"Mai-chan, are you saying that seriously?"
It was around the time when the rainy season ended and the peak number of cursed spirits had passed. The mood of the general public had lifted slightly due to long holidays like Obon and summer vacation, and the number of cursed spirits had settled down to a level of 'moderately busy'.
Yuki, who had somehow finalized a contract with Toji and had been visiting the Fushiguro household frequently to 'investigate the Physically Gifted', appeared in Naoya's private room with Mai in tow. She dropped a bombshell saying, "Mai-chan says she wants you to make her your disciple, Naoya-kun," and Naoya's previous line was his response to that.
"I'll do it! I'm doing it! Because Naoya is 'cheating'!"
"Tsukumo-san? What does this line mean. Is it that thing about a woman's heart?"
With an expression so disgusted it made one want to tease him that he was the anthropomorphism of the word 'fed up', Naoya asked Yuki. Wafting from him was a distaste for the troubles involving women and children, and just a little bit of worry for Mai.
After all, this man had a track record of aiming for 'The Strongest' by force using Projection Sorcery, only to end up struggling through life by binding himself hand and foot.
It was no wonder that the slight remaining affection for his 'cousin ten years his junior' manifested in Naoya's attitude as a 'reluctance' that seemed to say, 'Making someone like me your master is a terrible idea, you know?'.
However, Yuki Tsukumo thought that conversely, it was exactly because Naoya was like this that he was suited to be 'Mai's master'.
After all, although the scale was different, both Naoya and Mai were existences who harbored the desire to 'reach a domain that their own technique could not manage', and Naoya was an example of someone who 'succeeded in that'.
That is why Yuki, with a bit of grandmotherly solicitude, tried to mediate between the two. —Although it sometimes backfired, this Special Grade Sorcerer was basically caring.
However, that likely included a 'fetish' for those who 'struggle and writhe in the mud to win strength'.
"Well, maybe she wants to compete with me? Recently, I've been getting Fushiguro-kun and Maki-chan to cooperate with data collection on 'Physical Gifted'. Maki-chan was also saying 'Cheating woman! Make me strong!'... Oh right, seems like both of their favorite types is Naoya-kun?"
"That kind of thing is something every brat with the opposite sex in the family says at this age. It's the 'I'm going to be Papa's bride in the future' phase. Don't take it seriously."
"Is that so? Well, but that's the gist of it. In their own way, don't these kids seriously want to become strong enough to beat me, the 'cheating woman'?"
Being told so by Yuki, Naoya sighed once and thrust a cruel reality at Mai.
"Mai-chan, my preference is only big-tits, nice-body older sisters. Height lower than me, huge ass, tits preferably K-cup or above. Terrible, right? Men are all like this. Only caring about looks, it's terrible. So Mai-chan, seriously give it up. Tits, ass, and height won't grow with jujutsu. Reconsider, you'll regret it."
That was a statement made with the intention of 'making Mai dislike him', containing plenty of sexual harassment and exposure of his fetishes. However, Mai's determination was firmer than Naoya imagined.
"Shut up! I'll do it!"
"Well, isn't it fine? Since she has awakened to a technique anyway, the Technical College and your family won't leave her alone, right?"
"...Can't be helped. But I'll say this. Mai-chan, your talent is trash."
"It's not trash! Even if it is trash, make me strong, Naoya!"
"So unreasonable... Are you really sure? Tsukumo-san looks kinder than me, right?"
"No! I hate the cheating woman! Naoya is better!"
"What the hell, four-year-olds are super annoying. ...Ah, fine, I'll teach you. Mai-chan, you'll regret this in the future. Both your taste in men and your taste in masters."
"Oh, good for you. Naoya-kun says he'll teach you. ...Well, I'll be in Fushiguro-kun's room!"
Saying so, Yuki Tsukumo walked away with light steps. Naoya sighed again at her retreating back and scratched his head violently.
"So free... Pushing a troublesome brat onto me... So Mai-chan, what do you want to do? Even saying jujutsu training, there's a lot. First, what do you want to become?"
"...Precure?"
"Precure... No, but yeah. Isn't that an option? You have no talent, so that might be better. I'll decide Mai-chan's 'Binding'. A binding where 'The bigger you grow, the stronger you become'."
Naoya, floating an obviously malicious smile, threw a devil's whisper at Mai.
"Mai-chan, you have no talent, so if we don't bind, your technique won't get strong. The fuel efficiency of the technique is bad, and on top of that, the amount of cursed energy is a sparrow's tear. That's why, you have to listen to what I say, okay?"
There was no way a mere four-year-old girl could notice the malice swirling behind Naoya's smiling face.
"Yeah!"
Mai would spend her life agonizing over whether she should 'praise or beat to death' the self of this day who replied so cheerfully.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]