“So, just what are those items we brought out of there?” Major Sasaki asked, curious. “Do they have any relation to the equipment you had in there, those guns, that axe and bow…”

“Yeah, we’re soldiers. Sure, abilities are nice, but we rely on our training and equipment. Without those our effectiveness drops dramatically.” The Lieutenant backed him up. Trying not to be distracted by the noises coming from the girls’ room next door, which I could easily hear through the walls, I decided to disclose a little information, as it would be out soon anyway if we did set up factories to produce items for both the Material and Boundary, and they had been subject to Shaeula’s befuddling winds as insurance and to prevent information leaks.

“Well, items with a significant presence seem to endure just fine in the Boundary.” I went on to explain that the guns, swords and axe were made by the combined efforts of some of my allies, while the bow was an item similar to the ones we had salvaged.

“Great. So, are we going to check them out?” Nakano-san asked, eager, once more looking like a punk trying to shake me down, and so I had to smile. The girls next door seem to be taking a bath and chatting, we’ll have time…

“Fine. We might as well take a quick look.” With that we briefly returned to the Boundary, and using my Eye I quickly sorted our loot into two piles. One was like the vestments from before, full of seemingly useless items (that I would keep anyway, just in case), but the other, more interesting pile was the one that my Eye detected use out of. Four items huh? Nice.

“So, do we get a share?” Nakano-san asked, and I snorted wryly.

“Yeah nice try. I’m prepared to furnish you with guns and so forth, if you are going to work with me, but for now I’ll be able to find the best use for these treasures.”

“Can’t blame a man for trying, right?” the Lieutenant laughed, and the Major chastised him, though I could tell he was curious and eager too, just too disciplined to ask.

Putting that aside I examined the first item, the small, jade and metal seal I had nearly missed out on, but felt an urge to retrieve. My Eye couldn’t read all the information, the dreaded question marks were back, but what I could read piqued my interest significantly.

Heirloom Jade Seal of Kunlun- Item Class: [Imperious] Item Type: [Law]

This seal is used to ??????????? ??????????? and can bypass the defensive workings of Kunlun, to allow ?????????? and well as access ???????????.

I could feel the power radiating from the item, and it had the same flavour as the spatial element Ginneka had used. On closer inspection it looked like it was inscribed with some sort of kanji, though they didn’t look Japanese. Chinese probably. I’m curious as to how it ended up here. I had resolved to learn another language, with Chinese being top of the list, and that only convinced me further. Perhaps I would need to look into classical Chinese as well. I wonder what Kunlun is, or where it is…

Pocketing the seal, I then inspected the book I had rescued. It had a plain cover, but was sealed by an ornate-looking lock. My Eye hadn’t really produced much of note when I looked at it, but it was a book, a source of information, so it didn’t necessarily need to have a specific power. Considering the lock, I thought of just breaking it, but that seemed needlessly damaging, so I trickled in a thin layer of wind, using my Eye to navigate, and after some fiddling, the lock clicked open. Great, so, what do we have here? Oh…

On opening the book, I saw that it was full of densely written characters. They were definitely Japanese, but the language was so old, eclipsing even the classic Japanese we were taught at school, I could barely make out more than a few words. It had several interesting pictures, of what looked like mythical beasts. I recognised what looked like an oni, and another that was a nine-tailed fox. “Well, looks like I’m going back to school…” I murmured. I guess it’s time to see just what a thousand-odd points of mental stats can do…

The third item was a pendant, made of black stone, and my eye identified it as Obsidian Amulet of Sacred Fuji- Item Class: [Powerful] Item Type: [Rule]

An amulet carved from volcanic glass from one of the most spiritually pure sites in Japan, this amulet wards off misfortune, and will warn Yokai that the bearer is an important figure, not to be touched carelessly, lest they invoke the anger of powerful people.

Lastly, there was some sort of long rod, which was made from what looked like bone, but it turned out it was actually a shakuhachi, an ancient flute, and what was bone was some sort of bamboo that had fossilised to a stone-like texture. Petrified Ritual Flute - Item Class: [Powerful] Item Type: [Pinnacle]

An ancient flute used in ceremonies to praise the kami and also in marriages, funerals and other similar secular events when the blessing of the gods was sought. This flute was once blessed with light element, but now due to exposure to the darkness over endless days and nights in the Boundary, it has become charged with darkness and earth elements.

“So, just where did all this crap come from?” The Lieutenant asked, as I was pondering what to do with the treasures we had rescued. “Did that slime and eyeball monster gather them all?”

“Maybe.” I wasn’t sure of that. “Either that or it found a place where there were lots of treasures already and decided to make its lair there. Maybe Azuki knows more. But…” I pondered it. “I suspect that it is how the creature was still so strong. It seemed to eclipse most things we’ve found in the Boundary… well, according to Azuki and the family history Takakura-san told me, it seemed to be feeding off them. Well, it’s dead and gone now, so I guess it doesn’t matter. We should go back. I’ll allocate the treasures later.” The amulet should go to someone like Eri, Aiko or maybe one of the noble girls. As for the flute… Darkness is Eri’s element, but I don’t think she’s musical. Hyacinth? I’d have to ask her, and she has Nature, which is partially based on earth element… as for the seal…

********

“Well, I’m disappointed I didn’t get to see the monster in a way…” my sis was saying, her hair unbound and hanging loose around her shoulders after her bath. Seeing that, Eri had scolded her and was starting to bundle it up. The soldiers looked away with small grins on their faces at the childish display, perhaps thinking of their own female relatives and their foibles.

“… but if it was as gross as you say, good riddance to it. I wouldn’t get any more levels anyway. Damn, just saying that makes me feel unhappy.” As she pouted, Eri finished up tidying her hair. She had bathed too, but had made sure to properly groom herself afterwards.

“There, all done. Really, Aiko, if you ever want to find a man, you should be more ladylike.” Eri chided her with a gentle yet mocking smile.

“Well, it’s just these two here, right? My bro’s new dogsbodies, I don’t need to look good for them, do I?”

Eri snickered at that, and even Haru-san looked amused, if a touch scandalised at her attitude. I rolled my eyes, before gently rapping her forehead. “Don’t be rude, sis. They did good work today, you should be nicer to them. Though I’d say they are too old for you anyway.”

“Oh really?” The Lieutenant said with a nasty laugh. “Says the bigamist whose potential wives looked very young?”

“Well comparing you to my bro isn’t going to do you any favours. But, I guess good job today?” she said, giving them a backhanded compliment.

“Yeah, enough of that.” I shut down this unproductive conversation. “We’ll hold the debriefing, and then you and Eri can catch the train back to Nishimorioka from here. I’ll treat you to a late lunch first though.”

“Aww, no helicopter ride? I’m starting to get used to them.” Aiko protested. “Still, lunch sounds great. After all, everyone else is supposed to be at school, it feels like we are doing something super-secret and important.”

“Well, we are, aren’t we?” Eri said, and that brought more laughter.

“All right then. Firstly, we achieved the objective. The monster lurking in Inuyama has been destroyed. The tentacles and muck choking the city have started to disintegrate, and Takakura Antiques has been cleansed. Now we just need to wait to see if the gloomy air and increased rate of crimes and suicides goes back to normal.”

“If it does, that means you’ll be travelling a fair bit, Oshiro-san.” The Major said, thinking. “You’ve identified other hotspots, right? And the brass have been doing their own research.”

“Yeah. Luckily one of the major ones is Kyoto, and we’ll be dealing with that soon. Still, there is some profit in it.” I looked at Eri, my sister and Haru-san. “I can see the results of your labours. Well done sis. Level eight.”

“Wow, annoying. You know I only gained a single damn level. I’m not sure I want to know, but what level is Eri at now?”

“Forty.” I said, and Eri pumped her fist adorably, showing a brilliant smile.

“Thanks, Akio. Now I’m stronger I’ll be better able to protect you! I’ll look after poor little Aiko too!”

“Wow, condescending much!” As the two bantered, the Major asked me a question.

“So, just how much stronger does that make her? Mori-san here isn’t one of us, right? But she seemed plenty strong. If we could get our military to that level of strength…”

“Like I said, it isn’t that easy. Even getting them up to my sister’s standard will be hard. I have certain advantages with certain people.”

“Girls mostly, it seems.” The Lieutenant said, a touch enviously. “Fire is nice, but I’d rather have your talents.”

“That’s getting off-topic. Anyway, Haru-san, you’ve got to level twenty, which shows that you can go past the fifteen the Throne gives you access to. I expected so, but it’s nice to get confirmation.” Her gains weren’t as big as Eri’s, but even so, it should be a nice boost for her. “I can’t see yours, Miyu, or you two.” I turned back to the soldiers. “But from the way you move I can see your stats have gone up.”

Miyu nodded slowly. “Yes, I do feel stronger, and faster, as if the world around me has slowed down just a little. I think… I think if I danced it would be sharper too, more beautiful.”

“Well, that’s great, but we still have more work to do with you. Anyway, in addition we gathered some ether, though to be honest, it’s a pittance compared to the hauls I’ve brought in recently. Still, it all spends, and I do have some expensive builds to do for the factory and testing park. And finally…”

“The loot, right?” Aiko looked excited. “The mirror that kid from the shrine has now was from there, right? The pretty dagger and bells Shaeula has too. Maybe that thing should have been a dragon, since it had a hoard!”

Now there’s an image. But it makes me wonder, what treasures would such creatures hold? After all, there have to be dragons, both eastern and western, since there are Faeries and kami… “Yeah, I got an old book, I need to remember and copy it out for translation, as well as a flute. I’d give the flute to you, Eri, since it has darkness element, but…”

She looked away. “Yeah, I’m… not great with instruments.”

“I’ll say.” Aiko chortled. “You always hide in music class. You used to in Physical Education too…”

“There was also a pendant. I’m not sure who gets that yet either. And lastly… a very interesting jade seal.” I explained that it was spatial element and related to a mysterious place called Kunlun.

“So, overall, not a bad haul. A shame some of the stuff we saved seems to have no use, and some might have been destroyed, but I’m happy enough. So… lunch? Today it’s on me.”

As everyone agreed, fresh from the success of the mission, I took a look around again. Yeah, I have to be stronger. This battle proved it. Before, I got hurt, and worse, Shaeula did. This time, my strength was more than sufficient, and everyone got out unscathed, and in many cases stronger… With that resolve burning in my heart, I quickly looked up a place on my phone. Three levels. Not bad, but it’s getting harder and harder to level up. But Kyoto and the Night Parade… if things go badly in terms of negotiations, well…

*********

“So, I get that you found today frightening, but it wasn’t all bad, was it?” I asked Miyu as the expensive car her father sent to fetch us pulled up beside her house. After a hearty lunch, we saw Eri and Aiko off, and then took a military helicopter back to Tokyo. The soldiers left for their debriefing with Tsumura-san, while Haru-san was left behind to work with Karen-chan on my next round of requests, since the Ministry was still in the formative stages. Yeah, a Chinese language teacher, as well as a pair of historians that can speak and read ancient Chinese and Japanese. The first should be easy enough, but the classic languages…

My memory was good enough to reproduce several pages of the book, so I had sketched them out during the helicopter ride, and also written out the characters on the seal. Of course, Shaeula would need to bind them to secrecy with her winds, but we would pay well. Still, there was one other matter on her mind, and the trip to Inuyama, horrible though it was, had helped Haru-san avoid thinking about meeting her murderer for some closure. I’m not going to push her, she still has until Shaeula returns to decide, but… well, it isn’t my decision, I can’t know how she feels…

“It was hardly good. That place was vile, and my feet still hurt from dancing. Though when I danced, I felt… no, never mind. So, excuse me if this sounds rude, but why are you visiting my grandfather’s home?” Miyu asked, looking a touch perturbed.

Hmm, is this tsundere, or did she really hate it that much? Well, I took her there for several reasons, not just to gain her a few levels. “Well, I thought now you’ve seen the worst of the Boundary, it’s time to show you how to take care of your Territory properly, and give Koga-san an induction. It’ll be on you to stop her taking risks though.” I said sternly. “She’s like my sister. She’s keen, but lacks the ability to grow easily, unlike you or Eri. If she was to get hurt you’d feel awful, right? I know I would.”

“Well, Michiru would happily take a wound for me. She is very proud of being a bodyguard.” Miyu said slowly. “But… I would rather Michiru never has to make that choice. She is my precious friend too.”

“I get it.” I agreed. “I’ll get the door for you.” It might have been the driver’s job, but I still got out and opened the door, allowing Miyu to step out. “I’d much rather take injuries than have my allies hurt, but it makes them sad and worried. You heard my sis and Eri talking about the time I got hurt last time I was there, right? That’s why, obviously I’ll take a wound that’s meant for them, or any of my other friends and allies, or you, without hesitation. But it’s better to be so strong that any enemy doesn’t even think about attacking, or if they have to be fought, they can be crushed without placing anyone in danger. I’ve put in the groundwork for that, and today it paid off.”

Miyu looked at me strangely, before looking down. “I too have no wish for Michiru to be hurt. That is why I wished this… well, perhaps it is not a curse, but this… burden… gone. But I see. You brought me along so I would see this is not a burden I can lay down, not if I wish Michiru to be safe.”

Well, that was one reason. Oh wow, this house seriously is something special. Last time I was a bit too busy to look around properly. I know Azabu is the heart of Tokyo nobility and influence, but even so… the massive estate had multiple buildings, from truly ancient and historic mansions, to a modern Japanese one, and a replica of a British stately home. Multiple gardens surrounded them, Chinese, Japanese, British, Scandinavian… Yeah, Fujiwara house sure is rich, sometimes I forget that. Now I’m even more glad Miyu didn’t get a scratch, well if you don’t count her sore feet…

“Well, I’m not saying you couldn’t…” I disagreed. “But Ame no Uzume chose you, didn’t she? I have to believe there’s a reason for that. Sure, there have been some horrible excuses for Candidates I’ve met and fought, but that’s why it’s so important those of us who are chosen do our best. And I have your back now. You won’t be alone.” We entered the mansion Miyu had moved to, the modern Japanese one. On seeing my look at the more traditional mansion to the side, Miyu let out a soft giggle.

“Grandfather says that the old mansion isn’t comfortable to live in. We host events there, I’ve been to plenty, but you can’t just knock down walls to install heating, or air conditioning, or even damage them for power cables and wiring. So it’s beautiful, but cold, draughty and lacking in amenities. The modern mansion is better to live in.”

“I see.” Yeah, rich people do live in a different world. Well, wait, I’m rich now, but nowhere near this level. So it’s still a different world! “Well, your Territory is at Rank 2, so you can cover the grounds. I think.” Seriously, just how big is this estate?

Miyu was greeted by maids and a butler as we entered, and as they bowed to her I could feel their eyes on me, wondering who I was and what a man was doing there. Well, I have permission! I’m not trespassing… Some of them should have seen me the last time I was here. Even so, facing their judgemental stares was somehow harder than fighting in Inuyama…