The next morning.
"Yawn..."
Kujou Kamaji yawned lightly and woke up, but the severe headache made him rub his forehead subconsciously. "Someone, bring me a cup of tea."
The tea tray was promptly brought before him, but the person serving was not his usual servant—it was a silver-haired beauty: Kamisato Ayaka herself.
Kujou Kamaji was startled and vaguely recalled the events of the previous night. He exclaimed, "How… how did I end up here?"
"Lord Kamaji, have you forgotten?" Ayaka put on an innocent, aggrieved expression. "Last night, Lord Masahito drank too much, and you took me from him, then… then…"
Her acting wasn't divine, but far better than the superficial performances of some flashy stars. Kujou Kamaji murmured, "How… how could that be? I… I clearly wasn't able…"
But in his blurry memories, he did share a night of passion with a woman, and that was indisputable.
"How could Lord Kamaji not be able to?" Ayaka suppressed a smile and softly said, "Look on the floor."
Kujou Kamaji looked down and saw several used raincoats scattered on the floor, transparent and soaked with water. He felt both shock and joy—shock that he had done something so wild last night, joy that he was still 'capable.'
Was it the alcohol?
Of course, he didn't know these were actually the 'results' left by Lucas the night before.
Before he could think further, the door suddenly opened. Lucas hurried in, flustered. "Lord Kamaji, why are you still here?"
Kujou Kamaji blinked in surprise. "What happened?"
"Have you forgotten? You got drunk last night, not only took Ayaka away but also beat Lord Masahito," Lucas said nervously. "Think about it—if Lord Masahito remembers this when he wakes, won't it be troublesome?"
Kamaji had been wild with rage and drink the night before; now sober, he felt a pang of fear. He hurriedly asked, "Then… what should we do?"
"Simple. You go home now and pretend nothing happened," Lucas advised quickly. "Once Lord Masahito wakes, I'll tell him he hurt himself and that you had nothing to do with it."
Kujou Kamaji nodded thoughtfully but still looked a bit shaken. "Do you really think this plan will work?"
"Time's tight, and this is all we can do for now," Lucas sighed. "Remember, once you're back, act like you know nothing about this. Don't avoid Lord Masahito—if you do, he'll get suspicious."
"Y-yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Kujou Kamaji, normally sharp, was clearly rattled, placing all his hope on Lucas. "You make sense. I'll leave right away. Leave everything with my brother to you."
"Don't worry," Lucas said, head down but with a faint, cold smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll take good care of him."
Without hesitation, Kujou Kamaji hurriedly put on his clothes. Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance once more at Kamisato Ayaka. "Once this is all over... I'll come find you."
Without looking back, he left.
"I didn't expect him to take it seriously," as soon as Kamaji left, Lucas's fawning expression instantly hardened into cold indifference. "But... I'm afraid it's already too late for him."
...
Half an hour after Kujou Kamaji's departure.
Inside the private room, Kujou Masahito groaned, sitting up from the sofa, brow furrowed. He murmured, "What's going on? My whole body aches… eh, where am I?"
He looked around. This was the room where they had merrily drunk last night. Memories slowly flooded back.
He vaguely remembered that he had taken Kamisato Ayaka, planning to spend an unforgettable night. But after that, nothing.
That shouldn't be. He was always confident in his drinking ability—he'd never blacked out before.
Masahito looked up and caught sight of a nearby mirror. His eyes widened. His body was covered in bruises; his face was swollen and battered.
When had he ever been beaten like this?
He roared, "Someone, come here!"
Before the sentence finished, Lucas, who had been waiting outside, walked in nervously and bowed his head. "You're awake…"
Masahito's face darkened like a tiger baring its teeth. "What happened to these injuries on me?"
Lucas swallowed nervously. "I... I don't dare to say."
"Speak!" Masahito slammed his fist on the table, furious. "Or I'll tear down this Platinum Haan!"
Lucas finally sighed and said, "Your injuries… were caused by your brother."
Masahito paused, then sneered, "Ridiculous! Kamaji is a notorious coward. Even if you gave him ten guts, he wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me!"
"I knew you wouldn't believe me. But please, listen to this."
Lucas switched on the phonograph on the table, an imported device from Fontaine that could play music and record voices.
After a bit of static, Kujou Kamaji's voice came through loud and clear—
"I told you I'm not useless! I told you I'm not incompetent! What do you amount to? Just a cast-off son in Father's eyes! I... I'm the future head of the Kujou family! Once I take over... the first thing I'll do is send you to Watatsumi Island so those rebels can tear you to pieces!"
The words were unmistakable. Masahito's expression darkened more with each word. When he heard "tear you to pieces," he slammed his wine cup on the marble floor so hard it chipped the stone.
With such concrete evidence, Lucas didn't need to explain further, but he fanned the flames anyway.
"He was cursing while hitting you. When I tried to stop him, he said... he said…"
"What did he say?" Masahito asked anxiously.
"He said, 'If I'm going to hit you, I will. After all, I'm the future head of the Kujou family. Even if you know you're being beaten, you'd better act like nothing's wrong.' And when we get home, you'll still have to respectfully lick my shoes."
Hearing that, Masahito's anger blazed even higher. Lucas knew that if he added more fuel, the fire would become uncontrollable.
"Lord Masahito, you have to stand up for Ayaka!"
When the time was right, Kamisato Ayaka stumbled in, looking wronged and miserable. "I was determined to serve Lord Masahito, but… but Lord Kamaji forcibly took me away. Not only that, he said... he said…"
Masahito's eyes widened in fury. "Don't be afraid. What else did he say?"
"He said, once he becomes head of the family..." Ayaka sobbed, "he'll abuse every woman who belongs to you, to avenge old grievances…"
"That bastard!"
Just as Lucas expected, Masahito was so furious he stood up and shouted, "That little brat doesn't respect me at all! If I don't teach him a lesson today, then I, Kujou Masahito, am no real man!"
"Lord Masahito, wait!" Lucas quickly called out.
But Masahito's face was full of rage. "Don't stop me! I won't spare him!"
"You're brothers, after all. Scaring him should be enough. If it really escalates, it'll be hard to end it," Lucas said, pulling a katana from under the coffee table. "This is the security guard's reverse-edged sword at Platinum Haan—just for show, it can't kill."
Masahito, rough and hot-tempered, grabbed the sword without hesitation. "Even if I don't cut him with this, I'll at least break his leg! You're a good man for this favor—I owe you."
Like Kujou Kamaji earlier, before leaving the room Masahito glanced fondly at Kamisato Ayaka. "This one doesn't count. I'll make it up next time!"
Then he pushed open the door and left.
Watching this, Kamisato Ayaka gave a mocking smile. "Don't you think we've gone a bit too far?"
"Too far? He should be thanking me," Lucas chuckled.
Just then, the door to the private room suddenly swung open. Kujou Masahito stormed in, his face dark with anger. "Thank you very much!"
Lucas's scheme to sow discord wasn't especially clever, but Masahito's hotheaded nature meant he barely had time to think—he just wanted to teach his aggressive little brother a lesson.
More importantly, as the "catalyst" of this plot, Kamisato Ayaka played her part perfectly. With just a little maneuvering, she turned the already simmering tension between the brothers into full-blown hostility.
Not long after Masahito left, Lucas changed into casual clothes and discreetly followed him, watching as the furious man hurried into the Kujou estate. Only then did Lucas calmly enter behind him.
As for the token Kujou Takayuki had given him? Lucas didn't need it anymore. Not only had he become a familiar face at the Kujou estate from frequent visits, but over the years, he had secured the loyalty of about 70 to 80 percent of the estate's servants and guards.
Especially the two gatekeepers—when they saw Lucas, they were even friendlier than when Masahito returned home earlier. If he hadn't looked like he had urgent business, they probably would have chatted him up for a while.
Lucas entered the Kujou household like he owned the place.
Thanks to training with Sara, his agility had greatly improved, and with Masahito burning with rage and letting down his guard, he had no idea he was being tailed all the way home.
Of course, who would ever believe they could be followed inside their own home?
The Kujou estate was quite large, and Masahito was momentarily unsure where to find his brother. He happened to pass by a servant under Kujou Kamaji's command, grabbed him without a word, and demanded angrily, "Where's Kamaji?"
The servant, terrified by the eldest son's fierce demeanor, stammered, "He… he's in the study…"
"The study?" Masahito frowned. "What's he doing in the study?"
"Probably reading or writing," the servant answered hesitantly. "The second young master enjoys cultured things and likes to do that in his free time."
Hearing this, Masahito's anger flared anew. He threw the servant to the ground and snarled, "That guy still has the energy for this stuff? Looks like he really doesn't take me seriously. Just wait, you'll see!"
He kicked the servant again in frustration and stormed off toward the study.
As soon as he left, Lucas approached, helped the servant up gently, and asked softly, "Are you okay?"
The servant immediately recognized Lucas and, full of grievance, said, "I'm fine. We servants are always looked down upon anyway."
"No one stays beneath others forever," Lucas said, patting his shoulder and pulling out several bills, slipping them into the servant's hand. "Buy your mother something to strengthen her health. What happened just now? Forget you ever saw it. Don't tell a soul."
Indeed, Lucas had already investigated the backgrounds of everyone in the Kujou estate—even the servant's family situation was well known to him.
Touched to the point of tears, the servant nearly knelt before Lucas in gratitude. But Lucas had no time to waste. He nodded and hurried away.
Minutes later, Kujou Masahito arrived at the study door. Seeing his brother's figure through the window, he calmed himself and wiped his face with a large fan before entering "peacefully."
Lucas crouched outside the window, watching carefully.
Masahito pushed open the door. Kujou Kamaji, who was writing at the desk, looked up, surprised to see his bruised and battered brother. His heart skipped a beat, but recalling Lucas's warning, he quickly masked any suspicion with a concerned expression. "Brother, what happened to your face?"
Masahito's anger boiled over—he hadn't forgotten the recording of Kamaji beating and insulting him the night before. Now seeing him act as if nothing happened only fueled his fury. He drew the reverse-edged sword Lucas lent him, pointing it at Kamaji. "Cut the act! You know what you did!"
Had Kamaji been willing to back down and apologize, Masahito might have been less harsh. But Kamaji, thinking Lucas had already smoothed things over, stubbornly insisted, "Brother, we were both drunk last night. You're probably mistaken."
"I've already listened to the recording," Masahito said coldly. "You think you can wait until you become head of the family and then deal with me? Fine! I'll strike first—I'll kill you now!"
Kamaji, chosen by Kujou Takayuki as the successor, was no fool. Hearing Masahito's words, he immediately understood. "Brother, calm down. It was that guy who—"
But Masahito didn't let him finish, swinging his sword down.
Years of battle-hardened muscle versus a scholarly weakling—Kamaji couldn't resist. With a sharp "swish," blood sprayed onto Masahito. Kamaji collapsed to his knees, his head rolling at Masahito's feet.
Masahito had intended only to intimidate Kamaji—to keep him in line once he became family head.
But now, staring at his severed brother's head, his rage extinguished. Cold emptiness filled him like falling into a deep well.
Images of their loving childhood flashed through his mind. Kneeling on the floor, holding Kamaji's terrified face, he was at a loss for words, tears streaming down.
"How… how did it come to this?"
At that moment, a panicked voice came from behind Masahito.
"I was too late, Lord Masahito! I made a mistake! That katana isn't a reverse-edged sword—it's a real blade!"
Kujou Masahito turned his head, and naturally, it was Lucas who had arrived. His heart was tangled with complicated feelings—he wanted to scold him, but could only sigh deeply and say, "You… you've really ruined me!"
"This is indeed partly my fault!" Lucas hurried to say. "But right now, the most important thing is how to save yourself."
Masahito finally sobered up. Forget about murder being a serious crime—he had killed his own younger brother. If it had been someone else, the Kujou family's status might protect him, but in this case, with Kujou Takayuki's fierce temperament, even if he escaped execution, a severe punishment was guaranteed.
There was no time to blame Lucas; Masahito almost desperate asked, "What… what should I do?"
"At this point…" Lucas's face turned serious. "We have no choice but to use a 'scapegoat' strategy."
"A scapegoat?" Masahito looked confused. "What kind of scapegoat? Hurry and tell me!"
"Given the current situation, trying to dodge responsibility is impossible. The only way is to disguise this murder as an accidental killing caused by a conflict," Lucas calmly explained, having planned this thoroughly. "But that's not enough—you must also show deep remorse for accidentally killing your brother by performing seppuku to atone…"
"Seppuku to atone?" Masahito's face went pale with panic. "I… I don't want to die!"
"It's just an act," Lucas shook his head. "You only need to pretend—just stab yourself in the stomach enough to draw a little blood. Then I'll immediately call for help. Since you're the true son of the family head, when he sees your remorse, he'll surely soften and stop pursuing this further."
Masahito was desperate and reckless. Seeing Lucas speak with such certainty, he had no doubt. After all, he was a battle-hardened soldier who had suffered many wounds. Stabbing himself in the stomach a little? He could do that.
"And, to be honest, this might not be a bad thing," Lucas whispered. "Now that Kamaji is dead, you're the only rightful heir of the Kujou family. Great men don't sweat the small stuff—this little sacrifice is nothing for the greater cause."
"Yeah… you're right…" Masahito, still kneeling, pulled out the short sword he carried at his waist. Facing his brother's severed head, he pressed the blade against his own belly and muttered, "Brother, I'm sorry. Don't blame me. When I become family head, I'll honor you well."
Though Masahito wasn't afraid of pain, seppuku required courage. He glanced at Lucas. "Don't be late. When I stab myself, you must immediately call for help."
"Of course, you'll be the future Kujou family head—my master from now on," Lucas lowered his head, eyes burning with cold revenge. "How could I ever harm you?"
Masahito took a deep breath, gritted his teeth hard, and plunged the short sword into his abdomen. The cold blade touched warm intestines, sending a shock of pain through him. He gasped, unable to speak, just locked eyes with Lucas, silently begging him to call for help.
Yet, the anxious expression on Lucas's face instantly twisted into a smile.
"Tsk, tsk, no way," Lucas murmured. "You really stabbed yourself in?"
Masahito's face paled. Lucas calmly put on gloves, crouched down, and gently held Masahito's hands clutching the sword's hilt. He smiled and said, "Let me help you deepen the wound. The deeper, the more believable."
As he spoke, Lucas pressed Masahito's hand, and the sharp blade slowly widened the abdominal wound. Though Masahito was strong and battle-trained, the agony of seppuku left him powerless to resist. He could only watch as Lucas used his own hands to slowly kill him.
He trembled all over, mouth open as if to say something, but he couldn't understand why Lucas—someone with no grudge against him—would treat him with such cruelty.
Lucas seemed to see through his thoughts, sighed softly, and said, "Sorry. If anyone's to blame, it's because you're Kujou Takayuki's son… now, rest well."
Intestines spilled steadily from the wound, pooling on the floor. The last time Lucas saw such fresh intestines was watching a cooking show featuring nine-turn large intestines.
Seppuku wasn't an efficient way to die. The suicidal usually struggled in excruciating pain for some time. To shorten this ordeal, a close person would often act as the second, beheading the person at the moment of the cut.
Though Lucas played the villain, he wasn't a bloodthirsty maniac. If he could have, he wouldn't have minded helping Masahito end his suffering sooner. But this brother-kills-brother, remorseful seppuku act was scripted—and no one else was meant to play the second.
Everyone he encountered so far had already been taken care of; no one would admit Lucas had appeared here today.
He returned to Platinum Haan at his own pace, summoned the six courtesans from the night before, and drank with them from daytime until noon, then fell into a deep sleep.
Who knew how long passed before the sound of hurried footsteps woke him? The door opened, and a short-haired woman with deep blue hair stood before the bed, staring coldly at him. No need to say more—this was Sara.
However, this meeting was rather awkward, as Lucas was sharing the bed with six beauties, and the chaotic scene made it clear just how debauched the night had been.
Lucas feigned panic, saying, "Miss Sara? You… you have something to say?"
Sara's cheeks flushed slightly as her gaze swept over Lucas's body. She said coolly, "Put on your clothes and come with me."
Feigning ignorance, Lucas replied, "I've been drinking since yesterday and only just sobered up this afternoon. If it's not important, can we talk later?"
"This matter is very serious," Sara turned away, her tone cold. "If you don't want to die, then hurry."
Lucas sneered inwardly but still nodded. "Alright, alright! I'm getting ready right now!"
Once dressed, he glanced again at the six beauties on the bed—trusted aides he had trained over the years, and his alibi for this entire operation.
After a few minutes, Lucas carried a cup of tea out and asked, "Miss Sara, what exactly happened that you personally came… to a place like this to find me?"
Sara was always upright and principled, so for her to come to such a den of debauchery to fetch someone showed just how grave the situation was.
Of course, Lucas knew this matter was indeed very serious.
"My two brothers," Sara said with an expressionless face, "were found dead in the study this morning."
She spoke as if these weren't "family," but just two unrelated men.
"What!" Lucas theatrically slammed the tea cup onto the floor. "What? Lord Masahito and Lord Kamaji… dead? Impossible!"
"This matter is extremely suspicious. Only a few people know about it," Sara sighed. "From what we can gather, there was a conflict between Masahito and Kamaji, resulting in the accidental killing of the younger brother, followed by seppuku out of guilt."
"Could… could this be a struggle for the family headship?" Lucas guessed dramatically. "Wait—if you already know the truth, why come to summon me? I know nothing!"
"Father trusts you, so he summoned you to discuss this," Sara frowned. "Why are you so nervous? Do you have something to hide?"
"Of course not!" Lucas shook his head quickly. "Masahito and Kamaji have treated me well; I have always regarded them as my own brothers. How could I harm them?"
"I was only asking casually," Sara said coldly. "You should prepare yourself for how to face Father."
The two rode back to the Kujou estate in silence and entered the family head's room.
Since Lucas's rise, he often visited Kujou Takayuki, but recently the old man had been resting due to illness and rarely seen.
Lucas seized this chance to carry out his plans. Fooling the brothers was easy; deceiving this old fox would be far more difficult.
Still, upon seeing Kujou Takayuki, Lucas was slightly shocked. He had not seen him for a little over a month, but the old man seemed to have aged more than ten years. His once gray and white hair was now pure white.
Losing two biological sons at once was an unbearable pain for anyone.
"Family head…" Lucas put on a profoundly sorrowful expression. "Miss Sara has told me about the two sons. Please… accept my condolences and don't let this grief harm your health."
Though his face was full of mourning, deep inside he was filled with joy for revenge.
Years ago, he had killed his own father. Now he had caused the death of the two sons. Only this kind of intimate loss could serve as his tool of retribution.
Kujou Takayuki looked like a walking corpse, slowly raising his head. His eyes lacked their usual sharpness, instead seeming somewhat clouded. He said in a low voice, "Does this… have anything to do with you?"
"Absolutely not!" Lucas stated firmly. "Yesterday was my birthday. I drank all night with the top courtesans of Platinum Haan; they and the staff can all vouch for me."
"Such a coincidence?" Sara narrowed her eyes slightly. "It's almost as if it's a deliberately arranged alibi."
Lucas cursed her silently but remained calm. "Why are you so targeting me, Miss Sara? Even if their deaths were truly accidental, or even if they were murdered, the biggest suspect for motive would… be you."
Indeed, Kujou Takayuki had only two biological sons. Sara was merely an adopted daughter. Now that both heirs were dead, the biggest beneficiary was naturally Sara herself.
"Nonsense!" Sara snapped angrily. "I would never commit such an atrocious act."
"She doesn't have that capability," Kujou Takayuki said slowly. "Although Masahito and Kamaji's deaths seem to be caused by sibling quarrels, something about it has always felt off to me. If this really was caused by someone, among those I know, only you would have the cunning and schemes to do it."
There was no denying this old fox's sense was terrifyingly sharp.
But Lucas had long anticipated this. He said seriously, "My achievements today are thanks to your support, family head. If you want me dead, I wouldn't bat an eye. But everything must be based on evidence. If there is even the slightest proof linking me to this, I will kill myself right now."
"Send someone…"
As Kujou Takayuki finished speaking, a young servant dressed in livery appeared from the corner. Lucas recognized him as the same boy he had encountered earlier that morning.
"This servant is Kamaji's personal attendant and also saw Masahito this morning. He is the strongest witness," Kujou Takayuki fixed his gaze on Lucas and pointed. "Tell me, did you meet him today?"
The boy raised his head and looked at Lucas. Their eyes met, and Lucas's heart tightened—he had no leverage over this youth. If he admitted meeting Lucas today, given Kujou Takayuki's temperament, Lucas's fate was sealed.
However, the boy's eyes flickered slightly, then he shook his head. "I… I don't know this man. But I clearly remember that when I saw the eldest young master today, he looked furious and shouted he wanted to kill the second young master."
Lucas was slightly surprised. The boy had indeed seen Kujou Masahito, but he was only angry—not threatening to kill Kujou Kamaji. His words now further confirmed that the sibling conflict was truly just an accident.
Lucas never expected that what saved him was just a few kind words exchanged between him and that servant earlier today.
The boy had served Kujou Kamaji since childhood and had no connection to Lucas, so naturally, he wouldn't cover for him—something Kujou Takayuki was well aware of.
"Sigh, it really was just a disaster, no one else to blame," Kujou Takayuki sighed deeply. "Lucas, I shouldn't have doubted you. Losing a child is such a crushing blow…"
At this moment, the usually stoic head of the Kujou family revealed a trace of human warmth.
"My whole life, I schemed and struggled just to make the Kujou family prosper and grow…" Kujou Takayuki smiled bitterly. "But now, it's like the old seeing off the young. All my efforts have turned into a fleeting dream."
Indeed, at Kujou Takayuki's age, even if he tried to have another child, it would be difficult, and even if by some miracle a child was born, the complicated situation meant that heir might struggle to carry on the Kujou legacy.
"Family head," Lucas said softly, "don't you still have a daughter? Miss Sara may be a woman, but in virtue, talent, and ability, she far surpasses ordinary men. If it's her, she could definitely keep the Kujou family going."
Hearing this, Sara was momentarily taken aback.
After all, just moments ago, she and Lucas had been at odds. Suddenly, he was praising her, which naturally made Sara suspicious.
Kujou Takayuki looked at his adopted daughter of more than twenty years and, after a long pause, seemed to come to a decision. He nodded: "Sara, I know you've always thought I adopted you just because of your bloodline—that I saw you as a tool. But in my heart, you've long been like my own daughter."
"Father…" Sara's voice choked slightly.
Lucas feigned emotion but was inwardly cynical. That old fox really knew how to win people's hearts—his biological sons just died, and now he was using a family appeal to secure Sara's loyalty.
Sara had been adopted young and had some feelings for her foster father Kujou Takayuki. Her cold-but-warm personality naturally made her believe his sincerity.
"From now on, you will carry on the 'Kujou' name," Kujou Takayuki coughed twice and continued, "And you must find a suitable man quickly—one to marry into the Kujou family, to add heirs and continue the line."
Kujou Takayuki now bitterly regretted focusing too much on his career in his youth and not having more children. With only two sons, things had come to this.
Though Sara was not his blood, what mattered more to Kujou Takayuki was that the "Kujou" name would continue. Since he could no longer produce heirs, at least the family name must be preserved.
The Tengu and humans don't share the same lifespan, but even by human standards, Sara was around thirty, well of marriageable age.
In the past, Kujou Takayuki had introduced her to promising young nobles, but she had always refused for various reasons. Back then, with two sons still alive, he didn't push marriage on her.
But now, since he was determined to make Sara the heir, the sooner she married and had children, the better.
Unexpectedly, Sara glanced at Lucas and said seriously, "I think he might be a good choice."
Huh?
Lucas was a bit stunned and quickly slapped his own cheek, wanting to make sure he had heard her right.
They'd known each other for years; Sara had been Lucas's swordsmanship tutor. She had always disliked him, so it was already a miracle if she didn't oppose him becoming family head. Now, she was even considering letting him marry into the Kujou family as a son-in-law?
Lucas even suspected that if all the men in Inazuma City died off, Sara still wouldn't spare him a glance.