Amulet (お守り, Omamori?), also called a charm, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor.
Description[]
The amulet is in the form of a small palm-size pouch. It can be bought at any old shrine. Because of its small size, the possessor can tuck it behind their sash,[2] or carry it with them in a small drawstring bag hanging from the wrist.[3]
The amulet given to Miyo Saimori by Kiyoka Kudou is a creation of his own making.[4] Initially, its primary function was to conceal her from tracking familiars.[3] Kiyoka later modified it, turning it into an enhanced version.[5] This upgraded amulet not only retains its ability to protect her, but also possesses the unique capability to aid Gift-users in using supernatural techniques. With its assistance, Miyo is able to create familiars herself from paper.[4]
Plot[]
Volume 1[]
When Miyo announces to Kiyoka that she would go shopping in the city for a couple of hours in order to buy material for crafting a kumihimo, Kiyoka provides her with an amulet, telling her that it keeps her safe. He asks her to promise him not to forget to take it with her and make sure to keep it on her until she gets back. Miyo thinks that he is simply overreacting, but still promises.[2] Unbeknownst to Miyo, the amulet would conceal her from familiars. While it couldn't hide her from ill-intentioned humans or protect her from physical assault, it was effective against Gift-users trying to locate her that way.[3] Kiyoka is extra cautious, because he is aware of them being tracked by familiars.[6]
Some time later, when Kiyoka had so much work that he'd stayed in his office and hadn't come home the night before, Miyo is keen to do something nice for him and decided to bring him a home-cooked meal, after having heard from both Yurie and Yoshito Godou that Kiyoka would skip meals when he was swamped with work. After handing him the lunch box at the entrance of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit station, Kiyoka asks her if she has the amulet with her. She nods and replies that she has it with her in a bag. Kiyoka is relieved, but has to return to work when his name is called from one of the office buildings.[3]
As they head back, Miyo checks her bag and finds that she has left the amulet at home. Because she had chosen a different bag to match her kimono, she had forgotten to move the amulet from the old one. Her carelessness resulted in her inadvertently lying to Kiyoka. It made her somehow feel less under Kiyoka’s protection and also riddled with guilt for having broken her promise to him. She doesn't know if the amulet had any power, but since Kiyoka has insisted she carry it on her every time she went out, she feels that it must have been important. The amulet preys on her mind the entire stroll back. After they made it out of the city and starts taking a quiet countryside road back home, they hear a loud noise of an engine before a car stops abruptly right next to them. Before she even had the time to turn around, someone had grabbed her arm so hard that it hurt and pulled her away. The assailants swiftly gag her, throw a sack over her head, heave her up and violently toss her into the car.[3]
Yurie hurries back to the unit station and informs Kiyoka of Miyo's kidnapping. Kiyoka is surprised that without running into anyone, the kidnappers would know of Miyo's whereabouts, given that Miyo has her amulet on her. Yurie then explains that Miyo has forgotten the amulet.[3]
Volume 4[]
After Kiyoka left the station with two squads to rescue the kidnapped Emperor, squad leader Mukadeyama, Miyo's bodyguard Kaoruko Jinnouchi and his squad encircle Miyo in a defensive ring as they barricade themselves in the station's dojo to protect her from Naoshi Usui. Miyo holds a protective amulet Kiyoka had given her. It is a stronger, improved version of the one he had given her previously. Though, he hadn’t elaborated about how and where it was strengthened, or what sort of effect it had. Miyo clutches the amulet in her hands, praying to the gods above that Kiyoka will be fine and be back at her side soon. However, her prayers are in vain, as the barrier around the station is broken and Naoshi successfully enters the dojo.[5]
References[]
- ↑ Anime, Episode 4
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Novel, Volume 1 Chapter 3
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Novel, Volume 1 Chapter 4
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Novel, Volume 5 Chapter 1
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Novel, Volume 4 Chapter 5
- ↑ Novel, Volume 1 Chapter 2