Two years later.

News of the new family quickly spread throughout the land, and its family head, Kyūjouno Hakukumo, is a very skilled and powerful individual that surpassed the whole of the country's might. Several warriors went north to challenge him, but all who went never returned. Eventually, many orphans from around the country decided to head north based on a rumor that the family would take them in.

"No we are not heading north, Mikoto!" said Takemikazuchi.

"But we heard from the people in the village that they would take us in!"

"Y-yeah! So you wouldn’t have to live like this, Lord Takemikazuchi!" said Ouka.

"Hm! hm!" said Chigusa.

"I know your hearts are in the right place but... we simply can’t. It’s too far away and it’s simply a baseless rumor."

"Hmm... Then can we ask that noble family down the mountain!" said Ouka.

"They don’t like to associate with peasants like us."

"But you are a god! Shouldn’t they at least—"

"They serve Amaterasu." said Tsukuyomi. "I'm sorry, but they probably won't help, and neither will the Kyūjouno family, because they're just newly established families doing whatever they can to establish themselves."

 

The growth of the family couldn’t be more underestimated. Several of the warrior Familia’s, families, and clans sent their youngest children to train under Cirrus, and he quickly gained funds to further develop the village, now a more modern town.

The merchants would also be given a tax-free pass should they bring in orphans of war. This worked far too well; it made Cirrus and the others a bit disturbed by how quickly they could get an army of children.

"Alright uh…" Cirrus said, looking at a room full of orphans. "This is really disrupting how many of you there are."

"What are you going to do?" asked Ai.

"Given them a home and food. From there they can get an education. What they do from there is up to them."

"S-sir!" said a small child. "C-could w-we even b-be warriors?"

"Sure if you want, you just need to get some meat on your bones and that will be all. But I will tell you this all of you, I have no plans or needs for child soldiers I alone am enough to handle anything, so you can simply live a normal life if you wish. Do not feel the need to fight."

"R-really?" said another child.

"Of course." Cirrus knelt before the children and gave them a warm smile. "I promise you that." He held out his pinky.

The child slowly reached out and they both made a pinky promise.

To make sure it was all clean, Artemis and Aphrodite would question every merchant who brought an orphan. Cirrus also sent a few of the Artemis Familia to go and find orphaned children and bring them back.

Cirrus, of course, didn’t just teach them how to fight, he educated them in everything he knew. He wanted them to be smarter than their predecessors and fix this country rife with wars, plagues, and monsters.

 

The Rokujouno family's residence.

"Dam that family!!" shouted a disgruntled human. "How the hell does that brat become Lady Amaterasu’s favorite when he isn’t even her child!! Hey, can’t you send in a few spies?"

"N-no… we tried and…."

"And?" The man looked at him with concerned eyes. "Was his warning true?"

"Well…um…yes. H-he walked right into our home and….just dropped a broken body right in front of us and said, ‘Do this again and I’ll break everyone's bones one by one and then fixing it so I can do it all over again.’ And then just left."

"Useless!! Gojouno Family! Can’t you kill him with poison!"

The head of the Gojouno family, Kaguya’s father, walked out of the shadows. He was a man with black hair and eyes in very neat attire that wouldn’t snag on anything.

"No, he is far too strong to be killed with such things. He is a level 8! We could send our whole damn family and they would be wiped out before we could even scratch him! I suggest we do as the Sanjouno does and simply return to our work; we still have more left to do to improve our communications with outside the country by Lady Amaterasu's orders."

"Grrr… Yes you are right. How about Lord Susanoo and his Familia? Didn’t they get in trouble for not telling us?"

"Nope, seems the head of the Kyūjouno is betrothed to one of Susanoo’s children, so they are untouchable."

"Tch!"

"What about you, Yottsujouno? How badly did he impact your family?

They look at a cat person with a scar on his face sitting down. He was the head of the Yottsujouno family.

"Well… The war business is now done. He just came onto the battlefield and just," He made a swiping motion. "Cleared everything in sight in a barrage of thunder. So we are shifting our role a bit in the royal court?"

"To what? You're not gonna be in charge of the military?"

"Oh no, we still will, but that family head… He certainly is a creature I never wish to fight."

"So you sold us out?" The head of the Gojounos.

"No. But I did try. Did you know what he said to me when I tried? He said it wasn’t worth learning about people who would dig their own graves. Then he offered me an unbelievable deal!"

"What was it? Are you going to be working under another family?"

"No. Since we will not be putting resources into our military, we could focus on the side effects of our work as executioners. We are going to become a family of medicine!"

"You coward!! You gave up your warrior's pride to be a healer!?"

"Call me what you want, but I am not under Lord Hakukumo’s protection but I am on his paychecks. So I am ensuring my family lives through the next generation." He stands up. "I hope you all have a good day. Do anything stupid then do not say I didn't warn you." He then took his leave.

 

Many didn’t exactly take their quick rise to power with open arms, except for maybe the Ichijouno, Nijouno, Nanajouno, and lastly, the Yottsujouno.

The Ichijouno residence

"Look at all this money!!" said the head of the Ichijouno family, an elf with golden hair.

"How long has it been since we have experienced such grand opportunities!!" said the vice-head.

"Ahh~ all the stress is leaving my body! I think I regained years of my life!"

"So shall we cut our ties with the Ebisu Familia? Our investment in them has gone sour?"

"Yes do it. I can smell the wealth coming from the Kyūjouno!"

The Nijouno residence

"Hahaha!! We’re making so much damn money!" said the head of the Nijouno Family. A cow person, who is in charge of the country's infrastructure.

"Those dam Gojouno and Rokujouno! They should really get help from the Kyūjounos! The best deal we ever made!!" So said the vice-head.

"And our only deal!!"

"Ahahahaha!!!" they all laughed happily rich.

Home of the Nanajouno family

"Ahh~ so this is what it feels like to not have a migraine." said the head of the Nanajuono family, a Chienthrope with black hair.

"Yes, the new family has been doing wonders! The public approval is rising every day!" said the vice-head.

"Ahh, I love a family that can clean up after themselves." 

 

One day in Fuyukusa.

"Haa! haa! haa!"

Several children swing their swords downward.

"Alright, that’s enough!" shouted Cirrus. "That’s it for today! I’ll see you all in class in an hour!"

"Let’s go!"

"I heard Bokkai found a place up the hill!"

"If we hurry, we could find Lady Artemis!"

The children all ran in different directions.

"I didn’t think you would be a teacher, Cirrus?" said Ai coming up to him.

"Well, it’s better than doing nothing, plus some of these kids have nowhere else to go so…"

"Hmm…say have you heard from Circe?"

"I have, every now and then, I would talk to her to see how things are and she would give me a good rundown of the stuff, but recently... she has been rather quiet."

"I hope nothing bad happens in Orario?"

"If it did, I’m sure she would say something."

 

Orario.

Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!

Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!

Pitter-patter! Pitter-patter!

Circe locks her gaze on the widow.

"She asked you not to tell him about what happened them." said Lenoa.

"…I know but... they were his Familia; he would have come back in a heartbeat if he had learned of this." she said.

"I know… and it pains me as well, but this is something we can’t tell him. Even Lord/Lady Fels told us not to."

"…Fuck." She clenches her fists tightly to draw blood.

Somewhere in Orario.

"Fuck it’s the-!!"

Spurt!!!

Their bodies drop to the cold floor as blood spills out.

"YOU BASTARDS!!!!! I’LL KILL YOU ALL!!!!!!" shouted Ryuu as she started to spill the blood of the fragments of Evilus.