Rika simply waved and walked away.
Mizuki turned back toward Renji as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Hurry up," she said. "You've got a lot to do today."
Before Renji could even ask what she meant, Mizuki suddenly grabbed his nightshirt and pulled it over his head.
"Hey—wait!"
She tossed it aside, shoved a vest over him, and jammed a toothbrush straight into his mouth.
"Brush."
Renji blinked in confusion, foam already forming as he mumbled,
"Mmmph?! At least let me wake up first!"
Mizuki crossed her arms and smirked.
"You're already awake."
Renji blinked sleepily.
"I'm still sleepy…"
Without hesitation, Mizuki grabbed his cheeks and slapped them lightly.
Smack!
Renji jolted upright.
"Now?" she asked. "Still sleepy?"
Renji paused, eyes wide.
"…Nope. I'm good."
He continued brushing quietly.
–
"Hurry up!" she shouted again. "You've already taken two hours!"
Renji muttered under his breath while tying his shoes.
"Do you even remember how many times you've told me to hurry up?"
A short while later, Mizuki dragged Renji toward a quiet house near the academy district.
"This is your uncle's place," she said.
Renji blinked.
"Wait… my uncle?"
"Yes. Hotaru Yamamoto. Senior instructor at Eryndralis Academy."
Just before they entered, Renji quietly muttered,
"…I still haven't eaten anything."
Mizuki froze.
"Oh."
She scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"Sorry… I'm a spirit, so I guess I forgot."
Renji sighed.
"You guess?"
Mizuki quickly opened her magical inventory and pulled out a soft bun and a small bottle of water.
"Here. Emergency rations."
Renji grabbed them without hesitation. His stomach had already decided that pride wasn't important.
After finishing the quick meal, they stepped inside.
A man sitting at the table slowly raised his eyes.
The moment he saw Mizuki, his expression hardened.
"Who are you?" he asked sharply. "And what business do you have here?"
Without answering, Mizuki reached into her inventory and pulled out a dagger.
Hotaru's eyes narrowed.
He immediately recognized it.
Haruka Yamamoto's blade.
"So… you're Mizuki," he said slowly.
His gaze shifted toward Renji.
"And this boy…"
"…is my nephew."
Renji looked between them in confusion.
Hotaru folded his arms.
"You haven't told him everything yet?"
Mizuki shook her head.
"Not the part about you."
Hotaru adjusted his glasses and studied Renji carefully.
"Other than the hair color… you're exactly like your father."
Renji remained silent.
Mizuki stepped forward.
"Hotaru, it's your responsibility now. Renji needs training."
Hotaru snorted.
"You can't even use magic properly yet," he said to Renji.
"And your father… was the third strongest human in recorded history."
Renji lowered his head slightly.
The weight of those words pressed heavily on him.
Mizuki crossed her arms impatiently.
"Oof, enough talking. Start his training already."
Hotaru's voice suddenly turned cold.
"Silence."
His eyes glared at Mizuki.
"You are nothing more than the spirit of a dead girl… a soul clinging to existence through a magical stone."
"Know your place."
Renji's eyes sharpened.
"You might be my uncle," he said quietly, "but you can't talk to Mizuki like that."
Before the tension could grow worse, Mizuki raised her hand.
"Enough, Renji."
She turned toward him calmly.
"He's still your father's older brother. Show respect."
Hotaru chuckled.
"Ha. Just like your father… always soft when it comes to girls."
He stood up and grabbed his coat.
"I have academy work to deal with."
But before leaving, he turned back.
"Before you enroll, you'll need basic training."
"Don't take my earlier words too seriously," he added with a sigh. "Work stress."
Mizuki frowned.
"So who's training him? You?"
Hotaru shook his head.
"No."
He pointed at her.
"You are."
"Just teach him the basics. Simple magic and beginner sword techniques. The same lessons we give six-year-olds."
Before Mizuki could protest—
Hotaru vanished.
A moment later he appeared on top of a tall tree outside the house.
He looked down at Renji from a distance.
"…That kid's mana hasn't even been unsealed yet."
Hotaru frowned.
"But the pressure from his aura alone…"
"…feels like it could swallow me whole."
"He might become even more dangerous than Haruka."