Seventy-Sixth Spell: Assembly

"It's the Jinsei Stone!" Hikari said quietly to Haru after they left the library. "That's what Higa's Ōgama toad Nuru is guarding inside the storage house near the courtyard."

Haru found this idea hard to believe. "Why do you think that?"

This made Hikari frown. "Use your head, Ryuji! If the Subemitō Mirror was recovered after being thrown into the sea with the other Sacred Treasures, then it's possible for the Jinsei Stone to be recovered as well."

"Okay, but how would the stone have been transported discreetly?"

"You said Higa took a sachet out of the Gaikin Bank, right? Well, the stone is small enough to fit inside one."

Thinking back to the sachet that Higa carried, Haru couldn't find a good enough counterargument to Hikari's claim.

"Besides, if Warumo got his hands on the Jinsei Stone, he would be unstoppable," Hikari pointed out.

"And if he's dead…he could use the stone's life-giving power to revive himself!" Haru realized.

"Exactly! So it's all the more likely for Shō to be working with Warumo, since she specializes in Necromancy."

"But that's assuming Warumo is dead. Why would she help Warumo if he's alive?"

"That's what we intend to find out by questioning Higa-san."

"Higa?"

"If the sachet he took from the vault contained the stone, and he knew what it was, then he would have a pretty good idea as to why someone would try to steal it. Especially if the would-be thief is a follower of Warumo, since I heard he used to be a member of the Shimono."

Haru was about to contradict Hikari's statement when the crowing sound of Dōmeki's pet Yatagarasu crow yokai Fushigi rang out.

"Attention, students!" Dōmeki's voice echoed through the school. "Please gather in the Student Dining Hall at once!"

"I wonder what this is about," Hikari said.

The two made their way quickly to the Student Dining Hall where all the other students that were staying at school during Winter Break stood. Dōmeki was standing in the center of the hall in her usual lilac-colored robes while Inku, Ako, and the floating book Hanen were right beside her. Seeing them made Haru feel queasy as it dawned on him why this assembly was happening.

"Last night, someone broke into the Inner Library," Dōmeki explained once the students were accounted for. "We have reason to suspect it was a student."

"My tongue tasted faint footprints on the floor of the library," Ako said, pointing at her mouth. "And they were quite small after I measured them."

"Plus, I felt the person push past me on their way out of the Inner Library—though I couldn't see them," Inku added, showing a side of his scroll-lined body to the students. "They left a slight wrinkle on my body, suggesting it was too small to be made by an adult."

"You may not know who I am, but I'm Hanen, the Inner Library Librarian," said Hanen as he revealed his letter-made face to the students. "I had a conversation with someone last night, claiming to be a yokai named Hebi and their voice sounded young enough to be a student's. Now, which of you kids did I talk to?"

A heavy silence followed.

Dōmeki sighed. "Very well, then we'll have to do this the hard way. You will return to the Student Dining Hall in thirty minutes wearing your school kimonos. Then we shall ask each of you a series of questions to determine who's telling the truth and who's lying."

Haru gulped nervously, knowing Hanen would recognize his voice.

"Kobàn," Hikari whispered as she subtly pointed her wand at Haru.

The students reluctantly did as Dōmeki instructed, returning to the Student Dining Hall in their many-colored school kimonos. Each of them were then told to stand up and answer a series of questions Dōmeki asked. Hanen also listened to the voices of each student, determining whether it was identical to the voice he heard the previous night.

"Ryuji," Dōmeki said several students later. "Please step forward."

Gripping his kimono sleeves tightly, Haru stood up.

"What were you doing last night?" Asked Dōmeki.

"I was—

Pausing, Haru realized his voice had changed to sounding more high-pitched like he had just swallowed helium from a balloon. The other students chuckled behind him, finding his new voice unintentionally funny.

"Um, I was…taking a walk around the school," Haru said, answering in a half-truth.

Surprised by Haru's answer, Dōmeki pressed him. "Why were you doing that?"

"Couldn't sleep," replied Haru.

In response, Haru's kimono didn't turn white.

"Strange," Dōmeki murmured. "Hanen?"

"No, I don't recognize Ryuji's voice," Hanen said firmly.

"All right, you may go, Ryuji-kun," Dōmeki stated. "But for roaming about the school at night, fifty points will be taken from Byakko."

"FIFTY?" Haru exclaimed.

"Ryuji-kun will also serve detention later tonight with Higa," continued Dōmeki.

"Now you owe me, Ryuji," Hikari whispered to Haru as she walked past him when the questioning was done and the students were allowed to leave.

"Wait," Haru said, his voice having returned to normal. "Did you do something to make my voice sound weird when I was questioned?"

"You need to get your ears checked if you didn't hear me."

"No, I heard you whisper something…but I didn't know what it was."

"It was the Voice-Changing Jinx, which you would know if you had bothered to read ahead in the Spells and Charms textbook."

"Not everyone reads ahead like you!"

Hikari huffed. "No wonder your grades are mediocre at best."

This made Haru angry, but he was already in enough trouble as is and knew it was pointless to argue with Hikari.

"Genma-chan," Dōmeki suddenly called from the entrance to the Student Dining Hall. "May I have a word with you?"

"Sure, Dōmeki-sama," Hikari smiled, though she was clearly tense.

Later that night, Haru was approached by Higa on his way to the Byakko Wing. Higa then led Haru to his hut, where Hikari was shivering in her burgundy sweater and pink skirt.

To be continued…