Immediately upon waking in the morning, I went straight to my father to report the events of the dawn.
"So, that man sought you out himself? Truly intent on taking your life?"
"Yes. However, it wasn't much of a problem. I suppressed him quickly and severed all his fingers. He won't be able to hold a sword again, so I imagine he won't even be able to feed himself without help."
"You severed every finger, did you? Ogi was a sorcerer hovering near the rank of Grade 1... I see. You did well. Since you've already meted out a punishment, there's nothing left for me to add. For a swordsman to lose his grip is effectively a death sentence."
The Clan Head fell into deep thought for a moment before turning his gaze toward me.
"In your estimation, what is the best course of action? Should he remain within the clan, or should I cast him out? Since this is the place you will eventually lead, I will ask your opinion first."
"I believe... it's better to keep him here. He is no longer capable of doing anything on his own. Who would listen to or follow the orders of a sorcerer who cannot even mold a technique? Besides, keeping him around serves as an excellent warning."
'I need to give him enough time to father his children first. Though, I'm not sure who would want to marry a man in that state now.'
"If that is your wish, then let it be so. I find your reasoning sound. He will indeed serve as a potent warning to the rest of the bottom-feeders who think they can stir the mud within this household."
"Thank you, Father. I suspect the frequency of assassination attempts will drop significantly after this."
"Likely. That wretch Ogi was likely the mastermind behind nearly all of them. Still, do not let your guard down. Malice has a way of finding its way back eventually."
"I understand. I'll take my leave now, Father. Please, rest well."
I offered a formal bow and stepped out of the office. On my way back to my quarters, I ran into Toji, who was walking along while yawning lazily.
"Yo, brat. What's the occasion today? Crawling out of the Old Man's office this early?"
"My uncle tried to kill me at dawn, so I took all his fingers. I was just reporting the details."
Toji's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he let out a scoff of pure disbelief.
"For real? That man is something else. How the hell does he plan to keep living with that shame? Losing a fight to an eight-year-old, failing to become the Clan Head, and getting his fingers lopped off... that's a social death if I've ever seen one."
"He was actually quite amusing. He truly believed he could defeat not just me, but Gojo Satoru as well. And that was despite being unable to land even a single scratch on me. I can't tell if he lacks the ability to gauge strength or if his ego is simply that bloated."
"He's just an idiot. The Clan Head probably could have finished him in seconds if he hadn't been humoring him all these years. What a waste. I missed out on the show. Watching a downfall like that firsthand is where the real fun is."
"Haha, well, I could hardly go and wake you up for that, could I?"
"Forget it then. I'm off. Go get some sleep. You look like hell."
"Yeah. Thanks."
I watched Toji's retreating back as he gave a half-hearted wave of his hand.
'Toji's been acting a bit strange lately. Well, maybe I'm just overthinking it.'
Shaking the thought from my head, I returned to my room. Naoya was still sprawled out on the bed, deep in sleep. I lay down beside her and stared blankly at the ceiling until drowsiness finally reclaimed me, and I drifted into a deep, unhurried slumber.
-------
Several months passed after that day. Despite the humiliation, Ogi chose to remain as a parasite within the clan. Of course, he could no longer walk with his shoulders squared as he once had. He required a full-time attendant now, as it was understood that he could no longer perform even the simplest daily tasks involving his hands.
Assassination attempts plummeted after that incident. They didn't vanish entirely, but most were intercepted by guards at the estate entrance. Though Ogi claimed to have had many co-conspirators, they had all scuttled back into the shadows once they saw his total ruin.
Rumor had it that Ogi used the wealth he had accumulated to bring a woman from outside the clan into the estate. I haven't crossed paths with her yet, so I can't be sure. If she is the future mother of Maki and Mai, I feel even more pity for her. To be forced into nursing a cripple without warning—I felt a pang of guilt. If and when Maki and Mai are born, I'll have to make sure they are well-provided for.
As for Satoru, his visits had dwindled lately, likely due to the Gojo Clan Elders getting in his ear. Not that Satoru is the type to listen to lectures, but still. Wouldn't it be more beneficial if the current and future heads of both clans were on good terms? Well, it wasn't as if I had any way of knowing what those fossils were thinking.
Currently, I was secretly observing Naoya's sparring session with Father. It seemed Naoya had inherited Father's talent in its purest form.
Their innate technique, Projection Sorcery, divides one second into twenty-four frames. By pre-determining twenty-four movements to be executed within that second, the user moves at incredible speeds. However, if the user fails to follow the set path or attempts a physically impossible movement, they suffer a one-second freeze as a penalty.
'A battle between two users of the same technique... it ultimately comes down to a struggle of meticulous control.'
To my surprise, Naoya was managing to keep up with Father's movements, even if it looked strenuous. Having practiced the application of the technique by constantly lunging to hug me, she seemed to have refined it into something quite viable for combat.
"Hahaha! Naoya! That's the way! As expected of my daughter! You're doing splendidly!"
'Father can't stop smiling. Well, it makes sense. To have a Ten Shadows user and a Projection Sorcery master as his youngest children... it's a dream scenario.'
"Papa, you're too fast, it's hard! Can't you go a little easy on me? Please?"
Naoya suddenly switched to an adorable act, leaving Father caught between confusion and pure joy. In that opening, she activated Projection Sorcery and lunged. Father, intending to humiliate her slightly by holding back, hadn't set his frames and was effectively frozen. If she kept going, Naoya was about to land a clean hit. But then, she caught my eye.
"Ack! Brother, what are you doing out here?"
She gave Father's cheek a playful, light pat and then immediately sprinted over to throw herself into my arms.
"What was that, Naoya? You had a golden opportunity to strike your father's face. Why did you stop?"
"Ehh? Why would I want to hit Papa? I'd much rather spend that time hugging my brother. Right, Brother?"
My body stiffened momentarily under her weight; it seemed she had used her technique to accelerate into the hug.
"Still, you won't get many chances to hit Father's face. You should have taken the shot," I teased.
"What...? Touya... are you serious? What could your father have possibly done to deserve such words...?"
Father hung his head in a mock-despair so profound I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Hahaha, Father, it was a joke. Don't look so miserable. Where is Mother?"
"Saya has been in the kitchen learning to cook lately. She mentioned she wanted to prepare meals for the family personally."
"She really is far too good for a place like the Zenin, isn't she?"
Father looked at us with a rare, serious expression.
"That is exactly why I am grateful to her. And why I feel guilty for keeping her bound to a place like this."
"Mother is here because she wants to be. She loves you, and she loves us. In any case, it's almost time for dinner, which is why I came to find you. Let's go wash up and eat together."
"Very well. Let us go, Naoya."
"Mm, Papa! Hurry! I'm hungry!"
We all gathered around the dining table, the air filled with the quiet chatter of a family.
"Mother, I heard you've been learning how to cook?"
Mother placed a hand against her cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Oh my, did you hear? Making a delicious meal for my family has always been a little wish of mine. I'm actually regretting not starting sooner. The attendants are wonderful teachers, so I'm having a lot of fun learning."
"I'm looking forward to it. You're good at everything you put your mind to, Mother. I'm sure your cooking will be amazing."
"Goodness, my son has such a sweet tongue. You're going to break so many hearts when you grow up. Just don't go seducing too many girls, alright, Touya? You might end up getting stabbed."
'Mother really has a talent for saying terrifying things with a smile...'
"Haha... I'll keep that in mind, Mother. I promise."
"Mama, that's not the problem! Brother actually needs to meet *more* girls. Everyone around him so far has been male—it's getting suspicious! Aside from Toji and that Gojo kid, I haven't seen him spend time with anyone!" Naoya protested.
"Naoya... I told you it's not like that."
"Ah, now that you mention it," Father added, "the marriage proposals coming in for you, Touya, are quite overwhelming. Do you have any intention of getting married?"
"Huh? Marriage proposals? Well, I suppose many families are eager to form an alliance with the Zenin."
"No. To be precise, they want an alliance with *you*. A Ten Shadows user and the one who defeated Gojo Satoru—the 'Next-Generation's Strongest.' Those titles carry immense weight."
'Ah. So they're targeting me personally.'
"I'm not interested... not yet, anyway. And I absolutely loathe the idea of an arranged marriage."
"I see. Well, I'll keep that in mind for now. But don't worry too much; if an offer comes in that I simply cannot refuse... I might just sign the papers behind your back."
"Actually... now I'm extremely worried, Father."
Then, Naoya, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
"Wait, wasn't Brother supposed to marry me?"
"*Pffft—!*"
I nearly sprayed my water across the table.
"Oh my... fufu... Now that you mention it, Naoya always did say she would marry her brother, didn't she?"
"Naoya, within families, that's usually—"
"Shh. Touya, you don't need to explain," Mother interrupted with a wink. "Naoya will figure it out on her own eventually."
"Haha... right, she will..."
"Of course~ Naoya, if you still want to marry your brother when you're an adult, let me know. I'll consider it favorably then."
"For real, Mama?! I just have to become an adult? Hehe..."
And so, a sudden future 'engagement' was settled. We finished our meal and talked about various things before it was time for bed. I lay down with Naoya; sleeping beside her had begun to feel like the most natural thing in the world. Knowing that this wouldn't last once we were older, I closed my eyes, treating every night as if it were the last.
-------
In the dead of that night, within the Zenin estate...
One man was making his way through, sending guards flying one after another. The sound of shattering bones echoed through the corridors.
"Gwaagh! You... you bastard! How dare a piece of trash like you!"
"Shut your mouth. Bring me the higher-ups. Wake up every last one of those fossils. No one's sleeping tonight. Until those old farts crawl out, should I start breaking your fingers one by one? You filthy maggot."
It was the overture to a blood-soaked revenge.
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