The train moved slowly, leaving behind the rice fields that were beginning to darken. Inside the carriage, which was starting to empty, Tobio slept with his head against the glass window. His breathing was steady, his face calm—in contrast to the small waves occurring around him.
Dulio sat across from him, occasionally looking at Tobio, then outside the window. Griselda beside him sat upright, her eyes half-closed but her awareness fully alert.
"Tobio, wake up." Dulio touched the child's shoulder gently. "We're almost there."
Tobio slowly woke up. His eyes blinked, adjusting to the afternoon light coming through the window. He yawned widely, stretching his arms upward.
"Already there?" his voice still hoarse from just waking.
"Already. This is Kyoto."
The sun was still high when they got off the train. Kyoto Station was as crowded as usual—tourists with maps in hand, businessmen in neat suits, students in uniforms running against time.
But Tobio didn't pay much attention to the crowd. His eyes were instead fixed on the Kyoto sky, which was different from Hanyu village. Wider, more open, with Mount Hiei looming in the distance.
The three of them walked out of the station. Tobio in the middle, Griselda on the right, Dulio on the left—the same formation as when they left the village.
"Where can we meet Xenovia-san?" asked Tobio, his eyes still exploring the surrounding buildings.
Griselda answered without turning. "Heian Shrine."
Tobio didn't ask further. He only nodded and kept walking.
Throughout the journey, he felt stares. Many stares. Some from tourists curious about Dulio and Griselda's church attire. Some from locals whose eyes were drawn to his eyes—a small galaxy moving slowly, a black crack in the pupil. But Tobio didn't care. He was used to it.
Dulio and Griselda were more alert. Their eyes moved quickly, scanning the crowd, making sure no one was following.
After walking for more than ten minutes, they arrived at Heian Shrine.
The magnificent building with its green roof and deep red walls stood firmly in the middle of a spacious park. The cherry blossom trees, not in bloom, provided shade. The koi pond in front of the main gate sparkled in the afternoon sunlight.
Griselda walked in without saying a word. Dulio stayed beside Tobio.
"She's looking for Xenovia," said Dulio in a casual tone. "I hope you two get along."
Tobio nodded. "Alright."
They waited for a while. Tobio observed the shrine—not with his supernatural perception, now limited by the necklace, but with his ordinary eyes. Every architectural detail, every carving on the wooden pillars, every stone in the garden. There was a tranquility here, a tranquility he hadn't felt in a long time.
Then Griselda returned, bringing someone beside her.
A little girl in a white hooded robe. The robe was too big for her body, its hem almost touching the ground. On her head, the hood covered part of her hair, but several strands of long blue hair could be seen coming out from underneath.
'Isn't that too conspicuous?' thought Tobio. A white robe at a shrine in the late afternoon. Even ordinary people would be suspicious.
But he didn't say that aloud.
The girl walked with firm steps, head held high, eyes straight ahead. As she got closer, Tobio could see her face clearly.
Long blue hair. Brown eyes. A serious expression—too serious for a child her age. No smile, no polite small talk. A face accustomed to missions, to danger, to things children shouldn't have to face.
Tobio introduced himself first. His voice was calm, as usual.
"Tobio Ikuse. Thirteen years old. Nice to meet you. Just call me Tobio."
The girl looked at him for a moment. Her eyes moved to Tobio's face, then to his eyes—a small galaxy, a black crack—then back to his face.
"Xenovia Quarta." Her voice was flat, professional. "Exorcist."
Tobio nodded. No exaggerated reaction. Just acceptance.
But Xenovia wasn't finished. Inside her heart, there was confusion she was trying to hide. Usually, she could read auras—devils, holy energy, malicious intent.
But the boy in front of her had none of that. No aura. No energy she could detect. Only a strange emptiness.
Human? But doesn't feel like a human.
"You..." Xenovia began, her eyes narrowing slightly, "are you human?"
Tobio wasn't surprised by the question. He had expected it. His strange eyes, his unusual calmness, the way he spoke about things a child his age shouldn't know—all of that would surely raise questions.
"Human," Tobio answered flatly. "Want a DNA test? Or something else?"
Xenovia wasn't offended. Quite the opposite—she was slightly surprised by the answer. This boy wasn't defensive. Wasn't trying to prove himself. He just answered casually, as if the question wasn't threatening at all.
But... too casual.
"Not necessary." Xenovia shook her head. "I don't doubt your body."
Silently, she continued in her heart. 'What I doubt is your existence.'
Griselda, who had been observing, finally spoke. Her tone was firm, brief, like a knife cutting through tangled threads.
"Xenovia, enough."
She looked at the little girl with eyes that couldn't be argued with.
'Tobio isn't something that can be explained now. Too early.'
Xenovia closed her mouth. Didn't argue. As an Exorcist under Griselda's supervision, she knew when to be silent.
Dulio smiled faintly. Tobio wasn't defensive. His answer was unexpected, but made sense.
"That's a pretty unique answer," Dulio said, his tone casual, "but it makes sense, I guess."
Tobio just shrugged.
---
In a different place, inside a room with tatami flooring, Yasaka stood by the window facing the garden.
Her blonde hair was tied in a loose ponytail. Her golden-yellow eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the koi pond outside whose water sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. Her shrine maiden attire—yellow and black—made her look like part of the shrine itself. But anyone who knew would know: this woman was the leader of the Kyoto Youkai. The nine-tailed fox.
She felt something.
The presence of angels. Not one, but two. And another presence that was like a human.
'They're in disguise. Not an official visit. This is suspicious.'
"Observe those who have entered my territory," Yasaka ordered, her voice calm but full of authority.
The unseen observers in the shadows bowed their heads. "Yes."
They vanished like mist blown by the wind.
A few moments later, they returned.
"Report," one of the observers began, his voice low and respectful. "There are two people from the church. One male, one female. And two children with them—a boy and a girl."
Yasaka raised her thin eyebrows. 'Four? Not three?'
"Lastly," the observer continued, "the boy has strange eyes. Like there's night in his eyes."
Silence.
Yasaka didn't panic. Wasn't afraid. But her eyes—those golden-yellow eyes—narrowed even sharper.
Four. Not three.
One had not been detected before. Had no tangible presence.
That wasn't just strange. That was an anomaly. Even ordinary humans have presence—small vibrations that beings of Yasaka's level can feel. But that boy had nothing. Empty. Void.
'Angels can be explained. But that child... cannot.'
Yasaka walked slowly to the center of the room, her fingers touching the edge of the smooth wooden table.
"The fourth one," she said softly, almost a whisper, "I want to see directly."
The observers bowed again, then vanished.
---
They ate at a small restaurant near the shrine. Simple—rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and boiled vegetables. Tobio ate heartily, unlike his usual habit of eating only a little due to exhaustion.
Xenovia sat across from him, occasionally looking at Tobio from beneath her white robe, which she still wore. Inside an ordinary restaurant with ordinary waitstaff and ordinary customers, her appearance was too conspicuous.
But no one dared to ask—perhaps because Griselda and Dulio sitting beside her were also dressed unusually.
The sunlight changed from yellow to orange, creating long shadows on the street outside the restaurant.
Tobio had just finished his meal and took out his new smartphone—an Xperia Z1—from his jacket pocket. His fingers moved across the touchscreen, scrolling through news, videos, ordinary things a child his age would do.
But then, in front of them, several figures appeared.
Covered clothing. Faces not visible. They bowed respectfully, but not to ordinary humans.
"Yasaka-sama invites you to come," said one of them, his voice flat and formal. "Please come this way."
Tobio didn't look up from his smartphone. His fingers were still scrolling, his eyes still focused on the small text before him.
"I'm not doing anything strange," he said flatly. "Just looking at news and entertainment videos."
Dulio smiled faintly. He knew Tobio was just pretending not to care—but the way the child did it was very convincing.
"Yes, of course. Just the internet."
Griselda was more serious. Her eyes narrowed, reading the situation quickly.
'They've been watching us. And now an invitation. This isn't a coincidence.'
She stood up, straightening her nun's robes.
"Alright, we understand." She turned to Tobio. Her tone was firm. "And you... don't act recklessly."
Tobio sighed, putting his smartphone in his pocket. "Alright. I won't do anything."
Xenovia, who had been silent until now, was now fully focused. Her brown eyes moved quickly from the messengers to Griselda, then to Dulio, then to Tobio.
This is Youkai territory. Being invited there? There's something. She looked at Tobio, who still appeared relaxed. "At a time like this?"
The question wasn't answered. Tobio just walked following Griselda, hands in his jacket pockets, his steps as casual as if he were going for an ordinary walk.
They walked away from the restaurant, through streets that were starting to quiet down, towards a building that looked like a multi-storied shrine. Cherry blossom trees, not in bloom, stood on both sides of the road, creating a natural tunnel darkening under the fading sunlight.
Dulio walked beside Tobio. He leaned down slightly, whispering in a tone still trying to be casual but with worry in it.
"You're too calm. Thinking this is normal." He paused briefly. "I'm starting to be afraid of your 'normal' standards."
Tobio answered with an equally soft whisper. "This is just meeting Yasaka. Not like meeting Tiamat or Crom Cruach."
The atmosphere changed.
Cold. Suddenly.
Dulio, who had still been able to smile, now lost his smile. His steps didn't stop, but every second of walking felt longer than before.
'Tiamat... Crom Cruach?'
'He said their names like ordinary names.'
He whispered again, his tone no longer casual. "Those aren't names to be thrown around casually."
Griselda, walking in front, slowed her pace slightly. Her upright back seemed to stiffen slightly.
She knew entities of that level. Saying their names in Youkai territory. Without filter. Without considering who might be listening.
She didn't turn, but her voice was clear. "Enough. Don't speak carelessly here."
Xenovia, walking behind, quickly turned towards Tobio. Her eyes widened slightly—only slightly, because as an Exorcist she was trained not to show surprise.
'Those names. I only know a few. But he said them like comparing. Like... it's normal.'
"This isn't the place for such talk," Xenovia whispered, her tone firm.
Tobio sighed. He looked at the darkening sky, where the first stars were beginning to appear.
'They just haven't seen Trihexa. My soul cracked just from seeing its core. The problem is how I can defeat that creature without a cheat power. Even though my Sacred Gear—whose name I don't know yet—will help me later.'
He didn't say that aloud. Just in his heart.
The observers following them didn't react openly. No gasps of surprise, no whispering. Only eyes noting every word, every tone, every irregular heartbeat.
They arrived at the multi-storied shrine building. Large wooden doors opened, revealing a long hallway with tatami flooring and paper lanterns providing warm light.
"Please wait here," said one of the messengers, then they disappeared behind sliding doors.
---
The observers reported everything to Yasaka.
Every word. Every tone. Even the irregular heartbeats—though there were none irregular from the boy.
Yasaka didn't answer immediately. She stood by the window facing the dark garden, her slender fingers touching the edge of the wooden table. Her golden-yellow eyes narrowed slightly—not in anger, but in heightened curiosity.
'The boy wasn't on alert in my territory. Said those names without hesitation. Compared them.'
This wasn't just bravery. This was a different standard.
He considered meeting her 'lighter'. That meant he had considered legendary dragon entities as benchmarks.
'He's not underestimating me. He just doesn't consider me dangerous enough.'
Yasaka wasn't offended. Wasn't angry. As the leader of the Kyoto Youkai, she had passed the stage where pride was easily bruised. But her curiosity—a curiosity she hadn't felt in a long time—now burned brightly.
'I want to know what that child is like.'
She gave orders to the observers. Her tone was calm, but full of authority.
"Bring them in. And..." She paused briefly. Her eyes stared out the window, towards where the boy with night-like eyes was waiting. "Don't disturb that child."
The observers bowed, then vanished.
Yasaka stood in place, straightening her shrine maiden attire. She would receive these guests—not as enemies, not as subordinates, but as a hostess who wanted to see with her own eyes.
'That boy.'
'I want to see him directly.'
The sliding door opened slowly. Paper lanterns swayed gently, creating moving shadows on the walls.
Outside, Tobio stood between the angels and the Exorcist, hands in his jacket pockets and his star-filled eyes moving slowly. He wasn't tense. Wasn't nervous. Just standing there, waiting, as if meeting a nine-tailed fox was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Yasaka smiled faintly.
'Interesting.'