I See You Behind The Glass Mask | KazuScara

Chapter 4: Further Complications (The Glass Mask, Pt. 1)

"Begone."

"Your highness-"

"Have I not made myself clear, Sir Niwa?" she whips around to face him, her long black tresses caught by the whirlwind which she had unconsciously summoned around them. "I do not wish to speak with you. I cannot trust you."

Sir Niwa shook his head slowly. "I have never lied to you, my lady," his voice was barely above a whisper.

The laugh she gave him was bitter. "You have done nothing but lie to me from the very beginning, Sir Niwa," Fujin could no longer keep the dejection from her voice. "For you have always faced me with that mask. The man I have met is one you have carefully crafted to fit what you believe would please me. I have never truly known you."

- excerpt from Reincarnated As Princess Fujin: I was happy living quietly in the tower, but then I met the knight destined for tragedy, so I decided to help make him emperor instead. Light novel series by Tsubaki Himegimi. Copyright 20XX, Yae Publishing House.

Chapter Four

Further Complications (The Mask, Part 1)

That afternoon, Kamisato Ayato received a most unusual call.

To be fair, it had been an overall unconventional day for the head of one of the biggest political factions in Inazuma. For one, he had just received news from his private intelligence network that the Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions had secured enough votes for the Shogun Restoration Act. Monarchy is one hundred percent returning to Inazuma. That was the reason why he was currently shut inside the four walls of his private office, piles of old books spread in the low table in front him, ardently flipping through their pages in search for something, anything, that can cushion the pitfalls from the absolute mess that was surely coming their way. So far, all he had discovered was his own allergy to dust mites.

The most unusual part of his day, however, was that his sister Ayaka was returning to school for the first time since their parents died.

Ayaka never stopped studying, of course; for the past seven years, he had ensured that she received the best instructors whilst she remained home-schooled. Despite this, his sister, if he may say so himself, had naturally grown into a fine young lady, if a bit...sheltered.

Although a knot of worry will forever rest in his chest whenever his sibling ventures far from his eye, a part of him was relieved that she would now hang out with people her age. She'd been spending a lot of time lately with Yae Miko. He had nothing against the owner of Yae Publishing House and esteemed consort of the House of Raiden. Admittedly though, he was concerned that the former Guuji Yae's eccentricities would begin to rub off on his sister.

Part of the reason why Ayato was currently making slow progress with the task in front of him was because he was sulking. He had promised Ayaka that he would drop her off at the University of Inazuma that morning. Instead, he had to cancel at the last minute because of the utter insanity being cooked up by the National Diet and that Kujou Takayuki.He was looking forward to getting a glimpse of his alma mater's beautiful cherry blossoms, too.

Instead, here he was, stuck in the suffocating walls of the Kamisato estate, pale blue locks standing on one end from the amount of times he had frustratedly ran his hands through it. All because an unnecessary tradition was being forcibly revived by the Diet. The fact that he was complaining is saying something, as he's supposed to be the head of the clan in-charge with preserving Inazuma's culture.