William 21

Title: Such a Perfect Appearance

Today, Kousen returned home earlier than usual, as he had received a message from his grandfather right after school.

However, the message sent to Kousen wasn’t the direct data on the Shiba siblings but a request for a video call after he got home.

“Good evening, Kousen.”

“Grandfather looks healthy, that’s good.”

There were no unnecessary formalities between the grandfather and grandson; they greeted each other casually.

However, this video call was different because it wasn’t just the grandfather and grandson. Kuki Takeshi, who had served the Kudou family for years, was also present.

Takeshi had followed Retsu since he was young, and even in old age, he didn’t return to his original clan, choosing instead to remain by Retsu’s side as the head butler.

It could be said that all the younger generations of the Kudou family grew up under Takeshi’s watch, earning him great respect within the family.

The Kuki and Kudou families were part of the 18 Assistant Houses. Unlike the other Assistant Houses, they didn’t aim for a position among the Ten Master Clans.

Instead, they deeply respected Retsu and willingly became a branch of the Kudou family.

This was why Takeshi could continue serving Retsu.

“Grandfather Kuki, it’s been a while.”

“Good evening, Young Master.”

After the greetings, Takeshi operated the tablet in his hand, projecting a document onto a large screen.

“This is the information we investigated about the Shiba siblings based on the data Young Master Kousen sent this afternoon.”

“Let me see!”

Kousen immediately opened the document and examined it closely.

Retsu and Takeshi waited in silence. Initially, they thought this was just Kousen’s curiosity, so they indulged him. Who would’ve thought the investigation’s results would be so shocking?

“Haaa—”

After finishing, Kousen let out a long sigh and gave a bitter smile.

“Honestly, Grandfather, I only suspected the two of them were perfect modified magicians created by one of the Ten Master Clans.”

“But who would’ve guessed they’re from that Yotsuba family.”

Retsu placed his hands on his knees. “Indeed. But Kousen, why did you think Shiba Miyuki was a modified magician?”

“Appearance!”

“Appearance?”

Takeshi couldn’t help but ask. What did that mean? How could judging someone’s appearance lead to the conclusion that Miyuki was a modified magician?

“Of course, besides myself, have either of you Grandfathers ever seen a human with such a perfect appearance?”

“Being beautiful is one thing, but completely symmetrical facial features and such perfect body proportions…”

“Other than her being a modified magician, I can’t think of any other reason.”

Takeshi and Retsu immediately accepted this reasoning, as their own grandson was a living example.

If it weren’t for their grandson, Retsu wouldn’t believe such a perfect human could exist in this world.

“But the Yotsuba family is a bit troublesome. Especially since the two of them seem to have a blood connection to the Yotsuba family head.”

Kousen couldn’t be blamed for saying that. Tatsuya aside, Miyuki’s appearance was strikingly similar to the Yotsuba family head.

“The Shiba siblings are likely the children of Yotsuba Maya. Especially Miyuki—she’s exactly like Maya was as a child.” Retsu said confidently.

“How is that possible!”

“They should only be direct members of the Yotsuba family. If they were Yotsuba Maya’s children, how could they undergo magical genetic modification?”

Kousen immediately objected. He knew his grandfather had three disciples in the past.

One was the current Saegusa family head, Saegusa Kouichi.

The other two were the genius sisters of the Yotsuba family at the time, Maya and Miya.

After all, modified magicians currently face certain issues with lifespan, typically struggling to live past 40. Intense battles would drastically shorten that even further. Thus, modified magicians today are generally the children of previous generations of modified magicians.

And with Maya’s magical talent, her children couldn’t possibly have low magical aptitude. Especially her own flesh and blood—how could they undergo such modifications?

If that were the case, wouldn’t it mean Kousen’s argument that Miyuki was a modified magician was wrong?

“They might have some specific plan. After all, it’s the Yotsuba family.” Retsu said with a tone of awe.

Yotsuba and Saegusa.

Currently, the two strongest forces among the Ten Master Clans, known as the Twin Walls of Japan’s magical world.

The Saegusa family was still manageable. Their strength came from their large number of magicians and their current family head’s strategic expertise. So, while powerful, they weren’t overly feared.

The Yotsuba family was entirely different. They earned respect from magicians through their sheer, terrifying power.

Thirty years ago, the Yotsuba family wasn’t this fearsome, but an incident changed that.

Somehow, the Kunlunfang Institute of the Asia-Pacific Federation managed to kidnap Miya from the Yotsuba family. When the Ten Master Clans painstakingly rescued Miya from the institute’s clutches, her condition was so tragic that even unrelated onlookers couldn’t help but shed tears. Her body was covered in wounds, her clothes tattered, and most heartbreaking were her lifeless eyes.

At that moment, there was no trace of a will to live in Miya’s eyes.

It’s said that the Yotsuba family head at the time, Miya’s father, was furious. He even requested the Japanese government to declare war on the Asia-Pacific Federation.

But that was utterly impossible. Miya’s rescue was to maintain Japan’s lead in modern magic globally.

That way, there wouldn’t be significant losses. Declaring war, however, was a different matter. Though Japanese magicians were powerful, their numbers were small, limiting their national strength.

Waging war against the Asia-Pacific Federation had a far greater chance of defeat than victory, so war was out of the question.

Yotsuba Genzou didn’t make a fuss after receiving the news; he accepted it calmly.

Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, the next day, news spread of the mass disappearance of Yotsuba family magicians.

Half a month later, the Kunlunfang Institute of the Asia-Pacific Federation was declared destroyed, and half of the remaining Yotsuba magicians returned.

Though the Yotsuba family suffered heavy losses in this operation, their act of single-handedly taking on a nation and its religion became a taboo topic in Japan’s magical world.

“And because of you, Young Master Kousen, this miracle has emerged. Perhaps the Yotsuba family has discovered a method to create perfect modified magicians!”

Takeshi standing nearby, thought for a moment before adding expressionlessly.