Curse Returns, a gamble from the start, I awaken dual spells

Like other parts of the college, Gojo Satoru's teacher's office exuded an indescribable casualness.

Several tables were pushed together, with a few open documents scattered on them. There was some strange doodle on the whiteboard in the corner, which looked like it was drawn as punishment after Itajō lost a bet with Gojō.

The window was half open, and the early autumn wind made the curtains flutter.

Gojo Satoru sat on the swivel chair with his legs crossed, his eye mask covering most of his face, but the curve of his mouth looked rather improper no matter how you looked at it.

Kugizaki stood in front of him, clutching the letter in his hand.

"Go home?" Gojo Satoru tilted his head. "This is a crucial period for special training, you know."

"Just a few days, I have some things to take care of at home." Kugizaki's tone was a few decibels lower than usual.

Gojo Satoru did not answer immediately.

He tapped the table with his finger slowly, as if deliberately whetting people's appetites.

"Well, taking leave isn't out of the question—"

Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed down the corridor.

crunch--

The door was pushed open.

Rito stood at the door, his breathing uneven, as if he had run there.

His gaze first fell on Kugizaki, then swept over the letter in her hand, and finally looked at Gojo Satoru: "Gojo-sensei, I also need to ask for leave."

Kugizaki turned his head, his brows furrowing: "What are you doing here?"

"I'll go back with you."

The air was silent for two seconds.

"What's going on?"

Kugizaki's expression gradually changed from surprise to resistance.

She shoved the letter into her pocket, her voice curt: "This is my business, it has nothing to do with you."

"It's related." Rito's tone was calm, but he didn't back down. "We're partners, aren't we?"

"So what if I'm a comrade? I told you, that's my business." Kugizaki's voice rose a little.

Li Ren did not respond.

His gaze shifted downwards and landed on the bag that Kugizaki was carrying.

It was a dark-colored travel bag with the zipper tightly closed, but the bag was stretched so much that it had several sharp bulges.

Rito had seen this bag before; Kugizaki would also carry it when going on missions, but it had never been this full.

The raised shapes on the bag.

They are nails, a lot of nails, probably enough to sustain a protracted war.

Kugizaki noticed his gaze and subconsciously moved his bag behind him.

"You've planted so many nails, which means that what you'll be facing when you go back this time isn't some 'small matter'." Rito's gaze shifted, looking directly into her eyes.

Kugizaki Chen remained silent, his lips slightly pursed.

"I don't know what you saw in the letter."

"But the fact that you brought so many things back means you think you might have to fight someone, or worse, fight a cursed spirit."

"I can't feel at ease letting you go alone under these circumstances."

"I don't need you to worry about me," Kugizaki retorted.

"It's not a matter of whether I'm worried or not." Rito's tone remained calm, but his speech was a little faster than usual.

"Last time at the steel mill, if it weren't for everyone being together, I wouldn't have made it out alone. Have you forgotten the words you said to me back then?"

Kugizaki's expression softened slightly.

Back in the steel mill, when Rito was affected by the death of his former classmate, Kugizaki was the first to stand up and pull him out of his self-loathing in the most direct way.

Now he returns those words to her verbatim.

At that moment, Gojo Satoru suddenly smiled.

He didn't say a word, just sat there in the chair with his chin resting on the back of his hand, watching the two bicker like it was a show.

Only then did he slowly speak.

"Kugizaki."

Kugizaki turned to look at him.

"This guy isn't usually very talkative, so for him to talk so much," Gojo Satoru pointed his index finger at Rito, "it means he's really worried about you."

Kugizaki's expression froze for a moment.

"Besides, it's always safer for two people to go than for one person to go alone."

"Anyway, I've approved your leave. Consider it a two-person mission. If necessary, I'll give you extra lessons when you get back, how about that?"

Gojo Satoru leaned back, and the chair creaked.

He made "adding classes" sound as casual as inviting someone out for dinner.

Kugizaki remained silent for a long while, then let out a long sigh.

"...Whatever you want."

Li Ren looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"But there's a condition." Kugizaki raised his head, his gaze returning to its usual directness.

"Once you get to my place, you'll have to do whatever I say. Don't do anything reckless, and don't meddle in other people's business. Also..."

She paused for a moment, then put on a fierce expression.

"If it's nothing serious, get back here right now!"

Rito nodded, then suddenly thought of something.

"Should we notify Fukuro?"

Kugizaki paused, casually tugged at his bag strap, and mumbled a little.

"…Bringing in one troublesome person is already enough; let's just forget about this!"

As she said this, she didn't look at Rito or Gojo Satoru, but at the tree outside the window that was rustling in the wind.

"She probably doesn't want to trouble her companions!" Rito thought to himself.

He realized that Kugizaki didn't not want to call Fushiguro, but rather didn't want to trouble him.

Fuhei usually has a lot of tasks, and he also has to take care of his training.

Kugizaki said, "It's troublesome enough to bring one along," but in reality, he considered Rito as "a troublesome person he couldn't get rid of."

But Fushiguro is different; Fushiguro can avoid getting involved.

Rito sighed inwardly, but said nothing aloud.

"Alright, let's set off on our own then."

Gojo Satoru pulled out his phone at some point and tapped a few buttons.

"I've already asked Ichiji to book your train tickets. Aren't I thoughtful, teacher?" He looked up, his face beaming.

Kugizaki took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress some emotion.

Then she turned around, picked up the bag full of nails, and strode toward the door.

She paused when she reached the door.

"Meet at the school gate in twenty minutes. If you're late, don't expect me to wait for you."

After saying that, she walked out without looking back.

Rito watched her figure disappear at the end of the corridor.

Gojo Satoru tossed his phone onto the table, put his hands behind his head, and said in a casual tone, "Rito-kun, you were quite talkative just now."

Li Ren remained silent.

"But those kinds of words are quite effective when you say them to her." Gojo Satoru looked at him through his eye mask, his tone unusually serious for a second.

"That child seems indifferent on the surface, but she actually takes things to heart more easily than anyone else. The reason she didn't want to talk about what happened in her hometown this time is either because she felt it was unnecessary, or..."

"We're afraid of implicating us," Rito interjected.

Gojo Satoru's lips curled slightly, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Seeing that nothing was wrong, Rito turned to leave.

"Rin-kun," Gojo Satoru suddenly spoke.

He sat in the swivel chair and swayed gently.

Li Ren paused in his steps.

"You are comrades. No matter what happens, please remember that."

"Hmm!" Rito replied, her voice equally soft.

Then he stepped out of the office.

The corridor was quiet.

Sunlight streamed in at an angle through the window, dividing the floor into sections of light and shadow.

Rito looked down at his hands.

He remembered when Kugizaki stood in front of him at the steel mill.

He remembered the cut Tanaka had made on her shoulder, and how she had rushed over to check on him before she had even properly bandaged it.

"This time, it's my turn to help you."