On a densely wooded mountain path, cicadas chirped all around as Tsukasa Hatayama slowly descended one stone step after another, carrying a beautiful woman on his back in the last light of the setting sun.
Whether by sheer coincidence or simply because the sun was setting, its lingering glow bathed their affectionate silhouettes in a sweet, picturesque light.
After Tsukasa Hatayama had passed so many stone steps that he lost count, Mei Mei woke on his back and sleepily surveyed her surroundings.
Recognizing the path they had taken up the mountain, she found a comfortable spot on her junior's broad back and closed her eyes again, hazily recalling what had happened at the Shrine.
She vaguely remembered her mind descending into utter confusion when she stepped onto the wooden stairs, while an invisible force magnified the desires buried deep within her.
Then she had seen a vast pile of banknotes covering every inch of the Shrine's grounds. After that, she had lost her senses and followed her desires, trying to throw herself into the money.
Remembering the embarrassing way she had struggled so hard that he could barely hold her back gave Mei Mei a headache. She had completely thrown away her dignity as his senior.
It really wasn't her fault. The problem was that she loved money too much and had no resistance to it, which was why she had fallen for the special grade 1 cursed spirit's trick.
Ordinary people might be unable to resist the temptation of their desires, but jujutsu sorcerers, who could control their negative emotions, should at least have been able to hold firm for a few minutes.
Dejected, Mei Mei asked, "Junior, do you think I'm weak? I actually fell for a petty trick like that."
"Not at all. I don't think you're weak, senior. On the contrary, I think you're very strong. At least, that's how I see you."
Tsukasa Hatayama spoke earnestly, then added, "Everyone has their specialty. You just got caught off guard, senior."
"I'm sure that if you encounter it again, you'll exorcise it in no time."
Mei Mei froze for a moment, then raised her head with a radiant smile.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned toward Tsukasa Hatayama's cheek like a sly fox. "Junior, do you have a thing for me?"
The pale ears beneath Tsukasa Hatayama's hair quickly reddened. Feigning composure, he said, "No. I just didn't want to see you so dispirited."
"Really?"
Mei Mei glanced at his reddened ears and teased, "You'd better not. Courting me comes at a very steep price."
His crimson eyes shifted furtively as Tsukasa Hatayama committed those words firmly to memory.
"Oh, right."
Suddenly remembering something, Mei Mei said with a smile, "Carrying me without getting my permission first will cost you."
"This is the first time I've let a man carry me, so the price might be a little high. Since you had a good reason, I'll settle for deducting fifty million."
"And you held my hand and grabbed my wrist at the Shrine. Since it wasn't your first time, I'll give you a discount and deduct one hundred million."
"After that deduction of one hundred and fifty million, you still have seven hundred million in earnings with me."
"And on the way up the mountain, you said I could deduct one hundred million. So you won't receive any payment for this exorcism mission. The entire one hundred and fifty million goes to me."
"Mei Mei, those deductions are way too steep..."
Tsukasa Hatayama's lips twitched. If his father, far away, found out, he would surely pull out his Septwolves belt and give him a thorough whipping.
Three hundred million had vanished in the blink of an eye. If he had splurged it on Shinjuku's Kabukicho strip instead, he might have enjoyed countless new experiences.
"You think I'm being harsh?"
A dangerous look appeared on Mei Mei's face as she brought her lovely face in front of Tsukasa Hatayama's and chided him. "You keep taking liberties with my hands. Who's really being harsh here?"
Tsukasa Hatayama's lips moved as he pleaded pitifully, "Senior, don't deduct that one hundred million. I'll let you touch my hand to make us even."
"No!"
Mei Mei refused without a second thought. She had finally found a chance to deduct his money. Not taking full advantage would have been a waste of such a hard-won opportunity.
Tsukasa Hatayama sighed softly. "Looks like I'll have to ask the higher-ups for a new partner tomorrow. Preferably Utahime. Her cursed technique can increase the power of other cursed techniques."
At his words, Mei Mei's confident expression immediately soured. If her junior left, wouldn't she have to go back to her old life of hardship?
Utterly disgruntled, she pinched Tsukasa Hatayama's neck from behind, displaying a rare girlish side. "Give me your hand. I'm going to get even."
Tsukasa Hatayama smiled knowingly and, without making a fuss, offered her the right hand that had been supporting her bottom.
Mei Mei first glared unhappily at the five slender fingers he offered, then demurely took his hand in a loose grip. A few seconds later, she elegantly let go.
A flutter stirred in Tsukasa Hatayama's heart. Without a word, he carried his senior down the mountain. Along the way, he wanted badly to ask why she wasn't getting down, but feared losing this closeness if he did.
Three days later.
With dark circles under his eyes, Tsukasa Hatayama walked out of the Jujutsu High dormitory, barely able to stay awake.
Dressed in casual clothes, he was so exhausted that the urge to sleep had become irresistible.
Over those three days, Tsukasa Hatayama had continuously taken on Grade 1 and Grade 2 exorcism missions, single-handedly crushing the surge of curses.
His remarkable feat had also reduced casualties among the two schools' jujutsu sorcerers to zero. Taking the opportunity, Tsukasa Hatayama asked his teacher, Yaga, for fifteen days off.
His reason was... that he wanted to go home and spend some time with his family and elders. Given that explanation, Masamichi Yaga approved his leave without a second thought.
Of course, those fifteen days weren't all meant to be spent idling around. The aftereffects of the Void Cursed Technique had arrived, and he needed leave to go home and sleep.
He hadn't told his two close friends that the aftereffects would send him into a deep slumber. First, he didn't want them to worry; second, he wanted to bear the burden alone.
While his two close friends were in class, Tsukasa Hatayama slipped away.
Hatayama Manor.
Fighting the urge to sleep, Tsukasa Hatayama chatted with his parents about his daily life at school over the past month and a half, then shared a family dinner with them.
When night fell, he filled the skies over the manor with Dark Treasure and Sunshine, lest a certain parasite with a stitched forehead raid his home while he slept.
But just to be safe, he also used Dark Manipulation to create two clones, each possessing half his strength, and had them secretly guard the manor.
Considering that the stitched parasite possessed a domain, he also used the Void Cursed Technique to erect a spatial barrier around the manor, preventing anyone with cursed energy from entering.
With everything ready, Tsukasa Hatayama pulled his quilt over himself, and his slumber began.
Fifteen days later.
On the soft, spacious bed, Tsukasa Hatayama slowly opened his eyes. His sudden awakening filled the maid wiping his body with delighted surprise.
Without a moment's hesitation, the maid hurried out of the room, carrying a small basin.
Tsukasa Hatayama stared blankly at the ceiling for a few seconds, then sat up as though accustomed to it. The bones throughout his body suddenly cracked and popped, and strength kept surging through him.
Tsukasa Hatayama clenched his fist and looked at the muscles bulging in his arm, murmuring, "My physical strength seems to have reached Toji Fushiguro's level..."
His ears twitched slightly. Without enhancing them with cursed energy, he could clearly hear one set of hurried footsteps after another downstairs through hearing alone.
Warmth filled Tsukasa Hatayama's heart. Footsteps that hurried could only belong to family worried about him.
Sure enough, the person who had been worrying about him appeared in the doorway.
Mirei Hatayama's crimson eyes were misty. The deep worry on her lovely face first gave way to tender concern, then she entered the room and embraced Tsukasa Hatayama.
Tsukasa had always suffered from this recurring condition, falling into a deep sleep every month. As his family, it left her constantly trapped in fear and unease.
Embarrassed, Tsukasa Hatayama pulled up the quilt to cover himself. If a certain someone saw him, he would launch into another endless lecture. It was such a nuisance.
Noticing his little gesture, Mirei Hatayama smiled with tender concern. "That stickler for the rules isn't back yet. You don't need to cover yourself."
Tsukasa Hatayama's handsome face reddened, and he gave an awkward laugh. "I still have to mind what's appropriate..."
Mirei Hatayama covered her mouth and chuckled, unconcerned. "So what if you've grown up? I've watched you grow since you were little. What is there to be shy about?"
"That was when I was little. Why are you still bringing it up?"
Too embarrassed to say more, Tsukasa Hatayama lowered his head against her chest, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.
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