"If that's the case, why make Kaguya do it?" Hayasaka asked.
"With your organization's power, making people from the main house disappear secretly would be easy. Why push her into personally killing her brother?"
"…Because of the young master."
Wilson looked down at his cold coffee.
"Rinji?"
"Yes. He seems to have made some sort of agreement. He can't directly take the lives of the Shinomiya main house. As a member of IW, I must obey his orders."
Hearing this, Hayasaka remembered.
Rinji had indeed told her he wouldn't kill the Shinomiya family.
He didn't want her to see more blood, and he didn't want to betray Shirogane's trust. So he suppressed his killing intent.
It wasn't just words—he truly restrained himself.
"I've watched him grow up. I know he still harbors hatred for the Shinomiya family, which is why I wanted to use this method to wipe them out."
Wilson lowered his head to her.
"Sorry, madam. My earlier words to Shinomiya contained deception. I just wanted to achieve something before the young master's return."
Rinji wanted the Shinomiya family dead, but, constrained, he couldn't act. Seeing this, Wilson wanted to use Kaguya's hand to do it.
"You really care for Rinji."
"Of course. He's the only one capable of inheriting the organization."
"Sorry for stopping your plan."
"No… this time was only a trial. If it doesn't work, it doesn't matter."
Wilson thought for a moment, then spoke to Hayasaka.
"But young madam, you should know too. If this goes on, it's unlikely the Shinomiya family will escape without casualties."
"Why?"
"Since you and the young master started dating, I took the liberty of checking some information about you. Only the basics, of course," Wilson said. "You are from the Hayasaka family, and the Hayasaka family is affiliated with the Shinomiya main house's eldest son, Shinomiya Oko. That much is correct, isn't it?"
"That's correct."
"And since you were ten years old, Shinomiya Oko placed you beside Shinomiya Kaguya as a close attendant, using you as a tool for ten years while putting you under high-intensity work every day."
At this point, Wilson's expression turned serious.
"Treating you like a tool. If that news were to reach IW's upper council, it wouldn't be taken lightly. I can guarantee that aside from myself, the rest of the council would not heed the current president's orders and would strike against the Shinomiya family. At that time, every member of the Shinomiya main family, including Shinomiya Kaguya, would be wiped out."
"…"
To IW, making the girlfriend of Rinji—the founder's son and the next president—suffer like that was no different from shitting on the organization's head.
Strictly speaking, it would escalate into an issue of the organization's honor.
If IW decided to move, the Shinomiya family could only resist. Japan had long been fed up with the zaibatsu, but since its economy was controlled by them, the country would have no choice but to be dragged along.
Although there was no doubt IW would prevail in the end, the devastation would be catastrophic.
"The Shinomiya main family can survive, and we could even preserve their industry, leaving room for cooperation in the future," Wilson continued. "But Shinomiya Oko and his faction must die. If not, they cannot remain in Japan. This is no longer something I or the young master can decide."
"…I understand."
There was nothing else Hayasaka could say. She could only accept it.
In any case, the downfall of Shinomiya Oko's faction wasn't a bad outcome.
"If the young madam understands, then that's for the best. Given your identity, when the time comes, the Hayasaka family will be separated and granted control over part of the Shinomiya family's industry," Wilson said with a smile.
"It's just unfortunate for Shinomiya Kaguya. Her brother may soon be taken away from her… but that can't be helped. He's simply unlucky."
…
By the time they left the café, it was already late at night.
Wilson had wanted to drive Hayasaka back, but since the inn was only a few hundred meters away, he gave up on the idea.
Walking back in the cold night air, Hayasaka unconsciously lifted her gaze toward the sky.
"I only wanted to have an ordinary romance with you, Rinji."
Hayasaka was not ordinary, born into a family that had served noble houses for generations, stripped of freedom since childhood.
Rinji was not ordinary either, born as the son of IW's founder, feared by all from a young age.
When Hayasaka encountered difficulties, she chose to run. But Rinji never would.
He would only think of ways to utterly destroy those who dared to create trouble for him.
Faced with the Shinomiya family, the source of her suffering, the Hayasaka of that time had considered hiding away with Rinji somewhere the Shinomiya family couldn't reach.
She would run. Rinji would not.
Never knowing fear, Rinji would never run.
Two people who were not ordinary, their love could never be ordinary.
"What are you doing right now?"
---
Gurgle gurgle gurgle…
"Ah, having hotpot at New Year's once in a while isn't bad."
"Here, Rinji, take this red envelope."
"Thank you, Uncle."
"And one for Rinji's girlfriend."
"Thank you~"
Rinji was currently enjoying the New Year atmosphere with his family.
They were seated in a lavish golden palace, gathered around a round table, eating steaming hotpot.
Across from Rinji sat a narrow-eyed middle-aged man handing him a red envelope. This was his uncle, his father's younger brother.
"Brother, Rinji is already sixteen, and he even has a girlfriend," the middle-aged man said while glancing at Rinji's father. "In a few years, shouldn't we let him inherit…?"
"No."
Rinji, busy eating beef rolls, cut him off.
"You people keep saying that. Can't someone else inherit? Why does it always have to be me?"
His father added, "You heard him. My boy has no interest in that seat."
"Who told you to ditch the seat after only a week? Now that you have a son, of course the inheritance belongs to him," the uncle countered.
"You don't have a son yourself?"
"But the problem is, right now I'm sitting in that seat in your place… tch, if Rinji doesn't want it, there's nothing we can do. But brother, couldn't you have more sons?"
"No. Why don't you abolish the hereditary system instead? It's a bad tradition."
"It's not something I can change at will. It's been passed down for thousands of years."
"Wait a second."
Rinji suddenly spoke up.
"Dad, don't I still have a sister? When will I get to meet her? If you're looking for an heir, she could do it too."
"Not yet," his father said. "But very soon, you'll meet her."