Transcription

Miketsu was surprised by Fujiwara no Saneyori's words; she hadn't expected him to offer such generous terms.

What did it mean to become a full-fledged Onmyoji immediately? The last time Miketsu participated in the selection trials, even if she collected all five magatama, she could at most enter the Onmyoryo as an apprentice. To become a full-fledged Onmyoji, she would have to work hard for a long time in that capacity. Yet, now, he was directly offering her the status of a full-fledged Onmyoji.

More importantly, according to him, she could even enjoy the title and privileges of a full-fledged Onmyoji without being bound by the Onmyoryo's restrictions. She could come and go as she pleased, enjoying rights without fulfilling obligations.

This was too good to be true, wasn't it? Could a public office be handled so casually?

"Does this... comply with your rules?" Miketsu couldn't help but ask, and hearing her question, Fujiwara no Saneyori chuckled.

"It doesn't comply with the rules, but rules are made by people."

As soon as Fujiwara no Saneyori finished speaking, Miketsu immediately recalled what Abe no Seimei had told her: the Fujiwara clan was a very powerful family, and this Saneyori's father was a high-ranking official. Miketsu had forgotten the specific title, only knowing it was very, very important.

In any case, this Fujiwara no Saneyori was not someone who followed rules, but someone who made them. The power they wielded could even create an exclusive, easy-going position for Miketsu within the Onmyoryo.

At this point, Miketsu suddenly realized something: this special Onmyoji status was created by the Fujiwara's power. If she accepted it, she would essentially be indebted to the Fujiwara. To outsiders, she would at least appear to lean towards the Fujiwara, and the Fujiwara would gain a bit more connection with her because of this status, making it easier for them to further win her over in the future.

Just as Abe no Seimei said, this Fujiwara really values me.

"This status will make it more convenient for you to come and go from the Onmyoryo and do what you want, without being restricted. There's no need for you to refuse."

Fujiwara no Saneyori continued, and after some thought, Miketsu slowly arrived at her answer.

"I understand. I accept this status."

The Fujiwara had always been a powerful noble family in the human realm. Miketsu thought that there was no reason to offend them by not joining, especially since she had already refused once. Refusing twice so decisively might be seen as an insult.

Moreover, the Fujiwara's sincerity was indeed quite good; it had truly swayed Miketsu.

"Heh heh, that's right. From now on, we are colleagues serving together in this Onmyoryo. Please accept these clothes first; you can wear them the next time you come to the Onmyoryo." Saying this, Fujiwara no Saneyori glanced at the pageboy holding the kariginu. The pageboy placed the clothes on the ground and retrieved an exquisite cloth bag from another room, carefully packing the kariginu inside.

At this moment, Fujiwara no Saneyori reached into his sleeve, pulled out a small wooden token with a pendant, and presented it to Miketsu.

"This is a Junior Assistant identification tag. Originally, with your abilities, you shouldn't be given this rank, but the series of privileges granted to you has already caused some murmurs. So, please bear with this rank for now. I believe with your talent, promotion won't be difficult."

"Yes, thank you."

Miketsu put away the identification tag Fujiwara no Saneyori placed on the table, nodding her thanks to him with an attitude like a friend borrowing money, completely devoid of the deference a subordinate would show when receiving a superior's favor.

Fujiwara no Saneyori, who believed he had already understood Miketsu's personality, didn't mind this. Instead, he found the young woman quite interesting and secretly looked forward to her future performance.

"Now that you are a full-fledged Onmyoji, you can directly enter the Onmyoryo's Spell Archives and browse and transcribe any spells you wish. However, remember that for now, you can only access the Junior Assistant level. More profound things will require your promotion. Of course, the true secrets of the noble families are not kept in the Onmyoryo."

Fujiwara no Saneyori gave Miketsu some final reminders regarding relevant matters, not forgetting to offer a subtle hint.

Miketsu was unmoved by Fujiwara no Saneyori's words. After bidding him farewell, she took her clothes and, guided by the pageboy, exited the elegant room.

Afterward, Miketsu began to tour the Onmyoryo under the guidance of a guide arranged by Fujiwara no Saneyori, listening to explanations of the Onmyoryo's basic structure and the responsibilities of each section.

Aside from general workers and guard samurai, the Onmyoryo's active personnel were mainly divided into Onmyo-sei and full-fledged Onmyoji, who were also official court functionaries.

These full-fledged Onmyoji were further divided into four ranks: Junior Assistant, Senior Assistant, Junior Secretary, and Senior Secretary. Ranks generally represented an Onmyoji's experience and ability. While holding these ranks, they also served in various official positions within different departments.

For example, the Astronomical Bureau, responsible for divination and star observation; the Calendrical Bureau, responsible for calculating and managing the calendar; the Boundary Bureau, responsible for monitoring the demon realm; the Sealing Charm Bureau, responsible for handling and sealing curses; the Barrier Bureau, responsible for maintaining the protective array of Heian-kyo; the Subjugation Bureau, responsible for subduing yokai; the Spirit Communication Bureau, responsible for communicating with the underworld; the Spirit Tool Bureau, responsible for manufacturing and repairing various ritual tools; and the Archives Bureau, responsible for organizing and managing various yokai records and Onmyodo spells... Each bureau had its own chief and members, with clear divisions of labor, collectively maintaining the stability of the human realm.

The members of the Onmyoryo almost all came from various Onmyoji families. The essence of the Onmyoryo was a cooperative platform jointly built by these families under the organization of the court, a bond uniting the Onmyoji families who were originally fighting independently. Since these families each had their own strengths in Onmyodo, often an entire bureau would be composed of members from a single family. In areas where the domains of various families intersected, Onmyoji from multiple families would work together, such as in the Subjugation Bureau, which dealt with yokai.

The guide explained a great deal to Miketsu, and she tried to remember as much as possible, thinking to herself that the Onmyoryo's structure was quite extensive. However, this made sense; in a world where demons and monsters truly existed, an official organization specifically combating otherworldly forces had to be formidable.

Under the guide's lead, Miketsu soon arrived at her destination: the Spell Archives of the Archives Bureau.

After thanking the guide, Miketsu entered the Spell Archives using the token Fujiwara no Saneyori had given her. Due to the rank restriction, she could only stay on the first floor, which was designated for Junior Assistants. But it was fine; there was already enough material here for her to read.

Thus, Miketsu began to move between the bookshelves, perusing the vast collection of spell books in the archives. After finding spells that involved summoning deities, she used the paper and brush already provided there to transcribe them.

After Miketsu laboriously wrote two sentences, her brow furrowed. She carefully looked at the brushstrokes on the paper and sighed.

"I really need to practice..."