I Look Forward to Meeting You, With My Strongest Weapon in Hand.

A gloomy sky, a chill that seeped into the bones.

Although the Cat Merchant had formed a few suspicions about this unfamiliar place the moment she arrived, when the onmyoji before her confirmed them and said he would summon that person's soul for her, she suddenly grew uncomfortable—even guilty.

Her thin lips parted as she tried to apologize, but he seemed utterly unconcerned by her rudeness and simply began forming hand seals.

His response left her already unsettled heart even more flustered.

Meanwhile, the Cat Merchant caught sight of the unfamiliar yokai around her from the corner of her eye.

Though she knew none of them, she could sense something in them that mirrored herself: they were all nervously awaiting something.

Lord Onmyoji...

Just how many people's wishes have you promised to grant?

We are yokai, you know.

Coming back to herself, the Cat Merchant looked again at the human standing nearby. In that brief span, all the sharpness in her gaze had faded.

Just then, pink butterflies formed from spiritual power fluttered out of his sleeves and flew toward those waiting around him.

She was among them, of course.

One fluttering butterfly settled on the kerchief tied around her neck. It was a keepsake left by that person, and these delicate, translucent little creatures seemed to be sensing the traces of the dead lingering upon such objects.

Soon, the butterfly beat its tiny wings and fluttered away from the mourner's keepsake, flying deeper into the Land of the Dead.

Summoning: Underworld Butterfly.

"Wait here for a little while. If they are in this world, they will certainly come to meet you."

Arata spoke very softly.

There was neither the commanding air of a master addressing his contracted yokai nor the assured composure he had shown when speaking with Yama,