One day, a man claiming to be an "exorcist" suddenly arrived at your home and confidently told you that the house you had just bought was haunted. How would you react?
As a staunch materialist, Yuri Kimura naturally didn't believe a single word of it.
However, his wife was completely convinced. With a nervous expression, she anxiously asked the visiting master, "Diego-sama, can you see the ghost? Where is it right now?"
"The previous owner of this house, who passed away from illness, is currently inside this very room. He is wearing a white hospital gown and wandering aimlessly. Occasionally, he turns his head to look at you, madam..."
Listening to the so-called "exorcist" spout such absurdities with a serious expression, Mrs. Kimura trembled in fear and clung tightly to her husband's arm.
Yuri Kimura's's patience had finally run out.
He set down his teacup, slammed the table in anger, and roared, "You fraud! Stop spouting nonsense! There are no ghosts in this world, and there are certainly none in the house we just bought!"
"Now, get out of my house!"
Enraged, Yuri Kimura issued an eviction order to the exorcist his wife had invited.
Yuri Kimura had been working hard in Tokyo for over ten years. A few years ago, he met Eri, fell in love, and married her.
Neither of them were native to Fuyuki. They had always rented apartments and moved frequently.
Now that his wife was pregnant, Yuri Kimura wanted to settle down in Fuyuki. So, he used all his savings to buy a house.
The previous owner of this house had passed away six months ago due to illness. After some deliberation, his family decided to sell the house and move elsewhere.
Yuri Kimura had been aware of this before buying the house, but since the property was in good condition and reasonably priced, he decided to purchase it and renovate it.
Ever since moving in, however, his wife had been feeling uneasy. She was highly sensitive and became paranoid over the slightest noise—she suspected that there was something unclean in the house.
Two days ago, she saw an advertisement for an exorcism service on a street wall and decided to invite an exorcist to take a look.
Now, sitting before them was the so-called "exorcist."
His name was Diego Seijuro, a young man who looks around 18 years old. He was quite handsome, with a gentle smile that made him seem like the popular type.
However, in the exorcism business, youth was not an advantage. The younger the person, the less credible they seemed.
Yuri Kimura often worked with young people in his job and had no inherent prejudice against them. He had met many talented individuals despite their age and didn't equate age with experience.
But for some reason, this particular young man irritated him greatly.
Diego Seijuro claimed to be an exorcist, yet he wasn't wearing a traditional Taoist robe or a shaman's garb. He carried neither a peachwood sword nor prayer beads—items typically associated with such a profession.
He was simply dressed in a neat business suit and carried a briefcase.
Everything about him seemed suspicious. Rather than an exorcist, he looked more like a door-to-door salesman.
Even if this was a scam, at least put in some effort with the outfit! Who would fall for such an obvious ruse?
Of course, Yuri Kimura had never believed in ghosts in the first place.
Despite being ordered to leave, Diego Seijuro remained composed. He calmly took another sip of tea before leisurely responding, "You don't have to believe me. You may think I'm a fraud. But as a professional, I stand by my judgment—your house is haunted."
He then stared at a corner of the room for a long time before sighing softly. "Since Kimura-san doesn't believe me, I'll take my leave."
With that, he stood up and prepared to leave.
Mrs. Kimura panicked and quickly grabbed onto her husband's sleeve.
"Honey, why are you making Diego-sama leave? He just said that there's a ghost in our home!"
Yuri Kimura's face darkened, but he still tried to reassure his wife.
"Don't let your imagination run wild. Ghosts simply do not exist. Even if they did, the previous owner of this house died of illness in a hospital, not in some tragic accident. He spent his final month in the hospital, and his family willingly sold the house to us. There's no reason for him to linger here."
"A spirit is usually bound to the place where it dies and will dissipate within seven days. However, if the deceased harbored strong regrets, their soul might be drawn to what they cherished most, transforming into an earthbound spirit."
Diego Seijuro sighed softly.
"I believe the previous owner must have been deeply attached to this house."
After a brief pause, he continued, "But you don't need to worry too much, madam. He isn't an evil spirit. At most, he might play harmless pranks—causing power outages or moving furniture around. He won't harm you."
Though his words were meant to be reassuring, they only made the situation more terrifying.
Who would want to live with a ghost?
Mrs. Kimura turned pale with fright. She had already been convinced by Diego's words and looked at him pleadingly.
"Diego-sama, what should we do now? Can you exorcise the ghost?"
Realizing that her words might offend the spirit, she quickly corrected herself, "I mean, is there a way to help him find peace and pass on...?"
"Enough!" Yuri Kimurai interrupted his wife with a stern voice, "Eri, stop believing this fraud! He's just trying to scare us into giving him money!"
Convinced that Diego Seijuro was a con artist, Yuri Kimura insisted on kicking him out.
However, just as he was about to do so, his wife suddenly burst into tears and began hitting his back in frustration.
"It's all your fault! You insisted on buying this house because it was cheap! I told you we shouldn't buy a place where someone recently died! And now, you're even trying to chase away the exorcist I invited!"
"You work at the company all day, but I have to stay at home! Our baby is going to be born in a few months! Do you really want our child to grow up in a haunted house?!"
Ghosts, monsters, aliens—none of these things existed in the real world.
Yuri Kimura had only agreed to invite the exorcist to give his wife peace of mind and stop her from worrying.
Who could have guessed that Diego Seijuro would adamantly claim the house was haunted, making his wife even more anxious?
Yuri Kimura knew that his wife's fear wasn't her fault. Pregnancy made her emotions unstable.
The real culprit was this lying charlatan.
Trying to calm her down, he said, "Eri, I never said I wouldn't deal with the situation. I just don't think this guy is trustworthy. Look at him—he doesn't even dress the part! If we need an exorcist, we should find someone who actually knows what they're doing..."
He had completely written Diego Seijuro off as a fraud and didn't hold back on his insults, even in the man's presence.
Yet Diego Seijuro wasn't angered. Instead, he chuckled indifferently.
"Kimura-san, I didn't expect a man of your age to still be caught up in superficial appearances. Do you think that just because someone wears elaborate robes and speaks mystically, they aren't a fraud?"
"It's like you need to wear a suit when you go to work and a school uniform when you go to school. The clothes are just to let others identify you and give you identity. As long as you are a student, it doesn't matter even if you don't wear a school uniform. Similarly, there is no need for spiritualists to wear that kind of exaggerated clothing."
"I don't have hunting clothes and Taoist robes in my home, but that kind of clothing is only necessary when dealing with evil spirits. If a guy who claims to be a spirit master wears Taoist robes all day long, he's mostly a liar—just making money through the sayings of gods and ghosts," Diego Seijuro said with a smile.
Yuri Kimura turned to look at him and frowned. "You mean, those spiritualists wearing fancy clothes are liars?"
"No, you can't generalize it like that. There are also some people with real skills who like to dress that way. But most people in our industry are liars."
Yuri Kimura didn't expect this young man to admit so openly that there were many scammers in his profession.
"Then are you a liar?"
Diego Seijuro replied calmly, "I am a real spiritual extermination master. If you don't believe me, Kimura-san, you can test me. Whether it's psychic abilities, exorcism, or divination, I'm quite skilled at it."
Yuri Kimura looked at Diego Seijuro in surprise. This young man was bold—daring to let him put him to the test.
He quickly calmed down and said coldly, "You said... you can communicate with spirits? Fine, summon the person I miss the most! If you can do it, I'll entrust you to eliminate the spirit. If you can't... leave our house immediately!"
Kimura Yuri still believed that the man before him was a fraud. The only reason he gave him a chance to perform was to expose him on the spot and make his wife come to her senses.
However, Diego Seijuro simply shook his head with a look of regret and said, "Sorry, but this is the one thing I cannot do."
Not even willing to try? Was he afraid of embarrassment?
"I knew you couldn't do it!" Yuri Kimura sneered, feeling justified. "You're just a con artist. Get out of my house!"
"Kimura-san, please remain calm. If you want me to commune with other spirits, I can do that. But I cannot summon the soul of the one you miss the most."
Diego Seijuro looked directly into Kimura Yuri's eyes and spoke slowly, "Because... your mother is already here, standing right behind you. She has become your guardian spirit and has been watching over you all this time."
Yuri Kimura froze.
Because Diego Seijuro was absolutely right—his mother was the one he missed the most.
However, after the initial shock, a wave of anger quickly took over his mind.
He lunged across the table, grabbing Diego Seijuro by the collar, his eyes burning with rage. "Don't talk nonsense! How could my mother become my guardian spirit? I did something unforgivable to her!"
But to his surprise, Diego easily intercepted his hand, gripping it but not enough to hurt him, "I apologize but just because you have an emotional outburst, doesn't mean I should just let you target me."
Unable to pull his arm, Yuri Kimura felt terrified but did not give in, in front of his wife. "I-If ghosts were real, my mother would have turned into an evil spirit to curse me instead!"
Diego Seijuro did not resist. Instead, he looked at Yuri Kimura with eyes full of sympathy and understanding.
"Kimura-san, are you referring to the fact that you were not there to see her one last time? I do not believe that parents, in their final moments, would curse their children just because they were not present."
These words struck Yuri Kimura like a dagger to the heart. His strength left him, and he trembled as he was released by Diego Seijuro before sinking into his chair in defeat.
"...How do you know that my greatest regret is this?" he asked, head lowered.
"I have the ability to see spirits. Your mother told me herself."
Only now did Yuri Kimura realize that Diego Seijuro's gaze was not on him but on the space behind him.
"Your mother is right here, beside you. But she is not an evil spirit—she is your guardian spirit."
Diego Seijuro sighed. "Kimura-san, you said your mother would curse you, but it's the opposite. She held onto her lingering attachment because she never got to see you one last time. That regret kept her soul intact, allowing her to remain by your side as your guardian spirit."
Yuri Kimura turned around instinctively, but there was nothing behind him. He tried to picture his mother's face in his mind, and before he realized it, his eyes had turned red.
"Are you saying... my mother's soul has been protecting me all this time?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Diego Seijuro nodded. "As I said before, most spirits dissipate within seven days. But if a spirit has someone they deeply care about, their presence can remain strong, lingering by that person's side for a long time."
"Kimura-san, you are a very fortunate person. Only those who were truly loved and deeply missed by someone before they passed can have a guardian spirit."
A look of envy appeared on Diego Seijuro's face.
Mrs. Kimura was stunned.
She couldn't help but ask, "Honey, what is the master talking about? Why have you never told me this before?"
Yuri Kimura clutched his head in pain. After a long silence, he slowly began to speak.
More than a decade ago, after graduating from university, Kimura Yuri settled in Tokyo and threw himself into his career.
Someone like him, with no background or connections, had to work tirelessly just to earn promotions and raises. He became the kind of "workaholic" his colleagues talked about.
He worked year-round with barely any breaks. Even on his days off, he was busy, and he only managed to visit home for a few days each year before rushing back to Tokyo.
His hometown was in the countryside. Aside from him, he had two older brothers who had stayed close to home, while he was the only one who had moved far away.
His mother missed him the most and frequently called to check on him. But due to his hectic schedule, Yuri Kimura often put off answering her calls, planning to return them when he had free time.
One day, as usual, he ignored a call because he was busy. By the time he finished his overtime shift, it was already the next day.
When he finally returned the call, his brother answered instead.
His brother delivered heartbreaking news—his mother had been hospitalized several days ago due to a cerebrovascular disease. The night before, her condition had suddenly worsened, and just hours ago, she had passed away.
That call was meant to summon him home for a final farewell, but because he hadn't answered, he had missed his last chance.
Filled with regret, Yuri Kimura immediately booked a ticket home, but by the time he arrived, his mother had already closed her eyes forever. He never even got to say goodbye.
Because he hadn't returned in time, his two brothers harbored resentment toward him. Knowing he was at fault, Kimura Yuri stayed for the seven-day mourning period before returning to Tokyo.
And he never went back home again.
This regret had haunted him ever since.
By the time he met his wife, several years had already passed.
"Honey, why have you never told me this? We've been married for years..."
Eri Kimura looked at her husband with deep concern. She had never heard him mention this before.
Yuri Kimura let out a bitter smile. "It's not something one easily talks about. And I didn't want to worry you, so I just kept it to myself."
Diego Seijuro smirked slightly and spoke in an unhurried manner. "Kimura-san, do you believe me now? Many claim to be exorcists and deceive others, but among them, there are genuine practitioners like myself."
Yuri Kimura snapped out of his thoughts and bowed deeply to Diego Seijuro.
"Master, I sincerely apologize. I shouldn't have doubted you or looked down on you because of your age."
He was now half convinced.
The only people who knew about this were his colleagues from that time and his relatives back home.
There was no other explanation—Diego Seijuro had to be a genuine spirit medium.
Diego Seijuro gave a slight smile, his eyes scanning the room before settling on a corner. His expression turned serious as he asked, "In that case, Kimura-san, would you like me to perform an exorcism?"
He continued in a grave tone, "Kimura-san, do you truly believe that your wife is just overly sensitive and imagining ghosts? That is not the case.
"You may not realize it, but because your mother has always protected you as a guardian spirit, other ghosts do not trouble you. But your wife has no such protection. Her mental state has suffered, and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to spiritual interference. In the worst-case scenario, it could even affect your unborn child..."
Yuri Kimura's face changed instantly.
Half an hour ago, he had been a staunch atheist who would have dismissed Diego Seijuro's words as nonsense. But now, he was more than half convinced.
Even if Diego Seijuro was lying, he couldn't take any risks when it came to his child.
He straightened his posture and bowed again. "Seijuro-sama, please perform the exorcism!"
"Diego-sama, please!" Mrs. Kimura added urgently. "I don't want our baby sharing a house with a ghost!"
Diego Seijuro smiled confidently. "Of course. Since I am here today, I will resolve this issue."
Mrs. Kimura felt somewhat relieved.
She glanced at the spot where Diego had been staring earlier, feeling a little uneasy. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Is the exorcism complicated? Does he need to be put to rest?"
Diego smiled and shook his head.
"No need. I'm an exorcist, and you two are my clients. Everything I do should be in your best interest. My job is to solve the problem troubling you as quickly as possible.
"To help a ghost pass on, you need to fulfill their lingering regrets, and that often requires additional tools. I only take that approach when my clients specifically request it."
He paused before adding, "Of course, if you'd like him to be put to rest, it's not impossible. But... that will cost extra."
The couple exchanged glances before shaking their heads in unison.
"No, just exorcise him as quickly as possible!"
After all, they weren't related to this ghost. To them, it was simply a nuisance, and the sooner it was dealt with, the better.
They weren't so kind hearted as to help a ghost find peace.
"I understand. Then I'll begin the exorcism," Diego said, nodding as he stood up and walked around the room.
The Kimuras watched him intently as he made a circuit of the space, expecting him to take out some kind of mystical tool. To their surprise, he emerged from the kitchen holding a bag of salt and asked, "Madam, is this the only salt you have? Do you have more?"
"There's more! I specifically bought four or five extra packs!" Mrs. Kimura quickly stood up and retrieved several more bags from the kitchen.
Salt is a natural mineral derived from nature, purified to remove impurities, making high-purity salt. Because of this, salt is often seen as a symbol of "purity and sanctity."
"Sprinkling salt can ward off spirits"—this is common knowledge in Japan when dealing with ghosts.
"Diego-sama, can ghosts really be exorcised with just salt? Then why does it feel like it doesn't work when I use salt?"
A few days ago, Mrs. Kimura had tried using salt to exorcise the ghost, sprinkling it in various corners of the room.
However, she felt that it had no effect at all. Her anxiety and unease remained.
"Of course not. The salt you bought from the supermarket is just ordinary salt. At most, it can serve as a protective measure. If you want to exorcise a spirit, you need to infuse the salt with spiritual energy to turn it into an effective tool for exorcism."
Diego Seijuro spoke as he took out a bottle of white crystals from the briefcase he carried with him.
"This is salt that I have 'purified' in advance. It carries my spiritual energy. We'll need to use this for the exorcism."
He shook the bottle.
Mrs. Kimura nodded, half-understanding. "Diego-sama, is there anything we can do to help?"
"There is." Diego moved to the doorway and gestured. "I need you and Kimura-san to start spreading salt from the entrance, making a circle around the entire living room and covering the corners. This will trap the ghost, forcing it to the center of the room, where I will exorcise it."
As he spoke, Diego Seijuro's expression was solemn, completely serious.
After witnessing Diego's "spirit communication" earlier, Mr. Kimura was already half-convinced. He even believed the part about guardian spirits.
He nervously asked, "Will this really work? What about my mother? Will she be okay!?"
"Don't worry. This salt only acts as a barrier to prevent the ghost from escaping. It has no offensive properties."
Diego Seijuro thought for a moment and added, "Salt is a purifying substance. As you spread it, focus your thoughts on keeping your mother safe. That way, the salt will recognize her as a friendly presence and won't harm her. That's why I'm entrusting this task to you."
"I understand! Leave it to us!"
Mr. Kimura immediately agreed.
Following Diego Seijuro's instructions, he and his wife started spreading salt from the entrance.
They were meticulous, ensuring no spots were left uncovered.
Mr. Kimura silently thought of his mother, while Mrs. Kimura focused on their unborn child.
Once they completed the circle, Diego Seijuro had them step outside the living room. He then placed a wooden board in the center of the room.
Sitting cross-legged before it, he evenly sprinkle half a bag of salt onto the board. Then, he poured the contents of his "spirit-infused" bottle onto the salt.
Closing his eyes, he formed a hand seal and began chanting. It sounded like both a prayer and a spell.
Seeing this, the Kimuras dared not interrupt him. They only held hands, watching anxiously from a distance.
Suddenly, Diego Seijuro opened his eyes. With a gentle wave of his hand over the wooden board, an astonishing scene unfolded before the Kimuras—
The salt atop the board ignited into green flames!
The flames flickered eerily like will-o'-the-wisps. Mrs. Kimura even thought she saw twisted faces within them.
For a brief moment, she heard ghostly screams echoing in her ears!
"There really was a ghost!!!"
Even Mr. Kimura's expression changed.
It wasn't just his face that changed—his entire worldview was shaken.
The exorcism was a complete success.
The disturbances that had plagued Mrs. Kimura were gone. She could finally sleep peacefully, and she no longer had to be on edge while her husband was at work.
Mr. Kimura, deeply grateful, personally escorted Diego Seijuro to the door. Before parting, he shook Diego's hand and said earnestly, "I'm truly sorry. Your spiritual abilities are real. I shouldn't have doubted you!"
"No need to apologize. Lately, too many people have been using 'exorcisms' as a scam. It's normal to be skeptical."
Diego Seijuro smiled calmly, completely unfazed.
His composed demeanor earned Mr. Kimura's respect.
He had underestimated Diego because of his youthful appearance and casual attire. Now, he felt ashamed of himself.
"Seijuro-sama, here's your payment."
He handed over a sealed envelope.
Diego Seijuro felt the envelope's weight—it was thicker than expected.
Somewhat surprised, he asked, "Did you make a mistake? My fee wasn't this high."
Mr. Kimura shook his head. "No, this is intentional. You didn't just exorcise the spirit—you also helped me learn about my guardian spirit and find peace of mind. This is my additional payment. Please accept it."
Since the client was willingly offering more, Diego Seijuro naturally didn't refuse. Without hesitation, he slipped the envelope into his pocket.
"In that case, I humbly accept."
After saying farewell, he walked to a secluded spot and opened the envelope.
Inside were fifteen crisp 10,000 yen bills.
Diego's original fee had been 100,000 yen but Mr. Kimura had generously added another 50,000 yen.
A satisfied smile spread across Diego's face. He nearly burst out laughing.
"Not bad. All I had to do was talk and put on a little performance to earn 150,000 yen. This is way easier than sugar-daddy gigs. No wonder there are so many frauds in this business!"
That's right. Just as Mr. Kimura had originally suspected—Diego Seijuro was nothing more than a fake exorcist running a scam.
Clairvoyant eyes? That kind of thing doesn't exist.
Well, he does have other eyes but it gives him a headache instead of seeing ghosts.
Other than that, he couldn't see anything. Everything he displayed was just an act.
Before taking on the job, he had investigated the Kimura household—particularly Mr. Kimura's background.
—Mr. Kimura had unresolved regrets due to his mother's passing.
This was information Diego had dug up beforehand.
His so-called "test" had been carefully designed.
Among the choices of "Exorcism," "Divination," and "Spirit Communication," the first two couldn't provide immediate results.
Only "Spirit Communication" could be witnessed and verified on the spot.
It was a forced choice.
Diego had also discovered that Mr. Kimura's father had divorced his mother early on, leaving her to raise three children alone.
If given the chance to "speak with the dead," there was only one person Mr. Kimura would want to see—his mother.
Diego knew that as long as Mr. Kimura believed he had no way of knowing this personal detail, he would fall right into the trap.
As for the "burning salt," it was just basic chemistry.
The white crystals in the bottle weren't salt—they were boric acid.
When boric acid burns with ethanol, it produces a green flame—what everyone mistook for "ghost fire."
The "mystical hand gesture" was simply a sleight-of-hand trick to conceal a hidden lighter.
In short, it was just a simple stage illusion.
Mrs. Kimura's unease stemmed from her pregnancy, making her emotionally sensitive.
The frequent power outages? Just neighborhood electrical maintenance.
The misplaced household items? Her husband had forgotten to put things back after using them.
She could have figured it all out just by asking around.
But since she already knew the previous tenant had died, any unexplained event led her to blame a ghost.
Just thinking about it made Diego chuckle.
Ghosts?
There's no such thing in this world…
How could such things possibly exist in this world?
It's all just feudal superstition!
Although he was an "exorcist," Diego Seijuro was a staunch materialist—he didn't believe in the existence of ghosts he had never seen with his own eyes.