Around the time Yugen was diligently training with Celi, Yuuka came to visit, just as Tatsuya had left, saying he had business at FLT (though there was about an hour's difference in time). Miyuki handled the reception, and Yuuka smiled as she saw Miyuki's expression.
"Yuuka-san, is something the matter?"
"Just a little something. Miyuki-san, you had an expression of someone who had made a decision."
"Yes, well, that's true. By the way, what brings you here today? Yugen-san said he had work for the Kagurazaka family until New Year's and hasn't returned."
"Oh, is that so? Yet you don't seem agitated."
"I spoke with Yugen-san with sincerity, and I'm prepared for him to be away during times like this."
Miyuki stated this casually with a smile, causing Yuuka to inwardly murmur, "How strong she is," a remark close to admiration. Taking a sip of the black tea Mizunami had served, Yuuka explained the purpose of her visit.
"Miyuki-san, will you be attending the Keishunkai in the New Year?"
"Yes. I've received an invitation from Aunt-sama, so... Yuuka-san?"
"About that, Miyuki-san... be careful this year."
When Yuuka said this, Miyuki immediately thought of the existence of those who targeted her. However, as with the Nine Schools Competition, only Tatsuya's friends and members of the Mitsuya family knew of her connection to the Yotsuba, apart from immediate family.
Firstly, the chances of information leaking from the Mitsuya family were almost nil. This included the current head and his wife, Mototsugu, the second son who became the head of the Kōizumi family, and Yugen, her fiancé, the third son. All four had promised secrecy.
Her friends, perhaps knowing the weight of the Yotsuba name, had also promised to keep it a secret, so it was certainly not related to Miyuki herself.
That being the case, it would be either Tatsuya or Mizunami, who would accompany Miyuki. Mizunami had little involvement with the secular world, so there was no sign of her having earned anyone's enmity. Thus, Miyuki concluded that Yuuka's warning primarily concerned Tatsuya.
"Are you not telling me I shouldn't go?"
"Well, I'm also a candidate for the next head, but I can't win against Miyuki-san, the top candidate. No matter how much I hone my magic, I don't think I can win against Miyuki-san's love."
This was largely due to Yuuka also being in the hierarchy of Yugen's fiancées, just like Miyuki, belonging to a Yotsuba branch family and being one of the Kagurazaka family's 'Kuzuryū' (Nine-Headed Dragon). Touka Tsukuba, the current head, had considered her daughter a candidate for the next Yotsuba head but had already abandoned that line after she became Yugen's fiancée.
Yuuka herself was satisfied with her position as fifth in the hierarchy; those above her all had connections to the Kagurazaka family. In that case, she judged that there was no need for her, who was a little older than Yugen, to push herself. Moreover, her mother had been nagging her to "settle down," so her engagement to Yugen became a salvation for Yuuka.
"You stay over at our place once a week, don't you?"
"Lately, the size doesn't fit anymore... Miyuki-san must be having a hard time too."
"Well, with my mother and aunt as examples, we had anticipated it."
"That's true... Oh, we've strayed from the topic."
Miyuki and Yuuka noticed Mizunami inadvertently turning her back and looking at her own chest with an anxious "I wonder if I'll be okay" during their conversation about a certain part of their bodies, but they avoided mentioning it, and Yuuka brought the conversation back on track.
"The Head's orders are absolute. That even applies to the two who have publicly tried to keep their ties with the Yotsuba as thin as possible. But my mother let slip that the branch family heads are making suspicious moves."
"Touka-san said that?"
"I think she did it on purpose, though. Well, if you're worried about that, how about we go together part of the way?"
The Tsukuba family owned a villa at the foot of Mount Yatsugatake, and Yuuka annually visited the main house via that villa. While Yuuka accompanying them from the start might divert an attack, the fact that her mother deliberately leaked that information led Yuuka to believe it would be a rather troublesome situation.
However, if Yuuka were to join them halfway on their journey to the main house, they could even feign a chance encounter. The only remaining problem would be if the Yotsuba branch family itself interfered.
"I appreciate your concern, but there's a risk of Yuuka-san getting caught up in the very issue you warned me about. Even with Brother and Mizunami-chan, we wouldn't be able to get through unscathed."
"I see... Understood. If there's trouble and you can't make it by the 30th, please contact me. I'll head to the main house on the 31st, and the three of you – you, Tatsuya-san, and Mizunami-chan – should be fine."
"Understood. I'll inform Brother as well."
Yuuka did not tell Miyuki that her guardian had died. Miyuki's current guardian was Tatsuya, but that role would be passed on to Mizunami. She decided there was no need to deliberately worsen Miyuki's impression, given their close, almost family-like relationship. After finishing her cup of tea, she stood up.
"Thank you for the meal. Well then, Miyuki-san, I suppose the next time we meet will be at the Keishunkai."
"Yes, I hope so."
Yuuka left, seen off by Miyuki and Mizunami. In the evening, when Tatsuya returned, Miyuki informed him of Yuuka's visit and the warning she had received.
"I see... Miyuki, you suspect it's highly likely to be related to me?"
"Yes. Besides the Yotsuba family, only a very select few know I'm a Yotsuba. But from Yuuka-san's tone, I thought it too unnatural for the branch families to target me."
"Indeed, that makes sense."
Miyuki was a recognized presence among the Yotsuba main house servants and branch families. This was evident from Aoki's respectful language at FLT last year. And though he hadn't told Miyuki yet, Tatsuya had been told by Mitsugu at FLT to decline attending the Keishunkai. It was Miyuki who would attend, and he would merely accompany her as her guard.
And to Tatsuya's question, Mitsugu had said, "If it's by the time of the Keishunkai, I'll answer your question." Talking to Yugen, who wasn't here, might be quicker for this kind of information, but he was away until New Year's due to Kagurazaka family matters, and this year he had been dealing with the aftermath of Tatsuya's actions. Considering his worried sister, relying on Yugen now somehow felt unforgivable to Tatsuya, he inwardly thought with a wry smile.
"In any case, it would be a blessing if we can get there on our own. In the worst-case scenario, we'll aim for the main house by joining Yuuka-san. Is that alright with you, Miyuki?"
"Yes. Should I contact Yuuka-san?"
"No, let's not. There's a possibility our movements could be leaked. Let's wait until the very last minute."
"Understood, Brother."
Furthermore, the fact that Yuuka, like Miyuki, was in the engagement hierarchy for the next head of the Kagurazaka family was known only to the individuals themselves and their immediate families. If any harm were to befall her, the Kagurazaka family might take action.
Even trusting Mitsugu's declaration of formal neutrality, there remained a possibility of an attack by someone instigated by him or other branch family heads. There was also the possibility that Kuroba's intelligence capabilities were tracking their movements. In any case, their planned departure was on the 29th, effectively two days away. Tatsuya felt it was necessary to prepare thoroughly before embarking.
◇ ◇ ◇
Upon returning to the Tsukuba family home, Yuuka took off her coat. She brewed black tea with the built-in server, placed the tea on the table, and sat on the sofa, stretching.
"Honestly, you never know where fate will lead you."
Yuuka's encounter with Yugen was through her best friend, Shizuru, at the Mitsuya family mansion. Shizuru, who displayed high magical abilities upon entering the magic high school, steadily improved her skills during her time there, possessing magical power exceeding that of a Ten Master Clans head by the time she became student council president.
When Yuuka subtly inquired about this secret, Shizuru mentioned that her "younger brother taught me how to perceive magic." As someone connected to the Yotsuba, Yuuka, driven by a desire to uncover that secret, contacted him. Honestly, for Yuuka, who had never even paid attention to other boys (knowing that competing carelessly would lead to trouble, given she concealed her magical power), Yugen's presence shone brightly.
From then on, using Shizuru as an excuse, she began visiting the Mitsuya family and conversing with Yugen. At that time, Yugen wasn't always at the Mitsuya house; he was often there only during school holidays. The reason was that he was learning martial arts from Kōzō Kōizumi—that Kōzō Kōizumi—which alone hinted at Yugen's extraordinary talent.
On White Day, as a return for Valentine's, he sent handmade cookies, but when she tasted them, she was inexplicably filled with a feeling of "dissatisfaction." In retrospect, it must have been her pride as a woman that was stimulated.
Yugen entered the magic high school under the name of the Ten Master Clans' Mitsuya family, then adopted the Kagurazaka name after the Nine Schools Competition. Then, after the Yokohama Disturbance last autumn, his mother, Touka, abruptly proposed an engagement.
"Yuuka, you know Yugen-kun, who has become the next head of the Kagurazaka family, don't you?"
"Yes, I do."
"You will marry him. Since your best friend, Mitsuya-san, is also engaged, it's time for you to settle down."
"...Eh? Huh? Engagement?"
At first, she thought it would be a political marriage. However, her fiancé was someone she knew well and didn't dislike. Her mother, aware of this, consulted with the Kagurazaka family head, and the engagement was thus concluded.
When Yuuka met Yugen at New Year's, she finally understood her true feelings. She had spoken with Miyuki before that, and learning that Miyuki harbored similar feelings made Yuuka's own emotions for Yugen click into place.
From then on, ostensibly under the guise of receiving self-defense instruction from Yugen, she began visiting the Shiba family once a week and often stayed overnight. Her affection for him grew stronger through their interactions, eventually leading her to tempt him with revealing attire... and from that day on, she was embraced by him.
"If they lived together, Miyuki-san would probably be embraced constantly. Or rather, Miyuki-san would be the one attacking. Tatsuya-san and Mizunami-chan must be having a hard time... though the one having the most trouble is Yugen-san."
Occasionally, Miyuki, unable to restrain herself, would also join in. From what Yugen told her, Miyuki had pleaded to be "subjugated," which left Yuuka speechless. But Yuuka herself, as another woman, felt she could understand Miyuki's feelings.
"Putting that aside... Honestly, I can only call them foolish."
The people Yuuka referred to in this way were the branch family heads who considered Tatsuya their enemy. Yuuka knew that even Fumiya and Ayako, and even Katsunari, who was her rival for the next headship, seemed to acknowledge Tatsuya.
Why they sought to distance Tatsuya... Yuuka didn't fully understand this, but she could infer. She surmised that the Yotsuba family's concept of 'Untouchables' played a significant role.
Yuuka was aware of Tatsuya's 'Decomposition' and 'Regrowth,' and she had heard about the Strategic-Class Magic 'Material Burst.' After all, the magic to seal that very spell belonged to the Tsukuba family.
While Tatsuya's former magic was one thing, the branch family heads believed that his Strategic-Class Magic deviated significantly from the power of the Yotsuba. In pursuit of power that could not be harmed by anyone, to maintain the Yotsuba's notoriety, a power that shook the world was born.
—And the branch family heads "feared" Tatsuya's 'Material Burst.'
"In the Mitsuya family's case, most of the family members acquired abilities comparable to it, so Lord Mitsuya probably didn't nag them about it."
Yuuka knew that her fiancé, Yugen, was also a Strategic-Class Magician, just like Tatsuya. The details of the Strategic-Class Magic that annihilated the Neo Soviet forces during 'Scorching and Aurora Halloween' were unknown even to Yuuka, but inferring from the phenomena that occurred, she surmised it was a Strategic-Class Magic with the same nature as Maya's 'Meteor Line.'
Unlike the Yotsuba family, Yugen himself did not inherit the headship of the Mitsuya family but was adopted into the Kagurazaka family and publicly announced as the next head of the Kagurazaka family. Not only Yugen but most of the current head's children showed outstanding academic performance at the magic high school, and perhaps Yugen's stance of not inheriting the family spread to his other siblings, as there were no signs of a family dispute.
Honestly, Yuuka was a little envious of the Mitsuya family for being able to behave that way... Just as she was thinking this, the sound of an incoming call rang out. Yuuka pressed the call button, and the monitor displayed the image of Maya Yotsuba, the head of the Yotsuba family.
"Yuuka-san, good evening. Are you free now?"
"Yes, I was just resting. So, what is your business?"
Yuuka had not expected a call from Maya at this timing, with the Keishunkai approaching. She wondered why Maya would bother to contact Yuuka, one of the next head candidates, but to resolve her question, Yuuka asked. Maya then smiled and spoke.
"Yuuka-san, you would naturally be wondering. It is I, the Head, contacting you, one of the next head candidates, at such a time."
"Ah, yes. Is it, perhaps, an order to side with someone at the Keishunkai?"
"That is certainly not the case. Yuuka-san herself understands who is most suitable, and I would prefer not to force anyone. In fact, I was thinking of assigning you a bodyguard."
"A bodyguard, you say?"
Currently, with the exception of the Kuroba and Tsukuba families, guardians were assigned to the next head candidates. She had been informed in advance that the next selection would take time and would not be ready by the Keishunkai. Maya's proposal was to assign a bodyguard to fill that gap.
"I guarantee their skill. After all, they have not only my endorsement but also Hayama-san's."
"Someone Hayama-san has acknowledged?"
Hayama was the Yotsuba's chief butler, who had served since the previous head and supported the Yotsuba's revenge. While his skill as a magician was unknown, Yuuka believed that the number of people he, serving by Maya's side, could wholeheartedly praise could be counted on one's fingers.
In any case, Yuuka did not believe this was merely for appearance's sake, and Maya informed her of another matter.
"And Yuuka-san, that person will be my proxy, serving as an 'overseer' to ensure that all next head candidates, including yourself, arrive safely at the main house. Please, ensure no disrespect is shown."
"!? Y-Your Ladyship's proxy!?"
Even Yuuka's eyes widened at this. Maya's proxy meant that this person would serve as her bodyguard, bearing the mission of the Yotsuba family's head's proxy. While she had various thoughts, Yuuka judged that she could not refuse and hastily bowed her head.
"I have certainly understood the matter of the bodyguard. So, when will this bodyguard arrive?"
"Actually, he is currently in Hokkaido, and I have been informed that he will arrive by noon on the 29th, the day you are scheduled to depart."
"H-Hokkaido...?"
Hearing this, Yuuka tilted her head, wondering if the Ministry of Defense had been asked to provide the bodyguard. Maya smiled as she watched Yuuka's changing expression, but at Hayama's words, "Madam, enough of your jesting," Maya straightened herself and told Yuuka.
"Well then, Yuuka-san, let us meet again at the Keishunkai. Good night."
"Yes. Good night to you too, Your Ladyship... Honestly, I don't know what's going on anymore."
Yuuka muttered this after ending the communication with Maya. However, she sensed from Maya's demeanor that there was no exaggeration in what Maya had said. At any rate, Yuuka changed her mindset, believing that she would understand once she met this bodyguard.
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