Chapter 9: The Scent of Ashes

Seimei closed the doors and windows, pulling a triangular orange incense from his pocket.
He placed it on a dish and lit it.

The incense released wisps of blue smoke, and Riko sat obediently, letting it dispel her scent.

Seimei sat on a cushion, his eyes full of apology.
“My mistake this time.
I forgot to remove your scent first.”

Riko shook her head quickly.
“How could it be your fault, Lord Seimei?”
She hesitated.
“Was that Red Leaf youkai drawn by my scent?
If so, I caused those deaths.”

“Of course not.
Why think that?”
Seimei looked surprised.

“Your scent only increases the chance of youkai noticing you.
If a youkai’s hunting, you might escape without it.
The scent just pulls you into their path.
With or without you, they’d hunt there.”

“By your logic, I’d be the cause too, since I carry the same scent.”

His words lifted two mountains of guilt from Riko’s back, easing her burden.
But youkai were still despicable.

“Why did Red Leaf appear there?”
Riko asked, frowning.

Her troubled, earnest look made Seimei’s lips curve.
He poured a cup of water from a porcelain pot and slid it to her.
“Youkai have been frequent lately.
The Yin-Yang Bureau’s lords are investigating.
We’ll know why soon.”

Riko sipped the sweet red bean water, her eyes curving like orange slices.
Seimei smiled softly.

“Oh, Lord Seimei, I took down Red Leaf’s brother, Vine, in the barrier,” she said, beaming with pride.

“Really?
That’s impressive!”
Seimei, surprised, grinned.
“How’d you do it?”

“Well, not that impressive…”
His praise pinked her cheeks, and she shyly recounted the scene in the barrier.

“So, like that, Vine turned into light and got sucked into the bell.”

Seimei listened intently, his eyes flickering at the end.
“Show me the bell’s contents.”

Riko untied the Hontsubo Bell, took out the wooden tag, and handed it over.

Seimei’s eyes widened.
The tag’s once-dark tadpole-shaped grooves now had one tip glowing.

“It’s glowing?
So strange!”
Riko’s eyes widened too, shocked and delighted.

She hadn’t checked it earlier, and now it felt like a sealed room had opened a skylight.
Could she go back?

“Strange indeed.
Is it a tag that absorbs youkai?”
Seimei looked at the girl propping her cheeks.
“Maybe we can test it—does it take light from any dead youkai, or only those you kill?”

“Okay.”
Riko nodded.

“One more thing,” Seimei’s expression grew serious.
“Red Leaf is a puppeteer, common among youkai, hiding and manipulating decoys to hunt.
We didn’t truly kill her, so she’s still out there, weakened without Vine.
Before she dies, she’ll come for revenge.”

“What do I do?
I’ll stick to you and wait for her!”
Riko sat up, panicking at the memory of Red Leaf’s final frenzy.
Killing Vine was luck—he was weak.
But Red Leaf, with her hunting prowess, was different.

“Hmm, that won’t do,” Seimei said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
“I’m busy studying yin-yang arts during the day.”

“Oh, never mind then.”
Riko waved it off.
“Studying’s important, my issue can wait.”
But her mind raced, calculating the feasibility of crushing Red Leaf with ten thousand paper dolls.

“I can protect you at night, though,” Seimei said slowly, propping his cheek.

“No need.”
Riko declined, sensing his unserious tone.

Seimei chuckled.
“Alright, truth is, I enrolled you as an apprentice shrine maiden.”

“Apprentice shrine maiden?”
Riko sat up straight.
“What’s that?”
It sounded grand.

“Before becoming official, shrine maidens train.
Noble girls are sent to Ise Shrine to study.
After, they serve gods at shrines.
They can resign to marry, their value increased, so nobles eagerly send their daughters.”

“Uh, I don’t want to marry.”
Riko shook her head.

“Hm, seems we’re kindred spirits,” Seimei said with a smile.

Riko recalled his I’m above base desires line.

“Why don’t you want to marry, Lord Seimei?”

“It’s boring,” Seimei said, dodging the topic.
“Tomorrow, someone will take you to Ise Shrine.
Youkai don’t dare approach sacred places, and you’ll be home at night with me.
Red Leaf won’t dare come.
Plus, it’s a way to legitimize your abilities.
Skills gained under shrine training won’t draw suspicion.”

“Can’t I be an onmyouji like you?”
Riko asked.

Seimei’s eyes widened slightly, surprised.
“You want to be an onmyouji?”

“Yes,” Riko nodded shyly.
“I want to be a fierce, powerful onmyouji like you.
If this tag needs youkai to fill it, what’s faster than being an onmyouji?”

Seimei laughed softly.
“No way.”

“Why not?”

“First, I’m not fierce.
Second, being an onmyouji is too dangerous.
I’d rather see you in a chihaya robe, ringing kagura bells, safe at Ise Shrine.
Shrine maidens learn basic yin-yang arts.”

“But I want to be an onmyouji.
Is it only for boys?”

“Not quite.
The training’s bloody and grueling.
Plus, at a certain age, marriage pressures arise.
Onmyouji exams are brutal, so few women choose it.
If you’re set on it, you can decide during shrine maiden exams, but I don’t recommend it.”

Seeing Riko’s sulky look, Seimei smiled.
“Try Ise Shrine first.
You might like it.”

Unable to refuse him, Riko nodded.
“Okay.”

Seimei propped his chin, adding,
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to go.”

The triangular incense had burned out.

Seimei brushed the ashes into a pile and stood with the dish.
“It’s late.
Rest.”

“Lord Seimei.”
Riko stood, showing him the jade fish.
“What about this?”
Genji Hatsu had tossed it to her in the cherry grove before vanishing with the sword-wielding man, leaving no time to return it.

Seimei’s lips curved.
“Don’t worry.
Genji Hatsu can’t defy his father.
If he could, he wouldn’t be studying yin-yang arts.”

“Really?”
Riko relaxed slightly.
“Wait, he doesn’t like yin-yang arts?”

“Hates them.
And he really dislikes me,” Seimei said casually.

Hating yin-yang arts means disliking Seimei?
What’s the logic?
Riko’s eyes widened in surprise.

Seimei slid open the door.
The moon hung high, the courtyard quiet and cozy.
Standing tall, he gazed at the moon, his sharp jawline and youthful presence exuding strength and safety.

Turning, he smiled at Riko.
“By the way, General Minamoto Raiko will likely hear of this today.
Genji Hatsu will probably come for you tomorrow.
You can give him a hard time.”

Huh?
How?
Make him write I swear not to bother you a thousand times?
Or Seimei’s my boss?

Riko stifled a laugh.