"Which leaves the Ichijou, Saegusa, and Itsumi families untouched for now," Erika noted. "I can guess why."
Izumi Saegusa (10th), Akane Ichijou (11th), Mio Itsumi (13th), and Mayumi Saegusa (14th). It wasn't a lack of attraction, but the heavy political baggage of their respective houses that kept Yugen at a distance.
"I tried to stay out of it," Yugen muttered, "but apparently, being disinterested just made them more curious. I hate trouble, yet here I am. I have the same desires as any guy my age, but this..."
"Ahaha... maybe that's why they find you so easy to talk to. Because you drew a line," Airi suggested.
"I get that," Erika agreed. "You never looked at me through the 'Chiba family' lens, which made it easy to be around you."
"Is that so?" Yugen replied dryly.
Despite the laws of this era, Yugen's lingering values from his previous life made the reality of polygamy a difficult adjustment. He made sure to spend quality time with each of them, and for their part, the girls seemed genuinely satisfied with the depth of the relationship, even if the hours were shared.
"Yugen, you're a beast," Leo said, shaking his head. "If I were in your shoes, I'd have bolted for the hills by now."
"You're dealing with Erika and Yuki at the same time, Leo. I think you're just as 'impressive' as I am."
The conversation drifted to schedules. Efia was moving in today; Shizuku would arrive in April. Miyuki would continue commuting from the Shiba residence for now, though a future move was likely. Mio, as one of the 'Thirteen Apostles,' remained at the Itsumi villa in Tokyo, while Izumi and Mayumi would join them after the entrance ceremony.
After Leo and Erika left, the mood shifted into a small housewarming party. Reimi Yasuyuku arrived midway through with a selection of alcohol, leading to a night that Yugen decided was better left undescribed. He simply told himself he had successfully defended the "final line of moral defense."
April 1st, 2097 AD.
The nation stood still as the enthronement ceremony for the new Emperor was conducted. Following the ritual, an appointment ceremony was held for the Emperor's Guardians and the heads of the Ten Master Clans. Afterward, an emergency Clan Meeting was convened at the State Guest House.
As the heads took their seats, a massive surge of Psion waves rippled through the atmosphere, causing the gathered elite to stiffen. Mototsugu, already seated, leaned toward Yugen.
"That Psion fluctuation... a large-scale spell. Is it coming from Russia?"
"The sensation is unmistakable," Yugen replied, his eyes narrowing. "They've certainly gone and done it."
Yugen tapped his terminal, pulling up a live feed of the devastation near Moscow. His unique magic, Kaleidoscope and Reinforce, allowed him to bypass standard information blackouts. The footage wasn't a fake; it showed the New Soviet Union (NSU) regular army moving toward the outskirts of the capital.
The conclusion was clear: The NSU had used a Strategic-Class magic to carpet-bomb a rebel uprising, and the regular army was now moving in to mop up the survivors. Yugen gestured for the other Clan heads to take their seats.
"Regarding the massive magical activation just detected: it originated near Moscow. Given the scale, it is almost certainly a Strategic-Class spell deployed by the NSU military."
Yugen linked his terminal to the conference room monitors. The speed at which he had analyzed and disclosed the data—mere moments after the event—was a feat of technology and magic that far outstripped current global standards. Mitsuya Gen recognized this as Yugen's personal magic at work but chose not to pry, focusing instead on the geopolitical fallout.
"We had reports of Humanist-backed dissidents rioting in the NSU," Gen noted. "Should we view this as 'retaliation'?"
"That is the most likely scenario," Yugen said. "However, once they finish purging their internal threats, there is no guarantee they won't turn their sights back to us. We cannot forget their two failed attempts to invade Sado."
The NSU shared borders with Europe and Asia, but their history with Japan made them a volatile neighbor. If the current head of state felt his internal power was secure, he would likely seek to settle the score for his previous humiliations—especially if he knew Yugen was now a central figure in Japan's leadership.
Gouki Ichijou, head of the family protecting the Northeast and Hokuriku regions, spoke up. "Lord Kamiizumi, are you suggesting Sado is at risk again?"
"The Vladivostok naval port is out of commission, but their other Far Eastern ports remain operational," Yugen explained. "Once the ice recedes in the Sea of Okhotsk, they can move troops from the Kuril Islands and the Kamchatka Peninsula."
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"