Ch.97 Woman's Intuition

Talking is talking, joking is joking.

Akira's integrity and character were still trustworthy, so nobody actually tried to stop him.

After the Tokyo representative team boarded the Shinkansen and left, Akira turned around, took out his phone, and sent a message to Zen'in Mai...

Don't misunderstand, it was to talk about something serious.

He still had one chance to pass a message, and he wasn't planning on wasting it.

This time, the message target was Kamo Noritoshi.

The content was similar to the one for Mechamaru: let's meet.

After saying all those things to him and making a phone call to Hayami in front of him, it was impossible for Noritoshi not to be moved—unless he completely decided to become an ingrate and cut ties with the past.

If that were the case, Akira would beat him every time he saw him in the future, until his parents couldn't recognize him—whichever parents they were.

"So, what are you going to do, my dear 'older brother'..."

...

...

...

As the clever otouto (little brother) had anticipated, Kamo Noritoshi's heart was indeed unsettled.

He wanted to know how his mother was doing.

He wanted to know if she was doing well all these years.

He wanted to tell her that her son missed her deeply.

He wanted to tell her that he never gave up, and that once he became the family head, he would bring her back home so no one could bully her anymore.

But at the same time, he was worried.

Worried that his mother might not want to recognize him.

After all, he had changed so much, and he now resembled his selfish and cold-hearted father, who prioritized interests above all, more than his gentle, kind mother who treated others sincerely.

He couldn't speak these thoughts out loud to anyone, and he couldn't even reveal them—they could only stay quietly within him, torturing him.

And as he was caught up in these conflicting emotions, he moved.

No more hesitation; instead, regret.

I always do this—I overthink and end up being a step too late.

Always missing the best opportunity to express my will.

I only end up regretting things when they're irreversible.

I was like this when my mother left home.

And I'm still like this now.

I wish I could be reckless, not caring about what others think.

But I am neither as free as he is, nor do I have his overwhelming strength.

Thinking about it, I really am useless. Without this innate "Blood Manipulation," I'm nothing.

No wonder Akira is disappointed in me—no, now it's Akira, not Kamo Kentaka.

Akira... Akira.

Understanding reason, understanding truth.

Maybe that's what my mother truly wanted from her child.

Not that he would become something great, but that he would be wise, living honestly in this world.

My brother has probably achieved that—living truly.

But I...

A knocking at the door interrupted Noritoshi's thoughts.

To avoid letting anyone see his emotions, he had returned to his dormitory under the pretense of recovering from injuries as soon as the Exchange Event ended, staying behind closed doors.

Unlike the warm, family-like atmosphere of Tokyo Jujutsu High, the relationships here at Kyoto Jujutsu High were more distant.

Most third-year students were already on independent internships and were seldom at school.

Among those who remained, Todo Aoi and Mechamaru were the way they were, and Noritoshi didn't want to go out of his way to get along with them. He had a better relationship with the girls, who would shop, dine, and talk about dieting together.

He didn't think anyone would come to bother him—getting beaten twice in public like that wasn't exactly good for one's mood.

Was it Teacher Utahime, here to check on him, worried about his mental state?

With these thoughts in mind, Noritoshi got up to open the door.

A tall, short-haired girl appeared before him, and Noritoshi frowned slightly.

"Mai-san?"

An unexpected visitor.

They didn't interact much, and their relationship couldn't be called good.

"S-sorry to bother you."

Zen'in Mai seemed a little flustered.

Though they were both from the Big Three Sorcerer Families, Mai was on the bottom rung due to her lack of talent, while Noritoshi was the second in line to be head of his family, just below the current head—a significant difference.

If they were from the same family, Mai could easily be bossed around or scolded.

Noritoshi hadn't done anything like that before, but he often lectured her.

It would always begin with, "As a member of the Big Three Sorcerer Families, you should..." and that was what Mai hated most about him.

But at this point, she had no choice but to steel herself.

"I want to discuss something with you, senpai. Can I come in?"

"Come in," Noritoshi nodded, stepping aside to let her in.

He skillfully set out the chairs and brewed tea.

No matter what, she was still a member of one of the Big Three Sorcerer Families, and he couldn't ignore etiquette.

When they were both seated, and after sipping his tea, he asked:

"Go ahead, what do you want to discuss?"

"Someone asked me to pass a message to you. They want to meet you."

"Who?"

"Akira."

"Who did you say?" The teacup in his hand slipped, falling heavily onto the tea table with a thud.

Mai's heart also skipped a beat.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

After being beaten up once, now meeting face-to-face—of course he wouldn't be happy.

I must have been possessed by a cursed spirit when I agreed to pass along this message!

Didn't Mechamaru fail last time? He even warned me that this guy is dangerous.

Fortunately, the ceramic teacup was sturdy enough, and it wasn't high enough off the tea table to cause any real damage.

Taking the opportunity to lift the teacup, Noritoshi steadied himself and confirmed, "My... hearing shouldn't be damaged. Did you say Tokyo Jujutsu High's Akira?"

"Yes," Mai nodded, now too late to regret.

"Why are you passing on his message?" Noritoshi couldn't contain his curiosity. His own younger brother didn't have his contact info, but how did an outsider get it?

"Because of Maki, I had some interaction with him, and we exchanged numbers." Mai hesitated for a moment but decided to speak, leaving out certain details that weren't for others to know.

"I see."

He had heard of the Zen'in twins' situation, and it made sense. Come to think of it, Zen'in Maki's situation was quite similar to Kamo Kentaka's.

Wait, could he want to become the family head too? If so, then what should I do...

"What's your relationship with Akira? Why does he want to meet you? Why did he stay in Kyoto just for this?"

To be fair, Noritoshi's expression control wasn't bad, and he could easily pull off a poker face.

But Mai, who had been at the bottom for years, had honed her skills in reading people, and she could clearly see the changes in Noritoshi's heart.

Her curiosity was almost bursting.

This was the "cursed spirit" that captivated her.

He was a mysterious young man who suddenly appeared and had Special Grade potential.

He used an unheard-of technique called "Pokémon Manipulation."

He had even convinced her proud older sister to listen to him.

And he easily saw through her inner thoughts, leaving her exposed.

Everything about him drew the girl in, making her want to peel away the layers of mystery.

But Noritoshi was clearly not so "easy to deal with," as he coldly said, "This is not something you should be asking about. As a member of the Big Three Sorcerer Families, you should—"

Here we go again.

"—Should be cautious and mindful of my words, right? I know." Mai was tired of hearing that. Her ears were practically forming calluses.

You're just a senpai, not a teacher—could you stop lecturing me every day?

Wait a minute, come to think of it, Akira was also good at lecturing, and you have those squinty eyes—

"You and him... are kind of alike. The more I look, the more similar you seem."

Noritoshi was instantly speechless: "..."

Could her intuition really be this sharp?

Is a woman's intuition truly that powerful?