At the time, I really had only gone to meet the elders. Once those stodgy old men had finished looking at my Divine Dogs, there was nothing more for me to do.
My nominal father, on the other hand, suddenly went from an heir on shaky footing to the clan head after that day.
According to him, he owed his swift rise to clan head entirely to me.
Oh, so that was it.
Because he had fathered a daughter with the Ten Shadows Technique, my nominal father's standing in the clan had risen dramatically.
Even though the old clan head still favored Ogi Zenin, many of the elders insisted that my nominal father succeed him. Some elders who had originally supported Ogi Zenin had even switched sides.
...No wonder my nominal father had been so happy that day.
I still had to study etiquette.
The only difference was that my instructor had changed from the steward who used to teach me to the Seventh Elder.
I did not even need to ask what had happened to my former instructor. I knew he had probably ended up just like the attendants in my little courtyard: he would "never appear before me again."
The content of the Seventh Elder's lessons had not changed much. It was still just teaching me how to pay my respects to people of power and status.
I resisted a little and told him, "I don't want to learn this."
The Seventh Elder was much better than my previous instructor, at least. Instead of giving me two lashes, he coaxed me with a smile. "Little Kuang Wu, you now possess the Zenin Clan's precious Ten Shadows Technique. You'll be meeting many important people in the future. Only by learning these things properly can you make them like you."
"But I don't need them to like me."
The Seventh Elder's smile did not change, but his words left me no room to choose. "Often, not wanting to do something doesn't mean you can simply refuse. Kuang Wu, be good."
After several days, I was so thoroughly fed up that I secretly skipped the Seventh Elder's class again and ran to my nominal father's courtyard.
Probably because he had only just become clan head, my nominal father was terribly busy. He was still dealing with clan affairs in his study and did not seem to have noticed my arrival.
With a thought, I sent the Divine Dogs running out of my shadow.
For some reason, it seemed that only my first summoning had required me to form the corresponding shadow puppet with my hands and call out the matching name to summon a shikigami.
After that, I could summon them with nothing more than a thought.
I did not know why, but I had never cared about such things. Besides, it was hardly a bad thing.
The White Divine Dog barked, and Naobito Zenin finally seemed to notice the person at the door. He set aside his work and addressed the one who had contributed most to his smooth rise to clan head. "What is it, Kuang Wu? Do you need something?"
I looked at him expressionlessly. "I don't want to attend Etiquette Class."
I don't want to pay my respects to those higher-ups. I don't want to learn this useless etiquette.
Naobito Zenin laughed. "That won't do."
"Why? Aren't you the clan head now?"
One order from him should be enough to free me from all this, right?
Naobito Zenin looked a little helpless as he said pointedly, "Being clan head isn't enough."
When I said nothing, he explained further. "This was a unanimous decision by the elders. My opinion can't change it."
I frowned.
"Unless..."
"Unless what?" I pressed.
"Unless you become the Zenin Clan's Young Master."
I could hardly wait. "Then hurry up and appoint me Young Master!"
"I can't." He looked at me. "That also has to be discussed by the elders."
I truly could not understand this. Hadn't they said I had awakened the Ten Shadows Technique, something the Zenin Clan might not see even once in a hundred years? Why were they still hesitating over appointing me Young Master?
Isn't appointing me Young Master only natural?
As though he had seen my confusion, my nominal father said, "You are a girl, after all, and I also have a son who has awakened Projection Sorcery."
I understood instantly.
Projection Sorcery was also a very good Cursed Technique, and Naoya Zenin was quite talented too-I had learned that from listening to the attendants chat.
More importantly, he was a boy.
So Naoya Zenin could also become Young Master, while I would become his most important right-hand woman, helping him consolidate and expand the Zenin Clan.
How absurd.
When I imagined that childish little brat who was always picking fights becoming clan head, while I had to obey him and work for the Zenin Clan for free...
No way.
Those higher-ups had it all figured out a little too neatly.
Before you continue