I Have a Feeling Brishisan's Head is a Little Green

Japan, Tokyo.

If ordinary adults went to Japan, they'd probably visit places like Hokkaido or Mount Fuji, spending their time eating and drinking.

Of course, some experienced travelers might visit certain "adult" film locations or even curious places like Kabuki theaters, searching for fragments buried deep in their memories. But those things... hehehe, they'll get you into trouble!

But for otaku, or people like Li Mo who grew up immersed in Japanese anime, there's one place they absolutely have to go when they visit Japan:

Akihabara!

It's filled with countless stores catering to the two-dimensional world, and merchandise from every anime you can imagine!

And so, Li Mo arrived...

Ignoring Sakuragi's constant mumbling about "Didn't we agree to go to my family's ancestral home?", Li Mo stood at the entrance to Akihabara's streets, lost in thought as he looked at the quiet scene ahead.

I was wrong, I was really wrong... It's 1987!

Akihabara has nothing yet. Japan is still just a country that exports a certain kind of "adult" film, and anime is only just starting to take off in this country...

Maybe I should go check out a filming location for those "adult" films?

"Pah pah pah..." Li Mo gritted his teeth, telling himself he wasn't that kind of person!

But since he was already in Tokyo, why not have some fun?

It's the New Year, people are dead, we've come all this way, it's not easy, they're just kids, they're old, it's for your own good, just get used to it!

Thinking of the eight classic excuses passed down from the ancient East, Li Mo felt he should explore more. After all...

We've already come this far?

He turned and asked, "Where's fun in Tokyo?"

Sakuragi looked utterly bewildered.

Brother, my family is in Hokkaido, you insisted on buying tickets to Tokyo, and now you're asking me where the fun is in Tokyo?

Come on, we're Maguss, okay!

Is what Maguss do considered "fun"? It's called traveling!

Shaking his head, Sakuragi said seriously, "I don't know..."

Damn it...

Li Mo kicked a soda bottle on the side of the road, flying. Who said Japanese people have good manners?

"Since we're here, you must know what good food there is around here, right?"

Since there wasn't much to do, as a foodie born in the Great Celestial Empire, Li Mo figured he should at least try all the food. He'd been craving seafood for a long time; there was none like that in 1987 London.

Or if there was, it wasn't fresh!

"Yes!" When it came to food, Sakuragi's eyes lit up.

"Unagi, sushi, tuna sashimi, Australian lobster sashimi, sea urchin sashimi, geoduck sashimi..."

Li Mo's forehead was covered in black lines. Why was he only recommending sashimi... Why didn't he suggest intestine sashimi?

And was Australia the specialty of this "little island nation"? Did that universe-sized country's habits somehow spread to you?

"Stop!" Li Mo raised his hand, signaling Sakuragi to halt. A mischievous grin suddenly spread across his face as he asked, "Even though you've recommended so many things, I still want to ask, is there Mala Tang in Tokyo?"

Sakuragi: "???"

I said so much, and you suddenly ask if there's Mala Tang? Why did you even ask me in the first place?

There was no Mala Tang in Tokyo, only Oden.

Of course, the street stalls weren't up to Li Mo's standards, so Sakuragi took him out of Akihabara and they wandered around until they found a conveyor belt sushi restaurant.

It wasn't that the street stalls weren't up to Li Mo's standards, but this was Japan...

With the Fukushima nuclear power plant leaks flowing into the sea, who knew if there was any radiation in the street food?

The two found a corner and began to serve themselves.

Sakuragi picked up a plate of sushi, his weathered face suddenly looking at Li Mo, and asked with a complex expression, "Mō-san, are all Clock Tower students like you?"

Actually, the moment Li Mo Projected the Sun, Sakuragi had begun to doubt if he had attended a false Clock Tower.

If we're all students from the Clock Tower, why are you so amazing?

Could it be that because I'm a Magus from a remote region in the Far East, the things taught at the Clock Tower are low-level? Sakuragi deeply suspected.

Emmm...

Li Mo was speechless. Hadn't Sakuragi stayed at the Clock Tower for a few years?

"Why do you ask? Is it because of your appearance? Were you stopped from entering the Clock Tower back then?" Li Mo asked, putting down the cup of juice he was holding.

Japanese restaurants didn't serve alcohol to minors, so Li Mo could only drink juice.

"Uh... because... well... is your strength because of the Monarch who commissioned you?" Sakuragi stammered, finally managing to form a complete sentence.

After all, he and Li Mo had only known each other for a few days, and talking about things like mentorship... it was a bit difficult to bring up, wasn't it?

"That's right," Li Mo said without any hesitation. "Brishisan is my teacher. I learned most of my Maguscraft from him."

Oh no, now he's his stepfather... or maybe godfather is more accurate?

Sakuragi felt relieved. If he was truly a disciple of a Monarch, then having such strength was normal, and there was nothing more to say.

But still... it was so enviable!

He thought about the meager population of his own family, and then about their sole inheritance of Necromancy. Sakuragi felt it was incredibly unfair to be born into such privilege...

You stirred up waves and hurt me~

Fortunately, what Li Mo said next offered Sakuragi some comfort. "You want to ask about the Clock Tower's Twelve Lords' lineages, right?"

Seizing the moment, Li Mo reached out, picked up a piece of sashimi from the rotating sushi bar, and began to explain, "Actually, the Clock Tower's twelve lineages aren't that strong. After all, for every advantage, there's a disadvantage."

"And the people in those lineages don't necessarily live better lives than you do."

"Take the Bartholomello family, the top of the three great noble houses, for example. In their family, you can't leave the family estate until you become an official Magus. As for those with poor talent, they're confined to the Bartholomello villa for their entire lives."

"Then there's the Ulysses family of the Spiritualism department. Their Monarchs are always chosen from the branch families."

"Why not choose directly from the main family? It's because of strength, of course. Whoever is stronger gets the position!"

Picking up sushi from the plate with his chopsticks, Li Mo put it in his mouth, chewed, and continued, "So don't think they're that strong just because their representative figures are powerful. Who knows how many useless people there are within their families!"

"...What about you?" Sakuragi scratched his head, feeling something was off.

Weren't we talking about you? Why did it suddenly shift to other families?

"Are you the strongest among the younger generation of the Brishisan family?" Sakuragi asked, his face contorted, his gaze towards Li Mo suddenly becoming a little evasive.

I have something I don't know if I should say...

With your pure, Eastern appearance, I can't help but feel like that Monarch might be wearing a cuckold's hat.

"Me~" Li Mo said, as if suddenly enlightened.

"I used to be just an ordinary person. I was only brought back to the Clock Tower by Teacher Brishisan six months ago."

"Although I am now his stepson."