The main residence of the Shinomiya Conglomerate.
Oko's dwelling. He was Gan'an's eldest son, the first heir to the Shinomiya family throne, as well as the strongest opponent most likely to inherit the throne currently. However, he was also a very stubborn man. His thinking was conservative and reluctant to make progress. He was a person with very strong feudal ideology.
In the new era like now, especially in a world dominated by technology, people reluctant to advance like him were already one step behind. The problem of him being overtaken by others was just a matter of waiting time. If wealth as large as the Shinomiya Conglomerate fell into his hands, perhaps in a few decades, this family would collapse because he absolutely couldn't keep up with the times' progress.
Oko of course also received information about Ryunosuke. However, his style was different from others. He just felt this kid was more suitable to be recruited after he graduated. Let that kid finish his studies first; education was paramount.
Just like that, Oko made a careless decision about a highly potential talent. His reason was also very ridiculous: education.
That's why Gan'an called him someone reluctant to advance.
Great talent should be recruited as early as possible. Who cares about finishing that ridiculous study?
If only Gan'an wasn't too old, he would definitely have taken off his shoes and slapped this stupid son to see what was actually inside his brain.
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On the other side.
Number two of the four major conglomerates, the Shijo family, which was actually a branch family of the Shinomiya conglomerate. Although they were a branch family that separated, their strength couldn't be underestimated. They remained firmly in second position; surpassing the Koenji Conglomerate in third position and the Shiina family in fourth position.
One could imagine how large the Shinomiya Conglomerate's power foundation was that even its branch was that strong.
Maki and Mikado were twins. Mikado was the eldest son of the Shijo family who held the main inheritance rights. Meanwhile, Maki was the eldest daughter; although she didn't hold main inheritance rights, she lived very freely. Unlike other families, the Shijo family had no internal conflicts or bloody wealth struggles; their internal was very harmonious.
Maki's father, who was the head of the Shijo family, also received a report about the commotion Ryunosuke made at school. He found it quite amusing.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Truly a kid who likes making commotion. If I did something like that when I was young, my father would have whipped me to death."
Maki's mother, wearing a luxurious violet purple kimono, served matcha tea in front of her husband. She straightened the edge of her kimono, sat kneeling on the tatami, then rolled her eyes.
"Your father died years ago, why bring it up again? I'm very suspicious he died from high blood pressure because of your actions."
Maki's father's laughter stopped instantly. In the past, to completely separate from the Shinomiya Conglomerate, he had indeed quarreled heavily with his father. That made his father fall seriously ill and die not long after. His wife's words weren't wrong; his father could indeed be said to have "died from frustration" because of him.
But he didn't regret it!
Because he realized, if at that time they hadn't separated, the Shijo branch family would be swallowed whole by that cunning old man named Gan'an. To prevent that, he was willing to cut ties with his father and separate from Shinomiya.
After all, the Shinomiya Conglomerate couldn't be said to be "clean" to reach the position of "Japan's Heart" like now. Just look at the Hayasaka family they destroyed; even their wives and children weren't released and were made servants. He was afraid his wife and daughter would end up like that, that's why he was very firm about separating. Until now, he didn't regret that decision, even though he had to make his father die from anger...
Maki's mother took the document about Ryunosuke on the table and read it. She also felt this kid was very interesting.
"Our daughter, Maki-chan, is already mature enough. What do you think, is this kid suitable to be our son-in-law?"
"Pfftt!!" The tea in Maki's father's mouth immediately sprayed onto his wife's face.
His wife remained silent without expression. The husband instantly panicked, rushed to wipe his wife's face with his own shirt sleeve while apologizing repeatedly.
"I really didn't mean to, Honey. It's just you suddenly gave such shocking news. I got surprised."
His wife pushed away her husband's hand. "Enough, enough! Don't use your shirt sleeve, let me do it myself!"
His wife took out a gold thread handkerchief from inside her kimono sleeve. After wiping the remaining water, she threw that gold handkerchief into the trash just like that. Even though the gold thread on that handkerchief was worth hundreds of thousands of yen, she didn't feel sorry at all.
Maki's mother returned to the original topic. "Our daughter has reached marriageable age, and I think this kid is very suitable. Still young, full of spirit, and not afraid of problems. Moreover, his background is very clean, without any ties."
What she meant was the fact that Ryunosuke's parents were gone...
"Even if he enters the Shijo family as a live-in son-in-law, he will definitely serve wholeheartedly. Because he no longer has parents, he has no other burdens. After marriage and having children later, his heart will definitely be fully focused on us."
Maki's father put down his teacup. "I understand your meaning, Wife. But shouldn't we ask our child's opinion first?"
"I don't object!" Maki pushed the door open and entered. She had already heard the entire conversation.
Currently, Maki hadn't yet become a "naive-stupid" girl like in the future. Just like Kaguya, she was a beautiful expressionless ice-faced girl. The difference was, this attitude of hers was just an act; she just wanted to appear strong in front of others so she wouldn't be easily underestimated.
With a flat face, she approached her parents and took Ryunosuke's document. Although this young man wasn't a super handsome man, his various abilities deserved appreciation, especially what he did at school. No wonder her parents were interested in him.
Maki immediately gave an assessment. "He is a very competent person."
Seeing their daughter's attitude, Maki's parents were very satisfied. Not arrogant, not rash, and could rationally assess the essence of something; that was already very good. At least far superior to that old fart Gan'an's eldest son. Although they had separated, the Shijo family still wanted to surpass the Shinomiya Conglomerate to prove that their decision back then wasn't wrong.