The melodious chime of a phone resonated from Shion’s device, a gentle tune filling the quiet room. Ayane had already retired to her own room to sleep, leaving Shion to rub her eyes and glance at the screen.
It was past midnight, just after twelve.
‘The moon is dark, the wind is high—perfect for…’ Before Shion could finish her muttered complaint, her other phone, resting on her desk, began to ring.
Any other person would surely have mistaken the late-night call for a ghostly apparition, a scene out of a horror movie. Yet, as a Miko entrusted with the duty of exorcism, Shion merely sighed softly before answering the phone.
– Hello, Shion-san? – The voice on the other end was strikingly cheerful, laced with an undeniable hint of excitement. – My dearest junior, are you ready for an exorcism? –
For reasons unknown, ever since their return from Tokyo, Rie’s attitude towards Shion had undergone a remarkable transformation. In Shion’s presence, Rie no longer displayed the airs of a young lady, nor even the slightest hint of seniority as an upperclassman.
– Senpai, I’m so sleepy. Can I just sleep today? – Shion asked, stifling a yawn.
– Oh? Is Shion-san tired? You could always come sleep at my place; my bed is incredibly spacious, you know. The mattress, pillows, and blankets are all designer brands… –
– I’ll be there for the exorcism. I’m coming now. –
Shion swung her legs out of bed and ended the call. Since Rie had revealed her background to Shion in Tokyo, this was far from their first collaborative exorcism. They had grown quite familiar with the timing and locations.
‘But sleeping at Rie’s house… I’ll pass!’
Shion rose, shedding her sleepwear for the traditional red and white Miko robes, the maple-red skirt gently stirring in the night breeze. She tiptoed to the main hall of the shrine, clasped her hands together, and knelt before the sacred body, reciting a prayer. Afterward, she took up the Spirit Cutter from the nearby sword stand.
“Divine Being, please protect your Miko and cleanse this land of evil spirits.” The girl’s voice was soft, yet she knew the Divine Being would hear her plea.
****
The site of the evil spirit outbreak was, once again, halfway up the familiar mountain. Hundreds of black miasmas coalesced into the tangible forms of demonic wolves, their blood-red eyes constantly scanning their surroundings as if searching for prey.
Soon, their “prey” appeared. Exuding a powerful, alluring aura, the attention of countless evil spirits fixated on the white-robed Miko who descended before them like an angel.
Shion carefully controlled the release of her spirit-calming aura. As far as her eyes could see, the black miasma surged like a tide, blanketing the open ground before her.
– Shion-san, is the scale of these evil spirits manageable? Do you need my help? – Rie’s voice crackled through Shion’s earpiece.
This earpiece was something Rie had specially acquired for Shion, claiming it was for maintaining communication during exorcisms. Yet, this particular headset… Shion had once looked up its price on an online shopping site, and what she discovered shocked her. She remembered thinking, ‘Why does one headset cost as much as a month’s worth of my food?’ And when Rie had presented it to her, she had done so with such gravity, almost as if it were…
‘Ha, it couldn’t possibly be an engagement token, could it? At the very least, it felt like a truly significant gift.’
– It’s completely fine, I even feel like there are too few, – Shion replied, though her attention remained almost entirely focused on the horde of evil spirits before her. Just as she uttered those words, several wolf-like evil spirits burst from the swarm, charging directly at Shion.
With a single, elegant sweep of her Spirit Cutter, Shion drew a horizontal line in the air as if with a paintbrush. A flash of white light pierced through the bodies of the charging spirits, and in the next moment, their black miasma gradually dissipated into the night.
– Well then, I won’t disturb you for now. Let me know when you’re done, and I’ll come find you. Absolutely, absolutely, don’t get hurt. – With that, Rie disconnected the call, not even leaving Shion enough time to say, “No problem.”
Shion took a deep breath. ‘Don’t get hurt,’ she mused. ‘That, at least, is completely manageable.’
‘However, after this is all over, I probably won’t need to specifically inform Rie. She’s undoubtedly observing from some safe vantage point.’
The blade of the Spirit Cutter shimmered in the girl’s hand, its white glow reflecting the clear moonlight in the night sky. It sliced through one evil spirit after another, yet it did not disturb even a single withered leaf.
About a month prior, a mere few dozen evil spirits would have forced Shion into a fight for her life, a potential game over if she failed. In the time since, her exorcism abilities had grown considerably. Now, even facing hundreds of evil spirits, she moved with the effortless grace of slicing through butter.
Indeed, as Shion had told Rie earlier, the scale of this pressure release was still too small. In just a quarter of an hour, the last fleeing evil spirit was caught by the Spirit Cutter’s radiant light, vanquished, and vanished into a wisp of black mist.
“Whew~” Shion exhaled deeply, patting her chest. Though it remained largely flat, the action helped to calm her a little.
“Shion-san, you were wonderful today, thank you for your hard work!” Rie’s excited voice filled Shion’s earpiece, but then, suddenly, it was as if a duet had begun.
Shion initially thought her earpiece was malfunctioning, but only seconds later, a steaming cup of coconut milk, adorned with a few lotus leaves, appeared before her. Alongside it was the smiling face of the red-haired girl.
“Eh?” Shion was utterly astonished to see Rie appear. Not even two minutes had passed since the last evil spirit was purified. “Igarashi-senpai, were you standing this close just now? It was dangerous!”
Rie handed the coconut milk to Shion. “No, no, I was standing in a very safe spot initially. I only came over with a warm cup of coconut milk for you once I saw that your victory was assured, Shion-san.”
“Well… thank you, Senpai.” Shion accepted the cup with both hands and began to drink.
“How does it taste?” Rie blinked, her eyes sparkling.
Shion smacked her lips. “Mmm, it’s sweet and warm. I feel much better.”
“That’s good. I added quite a few special ingredients, you know. How was the exorcism today, Shion-san? Did you get hurt at all?” Rie meticulously examined Shion’s body, searching for any scratches or injuries.
“Not at all. None of those evil spirits even touched me,” Shion replied, cradling the coconut milk in her hands.
“Oh, that won’t do! I suggest you come to the Akifuu Onsen Ryokan, soak in the hot springs, and then let me give you a thorough check-up.” As Rie spoke, she pulled at one of Shion’s Miko robe sleeves with one hand, while the other reached directly for the robe itself, intending to pull it down.
“Senpai, you’re up to no good, hey!”