Ten Shadows Technique

Could my room really fit this many people?

The noise in my ears was unbearable, a chaotic swarm of buzzing flies. My mind was foggy, and I was dizzy as hell.

And those flies just wouldn't settle down. They kept buzzing around my room, disturbing my rest.

I was so irritated. Why was getting a decent night's sleep so hard?

"You're so loud..."

The noise around me suddenly stopped, and only then did I realize I'd said what I was thinking out loud.

At first, I felt a little embarrassed. How could I speak in such a weak voice? I sounded like I was about to die.

It was only a fever, yet I was being this delicate.

How humiliating.

But to my surprise, none of the flies around me scolded me. Huh?

What a surprise. That wasn't like those Zenin people at all.

Could it be that, rotten as the Zenin Clan was, they still had enough of a conscience to show some respect for a sick person?

...Yeah, right.

If they really respected sick people, why had they been making such a racket in my room? My place was tiny to begin with. All of them crammed in here were blocking the airflow!

Whatever. I didn't care what was really going on.

This was fine too. At least I could get some undisturbed sleep.

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

I slept for a very long time.

When I woke up, I almost suspected I'd transmigrated into yet another world.

The reason was simple: the place where I woke up was worlds apart from my old courtyard.

The room I was in alone was several times larger than the entire courtyard I'd lived in before!

And that wasn't even counting all the furnishings I couldn't identify but could tell were expensive, or the ridiculously comfortable fabric of the clothes I was wearing.

Strange. So strange.

I tried to get up, but before I could even move, the door suddenly opened.

...A maid I'd once seen beside my so-called father came in.

All right, so I hadn't transmigrated again after all.

The maid came in, and she saw me. What was she going to do? What did my so-called father want her to take me away for? An arranged marriage? Was that why he'd temporarily improved my living conditions?

Despite all those thoughts, I said nothing and simply watched her quietly.

Then the maid... dropped to her knees with a thud, her head bowed low, and kept begging for forgiveness. "Miss Kuang Wu, I have sinned! I should never have looked directly at you! Please have mercy, Miss Kuang Wu!"

She'd knelt.

And begged me for forgiveness.

...What kind of bizarre turn of events was this?

Surely I hadn't suddenly become the Zenin version of the "Six Eyes"?

As for the offense the maid before me was talking about... I only remembered the steward in charge of my lessons saying that those of lower status weren't allowed to look directly at those of higher status.

...Since when had my status become so high?

Before this, even the attendants assigned to me had enjoyed mocking me.

I was completely lost. I desperately needed someone to explain what had happened.

I opened my mouth, about to speak. "You... cough, cough, cough!"

No way. Seriously? Had the fever wrecked my voice?

The maid hurriedly steadied me, looking utterly panicked. "Miss Kuang Wu, please don't try to speak yet! Have some water to soothe your throat first."

Then she called to several people outside. "What are you standing around for? Go inform Lord Naobito Zenin! And bring a few of the family doctors!"

Wait, was all that really necessary?

I couldn't speak, but the confusion in my eyes must have been obvious, because the maid immediately understood my question.

She said solemnly, "Miss Kuang Wu, you have now awakened the Zenin Clan's hereditary technique-the Ten Shadows Technique. No treatment could be too good for you."

Wow. So it was the Ten Shadows Technique.

...Wait, the Ten Shadows Technique?

I really was the Zenin version of the "Six Eyes," then. No wonder.