Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World

"A straightforward personality, not good at expressing emotions, and a slightly twisted personality."

"I think that's the main reason for her condition."

Twisted personality?

Chika instinctively glanced at Kaguya.

Not just Chika—Hayasaka, who was extremely familiar with Kaguya, also shifted her gaze immediately.

The two of them noticed that Kaguya seemed to check every box Ren had just mentioned.

Thinking about their relationship, they couldn't help but feel like this was a true family resemblance.

"He would act cold toward the girl he liked, even going as far as to say unpleasant things, as if trying to hide his real feelings."

"She deliberately buried her emotions, refused to speak up, and in the end, the boy she liked confessed to her childhood friend."

"She said congratulations, but inside, she was emotional and always on the verge of tears."

Ren paused briefly, then continued analyzing the girl's situation based on what he knew.

"Her story always made me laugh. Such a simple girl, rendered completely speechless because she didn't say what she should've. I used to think it was just funny, but now… I think she needs the same kind of self-awareness as Kaguya."

Kaguya paused and turned her gaze toward Maki.

That might be the baseline awareness required of anyone born into a major family. But as far as Kaguya knew, Maki had grown up in a much more peaceful environment.

Her overall upbringing was far better. She didn't have an older brother who treated her like a pawn.

There was a time when Kaguya genuinely envied Maki's life.

"Maki's family environment is much better."

"But their family has always been suppressed by Oko. My older brothers see them as little more than retainers, and they've always treated them poorly."

"And unlike the Hayasaka family, the Shijos are close blood relatives to the Shinomiyas. Because of that, my brothers have always shown them the same hostility."

"So I understand why the Shijo family would move against the Shinomiya family. Their intent has always been to bring us down."

"This feud is something that's existed between the two families for a long time."

"But even after I seized control of the Shinomiya family, they still kept trying to infiltrate."

As she spoke, Kaguya let out a cold sneer.

"They're probably trying to figure out where I stand, poking around to gauge my position."

"Well, since they already made the move, I gave them a firm counterattack."

"I had thought they'd understand my restraint—my decision not to retaliate against their infiltration was a message in itself. But apparently, I overestimated their intelligence."

"So I had Aunt Nao crush them immediately, so they'd understand where I stand."

Shijo couldn't understand simple cues, so she needed to be shown directly. Kaguya's message was clear: unless it's absolutely necessary, don't even think of coming to her door, they weren't on friendly terms.

Of course, Kaguya also understood that the Shijos were just acting out of habit. They had always positioned themselves in opposition to the Shinomiya family. No matter who seized control, they were just waiting for the opportunity to pounce.

"Compared to vague diplomacy, clear-cut actions give people more peace of mind, don't you think?"

Kaguya nodded slightly, acknowledging Ren's words.

Ren had nothing more to say. The method was simple, even harsh but it made people feel secure, especially when dealing with relics like the Shijo elders.

It was like people who had lived under restriction for so long. The moment those restraints loosened, they wouldn't know how to respond. They'd always try to test the waters in their own way.

The Shijos were clearly like that.

There were easier, more direct ways to test the waters. Sending their daughter to speak honestly would've been better than playing mind games with business investments.

Did they ever stop to consider what would've happened if Kaguya really had a ruthless personality?

Ren had a lot of questions about that.

So, he instinctively reached for a maple leaf gold coin to divine the truth.

The Shijos had already considered the worst-case outcome.

The coin fell, face up.

The answer is: Yes.

Ren raised an eyebrow.

They were prepared for failure.

He flipped it again. The coin still landed face up.

Again, the answer: Yes.

Two consistent results made Ren realize that the Shijo family had backup plans. They weren't walking into this without insurance. At the very least, they were prepared not to lose everything.

But what exactly were they trying to confirm that made them willing to pay such a heavy price?

Suddenly, a thought struck Ren.

The Shinomiya family.

That answer froze him momentarily—then he understood.

The Shijo family's goal was to verify whether the old traditions of the Shinomiya family were truly extinct.

They had chosen the most inappropriate method imaginable, forcing Kaguya to give the clearest response.

To confirm this, Ren let the coin fall once more. Still face up.

Yes.

Good grief… so it really didn't matter if they lived or died, as long as they could confirm the extinction of the Shinomiya legacy?

After receiving that answer, Ren was speechless. As he looked up, he noticed everyone staring at him. He let out a sigh and relayed what he had just divined.

"The Shijo family wanted to use this self-destructive approach to confirm whether the traditional Shinomiya family is truly gone."

When Kaguya heard this, she froze, then covered her face with one hand in exasperation.

"Do they really hate the Shinomiya family that much?"

"They're really not afraid I'll treat them like my dear older brother would?"

Then, realizing she'd asked a foolish question, Kaguya slapped herself lightly on the forehead.

"Of course they're not afraid. They're already doing it anyway."

She used to think her older brother was just insane. But now it seemed like the Shijos weren't any better. If someone rounded them all up and sent them to a psychiatric hospital, they'd probably all end up in the same ward.

(To be continued.)

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