Fantasy Library.

Chapter 504 This isn't how you shoulder responsibility.
The living room of the Chaowu family residence.

At this time, not only did Aize and the other two return, but Cong Yu, who had wandered off somewhere, and Asabu Yasuharu, who worked at the shrine, also returned.

"...Is it that time of year again?"

Chao Wuanqing's expression was not as gentle as usual, but rather appeared somewhat sorrowful.

“Yes.” Hitachi Mako stopped joking and said seriously, “It has been more than a week since Lord Aize killed the evil god on the mountain.”

"By the way, the filth should have accumulated by now."

Once the filth accumulates, the curse of the Chaowu family will manifest, and evil spirits will appear.

This wasn't the first time this had happened, so Hitachi Mako decisively said something.

"We should go up the mountain tonight to exorcise the evil spirits."

This is something they've always been doing.

In response, Asahi Ansei showed a sorrowful expression, because he was worried.

Even though this wasn't the first time his daughter had gone up the mountain to fight the evil spirits, he still felt worried and heartbroken.

In contrast, Aize remained unusually calm.

"The master doesn't seem surprised at all."

Cong Yu had been observing Aize's expression and was somewhat surprised to see him remain so calm.

"It was all expected, so what's there to be surprised about?" Aize said calmly. "I thought it would cause some commotion on the way back, but I didn't expect that no one could even see these ears."

This was the first time Aize had ever heard of this.

He thought that after growing animal ears, Yoshino Asagi would have to find a way to cover them up, but to his surprise, she just walked back from the street. No one who saw her on the way noticed anything was wrong, and they treated Yoshino Asagi, the shrine maiden, with the same respect as always.

They seemed unable to see the beast ears growing on Asagi Yoshino's head, just as they couldn't see Murasame.

“This is a characteristic of the Asabu family’s curse,” Cong Yu explained. “Initially, the curse wasn’t very powerful, so only people like Master and Mako, who can see us, could see these ears.”

That's why Asagi Yasuharu can't actually see the beast ears growing on Asagi Yoshino's head; only Aizawa and Hitachi Mako can.

“But if the filth is not purified and the evil spirit is not exorcised, the curse will become stronger and stronger over time, and then others will be able to see these ears.” Cong Yu said, “The rumors of dog spirit possession first spread because the ears of the priestess of the Asabu family were seen by others.”

"And then?" Aize looked at Cong Yu and asked, "After the curse becomes more powerful, the only effect is that people will see you grow animal ears?"

"Aren't there any other effects?"

This question made the atmosphere at the scene somewhat heavy.

Everyone fell silent, and no one answered the question immediately.

"It's alright." Asagi Yoshino spoke up at just the right moment, as if trying to change the subject, and said with a tense pretty face, "It's just like usual, going up the mountain to exorcise evil spirits, it's nothing serious."

"Once the evil spirits are exorcised and the filth is purified, the ears will naturally disappear."

"Therefore, there will be no impact whatsoever."

Asatake Yoshino spoke with a firm expression and tone, as if emphasizing this fact.

"Is that so?" Seeing that everyone remained silent, Aize nodded and said, "Then let's leave it at that."

As he spoke, Aize stood up, seemingly preparing to return to his room.

However, Yoshino Asatake grabbed his hand.

"This time, Mr. Aize won't go up the mountain alone again, will he?" Asagi Yoshino seemed to have a bad feeling. Looking at Aize, she said with undisguised worry, "Please promise me you won't go up the mountain alone, okay?"

Aize didn't agree, but stared intently at Asagi Yoshino until she looked uncomfortable before finally speaking.

"Are you planning to unilaterally exclude me again and take on everything by yourself?"

Aize's tone remained calm, yet it gave Asatake Yoshino the feeling that he was being questioned.

“This was originally my business.” Asagi Yoshino unconsciously avoided Aize’s gaze and said, “There’s no reason to involve Mr. Aize.”

Upon hearing this, not only Aize, but everyone else present also sighed in unison.

"You're still sticking to that argument, Yoshino?" Congyu said, looking exasperated. "Even now, how can you still be so stubborn?"

Neither Hitachi Mako nor Asagi Yasuharu spoke; they simply smiled bitterly.

"But...but I've already injured Mr. Aize once, and he almost lost his life!" Asagi Yoshino became somewhat agitated, and the guilt and self-blame that had accumulated over this period of time burst forth all at once, making her seem about to cry. She said, "He didn't have to do this. It's all my fault that things turned out this way!"

It seems that this priestess is still unable to let go of this matter, and even has accumulated more and more pressure in her heart due to her heavy sense of mission and responsibility.

Faced with this, Asagi and the others were at a loss for words and could only fall silent.

Only Aize kept looking at Asagi Yoshino.

A moment later, he said, "Then let's leave it at that."

Just like before, Aize left after saying those words.

"Wait a minute!" Asagi Yoshino grabbed him and stubbornly said, "You have to promise me first that you won't go up the mountain alone!"

"Why?" Aize asked calmly, "I have no reason to agree to your request, do I?"

"How could there be no reason?" Asatake Yoshino paused, then said, "It's very dangerous up in the mountains!"

"That's your reason for stopping me, but it's not my reason for agreeing to your request." Aize's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "I'll say it again: you've been rejecting me with your own reasons, but I have no right to criticize you. After all, it's your right, and I have no right to interfere or object."

“But if I want to act in my own way, you have no right to stop me, much less the right to interfere or oppose me.”

"You can't just allow yourself to act on your own reasons while preventing others from doing so, can you?"

Double standards aren't like this—that's the attitude Aize showed last time, and it's the same this time.

"Besides, you said it yourself that I got hurt because of you, so conversely, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Aize didn't care at all how much of a blow these words would be to Asagi Yoshino, and spoke out bluntly.

"In that case, you should actually be the one staying. It would be safer for me to handle this."

In fact, if it weren't for Yoshino Asatake last time, even if it required dealing with two evil spirits at once, with Aize's strength, the final result should have been a close call.

On the contrary, Yoshino Asagi, although she has been fighting against the evil spirits all along, clearly needs to take a great risk to do this well, otherwise she would not have almost lost her life last time.

Considering this, having Aize take the lead is actually the best option.

"But you..."

Asahi Yoshino wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Aizawa.

"Don't say this has nothing to do with me anymore. This isn't just a matter for your Chaowu family."

Aize's voice slowly reached Asagi Yoshino's ears.

“Once the filth accumulates to its limit, the evil spirit will erupt in extraordinary ways and come down from the mountain to wreak havoc on Suizhi. This is something you have admitted to yourself.”

"And in Suiori, it's not just your Asabu and Hitachi families, but also the Kurama and Arimaya families. My childhood friends are all in this town."

“My mother is from Suizhi, and I have half Suizhi blood in my veins. How can you say that this matter, which has affected the entire Suizhi, has nothing to do with me?”

“This is not how you take on responsibility, Lady Shrine Maiden.”

"Or do you want me to just stand by and watch the disaster unfold, to see my childhood friends and relatives die at the hands of the evil spirits?"

Aize's gaze at Asagi Yoshino was so cold that it frightened her.

"If this is the result of your rejection, then I'm afraid I have to part ways with you here."

With just one sentence, Asahi Yoshino's pretty face turned pale, and she was rendered speechless.

“Lord Aize is right, Lady Yoshino.” Hitachi Mako finally spoke, saying to Asatake Yoshino, “I know that the curse is something the Asatake family cannot escape, but that does not mean that it is only a matter for the Asatake family.”

"This is also a matter for the entire Suizhi, a matter for all of us."

"Lord Aize is a trustworthy partner, strong and calm. We shouldn't refuse him, Lady Yoshino."

"If we want to break the curse that has plagued the Asabu family for hundreds of years, it is definitely not enough to stick to the old methods. Now that a change has finally occurred, if Lady Yoshino pushes it away, wouldn't that make all the priestesses of the Asabu family sacrifice themselves in vain?"

Mako Hitachi had always hoped that Aize would become an ally for them.

Not only because he was reliable and powerful, but also because the curse of the Chaowu family had lasted for hundreds of years and had never been lifted.

Now, Muramaru, who once protected Suiori, has finally found a user again and has been extracted. This person is very likely the one who will bring about change and break the stagnant situation that has remained unchanged until now.

Therefore, for the sake of the Asabu family and for the mission of her own family, Hitachi Mako did not hesitate to call Aize "sir," showing an obvious attitude of approval.

"Yangno..."

Chao Wu Anqing was also looking at her daughter, her face full of sorrow.

He didn't think that much about it; he just didn't want his daughter to carry such a heavy burden of mission and fate, and hoped that she could have someone to rely on.

As a father, he could only watch his beloved daughter fight and become scarred. The pain he felt was something that others could not understand.

“Moko…Father…”

Asagi Yoshino opened her mouth, but felt her throat was very dry and didn't know what to say.

Aize silently broke free from her hand, left the living room, and returned to his room with Cong Yu, who also left in silence.

(End of this chapter)