Part 2
"Ohtomo-sensei!"
Their homeroom teacher smiled upon hearing Harutora's greeting.
He walked into the magic practice field supported by his cane, his wooden fake leg thumping audibly. "Oh my, oh my." Ohtomo murmured leisurely and surveyed the arena.
"Truly a mock battle to shame a professional. Natsume-kun, you've gotten better these past few days."
"Sensei......!"
Natsume's eyes also moistened when she heard Ohtomo's leisurely voice. Suzuka and Tenma, who had been taken aback by Harutora's reaction, also showed relieved expressions like everyone else. "What an interesting moment," Touji murmured happily with a wry smile.
Ohtomo looked warmly at his students' reactions.
Then, he turned to the red-haired girl.
"You're Souma Takiko, huh? Your skills are very amazing. There are very few kids this capable...... And you even brought such a frightening shikigami."
Harutora, collapsed on the ground, hastily looked in Takiko's direction as he heard Ohtomo's words. At some point - probably the moment Ohtomo appeared - a young man had stood next to Takiko with a stance as if protecting her.
His age seemed to be not too different from Takiko's. That meant he was the same age as Harutora's group. He gave off a gentle impression, but his body was very strong and robust. His long hair danced, tied messily behind his head. His eyes were sharp and calm, and they showed a wisdom and comprehension beyond his age. Like those of an ascetic wandering monk who pursued enlightenment.
He wore a moss-green coat that didn't match the season, with jeans and laced long boots underneath. He didn't look like a shikigami just based on his appearance. But the aura intertwined with his body wasn't a human's. A shikigami. Takiko's defensive shikigami.
But,
...As expected, that shikigami has......?
He wasn't an ordinary defensive shikigami or a manmade shikigami. He might be a servant shikigami, the same kind as Hokuto. But even so, he was still unusual. While he just stood there naturally, he also produced an extraordinarily threatening impression.
Just like Hokuto, Takiko's shikigami probably suffered quite a burden from the barrier Takiko had imposed over the spirit flow. But no such burden could be felt from Takiko's shikigami at all. It wouldn't be too much to say that the presence its aura gave off rivaled Hokuto's. Even Harutora 'saw' that.
"......Kumomaru, back down."
Takiko commanded in a firm voice.
The shikigami obeyed his master's instruction without even glancing at the master behind him. Still keeping its guarded stance towards Harutora and the others - or more accurately, it was mostly Ohtomo - it wordlessly retreated from in front of Takiko. Ohtomo looked at the shikigami with an unreadable expression.
"H-Harutora-sama......"
Kon noticed Harutora's abnormal condition and materialized, helping up her collapsed master. Ohtomo confirmed his condition and beckoned with his finger. Then, the 'Swallow Whip' binding Harutora's body released him and returned to Ohtomo with a flap of its wings, turning back into a shikigami charm.
Ohtomo put the charm back into the inner pocket of his suit and smiled.
"Then, let me perform my supervisory duty as a homeroom teacher. The principal will scold me if I let my students be harmed. Let's end the mock battle here, alright? Leave the rest for later. I'll watch it from the beginning till the end next time."
Ohtomo took responsibility with a relaxed tone and then clapped his hand as if saying that things were done here.
"Takiko-kun. You came to the Onmyou Academy today to observe their studies. It's a rare opportunity, so why don't I take you on a tour of the academy building? Repairs to this building just finished, and we spent a lot of money. It's worth a look. Also, do you want to hear about the contents of the curriculum?"
Ohtomo invited Takiko with a smile as he chattered.
Though they already knew Ohtomo's power now, it was more like his style to be dubiously reliable and leisurely. He wasn't acting, it was just one side of Ohtomo.
But Takiko, who received the invitation, paled and remained motionless like a rock.
"......Princess."
The shikigami named Kumomaru quietly warned her from behind. Takiko bit her lip and was silent for a moment, then finally and slowly closed her eyes.
She deeply lowered her head, her red hair drooping down alongside.
"......I'll go back for today. Sorry...... to bother."
Takiko calmly announced with her head lowered.
Then, she turned and walked towards the arena exit without looking at Harutora's group again. Kumomaru followed close behind his master, but gave them a glance.
The last person the shikigami looked at wasn't Ohtomo, it was Natsume. In that moment, a pained expression flashed across his face for some reason. But he immediately pursued his master and it couldn't be discerned what the meaning of that expression was.
In the end, Takiko didn't turn around up through the point where her figure vanished from the arena.
Natsume sighed deeply after Takiko left. She raised her head to thank Hokuto while releasing its materialization.
"......Maybe I'm hated. Well. That's probably not it. That girl seems to have a lot of secrets......"
Ohtomo murmured to himself a bit remorsefully.
Then, he looked at Harutora and the others again and smiled to change the atmosphere.
He showed a gentle and affectionate smile. Harutora and Natsume returned the smile, driven by his own. "Sensei." Then, Tenma jogged over, and Touji and Suzuka walked over as well.
"Sensei, when did you leave the hospital? You’re already fine?"
"Oh, I've made you worry. Tenma-kun. I left the hospital this morning."
"Your hair still hasn't recovered. Why don't you just dye it?"
"Maybe. It might not be a bad idea to dye it a dark brown."
"You're so lazy, you know. It was pretty tough around here while you were sleeping."
"Haha, sorry, sorry. Spare me."
Ohtomo continued to reply to Tenma, Touji, and Suzuka with an unflappable attitude. It was hard to believe based on appearance that this was the Onmyouji who had waged a great battle with Ashiya Doman. After he chatted for a while, Ohtomo attended to Harutora and Natsume.
First, he moved in front of Harutora, who still sat on the ground, and crouched down. He looked at him, matching his eye level.
"Eh? Sensei?"
To the confused Harutora, he said:
"When did it start?"
He asked in a steady voice.
But in contrast to his steady tone, the gaze Ohtomo stared at Harutora with was extremely piercing. Harutora was taken aback. Of course, Ohtomo was probably asking about the instability of Harutora's aura.
"......S-Since the Meguro incident. At the time, I was a bit reckless......"
"I see. I heard that you performed quite outstandingly......"
Ohtomo's gaze became even sharper as he 'looked' at Harutora's condition. Kon sat next to Harutora, holding her master's shoulders a bit anxiously.
"What? What's going on?"
Suzuka asked, not understanding what was going on, and Natsume briefly explained how Harutora's magical energy had almost gone out of control when he got out of bed a few days ago. Touji seemed to have noticed that Harutora's aura hadn't been too stable recently but hadn't thought it was this serious. He was stunned after hearing Natsume's words.
"Is the reason why his aura just went berserk also due to the same cause? Honestly...... You and Harutora are always causing trouble for us."
"I'm not making trouble on purpose! ......Ohtomo-sensei. How is Harutora's aura? Was the abnormal reaction just now......?"
Natsume asked seriously.
But Ohtomo was still observing Harutora, muttering vaguely. His gaze slowly examined Harutora's entire body and then stopped on a corner of his left eye - the magical pentagram pattern, proof of his contract with Natsume.
Ohtomo's eyes narrowed into slits.
"......This magical pattern......"
"Ah, ah, that star? That's from when I became Natsume's shikigami...... But it's not just a simple contract mark, it also lets me see spirits. It's a sign of the magic Natsume cast."
Harutora looked up at Natsume next to him. Natsume nodded, repeating the explanation she had given Harutora before.
Natsume had used this magic to let Harutora, who originally didn't have the spirit-seeing ability, 'see' aura. But that magic was actually a Tsuchimikado family secret, and Natsume herself had only learned it from her father and didn't understand it.
Ohtomo's expression tightened severely after he listened to Natsume's explanation. Her homeroom teacher's reaction made Natsume even more anxious.
"Is this magic really the cause?"
"......I can't say it's the direct cause, but this is probably the trigger. But it's not just because of this. In the end, you're practically a different person from before. The true reason might be......"
Ohtomo spoke evasively, his gaze became even more piercing. But in the end, he sighed and stood up as if he didn't get it.
"Sensei?"
"Sorry, Harutora. To be honest, it seems like I can't resolve it. It would be best to let a talented Onmyou doctor conduct a detailed examination...... In the end, it's a Tsuchimikado family secret magic, so it's a bit dangerous to deal with recklessly."
As he said this, he extended an arm to Harutora who sat on the ground. Harutora grabbed his homeroom teacher's arm with a complex expression, and slowly got up.
"For now, I'll write the magic that stopped you from going out of control just now on charms and give them to you. Well, that kind of magic basically just disperses released magical energy. We'll just improvise for now. If something like before happens again, have Natsume come find me and I'll help you deal with it."
"Really!? Thank you so much!"
"Right now isn't the time to be happy. The instability of your aura might have a natural cause, and I still don't know whether we can fundamentally resolve it with magic."
"R-Really? A natural problem... I guess I never had the spirit-seeing ability in the first place......"
"No, it's not that kind of minor problem. Also, when I say natural, it's just a possibility in the end. Your condition right now is extremely unnatural, and it kind of feels artificial...... No, but...... well......"
Ohtomo crossed his arms and pondered.
He suddenly looked towards Suzuka.
"Hey, Suzuka-kun. This should be your field of expertise, right? I'll secretly release your seal again, so can you help me with an inspection?"
"Hah? Me?"
Suzuka's eyes widened upon hearing Ohtomo's proposal. Though her strength was limited, Suzuka was a National First-Class Onmyouji known as the 'Child Prodigy' after all. Her specialty was researching 'Imperial Onmyoudou', and she was indeed more suitable than the former Mystical Investigator Ohtomo when it came to research.
"You want me to unravel the Tsuchimikado secret magic? Why should I have to do such a troublesome thing."
"It's fine. Incidentally, you can do whatever you want with Harutora's body, you know?"
"......"
Ohtomo's frivolous proposal made Suzuka blush down to her neck. "Sensei!" Harutora and Natsume all cried out in a wail. "It's a joke." Ohtomo smiled irresponsibly. The still-materialized Kon's eyes were narrowed and her hand was already grasping her beloved blade, Kachiwari.
In the end - putting aside their other effects for now - Ohtomo's words indeed alleviated the present atmosphere.
"Well, we'll just use the magic I prepare to manage it. I'll go try searching for your parents in that time too. If I find them, I'll have one of them do a thorough examination."
Harutora suddenly thought of that incident, faced with those words and the gentle look that Ohtomo gave Natsume.
"Sensei, about the fire this morning......"
Not a tinge of sadness could be felt from Ohtomo's attitude:
"......Yeah, I heard about it."
He admitted.
"It was really something. But you can't be depressed right now. Contact hasn't been made with Natsume's father, but I heard that he was safe and sound. I'll help you guys as much as I can too, so be optimistic for now."
His words were calm and positive, and he wasn't deliberately cheering them up to win them over. Natsume quickly replied "Yeah" as if she had received some kind of inspiration.
"Incidentally,"
He was too stupid. But that had indeed surpassed anything he imagined.
After hearing what Harutora said, Ohtomo was silent for a moment while staring unmovingly at Natsume. Natsume lowered her head, blushing slightly. Though he knew that staring was very rude, he couldn't avert his eyes.
It had been a few years since he had experienced a mind blowing shock like this. Once he learned the secret, he wondered why he hadn't noticed before he was informed - but he feared that he hadn't even thought of it once. He despaired at his own blindness.
But......
That was a blind spot. Now he understood that the so-called second-class [14] could be this powerful once one was caught.
"......My usual aura is disguised. I use Hokuto - my dragon's aura - with a magic my father created himself. Anyway, it has a very specific use and people who don't know about it definitely wouldn't be able to see through it."
Natsume's explanation was in a different manner of speech than usual [15] . Though she wore a male uniform, she had otherwise completely been a 'girl'. Ohtomo didn't know how to respond.
"But, that's truly unexpected. We wouldn't have been surprised if Ohtomo-sensei had already noticed a long time ago."
"......Uh, I'm really sorry to fail your expectations. To be honest, you almost scared me to death. How could this be...... No, that's wrong. In short, I didn't notice......"
Ohtomo couldn't retaliate against Touji's somewhat amused comment.
In the first place, he 'looked' at the same time as he saw with his eyes when excellent practitioners were involved, and that had already become unconscious habit. However, vision would occasionally become a hindrance in magic battles. If he were asked which one to trust, spirit-seeing was more reliable than vision. With that, it was indeed hard to see through her false identity if she perfectly disguised her aura.
But that was just part of the reason Ohtomo hadn't been able to see through to Natsume's true identity.
Ohtomo had originally never suspected that Natsume would disguise her gender. He had never imagined such a thing at all. His thinking had never progressed in that direction. The reason for that probably was that the role of 'Tsuchimikado Natsume' was a 'special' existence among the students from the very start.
A normal student's disguise would have been seen through more easily. But if it were the next heir of the famous Tsuchimikado family, a few 'strange areas' could more or less be permitted with the attitude 'maybe he's just like that'. More importantly, Natsume was also rumored to be Tsuchimikado Yakou's reincarnation. It was natural for her to be different from others.
Most importantly, if that Tsuchimikado had planned on concealing it until the end - if she had truly planned on fooling the people around her, she couldn't have made such a 'careless' disguise. It would have been a more perfect and complete method of deception. At least Onmyouji who knew the Tsuchimikados would believe so.
But Natsume's disguise had just been a covering of her aura and acting as a male, which was extremely crude in a certain sense. That was why Ohtomo had felt that it was 'very natural'. Other teachers were probably the same.
"......Well, you really got me."
Accidentally being that effective - was impossible. The plans had probably even accounted for this. Though it was unfortunate that he hadn't met him, Natsume's father Yasuzumi was undoubtedly quite a cunning and twisted person. Ohtomo couldn't help but imagine that.
This wasn't to fool the immature students, it was clearly a disguise completely outfitted to fool the professionals of the Onmyou Academy - the adults around her.
"......Incidentally, Natsume. Has the fact that you're a girl already spread?"
"Yeah. At least the students in our class all know. Other students too, probably. I'm not sure about the teachers."
"I, I see. ......Anyway, I understand. The fact that Natsume-kun's a girl was exposed, and hence Kyouko-kun felt estranged? Harutora-kun and Touji-kun knew already, right?"
"I also knew. The only two of our friends who didn't know were Kyouko and Glasses [16] ."
"I see. That's quite curious. It might be a bit terrible to say this, but in Kyouko-kun's eyes it's as if she were excluded......"
"......Also, there are some other reasons...... Kyouko always strongly believed that Natsume was a boy, and well......"
"Oh, oh. I see. Ambiguously intimate relationships and even this kind of delicate problem...... You all are sensitive youngsters, I guess...... Yeah......"
Ohtomo echoed his students with a mangled sentence.
In this kind of time, he poignantly felt how insufficient and powerless he was as an educator, not as an Onmyouji. Sleuthing and deception were the skills he was adept at, and he had confidence in his stealth magic, illusion magic, and bluffing second-class magic.
But being in front leading others without hiding or deceiving was a different matter altogether, and it wasn't something that could be compensated with techniques. He had to reflect on his ability as a teacher. He couldn't rely on cleverness. He had his own style as an 'adult'.
Come to think of it, Amami and the principal indeed had that kind of 'strength'. His current self couldn't be compared to them.
Ohtomo glanced at Natsume out of the corner of his eye.
In a daze, he asked:
"......When Kyouko-kun learned that you were a girl, what did she say?"
He reflected as he asked the question. Maybe he had been too blunt. Like he expected, Natsume was speechless and her expression seemed as if she were about to cry.
"......She said...... 'Liar'......"
"......I see."
He didn't need to hastily express his sympathy. For now, Ohtomo just responded in an emotionless tone.
At the same time, he thought calmly while trying to stay objective. If it were Kyouko...... If it were the girl Kurahashi Kyouko that Ohtomo knew, she would probably 'forgive' the other party when she learned that she had been tricked and understood that there had been no ill intent as well as a reason that it had to be concealed. But it would only be 'momentary'. It was just on the surface. The reason for that was that her personality emphasized 'harmony'. She put more priority on the feelings of those around her than on her own inner feelings. She would act for the people close to her, even by suppressing what she herself thought. She had that kind of gentle spirit of self-sacrifice.
But this time, Kyouko had said something like 'liar' to Natsume's face when she learned of Natsume's true identity.
Then...... This was actually a good disposition.
Kyouko didn't hesitate to violate her own principles and had expressed her true feelings. This reversal proved that Kyouko had completely accepted Natsume. To Kyouko, the relationship between her and Natsume - and by extension, her and Harutora - was important enough for her to betray her original nature, and forced her to act according to her true feelings. The best proof was that she hadn't been able to gloss it over with an excuse like 'you had no choice'.
In that case, wasn't that just tying more chains from Kyouko to Natsume and the others? Wasn't it because of the closeness of their relationship that they had gotten into a small conflict now?
Ohtomo analyzed calmly and objectively.
Then, he reached a conclusion. No problem. His analysis wouldn't be wrong.
"......Hey, Natsume-kun."
Ohtomo himself was also a bit flustered as he spoke to Natsume. Natsume pressed her lips together and listened to what Ohtomo had to say.
"Do you still remember what I said that evening during the day of the camp?"
Ohtomo watched Natsume's face, seeing from her expression that she still remembered that event well.
The practical skills training camp that they had held near Lake Yamanaka after they had advanced to the second year. That evening, Ohtomo had said to Natsume that the more she treasured her relationships, the more important it was to be honest with each other. Even if it would bring them trouble for the moment, they should still face each other honestly.
"Well, though I said that, it's actually very difficult. Normally, it would seem really brazen to bring trouble to someone else without hesitation and still want to convey your own thoughts."
"......Yeah."
"But, Natsume. I still believe this. Leaving at a suitable time and selfishly forcing others to accept your feelings might be crazy in some regard. But I still think that it definitely won't become an obstruction to convey your true feelings to the ones you want to treasure. Even if the outcome will be tragic, you should be patient and endure, get over some trouble, and finally finish things up happily. Human relationships are very misleading, right? Then, you can't take shortcuts. You have to handle them with your best effort......"
This lecture couldn't completely wash away the anxiety that had risen. Ohtomo couldn't easily assert that his suggestion was necessarily correct.
But even so, he had to tell them. The girl before him was even less mature than his immature self, and no matter what, she needed suggestions from someone more capable. She was seeking aid in her confusion.
Then, he could only guide her. He couldn't seem lacking in self-confidence. He had to believe in himself out of his own responsibility.
"Natsume-kun."
Ohtomo strengthened his tone. Natsume naturally straightened her back.
"Go find Kyouko-kun and apologize. Right away."
Maybe this was also Ohtomo teaching his 'past self'. Natsume's eyes heated up.
Then,
"...Yes."
A powerful reply. She rushed through the arena exit with all her energy.
"Natsume, I'll......" Harutora also wanted to chase after her, but he was stopped by Ohtomo grabbing his lapel.
"Wait until afterwards."
"But!"
"It's alright. You should stay behind."
Ohtomo didn't think that he was qualified to tell his students what to do like this. His plans might have consequences for Harutora and the others. Ohtomo had never experienced this kind of fear until now...... But he could only endure it. Believe and accept.
"Alright."
Ohtomo forced a smile. This was the first time smiling had been this tiring.
"For now, let's go make some charms for Harutora. What? They'll definitely be fine. Natsume and Kyouko can definitely reconcile."
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