I who was reincarnated as the shadowy villain with the power to antagonize the nation, worked hard since infancy to avoid the flag of ruin, resulting in an extraordinary magical power that made me the strongest. - Chapter 11

The morning after my firm decision, just before sunrise, I sensed the departure of both my father and Fuyuma-san from the mansion. I woke up and sat up in bed.

“They’re leaving earlier than usual,” I thought.

Normally, they would leave around noon. Was there some kind of movement regarding the demons on this fifth day? While I believed that those two could handle anything, it was still worrisome when things started happening.

“You may be worried, but there’s not much you can do about it. Those two should be just fine. Most demons won’t stand a chance against them,” Ginko said, as if she had read my thoughts.

I appreciated her understanding. Whenever I was feeling down like this, Ginko would always offer me some words of encouragement. While the training sessions were harsh, she was genuinely trying to make me stronger.

“Yeah, I’ll do that,” I replied.

“Then let’s go outside. I won’t push you too hard today; yesterday was tough on you.”

“Really? I can handle another day like yesterday.”

“No, you can’t. Doing consecutive circuit expansions is just as hard on your body. At worst, your circuits could get completely ruined and become unusable.”

“I see… I understand.”

I got up and changed into suitable clothes. Then, I left my room and headed to the garden, as I always did. As I reached the veranda and looked up at the sky, I noticed my mother sitting there, gazing at the horizon.

“You’re up early today, Tenji,” she said, noticing my presence and beckoning me over.

There was no reason to decline her invitation, so I obediently went over and sat down beside her.

“Tenji, are you worried about your father?”

She looked at me as she spoke, and her voice had a slight tremor.

Out of everyone, my mother had been the closest to my father these days. I thought she must be more anxious than anyone else. I decided to comfort her in any way I could.

“Of course, I’m worried. But Dad is strong, and Fuyuma-san is with him. So, I believe they’ll be okay.”

“I see. Tenji, you’re a strong boy. I… I’m so scared. It’s embarrassing for a mother to be encouraged by her own child.”

My mother said with a weak smile, her voice filled with vulnerability.

“I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.”

Her eyes, which gazed at me, were filled with a profound sadness. It seemed like she wanted something to hold on to, something to cling to.

“Tenji, you see…”

I could easily guess the words that my mother was about to say. I had discovered something when I was exploring the mansion, and it wasn’t surprising since it was mentioned in the original story.

And that was enough to understand my mother’s current feelings. It would be impossible for her not to recall the tragic memory still lingering within her. After all…

“I knew it. There was an older brother, right?”

My mother audibly gasped.

“You knew?”

“Yeah.”

One day, I discovered a small room hidden behind a sliding door that initially appeared to be a closet. Inside, there was a child’s portrait, similar in age to me, placed alongside the family’s Buddhist altar.

In the original story, I remembered reading about how on the way home from a Shichi-Go-San (a Japanese rite of passage for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys) celebration, several demons had attacked, and only the child had lost their life.

My parents had kept all of this hidden from me, planning to reveal it to me when I grew a bit older and could join them in the fight against demons. They wanted to prevent me from developing an excessive fear of demons. Fear could paralyze the mind, making it sluggish, and for a Yin-Yang Master, it could be fatal.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I can fight now. Besides, Ginko is here, too. Dad is stronger than me. Let’s prepare to welcome them back when they return!”

“Yes, you’re right. Thank you, Tenji. You’re so mature for a four-year-old. It surprised Mom.”

“Heh, well…”

I couldn’t say anything like, “I’m an adult inside,” but I did embrace my mother, who was teary-eyed with gratitude.

“Alright, then I’ll go make breakfast. If Dad and the others come back hungry, it wouldn’t be fair to them.”

“Yeah, go ahead! Have a good day!”

Perhaps her mood had lightened a bit. The shadows that had clouded her face had dissipated, and her expression seemed softer.

Now, all that was left was to wait for Dad and Fuyuma-san to return.

“Alright, let’s start our training!”

I clapped my cheeks to motivate myself.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp morning air, and gazed up at the sky.

With a wooden sword propped up on the veranda, I focused my consciousness on my entire body’s magical energy.

I activated the spell, and the crackling sound of purple lightning filled the garden.

“Ryōrai (Transmit Thunder)!”

I wrapped the wooden sword with purple lightning and began my training.

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—In the end, that day, my father and the others did not return to the mansion, even as night fell.