Villainess' Redemption Records

Chapter 75: The Sick and Weak School Flower (10)

In the evening, a line of luxury cars drove to the five-star hotel where the Minazuki Corporation end-of-year party was held.

The grand ballroom was glowing with soft, golden light from the chandeliers overhead, casting a warm ambience that reflected the luxurious yet tasteful elegance style. 

The party was largely a formal affair, intended to celebrate the Minazuki Corporation's successes over the past year and strengthen relationships with key business partners. Employees mingled with business elites, and the room buzzed with polite conversations and laughter.

Hanae, dressed in an ivory kimono embroidered with delicate golden cranes, stood near the entrance beside her friends, Kaori, Aiko, and Nirina. They stood at a respectful distance, watching as more and more people entered the ballroom.

Nearby at the entrance, her father and brother were greeting the guests as they arrived. They greeted their guest with warm smiles, but there was a certain unmistakable poise in their movements that made people nervous. 

The Minazuki family, after all, was no ordinary family.

Inside, surrounded by various elders of each family and business elites, an elderly man sat on a chair, which might as well be a throne. He had been watching from a distance and gave a slight nod from time to time. His presence had cast a shadow in the evening, a reminder of the weight of the Minazuki family name.

This man is Takahiro Minazuki, Hanae's grandfather and the former head of the Minazuki family.

He is around seventy years old and dressed in a luxurious dark kimono. His silver hair was swept back, emphasizing the deep lines etched across his forehead. His brows were furrowed as if he was perpetually displeased, and his critical gaze swept across the room like a hawk surveying its domain.

When he was younger, he ruled the Minazuki family with an iron fist. It was only after he raised a son-in-law as a successor that he went up the mountain alone and lived like a monk. 

As another high-profile guest entered the room, they gasped in surprise as they recognised the figure. Then, hurriedly came over to greet the former patriarch with deep bows of respect, afraid that they might not have another chance. Takahiro Minazuki hadn't attended a public event in years. Even in retirement, his mere presence carried weight.

"Kaito," Daichi whispered, nudging his friend as they arrived in the ballroom. "Is that...?"

"Yes, that's Takahiro Minazuki," Kaito replied, his voice low, but he could not contain the excitement in his heart. "Excuse me for a minute."

He hurriedly took out his phone to rush his father to hurry up. The man knows the importance of today. What is taking him so long?

"Well, that explains why everyone is so tense," Hiroto added, glancing around at the various businessmen who approached Takahiro with the utmost deference.

"It's probably been ten years since he's attended a party?" a voice nearby murmured.

"Probably. I wonder what brings the old master to leave the mountain today?" another voice answered.

"Who knows..." 

Despite his retreat from the public eye, Takahiro's influence had clearly not diminished.

Takahiro's sharp gaze scanned the room before finally softening when he saw his granddaughter. Hanae, who was talking and laughing with her friends, smiled deeply when she saw him. Takahiro waved his hand softly, encouraging Hanae to play with her friends.

And yet, despite the evening's prestigious guests, there was a ripple of unease when uninvited guests arrived, the Yamamoto family. 

The Minazuki and Yamamoto families had been close once, but recently, everyone knows that their ties had quietly unravelled. Most attendees are from the same social group, and many have children who also attended the Eikou Academy. No one expected to see the Yamamotos here, and there were whispers in the room. It was said that the Yamamoto business was in trouble lately.