(Attendances… plz…)
….
The morning sun filtered through the grand windows of Roswaal Manor, casting long, golden geometric patterns across the floorboards.
Gojo Satoru sat up in bed, running a hand through his shock of messy white hair, and let out a long, jaw-cracking yawn. He blinked against the light, the vivid clarity of his vision serving as a daily, inescapable reminder: he had died, and now he was here. In another world.
Sometimes, usually, he wondered if this is all just an incredibly vivid, prolonged dream.
A hallucination in his brain in the final moments of his life. If he went to sleep and woke up, he wouldn't be here… though it all certainly felt too real to be just a dream.
For all he knew, it could be a sort of afterlife.
Take yesterday, for example. A little girl, who was actually a trained assassin, had commanded a horde of giant, drooling big sized teeth dogs to attack him. Why? Because she wanted revenge for the death of her sister. Said sister happened to be a sadistic, scantily-clad woman with a blade inventory and a fetish for human entrails.
Though he didn't know if they were blood-related or just sisters from another mother. For all he knew, they could be biological sisters. Then again, Gojo didn't know the terms or customs of this world well enough to know any better.
Currently, that little assassin was tucked away in a guest room on the other side of the mansion. Since no one had come knocking on his door in a panic, it meant she was still knocked out. She was probably having sweet dreams about carving him into pieces. It was almost a shame she was going to wake up, realize the man she wanted dead was very much alive, and find herself stuck under the same roof as him.
Throwing off the covers, Gojo decided it was time to start the day. But first, he needed to do something about his wardrobe.
Since arriving, he had been wearing his standard, high-collared jujutsu sorcerer uniform. Whenever it got dirty, he'd just used a quick combination of water and wind magic to wash and blow-dry it in seconds. It was practical, but it was getting stale.
He hadn't bothered asking for clothes before. The mansion's roster consisted of a clown with atrocious fashion sense, two maid sisters, and Emilia. He shuddered to think what Roswaal considered "casual wear," and he certainly wasn't going to squeeze into a maid outfit. But seeing as Subaru wandered around in a tailored butler suit, there had to be something in the mansion's storage that would fit a normal guy.
Stepping out into the hallway, Gojo strolled down the plush carpet until he spotted a familiar head of blue hair.
"Yo, Rem!" Gojo called out, raising a hand. "Gooood morrrning."
Rem paused in her dusting. As Gojo approached, a microscopic wince rippled across her face, the universal expression of someone who had just stepped in something unpleasant. She recovered instantly, burying her annoyance beneath a flawless, emotionless mask. It was the same look she used when she was trying to pretend she hadn't done anything wrong.
"Good morning, dear guest," Rem said, her voice perfectly polite and entirely devoid of warmth. "Though, may I ask why you are speaking like that? It is highly unpleasant."
Gojo's uncovered blue eyes widened in mock innocence. He leaned forward, adopting a familiar, sing-song cadence. "What woullllld you beeee referringggggg to, I thiiiink?"
Rem's expression did not change by a single millimeter. Gojo's theatrics washed over her like water off a stone. Knowing exactly how long this would go on if she indulged him, she cut straight to the chase.
"What do you want?"
"Wow, why so cold?" Gojo pouted, placing a hand over his heart. "You know, a little pleasant morning banter with the guests is good for the soul."
"What do you want?" Rem repeated, her tone dropping a fraction of a degree. She had clearly decided that entertaining him was above her pay grade.
Gojo sniffled, wiping away a fake tear. "Being ignored and treated like a nuisance by you, even when I haven't done anything wrong today, sure is hurtful. You and your sister really are two peas in a pod."
Rem just stared at him. The silence stretched.
"Yeah, yeah, tough crowd," Gojo sighed, dropping the act. "Well, I was looking for a change of clothes. If you have any spares lying around, I'd appreciate it. I've been using my old uniform for days now, just blasting it with cleaning magic. Oh, and keep in mind: I don't wear maid outfits or whatever Roswaal wears, and I think I'll pass on the butler suit, too. So, got anything in mind?"
Rem looked at him, her eyes lingering on his face as if questioning why he felt the need to specify he wouldn't wear a maid dress. She stood in silence for a few seconds, running through the mansion's inventory in her head.
"…Follow me," she finally said, turning on her heel.
…
The hot water in the grand bathhouse was utterly magnificent.
Gojo sank up to his shoulders, letting out a contented sigh as the steam curled up toward the vaulted ceiling. Thankfully, he had the massive pool all to himself, no eccentric clown, and no loud, spiky-haired teenager.
Speaking of Subaru, Gojo rested his chin on his hand, musing over the kid's behavior. Subaru was always so prickly around him, oscillating between outright hostility and aggressive defensiveness. Why?
Gojo smirked to himself beneath the water. Well, it's probably because of how insanely cool I am. And how handsome.
Though thinking that out loud, and if he considered it, could be called very narcissistic of him… so he didn't consider those things. Though, in his mind, he did make a point that it could be one of those things.
After all, he wouldn't be the first.
Not to mention him constantly, or at least sometimes, calling him a cheater.
After finishing his bath, Gojo found the clothes Rem had left out for him. To his surprise, it wasn't some frilly nobleman's tunic. It was a Japanese-style male kimono, a yukata of sorts.
Apparently, the garments came from Kararagi, a country to the west that seemed to share a bizarre amount of cultural DNA with Japan. Roswaal had purchased a few sets during one of his rare visits there. This one was a pale, icy blue that shifted in the light, tied with a dark navy sash.
Gojo slipped it on, adjusting the collar. It fit him surprisingly well, hanging loosely but elegantly over his tall frame. He looked in the mirror and grinned. Not bad at all. He made a mental note to buy a bunch of clothe pairs whenever they finally took a trip to the royal capital.
Dressed and refreshed, Gojo strolled through the corridors, heading toward the guest wing to check on the little assassin. She had been out cold since he tapped her forehead the previous evening, but judging by the time, she was due to wake up soon.
He reached the heavy oak doors of her room and pushed them open without knocking.
"Yo."
He was met with two familiar faces. Emilia was leaning over the bed, carefully adjusting the blankets around the sleeping girl, while Subaru stood dutifully by her side, wearing his usual butler working attire. Both of their heads snapped toward the door.
"Oh, hey there, my beloved disciple and the resident butler," Gojo chirped, stepping into the room. "Didn't expect to see you guys hanging out in here."
Emilia and Subaru just stared at him.
The light blue kimono contrasted sharply with Gojo's pale, flawless skin and the striking, ethereal white of his hair.
Without his blindfold, his brilliant, crystalline blue eyes seemed to catch the morning light pouring in through the window. He looked like something out of a high-end painting.
"What are you staring at?" Gojo asked, tilting his head. "See a ghost or something?"
Emilia fidgeted, her cheeks dusting with a faint, embarrassed pink. "Oh! Ah, no, nothing. It's just you… where did you get those clothes?"
"Rem dug them up for me," Gojo said, looking down at his sleeves. "They fit perfectly, so I took it. I've been wearing my uniform for quite few days and relying on cleaning magic, so I figured it was time for a change. Remind me to stock up on some cloth pairs when we go to the capital."
Subaru, meanwhile, was experiencing a profound internal crisis. He looked at Gojo in the traditional garb, noted the effortless grace, the absurdly good features, and felt a crushing wave of inadequacy.
(Image)
No matter how hard Subaru tried to close the gap, this guy just existed on a completely different, totally unfair level.
Damn him, Subaru thought bitterly, biting the inside of his cheek.
"Well, it looks really good on you," Emilia offered, offering a gentle, genuine smile.
"I mean, it doesn't look that great," Subaru immediately countered, crossing his arms and stepping slightly in front of Emilia. He quickly pivoted the conversation. "Anyway, Emilia-tan, didn't you just want to check on the kid so we could leave for the village together?"
Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You guys taking a trip to the village?"
"Yes," Emilia nodded, her expression turning serious. "I have to look at the magic stone. I need to see what caused it to stop working and fix it as soon as possible so the villagers aren't in danger."
"You know," Gojo said, leaning against the doorframe, "I told you yesterday that you could go at your leisure. You don't have to rush down there first thing in the morning. I already put up a barrier. So, they're safe."
"I know, and I'm very grateful for that," Emilia said quickly. "But I thought it would be better to look at it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the village people might worry. I also need to check the other stones around the perimeter to make sure they have been working properly or is there something wrong with them too."
Gojo sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "You know, you should really go outside just to go outside more often. Not just because you have work or something. It would be good for you to just hang out with the people, play with the village kids, do normal stuff that kids your age do."
Emilia's shoulders stiffened. A shadow fell over her violet eyes, the words clearly striking a raw nerve. She knew exactly how the villagers looked at her, the fear, the whispers of the Witch. Playing normally with the children was a luxury she felt she wasn't allowed.
Though she was just content with them being safe.
But just as quickly as the pain appeared, she buried it, forcing a polite smile back onto her face.
Gojo didn't press the issue. Instead, he gestured toward the bed. "So, any problems with the kid?"
He already knew the answer, of course.
"I checked her thoroughly yesterday evening when you brought her in," Emilia explained, her tone softening with clinical care. "She doesn't have any physical injuries on the outside, but just as a precaution, I used some healing magic on her. All that's left is for her to wake up. She's just sleeping soundly for now. I expect she'll be up by this evening."
Gojo grinned, a slightly predatory edge to his smile. "Good, good. I have a few things I need to discuss with her once she's awake. So," he clapped his hands together, "do you guys need some company for your little village excursion?"
"NO," Subaru practically shouted.
The answer was so instant, so forceful, it was as if Subaru had been standing in front of a mirror practicing it all night.
"I mean," Subaru quickly backpedaled, sweating slightly under Gojo's and Emilia stared, mostly upon his quick answer and that too with a NO, "haha, we already made plans for just the two of us! And there isn't much to do there anyway. I know you must be super busy with your magic training. And Emilia doesn't want to bother you either... right, Emilia?"
Subaru threw her a desperate look. No way in hell am I letting you ruin my alone time with Emilia-tan, his eyes screamed.
Emilia nodded earnestly, entirely missing Subaru's ulterior motive. "Yes, I wouldn't want to bother you, Gojo. You're already so busy learning reading and writing from Rem, and magic theory from Beatrice. You should focus on your studies."
Gojo threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing loudly in the quiet room.
"Hahahaha! Tch, tch, Emilia," Gojo tutted, wagging a finger at her as he adopted a sagely, dramatic tone. "You have to understand, I am never too busy to turn down a request from my dear student! So don't even think like that. If you ever want to do something, or play around, or pull some pranks on the clown, my schedule is wide open. I consider it my sacred duty as your teacher." He winked. "Except for boring, menial labor, of course."
….
A/N: don't know what to say…
&
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