Chapter 21: I Will Take Care of Your Wife and Daughter, Worry Not
"Ah, this..."
Miko's father looked blank, not knowing how to respond to this.
Lighting an incense stick for myself?
Why does that feel a bit absurd?
"Just kidding."
Yoru shook his head and chuckled.
Then, he lit the incense in his hand, placed it in the burner in front of the photo of Miko's father, put his palms together, bowed slightly, and muttered a prayer to himself.
"May the deceased bless me so that every week... no, every day, beautiful girls will throw themselves at me. Preferably throw in a catgirl too. Thanks, thanks."
Hearing Yoru's incredibly pious tone juxtaposed with the utterly ridiculous content of his prayer, Miko's father was speechless.
Beautiful girls throwing themselves at him every day?
And a catgirl on top of that?
I don't have that kind of power.
Besides, when praying to the deceased for blessings, one usually recites it silently in their heart. Who says it out loud openly, as if afraid others won't hear?
Verdict: Born with the "Abstract" Physique.
Miko's father shook his head, pushing the complicated emotions to the back of his mind. He cleared his throat twice before speaking.
"Yoru-kun, I can sense that you are... somewhat different from ordinary people."
Then, as if remembering something, Miko's father hurriedly added.
"I'm referring to your body, not your brain."
"Are you being sarcastic?"
"I absolutely didn't mean it that way, don't overthink it."
After just a few sentences of conversation, Miko's father had completely let go of his worry about his daughter.
He didn't know exactly what type of guy his daughter liked.
But ninety-nine percent chance, it definitely wasn't someone as "abstract" as Yoru.
How abstract was Yoru?
He was so abstract that when talking to him, people even ignored his outstanding looks.
All that caught the eye was pure abstraction.
When abstraction reaches the extreme, it becomes art.
This is what the great painter Van Gogh pursued all his life.
"Alright, enough small talk."
The frivolous, lazy smile on Yoru's face vanished instantly, replaced by a serious expression.
He looked at the soul of Miko's father and asked slowly.
"Regarding the longsword Miko and I brought back today, can you sense anything different about it?"
"Hmm... I certainly can."
Miko's father rubbed his chin and spoke thoughtfully.
"Although that longsword hasn't been unsheathed, even before you entered the house, I felt a very unsettling aura from it. If this weren't the home I lived in while alive, I would have wanted to flee immediately."
"I see."
As Yoru listened, he took out his black notebook and recorded the information.
"Hmm... possesses an extremely strong deterrent effect against ordinary ghosts."
Next, Yoru asked again.
"Do you know of any places where evil spirits and ghosts dare not tread?"
"That, actually, I do know."
Miko's father didn't hesitate and scratched his head as he replied.
"There are a few places, specifically..."
After noting down all the locations the father mentioned, Yoru couldn't help but frown slightly.
He had expected the few shrines within Kyoto.
After all, in the original story, Miko went to a shrine to pray and gained the ability to summon the Fox Spirits (Godmother's servants) three times to destroy evil spirits.
But why, among the names of several shrines, did an incongruous, cheerful-sounding name appear...
McDonald's?
Are you taking the piss out of me?
But on second thought.
Miko's father had no reason to lie to him.
As the saying goes, When a man is about to die, his words are kind (and true).
Following this logic, Miko's father, who was already dead, should be doubly kind and truthful. Super Kindness Plus.
Most importantly, judging by his demeanor, he should understand that possessing the "Sight" was not a good thing for Miko.
It was a malicious joke played by fate.
"Okay. I don't have anything else to ask you."
Hearing Yoru say this, Miko's father nodded. Then his face turned serious, and he spoke in a low voice.
"Yoru-kun, although this is our first time meeting, I have a request. I hope you can agree to it."
"Sure, go ahead."
"I hope you can protect Miko's safety."
Faced with the father's sincere, pleading words, Yoru simply shook his head.
"Sorry, I can't promise you that."
Miko's father was stunned. "W-Why?"
"First of all, I can barely protect myself."
Yoru shrugged and smiled.
"Secondly, are you sure Miko's wish is really just to live a peaceful life?"
Hearing this question, Miko's father fell silent.
He knew his daughter. Although she seemed stoic and emotionless on the surface, inside she was a kind-hearted girl willing to help others.
Should he, as a father, tell Miko not to be a good person and just look out for herself?
He really couldn't bring himself to say that.
"However."
Just as Miko's father was feeling conflicted, Yoru suddenly changed his tone.
"What I can promise is that I will find a way to give Miko the ability to fight against evil spirits, just like myself."
Hearing this, Miko's father sighed helplessly and extended his right hand to shake Yoru's.
"Then I'm counting on you, Yoru-kun."
"OK. I will take care of your wife and daughter (children), worry not." (Note: A famous line attributed to Cao Cao from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, often used jokingly/meme-ily to imply stealing someone's family).
On Miko's father's gradually fading face, a look of speechlessness appeared. Before disappearing completely, he left one final sentence.
"You kid... you really opened my eyes."
...
After Miko's father passed on to the afterlife, Miko's mother happened to walk out of the kitchen, placing steaming hot dishes on the table.
Without even taking off her apron, she warmly greeted Yoru, who was sitting in front of her husband's photo.
"Yoru-kun, come eat with us."
The more Miko's mother looked at Yoru, the more she felt this young man was truly wonderful.
On his first visit, he not only brought a gift but also lit incense for Miko's late father.
What a considerate and gentle boy.
"Touko-nee, I still have things to do, so I won't stay for dinner."
Hearing Yoru call her "Touko-nee" (Big Sister Touko)—using her first name so intimately—Miko's mother almost bloomed with joy.
"Eh? How can you not eat?"
"Next time for sure. I really do have things to do today."
Hearing him say this, Yotsuya Touko didn't insist further and simply smiled.
"Alright then. Come over and play whenever you have time next time."
"Definitely, definitely."
Yoru smiled and agreed. He walked to the living room door, looked at the complicated expression on Yotsuya Miko's face, and waved goodbye.
"I'm heading out now. See you at school tomorrow, Niece."
With that, before Miko could retort, he walked straight out.