Visitors

Just as Shinji had promised, Jianxia only needed to build the houses. He would handle everything else.

Everyone at the Zenin Estate now had clearly defined duties.

Shinji was responsible for gathering desperate refugees and artisans. Whatever methods he used, he brought in anywhere from a dozen or so people to over a hundred at a time.

Some were refugees, while others came from other villages. But wherever they came from, they all surely carried hopes for a new life and trust in the Zenin Clan.

Before long, Hiraizumi's population had surpassed a thousand and was still growing-a remarkable figure for the Heian Era.

Jianxia kept his head down and built houses nonstop. At Shinji's suggestion, he also revised his original town plan to make it more practical.

On top of that, Jianxia installed a sewer system beneath Hiraizumi's streets. Though this construction, far ahead of its time, puzzled the others, no one said much.

The Chief must have his reasons!

Megumi Zenin, Uraume, and the newly recruited Zenin Wu Yan were responsible for going out at night to defeat and freeze cursed spirits, then bringing them back to the estate for Jianxia to absorb.

Since Hiraizumi had become a settlement, their efficiency had improved considerably. They brought in several low-level cursed spirits practically every night.

During this time, Jianxia also confirmed through the system that Evening Mist, which Zenin Wu Yan had delivered, was the reward for defeating the special grade cursed spirit.

The man himself was not included, but with a little trickery, Jianxia still got him to sign away his freedom-in other words, enter a binding vow.

It was basically buy one, get one free.

Incidentally, Zenin Wu Yan's innate cursed technique was "Burning Courage," the same technique Maki's father used in the original story, setting his sword ablaze with each slash.

Its strength was debatable, but at least he had one, so Jianxia assigned him to "Auspicious" as well. Under the binding vow's influence, Zenin Wu Yan could only obediently comply.

Over the days that followed, everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Until one day, a group of visitors broke that peace.

On a road three kilometers from Hiraizumi, a man and a woman were riding slowly on horseback.

"Lady Tengen, how much longer until we reach Hiraizumi?"

Tengen, who was in front, stopped and glanced at the sun overhead. The autumn weather was no longer particularly hot, and the sunlight felt pleasantly warm.

Then she turned toward the young man who had spoken and sighed helplessly.

"Lord Kamo Michisada, please be patient a little longer. We're almost at Hiraizumi."

Kamo Michisada impatiently picked at his ear. Even his splendid robes could not conceal his flippant air.

Rather than a jujutsu sorcerer, he looked more like a spoiled young master.

"I can't help it. The Fujiwara Clan killed my father. I'm already dying to see what our allies are like," Kamo Michisada said, urging his horse to pick up speed.

"If Zenin is as strong as that Gojo fellow, fine. But if he doesn't have the strength, we'd be better off fleeing as soon as possible."

Tengen did not respond and simply followed him in silence.

She had brought the Kamo Clan's head to Hiraizumi because preparations for deploying the great barrier were complete, and she had come to inform Shinji Zenin.

The Gojo Clan's head was supposed to have come along as well, but something apparently needed his attention unexpectedly, delaying him for the time being.

With no other choice, Tengen had set out ahead of him with Kamo Michisada.

If she had any alternative, she would not have wanted to travel with this eccentric clan head either.

But the closer they drew to Hiraizumi, the more puzzled they became.

"Wait... Lady Tengen, we haven't taken a wrong turn, have we? Are you sure we're heading toward Mutsu Province and not Heian-kyo?"

Kamo Michisada glanced at a farmer passing along the roadside with a cart, then at the wooden house he had just emerged from, his face full of disbelief.

Wasn't Hiraizumi supposed to be a backwater without even a village? How could some ordinary farmer afford such a fine house?

After the previous clan head-his father-had been assassinated by the Fujiwara Clan's Sun, Moon, and Stars Squad, he had taken his clansmen out of Heian-kyo and fled north to Dewa Province.

On the Kamo Clan's lands in Dewa Province, most farmers lived in thatched huts.

Even in Heian-kyo, only people of status could live in wooden houses built with such fine craftsmanship.

Tengen was even more puzzled than Kamo Michisada. He had never been here before, but she had visited Shinji Zenin less than a month ago.

Back then, Hiraizumi had been genuine wilderness, without a single sign of habitation for ten li around.

"We're heading in the right direction, but as for what happened here... I'm not sure either. We'll have to ask the Zenin Clan's head when we arrive."

Tengen had been active since the Nara Era two hundred years earlier. She had even traveled through the Great Tang as a member of an envoy mission.

But despite considering herself well traveled and knowledgeable, the changes Hiraizumi had undergone within a month were beyond her comprehension.

Three kilometers was not far. Urging their horses onward, the two arrived at Hiraizumi ten minutes later.

Undeveloped, desolate, overgrown with trees... That was what it should have been.

Instead, the first thing they saw was a towering stone wall, with a wooden gate standing open at its center. Farmers and merchants streamed through it without pause.

Beyond the gate, low wooden houses lined both sides of the street, looking as though they had all been cast from the same mold. They stretched to the opposite wall at the edge of their vision.

Every resident looked healthy and rosy-cheeked. Most wore clothes that were somewhat old, but all were intact.

Quite a few merchants had set up stalls along the streets, bartering with other people.

It was a sight they could not have found even in Heian-kyo.

Tengen and Kamo Michisada looked together at the name "Hiraizumi" on the wall.

Only after repeatedly making sure their eyes were not deceiving them did they accept that this was indeed their destination.

"Are you Lady Tengen and Lord Kamo? I'm Uraume. The Chief of 'Auspicious' sent me to receive you."

Tengen had informed Shinji of her itinerary three days earlier, so Hiraizumi was not entirely unprepared.

Uraume, who had been waiting at the gate for quite some time, spotted the two mounted dignitaries at once and hurried over to greet them.

Then, under Kamo Michisada's astonished gaze, two cursed spirits appeared behind Uraume and took hold of the horses' reins to lead them.

"Convergence: Piercing Blood!"

Kamo Michisada pressed his hands together and extended them, aiming at the approaching cursed spirits. Blood seeped from his fingertips, about to become a streak of speeding red light.

"Please don't be alarmed, Lord Kamo! The Chief's technique is 'Cursed Spirit Manipulation.' These cursed spirits have all been subdued!"

Uraume hurriedly explained. Kamo Michisada glanced at Tengen, and only after seeing her nod did he deactivate Blood Manipulation.

"Why didn't you tell me something that important sooner?"

For a jujutsu sorcerer, attacking a cursed spirit on sight was basic professional practice.

The Heian Era had none of the comprehensive logistical systems that would exist a thousand years later. Generally, sorcerers simply exorcised cursed spirits whenever they encountered them.

Tengen felt rather helpless as well. She truly had not expected Uraume to bring two cursed spirits to receive them.

Uraume dipped his head apologetically. "My sincerest apologies for startling you, Lord Kamo. Since our conversation is not suitable for ordinary people to overhear, the Chief sent cursed spirits to accompany me in welcoming you."

The two cursed spirits held the reins and guided the horses along the ground while Uraume led the way.

To ordinary people, it looked as though the two horses were following Uraume on their own.

After winding through a series of turns, Uraume brought the two into an alley.

As Uraume activated a barrier technique, the wall at the end of the alley began to turn insubstantial.

Both Tengen and Kamo Michisada were eager to learn just what had happened in Hiraizumi.

Perhaps that question would be answered once they entered the Zenin Estate within the barrier.

But the moment they stepped inside, they saw a man locked in an affectionate embrace with a long, thin cursed spirit.

"You and I have always been the best of friends..."

"Your name is 'House-Maker.'"

Under Kamo Michisada's downright horrified gaze, Jianxia pressed his head against House-Maker's smooth, bare one.