Suddenly, Nujah exclaimed, "Wait— Isn't that our Mother behind you?"
Everyone instinctively turned around—just as Nujah threw a smoke bomb made of glowing yellow light to the ground.
Vercurius and Mitra lunged, trying to catch him, but it was too late.
Nujah and Mevrias vanished without a trace.
Mitra shouted, both furious and excited:
> "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE US, DAD!"
---
A portal opened and Nujah and Mevrias tumbled out—landing right on top of the library's dome.
Startled, Muzan and someone else let out a scream and collapsed to the floor.
As Muzan got back up, dazed and disoriented, he started yelling:
> "Ren! Damn it, Ren! Is this your idea of a joke—again?!"
Just then, Nujah and Ren made eye contact.
Without breaking composure, Muzan adjusted his glasses and said with a tired, concerned expression:
> "Mother said the recovery would take a while… So why are you here again, little troublemaker?"
Nujah glanced down, a bit embarrassed:
> "I didn't mean to land here. Bad aim."
Muzan grunted.
> "Good thing Rem's not around. She'd never let you live this down."
Mevrias added:
> "But he is immortal, isn't he?"
Nujah pulled Mevrias closer, annoyed:
> "That was the joke."
Then he grinned.
> "Anyway, bro—today you're wheeling me around in that Pox-crafted throne of yours. I won't move a single muscle. You owe me.
Also, my lobster better be ready."
Mevrias rolled his eyes:
> "But we're not allowed to eat lobster here, right?"
Muzan turned to Mevrias and smirked:
> "Basically, he wants to make me his slave. Little Mevrias, that's what he meant."
Then he looked at Nujah and added:
> "Fine. I'll gladly do it. But where are the rest of our siblings? Why aren't they doing this?"
Nujah just smiled mischievously:
> "Simple. I want you, handsome."
Muzan sighed, defeated:
> "Alright, Nujah. I accept. Sit down."
As Nujah slowly settled in, he chuckled awkwardly:
> "By the way… I wasn't lying. The surgery really messed me up—physically and mentally. I can barely move."
Muzan's expression shifted to concern.
> "I didn't know about the side effects. I'm sorry."
He immediately helped lift Nujah.
Nujah teased him in a feminine voice:
> "My prince~"
Muzan paused for a moment, visibly restraining himself from unleashing every curse of darkness he knew.
Instead, he gently placed Nujah in the chair.
A moment passed.
Nujah perked up:
> "Okay! Let's go check in on the first boss, see what he's up to!"
Without warning, Muzan began muttering an incantation—his mouth spilling out ancient and unintelligible arcane words:
> "~∆σλϞ≈ζ∂⋆⊕…"
Suddenly, magical chains wrapped around the chair, binding Nujah completely.
He struggled, but no matter how much force he used, all he felt was a sharp headache and pain through his limbs.
Muzan warned him calmly:
> "Don't bother resisting. Maria's melted most of it down. And fighting back only strengthens Serekhka's darkness."
Then, after a short silence, Muzan chuckled lightly.
Footsteps echoed. Someone was approaching.
Nujah looked around—but Mevrias was gone.
Muzan turned and smirked:
> "He sold you out. Said he couldn't disobey Maria's command. Apologized, too."
Nujah started to panic:
> "Please—get me out of this! I'm sorry! BRO, LET ME OUT!"
He flared his power, releasing another pulse of dark magic—but the chains remained.
Muzan tilted his head, curious:
> "Why are you apologizing? I'm doing this for you."
---
Just then, Nujah's escape planning was interrupted by sudden pressure against his shoulders.
A firm yet oddly practiced touch made his muscles tense—he couldn't help but let out a pained grunt:
> "Ah—"
A familiar teasing voice whispered behind him:
> "Missed me, Daddy~?"
> It was actually Mabaka. Smiling wickedly, she gently ran her fingers down his back, her tone laced with mock affection.
> "You didn't need to go through all this trouble to get tied up.
Honestly. We love you already."
Nujah tried to roll his eyes, but even that was restricted.
Mabaka leaned in, whispering:
> "This version of you?
The quiet Nujah? I love it.
Ultra rare. Collector's edition."
Then from the shadows, a second figure emerged—silent but full of unmistakable fury.
Mitra's voice sliced through the air:
> "MABAKA! Step away from him!"
She stormed forward like lightning. Her eyes were cold as ice:
> "You're too close. Don't touch him."
Mabaka glanced at her with mock pity:
> "Oh, honey… are you jealous?"
> "Relax, little thundercloud. I was just loosening his shoulders.
Ever heard of therapy?"
Mitra froze—her fists clenched—but after glancing at Nujah's face, she held her anger.
He was safe. But she remained tense.
Nujah managed a small smile through the chains:
> "At this point… calling for help or trying to run doesn't seem to change anything."
Mabaka leaned in, teasing again:
> "Be honest—when was the last time you had this much attention?"
Just then, a third silhouette joined them quietly.
Vercurius stepped forward, staring directly at Nujah before turning to Muzan:
> "How deep does the binding magic go?"
His voice was calm, but tight with tension.
Muzan answered plainly:
> "Deep enough. It suppresses both movement and will."
Vercurius narrowed his gaze:
> "Was this really necessary?"
Muzan shrugged:
> "If you want to deal with him, I'll undo it.
But next time he escapes—you're the one catching him."
Mitra sighed, voice softer but disappointed:
> "If he's caught, let's stop dragging this out and go."
The room grew quiet.
Mabaka huffed and placed her hands on her hips:
> "If this is what family therapy looks like…
can someone untie the kid already?
We have events to plan."
Vercurius shook his head:
> "No. He stays like this until we leave. This is his punishment."
Suddenly, Mitra—swift as ever—grabbed the chair before Mabaka could react.
> "Hey! I wanted to push my little brother!" Mabaka protested.
Nujah tried to yell something from behind the magic seal, but the spell muffled his voice completely.
At that moment, Muzan tilted his head.
A whisper only he could hear filled his ears.
He closed his eyes, nodded once, and turned to Nujah.
His tone was soft, but final:
> "I've got one good news, and one bad."
> "Bad news: We won't be with you today."
> "Good news: When you're fully recovered… you'll have to face all of us. No Serekhka tricks this time."
Nujah lowered his head. He didn't show it, but he was hurt.
Quietly, with a strained expression:
> "Okay."
At that very moment, the curse vanished.
The magical chains loosened and fell away.
Vercurius explained:
> "The spell was tied to Muzan's decision.
Once he agreed—it released."
Muzan didn't look away:
> "Sorry, little brother.
We won't be there today.
You'll be with them."
As Mitra began wheeling the chair forward, she gave Nujah a wink:
> "Hop in, Dad. This is gonna be a royal ride. Buckle up."
Nujah squinted and sighed:
> "And who ever said freedom was free…"
---