Souichirou pondered, wondering just what kind of person Itsuki truly was.
If he had to put it into words, he'd undoubtedly call him a genius. A true genius born once every few hundred years.
In the world of exorcists, such geniuses occasionally appear. He had heard those stories many times before. So, when he realized Itsuki was one of those rare beings, he felt an overwhelming joy.
After all, exorcists have a high mortality rate. Souichirou had seen countless comrades, no matter how strong, fall before the might of demons.
Being able to spend time with his family without perishing was a stroke of luck, and he didn't want Itsuki to die. This was simply the natural sentiment of a parent.
That's why he felt relieved. He believed that, at the very least, Itsuki wouldn't die facing ordinary demons.
But this was only if Itsuki was properly trained.
The world of exorcists is not a kind one. It demands relentless training and the effort to push oneself to the brink of death. Even though these efforts might not always be rewarded, training is necessary to exorcise demons.
Souichirou thought it would be enough for Itsuki to learn this by the time he turned seven. Despite the shortage of exorcists, he believed that a child who had just turned five didn't need to fight demons.
That was until they encountered a demon on the highway.
A demon that could speak and destroy soundproof walls was a 'Third Rank' demon. For an ordinary exorcist, it wasn't just troublesome; it was nearly insurmountable.
If Souichirou hadn't been there, another exorcist might have called for reinforcements. No one would blame them if they had fled the scene, considering they couldn't defeat a demon ranked higher than themselves.
But Itsuki exorcised that demon using only imitation magic. He defeated a demon that other exorcists couldn't hope to defeat.
Souichirou was struck with awe, forgetting to breathe for a moment.
At just five years old, Itsuki had the magical power to dismember a demon as large as a 5-ton truck. Yet, despite this achievement, Itsuki seemed dissatisfied, as if he hadn't yet revealed his full potential.
This was the power of the 'Seventh Rank.' A genuine prodigy born once every few hundred years.
Souichirou couldn't help but wonder just how far Itsuki would go.
With such thoughts in mind, he glanced at Itsuki, who appeared a bit intimidated by the grand staircase of the Kamiarizuki household.
Still, Souichirou thought, isn't my son just too adorable?
The staircase of the Kamiarizuki household, seen for the first time in two years, was extraordinarily long. I couldn't help but marvel at how I managed to climb it alone when I was three.
Reaching the top of the long staircase, a massive mansion stood before me. Unlike last time, when I only saw the building, today I would enter it.
The upcoming meeting was to be held inside the mansion.
Moreover, it was my debut as the next head of the Kisaragi family. I was nervous, despite having an adult's mind inside a child's body. I had never been comfortable with public appearances, preferring behind-the-scenes roles in my previous life.
As I mulled over my nervousness, I entered the Kamiarizuki mansion. I tried to arrange my shoes neatly, but a man in a black suit stopped me.
Although I'd never had children, I didn't dislike them. Honestly, who doesn't like being liked by kids? Even if I looked like a child myself.
I waved at Ayachan.
"Hi, Ayachan! Long time no see!"
She turned away without a word. Did I do something wrong?
"Sorry, Itsuki-kun. Aya always says she wants to play with you at home, but... Aya? Don't you want to say hello?"
Renji extended a hand to Ayachan, but she swatted it away.
"I hate you, Dad!"
"Well, that's troublesome," Renji said, scratching his head.
Seeing Ayachan's reaction left me puzzled, making me cross my arms in thought.
Girls are really hard to understand.
"Please take your seats. We'll begin the meeting shortly."
At that moment, the golden-haired woman of the Kamiarizuki family spoke up, her timing perfect.
Following her cue, the ten men sat on the prepared cushions. I took a seat next to my father.
"Discussing boring topics first would just make the children restless. Let's start with introducing our hopefuls before moving on to the adult matters... Is that alright?"
The adults silently nodded in agreement.
She must be someone important, I thought.
"Good, since everyone agrees, let's have our promising talent introduce themselves first. The hero who exorcised a 'Third Rank' demon at the age of five."
Who could that be? I thought.
There were only two other children my age: Ayachan and Rin-chan from the Satsuki family. Ayachan wasn't yet capable of exorcising demons, so it must be Rin-chan, I thought.
As I pondered, the golden-haired priestess's eyes locked onto me.
Wait, me?
Caught off guard, I widened my eyes in surprise.
"You all know well. The genius born once every few hundred years. The one who possesses 'Seventh Rank' and mastered 'Kaijutsu' and 'Shijutsu' at three years old," she announced in one breath, then smiled.
"This is Itsuki Kisaragi."