Ignoring the changguai that had just crashed itself into oblivion, Miketsu placed her hand on the forehead of the man who was still being controlled to commit suicide.
Under the effect of the Demon-Slaying Power, the changguai attached to the man let out a tearing, painful shriek, quickly detached itself from his body, and transformed into a wisp of faint light, fleeing into the distance.
Tsuruha, who had been waiting for a long time, opened her mouth and spewed golden spiritual fire, incinerating the changguai that was about to escape.
"Cough... cough cough cough... cough cough cough..."
The man, whose body had finally regained control, coughed violently, propping himself up with his hands on the ground.
"Hoo... hoo... Th-thank you... Thank you for saving me..." The man said, catching his breath as he expressed his gratitude.
"You're from Shenmu Village, aren't you?"
"I-I am from Shenmu Village... May I ask who you are...?" The man, having mostly recovered, slowly raised his head and saw Miketsu standing silently before him.
"My name is Asakura Hao, and I am an onmyoji."
"Wh-what? You are an onmyoji master from the capital?" Hearing Miketsu's words, the man's eyes widened, revealing clear apprehension.
"Now, take me to the village. I need to see your village chief."
...
Shenmu Village is a moderately sized village located at the edge of a dense forest. One side of the village borders the forest, while the other side consists of fields. The villagers make a living by farming and selling timber.
In the early morning, Shenmu Village was enveloped in pervasive mist. Although the sky had brightened, the chill of the night showed no signs of dissipating.
"I truly didn't expect that an onmyoji master would be sent directly this time. This humble villager is overwhelmed with trepidation..."
Inside an ordinary wooden house, an old man was respectfully placing dishes like wild vegetable soup, grilled fish, and rice one by one on Miketsu's table. Outside the wooden house, many villagers were curiously peeking through the windows, eager to catch a glimpse of what an onmyoji from the capital looked like.
"This poor village cannot offer any fine dishes. Please forgive this onmyoji master."
"It's alright, I'm not here to eat, I'm here to subjugate a yokai."
Picking up her chopsticks, Miketsu continued, thinking to herself that any meal was good as long as it was free.
"Please tell me all the specific details about that yokai now, village chief."
"Yes, this humble villager will tell the onmyoji master now."
...
And so, while Miketsu ate, the village chief began to recount the story of the yokai.
Due to the excellent timber produced by the nearby forest, Shenmu Village had always maintained close trade relations with Heian-kyo. The person in charge of this timber business was a local merchant named Morita. Through long-term trade between Shenmu Village and Heian-kyo, he earned a considerable amount of money, which allowed him to build a mansion on a hillside at the village entrance and hire many servants.
Morita was very lecherous, and he often used money to lure beautiful women from the village to his mansion. Some were released after a night, some were forcibly kept, and some never came out after entering. No matter how their families tried to find them, they would be forcibly driven away.
Because Morita was wealthy and employed many subordinates, and also had long-standing business dealings with the nobility in Heian-kyo, possessing many connections in the capital, the villagers, despite knowing his evil deeds, were powerless.
The turning point occurred one night two months ago. For some unknown reason, a piercing scream erupted from Morita's mansion, followed by gasps of agony and sounds of rummaging. All the lights in the mansion were extinguished in an instant, and the tumultuous commotion subsided within less than half a koku (about 15 minutes).
The next morning, a villager delivering ingredients to Morita's mansion entered the house but disappeared without a trace. His family members who went in search of him met the same fate. Thus, Morita's entire mansion transformed into a demon's lair, and all the villagers, trembling with fear, kept as far away from the mansion as possible, not daring to approach.
...
"We originally thought... that the yokai only operated within the mansion, and as long as we didn't enter it, everything would continue as normal. The Morita family was already utterly wicked, so it didn't matter if they were killed by a yokai inside. But we were wrong. The yokai wasn't satisfied after killing the Morita family.
"Every night, that yokai would come out and attack villagers. Every few nights, villagers would go missing. Their bloodstains and footprints led directly into Morita's mansion, and they never came out again. So far, a total of ten villagers have died unnatural deaths." At this point, the old village chief looked at a man sitting upright beside him.
"If you, Onmyoji Master, hadn't arrived in time today, it would have been eleven. Ever since this yokai appeared, we've invited wandering monks and sorcerers to take a look, but as soon as they entered the mansion's gate, nothing good came of it. In desperation, we had to pool our money to seek help from the onmyoji masters in Heian-kyo, but several who came later met the same fate, alas..."
Miketsu listened to the old village chief explain the general situation while she ate. She swallowed her food, thought for a moment, and then asked the village chief.
"What does that yokai look like? What are its characteristics? Have any of you seen it?"
"No! We've never seen what that yokai looks like! Whenever someone is attacked by it, they immediately fall under a spell. They either choke themselves or wander dazedly into the mansion on their own. If there are people around, they'll lash out wildly. Sometimes, objects even move on their own, like hoes and sickles. Last time, Inosuke's son, Dairo, was bewitched by the yokai and held down by everyone, but a hoe placed nearby suddenly moved on its own, injuring several people directly, and Inosuke was even beaten to death!"
The old village chief spoke with great emotion, while Miketsu listened intently, or rather, Tsuruha in her sleeve listened intently.
'Lady Uka, according to the description, those attacking people are changguai being controlled. The yokai's true form should still be hidden within that mansion. I think... this must be a vengeful evil spirit born from the wicked deeds of that evil merchant!'
Listening to her divine messenger's words within her mind, Miketsu nodded imperceptibly. Her thoughts were the same as Tsuruha's; it was likely that the people killed by the wicked merchant Morita had returned for revenge.
"Oh, right! If we're talking about characteristics, sometimes that yokai lets out a beast-like roar!" Just as Miketsu was silently defining the enemy she was about to face in her mind, the village chief suddenly spoke as if remembering something, and his words made Miketsu pause in surprise.
A beast's roar? Wasn't that creature an evil spirit formed from a deceased human? How could it also make beast sounds?
"Does it make a beast's roar every time?" Thinking of this, Miketsu quickly pressed for more information.
"No, I only recall hearing that sound once or twice. And when that sound appeared, it was often accompanied by very loud noises, scaring everyone into staying indoors. If you went out to look the next day, you'd find traces of collapsed walls and destroyed farmlands. Usually, when that yokai attacks people, it doesn't make such a big commotion!" The village chief spoke, trying hard to recall, while Miketsu's expression hardened.
Finishing the rice in her bowl, Miketsu put down her chopsticks.
"Village chief, please take me to see the damaged area."
...
At the southern entrance of Shenmu Village, the once flat farmlands appeared as if swept by immense force, knocked down in swathes, a large section of the field ridge was missing, the stone-built low walls were toppled, and even several trees were broken.
Looking at the scene before her, Miketsu couldn't help but frown, a hint of doubt arising in her heart.
Such severe destruction... does it take so much effort to attack a few villagers?
"Village chief... on the night when those strange sounds occurred, were there any deaths in the village?" Miketsu asked the village chief in a deep voice, stroking her chin.
"Deaths? Let me think... Oh, right, I hadn't noticed until you asked, but on the two days when those strange noises happened, there were no deaths in the village. Instead, two cows went missing!" The old village chief exclaimed, slapping his forehead in realization after Miketsu's question.
Hearing the village chief's words, Miketsu's expression became intrigued. She silently activated her spiritual vision, walking around and observing carefully.
Suddenly, in a patch of grass, she discovered a wisp of faint black qi drifting. Miketsu walked over and parted the weeds in that spot.
Then, a long, thin white hair appeared before Miketsu's eyes.
Rate on N.U.
