Everything else is secondary

"Woah! Atsun finally married!" a little girl blurts out.

"I did not." His reply is calm, flat.

"What's your name?"
"Your hair is pretty."
"Where are you from?"

Though tempted to let their excitement run on, Atsunori lifts a hand, signaling for order. His gaze then shifts to the children lingering farther back.

As delighted as half of the kids are with Avery, a small group seems… wary, frightened even.

"Hi, hi! I'm Avery. Thank you, I take great care of my hair. And I'm from a very faraway land across the seas."

The eyes of the kids around her light up, and she's soon bombarded with even more cheerful questions. Meanwhile, Atsunori approaches the more hesitant children.

"She has the Blessing of a Kitsune, a Yokai has accepted her. You can watch from here for now, and when you're ready, go say hello."

They nod but stay in place. The ones around Avery chatter excitedly, laugh nonstop, and receive pats and praises from her.

Even Atsunori can't help but smile at the scene.

Then, one boy beside him steps toward Avery while the others observe with interest. Her warm welcome draws a grin on the kid's face.

Before long, all of them surround her. They talk over each other constantly, yet she remembers what each says and responds in turn. Two of the boys start clashing with each other—she immediately finds common ground and naturally resolves the conflict.

No attempt at any order—she simply embraces the chaos, and flows with it.

She's… better at this than I expected.

A shadow crosses his face.

But the kids shouldn't make a habit of speaking out of turn.

With a gesture from his hand, he brings the children back in line.

"Woah, you did it again," Avery says. "You just wave and they go quiet."

"It applies to you too. Raise your hand before you speak."

"Eh? Do I have to?"

"Yeah." One girl responds—then catches herself and dips her head to Atsunori.

A faint frown crosses Avery's face as she watches the girl.

"Now," Atsunori continues, "let's keep this short. Who hasn't asked a question yet?"

Two arms shoot up—one of them Avery's.

With a nod, he acknowledges the child first.

"Who is her husband? She needs to be part of the family to be here."

"Avery is an exception. Her Blessing comes from a foreign Yokai so she's here to learn to control her powers."

Atsunori looks at Avery, who then turns to face the mob. "So, um… do you always play around here on the estate?"

The kids exchange glances, nodding at different times.

"Really? Don't you ever visit the town or go on trips outside?"

Troublesome question.

"Travel is limited for their safety, at least until they're older," Atsunori adds.

Giving her the word was a mistake—Avery acting like just another kid had him tangled up in it.

"That sounds… a bit excessive."

"It's how things work here, and you don't get to question it."

"But don't you think—?"

"Enough." The sharpness in his voice makes her flinch.

Why the startle? She's never been afraid of me until…

Until he threatened her.

With that realization, heavy silence settles over them. None of the children dare break it.

Just as he's about to speak, a familiar presence appears at the corner of his vision, and his body reacts automatically.

"Everyone, show respect."

As one, they bend forward, bodies dipping in unison to the approaching figure.

Though Avery hesitates, the severity of his glare compels her to bow just in time.

"Good day, young Atsunori." A clean, steady voice greets him.

"It's a pleasure to see you, sir."

"I don't mean to interrupt your time with the children, but we'd like to have a word with you. Could you come to the Main House soon?"

"Of course, I'll be there right away."

"Good. I see you've brought company as well. If you don't mind, bring her over so she can have some tea while waiting for us."

"Understood."

A foul bitterness hits Atsunori like a bucket of freezing water.

Despite knowing better, he made the Elders wait—bad enough that one had to personally come to summon him. Such disrespect.

Teeth sink into his cheek until the sharp tang of blood floods his mouth.

The instant the Elder disappears from sight, he straightens up and strides away, not looking back.

"We're leaving now. Goodbye."

"Atsun, that—"

"Not now, Avery. Let's go."

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

A golden bridge stretches into his view, painted in perfect profile. Beneath it, the water blooms with pink lotus flowers.

The scene and the bridge part in two as the sliding doors swing open, moved by silent servants.

Beyond them, another pair of doors waits. White, flawless fingers hold a fan inscribed with the characters for love. A Phoenix Guardian pattern warms her white robe. Dark hair—crow-black with ice-white streaks—flows upward to frame the priest's head. Half her face is hidden by the fan, yet her deep, endless eyes pierce directly into Atsunori's.

The doors open fully, and he is pulled free from the spell cast by the first Munakata Priest.

Before anything else, the bittersweet scent of incense surrounds him, reminding him to lower his head. Left foot first, he meticulously enters the room and kneels on the cushion laid at its center.

A small black box sits before him, its contents unknown.

The doors close behind, and he bows.

Four elders are seated on a slightly raised platform.

"It's good to see you well, young Atsunori. Pray, do tell us what you've been doing."

"First, I must sincerely apologize for not coming sooner, and even more so for requiring a direct summon from one of you. I have no proper excuse." He dips his head once more.

"It's quite alright," came the voice of Munakata Yorinobu, the Elder he had seen earlier. "I wanted to take a small stroll anyway. You may raise your head."

At their instruction, he recounts his experiences, beginning with the moment he heard yesterday's explosion. When he wishes to apologize for letting the culprit escape, one of the Elders reassures him, "You did well. You obtained a clue by securing his attire." As he tells of misjudging Avery and nearly causing her serious harm, another says, "What mattered was your intent. Your heart was in the right place."

With his story finished, an Elder who's been silent until now speaks.

"The attack was likely the work of an organization that intends us harm, not a lone individual. We believe this matter must be treated with the seriousness it deserves, and for that, we will appoint a group in charge of dealing with it. Do you have any opinion on the matter, young Atsunori?"

"I agree completely. If it's alright with you, I would like to offer myself as part of that group, if you would be so kind as to grant me another chance to deal with the culprits."

"That's quite alright. Would you like to be left in charge of the whole operation?"

Those words ripple through his whole body, and he barely restrains his reaction.

"It would be an honor. I swear I will not disappoint you again."

"Good. For the duration of this operation, you may freely give orders to any other family members and request their collaboration. Take as many for your team as you need, we trust your judgement."

"Many thanks. I'll make good use of the influence."

"You may open the box in front of you."

Removing the lid, he finds a black pistol, along with enough ammunition to put down an entire gang.

"Use it only if necessary. But do not hesitate if the time comes."

"Understood."

"As for the matter of the outsider. Will you be able to handle her on your own? It would be simpler than appointing someone she does not know."

"I'll do my best. But at times, I'll need to leave her on family grounds while I attend to certain parts of my task."

"That's fine, but thread carefully. She could become a valuable ally to our family if guided well… or a burden if she's not disciplined."

"I'll make sure to train her properly. As for the Kitsune she unsealed, I believe some measures should be taken against potential illusion spells."

"That won't be necessary." The last Elder adds.

An urge to ask why flickers through him, but it's not his place to question the Elders' decision. They must know something he doesn't—some guarantee that illusions, or perhaps that particular Kitsune, won't pose a threat in the near future.

"Is there anything else you wish to say, young Atsunori?" Elder Yorinobu asks.

"That's all from me. I thank you for your time, as well as for this opportunity."

"Farewell, may the spirits bless your work with good fortune."

One last bow, then he steps back attentively.

The Elders' trust lies on his shoulders now. Everything else is secondary. Atsunori will resolve this case, no matter the cost.