Chapter 37: The Purity of Love
Tatsuro was in full panic mode as he bolted up the stairs. He fumbled the key three times before finally getting it into the lock—clearly flustered.
He threw the door open, grabbed his backpack from the corner, and quickly unzipped it to retrieve the blade buried within. Drawing the sword, he took one deep breath before rushing out, charging toward Yuto Mi's room.
There were too many unknowns up ahead. If Yuto Mi was really dead, then all Tatsuro could do was run.
After all, there was no way he could beat a semi–first-grade cursed spirit. The best he could manage was to buy time for the others to evacuate—only then would he follow.
Tap tap tap…
He reached Yuto Mi's room. Without hesitation, he gripped his sword tightly and slashed straight through the door.
The blade cleaved the door vertically in one clean cut.
He shoved the remains of the door aside and stepped in. Activating his Sharingan with the bit of cursed energy he had left, he scanned the room.
It was tidy. No signs of forced entry. Yuto Mi was still lying in bed, her chest gently rising and falling. She was alive.
Tatsuro finally exhaled and muttered, "Damn, that scared the hell out of me… I thought something had gone wrong. But… why is it running around inside the villa?"
While he was lost in thought, the sound of stirring came from the bed. Yuto Mi, disturbed by the noise, slowly opened her eyes and mumbled groggily, "What's going on?"
"Uh… n-nothing. I was just… checking in…" Tatsuro stammered, hurriedly moving his blade behind his back to avoid alarming her.
Of course, anyone with half a brain wouldn't believe that. He had just sliced her door open, after all. But he had no choice. He had to brazen it out—otherwise he'd earn himself the title of "pervert who broke into a girl's room."
"Tatsuro?"
Hearing his familiar voice, Yuto Mi blinked and sat up, turning on the light. Looking at the damaged door, she asked, "Is that door shorter than before? How did you get in?"
"Uh…"
Tatsuro was speechless. And to make things worse, a powerful cursed aura was rapidly approaching from the end of the hallway.
But he didn't move. He just stood there, not knowing what to say. Yuto Mi was safe. That meant the cursed spirit must've gone rogue—possibly due to hunger, and it had gone hunting… other curses.
That would make sense.
Cursed spirits are born of negative emotions, and they grow stronger by consuming such energy. It's instinctual.
The only difference lies in whether they have rational thought. Most curses, once powerful enough, follow their instincts: to destroy or to kill, based on the emotion that birthed them.
Like a spirit born from hunger—it will eventually try to consume everything.
Or a spirit born from rage—it might cause widespread panic, attacking everything it sees.
In a sense, curses are pure. They live solely for their purpose, no matter how small or twisted it might be.
A chilling aura crept beneath Tatsuro's feet. A shadowy, sand-like body formed in the room—cradling a single ring within.
Tatsuro stood frozen, staring at the spotless floor, unmoving.
"Eh? Where's my ring? I clearly wore it to bed on my left hand!"
Yuto Mi looked at her bare hand in confusion and quickly lifted her pillow. Upon seeing the ring still underneath, she relaxed.
She slipped it back onto her finger, then turned her gaze to the intruder.
"I never gave you a key. How did you get in?"
"Uh… well… haha… it was an accident, I swear. Do you believe me?"
Tatsuro awkwardly laughed, covering his face with his hand.
"An accident?"
Yuto Mi sat cross-legged on the bed, resting her face on her palm as she gazed at him with amused interest.
She had fully woken up now. Looking at the floorboards, the chopped-down door, the noise that woke her—and the gleam of silver behind Tatsuro's back—it was obvious what had happened.
She didn't know why he'd broken in with a sword, but she was certain of one thing: he wouldn't hurt her.
"Well…"
Tatsuro scratched his head and glanced at the toothy curse spirit behind Yuto Mi. After a brief pause, he said, "It's not even 9 PM yet. How about you wear that ring and go out with me for a little walk under the night sky?"
"You broke down my door just to go out?"
Yuto Mi clearly didn't buy it, but she didn't press further. She decided to give him a way out.
"O-of course! I just wanted to surprise you. Afterward, you can take my room and I'll sleep outside!"
Tatsuro wasn't dumb. He'd seen enough faces to know when someone was giving him an out.
Honestly, it was kind of sad. He had once studied medicine just to heal himself—his heart wounded from being bullied by a scumbag. To survive, he learned to read people's moods, to please them just enough to avoid a beating, just to get a bite of food.
So compared to kids his age, Tatsuro had a deeper understanding of how to act in his own best interest—and how much strength mattered in this world.
At the end of the day, no matter what the means, it was all about surviving.
"…I see."
Yuto Mi looked at the ring on her hand and remembered what Tatsuro had said to her earlier. She got out of bed, put on her slippers, and said, "Fine. But if I lose this ring, I'm tearing your mouth apart."
"Understood! I'll keep my eyes glued to it, I promise!"
Tatsuro's face lit up with a big smile.
"I really don't get why you're so happy… It's just a walk. I'm gonna change. Wait here."
She opened the drawer beside her bed, picked out an outfit and some shoes, and headed into the bathroom.
"Okay, sis."
Click—
The bathroom door closed. But the moment she stepped inside, the cursed spirit that had been lingering near her seeped out through the door crack.
Its black mist began to take form. A pair of crimson eyes stared straight at Tatsuro.
A raspy voice spoke with a touch of joy:
"Thank… you… I want… to go out… with my daughter…"
Then suddenly, its tone shifted to fury as it screamed:
"Who gave… you permission… to enter her room?! KILL— No… can't kill… it would upset my daughter…"
Tatsuro didn't even flinch.
He was already used to it.
"This kind of love… really is pure."
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