Chapter 15: Meeting 3

“I will be Itsuki-kun’s betrothed!”

Aya-chan’s words echoed through the room.

I pulled the sleeves of Aya’s clothes next to me and asked her about it.

“Hey, Aya-chan.”

“Itsuki-kun?”

“Do you know what it means to be betrothed?”

“I know what it means! We’re getting married!”

Oh, she knew?

She knew…?

I didn’t believe it came from a five year old. …… No, it’s because she’s five years old that she responded so innocently, and I couldn’t help but clam up.

The blonde priestess laughed when she saw that.

“Both Shimotsuki and Satsuki are looking to the future.”

However, the atmosphere in the room wasn’t exactly one of laughter.

Because everyone was thinking about it, just as the other heads of the family were thinking about their words.

And they were looking at me and my father alternately with eyes that reminded me of wild beasts. I’m scared.

“Ha-ha-ha. You’re popular.”

On the contrary, only my father laughed at me as if he was laughing at something else.

No, I don’t think this is the part where he’s supposed to laugh.

“From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like Shimotsuki and Satsuki are talking to Kisaragi.”

“Ah. Then there will be an opportunity.”

“What are you talking about? The next head of Kisaragi is seventh rank. Even if he only gives birth to boys, he should be allowed to have a concubine.”

Even though I’m right in front of them, the conversation is accelerating and leaving me behind.

The adult world is scary!

And even if I wanted to interject, they all look like yakuza, so it’s hard to talk to them. It’s scary.

As I was getting scared, Renji-san shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

“Don’t be so tense. It’s a child’s language.”

At that moment, the pressure that had filled the room suddenly became lighter.

“And Itsuki, you are the “seventh rank. It would be a loss to the future of this country to have a child with just one other person. Isn’t that right, Yamato?”

When Renji-san turned to the Satsuki family, the head of the family shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “You got me”.

“That’s true, too. As for the betrothed thing, I think we should talk about it some more.”

“Itsuki-kun has the potential to be a very good exorcist. It’s not something that should be discussed at each house, it’s something that should be discussed at today’s meeting.”

“…… You’re right, Renji-san.”

So that’s it?

Hmm? No, so what happened in the end? This problem.

It doesn’t look like it’s going to be resolved…..

Looking at the glaring eyes around here.

As I was dreading it, the blonde priestess spoke.

“Hmmm, this is getting interesting. But it’s not an interesting story for children.”

With that, she stepped forward, looking around.

“What do you think? How about we discuss it with the adults alone from here on? Besides, I think you will be able to talk to each other more freely without the children.”

She smiled and looked at me or rather at us.

“Then the children must leave. Your mothers are in the room outside. There you can play until we are finished here.

“Yes!”

So we, the children, were sent out of the room.

As we walked down the corridor connecting the main house and the separate house, I saw Rin-chan running toward her mother’s room at full speed.

Eh, Eh. …….

She doesn’t say hello or anything like that.

Kids are so carefree….

But Rin-chan is five years old.

It would be harsh to ask a 5 year old to respond that way.

As I was thinking that, Aya-chan came up behind me.

“Itsuki-kun.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m serious!”

“Yes!?”

But Aya-chan also said that much and ran away.

“Eh? Aya-chan?”

But there was no answer, only the sound of Aya’s footsteps running away.

What the hell?

What did Aya-chan want to say?

What does she mean by “serious”?

About being my betrothed?

Tell me, Aya-chan!

But even if I wanted to ask for an answer, Aya-chan is already gone.

I can chase after her, but chasing after a girl who just said what she said and ran away is …… umm?　

I don’t think it’s a good idea.

I was left alone in the corridor, and I stood there without thinking.

What should I do?

Aya-chan was probably in the room where her mother and her family were.

I felt bad because I felt like I was chasing after Aya-chan if I went to her room.

But that didn’t mean I could just stand in this hallway until the meeting was over.

I heard that this discussion would take until the night.

I wondered what to do, and then an idea occurred to me.

Ah, yes!

Let me practice magic on my own!

Today was the first time I used magic.

I want to make sure my bodies remember this feeling before I forget it.

So, I asked the older guy in black who was nearby.

“Hey, onii-san, do you have a place where I can practice magic?”

“Yes, there is a place. This way.”

I was expecting to be told something more, but he gave me permission more easily than I expected, and I was surprised.

“Oh. Is it okay? I can practice magic?”

“Yes, it’s okay. Akane-sama has requested that if any of the heirs present today wish to practice magic, they may do so freely in the training hall.”

I see. So they let us use it.

That blonde priestess is called Akane-san.

I got to know her name for the first time.

“This way, please.”

“Wow. ……”

I was taken to a wide area where wooden dolls were lined up at equal intervals.

The ground was leveled, and in addition to the dolls, there was a target in the distance that looked like something used in Kyudo (Japanese archery) and a bamboo that I’ve only seen in iaiziri videos.

“Can I use these freely?”

“Yes, you can. If you don’t know how to use it, please ask me anytime.”

“Thank you!”

I bowed my head and grabbed the bamboo, extending the “guiding thread silvate” so that I wouldn’t forget the feeling of magic. Then, I asked the older guy in black.

“Can I slash it?”

“Go ahead.”

I did as I was told and turned my “Silvate” into a blade.

And when I pulled the string, the bamboo was cut cleanly in two.

The guy in black who was watching was impressed and applauded me. I was embarrassed.

“As expected of you, Itsuki-sama. Are you also good at transforming the trait of “guiding thread sylvate”?”

“…… trait transformation?”

I wonder what he meant.

I have never heard of it.

“Don’t you know? It’s a sense of feeling?”

The brother in black was visibly puzzled, but he kindly told me.

“It’s what you were doing just now, Itsuki-sama. The guiding thread silvate is turned into a blade. This is called trait change. It is the basis of magic.”

“Is there something else?”

When I asked him that, he nodded.

“Yes. Do you know how magic is used in the first place, Itsuki-sama?”

”By stretching the ‘guiding thread silvate’…”

How does he do it?

I was at a loss for words.

“You are half right, Itsuki-sama. The magic is activated by changing the guiding thread Silvate. There are two types of changes: “trait change” and “attribute change.”

“Trait change and attribute change. ……?”

“It would be faster to show you than to explain it to you.”

As soon as he said it, the black-robed brother grabs the bamboo I just cut with the “guiding thread silvate”.

“This is the ‘attribute change: fire.”

As soon as he said that, the bamboo burst into flames.

“Oh, onii-san! The attribute change is only fire!”

“No. There are five attribute changes: fire, water, wind, wood, and earth. There are five attribute changes: “fire,” “water,” “wind,” “wood,” and “earth,” from which “compound attribute changes” are derived. However, it is an area that can only be used by a very skilled exorcist, so I think it is better to start with the basic attributes.”

“I can already burn it.”

“What?”

I was quick to say, I extended the “guiding thread silvate” to the bamboo, grabbed it and burned it in the same way.

“…… already, you’ve learnt “attribute change”.

“I can also do something like this.”

I showed the combination magic of fire and wind at the meeting earlier.

By weaving two “guiding threads of silvate”, I created a small explosion!

The black-robed brother, who was watching this, looked slightly stunned and aghast.

“Even compound attribute change? As expected of you. Itsuki-sama?”

The black-robed man bowed his head.

I was so happy to be praised by others that I returned the compliment with a “thank you”.

“No, it’s amazing. Itsuki-sama, for a normal exorcist, he starts practicing magic at the age of seven and learns the attribute changes one by one, and it takes about a year to learn them all. ……”

The black-robed brother looks at the bamboo dismembered by the explosion.

“Itsuki-sama, can you use complex attribute change?”

“No. that’s about all I can do.”

I shook my head and answered.

“I can only use attribute change with fire and wind.”

“Hm. ……. Then, how about learning the other three attribute changes before Soichiro-sama returns?”

I nodded with a twinkle in my eye at the suggestion of the black-robed brother.

“I’ll do it!”

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