Chapter 285 Visiting the Sick
Morning, Kyoto First Hospital Main Building, Special Ward.
A black-haired girl was reclining on the hospital bed, holding an ancient book. The distorted and obscure runes seemed to writhe with the girl’s breathing. As she looked at the book in her hand, her emerald green eyes seemed to have a flow of light within them.
The morning sunlight always felt particularly warm, reflecting a faint glow on the girl’s fair cheeks. The girl, as if having finished reading the content of this page, gently closed the book and turned her emerald-like eyes towards the hospital room door beside her.
“Uncle Masatsugu.”
A clear and elegant voice came from the girl’s mouth at the moment the door was pushed open. As the girl addressed him, a middle-aged man dressed in a wide robe walked into the room.
“Mmm, Mai, how are you feeling?”
Shinomiyai Masatsugu, his temples graying, pushed open the door and walked in. However, the two large red insulated bags he was carrying made this seemingly imposing middle-aged man appear a bit comical.
“Thank you, Uncle Masatsugu, I’ve recovered a lot. Let me help you.”
Shinomiyai Mai nodded, placing the book in her hand on the bedside table. She made to get up and help Shinomiyai Masatsugu with the food containers, but a surge of energy fluctuation suddenly flashed through the air. Then, as if a transparent force was placed on Shinomiyai Mai’s shoulder, the girl’s movement to get up was gently stopped.
Realizing what was happening, Shinomiyai Mai did not resist. Her emerald green eyes, activated by her spiritual energy, were tinged with a deep blue. In this instant, the world within the girl’s eyes changed dramatically.
Looking at the familiar figure rubbing against her shoulder under her spiritual vision, a hint of helplessness flashed in the girl’s eyes. She reached out and pulled the floating, furry body into her arms, resting her chin gently on the large fox’s head, and complained to Shinomiyai Masatsugu beside her.
“Uncle, you always use the Kuda-gitsune to pressure me!”
At this moment, Shinomiyai Masatsugu was sitting on the accompanying chair, with exquisite meals taken out of his pockets spread on the small table. The girl’s words did not stop him from his actions. Looking at his niece, who was holding the Kuda-gitsune and amusing herself, Shinomiyai Masatsugu brought up the chicken soup from the bottom. He casually picked up a tissue to wipe the oil from his hands before turning his head and sighing softly.
“Sigh, Mai, during the time you were in trouble, your Aunt Mei has been nagging me to death. You, now, just focus on recovering. Don’t go running around again. Put aside the revelations from the Great God for now. It’s more important for you to behave.”
“But… when the seniors sent out a distress message, I was the closest, and ordinary people wouldn’t be able to find their way through that level of formation.”
As if sensing the helplessness and concern in Uncle Masatsugu’s scolding, Shinomiyai Mai did not retort. She simply stroked the small Kuda-gitsune in her arms and explained with a lack of confidence.
“Just because you’re close, you can go?! Do you know what kind of enemy you were facing?! Even Master Kū fell in there, and you, a young girl who hasn’t even received recognition as a shrine maiden, why did you go join the fun?!”
“I…”
Shinomiyai Masatsugu’s words made Shinomiyai Mai want to explain a few things, but the wound in her left chest that was still aching made the girl stop her movement to sit up. Her emerald green pupils dimmed a bit at this moment, and her slender palms clenched tightly, her head slowly lowered.
“I’m sorry, Uncle Masatsugu, for making you worry.”
Hearing the girl’s apology, a hint of relief flashed in Shinomiyai Masatsugu’s eyes. He picked up the bowl of congee in his hand, handed it to the girl, and said earnestly.
“Mai, it’s not that your uncle wants to scold you, but it’s because you are not yet supposed to stand on that kind of battlefield! Mai, you do have strong talent, but combat is not just a competition of talent. If you still treat all of this as if you’re playing house, you won’t have a Substitute Doll to save your life next time.”
“I know, Uncle!”
Blushing, she took a sip of the congee handed by Shinomiyai Masatsugu. The fresh rice aroma with a hint of sweetness melted on her tongue, but the girl’s cheeks burned with heat because of his words.
The girl knew very well why her uncle said this. After all, the last time she rashly sought out a psychic who appeared at school and was sent to the hospital, Shinomiyai Masatsugu had taught her like this.
However, at that time, her heart was filled with the revelations of the Great God and pride in her talent, so she didn’t pay much attention to her uncle’s words. Moreover, the senior who called for help at that time was a sister she was quite close to. Shinomiyai Mai at that time completely put aside the elder’s admonitions and rushed to the target location on a blue bird.
Of course, this impulsiveness also had its due price.
Although Shinomiyai Mai still doesn’t know why the black-robed evil energy user had an enmity towards her that surpassed class opposition, as if wanting to devour her alive.
But it’s undeniable that she lost.
She still lost despite having several family heirloom spiritual artifacts and the talismans left by her father. She even felt that if it weren’t for the Substitute Doll, she would have already lost her life under the opponent’s incredibly bizarre attacks, let alone helping Master Kū, who was fighting at the time.
Even so, she barely managed to save her life. If it weren’t for the timely treatment by colleagues, the girl might not even have the qualification to be sitting here.
“If Mai truly wants to shoulder your father’s responsibility, you cannot squander your talent at will. You must pick up the theoretical knowledge of Onmyodo. The current situation is not much better than what your father faced.”
Seeing that the girl seemed to have truly recognized her mistake, Shinomiyai Masatsugu’s worried heart relaxed somewhat.
Regarding his niece, Shinomiyai Masatsugu understood her very well. Beneath that perfect and dignified etiquette and astonishing spiritual energy talent, there was an irrepressible proud heart.
This was probably a common problem for all geniuses, who needed to experience some setbacks to put away their blind arrogance and realize their talent reasonably.
After all, how many geniuses have perished on the path of growth due to their own reasons?
“Mmm-hmm, Uncle, I won’t be so impulsive anymore. I’ve almost finished reading that previous scripture. Uncle Masatsugu, you…”
She nodded obediently, agreeing with her uncle’s teachings. Perhaps it was only after truly studying the relevant knowledge systematically that the girl realized how rough and shallow her original method of using spiritual energy was, almost entirely relying on talent to support it.
Using spiritual energy to bring the book into her hands, Shinomiyai Mai planned to take advantage of breakfast to ask Shinomiyai Masatsugu about a few problematic points, but suddenly a somewhat familiar high-pitched male voice came from outside the door.
“Room 305 on the third floor… this should be it?”
Then, the slightly ajar hospital room door was gently opened by an external force, and a somewhat familiar blond head poked in.
“Sato-kun?”
The figure appearing at the hospital room door made Shinomiyai Mai raise her eyebrows in surprise, but it was within reason. After all, given her family’s relationship with the boy’s master, it was natural for him to come and visit her.
Looking at the boy’s bright smile, the girl couldn’t help but put on a happy smile. She sat up straight on the bed and looked in the direction the boy had entered.
But in the next moment, she directly met the smiling face of the girl who followed closely behind the boy, exuding a dangerous aura…
