Chapter 208: Let My Daughter Stay By Your Side!

That black colored rhombus gem was the Stone of Fear.

The stone was created by Little Cart's powers as a Tsukumogami with the ability to store the emotion of 'fear'.

If bizarre deaths were happening in a certain area, those from the Department of Mysteries or the Deity Rising Palace would definitely send someone to perform an investigation. Considering Mitsue Natsume's status back then, he would have definitely received the news beforehand, which allowed him to keep the Stone of Fear immediately. Then he would wipe out the demon instantly without further hesitation.

When Kimura Kazuki arrived to investigate the matter, Mitsue Natsume could perceive his abilities. He thought of giving up on the demon Natsuna Yamanaka. Still, due to the use of the Six Emotions Spirit Regeneration Spell, his control over Natsuna Yamanaka turned weak, which had caused some delay. In the end, Natsuna Yamanaka was exposed and got caught within a day!

This came unexpectedly, and because of the Six Emotions Spirit Regeneration Spell, he had no clue when Natsuna Yamanaka's consciousness vanished.

If it was the Seven Emotions Spirit Regeneration Spell, its ability to take control over the demons would be perfect. Once the demon's consciousness vanished, he would be notified immediately and be able to flee right away. However, as there was too little emotion of 'fear' gathered, he would not merely use it since he still needed to save it for the sake of forming and nurturing his daughter's soul.

Since he had erased the emotion of 'fear' from the spell and used the Six Emotions Spell instead, so he did not know when Natsuna Yamanaka's consciousness vanished. Only when Kimura Kazuki took out the Stone of Fear did he know that things were going wrong, but it was too late.

"Natsume-san, the moment you did something like this, you should have thought of the consequences... Instead of running away, why not just surrender yourself to the death sentence."

Mitsue Natsume was calmly thinking of ways to run away with his daughter quickly. At the next moment, when he heard Kimura Kazuki's voice, his heart sank.

Kumoko was now in his arms, peacefully asleep with a soft-looking face and eyes closed. Mitsue Natsume turned around to see Kimura Kazuki walking over steadily... He then laughed bitterly, "Master Kimura, you're so fast in breaking the spell."

"Even if you fled, without this Tsukumogami, will you still be able to gather emotions?" Kimura Kazuki detained Little Cart, he was struggling to free himself. He then tossed him toward Mitsue Natsume and smiled faintly, "It's not because I can break your spell fast, but your Seven Emotions Confusion Spell was just too substandard."

Mitsue Natsume held Little Cart over his shoulders and sighed deeply, "I have already acquired the key behind Little Cart's abilities. Even without him, I will still be able to gather emotions. About the Seven Emotions Confusion Spell, I really don't have the energy to continue with the research."

A person's vitality is limited, even if Mitsue Natsume was at the fourth stage of sword power, he was not exceptional. He was a Cultivator, but he was still a human. Spending time accompanying a child and gathering emotions would take up a lot of time already. He still needed to follow up on the demons' progress of gathering the emotion of 'fear.' He wished to have 48 hours a day, which was why he was not proficient in the spell.

Thinking so, Mitsue Natsume pleaded, "Master Kimura, can you let me off the hook? I can be your subordinate, I can be of your use!" He did not want to die just yet, Kumoko was still unable to live a normal life during the daytime. If he could just have a few more years to gather enough of the emotion of 'fear,' he could let Kumoko lead a normal human life from then on. By then, even if Kumoko was in the state of an apparition, she could still go to school, go to work and live her whole life completely.

Kumoko was now generally half-human and half-demon.

Kimura Kazuki shook his head with no expression on his face, "Letting you go would be unfair to those who lost their lives." He continued calmly, "Are these your last words?"

"Master Kimura, you have no right to kill me," said Mitsue Natsume brusquely. "I will surrender myself to the Department of Mysteries!"

The Sun and Moon Sword dispersed into a ray of blue light, surrounding Mitsue Natsume, representing Kimura Kazuki's decision. "I came to see you alone, which means I am casting the Department of Mysteries aside from this matter. I haven't killed you yet because I want to know your tricks." He caught Little Cart the Tsukumogami earlier and obtained some information from him.

Throughout these 10 years, Mitusue Natsume had taken control over more than 50 demons. 50 demons in ten years did not seem like a lot, but in this Dharma Ending Age, it really was a miracle for controlling so many demons. There were many means to control demons, but the tricks to find them were indeed rare.

From what Kimura Kazuki knew, there were many tricks to find demons, but only very little could be used during the Period of Foundation State. There was still a need for other aiding measures, which was really troubling. Of course, those troubles were nothing to him, the problem was that he was not able to use those tricks now.

Mitsue Natsume was only at the Fourth Foundation State, yet he managed to take control of 50 demons within 10 years, and this really impressed him.

As for surrendering Mitsue Natsume to the Department of Mysteries, he had no intention to do so at all. There were not many Cultivators from the Dharma Ending Age, and people like Mitsue Natsume, a Cultivator at the Fourth Foundation State, would be a treasured talent in any country. If he was to surrender, he would have been given a light punishment, maybe he had to become a tool for the Department of Mysteries for a few years, but he definitely would not be given a death sentence.

But it would be different in the era of recuperation of reiki, there were tons of Cultivators everywhere. Being at the Fourth Foundation State was just as lowly as a dog. If they were to disobey or commit crimes, they would be killed on the spot immediately instead of being surrendered to the Spiritual Academy.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a glow of delight in Mitsue Natsume's eyes. He then said coldly, "Don't think that you can restrain me with the tricks behind finding the demons, even if you refuse to talk, I will never let you go."

Their conversation had definitely disturbed Kumoko, who was fast asleep. She rubbed her eyes and asked in a blur, "Dad, what are you doing with this big brother?"

Hearing her voice, Mitsue Natsume's constantly altering expression turned gentle suddenly. He caressed Kumoko's little head out of habit and said to her softly, "Daddy is discussing something with big brother."

"I want to go home and sleep. If you want to talk, you can talk at home." Kumoko pouted, lifting her cheeks on her cute little face. She then said unhappily, "Aside from that, can we move tomorrow instead?"

"Wait for daddy to finish talking with this big brother, okay?" Mitsue Natsume put Kumoko down and put Little Cart onto her hands. He then patted her head and asked her to play in the park for a while.

Chimizu Park was a public area. They could have hurried to the tram station down north. Unfortunately, Mitsue Natsume was spotted by Kimura Kazuki the moment they stepped into the park.

"Alright, then." Kumoko hummed but still nodded obediently.

Kimura Kazuki and Mitsue Natsume then went to a small pavilion in the park, sitting opposite each other.

Mitsue Natsume looked at Kumoko with eyes filled with convolution. He then turned to look at Kimura Kazuki and mumbled, "If I die... then what will happen to my daughter?" He had always kept Kumoko by his side, so Kumoko always thought that she was a human. Even if she found something not right, he would reason his way through it.

He did not want to let Kumoko feel that she was abnormal.

Kimura Kazuki knew that although Mitsue Natsume looked like he was asking himself, he was actually asking him.

"There is a Land Spirit at Usui Shrine in Spirit District in search of a shrine maiden, I think Kumoko can take that up."

"Land Spirit?" It was the first time Mitsue Natsume had heard of it.

"You can let her become a Land Deity."

Mitsue Natsume was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Master Kimura, can you let Kumoko stay by your side to serve you?"