Revelations

The histrionic cry of pain from Yuuko paralyzed the three students. Shiina tightly embraced Asuka, her face as white as snow, trembling and terrified.

‘I-I knew this was a bad idea! We have to run!’ Asuka tried to push Shiina away. ‘I don’t want to die, Asuka!’ Shiina closed her eyes, whimpering and crying, repeating that she didn’t want to die.

‘Could you stop screaming!?’ the black-haired girl struggled with the redhead to get free from her embrace. Takenomiya covered Shiina’s mouth.

‘Shhh!’ The blonde girl frowned, looking at the building, trying to listen to the conversation between Yuuko and Ryoko.

‘A boy!? I can’t believe it. The Onmyou admitting a man!? It’s not possible!’ The discovery shocked Ko and the three gossiping students. Shiina, completely astonished, let go of Asuka.

‘A boy in the Onmyou?’ Marie’s face showed confusion.

‘Did Miss Niijou just say that the administration admitted a man?’ Asuka confided to Shiina, whose tears were still streaming down her cheeks. ‘But that’s impossible, right?’

‘It makes no sense.’ Shiina looked at Asuka and Marie, completely puzzled. Marie intervened to stop them, gesturing for them to be quiet.

‘…The thing is, since he arrived late, the administration was already closed. I weighed my options with him. I ended up taking him to the shelter, promising that I would pick him up today and sort out his issue at the administration.’

‘You got Mitsu drunk to stop her from finding out, right? But you ended up drinking as well, so she wouldn’t suspect.’ The nurse deduced.

‘Oh no, that was just a coincidence. Although I was afraid of running into her.’ Yuu corrected. ‘It’s all out of my control now.’

‘‘But why’d you two almost kill each other?’ Ryoko pondered. ‘Azu can be stubborn, but going as far as wanting to kill you...’ Shiina exhaled a sigh of relief.

‘At least we don’t have to deal with any killers.’ She thought to herself, as Asuka pondered on this new information. This new information.

‘I still can’t believe what Miss Serizawa said. It’s absurd!’ Asuka frowned seriously and looked at Marie. ‘We have to inform the three houses about this. We can’t allow…’ Marie made the gesture again for her to be quiet. A silver-haired girl passed in front of them like a breeze. ‘But what…?’ Marie narrowed her eyes, seeing a familiar figure reflected in the girl.

‘Fuyume?’ she wondered as Ko and Yuu’s conversation proceeded.

‘I don’t really understand it, either. Ayumu is just a kid… She mentioned something about a sect and me potentially colluding with them by protecting him.’

‘The White Order.’ Natsume’s voice was heard. She earned strange looks from her two subordinates. Natsume leaned on the entryway. ‘That’s why Azu went crazy.’ Takenomiya’s face turned pale upon hearing that name. Her heart seemed like it was about to jump out of her chest, and her breath caught. Asuka and Shiina looked at her.

‘Takenomiya?’ Asuka held her shoulder, worried.

‘What are you talking about?’ Yuuko asked. Natsu continued with the explanation.

‘The White Order mark is visible in his left hand. I’ve seen it too, and for a moment, I thought...’ After hearing that, Takenomiya held her left shoulder with her right hand. She hyperventilated. With each passing second, she felt worse. The teachers’ conversation continued, but the words seemed to fade in the air before reaching her. Saya’s unsettling and chilling laughter echoed in her head. An indescribable feeling of anxiety overwhelmed her. A memory surfaced, and she could clearly see the pale lady standing in front of two lifeless bodies of a man with silver hair and a woman in a pool of their mixed blood.

‘D-Da-ddy, mommy...?’ Takenomiya’s broken voice escaped her throat, tears welled up in her eyes; the pain in her shoulder caused by the White Order’s scar was intense, but even more so was the sorrow in her heart. Saya’s maniacal laughter stopped, and their gazes connected.

‘You can’t escape or hide from me, darling. You’re mine. No matter how far you try to run, that mark ties you to me. I’ll find you... Marie.’ She could hear Saya’s dreaded laughter right by her ear.

‘Takenomiya!!’ Marie took a deep breath, coming back to reality as she heard Asuka’s voice. She felt the blood rushing to her head, throbbing in her temples. She turned to look at Asuka and Shiina, who seemed anxious. ‘You’ve been acting strange for a while.’

‘Are you okay?’ Shiina looked at her in bewilderment. Marie opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a syllable, a childish voice interrupted abruptly.

‘Haven’t they told you it’s rude to eavesdrop?’ The three of them jumped at the sight of the silver-haired girl in front of them, arms crossed and a mischievous smile on her face.

‘Do you think a little shrimp like you can teach us manners?’ Shiina mocked the girl. She turned to her friends and pointed at the girl. ‘Who is this meddler supposed to be?’ Asuka tried to calm her.

‘Come on, Shiina, she’s just a little girl...’ She looked a little closer at Natsume. ‘She looks like the headmistress. Maybe she’s her daughter?’

‘I’ll have to be the one to teach you manners since it seems Mitsu doesn’t do it...’ Well, I’ll kill two birds with one stone. Natsume smiled widely. Asuka seemed a bit confused and repeated Sawari’s name.

‘Mitsu?’ Shiina pointed at Natsume and burst into laughter.

‘Are you going to teach us manners? That’s hilarious, shrimp. We are the student council...’ Natsume’s eyes gleamed. Shiina looked at her friends. ‘We should send this girl back to first grade...’ The expressions on Asuka and Marie’s faces seemed to contort, surprising Shiina. She discovered Natsume had vanished after turning around. ‘What...!?’ An icy breeze blew over them, and the headmistress appeared behind Shiina.

‘Looks like your ideas have cooled down, huh, Shiina Miura?’ Shiina tried to turn around, but a flash surprised her. Asuka tried to react before Natsume finished her spell.

‘Shiina!’ She tried to help her, but it was too late.

‘Sleep!’ Natsume announced. Asuka and Shiina collapsed. ‘What a problem! I should control myself a bit more next time. I just wanted to render Miura unconscious... Well, dealing with Tsukihime will bring me problems with Ayaka and Madoka, oh well, whatever...’ Natsume looked at Marie, who was alarmed. ‘Has she knocked Tsukihime and Miura out so easily? Who the hell is this girl?’ Marie tried to put her hand in the inner pocket of her jacket.

‘I don’t recommend trying that unless you want to end up like your friends...’ Natsume’s voice sounded playful, but her presence felt like an actual threat. ‘Well, if you want to experience my psychic powers firsthand, go ahead... although it’s not a pleasant experience. Forced sleep induction can lead to temporary health problems as headaches, dizziness, and vertigo for a few weeks. I won’t stop you from trying to defend yourself if that’s what you want.’ Her eyes glimmered faintly again. ‘But don’t think I’ll hesitate to knock you out if you try anything... Marie Takenomiya.’

‘You’re a member of the Himemiko clan, aren’t you?’ Marie’s voice broke as she addressed Natsume. ‘Fuyume Himemiko spoke to you about me. That’s how you know my name...’

‘Oh! You’re a friend of my niece.’ Natsume showed a smile, confusing Marie.

‘Her niece?’

 ‘Since you're Fuyu's friend, and I have enough time to have some fun before that grizzly bear kills someone, I'll let it slide.

'A grizzly bear? What is she saying?!' Marie was startled.

'But I want you to lend me your green ribbon and leave... Deal?' Natsume proposed, and Takenomiya seemed even more bewildered. 'Come on! I don't have that much time!' Takenomiya looked at her unconscious friends, realizing the other option. She nodded. Natsume's eyes sparkled with joy, and she smiled playfully again. 'The perfect disguise...