Campione: Strongest# 424: Ryougi Shiki is a Little Curious

It was almost February.

The cold of winter was beginning to fade, and the promise of spring was in the air.

The Ryougi estate—a large compound located in the suburbs of the city—encompassed an entire mountain peak held on an indefinite lease.

On this mountain, amidst lush bamboo forests, stood the family’s main residence.

————

In a bedroom within the estate, Ryougi Shiki, her face slightly pale, gently lifted the comforter and stood up from her futon.

In this ancient family, nearly all members slept on futons spread across moderately hard, beige tatami mats. Having lived here for thirteen years, Shiki was accustomed to it.

The reason for her pallor was that ‘she’ had died again.

The dual personality, a trait artificially implanted in the Ryougi line for generations, came with a side effect: a reversal impulse known as the ‘urge to kill.’

As the name suggests, a person with this impulse has an insatiable craving for slaughter. Shiki, as the bearer of this generation’s dual personality, naturally possessed this urge.

Shiki, the yin-aspected personality, suppressed this impulse by repeatedly ‘killing’ her yang counterpart, SHIKI, within their shared consciousness.

The primary consciousness was Shiki, which was fitting, as the body was female. The other personality, SHIKI, was decidedly masculine.

Wearing a white, Japanese-style nightgown, Shiki picked up the neatly folded furisode kimono from beside her futon and skillfully put it on.

Remembering what had happened at the birthday banquet, she frowned.

“So strange.”

To inexplicably feel a killing intent towards a man at her brother’s party, and for that same man to inexplicably declare his ownership of her... the whole experience was truly strange.

Thanks to that surge of killing intent a week ago, Shiki had been constantly enacting the ritual of ‘killing’ SHIKI in her mind for the past few days.

In her view, the murderous urge was caused by this bloodthirsty personality; therefore, killing him was the only way to temporarily be free of it.

This method was a tradition passed down through the Ryougi family. Though the ‘killed’ personality would be resurrected in the next moment, it was a very effective way to purge the impulse.

Fortunately, SHIKI didn't seem to mind being killed. Otherwise, the internal war between the two personalities would probably rage day and night.

Clack.

After tidying up her futon, Shiki walked to the door and pushed open the Japanese-style sliding panel, only to be slightly taken aback to find Kaname standing there, hand raised as if about to knock.

“Brother,” she said, her expression impassive as she gave him a slight nod of greeting.

“Good morning, Shiki,” Kaname said, already used to his sister’s cold greeting. Any change in her demeanor would have felt unnatural to him.

“Shiki, um... are you free today?” he asked, rubbing the back of his head with a shy expression, his voice hesitant.

“I have sword training with Father today,” she replied bluntly.

As a traditional family, although they had shed their identity as demon-slayers, the tradition of practicing martial arts had been passed down.

It should have been inherited by Kaname, but due to his perceived lack of aptitude, she, a woman, had to accept the inheritance instead.

After speaking, she turned to walk towards the dojo. A servant would bring her breakfast there.

The color drained from Kaname’s face.

He wasn't angry that she had walked away; he knew his sister’s personality. If she didn't have sword training, she would have accepted his invitation. But with the training in the way, his priority was far lower than that of their stern father.

“Why did I forget today was a training day?” Kaname slapped his forehead. Since he no longer participated, he had forgotten. But he had already made a promise to Masako Asagami. If he didn't bring Shiki, the whole thing would be ruined.

Looking at her gracefully moving back, a desperate thought flashed in his heart.

“Please, Shiki! This is my once-in-a-lifetime request!”

First, a dramatic lunge, followed by the divine art of clinging to her leg.

Shiki was successfully stopped in her tracks.

“Brother, what are you doing?” she asked with an exasperated sigh, looking down at her brother. If it were anyone else, she would have already kicked them away. But it was her own brother.

What could she do? She couldn't be ruthless to the brother who had taken care of her since she was a child.

“I finally got a date with the young lady of the Asagami family today,” he said, seeing that she hadn't forcibly broken free. Knowing he had a chance, he quickly explained.

She frowned slightly, trying to remember. The young lady of the Asagami family... it seemed to be that black-haired woman from the banquet.

But...

“What does that have to do with me?”

Her brother was going on a date. Why would that involve his younger sister? Normally, he would be hoping she wouldn't be a third wheel.

“It’s our first date. She’s shy. So I thought we could each bring a family member to get to know each other,” he explained succinctly.

“I understand,” she said, her brow deeply furrowed.

In truth, she disliked interacting with people, but faced with this major event in her brother’s romantic life, she decisively agreed.

‘Then, I’ll just scare that Asagami girl away.’ She thought to herself.

What happened after that was none of her concern. Agreeing to help at all was a significant concession.

“What about Father?” she asked, her tone flat. If she skipped sword training, the head of the Ryougi family would be furious. She didn't want to face her father’s punishment.

“I’ll take the blame. I’ll take all of it,” he said, letting go and standing up. He patted his chest, his voice filled with a righteous fervor.

“Is love really that powerful?” she asked, a puzzled look on her face as she looked at the determined Kaname before her.

Her brother, who was usually their father’s yes-man, would actually dare to face his wrath for her.

This sparked a strange sense of curiosity in her.

“This... you’ll understand when you’re a little older, Shiki,” He said, rubbing the back of his head with an embarrassed expression. In his view, love was a topic for when she was older.

“Then, let’s go quickly. I’ve already prepared the car,” he said urgently, striding towards the main gate.

She frowned slightly, a little annoyed by his treating her like a child, but she still followed him.

A dozen minutes later, a black Toyota departed from the Ryougi residence.