Chapter 31: It was white!?!?

Sup guys, Here is Chapter 31 after ages of waiting. Real life stuff for X3al and school work for me. Anyways enjoy! What was white?

Real t.i.tle: Way Home

“Well then I’ll hold it until the guild.”

“Yeah, take it please.”

Emera applied the shapeless skill which categorized things as Items to the scythe and thrust it into her item box.

“Whoa. Barely fit the limit.”

“No wonder considering that weight.”

When Emera glanced at the items, the remaining capacity indicator made her exclaim.

The Operator’s bracelets, common among adventurers, are lent by the union. Capacity depends on items, and of course the larger the item, the more capacity it takes. Emera’s bracelet holds up to 200 kg and coupled with the things that already were in there, the scythe almost exceeded the capacity. 

Asbar had held that scythe before and knew how heavy it was, so he wasn’t surprised. .Still, Mira tilted her head since there was no limit in the game.

“What, is the capacity limited?”

Mira looked at Emera’s bracelet. It had almost the same design as her own. Maybe a bit larger.

“Is it endless in yours!?”

“Endless!?”

“Put all that you want!?”

Zef joined the conversation after Emera and Asbar. Since he casually gathered drops, the bottomless item box was a dream for him.

Attacked with questions Mira fell under their pressure and opened up her inventory. At the first glance it was filled with mostly small things, nothing particularly heavy. All of it together would barely weigh a hundred kilograms. 

So, even if there was a limit, unlike the game, she hadn’t reached it yet anyway.

“Well, let’s see. There isn’t so many things inside to tell for sure.”

Mira answered, considering that possibility. 

Emera’s group cooled down, remembering that she just became an adventurer and obviously had not much equipment to start with. But Frica still noticed a contradiction.

“When you got it from the union, they should’ve explained about the limit I believe…”

Everybody agreed with her wondering.

“She’s right. Haven’t they told you?”

Emera asked a question but Mira still had her operation terminal instead of operator’s bracelet. And obviously n.o.body told her about the limits.

“Ahh… thou know… I’ve got it from my master. He never told anything except how to use it.”

“I see. Fine then.”

Everybody bought into another use of the pupil setting.

“Still, what if you hit the limit at the worst possible time? How about confirming it now?”

“Yeah. Let’s check it.”

Mira agreed with Frica’s proposal and considered putting stuff inside once she returned to the Alkite castle.

Then Mira picked up the scythe, put it into the item box, confirming that it fits there and returned the scythe to Emera. 

It happened about the time they finished with the checking of the item box. Zef noticed it first.

“Whoa!? 　Look, it’s on fire!”

Everybody turned around to witness the devil’s body engulfed in dark flames.

“What’s that? Have you done something!?”

Asbar rushed out and, stopping right next to the flame, asked Zef.

“No, nothing. It suddenly started.”

Zef shook his head as he kept his eyes on the flame. He was fascinated by the complete annihilation of devil. Suddenly flame rose up in front of their eyes.

“No need to worry. It’s the last moments of devils.”

Mira told so with rea.s.suring face. Some time after their defeat devils perish in black flames. And when the flame soothed down, there was…

“Hmm. Something still left.”

Very timidly Zef poked the leftover black object. When a devil loses their life, the flame of their realm harboring within them burns everything into dust. Only the most toughened parts of the devil can withstand it.

“I never thought something will remain.”

With those words Zef, believing it was a common thing, picked up the remains of the devil.

After finis.h.i.+ng everything here everyone headed upstairs. On their way back monsters haven’t resp.a.w.ned yet so they went up to the first floor without any troubles. 

After pa.s.sing the barrier at the entrance they filled their chests with the fresh air. Excluding only Zef.

“Haa—! 　The moment when you leave the dungeon is the best.”

Emera took a deep breath while stretching herself. To be precise, they haven’t gotte outside since this was still the ritual hall, but the air was way more fresh compared to the stale gloomy dungeon. 

As Asbar and Frica relaxed, Zef muttered ‘It hurts’ while holding his hands against the palm marks on both of his cheeks. He teased Emera again as they went upstairs from the sixth floor. 

Takuto silently looked on at Mira next to him. His gaze contained strong feelings.

“Well, we suddenly managed to finish early so let’s return before the sunset.”

Emera said that while staring at the crimson sunlight pouring down through openings of the temple. 

Walking from the ancient temple to the requiem city Caranach takes twenty minutes. They were going to take a camp on the middle floors of the dungeon but the ma.s.sacre performed by Mira made their task overwhelmingly fast. Myriads of food provision and medicine already got their rest in the item boxes unable to find any purpose this time.

Leaving the row of statues behind, they entered a forest road on their way back. 

A faint voice of an early owl was heard from far away. While the group were making their way through the forest, a gust of wind pa.s.sed through them. Then a black cat hurried past them like he was chasing that wind.

“Mira-chan has white…!”

Frica’s eyes, which completely neglected her own robe, were fixed on the rolled up by the wind skirt of Mira. The gust of wind took them by surprise but the precisely aimed eyes of Frica captured the glimpse of the plain white panties and she arrogantly drew near Mira. Mira herself s.h.i.+vered and slipped behind Asbar, sending Emera a look. Telling ‘Do something about her’. 

Emera silently nodded and together with a sigh dropped the considerably trained in that day chop on the head of Frica.

“She doesn’t mean bad, you know?”

She uttered that, somewhat caring about her fellow. Mira answered with a shake of her head that the issue is not in meaning.

“Err…”

At the time Emera came back dragging Frica along, Takuto raised his soft voice, looking up at Mira.

“Hmm, what? Something happened with thee?”

Mira’s face peeked from the Asbar’s shadow and asked Takuto while looking at him. After a short hesitation Takuto made up his mind and returned her glance.

“Before that wind blew I saw a woman. She looked like she’s chased by somebody and I got worried.”

At his words surprised Mira exclaimed ‘Whoa”.

“Takuto, have thou seen that?”

“Ye, yes. Ermm, it was a woman that had a hair similar to Alfina’s.”

“Well, well. It seems like thou can have some magician qualities. The one who pa.s.sed before us was a wind spirit.”

Right before the blast of wind, a wind spirit actually pa.s.sed across the group. For precisely this reason Frica predicted this wind gust and locked her eyes on the Mira’s skirt. Complete waste of talent.

“Me…a magician…”

While repeating the words of Mira, Takuto expressed delight with all his body.He admired Mira, he owed her so much and now he got a chance to become a magician just like her. That news excited him.

“Anyway, it seems a black cat chased her but why?”

Muttering that, Mira placed a hand on her chin and reached for her memories. But she couldn’t remember any creature bar elemental eaters to do such thing. And since they always looked like proper monsters, it was hard to mistake one of them for a black cat.

While Mira was in her musing, trees at the right side shook and the wind spirit appeared before her group again. Mira stepped towards in the moment she saw her and caught the black cat that jumped after her from behind.

“Hmm, what’s that…”

This cat was quite lighter than it appeared. The cat meowed, looking upwards at, her as if trying to tell something.

“Oh my, I feel some magic from this cat.”

Frica, who already came back to life, said that while peeping at the cat in Mira’s hands. Mira tried to inspect the cat to check her words.

“This one… is a s.h.i.+kigami?”

Words 『s.h.i.+kigami： Nyanmaru』 appeared over the black cat. 

The s.h.i.+kigami are companions controlled by onmyoji masters. They exist in a lot of forms. From the usual animals to fantasy creatures.

“Still…this one…”

The meowing black cat still was wriggling in her hands, trying to push her away with its paws. Cute. 

Keeping in mind that everybody is looking at her, Mira held herself back just before breaking to a smile. But the cat’s cuteness wasn’t going to stop. And Mira didn’t notice that Frica, who pretended to look at the cat in the hands, was actually staring at Mira’s chest.

“Hey…”

With a gentle whirl of wind, a whisper of a girl tickled their ears. At the same time the cat with a ‘Meow’ twisted its body and, slipping out of her hands, dashed behind her.

“Ah… She returned.”

After a quick gasp Takuto muttered that, noticing her. Mira wryly smiled ‘again?’ to Frica, who still stared at her chest ignoring the cat, and turned herself back.There was the wind spirit that crossed in front of them before.

“Wha..what are you going to do with the cat!?”

The spirit of wind peeked her face out from the tree shadows and, embracing Nyanmaru, cautiously asked Mira and Frica. 

They became confused a bit since they believed that the black cat was chasing her. But one thing was clear: the spirit of wind and this black cat knew each other and seemed to be on good terms with each other.

“Eh… We don’t mean harm to thy cat.”

“Then… It means… you came to bully me, right!?”

With a sudden scream of the wind spirit, the air around them began to rustle and a small whirlwind surrounded everybody.

“Hey, what’s that? What’s going on?”

“Mira-chan and Frica! Had something happened!?”

Since Emera, Asbar and the rest of the warriors couldn’t see spirits, they didn’t know whom Mira was speaking to. But, feeling that the whirlwind was raging dangerously strong, they grouped together, getting themselves ready.

“Apparently the wind spirit believes we’re bullying this cat.”

“Doesn’t that mean we’re in trouble?”

Frica told it in a calm tone but suddenly Zef became nervous.

“Well, can’t thou wait a bit? I only thought he’s chasing thy and held him to stop.”

Showing the cat, who was calmly staring at the chest of the wind spirit, is fine, Mira began her explanations. It’s not like that spirits refuse to speak. Usually they’re friendly to people.

“Did you say Nyanmaru?”

The spirit inclined her head, confirming a part of Mira’s words.

“It’s the name of this s.h.i.+kigami… Thou haven’t knew that?…”

“…………”

Then Mira briefly introduced everybody and explained the situation. She told that she believed that Wind Spirit was attacked by the black cat and held him trying to help. And that this cat was called Nyanmaru.

It seemed like the cat and the spirit had been playing tag.

“Ahh…well, that… I’m sorry.”

“No, I should ask excuse since I wedged myself without knowing the circ.u.mstances.”

While Mira was continuing her explanation, the whirlwind slowly fade off and as she ended, the wind spirit apologized, holding Nyanmaru in her hands. Mira apologized too and they sincerely smiled to each other.

“This cat… Nyanmaru ended up being a s.h.i.+kigami.”

“Nyea.”

“By the way, do thou know the owner of this s.h.i.+kigami?”

“No. I met Nyanmaru when scary people attacked me. It became dangerous but Nyanmaru saved me and I don’t think there were any onmyoji’s around. 

Since that day Nyanmaru sometimes shows around for play but I never saw his owner.”

The speech of the wind spirit was expressive. She displayed fear when told about the attack, then her face s.h.i.+ned as she mentioned her saving. Mira wryly smiled at the overacted expressions and pointed out something that seemed out of place.

“Fine, then Nyanmaru is a self-controlled s.h.i.+kigami. 

Still, do thou want to say that some people attacked thee?”

“Ah, yes. When I was bathing in moonlight at the bank of a lake, they suddenly surrounded me. They were scary looking armed people. I got startled and ran through the woods and then Nyanmaru jumped in and drove the scary people away.”

“Attacking a spirit, what a sc.u.m’s deed!”

“Yeah, indeed.”

Frica angrily added that after hearing this story. For magicians like Frica, spirits are very important and close beings. And she couldn’t hide her anger to anybody who harms spirits. And the warriors group, even though they had no idea what’s going on, somehow understood why Frica suddenly exclaimed that. They also remarked that it’s unusual for Frica to raise her voice for a reason other than a cute girl.

Nature spirits like the wind spirit, unlike monsters, will never hurt people first. Quite the contrary: by being close to them you can get blessings and they are known as kind creatures always helping anybody in trouble. Even killing them only directs wrath of all spirits to you and they never drop rare items. 

Although it was certain only in the game. Now, in reality, she wasn’t sure there was nothing else she didn’t know. Something valuable enough to get despite harming good neighbors. Arriving at this idea, Mira felt despise to human greed.

“I am very grateful to Nyanmaru. Also I heard from friends that our fellows are being attacked and kidnapped everywhere.”

“Do thou want to say there are other gangs attacking spirits?”

“It seems so. I was lucky to saved by Nyanmaru, but they…”

The wind spirit tightly hugged Nyanmaru with trembling arms. Her face was full of sorrow and praying for the safety of her friends.

(If it happens everywhere, it means there are gangs made specially for hunting spirits or perhaps somebody who makes business of it)

Mira drew some speculations based on the words of the spirit. 

Either there was a way to put spirits to use and there are people who abuse it in the business. 

Or there could be people who find spirits like this one attractive and kidnap them to hold for admiring or possibly as pets. 

There also was the possibility that the power of spirits could have military use. 

And the problem is that spirits are merciless towards people who intend any harm. Even if they are caught, as soon as they seriously start resisting, they will easily devastate a small village. Spirit is a lump of such power. 

However, now, thirty years since this world became real, it could develop in ways that Mira can’t even imagine. She already saw the Accord Cannon as an example of that. 

The techincal progress. It brings the potential to overturn the common sense but it’s also a monster.

(And I severely lack information…)

No matter how much she was trying to figure this out, Mira has just came to this world. Stumbling on the fact that she still knows nothing about everything that happened in last thirty years, she greatly sighed and gave up on it for now. Then Mira lift edges of her mouth in smile and

“In other words, thou have friends other than Nyanmaru.”

saying it, mischievously looked towards the wind spirit.

“Of course I do—”

The upset wind spirit restlessly stamped her feet and puffed out her cheeks. Then laughter rang out nearby.

“Oh, Mira-chan why did you suddenly start joking?”

Frica laughed with her hand over her mouth. Her anger towards the a.s.sailants still haven’t been calmed but a wind spirit sulking in safety right before her eyes gave her some relief.

“Well, it’s not like anything changes from our talk here. I don’t know how far this information got spread but i seems we should report to the Union. And I’ll warn the spirits I meet on the way since it’s all I can do now.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Opponents are unknown. There could be an organization. It means she needs to be ready for that. 

Although they could already know that, Mira decided to ask to Solomon and Luminaria for any useful information they possibly know.

For now the problem with attackers is over, decided Mira and pointed her eyes to Nyanmaru. 

Usually they are not hostile but spirits hold considerable power. Not something that usual human can match. If she was attacked with knowing she’s a spirit, it means the attackers hold enough power to resist a spirit. Otherwise n.o.body would buy a fight with a opponent surpa.s.sing human strength. 

But it leads to another inconsistency. 

Such attackers, able to fight with a spirit, were disposed by Nyanmaru. 

If he won against rivals of a spirit, Nyanmaru as a s.h.i.+kigami that has more strength than a spirit. And it means his owner is even stronger.

“Hmm…So, Nyanmaru…”

Black cat s.h.i.+kigami’s name reminded Mira of a certain person. 

It was one of the Nine Elders, the elder of the Onmyoji Tower, suzerain Kagura of the Seven Stars. 

Onmyoji includes some techniques to control s.h.i.+kigamis like Nyanmaru, the strongest and useful of them are called Four Holy Beasts. 

Even Vermillion Bird Suzaku, Black Tortoise Genbu, Azure Dragon Seiryuu and White Tiger Byakko, extremely famous sacred beasts, can be summoned by high-level onmyojis. Also, s.h.i.+kigamis can be autonomous and operated. Autonomous ones can think and act themselves while controlled are directly operated by onmyojis. 

And there is a specific trait of s.h.i.+kigamis: on their acquisition they can be named. That’s why Mira remembered about Kagura. 

Genbu was Kamekichi, Seiryuu was Nyorozo, Suzaku was Piisuke and Byakko was Gauta. Add Nyanmaru here. It feels consistent. Kagura had a lot of other s.h.i.+kigamis and everybody were similarly named.

(But it’s unbelievable…)

Of course it could be a pure coincidence. If you try to look for other people with similar naming sense, you will surely find them. 

That said, considering the power of Nyanmaru, it must be quite a strong onmyoji. It means that as fellow onmyojis, they could hear some rumors or something about whereabouts of their top, Kagura. 

It’s only a guess after all, but it’s not like she had information on anybody bar Soul Howl. Then trying to investigate every clue can fortunately bring her to a goal. 

Well, it was better than nothing for her. Mira put this information in a corner of her mind.