Chapter 34 – The Condition Set by Busujima Munemasa!
The firm sound of a door shutting echoed through the hallway.
The door to the Service Club room closed with a final click, signaling the end of club activities for the day.
Just ahead, Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui walked side by side, hand in hand.
Though Yukino, the Second Daughter of the Yukinoshita household, had tried more than once to shake her hand free, Yui held on with unrelenting cheerfulness.
She was, without a doubt, Yukino's natural weakness.
That bubbly, forward nature… her ability to become fast friends with anyone she met—Yuigahama Yui was the kind of person Yukino had always found difficult to deal with.
The bond between girls could be… truly mysterious.
Their footsteps echoed gently on the tiled floor.
When they reached the front gate of Sobu High School, Yukino suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Hm? What's wrong, Yukinon?"
Yui tilted her head in confusion and followed Yukino's gaze.
There, standing by the gate with grace that couldn't be taught, was a girl with long purple hair and a sword bag slung over her shoulder—identical to the one carried by Yukinoshita Akira.
"Good afternoon, Akira-kun, Yukinoshita Yukino-san, Yuigahama Yui-san."
Busujima Saeko greeted them with her usual soft smile.
Yukino's brief flash of irritation at seeing her didn't seem to affect Saeko in the slightest.
"Ah, Busujima-san! Good afternoon!" Yui chirped, waving a hand. Greeting people was second nature to someone like her.
"Good afternoon," Yukino said curtly. Her tone remained cool, but polite.
An odd tension quietly settled over the scene. Yui's shoulders twitched—she could feel something strange in the air.
"Were you waiting long?" Akira asked.
"Not at all. The kendo club just finished practice. I've only been here a few minutes," Saeko replied.
"I see…"
Akira nodded lightly, not pressing the conversation further.
"Well then, shall we head out?"
"Yes."
Just then, a car slowly pulled up beside the school.
It was the Yukinoshita family's vehicle—coming, as usual, to pick up Yukino.
"I'm heading off, Miss Horse."
"Mm~."
Yukino gave a small nod and climbed into the car without once glancing back at Akira.
The driver looked at Akira, then at Yukino. After receiving her silent nod, the vehicle drove off down the road, disappearing into the afternoon traffic.
"Well then, see you tomorrow, Akki-kun~!"
"See you, Yuigahama-san."
And just like that, after Yui skipped away, only Akira and Busujima Saeko remained by the school gate.
They walked together toward a sleek black luxury car—easily as elegant as the Yukinoshita family's vehicle. Once they were both inside, the car drove off toward the Busujima estate in Chiba.
"Akira-kun… are you currently dating Yukinoshita Yukino-san?"
"Dating? What makes you think that?"
"Her expression just now… it looked exactly like a girlfriend sulking at her boyfriend."
"Unfortunately, I'm still single and not in a relationship with anyone."
"…I see. I may have jumped to conclusions."
Though her tone was calm, the faintest smirk tugged at the corner of Saeko's lips after hearing that answer.
So he wasn't dating anyone yet—which meant the only obstacle tying him to the Yukinoshita family was his adoptive status.
If the Busujima family so much as hinted at a political marriage alliance with the Yukinoshitas, with Akira as the groom, the path would likely open easily.
Saeko was sure of it—the Yukinoshitas would not say no.
In the past two days, she had pulled all the strings available to the Busujima clan to investigate Akira's background.
An orphan adopted by the Yukinoshitas, yet someone who persistently refused to rely on their wealth or influence—choosing instead to live independently.
Even his relationship with the two daughters of the Yukinoshita family… was nothing more than formal obligation.
Thirty minutes later, the car arrived at their destination.
The Busujima estate, located in Chiba. Right beside it stood a grand dojo that radiated age and tradition—befitting the name of the clan.
"We've arrived, Akira-kun."
"Got it."
As they stepped out of the vehicle, Akira gazed up at the imposing structure in front of him.
"…So this is what it feels like to be rich."
Saeko led him through the main gate and into the heart of the residence.
"You must be Yukinoshita Akira. The exceptional young man Saeko won't stop talking about."
The voice of a middle-aged man dressed in a grey kimono greeted them the moment they stepped into the main hall.
Akira immediately sensed it—the sharp presence of a true swordsman.
Without a doubt, this man was a master of the blade.
Busujima Munemasa. Head of the Busujima family. One of the most renowned swordsmen in all of Japan—his reputation even extended overseas.
"Father…"
"Hm."
Munemasa gave his daughter a brief nod before his piercing gaze shifted toward Akira.
As a master, he could instinctively sense the extraordinary presence hidden within the boy. A depth he couldn't fully measure.
"I am Shin Akira. I greet the head of the Busujima family."
"Oh? You call yourself 'Shin Akira'… not Yukinoshita?"
"I never truly considered myself a Yukinoshita. But I will never forget their kindness. I owe them a debt that cannot be repaid."
"Hmph. Confident for your age… or perhaps overly confident."
Munemasa's words didn't shake Akira in the slightest. The boy responded with a calm smile.
Their perspectives were simply too different. As the saying went, "a summer insect cannot fathom the concept of ice." Explaining would be pointless.
"Young man, if you're willing, I would welcome you into the Busujima family. You wouldn't need to be officially registered in our bloodline—I will take you as my disciple. And Saeko… I will wed her to you. In return, your children will carry the Busujima name and inherit this household."
Even Saeko flinched slightly at her father's sudden declaration.
The weight behind his offer was immense.
The Busujima clan might be small in number, but their lineage was steeped in history and honor. Their influence, especially among traditional martial families, was unparalleled.
Though not a corporate powerhouse, many elite families across Japan had close ties with the Busujimas.
If Akira accepted the offer, he would instantly ascend the social ladder to heights most could only dream of.
And more than that—he wasn't even being asked to join their bloodline. Which meant… the entire Busujima legacy was being offered to him, wrapped in the form of a bride.
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