After Kei left the estate, Hyuga Hiashi appeared in the doorway. He had been behind the door the entire time, listening to the entire conversation between Kei and the Great Elder.
Watching Taihiro remain deep in thought, Hiashi asked,
"We've confirmed his condition hasn't compromised the Caged Bird Seal. Is it really necessary to place someone to monitor him so closely?"
"Absolutely," Taihiro replied without hesitation. "The Caged Bird must never show weakness. His existence is a latent threat, we cannot be careless."
Hiashi considered this, then said coldly,
"If it's truly a risk… perhaps we should take a more direct approach."
"That would be the worst option." Taihiro shook his head.
"We must consider the bigger picture. We still don't know if his condition is random. What if it's an infection, or worse, a hereditary kekkei illness? That would be catastrophic."
"The Byakugan is our foundation," he continued. "Which is precisely why we can't kill him. We must protect him, for now."
"Very well," Hiashi agreed. "Let's hope things don't spiral out of control."
"Don't worry. He's just a blind boy. What could he possibly do?" Taihiro sneered slightly. "Besides, we still have the Caged Bird."
Then, Taihiro's tone shifted.
"Hiashi, do you remember what I told you the day you became clan head? What is the purpose of the Caged Bird?"
Hiashi fell silent for a moment.
"To protect the Branch Family."
"Correct. It was established to protect the Branch Family, and must always serve that purpose." Taihiro swept his gaze across the grand, imposing compound of the Main Family.
"No matter how others interpret it, we must remain firm in that truth. No wavering."
"…I understand," Hiashi said quietly, the implication finally settling in.
"But enough of that," Taihiro waved it off. "What did you think of Kei's theory about the lead bird?"
Hiashi paused, then replied,
"I believe he's not wrong. The current state of the Uchiha reflects it perfectly. Even though we Hyuga aren't as aggressive as them, our scale alone makes us just as visible. One day, we may become the next, "
"No," Taihiro interrupted, "we already are."
Hiashi narrowed his eyes. "You mean… that incident?"
"You've known for a while, haven't you?" Taihiro turned his gaze toward the distant Hokage Tower.
"That day… it looked like Konoha was compromising with the Cloud Village. But in truth, it was a warning directed at us."
"If they were willing to hand you over to Kumo, even when we weren't in the wrong… what clan would still dare to be loyal to the village after that? No Hokage would be that ignorant."
"And think of the Hatake clan," he added. "Once so proud. Look at them now."
"If we want to avoid the same fate, we must begin preparing in advance."
Hiashi sighed.
"What are you suggesting, Great Elder?"
Taihiro's expression darkened.
"As Kei said, we've become the other lead bird, now that the Uchiha are isolated."
"Compared to them, the Hyuga are far more unified. That unity may benefit us, but to the village, it looks like danger."
"He understood our situation," Taihiro continued, "but he didn't understand what must be done. Not yet. He's still a child, clever, but ultimately harmless."
Hiashi frowned. "Are you saying we should intentionally divide the clan? Stir up conflict to weaken our unity and avoid suspicion?"
"That's exactly what the village and the Third Hokage would prefer." Taihiro nodded.
"But wouldn't that hurt the clan?" Hiashi hesitated.
"Since Hizashi's death, the Branch Family already harbors deep resentment. If we escalate that, I fear consequences."
"What consequences?" Taihiro's gaze grew sharp.
"Hiashi, you're still too soft. As long as the Caged Bird exists, there will be no consequences."
"And even if tension escalates, we can always step in to 'restore order.' A little show of goodwill, a few handouts, and everything calms down."
Hiashi looked at him, uncertain. But the Great Elder's confidence, and the future he foresaw, finally stirred something in him.
"…If we have a backup plan, then let's proceed," he said. "At worst, we offer more compensation afterward."
"Good. That's the decisiveness a clan head must have," Taihiro said coldly.
"For the sake of the Hyuga clan's survival, some sacrifice is necessary."
"This is the fate of the Branch Family."
Hiashi said nothing more.
As a beneficiary of this system, the sliver of guilt in his heart was crushed before it could take root.
That afternoon, Hyuga Kei began hearing rumors.
Several Branch Family members who had previously voiced subtle dissatisfaction were severely punished. Others were confined for vague accusations of incompetence.
The news kept coming. Whispers spread.
Kei even heard that Taihiro had intended to punish Neji for his attitude toward the Main Family following Hizashi's death,
though that attempt was personally vetoed by Hiashi.
Still, the damage had been done. The Branch Family was in an uproar.
Of course, no one openly resisted.
The Caged Bird had hung over their heads for too long.
Years of oppression had dulled their spirits. Most were too numb to rebel.
Change wouldn't come overnight.
Yet as the clan's atmosphere quietly shifted, Kei remained completely unaffected.
He still clocked in, ran his clinic, and drank his tea, just like always.
Because he knew…
Yes, his words had lit the fuse.
But the explosion was still far off.
The fuse needed time to burn.
Several days later.
Early in the morning, Kei had just climbed out of bed when he received a summons:
The Great Elder wants to see you.
When he stepped into Taihiro's estate and greeted him, Kei immediately sensed another presence in the room.
"This is Hyuga Haru," Taihiro introduced. "Same age as you. You two were classmates, I believe, just in different classes."
"Apologies, Great Elder. I don't remember much from school."
"That's alright," Taihiro chuckled. "You'll get to know each other soon. She'll be assisting you at the clinic from now on."
So this was it. A minder.
Kei smiled politely.
"Thank you for the honor, Great Elder. I'll never forget your kindness."
"We're family. No need to be so formal," Taihiro waved his hand, then turned to the girl.
"Haru, I'll leave the rest to you. You're both young, take your time getting acquainted."
And with that, Taihiro left the room.
Kei turned toward the girl.
"Haru, may I call you that? I look forward to working with you."
"No need for pleasantries. It's my duty," Haru replied flatly.
Kei didn't mind.
After exchanging a few more formalities, he led her toward the clinic.
She was his "assistant" now, whether he liked it or not.
As they walked, Kei already began thinking.
Haru was here to monitor him. That much was obvious.
Every move he made would be reported back.
Which meant… he had to be careful.
Any hint of resentment or resistance could give Taihiro the justification to act. And given Kei's unique condition, Taihiro wouldn't hesitate.
Fortunately, Kei was already cautious by nature. His clinic was legitimate. His work sincere.
He had no fear of being exposed, because there was nothing to expose.
In fact, the Great Elder had made a grave mistake.
By sending just one person to monitor him, he'd made Kei's job even easier.
Because now… Kei could feed exactly the information he wanted.
Let her watch. Let her report.
He would craft the narrative himself.
After all, he was a psychologist.
And anyone who thought he only dealt with petty emotional disorders was in for a rude awakening.
As for Haru? She might not realize it yet…
But she was Branch Family.
And that… was more than enough.
<150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter>