Points of Suspicion

Looking at the strange flying insect perched on Miketsu's hand, Kaki wore a stunned expression. After hearing Miketsu's explanation, she gave a soft, bitter laugh and turned to Kanako.

"So you both knew all along, and I was the only one kept in the dark."

"It was a necessity. Our situation was being watched by those hiding in the shadows. If I had rashly told you the truth, it might have alerted them," Kanako continued. Even after learning the truth about Suwako's condition from the Seimogura, she hadn't confessed it to Kaki.

"But if I'd known the fish we'd catch would just be a few mortal lackeys, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths to put on a show. Telling you everything wouldn't have been a big deal," Kanako said, glancing at the corpses of the black-clad men nearby.

At that moment, those bodies also caught Miketsu's attention. Unlike Kanako, Miketsu was very concerned about these so-called mortal lackeys. The reason was simple: they represented the influence Yamata no Orochi had hidden within the human realm of Heian-kyo. If she could find clues on them, she might be able to further weaken Yamata no Orochi's influence in the capital, making it harder for Him to cause trouble.

"Kikyo, remove their masks," Miketsu said calmly to the miko beside her.

"Yes," Kikyo replied softly. With a flick of her finger, she summoned a soul fox made purely of spiritual power. The fox stepped forward and pulled off the masks of the black-clad men one by one, exposing their true faces.

Most of them had ordinary features with nothing special about them, but the face of one man made Miketsu's brow furrow slightly.

To be precise, it wasn't his face, but his hair. The black hair on the forehead of this dead man had a few streaks of dyed bright red. Miketsu knew what this represented—it was a symbolic trait of the Minamoto Clan men!

The Minamoto Clan? Were they involved with Yamata no Orochi again?

Seeing this, she couldn't help but remember that thirteen years ago, a traitor serving Yamata no Orochi had emerged within the Minamoto Clan. However, according to the clan's own account, that traitor serving the evil god had been purged internally during the yokai calamity. Why were members of the Minamoto Clan involved again now?

After the calamity, Miketsu, in her identity as Asakura Hao, had warned the various Onmyo Clans that a powerful evil god was eyeing Heian-kyo, though she hadn't explicitly stated that the evil god was Yamata no Orochi.

It seemed she would need to thoroughly investigate the Minamoto Clan again later...

"What is it? Is there something wrong with these people?" Kanako suddenly asked as Miketsu was deep in thought about how to handle the Minamoto issue. Snapping out of her contemplation, Miketsu realized that now was not the time to dwell on such things; she still had Takeminakata-no-Kami to deal with.

"It's nothing... Let's set this aside for now and talk about your business..." Miketsu said, looking at Kanako.

"If I'm not mistaken, Takeminakata-no-Kami, you've come on behalf of Takamagahara, haven't you?" Miketsu said slowly. She had long been mentally prepared for Takamagahara to send someone; it was only a matter of time.

"Indeed. I have... instructions from Takamagahara regarding you..."

"What are they? What does Takamagahara want from me?"

Miketsu looked at Kanako with a heavy voice, her expression becoming very solemn. Seeing this, Kanako couldn't help but chuckle.

"Haha, don't be so serious. We just fought together today, and we're all gods of Susanoo-no-Mikoto's lineage. We're family; let's not act like enemies..." Kanako said, then looked up at the dark sky.

"It's getting late. We'll talk about official business tomorrow. For now, shouldn't you show us some hospitality as the host, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto?"

Seeing Kanako's frank and easygoing manner, Miketsu was momentarily stunned, then smiled in response.

"Very well. We shall talk tomorrow. For now, please rest in the shrine's Secret Realm."

Miketsu ordered the foxes to clear the scene and then led Kanako and her two companions back into the Secret Realm of the Inari Shrine. There, Miketsu arranged for the foxes to prepare dinner for them.

During dinner, Kanako's boisterousness and alcohol tolerance exceeded Miketsu's expectations. She downed several jars of sake in a row without showing any signs of intoxication. If Miketsu hadn't built up some tolerance while playing the role of Owl, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with her.

"Hahaha! I never expected that you, Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto, an agricultural god, would have such a capacity for drink! You can actually hold your own against a war god like me! Come! Let's have another bowl!" Inside the large house of the Inari Secret Realm, Kanako sat with a bold posture, laughing as she held a massive sake bowl. Opposite her, Miketsu sat with a gentle and quiet air, but the bowl in front of her was just as large.

While drinking with Kanako, Miketsu learned about her divine duties and other information from their casual conversation.

Takeminakata-no-Kami's domain was by Lake Suwa in Mino Province. She was a deity of the same lineage of Susanoo-no-Mikoto, though she didn't clarify the exact family relation. She was usually called Kanako by the wild god Suwako and the miko Kaki; this was likely another divine name, much like Miketsu's own. She held multiple divine offices, including God of Wind, war god, and Mountain God. Unlike Miketsu, who was an agricultural god, Kanako was a true martial orthodox god.

God of Wind and war god... such a powerful combination of divine duties makes for a formidable orthodox god. Why did Takamagahara specifically send such a deity to find me?

Miketsu pondered this during the banquet.

As the banquet drew to a close and everything was nearly finished, Miketsu suddenly remembered something and asked Kanako.

"Takeminakata, I have another question for you."

"Hehe, you can just call me Kanako—Yasaka Kanako. Ask whatever you like," Kanako said, sounding a bit tipsy. Miketsu asked directly.

"Do you know of Yamata no Orochi?"

"Yamata no Orochi? Of course. Isn't that the monster slain by Susanoo-no-Mikoto? It's a very famous story. Why?" Kanako responded as if it were common knowledge. At her answer, Miketsu's eyes widened slightly.

...

Late at night on Mount Inari, the festival had long since ended, and everything had returned to silence. The Secret Realm was the same; except for the patrolling foxes, most creatures had fallen into a deep sleep.

Beside a pond, Suwako stood gazing at the bright moon in the sky. In her mind, her conversation with the Great Snake from earlier that day echoed.

"Resurrection, huh..."

"It's so late, and you're not resting yet. Do you have something on your mind?" A soft voice came from behind Suwako. She turned around and saw Miketsu slowly walking toward her.

"Uka-no-Mitama-no-Mikoto?"

"Your name is Suwako, right? It's quite strange that Takeminakata would keep a wild god like you by her side and treat you as an equal..." Miketsu said slowly, and a hint of wariness began to flicker in Suwako's eyes as she looked at Miketsu.

"Did you come here specifically to find me?"

"Yes. Today you came to the shrine to ask for my help, and the content of your plea was very interesting. You said... an ancient being with eight heads and eight tails, sealed beneath Heian-kyo, was targeting the messenger from Takamagahara and me, plotting against us... That ancient being you mentioned refers to Yamata no Orochi, doesn't it?" Miketsu's expression became serious as she spoke.

"Yes... so what?"

"In myth, Yamata no Orochi was slain by Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Very few people know that He isn't completely dead and is sealed in Heian-kyo... I just asked your companion Kanako, and even she didn't know the truth. Yet you seem to know it very clearly. Furthermore, regarding the details of your participation in the festival today, they said you encountered the 'accident' after leaving the group on your own. Besides, I find it hard to believe that an ordinary wild god could escape from that fellow's hands..."

As Miketsu spoke, Suwako's gaze became increasingly serious and heavy.

"My domain is Heian-kyo, so naturally, I know the secrets hidden within it. What surprises me is that other orthodox gods don't know the truth about the Great Snake, yet a wild god knows all this and could even escape Him..."

"Moriya Suwako, you are no ordinary wild god. You aren't one of those eight million gods found everywhere. Who exactly are you?"