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"So it's Captain Aozaki! I didn't expect to see you here, it's truly an honor!"
Kumoi's face was full of fawning smiles, his gaze fixed on Aozaki Reiji, as if he had seen a mountain of gold.
"I heard that Captain Aozaki was recently promoted to an Upper Noble, this is truly a great joy!"
"This old man, Gyōkaku Kumoi, represents the Kasumioji Family in extending my most sincere congratulations to you!"
Kumoi's words startled everyone present.
Especially Kasumioji Rurichiyo, her eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.
This vassal, who had just been so respectful to her, now dared to stand up so boldly and congratulate someone on behalf of the entire Kasumioji Family?
Meanwhile, Kūkaku, Shiba Kaien, and Shiba also exchanged glances, their hearts filled with doubt.
They couldn't understand how a mere servant dared to say such words in such a setting?
However, Kumoi seemed to pay no attention to the reactions of others.
His eyes only held Aozaki Reiji, as if as long as he could please this man, nothing else mattered.
At this moment, Kasumioji Rurichiyo's brows were tightly furrowed, and she was secretly annoyed.
She never expected Kumoi to make such an outrageous move at this time.
Where did his previous respectful attitude towards her go?
Why did he show such abnormal behavior only when facing this man?
Kumoi didn't care about what they were thinking.
He only had one thought in his mind: he must do everything possible to win over this man!
He actually always had an ambition to usurp the power of the Kasumioji Family.
He had been doing just that over the years; aside from a few loyalists of the family head, the power of the family head's lineage was basically in his hands.
Aozaki Reiji was undoubtedly an important chess piece that could help him realize his ambition.
If he could get Aozaki Reiji's support, achieving this ambition would become very simple.
And now was a good opportunity to win over Aozaki Reiji.
Congratulating him in the name of the Kasumioji Family was undoubtedly full of sincerity.
In his opinion, although Aozaki Reiji was also an Upper Noble, he was ultimately just an individual, while the Kasumioji Family was the most powerful Upper Noble family currently, the family closest to the Five Great Noble Houses.
However, Aozaki Reiji's next words poured cold water on him.
"Since when can a mere servant represent the Kasumioji Family? Does the Kasumioji Family not even know how to restrain its subordinates? If it's really not working, let this Captain help you discipline them, the fee is very cheap."
Aozaki Reiji winked at Kasumioji Rurichiyo, and said lightly.
Kasumioji Rurichiyo couldn't help but nod in satisfaction; this man still had her, the family head, in his eyes, and even helped her, this young lady, say things she usually didn't dare to say.
Kumoi always considered himself an elder and treated her like a child, truly not taking her status as family head seriously.
"But Captain Aozaki…" Kumoi said with a frown.
"Too talkative! Did I tell you to speak?"
Aozaki Reiji raised an eyebrow, and a faint pressure surged towards Kumoi, causing him to instantly lose consciousness and faint.
Everyone present felt a tremor in their hearts.
That Reiatsu just now wasn't directed at them, but just the faint sensation made them break out in cold sweat, feeling as if they had just walked through hell and been pulled back.
"I haven't introduced myself yet."
Feeling Aozaki Reiji's gaze, Kasumioji Rurichiyo seemed to react at this moment, gathering her courage and saying, "I…I am Kasumioji Rurichiyo, the head of the Kasumioji Family."
"Wow, quite a presence!" Aozaki Reiji said as if coaxing a child, "I am Aozaki Reiji, hello, Miss Rurichiyo."
Aozaki Reiji looked at the girl in front of him, and the girl lowered her head, a moment of silence.
"Miss Rurichiyo, let's go inside first."
Shiba came to Kasumioji Rurichiyo at the opportune moment.
Kasumioji Rurichiyo reluctantly glanced at Aozaki Reiji, then left with two guards supporting the unconscious Kumoi.
"These little girls nowadays are truly precocious—" Kūkaku said with a smile.
"What do you mean?" Aozaki Reiji asked.
"Oh, come on, you wouldn't not know—" Kūkaku pouted, "That girl clearly has ulterior motives towards you."
"I see, in that case, I should be happy."
Aozaki Reiji feigned an expression of sudden realization, which made Kūkaku roll her eyes in exasperation.
"So good to the Kasumioji Family head?"
"The rumors are indeed true."
"Must report back to the family head, are there any suitable female relatives in the family still…"
Everyone looked at the two talking and laughing, their thoughts becoming active.
"What, angry and sad? Am I not still by your side?"
Looking at Kūkaku, who had turned her face away, Aozaki Reiji directly wrapped his arm around her slender waist and whispered softly in her ear.
The two of them, disregarding the strange looks from the crowd, walked into the house, chatting and laughing.
...
"Come, come, Shiba family head, hmm, this is truly good wine."
Kumoi actively refilled the cup of Shiba Kaien in front of him, then took his own cup and said.
"Kumoi is too polite."
Shiba Kaien feigned happiness and drained the wine in his cup, but in reality, he greatly disliked the man in front of him.
But since the other party was sitting here representing the Kasumioji Family head, he couldn't very well go and bring that little sister back to drink, could he?
"Why don't I see Aozaki-sama?" Kumoi asked with a smile while drinking.
"It was all my fault just now, and I was thinking of apologizing to Aozaki-sama."
This guy is also capable of adapting. Shiba Kaien thought.
If he had been humiliated by Aozaki Reiji in public like that, even if his strength was far inferior to his, he would never say he wanted to apologize to him in front of everyone.
Shiba Kaien didn't understand that sometimes dignity is worthless in the eyes of some ambitious people.
...
"So it's Aozaki-sama…"
A tender and soft voice came from behind, and a smile appeared on Aozaki Reiji's face before he turned around.
In the garden, a young girl in a pink kimono was slowly approaching.
The hem of her skirt was embroidered with delicate peach blossoms, as if gently swaying in the breeze.
This young girl named Kasumioji Rurichiyo, was like an unopened flower bud in a cluster of flowers, exuding a fresh aura.
"So it's Miss Rurichiyo." Aozaki Reiji gazed at the young girl in front of him, a slight smile on his lips, and said softly.
"Shouldn't Miss Rurichiyo be discussing important matters with the Shiba family head right now? Why have you come here alone?"
"I don't understand those things they are discussing. Besides, I have never liked the smell of alcohol, so I…"
Kasumioji Rurichiyo lowered her head slightly, seemingly feeling a bit willful, and looked down at her toes.
"So I left there alone."
Aozaki Reiji lightly sniffed the fragrant scent from the flower bushes, and immediately understood why ancient Western poetry was always keen on associating women with flowers.
Next to him, wasn't there a girl as fresh and lovely as a flower bud?
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