Miracle Summoner

At that moment, Rozen almost doubted his own ears.

"What did you just say?" Rozen looked at Kurahashi Kyouko in astonishment and said, "You want to become my shikigami?"

This had to be a joke, right?

However, Kyouko responded without the slightest hesitation.

"That's right." Kyouko met Rozen's gaze with an upright and resolute attitude and said, "I want to become your shikigami."

Her words were spoken with absolute seriousness, without a hint of confusion or insincerity.

Anyone who saw Kyouko like this would understand that she was being completely earnest.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Rozen didn't mince words.

"No, I'm perfectly clear-headed."

Kyouko countered without backing down.

"I think you're anything but clear-headed." Rozen furrowed his brows and said, "Do you even know what you're saying? I'm a jujutsu criminal who has touched upon the forbidden, you know?"

The dignified young lady of the Kurahashi family, the undisputed princess of the jujutsu world, was actually proposing to become the shikigami of a jujutsu criminal?

If that wasn't madness, then what was?

If the jujutsu world learned that the Kurahashi heiress had become the shikigami of a jujutsu criminal, the Kurahashi family would become a laughingstock.

At that point, Kyouko would likely never be able to return home, forever branded as a disgrace to the Kurahashi family.

Not to mention, by becoming the shikigami of a jujutsu criminal, Kyouko would be regarded as an accomplice, hunted by the Onmyo Agency, and could even end up facing her own father as an enemy.

This was nothing short of playing with her own future.

Rozen didn't think he was worth such a sacrifice.

Thus, he straightforwardly asked,

"What are you scheming?"

But instead of answering, Kyouko threw a question back at him.

"Do you think I am unqualified to be your shikigami?"

Kyouko had not made this decision on impulse or without thought.

She knew that if she didn't find a way to stay by Rozen's side, the fragile thread connecting them might truly snap, never to be mended again.

And she couldn't accept that.

Of course, that alone wasn't enough to make her take such a drastic step.

Her primary reason for wanting to become Rozen's shikigami was to save him.

Although she didn't know exactly what Rozen had done to be branded a criminal by the Onmyo Agency, she was certain that he was still the same Rozen she knew—that he had not fallen into darkness.

If that was the case, then there might still be a way for him to return to the light and reconcile with the Onmyo Agency.

That was what Kyouko hoped for.

Just as Rozen didn't want her to get too close to him and end up caught between him and Kurahashi Genji, suffering for it, Kyouko also wanted to resolve the conflict between Rozen and the Onmyo Agency.

She wanted to mend the rift between Rozen and her father, to achieve a happy ending for everyone.

Rozen didn't understand Kyouko.

He didn't realize how strong-willed she truly was.

But this was who she was.

As the eldest daughter of the Kurahashi family, she never rested on her laurels. Instead, she believed in relying on her own efforts. Whether it was improving her strength, pursuing love, or striving for her goals and dreams, she was always proactive.

That was the kind of person she was—diligent, determined, and unexpectedly wise.

If not for Rozen, Kyouko would have undoubtedly thrived at the Onmyo Academy, making countless connections and establishing a wide network of allies.

But instead, she had distanced herself from others.

It could be said that from the moment she first met Rozen as a child at the Tsuchimikado residence, her life trajectory had already been altered.

Rozen wanted Kyouko to forget about him?

That was impossible.

Because for Kyouko, forgetting Rozen was like erasing half of her life.

Let's not forget—Kyouko had trained tirelessly since childhood because of Rozen.

She had honed her talents, entered the Onmyo Academy, and become one of the academy's top students, second only to Rozen and Natsume.

Even in the year and a half after Rozen left, she had continued to push herself to grow stronger because of him.

Rozen had been an undeniable presence in Kyouko's life, shaping her into the person she was today.

If she had never met him, perhaps she would have grown up to be an arrogant and domineering heiress, spoiled by the flattery and indulgence of those around her.

But that wasn't the case.

Given all of this, there was no way Kyouko could simply cast aside her connection to Rozen.

And so, she took the initiative.

If she became Rozen's shikigami, she could stay by his side.

If she became his shikigami, she could find out what kind of forbidden arts he had touched upon.

If she became his shikigami, she could work to mend his relationship with the Onmyo Agency and convince him to turn back.

If she became his shikigami, their relationship would no longer be at a standstill.

Considering all these factors, Kyouko made up her mind.

However…

"Putting aside the question of whether you're qualified, I have no reason to accept you as my shikigami in the first place."

Rozen decisively rejected her.

"You should just go back to the Onmyo Academy."

With that, Rozen turned to leave.

But Kyouko spoke up again.

"I know I can't make you stay."

She locked eyes with Rozen, her expression unwavering.

"But even if you leave, I will find you. No matter where you go, I will keep searching."

She declared her resolve.

This made Rozen chuckle.

"You think anyone can find me if I truly wish to hide?"

Indeed, his immense spiritual energy was difficult to conceal. If he revealed himself, someone like Miyoshi Tougo, with his exceptional Spirit Sight, could locate him from across an entire city.

But that was only if Rozen didn't deliberately suppress his presence.

If he used jutsuryoku to conceal his spiritual energy and location, no one would be able to track him down.

Kyouko was simply setting herself up for failure.

"Is that so?" Kyouko remained stubborn. "Then what if I do find you?"

If she managed that, what then?

Rozen gazed deeply at her, seeing both her stubbornness and her determination.

She wasn't going to change her mind.

His eyes flickered.

Then…

"If you can really do that, then I'll consider making you my shikigami."

Rozen spoke nonchalantly.

"Alright!"

Kyouko immediately beamed.

"It's a deal!"

She looked completely confident.

Seeing this, Rozen said nothing more.

"Hokuto."

He called out to the dragon circling freely in the sky.

Hokuto, who had been curiously observing from above, let out a cry, then dissolved into particles and disappeared, its physical manifestation dismissed.

Ever since Rozen had returned to this world, he no longer kept Hokuto as a Beast Vassal within his blood but instead allowed it to remain in its spiritual form, guarding him from the shadows.

With that done, Rozen turned around.

As if melting into space itself, he vanished.

Kyouko was left standing alone, staring at the empty spot where Rozen had been.

A glimmer of light shone in her eyes.