Chapter 230

Behind the heavy silk of the bamboo blinds, deep within a mountain of oppressive bedding, the young noble lay writhing in a slow, rhythmic agony.

"Haa... haa..."

The child's breaths, trapped in that narrow, stifling space, were more fragile than the pulse of a fledgling bird—faint, exhausted, and desperately weak.

Sweat poured without end, causing the fine twill garments to cling to the skin like a second, heavy layer of lead.

The child's frame, as delicate as spun glass, seemed to be wither away, parched by the stagnant heat that filled the enclosure.

"A-ah, ah...!"

The pain arrived with sudden, jagged violence.

It stripped away the thin veil of sleep without mercy, dragging the child's consciousness back from the brink of the afterlife.

It was less an awakening and more the sensation of being hurled into a mire of burning sludge.

(Again...) the child thought. (I have to keep suffering again.)

A fire smoldered within, raging as if to char every organ to a cinder.

With every exhaled breath, a pain like swallowing a handful of thorns tore through the throat, and the chest pulsed with a dull, incessant throb.

Vision was a grey, watery blur, while red sparks danced behind the eyelids like dying embers.

The cruelest part of the torment was its refusal to let the child lapse into true darkness.

It forced a muddied clarity upon the mind, denying the mercy of insanity or oblivion.

Because the child remained halfway awake, they were forced to endure the knowledge that their own flesh was being mercilessly flayed from the inside out.

It was hot.

It was suffocating.

It was agony.

It was, in every sense, an Avici Hell

¹.

"Father! What are you doing to Eldest Brother! Even if you have to whip the pharmacists until they bleed, save that child! Save my treasure!"

"I am well aware! But none of the imperial physicians are worth a damn! They're useless, every last one of them!"

Just outside the blinds, the roars of a man and a woman tore through the silence, striking the child's boiling eardrums like physical blows.

The young master let their gaze wander (Meguru) slightly.

Beyond the thin silk, two distorted silhouettes swayed in the dim light.

"Every one of them has an excuse! 'We have no medicine,' 'the ingredients are missing'—it's all lies!"

"Then use your power and take what we need from someone else! With your authority, Father, it should be the simplest thing in the world!"

"I am biting my tongue in rage precisely because that is impossible right now!"

A particularly thunderous roar shook the room.

"Ugh..."

A small, shredded whimper escaped the child's throat.

To a body this broken, even a human voice felt like a blade gouging skin.

However, there was no sign that the people outside noticed the suffering.

They weren't worried about the "individual" lying in the bedding; they were terrified of the "power" that would evaporate if its vessel shattered.

"...In the first place, who was it that ignored the physicians and forced that ritual through? A reckless, god-defying act! And this is the result!?"

"Don't you dare play the saint now! You were nodding your head in agreement the entire time!"

"I was never told it would end like this!"

"Heh... heh..."

A cold laugh escaped the child's lips, carried on a breath as hot as scalding water.

(How selfish...) the child thought with a chilling clarity that pierced the fever.

This wasn't anger born of love or worry.

This was the tantrum of a child who didn't want to break their favorite toy.

The child understood that—they had known it for a long time.

(I'm just a puppet. A hollow doll. I was born to read a script (Fuumi) and press a seal onto documents I don't understand. I am allowed to choose nothing and say nothing. Forever. I am merely a convenient symbol for those who hoisted me up. My life has no value of its own... Then... maybe it's okay to just stop?)

In the end, both of them were looking toward the bed, but they saw only the "throne" the child occupied.

This agony, this heat—it was the very world they had built.

And yet, they stood there, leaving the child out in the cold while they despicably shifting the blame back and forth.

It was truly farcical.

The child had been told they were more precious than anyone else until their ears bled, yet they felt utterly worthless.

The people who sang those praises had completely abandoned the person inside the vessel.

The child extended thin, white fingers toward the void.

They trembled as if trying to grasp something invisible, then fell powerlessly back onto the bedding.

There was no strength left.

Not even the will to try.

"In the first place, it's because you're so pathetic that—!!"

"What did you say!? I have fulfilled my duties! I fought every single day in the Inner Palace! If we're talking about failure, then that man—"

"Silence! Watch your tongue!"

"Oh? Such rich words from the man who caused this catastrophe...!"

The bickering voices began to drift away, devolving into a chorus of mutual loathing.

It was the absolute peak of ugliness.

They were just passing the buck.

The child understood; they had been groomed to understand these political maneuvers.

These were secrets that could never be spoken in the light of day, uttered here only because the room was sealed with a Barrier Curse

² meant to ward off Malevolent Energy

³.

If the child were healthy, these two would be whispering slanders into their ear, poisoning their mind against rivals.

They would be grooming the child to speak the words that would end the lives of anyone they found inconvenient.

"Ha... ha... ah..."

The child began to laugh.

A wet, broken sound that mixed with tears.

There was nothing else to do but laugh.

To be denied at the very root of existence, to be crafted into a clown, and to not even receive the simple worry of one's own blood...

(Why was I born like this?)

(I'd rather just die.)

(If I die... will I finally meet Father?)

The child thought of the father they had never known—the man who had vanished around the time of their birth.

They wondered what kind of person he was.

At the very least, he had been truly revered by those around him.

He had to be better than the two monsters screaming outside.

There had to be at least one person in this family who would treasure me.

I want there to be.

...No. I'm too small to reach the Pure Land

⁴. I'll end up at the Children's Limbo

⁵ by the Sanzu River

⁶, piling stones for eternity.

I won't be able to meet him.

How tragic.

How bitter.

...Heh. Well. Even so.

It has to be better than this place.

Surely....

"...Forgive my intrusion."

"——!"

The voice was not loud.

However, a stillness as sharp as a blade of ice instantly froze the frenzy that had gripped the room.

A strange, heavy presence drew the eyes of everyone—the child included.

All three of them looked toward the newcomer.

"Y-you...!? The Minor Counselor? How did you get in here!?"

"Insolent fool! Do you realize where you are!?"

Shock followed by empty bravado.

However, the silhouette appearing beyond the blinds seemed to let their shouts wash over him like wind through the willows.

"I am well aware. That is why I asked for forgiveness for my intrusion," said Shonagon.

"It is not a matter of manners! If the impurity brought in by someone like you were to worsen His Majesty's condition—!"

"How curious. For the very architects of this plague to speak of such things," Shonagon replied.

The words were the height of cold insolence.

The two outside gasped at the sheer coolness of the accusation.

"I have heard the particulars from the Bureau of Medicine. Not just the forced enthronement, but that as well. You have been quite reckless, haven't you?"

"...! Those disloyal curs! Minor Counselor, do you dare suspect me—suspect us—of being rebels!?"

"Are you saying you aren't?"

"Of course not! It goes without saying who is more noble between us and a few mere pharmacists!"

"I wonder that a man of the Minor Counselor's standing would believe the drivel of such lowly people!"

"Indeed! Minor Counselor, mind your tongue. If your mother were not our kinswoman, such insolence would never be overlooked!"

"Do you wish to bring shame upon your mother? Know your place!"

The parents' desperation was palpable.

Their instant pivot to mockery and threats was almost impressive.

The child let out a hot, resigned sigh, revolted by the fact that the same blood flowed in their own veins.

"...Then, you maintain that the physicians' words are total fabrications?"

"Naturally! Minor Counselor, prepare yourself for the consequences of this!"

"I see. My apologies. It seems I acted out of an overabundance of caution. In that case... there was no need for me to prepare these."

Beyond the blinds, there was the rustle of silk.

In the next moment, the room was flooded with an overwhelming breath of Life.

"...! O-oh!? What... what is this? This fragrance... this radiance of life!? Minor Counselor! What is this!?"

"I obtained them through various connections. These are but a fraction. The rest are being held in a secure location to guard against thieves. ...Though, it seems they are now useless (Eldest Brother) trifles," Shonagon stated.

Silence.

Then, with a voice trembling with clear agitation, the grandfather finally spoke, his composure shattered.

The Minor Counselor's voice remained flat and indifferent.

"It took quite some effort to secure them... but if they aren't needed, so be it. I shall use them for my own house. Fortunately, I have many uses for—"

"Wait! Wait, wait! Hold on a moment! Minor Counselor! I was mistaken! Your loyalty to the throne is truly a magnificent thing!"

The grandfather's voice rose to a frantic, high-pitched plea as he tried to pacify the man.

The child felt a surge of derision.

"Yes, exactly! Minor Counselor, what a wonderful man you are! I am truly moved by your devotion!"

The mother's voice followed, dripping with fawning joy.

Both of them began to shower the intruder with sycophantic praise, desperate to regain his favor.

They prattled on with the same intensity they had used to hurl insults moments before.

"...It was a natural act of service to the state. Such praise is unmerited," Shonagon said.

"Hahaha, modesty is a vice! Minor Counselor, your actions are exemplary. ...Let us stop the pretense. What is it that you want?"

"...A covenant. For the sake of the Imperial Court's future," Shonagon replied.

"The future of the Imperial Court..."

"Indeed."

Behind the bamboo blinds, shadows huddled and whispered as a deal was struck.

He was being left out in the cold again, a mere spectator to a conversation that decided his fate.

It was the same old story.

He wondered what they had traded away this time.

Whatever it was, his grandfather and mother seemed to be in seventh heaven.

Before he knew it, a shadow stood right beside the blinds.

He bowed his head, hands clasped respectfully.

"Please, wait just a little longer," the man said.

"I'm having the decoction

⁷ prepared with all haste. You should feel better soon."

His voice was just as he remembered—sharp, cool, and entirely detached.

If he was here, it meant the deal had been struck.

A promise had been made, even if he was the only one left in the dark about it.

(If I recall... was he a Minor Counselor?)

"…Who… are you?" he asked.

"I am your humble servant," the man replied.

"…Liar."

The word came out as a bitter jab.

He understood enough from the context to know what was happening.

This was a condemnation.

He wished they had just let him die.

Why bother with the lie of being a "servant"? He was probably just like the rest of them.

He didn't actually care about me; he just wanted to score points with my grandfather.

"Liar… you don't actually… care… at all."

"…I am deeply sorry," the man said. "Your father commanded me to watch over you, but my position didn't give me the power to do more."

"…Father?"

He expected him to grovel or try to charm him, so the answer left him stunned.

It was the last thing he anticipated.

Father? My father sent him? Who was this person…?

"Who… are you…?" he asked again.

The man remained silent.

Then, with a quiet reverence, he stepped past the threshold of the forbidden blinds.

* * *

Rattle, clatter.

The rhythmic jolting of the carriage tore the young noble away from the dreams of the past.

"A… dream? Yawn…"

I sat up halfway, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Suddenly, I felt something damp on the back of my hand.

When I wiped my mouth, I found a pathetic, messy trail of drool.

"Ugh…"

I frowned at the unpleasant swaying of the carriage, but I let out another massive yawn.

Out here, away from the prying eyes of the court, I could finally be my unpolished self.

"Are you awake?" the man asked.

"Mmh… yeah…"

I looked up, stunned.

Standing right there was the man from the dream.

He had grown taller and more gallant, his gaze sharp yet softened by a trace of warmth.

Maybe it was just a lingering illusion, but I chose to believe it, meeting his eyes without a shred of caution.

Then, I looked down and realized the horror of the situation.

I went pale.

There, on the man's fine robes—specifically his lap where my head had been resting—was a god-awful, damp stain.

The culprit was undeniably obvious.

"Ah… I…"

I was speechless. I stole a glance upward.

The servant remained as composed as ever.

"I've placed a soundproofing Barrier Curse

⁸ on this carriage," the man said. "However, I can't eliminate the vibrations. If you move around too much, people will get suspicious. Please, try to stay still."

The man acted as if the stain on his robes didn't even exist.

He quietly poured tea from a bamboo flask into a cup.

"This should wake you up. Watch out for the bitterness."

"…Okay," I said.

I took the cup, cradling it in both hands.

As warned, the tea was bitter enough to make my face scrunch up.

But compared to the agonizing fever that had once scorched my entire body, this bitterness was almost sweet.

It was grounded.

"Blech. …Hm?"

The moment I finished the tea, he offered a small silk pouch.

Inside, something caught the light like polished amber.

I stared, fascinated.

"…What is this?"

"Kumquat and honey drops," the man replied. "To take the taste away."

"…Oh."

I stared up at his face again.

He was a man of ice, a mask that let no one in.

I knew what the world called him—how they whispered his name in fear.

But I also knew one thing for certain: nothing this man offered would ever be poisoned.

In a palace where I couldn't even trust my own parents, this man's lap was my only sanctuary.

"…Mm. It's sweet."

I popped the candy into my mouth without hesitation.

The bright, fresh scent of kumquat filled my senses, and the bitterness dissolved into a warmth that filled my heart.

"I apologize for the burden of this journey," the man said. "We're almost there."

"…Can I just… stay like this? Until we arrive?"

"As you wish," the man replied. "Forgive my insolence for allowing it."

The man bowed his head, just as he had at that sickbed years ago.

I gave a carefree smile at the "insolent" suggestion.

(I'm a puppet. A wooden doll that speaks the words others want to hear and stamps the seals they place before me. Nothing has changed. I'm everyone's puppet.)

But if it was this man pulling the strings… that wasn't so bad.

In this moment, on this journey, he was the only one I wanted to hold my threads.

That thought actually made me quite happy.

"I'll allow it. …Hey, give me your lap again. …Okay?"

"…As you command."

In a voice that still held a trace of a spoiled child's sweetness, I leaned back onto his lap, curling up like a kitten.

"Mmh… this is much better."

I made the grand proclamation and closed my eyes, a look of perfect peace finally resting on my face.

The carriage was rattling and uncomfortable, but it was paradise compared to the world behind those bamboo blinds.

* * *

Where the eastern edge of Fuso's Central Region meets the Land of Ise, there is a rugged peninsula jutting into the sea.

The people of Fuso call it the Old Capital with a mixture of reverence and dread.

Hemmed in by crashing waves to the east and jagged peaks to the west, the land looks from above like an island severed from the world of the living.

Ancient lore says this hidden terrain was a cradle for the first humans, protected from the eyes of the Moryo

⁹ demons.

While the great Yokai gods turned the rest of the Central Region into a scorched hellscape, humans clung to life here in this sacred sanctuary.

It had been five days since the Imperial Envoys left the capital.

They had trekked through five post towns and crossed the six boundary rivers to purify themselves.

In this era of peace, it was a simple trip; in ancient times, it would have been a death-defying odyssey.

The First Emperor himself, who had been a traveling merchant in his youth, had filled stacks of journals with the agonies of that road.

The hill the party was currently climbing had once been an impenetrable fortress.

The path, now hard-packed dirt, had once been a tangle of ancient trees that even Oni feared to climb.

That very ruggedness was what kept the Land of Men hidden from the monsters below.

"And… heave-ho!"

Hotoya Tamaki, the Princess of Hotoya and the herald tasked with announcing their arrival to the Grand Shrine, let out a long breath of relief as she reached the summit.

She froze, stunned by the view unfolding below her horse.

"Is this…?"

A sharp scent hit her—salt and sea-spray.

To a mountain girl like Tamaki, it was alien yet strangely nostalgic.

She had smelled it faintly since entering Ise, but here it was overwhelming.

Her body seemed to drink it in.

But it was her eyes that were truly overwhelmed.

Tamaki was seeing the ocean for the first time.

She had read about it—a world of water like a pond that never ended.

She knew the Tachibana Trading Company grew rich on its waters.

She knew it was salt water, not the sweet water of the mountain springs.

She thought she understood it, but the knowledge vanished the moment she saw that infinite, crushing blue.

The sea breeze played with her short, ultramarine hair.

The water caught the sunlight, sparkling like thousands of gold silks spread across the world.

"Honestly, what are you gaping at?" Murasaki Ako asked.

Tamaki's senior disciple trotted up behind her, looking at the horizon with total boredom.

"But… it's the sea! Murasaki-san, I've never seen it before. Aren't you surprised?"

"My home was near the coast," Murasaki said. "I could see the port towns if I took a short walk. I've been looking at this since I was a brat."

"Right… so, to get to the Old Capital, we have to go to that shrine on the beach first?" Tamaki asked.

"Exactly," Murasaki replied. "The entire region is bound by a massive Barrier Curse. It doesn't just block people out; it funnels them through a single entrance and forces them to follow a specific ritual. They say no matter what magic you use, you'll never find the Grand Shrine unless you pass through that Sea Shrine first."

"And I bet they've hidden their best traps along that 'guided' path, haven't they?"

"Bingo," Murasaki said.

Murasaki gave a grim smile as she looked toward the shore.

There, jutting out from the eerily calm waves, were the Rock Doors—two massive stones joined by a heavy sacred rope.

Anyone with a shred of spiritual sense could feel the weight of it.

It wasn't a welcome; it was a warning.

Tamaki felt a shiver run down her spine, as if the water were trying to pull her soul under.

"From there, we have to hit Asakuma Shrine and Sarutahiko Shrine," Murasaki said. "Commoners can just visit the Outer Shrine, but if you want to reach the High Priestess at the Inner Shrine, you have to walk the hidden path."

It was a cruel labyrinth designed by the Imperial Court.

The Outer Shrine was a decoy—an eggshell designed to collect donations and keep the masses happy while protecting the true center.

Most pilgrims never even heard of the hidden shrines.

Even if a raider broke the Sea Shrine's barrier, they would hit a dead end at the Outer Shrine unless they knew the exact seasonal sequence of the ritual.

It was why the Envoy's party had become so massive over the years.

To lose any pursuers, the group would split into dozens of smaller units, each taking a different path.

There were other heralds out there right now; even Tamaki didn't know if she was the real one or just another distraction.

"Come on, move it," Murasaki said. "The Grand Shrine is right there, but we've still got miles of ritual walking to do. We need to reach it before sundown."

"Wait up! We've got company, remember?" Tamaki said. "Magoroku, if you're hitting your limit, you'd better say so now."

Tamaki tried to soothe Princess Murasaki, who was frantically trying to hurry ahead, while casting a sidelong glance at the two servants nearby.

She then called out to the man standing in attendance at the Princess's side.

His clothes were a bit more elegant than his usual attire, yet he still wore the modest garb of a servant who knew his place.

Despite the upgrade, his hunched posture hadn't changed a bit.

The man, currently hiding under a hood, gave a somewhat self-deprecating smile.

"Are you really one to talk? Honestly... please keep your horse under control. Aren't you supposed to be a master rider?"

"I told you, that's not how it happened..." Tamaki replied.

Tamaki found herself unable to offer a real defense against Murasaki's stinging remarks.

While the rumors circulating through the group about her being a "master horseman" were a pack of lies, the demand that she discipline her animal was unfortunately spot-on.

"Magoroku, I am truly sorry. I'll make it up to you later, okay?" Tamaki said.

"N-no... ha-ha. It's quite alright. Please, don't give it a second thought," Magoroku replied.

Tamaki apologized to Magoroku with the utmost sincerity.

There was a very specific reason for her guilt—the exact same reason Magoroku was currently wearing a hood.

It had all started the previous night.

Magoroku had been in the stables giving the horses their hay when Tamaki's blue-robed horse did the unthinkable: it lunged out and bit him right on the head.

Chomp! The sound of hair being torn away followed by Magoroku's scream had pierced the midnight silence.

When it came time to treat the wound, the damage was so unsightly that Magoroku had decisively chopped off the rest himself.

Now, he was sporting a perfectly smooth, bald head.

Tamaki glared at the blue mane of the beast in front of her—the perpetrator of this tragedy—but the horse acted as if it didn't have a care in the world.

It just snorted and looked away.

Even knowing it was just an animal, its complete lack of remorse made her blood boil.

"This damn horse..." Tamaki muttered.

"Tamaki-sama, really... it's fine. Fortunately, he bit it off quite cleanly, so it didn't go any further than that. It's not like my scalp got ripped off or anything," Magoroku said.

"If it had, I would've turned him into horse sashimi

¹⁰ on the spot," Tamaki replied.

She gave the horse's neck a sharp smack.

Yahagi worried the animal might snap, but the horse merely spared Tamaki a single glance.

It was as if the creature was looking down on her.

"You shouldn't take your frustrations out on the horse," Princess Murasaki interjected. "And as for you, Magoroku—how dare you shave your head without permission? If you'd only had a chunk of hair missing from the front, we could have worked with that. But with that hideous, plucked-crane look you've got now, we have no choice but to hide it under a hood. How incredibly thoughtless."

"Well, if you had just let someone else handle it..." Magoroku started.

"I refuse to let you embarrass me twice!" Murasaki snapped.

Murasaki had already been stripped of her role as the town vanguard once before due to a public blunder.

Now, she had been granted the duty of vanguard again for the prestigious Grand Shrine—specifically the Outer Shrine

¹¹.

It was a stroke of luck she didn't deserve.

For the sake of the Ako family honor, she couldn't bear the awkwardness of replacing an attendant again just because of another mishap, even if it wasn't her fault.

In her mind, a bald man in a hood was a much better alternative to more gossip.

"I... I am deeply sorry..." Magoroku said.

"Princess, I understand how you feel, but please, calm down..." Yona said.

The attendant, Yona, stepped in to soothe her mistress, likely feeling pity for the cowering Magoroku.

After calming Murasaki, Yona caught Magoroku's eye from beneath the shadow of her straw hat and gave a small, subtle shake of her head.

(I know. I know... you're right. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. I need to use my calming breathing technique. Hee-hee, whew. Hee-hee, whew...) Murasaki thought.

"I feel like that's not quite right..." Tamaki muttered.

Murasaki's breathing technique definitely felt off, but Tamaki wasn't about to say it out loud.

That would only be adding fuel to the fire.

She had learned the hard way that if you pointed out a mistake to her younger senior disciple in a moment like this, she'd only mess up further.

The result was what mattered; if Murasaki managed to calm down, the method didn't really matter.

"Alright, that's better! Now, everyone, move! If we dawdle, the people behind us will catch up!" Murasaki shouted.

"Princess...! Wait! If we run, I'll start sweating...!" Yona cried.

"I'll let everyone rest before we cross the boundary! For now, speed is our top priority!" Murasaki yelled.

Murasaki urged her horse faster.

She kept the pace just below a trot to be mindful of Yona who was on foot, but it was still an exhausting workout for those walking.

"Tamaki-sama," Yahagi said. "I believe Princess Murasaki is right. We should pick up the pace. We need to ensure the Shrine side has time to prepare the reception."

"Alright, I get it. Are you two going to be okay?" Tamaki asked.

"We have spiritual reinforcement for our legs," Yahagi replied flatly. "Even without it, we haven't been trained so poorly that a little running would exhaust us."

The way she stated it as simple fact was oddly reassuring.

Yahagi wasn't the type to act tough just for the sake of appearances.

"Understood. Well... shall we go?" Tamaki said.

The fickle, arrogant blue-robed horse

¹² seemed to sense its rider's resolve.

This time, it galloped forward with surprising obedience, leading the group deeper into the heart of the Old Capital.

(It really is an impossible horse to read...) Tamaki thought.

* * *

"Look, look! Check out that procession! Isn't it gorgeous?"

"Always so extravagant. The fashion of the people from the Capital is breathtaking every time you see it."

At the outermost edge of the many shrines that comprised the Old Capital stood a single sanctuary.

Standing before its gate with brooms in hand were several apprentice Miko

¹³ from local prominent families, gossiping away.

This was Takisato Shrine.

It was a remote, ancient place where legend said an Imperial Priestess had once deceived and sealed away the Toad God.

While it sat on a scenic hilltop and held a traditional spot among the 125 shrines of the Old Capital, to these girls, it was the pinnacle of boredom—no excitement, no interesting people.

The title "Apprentice Miko" was a joke.

They had no real spiritual power; they were just there to pad their resumes and add prestige to their family names.

None of them had any intention of actually entering the priesthood.

From their perspective, if they'd at least been stationed at the Outer Shrine, they might have met a handsome young noble, a warrior, an exorcist, or even a wealthy merchant.

Any kind of romantic encounter would have been better than this.

"Did you hear? The envoy for the offering this time is..."

"Of course I know! Lord Minister of the Right is coming, isn't he? God, he's so dreamy..."

The name of the Minister of the Right reached even the furthest corners of the Old Capital.

He was a man who had reached the top of the Imperial Court at a young age, a man of refined taste who excelled at poetry, and a brilliant politician to boot.

There wasn't a woman alive who didn't adore him.

They wouldn't have minded being a concubine or even a lowly servant just to be near him.

But without even a chance to meet, they couldn't even dream of being noticed.

The two girls let out synchronized sighs, their jealousy toward their colleagues at the Inner Shrine or the Saiguu growing by the second.

"What was that?"

"Oh? What is it?"

One of the girls suddenly turned around, tilting her head in confusion.

"No, it's just... maybe it's my imagination. I felt like someone was watching me."

"Oh, stop it. Don't joke like that."

"I'm serious, I really felt... wait, what?"

The sensation was so faint it was hard to pin down.

The Miko looked around restlessly, still confused.

"It's not a ghost, is it?"

"Don't say that! There's no way... right? We have our charms."

Or perhaps it was something else.

A youkai.

The two fell into a heavy, oppressive silence.

The forest surrounding the shrine began to rustle loudly, and clouds suddenly drifted over the sun, casting the entire grounds into a deep shadow.

A strange, suffocating presence made the hair on their necks stand up.

At the same time, they felt a bizarre, itchy, throbbing sensation crawling over their skin.

"You know what? I think we're done out here. Let's go clean the inner sanctuary instead."

"I'm with you! Let's go!"

The two of them exchanged a quick glance and beat a hasty retreat, as if they were fleeing for their lives.

They scurried back toward the "Inside," sheltered behind the safety of the Barrier Curse

¹⁴….

"..."

The shadows and signs of life in front of the temple gates vanished completely.

"And then there were none. …Or something like that?"

I'd been lying in wait, straddling an invisible crawling dragon until they finally cleared out.

Now, I finally stepped onto the grounds where those fake Miko had been loitering.

One of the formulas (talisman) I'd borrowed from Aoi had a specific perk: it was invisible itself, and it extended that invisibility to anything it touched.

The catch was that while a third party would just see a whole lot of nothing, from the rider's perspective, I looked like a complete idiot, floating in mid-air in a wide, bow-legged straddle.

It was honestly a bit embarrassing.

'Unnecessary commentary is strictly forbidden. …Aren't you being a little too relaxed? This may be the outer rim, but this is still the Old Capital, the burial grounds of the gods, you realize?'

The hummingbird perched on my shoulder chimed in.

I could tell just by the tone; she was practically radiating disapproval.

"…I know, I know. But seriously, after everything I've layered on, there's no way they'd notice me, right?"

I gestured toward the advisor on my shoulder, showing off the Magatama

¹⁵ hanging from my neck and the concealment cloak I'd thrown over my haori.

The innate power of the chameleon I was riding, the Magatama that kept me tucked away in everyone's blind spots, the perception-blocking cloak, and the Concealment Technique itself—on top of all that, there were the various other "curse-tools" I'd been saddled with.

Countless layers of hexes and protections were stacked so high they effectively erased my existence from the world.

(At this point, I could probably do a naked helicopter dance right in front of them while howling at the moon and they'd never see me. Yeah, that sounds about right.)

"…I'm sorry. I got cocky. My bad."

I apologized the very second I felt a kunai pressed against my throat.

Tanuki-sama had looped around behind me in an instant.

Worse, she'd read my thoughts perfectly.

God, how humiliating.

'…As expected of the former Head of the Omnyouji Bureau

¹⁶ and the literal eyes and ears of generations of Emperors. A magnificent detection, milady,'

The hummingbird offered flat, unreserved praise, but it felt pointed—like she was intentionally laying it on thick just to spite me by being polite to her "elder."

"Matsuhige's Kochou's Granddaughter is certainly a straightforward girl. Quite the contrast to her grandfather," said Tanuki.

'Certainly. Grandfather is getting on in years. He's losing his marbles and getting crankier by the second. It's quite the headache.'

"He's been a stubborn brat since he was a kid. I can only imagine how rotten he's become with age. Not that I've got much room to talk, being an old hag myself!"

"Sorry to break up the reunion, but could you maybe pull the knife away…?"

With a hearty, boisterous laugh, the kunai finally left my neck.

Tanuki-sama stepped back a few paces, giving me room to turn around.

The way her presence seemed to vanish the moment she moved must have been an illusion caused by her stealth skills.

I turned to face her and took it all in.

I knew this woman.

She was clad in a ninja-like outfit that was the pinnacle of functional beauty—if you ignored the fact that it was so tight and skimpy she looked like she was one step away from a career in a brothel.

Even though she was right there in front of me, her presence was unnervingly thin.

Her distance, her silhouette, even her voice—everything was hard to pin down.

It was a bizarre, hazy sensation.

I couldn't tell if I was perceiving her because my own five senses had become inhumanly sharp, or if she was just lowering her guard enough to let me see her.

It was probably both.

"So, will you guide me as promised?"

The Minister of the Right, who had granted me this audience, had suggested this particular shrine.

Hidden here was a "back road"—a path that bypassed the complex layers of the Old Capital's Barrier Curse, leading straight to the inner sanctum.

"Indeed. However, I can't exactly show you the specific sequence of the path. You'll have to be blindfolded. Also… is that thing you're riding a Shiki-youkai? You'll be leaving that here."

"Understood. …Wait, you can't see it?"

I couldn't help but ask the former Bureau Head.

It struck me as odd.

Unlike Aoi's Shiki-youkai, which relied solely on its own power to hide, I was supposed to be protected by a mountain of curse-tools and divine blessings.

And yet, this woman had managed to sense me and sneak up behind me, but she was having trouble seeing the chameleon?

"To be honest? No. I can only see a faint, blurry shimmer. I'm having to strain my ears just to hold this conversation with you. As the one guiding you, I'd appreciate it if you could dial back that excessive concealment just a notch, eh?"

"…I suppose I don't have much choice since I'm the one being escorted."

I hopped off the back of the Shiki, Chouei, and tucked away the Magatama I'd been using.

Azuma, who had been squinting at me with a tired, focused expression, finally let the tension in her brow relax.

"There. A bit easier to see now. These old eyes aren't what they used to be, you know?"

"Old eyes, huh? Getting caught by a pair of 'old eyes' like that… I've really lost my edge."

"Actually, truth be told, I didn't catch you with my 'eyes'."

"Not your eyes…?"

"Hmm…"

While I stood there, stunned by her answer, Azuma-dono crossed her arms and let out a deep groan, looking me up and down with intense scrutiny.

Actually, her gaze lingered on my lower half a bit too long. What was she looking at…?

"…Right. Yeah. That'll do it. Let me give you a bit of advice, from one old-timer to a kid."

Tanuki glared at me with a face that suggested she was preparing for the worst.

"…Advice? About what?"

Was it about the person I was going to meet? The danger of the Factor? Or some trap within the Old Capital? I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"No, it's nothing like that. …Tell me. Do you know where those fake Miko went just now?"

"Huh? What kind of question is that…?"

"They probably went to the latrine."

"Wait, what?"

I tilted my head, completely missing her point.

The former Bureau Head clutched her head in her hands, looking utterly exhausted.

"Fine. Let me put it another way. Why do you think I was able to sniff out someone as perfectly hidden as you?"

"…Experience?"

"…Alright, fine. It's my fault for being vague. I'll just lay it out for you clearly, even if it's rude."

Tanuki stared me dead in the eye, looking truly, deeply fed up.

Then she delivered the verdict with blunt, brutal precision.

"Kid. You reek of c*m and p**sy juice."

"..."

That was a truly, truly horrific thing to say to someone. Is this even allowed…?

---

Summary:

A young, puppet noble suffers from a debilitating magical illness while the mother and grandfather argue over political survival.

Shonagon, a Minor Counselor, interrupts the chaos with a powerful medicine and a hidden agenda. The chapter ends with a cold negotiation for the future of the Imperial Court.

A young noble wakes from a fevered dream of their past to find themselves in a carriage with a loyal servant. They are traveling to the 'Old Capital' in the Land of Ise as part of an Imperial Envoy.

Meanwhile, the herald Tamaki sees the ocean for the first time as she approaches the trapped ritual grounds of the Grand Shrine.

Tamaki and Murasaki continue their journey toward the Old Capital, dealing with internal tension and a horse that bit off Magoroku's hair.

Meanwhile, at Takisato Shrine, gossiping Miko feel an ominous presence as the Minister of the Right's arrival approaches. The tone shifts from comedy to supernatural dread.

The protagonist attempts to infiltrate the Old Capital using extreme layers of concealment magic.

He is easily detected by Azuma, the former Head of the Onmyoji Bureau, who mocks his overconfidence.

The chapter ends with a shocking revelation about how he was actually tracked.

---

Trivia:

- The child's biological father was highly respected and disappeared near their birth.

- The room is sealed by a Barrier Curse to hide the parents' treasonous discussions.

- The child's internal fire is likely the result of the 'god-defying' enthronement ritual.

- Shonagon's medicine has a literal 'radiance of life' that causes immediate desperation in the corrupt officials.

- The noble was neglected by their grandfather and mother during a childhood illness.

- The servant was specifically sent by the noble's father, not the current court handlers.

- The Sea Shrine is a 'bottle-neck' entrance forced by a Barrier Curse.

- The Outer Shrine is essentially a decoy to protect the Inner Shrine (Saiguu).

- The Envoy party is split into multiple groups to confuse pursuers.

- Murasaki was previously fired for a public blunder involving a bee sting.

- Tamaki uses 'boku' (masculine/tomboyish self-referential).

- Takisato Shrine is dedicated to sealing the Toad God.

- The 'Minister of the Right' is a top-tier heartthrob in the capital.

- Murasaki's breathing technique (hi-hi-fuu) is actually for childbirth.

- The 'itchy' sensation on the Miko's skin suggests a miasma or hex.

- The protagonist is riding an invisible Shiki named Chouei.

- The Hummingbird is the granddaughter of Matsuhige, an old acquaintance of Azuma.

- The invisibility layers include a chameleon's power, a Magatama, a haori cloak, and specialized techniques.

- Azuma wears a 'skimpier' version of ninja gear that is described as functional beauty.

- The 'Back Road' is a secret path bypassing the city's labyrinthine barriers

---

Character Insight:

The child has moved from simple suffering to profound nihilism, accepting death as a release. Shonagon displays a high-level strategic mind, manipulating the parents' greed and fear to gain a 'covenant.'

The Noble finds comfort in being 'a puppet' specifically for the Servant, indicating deep trust. Tamaki shows her mountain upbringing through her awe of the sea.

Murasaki is deeply insecure about her rank and appearance, leading her to be harsh on her subordinates to overcompensate. Tamaki is more observant but avoids direct conflict with Murasaki's eccentricities to ensure the mission's success.

The protagonist's over-reliance on magical tools is his downfall, as he overlooks basic biological factors. Azuma is established as a master of sensory perception who values raw intuition over complex spells.

---

Lore And Worldbuilding Context:

The author uses Heian-period court titles to heighten the sense of a rigid, suffocating social structure.

The 'Old Capital' geography is designed as a natural and magical fortress.

The horse's behavior is a recurring gag, but the transition at the shrine signals a genre shift toward the supernatural horror elements of the setting.

The author uses a mix of high-fantasy stakes and 'gag' humor common in web novels to ground the power-scaling of the protagonist.

---

Glossary:

1↵ Avici Hell: The lowest level of Buddhist Naraka, where suffering is unending.

2↵ Barrier Curse (Kekkai): A mystical boundary used here to prevent eavesdropping and magical detection.

3↵ Malevolent Energy (Maki): A corrupting force often associated with curses or demonic presence.

4↵ Pure Land (Jodo): The celestial realm of a Buddha, representing salvation.

5↵ Children's Limbo (Sai no Kawara): The place where children who die before their parents go to pile stones in penance.

6↵ Sanzu River: The river dead souls must cross to reach the afterlife, similar to the River Styx.

7↵ Decoction (Sen-yaku): A concentrated liquor resulting from heating or boiling herbal or vegetable matter.

8↵ Barrier Curse (Kekkai): A spiritual or magical boundary used for protection or containment.

9↵ Moryo: Spirits of the mountains and rivers in folklore, often mischievous or demonic.

10↵ Horse Sashimi (Basashi): A Japanese delicacy, used here by Tamaki as a dark threat against the animal.

11↵ Outer Shrine (Gekū): One of the two main parts of the Ise Grand Shrine system; being a vanguard for it is a major religious and political honor.

12↵ Blue-robed horse (Aoge): Refers to a horse with a raven-black coat that has a blueish sheen under the light.

13↵ Miko: Shrine maidens who serve in Shinto shrines. Here, they are 'apprentices' from noble families doing it for social status.

14↵ A spiritual or magical barrier common in Onmyoji folklore to protect sacred spaces.

15↵ Comma-shaped beads from ancient Japan, often imbued with spiritual significance or protective magic.