"...Is it...because of Raku?" Though phrased as a question, the tone was affirmative.
"Hmm..." The reply was heavy, clearly conveying helplessness about this conclusion.
For the current head of the Ryougi family, he had treated Ryougi Raku as his own son over the past few years. But since it concerned the foundation of the Ryougi family, this affection had to be suppressed.
As a father, how could he not see what his son was thinking? He was very fond of his grandson Raku, but sometimes fate was simply beyond one's control.
"Sigh, when I first met Raku, I sensed his origins were 'unusual,' and that he hadn't inherited the Ryougi family's talents. I could tell then that Raku was very important to Shiki, but..." Sighing, the old man paused before continuing lightly, "Perhaps it's a bit too early."
"...Yes." He nodded. "Maybe it is a bit too early."
After a moment's thought, he glanced at his father and said softly, "How about... waiting two more years? Perhaps things will change."
The old man looked at his son, now over thirty, and knew he loved his child. He didn't want Raku to go out and live independently so early. Besides, Shiki was still young and could wait two years.
Seeing his father's tacit agreement, knowing he had consented, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. In this matter, even though the person before him was his father and it concerned his own child, they still had to consider the family. This was an unavoidable reality for a large family.
With the matter settled, he prepared to take his leave.
"Wait..." Seeing his son about to leave, the old man quickly stopped him.
"Give this to Raku... Such a young child actually loves drinking tea, it's really..." He shook his head with a light laugh, taking out some tea leaves—all premium varieties rarely found on the market.
As if recalling his son's hobby, the always stern family head smiled helplessly, accepted the tea leaves, and walked out.
"Hopefully... in two years, things will change."
"Otherwise..." A faint sigh escaped, and the room fell silent once more.
…
Ryougi Raku was unaware that somewhere in the estate, people were discussing matters crucial to his future.
After finishing the morning lessons and having lunch, they could rest in the afternoon. Then they would learn some basic skills useful for society, such as literacy...
Of course, as a young lady, Shiki also had to learn flower arrangement and tea ceremony. Knowing her brother loved tea, Shiki greatly enjoyed the tea ceremony. As for the other things... perhaps Shiki learned them well, but from his memories, Ryougi Raku didn't recall the future Shiki behaving like a reclusive young lady...
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Time flies, and two years pass in the blink of an eye.
Ryougi Raku wore a simple plain kimono with an outer coat to ward off the cold, which looked somewhat out of place.
He slowly walked out of the Ryougi family mansion. Now ten years old, Ryougi Raku had rarely left the estate except for some important festivals.
But since two years ago, his father and mother had often accompanied him when he went out, as if to help him adapt to society faster. When his parents were unavailable, the butler would accompany him.
Before entering junior high school, he received what could be called an elite education at the Ryougi home. Once he reached the appropriate age, he would attend school and interact with society like most children.
Outside the Ryougi mansion lay a vast bamboo forest. This extensive bamboo grove was also the private property of the Ryougi family and fell within their domain.
He walked quietly along the gravel path through the bamboo forest. The air, despite the era, was still relatively unpolluted. Stars dotted the sky, and the occasional chirp of insects could be heard. The cool night breeze brought Ryougi Raku a sense of security.
"...Shiki, don't hide anymore. Come out." Ryougi Raku slowly stopped walking, turned around, and spoke gently to a dark corner behind him.
...There was no response, but the boy was neither anxious nor impatient, simply watching calmly.
Finally, a figure slowly emerged from the corner, but it was different from what the boy had expected. Although it was Ryougi Shiki, her expression was very casual. She gave off a less delicate, more heroic and masculine impression than a girl typically would.
"...It's Satsujin. How did you know I was here?"
Although the body before him was the familiar one of the past few years, the dominant personality was Ryougi Shiki's masculine persona, Ryougi Satsujin.
Achieving perfection by implanting another personality was the foundation of the Ryougi family. However, implanting another personality was dangerous, and the resulting split personality could drive one insane. Ryougi Kagetomo lacked the talent to implant a different personality and was thus cast aside. Shiki, on the other hand, possessed unparalleled talent.
Every generation of the family head was like this, and their father was no exception. Of course, in the past few years, Ryougi Raku had never seen his father's other, female personality. The thought of a grown man acting in a feminine manner was enough to make one shudder. Most of the time, they operated primarily from their birth personality, while the opposing personality remained hidden deep within. However, both were aware of each other, and it was possible for them to switch control of the body.
"Kyuuryuu told me," Satsujin casually revealed the source of the information.
"Tch, so nosy." But there was no real dissatisfaction in his tone.
...Silence.
Ryougi Satsujin stood quietly, saying nothing. The young boy did the same, as if waiting for the other to speak first.
Perhaps due to his age, Satsujin soon couldn't stand the atmosphere anymore.
"Leaving?"
"Mm."
He nodded. There was nothing to hide. They would find out soon anyway.
"...Is it... because of me?" Though he had a male personality—that is, he was a boy—he was still young after all. Facing such a situation, he thought it was his own fault, and his voice grew soft.
Seeing Ryougi Satsujin lower his head as if he had done something wrong, Ryougi Raku couldn't help but laugh.
The Ryougi family couldn't be abandoned, and neither Shiki nor Satsujin was at fault. Having been raised by the Ryougi family and long since considering it his home, he felt he had nothing to repay them with. Was he really going to let the Ryougi family suffer because of him?
Even if the Ryougi family truly didn't mind, Ryougi Raku himself wouldn't accept it. Due to their contact with him, the fusion of Shiki and Satsujin's personalities was always unbalanced. It wasn't a problem now, but if it continued long-term, it was highly likely that his sister would go mad because of it.
Even though he had spent time in the Root, he had been an ordinary person in his previous life. Though he had fantasized about time travel and becoming powerful, when it actually happened, finding himself in a strange world without family or friends, the loneliness would probably kill him before anything else.
But thanks to the Ryougi family, he was able to fully integrate into this world. He had a grandfather who, though rarely seen, treated him very well and often shared good tea with him. He had parents who treated him as their own, a gentle older brother, and most importantly, a sister he adored.
He had long considered them his closest family. Of course, his sister's safety was his top priority. Furthermore, deep down, he held certain peculiar feelings for his sister, Shiki.
"Leaving like this is fine. If we continue living together as brother and sister, over time, it's very likely that only sibling feelings will remain." Ryougi Raku had deeper considerations as well...
Chuckling, Ryougi Raku walked over to Satsujin and gently patted his head.
"As a boy, why are you making such a shy expression? Besides... this isn't your fault at all!"
Smack His hand was swatted away from his head. Ryougi Satsujin glared at him and said casually, "Who's being shy! And how many times have I told you, don't touch my head!"
Ryougi Satsujin truly hated it when Raku touched his head, but this was completely different from Shiki. Shiki would be very happy...
Seeing Satsujin's reaction, Ryougi Raku finally felt less depressed. The way Ryougi Satsujin tilted his neck was extremely cute. Ryougi Raku laughed and vigorously ruffled his head with his hand, but quickly withdrew it before Satsujin could react in anger.
Seeing Satsujin's expression of anger and helplessness at his actions, Ryougi Raku really wanted to say:
My 'little brother' is so cute!
…
The spring night was still very cold. A cool breeze blew, causing Satsujin, who was only wearing a simple kimono, to shiver instinctively.
Just as he hunched his shoulders, a warm coat was placed over him. The scent told him it belonged to his brother.