Chapter 3-19: Meeting

Under the name “Operation Good Friends,” Aya-chan and I did various things together. We worked on our summer homework, attended Renji-san’s monster class, and even played board games that were left at the training camp for some reason.

By the way, I learned from Renji-san’s class that while the apprentice exorcists under my father’s guidance are mostly boys, there were many girls under Renji-san’s guidance.

I thought there were fewer female apprentice exorcists due to the male-dominated nature of exorcism, but it seems that’s not the case lately. Well, exorcists have always been understaffed, so it was unreasonable to try to manage everything with only men.

And so, Aya-chan and I had various experiences together until the evening, making them into memories.

While Aya-chan was taking a bath, my father, Renji-san, Shirayuki-sensei, and I gathered in the meeting room.

“So, you’re saying… that the ‘Ice Snow Princess’ is inside Aya-chan?”

“Yeah, that’s what the monster said.”

I finally found the timing to communicate with Renji-san and revealed Aya-chan’s situation to her.

After hearing Aya-chan’s story, Renji-san had an expression that seemed to say, “I can’t believe it,” and tapped the desk a few times before letting out a deep breath.

“But the ‘Ice Snow Princess’ hasn’t possessed Aya-chan, right?”

Shirayuki-sensei, who was sitting across from Renji-san, said while looking directly at her.

“Yes. When Itsuki and I ‘resonated,’ I didn’t sense any signs of possession. However…”

“However?”

“I can see that she was captured by the ‘demon’ in her heart. If we don’t rescue her from there, Aya-chan won’t be able to use magic.”

After listening to Shirayuki-sensei’s words until the end, Renji-san began with the word “So.”

“By facing this self-proclaimed ‘Sixth Rank’ and rescuing Aya-chan from within… she will be able to use magic, right?”

While the phrase sounded gentle, I, who knew Renji-san’s usual tone, could sense the considerable urgency in his voice.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…I see. So, Souichiro, have you already contacted ‘Tsukishima’? What about the information on the ‘Ice Snow Princess’?”

When Renji-san’s gaze turned to my father, he spread three freshly printed sheets of paper on the desk.

“For now, this is all we’ve obtained.”

Saying that, he handed me the documents, and I skimmed through them.

There was a single black and white printed photo,

“Sealed Snow Woman in Mutsu in the 2nd year of the Bunka era.”

Just one line.

It was written in old-fashioned characters that appeared to be written in ink.

Next to that line, the name of the exorcist who presumably sealed it was written, but it was too worn out to read.

“…So we don’t know anything?”

“Renji, as you know, some information about ‘demons’ from before the war has disappeared. Even ‘Tsukishima’ isn’t all-knowing.”

Ignoring their exchange, I had something that bothered me.

When was the 2nd year of the Bunka era? And where is Mutsu?

How do you even pronounce it? “Rikuo”?

I can understand that it’s probably from the Edo period based on the era name, but I don’t know the specific year. I want them to tell me in the Gregorian calendar. And the location too. I’ve never heard of Mutsu.

As I filled my head with question marks while looking at the documents, Shirayuki-sensei kindly provided an answer.

“Itsuki-kun, the 2nd year of the Bunka era is 1805 in the Gregorian calendar. Mutsu refers to what is now Aomori Prefecture. It’s something recorded by the exorcists of that time, so the writing is old and hard to read, right?”

…Oh, I see. So it’s pronounced Mutsu.

I’ve become a little smarter.

Although some of my doubts were resolved thanks to Shirayuki-sensei, there was still one remaining question.

“Hey, Papa. It says ‘Yuki Onna’ (Snow Woman) here, not ‘Ice Snow Princess.'”

“Ah, yes. Itsuki is right. It means that the ‘Ice Snow Princess’ doesn’t exist.”

Huh?

“So, according to the information we received from the investigation team that Renji and I contacted a month ago, that’s the document they found.”

I see.

It seems that the information about the exorcists is not digitized.

If that’s the case, there is a possibility of omissions, but the ‘Ice Snow Princess’ is not a ‘Sixth Rank’…?

That’s what I thought, but my father continued.

“However, it’s a ‘demon’ that has been sealed for 200 years. The fact that it was sealed means that it couldn’t be exorcised or there was no human with the power to exorcise it. It’s better to assume that it’s powerful.”

…Hmm.

I don’t want him to build up my expectations and then crush them.

As I looked at the documents with a somewhat helpless expression, Renji-san spoke up.

“Souichiro, it might not be this Yuki Onna after all. She might be possessing Aya-chan.”

“No, that possibility is very low. We had nearby exorcists confirm it, and the ‘seal’ was indeed broken. However, there haven’t been any reports yet of the ‘demon’ that escaped and was exterminated. So, we should assume that the ‘demon’ sealed there has possessed Aya-chan.”

“…Damn it.”

Renji-san muttered quietly, as if his voice was about to disappear.

It was the first time I saw Renji-san showing such emotions… and I was a little surprised.

As Shirayuki-sensei tried to console Renji-san, she spoke up.

“At the moment, there’s not much we can do. We have to wait for the right time and rescue Aya-chan. That’s all.”

“…Yeah, I understand.”

Renji-san let out a deep breath.

To reassure Renji-san, I continued.

“Don’t worry, Renji-san. I will definitely rescue Aya-chan.”

“…Itsuki-kun.”

Saying that, I smiled.

He forced a smile.

I wonder why I’m saying such foolish things to myself.

When it was the Raiko-douji’s turn, they didn’t come with the intention of killing me to eat me.

If Raiko-douji had been serious about killing me… I doubt I would have won back then.

So, if the ‘Ice Snow Princess’ is really a ‘Sixth Rank’ and is genuinely trying to kill me, there’s a chance I might get killed.

That doubt resurfaces in my mind.

But even so, I have to do it.

Why did I come here to learn about ‘resonance’ in the first place?

It was to protect Hina, to protect someone.

Now is the perfect opportunity.

…I can’t run away.

“So, Renji-san. Even if the Ice Snow Princess is really a ‘Sixth Rank’… I will exorcise her.”

I firmly reassured myself more than anyone else.

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