"The Nakano family's apartment is impressive enough, but this place is on a whole other level."
It was Saturday. he was at this particular residence because of his morning tutoring session, but...
Yoshida looked up at the estate's massive gate, then glanced left and right, confirming the equally imposing wall that stretched on, seemingly forever, as if it might never end.
This was the Hojoin family manor. A lineage of impeccable pedigree, said to have governed this entire region since ancient times.
Acting on a recommendation from his professor, Yoshida served as the private tutor for the family's daughter.
"Good morning, Yoshida-sensei!"
"Good morning. Thank you for your continued hard work today."
"No, no. Compared to you, Sensei, my duties are nothing. AHAHAHAHA!"
"Ah, well... ha ha ha..."
As he approached the house, the security personnel greeted him.
This was the kind of place where ordinary people wouldn't even be allowed near the perimeter, hence the numerous guards stationed there constantly.
And not just any guards—rumor had it every single one of them was trained in some form of martial arts.
The first time he came here, their alertness level had been so off the charts, Yoshida had genuinely considered doing an about-face and heading straight home.
"Please, please! The head of the family and the young lady have been waiting with bated breath."
Instead of the main gate, the guard opened a smaller, normal-sized door beside it and ushered him inside.
"Thank you. Ah, here are some snacks as a small token. It's nothing special, but please share them amongst yourselves."
"Thank you as always! Everyone here is grateful to Yoshida-sensei!"
The guard accepted the offering with a broad grin.
'They are good people,' Yoshida thought, but their habitually booming voices always made him flinch.
Passing through the doorway with that thought in mind, he was immediately greeted by an elderly man, who bowed deeply, his arms bent formally in front of his stomach.
"Good morning. Welcome, and thank you for gracing us with your presence."
"Good morning. How many times have I said it? Please, no need for such grandiose formalities!"
"Ha ha ha... This, too, is part of our duty. I beg your indulgence."
The man laughing warmly was Genan Narita, the head butler of the Hojoin household. Having served since the time of the previous master, he was the longest-standing member of the estate's staff. Renowned for his martial prowess, every facet of his bearing, down to the way he walked, was immaculate.
Now in his third year of tutoring here, Yoshida had reached an understanding with Genan, allowing them to dispense with overly stiff formalities between them.
Falling into step behind Genan, Yoshida made his way toward the main entrance.
"The garden is as immaculately beautiful as ever."
"Ha ha ha... The gardeners tend to it daily. If left untended, the backlog of work becomes quite the ordeal."
The estate's garden was truly a spectacle, like something lifted straight out of a televised documentary on classic Japanese landscaping.
A short walk through the picturesque scenery brought them to the sprawling main residence.
From the outside, the house was a single-story structure built in a purely traditional Japanese style, right down to the sliding wooden door at the entrance.
Inside, however, it held surprising modern touches, preventing it from feeling like a relic of the past.
"I shall take my leave of you here."
Upon reaching the entrance, Genan bowed and delivered his parting words.
"Hm? Do you have other business to attend to?"
"Yes. I have received direct orders from the lady of the house herself."
Usually, Genan escorted him all the way to the study room. Puzzled by this change in routine, Yoshida voiced his question. Genan simply straightened up, offered a warm smile by way of explanation, and departed.
'Hmm... If the head of the family gave a direct order, I suppose it can't be helped... But...'
A problem immediately presented itself. Specifically, the question of whether Yoshida could even find his way to his student's room unassisted.
The house was vast, a sprawling labyrinth of nearly identical rooms.
He always relied on Genan's guidance. 'Ugh... What a pain... Still, knowing Genan, he might have arranged for someone else to guide me.'
Harboring that slim hope, Yoshida slid open the front door. What awaited him, however, was entirely unexpected. A figure knelt formally in the entryway, sitting in seiza with fingers pressed together in a respectful bow, head lowered.
"Welcome, and thank you for honoring us with your presence, Hirokazu-sama."
The figure raised her head, fixing him with a gentle, affectionate smile.
"K-Kaoruko-san!?"
It was none other than Kaoruko Hojoin, the current head of the family.
Kaoruko was perpetually clad in an elegant kimono, her hair always gathered at the back with an ornate comb, making its true length a mystery.
Yet, her features were refined; she was undoubtedly a great beauty. Though seven years Rena's senior, she possessed a youthful visage that could easily be mistaken for that of a university student.
During their first meeting, Yoshida had laughably mistaken her for his student's older sister.
Kaoruko always wore a gentle, ever-present smile, and Yoshida had never once sensed from her the authoritative dignity one would expect from the family head.
However, according to a friend at university, Kaoruko Hojoin was known in certain circles as an "Ice Queen"—a woman of exceptional judgment and utterly merciless toward anyone who opposed her.
Thanks to her, the Hojoin family's sphere of influence had expanded dramatically, and it was said no one within the prefecture dared defy them. Whispers even connected her to back-channel dealings within the political world.
Even now, looking at the woman offering him such a tender smile, Yoshida found it impossible to reconcile her with that formidable reputation.
Incidentally, Kaoruko's husband had passed away a decade ago, making her household what one might call a single-mother family.
"Fufufu... Please, don't just stand there frozen. Do come inside."
Rising gracefully, Kaoruko chuckled at his stunned immobility, her laughter laced with amusement. She gestured for him to remove his shoes and step up into the house.
"S-Sorry. I never imagined you, of all people, Kaoruko-san, would be here to greet me... Are you sure it's alright? What about work today?"
Following her prompting, Yoshida removed his shoes and stepped up onto the polished wooden floor. As he did, Kaoruko closed the distance, pressing both hands gently against his right arm and leaning her body into his as she answered.
...
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