The Earl's Test / Breathing Techniques; A Wary Family

So, after considering every aspect, Yorii Tsugikuni decided to accept the invitation from Aria's family.

Just as Mr. Caven and Mrs. Calitan had imagined, no outsider who had come to the Imperial Capital to make a living could refuse the hand extended by an earl.

After all, an imperial earl could easily help any outsider rise to prominence.

"That's really wonderful!"

"Then it's getting late. Brother Yorii Tsugikuni, Brother Ieyasu, Sister Sayo, hurry and come aboard."

The moment Yorii Tsugikuni accepted her invitation, Aria jumped up in delight.

She directly grabbed Yorii Tsugikuni and Ieyasu by the hands and led them toward the carriage.

Sayo watched the scene with a smile. After Yorii Tsugikuni and Ieyasu climbed in, she followed close behind.

A Test from the Earl

"Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni, you're from out of town as well, aren't you?"

"May I ask which region your family comes from, Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni?"

The carriage began moving again.

Looking at Yorii Tsugikuni seated across from him, Caven narrowed his eyes slightly and exchanged a glance with his wife, Calitan. With an unreadable undertone, he asked, "Perhaps our families might even have some connections."

"To be honest, the situation in the Imperial Capital hasn't been very good lately. I've even considered shifting the center of my business elsewhere."

Setting Sayo and Ieyasu aside for the moment.

From their brief interaction earlier, Caven had already learned enough about Sayo and Ieyasu.

They were outsiders through and through. Even if people like them suddenly vanished, no one would care. But when it came to Yorii Tsugikuni, Caven could not quite figure him out.

The difference between a mudfoot and a member of a respectable family was far more obvious than one might think.

Whether it was his bearing, his manner of speech, or some of his habits, Yorii Tsugikuni was completely different from Sayo and Ieyasu. Caven had navigated the Empire's complicated social circles with ease, so his powers of observation were naturally sharp.

That was why Caven wanted to test Yorii Tsugikuni.

He wanted to obtain some basic information from him. Otherwise, Caven would not let his wife and daughter act on a whim. If they kicked an iron plate, they might not even know how they died.

An imperial earl sounded impressive, but in the Imperial Capital, it was honestly only an acceptable position.

Part of the reason Tatsumi had not been immediately controlled by Aria's family in the original story was that they needed to make absolutely certain he was someone they could afford to provoke.

"I did indeed come from elsewhere."

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how far away I came from."

"Something unusual happened to me."

"When I came to my senses, I had already appeared in this bustling city."

Yorii Tsugikuni noticed the small exchange between Caven and Calitan, but he did not pay much attention to it.

Looking at Caven and Calitan, Yorii Tsugikuni said somewhat helplessly, "I come from Asakusa in Tokyo. That is what we call it there. The land where I lived was surrounded by the sea on all sides, so it is probably very far from here."

"I am the second son of the Yorii family."

"Oh, and our naming conventions are different from yours, Mr. Caven."

"My family name is Yorii, and my given name is Tsugikuni."

Yorii Tsugikuni did not think there was anything he could not tell Aria's family.

He basically repeated to Aria's family what he had previously told Sayo and Ieyasu.

Yorii Tsugikuni had actually noticed quite a few strange little gestures and exchanges within Aria's family, but too many strange things had happened to him that day.

Many customs in the Empire were also different from those Yorii Tsugikuni understood. So although he noticed many small gestures, he did not pay them any mind.

Yorii Tsugikuni was neither especially calculating nor someone who was quick to guard against others.

At least, at this stage, he was not.

"Oh?"

"Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni, you suddenly appeared here?"

"You appeared here without even knowing how? That truly sounds rather troubling."

"Even your name follows a different format from ours. It really must be a very distant place."

After hearing Yorii Tsugikuni's brief explanation of his circumstances, Caven nodded thoughtfully.

It was more or less what Caven had initially guessed. Yorii Tsugikuni was different from the two mudfoots beside him, Sayo and Ieyasu. He had clearly received a high level of education.

He could not possibly have been born lowly.

That made Caven hesitate.

He hesitated over whether to make a move against Yorii Tsugikuni, Sayo, and Ieyasu.

If he acted, Yorii Tsugikuni's identity was right there before him. He was obviously no ordinary person and had his own family background. There was no need to risk offending an unknown family by forcibly making a move.

But if he did not act, who knew how far Yorii Tsugikuni's hometown was from the Empire?

And even taking a step back, even if Yorii Tsugikuni's homeland was right next to the Empire, it was still a family outside the Empire. Their influence could not possibly reach the heart of the Empire, the Imperial Capital.

There was no need for him to be so restrained over a descendant of a non-imperial family.

No matter what, he was still an imperial earl.

But...

In that brief instant, Caven considered many things. In the end, he decided not to act for now.

No matter what, Yorii Tsugikuni was unlike other mudfoots. He was a member of a family, a noble. He could not simply be made to disappear like other mudfoots.

After all, special powers still existed in this world.

Caven could not guarantee that Yorii Tsugikuni's family did not possess such powers.

Caven's wife and daughter had thought through the same things. So after Yorii Tsugikuni revealed his background, they all abandoned their original intentions.

It would be better not to touch Yorii Tsugikuni or the two mudfoots beside him for the time being.

"Master is actually a noble."

"I thought Master, Sayo, and I were all the same, without family names."

Compared to Aria's family, whose thoughts were racing, Ieyasu's mind was much simpler.

Beyond a little shock, envy, and amazement, he had no other unnecessary emotions. He continued to devote his heart to Aria, who was not far away.

It was obvious that at a time like this, if Aria merely crooked a finger at Ieyasu, she could effortlessly turn him into a loyal simp.

Sayo, beside him, felt somewhat embarrassed and could hardly bear to watch.

Sayo was far more rational than Ieyasu. She knew that she and this family, who looked so kind and warmhearted, belonged to two completely different worlds.

Forcing themselves together while holding onto fantasies they should not have would only be unbearably awkward.

And so, after chatting for a little while longer, the carriage slowly came to a stop before a grand and luxurious estate.

Breathing Techniques, a Wary Family

Without a doubt, both Sayo and Ieyasu were stunned by the luxurious building before them.

Back in their hometown, Sayo and Ieyasu had never seen such an extravagant building. Its opulence completely exceeded the limits of their imagination.

Compared to Sayo and Ieyasu's uncontrollable shock, Yorii Tsugikuni's expression was relatively calm.

In terms of luxury and splendor, the Imperial Capital in this world far surpassed the era Yorii Tsugikuni had lived in by countless levels, even though he himself came from a distinguished family.

However, Yorii Tsugikuni had very little concept of, or need for, money.

Therefore, Aria's family mansion did not stir much emotion in him. Caven noticed Yorii Tsugikuni's reaction as well.

Without a doubt, Yorii Tsugikuni's composed manner made Caven take him even more seriously. He clearly came from a good background.

"Aria, is this your home?"

"It's so big and beautiful."

Looking at the luxurious residence before them, Sayo wore a faintly envious expression.

No matter what, Sayo was only fourteen years old. It was perfectly normal for her to feel envious when faced with such a sight.

"Yes, this is our home."

"Since Calitan and I are busy with work every day, Aria is often home by herself. She gets very lonely."

Looking at the excited and delighted Sayo and Ieyasu, Caven put his arms around his wife and daughter and smiled. "Now that Mr. Yorii Tsugikuni, Miss Sayo, and Mr. Ieyasu are here as guests, Aria will not be so lonely."

"Please take good care of Aria these next few days."

Yorii Tsugikuni's behavior had undoubtedly caused Caven to completely change his attitude.

There was nothing that could not be negotiated. Usually tormenting outsiders was merely a minor hobby in his spare time.

Outsiders were everywhere. Every day, who knew how many reckless outsiders came rushing toward the Imperial Capital?

Considering Yorii Tsugikuni's background, Caven had already given up on the idea of acting against Sayo and Ieyasu. He could simply find some other outsiders later.

"Yes, yes."

"Now that Brother Tsugikuni, Brother Ieyasu, and Sister Sayo have come to my house to play."

Aria happily took Sayo's hand and smiled. "I finally won't be lonely anymore."

"If you want, you can stay at my house for as long as you like."

Aria was not quite so happy now.

Looking at Sayo's smooth, flowing hair, Aria was extremely unhappy. But she also knew that Yorii Tsugikuni came from a distinguished family and was not a mudfoot who could simply be made to disappear.

But now that things had come to this, Aria could only continue maintaining her image.

To be honest, Aria was already beginning to regret stopping the carriage in front of Yorii Tsugikuni and the others.

If they had wandered around a little longer, they surely would have found other suitable mudfoots. Yet because of Yorii Tsugikuni and the others, she and her mother would not be able to act rashly for the next few days.

At that thought, even Aria's smile became slightly unnatural.

Is she unhappy?

My older brother was the same. There were many things he could not say from his heart.

Yorii Tsugikuni naturally noticed the change in Aria's expression.

Seeing the fleeting stiffness on Aria's face, Yorii Tsugikuni became thoughtful. He could somewhat understand Aria's change.

When Yorii Tsugikuni was little and still with the Yorii family, he had watched his older brother, Yorii Genkatsu, train under their father.

In any case, he had needed to do as Aria was doing now: no matter how unwilling or unhappy he was inside, he had to keep a smiling face.

The only thing Yorii Tsugikuni found strange was what exactly had made Aria angry and unhappy.

If it was because they had come to visit, Yorii Tsugikuni had seen Aria's genuine joy earlier. He did not understand why her emotions had changed so drastically in such a short time.

Compared with the still-young Aria, her father and mother were better at concealing themselves. Their emotions did not fluctuate at all.

What happened next naturally became simple.

As guests in Aria's home, they naturally had delicious food, a warm fireplace, and soft beds. Yorii Tsugikuni, Sayo, and Ieyasu finally had somewhere they could rest properly.

Even Yorii Tsugikuni was willing to rest properly when given the chance.

The next day arrived quickly.

After breakfast, Yorii Tsugikuni, Sayo, and Ieyasu came to the spacious courtyard.

Aria's family courtyard became the location for Yorii Tsugikuni's first lesson with Sayo and Ieyasu.

"The main purpose of Breathing Techniques is to strengthen the body's functions."

"They allow us to take in more oxygen in a very short period of time and unleash greater strength."

"Total Concentration Constant Breathing is a relatively advanced realm among Breathing Techniques. It allows one to constantly unleash great strength, and over time, it strengthens the user's physical abilities in every aspect."

"Total Concentration Constant Breathing must be maintained even while sleeping."

Looking at Sayo and Ieyasu sitting obediently on the grass, Yorii Tsugikuni began carefully explaining Breathing Techniques.