In the southeast corner of the Zenin estate, in the outermost courtyard, Zenin Kiyoshi was lying on the sofa. From the kitchen behind him came the sound of running water.
That was Toji washing dishes in the kitchen. Honestly, Zenin Kiyoshi himself hadn't expected him to voluntarily wash the dishes. He originally thought that a guy who was too lazy to even clean up after eating instant noodles wouldn't care about the dishes at all.
But to Zenin Kiyoshi's surprise, after Toji finished eating, he didn't even wait for him to say anything and took all the dishes to the kitchen sink himself.
He didn't say a word during the whole process, and Zenin Kiyoshi didn't say anything either. He just sat on the sofa, picked up the remote control.
The show Toji watched was a nonsensical commercial. Zenin Kiyoshi casually browsed and found "Beautiful Life" starring Takuya Kimura. Although it was already on the seventh or eighth episode, it was better to be behind on the plot than to have no plot at all.
However, before Zenin Kiyoshi could watch TV for long, a somewhat dissatisfied voice came over with a hint of moisture:
"Hey! You brat, has no one told you that it's very rude to touch an adult's remote control without permission?"
To Zenin Kiyoshi's words, he didn't even turn his head, his posture and tone were very similar to Toji's as he replied:
"I didn't touch your remote control casually. I moved it only after carefully selecting a TV show."
"Tsk, you damn brat, so annoying."
Toji shook the cold water from his hands, but he didn't snatch the remote back. Instead, he sat down across from Zenin Kiyoshi. He stared blankly at the TV.
"What is this show about?"
"I don't know. It's probably a romance drama."
"Why would a brat watch a romance drama? Boring."
"Teach me some fighting techniques tomorrow. In return, I can cook for you. Otherwise, I'll spend all day tomorrow fighting you for the TV."
Zenin Kiyoshi's words made Toji a little stunned. He looked at the brat who was still staring at the TV and couldn't help but ask:
"Brat, this is only our first time meeting today. Aren't you being a bit too arrogant? Our relationship doesn't seem to be good enough for you to joke with me like this, right?
I'm not a good person. The only reason I reminded you not to leave my side is because I don't want to get into trouble before I leave this place.
As for washing the dishes for you, it's purely because I don't want to owe you a favor. You'd better understand the relationship between us, don't..."
However, before Toji could finish his awkward words, Zenin Kiyoshi directly interrupted his series of twisted excuses:
"I don't think our relationship is good enough to joke about, but I also don't think you're a bad person. At least this morning you pulled me over, took me in, and I saw you from afar at the fire scene this afternoon. As for whether you're a good person, from what I've seen so far, I think you're pretty good.
Not a good person, but definitely not a bastard. Washing dishes can't repay a favor. The person who cooks works harder than the person who washes the dishes, especially when you've basically eaten all the dishes, washing the dishes is even easier. I don't think this unequal form of repayment can offset the favor.
Or, let's say it's my request. Please teach me some fighting techniques. I'm going to Jujutsu High at the end of this month. With my current strength, I'll probably die if I encounter a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit. I want to live, and in the entire Zenin clan, only you can help me."
When Zenin Kiyoshi said these words, there was not a trace of artificiality on his face. At least Toji couldn't see any mockery of him being a useless sorcerer on his face.
He seemed to genuinely approve of his useless fighting skills...
Come to think of it, is this the first time in my life that I've been acknowledged by someone else?
Thinking of this, Toji felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.
From the moment he was born, he had never been affirmed by anyone. Not his parents, not his own brothers, and even less so his clansmen. None of them had ever acknowledged or recognized him, as if his birth was a mistake. When he was a child, he even breathed carefully, for fear of being punished by his father again for such a thing.
He had tried to use other methods to gain the approval of his parents or the people around him. Although he looked like an uneducated delinquent, Toji's mind was actually very sharp. He got first place several times in elementary school, but when he brought the first-place test paper to his parents, all he got was a torn-up certificate.
His father told him: "A good-for-nothing like you! Don't appear in front of me in the future! These things are completely worthless!"
His mother told him: "I wish you had never been born from my womb. I would rather you had never been born. I'm begging you, go die early. This is the only thing you can do for me!"
From then on, Toji knew that all his efforts were meaningless.
From the moment he was detected to have no cursed energy, his life was destined to be unrecognized by anyone.
So, he began to give up on himself and embarked on a path of self-destruction. This made him even more disliked by his father. It was his birthday, but his father threw him into the Zenin clan's spirit-raising ground.
Inside were some Grade 2 and Grade 3 Cursed Spirits raised by the Zenin clan, specifically used to punish some Zenin clan criminals, or to train one's hunting skills, but basically no one chose the second option.
The moment he was thrown down, Toji knew that there would be no light shining into his life.
This was the first birthday gift he received in his life. The person who gave him life gave him the gift of "death."
He lay on the ground at that time, not wanting to resist anything. For him, perhaps dying there was the best choice.
But the moment the Cursed Spirit's fingers pierced his cheek, Toji suddenly felt that if he died just like that, wouldn't it be too much in line with those people's wishes?
No, he has to live, he has to live. Even if he lives like he's not a person, he has to live. He wants to disgust these bastards!
So the next day, when everyone came to the spirit-raising ground, all they saw were the corpses of the Cursed Spirits on the ground, and a boy covered in blood.
He was holding a broken, low-grade cursed tool tightly in his hand. It was that cursed tool that gave the boy the ability to kill Cursed Spirits.
His thoughts seemed to return to that moment, but then, Zenin Kiyoshi's voice came again:
"I think your fighting skills are very good. Please teach me."
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