Chapter 126: The Gathering
Chiyoda Ward.
The Four Seasons Hotel was one of the most famous five-star hotels in Japan.
Elegant, fashionable, and refined, it fused modern luxury with quiet traditional aesthetics. Its restaurants were overseen by chefs of the highest caliber, offering guests the kind of French cuisine that turned a meal into an experience.
Its location was just as exceptional.
Standing in Marunouchi, one of Tokyo's most valuable commercial districts, the hotel occupied a place often called "Little London." Since the Meiji era, brick buildings modeled after London's Lombard Street had stood in this area, giving it a distinct atmosphere that set it apart from the rest of the city. Nearby lay Ginza, the Imperial Palace, and direct access to the Tokyo Metro.
In the early morning, guests could jog along the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace, easing their bodies awake while taking in the quiet beauty of Tokyo before the city fully stirred.
To Chiyoda Ward, the Four Seasons Hotel was much like the Shibuya Building was to Shibuya Ward.
A landmark.
For many people, when they thought of Chiyoda, aside from the Imperial Palace, this famous hotel was the first image that came to mind.
And at this moment, on the top floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, inside a banquet hall designed with modern Asian aesthetics and filled with an atmosphere of nature and tranquility, Shinomiya Kaguya stood quietly near the center of the room.
"Miss, as you instructed, the entire venue has been reserved."
Hayasaka Ai, dressed in a suit, stood beside her and reported in a crisp voice.
"No one will disturb us for the whole day. The service staff and bartenders are waiting outside. Unless you give the order, they will not enter."
"Mhm."
Kaguya nodded.
"Ai, book me a presidential suite here for one month."
Hayasaka Ai was startled.
"Miss, you're not planning to return to Shinomiya Manor?"
"Ai."
Kaguya's voice was calm, but a shadow passed through her eyes.
"Do you think going back now would be any different from walking into a trap? Or perhaps a lamb entering a tiger's den, waiting for that Monster to slowly eat away at my sanity, just like Shinomiya Ōkō?"
A trace of gloom and helplessness crossed her face.
She had only just freed herself from Shuten-dōji's supernatural incident. Before she could even properly breathe, she had immediately run into something even stranger.
Her luck was truly remarkable.
"Miss Tomie is only a little willful," Ai said, slightly puzzled. "Other than that, she seems fine."
Her impression of Shinomiya Tomie was not bad.
The new adopted daughter recognized by Shinomiya Gan'an had never shown her open hostility the way she did toward Kaguya. Sometimes, Ai even felt an inexplicable urge to approach her.
"Fine? Only a little willful?"
Kaguya's lips curved into a cold smile.
"Ai, don't you find that strange?"
Ai paused.
"You've only met her a few times, yet you already have that kind of impression of her. Think carefully about everyone in Shinomiya Manor right now, including Father. Doesn't it seem abnormal that all of them have an almost possessed sense of possessiveness toward her?"
"Not really..."
The words had almost slipped from Ai's mouth by instinct.
Kaguya's expression turned colder.
"As expected. You've been affected too."
She took a divine talisman from her clothes and pressed it onto Ai's body.
"Exorcise."
The surface of the talisman glowed faint gold, then began to burn on its own.
In the next instant, vast divine power flowed through Hayasaka Ai's body.
The sensation was warm, pure, and almost unbearably comfortable, like returning to the origin of life itself. For a brief moment, she felt as if she had been wrapped in the safety of the womb. The comfort was so intense that a small, shameful sound escaped her before she could stop herself.
But the greatest change was not physical.
It was in her thoughts.
It was as though something dirty had been washed away.
The haziness clouding her mind vanished. Her thoughts became clear and broad, as if invisible chains had snapped apart. Even the world before her eyes seemed sharper.
Ai's face paled.
She understood.
She had been affected.
Without realizing it, without any reason at all, she had begun to feel drawn toward Shinomiya Tomie.
If Kaguya had not pointed it out, she might never have noticed the invisible change.
And now that she thought back on the increasingly blatant possessiveness and desire shown by everyone in Shinomiya Manor, a chill crawled across her skin.
"I still don't know exactly what that thing is," Kaguya said, "but she is absolutely not human. I'm not even sure she can be classified as a Yokai."
From the very beginning, Kaguya had sensed something strange and distorted from Tomie.
If she had not kept a divine talisman on her as a protective charm out of habit, she might have been charmed without knowing it, just like Ai.
"Then, Miss, should we ask an Onmyoji to handle this?"
Ai's voice became urgent.
Something non-human was lurking at Shinomiya Manor, and worse, it was beside the head of the Shinomiya Conglomerate.
Kaguya shook her head, her expression heavy.
"It's useless. During this time, I invited several Onmyoji from Supernatural Affairs Offices. None of them could resist the abnormal charm around Tomie."
Her eyes darkened.
"And I also met Shinomiya Ōkō one last time before he was expelled from Japan."
Ai held her breath.
"His sanity has already been completely devoured by Tomie. His entire mind is occupied by that Yokai. His eyes held nothing but intense possessiveness and a desire to dismember her."
Kaguya's voice lowered.
"Even when I used the same divine talisman I just used on you, it had no effect on him."
Ai's expression turned ugly.
"It seems that only those lightly affected by Tomie, like you, can still be restored by divine talismans."
Kaguya shook her head.
"As for the rest, like Father..."
She did not continue.
There was no need.
The current Shinomiya Manor had already become a terrifying demon's den.
If she had not escaped quickly with Hayasaka Ai, no one could say what the result would have been.
Especially Tomie's faint hatred and killing intent toward her.
That intermittent malice had kept Kaguya restless the entire time she remained at the manor.
Ai felt a surge of lingering fear.
Without Kaguya, she might already have begun walking into the abyss without noticing.
"Miss, if it really comes to it, we can go to Shibuya Ward and trouble Mr. Gin again," Ai said quickly. "Ordinary Onmyoji may not be able to deal with Tomie, but Mr. Gin definitely has a way."
The events at Shinomiya Manor were still vivid in her memory.
Gin Tsumugi had suppressed and killed three Great Yokai with thunderous methods. He had summoned the legendary Zenki and Goki, as well as Seiryu, one of the Twelve Divine Generals.
She had also heard Kaguya mention it.
Mr. Gin had already been confirmed as the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei, the Great Onmyoji from a thousand years ago.
With that confidence, Ai felt that as long as they could invite Gin Tsumugi again, the supernatural incident at Shinomiya Manor could be handled easily.
"Do you think I haven't considered that?"
Kaguya glanced at her.
"The Spiral Seal in Kyoto has been broken. The Onmyōdō world has issued a Level One alert. Not just Mr. Gin, but the Omnyo Agency, the Onmyo Alliance, the Onmyō Academy, various Supernatural Affairs Offices, and many Onmyoji families have all rushed to Kyoto to provide support."
Her tone became flat.
"If I could ask for help, I would have done it already."
"How unfortunate..."
Ai's face paled slightly.
That meant they would have to face the supernatural incident centered around Tomie on their own.
"Not necessarily."
Kaguya looked toward the closed doors of the banquet hall.
"Today's gathering may bring us some useful help."
"Help?"
Before Ai could ask further, the doors of the banquet hall opened.
Two beautiful figures walked in from outside.
One of them Ai recognized.
Isayama Yomi of the Super Disaster Countermeasure Office, who had helped with Kaguya's previous supernatural incident. She wore her usual black sailor uniform and carried a precious sword.
Ai had heard that Kaguya and Yomi were quite close. Friends, perhaps even best friends.
The other girl, however, was unfamiliar.
She was petite, with golden twin-tails that looked almost like a work of art. Her blonde hair shone brightly, her blue eyes were clear, and her skin was as white as porcelain.
"Long time no see, Kaguya."
The unfamiliar girl greeted her first.
"It has indeed been a long time, Eriri."
The girl before her was Sawamura Spencer Eriri.
She was of mixed heritage. Although her family could not compare to the Shinomiya Conglomerate, it still held considerable influence in Japan.
In the Supernatural Exchange Group, she used the name "Manga Master."
Kaguya had personally invited her into the group.
And today was the first offline gathering of that Supernatural Exchange Group.
"Ai, go outside and prepare for a bit."
"Yes, Miss."
Hayasaka Ai nodded and left the banquet hall.
After she was gone, Kaguya looked at the two newcomers and smiled.
"I didn't expect you two to arrive together. It seems I don't need to introduce you to each other."
Within the Supernatural Exchange Group, aside from Kaguya and Haruka Shizumiya, most of the members did not know one another in real life.
Eriri glanced at Yomi beside her.
"I didn't expect 'Bad Girl' to be such a valiant Onmyoji from the Super Disaster Countermeasure Office. She's excellent reference material."
"Don't."
Yomi cut her off immediately.
"I don't want to become your reference material."
On the way here, Yomi had already coaxed enough out of Eriri to know her identity.
A doujinshi artist.
Eri Kashiwagi-sensei.
Even Yomi, who was not especially familiar with the 2D world, had heard that famous name from others.
"What a pity," Eriri said regretfully. "If Yomi were willing, she would definitely make an excellent original character. She might even become popular overnight."
"No thanks. I have no intention of becoming popular, especially not in that way."
Yomi rolled her eyes.
At that moment, another voice came from the doorway.
"It seems we're not too late."
Two more girls entered the banquet hall.
The one on the left wore a dark brown school uniform. A slender braided ponytail was tied behind her chestnut-colored hair, forming a soft curve. Her fair oval face was beautiful, her brown eyes bright like gemstones, and her thin lips carried a faint peach-pink hue.
The words had come from her mouth.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Yuuki Asuna. In the Supernatural Exchange Group, I'm 'Sword Dancing Maiden.'"
The girl beside her introduced herself next.
"I am Yukinoshita Yukino. 'Loves Cats the Most.'"
Her tone was calm and cool.
She wore a school uniform similar in style to Asuna's. Her long legs were wrapped in black stockings with white trim. Her features were delicate, her skin fair and translucent, her lips pale pink and perfectly shaped. Black hair fell past her shoulders, framing a face beautiful enough to seem unreal, while ice-blue eyes gave her an air of quiet distance.
Every gesture carried the elegance of an honor student and the restraint of a young lady from a prestigious family.
At least, on the surface.
The impression she gave was similar to Kaguya's.
Cold, distant, and difficult to approach.
"The Yukinoshita family and the Yuuki family, huh," Eriri said.
The Yukinoshita family could be considered prominent in the Tokyo area, roughly similar in status to her own family.
But the Yuuki family was different.
That was a giant capable of standing alongside the Shinomiya Conglomerate.
Eriri had not expected "Sword Dancing Maiden," who rarely spoke in the group, to actually be the eldest daughter of the Yuuki family.
"I'm Sawamura Spencer Eriri. Just call me Eriri. In the group, I'm 'Manga Master.'"
"Isayama Yomi," Yomi said. "I'm 'Bad Girl.'"
After the introductions, Asuna looked around.
"Except for the leader, only 'Painter,' 'Shiro no Arashiha,' and 'Water Lily' haven't arrived yet."
Five of the nine members of the Supernatural Exchange Group had already arrived.
More than half.
"There's no need to wait for 'Water Lily' or 'Shiro no Arashiha,'" Kaguya said. "They're currently in Kyoto. I believe all of you have heard about the Spiral Seal being destroyed."
Asuna, Yomi, and the others nodded.
The Onmyōdō Level One alert this time was different from the Mount Fuji Incident. It did not need to be hidden to the same degree, so the entire Onmyōdō world had already received the news. Naturally, it had also reached their ears.
"As for 'Painter,' she is a little special," Kaguya continued. "She went to Kyoto alone and won't be coming."
"Is 'Painter' also an Onmyoji?" Yomi asked. "Did she go to support Kyoto?"
The Super Disaster Countermeasure Office had also sent people to Kyoto.
Unfortunately, although Yomi had Professional Level strength, she was still considered too weak overall and had not been placed on the reinforcement list.
She understood why.
But after witnessing the battle at Shinomiya Manor, that understanding did little to ease the frustration in her heart.
"I'm not sure," Kaguya said with a helpless shrug. "You all know 'Painter' has always been famously quiet in the group. She only told me she was going to Kyoto. That was all."
"That does sound like her..."
The others expressed agreement.
"Painter" truly was like that. The total number of words she had spoken in the Supernatural Exchange Group could probably be counted on one hand.
"As for whether she is an Onmyoji, I don't know either," Kaguya said. "After all, she was invited into the group by the leader."
"Her name is Shiina Mashiro. She is a world-class genius painter."
A voice came from the doorway.
"Although she is not an Onmyoji, she is an existence no Great Yokai can afford to underestimate."
Haruka Shizumiya appeared at the entrance.
She looked at the girls in the banquet hall and smiled.
"Hello, everyone. I am Haruka Shizumiya, the leader of the Supernatural Exchange Group."
Her smile was gentle, but her presence made the air shift in a way none of them could ignore.
"Please treat me well."