The shikigami Nue flapped its wings and silently glided over the Yukinoshita residence before vanishing into thin air.
Yukinoshita Haruno climbed back into her room through the window, took off the brand-new guitar case on her back, and casually placed it in the corner of the wall.
This time, her clone wasn't up to any mischief or peeking at things it shouldn't. Instead, it was quietly leaning against an ergonomic chair, a thick literary classic spread open in its hands, though its head was drooping. A closer look revealed that it had already fallen into a deep sleep, like a baby.
She wasn't sure if a clone created through a technique actually needed to eat, drink, or sleep, but as long as it didn't cause any trouble, that was good enough.
Haruno absorbed the clone back into herself, changed into some comfortable loungewear, and then left her room to join her family for dinner.
This was something Hayashizaki found quite curious.
Back when he first possessed Yukinoshita Yukino, the girl had been extremely awkward about it. It caused quite a few problems in daily life, though she eventually resigned herself to the situation and stopped fussing over it.
But Haruno, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind at all. Whether it was changing clothes, showering, or soaking in the bath, she was completely unfazed and acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
When he asked her about it out of curiosity, Haruno's cheeks flushed slightly, but she tried to maintain a nonchalant expression as she said, "What's the big deal? It's your body anyway. And stressing over something unavoidable is just dumb."
Hayashizaki almost wanted to say, *Your sister was exactly that dumb*, but he held back.
If Haruno ever found out he had seen everything her dear little sister had, she would definitely lose her mind.
At the dinner table, Yukinoshita's father was setting dishes down while their mother was busy in the kitchen.
Breakfast and lunch were usually prepared by the maids, but since their father would be home for dinner, their mother always cooked personally.
When he saw his eldest daughter coming out of her room, their father placed a dish on the table, glanced toward the kitchen like a thief checking for witnesses, then lowered his voice and said to Haruno, "I'll find a way to keep your mother distracted tonight. You can sneak out if you want."
"Of course, no drinking. At least wait until you're twenty."
Seeing her father's sneaky behavior, Haruno couldn't help but laugh. She shook her head and said, "No need. I don't feel like going out tonight."
"Huh? Oh…" The man was briefly stunned, then gave his daughter a strange look.
What do you mean, *don't feel like going out tonight*?
Did you already sneak out during the day behind your mother's back?
Haruno simply smiled without saying more. Her father understood the hint and didn't push further, quietly returning to the kitchen to bring out more dishes.
Once everyone was seated at the table, their mother casually asked while picking up food, "Haruno, what were you up to today? You spent the whole afternoon hiding in your room."
"I read for a bit, then took a nap," Haruno answered honestly. It was her clone that had been reading earlier, and Hayashizaki's clone that had been napping afterward.
"Resting is fine, but napping for too long isn't good. You should plan your time better and focus on more important things," their mother said in a calm but firm tone.
"Mm-hmm." Haruno nodded absentmindedly while poking at her rice with her chopsticks.
She was still thinking about how to explain the sudden appearance of that guitar in their home.
Noticing her indifferent attitude, their mother frowned slightly.
Their father, glancing back and forth between his wife and daughter, was already sweating slightly under his white dress shirt after taking off his suit jacket.
"Let's eat, let's eat." The man, a respected county councilor outside but as insignificant as an ant at home, quickly tried to smooth things over.
However, after receiving a single glance from his wife, he immediately fell silent and obediently focused on his own rice.
"Haruno." Their mother's tone shifted slightly.
"Hm?" Haruno snapped back to reality and looked up at her mother's stern face, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes.
Huh? Why does Mom look kind of upset?
"Do you have a problem with the way I raise you?" Her mother asked directly.
The short-haired girl froze completely, replayed the conversation in her head, and then suddenly realized what was going on.
So it turns out that her half-hearted reactions, along with everything that had happened recently, made her mother think she was holding a grudge.
In the end, it all started with Hayashizaki taking the fall for her and getting caught drinking, which led to this whole chain of events. Just thinking about it made Yukinoshita Haruno furious.
But first things first—she had to calm down her mother, who was now dead set on getting to the bottom of things.
She forced an awkward but polite smile. "I-It's fine, really. I don't have any complaints."
But to her mother, that hesitant expression was basically a silent confirmation. She wouldn't come right out and say it because Haruno was her daughter, but in her eyes, this was just another act of rebellion.
"If there's something on your mind, just say it. Raising a child isn't a one-person job," Yukinoshita's mother said calmly. But despite her gentle tone, there was an unmistakable pressure in her voice.
Haruno knew this side of her mother all too well. And she was terrified of it. It was like a natural force that completely overpowered her, leaving her mind blank.
Tell her you want to learn guitar. Mislead her a little.
Hayashizaki's voice echoed in her head like a lifeline.
His words snapped Haruno out of her daze. She stole a glance at her mother sitting across from her, then quickly lowered her eyes and pressed her lips together.
"I want to learn guitar."
Her mother looked surprised, clearly not expecting that answer. "That's all?"
"So I might not be able to keep up with all the lessons you arranged for me." Haruno quickly added, hoping it would make her excuse more believable.
Her mother seemed to accept it.
Maybe I've been putting too much pressure on her, she thought. That would explain her recent rebellious behavior—even sneaking around and trying alcohol.
In her mind, Hayashizaki taking the blame for the drinking incident was just another sign that Haruno was feeling overwhelmed. A way for her to escape stress through alcohol.
"I see." The elegant woman in a yukata relaxed a little, nodding. Her voice softened. "I should've paid more attention to how you were feeling. That was my mistake."
"I'll allow it—as long as you keep up your excellence, manage your time properly, and don't do anything reckless, like sneaking off to drink."
"Okay."
Haruno obediently agreed, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
That was close. Guess that demon came in handy after all.
Now that the tension between mother and daughter had eased, the man who had been quietly eating finally spoke up, straightening his back.
"If Haruno's learning guitar, then there's no time to waste! After dinner, I'll take you to buy one!"
Haruno glanced at him, giving him the same look her mother had just given her earlier.
"No need. I'll get one myself later."
Hearing the distance in his daughter's voice, the man's smile froze. His whole body seemed to turn gray, as if he'd been drained of all color.
—
---
You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu