The Cover-up

Long before the capital was moved to this land, Heian-kyo already possessed a unique quality. The Four Symbols Array, capable of channeling the vast power of a deity, had likely existed here for a very long time. Even the Inari Shrine had been established here long ago. Could there be some connection between them?

If Miketsu’s assessment was correct and the Four Symbols Array had existed long before the city, then the Onmyo Clans’ claim that they had established the array was undoubtedly a lie. They surely knew the truth of the situation. To investigate this, Miketsu planned to use her identity as Asakura Hao to infiltrate their ranks and uncover more information. This was crucial to understanding Orochi’s true objective.

Additionally, judging by Seimei’s performance today, his erosion and manipulation by Orochi had not been a recent occurrence. During this time, he had successfully feigned normalcy without being detected. Clearly, the corrupted Seimei had used his position as Onmyo Taiyu as a cover to carry out many secret activities. The young girl named Kagura was the clearest evidence of this; she was obviously linked to Orochi’s plan, which was why Seimei had hidden her away and even attempted to flee with her.

However, the main issue was that the key witnesses had lost their memories. It would likely take a considerable amount of time to get to the bottom of things. Miketsu let out a soft sigh at the thought.

Through this incident, Miketsu realized that Orochi’s machinations never ceased. He had been plotting his return for centuries. She might have stopped him once or twice, but she could not guarantee such success every time. Given the secrecy of Orochi’s movements, it was difficult for Miketsu to say if she could always intercept his plans. Furthermore, while Orochi’s activities centered on Heian-kyo, his reach extended across all of Japan, including places like Harima where her influence did not reach.

Once Orochi fully descended and regained his original strength, Miketsu felt that even if she went all out in her divine state, she might not be his match. According to the myths, even Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the father of the Inari God, had not defeated the Great Snake through sheer force alone. If Orochi’s full power was enough to make even the Mihashira-no-uzunomiko avoid a direct confrontation, then she, as the Inari God, was clearly not strong enough...

"The Inari God... is not a deity suited for combat after all..." Miketsu murmured, looking at her hands. Aside from her syncretism with Dakini-ten, the strength she displayed—whether spiritual or demonic—was based on her divine power as the Inari God. Her previous method of increasing her strength had simply been to gradually unseal her divine power and restore her original form. Now, however, she felt she was reaching the ceiling of the Inari God’s power. In the future, she would face enemies with power equal to or greater than her own. When that time came, even going all out might not be enough to resolve the crisis.

Therefore, Miketsu began to contemplate how to continue increasing her strength beyond the limits of the Inari God. She needed to master even greater power to prepare for future crises. After all, if she were strong enough to overwhelm Orochi even at his peak, then no matter what schemes he devised, they would ultimately be nothing to fear.

"Inari's divine power cannot solve everything; it has its limits. I cannot be confined to the level of the original Inari God. I must transcend her!" Miketsu told herself firmly. The original power of the Inari God had not only been insufficient against Yamata no Orochi but had also been forcibly sealed by others. While her current power was high, it was not yet at a level where she could rest easy.

Therefore, Miketsu felt she had to surpass the original Inari God!

"Then... as a deity, besides collecting faith, how else should I increase my strength?"

Faced with such a question, Miketsu fell into deep thought.

……

"Phew..."

Atop the high tower of the Onmyoryo's Astronomical Pavilion, Yura took a sip of tea and let out a long breath. Sitting before her was Miketsu, dressed in a white kariginu, who spoke up.

"How is it? Regarding Seimei..."

A few days after the Seimei incident, Miketsu had once again transformed into Asakura Hao and returned to Heian-kyo. She went directly to the Onmyoryo to find Yura, who had been responsible for the aftermath of the incident over the past few days.

"It’s going well enough... Regarding the truth of Seimei's situation, only a few high-level members of the Minamoto Clan and our own close associates know. Keeping the matter hidden isn't too difficult," Yura replied to Miketsu, her expression looking somewhat weary.

"Others are easy to handle, but how did you convince those Minamoto Clan Elders to cooperate and keep the secret?"

"By promising to seek more benefits and advantages for the Minamoto within the Onmyoryo while Seimei is away from his post as Taiyu, of course. Fortunately, none of their people were killed or injured, and Minamoto no Yorimitsu was willing to cooperate. Otherwise, I might not have been able to handle them..." Yura said tiredly. Since Miketsu usually ignored the affairs of the Onmyoryo and Seimei was absent, Yura had been incredibly busy these past few days.

"Do the Minamoto want more power in the Onmyoryo? Hmph... It’s only fair to give them some compensation since they took a risk this time... However, Yura, do you know how the others who don't know the truth are judging the events of the past few days?" Miketsu asked, her gaze fixed on Yura with a serious expression.

"Well, I can guess some of it, but you should tell me anyway..."

"Heh, well, I'll tell you then. For the past few days, both the human realm and the demon realm have been buzzing with rumors of infighting among the Three Taiyu of the Onmyoryo for power and profit. It’s said that Ashiya Doman took an opportunity to plot against Abe no Seimei, damaging his soul and causing him to lose his memory, forcing him to retire and live in seclusion. Meanwhile, Ashiya Doman seized the chance to secure massive benefits for her backers, the Minamoto Clan, expanding her influence within the Onmyoryo to the point of suppressing Asakura Hao and becoming the dominant leader of the bureau." Miketsu recounted the rumors her intelligence network had gathered from both realms with a playful smile.

"Huh? Is that what they think? Well, it makes sense. Given Seimei’s usual character, no one would think of him as a villain. Hmm... If those are the rumors, that’s fine. I’ll wait a couple more days for them to spread, then I’ll have someone arrest and punish a few of the loudest gossipers to slightly 'solidify' the rumors..." Yura said, not angry at all, but rather quite pleased. Seeing this, Miketsu said with interest:

"Don't you feel wronged, being labeled a villain for no reason?"

"What's there to feel wronged about? I’d prefer they think that. After all, an Onmyo Taiyu suddenly losing his memory and leaving his post is a major event that requires a reasonable explanation. I cannot let the world know the truth and ruin Seimei’s reputation. I must protect his prestige; both the human realm and the Onmyoryo need him. If letting Ashiya Doman bear the infamy of framing Abe no Seimei can cover up the truth and allow Seimei to return smoothly in the future, then that is for the best," Yura finished with a smile, then slowly took another sip of tea.