Chapter 156. Kujou Clan Affairs
In Inazuma City, within the Kujou Clan estate, father and daughter sat across from one another in a quiet chamber.
Kujou Takayuki wasted no time.
"Sara, what is your assessment of Futsu Mitama?"
He understood well that before Futsu Mitama's sudden ascent, the two had already been close. That familiarity was valuable. Most of what could be gathered now was superficial intelligence. After it was confirmed that Futsu Mitama possessed divine authority, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine had intervened. His background was quietly sealed.
Takayuki did not like operating without clarity.
He had already sensed the young man's hostility. That alone was unacceptable. Whether Futsu Mitama was the Shogun's retainer or not was secondary. What mattered was that such a figure could become a threat.
He intended to move first.
Even so, caution was necessary. If he possessed hidden leverage, then the other party might as well.
"What do I think?" Kujou Sara did not immediately sense the deeper intent. She believed her father was attempting to understand Futsu Mitama more personally, and for a moment, she felt relieved.
If reconciliation were possible, it would spare her from standing between them.
"He is upright, kind, and courageous," she said plainly. "His talent as a blacksmith is extraordinary. I've also tasted the sake he brews. It lives up to its reputation as 'Narukami sake.' And beyond that—"
Takayuki raised a hand, cutting her off.
"I am not asking about his temperament or hobbies," he said flatly. "I am asking about his strength. And his true identity."
Character traits were irrelevant. Brewing skill was irrelevant.
What mattered was power. And position.
Sara fell silent briefly. When she spoke again, her voice was steady.
"That information is classified. I apologize, Father. I can only say this: his status is extremely high. Higher than the Commissions."
The room grew noticeably colder.
Takayuki let out a short, humorless laugh. "Higher than the Commissions?"
Seeing her refusal to elaborate, irritation surfaced. "So he may override the Kujou Clan? And you choose to defend an outsider, Sara. You disappoint me."
She did not react in anger to the reprimand.
What unsettled her was the implication beneath his words.
The Tenryou Commission did not belong to the Kujou Clan. They merely led it. Should they fall, another house would rise in their place. Just as the Yashiro Commission would not vanish without the Kamisato Clan, nor the Kanjou Commission without the Hiiragi.
Authority stemmed from appointment—not bloodline.
To equate the Commission with the clan itself was a dangerous conflation.
"Enough. You may leave."
Takayuki understood her temperament. If she chose silence, no pressure would extract more. If the information was classified, then the order likely came from the Shogun herself.
That thought darkened his mood further.
Sara rose, prepared to withdraw, but paused at the doorway.
"Father. Regarding the suppression of the Resistance…"
Takayuki's eyes sharpened. "What of it? Did Futsu Mitama tell you something?"
She blinked, genuinely surprised. What did the Resistance have to do with him?
"No," she answered firmly. "He said nothing. I wish to join the next campaign personally."
She lowered her head slightly.
"I have been defeated twice. I feel I have failed both Her Excellency's trust—and yours. I wish to redeem myself."
Kujou Sara's tone carried unmistakable resolve. No one in the Tenryou Commission understood the Resistance's tactics better than she did. Their forces appeared scattered and inferior at first glance, yet their deployments were precise, adaptive, and never inferior to her own.
At the center of it all stood Sangonomiya Kokomi, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island.
In their previous engagement, Sara had maintained the advantage from start to finish—until the final moment. An ambush, executed with flawless timing, overturned the entire battlefield. It was as if Kokomi had foreseen every maneuver in advance.
That was what unsettled her most.
The Resistance had reportedly expanded again. If her father underestimated them, he would repeat the same error.
"I request to join the suppression force," Sara said firmly. "I understand their movements better than anyone."
"No need." Kujou Takayuki rejected her proposal without hesitation.
"You have failed twice. You are no longer suited for the front lines. You and Kamaji will remain in Inazuma City. Maintain stability in the rear."
Sara's eyes widened. Her fists tightened.
"But—!"
"No 'but.'" His voice hardened. "The Resistance will be eradicated under my command. Obey."
The authority in his tone left no room for argument. Though frustration burned in her chest, Sara ultimately bowed and withdrew.
Once she left, Takayuki's expression settled back into measured calm. He understood her intentions. She feared he would underestimate Kokomi. She feared he would walk into a trap.
But he would not allow her to return to the battlefield—not after two defeats. Whether out of pride or calculation, he had already decided.
There was another reason as well. His covert alliance with the Fatui remained controversial within the Tenryou Commission. Not everyone accepted them as allies. Sara, in particular, opposed them strongly. The Fatui's interference in Inazuma's internal affairs—especially what had happened to the Hiiragi Clan—had left a deep mark.
The former clan head still sat imprisoned.
Over this matter, father and daughter had argued repeatedly. Each time, Takayuki ended the discussion by invoking his dual authority as clan head and Commission leader.
To eliminate the Resistance decisively, he would not allow dissent within his own ranks.
Sara would remain in the capital. Kamaji as well.
As for the Fatui, Takayuki did not fear them. Many considered the Fatui dangerous. To him, they were merely a blade—a tool to be wielded. And he believed he could control the blade.
If the Resistance fell, the Kujou Clan's prestige would endure for generations.
He waited in silence. By evening, three masked ninja appeared within the chamber in a flicker of motion.
"You've returned," Takayuki said evenly. "What was the Fatui's response?"
He had endured enough irritations for one day. A favorable report would be welcome.
The three exchanged glances. One stepped forward.
"They stated they are responsible only for eliminating the Resistance. They will not interfere in other matters. The contract specifies this."
Takayuki's expression darkened.
The contract did state that.
But were they not allies? Should they not assist beyond the literal wording?
If Futsu Mitama's return was troublesome, then the potential return of the Guuji would be worse. Yae Miko had observed Inazuma for centuries. Facing her was no trivial matter.
If she publicly questioned his alliance with the Fatui, it would carry the weight of the Shogun's scrutiny in the eyes of the people.
That could not be allowed.
"Continue," he said, suppressing his irritation.
A second ninja stepped forward reluctantly.
"They also said…if you attempt a 'mutual destruction' scenario, only the net will tear. The fish will not die."
"Bang!"
Takayuki's palm struck the table as he rose to his feet, fury ignited.
"How dare they?! Do they think I would not risk mutual destruction?! Once the Resistance is gone, they will be next!"
His anger was genuine—but constrained. If conflict erupted now, the outcome would likely favor the Fatui. The initial agreement had been simple: cooperation until the Resistance was eliminated. Nothing more.
His subordinates remained silent. If ordered, they would strike—even in a suicidal retaliation. But none spoke.
"Anything else?" Takayuki demanded after regaining composure.
"Nothing further," they answered in unison.
There had been additional provocations—subtle contempt, veiled mockery—but the essence was already delivered.
The Fatui representative they met had been the Sixth of the Eleven Harbingers, Scaramouche. He had shown little regard for the Tenryou Commission or the Kujou Clan.
In this fractured nation, the Fatui respected very few.
"Very well." Takayuki waved a hand, dismissing them to rest.
Yet the three did not move.
A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes.
"Lord Takayuki," one ninja said cautiously, "an incident occurred within the Fatui ranks today."
"What incident?"
"Three Fatui strongholds were eliminated. The Resistance conducted a coordinated strike. Because of this, the Harbinger demands the operation begin in two days."
Takayuki let out a cold laugh.
"Two days? Absurd. The Shogunate Army is not prepared. Inform them the operation begins in seven days."
He would not rush under Fatui pressure. He trusted only his own forces.
Still… Futsu Mitama's return complicated matters. Originally, the operation had been scheduled a month later. Advancing it might not be disadvantageous.
"Understood."
One ninja vanished instantly to deliver the message.
The chamber fell quiet again.
Takayuki stood alone, his thoughts restless.
The Resistance was growing stronger. The Fatui were becoming insolent. The Guuji might return at any time. And Futsu Mitama—valued by the Shogun herself—had reappeared in Inazuma.
The board was shifting. And he refused to be the piece sacrificed.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
For anyone interested, or just want to support me. Hit the membership button to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ModerateCitizens