[Part 2/4]
"...This is quite a fine tea."
"That's good to hear."
Taking a sip, I voiced words of gratitude that were mostly for show. In reality, I couldn't taste anything due to my nervousness.
"It also has a sweetness, you know? Have you heard of 'Hanamizuki House'?"
"The tea house in the valley village, is it? I used to frequent it often when I was younger."
"Yes. It used to struggle when a Tea house run by Tachibana Shokai opened nearby... But recently, they started selling interesting confections. The housemaids were talking about it, so I ended up buying some."
Responding to her husband's words, Sumire called over the laborers. She received a multi-tiered box from one of them and laid it out in front of her husband.
Strawberry daifuku, matcha crepes, citrus-filled manju, sweetened bean paste-coated tempura... Even the laborers and the guards, including the servants and the Hidden Group, peeked with interest from a distance as they were presented with these treats. They were incredibly curious.
And, at the same time, I fell silent.
"Interesting. Truly intriguing. This must be a well-established place from the upper class, right?"
"I remember it was a branch of 千歳屋 (Senza-ya) in 南京 (Nankin). The dumplings I had before were exactly the same as the ones I had at 千歳屋 (Senza-ya)."
"I see. I've heard that this school of tea confections was quite conservative. It's impressive how they've managed to create such new items in this short time. The presentation is good. Well then..."
With that, the lord picked up a daifuku and took a bite. He closed his eyes as if savoring the taste. He chewed and swallowed.
"Indeed. It's delicious. The daifuku has always had a good flavor, but... strawberries. The acidity adds a nice touch, and the color is lovely. It's quite an interesting development for that stuffy shop owner. Did he catch a cold?"
"It might be his daughter, you know? When I went to buy, a young lady of marriageable age welcomed me."
"Well, girls are sensitive to this kind of fad. You're the only one who's insensitive to them."
"Oh, no. That's terrible."
The couple's conversation continued, seemingly light-hearted, but I couldn't accept it at face value. There was no way I could. Especially in the case of this couple.
It was a charade, an absurd play. A farce that continued endlessly.
"..."
My gaze flickered from the water's surface of my teacup to the couple. It happened almost simultaneously. My gaze met Onitsuki Sumire's. She smiled gently at me. But I involuntarily held my breath.
Not because of her beauty, but because of the chilling fear.
(She read my intent to observe...!!)
The sensation of having my thoughts read was nothing short of terror. How far had she read into my thoughts? How was she doing it? What was her purpose? Could my thoughts be manipulated? Various doubts flooded my mind.
(D*mn, calm down...)
So, I tried to calm my mind, which was verging on panic. I took a slow, deep breath. While staying cautious, I took a sip from the teacup I held. The taste wasn't strange, right?
...As I regained my composure, I chewed over the couple's actions and eventually reached a conclusion.
(This is coercion. No, that's not it. Haha, perhaps it's a warning...)
This tea gathering was not merely a break. It was obvious that this was more than a mere hospitable gesture; to regard it as such would be overly optimistic. Upon even slight consideration, offering me tea, offering me the confections from the Hanamizuki house that they relayed... these were undoubtedly warnings directed at me.
They could naturally administer poison to me at any time. They were always monitoring my actions. They must have been conveying that. Implicitly ordering me to be cautious in my actions…
Overthinking? Paranoia? Excessive self-consciousness? Call it what you will, but I knew. The madness of this couple. In the media and in reality...
"Oh? It seems you're not moving your hand over there. Do you dislike sweets?"
"No. Certainly, it's not like that..."
"You don't need to hold back. There are plenty of treats."
Sumire smiled and carefully selected some sweets on a small plate. Out of the corner of my eye, I felt a penetrating gaze. An unfriendly gaze. It seemed like the gaze of laborers or the Hidden Group.
(It's like threading a needle, to begin with.)
Given the various scandals from my past, I could hardly expect favor from laborers or the Hidden Group. However, while I couldn't rise, I could still fall. My prestige was undoubtedly in the negative territory. The mainstream of the Onitsuki family was the same. Most of the household members undoubtedly held resentment toward me.
Especially painful was the fact that becoming a household member had weakened my connections with other servants. While formally I still held the Yun-shoku title, it was merely nominal. I couldn't possibly work with them beside the head of the clan, let alone have interactions with subordinates. Reluctantly, I had assigned tasks to several subordinates before leaving the position... and this led to division.
(And, Gorilla-sama?)
I didn't want to think about her. According to rumors, a large number of broken furnishings were apparently sold to a scrap dealer. The Princess rarely let people into her residence, but just hearing about it, I could imagine the devastation. She wouldn't allow anyone to take her possessions, nor would she tolerate things not going her way, and above all, she wouldn't tolerate anyone betraying her.
Truly a yandere psychopath father. Yuusei expertly divided me and Gorilla-sama.
(Or even Tamaki...)
Regarding the recent "Mayoiga" incident. The head of the clan skillfully rewarded Hotoya Tamaki, who was considered to be of great merit. Gold and furnishings were expected, but more importantly, they influenced the court to grant her an official title and returned Iruka.
Receiving an official title, no matter how low-ranking, was an honor for the clan. In fact, her family had sent a letter to Tamaki regarding it. Returning Iruka from them (the court) to Tamaki was the significant part of it, who had been stripped of her suspicions of being a criminal.
Once an official title is received, one must appropriately increase the number of assistants... a very reasonable demand. Tamaki couldn't go against the favor given to her. She couldn't disgrace her family. And, I lost allies to protect Magoroku and Mari. Lately, I've also grown distant from Shirowakamaru. There's a rumor that he might be a hidden Aoi supporter, which is being spread to suppress its meaning. That boy is the personal assistant to the advisor, and I was directly former subordinate to Aoi.
Certainly, surely, my status had risen and fallen. I had lost authority, lost limbs, lost connections, and was becoming increasingly isolated. I haven't even contacted Matsuhige, who are my outside collaborators, even through the Shikigami since she absorbed my blood. Is she avoiding contact, or is she being eradicated as soon as she's detected...
(If the latter, they're thorough.)
I heard a similar story when I was appointed as a Yun-shoku (Yunshoku). But this time, it seems much more effective than before. No real power. A titular honor. And yet, it instantly undermined my position in the mansion and placed me in a position easily monitored. Truly, nothing else could describe it.
"..."
I pretend to be at ease, peeking at Yuusei from behind my mask. The head of the clan sips tea as if nothing matters, nibbling on sweets. He seems oblivious, just like in the original. Impressive how he can act ignorant so boldly.
(... It's reaching its limit soon)
I notice a quiet but intense gaze from nearby and avert my eyes from Yuusei. No matter how distorted it is, Sumire's genuine love for her husband, even in this twisted form, makes her intolerant of anyone who threatens him. If I make a wrong move... it won't end with just me.
So, I reach for the bento. To show obedience, I gather my courage and pick up a daifuku with an unknown filling. I eat it with determination.
But I couldn't taste anything anymore.
The carriage arrived at Onitsuki Valley in a slow crawl, about two hours before evening. The place where the curse being had erupted wasn't far, or rather, it was baited as a lure. So, it was only natural.
After entering the valley, another two hours passed. The group advanced through the canyon, narrow paths, and valley roads to repel intruders. We passed the dwellings of guardian shikigami, youkai, and vengeful spirits. We passed through layered barriers and avoided cleverly laid traps. Finally, the carriage reached the heart of the almost-fortress-like valley.
We arrived before the splendid Onitsuki mansion.
"Dear, we have arrived, you know?"
"Yes, you've worked hard."
The lady leaned against her dozing husband near the hearth and whispered. After a couple of attempts, the lord finally responded, opened his eyes, and stood up. The lady went ahead, and I followed.
We got off the carriage. At the front gate, the servants of the Onitsuki clan had begun to respond to the dispatch team here and there. When they saw the clan's head, they all bowed.
"Very well. Continue your work."
Upon being told so, they bowed deeply and immediately returned to their tasks.
"Well then, shall we go?"
"Yes."
Leaving the task of handling the carriage and baggage to the welcoming servant, Yuusei started walking towards the depths of the mansion. Sumire cheerfully followed, and I followed silently, unable to become a complete shadow. Even if I tried to remain unnoticed, I couldn't avoid the gazes around me.
"Did you see that? Getting on the same carriage and responding to calls. It's quite natural for him, isn't it?"
"He's showing off, I suppose. He's really skilled at changing sides. Remarkable at switching."
Whispered comments intermittently came from the mansion's shadows, unclear whether they were heard or not. My response was complete silence. There was no other choice.
In cases like this, no matter what you do, you'll be criticized, as I've learned from experience. Besides, the main reason for this atmosphere is that the lord himself encourages it, so there's no use in resisting. Not reacting to these whispers was proof of that. Sumire didn't even furrow her eyebrows. It was essentially tacit approval. A scapegoat.
(Well, that's the purpose after all)
Onitsuki Yuusei has only one goal. The safety, security, and success of his beloved daughter, Onitsuki Hina. For that, anything and everything becomes expendable. And, there were no limits to the means.
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