Mirror Mirror (self-insert #9)

Chapter 11

"How much did you pay for that cross?"

I grimaced. If Hirota was improving, he was going about it very slowly.

"The cross you gave auntie after the exorcism." He pressed.

John actually thought about it. "No idea. I can't think of a price for it."

"I mean, are you selling it or giving it to her as a present?"

John's eyes widened in understanding and he smiled. "Of course I'm giving it to her. As a charm, it would be good for calming herself down."

Hirota actually hesitated in the face of John's cinnamon roll-ness. "You're called Brown-san, right? Are you really a priest? You look too young to be a priest to me."

John laughed self-consciously. "Yes. I may look young, but I'm a real priest."

"I'm not well-versed about Christians, but isn't a priest a high-ranked person?"

"A Catholic priest can be an ordinary parish priest. I don't belong to an order of Catholic priest in any church, but I perform pastoral duties when I do missionary work."

"Do these...priests usually visit people's houses to briefly perform exorcism?"

"No, they usually don't. When it's a demon exorcism, you'll need a superior's permission to perform it. If there are many cases demanding immediate attention, you can get approval after the exorcism."

Hirota arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you concerned about doing such a thing?" When John didn't answer right away, he jumped on that. "Although you're a clergyman, you're taking advantage of a troubled person's weakness. Are you telling me it's fine to act questionably at an exorcism?"

"Where on Earth did you get that from any of this?" I demanded, unable to control myself any longer.

John flashed me a bright smile. No doubt he just saw Hirota as an overeager learner rather than someone trying to find something shady about him. "If the troubled person doesn't mind, don't you think it's our duty as human beings to do anything we can to help them?"

"So driving away a troubled spirit isn't an act that opposes your conscience?" Hirota inquired icily.

"Yes, but..." He smiled hesitantly. "The spirits here haven't done bad things, yet I don't think that continuing the dead's suffering is something that God desires. Besides, both Midori-san and her mother seem troubled, don't they?" You could practically see the air being purified as he spoke. "Although I'm thinking about their physical and mental health, it's better if somebody does something about the spirits. That's what I think."

Bou-san stared at him. "Hey, John...have you realized that you're being doubted?"

The poor angel blinked. "What am I being doubted of?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, nevermind. But you're really good at exorcising those possessing spirits. Teach me your secret next time."

John's eyebrows briefly touched his hairline. "You want me to teach you, Takigawa-san?"

"Mixing religions is still bad, isn't it?" Bou-san agreed.

I seized the opportunity. "You could try being pure of heart like John." I suggested innocently. "Why are you glaring at me like that?"

"Why, indeed?" The monk snapped.

"What worthless stuff are you talking about?" Naru interrupted harshly. "John, do you think the spirit has been exorcised?"

"Hmmm...I wonder. I don't feel that I've exorcised it, though."

"Is that so?" He murmured, glancing up as Hirota suddenly shot to his feet. "Is there something wrong?"

"No...for a moment..." He hesitated before eventually finding his words. "I got a call from work, so I'll be leaving."

His hurried footsteps faded down the hall. Naru glanced at me just as a thought fizzled to life. "He had his coworker do some research on you." I explained. "All he's going to find is your educational career and the fact that you're charismatic."

"Charismatic?" Bou-san scoffed.

Naru fixed him with a stare. "I mean, it explains why you're still tagging along."

"You asked me to come!"

"You could've refused." Naru said. "That's besides the point. Midori-san's mother has been exorcised of the murdered mother, but I don't want to take any risks. Bou-san, please set up charms in the kitchen and other places Agawa-san frequents."

"Sure." Came the grumbled response.

"Masako and I are gonna take a break upstairs." Mai chirped. "See ya!"

I raised my eyebrows as Naru made no effort to stop the girls. He ignored me, though he would've said something like half-asleep mediums are useless spiritually and when it comes to manual labor.

Geez. There was really no need to be so stiff all the time.

There was nothing else Naru wanted us to do, so I checked my email. Madoka had sent me a response assuring me that Martin and Luella were doing well and occasionally visited Gene's grave. I sometimes catch them crying, but that's to be expected. You can't lose someone you love and expect the pain to fade quickly.

That was true, but still. Hopefully they'd consider grief counseling if it went on for too long.

Yasuhara has also emailed me. I haven't found anything about the house's history yet. Has there been any new information?

I facepalmed, drawing a quick glance from Lin. I hadn't even told him about Gene's and Mai's meeting. Sorry, I forgot to let you know. The total number of victims is five—and entire family, and there were two culprits. That should narrow your search down quite a bit.

His reply came almost instantly—poor guy was probably in the middle of researching at the moment. It should. Thank you so much, Narumi-san.

You can thank me with some daifuku.

Of course.

I stretched, then yawned. "I'm going to take a walk around the house." I said, wobbling to my feet. "Let me know if something comes up."

"Likewise." Naru said absently.

The house was quiet. Somewhere over my head, the floorboards creaked. In my opinion it was kind of odd for a newly renovated house, but I wasn't an architectural genius. I'd have to ask Naru.

I did a circuit of the living room and kitchen area before making my way toward the front of the house, only stopping when a strange odor caught my attention. I recognized it immediately: blood. Enough to make my head throb and my stomach churn.

I lowered my mike, waiting for the barely perceptible crackle of the line being connected. "I smell a lot of blood." I reported.

Silence.

"Hello?"

Still nothing.

I flipped the mike back up and was about to hurry back to the base when a chill ran down my spine, spreading throughout my body until it felt like I'd stepped outside in the winter. My teeth chattered uncontrollably and my heart pounded in my chest. My legs wobbled, and I just barely managed to catch myself against the wall. There was no way I was going to be able to avoid vomiting right where I stood.

It was the smell of the blood, I assured myself. I clenched my eyes shut, willing the pounding in my skull to stop.

"Hirota-san! Narumi-san!"

Suddenly, the pressure faded, along with the smell of blood.

Midori hesitated, then hurried to help Hirota to his feet. He'd come in at some point and was staring in a ring of shattered glass.

"Nira?" Naru was kneeling in front of me. "What's happened?"

"I smelled a lot of blood and tried to tell you, but no one was answering. All of the sudden I felt really sick. Though I feel better now." I added hurriedly.

He pursed his lips as footsteps thudded down the stairs. "Head back to base. I'll question you there."

Wonderful.