"Haven't seen you for half a year, little maid of the Shinomiya family. I regret what happened back then." Gojo Satoru said it with a calm smile.
That....
Ai Hayasaka's face immediately turned embarrassed.
Of course she remembered!
How could she possibly forget?
Half a year ago, when Gojo Satoru had visited the Shinomiya family, he had happened to look at Ai Hayasaka a second time.
That single glance had caused a rather ridiculous misunderstanding.
Shinomiya Gan'an had apparently interpreted Gojo's attention as an interest in Hayasaka.
And, because the Shinomiya family was extremely cautious around the strongest Exorcist in the world, Gan'an had secretly contacted Hayasaka afterward.
His request had been simple.
He wanted Ai Hayasaka to become Gojo Satoru's personal maid.
Hayasaka, who understood exactly how terrifying the Shinomiya family's position was, naturally didn't dare to refuse.
She could only agree.
That evening, when dinner time arrived, Shinomiya Gan'an personally brought Hayasaka to meet Gojo Satoru.
Hayasaka had been fully prepared for the hell waiting for her. (She is imagining it)
She had even mentally rehearsed how she should behave around him.
But, unexpectedly—Gojo had refused.
At the time, Hayasaka had been completely confused.
And now, half a year later, he was bringing it up again.
"Although…" Hayasaka gave a professional smile, the kind of expression she had perfected through years of serving the Shinomiya family. "If you truly want me to do so, I can consider it."
Her smile remained perfectly composed.
However, inwardly, she was anything but relaxed.
Facing him just after seeing what he can do, even the Shinomiya Consortium had to exercise extreme caution.
If Gojo Satoru genuinely wanted something from her, Hayasaka knew that her own family would have no realistic way to resist.
"But please allow me one day," she continued seriously. "I need to return and inform Miss Kaguya first. After that, I can—"
"Hahahaha!" Gojo suddenly burst out laughing.
"Ah?"
Hayasaka froze.
"You're still as cute as ever, Miss Ai. I was joking. Don't take it so seriously."
"…" Hayasaka stood there in silence.
She had really taken him seriously.
Again.
The corners of her mouth twitched.
So this man had deliberately been teasing her.
Of course, that was the problem.
Who would dare not take seriously what the strongest person in the world said?
Especially when he said it so casually!
Hayasaka maintained her polite expression, but her eyes became revealed helplessness.
"Gojo-sama, please don't make jokes like that next time." She spoke with absolute seriousness, as she placed her hand above her heart, "I will take everything you say seriously."
"Come on, it was just a joke to lighten the atmosphere. Don't be angry."
"I wouldn't dare to be angry."
"Hm." Gojo nodded in satisfaction. "That's right."
"....Yes."
Hayasaka answered weakly.
She really couldn't understand this man.
Gojo Satoru was supposed to be the strongest Onmyoji in the world.
He was powerful enough to make even the Shinomiya family wary of him.
Yet sometimes…He acted like a mischievous child who simply enjoyed teasing people. Not carrying about how helpless they feel.
Especially her.
Hayasaka quietly release a sigh of relief in her heart.
Gojo turned toward the others.
"Come with me. Let's go over there. That way, I can send you back to the real world." He pointed in the direction where Seigen Amawaka was standing.
Hayasaka immediately followed his gesture.
"Thank you. I truly can't thank you enough."
She bowed deeply. Again.
Gojo's expression instantly became troubled but he didn't say anything.
Nearby, Shinnosuke Kunizaki and Atsushi Sukumozuka stood completely silent. Already healed most of their injuries.
Neither of them dared to interrupt.
After witnessing the earlier battle, and after hearing the conversations surrounding Gojo Satoru, they already understood exactly who this white-haired man wearing a blindfold was.
Even Shinnosuke, who was normally much more outspoken, had no intention of saying anything unnecessary.
Atsushi was the same.
The two simply followed behind Gojo.
For the moment, silence was probably the safest choice.
...
On the other side…
"Haa…"
Kinako, who had been unconscious for some time, suddenly moved. Her eyes opened after becoming unconscious after crying.
She looked around with a confused expression before immediately becoming alert.
"Lord Benio!" She jumped upright, moving her small body frantically, "Where did the enemy from before go?! I'll protect you!"
Her sudden declaration came out in her usual comical voice.
Benio, who had been sitting quietly nearby, slowly raised her eyes. A faint smile appeared on her pale face.
"You're awake, Kinako."
Benio reached out and gently stroked the top of Kinako's head.
But Kinako who had with her from childhood quickly noticed something strange.
Something was wrong.
The smile on Lord Benio's face wasn't normal.
Kinako's joyful expression quickly turned into worried one's.
"What's wrong, Lord Benio?"
"Nothing..." Benio shook her head. But her voice trembled.
A few seconds later, tears welled up in her eyes.
The memory from ten minutes earlier remained painfully fresh in her mind.
Her brother—Yuuto Ijika—had appeared before her.
The person she had once regarded as her beloved older brother had revealed an entirely different side of himself.
If Gojo Satoru had arrived even a little later, she didn't know what would have happened to Kinako.
That thought alone made her hands tremble.
Kinako, however, had fallen unconscious too early due to exhaustion.
Suddenly—
Crack.
A small cracking sound came from Benio's headdress.
"...?" Benio placed her hand on her head.
Pa-ta.
Only for a small object to fell onto the ground.
Both of them looked down.
It was one of Benio's pink candy-shaped hair ornaments.
It had split in half.
Kinako immediately looked distressed.
"Lord Benio!" She jumped down from her master's palm and hurried over. "Your headdress is broken!"
She picked it up carefully with her tiny paws.
"Why don't we take it to a repair shop later? Maybe they can fix it!"
Kinako held the broken ornament up and examined it from several angles.
"I'm sure they can repair it!"
Benio stared at the broken hair ornament.
She remained silent.
In the past, she would have carefully picked it up.
She would have worried about whether it could be repaired.
She would have treated the little ornament as something precious.
But now…Her expression gradually hardened.
She reached up.
One by one, she removed the remaining three matching headdresses.
Benio looked down at the broken ornament in Kinako's paws.
"...No." Her voice was quiet. "There's no need."
She placed the remaining ornaments aside.
"That's enough."
That person was no longer her big brother.
"Lord Benio?" Kinako tilted her head.
She couldn't understand.
For all these years, Benio had always taken great care of those headdresses.
Even when bathing or sleeping, she had been careful with them.
So why didn't she care that one had broken?
Could something have happened while Kinako was unconscious?
{Most people had already guessed I think but she — Kinako had already lost what had happened to her and who had done it. She only remember entering the Magano. Don't due why, Benio too is too distress to noticed}
Kinako's little face became increasingly puzzled.
Before she could ask again—
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Several footsteps approached from behind them.
They turned around at the sound — Gojo Satoru had returned.
Behind him were Hayasaka, Shinnosuke Kunizaki, and Atsushi Sukumozuka.
Seigen Amawaka was nearby as well.
Gojo's gaze fell on Benio. She was still kneeling on the ground.
He quietly walked over.
For several seconds, he simply looked at her.
Then he reached down with his left hand.
"Come on." He gently pulled her up.
Benio had been kneeling for so long that her legs were numb. The moment she stood, she lost her balance.
"Ah—"
She stumbled forward.
Gojo caught her before she could fall her head hitting his waist.
Benio froze.
She hadn't expected it.
Her emotions, which she had been desperately suppressing until then, suddenly became difficult to control.
Her shoulders began to tremble.
Gojo didn't say anything for a moment.
Then he lowered himself slightly and gently placed a reassuring hand against her back.
"It's okay, Benio." His voice was calm. "It's okay."
Benio clenched his clothes, as a quiet sob escaped instead.
...
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Word Count — 1,403