Carelessness Gets Mother

"I wonder if Ririko will have a mental breakdown when she remembers this tomorrow…"

Uesugi Tetsu felt helpless as he played the role of a doting mother, comforting Ririko all the way amidst the crowd's stares.

Uesugi Tetsu didn't know why Ririko would transform into a timid baby mode when she didn't have a sword in hand, despite being a great swordsman when she did.

But it didn't matter. At least the atmosphere in the car, which had been tense, became cheerful, preventing further deterioration of her relationship with Nanjo Aimi.

"Sister Nanjo, we're here."

As the engine sputtered to a halt, the muscular young man Hasegawa turned around with a bright, cheerful smile.

Before getting out of the car, Uesugi Tetsu silently etched the words "Friendship Club" firmly into his mind.

—The name itself sounded suspicious, and they sold spiritual items filled with resentment to ordinary people. It was definitely a cult.

Uesugi Tetsu had no desire to uncover the truth or any hidden conspiracies. He just hoped they wouldn't bother him.

He only wanted to develop steadily and live a peaceful life.

"Hasegawa, take her inside to give her statement first."

After coaxing Ririko into the police station, only a man and a woman were left beside the old van.

A Teru Teru Bozu with big, blinking eyes was perched on Uesugi Tetsu's head as he watched Nanjo Aimi take out a cigarette and light it.

"Want one?"

"No, thank you."

Nanjo Aimi didn't press the issue and put 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—what they call the 'Special Affairs Division'—later, remember to refuse."

Uesugi Tetsu nodded. "Oh."

This time, it was Nanjo Aimi's turn to be curious. "Aren't you going to ask me why?"

Uesugi Tetsu replied, "When the boss gives an order, subordinates only need to say 'Roger that.'"

Nanjo Aimi exhaled a puff of smoke, smiling for the first time. "Uesugi-kun, you are calm and intelligent. If you were to walk the path of an Onmyoji, I'm sure you would soon leave me far behind."

Is she praising me?

Uesugi Tetsu glanced sideways at the woman beside him.

Nanjo Aimi's profile was shrouded in a faint mist of smoke. Her lips were thin and red, her collarbone delicate. She didn't look like an office worker who had been working for many years, but rather like a sixteen-year-old JK from the next class.

The woman noticed his gaze but didn't seem to mind. She simply spoke the words she had already prepared: "But for that very reason, I hope you won't get involved with these things for now."

As if sensing Uesugi Tetsu's confusion, Nanjo Aimi extinguished her cigarette, her expression calm and serious.

"You'll die."

Nanjo Aimi produced a jet-black cloth doll from somewhere. "The 'First Wave,' symbolizing the full resurgence of supernatural phenomena, has not yet arrived; the Special Affairs Division was only recently established and its system is still incomplete; the Friendship Club is still causing havoc in Arakawa Ward…"

Uesugi Tetsu took the cloth doll and was stunned when a panel popped up.

—Ms. Nanjo, are you my mother?

[Name: Nanjo Aimi]
[Quality: Rare]
[Usage: Automatic Trigger]
[Effect: After use, 'Nanjo Aimi' will instantly appear behind you.]

"Keep it with you. It will help you when you face a mortal threat."

Uesugi Tetsu unhesitatingly put away the highest quality item he had ever seen and asked, "Then, what's the price?"

"I like talking to smart people."

Nanjo Aimi leaned closer, her work ID dangling in the air, the scent of white musk wafting into Uesugi Tetsu's nostrils. "However, I'll bring up the conditions later. For now, I just want to hear your answer."

"—Uesugi-kun, are you willing to accept this investment from me?"

After meeting the woman's gaze for a moment, Uesugi Tetsu silently took out his phone and displayed his QR code. "Sister Nanjo, let's add each other on Line."

Nanjo Aimi blinked, her expression momentarily looking extremely peculiar, but she didn't say anything further.

With a ding, Uesugi Tetsu looked at Nanjo Aimi's Line name—[Onmyo Junior Official · Nanjo Aimi].

A work account, huh.

After refusing Hasegawa's enthusiastic invitation and Ririko's request to "stay overnight at the police station together," Uesugi Tetsu decided to head back to the home he now lived in.

As he left, he still saw Nanjo Aimi standing alone, silently smoking, her thoughts unknown.

The small Teru Teru Bozu sat on top of her head, accompanying her silently.

After a moment's thought, Uesugi Tetsu decided it was best to say goodbye.

"Sister Nanjo, I'm leaving."

The woman looked back, somewhat bewildered. "You want me to give you a ride?"

Uesugi Tetsu shook his head. "Tokugawa-san already called a taxi for me."

Nanjo Aimi couldn't be bothered to look at him.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Uesugi Tetsu felt like she let out an displeased click of her tongue.

Before long, the taxi called by the rich young lady Ririko arrived. Just as Uesugi Tetsu let out a sigh of relief and was about to get in, he heard a cold warning from behind him:

"If you don't want to get involved in more trouble, don't investigate that club."

"I know, Nanjo-nee."

Right now, he definitely had to lie low and develop his strength until he was far superior to that club, then he would take care of those ghastly things all at once.

Half an hour passed in a flash.

Looking at the outrageous amount on the fare screen, even though it wasn't his money, the usually frugal Uesugi Tetsu felt a pang of heartache. If it were next door, twenty yuan would have been enough.

"Thank you."

After politely thanking the driver who was working hard late at night, Uesugi Tetsu took out his key and walked to his doorstep.

His nose twitched slightly.

This house's smell... seemed a bit off.

Uesugi Tetsu first used his large eyes to observe the situation inside, raising an eyebrow, before inserting the key into the lock.

He opened the door and stepped into the entryway.

Then, friendly greetings came from inside.

"Little Tetsu, welcome home."

"Onii-chan, welcome home."

Uesugi Tetsu looked up and saw his "mother" in the center of the living room, her features extremely distorted and bleeding all over, and standing beside her, his "sister" with hollow eyes, letting out a tinkling, giggling laugh.

"Little Tetsu? Why are you standing there frozen?"

"Huh? Why is Onii-chan just standing there?"

Sinister and terrifying voices kept coming.

Uesugi Tetsu clearly remembered that his parents had died years ago, and he didn't have a classic younger sister or stepsister like in those light novels.

Parents deceased, no sister, but a house—that was supposed to be his starting situation.

Perhaps because Uesugi Tetsu stood at the door for too long, the "mother" and "sister" both walked towards him, scarlet saliva dripping, and they spoke urgently:

"Little Tetsu? Can you hear me?! Can you see me!?"

"Onii-chan, can you see me? Can you see me? Can you see me!"

In the silence, Uesugi Tetsu silently put on the Oni Mask and opened his arms towards his "family":

"Mom, Sis! Long time no see, of course I can see you..."

The Laughing Brahma nodded happily, revealing a smile like that of a harvest.

"I've really, really missed you all!"