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"Asher?"
"Excuse me, are you… the Seimei?"
Adashino Benio suddenly looked a little nervous as she turned toward him.
Asher, however, already understood the odd expression on her face.
After all, he still had some memory of the story of Twin Star Exorcists.
In that anime, everything revolves around Abe no Seimei—the strongest onmyoji of a thousand years ago.
As for Abe no Seimei in that show, Asher didn't really judge him.
No matter how you look at it, the Seimei in that story was trying to make the human world better, to protect it from evil. Maybe his methods were extreme—trying to rid people of fear, jealousy, and all the other negative emotions—but the intent was good.
Still, one thing Asher could guarantee:
He had nothing to do with that Abe no Seimei. Not a single thread of connection.
Even if there were a connection, it would be through the Seimei from the Onmyoji game, not the anime.
And honestly, the Onmyoji game's world was on a whole other level compared to the anime. In the game, even the gods of Takamagahara got involved. The anime, no matter how intense, was just human-level struggles.
So this world's legendary onmyoji Seimei, compared to the game's version, was miles apart—in power, scope, and influence.
Seeing Adashino Benio's nervous expression, Asher smiled faintly and spoke calmly:
"I know what you're thinking."
"Don't worry. I have nothing to do with the legendary Abe no Seimei."
"...Is that so..."
Benio still looked a little doubtful.
After all, last night's events were still fresh in her mind.
The Raitei summon—the thunder emperor dragon—had even called his actual name.
All of it hinted at a more complicated connection between Asher and Abe no Seimei.
Even Tsuchimikado Arima, the current head of the Onmyo League, couldn't fully control the legendary Abe no Seimei's spirit.
And Arima was recognized as a direct descendant of Abe no Seimei.
Could it be… that the Seimei standing in front of her—the one with 23 namesakes—is a secret bloodline of Abe no Seimei, outside of the Tsuchimikado lineage?
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
If Asher knew what Benio was thinking, he'd probably shake his head hard.
He definitely didn't want to be linked to the Abe no Seimei of this world or have a "forefather" assigned to him.
Especially since, if the story followed its natural course, he and this world's Abe no Seimei were destined to clash eventually.
"What are you thinking, Miss Adashino?"
Asher asked, noticing her lost in thought.
Startled, Benio shook her head sharply.
"Nothing, Mr. Asher."
"Well then, let's eat breakfast," he said, casually. "Once you're done, you can leave."
It was basically a polite way of kicking her out.
But he had no choice.
Asher wasn't exactly wealthy. Normally, he just needed to feed himself, but now he had one big-eater, Hotaru-gusa. If he added Benio to the mix… he wasn't sure if his wallet could survive.
As for Benio… Asher had already thought this through.
The impression he'd left on her would guarantee she'd report his presence to the Onmyo League. When they inevitably sent someone to contact him, he'd gain all sorts of benefits. In Twin Star Exorcists, onmyoji held significant power.
"Uh… understood," Benio said quietly.
She showed no sign of displeasure at being told to leave. Asher had saved her life—she owed him that much, and nothing more.
Her personality didn't lend itself to worrying about others' opinions. Adashino Benio was stubborn, through and through.
A little later, after breakfast, Benio changed into her now-dry black-stockinged sailor uniform and brought out some soy bean cakes.
She bowed sincerely to Asher.
"Thank you so much for everything, Mr. Asher!"
"If you ever run into trouble, you can come to the Onmyo Office in Mitsuba City and ask for me."
"I'll help however I can!"
"And as for what happened at school last night, I'll make sure to use the Onmyo League's resources to erase any lingering effects."
Benio had thought this through carefully.
After all, unlike in the anime, most ordinary people in this world didn't even know onmyoji existed.
So last night's chaos at school was already on her mind.
Of course, the bigger reason was that she didn't want to cause Asher any trouble.
"Mm, got it."
Asher just waved his hand casually, completely unfazed by her words.
Seeing that, Adashino Benio didn't linger any longer.
With the yellow bean cakes in hand, she left Asher's home without another word.
Once she was gone, Asher sank onto the sofa, ready to pass the time by watching TV.
Before he could even pick up the remote, Hotaru-gusa—a little bundle of energy—plopped herself right onto his lap without a second thought.
Her arms wrapped around his waist, she looked up at him with wide, sparkling eyes.
"Big brother, can we go to school again today?"
"To school?" Asher raised an eyebrow, a bit puzzled by her request.
Hotaru-gusa couldn't hide it any longer and blurted out,
"Yeah! I want to play with Sister Yuuko."
Thinking of poor, lonely Kanoe Yuuko, who didn't even have friends, a pang of sympathy stirred in Hotaru-gusa's heart.
It was probably this same sense of empathy that had allowed her to become a Shikigami with extraordinary healing abilities.
Asher chuckled softly at the sight, ruffling her cute little nose.
"Well, we don't have anything planned today anyway. Since little Hotaru-gusa wants to go so badly, how could big brother possibly say no?"
"Yay! I love you the most, big brother!"
With that, Hotaru-gusa cheered and planted a fierce little kiss on Asher's cheek.
He just touched his slightly damp cheek, giving a helpless but affectionate smile.
Outside, Adashino Benio stepped out of Asher's building and onto the street.
She pulled out her phone from her bag and contacted the Chiba City Onmyoji Alliance.
Not long after, an unassuming black car rolled to a stop right in front of her.
A young man in a black T-shirt and light blue jeans stepped out. His features were fairly decent, and he carried himself with quiet confidence.
This was Totsuji Ryogo, the leader of the Chiba City Onmyoji Alliance.
Seeing Adashino Benio, he immediately bowed respectfully.
"You must be Miss Adashino Benio."
"Hello, I'm Totsuji Ryogo, leader of the Chiba City Onmyoji Alliance. On behalf of our organization, welcome."
Adashino Benio merely nodded calmly in response.
She then slid into the back seat of the car, and they drove toward the Alliance's main base in Chiba—the Seika Dormitory.
During the ride, she didn't idly watch the scenery outside.
Instead, she used a secret technique to transmit everything she had seen and learned in Chiba—including Asher's presence—directly to the headquarters of the Onmyoji League in Kyoto, the capital of the island nation.
Far away in Kyoto, at the headquarters of the Onmyoji League, the secretary to the League's Supreme Commander, Arima Tsuchimikado, immediately received the information.
This was Tsuchimikado Mikage, a dark-skinned Onmyoji in black ceremonial robes.
She relayed the report to her master, Arima Tsuchimikado.
In the office, after taking in all the information Adashino Benio had transmitted, Arima Tsuchimikado—long blue hair falling over his shoulders—tapped his chin, a gleam of interest in his eyes.
"Asher, huh? He can summon the [Thunder Emperor Dragon]… Fascinating."
"Perhaps the chance to end corruption isn't limited to just the [Twin Stars]…"
A sudden idea sparked in his mind, and he looked at Mikage.
"Book me a flight to Chiba City. I'm eager to see the descendants that Benio thinks may carry Seimei's bloodline."
"Understood, Supreme Commander."
Mikage nodded calmly, his face betraying no hint of emotion. Even in secret corners, no one could tell that inside, his mind was quietly intrigued.
"A bloodline left behind… interesting," he murmured, a faint curve forming at the corner of his lips.
Mikage, besides being the secretary to the Supreme Commander, had another identity—he was a thousand-year-old Onmyoji, a fragment of the legendary Abe no Seimei.
Of course, this was not the original Abe no Seimei, who remained in a deep slumber at the boundary between the living world and the perilous Yano.
As Seimei's fragment, Mikage had been orchestrating plans in secret, moving every piece of the larger puzzle forward.
...
Time passed quickly, and afternoon arrived.
Asher and Hotaru-gusa arrived hand in hand at the campus, stopping in front of the ruins of the old teaching building.
Asher couldn't hide his surprise.
Compared to the ruined building from last night, not only had the remnants vanished, but a beautiful garden had sprung up in its place, blending seamlessly with the school's original greenery.
He could only marvel at the power of the Onmyoji Alliance that Adashino Benio belonged to. Half a day had passed, yet she had accomplished the impossible.
As they reached the garden entrance, a familiar figure leapt out from the grand gate.
"Hey! Isn't that Mr. Onmyoji, and Miss Hotaru-gusa too?!"
"What are you doing here?!"
It was Kanoe Yuuko, her face lighting up with surprise. She hadn't expected to see Asher and Hotaru-gusa again. After all, one was an Onmyoji and the other a Shikigami. Compared to her—a mere ghost—their worlds rarely intersected outside of exorcisms.
Before Asher could say a word, Hotaru-gusa ran toward her with open arms.
"Sister Yuuko! Long time no see!"
"Huh? Hotaru-gusa… we just met yesterday," Kanoe Yuuko replied, though her smile was warm.
"But… Onmyoji, Miss Hotaru-gusa, what brings you here today?"
Kanoe Yuuko spoke cautiously, restrained by the awe she still felt from yesterday. Asher's display of power—summoning the Thunder Emperor—had left an indelible impression on her, inspiring deep respect.
Asher gave a helpless smile and patted Hotaru-gusa's head.
"Hotaru-gusa didn't want you to be lonely, so we came to keep you company."
Hehe! Hotaru-gusa's face lit up with a cute smile directed at Kanoe Yuuko.
"Ah… I see…" Kanoe Yuuko's cheeks tinged pink, flattered by their attention.
"Well… anyway, thank you, Mr. Onmyoji, Miss Hotaru-gusa! Thank you for coming to keep me company!"
She bowed deeply, her expression overflowing with gratitude.
"Don't be sad, Miss Yuuko."
Hotaru-gusa stepped forward, patting Kanoe Yuuko's head with her delicate little hand.
Kanoe Yuuko straightened, wiped imaginary tears, sniffled, and then smiled brightly through her emotion.
"Hehe, since Mr. Onmyoji and Miss Hotaru-gusa came, as your host, I must welcome you properly!"
Leading them into the garden, Kanoe Yuuko showed them the space she now called home. For some reason unknown, the destruction of the old building hadn't affected her as a bound spirit. In fact, it expanded the spirits' territory to cover the entire campus—something even Asher didn't fully understand.
Under a large, leafy tree, Kanoe Yuuko had hidden her remains. In front of it was a green meadow, bathed in twilight.
Asher leaned against the tree, watching Hotaru-gusa and Kanoe Yuuko chase and play on the grass.
Their laughter, like silver bells, floated in the air.
It was a scene of such simple, serene beauty that Asher considered finding more friends for Hotaru-gusa—she deserved a childhood full of joy and warmth.
After a while, Hotaru-gusa and Kanoe Yuuko returned to the tree.
Hotaru-gusa immediately nestled into Asher's lap and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Kanoe Yuuko, also a bit tired, looked at Asher with gentle restraint.
"Um… Mr. Onmyoji, may I sit here?"
"....."