Companions
No matter how many ancient tomes I combed through, I couldn't find a single account detailing how a transferred defeat actually played out.
Perhaps that was only natural.
When an exorcist falls to a demon, their fate is practically carved in stone. Furthermore, demons usually harbor a burning hatred for exorcists; rarely do they fixate on shrine maidens who serve and revere the divine.
“Though, mortals do get manipulated whenever demons need pawns to achieve their desires…”
I muttered to myself, snapping the worn, musty grimoire shut with a dry thud.
Shrine maidens possess pure spiritual energy. For a maiden—far removed from an ordinary civilian—to fall under demonic control, it would take a creature of immense power. A simple possession or hex was one thing, but complete domination was another entirely.
“Jun? Are you in there?”
“Yeah. Just about to wrap up.”
Shion’s voice carried through the door. As I pushed myself up from the floor, the sliding door slipped open, and Shion peeked inside, holding a flickering candle.
“Look at you, hard at work. Didn't you say you hated this archive because of all the dust?”
“Did I ever?”
“Whatever… don't stay up too late. You need some sleep. Remember, we have to inspect that client's house tomorrow.”
“Of course, I remember. Go get some rest first.”
With a faint wave of her hand, Shion turned and padded away down the hall.
Defeat… and betrayal.
It was a burden I would eventually have to foist onto someone else, but those words felt utterly wrong when tied to any of them.
“Phew… sleep first.”
There was still a small mountain of books waiting for me. Yet the heat throbbing from the brand remained faint, meaning there was no need to run myself ragged with premature dread. The warding ritual was already complete, so I might as well call it a night.
People often say that everything is a matter of perspective, but silencing the raw, instinctual tension knotted in one’s gut is an entirely different battle. The fact that I woke up earlier than usual was undeniable proof of that lingering anxiety.
“…Ugh, still half-asleep.”
Rubbing my eyes, I weighed whether to steal a few more minutes of rest or start the morning early. Just then, footsteps brushed against the gravel outside. It was far too early for any of the girls to be awake, and guests practically never showed up at dawn. Still, duty demanded I check on whoever had arrived, so I left my futon unrolled and stepped out into the crisp morning air.
“Huh? Reina… Mark?”
“Oh my, Jun. You're already up?”
“Forgive us if we disturbed your rest. We only meant to look around for a moment before heading off.”
“No… not at all.”
Reina and Mark were a married exorcist couple operating on the other side of the mountain, based in the neighboring city. Not only were they extraordinarily skilled, but to me, they were practically family.
When my parents vanished after battling a formidable demon—effectively dead—these two had stepped in, supporting me and guiding my steps so I could walk the path of an exorcist myself. Benefactors. There was no word more concise or accurate to describe who they were to me.
“What brings you both here? You're always welcome, of course, but I don't think you've ever dropped by this early.”
“Well… we were concerned something might have happened at the cavern on the mountain.”
“We were on our way out of town for an assignment when we felt an unsettling ripple in the air. Since that cavern falls under your stewardship, Jun, we decided to make a detour.”
“Ah…”
Trying to soothe them with a white lie wouldn't work. As veteran exorcists, their spiritual senses were far keener than mine, and they had likely pieced together the truth before even stepping onto the shrine grounds.
“You're right,” I confessed. “The seal was broken recently. I’m doing everything within my power to keep it contained for now, but I’m looking for a more definitive solution.”
“Broken?” Mark echoed, his brow furrowing.
“So it wasn't an ordinary disturbance after all,” Reina murmured.
“Yes. But it hasn't escalated to a critical state yet, so I don't believe there’s an immediate need to venture inside.”
“I see. If that's your assessment, then we trust your judgment.”
“Jun, if anything happens, you must contact us right away. Understand?” Reina pressed gently.
“Of course, Reina. Thank you both for looking out for me.”
They were people I trusted implicitly, but in truth, they were mentors and benefactors rather than battlefield peers. While that distinction might sound trivial, it meant I couldn't bear to drag them into my burdens. Not that dumping this burden onto the three shrine maidens was any better…
Damn it… my head is already spinning, and the sun barely crested the ridge.
“Is something weighing on your mind, Jun?”
“…Does it show?”
“Hehe, how many years do you think we've watched you grow?” Reina chuckled warmly.
“If it's something difficult to put into words, I won't press you,” Mark added.
Seeking their guidance when I didn't even fully understand the situation myself was a bad idea. At the very least, it would be wiser to consult them only after I had weathered the initial transfer of defeat.
“I'll tell you later,” I replied softly. “There are still too many pieces I haven't figured out…”
“Take your time. Prudence is an essential virtue for an exorcist.”
“Or perhaps you could pay a visit to Cassandra, Jun?” Reina suggested.
“Cassandra…”
Cassandra was an astrologer and prophetess. I knew she had provided invaluable intelligence not only to Mark and Reina but to numerous other exorcists across the region, yet the mere thought of visiting her left a sour taste in my mouth. Because—
“Are you still hesitant about her?”
“…She’s a demon, after all.”
She was a demon. Centuries ago, she had forged a binding contract with an ancient exorcist, living alongside human spiritualists ever since. Whenever I needed counsel in the past, I had turned to the Guardian Deity or the girls at the shrine rather than dealing with her. But now, with the Guardian Deity gone and the future shrouded in uncertainty, I desperately needed someone capable of peering into what lay ahead.
…I'll have to give it some thought.
“In any case, Jun, we must take our leave. We have quite a long journey ahead of us today.”
“Call us the moment you need a hand, alright?”
“Yes. Please travel safely, both of you.”
Even so, seeing their familiar faces after so long was a welcome comfort. Back when I had ventured into the depths of the cavern to confront the Demon King in my previous life… where had those two been?
……
Where were they, again?
I couldn't recall. But they were far stronger and more experienced than I was; surely, they had been supporting me from another front.
Brushing the thought aside, I figured it was time to prepare breakfast. Maybe I could surprise the others and cook before they woke up.
“Jun.”
“Yuna?”
“Are you making breakfast?”
“Yeah. You can go back inside and rest, Yuna.”
“Let's do it together. I'm already wide awake anyway.”
“Are you sure? Alright, then.”
As she offered me a gentle smile, bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun, she looked… breathtaking. Rin, Shion, and Yuna—they were dependable comrades, but beyond that, they were precious friends, my only family. And perhaps, occasionally, feelings deeper than simple affection flared up like embers, fluttering against my chest.
“If we start now, we'll finish right around the time they get up. Let's go.”
“Yeah.”
Wanting to keep all three of them by my side was an arrogant, greedy indulgence, so I had learned to find peace within our current bond. That was precisely why I felt an even greater greed to protect them all. Even if I couldn't alter the grim fate of my defeat against the Demon King… I had to keep them safe.
“This must be the place.”
I arrived in front of the house Yuna had mentioned in the exorcism request. Having notified them beforehand, the owners had already evacuated the premises. My objective today was straightforward: identify what kind of demonic entity had taken root in this home and discern what ritual tools would be necessary to purge it. Without the Guardian Deity watching over me, I had to exercise far more caution than usual.
Turning the brass handle, I pushed the front door open and stepped inside.
“A young married couple lives here, right? No children.”
As expected, the house was dead quiet. Passing through a completely ordinary living room devoid of any peculiar signs, I made my way toward the innermost room. It was the master bedroom, and the source of the disturbance was said to be the wardrobe nestled against the far wall. According to the client, two nights ago, the wardrobe had begun violently rattling on its own, its doors swinging open and slamming shut at odd hours.
“A simple purification ritual would be enough for me to handle this alone, but…”
There were too many unsettling coincidences.
The date the ancient seal shattered overlapped perfectly with the day this request arrived. Furthermore, the cursed brand on my chest had begun radiating heat the exact moment I told Yuna I would accept the job. Did that mean if I took on this exorcism myself, I would be defeated and killed by the demon dwelling inside this wardrobe?
“……”
To the naked eye, the wardrobe was unremarkable. While possessed or cursed objects often manifested twisted, grotesque physical anomalies, this wooden closet showed no outward signs of corruption.
“Whew…”
Perhaps because this was my first independent operation without the Guardian Deity's silent vigilance, a tight coil of tension tightened around my heart. Taking a slow, steady breath to center myself, I closed my eyes in front of the wardrobe and opened my senses.
‘Clear your mind until it resembles a still mirror over calm waters. Listen closely to the fluctuations of the demonic energy, Jun.’
The Guardian Deity’s gentle voice seemed to echo right beside my ear.
When an evil spirit or demon nests inside an object, the nature of the vessel and the room it inhabits are profoundly telling. This entity was situated in the master bedroom, restlessly trembling right where it had a direct, unobstructed view of the couple's bed. Though it currently lay dormant, I could feel an insidious yearning, a panting, greedy anticipation radiating from within the wood. This was…
“A demon tied to the sins of Lust and Jealousy.”
I felt it clearly now.
A foul, sickening miasma of demonic energy clung to the air. Yet, if someone were to ask whether the source of that aura was exceptionally potent, the answer would be an emphatic no.
“……”
I'm fated to lose and die against something this weak?
A flicker of incredulous arrogance brushed through my thoughts, but the absolute decree of the curse defied common sense. If fate ordained that I suffer a mortal wound from a mere paper cut, the curse would prevent the bleeding from ever stopping. No matter how tightly I bound the wound with gauze and talismans, I would eventually waste away, succumbing to a laughably absurd death.
“…Time to head back to the shrine. I know what tools are needed.”
The real issue was that the person returning here with those tools wouldn't be me—it would be one of the shrine maidens. Even if they suffered a defeat at the hands of a low-grade demon like this, I doubted it would result in catastrophic physical trauma, but that didn't stop a pit of dread from carving out my stomach.
Should I really pay a visit to Cassandra, just like Reina suggested?
“No… not yet. Relying on a demon right from the start is out of the question.”
On my chest, the brand of defeat throbbed with a prickling, feverish heat, noticeably hotter than yesterday. The first defeat… There was no reason to doubt any of the three maidens, meaning any of them could theoretically bear it. Yet precisely because they were all so dear to me, choosing one was agonizing.
When logic fails to make the choice, there is only one resort left.
“Guess I’ll have to draw lots when I get back.”