Amnesiac Gong Zhili transmigrated to a rural village in Japan, acquiring a two-story mansion and a stack of mostly useless land deeds. In the village, she adopted two little girls and began her far...
Chapter 93 Kugizaki Wild Rose
Nobara Kugisaki is a very vigilant girl.
Ever since she was little, she has had a stubbornness that makes her angry at the heavens. She knows that many people in this world are shit, and most of the good-looking men are bastards. So when Gojo Satoru kissed that pretty sister who spoke so sweetly in front of her, Norose put him in jail in her heart. This kind of person will not only lead children astray, but also deceive beautiful girls!
So Nobara Kugisaki's first impression of Gojo Satoru was not very good.
When I heard him say that he wanted to talk to his grandma, all the thorns in my body seemed to explode.
Gojo Satoru wasn't surprised to see this. He could see the stubbornness in the girl's eyes, as well as a caution far beyond her years. He didn't bother explaining further; sometimes actions speak louder than words.
He raised his hand and flicked his fingertips casually.
An invisible yet powerful force suddenly surged out, not rushing towards Wild Rose, but passing by her accurately and hitting the dead tree stump that she had been struggling with.
There was a dull thud, not deafening but powerful enough to send the sturdy tree stump flying off the ground before it could even break, drawing a short arc and crashing into the nearby lake with a splash, before slowly sinking.
The lakeside suddenly became quiet, with only the sound of falling snowflakes.
Nobara Kugisaki was completely frozen, her eyes wide open, her mouth slightly open as she watched the ripples gradually spreading out on the lake. She then suddenly turned her head to look at Gojo Satoru, and the forced ferocity and vigilance on her face shattered completely, leaving only pure shock.
She looked down at the rusty nails in her hand, then looked at the lake, and then looked up at Gojo Satoru, who looked so relaxed as if he had just brushed off some dust.
A few seconds later, she quickly put the nail in her pocket, her face stern, and her tone became unusually calm: "Okay, for now, I believe you are not ordinary scammers."
This time it was Gojo Satoru's turn to raise an eyebrow: "Oh? Changing your mind so quickly?"
Nobara Kugisaki glanced at him as if he were a fool, and her logic was clearer than a child's: "If you really wanted to kidnap me, you could have knocked me out with that blow just now and taken me away. There was no need to waste your energy on a performance." She resisted the urge to pinch the nail in her pocket because she knew she had no chance of winning against this man. It would be as easy for him to deal with her as stepping on an ant.
Miyajima, who had been watching quietly, smiled faintly upon hearing this. She whispered to Gojo Satoru, "What a child who knows the current situation."
Gojo Satoru chuckled.
"However," Wild Rose changed the subject, pointing to the open space on the other side of the lake where smoke was already rising, and made a bold request with a childish, self-righteous tentativeness, "Are you camping there? I want to go there first and take a look." She thought to herself, observing how they get along and whether those children are really at ease is better than just listening to what they say.
Gong Zhili glanced at her, saw through her thoughts, and nodded: "Okay, let's go."
So, the plan to visit Grandma Kugisaki was temporarily postponed, and the three of them returned to the campsite.
As soon as they arrived at the camp, Nobara Kugisaki's sharp eyes began her "reconnaissance". She almost immediately locked onto her target - the pink-haired boy with the most heartless look and the brightest smile, Yuji Itadori. She walked straight up to him and started asking questions like a little adult: "My name is Nobara Kugisaki. What's your name? Are you all sorcerers? Is that powerful white-haired man really your teacher? Where is that black-haired sister? What do you usually do?"
Yuji Itadori was a little confused by her series of questions, but he answered happily and without any guard: "My name is Yuji Itadori... Well, we are not considered sorcerers yet. Sister Chiri said we are too young. Brother Gojo is very powerful! Sister Chiri is our sister... We usually go to school, train, and play!"
On the other side, Megumi Fushiguro was silently helping Geto Suguru flip the skewers on the grill. Nobara observed for a while, then walked over naturally and pointed at one of the skewers: "This one looks like it's almost cooked. Can you help me hold it? I'm afraid of getting burned." She ordered people around with confidence, but with a frankness that was hard to refuse.
Fushiguro Megumi glanced at her without saying anything. She carefully picked up the skewer of sizzling, fragrant meat with a pair of tongs and handed it to her, whispering, "Be careful, it's hot."
Wild Rose took the string, blew on it, took a bite, her eyes lit up, and then she continued her "inspection".
The adults watched this scene from the side. Ieiri Naoko took the grilled mushrooms handed to her by Geto Suguru with a playful smile on her face, "This kid is really interesting."
Gojo Satoru leaned back in his folding chair, watching Wild Rose, like a cautious yet bold kitten, carving out her territory in her new surroundings. His tone held a subtle admiration, "She's quite courageous and thoughtful. She's a promising sorcerer."
Xia Yujie: "Did you just say that she has a grandmother who is a sorcerer?"
Gojo Satoru stretched his legs and said, "Yeah, judging by her reaction, it's easy to guess."
Geto Xia Yu looked around and felt it again: "I didn't see any sorcerers when I came here for a mission last time."
Gojo Satoru lowered his eyes. "Didn't your last mission say that the villagers tried every possible method but couldn't find the source of the problem? Her grandmother must have been one of those 'various methods,' right?"
Gong Zhili ate quietly, his eyes occasionally glancing at Ye Qiangwei, who was gradually able to talk to the children, and his expression was relaxed.
Gojo Satoru tilted his head and asked, "What are you eating? I want to eat it too."
Ieiri Naoko stuffed a bunch of roasted green peppers at him and said, "Eat."
Gojo Satoru still stubbornly tilted his head towards Gong Zhili: "Zhili, I want to eat whatever you are eating~"
Gong Zhili looked at the only piece of roasted corn left in his hand and stuffed the piece of corn directly into his mouth: "Eat quietly."
The atmosphere of the camp became more lively with the addition of new members and her "reconnaissance" activities. Although Wild Rose still retained her judgment in her heart, the hot food, the lively atmosphere, and the naturalness and friendliness shown by other children (especially Tsu Miki and the twins) relaxed her tense nerves a little.
After camping, led by Kugisaki Nobara, they arrived at a solitary house at the foot of a nearby hillside. Standing at the door was an elderly woman with graying hair, a thin frame, and a look of weathered worry etched in her eyes. She had clearly sensed the commotion outside. Her sharp, hawk-like gaze swept over the group of strangers, finally landing on her granddaughter, surrounded by them, with a look of complete alertness.
"Grandma!" Wild Rose ran over.
"Nobara, who are these people?" Grandma Kugisaki's voice was hoarse and tense. She grabbed her granddaughter's arm tightly and pulled her behind her, forming a protective posture.
Gojo Satoru took a step forward, his tone unusually serious. "Hello, Ms. Kugisaki, we happened to meet your granddaughter and discovered that she possesses an exceptional talent for sorcery. We are teachers at Tokyo Metropolitan Technical High School and staff in the sorcery community. If possible, would she like to come..."
Grandma Kugisaki's face instantly darkened, her lips pressed into a hard line, and the resistance in her eyes almost turned into reality: "Sorcerer? I don't care who you are or where you come from, please leave now. My granddaughter will not go with you, she will never become a sorcerer!" Her refusal was firm and there was no room for negotiation.
"Please listen to us..." Gojo Satoru tried to continue.
"There's nothing much to say!" Grandma Kugisaki was a little emotional. She looked at the young man in front of her and said in a low voice, "I know better than anyone what this path means! I've been through this myself. Listen, child," she looked suddenly at Wild Rose, her tone more stern than ever before, "If you want to live longer, you'd better not entertain the idea of 'I want to be a sorcerer'!"
This sentence hit the ground like a cold stone, clearly pointing out the cruel nature of this profession that is accompanied by death.
She turned back, staring at Gojo Satoru and Miya Chiri, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Dealing with minor curses in the countryside is one thing, but what you're talking about... going to Tokyo, to the so-called 'wide world'? Facing something truly terrifying? That's completely different! With her limited abilities, with all the knowledge she learned in the countryside, what can she do with it? She's courting death! I will never allow her to live on the edge of a knife, a life of uncertainty! I just want her to be safe!"
Her concerns were heavy and realistic, stemming from her bloody experience and her deepest desire to protect her granddaughter. She did not believe that rural experience could cope with the storms of the real world of magic.
Gojo Satoru understood her fear and tried to explain the current changes, mentioning the systematic school, safe environment, and professional training.
However, Grandma Kugisaki looked at Gojo Satoru with a frown, unable to fully trust the vision painted by this overly young and powerful sorcerer. "You say it so easily... Why should I trust you? Trust a strange place that sounds too good to be true?"
Gojo Satoru paused, realizing that his words lacked sufficient persuasiveness.
At this time, Geto Suguru stepped forward with a gentle and calm smile on his face. He bowed slightly to Grandma Kugisaki, his attitude humble and respectful. "Hello, Ms. Kugisaki, please calm down. We completely understand your concerns. No elder would want to put a child in danger."
He did not rush to refute, but first affirmed her emotions, which made Grandma Kugisaki's tense expression relax a little.
Geto Suguru continued slowly, his voice calm and earnest. "You're right. The path of a sorcerer is always fraught with risk. That's why systematic guidance and the support of companions are so crucial, rather than letting a gifted child explore on their own, unknowingly exposing themselves to even greater danger." He glanced at Nobara Kugisaki. "We're not forcing her to make an immediate choice, nor are we bringing her into battle right away. We're simply providing an environment where she can safely understand herself, learn to control herself, and lay a solid foundation. The village where these children live is a quiet one. You can live with her there and personally care for her. Everything is premised on her safety and willingness. We believe that thorough preparation and awareness are the most reliable safeguards against future dangers."
His words were sincere and pragmatic. He did not avoid the danger, but proposed a safer response plan, returning the right of choice and supervision completely to the old man. This calm and reliable temperament and well-reasoned statements gradually melted away Grandma Kugisaki's stubborn resistance.
Grandma Kugisaki was silent for a long time, her gaze lingering on Geto Suguru's sincere face, Miya Chiri's calm yet reassuring expression, and the faces of the other children who seemed to have no ill intentions. Finally, she sighed heavily, and her shoulders slumped a little: "...Okay, I can take Qiangwei to check it out first. But just to see, if I feel that there is anything wrong..."
She could feel how powerful these people were. If they really wanted to do something, they could just use force, and... they were bringing so many children with them.
"You can leave at any time." Geto Suguru replied gently and affirmatively.
The matter was tentatively settled. When Nobara Kugisaki heard her grandmother finally give in, she was actually relieved. However, she still complained quietly to her grandmother: "Grandma, you are the type who will be deceived by bad men! That black-haired, squinty-eyed girl looks like she is very good at talking!"
Grandma Kugisaki patted her granddaughter's head with a helpless smile: "Don't talk nonsense!" But she had to admit in her heart that this young man had a kind of temperament that made people feel at ease and trustworthy.
In fact, during the adults' heated conversation, Ye Qiangwei's attention had long been drawn to the children over there. She described the two boys as "introverted" and "childish," but she felt they weren't bad people. She had a soft spot for the gentle and reliable Tsumiki and the seemingly well-behaved twin sisters. Knowing they might go to school together in the future, her hidden anticipation overwhelmed her uneasiness.
She looked at the group of people who might soon become her classmates, and then looked at her grandmother who had finally stopped opposing so vehemently, and felt that some different, perhaps not-so-bad, changes were really going to happen this winter.
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The author has something to say: Come to the bowl! (Reach out and dig)