Chapter 12: The Strongest Onmyoji Confronts the Mastermind

　After that,

　Amiyu and I were able to escape the dungeon safely.

　I surprised the teachers by blowing the top of the exit door with 《ash flower》 but it didn’t hurt anyone, so there was no problem.

　After we were taken back to the school, the teachers asked us in detail what had happened, and we told them the truth.

　A magic circle in the forest teleported us to a dungeon, but we managed to escape by defeating the boss.

　However, about my jutsus and Amiyu’s curse, we agreed to keep it a secret. It would have been inconvenient to talk about it.

　The teachers didn’t seem to know that there was a dungeon under the temple.

　Probably no one in this town knew about it. If they knew such monsters were inside the walls, they would be too scared to live in such a place.

　The magic circle in the forest had already disappeared.

　Apparently, it had been rigged to disappear after one activation. It was meticulous

　Thanks to that, we never found out who did it.

　I thought that something like this would cause a fuss and the school would be closed again, but …… this time they only ended up cancelling classes for 3 days.

　I don’t know how they keep going when they don’t even know who did it.

　Well, they didn’t shut down after the demons attacked, so I guess it’s too late now.

　It’s been seven days since then.

　Finally, everyday life had returned to me and Amiyu..

“Excuse me.”

　I called out while going down the stairs to the basement of the research building.

“I’ve come to return the items you left with me. Dr. Cordell.”

　The vast basement.

　On top of the pale magic circle drawn on the floor――――Cordell raises his round glasses.

“Is that you, Mr. Lamprog? Sorry, did I lend you something? More importantly, …… how did you get in here? I thought it was locked.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve melted the keyhole. The magic tool that alerts you of intruders is now inside a barrier.  I’ll talk to you later about the artefact you left with me. I have a question for you today, Sensei.”

“…Is there something you didn’t understand in class?”

　Laughing a little at Cordell’s joke, I stride through the basement.

“Is the ritual going well? Sensei.”

“…”

“Amiyu is still fine.”

“… how much have you noticed?”

“Well. But I thought it was strange. I wondered how a demon tribe, no matter how skilled they were in teleportation magic, could invade an imperial city by themselves and prepare such a large number of magic circles. Then there was the dungeon incident the other day. It’s possible that it was left behind by the assailants, but …… if you think about it normally, there’s someone on the inside.”

　Cordell sighs.

“By any chance, did you defeat the assailant? Good grief. Well, I don’t know who it was, but that’s why I told them not to send anyone half-baked.”

“He seemed so proud of himself, though.”

“But how did you know it was me? I didn’t leave any evidence.”

“Uh, …… intuition.”

“I guess I got left out.”

“It’s a long story. Then, sensei,…… it’s about time for you to show your true colours.”

　Cordell chuckles.

“Was that a joke? I’m human, I’m afraid. This is my true form.”

“So the demons use human spies.”

“I have some demon blood in me, but that’s about it. Just as the empire uses demon spies.”

　After all, the human side does that much too.

“Did the demons know about that dungeon as well?”

“No, I found it out myself by consulting old documents. There was no entrance for humans, so escape should have been impossible.”

“Heh, that’s dangerous… so along with the ‘curse’, you were definitely going to bury the hero.”

“… so you can see right through me.”

“Did you invent this curse yourself? If so, you must be a genius.”

“I’m glad you understand the value of this.”

　Behind his round glasses, Cordell squints.

“It is an unprecedented and revolutionary ‘curse’ that incorporates the ritual techniques of the light attribute. From far away, it can be disguised as a disease and reliably kill the target.”

“…”

“In all the experiments I’ve done, every good magician and strong warrior has died helplessly. They died in agony. She is still enduring, but the hero will eventually meet the same end. The dungeon didn’t really matter.”

“…”

“But there is one drawback. It takes time. And if you get in the way, I’ll lose the trick. That’s why —-you’re going to die.”

　When Cordell swung his staff――――Innumerable magic circles appeared in the air.

　In that light, an otherworldly spellcaster pushed up a pair of round glasses.

“This is my workshop. Naturally, I’m prepared for this. I’m going to make this place otherworldly and escape so that you can talk to someone else. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to watch in hell —- as I make my triumphant return with the honour of killing the hero.”

“Oh, but first, a quick word.”

　I raised my hand and interrupted Cordell’s narrative.

　Cordell frowned and kept silent at the lack of tension.

“You said earlier that there was one drawback, but there are actually two more.”

“what……?”

“Did you notice? The ‘curse’ is not on Amiyu right now.”

“What are you saying…”

“This is what is cursed now.”

　I broke the invisibility spell.

　What appeared before me was a black, half-melted hitogata beetle.

　Cordell’s expression stiffens when he sees this.

“Curses are difficult to target. Normally, you’d use the target’s name, hair, or a nail to bind it, but… Sensei has set an interesting condition. A person who has been bathed in the blood of a demon.”

　At the centre of the magic circle on the floor was a jar filled with black liquid.

　Perhaps it’s demon blood.

“Certainly, Amiyu had defeated the demon during the attack. Could it be that I and Ifa, who were higher ranked, were also targeted? If so, it would have been dangerous. But thanks to that, I was able to transfer the curse to this hitogata.”

　The black hitogata was the one that switched positions with us when the jar was overturned by Cordell and bathed in that foul-smelling liquid.

　Demon blood.

　I tried it first when I tried to transfer Amiyu’s curse, and was surprised that it worked so easily. Well, it’s because I suspected Cordell from the beginning.

“No matter what the conditions are, once you’re discovered, this is what you get. You didn’t notice it at all, did you? Because the curse couldn’t tell what the target is from the side who is applying the jutsu. In my previous life, it was not uncommon to hear stories about women who continued to curse those who wronged them, even after they died, and eventually they turned into a demon. Besides, the aim is easily missed. In addition, there are even some techniques that take advantage of this tendency to miss, such as the Inugami and the Inujin poison.”

“Previous life…? What, what are you talking about? Why are you talking about my jutsu…”

“Well, another drawback, but before that.”

《Calling――――Demon》

　I pull the demons captured in the battle of Galeos out of phase.

　The red-patterned demon floating above my head did not move at all. It seemed to be dead.. After all, unlike demons, monsters with a high degree of dependence on their body cannot endure phases.

　Well, it’s not a hindrance right now.

　Cordell’s eyes widened behind his round glasses.

“What, Archdemon!?”

“I’ll put it this way.”

　Using a shikigami, I tear the corpse of the demon apart with all my might.

　A large amount of blood and fragments of guts pour down on me.

“what……!?”

“I’ll do more of this.”

　After chanting the spell, the black hitogata is burned with fire.

“Yes. Now the curse has been passed on to me.”

　I can feel the power flowing into me.

　Hmm, it’s quite strong.

　Poor Amiyu, she had to endure this.

　As for Cordell, he has a dumbfounded look on his face.

　I guess that’s right. I’m just a crazy person.

“Idiot… Are you crazy? How can you take my curse in your body and get away with it for free……!”

　When I heard that, I lifted the corners of my mouth.

　It’s like each other.

　I raise my voice

“Worship the Great god Izanami no Okami: —-“

　Spell-powered words.

“――――When the mourning aristocrats went to the land of Hades, the eight pillars, the eight gods of thunder, the god Ikatsukazuchi, the ugly woman of Hades, Yomotsushikome, and others sat in their chambers. All manner of curses, hauntings and grudges are to be found in the land of Hades.――――”

　It bends the logic of the world and alters the curses directed at it.

“――――(a person) to whom one is fed, and who will return the food and he will turn white to him—Hear him, and fear him…….Curse a man, and you will be cursed. Sensei.”

　Suddenly, Cordell vomited blood.

　It was not an unusual amount. A large amount of blood, as if his heart had been squeezed, poured out from Cordell’s mouth and stained the magic circle on the floor.

　The otherworldly sorcerer gasps in agony.

“Wh-what… you, ha…”

“The biggest drawback of curses is that they are easily returned. It’s what we call a curse return.”

　I walk around the room and explain to Cordell, who collapses to the floor.

“When the curse is returned, it is many times more powerful than the original and strikes the caster. Listen to me, sensei. A curse is not a technique that can be safely wielded from a distance. It is a dangerous jutsu that can put you in a tight spot if your opponent knows what he is doing, or if he hires a master magician to do it for him.”

　I continue to talk to the sorcerer, whose eyes and nose are also bleeding and whose breath is fading.

“The reason why your experiment went well is simply because it wasn’t widespread in this world. If a countermeasure is produced, it becomes obsolete at once, and this is the extent of the jutsu. Unfortunately. …… sensei. Are you listening? Sensei.”

　Cordell was no longer moving.

　A genius otherworldly sorcerer died in a sea of ​​dark blood.

　I look down at the corpse and say,

“Well, I think it’s great that you built up your curse methodology from scratch. But ――――”

　Sighing, I muttered quietly.

“――――curses are my specialty as an onmyoji master.”

****

　Even so.

“I really feel good about returning this spell.”

　The reverse blessing ritual for returning curses was of Shinto origin, which was often used by the master. It’s a bit long, but it is also very applicable to otherworldly magic. It’s amazing.

“It is very unusual for Seika-sama to use the Norito.”

　Yuki said, peeking out of the inner pocket of my jacket.

“That’s right. It’s the easiest way to return the curse to the caster, but it’s been so long since I’ve been cursed.”

　Onmyoji is a Japanese fusion of Shintoism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and has a wide range of jutsu that can be used.

　In fact, the spell is in Sanskrit, the writing is in Chinese, and the Norito (wordings) is in Japanese. Naturally, there are also systems that are not used at all due to the preference of the caster.

　I’m a strong believer in the purification and spirit exorcism system…Shinto. The spells are so long that it’s dull.

“By the way, there is something Yuki doesn’t understand.”

“What is it?”

“It seems that Seika-sama has been suspicious of that person ever since he returned from the labyrinth…how did you know?”

“Oh. When I was observing the situation on the ground before escaping, I saw pollen on the man’s jacket. It was the same flower that was growing near the teleportation magic circle.”

“Pollen, is that right? How could you possibly know that?”

“Because pollen reflects ultraviolet light. If it’s a bees’ view, you can see it very well.”

“What is ultraviolet rays……?”

“You see, at the bottom of the rainbow is purple, right? But actually, further down, there is a colour that people can’t see..”

“I see”

“That’s ultraviolet light. Well, that’s just a literal translation of an ancient Greek word. There’s a lot of stuff that birds and insects can see.”

“Hohe~”

　Yuki gave an absent-minded nod.

　I’m not sure she understands.

　Well, anyway.

　Now I’ve taken care of the person who tipped off the demon tribe, which had been a concern of ours.

　I can finally start a normal school life.

　There’s only one more problem right now.

　Looking down at the monster bloodstained clothes, I mutter to myself in dismay.

“… how should I change clothes?”

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