books44 Is the way the door was opened wrong in Chapter 112?
Is the way the door was opened wrong in Chapter 112?
"well-done."
The chief butler nodded to the maid who was leading the way, and then came to Karasuma Jin. He led all the servants to kneel on one knee: "Lord Jin, all the senior servants of the Twilight Villa welcome your return!"
Thanks to the special training they had received beforehand, the Karabusa formation was not alarmed when faced with a force comparable to an army.
He put his hands behind his back, looking down at the crowd with disdain: "What's the situation now? Is Father alright?"
"The riot just now, after investigation, was determined to be an armed attack by Lord Ooka's faction. Because of this, the other five lords are waiting in the meeting room with their confidants to discuss the matter... There is no news of the patriarch at the moment."
"The matter is urgent. I will personally escort you to the conference room with three head maids."
Please follow me to the changing room.
The head maid who led the way stepped out from the very end of the line. On the silver tray in her hand was a set of matte black dresses, devoid of any patterns or designs, except for the family crest and tie placed on top of the dresses, which were edged with gold.
Calling it formal attire is perhaps less accurate than describing it as mourning clothes.
However, this head maid was clearly not a qualified guide. Carrying the tray, she turned around and went to a door on her own, then slammed the door shut and left the room.
Karasuma Formation: ......
squeak-
The door opened again, and a brown-gray head peeked out from the crack.
As if she were just checking for danger before leaving home, she naturally bowed deeply and pointed to the gate: "The environment is safe, please come this way."
The servants' dressing room was just a few steps away. Karasuma Jin looked down at the maid who was helping him change his leather boots.
Although the current situation deviates somewhat from the plan, it is still within an acceptable range. In order to enhance their family prestige, the Ooka family would certainly not dare to tamper with this crucial cooperation.
'But after all this time, why hasn't my contact inside the Iga-ya compound contacted me yet? Didn't the team leader say she was hiding among the twelve high-ranking members?'
"Young Master, would you like me to ease your tense nerves?" A gentle question interrupted his thoughts.
Karasuma Jin looked down and saw that the head maid had already unbuttoned her shirt, seemingly about to engage in... some kind of special relaxation activity!
“No, now is not the time!” Karasuma Jin resolutely refused, his voice filled with unwavering determination.
Although it is often said that "food and sex are human nature," Karasuma Jin would not be so preoccupied with pleasure under such circumstances. Moreover, this head maid was not only several points taller than him, but also thin and lacking in the curves of the women he admired, which was not to his liking at all.
"As you wish." Nodding calmly, she put the buttons back in their place and pulled an envelope from a hidden compartment in the wardrobe in the far corner of the dressing room: "This contains information I have recorded in the mansion recently. Please read it carefully during this period to prevent any slip-ups in your identity."
Karasuma Formation: ?
He stared at the head maid, who did things her own way, and after a moment's hesitation, asked, "Are you... the contact person?"
"Yes, I am a contact sent by headquarters, and I have been undercover for six years. I currently serve as the head maid, at the bottom of the management hierarchy. You can call me Black Gate."
Kuromon turned his head slightly, adjusted the ill-fitting mask on his face—a relic belonging to the former head maid—and calmly gave his adopted son a polite smile.
'So that means if he hadn't been able to control himself, he would have taken advantage of his boss!' Karasuma Jin was shocked. The poker face he had been trying so hard to maintain finally collapsed at this moment.
"Then what were you doing just now?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Please watch your words. A master does not need to use honorifics when addressing a servant."
As Kuromon continued to help Karasuma Jin put on his formal coat, he casually made up a story while carefully smoothing out every wrinkle in the hem.
"In aristocratic and wealthy families, regardless of gender, high-ranking servants, in addition to their normal cleaning and service, also undertake the task of relieving their masters' physiological needs."
As for the razor blade he hid in the lining of his clothes, that was something he only needed to dispose of waste.
If this guy is a scumbag who lusts after women and power, he can just use changing clothes as an excuse to put on a new disguise.
Back then, during his revenge investigation, he disguised himself as various characters, and the terrified expressions on the faces of those "insiders" before they discovered the truth were truly unforgettable...
"This is what I should do for the sake of perfect disguise."
His tone was devoid of any emotion, as if he were stating a perfectly ordinary fact. But this very ordinariness sent a chill down Karasuma Jin's spine.
"Lord Kenichi Ooka also disappeared after leading the attack on the head of the family. We only found the mutilated remains of eight of his men outside the head of the family's dressing room. The cause of death was piercing with a sharp blade and shooting."
"So, Karasuma Renya still has a chance of survival?" Karasuma Jin frowned.
The three key anchors for this operation are: the confirmation of Karasuma Renya's death, the assistance of the Ooka family, and the perfect disguise of his identity.
Now that both anchor points have been lost and the plan has deviated so drastically, what is the true intention of this contact person?
"It's impossible to be certain. But we found the head of the family's robe with several bullet holes in vital areas at the scene. Combined with the messy footprints at the scene, we speculate that it's more likely that other forces took the body away. This is also the topic of debate and explanation among the various factions at the meeting."
“However, you don’t need to worry too much about it.” His words carried a reassuring tone.
“I have already contacted the group leader in advance. You just need to continue to play the role of successor according to the original plan.”
"But..."
"No buts, this is my judgment."
Kuromon picked up the bird-head cane by the door, the paulownia wood shaft spinning between his fingers, tracing an elegant arc, and precisely lifting Karasuma Jin's chin.
Through the white veil covering the holes in the mask, a cold, sharp gaze pierced deep into his mouth along the cane, making one involuntarily swallow.
Under this pressure, Karasuma Jin finally shed the pretense and realized her authority as the person in charge.
—Although she was a woman, she was a ruthless person who could spend many years infiltrating the enemy camp.
Seeing that he stopped arguing, Heimen put away his cane with satisfaction and continued delivering the plan:
"Once you enter the conference hall, you will face five of the most prominent figures in their respective groups. Blindly following Igaya's teachings will only lead you to make numerous mistakes."
From this moment forward, you must firmly believe that you are our young master and demonstrate your iron fist to everyone.
"Ming, I understand."
Seeing his submissive attitude, the icy maid instantly reverted to her submissive demeanor, but Karasuma Jin knew perfectly well what kind of sharp edge was hidden beneath this respectful exterior.
Please forgive my rudeness.
The maid's voice remained respectful.
"Your attire is ready. Once you have reviewed all the intelligence, we can depart immediately. But please remember, I will not and cannot offer you any assistance in front of our colleagues outside."
Calming himself down, Karasuma Jin ignored his words, took the cane, and went straight out the door.
Outside the door, the chief steward and three other head maids bowed and waited respectfully. But perhaps because of the warning from the Black Gate, Karasuma Jin was no longer tense and even felt a sense of unexpected calm.
The contact's advice wasn't entirely unreasonable. In this battlefield full of deception and intrigue, he had to fabricate a non-existent existence under the watchful eyes of everyone.
As he walked step by step toward the heavy wooden door of the conference hall, Karasuma Jin grasped the golden handle that would determine the turning point in his fate.
The most crucial aspect of playing a parent-child role is making others feel that blood-related similarity, and Karasuma Renya's purest personality trait is that unpredictable and chilling mood swings.
"My father's whereabouts are currently unknown. Regardless of their identities, no one will leave alive without a reasonable explanation!"
Dim light leaked from the crack in the door, and this familiar scene inexplicably gave Karasuma Jin a sense of déjà vu and unease.
The atmosphere in the conference room was so tense it was almost frozen, with members of various factions poised to fight, each occupying a corner of the room.
But the faces of these leaders were not the elderly men he knew from his files, but five spirited young men!