After contacting the police, things progressed smoothly. All three of them were originally locals, and it seemed they had dealt with the police on several occasions before. Due to these circumstances, the police readily believed our story about Hinata and me.
As for Hinata's situation, it was treated as an attempted incident. Since we were on a trip, they concluded it with a simple statement. If further evidence emerged from their investigation of their phones, those three would face appropriate consequences.
The club president, upon hearing the story, was furious but didn't want to make a big deal out of it, so it was kept from the other members of the literature club. It was Hinata's wish; she didn't want to cast a shadow over our enjoyable camp.
Despite what had happened, her ability to worry about others was a testament to her inner strength.
I, on the other hand, distanced myself from Hinata and couldn't bring myself to join the others in their revelry. In the afternoon, I helped Lisha with her swimming practice to pass the time.
My mind remained clouded with a sense of unease, and before I knew it, the color of the waves had shifted to a dim orange.
Then, the next incident occurred late at night, when the bugs had gone quiet.
* * *
On the second night of the rookie training.
Tsukiko and Koresawa were having a meeting in a room at the hotel where they were staying. The exchange of information with the newcomers had already concluded, leaving only Tsukiko and Koresawa in the room.
"...This might be a more serious situation than we imagined."
Koresawa said, furrowing his brow as he examined the information provided by the newcomers.
Tsukiko, too, wore a troubled expression as she reviewed the documents.
Over the past two days, the newcomers had worked diligently and gathered various pieces of information. The most common findings were the carcasses of injured small animals and birds.
And they all had one common characteristic: they had all moved from the site of their injuries before dying.
As if to illustrate this, there were several bloodstains that seemed to form a path.
And all of these led in one direction.
"It's definitely due to the Shrine. Disasters are occurring around that area."
"...It seems that way."
Tsukiko nodded at Koresawa's words of confirmation.
This conclusion had already been reached during the meeting with the newcomers. Now they were revisiting it to see if there were any other factors at play.
Regardless of which information they examined, the trail of bloodstains led from the mountaintop. Something had happened in that vicinity, causing the animals to flee downhill, injured.
As a result of integrating various pieces of information, the range where the spiritual disaster was occurring was approximately a radius of about 100 meters centered around the Society. If it were on flat ground, it would be an easy area to oversee. However, amidst sloping terrain and dense trees, grasping the full extent of it was difficult.
To make matters worse, from the outside, there seemed to be no abnormalities whatsoever. Koresawa had even brought a drone to capture images from above, but it couldn't confirm the Society due to the trees concealing it, and there was nothing else unusual in sight.
The fact that there was nothing unusual was what made it unusual.
"Is it safe to classify it as a Type C?" Tsukiko asked.
Koresawa rubbed his temples, deep in thought.
"Honestly, it's hard to say. There's a good chance it could escalate to Type B or even Type A."
There was a significant gap between Type C and Type B. Many exorcists considered the real spiritual disaster to be the one that occurred after it had turned into Type B. In other words, when there was a risk to human lives.
Currently, the animals that had died had no deep wounds that could kill a person. The cause of death for all of them was either blood loss or exhaustion.
But what if this was just a part of the invisible damage, and escape had been impossible?
"..."
Tsukiko hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke the words she had been wrestling with.
"We should consider canceling. There's likely some sort of barrier centered around the Shrine. It's clearly beyond the scope of what should be done in a rookie training."
The purpose of the rookie training was to investigate the reality of spiritual disasters. While they hadn't fully achieved that goal, continuing further now was clearly dangerous.
Outside observers not noticing anything amiss meant, according to Tsukiko's assessment, that a Magic Domain resembling a barrier was in effect. Spiritual disasters that could interfere with space were undoubtedly a threat, and this wasn't a task for rookies.
In response to those words, Koresawa let out a sigh.
"To be honest, I also believe we should stop. I've been involved in Type B cases a few times before, and this one feels similar."
"Then..."
"But we can't stop."
Koresawa looked Tsukiko squarely in the eye.
It was unthinkable. In some cases, there could be loss of life. Rookie training could be resumed elsewhere.
Koresawa continued before Tsukiko could voice her question.
"I reported the current situation to higher-ups, but the orders are to proceed. They want us to confirm the status of the Shrine."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Koresawa replied, his face grave.
"Normally, we should cancel this mission. But no matter how many times I asked, the response didn't change. Perhaps pressure is being exerted from somewhere."
"...Pressure?"
"Some of the newcomers this time come from prominent families. It's not surprising if pressure is being exerted from somewhere."
While exorcists were civil servants, their involvement with the specialized skill of magic meant that family ties played a significant role in their internal relationships and power dynamics.
"Don't mess around," Tsukiko muttered in her mind, well aware that there was nothing she could do about it.
She, too, came from the prestigious Isumi family, a name recognized in the world of magic. That had been her normal life.
——I see.
Then, it clicked. Koresawa had intentionally focused on the newcomers during their conversation to spare Tsukiko. It was entirely possible that there was pressure on Tsukiko as well. She suppressed her anger, understanding that getting upset here wouldn't help. The priority was safely completing this rookie training.
"I understand. So tomorrow, Koresawa-san and I will lead the investigation around the Shrine. Is it okay for the newcomers to provide backup from behind?"
"Yes, that sounds good. It'll put a lot of burden on you, Isumi-san."
"No, I'll be fine."
Tsukiko found it mentally easier to be on the frontlines rather than leaving it to others. Koresawa softened his expression and unfolded a map of the mountain.
If there was one thing that could be considered a saving grace in this training, it was Koresawa taking charge of it.
"Let's work out the details."
Koresawa said, and despite the fatigue from days of investigation and supervision, their discussion continued until the moon rose high in the sky.
* * *
"I thought you might chicken out and cancel the training, but I'm relieved."
On the third day of rookie training, when Tsukiko informed everyone in the morning that the training would continue, Kishijou Saki was the first to speak. While those around her froze in shock, Kishijou shot a haughty look their way.
Normally, Tsukiko would have ignored her, but today, she responded immediately.
"Fifth Rank, Kishijou Saki."
Tsukiko's words, imbued with magic power, carried a heavy pressure and were directed at the newcomers. Udoo physically exerted himself, and the other newcomers instinctively lowered their heads. Tsukiko had brought forth the power of her second rank, enveloping everyone equally.
Tsukiko continued, speaking in her usual calm tone, almost as if offering advice.
"It's fine to be confident, but avoid actions that create unnecessary friction in a professional setting. And remember your position as trainees. Next time, I'll respond accordingly."
"...!"
Kishijou, in response to those words and the pressure, narrowed her eyes and tightly pressed her lips together. Trainees and instructors, Second Rank 2 and Fifth Rank—it was an undeniable difference in status.
What Tsukiko implied was, "Don't bark at me while mixing business with personal matters."
Even though Tsukiko was irritated, responding with such words was unusual for her. In fact, she had received advice from Koresawa the previous night.
'Kishijou-san seems to have quite the rivalry with you, right?'
'Yes, it seems that way. I don't have any specific knowledge about it.'
'Isumi-san is quite famous, after all. "So, if Kishijou-san behaves rudely, you should discipline her.'
'...Is that alright?'
'Of course. We're not here for children's games. We don't need exorcists who can't follow orders when needed.'
Those words made Tsukiko blush with embarrassment. She had assumed she was just a superviser brought in to showcase the central authority, not an actual instructor. But Koresawa was different. Even in this situation, he was genuinely committed to teaching the newcomers and expected the same from Tsukiko.
Regardless of the political pressures above, he would put his full effort into his job. Tsukiko sensed Koresawa's professional integrity in his determination to instruct the newcomers properly.
Realizing she had, in a way, abandoned her role as an instructor, Tsukiko felt a burning sense of shame. That's why today, she had decisively asserted her dominance over Kishijou.
From this point forward, it was an actual, full-fledged operation where no one could afford to let their guard down for even a moment. Those who slacked off were not needed, and Tsukiko wanted to etch that into their minds.
Once Tsukiko saw the change in the newcomers' expressions, Koresawa stepped forward.
"You all understand, I believe, that this mission likely involves a Type B case."
In response to the information from the instructors, the expressions of the newcomers, aside from Udoo and Kishijou, tensed up. Of course, they were anxious. The place they had thought was for training had now turned into a situation where lives might be at stake.
To dispel that anxiety, Koresawa changed his tone.
"But rest assured. What we're doing here is not resolving the situation but investigating the Shrine. And above all, we have Isumi-san from Second Rank here. If each of you does your part, no one will get hurt."
While tension was necessary, excessive tension hindered movement. Tsukiko played her role in instilling discipline, and Koresawa followed up.
And then Koresawa delivered the words that marked the beginning of a long day.
"Now, we'll head out for the investigation. Our goal is to confirm the status of the Shrine and its surroundings. Stick together, protect each other's backs, and move forward without scattering. Isumi-san will handle combat, and I will cover the rear. Let's achieve this without anyone missing."
Udoo seemed nonchalant, Kishijou appeared displeased, and the other newcomers nodded with nervous expressions.
While Tsukiko observed them with her usual expression, she couldn't forget the words brought by Tsuchimikado. They were about to step into the territory of beings beyond human. At the end of the blood path lay either oni or snake. The answer to that question was not far off.
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