Chapter 37: Main Family Makes Trouble, Hinata Steps Forward
"Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."
The furthest distance...?
Little Hinata asked in a low voice: "Why?"
Admiration is the expectation and yearning for something.
And she did indeed hold a kind of admiration for that big brother's mysterious strength.
"When you admire someone, obsess over someone, what you see is only what you want to see, not what they truly possess."
Big Hinata's tone was somewhat complex: "Although you revere him as a god, dress him in magnificent clothes, prostrate and kiss him piously, you simultaneously forget his inner self and his soul, forget to understand everything truly about him."
"You can only think about him from your own perspective, unable to stand in his shoes and consider the world he gazes upon."
"...So hard to understand."
Little Hinata twisted her index fingers together, a look of slight distress on her face.
Big Hinata was also taken aback for a moment, saying helplessly: "Really now, why am I telling a little brat like you all this."
The reason she felt so deeply about this sentence,
Was because she herself had once been both the admirer and the admired.
Admiring Menma, while being admired by the weak main family (in her world).
"Clearly knowing nothing, yet acting as if you understand me so well, even forcibly dragging me into the intimate relationship you envision."
"This is fundamentally your own need; you don't know at all what I need, do you?"
"Besides, if I really demanded you sacrifice as you claim you would, you'd only end up disappointed, wouldn't you?"
These were words Menma had spoken directly to her.
Merciless, leaving no room for argument.
Big Hinata initially couldn't understand either, but only after shouldering the heavy responsibility of the Hyūga Clan Head did she comprehend.
-- Admiration is merely a relationship unilaterally imposed by the admirer onto the admired. It appears weak, but in reality, carries no specific obligations.
If she could only stand behind that guy Menma, watching his ever-advancing back with eyes full of admiration,
Then there were only two possible outcomes.
-- Being abandoned by him, or becoming a burden hindering his progress.
And this was also the reason Big Hinata tried everything possible to increase her strength.
She wanted to stand beside Menma, not stand still watching him walk further and further away.
Although in the end, she still couldn't meet that guy Menma's requirements, only managing to barely follow behind him.
But when Menma wanted to leave secretly, her soul body had already met the conditions to cross world boundaries, also letting that guy see her determination and will.
"Really can't do anything about you, young lady..."
After Menma's voice faded, Big Hinata lost consciousness.
When she woke up again, she had appeared inside Little Hinata's body.
Meanwhile.
Without realizing it, Little Hinata, head lowered, had followed her father's steps to the Hyūga council chamber.
Hiashi frowned tightly looking at Little Hinata standing still behind him, the corner of his mouth twitching: "What are you standing there for? Keep up."
Good grief, Hinata's split personality is too strong.
It made him unsure what attitude to take towards his own daughter.
Little Hinata's thoughts were interrupted. Snapping back, she responded in a low voice: "Oh..."
The two entered the council chamber one after the other.
Just after stepping inside, Little Hinata's body stiffened, keenly sensing the heavy and oppressive atmosphere.
This was the first time she had attended a Hyūga meeting.
"What are those old men from the main family trying to pull now?"
Big Hinata also saw the many silent Hyūga clan members through Little Hinata's perspective.
Through her understanding over this period, she also grasped the differences between this so-called 'real world' and the world she came from.
Just as that guy Menma had unintentionally mentioned.
"They're practically completely opposite worlds!"
In the world she came from, the main family was weak and easily bullied, only able to barely suppress the strong and unruly branch family using the Caged Bird Cursed Seal.
And she was one of the few main family members acknowledged by the branch family.
Otherwise, her cheap father, along with most of the main family, wouldn't have pinned all their hopes on her, a member of the younger generation.
"Given the situation in this world, the branch family, which holds no decision-making power, was actually summoned to participate in the family meeting?"
Looking at Hyūga Hizashi sitting at the front, cold sweat beading on his forehead, suspicion arose in Big Hinata's heart.
Hiashi reached the head of the council chamber, nodded to the three main family elders beside him, then sat in his own clan head's seat.
His posture was upright, expression very serious, but he showed no intention of speaking.
This made the Hyūga clan members below look at each other, while Hyūga Hizashi became even more restless.
"Father..."
Nearby, Hyūga Neji frowned deeply, then shifted his gaze towards the four main family members at the head seat.
"Ahem hem!"
One of the main family elders cleared his throat twice. Once everyone's attention was gathered, he spoke: "The theme of today's meeting is to discuss the branch family's recent attitude towards the main family."
Branch family... towards main family...
Hearing the elder's words, the members of the Hyūga branch family showed varying expressions.
Some looked solemn, some showed fear, some looked disdainful.
The main family elder took in everyone's changing expressions, a trace of displeasure flashing in his eyes.
Indeed, the branch family is starting to become disobedient.
"Hmph!"
The main family elder snorted coldly, then his gaze fell upon Hizashi and Neji.
"As far as I know, Neji lost to Hinata in a previous sparring match, then flew into a rage out of humiliation and showed killing intent towards Hinata."
"Moreover, someone recently reported to me that certain members of the branch family have been gathering secretly, discussing unspeakable matters."
The main family elder swept his cold gaze across the branch family members, asking sharply, word by word: "I am very curious, what exactly are you discussing?"
Under the long-standing pressure of the "Caged Bird", many lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.
But just then.
Under Neji's astonished gaze, Hizashi suddenly grabbed his restless wrist.
"Huff~"
Then, letting out a long breath, he knelt down and said: "Please rest assured, I guarantee such a situation will not occur again in the branch family."
"Lord Hizashi..."
"Father..."
The branch family members, including Neji, saw this, clenched their teeth, hesitated for a moment, but still lowered their heads.
Watching this scene before him, Hiashi's eyes were complex, yet he did not intervene.
The three main family elders looked at each other and smiled, a trace of smugness flashing in their eyes.
Killing intent? Secret gatherings? All just excuses.
They just wanted to suppress the branch family's rising spirit, mainly targeting Hyūga Hizashi who had selflessly offered himself recently.
This guy's recent prominence was simply too great.
If he harbored disloyal intentions, and just raised his arm to rally support, it was hard to guarantee how many branch family members would choose to rebel against the main family with him.
"Such a weak and easily bullied fellow – surely no one would trust and follow him now, right?"
Just as the three elders were congratulating themselves...
"A bunch of old undying fools relying on the Caged Bird to show off – truly losing face and looking disgraceful."
(End of Chapter)
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