Chapter 68 - The Bounty.

Does acting powerful and cold earn more respect from yokai? Hearing Konkiku's words, Miketsu couldn't help but hesitate. What Konkiku said seemed to make some sense; maintaining a powerful image among that group of yokai would prevent them from actively bothering her, just like that Leopard Cat Yokai who didn't bother her that day.

But her true nature was just a 'salted fish' (slacker/lazy person), and it would be exhausting to maintain such a powerful and cold persona at all times. The key was that while she had some strength, it was all based on converting divine power into spiritual energy through the Deity-Summoning Spell. Spiritual energy could allow her to pretend to be an Onmyoji, but not a yokai. She didn't possess the yokai's demonic power, so pretending to be a powerful yokai would eventually be exposed. After all, it wouldn't make sense for a great yokai to not even be able to use demonic power.

But the current problem was that, although she didn't particularly want this persona, due to a series of misunderstandings, the yokai of Choyo-machi had generally already labeled the yokai 'Owl' in their minds. If she were to proactively explain or make a drastic change in attitude, it might cause bigger problems due to inconsistency.

“Ah… this is truly troublesome…” Miketsu sighed deeply. She suddenly felt like she was riding a tiger and couldn't get off.

Ultimately, after careful consideration, Miketsu did not intend to constantly maintain a persona so different from her true nature, as Konkiku suggested. However, she also didn't plan to directly change the yokai's existing perceptions. Instead, her initial plan was to gradually reveal her other side when opportunities arose, adding some comfortable traits without altering their original impression.

While this idea was good, it was always a long-term process with many variables, and whether the final outcome would develop as she expected was completely unknown.

All in all, regarding this matter, Miketsu could only take things one step at a time for now.

...

Konkiku was very fast and familiar with the route. Soon, she carried Miketsu to the edge of the forest outside Choyo-machi. Miketsu dismounted from Konkiku, had Konkiku shrink and stand on her shoulder, then began walking towards Choyo-machi. After passing through the forest, the streetscape of Choyo-machi once again appeared before Miketsu's eyes.

Rivers, bright lamps, embankments, willows, street shops—seeing this flourishing beautiful scenery again greatly improved Miketsu's previously slightly melancholic mood.

Greeting the cool breeze, Miketsu strolled forward along the riverbank. She had remembered the way to the Cat Izakaya last time, so she didn't need Konkiku to guide her now.

Miketsu walked straight ahead, and when she finally reached the entrance of the Cat Izakaya, the scene before her made her pause in surprise.

Right then, in front of the Cat Izakaya, a large crowd of yokai had gathered for some unknown reason. They were all chattering and making a ruckus, looking exactly like bystanders who gather to watch a spectacle when something happens on the street.

So yokai also like to watch spectacles, huh? But what exactly happened? They're all blocking the way, I can't even get into the izakaya.

With her doubts, Miketsu walked directly towards the crowd of yokai. Since not too many yokai had gathered, she easily pushed her way to the front. During this, some yokai, upon seeing her, quickly stepped aside and even pulled their companions with them, leaving a wide space around Miketsu, almost devoid of any yokai.

Having secured a good viewing spot, Miketsu quickly understood what this group of yokai was gathered to watch.

In the very center of the area stood a humanoid male yokai. His skin was slightly dark, and he wore a conical hat that obscured most of his head. Long white hair extended from beneath the hat, trailing down to his waist. He was dressed in flowing white attire, with armor covering many key areas like his shoulders and chest, and fluffy white fur draped over his back.

Surrounding this white yokai was a circle of about ten other yokai. They were all humanoid yokai, dressed in simple clothes, with bluish-green skin, gaunt and emaciated like corpses. The leader among them, though equally gaunt, was tall, with a disproportionately large head and a prominent nose, messy hair, protruding eyes, and traces of blood visible on his sharp teeth.

One of the bluish-yellow, emaciated yokai was leading a large dog, equally emaciated, hairless, and skeletal. Its body was covered in wounds deep enough to show bone. This large dog seemed agitated, sniffing the ground and wandering around, and the yokai leading it appeared to be struggling to hold it back.

“This is the Gakusatsu Group, Lady Owl…”

The moment she saw this group of yokai, Konkiku immediately whispered a warning to Miketsu.

“Gakusatsu Group?”

“They are a yokai gang that operates near Heian-kyo. Since their members are mostly composed of hungry ghosts (Gaki), they are called the Gakusatsu Group. Their leader is Shushikai, the largest and most prominent one.”

“This fellow's favorite pastime is leading his subordinates to rob graves and devour human corpses. It's said they sometimes even attack living people. In short, they are definitely not good news.”

After hearing Konkiku's explanation, Miketsu frowned slightly as she looked at the scene. From the situation, the white-clad yokai and the Gakusatsu Group were in a standoff, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

What kind of grudge did they have? This was the question in Miketsu's mind at that moment.

“Hmph, you should see the situation clearly now, shouldn't you? You're surrounded, you can't escape.” With a sharp, strange sound, Shushikai spoke, facing the white-clad yokai with disdain.

“I only arrived in Choyo-machi today. We are strangers, with no past grievances or enmities. Why are you blocking my way like this?” Looking at Shushikai's ugly face, the white-clad yokai spoke, and his words startled Miketsu, who was watching nearby.

Miketsu remembered that voice. Just last night, in Shenmu Village where evil spirits roamed, the dog yokai named Toga had that very voice!

This white-clad yokai was Toga's transformed form?! Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

Thinking of this, Miketsu was stunned. She hadn't expected to encounter Toga again so quickly and coincidentally, nor that he would be surrounded like this in Choyo-machi.

What exactly was going on?

“Hehe, you certainly have no grudge with us, but you do with Oyakata-dono of Mount Nukazuka. He has already sent his yokai generals to various Ghost Markets around Heian-kyo to issue a bounty for you. Just providing information will earn a generous reward, and if you capture him and bring him to them, the prize will be unimaginable!” Shushikai slowly said, looking at Toga, who was in human form. His words also made Miketsu aware of the bounty.

“So that's it, he's the dog yokai those Leopard Cat Yokai were looking for…” Hearing Shushikai's words, Konkiku said with understanding.

“Hey, Konkiku, what's this bounty all about?” Seeing that the little fox on her shoulder seemed to know something, Miketsu quickly asked in a low voice.

“Eh… you didn't know? This is the bounty those Leopard Cat Yokai posted at the izakaya last time, saying they were looking for a white dog yokai with an injured forearm. There were rewards just for providing information. I remember you were there too, weren't you?” Konkiku whispered, sounding a bit surprised by Miketsu's question.

I was there too? Oh right… those Leopard Cat Yokai wouldn't have come to the shop for no reason. They must have come for something, so it seems they were announcing the bounty then.

But at the time, I was too focused on eating, so much so that I didn't even notice those Leopard Cat Yokai entering, let alone what they said afterwards. If I hadn't finished eating, I wouldn't have even known they were there.

As the connections in her mind clicked, Miketsu's thoughts became clear. Suddenly, she realized a very serious problem.

She had kindly given Toga directions, only to end up leading him into a trap.

Her good intentions had backfired; she seemed to have inadvertently led Toga into trouble!