Wagaya no Oinari-sama

Dispense...

...granule...

...in-

Kou, are you there?

Right here.

Call Tatsuhiko over.

Right now.

Wow, this place is in the middle of nowhere, as always!

The air's so fresh!

Hey!

Good afternoon, Uncle Tatsuhiko!

It's been a while. Have you been doing well?

Yes!

How's your father doing?

He's doing fine.

He said, "Sorry I couldn't come."

Don't worry. We were the ones who called you all of a sudden.

Is the Miduchis' great-grandmother that ill?

Grandma?!

Long time no see.

U-Uncle told me over the phone that you were about to die...

Well, you see, that was a lie to get you guys here.

"Get us here"?

What for?

Seems like a specter is out hunting for a soul.

For Tooru's.

A-A specter?

U-Um...

You don't have to worry about a thing.

The Miduchi family will protect you with the Water Priest's name as a ward.

What do you mean?

I see. Miyako Nee-san really didn't teach you two anything.

Amongst the Five Phases, the Miduchi clan has a long history of enshrining the Water.

Your mother was the last priestess among the Water Priests of the Miduchi.

In the Miduchi bloodline, there was never a precedent for failing to have a female child.

One can only say that some strange power was affecting it.

But as generations passed, spiritual power declined.

Because of that, the specters that were being held at bay are now reaching out their hands.

Amongst specters, there are those who feed off Water.

Then I'm going to get eaten by a specter?

Like I said, the Miduchi family will protect you.

But you just said that the Miduchis' spiritual power is declining.

It's fine! Just fine!

Welcome back.

It's your first time meeting her, isn't it?

Her name is Kou.

The sentinel of the Miduchi.

"Sentinel"?

Pardon me.

What is this?

It's a salt for purification.

We already have the need to purify?

A familiar was sent from the dousojin due east of here.

It reported that a spirit foreign to this area has arrived.

So it has come chasing Tooru.

Tooru!

I heard you had a strange dream last night.

Y-Yes.

There he is.

What's your name?

It's Tooru.

Tooru, eh?

That's a nice name.

We'll meet again.

Very soon.

It went like that.

So you told her your name?

I shouldn't have?

You're most certainly ensnared by Kotodama.

If it happens that you should face the specter you met in the dream,

this will cause a disadvantage.

Why did you go telling your name?!

'Cause I was asked!

Can you tell what that woman is?

Probably a Scaled.

Will you be able to ward it off alone?

I guess we need a helper.

Never hurts to have one.

This would be a Wood specter, right?

Yes. And the Miduchi are Water. Water nourishes Wood.

Following the Five Phases, Metal chops Wood.

A Metal specter...

We need a fox, eh?

Noboru! Tooru!

Y-Yes!

The both of you, head over to the sealed cave located in the mountain behind here.

Go awaken the fox specter who is sealed there.

The moment we arrive, we hear all about this specter and fox stuff.

I can't follow.

Besides, Great Grandma is practically more like a specter.

Have you seen a picture of her from when Mom was little?

Great Grandma looked exactly like how she looks today.

That's kind of amazing.

Noboru, Tooru.

Y-Yes?

That is where Tenko Kuugen was sealed many years ago.

This cave can only be opened by the Head of the Miduchi Clan.

Please.

What is this?

Something like a spell for opening the cave.

It has been passed down, through the generations, to the Head of the Miduchi Clan,

and none other than the head may read it.

Really?

Read it.

Who will?

You. Who else?

M-Me?

We won't have the proper succession ceremony,

but the current Head of the Miduchi Clan is you, Noboru.

When did you become the head, Nii-chan?

I don't know.

But you said guys can't be the head.

What the guys can't become is the priest!

Oh, right.

If you understand, read it already!!

Ah...

"The Heavenly Road passes through here...

Sealed here sleeps the ancient astral fox."

And then...

"With this prayer,

may it hereby rest under the observation of the Miduchi, and become their guardian."

It has been a while,

Tenko-sama.

So you're still alive, eh, Specter Hag?

Thank you for your concern.

Yeah, right.

You act more like a specter than any real specter.

It's talking! A-A fox is speaking!

Wow.

I see you have some situation.

We would like to ask for your assistance.

A member of the Miduchi is being targeted by a specter.

Forget me. You guys have the "oh so strong" sentinel.

They aren't as strong as they used to be.

Neither the Miduchis' power, nor that of the sentinel.

Looks like the family of the Water Priest has fallen into the pits.

So, you want to borrow my strength?

Very selfish of you, isn't it?

You enshrined me as your guardian without my consent, and you even sealed me.

You are to be blamed for that.

For such things as emitting a blaze of Fox Fire,

and making hundreds of specters march through the street in broad daylight.

Making the livestock speak human words.

Making an over-abundance of pests.

Making a giant squid appear in the ocean!

Anyways, I have no intention of saving any of the Miduchi.

Go get eaten by the specter.

I wonder if you can turn it down after hearing who is being targeted.

Interesting.

Who is it?

A son of Miyako.

Sorry for the late introduction.

This is the Head of the Miduchi Clan, Takagami Noboru, and his younger brother, Tooru.

Which one of them is being targeted?

The younger one.

Innately, the family has strong Yin,

so the younger one, who possesses the Yin, must be getting double the effect.

Your name is Kuugen?

Yes, Kuugen is my name.

Then your nickname will be Kuu-chan.

Miyako's son, is it? Indeed.

Can't expect better than this.

How old are you two?

I-I'm sixteen.

I'm eleven.

How is Miyako doing?

Miyako has passed away.