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INBOX
TEXT βΊ un: jueyun chili
AUDIO βΊ call: "Hello, this is Chongyun. Please leave a note and I will respond as quickly as possible."
VIDEO βΊ facetime
ACTION βΊ [ a small mailbox with a rusty latch, with the characters ιδΊ scribbled across the front plate in neat handwriting; the worn old door has #19 blazed across its wood, in a building just off one of the main streets in Tamamo territory. ]
code credit
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Oh? That is very generous of you. Thank you very much. As for locations, I have attached the address of my apartment if that is sufficient. I am also frequently assigned to Cat Paws, a cafe in Tamamo territory, which might also be good.
My injuries were not so bad, itβs just my shoulder thatβs been sore. A few scratches that should heal up within the week with proper care. I regret that I was not able to better fend off their attacks, but am glad to hear your shoulder is on a steady recovery. If there is any way I can assist you while you are recovering, please call me right away.
- Chongyun
1/2 physical mail (a day after the rest of the conversation...)
[Unlike the blood-drawn one Matoba had used that day, this one is drawn neatly with ink and brush. But the power of the seal was far crisper, more precise. One might say, professional. It gave off the sensation of something most spirits should not- could not touch, but for a human such as Chongyun, opening it was a simple matter.]
[Inside is several more ofuda, and a handwritten note.]
Chongyun-kun,
It would be a bit of a scandal if I were to distribute these to you too obviously, so please take care to use them only in an emergency. You will find that wearing these charms on your person may absorb a malicious attack once.
I would prefer their existence was kept to your knowledge, only.
By the way, if you have any additional concerns regarding our previous discussion, I would recommend seeking γͺγ¨γ-san's advice.
γΎγ¨γ°
[As for what he should seek advice about? Well............]
2/2 text;
Excellent, then I shall see them securely delivered to your residence.
Your help was greatly appreciated that night. It seems that we don't make such a bad team, do we?
Speaking of that night, I wanted to discuss an additional matter. It is of a more personal nature, so I hope you won't mind my asking.
Your acquaintance Xingqiu-kun, how would you characterize your partnership?
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Indeed! Your skills are impressive. When you finish with an evil spirit, it is surely banished from the mortal realm for good.
Xingqiu?
[ Ah, Matoba is interested in him? Chongyun did ask them to get along. Good, good. All the better to foster this relationship and encourage it. ]
We are good friends. I admire Xingqiu for his devotion to chivalry and his martial arts proficiency. He is also someone who sees the world in a way I do not — his advice has been invaluable to me. I respect and trust him a great deal. You won't find a better person.
However β I must warn you that he definitely has a mean side, too. If you find that you fall foul of any of his antics, let me know.
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I do try to ensure that is the case.
[Look at this funny laughing cat sticker so you know he's chuckling about it!]
[Chivalry is ......not something he'd expect from someone in the Sutoku, given what he's gathered about why anyone finds themselves there. But if someone like Chongyun would admit to admiring his combat skills, Matoba considers that knowledge a win.]
[Avoid the possibility of physical conflicts. Got it.]
I see. We exorcists often get caught up in the world we view that is so different from others, don't we? [...Matoba didn't really consider the "outsider view" of the world as being all that important, honestly, either outside the community or his clan. But he certainly would admit that they all viewed a different world.] Perhaps you find yourself able to lose yourself in that other world just a little bit, when you can allow it.
Perhaps you won't mind my asking, but do you have any other such close friends? It was quite rare for me to meet others my age within our circles, much less get along.
[Not that it seemed that Xingqiu was relative to Chongyun's exorcist community, from what he would gather, which was almost even stranger. Did Chongyun have a rebellious side?]
"Mean"? Oh my, but I wouldn't want to subject him to your punishment.
Thank you for the warning, though I think that since I was able to avoid being fooled the first time we met, you should not be too troubled over it. I will be sure to remain vigilant nonetheless.
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That might be true, but I meant it a bit differently. Xingqiu is flexible; he often views things from angles I don't consider. He's also assisted me in finding leads on evil spirits many times, since he has a lot of connections. He really is a great person.
I don't mind. I do have a few friends in Liyue, but that is mostly thanks to Xingqiu. He usually takes me along when he wants to go somewhere. There aren't any exorcists my age, and my condition requires ... constant vigilance. I typically must turn down invitations to socialize due to it. I would like to fit in more, but — well... that doesn't matter.
Haha ... well. I would just offer you my support. I wouldn't do something like punish him.
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Keeping a business contact in your favor without allowing it to become too personally invested is also quite important.
[...Well. For whatever other angles Matoba might be going for here, it's not like he can't relate to the situation. Not that he ever really wanted to fit in, but....]
Really? That's too bad. It might be fun for you to get some mischievous revenge sometime.
[Just, you know, hit senpai up if you need some ideas!]
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I understand. It would be difficult to do my job if I became too invested in all my clients.
As for revenge ... it's alright. I like him enough that his antics don't really bother me. He can do as he pleases.
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Chongyun-kun, the other night, something occurred to me. I understand that your condition has made it somewhat difficult for spirits to approach you until now, and so you may have been fortunate not to encounter this in the past. However, given the situation we are all now in, it would be best if you were to learn this lesson quickly:
Any weakness you show towards another is one that an ayakashi will take advantage of. If you and Xingqiu-kun are business partners, then there is no need to be concerned. However, if you were to be honest with yourself, it seems to be a little more than that, wouldn't you say?
[Matoba Seiji has never censored himself before, and he's not about to start, even if it's to call out teenagers. Then again, in his eyes- Chongyun is not a child. He is a practicing exorcist, and innocence was not something to concern oneself with, for an exorcist.]
You find yourselves now on opposite sides of an ayakashi's whims. An open heart is a liability that our ilk cannot afford. I would like to see you succeed, so I hope you will not mind my unsolicited advice. Please give it some consideration.
no subject
He's totally overlooking the comment of his relationship with Xingqiu being "something more" because of that. That's a whole can of something he's barely begun to understand, anyway. ]
I see ... I understand. I will think about this. It's true that I have not had to deal with the meddling of spirits in my affairs. I don't want them to have an advantage.
Is this something you have experienced yourself, Master Matoba?
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Yes, often enough. Ayakashi and rivals who bear grudges against my clan are often looking for opportunities to take advantage of any weaknesses we may have, so I have long learned to maintain a close watch on anything that may be perceived as exploitable.
[People. Emotions. Whatever that was- many years of self-disciplined training and lessons learned had built him this way. He had always been determined that he would leave no gaps in his armor.]
I have told you about the ayakashi which chases after my right eye, haven't I? That one can be quite shrewd in how it attacks, sometimes. Just one small gap can make all the difference. As the head of my clan, I cannot allow any mistakes.
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If you don't mind my asking ... that spirit, the one after your eye — has it followed you here?
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Well, it is unusually late, since you mention it. I have not seen any signs of its attacks just yet, but I do try to remain vigilant. It may be drawn to me again, thanks to my recent [...] acquisition.
[Even the Tengu elders had thought it prudent to warn him of the danger he faced, after summoning him to undo the seal on his spiritual power. As if he didn't know. He can't help recalling to himself their unnerved expressions, and chuckling to himself.]
[Good. Let them be afraid. The ayakashi that had ruled over him is dead. His contract has yet to be inherited.]
no subject
I see. I'm not sure how your spirit operates, but I will also stay vigilant for anything that seems suspicious. I have been doing research on the various elements of this Hell, as well as recording the different spirits I come across. If there is anything I should keep an eye out for, please let me know.
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As for any particular identifiers, it does tend to keep to itself outside of its attempts to strike. However, there is one way that I am always able to identify it without fail.
Beware of any spirits missing their right eye.
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... It will not appear as a spirit with just one eye? I have seen several like that. I have also seen some with several eyes, more than ten.
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But I suspect due to its fixation on its missing eye, it may only choose forms with two eyes like itself. Malignant ayakashi are quite single-minded that way.
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Especially where we are now — I imagine the spirits have an advantage when in solely yin territory. It's their realm, after all.
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I have begun to observe the effects of this realm on certain types of magic. I believe there are some techniques which may benefit from our locale, but it's difficult to test with us all the way we currently are.
Hopefully, that will change soon.
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Especially after the night parade. I'm still not sure how those men managed to escape... is it because I couldn't properly see their spells, or was it something else?
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It's difficult to say. I noticed no trace of magic from them either, but it would be difficult to confirm that unless we crossed paths once more.
To be honest, it is more concerning if it was not magic.
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If I might suggest- if you manage to come across one of the bullets used by the assassins, I was able to inspect one not long after the attack. At that time, I was not able to determine its provenance, but it had the sensation of something that was not made by mortal means.
Perhaps that would be an avenue to investigate.
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