Upon finishing Dahlia's letter, Shiho was on the verge of tears. Having known her for a long time, she likely had many feelings toward Dahlia. However, judging that there was no time to linger in sentimentality, Yugen questioned Shiho.
"Mother. The person Dahlia-san was dating back then... was likely someone from the Jumonji family, correct?"
『Yes, that's right. Kazuki Jumonji—the current head of the Jumonji family. It's no wonder Yugen would notice Arisa-san's magical aptitude.』
『...As I thought. Even Lord Jumonji has troublesome issues.』
When Shiho answered Yugen's question clearly, Gen, who had been listening, sighed heavily while clutching his head. If he had met Shiho, it wouldn't be strange for Gen, her husband, to also have been acquainted with Dahlia. Gen probably never imagined that a problem involving his acquaintance would eventually escalate into another issue involving the Ten Master Clans.
"Did Father know?"
『Yes. Not only did I know Dahlia-san was dating Lord Jumonji, but... at the time, Lord Jumonji was being encouraged by his genetic father to marry Keiko-san, who is now his current wife. So, I did tell Lord Jumonji that "to avoid unnecessary disputes later, it would be better to talk things through properly with Dahlia-san and break up," but...』
Considering Katsuto's age, Kazuki would have remarried when Katsuto was five. Moreover, he had been secretly seeing two women behind Katsuto and others' backs, and even went so far as to get Dahlia pregnant. Gen had warned Lord Jumonji that the Jumonji family should avoid any turmoil due to family matters, but his wish had been tragically shattered.
Perhaps Dahlia realized she was pregnant with Arisa and withdrew herself to avoid becoming a source of conflict for the Jumonji family. When Yugen asked Shiho, she stated that Dahlia had left only a note to Kazuki to break up, which matched Arisa's account of Dahlia. Then, Shiho asked Arisa and Marika.
『Arisa-san, and Marika-san. Am I correct in understanding that Arisa-san is currently being looked after by Serika-san—the Enjo family?』
"Yes, that's correct."
"Y-yes. But, my father and mother hesitated to adopt Asha, Arisa."
『Thank you, both of you... Darling, can't we adopt Arisa-san into the Mitsuya family?』
『...It's not impossible.』
Shiho's concern was Arisa's lack of strong backing. Arisa's current family registry indicated she was an orphan, yet she possessed the Jumonji family's magical techniques. Even as Yugen's fiancée, her position as a magician remained weak.
Therefore, Shiho's idea was to adopt Arisa into the Mitsuya family, in line with Dahlia's last wish. Currently, all of Gen's children have their future paths mostly determined, thanks to Yugen's influence: Genji, who is already married and succeeding to the headship and family business; Genkei, who was adopted into the Kamiizumi family and became its head; Shizuru, who married into a branch of the Yaruguruma family; Kana and Mika, who are slated for engagement; Yugen, who was adopted into the Kagurazaka family and designated as the next head; and Shina, who has the backing of the Yaruguruma family on the condition of marrying Samuichiro.
For Gen and Shiho, a significant childcare burden had been lifted, so adopting Arisa posed no problem whatsoever. Considering her future as Yugen's fiancée, it would primarily serve as her backing.
Gen was also positive about Shiho's proposal. Arisa was the daughter of a couple they both knew, and Shiho's mother, who had introduced them, had asked them to "help that child if anything ever happens to her." So, Gen felt it was time to fulfill that promise.
『Yugen, Chihime-san is there with you too, isn't she? I also want to speak with the Enjo family. Is the call strength alright?』
"That's fine. Mina, could you call your parents over? I'll go speak with Mother-in-law."
"O-okay!"
And so, an impromptu guardian meeting involving the Kagurazaka, Enjo, and Mitsuya families took place. Dahlia's last will, seemingly addressed to Shiho, was publicly revealed, and Gen and Shiho proposed adopting Arisa into the Mitsuya family. However, this was strictly regarding the legal registration, and it was stated that Arisa could still live with the Enjo family if she wished. Also, as Shina had not yet taken the Mitsuya surname, it was conveyed that Arisa would temporarily use the Nagano surname in accordance with Mitsuya customs.
Regarding Yugen and Arisa's engagement, it was confirmed that Yugen had already left the Mitsuya family registry, proving there would be no blood relation issues, so their engagement would proceed as planned. Chihime also approved this plan.
『The remaining issue is Lord Jumonji... I want to entrust Yugen with teaching the magical techniques. As far as I know, there's no one in the Mitsuya family who knows the Jumonji family's magical techniques better than you.』
"Understood, Father."
Since the [Overclock] and [Phalanx] spell sequences within Arisa had been significantly rewritten, [Overclock] would not activate even if her emotions ran high. In fact, [Overclock] itself had become "something entirely different," but Yugen decided to remain silent as there was no need to bring it up.
"However, the Jumonji family might demand Arisa's handover from you, Father."
『I'll also tell Genji to refuse that. Even if Keiko-san agrees, Tatsuki-kun, who is the same age as Arisa-san, won't be pleased. As there's a possibility he might direct jealousy or hostility towards Arisa-san at worst, I don't think that's feasible.』
Kazuki Jumonji currently has five children: Katsuto, from his previous wife; Riri, his sister's child; Yuto, his brother's child; and Tatsuki and Kazumi, from his current wife. In Riri's case, there was a precedent of adopting Yuto, so there was no family discord. When asked about her preparedness as a Ten Master Clans member, Riri responded, "Everyone in the family is kind to me, and Kazumi-chan even calls me 'sister'," so there was no doubt there.
However, if Arisa were also adopted, Tatsuki, being the same age, would undoubtedly harbor ill feelings towards his father. At worst, he might direct those feelings toward Arisa, raising concerns that the Jumonji family's domestic situation could become disastrous. Even if that didn't happen, his current wife, Keiko, would certainly demand an explanation from Kazuki, and a divorce is entirely possible. Even if she swallowed her dissatisfaction, considering the Jumonji family's role, Yugen could only foresee a future where the family atmosphere rapidly deteriorated.
In that case, Katsuto and Mika's engagement would also have to be significantly reevaluated, and canceling the engagement would become a possibility. Gen, too, could not ignore the problems that would arise by allowing Arisa to enter the Jumonji family in this manner.
As if sensing the atmosphere, Mika also appeared on the monitor displaying Gen and Shiho. Gen was surprised, but when Shiho explained, "I called her," Gen straightened his posture and sat back down. Mika looked at Marika and Arisa, who were on either side of Yugen, with a critical gaze.
『Yugen, you've got more again. I'm happy to have so many sisters, but won't you dry up?』
"Mika-neesan, don't say things like that in front of girls."
『Just kidding, just kidding. So, if I'm called and Mother is involved, is it related to the Jumonji family?』
"Mostly correct."
Mika's sharp insight was nothing new, so Yugen vaguely brushed it off and explained the situation. Mika nodded in understanding. Mika also seemed to share Gen's concerns.
『I think so too. Because from Tatsuki-kun's perspective, it means his father secretly cheated on his mother and had a hidden child, right? I think he'd question if his father truly loved him. At worst, he might run away from home, and even Kazumi-chan might secretly be unhappy. I can't hand Arisa-chan over to a future where that's a possibility.』
Even if the head of the Jumonji family were to change to Katsuto around next year, Kazuki would still be the pillar of the household. Moreover, Kazuki not only neglected Arisa for about 14 years, but he also failed to care for her or clean up the aftermath, even though Dahlia was the one who ended the relationship. In that sense, Mika stated that Yugen's existence, having accidentally saved Arisa, was significant.
『If they had an intimate relationship, they should have confirmed whether it was truly alright. To fulfill his responsibilities, he could have hired a detective to investigate. Since he neglected even that, I believe Lord Jumonji has no right to act like a father.』
『Mika... Lord Jumonji could be your future father-in-law. You're quite harsh.』
『Am I? If things continue like this, Katsuto (Katsuto's nickname) will take over as the head of the Jumonji family at next year's Master Clans Council, and an engagement announcement with me is planned then, right? I'll fulfill my duties as a Mitsuya, but I can't say I'm unrelated when it involves the family matters of my prospective husband's home.』
Katsuto and Mika had already completed their omiai (formal marriage meeting), and both were graduates of First High School and students at the Magic University. Their academic years also differed by only one, so Kazuki, and Katsuto himself, were positively inclined. Kazuki believed that a clever partner was just right for the somewhat serious Katsuto.
Moreover, Mika had visited the Jumonji family several times, and her活躍 (活躍 - meaning: success, activity; here, her achievements or prominence) at First High School was a kind of admiration for Riri and Kazumi, who were girls, and she had already won the trust of not only Kazuki's wife, Keiko, but also Yuto and Tatsuki. This aspect of Mika's social stance had earned the Jumonji family's trust. If Arisa were to join this situation, the gentle family environment they had built could drastically change. In that sense, it was certainly not someone else's problem for Mika either. Mika stated her opposition to Arisa being taken in by the Jumonji family, saying, "The family atmosphere will inevitably worsen if Arisa-chan joins, and I can't bear that alone."
『Besides, how are you going to convince Yugen, Arisa-chan's fiancé? The Jumonji family taking her in would also negate all of Yugen's past goodwill. What could the Jumonji family possibly pay to my brother, who is not swayed by money or status like Grandfather Kamiizumi?』
Even if the serious Katsuto pointed out the danger of 'Overclock,' Yugen possessed the means to resolve it. Mika hadn't heard everything, but considering what Yugen had accomplished so far, she inferred that "it wouldn't be strange if he could."
『Indeed... If you put it that way, even I can only be an ally at best.』
『Right?』
Yugen already held numerous titles: an officially unrecognized strategic-class magician 'Titania the Enchantress of Annihilation,' whose promotion to Lieutenant General of the National Defense Army was confirmed; the vice shareholder of FLT and one half of the true 'Torus Silver'; and the first seat of the Imperial Palace Police Headquarters Special Unit 'Shinkai' and the next head of the Kagurazaka family. Against Yugen, who already had these many titles, the Jumonji family had almost nothing to offer.
"Mika-chan is right. Lord Mitsuya, I will take full responsibility for Arisa-san's matter. If Lord Jumonji comes to negotiate, you can arrange for him to be directed to me."
『Lord Chihime, are you certain?』
"Originally, the decision regarding Yugen-kun's fiancées was a matter solely for me and Older Brother Gozo. The young man Kazuki having an intimate relationship with Arisa-san's mother, Dahlia-san, and then remarrying as if nothing happened, even though Dahlia-san broke up with him, is the lowest kind of behavior for a man and a father."
Moreover, the Jumonji family owed Yugen numerous "favors." In this situation, to take Arisa into the Jumonji family, they would need to settle all their past "favors." Furthermore, though the Jumonji family didn't know it, Yugen could use [Phalanx] and possessed its superior version, [Mirror Force]. Since providing magical technology was also not an option, the only thing they could do was to be Yugen's ally.
『If you make an enemy of Yugen, that Yuto-kun won't stay silent either. They're good friends.』
"Hahaha..."
Jumonji Yuto, who shared the name "Yuto," was three years Yugen's junior. His late biological father, Kazuki Jumonji's brother, was once a disciple of Shinkage-ryu Kenjutsu, an alumnus of Gen's school, and even served as the matchmaker for Gen and Shiho. Yuto's name was apparently given in homage to Yugen, with the wish that he would live for Yugen, who was sickly at the time.
About eight years after Yugen's health improved, he first met Yuto at Katsuto's invitation during the Saegusa family's Valentine's Day commotion. At first, he thought Yuto harbored a rivalry due to their shared name, but for some reason, Yuto looked at him with respect. The reason was Yugen's participation in the National Junior High Kendo Tournament under the name "Yuto Nagano." Yuto had apparently gone to watch that tournament and was impressed by Yugen, who, despite being unknown, defeated all the formidable opponents with a single strike to win the championship. He was disappointed that Yugen didn't appear in the tournament the following year, but upon meeting Yugen, he recalled that memory and was impressed that he shared a name with the person he admired.
Even after entering magic high school, that hasn't changed. In fact, by defeating Masaki in the Nine Schools Competition, Yuto's estimation of Yugen continued to hit new highs. In that sense, he's the male version of Izumi Saegusa... It goes without saying that Yuto's preference is for women, but I'll mention it just in case.
"At any rate, the Enjo family is moving to Hakone, so I think we'll go see them then. Mother-in-law, when will the move be finished?"
"The work is already finished, thanks to the moving company and everyone from the Yaruguruma family. They'll arrive in Hakone tomorrow, so the meeting with Lord Mitsuya can be tomorrow, if possible."
『Understood. Yugen, Genji and Shiho will also be present at the meeting, so be prepared for that.』
"Understood, Father."
Yugen couldn't hide his surprise at how cleanly all the luggage, which had been so abundant, was now organized. According to Chihime, many of the Kanzaka Group's moving company magicians, though not at a practical combat level, were proficient enough for daily life, and apparently, weight training was their hobby due to Gozo's wishes. Protein after finishing a job was part of their routine, and Yugen felt he had seen many things he shouldn't have.
As an aside, Chihime, having been thoroughly exasperated rather than angry at Kazuki's behavior, grumbled about the situation to Gozo, who returned with these words:
"That idiot... As long as he's been unaware of his daughter's existence for 14 years, he has no right to call himself a father. Besides, he should be in a position to pay alimony, including child support, to the Enjo family."
Furthermore, Gozo decided not to convey this fact to the Jumonji family, including Kazuki. Just when he thought Yugen's treatment of Kazuki had made him a little more subdued, Kazuki had now made a grand mess of his past romantic relationships. If Katsuto were to go as Kazuki's proxy in this situation, Gozo himself would go and declare that this was not a "Jumonji family problem" but a "Kazuki Jumonji problem," demanding Kazuki to step forward. If he lacked that courage, he should never again act as Arisa's father, and that the Jumonji family had no right to take Arisa, with the Kamiizumi family also taking responsibility as her backing.
This was also conveyed to Genkei, the current head of the Kamiizumi family, who also stated, "Lord Kazuki Jumonji's direct involvement is the minimum condition for negotiation. If he burdens his current wife, Keiko-san, or his son from his previous wife, Katsuto, with this, then Lord Kazuki has no right to call himself Arisa's father." Genkei was close to Katsuto and knew his character, so if Kazuki's matter concerning Arisa were conveyed, Katsuto would likely act with the premise of taking her into the Jumonji family. However, Genkei stated, "It was none other than Lord Kazuki who continued to neglect Arisa, and even if Arisa possesses the Jumonji family's magical aptitude, it is not a matter that Katsuto, the son from the previous wife, should take on."
In short, the Kamiizumi family was quite angry with Kazuki Jumonji.
On the other hand, regarding Yugen, who was involved with magic to the point of being in a more than two-way relationship, Gozo reportedly said, "I'm always waiting for great-grandchildren." Upon hearing this, Genkei kicked him with full force and yelled at Gozo, "Yugen is still a high school student, don't say unreasonable things! ...I'm sorry for the burden falling on me," and then apologized. He added, "You're trying to take responsibility to the very end. Perhaps that's why multiple women are flirting with you."
Additionally, Chizuru, who was somehow punishing Gozo, said, "If he's had a relationship with someone for over a year and nothing's happened, he's probably using magic, but since he's not indiscriminate, his fiancées must fall even more in love with Yugen-kun."
Yugen didn't voice his dissatisfaction, but he felt somewhat unsettled. He would take responsibility for his actions, but he wished for no more to be added... Considering the other people who were infatuated with him, he couldn't help but feel it would be troublesome if there were more. Ultimately, that stress might have been sublimated into sexual desire. By doing so, his fiancées' affection for him grew even stronger, with some even wishing for subservience. He reluctantly accepted the existence of mistresses, which were sometimes exclusive maids, but he couldn't treat his fiancées as slaves.
Incidentally, Tatsuya had asked him to "make Miyuki obediently subservient." Miyuki probably relied on her brother to persuade him... with tears. Subduing the top candidate for the next head of the Yotsuba family in her current state—what kind of penalty game is that, seriously?
In the prequel to Cygnus, Arisa's existence was brought to light within the Jumonji family. At first, I was surprised by the "Jumonji family's hidden child," but upon rereading, my evaluation of Kazuki completely plummeted. This is because:
He threw the decision of whether to take in Arisa, citing Arisa's magical aptitude (at this point, it's unclear how much was inherited), to Katsuto, who had become the head.
(Bluntly speaking, one could say he used that as an excuse to avoid negotiations.)
While discussing things with the Enjo family was one thing, it was settled with only an apology for past actions, and Kazuki showed no direct willingness to apologize to Arisa and the Enjo family. Katsuto ended up taking on the role of being criticized by them.
(It's not fair unless he pays a gratuity to the Enjo family and compensation to Arisa, including Dahlia's share. It's highly likely that the Enjo family, being ranked Tenth Lab dropouts, was taken advantage of.)
Since Arisa wouldn't have been born without an intimate relationship, he definitely had an intimate relationship with Dahlia and never considered the possibility of Arisa. He also neglected her for about 14 years.
(No matter how busy the head's work is, he could have hired a private detective through his connections to investigate, but he didn't even do that.)
He didn't foresee the deterioration of family atmosphere that would arise from taking in Arisa. (Protecting the Jumonji family's magical techniques is reasonable, but prioritizing that above family harmony is not considering the family. In fact, the atmosphere could definitely worsen, especially for the child of his current wife.)
It's the absolute worst. From the moment Kazuki didn't offer to go negotiate himself, he had almost no material to deny being called "You are truly the lowest." Katsuto would be justified in taking a full running start and tackling Kazuki with a Phalanx. In fact, even if he grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and forced him to come along, there would be no reason to reprimand him. Katsuto, prioritizing his feelings as a Ten Master Clan member and a "Jumonji" magician, has only made things more complicated.
Since Kazuki is Arisa's genetic father, he bears the responsibility of explaining to Arisa, the Enjo family, and all the Jumonji family members, in addition to prostrating himself before Dahlia's grave and them. In other words, as the pillar of the family, he would be told to "fulfill that responsibility." From the moment he shows a stance of escape, he would be nothing but the lowest.
Therefore, this will diverge significantly from the original story (it's too late now), but I decided to move towards Arisa being adopted as a daughter into the Mitsuya family. The Mitsuya family in this world values both magic and family, and by being adopted into the Mitsuya family, she will also indirectly receive the backing of the Kamiizumi family.
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