Mutual Flattery

Nagaosaki Akira frowned at Tomioka Yoshimasa's words. Beside him, Tanaka Shigenaga gave Tomioka a strange look.

What do you mean I don't have that much spiritual power? Do you even have any spiritual power yourself?

"But I know someone who can definitely drive the monsters in Eastern Heijō-kyō back to Yomi," Tomioka Yoshimasa said earnestly.

Nagaosaki Akira's eyes lit up. "Who?"

"High Priestess Reiko."

The moment Tomioka Yoshimasa said that, Nagasaki Akira called someone and told them to invite High Priestess Reiko over.

Tanaka Shigenaga's eyes lit up too.

What a fine way to pass the responsibility off.

He would neither offend Nagasaki Akira, deputy director of the Public Security Intelligence Agency, nor have to actually catch any monsters.

Tanaka Shigenaga nodded with an air of profound wisdom. "High Priestess Reiko serves Amenominakanushi. Her spiritual power is unmatched. If we can bring her here, the monster problem in Eastern Heijō-kyō will surely be resolved with ease."

In truth, he had only learned about Reiko recently.

That did not stop him from singing High Priestess Reiko's praises.

"It's a shame the Tsuchimikado family, the most renowned among us Onmyoji, has disappeared. If they were still around, their Twelve Shikigami, passed down through generations, would make short work of the monsters in Eastern Heijō-kyō."

The sophisticated way to brag was to talk up the entire profession.

If the Onmyoji profession was impressive, then surely he, a famous Onmyoji, had to be impressive too.

After hanging up, Nagasaki Akira nodded at Tanaka Shigenaga's words. He had been right to seek out priests and onmyoji. These people really did possess supernatural powers. They simply kept a low profile and revealed them only in times of crisis.

Beside him, Tomioka Yoshimasa looked at Tanaka Shigenaga with disdain.

Weren't the Tsuchimikado family just Abe no Seimei's descendants? Didn't they decline during the wars ages ago? Twelve Shikigami, my ass.

If they'd really had twelve Shikigami, would those samurai have cut them down?

But there was no need to call him out.

They were both experts at bragging. Mutual flattery was the rule; anyone who undermined the other would get an earful.

Tomioka Yoshimasa smiled and nodded. "The Tsuchimikado family's Twelve Shikigami were formidable indeed. Unfortunately, the family had many enemies, especially the Harima school of Onmyoji, who regarded them as mortal foes."

"During the Azuchi-Momoyama Period, the Tsuchimikado family went to war with the Harima school of Onmyoji. Both sides suffered devastating losses. The Tsuchimikado family's Twelve Shikigami and the White Child and Black Child passed down through the Harima school were all destroyed in that conflict. The two great schools of Onmyoji declined after that battle. What a shame."

Bragging was one thing, but priests and Onmyoji were rivals. Naturally, he had to take a little swipe at the Onmyoji and diminish their power in the public eye. Otherwise, if everyone thought Onmyoji were so capable, they would go to them for everything. Who would come to the priests?

The Tsuchimikado family and the Harima school of Onmyoji declined because they went to war?

How come I never heard about that?

The Tsuchimikado family and the Harima school of Onmyoji were on bad terms and saw each other as enemies. But didn't the Tsuchimikado family decline because they offended Oda Nobunaga and he had them cut down? And didn't the Harima school just fade away over the generations? What war did they ever fight?

You have a nasty streak, Tomioka Yoshimasa. Even while bragging, you can't resist taking a swipe at us Onmyoji.

Tanaka Shigenaga scoffed inwardly and said, "If we're talking about regrettable losses, Buddhism suffered the greatest. During the Shogunate Era, Buddhism and Shinto fought fiercely for followers. Who knows how many priests and monks died on the battlefield, or how many Shinto Shrines and temples went up in flames?"

As he spoke, Tanaka Shigenaga grew wistful. "We had all long since transcended worldly concerns. Why fight to the death over a little earthly power?"

Two targets with one swipe. Tanaka Shigenaga, you're ruthless.

Tomioka Yoshimasa sneered inwardly, but his expression did not change. "Their powers may have transcended the ordinary, but their hearts had not. Otherwise, why would the onmyoji have joined the Anti-Shogunate War? That war nearly broke their line of succession. Even now, many onmyoji from less established lineages have no shikigami and can only maintain their status with a few minor spells. It's truly regrettable."

"The Anti-Shogunate War was not fought for personal gain, but for all of Japan. Although it nearly broke the onmyoji line of succession, I believe our predecessors' efforts and sacrifices were worthwhile," Tanaka Shigenaga declared righteously. "If I had lived in that era, I would have joined them."

"And the Onmyoji are nowhere near as diminished as you claim. After a century of recovery, we have long since regained our strength.

"As far as I know, three years ago, an Onmyoji subdued the Shikigami Shuten-dōji. Even in the era of the Anti-Shogunate War a century ago, he would have ranked among the very best."

Facing his old rival's boasts, Tomioka Yoshimasa remained perfectly calm. "Shuten-dōji is powerful, but how could he compare to a god?"

"High Priestess Reiko summoned the great Amenominakanushi from Takama-ga-hara by her power alone to bless the faithful. Across all of history, only a handful have ever possessed spiritual power equal to hers."

Tanaka Shigenaga stared blankly for a moment. When it comes to bragging, Tomioka Yoshimasa, you've got me beat.

Damn those ancient Onmyoji for failing to create a Shikigami stronger than a god. Now I can't even outbrag my old rival Tomioka Yoshimasa.

Beside them, Nagasaki Akira listened intently to Tanaka Shigenaga and Tomioka Yoshimasa.

These are secrets of history.

Secrets ordinary people could never learn, not even someone like him, the deputy director of the Public Security Intelligence Agency.

If he had not heard it with his own ears, he would never have imagined there was another side to Japan's history.

The Tsuchimikado family, with its Twelve Shikigami, had not simply offended Oda Nobunaga and been cut down. They had first been gravely weakened in a war with the Harima school of Onmyoji, leaving them vulnerable to Oda Nobunaga.

Nor had Shinto suddenly risen to prominence because the government supported it after the Meiji Restoration. It had defeated Buddhism in war and become the dominant faith in one stroke.

And the onmyoji had declined because they had taken part in the Anti-Shogunate War. They had helped bring about Japan's modernization.

This is history. The real history that never made it into the history books.

Nagaosaki Akira was listening, enthralled, when his phone suddenly rang.

He checked the caller ID and answered with great deference.

"What... Yes, yes. I'll handle it at once. I'll make sure the impact is kept to a minimum."

After hanging up, Nagasaki Akira pressed his palms together and bowed to the two men before him. "High Priestess Reiko exhausted her spiritual power summoning the great Amenominakanushi to bless the faithful. She is still unconscious."

"The higher-ups are worried that the situation in Eastern Heijō-kyō will keep deteriorating. They've ordered us to bring it under control as soon as possible. I'm sorry to trouble you both!"