Early the next morning, Uchiha Ryo sat up from the sofa and yawned, only to see Fujiwara Chika running out in simple clothes.
"Hey.... don't shake so much. It's blinding. What are you doing out so early?"
Fujiwara Chika ran up to Uchiha Ryo with a panicked look on her face.
"Hide first! My mom is coming soon!"
Uchiha Ryo: "???"
"Ah? Why do I have to hide if your mom is coming?"
Fujiwara Chika looked flustered. "Because I said I was staying at a female classmate's house, and that there were no boys around."
Uchiha Ryo: "...So?"
Fujiwara Chika was very anxious. "So if Mom sees you, she'll never let me go out again! Hide quickly!"
Uchiha Ryo was speechless, and was then pushed into Amakusa Shino's parents' room by Fujiwara Chika.
Just as Fujiwara Chika closed the door, the other girls walked out one after another.
Yukinoshita: "You made him hide?"
Fujiwara Chika nodded, and a car from the Fujiwara family soon stopped in front of the Amakusa house.
Chitanda: "Fujiwara-san's family is even stricter than mine. Your parents came to pick you up so early."
Fujiwara Chika let out a long sigh. "Exactly. Because my family didn't let me play video games since I was a child, I started playing board games. I wasn't allowed to have contact with boys before college, and even when I go out to play, I have to keep my distance from boys."
As she spoke, a beautiful woman got out of the car outside the door.
"Hello everyone, I'm Fujiwara Chika's mother, Fujiwara Maho. My Chika has a bit of a mischievous personality. Thank you all for taking care of her."
Amakusa Shino, as their president and the host of this house, stepped forward and nodded with a smile. "Not at all, Auntie Fujiwara. Chika is an excellent student. We take care of each other."
Fujiwara Maho scanned the crowd. The Chitanda family's child, the Yukinoshita family's child, and this second-year Amakusa Shino.
"Mhm, please take care of Chika at school. By the way, what did Chika do at her classmate's house?"
Fujiwara Chika thought of the game she played yesterday....
"Mom, we read books first, because Yukino-san said reading can cultivate sentiment. Then they played board games with me, watched a movie together, and finally finished our weekend homework."
Leaving out a certain person and a certain game, Fujiwara Chika told a lie without blushing or her heart skipping a beat.
Seeing her mother nod with satisfaction, Fujiwara Chika breathed a sigh of relief. "Hehe, Mom. Yukino-san lives on the way. Let's go together."
"Is that so? Then the Yukinoshita girl should come along too."
Yukino nodded. "Thank you very much, Auntie Fujiwara."
Seeing that the three were about to leave and the car at the door was slowly driving away, Uchiha Ryo walked out of the room.
"Fujiwara-san's upbringing is really strict. Since the two of them are gone, I'll take you back, Chitanda."
Chitanda Eru thought for a moment. "Mhm. Then, President Amakusa, we'll be going too."
.....
The Chitanda family was not in the city center, but a private residence on the outskirts of Tokyo. As expected of a farmer's daughter. Uchiha Ryo followed Chitanda, puzzled.
"Aren't you taking a car back?"
Chitanda Eru opened her arms and took a deep breath. "No. I prefer walking outside to taking a car."
On this sunny day, it was indeed suitable for a walk. As they were about to leave the bustling city center, the surrounding scenery also changed from colorful high-rise buildings to lush mountains and forests.
A gentle breeze blew, and the two suddenly stopped.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch... my... cane...."
In front of them appeared an old woman in a kimono sitting on the ground. With white hair and a wrinkled face, she was definitely no younger than eighty.
Seemingly due to poor eyesight, the old woman was constantly groping around, even though her cane was on the ground not far away.
Chitanda Eru naturally wouldn't ignore this. She quickly ran forward to help her up and picked up the cane for her.
"Oh my, oh my, young lady, you are so kind. Such a kind young lady, could you do this old woman another favor?"
The old woman reached out her withered hand, aiming for Chitanda's small hand.
But Uchiha Ryo was faster than the old woman. He grabbed Chitanda's hand beforehand and stood between the two with a smile.
"Old lady, if you need any help, let me do it."
Chitanda didn't know why Uchiha Ryo had run over and taken her hand without permission, but since this old lady seemed to need help.
"Mhm! Please leave it to us."
The old woman stood up and squinted at Uchiha Ryo.
"It's so nice of you to help me... I just want to see someone again, that's all."
Uchiha Ryo smiled. "It's unfortunate that you fell while going out on such a hot day, old lady. Chitanda, go buy two bottles of water from the supermarket over there. I'll help the old lady to rest in the shade over there."
Chitanda Eru said "Oh," said [I understand], and ran off quickly.
The old woman watched Chitanda's retreating figure. "Does the young man want to send that girl away and then get rid of me?"
Uchiha Ryo: "Tell me your purpose first. You're obviously a youkai, why disguise yourself as a human and intercept passersby here? That means you have no malicious intent. If you had shown even a little bit of bad intent just now, I guarantee that even with ordinary people present, I could have killed you in an instant."
"Young people really are.... I already said, I'm just looking for someone."
Uchiha Ryo snorted coldly. "Looking for someone? Human or youkai? But whatever you want to do, I advise you to stay away from that girl."
"But that kind girl said she would help this old woman. If she can't, do you want to help me with this favor?"
Uchiha Ryo waved his hand. "No, I'm not interested in helping youkai."
"Whether you're interested or not, why don't you hear me out.... Actually, the person I'm looking for is also being sought by your human onmyoji....."
He didn't come this year either. How many years has it been since the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in Tokyo stopped?
Is it because of the onmyoji? In the war fifty years ago, most of the youkai in Kyoto were wiped out, but where did the hundred demons of Tokyo go?
"Human brat, you live around here, right? Can you help me find the Lord of Spirits and Monsters of Tokyo?"
After the old woman finished speaking, her entire body became illusory.
"This is just an incarnation of this old body. Take this. If you find him, use this to contact me."
Uchiha Ryo reached out and took a dark green stone. "So who exactly are you looking for? And who is the Lord of Spirits and Monsters?"
The old woman's figure grew dimmer and dimmer, but before disappearing, she left one last sentence.
"The Lord of Spirits and Monsters of Tokyo, Nura Rihan...."