"Tsubaki… have you ever regretted leaving?"
Kikyo stepped into the main hall, her gaze settling on Tsubaki, who stood quietly lost in old memories.
"Because you left… your master's temple has fallen to this state. Only two young girls remain to guard it."
"Hmph."
Tsubaki snapped out of her thoughts, deliberately avoiding the question.
"I simply didn't expect time to pass so quickly," she said flatly. "It's been over sixty years since I first entered this temple to train under Master."
Kikyo didn't let the matter go.
"I believe… your master was waiting for you to return," she continued calmly. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have hurriedly accepted Momiji and Botan as his disciples before his death."
A faint flicker crossed Tsubaki's eyes.
After a moment of silence, she spoke again.
"That only proves one thing—human lives are short."
Her tone turned indifferent.
"My master died because of it."
She lifted her chin slightly.
"But I… obtained the power of a Yokai. Decades leave no trace on me."
Kikyo watched her quietly.
"Then now that you've returned… stay."
Her voice was steady.
"Inherit this temple. Train your junior sisters. Carry on your master's legacy."
The hall fell silent.
At this moment, only the two of them remained inside.
Outside, Momiji and Botan were showing Kasage around.
"Hmph."
Tsubaki glanced at her, hesitation flashing briefly in her eyes—before hardening again.
"Do you think I, a dark priestess, would follow your arrangements?"
Her voice turned firm.
"Stop dreaming, Kikyo. I will never stay here."
"…Is that so?"
Kikyo sighed softly.
"I had hoped not to trouble her…"
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"But it seems I have no choice."
"Tch—Kikyo, what are you planning?" Tsubaki's expression changed instantly, a sense of unease rising in her chest.
If her powers weren't sealed—
she would have already fled.
"Nothing complicated," Kikyo replied calmly. "Just finding someone who can persuade you."
"…Persuade me?"
Tsubaki frowned, then sneered.
"No one can do that."
She crossed her arms.
"Unless you can bring back my dead master."
Kikyo glanced at her, her expression unreadable.
"Remember what you just said."
She turned and walked toward the exit.
"And don't regret it when you see him."
"…What?!"
Tsubaki froze for a moment, then hurried after her, unease growing stronger.
"You're not seriously planning to dig up Master's grave, are you?!"
Kikyo ignored the question entirely.
Instead, she spoke as they walked.
"Tsubaki, Momiji and Botan mentioned something… about a sealed Yokai here."
"Do you know where it is?"
"…A sealed Yokai?"
Tsubaki paused, then quickly understood.
"You mean the Duobao Tower… the Forbidden Tower."
Kikyo stopped and turned toward her.
"Explain."
Tsubaki exhaled slowly before answering.
"When I was still training here, Master brought me to that tower."
Her eyes flickered with memory.
"He told me a powerful Yokai was sealed inside… a responsibility passed down through generations."
A faint, mocking smile appeared.
"He even said… I would inherit that duty one day."
"What kind of Yokai is it?" Kikyo asked.
"A ghost," Tsubaki replied directly.
"An extremely powerful one. It was sealed over a hundred years ago."
She tilted her head slightly, her tone turning teasing.
"…Don't tell me you want to release it?"
Kikyo nodded without hesitation.
"That's exactly what I intend to do."
"…Have you lost your mind?!"
Tsubaki's eyes widened in disbelief.
"If you release it, it'll kill all of us!"
Her voice rose sharply.
"If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!"
"There's no need to worry," Kikyo replied calmly.
Then she walked ahead to find Kasage.
Seeing that she was completely serious—
Tsubaki panicked.
Her powers were sealed.
If the ghost was released—
she would be the first to die.
"Kikyo! If you're really going to do this, remove my seal first!" she shouted, chasing after her. "I'm not dying with you!"
At that moment—
"Miss Kikyo, you're going to release the sealed Yokai?!"
Momiji and Botan's shocked voices rang out.
They had clearly overheard everything.
"No!" Botan shook her head firmly. "Before Master passed away, he told us to guard the Duobao Tower and never let the ghost escape!"
"Absolutely not!" Momiji added.
"Don't worry," Kasage said calmly from the side. "I can handle it."
"No! We can't allow it!" the two insisted.
Kasage glanced helplessly at Kikyo.
"This was your idea. You deal with them."
Kikyo smiled faintly.
"Leave it to me."
She walked toward the two girls.
"Miss Kikyo, please reconsider! That Yokai is too dangerous!" Momiji pleaded.
"Master said many priests and priestesses died sealing it!" Botan added urgently.
"It will be fine," Kikyo said gently.
She reached out—
and lightly patted their heads.
"…Eh?"
Botan's expression froze.
"I… can't move?!"
"Me too!" Momiji cried out.
Their bodies were completely immobilized.
Kikyo smiled softly and pinched their cheeks.
"Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I'll release you once we're done."
They tried to speak—
but couldn't even open their mouths.
Kasage watched the scene, speechless.
"…So this is your way of 'persuading' them?"
"Now no one will object," Kikyo replied lightly, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
She gently rubbed their cheeks again.
"Take this as a lesson—never trust strangers too easily. Always stay alert."
"Tch… Kikyo, you're bullying my adorable junior sisters."
Tsubaki stepped forward, shaking her head.
She then leaned closer to the two girls, putting on a pitiful expression.
"Don't believe her. She's just a pretentious, dangerous woman."
She sighed dramatically.
"If my powers weren't sealed, I would've saved you both already…"
Unable to speak—
Momiji and Botan could only look back and forth between the two women.
Their thoughts were in complete chaos.
Kikyo said Tsubaki was a dark priestess—
Yet now Kikyo was the one releasing a sealed Yokai…
And restraining them.
No matter how they looked at it—
Kikyo seemed far more like the dangerous one.