Chapter 127: Proposal
"Hello, everyone. I am Haruka Shizumiya, the leader of the Supernatural Exchange Group."
Haruka Shizumiya stood at the doorway and smiled gently.
"Please treat me well."
Eriri, Yuuki Asuna, and Yukinoshita Yukino all looked at the girl who had appeared before them with varying degrees of surprise.
She was familiar, yet unfamiliar.
Her eyes were large, black, and clear, carrying a quiet intelligence that softened every glance. Her brows were elegant, her skin fair as snow, and her features were so refined they seemed almost painted by hand. There was a gentle, scholarly beauty to her, but beneath that gentleness lay the natural dignity of someone born beneath the gaze of an entire nation.
She looked like a fairy who had stepped out of an old painting.
Of course they knew her.
Every New Year, she would stand beside the Emperor in the plaza outside the Imperial Palace and offer greetings to the Japanese people.
Imperial Princess Haruka.
Her palace title was Shizumiya.
Her full name was Haruka Shizumiya, Imperial Princess of Japan.
Her popularity across the country far exceeded that of any celebrity. On the internet, people had even given her the title of "Japan's Number One Princess."
That was why the three of them were so surprised.
They had never imagined that the mysterious leader of the Supernatural Exchange Group would actually be Imperial Princess Haruka Shizumiya.
After all, Eriri, Asuna, and Yukino had all been invited into the group by Shinomiya Kaguya. The members of the Supernatural Exchange Group also had an unspoken rule: they would not investigate one another's real identities.
Under such circumstances, guessing the leader's true identity had naturally been impossible.
"So the leader of the Supernatural Exchange Group was you all along," Asuna said with a light laugh.
"This is our first private meeting, Miss Yuuki," Haruka replied with a smile.
As a representative of the Imperial family, Haruka was more of a public figure than an ordinary young lady. She often attended formal banquets and public events, so she had naturally met Yuuki Asuna, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Eriri before.
But those meetings had only been polite exchanges in public settings.
A nod.
A greeting.
A few words of courtesy.
This was the first time they had met privately like this.
"That's true," Asuna said. "Also, just call me Asuna. Given our relationship in the group, there's no need to be so formal."
"Then I will," Haruka said.
At that moment, Kaguya looked at Haruka with concern.
"Haruka, how has your situation been lately?"
The question drew the attention of the others.
Kaguya continued, "Why did you refuse my proposal before?"
Not long ago, Kaguya had finally resolved the supernatural incident involving Shuten-dōji's mark on her body. After that, she had suggested asking Gin Tsumugi to help Haruka deal with the trouble she herself was facing.
But Haruka had refused.
"I reached a deal with her," Haruka said softly.
Kaguya's eyes sharpened.
"As for the contents of the deal, I cannot say for now. But at the very least, there will be no problem in the near future. I also gained enough ability to protect myself."
"A deal?"
Kaguya frowned.
"She actually made a deal with you?"
Then, almost immediately, she thought of someone.
"Is it because of Mr. Gin?"
When it came to someone capable of making that existence change her attitude, Kaguya could only think of Gin Tsumugi.
Perhaps only he could do such a thing.
Perhaps only the name of that man, without even appearing in person, could make a Great Yokai feel awe.
"I think that is probably the reason," Haruka admitted with a nod.
It was not that she had no intention of borrowing the power of that legendary Great Onmyoji, the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei, to completely eliminate the threat of Tamamo-no-Mae from her body.
But the supernatural incident she faced was fundamentally different from Kaguya's.
Kaguya had at least had enough time to seek help from the outside world.
Haruka did not.
Tamamo-no-Mae resided directly within her body.
If that Great Yokai sensed even the slightest clue that Haruka intended to act against her, she would devour Haruka first.
At that point, death would be unavoidable.
Under those circumstances, reaching a deal that created a temporary balance and gave her some ability to protect herself was already the best result she could obtain.
"What are you two talking about?"
The conversation between Kaguya and Haruka left Asuna, Yukino, and Eriri confused.
Only Isayama Yomi fell into thought.
As an Onmyoji who often dealt with supernatural incidents, she had already guessed a little.
The Imperial Princess standing before them, Haruka Shizumiya, who had invited her into the Supernatural Exchange Group, was clearly like Kaguya.
She had been dragged into a supernatural incident.
And if even the Imperial family could not resolve it, then the danger level must be similar to Kaguya's previous incident.
It likely involved a Great Yokai.
Not an ordinary one either.
Most likely, it was a terrifying existence at the same level as Shuten-dōji.
Sure enough, Haruka soon spoke.
"You should all have a rough understanding of what happened to Kaguya recently, correct?"
Yukino, Asuna, and Eriri nodded.
They knew the general outline.
Shinomiya Kaguya had been targeted by a Great Yokai and almost became the center of a large-scale supernatural disaster.
"Actually, it is not only Kaguya."
Haruka's tone remained calm.
"I was also targeted by a Great Yokai."
She paused slightly.
"No. Perhaps saying 'targeted' is not quite accurate."
Her gaze swept over the girls before her.
"She is currently residing in my body."
The banquet hall fell silent.
Even Isayama Yomi's expression changed.
A Great Yokai was residing inside Haruka Shizumiya's body?
Yomi suppressed the shock in her heart and looked at Haruka with instinctive vigilance.
"Which Great Yokai?"
Her hand unconsciously tightened near her sword.
"Tamamo-no-Mae? Daitengu? Or another dangerous existence?"
"It is Tamamo-no-Mae," Haruka replied.
The moment that name fell, Asuna, Yukino, and Eriri widened their eyes.
Tamamo-no-Mae.
The legendary Great Yokai.
That being was actually residing within the body of Imperial Princess Haruka Shizumiya.
It was terrifying news.
And shocking beyond words.
"So that's how it is."
Yomi felt a chill in her chest. After a moment, she shook her head.
"The reason you and Kaguya created the Supernatural Exchange Group together was to struggle for survival."
She glanced at the two of them.
"I have to say, you really think highly of us."
"I did have that thought before," Haruka said, not denying it.
Then she smiled.
"But the existence of the Supernatural Exchange Group is beneficial to all of us. None of you object to that, do you?"
Yukino, Asuna, Eriri, and Yomi thought for a moment.
Even Kaguya nodded.
Indeed, whether in terms of exchanging intelligence or sharing information, the group had already brought them many benefits.
"Now that the supernatural incident on Kaguya has been resolved, and the one on me is temporarily no longer harmful, our Supernatural Exchange Group should also decide what comes next."
Haruka looked at them.
"Do we maintain the current state, or do we further strengthen our cooperation and exchange?"
"What do you mean by strengthening cooperation?"
Asuna shook her head slightly.
"You know many of us in the Supernatural Exchange Group are ordinary people. We cannot exactly cooperate by running around solving supernatural incidents all the time."
"Handling supernatural incidents is the job of the Omnyo Agency, the Onmyo Alliance, and similar organizations."
Haruka's voice remained soft, but her words were clear.
"From beginning to end, the purpose of our Supernatural Exchange Group has been very selfish."
She looked at each of them.
"Self-preservation."
Yukino, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Then what do you intend to do?"
"What Kaguya and I discussed is a comprehensive integration of our respective resources and intelligence."
Haruka's tone became slightly more formal.
"Each of us represents a force, organization, or family behind us. Some of us also possess considerable strength ourselves."
Her gaze moved calmly across the banquet hall.
"These powers come from the business world, the political world, the Onmyōdō world, and other areas. Taken separately, they may not be enough to overturn the current situation. But if used properly, they become considerable leverage."
Yomi, Eriri, Asuna, and Yukino gradually understood what she meant.
Haruka continued, "With those resources as a foundation, we can draw more Onmyōdō power to our side, protect ourselves, and survive in this era of Supernatural Recovery that is becoming more desperate by the day."
No one objected.
Using the resources and power they already possessed more efficiently was a reasonable idea.
If anything, it was strange they had not discussed it seriously before.
"I also plan to establish an offline organization with the Supernatural Exchange Group as its core," Haruka said. "It will be similar to a Supernatural Affairs Office, but its responsibility will be limited."
"Limited how?" Yukino asked.
"It will only handle supernatural incidents related to us."
That answer was direct.
"As for the location, I have chosen Shibuya Ward. More specifically, a place beside the Myriad Laws Supernatural Department."
The girls' expressions shifted slightly.
Shibuya.
The territory of White Fox Gin Tsumugi.
The Myriad Laws Supernatural Department had recently become one of the most watched organizations in the entire Onmyōdō world. Choosing a location beside it was clearly not a casual decision.
"In the future, our offline gatherings and meetings will also be held there," Haruka continued. "If possible, it would be best for one or two members to be stationed there long-term. Of course, that can be discussed slowly later."
When Haruka finished, the banquet hall grew quiet.
Isayama Yomi, Eriri, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Yuuki Asuna looked at one another.
Then each fell into thought.
Kaguya and Haruka did not rush them.
Instead, Kaguya gave a quiet order.
The bartenders and service staff waiting outside soon entered and began arranging exquisite food, drinks, and desserts across the banquet hall.
The quiet gathering took on a more relaxed atmosphere.
But no one forgot what had just been placed before them.
In this gradually worsening era, the Supernatural Exchange Group was no longer just an online chat group.
It was becoming a lifeboat.
.....
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