The Disgrace Of An Exorcist Family (9)

It was the haori the oni before her had been wearing over his shoulders until moments ago. It carried a strangely familiar scent, and although it felt almost weightless, it was warm.

“Don’t worry. I won’t harm that man.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. I bear no grudge against either you or the man lying there.”

Relief drained all the strength from her body.

Mei blinked in surprise that an oni, which she had always been told was terrifying, could speak in such a gentle voice. More than anything, she could not understand why he was being so kind to her.

Perhaps her confusion showed on her face, because the oni narrowed his eyes awkwardly.

“You… took care of my servant. Consider this my thanks.”

“Princess, benefactor. Princess, thank you.”

The furball bounced happily. Apparently, because Mei had helped it, the oni had decided to spare her.

“Is this little one part of your family?”

“Family…?”

The oni tilted his head in puzzlement, then curled one corner of his mouth upward as though amused by something.

“Humans have strange ways of thinking. A servant is not family. It serves me, and I protect it. There is no other bond between us.”

“Master is Master.”

The furball seemed to agree completely with the oni’s explanation.

“I see.”

“Yes… By the way, what are you doing in a place like this?”

“Ah…”

Faced with the question, Mei hesitated, unsure how she should answer. She did not know how much of her circumstances she ought to reveal.

Even if she personally had done nothing to them, if they learned she was a daughter of West Suo, they might regard her as an exorcist and become hostile.

“Um, I…”

The words caught in her throat and would not come out. When Mei fell completely silent, the oni tilted his head in mild concern.

“I’m not trying to rush you. Calm yourself.”

“Yes…”

His gentle voice nearly brought tears to her eyes again, much to her embarrassment. Perhaps this was the first time anyone had ever shown her this much consideration. And the one doing so was an Aberration. Her heart could not keep up with the bizarre situation. After repeatedly choosing her words in her head, Mei decided to tell him only the facts.

“I came here to accompany my younger brother for his ceremony.”

“Ceremony?”

“It’s something like a test to have him formally recognized as an exorcist. Dangerous Aberrations often appear in this grove, so the rule is that he must… exterminate one.”

“So that explains why this place occasionally becomes so noisy. There certainly are mindless weaklings wandering around this area… I see.”

The oni appeared to accept Mei’s explanation without suspicion and nodded quietly.

“Still, bringing you along as an attendant is a strange choice. You are a Princess, aren’t you? Why would you accompany an exorcist?”

“P-Princess…”

Even though he was an Aberration, the oni had the appearance of a beautiful man, and Mei’s cheeks reddened when he called her Princess.

—Even though he only means a healer.

She understood that, yet she still could not calm herself.

“In the Otherworld, those who possess your power are exceedingly rare. Even if he is related to you by blood, I cannot understand why you obey a brat like that. Why do you tolerate such tyrannical behavior utterly devoid of intelligence?”

The oni’s tone sounded somewhat angry, making Mei panic. She feared he might decide to chase after Io even now.

“It’s my fault. I’m the one at fault because I’m useless… Please, spare my brother. I’ll do anything that is within my power.”

If anything happened to Io, her parents would be furious. Sakuma would not escape punishment either.

“You…”

The oni shook his head as though exasperated, then stared intently at Mei.

“…You said you would do anything.”

“Anything within my power.”

“Then come with me. Become my Princess, and mine alone.”

A large hand was extended toward Mei.

“Wh… What?”

Forgetting the situation entirely, Mei stared blankly back and forth between the oni’s face and his hand.

(—His Princess alone? What is he talking about?)

“Your power may be considered abnormal in this world, but not in ours.”

(—Oh, I see.)

Apparently, the oni wanted Mei’s power. To Aberrations, the ability to heal them was something akin to having a doctor. It would not be strange for them to need her.

(—I could actually be useful…?)

Her heart lifted ever so slightly. The power she had always used simply because it was the only thing she could do might actually be considered valuable in the Otherworld.

But would such a thing truly be permissible? She belonged to a clan of exorcists, yet she would be going to the Otherworld—and into the care of an oni, no less.

(—The Otherworld is supposed to be terrifying. They say it’s hell for humans.)

Would Mei truly be able to survive in a place like that?

“If you truly refuse, then so be it. I’ll have you and this man taken as far as the foot of the mountain. But if that brat ever appears here again, I will show him no mercy.”

He was serious. Mei could sense no falsehood in the oni’s expression.

“Do you wish to return and be mistreated by that brat again?”

“…Th-That…”

What kind of treatment awaited Mei if she returned to the West Suo household? She had done nothing wrong. But she had failed to be useful to Io. Her parents would scold her for that, and Io would surely take his anger out on her. Without a doubt, the days ahead would leave her with even less of a place to belong than before.

“If you come with me, I promise I will cherish you above all else.”

Her face grew hot at words that sounded almost like a confession of love.

He was an Aberration. An oni, no less. She had no proof that she could trust him. And yet.

(—I don’t want to go back.)

Believing she had stopped feeling anything had only been an illusion. She was being forced to realize just how unbearable her life had truly been.

“Are you really sure… that you want me?”

When she timidly asked, the oni nodded firmly.

“Yes. I want you.”

If she took this hand, she might never return to this world again. But what was so terrible about that? If either choice was hell, she would rather remain beside someone who wanted her.

(—I want to be needed.)

She remembered the words “thank you” and the beautiful color of the flower given to her by the oni boy she had met as a child.

What had supported Mei’s heart all these years had not been her real family, but the memory of that day.

“…”

Hesitantly, Mei placed her hand in the oni’s. She had expected his skin to feel cold, yet it was warmer than her own. He closed his hand around hers with the gentle care of someone handling something fragile and drew her toward him.

“I will cherish you.”

“…!”

His voice was so tender that it sounded as though he truly were confessing his love.

Something trembled deep within her chest, and tears welled in her eyes once more. She was forced to acknowledge just how desperately she had always wanted someone to want her, to need her.

“Princess! Princess!”

The furball bounced excitedly before leaping onto Mei’s shoulder.

“Then let us go.”

“Yes… Ah, um, this man…”

As Ryoga took her hand and tried to lead her away, Mei stopped him and looked toward Sakuma. Sakuma, more than anyone, had done nothing wrong.

“Yes. Later, I’ll have one of my servants carry him down to the foot of the mountain.”

“Thank you. And, um…”

Mei knew it might be unreasonable to ask such a thing of him, but she could not bring herself to leave without saying it.

“At my home… there are other little ones like this one being held captive. I want to save them, at least.”

If Mei fled, what would happen to them? Until now she had been able to help them, but once she disappeared, they might truly be killed.

“Master.”

The furball apparently felt the same way. At its pleading voice, the oni let out a short sigh.

“Very well… I’ll take a little of your hair.”

The oni touched Mei’s hair and sliced off several strands with his fingernail.

“Reishun.”

“At your service.”

A white beast appeared in response to his call. Larger than a dog, it could speak just like the furball.

“What do you require, Master?”

“Follow this scent and rescue the ones being held captive.”

“Understood.”

No sooner had it spoken than the white beast took Mei’s hair into its mouth and dashed away.

“That one is skilled at blending in among humans. With your hair in its possession, it should be able to pass through that accursed barrier as well.”

“I’m so glad. Thank you, um…”

“…Ryoga. My name is Ryoga.”

“Ryoga-sama.”

Simply speaking his name sent a warm numbness through the depths of her chest.

From now on, Mei would probably spend the rest of her life serving Ryoga.

“Let’s go.”

With Ryoga holding her hand, Mei began to walk.

Blue flames traced a circle through the air, opening a glowing fissure that shed pale light. Beyond it, she could faintly see a landscape belonging somewhere other than here.

(—The Otherworld.)

For just an instant, the urge to look back welled up within her. But Mei did not turn around. There was nothing left for her in this world.

Without looking anywhere but ahead, Mei allowed Ryoga to guide her and stepped through the light.