Impersonating the reincarnation of Yakou is not a simple task.
Though Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi seemed to easily pick up a child from the wild and raise him as his own son to deceive everyone's eyes, to successfully impersonate Yakou's reincarnation, a crucial question needs to be considered.
That question is how to make others believe that this child is indeed Yakou's reincarnation.
"Since this is the reincarnation of Yakou, the child must excel in the field of jujutsu, not only possessing the ability to see spirits but also displaying astonishing talent that would amaze people," Rozen exposed all these things in front of Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.
"If one doesn't possess an amazing talent, even if they manage to deceive others and claim this child as their own, people will still harbor suspicions, right?"
Take Kurahashi Genji as an example. When he first visited the Tsuchimikado family, the chief of the Onmyou Agency didn't mention anything about Yakou. Instead, he initially tested Rozen.
Even if this kind of test ultimately turned into a jujutsu battle, even without that competition, Kurahashi Genji would definitely find other ways to investigate.
In such a scenario, if Rozen's performance wasn't outstanding enough, then undoubtedly, Genji would have immediately harbored suspicions.
Naturally, if the Yakou followers found Rozen and discovered that he was easily dealt with, they would also never believe that such an individual could be the reincarnation of the great King of North Star.
In view of this, to impersonate the reincarnation of Yakou, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi first had to find a child with astonishing natural talent.
Moreover, it had to be a child unknown to the public, untraceable, who could be naturally brought back to the Tsuchimikado family.
This kind of child couldn't be adopted from outside, and he had to be an infant who knew nothing. Furthermore, he couldn't come from prominent noble families; otherwise, there would definitely be clues, eventually exposing the ruse.
In other words, finding an abandoned infant unknown to the world was the best method.
But finding such an infant who also possessed the rare ability to see spirits and had outstanding talents that would amaze the jujutsu world, wasn't that an exceedingly difficult task?
Even if such a child did exist, there was no certainty that Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi would find them. If not for Rozen coming to this world, perhaps Natsume was the child chosen to impersonate Yakou's reincarnation.
Even so, Natsume wasn't a perfect scapegoat.
Because Natsume was a girl, while Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's son had to be a boy.
At that time, Kurahashi Miyo and Kurahashi Genji were present, witnessing Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's wife's pregnancy, and they could sense the presence of yang energy in the child in her belly. If they wanted to impersonate, Natsume would have to disguise herself as a boy almost her entire life, sacrificing herself.
From this, it could be seen just how difficult it was to find a child capable of impersonating Yakou's reincarnation. Even if such a child did exist, whether or not Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi would find them remained an unknown variable.
All these issues made this matter extremely challenging.
But one have to say, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi was lucky.
"You possess the ability of stargazing, being able to see the future you desire. If it were you, deliberately using this power to find a child who meets the criteria and eventually presenting him as the chosen one, wouldn't be such a difficult task, right?" Rozen calmly spoke.
"And I am the child you found, am I not?" That was the reason why Rozen was picked up by Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.
In other words...
"I'm not a discarded infant you randomly found. I was specifically chosen using your stargazing abilities," Rozen said, looking at Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi.
"You directly named me as the next head of the Tsuchimikado family. That was to make people believe that I'm your biological son. I carry the talents of the Tsuchimikado family. Even Hokuto was intentionally passed down to me, all to deceive the Onmyou Agency, right?"
After the jujutsu match with Kurahashi Genji, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi passed down Hokuto to Rozen.
Why would he so hastily hand over the precious spiritual beast, passed down through generations of the Tsuchimikado family, to a child?
The reason was to make others believe more firmly that Rozen was the reincarnation of Yakou.
"If I could already use the Tsuchimikado family's inherited true dragon before turning ten, then wouldn't the rumor of me being Yakou's reincarnation be even more believable?" Rozen said.
"Especially for the Kurahashi family head, who saw my performance when I was a child. If they found out that I inherited Hokuto, they would surely be about seventy to eighty percent certain that I'm the reincarnation of Yakou. If I were to use Hokuto in Tokyo, others would be equally astonished and convinced, right?"
For this reason, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi did so much.
In other words...
"For the well-being of your own son in the future, you sacrificed not only the honor of the Tsuchimikado family but also the guardian spiritual beast passed down through generations, and even me, the child you picked up from outside," Rozen said in a very calm tone.
"Did I say something wrong?"
This question didn't need an answer.
From Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's closed eyes and the silence he maintained, it was evident that this was an undeniable reality.
Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi was so indifferent to Rozen, maintaining such a distance from him, and this was the reason.
"If you developed feelings for me, the child prepared to be the scapegoat, the one who would suffer wouldn't just be yourself, it would be me too. Is that what you're thinking?" Rozen made a detached evaluation.
"You're truly selfish."
There couldn't be more fitting words to describe Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's actions.
But that was the reality, wasn't it?
For the future well-being of his son, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi sacrificed so much, isn't that selfish?
But who can blame him for this selfishness?
Can Rozen?
Similarly, no.
So, there's only one thing Rozen can do.
"Don't worry, I won't reveal this matter. I won't expose the hidden truths until it's revealed. It's a way to repay your nurturing and education," Rozen sighed and said.
"But I won't willingly admit that I am Yakou's reincarnation, nor will I return Hokuto to the Tsuchimikado family. I won't even let go of Natsume. She will forever be my shikigami. That is the price."
After saying this, Rozen turned away.
"I will also do what I want to do. As for what you should do, it's up to you. Please take care of yourself."
Leaving these words behind, Rozen resumed his pace and left for his appointment.
It was as if nothing had happened here.
Only at this moment did Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi open his eyes.
Watching Rozen leave, a bitter expression finally appeared on Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's face.
"Is fate truly unstoppable?"
If that's the case...
"If that's the case, then I can only do this."
Thinking of his smoothly growing son in the midst of the ordinary and happiness, Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi's heart began to firm up.
The wheel of fate starts turning again.