Kurahashi spoke calmly and resolutely. Yashamaru didn't disagree with him, as he also felt that this was a need. The Kurahashi and the Souma had been allies and supporters since ancient times. Supporters of whom? Of course, the supporters of Yakou in the past. The king of the magic community wasn't the Kurahashi family or the Souma family. Rather, it had been the Tsuchimikado family for centuries - the king's bloodline descended from Abe no Seimei.
"The problem is...... How can we contact him. We have no way right now other than having the Mystical Investigators search."
Yashamaru deliberately looked at Kurahashi, revealing an evil smile.
"Could you get your mother to help? This is the kind of time that we need 'divination'. Anyway, she's very free now since she retired from the Onmyou Academy."
"I think it's probably impossible."
"Then what about your daughter? Are there any traces of the other side contacting her?"
"None."
Kurahashi replied immediately without even looking at the shikigami. Then, he picked up the files placed on the table and started reading them with an oft used posture.
"Ah, I see." Yashamaru clicked his tongue.
"Well, the other side can't really touch the Kurahashi family. Yasuzumi-kun and the others are quiet as usual. How annoying~ And I can't find any clues from that living spirit boy either."
"Judging by the circumstances, it's very likely that Shadow and Amami are moving together. Perhaps Amami......"
"Come to think of it, Shadow's the only one moving around undisguised~ We're not going to be able to just sit back and watch that guy anymore soon."
A cruel light instantly emerged from the eye under his monocle.
Kurahashi spoke in order to make him calm down.
"Kogure will act if there's any movement."
"I know that. He should be used to it now, right? To the Mystical Investigator work?"
"He's used to it, but he's not as good as we expected. Kogure's just an excellent watchdog, he's not a hound. Especially when the opponent is an old fox."
"Yeah...... Hey hey, then why were we willing to move such a precious Independent Exorcists' fighting power......"
"It was for Miyoshi."
"Ohh......"
He got it. Yashamaru nodded his head in understanding. He was still like always, a man able to anticipate everything beforehand, make decisions, and take action.
Yashamaru put his hands behind him on the back of the sofa, waving his raised legs back and forth.
"It's not just the industry. The organizational structure of the Onmyou Agency was mostly reworked too."
"Of course. An organization that can't change won't grow."
Kurahashi scanned the topics of his papers while speaking calmly. That was the power of an organization leader, one that couldn't be stopped by a pure practitioner.
"How's your side? Are things still going smoothly with the Souma princess?"
"Yeah, there are no problems for now. The training is going very smoothly."
"Even though you say that, you can't come to the executive office to kill time so often. Think of the princess."
"Don't say such nasty things, Kumomaru's staying with the Princess while I'm lazing - resting, so there won't be any other problems. Also......"
"What?"
"I've had my daughter accompany the princess to take her mind off of things recently. It wasn't easy~" Yashamaru smiled slightly as he spoke. He didn't have an evil smile, and that was why he looked all the more chilling to someone informed.
Kurahashi looked quietly at his old friend for a moment. Then, he returned his gaze to the papers in his hands.
"She hasn't had contact with Tsuchimikado Harutora either?"
"No. It's really hard to think that Tsuchimikado Harutora would stay quiet to his friends for a whole year, given his personality. Is he really Yakou?" Yashamaru mused, looking at the ceiling. Kurahashi didn't say anything at all, continuing to look at the papers before him.
Just then.
A weak vibration sounded. Kurahashi stopped the work at hand and took out his phone. It seemed that a phone call had come.
"Who?"
"Yamashiro."
Kurahashi looked at the time while preparing to take the phone. It was probably a regular report. Yashamaru leisurely reached his hand to the newspaper on the table with an indifferent appearance.
But......
"What?" Kurahashi's voice wasn't like usual. He was audibly shaken.
The action of Yashamaru's hand as it reached out for the newspaper was relaxed, lacking tension as always.
But after he heard that voice, his expression became different from before, flashing with a sharp light.
Kurahashi continued the conversation, glued to the phone.
Yashamaru sat up properly on the sofa, straightening his body and putting his hands on his knees. His white gloves covered his fingers and slowly clasped tightly together before him. He waited like that.
"Understood, I'll send people to deal with it immediately. But it will be evening at the earliest. Until then, I'm counting on you." Kurahashi hung up the phone.
Yashamaru spoke in an erratic tone.
"Who?" The same question as before, but in a tone several times more pressing than before.
Kurahashi spoke bitterly and helplessly.
"We've found out that Tsuchimikado Harutora recently made a brief visit to the Seishuku Temple. Things are really developing in a bad direction......"