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It is a custom for the successor of the Ryohgi family to have a match with the master using a real sword at the beginning of each month. The head of the Ryohgi household many generations ago got tired of inviting many masters from abroad, so he made a dojo in his own house and made many new schools. This is passed on until today and unfortunately, even a girl like me is required to use swords.
Finishing the match against my father who surpassed me in both skill and strength, I head to my room. The distance between the dojo and the main house building is far, as far as a gym would be from the school building to give a comparison. I walk on the wooden floor which does not creak even once. On the way, Akitaka was waiting for me. Akitaka, who is my servant, should be at least ten years older than me. He was probably waiting for me to help me change out of my sweaty clothes.
“Good job Did your father say anything?”
“Same as always. Get lost, Akitaka. I can change by myself. You too, you’re not like my personal servant. It’s better for you to go to my older brother. In the end, it’s the man that’s succeeding.”
Akitaka smiles at my harsh words.
“No, there can be no other successor than you. You brother did not inherit your nature.”
“What’s so good about this nature?”
I leave Akitaka and head back to the building. Locking myself up in my room, I take my gi off. Then I stare at the mirror. … What’s there is a woman’s body. If I put some make-up on and look scary, I might look like a guy. But there’s nothing you can do about the body. My body that grows every day is making SHIKI go into despair.
“Maybe I should have been born a guy.”
I talk aloud to no one. No, there is someone I can talk to… inside me, another personality called SHIKI. All children of the Ryohgi family is prepared two different names with the same sound. The name of the yin, a name as a man. The name of the yang, a name as a woman. Since I was born female, I was named Shiki, which means equation or form. If I would have been born male, I would have been named SHIKI, which means to weave. Why do we do this? It’s because the Ryohgi family gives off children with split personalities with a high probability. … A person just like me.
Father said the Ryohgi family has the heredity of a transcedent race. He also mentioned that it is a curse. … It is indeed a curse. To me, this is not transcedent but just abnormal. Fortunately, no successor was of this nature for a few generations. The reason is simple… they all ended up in the mental hospital before maturity. It’s very dangerous to have two personalities in one body. The boundary between realities becomes vague and there are many cases where they committed suicide. But in it all, I grew up without showing any sign of insanity. It’s because me and SHIKI ignored each other.
The right to the ownership of the body is completely mine. SHIKI is only a substitue personality. Just like how I switched to his personality for the match earlier since his aggressive personality fits the situation. Come to think of it, me and SHIKI are existing at the same time. This is different than what people call split personality. I am Shiki, but at the same time, I am also SHIKI. It’s just that I have the ownership of the body.
Father was happy that he could produce the rightful successor of the Ryohgi family in his generation. That’s why I’m treated as the successor disregarding my male brother. That’s fine, I take what’s given to me. I probably thought I would lead this somewhat distorted normal life forever. I knew I could only lead such a life…
… Yes, even if SHIKI is a killing monster, I am not able to make him disappear. Since I have “SHIKI” in me, I am Shiki just like him.