Miyuki stood at the entrance of the living room, her gaze lingering anxiously on her brother, who had already changed into his loungewear and was relaxing on the sofa. During the walk home from school, Tatsuya had seemed lost in thought. Of course, this was merely Miyuki's intuition; to any other observer, his outward demeanor remained as inscrutable and composed as ever.
When she spoke, he responded with his usual clarity. He hadn't just been a passive participant in conversation, either; he had asked Minami for her thoughts on school life and had even gathered intelligence on whether the day's events had already sparked rumors among the first-year students.
But despite his perfectly ordinary appearance, Miyuki was certain: Tatsuya was troubled by something. To be the one who noticed his inner turbulence was a source of quiet pride for her. Yet, that same connection made her all the more restless. Knowing her brother was weighing a problem, she found it impossible to simply look the other way.
After a moment's reflection, Miyuki decided to take the direct approach.
"Onii-sama, what is it that's weighing on your mind?"
Having received his silent permission to join him, she took a seat directly across from him and threw her question with startling bluntness. Tatsuya looked back at her, momentarily taken aback, but he made no move to deflect or hide his thoughts.
"I've been thinking a bit about Shippou," he admitted.
"...Onii-sama. If you find his insolence beyond forgiveness, you need only say the word."
"No, no, Miyuki—don't get ahead of yourself. Certainly, his attitude left much to be desired, but that isn't what's bothering me. Besides, when it comes to showing proper respect to one's elders, I'm hardly in a position to criticize others."
"That isn't true at all. You are always magnificent, Onii-sama."
Knowing her protest was nothing more than a Pavlovian reflex, Tatsuya chose to let the comment slide.
"What strikes me as odd is why Shippou is so confident. He turns down the Student Council, snaps at the Saegusa family, and seems perfectly content to make enemies of his upperclassmen."
"Perhaps he simply isn't thinking at all?" Miyuki suggested.
"No, it doesn't look like that to me. Shippou is driven by a powerful upward mobility. Looking at him, I get the impression he's deeply dissatisfied that his family isn't one of the Ten Master Clans."
"But if that were the case, wouldn't it be more logical for him to join the Student Council and build a network of connections?"
"I agree. That would be the normal course of action."
"Then... do you suspect there is some 'abnormal' background at play?"
"Well, yes, but..."
Tatsuya hesitated, his words trailing off just as Minami entered the living room carrying a tray with coffee.
"Pardon me. I've brought the coffee."
"Ah, thank you. Actually, Minami, I'd like your input as well. Why don't you take a seat?"
"Yes, Master."
Though she replied promptly, Minami made no move to sit. She simply stood at attention by the table. Sensing the immovable wall of her professional etiquette, Tatsuya decided not to waste time pressing the matter.
"Minami, what is your impression of Takuma Shippou?"
"He is a fool who does not know his place," she answered instantly.
"...And your reasoning?"
"First and foremost, his attitude toward you, Lord Tatsuya, is unacceptable. Regardless of his ignorance of the circumstances, to treat you in such a manner is a folly so great he could not complain even if Lady Maya were to have him erased. Furthermore, he seems to suffer from the delusion that he must always be the best."
Deciding to safely ignore the first half of her assessment, Tatsuya found himself agreeing with Minami's logic. Simultaneously, he began calculating the time and manpower required to investigate the matter further.
"He's likely being egged on by someone, but to look into that..."
"Shall we consult our Aunt?" Miyuki offered.
"No, that won't be necessary."
Miyuki and Minami both tilted their heads at Tatsuya's sudden certainty, but the reason became clear almost immediately. His terminal chimed.
"Hello, Tatsuya-kun. Is now a good time?"
"Yes, it's fine."
"Actually, it's about the disturbance caused by the Shippou heir today..."
"I see. Have you discovered something?"
Kyouko Fujibayashi's expression on the screen shifted to one of mild surprise at how quickly Tatsuya had anticipated her call.
"I should have known you'd noticed..."
"The military would hardly leave a Strategic-class Magician completely unmonitored. I've been aware of a lingering presence for a while. Of course, as long as there was no threat to Miyuki, I intended to leave it be."
"Impressive as always... well, just consider it a bit of insurance."
"Understood. So, what about Shippou?"
Tatsuya moved past the topic of surveillance with a completely neutral expression, prompting Kyouko to continue in a similar tone.
"I thought you might want to know who his 'backer' is."
"What makes you say that?"
"Because it caught my interest. And I figured if I was curious, you'd be even more so. I'm calling to suggest we do a little digging together."
Kyouko's proposal was a godsend. In truth, Tatsuya had sensed this invitation coming, which was why he had told Miyuki there was no need to ask Maya for help.
"And what, specifically, would you like me to do?"
"We'll handle the home surveillance on this end. I want you to follow young Master Shippou when he goes to meet this backer of his."
"I understand. But why involve me?"
"In terms of jurisdiction, we aren't supposed to interfere in domestic incidents. If it's you, it just looks like a concerned upperclassman looking after a junior, right? That said, we can't have a law-abiding student doing anything too dangerous."
"I see. Let's go with that story, then."
"I'll contact you when there's movement. That's the plan—Miyuki-san, I'll be borrowing Tatsuya-kun for a bit when the time comes!"
Kyouko gave a wink and cut the transmission, leaving Miyuki feeling somewhat deflated. She felt a sting of realization: she had failed to notice the surveillance on her brother, she hadn't known he was expecting Kyouko's call, and she now realized she couldn't be deeply involved in their joint operation to unmask Shippou's backer.
"So, that's how it is, Minami."
"Yes, Master."
"I'll leave Miyuki in your hands while I'm away."
"I accept the charge."
Tatsuya turned his gaze toward Minami, the Guardian candidate. Though she knew her brother wasn't leaving her forever, Miyuki couldn't help but feel a wave of melancholy as she contemplated the time they would spend apart.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"