After all the commotion, Yuto's family finally accepted Spider Princess as their newest member.
Thanks to her performance, she had also earned significant favor with both Ryuhime and Tenjouin Masami. Seeing that even her own brother wouldn't stand up for her, yet the Spider Princess was willing to intervene, the little girl was instantly captivated.
Nurikabe, who had been sprawled on the ground, realized the sparring was over the moment Yuto appeared. He scrambled to his feet at lightning speed and rushed back to Ryuhime, eager to help "teach" Kamishiro Isshin a lesson. His earlier nonchalance hadn't been placating Ryuhime—it was simple self-preservation. He had truly been no match for Spider Princess before.
But now, with a B-rank spider lady on their side—in Nurikabe's memory, her demonic power and status rivaled even Yuto himself—the situation had completely changed. Facing Spider Princess, Kamishiro Isshin would be utterly doomed. Nurikabe figured he could demonstrate loyalty with just a light slap. Why not?
Watching the three of them conspiring together, Ryuhime waved her tiny fists excitedly like a miniature general, which made Yuto chuckle. Seeing Nurikabe and Spider Princess moving with such devotion, his sister seemed to grow even more confident.
Then again, because of Nurikabe's indulgence, the little girl had grown a bit arrogant. Yuto couldn't tell if she had corrupted Nurikabe and Spider Princess—or if they had corrupted her.
The next day, Yuto left home with Spider Princess and Nurikabe. Normally, he would have left them behind to protect his family, but today was different. It was his first day in office, and, according to Shinjo Isshin, his "shikigami" had to be officially registered with the authorities. Otherwise, using them openly would cause trouble.
Yuto had considered hiding their abilities, but Nurikabe and Spider Princess couldn't conceal their powers anyway. And for the sake of protecting Tenjouin Masami and Ryuhime, as well as the yokai themselves, Yuto had no intention of doing so. As for any other yokai he might tame in the future, Yuto certainly wouldn't report them again.
Kamishiro Isshin's efficiency was remarkable. Yuto had agreed to join the "Unnatural Countermeasures Team" just yesterday, and a moving company had arrived at their old Ukiyo-cho residence that very night. Now, Yuto and his family were relocated to the city center.
Still, Yuto wasn't satisfied with the initial address arranged by the team. After some negotiation, they moved again. Originally, the "Unnatural Countermeasures Team" had arranged for Yuto's family to live near Tsuchimiya Shrine—the largest and most historic shrine in the area. Its current head, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, was one of the strongest onmyoji of the modern era.
Living nearby would naturally make yokai attacks rare, but Yuto's family knew their own situation. There were five members in total, and aside from Tenjouin Masami, the rest were either half-demons or yokai. Living near such a prestigious, ancient shrine would be suicidal.
In the end, Yuto simply asked Kamishiro Isshin to find a residence large enough for his family. Location didn't matter; Yuto could handle safety himself.
Arranging a home near a shrine was difficult because it required approval from the head priest, but finding a large villa was trivial for the Unnatural Countermeasures Team. A few phone calls later, a property certificate for a luxury suburban villa arrived at Yuto's doorstep.
For the team—backed by the government and immense financial power—securing a shrine-adjacent home would have been complicated, but providing a spacious house? Easy.
Yuto stared at the certificate, dumbfounded. According to Shinjo Isshin, the villa had belonged to an official who lost it due to legal violations. When the higher-ups learned that Yuto owned no property, they gifted it to him as an employee benefit.
The reasoning was simple: talented individuals are always coveted by powerful factions. Yuto, free from the constraints of the Yin-Yang Clan and possessing extraordinary ability, was a rising star the authorities wanted to keep close.
To those wielding such mysterious power, a luxury villa was trivial—less valuable than a rare talisman. But to a "commoner" like Yuto? It was mind-blowing. If he had had to earn it through part-time jobs, it would have taken him centuries. And now it was handed to him without a second thought.
"Damn it," Yuto muttered. "If I'd known being an onmyoji was this lucrative, I wouldn't have bothered with that part-time job. And that system was a joke. The whole 'Lord of Yokai' thing… the Onmyoji leader obviously gets more perks. Well, better late than never—I can still change careers…"
The Unnatural Countermeasures Team's base wasn't in a bustling urban area, but a secluded suburb, built as a high-tech underground complex. Under Shinjo Isshin's guidance, Yuto learned details he hadn't known before.
As the number of "Calamity Yokai" rose, the Unnatural Countermeasures Team wasn't the only organization dedicated to exorcism. There were also the Onmyo Agency and the Exorcism Association.
The Onmyo Agency was legitimate, its exorcists officially designated as "Exorcism Officers."
The difference between the traditional Onmyoji Hall and the Countermeasures Team lay in lineage. Members of the Onmyoji Hall came from established exorcist families and maintained strict prejudices against those with impure bloodlines or illegitimate birth. They adhered rigidly to bloodline theory and judged people by their heritage and appearance.
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