Chapter 7

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“It didn’t even take thirty minutes, let alone an hour.”

In the bedroom of his rented flat, Shouma was lying on his back on the bed. In his hand, he held the protection charm he got from his grandmother. The ripped bottom has been sewn up, albeit quite crudely.

Tendou repaired Shouma’s amulet. Although he didn’t pay the three million yen for it. In exchange for the payment, he made a contract with the man, a rather strange and kind of unfamiliar one in Shouma’s opinion.

Shouma reminiscenced on the conversation he had with Tendou from a few hours earlier.

“I am a collector of the kaii.”

“The kaii?”

“Yes, but not that kind of nameless, puffed-up and rumoured creatures. I collect the ones with names and precise intentions.”

Tendou took out a book, made with classic japanese binding, from the bookshelf. It was an old book with a thick, fresh verdure coloured washi paper as its cover.

“The stories in this book are based on anecdotes of the kaii, and I collect the kaii in this book.”

“In a book?”

Tendou nodded and flipped through the pages.

“The kaii are malignant beings who live in constant danger. They weaken if they are not spoken of and disappear if they are not recognised by people. Imperfect beings that are constantly moving between reality, dreams and illusions. People’s perceptions and beliefs are their bread and butter. So you could say the attacking, threatening and helping of humans are merely a survival instinct for them.”

Shouma’s mind was racing as he tried to keep up with the story.

Perhaps aware of his condition, Tendou spoke slowly and at a speed that stimulated Shouma’s understanding process.

“My master was a man who was able to walk among both the people and the kaii. He constantly wished for the day when these creatures and the humans could live together. But the kaii attack people, and people are afraid of the kaii. It is impossible to ask the kaii not to attack people, and it is also impossible to ask people not to be afraid of them. That’s why he made this book.”

“That book is…?”

“I call this book ’The Collected Records’. It’s another major category of the kaii’s classification. It has the power to create replicas everywhere, and these replicas appear in different forms in various places.”

“The duplication…”

“You can find them in libraries, second-hand bookshops and sometimes you can come across them on the street. It also appears on the internet in the form of a website, a noticeboard or a tweet on a social media site, and before you know it, it’s gone. Many of the most unexpected stories of the kaii that occur in the world have their origin in this collection.”

“Um, what happens if a copy is made of the book? Will it just spread the rumors?”

“Didn’t I mention earlier that it’s people’s perceptions and beliefs that feed the kaii? As long as the stories are told in this book, they won’t be forgotten by people. In other words, they won’t disappear. My master provided a proper home for the kaii, which protects them so they won’t fade away and won’t have to attack humans.”

Tendou’s face looked as if he suddenly remembered something.

“But a few years ago, all the kaii in this book escaped. So I’ve been collecting them on behalf of my master.”

Shouma duly replied with a “haa”. He didn’t know what all of these things had to do with him.

“Therefore you’re going to help me collect those kaii.”

“What?” As expected the usual frown appeared on his face.

However, Tendou’s expression did not falter as he seemed to have anticipated Shouma’s reaction.

“You and I are the exact opposite. I have a nature that makes the kaii hate me. That’s why I can’t get close to the kaii, and I have a hard time collecting them. I don’t come across any mystery related stories unless I’m working in this office.”

He meant that’s why there wasn’t any gathering of the kaii too close around this building.

“I’ll pay you according to the percentage of help you can give me. You can return the three million yen from there on. Of course, you can use the money I give you for your everyday living, I don’t care about that as long as you help me. So how about it? You can think of it as a part-time job.”

“…I understand what you’re saying, but what use am I to you? I’ve only just learned of the existence of the kaii today…”

“Of course, you’re useful. I’ll explain that little by little.”

Ater saying this, Tendou put back the book and brought with him a small wooden box from a shelf at the back of the office. In it was a worn out sewing kit.

He held out his hand towards Shouma as a means to fixing his charm. Shouma obediently placed it in his hand.

“In the meantime, you can go and collect some stories of mysterious happenings around you.”

“Mysterious happenings?”

“It doesn’t matter what it is. If you think it’s strange, then that’s the criterion.”

Tendou took a needle and thread from the sewing box.

“Then, I’ll see you later.” He still had that fishy smile on his face.

“Strange events…” Shouma muttered to himself while looking at the ceiling.

He wondered if it is that easy to come across any mysterious happenings. Not to mention one which involved a kaii.

“But I have no choice, do I?”

Shouma already received the amulet. He couldn’t turn back now at this stage. Even if he would say that he wants to give it back, he couldn’t do that.

He had first hand experience of the effects of the repaired protection charm.

First of all, the creatures rarely showed themselves anymore. But it wasn’t that they became invisible, it was just like they didn’t come at him rashly and unexpectedly.

When Shouma was returning home from the abandoned building, he could still see the kaii a few dozen metres away, but they passed by without noticing Shouma. In the past, he would have been worried that this would result in an assault.

Even though the kaii scattered about Shouma’s room in a similar way, he didn’t have anything whispering in his ear or climbing on top of him.

It was indeed a long time since he had been alone in a room.

“First of all, I’ll try to ask around at the school tomorrow.”

Yamato, who is good-natured and gets along with everyone, might have heard something from someone. Yoshihiro, despite his appearance, is also a very well informed man.

Shouma yawned.

Although today he must have slept around the clock, he was getting sleepy again. He had been putting his body through a lot in the last month or so.

Then, Shouma closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep.

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