The Price of a Diamond – Chapter 8.2

The Hidden Heir

The Fujiwara family, once the unstoppable force behind the country's history, had declined after the wars.

The endless cycle of power and bloodshed had left them weary. The once all-powerful Fujiwara found themselves bypassed and sidelined in the aftermath of the war, their former influence shattered.

The In no chō stepped in to fill the vacuum, quickly replacing the Fujiwara in political influence, especially in decision-making.

But despite their fall from grace, the Fujiwara still held position and power. They were no longer the puppet masters, but they were civil dictators, ministers of the center, still holding some sway over the country's affairs.

However, internally, the Fujiwara family fractured into northern and southern factions, torn apart by years of conflict and power struggles.

But war—blood, violence, and the weight of their responsibilities—had taken its toll. Many of the old Fujiwara had become tired. Tired of the pressure, tired of the legacy, and tired of the responsibility.

Still, they had influence. They had power in the shadows.

The public still had a positive impression of the Fujiwara, especially after they had signed the Treaty—the agreement that ended the critical war. It had been the Fujiwara who had halted the bloodshed, who had kept peace in the final hour. The treaty had solidified their place in history, and the public still respected them for it.

But even with that, the imperial family had fractured. The very descendants of emperors now led the country, though they were constantly wary of the Fujiwara—especially the military connection that came with their name.

And then there was Daniel Fujiwara.

The world didn't know it, but Daniel was the grandchild of Fujiwara no Yorimune, a figure whose name had once struck fear into enemies.

He was the great-grandchild of Fujiwara no Korechika, a man who had held great power and influence in the days of old.

Fujiwara no Korechika had been the nephew of Fujiwara no Michinaga, the true dictator who had once controlled the country.

Daniel was, in essence, the heir to the throne—the last true descendant of a family that had once been the power behind the throne.

But Daniel didn't know this.

He had grown up believing that his family was nothing more than a footnote in history. He never understood the weight of his ancestral legacy.

He was just a quiet man with a quiet life, running his shop, making his small, humble living, and staying away from the politics of the world.(he might know something right🙀)

Little did he know, the world still feared the Fujiwara name.

Even in the new era, his name carried power. It was a name that could shift the balance of nations.

Ava had no idea of the full extent of Daniel's lineage.

She was still trying to piece together the man she had once betrayed.