A child's joy is a parent's gift. That's essentially true; the child appreciates every gift. And I was feeling exactly that as I looked at Maki and Mai. They are both jumping on the bed, which was provided for them by the clan. With a wide smile on both of their faces.
Till now, they both were in a back room with a rugged futon, which is no different from a thin sheet; they both were sleeping in that. If the family were poor, I would have accepted that and moved past it, but Zenin is rich, so that is just plain discrimination against Maki and Mai.
"Naoya, this bed is so bouncy. Come!! Come!!" Maki asked me as she continued jumping on the bed.
Looking at both their unhinged smiles as they bounce off the bed, I felt that the trouble I took was worth every sweat. This is how a child should act. Not in fear of everything around them.
At the side, their mother was also present, with her eyes still on the ground, like a servant waiting to be ordered. Because Ogi was put in a bed, she felt healthier than usual, or it could be my imagination. But I just thought he would be healed by now, but I haven't seen him as of yet. I am still unsatisfied with how he went down without a fight.
Speck of the Devil. I turned around to see Ogi was walking toward us; he had a cervical collar around his neck. And he was walking with a cane. Seeing that he was walking towards us, Maki and Mai's mother also saw him and quickly went to support him.
"Hands off me, you useless wight," Ogi said, shaking the hand that was going to support him. Maki and Mai's mother bowed and stepped aside.
"Great to see you in good health, Uncle." I said with a smile,
Ogi's one good eye twitched the moment he heard the word "uncle" leave my mouth. The veins near his temple bulged slightly, and for a moment I genuinely wondered if his blood pressure would finish what I started. The cane in his hand tightened so hard that the wood actually let out a faint creak, but despite his obvious rage, he couldn't even raise his voice.
He knew exactly where he stood now. If he had won against it, he could open his mouth now, but defeat... I tailored his mouth with that.
"Naoya…" Ogi said through clenched teeth, his voice rougher than usual, likely from the injuries around his neck. "You seem to be enjoying yourself."
I smiled warmly, the kind of smile that would make any normal person lower their guard. "Of course. Seeing family happy is one of life's greatest pleasures. Don't you agree?"
Behind me, Maki and Mai had stopped jumping on the bed. Their smiles hadn't disappeared, but their bodies had gone stiff and they looked at Ogi. Even from where I stood, I could feel the tension radiating from them the moment their father appeared.
Their mother noticed it too. I saw her fingers tremble slightly as she lowered her gaze even further, almost as if trying to make herself disappear. Years of conditioning didn't vanish overnight.
Ogi's eye shifted toward the twins, then toward the large room the clan had prepared for them. His gaze lingered on the polished wooden furniture, the bookshelves, the training corner, the medicine cabinet, and finally the oversized bed where the twins had been playing like normal children.
His expression darkened.
"So…" he muttered, gripping his cane tighter. "This is what my clan resources are being wasted on."
Maki's shoulders tensed. Mai unconsciously moved closer to her sister.
But I just kept smiling at Ogi's mockery.
"Waste?" I repeated softly, tilting my head as if I genuinely didn't understand. "That's a strange word coming from someone who got folded by a fourteen-year-old. I even heard that you are handicapped on one side. And I also hear that your only job currently is to eat three times a day. I have to say, Uncle, you won a lottery with that."
Ogi's face turned red so fast it almost looked artistic.
Even Maki and Mai's mother accidentally looked up for a split second, clearly not expecting me to say that out loud.
"YOU—"
Ogi took one aggressive step forward—
He then immediately regretted it as pain shot through his neck and spine.
"Ghk—!"
He stumbled slightly.
Before his wife could instinctively move to support him again, he forced himself upright with his cane, breathing heavily.
I clicked my tongue. "Careful, Uncle. At your age, falling could be fatal. We couldn't want you to be bedridden for the rest of your life, right? If you behave well, then my infinitely generous and kind heart will forgive you for your transgression against me."
That almost killed him.
~~~
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