Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon - Volume 1 - Chapter 24

Chapter 24 - Jealousy makes one frustrated

It was an unexpected coincidence that Tatsuishi Minoru saw it.

At first, he even wondered if he had made a mistake in the creation of his shikigamis. And that was because the sight seen through his shikigamis was completely different from his memories and from what Kaya had told him.

Things weren't developing in the way he had imagined. When he finally realised that possibility, Tatsuishi Minoru was on the verge of going crazy.

He wondered just how could this have happened.

He scratched his head in a fit of rage at the thought of it.

"What's wrong, Oji-sama? Calling me over on such short notice."

The other party was of a higher rank, and no matter what, that's not something he could compete with. However, losing his composure, Tatsuishi Minoru threw all concerns to the back of his mind. All he could think about was how he could take back that golden goose.

That's why he called for Kaya without a second to waste.

If it was this girl, she would dance like his puppet just as Tatsuishi Minoru had imagined. He had no time to care about what others thought of his actions.

It was not Kudou who found the treasure first, but him, Tatsuishi Minoru.

"...Actually, I just saw something incredible earlier."

"Eh?"

"Kaya, I think you might want to know... about your sister right now."

(Lies, lies lies!)

How could that sister of hers walk around the city in such fine kimono with a servant accompanying her?

When she heard what Tatsuishi Minoru had told her after he called to meet her, she couldn't believe her ears.

Kaya went back to the mansion and hastily made a shikigami with her sloppy skills, sending it out to the city.

(It's impossible. Something like that...)

Just a few weeks ago, she was still wearing the same tattered, old clothes.

And on top of that, the beautiful man that she met at the mansion was actually Kudou Kiyoka.

W-What if her half-sister's marriage proposal was going well?

Would all the high-quality kimonos, the power over a large number of servants, and that beautiful husband... Would that all belong to that useless sister?

(No, no... something like that-)

Kaya was starting to become faintly aware that succeeding the Saimori family might not be such a good thing.

It was easy to find out just by socialising a bit in the girls' school that amongst the families of ability users, the Kudou family name and a few others will always come up. For the Saimori family and Tatsuishi family, no one relied on them or held any expectations for them.

It was just because of the wealth and status they have built up in the past that the/re barely able to get by. That's about it.

In the public's perception, they were already on a decline. It was unlikely that she would be able to live comfortably and leisurely in the future.

It felt good when she robbed her sister of Kouji and the only place she had in their parent's home.

In the world outside, no matter how much she was praised, there would always be someone above her. However, at home, Kaya was the princess. Putting aside all those who were better than her, she wanted the title of "the younger sister who is far superior to her sister".

But now, they had fewer servants in the house than in the past, her parents looked gloomy and worried about something, while her fiance, Kouji, did not care about her.

(It's laughable. I can't believe that Onee-sama took away what's rightfully mine)

She didn't need the Saimori family or Kouji anymore at this point. At first, she was still quite happy with herself to have taken those from Miyo. And more importantly, it was her, who deserved to be the wife of the Kudou family and not her useless half-sister who could do nothing.

However, when she saw that scene on the street, she thought her heart would stop beating.

"This has to be a lie... There's no way. How can that be Onee-sama?"

She saw a lady holding a lovely, snow-white parasol, dressed in a fine, lightly coloured kimono, talking to an old servant woman while walking. It was the figure of a noblewoman.

Her countenance had completely changed as well.

That unsightly, emaciated body regained its healthiness, though still delicate and fragile. Her once damaged and stiff hair was now so lustrous that it even reflected light.

"There's no way... How can Onee-sama have become like that..."

Stunned, yet unable to overlook this, Kaya subconsciously willed her shikigami to follow that lovely lady. However, on the way, it occurred to her that the lady was headed for the military base of the Anti-supernatural Special Task Force, so she kept her shikigami at a distance.

The noblewoman who looked like her half-sister exchanged a few words with the guard stationed at the entrance before waiting for someone near the gate for a while.

Then, someone came out from inside. There was no mistaking it, that was the beautiful man Kaya had passed by in the Saimori residence before.

But what on earth was happening? The expression on his face was completely different from that time.

That beautiful face which was so frightening it could shoot a human being with just a glance was now kind and gentle. One could easily see the affection he held for that lady.

And she too, had a slight blush on her pale cheeks as she looked at him with a relaxed expression

The way they talked to each other so amiably, it was clear to see that they were a harmonious couple no matter how one looked at it.

"... Why? Why!?"

That shaky and unstable shikigami disappeared in her moment of agitation and the scene projected in Kaya's mind disappeared as well.

Strange... This was all wrong.

That 'thing' was just something superficial43, no matter how much that sister of hers tried to mend her appearance, she was empty inside. Miyo lived most of her life as a servant and neither had any special ability or Paranormal Vision. She could do nothing.

And could someone like her take on the role of a wife to that perfect man from the Kudou family? No, she couldn't.

She was prettier than Miyo, or it would be more accurate to say that she was superior to Miyo in all aspects. Even though when compared to other distinguished families, they might be looked down upon by those of higher status, Kaya's abilities were still on the high side.

She was not the kind of person who could be satisfied with being the Mistress of the failing Saimori family and be done with it.

(I’m the one who deserves to be the wife of the Kudo family!)

Kaya, who was so lost in her own beliefs, ran out of her room and into her father's study.

Her parents were really lenient with her so if asked for a change of fiance now, they would surely listen to her.

However, her expectations were quickly betrayed.

"No, you should just properly focus on your bridal studies."

"Why!?"

Saimori Shinichi frowned with a bitter expression on his face. Kaya became more and more irritated when she didn't get what she wanted.

"There's no why. Just forget about Miyo."

"I'm not listening to that! Chichi44-sama, I'm the one who's most fitting to marry into the Kudo family, aren't !?"

"...Kaya, if you have that much time on your hands, why don't you go meet Kouji-kun?"

"Chichi-sama!"

After that, her father wouldn't listen to her no matter what she said.

It could be said that this was almost the first time he had ever done this. Whenever Kaya was being wilful, he would always give in at the end even if he was reluctant at first. And yet...

"Kaya?"

When she left her father's study, she was greeted in the corridor by Koji, who seemed to have just come to visit.

"Kouji-san"

In that instant, she felt a little hesitant.

Her fiance is basically on the side of his half-sister. If she said that she couldn't accept the idea of her half-sister happy and wanted to do something about it he would definitely be opposed to it for sure.

With that in mind, it occurred to her that if she could change her fiance, wouldn't there be some benefits for Kouji, who liked her sister, as well?

"Hey, Kouji-san--"

Don't you want to be engaged to Onee-sama?

As if he didn't understand Kaya's question, Kouji glared at her and asked in turn "What?"

"I'm saying that, Kouji-san, won't you be very to be engaged to Onee-sama?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"It's obvious that I'm more suitable to be Kudou-sama's wife than Onee-sama, so why don't we swap places? It's definitely better that way. You will cooperate with me, won't you"

"Stop saying such ridiculous things."

At this point, there's no way such a thing was going to happen, even when one thought about it commonsensically.

But when he sensed that Kaya was really being serious about her words, Kouji gave up on even trying to reproach her. Though of course, Kaya didn't notice that.

"Why? Doesn't Kouji-san like Onee-sama more than me?"

"That's not the problem... Did gifu45-san give his permission?"

"That..."

"Nothing can be done without the permission of the family head."

When the decision was made to send Miyo to the Kudou family and to keep Kaya, it was clear that Saimori Shinichi had no intention of letting her go. There's no way he would agree to it regardless how much Kaya wants it.

"...Even Kouji-san is being heartless to me!"

Kaya was disappointed and saddened all at once when she got such a cold response from her fiance, following her father.

(But that's right... if it's Tatsuishi Oji-sama...)

He always listened properly to what Kaya had to say and also told her about her sister.

She was sure he would cooperate with her.

Thinking about that, Kaya's heart felt a little lighter.

It was impossible for there to be no one on her side. As long as Kaya was the better daughter, it was obvious that everyone would want her more than Miyo.