Chapter 7: The Invitation from the Demon-Slaying Lodge (Ninth Update)

The weather was fair, sunlight danced upon the shimmering waves of the sea. A wooden official vessel sailed slowly across the water, and on its deck, a shy young girl nestled in the arms of a tall man.

“Yan, Lord Yan, I’m feeling much better now—I can stand on my own,” she whispered, her cheeks flushed as she looked up at Zhou Yan’s handsome face, which was difficult to make out beneath the sunlight.

“If you’re sure you’re alright, then go ahead,” Zhou Yan replied with a gentle smile, helping the girl to her feet.

“Ah, oh…” The girl paused, then braced herself as Zhou Yan assisted her onto the deck, her heart tinged with a hint of regret.

Why did I have to speak up? Why act so tough? Wasn’t it nice to just lean quietly in his embrace?

Now that she was standing, she could hardly show any sign of weakness. Leaning on a sword called Demon Cutter, she joined Zhou Yan in gazing out at the horizon, stealing glances at him as she sought conversation.

“Lord Yan, when I fainted, I… I seem to have gained some new memories.”

“Oh?” Zhou Yan’s interest was piqued. He turned to her, “What kind of memories?”

She pondered carefully, hesitating. “There was a soul of a formidable swordsman from the Oboro school—it took over my body.”

She recounted the dream she had during her fainting spell.

Zhou Yan stroked his chin, thinking it reminded him of an old game he’d played back on Earth, though the details differed significantly. He dismissed random speculation and instead asked, “So you learned the Oboro style because your body was used by the swordsman’s soul, making it second nature. Do you remember how that soul managed to take over your body?”

“Yes, he swung a sword that emitted a black glow at me,” she frowned, thinking deeply. “But I don’t think he meant to strike me… Who was he trying to strike?”

As she spoke, her vision dimmed.

The girl collapsed once more into Zhou Yan’s arms.

Gently cradling her, Zhou Yan waved away any attendants who wished to help and carried her back to the cabin. It seemed best not to let her dwell too much on those lost memories.

*

[“Survive” for thirty days (24 days and 3 hours remaining)]

Zhou Yan’s sailboat drifted along, stopping here and there. At last, on the afternoon of the third day, they arrived at their destination—the inland port of Toyoshima District in Musashi Province.

Zhou Yan and Oboro, each carrying a pack, disembarked onto the dock, sent off with respectful bows by the crew. After two days of rest, the girl’s spirits had fully recovered, as long as she didn’t dwell on her memories.

Her face glowed with excitement as she tugged gently at Zhou Yan’s sleeve, looking this way and that.

“Lord Yan, Edo Castle truly lives up to its reputation as the shogun’s capital! It’s much more bustling than our countryside—no, more than all of Joto District!”

Like a child, she pressed close to Zhou Yan, marveling.

“Indeed, it’s much livelier than Joto,” Zhou Yan nodded, observing the throngs of townsfolk and merchants. Though not as advanced as modern cities, Edo Castle, capital of the so-called Genroku nation—really ancient Japan—was undeniably prosperous, and the faces of its people radiated a sense of contentment.

With money in their pockets, the two splurged a little, wandering through the outer city before settling into a luxurious inn.

Weary from travel, Zhou Yan planned to rest in Edo while gathering information about the so-called “Demon Extermination Assembly.” But before he could even begin his inquiries, someone sought him out.

That day, as Zhou Yan returned to the inn with Oboro, he saw two armed samurai standing at the entrance.

“Lord Yan, we’re from the Demon Slayer Bureau,” one quickly approached, bowing respectfully.

“Demon Slayer Bureau?” Zhou Yan glanced over their attire. “Your uniforms don’t quite match the ones I’ve seen.”

“Lord Yan, you jest,” replied one of the samurai earnestly. “We’re ordinary samurai assigned to menial tasks in the bureau. The uniforms you refer to belong to the true Demon Slayer swordsmen—the ones in black haori.”

“Black haori swordsmen, is it?” Zhou Yan recalled the swordsman he’d seen monitoring the Ohsuga district chief with his malicious locusts—a man cloaked in a black robe patterned with flames.

Exchanging a glance with Oboro, Zhou Yan continued, “So, what brings you here?”

“Our bureau chief wishes to meet you, Lord Yan.”

Zhou Yan’s lips curled in a slight smile. “Since the bureau chief invites me, I’ll gladly accept.”

The Demon Slayer Bureau—a state organization he’d heard about since arriving in this world, dedicated to battling monsters and demons—surely knew about the Demon Extermination Assembly.

So, Zhou Yan and Oboro secured their belongings and, taking Demon Cutter and their valuables, followed the samurai into the inner city of Edo.

*

At the edge of Edo Castle’s inner city, outside a secluded courtyard, the samurai halted. One nodded to the two guards at the gate. “Greetings, we’re from Squad Sixteen, acting on the bureau chief’s orders to bring guests for a meeting.”

The guards prepared to let them pass, but upon seeing the Demon Cutter sword on Oboro’s back, one said, “Sorry, you must surrender your weapons before meeting the bureau chief.”

Before he finished, a clear voice called from within the mansion.

“No need. Lord Yan is my honored guest—please let them in directly.”

All four samurai straightened reflexively, responding respectfully, “Yes!”

Zhou Yan observed that these samurai seemed fervently devoted to their chief—even hearing his voice stirred excitement.

Soon, he met the chief himself.

A handsome young man, dressed in a white robe and black high hat, holding a folding fan.

He sat in an open hall, its four walls adorned with images of monsters in the style of ukiyo-e.

At first glance, Zhou Yan felt as if he’d encountered a famous character often seen in Japanese anime and games.

“Lord Yan, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am the current chief of the Demon Slayer Bureau, Mikado-in Haruaki,” the youth nodded gently, his tone mild.

“Please, have a seat.”

Zhou Yan and Oboro calmly settled onto the cushions prepared for them. Stroking his chin, Zhou Yan smiled. “Chief Mikado-in, if you hadn’t introduced your surname, I might have assumed you belonged to the Abe family.”

“How dare you speak so disrespectfully to the chief!” the two accompanying samurai glared angrily at Zhou Yan.

“It’s fine, don’t be so agitated,” the chief said kindly, dismissing the samurai and letting them withdraw.

Turning again to Zhou Yan, he smiled, “Lord Yan, did you come to Edo for the ‘Demon Extermination Assembly’?”

His handsome face, when he smiled, his eyes narrowed slightly, reminiscent of a fox.

Seeing the chief get straight to the point, Zhou Yan didn’t hesitate. “Indeed. I was planning to inquire about it in a few days, but your invitation has saved me considerable trouble.”

Haruaki chuckled softly, his gaze curious. “The assembly will be hosted by our Demon Slayer Bureau, five days from now. It’s a private gathering, by invitation only.”

He paused, smiling. “I had intended to invite the renowned Oboro school—yet your swordsmen are so elusive, I had no way to reach you. Now that you’ve come of your own accord, I am deeply honored.”

Zhou Yan nodded, propping his chin as he replied lightly, “How did you know Oboro and I had arrived in Edo?”

“To be honest,” Haruaki admitted, “our bureau’s abilities are lacking. After the Red Oni escaped and attacked Miss Oboro’s parents, we received word that you two had slain the Red Oni. We also heard of your defeat of the Iron-Footed One in Ogasa, Tōtōmi Province.”

“Your intelligence is impressive. Then, let’s return to the matter of the Demon Extermination Assembly,” Zhou Yan said, letting the issue of surveillance drop.

“Thank you for your understanding, Lord Yan.” Haruaki nodded earnestly, then raised a finger to make a rare gesture. “What I’m about to say is confidential, so I’ll use a little trick to ensure privacy. Please forgive me.”

“By all means,” Zhou Yan replied, curious.

With a slight smile, Haruaki uttered a peculiar chant. At the center of his gesture, a spherical curtain of light expanded to envelop the three of them.

“This is a small barrier—it prevents sound from leaking out,” Haruaki explained as Zhou Yan and Oboro looked around in wonder.

“Amazing—is this the legendary onmyōdō?” Zhou Yan asked, impressed.

Leaning forward with interest, he said, “Chief, would you consider taking me as a disciple to learn this onmyōdō?”

“You jest, Lord Yan,” Haruaki replied, surprised yet composed. “You and Miss Oboro are swordsmen of the Oboro school—slayers of all monsters and demons. Why would you need my humble arts?”

Smiling slyly, he added, “Besides, I hear the secret techniques of your school require ‘demonic power,’ which naturally conflicts with the ‘spiritual power’ we cultivate. Attempting to learn onmyōdō might yield unfortunate consequences…”

Seeing the chief’s fox-like smile, Zhou Yan realized he would not teach him and raised a hand to cut off further explanation.

“All right, I understand. Let’s return to the matter of the Demon Extermination Assembly.”

***