Katsuto was growing tired of talking to Tsukasa.
It was a different kind of discomfort from the awkwardness he occasionally felt when speaking with Mayumi. In Mayumi's case, even when she showed poor judgment, there was no malice. She was, at her core, a genuinely good person.
Tsukasa, on the other hand, possessed neither bad intentions, nor malice, nor good intent. She simply lacked the perspective to consider whether her ideas might bring joy to anyone else. Despite possessing the full spectrum of human emotion, she brushed aside the feelings of others without a second thought.
What made her particularly difficult to handle was that she strictly adhered to rules and morals so long as they didn't interfere with her mission. She wasn't an emotionless robot or an android, nor was she a stranger with an entirely foreign worldview. The very smoothness of their effortless communication was precisely what exhausted Katsuto. He was beginning to think that speaking with his own family would be less draining.
Regardless, Tsukasa's business was finished. Just as Katsuto thought all that remained was to exchange pleasantries and part ways, his assumptions were shattered by her next words.
"By the way, will the next head of the Yotsuba family and his associate—Mr. Tatsuya Shiba and Miss Miyuki Shiba—be attending the meeting?"
"...We have not received a reply yet, but they will likely attend."
At first, Katsuto couldn't fathom why Tsukasa, who represented the side that had formally declined attendance, cared so much. Still, given the Yotsuba family's uniquely secretive nature among the Ten Master Clans, it wasn't entirely surprising that the Toyama family would keep tabs on them.
"You are acquainted with the two of them, aren't you, Mr. Katsuto?"
"They are my juniors from First High."
At Katsuto's response, Tsukasa's gaze sharpened. Instead of emitting a harsh light, her eyes took on an aura that felt to Katsuto as though they harbored a deep abyss.
"What kind of people are they?"
"We were not particularly close, so I cannot speak to the fine details of their character."
"Could you tell me at least what you do know? Surely you understand them well enough to judge that they will attend an optional meeting, despite belonging to the secretive Yotsuba family?"
I see, Katsuto thought, finally grasping the true reason behind Tsukasa's visit.
There was no reason for her to come in person for a matter that could be handled by letter, and Tsukasa herself had stated that her younger brother was handling the Toyama family's affairs. If it were truly urgent, her brother coming in person was well within the realm of possibility.
Tsukasa was a member of National Defense Force Intelligence—an organization that fought in the shadows of society—and held an important role within it. Katsuto realized she had used the apology for her absence as a pretext to gather intelligence on the Yotsuba magicians.
Truthfully, Katsuto was under no obligation to grant Tsukasa's request. Furthermore, his pledge to the Kamiizumi family obligated him to avoid involvement with the Toyama family as much as possible. However, the information he possessed regarding Tatsuya and Miyuki did not exceed what was already within his known scope.
Choosing a passive approach to prevent her from prying any further, Katsuto decided to share what he knew.
"I cannot say I know much about the next head's younger sister. As for the next head himself, I felt he was a man who holds strictly to faith and duty."
"Strict about faith and duty...? Rather than being deeply devoted to them?"
Tsukasa's skepticism was natural enough for anyone to share. Yet her question sounded almost as though she already understood the answer.
"Once a pact is forged, he will never initiate a betrayal. However, he repays betrayal with betrayal. That is the impression I formed of Tatsuya Shiba."
Directly speaking, Katsuto's interactions with Tatsuya were limited to his time as the Head of the Club Management Council and the recent incident involving Zhou Gongjin. Based on that brief acquaintance, Katsuto rendered his assessment of Tatsuya's character. Hearing this, Tsukasa fell into thought for a moment.
"...Do you believe he would react the same way if betrayed by the government—or rather, the National Defense Force?"
"He would not commit treason against the nation."
"Which means he would have no qualms about opposing military officials or government bureaucrats?"
"He is not foolish enough to initiate hostility on his own."
Recognizing that she was steering the conversation in a distinctly unsettling direction, Katsuto responded with a firm, sharp tone.
Knowing that Tatsuya's close friend Yugen belonged to the Imperial Household Police's "Shinka-kai," Katsuto could state with certainty that Tatsuya, being under that influence to some degree, would not proactively act with hostile intent.
"And yet, he possesses no absolute loyalty."
"Miss Tsukasa, I am merely sharing my impression of Tatsuya Shiba based on our limited interactions. Even if he lacks loyalty toward specific individuals, I believe he possesses loyalty toward the country."
The woman before him, however, seemed to view Tatsuya as a genuine threat. It appeared to Katsuto as though she was repeating the same folly of the past—having once viewed Yugen as a threat and suffered for it.
Before Katsuto had time to press her on the matter, Tsukasa continued.
"A self-righteous patriot is just as harmful as a dogmatic pacifist, don't you think?"
"Neither a patriot nor a pacifist causes harm simply by voicing their beliefs. Unless they inflict actual harm, internal conflict is ill-advised."
"Perish the thought. The Toyama family has no intention of picking a fight with the Yotsuba."
Katsuto frowned at her words. Brushing it off with an air of complete indifference, Tsukasa took a sip of her completely cooled tea.
Left behind with not only exhaustion but also a bombshell statement that practically framed Tatsuya as a danger, Katsuto first returned to his room to change. After a late dinner and a shower, he headed to the guest room where Masaki was staying.
The news of the engagement between Riri and Masaki was already common knowledge within the Juumonji household. The room Masaki occupied was right next to Riri's, provided under the assumption that it would eventually transition from a guest room into his permanent private quarters. Masaki had deepened his bonds not only with Riri but also with her younger brothers, Yuto and Tatsuki, as well as her younger sister, Kazumi. Seeing Masaki naturally step into the role of an older brother had occasionally evoked in Katsuto a faint pang of loneliness and something akin to jealousy.
That had been fleeting, however, and Katsuto and Masaki were now building a good relationship as prospective brothers-in-law. When Katsuto arrived, Masaki opened the door to welcome him.
"Welcome back, Katsuto-san."
"...Ah. It wasn't just now, but I'm home. Are you alone, Masaki?"
"Ah, yes. If you need to talk, please come in."
"Pardon me."
Strictly speaking, Masaki was supposed to be a guest, but despite their differing circumstances, both Katsuto and Masaki shared a common struggle: a starvation for genuine family connections. Perhaps because of this, they found themselves speaking openly with each other more often, to the point where even Katsuto wore a wry smile at his younger siblings' obvious envy.
Heavily influenced by Retsu Kudo, Masaki's room was a traditional Japanese-style room with tatami mats. Masaki deftly laid out floor cushions. Katsuto bowed slightly before sitting cross-legged, and Masaki sat opposite him in the same manner.
"So, is there something you'd like to consult me about? Does it perhaps have to do with the visitor earlier?"
"...Ah. A member of the Toyama family—one of the Eighteen Assistant Clans—visited. I cannot share the specific details, but I met with someone serving in the Defense Force."
No matter how close they were to becoming family, Katsuto could not disclose the relationship between the Toyama family and the Defense Force to Masaki, who was still an outsider. He framed it simply as a member of the Toyama family—one of the Twenty-Eight Clans—who also happened to be affiliated with the military.
"Using an apology for her absence from the upcoming meeting as a pretext, she asked about the Yotsuba magicians."
"The Yotsuba... Do you mean Tatsuya-san and Miyuki-san?"
"Yes. I spoke about Shiba's character strictly within the bounds of my experience, but her words made it sound as though she viewed him as a threat."
"Could that really..."
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