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"...So this is the headquarters of the Himegami Society?"
Staring at the building ahead, Hitagi Senjogahara felt a wave of unease rising in her chest.
Her senses had sharpened ever since becoming a demon, and something about this place screamed unnatural.
"It seems your father really is in danger," Edgar said, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint. "Inside… it's already turned into the domain of a special-grade curse spirit."
"What—? Then what are we supposed to do? My dad—" Hitagi's voice shook, panic breaking through.
"Don't worry. Leave everything to me."
Edgar placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and started walking toward the building. She followed, though every step made the air feel heavier.
The closer they came, the more the world twisted around them. A sickly pink glow bled into the sky, blotting out its natural color. The once-luxurious structure shimmered with an unsettling sheen, as if reality itself was peeling away.
What the hell kind of place is this…?
Hitagi shrank back, instinctively slipping behind Edgar like a shadow.
But he barely noticed her. His attention had already shifted to another figure—a girl sprinting desperately through the distorted hall.
She was dressed in a school uniform, her long black hair flying behind her, her face pale but strikingly pretty.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Her hurried footsteps echoed through the empty building.
Yotsuya Miko ran with all she had, teeth clenched, sweat dripping down her forehead. Exhaustion should have slowed her down long ago, but terror kept her moving.
Behind her, a pack of grotesque curse spirits closed in, their warped bodies twitching with hunger.
"Why… why is it always me that this kind of thing happens to?" Her eyes brimmed with tears as despair welled up.
Not long ago, Miko had suddenly awakened the ability to see the other side—a cursed gift that let her glimpse spirits and monsters ordinary people couldn't.
The so-called spirit sight was nothing but a curse in her eyes.
She had gone to temples, churches, even shady exorcists, but nothing worked.
Finally, she heard rumors about a cult called the Himegami Society—that their rituals were effective. So she came, desperate for any chance at peace.
But the moment she stepped inside, she found herself surrounded by horrors far worse than anything she'd seen before.
And this time, pretending she couldn't see them didn't work. The monsters were locked onto her.
Bang!
With a sickening thud, she slammed straight into someone's chest.
Her mind froze.
I'm dead. I'm going to be eaten alive.
"…Looks like you could use some help," a calm voice said above her.
Edgar looked down at the girl who'd crashed into him. His lips curved faintly.
Oh? So she can see them too.
"W-warm? Is this… a person?" Miko slowly lifted her head.
A handsome face came into view. Any other time, she might've blushed—but now, survival was all that mattered.
"Run! Hurry! There are monsters right behind me!" she cried, waving frantically, almost on the verge of sobbing.
Edgar only gave her a reassuring pat on the head. With a casual flick of his hand—
Hum!
"Relax. They're just curses."
Power exploded from him, visible to the naked eye, rolling outward like a tidal wave.
Boom!
The force swept through the hall, annihilating the spirits in an instant. They didn't even have time to scream before dissolving into nothingness.
On the other side, Miko stood frozen, her mouth half-open.
What… was that?
Her pupils shrank, awe and disbelief lighting up her face.
Could it be… I finally found a real exorcist?
Hitagi's jaw dropped. "M-Master… you're amazing!"
"…Master?"
Miko blinked, completely thrown off by the strange address. What's with these two? Is this some weird roleplay or…?
She wanted to ask, but Edgar and Hitagi were clearly in a hurry. So she swallowed her questions and hurried after them.
Along the way, any curses that dared appear were instantly crushed under Edgar's hand, as easily as swatting flies.
Before long, the three of them had reached the building's deepest chamber.
The stench hit them first—thick, metallic, suffocating.
Then came the sight.
The floor was littered with mangled remains, blood soaking into every crack, red and white tangled together in a grotesque mosaic.
Miko gagged, pressing a hand to her mouth.
"Is this… the headquarters of the Himegami Society?"
Staring at the looming building ahead, Hitagi Senjogahara felt a chill twist in her gut.
Ever since becoming a demon, her sharpened senses made her uncomfortably aware of the unnatural aura drifting out from inside.
"Looks like your father really is in danger."
A flash of light crossed Edgar's eyes. "The whole place has already been swallowed by the domain of a special-grade curse spirit."
"What? Then what do we do? My dad—"Hitagi's voice cracked, panic tightening her throat.
"Relax. Leave everything to me."
Edgar gave her shoulder a firm pat, then led her closer to the building.
The nearer they came, the more warped the world around them grew. The sky was gone, replaced by a sickly pink glow that pulsed across the heavens. The once-luxurious architecture now shimmered with an eerie, oily sheen.
What the hell is this place?
Hitagi shrank back, practically diving behind Edgar for cover.
But he didn't notice—his attention had already locked onto another figure.
A girl in a high school uniform, long black hair swaying as she ran. Her face was delicate, but right now it was twisted with fear.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
In the hollow, echoing halls, her frantic footsteps were the only sound.
Miko Yotsuya sprinted flat-out, sweat dripping down her forehead. She didn't even slow, didn't even breathe—her eyes were fixed only forward, as if running fast enough might undo reality.
Behind her, a pack of grotesque curses closed in, their twisted shapes crawling and slithering after her.
"Why… why is it always me?!"
Tears glimmered in her eyes.
Not long ago, she'd somehow awakened the ability to see spirits—truly see them. The so-called "spirit sight" that no one sane would ever want.
It had ruined her life. She'd gone temple to temple, shrine to church, desperately searching for a way to get rid of it.
Nothing had worked.
So when she heard rumors that this group called the Himegami Society had "real results," she'd come here with a flicker of hope.
But the second she stepped inside—she'd realized it was a mistake.
The place was crawling with monsters.
And worse, her usual trick—pretending she couldn't see them—didn't fool these things at all.
They were locked onto her, relentless.
Thud!
Miko's whole body jolted as she slammed chest-first into someone's arms.
Her heart sank. She didn't even feel relief—just one thought pounding in her skull:
I'm about to be eaten.
"Looks like you could use some help."
Edgar caught her weight easily, the impact barely fazing him. His lips curled into the faintest smile.
So this was a girl who could actually see. Interesting.
"W-warm…? Are you… human?"
Miko raised her head, blinking up at a face almost too handsome to belong here.
But who cared about handsome right now? Staying alive was what mattered.
"Run! Hurry! There are demons right behind me!" she cried, flailing in panic.
Instead of panicking with her, Edgar simply ruffled her hair like she was a child, then lifted his hand.
Whummm.
"Don't worry. They're just curses."
A surge of magic rippled out from his palm, visible even to the naked eye, crashing over the monsters like a tidal wave.
BOOM!
The air itself exploded with force. Before the curses could even scream, they were annihilated—shredded into nothing but ash on the wind.
On the other side of the room, Miko stood frozen, her mouth hanging open.
What… what was that?
Her pupils shrank, shock and wonder battling in her gaze.
Could it be? Had she finally met a real exorcist?
"Master, you're… amazing," Hitagi whispered, her own eyes wide.
M-Master?!
Miko's jaw nearly hit the floor.
What kind of weird roleplay were these two into?
She wanted to ask, but the way they moved—focused, urgent—made it clear they didn't have time for explanations. Swallowing her questions, she trailed after them instead.
Along the way, every curse they came across was obliterated in an instant, brushed aside like dust by Edgar's casual strikes.
Before long, they had reached the very heart of the building.
And what awaited them there nearly made Miko vomit.
The air reeked of blood so thick it stung the nose.
The ground was a carpet of severed limbs, a grotesque mosaic of red and white."
"..."
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