Summary
Mamoru is a monkey shikigami hatched by Nanami Momozono as part of a test assigned by Otohiko to determine her readiness for the Divine Assembly in Izumo. Although the egg was meant to hatch within seven days, an altercation between Nanami and Tomoe led to Mizuki accidentally stepping on it, causing it to crack. Despite hatching prematurely, the creature immediately took the form of a small monkey. Nanami continued to care for Mamoru, allowing him to grow by drawing upon her chi. However, three days after his birth, Nanami was attacked by a yokai in the library and required rescue from Tomoe. The exposure to miasma during the incident, combined with Nanami's depleted chi, caused Mamoru to fall ill. Following this event, Otohiko reprimanded Nanami for her lack of responsibility as a Shikigami caster, advising her to cease mass-producing talismans and to view her Shikigami as a singular entity. He instructed her to identify the power she desired most; Nanami selected "to protect," which became both the name and the defining ability of her Shikigami, Mamoru.
