[Year 10: The time for you to become an Onmyoji apprentice has finally arrived]
[As per the agreement he made with your father, Abe no Seimei has returned to the Sugawara Clan’s estate in order reintroduce himself to you now that you had enough sense in your head to make a proper decision]
[However, it appeared that he didn’t need to as the Onmyoji had immediately caught on to the fact that you remembered him]
The scene showed the Onmyoji in what appeared to be the Sugawara Clan’s garden.
I noticed that there were plums grown here, so this must have been where Mizukume stole hers from in the first simulated dream.
Right next to Seimei, the Sugawara Clan Head stood with a bright smile as the man rested his hand on the shoulder of the four-armed Michizane.
“Michizane-san has really grown a lot,” Seimei said with a light chuckle.
“I still remember him being the size of a hare.
Oh, how the seasons have passed.”
The Sugawara Clan Head smiled at this as the two engaged in more small talk, letting a warm atmosphere establish itself as the two conversed like a pair of old friends.
Eventually though, Michizane’s father would ask an important question.
“Abe-sama, I noticed that you came here alone.
Did Kamo-sama not come with you?” He asked with a curious expression.
“Unfortunately, my dear friend and old teacher could not attend this journey with me.
There were some matters back in the capital that have kept him awake and alert even in the stormiest nights, so I have come here without the aid of any companions.” Seimei revealed in a casual tone.
He then turned to the Sugawara Clan Head and continued, “Koreyoshi-san, has there ever been any strange coincidences or developments regarding your son as of late?”
Koreyoshi must be the Sugawara Clan Head’s name.
I’ve been calling him that all this while since his name was kept hidden for some reason, but now it had finally been revealed.
“Strange coincidences?” Koreyoshi repeated with an inexplicable expression.
“Why, I don’t think there has been any.
What made you think there would be?”
“Is that so?” The Onmyoji considered that statement with a doubtful look as he shrugged.
“I’m just asking, it’s good to know these things before something unexpected occurs…”
“Michizane, you truly do remember me from all the way back then, don’t you?” He asked another question as he smiled at my other self.
“I do,” Michizane readily admitted, since trying to hide it now that he’d been called out so easily wouldn’t have achieved much.
“You’re the man that saved my life…
and who I ended up pissing on.”
“Well, that’s certainly one positive impression you have,” he chuckled in response as he folded his fan.
“I am merely following what fate has ordained, nothing more that demands excessive praise.”
Even though he said all that wishy-washy stuff about fate, Seimei clearly enjoyed receiving credit for what he did as he grinned.
Koreyoshi, on the other hand, was shocked, “How come you remember it?
Is that even possible?”
“Hm, yes.
It’s a known condition that affects a small fraction of the human population.
I’ve met about a handful of such people, but I didn’t think the little one here would be one of them.” Seimei explained as he described what I assumed was photographic memory, which would obviously not be called by that name here in the ancient past.
Considering the Simulation Gu had revealed nothing about this matter, Michizane probably did not have photographic memory.
However, I did not blame Seimei for thinking he did as no ordinary human could have possibly remembered someone they met back when they were a newborn so vividly without this characteristic.
The three continued with their conversation before Seimei finally asked what everyone had been holding their breaths for, “Michizane, what do you think of becoming my disciple?”
“I have given you a decade to think about this and have long waited for your answer.
If you agree, I will do my best to teach you the mystic art of Onmyodo and devise a method to cure your affliction for good and give you a body more appealing to the average person, free of charge.
But if the path of an Onmyoji does not align with what you had in mind for the future, then I shall still endeavor to fix your body as that is simply something that I won’t carelessly abandon.
It will inevitably take much longer, however.”
The ethereal scroll displayed the next set of choices as I began to consider what I wanted Michizane to accomplish.
[You were offered the choice to become the legendary Onmyoji’s disciple]
[Despite this being a no-brainer for most, Abe no Seimei clearly respected whatever choice you planned on making and would not hold a grudge should you reject him]
[Having considered your options, you chose to…]
[A.
Accept his offer]
[B.
Reject his offer]
[C.
Make an offer of your own]
As the Simulation Gu had written, accepting Seimei’s offer was the no brainer as it would allow Michizane to learn Onmyoji, something that I should be able to inherit in life after figuring out how to do Magecraft.
I found little reason to reject his offer as there were really no obvious alternatives that the simulation had provided thus far.
There was Mizu and everything strange about her, but she had vanished at the end of the last simulation.
The rejection route might lead to her, but I wasn’t willing to gamble on the matter.
As for the third option, it left me completely confused.
‘Another offer?
What’s that supposed to mean?’
It seemed to be the wildcard option that was consistent with how the three choices mechanic had been depicted so far.
Realizing how these wildcards tended to bring about unexpected benefits, I decided to choose it over immediately accepting Seimei’s recruitment offer.
I hoped that the new offer wouldn’t turn out to be something ridiculous.
Michizane spoke up to answer as he crossed his arms, “I will accept your offer.
However, I have two demands that I’d like for you to fulfill first.”
Upon hearing this, Koreyoshi gasped and frowned.
“Michizane, are you out of your mind?!
How dare you make demands after Abe-sama has already saved your life!”
The Onmyoji himself only chuckled and nodded as he reassured the other man, “Now, now. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
It’s fine so long as his demands aren’t anything harmful.
Little boy, what do you want that would make you willing to become my disciple?”
“First, I want to be paid in the course of my entire education.” Michizane said, greatly surprising both men.
Seimei’s expression twitched, but his smile did not waver.
“Isn’t it usually the master that is paid to teach the student?
Hehe…
sure, whatever.
That’s not too much of an issue.
I will arrange a suitable allowance for you that shall be replenished every month that you continue being my disciple.
Afterwards, you may earn your living as an adult however you please.” He agreed as Michizane nodded, accepting these terms.
“My second demand isn’t as…
well, demanding,” the boy began once more.
“I just want to ask, do you know anything about Yakan and Kitsune spirits?”
Immediately, the Onmyoji’s expression changed dramatically as he widened his eyes and looked visibly nervous.
“W-What, how did you know that I’m…” he paused, glancing at the confused pair of father and son.
“Ahem, never mind.
Yes, I do know a lot about them.
Any Onmyoji worth their salt would.”
“Why do you ask?
Have you seen one of those?” Seimei asked with a frown.
“If you have, then it’s best to go to the nearest shrine and pray for Goddess Amaterasu’s protection.
They are fiendish creatures, but even they do not dare to mess with the heart of the truly devout.”
Michizane shook his head as he denied Seimei’s accusation, “No, I haven’t met a Kitsune.”
“Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I won’t in the future.
Yakan and Kitsune are the Yokai I find the scariest as they can bewitch my mind!” He continued.
“If I accept your offer and become an Onmyoji, my chances of running into one or both are surely great.
That’s why I want you to teach me how to spot them even in a crowd, and how to look for signs and traces of their presence, so I can avoid them!”
If this guy hadn’t been an alternate version of me, I would probably have a hard time realizing that he was now lying straight out of his ass.
What he most likely wanted out of this demand was a method to search for Mizu’s traces and track down her location.
It wasn’t surprising that he chose to not reveal anything about his jackal companion and stay ambiguous.
Mizu would not appreciate him telling an Onmyoji all about her regardless of his reasoning.
“This is something I was already going to teach you, so no worries!” The Onmyoji grinned as he brought his hand forward and clasped one of Michizane’s.
With that, the bond between master and disciple had officially been established.