“Enough!” Rogue shouted, appearing onto the scene to see the pair fighting, with other adults behind him.

“Mother,” the arrogant young master called, quickly hiding behind her leg, the other children also dispersing to their mothers and fathers nearby.

“What happened, my sweet little Han.”

“I was just teaching her a lesson but she was bad mouthing our family,” Han said, fluttering his lashes innocently at his mother.

“Hmph! It seems the country side has diluted your blood to the point that you have no shame,” the woman said, glaring at Rogue. “How can you not discipline the children properly as the Head?”

“I apologise for my incompetence,” Rogue said, calmly.

Ami stared up between the adults. “That’s not right! It was Han who started the fight!”

“That’s right!” Dani said. “He kept saying such bad things, but when it didn’t make any sense, he slapped Ami.”

“If she was slapped, it was her own fault for speaking out of turn,” the woman said, simply.

Rogue remained as calm as he could. “Since we have apologised, let’s leave the matter here.”

“Shouldn’t the children apologise?” the woman stated. “How will they learn if they are unable to apologise?”

Rogue’s eyes remained glued to the woman’s, but he made no move to ask for Ami to apologise.

“It’s not fair!” Ami shouted.

“Hush now, Ami,” Martha said, placing a hand on the girl’s head, rubbing it gently. “I’m sure there must have been some kind of misunderstanding.”

“Don’t worry, Ami,” Mika said, finally speaking up. The words disarmed the Black Hand adults, who hadn’t heard Mika speak up before like this. “Young master Han’s words come from his jealousy, because he can’t help it that you beat him by using your words, and one day, with your cultivation.”

‘I know you’ve decided not to kill my family,’ Mika admitted. ‘I’ve known for so long, but I just refused to admit it. However, do you think I’ll sit quiet if you bully them before me? The only one who gets to bully them is me!’

“Mika!” Martha gasped, picking him up. “What are you saying, you silly boy.”

“How dare a cripple speak up out of turn,” the woman said.

“Speaking poorly of a cripple is beneath you, sister,” Rogue said.

“That’s right,” Mika said. “Speaking poorly of a cripple is a bad thing. I have read that an ancient scholar who wrote that he who speaks poorly of cripples is no better than mud.” Mika caught Han’s eyes, smirking at the boy. “Isn’t that right, cousin Han?”

Han flushed red, hiding behind his mother. “What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t studied the scholars of our past?” Mika asked. “Then obviously my sister would beat you with her words.”

“Quieten down, boy,” the woman stated, her eyes piercing Mika. “Who gave you permission to speak?”

“He may speak since the Grand Patriarch allows it,” Rogue said, politely. “I am sure that Mika is tired, so you should take him to sleep.”

“Of course, Head,” Martha said, quickly excusing herself, taking Mika with her.

Mika decided to work on training his mana, since being so close to others like this while training his ki would have had a chance to raise suspicion. It would be his last chance to gain mana from such a pure environment, before they’d inevitably leave.

Yet, as the days passed, Mika wondered when they were going to return. The Head and the Right Hand both left to meet with their families almost daily, leaving the children behind with the servants. Sometimes the arrogant young masters and ladies, sans those older than Daniel, would come by to bully them before playing with them.

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‘Should I stealth around and steal a few things?’ Mika thought. ‘No, I probably can’t when I’m still so weak.’

The boredom filled Mika as the days continued to pass, though he was quickly granted access to reading in the library pavilion, which held all manner of books.

“You’re not allowed on the second floor or above,” the guard said, before allowing Mika to read.

Mika smiled, glancing around to see the books, before picking one about alchemy. He thought back to his first life, when he had plucked a thread of fate. He then met that man, and thus fate was forever changed.

“How cute are you, young sir?” Mina asked, holding her sister’s hands as they both admired Mika’s form.

Ami smiled with satisfaction, staring down at her work. Mika, who had been reading peacefully within their guest house, had ignored Ami entirely as she put ribbons on his hair and had braided it. He decided against saying anything, allowing her what little fun which remained.

He sighed.

‘No, right. There’s no way in this life that’ll happen…’ Mika wondered if he was given this chance to live a normal life with a normal family. He had heard what had happened back then from sending out his awareness to some gossiping servants. Rogue had been tasked with something important, and had failed the task. His father, the Grand Patriarch, which Mika had surmised had been Rogue’s father, had said some… unfortunate words.

‘Seriously, not even I say things like that when I’m angry…’ Mika thought back to his companions in his third life, the first time he had been born into evil. ‘Well, I did bully Spear Demon a lot.’ Thinking of his old companion, he couldn’t help but smile. ‘I wonder how you all are doing? Did you all reincarnate too? Well, that was lifetimes ago, so there’s no chance I’ll meet with you again.

He peeked open an eye to look up towards the heavens, as though trying to tempt fate, but only saw Mina and Lina admiring him.

He frowned.

The days continued to pass, and there was very little bullying as the children got to know one another. However, Mika remained by himself, reading peacefully as he used his crippled status as an excuse to do as he pleased.

“Young sir, I’ve brought you cake,” Mina whispered, sliding him a slice of cake within a paper box, which she could take away and burn to get rid of the evidence easily. “You can’t tell anyone, otherwise I’ll get into trouble.”

‘I take it back, Mina, you are certainly better than your sister,’ Mika thought. Mina at least got rid of the evidence before she admired his cuteness, unlike her sister. ‘How could I even compare the pair of you when your intelligence is as vast as heaven and hell?’

The twin guards had finished their shift and had decided to drink together. Gin and Jin had managed to ask for some wine from the miss, who would allow them to drink wine once every week or so, as long as they hadn’t been disciplined.

Hin sighed after he sipped the wine. “I still can’t believe Jak died.”

Gin nodded his head slowly. “I still miss his carrot cake.”

“You always mentioned his carrot cake in your letters,” Hin said, narrowing his eyes. “It wasn’t a joke?”

Jin looked to Gin, before raising his brow. “You think we’d joke about cake?”

Hin frowned. “Well, I suppose his family is taken care of well?”

“Well?” Gin shook his head. “You have no idea. The Head went to speak with Jak’s wife personally. She had just given birth at the time, so he waited until the morning, and then told her the news. His boy’s only a few months old, but he’s promised at least three years in the academy.”

“Three years?” Hin gasped. “Not one, but three?”

“The Head’s always looking after us well,” Jin said. “You should work hard and ask to be transferred over. If you reach Base Iron, you should be able to do it.”

“I was going to join the Black Mountain Squad to move over, but those guys are way too strong,” Hin admitted.

“The Black Mountain Squad? What do you mean?”

“You don’t know? It’s the Squad your Head made years ago. If you join it, you can ask for a transfer.” Hin leaned in close. “You know Amantha?”

“Moma’s kid?”

“No, Deral’s kid.”

“Deral?”

“The alcoholic.”

“Ah,” Gin and Jin replied, nodding their head.

“I hear Amantha joined the Black Mountain Squad and transferred over as a Shadow.”

Gin and Jin glanced around, as if checking for ghosts. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“The Shadows are made up of Black Mountain Squad members?”

“They’re each at least Peak Iron,” Hin whispered. “You didn’t hear that from me though.”

“Who else did we hear it from?” Gin asked, before Jin slapped the back of his head. “Ah, fuck! What was that for?”

“No one, you idiot.”

“Oh, right,” Gin said, taking another sip of his wine.

It was late one evening when Rogue had called the others to talk.

“I’m sorry,” the Head said, sighing. “I was unable to request for help.”

“No, it’s not something we could help,” Amon said. “Even father wasn’t willing to hear about Ami.”

“We’ll return home tomorrow, otherwise we’ll miss too much of what’s happened at home,” Rogue said, rubbing his forehead. He was glad that his siblings, some of whom seemed to dislike him, still viewed him as their brother. “I’ll try and ask for Elder Yan, but…”

“It’s alright,” Amon said, nodding his head. “We will find a way.”

‘Ami?’ Mika thought, still training his mana as he meditated. ‘You came all this way for Ami?’ Mika had wondered why the Head had chosen Amon, when he could have probably have brought Left Hand and his children, who were aiming to become scholars.

‘So that was it. You came all this way to deal with Ami’s meridians…’ Mika sighed as he finished with his meditation. ‘Head, aren’t you too cute? Fine, since this family is so cute, I suppose I’ll have to help it out. I’ll help you out… and then refine you all.’

“Goodbye young miss! Goodbye young sir!” Mina blew into her handkerchief as she cried, waving after the carriage which had set off for their own town, many weeks away.

‘Why couldn’t we swap Lina for Mina?’ Mika thought, staring out the window. ‘What a foolish family…’