“I know about the granddaughter of the Sanzenin Emperor, but the other one, the Shirogane… is her family very mysterious?”
“Yes, very mysterious.”
Suzuki Shiro was certain of this, and he himself had obtained corresponding evidence.
“The Shirogane are a lineage of priestesses, and in the past, the main business of their family was the work of priestesses, in simpler terms, exorcism work.”
“Shiro, are you sure your mind is in a normal state?”
“I also came to this conclusion through a lot of evidence, don't treat me like an idiot who just casually believes in the existence of such things.”
Tomo's reaction was also normal, and in fact, he also felt inexplicable when he deduced this result.
But the more he investigated in that direction, the more he felt the mystery surrounding the Shirogane.
“According to my investigation, the Self-Defense Force often contacts the Shirogane for certain matters.”
“The Self-Defense Force… would contact the Shirogane for things?”
Suzuki Tomo really couldn't understand what was going on.
Trying to recall the situation of the Shirogane, all she knew was that they were a family that ran businesses selling food, wine, beverages, and tea.
Just the Shirogane family's business alone shouldn't attract attention from the Self-Defense Force.
“It’s not just the Self-Defense Force, but also the two most important, well-known Shinto priests, Onmyōji, and the island nation's police.”
“Besides that, some political figures also frequently visit the Shirogane, asking for their help in solving problems.”
“If the Shirogane’s businesses themselves aren't beneficial to those people, then it must be their hidden identity behind the scenes that those people are interested in.”
“….This sounds strange.”
Listening to Shiro's explanation, Suzuki Tomo also felt a hint of strangeness.
The Shirogane's industries were quite large in scale in the island nation, but they wouldn’t be to the point of being able to help many political figures.
“However, is it certain just because of this reason?”
“Shiro, are you being a bit too decisive this time?”
“No.”
Suzuki Shiro shook his head slightly, he was never decisive when it came to observing things.
“Actually, a lot of evidence proves the Shirogane’s extraordinary nature.”
“Those political figures’ attention, even those renowned Shinto priests, treat the Shirogane with respect.”
“Moreover, according to my investigation, the Shirogane’s businesses control fifty percent of the entire island nation.”
“No one dares to compete with the Shirogane for that fifty percent, it's as if that portion was intentionally left for them.”
As a businessman, he had a very detached feeling about business dealings, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to elevate the Suzuki family to its current height in the ten years since he took over as the head of the family.
So he was even more certain that the Shirogane's businesses were granted by the island nation.
No more, no less, just fifty percent.
This wealth was enough to ensure that the Shirogane would always occupy the position of a top family in the island nation.
Even the Sanzenin might be shaken, but only the Shirogane are inviolable.
It's like a rule.
This is what made him feel the mystery surrounding the Shirogane.
“This… sounds a bit strange.”
The information Shiro summarized was definitely the result of careful investigation, which made Suzuki Tomo also feel the strangeness of it.
She could somewhat understand why Shiro had begun to feel the mystery surrounding the Shirogane.
This kind of situation, the treatment the Shirogane received, was clearly a bit over-the-top.
Yet, the Shirogane were not well-known among ordinary people, which was a huge problem.
“One Sanzenin, one mysterious Shirogane… Shiro, what do you think the Sanzenin’s purpose is in doing this?”
“That question… I don’t know either.”
Faced with Tomo's question, although Suzuki Shiro wanted to provide an answer, he truly didn't know.
“Then why were you talking so confidently just now?”
“…. I was just analyzing the situation on the surface. How would I know about the relationship between two thirteen-year-old girls and a sixteen-year-old girl?”
“But, one thing I can be certain of is that there must be some kind of interest involved behind the Sanzenin’s decision to attack the Shijo. I guess it's still a certain agreement between Sanzenin Nagi and Shijo Kaguya.”
“Could it be… that the granddaughter of the Sanzenin Emperor is planning to help Shijo Kaguya seize power?”
“Yes… that possibility does exist.”
Being said that by Tomo, Suzuki Shiro also felt that this possibility existed, and it seemed quite high.
However, there was a problem with this logic.
“But why?”
“What does the Sanzenin lack? That child can easily obtain anything she wants, why would she inexplicably help Shijo Kaguya seize power?”
This question was indeed difficult to answer.
Sanzenin Nagi could possess everything, there was no reason for her to help Shijo Kaguya seize power.
Suzuki Shiro instinctively felt that the reason behind this was important.
But unfortunately, the available information was limited, and it was difficult to analyze under these circumstances.
“We can only wait and see.”
“If Sanzenin Nagi’s goal is to help Shijo Kaguya seize power, then Shijo Kaguya should complete the agreement after seizing power.”
As he spoke, Suzuki Shiro loosened the tie around his neck.
“We need to understand this purpose in detail.”
“Do we need to?”
“Yes, we do.”
Suzuki Shiro was very serious at this moment.
“I think there must be an important reason behind this.”
“In any case, the power handover within the Shijo is actually quite important for us.”
“Let’s investigate the situation a little.”
“It would be good to know the reason.”
After years of being in business, he could sense that the agreement between those two girls might be crucial.
Important enough for Sanzenin Nagi to ask the Sanzenin Emperor to pressure the Shijo.
Suppressing his eagerness to get an answer, all Suzuki Shiro could do now was investigate and wait.
“I’m back.”
Just when the couple were silent, the sound of their daughter returning awakened the silent couple.
“Dad, Mom, why are you both looking so gloomy in the living room?”
Suzuki Enko, who had just returned home, saw her parents sitting in the living room with gloomy expressions, and felt a bit curious.
“It’s not business matters, is it?”
“Go, go, go, why do you think we're having trouble in business as soon as you come home?”
Suzuki Tomo rolled her eyes at Enko.
“You ran out early yesterday, and you ran out early this morning, tell me yourself, where did you go?”
Although they were relatively lenient with Enko, they still wanted to know where this child went sometimes.
“Of course I was with Xiaolan.”
“Yesterday, Xiaolan and that guy Kudo went to Dorobiga Garden, I went there early to scout the place, to see how they were doing.”
“I didn’t realize before, Dorobiga Garden is quite popular, not only does Xiaolan like it, that big ice cube likes it too.”
“Big ice cube? You have a friend like that?”
Suzuki Tomo looked at Enko in astonishment.
“Oh, I'm talking about Shijo Kaguya.”
“Doesn’t she always maintain a frozen face? I feel cold even standing next to her, so I call her big ice cube.”
PS: New book, please support with data.