June in Tokyo was wrapped in the endless drizzle of the plum rain season.
Rainwater dripped steadily from the blue-black tiles of the Saionji family's main residence, tapping a monotonous rhythm against the stone lanterns in the courtyard.
On the west side of the estate stood a detached building known as the "Rain Gazebo."
Originally used by her grandfather to receive foreign envoys, it was built in the eclectic "Wa-Yo" style popular during the Taisho period. Dark oak wainscoting, stained-glass windows, and tatami-matted inner rooms combined to create a dignified aristocratic atmosphere.
Today, the pavilion had been brought back into use.
Satsuki wore a light purple kimono with a sash patterned in white herons. She sat in perfect seiza at the head of the tea room, an exquisite set of English bone china arranged before her. In this traditional Japanese space, the Western pieces did not feel out of place; instead, they radiated the refined Westernized heritage of the Meiji Restoration.
"Grandpa Fujita, the incense is too strong."
Satsuki wrinkled her nose slightly and spoke in a soft voice.
"Change it to agarwood. I want something… subtle. A scent that's best for lowering people's guard."
The old butler, Fujita, bowed silently and withdrew.
Satsuki turned her gaze to the curtain of rain outside the window.
A month had passed since she had humiliated Okura Masami at school. The results had exceeded even her expectations. Okura Masami had taken a long leave of absence (officially "ill," but in reality grounded by her family), and the little circle that once revolved around her had completely scattered.
Now, in the first year at Seika Academy, the name Saionji Satsuki was beginning to carry real weight, and a so-called "clique" was quietly taking shape.
"It's about time."
She glanced at the wall clock. It was exactly two in the afternoon.
Just then, a maid's gentle voice came from the entrance: "Young Mistress, Miss Yoshino and Miss Isokawa have arrived."
Satsuki straightened her collar. The coldness on her face melted away instantly, replaced by her signature gentle smile.
"Please, show them in."
The sliding door opened with a soft rasp.
Two girls in casual wear stepped inside, looking somewhat awkward.
Leading the way was Yoshino Ayako. She was dressed very simply today and carried a beautifully wrapped gift box. Her expression mixed respect and nervousness; she barely dared to meet Satsuki's eyes.
Following behind her was a tall girl with wavy hair—Isokawa Reiko. Her gaze was much bolder, curiously taking in the historic mansion around her.
"Ayako, Reiko, welcome to my humble home."
Satsuki leaned forward in a graceful welcoming bow. "I'm so sorry to have you come all this way on such a rainy day."
"Not at all! It's an honor to be invited by Saionji… Classmate!" Yoshino Ayako bowed back hurriedly, nearly dropping the gift box. "This is… a small token from my father—the finest Gyokuro tea from Shizuoka Prefecture."
Satsuki motioned for the maid to accept the gift, her gaze lingering for a moment on Yoshino Ayako's slightly haggard face.
It seemed the "verification" that night had been quite intense.
"Please, take a seat," Satsuki said, gesturing invitingly. "Today, let's not talk about those trivial matters at school. Let's just be friends, read some books, and chat."
The three girls settled around the low table. The fragrant aroma of tea curled upward.
This was no ordinary tea party. Under Satsuki's careful selection, it could even be called a miniature "cabinet meeting."
Yoshino Ayako, daughter of a Mitsui Bank branch manager, represented "intelligence on capital flows."
Isokawa Reiko, granddaughter of a big shot in the LDP's Takeshita faction, represented "intelligence on policy trends."
Together with Satsuki herself, this single tea party brought together connections from three major forces: finance, government, and the old clans.
"What are we reading today?" Isokawa Reiko asked straightforwardly. Though born into a political family, she wasn't particularly interested in books. She had come purely because she found Saionji Satsuki an "interesting eccentric" and was willing to give her face.
"Shakespeare's *Macbeth*."
Satsuki took out three beautifully bound copies from behind her and handed them to the girls.
"It's a tragedy," Reiko flipped through the pages. "The first act has witches? 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair'… what a strange line."
"The world is just like that, isn't it?" Satsuki lifted her teacup and took a small sip, her eyes dreamily fixed on the rain outside. "Things that look bright and beautiful on the surface may be rotten inside once peeled back. And those seemingly dirty methods are sometimes the only way to protect the most precious things."
Hearing this, Yoshino Ayako's body trembled violently.
She looked up at Satsuki with a complex gaze. "Saionji san… about last time, really… thank you so much."
Isokawa Reiko looked confused. "Last time? What happened?"