Ever since returning to the academy and living under the same roof with Rozen again, Yaya had completely let loose and was attacking Rozen with even more intensity than before.
Night attacks had become commonplace. If it weren't for Irori volunteering to take over cooking all three meals a day and handling all household chores, Yaya would've definitely come up with countless ways to force Rozen to give in—like drugging him and drugging him or drugging him.
Because of this, Rozen had returned to his former state, not daring to remove Kinu or Gyokuto for even a second. He kept these two divine spirits tightly guarding him, preventing Yaya from succeeding, though this only caused Yaya's frustrations to build up more and more.
"Onee-sama stole all of Yaya's servant duties, and Nuragami is always doting on Komurasaki! Yaya's really had enough!"
Under such circumstances, Yaya exploded and made such a shocking declaration.
"Does Nuragami hate Yaya?"
Yaya asked with a serious expression.
"I've never said I hated you, right?" Rozen answered with some helplessness.
"Then take your clothes off! Now! Immediately! Right this second!"
Yaya demanded forcefully.
"That's way too much of a jump in the conversation…!?"
Rozen was stunned.
Yaya, however, burst into tears.
"Nuragami really does hate Yaya. If you won't take them off, then Yaya will just take them off! Yaya will do it!"
Crying like that, Yaya really began undressing.
"Stop it!"
Rozen knew that if he didn't intervene, Yaya would absolutely strip herself bare, so he instantly released his mana and used the technique of forceful command to manipulate Irori and Komurasaki into tackling Yaya and tying her up.
But this move only made dark energy radiate from Yaya's entire body.
"Onee-sama… Komurasaki… You actually stopped Yaya from pursuing happiness… You must be after Nuragami yourselves…!"
The light vanished from Yaya's eyes.
"I-I-I-I'm not! Don't spout nonsense! Yaya! This was all Nuragami-sama's doing…!"
Irori immediately blushed and tried to deny it, but her flustered state made her completely unconvincing.
"I do want to be with Nuragami, but this time it really wasn't me."
Komurasaki wore a bitter expression and didn't even know what to say anymore.
Yaya, though flustered, sensed Rozen's mana and quickly understood what had happened.
Still, seeing she and her sisters tangled together like that, Yaya suddenly had a revelation.
"Could it be Nuragami wants to play with sisters…"
"Shut up, you!"
Seeing that Yaya was about to say something truly outrageous, Rozen decisively injected mana into her body and controlled her into closing her mouth.
At last, the surroundings fell quiet.
However, due to the three girls' jumping and rolling around, the neatly arranged food on the picnic cloth had been kicked into a mess—this meal would have to be scrapped entirely.
"Seriously…"
Rozen sighed, and the four servants within him responded with dry laughter.
But Rozen had the distinct feeling that these four girls also seemed relieved when they realized Yaya wasn't actually pregnant.
"Unbelievable…"
Rozen could only stare speechless.
Suddenly, a burst of laughter rang out behind Rozen.
"I was a bit worried about how you'd be living in this academy, but you seem to be having a great time, huh?"
When this laugh entered Rozen's ears, he froze.
Right after, Rozen sensed a long-lost familiar presence behind him.
That aura—it had been nearly a century since the last time he felt it.
Back then, Rozen didn't even have Spirit Vision, nor had he become an onmyoji.
But the moment he saw that spiritual energy, Rozen immediately understood who had arrived.
"Raishin!"
Rozen turned around in surprise and delight.
"Haha! Long time no see, Nuragami!"
The one who appeared with equally joyful laughter was a young man dressed in traditional robes with a sword at his waist.
The second son of the Akabane family, Rozen's sworn brother, the young man who once accompanied Rozen to the Izanagi clan and met with the trio from the Domon family—Akabane Raishin.
After many years, this sworn brother had suddenly appeared, reuniting with Rozen.
The two couldn't contain their excitement and shared a big, heartfelt hug.
"You bastard, you finally showed up. I thought you'd vanished!"
Rozen suppressed his joy and smiled at Raishin.
"Says the guy who vanished for two years after I thought you were training at Karyuusai. Who would've guessed you'd reappear in the U.K.?"
Raishin also smiled.
After so many years, neither of them were the little boys they once were—they had both grown into men.
Rozen had matured considerably in character, and Raishin's face had become firm and rugged. His physique was strong—they were no longer the kids they used to be.
But at that moment of reunion, Rozen and Raishin felt like they had returned to their childhood. Their smiles and emotions were full of innocent joy.
At the same time, both noticed the changes the other had undergone over the years.
"You seem unbelievably strong now. I can't see through you at all, and you're no longer frail like before. Looks like you've trained hard these last two and a half years."
Raishin examined Rozen in amazement.
Rozen only smiled calmly.
"Speaking of changes, aren't yours just as big?"
As he spoke, Rozen subtly scanned Raishin and was quietly impressed.
Because today's Raishin felt completely different from the past.
Back then, Raishin lacked any magical talent, emitted almost no mana, and carried an air of youthful arrogance. He could only train in martial arts at a local dojo.
But now, Raishin exuded a significant magical aura, and his eyes glimmered with sharp intensity. The strange atmosphere around him was exactly like the one Rozen had sensed from Loki.
What did that mean?
It meant one thing.
Raishin had also reached the realm of Mind's Eye.
As a swordsman.
Moreover, the sword at his waist gave off a subtle, ancient magical energy, telling Rozen that it was no ordinary weapon.
The result—Raishin gave Rozen an impression no weaker than Magnus.
"Looks like your training was a success."
Rozen smiled as he said this to Raishin.
It had been said before—among elite martial artists in this world, some could enhance their mana through training their qi. Even if they didn't understand the principles of magic, they could still naturally master Rigid Body, Magic Defence, Magic Resilience, and other such powers.
Raishin's master, Hibari, was just such a martial artist—extremely powerful and not inferior to any magus.
And clearly, Raishin had gradually grasped those abilities under Hibari's tutelage. He had even attained the final tier of magus—Mind's Eye.
Combined with that extraordinary sword at his waist, Raishin's strength had likely undergone a total transformation.
This Raishin…
"Won't lose again."
Raishin's smile faded.
"I won't lose to that person anymore."
A deep, bitter hatred surfaced in Raishin's eyes.
"That person is here in this academy too, right, Nuragami?"
The hatred laced in Raishin's words caused the excitement Rozen had felt from their reunion to vanish in an instant.