In the moments following Matara Okina's sudden reappearance, Miketsu was unable to pry any further information from her. Observation suggested that the woman harbored no genuine ill will toward her; her presence seemed prompted merely by the cessation of the anomaly within the ancient residence, as if she had come specifically to inspect the outcome.
After a few final words, Okina departed as mysteriously as she had arrived, her whereabouts unknown. Miketsu knew, however, that the woman would undoubtedly resurface the moment another issue involving the Inari Shrine or the Hata clan arose.
Miketsu eventually regrouped with Tsuruha. After giving Menreiki some final instructions and leaving her within the estate, they began their journey back. It was during the walk home that Miketsu noticed something was slightly amiss.
As they moved through the woods surrounding the estate, Miketsu looked around. The environment was still shrouded in dense white fog and drifting snow. Everything remained identical to the atmosphere she had encountered upon arrival—not a single thing had changed. It gave Miketsu the lingering illusion that she had accomplished nothing during her trip.
"The scenery here... it hasn't changed at all," Miketsu murmured. Beside her, Tsuruha glanced at their surroundings and nodded.
"Hmm... that is because the Secret Realm has not been dissolved. The creator of this realm is Menreiki, and she is still inside the mansion."
"So, the Secret Realm is still active?"
"Yes. If Menreiki does not dismantle it, this place will remain hidden from the vast majority of people. Lady Uka, we left a bit in a hurry. If we head back now, we can instruct Menreiki to dissolve it. After all, this place is no longer a demon territory... Hmm? Lady Uka?"
Tsuruha paused, noticing that Miketsu had not responded immediately. Instead, Miketsu was stroking her chin, deep in thought.
"Hmm... I think we should leave it as it is for now," Miketsu said slowly, a faint smile playing on her lips. Tsuruha looked at her with pure confusion.
"But Lady Uka... if you don't dissolve the Secret Realm, how will you prove that you successfully exorcised the yokai in this residence? You won't be able to report back to the Fujiwara family or the Onmyoryo."
Tsuruha spoke hurriedly. As long as the Secret Realm persisted, the world would assume the horrors of the Hata residence remained. Miketsu's mission would not be counted as a success, and this entire journey would be considered a waste of time.
In contrast to Tsuruha's anxiety, Miketsu waved her hand dismissively with a relaxed air.
"Well... you see, Tsuruha, I believe the yokai in that house are far too difficult to handle. Even the Onmyoryo has left them alone for decades. Though I, Asakura Hao, am a genius Onmyoji, I am still young. Failing to deal with such a threat is only natural, isn't it?"
"Eh...?" Tsuruha’s fox-like face twisted in total bewilderment.
...
In a private room on the second floor of an Izakaya in Gion, Heian-kyo, Fujiwara no Mokou—dressed in the formal attire of a noble man—stared across the table at Miketsu with a look of sheer disbelief.
"What? You're saying the yokai in the Hata mansion were too powerful and exceeded your expectations, so you eventually had to retreat?"
Mokou asked the question slowly, her tone filled with incredulity.
"Mm... precisely," Miketsu said, calmly finishing her tea and setting the cup back on the table. She pursed her lips and let out a theatrical sigh.
"I truly didn't expect that yokai to be so formidable. Though I did my best, I ultimately lacked the means to defeat her. Alas... it seems I am still too young and lack the necessary experience for such encounters."
Mokou narrowed her eyes, scanning Miketsu up and down with suspicion while stroking her own chin.
"But to me... you don't look like someone who just lost a battle."
To Mokou, Miketsu appeared completely unscathed. There were no wounds, her clothes weren't even frayed, and she seemed to be in high spirits. The last Onmyo Taiyu who had managed to escape that house had come out raving mad.
"Well... I wouldn't say I 'lost,' it's just that the creature was too troublesome, and I had no way to resolve the situation. So, I just came back." Miketsu shrugged her shoulders as she spoke, feigning helplessness.
"Fine... if the monster can't be dealt with, you can't move in. What's your plan now? Do you want me to talk to my family and have them send more people to help you? Or I could go with you myself," Mokou offered. She even began rolling up her sleeves as if preparing for a brawl. However, Miketsu's response caught her off guard.
"There's no need. I've decided I don't want that mansion anymore."
"You don't want it? You've already changed your mind?" Mokou’s confusion deepened. This was not the answer she expected.
"Indeed. I’ve given it some thought—though the estate is large, it’s far too remote. Plus, so many people died there, and a powerful yokai still occupies it. It's really not worth the effort to force the issue. So, I’ve decided to pick a different property in Heian-kyo, somewhere that's better in every aspect. We'll just leave that haunted house where it is," Miketsu said with a smile.
Originally, Miketsu had intended to clear the mansion and have the Fujiwara family hand it over. But after subduing Menreiki, she had formulated a new plan.
If Menreiki was willing to follow her to some extent, why not have her maintain the Secret Realm? This would lead everyone to believe the cruel yokai still haunted the grounds. The mansion would remain as it was, classified as a forbidden, sealed zone by humans. No one would ever approach it voluntarily, which was exactly what she wanted. It would serve as the perfect secret base for Nura Rihyon and his group. A base with its own exclusive Secret Realm would prevent human intrusion and add a level of prestige to their operation.
Furthermore, if she had officially accepted the mansion as Asakura Hao, it might raise questions if the 'Owl’s' yokai were eventually spotted there. People might link Asakura Hao to the mysterious Owl. By officially 'abandoning' the mansion, Miketsu cut that link entirely. If people later discovered Owl’s group there, they would simply assume the Owl had either defeated the mansion's demon or taken it over, with no connection to the genius Onmyoji.
Since she was giving up her claim on the 'haunted' property, the Fujiwara clan would be obliged to let her choose a new residence. This allowed her to claim a top-tier estate within the capital for her official identity. Even if she didn't live there much, property was property; having more couldn't hurt, and it might prove useful later.
In this way, Miketsu effectively secured the ancient Hata mansion for the yokai and gained a new, legitimate residence for herself for free. Why wouldn't she take such an opportunity?
In the end, who doesn't love getting something for nothing?
Rate on N.U.
