Legend Management Bureau Chapter 470

[ … words ]

“That’s right, that’s right,” Jin Jianglang hurriedly said. “Just go and casually kill three Yokai, and you can join the Shiranui family. You’ll live here from now on.”

“Three…?” Enenra paused in surprise. “That’s wonderful! I’ve killed three Yokai before!”

“Exactly!” Jin Jianglang was quick to reply. “Reporting to the Patriarch, I witnessed Blind Princess kill three Yokai with my own eyes earlier.”

“Then that settles it!” Shuten nodded. “From now on, you are an Onmyoji of the Shiranui family. I grant you the name Shiranui Blind Girl. You will live here from now on. With me around, no one will dare to touch you. Is there anything else?”

“Ah?” Enenra blanked. “Shiranui Blind Girl…? P-please, Patriarch, could you grant me a slightly nicer-sounding name…”

Little Xiang pulled out an identical paper fan from her small pouch…

“My mistake. It is Shiranui Blind Princess,” Shuten chuckled awkwardly.

This grand charade, which could have derailed at any moment, finally drew to a close under the intimidating presence of Shiranui Asuka.

She brought out one of her own robes and draped it over Enenra. From then on, she became the peculiar Yokai roaming the Maple Leaf Forest in a Shiranui robe.

Blind Princess touched the clothes she wore, a beaming expression on her face. “Little Sister Xiang, this is the exact same robe as yours, right?”

“Yes! Big Sister Blind Princess! Your robe is exactly the same as mine!”

“T-that’s wonderful!” Blind Princess cheered happily.

Those few days were the happiest of Jin Jianglang’s life.

He temporarily forgot about “family”, forgot about “destiny”, forgot about “humans” and “Yokai”. All these concepts that shackled him faded away, leaving only that pure, smoke-like woman in his eyes.

During this period, Jin Jianglang still had to go out a few times to hunt Yokai to complete his missions. However, Enenra insisted on accompanying him every single time, and she would smash all the heads of their targets right on the spot, leaving Jin Jianglang not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“It’s mid-March. The cherry blossoms have bloomed,” Jin Jianglang noted, looking up.

“Cherry blossoms?”

Enenra tilted her head to listen, smoke billowing from her body. “Are these cherry blossoms you speak of beautiful?”

“When a thousand cherry blossom trees shed their petals, the world is filled with flying flowers. Though it looks like snow falling across the sky, you don’t feel cold in the slightest. The petals are the dancing sprites of this season, telling us that a warm spring has arrived,” Jin Jianglang said with a smile. “Blind Princess, if you are willing, I will accompany you to watch the cherry blossoms every single year from now on.”

Enenra offered a bitter smile and corrected, “Senior Jin Jianglang, it should be ‘I will accompany you’ instead.”

“No.” Jin Jianglang shook his head, his smile remaining. “I will bring you to see the sky full of dancing petals.”

He thrust out a palm, striking a cherry tree.

Instantly, petals showered down like snowflakes.

The blossoms brushed past Enenra’s cheeks, landing gracefully on her head and clothes.

Every inch of her skin could feel the gentle descent of the cherry blossoms; in this fleeting moment, the flowers scattered for her alone.

Enenra joyfully reached out both hands to welcome the flurry of petals.

“I think I can see them…” Enenra laughed gleefully. “I see the sky full of dancing petals you spoke of!”

Jin Jianglang smiled as well, gazing at the woman before him.

He believed he had brought Enenra enough happiness by now, but for some reason, there was still an unshakeable trace of sorrow lingering in her eyes.

Three days later, Enenra called Jin Jianglang and Asuka together.

“Senior, Little Xiang, even though you have already helped me so much, I have a request…”

“What is it?”

“I want to return to Hiezu Village to tell the villagers who watched me grow up that I’ve become an Onmyoji.”

Hearing this, Jin Jianglang gave a slight nod. “That’s easy. I can just send someone to notify them.”

“No need, no need!” Enenra waved her hand. “I want them to see with their own-“

“-eyes what I look like wearing these clothes. I want to tell them that I succeeded!”

“Fair enough.” Jin Jianglang felt that Enenra’s words made sense. Not only would this make her happy, but it would also reassure the villagers. However, the prerequisite was that he had to go there first to explain the entire situation to them.

He would use a white lie to protect another white lie; they would certainly be able to understand.

“Little Xiang.” Jin Jianglang pulled Asuka aside and whispered, “You know what the situation with the Shiranui family is. I need to go and tell the villagers the truth first to prevent any slip-ups. You and Enenra should stay here for a day or two before setting out.”

“No problem! Leave it to me, big brother!”

Just as Jin Jianglang was about to leave, he saw an origami crane slowly flying toward him. This was the Thousand Cranes used for communication by the Shiranui family.

He reached out and caught it, discovering only a brief sentence written on it:

“Villager from Hiezu Village visiting. Return immediately.”

“A villager from Hiezu Village?” Jin Jianglang paused in surprise. “Perfect timing. If I explain everything to this villager, I won’t have to make the trip myself.”

“Did something happen, big brother?” Little Xiang asked from the side.

“It’s nothing. They probably wanted to confirm my identity, so they came to visit,” Jin Jianglang replied. “I’ll go meet with them and share the good news while I’m at it.”

…

Using the excuse that the Patriarch had arranged patrols, Little Xiang stalled Enenra for a day, taking her in continuous circles around the forest.

Jin Jianglang, meanwhile, rushed back to the Shiranui family estate.

But he could never have anticipated what was waiting for him.

When he arrived home, the same child who had once placed a flower wreath around his wrist was waiting for him, barely clinging to life.

Using the very last of his strength, he relayed his dying words to Jin Jianglang.

Only a few days after Jin Jianglang had left, the people of the Tsuchimikado family had swarmed in. Without a single word, they slaughtered everyone in sight.

And he

was the sole survivor of the entire village.

He had feigned death among the corpses. After all the Tsuchimikado members had departed, he dragged his battered, agonizing body all the way here just to deliver this news to Jin Jianglang.

“My lord… the people of the Tsuchimikado family… they were so strange…” the child choked out, coughing up blood as he gripped Jin Jianglang’s hand. “Please… you must protect Enenra…”

Watching the child’s arm go limp, an exceptionally complicated expression settled on Jin Jianglang’s face.

Just what in the world was going on?

The Tsuchimikado family were the direct descendants of Abe no Seimei. They were already the Shogunate’s officially recognized Onmyoji. Why would people of such high status repeatedly target a simple village?

Was all of this because of Enenra?

Was she really that important?

No, to Jin Jianglang, that wasn’t the most urgent issue right now.

It was Enenra’s journey home.

It was only a matter of time before she found out the truth.

Everyone Enenra knew and loved in this world, everyone she wanted to see and take care of, was already dead.

If he told her the murderers were the Tsuchimikado, she would definitely go seek revenge.

And if he told her the murderers were Yokai, when the day finally came that she realized everyone around her was a Yokai…

No matter how he looked at it, this was a problem with no solution.

Jin Jianglang hung his head in sheer helplessness, but suddenly remembered something.

He reached into his robes and pulled out an almanac, checking today’s date.

Whenever he was indecisive, he had a habit of consulting the almanac.

Auspicious for marriage. Auspicious for moving. Auspicious for taking lives. Auspicious for travel. Auspicious for breaking ground. Auspicious for offering sacrifices. Auspicious for praying for good fortune. Auspicious for everything.

“Today really is a good day,” Jin Jianglang muttered. Furrowing his brows, he tucked the almanac back into his robes and bolted straight for the Maple Leaf Forest.

He had made his decision.

Since he had already lied to her from the very beginning, he would just have to keep the lie going.