[Part 1/4]
"Oh, it is truly a splendid tea ceremony!"
"I am deeply honored and grateful."
Aoi responded respectfully to the lavish praise for the taste of the tea she presented. With a friendly smile on her face, but her eyes were cold and indifferent, revealing a hint of exasperation...
(Truly, what a boring gathering.)
Ever since the Onitsuki's Joraku (visiting capital) group arrived in the capital, the conversations and courtship rituals with the noble young men had been taking place one after another. It was essentially a matchmaking event... Aoi observed the intertions with a detached gaze.
She didn't have any illusions that the men were genuinely considering her happiness or compatibility with their partners. It was evident that the gathering was arranged for political purposes. Perhaps it was even less than that.
(Do they really think I can be swayed by this?)
If it were when the head of the family was young, it would be impossible to overthrow him and exclude him from the Onitsuki family. It's a cunning move. To marry oneself off to a suitable family and then try to drive oneself out of the family... it's a transparent farce.
(They failed, didn't they? The main contenders are absent, and the remaining candidates are second-rate and third-rate... With this level, they can't be too forceful, can they?)
Many prestigious families, including the Ako family from the Western region, the Kirikiri family, and the Enshu-in family from the Southern region, had planned to travel to the capital for the Joraku event. However, due to various circumstances, a significant number of these families had to cancel their plans, making it unavoidable.
It seems that the candidates who were prepared from these are... In reality, the schedule presented by the head to Aoi in the capital was clearly a strange, scattered mess. In between the daily tea parties, garden parties, and singing gatherings, there were peculiar gaps in time. Aoi immediately understood the significance of this. And if they were just lower-ranked families, it would be simple for Aoi to make an appearance out of courtesy and then sever ties completely.
No matter how much of a head they are, it would be impossible for her to forcefully choose a bunch of lower-ranked individuals as the prospective heir. Aoi, of course, would not hesitate to ignore the elders if necessary. Aoi has built up enough influence and reputation to do so, and the power within that man's household, who had been bedridden, is still not fully secure... Seeing that he continues to maintain his usual appearance, she can't help but think that he is silently enduring the bitterness.
"Oh my, truly beautiful..."
Unaware of what Aoi, the young heir of the Takizaki family, a prominent exorcist family in the Western region, praised her endlessly. They admired her beauty and intellect, but she saw through it all.
"Hehe, please stop. Your compliments won't get me anywhere."
She said, hiding her smile behind her sleeve. She laughed it off, but internally, she was exasperated.
(How trivial.)
All the men surrounding her appeared to utter identical phrases, as though they were reciting from a script. It was monotonous, uninteresting, and insignificant. None of them possessed the charisma to genuinely captivate her heart.
Love is said to be blind. Perhaps it was a valid reason that there was already someone she had fallen deeply for. However, the astute Aoi could accurately analyze herself, at least when it came to this matter. She knew that it wasn't just because there was someone else occupying the highest seat in her heart that her emotions remained unmoved.
After all, they are merely observing her. They solely perceive her education, power, talent, position, and lineage. Not one of them truly connects with her on an emotional level. They merely skim the surface of Onitsuki Aoi, a human being, using insincere words... Ah, occasionally they may glance at her chest and butt. But that's all.
Ultimately, they are nothing but flatterers, driven by their ambitions to attain a higher social standing.
(Truly the opposite of him)
During the days in the cursed forest, he was different. Some may argue that the circumstances were different, but it's not on that level. In that dire situation, he truly touched her heart, showed compassion towards her heart, protected her heart, and above all, tried to be there for her. Despite being in such a desperate situation. Even though he was overwhelmed with his own problems.
And he abandoned everything else. Even if he had to abandon everything, he chose her, and that's why...
"...What will you do, Takizaki-sama?"
"What do you mean?"
The young man tilted his head with a smile on his face at the sudden question from the princess, who had continued to nod reverently and affirm him.
"This is a story I heard recently, related to the mindset of an exorcist... It happened when the exorcist was assigned to accompany a friend to a certain place. However, the situation turned out to be completely different from what they had expected. It was a monster beyond their wildest imagination. The exorcist panicked and tried to hide."
Speaking in a sweet, melodic voice, she paused for a moment before continuing with a radiant smile.
"The scene became even more desperate. While hiding, the exorcist witnessed their friend being injured, on the verge of being devoured. They were at a loss for what to do, contemplating their options."
Her voice flowed like poetry, captivating the young man's attention. He listened intently, his expression growing solemn
"...So, what did the exorcist do?"
"...Now, up until that point...as someone who earns a living in the exorcism profession, I find it incredibly intriguing. Fortunately, I have yet to encounter such a situation, but I can't help but wonder how a gentleman like me would judge it.
Almost as if it were a whimsical thought, the young man casually whispered, testing the waters. The young man pondered, his gaze scrutinizing. Aoi understood the flow of his thoughts, as clear as day.
"...Please rest assured. I am well-versed in the art of exorcism. I won't let my emotions cloud my judgment."
To avoid recklessly diving into the topic, Aoi calmly prepared herself for what was to come. The young man responded, confidently and gracefully.
"...I see."
There was no surprise, no disappointment, no unexpectedness. It was within expectations. His words, his thoughts, everything.
Aoi had seen through everything. It was clear that this man had calculated everything – his values, the impression he wanted to give, and how to answer to earn favor. And the answers given... still, they were trivial, boring, and mundane.
(Both are disqualified.)
If only his internal values had some compassion, it might have been different. If the words spoken showed even a hint of empathy, it would have been better. In reality, under overwhelming calculation, he uttered a cold response. From his perspective as the head of the exorcists' family, he believed he had given the best response. He declared that he would not make foolish choices, and he wouldn't risk the family with a pointless death.
Disqualified. This person would likely abandon his wife without hesitation if it were for the sake of the family or himself. He would easily discard a young girl targeted in the woods. Aoi had perfectly seen through his reactions to the current dialogue. It was no different from the others who had answered the same questions before.
"Well, that's truly an interesting tale, isn't it?"
She smiled emptily with a beauty like no other, fully aware of her own allure. Most men could be easily deceived by this alone. The strange and trivial question she had just uttered would quickly be forgotten. Look, right now, the man is opening his mouth like a fool.
(As expected, it's only him...)
It was Onitsuki Aoi's conviction, forged over many years of interacting with all sorts of people for her own power, for his sake. It was only him. No one else. He was the one who saved her on that day. Regardless of who it might be, if it weren't for him, she wouldn't be here.
And the more she understood that, the more she felt the hand of fate. It felt as if it was her destiny to have experienced that hell with him on that day. In her past lives, or even in her past past lives, she couldn't help but think that they were husband and wife. They must have been connected, even in the realm of animals. Aoi was sure of it.
Yes, it was as if they were bound by the red thread of fate...
"Sigh..."
Thinking about the strong bond with him, a graceful and alluring sigh escaped her lips. She casually brushed her hair behind her ear, captivating the young man in front of her. However, she was no longer interested in him.
Yes, there was a deep and profound bond with him. It had been nurtured through those days, a connection fueled by passion. Trust. Confidence. Aoi believed that she knew and understood his unspoken desires and that she was entrusted with conveying them to others. And for that reason... Aoi felt so blessed that she would be willing to die for him, as devoting herself further to his cause was the sole purpose of her existence.
(And in order to achieve that...)
In order to not miss any of his actions, to be able to respond to his requests at any time, Aoi "watches" him. Sharing her field of view. She hid and followed him, keeping him in sight as he went out. Sharing half of her field of view with him. Aoi was in bliss just by capturing his solid back in her sight. While responded casually to the young man's entertainment with a fifth of her consciousness, she devoting the remaining to him.
Superficial conversation. Smiling, feeling bored, feeling her heart race, and Aoi picked up a teacup, about to take a sip...
"Oh?"
Immediately after, the view of the shikigami darkened. It was destroyed. Aoi was momentarily shaken, but in an instant, she sensed a faint presence and calmed herself, grasping who the intruder was.
It was that old man. He wouldn't kill him at this moment. So the target is likely... good. In that case, she would only have to wait. It is the duty of a **faithful** wife and mother to trust her husband and wait.
"...Yes. That's right. It's a wife's duty, isn't it?"
Satisfying oneself, Aoi whispered softly as she took a sip of her teacup. She tried to remain calm. She was calm, graceful, and the epitome of a respectful Nadeshiko woman, following her husband dutifully three paces behind. Therefore, there was no room to intervene if he chose it... But...
Crack!!
"Eek!?"
The tea gathering came to an end with the sound of the teacup shattering, and the young man in front of her fainting from the intense spiritual energy while screaming...
I had a sense of floating. A sensation like grasping clouds. Even the feeling, temperature, sound, and even the sense of balance became ambiguous, and then I suddenly returned.
"Huh...!?"
I suddenly become aware of the feel of the floor. Remembering the weight with a rush through my whole body, I struggle not to stagger, trying not to fall. At the same time, the cloth over my eyes loosened, and for a moment, I narrowed my eyes in the light that seemed like it had been a long time coming."
The next time my vision cleared, I found myself standing in a bookstore, surrounded by bookshelves. Behind me, I sensed a strong youkai presence.
"Well, it's been a while, Kuma."
'Grrrrrr!'
When we last met, she seemed to be throwing rocket punches and jetting out of her ass... But without dwelling on that, I call out to the bear youkai standing behind me. The response, as usual, wasn't verbalized, but I somehow understood what she wanted to say. Despite being a youkai, she had a human-like quality.
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