Tears rolled down the sides of her face.

Her eyes which resembled obsidian yet felt like hollow gla.s.s b.a.l.l.s, were s.h.i.+ning with tears.

(Was she upset by what I just said?)

They were supposed to be words of praise.

Perhaps, compared to Yurie's way of speech, she felt hurt by his. Kiyoka suddenly felt a bit resentful at his poor way with words. 

But he really meant it when he said it's delicious. Although it tasted different from Yurie's cooking that he's used to, it was light on his taste buds and he thought that it was good. And he expressed it like so, but——he didn't think she would cry.

He's never comforted a woman before.

Just as his heart was in a state of loss.

「I-I... I deeply... apologise...」

Although she spoke in a broken speech, he could tell it was her signature words of apologies. 

「...I've already told you not to apologise...」

It made him feel even more troubled to see her cry while apologising.

To date, amongst the women who've come to this house, there have also been those that cry and throw a tantrum when things don't go their way. Kiyoka couldn't care even if they disappeared. But now, he was feeling a little anxious.

「...I sincerely apologise for being a mess. Ah, that, hmm, I was just so happy that my tears fell down beyond my control.」

Kiyoka's brows knitted together as he listened to the words of Miyo, who had gradually calmed down and even looked a little shy. She was saying that this was the first time she's been praised for her cooking. But somehow, Kiyoka knew that that wasn't the main reason for her tears.

He couldn't see her background at all.

The life of this woman known as Saimori Miyo. What environment did she live in, what kind of people did she interact with, what sort of education did she receive growing up? Normally, when interacting with other people, he could more or less sense their background. But in her case, he couldn't see anything.

No, to be exact, the impression she gave was so different from all the ladies Kiyoka had met, that he couldn't imagine it

After Miyo stopped crying, although they didn't converse much, lunch ended in a cordial atmosphere and Kiyoka returned to his room.

「Yurie, I want you to tell me if you sense anything strange.」

Those were the first words he said to Yurie who had come to help him prepare.

「What if, she didn't grow up like any other daughter from a prestigious family...」

That strange feeling that he felt yesterday, like something was off. 

Or perhaps, it was a show she put up in order to become the wife of the head of the Kudou family. That was a possibility Kiyoka couldn't ignore, but he was convinced, to a certain extent, that Miyo's tears weren't an act. 

She was genuinely crying at the words that Kiyoka had said without much thought. 

「Ah, yes... yes, yes.」

Yurie nodded her head. So she did have thoughts about this.

「Do you think she'll answer you if you asked?」

「...It'll be hard.」

It should be easy to just ask her how her life was back at home. However, based on her actions till now, she's probably unwillingly to talk about herself.

A sigh couldn't help but slip from Kiyoka's lips.

「Yurie.」

「Yes, yes, what is it?」

「Try to probe her somehow. Meanwhile, I will look into the Saimoris on my side.」

Kiyoka's mind was set.

Anyway, one couldn't just get married without knowing anything about the other party. Whether he chooses to continue or to call off this engagement, it doesn't hurt to conduct some investigations in the early stages. 

Yurie something clicked in her mind as she bowed. As soon as the thought flashed across her mind, a cheeky smile formed on her face.

「Understood... Come to think of it, Bocchan, this is the first time you've developed an interest in a marriage partner.」

「...Don't say it out loud, I know.」

Let's just admit it.

Out of all the marriage candidates he's met, Kiyoka was the most interested in Miyo.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps that had been the case since he first met her, when she introduced herself. He's never heard of any lady from a well-known family, that despite being ignored, maintained her position and didn't raise her head until she was told to do so.

Nowadays, even servants wouldn't go that far, unless they were from extremely strict families. 

「You don't have to be shy.」

「I'm not being shy, nor am I trying to get to know her in the way you're thinking of.」

「Well well, if you continue that way, you're going to stay single for life.」

「...」

He wanted to say that that was incredibly rude. But all the memories of the ladies leaving came flas.h.i.+ng back to him. He honestly couldn't care for the women that left in less than three days while whining and making a scene. He didn't know what kind of girl he could accept. But at the very least, he knew it wouldn't be the typical spoilt rich lady like his mother. 

「Yurie thinks that Miyo-sama is suitable. To be Bocchan's wife.」

「...Really?」

「Yes, that's right.」

「Don't say it with such confidence...」

It's only been three days since Miyo came to the house. Yet, Yurie seemed to be completely enamoured of Miyo in the short time that she's here.

「Anyway, I'll be counting on you.」

「Please leave it to me. I will tell her all about Bocchan's good points.」

「Don't do anything unnecessary.」

Even though he still felt somewhat worried, it couldn't be helped. As long as Yurie does things in moderation, it should be...

It's been several decades since the heart of the empire moved from the former capital in the West to the current capital in the East. 

The former n.o.ble families and samurai households, or those that rose up the ranks by merit. Even if they are not bestowed a rank, those that join the upper-cla.s.s through businesses and the arts will only increase. There were so many families that his impression of them was faint. Even for Kiyoka who had received rigorous education as a child, he couldn't remember all of them.

The only reason he remembered the Saimori family was because they were the same as the Kudou family, a family of ability users. But that's it. Thus, he would need to investigate further.

(I hope nothing troublesome comes up.)

Kiyoka mused that the little number of families of ability users would probably decline even more.

＊＊＊

In the living room of the Saimori house, the two heads of famous families sat face-to-face. The Tatsuis.h.i.+ family head had requested an audience with the Saimori family head and the Saimoris agreed. 

「So, what did you want to talk about?」

Saimori s.h.i.+nichi was more or less aware of the purpose of Tatsuis.h.i.+ Minoru's visit, yet he still asked, which made Minoru even more upset.

「You know what I came for. Why did you send Miyo to the Kudou family? Haven't I already talked to you about my eldest son?」

「Ah, it's regarding that?」

Was there a need to be so hung up over that?

Although there weren't many families of ability users, there should be many ladies out there fitting to be the wife of the next Tatsuis.h.i.+ family head. He needn't be so fixated on a girl who doesn't even have Paranormal Vision.

「Between the Kudou family and the Tatsuis.h.i.+ family, needless to say, I would obviously choose the Kudou family.」

(lilies: burrrrrrn)

「...」

From their status to just about everything, the Kudou was leagues above the Tatsuis.h.i.+ family. While he didn't think Miyo would be able to survive in the Kudou house, if something goes awry, and things go well. The Saimoris might be able to maintain a relations.h.i.+p with the Kudou family. Though it goes without saying that the Saimoris didn't expect anything of Miyo to begin with. In the first place, they couldn't care less what became of her, so they sent her to the more prestigious Kudou family, that's it.

As the Tatsuis.h.i.+ family has had a longstanding relations.h.i.+p with the Saimori family, Minoru probably should have known the Saimori's plans for the foreseeable future. However, s.h.i.+nichi clearly didn't understand where Minoru was coming from.

「Miyo has the blood of the Usuba family flowing through her veins. That means——」

「Yet she didn't inherit the Usuba family's ability.」

Paranormal Vision awakens before the age of five, that is the turning point that separates the talented from those that are not.

In other words, there was no more hope for Miyo who's already 19-years-old but still didn't display any signs of having an ability. In a family of ability users, she was worthless.

「That may be so, but it doesn't mean that her child may not inherit the Usuba family's ability.」

「Do you want the Usuba family's bloodline that badly?」

「...The ability to affect people's minds, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want it. In addition, our positions will be in danger if the Kudous become even more powerful than they already are.」

「If that's the case, then the Tatsuis.h.i.+ family can welcome Miyo as a bride after she's been abandoned by the Kudou family. Besides, it's not like the engagement with the Kudou family will really go through. You can pick her up then and she might actually shed tears of joy.」

Minoru clicked his tongue softly.

Certainly, for the Kudou family that's already at the top amongst all the families of ability users, they wouldn't specially seek out the Usuba bloodline. And Kudou Kiyoka, who kicked women out immediately, probably wouldn't take Miyo, who had no merits whatsoever, as his wife. Therefore, chances are, it will progress as s.h.i.+nichi claims.

But he didn't like this.

By being overly bias to his younger daughter, Kaya, s.h.i.+nichi has grossly underestimated Miyo's worth. They were crazy to cast away a golden goose of a daughter. And thanks to them, Minoru's workload had increased. 

「Then, is it ok for the Saimori family to give up your say in Miyo's treatment in the future?」

「Ah ah, she's basically thrown away. Wherever she is, whether she's dead or alive, I couldn't care less.」

「I see, understood.」

How could he let her be taken away from him by the Kudous.

Minoru swore.

Only the Tatsuis.h.i.+ family could have Miyo, no one else.

For the part about the Tatsuis.h.i.+ Minoru and Saimori s.h.i.+nichi conversing, I've used their names instead of family name as stated in the raws. I think it might be a little clearer for you when you guys are reading. Or maybe I should put their full names...?

Sometimes I wanna stab myself for coming up with strange formatting and then not remembering my own formatting -_- So sorries y'all if there are like weird discrepancies ahaahah as long as readable, can read can yah _(:з」∠)_

Please feedback to me in the comments below if you find any typos or terrible grammar, etc that you think I should change. Or maybe you think my interpretation is completely off lol Help me help you have a better reading experience ahahah what a tongue twister XD

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peace lilies~