-74- Talk to you about a marriage proposal

Understanding the special nature of "Crimson Wing Formation" and replacing it to make its usage possible is not an easy task. Otherwise, after so many years of inheritance, this secret technique would not still be exclusive to the Akabane clan. Mastering it will be a long-term endeavor for Rozen.

In the meantime, as the night falls, Rozen follows Akabane Kuukan's instructions and heads to his room.

As Rozen approached Akabane Kuukan's room, he encountered his another brother.

"Raishin?"

Rozen blinked his eyes.

"Nuragami?"

Raishin, with a poised gesture of preparing to open Akabane Kuukan's door, froze in place.

This other boy was about the same age as Rozen. Unlike the composed and dignified Tenzen, he exuded a stubborn and determined aura. His sharp gaze made him seem like a king among children, not domineering, but definitely giving off an air of refusing to give in.

Rozen looked at this brother, who was completely different from Tenzen, and approached him.

"Why are you here?"

Both of them almost said the same words simultaneously.

Then...

"Our father called me here."

The second sentence was also spoken in unison.

As a result, both fell into silence, and after a while, they spoke decisively.

"Can't you stop imitating my speech?"

With these words, the room fell silent. The atmosphere became tense, and both of them showed a hint of displeasure.

Akabane Kuukan has a total of three sons and one daughter.

The eldest son, Akabane Tenzen, is a person with great tolerance and affection for all his siblings. He loves and cares for them, including Rozen, his adoptive brother, and earns the respect of everyone, including Rozen.

The second son, Akabane Raishin, is quite problematic. He often clashes with Akabane Kuukan because of his lack of interest in magic. He has been compared to Rozen and Akabane Tenzen frequently, which has contributed to his stubborn and awkward personality. Sometimes, he looks at Rozen and Akabane Tenzen with envy, but he doesn't have conflicts with Akabane Tenzen. In fact, they have a very good relationship. His relationship with Rozen is a bit indifferent.

As for the youngest daughter, her name is Akabane Nadeshiko, and she is also a talented little girl.

This young girl is very well-behaved and respectful to Rozen and Akabane Tenzen due to their elder status and exceptional abilities. However, she is particularly attached to Akabane Raishin and is often seen following him around.

Lastly, there's Rozen.

Having regained all his memories at the age of two, Rozen has been focusing on improving himself and has had relatively little interaction with the three siblings in the Akabane family.

Nevertheless, the four of them show mutual respect and love. They have gone shopping together on occasions.

Rozen's attitude towards the three siblings is different.

To Akabane Tenzen, Rozen sees him as a opponent and companion, someone to grow and improve with.

To Akabane Nadeshiko, Rozen treats her as a junior, similar to how he interacts with Mash. He takes care of her and has taken her out to play together on occasion.

As for Akabane Raishin, his relationship with him is somewhat similar to the dynamic between Roman and Rozen. They often exchange banter and are now glaring at each other, which can be considered a form of interaction.

In this situation, Akabane Raishin was the first to break the silence.

"Aren't you supposed to be performing Puppetry Technique with Tenzen in front of the clan members today and getting Father's permission to freely access the library? Why do you have time to come here?" Akabane Raishin said, feeling a bit puzzled.

Knowing Rozen well, Akabane Raishin thought that with such an opportunity, this study enthusiast would have already hidden away in the library and wouldn't come out unless the sky fell. Why did he come here?

"So, as I said, I was called here," Rozen replied with some exasperation. "You should learn to listen to others sometimes."

The hidden meaning behind this sentence was apparent.

"Anyway, I just don't have the talent for magic," Akabane Raishin said nonchalantly. "Don't worry about it."

Although Akabane Raishin said it casually, a hint of pain flashed in his eyes.

Clearly, this young man wasn't entirely indifferent to the matter.

"Suit yourself," Rozen said and didn't say anything more.

In reality, Akabane Raishin did possess some talent in magic.

In this world, even though magic families like the Akabane clan weren't as dominant as the aristocrats in the Magic Association, as long as the bloodline was continuously passed down, the quality of their magical circuits would improve, and the abilities of future generations would also get better. As a direct descendant of the Akabane clan and possessing the "Crimson Wing Blood," Akabane Raishin did have some strengths.

However, compared to Rozen and Akabane Tenzen, his talent was not particularly outstanding. Furthermore, with Akabane Nadeshiko's high level of talent, there is always a comparison, and as the saying goes, there will always be someone better. As a result, Akabane Raishin became seen as a "useless" existence in the eyes of others.

In Rozen's view, Akabane Raishin seemed a have given up and that's why he escaped to other places, showing an interest in martial arts and swordsmanship.

Everyone has their own choices, and Rozen, due to his connection with magic, loved it but didn't see a reason to demand the same from others. So, he let Akabane Raishin pursue his own interests.

Then, from inside the room, the voice of Akabane Kuukan, their father, started to come through.

"Since you're here, come in together," he said.

Upon hearing this, Rozen and Akabane Raishin exchanged a glance, and without further words, they pushed the door open and entered the room.

Inside, a faint aroma of incense filled the air.

It was sandalwood.

Akabane Kuukan was seated next to the burning sandalwood, nodding slightly as he watched his two sons walk in from the doorway.

"Have a seat," he said.

Rozen and Akabane Raishin obliged, taking their seats.

Seeing this, Akabane Kuukan didn't immediately get to the point. Instead, he maintained a stern expression and directed his question at Akabane Raishin.

"When Tenzen and Rozen were conducting the puppetry rehearsal today, where did you go?" His voice carried a hint of authority, causing Akabane Raishin to hold his breath.

"Did you go out to find some martial arts master and learn something unrelated to your studies?" Akabane Kuukan seemed to have seen through Akabane Raishin's inner thoughts and his tone took on a touch of severity.

Akabane Raishin could only lower his head, not saying a word.

"Hmph," Akabane Kuukan snorted disapprovingly.

Normally, at this point, Akabane Kuukan would have already scolded Akabane Raishin.

However, today, he uncharacteristically refrained from getting angry. Instead, his face showed a complex expression as he closed his eyes for a moment.

Then, he dropped a bombshell.

"I asked you to come here today because I want to talk to you about a marriage proposal."