Yuto sashayed through the vast Shitenji grounds and stepped from the site of tomorrow's grand festival to the perimeter of the Shitenji main residence.
　There was a heavy security detail around the main residence of Shitenji, and Yuto took the utmost care to ensure that he himself was not detected. The spirit user's wards woven by Shitenji don't look like something that can be slipped through so easily, even from Masato's eyes.

(This........as expected of the Shitenji family.... It's extremely difficult to make anything happen within these boundaries. Unless you're an expert magician.......or possess a special skill, it would be difficult to take them by surprise, wouldn't it?

　Yuto looked down from the top of the trees where he could see the main residence of the Shitenji family and put his hand to his chin.



　When Yuto thought up to this point, he even began to question his role this time.

(This request this time.......is it necessary?)

....

(.........Maybe it was originally just to be safe. It sounds like that story of Akane's was also thinking about her own precious daughter and making sure that nothing would happen to her.)

　There are many things to think about, but Masato is a serious person. He won't relax with this.

(Maybe they're the kind of people who don't take these measures.

　When Yuto left the place, he checked again what he could check and returned to the front of the mansion where his room was located.

(Hmm....so far nothing unusual.)

　In front of the large front door, Yuto crosses his arms.
　I'm planning to look around again in the middle of the night. But after all, although he knew it, it is extremely difficult to cover this vast area by himself.
　Taking into account the fact that the place where the heavyweights of the Shitenji family were located was heavily guarded by the Shitenji family members, Yuto switched his thinking.
　He decided to minimize the need to keep an eye on the place and focus his efforts on being on the lookout for people.

''Yeah, let's just take a shower and head towards the lounge for now...''

　Yuto went back inside the mansion to return to his room.




''........''

How can I help you?　Brother.

No, it's nothing.

　As Sanzenin Mizushige, a participant in the festival, stood up and gazed silently out the window, her sister Kotone called out to her back.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get the most out of your time here.
　You will find that Mizushige rarely shows any emotional movements.
　It's the same even if you are your blood sister.

(Why would your brother........participate in something like this.......?　Shitenji's house?　(Or is it Mizuho-sama...?

　After all this time, Kotone couldn't read the intentions of Mizushige's actions this time.
　What made Mizushige decide to participate in this grand festival?
　He was born as the eldest son of the Sanzenin family, a family of spirit masters known as the Shitennji family.
　That is because, although the family is said to be as famous as the Shitenji family, in reality, they have been in a rift with the Shitenji family in terms of both strength and power for a long time, and even after the establishment of the World Organization of Gifted Persons about 80 years ago, they were clearly under the thumb of the Yorishige family.
　In the eyes of the Sanzenin family, Mizushige was the next head of the family who was supposed to be the savior of the family to regain its former strength.
　However, Mizushige did not listen to repeated invitations from the World Organization of Gifted Persons and persuasions from his father, Yorishige, the head of the family, and refused to leave the Sanzenin home as if he refused to go out into the world.
　When Mizushige decided to participate in the grand festival of the Shitennji family's entrance into the house, the entire Sanzenin family was in an uproar.
　The same was true for Kotone.
　However, the Sanzenin family didn't have the strength or spirit to stop the water weight.
　It was a glimpse of Mizushige's unmeasurable power as a spirit user... and the unique sense of tension that he exerted on the people around him... the Sanzenin family's heavyweights also felt this strongly, and as Mizushige grew up, it became even stronger, and now they treated him as if he was keeping an uncontrollable monster in his house.
　Because of this, the only person in the Sanzenin family who tries to contact Mizushige now is her younger sister Kotone, and it is Kotone's role to tell her something or listen to Mizushige's story.

(Your fathers........none of them even tried to touch your brother.

　Kotone stared at Mizushige with eyes that were like watching a bird flying just out of reach.

(I can tell. Your brother has some........idea. It's something that we don't understand........only your brother can see. Our brother doesn't speak but he sees something that can only be seen from the top where he is. (Alone....)

　Kotone drops her eyes lightly.



...phew.

!

　Kotone was astonished.
　Because Mizushige, who was looking downward at the window, made his shoulders shake slightly. And Kotone didn't miss the subtlety of her brother in this moment.

''Did your brother just laugh?''

　Kotone quickly walked up beside Mizushige and looked out the window. There was a figure of Yuto trying to enter the mansion.

(That's........the one who was rude to her brother today!　What the hell are you doing?　(No, more importantly, did your brother laugh when he saw that man?

　This happened again this morning before the great festival began. Even then, his brother showed a slight amount of emotion.
　Kotone unconsciously made a grim expression.

What was he doing outside?　No way!　They must be up to something bad!　Brother!

　Kotone raised her voice and turned her attention to her brother.
　In response to his sister, Mizushige replied quietly.

''Well........well. But.........there must be some kind of intention. The people who participate in this Irike festival have their own ideas. That's why there are so many quirks.

Are you mad?

Each of us has our own reasons for wanting the name of Shitenji.... On the other hand, there are many people who find the name of Shitenji so valuable.

Is that ... your brother, too?

''Kotone I'm not interested in the name of Shitennji.

Then....Mizuho-sama?

'Hmmm ... you'll find that out from now on. It's just ... I want to know more about the role of the spirits.

...role?

If only we had a good opponent at this great festival that could measure up.

There's no such thing as a good rival for your brother!

If that's the case it's a bore.

　When he said that, Mizushige closed his mouth and shifted his eyes to the night sky.

(.............Brother.

　To be honest, Kotone didn't understand what Mizushige was saying.
　However, Kotone had mixed feelings when she felt that Suiju's mouth was more fluent than at any other time now.
　
　Kotone made a fist, clenched it tightly and turned her body around.

'Where are you going?　Kotone.

I'm going to question that guy who was acting suspiciously, that Dou Dou Dou Dou!　He's definitely up to something!

　After saying that, Kotone ran out of Mizushige's room.