Tokyo Ravens - Volume SS1 - Chapter 7

Part 7 
“……Quietly……quietly……” 
Late at night. 
The air was drenched in a heavy mist. The rainy seasons was almost complete over, the sky was still gloomy as before. The outdoors was permeated with a damp humidity and opening the window would spread it inside the room. 
The lights inside the research laboratory was off, so it was very dark. Lights could still be seen from far away, but the rainwater separating it weaved a curtain so it almost couldn’t shine into the room. Suzuka currently with the help of this feeble light, cautiously manipulated the ‘Asura’. 
She was intending to have the ‘Asura’ from outside the window of the research laboratory move in a commercial freezer conceal inside a cardboard box. 
This was the thing placed in that ‘hideout’. Because she feared it being discovered by others, therefore only after long a time did she move it to her side. After all, in the case that it was discovered, it won’t be as simple to settle if it had been Sohaya discovered. But Suzuka, to advance her research, still had to place this in the research laboratory as expected. 
This was the sealed coffin from before. 
Inside was the remains of Suzuka’s brother. 
In the gloom, there was a three-armed shikigami placing the huge coffin at the corner of the room. Suzuka immediately connected the power, the familiar motor hum sounded again, the girl exhaled in relief. 
Then, 
“……Hey.” 
From inside the dark room came a youthful voice. 
It was Sohaya. 
He already absolutely won’t go out, but once he heard she wanted to move Toshiya, he wanted to come anyhow. To be honest, he was quite dangerous spiritually, even though Suzuka opposed to the last, she ultimately couldn’t persuade Sohaya. 
“Do you really want to do it?” 
His inquiring voice was still calm, penetrating and clear like before. 
“—-Of course.” 
Suzuka replied. 
“Isn’t this obvious, it’s soon.” 
“……Even if things stay like this, isn’t it also fine?” 
“No way, there’s nothing good.” 
“Why?” 
“Nothing, because I hate it.” 
Suzuka spoke in monotone. 
Suzuka’s goal was to magically resurrect her deceased brother, Dairenji Toshiya. Using lost ‘Imperial Style’ magic, the soul magic ‘Taizan Fukun Ritual’. 
This was forbidden magic, furthermore it was the most forbidden magic. 
The existing onmyou laws strictly prohibited all soul related magic. It was said that the reason that the spiritual disasters frequently occur in the Tokyo suburbs is due to Tsuchimikado Yakou’s failure when he used the soul magic ‘Taizan Fukun Ritual’. 
If it’s done wrong, this forbidden magic may also trigger a spiritual disaster of that kind of scale. This was the ‘Taizan Fukun Ritual’. 
Furthermore this magic requires a price, in order to allow someone to be brought back to life, another person’s life must be the price. 
Suzuka planned to use her life in exchange for her brother’s resurrection. 
“Your own death doesn’t matter?” 
“……Doesn’t matter. I have no regrets.” 
“If Suzuka dies, even if Toshiya is resurrected he won’t be able to see you.” 
“We can see each other for a moment. Meeting together once more at the end, then dying like that way, instead it matches my dream. If my life can allow my brother’s resurrection, I will be very glad.” 
As Suzuka spoke, she showed a smile in the darkness. 
Suzuka had been her father’s test subject, she was a magically altered human made by her father. 
Her brother was the same. The two brother and sister had borne the same fate before they were born. 
If she didn’t have a brother, Suzuka’s tiny and weak spirit would have been broken to nothing a long time ago. She still can clearly remember it now, in that hopeless world, her brother’s smile towards her was Suzuka’s irreplaceable treasure. This was Suzuka’s entire happiness. 
Because he was the eldest son, he had been exerted even more than Suzuka to various sorts of magic, but her brother always dearly cherished Suzuka, always encouraging Suzuka, until the last moment where he lost his life because of an experiment. 
She must repay her brother. 
Therefore, even though saving her brother required paying her life as the price, Suzuka also must pay a debt of gratitude towards her brother. No, it’s that Suzuka wants to repay. 
For her favorite brother. 
Owing to this obsessive determination, Suzuka was able live lonely up until now from that time. 
“It’s fine. Aren’t you the same, you like my brother more than me 
This wasn’t sarcasm, rather a sincere statement. 
Sohaya was her brother’s shikigami. Even though he was created by her father, but before he was discarded, her brother said he wanted to be his master and took over from her father’s hand. Sohaya was also very close with her gentle elder brother, close enough to make the young Suzuka jealous. 
But now Sohaya’s body was in a poor condition, it was also because of this. 
Sohaya was almost discarded because the body and spirit was not interacting smoothly. Her brother, who took Sohaya adopting him as a shikigami, became the shikigami’s master and supplied him with spiritual power, allowing his spirit to stabilize. So in order to allow Sohaya maintain his existence, her brother’s spiritual power was indispensable. 
But, her brother had died. 
Her brother before he died squeezed out the last of his power, taking his spiritual power and pouring it into Sohaya’s body, Sohaya relying on this ‘savings’ barely lived up until now. Although now Suzuka supplied magical power, however it was simply a temporary treatment. Sohaya after her brother died still persevered for several years, enough to prove that her brother’s aura was extremely outstanding. 
“If my brother was resurrected, you can also recover your vigor. Well, this is like my brother being snatched by you, it makes me slightly unhappy. But there’s no other way, from now on I’m relying on you. 
In a world without her brother, growing up emptily only increased her suffering to no avail. The guiltily feeling of growing up by herself made Suzuka feel unbearable. 
No, in the truth, it’s actually even simpler. She herself wants to see her brother once more, even though it’s only a moment, it was fine. The desire to meet her brother again, nothing more. 
That why, she wanted to use her own life to bring her brother back into this world. 
She was working hard just for that moment. 
Ah, Suzuka nodded her head. Even if occasionally she was at a loss……in the front of the coffin holding her brother, Suzuka felt the determination in her heart. 
Even though in the eyes of the ordinary people, she was making her own folly. 
I am right. 
A quiet excitement filled Suzuka’s chest. Suzuka with her hand on the coffin, a strange light flashed in her eyes. 
“……Suzuka, you are very well suited to be idol……” 
Sohaya stated. Suzuka had an expression like surprise, she turned around to look, staring at cage where Sohaya was. 
“……Ha?” 
“You seemed very happy.” 
“Are you an idiot. Why are you suddenly mentioning this?” 
In order to prevent others from discovering the coffin that was in the process of being moved in, the lights were off, it was pitch-black in the research laboratory. 
The cat’s two eyes suddenly opened glancing at Suzuka, then closed once again. 
“……I say, Suzuka.” 
“……What?” 
“If you feel blessed, the way everything now is enough for me.” 

“I totally don’t feel blessed, and living without my brother, I absolutely cannot be blessed.” 
“That’s not the case.” 
“Why?” 
“Because you are more resilient than Toshiya.” 
“Ha? That’s not possible.” 
“It’s alright.” 
“What?” 
“You, sure……It’s al……right…” 
“……Hey, I don’t understand what you mean……” 
Suzuka frowned and ‘looked’ at Sohaya. Truthfully, he was in a poor state of health these past few days, practically making people disbelieve he can still keep ‘existing’. Maybe his mind had already became senile. 
“……That’s why I allowed you to stay obediently at home. 
Suzuka complained with a sentence, but as thing are, nothing could be done. The work at hand must be completed faster than what was planned in advance before taking Sohaya back. 
“Wait another moment, it’s almost done.” 
Because of changes in the surroundings, the coffin’s spiritual environment must be adjusted. In order to avoid been seen by others she couldn’t miss this opportunity. Suzuka operating the ‘Asura’, started operating at the lowest settings. 
In the always empty open space outside the window, the rain still drizzling down, once in a while the sound of a car going would come through the sound of the rain, its headlights sweeping past the research laboratory. 
Even though the window was open, but the enchantment was already spread once again, Suzuka skillfully pushed forward with the operation. 
“……Suzuka.” 
Sohaya seemed to be talking in his sleep when he called out to Suzuka. 
Sohaya’s voice sounded identical to her brother’s. In the darkness in front of her brother’s coffin, his voice seems like her brother was casually conversing with her. 
“……What?” 
“I really liked Toshiya.” 
“I know.” 
“But.” 
“Ah.” 
“He also liked Suzuka.” 
“Ha, what are you saying.” 
Besides investigating the coffin, there were still other matters to handle. The coffin’s disguise. After all this place was the Onmyou Agency head office building. Although an iron wall like security system was laid out, it wasn’t wrong to be careful. 
“……It’s great.” 
“What?” 
“……This way I can be free. 
“Ah……eh.” 
“……It really……is great.” 
“This way has its own loneliness.” 
Her father’s self-made magic was applied to the coffin. Although Suzuka understood this magic technique, but she had to pay extra special attention. If she wanted to hide it, then she had to be even more so. 
“……Look, then.…..I say……” 
“Oh? What?” 
“……Make……a friend……” 
“What? Speak a bit clearly.” 
For the purpose that it won’t be exposed even if Amami came again to this place. This level of disguise was practically the most difficult of task. Although in the consideration of Sohaya’s body, she wanted to be able to complete it sooner, but anyhow, just wait for another moment…… 
“……Suzuka……” 
“……” 
“……Thanks……” 
“Ah? Why are you thanking me?” 
“……” 
“Sohaya?” 
“……” 
“……Hey?” 
“Hey, Sohaya, I’m calling you!” 
“Sohaya?” 
Suzuka turned her head around again. 
Sohaya? 
A car passed outside the window, its headlights lit the room’s interior. At the same time Suzuka’s expression suddenly resembled that of a bewildered ordinary girl. 
Suzuka left the side of the coffin, approaching the table. The cage had always been open. Suzuka peeked inside, Sohaya was still as always curled up, motionless. 
Suzuka was afraid of ‘looking’ at him. 
Just like ordinary child touching a cat for the first time, she extended a trembling hand. 
The cat suddenly moved, raising his eyes. Suzuka was scared as if her heart heat stopped for a split second, then she exhaled a long breath. 
“You this……evil cat! There needs to be a limit to scaring people. 
Suzuka was really angry, but the cat still remained unmoved, in the darkness the dilated pupils faintly shined, reflecting Suzuka’s face. 
“I’m really busy right now! Don’t you also understand! In fact, this joke isn’t even slightly funny!” 
Suzuka cursed in succession, but the cat stayed silent, staring at Suzuka. Suzuka’s tone became more and more weak, a doubtful look also appeared on her face. 
Then, Suzuka realized. 
“……Hey, Say something as well.” 
She spoke to him the usual way, but the cat still didn’t respond. 
“……Sohaya?” 
She shouted his name. But the cat didn’t react. 
Soon after, the cat seemed to lose interest, looking away and closed his eyes once again. Suzuka stood stunned beside the table. 
The rain didn’t make a sound, falling quietly. Only the huge coffin behind her back hummed. 
Suzuka was afraid of ‘looking’ at him. 
‘Looking’ wasn’t necessary, Suzuka already understood. 
Sohaya had departed. Suzuka was abandoned again.