The Old Man Who Saved Another World 15 Years Ago is Now Getting Caught Up In A Modern Fantasy - Episode 5

“Sayohime? What are you doing?”

“Hah! What have I done!”

Princess Sayohime, with her face flushed bright red, hurriedly stands up.

“Y-Yukimura’s spiritual power is just too incredible… I instinctively…”

Instinctively, huh? Yeah, it’s a dog after all.

He’s busy being a demon one moment and a dog the next. Well, I’m just glad he’s managed to regain his composure.

Or rather, spiritual power?

Earlier, Shiraha was also talking about spiritual power or something, right? I think it was after he fully unleashed his magical power.

Could it be that spiritual power is the same as magical power?

“Honestly, this is throwing me off. You, yes you. Um, Sano-san? Well, you’re human, so that’s fine, but you are a demon, right? I’m not going to let you off the hook.”

“Oh, oh my, oh my. Yuki… Yuki…”

When Shiraha surely glared, Sayohime immediately hid behind me.

I think they were bragging about being the great demon or something like that, but is it really okay to be in such a pathetic state?

“Hey, can’t we work something out? I know you have your own reasons as a demon hunter and all, but this guy probably isn’t the bad demon you think he is.”

“Hmm, why do you think that? That thing is an ogre. It deceives people and eats them. Among all the youkai, it is the most wicked and powerful being. That is an ogre.”

“Wait, do you eat people?”

“Ugh, ugh…”

Hearing about the more unpleasant habits of the demons than I expected, I couldn’t help but ask Sayohime.

As for Sayohime, she let out a subtle sound and turned her head away. What kind of reaction is this?

Open the left eye of the [Karma Eye].

These eyes still insist that Sayohime is an existence of pure goodness, too pure to be true.

Until now, my “Karma Eye” has never made a mistake in its selection. Therefore, it is absolutely certain that Sayohime’s nature is good.

Indeed, do benevolent beings consume humans?

There’s no way that’s true. I don’t understand why you act evasively without denying it, but I don’t think Sayohime has ever eaten or even killed anyone.

“Sayaka-hime, you should properly deny it.”

“But, but. I’m a demon, you know.”

“See! You just called him an ‘oni’ properly! Sano-san, I don’t know why you’re defending him, but he’s not worth defending at all!”

What should I do?

It would be great if I could explain my “Karma Eye” and prove that Sayohime is good, but there’s no way they’d believe something like that.

“Yeah, but come on. Just look closely. Does this small, pathetic guy who looks like a little animal really seem like a bad person to you?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s true… For an arrogant demon, you don’t seem to have any fighting spirit at all, and you’re always hiding behind Sano-san.”

“Huh!? What are you saying!? I am a member of the Hyakki, recognized by the Great Leader Daishukai!! There’s nothing pathetic about me!!”

“Wait! The leader of the bandits!? You’re a remnant of Shōjō, aren’t you!? We should take you down here and now! A demon that has lived for a thousand years is extremely dangerous!”

Oh no. Shiraha is completely in kill mode.

Sayohime, why do you have to say unnecessary things that just add fuel to the fire? I’m trying to protect you, and yet, does this person not want to be saved?

Even so, Shōjō is no joke. He’s a big name that even I know. To think Sayohime was under his command… It’s only natural to consider that dangerous.

Actually, Shōjō was real.

“Hehe! Fear, exorcist! I am—mgh!”

“Well, sorry Shiroba. This kid is at that age. You know, the usual thing. Specifically, around the second year of middle school.”

“R-Really… Well, how should I put this…”

I cover Sayohime’s mouth as she tries to say unnecessary things and come up with some appropriate excuses.

Then, the sharp gaze of the white feather turned warm.

“Now that you mention it, for having lived for a thousand years, they don’t seem very strong. After the defeat of Shōjō, the scattered Yōkai were thoroughly exorcised. Yeah, this has to be a lie.”

“Struggling”

“I’ll help you, so just be quiet for now.”

I whisper softly to Sayohime, who is trying to say something with her eyes narrowed.

Then, Sayohime settled down with a reluctant air.

“Anyway, we don’t need to defeat… exorcise? Whatever, I don’t think we need to take it down.”

“Well… no, but still, it’s a demon. Defeating it would be for the good of the world and the people, right?”

Hmm, Shiraha’s resolve is strong.

The hardline stance doesn’t seem as strong as it was at first, but the opinion that we should defeat Sayohime remains unchanged.

What should I do?

“Well, if you really insist, I do have a condition for letting that demon go.”

“Huh?”

As I was pondering how to make use of Sayohime and how to persuade Shiraha, the one who unexpectedly came to my aid was none other than Shiraha herself, who had been causing me trouble.

“Sano-san, I’m going to be blunt, but you are incredibly suspicious.”

“Well, yeah. That makes sense.”

“As for my position, I can’t just let Sano-san go free like this. I want you to understand that. There are many things I want to ask, and if I can’t get answers, it will come down to eliminating you by force. This is not just my personal opinion, but the consensus of the Onmyoji Institute. That’s how abnormal you are.”

I end up agreeing with the words that were said to me.

Because from Shiraha’s perspective, I am an unidentified ordinary person who can fight against someone who ranks quite high among exorcists.

Where did he acquire his power, and why has he not been recognized in the exorcist industry until now?

It’s suspicious, isn’t it? No matter how you think about it.

From my perspective, there is a proper reason for having acquired strength, and it’s clear that this power hasn’t been prominently used in Japan, which is why it hasn’t been recognized.

But I think it’s only natural to be suspected.

If you can’t cooperate or control, it’s understandable to think that it might be better to just kill them.

I think it’s extreme, but…

“I understand the story. But does that have anything to do with Sayohime?”

“Yes. I’ll explain it step by step.”

Saying that, Shiraha walked over to the giant octopus that had collapsed nearby.

“Hey, how long are you going to keep sleeping? Wake up.”

“Puh, pukyururu”

When Shiraha calls out, the giant octopus slowly rises.

The size quickly shrinks, and when it becomes about the size of a horse, it writhes its tentacles and wraps them around the white feathers.

“Hey, that tickles a bit. Nuu-chan, stop it. We can play later.”

Apparently, the giant octopus’s name is Nuu-chan.

Yeah, I don’t really care, but…

Shiraha, who was wrapped around by Nuu-chan, was covered in mucus all over his body, but he didn’t mind.

Even though it’s a fancy kimono or something… or rather, it seems like tentacles are getting inside the clothes. Is that okay?

“Oh no, tentacles… in a place like that.”

Cover the eyes of Sayohime, who is blushing and looking at Shiraha.

You must not look.

“Phew, really. Sano-san, this child is my shikigami.”

“Shikigami?”

“Yes, shikigami are youkai that onmyoji or exorcists subdue and bind with a servitude contract. Shikigami are fundamentally obedient to their master’s orders. In other words, it depends on the master, but once a youkai is turned into a shikigami, it becomes harmless.”

“I see. In other words, if Sayohime becomes a shikigami, her safety will be guaranteed, so we can let it slide.”

“Yeah. You’re quick to get to the point.”

Shiraha nodded, affirming my words.

“I see. If we combine this with what we talked about earlier, it’s okay to overlook it if we make Sayohime a shikigami. However, I don’t have enough trust to be the master of a shikigami, so I can’t be entrusted with it. Instead, someone else should become Sayohime’s master.”

The reason I went out of my way to mention that I’m suspicious is probably that.

A shikigami that absolutely obeys its master is a harmless being. However, that is only true if the shikigami’s master is a good person.

If an evil person becomes the master, not only could they be harmless, but they might even commit crimes using shikigami.

And, as a suspicious person, I have no trust.

I cannot definitively say he is a bad person, but I also cannot be sure he is a good person. Therefore, he is unfit to be a master of shikigami.

So, find someone trustworthy to take my place as Sayohime’s master, who has become a shikigami.

That’s probably the kind of story it is.

“It’s good that you’re quick to talk, but it’s a bit different. That shikigami contract with the demon is something you will do.”

“Huh, me? I know it’s strange to say this myself, but I’m as suspicious as Shiraha said.”

“That’s true. But that’s because I don’t know anything about you yet. And the same goes for you, right? Mr. Sano, if you want to help that demon, I have a proposal for you. It’s a wonderful proposal that benefits both of us.”

Shiraha smirks and declares.

“You, become an exorcist under me.”