196 Wasn't Very Happy

Haruko and Blanca exchanged a deep look.

Both knew that the other had learned someone's identity, and both knew the other had been watching that person all along. Yet after that single glance, they tacitly shifted their gazes away.

It was an understanding.

After all, one was a Militech executive, while the other was a member of the Arasaka Family. If they looked at each other for too long under everyone's watchful eyes, it would inevitably invite scrutiny.

And if someone followed their gazes and discovered the figure they were both watching—

No matter how flawless his disguise was, the foxes around the conference table would brand their suspicions into their memories. More eyes meant greater risk—and that was absolutely not the outcome they wanted.

Arasaka Haruko and Blanca acted as though nothing had happened. One withdrew her gaze, while the other calmly took her seat under Chiyome's escort.

Haruko sat on the left side of the table from the original seat of honor, taking the third seat on that side, ahead of Kenichi Shiro and Sanada, Vice President.

Though she was a member of the Arasaka Family, she was not the only Arasaka Family member attending today.

With all her elders present, this perfectly measured position suited her well.

Arakawa Michiko, who had originally occupied the first seat on the left, saw her daughter arrive. After thinking for a moment, she moved to the second seat, choosing to sit closer to her daughter.

By virtue of her influence in North American Arasaka, it would have been only natural for her to take the first seat. After all, even a mighty dragon could not suppress the local snake. But Arakawa Michiko did not want another arriving member of the Arasaka Family seated between herself and her daughter, so after a