Chapter 117: Shinomiya Tomie
The morning sun rose slowly over the mountains.
Thin strands of dawn spilled across the earth, warming the damp ground and chasing away the chill that had settled overnight. Under that pale gold light, the private scenic area of the Shinomiya Conglomerate finally revealed the full extent of its ruin.
What had once been a landscaped paradise, built with enough money to make ordinary people dizzy, had been torn apart by last night's battle.
The stone paths were cracked. The streams had changed course. Hillsides had collapsed. Groves had been uprooted, fountains shattered, and carefully arranged gardens reduced to scattered debris. Only the Shinomiya Manor itself remained standing on the hillside, preserved by the layers of protection the Onmyoji had placed around it. Without that, Kaguya might truly have needed to prepare for the awkward business of moving house.
But amid the devastation, there was one sight that felt strangely unreal.
Flowers bloomed among the broken stones.
Grass pushed through the cracks in the earth. Cherry trees, which should not have been in season, stood in full bloom, their branches heavy with soft petals. All around the ruined scenic area, plants had burst into vibrant life, defying the laws of nature as if spring itself had descended upon the wreckage.
The cause was obvious.
It was the lingering divine power of Seiryu, one of the Twelve Divine Generals, the Wood General who had descended the night before.
That faint residue alone was enough to keep the vegetation in this place flourishing for years without wilting. If the Shinomiya Conglomerate chose to rebuild the scenic area, the sight of flowers, cherry blossoms, and greenery blooming through all four seasons would probably turn it into one of the most famous private landscapes in Japan.
Of course, for the Shinomiya Conglomerate, rebuilding it was never a question of whether they could afford it.
Only whether they felt like spending the money.
At the main gate of Shinomiya Manor, Shinomiya Kaguya stood with Hayasaka Ai behind her, watching Isayama Yomi and Tsuchimiya Kagura leave along the only road that had not been destroyed by the aftermath of the battle.
Only after their figures disappeared did Kaguya withdraw her gaze.
The softness in her expression vanished.
"Ai," Kaguya said, her voice calm and cold. "How is the evidence regarding my elder brother's attempt to frame me?"
Now that the supernatural incident involving the mark on her body had been resolved, it was time to settle old accounts.
Shinomiya Kaguya was not someone who swallowed grievances quietly.
Those who dared to provoke her had best be prepared for the consequences.
"Miss, everything has been compiled," Hayasaka Ai replied. "Imai Takumi was surprisingly cooperative. He provided a very detailed account of the entire matter."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Not only that, he also confessed to several matters concerning Shinomiya Ōkō. Over the past few years, he secretly betrayed the interests of the Shinomiya Conglomerate many times in order to strengthen his own position within the main family."
"The evidence?"
"Verified and confirmed."
Kaguya's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Imai Takumi's spine turned out to be weaker than I expected. I thought he would at least hold on until my dear elder brother came to fish him out."
She had overestimated the pride of a former Onmyoji.
Still, this result was not bad.
"With this much leverage over Shinomiya Ōkō, as long as we choose the right opportunity to expose it at a conglomerate meeting, we may not be able to uproot all of his power in the main line, but we can make him bleed."
Kaguya's tone was light, but there was no warmth in it.
"Even if Father wants to protect him, the elders will not be able to turn a blind eye."
Just as she turned to return to the manor and begin planning her next move, her phone rang.
Kaguya took it out and glanced at the screen.
Her brows drew together.
The caller was unexpected.
Still, she answered.
"Mr. Naruto. This is Shinomiya Kaguya. Is something the matter?"
The man on the other end was one of Shinomiya Gan'an's secretaries, responsible primarily for managing the schedule of the head of the Shinomiya Conglomerate. Aside from reporting directly to Gan'an, he rarely contacted any of the heirs.
That alone made the call unusual.
Then, Kaguya's expression changed.
"What?"
Even Hayasaka Ai, standing behind her, could not help but look up.
It was rare for Kaguya to react so sharply.
"I am indeed surprised," Kaguya said after a moment, her tone becoming controlled once more. "I was planning to report this matter to Father personally soon."
She listened quietly.
"Yes, Mr. Naruto. I understand."
Another pause.
"I will keep that in mind."
Kaguya ended the call.
For a few seconds, she remained silent, her eyes deep and unreadable.
"Miss," Ai asked softly, "what happened?"
Kaguya exhaled.
"Last night, Father convened a meeting of the conglomerate's high-ranking executives and elders."
Ai's eyes narrowed.
"On the grounds that Shinomiya Ōkō attempted to use a Great Yokai to provoke lethal conflict among heirs, threatening the foundation of the Shinomiya Conglomerate's succession, they stripped him of his inheritance rights."
Kaguya's voice was quiet.
"He has also been expelled from Japan. For the rest of his life, he is forbidden from returning."
Ai stared at her.
"Shinomiya Ōkō was stripped of his inheritance rights... just like that?"
To outsiders, the decision might seem reasonable.
But Hayasaka Ai had served Kaguya since childhood. She understood the internal struggles of the Shinomiya Conglomerate better than most. The competition for inheritance was never clean. It was brutal, bloody, and full of knives hidden beneath polite smiles.
The Shinomiya Conglomerate did forbid the heirs from escalating their fights to direct murder.
In name, at least.
But the world had always belonged to the strong.
Even after Shinomiya Ōkō's scheme was exposed, Kaguya had never expected to use this matter to strip him of his inheritance rights entirely. That was unrealistic. Ōkō was not a fool. He would have prepared methods to control the damage if his plan failed.
Kaguya's original goal had only been to sever his wings.
But now, Gan'an had personally stripped him of succession and exiled him from the country.
That was far beyond what she had expected.
"Could the Onmyodo world have pressured the Shinomiya Conglomerate?" Ai asked.
"It is possible," Kaguya said. "Shinomiya Ōkō attracting two Great Yokai must have touched a nerve."
Then she shook her head.
"But the likelihood is not high. Remember, the Onmyodo world has no time to bother with such 'minor matters' right now."
Ai immediately understood.
Last night's battle had revealed something far greater than a Shinomiya family power struggle.
White Fox Gin Tsumugi.
The Twelve Divine Generals.
Lord Seimei.
For the Onmyodo world, and perhaps all of Japan, that was now the highest priority. Compared to that, even the Shinomiya Conglomerate seemed insignificant.
"This matter feels strange," Kaguya said. "Investigate it yourself later."
"I understand."
Ai lowered her head.
"Father will be arriving soon," Kaguya added. "We will wait here."
"The master is coming back?"
Ai was stunned.
That made even less sense.
Shinomiya Manor had just experienced a terrifying supernatural incident. Shinomiya Ōkō had been stripped of inheritance rights, and the conglomerate should have been in turmoil. As the head of the Shinomiya Conglomerate, Shinomiya Gan'an should have been holding the center together, not coming here personally.
"Let us wait quietly," Kaguya said.
Ai said nothing more and stood beside her.
A little over ten minutes later, the sound of engines came from the road below.
A convoy of black business cars drove up the mountain, neat and uniform, carrying the cold prestige of the Shinomiya Conglomerate. The vehicles stopped in front of Kaguya and Ai at the manor's main gate.
Then, from the extended luxury car reserved for the head of the conglomerate, a woman stepped out.
"You must be my younger sister, Kaguya."
Her voice was sweet.
Too sweet.
The woman was beautiful in a way that made the air around her feel wrong. Her features were delicate and alluring, her figure graceful, her skin pale and flawless. Her long hair carried a jewel-like sheen, falling around her face with straight bangs. A beauty mark rested beneath the corner of one eye, adding a strange, bewitching charm.
Kaguya's brows tightened.
For some reason, the moment she saw this woman, an instinctive aversion rose inside her.
They should have been meeting for the first time.
Yet the impression this woman gave her was distorted. Uncomfortable. Like looking at something that had taken the shape of beauty without understanding what beauty was supposed to be.
"And you are?" Kaguya asked.
The woman smiled.
"My name is Tomie. Shinomiya Tomie."
Her smile widened slightly.
"I am your sworn older sister."
Sworn older sister?
Kaguya and Ai exchanged a glance.
Since when did the Shinomiya Conglomerate have someone named Shinomiya Tomie?
And what exactly did "sworn older sister" mean?
Was she Gan'an's illegitimate daughter?
If so, why bring her back only now?
Before Kaguya could ask, Shinomiya Gan'an stepped out of the car.
His square, solemn face was as stern as ever.
"Kaguya," Gan'an said. "Tomie is the daughter of an old friend of mine. My friend passed away unexpectedly not long ago, leaving her alone. I have taken her in as my adopted daughter."
"Father."
"Master."
Kaguya greeted him calmly, while Ai bowed behind her.
But Kaguya's thoughts moved quickly.
Shinomiya Ōkō had just been stripped of his inheritance rights.
Now, an adopted daughter named Shinomiya Tomie had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
What exactly was Father planning?
Kaguya quietly studied Tomie from the corner of her eye.
She had a feeling that Ōkō's downfall might have something to do with this woman.
The timing was far too convenient.
More importantly, she was not certain whether it was her imagination, but when her father looked at Tomie, there seemed to be a faint, possessive heat in his eyes.
Gan'an was not known for indulging women.
That made it even more unsettling.
"Ai," Gan'an said, "prepare a room for Tomie. From now on, she will live here."
His voice was firm.
"She is the second young lady of the Shinomiya Conglomerate."
"Yes, Master."
Ai bowed and turned toward the manor to arrange a room.
Gan'an looked back at Kaguya.
"I heard the supernatural incident involving you has been completely resolved."
"It was thanks to Mr. Tsumugi's help," Kaguya replied.
"White Fox Gin Tsumugi..."
Gan'an's gaze deepened slightly.
"To be able to subjugate and eliminate a Great Yokai is indeed remarkable."
Clearly, the Onmyodo world's information blockade from last night had been extremely thorough. Even Shinomiya Gan'an, head of the Shinomiya Conglomerate, had not obtained the full details.
Kaguya's eyes lowered slightly.
"If there is an opportunity in the future, I know what should be done."
On that point, she fully agreed with her father.
Especially now that she knew the earth-shaking secret hidden behind Gin Tsumugi.
A short while later, in a newly arranged room inside Shinomiya Manor, Tomie stood alone by the window.
She gently caressed a luxurious ornament in her hand, her fingers sliding over its surface with slow, indulgent strokes.
"Not even three Great Yokai could kill you," she whispered.
Her lips parted, and a feverish, almost sickly excitement colored her voice.
"As expected of the man I, Tomie, have set my sights on."
Her eyes shone with obsession.
"Gin Tsumugi... soon. Very soon."
Her smile twisted.
"You will belong to me alone."
Then her gaze drifted across the window, toward the direction of Shinomiya Kaguya's bedroom.
"But before that, I should clear away the annoying women around you."
Tomie licked her lips.
"Let's start with Shinomiya Kaguya."
.....
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