After leaving the security room, Hayasaka made her way to the cruise ship's main hall.
She didn't have much personal opinion about the people onboard, but she had just finished transferring intel related to the Usumoto clan.
The current situation was becoming complicated, and she could no longer keep things under control on her own. She needed soone capable of stabilizing the situation.
"Amamiya-san."
Her conservative black-and-white Victorian-style maid outfit was eye-catching as always.
Her appearance instantly drew a lot of attention.
But Hayasaka paid it no mind.
Ren gave a slight nod, then activated his spiritual vision to assess Hayasaka's condition.
Her spiritual body still showed clear signs of weakness, though there were no major abnormalities beyond that.
"Your ntal state hasn't fully recovered."
"The collapse of the alternate dinsion heavily impacted your spirit. For the ti being, you shouldn't use that ability again."
"I understand."
Hayasaka nodded slightly. She had already experienced firsthand the backlash of forcefully opening a Door.
"How's Shinomiya?"
"Miss Kaguya is awake, but..."
"Her consciousness is still hazy?"
Hayasaka nodded again.
Ren understood. Kaguya's condition was similar to Hayasaka's, but she had released even more power. It was natural her situation was worse.
"This was my fault too."
Ren let out a sigh.
"I pushed her to release as much power as possible, to help her find her limits. I didn't expect it would lead to the collapse of the alternate dinsion."
"I should've warned her beforehand."
"This isn't your fault, Amamiya."
Hayasaka shook her head gently. She didn't believe this sudden turn of events could be blad on him.
"No one could've predicted sothing like this."
But just as she said that, she paused.
Indeed, normally, such an event couldn't be foreseen.
But couldn't Ren use divination to glimpse future events?
"Amamiya... didn't you divine this?"
"Don't overestimate what divination can do."
Ren shook his head slightly.
"Divination is useful, but you can't rely on it for everything."
"If you put too much faith in the future seen through divination, you'll beco bound by that future."
"That's why I don't go around predicting things just for the sake of it."
Divination had always been one of Ren's most important tools, but he also clearly understood the taboos that Seers had to follow.
Seeing how carefully Ren avoided certain details, Hayasaka could tell there were likely many unspoken taboos involved.
"Your condition still isn't fully recovered why did you co out?"
Hayasaka gave a small smile and nodded, but her gaze subtly shifted toward the Hatamoto clan. She had keenly noticed that many of the Hatamoto clan mbers were focused on her.
"Is it about the Hatamoto clan?"
"Yes."
"What did you find out?"
"Yes."
Ren gave a light nod, then stood up and followed Hayasaka to the side.
After they left the main hall and confird no one else was nearby, Ren asked,
"Is there sothing wrong with the information we gathered?"
"Yes. According to the intel from the Hayasaka family, it's confird that the future heir of the Hatamoto clan is Hatamoto Natsue—granddaughter of Hatamoto Gozo."
"The reason they're gathered here is to hold a ritual on the island where the Hatamoto clan's ancestral ho is located. The ritual also doubles as the engagent ceremony for Hatamoto Natsue and her fiancé."
"If it were just an ordinary granddaughter, Hatamoto Gozo wouldn't go to such lengths to arrange an engagent right after a ritual. But because of how much importance he places on her, it's beco this grand of an event."
Ren nodded. He understood now why they had encountered the Hatamoto clan and how much Hatamoto Gozo, the clan elder, valued his granddaughter.
"So, your investigation points to a problem with Hatamoto Natsue's fiancé?"
"Yes."
"Hatamoto Gozo... Was he the type to make a lot of enemies in the past?"
"Yes."
"And Natsue's fiancé... is the son of one of those enemies?"
"Yes."
Ren let out a speechless sigh.
"This is so real soap-opera level drama."
"A textbook revenge story—'I infiltrated the family of my enemy by getting close to his granddaughter, all to avenge my dead father.'"
"That clueless fiancé doesn't actually think his identity hasn't been exposed, does he?"
If even the Hayasaka family had uncovered it, Ren seriously doubted it was so well-guarded secret.
Hayasaka Ai nodded silently.
Ren found this kind of naïve person irritating and pulled out his tarot cards to divine the outco of the return trip.
He drew the Reversed High Priestess, the Reversed Magician, and the Upright Death card.
Ren completed the divination.
"Looks like it's going to be troubleso."
Even he had to sigh at the final result.
Though he enjoyed watching drama unfold, this kind of drama really didn't belong during his vacation.
Even if he wanted to spectate, he preferred better timing.
He looked at the Death card in his hand, a skeletal figure wrapped in a cloak, wielding a black scythe.
This ti, the god of death would definitely swing that scythe.
"Amamiya, are you not going to stop it?"
"Do you think they'll listen?"
With that one line, Amamiya put an end to Hayasaka's suggestion.
It wasn't that Ren intended to turn a blind eye but so people just wouldn't listen.
"Hayasaka, since they wanted to play, and dragged Shinomiya into it, they should be ready to pay the price."
"The Hatamoto clan's situation isn't looking good."
"Yes."
Hayasaka nodded.
"The Hatamoto clan acquired a valuable piece of real estate through shady dealings with the Takasugi group."
"It's now confird that the governnt plans to designate that area for a new airport. The land value in the surrounding region is expected to skyrocket."
Ren wasn't surprised by that information. Major conglorates always had inside knowledge of governnt policies. Otherwise, how else could certain officials maintain their lifestyles?
"But because of that land, the Hatamoto clan has been tightening its funds. They've sold off a lot of assets to stay afloat."
"They're staking everything on that land."
From Hayasaka's summary, Ren could tell that this real estate was the Hatamoto clan's last chance at a coback.
"Then Hayasaka, spread the word that the land's value is about to skyrocket. I'm sure plenty of conglorates will want a piece of the action."
(To be continued.)
***
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