Chapter 504: This is not how you carry responsibility
Chaowu's house, living room.
At this time, not only Aize and the other two rushed back, but Cong Yu, who had been wandering somewhere, and Chao Wu Anqing, who worked at the shrine, also rushed back.
“…Is it that time again?”
Chao Wu Anqing's expression was not as gentle as usual, but seemed a little sad.
"Yes." Hitachi Moko was not smiling frivolously, but said seriously: "It has been more than a week since the day when Master Aize killed the evil god on the mountain."
"Calculating the time, the filth should have accumulated."
Once filth accumulates, the Chao Wu family's curse will manifest, and the evil spirit will also appear.
This situation was not the first time it had happened, so Hitachi Mako said something decisively.
"It's time to go up the mountain to exorcise the evil spirits tonight."
This is what they have always done.
In response to this, Asatake Yasuharu showed a sad look, because he was worried.
Even though this was not the first time his daughter went up the mountain to fight the evil spirit, he still felt worried and sad.
On the other hand, Aize was unusually calm.
"The master doesn't seem surprised at all."
Cong Yu had been observing Aize's expression and was a little surprised to see that he remained so calm.
"I've already guessed it, how can I be surprised?" Aize said calmly, "I thought it would cause some commotion on the way back, but I didn't expect others wouldn't be able to see the ears."
This was the first time Aize knew about this.
He thought that after growing animal ears, Asatake Yoshino would have to find a way to cover them up, but she just walked back from the street like that. People who saw her on the street didn't notice anything wrong and treated the shrine maiden Asatake Yoshino with the same respect as always.
They seemed unable to see the animal ears growing on Asatake Yoshino's head, just as they could not see Cong Yu.
"This is the characteristic of the Chaowu family's curse." Cong Yu explained, "In the beginning, the curse was not too strong, so only people like the master and Mozi who can see us can see this pair of ears."
Because of this, Asatake Yasuharu actually couldn't see the animal ears growing on Asatake Yoshino's head. Only Aize and Hitachi Mako could see them.
"But if the filth is not purified and the evil spirit is not exorcised, the curse will become stronger and stronger as time goes by, and then others will be able to see the ears." Cong Yu said: "The rumor of dog spirit possession first spread because people saw the ears grown by the Chaowu family's priestess, and then it gradually spread."
"Then what?" Aize looked at Cong Yu and asked, "After the curse becomes stronger, the only effect is that people will see you growing animal ears?"
“Are there no other effects?”
This question made the atmosphere at the scene a little heavy.
Everyone fell silent, and no one answered the question immediately.
"It's okay." Asatake Yoshino said at the right time, as if trying to change the subject, she said with a tense face: "It's just like usual, going to the mountains to exorcise the evil spirits, it's not a big deal."
"Once the evil spirit is exorcised and the filth is purified, the ears will naturally disappear."
"So, there won't be any impact."
Asatake Yoshino's expression and tone seemed to emphasize this fact, and she was firm.
"Really?" Seeing that everyone remained silent, Aize nodded and said, "That's it."
Having said that, Aize stood up, as if preparing to return to his room.
However, Asatake Yoshino grabbed his hand.
"Mr. Aize won't go up the mountain alone this time, right?" Asatake Yoshino seemed to have a bad premonition. She looked at Aize and couldn't hide her worry and said, "Please promise me that you won't go up the mountain alone, okay?"
Aize did not agree, but stared at Asatake Yoshino, until Asatake Yoshino's expression became unnatural, and then he spoke.
"Are you planning to unilaterally exclude me and take on all the responsibilities by yourself?"
Aize's tone still seemed calm, but it gave Asatake Yoshino the feeling that he was questioning her.
"This is originally my business." Asatake Yoshinori unconsciously avoided Aize's gaze and said, "There is no reason to involve Mr. Aize."
Hearing this, not only Aize, but everyone else present sighed in unison.
"You still insist on that statement, Fangnai." Cong Yu looked unbearable and said, "Why are you still so stubborn now?"
Hitachi Mako and Asatake Yasuharu didn't say anything, they just smiled bitterly.
“But, but I’ve already hurt Mr. Aize once, and he almost lost his life!” Asatake Yoshino became a little agitated. The guilt and self-blame that had accumulated over this period burst out all at once, making her feel like she was about to cry. She said, “He didn’t have to be like this. It’s all my fault that things turned out like this!”
It seems that the witch still cannot let go of this matter, and even because of her heavy sense of mission and responsibility, she has accumulated more and more pressure in her heart.
Cong Yu and others didn't know what to say to such a person named Chaowu Yoshino, and could only remain silent.
Only Aize kept looking at Asatake Yoshino.
After a while, he said this.
"That's it, then."
Just like before, Aize said this and prepared to leave.
"Wait a minute!" Chaowu Fangnai grabbed him and said stubbornly: "Promise me first that you can't go up the mountain alone!"
"Why?" Aize said calmly, "I have no reason to agree to you, right?"
"How can there be no reason?" Chao Wu Fang Nai was stunned and said, "It's very dangerous on the mountain!"
"That's why you stopped me, but it's not why I agreed to you." Aize's expression remained unchanged as he said calmly, "I still say that. You have been rejecting me with your own reasons, but I have no right to blame you. After all, this is your right, and I have no right to interfere or oppose it."
"But if I want to act in my own way, you have no right to stop me, let alone interfere or oppose me."
"You can't just allow yourself to act on your own grounds, but prevent others from acting on their own grounds, right?"
This is not the case with double standards - this was the attitude Aize showed last time, and it is the same this time.
"Besides, you also said that it was because of you that I got hurt. On the other hand, if you weren't there, I wouldn't have gotten hurt."
Aize spoke bluntly without paying any attention to how much of a blow these words would bring to Asatake Yoshino.
"In that case, you are the one who should stay. It would be safer for me to handle this matter."
In fact, if it weren't for Yoshino Asatake last time, even if he had to deal with two evil gods at once, with Aize's strength, the final result should have been safe and sound.
On the contrary, although Yoshino Asatake has been fighting against the evil god all the time, it is obvious that she needs to take great risks to do this, otherwise she would not have almost died last time.
If you think in this way, it would be the best option for Aize to take action.
“But you…”
Asatake Yoshino wanted to say something but was interrupted by Aize.
"Don't say that this matter has nothing to do with me. This is not just the business of your Chaowu family."
Aize's voice slowly reached Asatake Yoshino's ears.
"Once the filth has accumulated to the limit, the evil spirit will explode and come down from the mountain to wreak havoc on Hoori. You have admitted this yourself."
"And in Hoori, there are not only your Asatake family and Hitachi family, but also the Kurama family and the Arimani family. My childhood friends are all in this town."
"My mother is from Suori, and I have half Suori blood in my body. But you want to say that this matter that affects the entire Suori community has nothing to do with me?"
"That's not the way to shoulder responsibility, Miko-sama."
"Or do you want me to watch the disaster happen and watch my childhood friends and relatives die under the tentacles of the evil god?"
The look in Aize's eyes when he looked at Yoshino Asatake was so cold that it frightened her.
"If this is what you get for rejecting me, then I'm afraid I'll have to part ways with you here."
With just one sentence, Asatake Yoshino's pretty face turned pale and she was unable to utter another word.
"Lord Aize is right, Lord Yoshino." Hitachi Moko finally spoke, and said to Asatake Yoshino: "I know that the curse is something that the Asatake family cannot escape, but that does not mean that this is the business of the Asatake family."
"This is also a matter concerning the entire Hoori, and it concerns all of us."
"Lord Aize is a trustworthy partner, strong and calm. We should not reject him, Lord Yoshino."
"If we want to resolve the curse that has plagued the Asatake family for hundreds of years, it is definitely not enough to stick to the old ways. Now that something has finally changed, Lady Yoshino is still pushing it away. Isn't it that the sacrifices of the Asatake family's successive miko ladies were in vain?"
Hitachi Mako has always wanted Aize to be a helper to herself and others.
It's not just because he's reliable and powerful, but also because the curse of the Chaowu family has lasted for hundreds of years and has never been eliminated.
Now, the Kurumamaru that once protected Hoori has finally found its user again and has been pulled out. This person is very likely the hope that will trigger changes and break the situation that has remained unchanged until now.
Therefore, for the sake of the Chaowu family and the mission of her own family, Hitachi Mako would not hesitate to call Aize "Adult", showing an attitude of recognition that could not be more obvious.
"Yangno..."
Chao Wu Yasuharu was also looking at his daughter with a sad face.
He didn't think too much about it. He just didn't want his daughter to always bear such a heavy mission and fate, and hoped that she could have someone to rely on.
As a father, he has only been able to watch his beloved daughter fight and become scarred. That kind of pain is something that others cannot understand.
"Mozi...Father..."
Asatake Yoshinori opened her mouth, but her throat felt dry and she didn't know what to say.
Aize silently broke free from her hand, left the living room, and returned to his room with Cong Yu who also left silently.
(End of this chapter)
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