After all, to a Jujutsu Sorcerer, the Cursed Energy radiating from Betty stood out like a firefly in the darkness. The aura she carried, which resembled that of a Cursed Spirit, drew even more attention.
But that wasn't the biggest issue.
What truly concerned the Gojo Family was that this "Cursed Spirit" was completely different from any Cursed Spirit that had ever appeared before.
This one could talk.
Most Jujutsu Sorcerers had fought Cursed Spirits before.
Whether they were Special Grade or lower-ranked, the most these creatures could usually do was mutter fragmented words born from lingering obsessions or endlessly repeat certain phrases.
None of them could communicate clearly and intelligently the way Betty could.
Nor did they look anything like her.
Unlike the grotesque monsters people associated with Cursed Spirits, Betty appeared completely harmless.
Without question, she was an exception.
An incredibly rare existence.
Unfortunately, unlike discovering a protected species, this wasn't something people would celebrate.
For the higher-ups, this was exactly the kind of development they least wanted to see.
If Cursed Spirits had evolved to this point, it was terrible news for humanity.
And under those circumstances, what would the higher-ups do?
The answer was obvious.
They would want to study the living specimen.
But judging from Gojo's attitude, there was no way he would allow that to happen.
The conflict that followed would likely be significant.
His relationship with the higher-ups was already strained because of Masamichi Yaga.
If things escalated further, the situation would only become more troublesome.
The Gojo Family would naturally support their future Family Head.
Still, if possible, they would prefer not to see things become excessively complicated.
That evening, after finishing his bath, Gojo stepped out of the bathroom and found Betty sprawled across his bed.
She lay on her stomach with her legs swinging lazily behind her while holding a remote control.
On the television, a melodramatic romance drama was playing.
"I'm surprised."
Gojo walked over with a grin.
"I didn't think you'd be interested in this kind of thing."
"Boring."
Betty immediately rejected the accusation.
"I'm only using it to learn more about this world."
"If that's your goal, I have a better idea."
Gojo sat down nearby.
"How about I hire a teacher to teach you the language and writing system here? It'd make understanding things much easier."
Betty considered it for a moment.
"That's not the problem."
"The real question is how long we're staying."
"If we're only here for a few days, then learning it seems unnecessary. I can already understand your language anyway."
"But if we're staying longer, then I suppose it's worth learning."
"Don't worry about it."
Gojo waved a hand casually.
"Think of it as part of the experience."
"Honestly, I don't know how long we'll be here myself."
Betty stared at him carefully.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him.
"You're saying that because returning isn't something you can control, aren't you?"
"And judging by what your friends said earlier, you didn't choose to come to my world either. Otherwise, you wouldn't have disappeared without telling anyone."
She frowned thoughtfully.
"Whatever brought you there did it without giving you any chance to resist."
"Even the Witch of Envy probably couldn't accomplish something like that."
Raw destructive power and crossing between worlds were entirely different concepts.
If Gojo were an ordinary person, maybe it would be easier to understand.
But he clearly wasn't.
"Does your world have someone even stronger than the Witch of Envy?"
The more she spoke, the more serious her expression became.
"Don't overthink it."
Gojo rested a hand on her head and gently patted it.
"Whether someone like that exists or not doesn't really matter."
"If there really is an existence beyond humanity, something that might as well be a god..."
He shrugged.
"Then worrying about it won't accomplish anything."
Betty looked at him carefully.
Only after confirming there wasn't the slightest trace of concern in his eyes did her frown finally relax.
"Then what were you discussing with your teacher earlier?"
She shifted to another topic.
"From the way everyone looked at me, and from what you were saying, it seems like I'm causing you a lot of trouble."
"I wouldn't call it trouble."
Gojo leaned back.
"It's just that compared to the Cursed Spirits in our world, there's nothing remotely like you."
"People fear what they don't understand."
"Especially a bunch of old men who spend all day playing political games."
"Once I take you to see some Cursed Spirits, you'll understand."
"So they're similar to the Council of Wise Men?"
Betty searched for a comparable example.
"Hmm..."
Gojo thought about it.
"Not exactly."
"I've heard Bordeaux actually fought on the front lines during the war."
"The people I'm talking about are even worse than him."
Betty's expression became even stranger.
"In your world, shouldn't the strongest people hold the power?"
"Reinhard's just a knight."
"That's because Reinhard is too honest."
Betty curled her lip dismissively.
"I don't see that quality in you."
"Otherwise you wouldn't have attacked people during the royal selection meeting."
"Hey now."
Gojo looked offended.
"I don't like how that sounds."
"Are you saying I'm not honest?"
"I'm clearly a man overflowing with justice and righteousness..."
Betty grabbed a pillow and covered her ears.
Her expression practically said go ahead, keep talking.
Seeing that, Gojo rolled his eyes and snatched the pillow away.
"Seriously."
"We signed a Contract and everything."
"Can't I get a single compliment out of you?"
"I'm only stating facts."
Betty remained perfectly calm.
With the pillow gone, she simply continued speaking.
"What are you planning to do?"
"Your teacher seems to be in trouble too."
"From your conversation earlier, it sounded like nobody dared touch him because of you."
"This time you were only gone for a month, so it wasn't a major problem."
"But what if you're gone longer next time?"
"What if it's already too late by the time you return?"
Gojo smiled and sat down beside her.
"Then what do you think I should do?"
Although Betty had spent centuries inside the Forbidden Library, she hadn't spent those centuries doing nothing.
She had continued reading and learning the entire time.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have noticed these issues so quickly.
Meeting his gaze, Betty answered calmly.
"Get rid of the problem."
"If there's no problem, then there's nothing to worry about."
"Alternatively, you could gamble."
"Hide your teacher somewhere and hope nobody finds him."
She paused.
"But based on how strong you've claimed to be, I think the first option is better."
"That's pretty ruthless."
Gojo raised an eyebrow.
"What if I were Reinhard?"
"First, Reinhard would never ask me that question."
"Second, someone with a moral code as strict as his wouldn't choose violence."
"He'd probably use intimidation and then go with my second suggestion."
"And if something truly unforgivable happened, he'd use legal means to bring the guilty parties to justice."
"Tch."
Gojo laughed.
"So Reinhard is that rigid and inflexible in your eyes?"
"Otherwise, why would people trust him so completely?"
Betty replied matter-of-factly.
"You've used Reinhard's name as a guarantee more than once yourself."
"Surely you understand that."
Gojo couldn't help laughing.
"But I don't think Reinhard would be happy to hear that."
As he spoke, he lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"The truth is, I'd already been thinking about this before I ever went to your world."
"I just never made up my mind."
"Because I felt that if I simply wiped out the higher-ups, all I'd accomplish would be replacing one group with another."
"The system wouldn't change."
"The way people think wouldn't change."
"If I want to solve the corruption, I need to attack the problem at its root..."
Before he could finish, a sigh came from beside him.
"Just as I thought."
Betty shook her head.
"Anyone who can become good friends with Natsuki Subaru is a complete idiot."
"Hey, hey."
Gojo immediately rolled over and grabbed her.
"I definitely can't pretend I didn't hear that."
He lifted Betty into the air and began flying her around like a child playing airplane.
"Betty isn't your toy! Put Betty down!"
Only after thoroughly teasing her and turning her hair into a complete mess did Gojo finally let her go.
"Go on."
He wiggled his fingers threateningly.
"If you can't explain yourself, I'm not letting you off the hook."
Betty immediately scooted backward.
The look she gave him was practically the same one she'd give a dangerous creep.
"Does that really need an explanation?"
"My solution and your plan aren't mutually exclusive."
"Huh?"
Gojo froze.
"You want to address the root cause, right?"
"How are you planning to do that?"
"I haven't fully decided yet."
Gojo thought for a moment.
"Maybe become a teacher."
"Raise people who agree with my ideals and gradually change everything."
"And that conflicts with eliminating the current higher-ups how?"
Betty looked at him as though the answer were obvious.
"Think about it."
"Even if you successfully raise the next generation, what happens if those old men are still sitting in power?"
"Do you just wait for them to die of old age?"
"And given your current situation, can you guarantee they won't target your friends, your teacher, or the students you train while you're away?"
"You told me Jujutsu Sorcerers fight Cursed Spirits, right?"
"There are countless ways to manipulate that system."
"Assign someone an opponent far beyond their capabilities."
"That's enough to get them killed."
"Then call it an accident."
"What will you do when that happens?"
"Endure it silently?"
Gojo's brows slowly furrowed.
It was the first time he'd discussed this subject with anyone.
Yet Betty's words genuinely gave him something to think about.
She was right.
His earlier approach had been too conservative.
Especially under the current circumstances.
If not for the supporting character system that periodically dragged him into other worlds, his original plan would have worked.
As long as he remained present, the higher-ups would never dare touch Masamichi Yaga or the others.
His existence alone was enough deterrence.
But what happened when he wasn't there?
Just as Betty said, the higher-ups could easily use underhanded methods against people around him.
And by the time he returned, everything would already be over.
They could hide behind procedure and technicalities.
Nothing would appear wrong on paper.
Unless he was willing to tear everything apart afterward, there would be nothing he could do except accept it.
But if he was going to tear everything apart anyway...
Why wait?
Why wait until someone he cared about suffered first?
Gojo narrowed his eyes and stared silently at the ceiling light.
Betty noticed and wisely said nothing more.
She turned her attention back to the television drama, leaving him room to think.
Gojo remained silent.
Several minutes passed.
Then he looked toward Betty.
"After careful consideration, I think you actually have a point."
"I've been speaking facts this entire time."
Betty didn't even glance away from the television.
"So you've decided what to do?"
"Yeah."
Gojo nodded.
"Before we leave again, I need to settle this issue."
"Otherwise I won't be able to relax even after we're gone."
"That's the correct decision."
Betty nodded approvingly.
"When are you going to do it?"
"In a couple of days."
"I want to spend some time taking you around first."
"Getting rid of those higher-ups isn't difficult."
"I can deal with them whenever I want."
"Then arrange it however you see fit."
Betty turned back toward the television.
"Still pretending you're not interested?"
Gojo reached over and pinched her cheek.
"Your eyes haven't left the screen once."
"As if."
Betty lifted her chin stubbornly.
"There's no way I'd be interested in something this boring."
"Really?"
Gojo laughed.
"I can't tell at all."
"Anyway, it's about time."
"Let's have a late-night snack."
"Food and drinks are essential for nightlife."
This time, Betty didn't object.
After tasting the food of this world, she had come to understand just how different the flavors were from those back in Lugunica.
Before long, members of the Gojo Family delivered a lavish late-night meal.
Gojo enthusiastically invited Betty to dig in, and the two quickly began eating.
"If you're having a late-night snack, you need a movie too."
Gojo grinned.
"Trust me, it'll be fun."
Under Betty's confused gaze, he selected a horror movie.
And then...
It wasn't long before Betty's scream echoed throughout the room.