Nanjo Masahito's face darkened immediately.
Nanjo Honami calmly continued, "A Western-style hand-kiss doesn't really match my kimono. Besides, my grandfather is a very traditional man. He's not fond of Western customs."
That was true—and so Honami spoke with absolute confidence.
Even Nanjo Masahito couldn't argue with her on this point. He was forced to smooth things over awkwardly. "Ah... it's raining outside. Please, come in. My father has been waiting for you in the main hall."
Honami cooperatively played along with her father's cue and invited the two esteemed guests inside.
The group entered the house and were soon shown to the large reception hall where Nanjo Hiroshi was waiting.
The moment he saw Councilman Asakura, Nanjo Hiroshi rose and said, "I'm afraid my legs aren't what they used to be—please excuse me for not greeting you properly at the door."
"No need, not at all," Councilman Asakura replied with polite warmth.
While the adults exchanged greetings, Honami guided Asakura Yasuzumi to his seat.
Then, ignoring her father's earlier instructions to keep a proper distance, she sat down right beside Yasuzumi, making no attempt to maintain the customary space between unmarried men and women.
A servant brought out tea. For the sake of appearances, Honami did her part and placed a cup in front of Yasuzumi.
Then she simply began sipping her own tea.
Glancing at the adults still deep in polite conversation, Yasuzumi leaned slightly toward her and asked, "Miss Nanjo… what do you like to do in your free time?"
"I like peace and quiet," Honami replied without hesitation.
She truly did enjoy quiet moments. Of course, during kendo club activities, shouting was part of the sport—but that hardly conflicted with her preference for tranquility.
Yasuzumi looked rather awkward at her blunt answer.
Perhaps realizing she had rejected him too directly—violating Suzuki's earlier suggestion to "take a subtle approach"—Honami added lightly, "I'm just kidding. I enjoy kendo."
"Ah, I like kendo too. I practiced for about a year back in high school…"
Yasuzumi was just about to launch into his story when it seemed the adults had finished their small talk. The formal engagement proceedings were about to resume.
Nanjo Masahito turned and beckoned the young pair over.
Setting down her barely touched cup, Honami rose with her chin held high and walked gracefully over.
Yasuzumi quickly got up to follow.
In truth, the engagement ceremony itself was quite simple and concluded swiftly.
Though it was only an engagement, it still signified that the Nanjo financial group and Councilman Asakura had now formed a political alliance. From this point on, they would act in concert on many issues.
With the formalities complete, the real highlight of the day began: the banquet.
In fact, this was what both sides had been looking forward to—an opportunity to deepen their rapport over food and drinks.
A Japanese-style banquet wasn't like the lively Chinese ones with everyone seated around a big table with a spinning glass platter in the center.
Here, each person had their own small table, meant for one or two people, with courses brought out individually.
Naturally, Honami and Yasuzumi were assigned a two-person table.
Just before they were seated, Nanjo Masahito seized one more chance to whisper to his daughter: Sit closer!
Even during the seating process, Honami could feel her father's gaze locked on them.
Reluctantly, she shifted a little closer to Yasuzumi.
He, for his part, looked quite pleased and leaned in toward her as well.
Without thinking, Honami tilted slightly to the side to avoid letting their shoulders touch.
"Miss Honami," Yasuzumi asked politely, "Is it just my imagination, or are you trying to avoid me?"
"It's just your imagination," Honami replied smoothly.
At that moment, Nanjo Masahito raised his glass and declared, "Let us toast to the union of the Nanjo and Asakura families!"
Honami had to fight the urge to jump up and correct him: It's just an engagement, not a marriage yet!
But she managed to hold her tongue.
Strangely, an intense urge to throw caution to the wind and cause a scene was steadily building inside her.
She glanced at Butler Suzuki, who stood quietly behind her grandfather, and forced herself to suppress the impulse. She raised her juice-filled glass and joined in the toast.
After the toast, Nanjo Masahito continued, "And now, I'd like to invite my daughter to perform a piano piece to entertain our guests!"
And so the banquet proceeded, step by step. Before long, the atmosphere grew more relaxed and a fair number of guests were visibly tipsy.
"Honami!" Slurring slightly, Yasuzumi suddenly grabbed her hand mid-slice as she was cutting her steak. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen!"
Before Honami could respond, Yasuzumi lurched toward her.
Quick on her feet, Honami caught him and kept him from toppling onto her.
"A woman who can support a man… I like that," Yasuzumi chuckled lecherously.
The stench of alcohol—and an unpleasant sour odor—wafted from his breath. He must have vomited in the restroom earlier.
Honami felt a wave of nausea rise.
She firmly pushed his face to the side to avoid the stench hitting her directly.
"Don't be so cold! You're my fiancée!" Yasuzumi shouted, reaching toward her knee.
Honami slapped his hand away.
"You're so mean, Honami-chan!" he whined, trying to reach for her again.
This time, Honami aimed higher—a crisp slap landed squarely across his face.
Smack!
The sound echoed loudly through the hall. Honami's years of kendo training meant her strike packed real force.
Yasuzumi's upper body twisted nearly 180 degrees from the impact.
For a moment, the entire banquet fell silent.
All eyes turned toward them.
Nanjo Masahito leapt to his feet, furious. "Honami! Apologize at once!"
Honami glanced coldly at her father and rose to her feet—
Giving herself the space to wind her arm fully and channel power from her waist—then she delivered another sharp slap across Yasuzumi's face.
Councilman Asakura's son crumpled onto the table, face-first into a plate of salad.
Standing tall, Honami swept her gaze around the room and declared in a clear voice, "And this… this is the man you all claimed had fine character? If he dares harass me while drunk, he'll certainly harass his female subordinates at work and any college girls at mixers!"
"Enough!" Nanjo Masahito slammed the table and stood as well. "That's your fiancé! How could Councilman Asakura's son ever harass other women? Get on your knees! Apologize to Councilman Asakura and to Yasuzumi-kun!"
For the first time in her life, Nanjo Honami met her father's glare with one of her own—eyes blazing with anger.
She could feel a powerful force boiling inside her, straining to burst free.
Was she supposed to endure humiliation for the sake of some grand plan? Let a man she didn't even like touch her?
It wasn't arrogance—it was reality. This man? This clown? He's not worthy!
She'd given up so much—her passions, her choices—all for this?
She'd worked so hard, honed her skills, polished her manners… and this was what it led to?
A man who couldn't even speak a charming word or act with true elegance—and on top of that, not even her type!
This? This?!
Years of suppressed frustration and regret surged from the depths of her memory, coalescing into fierce resolve.
Driven by this surge of emotion, Honami stepped out from behind the table and strode to the center of the banquet hall.
Then she knelt facing her parents, fingers pressed together, forehead touching the floor.
"I'm sorry, Father, Mother. Thank you for raising me. But today, your daughter is going to be unfilial!"
Nanjo Masahito froze, utterly stunned. Before he could react, his daughter sprang to her feet like a coiled spring.
With a practiced motion, she shrugged one side of her kimono off her right shoulder and arm—for greater mobility.
In a flash, she darted toward a servant holding the ceremonial sword prepared for the upcoming dance performance.
With a crisp metallic sound, the sword left its scabbard, its gleaming blade catching the light of the chandelier.
Honami brought it down hard on the table before Councilman Asakura—though the blade was unsharpened, it cleanly split a sake saucer in two.
In Japanese tradition, this signified a formal rejection of an alliance.
Gazing at the broken saucer, Honami smiled—for the first time in her life, she felt truly free.
"This engagement," she declared loudly, "I'm calling it off!"
(End of Chapter)