Takumi

"My next goal is learning reverse cursed technique," Rin mused to herself, her thoughts drifting to the intricacies of the process. "Multiplying your negative cursed energy by itself to obtain positive cursed energy, huh?" She had grasped the concept and understood the theoretical approach, but the actual execution eluded her. Figuring out how to multiply it was proving to be a challenge.

She even asked Azrael about learning the reverse cursed technique, but he explained it in a very complex way that made her suspect he didn't want her to learn it in the first place.

"Negative times negative equals positive," she repeated to herself, trying to anchor her thoughts. She knew the math behind it, but applying that to cursed energy was an entirely different matter.

As she continued her journey throughout the Heian era, she tried to learn the reverse cursed technique, striving to improve as much as she could over the course of two months. Rin enjoyed her trip, finding amusement in her adventures while steadily progressing in her abilities.

.......

Meanwhile, not everyone was as content as Rin.

"Azrael-sama, we've lost contact with Rin completely… Could she be dead?" a sorcerer reported to Azrael.

"No," Azrael replied, his tone firm. "I know Rin and her abilities. She won't die easily. This was a test for her, and she failed it. I tested her to see if she would run or return with the special grade object."

The sorcerer hesitated before asking, "What do we do now, Azrael-sama?"

"We wait," Azrael said, his eyes narrowing with determination. "If she truly understands the value of what she's taken, she'll either return of her own volition or make herself known in some way. In the meantime, we will continue with our plans."

.....

Rin, unaware of Azrael's plans, found herself in a much different situation. She was in a bustling marketplace of a prosperous village, catching the eye of a 20-year-old nobleman who was utterly ignorant of jujutsu and its intricacies.

The nobleman, dressed in fine silks and adorned with expensive jewelry, approached her with a confident swagger. "Good day, my lady," he said, his tone dripping with charm. "You seem like a woman of rare beauty and grace. Might I have the honor of knowing your name?"

Rin raised an eyebrow, unimpressed but curious about where this interaction might lead. "Rin," she replied curtly, not giving him any more information than necessary.

"Ah, such a beautiful name for a beautiful woman," the nobleman continued, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm. "I am Takumi, the son of the local lord. Perhaps you would allow me to show you around our fair city?"

Rin smirked, finding immense amusement in Takumi's attempts to charm her. "And why would I need a guide?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I can navigate just fine on my own, thank you very much."

Takumi chuckled, clearly picking up on her disdain but choosing to ignore it anyway. "A woman as lovely as you shouldn't have to walk alone. Besides, I could offer you the finest food and wine, and perhaps a tour of our family's estate. It would be my pleasure to ensure you have a delightful experience."

"Nuh uh," Rin said dismissively as she tried to pass him, her body language making it clear that she had no interest in his offer. However, his guard, standing tall behind him, shouted indignantly, "HOW dare you? Who do you think you are to act so arrogantly in front of Lord Takumi? Do you have any idea who you're speaking to? Show some respect!"

As the guard continued to berate Rin, Takumi raised a hand to interrupt him, his expression becoming stern. "It's fine," he said, his voice attempting to sound calm, though a hint of frustration crept in. "Don't bother the beautiful lady anymore." His face, however, betrayed his true feelings, showing clear signs of irritation with a noticeable vein pulsing on his forehead 💢.

Rin, noticing his irritation, couldn't help but smirk wider, enjoying the effect she was having on him. "Look," she said, her tone now condescending, "I'm not interested in your food, your wine, or your estate. So, if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than entertain your fantasies."

Takumi's guard, unable to hold back any longer, stepped forward aggressively, but Takumi placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "Let's not make a scene," he said, trying to regain his composure. "It seems the lady has made up her mind."

Rin rolled her eyes and walked past them, her smirk still firmly in place. As she moved away, she could hear Takumi trying to save face with his guard, their voices fading into the background.

After leaving them, Rin decided to visit an inn. She was in the mood for some food and a drink, even though she didn't particularly enjoy alcohol. She drank it more for the image it projected—cool, unbothered, and confident. The inn was bustling with activity, patrons laughing and talking loudly, the smell of food and drink filling the air. Rin found a quiet corner and settled in, ordering a meal and a drink. As usual, her presence drew attention. She could feel the eyes of several patrons on her, some admiring, some curious, and some simply Lustfull.

As she called the waiter to pay for her meal—despite not liking to pay for things, she disliked causing a scene even more due to the complications it could bring—the waiter approached her, looking somewhat confused.

"Your food has already been paid for," he said, holding the bill but not extending it to her.

"Eh?" Rin's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I paid for it," came a voice from behind her. Rin turned to see Takumi standing there, a polite, almost innocent smile on his face as he took a seat at her table.

"…"

"Okay," she finally said, deciding not to make a scene and prepared to leave.

"Wait, don't go so fast," Takumi called out, trying to stop her.

But Rin did not care and left, her pace quickening as she moved away from the inn.

"Wait, wait… Miss Rin!" Takumi called after her, starting to run in a desperate attempt to catch up.

Rin moved swiftly through the winding streets, her movements agile and precise. She ducked into an alleyway, hoping to lose Takumi. After some time of running, Takumi lost sight of Rin, panting heavily as he looked around in confusion. Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and pulled into the shadows of the alleyway.

Rin had him pinned against the wall, her eyes cold and dangerous. "Any last words?" she asked, her voice low and threatening as she looked into his frightened eyes.

Takumi's fear was palpable. His face contorted with terror, and he suddenly dropped to his knees, grabbing at her clothes and bowing his head to the ground. "Please help me, Miss Rin. I'm going to die," he cried, tears streaming down his face.

"..."

"You got the wrong person. I'm just a helpless woman," Rin said, her tone mocking as if she hadn't just threatened to kill him two seconds ago.

"Please," Takumi continued, his voice desperate and pleading. "You are a sorcerer, right? Or whatever. Please help me. I'm a person in need. If you don't help me, my brothers will kill me and take all of my money—" His voice broke as he started to sob uncontrollably.

Rin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How did you know I'm a sorcerer?" she asked, genuinely confused. She couldn't fathom how a nobleman like him could know about jujutsu sorcery.

Takumi took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "It's not so hard for noble people to know about sorcerers," he explained, his voice steadier now. "We use each other for many things. But for you, it was because my charm didn't work on you. I knew at that moment you weren't a normal person." He stood up, patting his clothes to remove the dust, his tears gone and his demeanor calm once more, as if he hadn't been crying just seconds ago.

Rin was taken aback by his sudden shift in composure. "Your charm?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"My extreme handsomeness and my charisma are so high tha—" Takumi stopped as he noticed the indifferent look on Rin's face. He coughed awkwardly and continued, "It's a minor cursed tool I possess. It usually works on women, making them more... amenable to my advances. But you resisted it effortlessly. That could only mean you're a sorcerer."

"Talking about having no game," Rin said with disdain, her eyes narrowing. She knew he was lying but chose not to expose him. The absurdity of his excuse was almost amusing, and she didn't feel like wasting time arguing over it.

Takumi forced a smile, trying to mask his embarrassment. "So, will you help me?" he asked, his tone pleading once more.

"No, I'm a curse user," Rin said nonchalantly, her tone devoid of any concern for his plight.

Takumi froze for a moment, cleaning his cold sweat with a trembling hand. "It's fine," he said, his voice wavering slightly as he began to back away slowly out of the alleyway. "Even if you are an evil person, I will still hire you. I don't care about your methods, as long as you can protect me."

Rin's eyes glinted with amusement at his desperation. "You're really that scared of your brothers, huh?" she remarked, a smirk playing on her lips.