Saturday arrived, and still, Irena-san hadn’t returned.

I found myself summoned to the Kamiarizuki house for the first time in a while. There, Akane-san proposed something unexpected: “How about you start working as a full-fledged exorcist?”

The reason this conversation came up was because my father had been holding it off until now.

However, with the recent surge in monster appearances, it seemed that manpower was severely lacking. It was a critical shortage—the exorcist workforce had reached its limit.

I couldn’t help but think, Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later… as I asked Akane-san.

“Does this mean I’ll start working like Dad?”

“Yes, essentially. Of course, we’ll make several arrangements for you.”

“What kind of arrangements?”

“When an exorcist works alone for the first time, they usually have backup—like rescue teams or healers,” Akane-san explained, sipping her tea while kneeling casually on one knee.

Her manners seemed lacking, but somehow, the way she carried herself made it look natural.

By the way, her hair had been blonde when I first met her, but by the time I started elementary school, she’d changed it to pink. Now it shone silver.

I didn’t mind if she was enjoying herself, but I couldn’t help but wonder—was it really okay for someone dressed like a shrine maiden to play around with hair colors like that?

“Normally, people start working as exorcists around the age of 15. However, considering your abilities, I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t begin sooner.”

“Wait a second.”

It was my mother, sitting beside me, who cut into the conversation.

Hina and Nina-chan had come with us to the Kamiarizuki house, though they were in a different room, with Nina-chan looking after Hina.

“Itsuki is still a child. It’s far too early for him to start working. Besides, you haven’t even discussed this with Souichirou.”

“I understand your concern, Kaede. But starting early would benefit Itsuki’s future. Souichirou started working as an exorcist when he was ten—this would only be three years earlier.”

“But… the circumstances are different now,” my mother argued, unwilling to back down.

Wait—Dad started working when he was ten? That explains why he’s so skilled.

Akane-san continued calmly. “Yes, Souichirou’s situation was different. However, Itsuki has more experience and is ranked higher than Souichirou was at that age.”

“…That’s…”

Mom trailed off, visibly troubled.

And honestly, Akane-san wasn’t wrong. I’d already exorcised the Raikoudouji and the Kagerou named Harunaga Adashino. Both were Sixth-Rank monsters.

“You’ve dealt with two Sixth-Rank monsters, mastered Shijutsu and Kaijutsu, and even learned some Fairy Magic and Resonance. What more do you need to learn, Kaede?”

“…”

“What would it take to reassure you? Should he master Kokujutsu? Or would it comfort you if he learned secret or forbidden arts?”

“…”

“Sooner or later, Itsuki will have to stand on his own. Allowing him to gain experience now is part of our duty as elders.”

“But he’s only seven years old,” my mother protested.

“I know. That’s why we’ll provide support,” Akane-san replied. “But in the end, the decision is Itsuki’s.”

Suddenly, she turned her attention to me.

I had assumed the conversation would continue between her and my mother, so when she looked at me, I was taken by surprise.

“…I get to decide?”

“Yes. If you think it’s too early, you can decline. But if you want to try, this is your chance to gain experience.”

“Uh, okay…”

Faced with this sudden choice, I found myself at a loss.

To be honest, the thought of working alone scared me.

What scared me the most was the idea that I might be killed by a monster.

It wasn’t just the fear of death—it was the fear of the unknown.

The fear of trying something for the first time.

It was less fear and more… anxiety.

Yes, I was anxious.

So far, I’d only observed my father at work.

I’d helped with Renji-san’s assignments.

I’d even accompanied Irena-san to rural areas.

But in every case, I was with experienced exorcists. I’d never worked alone.

That was what made me anxious.

“You’re afraid of your first job, aren’t you?” Akane-san asked, seeing right through me.

I nodded, and she chuckled.

“That’s how everyone feels at the beginning. But experience is the only way forward.”

“Um…”

“What is it?”

“If I were to take this job… what kind of monster would I face?”

“Good question. Let’s see…”

Akane-san pulled out a tablet.

A tablet—again? I thought, as she showed me a PDF with an address and a photo of an old factory.

“It’s a demon that’s made a nest in this abandoned factory. It seems to be extracting blood and sending it out indiscriminately. Just recently, the police received a report from the CEO of a food company saying that strange products were being delivered in his company’s name. This is connected to that incident.”

That sounds… familiar.

I couldn’t help but lift my head in recognition.

Of course. It was the case I’d heard about earlier this week—when Nina-chan and I had been stopped by that CEO on our way home.

“The main demon is Second-Rank, but it has minions helping it distribute the products, and those are Third-Rank.”

Akane-san continued, “You’ll be compensated, of course. But the choice is yours—how about it?”

“…What happens if I say no?”

“Then another exorcist will handle it.”

I see.

So, I didn’t have to take it.

If I wanted to, I could just walk away…

As that thought crossed my mind, I heard the sound of footsteps running from behind the sliding doors.

Soon, Hina and Nina-chan’s voices followed.

“Hey! Wait, Hina! You can’t open that door!”

“Nee-chan, Itsuki’s in there!”

“Itsuki’s having an important conversation right now—don’t open it!”

The sound of footsteps grew distant again.

It seemed Hina had tried to run into this room, and Nina-chan had gone to stop her.

While I appreciated Nina-chan looking after Hina, a thought crossed my mind—what if this job had been offered to Nina-chan instead?

She would’ve taken it without hesitation.

Nina-chan wanted to become an exorcist to gain Irena-san’s approval. That dream hadn’t changed—in fact, after making amends with Irena-san, she now hoped to work alongside her.

So, if this job had been offered to Nina-chan, she would’ve accepted it.

But the real issue wasn’t about Nina-chan.

The real issue was with me.

Hadn’t I spent my previous life always postponing things—always saying, “I’ll do it later”?

That life had been a series of dull, gray days, filled with vague anxiety and the hollow thought that “as long as things are okay for now, it’s fine.”

Wasn’t that exactly why my previous life had turned out the way it did?

Even now, I didn’t want to die.

But I’d been born into the Kisaragi family.

I always knew I’d become an exorcist someday. Discover hidden tales at mvl

Sooner or later, it was inevitable that I’d have to make a career out of exorcising monsters.

That’s why I’d been training all this time—to prepare for this moment.

And now, the opportunity was right in front of me.

I knew I could refuse.

Akane-san said it was my choice, and my mother clearly wasn’t keen on the idea.

But if I refused now… how many more times would I refuse after that?

Would I wait until I was ten?

Fifteen?

No.

Once I started running away, I’d keep running.

And if I kept running, I’d end up living the same kind of life I had before—a meaningless existence, chewing on flavorless gum forever.

That’s not the life I wanted this time.

So I made my decision.

I took a deep breath, nodded, and spoke.

“…I’ll take the job.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep