"In the way of Onmyou, there is 'Enmi', which is one of the spells used to put a curse on someone. One must use a doll or a belonging from the person you want to cast a spell on. Actually 'hammering nails on voodoo dolls' is one of the Enmi spells."
"Normally when you think of voodoo dolls, it is assumed that the grudge of a person hammering the nails gets passed into the other person and that is how they get cursed. The Hexer will hammer the nails into the doll and pray to the spirits for them to curse the other person. The spirits will then accept the request and will begin to torment the person being cursed."
"Basically, by using Enmi, a Hexer calls for spirits or psychic energy and they will end up manipulating the evil spirits eventually." Naru explained and the SPR members was left dumbfounded.
"Then the ghosts that appeared here, in the prep room and at Yoshino-sensei's house were really evil spirits?" John asked with a pity and helpless expression.
"That's correct. I am confident that the events that happened here were all caused by the Enmi. Someone is putting curses on the school faculty and the students. Evil spirits are being cast upon them. And even though the spirits don't have the capacity to kill those people in one day, they will torment the victims little by little until they gradually drive them crazy to their deaths." Naru answered.
"This is still my theory though. And as a result of these psychic phenomena and after hearing the 'Ghost Rumors', most people at this school have now become paranoid." He added.
"Then the rumors like these can easily influence emotionally sensitive people making them concern that something might happen to them next." Ayako said while touching her chin, thinking.
"Right. The students who was possessed by a fox spirit is a good example of that since it has become a school-wide news" Bou-san seconded agreeing with the person who he bickers with.
Naru straightened and walked to the door, planning to search for Mai when the door he was about to touch slide open with a loud bang. Mai appeared in front of him as the others look at the new arrival person. Mai's shoulder length hair is messy and her hand is till gripping the door frame for support. Her shoulders move up and down while her erratic breaths are clearly heard. It is obvious that she have been running that cause her to this kind of state.
"Have you been running? Where have you been?" Naru asked with a cold scolding tone as he gave Mai a cup of water that he got from the water dispenser near the door.
Mai snatched the cup, letting some droplets of water sway and fall to the ground. She drank all of the contents of the cup and inhale deeply to calm herself down. Bou-san assisted her to sit on a chair while Mai is fixing her disheveled hair. Naru glared at Mai, demanding some explanation but Mai just waved at him and gave him something using her right hand. Everyone except Naru and Lin gasped at the sight of human-shaped wood.
"It is a Higogata!(doll)"
"Where did you get this?" Naru asked her with narrowed eyes.
"The desk that is said to be cursed. I got it while the students are outside. It is written that anyone who sit on that desk shall meet an accident . So that means the hitogata is not aiming for a particular person." Mai answered as Lin came and took the hitogata from Naru.
"It is well made. It is Enmi for sure." Lin said and look at Naru.
"Then... Who would do such things..." Bou-san asked, clearly shocked but stopped at a sudden realization.
"The answer is obvious. It must be that Kasai-san." Masako answered pulling her sleeves to cover her lips.
"Yeah. The victims are mostly against her so it might be her." Bou-san agreed at her nodding his head.
"No. Don't you go on accusing someone. It is not her." Mai suddenly answered without thinking.
Everyone look at her, waiting for a explanation but Mai just stood up and look at them with strong determination. Mai really couldn't tell them why since she just said that because her intuition told her so.
"Anyway, we don't have enough proof that she really is the Hexer." Mai said turning her head away.
"Humph!" Masako also turned her head, not forgetting to glare at Mai once.
Mai noticed it and frown at it. She never really know how she had offended this chick but eversince she knew that she had been Naru's assistant, the celebrity is always against her or a bit hostile to her. But Mai didn't mind it often since she saw that Masako has no I'll intent for her. Mai just took it as a temper tantrum from Masako.
"Hmm.. Let's see. Not only that some of the people here don't believe in her psychic abilities but they also punish her and the ones who protect and support her, especially that teacher. And she publicly curse everyone at their morning assembly right? Is this proof not enough?" Ayako said with a 'Rich Young Miss' attitude.
She used this attitude to pressure Mai into giving up but Mai just ignored her and repeated that Kasai-san is not the Hexer. Ayako knew that she is been friends with that girl and she knew Mai were to be hurt if Kasai-san was proven to be the Hexer so Ayako did this to prevent this in case it happened. But this girl didn't see her affection at all. Tsk.
Everyone but Mai said that Kasai-san is the hexer and left Mai in a helpless situation since she can't explain or give a proof of her statement but it doesn't mean that she is going to give up!
"Our primary suspect is Kasai-san. One of the victims, Yoshino-sensei was the very person who humiliate her during their morning assembly. You said that she is innocent. Then can you at least give----" Naru said but Mai interrupted his sentence before he even compete it.
"I know that I can't prove anything! I know! But Kasai-san is definitely innocent!" Mai said hastily and glare at Naru.
"What nonsense!" Ayako said mockingly and feeling helpless for the stubborn brunette.
Naru was about to talk again and persuade Mai to let go of her statement but Mai harrumphed at him and crossed her arms in a haughty manner.
"One word to contradict me and you will not have your precious tea!" Mai said with a malicious smile, making the others shiver.
"Is this your intuition?" Naru daughter with a sigh, pretending not to hear the tea topic.
"Yeah!" Mai answered with a fighting pose. A few moments passed, Naru sighed again and sit on his chair.
"Fine. I will give you the benefit of the doubt this time." Naru compromised as Mai smirked and formed a V in victory.
"But Naru, letting the ----" Bou-san was about to complain but Naru cut him off.
"There are two ways to break the Enmi. One is to return the curse to the hexer and the other is to burn the hitogata that was used for the curse. The hitogata has to be buried near the Hexer so the Hexer is somehow associated with the school. It is likely that the hitogata is buried somewhere near by." Naru said leaving Bou-san in silence.
"For now, me and Lin have to look for the hexer and I need you guys to search for the hitogatas that is used and buried somewhere here." Naru instructed.
"What? Now?! Do you know how big the school is?" Bou-san said in complaint.
Mai ignored Naru and Bou-san as she went straight to her table. The temperature suddenly dropped when Naru asked them if they will do the work or not with a death glare. The others cringed and reluctantly agreed despite having some complaints deep inside their hearts
The school is big and wide. Where on earth will they dig those hitogatas?
The other left with a heavy heart as Lin, Naru and Mai were the only one left in the base. Mai turned around the whiteboard and her drawing appeared. Although her drawing of the school's blueprint is not accurate and complete, she still remembered the hitogata's exact location shown by Mr. Guardian.
"If these dots are truly the locations of those hitogata, there are a total of 62 hitogatas listed here plus the hitogata of Naru, it is 63. Gosh! This hexer must be exhausted after making so many of these!" Mai whispered to herself and write some information in her notebook.
Although Lin nd Naru didn't hear what she said, the two narrowed their eyes at the sight of her drawing. Lin saw Mai drawing something on the whiteboard but he never really take a look at it since it feels like he is invading her privacy. But now that they have seen it, it is truly strange. She had drawn the school and there are dots on some places. And what is more strange are some of the places where there are dots but they have no knowledge of psychic phenomena occurring in those locations.
She drew this a day ago. Are the dots the location of the hitogatas? Does this mean that she knew this is a Zuso long ago? But that doesn't make sense. Base on the conversation she had with Naru a while ago, it seems that she knew nothing. And even if she did know, she would have shared the information to Naru like she always do.
Lin wondered as he look at the departing figure of Mai and turn to glance at his boss.
No matter what, she is now a threat. With her cleverness, what if she discovered Naru's true identity?
Lin look at his charge again and saw him pondering about the drawing. Lin knew that Naru realized the danger of Mai discovering his identity but Naru just look at him and said nothing after a few moments.
He is not taking actions? What does he mean? Is he letting Mai slowly discover who he is?!
Lin was about to speak about the risk of letting Mai figure out who he is but Naru just brought the topic of catching the hexer, burying the thing that Lin want to talk about. Lin frown at this. He knew that there is only a little possibility for Mai to learn about who they are but it doesn't mean it is not impossible for her to find out!
With her background, cleverness and some clues seen by her being Naru's assistant, it will not be long before Mai finds out. Lin was anxious for the first time. Although Mai could really be a 'Lover Candidate' for Naru, this is not the reason why they came her in the first place!
**AUTHOR'S NOTE
Hello again!
Here is another update for you! It will be, at least, a compensation for not updating in weeks.
😊😊
Remember to stay safe and and enjoy!