The senior replied brusquely to the junior’s question.
“How am I supposed to know that?”
It was a very reasonable response.
After all, he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, there were no clues or documentation, he hadn’t heard anything directly from the parties involved, and he wasn’t even close to the scene—how could he possibly know?
The senior let out a slight sigh, as if wondering why such a foolish question had been asked.
The man flinched at the senior’s sigh, coughed awkwardly, and tried to hide his embarrassment.
“Well, what I mean is… I’m just worried about whether we’ve inadvertently meddled with something strange.”
“Ah, like if you’ve tampered with a seal or something?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it.”
“It’s possible. Shrine priests, for some reason, tend to have sloppy spots.”
The senior seemed to agree that there was some merit to the man’s concerns.
“Those guys… They don’t work as meticulously with manuals like we do, nor do they have the long-established expertise of temple practitioners. They just pass things down haphazardly through their families, clumsily following along without much thought. Some shrine priests are truly excellent at what they do, but others are really incompetent.”
The senior went on to vent, clearly harboring grievances toward shrine priests.
“They’re quite a mixed bag… Some places have genuine talent, but others make even amateurs look better. Honestly, without divine power, they’d probably starve to death.”
Or else they’d all die from attacks by angry spirits.
Having said this, the senior paused for a moment.
It was a signal for the man to speak.
“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. We had the item purchased from the shrine, so it did get processed, but the handling was clumsy, and now there seems to be an issue. Isn’t it typical that amateurs tampering with things can lead to seals being broken or problems arising?”
“Hmm, yes… That kind of thing…”
The senior seemed to reflect deeply on the man’s words, dragging out their reply.
Through the smartphone came the regular sound of a pen tapping against a desk and the rhythmic click of the pen cap being opened and closed.
Ending his deliberation along with the regular sounds, the senior casually made a suggestion to the man, one that the junior might find either helpful or annoying depending on how it was viewed.
“Hey, why don’t you take charge of contacting them and resolving this?”
The suggestion meant that the junior should directly contact the current owner of the villa—a shrine.
At worst, it was shirking responsibility by passing a duty to the junior. But framed positively, it was an opportunity for the still inexperienced junior to gain some practice.
“Perfect timing. You’ve been working at the Bureau of Onmyō for a while now… It’s about time you start building connections and getting to know other people. I was thinking of introducing you to my network and teaching you how to build relationships, so why not start with this opportunity?”
The Onmyō Bureau, where onmyoji are employed, handles all sorts of incidents.
They are dispatched whenever devices monitoring nationwide detect any shamanic activity. They’re also called upon for incidents related to spirits, when relics or seals are discovered, and they sometimes participate in sealing ceremonies held at shrines or temples. Additionally, they’re sent out to investigate magic-related records and divine objects.
This powerful government agency specializes in matters related to “magic” and “spirits.” Naturally, given the wide scope of their responsibilities, they have an exhausting workload. However, the bureau’s onmyoji rarely complain.
This is because it is their duty as onmyoji.
In exchange for the protection of great power, the ability to enjoy a peaceful and prosperous life, and the chance to wield influence within their reach, onmyoji take pride in their role.
But despite their strong mental fortitude, they had physical limitations.
This limitation came from their small number relative to the vast range of their responsibilities.
The reason for this lies in the specialized nature of an onmyoji’s job and their sense of superiority and exclusivity.
Onmyoji, at the end of the day, are simply people who use magic.
Learning magic requires preparing to pay a terrible and painful price. Naturally, there are very few who wish to master such an art.
Moreover, not everyone who wishes to learn is accepted.
Onmyoji universally believe they are elites—irreplaceable entities.
Onmyoji possess unparalleled abilities. They can foretell the future and see the past with omniscience. Though their talents would be much too precious to be manipulated by mere government forces, they kindly extend the “grace” of onmyōdō to “unworthy ones” in exchange for comfort and protection in this world.
Most onmyoji are steeped in this sense of superiority.
Naturally, discrimination follows close behind this elitist mindset.
“Warriors are brutal, wielding swords to kill people—no more than savage butchers who might make good hunting dogs because they can swing a blade, but they’ll never rise to high positions. That’s just how the world works.”
“Magicians, who knelt to foreigners and learned techniques out of servility, have no pride at all. While their skills may be useful, their roots and self-esteem are too base to compare with those of onmyoji.”
“Summoners are little more than animal trainers. The onmyoji’s control over divine entities is far more difficult and powerful; summoners’ abilities pale in comparison to an onmyoji’s.”
…
Onmyoji looked down on other capable people through such discriminatory lenses, and they took a high-handed approach to those—those who had “no power.”
This high-handed attitude was equally evident toward those hoping to join the ranks of onmyoji.
It was only natural.
People who haven’t learned onmyōdō are just ordinary people without power or talent. They are insignificant beings who have not yet been “chosen.”
The onmyoji scrutinized and filtered applicants with the same meticulousness that they used to sift grain, accepting only a select few. Those who passed the cruelly difficult conditions were consumed by a sense of compensation, believing, “I’ve made it through these tough conditions to become an onmyoji; I’m special.” As such, onmyoji treated others with an equally, if not worse, high-handed attitude.
It was a vicious cycle.
And yet, the reason the onmyoji, as well as the Onmyō Bureau, could wield power and thrive was that they truly had very useful abilities.
“Some shrine priests are decent and can be gotten along with. Of course, the majority of them are quite useless.”
And, to those they found worthy of recognition, they showed kindness and provided various conveniences.
Onmyoji, with their strong sense of superiority, treated those they recognized with special respect, going as far as utilizing their own power and the bureau’s influence to offer convenience. This could range from small business favors to turning a blind eye to or minimizing illegal activities.
Onmyoji referred to this as “mutual consideration between people of high status.”
“Let me help with the introductions first. Take a meeting. If you find they’re up to your standards, consider forming a relationship. If not, just think of them as spare pieces. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Of course, their standards were incredibly high, so gaining recognition as part of their network wasn’t easy.
If they didn’t recognize you, you’d likely be treated like a hunting dog they could use, or worse, as just a pebble in the road, entirely removed from their minds.
“Wait a bit. Let me have a quick conversation, and then I’ll get back to you.”
With that, the senior, sounding unusually cheerful, abruptly hung up the phone.
How much time had passed?
Vrrrrring—
The man’s smartphone buzzed with an incoming call.
“Hello, I am the next Shinto priest of Saigo Shrine. My name is Shiraki Naomi (白木直活). I’m calling after having a conversation with Onmyoki Shiraki Naomi.”
“Thank you for calling.”
When the man answered, a young man’s voice came through the line. Though the tone suggested youth, it had a peculiar, raspy quality that evoked an image of a wolf with scars around its eyes.
“The next Shinto priest of Saigo Shrine. I’m not sure if you’ve been informed, but I’m reaching out due to an incident.”
“Yes, I received some notice from Onmyoki Naomi beforehand. He mentioned it may involve some troubling matters. Actually, something came up recently, and I suspect it’s related.”
The young man introduced himself as the next Shinto priest began his explanation.
He had acquired a notorious villa, performed a purification ritual, and confirmed its safety. He then invited acquaintances over for a party. But during this event, one guest became possessed by a ghost. Attempts to resolve the situation failed, and the person fled into the mountains. The situation had become serious, and they were trying to locate and exorcize the individual. As it turned out, the person who ran away was a well-known public figure frequently seen on TV.
The man listened to the future priest’s account and responded.
“You don’t have to worry. I have that individual under my protection.”
“Oh, is that right? That’s truly fortunate! I’m deeply grateful.”
The future priest’s voice was filled with relief as he expressed his gratitude.
The man paused, savoring the gratitude before speaking again.
“That said, the fact that a possession occurred suggests there might be a problem.”
“Yes, you’re right… but it’s not a major issue.”
“Hmm. Would it be alright if I came to check it out?”
In short, this was asking, “What do you think of me investigating your villa?” It could maliciously be interpreted as saying, “If you’ve made a mistake like this, I don’t trust your skills. Let me take a look myself, and if necessary, I’ll intervene directly.”
However, the future priest didn’t take offense to the man’s suggestion.
Instead, he gladly replied:
“Of course. I’d be delighted to welcome you.”
The tone coming through the smartphone was filled with genuine anticipation for the man’s visit.
