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"Hey, Mom," Eriri blurted out. "Do you believe there are monsters in this world?"
The moment the words left her mouth, the beautiful middle-aged woman froze.
It took her a few seconds to process what she'd just heard.
Then she immediately reached out with her fair, slender hand and placed it on Eriri's forehead.
"Strange. You don't have a fever."
"Why are you saying something so weird?"
"..."
Hearing the doubt in her mother's voice, Eriri bit down on her little fang.
Smack!
She slapped her mother's hand away and looked at her seriously.
"I'm not kidding, Mom!"
"I really did run into a monster on the way home!"
"Like the kind from manga. Really tall, super long nails, and a freakishly flexible tongue!"
Seeing how serious her daughter looked, clearly not joking at all, the woman dropped her playful attitude.
"Then, Eriri," she said gently, "can you tell me exactly what happened?"
Relieved that her mom was finally taking her seriously, Eriri immediately launched into the whole story, sparing no detail.
"Wasn't I in a rush to get home and work on my manuscript today?"
"So I took that shortcut. It's a bit out of the way, but it goes straight to Detective Slope."
"But when I was about halfway through, I ran into this tall figure blocking the alley."
"At first I thought it was just someone else taking a shortcut like me, so I called out to get her to move."
"But then she turned around and—"
What happened next was obvious.
Eriri had run straight into the legendary long-tongued woman.
She'd been so terrified by the monster's appearance that she fell off her bike.
Then she was driven into a dead end.
And just when she was about to die at the monster's hands, Asher appeared.
"..."
Even after Eriri finished her story, her mother still looked dazed.
"So that's how it was… I never thought monsters really existed. I always assumed those were just rumors…"
"Huh? Mom, what are you talking about?"
"What rumors? Do you know something?!"
Hearing her mother muttering like that, Eriri froze, then immediately looked at her in shock and anxiety.
Since Eriri had already heard her, the woman decided there was no point hiding it anymore.
She pulled Eriri over to the sofa and sat down with her before speaking.
"You know our family background isn't exactly ordinary."
"So there are some things we're aware of that normal people don't know."
"To be honest, monsters and evil spirits really do exist in this world."
"Wha—?!" Eriri was completely stunned.
She'd always thought those creepy stories were made up.
Yet now she had not only met a real onmyoji, but even her own mother was saying this.
It felt like her worldview was shattering all over again.
Before Eriri could recover, her mother continued.
"You've heard of the Yukinoshita family and the Suou family, right?"
"Yeah," Eriri nodded.
The Yukinoshita and Suou families were in the same social tier as theirs.
The Yukinoshitas were a prestigious family in Chiba, incredibly wealthy. The current head ran a major construction company and also served as a prefectural assemblyman.
The Suou family had once been nobility and was now a long-standing diplomatic family, another elite household.
The Sawamura family, Eriri's own family, was no less impressive.
Her father was a diplomatic envoy at the British Embassy, and her mother, Sayuri Sawamura, also came from a powerful background.
"Last time I had tea with Mrs. Yukinoshita and Mrs. Suou," Sayuri went on,"Mrs. Yukinoshita mentioned that a piece of land they were developing for a hotel ran into supernatural problems."
"In the end, they had to invite priests from Meiji Shrine to perform rituals for a whole week before it was resolved."
"At the time, I thought she was joking. I'd never seen anything like that myself, so of course I didn't believe it."
"But I never imagined you'd experience something like this yourself, Eriri…"
"No wonder people who are older, or who hold high positions, tend to believe in gods and spirits."
Sayuri took a deep breath.
She hadn't seen a monster with her own eyes like Eriri had.
But between her daughter's account and the rumors she'd heard among high society, she had no choice but to accept it.
It was just as shocking to her worldview as it was to Eriri's.
Then Sayuri suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right. Eriri, you said an onmyoji saved you?"
"Do you have his contact information? I'd really like to see what a legendary onmyoji is actually like."
At her mother's question, Eriri shook her head.
"No."
"After I paid him, he just left. I didn't even get a chance to say anything else."
"Ah… that's such a shame."
"I was hoping to ask him for a couple of protective charms."
Sayuri sighed regretfully.
Now that she knew supernatural forces truly existed, her thoughts couldn't help but wander.
From Eriri's description, that onmyoji clearly had the power to eliminate evil spirits. If she could get to know him and obtain a protective charm, she'd be willing to pay any price.
Unfortunately, those hopes were already out of reach.
"Protective charms, huh?" Eriri said thoughtfully."Wouldn't going to a shrine work too? Like the Meiji Shrine Mrs. Yukinoshita mentioned?"
"Yes, you're right," Sayuri nodded.
"Alright then. Tomorrow I'll head to Meiji Shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo, and pray for protective charms for both of us."
Eriri agreed with her mother's suggestion without hesitation.
After all, she'd just run into a monster in broad daylight.
If Asher hadn't shown up in time, who knew what would've happened to her?
And what if she ran into another monster or evil spirit next time?
Just in case, having a reliable protective charm seemed pretty necessary.
"Alright, it's late. You must be hungry," Sayuri said warmly."I've already had dinner prepared. Go wash up and then eat."
"Got it, you nagging old lady," Eriri said, pouting.
She slipped on her slippers and trotted into the bathroom, thump thump thump.
Soon, the sound of running water filled the air.
Meanwhile, Sayuri Sawamura sat quietly on the soft sofa, her gaze distant, lost in thoughts no one else could see.
"....."