The Old Man Who Saved Another World 15 Years Ago is Now Getting Caught Up In A Modern Fantasy - Episode 14

“Oh, Yukimura! You’re late in coming to see me!”

Inside the Shiraha family mansion, as I entered the room where Sayohime was said to be confined, a girl with dog-like features I hadn’t seen in a while welcomed me.

“I’ve been waiting all this time! How long are you going to make me wait? It was so boring just sitting in an empty room waiting for time to pass!”

“Sorry, I had a lot going on and it got pushed back.”

“What, you’re so spoiled. Getting food, clothing, and shelter without doing anything—aren’t you being treated pretty well? I even prepared all these games for you to pass the time, didn’t I?”

“Games, this is it!? How am I supposed to pass the time with this? I’m all alone!”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

Raising her arm and angrily pouting, Sayohime showed me a few toys, saying, “Here!”

Playing cards, Jenga, mahjong tiles, badminton rackets and shuttlecocks, karuta, The Game of Life, chess, shogi.

All of them were, quite remarkably, basically toys meant for multiple people. It was a lineup that would be troublesome for just one person.

Is this harassment?

“I am a member of the great leader Daishukai’s hundred demons who plunged the Heian capital into terror! Be more afraid!”

“You, of all people, being a demon, should know your place. I’m one of the Twelve Divine Generals, you know? I’ll deal with you.”

“Yikes!? Waaaah, Yukimura!”

Princess Sayohime was enraged by the rude treatment.

He tried to intimidate by bringing up his background as a subordinate of Shōjō, but he was easily defeated by the pressure exerted by the Twelve Divine Generals.

The tearful Sayohime is hugging me from the front.

It was a fragile creature.

Then, for some reason, Sayohime pressed her head against my stomach and sniffed with a “hun hun” sound.

Sniff sniff, huh? It doesn’t smell. Even though it’s Yukimura, it doesn’t smell! You took a proper bath, didn’t you!

“No, that’s enough already…”

The idea that I equal bad smell is getting old.

In the first place, it was because of Sayohime’s vomit… Well, even though she’s a demon, for the sake of Sayohime’s honor as a girl, I won’t protest.

Or rather, he’s the high-energy type.

I have an overwhelming amount of energy, and I can’t keep up with my current slightly naive mode.

“Hey, Yukimura doesn’t seem very lively. What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did that woman do something mean to you?”

“How rude. I haven’t done anything.”

“Well, something a bit shocking happened…”

Needless to say, I had no aptitude for any of the exorcism techniques whatsoever.

“Yukimura, you had no aptitude for exorcism techniques. Not a single one.”

“Wh-what? Not even one? Could such a thing really be possible… with such incredible spiritual power?”

“Really, I wonder why.”

I was given a simultaneous sympathetic look from Kukuri and Sayohime.

Stop it. Being pitied only increases my sadness.

Why do you two seem to be at odds with each other, but when it comes to feeling sorry for me, you act in perfect sync?

“Oh, but I can’t use exorcism techniques either. What I possess as an oni is not the spiritual power to use exorcism techniques, but youkai power. We’re a perfect match, both unable to use them!”

“Sa, Sayohime…!”

Sayohime laughs cheerfully.

It was not a sympathetic smile out of concern for me, but a gentle smile that purely expressed joy in being matched.

It felt much more purifying to my heart than any strange sympathy or kindness.

“— But you have demon magic, right? You’re a demon after all.”

“Ah, yeah. Well, you know. Because I’m a demon.”

“Well, Sayohime…”

I sank to my knees in despair.

“W-w-wait, come on, cheer up! There, there.”

“Wow, what a terrible image.”

The flustered Sayohime gently strokes my head as if to comfort me.

A 38-year-old man, who is being patted on the head by Sayohime, who appears to be a middle school girl.

Even without being told by Kukuri, it was an extremely terrible composition.

I will get up immediately.

I thought that if things continued like this, my sense of shame would be the death of me.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed, you know? I haven’t counted my exact age in a long time, but I’m at least over 1000 years old. You can call me ‘big sister’ if you want.”

“Well, that’s a bit much, isn’t it…?”

“Hehe, is that so?”

Sayohime chuckles as if she finds it amusing.

Acting like a child, making a fuss, crying, and then suddenly behaving like a mature adult.

It’s quite a mysterious fellow.

“Let’s put aside thinking about Yukimura’s technique for now and first finish the purpose of our visit here.”

“Purpose… Is it about the shikigami contract?”

“Ah, that matter.”

Having completed my first battle as an exorcist and experiencing the sad event of testing my aptitude for exorcism.

After all sorts of things, it got postponed, but I came to meet her to make the shikigami contract with Sayohime.

Sayohime is a dangerous demon.

For Kukuri, who holds a responsible position as an exorcist, the existence of Sayohime cannot be left unchecked.

So, by making it my shikigami, I can ensure safety.

Shikigami are in absolute obedience to their master’s orders.

Even if they are a wicked demon, once they become a shikigami, they can no longer commit arbitrary evil deeds.

As a matter of principle.

The reason I became an exorcist was because I approached Kukuri to negotiate for the sake of Sayohime.

As a response, he said he would overlook it if I became a demon hunter under Kukuri’s command and made Sayohime a shikigami.

That was the story.

“Well, you know…”

I ponder for a bit.

Making Sayohime a shikigami is necessary for her survival.

If she doesn’t do this, Kukuri will never let Sayohime, who is a demon, escape.

Just. Just, it is.

Becoming a shikigami of absolute obedience must be unbearable for Sayohime, I can’t help but think.

But that’s just not normal, right?

I, too, don’t want to see a good girl like Sayohime reduced to the status of a slave.

Even if we were to make Sayohime a shikigami, let’s put aside the fact that we have no intention of treating her like a slave.

From the beginning, Sayohime was never a dangerous demon.

Although I am a demon, my [Karma Eye] shows her radiant purity.

If we persuade her well, can’t we convince Kukuri without making her a shikigami? Can’t we discuss and explore a way to avoid making her a shikigami so easily?

I think we should think more about those things.

“What’s wrong? Hurry up and make the shikigami contract. I told you how to do it earlier, didn’t I? You give them bl00d mixed with spiritual power. If the human side has the intention to make the shikigami contract and the youkai side has the intention to accept it, then the contract will be made.”

Kukuri says, urgingly.

………It’s pointless to worry about it alone, isn’t it?

I faced Sayohime directly and asked her point-blank.

“……Sayohime, would you be okay with becoming my shikigami?”

“Hmm, what’s this all of a sudden? …Ah, are you worried about me? Hehe, Yukimura is so kind.”

Princess Sayo wears a cheerful smile.

“You helped me. You protected me from the Twelve Divine Generals, a truly terrifying existence. You decided to become an exorcist for my sake. Given all that you’ve done for me and how much you care, that’s more than enough.”

Sayohime, for some reason, places both hands on my cheek.

“Indeed, becoming a shikigami is undesirable. But if it’s you, who has given me so much despite just meeting me and me not even being human, then I can trust you.”

“Well, there’s a reason for that…”

The reason I decided to protect Sayohime was because her being was so incredibly virtuous.

I thought it would be a shame to lose it.

If karma leans towards evil, I wouldn’t treat it this way.

It is not me who is protecting Sayohime, but rather the accumulation of the good deeds she has done up until now.

So, I don’t really feel indebted or anything.

“Even if there was some reason, that’s fine. This is just something I thought about you. This gratitude, this favor, these feelings… they’re all mine. Besides, I know you’re a really good person too, you know?”

Sayohime brings one hand to my eyes as if to block my gaze.

Just before that, her right eye appeared to glow blue.

“Hey, you—”

Regarding Sayohime’s right eye, which was very familiar, I tried to question her, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Suddenly, my mouth was filled with something soft.

“Hmm――!?”

I am disturbed by the sensation of having my mouth covered.

However, that disturbance was soon overshadowed by an even greater one.

A soft, moist thing entered my mouth.

And then it licks me as if to entwine with my tongue.

My agitation has reached its peak.

Even if my line of sight is blocked, I can’t help but know what it is, so there’s nothing I can do about it.

The sealed mouth is opened.

The blindfold was removed, and right in front of me was the figure of Sayohime, her face flushed bright red.

“Hehe. This is my answer to your question. From now on, please take care of me, Master?”

With a bright red face, Sayohime smiled.

“……Sorry to say, but showing me a hot scene like that is a bust. Yukimura didn’t have the intention to form a shikigami contract yet, and besides, saliva can’t replace bl00d. Even if the components are similar, saliva is saliva. It’s not bl00d.”

Overwhelmed by her extreme embarrassment, Sayohime crouched down on the spot and became as motionless as a shell.