SUBMIT

19

        The place Menreiki and Nanami landed in was Hyōgo, Japan.

Nanami had only found out when he had walked through the nearby town for food and drinks, only to find a tourist guide pamphlet with its name printed on it.

He wasn't exactly sure which city they were in, but he knew that it was a place that seemed mostly overrun by a forest type of terrain. He was sure that if Menreiki was looking for something during her time, it might've been excavated a long time ago, destroyed, or it became a historic monument.

When he returned back to the cursed spirit, she was floating in the air, her chin resting on her knees as she curled up into a ball. Her masks continued to roam around her like they were dancing, although they hovered lower than usual so that he could see her face while they spoke to one another. Nanami had asked, when he returned to her, "What do you remember about this place? Or its name?"

"The Prefecture of Hyōgo used to be called Harima Province," She provided, a hand coming to rest on top of Saru's head who squeaked, "We used to live here!"

"We," He repeated, his eyes glancing at Menreiki, raising an eyebrow, "You're from Hyōgo?"

The young woman shook her head, her hair following her gentle movements, "No, I am from Ezogashima. The masks used to belong in this province a long time ago."

"Ezogashima," Nanami repeated lowly under his breath, his mind searching through his memories to remember anything about early Japan. Unfortunately, however, he found nothing that reminded him of that name, and as he brushed that information to the side, he recalled her other words, "You said the masks used to be here. But you were in . . . Ezogashima. How did you become . . . you?"

She looked at him blankly before turning her back on him, floating in the opposing direction, "Come. We will rest for a bit before leaving."

Based on her reaction, it was quite clear that she wasn't going to speak about how she and the masks became one entity. But, her words had shone a new light to Nanami about the mysterious origin she wielded for millennia.

Everyone had believed her to just have been born as a curse, but if what she said was true, then that meant that there was a merge between the masks and her. None of the masks had said anything against Saru's words, and Menreiki seemed quite sure about where she previously used to live. Nanami just wished that he had been able to remember the name Ezogashima had evolved into in modern times.

If he was able to do that, then he would be able to uncover more than any other sorcerer had been able to do.

Nonetheless, despite his natural curiosity, he pushed it to the side to ask, "We're gonna leave again?"

"Yes," She replied. "To Ezogashima. Harima does not have what I am looking for, thus, we will leave."

"What are you looking for?"

Otobide flew straight at him, yelling, "Impetuous human! How dare you ask Master such a thing!"

"Otobide." Menreiki's hand grasped at the top of his mask, holding him in place. She sighed at his behavior, before floating just above him, raising her left arm as a light glimmer coated her hand. She quickly swiped down, and Nanami went still as the mask of self-proclaimed power split into two.

Menreiki held a dagger in her hold that quickly went away. She looked upon Nanami before chastising her masks, "You will treat Nanamin as you treat each other. You are all mine, and I am yours. We are Menreiki, but we are with Nanamin as well. Nanamin, you . . ."