Kyoto, an ancient courtyard near the Kyoto Imperial Palace, occupying a vast area, was the main residence of the Fujiwara family.
This ancestral home had a history spanning several centuries and had undergone multiple renovations, the most recent being a modern update over a decade ago.
After all, ancient houses like this weren't exactly comfortable to live in. They were more of a status symbol. Even the homes of ancient emperors weren't as comfortable as those of modern people.
The emperor's bedroom didn't have air conditioning, after all.
The Fujiwara weren't a rigid family, and the old master had fully supported the modernization of the house.
The entire estate had four courtyards, somewhat like the Koko-en Garden in Himeji Castle, divided into Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter themes.
Security personnel were stationed throughout the grounds, acting with great caution and vigilance.
Recently, the crime rate in Japan had suddenly spiked, and those attending the old master's birthday banquet tomorrow were all high-ranking officials and prominent figures.
If anything were to happen, it would be national headline news, shaking Japan to its core.
A Rolls-Royce stopped in the private parking lot. Toru, Haibara, and Chika walked through the garden under the guidance of the butler.
This type of mansion couldn't be bought in Japan even with money. Homes like this were typically used as museums or opened to the public as parks.
"Chika!"
Toru, walking through the estate, heard two voices calling out, one mature and one youthful.
Looking over, he saw two pink-haired girls who resembled Chika approaching with bright smiles.
"Eldest Miss, Third Miss."
The butler greeted the two girls warmly.
Chika waved excitedly and shouted, "Sister, Moeha, look what I found! I found our Brother who's been missing for years!"
Toru glanced at her and felt a headache coming on again, but her exaggerated, dramatic actions were also amusing to watch.
"He's your brother and Moeha's too, but for me, he's my younger brother."
The eldest sister, Toyomi, approached. Her figure was full, the kind of slightly plump figure that men tended to find appealing. Her round face exuded a strong older-sister vibe.
Compared to Chika's hyper personality, Toyomi was clearly more composed. She smiled and said, "Toru-kun, my name is Fujiwara Toyomi. I'm studying at Keio University. I should be two years older than you."
"Sister Toyomi."
Toru nodded politely.
"Wow, I didn't expect my younger brother to be this handsome. Toru-kun, is this your first time in Kyoto? Let big sister show you around later."
Toyomi was generous and easygoing, leaving a good impression.
"Brother!"
A small figure suddenly rushed into Toru's arms. It was Moeha, the youngest of the Fujiwara sisters.
She also had a cute, round face, pink shoulder-length hair tied in twin tails, and big, sparkling eyes full of innocence.
Toru instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders, but as he felt her softness press against him, his expression turned slightly awkward.
If he remembered correctly, Moeha had just entered her first year of junior high. But that figure... was a little too developed.
Glancing at Toyomi and Chika again, he noticed they were all generously endowed. Clearly, the Fujiwara family's genes in this area were strong.
"Hehe, Brother Toru, I watched your video. It was really cool! I'll tell you a secret—lots of my classmates admire you."
"Tou have to take a photo with me later. I'm going to send it to our group chat and make them all jealous. Some of them don't even believe you're my brother."
Moeha clenched her fists and waved them with enthusiasm, revealing two cute little fangs as she grinned.
Though this was their first time meeting Toru, the three sisters showed no hint of unfamiliarity. Their lively chatter made it feel like they were siblings who had grown up together.
"Alright, take as many photos as you like."
Toru calmly handled the chatter of one older and two younger sisters.
Finally, the butler came to his rescue.
"Young ladies, Master is waiting for the young master. After he meets Master, you'll have plenty of time to talk."
The three girls weren't difficult. They obediently let go of Toru.
Moeha waved cheerfully, "Brother Toru, come find me later!"
Toyomi smiled gently, "Want to have a drink with me tonight?"
"I want to drink too!"
"Chika, you're too young to drink."
"Why not? I want to know what alcohol tastes like!"
"..."
Toru turned to Haibara, who had been quietly watching from the side.
"Haibara, wait here for a bit."
"You don't have to worry about me."
Haibara wasn't a real elementary school student, so Toru wasn't too concerned.
The butler added, "The three young ladies will take good care of Ms. Haibara. Please rest assured, young master."
That was exactly what Toru was worried about.
If Haibara were alone, it wouldn't be a problem.
But leaving her with the three Fujiwara sisters... that might be trouble.
Still, Toru had no choice but to follow the butler toward the main residence, leaving Haibara with the sisters.
The three girls were extremely friendly, not treating Haibara like an outsider at all. They enthusiastically invited her to relax and chat in one of the side courtyards.
Haibara wasn't fond of talking, especially with people who were overly enthusiastic. She was terrible at dealing with them.
Luckily, with her current appearance as an elementary school student, even if she was quiet, others assumed she was just shy and didn't bother her much.
Looking at the three girls surrounding Toru, she quietly observed and analyzed.
That Fujiwara Chika clearly had a screw loose, but the eldest sister Toyomi seemed gentle, and the third sister Moeha was lively and cute. They all appeared relatively normal.
Just as this thought passed through her mind, Moeha's eyes lit up and she said excitedly, "Brother is so handsome and strong. All those bad guys couldn't beat him."
"I really want to tie him up in the basement and do this and that to him... hehehe!"
Moeha wiped a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth.
That's not right. This is just her first year of junior high? She knows way too much.
Haibara muttered to herself.
Toyomi smiled and added, "Moeha, you'd better include me in that plan."
Haibara held her head in pain.
She had been wrong. All three Fujiwara sisters were dangerous. All of them were perverts.
...
The main residence of the Fujiwara family.
The sound of water echoed gently through the courtyard. A bamboo shishi-odoshi tapped rhythmically as water filled and emptied.
Inside the house, a single large kanji character was mounted on the wall. The old master of the Fujiwara sat upright, still in good health, wearing a kimono and haori, calmly sipping tea.
He looked at his two sons, Fujiwara Daichi and Fujiwara Yoshitaka, kneeling before him.
"Daichi, how are things at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"
"What can I say? Just managing. I can't compare to my younger brother."
Daichi scratched his head as he answered.
The old master had long since stopped expecting much from his eldest son, who had no desire to carry the family responsibilities.
Now that Daichi worked in foreign affairs, while not ambitious, at least he wasn't causing trouble for the family.
The old master turned to Yoshitaka, now a cabinet minister. After carefully choosing his words, he said, "Your current position is already close to the peak. If you want to go higher, you'll need to compete for Prime Minister."
"But personally, I don't recommend it. You know your own capabilities. Compared to the other candidates, you don't have any clear advantages. Instead of risking a failed bid, it's better to defend your current position."
"Besides, even if you succeed, some of your policies won't last long."
The old man added meaningfully, "Your policies don't align with American interests."
The term for Prime Ministers in Japan was short. Very few served for more than four years. Some stepped down after only two months.
To be Prime Minister in Japan, one not only had to serve the Japanese people, but also remain favorable to American interests. If you didn't, the U.S. had countless ways to force you out.
Yoshitaka replied seriously, "Father, I'm not preparing to compete. My current position is solid. I won't give that up for the vague title of Prime Minister."
The old master was very satisfied with his son's self-awareness. Just as he was about to say more, the butler walked in and whispered something in his ear.
The old man's face brightened, and he waved his sons off.
"Toru is here. You two should leave for now. Especially you, Yoshitaka. He probably doesn't want to see you."
Yoshitaka stood reluctantly and left with Daichi.
Outside, Toru was waiting when the two brothers exited.
Daichi, wearing glasses and a friendly smile, greeted him politely. Toru simply nodded to both his nominal father and uncle.
He still treated Yoshitaka coldly.
Since he chose to return to the Fujiwara, that meant he was ready to integrate into the family.
But when it came to Yoshitaka, he had no intention of being friendly.
People who could rise to high office were often those with an intense desire for power and control.
If Toru showed warmth to Yoshitaka, the man would certainly push his luck and try to dictate his life.
Yoshitaka was the typical Japanese male chauvinist who would try to control everything about his children.
Especially since Toru planned to use Fujiwara's resources to elevate himself, he couldn't let Yoshitaka get the wrong idea.
If Yoshitaka realized this, he would try to leverage the family's influence to dominate Toru's life.
So instead, he had to flip the dynamic—make it clear that it wasn't he who needed the Fujiwara to rise, but that the Fujiwara needed him in order to maintain their strength.
That distinction was critical.
Only by doing that could Toru take the initiative and work toward becoming the head of the family.
If he was too obedient, people would only see him as someone easy to control.
It was the same principle as in love—the more someone feels you care, the less they value it.
The more they think you don't care, the more they want your attention.
People are always like that.
With those thoughts in mind, Toru stepped into the main house and faced the Fujiwara patriarch.
He didn't display any particular emotion, but he respectfully greeted him.
"Grandpa."
(To be continued.)
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