Chapter 11: Master Above—Please Accept Your Disciple's Bow!
"N-no, it's fine… I can do that. I'm really good at it."
Tsumiki spoke up quickly, a little flustered.
The sudden change left her unable to react for a moment.
For some reason, her stepdad had suddenly come home, and now she and Megumi had gained an uncle.
And judging by the way things looked, that stepdad seemed pretty afraid of this uncle.
"No need, my niece. Just sit and wait to eat. From now on, cooking is all his job."
Hearing Tsumiki say she was good at cooking only made Zenin Jinsuke more dissatisfied with Toji.
Look at her—so young, yet she had to go to school, take care of her little brother, wash clothes, cook—she could do everything.
Meanwhile, this "father" spent all day wandering around outside and gambling.
"Don't judge your dad like that. He's actually very good at cooking."
He'd been forced into it when he was a kid—specifically to prevent situations like this.
"Okay."
Tsumiki gradually accepted it.
If Megumi's father stayed, Megumi would probably feel less lonely.
Tsumiki had no objection to Toji staying. It would be good for Megumi to feel some fatherly love.
Meanwhile, Megumi seemed completely indifferent. After all, he wasn't close to Toji as a father in the first place.
As long as Tsumiki didn't object, he didn't have an opinion either.
"Um… Uncle, I want to ask… did my mother not come back with you?"
Tsumiki suddenly asked.
She wanted to know where her mother was now—whether she was still alive.
"This…"
Zenin Jinsuke froze, not knowing how to answer.
He had already asked Toji this on the way over.
Toji's answer was that he didn't know where Tsumiki's mother was either.
Back then, he married into the Fushiguro family only because they were pretty well-off.
She was divorced with kids and wanted to find someone to keep the children company. Seeing that Toji was decent and fit her goal, she chose to marry him.
After the marriage, the kids had company, but for reasons unknown they went their separate ways, each doing their own thing, rarely staying in contact.
The marriage looked a bit transactional.
"We don't know where she is either. Maybe she has something important to do. She might come back after some time."
Zenin Jinsuke could only comfort her like that.
On the topic of raising kids, Tsumiki's mother and Toji were unexpectedly well-matched. No wonder they ended up together.
Later he'd make Toji go look for her. A child having no mother was a serious matter.
"I see."
Tsumiki gave a faint smile, not looking too bothered.
After that, Zenin Jinsuke chatted with Tsumiki and Megumi. Kids were easier to smooth over—before long, they accepted this uncle's existence.
Starting today, they were kids who had adults to attend parent-teacher meetings.
Before long, Toji finished cooking. His passable cooking skills eased a lot of the unfamiliarity between him and Megumi, and the purpose of this visit was at least barely achieved.
There was still plenty of time. Their relationship would get better and better, and they would become more and more like a family.
After eating and staying a while, Zenin Jinsuke left. Toji returned to his old place to pack and officially move in with Tsumiki and Megumi.
Under pressure from his brother, he didn't dare refuse.
By the time Zenin Jinsuke returned to the Zenin Clan grounds, the sky had already darkened.
When he opened the courtyard gate, he found two little brats sitting on the steps by the door.
It was Zenin Maki and Zenin Mai.
Seeing Zenin Jinsuke, Mai jumped in fright. She scrambled up and hid behind Maki, fear in her eyes.
"Sis, it's that monster big brother! Let's run!"
For some reason, Mai seemed extremely afraid of Zenin Jinsuke.
Zenin Jinsuke's mouth twitched. He strode over, ignored Maki, slipped both hands under Mai's armpits, and forcibly lifted her up, growling viciously:
"Who are you calling 'monster big brother'? When you see me, you call me Cousin, got it?"
"Waaah… sis… save me! Monster big brother is going to eat me!"
Mai burst into tears, her little legs kicking wildly. Tears and snot poured out as if she'd been terrified out of her mind, like he was some man-eating beast.
It made Zenin Jinsuke fall into thought. Was he really that scary?
He knew Mai was timid, but this was too much. Was he scarier than cursed spirits?
"Stop crying. If you cry again, I really will eat you."
"Mm-hmm…"
Mai immediately covered her mouth, making muffled sobbing noises. She was terrified and wanted to cry, but she wanted even less to get eaten.
Originally, she was just scared of Zenin Jinsuke. But today, when Maki asked their mother why everyone in the Zenin Clan was so afraid of their cousin, Mai happened to hear their mother describe Jinsuke as a monster.
At her young age, she naturally started treating Jinsuke as something no different from a cursed spirit.
She warned herself inside: he only looked like a human—he was actually a monster.
"Next time you see me, you're not allowed to cry. Understand!"
Zenin Jinsuke said sternly.
"Mmph."
Mai covered her mouth and nodded hard, already deciding she would never come here again—even if Maki came with her!
Seeing Mai behave, Zenin Jinsuke finally put her down.
Then he turned to Maki, who looked calm. He felt a bit puzzled—this girl looked far more mature than her sister.
Well, in a place like the Zenin Clan, outcasts grow up early.
"Alright, talk. Why are you here? I warned you this morning, didn't I?"
"I want you to teach me."
Maki clenched her fists, her eyes firm.
She wanted power—power that would shut the Zenin Clan up.
She couldn't use cursed energy, let alone a technique. She didn't know how she could ever make the people who mocked and bullied her fear her.
But this cousin definitely knew.
He couldn't use cursed energy either, yet he made the Zenin Clan fear him.
Even Zenin Naoya, who often mocked her, lost all his playful cruelty the moment he heard Jinsuke's name—leaving only respect and fear.
"Teach you what—get stronger?"
Zenin Jinsuke stared at her, and her eyes told him she was serious.
"Yes! Stronger! You can definitely make me stronger, right!"
Light flashed in Maki's eyes.
Even though she was still just a little girl, she already understood how important strength was.
That sparked a bit of interest in Zenin Jinsuke.
"Not bad. I can see your determination, but… sorry. I don't want to teach little brats."
He refused. Teach a kid to get stronger? Come on—was he supposed to have little Maki train with him?
Thud!
Hearing that, Maki dropped to her knees without hesitation, startling Mai, who was still sniffling nearby.
"Sis, what are you doing?"
Maki ignored her. With bright, focused eyes, she looked at Jinsuke and knocked her head down once.
"Master above—please accept your disciple's bow!"
Her childish voice echoed through the courtyard, leaving Zenin Jinsuke completely stunned.
Did he just time-travel back to ancient times or something?
Why is she bowing like that…