CH 174.1

Chapter 174.1. Takano Miu’s New Year’s Party

-Yoshitaka’s POV-

Takano County’s New Year’s party was filled with unprecedented excitement.

In previous years, a somber atmosphere had hung over the entire household.

The deficit within the family had been increasing due to Arashi, and there seemed to be no clear future for him, the successor who carried himself with arrogance without showing any concern about the situation.

Yoshitaka’s influence had been steadily growing, and even the branch families, who were expected to attend, were sporadically absent.

If they continued in this direction without any clear plan. Takano County would decline. People had a vague sense of this, and those who were opportunistic began to consider keeping their distance.

However, things were different now. The new successor is a rare recovery magician and could make a name for herself. The business was thriving beyond expectations.

She had resolved Takano County’s deficits, dispelled the gloomy atmosphere, and breathed new life into the household. The significant profits were proof that the family would continue to prosper.

The grand banquet hall of Takano County, covered with hundreds of tatami mats, bloomed with smiles.

The attendees enjoyed the extravagant and top-notch cuisine served generously while sipping high-quality sake worth an average monthly salary.

The osechi on the trays was the same as the one Miu and her family ate on New Year’s Day, and even the nobles were enthusiastic about eating it because it was something they rarely got to taste.

The maids were extremely busy. They would quickly bring refills and clear the empty trays if the dishes ran out.

Everyone was in a festive mood, and amidst the commotion, Takano Yoshiyuki and Takano Kazamichi, who were the acting and previous family heads, sat in the seats of honor.

Many people lined up to greet them like people queuing to buy tickets for a highly popular concert.

Although Yoshiyuki and Kazamichi were sitting together, there was a subtle distance between them, indicating a sense of estrangement.

Some people genuinely admired Yoshiyuki’s success, while others approached him for money or power. Each had their intentions.

The balance of power had already started to split, but it was natural that wealth and power would gather in one place.

Those who were opportunistic were complacent, believing that it was better to run a household with a sense of tension rather than being a laid-back club.

The focus would be on who could win over Takano Miu, the young mistress and current head of the family, in the future. But unless something extraordinary happened, it was unlikely that Miu would turn against her parents.

Therefore, they were mildly tense but not overly so.

And where was Takano Miu, the central figure in the prosperity of the Takano family? She was sitting at the farthest end.

She tied her silver-like ash-colored hair at the back and had deep ice-blue eyes that were more profound than the sea, shining with delight. She wore a lovely kimono with a puppy pattern printed on it.

A petite and adorable girl, whose name suited her perfectly, sat in the farthest seat of the head of the family, behind her father.

There was a large lion plush toy behind her that she could sit on. And she placed Kon-chan plush toy on its head, to exude a sense of dignity.

With a proud expression, Miyu held a wine glass filled with grape juice. As if to say, “I’m no longer a princess. I’m a queen.”.

“Hehehe, I’m Countess Takano, Takano Miu. This juice has a pretty good taste. It’s supposed to be 100% concentrated juice!”

Miu drank the juice with a satisfied expression and sniffed lightly.

Seeing her like that, the children from the branch families gathered around and praised her, saying, “As expected of Takano Miu-sama and Baka-dono.”

“Only Miu-sama can hold such a grand New Year’s party. Can I have another serving of datemaki?”

“What did you get for Christmas? I got a Playan 5!”

“What will you spend your New Year’s gift money on?”

It seemed that praising wasn’t their strong suit as they quickly transitioned to topics they were interested in.

“Enjoy yourselves, everyone. Hehehe, the lobster is delicious!”

Miu sipped her grape juice with a satisfied expression and ate the Golden Ise Lobster from the New Year’s feast. It seemed that she particularly liked the Golden Ise Lobster.

A freckled maid wearing round glasses anticipated her needs and brought refills with only the contents, making the empty shells disappear mysteriously.

Everyone was healed by the sight of Miu happily devouring the lobster with her chopsticks and her smile suddenly brightening. Some even smiled with a sense of satisfaction, thinking that Miu’s carefree expression was easy to handle.

Various ambitions existed within this New Year’s party, but everyone enjoyed themselves without showing it on the surface.

However, the cheerful atmosphere quickly changed when a man arrived.

Despite being late, he showed no trace of guilt on his face and entered boldly, stomping his way onto the tatami mat. It was Washizu Yoshitaka.

He hurriedly walked in, exuding an aura of anger, and went to Yoshiyuki and the others.

“Happy New Year, Head of the Family! Oh, right, Acting Head of the Family, the [non-magic-using magic user]!”

As Yoshitaka glared at him aggressively, those around Yoshiyuki became confused and distanced themselves slightly. Yoshitaka carried an air of danger that couldn’t be ignored.

As for Yoshiyuki, he was perplexed. He had been considering what to do about the deal he had proposed yesterday, but now that Yoshitaka had appeared in person, he thought it would be best to accept the deal.

However, Yoshitaka was furious, emanating an aura that seemed ready to kill at any moment. He didn’t seem like someone who intended to accept their deal.

Yoshitaka showed Yoshiyuki a crumpled piece of paper in his hand, intending to ask what it meant, but seeing Yoshiyuki’s expression, he felt something was off and closed his mouth.

Even as the leader of Washizu Shipping, he had a certain understanding of human subtleties. However, due to a lack of certainty, he chose his words carefully to inquire.

“…Are you planning to cut ties with Washizu Shipping?”

“Huh? The terms of the deal are the same as yesterday, aren’t they?”

“I see. What about Kazamichi-dono?”

“Hm? …You don’t seem like someone who came here peacefully for the New Year’s party, do you?”

Yoshiyuki tilted his head in confusion, and Kazamichi looked at him suspiciously.

From their reactions, Yoshitaka was convinced that neither Yoshiyuki nor Kazamichi knew about this conversation. In that case, he wondered who was behind it.