Ch.148

Akira was a bit stunned.

What was going on here?

Bowing as soon as we meet? Are you some kind of imperial coroner or something?

Although her figure did give off that vibe, I'm not a prince, so why the grand gesture?

Wait a minute, this woman looks familiar.

"You are—"

"Do you remember me, young master?"

After touching her head to the ground, the woman finally raised her head, allowing Akira to see her face clearly.

Her features were delicate and pleasant, not particularly stunning, but comfortable to look at. Paired with the extremely rare standard kneeling bow in modern society, it awakened Akira's childhood memories.

"You are—Natsuko-nee?"

Hearing Akira call her name, Natsuko's face lit up with joy: "I'm so glad you still remember me."

"Of course I remember. How could I forget?"

Though she was called "sister," she was actually a maid.

Don't forget Akira's former identity—the legitimate son of the Kamo family head and his principal wife. In the entire country, he was one of the few young masters of such high status, so it was only natural that he had servants attending to him.

This Natsuko had once been Akira's personal maid. She came from a branch family of the Kamo clan and was a few years older than Akira. In terms of seniority, it was appropriate for Akira to call her "sister."

However, like Maki, she had no talent for jujutsu, so she could only do menial tasks and be ordered around.

Because of her meticulous work, gentle personality, and suitable age, she was eventually chosen by the family head to take care of the young master and accompany him as he grew up.

Although Akira later lost his legitimate son status and Natsuko was reassigned, Akira held no resentment toward her.

What could an eighteen-year-old girl like her have decided at the time? Moreover, Natsuko had taken care of Akira with utmost care.

A significant part of Akira's understanding of the "feudal upper class" came from Natsuko, and this became one of the few fond memories Akira had of the Kamo family.

"Why are you here, Natsuko-nee?"

"Do you even need to ask? Of course, she's here to serve you, the Special Grade lord."

Before Natsuko could answer, someone else chimed in.

Another woman, also dressed in a plain kimono, younger than Natsuko but with a much more arrogant attitude.

Akira also recognized this person—she was the one he had interacted with the most during his last visit to Kyoto.

"Mai? Why are you—?"

"Similar to this Natsuko-san, I was also sent here, though not as legitimately."

Mai half-sat, half-leaned against the railing, looking at Akira with a slightly provocative expression.

"Haven't figured it out yet? I've given you enough hints."

Akira looked at Mai, then at Natsuko, who was still kneeling. The latter's expression was somewhat complicated and… awkward. Connecting this with Maki's earlier words and the current timing, Akira had his answer.

"Seriously? They're pulling this move? I'm only sixteen. How could they do this?"

"Whether in ancient times or modern times, plenty of people do that at sixteen. I've heard some even mock older virgins. Are you the one mocking or the one being mocked?"

Akira's mouth twitched, but he forced his expression to remain calm and shot back: "What about you?"

Then, there was silence.

This question would be highly inappropriate in China. Even though people often joke about teenagers maturing earlier, the societal values haven't sunk to such a level.

But this is Japan. The eleventh region has its own national conditions, and it's exactly as Mai said.

After a while, Akira finally said: "From what I know about this topic, experiencing certain things before fully developing can harm one's health, especially for women, who tend to suffer more in this regard."

"Young master, I'm already twenty-six," Natsuko, who hadn't had a chance to speak, suddenly interjected.

This time, it was Mai's turn to have her mouth twitch. However, she didn't try to hide it, simply shrugging: "You heard her? And compared to leaving your bloodline, a little damage is nothing. Do you think the higher-ups care? If you want, they can find you anyone you desire."

Yes, bloodline.

Whether it was Natsuko, who had been away for so long, or Mai, whom Akira had only recently met, they were both sent to Akira's side for this purpose.

The so-called serving wasn't just about taking care of daily needs but also included sharing the bed.

This was considered normal among the ancient families led by the Big Three. Members who inherited jujutsu abilities were expected to leave behind descendants, and if the jujutsu was particularly powerful, they were encouraged to leave behind as many descendants as possible.

Although the inheritance rate wasn't 100%, with enough numbers, a few were bound to "hit the mark."

Arranging maids for the young master when he was still young had always been part of the plan, similar to ancient bed-warming maids.

"Don't think of me as that despicable, and watch what you say. It won't do you any good if the higher-ups hear you." Akira said this, but he quietly typed the word "eavesdropping" on his phone screen as a warning.

Mai calmly shook her head: "I don't think the higher-ups would risk angering you by doing something like that."

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Let's check anyway."

Walls have ears, but with Gardevoir and Serperior around, no movement could escape their notice.

The only concern was high-tech devices. Going to the hot spring wasn't just for relaxation but also to prevent eavesdropping devices.

"Fine, you're the Special Grade lord. You call the shots."

Mai placed her hand on the wall and floor, cursed energy sweeping through in a rhythmic pattern.

Her technique, "Construction," required her to understand the structure before she could manifest it.

The specific method of understanding the structure was through cursed energy scanning. If there was anything unusual in the building, Mai would know after scanning it.

She was only held back by the system. In another place, she would definitely be treated as a treasure.

"No issues, nothing abnormal. More than that, I'm worried about whether someone might snitch."

"Please rest assured, Mai-san. I'm not one to gossip."

Natsuko quickly spoke up. With only the three of them here, Mai might as well have named names.

"Even if I accidentally let something slip, a little gossip won't affect you, Mai-san."

Akira let out an "oh," realizing there was more to her words: "Looks like you've been doing well recently?"

"Yes, thanks to you and Yuki-san's arrangements."

Knowing she couldn't hide it, Mai instead became very open in front of Akira, daring to say anything.

"Although many people are unhappy about how a menial worker like me managed to climb up to you, they only dare to gossip behind my back. No one says it to my face, and I haven't been bothered by Naoya or anyone else."

"That's good." Akira nodded. "So, you being here tonight is also—"

"Since I've enjoyed the benefits you've brought me, I naturally have to bear the corresponding drawbacks. The higher-ups not only want to win you over but also want to tie you down through a child. Besides Natsuko-san, who grew up with you, I'm the one who's been closest to you recently.

In the past month, I've only gone home once. My mother and even my father, who's never been kind to me, both urged me: they said it was an opportunity, that we couldn't let the Kamo family dominate. What else could I do?"