Afterward, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi and Kurahashi Genji resumed their conversation in the Tsuchimikado family residence.
Tsuchimikado Takahiro and Tsuchimikado Chizuru did not follow them but left together with Rozen.
Kurahashi Kyouko seemed to be allowed to move freely as well, no longer staying with Kurahashi Genji.
It was said that the Kurahashi father-daughter pair, would only stay until evening and then return to Tokyo.
Tokyo was the headquarters of the Onmyou Agency and also the base for many prestigious Onmyouji clans, including the Kurahashi clan.
However, Tokyo was also plagued by spiritual disasters, often experiencing various supernatural occurrences, which restricted the activities of Onmyouji to that region.
Thanks to this, Tokyo had practically become the birthplace of Onmyouji, gathering numerous practitioners in this chaotic place, which garnered a lot of attention compared to these deserted rural areas.
Kurahashi Genji and Kurahashi Kyouko would leave in the evening and return to Tokyo.
After they left, Tsuchimikado Takahiro and Tsuchimikado Chizuru would also depart, of course, taking Natsume and Harutora with them.
Rozen took the opportunity to inform them about Natsume's illness, which caused Tsuchimikado Chizuru's face to turn extremely pale.
She exclaimed, "Why didn't you say so earlier?" and then rushed away, seemingly to see Natsume.
On the other hand, Tsuchimikado Takahiro just stood there, wearing a wry smile.
"She's already a mother of two children, and yet she's always in such a hurry."
Tsuchimikado Takahiro muttered this way but didn't show any signs of displeasure on his face. Instead, he smiled faintly.
"Uncle, aren't you going to check on Natsume?" Rozen reminded him.
"I'll go see her later," Tsuchimikado Takahiro shook his head. "It's just a bit of turbulence in her spiritual energy. Chizuru should be able to correct it with healing talismans. I'll check on Natsume later tonight."
Upon hearing this, Rozen remembered this aspect of the situation. Healing talismans referred to paper charms inscribed with healing spells. When used by the patient, they could quickly mend external injuries and recover their health.
Experienced Onmyouji could modify the spell slightly to allow healing talismans to also correct, repair, and enhance spiritual energy, so Tsuchimikado Takahiro, being an Onmyou Doctor, should have this capability.
In that case, even if Chizuru didn't possess this particular skill, she could still use readily available healing talismans.
"If I knew, I would have just asked a Shikigami to bring some from Uncle and Aunt's house," Rozen said with some regret.
"Shikigami?"
Tsuchimikado Takahiro stroked his chin, looking at Rozen with a hint of curiosity.
"Come to think of it, you didn't seem to use any Shikigami in the jujutsu combat, did you?"
Tsuchimikado Takahiro had finally noticed this point.
Upon careful consideration, Rozen had indeed only used talisman during the recent magical battle and hadn't employed any Shikigami or other abilities.
In other words, Rozen had deliberately held back.
During the Jujutsu combat with Kurahashi Genji, Rozen had indeed lost.
However, he felt satisfied.
Because Rozen had at least learned the strength of the "Twelve Divine Generals."
After all, the top-tier Onmyouji in this world, including the "Twelve Divine Generals," stood at its pinnacle.
Kurahashi Genji, as the leader of the Twelve Divine Generals, might not be the strongest among them, but he was certainly not the weakest. Learning about this world's pinnacle of power, Rozen had no reason to be dissatisfied.
At least, Rozen could use this knowledge as a basis for deciding whether to act cautiously or boldly in this world in the future.
For this reason, Rozen wanted to engage in a jujutsu combat with Kurahashi Genji to witness the strength of a national-level Onmyouji.
As for losing the combat, Rozen didn't mind at all.
After all, in that battle, he had not even used ten percent of his true abilities.
He hadn't employed his ace skill, "Summoning," nor had he used his well-practiced Shikigami abilities.
He hadn't even utilized the Eight Tiers of a Magus, and furthermore, his magical circuits weren't fully opened. He had only used basic spells he had learned long ago. Considering he had shown only this level of power, there was nothing to regret.
If others knew that Rozen had displayed only this level of power in the recent jujutsu combat, which had astounded the leader of the Twelve Divine Generals and the prestigious Tsuchimikado clan, they would surely be amazed.
Leaving aside everything else, just the fact that basic spells he had learned long ago could display such formidable strength without further practice was incredible.
Of course, Tsuchimikado Takahiro couldn't possibly know that Rozen had abilities like "Summoning Magic" and "Puppetry Arts" at his disposal.
He was also unaware of Rozen's Eight Tiers of a Magus skill and the fact that Rozen's magical circuits weren't fully opened.
However, he did at least know that Rozen had not used Shikigami.
"Even if it's a simple Shikigami, using them in battle is common for Onmyouji. With your level of ability, you should at least be able to create basic Shikigami, right?"
Tsuchimikado Takahiro questioned Rozen.
He noted that Shikigami were an important part of an Onmyouji's strength. Using a Shikigami to aid in battle could significantly enhance one's power. If the Shikigami was formidable enough, even surpassing its master, it could lead to an explosive increase in the Onmyouji's combat capabilities.
Rozen had not summoned any Shikigami during the battle, which puzzled Tsuchimikado Takahiro.
However, Rozen responded straightforwardly,
"Would it be useful? Even if I could use simple Shikigami, I wouldn't stand a chance against the head of the Kurahashi family, who is also the leader of the Twelve Divine Generals. He'll likely have powerful Shikigami, right?"
Rozen knew that even if he summoned basic Shikigami, he wouldn't win against the likes of the Kurahashi family's head.
Tsuchimikado Takahiro seemed to consider something and mumbled to himself,
"Maybe it's time to give you that, but is it too early?"
Rozen was taken aback by this statement. "Give me what?"
But Tsuchimikado Takahiro didn't provide an answer.
He shrugged and said, "Never mind. I'll go check on Natsume now. You take care of yourself, okay?"
Rozen was left puzzled but nodded in acknowledgment. "Sure, I'll be careful."
As Tsuchimikado Takahiro departed, Rozen turned to head back to the training grounds, ready to resume his practice.
However, his attention was suddenly drawn to a figure in the courtyard.
He furrowed his brows and said, "It's her?"
"Splash!"
Accompanied by the sound of clear water, a stone was thrown into the pond, creating ripples.
In the courtyard of the Tsuchimikado residence, Kurahashi Kyouko stood there, tossing stones into the pond as if venting her frustration and disappointment.
At this moment, Kurahashi Kyouko's little face lacked the arrogance she had displayed earlier.
There was no sense of superiority, only a deep sense of vexation.
Wearing this expression, she mumbled while throwing stones into the water.
"What's up with him..."
"Acting all high and mighty..."
"Who does he think he is?"
"I just can't stand it..."
Words like these kept flowing from Kurahashi Kyouko's lips, indicating just how upset she was feeling.
The person responsible for Kurahashi Kyouko's sour mood was none other than Rozen.
"Sigh..."
Thinking back to the recent jujutsu combat, Kurahashi Kyouko finally stopped her murmurs and let out a sigh of frustration.
As the only daughter of the Kurahashi family, Kurahashi Kyouko was undoubtedly the heiress of a prestigious lineage, and she was considered the heiress among heiresses. One could even liken her to a princess.
In fact, due to her lineage, Kurahashi Kyouko had always been treated like a princess by those around her.
The family's servants would indulge her every whim, and other children from different families would orbit around her like stars.
All of this, although it didn't make Kurahashi Kyouko develop a spoiled or arrogant personality, did make her strong-willed.
She naturally accepted her elevated status and never questioned her nobility.
However, as Kurahashi Kyouko grew older, she gradually became aware of something. Her proud family, despite being an esteemed lineage and the top family in the world of jujutsu, was, in fact, a branch family of another.
That family was the Tsuchimikado clan.
Within the main Tsuchimikado family, there was a boy her age.
Kurahashi Kyouko slowly began to learn of this situation. Although her grandmother and father hadn't shown it, she could tell from the attitudes of other relatives that the Tsuchimikado family had fallen out of favor.
They were considered a declining, marginalized main family, and the members of her own family often resorted to underhanded tactics, taking every opportunity to ridicule and insult the Tsuchimikado clan.
However, based on the reactions of her family members, Kurahashi Kyouko unconsciously understood something.
It was only when they acknowledged the Tsuchimikado family as inferior that these senseless insults would surface.
People within her family resorted to belittling the Tsuchimikado family to accentuate their own power.
It was an expression of their fear of the Tsuchimikado family. After all, no matter how much they had fallen, the Tsuchimikado family was the main family of the Kurahashi clan, and this fact couldn't be denied.
Naturally, even someone treated like a princess in her family would be considered inferior in front of the child from the main family.
This made Kurahashi Kyouko harbor feelings of unease towards the Tsuchimikado family. She felt a sense of discontent but couldn't do anything about it, considering the imposing and distant nature of this family.
Therefore, when Kurahashi Genji suggested that they visit the main branch of the family to meet the relatives, Kurahashi Kyouko had an instinctive urge to refuse.
However, her constant need to appear strong in front of others prevented her from showing weakness in front of strangers.
Consequently, Kurahashi Kyouko had no choice but to grit her teeth and go along with it.
In other words, Kurahashi Kyouko wasn't actually arrogant; she simply put up a front of strength and refused to appear weak in front of the younger generation from the main branch.
This was why, in Rozen's presence, she displayed an attitude of superiority and even openly provoked him.
However, at this moment, Kurahashi Kyouko had completely lost the courage to challenge Rozen. Recalling the fantastic jujutsu combat they had just experienced, she was repeatedly amazed.
Although she didn't have a clear understanding of her father's strength, she knew he was at the pinnacle of this country, with only a few individuals who could be compared to him. She had always taken great pride in him.
In this context, Kurahashi Kyouko had never considered the possibility of engaging in a jujutsu combat with her father; it was merely a vague goal for the future.
She aspired to become a powerful onmyouji like her father one day, but that was something for the distant future.
Currently, she couldn't even imagine herself having an equal match against her father.
However, this boy had accomplished just that.
He was the same age as her, but he could already use jujutsu, freely manipulate the five elements of spiritual energy, and create various forms.
Even though he was just a child, he could compete with her father on an equal footing until finally admitting defeat.
The sight of jujutsu symbols floating in the air, the immense jutsuryoku sweeping through the space, and the various forms related to metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and more dancing wildly within the training ground had deeply imprinted itself into Kurahashi Kyouko's young mind.
Just the thought that one of the participants in creating such a scene was her proud father, while the other was a child from the Tsuchimikado family, whom she regarded as an "enemy," made Kurahashi Kyouko feel extremely unwilling.
"What's so impressive about it?"
Kurahashi Kyouko exclaimed as she forcefully tossed the stone in her hand.
"I will learn powerful jujutsu in the future, and then I'll be able to defeat him thoroughly."
Kurahashi Kyouko grumbled with determination.
However, on the other hand, her rational side reminded Kurahashi Kyouko that when she learned jujutsu, Rozen would become even more powerful. By then, would her father even be a match for him?
"No... that's not going to happen!"
Kurahashi Kyouko exclaimed, trying to reassure herself.
Unbeknownst to her, there was someone already behind her.
And then...
"What do you mean it won't happen?" A sudden voice sounded coldly behind Kurahashi Kyouko.
"Yah!"
Kurahashi Kyouko was immediately startled and let out a scream. She had a very cute reaction, quite surprising.
However, this cute reaction couldn't change anything because in front of Kurahashi Kyouko was a pond.
Startled by the scream, she lost her balance and fell face-first into the water.
"Splash!"
Accompanied by a splash of water, Kurahashi Kyouko fell into the water, creating ripples.
"Help... help me!" Kurahashi Kyouko, who had fallen into the water, panicked and struggled desperately while crying out.
It seemed like she couldn't swim.
However, faced with this life-threatening situation, the one who caused it all had a rather speechless expression and spoke.
"Why are you asking for help? The water in the pond doesn't even reach your chest. Could you really drown in this?"
Hearing these somewhat sarcastic words, Kurahashi Kyouko suddenly realized that her feet were firmly planted on the bottom of the pond, and the water level just reached her chest.
She had actually been screaming for help in this situation?
As she thought about it, Kurahashi Kyouko's face turned bright red due to embarrassment, and she wished she could just sink to the bottom of the water.
When Kurahashi Kyouko finally lifted her head and looked towards the edge of the pond, the sight of the person who had been responsible for her predicament left her momentarily stunned, and then she became furious.
"It's you!!!" She exclaimed in utter frustration.
Listening to Kurahashi Kyouko's infuriated tone, Rozen responded with an innocent smile.
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