Chapter 799 – The Protagonist of the Exorcism

000

When Cleon walked out of the temple with his mask on, he could see that, as Herti had said, all the trees growing in the streets had bloomed as if they resonated with the sacred tree.

Since each type of tree is different, the type and color of the stems are also different, but when you raise your head and look up at the sky, thinking that it is an amazing sight.

The petals of the huge sacred tree that creates shade on the street can be seen falling like snow.

“This must be hard to clean.”

Festivals are always fun, but disposing of the trash or leftovers left behind after the festival is over is always a difficult task.

Especially if the entire city becomes one venue like this.

“Look! A sword with a mask and a magatama! I guess that person is the main character of this exorcism!”

At that time, when I heard something that bothered me and turned my head in that direction, the residents of Asteris who had gathered around the temple were returning when the guards told them to disperse as the Five Elements Festival had begun.

I heard someone among them pointing at himself and raising his voice like that.

＂Oh! Isn’t it Riomes this year?”

＂Originally, it is a tradition to ask the shaman who has the most reputation or attracted attention that year. ＂

When they talked to each other like that, Cleon seemed a bit burdened by the attention, so he took a step back and walked away from them.

“Hey! Cheer up! Because the number of ghosts increases every year!”

“If a ghost appears near our store, please take care of us!”

Likewise, there were some words of encouragement, but Cleon himself seemed to have not expected that this would be a position that would attract so much attention, so he just cut himself off and focused on getting out of the position.

Anyway, what he has to do is exorcise the ghosts that appear during Asteris.

I heard that the three sisters of Bangwidae also cooperate for this, and it is said that when a ghost appears, it is a tradition to announce its location by blowing their special flute.

‘I just need to get used to the expectant gaze of citizens…’

People who are excited during a festival are less conscious of people’s gaze than usual, so their voices become louder and their actions become bolder.

The humans of Asteris are courageous enough to surround and cheer on the charlatans while watching them fight, and their actions are bold, so if the excitement of the festival is added to that…

＇Hmm… Maybe it could be a quite uncontrollable crowd…’

Even if something dangerous happens, it would be a problem if there were residents who thought of it as an extension of their daily lives and did not leave the area.

With that in mind, the idea was to focus on exploring alleys that are not often seen by people, and the moment Cleon entered the alley right in front of him-

＂Gra.＂

＂Ah.＂

There, there was a red-skinned man with horns on his head and clothes that were tattered here and there.

Cleon, and he paused for a few seconds, looking at each other, making eye contact, and not saying anything.

＂GRaaaaa!＂

A blow from a ghost swinging its fist as if remembering its role. The arm wasn’t that thick, but perhaps its strength was strengthened because it was a ghost.

When Cleon stepped back slightly and avoided the fist, his fist hit the ground, causing a large dent in his ground.

Cleon slightly opens his mouth and exhales, thinking that if he were hit head-on, his bones would not end up broken.

If you think of a flashing blade being pulled out of its scabbard while simultaneously moving forward in a gliding manner while breathing-

The sword that was swung as it passed by the ghost had already returned to its original sheath.

In fact, the moment the sword was drawn and the moment it came back – it was a quick enough time to call it an instant.

＂GA?＂

Without even understanding what had happened to the ghost, a huge stab wound appeared in his side, slowly spreading to his entire waist-

With a crashing sound, the upper and lower body separated, and the two parts fell to the ground.

Cleon breathes back in quietly to fill his lungs with oxygen, and places the returned sword-slash all the way back into its sheath.

＇Click.＇ The sound of metal ringing.

‘It’s good to be able to completely cut down the ghosts that existed before you became a nobleman. But the nobleman said it was necessary to cut off the horn and neutralize the body…’

When a ghost possesses a human, it becomes a ghost. Once you become a nobleman, there is no way to return to your original human form.

Of course, there seem to be some conditions for humans who become nobles, but they will be much more troublesome than ghosts.

‘If possible, it would be better to find it when it is a ghost and cut it down. Even with the help of Bangui University, it is inevitable that we will be short of hands since we have one body.

Thinking like that, I was about to go deeper into the alley.

Keying! And a wave of magical power felt behind my back.

When Cleon hurriedly turned towards him, there was a girl standing there wearing a large hat and holding an opaque crystal ball magic tool in her hand.

She must be about Sasha’s age, and her short brown hair that reaches down to her shoulders is impressive.

Her bright eyes are also brown, the same color as her hair. What was worn on the inside was a type of clothing mainly worn by people in eastern countries, but what was worn on top was a type of coat that was popular in the kingdom as well.

She was wearing a leather bag with a strap hanging from her left shoulder to her right waist. She was a type of person that had never been seen before in this eastern country.

＂Ah!＂

Then she made eye contact with Cleon and spoke while smiling.

“Don’t worry about me! Sir!”

“No, I’m more concerned if you tell me not to worry…”

When Cleon said that, she came up to him smiling, took something out of her pocket, and handed it to Cleon.

On the small, square metal plate, it was written, ‘Touhou Newspaper Apprentice Noctis.’

＂… Newspaper company.＂

Even Cleon knows what a newspaper company is.

If you think that newspapers don’t grow from the ground or fall from the sky, there must be a company that publishes them.

＂Are you subscribed to the Touhou Newspaper by any chance? ＂

＂No…＂

Cleon answers like that.

I’m sure Kuon and Laila read the newspaper sometimes, but I’ve never heard of them signing a contract with the newspaper.

Perhaps, the newspaper they subscribed to at the Dark Dragon Company found its way into their hands.

For example, after Herti read it all, or when Calia received what she was planning to dispose of.

In fact, in general, if you think that newspapers are the best way to quickly and accurately learn about worldly affairs, Lila will use her familiar to investigate anything that concerns her, and Kuon can hear related stories at the temple, so he doesn’t really subscribe to newspapers regularly. There is no need to do it or anything.

“Then what do you think about this opportunity!? For those who are signing a contract for the first time, we provide magic tools that are convenient for daily life-“

“No, it’s okay. We are not residents of the eastern country, and we will be leaving Asteris in the not too distant future.”

When Cleon refused like that, the girl blinked her eyes and was silent for a moment.

＂Chet.＂

And let out a small, dissatisfied sound.

＂Huh?＂

And when the girl who had been impressing her with a smiling face just now suddenly said something like that, Cleon thought he had heard wrong, but she quickly changed her expression and spoke as if what had just happened was a bad illusion.

“That’s right! If you change your mind or plan and want to know how the world works even during your long stay, please contact our newspaper! We deliver to any location in Asteris at a set time every morning!”

“Okay… I’ll remember that.”

I don’t think that will happen, though.

As she thought so and tried to return the business card she received to her pocket, Noctis raised his voice.

“Ah! Please return that business card. It’s the only one…”

＂So it was metal…＂

After Cleon returns her business card to her despite her bewilderment, she returns it to her pocket and looks up at Cleon with a grinning expression on her face.

“So? What was that crystal ball she was holding in her hand just a moment ago?”

“Ah. That’s a shot edit. It is a magic tool that can record and save the scenery reflected in the crystal. It’s the latest model. There is only one in our newspaper.”

She takes out the crystal ball and shows it as if she is proud.

She carefully hung the strap around her wrist, so you could tell she was putting effort and studying into not dropping it.

“Are you going to make a newspaper with that?”

“That’s right! Newspapers also have pictures in them, right? Half of them were taken with this crystal ball. And half of the time, I draw it myself with a brush.”

That’s amazing as it is… When Cleon nodded her head while thinking the same thing, Cleon was talking to her.

“I see. Well, I guess I’ll be going around and covering the festival today. Don’t go to places that are too dangerous. Be careful.”

“Ah! I am in charge of the protagonist of today’s exorcism.”

＂…＂

Noctis responds to Cleon’s words as if asking what he meant.

At her answer, Cleon looked down at her, the expression beneath her mask twitching.

＂The protagonist of the exorcism… That is, in charge of me?＂

“Yes! My job today is to check all the activities of the protagonist of the exorcism, capture them in this crystal ball, and return!”

No matter how high you look at it, isn’t it too dangerous to follow and report on a person who is around Lila’s age and fighting ghosts…

“… I would ask if it weren’t rude. Does that newspaper entrust that kind of work to an apprentice?”

＂Ah~ Originally, it was supposed to be a more senior person, but while tracking the activities of the protagonist of last year’s Exorcism, I got traumatized…”

＂…＂

In response to her question, Cleon remembers what Herti said about the protagonist of last year’s exorcism.

It was definitely called Riomes…

“Then there’s nothing we can do.”

“Yes. Thanks to this, last year, the content became so high-level that we could hardly even publish the protagonist’s activities in the newspaper. I was confident that the right person would take the lead this time— Ah! This doesn’t necessarily mean that Riomes is not normal!? … Wouldn’t this constitute a crime of insulting the royal family?”

She answers, her voice shaking a little as if she is scared, but Cleon answers her.

“Are you okay. Because I know best that she is not normal.”

＂Oh…! Is it possible that the protagonist of this exorcism is familiar with the royal family? There is also a rumor that he is a prince from a neighboring country. Is this true?”

When Cleon gave that answer, she seemed to have created another misunderstanding, and Cleon burst into laughter as she immediately picked up her notepad and grabbed her pen.

＂Who told such a rumor… No. Just go on an adventure.”

＂Adventurer… Hmm.＂

When Cleon answered like that, the girl spoke a little calmly but looked up at Cleon.

“Indeed. That swordsmanship skill is the result of the experience and training gained as an adventurer.”

“… What. That’s right.”

There is also the fact that the teacher is a swordsman.

＂Speaking of rumors, one more thing… The protagonist this time is someone who was appointed by Herti herself-“

If she says that and tries to ask another question-

P-it-!!

And a high-pitched sound echoed from a slightly distant place.

＂This is half─＂

＂The sound of exorcism helpers calling for the protagonist!＂

… Now that I think about it, the anti-guidance unit is a kind of secret unit, so her name is not known, so she nodded along with what she said.

Although the distance is not far, Cleon speaks to her, thinking that he must hurry.

“It’s okay if you follow me, but if you think it’s dangerous, leave immediately. Got it? “

＂It’s Razer!＂

When she nodded her head and looked at Cleon with an expectant expression, Cleon thought that she looked a little burdened, so he kicked off the wall of her alley and jumped up high.

And when he lands on the ceiling, Noctis looks blankly at Cleon.

“No, then how can I follow you!”

He spits out his dissatisfaction and runs out of the alley.

Cleon followed her with his gaze for a moment, then shortened the distance by moving from roof to roof of her building toward the place where the sound of her flute came from.

And on the ground-

＂Wooooot…!!＂

And, while moving his legs vigorously, he could see Noctis chasing after him on a bicycle.

Perhaps because it was still morning and there were few people, the sight of him riding a bicycle while avoiding people looked like a jockey riding a famous horse.

I felt a steel-like will not to miss Cleon’s activities at all costs.

What. I have no choice but to acknowledge that effort and passion.

Cleon thought so and found Zwei underneath the building, swinging his sword at a ghost and blocking it.

The ghost is busy dealing with Zwei, and when Cleon sees it, he immediately pulls out his sword and cuts it in a straight line like lightning-

The ghost split into two sides centered in the center of the body, and once again, it became petals of magic and scattered and disappeared.

“Are you okay? Zwei.”

＂Okay, Cleon. You came. Thank you.”

Zwei answered in a trembling voice while adjusting his mask and clothes that had become disheveled during the battle.

“I’m fine. … This year, ghosts are already appearing like this… I can definitely feel that there is something wrong with my spiritual vein.”

＂Is it different from usual?＂

＂Yes… At least when people start to move actively, ghosts appear… ＂

As Cleon said that, as she tried to turn her body, he noticed that the clothes on her thigh were torn, and there was a shallow cut and slight bleeding on the bare skin exposed there.

“Zwei, wait.”

When Cleon stopped her, he carefully placed his hand on her thigh and used her healing magic to heal her.

＂… Thank you. I didn’t even notice.”

“Even if it is a shallow wound, it is better to treat it because no scar will remain.”

As Zwei looked down at Cleon with her blushing face, Cleon nodded and did not put down his hand to maintain her recovery until her wounds were all healed. 〉

At that time.

It’s good to have fun! With the sound of something suddenly stopping – Keying! If you think you can feel the wave of magical power again.

＂Exorcism, the protagonist of the exorcism touches the thigh of the helper during a mission!? This is a scandal!”

＂Ugh, ugh!?＂

Noctis and Zwei’s voices rang out loudly, making Cleon’s ears noisy.