Chapter 32

Yukinoshita Haruno had been feeling rather uneasy lately.

Aside from the troubling matters back home, she had noticed that her usually serious and aloof little sister had been... smiling more often lately. Becoming more cheerful, even.

Under normal circumstances, Haruno would have been happy for her sister's emotional growth.

But when she realized that Yukino seemed to have feelings for a boy at her school, Haruno's deeply rooted sister-complex instincts were on high alert.

"Ugh..."

She exhaled slowly.

Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of a luxury apartment, the elegant black-haired woman looked down at the sea of city lights stretching far into the distance.

Her emotions were tangled and heavy.

"If the guy's decent, I might even allow them to date—after a proper background check."

"But that boy, Kurosawa Ren... Even though he's brilliant academically and seems gentle and handsome, he's way too flirty and unpredictable. If Yukino stays with him, she's just going to get hurt."

"I have to find a way to make her give up on him."

As Yukinoshita Yukino's older sister, Haruno was not only more socially skilled but also more cunning and ambitious.

On the surface, she seemed dignified and refined, but she had a manipulative streak buried beneath that poise—one she reserved only for her little sister's sake.

She had always protected Yukino in her own unique way.

And once someone like Haruno truly made up her mind… things often ended the way she wanted.

"Even if she ends up hating me, if it means protecting her from heartbreak, it'll be worth it."

Click—

Just then, a key turned softly in the door.

In the blink of an eye, Yukinoshita Haruno switched expressions like a chameleon.

She greeted her little sister, who had just entered the apartment with her usual icy face, with a sweet smile.

"Yuki-chan, you're back. Isn't it a bit late to be getting home?"

"..."

Yukino gave her a cold glance.

She had just moved to Tokyo and was now temporarily living with Haruno.

"I just didn't feel like coming home early."

"Aww, Yuki, you're such a cute girl. What if you got tricked by some shady guy out there?" Haruno said playfully, reaching out as if to hug her sister.

There was a subtle, hidden message in her tone.

46 - A Mysterious Lead: Who Is the Secret Powerhouse?

"I don't think I'm that easy to fool."

Yukino brushed off her sister's loving attack with a flat voice.

"How long are you planning to stay here? Don't you have important family matters to deal with back in Chiba?"

"You are the new head of the Yukinoshita family."

"Heh, ever heard of the internet? A lot can be handled online these days."

Haruno leaned back with a relaxed smile—one honed from countless high-society encounters.

She quickly changed the topic, not wanting her sister to see the anxiety she was hiding.

The truth was, the Yukinoshita family had been struggling recently.

Under her leadership, they had expanded rapidly, spreading their business across major cities.

But when Haruno tried to take it a step further—by launching a new, large-scale venture—it all fell apart.

They had drawn the attention of a rapidly rising organization in Chiba: the Sumiyoshi Association.

At first, Haruno didn't take them seriously.

She thought they were just another group trying to mess with a rich family.

But as the situation escalated into open hostility, she realized she had underestimated them.

The Sumiyoshi Association wasn't just another business competitor.

They didn't care about business at all. They used illegal, underground methods.

And more importantly—they had supernatural fighters under their command.

Thanks to the relentless pursuit of these "gifted" individuals, the Yukinoshita family's influence was shrinking. Some members had even gone missing.

Had the Association not been wary of triggering a government investigation, Haruno wouldn't even be safe in Tokyo now.

Under intense pressure, she had no choice but to retreat to the capital on her mother Yuki's advice.

Her goal? Lay low... and also try to recruit supernatural allies for the family.

If they could hire someone as powerful as the ones the Sumiyoshi Association had...

Those bastards would never dare lay a hand on them again.

But how could someone like that be easy to find?

Based on Haruno's personal experience, most of these supernatural mercenaries were arrogant beyond reason.

They charged absurd fees—or worse, tried to take advantage of her appearance.

If her mother hadn't found the sorcerer named Meimei in time, Haruno's fate could've been tragic.

This was the world they now lived in.

On the surface: peaceful and modern.

But beneath it: a world ruled by those with supernatural power.

People who acted like gods, abusing their abilities and trampling the weak beneath their feet.

Haruno wasn't someone who could tolerate being powerless.

She wanted to protect her family herself.

That's why she paid a huge sum to beg Meimei to test her aptitude for becoming a sorcerer.

Meimei accepted the money without hesitation.

The test began.

Things initially looked promising.

But...

Reality loves to crush hope at the last second.

"I'm very sorry, Miss Haruno,"

The tall, elegant woman with long hair hiding her eyes said quietly.

"You don't have the qualifications to become a sorcerer."

Haruno—who always carried herself with confidence—bit her lip, her voice trembling with unwillingness.

"There's no other way? Miss Meimei, please... isn't there something else I can do?"

"Since your family was generous with payment, I'll at least give you a lead."

In a dimly lit room, Meimei sat on a gray sofa, legs crossed elegantly.

Her slightly hoarse voice echoed around the otherwise quiet space.

"If you're looking for someone who can protect your family... seek out my junior."

"My junior knows how to contact a certain individual. He keeps a low profile, never shows his face—but he's powerful enough to defeat a special-grade cursed spirit solo."

"Wait... He took out a special-grade spirit alone?!"

Haruno sat up instantly, her eyes wide with hope.

She wasn't ignorant anymore.

She knew just how powerful special-grade spirits were.

Even if the entire Sumiyoshi Association sent all their supernatural agents, they might not match this mysterious man's strength.

"The good news? He's absurdly strong."

"The bad news? No one knows what he looks like, where he lives, or what he wants. He's so low-profile that getting his help is practically impossible."

Meimei—usually the quiet type—spoke more than usual.

Haruno was lost in thought.

Her family was already walking on a tightrope—dangling above a cliff.

The Sumiyoshi Association had grown bolder, even daring to send psychics to harass them in broad daylight.

And Meimei, while reliable, had limited energy.

Her specialty—Black Bird Manipulation—was excellent for tracking enemies, but not strong in direct combat.

She had been brutally honest.

If the enemy went all out, Meimei would rather flee and forfeit her pay.

If even their savior wouldn't stick around...

Then who else would protect the Yukinoshita family?

The weight of it all was crushing.

Even though she was physically and mentally exhausted...

Yukinoshita Haruno still forced a radiant smile for her sister.

If Meimei could somehow persuade this "Saber" to step out from the shadows and protect the family—everything could be saved.

But...

If this mysterious powerhouse refused?

She would be completely out of options.

It was a brutal gamble.

And the chips on the table were nothing less than her family's lives.

47 - The Teacher Taught Me Knowledge, So I Taught the Teacher Too

After the fun trip to the comic exhibition last weekend...

The days that followed were relaxed and enjoyable for Kurosawa Ren.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, he had lunch with Shinomiya Kaguya and Fujiwara Chika in the student council office.

Sometimes, if the mood was right, the three of them played checkers or other fun word games together.