Convergence

Part 1 : chapter 3

Utahime fell asleep that evening with a light heart.

She had narrowly escaped expulsion - and any form of punishment.

But at what cost?

She was now expected to report everything she saw or heard within this giant house. It had not taken her long to realise that the Gojo clan was bound together by complex and fragile ties. The immense power of the young Gojo Satoru only intensified the rivalries already present among its members. His uncle, in particular, seemed deeply dissatisfied with his current position.

But how could she - an insignificant girl who had only just arrived - possibly untangle such intricate family intrigues?

Anxiety began to rise within her.

If she failed to bring anything of value to her young master, he would not hesitate to punish her - or worse...

These thoughts swirled in her mind until sleep finally claimed her.

Her first day in the Gojo household had been utterly exhausting.

The following day was mercifully busy.

With so many tasks to complete, she had little time to think.

At dawn, Utahime and the other wards began by assisting the cooks in preparing breakfast for the Gojo family. Once the meal had been served and cleared away, they were ordered to clean the floors.

Around ten o'clock, their lessons began. Each pupil received daily instruction in exorcism, history, and mathematics. Classes ended at four in the afternoon, and after scarcely an hour of rest, they were summoned once more to help prepare the evening meal.

Utahime struggled to conceal her fatigue. She had not expected her new life to be so demanding. The other pupils seemed accustomed to this rhythm. She hoped that one day she would be as well.

For now, she simply longed to sleep for twelve uninterrupted hours.

During the evening meal Utahime found a moment to speak with Saïko. The young girl was extremely talkative, though unfortunately not particularly knowledgeable about the Gojo family.

"Tell me, Saïko... what kind of person is Master Gojo Takumi?" Utahime asked.

"Gojo Takumi? ...Hmm, I don't really know. I've rarely served him. But from what the older pupils say... he's very cold. Even cruel. Once, he cut off a girl's fingers because she spilled tea on his kimono."

"Oh..." Utahime breathed, horrified.

"Yes. If you ever have to serve him, be extremely careful. But luckily, that won't happen to us. Since I arrived a year ago, the head servants have handled his quarters. So we're safe, right?"

"So none of us has served him?"

"Well... I think Yamamoto Yuri did once, but I'm not sure. Why are you asking ?"

"Oh, no reason. I just want to learn more about the family... since I'll be serving them for three years."

Saïko's expression suddenly turned serious.

"If you want to stay alive, the best thing is to know nothing."

Her tone startled Utahime.

That evening, Utahime was not assigned to Gojo Satoru's shōgi games.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief.

According to her calculations, her next meeting with him would be in about five weeks.

She had time.

Time to investigate.