"I wonder if, when Ririko remembers this tomorrow, she'll want to crawl into a hole..."
Uesugi Tetsu felt helpless. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he had played the role of a mom and comforted Ririko the entire way.
Uesugi Tetsu had no idea why Ririko was like this: when she had a sword in hand, she became a kendo general; when she had no sword, she transformed into a spineless coward.
But it didn't matter. At least afterward, the atmosphere in the car changed from hostile to cheerful, preventing her relationship with Nanjō Emi from deteriorating further.
"Sister Nanjō, we're here."
As the engine shut off, the fit young man Hasegawa turned around and flashed a bright, sunny smile.
Before getting out, Uesugi Tetsu silently etched the words "Friendship Club" firmly into his mind.
That name sounds wrong from the start. And they're selling spirit-medium items filled with resentment to ordinary people. They're definitely a cult.
Uesugi Tetsu had no interest in uncovering the truth or the conspiracy behind it all. He only hoped they wouldn't come looking for trouble with him.
All he wanted was to steadily grow stronger and live a peaceful life.
"Hasegawa, take her inside and get her statement first."
After coaxing and tricking Ririko into entering the police station, only a lone man and woman remained beside the old van.
The Teru Teru Bozu with its large, blinking eyes dangled above Uesugi Tetsu's head as he watched Nanjō Emi take out a cigarette and light it.
"Want one?"
"No, thanks."
Nanjō Emi didn't press him. She stuffed the remaining half-pack of women's cigarettes back into her pocket.
After a brief silence, the woman spoke first:
"When Hasegawa invites you to join the Onmyo Bureau—the so-called 'Special Affairs Division'—remember to refuse."
Uesugi Tetsu nodded. "Okay."
This time, it was Nanjō Emi's turn to find it strange. "You're not going to ask me why?"
Uesugi Tetsu said, "When the boss gives an order, subordinates only need to say, 'Received.'"
Nanjō Emi exhaled a thin stream of smoke and smiled for the first time. "Uesugi-kun, you're calm and clever. If you embark on the path of an Onmyoji, I'm sure that sooner or later, you'll leave me far behind."
That's quite the compliment.
Uesugi Tetsu glanced at the woman beside him from the corner of his eye.
Nanjō Emi's profile was shrouded in a faint veil of smoke. Her red lips were slender, and her collarbones delicate. She didn't look like an office worker with years on the job. Instead, she looked like a sixteen-year-old JK from the class next door.
The woman noticed his gaze but paid it no mind. She simply said what she had already rehearsed: "That's precisely why I hope you won't come into contact with these things for the time being."
As if she had seen the doubt in Uesugi Tetsu's heart, Nanjō Emi stubbed out her cigarette and said calmly and seriously:
"You'll die."
Nanjō Emi produced a completely black cloth doll from somewhere. "'First Wave,' symbolizing the full revival of the supernatural, hasn't arrived yet. The Special Affairs Division was only recently established, and its system is still incomplete. The Friendship Club is also still wreaking havoc in Arakawa Ward..."
Uesugi Tetsu took the cloth doll. When a panel appeared, he couldn't help but freeze.
Lady Nanjō, are you my mom?
["Nanjō Emi"] [Quality: Rare] [Usage: Automatically triggered] [Effect: After use, "Nanjō Emi" will immediately appear behind you.]
"Keep it with you. When you encounter a threat to your life, it'll help you deal with it."
Uesugi Tetsu put away the highest-quality item he had ever seen without hesitation and asked, "Then what's the price?"
"I like talking to smart people."
Nanjō Emi leaned toward him. Her name tag swayed endlessly in midair, while the scent of white musk lingered beneath Uesugi Tetsu's nose. "But I'll make my request later. Right now, I only want to hear your answer."
"Uesugi-kun, are you willing to accept this investment from me?"
After meeting the woman's eyes for a while, Uesugi Tetsu silently took out his phone and displayed his QR code. "Sister Nanjō, let's add each other on Line."
Nanjō Emi blinked. For an instant, an extremely odd expression appeared on her face, but she said nothing.
After a pleasant chime, Uesugi Tetsu looked at Nanjō Emi's Line name: [Onmyo Junior Official · Nanjō Emi].
A work account, huh.
After refusing Hasegawa's enthusiastic invitation and Ririko's request to "stay the night at the police station together," Uesugi Tetsu prepared to go see the home of this life first.
As he left, he still saw Nanjō Emi standing alone in place, silently smoking. He had no idea what was on her mind.
The tiny Teru Teru Bozu rested atop her head, silently keeping her company.
After thinking it over, Uesugi Tetsu decided it would be better to say goodbye.
"Sister Nanjō, I'm leaving."
The woman turned around, somewhat perplexed. "Do you want me to take you?"
Uesugi Tetsu shook his head. "Tokugawa is getting me a taxi."
Nanjō Emi couldn't be bothered to look at him.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but Uesugi Tetsu could have sworn she clicked her tongue in displeasure.
Before long, the taxi Ririko—the little rich girl—had summoned by phone arrived. Uesugi Tetsu let out a small sigh of relief and was just about to get in when he heard a cold warning from behind him:
"If you don't want to get involved any further, don't investigate that club."
"I know, Sister Nanjō."
For now, I definitely need to lie low and steadily grow stronger. Once my strength far surpasses that club's, I'll wipe out those ghostly bastards in one go.
Half an hour passed in a flash.
Looking at the outrageous number on the fare meter, even Uesugi Tetsu, who had always been frugal, felt a pang of pain despite not paying with his own money. If this were next door, twenty yuan would have been enough.
"Thanks."
After politely thanking the driver, who was still working diligently late at night, Uesugi Tetsu took the key from his pocket and walked to the front door.
His nose twitched lightly twice.
The smell of this place... seems a little off.
Uesugi Tetsu first took out the large eyeball to observe the situation inside. He raised an eyebrow, then inserted the key into the lock.
He opened the door and stepped into the entryway.
Immediately, a series of warm greetings came from inside.
"Little Che, welcome home."
"Welcome home, big brother."
Uesugi Tetsu looked up and saw, in the center of the living room, his "mother," whose features were grotesquely twisted and whose entire body was dripping blood. Beside her stood his "younger sister," her eyes empty as she let out a tinkling cackle.
"Little Che? Why are you just standing there?"
"Huh? Why is Big Brother standing there without moving?"
The sinister, terrifying voices continued to ring out.
Uesugi Tetsu clearly remembered that his original body's parents had died years ago. He also had no classic little sister or stepsister from a light novel.
Both parents dead, no sister, and a house—that was supposed to be my starting setup.
Perhaps Uesugi Tetsu had been standing at the door for too long. "Mother" and "younger sister" both walked toward him, scarlet drool dripping from their mouths as they spoke urgently:
"Little Che? Can you hear me?! Can you see me!?"
"Big Brother, can you see me? Can you see me? Can you see me!?"
In the silence, Uesugi Tetsu silently fastened the Oni Mask over his face and opened his arms toward his "family."
"Mom, Sis! Long time no see. Of course I can see you..."
Laughing Brahma happily nodded, a smile of harvest blooming across her face.
"I've missed you to death!"
Before you continue