I woke up to see a familiar wooden ceiling.
For a few seconds, I just stared at it, trying to remember where I was. The smell of medicine and old wood filled the room. The faint rustle of paper doors shifting with the wind reached my ears.
Then the pain hit. It came from my ribs first, then spread through my stomach like someone had shoved a hot iron through my torso.
"—Tch."
I raised my upper body anyway, ignoring the stabbing protest from the bandages wrapped tightly around my chest. Looking down confirmed it. My torso was wrapped thoroughly, thick white cloth covering most of my ribs and stomach.
"That fight really did a number on me, huh?" My voice sounded dry. Just then the sliding door quietly opened.
A servant stepped in, carrying a wooden bowl filled with warm water and a stack of folded cloths, probably to wipe me off. The moment she noticed I was sitting up, her eyes widened slightly.
"Young master… you're awake."
"Clearly."
She quickly set the bowl down on the nearby table. "I will quickly call the family head."
Why?
Before I could respond, she hurried out of the room, sliding the door shut behind her.
I sighed and leaned back slightly against the wall.
My body still felt like it had been crushed by a truck. The aftermath of the fight.
My muscles were sore in a way that normal training never caused. Every tiny movement sent needles of pain through my limbs. It felt like my body had been pushed far past what it was naturally capable of.
Worth it though. Got to fight a curse after all.
A few minutes later, footsteps approached from behind the door.
The door slid open again and Naobito Zenin, father of this body, walked in.
The clan head looked the same as always—tall posture, sharp eyes, and that faint smell of alcohol lingering around him like a permanent companion. I do hope his liver is strong with this much excessive drinking.
He didn't sit immediately. Instead, he stood there, looking down at me with a long, evaluating gaze.
Finally, he spoke.
"What you defeated was a Grade 1 curse."
His voice was calm, but it carried a sharp tone. Like how higher-ups of a company talk to their staff.
"Not something anybody could defeat...." He paused. "...Much less a brat like you."
I responded by snoring.
Naobito's eyebrow twitched.
"Don't pretend to sleep."
Another snore.
Silence stretched in the room before he exhaled and pulled a small stool over, sitting down across from me.
"How did you do it?"
I opened one eye.
"Hm?"
"The curse." He leaned forward slightly. "You fought it alone. Witnesses say you were nearly killed several times. And yet you won."
I scratched the side of my cheek lazily. "I used a blinding vow."
The moment the words left my mouth—
SMACK.
My head snapped to the side. The slap echoed through the room. For a moment the air went completely still.
Slowly, I turned my head back to look at Naoya with my one eyebrows rised.
Naobito's hand was still raised from the strike, his expression was dark.
"You invoked a Blinding Vow," he said coldly, "to protect some unworthy mutts."
I simply nodded.
Like the slap hadn't even happened. That seemed to irritate him even more. I do have a tendency to irritate anyone with my ignoring skill.
He stood up abruptly.
"This Blinding Vow will follow you until you die," he continued sharply. "Do you understand what you've done?"
Not really, I believe there is temporary blinding vow also but I don't point it out because of the heat in the room.
His voice rose slightly.
"If you break it, the backlash will permanently damage your body."
His eyes locked onto mine.
"Why would you do something like this?You ungrateful brat."
I shrugged slightly, which immediately made my ribs scream in pain.
"If I didn't do it," I said calmly, "both Maki and Mai would be dead by now."
"... " Naobito stared at me for several seconds in silence then he clicked his tongue.
"A small price to pay." His voice was completely matter-of-fact. "You are the next heir of the Zenin clan."
He crossed his arms behind his back as he paced slowly across the room.
"With this achievement, nobody can shake that position of yours."
Defeating a Grade 1 curse alone.
Even among the Zenin, that was an accomplishment that couldn't be ignored.
"Maki and Mai," he continued dismissively, "are nothing but a burden to you." His eyes flicked toward me again. "They will only slow you down."
I looked at him quietly then slowly shook my head.
"Not a burden." He frowned slightly at my following words. "They're my peace."
The words hung in the air. For a moment, Naobito didn't respond. He just stared at me like he was trying to figure out whether I was joking or serious.
Eventually he sighed and rubbed his temple.
"You truly are a strange brat."
He turned and started walking toward the door. Just before sliding it open, he stopped. Without looking back, he said:
"…Your physical ability has increased after the battle." He glanced over his shoulder slightly. "The servants noticed when they were moving you. Your body is stronger than before."
The Blinding Vow's reward.
If I won despite the restriction, my baseline physical ability would permanently increase. Very perspective of him.
~~~
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Posted some extra 30 chapter in patron, if you are interested check it out, link is the synopsis.