Maki Zenin fell silent.
"If you cannot bring yourself to do it, I can create an opportunity for you. I do not mind losing face."
As he spoke, Akira started moving toward Mai Zenin.
"Do not do anything unnecessary." Maki Zenin's voice turned cold.
"But staying like this is not a solution. If you enjoy being on bad terms with your sister, then forget I said anything."
"That is not it. Anyway, do not interfere, or I will not let it go."
She turned and left.
"Sha…" Gardevoir gently tugged at Akira's clothes.
He knew she was worried about Maki Zenin and said softly, "If you want to go, then go. Leave the rest to me."
"Sha~"
Her voice instantly became light, and she drifted after Maki Zenin.
Maki Zenin had never shown her a cold face. Walking shoulder to shoulder, the two of them actually looked like sisters.
Not far away, Mai Zenin bit her lip without realizing it. She glanced at the owner of the Pokemon and noticed he was also looking at her, so her eyes turned and she put on her signature charming smile.
"Oh my, Akira."
"Mai Zenin."
Akira put on a polite smile. From the sharp contrast in her attitude, it was obvious she had other intentions, most likely related to her sister. As for Kyoto Jujutsu High losing face, he did not really care.
"Just call me Mai Zenin. You call Maki Zenin that way too, right? Then can I call you Ari like she does?"
Many people said women were born actors. That might not apply to everyone, but Mai Zenin clearly fit it. With that expectant look and soft charm, most young boys would not stand a chance.
Fortunately, Akira was not most young boys.
"Sure."
Do not misunderstand. He was not thinking with his hormones. Mai Zenin's level was enough to fool inexperienced boys, but coming on this strong only made it feel forced.
He simply wanted to test things himself and figure out her intentions, so he could help mediate between the sisters.
Yes, that was all.
Mai Zenin knew none of this and continued to close the distance.
"Ari, you have not really toured Kyoto Jujutsu High yet, have you? I can show you around."
"Then I will trouble Mai Zenin… Mai Zenin. Yesterday was full of strategy meetings, so I really had no time."
His smile deepened. When he deliberately corrected himself, the slightly reproachful look in her eyes did have a certain charm.
Given time, maybe she could even become a refined example among Jujutsu Sorcerer.
"That is more like it. Follow me."
Mai Zenin turned around, a hint of satisfaction flashing across her lips before she hid it again. She walked ahead in small heels, showing off her figure as she moved.
Whether on purpose or not, she chose the same direction her sister had gone.
Akira pretended not to notice and let her lead.
First, she was easy on the eyes. Second, everything she showed would never appear on Maki Zenin, yet their faces were almost identical, which made the experience oddly novel.
"Ari, are you very close with my sister?"
"Pretty close. Maki Zenin is a reliable partner. She takes responsibility seriously, and when she speaks she is… very direct."
That pause gave Mai Zenin an opening.
"Direct… yes, she has always been direct, so direct that she ignores how others feel. I am not badmouthing her behind her back, but even I, her own sister, get hurt by what she says sometimes."
She retreated just enough without closing the door completely.
"That can happen. But sometimes honesty is also a strength. Speaking clearly is not always bad, and keeping everything inside can easily cause misunderstandings. Are you two on bad terms? You are not misunderstanding your sister, are you?"
Mai Zenin unconsciously bit her thumb, a shadow passing through her eyes while her smile stayed in place.
"W-we used to be close. But Maki Zenin likes to compete now. She wants to fight for everything. I advised her, but she would not listen. In the end, we had a huge fight, and after that she treated me like that. Then she ran away from home and went to Tokyo. Ari, do you think I did something wrong?"
Her eyes filled with grievance, enough to make anyone feel sympathy.
If he had not watched Jujutsu Kaisen carefully, especially that scene with women fighting, he might have believed it.
"She has her ideas, and you have yours. As long as it does not break the law or basic morals, it cannot be called wrong. Say what needs to be said, do your duty as a younger sister, and you can be clear in your own heart."
The emphasis made Mai Zenin's gaze flicker, though she quickly steadied herself.
"I want to talk it out too, but my sister is so competitive. If I cannot beat her, I am afraid she will not listen to anything I say."
Akira sneered inwardly. Strength worked well with Maki Zenin, but that did not mean she only listened to strength and ignored reason.
If that were true, could his own mother, a Grade Three sorcerer, have taught her anything?
"Ari, would you be willing to help me? It is also for Maki Zenin's sake."
This was something Maki Zenin should hear, such polished words compared to her own blunt style.
But there was a fatal flaw. To this day, the younger sister still refused to call Maki Zenin "sister." Claiming it was for her sake fooled no one.
"Of course I am willing." His thoughts did not show on his face as Akira nodded calmly, then added with a half-smile, "But you know our principles as Jujutsu Sorcerer. We do not help for free, right?"
"What do you want? As long as I can do it, just say it." A trace of disdain flashed in Mai Zenin's eyes. She had thought he was someone special, but in the end he was just another ordinary man.
In the next second, that disdain turned into fear.
The smile never left Akira's face, but his eyes changed, sharp and invasive as they slowly swept over Mai Zenin from head to toe and back again, making her skin prickle.
"You can do it. I want you."
It has not even felt like a normal day before it became publish time again. Counting the other pen name, this is my seventh book and my seventh release, so I am now really an old hand. I wrote a little too long at first and the mood became heavy, so I will skip the less necessary parts and only share the two things I must say.
The first is that a passage at the end of the previous chapter may have been removed by System or the editor, and I have now restored it. If you missed it, you can go back and read that section again; if not, you can simply continue from this chapter.
The second is that this is an update note, so readers who are not interested in my editorial chatter can jump straight to the rules at the end. If your interest fades halfway through, you can also move directly to the end; that is the advantage of posting these notes frequently.
The countdown was five, four, Satoru Gojo, and now that everyone who stayed is ready to hear the preface, let us begin.