Chapter 168-4

Chapter 168-4

[Part 4/4]

Shiro's expression is hard to read in response to my grumbling complaint. Perhaps she can't openly agree from her position.

(Gorilla... what is Aoi thinking?)

I think back to the figure of the drenched woman clinging to my feet. It's obvious that I don't approve of this situation... or maybe not, considering the original story?

(Is my perception off? Do we have different values?)

I thought she had mellowed out compared to the original story, but seeing her like this, maybe it's just a difference in perspective. Am I only seeing the surface? Or is this just a natural reaction from someone who is much more immersed in the norms of this world than I am... No, that's not it. People's hearts are not something I can understand. I need to ask her directly to get anywhere.

"May I touch you a little?"

"Eh? Huh!? Eek!? Ahh!?"

I dismounted from the black horse and touched Shiro's body, who was confused. To be precise, I touched her tail, her white uniform, and her wrist near her neck. The white fox trembled.

"You are sealed, aren't you? There's no leakage... is there?"

There were countless seals on her collar, bracelets, and under her white uniform, and a chain around the base of her tail. These were things that hindered the youkai energy of a half-youkai and prevented them from using youkai techniques.

With a few exceptions, half-youkais need similar measures to enter the city, and even more stringent measures are required to enter the Inner Palace. I am rechecking these things to be wary of any kind of conspiracy by the couple. It would be troublesome if a defective product was mixed in and restrained during the check.

"Eek, nn... nn!? Ugh!"

"Are you ticklish? Bear with it. Okay, this should be good."

I coaxed Shiro, who had a voice that was both playful and alluring, and I checked and rechecked her thoroughly before releasing her. The half-youkai fox girl glared at me with slightly tearful eyes.

"Tomobe-san...!"

"Sorry. But... I regret getting you involved in this mess."

"Geez... that's a cheap way to put it!"

Shiro complained in response to my reply. This girl is really starting to talk back.

"I'll buy you something later, so forgive me?"

"You don't even know how much trouble I went through...!"

"...I can imagine."

I couldn't help but look away as I responded. I could sense the burden that had fallen on her to handle the conversation with Aoi of my absence. I understood, but still...

"I'm doing fine right now. So, what about you?"

"Northern region exorcists Onitsuki family Household Member Coordinator servant, pseudonym Tomobe. Requested to attend, I have arrived here with one attendant as a representative of the main house."

I recited my position and bowed my head, waiting for a response. Only the sound of a brush writing echoed in the room... Finally, the answer came.

"Very well. Raise your head."

In response, I raised my head, and Shiro also raised his head from the sound behind me. I saw the figure ahead of me.

A black-based yin-yang outfit, a veil hiding his mouth. Sharp eyes. A young voice... I knew him. I knew him even though we had never met before.

The current Omnyouji Bureau head, Kirisou Gensei... This sub-character, who also appears in the original work "Firefly of the Dark Night (Yamiyo no Hotaru)," is, in a word, a character who dies early in the story.

It's not that he's weak. However, it's because he's always killed off in a very easy way, either because his opponent is bad or because he's defeated by a cheap meta tactic. For a long time, he was treated as the "Bureau Head Who Dies Early" in the community, often paired with Murasaki or the nameless Onitsuki exorcists (probably Onitsuki Touya). However, he was given a lot of attention in the Darth Tamaki route. Wasn't there a story that he was one step away from ruining the Youkai Salvation Organization's plan?

"...Is there something wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"...No, I am truly overwhelmed to be able to have an audience with the Omnyouji Bureau head."

I pretended to be calm and made excuses, noticing the gaze from over my mask. As expected, he's sharp.

"You don't need to flatter me, Onitsuki representative. I understand that you're wary. It's only natural to be wary. Otherwise, you would have objected to the Household Member Coordinator."

The Omnyouji Bureau head finished writing something on the document in front of him and put down his brush. He stopped his work and looked at me.

"Being summoned by name. And the assistant is a half-youkai. A fox youkai at that. It's only natural to feel like this is contrived. ...Hmm. It seems unlikely that I'll be easily framed this way."

"B-Bureau Head..?"

I was shaken by his overly blunt words. Shiro, who was behind me, was probably feeling the same way.

"Don't worry about it. This room is warded, so it's soundproof. We also thoroughly checked for the possibility of eavesdropping beforehand. ...I've removed the surrounding formulas, but you shouldn't complain, right? I wouldn't allow hidden formulas in my office."

"Bureau Head? What are you talking about...?"

What kind of conversation is this? What is this conversation for?

"Gensei, explain things in a more step-by-step manner. He must be confused, right? Don't make him unnecessarily anxious."

I turned around at the sound of the naturally raspy voice, and naturally, that woman was there. I knew the name of the person who was patting Shiro's head, who looked startled.

"That being said, I'm surprised you haven't come to greet me yet after all this time. Have you grown arrogant with your newfound power? Fellow Onitsuki?"

The old-looking Tanuki woman declared, fixing her eyes on me.

Azuma Hibari, the former head of the Omnyouji Bureau, was gleefully accusing me....