Chapter 20 - Asakura Hao.

"Non-human blood?"

Hearing Ashiya Doman's words, Miketsu raised an eyebrow slightly. From this statement, she could tell that humans with mixed yokai blood must have some distinct physical features.

"...I've also only recently set foot in this mortal world." Miketsu didn't directly answer Ashiya Doman's question, but her words were a tacit admission of the other's guess. She couldn't think of a good reason to explain her unusual white hair and red eyes anyway. Since the other person believed it, she might as well go along with it. It would give her an excuse for explaining this issue to anyone in the future.

"I knew it... In that case, you'd best keep it hidden from now on. Not everyone can accept those with mixed yokai blood. It will probably make it more difficult to enter the Onmyoryo. Hmm... you should probably find a way to hide your hair and eye color in the future," Ashiya Doman suggested to Miketsu after a moment of thought.

"Thank you for the warning, Doman..." Hearing the suggestion, Miketsu nodded and said.

"Heh... 'Ashiya Doman' is just an alias... To be honest, it feels a bit strange when people call me that sometimes." Ashiya Doman chuckled lightly and drank another cup of sake that had just been filled. After seeing Miketsu remove her veil, she began to lower her guard around her.

"Then what should I call you?"

"Let me think..."

"You can... call me Yura."

"Yura..." Miketsu mulled over the name. It certainly sounded more like a girl's name than Ashiya Doman, but it was likely still an alias. After all, if it were her real name, she wouldn't have had to think about it. Besides, a name like Yura was clearly not one a normal family would give their child.

"So now, what should I call you?" Draining the sake in her hand, Yura continued. She had given her name, but she still didn't know the other's.

Upon hearing Yura's question, Miketsu was suddenly at a loss. The other was asking for her name, which surely meant a human name. She couldn't possibly answer with Uka-no-Mitama-no-Kami or Miketsu, names exclusive to a deity. She had to think of one specifically for this purpose.

Since she had only planned on visiting some shrines in Heian-kyo when she left, Miketsu hadn't considered such a thing at all, which put her in a difficult position.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought of a good name for yourself? You're so young and already so powerful, you're sure to become a famous onmyoji in the future. A name is very important, you know." Seeing Miketsu's silence, Yura, who also used an alias to disguise herself, guessed her predicament. After all, as someone with mixed yokai blood who likely lived in seclusion, it was understandable that she wasn't prepared upon just entering the mortal world.

Onmyoji... a name...

As soon as Yura said this, Miketsu's train of thought, which had been focused on a name, was inadvertently led astray in the direction of onmyoji. From the depths of her memory, a name gradually surfaced—a name that, in her impression, belonged to an onmyoji. This name seemed to come from an anime she had encountered in her childhood.

"You can call me..."

"Asakura Hao."

...

The sun in the sky quietly passed its zenith, gradually sinking toward the western mountains. The time on the sundial slowly pointed to the Hour of the Monkey.

In the northeast of Heian-kyo, at the easternmost end of Tsuchimikado Avenue, a large crowd of peculiar people had gathered. Among them were old and young, strong and frail, sullen and withdrawn as well as warm and talkative... Their clothing was strange and varied, their accents and dialects differed, and the many bizarre items they carried were all different. They were occult practitioners from all over who had gathered to obtain official status and rewards from the Onmyoryo. They had been waiting anxiously at this designated spot for a long time.

On the outskirts of the crowd, a dozen or so onmyoji in formal attire stood scattered about, maintaining order. The masked Yura and Miketsu, who wore an ichimegasa, were also at the edge of the crowd, quietly waiting for the selection to begin.

"There are quite a lot of people here," Miketsu, who had been led here by Yura, remarked as she silently scanned the crowd. She made a rough mental estimate of about seventy to eighty, perhaps up to a hundred people.

"They've gathered from all over the country, after all. But don't worry, there's hardly anyone here worth a second glance," Yura said from beside Miketsu, her gaze toward the crowd tinged with disdain.

"You're quite confident."

"I'm not like you. I've been to many places. I'm well aware of the general skill level of people like them," Yura replied to Miketsu, her tone carrying the air of a senior speaking to a junior.

"But speaking of which, are you sure you want to use the name Asakura Hao? It doesn't sound like a woman's name."

"Your alias isn't a woman's name either."

*That's because I'm hiding my gender too, but you aren't,* Yura grumbled to herself. However, she didn't say anything more. In her experience, it wasn't unheard of for a woman to use a man's name.

Miketsu naturally reached a hand into her sleeve and stroked Tsuruha, who licked her hand in response. Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

After starting to move with Yura, it was inconvenient for Miketsu to talk to Tsuruha alone. This gesture was a mutual confirmation between them. Although Tsuruha didn't speak, her lack of a strong reaction indicated that she tacitly approved of Miketsu's current unplanned action.

Feeling the divine fox's movement in her sleeve, Miketsu felt much more at ease. Just then, a group of figures arrived at the gathering place.

In the lead was a young onmyoji in formal attire, followed by a full squad of heavily armed samurai. The youth was about sixteen or seventeen years old, a bit older than Seimei and Yura. While not as unnaturally handsome as Seimei, his looks were still decent.

The youth's expression was tense. He scanned the noisy scene, frowning slightly, then formed a hand seal, muttered a few words, and spoke.

"Silence!"

His voice, though spoken softly, boomed like thunder across the entire area, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"I am Kamo no Yasunori. I am here under the orders of Lord Tadayuki to lead you to the selection grounds. Everyone, follow me now."

The youth named Kamo no Yasunori spoke bluntly to everyone, then, without any further explanation, led the way. The people in the crowd, after a moment's hesitation, decisively followed.

The selection site isn't here?

Hearing Kamo no Yasunori's words, Miketsu and Yura exchanged a glance and then followed the large group. Along the way, Yura whispered to Miketsu.

"His surname is Kamo. He's probably a disciple of the Kamo family."

"Kamo?"

"One of the onmyoji families of Heian-kyo, and the leading one at that."

Miketsu and Yura's conversation didn't last long, as an onmyoji in the group soon demanded silence. Kamo no Yasunori led the long procession along Tsuchimikado Avenue to its very end, then decisively exited the city and continued along a road. As the group advanced, the surrounding houses became fewer and fewer, and soon they were completely in the wilderness.

"Where are we going?" Miketsu asked Yura beside her, curious as she watched the scenery grow increasingly desolate.

"I don't know, but we've been heading northeast this whole time..."

"That's the Gen position of Heian-kyo, the direction of the Demon Gate."