I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

That day, Kiichi Hougen and her youngest disciple, Gorou, were sitting face to face.

This time, it was Gorou who had sought out Kiichi Hougen, and his reason left her slightly surprised.

"You want to learn a purification spell?"

"Yes!"

Gorou explained that ever since Kiichi Hougen had used a cleansing spell on him, leaving him instantly spotless, he couldn't get the idea out of his mind.

"It's because of my tail… Whether it gets dirty with dust or mud, or soaked while washing, it's just unbearable. Drying it and smoothing out the fur takes forever—at least two or three hours to get it properly groomed. It's such a hassle during regular days, and if I'm ever on the battlefield, it'll be a huge problem."

Gorou had already started dabbling in military strategy. Although he began later than Sara, he had shown a talent equal to hers.

With Kiichi Hougen's guidance and Sara's mentorship, Gorou's learning pace was even faster than Sara's had been.

Despite her strict demeanor with Itto, Sara was gentle, generous, and easy to get along with when it came to her comrades.

Studying military strategy also led Gorou to consider various battlefield scenarios. It was similar to how a chef would think about how to cook unfamiliar ingredients or how a writer might ponder whether a mundane event could make for an interesting story.

Perhaps it was just an occupational habit.

"So… can I learn magic from you, Master?"

Gorou's gaze didn't waver as he earnestly looked Kiichi Hougen in the eyes.

It was clear that he was serious.

Kiichi Hougen liked that look—it reminded her of a raw, unpolished gem waiting to be refined.

Scáthach once told Kiichi Hougen that she enjoyed watching talented individuals gradually hone their gifts under her guidance, eventually blossoming into true heroes.

Kiichi Hougen also found joy in this process.

But the question was… could Gorou actually learn?

After all, the spells she used originated from another world, and she wasn't certain that Gorou—or anyone in this world—could master them.

Even something as basic as a cleansing spell might be beyond his reach.

Then she remembered—this world had its own system of onmyōdō and onmyōji.

Not long ago, she had encountered such a practitioner. Within the sealed space, Chika's father had used the Five Elements Curse from onmyōdō.

That sealed space itself was also a product of onmyōdō.

Kiichi Hougen had analyzed it before. While there were subtle differences between her magic and onmyōdō, they shared many fundamental principles.

"Hmm… alright then. I have a few theories I'd like to test, anyway."

Receiving her approval, Gorou beamed with excitement. However, Kiichi Hougen spoke up again.

"One more thing—don't get your hopes up. I'll teach you the spell, but I can't guarantee you'll be able to learn it. Don't expect too much, alright?"

"Understood, Master!"

That was enough for Gorou. As long as Kiichi Hougen was willing to teach, he was satisfied.

If he couldn't master it, he wouldn't be surprised.

After all, talent played a big role in everything. While he was hopeful, if he found it impossible after trying, he wouldn't force it… though he would inevitably feel some disappointment.

Seeing that Gorou had mentally prepared himself for failure, Kiichi Hougen nodded in satisfaction.

She also wanted to test whether her onmyōdō could be taught to others in this world.

Of course, the techniques would need some modifications—not only because of the differences in the rules between worlds but also because Kiichi Hougen's magic relied on mana, whereas Gorou and others in this world used elemental energy.

Adapting her spells to work with elemental energy would be like converting a gasoline-powered car into an electric one.

It would be tricky to figure out on her own, but fortunately, Kiichi Hougen had the sealed space and Chika's father's spell as references. She had already analyzed the entire structure of the seal, storing the complete spell in her mind. All she needed to do now was compare and adapt it, saving her a lot of effort.

Just as she was deep in thought, a rhythmic knock on the door interrupted her.

When she opened it, Sara stepped in, her gaze meeting the two inside the room.

"Sorry, did I interrupt, Master? Am I disturbing your thoughts?"

"Ah, not exactly. The rest of the problem can't be solved with mere thinking—I'll need to work it out through experimentation. So, what's the matter, Sara?"

"Well… it's time, Master."

Kiichi Hougen blinked, then realized what Sara meant.

"Oh… it's that time again?"

It was time for Kiichi Hougen to tell her disciples a story.

Sara had never left the forest her entire life, and Gorou and Itto hadn't fared much better.

To broaden their horizons and introduce them to new concepts, Kiichi Hougen occasionally told them stories.

Of course, she avoided childish tales like Peppa Pig. While Sara and the others were still young, their experiences had matured them beyond their peers, giving them a solid sense of morality.

She wasn't like those overly strict parents who flagged cartoons for promoting romance or violence.

After all, she had learned plenty of valuable lessons from anime herself and had resolved that if she ever raised children, she'd share these educational stories and animations with them.

Naturally, the stories she told Sara and the others were often inspired by the anime or legends she had encountered. But she made sure to adapt them to local culture—explaining what Ultraman was would have been far too exhausting.

"By the way, where's Itto?"

Noticing Sara had come alone, Kiichi Hougen couldn't help but ask.

"Itto went back to Granny Oni's place for something," Sara explained.

"Is that so?"

Kiichi Hougen didn't think much of it. One less person was no big deal.

"Alright then. It'll just be the two of you listening this time… and we'll resume spell training after the story," she added, directing the latter half of her comment to Gorou.

Naturally, Gorou had no objections.

Now, Kiichi Hougen had to decide what story to tell.

"Hmm… how about a tale about yokai today? Since Itto isn't here, let's go with a story related to the oni clan."

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