Volume 1. Chapter 29. Greeting

Kaito slowly turned his head, his once-contented smile vanishing without a trace. It wasn't that he was hiding his emotions—no, they simply disappeared, as if a dark veil had fallen over his gaze. Despite the blindfold, he could clearly sense every movement of the guests disturbing the silence of this place."Master, you have visitors," the servant announced, bowing his head in respect as he led them inside."Yes, I see," Kaito replied, his voice cold and detached.He slowly placed his foot on the lower step and sat down in the shadow of the staircase, absentmindedly playing with his fingers without removing the blindfold. And at that moment, everyone present could feel it—his unseen power pressing upon them."We have come to—" Friedrich began, his voice carrying a faint accent. He tried to sound composed, but there was a slight tension in his tone.But before he could finish, Kaito raised his hand in his direction—a clear sign that he had no interest in hearing more.Everything seemed to freeze in the air.A faint whistle passed between his fingers, yet he remained silent. It wasn't a demand. It was barely even a gesture.It was an order. One that was beyond question.The guests felt the tension wrap around them like a tightening noose.That same Kaito—blindfolded, expressionless—had become the very embodiment of the unwelcoming presence they had sensed from the moment they arrived. Hospitality was nowhere to be found here. That much had been clear even yesterday when they stood at the gates, watching how those who belonged to his world avoided them without so much as a word of explanation.They were not welcome here.At that moment, the blindfolded young man seemed to draw in all the attention. His steps grew more assured, and as he reached the last step of the staircase, he scratched behind his ear, as if lost in thought.His voice, when he finally spoke, was steady, devoid of unnecessary inflections—yet somehow, it still carried a subtle, provoking edge. As if his very first words were meant to sow doubt among those gathered."Took you long enough to find me," Kaito said, furrowing his brow. "Scared off all my subordinates, and now you've barged in here?"His unseen gaze swept over the group, sharp and piercing despite the blindfold covering his eyes. Everything about him—the way he stood, the way he spoke—suggested that he had foreseen this meeting long before they even considered seeking him out."So, to what do I owe the pleasure, gentlemen?" he added, his voice laced with light sarcasm, as if toying with them. His words rang out like a test of patience.Silence weighed down on the courtyard.No interruptions. No attempts at conversation.Just his words—hanging in the air, unanswered.At that moment, even the most experienced among the guests felt the air grow heavy, as if they had walked straight into a trap.Every word Kaito spoke, his composed demeanor, his unshaken confidence—it all forced them to reconsider.What if this man was not the person they had expected to meet?Sergey Gromov was the first to break the silence. In his usual manner, he stepped forward, extending a hand with practiced ease."Master Kaito, a pleasure to meet you! My name is—?"He left the sentence open, anticipating a customary handshake—just as it always happened when dealing with men of power.But before he could finish, Kaito, still not bothering to look at them, as if lost in his own thoughts, cut him off with an almost effortless remark."Sergey Gromov. Russian billionaire, oligarch, entrepreneur… and head of the mafia. Yes, yes. I know."Gromov froze.His hand remained suspended in the air—motionless, unnatural.For the first time in a long while, he felt his heart skip a beat.This was unfamiliar territory. Even for him.A faint heat crept into his face, an almost imperceptible hesitation in his movements—small, yet utterly uncharacteristic for a man used to controlling every situation.How?How had a simple billionaire like himself ended up standing before someone who looked at him as if he were nothing?As if he had known everything about him from the very first glance?"Who the hell does he think he is?" The thought flashed through Gromov's mind, irritation bubbling beneath the surface."How dare he speak to me like this? A few cheap tricks don't give him the right to act so damn arrogant!"For the first time in his life, Gromov felt what it was like to be dismissed so utterly.As if his status, his reputation, his wealth—none of it mattered.The other guests held their breath, exchanging uneasy glances.They couldn't ignore the ease with which Kaito spoke to someone as powerful as Gromov.Others would have killed for the chance to hold a conversation with a billionaire.But this wasn't mere arrogance.It was something deeper. Something elusive. Something that didn't fit within the usual rules of their world.And if Gromov, despite his rising indignation, stood there looking momentarily lost—then Chzhao, Reijiro, Richard, their daughters, and the rest of the guests realized one undeniable truth.This man—Kaito—was not from their world.His confidence. His casual, almost lazy way of speaking. The way he raised an indifferent brow at the most powerful people in the room.This was no young heir. No cunning businessman.He was something else entirely.Something beyond their control."This guy has no sense of etiquette." Chzhao thought, barely suppressing the irritation in his expression.They could all feel it now—an invisible wall, something intangible yet absolute.It wasn't just that Kaito was standing before them.It felt as if he were standing above them.Here they were—gathered in this mysterious compound.The most powerful figures in the world.Their children, raised on wealth, influence, and respect.And yet, they all stood before him—this strange man with a blindfold, who hadn't even bothered to greet them properly.It was his indifference, his complete disregard for decorum, that unsettled them the most.Lady Chzhao, ever the master of subtle intrigue, offered a delicate smile, narrowing her eyes as she studied Kaito."Then I suppose you also know why we've come, sir?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement, as if tossing out bait.Kaito tilted his head slightly, as though the question was almost too obvious."Of course," he replied, his lips curling into the faintest shadow of a smile—though there was no warmth in it.Then, pausing for a moment, he inclined his head ever so slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear.And in that same even, unreadable tone, he continued:"You don't even need intuition to see it. Your fathers are ill. That aura around them… it's far from normal."The air in the room turned heavy.Until now, none of them had dared to say it out loud.They had hidden it. Even from each other.They exchanged glances, the realization sinking in.This strange man wasn't just guessing.He knew."At this rate, you'll all be dead soon," he added, his voice utterly indifferent, as if discussing the weather.That was enough to shatter the fragile tension."Watch your mouth!" Haruko's voice rang with fury.She clenched her fists, stepping forward—only to be stopped by the firm grip of her father's hand on her shoulder."Calm yourself, daughter," Yamato Reijiro ordered, his tone heavy with warning.His grip didn't just restrain her—it forced her to stop.But even Lady Chzhao pressed her lips together, her patience stretched dangerously thin."Yes, quiet. Control yourself, Haruko," she said, her voice smooth but sharp, as though she too was barely holding back from saying exactly what she thought.Everyone understood one thing—Kaito wasn't speaking idly.He knew something.The real question was…What would he ask for in return?