Becoming a Devilish Cultivator's Miko

"After all, he himself wouldn't raise a cat."

"Because… atonement?"

"Yeah, actually, Zen's deceased mother was a very strict person. That guy's mom found out about the cat he was secretly raising back then."

"That cat ended up dying. Although Zen said he killed it himself, I suspect it was his mother. But Zen still stubbornly blamed himself for everything."

"His mother was truly a terrifying person. It was less discipline and more like control. She used to yell at me too, telling me not to come near, not to look, and so on. I think Zen is still bound by his mother now, unwilling to integrate into groups. Even with cats he cares about, he approaches it with the attitude that he needs to atone for his mistakes. It's really troublesome."

"However,"

Satoshi paused, then smiled at Yotsuya Miko.

"Precisely because of this, I want to help Zen break free from such a predicament. This is what I, as his friend, should do. Of course, it's also my duty as a veterinarian."

"I see."

Yotsuya Miko's gaze shifted to the kitten.

"Is it for redemption…?"

She recalled the ghost possessing Tono Zen, whom she had completely annihilated, and the vengeful spirits of those cats. Finally, she understood their origins.

"He is already free."

"Huh?"

Satoshi looked at her, confused. However, Miko, who had already decided what she wanted to do, didn't explain. Instead, she looked at him urgently.

"Mr. Satoshi, do you know where Teacher Tono lives? I… have something I want to tell him."

Tono Zen walked on the road home, but his mind repeatedly replayed the words spoken by the student, Yotsuya Miko.

He couldn't refute those words, just like his current situation.

His life, his past, had thoroughly transformed him into who he was now. Even now, he would still dream of that afternoon, the splashing blood, and his mother's words.

Just as Satoshi had thought, he had been deeply influenced by the remnants of the past, the legacies of his past, throughout his life.

When he reached the apartment, his jumbled thoughts prevented him from noticing anything amiss until he arrived at his own door.

There stood two men in suits, looking at him with scrutinizing eyes.

"What is it?"

"Mr. Tono… that's you, right?"

One of them said, his tone sincere but not respectful.

"I hope you can cooperate with our work. Please tell us… how did that Silver Ball come about?"

"Silver Ball?"

Tono Zen looked at them. He had no knowledge of such rumors.

"If you're asking about a small, silver-white ball, then I found it on my person yesterday morning and threw it in the trash. So, is there something wrong with that ball?"

"Not at all, but I suggest you check the news."

The man who spoke gave a strange smile, a smile of schadenfreude. Having confirmed what they needed from Tono Zen, they chose to withdraw.

"Then, please excuse us. We are government officials, and we apologize for disturbing you in this manner."

Tono Zen, made curious by their sudden actions, frowned and silently opened his phone to search for information about the "Silver Ball."

"…A treasure that brings beauty to the world and washes away sin?"

Countless exaggerated headlines quickly caught his eye. The topic was extremely popular.

Those frantic reporters had even tracked down owners of the Silver Ball, including someone from Tono Zen's school.

"Natsukawa Yuki?"

He looked at the face he remembered quite well, seeming to realize something.

"So, she picked up that Silver Ball?"

But, what did that matter to him…?

"Teacher Tono!"

As he was lost in thought, an urgent voice disturbed him once again.

Because it was daytime, Yotsuya Miko, unable to use her spells, ran breathlessly to Tono Zen.

She looked at the man before her, trying to organize her words, but found it impossible to explain the matter clearly. Even so, she spoke.

"You are already free. No one, absolutely no one, you don't need redemption."

She didn't know why she was expending so much effort to do this, but she felt she had to. Only by doing so did she feel she would feel much better.

"That ghost has disappeared."

Tono Zen looked at her in surprise, not replying. He didn't understand what Miko was talking about, but seeing Miko go to such lengths just to say these words to him, he found it strange.

"Your behavior is very strange, Classmate Yotsuya."

I know, but I can't possibly tell you the truth.

Miko felt awkward. She opened and closed her lips, but no words came out. Her eyes desperately scanned her surroundings, searching for any hint of help, and then her gaze landed on the words on Tono Zen's phone.

Silver Ball.

"It's the Silver Ball!"

She exclaimed excitedly, attributing all her efforts to the Silver Ball in that instant.

"Teacher Tono, that Silver Ball has already dispelled your suffering. The heavy burden you carry is the gods' answer to your salvation!"

"...It was Satoshi who told you everything about me, wasn't it?"

Tono Zen didn't take the bait. Instead, he looked at her, seemingly understanding her meaning, and finally managed a smile.

"You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine, I am now, and I will be in the future. Besides, I've already discarded that Silver Ball."

He said, walking into his home, leaving Yotsuya Miko stunned in his place.

"...Liar."

Miko sighed, but still spoke her last words to the door.

"No, that Silver Ball hasn't abandoned you."

After that, there was silence. Tono Zen leaned against the door, shaking his head at her words. Just as he was about to walk further, he heard a sound underfoot.

It was a clatter.

In the dim room, a flash of silver was conspicuous.

It rolled onto the floor, wobbling into Tono Zen's line of sight.

It was a small, silver-white ball.

Chapter 59: Miko Finally Discovers the Silver Ball is Hot

"Will this really work?"

Yotsuya Miko asked herself as she walked along the road, bathed in the lingering sunset glow.

After learning about Tono Zen's situation from his friend Satoshi, she suddenly had an idea: she had to tell him about it.

The woman who had once profoundly influenced his life had completely vanished, and he, who had been bound for so long, was finally free.

But by the time she had run all the way there, panting, and stood before Tono Zen, that strong impulse had gradually weakened. Her mind began to consider various things, and the premise she had overlooked now became the biggest obstacle to her words.

She had indeed killed that ghost, but she couldn't tell anyone. This wasn't out of selfishness, but because she couldn't let an ordinary person fall into such a situation.

Not everyone was like her, seeing and gaining the ability to protect themselves. Letting ordinary people know about ghosts would only bring them trouble.

Thus, she was speechless. She reluctantly used the name of the Silver Ball and then placed a rune-inscribed Iron Pellet on Tono Zen, hoping he would believe it.

After doing all this, she could only wander aimlessly on the road, silently waiting for Tono Zen the next day. Strangely, she felt a sense of peace within her, as if she had finally found a direction.

This peace lasted for a long time, even after she returned home, until Yotsuya Kyosuke spoke.

"Did you get a new boyfriend?"

He looked at his sister, who was humming a tune, with a strange expression, naturally assuming the most common scenario. His words instantly shattered Yotsuya Miko's mood. She glared at Kyosuke resentfully.

"No way! Are you asking for a beating, you brat?!"

"Then why are you..."

Kyosuke whispered. Seeing Miko slowly walking towards him, he shrank back and wisely changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, the competition you signed up for is starting in a few days, right?"

He said, mentioning the competition rules along with it.

"I remember it's a three-round tournament: preliminaries, semifinals, and finals. The preliminaries involve writing a piece of calligraphy, and the semifinals and finals seem to have judges assign themes, writing related poems. Although it's a small local competition, it's surprisingly formal, and the prize money is quite substantial. I remember... it's fifty thousand yen for first place."

"Yeah, that's right."

Miko sat down beside him, also remembering the event. Although she had signed up, she hadn't practiced much, and she wasn't sure if she could write well.

"It would be great if I could win first place."

At least her wallet would be a little fuller, not as empty as it was now. Thinking about how she had treated Hana to a few breads that morning, Miko felt she was in a precarious situation. However, she was too embarrassed to ask her mother for money, even under the guise of feeding the cats.

"Uh, yeah."

Kyosuke agreed, even though his eyes betrayed his lack of confidence in his sister's calligraphy. This didn't stop him from saying the opposite under Miko's intimidating gaze.

"Sister, you should be able to get a good result."

"Yes, I believe in you too, Miko."

Yotsuya Touko walked by, carrying a plate of small dishes she had prepared from the kitchen. She said this, then thought of something else, placed the dishes on the dining table, and looked at Miko.

"Do you still have money lately? After all, you buy fish for the cat every day, and you've bought a lot of brushes and ink to practice calligraphy."

"If you don't have enough money, just tell Mom."

Hearing this, Miko quickly waved her hand.

"It's not that I'm that short on money, and I don't buy fish that often... I should have enough."

She said, hesitating slightly, and then declined. Kyosuke, propping his head with his hand, finally understood why his sister was participating in the competition. Miko's current demeanor was quite telling.

"Big sis, you're not expecting to win the competition for some pocket money, are you?"

He sighed, looking at Miko with the air of someone who'd been through it all.

"If that's what you're thinking, then you won't win, because you don't have the proper attitude towards calligraphy at all."

"...That's not true."

Yotsuya Miko felt a bit uncomfortable, especially seeing the smile on her mother's face, which made her feel even more uneasy. Her ears turned red, as if her little secret had been exposed, and she angrily took out all her embarrassment on her younger brother.

"If you can't speak properly, don't just say things that cause trouble for others!"

As she said this, she pounced on Kyosuke, using her size advantage to push him down onto the sofa and continuously rub his little face with her hands. A kid's face at this age hasn't fully developed yet; it's smooth and soft, making you want to touch it. Sensing the feeling in her hands, Miko increased the pressure.

Kyosuke, pinned underneath, struggled desperately, making muffled sounds from his mouth and placing his hope of rescue on his mother, who was watching the scene unfold. He reached out a hand that could still move towards Touko, but she merely covered her mouth with her hand and smiled, walking away, completely unconcerned about his predicament.

"Don't play too rough."

"Got it."

Yotsuya Miko replied, a smile on her lips, her sharp eyes looking down at Kyosuke from above.

"Do you know you were wrong?"

"I'm sorry."

Kyosuke mumbled incoherently. Seeing the boy beg for mercy, she finally stood up, smoothed her long hair, and then, as if nothing had happened, ruffled Kyosuke's hair.

"That's a good boy."

This was assault.

Yotsuya Kyosuke touched his reddened cheek and glared fiercely at Miko, feeling his dignity had been greatly offended. However, being unable to do anything, he sulked to the side, determined to ignore his sister for the entire day.

He listlessly turned on the TV, frequently changing channels until he landed on a local program, which finally piqued his curiosity.

"Are they talking about the Silver Ball?"