[Part 1/4]
"That's reckless! By yourself!?"
The soldiers recognized her well, especially since she was beautiful.
She was on a long journey.
Standing against the attacking monsters, tearing them apart was truly a legendary scene.
For her, it was just work, but she was good at it.
Everyone trusted her.
That's why they were shocked to see her leave the fort alone.
"3rd Seat-dono! The enemy is those Kappa! It's dangerous!!"
"Get back!!"
The soldiers had training before.
They knew spiritual art doesn't work on them, and their fluids are dangerous.
And there were so many of them!
It seemed like a bad fight for the exorcists with their spears.
'Kiki!!?'
'Kikikikikiki!!'
The Kappa were getting closer while the soldiers were told to retreat.
The soldiers looked to their leader, but there was no order to fire.
They weren't dumb enough to disobey.
They were anxious, but they just got ready.
With each passing moment, the Kappa drew nearer.
The Kappa ignored the fort and rushed towards the woman.
They attacked like crazy, roaring.
It was like bees to a flower.
The first Kappa was only ten steps away.
Then... the front line was cut down.
"!!"
"What happened!?"
The soldiers were speechless.
She swung her spear.
Dozens of monsters were torn apart without being touched.
It seemed impossible.
It seemed like spiritual art.
But that shouldn't work on Kappa...?
"As expected of the 'Spear Saint'."
"To do that with just wind pressure..."
"Unbelievable..."
The exorcists in the fort understood it wasn't a special power or spiritual art, but just skill.
Her body was super strong, and she swung her spear with that strength.
The pressure pushed away became a weapon and tore the monsters apart.
That's all.
Of course, it was crazy even for exorcists.
Aioi Sakurakuhime, of the head of the Aioi family.
She is the 3rd Seat of the Seven Demon-Sealing Warriors, 'Spear Saint', and she has reached the limit of spear techniques.
"Everyone, fire!!"
The 3rd seat just ripped apart the Kappa with her spear, not even touching them.
Everyone was shocked, but then they got an order from behind.
The soldiers quickly started shooting and firing arrows.
And then they were even more amazed.
The spear woman had used a sweet, strong scent to lure the Kappa to her.
The monsters charged, forgetting everything, and arrows and bullets rained down on them.
But the woman danced through the rain of attacks, not caring who they hit.
The monsters around her kept falling.
But the woman didn't seem to get hurt at all.
Not even the dirty blood touched her.
She moved lightly, like a dance, like a flowing stream, and killed the monsters one-sidedly.
The Kappa were annoying, and they couldn't be allowed to escape.
So, a decoy to lure them was needed.
The Seven Demon-Sealing Warriors' 3rd seat bravely took on this dangerous job.
All the soldiers and generals were fascinated and respected her.
Except for one person.
"Ugh, she's such a loser for taking that job."
The 4th seat took a swig of sake, and from his special seat on a high watchtower, he watched her dance and said it.
It was a great show, but it wasn't as fun with everyone watching.
A beautiful woman's dance should be enjoyed alone, in a special place.
"..."
"Keke. Want a drink?"
"No, I'm good, thanks."
During the battle, no one looks kindly at those who talk freely from a safe spot.
The soldiers on the watchtower give cold glares, and the 4th seat is teased and turned down.
The reaction was expected.
He chuckles softly, stands up, and cracks his shoulders.
"Well then. It's a bit uncomfortable, so I guess I should get to work?"
Suddenly, the back of the fortress explodes.
A roar echoes.
The soldiers are shaken by the sudden event.
"Ah, don't worry about it! I'm just getting rid of some bad guys, okay? You all focus on supporting the third seat in front!"
While sipping his drink, the 4th seat declares to the soldiers on the watchtower and as he walks down to patrol the fortress.
He turns his attention to the Kappa in front, while a group of great youkai sneaks up from behind.
They are the ones he commands.
In fact, they are easier for his servants to handle than the Kappa.
The monsters scream.
They are mercilessly slaughtered by his servants.
Their level of existence was different.
It wasn't even a contest.
Boom!
Flames rise.
In the land filled with dust and flickering flames, 2 giant shadows appear... The 4th seat of the Seven Demon-Sealing Warriors is a human by birth, and this position is inherited by his family.
The pact he made ensures his position through his servants.
"You sure are making a big mess again. You've got a lot of pent-up energy, huh?"
Thoughts on the wild ones burning the land, devouring flesh, and spilling guts.
In the city, they were quite restricted.
There were few chances to rampage, and even when they came, they had to hold back for fear of damage.
That's why they must have been so pent up.
They were having quite the fun.
"An attack from behind... I thought so."
As he sips his drink, enjoying the chaos caused by his servants, the shogun approaches and calls out to him.
The 4th seat, a bit tipsy, responds with a hiccup.
"Yeah. The Kappa do have some social skills, but they aren't clever enough to handle multiple great youkai. Someone must be pulling the strings."
"We've also received reports of strange movements from the Ezo. What do you think?"
"Keke. That's out of the question, right? They don't have the power to prepare something like this."
They're just a bunch of wild folks.
There's no way they can match the imperial court's power.
Raising Kappas like this, or keeping so many great youkai, just won't work.
If their movements seem strange, it's just because they're being treated like pieces on a board.
"I agree with the Minister of the Right. Sharp observation."
"Still, we can't just leave it be, so here we are. We're just playing into the hands of those plotting."
Fusō-kuni has expanded since long ago.
That means the area they need to protect has also grown.
If they send troops from the central region to defend the borders, coming back will take longer based on how much territory has grown...
"That's why you were appointed, right? You alone can rush back to the capital in no time."
"I wish I could avoid it."
The 4th Seat took another swig of wine.
The Kappa displaying themselves in front were nearing a thousand.
He looked back at the wasteland behind him.
Here, there were only a few monsters left.
"The opening act... yes, the opening act."
The 4th Seat chewed on that word from the military meeting, seeming bothered.
Someone was probably preparing to hold them back or take them down.
"Really, I wish this was all over."
Facing the tough road ahead, the exorcism expert chugged the remaining contents of the bottle to escape reality...
Suzune, a maid from the Hotoya family, was heavy with gloom.
She couldn't sort out her feelings.
Almost a month had passed since the commotion at the Juuyaku family, yet nothing changed.
Inside her, guilt and doubt swirled.
Of course, she worried about the safety of her missing benefactor.
Every day, she prayed to the gods for his well-being.
The more she wished, the more she understood the reality.
Acceptance was slowly replacing hope, but she couldn't deny it.
She also worried about her princess, her master.
Her lord, likely suffering from similar guilt, seemed to throw herself into duties and training like it was a mask.
Sometimes, she gave off a vibe that made her hard to approach.
The princess, in fact, seemed to distance herself from Suzune.
Probably to protect her from the dangers of feeling helpless...
Both things squeezed Suzune's chest, but... the self-hatred she felt was a personal doubt that twisted her heart.
"Why...?"
The return to the Juuyaku family land began with the mystery of a group losing their memories.
It came back after a strong tremor in the mountains, but while everyone else's memories suddenly returned, she was different.
Because of her personal doubts... she kept this secret, telling no one.
Hiding even her own heart's lies.
However, the fear she locked inside seemed to grow bigger every day.
Why is that?
Why... did she lose her memories of her important family, just like about him?
Why did the memories of her important family return with him?
Even when she asked others casually, she heard no similar stories.
It made no sense.
Why was this happening only to her?
Could it be...?
(No, there's no way I'm special...)
She shook off the silly thought that popped into her head.
There were others who were exceptions too.
Her half-youkai friend and the blind girl... they were different from her, but they were definitely exceptions.
So, it wasn't impossible for someone like her to be in the same situation.
That's right.
There's no way that could be true.
That person couldn't possibly be her brother...
"...Suzune? Are you really okay?"
"Huh...? Y-yes. I'm fine."
At the call from beside her, Suzune snapped back to reality.
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