Chapter 71 ⟴ Where Is the Peace and Tranquility?

"Nino, you've really disappointed me! Sōbu High was attacked by monsters, and Miku hasn't recovered yet! Not only are you neglecting her care, but you're hiding here alone doing such things! How can you face Miku — how can you face the bond between us quintuplets?"

The harsh scolding left Nino feeling so ashamed she wanted to disappear into the ground.

She hadn't expected Ichika to catch her like this. Her attempted phone call probe and shameless deception had failed completely — she thought she could fool everyone, but she had been transparent all along.

She lowered her head helplessly, unable to meet her sister's eyes. Ichika's gaze held both anger and heartache at seeing potential wasted!

"I'm sorry, Ichika, I didn't know... I've wronged Miku, but... we agreed before... that everything... would be fair competition..." Thoroughly scolded, Nino had lost all sense of reasoning.

Right now, she only feared that an angry Ichika would tell Miku about this.

"Enough! I'll keep this secret for you!"

Like a sudden turn in the road, Nino looked at Ichika with tears in her eyes, unable to believe it. She hadn't expected her sister would protect her secret.

"Miku's already traumatized — let's not give her any more shocks for now. As for you and Daiki-kun... let's put that on hold. Don't seek him out for a while. Wait until you've calmed down before contacting him!"

Her grim expression left Nino without the courage to object.

What surprised her was Ichika's measured response — just a verbal warning and a request to calm down, rather than demanding she cut off contact completely.

"I... I understand..." Nino said submissively.

"Alright, don't worry, I'll keep my promise! For now, think about how to make it up to Miku!"

And make it up to me as well.

The last sentence, Ichika didn't say out loud.

"Then I'll go take care of Miku." Nino hurriedly left the area.

After her figure completely disappeared, Ichika immediately slipped inside.

"Daiki-kun!" Her tone was heavy, clearly showing her dissatisfaction with his earlier behavior.

Was her appeal not as strong as Nino's?

"Well, I need to cultivate my Spiritual Power, don't I?" Looking at the pouting girl, Daiki said with a smile.

Ichika didn't speak, just forcefully pushed him against the wall.

When she released Big Daiki, traces of moisture remained, carrying her sister's lingering presence.

'How infuriating!' Her eyes darkened as jealousy and anger swirled within her.

"Want it cleaned?" Daiki asked with a smile, his gaze hardening as he watched the redhead before him.

"I'll use some water—" Ichika reached for the bidet, but he caught her wrist.

"Clean it."

His meaning was unmistakable from his expression alone.

Despite her anger, Ichika hesitated only briefly before bowing her head and parting her lips.

Slurp!

The sound echoed through the confined bathroom space.

"Now I can erase all traces of Nino." She whispered, warm breath ghosting across her lips as she began.

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Unbeknownst to them, their teacher Mafuyu had wandered in.

"The Nakano Hospital is quite large. Where can I find dinner? Should I go outside?" She walked into the bathroom area to aliviate herself.

Suddenly, she noticed subtle movements.

"Tch, shameless!" Mafuyu whispered, her face flushing red.

To think they would use a hospital, of all places, for such activities.

She was about to leave when a familiar voice reached her ears.

"Da...Daiki-kun, how many... strands of Spiritual Power... have you extracted now?"

"It's still early — it takes ten times to extract one strand. It's not that simple."

Mafuyu froze, as if struck by lightning.

Daiki... wasn't he Miku's boyfriend? And that voice... was that Ichika?

Her face burned crimson, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Who told Daiki-kun to give... so much Spiritual Power to the Yukinoshita family at once? Add another ten times to the original fifty times, Saki... mmph... her sister still needs one strand..."

The sound of flesh meeting flesh sent warmth rushing to Mafuyu's abdomen.

Yet she found herself more concerned about Ichika's Spiritual Power cultivation.

Ten times for one strand? Was this what Daiki meant?

This life-giving technique was truly peculiar!

Ichika's actions deeply moved Mafuyu. Despite the enormous sacrifice required, she hadn't complained once!

Where was the peace and tranquility? Here was Ichika, silently bearing this burden and pressing forward!

Mafuyu wanted to blame Daiki but found she couldn't. If the life-giving technique truly worked this way, he had no choice. It made sense that Spiritual Power — capable of granting a second life — wouldn't come easily.

{T/N: She calls "life-giving technique" because everyone thinks that having the strand is like having a second life, a protection.}

'But... this method...'

Mafuyu struggled to find words to describe what she'd witnessed...

'No! How can I hesitate? If Ichika can do this for students from other classes, then as the homeroom teacher of Sōbu High, how can I stand by and do nothing? Ten times for one... then I only need...'

She began calculating how many students needed Spiritual Power.

Yumiko, Utaha, Ginko, Fumino, Rizu, Saki, Saki's sister, and herself. Eight people in total...

"…???" Mafuyu wiped the sweat from her forehead.

As an older single woman, this would be quite challenging. Plus, she wasn't sure if she matched Daiki's aesthetic preferences.

"If Ichika can manage sixty times, I... I should be able to handle it too, right?" Her face flushed as she clenched her fists, uncertainty coursing through her.

She hurried away, planning to explain everything tonight.

"Daiki-kun, who feels better... me or Nino... mmph..."

Daiki suddenly increased his speed, cutting off Ichika's words.

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Meanwhile, Nino continued caring for Miku, completely unaware. Looking at her sister's face filled her heart with guilt and pain.

Time passed indeterminately.

Mafuyu walked into the hospital room with a shy expression, carrying a bento box.

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At the same time.

A tall woman with hair covering her eyes appeared outside Nakano Hospital. She entered and headed straight for the top floor ward.

In the sparsely populated corridor, she passed by a strange young man.

As they crossed paths, a terrifying Cursed Energy shadow swept over her like a tsunami.

Mei Mei halted, staring at the young man in disbelief.

'Is that... the Cursed Energy of Ryōmen Sukuna, the King of Curses? Is he Sukuna's vessel... or...' She wavered, doubting her own senses.

The Cursed Energy she felt was too powerful for any human to possess. It matched perfectly with the aura she had encountered while collecting Sukuna's Special Grade Cursed Finger.

After a moment's hesitation, she quickened her pace without lingering.

"Who was that just now?" Daiki turned to watch the retreating figure.

"Daiki-kun, is that lady so captivating you can't look away?" Ichika asked with puffed cheeks, her voice sharp with jealousy.

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T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!

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