Kamisato Estate, located at the foot of Mt. Yougou outside Inazuma City, adjoins the Grand Narukami Shrine on Mt. Yougou. As the ancestral home of one of Inazuma's three great clans, it is a seaside villa passed down through generations of the Kamisato Clan, dignified and elegant, grand and imposing, fully showcasing the style of an Inazuma noble family.
Kuki Shinobu herself came from a family of shrine maidens, with no small fortune, but compared to the Kamisato Clan, she was a small witch meeting a great one.
However, the situation of the Kamisato Clan had now changed drastically. When the Raiden Shogun closed Inazuma's borders, the Tri-Commission was ostensibly directly responsible to the Shogun herself. But that puppet Shogun was not skilled in governance; in fact, the Tri-Commission each managed their own affairs, only needing to report the final results.
Coupled with the immense advantage of hereditary succession, the entire Inazuma government was like stagnant water. Under these circumstances, Inazuma gradually formed a political landscape centered around each clan's residence.
But now, that was no longer the case. After Miyashiro took office, all three Commissions had to report to the Regents Office. All major and minor affairs within Inazuma required the approval of the Regents Office. Under these circumstances, the Regents Office in Inazuma City naturally became the new political center. Staff from the Tri-Commission all moved to Inazuma City to be closer to the center of power.
And large residences like the Kamisato Estate, located outside Inazuma City, faced a very awkward situation.
When Kuki Shinobu arrived at the Kamisato Estate, she saw a different sight. The grand and imposing Kamisato Estate actually appeared somewhat old, seemingly neglected in its daily maintenance.
The two strong samurai originally guarding the entrance had now been replaced by a Kamisato Clan retainer, who sat idly in front of the gate, staring blankly, and did not react to Kuki Shinobu's arrival.
It wasn't until Kuki Shinobu walked in front of him, seemingly blocking his sunbathing, that he realized Kuki Shinobu's presence, was startled, and instinctively wanted to curse, but after seeing who it was, he forcibly suppressed all his anger and revealed a professional smile.
"Lady Kuki…"
Kuki Shinobu also didn't want to argue too much with a gatekeeper, so she waved her hand and asked, "Is your Clan Head home? Please go and inform him, just say I've arrived."
The retainer nodded repeatedly, then immediately ran into the residence in a panic, even tripping and falling because he was in such a hurry. Kuki Shinobu watched the retainer's flustered appearance and couldn't help but shake her head, filled with emotion. How could this great clan, which had been passed down for five hundred years, have become like this?
At the same time, Kamisato Ayato, who was idle at home, was drinking Thoma's carefully brewed milk tea and playing chess with Thoma. But at this moment, Thoma's attention was not on the chessboard at all, but on the pile of household chores that urgently needed to be cleaned.
As a retainer with a passion for housework and a clean freak, he found it very difficult to tolerate the current chaotic state of the Kamisato Clan. The floors were unwashed, the railings undusted, the greenery untrimmed, and there were even cobwebs in the corners.
Even if the Kamisato Clan was not what it once was, it shouldn't have fallen to this extent, should it?
However, these were all the Clan Head's arrangements. As a retainer of the Kamisato Clan, Thoma could only obey orders, even if he had doubts in his heart.
Just then, the gatekeeper from earlier rushed in, completely disregarding etiquette. This made Thoma unable to help but scold him, "Miyata, with your flustered appearance, where is the proper demeanor of the Kamisato Clan?"
Miyata: "Clan Head, Mr. Thoma, Lady Kuki has arrived."
Ayato, hearing this, immediately stopped drinking milk tea and exchanged a look with Thoma, their eyes full of surprise.
Thoma said, "Clan Head, Lady Kuki has never visited our Kamisato Clan before. Why would she suddenly come today?"
Ayato's face was filled with gravity. Ayato was well aware of the current situation of the Kamisato Clan. Now, the Kamisato Clan's greatest reliance was his younger sister, but she was currently accompanying the Regent on a diplomatic mission to Sumeru and had not yet returned.
Could it be that Miss Kuki wanted to take this opportunity to cause trouble for the Kamisato Clan?
Thinking of this, Ayato felt his idea was increasingly well-founded. Among Inazuma's three great clans, the Kujou Clan and the Hiiragi Clan had both had wealth rivaling a nation's discovered during their confiscations, enraging the Shogun and the Regent. The way they looked at him seemed to contain something more.
Since those two had such immense wealth confiscated, there was no reason the Kamisato Clan wouldn't have any, right?
Just thinking about their gazes at the time, Ayato felt his scalp tingle and a chill run down his spine. Therefore, Ayato made two preparations: externally, he persuaded his younger sister, Ayaka, to leave the Yashiro Commission and successfully join the Regents Office, becoming a secretary for Miyashiro.
Internally, he dismissed almost all the Kamisato Clan's retainers, leaving only a few trusted confidants, and began to live a reclusive life, not daring to do anything extravagant. This was also the reason for the old appearance of the Kamisato Estate.
With his sister's cover, Ayato's tenure as the Yashiro Commissioner, though bumpy, was generally stable.
But even so, had they still been targeted? Did the Shogun want to deal with the Kamisato Clan while the Regent and Ayaka were away?
Ayato sighed, "Well, when soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll cover it with earth. Let's take it one step at a time."
Soon, Kamisato Ayato personally came to the entrance to greet her, followed by Thoma, the Kamisato Clan's head housekeeper. The two respectfully invited Kuki Shinobu into the tearoom.
Kuki Shinobu looked at the stale tea in her hand and the tea stand in the tearoom that had a layer of dust on it. The doubts in her heart immediately vanished. She could be 100% sure that this Clan Head Kamisato was putting on an act, trying to avoid suspicion!
Thinking of this, she suddenly felt that this gentle, elegant, and refined rich, handsome Clan Head was perhaps not even as good as the unreliable boss of her own Arataki Gang.
Ayato: "Miss Kuki gracing my humble abode is truly an honor…"
Kuki Shinobu directly extended her hand to stop Ayato's pleasantries and said, "Clan Head Kamisato, there's no need for meaningless small talk. This mission is extremely urgent and requires the full assistance of the Yashiro Commission."
Kuki Shinobu succinctly explained the preparations for the Regent's wedding and celebration, including the time, place, content, purpose, and requirements.
Ayato initially breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Kuki Shinobu's visit was not aimed at the Kamisato Clan but merely to have the Yashiro Commission, in conjunction with the Grand Narukami Shrine, organize a celebration. However, as Kuki Shinobu's demands became more numerous and the difficulty increased, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by an expression of extreme gravity.
Ayato couldn't help but try to decline, "Miss Kuki, this mission you speak of is tight on time and heavy on tasks. The Yashiro Commission lacks experience, I'm afraid…"
Kuki Shinobu seemed to have anticipated Ayato's reaction and calmly said, "The Regent asked me to deliver a message to you: This celebration is your declaration of allegiance!
Just that. Clan Head Kamisato is a smart man; he should understand the Regent's meaning."
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