Onmyoji, a nobleman in Heian-kyo

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from outside.

"Be careful." Yukinoshita spoke first, leaning her body forward and her gaze involuntarily falling on the stick in the corner.

Miku and May were also a little nervous.

This era is dangerous.

Not only are there threats from ghosts and vengeful spirits, but also from plagues and bandits...

"I'm back." Kousaka Kyosuke's voice came from outside.

Miku and Itsuki were about to go out to greet them when Yukinoshita, who seemed to have anticipated this, stopped them first.

"Don't go out!" Yukinoshita's tone became harsher.

The two sisters, who were pulled back, were immediately startled and realized the problem.

"Lord Kyosuke said not to leave the house at night," Yukinoshita added quietly.

The moment he finished speaking, an angry, loud question came from outside:

"Where is everyone? Why aren't they coming out to greet me?!"

The three girls remained silent and did not respond.

Soon after, a series of curses came from outside, which subsided after about half an hour.

“Your acting is terrible,” Miku said calmly, patting May’s head. “Kyosuke-sama doesn’t seem like someone who speaks loudly or gets angry easily.”

Yukinoshita nodded in agreement.

"I've observed him for a long time. He has a calm personality and doesn't easily show his emotions."

Miku looked puzzled upon hearing this.

Don't you easily express your emotions?

She hadn't smiled very gently at them before... Miku was a little confused about what Yukinoshita was saying, but then she noticed the whimpering sound next to her and quickly patted May's head to comfort her.

Thinking back to where I lived before, there didn't seem to be any vengeful spirits or monsters. Are there any here at night?

Upon further reflection, Miku immediately realized that the absence of any strange activity yesterday was due to Kousaka Kyosuke being at the mansion.

And at the same time.

Kyosuke Kousaka, who lived not far from his residence, looked strange.

He muttered to himself that the evaluation was indeed very insightful.

Often, a smile is just an expression, and it's a bad idea to assume someone is friendly just because they smile.

Like the junior retainers under Fujiwara no Michinaga before.

His face showed both respect and fear, but in reality, his heartbeat and breathing barely changed. Although the expressions he made through the changes in his facial muscles were rich, they were still somewhat stiff. Overall, his mental fortitude was extremely high, but his acting skills were lacking.

Ignoring his random thoughts, Kousaka Kyosuke casually placed his hand on the head of a monster with long, pointed horns.

After a long while, the monster turned into dust.

"No problem," thought Kyosuke Kosaka, as he strolled leisurely toward the mansion.

Day 21 of crossing

Kyosuke Kosaka then went to the Ukyo area.

He lived in the left capital and spent half a day observing his surroundings; now it was the right capital's turn.

As for why we need to observe?

It's because the future is full of disasters and difficulties. If I don't familiarize myself with all the environments in Kyoto, I'll still waste time when something happens in the future.

However, when passing by the nearby manor last time, the beautiful black bird pattern that used to decorate the surrounding area, resembling small seal script, had been replaced with vine patterns.

Xingcheng is amazing!

Kyosuke Kosaka said quietly.

With his eyes lowered, he pondered the political struggles involved in the Fujiwara clan's land grabbing and territorial expansion.

The black bird pattern belongs to the Qin clan, who are immigrants.

It's perfectly normal for them to be suppressed by the local Fujiwara clan these days.

However, given that the Inari Shrine in Kyoto is managed and worshipped by the Hata clan, and that the Inari God from the Onmyoji storyline will also appear in the future, it seems unlikely that it will be abandoned.

After all, gods have an obligation to protect their representatives.

Slowly regaining his senses, Kyosuke Kosaka realized that he had wandered into a relatively remote area of ​​Ukyo.

Desolate, messy, overgrown with weeds... as if no one lived there.

Kyosuke Kosaka suddenly stopped in his tracks and stood there without moving forward.

A few seconds later, a person rushed out from some corner, roaring angrily and throwing a punch:

"Bastards! Are you going to kill us all?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of people burst out from all corners, their faces filled with grief and indignation.

Kyosuke Kosaka pondered, looking down at the conspicuous vine pattern on his hunting robe, and nodded to himself.

Family crests, while intimidating others, can also attract a group of enemies.

9. The hierarchical structure of the Heian period / undesirable? / polite?

"Apa! Everyone! Stop it!"

The roaring and howling sound vibrated violently in the air.

The burly man who had been charging towards Kyosuke Kosaka, with his fierce-looking face, stopped abruptly as if by reflex.

The several ragged people behind him also stopped moving forward one after another.

Kyosuke Kosaka watched the group's wooden-like behavior with great interest.

He thought to himself that if he said one more provocative word, he would be the villain, right?

"Onmyoji, please forgive our rudeness." A blond man, about 180 centimeters tall, with his hair tied back in a braid, walked out from the crowd.

He spoke in a respectful tone, bowing his head, his face filled with apology.

Kousaka Kyosuke smiled and said:

"It's alright, I just came here for a stroll. If there's any misunderstanding, we can just clear it up."

"terribly sorry."

The blond man maintained a safe distance of about seven or eight steps, bowing his head.

Kyosuke Kosaka didn't respond further, only asking, "Are you 'non-human'?"

The term "non-human" refers to beings below the lowest social class.

That is, "one who has committed evil deeds and is not human".

They do jobs that most people wouldn't find fault with.

For example, cleaning up street stains, transporting excrement, and collecting the remains of the dead are generally concentrated on the outskirts of the capital region, forming slum settlements.

These people, let alone nobles, even commoners, would turn their heads away immediately upon seeing them, not wanting to give them a second glance.

"...We used to be residents of Qianfan Manor."

"Ah."

Kyosuke Kosaka nodded slightly.

Zhuangmin were "private slaves" belonging to the nobility, a category of lowly people.

But being under the nobility is still better than being a commoner.

Ordinary good men are theoretically of a higher status than them, but in reality, it depends on the circumstances.

Hearing what the person in front of him said...

Kyosuke Kosaka immediately guessed some of the situation.

It was probably Fujiwara no Yukinari who led his men to legally seize the Qin family's manor, and these private slaves were immediately driven out.

They are now in dire straits, having fallen to a state even worse than the lowest of the low.

After all, although the status of the common people was completely defined, they still had jobs and could make a living. They were also provided with safe housing, so they were considered to be living a stable life.

And what about these people?

If a guess is based on one's own thoughts, then that person is not human.

"I'm just taking a stroll. Since that's the case, there's no conflict. Please make way."

Kousaka Kyosuke smiled.

The blond man quickly ordered the others, "Apa, Apei, and everyone else, step aside!"

Although the others looked resentful and unwilling, they ultimately complied.