In the month that followed, my existence remained a monotonous cycle. My father and various attendants would filter in and out, bottle-feeding me before retreating back into the depths of the estate. All I could do was sleep. Honestly, what else is an infant capable of? To pass the time, I obsessively reviewed the plot of the original story in my mind, desperate to ensure no detail slipped through the cracks. However, I faced one glaring problem: I hadn't finished the series.
'I only remember up until the Shibuya Incident... I've been spoiled on various bits and pieces, but I don't know exactly how everything unfolds. Still... I do remember that Maki eventually slaughters every last Zenin.'
The thought sent a chill through my tiny frame. 'If I was lucky enough to be born as the son of the Zenin Clan Head with actual talent, there must be something I can do to change that fate. First, I need to grow out of this useless body.'
It was then that I sensed it. A presence lingered just beyond the slightly ajar sliding door. I turned my head, and in an instant, I felt the weight of someone's gaze. That man... he was still young, but there was no mistaking him.
'How could I have forgotten him? The disgrace of the Zenin clan. The victim of a Heavenly Restriction. The Physical Gift of the Tyrant. And... the "Sorcerer Killer," Fushiguro—no. Zenin Toji!'
Panic surged within me, but perhaps because I was trapped in this infantile vessel, my emotions failed to manifest on the surface. I could only stare blankly, meeting Toji's gaze. A sudden realization flickered in my mind.
'Wait, I just need to get on Toji's good side. But how? How does one become friendly with a man who loathes the Zenin and hates every talented sorcerer they produce?'
While I was lost in thought, Toji scanned the perimeter before stepping over the threshold and into my room. I hadn't expected him to actually enter.
'Fine. From this moment on, I am Toji's biggest fan. I always thought his raw physical prowess was incredible anyway. Surely he wouldn't hurt a child who genuinely likes him?'
As Toji approached, I forced a bright, toothless smile.
"Auu... Kyau..."
Toji paused mid-stride, appearing genuinely caught off guard by my reaction. He seemed to contemplate for a moment before closing the distance between us.
"Tch. I came to see this brat they're calling the 'Future of the Zenin.' Everyone's making a fuss over the clan's future, but all I see is a mewling brat. It's pathetic. Is a man's destiny really decided from the moment of birth? What is 'future' and what is 'disgrace'? This godforsaken family, where Cursed Energy dictates everything... it's all trash."
He stared down at me with an intensity that made me feel as though a cold sweat was drenching my body. Was he going to kill me? Even with an infant's dull senses, the killing intent radiating from him was terrifying. But I had to stay in character. I had to be a clueless baby. Holding his gaze, I laughed again, clutching and releasing my tiny fists in the air.
"Hah... What's so funny? Are you mocking me too? Dammit... forget it. Getting worked up in front of a brat. Staying in this rotting house makes me feel like I'm decaying right along with it."
Toji turned to leave, but he caught sight of my persistent grin. As if possessed, he stepped back toward me. He reached out with a hand far larger than my own and squeezed my tiny hand firmly.
"Kyau... Baa..."
'That actually hurts, Mr. Toji. Consider your own strength for a second!'
Despite the pain, I gritted my teeth—metaphorically speaking—and kept smiling. Toji flinched, pulling his hand away as if he'd been burned. He stared at his own palm for a heartbeat before bolting out of the room.
'What was that? Did Zenin Toji... just hold an infant's hand and then run away? The tyrant I knew?'
My mind raced to process the bizarre encounter, but the exhaustion of infancy soon took hold, and I drifted into a deep sleep.
Toji didn't show his face again after that. I figured he wouldn't come back, considering how much the clan despised him. I resumed my routine of feeding and sleeping, but a week after our first meeting, he returned. I heard unfamiliar footsteps and sensed a presence near the door. There he was.
'Oh, you're back? What's the plan this time?'
Hiding my wariness, I gave him another radiant smile. Toji hesitated for a moment before walking in and sinking into a chair beside my bed.
As he watched me beam at him, a rough, dry laugh escaped his throat, as if he found my existence genuinely absurd.
"Heh. Why does this brat laugh every time he sees me? I saw you earlier; you didn't even smile for your old man. Am I that funny to you, kid?"
'As if... I'm actually scared to death right now.'
I kept up the facade, smiling brightly. Suddenly, I sensed a commotion outside in the hallway. Toji heard it too. He let out a long sigh and stood up.
"Hah... It'll be a pain if I'm caught here. Those pieces of trash never give a man a moment's peace."
As he turned to leave, Toji suddenly reached down and pinched my cheek, kneading it like clay. With a faint, smirk-like twist of his lips, he vanished from the room.
'What is with that guy? I can't read his intentions at all...'