Chapter 7, Please summon the Great Priest of Mercy

However, now, deities have appeared, and monsters have emerged. These priests and onmyoji, who have inherited traditions for thousands of years, may also possess mysterious powers.

Nagaozaki Akira : `` ... ... ''

Hirota Takuma revealed a meaningful smile, "Do your best, I have high hopes for you"

I also want to help

When the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Department handed over the case to him, citing that the incident occurring in Heijō-kyō would jeopardize national security, he was still pondering whether Shikado Kazunari intended to resign from his position to seek psychiatric treatment

The case referred to by the Metropolitan Police Department is about their performance of a Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in Heijō-kyō

It is not that I want to shirk responsibility

As the primary counter-espionage investigation and elimination agency under the Ministry of Justice, the Commissioner of the Public Security Investigation Bureau has always held a position of great authority

The issue is that after the cunning and scheming individual from the Four Islands transferred the case, the Prime Minister personally called to say that they should handle it with full authority, and the Emperor expressed close attention to this matter

Why should the Public Security Investigation Department handle local cases

Do you think I do not want to push this case back

Are you talking nonsense? Hirota Takuma maintained a composed expression, of course I know we need to handle this quickly, but the question is how to handle it

However, today, Takuma Hirota, the chief of the Public Security Investigation Department, had a face so grim that it seemed ready to drip with water

Because he personally touched the sacred tree in Kyoto City, which has been studied repeatedly by researchers after being sealed off, yet to this day, they have not been able to derive any significant findings from it

Receiving the hint from the commander, Akira Nagasaki became swift in his actions. He summoned the most renowned Shinto priest and onmyoji in Tokyo and respectfully handed over the copies of the documents.

I will conduct research

Even in the case of extraordinary events, what my Public Security Investigation Department is responsible for are national-level extraordinary matters. Such local 'minor cases' should be handled by the Metropolitan Police Department

How do we handle this

As for why they did not previously exhibit the legendary magical spirits.

Leave it to us to handle it with full authority

Observing that the two had finished reviewing the files, Nagasaki Akihiro respectfully said: "Mr. Yoshikatsu, Mr. Shigenaga, you have both reviewed the files, haven't you"

I truly cannot shirk this responsibility

The slippery-headed ghost, the mountain child, the high woman, the rain-descending little monk, the unknown fire, the red monster ...? ... Have all these monsters appeared in Heijō-kyō?

Akira Nagasaki saw through their excuses and stated his purpose directly: "Although our Eastern Japan has always been free and peaceful, and we hold no discrimination against youkai, these youkai have already caused disturbances to the residents of Heijokyo. I kindly ask both of you to send those youkai back to where they belong"

By taking in a monster as a shikigami, one can become famous nationwide in no time, while also becoming a guest of honor in the royal family and various prominent clans, thus gaining both fame and fortune

Deputy Director Akihiro Ozaki of the Public Security Investigation Bureau's expression darkened after reviewing the files, "Director Hirota, shouldn't the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' that occurred in Heijokyo East be handled by the Metropolitan Police Department?"

But the problem is, I am just an intelligence operative. Asking me to handle supernatural events seems a bit too much to ask of Takuma Hirota

Having said that, he bent down and bowed, "I sincerely request both masters to lend their assistance"

Akira Nagao cast a resentful glance at the Commissioner, pondered for a moment, and said: "Commissioner Hirota, based on the files transferred from the Metropolitan Police Department, this is a very serious and severe incident of disturbance caused by youkai. Although, at present, the youkai causing the disturbance are all quite benign and there are no evil youkai that take pleasure in killing involved, the greatest loss has been a fire set in a building, which was quickly extinguished, with no casualties. However, we must address this issue promptly to prevent the situation from worsening"

Even if the files clearly indicate the existence of youkai such as the slippery ghost, the mountain child, the tall woman, the rain-descending little monk, the unknown fire, and the red monster, along with photographic evidence, he still does not believe it

If it were before the manifestation of divine miracles by the deity of the central shrine during the festival of the earth, he would absolutely not believe that what was happening in the eastern part of Heijō-kyō was a procession of a hundred demons

Cases that your police department cannot handle will be transferred to our Public Security Investigation Department

He absolutely does not believe that there are any gods or monsters in this world

Let me take another look

However, my esteemed Deputy Minister, my name is Tanaka Shigenaga, not Abe no Seimei, and I do not deal with yokai

It was also that visible yet intangible divine tree that refreshed his worldview.

Surely, it is merely that they disdain to present themselves before an ordinary person like him

Hello. Nagasaki Akira lowered his head in response, a hint of joy creeping in.

The cunning and deceitful individual known as Si Dao Yi Cheng should not be sent to a psychiatric department; rather, he should be directed to a department specializing in evading responsibility. The individuals he educates are surely destined to become experts in shirking responsibility.

But the question is, where does your Public Security Investigation Department get the confidence that I, this divine official / onmyoji who can do nothing but deceive people, can subdue the monsters that have caused chaos in Heian-kyo?

Today, Takuma Hirota's gloomy face finally brightened for the first time, "Since it was you who brought it up, then I will leave this case entirely in your hands."

Please help

However, after he finished reading the files transferred from the police department, he felt a throbbing pain in his forehead

"Mr. Nagaozaki." Hirota Takuma looked at Nagaozaki Akira and said seriously: "I am approaching the legal retirement age, and I plan to work for another two or three years before retiring..."

Nagaozaki Akira : `` ... ... ''

Our Public Security Investigation Department focuses on espionage activities between nations, paying attention to major events that may endanger national security. We do not have the leisure to concern ourselves with local public order cases

Shigenaga Tanaka was contemplating what excuse he should use to refuse, when Yoshitaka Fujioka spoke up, "The reason why a large number of monsters have appeared in Heijō-kyō is that the realm of the dead and the present world have intertwined. I do not possess such strong spiritual power to send them back to the realm of the dead."

If it were in the past, he would certainly not have been so respectful towards these two individuals, as the priests and onmyoji he had encountered were not much different from ordinary people. If one were to insist on a distinction, it would be that they were more eloquent and could easily reference myths and legends

At most, it is believed that a certain cult group is causing trouble in Pingcheng Jingdong.

A group of monsters was playing in the eastern part of Pingcheng, causing a commotion that sent chickens flying and dogs barking. The deputy director of the Public Security Investigation Bureau, instead of attending to his duties, summoned them to review the files. The intention was already quite clear—they planned to have themselves capture the monsters

However, after the manifestation of divine miracles by the Lord of the Heavenly Festival in the Garden of Resistance, he had already come to believe that extraordinary powers indeed exist in this world

It is not that I want to shirk responsibility

Hirota Takuma shook his head and said, "This matter has already been entrusted to us for full handling, and other departments will cooperate with us in the process."

We should seek professionals to handle this. Akira Nagasaki expressed his opinion

Fukushima Yoshitaka and Tanaka Shigenaga said in unison

The Eastern Japan Public Security Investigation Agency

I am skilled in espionage and similar activities, but capturing monsters, I'm afraid, is beyond my capabilities unless I can retake my university courses