48 Chapter 48

In the shadows of Tokyo, concealed from the eyes of the sorcerers and the bustling city, Shinju, the fallen Himemiko, sat in the opulent silence of a lady mansion. Before her stood a woman, Hori Masaki, a figure enveloped in darkness, filled with a venomous hatred and a thirst for retribution.

Hori, a recent widow from an influential businessman, was a picture of silent anguish. Her once lustrous black hair now seemed dull, her eyes simmering with a rage born of betrayal and abandonment. Her life, once bathed in the promise of love, crumbled into desolation the day her husband's will unveiled his infidelity, revealing a mistress and an unacknowledged child.

The revelations carved deep wounds in Hori's soul, leaving her stranded in a desolate existence. Her husband's deceitful departure, leaving a substantial portion of his wealth and his thriving business to another woman, inflicted a brutal blow to her heart. The home she thought was hers dissolved into a legal abyss, her husband's name etched on every document, rendering her powerless and homeless.

Had it not been for her small reserves from e-commerce ventures and years of frugal saving, Hori would have faced destitution and despair. The sting of betrayal, the humiliation of abandonment, and the legal machinations that stripped her of her possessions fueled an unquenchable fire within her—a seething fury seeking vengeance.

But the tale of her anguish didn't end with the cold material loss. The harsh condemnation from her husband's family, who scorned her as an infertile woman, added salt to her festering wounds. Their disdain and rejection only amplified the swirling tempest of bitterness and wrath within her, driving her deeper into the abyss of hatred and dark intentions.

Shinju, ever perceptive and attuned to the shadows of human suffering, gazed upon Hori, understanding the depths of her despair and the consuming fury that twisted her heart. The fallen Himemiko, no stranger to human suffering herself, recognized the darkness that enveloped Hori, seeing in her the kindred spirit of vengeance and despair.

In the muted ambiance of her mansion, Shinju beheld the figure of Hori, a silhouette steeped in misery and an unrelenting thirst for retribution. Her presence echoed a grim symphony of shattered promises, forsaken love, and the relentless pursuit of vengeance—an ominous harbinger of vengeance seeking solace in the embrace of darkness.

" I understand your story, so you wich revenge on the woman, the child, and the family, right. " Said Shinju to Hori a small smile, her presence giving of an eerie atmosphere.

" Yes, lady Miko, please bring me justice. " Responded Hori with eyes filled with hatred.

" But you see, if I help you, what will you do next, going with the flow, marry again, feel love and hatred, and come to me again... You aren't the first one that comes seeking justice from me just to come again. Much more, it's not like you will bear the price. " Said Shinju with an enigmatic and wise tone.

Shinju's plan is actually simple, she will need a good place to live and meditate in order to learn all the knowledge in Kenjaku's mind and then digest it. Learn what was he up to for the past thousand years, and judge whether she will continue his plans, modify it a little to suit her goals, or completely abort it. As of now, she will be able to complete that in two weeks of focused attention, thanks to her cursed technique.

For Shinju, as far as the contract with the world was concerned, she had fulfilled it and way above that. She caused countless deaths and the sealing of Gojo Satoru substituting for the death of a protagonist.

' Seeing that Kenjaku's plan failed, I have a feeling that it wasn't supposed to fail, which means that Gojo Satoru shouldn't be using that Kunai to deal with the prison realm. If I figure out who of these five gives the information, I can further my understanding of the very nature of world contracts. ' Shinju had several hypotheses in mind about it, but her thoughts were cut when Hori answered her questions.

" Lady Miko, I'm willing to follow whatever things you want me to do, I lost my youth, reputation, blood and tears the moment I know the truth, whatever you want me to do I will do it, please bring me justice. " Said Hori, for her, revenge is her priority. She will do whatever it takes to fulfill it.

" I that case let's do it this way, first I'm going to stay in a room here, then each midnight, you will wear only your underwear in black and a white robe that hide all of your skin, your nails to be painted red, your body fully washed, your hair in a hight ponytail, and eight small candles will be lit, I will show you latter how to make them from your blood and hair, you will kowtow in front of the door till the moment the candles goes out, then you will respectfully go away. Do not knock at the door, talk close to the door, and even call my name. In the day you will make yourself presentable and you will try to make money and find investment. Remember only and only at midnight shall you come, if you persist for a month, then revenge will come. "

Shinju stealthily let her red threads entangle her, while giving her the explanation of a small ritual, all it did was guide the cursed energy in a room, as for the promise of her revenge, she will see after a month.

But she still made the ritual sound intimidating and scary. After all, for humans who just their cursed energy slips away, making them guide it and believe in a fact has always been a good practice for a Himemiko.

" I-I will do it, I will follow your teaching, I will pay any price for revenge. " Replied Hori after a moment of nervousness, her sense of revenge burning all hesitation and fears.