The next morning.
Kazama Aoi, cradling the potted plant, knocked on Gyomei Himejima's door. It was opened by a youth with a distinctive mohawk, his facial features bearing a striking resemblance to Sanemi.
"Hello. Is Himejima-san in?" Aoi asked politely.
"Master is meditating. What do you want?" Genya Shinazugawa looked at her with a hint of wariness.
"My name is Kazama Aoi. I've been entrusted by someone to deliver something to Himejima-san," she replied, meeting his gaze with total sincerity.
Genya froze. It was the first time a girl had ever looked at him with such earnest, focused intensity. That pure gaze made him feel an unprecedented sense of bashfulness.
"Why... why are you staring at me?" He instinctively took a half-step back. His cheeks began to burn uncontrollably, and even his voice carried a faint, telltale stutter.
His attempt to look fierce only made him seem adorable in Aoi's eyes. She couldn't help but think: He really is Shinazugawa-san's brother. Even the way they get embarrassed is identical.
"Genya, do we have a guest?" Gyomei's voice drifted from the inner room.
Hearing his master's voice, Genya seemed to find his footing, instantly snapping out of his awkwardness. He took a deep breath and answered respectfully, "Yes, Master. A corps member named Kazama Aoi is here. She says she has something to give you."
As he spoke, he stepped aside, allowing Aoi to enter.
Aoi clutched the wooden pot and walked in cautiously. In the center of the room, Gyomei Himejima sat cross-legged on a cushion, hands pressed together as he softly chanted a sutra. He was like a mountain; even in total stillness, he exuded an awe-inspiring presence.
At the sound of her movement, he slowly opened his sightless eyes and turned toward the door. He tilted his head slightly as if perceiving something. His senses of smell and hearing were preternaturally sharp.
Almost immediately, he caught the curious scent—that blend of fresh greenery and... the echo of children's laughter.
The moment that fragrance hit him, Gyomei's normally unshakable frame went rigid. His expression froze.
That scent...
That scent...
It was exactly... exactly like the smell of the children he used to hold in his arms at the temple many years ago. It was warm, pure, and filled with sunlight and joy.
Is this an illusion?Or... have I longed for them so much that I am hallucinating?
Tears began to trace slow paths down from his sightless eyes.
Watching his reaction, Aoi felt a mix of nerves and anticipation. She knew the critical moment had arrived. Without saying a word, she carried the plant—imbued with the children's hearts—and walked step by step toward him.
She placed the wooden pot gently on the low table in front of him.
As the plant drew near, the golden light shimmering within its leaves grew softer, and the warmth it radiated became more intense.
"Himejima-san," Aoi spoke softly, her voice filled with reverence. "This was entrusted to me by some people who couldn't come in person. They said they have many things they want to tell you."
Gyomei didn't answer immediately. He simply "stared" ahead, seemingly trying to decipher the source of the aura. After a long silence, he slowly reached out. His massive, scarred, and calloused hands trembled as they lightly brushed against the shimmering leaves.
The moment his fingertips made contact—
"Himejima-san, we miss you so much!"
"You aren't a murderer; you're our hero!"
"Please stop crying. We want you to be happy!"
Countless clear, loving voices of children rang directly in Gyomei's mind, as if the barrier of time and space had been stripped away. They were the voices he knew best, the voices he missed most. Every child was there!
Scalding tears poured from his empty eyes like beads from a broken string.
"It's you... it really is you..." he choked out, his voice so hoarse it was nearly a whisper. "I... I thought I would never hear your voices again..."
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I failed to protect you..."
"That's not true, Himejima-san!" a child's voice protested in his mind. "You protected us! You're our hero! We've been watching you all this time—watching you work so hard to slay demons. We're so proud of you!"
"We don't blame you. Truly, we don't!"
"We just... miss you very much..."
"Please don't cry for us anymore..."
"Will you... will you smile for us? Just once?"
"...Smile..." Gyomei was stunned.
How long had it been since he had smiled? It had been so long he had almost forgotten what it felt like. He clutched the plant, feeling the torrent of loving voices and the warm aura that felt like a collective embrace from the children.
The iceberg in his heart, built from endless grief and self-reproach, was being carved away bit by bit by this warm flood of light.
After a long, long time, his sobbing finally subsided.
He continued to hold the plant, his body still trembling slightly, but a newfound light of relief and peace shone in his sightless eyes. He slowly raised his head toward Aoi and asked in a tone bordering on the sacred, "Child... tell me. Is all of this... real?"
"Yes, Himejima-san," she whispered. "They... have been by your side all along."
Aoi looked at the spirits of the children gathered around Gyomei, all of them wearing brilliant smiles.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing the Hidden Mission: [Echoes of the Departed].]
[Reward: Mystery Blind Box (x1) has been issued to the System Inventory.]
[Congratulations, Host! By soothing a powerful soul through unique means, you have unlocked a new ability: [Purification Aura (Basic)].]
[Purification Aura (Basic)]: Passive Skill. Your body emits a faint aura that soothes the heart and disperses negative emotions. Highly effective on spirits and those with lower mental fortitude.]
Aoi didn't linger. She knew that Gyomei Himejima needed to be alone with his "children" right now. She gave him a small bow and signaled to Genya at the door with her eyes before quietly slipping out, closing the door behind her.
Outside, the morning sun filtered through the gaps in the bamboo grove, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
As Genya watched the girl standing in the sunlight, his heart skipped a beat. Once again, his cheeks burned uncontrollably, and that annoying, familiar heat spread from his neck to the tips of his ears. He instinctively looked away, not daring to meet her eyes.
Aoi, seeing his reaction, felt a sudden urge to tease him. She intentionally lightened her footsteps and circled around to stand directly in front of him, blocking his attempt to hide.
"Genya-san," she tilted her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Why are you looking everywhere except at me?"