Chapter 223 Some Daily Life (Unlockable with 80% subscription): About Illness (Thanks to Deepwater, a fan of the beautiful, strong, and tragic cat)

This is a small incident that Kazuma Hagoromo experienced during his second playthrough.

Perhaps it can't be called a "small matter," after all, this is the first time he's seen Wu since they've lived together for so many years... with a cold?

Kazuma Hatori was worried, but he couldn't help feeling curious.

"Are you feeling better now, Wu?"

Gojo Satoru was wrapped tightly and warmly in a thick, heavy cotton quilt by Hagoromo Kazuma, leaving only half of his face exposed outside the quilt.

Kazuma Hatori placed the back of his hand on Satoru's forehead. Even after sleeping all night, Satoru's body temperature was still alarmingly high.

Meanwhile, those endlessly running [six eyes] continued to occupy Gojo Satoru's brain CPU, consuming the little remaining rational resources—so much so that when Hatori Kazuma asked him how he was feeling, those clear blue eyes appeared misty, barely focusing after blinking a few times before turning to look at Hatori Kazuma.

"This isn't a cold, it's a curse."

Gojo Satoru protested to his lover, his pronunciation slow and deliberate, with a noticeable nasal tone. Even the hoarseness caused by his high fever resulted in a slight cough as he uttered the last few syllables, clearly unable to hold it in any longer.

"Yes, it's a curse."

Kazuma Hatake comforted him, handing him a glass of warm water. "Would you like milk? I can heat it up now... but not juice or soda."

Gojo Satoru: “…”

Gojo Satoru drank half a glass of water from Hato Kazuma's hand before continuing his protest: "You don't believe me at all that this is a curse, do you? This is definitely one of the cursed spirits I encountered while on a business trip in Hokkaido..."

That's why I thought he caught a cold in the chilly Hokkaido.

Kazuma Hatori lost in thought for a moment, silently replying in his mind.

I got a fever from being attacked by a cursed spirit... What kind of cursed spirit? A level one or higher cursed spirit that causes colds?

The destructive power of this cursed spirit is enough to make people catch a cold... To be honest, Hatake Kazumi really doesn't believe it.

After all, before Wu went to Hokkaido, he asked if he should wear two more layers of thick clothes, but Wu refused with his hands in his pockets and his chin raised, claiming that "he was taking students there for practical training, and wearing too many clothes would make him look bulky and not handsome."

This reason is more than enough for Gojo Satoru!

Besides, this wasn't his first business trip to Hokkaido—and he usually dressed similarly in Tokyo during the winter—and if he really felt cold, he could use his magical powers to strengthen his physique, so why would he need to wear too many layers?

"So this is a curse, and this is definitely an enhanced version of the cursed spirit's counterattack before its death!"

Gojo said it with absolute certainty.

Unfortunately, he still had a fever, and his voice was much hoarse. Although he wasn't thin, his slightly dazed gaze and burning body temperature made him appear unusually vulnerable.

Even the emphasized tone was no longer clear and powerful, like an old-fashioned phonograph, exquisite but poorly maintained, crackling when tuned, running softly and slowly in a room after dusk, being skillfully manipulated by a hand.

Kazuma Hatori carefully brushed aside a few strands of pure white hair that were damp with sweat and stuck to his cheeks before placing a towel soaked in ice water and wrung out on Satoru's forehead.

"Alright, it's a curse."

He coaxed Wu, who was struggling to get up to prove himself to him, and finally got his lover to lie down obediently and close his eyes to rest.

—It only stopped for a moment.

"no."

Just as Kazuma Hato, who had withdrawn his hand, sat down on the chair, preparing to sit on the edge of the bed to keep him company for a while, Satoru Gojo opened his eyes again, his burning gaze becoming exceptionally firm at this moment.

"I have class today."

His conviction was exceptionally strong; he reached up to remove the towel from his forehead, preparing to get out of bed.

Normally, Gojo Satoru would have gotten up at 7 a.m., and he would never be lying in bed until 8 a.m. without having left the house yet.

Kazuma Hatori had seen him stay up until 4 a.m. to prepare for lessons, and he would still get up at 7 a.m. the next day. He knew that Satoru wasn’t talking nonsense at this moment—he really would force himself to teach despite having a high fever!

But regardless of whether this was a curse or not... he couldn't let Wu, whose brain was almost burning up, stagger to class.

"—I'll do it."

Kazuma Hatori pressed down on Satoru Gojo, who was about to sit up, and spoke.

At this moment, Gojo Satoru's brain was really hard to process, and he obviously couldn't figure out what Hagoromo Kazuma meant by "I'll do it"—after blinking slowly and blankly, his expression actually became happy.

"Yes, Ichijin is here to lie in bed for me."

His voice trailed off softly, clearly an attempt to be cute and get his lover to grant his "little request."

“…”

Hatake Kazuma almost laughed at his anger.

With a taut, expressionless face, he forcefully pressed Gojo Satoru down on the bed, giving him no chance to get up—"I mean, I'll use the [Eight-Session Wheel Card] to go to class in your place," Hagoromo Kazuma explained. "There's still one spot left, perfect for you at 27."

Once the position of the [Eight-Phase Wheel Card] is selected, it cannot be changed. Although Wu was inlaid before, that was during his high school years. His appearance is not much different from now, but you can still tell that he is older.

Fortunately, when they used the [Night Parade of One Hundred Demons] trick to deceive Lu Suo, their ages were not that different, and a little makeup and a change of clothes could cover it up.

At this moment, if Hatake Kazuma were to take Gojo Satoru's class at the high school, he would obviously need to install the card slot again.

"[Eight-Phase Wheel Card]... Oh, that spell tool, it does sound feasible..."

Gojo Satoru struggled for a moment, trying to sit up.

But Kazuma Hatori's strength gave him no chance, so Gojo Satoru, who was running high in fever, could only thrash around for a while before collapsing like a limp big cat, whimpering as Kazuma Hatori leaned down and kissed his face to comfort him.

"It's alright. I've observed your teaching before in my Black Bean Shiba form. It's just for one day, nothing will happen."

Not to mention that during his first playthrough, he was still "Kamo-sensei"... He had already taken on many teaching tasks for Satoru, so this time it wouldn't be a problem either.

"But you can't use my spell..."

Gojo Satoru's open blue eyes were already exceptionally hazy, like a forest eroded by thick fog—even so, he still insisted on getting up, but was pressed back down by Hato Kazuma.

"If you try again, I'm going to kiss you. I heard that if we kiss now, I'll catch your cold. But I don't mind."

Kazuma Hatori spoke calmly, his threat subtle yet incredibly powerful, causing Satoru Gojo to halt his movements as he was trapped in his cocoon.

"…………You've gone astray."

Gojo Satoru was heartbroken, but Hagoromo Kazuma tucked him in again, finally getting the big cat to lie down peacefully.

"He learned from Wu Xue."

Kazumi Hatori was straightforward and outspoken.

"Furthermore, I can teach without using your techniques."

— We can simply cancel the outdoor combat portion and replace today's learning session with physical training.

To be precise, it was to have [Gojo Satoru] say in a very considerate manner, "I don't know how to use techniques, so please feel free to do as you please."

Zenin Maki, Panda, Inu-maki Thorn, and Otsuku Yuta: "…………"

I inexplicably felt like I was being looked down upon by the other party.

And today's Gojo teacher was particularly...cold?

But he wasn't wearing an eye mask today; instead, he wore more casual sunglasses.

Logically speaking, this outfit should make Gojo-sensei appear more lively and approachable than before; however, when they looked at Gojo Satoru, they could feel a slight chill of indifference, to the point that they couldn't even utter their usual witty remarks.

For Yuta Otsukoshi, there was even a sense of familiarity with this kind of temperament... just like... just like... Hatori-sensei!?

A bolt from the blue struck Yigu Yuta's heart in an instant.

Wait, could it be... that this "Teacher Gojo" is actually...

He began to feel afraid of the upcoming "physical training".

As everyone knows, Kazuma Hatori, who was personally taught martial arts by Satoru Gojo, once had the nickname "The Bone-Setting Demon"—when he attacked, he didn't distinguish between friend and foe except for Satoru Gojo.

"He started with Black Flash!?"

Just as the panda was about to charge forward for its most proficient hand-to-hand combat, it was interrupted by [Gojo Satoru]'s even faster and more powerful punch; the jet-black light that flowed swiftly between its fingers struck its chest without hesitation, instantly sending it flying several meters backward, plowing a deep trench in the ground.

Standing still, Gojo Satoru assumed a fighting stance, his face expressionless, and his words equally scathing.

"What, are you going to pray that the enemy won't use a black flash later?"

With Kazuma Hatake's current total amount of curse power, it's enough to keep [Black Flash] going from morning till night.

Satoru always puts his students first, tirelessly preparing lessons, finding teaching materials, paying attention to their physical and mental well-being, and striving to protect their youth... but Kazuma Hatori does not.

Kazuma Hatori is only angry that these sorcerers are not strong enough—how can he share those complicated tasks with Satoru in the future if he is like this?

They need to be beaten up a few more times.

Panda, Dog-Roll Thorn, and Zenin Maki couldn't tell if the Gojo Satoru in front of them was the real person, but Otsuki Yuta could see it clearly.

When "Gojo-sensei" effortlessly unleashed a combo of black lightning attacks, beating his classmate until he began to question his existence, Yuta Otsukotsu, standing alone in place, was practically drenched in sweat.

This fighting style, where basic attacks are equivalent to Dark Flash, is truly typical of Hato-sensei...

He came to class in place of Mr. Gojo!

I can't even imagine how badly I'll get beaten up...

Yuta wanted to raise his hand to admit defeat, but under the disapproving look from "Gojo-sensei", he could only bite the bullet and step forward - and was also beaten senseless, lying on the playground panting like the others.

Even Zenin Maki, who possessed [Heaven and Curse], couldn't withstand the successive impacts of [Black Flash] and was swept far away.

“Too weak,” [Gojo Satoru] commented, still having the energy to frown. “Take a five-minute break, then get up and continue.”

"...!!"

Yuta Otsuko said softly, "Um, Gojo-sensei, we have a task this afternoon..."

“I have already delegated the task to others,”

Gojo Satoru, who had already called Zenin Naoya, only glanced at him, which almost made Otsuko Yuta shudder. He felt as if he were being stared at by those cold and indifferent black eyes, and the mental pressure was immense.

"Any other questions?"

A group of people shook their heads like rattles, almost leaving afterimages in their shock.

"very good."

…………

A slight sound of the door lock turning.

When [Gojo Satoru] returned, the real Gojo Satoru was still fast asleep, looking extremely uneasy; probably because of a stuffy nose, he was curled up on his side with his back to the wall, his slightly parted lips pale but soft, breathing silently through his small mouth.

Kazuma Hattori removed the mimicry and extended his fingertips to feel it for a moment. It was still very hot, but much better than in the morning.

Before leaving in the morning, taking advantage of Wu's feverish delirium and incoherent speech, he decisively decided to resort to modern medical means—giving him medication.

Fortunately, even though Wu had a high fever, he still obediently took his medicine, so he didn't have to worry too much.

The body supported by his palm still radiated a scorching heat. It stiffened abruptly when his skin touched it, as if it were a conditioned reflex controlled by some kind of nerve. But in the next moment, it softened and relaxed, leaning against Kazuma Hatori without any warning, until it pressed all its weight onto him.

It's like she's being coquettish.

Looking at Gojo Satoru, who still had his eyes closed and seemed unaware of what he was doing, this thought suddenly popped into Kazuma Hato's mind.

Thinking back to the first time I met Gojo Satoru, he was using his brain intensely and constantly maintaining the [no limits] technique. Even when he was sleeping, he was always on guard against enemy attacks, and no one could touch him.

At that moment, Wu, leaning against him and being fed medicine and hot porridge with lots of sugar, was still grumbling about how bright the ceiling light bulb was.

“That’s not the ceiling light,” Kazuma Hatake chuckled softly. “That’s the moon outside the window.”

“Really?” Gojo Satoru’s voice was muffled. “Then it’s really round. It’s much brighter than usual, and it looks like there are two of them.”

You can tell from their voice that they still have a fever.

"Sit still, I'll go turn off the moon for you."

Kazuma Hatori, who had put down his bowl, readily agreed to coax him and prepared to draw the curtains—but his wrist was grabbed again.

“No need,” Gojo Satoru said slowly, “It’s quite beautiful, and there are so many stars.”

“Okay,” Kazuma Hatake replied.

“There seems to be a bird perched on the telephone pole,” Gojo Satoru said, his composure only lasting a moment before he began to stare intently at a certain spot again. “There are birds in winter? I have to go out and take a look.”

“That’s not a bird, it’s a tangled plastic bag.”

"Hmph—I don't believe it."

“…”

Fortunately, Gojo Satoru was successfully subdued, and after obediently finishing two more mouthfuls of sweet porridge, he started making new noises.

"Is my porcelain cat still on the windowsill? It seems like there are two more."

"Hmm? I checked the quantity, and it's just right."

"No, this is so important, I have to get up and count it again..."

"...Wu, sit here, I'll count them for you, okay?"

"Yes. And my fish..."

After being tossed and turned like this for the first half of the night, it wasn't until the second half of the night that Gojo Satori finally closed his eyes and went to sleep, under the combined force of Hato Kazuma's arms and legs.

—By the next day, he was fully recovered.

"Oh dear, the curse is lifted!"

Feeling refreshed, Gojo Satoru suddenly pulled back the curtains, admired the view outside for a moment with satisfaction, then turned back to ask Hagoromo Kazuma, "I didn't say anything strange or nonsensical last night, did I?"

Kazuma Hagoromo looked utterly helpless. “...A lot.”

He counted on his fingers what he had said to Gojo, who had been unusually noisy yesterday: the moon was the light bulb in the house, there were many and beautiful stars, he wanted to go to the telephone pole to watch birds, he wanted to get up and count the porcelain cats, he wanted to pet the fish in the aquarium, he wanted to show off his skill in folding the heads printed on Japanese banknotes into the shape of wearing hats, and he insisted on going out to walk the black Shiba Inu, even though there was no dog at home...

Each and every detail was enough to make Gojo Satoru's expression grow increasingly astonished. "Did I really say so much?"

“Hmm,” Kazuma Hato thought for a moment, “and at the end, you said you loved me.”

Gojo Satoru smiled.

"This was said when I was sober."

He replied like this.

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Everyone, please take care of yourselves!

Also, just a quick plug for my new idea that popped into my head a few days ago: "After sentencing the doll detective to life imprisonment." The pairing is Ayatsuji Yukito from Bungo Stray Dogs (yes, this character is super unpopular, but I couldn't resist when inspiration struck [pity]). If you're interested, feel free to check out my column and add it to your favorites, muah~

Copywriting:

A sharp-tongued detective with a brilliant mind and a penchant for collecting dolls, Ayatsuji Yukito, 22 years old, was classified as a Level 1 Dangerous Ability User by the government after experiencing a heinous murder on Prison Island and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The verdict was brought by Shuichi Takatsukasa, an agent belonging to the Special Abilities Division, who personally pronounced the sentence to him.

"You want to imprison me?"

Amidst the gently exhaled swirling smoke, the pale-skinned detective gazed at the unfamiliar-looking supervisor, his eyes behind the light brown glasses displaying a half-smile.

“I helped the government solve the case of the mastermind behind the incident, and instead of thanking me, they made this judgment. It’s outrageous.”

“Yes,” Shuichi Takatsukasa, who met his gaze, put away the verdict with a cold expression. “Therefore, I submitted a report to my superiors requesting a transfer.”

"Oh? Where to?"

"Here you are."

Shuichi Takatsukasa, who once worked as an assistant to the Puppet Detective while concealing his identity and later faked his death to escape, now becomes a secret agent responsible for 24-hour supervision of the Puppet Detective, with no rest and no "parole".

—Until that day.

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*The plot contains original settings, but you can understand it even if you haven't read the original work, so feel free to jump in;

*Male protagonist is the dominant one, paired with Yukito Ayatsuji;

Opening unpopular spots is my destiny (wiping sweat);

*A happy ending story of a highly capable and ambitious special agent and a sharp-tongued, intelligent detective who fall in love and hate each other.