Anywhere was better than that house.
Maki immediately regretted that thought.
'Is this... for real?'
The moment she stepped into the modern luxury apartment, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.
Her five senses screamed in terror.
Koyanskaya of Light and Koyanskaya of Darkness.
There was a scent permeating the air—something she had never encountered before—emanating from Shuten-douji, Ushi-gozen, and the others.
Even the clan head's presence paled in comparison.
The Zenin sorcerers, who looked down on others with their arrogant displays of strength, were nothing by comparison.
No, 'nothing' didn't even cover it.
Compared to the entities here, their existence was practically transparent.
Ibuki-douji, who had traveled with them from the station, was one thing.
But even Minamoto-no-Raiko, despite the friendly look in her eyes, possessed an aura that was fundamentally transcendent.
Maki possessed a Heavenly Restriction, just like Toji.
Because of it, her physical capabilities were superhuman—but she was a half-baked superhuman.
In the world of jujutsu, twins are treated as a single entity.
It was because of her younger sister, Mai.
Despite this handicap, Maki's sharpened senses understood exactly why a Servant was a Servant.
She could feel that they were fundamentally different from humans at the most basic level.
"Oh dear. It seems I've frightened you."
Raiko approached them gently.
It was a natural reaction for her, as she was the most well-disposed toward children.
"Is that so?"
Raiko's Master stepped forward.
A boy with white hair approached the sisters.
The boy was tall for his age, but he was still a child.
He wasn't so tall that he looked down on them from some unreachable height.
"It's a new home, so it's only natural to be scared. But don't worry, I won't let anyone bully you here."
The boy smiled, perhaps reflecting on the sisters' pitiable fate.
It was a bittersweet smile.
"Raiko. I have things to discuss with Naoya, so please look after the children."
"Yes, Master. Leave it to me."
Raiko, who adored children, beamed with delight.
She would have stepped up even if he hadn't asked, so she was incredibly eager.
"Now then. Do not be afraid, come this way."
Raiko stood and waited for them.
True to someone possessing intense maternal instincts, she was exceptionally gracious.
"Y-Yes..."
The sisters hesitated before following behind Raiko.
It was intimidating, but they felt a strange sense of security.
"Now, you'll be staying here from now on. It might take some getting used to, but the space isn't too cramped, is it?"
Raiko led the way and showed them into a room.
Inside was a large bed fitting for the spacious room.
Only the minimum necessary furniture, such as shelves, was provided.
There were no appliances like air conditioners or heaters.
Domestic appliances were entirely absent, replaced by temperature-control magecraft.
"Whoa..."
Mai's eyes sparkled as she looked around.
'My room.'
The weight of those words made the room seem even more special.
In fact, it was special.
Everything from the view out the high-rise window to the very air felt fresh and new.
"We really get to live here?"
Maki felt exactly the same as Mai.
Her tone was arguably blunt, but it didn't come across as rude.
"Yes. I'll help you unpack your things in a bit, so please rest for now. You can watch television, or if you're thirsty, feel free to grab whatever you like from the refrigerator in the kitchen."
'Drink whatever you like.'
For the sisters, who had lived as servants for years, such words were foreign.
Of course, they had been able to drink water whenever they wanted back at the Zenin estate, but...
Every single detail of their lives there had been strictly controlled.
"Well then. I'll check back on you shortly."
Raiko left the room early to give the children some space.
Though she was smiling, it was a struggle to suppress her overwhelming urge to give them both a tight hug.
"Sister, look over here."
Mai pointed out the massive window.
The vast sky stretched out before them, and the ground seemed miles below.
It was a sight they could never have seen from that mansion surrounded by its towering walls.
Maki blinked as she instinctively took in the vista.
She was still in a bit of a daze.
"Mai. Those people from earlier... I'm not sure if I should call them human, but anyway. What did you think of them?"
"All of them? I'm not sure. But... they're not as scary as Father."
Mai replied shyly.
She felt awkward around the strangers, but strangely, she didn't feel afraid.
The Zenin clan members had been terrifying despite their familiar faces.
Compared to her terrifying and brutal father, these people were nothing like that.
"That man isn't even a parent. Don't waste your breath on him."
Maki sighed and patted Mai's shoulder.
She agreed with her timid but perceptive younger sister.
The entities here were certainly intimidating, but they weren't malicious.
"Let's just watch some TV for now."
"Huh? We don't have to clean? Remember last time when they told us to rest, but then we got in trouble for not working?"
Mai's eyes went wide as she asked.
Memories of the deceptive tactics they had suffered under at the Zenin household flooded her mind.
Telling two little girls to clean a massive hallway on their own...
It had bordered on outright abuse.
"It's fine. Didn't they say we could trust them? If they pull something like that, then it just means they're not worth our trust either."
Maki sat down on the bed despite her own internal uncertainty.
It was soft, warm, and cozy.
It was incomparable to laying out a futon on a hard tatami mat.
"Come on, Mai. Get up here."
Maki reached out her hand to Mai, who was still standing in a daze.
Just as she had led her sister on that afternoon when Mai had been too paralyzed by the fear of Cursed Spirits to take a single step.
"As you know, those girls are severely lacking in talent."
In the kitchen.
Naoya, sitting across the table, began to speak.
"Yeah. It seemed that way."
"Right. Like I mentioned before, the older sister has a defective physical Heavenly Restriction. The other one possesses the Construction Technique."
A half-baked Heavenly Restriction.
A Construction Technique with efficiency that scraped the bottom of the barrel.
Because the twins were born together, they were fundamentally a lost cause in the world of jujutsu.
Even though they clearly cared for each other, it was a bitter situation.
'Can I do something about that too?'
Magecraft is broader and deeper than jujutsu.
I may not be able to use magecraft myself, but surely there's a way if I look for it.
"I know. You told me earlier."
"Then I should speak about their upbringing."
Naoya reached into his pocket and pulled out a bankbook.
Was this for child support?
"Is this it?"
"Yes. Toji-kun set it up, but you can use it however you see fit."
"Thanks."
I carefully took the bankbook.
I figured I could use it since it was provided as compensation for my trouble, but...
I felt a bit awkward using it.
'Should I just save it and give it to the girls when they go independent?'
I already had more than enough for living expenses anyway.
The two Koyanskayas had even taken the initiative to expand our wealth.
In other words, there was no reason to touch the girls' money.
As long as I didn't go on a corporate shopping spree like some conglomerate heir, we were more than comfortable.
"How much are you putting in?"
"The Clan Head will be depositing one million yen every month."
One million yen.
Roughly ten thousand dollars just rolls in every single month.
Wow, that's... a lot?
Even for someone like me who didn't have much material greed, it was a significant sum.
I could spend maybe a hundred thousand and save the rest.
That was the kind of money we were talking about.
"Is this a bribe?"
The amount was excessive for just raising two children.
A bribe was the only logical explanation.
"That's correct."
Naoya nodded.
Just as I thought.
Still, I accepted it as a gesture that they wanted to stay on my good side.
They probably wouldn't try to use this money to threaten me.
"And if someone tries to find fault using this money?"
"Those fools would deserve death. Don't worry about it."
Naoya spoke with pride.
Seeing his confidence, I felt I could rest easy.
After all, this was child support.
The justification was on my side, so there wasn't much for them to nitpick anyway.
"Good. I'll make good use of it."
After confirming the financial details, I asked Naoya how he was doing.
"By the way, how have things been lately?"
"I've been doing well, thanks to you and your 'wives.' My Domain is almost within reach now."
From daily life to jujutsu training.
As we chatted about various topics, time flew by.
"Well then, I'll take my leave now."
"Right. Take care on your way back."
I saw Naoya off downstairs and returned home.
Now I was wondering what I should do next.
I'd already settled on a school nearby for them.
Should I check their belongings and then go buy some clothes?
"Raiko. Where are the girls' bags?"
"I've set them in the corner. Should I go organize them now?"
As I walked into the living room, Raiko picked up the suitcases she had left behind the sofa.
There were two suitcases in total.
One for each sister.
Thinking that those represented the entirety of their lives for the past six years... it was just depressing.
"Please. I'd like to help, but they're young girls—they probably won't want a man handling their things."
"Yes, Master. Don't worry."
Raiko beamed and headed toward the sisters' room.
She knocked politely and waited for permission before entering.
Maternal affection radiated from her every movement and glance.
'I'm really glad she's here.'
Originally, Raiko was a being with a twisted sense of motherhood.
To her, a being she felt maternal toward was often a being she loved romantically as well.
As a result, the motherhood she directed at me was 'spicy,' to say the least.
However, the emotion she displayed toward Maki and Mai was pure and gentle.
The Koyanskayas and Ushi-gozen were out.
They weren't suited for childcare.
Ibuki-douji was usually gentle.
And Shuten, who was surprisingly good with children, seemed like she'd be a decent nanny.
But regardless, I believed everyone would get along in their own way.
Thankfully, they'd all reached an agreement, and there was no animosity.
"Ibuki. Can we talk for a second?"
"Hmm? Of course we can."
"Then come to my room."
I called out to Ibuki, who was drinking in the living room.
Today, she was drinking whiskey straight from the bottle.
"Ehehe... What's up? Are you trying to... seduce your big sister?"
Ibuki's cheeks were flushed as she let out a silly giggle.
She was a little tipsy.
"Maybe later. I want to talk about the sisters who just arrived."
"Oh, them? They're all bristly like hedgehogs, but they seem like good kids at heart. I don't think there will be any problems."
"I think so too, but their specific condition is bothering me."
In the world of jujutsu, twins are a single entity.
Because of that shackles, both of them were suffering.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, that setting was used to maximize tragedy.
It left a profound impact, but...
Now that it was reality, I didn't want to just sit by and watch that play out.
It's only natural to want to change a tragedy.
"In magecraft, twins are beings that complement and amplify each other, right? Like the Edelfelt balance."
"Mmm... I don't know much about magecraft, but the twins on our side aren't like that at all."
"So I was wondering if we could use magecraft to do something about it. Do you think it's possible?"
When I asked tentatively, Ibuki paused for a moment.
She seemed to be considering it seriously.
"Hmm, mmmmm—"
She spent three minutes with her index finger on her lips, deep in thought.
Finally, Ibuki spoke.
"I'll give it a shot. It's not something I can do alone, so would it be okay if I recruited the Koyanskayas as well? Those girls are the most skilled when it comes to magecraft."
"Please do."
"Don't mention it. We're talking about saving those poor children. The other girls might not be all that interested, but I think it's a great idea."
She was right, so I immediately nodded.
If I ordered them to do it, they would follow through faithfully.
"Thanks. It might upset the girls if they knew, so please do this without them finding out. Keep it quiet. I don't want to give them false hope if it doesn't work out."
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 56
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T