Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Choosing a Bride, Shiki Ryougi

Outside the Genji Clan residence, traffic flowed endlessly. Today was the coming-of-age ceremony for Yuan Shikai, hailed as Japan's rising star of the magecraft world.

Magecraft families of all sizes from across Japan had come to show their support. Rumor had it that even a certain Lord of the Clock Tower had sent congratulations. The Genji Clan was truly at the height of its power.

Yuan Shikai was exhausted. Since morning, he had been greeting the hidden big shots of the magecraft world with a smile plastered on his face. People said it was usually harder than reaching the heavens just to meet any one of them, yet today they had all broken precedent to come see such a young man.

His face was about to cramp. During a rare break, Fujino massaged his shoulders, Sakura pounded his legs, and he slapped his own face. Thankfully, it was only one day. Otherwise, he would never have endured it.

At noon, the coming-of-age ceremony began. The Genji Clan had many rules: they worshipped at the ancestral shrine and honored their forebears. Just reciting the long string of names took half an hour, and his legs went numb from kneeling. He wondered how long people attending the ceremony a century from now would have to kneel.

Once the ceremony ended, the banquet hall, fifty meters in diameter, was filled with small tables. Everyone ate while sitting formally on tatami mats. Interestingly, nearly every group consisted of an elder accompanied by a young girl.

The good news was that they took turns coming over to toast him and chat. The bad news was that he had to remain in seiza the entire time. At this rate, he would be kneeling for at least four hours today.

According to the elders, everyone here belonged to magecraft families or related lineages. Marrying into their families would benefit both sides. If he took a fancy to any girl, he only needed to tell them afterward, and they would negotiate.

So he was choosing a bride now. Most of them were either plain-looking but talented, or beautiful but without talent. Looking at them was not as enjoyable as looking at Fujino a little longer.

After some brief conversations, he felt nothing. Just when he thought the day would pass like this, they approached: Mr. Kū Ryougi and Miss Shiki Ryougi, from the Ryougi Family, a demon-exorcising clan based in Mifune City.

He perked up immediately. Guys, look what I found—one of Type-Moon's four heroines.

He immediately sat up straight. Seeing this, the elders knew there was hope.

Kū Ryougi spoke first. "My father is unwell, so he specifically arranged for my younger sister and me to come offer our congratulations."

Yuan Shikai immediately replied, "Not at all. The fact that the two of you came is already an immense honor for me." It truly was an immense honor. He exchanged pleasantries and made small talk, while Shiki Ryougi did not say a single word.

He began with the origins of their family. "I hear demons exist in this world, though regrettably, I have yet to see one myself."

"While the absence of demons would make society more stable, would that not affect your organization? My adopted younger sister, Fujino Asagami, was originally a child of the Asagami Clan, a demon-exorcising family from Nagano. But the Asagami Clan has already declined."

Kū Ryougi said, "It does have some impact. The four great demon-exorcising families are long past their former glory, but we still have many side businesses to keep our families afloat. Mifune City is actually a good place."

"The Genji Clan would also like to invest in something there. Kū, do you have any good suggestions? Perhaps we could cooperate." Kū Ryougi immediately became excited. His so-called side businesses were really just underworld operations like collecting protection fees, things that could not be brought into the open.

If the Ryougi Family could truly cooperate with the Genji Clan, they could free themselves from the shackles of the old era. The country was becoming stricter by the day, and the underworld would disappear sooner or later.

Just as Kū Ryougi was about to say something, Yuan Shikai interrupted him. "Business matters can be discussed slowly later. Let's eat and talk first. Why has Miss Ryougi not said a word? Is there something you find unsatisfactory?"

Kū Ryougi was about to speak when Shiki Ryougi said, "No. I'm simply not good at talking." Her voice was somewhat soft and feminine. At present, Shiki Ryougi was the one occupying the body.

At this point in time, Shiki Ryougi was probably around thirteen or fourteen. Mikiya Kokutou likely had not noticed her yet. He had to get there first. Every Type-Moon fan probably wanted to become a man who could freely enter and leave the Root—unless they were a woman.

He prepared to show off. "Miss Ryougi, forgive my presumptuous question. Are you truly yourself? I do not know why, but ever since I first saw you, I have had the feeling that you are both yourself and not yourself. It confuses me. Could you perhaps clear up this doubt?"

At that moment, not only was Shiki Ryougi surprised, but Kū Ryougi was as well. The Ryougi Family's multiple personalities had always been a secret, yet the person before them had seen through it at a glance.

Yuan Shikai continued, "Of course, it may simply be my misconception. In any case, Miss Ryougi gives me an indescribable feeling. If I had to put it into words, you make me pay special attention to you."

"Ah, how rude of me. Please forgive me for saying something so presumptuous." His performance was complete.

As they parted, he said, "In a few days, I will visit Mifune City to inspect it. I may have to trouble you then."

Kū Ryougi said with great gratitude, "It would be no trouble at all. The doors of the Ryougi Family will always be open to you."

After seeing off the Ryougi Family, the First Elder hurried over and asked whether he was interested in that girl.

He answered plainly that he was. The First Elder said he understood and knew what to do.

The older people got, the shrewder they became. All that remained was to finish what needed doing, then make a trip to Mifune City.

There were still so many things to do. On the small end, there was the matter of Rin and Sakura attending school, and Aoi Tohsaka had also said she wanted to find a job. On the larger end, there were matters to settle before the Genji Clan completely took control of Fuyuki City. He handled all of these personally.

The former was to maintain their relationships, since he would not be able to stay with them often in the future. As for the latter, once he had completely taken over Fuyuki City's leylines and settled the political matters, he had decided to make a trip to Mifune City.

The First Elder was still communicating with the other side, but things were not going well. It seemed that because the next head of the family was Shiki Ryougi herself, they would only accept a husband who married into the family. It seemed Mikiya Kokutou had ultimately married into the Ryougi Family as well, and even their child bore the Ryougi surname.

He would leave that matter to the council of elders. He had other ideas and other things to do in Mifune City: find Garan no Dō—or, more precisely, find Aozaki Touko.

He planned to find her, keep her as his mistress—meaning pay her to work for him—and ultimately possess her—meaning throw money at her research until she could no longer do without him for funding.

As a Grand-class puppet maker from the Clock Tower, she had been named for Seal Designation yet still lived perfectly well. That alone made any price worthwhile. Her dual personality could also satisfy quite a few people's tastes.

If everything went smoothly, he would pay Shiki Ryougi a visit afterward.