Curse Reply: After choosing Nawa, the cursed spirit cursed me for being cruel.

Zhang Xiang nodded: "The Kamo family has no objections. People outside of the Crimson Blood Technique should also have a path to follow."

Zenji Jikiji didn't speak immediately. He stared at the document for a long time, his brow furrowed, before finally nodding slowly.

"Okay. But the allocation ratio of training resources must be clear. We cannot be treated unfairly because of the different levels of closeness between the three of us and you."

"Don't worry about that, I'm not that kind of person. Now, let's move on to the second point..."

Duanmu Yan turned to the second document, which stated, "The spell tool warehouses and inventory resources of each family will be uniformly registered and filed by the Federation. Spell tools of the highest grade and above will still be kept by each family, but the allocation rights of spell tools below the first grade will be given to the Federation. Spellcasters can apply directly when going on a mission without having to go through the approval process of each family."

Gojo Satoru raised one hand: "The Gojo family is fine. Anyway, those things are just gathering dust in the warehouse."

The minister said, "The Kamo family agrees."

Zenji Naokiji remained silent for an even longer time than before. The Zenji family's greatest asset was the collection of magical implements accumulated over generations, and Duanmu Yan's blow had struck at his most valuable possession.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and said, "Okay. But you have to guarantee that the association's money isn't used to subsidize those small families."

"All allocation records are made public. Who took what and what tasks they performed are completely transparent. You can check them at any time."

Duanmu Yan turned to the third document, "Third, mission scheduling will no longer be divided according to faction. From now on, all missions for formal sorcerers will be uniformly allocated by the Federation's dispatch center, matched according to region, level, and sorcerer's ability. The private army system of each family will be abolished. If you want to take on a mission, go through the Federation."

“I like this one.” Gojo Satoru pushed his sunglasses down. “It saves those old guys from asking me all the time if I can send someone to help them get rid of a fly.”

Zhang Xiang nodded: "Agreed."

Zenji Jikiji didn't speak. He tapped his cane lightly on the ground twice, then looked up at Duanmu Yan: "Your three moves all hit the vital points."

“It’s not about cutting, it’s about reforming.” Duanmu Yan looked at him. “You know the problems of the Chanyuan family better than I do. You can’t push through internal family reforms by yourself. The Federation’s unified standards can help you prune some of the rotten branches that you can’t handle. Bing is gone, but the Qujuliu team is still here. Take this opportunity to reform the family internally, isn’t it?”

The Naokiji was silent for a moment, then he pulled the document in front of him, picked up a pen, and signed his name at the end. The shogun also signed the document.

Gojo Satoru picked up a pen, casually drew a smiling face with sunglasses on the top sheet of paper, and then threw the pen down: "Alright, anyway, my opinion is Duanmu's opinion. Meeting adjourned."

Duanmu Yan took back the three documents and checked the signatures one by one.

As Zenji Naobito stood up, he glanced at Gojo Satoru and said, "You brat from the Gojo family, can't you act like the head of the family?"

“I am the head of the family.” Gojo Satoru pushed his sunglasses up his nose, stood up, and walked towards the door.

As he reached the door, he turned around and pointed at Duanmu Yan: "Let's go to our usual place for dinner tonight. I heard they have a new dish there, super delicious eel rice, and it's sweet."

Duanmu Yan glanced at him, intending to say that he had something to do that afternoon.

But Gojo Satoru said forcefully, "Don't even think about running away. If you dare to sneak out and kill the cursed spirit, I'll bring all the kids that Jie brought to your office."

Duanmu Yan sighed and said, "I understand, okay, I'll go tonight."

After the meeting, Duanmu Yan put the three signed documents on the corner of the table, picked up the stack of agenda materials that he hadn't had time to look at yet, covered his face with them, and slumped back in his chair.

A muffled sigh came from beneath the paper, as if all the strength had been drained away.

He remained motionless in that position, even breathing very softly.

The door was quietly pushed open a crack, and Riko slipped in sideways, her movements as light as a cat stepping on the wooden floor, making almost no sound.

She paused for a moment when she saw the man on the chair with his face covered by a piece of paper.

She knew he was busy with the federation's affairs, spending the past month going back and forth between the meeting room and the office, falling asleep as soon as he got back to his dormitory, and getting up again before dawn the next day.

She was very well-behaved, waiting for him to finish his work without making a fuss.

But this period of time was too long, so long that she couldn't help but sneak over every day. Sometimes she would just peek through the crack in the door to see if he was still busy, and sometimes she would follow him in the corridor from a distance to see which department's people stopped him. She didn't even have time to walk a few steps properly.

As she stood by the door, lost in thought, Duanmu Yan's weary voice came from beneath the paper: "Lizi, is there something you need from me?"

Chapter 163 The Half-Day Agreement

"Riko, what brings you here?"

She didn't answer. She walked over, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him up from the chair, dragging him all the way to the sofa. Then she sat down first and patted her own legs.

Duanmu Yan hesitated for a moment, then slowly lay down, resting the back of his head on her lap.

She placed her hand on his temple and pressed down gently. She pressed very carefully, and although her technique was a bit clumsy, you could feel her earnestness.

"You look exhausted." Riko's voice was very soft.

Duanmu Yan kept his eyes closed and did not speak.

He felt her touch his temples, then move her hands to his forehead and slowly push them outwards from between his eyebrows.

Her fingers were warm, giving a reassuring feeling.

“The Federation’s affairs are piling up one after another. We haven’t even finished dealing with the three major families yet, and a bunch of new problems have been reported from below,” he said with his eyes closed.

“I know. That’s why I didn’t bother you.”

"Ah."

Riko had once told Duanmu Yan that she wanted to help, but she wasn't very good at organizing documents. So this silly girl would bring Duanmu Yan breakfast and make him tea every day... Although they were all small things, they made Duanmu Yan feel incredibly happy and satisfied.

Nothing makes one appreciate human exhaustion more than the happiness found in small things.

After a moment of silence, her hand rested on his forehead and did not move again.

“I know you have a lot to do. The Federation, the three starter families, so many sorcerers are waiting for you. I know you’re busy, and I know you’re tired.”

She paused, lowering her voice even further, as if speaking to Duanmu Yan, yet also as if talking to herself, "But I still miss you so much. This period of time has been too long, Duanmu. I see you every day, but I haven't been able to say a proper word to you. You're in that building, but it feels even farther away than when I was training with Senior Ninety-Nine."

Duanmu Yan opened his eyes, and from this angle, he saw Riko's lowered face, her bangs hanging down to cover half of her eyebrows, and her lips slightly pursed.

He reached out and grasped the hand she had placed on his forehead. Riko's fingers stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed, letting him hold them.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to think about how you feel."

"I'm not blaming you... I know what you did was important. I just... miss you."

She covered his hand with her other hand, enveloping it in her own and squeezing it tightly. "It's okay, you go about your business. I'll wait for you, as long as it takes."

"It'll be fine once this busy period is over." He pulled her hand down and gently held it in his palm. "Then we'll go to that dessert shop in Ginza."

"The place that Wu likes to go to the most?"

"Yes. Don't take him."

Riko chuckled: "Aren't you afraid he'll find out and come after you?"

"He's in the dorm teaching those kids their homework, and that's enough to give him a headache." Duanmu Yan closed his eyes. The sofa was soft, and the legs under the back of his head were also soft.

Riko continued pressing his temples, circling them, her technique becoming more skilled than before.

The office was quiet, with only the ticking of the wall clock and the soft breathing of the two people.

"When was the last time we went out together?" Riko suddenly asked.

Duanmu Yan closed his eyes and thought for a moment: "It was more than a month, maybe two months, before the Federation was established."

“A month and a half,” she corrected him, without any blame in her tone. “The last time was when we went to that dessert shop in Ginza. You said their strawberry mille-feuille was ten times better than the cream puffs that Satoru recommended, and you told me not to tell him, or he would make a fuss.”

"He eventually found out; it was Sister Shoko who told him."

"I knew it! That day he was sitting in the cafeteria tapping his bowl with a spoon for the entire mealtime." Riko laughed, but her laughter was very soft, so as not to disturb him, she only laughed twice before stopping.

She lowered her head and looked at Duanmu Yan's face with his eyes closed. "Duanmu, let's go again after we're done with the Federation's business. We won't bring any of the official business you mentioned, and we won't bring Wu either. Just the two of us."

"Okay. I'll take you after I'm done with this busy period. Where do you want to go?"

Riko tilted her head and thought for a while, then moved her fingers from Duanmu Yan's temple to his brow, gently pressing the wrinkles that had been there all day.

"Anywhere is fine. As long as it's not this office building, not a conference room, not an office, not a place where a group of people rush in with documents as soon as you open a door."

She paused, her voice even softer, "Go somewhere where nobody knows you. You don't have to be the chairman, I won't be on any missions, I'll just stay quietly all day. You walk on the road, and I'll follow beside you, just like we used to do on those stone steps behind the college."

"This requirement is too difficult for the federation president."

Duanmu Yan raised his eyelids and looked at her eyes as she looked down. "But I can try. Let's make it clear first, it can't be too long. You haven't seen Yi Dizhi's face. Every time I'm five minutes late, his expression is like I owe him a month's worth of overtime pay."

"Then half a day, half a day should be fine, right?"

Duanmu Yan thought for a moment and nodded, "Half a day shouldn't be a problem."

“It’s a deal then.” Riko held up her little finger and waved it in front of his eyes.

"Why are you acting like a little kid, even making a pinky promise?"

Duanmu Yan smiled, raised his hand, hooked his little finger on it, and Riko shook it vigorously twice before withdrawing her hand with satisfaction and continuing to press his forehead.

"Mind your own business, huh~"

Riko gave a cute hum, then changed the subject, "You know, last month I went to Osaka on a mission and spent two days at the beach. It was so beautiful there. When the waves came in, they left a layer of white foam on the sand. It was so soft to walk on. I thought to myself, 'If only you were here... I want to watch the sea with you.'"

Duanmu Yan opened her eyes, and from this angle, her eyelashes were outlined with a pale golden velvet edge in the backlight.

She didn't look at him as she spoke; her gaze was fixed on the clouds outside the window, but her fingers were still on his forehead, touching it lightly, one touch at a time.

"Let's go this weekend. I'll wait until I've finished approving the proposals from the three major companies. This time, I won't delay."

Riko lowered her head, her eyes widening slightly, as if to confirm whether he was joking.

Then she smiled, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "You promised to spend half a day with me this weekend, so you can't go back on your word."

"No regrets."

Riko bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

The lips were light, like a butterfly alighting on a petal, touching and then parting.

The clouds outside the window moved past the sun, and the light in the office dimmed for a moment and then brightened again.

Duanmu Yan raised his hand and touched the spot where he had been kissed. Riko had already straightened up and started massaging his shoulders again, as if nothing had happened.

Chapter 164 Ten Shadow Spells

After Riko left, Duanmu Yan was reviewing the afternoon's documents.

He didn't even look up until his phone vibrated. The message from Gojo Satoru was just one line: "Come to the kindergarten, Megumi has woken up."

He put down his pen, got up, and walked outside.

As I passed by Ichichi's workstation, I placed a stack of unstamped documents on the table into his hand: "Help me with this, I'm going out for a bit."

"Chairman, these documents require your personal review, as does tonight's scheduling meeting..."

"You are an outstanding junior, I believe in you." Duanmu Yan patted him on the shoulder.