Chapter 319: The Price of Eavesdropping
Whose gaze was that?
Logically speaking, with his abilities, no one should have been able to evade his detection.
Yet, even after instantly activating "Multi-Observation" and "Eye of the Spirit," he hadn't noticed anything unusual—not even a single suspicious person.
Something felt off...
"Mahiro-nii, what's wrong? Are the shoes uncomfortable?"
Miyuki's words snapped him out of his swirling thoughts.
He flashed his familiar smile and said:
"It's fine, they're comfortable and fit well. Let's wrap them up."
Mahiro changed back into his shoes, and after Miyuki paid, the two left the store carrying several bags.
On the way, he led Miyuki to a corner of the mall and tossed all the bags into his ring.
"Mahiro-nii, did something happen just now?"
"Nothing much, I just wasn't used to changing shoes suddenly.
"Are you sure that's all?"
Miyuki's expression gradually grew serious.
She naturally didn't believe such an obvious lie.
She had seen Mahiro's expression clearly earlier—he was clearly searching for something.
Could they have been followed?
Since taking over as head of the Yotsuba Family, Miyuki had come to accept many of the family's darker aspects and was well aware that the Yotsuba had many enemies, especially among the Ten Master Clans, where several families held deep-seated prejudices against them.
Not to mention, with the recent political unrest, the Ten Master Clans and even the Eighteen and Hundred Families had been making subtle moves.
Especially the Kushima Family.
Under normal circumstances, she might have turned a blind eye.
But if anyone dared to target Mahiro-nii, she wouldn't let them get away with it—no matter who they were!
Meanwhile, in a café outside the mall.
A tall, burly man sat by the window, holding two photos and staring blankly.
He looked extremely pale. Though he wore a black round hat, it couldn't hide the white hair at his temples. Even in a tightly buttoned black overcoat, he couldn't conceal the aura of decay and old age.
Yet, his face showed no wrinkles beyond fine lines, no sagging, and no age spots.
If Maya were here, she would have recognized the man at a glance.
This was Gu Jie, a remnant of the Kunlun Fangyuan, the magic development organization of the Great Han Empire. After the fall of Great Han, he became a stateless person—or, as he was also known, one of the Seven Sages, Gideon Heigu.
Not long ago, Gu Jie had been in the USNA, but with the political turmoil there and states on the verge of secession, he chose to leave Los Angeles.
He quietly infiltrated Japan.
He came here partly because Japan was relatively safe now. Though Greater Asia was also safe, his wanted status made it impossible for him to return.
The anti-magic international political group "Blanche," which he had long supported, was weakening under pressure from various governments.
And the international crime syndicate "Headless Dragon," which he had ruled over as the leader's backer, had already been destroyed.
The other reason was to deal with the Yotsuba Family.
The family that had killed his last disciple, Zhou Gongjin, shattered his chess pieces one by one, and had once brought about the collapse of the Great Han Empire and the Kunlun Fangyuan.
However, I never expected to stumble upon such an unexpected delight here.
"To think you could detect it... As expected of that wretched woman's child, Mahiro."
Gu Jie slowly tightened his grip on the photograph in his hand. The crumpled picture showed Mahiro, captured without his knowledge at some point, while in his other hand was a photo of his former disciple, Zhou Gongjin.
Hatred.
But after a moment, he released the tightly clenched photograph, and his emotions returned to calm in an instant.
It wasn't that his anger had dissipated—quite the opposite. The flames of hatred burned at their peak at this moment, yet it wasn't mourning for his disciple's death but a pure, unadulterated hatred toward the Yotsuba family.
If possible, he wanted to kill Mahiro right now, along with that Shiba Miyuki sitting beside him as the head of the Yotsuba family.
Even Maya, who remained stationed at the Yotsuba main house, and his sister, Miya, who had returned from the dead.
But he knew all too well that he couldn't do it.
Although he excelled in Ancient Magic, condensing the research of Kunlun Fangyuan and the terrifying aspects of magic into his own being, he was not a frontline combat mage.
In fact, he had always been someone who operated from the shadows.
In terms of sheer combat ability, he might even fall short of Zhou Gongjin.
So he needed pawns and weapons. As long as he could gather the remaining weapons, he was absolutely confident he could kill Mahiro using the pawns at his disposal at this stage.
"Achoo!"
"Mahiro-nii, are you okay? Did you catch a cold?"
"I'm fine. I just feel like someone's cursing me behind my back."
Mahiro rubbed his nose, his voice slightly muffled.
At that moment, he and Miyuki were seated on a private jet returning home. Seeing Miyuki's worried, delicate face, Mahiro suddenly asked an extremely pointed question.
"Hey, Miyuki, did you pick up and eat something strange on the roadside today? Why have you been acting so weird?"
"Huh? Huh? What are you talking about, Mahiro-nii? Miyuki doesn't understand at all."
Miyuki's reaction was even more intense than expected.
She was flustered, her face flushing bright red in an instant, visibly panicked.
Very suspicious.
And very cute.
This only made Mahiro more certain that something was up with this girl. She had been acting strangely since this morning.
Helping him smooth out his clothes and adjust his attire was nothing out of the ordinary, but from the moment she excitedly clung to his arm this morning, to deliberately matching his outfits in the mall, and even personally crouching down to change his shoes—it was clear something was seriously off.
Although he and Miyuki had already been intimate, and even though Miyuki had a brother-complex personality, taking care of Tatsuya's daily life like a maid in the original story, given Miyuki's shy nature, it was unlikely she would become this intimate so quickly.
So...
Mahiro slowly narrowed his eyes, looking thoughtful, as if he had thought of something.
"Could it be that my mom or Aunt Miya said something to you?"
"What are you talking about, Mahiro-nii? Miyuki... Miyuki really doesn't understand."
Hmm, she was so flustered her accent slipped out.
The elegance and composure befitting a young lady and a family head were nowhere to be seen.
This appearance allowed Mahiro to confirm with certainty that Miya and Maya must have done something to Miyuki, or taught her something.
Noticing his sharp, hawk-like gaze, Miyuki guiltily averted her eyes.
He had indeed guessed correctly. During the days when Mahiro-niisan was away, her mother and Aunt Maya had taught her many things.
Besides how to control the Yotsuba family, how to be a qualified head of the family, and how to take over the Yotsuba family, there were also lessons on how to manage a husband and how to be a proper wife, among other things.
Who knows where they got the courage from.
One was a woman with a failed marriage, and the other had no marriage at all, yet they were teaching Miyuki how to be a proper wife.
But for now, Mahiro didn't bother to delve into these matters. He was more curious about where that gaze had come from.
Lost in thought and flipping through the original work, time passed quickly.
While pondering, he had already followed Miyuki back to the Yotsuba main house. Just as he was about to go upstairs, Miyuki suddenly tugged at his sleeve and said something astonishing.
"Mahiro-niisan... would you like a massage?"
Miyuki said shyly, her face flushed, not daring to meet his gaze, so she completely missed his shocked and stunned expression.
At that moment, Mahiro was truly dumbfounded, his brain briefly shutting down.
Seeing him remain silent for so long, Miyuki quickly realized and hurriedly explained:
"Don't misunderstand, it's just... I just thought Mahiro-niisan might be tired after just returning, so Miyuki wanted to help you relax..."
When Miyuki said this, she was incredibly shy and awkward, as if steam would puff from the top of her head the next second.
But seeing such an adorable reaction from her, Mahiro couldn't help but tease her a little.
"Let me guess, is this another idea from Miya-san and Maya-san?"
Miyuki didn't speak, only nodding slightly before quickly shaking her head.
She was too shy to answer anything else right now.
So, Mahiro took Miyuki's hand and said:
"Alright, I am a bit tired, so I'll leave it to Miyuki-chan to give me a massage."
The moment his words fell, Miyuki's eyes seemed to light up. She quickly ran upstairs to prepare, her footsteps on the stairs sounding cheerful and lively.
It wasn't surprising for the girl to react this way.
After all, this was Miyuki.
The Miyuki Shiba who was willing to give everything for the one she loved.
Soon, Miyuki, now changed into home clothes, reappeared from the stairs, took his hand, and led him upstairs to his room.
As soon as they entered the bedroom, a cart could be seen beside the large bed, with various bottles and jars placed on it.
"P-please enjoy, Mahiro-niisan."
Even though she had practiced many times, she still ended up stammering, which made Miyuki feel a bit frustrated inside.
But Mahiro didn't say anything, only smiled.
Then, following Miyuki's guidance, he lay face down on the bed.
Miyuki stood still, took a deep breath, arranged her slippers neatly, and then climbed onto the bed as well, straddling Mahiro's thighs.
"Mahiro-niisan, does it feel too heavy?"
"No problem, just right."
Indeed, he couldn't feel much weight.
Miyuki's body was light. She gently leaned forward, first massaging Mahiro's temples, then moving down along his shoulders, with a perfect combination of tapping and kneading.
This made Mahiro unable to hold back soft, contented sounds.
After enjoying it for a while, Mahiro suddenly asked:
"Miyuki, did they teach you this technique too?"
"They" naturally referred to Miya and Maya.
But upon further thought, something didn't seem right. In this era, due to social customs and technology, industries like massage had long since disappeared.
Let alone something so formal.
Miyuki's answer confirmed this.
"No, I learned it from some ancient books Auntie gave me..."
Miyuki replied softly.
By now, she knew there was no need to hide it anymore.
Then, Miyuki slowly lifted Mahiro's clothes, and with his cooperation, easily removed them.
But seeing his firm back muscles, Miyuki became somewhat entranced.
Come to think of it, she had never really observed Mahiro's physique closely.
Now, having such an opportunity to view it up close, Miyuki couldn't help but reach out to touch the defined lines and contours.
"Miyuki, what's wrong?"
Seeing Miyuki hesitate to continue, Mahiro couldn't help but ask.
"Ah... ah, it's nothing."
Snapping back to reality, Miyuki quickly withdrew her hand, then leaned over to select from the nearby cart, picking out a bottle of essential oil.
Each bottle represented a different scent, all carefully chosen by her.
Miyuki was very considerate in doing this. She didn't drip the oil directly onto Mahiro's back, as that would feel a bit cold. Instead, she poured it into her palms first, rubbed her hands together to warm it, and only then applied it.
Using her thumbs with slight pressure, she slowly pushed upward from the lower back.
The warmth and the tingling, soothing sensation made Mahiro let out a contented sigh.
"You must have practiced for a long time, Miyuki?"
"Not too long, as long as you like it, Mahiro-nii."
Miyuki responded gently.
As she said this, she had already lost count of how many strokes she had made, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.
Her strength was relatively small, and Mahiro required firm pressure. To make him comfortable, she had to use almost all her strength with each stroke.
Gradually, the faint scent of roses began to fill Mahiro's senses, mixed with Miyuki's unique fragrance.
The combination of the two slowly stirred something in Mahiro.
A restless feeling began to grow within him.
It was as if dopamine was at work, making his hormones gradually restless, completely unwilling to let him rest.
"Mahiro-nii, what's wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"
Miyuki also noticed Mahiro's strange behavior, though she had no idea what it meant.
So when she asked this question softly, with slightly labored breath, Mahiro flipped over and pinned her beneath him.
Feeling his intense gaze, Miyuki momentarily panicked.
"Um, Mahiro-nii, n-no... I'm all sweaty, could I take a bath first?"
"No."
Mahiro firmly rejected Miyuki's suggestion.
Immediately afterward, the atmosphere in the room grew ambiguous and unclear.
Just as Miyuki's startled cries began to echo from the room, two graceful figures had unknowingly appeared in the hallway outside the door.
The two women glanced at each other, seeing a flicker of surprise in each other's eyes.
Yet, all of this was within reason.
"Dear sister, are you here to eavesdrop?" Maya asked with a faint smile, her enchanting face still wearing an inscrutable expression.
"I was just passing by."
Miya replied without changing her expression.
"But Maya, are you planning to eavesdrop?"
"..."
Hearing this, Maya covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. "Not at all, like you, sister, I was just passing by on my way back to the study."
Mahiro's room was on the fourth floor, while Maya's study was on the fifth. Only Maya could lie so blatantly without batting an eye.
However, Miya had no intention of exposing her.
After spending so much time together, and following the recent major conflict, the lingering grudges and resentment between the sisters had long been set aside.
Light-hearted bickering like this had become a unique part of their interactions as sisters.
But once the bickering ended and silence fell, neither of them showed any intention of leaving. They stared at each other while their ears remained attuned to the sounds coming from inside the room.
Until the noises from the room suddenly stopped.
Just as they were wondering why it had ended so quickly and what had happened inside, the door suddenly opened a crack.
Mahiro poked half his head out, spotted the two of them, grabbed one with each hand, and pulled them straight into the room.
"W-wait a minute!"
Miya immediately let out a startled cry.
Now, Miya was completely flustered.
She had only come to listen and see how her dear daughter and Mahiro were getting along—she hadn't expected to end up in such a scenario!
Together with her sister and her daughter...
Maya harbored the same thoughts.
But the problem was, with the meat already delivered to his doorstep, how could Mahiro possibly let it go?
Ignoring the sisters' struggles and cries of surprise, Mahiro simply closed the door.
The night passed without further words.
The next morning, when the Yotsuba family gathered around the dining table again, Mahiro felt nothing but refreshed and invigorated.
But the others weren't feeling quite as well.
Miyuki had recovered fairly well, aside from her legs still feeling a bit weak, there were no other issues.
As for the two women, Maya and Miya...
Although they tried their best to maintain their usual elegance and composure, their slightly trembling hands as they picked up breakfast and the unnatural blush on their faces betrayed their current state.
Even when their gazes accidentally met, they would both lower their heads in silent understanding.
The morning meal was eaten in silence and awkwardness.
Especially when they recalled their own performances in front of each other, the shame only deepened.
Both of them revealed the shy demeanor typical of young women, and in this regard, Miyuki was no exception.
The silence at the dining table was broken only when the butler Hayama appeared.
Hayama leaned close to Maya's ear and whispered a few words. The woman, who had previously been flushed, suddenly turned grave, her grip on the cutlery tightening ever so slightly.
The elegant, habitual smile she usually wore as a disguise could no longer be maintained.
Miya seemed to sense something as well, her gaze involuntarily settling on her sister.
"Alright, I understand. You may leave for now."
Miya first dismissed the butler Hayama, then took a deep breath before speaking in as calm a tone as possible:
"Mahiro, and Miyuki, come to my study after breakfast."
With that, Miya slowly rose from the table and hurried toward the staircase.