I would say that I feel sorry for her, but not after this new mistake! I still haven't mentally recovered from the incident before the third trial, and I still can't get over it, so she did something even better.
— Oka-san, you have to realize that I can't let this go unpunished, — Junko's face froze and she looked straight and confident. — Your actions have not only caused us losses, but have also jeopardized the contract of the future alliance, because with Delacour we do not have an agreement fixed by vows or oaths, I have a contract of intent, yes, but they can break it at any time almost painlessly, and use any information revealed to them at their discretion, for their own interests, which, I will note separately, may cause us direct or indirect harm.
They can, without even realizing it, create a situation in which I am faced with a choice between death, loss of magic, or mass genocide. — Only Bellatrix and I know of the ritual I performed for the Black family, and there are the Lestrangeys whose children I'll have to raise after Rudolphus and Rabastan die soon enough. If I can't fulfill my obligations, there will be the punishment I have spoken of.
— Considering all these facts, and the fact that you are my own blood, part of the Hoshino family, I have decided what your punishment will be. — Another break until your throat is no longer sore. — I forbid you to leave the ancestral lands without special permission from me. Also, from now on and until further order, you are forbidden to communicate with strangers about anything more important than household matters or idle talk without my permission. These prohibitions may be temporarily lifted if a family member or clan member is in immediate danger of death, but you must have at least one witness to confirm that the reason was really important... — I stop speaking for a moment, catching myself thinking that the old saying — ...situations are different, Nagasumi-kun! — hasn't worn off yet, so I'd better make a correction. — When the threat level is high and the situation is complex, it is permissible to act without a witness. — Yusheng nodded in agreement.
Silence fell over our clearing for a while. I was in no hurry to continue because I wanted my words to be understood and a reasonable criticism to be voiced. However, Yusheng didn't say a word, but the change in her expression and her open emotions said something like, — Why did you feel so sorry for her? Flog her! Whip her!
I can't say that I disagree with the Chinese woman at all, but I just don't have a hand up for myself. Yes, Junko made a big mistake, caused me a lot of trouble, and so on, but you can't kill her for her poor head. Ordinary people hope to rehabilitate and imprison a thief or bandit even at the age of fifty or sixty, so why should I punish my own blood with cruelty? If it were malice — the conversation would be quite different, but it is a matter of banal stupidity, which one can at least try to cure, and if that fails, then I will make her swear an oath of silence, so that she does not interfere where she is not asked, and let her go. ... no, I'll put seals on her, including sterilizing seals, so that she doesn't get pregnant on the side, by some freak, and doesn't bring any evil fruit into the house — I don't need such a good thing.
After all, I'm not some genius who can memorize all the knowledge of the universe at the snap of his fingers, so I can't even imagine what rituals there are, but it's enough to remember the European perversion in which the head of the family can cast a part of the ancestral or personal curses on his children or the children of a sibling without the permission of the parents. That way I'd be protected from a mountain of possible problems.
— No... — I heard myself say.
— Hmm?
— You have no right... — Junko replied not loudly, but not in a whisper either, her eyes frozen with not only stubbornness, but also a strange fear.
— I do, — I replied simply.
— You dare to put me in a cage! Not again! — Oh, that's it! I hadn't thought of that.
— I'm not locking you up, I'm limiting the damage you can do by word or deed, which you've done twice lately.
— It's the same thing!
— I don't care! — I smacked the ground with my short crutch, sending a thick sheaf of silvery sparks around me and a rippling wave through the air. I barely felt the magic dissipate, but my body ached from the sudden movement.
— I'm tired of your behavior! Do you realize that Heavenly Fox had to offer to be my wife in person (!) in front of witnesses (!) to get her regalia, and not go looking for some brides! Of course I don't need her, — I blurted out, because despite all Lisa's faults, marrying her would allow me to stay in Japan, and then Lan would come along, and I wouldn't have to look for adventures in foreign lands and waste time. I wouldn't have to get a lot of wives and concubines, because a consort — the highest priestess of the goddess, and also an ayakashi — is an instant solution to three-quarters of my problems and obligations-debts, and now I have no choice, because the strength of the clan is in its number, the number of those who nourish and purify the magic of the clan.
It would be much easier and faster with Lissa, and I don't care that she is a fox, that is, by default, naturally cunning and sly, Amaterasu-sama would not allow me to be harmed, and it is not easy to bear an ulcer in the family, but somehow men tolerate their wives, don't they? And don't deny me, I've seen a lot in my years, and I know for sure that all women are a formidable cocktail of cat and fox, just in different proportions and breeds, so their characters may be different, but the essence is the same! Anyway, back to the conversation...
— But you gave her the regalia for no reason at all, and you forgave the debt! On top of that, you almost gave the Hoshino family to the Ayakashi Alliance! We've never even taken a serious oath to the Emperor, and now it's the Ayakashi! — Kokoro (Se-dono's tanuki granddaughter and one of my fiancées) told me about this important detail. She's very quiet, but she's curious and kind and easy to talk to, so it was easy to talk to her, and as the granddaughter of the elder, she must know a lot of things, including the general history of humans and ayakashi, so she told me.
By the way, I had the girl write down everything she knew about the Hoshino clan, and then the general magical history of the clan, at least in general terms, so that future generations would have an understanding of past events. By the way, I have an idea to give Kokoro the newly created position of Clan Historian, but I'll think about it. — You know, I'm just afraid of what you'll do next time... — I didn't want to confront anyone right now, I don't need support or resentment, I just want some peace before I pay the next installment of my debt. But who, if not me?
— My decision is final and not negotiable. If I see a positive change in you, or if someone in the inner circle of the family puts in a good word for you and personally takes up your re-education, then I will agree to discuss changes in your situation.
— And if I decide to leave, can you stop me? — The woman grinned dangerously and blinked slightly. This question interested not only Junko, but also Yusheng and Kiriko, who waited with interest for the answer.
— Personally for you, my dear Oka-Sama, Momo has closed the spatial loop and in order not to have to watch you every second, you will be assigned to a ghost whose eyes can see like me (if necessary, do not consider me a pervert) and Momo.
— I've had enough, — Junko grinned bitterly and shook her head. — Her own son put her in a cage... so why did you pull her out of the past?
— Because! — I burst out, unable to control myself. — I didn't know my mother was a fool!
— What the hell do you think you're doing?!
— That's enough. That's enough. You're boring me. Besides, we're wasting Miss Yusheng's time, which she could use more of. Shall we continue? — I turned to the other woman, the Chinese nodded in agreement. — Good. Back to the topic, I want to say that I agree with you about the 'payoff', but I have no idea what it's all about... .....