After calming Aya-chan down, we finally left the mountain.
That said, we didn't just leave without making sure everything was in order. We thoroughly investigated the area to confirm that there were no other monsters performing Concealment. If we had missed any, it could have been disastrous.
Fortunately, after a thorough search, we found no other monsters.
By the time we reached home, it was nearly dawn. Aya-chan was fast asleep, and I was battling intense sleepiness on the way back.
Even though I kept dozing off repeatedly, both my father and Renji-san told me I could sleep, but strangely, I couldn't. I was exhausted, yet my mind was oddly sharp, replaying the battle in my head every time I closed my eyes.
The opponent was strong—far stronger than anything I had faced before.
I won't say it was a miracle or luck that I managed to win. That victory was undoubtedly due to my own skill, but it was not without its challenges. The opponent wasn't someone to be taken lightly, and the memory of surviving such a dangerous encounter was seared into my brain, refusing to let me rest.
However, it wasn't that I wanted to bask in the afterglow of victory. Quite the opposite. I spent the car ride home having a solo reflection session.
Looking back, there were a lot of things I could have done better in that fight.
For example, if the fight had turned into close combat, I would have been in serious danger. If the opponent had possessed True Sight and noticed my attacks, things could have gone very differently. And if the acorn bombs had been more indiscriminate in their range, I might not have survived at all.
The list of things to reflect on just kept growing and growing.
When I think back on it, I really did push myself too far, even if it was to save Aya-chan.
"Itsuki, are you awake?"
"...Yeah. What is it, Dad?"
"We've arrived home."
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and looked around. We were at the front gate. It seemed that Renji-san had kindly driven us all the way home.
"Itsuki-kun, you did well today. Make sure to rest properly tomorrow."
"Yeah. Thanks for driving us home, Renji-san."
"Don't mention it. Thank you for protecting Aya. Let's practice magic together again sometime," he said with a smile.
With that promise, I got out of the car. Aya-chan, unlike me, was still completely out cold.
After seeing them off, my father and I passed through the gate and entered our home. The house was dark and quiet, and I could tell that my mother and Hina were already asleep.
As I rubbed my tired eyes, regretting not having slept earlier, my father quietly asked, "You couldn't sleep, Itsuki?"
"...Yeah, my mind was just too awake."
"I see. It was your first real fight. How about I sing you a lullaby?"
"Uh, no thanks..."
I didn't point out that my dad's singing was terrible... But I did have fond memories of being sung to as a baby and crying because of it. I learned that when someone is so out of tune, it crosses the line from funny to unsettling. That was a lesson I didn't need to learn.
When I declined, my father gently placed his hand on my head and softly patted it. "You did really well, Itsuki," he said warmly.
"Dad?" I looked up at him, surprised by the sudden praise.
"You exorcised a Rank Five monster, something even veteran exorcists struggle with. Not only that, but you also used your magic to lure it away, sacrificing yourself to protect innocent people," he continued, his voice filled with pride.
Hearing my father's praise, I nodded quietly.
But we don't have Wi-Fi at home...
Yes, shockingly, the Kisaragi household doesn't have Wi-Fi. Maybe it's because it's an old house, or because we're exorcists, but for whatever reason, there's no Wi-Fi.
So what do my parents do, you ask? Both of them have carrier contracts to access the internet. Even more surprisingly, neither of them watches YouTube. They're on the lowest data plans.
So, if I were to ask for something with internet access, I'd need to get the internet set up first. But it seems a bit weird for a five-year-old to ask for "Wi-Fi."
That's why I'm groaning.
Well, it's not like I don't have other things I want. If I'm not limited to material goods or services, there is something I want. But is it okay to ask for this as a reward?
When in doubt, it's best to ask. So I asked my father.
"Dad, does it really matter what I ask for?"
"Of course. Whatever you want, Itsuki. How about a TV?" he suggested.
Wow, that's actually pretty tempting.
...But that's not what I meant.
I reined in my wandering thoughts and told him what I really wanted.
"I want more time with you, Dad," I said, my voice steady.
"W-What!?" My father's eyes widened in surprise.
"I want to get better at martial arts and swordsmanship... I want to improve," I continued, explaining my reasoning.
That was the challenge that this battle had made clear to me.
So far, I'd kept my distance from close-combat training, thinking I was too clumsy and that being able to use magic was enough to keep me alive. But this fight showed me how necessary it was.
If that monster had recklessly closed the distance, I might have been killed.
That's why I need to get stronger.
To do that, I need to overcome my weaknesses.
That's why I told my father, but...
"You... you really want me to teach you...!!!"
It seemed to trigger something strange in my father.
Oh no, I've pushed a weird button.
"Alright! I'm taking a month off work! During that time, I'll train you thoroughly!"
"Wait, is that okay? Isn't there a shortage of exorcists?!"
"What are you talking about?! Fulfilling your wish is my duty as a father,"
"What about your duty as an exorcist?!"
As I frantically tried to calm my father down, I couldn't help but think.
...This guy really has a tendency to flip his doting parent switch at the strangest times.