ust then—
Akiyama Ren smiled faintly but said nothing more.
Sensing the tension, Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed and decided to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Since the Academy suffered... unforeseen damage," she said tactfully, "the higher-ups have approved a temporary break. Classes are suspended for a month."
She adjusted her glasses with a sharp glint in her eyes. "But don't think of this as a vacation! Self-study is mandatory. When classes resume, expect a pop quiz."
Ren and Kurahashi Kyoko both straightened up and replied in unison, "Understood, sensei!"
Hiratsuka gave a satisfied nod, then gestured toward the gates. "Alright then, head home. Be safe out there."
"Goodbye, sensei!" Ren and Kyoko waved cheerfully and turned to leave, walking side by side into the warm afternoon sun.
--
Back home, the TV blared some idol variety show while Hotarugusa lounged on the floor, watching with wide eyes. The moment she heard the door open, she jumped up in surprise.
"Master? Weren't you going to school today? Did you forget something? I'll fetch it for you!" she said eagerly, already halfway to the shoe rack.
Ren waved her off with a chuckle. "No need, no need. School's on break. Month-long vacation."
"Vacation!?" Hotarugusa's eyes sparkled like stars. "That's amazing! We can play with Master every day now!"
The other two summons, Kyonshi Ani and Kyonshi Imouto, immediately joined in the cheer, bouncing on the couch like hyperactive rabbits.
Watching their innocent excitement, Ren couldn't help but smile. In this chaotic world of curses and sorcery, moments like these were rare.
Then, Kyoko spoke up.
"Ren," she said seriously, "you promised to teach me magic and martial arts."
"I haven't forgotten," he replied, nodding. "We'll start today."
Since he was going to teach magic anyway, Ren figured he might as well invite Maki Zen'in too.
After all, she was one of the rare non-sorcerers with extraordinary physical strength—but due to her Heavenly Restriction, she had zero cursed energy and couldn't see Curse Spirits without her special glasses.
But if he taught her Spiritual Vision, a core sensory spell from Campione's magic system, she wouldn't need cursed energy at all. She could perceive spirits directly, bypassing the limitations of her restriction.
Magic, unlike jujutsu, operated on magical power, not cursed energy.
The two were similar in name but fundamentally different in nature. In the Campione world—the domain of gods and god slayers—magical power originated from the soul and existed beyond earthly logic.
So even Maki, whose body rejected cursed energy completely, could use magic. In fact, her restriction might even enhance her affinity with divine techniques.
Ren himself was a unique example: a divine vessel, born with no cursed energy, but overflowing with raw divine power. That power allowed him to wield jujutsu and magic alike, free from the limitations of either system.
Thinking this over, he whipped out his phone and sent Maki a message:
[Want to learn magic? I can teach you a way to see Curse Spirits without those glasses. It won't interfere with your Heavenly Restriction.]
A reply came almost instantly:
[Hell yes. Submitting my report now—I'll head over in a bit!]
[Sweet. I'll wait for you.]
Just as he smiled at the screen, a loud hmph came from beside him.
Kyoko was pouting, arms crossed tightly.
"Why are you calling her over?"
"Teaching one is teaching," Ren replied smoothly. "Teaching two is just more efficient. Besides, it's more fun with a group."
Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "I traded my Onmyōdō for your magic lessons. What did she give you?"
Ren paused… then stammered, "She, uh… taught me jujutsu?"
Kyoko looked at him like he'd just tried to sell her a counterfeit talisman.
"Oh please. Do I look that stupid?"
"Hahaha," Ren laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "You're both my wings! My partners in crime! Let's not fight."
"Baka. Pervert. Two-timer! Degenerate! Trash!" Kyoko snapped, flinging every insult in her vocabulary at him with increasing intensity.
Ren didn't take it personally. In fact, her voice was oddly nostalgic—he was suddenly reminded of the tsundere Eriri Sawamura Spencer.
"Baka! Hentai! Urusai!"
Somehow, being cursed at never felt this charming.
Eventually, she ran out of steam and slumped back onto the couch, arms crossed and cheeks puffed.
"Anyway, Maki's on her way. She'll probably stay for lunch," Ren said, stretching. "And we're low on food. I'll head out to buy some groceries."
Kyoko didn't respond—just gave him a small "hmph" and looked away.
Unbothered, Ren grabbed his shoes and headed out the door.
A few blocks away was a shopping mall with a massive fresh food section. The moment he stepped in, the scent of fresh produce, grilled skewers, and soy broth hit his nose.
He filled his basket quickly—lots of meat, rice, eggs, and vegetables. Maki Zen'in had the appetite of a small army, and he wasn't about to let his guests go hungry.
By the time he finished checking out and made it home, over an hour had passed.
Stepping into the apartment, Ren glanced around. Maki hadn't arrived yet.
Ren tied his apron and got straight to work in the kitchen. "She's the one who promised to treat me to three meals… How did it turn into me cooking?" he muttered, scrubbing the lettuce under cold water.
Seeing Ren busy in the kitchen, Hotarugusa—his most loyal shikigami—rushed in with sparkling eyes. "Master! I'll help you!"
Behind her, Kyonshi Ani and Kyonshi Imoutol fluttered over as well, eager to lend a hand. But with their non-human limbs—feathered wings instead of arms—handling knives or hot pans wasn't the safest idea.
"It's fine, you guys can go chill. One helper is enough," Ren said, smiling gently.
With everything prepped—veggies chopped, meats marinated—he glanced at the clock. Another thirty minutes ticked by.
Ding dong!
The doorbell echoed through the apartment.
Kyoko, sulking on the couch, didn't budge. She knew who it was. And she wasn't opening that door.
Ren, shaking his head with a helpless chuckle, dried his hands and walked over. Sure enough, standing outside was Maki Zen'in, still in her school uniform, holding a small gift bag.
"I thought I'd have to wait longer," Ren said, stepping aside to let her in.
"Sorry I'm late. Submitting the mission report took forever," Maki replied with a slight bow.
"No worries. Come on in."
Ren handed her a fresh pair of house slippers. "Here, these should fit."
"Thanks," Maki said as she took off her shoes and slipped into them.
Ren's eyes, despite himself, lingered a moment on her feet. Black stockings, size 36, neatly shaped. It was a weakness. A cursed blessing. His thoughts drifted for a second.
"You've got the gaze of a guy who just discovered foot TikTok," Kyoko quipped with narrowed eyes.
Ren turned away with a fake cough. "I was admiring the craftsmanship of those stockings. High-quality threadwork. Artisan level."
Maki, cheeks tinged pink, glanced awkwardly at her feet.
"Anyway," Ren quickly changed the subject, "I'll go finish lunch. We'll start the magic training afterwards."
"Sounds good. No rush," Maki replied, her voice softer now.
"Yeah, whatever," Kyoko muttered. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be in a group session, but it's not like she couldn't pester Ren later for one-on-one time.
Ren returned to the kitchen and fired up the stove. The smell of sesame oil and garlic filled the air within minutes.
Hotarugusa tried to stick around, but Ren gently nudged her out. "Too many people in the kitchen, kiddo. Go keep the others company."
In the living room, Maki had settled in, eyeing the trio of spirits on the sofa—Kyonshi Ani, Kyonshi Imouto, and Hotarugusa, who had rejoined them with snacks.
Maki leaned toward Kyoko and asked quietly, "Are those your familiars?"
Kyoko gave her a sideways glance. "Nope. They're Ren's."
"Wait, he knows Onmyōdō?" Maki asked, visibly surprised.
"What, you thought he was just some good cook who moonlights as a sorcerer?" Kyoko snorted. "He's a lot of things. Onmyōdō is just the tip of the iceberg."
"And he's teaching us magic today… As in, real magic?" Maki tilted her head.
Kyoko smirked. "You've seen cursed energy. Now prepare to have your worldview flipped."
Maki looked back at the spirits lounging on the couch. None of them seemed particularly intimidating, but the ambient tension in the apartment was unmistakable—subtle, but undeniable. There was something unexplainable about it. And at the center of it all was Akiyama Ren.
A guy who cooked, summoned spirits, and casually offered to rewrite the rules of jujutsu with a bit of "magic."
She could already tell: things were about to get weird. But maybe... in the best way possible.