-438- [ Tsuchimikado Akikan ]

Tsuchimikado Main House, Between the Bellflowers.

This is an important place within the Tsuchimikado family, typically used for meetings with important guests, conducting significant rituals, and hosting both major and minor ceremonies. It constantly exudes an atmosphere of solemnity.

Inside this room, there is not only an altar but also offerings of greenery, red and white paper talismans, and coins.

In the center, there is a large paper talisman made of five colors representing the elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—green, red, yellow, white, and black.

On the offering table, there are pottery vessels containing salt, rice, and glutinous rice, as well as bottles filled with water and sake, along with sea bream and various fruits and vegetables.

Additional ink-black talismans adorned with the family crest, the "Seimei Kikyou Seal," are placed on the altar. Several candles are also set up, casting a dim, hazy light over the scene.

Currently, inside the Bellflowers Room, there are two individuals.

One is a middle-aged man wearing a traditional kimono, sitting upright in front of the altar. His face bears no expression, and he speaks slowly, explaining something.

The other person, also dressed in a kimono, is sitting in front of the man, but in a very relaxed and almost disinterested manner.

The young boy's face exudes laziness, and he appears somewhat listless. He has a striking appearance, somewhat resembling a mixed-race child with his handsome features.

In contrast, the middle-aged man possesses a very typical East Asian appearance, with a cold and stern demeanor.

Naturally, the two of them do not look alike at all.

However, they are father and son.

At least, that's how others perceive them.

The middle-aged man has never discussed their blood relation with the young boy. It's as if their dissimilar appearances are purely coincidental, and he addresses the boy as his own son.

Still, when faced with his biological child, the man's expression seems excessively aloof.

The evidence lies in the fact that despite the young boy's lazy and seemingly inattentive demeanor, the man's expression remained unchanged as he continued with his explanation.

No, it would be more accurate to say that he was instructing rather than explaining. In the Bellflowers Room of the Tsuchimikado Main House, the current head of the Tsuchimikado family, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, was providing his son with instruction in the field of Onmyojutsu.

With a mechanical, indifferent, and businesslike tone, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi carried his explanation to its conclusion.

Only after finishing the explanation did he unilaterally conclude,

"Let's end it here for today."

There was no word of encouragement, just a straightforward declaration of his decision to the person before him.

In response, the young boy casually yawned and said, "Thank you for your guidance today."

His tone was equally nonchalant, lacking any hint of gratitude.

Without paying any mind, the young boy rose to his feet, seemingly unconcerned with the presence of his father. He continued to yawn lazily and slowly walked away.

Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi also paid it no mind and simply spoke in a subdued manner,

"Same time tomorrow, here."

Upon hearing this, the young boy didn't turn back; he merely raised his hand slightly in acknowledgment and then left.

From start to finish, the father never looked at his son, and the son never met his father's gaze. They ended their daily routine of teaching like complete strangers.

Once the young boy, who was Rozen, left the Bellflowers Room, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi slowly closed his eyes. His face remained as indifferent and emotionless as ever.

After leaving the Bellflowers Room, Rozen arrived in the mansion's corridor and stretched lazily.

"The weather today is nice,"

he remarked without any apparent nervousness, observing the scenery in the courtyard.

Naturally, in this world, no one knew his name. People only knew that Tsuchimikado's current head, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi, had a son who was destined to become the next head of the Tsuchimikado family.

His mother had departed from the world shortly after giving birth, leaving only Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi to raise and teach the child in the ways of magic. As for the son's name...

"Tsuchimikado Akikan, huh?" Rozen gazed at the scenery in the courtyard and muttered with a hint of irony, "Another new name."

Every time Rozen entered a new world and transformed into a child, he received a new name. In the world of Automaton, he was known as the "Divine Child of Akabane" – Akabane Narugami.

In the world of Sword Art Online, he was the adopted son of the Kirigaya family – Kirigaya Aoka.

And in this world, Rozen was the scion of the Tsuchimikado family, the master of Onmyoudou, and the sole heir – Tsuchimikado Akikan.

However, compared to the previous two names, Rozen didn't feel much attachment to the name he had acquired in this world.

The reason was simple.

"If I became a father like that, Yui would probably be in tears every day," Rozen glanced back at the Bellflowers Room, feeling somewhat melancholic.

When Rozen had returned to infancy and entered this world, he had been adopted once again, this time by Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.

But unlike his previous adoptions, Rozen didn't genuinely accept this man as his father. Perhaps it was because, from a young age, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi had never shown any paternal affection.

He treated Rozen as a mere tool for continuing the family's lineage, raising him with indifference, teaching him as a matter of duty, and preparing him to inherit the Tsuchimikado family without a hint of warmth.

Due to this, Rozen didn't consider Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi his father, and the man didn't seem to mind. He continued to approach everything with his cold and indifferent demeanor.

"It's no wonder the Tsuchimikado family declined," Rozen muttered to himself.

Indeed, the Tsuchimikado family had fallen from its once prestigious status.

In the Heian period, they had been renowned as a leading Onmyouji family, with a long and storied history. Mentioning Onmyoudou would immediately bring to mind the Tsuchimikado family.

However, their claim to being the Onmyoudou's head family only lasted until the Meiji Restoration.

The Onmyou Bureau, which oversaw Onmyoudou practitioners, was disbanded due to anti-Buddhist and anti-Shinto policies.

Consequently, most of the authority regarding Onmyoudou shifted to the branch families, such as the Kurahashi and Wakasugi clans.

The Tsuchimikado family, as the main family, became a mere symbol, and even though they were still regarded as a distinguished family in the field of onmyodou, it was a title without substance.

As a result, despite the vastness of the Tsuchimikado main estate and its luxurious appearance, it was only inhabited by Rozen and Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.

The branch families, on the other hand, had their own activities and power structures.

Therefore, despite its grandeur, the Tsuchimikado main family was essentially a family in decline.

"That being said, there is one more reason for their decline," Rozen sighed and prepared to leave.

Just then...

"Akikan!"

A pleasant female voice reached Rozen's ears, causing him to stop in his tracks.

//// For Rozen's new name, been looking through a lot of stuff and decided Akikan is the most accurate one. Man his name sounds way nicer in Chinese.... And might upload a bit less today cuz new world, gotta go through all the wiki again. Thnx for reading this..////