009. The Wild Cat’s Instinct Is to Usurp the Magpie’s Nest

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3:05 PM.
The elite corporate drone slumped in his chair, a look of deep melancholy etched across his face.
After enduring two years in the countryside, he had finally been transferred back to Tokyo from Kyushu thanks to a rare promotion.
With a resolute determination to continue living as a human no matter what, he had divided the terrifying urban legends that far exceeded personal comprehension...
This was supposed to be the very first day of his official return to an ordinary life.
...
Toru Anritsu stared lifelessly at the ceiling light of the café.
He had found Sakuragi Hiiragi but had refused to report this to the “S.T.F” as he should have.
More precisely, he had outright rejected the report.
It was nothing more than willful ignorance.
Though his phone was off, he could already imagine the frantic attempts by the intelligence bureau’s special agents assigned to investigate the “Night Parade of One Hundred Demons” trying desperately to reach him...
After all, they had managed to precisely track Sakuragi Hiiragi despite her twisted perception and ability to reduce her presence—surely, they had deployed extremely meticulous measures.
As the last bloodline of the Hiiragi family and a prodigious sorcerer who had shone brilliantly in the “Night Parade,” almost single-handedly sweeping all yokai in Sakura Shrine Town, Sakuragi Hiiragi held undeniable strategic value.
Whether to harness her combat power or to prevent potential catastrophe caused by her losing control, the “S.T.F” must try to negotiate with this girl who had long hidden herself using cognitive powers.
Anritsu, to prevent Hiiragi from revealing information about the “Reaper,” had taken it upon himself to abandon the mission assigned by Inspector Kirishima.
It was foreseeable that he would face reprimands or pay cuts.
Friday’s payday was approaching.
Considering Tokyo’s living costs, his post-punishment salary would barely cover basic expenses...
Surprisingly, despite years of earnest persuasion from his family to quit smoking and drinking, Anritsu had not touched a cigarette or a drop of alcohol during his entire month back in Tokyo.
Damn poverty was beginning to change him.
He glanced at Sakuragi Hiiragi sitting opposite him. If she lacked information about the “Reaper,” Anritsu would have taken her straight back to the police headquarters without hesitation.
But now, he dared not stake the stability of his own life’s happiness on a middle school girl.
“Miss Hiiragi, it’s time to talk about the promise I made to you.”
This was the safest topic Anritsu could think of, considering her overwhelming combat capability.
Hiiragi no longer bore that fierce, murderous expression; she sat obediently and quietly on the sofa, her small hands resting on her knees. “Mr. Anritsu said... no matter what troubles I face, I can talk to you about them.”
Anritsu nodded in agreement. “Alright then, what troubles have you encountered recently?”
“I’m bored.”
“Bored?”
Anritsu had expected concerns about food or accommodation, since she looked like she hadn’t groomed herself in a long time and ate with such ravenous urgency.
Hearing this, Hiiragi looked down at the empty plate before her. “Just bored.”
“It’s been a month since the ‘Night Parade.’ What have you been doing all this time, Miss Hiiragi?”
She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I took my father to China; he always wanted to see the Terracotta Warriors. Then I took my mother to the Vatican; she believes Christian holy water can lift our curse. Finally, I buried my sister beneath the largest cherry tree in Sakura Shrine Town, so every spring she can enjoy the most splendid cherry blossom rain in Japan...”
Anritsu grabbed Margaret, who was trying to slip away nearby, thinking that if he accidentally touched a sensitive topic and triggered Hiiragi’s wrath, at least he might take a yokai down with him.
Margaret stiffened, her urge to flee growing stronger but she dared not act rashly in front of Hiiragi.
Anritsu shifted into a gentle, businesslike tone, treating her like any ordinary middle schooler seeking help from the police.
“Then, Miss Hiiragi, could you tell me more about your recent life? That way, I can think of ways to help you.”
“Um... eating, sleeping?”
“Please be more specific. For example, where you usually sleep and what you eat daily.”
“The places I sleep...”
At this topic, Hiiragi seemed excited and happily shared with Anritsu:
“For naps, I go to the lawn beside Kamime River. The light and temperature there are perfect, and warm breezes often blow. Then, there’s the school rooftop—very quiet, no one disturbs me. At night, I usually sleep in the kitchen of the school cafeteria.”
“If I’m hungry, I find something to eat in the kitchen.”

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“But you look like you haven’t had a proper meal for a month.”
Hiiragi paused to think.
“The cafeteria workers are nice to me. Even if I just reach out directly, they never scold me... but my sister used to hit me for doing that, so I sneak into the kitchen after they leave.”
“Can you cook?”
“No.” The little witch answered confidently.
Anritsu covered his face in despair.
No wonder his cooking skills, as a single man living alone, made her look so enchanted.
He almost imagined that after arriving in Tokyo, he’d been secretly taught by a world-class chef and had dramatically improved, only to forget due to “memory deletion.”
But it turned out this girl was simply gnawing on raw ingredients...
Anritsu pictured her sitting on the floor, biting into frozen raw fish as hard as stone, humming softly.
Though the image was somewhat endearing, it was also pitiful.
Her family had perished in a disaster, leaving her utterly alone.
It was impossible to imagine what feelings had driven her to leave Japan alone and transport her parents’ ashes all the way to China and the Vatican.
But seeing her evident lack of basic common sense, the details of this journey clearly defied the norms of modern human society...
“May I ask, Miss Hiiragi, do you have a flying broomstick?”
“Yes.”
Truly a witch.
Though she came from a family of onmyoji, her appearance was suspicious. Even after rereading the materials Inspector Kirishima had sent him, there was no mention of witches or similar beings.
At this realization, Anritsu noticed he could now clearly sense Hiiragi’s presence, and the mysterious force blocking his cognition of her had vanished.
Drawing on his professional expertise, Anritsu asked again, “Your powers, Miss Hiiragi, surely don’t come only from yokai, right?”
The little witch answered honestly, “Like Mr. Anritsu... I have merged with the cognitive concept of a ‘witch,’ so I can freely use various kinds of magic.”
Remarkably, despite her glaring lack of many fundamental life and social skills, her knowledge of cognitive science rivaled that of Anritsu, a systematically trained special officer.
When the topic turned to cognitive science, Hiiragi grew even more animated than when describing her nap spots, speaking at length.
“Because the ‘witch’ cognition completely covers the ‘yokai’ part, I can no longer use the family’s traditional onmyoji arts. But in return, I can use all sorts of magic just by imagining it, such as...”
“...”
Listening to her enthusiastically describe various incredible spells, Anritsu analyzed her situation alongside Margaret’s account of her past.
Clearly, she was a genius sorcerer whose personal ability alone was enough to guarantee the most luxurious treatment in any city or country.
He did not ask how she had merged with a concept as broad as the “witch.”
Probably, she didn’t understand it herself.
She had simply muddled through the fusion and mastered the power.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have shared her understanding of cognitive science from a human perspective.
But considering Hiiragi’s severe lack of common sense, she might not realize how much such power could improve her life.
“Miss Hiiragi,” Anritsu interrupted her, “have you thought about contacting your sister’s former colleagues?”
Hiiragi pursed her lips, perhaps sulking at being interrupted, but answered honestly.
“Never! I don’t like them!”
“But if you listened to them, even without doing anything, you could have meals far better than that empty bowl and a more comfortable place to sleep every day.”
Hiiragi shook her head.
“I’ve already found those things Mr. Anritsu mentioned...”
“Hm?” Seeing the light, airy smile suddenly appear on her face, Anritsu’s heart skipped a beat with a grim suspicion.
Hiiragi gave the answer he least wanted to hear.
“Mr. Anritsu! I’ve decided to add ‘Night Moon’ to my list of ‘best places to sleep’ and ‘most delicious cafeterias’!”
“Hehe... after eating just now, I almost fell asleep at the table. It’s my first time having such a wonderful experience! Mr. Anritsu, this café must have some extraordinary magic! Please let me study it thoroughly while I’m here!”

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Living as an anomaly caught between the “world of impressions” and the “real world,” Sakuragi Hiiragi bore a loneliness beyond ordinary comprehension.
She could not understand her peers at school.
Nor could she comprehend anything in this city.
As if even the world refused to accept her existence, she was born with a curse of short life.
Her family was the only presence she could trust and feel understood by.
Yet fate had snatched them away.
After a month of confusion, Hiiragi vaguely realized...
Her so-called “boredom” actually stemmed from this insurmountable alienation from the world.
She could accomplish many things through force, but her sister’s lifelong teachings forced her to restrain actions that might hurt others.
In a lonely, dull, and monotonous life without yokai hunts or family companionship,
Hiiragi thought to herself—
I should seek “kindred spirits.”
Though that was as unrealistic as a wish.
With the advancement of modern science and research into cognitive science, the “boundaries of life” became clear, making it impossible for humans to casually merge with cognitive beings like yokai as in ancient times.
Naturally, no more “half-human, half-yokai” hybrids like the Hiiragi family would be born.
But she was lucky to have indeed met what should be the only other “kindred spirit” in this world.
Hiiragi did not understand how Anritsu had merged with the “Reaper,”
Just as she did not understand how she merged with the “witch”...
She took it as a gift from fate, a blessing before punishment.
Everything after their reunion was as warm and beautiful as she had imagined—the cozy small space, the delicious meal carefully cooled, and the sense of security and ease brought by having a kindred spirit.
That was enough for her... she was easily content with the present.
Hiiragi had made a decision.
She would never leave this café!
...
How could anyone say something so shamelessly like this with a straight face?
Is the yokai merged with you really a “witch” or some ancient creature related to “cuckoos”?!
Whether Anritsu had guessed the deep sensitivities in Hiiragi’s heart remained unknown to both.
But Hiiragi was definitely brazenly stomping on the most sensitive issues for a corporate drone, provoking his emotions.
Anritsu realized she was determined to cling to “Night Moon” and fully become a parasite of this café.
To protect his peaceful life and his modest wallet, Anritsu resolved to make one last attempt—
“Miss Hiiragi! Please don’t rely on this café!” he pleaded, pounding his chest. “I’ve thought of a way to solve your boredom.”
Unexpectedly, Hiiragi silently began slipping off her shoes, stretched out on the sofa barefoot.
She took off her witch’s hat and covered her face with it, looking ready to fall asleep at any moment.
Lazily, she answered through the fabric, her voice muffled,
“It’s okay. We can talk about this after I wake up. Please go back to work, Mr. Anritsu...”
“My sister once missed work to teach me a lesson. I heard she got scolded by an old man for a long time afterward.”
Anritsu’s face darkened as he glared at the witch whose voice was growing quieter, soon replaced by steady breathing.
“Hehe, Mr. Anritsu, you’re quite like my sister in this regard.”
With a near-sleepy murmur, Sakuragi Hiiragi absurdly and effortlessly fell asleep before a stranger in an unfamiliar place.