The exorcists of the Kujou clan persevered for two days until all the miasma disappeared.

The sound of dawn breaking accompanied by singing birds and rustling wind accentuated the peaceful moment that had finally come upon the exorcists who had toiled for a long time in a particular room at the Kujou clan’s manor.

The Head sat down in the room alone after having chased off his helpers. After working so hard, everyone was exhausted. They all retired to their rooms, leaving the Head all alone.

He looked at the now-dried puddle of blood in the centre of the room.

“…”

He closed his eyes, mourning for his loss silently.

That girl, not even a body was left behind, he thought.

Then, he opened his weary eyes slowly.

Because of the taint remaining in her blood, they would have no choice but to burn the tatami mats which covered the room, or perhaps the whole room itself, in order to cleanse the manor from the residual miasma.

He sighed before removing himself from his position. He stretched his body, reminding himself that he had a clan to run and that it was not the time to be grieving.

After refreshing himself, he went to visit Ryuuenjou Zantetsu who had been confined in a secluded room far from Maihime’s room.

“How is he?” The Head asked the physician who had come to inspect the wounded.

The physician shook his head pitifully, “He is nothing but a broken, empty husk. While he had some physical wounds that had reopened due to stress, it is the pain in his heart that is destroying him. The way he is right now, we can only watch as he withers away.” The physician went on to add, “The illness of the heart is incurable. This man will die soon.”

“…” The Head paused. He mirrored the physician’s grave look and sighed again. “So be it,” he says quietly. “Perhaps, in the afterlife, they would be reunited.”

“Highly improbable,” A new voice suddenly interrupted.

“Kagerou-sama,” the Head greeted politely, though he was frowning.

“The Maihime ‘graced’ us with a bloodline curse,” he sneered, looking highly disdainful at the mention of the girl. “Clearly, whatever sin she committed was not light. If they ever see each other, it would probably be in hell.”

“Kagerou-sama!” the Head barked. Even if the man in front of him was one of the Kujou clan’s esteemed elders, he would never allow anyone to badmouth his niece whom he raised like his own daughter.

“What? Am I not right?” He tilted his head, a mocking smile on his face. He had long hated the Maihime, who, despite being a girl, shone brighter than his son. Although his son was current heir for the position of the next family Head, it left a bad taste in his mouth knowing that the only reason his son managed to get that spot was because the Maihime retired and married out.

“…!” the Head gritted his teeth. But the man was right.

One can only receive a bloodline curse if one committed a taboo. Though he did not know which one the Maihime had committed, all of them were equivalently terrible.

“The way I see it, that little girl does not deserve even a funeral,” Kagerou added. “And what of her daughter? What are we supposed to do with that thing? Take it in?” He spitefully said.

“Daughter?” The Head looked at the man suspiciously.

“What? Could it be that you didn’t know? The Ryuuenjou girl—the eldest daughter of that woman—she survived,” Kagerou stated with a ridiculing tone. He was clearly looking down on the little girl. After all, it was obvious that Airi had not taught any of the family teachings to the girl. She barely had any spiritual energy inside her, unlike her mother, and was thus seen as useless. To take her into the family was an act of charity.

“Maihime’s daughter—!” The Head sucked in a deep breath. Hope was not lost. Although Maihime was gone, her bloodline could still be passed down.

“Where is the girl?” The Head asked the accompanying servants. “Take me to her.”

A maidservant by the door bowed down in response, “The young miss was left at the Ryuuenjou manor due to her severe wounds. Shall I prepare a cart to fetch the young miss?”

The Head thoughtfully paused. Since she was injured, it was not suitable for her to be moved, and especially not on a rough journey with a cart. “Forget it. Have our best healers attend to her. We’ll bring her back once she is sufficiently healthy. It would be best if she could make it to Maihime’s funeral, though.”

“As you command, sir,” the woman bowed again, moving out of the room to execute her orders.

“Hmph!” Kagerou harrumphed. “It is not good for the Clan Head to be clouded with personal sentiments. Just because that sinner was your niece, it does not mean that she deserves better treatment,” he rebuked.

The Head’s expression hardened at the word ‘sinner’. It seems like he had been too lax to the point where a mere clan elder could step all over his, the Clan Head’s, head.

“I am the Clan Head, and you are just a normal Elder. Do not overstep your boundaries,” he coldly spoke.

Elder Kagerou and the Head glared at each other before looking away, both of them storming off into different directions.