Tokyo Exorcism Diary

Since the contract had been kept in his bag, Hoshino Gen went straight to the café from the antique shop after retrieving the black demonic blade.

Perhaps because he had said yesterday that he would return today, the café still bore the “Temporarily Closed” sign when Hoshino Gen arrived.

This time, even without Asakura Meika guiding him, Hoshino Gen familiarly pushed open the glass door.

The clear chime of wind bells resonated, and an ethereal piano melody drifted from somewhere in the corner.

The few pairs of eyes inside immediately turned toward him.

Today, there were three people in the café: the familiar Asakura Meika, the acquaintance Kiryu Rakuye, and an unfamiliar elderly man with graying hair and a stern expression.

“Ah, he’s here!”

The sweet, loli-like Kiryu Rakuye pointed at Hoshino, who had just walked in, and exclaimed in excitement.

Hoshino Gen raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding why his arrival caused such enthusiasm.

At this moment, AsakuraMeika, who knew him better, smiled and said, “Perfect timing! We were just talking about you.”

She then introduced the elderly man seated beside her, “This is Master Nishida, our alchemist and consultant.”

Out of respect for his seniority and admiration for higher-level alchemy, Hoshino Gen smiled and nodded politely at Master Nishida.

However, Master Nishida remained motionless, his sharp, hawk-like eyes fixed on Hoshino Gen with unwavering intensity.

Asakura Meika continued introducing Hoshino Gen, “This is the genius ability user we were just discussing—Hoshino-kun.”

“No need for more introductions.” Master Nishida abruptly interrupted, his cold voice directed at Hoshino, “How did you do it?”

“…What do you mean?” Hoshino Gen, noticing the man’s unfriendly tone, saw no reason to be overly polite. He had no intention of indulging someone who wielded their seniority arrogantly.

Master Nishida’s stern expression revealed a faint, ambiguous smile as his gaze shifted to the black curse blade in Hoshino Gen’s hand. His voice, still cold and stiff, pressed on:

“Heh… You’ve contained at least eighteen spirits and even dared to use an unprocessed vessel as a weapon. How is it that you show no signs of losing control? Are you truly immune to ‘contamination’?”

If by “contamination,” he wasn’t referring to environmental issues, then the term took on a rather intriguing meaning.

A sudden realization dawned on Hoshino Gen. He closed his eyes, and after a brief moment, reopened them to reveal his left eye glowing with an intense, crimson radiance. Though his smile remained, there was now an eerie, seductive quality to it.

Rage, bloodlust, madness—an array of unsettling emotions surged in his heart and mind.

The cursed blade in his hand began to tremble violently.

Hoshino Gen’s voice was unchanged, yet it sent chills down everyone’s spine.

“Are you referring to this kind of contamination?”

The temperature in the café plummeted several degrees, shrouding the room in an oppressive silence. Only the piano melody continued.

Moments later, Master Nishida broke the eerie stillness. “Fascinating. With contamination levels this high, you act as though nothing is amiss. Are you that good at hiding it, or is your mental resilience simply extraordinary?”

The crimson glow in Hoshino Gen’s eye gradually subsided as he chuckled softly, “Who knows?”

He then pulled out the contract from his bag, tossing it lightly onto the table in front of Asakura Meika. “I’ve signed the contract. What about the terms we discussed yesterday?”

Asakura Meika picked up the contract, flipping through it until she found the signature and seal. She exhaled in relief, her stiff smile softening into a warm, enthusiastic one. “Of course, there’s no problem, right, Master Nishida?”

Master Nishida didn’t reply but instead asked Hoshino Gen, “Kid, do you know alchemy?”

“Just a little,” Hoshino replied with a smile.

“Either you know it, or you don’t. There’s no ‘just a little’ in alchemy. Every half-truth will bite back during transmutation,” Master Nishida said flatly, his gaze shifting to the curse blade in Hoshino Gen’s hand, now tinged with genuine admiration. “Managing to deal with ‘Onikiri’ on your own… you do live up to the title of ‘genius’.”

Hoshino Gen remained silent, his smile unfaltering.

“Leave the blade here, and you can pick it up in three days,” Master Nishida said as he stood up.

Hoshino Gen stepped forward and handed over the blade.

Master Nishida chuckled, “Kid, you’re awfully trusting. Aren’t you afraid we’ll keep your blade? After all, a vessel like Onikiri is exceedingly rare, even in our special op.”

“Heh.” Hoshino Gen’s smile remained indifferent. “Since I’ve entrusted it to you, I naturally have absolute confidence in retrieving it. Whether you return it or not makes no difference… But I trust the official’s reputation. Don’t you agree, Master Nishida?”

“Hahaha!” For the first time, the typically stern Master Nishida burst into hearty laughter, leaving Kiryu Rakuye and Asakura Meika dumbfounded.

After a while, Master Nishida slapped Hoshino on the shoulder. “Good kid, you’ve got guts!”

“Heh…”

…

“Beep~”

The fingerprint lock clicked open. As Hoshino Gen opened the door to his apartment, rapid footsteps followed, along with a sweet, enthusiastic voice calling out in English, “Rin~”

Rin? Hoshino Gen blinked, quickly processing the name. Having lived in the U.S. for a considerable time in his previous life, he was well-versed in English. Despite the nuances between British and American English, it only took a moment to decipher the word’s meaning.

Rin—it corresponded to his younger sister’s name in Japanese.

A cascade of thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Soon, a petite figure appeared in his line of sight.

Long, golden hair gleaming like sunlight, a doll-like petite frame, and an exquisitely adorable face reminiscent of a fairy—a British girl around ten years old stood before him.

The little girl’s excitement vanished the moment she saw Hoshino. Noticing his heterochromatic eyes, her expression soured. Briefly, she furrowed her brows and turned her head away, walking off with a ‘hmph’.

“Liz, is Rin back?” His mother, Tillina, called out from the kitchen in English.

The little girl—Liz—shouted back in the same language, “No, it’s just some stranger!”