The Book of Grandchildren ( Natsume Yuujinchou X Nurarihyon no Mago)

[3]The heart wanders aimlessly (edited)

" Oi, Natsume! You should have just run back there when that Matoba captured us! I can protect myself just fine! "
" ...I'm just protecting the Book of Friends, you know! "

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" Thank you, Sensei. For protecting me. "

" ...I'm just protecting the Book of Friends. "

"... hehe, I know. "

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" Natsume, you fool! "
Madara shouted as he jumped to the young boy with haste.Seeing how the situation has escalated to an unwanted one, Rikuo takes his stance as the Third Head of the Nura clan.

" EVERYONE ENOUGH. "
With Rikuo's roaring voice, he brought fear to command the entire youkai--except Madara-- who was in the room. With overflowing fear, all the youkai from the lower to the high rank of the Nura clan were forced to kneel down to him as if the gravity had changed on each Youkai's shoulder.

" All these riots get rampant because of your hasty action. You, elders, or high-rank youkai are not even better than the previous. Are you not embarrassed by yourself and the lower youkai that you can't control yourself in this situation? Charging blindly to the unknown without listening to their explanation or even having the moment to judge the situation first? You are the Nura clan's retainer, not an animal. Think first before you act."
Rikuo crossed his arms, looking down at everyone who kneeled before him. The decisive battle from his last event in life has nurtured Rikuo's heart to toughen up and learn how to become a leader, that is befitting of the Nura clan.

Although currently he's in his human form, every youkai would still respect and fear him as the respectable third head of the Nura Clan. He did feel bad about his actions for forcing his retainers and other lower youkai to kneel before him with his Fear power, but he thought he was also responsible for all these unexpected events.

Rikuo sighed and stopped holding the youkai with his Fear power anymore. Now everyone is kneeling to him; he can take a good look at the beast intruder--by what he means, the other intruder since he didn't have to put an effort into looking at the enormous white wolf youkai. To Rikuo's amusement, he didn't feel any bad intention from him though--let alone any Fear--came out from the young guy who looked a few years older than him. But that's not all; the most surprising thing when Rikuo approaches him is that he realizes the guy is a human.

" Eh? You are... a human? "His eyes widened in surprise.

" Y-yes. I'm really sorry for all the trouble I have caused. I will take responsibility for it, so please don't hurt us. "
Natsume pleaded calmly to Rikuo. Every youkai--mostly the high rank and the elders, including Nurarihyon, the supreme commander-- was really surprised by Natsume's answer.

" Natsume, just tell me when you've had enough of holding back. I'm a little bit hungry too anyway..."
But the one who was supposed to be Natsume's bodyguard acted high and cocky instead, worsening the situation.

" Sheesh, Sensei! "
Natsume glared at him intensely. Meanwhile, Rikuo was amused by the unusual-- or even unique scenery of a rather weird relationship between a human and a youkai. Moreover, with a huge and high-class youkai as Madara.

" And you certainly must be a youkai..."
Rikuo looked up to the gleaming green iris of Madara's beast form.

" You should've realized I'm-- "
When Nyanko-sensei wanted to start his great introduction, his words suddenly were cut off by another youkai's old voice. But it's not just any youkai; it's the Supreme Commander, Rikuo's grandfather.

" Wah! Madara, is that you?! "

"----Huh?! Nurarihyon?! "

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It's a spare hall room where everyone can fit in while the previous main hall is in renovation. The Nura mansion will never have a shortage of rooms after all. Due to the unexpected event from this noon, Rikuo and his gramps, Nurarihyon, led another urgent meeting--followed by allied clan members. But there's something particular in today's second meeting. A strange human child and an arrogant round also participated in the conference. Of course, it's because they are the sole reason for holding this second meeting.

" Buahahaha! You stupid cat! You got sealed after that?! "
The Supreme Commander especially really having fun teasing the bake neko cat in front of him.

" Shuddup! It was a mere luck for that damn exorcist that only happened once in his lifetime. "
Nyanko-sensei looked so pissed at Nurarihyon-- who turned out to be his old acquaintance.

" And moreover, you got sealed in this kind of form! Buahaha, I can't take it anymore! Rikuo, ah help! Hahaha, my stomach-- BUGH! "
Even in his fluffy and round appearance, Nyanko-sensei was not a cat who should be taken lightly. With his overwhelming round body, the cat showed everyone his majestic kitty punch on Nurarihyon's cheek.

The two youngsters, who are more patient than the other two elders, immediately went to separate the two in panic.
" Wah...! Gramps! "" Ahh! Nyanko-sensei! "

" Nurarihyon, you insolent old fart! Take this! "
Maybe Nyanko-sensei forgot that both of them are technically a fossil of this era, but they are still arguing like a little kid or even worse than that.

Nyanko-sensei smacked the oh-so-cool Supreme Commander's backbone with his heavy, round fat. His attack was relentless despite knowing the youkai he hit was Nurarihyon-- that Nurarihyon was 'the first Lord of Youkai.'

" Take this and this and this! "
Nyanko-sensei shouted his special moves as he landed many good kitty punches on Nurarihyon's wrinkled face.

" Gyaah! My handsome face! You damn pig-cat! Eat this! "
But the first Supreme Commander didn't back down without a fight. The old man threw himself to give Nyanko-sensei's fluffy body a smackdown, making the latter cat scream out not in pain but in disgust.

" Ugya! Get off of your disgusting body from me! "

" Hahaha! Eat this, you damn pig! "

" Nurarihyon, you popsicle-head! "

" Wha--! Here, take this again! Hahaha! "

By now, everyone in the room is speechless about the scenery they witness right now. Their great Supreme Commander, Nurarihyon, the youkai who built his Nura clan from scratch, the direct grandfather of the All Spirit King, Rikuo Nura, is now... just a mere grandpa who's riding an arrogant cat and got beaten up by the cat itself for numerous times. This is humiliation, at least for some high-ranking allied clans.

" N-Nyanko-sensei, that's enough of you! We were the ones who caused trouble in here, remember? "
Natsume had enough of his Sensei's behaviour that he landed a punch on his round head.

" Natsume, you fool! Who do you think that protected you back there, huh?! "

Conversely, Rikuo also held back his grandfather from making another ruckus with the cat.
" You too, gramps! You're already too old for teasing a cat right now, and don't make your backache worsen again! "

" Agh... Rikuo, why are you so serious? I'm still healthy--Gah! My back! Tengu, help me! "
After a short comedic segment, everyone's attention returns to the two strangers whom they deem insolent, rude, and unusual intruders.

" So you are Natsume Takashi-san. I'm Nura Rikuo, the Third Head of the Nura clan. Well, that means I'm the one in charge here. "
Rikuo smiled kindly at him, a huge contrast to the dominating side from previously.

" Eh? I'm sorry, I didn't know. I wanted to apologize for my rudeness and the trouble I've caused at your mansion, Rikuo-san. "

" Ah! Please don't call me like that. I'm still younger than you, after all. "
A tinge of redness appeared on Rikuo's cheek. His skin might not be as pale as Natsume's, but it's still pretty apparent from the embarrassment.

" Younger? But you..."Suddenly, Nyanko-sensei, trapped in Natsume's arms, answered the misunderstanding on Natsume's part.

" He's a human with a quarter of youkai's blood in his body. Well, not exactly a human, but close enough to aged like one. "

" Human... and youkai?! "
Natsume was so shocked that he faced Rikuo immediately. While Rikuo just smiled sheepishly at the shocked human.

" Yes, my father was a half-youkai, and my mother is completely a human. "

" I...I see... so they can be together as well..."
Natsume muttered loud enough for only Rikuo and Nyanko-sensei to hear it. He didn't realize it, but Natsume's face turns even softer as he smiles at the knowledge.

Rikuo wasn't really particular about the guest's reaction to his bloodline. Even he knows about the rarity of a mix between youkai and human marriage.

" Hmm, his father is a half youkai? Then this boy must be... "
Nyanko-sensei squinted his eyes at the old man beside Rikuo.

Nurarihyon, who was busy getting a massage on his shoulder and back from a Natto youkai, smiles proudly as he pats his grandson's back hard.
" Heh! That's right, this young lad is my grandson. "

" I see. So Rihan followed your path, huh? Like father like son. Where is he now? "

At that moment, everyone who was present from the Nura clan suddenly folded their expression, turning grim. But it didn't last long as their current leader, Rikuo, answered with a calming smile. The face of someone who has come to terms with the passing of their loved ones.

"My father had passed away when I was 5, Nyanko-san. Now it's only me, my mother, gramps, and everyone in the Nura clan. You know about my father, Nyanko-san?"

" I see... Well, that's too bad, I guess. I know your father just a little bit when he's in charge here. But we're not that close. "

Rikuo wanted to ask how he knew about his father. Since Rikuo didn't have many memories of his father, he wished to learn more about him through other people's eyes as much as he could. But his plans were disrupted by another question from one of his loyal retainers.

" Please pardon my intrusion, Supreme Commander. "
Gyuuki finally speaks up his troubled mind.

" Yes, what is it? "
The elder Youkai hummed after he inhaled a puff from his smoke pipe.

" I believe that the earthquake was caused by their arrival before. And they are suspicious enough already. But the situation suddenly turned upside down with them being your acquaintances. May I ask who these people are? "
Gyuuki's question is totally spot on. Everyone's attention immediately put a heavy weight on Natsume's shoulder.

" Hmph, so this is Gyuuki, huh? What a smart kid. "
Nyanko-sensei blurted out.

" Kid? You dare--"Gyuuki immediately stood up, ready to unsheath his sword, before Nurarihyon stopped him with laughter.

" Hahaha, calm down Gyuuki. You didn't know this fatty cat, he's more or less the same age as me. I always secretly met him, after all. "

" Secretly? "

" Yes, sometimes. To avoid the work of being the head clan, hahaha! Sorry about that. "

" .... so... who are they again? "

Nurarihyon took a deep breath of his pipe before opening his eyes and answered Gyuuki--and most likely everyone's question.

" Hah... well, this youkai, he's Madara. My old pal in the old days. "
He stated, and oddly enough, Nyanko-sensei kept quiet about it.

" Ma...dara? Oh! That Madara the beast youkai? "
Mokugyo, one of the elder retainers, stated with surprise.

" Heh, hear that, Natsume? You finally recognize my majestic being among other youkai, don't you? "
Nyanko-sensei said with his overbearing smile stamped on his face.

" Eh... well, that's indeed quite surprising, Sensei. Knowing you have a friend. "

" What?! You idiot, Natsume! "

Before the argument gets out of hand again, it's Nurarihyon's turn to ask a question." Well, how about you, young man? Are you this fatty cat's master? Also, your face looked kind of familiar... "
Nurarihyon shuttered the last part curiously as he scratched his stubble.

" I'm Natsume Takashi. I'm not sure who you are referring to, but many youkai mistook me for my grandmother when she was young. "Natsume smiled as he answered Nurarihyon politely. He didn't seem to be as nervous as before anymore now, knowing that this clan is deeply connected with human descendants.

" Oh, Natsume Reiko's grandson, huh? Well, now that's really surprising, isn't it? "