108th Spell: Concerns
"Guys, listen up!" Peri said, getting Haru and the other Wataka siblings' attention. "Once you're done with breakfast, we will read the schedule Mom has planned for us today."
"So you guys don't relax for Spring Break?" Haru asked.
Rui shook her head. "Momma believes in keeping us constantly occupied during breaks so we don't slack on our studies or get bored and complain."
"I think it's so she doesn't have to spend time with us," Gaane speculated.
"Yeah, and not have to worry about us while she's busy at work," added Fuyou.
"How can you say that?" Gyoku objected. "Mom works hard every day so she can support us!"
"But if Sudaumi is as successful as she claims, then surely she can get other people to run the company and not have to spend as much time working," argued Gaane.
"That's not true," Peri abruptly said. "Even if our family business is doing well, that means our Mom has to work harder to maintain its success. Because if she starts slacking off and pushing her duties onto other people, it'll create an environment that's not very productive."
"And what makes you so knowledgable about this stuff?" Fuyou asked.
"I've been studying Wizarding Trade in my spare time," Peri answered. "Because after I graduate from Mahoutokoro, I intend to apply for a job at the Japanese Ministry of Magic's Department of Wizarding Trade & Commerce."
Gaane's eyes widened. "You want to apply for the WTC?"
"WTC?" Haru looked at Rui with confusion.
"That's the abbreviation for the Department of Wizarding Trade & Commerce," Rui explained. "Most people don't usually say the full names of the departments in the Japanese Ministry of Magic because of how long they are. So instead, they use abbreviations when referring to the different departments."
Haru remembered Ryosei Maki did the same thing when he was referring to the Magical Enforcement Department as the MED.
"So what's the abbreviation for the Department of Magical Creatures?" Haru said to Rui.
"The DMC," replied Rui.
"Hey, we're all getting sidetracked!" Peri said, trying to get everyone's attention back into focus. "Now that you know I plan to apply for the WTC, let's move on."
After the finished breakfast dishes of miso soup, rice porridge, and dried fish were cleared by the same invisible hands that brought dinner to the table the night before, Peri brought everyone to the living room near the mansion foyer. There, a large scroll was floating in midair which had everyone's names on it with subsequent timetables. Haru found out that he was on the same schedule as Gyoku while Rui and her sisters had their own schedule except for a few activities which overlapped.
"What is 'Bakotsu Riding'?" Haru said, pointing at the part of the schedule that had those words written down.
"Bakotsus are a type of yokai that resemble a skeletal horse with flames bursting out from them," Gyoku explained.
"But isn't that dangerous?" Haru said, imagining riding a horse with fire shooting out. "I mean, what if we get burned?"
"It's why we use Dragon-Hide saddles and riding shoes so we don't get burned by them," Peri stated. "And Bakotsu only burn those they don't trust. Otherwise, the flames they emit are perfectly harmless."
"That's comforting to know," Haru responded. But based on how the Nade Ushi oxen reacted to his presence, he didn't have much confidence that the Bakotsu would react to him well.
Haru then followed Gyoku around the mansion to various rooms which were occupied by different Zashiki-warashi. Each one instructed the two boys on a different activity or lesson then criticized them accordingly if they were doing something wrong or needed to improve. The first one was Broom Flying, where Haru and Gyoku flew laps around the outer wall of Wataka Mansion while being timed by Datsu.
"I thought Mahoutokoro didn't allow younger students to fly brooms," Haru said to Gyoku as they were changing out of their sweaty exercise robes in the first floor bathroom.
"Yes, but that doesn't apply to Wizarding households," Gyoku explained as he was wiping his damp face with a wet cloth. "So I've been flying a broom since I was seven."
"Wow, that young?" Haru exclaimed. "I only started flying last year, and had to be dropped from the class."
"How come?"
Not wanting to go into detail about Warumo using Kotodama to control him, Haru said, "I had a sudden chest pain, which made me pass out just as I finished the Lion's Test."
"And Gōgu-dono dropped you for that? Seems a little harsh to me."
"That's what Rui and I thought, but apparently he takes the safety of his students very seriously."
"Well, that makes me feel better since I'll be taking the Flying Class this year. But I'm more worried about which Clan I will end up in…."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Haru said comfortingly. "The Subemitō Mirror made a good choice for me, even though I thought I was going to end up in Seiryu."
Gyoku was surprised by this. "What makes you think that?"
"Before the mirror showed the Byakko tiger symbol, I saw a snake with multiple heads which made me think it was the Seiryu dragon."
"The Seiryu dragon doesn't look like that," Gyoku said nervously. "If anything, what you're describing sounds like the Yamata no Orochi."
Remembering the Orochi puppet from the Jiraiya the Gallant play, Haru knew Gyoku was right. But knowing that, it made him think about the serpentine heads that emerged from Popuri's body when he died which occupied Haru's mind for the next two activities which were Paintbrush Calligraphy and Charm Studies. At noon, everyone met back at the dining room table for lunch which consisted of ramen bowls filled with pork slices, boiled eggs, naruto fish cakes, and various greens. Though some like Rui had chicken katsu in their ramen bowls instead of pork.
To be continued…