Chapter 105 - Calm Before the Storm

When Homura Ryuu reached the Cedar Palace, the outer buildings were lit with brilliant lights, and the sounds of cheers and laughter could be heard. It seemed that the night program for the students would start soon. Based on the merriment in the air, it seemed his staff was able to pull off the instant program quite nicely.

As he was ordered, the driver took him to the secret route towards the inner Palace where his quarters were. He already had a full day of dealing with people; he didn't want to have to show up to the students tonight as well.

"Welcome back Young Master," the servants greeted as soon as he stepped out of the car.

The Koutaishidenka nodded his head in greeting as he removed his shoes and handed them towards a waiting servant. As soon as he stepped onto the engawa, Yayoi appeared to welcome him.

"Young Master, welcome back," she greeted.

The way she looked, however, told Ryuu that there was something she wanted to tell him. "What's the matter?"

He wondered if there was a problem with the arrangements for the students after all since Yayoi was here. "Aren't you supposed to be with the students?"

The Head Housekeeper shook her head. "Miss Emi is there now. She can handle everything," she answered, her voice laced with pride as she talked about her apprentice.

Homura Ryuu was aware that true to her words, the former Makura, Homura Emi really embraced her new role as a servant, and had been working hard the past few days, in spite of the other servants trying to make things difficult for her. Yes, he was aware of the bullying since the people in charge of the security reported it.

He was meaning to warn the servants, but Yayoi stopped him, saying that Emi herself had requested not to interfere. The young woman said that if she couldn't handle her own situation then she didn't deserve to be the next Head Housekeeper.

She reminded him of the stubborn Ara, and so, he let her be.

"Then what was wrong?"

"Nothing's really wrong Young Master. We just had some issues with the Okada girl earlier, but Young Master Kazehaya already dealt with her."

Oh?

"Is that so?" He wondered what happened and how Gin took good care of the troublemaker. "Where is he?"

"Young Master Kazehaya is in his room."

"Is he better now?" he asked as he started walking towards Kazehaya Gin's room, with Yayoi trailing after him.

"Young Master Kazehaya's fever broke this morning. He didn't have any fever since and he seemed to be energetic again," Yayoi informed him as they reached Gin's room.

Normally, Yayoi would announce their presence, and ask permission before entering the room. But this was the Koutaishidenka. After signaling Yayoi that he'd be okay, the older woman left, and Ryuu turned back to the door and slid open the shoji.

"Gi — Kaze-nii," he called as he entered the room. He normally referred to the other as Gin-nii, but since the older one requested to change it, he made sure to use the new nickname at least in his presence.

The light was on in the room, and so it was easy to find where the older man was. Kazehaya Gin was lying on the futon with something unsightly covering his face. Ryuu frowned.

"Where did you get that thing?"

The "thing" that he was referring to was the copper-colored arachnid with the body length of around seven centimeters and a leg span of fifteen centimeters lounging on Kazehaya's face.

"Don't call my Rosey a thing. She's a sweet, sweet spider, my Chilean Rose," Gin muttered underneath the insect, as he sat up carefully, taking the spider off his face and placed it back in the ten-gallon terrarium at the foot of his bed. "After last night with those giant arachnids, I want to be reminded of how adorable they actually are."

Homura Ryuu ignored his complaints as he sat on the zabuton behind the table. Gin transferred to the low table as well, sitting across from him.

"Are you well enough to attend tomorrow's conference?" Ryuu asked afterwards, and the other one nodded.

Tomorrow was Homura International's turn to do a presentation. It was what Kazehaya Gin had been diligently working on the past few weeks before he got sick.

"Of course," Kazehaya Gin readily answered. "Yayoi probably already told you I haven't had a fever again since this morning. I'm feeling better."

"So she said," Ryuu agreed, as he assessed Kazehaya with his own eyes. Satisfied that the other really seemed fine, he changed the topic.

"Yayoi said something happened," he prompted, and Gin grinned.

"I threw the trash girl out of the Cedar Palace," Gin answered and he explained what transpired in the afternoon.

"She set up the other girl?"

"Yeah. She's a total nut case – but I think she had a little nudge from someone that's why she snapped like that."

Gin gave Ryuu a knowing look. The sudden mental derailment of the girl who had been successfully scheming for years was so unnatural it had to have been forced.

With this, Homura Ryuu's blue eyes glinted in amusement as he released his divine powers, the aura so bright, blinding even Gin.

"I get it! I get it, cut it out!"

Gin had his hands up to stave off the brilliance. Just as he had guessed, Ryuu had really charmed the woman to make her that crazy. Showing that amount of divine dominance, anyone had no chance of fighting back. Only demigods and fellow deities could defend themselves from this type of celestial allure.

"Why did you do that to that girl?"

The Koutaishidenka shrugged as he sealed his powers within once more. "So we can get rid of her faster – it worked didn't it? Also, I'm not sure yet, but I feel something's wrong with the woman."

"Ha? But isn't that already a fact?"If there was nothing wrong with the Okada girl, then they wouldn't be discussing her at all. 

"I mean something much more sinister than her mental state. But since I'm not sure yet, we'll deal with that later," the Koutaishidenka said enigmatically.

Kazehaya Gin sighed. Ryuu had a point. Honestly, he had no idea why this issue with that Okada girl was dragging – then he remembered Ara and her request, which also made sense. "Well, at least now, that Okada's totally ruined. By tonight all her schoolmates who were here already knew what she did. Also, I made sure the principal took her to her parents and informed them of what happened."

Silence hung between them as they pondered for a bit. Then Kazehaya frowned. "That's it?"

Ryuu inclined his head as if to ask what he meant.

"Is this so-called revenge for Ara's done like this?"

"If you're talking about Okada then, we can say that she's done for. The reputation she's so painstakingly trying to protect is all gone."

"So you mean it's over?" Kazehaya was not yet satisfied. He felt something was still off, but he couldn't point a finger to it.

"Not yet," Ryuu answered. "The danger's still there. That crazy wench has nothing to lose now. She could only escalate. Consider the days after this the calm before the storm."