Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Jin’s POV
   After revealing the truth and faced no exorcism, Fox Lady decides to continue with the meeting.

   “All of you did a wonderful job at repelling the joint forces of youkais and evil spirits last night. I also thank you for your willingness to team up with the onis. I know some of you are not particularly fond of them.” she tells those present here.

   Jin notices some onmyojis sneaking glances at Meiko. He stands in front of her and glares at them while releasing his killing intent.

   “Please stop doing that, Minase-dono. I’m sure that they have no intention on harming Meiko-dono.” Fox Lady tells him.

   “They’d better not if they know what’s good for them.” he murmurs.

   “We used to be enemies, but we need all the help we can get in order to defeat Tengu and my other self. Until then, the alliance stays.” she continues.

   “Will you be waging war against us after that, Lady Tamamo?” Meiko asks nervously.

   “That’s entirely up to your father, child. If he and his subordinates promise to not harm humans anymore, I’ll make sure that no harm will come to any of you.” Fox Lady answers.

   “I’ll do my best to convince him, then!”

   “I pray that you succeed. Truth be told, I highly doubt he’ll keep his word for long. After all, his hatred for the humans isn’t something to sneeze at.”

   “He has changed after he met my mother! He’ll definitely stop invading this world if I managed to convince him!” Meiko insists.

   “Again, I pray that you are right.”

   Fox Lady clears her throat.

   “Now, for our next agenda. I shall abolish the law which states that only men can become onmyoji. From now on, the role can be taken on by both men and women.” she declares.

   Ayumi stares at Fox Lady like she couldn’t believe what she just heard.

   “Are you sure about that, Shuzo-sama? What if your evil half tried to sneak in among us and absorb you?” she asks her leader.

   “If she wants to absorb me and be complete, she’s more than welcome to try. I will not be afraid anymore, for I am not alone.”

   “We will do our best and then some more in order to protect you.” Ayumi assures her.

   “That’s right!”

   “We most definitely will!”

   Fox Lady bows deeply at everyone.

   “Thank you, everyone. Thank you.” she says to them gratefully.

   A round of applause and cheers from the assembled onmyojis.

   “Tomorrow, I shall be the representative and tell the public about the existence of youkais.” she says once the clapping and cheering has died down. “They have been kept in the dark regarding the subject matter for too long. It’s time they know the truth.”

   “Are you sure that you want to do that?” Jin asks. “I’ve just partially revealed myself, and I’m getting hate every single day.”

   “That’s because you’re irritating and unlikable.” Estyshana whispers.

   Jin throws her an evil glares which she ignores.

   “I thank you for your concern. However, I still think that we should tell them the truth.” Fox Lady tells him.

   Jin shrugs. If she has already made her decision, an outsider like him should just keep his mouth shut.

   “For our final agenda, we shall discuss about the fate of those who were possessed by the evil spirit.” she announces. “It is sad for me to pass judgments to our comrades, but it must be done.”

   All the onmyojis put on a grim expression, even though they were at high spirit just a moment ago.

   “Are you saying that Ichihara’s elder brother isn’t the only one who got possessed?” Jin asks Fox Lady.

   “That is correct. There was one at every single branch across Japan who lost to the temptation of Tengu and ended up opening the portals which connect the two worlds. As a result, we lost some of our comrades, and there were reports that stray youkais had been appearing across the country. Now then, bring them out.”

   Those who were possessed were brought forward from wherever they were locked up. There are a total number of twelve of them, which match the number of shrines Jin saw at Nyri’s holographic map. Naturally, Ayumi’s elder brother Hajime is one of them. All of their hands are being tied up to their back by using ropes.

   The other eleven at least look somewhat guilty, but not Mister Former Successor. From his expression alone, Jin could already tell that he doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

   “Why am I not released yet?” he demands while glaring at Fox Lady.

   “All of you have done something unforgivable. It’s natural that you should receive punishment for it.” she replies coolly.

   “Something unforgivable? Punishment? Aren’t you the one who should be punished instead?”

   “That’s enough, Hajime.” Iemitsu-san tells his grandson sternly.

   “Our head is a youkai and a woman! Why are you fine with this, grandfather? How are any of you fine with this? Don’t even get me started with the onis! Their leader murdered Asuka nee-san in cold blood, and now you want to team up with them? You must be mad!”

   Hajime notices Meiko and glares at her.

   “This is a sacred ground! A filthy oni like you shouldn’t be here! Get out!” he shouts.

   “But-”

   “Don’t talk to me, low-life! As soon as I’m released, I’m going to argh-”

   Hajime stopped talking as Jin is pointing Felfarthen’s tip at his throat.

   “You’re going to what? Go on. Keep talking.” Jin encourages.

   Hajime’s face has gone completely pale. Even an idiot like him could tell that Jin isn’t joking around.

   “I, um…”

   “Minase-dono, please leave the matter to me.” Fox Lady tells Jin.

   Jin pulls back his sword. He didn’t put it back to the Vault, however. One more nonsense coming out of that little garbage, and he’s really going to get it.

   “As you say, I’m a youkai, and a woman to boot. I was being your leader while being a hypocrite. However, I have took up the courage to tell the truth and admit my wrongdoings. If all of you can do the same, I am more than happy to welcome you back as our comrades.” Fox Lady says to Hajime and those others who got tied up.

   “Why should I admit anything? I didn’t do anything wrong! It was decided that I was being possessed, right? Opening the portal wasn’t my own will!” Hajime says indignantly.

   “You still don’t understand, do you? The first thing you learn as an onmyoji is to empty yourself from desires and evil thoughts so that youkais and evil spirits can’t take advantage of you. Everything else is secondary compared to this simple yet extremely important thing.”

   “What’s wrong with having ambitions? I’m not someone who’s destined to remain in the small pond I have to call home!”

   “It’s good that you’re aiming for the top. Based on the testimony you gave, you planned to lead the onmyojis against the onslaught of the youkais and spirits, correct?”

   “That’s right! I wanted to prove that I’m a better leader than that wuss of my grandfather!”

   “And how exactly were you planning on doing that?”

   Hajime got tongue-tied immediately.

   “Being a leader isn’t as easy as you think, young Ichihara. If it took you more than two seconds to come up with an answer for my question just now, it means that you don’t have any plan. Even before that, you have pointlessly trying to start a conflict just so you could prove yourself. That is not something a wise leader would do.”

   For once, he has nothing to say back.

   “Now then, for the rest of you. Similar to young Ichihara, all of you had different motives when you opened up the portals. Having a grudge against your higher-up, being rash after intoxicated, and so on and so forth. The reason aside, I believe in giving out a second chance to those who want it. Are you willing to accept the punishment?”

   Minus Hajime, the other eleven lower down their head as a gesture of submission.

   “Very well, then. From today onwards, all of you shall be restarting your training as servants. This punishment will last for at least one year and will not end until your supervisors deem you worthy. During this punishment, none of you are allowed to do anything related to exorcism, only housework.” Fox Lady announces.

   Naturally, Hajime isn’t happy about it.

   “Why should someone noble like myself join the ranks of servants? I deserve better than this!”

   Fox Lady shrugs.

   “If you don’t like it, you can try to make your punishment short by impressing us. Alternatively, you can quit. The choice is yours. Take them away.”

   “I’m not having it, you hear me? One of these days, I’m going to be the family Head, and all of you are going to be sorry!” Hajime shouts as he’s being dragged away.

   Jin snorts. Now that the law of banning female onmyojis have been lifted, there’s no way someone incompetent like Hajime can ever become the new Head. Rather, there’s someone much more suitable to be the new Head.

   “You’ll be very busy, Iemitsu-san.” he tells Iemitsu-san.

   “Indeed. I’ll have to spend the same amount of time that I spent at Hajime to teach the same things to Ayumi.” the elderly man agrees.

   Only Ayumi is clueless about their conversation.

   “Why is that?” she asks them.

   “Oh, Ayumi. You can be so clueless sometimes.” Iemitsu-san chuckles.

   She pouts at that.

   “Oh, there you go again-”

   “Now that the meeting is officially over, let us feast. The dining hall is waiting for us.” Fox Lady announces, thus interrupting their conversation.

   “I’ll say this upfront. If I go there and see only inari sushis, I’m going to leave.” Jin tells her.

   The Head of the Yamauchi family looks at him, then starts to look extremely nervous.

   “Audrey, I need a portal to go back to Kameda. Or you can drop me off at a random restaurant.” Jin requests Audrey.

   “Please wait! I’m sure that you’ll love the inari sushi I have prepared for you!” Fox Lady pleads.

   “I don’t mind eating a few of them, but only them? No thanks.”

   “B-But they’re delicious! I can swear that to you!”

   “The taste isn’t the problem here.”

   Fox Lady is on the verge of tearing up.

   “Please reconsider! I’ve ordered 50,000 inari sushis! There’s no way I can finish them by myself!” she pleads again.

   “...You ordered how many?”

   “It’s true. Shuzo-sama have ordered that many inari sushis. They were so numerous we had to ask twenty sushi restaurants to make them.” Marika informs.

   “You’re an idiot.” Jin tells Fox Lady bluntly.

   “Come on Minase-kun, that’s no way to talk to her!” Ayumi chides him.

   “Are you saying that everyone here can finish that many sushi?” Jin asks her.

   “Well, um…”

   “Don’t worry, Minase-dono. I’m sure that we can do it if we work together.” Iemitsu-san tells him.

   “Oh, Iemitsu! I knew you’ll understand!” Fox Lady cries.

   “That said, Shuzo-sama, I hope you’ll control yourself the next time you order inari sushi.”

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   She hangs her head in shame.

   “Yes, I’ll definitely remember.”

   “Say, what’s this inari sushi thing?” Estyshana asks curiously.

   “Haven’t you eaten one of those before? It’s technically a sushi, but it’s wrapped in sweet bean curd skin.”

   “Nope. Never heard of it. The Wakaba family brought me to a sushi restaurant once or twice before, but none of them ordered it.”

   “They have good taste.” Jin comments drily.

   “I tried those. They’re way too sweet for me.” Aldenia says while shuddering.

   “I have not intention of belittling local cuisine, so the only thing I’ll say is that not everyone will love it.” Audrey adds.

   Estyshana couldn’t believe her ears.

   “And we’re supposed to eat 50,000 of those things?” she demands.

   “Now you know why I hate the idea. Well, let’s just get this over with.”

   Jin and the gang follow Ayumi and the other onmyojis to the dining hall. The size of the place is so huge it could fit everyone at the courtyard and then some more. Jin wonders how much was spent to build this hall.

   Then again, the real question here is how on earth are they going to finish fifty thousand of those sushi.

   Due to the ridiculous amount, all of them are being stored inside large plastic trays reserved to store noodles. Jin feels full just by looking at those trays.

   He sits down at a random spots, with his closest allies also sitting near him. Again, Estyshana has ended up sitting right next to him. He’s starting to think that the others are doing this on purpose.

   Fox Lady goes to the host seat and sits down with Marika standing behind her. The Head looks absolutely guilty for doing what she did. Her fox ears and tails have disappeared. Now she looks like a regular human.

   “Well, let’s eat, everyone.” she says without looking at any of them.

   Only a few half-hearted cheers are heard. They’re probably too busy on stopping themselves from giving up right away.

   Jin gets up and goes to the nearest tray. He picks up one of the rice wrapped in bean curd skin and puts then inside his mouth. Yup, he still dislikes the taste.

   49,999 of these things to go.

   Jin stopped at his 16th one. He already consider it a miracle that he could eat 16 of these repulsive things. He looks around. Everyone is starting to have difficulty in diminishing the amount even though the meal only started fifteen minutes ago.

   “Please tell me that Fox Gods are real so that we could send some of these to them.” he pleads Ayumi.

   “Forget some, they could have all of them.” Estyshana bargains.

   “Sorry guys. They don’t exist. Don’t tell anyone who worship them, though.”

   Jin and Estyshana groans at the same time.

   Jin looks at Fox Lady. She’s eating her fill in an incredible speed, but the amount is barely decreased. Even Marika is helping out, but to no avail.

   “Anyone still feel like eating?” he asks no one in particular.

   “No. If I have to eat any more of these thing, I would rather take 100 hours of lessons to act more like an ojou-sama.” Aldenia groans.

   “I’m sick of this inari sushi thing already. I think when I go to toilet later I’m going to-”

   “Stop right there Von Mantus, we don’t need any gross prediction from you.”

   “I can’t eat any more either.” Ayumi surrenders.

   “My stomach is disgusted at the thought of having more of these inside it.” Audrey says as well.

   “Please don’t worry, I can still eat. I’ll eat as much as possible.” Meiko answers.

   “No need to force yourself, Meiko.”

   “But, all those uneaten ones are going to get thrown away, yes? I don’t want that.”

   “It’s fine. All those that cannot be finished are most likely going to be donated to the homeless.”

   He pauses.

   “Assuming they want to eat these things.”

   “I’ll do my best anyway.”

   “Well, you do you.”

   “Actually, I know someone who might be able to help.” she says after a while. “He and lots of others.”

   Jin understood at once.

   “Ah, them. I don’t really think it’s a good idea to call them over, though. They did fight side by side last night, but that doesn’t mean that they’re friends now.”

   “...I’m afraid that you’re right.”

   Suddenly, the paper doors of the dining hall are opened with a loud slam. Beyond the door stands a huge oni. Meiko’s eyes widen in surprise.

   “Father? What are you doing here?” she asks.

   Shuten Douji heard his daughter’s voice and turns to look at her.

   “I sensed that there’s a party here, so I rushed over.” he smiles.

   “Rushed over, you say…”

   “How did you even get past the barrier?” Jin asks the leader of the oni.

   “I asked the onmyojis who were guarding them.” he answers. “Now then, where are all the booze?”

   “There are no alcohol here, Shuten Douji. Only inari sushis.” Fox Lady tells him.

   Shuten Douji looks at her and grunts in surprise.

   “Is that you, Tamamo No Mae? Why are you sitting among the onmyojis like it’s the most normal thing in the world?”

   “It’s a long story.”

   “Well, we have a long night ahead of us. Maybe you could tell me while we drink some good sake.”

   “Weren’t you listening, you muscle-brained simpleton? This is a shrine, there are no sake or anything alcohol-related.”

   “Seriously? Where did that whelp get the booze he gave me last time?” he demands while pointing at Jin.

   Jin tries his best not to look at Iemitsu-san. However, Fox Lady somehow knows anyway.

   “Have you been buying alcohol again, Iemitsu?” she demands.

   “No, sire- I mean ma’am. There no way that I would!” Iemitsu-san tells her hurriedly.

   “Really? Your wife Mayuri wrote letter to me once and complained about you.”

   “What? The nerve of that woman-”

   “So how is it? Do you have any booze of not?” Shuten Douji interrupts and asks.

   “I’m afraid not. We have inari sushi and tea, nothing else.” Fox Lady informs.

   “Inari sushi?”

   Shuten Douji finally notice the mountains and mountains of the sushi. He lets out a loud laugh.

   “Looks like your ridiculous love for bean curd skins have not diminished at all!” he chortles.

   “Say, would you and your oni like to have some as well?” she asks him.

   “Ah, why not? We haven’t eaten human food for a long time now. We might as well take advantage of this opportunity.”

   Under the order of Fox Lady, all the trays have been moved to the courtyard where there’s more space. As more time passes, more onis arrive to eat the inari sushis.

   The thing that surprised him is that the onis and the onmyojis are actually getting along. They’re sitting together and eating and chatting like they’re a bunch of old friends. It’s probably due to the fact that they’ve fought alongside each other and thus formed a bond.

   “I wonder how long will this view lasts.” Jin mumbles.

   “Do you always have to be this pessimistic?” Aldenia chides.

   “Somebody has to. Besides, someone here still holds a grudge against the onis.”

   He sneaks a glance at Ayumi.

   “Is that true, Ichihara-san?” Meiko asks Ayumi while being on the verge of tears.

   “No no, it’s not true!” Ayumi tells her in a hurry. “Can you not say anything misleading, Minase-kun?”

   “Does that mean that we have a chance to be friends?” Meiko asks expectantly.

   Ayumi looks at her helplessly and sighs.

   “What are you saying? we’re already friends.” she says.

   Meiko is so happy she can’t even say anything.

   “I hate to run this heart-warming moment, but I think I need to remind you about the inari sushis.” Jin tells them.

   “Right. We need to do our best.”

   Meanwhile, Fox Lady and Shuten Douji are seen sitting opposite each other.

   “All according to plan.” Jin hears Fox Lady says smugly.

   “Yeah, right! You weren’t counting on us actually coming over to eat these.” Shuten Douji laughs as he pops a inari sushi into his mouth.

   Fox Lady flinches and averts her eyes.

   “I still can’t believe that you have a daughter.” she says in an attempt to change the subject.

   “And I can’t believe that you’re the Head of the onmyojis.”

   “We have so much to catch up on.”

   “Indeed.”

   The banquet lasted for an entire night. With the onis’s help, they somehow managed to eat all the inar sushis.

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