Demon Progenitor Development Project

“I am Fujiwara Shugo. I know Nene is a boy, but Nene is wearing a kimono (clothing for underage girls, similar in style to a short skirt worn by adult women), and she looks like a cute girl.” Shugo joked on purpose.

Muzan stopped looking at Shugo, his lips pressed into a straight line, his lips turned pale, and he stood up, intending to leave.

Ordinary people tend to keep their distance from those who don't fit in.

Young children may not understand this principle, but that doesn't stop them from knowing they are unpopular.

Boys his age mocked him for wearing girls' clothes and didn't want to play with him, and girls didn't want to play with him either.

He's caught in the middle, neither side.

Once, after finally managing to join in the fun, the kids fainted from excitement and were scolded by their elders, which led them to completely exclude Muzan.

After realizing he had angered the child, Shugo pulled the little one into his arms despite the struggle.

"Fujiwara Shugo!" Muzan screamed, his face flushed red with extreme resistance.

The servants around him all changed their expressions.

In Heian-kyo, even commoners knew the status and power of the Fujiwara Kita family, and it would be extremely rude to address them by their given names.

Ren Guang cast an unfriendly glance at the child in his master's arms.

When the servant seemed about to step forward to explain, Shugo waved his hand and walked towards the west room where Muzan lived.

Shugo squinted as he touched Muzan's soft black hair.

Ghost King's head pat achievement unlocked!

"I'm sorry, did what I said upset you? I meant to say that you are very cute and pretty, I wasn't mocking you."

Muzan didn't answer, but his struggle weakened.

“We met before at the residence of Grand Chancellor Kiyohara Shikibu, but you didn’t remember that yet, you were just born,” Shugo continued.

"Kiyohara?" Muzan looked up, his face flushed from the exertion, his clear black and white eyes filled with confusion.

"Yes, Kiyohara, the residence of your mother's father, Kiyohara Shikibu-daijo, is where you were born."

In Kyoto, noblewomen were required to return to their parents' home to give birth, and this applied even to the emperor's wives and concubines.

"Have you seen my mother?" Muzan's eyes lit up immediately, and he hesitated for a moment before asking.

Other children have mothers and are held by their mothers, but he doesn't, and he wants that too.

The old servant who had taken care of him since childhood said that his mother had gone to a very far place and was unlikely to return.

Shugo, sensing something, shook his head.

"Your mother is a woman, so I can't see her."

The flames that had been burning in Muzan's eyes went out instantly.

Waiting for nothing.

What an annoying adult!

Muzan turned her head away from him, feeling sullen, her little face puffed up like a pufferfish.

While talking about Kiyohara, Shugo led his men back to Muzan's residence.

As soon as he put the person down, Muzan strode away quickly, ran into the house, and slammed the sliding door shut with a loud bang, quite rudely.

The servants who had been following behind, watching the Fujiwara Kita family master carrying the young master, turned pale with fright.

Shugo didn't pay attention, looked around the courtyard, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

The master's room should be guarded by servants, but there's no one here. They've obviously gone to find a place to slack off.

The culture of slacking off has been passed down for thousands of years!

At first glance, the house was fairly clean and tidy, but some corners were overgrown with weeds. The sharp-eyed Shugo even spotted a small black insect crawling out from under the eaves.

Wooden houses require frequent maintenance to prevent insect infestation and mold, a time-consuming and laborious task, and it was clear that the servants in charge were not taking it seriously.

Shugo pulled open the door (the sliding door in the anime, an old term), and a strange smell that was hard to describe rushed into his nostrils.

The entire sleeping quarters had its own distinct aroma, a strong smell of medicinal herbs, as if it had been marinated.

Hiiragi gently exhaled.

This is the situation of a nobleman who has lost his birth mother and has no father to care for him.

Moreover, a child who is destined to die young has no future serving such a master, so naturally he will not be devoted.

An old servant was already standing inside, holding a box.

The old servant, who looked to be over fifty, had a weathered face and showed surprise upon seeing an acquaintance.

Shugo recognized the old servant; wasn't this the servant who had been holding Muzan, preparing to be cremated that day?

The old servant's lips twitched as if he wanted to say something.

Shugo shook his head, glanced at the rather old interior, and followed the trail to find the child who had been hiding.

There are only a few places in the sleeping quarters where people can hide, and considering Muzan's weak physical condition and mobility, they are naturally easy to find.

The child, who was led out of the cubicle, was flicked on the forehead with a flick of the wrist.

"You naughty brat, so petty," Shugo said irritably, knowing he was still annoyed that he called her a girl.

Muzan, who had been hit in pain, covered his forehead, his eyes glistening with tears, and his little mouth pursed.

Shugo has a headache, is he about to cry?

Muzan sobbed silently, looking extremely pitiful.

"You're arguing with a child," Hiiragi cursed inwardly.

Shugo took off the string of Buddhist prayer beads he was wearing on his wrist.

"Okay, stop crying. It's my fault. I'm sorry." Shugo said in a tone as if he were coaxing a child. Before the other person could take it, Shugo put it on for them.

Today, Kyoto reveres Buddhist culture, and wearing Buddhist-related ornaments is quite popular among the nobility.

The 18 reddish-brown wooden prayer beads have clear, flowing patterns, delicate textures, and are sometimes visible and sometimes hidden, creating a vivid and varied effect. The carefully polished beads are as delicate as a baby's skin.

The bracelet was made to the size of an adult's wrist, so Shugo wrapped it around Muzan's thin wrist several times.

Hiiragi wiped away Muzan's tears.

Muzan slowly stopped crying, his nose twitching, his eyes reddening, and he gradually calmed down.

A blush crept onto her pale face, making it stand out.

Shugo's expression changed. He took Muzan's thin arm, his brows furrowed, and he glanced at the servant who had followed him. He said in a deep voice.

"Go and fetch a doctor."

The old doctor rushed over with his medicine kit and began treating the frail and sickly eldest son with a tense expression.

The doctor from the Ubuyashiki family was very familiar with the eldest son's illness and prescribed medicine with ease.

"Young Master is of weak health; he must avoid extreme joy or sorrow." The old doctor, stroking his snow-white beard, left a medical order and prescription before departing.

A shrewd-looking attendant led a group of people in hastily. He glanced at the empty courtyard and first cursed.

"Hurry up and go take care of the young master!"

After the attendant finished cursing, he smiled apologetically.

"Lord Fujiwara, the head of the family requests your presence."

Hiiragi thought for a moment, then followed.

The story of Muzan and Shugo's first meeting ends with Muzan falling ill.