Another Oni, Minamoto no Yorimitsu Herself?

"What do you mean?"

Ian was instantly intrigued by Shuten Douji's words.

"What do you mean by an existence like Yorimitsu?"

"Isn't it easy to understand?"

Shuten Douji looked up at the man beside her, her tone a little proud.

"You see, if it were me, I wouldn't send oni over in such a refined way, right?"

"This kind of regular trouble, it looks like human tactics, not oni tactics, right?"

"You may not feel it, but when I was in Mount Oe, I experienced the exact same thing."

"..."

Shuten Douji was right.

Compared to the "grand occasion" of the night parade of a hundred oni caused by this oni king of Mount Oe last time.

Today's oni trouble does have many similarities to Minamoto no Yorimitsu's strategy when leading troops to fight.

And—

Ian reviewed the places he and Shuten Douji had visited along the way.

He could feel that these oni, who were sent from nowhere, were very familiar with Heian-kyo.

This was definitely not the knowledge that oni could have—after all, neither he nor Minamoto no Yorimitsu would allow them to appear in Heian-kyo.

Of course.

Shuten Douji at this moment was an exception.

Ian had to keep his promise to her—onmyoji cannot lie.

Apart from this, the current situation meant one thing.

That was, there was an oni who knew Heian-kyo very well, plotting all this in the dark.

If he could find it and deal with it, he might be able to truly end the era of the night parade of a hundred oni.

But—

How to find it?

The reason why Shuten Douji could be found before was because of Sakata Kintoki's chance.

But this time, there couldn't be a second Sakata Kintoki, right?

Realizing this, Ian couldn't help frowning.

"..."

Shuten Douji looked at him like this, hesitated for a while, and said:

"Hey! Don't be like this!"

"It's just an oni! Do you have to show this expression?! Show the spirit you had when you came to my Mount Oe!"

"..."

"Are you encouraging me?"

Ian looked at the petite oni girl beside him.

"Stop being self-righteous."

Shuten Douji put her hands on her waist and looked at the great onmyoji in front of her with a look of disgust.

"I'm just reciprocating the gift of the wine you gave me."

"I am the oni king of Mount Oe, how could I encourage a great onmyoji like you?"

"..."

Hearing this, Ian glanced at the wine bottle in Shuten Douji's hand, and quickly realized her true thoughts.

"So you want to drink?"

Knowing that she couldn't hide it from Ian, Shuten Douji directly admitted it.

"Yes!"

"I like fine wine, since you said this is one of the best wines in Kyoto."

"I have to try it, right?"

Objectively speaking.

Shuten Douji knew that her idea would most likely be rejected by Ian on the spot.

But the development of the matter did not continue as she imagined.

Ian quickly responded:

"Okay, then let's drink for a while."

"Eh?"

Shuten Douji couldn't believe what she heard—this man actually agreed to her?

"Hey! I'm talking about drinking?!"

The petite oni girl compared the wine bottle to her mouth and made a sucking motion.

"Don't get me wrong!"

"I didn't get it wrong." Ian's expression was very calm. "I know you want to drink."

"Don't forget."

"I told you before, as long as you honestly listen to me, I won't treat you badly."

"..."

Shuten Douji's face turned slightly red.

She muttered:

"You're quite nice..."

[You agreed to Shuten Douji's request for a drink.]

[You took her to the best tavern in Heian-kyo.]

[Talent Mountain and River Flowing activated: Although Shuten Douji is a real oni, under your influence, no one felt anything unusual about it.]

[She was considered your servant.]

[The tavern owner was surprised by your arrival at first, but soon accepted it—merchants will not miss any opportunity to do business.]

[You took Shuten Douji into the largest room in the tavern.]

[You deliberately avoided the dishes that oni are taboo, and ordered a table full of dishes for her.]

"You..."

Shuten Douji looked at the table full of dishes in front of her, her lips slightly open, looking very surprised.

"What is this for?"

"I just want to have a drink, why did you bring out so many things?"

"..."

Ian showed a puzzled look.

"Isn't this how you usually drink?"

"Of course not!"

Shuten Douji asked back.

"Drinking is drinking? How can there be so many things?"

Realizing that this was the difference between human and oni life, Ian smiled slightly.

"Then maybe you have to try the feeling of drinking and eating at the same time today."

"I promise you will have a new experience."

Although she had a lot of doubts about what Ian said, Shuten Douji finally decided to believe him once.

After all, this guy, although in a sense, was at odds with her.

But if it was something he said, he didn't miss a single one.

"Okay, then I'll try it as mister said, reluctantly~"

A few minutes later.

"Eh?!"

"This, this, this!"

Shuten Douji waved the chopsticks in her hand, and a few happy blushes appeared on her delicate cheeks.

"What the hell is this?!"

"Why does it become so delicious when paired with wine?!"

"This is an appetizer."

Ian answered directly.

"Things that Kyoto people make for drinking—there were some more suitable things, but considering you would feel sick, let's forget it."

"Feel sick?"

Shuten Douji stopped the chopsticks in her hand.

"What can make me feel sick?"

"Because those are all things that can be used to exorcise oni." Ian did not hide the reason.

"If you eat them—"

Ian didn't finish, but Shuten Douji already understood the meaning behind it.

Her ability at this moment had been "confiscated" by the great onmyoji in front of her.

If she was allowed to eat something commonly used for exorcising oni, she could indeed experience the feeling of being worse than death.

Shuten Douji looked at the man across the table, her purple eyes filled with admiration.

"You're quite considerate."

"No wonder that big-breasted woman likes you so much."

"You don't have to worry about my affairs with Yorimitsu." Ian directly interrupted the topic.

"You just need to know that if you do what I tell you, I don't think I will owe you anything."

"..."

Shuten Douji licked her tongue.

"Mister, your thoughts on oni seem to have changed a lot~"

"In the past, you would probably directly hold a blade at me and give orders directly, right?"

"Why now..."

"Don't think too much." Ian took a sip of sake. "My thoughts have never changed."

"Oni are things that must be eliminated, no matter when."

"It's just that I also have to keep my promise."

"Before I figure out my situation, you are also an object I need to protect."

[Shuten Douji heard your words.]

[Her expression was a bit complicated.]

[She seemed to want to say something, but seemed to change her mind.]

"It's embarrassing to be said to be a protected object by the great onmyoji."

Shuten Douji curled her lips.

"But if you say so—"

The petite oni girl glanced at Ian in front of her.

"What's going on with the ability that the big-breasted woman burst out at that time?"

"Don't call her big-breasted woman."

Ian looked at Shuten Douji in front of him with a serious look.

"Her name is Minamoto no Yorimitsu."

"Okay, okay, Minamoto no Yorimitsu." Shuten Douji changed her words. "What exactly is the ability she burst out at that time?"

"I don't think it's a normal thing."

Shuten Douji was still obsessed with one point of view—that was, she was not defeated by Minamoto no Yorimitsu, but was defeated by the power she got from somewhere.

But I have to say.

Although it felt that Shuten Douji's idea was a bit stubborn, it was still somewhat reasonable.

After all, as Minamoto no Yorimitsu's husband, Ian did not remember seeing her show this ability.

"This is also one of the questions I want to know."

Ian did not hide his thoughts.

"For now, it seems that this effect only occurs when she is particularly excited."

"Particularly excited?"

Shuten Douji scratched her face.

"In this way, Minamoto no Yorimitsu is like a bull, right?"

"As long as you provoke her a little, she may bring terrible lightning."

"..."

"Why do you always look at me with that kind of look? It's scary."

Ian shook his head.

"It's nothing."

"I just think that if you say so, the situation will become very dangerous."

"The situation will become very dangerous?"

"Yes." Ian nodded.

"Didn't you say that the person who sent the oni to Heian-kyo this time has many similarities with Yorimitsu?"

"That's just my feeling."

Shuten Douji quickly cleared her relationship—she didn't want to bear any responsibility for her speculation.

"Actually, whether this is the case or not, there is no way to be sure, right?"

"No." Ian shook his head again.

"Of course I don't think so just because of your one-sided words."

"Actually—"

Ian used his fingers to gesture on the table.

"If you recall the places we just walked through, you will find that they are all areas near the mansion."

"At this time, combined with what you just said."

"..."

Shuten Douji thought about it.

Soon, she had an answer.

"Doesn't that mean there is an existence very similar to Minamoto no Yorimitsu, but also hostile to her?"

"Yes."

Ian looked directly at Shuten Douji in front of him.

"Combined with the ability to control oni—this is the danger I'm talking about."

"Wait a minute!"

Shuten Douji reached out to stop Ian.

"How did this thing come about? You've confused me."

[You were silent.]

[You looked at Shuten Douji in front of you and hesitated for a long time.]

[You decided to tell her more.]

[You repeated what Minamoto no Mitsunaka had told you.]

[Shuten Douji was very surprised by this.]

The oni king of Mount Oe looked very surprised at this moment.

"That bull actually bears such a thing?"

"I never thought there would be such a thing."

"Actually, the more dangerous place is another thing."

Ian looked at the petite oni girl in front of him, his expression more serious than ever.

"What's the matter?" Shuten Douji asked.

"Well... since it can be confirmed that it was not done by the oni of Mount Oe, but it has actually happened now."

"Then—"

Ian looked at Shuten Douji in front of him.

"There may be some connection between it and the power used by Yorimitsu."

Shuten Douji was stunned for a moment, and then quickly understood.

"You mean, because Minamoto no Yorimitsu used that power to kill me, it led to the birth of 'that existence'?"

"Yes." Ian nodded. "I think that's probably what happened."

The story was clear.

The night parade of a hundred oni disturbed Heian-kyo, which led to the expedition to Mount Oe.

And in this expedition, Minamoto no Yorimitsu used that power because she was anxious to save her husband from Shuten Douji's sea of fire.

Then—

It was the current situation.

Obviously.

The power on Minamoto no Yorimitsu was not as simple as imagined.

"Hey!"

Shuten Douji became a little anxious.

"According to you, all the problems are on me?"

"I've done bad things! But I didn't do all the bad things!"

"That's not what I meant." Ian responded.

"Besides, to be honest—"

"If I could defeat you, Yorimitsu wouldn't have used that power, right?"

"It's my fault."

"Eh?" Shuten Douji was stunned for a moment, and then answered, "It's because I'm too powerful!"

"Shuten Douji, you're wrong, I'm too weak."

"No, it's me!"

Shuten Douji drank the bottle of wine Ian gave her, and became a little bolder.

"I'm too strong to cause this!"

"..."

Ian smiled.

He did not continue to discuss the issue of who was strong and who was weak.

"Okay, it's meaningless to say these things now."

"In the following time, I hope you continue to help me figure out these things."

Whether it was drinking too much wine, or something else.

Shuten Douji's face was already very red.

"You don't have to tell me, I will."

"Of course, provided that there is enough wine!"

"If you can help, you can drink as much as you want."

[Minamoto no Yorimitsu is already very busy.]

[So you chose to deal with these things in secret.]

[You and Shuten Douji began further investigations in Heian-kyo.]

[You found that the oni king of Mount Oe was not as difficult to get along with as imagined, but just stubborn.]

[But this did not bring any benefit to your investigation.]

[Until this day.]

[A letter came to the Minamoto clan's mansion.]

[It seems to be from a place called "Oni Island".]