【Ch. 7 - Truth of the Matter ③】

At Kitohana-sama's insistence, we moved our location to the shrine's interior. With none of the usual hustle of attendants, messengers, or visiting spirits, the atmosphere felt substantially more ethereal than usual.

Before long, we arrived at the innermost chamber where she usually resides. In truth it felt more like a main office, complete with an intricate desk at its center. Not that I suspect she ever uses it as intended.

“Now now, comfortable? With your inquiries addressed, I believe now would be the time for your other issue, yes?”

Hey, don't try to dismiss the questions I still have left like that!

“What other issue is this? I still have a mountain of bones to pick with you.”

I hastily sit down in front of one of the low floor desks scattered throughout the chamber. It was fairly obvious that the shrine was emptied hastily as correspondence was still strewn about haphazardly. Even the ink bottles weren't properly capped, which was sure to cause headaches later.

“Why, quite a prudent one for little Takeda here. Tell me, how long have you spent within our realm?”

Oh. Come to think of it, it has been a little while now since I ran across Takeda-kun. By my estimates, probably around three hours or so. Looking at him now, there was a panic setting in on his face. Fumbling, he retrieves his phone, the color from his face draining rapidly when he notices what time it is.

“Oh no. It's my first day. Shit! What am I going to do?!”

Well, he did say he was just leaving for work when we first met. This outcome was probably going to be inevitable no matter how quickly I got him out. Kitohana's shrine was a fair distance away from his entry point.

If I had to guess, he was likely from a major city or the like, and Kitohana-sama's shrine was very much in in the countryside. On top of that, the pathways connecting shrines varied quite heavily in how much they shortened the relative distance between any two points. Something about differences in spiritual density and relative topology, yadda yadda.

With all that into account, if he were to exit here back into the mortal realm, it wouldn't even be a guarantee that the nearest city would be his origin point. Quite the potential commute.

“...It took me so long to finally land that offer too...”

“Well, um, it is what it is. No matter what, I think it was impossible to get you back in time given where you first came in from...”

“So I was doomed from the start?!”

That was quite the look of desperation there. It was a little hard to look him straight in the eyes, so I turn my gaze to Kitohana-sama. While I could not do much, it certainly wasn't beyond her influence. Expectedly, her shoulders were shaking from attempting to stifle some laughter.

“My my, yes, this is quite the unfortunate situation for you.”

“Can't you do something to help me?! I mean, I didn't come here because I wanted to and no-ones going to believe me if I tried telling them the truth! I'm not even sure if I could make up something!”

“Those of our realm do try our best to not interfere too blatantly with yours, I'll have you know. While we do mingle amongst humans, it is still with the understanding that we follow human societal rules, at least on the surface.”

“Couldn't you just a little? There has to be something for exceptions, right? You did say 'on the surface' just then!”

“Quite. However, the means in which we must maneuver to resolve this would be far and away too much even with your situation.”

“No way... what should I do then...?”

Huh? No, that shouldn't be true. While, yes, normally we'd not be able to intervene in too flashy of a way in regards to the affairs of the mortal realm, providing a convenient excuse for why he was late for work shouldn't be too difficult. Given the circumstances, it honestly should be trivial.

As I start to try to voice my protest, my throat seizes. Huh? My body also isn't moving like it should. Wait. I'm being bound?! My eyes darts towards Kitohana-sama. She was looking straight at me, her eyes telling me a simple message, "Stay still." What the hell was she trying to pull?!

“Still, it is not as if I do not understand your plight. Perchance, it would be possible for us to resolve this in a more roundabout fashion. Tell me, are you now perhaps, open for recruitment?”

Oi! Oiiii! Damnit! My body still refused to move. Actually, it seems like she was steadily increasing the strength of this binding. Curse this kami. She was trying to rope him in, huh? Of course she was.

“Eh, what do you mean?”

Unfortunately, I could do nothing to stop him from taking the bait.

“It is as you hear. Recruitment. You are, after-all, an Onmyōji and I myself a Kami. You will provide services, and in exchange I shall render compensation. In short, contract yourself to me and I believe this would solve your current situation, yes?”

“Wait wait wait, I can't just easily accept that! I mean for one, I don't even know what kind of job this is! Much less how to do it!”

“While that may be the reality as of now, I am more than willing to provide a means of education for your required tasks. Think of it as an investment in talent, if you must. Do understand that letting go of such an individual such as yourself would be no good from our side.”

“Well... I mean, okay I get it. I'm this rare whatever that hasn't appeared in who knows how long. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least curious. But, what about that aura or signal? I'd rather not work in a place where my coworkers jump me!”

“My, if that is the only issue I happen to know of a solution, you know?”

So you did have one! Were you saving it as a card for this negotiation then?!

“Eh, you do?”

“Quite. The aura you possess is normally something that manifests spontaneously at first. It is after all how you are 'found' so to speak. Beyond that point, it would be the duty of your elders to train you in manipulating it's behavior. It so happens that the method of this training has been duly recorded.”

“...So if I agree to work for you, you'll tell me what this method is?”

“Indeed.”

“...”

He was seriously thinking about it. Well, of course he would. Its not like the aura would go away without some hint and who knows where else he'd learn to suppress it. If it pulled in spirits while he was in the mortal realm, it'd be even worse.

Honestly, for all intents, it wasn't a bad deal. I'd normally recommend that he seriously consider taking it. Except right now I was being restrained.

So really, I'd rather he not if only to spite this damned kami.

“...By the way. How much does it pay?”

Kitohana-sama didn't bother responding out loud. Instead, she retrieved a long scroll from one of her kimono sleeves and unfurled it in front of Takeda-kun. He scanned over the contents quickly.

“I'll do it.”

The response was immediate.

“Very well, decisiveness is indeed an admirable trait! Now then, you need only sign the space at the bottom of this offer. If you wish to read the details further, feel free~”

“I would have thought contracts here would be more... mystical? Or at least not so close to an actual business contract.”

“If you truly wish, we may involve a blood pact or similar. Such methods are indeed still valid forms of sealing an agreement, if not a tad archaic.”

“Uh, on second thought, nevermind.”

After what I believed was far too short of a time to review whatever stipulations were present, he summarily picks up a nearby brush and seals his fate. Not soon after and with a coy grin, Kitohana-sama rolls up the scroll, and vanishes it away as quickly as she conjured it.

“And with that, I shall leave our dear Tama-chan to your education of your duties. For my part, I shall thusly retrieve the relevant records pertinent to your training~”

With a turn and a flourish, she disappears in a flash, leaving behind only a whirlwind of petals.

In short, she ran away.

“Come to think of it, you didn't say much during that, Tama-san.”

Now you finally look back, huh? I don't bother responding.

“...”

I could move again. I couldn't say I was very happy about that. I slowly open and close my hand, gauging my hand strength. I'm going to hit her. At least once. I swear. She owes me that much.

“Uh, Tama... san?”

“THAT DAMNED KAMI!”