In the end, after Erika and the others joined in and went on a full-blown rampage, the National Defense Army Intelligence Department unit stationed at the mansion was annihilated.
They insisted that it had all been an "exercise," but Yugen detained them on multiple charges, including "unauthorized trespassing on private property," asking:
"Who decided that members of the National Defense Forces were allowed to act freely on someone else's property?"
Since they were mages, it was decided that they would be escorted not to the local police, but to the Ministry of Police.
For starters, even a covert exercise would require paperwork if it were genuinely an official exercise. The fact that the details of this supposed exercise had not even been properly communicated to the rank-and-file made it nothing more than an illegal operation.
Amid this whole mess, Shina, the person who had been rescued, was sulking.
"...Jiro-kun, you're a pervert."
"No, that was completely unavoidable..."
Although she was sulking, Shina was clinging to Jiro's arm. Meanwhile, Jiro was trying to pull her away, but the softness against his arm made it difficult for him to use much force.
The reason things had ended up like this was simple.
Jiro had charged in without considering Shina's condition, only to find her standing there completely naked because she had been about to change clothes.
In other words, the classic "lucky pervert" situation.
Shina didn't even slap him. Instead, Jiro obediently followed her request to "just go outside for now."
And after that incident, things had ended up like this.
"Jiro, I've always told you that no matter how worried you are about Shina's safety, you need to consider the condition of the person you're rescuing. Be grateful that you didn't even get slapped."
"Y-Yugen-san... I understand that, but..."
Yugen knew that Shina had been sulking from time to time lately because of the matter involving Himeiri's younger sister and the daughter of the Yaguruma main family.
Now that Jiro had seen Shina naked, even if it had been completely unavoidable, he had to take responsibility.
"I've already contacted the Miyasamoto main family myself. Whatever the outcome is, accept it without complaint. That's your punishment."
"...Understood."
Jiro was probably thinking to himself that he might be thrown out of the Miyasamoto family.
The truth was quite the opposite.
This incident would be used as an opportunity to make Jiro take responsibility as Shina's future husband.
And considering that Senhime herself was going to the Miyasamoto main family, it wasn't difficult to imagine what would happen next.
As National Defense Force soldiers and police officers came and went while escorting the detained men away, Erika emerged from the mansion with a thoroughly refreshed expression.
Leo and Mikihiko, meanwhile, approached Yugen and the others looking exhausted.
"Man, it's been a while since I really got to cut loose. Things have been so boring lately because nobody could put up a fight."
"Oh? Then why don't you come to the Kamizumi main residence? Grandpa would be delighted to spar with you."
"No, um... I'll pass. Fighting someone I can never defeat is a little too much..."
Erika shook her head and refused Mototsugu's suggestion.
The result made it painfully clear that, in everything, moderation was best.
"In the end, I only destroyed the door... By the way, I also fired one shot at the Toyama family's mansion. It only did enough damage to break a window."
"What are you doing, Shizuru?! And brother, you didn't stop her?"
"There is no stopping an angry Shizuru. She inherited Mother's temperament more than anyone."
Yugen grumbled about Shizuru firing [Defense Breaker] at the Toyama family's mansion as a small act of retaliation, to which Mototsugu confessed with an exasperated expression.
No matter how much power or authority someone possessed, there were simply some things even human temperament could never overcome.
The fact that even the police officers escorting the prisoners pretended not to hear Shizuru's remark showed just how formidable the Miyasamoto family was.
Of course, having Gozo as their grandfather probably had something to do with that reputation as well.
Mototsugu buried his face in his hands, but considering that Gozo himself would be handling the matter, there was probably a good chance Shizuru would be let off the hook.
After all, the Toyama family had incurred a massive debt to Gozo over what happened two years ago. It was unlikely that Shizuru would be seriously questioned. If anything, the Toyama family would probably receive another penalty.
"...I'll pretend I didn't hear that either."
"Is that okay?"
"I have no reason to protect the Toyama family."
It might not have been appropriate for the chairman of the Council of Ten Master Clans, but as someone who had personally been inconvenienced by the Toyama family, Yugen had no reason to defend them.
He couldn't deny that it might be called selfish, but there was no reason to show loyalty toward people who had caused trouble for others without even offering an apology.
In the end, the only thing that could be considered positive about this whole incident was that Shina had finally clarified her feelings toward Jiro.
"All right. Everyone, let's go home."
With that, Yugen activated [Sonic Drive].
Yet Yugen alone remained behind.
The reason was because he still had something to do.
"...I doubt those two would make a mistake with the other two there, but this is also a matter Celia asked me to handle."
Yugen entered the room on the second floor of the mansion where Shina had been staying.
After closing the door, he used [Mirror Gate] to retrieve the combat uniform of the [Divine General Association]. He quickly changed into it, then used magic to send the clothes he had been wearing to his room in the Shiba household.
Then, using [Osiris Site], he traced Tsukasa Toyama's route from the information recorded within the mansion.
Even Tatsuya's enhanced [Elemental Site] would have difficulty determining the route taken by a specific individual.
But with Yugen's eyes, as long as the person had stayed in a location for even an instant, he could instantly determine the route they had taken from the information left behind there.
The reason he had acquired such an ability was because of his experience tracing Zhou Gongjin's route during last year's mission to eliminate him.
As long as Yugen had seen the relevant person even once, even through a medium such as a video recording, he could determine the path that person had taken.
It was an ability so cheat-like that he considered relying on it a last resort.
But this time, he decided to use it to beat Tsukasa into submission.
He also intended to pass the information to Tatsuya, who would presumably want to move quickly after accepting the Yotsuba family's request.
"Found you."
Tsukasa had fled to a secret detention facility at the tip of the Boso Peninsula.
Judging from the timing, there was no other conclusion than that she had fled the mansion immediately after delivering Shina.
It was hard not to think that someone like her had some nerve talking about "order."
However, directly transmitting the location would be problematic from the standpoint of interception, so Yugen used a special communications terminal to send the Yotsuba family the location where the USNA military operatives were being held, along with a rendezvous point that would not alert the enemy.
He addressed the message to Hayama, figuring that he would handle things appropriately.
After all, contacting Maya directly would risk making Miyuki sulk because of the connection between them.
Once he finished sending the message, Yugen activated [Mirror Gate] and flew to the rendezvous point ahead of everyone else.
The Yotsuba family had apparently predicted some of the movements to a certain extent, but it was understandable that they hadn't been able to pinpoint the crucial location.
After all, among the Twenty-Eight Master Clans, the Yotsuba family did not have deep ties to the National Defense Forces. The fact that the Nanakusa family had infiltrated their information section during last year's incident had also dealt them a major blow.
At the designated rendezvous point, Yugen set up a simple tent, having summoned all the necessary equipment with magic, and created a space isolated from the surroundings with barrier magic.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"