75. Layered Affections, Stealing Love

"Oh! Isn't this little Marika?"

"I didn't expect you to be among today's guests!"

"I remember your health wasn't too bad, right?"

"Akira-nii! So, you're the one behind this hospital?"

Marika Tachibana's fondness for this handsome older brother she met every year was off the charts.

In an instant, she broke free from her mother's grip and ran over to Akira Sawamura with a look of pure delight.

She looked like a little pet seeking comfort.

In Akira, she finally experienced what it felt like to have an older brother.

"Father, Mother, this is the super, super, super affectionate brother I told you about, the one I met at the mountain sanatorium."

The three "supers" in a row were enough to prove Marika's admiration for Akira.

"Every year, he and his lover, Yumeko-nee, come to visit the bedridden Sako-nee."

"They've been doing this for years."

Tch!

Heh!

The childhood friends present couldn't help but laugh mockingly at Marika's adoring introduction.

"What's with you all?"

"Are you discriminating against me?"

"Do we even need to discriminate against you?"

"You, Akira Sawamura, are the least deserving of the word 'affectionate' in this world."

"Marika, do you know who these sisters are?"

"They're all childhood friends of this playboy."

"Even the doctor at this hospital, Dr. Amamiya, and these nine nurses are his women."

"To be precise, they're his attendants."

Akira corrected his childhood friends' wording.

"Attendants don't need to serve in bed, do they?"

"Of course, they do."

"We've been waiting for the young master to grow up, eagerly anticipating it."

"An attendant who doesn't serve in bed isn't a good attendant."

Kurokawa and Yamaguchi, with dreamy expressions, eagerly admitted.

"Akira-nii is amazing!"

"Not only does he have so many childhood friends, but he also has so many attendants."

Marika Tachibana forced a smile and clapped half-heartedly in praise.

She wasn't a child anymore and knew exactly what this meant.

Thinking back to how she had praised Akira as super, super, super affectionate, Marika felt like a naive fool.

"Little Marika has good taste."

"How am I not affectionate?"

"I'm affectionate to everyone by my side."

"I love the new without abandoning the old."

"With so many layers of affection, who in this world could be more affectionate than me?"

Akira couldn't help but protest.

Everyone: ......

Chika Tachibana, expressionless: The image of the Tai'a Sword Master has shattered in my heart.

Yumi Ryuuzu, visibly moved: I really want the Tai'a Sword Master to be my son-in-law!

"How do you have the nerve to say 'love the new without abandoning the old'?"

"Akira, it's fine if you drop your dignity at home, but can't you at least maintain some image outside?"

"The Tai'a sword in Yukina's arms is crying!"

"Fine! From now on, let's just call you the World's Most Affectionate."

Akira corrected again: "To be honest, 'The Most Affectionate of This Era' sounds better."

Akira, you're still dropping your dignity!

Having childhood friends like these really makes them want to cry.

"Akira, Akira, long time no see! Did you miss me?"

A cute, exaggeratedly expressive blonde woman in a white coat flew over and clung to Akira's back, greeting him as if no one else was around.

"Amamiya-nee, be serious."

"My mother and elders are here."

"Ahaha! Akira, why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Though Sayaka Amamiya was a bit of an airhead, she knew she had just made a terrible impression on Akira's mother.

She quickly slid off Akira and introduced herself formally:

"Hello! I'm Sayaka Amamiya, the chief physician of this hospital."

"If you're willing to trust me, we can start the treatment now."

"Dr. Amamiya, of course, we trust you."

Your reputation has spread throughout Tokyo's underground world.

"Thank you for your trouble."

"Amamiya-nee, let's start with this young lady."

Akira pointed to the last family of three huddled in the corner and casually arranged.

"Got it, Akira is so gentle!"

"Please give me your daughter's medical records from childhood."

"Yes, thank you so much, Dr. Amamiya."

"I'm Akio Furukawa."

Sayaka Amamiya took the medical records and immediately began reviewing them, not looking up as she replied:

"Mr. Furukawa, just your surname is enough."

"I'm not interested in remembering the names of passersby."

"Amamiya-nee, you idiot, shouldn't such private consultations be done in the examination room?"

Akira reminded her, exasperated.

"Oh! I forgot."

"Tachibana, take this little Nagisa-chan for a full body check-up."

"Yes, Dr. Amamiya."

"Tendo, Kirigaya, you two come with me."

"Tachibana, why do you always call on us first?"

"Because you're the most skilled."

"If we have enough hands, Ms. Miyazono can also go for a full body check-up."

"Marika, wait a bit, is that okay?"

"Akira-nii, my health is much better than Nagisa-nee and Miyazono-nee."

"Let them get diagnosed first."

Marika Tachibana said obediently.

"Numajiri, Kurokawa, Yamaguchi, Mia, all of you come over, let's speed things up."

Tachibana continued calling names.

"Thank you, I'm Kaori Miyazono."

"Akira, Kaori is a friend I met when I was learning the piano as a child."

"I see."

"Wakana, if you're worried, you can go with them."

"I know you all have a lot of private things to talk about."

After sending the seven nurses and Wakana to take the two girls for their check-ups, Akira said:

"Mother, Auntie Manaka, you'll have to wait a bit."

"It's no trouble."

"Akira, aren't there two more nurses?"

"Those two are just the hospital's mascots."

Akira pointed to a gentle-looking brunette and a dazed, sleepy beauty with headphones around her neck,吐槽道.

"Utterly useless."

"The reason they came to work at my hospital is that, like Amamiya-nee, they were blacklisted by other hospitals."

"They've caused multiple medical accidents, almost killing people several times."

"This one is Mochizuki, clumsy and uncoordinated."

"Her brain and limbs are completely out of sync."

"This one is Hiramatsu, with a hereditary sleeping disorder."

"She can never get enough sleep."

"She can even fall asleep standing up."

"Letting them give injections or IVs would be murder."

"They're only sent out when dealing with difficult patients who try to freeload."

"The rest of the time, they're just the hospital's mascots."

"If it weren't for me and Tachibana-nee taking them in, with their exceptional nursing 'talent,' they'd have starved to death in Tokyo."

"Chisato, do you want them to check you?"

Chisato Nishikigi waved her hands with a dry laugh: "Ahaha! I really don't want to."

What if the machine they used to check her exploded?

These nurses were terrifying.

They looked so gentle and quiet, but who knew they were so capable?

"Akira, your hospital is really full of talent!"

"Akira, give Mochizuki and Hiramatsu some face."

Seeing Mrs. Yuuki standing up for them, Mochizuki pouted and said:

"Young master, I'll work harder."

"It's fine, they need my encouragement and鞭策."

"Tachibana-nee's scolding doesn't work on them anymore."

"They used to feel guilty."

"But now Hiramatsu has completely turned into a lazy bum."

"Mochizuki is a bit better, never missing a chance to be a nurse."

"But the harder she tries, the more she fails."

"I'd say they're hopeless."

"Hiramatsu, don't be so lazy."

Akira tapped the drowsy Hiramatsu on the head and ordered:

"Go make some tea."

"Young master, I'll help too."

Without giving Akira a chance to react, Mochizuki dragged the lethargic Hiramatsu away.

"Akira, come here, let us introduce you."

Ryoko Yakushiji pulled Akira over.

"This is Chika Tachibana, the current head of the Tachibana family."

"This is Iwa Tachibana, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Department."

"He's one of the top candidates for the next Commissioner."

"Your future boss."

"Our Akira plans to join the Metropolitan Police after graduation."

"As the saying goes, 'the immediate superior is more important than the higher authority.'"

"We're counting on Commissioner Tachibana to take good care of him."

"No, no, I've long heard of Akira's feat of cutting through diamonds with his sword."

"The Metropolitan Police needs outstanding young talents like Akira."

Iwa Tachibana quickly stood up and returned the courtesy.

Facing a superhuman like Akira who could cut diamonds with a sword, he didn't dare act superior.

"Little Tachibana, when you have time, your family should come visit the Kujo family."

"Our ancestors were relatives, so we shouldn't let this generation break the connection."

Akari Kujo, following Ryoko's lead, also hinted.

At this point, even if Chika Tachibana was slow, she understood that the forces behind Akira were planning to support her husband in becoming the next Police Commissioner.

With the support of the Kujo, Fujiwara, and Yakushiji families, it was more than enough.

Chika Tachibana's face lit up with gratitude:

"Akari-nee, then I'll take you up on that offer."

"Actually, I've been planning to move the Tachibana family from Kyushu back to Tokyo."

"It'll also be good for Marika to transfer to a school in Tokyo."

The Tachibana family's weak bloodline desperately needed Akira's exceptional genes, capable of cutting diamonds.

"Mom, can I stay in Kyushu for school?"

Marika Tachibana pleaded weakly.

"No."

"Marika Tachibana, I'm telling you clearly."

"You have no choice in this matter."

"All the conditions I agreed to with you before are now void."

"Even if I have to tie you up, I'll bring you to Tokyo…"

"If you want your future daughter to suffer from the same weak health and short lifespan as me and you, then go ahead and do as you please."

"Also, don't think I don't know."

"Your childhood friend doesn't even like you."

"As the eldest daughter of the Tachibana family, where's your dignity?"

"If he were as upright and brave as Akira, daring to have a harem, I might have thought more highly of him."

"What a disgrace to the Ichijo family."

"So Marika's childhood friend is a descendant of the Ichijo family?"

"This kid wouldn't happen to have as many childhood friends as our Akira, would he?"

Akari Kujo asked with a gossipy tone.

"Akari-nee, not as many as Akira."

"There are only about four or five girls around him."

Chika Tachibana replied sarcastically.

"That's still quite a few."

"What, he doesn't dare to have a harem?"

"Not every man is as capable and brave as Akira."

"Marika, a man who avoids reality, plays dumb, and can't face his own feelings is the most spineless."

"If that Ichijo Raku can be considered your childhood friend, then Akira has known you since childhood too."

"You meet every year at the mountain sanatorium."

"Isn't he also your childhood friend?"

"Auntie Tachibana, I don't have the hobby of stealing love or being a homewrecker!"

Akira laughed bitterly, trying to deflect.

"Even if Marika doesn't marry you, she'll marry someone else."

"This is the condition I agreed to with her."

"Our branch of the Tachibana family seems to be cursed by the heavens."

"Not only are our descendants weak and short-lived, but most of the heirs are also female."

"Marika, if you don't want to marry Akira, then get out of the Tachibana family now."

"I'll ask Akira to adopt a son in the future to inherit the Tachibana name."

"Since our ancestors are related, the Fujiwara and Kujo families also have Tachibana blood."

"This will finally end the tragedy that has plagued our line for generations."

"Akira's genes are the best in the world."

"If you want your future daughter to suffer from the same weak health and short lifespan as you, then leave the Tachibana family now."

"After that, I won't stop you from doing whatever you want."

Marika Tachibana didn't expect that after reuniting with her big brother, she would immediately be betrothed to him.

Why did double happiness turn into this?

Her little face was filled with conflict as she couldn't help but look to her father for help.

Iwa Tachibana, a man who feared his wife, was more than happy to have the Tai'a Sword Master as his son-in-law.

He was far better than that kid from the Ichijo family.

How could he possibly object at this moment?

"Marika, do you know who the person standing next to you is?"

"He's the only person in the world recognized by one of China's Ten Great Swords, a sword saint capable of cutting diamonds."

"His genes are the best in the world."

"This isn't me praising him; it's a fact."

This super, super, super playboy big brother was actually this amazing?

Marika Tachibana was stunned. Cutting diamonds with a sword?

It sounded like something out of a legend.

Was this still the scientific world she knew?

No wonder her mother was willing to do anything to improve the Tachibana bloodline.

"Mother, you win."

"I'll listen to you and transfer to Tokyo."

Marika Tachibana couldn't bear the thought of her future daughter suffering the same pain she had.

Her heart ached as if pierced by needles.

Having experienced such pain herself, she couldn't let her daughter suffer the same fate.

"Ahem! Akira, how does it feel to steal love?"

Leonora also asked with a gossipy tone.

"I didn't do anything! Can't you all be serious?"

"Besides, I've known little Marika for a long time."

"Heh, the least serious person among us is telling us to be serious?"

"You're the least qualified to say that."

"Yes, yes, you're all right."

Akira replied in a flat tone.

"Akira, Akira, Nagisa's test results are out."

"I've also figured out Nagisa's condition."

"Nagisa is one of the strangest patients I've ever seen."

"All her test results are completely normal."

"There's no genetic disease or anything."

"She only had a high fever as a child that weakened her immune system."

"But that fever wasn't life-threatening!"

"Why would it cause her body to weaken so much years later?"

"It's like there's an invisible curse draining her life force."

Everyone's faces turned strange at this.