I left the Izumi’s with Shirohebi after Shaeu and I had perfected the works of the family. It was easy enough for me to make tweaks to Kana’s father to turn his already-prepared work into a more perfee, though I had to be very careful around his sor plexus chakra, as he had a natural, if incredibly weak, gift for fme energies, and doing Chirurgery around other elements required finesse, as I had discovered with Ren-san previously.

  Masaji-san mao e without pint too, though he did mutter that he was too old for such trials, but when I reminded him his granddaughter would be happy if he could see the world their kami came from too, he set his jaw and endured. When I was helping him out of the room, back to the others, Shaeu was bringing baagi-san, who was red-faced and teary eyed. She looked at me acgly, and said “That hurt! You’re cruel, Akio-kun!”

  I’m pretty sure she’s joking. But seeing her looking like that, I’m once more reminded Kana is fortunate she takes after her mother. “Sorry about that.” I apologised. “But it does ost of the tedious training.”

  “So, did you do that to Kana?” she asked, and remembering Kana in her underwear I tried to keep a straight face. Shaeu was snickering and the men of the shrine seemed a little resigned.

  “Your works should be a little prickly and tender for a while until aether flushes out all the debris and soaks into the capilries.” I ignored her question, ging the subjeagi-san gave me a knowing smile, her face still red, but let me tinue. “All I will say is, never ehe Boundary anywhere but the shrine, as the Boundary is not safe. Around the shrine is my Territory, so you shouldn’t have any problems. I dare say Kana will want to take you in herself, anyway.”

  As they listeo my warnings early, Shaeu was nodding, bag me up. Hyath finished her ing, so we took our leave, allowing Shirohebi further time to spend with the loyal family that had taken care of its shrine for years. Well, that’s one good job done. My Chirurgery didn’t take too much aether now I was more skilled, so by the evening I should have refilled, especially since I had a lot of Rank 3 Ether Spires running, sending me some extra, even with the earlier Chirurgery on my old neighbours too. Tonight, we o perfect the works of as many students as possible…

  Back at the office, I saw that Noboru-san had returned, and Haru-san was go my questioning gaze, Noboru-san expined. “Yes, I got her a prepaid phone. Just a cheap one, as I’m guessing she’ll want to get her own whes her new identifiy daughter is always going on about how shameful it is to have a cheap phone. Well, I hope I didn’t overstep?” he said, and I shook my head in denial.

  “No, good job. Today is just for her to calm herself down and solidify in her mind she’s bad still a girl, despite everything. Anyway, is there anything else that needs my attention while I’m here? Might as well catch up on things, as I’ve been way too busy tely.”

  “There are a few things.” Karen- said, ing over. “Do you want tea or anything?”

  “Hyath will dooo it, I must be the oo serve master!” She decred, hustling off, her legs eye-catg under her miniskirt maid outfit. I saw Noboru-san and Taku-san looking, and azes met. They both looked embarrassed, but who was I to judge? After all, my wandering eye has beeio trouble a lot these st few months.

  “Careful, that’s his woman you are eyeing.” Karen- warned, shooting me a grin. I looked down, shamefaced, and she tinued. “Well, I’m n, am I? She’s desperate to serve you, to be of use. I think it’s kind of sweet. And the way you look at her… well, tell me I’m mistaken?”

  “It’s plicated.” I said, and beside me Shaeu chortled, having been in sistently good humour ever since she met her father and sister.

  “It is not-not plicated at all. Akio desires Hyath, for she has a terribly sad past, and has a deep-deep hole in her heart. Akio is weak to such females, and wishes to make -make them happy. Hyath reminds him of his sister and Eri. As for Hyath, she is not-not aced to such kindness as she is shown, but her erstwhile nature as a brownie means she is disposed to serve-serve a master faithfully, tend a home. It will not-not be so easy to have the retionship you wish for, you know-know this, right, my Akio?” she turo me, and I sighed in agreement.

  “Yeah. If I just wanted a master-servant bond, that’s easy. But I’d feel bad with just that. But it’s a problem for aime. I wao meet Eri first, and Hinata, Motoko and Natsumi. It’s only fair.” As Hyath returned with tea, expertly prepared despite her unfamiliarity with modern appliances, we ged the subject. It’s not the time for that yet. Besides, that’s a problem I don’t have to hurry to resolve. It isn’t life or death, after all. “Hey, this is great. Well done, Hyath, and thank you!”

  She blushed and squirmed at my praise, muttering to herself, and Karen- shook her head. “Damn, when I shared a few beers with you on the baly that time after work when I was depressed, who could have thought we’d end up here?” she smiled, her mood also having improved signifitly, now that she knew her ex-boss had got what was ing to him. “Though perhaps I should have guessed when you had me take that purse back to Konoe-san. That was something out of a manga, definitely.” She took a sip of her own tea. “Anyway, outstanding matters. Sure.” She opened up her ptop. “We sent the uy information to your sister, as well as the stuff we gathered os. I think I get why you want some of these strahings now.” She smiled at me slyly. “The guys pulled together information on Tyr, Valkyries and Nods in general. Most of it seems like garbage though, I doubt it’ll help. Oh, and there’s a follow-up report oter you asked me to look into about the rates of crime, suicides and missing persons.” She handed me a stack of printouts.

  Sing through them, I remembered. Yeah, I was trying to track down other didates that way, amongst other methods. I remember gng at the report, but I was incredibly bogged down with important matters at the time, so never finished reading it. My eyes sed the tents a wide with shoearly two thousand pert higher rates of suicide, general crime and missing persons thaional average, and the figures had been rising steadily since… July. This ’t be a ce. Shit, I should have paid more attention to this, but I ’t be everywhere at ohere’s only one of me after all. That’s why I rong, trustworthy allies so we cover mround, solve more problems. So, where is this? Shit… that’s not good, not good at all. There were several areas listed, one of which was Kyoto, which had numerous mysterious deaths. I attribute that to the higher preponderance of didates in that area, after all, priests and shrine maidens have a disproportionately higher rate of being chosen. The others though… several major cities around Japan, several areas of Tokyo, and... Inuyama.

  At that, my thoughts went to the strange shop where we bought Azuki. The Boundary version taihat hideous creature that was a mass of dark slime, tentacles and eyeballs, and we had not only rescued Azuki from it, but found the pink jade bells and dagger of light, as well as a vestment, although we hadn’t found a use for that yet. That store was clearly not ordinary. I have the hough so…

  A bit rattled, I dialled the number in my phone. Inuyama was still a fair way from Nishimorioka, but it was the closest city, so it was only natural I’d be ed. The ph and rang, and I thought bitterly that it seemed to be a day for people not answering me, before suddenly there was a click. I went to speak, assuming someone had picked up, but as it seemed to be an answerphone message.

  “We are sorry to inform you that Takakura Antiques is closed until further notice. ologise for any invenience.”

  Well shit. Hanging up, I sighed. Shaeu looked at me quizzically, and I expihe situation. Once I was done, she nodded, eyes burning with anger as she remembered the injuries I had suffered. “You think it is perhaps this creature, rather than another like you-you, who is causing the deaths and disappearances?”

  “Yes, I do.” I said with a sigh. “Perhaps some of the deaths were other didates. I knoerely powerhouses at the time, but even so, that creature was dangerous. I could easily see it killing an unprepared didate of Kondou Kazuo’s calibre.”

  “Should we be worried about this?” Karen- asked, and I realised we were speaking about such matters in the open, pletely disregarding our listeners. Still, they aren’t pletely in the dark on these matters now, and are pledged to support us, so I guess it’s fine.

  “Not here. Our Territory covers the shrihe surrounding area, and stretches up to Hisuikomushi and the hotel around there. It's growing all the time. Eventually everything within ten kilometres of here should be under our trol. No monsters or other didates should find it easy to cause trouble, not with Ulfurid your brother around, right Shaeu?”

  “Indeed. Our Territory may not-not be as powerful as the Seelie Court, yet, but it is simply a matter-matter of time.”

  “But what about elsewhere? My daughter… she lives oher side of Tokyo.” Noboru-san said, rattled.

  “Look, calm down.” I decred. “This is all just specution. But if you are worried about your daughter… isn’t the best thing to do work hard, earn money, and perhaps you could get custody of her? In any case, even with the massive increases, it’s still just a handful of people out of the city who are affected. But I don’t think we leave it to worsen.” Shaeu agreed, and Hyath piped up, saying she would be happy to squeeze my eo death, and I eained a briefly amusing thought of a tentacle battle between her vines and its nasty slimy ones. “Well, we take care of it this week, but… ugh. If monsters affect the Material already, this is pretty bad. It means that Hinata was right though. Property values ihat are within a safe Territory should start to spike… looks like her grandfather is going to make those sweet returns on his iment after all…” That reminds me, we still o go over just roperties Hinata has trol of now, in our name. I’m going to have to make sure ture those areas in the Boundary, and we might need a Material to Boundary e or two…

  While I was thinking, I dialled another hird time lucky, I hope. Moments ter, it was answered, and a familiar voice spoke gruffly. “Hey. I was just there this m, what do you want now, Oshiro-san?”

  “Well, Detective, I think you might want to hear about this…”

  ********

  After discussing the matter with Detective Kato, I spent some further time catg up ohing else that demanded my attention, before it reached te afternoon. Marika-san had returned from school, and I was now watg the most adorable se, as she fawned over Shirohebi like aable puppy.

  “This is incredible, Akio-sama!” She cried, hopping over to me, eyes bright. Still ’t get her to drop the -sama huh? “A kami, in the flesh! I was so envious when Kana- said she met her kami!” But she’s Kana- now? Well I guess I’m happy you are fitting in here and have made a friend. I feel bad pulling you from home, even if it’s for my ambitions at the cve, whehat’ll be. “Do you think that Chairo e soon too? I want to meet him! Grandfather will too!”

  “Well, Chairoakitara shrine is a fair way outside my trol. But yeah, in time, he’ll be able to visit the Material. You’ll probably be able to visit him first though.” I promised, gesturing to Shaeu beside me. “It’s time for us to perfect your work, using all the skills and experience we’ve gained. Are you ready?” I said, bending down and looking the young girl in the eyes. She seemed a little pale, but she nodded, her expression resolute.

  “I am.” She swallowed, her small throat w as she sought her words. “Ever since I agreed to e to Tokyo, I made a promise to grandfather and myself, and to Chairo, that I’d do anything. I love being a shrine maiden, serving Chairo. I want to be the best one I be! It’s the whole reason I came here! Kana- says it hurts a bit and is embarrassing, but I know you wouldn’t do anything bad, Chairo and the White Sh trust you!”

  “It does hurt, I’m sorry. But the pain is only temporary.” I patted her head gently, reassuring her. “And as for embarrassment, don’t worry about that. Shaeu, this one is yours.”

  “She would not-not mind…” Shaeu began, and I cut her off.

  “Yeah, Marika-san is a good girl, very polite and obedient.” She looked down, embarrassed but happy at my praise. “But I’m not fortable with it. I’m no loli, despite eople joke sometimes when they see me with you. It’d be creepy me doing this with Marika-san. No, I’ll leave the Chirurgery on girls to you.”

  “Fine.” Shaeu shrugged. “I do-do uand. But there are far-far more females than males at the school. I may not-not be able to plete them all…”

  “We’ll worry about that ter. Anyway…” I patted her head once more and smiled. “Good luck Marika-san. When it’s done you’ll feel far stronger, so just think of that!”

  She smiled back at me. “I know. I thank you again for this opportunity, Akio-sama, Shaeu-sama.”

  Damn, she’s such a good girl. Her mother must be proud, even if she doesn’t really uand shrine business. Anyway, it won’t be long until the et here. This evening is a big one, so I’d better prepare…

  ********

  “Akio, good evening!” Hinata said, rushing over and kissing me on the lips fleetingly. Beside her, Kazumi-san rolled her eyes, but she didn’t look unhappy. “I’ve missed you!”

  “It’s only been a day.” I grinned. Natsumi was also there, and she ink with embarrassment, but she too greeted and kissed me, followed by Motoko, who was mgressive, even though her face was red.

  “Well, there is nothing wrong with kissing our fiancée, is there?” Motoko said, and Hinata and Natsumi agreed. As the expensive car that they had arrived in drove away, I watched it go, before remarking “Not ing by helicopter today?”

  “No, I’m afraid it was already in use.” Hinata said, kissing me again, not wanting to be outdone by her fellows. “By the way, who is that? She’s geous, but she’s looking at us in a rather strange way. Her face is red, and she’s panting like a degee.”

  “Master, they kissed yooou! Are these… Hyath o knooow if these are yooour mistresses!”

  “I guess I should introduce you then. This is Hyath. She’s… well, like Shaeu. She’s a Fae. She’s a brownie, mostly, so she loves to serve. Hyath, these are my fiancées yes. I’ll be married to them one day, along with Shaeu, and Eri, who you haven’t met yet.”

  “Mooore mistresses! Hyath knew you were an important man, master! Only those ooof power have maiful wives!”

  “Yes, I agree. I like you!” Hinata grinned. “Akio is a man of great importandeed. And as for wives, we aren’t just beautiful, we are from noble bloodlioo!” She puffed out her chest proudly, looking elegant in the uniform of Hanafubuki. As she tio talk to Hyath, both of them extolling my virtues, which was a unique form of torture, embarrassio no end, I turo Natsumi and Motoko.

  ”Sorry about this. Anyway, tonight is the night you ehe Boundary. I’ll be happy to show you around my Territory. I think you’ll fiing Ulfuric fasating. He’s my master in bat arts.”

  At that, their eyes shone. “Yes, I would dearly love to spar against your master!” Motoko decred, and Natsumi agreed. “I could use some pointers, as I never beat Motoko. It’s a bit frustrating.”

  “Oh, that reminds me…” I said, as we walked towards the training school, still chatting. “Natsumi… how did your parents take the talk of e?”

  “Well, they agreed in the end.” She shrugged. “Apparently they had already started marriage talks with a few other families of the Three-Hundred, but luckily they were just at the preliminary stages. When they found out I’d be marrying the same man as Motoko, that pleased them. After all, the Tsumura family is one of the most prestigious in Japan. Even so, they didn’t really wao be a e…”

  “You won’t be.” I assured her. “I’m not doing this mistress or e crap. All of you will get married properly.”

  “But, I don’t mind, if it’s to be with Motoko, and you…” Natsumi began, before Motoko chided her.

  “Let him speak. Akio, he is siderate of us, we should accept that. After all, he will have our sword, spear, bow and body from now on.” She flushed again.

  “I’m sorry.” Natsumi apologised. “But really. We made our resolve. We cared too much about getting what we wanted, so I don’t mind being a e. I’m prepared for that. It’s not so unusual anyway.”

  “Well I mind. I decided to accept you… no, that isn’t fair to say. That makes it sound like you are burdens. Look, Hinata, you two... you are all wonderful girls. Any man would be happy to have you, and I am too. The guilt I feel about being a cheating bastard is my penance, I guess. But because I like you all, then it’s only natural I want to give you all the happiness I . And that’s marriage, right? A wedding with all your family and friends, one you bsp; be proud of? Shit, I’m doing a lot for this try, and I daresay I’ll do more. The least they do in exge is ge a small w like that. And if not, we always marry in the Boundary. You just let me worry about that. But your parents rest assured, you’ll not bear the stigma of being a mere e. I’ll meet with them at some point and we hash everything out.”

  “You see? I told you so.” Hinata said, from where she was versing with the extremely excited Hyath. She turo me then. “Natsumi has been a bit worried. It’s very hard for her to shed what she’s always known, that she’s one of the Three-Hundred, not the Fifty-Nine. Being equal to Motoko, it makes her unfortable, even if she longs for it. But I know you don’t like that part of the nobility. Today at school was wild, wasn’t it?”

  Hyath cocked her head in puzzlement, and I was lost too, only for Hinata to eborate. “At lunch, Miyu and Michiru came to see us, being very friendly and respectful.” She grinned broadly, clearly amused. “Sakura and Mayumi were shocked. Even Honoka-sama looked perplexed. Everyone was amazed that shy Miyu would talk to us so casually, especially me and Natsumi, sidering the status of our families.”

  “She insisted I called her Miyu, without honorifics.” Natsumi shrugged. “It… it isn’t right. Still, I did it.”

  “Oh, well you outrank Miyu now!” Hinata chuckled “After all, she’s Akio’s vassal, while you are his fia’s only natural!”

  “But nobody knows that! The afternoon csses were… well, everyone was asking me what I’d doo attract Miyu-sama’s…”

  “No, say it right!” Hinata interrupted, and Natsumi winced.

  “… Miyu’s attention. And I didn’t know until you expined on the way here!”

  “Sorry about that…” we reached the training hall as the girls bahe other trainees were here, and we ordered them all to gather up in the hall. Motoko and the girls joihem, while Hyath, Shaeu and I were joined by Grulgor. There was a buzz of questioning whispers as they saw the hulking Grulgor and the sdalously dressed Hyath, but Shaeu cpped her hands, drawing everyone’s attention.

  “Good evening. Today we are going to start pushing the training up.” I Kana, who waved back, smiling. “Kana here proved that we definitely get you to a level where you ehe Boundary, so we io perfect all of you tonight. Well, I say perfect, but it just means the form of your chakra works, you still o put in more work to level them up. Now… it hurts a bit.”

  Ren-san b that, but was also relieved he was already dohough he did look at his sisters sympathetically.

  “But… it’s necessary. So, before that, I wao introduce you to some people. This here is Hyath. She’s my maid, but don’t be fooled, she’s strong enough to crush any of you without blinking. You’ll likely see her around. Grulgor here too. He’s our muscle.”

  Grulgrinned broadly, exposing his teeth, flexing hard, which looked weird in a suit. “Grul will crush any ehat bother you. So if you have problems, tell Grul and he will smash them!”

  “There’s also Haru-san, who isn’t here today, and Ixitt, who some of you may remember kind of… left his body here.” At that a buzz went around the room, and Kana looked pissed off, probably remembering the trouble she had calming everyone down that time. “There’s one more too…” at that Marika-san and Kana’s father entered, esc the androgynous form of Shirohebi.

  “Wait, is that…” Ren-san said, and others started talking over him, the shrine maidens and priest-apprentices reising the aura of divinity Shirohebi was radiating.

  “Yes, this is the White Snake-sama, kami of this shrine!” Marika-san decred. Her face was a little pale from the Chirurgery, but she was a tough little girl, so she had bounced back fast. “Akio-sama promised us our kami would walk the world once more, and this is the proof he did not lie!”

  As that decration stoked everyone’s passions, other than the sates of Kana who were dragged into all this, who were merely looking fused or ied, I shrugged. Yeah, we aren’t getting much training doonight… oh well, we o do the Chirurgery anyway…

  ********

  “So, the numbers do not-not work for us.” Shaeu grimaced. “There are too-too many females, and few males. You will o take two females, else we ot-not finish tonight.”

  Well, we wait until tomorrow, but I admit, I have a lot on my pte, so finishing tonight would be better… Still, the girls here who required Chirurgery varied in age from middle school to retly graduated from high-school. So I wao avoid having them strip, it felt wrong. My ruminations were interrupted by a surprising source, as one of the listening girls, Kikuchi Maiko-san, spoke up.

  “I’ll do it.” She decred, her expression stiff. “My father has told me just how much we owe to you. You cleared our debts, you’ve saved his life, you protect Hisuikomushi and our kami… this is the least I do.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, and she nodded. “Izumi-san told us about it. It’s embarrassing but no more than a medical check-up, right?”

  “I’ll do it too.” Takagi-san shouted, stig up her hand. “I don’t want Kikuchi-san to gh it alone.”

  “It is decided then.” Shaeu said, before I could speak. “I shall prepare the other females. Akio, you do the males and these-these two.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, and Kikuchi-san slowly nodded, and Takagi-san agreed more forcefully.

  “Let’s get this done. I still don’t know why I’m here, but… I think for an ordinary nobody like me, this is a ce that will never e again.”

  Well, that’s a problematic statement, but it isn’t as though I don’t uand. I thought that when Ortlinde first came knog. But perhaps… it was her fate, and if not, it is now, due to her own choices. I wish she had more fidence…

  Taking them to a spare room, I prepared myself mentally. “Right, yes, this is a medical procedure, so don’t worry, I’m not…” I stopped, as Takagi-san had already shed her shrine maiden outfit, down to her pin underwear. Seeing me looking, she flushed a little, biting her lip, before snapping at me, a touch acerbically.

  “Oh, I know you don’t want to ogle me. I’m just a b pin girl. Not like Izumi-san or her friends. Or those twins. Those haughty rich girls too. And Shaeu. All the girls around you are stunning and you take your pick. Why would you care about molesting an ugly girl like me?”

  I thought we agreed this was a medical procedure and nothing weird? “Hey, Takagi-san, you aren’t…”

  “Oh, don’t lie to me. I hate that. If you were to say something stupid like you aren’t ugly, you’re attractive I’d be angry. I respect you a little because as far as I tell you don’t lie much. Don’t spoil that now.”

  Hey, I lie plenty when I have to. Though I admit, I do have a problem with being too ho, sharing too much. Hinata chides me about that all the time. “Fihen. Lie down on the bed and we’ll get started. It does hurt a fair bit more than the initial work, so I apologise for that.”

  “Yeah, I heard, but if Izumi-san ha, I too.” She relied oubboro keep her calm, but even so, she flinched as I touched her belly gently, shivering as Aether flooded in.

  “Well, in that case, I might as well be ho. Takagi-san, you are far from ugly.” She gred at me as I spoke, but I shook my head, denying her. “Hoy, right? Okay, well I admit there are some geous girls here, so I uand it must be tough. But really, you’re just a bit pin. I think if you ged up your style a bit, tried some different makeup, you’d scrub up quite nice. paring yourself to Kana or Shaeu is a mistake. Just trate on your own charms. Besides, you have something that is beautiful. Your personality. You came here to help your cssmate, worried she was being bullied, right?”

  As her eyes went wide, Kikuchi-san agreed. “Yes. Thank you Takagi-san. It meant a lot to me. You’re hat’s why… you should stay here. You might not know how big a deal all this is, but… we saw a kami, a god! You worry you’re pin and b, but you are here, doing something almost nobody else has ever done before! That makes you somebody!”

  “Well said.” I approved, my tration intense as I made adjustments to her chakra work and forced open some minor chakras. Takagi-san moaned in pain, but biting her lip, she once more stubbornly refused to cry or scream. “Well… I… do get… paid for this. The money is… nice. I’ll stick it… out.”

  “Yeah, you should. I’d be lonely without you.” Kikuchi-san agreed, as I was finishing up.

  “There, all done.” I patted Takagi-san on the back, impressed. “You barely cried out at all. Oh well, your turn now, Kikuchi-san.”

  “Oh, great.” She muttered, trembling hands doffing her hakama. ”I hardly wait…”

  ********

  “All done.” I said to the sweating boy who had just endured my Chirurgery. “You were my st one, let’s head back.”

  “Sure.” The boy grated, redressing. “Damn, that hurt. But I do feel spiritually er.”

  “That’s the spirit, think of the positives.” I approved. Back at the training hall, Shaeu was not back yet, but she did have more people to do, so I decided to step out and take some air, Hyath trailing after me. Kana looked like she wao follow me too, but her friends were lying there limp and weak, Shaeu having dohem first, so she wasn’t able to.

  “Master has worked hard.” Hyath said, wiping my sweating brow with a cloth as we took in the soothing night air. The lights of tral Tokyo were shining dully in the distance, blotting out the stars. “I am impressed. Yooou are very kind. I looove that, masters should be kind, nooot…” she shuddered, and I pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair. For once she didn’t start to pant, merely looking at me with her shining silver-violet eyes.

  “It’ll be okay. Those times are over.” I promised. “Hmm, looks like someone is flying tonight. You’ve never been on a pne or helicopter, have you?”

  “Nooo, I do nooot know what those are.” She shrugged, and I poio the silhouette of the helicopter as it flew our way.

  “It’s a flying device. You go pces very fast and in fort if it’s a nice helicopter like Hinata’s. Hmm, wait, that does look a familiar helicopter. And it’s ing this way.”

  A mier, it was desding to the usual nding spot at the shrihe door opened, and out popped a boisterous girl, leaping down and nding with elegant grace, before fshing me double victory signs and a smile. “Hey bro, surprised?”

  Aiko? Here tonight?

  ShipTeaser