In this world where gods and ghosts coexist and yokai run rampant, the Onmyoryo—the institution for humans to combat supernatural forces—held immense power, serving as a vital branch of the imperial court... This was once Miketsu's basic understanding of the organization.
However, after becoming an Onmyoji and gaining a deeper understanding, Miketsu discovered that the Onmyoryo was far more than just a subordinate agency. The high-ranking members within the Bureau and the high-ranking officials in the court were essentially two sides of the same coin, often the same group of people. In a sense, the Onmyoryo could even be considered a "miniature court."
Generally speaking, the Onmyoryo has its own unique ranking system, but this special system is actually linked to official positions within the imperial court. Upon reaching the rank of Junior Secretary or higher, one would also hold a significant rank in the court, possessing considerable authority. Essentially, a clan's standing in the world of Onmyodo was equivalent to its power in the secular world.
This was exactly why the upper management of the Onmyoryo, such as Fujiwara no Saneyori, had been so incredibly cautious when discussing the promotions of the two genius Onmyoji, Abe no Seimei and Asakura Hao. Although Seimei and Hao had demonstrated strength equal to or even exceeding that of a Junior Secretary and had the merits to match, it was still difficult for them to be promoted. This was because once one reached the rank of Junior Secretary, they became involved in court politics and held a position within the human power structure. Consequently, most Onmyo clans only had one individual at the rank of Junior Secretary—either the clan head or their representative of interests.
Promoting a non-noble to the rank of Junior Secretary was essentially no different from establishing a new Onmyo clan or a new branch of nobility; it involved a redistribution of power, and thus, it had to be handled with extreme caution.
Miketsu wasn't particularly interested in the noble status or power that came with being a Junior Secretary. What she cared about more were the higher-level Onmyojutsu and knowledge she would gain access to, as well as the mansion the Fujiwara had promised to grant her. If possible, Miketsu wanted to turn that place into a base for Nura Rihyon and the others.
"Hey, did you say this reward also includes a mansion? Can you give me some more details on that?" Miketsu asked Mokou after a moment of silence.
"Eh... I didn't expect the mansion to be the part you're most interested in." Mokou's eyes showed a hint of surprise, but she didn't say much else, proceeding directly to answer Miketsu's question.
"Simply put, if you're going to establish yourself in Heian-kyo with noble status, you'll need a mansion befitting your rank. There are many vacant noble residences in Heian-kyo, and the Fujiwara can use their authority to allocate one to you."
"Vacant noble houses? And many of them? Why is that the case?" Miketsu asked curiously.
"Well... according to them, these vacant houses were either left behind by nobles who were exiled for crimes, or abandoned because they were haunted by yokai that were too difficult to exorcise... Anyway, Heian-kyo has been the capital for quite some time now, and there seem to be a fair number of noble mansions left empty for various reasons. I've heard from people in the clan that using these houses as rewards is a fairly common practice." Mokou explained as she recalled the details. Miketsu nodded understandingly after hearing this.
It turned out they were the homes of disgraced officials or haunted houses... For an ordinary person, neither would be very comfortable to live in, but since she planned to turn it into a nest for yokai, there wouldn't be any issues in that regard.
"So, what are the specifics of these mansions?" Miketsu continued to ask, wanting to gather more information.
"I don't know the exact details, but don't worry. They'll help you pick an excellent one—definitely not some remote haunted house where people have died."
"No, what I mean is... I want to choose the mansion myself."
"You want to choose it yourself?" Mokou looked at Miketsu suspiciously, her brow furrowing slightly.
Afterward, Miketsu agreed to Mokou's proposal and accepted the rewards prepared by the Fujiwara family. The formal granting of her status would take place later, once the Fujiwara family had fully stabilized. Before that, however, Miketsu requested that the promised mansion be given to her first and that she be allowed to choose it herself. Mokou directly agreed to Miketsu's demands on behalf of the Fujiwara.
After both parties had finished off the tea and sake served by the izakaya, they went downstairs and left together. Instead of returning to Mount Inari, Miketsu boarded an oxcart with Mokou and headed toward the Fujiwara residence.
According to Mokou, she could show Miketsu all the records of the available vacant mansions right then and there. Miketsu didn't hesitate and went straight to the Fujiwara estate to make her choice.
The oxcart stopped in front of the Fujiwara residence. After a few days, Miketsu once again stepped into this estate. The demonic energy that had previously saturated the entire space had now completely vanished. The talismans plastered everywhere and the scattered ritual tools had been partially tidied up, and the remaining traces were being handled by specialized staff. People could be seen hurrying about everywhere within the massive residence, all seemingly busy with their own tasks.
"Although that vengeful spirit has been destroyed, the mess it left behind is quite substantial. Everyone in the family has been busy with the aftermath for the past few days..." Mokou explained to Miketsu as they walked down the long corridor, passing a group of people who bowed respectfully.
"The current head of this house—a descendant of my second brother, Tadahira—has been busy stabilizing the situation in court these past few days. His son, Saneyori, seems to be very weak because he had that seal or whatever extracted from him, so he's still confined to his bed..."
Miketsu listened to Mokou describe the current situation of the Fujiwara family as she was led into a spacious study. After waiting there for a moment, several minor officials entered carrying a pile of scrolls, placing them before Miketsu before standing aside.
"These are the detailed registers of all ownerless vacant mansions in Heian-kyo. They had them specially brought over from the Greater Imperial Palace. You can take your time and choose for yourself." Mokou said as she slowly sat down, looking at the numerous scrolls on the desk.
Brought directly from a government agency? The influence of the Fujiwara family is truly immense... Following Mokou's words, Miketsu thought with a sense of wonder as she slowly sat down at the desk and picked up the top scroll, gradually unfurling it.
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