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Chapter 3 - Chapter Three: Quiet Preparation

I lived in the wing where most of the lower-status clan children and families stayed. The floors were soft tatami, the walls lined with sliding doors, and light filtered through paper windows in warm, muted patterns. Hallways stretched on, connecting rooms filled with quiet chatter and the occasional creak of a servant moving about. It was a simple life, unnoticed and undemanding exactly how I liked it.

Mother had visited exactly once. I remembered the stiffness of her posture, the faint perfume she wore, and the way her eyes lingered just long enough to confirm we were alive before she turned away. 

*She seemed rather–* 

*Indifferent? Yeah it doesn't really matter though, we have not seen her for years, her suddenly acting kind and caring would be odd* 

Tomogui also seemed to catch on that I didn't really care much 

Aiko, our maid, remained constant. She hummed softly as she worked, her presence steady and predictable. From my spot on the floor, I thought about textbooks. Anything that could help me understand the body, learn about blood's properties. 

"Aiko-san do you think you could get us some books to read, we have been really bored" I said these words while looking at her, she continued cleaning the table where me and Tomogui had just ate while responding

"What books are you thinking about?"

"Well Tomogui and I were thinking about reading some books about blood, we are from the great Kamo clan so we should learn about blood right?" The way I spoke made it seem as if I actually adored the Kamo clan, and admired it. If I am to be honest though, I don't really like the clan. Still as long as they left me alone, the rest was just noise. 

She smirked a little, perhaps finding my blind pride toward the clan amusing "Based on your words you really seem to admire the Kamo clan, I will get you some books on the history of the clan, and all its heroic figures" 

I sweatdropped and immediately got more specific with my requirements "No um, I meant like blood, and the uhh science behind it" I spoke with a rather childish stutter, I don't want to be seen as some weird 2 year old, then again asking for science books is rather odd for a 2 year old.

She looked at me rather oddly finding the request rather odd "If you really want to there is a clan library with all the knowledge you would need, I wouldn't mind getting you a few books"

"Really Aiko-san! Can we see a catalogue, Tomogui also was interested in this stuff" I quickly pushed Tomogui into the spotlight, she seems to adore his shy personality more than mine. 

"Is that so Tomogui?" She turned and asked him the question, to which he started bobbing his head up and down rapidly. 

"I'll get you two a catalogue of books, but I'm not sure if you will be able to understand this stuff, its complicated so dont get disappointed if it doesnt make sense" 

*Hmph underestimating us will be your biggest downfall Aiko-san. Most children would falter at the studies of anatomy, physics, and chemistry. But we are the exceptions*

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Two years passed quietly after that. Time blurred into routines—less blocks, more pages. I studied whenever I could: anatomy first, then chemistry, then physics, stacking concepts the same way I studied in my old life. By the time I was five, I had ideas, theories. 

From what I remember blood manipulation users are capable of changing their pulse rate and body temperature. The books I studied on blood manipulation also helped me establish that users of blood manipulation can change the properties of their blood. There are limited applications which is why blood manipulation is typically applied with fluid mechanics and pressure.

However on top of using those methods, I plan on changing the specific heat capacity of the blood I plan on attacking with. Heat and calorimetry formulas state dT = Q / mc, meaning that my blood's temperature depends on external energy added (Q), mass of the blood (m) and specific heat capacity (c)—a property unique to each material. 

By decreasing the specific heat capacity of my blood, and using cursed energy as an energy source, I would be able to make my blood attacks scaldingly hot.

I could also try to change the density of my blood to decrease the mass of my blood, further enhancing the heat of my blood attacks. 

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