Kays Translations

Chapter 13: Eureka

After seeing Nina-chan off to her room, I returned to our room but couldn’t see my father anywhere.

Inside the room, my mother was preparing to go to the bath, taking clothes out of the luggage, while Hina was sitting on the bed watching TV. I also glanced at the TV, where a variety show was airing, discussing the ‘mass unconsciousness incident at a primary school in Tokyo.’

Since it wasn’t a pleasant sight to watch, I looked back at my mother and asked. 

“Where did Dad go?”

“He’s taking a shower.” 

My mother replied, glancing towards the bathroom. Upon listening carefully, I could indeed hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

“It would be nice to go to the hot spring since we’re here.” 

“At this hour, there are other guests too, so I think he doesn’t want to expose his body too much.” 

My mother responded with a gentle expression, and I agreed.

When we went to the hot spring in the early afternoon, there were no other guests, so it was fine, but now it was nighttime. We would definitely encounter other guests. If that happened, it would surely cause a commotion.

Thinking that was the reason, my mother stopped taking clothes out of the bag and asked me. 

“What about you, Itsuki? Are you going to the hot spring?”

“Yeah, I’m going! I want to properly soak in the outdoor bath this time since I only went to the sauna during the day.”

So, I took the clothes from my mother and headed to the hot spring with Hina.

“Are you going to be okay by yourself, Itsuki?” 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” 

After answering that to my mother, I entered the changing room of the men’s bath by myself.

Looking around, as my mother had been concerned, quite a few customers were changing. Certainly, if Dad or Renji-san changed here, it would attract attention. Avoiding it might be the right decision.

Feeling a bit lonely being alone for the first time in a while, I headed to the outdoor bath.

Opening the door and stepping outside, the chilly pre-winter air cooled my wet body.

“It’s cold…” 

I muttered as I immersed myself in the hot water.

Then, I leaned my head against the stone at the edge of the hot spring and looked up at the sky.

“…Phew.”

I looked at my arm, feeling a little sad that the two people covered in scars were gone.

Not a single scratch on my familiar arm. But that was because I had healed the injuries with healing magic.

The TV program earlier―the ‘mass unconsciousness incident involving children’ was probably about our elementary school.

It was Nina-chan who protected me from the actor’s magic that triggered it. As a result, I injured my left arm, and I healed it.

I couldn’t see any scars from the injuries I had just suffered.

Of course not. Despite being called ‘healing magic,’ it was actually ‘transmutation.’

Simply put, it was just creating body parts with magic. I vividly remember studying the anatomy with my mother and Hina repeatedly until I could use healing magic.

Come to think of it, if I could use healing magic, could I heal the scarred bodies of Dad and the others?

No, I probably couldn’t.

Even though my mother could use ‘healing magic,’ she left Dad’s body as it was. There wouldn’t be such an easy solution in the world. But my mother was a ‘First Rank,’ so it’s possible that she didn’t have enough magic power to heal them.

“…Hmm.”

I closed my eyes, feeling puzzled.

I’m not cut out to think about such difficult things. Both now and in the past, I was running away from thinking.

But even if I’m such an idiot… I think that when I look at Nina-chan.

I wish there was a “healing magic” that could heal her heart.

“…..?”

――Is there truly no healing magic that can mend the mind?

“Transmutation” can create anything as long as there is magic power.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t it be able to create something like a potion that can heal the mind?

Is it possible that Nina-chan’s mind could be healed through magic, and I just don’t know it?

I unconsciously start weaving “Guide Thread.”

After weaving it, I can’t figure out what form to give it, so I stop moving my hands. “Transmutation” requires a clear image to give form to the object. Without that, it materializes as a vague, uncertain shape.

I can’t create it half-heartedly and then actually test it.

It’s something that touches a person’s mind, after all.

So, what should I do?

“…Hmm…”

A sigh escapes me.

It’s like the frustration of almost sneezing but not quite managing to do it.

I feel like I know the answer, but I can’t figure out the path to get there.

Whenever I felt like this, I would ask Dad or Renji-san.

Those two always knew the answers.

But this time was different.

Just by coming to the hot spring, it seemed like it was believed that there was no healing magic to heal the mind. So even if I asked… I probably wouldn’t move forward.

…What should I do, really?

If I didn’t know, I should ask someone who did.

That was the fastest way.

But there was no one around me who seemed to know how to use ‘transmutation’ to affect the mind.

Looking up at the sky, I saw the moon floating in the cold night sky.

It was somewhat similar to the scenery I saw in Aya-chan’s mind during that summer camp.

“Ah.”

I unintentionally let out a sound and stood up.

There was no one who seemed to be able to tell me.

But there was a monster who would be able to tell me.

I rushed out of the hot spring with the momentum of the idea, hastily dried myself, and opened the locker in the changing room with its key.

Quickly changing into my clothes, I grabbed the relic necklace and dashed out. I walked, searching for a place where no one was around… but finding nowhere vacant, I ended up returning to the room.

“…Huh?”

The room was dark, and there was no light. I thought my father was here, but it seemed he had gone somewhere.

However, this was fortunate…

I took the necklace adorned with relics—the amber-colored heirloom among them—in my hand and gathered magic at my fingertips. Using the “Guiding Thread Silvate” I had woven, I coated the relic. I covered it. And then, I created a human form.

By doing so, the “magic” of the “Sixth Rank” was summoned.

He wore hunting clothes as if he had just stepped out of the Heian period.

Multiple “Form Representatives” emerged around him, and the tall young man looked down at me.

Visually, he appeared to be just a human.

But he wasn’t human. He was an Insect.

An insect that copied the memories and personality of a former exorcist.

“Long time no see, Adashino Harunaga.” 

I asked, and Harunga bowed his tall figure. It was like a sign of surrender.

“What are you doing?”

“I never dreamed I would undergo a third reincarnation. I owe my gratitude for this life to you.”

Just like when I summoned Raikou Douji, what was the meaning behind him bowing?

Well, if it’s like this, it’s straightforward.

“Do you know magic that can heal people’s hearts? Like creating medicine for that purpose?”

When I asked, Harunaga raised the corners of his mouth along with his face.

“Master, that is a forbidden technique.”

“…So it exists?”

“Heh.”

Harunaga laughed.

“Yes, it does. Melting people’s minds into a sludge and rebuilding them. Then they’ll obediently listen to your story, completing a puppet.”

“Were you listening to me?”

Thinking about returning this guy to the relics already… But Harunaga said, “Wait,” and continued.

“Of course, there is also what Master sought. This is Mino, correct? Then there is a path to the ‘Hermitage.’ Let them eat the peaches inside.”

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