who gives her grandchildren her unconditional love, I give my thanks and wish you a long and peaceful life!


    I draw a formation with all my heart and soul.


    It is difficult to draw a formation with a ballpoint pen, as it should be written with a brush and sumi ink, because it is impossible to achieve the desired thickness and shading.


    I drew the formation as closely as possible following the main points and then I put arge number of spiritual elements into the ink.


    "Well, ......!"


    My grandmother marvels at me.


    It is rare for a four-year-old to be able to write so many kanji so smoothly, so it was only natural.


    Although less effective, a ballpoint pen with a thin nib was ideal for drawing a formation on a small area of the amulet.


    Soon the formation waspleted.


    All that remains is to get the contents of the amulet from the used one, refill it, and give it to the grandmother. It will be a nice gift from her grandson.


    "Yes, Grandma. Here you go."


    "Well, well, well! Thank you very much. I''ll take good care of it."


    "I''ll rece it with a new one when the effect wears off."


    It seems like she will keep this treasured item for a long time.


    Neither the paper nor the ink is specially designed for this purpose, so it will notst long and the effect should be reasonable. It is really only a token of my feelings.


    I am happy that she was so pleased, but I feel a little sorry.


    Next time, I''ll make something better at home and give it as a gift.


    We left the hospital room for good this time.


    In the end, I still don''t know why we never went to see my grandmother before.


    I don''t know if something would happen if I found out.


    We left the hospital room for good this time.


    In the end, I still don''t know why we never went to see my grandmother before.


    However, there is no reason why I should not have gone to see my grandmother. ......


    At any rate, I now know most of my rtives. As I have much less rtives than in my previous life, I want to take good care of them.


    ---


    T/N - This chapter was kind of tough to trante, so if you see any mistakes, please tell me down in thements

 Chapter 48: New Treasure

    Chapter 48: New Treasure


    A/N - Third person point of view.


    ---


    "Why did you injure me, ......? What did I do to you? ......"


    In a corner of a hospital room.


    There was a young man who could not fall asleep even after the lights had been turned off.


    He was hospitalized with a leg injury, and there was no telling what had happened to him.


    However, the tears running down his cheeks under the covers were very hot and full of the "youthfulness" that one only realizes one has lost when one bes an adult.


    "I was so close, but then I got .......... If I''d kept on trying, I''d have been chosen for sure. ......"


    Even dazzlingly bright passion cannot remain beautiful forever.


    Too strong a desire can sometimes cause things to spiral out of control.


    Yin and yang are two sides of the same coin.


    It was the right kind of passion, and because it was the correct kind of passion, it ballooned without hesitation to whatever extent it wanted to go. That bloated passion was about to be overturned.


    "Damn, I wish they would cancel thepetition. Everything would be ruined, and then ......!"


    "Shut up! Be quiet!"


    His hospital room was for four people.


    It was fine for him to enjoy his youth alone, but the sound of his voice whispering in the middle of the night was a major distraction that disturbed their sleep.


    The roommates who had been putting up with it were now at the limit of their patience.


    "Huh? You snore louder than this! You have no right to lecture me!!


    "Shut up, both of you. Go to sleep."


    "You better stop grinding your teeth. I can''t sleep because it''s too loud."


    "What the hell, you geezer?


    Every little incident is based on a series of small events.


    Every big incident is built on a series of even smaller ones.


    A curse so strong that it makes you hate the world is not necessary. (T/N - Not 100% sure about this sentence)


    Small moments of stress, likeck of sleep and noise problems, have piled up and brought us to today.


    A hospital with a secure Onmyoji ward. Right above it, he was born.


    A hospital room in the middle of the night.


    A mature woman was sleeping contentedly after having a video call with her grandchildren, whom she had finally been able to see in person this year.


    Miyano, who had been having an uneventful dream, awoke from her slumber suddenly.


    (It''s still night. Let''s sleep some more)


    If one were to check their phone, one would find that it is the time of the Ox, when even the grass and trees are asleep.


    As she gets older, she sleeps less and less, and these days it is not unusual for her to wake up several times a night.


    She didn''t feel the sign that she had to use the bathroom, and she was about to fall back into a light sleep - when she was hit by a strong chill.


    (......! (...... what is this?)


    It''s not that she''s not in good physical shape. She has been feeling pretty good as ofte.


    Besides, the chill she was feeling was unlike anything she had ever felt in her life.


    The bad feeling was getting stronger and stronger.


    Surely this is not a sign of death? She does not want to die yet, she wants to watch her children''s children a little longer, and these thoughts overflow into her mind, consumed by negative thoughts.


    If she were a regr person, she would say, "What is toe is justing. I will be able to see my husband for the first time in a long time." Death, which she would have weed peacefully, is now terrifying and unbearable.


    (...... who?)


    In a hospital room that was supposed to be empty except for herself, a presence arose.


    At the entrance to the pitch-dark hospital room, something was there.


    Her head slowly turned toward the entrance, and there she saw--


    "Are you here to pick me up?"


    "........."


    --- There was a Shinigami.


    Wearing a jet-ck robe and carrying a suspiciously shining de in a hospital room with only a faint light source, this was someone who could only be described as the Shinigami, the God of Death.


    For Miyano, who had thought of death, this is the most terrifying existence she could imagine.


    Unconsciously, her breathing is bing more and more frantic.


    She wants to run somewhere, but she does not even have the strength to walk without difficulty.


    If she were to reach for the nurse''s button, the embodiment of death, which is now still, might attack her.


    There was something eerie about the God of Death in her eyes.


    An old woman''s desperation is filling the quiet hospital room.


    She has recently be somewhat forgetful, but with her life at stake, her brain is pumping blood at a rapid pace.


    (Yes!)


    The connection of synapses was miraculously established, and Miyano received a glimmer of hope from her most recent memory.


    She reached out her hand with the single-minded desire to cling to a single straw, and sure enough, it grasped the best tool to save her.


    Two amulets were touched by her hand.


    One is a powerful work of art given to her by her son-inw.


    The other is the newest treasure she got, made in front of her by her grandson.


    With an inward self-mockery that she was not showing signs of being old enough, she repeatedly kept pulling things out and looking at her treasures, she quickly searched for the former in her pockets.


    Once she timidly pulled the amulet from inside the mattress, the Shinigami standing at the entrance appeared to slightly flinch.


    This is ...... working.


    Miyano has no idea what the existence in front of her eyes is.


    A Ykai that her youngest daughter encountered? It might be simr to that, but it wouldn''t be strange if the God of Death really came for her given her advanced age.


    Now that she had an amulet to rely on, Miyano had more time to think about it.


    Just as Miyano breathed a sigh of relief, the Shinigami swung his weapon, which he carried on his shoulder, and...


    "Ah."


    The amulet in Miyano''s hand was cut in half.


    There was no wound at all on her hand, only the amulet was destroyed as an eerie wind blew.


    A littleter, the curtains of the hospital room began to flutter.


    The amulet made by Tsuyoshi surpassed its original role and neutralized the wind, which was endowed with lethal power due to the impurities.


    (What should I do ....... ...... What should I do ......... ......)


    Having lost her emotional anchor, she was struck by a more intense fear.


    Her eyes darted around the room, her fingers trembled, and her heart pounded as if it was about to burst.


    She was left with no choice.


    A Ykai, created by humans, desires only one thing - to torment and kill people.


    A mere person who has no means to resist cannot escape their intentions.


    The Shinigami slowly approaches and raises its scythe, as if to show its de so that its prey will recognize its own death.


    Miyo could only stare at that action. Her elerated thoughts were showing her the happiness of her family in the future.


    Naturally, this included the smiling faces of her grandchildren, whom she had finally met.


    Beyond the happy family members, there was also the man who loved her more than anyone else. He opens his mouth with the best smile he could muster, the one he only ever directed to his wife.


    It is something that he always used to do, as he would ask her something every now and then.


    (Are you happy now?)


    The scythe was finally brought close to her eyes, and it swung down from above.


    Death touched her neck.


    The Shinigami''s face, nonexistent under its jet-ck robes, was stained with amusement.


    "Just wait a little longer. I''ve be greedy. I have a child I want to watch over and worry about."


    Her words definitely reached him. Beyond the providence in which the souls of the dead ascend to Heavens and are reincarnated, her thoughts definitely connected to him.


    He nodded as usual.


    No matter how selfish she was, he would always amodate her.


    Their interaction was known only to Miyano.


    Before long, her fear faded, and she found herself feeling warmthing from her waist.


    ......!


    There was something that reacted to the approach of the ominous scythe that would bring death.


    A gift from her grandson that Miyano stopped herself from taking it out.


    An intense light begins to spill out from the bedding.


    The origin of this was the spiritual elements that the aspiring Onmyoji had put into it. The formation that counteracted the impurities took effect, and the vast number of spiritual elements overflowed and rushed toward the Shinigami to fulfill their assigned roles.


    The Shinigami, who should have had an overwhelming advantage, was engulfed by the torrent of light and disappeared.


    Just as when he first appeared, he disappeared in an instant, leaving no trace at all.


    "......aa"


    Miyano, having been drained out, went straight to sleep.


    The long nightmare was finally over, and she was able to rest soundly until morning.


    When she woke up, the first thing she did when she regained consciousness was to search her pockets.


    "I knew it. ......"


    When she woke up, she thought it was all a dream, but when she saw the ck smeared pieces of paper inside the amulet and the amulet broken in half and scattered all over the bedding, she knew that it was all real.


    "You protected me. Thank you."


    Miyano recalled the scene when her grandson made her a good-luck amulet.


    She was surprised, thinking it was just an ordinary amulet made by a very young child.


    The way he was drawing the formation was so serious. The sight reminded her of the profile of her husband when he was a young man, working as hard as he could.


    The amulet he created had protected her.


    She epted it all without any feelings of difort as this was the reason why she was able to survive the attack of that dreadful Shinigami.


    "I''ll have to thank that boy next time. I should ask her if there''s anything he wants."


    Miyano picked up her fully charged phone and opened a private chat with her youngest daughter.


    All the while, she was imagining the happy face of her grandson who carries the resemnce of herte husband.

 Chapter 49: An Ordinary Onmyoji Who Gets Caught Up

    Chapter 49: An Ordinary Onmyoji Who Gets Caught Up


    "What?"


    The big incident at the hospital that started calmly and ended quietly.


    At the same time, a man bounced up the covers in his bedroom in the middle of the night and was instantly awakened without having time to fall back asleep.


    After tapping his confused head and sorting out the current situation, the man immediately began to react.


    "Hello, my name is Ichisato of  city, XX prefecture. The warding of  Hospital in the same city has been breached. Threat level is estimated to be more than 3 and less than 4. Probably murder type. Please dispatch a neighborhood Onmyoji immediately. Onmyoji registration number is ........."


    First, contact the Onmyoji Agency''s Emergency E-Ykai Y Countermeasures Section C and ask them to dispatch an Onmyoji to the site.


    When there is a clear urrence of Ykai, as in this case, the Onmyoji who senses it is obliged to report it.


    "Damn, of all ces it urred in my section."


    Ichisato gently tossed the phone away with a click of his tongue.


    His heart wanted to smash it as hard as he could, but his conscience held him back in the name of repair costs.


    He was finally bing well-known, and he did not want to waste his money.


    Instead, he heads into the living room, roughly tugs on the light cord, and begins to change into the clothes that are still hanging on the indoor clothesline.


    "Keys, and my phone is ...... Oh, shit."


    He returned to his bedroom and shoved the essential modern equipment into his pocket.


    With a long coat over his Onmyoji costume, he is ready to go.


    He gets into his car and drives down the night road, relying on the shining headlights.


    "Oh, damn. What a bunch of crap."


    Ichisato, who had been upying the roadway, proceeded this far without stopping even once, but was caught at a red light just as he was about to arrive at his destination.


    He turned his irrational anger toward the light, wondering why it was not a green light.


    He calmed down his anger and stepped on the elerator pedal as soon as the light turned green.


    When he arrived at the location, there were already three Onmyoji gathered there.


    Two of them were his acquaintances, but the other one was a face he did not see very often.


    Although he remembers greeting him at the gatherings, .......


    "Sorry for the dy. I''m Ichisato, in charge of Hospital."


    "Thank you for your hard work, Ichisato-san. We also have just arrived."


    "I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my ipetence this time--"


    "We don''t have time for pleasantries. Tell us the location of the urrence."


    Ichisato''s apology was interrupted by the only man in the room whom he did not know very well.


    He appeared to be a little older than Ichisato, but the wrinkles between his eyebrows and the tired look on his face made him look much older.


    The man seemed to be in a great hurry and returned to a state of meditation the moment after he spoke up.


    "I''m sorry about mypanion. There''s a person rted to him in this hospital."


    The man tapped him on the shoulder in a familiar manner.


    Normally, he would be annoyed by such a friendly tap on the shoulder, but not if it was given by someone he respects.


    "I am also very sorry for the inconvenience caused to the Tonobe family. However, isn''t the Tonobe family outside the scope of my dispatch request?"


    The Tonobe family is well known among the families in the area because they have inherited the art of warding.


    They are a family with a long history and a good track record, boasting a level of skill that is superior to that of ordinary warding techniques, and are even entrusted work by the Prefectural Government.


    This is exactly the kind of Onmyoji that Ichisato aspires to be.


    "This guy woke me up. So, I followed him. He said, ''Something troublesome may be happening,'' so I came over and found out that Ykai had really appeared."


    ording to Tonobe-san, the man apanying him is the head of the Kyobe family, though that name didn''t ring a bell with Ichisato.


    He probably belongs to another organization, not the Kanto Onmyoji Association.


    He wondered what kind of connection he had with the Tonobe family, but now was not the time to ask that question.


    Although the way he said it was rather upsetting, Kyobe''s point was valid.


    They must locate the Ykai as soon as possible, and the four of them must exterminate it before the number of victims increases.


    Even now, the number of victims is probably increasing.


    The Kyobe-san who was meditating was in the process of activating ten small summoning formations.


    That alone indicates that he is a user of the summoning techniques and that he is sending the Shikigami into the hospital.


    Since he is doing the reconnaissance on Ichisato''s behalf, thetter cannot help himself but to bow his head.


    "The wards were broken above the mortuary. The fact that it was destroyed in an instant suggests that it is a murder type. My warding can resist up to a Threat Level 3 for a while, so taking into ount the fact that no miasma has been detected, I would say it is below 4."


    In an effort to share the information as quickly as possible, Ichisato quickly ryed all the information he had.


    One of his acquainted Onmyoji wrote down the main points, tapped the meditating Kyobe on the shoulder, and disyed the information to him.


    Then all the Shikigami began to move closer to the mortuary.


    Ichisato could not see them, but if he could see them, he would understand why there is a rtionship between the Kyobe and Tonobe families.


    When Ykai intrude into a building, it is essential to know the location of them beforehand.


    If the Threat Level is a 2 or 3, it does not matter, but if it is a 4, there is a high risk of death caused by a surprise attack when they first encounter the enemy.


    As soon as Ichisato pulled out a reconnaissance talisman from his pocket, he was approached by Tonobe-san, who then said, "I would like to do some reconnaissance myself."


    "Hey, just to be sure, did you really sense a Ykai?"


    "......?......Yes, I''m sure. My wards were destroyed."


    "That''s something I can confirm, too. But you know, I don''t smell any kind of Ykai whatsoever."


    Onmyoji require other talents in addition to spiritual power.


    One of them is spiritual sense.


    It is the ability with which one can see, hear, and detect signs and traces of Ykai , or in many other ways anyway, the ability to perceive spiritual entities.


    The level of talent and the method of sensing varies from person to person, and Tonobe-san is said to be able to detect the presence of Ykai not only by sight, but also by smell.


    Even if they are out of sight, he can detect the enemy ahead of time through smell. For Onmyoji who make their living fighting, the stronger the spiritual sense, the better.


    "The smell is too weak for a 4 to be there. But the wards have certainly been destroyed. So, it is possible that it moved somewhere else."


    Upon hearing Tonobe''s guess, one of Ichisato''s acquaintances disagrees.


    "That''s just not possible. It''s not likely that he would leave his vulnerable hospitalized prey and go somewhere else."


    "Normally, yes, but I don''t think it''s in this hospital. ...... It''s a murder type, right? If the Ykai hasn''t appeared after all this searching, I can only assume it maybe left or didn''t appear at all."


    If it were a Threat Level 4 murder type, it would no doubt be rampaging with gusto.


    It would be fulfilling its murderous urges by ughtering hospitalized patients who are unable to put up a fight.


    However, the Tsuyoshi''s Shikigami have not been able to find even a trace of any Ykai, let alone the scent of blood.


    It has already been more than 20 minutes since the reconnaissance began and the presence of the Ykai is bing questionable at this point.


    "I can''t find it anywhere. So, the information you just gave me is correct."


    "Huh? Even though I was sleeping, no Onmyoji would be unaware that the wards he had established had been broken!"


    Ichisato couldn''t help but raise his voice.


    The hospital assignment that resulted in the breach of his warding was a major challenge that he had to ovee.


    The requester is a famous local hospital. Since patients suffering from diseases gather here, it is easy for impurities to umte.


    It was a request that was a step above his ability, but if he did well here, it would be an impressive achievement, and the requests he would receive in the future would be better suited for his abilities.


    When this request was presented to him, he saw it as an opportunity. It was a great chance to spread the name of the Ichisato family, which had not made a big name for itself in the past. Even if he knew that the hospital was looking for a cheaper Onmyoji with a lower rating in order to save money.


    He got all the expensive tools he needed, which were a little more than a foot out of his budget, he performed the most exquisite ceremonies handed down in the Ichisato family, and he created the best warding he could currently construct.


    Without a doubt, it was a masterpiece that was second to nonepared to his predecessors.


    The rm function in case of destruction was definitely incorporated as well.


    Being denied of such a masterpiece would hurt anyone''s pride, even though he is just a novice.


    "I see. ......"


    Receiving a strong criticism, Tsuyoshi sunk into his thoughts.


    Then, Ichisato received a call on his phone.


    ["This is the Emergency E-Ykai Countermeasures Division. Is this the number belonging to Ichisato-sama?"]


    "Yes, this is Ichisato. I have arrived at the scene."


    ["After receiving Ichisato-sama''s report, the Divination Team conducted an investigation, but there was no Ykai activity detected in the neighborhood. Is the report you just made a few moments ago a false one?"]


    "What?"


    Ichisato could not understand what he was told.


    The Ykai that should have definitely appeared was not here?


    This couldn''t be true.


    The talismans that had been ced at the main gate so as not to be seen by anyone had burned out, and there was a sense of ward obliteration that was strong enough to break his deep sleep.


    It is impossible for Ykai to not havee here.


    The wards were not so fragile that someone could easily break them just to harass him, and there was no artificial cause that he could think of.


    For better or worse, the Ichisato family is a no-name household.


    "There is no doubt. A Ykai has emerged. It must have left. ...... and it''s ....... ......."


    But this is where his confidence wavered.


    The Onmyojutsu''s Divination Team never misread anything.


    Moreover, when they receive a notification and limit the scope of their search, their uracy is amazing.


    That Divination Team said, "There are no Ykai here".


    If there is no evidence that Ykai have relocated to the vicinity, it is quite natural to conclude that Ykai have never appeared here in the first ce.


    Ichisato, who had expected to have to risk his life to clean up his own mess, was relieved that he did not have to fight a Threat Level 4 murder type.


    At the same time, he was also worried about what will happen to him after this.

 Chapter 51: Switching to Killing

    Chapter 51: Switching to Killing


    "Hijiri, today I will teach you how to perform the Gokusai Reisatsu Jin and how to make the Nentensatsu no Fuda, the Twisting and Turning Killing talisman."


    "Yes!"


    Yay, my killing intent will be increased!


    Now I will be able to beat up Ykai to a pulp!


    I wish I could have been happy honestly with this.......


    There is something wrong with my father.


    He had previously taught me only safe, non-aggressive Onmyojutsu, but recently he has suddenly changed his training program.


    I asked him, in a roundabout way, if it was okay for him to teach me, a child, these techniques that could hurt people if used incorrectly.


    "You''ll be fine. I''ve heard you''ve never unted your Onmyojutsu to anyone, not even in kindergarten."


    He said that and continued to instruct me.


    Well, if you''re going to teach me, I''ll gratefully ept your teaching.


    Understanding my learning speed, my dad gave me new insights one after another.


    From dangerous Onmyojutsu, to difficult formation drawing, toplex ritual procedures, it is as if I am digesting the contents of an instructional book all at once.


    Thanks to him, my appetite for knowledge has been satisfied over thest few months.


    I could never study for a test for longer than an hour, but I could concentrate as much as I wanted on Onmyojutsu. The enthusiasm I felt that day has yet to abate.


    However, it is difficult to practice any of these techniques in the courtyard because of the severity of the effects and the cost. For now, I will be satisfied with knowledge alone.


    "First, let''s start with the "Twisting and Turning Killing" talisman. This is abination of the "vibration" and "rotation" formations, connected by 12 keyways, and drawn as a single formation. It is a simple yet powerful talisman that can distort the space around the talisman. For this reason, many houses have developed a variety of Twisting and Turning Killing talismans.


    I already know that.


    I''ve used this stuff in practice.


    It''s a great starter. It''s stupidly powerful.


    "If you make this talisman at the highest quality, you can eliminate up to a Threat Level 3 Disaster type with a single blow. However, it often fails. If it is not made well, it will not have the desired effect. It also has poor durability. If you can make a consistent high-quality Twisting and Turning Killing talismans, you can even be called a professional talisman-maker. You may even be able to make a living as a talisman maker."


    "Heh. That''s quite a challenge."


    All the Twisting and Turning Killing talismans I made fulfilled their purpose, including the trial versions.


    Doesn''t that mean my talisman making skills are pretty good?


    I didn''t realize in my previous life that I had such talent lying dormant. ......!


    Yeah, no.


    I''ve practiced making a mountain of talismans, and I''ve produced thousands of unsessful talismans.


    If anything, I''m still mass-producing burnable trash. I can''t even put them out for recycling because of the risk of technological leaks.


    They are all incinerated in a corner of the courtyard.


    A series of "Twisting and Turning Killing" talismans that I made were sessful. This means that something else must be the key to these talismans.


    "Does it not work on Threat Level 4 and above?"


    "They just can''t be killed with a single blow. It can hurt them, and if they are the Killing type, it can skew the trajectory of their attack. It''s a very versatile talisman, depending on the application. However, considering its instability, it is better suited for defense. It is also more reliable to use a formation when attacking. I often prepare it as a trump card in case of emergency."


    Hmmm...this kind of knowledge not found in instructional books is a valuable thing to learn.


    .


    It is precious information that can onlye from an Onmyoji who has experienced actual battles.


    "Here''s an example. The Twisting and Turning Killing talismans are a type of talismans that disappears when it is activated. Therefore, there is a possibility of failure even if you prepare it ording to the instruction manual. You should experiment on your own. The area of effect is small, so I will allow you to practice in the courtyard."


    "Understood."


    While my father is at work, I am reviewing the Onmyojutsu he taught me.


    Because of the increase in the number and quality of lessons, these days, even if I spend a whole week, I still wouldn''t have enough time to learn it all.


    I asked my mother if I could take a day off from kindergarten to practice Onmyojutsu, and as expected, she didn''t give me permission.


    ''It''s good to study hard, but it''s also important to y with your friends.''


    She said.


    I never thought my parents would say to me, ''You should y more instead of studying all the time''.


    I had heard the opposite line so many times that it made my ears burst.


    Onmyojutsu is more of a hobby than it is a subject to study so I enjoy this time when I can learn new techniques.


    I''ve learned on my own to make the Twisting and Turning Killing talisman, so I understand it better now that my father has given me some tips and hints.


    Oh, I see, this part was meant to be spelled out to limit the area of effect.


    "The keystone here is particrly important. Because of therge number of strokes, it is easy for the shape of the formation to break down. Be careful with the strokes. ...... yes, ......."


    The first one is always supervised closely by my father.


    The second one he lets me draw without any restrictions, then the third one he points out what he likes about it, and the fourth one is almost like the standard version. After that, I just wrote and learned to draw without any help from my father.


    "You''re learning especially fast this time."


    "That''s because of the way you teach, father."


    Indeed, my father''s teaching style suits me.


    I like the fact that he doesn''t coddle me too much, nor he leaves me alone too much, and lets me do things freely to a certain extent.


    Maybe it''s because we are father and son, or maybe our personalities just happen to be simr. We don''t like to interfere too much with each other, which makes it easy for us to work together.


    My father quickly picks up the fourth talisman I''ve drawn, and he checks the workmanship.


    "Well done. Looks like ...... your new brush is feeling right at home in your hand."


    As I was bending and stretching my stiff fingers, satisfied with his appreciation of my work, I heard him unexpectedly say something like that.


    My father''s gaze fell on the brush, and there was a luxurious-looking gem, not suitable for a child''s use, sitting on the brush holder.


    "Yes, I''m starting to understand how to use it. But I feel like I still didn''t master it."


    It was given to me just recently by my grandmother as a thanks for the amulet I gave her. She researched what I needed that I didn''t have via my mother.


    When mom saw me in the living room overusing the brush, she consulted my father, who introduced her to Onmyojutsu Tool Store.


    I didn''t ask what the price was but seeing it in a paulownia wood box wrapped in a purple cushion, I doubt anyone would think it was cheap. If anything, I feel that the paulownia box and the cushion might also be useful for some other purpose, and I don''t think I''ll ever throw them away.


    "Take good care of it. The experience of handling a first-ss product is priceless."


    ording to the product description included in the box, the brush tube is made of a branch that naturally fell from an ancient tree standing on a spiritual vein, and the spearhead is mainly made of the body hair of a spiritual beast simr to a sheep, mixed with the fetal hair of a newborn baby blessed with Onmyoji''s talent.


    These precious materials are said to improve the flow of spiritual power, allowing it to be transmitted without any loss when drawing a line. I hear that the power is increased together with the spiritual power contained in the ink.


    In addition to its high performance, the brush tube is decorated with engravings simr to those of a formation, and one can tell just by looking at it that it is a high-ss product.


    At first, I was like, ''Oh, I can dip this in ink? Won''t it stain my perfectly white bristles?" I was afraid to use it, but I got used to it.


    By nature, a top-quality brush like this, which is used only in case of emergency, is like a personal seal. Normally, they are carefully stored in a closet and rarely taken out. The reason why I am using it for practice is to honor my grandmother''s wishes.


    ''I''ve chosen the one that looks the best, so keep up the good work.''


    I couldn''t put this gift away in the closet.


    Let''s just do as my dad says and nurture a first-ss sensibility by being exposed to quality things.


    Speaking of my grandmother, it seems that my father''s teaching policy has changed since that day when I had a bad premonition about her.......


    After this, I was taught how to draw a very fine spiritual killing stroke, and the Onmyoji education for the day was over.


    Normally, the two of us would head to the living room together and rest until dinner, but today we have a little more to talk about.


    "With the skills I have taught you so far, you will be able to fight Ykai."


    Oh, I got my dad''s approval. I''m a little touched.


    I have mastered many Onmyojutsu, and at 4 years old, I still have a lot of time left to grow.


    Unlike my previous life, where I spent my time in idleness, in this life I have many things I want to do. I get excited just imagining what kind of glorious future awaits me in the future.


    If I am lucky, I will be the youngest person to exterminate a Ykai, or I will by myself defeat a Threat Level 7 Ykai, or I may achieve an unprecedented feat and leave my mark on the history.


    As if he could see through my buoyant mood, my father nailed me with a warning.


    "But do not ever challenge them. There is so much I have yet to teach you. Even with all your knowledge and strength, youck maturity and experience. Dying only takes a moment. Never approach danger before you be an adult. Okay?"


    Dad''s eyes were more serious than ever, and I could only nod silently.


    Just like when he told me about the past of the Kyobe family before, my father''s strong emotions were leaking out. A strong desire to never lose his family again.


    I know that without being told.


    There are still too many things I can''t dopared to what I could do with my adult body.


    I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have a desire to be a hero, but I''m not a child so intoxicated by a sense of all-around goodness that I''d rush into a reckless endeavor.


    Until I be an adult, I will not do something like sticking my neck out into danger.


    It would worry my mother and Yuya as well.


    However, if I am attacked by a shadow Ykai-like creature again, I will have to fight back.


    I will continue to carry a "Twisting and Turning Killing" talisman in my pocket.


    I have been taught to use it to escape, and I have also been taught to use it to stall--


    While ying with Yuya in the living room, I was examining my newly acquired trump card.


    ---


    Author''s note - I received my first review. Thank you!

 Chapter 51: Switching to Killing

    Chapter 51: Switching to Killing


    "Hijiri, today I will teach you how to perform the Gokusai Reisatsu Jin and how to make the Nentensatsu no Fuda, the Twisting and Turning Killing talisman."


    "Yes!"


    Yay, my killing intent will be increased!


    Now I will be able to beat up Ykai to a pulp!


    I wish I could have been happy honestly with this.......


    There is something wrong with my father.


    He had previously taught me only safe, non-aggressive Onmyojutsu, but recently he has suddenly changed his training program.


    I asked him, in a roundabout way, if it was okay for him to teach me, a child, these techniques that could hurt people if used incorrectly.


    "You''ll be fine. I''ve heard you''ve never unted your Onmyojutsu to anyone, not even in kindergarten."


    He said that and continued to instruct me.


    Well, if you''re going to teach me, I''ll gratefully ept your teaching.


    Understanding my learning speed, my dad gave me new insights one after another.


    From dangerous Onmyojutsu, to difficult formation drawing, toplex ritual procedures, it is as if I am digesting the contents of an instructional book all at once.


    Thanks to him, my appetite for knowledge has been satisfied over thest few months.


    I could never study for a test for longer than an hour, but I could concentrate as much as I wanted on Onmyojutsu. The enthusiasm I felt that day has yet to abate.


    However, it is difficult to practice any of these techniques in the courtyard because of the severity of the effects and the cost. For now, I will be satisfied with knowledge alone.


    "First, let''s start with the "Twisting and Turning Killing" talisman. This is abination of the "vibration" and "rotation" formations, connected by 12 keyways, and drawn as a single formation. It is a simple yet powerful talisman that can distort the space around the talisman. For this reason, many houses have developed a variety of Twisting and Turning Killing talismans.


    I already know that.


    I''ve used this stuff in practice.


    It''s a great starter. It''s stupidly powerful.


    "If you make this talisman at the highest quality, you can eliminate up to a Threat Level 3 Disaster type with a single blow. However, it often fails. If it is not made well, it will not have the desired effect. It also has poor durability. If you can make a consistent high-quality Twisting and Turning Killing talismans, you can even be called a professional talisman-maker. You may even be able to make a living as a talisman maker."


    "Heh. That''s quite a challenge."


    All the Twisting and Turning Killing talismans I made fulfilled their purpose, including the trial versions.


    Doesn''t that mean my talisman making skills are pretty good?


    I didn''t realize in my previous life that I had such talent lying dormant. ......!


    Yeah, no.


    I''ve practiced making a mountain of talismans, and I''ve produced thousands of unsessful talismans.


    If anything, I''m still mass-producing burnable trash. I can''t even put them out for recycling because of the risk of technological leaks.


    They are all incinerated in a corner of the courtyard.


    A series of "Twisting and Turning Killing" talismans that I made were sessful. This means that something else must be the key to these talismans.


    "Does it not work on Threat Level 4 and above?"


    "They just can''t be killed with a single blow. It can hurt them, and if they are the Killing type, it can skew the trajectory of their attack. It''s a very versatile talisman, depending on the application. However, considering its instability, it is better suited for defense. It is also more reliable to use a formation when attacking. I often prepare it as a trump card in case of emergency."


    Hmmm...this kind of knowledge not found in instructional books is a valuable thing to learn.


    .


    It is precious information that can onlye from an Onmyoji who has experienced actual battles.


    "Here''s an example. The Twisting and Turning Killing talismans are a type of talismans that disappears when it is activated. Therefore, there is a possibility of failure even if you prepare it ording to the instruction manual. You should experiment on your own. The area of effect is small, so I will allow you to practice in the courtyard."


    "Understood."


    While my father is at work, I am reviewing the Onmyojutsu he taught me.


    Because of the increase in the number and quality of lessons, these days, even if I spend a whole week, I still wouldn''t have enough time to learn it all.


    I asked my mother if I could take a day off from kindergarten to practice Onmyojutsu, and as expected, she didn''t give me permission.


    ''It''s good to study hard, but it''s also important to y with your friends.''


    She said.


    I never thought my parents would say to me, ''You should y more instead of studying all the time''.


    I had heard the opposite line so many times that it made my ears burst.


    Onmyojutsu is more of a hobby than it is a subject to study so I enjoy this time when I can learn new techniques.


    I''ve learned on my own to make the Twisting and Turning Killing talisman, so I understand it better now that my father has given me some tips and hints.


    Oh, I see, this part was meant to be spelled out to limit the area of effect.


    "The keystone here is particrly important. Because of therge number of strokes, it is easy for the shape of the formation to break down. Be careful with the strokes. ...... yes, ......."


    The first one is always supervised closely by my father.


    The second one he lets me draw without any restrictions, then the third one he points out what he likes about it, and the fourth one is almost like the standard version. After that, I just wrote and learned to draw without any help from my father.


    "You''re learning especially fast this time."


    "That''s because of the way you teach, father."


    Indeed, my father''s teaching style suits me.


    I like the fact that he doesn''t coddle me too much, nor he leaves me alone too much, and lets me do things freely to a certain extent.


    Maybe it''s because we are father and son, or maybe our personalities just happen to be simr. We don''t like to interfere too much with each other, which makes it easy for us to work together.


    My father quickly picks up the fourth talisman I''ve drawn, and he checks the workmanship.


    "Well done. Looks like ...... your new brush is feeling right at home in your hand."


    As I was bending and stretching my stiff fingers, satisfied with his appreciation of my work, I heard him unexpectedly say something like that.


    My father''s gaze fell on the brush, and there was a luxurious-looking gem, not suitable for a child''s use, sitting on the brush holder.


    "Yes, I''m starting to understand how to use it. But I feel like I still didn''t master it."


    It was given to me just recently by my grandmother as a thanks for the amulet I gave her. She researched what I needed that I didn''t have via my mother.


    When mom saw me in the living room overusing the brush, she consulted my father, who introduced her to Onmyojutsu Tool Store.


    I didn''t ask what the price was but seeing it in a paulownia wood box wrapped in a purple cushion, I doubt anyone would think it was cheap. If anything, I feel that the paulownia box and the cushion might also be useful for some other purpose, and I don''t think I''ll ever throw them away.


    "Take good care of it. The experience of handling a first-ss product is priceless."


    ording to the product description included in the box, the brush tube is made of a branch that naturally fell from an ancient tree standing on a spiritual vein, and the spearhead is mainly made of the body hair of a spiritual beast simr to a sheep, mixed with the fetal hair of a newborn baby blessed with Onmyoji''s talent.


    These precious materials are said to improve the flow of spiritual power, allowing it to be transmitted without any loss when drawing a line. I hear that the power is increased together with the spiritual power contained in the ink.


    In addition to its high performance, the brush tube is decorated with engravings simr to those of a formation, and one can tell just by looking at it that it is a high-ss product.


    At first, I was like, ''Oh, I can dip this in ink? Won''t it stain my perfectly white bristles?" I was afraid to use it, but I got used to it.


    By nature, a top-quality brush like this, which is used only in case of emergency, is like a personal seal. Normally, they are carefully stored in a closet and rarely taken out. The reason why I am using it for practice is to honor my grandmother''s wishes.


    ''I''ve chosen the one that looks the best, so keep up the good work.''


    I couldn''t put this gift away in the closet.


    Let''s just do as my dad says and nurture a first-ss sensibility by being exposed to quality things.


    Speaking of my grandmother, it seems that my father''s teaching policy has changed since that day when I had a bad premonition about her.......


    After this, I was taught how to draw a very fine spiritual killing stroke, and the Onmyoji education for the day was over.


    Normally, the two of us would head to the living room together and rest until dinner, but today we have a little more to talk about.


    "With the skills I have taught you so far, you will be able to fight Ykai."


    Oh, I got my dad''s approval. I''m a little touched.


    I have mastered many Onmyojutsu, and at 4 years old, I still have a lot of time left to grow.


    Unlike my previous life, where I spent my time in idleness, in this life I have many things I want to do. I get excited just imagining what kind of glorious future awaits me in the future.


    If I am lucky, I will be the youngest person to exterminate a Ykai, or I will by myself defeat a Threat Level 7 Ykai, or I may achieve an unprecedented feat and leave my mark on the history.


    As if he could see through my buoyant mood, my father nailed me with a warning.


    "But do not ever challenge them. There is so much I have yet to teach you. Even with all your knowledge and strength, youck maturity and experience. Dying only takes a moment. Never approach danger before you be an adult. Okay?"


    Dad''s eyes were more serious than ever, and I could only nod silently.


    Just like when he told me about the past of the Kyobe family before, my father''s strong emotions were leaking out. A strong desire to never lose his family again.


    I know that without being told.


    There are still too many things I can''t dopared to what I could do with my adult body.


    I''d be lying if I said I didn''t have a desire to be a hero, but I''m not a child so intoxicated by a sense of all-around goodness that I''d rush into a reckless endeavor.


    Until I be an adult, I will not do something like sticking my neck out into danger.


    It would worry my mother and Yuya as well.


    However, if I am attacked by a shadow Ykai-like creature again, I will have to fight back.


    I will continue to carry a "Twisting and Turning Killing" talisman in my pocket.


    I have been taught to use it to escape, and I have also been taught to use it to stall--


    While ying with Yuya in the living room, I was examining my newly acquired trump card.


    ---


    Author''s note - I received my first review. Thank you!

 Chapter 52:

    Chapter 52:


    Kindergarten life had bepletely integrated into my daily routine, and all of my ssmates and the older children had be acquainted with each other.


    One of the biggest events of its kind was about to begin.


    "Okay, everyone, please be quiet. I know you want to talk because there are many of your friends here, but I''m going to tell you something very important now, Teacher~"


    Arge room used for gymnastics sses.


    The middle and senior sses were gathered there, transcending the boundaries of their sses.


    It is no wonder that the children were excited to see their friends from neighboring sses in this situation, as they sensed a special atmosphere that was different from their usual routine.


    I''m an adult inside, so of course I''m behaving well and paying attention to the teacher.


    To begin with, unlike athletic meets and sleepovers, we are not the stars of this event. Knowing this, there was no way I could get excited together with my innocent ssmates.


    "Now we''re going to decide who''s going to be cast for the uing school y."


    The big event for every parent - the school y.


    It is an event where parents are thrilled to watch their adorable children do their best to perform as well as witness their children''s growth.


    "I would like you to perform a y called ''Momotaro''. Do you know Momotaro*?


    ""I know!""


    That''s because they''ve read it to us many times over the past few weeks. And even if they didn''t, who doesn''t know a children''s story as famous as Momotaro?


    The teachers are well prepared.


    The teacher exined what a "y" was, and the students began to imagine what they would be doing.


    "Who wants to be Momotaro!"


    "Me!" Me!" "Me!" "Me!"


    "Me, me, me! I want to do it too!"


    The boys all raise their hands. Oh, and one girl, too.


    The main character of the story, and the most noticeable character in the y.


    Naturally, he is a favorite character among the show-offs.


    "Okay, then these six will be Momotaro."


    Six Momotaros will be too OP. I feel sorry for the ogres.


    Children want to y the leading roles, and parents would be proud to have their own children ying the leading role, so this is a natural measure for a kindergarten that wants to avoid discord.


    It seems these things haven''t changed from my past-life kindergarten days.


    I guess they will rotate the actors every time there is a change of scene.


    "Who wants to y the role of Dog-san next!"


    "Me!" "Me!"


    "I love dogs!"


    "Who wants to y a Monkey-san?"


    "Me. - Me. - Me."


    "Who wants to be Pheasant-san!"


    "I want to do it" "Me" "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"(T/N - Yes, thatst one wasn''t a mistake on my part)


    The casting went smoothly.


    If there were too many applicants, the decision was made by rock-paper-scissors, with each getting the role they wanted to y.


    The only ones who were left were the less assertive children who didn''t like to stand out.


    "Well then, who wants to y the role of Oni-san!"


    "".........""


    The teacher''s tone of voice bes slightly stronger.


    However, no one responded to his words.


    Who would like to y the role of a viin?


    He is the bad guy who Momotaro always exterminates in the story.


    The distinction between the "righteous side" and the "evil side" is firmly ingrained in our minds from early childhood.


    Therge room, which had been so noisy up to this point, instantly became silent.


    The teachers must have expected this, as they looked somewhat rxed.


    Now, the stage has been set, for me to rise my hand here.


    "Hijiri-kun, will you y the role of Oni-san?"


    "Yes, I will."


    "Well, howe you decided to act as Oni?"


    A boy who often ys with me during break time asked me a question.


    That''s because, I''m sure, my mother will be happy. And in addition, my dad, too.


    I knew that the role of the Oni was likely to be unpopr.


    In contrast to Momotaro, for whom a quota of six people is made, the ckboard quota for the Oni is small enough to allow for only one person.


    In other words, while Momotaro''s appearance scene is divided among six individuals, the Oni role can be monopolized by just one person, that is, by me.


    The battle scene is the most exciting part of Momotaro''s story.


    In addition to being able to appear in the most exciting battle scene in Momotaro''s story, the appearance of the Oni will surely attract a lot of attention.


    Parents watching the y would be happier if their children were given a major role with a chance to show off their talents than if they were given a safe role as a supporting character.


    I don''t mind being cast in the role of the bad guy, as long as it is just a kindergarten y, thus I will prioritize my parents'' happiness.


    And so, I ended up getting to y the role of the Oni, receiving the stares of my ssmates, who had no idea what it meant to choose a viin, and the gratitude of the teachers, who were able to ovee all the challenges.


    ---


    Ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh


    What is bobbing on the surface of the water is not a peach, but a boat heading for Onigashima.


    These props have been used for many years, but since the audience consists of adults, there is a good chance that they are well made.


    Rustling, rustling, rustling


    The sound effects are also performed by the adorable voices of the preschoolers, and the audience sitting in front of the stage are smiling gently.


    Many of the children have already performed their roles, and their parents are satisfied with their performance.


    The story is in its final stages. All that remains is for the viin to be defeated.


    The boat Momotaro is on touches the shore, and at this point the stage turns dark.


    As I stand offstage, I can clearly see the scene where the fifth Momotaro and the sixth Momotaro swap ces with each other sloppily.


    When the sound of footsteps faded away, the heroic background music before Momotaro''s decisive battle also faded out.


    At this point, it was finally time for the Oni to step on stage.


    As soon as the lights illuminated the stage, a heavy bass filled therge room sending a powerful thudding sound to my stomach.


    I powerfully stepped on the stage floor and appeared on stage with loud footsteps.


    "Who in the world came to Onigashima!"


    Wearing tiger-print pants and skin-colored clothing, the Oni wields a papier-mch gold baton making its body look as big as it can possibly be.


    I am doing my best to make my cute appearance look as scary as possible.


    Kindergarten ys are nothing more than a recreational activity.


    But I know that it is in these kinds of activities that I should give it my all.


    If you are too shy and give a half-hearted performance, the result will be unbearable to watch from the audience''s point of view.


    My grandmother will probably watch the recorded video, and I want to show my parents and brother a great performance.


    "I am Momotaro. I''vee here to destroy the evil Oni."


    "If you think you can do it, try it!"


    Since the script is written for preschool children, there are only a few lines, and the acting choreography is fairly simple.


    Frankly speaking, there is very little I can do other than try my best to act well.


    The voices are absorbed by the crowd in thisrge room.


    All I could do was to speak loud enough to reach the very back of the room, and to make my movements a little exaggerated to make my performance understandable.


    "Yah! Taaah!


    "Gwah!"


    "Wan wan" "Ukiwah" "Keen!"


    "Ugh, I am hit!"


    It would be frowned upon if a respectable adult did such a deadpan performance, but for a kindergartener, it is ptable.


    However, I would like the footage recorded on my father''s phone to be viewed without me.


    "We''ve defeated the Oni!"


    The sixth Momotaro returns to his second grandfather and second grandmother with the Oni''s treasure as a souvenir.


    Every one of them has be a different person from the first parent and child. Momotaro realizes the fact that he is in a much more trouble than when he had to defeat the Oni.


    At the end, all the participants bowed together.


    It was worth practicing for the y, and the performance was executed perfectly following the script.


    I was able to stand out in my entrance scene, and I am satisfied with my performance.


    It was a rare asion for the entire family to be together while we were on the way home.


    Furthermore, Kana and the rest of the Tonobe family were with us today.


    "Kana-chan''s Momotaro was so adorable!"


    "Our princess is cute and also good looking, she''s almost invincible now!"


    "Uuuh~"


    Kana, who was literally the star of the day, was praised by everyone and she wore a proud expression on her face.


    She was smiling as she patted my brother''s head to hide her embarrassment.


    "Hijiri performed splendidly as an Oni too, he looked cool as well."


    "Thank you."


    "Who came here? Try it! Hahahaha!"


    Yuya immediately imitated me. I guess that''s how much of an impression I made on him.


    Next year, Yuya might be the teachers'' savior.


    Now, there is one person here who has yet to give his/her opinion.


    Come on,e on, break out of your usual Buddha face and try to make a delightful face.


    "You should tell him what you think of it too."


    At the mother''s urging, my father turned his gaze from staring straight ahead to me.


    His eyes were very intense, it was not the face of a father who had just watched a school y.


    Instead, he looked like a warrior heading to his death.......


    "Oh ...... it feels like ...... your hard work has given me a push. ...... Next time, I''ll try to settle things with him."


    "You''re going to try to do it again?"


    "Ah, I''m really going for it this time."


    What? What are they talking about?(T/N - I am d I am not the only one who got confused, for a second I thought I messed up something in my trantion)


    Who is he talking about?


    "If it doesn''t work out next time, I''m going to give up. Hijiri, next time I''ll take you with me."


    So, again, what are you talking about.......


    The mystery will soon be solved.


    Two weekster on a Sunday, my father took me to a training camp deep in the mountains.


    He stood in the center of the formation and deres.


    "From now on, we will begin the extermination of the Oni."


    ---


    *Momotaro

 Chapter 53:

    Chapter 53:


    Early in the morning, when the sun had not yet fully emerged, the Kyobe family gathered at the entrance.


    "I''m off."


    "I''m off."


    "See youter. Pleasee back before it gets dark."


    With mom seeing us off, we set out early in the morning.


    Our destination is a training ground owned by my father''s employer, the Goken family.


    I haven''t heard yet what we are going to do there.


    For the past two weeks, my father has been leaving the house when the sun rises and then passing out after dinner.


    Despite his exhausted face, his eyes were glittering, and his movements were unperturbed, in spite of his tired appearance. This is a symptom of a spiritual exhaustion.


    The fact that hees home tired every day means that he must be doing something out of the ordinary, but I didn''t feel like I could ask him what it was.


    All I know is that it must have something to do with what he said on the way home from the school y.


    "I am going to, Yuuya is going too."


    "Your father and brother are not going to y. They are going to work. Yuya will stay at home with me."


    Work, is it?


    It''s Onmyoji-rted, so I guess you could say it''s work. ......


    As we left the Kyobe family property with the groggy Yuya''s voice in the background, there was someone waiting for us.


    "Are you guys ready? Come on, get in the car."


    "Thanks foring to help us."


    Momi-san, the head of the Tonobe family, who had seemed to know something about the event on the way home from the school y, was waiting for us with her car.


    Momi-san drove us to our destination.


    "What did Reika say?"


    The driver''s voice echoes through the car as it stops at a red light.


    Because of Dad''s tense state, silence had descended throughout the trip to this point.


    "......"


    "She said we should return before it gets dark."


    "...... that''s it?"


    The light turned green, and the car started to move again.


    Momi-san concentrated on driving and their conversation was cut short.


    Since he was trying to change the somber atmosphere, I decided to say something to him.


    "Hey Momi-san, what are we going to do at the training ground?"


    "What, you''re going to exterminate Oni, aren''t you? Didn''t you go to ......? Don''t tell me, Tsuyoshi, you haven''t exined anything to him!"


    "Didn''t you ......?"


    No, he didn''t.


    I was pushed into it without my permission, prepared for it without my permission, and brought along without my permission.


    "So, are you saying that Reika-san sent the two of you out without knowing anything about it? Maybe she thinks it''s Seibo''s work experience or something? She''d be worried if you came home badly hurt."


    "It''s always been dangerous."


    "I can understand you''re tense. But your bad habits areing out again."


    From the line indicating that they were going to settle the score, I expected them to engage in a fight.


    But it seems he is going to do something more dangerous than I expected.


    Oni Extermination.............. Oni are real?


    My dad, realizing now that he hadn''t exined what we were going to do, told me what the objective of our trip is.


    "......I will conduct Coming-of-Age Ceremony......... This is a contract we signed with the Oni Shikigami that has been passed down in our family."


    "This Oni is a hard-headed guy who doesn''t obey the people who are weaker than him. Before making a contract, you have to demonstrate your strength in a fight."


    So, I guess we''re going to head into that battleground now, huh?


    It''s more of a contest for power in the animal world than a contract.


    "It is not limited just to Oni. Powerful Shikigami will generally test their Lord''s strength. Those who inherit the summoning formation should constantly train themselves while preparing for the uing contract."


    I have been taught many things so far, but only little about the art of summoning.


    I was told that it is thest thing to be taught because it is the secret art of the Kyobe family, which means that this is a matter thates before the inheritance of the art.


    I didn''t even know there was a Coming-of-Age Ceremony.


    As I was interested in this family tradition, a question came to my mind.


    While the "Rite of Awakening" is performed immediately after birth, is the "Coming-of-Age Ceremony" performed in one''s thirties? My father''s age is not a perfect one, and in the old days, he would have be an adult in his teens.


    This is strange.


    "At what age do we do the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?"


    "That is ......."


    "Whoa, here we are."


    Before my dad could give me an answer, we arrived at our destination.


    About an hour''s drive away, lies and rich in nature.


    On the way to our destination, the number of houses became sparse, and the scenery of the orchards cultivated in the mountains increased.


    We hardly saw a car pass us, and the road, which was quite respectable inparison to the conditions, extended all the way to our destination.


    In other words, the owner of the five-story building in front of us has enough power to force the local government to grant priority to the development of infrastructure in the countryside.


    The Tonobe family''s car was parked in a corner of arge parking lot.


    Therge parking lot was empty, with only about six private cars and microbuses parked there, presumably belonging to employees.


    It was Sunday, so the employees were probably not working. On weekdays, this parking lot is probably full.


    Feeling a little nervous, I followed the adults inside.


    Looking around the entrance, the first thing I noticed was the unique sense of freshness typical of a newly built building.


    Simr to the exterior of the building, the interior was simple and formal, with a rustic appearance.


    "Good morning! Please fill out the form."


    The woman at the reception desk greeted us with a cheerful wee so early in the morning.


    My father and the rest of us greeted her in a friendly manner as we received forms.


    Taking a peek at the documents, we learn that we are supposed to fill out an application for admission to the training area and a responsibility waiver form.


    This is the kind of form you fill out before doing something dangerous, like bungee jumping.


    It''s a natural process considering what we are about to do, but I wonder if I should get used to filling out such forms.


    "Okay, I have confirmed it. Please be careful when using this facility... Good luck."


    I guess she knows what my dad is going to do now, so she sent him off with her personal encouragement.


    Afterpleting the formalities, I thought we were going to continue on to the training grounds, but it seemed there were still other locations where we needed to drop by.


    We returned to Momi-san''s car and drove up the mountain road.


    As the density of the trees increased, the signs of people began to disappear, and we saw fewer and fewer man-made objects.


    This building, like one of the Abe''s houses, is also simple and solid, ...... and although it is asrge as the Abe''s house, it is not as morous as the Abe''s house. In addition, there is no Japanese garden.


    The building next to it is an old dojo-like building, which shows the character of the head of this family.


    "You havee, Tsuyoshi-san! We''ve been waiting for you!"


    An old man emerged with a loud voice from a magnificent building that appeared to be a dojo.


    He was dressed in a dark blue kendo suit and held a sword sheathed in his right hand. His skinny head reflected the morning sun, making his chiseled face look even more grave.


    Although he looks like he is already retired, his body radiates vitality, and even from this distance, one can tell that he is still quite active.


    "Atst!"


    "Yes, we have prepared the battlefield, thanks to you. All with the cooperation of Goken-sama."


    "All right, concentrate on the battle at hand. I only wanted to send encouragement to my friend who is going to engage in a decisive battle. I''m sure you''ve been thinking about it a lot and have grown stiff. Rx your shoulders!"


    "...... Yes."


    I saw something unusual.


    My dad, who has a default Buddha face, looks embarrassed.


    His shoulders were pped, and he is ...... someone who is not good at this kind of thing.


    "You''ll be the observer this time as well. Needless to say, you must not miscalcte the timing."


    "It''s been a while, since he seems to be serious; I will keep an eye on him until the timees."


    "That''s good."


    Momi-san seems to know the old man as well.


    Listening to the conversation up to this point, I can guess who this old man is.


    He must be my father''s former boss, the previous head of the Goken family, and an ultimate warrior who fights on the front lines even though he has given up his position as the head of the family, Goken Enbu-sama.


    "Oh, is this the child you are so proud of? I see. ...... I see that it is not an exaggeration. I''ll give him a lesson next time. Bring him to me when you have time."


    "Nice to meet you, I''m Kyobe Hijiri. I look forward to having the pleasure of speaking with you."


    Oh, hell, no.


    I won''t get along with this person.


    I don''t like the way he pushes matters that he wants to talk about.


    He is reliable as a boss who leads his subordinates, but I would prefer not to have a personal rtionship with him.


    It would definitely be way tougher if I say I wanted to practice martial arts, so instead of doing that, I''m going to continue to practice Onmyojutsu.......


    "Yes, sir. I will bring him back when he is moreposed."


    Of course - how could anyone refuse an offer from his or her boss?


    I was unexpectedly made to feelfortable at my father''s workce. Normally, the chairman of thepany would not pay attention to the son of one of his employees.


    If a job ad says, "A homelike workce," most people would think it is a ckpany. If you factor in the possibility of death, my father''s workce could definitely be considered as a ckpany.


    But it seems they pay well, and if you can build trust with them as arade-in-arms, maybe it''s not so bad after all.


    "Forget about anything else that''s not about your battle. Go on a rampage."


    "Yes, sir."


    After finishing what he had to say, Goken-sama returned to the building.


    He was like a raging storm, wasn''t he?


    I didn''t even have a proper conversation with him, but his words and actions themselves showed his character.


    While the head of the Abe family had an intimidating aura of standing above others, Goken-sama had the aura of a strong man who has fought many battles in his life pushing forward, bringing those around him along with him.


    Either way, I, an ordinary person, felt myself shrinking just by being around them.


    "Let''s go."


    This seemed to be the end of the formalities and greetings.


    Finally, it was time for the decisive battle, and my father strode forward with a determined look on his face.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Dad fired a barrage of talismans once more from behind the opposite brambles.


    Oni bypassed the opposite shrubbery and approached my father.


    The Shikigami  who intercepted it .  were promptly kicked out of the battle.


    The battle resumed with fathers disadvantage, and a real game of tag began, in the true sense of the word, in which a wrong step could result in instant death.


    I was surprised to see my father moving so fast, even though I was watching him attack and defend earlier.


    Its amazing that a skinny guy can move so well.


    Protect me, O Earths Barrier! O wall of Earth, protect me!


    Protect me, O wall of Gold. Hurry up!


    Thinyers of Gold spread out to envelop and shroud the enemy. Hurry!


    Isnt the urgent Ryoritsu too convenient?


    I know the original chanting is much more abbreviated.


    I had heard that it is sometimes used in battle, but I didnt realize it was such a continuous chant.


    I thought that instead of speeding up the activation of the formation, the power and effectivenessis supposedbe reduced.


    Gaaaaaah!


    Well, there is no time for leisurely chanting when being chased by the Oni, is there?


    Many people imagine a showy and cool scene when ites to battles.


    I used to fantasize that if I became an Onmyoji, I would be able to fight in splendid battles.


    However, the battle unfolding in front of my eyes right now is very messy.


    My father would run away, activate the formation he had set up ahead of the battle, keep his distance from the pursuing Oni, attack it with his talismans, and then run away again.


    Its a repetitive process. Is it wrong to seek for the glory in the battle for ones life?


    For that matter, the Onis ability to evade is too high. Every single formation set up by my father resulted in no damage.


    The paper on which the huge formation was drawn was sprinkled with a special salt, which can make the trap invisible  to non-human enemies, apparently. To be honest, I was skeptical, as I could see it clearly.


    But it must be true, since the Oni is stepping on the traps unguardedly.


    The moment that this invisible formations are activated, for some reason, the Oni quickly moves out of the way.


    It was as if the position of the formation was made visible to it.


    That Oni, he knows where the formation is based on the way he is looking at us.


    If you ask me, sometimeshes really gazing this way. Jeez, Ive interrupted Tsuyoshis ns.


    Even if the Oni cant see us, we are in full view of him.


    I couldnt help but look at him, trying to guess how the fight was going to unfold.


    I noticed that my father was fighting without averting his gaze from the Oni.


    Maybe Momi-san and I had made him aware of ourposition.


    Dad, Im sorry.


    After we became aware of their gaze, the formations attacks began to hit the Oni.


    The Onis strong body could withstand the attacks, but if they were not detected in advance, they could inflict some damage.


    Both offensively and defensively, the formation is more powerful than the talismans.


    The Kyobe family is the founder of thisnd. Tsuyoshi, the head of the Kyobe family, requests the blessing of Gold. Baptize the difficult foe who hase from the Onimon Gate with the purest of earthly baptisms.


    In addition to the long chanting, he even made a seal, and the distance he had just gained was now being closed.


    I didnt know about this formation. It was probably prepared in advance, not today.


    The ground shook as if it were an ocean around the formation, and a huge wave of sand and earth attacked the Oni.


    The Oni pushed through with its own physicality, as it had done so far, to counter the impossible-to-avoid ranged attack.


    Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    With a feat impossible for a human, it pierced through the earth and sand and trapped its prey within its own striking range.


    The anger that had been building up until now was brought onto the Onis fist, and it approached my father.


    Dad!


    I unconsciously had my tentacles extend out from my right hand.


    If a human is hit by a demons powerful arms, it will be more than just a simple hit. He could have been killed instantly.


    The tentacle, which was trying to get between the Oni and my father at full speed, was stopped by arge palm ced on my head.


    Dont worry. Look.


    My father instantly manipted the talismans to create a simple ward.


    Although immaterial wards can be easily created using only talismans, they are more fragile.


    Moreover, his opponent was not a Ykai but a Shikigami. The effect would be reduced to less than half.


    Gghh.


    As expected, the ward was easily broken and my father was hit like a bowling pin.


    Even though the damage had been lessened somewhat, there was no way that a human could match the force of a fist that could shatter a rock.


    I wonder if my father, who rolled away in a cloud of smoke, is still alive.


    Momi-sans hand was still on my head. If it hadnt been for this, I would have rushed to him right away.


    Look closely. Your father hasnt lost yet.


    Hearing Momi-sans voice, my previously narrowed field of vision widens.


    Even from this far away spot, I could see it  the undiminished will to fight on my fathers face as he rose up behind a cloud of dust, his right arm propped on his back.


    If he has not given up yet, then no one should meddle in his agreement with the Shikigami.


    I retrieved the tentacles that had extended all the way up to the Onis neck.


    Oh, by the way, did you just call your father Chichi-Oyaji? Dont imitate my way of speaking. Reika-san will get angry at you.(T/N  So this was kind of lost in trantion, it seems he called his father in a more informal way.)


    Momi-san says this deliberately, probably to calm me down.


    I appreciate Momi-sans concern, but I am more worried about my father, who stands up unsteadily, protecting his left arm.


    He must have taken some kind of precaution, because I cant see any external injuries other than his left arm, which he used as a shield, showing signs of injury. I was relieved to see that he seemed to be in better shape than I had assumed.


    Even so, why did he do such a reckless thing?


    Momi-san, isnt this the moment for you to take action?


    This brings me to a fundamental question.


    Hey Momi-san. Why is your father battling the Oni? He can do his job without the Oni.


    Why bother going into such a dangerous battle, one that could have been avoided?


    I am confident that I have been able to lead a stable life so far.


    From my point of view, the disadvantage of risking ones life is much greater than the advantage of being able to subdue the Oni.


    Why did my father choose to ?


    As far as I know, there are three reasons: one is because its been a long-held dream of his since high school. The second reason is that with a vanguard, you can work alone. Thest one is because he doesnt want his children to see him looking bad. Seibo will be a great Onmyoji in the future. As a father, he probably doesnt want to drag his son down.


    Dragging my feet?


    When he said that, it didnt immediately register with me.


    However, remembering the characteristics of the Onmyoji family profession, I could understand what Momi-san was trying to say.


    In the old-fashioned Onmyoji world, the name of the familyes before the name of the individual.


    A familys reputation is based on its achievements over several generations, and a reputation that has been built up over many years can be lost in the blink of an eye with a single failure.


    To restore the reputation of a house that has fallen into obscurity, one must either steadily regain credibility or make a very significant achievement.


    Its just like apanys reputation.


    When I heard what happened to the previous head of the Kyobe family  my own grandfather, my father apologized to me for not being able to inherit the Shikigami.


    And considering the name of the Coming-of-AgeCeremony, the head of the Kyobe family is considered to be a full-fledged leader only when he is apanied by an Oni.


    If my guess is correct, this means that my dad has been working in a situation where he was half a head up until now.


    For my father, who was quite proud, this must have been a great source of embarrassment.


    He had grown up seeing his grandfather, the previous head of the family, leading Oni, so he had a very high ideal in his mind.


    In my previous life, my father was an ordinary businessman,and I had apletely different job, so it never urred to me that I could be a drag to my children other than being unemployed.


    That face looks like  Seibo, look at that face. Somethings about to happen.


    Momi-san, who had known him for a long time, seemed to read something on my fathers face as he stood up.


    When I looked back at him, the situation had worsened even further.


    The Oni was approaching my father, who could no longer run away from the enemy.


    The Oni was in a perfect position to kill my father, and it knew that its prey would not be able to escape.


    Even if you hit it with a talisman, it will not be hurt, the formations do not work very well, and my fathers body is already full of wounds.


    Also, there is no formation set up in that area.


    Momi-san, what do you think my father can do in this situation?


    At that moment, I was about to give up before anyone else in this ce.


    Emergency Ritsuryo.


    The training ground  or rather, the entire surrounding mountain range  was enveloped in a light.


    Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    The light shone first on a single talisman that my father had sent flying.


    It was the me No-Fuda, which had been used many times in this battle, and it looked like nothing more than the desperate strike of a cornered prey.


    As before, the Oni caught it with its face, and it seemed as if it would end up unscathed.


    Contrary to my expectations, the red light of the mes was followed by an intense white light emanating from the Onis face.


    The light spread to the Onis entire body, and then to the ground of the battlefield. The Oni, seeing the intense light at close range, tried to move backwards while protecting its eyes  only to find that it was unable to move.


    From the ground, where no formation should have been set up,paper stripsare growing.


    How did the first used formationPaper Drooping Chain Formation Bakusajie to be here?


    In a sea of white light, my father, who had been meditating, snapped his fingers.


    Then, a guardian dog, which had not been seen since it was kicked to pieces, rushed up to him.


    In its mouth was a sword in a scabbard. Even from a distance, I could tell that the sword looked strong.


    After receiving the sword, my father put it on his waist with his right hand and pulled it out of the scabbard in a familiar manner. It looks like there is some kind of talisman on it.


    You are too kind. You always cut corners when you had the chance to finish me off. Maybe you remembered my face butholding back in a  duel is tantamount to insulting your opponent.


    My father, who had never opened his mouth except for chanting since the battle began, begins to speak in a clear voice.


    It was like the deration of someone who was sure of victory.


    I am different now than I was then. As a summoner and the head of the Kyobe family, I will show you,my power.


    As my father said these words, a sea of light flooded out from around the training ground, and we who were watching the battle were so blinded by the dazzling light that we had to shut our eyes.


    When I opened my eyes and looked around, I saw pirs of light rising to the sky from the tops of the five mountains surrounding the training ground.


    Could it be, or perhaps not, that he had built a super-massive formation starting from the mountains?


    Hijiri, look carefully. This is how you use the Gokusai Reisatsujin and the Nensetsu Satsuno Fuda.(T/N  Tell me down in thements do you want me to continue to trante the names of the skills or should I use Japanese names, as the tranted names tend to be kind of silly.)


    Gokusai Reisatsujin  Despite the name, this is an auxiliary type of formation.


    It has the effect of increasing the effectiveness of the talismans by focusing their power in a linear pattern.


    However, its effect is not that strong and it should not be used with something as powerful as a Twisting Killing Talisman.


    Dad seems to have forced himself to ovee that problem by making the formation gigantic.


    My father raised his sword, which was supposed to be heavy, with one hand.


    It was as if he was reenacting the scene of Momotaro exterminating Oni.


    I will punish you for insulting me. Prepare yourself.


    Even though it did not understand the meaning of these words, it must have sensed the threat of an iing attack.


    Oni tried to prepare for the attack of the human in front of him by tightening his muscles, which he was proud of. This was the only resistance the Oni, whose arms were bound while protecting its eyes, could make.


    My father, however, would not be wasting his breath in the middle of a battle.


    Oni was shed on his unprotected neck from behind, spraying red blood.


    My father was never in front of it.


    All that was there was a voice recorder on the ground.


    Oni, blinded by the intense light and at the mercy of the fake voice, was unable to put up a proper fight, and was sliced open with a sharp cut.


    I too know that the Twisting and Killing Talisman possesses a terrifyingly sharp edge.


    If it was concentrated on the de of a sword, it seems that even the robust skin of a demon cannot withstand it.


    It must have been extraordinary hard work to build a huge formation on a scale that one couldnt even draw it on a map, but it was worth it.


    After all, my fathers battle ended after two weeks of preparation.


    My father won.


    I never thought that my father, who had given me the impression of being calm, would strike the Oni with such a magnificent move.


    My father was about to deliver the final blow by swinging his sword again.


    As I watched this scene, I felt a sense of Suck it up toward the Oni who had hurt my family, and I suddenly remembered the day I encountered the Shadow Ykai.


    And the image of the Oni who was about to be killed ovepped with my own, for some reason.


    Ah.


    You won.


    You are suddenly summoned to a strange ce, and without even listening to what you had to say, the battle began, and the enemy was already prepared for battle. Moreover, if you lose, you areimmediately subjected to a ridiculous procession of obedience.


    What is that? Isnt summoning an outrageous and immoral technique?


    The Shadow Ykai I encountered, could that possibly be , not a Ykai?


    Just as I wasing to terms with this unpleasant possibility, the body of the headless demon turned to dust and vanished into thin air.


    Now that hes finished off his contract partner, I wonder what hes going to do now.


    <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong>

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 Oni Extermination3


    Momi-san finished his role as anobserver andreturned hastily towards me.


    Meanwhile, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony continued, and the father, who was facing the Oni, asked.


    Will you obey me as my Shikigami?


    Gaaaah!


    Negotiations have broken down way too quickly!


    I have no idea what the Oni is saying, but I do know what hes thinking: Who would obey you?


    Of course, there was no way that anyone would obediently follow orders from someone who suddenly summons you and tells you to be a Shikigami.


    Father is too clumsywhich is why the battle is going to happen, but if he negotiated properly, there would be no need to test his strength,wouldnt there?


    The first to make a move was the Oni.


    Raising his rocky right fist, he punched into the empty space.


    The fist, which seemed to strike aimlessly, struck something at the boundary line of the formation and made a sound as if ss was shattering. At the same time, the paper on which the summoning formation was drawn was torn wide open.


    Having destroyed the obstructing wall, the Oni stepped out of the summoning formation.


    Seeing that the cage in the summoning formation had lost its role, my father immediately turned on his heel. He fled into Ama-no-Iwato as nned.


    Naturally, the Oni followed him to Ama-no-Iwato.


    However, there was something blocking his way.


    Guwaururu.


    A dog-shaped Shikigami bit the Onis leg stopping him in his tracks.


    This Shikigami, called Komainu, looks very much like the statues you see in shrines and temples. However, it is small, about the size of a medium-sized dog, and its fangs are sharp enough to make eating a humans food almost impossible.


    I was told that he is the only battle-oriented Shikigami that my father has a contract with, and this was the first time I saw him in action.


    I had never seen him in the flesh before, since I had only been pouring my spiritual power into the formation forpensation purposes.


    Caaaaahhhh!


    The next one to make a move was a white-haired Shikigami resembling a Japanese macaque monkey.


    He is desperately trying to draw attention by clinging to the frizzy hair of the Oni.


    This Shikigami is called Shirozaru, a white monkey, and is usually summoned as a wise sentry who can understand humanmands.


    Kane!


    Then a pheasant attacked the Onis head.


    This pheasant is called Narume. I do not know the origin of this name. It is said that this pheasant is usually in charge of scouting from the sky.


    The pheasant was unexpectedly helpful, as the Oni stopped in its tracks to get rid of a troublesome enemy who was aiming at its eyes.


    Monkeys and pheasants are not suited for battle.


    Even so, they were summoned in the hope that, like Ama-no-Iwato, they would bring good luck and increase the sess rate of demon extermination by recreating the tradition. In Onmyojutsu, good luck is quite important.


    On the other hand, Hiiragi-iwashi*, which is said to drive away Oni, is apparently ineffective.


    To begin with, the Shikigami present here are not real Oni or Komainu*, but merely resemble them. They are just called that by the people who summoned them for the first time.


    There is no meaning to the resemnce when the Hiiragi-iwashi, a holly sprig, which is a bane of evil Oni in folklore,appears on the stage.


    seal


    Thanks to the Shikigami stalling for time, Dad made it to Ama-no-Iwato without any problem.


    The entrance was immediately sealed by a huge rock, and we who are watching from the side of the battlefield couldnt see him anymore.


    But we knew instantly what he was doing inside the cave.


    The talismans lined up outside the cave suddenly began to float.


    Gaaaah!


    Obstructed by the Shikigami, the Oni threw a tantrum and began a rampage.


    Shikigami, who had been desperately clinging to the Oni, stepped away from the Oni to avoid being caught in the middle of it.


    The impact was transmitted through the ground to those of us who were watching the battle from a distance. The power of the Oni was as impressive as its appearance.


    With the obstacles gone, the Oni started to walk toward Ama-no-Iwato again, when a light emerged from under his feet.


    This signified the activation of the Paper Drooping Chain Formation Bakusajin, hidden in the ground.


    Guuuaaah.


    Three long sheets of sandpaper leaped out from the outer edge of the formation and bound the Onis legs and torso with lightning speed.


    Even the Oni could not escape from the bonds andhalted its movement.


    Then, ten talismans flew toward the Onis eyes.


    They flew toward the Onis eyes and exploded with a thunderous sound before he had time to avoid them.


    The Homura no Fuda, which simply uses spiritual power as a fuel, erupted with fire.


    That went well.


    Amazing. Is that enough to beat the Oni?


    No, that alone wont take down anOni, but if this continues on repeatedly, then it will be a different story.


    From the very beginning, my father backed away from the enemy, but it was not to escape.


    It was to ensure that he could attack from a safer position.


    In front of Ama-no-Iwato, there were tens to hundreds of talismans, which were already filled with my fathers spiritual power.


    The distance that each person can move the talismans differs, but my father can fly them quite far, which means he can attack from a safe ce without a hitch.


    What are those rats doing?


    Theyretelling your dad where the Oni is. It is said that the summoner has some semnce of a sense of the Shikigami, but one isnt enough to know exactly how far away the enemy are or anything like that. By surrounding it like that, youre making sure the talisman will fly in the right direction.


    Momi-san, who has known my father for a long time, had knowledge of summoning techniques that I didnt even know existed.


    I will provide the livementary and Momi-san will provide the analysis.


    Sure, youve nailed it all. But its not working very well.


    Its natural that it doesnt work as well, since the other party isnt a Ykai. Still, it is much more effective than usual. It seems that the budget was very well spent this time.


    The Onis arms blocked quite a few of them, but around 100 of them exploded, I started to get faint burns on my face.


    I wonder if this is more effective than usual, or if it did no damage in past battles.


    To begin with, the skin of the Oni, which is almost unscathed by the explosions, is abnormal.


    I see, it will be reliable if it bes our ally as a Shikigami.


    Rather than building Ama-no-Iwato, which takes time and effort, it would be more cost-effective to have this guy as the vanguard and have his back protecting us.


    However, seeing that he has been neutralized so much by restraint-type Onmyojutsu, it seems that he is not all-powerful. No, is it the other way around?


    Paper Drooping Chain Formation Bakusajin, is very powerful.


    I had heard that it was useful for stopping people in their tracks, but I had no idea it was this useful.


    As the name implies, the paper ropes attached to sacred staffs are made of paper.


    Even though they are tools from a specialty store, they are far more restrictive than I had expected, as I thought the paper might be torn to shreds.


    Well, thats because any Onmyojutsu would be more powerful if you used the highest quality blessed products.


    Hmm?


    Top-of-the-line blessed products?


    You mean that blessed ritual objects that arent sold in stores?


    I saw it on the Onmyouji channel!


    They say that some Gods who are on the side of mankind bestow their blessings through rituals.


    The talisman on our family altar is one of them.


    The tools that have received the blessing generally have tremendous power and are of very high value.


    Naturally, God would not bestow his blessing so readily, and the rarity of the articles makes them extremely expensive.


    If you look closely, you can see that those drooping papers seem to radiate a sacred light.


    Momi-san, Momi-san, how much do you think our estimated budget was?


    Oh, I wonder how much. Its not something for a child to worry about. You should properly look at your fathers heroic figure.


    No, Im more concerned about the amount of money.


    I cant even imagine how much a man who paid 50 million for a spirit animal egg would spend if he got carried away.


    Besides, for the past few minutes, the battle scene has not changed, just endless bombardment on Oni whose movements are halted by drooping paper. The damage was small, and for the money spent, it was a very nd scene.


    Im not looking for anything shy, but I wonder if we can really win with the way things are going.


    Its not as conclusive as Id like it to be


    Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    The one-sided attack continued for another 10 minutes, but finally the resistance of the Oni overpowered the restraints.


    The spiritual power put into it was almostpletely consumed and could no longer be maintained even with Gods blessing.


    The Oni finally broke free after violently tearing the paper.


    The Oni, who had suffered a lot as soon as he was summoned, seemed to be in a state of rage.


    Despite the attempts of the Shikigami to interfere, the Oni approached Ama-no-Iwato without a second thought.


    In previous battles, my father has continuously been beaten by Oni.


    In past battles, of course, my father must have also used Ama-no-Iwato, which is a powerful ss of warding.


    How did the Oni pull my father out of Ama-no-Iwato, which can only be described as a lump of rocks?


    BANG!


    Oni struck therge rock blocking the entrance, destroying it instantly.


    It was a brawniermove than I had expected.


    Hey, hey, destroying Ama-no-Iwato by force is against the rules, isnt it?


    Even Amaterasu would be amazed by such a feat of brute force.


    Amaizing, it survived three hits!


    How is that thing still holding up? It looks it about to crumble.


    The fifth punch shattered therge rock.


    At the same time, the cave copsed as if it were self-destructing.


    My father, who must have destroyed his own formation, jumped out through the exit that had been created.


    Gah!


    Ha, ha, damn, ha.


    My father, who has lost his safety area, keeps on throwing talismans while being chased by the Oni.


    The Oni, relying on his toughness, continues to move forward without stopping, even though the many different talismans father had in his pocket keep hitting him in the face.


    The difference in the length of their legs made it so that the distance between them was quickly closed, and I was getting nervous as I continued to watch the battle.


    Just as my arm was about to touch him, my father unexpectedly crouched down.


    It was the exact spot where I had started my exploration of the site.


    He put his hand on the ground where the reverse Moki-jin had been carved andhe chanted a short chant.


    O Earth, halt the advance of my enemy! Immediate!


    The sharp-edged wooden logs were generated one after another from under the Onis feet, forcing the Onis huge body to fall backward.


    Although they could not skewer the demon, they were able to create a distance beetwen them that was equivalent to life for the Onmyoji, and therefore, it was worth the price.


    In the meantime, the Shikigami gathered by my fathers side.


    The second round was about to begin, sandwiched between the inverted brambles protruding from the earth.


    From what I observed of his preparations, it seemed difficult to create a situation where he could attack one-sidedly using the rest of his equipment.


    Dad, are you okay?


    *Hiiragi-iwashi*Komainu <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong> T/N  It is good to be back with new chapters and in a new ce. Lets have some fun.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Dad fired a barrage of talismans once more from behind the opposite brambles.


    Oni bypassed the opposite shrubbery and approached my father.


    The Shikigami  who intercepted it .  were promptly kicked out of the battle.


    The battle resumed with fathers disadvantage, and a real game of tag began, in the true sense of the word, in which a wrong step could result in instant death.


    I was surprised to see my father moving so fast, even though I was watching him attack and defend earlier.


    Its amazing that a skinny guy can move so well.


    Protect me, O Earths Barrier! O wall of Earth, protect me!


    Protect me, O wall of Gold. Hurry up!


    Thinyers of Gold spread out to envelop and shroud the enemy. Hurry!


    Isnt the urgent Ryoritsu too convenient?


    I know the original chanting is much more abbreviated.


    I had heard that it is sometimes used in battle, but I didnt realize it was such a continuous chant.


    I thought that instead of speeding up the activation of the formation, the power and effectivenessis supposedbe reduced.


    Gaaaaaah!


    Well, there is no time for leisurely chanting when being chased by the Oni, is there?


    Many people imagine a showy and cool scene when ites to battles.


    I used to fantasize that if I became an Onmyoji, I would be able to fight in splendid battles.


    However, the battle unfolding in front of my eyes right now is very messy.


    My father would run away, activate the formation he had set up ahead of the battle, keep his distance from the pursuing Oni, attack it with his talismans, and then run away again.


    Its a repetitive process. Is it wrong to seek for the glory in the battle for ones life?


    For that matter, the Onis ability to evade is too high. Every single formation set up by my father resulted in no damage.


    The paper on which the huge formation was drawn was sprinkled with a special salt, which can make the trap invisible  to non-human enemies, apparently. To be honest, I was skeptical, as I could see it clearly.


    But it must be true, since the Oni is stepping on the traps unguardedly.


    The moment that this invisible formations are activated, for some reason, the Oni quickly moves out of the way.


    It was as if the position of the formation was made visible to it.


    That Oni, he knows where the formation is based on the way he is looking at us.


    If you ask me, sometimeshes really gazing this way. Jeez, Ive interrupted Tsuyoshis ns.


    Even if the Oni cant see us, we are in full view of him.


    I couldnt help but look at him, trying to guess how the fight was going to unfold.


    I noticed that my father was fighting without averting his gaze from the Oni.


    Maybe Momi-san and I had made him aware of ourposition.


    Dad, Im sorry.


    After we became aware of their gaze, the formations attacks began to hit the Oni.


    The Onis strong body could withstand the attacks, but if they were not detected in advance, they could inflict some damage.


    Both offensively and defensively, the formation is more powerful than the talismans.


    The Kyobe family is the founder of thisnd. Tsuyoshi, the head of the Kyobe family, requests the blessing of Gold. Baptize the difficult foe who hase from the Onimon Gate with the purest of earthly baptisms.


    In addition to the long chanting, he even made a seal, and the distance he had just gained was now being closed.


    I didnt know about this formation. It was probably prepared in advance, not today.


    The ground shook as if it were an ocean around the formation, and a huge wave of sand and earth attacked the Oni.


    The Oni pushed through with its own physicality, as it had done so far, to counter the impossible-to-avoid ranged attack.


    Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    With a feat impossible for a human, it pierced through the earth and sand and trapped its prey within its own striking range.


    The anger that had been building up until now was brought onto the Onis fist, and it approached my father.


    Dad!


    I unconsciously had my tentacles extend out from my right hand.


    If a human is hit by a demons powerful arms, it will be more than just a simple hit. He could have been killed instantly.


    The tentacle, which was trying to get between the Oni and my father at full speed, was stopped by arge palm ced on my head.


    Dont worry. Look.


    My father instantly manipted the talismans to create a simple ward.


    Although immaterial wards can be easily created using only talismans, they are more fragile.


    Moreover, his opponent was not a Ykai but a Shikigami. The effect would be reduced to less than half.


    Gghh.


    As expected, the ward was easily broken and my father was hit like a bowling pin.


    Even though the damage had been lessened somewhat, there was no way that a human could match the force of a fist that could shatter a rock.


    I wonder if my father, who rolled away in a cloud of smoke, is still alive.


    Momi-sans hand was still on my head. If it hadnt been for this, I would have rushed to him right away.


    Look closely. Your father hasnt lost yet.


    Hearing Momi-sans voice, my previously narrowed field of vision widens.


    Even from this far away spot, I could see it  the undiminished will to fight on my fathers face as he rose up behind a cloud of dust, his right arm propped on his back.


    If he has not given up yet, then no one should meddle in his agreement with the Shikigami.


    I retrieved the tentacles that had extended all the way up to the Onis neck.


    Oh, by the way, did you just call your father Chichi-Oyaji? Dont imitate my way of speaking. Reika-san will get angry at you.(T/N  So this was kind of lost in trantion, it seems he called his father in a more informal way.)


    Momi-san says this deliberately, probably to calm me down.


    I appreciate Momi-sans concern, but I am more worried about my father, who stands up unsteadily, protecting his left arm.


    He must have taken some kind of precaution, because I cant see any external injuries other than his left arm, which he used as a shield, showing signs of injury. I was relieved to see that he seemed to be in better shape than I had assumed.


    Even so, why did he do such a reckless thing?


    Momi-san, isnt this the moment for you to take action?


    This brings me to a fundamental question.


    Hey Momi-san. Why is your father battling the Oni? He can do his job without the Oni.


    Why bother going into such a dangerous battle, one that could have been avoided?


    I am confident that I have been able to lead a stable life so far.


    From my point of view, the disadvantage of risking ones life is much greater than the advantage of being able to subdue the Oni.


    Why did my father choose to ?


    As far as I know, there are three reasons: one is because its been a long-held dream of his since high school. The second reason is that with a vanguard, you can work alone. Thest one is because he doesnt want his children to see him looking bad. Seibo will be a great Onmyoji in the future. As a father, he probably doesnt want to drag his son down.


    Dragging my feet?


    When he said that, it didnt immediately register with me.


    However, remembering the characteristics of the Onmyoji family profession, I could understand what Momi-san was trying to say.


    In the old-fashioned Onmyoji world, the name of the familyes before the name of the individual.


    A familys reputation is based on its achievements over several generations, and a reputation that has been built up over many years can be lost in the blink of an eye with a single failure.


    To restore the reputation of a house that has fallen into obscurity, one must either steadily regain credibility or make a very significant achievement.


    Its just like apanys reputation.


    When I heard what happened to the previous head of the Kyobe family  my own grandfather, my father apologized to me for not being able to inherit the Shikigami.


    And considering the name of the Coming-of-AgeCeremony, the head of the Kyobe family is considered to be a full-fledged leader only when he is apanied by an Oni.


    If my guess is correct, this means that my dad has been working in a situation where he was half a head up until now.


    For my father, who was quite proud, this must have been a great source of embarrassment.


    He had grown up seeing his grandfather, the previous head of the family, leading Oni, so he had a very high ideal in his mind.


    In my previous life, my father was an ordinary businessman,and I had apletely different job, so it never urred to me that I could be a drag to my children other than being unemployed.


    That face looks like  Seibo, look at that face. Somethings about to happen.


    Momi-san, who had known him for a long time, seemed to read something on my fathers face as he stood up.


    When I looked back at him, the situation had worsened even further.


    The Oni was approaching my father, who could no longer run away from the enemy.


    The Oni was in a perfect position to kill my father, and it knew that its prey would not be able to escape.


    Even if you hit it with a talisman, it will not be hurt, the formations do not work very well, and my fathers body is already full of wounds.


    Also, there is no formation set up in that area.


    Momi-san, what do you think my father can do in this situation?


    At that moment, I was about to give up before anyone else in this ce.


    Emergency Ritsuryo.


    The training ground  or rather, the entire surrounding mountain range  was enveloped in a light.


    Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!


    The light shone first on a single talisman that my father had sent flying.


    It was the me No-Fuda, which had been used many times in this battle, and it looked like nothing more than the desperate strike of a cornered prey.


    As before, the Oni caught it with its face, and it seemed as if it would end up unscathed.


    Contrary to my expectations, the red light of the mes was followed by an intense white light emanating from the Onis face.


    The light spread to the Onis entire body, and then to the ground of the battlefield. The Oni, seeing the intense light at close range, tried to move backwards while protecting its eyes  only to find that it was unable to move.


    From the ground, where no formation should have been set up,paper stripsare growing.


    How did the first used formationPaper Drooping Chain Formation Bakusajie to be here?


    In a sea of white light, my father, who had been meditating, snapped his fingers.


    Then, a guardian dog, which had not been seen since it was kicked to pieces, rushed up to him.


    In its mouth was a sword in a scabbard. Even from a distance, I could tell that the sword looked strong.


    After receiving the sword, my father put it on his waist with his right hand and pulled it out of the scabbard in a familiar manner. It looks like there is some kind of talisman on it.


    You are too kind. You always cut corners when you had the chance to finish me off. Maybe you remembered my face butholding back in a  duel is tantamount to insulting your opponent.


    My father, who had never opened his mouth except for chanting since the battle began, begins to speak in a clear voice.


    It was like the deration of someone who was sure of victory.


    I am different now than I was then. As a summoner and the head of the Kyobe family, I will show you,my power.


    As my father said these words, a sea of light flooded out from around the training ground, and we who were watching the battle were so blinded by the dazzling light that we had to shut our eyes.


    When I opened my eyes and looked around, I saw pirs of light rising to the sky from the tops of the five mountains surrounding the training ground.


    Could it be, or perhaps not, that he had built a super-massive formation starting from the mountains?


    Hijiri, look carefully. This is how you use the Gokusai Reisatsujin and the Nensetsu Satsuno Fuda.(T/N  Tell me down in thements do you want me to continue to trante the names of the skills or should I use Japanese names, as the tranted names tend to be kind of silly.)


    Gokusai Reisatsujin  Despite the name, this is an auxiliary type of formation.


    It has the effect of increasing the effectiveness of the talismans by focusing their power in a linear pattern.


    However, its effect is not that strong and it should not be used with something as powerful as a Twisting Killing Talisman.


    Dad seems to have forced himself to ovee that problem by making the formation gigantic.


    My father raised his sword, which was supposed to be heavy, with one hand.


    It was as if he was reenacting the scene of Momotaro exterminating Oni.


    I will punish you for insulting me. Prepare yourself.


    Even though it did not understand the meaning of these words, it must have sensed the threat of an iing attack.


    Oni tried to prepare for the attack of the human in front of him by tightening his muscles, which he was proud of. This was the only resistance the Oni, whose arms were bound while protecting its eyes, could make.


    My father, however, would not be wasting his breath in the middle of a battle.


    Oni was shed on his unprotected neck from behind, spraying red blood.


    My father was never in front of it.


    All that was there was a voice recorder on the ground.


    Oni, blinded by the intense light and at the mercy of the fake voice, was unable to put up a proper fight, and was sliced open with a sharp cut.


    I too know that the Twisting and Killing Talisman possesses a terrifyingly sharp edge.


    If it was concentrated on the de of a sword, it seems that even the robust skin of a demon cannot withstand it.


    It must have been extraordinary hard work to build a huge formation on a scale that one couldnt even draw it on a map, but it was worth it.


    After all, my fathers battle ended after two weeks of preparation.


    My father won.


    I never thought that my father, who had given me the impression of being calm, would strike the Oni with such a magnificent move.


    My father was about to deliver the final blow by swinging his sword again.


    As I watched this scene, I felt a sense of Suck it up toward the Oni who had hurt my family, and I suddenly remembered the day I encountered the Shadow Ykai.


    And the image of the Oni who was about to be killed ovepped with my own, for some reason.


    Ah.


    You won.


    You are suddenly summoned to a strange ce, and without even listening to what you had to say, the battle began, and the enemy was already prepared for battle. Moreover, if you lose, you areimmediately subjected to a ridiculous procession of obedience.


    What is that? Isnt summoning an outrageous and immoral technique?


    The Shadow Ykai I encountered, could that possibly be , not a Ykai?


    Just as I wasing to terms with this unpleasant possibility, the body of the headless demon turned to dust and vanished into thin air.


    Now that hes finished off his contract partner, I wonder what hes going to do now.


    <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong>

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    I guess it was still too heavy, so my dad put the sword in the scabbard and left it to the Komainu.


    I dont know, Im not a doctor, but his left arm may have been broken. He frowned every time he moved his body.


    Should I praise him or worry about his injury?


    As I rushed to my fathers side, I was at a loss for what to say to him, until Momi-san appeared from behind me and spoke to me in a very light-hearted manner.


    The sound of apuse echoed through the rather quiet training grounds.


    You finally did it! Congrattions. By the way, your trump card this time was much more bold than usual. Its notmon even for the National Onmyoji Unit to build a formation of this scale.


    I didnt think I could win if I didnt do this much.


    What, youre not worried about being injured?


    No, well, Im surprised too, because Ive never seen a formationrger than the Tenkyo-jin.


    I dont think two weeks is even remotely enough time to build something like that.


    They must have been nning it for a long time.


    It would be a pity to keep my father, who had just gone through a deadly battle, at the training ground forever. We were once again picked up by the Tonobe family and driven back to the building where we had first stopped.


    There, apparently, is a doctor who has served the Samurai family for a long time.


    Why didnt you do that attack right from the start?


    To replicate the same process, Ive done, and to catch it off guard, thest attack had to be a sure-fire hit.


    Ive done this dozens of times already. The Oni must have been thinking like, Oh, its the same old thing again. It even learned a few tricks, like detecting our gazes.''


    Ive been aware of this for three years now. Hence, the second time the Bakusa-jin buried it in the ground with the Paper Drooping Chain Formation Bakusajin .


    Did my father, who was the one actually fighting, notice it before Momi-san, who was watching from the sidelines?


    He took advantage of this to make the Oni even more careless, ording to him.


    He carved a formation on a wooden board, put spiritual power into it beforehand, and buried it in the ground to set up a trap that only the father knew about. If you want to fool your enemies, start with your allies.


    While I, abat novice, was impressed, Momi-san muttered to himself as he was driving.


    But, well, as far as Im concerned, the initial restraints were enough to create a viable opening.


    Hey Dad, why dont you argue there.


    Blessed tools are expensive, right?


    You wont tell me the second one was a waste or something?


    Well, Im d, you know that, right? If you broke your arm, youd have to take some time off work. Normally, you would have given up sooner than that, but you got a little carried away, didnt you?


    Goken-sama has given us permission to do this. Thankfully, he has agreed to pay me 50% of my sry during my recuperation as part of my skill development.


    So its not the full amount.


    Well, thank goodness they provide a sry to employees who have been injured on their own because of the Houses traditions.


    Momi-san continued to talk to my father as if he was making fun of him.


    Looking at my father sitting next to me, I saw that he looked pale. He might be more badly injured than I thought.


    I felt that he was returning to the building slower than he had been on the way back.


    He got out of the car and moved his body slowly, stepping on the ground step by step as he carefully made his way to the doctors office.


    I was about to go inside when Momi-san stopped me.


    Dont worry so much. Well wait for him at the entrance.


    Of course, it is normal to be concerned.


    How could anyone be so calm with a family member about to copse next to him or her?


    How many facilities are there in this building, which is not even a medical facility?


    Can they heal my dads injuries?


    He must have been distracted and started to ache. He was able to talk, hes not going to die.


    Shouldnt we take him to a bigger hospital?


    What are you talking about? The Goken family has the best doctors in Japan. The rich people are always eager to have them treated here.


    Really?


    Although I thought it lookedforting, but Momi-san doesnt look like hes lying.


    What can I say, today is one of those days where there is so much unknown stuff going on.


    Seibo, you wait here. Im going to make a few phone calls.


    Momi-san says so and moves to the corner of the entrance with a smartphone in his hand.


    I wonder if hes going to make a report to his family about his return.


    I wonder when my dads treatment will be finished, the waiting is frustrating.


    An hour passed while I talked with Momi-san, who returned a short whileter.


    Footsteps echoed in the quiet entrance.


    I looked down the hallway leading to the doctors office and saw my father walking with steady steps.


    Dad, are you okay?


    Yeah, everythings fine.


    Liar, you were drenched in a greasy sweat just a few minutes ago.


    But now my father shows no signs of injuries except for his left arm being in a cast.


    I wonder what kind of treatment he received in thest hour.


    I guess you were hurt more seriously than I thought. Youll have to stay put for a while.


    Sensei and Goken-sama gave me the same words.


    While we were still waiting, Goken-sama went out of his way toe and see us.


    After all, it seems that my father is respected here.


    Perhaps the tools that received blessings came from the hands of my fathers employer.


    What was surprising here was Momi-sans reaction.


    I had expected him to pat me on the head and say, See, everythings fine, isnt it?, but instead, he was staring at my fathers ster cast with a furrowed brow.


    As far as Im concerned, it would be more of a miracle if I only broke one arm after being hit by that Oni. Plus, there was also a sound that shouldnt havee from the human body.


    I asked him about it in the car as we drove home.


    He said that the reason my father did not die from the onis blow was because of the amulet Momi-san had prepared for him.


    It is one of the Tonobe familys secret heritages designed to absorb physical shocks.


    Tonobe family does not make these amulets for anyone other than their own family members because of the risk of technological leaks, as well as the loss of potential profit.


    Sigh, I thought it was a masterpiece. I didnt expect to be prated so easily.


    Thanks for saving my life. Im grateful.


    It seems that the Kyobe family is blessed with a good friends, whether it is the Tonobe family or the Goken family.


    But I cant help you for the next one with a amulet, though. Good luck.


    ?


    Once I got out of the car with Momi-sans meaningful words behind me, I realized that I was at home.


    So many things have happened today.


    Even though its not even sunset yet, I feel like going to bed.


    Im home


    Wee home.


    When we pass through the front door, we are greeted as usual by mom.


    I wonder if Yuya is taking a nap after a long day of ying.


    You must be tired. Ive boiled some water so I can wipe your sweat off.


    Oh, please.


    Huh? This, if you will, is .


    This situation where mother, who must not have known what dad was going to do today, is not surprised by the cast and is well prepared to greet us: .


    Mother is wearing the same smile as usual, but I can clearly see the intense emotions that are being conveyed by her.


    My dads third round is starting.


    Please, please, please dont divorce him


    <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong>

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    When Momi-san left his seat with his phone in hand, the person he called was apparently my mother.


    I guess he told her in advance, Your husband got injured, but dont worry about it.


    Im going to go take a nap.


    Mother seemed to want to have an important talk with dad, so the 4-year-old who can read the atmosphere retreated to the bedroom.


    It would be hard for her to talk in front of the kids, and they say that even dogs dont like to eat when a couple fights.


    Yuya was sleeping peacefully in his bedroom.


    He is mumbling happily, unaware of the big problem that is developing in our house. I wonder if he is dreaming of eating snacks.


    With such an adorable child, divorce would never be the end result.


    I dont think so Mothers family has money.


    But even so, I couldnt help but be concerned.


    I decided to sneak into the living room.(T/N  Bad idea)


    In case of an emergency, I will y the role of an innocent child, embodying the notion that children are a bond between husband and wife. I have no idea how to stop a quarrel between husband and wife.


    I really have no idea how to stop them from fighting.


    As I approach the living room, I hear a faint voiceing from behind the sliding door.


    ~~and. ~~


    Hmmm, it seems my father is speaking, but I cant make out what hes saying.


    I put my ear gently to the sliding door, but the voice remains muffled.


    I cant understand whats going on inside. I wonder if there is any way I can hear what he is saying.


    Oh, that reminds me, I havent experimented with this.


    I extended a tentacle from my ear and held the tip close to the sliding door. Then, once I release the heavy element covering the surface, I can .


    ~~~I subdued the Oni, received treatment, and returned.


    Oh, now I can hear clearly.


    I thought that tentacles working as sensitive sensory organs could do something simr to the string telephone, an idea I briefly considered trying  some time ago and then forgot about.


    I didnt think it would be a one-shot sess. The possibilities of the tentacles are expanding endlessly.


    It seems that my father has just finished recounting the days events around the time I started eavesdropping.


    Silence descended on the living room while mom was swallowing the information.


    Coming of Age Ceremony? Extermination of Oni?  something Ive never heard of before today.


    because you didnt ask me .


    Hey  Hey Dad, Ive been single all my life and even I can tell thats a line you shouldnt say.


    How bad of a talker are you, after all the time Ive spent reevaluating you?


    See, even through my tentacles I can feel that mother is about to cry!


    Thats !


    Call it a weakness due to love, but mother didnt let the tears fall because of dad.


    If she shed tears and expressed her emotions, she would have been too upset to speak.


    Mother knows my fathers character very well.


    After she managed to suppress her emotional state of mind and regted her breathing, she began to speak in a calm voice.


    You do not usually try to bring up the subject of Onmyoji, and since it is rted to your work, I thought that you would not want to talk about it, so I have not dared to ask until now. I thought that if I, ayman, interrupted you, it would only get in the way of your work.


    Is that why my mother was as unfamiliar with the Onmyoji affairs as I was, even though she watched the Onmyoji channel with great interest?


    She wanted to hear more about the Onmyoji world from my dad, but she didnt dare to ask him.


    As a result, my father came to be seriously injured in a ce that was beyond my mothers control.


    Momi-san must have called her and told her what was going on, and she must have been worried like crazy.


    Why didnt you consult me about what was going to happen today?


    I wasnt hiding it. I just didnt  have the time to and didnt feelfortable in telling you.


    So, you have done something so dangerous? With Hijiri?


    Perhaps out of concern for me, mothers voice became sharper.


    I didnt mind because Momi-san was there, but surely there was a danger of getting hurt?


    Uncontracted Shikigami only target the Summoner. There was no danger to Hijiri. Unless something terrible happened, it was unlikely for us to die.


    So, there was a possibility of dying if something went wrong.


    You know, my dad, he said that getting hit was part of the n. If he had been hit badly enough, he would have died from that alone.


    Was it only your left arm that was injured?


    No, I had some broken ribs and lungs, and other internal organs were also injured. I had them all healed, so everything is fine.


    What? What the hell was that!


    You were injured that badly just because you couldnt see it!


    If it werent for the amulet of the Tonobe family, you would really die!


    Wait,  Now that I think about it, the recent change in his teaching policy of Onmyojutsu may have been an act of preparing for a worst-case scenario.  In case he is no longer around, he does not want the Onmyojutsu of the Kyobe family to cease to exist.


    Momi-san was present, so the possibility of his death was extremely low, but my father had reasons for not dismissing that possibility.


    Such a serious injury .


    So, you dont have to worry about it. Everything except my left arm has already healed.


    No, thats not the point.


    My dad was in pain enduring such a wrecked body while we were traveling around in the car.


    He didnt cough up blood in in sight, so I didnt realize how badly he was hurt.


    Mother quietly took a deep breath and held back her tears.


    In order to persuade my father, she tried her best to speak calmly.


    Momi-san told me once before. He told me that ever since your parents passed away, you, as the head of the Kyobe family, have made all of your decisions alone. Even before you reached adulthood, you lived your life alone, relying on no one.


    I know my dad lost his parents abruptly as a result of a battle with a Ykai: .


    I also took care of my parents in my previous life, and Ill never forget how much I missed them. Though I was able to say goodbye to them peacefully, I cant imagine what it must have been like for my father, who was left all alone in this world at such a young age.


    Come to think of it, there are no known rtives to the Kyobe family. Even if there were, someone unrted to the Onmyoji world would not be able to serve as a guardian.


    I dont know what the arrangements were, but it seems that my father has been living on his own since my grandparents passed away.


    That must have been  difficult.


    In my previous life, I started living on my own after getting a job, but there were many challenges in bing independent. I had to find my way around my new life, work for the first time, report to the municipal office, pay taxes, and the list goes on and on.


    It was only then that I realized how difficult it is for a person to just live.


    Even so, in my case, I could rely on my parents when I returned to my hometown, and they provided me with a source of support deep down in my heart.


    My father was forced to stand on his own as soon as he lost such emotional support.


    As the next head of the Kyobe family, he was forced toplete his Coming-of-Age ceremony shortly after.


    I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you. It must have been such an arduous path that it helped shape you into the person you are today.


    Oh, so mother thinks Dad has personality problems, too.


    Well, if he didnt have problems, things like today wouldnt happen.(T/N  Wow, this guy is ruthless)


    But from now on, please make sure you discuss stuff like this with me. We are a family, so dont..make a decision by yourself!


    Mothers argument was summed up in herst words.


    Her rational and specific request was easy to understand and could be firmly epted even by my father, who was not ustomed to dealing with women.


    Still, there was no way that my fathers long-umted philosophy would allow him to ept these conflicting ims without resistance.


    But  my job is always dangerous.


    You have no choice but to do your job. I am prepared for it. Every time you go to work, I pray to God that you will be safe. But please dont do anything dangerous outside of work that could cause you serious injuries. If you had suddenly disappeared today, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life that I was so carefree and unaware of what was going on. You understand better than I do the suffering of those who are left behind.


    I do


    It was easily debunked.


    My dad, who lost both of his parents so suddenly, cannot deny the words of my mom.


    His mother was a good mother and had taken care of his father, and sadly, everyone present could understand how she felt.


    Promise me that you will never do something like this again. From now on, no matter how trivial the matter may seem, you will properly discuss it with your family.


    Okay,  okay, I will.


    Tears rolled down mothers cheeks. The tears she had been holding back must have started to fall silently.


    Dad, as expected, was panicking.


    Isnt it amazing what tentacles are capable of doing, being able to understand whats going on in a living room through a sliding door with such ease?


    Its notparable to a string telephone, but I can tell whats going on over there with such precision that it seems to pick up all the spatial information.  Its as if the information has been sent directly to my brain rather than being heard by my ears.


    Gush and I see that you have made another big purchase. At this time of year when money is needed for Yuyas entrance to preschool, without even discussing it with me. From now on, I will manage the family finances. Sounds good.


    Ah  I get it , so please dont cry.


    Mother was more formidable than I thought she was.


    She pushed through her next request with the force of having seeded in her main request.


    She is usually all smiles, so her tears must have had a huge effect.


    I dont know if my father is really okay with that, but Im more worried about leaving the family finances in the hands of a man who eats up our savings frequently.


    I could hear my father hugging my mother behind the sliding door.


    From the sound of things, there seems to be no worry about a potential crisis in the Kyobe family.


    Im going to stop this unbing eavesdropping now and go back to the bedroom.


    If I stay here any longer, I will be exposed to my parents lovemaking.


    <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong>

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    On a full moon night three days after the extermination of the Oni.


    My father and I were moonbathing on the porch.


    Is your body, okay?


    Yeah, I got it healed.


    After that day, my father spent most of his days in bed.


    It seems that the doctor who treated him, whom I had heard was the Goken familys resident doctor, had told him that even though he looked healthy and could go to the bathroom and eat by himself, he needed to stay in bed to regain his strength.


    If you look at my dad as he is sitting on a cushion on the porch, he looks as healthy as he has imed to be.


    Only the cast on his left arm indicates that Dad is an injured man.


    So, it was the first time since that day that my father and I talked alone.


    Ugh.


    My dad put his right hand on his left arm and gave me an indescribably pained look.


    It wasnt a mid-life crisis. He must have been feeling itchy in his cast.


    Ill go get that.


    Not waiting for my dads reply, I grabbed a thin stick that was in his bedroom.


    Dad thanked me with a few words, Thank you, and inserted the stick into the gap between the cast and began scratching his arm.


    Id never worn a cast before, so I dont know, but it looks inconvenient even to the casual observer.


    It seems to itch, it takes a lot of time to get ready to take a shower, and he cant turn over, so he is having quite a difficult time.


    I nce at my fathers profile.


    He is looking at the moon with the usual sullen expression on his face, as if he has gotten over the itch on his arm.


    Although this is his time to rx with his son, he doesnt bring up any topics of conversation to me.


    Rather, he looks as if he is wondering what to talk about.


    The residential area has already gone to sleep, and the moonlight in the lonely garden of our house creates a particrly somber scene.


    The silence is created by the silence of our conversation, and the asional night breeze takes away the heat from my body.


    My breath turns slightly gray, reminding me of the approach of winter.


    A thin cloud momentarily covered the moon, and I was submerged in my thoughts alone.


    All I can think about is the man sitting next to me.


    This impossibly awkward guy who put his body on the line for me.


    Hes trying to be a cool father and not let the Kyobe family name drag me down.


    Its a bit of a shame that people have such high expectations of me.


    Im just making the most of my reincarnation advantage to get a head start, and Im scared that in the future the kids of my age might catch up to me.


    Well,  yeah  yeah, thats right.


    Hes a man with a lot of no-nos, such as pushing for an ordeal that almost killed me right after my reincarnation, suddenly squandering our savings, not reporting back, not being very affectionate, etc., but Ill withdraw the title of a shitty father.


    To be honest, until recently I had a hard time epting this man as my father.


    As a man, it is  something that makes me feel reluctant to acknowledge a man who is much younger than I was in a previous life as my  father. This may be more of an instinct than a logical response.


    It was even more so because I have in my heart the greatness of my father in my previous life.


    But, but.


    Despite his awkwardness, this man showed his love for me.


    He showed his coolness to me so that I would not be ashamed of him as my father.


    He taught me and guided me in order to teach the next generation.


    His back, which is physically bigger than mine, now looks bigger than it really is.


    I guess hes been through a lot of struggles that I, whove never raised a child, dont understand.


    So, well, yeah, its time to admit it.


    Dad.


    What .


    Ive told him this rather infrequently, so its a little embarrassing to say it like this.


    But, well, a father should be rewarded for his hard work.


    Thanks for everything.


    ah.


    Silence falls once again.


    The thin clouds have somehow been swept away, and the full moon that has risen high in the sky dispels the night darkness and illuminates our garden, which is far from elegant.


    Perhaps it is because I have finished saying something that is awkward to say, but the scenery looks different than before.


    The shadows created by the moonlight created an artistic scenery, which fascinated me very much.


    Just gazing at it in a daze seems to activate the right side of my brain.


    If I was alone, that would have been fine.


    By the way, whats a scourge? That Oni seemed like it was glowing.


    Its a type of metal called magnesium. That formation has the effect of pseudo-imparting its properties to the ground


    After all, Onmyojutsu is the most appropriate topic for us father and son to talk about.


    Maybe this kind of rtionship is also good.


    <strong>T/N  To support me and to read chapters upfront you can visit my Patreon</strong>

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Time passes in the blink of an eye.


    Weve already passed the halfway point of our carefree kindergarten days, and another six months have flown by.


    Theres not much time left to spend as a preschooler.


    Nevertheless, I decided to take a day off from kindergarten today.


    Alright then, lets take the picture. Say cheese~ One, two, three!


    Right now, Im in a photo studio.


    The photographer snapped the shutter as he gave aical cue, and I showed my best smile toward my future parents on the other side of the lens.


    As a child whos being taken care of, I should at least offer them this much service.


    Great, you gave us a wonderful smile. For the next shot, how about holding this sword and striking a cool pose?


    Following the instructions of the photographer, who was used to dealing with children, I took several more photos.


    Now, you might be wondering why I skipped kindergarten and went through the trouble of taking these photos. Well, its because I turned five years old.


    In other words, its for the Shichi-Go-San ceremony.


    During summer vacation one day,


    I was taken to a kimono store, and my mother began happily selecting my outfit.


    I already had an Onmyoji outfit. I wondered what she was looking for, but the kimonos she picked up were all of a different type and looked more formal.


    Hijiri has grown up so much. In the old days, they say that children wore a haori and hakama when they turned five. Lets wear this and visit the shrine next time.


    As I had my clothes hemmed, I asked what the purpose of preparing a haori-hakama was for, and it was only then that I remembered the event called Shichi-Go-San existed.


    As a male, this was an event that one only experiences once in a lifetime, and it hadpletely slipped my mind.


    My mother had made a reservation with the shrine on the same day, and that was why we were able to celebrate this day today.


    Thank you for your patronage. The selected photos are saved on this SD card. We have also sent the data to your registered LINE ount just now, so please check it. Finally, here is the album. Thank you very much for using our store today.


    I didnt know you could get all kinds of data in different ways now, not just through albums. I never thought they would even send the data to the message app . The data will surely be sent to my grandmother who paid for the haori and hakama.


    As I wore my own clothes instead of a rental costume, I left the studio in a hakama.


    My parents were also dressed in more refined attire, and it is refreshing to see my father in a suit.


    Our destination is a shrine located not far from our home.


    Today was afortable autumn day, perfect for a family outing.


    What are we going to do?


    Yuya, who had changed outfits for my photo shoot and was getting his picture taken with a flutter, asks our mother.


    We are going to visit the shrine now. Its because God has been watching over us that your brother has been able to grow up safely. We will thank God for that.


    Yuya wants to wear the same thing as big brother.


    When Yuya turns five, we will go visit the shrine again with the whole family.


    My little brother, who had taken off his rental costume and changed into his usual childrens clothes, seemed envious of me during his makeover after we left the store. He is such a cute little brother. I am sure he will wear the same haori-hakama next year as a hand-me-down.


    He wants mine now, but I wonder if hell ever say, I want new clothes! At that time, it seems like it would be no problem to buy him some.


    As I sneaked a peek at my mothers household budget app, I was shocked to see how much my father was earning.


    He was making over five times as much as I did in my past life. My pride took a hit.


    To be precise, his ie had skyrocketed after he returned to work following the Coming-of-Age ceremony, and when I probed him about it indirectly


    The Oni works well as a meat wall.


    I heard that when you summon a Shikigami, they can appear as if nothing happened, even if they were an Oni that turned into dust during the Coming-of-Age Ceremony.


    That powerful Oni now works as an immortal flesh wall. Moreover, my father continues to use it for reconnaissance as usual. If it can contribute to the mission to this extent, its natural that the rewards will increase.


    I understood why my father was willing to invest such arge sum of money to obtain the Oni.


    Hmm, so that Oni is being exploited


    I have mixed feelings about this.


    On one hand, I feel sorry for it, but on the other hand, it requires more spiritual power than any other Shikigami and we are paying an appropriate price for it.


    Besides, generally speaking, Shikigami cannotmunicate with humans, and there is no confirmation that the ce where I wandered into was actually another world.


    In the end, everything is still a mystery and Im just sympathizing with the Oni on my own. Since I will eventually use Shikigami for my work, maybe I shouldnt worry about unnecessary things.


    As we walked through the residential area, our destination gradually came into view. We bounced up the stairs and looked around the precincts together, where there were many people. When we came here on a walk before, it was a quiet ce, but today, there were many families with children because it was November 15th, Shichi-Go-San (a traditional Japanese festival for three and seven-year-old children). Everyone seemed to havee to worship for the same reason as us.


    I see children dressed in formal attires like me as well as children running around the grounds in casual clothes. Its probably tough for kids around five years old to wear a haori-hakama and behave properly. Well, as an adult on the inside, I can certainly pay my respects properly.


    They bow before passing through the torii gate and walk on the side of the approach.


    They purify themselves at the temizuya water basin, and promptly visit the haiden main hall to offer prayers.


    They ring the bell and toss the offering into the offertory box, then perform two bows, two ps, and one final bow.*


    This shrine is extremely ordinary,cking any facilities such as a Jokoro* or special rules. I know the method of worship from my past life and have reaffirmed it through the guidance of Onmyoji Channel and my father, so there is no way for me to make a mistake.


    The content of my prayer included expressing gratitude to the Deity who granted me a second life and reporting that I had been able to live safely until the age of five, as well as offering other customary prayers. After finishing my prayer, I slowly opened my eyes. It seemed that I had taken the longest time to pray, as my family had been waiting for me.


    Did you manage to convey your greetings to Tomiku Chioharu-sama*?


    Yeah, I conveyed them clearly.


    The goddess enshrined in this shrine is Chioharu no Fuai, the Goddess of love and prosperity.


    The Kyobe family also worships this popr Goddess, although she is mainly revered in this region and among the Onmyojimunity.


    This goddess, whose name is often mentioned in my familys rituals, is said to have responded to a mothers prayer long ago, who was worried about her child who was on the verge of losing to their awakening spiritual power and granted blessings to mothers all over the world. As a result of this blessing, mothers can now bestow spiritual power upon their children during birth rituals. Even Onmyoji mothers are typically unable to transfer their spiritual power to others, with a few exceptions.


    At that time, for me who might have lost if it werent for Mothers breast milk enhancement, Chioharu Tomiku was truly a Goddess of salvation. Perhaps due to simr experiences, families with strong familial bonds often enshrine Chioharu Tomiku as their Deity of worship.


    I dont know if it was Chioharu Tomiku who reincarnated me, but it would take a miracle for anyone but a God to make something like this happen. So I took the opportunity to express my gratitude to the Goddess, Chioharu Tomiku.(T/N  I dont know if I got something wrong but the MC in the one paragraph is calling the Goddess Chioharu no Fuai and saying the whole title of the Goddess but in the others he is calling her Chiharu Tomiku.)


    Both of you did well. Great job!


    My younger brother, Yuuya, who has been mimicking me all along, looks proud as our mother praises him. Its a relief that he hasnt acted rudely in this sacred ce, and our mother must be pleased. As an excellent little brother, Im sure hell quietly wait with our mother. With that, I can head to todays main event without any worries  the prayer.


    Im going. Ill be back in half an hour or so.


    Well be waiting for you.


    Yuuya, wait for me here, I will be quick.


    Where are the dad and brother going~


    Following the Oni extermination, my younger brother, who had been left behind once again, asked our mother in dissatisfaction. With his voice behind us and feeling sorry for him, we stepped into the Shinto shrine, the hall of offerings.


    *Jokoro  A Jokoro is a traditional Japanese incense-burning apparatus used in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples for various religious and ceremonial purposes. It is typically made of metal or ceramic and shaped like a small, round table with a central brazier or cup for burning incense. The Jokoro is often ced on a stand or pedestal and used during important rituals and ceremonies to purify the air and create a sacred atmosphere.


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 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Upon seeing the reception desks signboard for guidance on fees, I couldnt help but grimace.


    I intended to hold a strong sense of gratitude towards Tomiku Chioharu-sama, but the initial offering fee is 100,000 yen


    100,000 yen, huh


    Ah, you must be Kyobe-san who made a reservation. We have been expecting you.


    This is


    The envelope that Dad took out of his pocket was clearly not as thick as ten bills with Ben Franklins face on them.


    If its only 1 cm thick, theres probably a million yen inside.


    Is this for real? I thought the most expensive option was 100,000 yen, but I guess special blessings go far beyond that.


    In this harsh world, they probably have to make money where they can to maintain such arge shrine.


    I understand that, but 1 million yen for a Shichi-go-san ceremony


    I dont think Ill ever get over the financial sense of my previous life.


    After my father finished the registration, we went inside the worship hall.


    As we walked through, we saw about 10 families participating in a prayer service conducted by a young priest.


    If I had been reincarnated into an ordinary household, I would have also been among them, but as someone born into a family of onmyoji, I am to participate in a special prayer ceremony.


    We quietly passed by them and moved beyond the signboard that read Unauthorized Personnel Prohibited.


    We have been waiting for you, Kyobe-dono. Please,e this way.


    The Shinto priest who greeted us was a middle-aged man who looked to be in histe 40s. He exuded a sense of veteran presence from his in purple hakama and his demeanor.


    Father seemed to know him, and they exchanged business-like greetings as we followed the priest.


    As thergest shrine in the area, it is quiterge, so the interior of this building is correspondingly spacious.


    Although this is a shrine for a minor deity in Japan as a whole, it seems to be more widely worshipped than I had expected.


    This way. Please wait inside until the ceremony begins.


    The ce we were guided to was the heiden, located at the back of the main hall. Although structurally connected, they are almostpletely separate buildings.


    The Heiden is a building where sacred Shinto ques (called gohei) that serve as vessels for the spirits of the Gods are enshrined, and only Shinto priests are allowed to enter during ceremonies.


    Thus, my father and I, outsiders who were not supposed to be allowed in, had set foot in this ce.


    My first impression upon entering the room was that it seemed like a ce where a gathering of esoteric Buddhism might be held.


    To begin with, the location of this room was like a secret room built behind the central hall judging from the sensation of having moved around. That alone was suspicious enough.


    The room was simple with no windows, and the smell of tatami mats hung heavy in the air, adding to all of tha is the eerie atmosphere caused by the dim lighting.


    Actually, it would be more urate to say it had a solemn atmosphere. I felt uneasy.


    The room was simr to my bedroom in that it was illuminated by four cornernterns that kept out the outside light.


    At the back of the room was a statue of what seemed to be the Goddess Chioharu no Fuai, surrounded by offerings such as rice bales and bolts of cloth, with the shide at the center.


    It had an atmosphere of an old-fashioned offering mountain.


    In front of it, there were cushionsid out, and three other parent-child pairs were already seated.


    Excuse us.


    We sat down on the cushions, joining the other parents and children who had already gathered.


    I looked at the face of the child sitting next to me, and to my surprise, it was someone I knew.


    He was one of the talented kids I had spotted at the Abe family social gathering. I think his name is Sora-kun.


    Long time no see. How have you been?


    Oh, I guess he doesnt remember me.


    I also vaguely remember your name, so I guess were even.


    Thank you for the other day.


    No, thank you for your help. How have you been since then?


    The parents sitting behind their children were also engaged in small talk.


    On the way here, my father borrowed the changing room and changed from his suit to a traditional Onmyoji outfit. It seemed like the other fathers did the same, as the sight of men in hunting clothes and Kari-ginu (traditional Japanese hunting jacket) gathered together was an unusual scene to behold.


    As I was pondering how to converse with Sora-kun, whom I assumed was seated beside me, thest group of people who had made reservations arrived.


    The Shinto priest who had guided us this far began the final preparations for the prayer. Behind him, a seasoned female Miko (Shinto shrine maiden) in full attire briefly exined the process of the ceremony.


    Finally, it seemed like the preparations wereplete. The Shinto priest offered his respects to the Goddess statue and turned to face us, beginning his speech.


    I would like to extend my heartfelt congrattions to the five young children gathered here today for their sessful emergence into the world. The children of the sun, who protect the order and peace of this world, will always be a treasure, and your birth will be weed by all the people. I congratte you on this joyous asion.


    To summarize the long speech of the Shinto priest, it goes something like this: We thank you for being born and wish for your continued healthy growth. Let us greet the gods, albeit a bitte.


    In the Heian period, it was believed that shaving a childs hair before the age of three would promote healthy hair growth. This practice led to the origin of the Shinto ritual called Kamioki no Gi, or the Hair Cutting Ceremony, which was performed when a child turned three years old.


    However, in contrast to this tradition, families of Onmyoji, who keep their hair long, do not perform the Shichi-Go-San ceremony when a child turns three. Instead, they perform a special prayer and offer special offerings when their sons turn five and their daughters turn seven.


    First, the Shinto priest recites the purification words (harae kotoba).


    Before greeting the Gods, one must purify and cleanse oneself of impurities through the harae ritual.


    The priest swings the sacred shide, which is a paper streamer used to ward off evil spirits, while reciting the purification words.


    The room is dimly lit, and the priests voice and the rustling sound of the shide echo throughout, creating a more ceremonial atmosphere.


    Next, the priest will recite the norito, or prayer.


    What? His voice is so small, so quiet!


    The purification words that had been delivered earlier were echoing throughout the room, but the moment the main celebratory words began, the volume of the voice dropped to a murmur.


    Could it possibly be something to do with the esoteric or secret arts as they are called in Onmyoji?


    I dont know the details because I was only briefly taught about the Shinto teachings.


    However, the ceremony seemed to be proceeding solemnly, and I picked up the tamagushi (sacred skewer) that the priest had prepared for me.


    Kyobe Hijiri.


    Yes?


    As the children began to get bored, the names of the participating children were called out, as exined in advance.


    I answered cheerfully and stepped forward to receive the tamagushi (skewer) from the priest and reverently offer it before the Goddess.


    My fathers instructions have helped me perfect my manners in this area.


    I must perform the rituals rted to the Gods well so as not to be disrespectful.


    God is real.


    In my previous life, I did not believe that God existed.


    I heard that there were 8 million gods, so I ate rice without leaving any leftovers, asked God for help only when it was convenient, paid a New Years visit to a shrine with my family on New Years Day, and celebrated Christmas on December 24.


    In a sense, I had only the religious beliefs typical of Japanese people, who use misceneous religions for events while iming to be non-religious.


    However, being born into the Kyobe family, I havee to believe in the existence of Gods through various experiences.


    Although they do not appear, they recognized in the Onmyoji world as higher beings who bestow blessings and prophecies upon humankind.


    In the first ce, mysterious creatures, spirits, and other things that I thought did not exist can be found walking by the side of the road.


    It would not be surprising if Gods existed somewhere, although we have not been able to see them up until now.


    Not only me, but other children must have learned how to do this from their parents. They were offering the tamagushi with correct gestures even though they were not very good at it.


    ording to my father, The Gods, including Tomiku Chioharu-sama, do not care about the slightest rudeness of human children, as these things are just a matter of feelings.


    So far, this has been an ordinary Shichi-Go-San Ceremony.


    The children I saw in the hall of worship would have undergone the same procession.


    However, from this point on, things started to be a little different.


    For a child born in a family of Onmyoji, the main purpose of the ceremony is the devotion that follows.


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 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Please prepare an offering from your family.


    Upon hearing those words, the shrine maiden who had been waiting in the corner of the room began to move.


    ncing at the back of the room, my father received a pair of scissors and a piece of paper.


    He wasnt the only one who received them. The parents of each household came with scissors in hand to their children.


    Cut your hair.


    My father squatted down so as not to turn his back on the Goddess and removed my hair tie as he said so.


    I wasnt particrly surprised, as I had heard about it in the pre-exnation. It seemed that by offering hair that had spiritual value through Onmyodo, it showed gratitude.


    Although I thought to myself, Are you really going to cut it? Hair was a material to be used at special times and not meant asst resort.


    It seemed that cutting hair was also necessary in these kinds of situations.


    My father used a piece of pocket paper as a saucer in his left hand and scissors in his right.


    Then, he cut off my bangs. Bangs?


    Snap.


    The sound that reached my ears was different, but thats what it sounded like to me.


    I never thought hed cut my bangs so short.


    I almost blurted out, Huh? in a loud voice, but I managed to suppress it because we were in front of the Goddess.


    Dadwhy did you cut my bangs?


    You told me they were getting in the way.


    Could it be that he remembered when Iined about my hair being in the way before?


    He probably thought it was a good idea to choose the troublesome bangs since he wouldnt cut my hair in normal circumstances. I appreciate the sentiment, and Im happy that he remembered, but to be honest, its both appreciated and bothersome because my hair has grown longer recently, and I can now tie it up.


    Looking around. The child to my right only cut the tips of their hair, and Sora only cut his unnoticeable hair on his neckline.


    Of all things, my bangs


    Judging from the length of the hair on the handkerchief, it was cut enough to expose my forehead. I, who have not cared about my hairstyle since my past life, definitely dont want a short haircut.


    Is there a mirror somewhere?


    Hows my hair looking?


    Did that make you feel a little more refreshed?


    Yes, my forehead feels very refreshed.


    Lets save theints for when we get home.


    It cant be helped now that its been cut.


    Its an offering to the Goddess, and its the right thing to offer something important to oneself, like ones own bangs.


    With the childrens hair gathered, the priest resumed the ceremony.


    Once again, the priest began to pray in a low voice, and at the end of the offering, he said clearly, Let us pray.


    To Goddess Chioharu no Fuai.


    This is a freshly cut bangs.


    Furthermore, I have included some spiritual gems in it as well.


    Please ept it with.


    It seems that the human body is truly the best material for Onmyojutsu.


    As I included the spiritual gems, they were absorbed by the person who takes in the hair.


    Since theyre seeking spiritual power by taking in the hair, I thought Id include the gems as well.


    It doesnt hurt to tter the Great Gods.


    With the gratitude of the children who have received your divine protection, Goddess Chioharu no Fuai, please ept this humble token of appreciation and our prayers.


    With thesest long mutterings, the ceremony ended, and we heard the voice that followed.


    If the exnation beforehand was correct, then the ritual is over, right?


    But then, a faint light flew into my eyes.


    What is this? Particles of light rising around the Goddess statue?


    Before I knew it, the priest, who had just finished the ceremony and straightened his back, returned to a bowing position, bending his waist in ny degrees, followed by the shrine maidens who were standing behind him.


    As we didnt understand what was happening, the priest gave us instructions.


    Assume the posture of prayer.


    The adults were the first to follow the instructions, and the children followed suit after seeing them. From the tense expressions of the priest and shrine maidens, it was clear that an irregr situation had urred.


    Curiosity piqued, I remained in the posture of prayer and looked around with my eyes.


    Oh, sparkles!


    The children seemed to have noticed the same thing as me. A girl innocently informed us that particles of light were dancing before our eyes.


    Where are the sparkles?


    Sora-kun raised his head in response to the girls voice. Apparently, he couldnt see the particles of light. But the particles were falling throughout the room, so there was no need to raise his head.


    No, it wasnt just in this room. The light grew increasingly intense and seemed to overflow. Could it have spread outside?


    It was a miracle on arge scale that could not be achieved by human means. I recognized this phenomenon. In fact, I saw it regrly.


    (It is the same as the Tenkyo-jin  a wave of power I had never felt in my past life. It was different from spiritual power, and it was scary.)


    The unknown sensation that I had faintly felt from the Tenkyo-jin now surged forth. Both had light as theirmon denominator, but the strength that rode on that light was different. It was like being touched by a rushing current of power that humans couldnt handle, and it was terrifying.


    This is undoubtedly the power of a Goddess.


    There is no other way to exin it.


    The frighteningly powerful waves of energy seemed to pass by while I maintained my posture of reverence.


    When I came back to my senses, everyone except for the priest and me had stood up.


    What on earth was that?


    Was that the miracle of Goddess Chioharu no Fuai?


    I had heard the rumors, but it seems they were true. Hmm, I see.


    How interesting. Truly interesting. Sora, did you remember that sensation just now?


    Except for my father, the other fathers all chimed in with their opinions.


    The children also started talking like their parents, and the room soon became noisy.


    The priest, who had slowly stood up, changed the situation.


    We have been blessed. For a while, this whole area will be a Holy Site equivalent to a ward. You have all received a small part of this blessing. When you are blessed with good fortune, do not forget to show your gratitude to Goddess Chioharu no Fuai.


    The fathers excitement could not be contained with a simple exnation, and they bombarded the priest with numerous questions.


    Eventually, I understood the answers that came back to me in my own way<ul><li>Originally, it was a ritual to set up a ward on the shrine grounds. It also has the effect of warding off bad luck for children.</li><li>Although it was a ritual that also used hair, it was not originally this powerful.</li><li>Rarely in history, there have been offerings returned by the gods. This is probably that.</li><li>Everyone should be honored to have received the blessing of the Goddess in the aftermath. Please keep your faith.</li><li>They cannot show the shrines records.</li><li>Its impossible to recreate it.</li><li>If they try to reveal any more of the mystery, they will anger the Goddess.</li></ul>


    The research-minded father was questioning and provoking the anger of the Shinto priest.


    There is a slight inkling in me about this miracle.


    However, that power did note from the spiritual gems.


    Perhaps, the Goddess who was satisfied with the spiritual gems essences provided us with this service.


    It takes a lot of work to make those.


    When you leave, we will give you amulets and thousand-year-old candies.


    Guided by the shrine maiden, we exited.


    The four parent-child pairs were happy to have received blessings for their Shichi-Go-San prayers.


    Kyobe-dono, please wait a moment.


    As we were about to leave the room, the priest called out to us.


    The room that had been a sea of light until just now was once again shrouded in darkness, and a suspicious atmosphere hung in the air.


    There is probably something other than the miracle from earlier.


    In addition to the atmosphere of the room, I was also nervous inside because I had a hunch of what was going on.


    Its the first miracle in about 300 years. That year, it seems that someone from the Kyobe family also came for Shichi-Go-San prayers Is the Kyobe family loved by the heavens?


    Wow, he is already probing. The Shinto priest is showing a calm face, but he is being very assertive.


    But seeing this kind of maneuvering firsthand makes me a little excited.


    I have not forgotten my gratitude towards Tomiku-sama for all her kindness. However, there is nothing that I am doing to receive her favor.


    I see Pleasee to visit us anytime for worship. We are looking forward to it.


    After that meaningful conversation, we finally left the Heiden.


    That was amazing.


    yeah.


    Perhaps he wanted to ask if I had done something, but I didnt know who was listening here.


    Lets talk about it after we get home.


    When we left the Heiden, Mother and Yuya greeted us.


    How was the prayer Hijiri, what happened to your bangs?


    Dad did it.


    Big brothers hair looks weird!


    Thats right, I wanted to talk to Dad about this matter too.


    I had forgotten about it for some reason, but I had to take amemorative photo at the Shrine with my bangs snapped, wearing a well-prepared kimono prepared by the photo studio.


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 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Since being invited to a tea party for the first time, Ive been visiting the Minamoto family every few months. Today, we are ying house in the familiar tatami room under Kana-chans leadership.


    Hijiri will y dad, and Shizuku-chan will be the older sister. Yuya will be the little brother, and Kaname will be a baby!


    Kana-chan was enthusiastically deciding our roles. Since shes the only girl when we are ying in our familys house, she seemed to be excited to y with other girls. Yuya asked who would y the role of a mother.


    Me, of course!


    After being invited by my mother, the Tonobe family started toe to the tea parties from the second time onwards. Since Hiroko-sanes, Kana-chan naturallyes along, and her younger brother, Kaname-kun, is brought along as well.


    Big sister, take this bottle.


    Baby doesnt talk, okay? Here.


    Its been two years since Kana-chan came to stay overnight at the Kyobe familys house. Kaname-kun, who was born as the eldest son of the Tonobe family, has grown up quickly and can now y the same games as us. Influenced by me or the mature Yuya and Kana-chan, hisnguage ability is growing significantly. His physical ability is also improving making him able keep up with ying with older kids. The Tonobe familys future is bright.


    Babu.


    At two years old, he has the intelligence not to disobey his older sistersmands. For now, hes obsessed with ying with toy cars, but in the future, he will be a good Onmyoji who would be able to build precise wards.


    I heard your dad cut your hair. Was it for the Shichi-Go-San festival?


    The hosts daughter, Minamoto Shizuku, spoke to me about my image change in her usual business-like tone.


    At first, she resisted, asking if there was any meaning to this game, but she lost to Kana-chans stubbornness.


    So, she reluctantly participated, and on the first day she was a bit awkward in her acting. However, she quickly adapted to the rules of ying house and became able to immerse herself in her role and have normal-sounding conversations.


    Oh, thats right, Shizuku-chan. My father your grandfather cut it all off.


    While ying with my now much shorter bangs, I answered her.


    Thanks to my mothers styling, it looked a lot better than a previous messy bob, but every morning when I washed my face, I felt a sense of strangeness at my unfamiliar appearance.


    Other than that, it wasnt a problem, and my mother smiled and said, This hairstyle is cute too, so I thought it was good. It would grow back soon anyway.


    I knew you offered your hair, but I didnt know they would cut it so short. By the way, I heard a rumor that your Goddess performed a miracle. Is it true?


    Its true. It happened while I was receiving a prayer.


    It seemed that Shizuku-san was more interested in the miracle than my bangs. She asked me about what kind of phenomenon urred, what kind of power I felt, and questioned me in detail.


    My father should have shown as much interest as her. After we got home, we talked for a while.


    What did you do?


    I infused spiritual power.


    I see.


    For some reason, my father was satisfied with just that.


    There were more things he should have asked his son, who possesses vast spiritual power.


    Are you also manipting spiritual power, Dad?


    Manipting?


    I was talking about the processed spiritual power, which Ive been calling spiritual elements on my own.


    I had been wondering if this was a universal concept in the world of Onmyouji, but had missed my chance to ask until now.


    This was a good opportunity to ask my father.


    But doesnt it separate when you try to move it?


    You mean forming a seal?


    No, not like that.


    Both of us had question marks floating above our heads.


    No matter how much I exined it, my father didnt understand. I also asked about mysterious creatures, but he didnt know anything about them either.


    In conclusion, it seemed that neither mysterious creatures nor refining spiritual power aremon.


    I had a feeling that they werent featured on the Onmyouji Channel, because they were maybe part of some familys secret art.


    Even my father, who knows a lot of secret arts, had no idea, so that probably isnt the case.


    I moved from my workroom to my bedroom and raised my fists in triumph.


    Yes! My own technique! Woohoo!


    Everyone should know how amazing this discovery was.


    The discovery of a new technique is something that evenrgepanies would invest huge amounts of money for.


    The refining techniques that I had honed during my childhood idle hours are priceless, and I was overjoyed by this fact.


    Even if the same thing existed in some other familys secret techniques, the usefulness of the spiritual essence that had saved me from danger would not be shaken. However, the advantage of knowing this technique only by myself was immeasurable.


    Thanks to the refining, the added value was so great that Goddess Chioharu no Fuai gave me a reward.


    I must continue to improve my skills and use them to further my reputation and, by extension, contribute to the development of the Kyobe family.


    While recalling the Shichi-Go-San day when I had thought about such things, I answered my current daughters question.


    Hey, isnt it about time for you to go to work? Dont just focus on our daughter, hurry up and get ready! Kana-chan ced her hands on her hips and spoke in a tone of exasperation, dissatisfied with my attention on Minamoto-san.


    From her excessively serious tone, it seemed that her Okasan and Otousan had been saying the same thing to each other every morning.


    Oh, is it that time already? Well then, my dear little princess, be a good girl, I said.


    Yes, Papa. Have a good day, she replied.


    We had repeated this exchange so many times that it had be a routine. With Kana-chans supervision, Momi-sans doting parent behavior had bemon knowledge among the children.


    Take care, Dad. Come on, you two, eat breakfast. Ah, Im so busy, said Hiroko-san.


    Kana-chan seemed to have observed Hiroko-sans housework habits quite closely.


    I moved a little away from everyone and started building and destroying blocks. ording to Kana-chan, this was my work.


    It seemed to be a reproduction of the process of building a ward, but it felt like the same madness as throwing rocks in a riverbed or digging a hole as a prisoner. Focusing on this task, which had no constructive purpose, was a waste of time.


    So, I focused inwardly on refining my spiritual power.


    Hmm, Ivepletely lost the clues for the seventh refinement. What should I do? I thought.


    I had been searching for the technique for the seventh refinement for several years. I had found the technique for the sixth refinement rtively easily, but I couldnt find it for the next stage.


    It was like a processing factory that used the spiritual power produced every day as raw material and processed it up to sixth stage but stopped there. It didnt feelplete yet, and I felt like there was still more toe


    The technique I had thought about before could indeed be it, but it didnt produce the changes I had expected.


    (When I refine it, I dont get that feeling of this is different from the spiritual elements so far! Am I doing something fundamentally wrong? It feels like going from seeing the light to being lost in the fog.)


    Since there was no point in worrying about it any further, I focused my consciousness on the mysterious space within my body and reviewed the factory line that was constantly in operation. There were various processes such as centrifugation and polishing involved in refining around here.


    Refining like this seems to be more efficient. Yeah, it feels good.


    By improving the work through a sensory process that cannot be put into words, the sixth refinement  the production of gem spiritual elements  is being made more efficient day by day.


    Even so, the amount of gem spiritual elements obtained from arge amount of spiritual power is minimal.


    For emergencies, I wanted to have more in stock.


    Father should being home soon. Lets call him on LI.E. Beep, beep, beep, beep.


    Oh, I am getting a call. I must have missed the scheduled time to return while I was spacing out.


    Yes, its Father.


    What time will you being home today? Im thinking of preparing a dinner soon.


    Ill be home soon.


    A three-second walk from work to home. A family-oriented father goes straight home without making any detours.


    Im home!


    Wee home, Father. Do you want to take a bath or do you want to eat dinner first?


    Ill clean up first.


    It is difficult for a six-year-old to understand being asked me? Maybe Momi-san was asked the same thing by Hiroko-san during their honeymoon. Thinking about acquaintances being lovey-dovey makes me uneasy.


    Mama, whats for dinner tonight?


    Were having curry tonight. Come on, big sister. Bring your little brothers here.


    Kana-chan answers while pretending to cook with a y-kitchen set. She naturally interacts with Minamoto-san, who is quite uniquepared to her kindergarten friends. Is this what they call a childs adaptability?


    But Mama, Yuya went to y at a friends house, and its difficult for me to carry a baby with my arms.


    Yuya had already started ying with a slightly separate group without us noticing. Is it going to be at the friends house ording to the y-house setting? Minamoto-san is good. She is fully immersed in her role.


    Hey, hasnt Yuyae back yet? Its already past 5 oclock.


    I admire the innocence of being able to date without caring about the constraints of adulthood such as social status, academic background, and economic power.


    I hope Kana-chan never forgets this feeling.


    Should we go get him?


    Wait, Minamoto-san.  Yuya said hes staying over at a friends house. Lets just have dinner now.


    If hes staying over, then theres nothing we can do! Ive prepared dinner, soe on, you guys prepare your drinks too.


    When Kana-chanes to y, she often stays overnight at the Kyobe house. Its not like we do anything special, but she is at an age where just staying over is exciting.


    So, if I say he is staying over, theyll understand.


    Yuya seems to have gotten bored with ying house, so lets let him y with his friends.


    Big brother, beep beep, its amazing!


    Wow, you have a cool one. Alright, lets move a little. There!


    I grab Kanames side and move closer to Kana-chan.


    Thanks to Body Strengthening, I can lift him up easily and safely invite even a two-year-old who is excited about floating experiences to the dinner table.


    ?


    What is it?


    Did something happen? Minamoto-san, who is sitting next to me in seiza, stares at me intently.


    To avoid being heard by Kana-chan, she whispers to me.


    Do you do muscle training at the Kyobe house?


    No, I dont.


    I see Im hungry. Is Papas sake okay with the curry?


    I dont think Japanese sake goes well with curry, does it?


    With just that question, Minamoto-san returned to role-ying.


    Was that a little too powerful?


    Maybe from someone elses perspective, so it wasnt abnormal for Minamoto-san to ask me that question.


    I always y high-high with Yuya and Kaname because they love it, but


    Im so used to Body Strengthening that I dont know whats normal for children anymore. Its okay because children are light, right?


    My self-reflection is interrupted by Kana-chans voice.


    Alright, dinners ready!


    Saying that, when I look at the served dishes, there is a real dorayaki on it.


    When I looked at her, she was cutting a toy carrot, so its a kind of alchemy.


    It must be the work of the servant who is making tea behind Kana-chan. Thank you very much.


    Itadakimasu


    Mmm, todays snack is also a luxury item.


    The delicate sweetness of the fluffy dough and the vor of the red bean spread throughout my mouth its delicious.


    As I enjoy the taste of the dorayaki, Kana-chans as a mother talks to Minamoto-sans who is in this case a daughter.


    Shizuku-chan, do you like dorayaki?


    Yes, I like it. Mom, you already knew that, right?


    Yes, I knew.


    Oh, Minamoto-san likes dorayaki, huh? I always thought she didnt like sweet things because her expressions dont change much.


    Come to think of it, weve never talked about personal topics before. Maybe its because of her business-like tone that reminds me of my past workce, we always end up talking about things rted to Onmyoji.


    Its hardly conversation children usually have.


    I wonder what our princess does in her spare time?


    Taking care of the baby!


    Ba-by.


    No, not Kana-chan.


    As for me Besides my lessons, I practice Onmyojutsu.


    Huh? And besides that? Do you have any hobbies or things you like?


    I dont dislike reading books, but I do it mainly for information gathering purposes So, what does Papa do?


    (I only practice Onmyojutsu. In my past life, I enjoyed ying mobile games, manga, and anime, but since I was reincarnated, Ive been thinking only about Onmyojutsu. For me, Onmyojutsu is not only a way of life, but also a bridge to the future, and a hobby.)


    Hmm, I have no right to be surprised by Minamoto-sans response.


    I only practice Onmyojutsu.


    I am sure you do. Otherwise, you wouldnt have acquired such skills.


    Dont just chat during your mealtime! Eat well, okay!


    Kana-chans as a mother scolded us. As someone who loves lively meals, I wanted to argue, but its not a good idea to do so with Kana-chan. Father and daughter know that very well.


    So, we quietly enjoyed our dorayaki.


    T/N  Dorayaki


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