The Shinomiya Family Meeting

In a luxurious car gliding smoothly through the streets of Tokyo, Shinomiya Kaguya sat quietly, gazing at her faint reflection in the window.

Her Shuchi'in Academy uniform was still immaculate, without a single crease out of place. The black-and-red ribbon that usually tied her hair remained perfectly in place. From the outside, she appeared as calm as ever—graceful and unshakable, like a true princess.

However, her mind was in turmoil.

'Father called me... during school hours?'

This was something that had never happened before. Even during important family ceremonies, Shinomiya Gan'an—the head of the Shinomiya family and her biological father—had never specifically summoned her during her school activities.

Not that she expected any special attention from him.

As an illegitimate daughter, Kaguya held no strong position within the family. Her existence was acknowledged merely as a formality. Her older brothers, born from the legitimate wife, held full rights to the Shinomiya name. As for her? She was just a sidelined daughter in the family's political games.

That was why this sudden summons felt so strange.

"Kaguya-sama."

The driver's voice broke her reverie. The elderly man glanced through the rearview mirror, hesitating for a moment before speaking.

"We'll arrive at the main residence in five minutes. Is there anything you'd like me to relay to the servants beforehand?"

Kaguya shook her head gently.

"No need."

Her cold voice echoed inside the car. Though her heart was filled with uncertainty, she showed no sign of weakness. As a Shinomiya, she had to remain composed, no matter what.

'After all, this is still my family's home. I won't show weakness in front of them.'

The car continued along the private road leading to the Shinomiya family's main residence—a sprawling complex that resembled a feudal palace more than the home of a corporate conglomerate.

As the massive iron gates slowly opened, Kaguya took a deep breath.

Today, for the first time in her life, her father had summoned her directly.

And she didn't know whether that was a good or bad sign.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Her footsteps echoed through the wide marble corridor, the red velvet carpet beneath her feet a symbol of status. But to Kaguya, it was nothing more than empty decoration.

Servants passing by immediately stopped, bowing their heads respectfully as she walked past. This was a form of etiquette they had learned well, but Kaguya didn't even glance at them.

What was the point of respect without power?

She had more important things to think about.

'Hayasaka…'

Since childhood, Hayasaka had always been by her side—as a maid, as a companion, as someone who understood her better than anyone else. Yet, overnight, she had been taken away without warning.

'She was even transferred from Shuchi'in Academy to another school. Kaguya grumbled inwardly.

'Is it possible to persuade Father to bring Hayasaka back?'

But even before the question fully formed in her mind, she already knew the answer. Gan'an wasn't someone who could be swayed, especially not by an illegitimate daughter he rarely even acknowledged.

'If I want something, I'll have to seize it myself.'

As her thoughts continued to swirl, Kaguya arrived in front of a large door she had never entered before—the Shinomiya family meeting room.

'Why call me here? And me, an unacknowledged daughter, have never once been summoned here before.'

Kaguya took a deep breath. She couldn't afford to look uncertain.

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

With firm yet polite knocks, she announced her presence.

"Father, I've arrived."

"..."

Silence.

Several seconds passed in quiet before a decadent voice finally sounded from within.

"Enter."

Without hesitation, Kaguya straightened her skirt slightly and pushed the door open gracefully.

In her heart, she was shocked.

She had assumed this meeting would be with her father alone, but what awaited her was far beyond her expectations.

Inside the room sat her three older brothers—Shinomiya Oko, Shinomiya Seiryu, and Shinomiya Un'yo—the ones who truly held influence within the family.

Not only that.

On the other side of the room stood a familiar couple—Hayasaka Nao and Hayasaka Masato, the parents of Hayasaka Ai.

'Why are they here?'

Kaguya kept her expression calm even as her mind raced. This situation was strange. She couldn't recall a single instance in her life where all the main family members had gathered to speak with her. And now, even the Hayasaka family was here.

Stepping forward gracefully, she let the sound of her heels lightly tap against the silent marble floor. With perfect posture, she stood before her father and bowed her head respectfully.

"Father, thank you for taking the time to summon me today."

"Hm."

Gan'an looked at her expressionlessly and gave a slight nod, but Kaguya was used to that.

After paying her respects to her father, she turned to face her three older brothers.

"Oko Nii-sama, Seiryu Nii-sama, Un'yo Nii-sama, it's a pleasure to see you all here."

The three of them nodded lightly, but none of them truly responded. Un'yo glanced at her briefly but quickly averted his gaze, while Seiryu looked bored, as if he wanted to leave the room as soon as possible.

Finally, she turned to the couple standing on the other side of the room—the parents of someone very important to her.

"Aunt Nao, Uncle Masato, it's been a while."

Unlike the cold, indifferent responses from the Shinomiya family, the Hayasaka couple's reaction was much warmer.

Masato smiled kindly and nodded toward Kaguya. On the other hand, Nao seemed more emotional.

"Kaguya-chan, it's been so long... You've grown into such a beautiful young lady."

"How have you been? Is school life treating you well? And... is there anyone you like?"

"Huh?"

Kaguya momentarily lost her composure. She hadn't expected to be asked something like that in such a serious setting.

Her red eyes glanced toward her brothers, who seemed indifferent, while her father remained seated like a stone.

'Aunt Nao... this isn't the time for casual conversation!'

However, before Kaguya could respond, Masato chuckled softly.

"Nao, don't confuse her. This isn't the place for lighthearted talk."

Nao simply laughed softly but didn't argue. Her gentle gaze remained fixed on Kaguya, filled with an affection unlike anyone else in the room.

To Kaguya, Nao was one of the few people who treated her with genuine warmth. Back when she was just a baby, it was Nao who had taken care of her.

"I'm doing well, Aunt Nao. School life... is going smoothly."

She ignored the question about whether there was anyone she liked. There was no way she could discuss something like that in front of the Shinomiya family.

After finishing her greetings, Kaguya finally took her seat in the empty chair prepared for her.

Once everyone was seated, Gan'an finally spoke.

"Since everyone is here, I'll get straight to the point. The purpose of this meeting is to witness the power of the Campione that the Shinomiya family serves."

'Campione?'

Kaguya blinked slowly. The term was unfamiliar to her.

She had grown up in the world of politics and economics. To her, supernatural powers were nothing more than myths or tales from storybooks. So, she was confused about what a Campione truly was.

However, seeing how seriously her father spoke, it was clear this wasn't just nonsense.

'Could it be some kind of secret organization? Or someone with power greater than the Shinomiya family?'

'That doesn't make sense. The Shinomiya family is one of the pillars of Japan's economy. They have connections across all layers of society—businessmen, politicians, high-ranking officials. If there's someone powerful enough to make the family serve them, what is this Campione?'

Kaguya maintained her calm expression, but her curiosity was growing by the minute.

On the other hand, Nao and Masato's expressions were complicated.

Unlike Kaguya, they were aware of the mystical world. Moreover, their daughter—Hayasaka Ai—had now become the exclusive servant of a Campione. To them, Gan'an's order to hand over Hayasaka wasn't just a simple assignment. It was like handing their daughter over to a being they didn't fully understand.

Of course, they weren't happy about it. But they were also powerless to refuse.

Meanwhile, Seiryu—who wasn't deeply involved in family affairs—looked confused. Unlike Oko and Un'yo, who handled the family business and knew more about the mystical world, Seiryu spent most of his time enjoying himself.

Thus, upon hearing that the Shinomiya family served someone, he couldn't help but ask, "Father, is it necessary to lower ourselves like this?"

"I can't accept this. The Shinomiya family has stood at the pinnacle of Japan's business and political world for generations. And now, we have to serve something called a Campione?"

"..."

No one answered immediately. Oko and Un'yo remained silent, their expressions neutral. Nao and Masato also said nothing, though their faces showed unease.

Meanwhile, Kaguya was still trying to process this information.

'So it's not just me who doesn't know about Campione? Even Seiryu Nii-sama doesn't accept it?'

Gan'an didn't respond right away. With an emotionless face, he picked up a remote and turned on the projector screen at the end of the room.

"Enough. Rather than arguing, it's better for all of you to see for yourselves. After that, you can decide whether you still want to question this decision."

The screen lit up, showing a live broadcast.