However, before they could truly get into a combat stance, Hanakaiin Tōru lightly patted the young man on the shoulder.
"Tōru-nii?"
Hanakaiin Ra looked at Hanakaiin Tōru in confusion.
He knew very well that when it ca to combat, Hanakaiin Tōru would never stop him.
Respect every battle.
Whether it was soone else’s or his own.
This was what Hanakaiin Tōru had said.
Hanakaiin Ra believed that Hanakaiin Tōru would never break his word.
Then?
"Look at the dagger in your hand."
Without waiting for Hanakaiin Tōru to speak, Hanakaiin Itsuki spoke first.
The young man, notorious for his behavior, spoke in an increasingly disdainful tone.
Hanakaiin Itsuki blushed again.
What’s wrong?
What’s happening?
Is it because of the earlier failure?
Am I losing my composure?
After glaring at Hanakaiin Itsuki, Hanakaiin Ra quickly began forming hand seals.
For an Onmyoji, identifying the mastermind through a dagger held by an Evil Spirit was not a difficult task.
Especially for soone like Hanakaiin Ra, who could be called an exceptional Onmyoji—it was even easier.
"Sorry."
Hanakaiin Tōru slightly bowed to Hanakaiin Itsuki as an apology.
This made Hanakaiin Itsuki, who was about to once again reprimand Hanakaiin Ra, stop abruptly.
He furrowed his brow and snorted disdainfully.
A battle that hadn’t started was now over.
Hanakaiin Itsuki didn’t care.
He wasn’t a battle maniac anyway.
What he cared more about was helping Jason.
And the appearance of that Evil Spirit just monts ago made him realize that the target he suspected was most likely not Hanakaiin Tōru, but soone else—and that person must be inside this villa.
Who could it be?
Hanakaiin Haru?
Hanakaiin Kokorozashi?
Hopefully, it’s Hanakaiin Haru—how could soone who doesn’t even understand the appeal of milk tea possess Jason’s friendship?
But the truth was disappointing.
The Onmyodo pointed toward the courtyard where Hanakaiin Kokorozashi resided.
"We’ll find this bastard right now!"
Hanakaiin Ra shouted at Hanakaiin Tōru.
As for Hanakaiin Itsuki?
Hanakaiin Ra temporarily chose to ignore him.
But in his heart, he’d already made up his mind—once this incident was resolved, he was going to devote himself to training, and then seek revenge.
Hanakaiin Ra walked ahead.
Hanakaiin Tōru and Hanakaiin Itsuki followed behind.
Soon, they arrived in front of Hanakaiin Kokorozashi’s courtyard.
"Please wait, young masters. I will notify Kokorozashi-sama."
The servant responded respectfully.
Unlike the solitary Hanakaiin Tōru, Kokorozashi’s residence had many servants—even more than those in the courtyards of Hanakaiin Itsuki and Hanakaiin Ra combined.
"Decadent and excessive."
Hanakaiin Ra curled his lips.
And yet, his eyes betrayed a hint of envy.
Clearly, the young man carried a peculiar thought in his mind.
Hanakaiin Tōru remained exceedingly calm; aside from the necessary courtesies, he spent most of his ti daydreaming.
Hanakaiin Itsuki paced back and forth where he stood.
His instincts told him that sothing was amiss.
And at that mont—
"Ahhhhh!"
A scream erupted from inside the courtyard.
The mont the scream sounded, Hanakaiin Ra rushed in.
Hanakaiin Itsuki followed shortly after.
Hanakaiin Tōru did not act imdiately; instead, he hesitated for a brief mont. Then, he followed them inside.
Hanakaiin Kokorozashi was dead.
The one who had replaced Hanakaiin Haru as the ’branch family heir’ lay dead in his own living room.
Seated cross-legged, back against the wall, his eyes were wide open, staring at the mortal wound in his chest.
It was the mark of a dagger.
Thin as paper.
Upon seeing the wound, Hanakaiin Itsuki instantly ca to his senses.
He turned to look at Hanakaiin Ra.
"It wasn’t !"
The young man instinctively said.
"Obviously."
"This is a trap!"
Hanakaiin Itsuki snapped irritably, and then turned his gaze to Hanakaiin Tōru.
"Did you, this guy, already notice sothing earlier?"
Hanakaiin Itsuki asked.
Hanakaiin Tōru’s pause in movent earlier hadn’t escaped his notice.
"Yes."
"The main family mbers have already arrived."
Hanakaiin Tōru said faintly before sitting down cross-legged.
"What?!"
"Then, then!"
Hanakaiin Ra panicked. He glanced at Hanakaiin Kokorozashi’s corpse, then at the specialized dagger in his hand, completely at a loss.
When the main family arrived, he would be the pri suspect.
No!
He might even be directly accused of being the murderer!
The real culprit, having plotted all this, would certainly leave plenty of evidence against him on Hanakaiin Kokorozashi’s corpse—or even in the entire room.
These clues would ’point’ to him as the killer.
Should he make a run for it now?
Fully aware of the ruthless thods of the main family, the idea was the first thing that ca to Hanakaiin Ra’s mind.
However, upon seeing Hanakaiin Tōru sitting calmly, Hanakaiin Ra suddenly felt reassured.
If Tōru-nii hadn’t said anything or taken any action.
Then there must still be a chance to turn things around.
With that reassurance, Hanakaiin Ra sat down beside Hanakaiin Tōru.
Having already sat down seconds earlier, Hanakaiin Itsuki glanced at Hanakaiin Ra and smirked.
"Not completely stupid."
"If you really ran."
"That would confirm your title as the murderer. And I’m willing to bet, before you can even leave the villa, you’d be dead."
Hanakaiin Itsuki said as his gaze shifted toward the courtyard’s periter.
Silhouettes began to appear.
No fewer than thirty people gathered outside the courtyard.
Each radiated malice.
Or more precisely, murderous intent.
No internal fighting!
This was one of the rules of the Hanakaiin Family.
And now, soone had broken it!
This wasn’t just disrespect to the ancestors—it was also a blatant challenge to the current head of the family.
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