Rom was once a disciple of Granny Mitsue. Yes, once.
Mitsue Takeda—the legendary Godmother of Downtown—was originally a good teacher, but Rom ultimately parted ways with her due to fundamental differences in their philosophies, eventually establishing his own school. It wasn't that he looked down on his former mentor. It was simply that the stubborn old woman lacked the flexible, adaptable mind of a young person. In modern society, who didn't experience loneliness? How could tedious, archaic spiritual cultivation ever compare to the crisp smell of ink on fresh banknotes?
That inflexible old woman… Rom lamented Granny Mitsue's stubbornness. He hadn't contacted her in a long time. After all, he was now a successful and wealthy platform host. Running the channel "Unreachable Syndrome," he had used his knowledge of mysticism to amass a fortune, transforming himself into a new-era internet celebrity.
Of course, many people criticized his pretentiousness. But there were always people who liked his show, weren't there? Just like those young people...
Sitting quietly in a newly opened café, Rom's eyes darted around, selecting the perfect young targets for his latest video. It was a difficult process. If the show wasn't entertaining enough, the audience wouldn't buy into it. Only through meticulous refinement and staged drama could he gain more fame and fortune. That was Rom's secret to success.
His tuxedo and magician's hat did indeed attract the curious glances of some teenagers, but they weren't Rom's true targets. He needed to record compelling videos and edit interesting clips; he couldn't just use curious kids. He needed stubborn individuals who outright refused to believe or engage with the occult, only to "suddenly repent" after his performance. That was the only way to create a viral hit.
That was his initial thought, anyway. But then, he overheard something quite interesting. His gaze, seemingly unintentional, shifted to a table not far away.
Two girls with long, straight black hair sat together.
"Yukinoshita-san, is there really no other way?" Miko Yotsuya asked, her expression full of desperate struggle. To solve the terrifying problem with her eyes, she had resolutely joined the Service Club—a club with a rather intimidating reputation. She had already seen so many beings she never should have seen...
For example, the grotesque "spirits" that coexist with humans. Or the horrifying entities on Mount Shingan during the Onmyo-ryo incident...
'Hiss... I can't afford to think about that.' Miko quickly slammed the brakes on her own thoughts. Such beings were clearly beyond her mortal comprehension and completely outside her scope of consideration.
"...That is the truth, Yotsuya-san. I cannot do anything about it. You can only try to ignore them by pretending to be completely clueless," Yukino Yukinoshita replied smoothly, though she subtly shifted in her seat.
A certain bulging discomfort was still faintly felt in her lower abdomen. Yukino felt extremely ashamed of her own recent behavior—deliberately sticking her rear out when her mind was completely foggy with pleasure. That indulgence had given her a lot of "nourishment," but it had also made her completely lose face in front of Haruno. Especially since her hateful older sister had actually recorded the whole thing...
Because of that encounter, she wasn't confident in formally helping the "dangerous" Miko Yotsuya right now. Her protective black crows had been taken back—this was Yukino's punishment. In other words, Yukino was currently just an ordinary girl who happened to understand a few supernatural secrets.
Well, not entirely ordinary. They couldn't completely sever Miko's reliance on her. After all, Yukino still carried the heavy, lingering scent of Minazuki. That scent alone was enough to keep all evil spirits far away from this "ordinary person." So, by simply staying by Yukino's side, Miko was safer than she had ever been.
However, the reason for that safety was something that absolutely could not be mentioned. What was Yukino supposed to say? That she was put into 108 different positions by a God?
In truth, Yukino did have another way to help resolve Miko's problem: send the girl directly to Suginami Ward. But Yukino would never do something so morally reprehensible to a junior! Never!
With a sigh of frustration, Miko herself figured out her only viable survival trick to avoid being hunted down. That was to completely ignore those deformed, grotesque spirits whose mere appearance was enough to drive people mad. And she wasn't entirely without moments of relaxation. As long as she sat next to Yukino, she could speak freely, knowing the spirits would automatically keep their distance from the older girl.
"Okay, then I guess I'll just go to the shrine to pray for peace..." Miko muttered.
"Hello there, little ones! You look quite troubled!"
A sudden voice interrupted them.
"Let me introduce myself. I am Rom—the prodigy Rom, a professional in the field of mysticism! How about it? Need my help?"
Yukino and Miko both stared at him, somewhat stunned.
'A professional?' That word sounded hauntingly familiar. The last time they had heard someone call themselves a "professional" was during the Yin-Yang Bureau's major incident at Mount Kami... and those so-called professionals had unsurprisingly died almost immediately. If memory served them right, those experts' graves would already be overgrown with weeds by now...
Meanwhile, outside...
The weather was irritating.
Saeko Busujima gripped the handle of her wooden sword case tightly. A subtle shift appeared in her usually gentle demeanor, a sharp, dangerous edge emerging from beneath the surface. She gazed up at the sky. It was overcast, cloudy, and seemed about to rain.
The memory of her nearly killing a grown man with her wooden sword as a child seemed to perfectly mirror this oppressive weather.
She shook her head with a wry, self-deprecating smile. The vivid image of bloodstains still lingered in her mind, but she knew she couldn't act as violently as she had back then. That was a serious crime. As a child, she could escape legal punishment, but as an adult, she would be crushed by the iron fist of the law. Therefore, Saeko could only suppress her dark, inner rage by constantly honing her swordsmanship.
'Yes. I know exactly what I am.' Saeko thought, her eyes narrowing. 'A potential violent maniac, a murderer waiting to happen.'
Her destructive desires were like primal instinct, deeply ingrained in her bones. The irritating weather was making her restless, and she wanted nothing more than to go home early to practice her strikes.
But a conversation drifting from the nearby café caught her attention. A "pervert" in a top hat was harassing two junior students from her school?
Her grip on her sword case tightened again.
'A professional in the occult? Help? Child prodigy Rom?'
Blinking her clear, striking eyes, Saeko was, on the surface, a truly gentle and beautiful young woman. She always maintained a humble and cautious attitude toward things she didn't fully understand.
'Occultism…'
Chewing on this novel term, Saeko decided to stay and listen a bit more. In fact, as a descendant of the long-standing Busujima family tradition, her family's martial heritage had been described in some rather bizarre, almost mystical ways in the old texts. But she always took things as they came. She would just listen to the stories; taking them seriously would bring shame to the family's practical nature.
Even her father scoffed at some of the exaggerated, supernatural descriptions of their ancestors. Because her father was a renowned, pragmatic master swordsman of his time, he naturally looked down on such boastful occult claims. Even if they were about their own ancestors.
If they were to actually fight, her father would confidently claim he could break those mythical ancestors' legs!
Oh, this wasn't something Saeko would say out of the blue. It was exactly what her father had said…
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