- Having a demon take over the position of a god, a new cycle of love, hate, and bonds will begin.
This story was included as a side story of the main Onmyoji manhua as well, the first chapter was released around 3 January 2018 and the second chapter was released around 24 January 2018. A video for it was released as well.
【陰陽師】稲荷神社物語
Story[]
Chapter 1[]
Long ago, a gentle god lived in a jinja, helping anyone who needed it. Her aid caused the nearby village to become a city, its inhabitants into nobles and peasants, while the god only watched and wished for her people's happiness.
Gradually, more and more people came to latch onto the god, voicing unrealistic wishes that the god could not accomplish. They were wonderful, vivid, vain, abhorrent wishes. Due to the indolence and desire of the rich, Kyoto became overcast with stormclouds. The god reflected on her original duty of encouraging bountiful harvest, and wonderings of if she was wrong for letting her people become so prosperous deeply unsettled her. Her blind charity had encouraged the greed, lust, and ugliness in humans, even inciting slaughter.
At last, the god made a choice, walking away from her home and into the distance. Her people did not understand why she left, and made their wishes regardless, but the god that was supposed to heed them is no longer there.
On the outskirts of Kyoto was a nomiya. At night, it would be brightly lit as humans, gods, and demons who originally had no relations with each other mingled in harmony. The okami would smile with glinting eyes as her customers praised the quality of her sake.
The shop cat, for as long as it could remember, would be cared for by this okami. Even after the shop cat learned how to assume a human form, the nomiya quickly recognized her, treating her as her own child. The shop cat also came to help with work in the nomiya, and the customers got to know her as well.
But one day, the okami was assaulted by a great demon, and by the time the shop cat had arrived, was lying in a pool of blood. As the shop cat wept, the okami instructed to take care of the nomiya and its customers. The shop cat promised to do so... as well as seek revenge.
Chapter 2[]
So it was, that she was the only god who listened to her wishes. The shop cat made her one request - to find the true killer of the nomiya's okami, and she agreed, with the condition that the shop cat tell everyone of her benevolence. Oitsukigami used her magic, but the killer that was revealed turned out to be herself.
Without any help or territory, Oitsukigami as a weak demon could not have survived without stealing that person's food and sake. Oitsukigami found an empty jinja to take shelter in, and realized what it was like to see humans from the vantage point of a god. From then on, Oitsukigami began answering human wishes. She was unable to make things out of midair, but accomplished them in a practical manner. Each time she helped them, the humans would bow before her in thanks and worship. Oitsukigami basked in this feeling of being wanted.
As Miketsu returned, she experienced what it was like, looking up at a god. But it was an altar built out of personal selfishness and killing, so Miketsu requested her to leave. The unwilling Oitsukigami shouted that whatever the gods can do, she can accomplish as well, what right does she have to make her work for naught. It is something she cannot permit to happen.