[Part 2/6]
As his wife desperately tried to negate his words, her cries, excessively desperate, became rather displeasing to Uemon's ears. To cover Kotsuzu's voice, her timid cries were met with silence. She could only direct her gaze with fear.
...To Uemon, it seemed like she feared her own ugly side.
"...As a wife, your agitation earlier was a failure. You need to improve."
"...Yes. I apologize."
After an awkward moment of silence, Uemon was the first to speak. Crossing his arms, he pointed out, and Kotsuzu nodded with her head bowed, complying. Uemon thought her attitude was likely due to not wanting him to see her face any longer. She probably didn't think to hide her teary eyes by speaking as calmly as possible.
At the very least, as a wife, she didn't want to show her husband a more embarrassing side than she already had. Kotsuzu pretended to be calm for that reason.
"Yes. Being straightforward is good. ...That's right. Although I won't be accompanying for this Joraku (visiting capital), there's no need to worry about that. I've arranged for some personnel for purchasing. If I send a letter, they'll do the shopping for you."
Uemon's words concerned souvenirs.
Since becoming part of the family through marriage, Kotsuzu had participated in Joraku (visiting capital) twice, and both times, they had returned with a massive amount of furnishings, cosmetics, and other decorations. While there was a simple aspect of using them as gifts for local business partners, the main reason was different.
Understanding that he wasn't particularly handsome, Uemon had once tried to console his wife, who was too young, having been married off for the sake of money. He had invited her along on a shopping trip. And the sheer joy the girl displayed when they bought some decorative items without a care in the world...!!
Since then, he had made it a habit to buy a large amount of souvenirs whenever he had a reason to. He had no idea how else he could comfort the girl's heartbreak or make her happy. Thus, this solution had come about.
...However, no matter how precious or exquisite the items were, no matter how much money he spent on procuring them, his young wife was never as thrilled as she had been during their first shopping trip.
"I-understood..."
"...Good. I'm tired from the tea gathering. Leave. Let me rest."
"Yes. I apologize... Danna-sama."
In response to Uemon's words, Kotsuzu complied with the utmost politeness. She bowed and withdrew. She slid the shoji door back and returned to the corridor. Uemon likely couldn't have imagined Kotsuzu, her eyes swollen from crying without making a sound. Still, he had sensed that his wife's pride had been deeply wounded.
"What of it..."
Uemon understood that using affection as a means was wrong. However... no matter the path, Uemon hadn't imagined that his wife would direct any affection toward him. Moreover, considering his late wife, he didn't know if he had the courage to accept such affection even if it were directed towards him.
So, perhaps this was for the best. He treated her roughly. If she only looked at his wealth and did as she pleased, that was fine by him. He didn't expect much from that young wife. He's been introduced to gold-digging wives from all over the world to replace his ex-wife. Just having an excuse for their insistence was enough.
If he didn't do it openly, he could have even prepared a lover for her. After all, given their age and appearances, they wouldn't match anyway.
"Hahaha. It would be easier if she just said it plainly."
A half-empty, hollow laughter. A bitter smile, a mocking smile... Considering his second wife's personality, it would be impossible for her to do so. That girl would never be able to accept such a situation. It wasn't that she could read people well, but she was always concocting various conspiracies. She had an understanding of people's ulterior motives. Yet, she had too few secrets of her own. Nonetheless, she didn't seem like the type to be able to assert herself clearly.
"It's really troublesome... Hard to deal with."
She might have... If it were his previous wife, he could have saved himself from such mental anguish. She was a partner who would speak her mind bluntly, for better or worse. At the time, her straightforwardness had been both a blessing and a curse, making things quite difficult. Now, he felt a strong nostalgia for that straightforwardness.
Considering the darkness within this family, where lies and truths intertwined, it shone like the sun...
"...I've been thinking about nonsense."
There was no way a deceased person would come back, no matter how much he reminisced. Especially considering the girl he was using as a shield, it would be far too rude to have such thoughts...
"Indeed, it's a futile matter. Now..."
And thus, Uemon brushed away the distractions and crossed his arms, deeply contemplating the situation. What he envisioned in his mind was the circumstances surrounding him – the complex and intricate factional situation within his family.
"Well, well. Quite a laughable situation."
Calmly and dispassionately, as Uemon contemplated this from a higher perspective, he couldn't help but realize that, no matter how sad it was, he was still in a rather privileged position. The pitiable state of that cunning servant went without saying. And then, there was the other one...
"I wonder if he can manage things on his side?"
Thinking of another relative from the same family, a young man, he sighed. He sighed for his nephew, particularly considering the cause of his stress...
Uemon's faction had likely been venting their frustrations and voicing their discontent in a somewhat gentlemanly manner. It was more like releasing gas among family members. However, among those belonging to another faction, some couldn't contain their anger and let it explode. Yes, exactly like she did...
"Don't mess with me, don't mess with me, don't mess with me, don't mess with me...!!"
The woman was clearly enraged. Distorting her beauty, which exuded grace and modesty, like a demon's, she stormed through the corridor with an unseemly noise. As she cursed, she pushed forward. Even the maids and laborers who passed by her unintentionally recoiled, and not just them, even the members of the Onitsuki family did so.
"Oh, isn't this the Servant Head's Assistant?"
"What a shame this time... Huh!?"
Some tried to address her, possibly to exchange pleasantries, but their sharp gazes silenced them without exception. In fact, they were all members of Uemon's faction.
"Hmph."
With a glance that made the landlord merchants lose their composure, the woman snorted and quickly passed by them. She looked down on the miserly fools who were useless in a fight.
After repeating such encounters two or three times, she finally arrived at her destination. A corner of the vast Onitsuki estate – the office where the servants were organized.
"Servant Head's Assistant, the head of the group is..."
"Annoying! Get out of the way!!"
Miyamizu Shizu, the assistant of the head's servant who brushed aside the guards at the entrance, had a mind on the verge of boiling over. It was only natural. How could she remain calm...!!
"Shisui-sama!! As expected, Shizu was not satisfied with this!! This kind of personnel change—"
Almost shouting her plea, she stepped into the office. Simultaneously, she hesitated slightly, choking on her words, due to the several gazes directed at her.
In her field of vision, she saw her beloved lord, Onitsuki Shisui, accompanied by several members of the Onitsuki family – Onitsuki Yajima and Onitsuki Enmei. They were from the Kinugasa Onitsuki family and the Kakita Onitsuki family. They are from the branch of the Onitsuki family, known as advisors, the elder group, and household elders.
"Well, this is Lord Yajima-sama and Lord Enmei-sama... P-pardon my sudden intrusion!"
Her agitation wasn't solely due to her lord's presence; it extended to the figures accompanying him. Members of both the Kinugasa Onitsuki family and the Kakita Onitsuki family. These were branch families that had never lent their support to Shisui.
To be more precise, they were relatively influential within the family but remained neutral, like weather vanes caught in the wind of the mainstream. Until the current head fell, they were passive factions. Afterward, they hadn't sided with the Aoi faction or the Hina faction, and they had quietly continued managing their territories and fulfilling their duties of exorcism. Yet, the heads of both families had secluded themselves on their lands for a long time. Why...?
"...Ah. You're the daughter from the Miyamizu family, right? It's been a long time since we last met when you were small, so I couldn't remember for a moment."
"Um, yes...?"
The one who addressed Shizu in her confusion was the head of the Kakita Onitsuki family, Onitsuki Enmei. Onitsuki Enmei. She was the female head of a branch family, Onitsuki Enmei. She was the cousin once removed from the former head of the Onitsuki family. Wearing the robes of a buddhist nun, she was the mistress of an established branch family... Shizu hardly had any memories of her, so her words were quite unexpected.
Her lead in the conversation was taken away.
"Oh my, you've truly grown into a fine lady. I've heard about your martial skills too. Shisui-san must be proud, right?"
"Yes. She has been fulfilling her duties of exorcism well."
"Y-your kind words are much appreciated...!!"
With the praises from Enmei and the affirmation from her lord, the anger and confusion from moments ago had disappeared. She became meek and respectfully expressed her gratitude. Being praised by her lord was more valuable to her than anything else.
To her, her lord had been everything that shaped her current self.
"Hehehe. And she's an obedient girl too. I'm relieved. I've heard that there are more escorts this time for Joraku (visiting capital) than usual. I was concerned about the defense of the main family, so I visited... If someone like Shizu-san is staying, then there's nothing to worry about. Isn't that right, Lord Kinugasa?"
"Exactly. That's why I said there's no need for you to come all the way here and urge me. Or could it be that you came to see your grandson for real?"
"Oh my, how harsh. Do you think so poorly of me?"
"Lord Enmei, you're reputed to be remarkably lenient with your grandson."
"...Do I really show such an attitude?"
"Well... Shisui,-sama?"
Once Enmei had expressed her heartfelt relief, she and Yajima started teasing each other. Amid the relaxed atmosphere, Shizu found herself unable to steer the conversation back. All she could do was let her gaze wander aimlessly.
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