Chapter 6: Into the Demon’s Belly

Riko felt herself sinking endlessly.

She knew she was underwater, yet her breathing remained smooth.

A pleasant bell chime rang in her ears.
Her hands were gently held, fingers interlaced.

Opening her eyes, she saw Seimei grasping her hands, his hair tied back, floating lightly in the water.
Bubbles rose around them, a beam of light shining down as they sank slowly within it.

“Where are we?”
Riko scanned the surroundings.
Beyond the light, all was black, only the flow of water tangible.

“Inside a youkai’s stomach.”
Seimei said.

Riko’s eyes widened.
Seimei laughed lightly.

“Teasing me?”

“Not exactly.
We are in a youkai’s stomach, but this youkai is the inn we stayed at.”

“The inn?”

“Yes,” Seimei said thoughtfully, looking at her.
“When I heard you talking to that woman, I didn’t realize at first.
I thought a human inn might occasionally host youkai.
But this inn itself is a youkai, one that serves other youkai.”

“Why did we end up here?”

“Your scent woke the inn.
It thought a youkai was checking in, so it appeared on the street.
That explains why, on a busy road, it had so few guests.”

“If the inn’s made of wood, why does it eat people?”
Riko asked.

“As a youkai serving other youkai, it’s still a youkai—a special kind.
Like that woman said, your scent attracts youkai.
But the inn didn’t dare touch her, so it waited until she left to devour you.”

“My scent?”
Riko’s gaze drifted to the Hontsubo Bell.
The wooden tag inside always released a strange fragrance when taken out, lingering for days.
Could that be it?

“What’re you thinking?”

Riko hesitated.
“I was wondering…”

“Whether to tell me the bell’s secret?”

As he spoke, they reached the bottom.
The light illuminated a floor wriggling with fleshy buds, oozing sticky liquid.

“Hiss.”
Riko gasped, her feet burning as if scorched.

Seimei pulled her up to float again.
“Soon, this water will turn into the youkai’s stomach acid, and we’ll be dissolved.”

He looked at her again.
“You should tell me what the Hontsubo Bell hides.
If we don’t mask this scent, you’ll keep attracting youkai.
Think how many you’ve met tonight.”
He met her eyes earnestly.
“Don’t you trust me?”

With that said, and knowing she couldn’t handle the scent alone, she let go of Seimei’s hand to retrieve the bell’s contents.

Seimei quickly wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Don’t let go, you’ll fall.”

Riko blinked, now so close she could count his eyelashes.
Uncomfortable, she leaned back, but the more she did, the tighter his grip became.

“Can’t hold on?”
Seimei asked, puzzled.
“Why do you keep slipping?”
He wrapped his other arm around her, locking her securely.
“There, safe now.”

The water’s sway, combined with Seimei’s loosely tied bathrobe, left it hanging open from collarbone to chest.
If she looked down, she’d see all of him.

Suppressing her embarrassment, she tugged his robe closed, then cinched his waistband tightly, tying three firm knots to keep it secure.

Seimei chuckled.
“You’re like my mom.
She never held back tying my belt, nearly strangling me every time.”

“Lord Seimei’s mother?”
Riko paused, tying another knot for good measure, ensuring he wouldn’t slip out.
“She must be beautiful.
Will I meet her in Heian-kyo?”

“She passed away.”

“Sorry…”
Riko whispered.

“It’s fine, it was long ago.”
Seimei seemed unwilling to dwell.

Riko fell silent, untying the Hontsubo Bell and clasping it in her hands.
A soft glow flashed, and the wooden tag appeared, filling the water with a faint fragrance.

Gurgle, gurgle.
Countless bubbles surged, churning violently.
The scent seemed to excite the youkai inn, releasing more acid.

Seimei frowned.
“Put it away.
We’ll deal with it once we’re out.”

Riko tucked the tag back into the bell.
Seimei’s voice sounded.
“Hold tight, this is real water now.”

He formed a hand seal.
With a boom, an unseen force tore a hole in the darkness.
Icy liquid rushed in, the surroundings roiling.

The youkai inn let out a piercing wail.

Seimei held Riko tightly, riding the cold current out.

Riko felt her eardrums press, water flooding her nose and mouth.
Her lungs emptied, bubbles escaping.
Unable to open her eyes, she clung to Seimei like an octopus.

Seconds later, air rushed in, followed by chilling wind.
Shivering, she opened her eyes, gasping, and found they’d surfaced.

The dim light and pale moonlight revealed a sea.

Seimei lifted her, stepping across the water toward a half-submerged torii gate.

He set her on the torii’s crossbeam, casting a small barrier.
The half-dome shielded a meter of sea around them, blocking the wind.
She stopped shivering.

“Where are we?”

“Inari Shrine.”
Seimei said flatly.
Seeing her confusion, he added,
“Inari is a fox god, blessing prosperity and harvests.”

“Why’s it flooded?
And no temple, just this gate?”
Riko asked.

The torii was a gateway to the divine.
Yet here, in the vast sea, it stood alone, like a world abandoned by gods.

“Because people don’t like foxes anymore.”
Another flat reply.

“Oh.”
Riko quickly forgot it, gripping the Hontsubo Bell.
“Can I take it out now?”

“Yes, the barrier’s up.”
Seimei answered briefly.

A faint glow flashed, and the wooden tag reappeared, its fragrance spreading.

Seimei took it, examining it closely.
“This scent is definitely from the Asura Ghost Realm.
But I’ve never seen this object.”
He tried infusing it with spiritual energy, but the tag stayed inert, its five tadpole-shaped grooves lifeless.

“Where’d you get it?”

“It slipped into my pocket on its own.”
Riko wasn’t lying.

She twisted her fingers nervously.
“Is something bad going to happen?”

Seimei shook his head.
“Not sure yet.
But since youkai are drawn to this scent, don’t take it out lightly.”
He returned the tag, watching her tuck it back into the bell.

“You’re not confiscating it, Lord Seimei?”
She asked hesitantly.

He smiled softly.
“Of course not, it’s yours.
Were you worried I’d take it, so you kept quiet?”

Riko nodded.
The tag was vital to her; she believed it brought her here.
Maybe it held the secret to going back.

“You said its scent attracts youkai?”

“It does, but only when you take it out.
The scent lingers on you for days.
But something stored in the Hontsubo Bell isn’t likely evil.”

“What about the scent?”

“I have a fragrance at home that can nullify any smell.”
Seimei stood, pulling her up.
“I planned to deal with that Rolling Head first, but we need to return now.”

He bit his index finger, writing a name in the blood-scented air.
Smoke swirled outside the barrier, and a man in his twenties appeared.
Disheveled hair, sharp face, scarlet snake-like pupils.

“Tengu, take our luggage back to Heian-kyo.
Give me your copper whistle and money pouch.”

Tengu handed over a slim whistle and pouch, glanced at Riko, bowed, and vanished.

“Who was that?”
Riko asked, surprised.
The man from Seimei’s room conversation?
A retainer, maybe?

“You can see him?”
Seimei was more shocked.

“Of course.”
She wasn’t blind.

Seimei paused, a wry smile forming.
“This kid I picked up is something else.
A bit of trouble, but not bad.”

“What?”

“Tengu is my shikigami.
Normal humans can’t see him.”

Riko blinked.

“Only onmyouji or shrine maidens with spiritual power can see him.
You can animate paper.
It’s no surprise you’re tied to strange things.”
Seimei smiled.
“We’ll handle the rest in Heian-kyo.”

“How do we get back?
Another shortcut talisman?”
Riko asked.

“Too slow.”
Seimei blew the copper whistle Tengu gave him.

The whistle’s faint sound stirred the sea, waves crashing against the barrier, frothing white.

Woo—
A strange horn sounded in the distance.

A ship-like shadow emerged, a tattered vessel wrapped in octopus-like tendrils, eerie.
A blind monk with a lute stood at the bow, his closed eyes facing them.
“Hey, Seimei, you again?
You sure love roaming.”

“It’s a youkai ship, but a kind one.
In fog, Kaizato guides fishermen.
Unlike Umibozu, a bad youkai who demands fish or capsizes boats.”

The ship neared the torii.
Kaizato extended a hand.
“Fifty copper coins, thanks.”

“Isn’t it five per person?”

“Midnight call, and I can’t raise the price?
Take it or leave it, I’m the only Kaizato around.”
The kind youkai threatened, turning the ship.

A black-market taxi, huh.

Seimei handed over the coins, and Kaizato lowered the plank.

“Let’s head to Heian-kyo.”
Seimei offered his hand.

Riko stood on the torii’s beam, glancing back and noticing something carved on it.
Her eyes flickered, and she bent to look.

Under the moonlight, the weathered torii bore a deeply etched name: Shimizu Rikako.