Chapter 231: Natsuba Yosuke’s Plan
With Chikari Tanishi, Mizuō Morishige, and several other members of the Chikari and Mizuō branches escorting them…
Natsuba Hanae and Chikari Makoto were sent back to Natsuba Hanae’s room.
The escorts’ expressions were filled with hostility towards Natsuba Hanae and Chikari Makoto. But when they entered the room and closed the wooden door…
Chikari Tanishi and Mizuō Morishige quickly turned around and faced Natsuba Hanae.
And the two of them instantly knelt on both knees, their foreheads touching the cold floor. They kowtowed and said,
“Second Miss, we were rude just now.”
“Master of Summer Harvest Mountain, good day. May your martial fortune be prosperous.”
Hearing this, there was no emotional fluctuation in Natsuba Hanae’s red, glass-like beautiful eyes. She shook her head and said softly,
“It’s fine.”
“This was my own idea.”
“You may rise.”
At the same time, Natsuba Hanae looked to the side.
She saw that Chikari Makoto’s hands and pink lips were now covered in a red killing intent, like shackles, restricting Chikari Makoto’s movements.
And it even made it impossible for Chikari Makoto to speak.
Facing Chikari Makoto, a crimson strange light appeared in Natsuba Hanae’s eyes. A wisp of deathly stillness Sanctuary Flame emerged from her fingertips, and she flicked it.
In an instant, the seemingly numerous killing intent, in just a flash, was completely devoured by a wisp of Sanctuary Flame, and disappeared completely.
And a hint of joy appeared in Chikari Makoto’s gleaming golden pupils.
“That’s great. I can finally speak again.”
“Natsuba Genryū’s killing intent is actually so strong. Natsuba Rinrei had clearly fought him for a long time before. Why am I still so bad after I’ve been promoted?”
Thinking of this, the hint of joy that had just appeared on Chikari Makoto’s face quickly turned into dejection.
Did this not mean that the combat gap between her and Natsuba Rinrei had further widened? How could Chikari Makoto become the strongest and most beautiful cub under her mother’s command?
Seeing this, a look of helplessness appeared in Natsuba Hanae’s eyes, as if she were disappointed in Chikari Makoto for not living up to expectations. Natsuba Hanae pursed her lips slightly.
“All along, I’ve told you to observe more.”
“Your current combat power, against the equally early A-rank Rinrei, the outcome is very difficult to predict.”
“To be crushed by Natsuba Genryū’s killing intent is not a limitation of strength.”
“But his ability is somewhat restraining to you.”
“If you were to completely enter a battle posture with all your heart, with that kind of mentality, perhaps you could reduce the suppression of the killing intent on you to a minimum.”
“Unfortunately, in that situation just now, the battle was over before it had even begun.”
In reality, there was another point.
Facing Natsuba Rinrei, Natsuba Genryū was wary of Susanoo’s unconscious divinity.
But for Chikari Makoto, it was different.
There was no need to be wary at all. And because of Chikari Makoto’s age and potential, it had given Natsuba Genryū a very strong killing intent.
So, Natsuba Genryū had gone all out from the start.
And with this one sword strike, even if it had been Natsuba Rinrei at that time, if Natsuba Genryū had used this sword strike at the beginning of the battle, Rinrei probably wouldn’t have been able to take it.
Natsuba Hanae slowly explained.
Chikari Makoto had just advanced to A-rank. Natsuba Hanae couldn’t let this matter affect Chikari Makoto’s state of mind. Otherwise, it would be a hindrance to her future rank.
And Chikari Makoto would have the thought that she was inferior to Natsuba Rinrei.
And now, Chikari Makoto had the thought of competing with Natsuba Rinrei, which could very well stimulate her own competitiveness, and thus she would train even harder to improve her own rank.
After all, in Natsuba Hanae’s eyes, Natsuba Rinrei and Chikari Makoto were the only two daughters with the strongest combat power.
Even Kamishiro Hime, if they were at the same rank, in terms of combat power alone, she would not be their opponent.
Natsuba Rinrei and Chikari Makoto were the ones Natsuba Hanae wanted to focus on cultivating in this aspect.
Not only that, but besides their combat power, their rank advancement speed was also considerable, and they had their own paths they wanted to take.
And a firm mentality.
And this was precisely the most important place for advancing to godhood.
With the assistance of the divinity Natsuba Hanae bestowed, as long as these were stabilized…
When Natsuba Rinrei and Chikari Makoto reached the divine realm, then in the future, Natsuba Hanae could fish… and worry less.
And hearing Natsuba Hanae’s explanation…
Chikari Makoto’s originally slightly dejected expression immediately became excited and overjoyed. Her gleaming golden pupils were full of joy.
“Hahahahahaha.”
“So that’s how it is. I knew Rinrei couldn’t surpass me by so much.”
“Phew.”
“It feels so good to be able to speak again. Natsuba Genryū actually used his killing intent to seal my mouth for so long. If I have a chance in the future, I’ll definitely punch him a few times to vent my anger.”
Just then…
“Knock, knock, knock————!”
A knock was heard at the door. Natsuba Hanae nodded slightly, and Mizuō Morishige said,
“Come in.”
In the next moment, Mizuō Rin walked in.
He knelt on both knees and went straight to the point,
“Second Miss, Natsuba Genryū has just left the Natsuba main residence, but…”
“Natsuba Yosuke has come outside, and has come to find Steward Chikari and Branch Head Morishige. He seems to want them to make an exception, to see if he can meet with the Second Miss and Chikari Makoto.”
The moment Mizuō Rin finished speaking, a look of great interest appeared in Natsuba Hanae’s red, glass-like beautiful eyes.
“Oh?”
“My last brother, could Natsuba Yosuke be so eager to follow in the footsteps of those two brothers?”
“To take the initiative to see a member of Summer Harvest Mountain, and not be afraid of Natsuba Genryū’s great anger.”
However, the current Natsuba Genryū probably had no way to deal with Natsuba Yosuke.
Facing the last remaining “only seedling” of the Natsuba direct descendants, the original contempt had now turned into a full sense of cherishment. Natsuba Genryū probably didn’t dare to let Natsuba Yosuke out now, but had confined him to the main residence.
This way, Natsuba Genryū could ensure complete safety.
However…
Natsuba Hanae was a little curious. Although Summer Harvest Mountain and Natsuba Yosuke had established a verbal cooperative relationship before, Natsuba Yosuke’s purpose was to become the head of the family.
And now, as long as Natsuba Genryū died, the position of head of the family was almost one hundred percent Natsuba Yosuke’s.
He should have no need to see Summer Harvest Mountain at all.
On the contrary, because of that transaction, Natsuba Yosuke should have been hiding from Summer Harvest Mountain, to prevent them from revealing that matter. In that case, although Natsuba Genryū would not be ruthless to Natsuba Yosuke…
But a small pain and a scolding were certain.
In short, it was still not worth it.
So, regarding Natsuba Yosuke’s thoughts, Natsuba Hanae was a little confused.
In that case, it was not impossible to just call him in.
Thinking of this, Natsuba Hanae said,
“Rin, call him in.”
With that, before Mizuō Rin could speak, Chikari Makoto beside her shouted,
“Yes, yes!”
“Call Natsuba Yosuke in! Natsuba Genryū bullied me. My current strength, if I can’t beat that old one, can’t I beat this young one?!”
“I’ll swell his face!”
Chikari Makoto raised her fist and shook it lightly. A pale golden aura appeared on it.
Seeing this, Natsuba Hanae almost forgot.
It was because she had been seen by Natsuba Genryū as having used up the divinity granted by the god of Summer Harvest Mountain, that was why he had not restrained her with his killing intent.
But Chikari Makoto was restrained by Natsuba Genryū’s killing intent.
Once Natsuba Yosuke came in and saw Chikari Makoto’s current state, would it not be exposed?
Thinking of this, and seeing the chattering Chikari Makoto, who was preparing to be ruthless to Natsuba Yosuke, at Natsuba Hanae’s fingertip, a killing intent that was very similar to Natsuba Genryū’s emerged.
And she said softly,
“Makoto, bear with it.”
In the next moment, Natsuba Hanae flicked her finger.
Chikari Makoto: “……”
Her pink lips had not been freed for two minutes, and she was once again sealed by a killing intent. Her hands were also bound with shackles again.
And Mizuō Rin knew the priorities of the matter. He immediately walked out the door.
Not long after, he led in Natsuba Yosuke and Mikami Taku.
The moment he entered, Natsuba Yosuke bowed slightly to Chikari Tanishi and Mizuō Morishige and said,
“Thank you, Steward Chikari, Steward Mizuō.”
Seeing this…
A strange light appeared in Natsuba Hanae’s red, glass-like beautiful eyes. Her lips curled into a shallow smile.
It seemed that this brother of hers was not without any changes. He seemed to have been rounded by life, and had become a lot smoother.
Then, Natsuba Yosuke glanced at Natsuba Hanae, but immediately focused on the person he thought was more important…
———On Chikari Makoto.
His pale golden pupils were dark and uncertain, and a thoughtful look appeared in his eyes. He said,
“Steward Chikari, Steward Mizuō.”
“Before my father left, he assigned me a task, to interrogate these two traitors from Summer Harvest Mountain.”
“It’s a top-secret matter. Could you please make way?”
This was a lie.
This was Natsuba Yosuke’s excuse, to have a chance to be alone with the people of Summer Harvest Mountain. But without a proper reason, he couldn’t just dismiss these two branch heads.
He could only borrow Natsuba Genryū’s prestige.
Fortunately, now that Natsuba Genryū had left, it was impossible to verify. And although Natsuba Yosuke had not been acknowledged by Natsuba Genryū, he had been tacitly acknowledged as the heir.
So, his words had a certain effect.
But precisely because he had not been publicly acknowledged as the heir to the Natsuba conglomerate, he couldn’t just dismiss the branch heads with his heir status, but could only borrow Natsuba Genryū’s prestige.
If it had been Natsuba Kouryu and Natsuba Taiga back then, they would not have needed Natsuba Genryū’s prestige at all.
And hearing Natsuba Yosuke’s words, Chikari Tanishi, Mizuō Morishige, and Mizuō Rin looked at each other and nodded.
“Alright.”
For this kind of problem, they naturally had no need to ask Natsuba Hanae for her opinion.
If they didn’t even have this much independent judgment, they wouldn’t have been able to sit in this position.
They knew very well that the Second Miss was not some ordinary person who had joined Summer Harvest Mountain and had obtained a wisp of a god’s divinity, as Natsuba Genryū had thought.
The Second Miss was the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain, and was the god of Summer Harvest Mountain herself.
To have the Second Miss and Natsuba Yosuke in the same room, the one in danger was not the Second Miss, but Natsuba Yosuke.
With the three of them walking out the door…
Mikami Taku also followed closely behind. He walked out the door and stood outside, preventing anyone from listening.
And so, only three people were left in the room.
Even though he knew that the two were members of Summer Harvest Mountain, Natsuba Yosuke was not flustered at all. In a short while, at less than twenty years of age, he was about to advance to B-rank.
He was a veritable genius………
————After his pale golden pupils had focused on Chikari Makoto, Natsuba Yosuke stopped thinking.
At fifteen, to have reached A-rank, compared to Chikari Makoto, he was no genius at all.
However, Chikari Makoto was now restrained by Natsuba Yosuke’s father with his killing intent and couldn’t cause Natsuba Yosuke any harm. And Natsuba Hanae, now without her divinity, was just an ordinary person.
As a C-rank critical point, Natsuba Yosuke naturally had nothing to worry about.
Moreover, outside the door, with Uncle Taku as a guard, if anything really went wrong, then the Mizuō and Chikari branches, who were not far away, would instantly arrive.
So, he had the courage to come here.
Natsuba Yosuke’s originally somewhat respectful attitude towards Chikari Tanishi and Mizuō Morishige, in the face of Natsuba Hanae and Chikari Makoto, gradually became arrogant.
And he became the Natsuba Yosuke from Natsuba Hanae’s previous impression.
It seemed that Natsuba Yosuke hadn’t changed much, but had just hidden it.
And hiding was precisely one of the talents of a direct descendant of the Natsuba family.
It was just that Natsuba Yosuke’s use of it was still a bit rough.
Ignoring Natsuba Hanae, and facing Chikari Makoto.
After all, in Natsuba Yosuke’s eyes, although both Natsuba Hanae and Chikari Makoto were from Summer Harvest Mountain, Chikari Makoto, who had acted with the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain before, was in a higher position.
He said,
“I didn’t expect that we would meet with you as a prisoner, Chikari Makoto.”
“Oh, no…”
“I should call you—the Bird Master.”
Chikari Makoto: “……”
She wanted to say something, but her mouth was now sealed, and she couldn’t speak. So she looked at Natsuba Hanae.
Seeing this, Natsuba Hanae pursed her lips slightly, and a faint smile appeared. She said softly,
“The Bird Master has now entrusted everything to me.”
“Brother, you used Father’s name to dismiss Steward Chikari and Steward Mizuō. It shouldn’t just be to greet us, right?”
Hearing this, Natsuba Yosuke couldn’t help but be taken aback.
His pale golden pupils widened slightly.
He hadn’t expected Natsuba Hanae to have guessed that he had used his father’s name.
Indeed, although Natsuba Hanae had no supernatural ability, her intelligence and her status as a direct descendant of the Natsuba family were what Summer Harvest Mountain saw in her.
However, now she was just a prisoner. There was nothing to be wary of.
But as Natsuba Hanae had said…
Natsuba Yosuke had come here for a reason, and it was certainly not for meaningless small talk.
Facing Natsuba Hanae, Natsuba Yosuke’s lips curled into a smile. He was quite confident, feeling that everything was under his control. He said,
“You’re right.”
“Since you’ve guessed, then I’ll get straight to the point.”
“I think, with your lives as a bargaining chip, we can start a new cooperation with Summer Harvest Mountain.”
“You shouldn’t have any reason to refuse, right?”
Indeed, Natsuba Yosuke was almost one hundred percent sure he could get the position of head of the family.
But at that time, as the head of the family, the current branch families, none of them took him seriously. Was his position as the head of the family really a real one?
So, he needed new power.
And now was the opportunity.
