Chapter 37 : What is Naoya Looking At
At the last moment, Zenin Naoya grabbed the railing and didn't fall into the grass outside. The string of small copper bells hanging beside him clinked against each other with his movement, making clear jingling sounds.
Jiang Lai had originally prepared for Naoya to bounce back and counterattack, however, the blonde teenager just stared blankly, his upturned fox eyes fixed on the ground, as if he hadn't reacted yet.
Oh, alright then, give the other party some personal thinking space.
Jiang Lai withdrew his gaze, having no intention of standing there waiting for the other's response.
He leisurely took steps forward, ignoring the blonde teenager beside him, walking away.
At the corner turn at the end of the corridor, there were two dark green-haired girls who had originally been carefully peeking around the corner wall to watch. Now noticing the black-gold fox mask figure walking toward them, they panicked slightly, wanting to hide, but there was nowhere to conceal themselves here.
That navy blue figure walked slowly forward. When turning the corner, he slightly raised his hand...
It wasn't an attacking motion. The dark sleeves had somehow extended into a flowing style that reached the ground. When that person slightly raised his hand, it was like holding up an inconspicuous barrier, concealing the little girls' forms.
The person in the black-gold mask gestured to draw them closer to his side.
The two little ones hesitated for a moment, then naturally moved close to that figure, leaving this place under the concealment of the wide sleeves.
Jiang Lai had actually noticed the two little ones here long ago. That was also why he had stopped initially.
He originally hadn't planned to directly conflict with Zenin Naoya. With some playful intent in his heart, he had been leaving just the right glimpses of his back for the other party each time, planning to leisurely lead him on a chase.
However, after walking to this relatively remote area, he noticed the two little ones leaning against the wall eating rice balls.
Seeming to glimpse someone approaching from the corner of their eyes, they hurriedly hid their rice balls.
The little girl he had met last night saw Jiang Lai, her eyes widening for an instant. Just as she was about to say something, she heard the thumping pursuit footsteps. After hesitating for a second, she still pulled the girl beside her, probably her sister, saying quietly: "Hide here, Mai...!" then concealed themselves around the corner.
Jiang Lai stopped, his speculation from last night confirmed in his mind. The dark green-haired little girl sisters of similar age and appearance were indeed young Zenin Maki and Mai.
It seemed they weren't living well here. The closed-off Zenin family in the new series was even colder than the one in the original work.
If he had continued at his previous speed, the two little ones probably wouldn't have had time to run away before being spotted by their cousin Naoya, and they had seemed worried about being discovered eating rice balls here.
Jiang Lai thought for a few seconds in his mind, deciding to temporarily stop and meet with Zenin Naoya.
If the two little ones wanted to run away, they could have some free time.
If the two little ones wanted to continue hiding there, then they could watch a good show, witnessing and understanding that their arrogant and domineering cousin Naoya wasn't actually as powerful as they imagined.
Jiang Lai switched his mask to black-gold and stood firmly in place, waiting for the blonde teenager pursuing from behind to arrive.
During Naoya's continuous provocative dialogue, he calmly used his technique to begin editing code traps in advance, just waiting for the big fool to jump over and trigger them.
The arrogant and hot-headed young Zenin Naoya didn't notice the cursed energy fluctuations in the surrounding air. As Jiang Lai had expected, after anger surged up, he directly rushed over to tear off his mask.
Like a moth stubbornly flying into a spider's web.
Jiang Lai recalled the scene just now, the corner of his lips under the mask curving slightly.
Given that he was currently a guest at the Zenin family, he ultimately didn't do much to Naoya, just poked the teenager's forehead and pushed him into the hanging bells as a light warning, so Naoya wouldn't come looking for trouble with him in the future.
At this moment, while Zenin Naoya was still in a daze, Jiang Lai protected Maki and Mai as they left this area, to avoid the Young Master Naoya going crazy later and affecting the two little ones.
After walking out of that copper bell corridor area and arriving at a remote courtyard with few people, young Zenin Maki emerged from under the sleeve covering.
Seeing this, Jiang Lai stopped, gently shaking his sleeves to return them to their original fitted length.
He wasn't in a hurry to leave, because the little girl in front of him seemed to have something she wanted to say to him.
Zenin Maki pulled her sister Mai and first politely bowed: "Thank you for helping with the bracelet yesterday." She looked up, speaking clearly, "Please rest assured, except for my sister, I haven't mentioned this matter to anyone else."
This meant she was keeping Jiang Lai's mysterious nighttime wandering secret.
Zenin Maki had no sense of belonging to this feudal large family, so she wouldn't report every little thing to those so-called elders, especially since the person in front of her had helped her last night.
"......" Jiang Lai didn't respond, just nodded slightly to indicate he had heard.
"I... heard other people say that outsiders came as guests, including supposedly a monster." Zenin Maki continued in a low voice, "Are you that great demon?"
Jiang Lai tilted his head slightly, the black-gold mask on his face naturally switching back to silver-white, the vermillion red at the brow seeming to come alive as it changed into new patterns.
This was like a silent confirming response.
Zenin Maki paused for a second. Then she pressed her lips straight, looked up, her voice childish but firm: "......Could you please teach us how to become strong? In exchange, I'll sell you my soul... would that be alright?"
Mai beside her heard her sister's words and tugged at her sleeve, wanting to say something. However, Zenin Maki gripped her sister's hand in return and continued:
"Or, could you take me and my sister away from here? Just taking my sister away to find a good family would be fine, I can stay behind to work for you."
Hearing this, Jiang Lai raised his eyebrows slightly under the mask.
Obviously, their understanding of monsters was still like the supernatural folklore children heard, where making deals required selling souls, becoming servants, and such.
From Zenin Maki's words, it seemed she didn't want to stay at the Zenin family. This place was apparently not a kind place for the two of them.
The thought of whether to conveniently take them away briefly arose in Jiang Lai's mind, but then more questions surfaced.
Their mother should still be alive, right? The two children's departure might implicate their mother. Moreover, even if he took them away, the only place they could go seemed to be Jujutsu High, which would require the agreement of the people there.
Additionally, he wasn't permanently stationed here, the countdown could trigger again at any time. Jiang Lai couldn't accompany them constantly, so if he were to take them away, he'd need to find an additional caretaker role.
Young Zenin Mai gripped her sister's hand, her voice carrying a child's crying tone: "Don't leave... Mama is gone, we can't lose big sister too."
Mama is gone...? Jiang Lai was slightly stunned. In the new series, their mother had died?
However, this background could explain why the two little ones were in such circumstances.
Father doesn't care, mother deceased, uncle is the family head but busy with various matters most of the time and unable to pay attention to the two little ones with weak presence, plus the Zenin family's long-standing gender discrimination and extreme Darwinism...
Jiang Lai looked at the two little ones in front of him. Zenin Maki hugged her sister and continued to bite her lip while looking at him with determined eyes.
The future independent jujutsu sorcerer was still a child at this moment.
But Jiang Lai still remained silent. He knew he might be able to take away the two unencumbered little ones from the Zenin family, but he hadn't thought through how to arrange for these sisters in the future.
Promises were very important things. Jiang Lai didn't want the two little ones to experience heavier disappointment after hope, so he temporarily didn't speak.
The dark green-haired little girl saw this and lowered her head slightly, her expression unable to hide her disappointment. But she still tried to use a clear voice to say: "......Sorry, the chips I can use for trading are only these. If I've made such an unreasonable deal and offended you, I apologize."
Zenin Maki released her sister, wiped her face, and bowed again: "Regardless, thank you for your previous help."
Wind brushed past clothing hems. The navy blue figure in front stood in place for a moment, then crouched down, lowering his line of sight so the two little ones didn't need to look up at him.
"The day we leave." He said, "If I take you away, I'll wait under the tree in your remote courtyard at nine in the evening."
Young Zenin Maki was quite surprised to look up upon hearing this, and she realized in a trance that this was the first time the great demon in front of her had spoken. His voice was completely different from the coldness she had imagined monsters to have, very calm and gentle.
"If I don't come to pick you up, don't feel hopeless either." He continued, "Because you both have the ability to break free from constraints and walk out of this iron house yourselves."
"......" The two little beans blinked their eyes, their expressions still seeming somewhat dazed.
The great demon wearing the fox mask in front of them said no more, lightly waving his hand as a temporary farewell.
That figure was elegant and graceful, departing amid the rolling clouds, sweeping his sleeves and leaving the original spot, nimbly going far away as before.
Zenin Maki remained in place, staring blankly for a few seconds, then lowered her head to gaze at her small hands.
The tender little hands currently seemed powerless, but they also seemed to contain the growing possibility of breaking infinite shackles, because these were her own hands.
Although the surface remained as usual, ripples different from the feudal old family had already started in Zenin Maki's heart like a stone thrown into a lake.
Jiang Lai floated back from outside the training ground, sitting back in his position under the parasol.
Geto Suguru beside him turned his head, asking with concern: "Resolved?"
He was the one who knew what Jiang Lai had gotten up to do. As early as when Jiang Lai had looked up and scanned around, Geto Suguru had sensed something was wrong.
Therefore, Geto Suguru also became alert, maintaining his squinting expression while secretly observing. Then he also noticed the blonde teenager on the training ground steps whose gaze was like a torch.
Actually, Geto Suguru didn't originally know Zenin Naoya, he had only heard about him from his good friend.
Before coming to the Zenin family, Gojo Satoru had casually mentioned many things about the Zenin family, including complaints about Zenin Naoya, saying he was sharp-tongued and terrible, held grudges strongly, and it was best to stay away and ignore him.
When training began, all the students had given their names. That was how Geto Suguru learned what Zenin Naoya looked like.
At that time, seeing Zenin Naoya looking displeased and continuously staring at their side, Geto Suguru understood the reason for his companion's upward glance: probably sensing that persistent watching gaze.
Geto Suguru had originally wanted to say a few words, but after noticing his companion's subtle hand gesture, he swallowed his words back.
Probably Lai had his own plan. He thought. No need for him to interfere.
Later, when Jiang Lai got up and left the scene, and the distant blonde teenager hurriedly followed, Geto Suguru guessed this was preparing to change locations to resolve the problem.
At this moment, facing Geto Suguru's concerned inquiry, Jiang Lai's words contained laughter: "Resolved. Didn't go too far, just gave a simple small warning."
"Oh, good that it's resolved." Geto Suguru replied warmly, sitting up straight again to adjust the cursed spirits in the field.
In the center of the training ground, Gojo Satoru had finished sunbathing and grown tired of occasionally attacking people beside him with wooden swords or wooden darts. He simply got up from the reclining chair, stretched extensively, then began his "great slaughter."
Basically no one in the field could withstand Gojo Satoru's offensive, and they were all thrown out of the training ground's effective circular area.
The cursed spirits Geto Suguru was controlling at this time changed to politely catching some of the younger children who were thrown out, preventing these little ones from getting hurt when they landed.
Jiang Lai showed half-moon eyes under his mask, his gaze wandering casually when a familiar figure suddenly entered his vision.
Not far away, the blonde teenager he had just met was walking back slowly with his head half-lowered, eyes fixed on the ground.
A house servant noticed Zenin Naoya and immediately went up to him, but was rudely pushed away by Naoya, almost falling down.
Sensing his Young Master's poor mood, the servant didn't ask questions or make any extra movements, but stood properly beside him like a stone.
Zenin Naoya didn't enter the training ground. He returned to his previous position on the outer steps, his gaze still fixed on the ground, hands crossed together, his expression changing like a color palette, his inner thoughts unknown to anyone.
The marketplace-like clamor of the training ground seemed separated from the blonde teenager by a layer, unable to attract his attention.
After a brief pause, Zenin Naoya looked up and gazed toward the other side of the training ground again.
Those upturned green fox eyes crossed the chaotic crowd in the training ground, seeming substantial and piercing as they stared across the distance.
On the other side of the training ground.
The topknot teenager paused for a moment, then turned his head to Jiang Lai: "Are you sure you resolved it?" He hesitantly said quietly, "Why do I feel like he's even more... than before?"
Jiang Lai: "..."
Jiang Lai: "Beat him up more next time."
Geto Suguru pondered: "Uh, is it because you hit too lightly?"
Jiang Lai was expressionless: "......Regardless, just beat him up and be done with it."
Geto Suguru was stunned for a second, tilted his head slightly, showing his usual fox expression: "Not a bad method, but actually there's no need to worry. We're only staying at the Zenin family for three days."
"After we leave... they don't come out of the Zenin family anyway." Geto Suguru spread his hands slightly, saying, "Although I'm not very familiar with the Big Three families, I know the Zenin family is famously suspicious and closed-off. They rarely take on external missions, which is why they arranged for us, who they know well, to come train them."
......But could this model really last long? Jiang Lai never thought that facing danger by closing the door would bring good fortune.
His gaze through the fox mask looked toward the rows of walls and barriers of the Zenin family.
Like a fortress, like a cage.
Jiang Lai inevitably recalled the Zenin Maki and Mai he had just encountered. Obviously, this place was just a feudal cage for the two of them.
However, he still hadn't thought through who to entrust with caring for the two little ones if he really brought them out of the Zenin family.
If the two were to become jujutsu sorcerers in the future, Tokyo Jujutsu High might be a suitable place. He pondered. But if he really wanted to bring them there, he'd need to give advance notice.
In front of him, all the students in the training ground had been cleared out by Gojo Satoru. He lifted his chin slightly, scanning the students lying in a circle around him, saying lazily:
"Are you guys even trying? Practice properly, your level is way too weak."
The white-haired teenager waved his hand, leaving the center of the training ground with a very cool posture, walking toward Jiang Lai and Geto Suguru.
After taking a few long strides closer, Gojo Satoru lifted his sunglasses with one hand to reveal his beautiful blue eyes, pointing backward with his other hand:
"By the way, what is that Naoya guy looking at? He keeps staring at this side, what's he doing?"
Jiang Lai said calmly: "Looking for a beating."
Gojo Satoru: "?"
Geto Suguru smiled with squinted eyes, then coughed and changed the subject: "By the way, Satoru. Go easier in the next two days of training, don't cause trouble. Principal Yaga wants us to return quickly after the mission ends."
"What's wrong?" Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow, pouting: "I still wanted to play around Kyoto for a while..."
Geto Suguru opened his phone, facing it toward Gojo Satoru: "Principal Yaga just sent an email saying there's a very important escort mission coming up, telling us to return quickly to prepare."
A very important escort mission? Jiang Lai's heart jumped.
Combined with the current time point... could this be the Star Plasma Vessel incident?