They had been completely thrown off by this man's overwhelmingly protective, domineering behavior.
"Ahem..."
In the end, it was Maki who first broke the silence thick with "ambiguous" air.
She gave Cloud a slight bow, performing a flawless lady's curtsy, her voice still gentle as water.
"Mr. Cloud, thank you for your assistance today."
"No big deal."
Cloud waved dismissively, that carefree smile back on his face—as if the man who'd just ground an imperial envoy under his foot while unleashing a torrent of profanity wasn't him at all.
"However..."
Maki's face showed a hint of worry.
"Your reckless announcement of the Kusanagi name may well... bring considerable trouble to the Kusanagi clan."
"Trouble?"
Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"What trouble? You think that worthless prince would dare send an army to siege Kusanagi Castle?"
"It won't go that far—after all, the Kusanagi clan is Japan's most powerful family."
Maki shook her head.
"But the Imperial family is still this nation's symbol. By slapping their face today, they'll certainly pressure the Kusanagi clan. I'm worried..."
Before she could finish, Chizuru beside her was already jumping with anxiety!
"That's right!"
She couldn't care about embarrassment anymore, looking at Cloud with urgent worry.
"I've heard the Kusanagi clan's rules are incredibly strict! You're just a branch family member, but you've caused such huge trouble for us Kagura folk outside... They'll definitely punish you severely!"
"Sis!"
She tugged at Maki's sleeve, speaking in an almost pleading tone.
"Think of something! Don't you have some connections with the Kusanagi clan head? Could you... as fellow Three Sacred Treasures families... put in a word for him? Ask them to go easy?"
Watching Chizuru's adorable, nearly tearful expression of genuine concern for him, Cloud felt a warm current flow through his heart.
But his face maintained that "I'm worthless trash with nothing to fear" bravado.
"Put in a word?"
He shook his head, then spoke in a half-joking, half-serious tone, looking at the beautiful sisters who were both watching him nervously:
"No need for such trouble."
"If the Kusanagi clan dares punish me over something this small..."
His lips curved into a roguish arc.
"Then I'll... defect on the spot!"
"When that happens, I'll run to your Kagura Shrine and chop wood, sweep floors, and serve tea every day. And if you don't mind... marrying in as your live-in husband and waiting on you both isn't off the table either."
This "heartfelt confession" full of outrageous flirting instantly froze the atmosphere again.
"Pfft—!"
Chizuru's face instantly flushed tomato-red! She spat lightly at Cloud, pouting charmingly:
"Dream on! Who... who wants you as a live-in husband?! Shameless rogue!"
Though her words were scolding, those bright phoenix eyes sparkled with... a hint of "secret delight."
And Maki, watching this man who was clearly in "danger" yet still had the mood to clown around, showed for the first time a hint of helpless yet amused indulgence in those deep eyes.
She sighed softly.
"Cloud... have a seat."
She pushed a freshly brewed cup of fragrant tea, still steaming, in front of Cloud.
"There are some things I think... it's time to tell you."
...
In the shrine's tea room, sandalwood incense curled through the air as the atmosphere turned solemn.
Maki Kagura knelt at the other end of the tea table, her gentle, elegant face carrying a trace of reminiscence and the weight of a guardian's burden.
She began to tell the story—spanning a millennium, existing only in mythology and legend—of an ancient destiny.
"Long, long ago, when our three great families were still called Kusanagi, Yata, and Yasakani, we did not exist to protect the Emperor."
"We were... the Emperor's most loyal blades and shields."
Her words made both Cloud and Chizuru start slightly.
"The Kusanagi clan was born with divine power over crimson flames. They were the Emperor's most trusted sword-bearing guards, responsible for... eliminating all gods, demons, and giant beasts that dared challenge imperial authority."
Maki's voice drifted as if from a distant time and space.
"Our Yata clan possessed the Yata Mirror's power—to see through the past, predict the future, and seal all evil. We were the Emperor's national advisors, responsible for reading heaven's will, establishing feng shui, and ensuring national prosperity."
"As for the Yasakani clan..."
Here, something complex flickered in her eyes.
"They were also born with the ability to control flames—kings of the night. They were the Emperor's sharpest daggers, the Imperial secret police, responsible for... using the bloodiest, most direct methods to eliminate anything and anyone harmful to imperial power."
Cloud listened with jaw agape.
Holy shit!
So the "Three Sacred Treasures" families were basically ancient Japan's "Imperial Super-Powered Special Forces"!
The Kusanagi clan was SHIELD's assault team.
The Kagura clan was the Strategic Deception Bureau's fortune tellers.
And the Yagami clan... totally MI6's 007!
...
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