Chapter 36: Shinomiya Kaguya's Predicament
The discussion inside the [Supernatural Exchange Group] did not die down for a long time.
After the Group Leader finished recounting the Wedding Dress Tree incident, the chat fell into a brief silence, as if everyone on the other end of the screen needed a moment to digest it all.
From the first appearance of the wishing tree at Houjou University Attached High School, to the string of sudden student suicides, to the Onmyo Agency uprooting it, to Kuda Mai of Class 2-D, to the White Fox Office's investigation, to the Ghost Domain hidden beneath it, and finally to Mingao Village's thousand year old custom and the birth of the Wedding Dress Tree itself...
The whole matter had been laid out piece by piece, frighteningly complete.
It was detailed enough that it almost sounded as if the Group Leader had stood there and witnessed everything in person.
[Group Leader: That is the rough outline of the Wedding Dress Tree incident.]
Silence followed again.
Then, at last, new messages began to appear.
[Bad Girl: So that guy's gotten this strong already. He can even kill a monster capable of weaving a Ghost Domain.]
In a neat, minimalist bedroom somewhere in Tokyo, a black haired girl stared at her phone and ground her teeth in frustration.
Every single time she thought she was about to catch up, news would arrive that he had pulled even farther ahead.
It was enough to make anyone furious.
[Four Leaf Clover: When White Fox Gin Tsumugi underwent his strength assessment at Onmyo Division Headquarters not long ago, he had already reached Professional Rank Nine. But looking at this battle record now, his actual combat ability is probably beyond even that. To independently eliminate a monster capable of constructing a Ghost Domain means his true fighting strength is almost certainly higher than what is written on his onmyoji certificate.]
[Four Leaf Clover: Furthermore, Divine Eye of the Twelve Divine Generals publicly stated that he has a real chance of stepping into the national class within three years.]
[Manga Master: That amazing? A national class onmyoji?]
[Manga Master: If he really reaches that level in three years, then apart from Dairenji Suzuka, wouldn't White Fox Gin Tsumugi become the youngest national class onmyoji too?]
[Water Lily: He really isn't simple. Fuko was lucky to run into Gin Tsumugi last time.]
[Wind Leaf: Yes. That's true.]
Far away in Kyoto, Kurazaki Fuko looked down at the messages on her screen, her expression softening slightly.
Just seeing Gin Tsumugi's name again stirred up a complicated wave of gratitude in her heart.
If not for him, she did not even want to imagine how that day would have ended.
At the same time, another face rose in her thoughts.
Kasugano Sora.
She wondered how her cousin was doing now.
"Maybe I should go to Shibuya and see for myself."
Fuko murmured under her breath, then sighed.
"Grandmother's condition probably still needs Sora more than anyone..."
Thinking of that only made her more helpless.
Her father had tried so hard to hide the truth, only for Grandmother to see straight through him almost immediately. His acting truly had been awful.
Meanwhile, in the Shinomiya estate in Minato Ward...
"White Fox Gin Tsumugi..."
In her room, Shinomiya Kaguya quietly repeated the name to herself.
Her assessment of him had risen yet again.
He was no longer just a promising newcomer in the world of Onmyodo in her eyes. No, after what happened at Houjou University Attached High School, she could no longer afford to view him that lightly.
Suddenly, a sharp burning sensation flared from her arm.
Kaguya frowned.
"It's starting again."
On her smooth, porcelain white arm, the brand of the red demon head had grown more vivid. The mark almost seemed alive, its outline deepening little by little, as if something beneath the skin were stirring awake.
A cold light passed through Kaguya's eyes.
"There really isn't much time left."
Ever since she had rejected the "refuge plan" her family arranged, the mark left on her by that Yokai had clearly changed. It no longer lay dormant. It had begun to throb, to heat, to pulse with a malicious intent that even an ordinary onmyoji would immediately recognize as a hunting mark.
A sign.
A notice.
A declaration that she had already been chosen as its next meal.
"I was careless."
Kaguya lowered her eyes and looked at the brand, her expression turning unpleasant.
"I underestimated it."
Only now, after calming down and looking back over everything, did she fully realize what had happened.
That Yokai had never simply cornered her with brute force.
It had been more insidious than that.
It had used her pride.
Her stubbornness.
Her refusal to lose.
Her hatred of being trapped.
Her desperation to break free.
Bit by bit, it had pushed at every flaw in her nature until she walked exactly where it wanted her to walk.
When she thought of that, Kaguya's fingers curled unconsciously.
Not long ago, she had sent Hayasaka Ai to the Onmyo Agency, the Onmyo Alliance, the Onmyo Academy, and several major Supernatural Affairs Offices with invitations. She had intended to gather enough powerful onmyoji to fight back on the day she was supposed to be devoured.
To make that happen, she had even been prepared to pay a price large enough to shake her own standing as heir to the Shinomiya Group.
And yet...
The result had been miserable.
Very few of the people she invited had agreed to come.
Most of those who did respond positively were independent onmyoji from private offices. The larger institutions, the ones she had truly hoped to rely on, almost all declined.
Later, after digging into it through private channels, she finally learned the truth.
Something major had happened on Honshu.
A large scale emergency.
Nearly seventy percent of Japan's upper level onmyoji had already been deployed there.
That news had hit her like a hammer.
And almost immediately after learning it, she realized something worse.
That Yokai had probably known.
Known before she did.
Which meant this entire situation, her mounting desperation, her increasingly reckless behavior, her frantic attempt to gather strength at the last moment, had likely all been anticipated from the start.
She had not been resisting the trap.
She had been walking deeper into it.
"Damn it..."
Kaguya bit the words out through clenched teeth.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
She glanced at the screen.
A private message from the [Supernatural Exchange Group].
From the Group Leader.
[Group Leader: Kaguya, have you thought again about the proposal I gave you before?]
[Group Leader: Maybe in your eyes, clinging to life like that is humiliating. But it would at least keep you alive for now.]
A cold, mocking smile touched Kaguya's lips.
She knew perfectly well what the man on the other end wanted.
[Four Leaf Clover: Keep me alive?]
[Four Leaf Clover: In the end, I'd just become a vessel like you. Or a substitute to help shoulder your burden.]
There was a pause before the reply came.
[Group Leader: I won't deny that I have my own reasons.]
[Group Leader: But don't think of it so absolutely. With the current crisis on Honshu, the number of people you can still call on is already pitifully small.]
Kaguya's gaze turned colder.
[Four Leaf Clover: Even so, I refuse.]
A longer pause this time.
Then another message appeared.
[Group Leader: ...Sigh.]
[Group Leader: For the sake of our childhood friendship, let me at least give you one piece of advice.]
[Group Leader: Go to White Fox Gin Tsumugi.]
Kaguya's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Group Leader continued.
[Group Leader: If anyone can still give you a chance to survive, it might be him.]
[Group Leader: I hope I'll still see you at next month's gathering.]
Kaguya looked at the message for a few seconds before typing back.
[Four Leaf Clover: Same to you.]
She set the phone down.
Then she rested her chin lightly on one hand and fell into thought.
In truth, she had already been considering Gin Tsumugi even before this.
But hearing the Group Leader bring him up so directly only deepened her curiosity.
Could Gin Tsumugi truly contend with the existence that had marked her?
That thing was no ordinary Yokai. It was a genuine Great Yokai.
Unless...
Unless the real issue was not simply Gin Tsumugi's strength.
Unless there was something else special about him.
"Kaguya?"
A quiet voice came from outside.
Hayasaka Ai had already been waiting by the door.
Kaguya lifted her head.
"Ai."
The door opened, and Hayasaka entered with her usual perfect posture.
"Is there something you need, Eldest Miss?"
Kaguya's expression had already returned to its usual cold composure.
"Cancel all my appointments for the next few days."
Hayasaka blinked.
"Tomorrow, you're coming with me to Shibuya."
This time, Kaguya had no intention of sending someone else in her place.
If she wanted White Fox Gin Tsumugi's help, then she would go ask for it herself.
Hayasaka hesitated.
"I'm afraid that may be difficult, Eldest Miss."
Kaguya's gaze shifted toward her.
Hayasaka lowered her head slightly and answered carefully, "You have several extremely important meetings scheduled tomorrow and the day after. None of them can be postponed without consequences."
Kaguya's brows drew together.
Only then did she remember.
The next two days truly were packed with meetings that mattered. Not trivial social engagements, but matters directly tied to the group and to her own position within it.
Still...
That only made her expression turn colder.
"Cancel them anyway."
Hayasaka stiffened faintly.
"Eldest Miss..."
Kaguya stood and turned toward the window, her voice calm, but carrying a force that left no room for argument.
"I'll take responsibility for whatever follows."
.....
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