Mind Reader

I'm now standing in front of Takashi-san's office. I've been standing here for about a minute already, debating whether or not to go in or not. I'm hesitating because the man still scares me.

Takashi-san, or Takashi Minamoto, is the current leader of Akatsuki-gumi. He is Ryuuji-san's and Sakura-nee's father, and despite that, he looks like a man on his early thirties. He doesn't looks scary per se, I mean he has gentle looks that could change into a raging one in a split second but one's first impression of him was never scary. On my defense, it's not just being scared I'm also of wary of him. Why wouldn't I? Every time I use <Appraisal> on him, even though it has significantly increased in level, the results is always the same; I can only see his name and age, the rest are hidden by question marks.

I don't know what he's capable of and that's what scares me. I'm used to knowing the caliber of my enemies and what things they can possibly do because of <Appraisal>. With said skill, I have an idea what kind of techniques or moves my opponents might have and have the chance to counter, but with him, I'm at a loss.

Hmm… <Appraisal> is really a convenient skill, but I guess it's not wrong to say that I've become dependent on it. Even I realize that.

"April, if you're just going to stand there please stop." I hear a voice from the other side of the door, Takashi-san's. "I can sense you and your presence is distracting me. So either go or come in. Pick one."

I take a deep breath. I just notice that I'm alone in the hallway.

Where's Shino?

*SIGH*

He probably thinks I need some privacy or he concluded that the Minamoto Mansion does not have any dangers so he doesn't need to watch over me.

I take a deep breath again and open the door. I am greeted with Takashi-san accompanied by piles of paperwork.

Ugh. That accursed thing. I can still remember my hardship in dealing with it, in both my lives.

"April?" Takashi-san calls, making me look at him.

This is it April. Just ask him to let you see Clara Jaeger and ask her how she was able to get past your <Perception> skill without you knowing. Maybe even use <Appraisal> on her which you forgot to do the first time you saw her.

Well, I couldn't help it that time, I was being held hostage and when she got knocked out Banri-san immediately took her. Things happened so fast I suppose.

"What can I do for you?" Takashi-san asks. "You usually don't get yourself entangled with our business."

"Uhm… I'm here for Clara Jaeger of Sceptre?"

Takashi-san looks at me with a raised eyebrow, as if asking me to spill my reasons of why I wanted to see her.

"Err… I just want to ask her some questions."

"About?"

Ugh. Why does he have to inquire about that?

"About… what happened today?"

He's looking at me skeptically and it's making me really uncomfortable. If he says 'no' then I'll probably need a plan B or something.

"Very well."

I can't help but raise an eyebrow. I never thought he'd agree immediately. I was expecting to be grilled for information regarding my request? No, it's more of a demand really.

Minutes later, we're already on our way to another wing of the Minamoto Mansion. Takashi-san is walking in front of me while I follow him, my anxiousness growing by the second. Everything is so silent, apart from our footsteps.

I am familiar with the Minamoto Estate, but I'm not that familiar with the manor itself. I've only been to a small part of it, including the dojo and a few offices, so being led to an unfamiliar part of it is making me a little nervous.

As far as I am aware, the Minamoto Mansion is the headquarters of Akatsuki-gumi, so a lot of yakuza-related things are in it. Plum Blossom Mansion, although it's inside the estate, is like an independent area inside the property which basically makes its residents an independent group of sorts from the rest of the residents of the entire estate.

"We're on our way to the medical wing." I hear Takashi-san say as we continue trudging the hallway. "Clara Jaeger was injured when she was brought in, so we had to tend to her."

"Isn't she… an enemy?"

Takashi-san looks at me without saying anything.

What is he looking at? Was my question really that strange?

"It hasn't been confirmed yet, so until then she's a guest I suppose."

Really? But…

"Banri-san and his men were chasing her."

"It's because we do not know why she's in Kyoto. And when we tried to ask her the first time we found her, she incapacitated five of my men. Five full grown men."

Wait…

Is it okay for him to share such things with me?

"It should be fine. Sakura already told me you're trustworthy whether it's about the supernatural or the yakuza."

I freeze on my tracks.

Did I say that out loud? I'm pretty sure I didn't though. The how did he-

"I can read minds." he says nonchalantly.

WHAT?!

"Well, it's something that I cannot control at times, so sometimes I learn things I don't really want to know. You should learn how to put up a wall in your mind April. I'm not the only mind reader in the world."

But…

But…

I swallow the nonexistent lump on my throat.

"Don't worry I do respect your privacy. I'll send you some books to let you learn how to block your mind from those who can read it."

*SIGH*

Gee, thanks.

"You're welcome." he says. "Back to the topic, it's fine to tell you. I'm sure you understand this side of the world more than most people."

I can only stay silent and purse my lips. If he really can read minds, then that means he knows about my past? Or at least he has seen the memories of my past life?

That is so not cool. Slayer, don't you have a function that can stop him from reading my mind?

[Affirmative.]

Eh? Why didn't you- right, I did not know about it until now.

Wait, does Takashi-san know about you?

[Negative. The [Slayer System] can only be accessed or seen by its administrators.]

I see… Now that I look at Takashi-san, he's looking at me strangely, no, he's looking at me with a questioning look on his face, probably wondering why he couldn't read my mind all of a sudden. But even if that's what's on his mind, he's not voicing it out.

*SIGH*

Tell me how to block him later Slayer.

[Affirmative.]

"April?" Takashi-san calls again.

"Hmm?"

"I suddenly couldn't read your mind. What did you…"

"I tried to put up a wall in my mind?"

Stupid April, why does that sound like a question rather than a statement?

"Oho. You can already grasp the idea. That's good." he says, nodding his head. "Very well, keep at it. Now come on, we're almost there."