"Can you explain what's going on here? Hmph? You idiot brother!"

Asuka sat on the sofa, crossed her arms, raised her legs, and frowned with great anger.

Although Ryuto didn't know why Asuka was so angry, for the sake of his personal safety, he decided to admit his mistake directly. With a hesitant expression, he knelt on the floor in response to Asuka's demand.

"Miss Asuka, to be honest, I'm also not sure. So even if you ask me, I can only answer that I don't know. I really don't know, please believe me. Moreover, I'm the victim here. I was attacked by a strange masked man not long ago and almost lost my life. Asuka, don't you worry about me at all? Hmm... As your brother, I'm really hurt."

Ryuto covered his eyes with his hand and appeared to be greatly affected.

But Asuka either didn't hear or didn't care about this, and continued to speak.

"Not sure? Just a few minutes ago, you brought a girl back from somewhere, and you're pretending to be clueless. Who do you think you can fool, you idiot brother!"

Hey, hey, isn't this the main point?

Asuka looked at the girl sitting on the opposite sofa.

After hearing this, Ryuto stood up excitedly, with a face full of injustice, and actively defended himself.

"Your Honor, I object. How can it be just a few minutes? That's too exaggerated. Clearly, it has been several hours already. As a modern person, one must have a strong sense of time, otherwise it will be very frustrating for me!"

Ryuto said, opening his hands, closing his eyes, and sighing with a helpless expression.

"Huh?"

"Ah, it really was just a few minutes. I made a mistake just now! I'm truly sorry, Miss Asuka. Besides, I just happened to run into this girl on the way."

Ryuto immediately knelt again with lightning speed, in a prostrate position on the floor.

"If you really brought her here from somewhere, you'll regret it."

Asuka whispered softly.

"What did you say just now? Asuka, you idiot brother!"

"I didn't say anything, you idiot brother!"

Asuka said loudly and then stared at the girl on the opposite sofa with sharp eyes.

"Although it may be unnecessary, I still want to ask, who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Ah... well, I am Tsuchimikado Hiyori, I came here specifically to protect Ryuto-sama."

Hiyori seemed a little flustered by being suddenly questioned and hesitated for a moment.

She even calls Ryuto-sama, so intimately.

Asuka frowned unhappily and glared at Ryuto.

Is she concerned about this point?

Although Ryuto didn't know what was going on, he felt very innocent, getting caught in the crossfire like this.

Ryuto said with some embarrassment.

"Just call me by my name directly, there's no need to be so formal."

"You can't, Ryuto-sama is Ryuto-sama."

Saying this, Hiyori showed an expression that didn't compromise at all, showing how stubborn she was on this point.

It's really strange how she's so persistent in such a strange aspect, Ryuto thought and decided to give it up.

At this moment, Asuka suddenly spoke.

"Why were you specifically sent to do this?"

Asuka asked the core question directly, with a sharp tone. In response, Hiyori shook her head, seeming a bit bewildered.

"Well, I'm not sure about the specifics."

"Huh?"

Asuka couldn't help but open her mouth wide at the unexpected answer, and her sharp look from earlier had already disappeared.

"My father mentioned it suddenly some time ago. He only mentioned that Ryuto-sama has done us, The Tsuchimikado Family, a favor and asked me to protect Ryuto-sama. I don't know anything else."

"The Tsuchimikado Family?"

Asuka frowned and muttered softly.

"The Tsuchimikado Family is a renowned family of onmyoji in the world of yin and yang arts. The current head of the family is my father, Tsuchimikado Taibei. I've also been striving to become the next head of the family, hoping to make The Tsuchimikado Family even stronger."Hiyori explained in a cheerful tone, seemingly very fond of her own home. Her words sounded determined.

"It turns out that the technique you used earlier was Yin and Yang Arts, which I remember is also a form of magic. No wonder it didn't look like a superpower. Speaking of which, the person who attacked me earlier also mentioned something similar."

Ryuto couldn't help but be surprised, and then he seemed to suddenly remember something and continued talking.

"By the way, you're really amazing, especially that last fireball. It knocked that man back with a 'thud'!"

"Uh... that wasn't me. I'm not very good at that kind of thing."

Hiyori tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh, so then who was it? It seemed like there was no one else around."

As he said that, Ryuto became even more puzzled.

"Let's stop talking about this now. The food is getting cold."

After saying that, Asuka stood up from the couch and walked towards the dining table.

"Um, I think I did something to make Miss Asuka angry."

Hiyori said, with a self-blaming expression, lowering her head.

"Don't worry about it. She's always like that."

"Oh..."

"Why aren't you coming over? What are you whispering about there, you idiot brother?"

Asuka urged from a nearby place.

"Got it, I'll be right there."

Ryuto stood up and walked towards the dining table.

***************************************************

Because it was so sudden, there was no time to clean up the other rooms. Although Hiyori had suggested staying in Ryuto's room for protection, she was strongly opposed by Asuka. In the end, after a meeting discussion, Hiyori and Asuka slept together, and Hiyori would move into her new room once it was sorted out the next day.

That night, at a high-class hotel in that area, a figure appeared on the television screen.

The young man on the screen glanced at the information in his hand, showing a slightly puzzled expression.

"According to the report you submitted, the assassination failed because someone interfered, is that right?"

"Yes, sir. The opponent was a young girl who used Yin and Yang Arts. It was easy to see that she was not an ordinary practitioner of Yin and Yang Arts. Based on my conjecture, that girl is likely from the Tsuchimikado family."

The middle-aged man with a strange mask on his face respectfully replied.

"Oh... is that so."

The young man in front of the screen didn't seem very shocked after hearing this. Whether it was because he didn't care about the other person or something else, he just had a calm expression on his face.

"Don't worry about it. That person already anticipated something like this would happen. In order for you to complete your mission earlier, something that suits you very well has been prepared. This item will definitely be helpful to you. That person doesn't easily give things like this to others, so it means that you are being expected now. You should be happy about it."

"Could it be...?"

The middle-aged man seemed surprised by his guess and didn't seem as happy as the young man had said. After a moment, he said to the smiling young man in front of him.

"Sir, although that girl is indeed not easy to deal with, is it really necessary to use that thing?"

"Oh... are you doubting the actions of that person?"

The young man coldly smiled in a way that made it impossible to know what he was thinking. Although he didn't do anything, a strong sense of pressure could be felt.

"I dare not. I will complete the mission as soon as possible."

The middle-aged man hastily replied.

"Then, you will receive that thing tomorrow. I'll be waiting for your good news! Just like before, I believe in your abilities."

"Understood!"

After saying that, the screen in front of him closed, and the middle-aged man couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Tsuchimikado, huh? What a coincidence. Is it really just a coincidence...?"

The young man muttered to himself with a knowing expression on his face, still wearing that chilling smile that seemed capable of devouring everything.

(note: The translation may not be a direct interpretation of the original text, but it captures the essence and meaning of the passage.)On that evening, on the balcony of the Amagi family's house.

Hiyori, with a cautious expression, took out a paper talisman from her clothes. It had the words "everything is going according to plan" written on it. In a moment, the talisman transformed into a thousand origami cranes and flew towards the east.

"Hiyori, you're still awake," Ryuto's voice came from behind. Ryuto spoke as he walked onto the balcony.

Seeing Ryuto, Hiyori immediately changed her cautious expression.

"Yes, Lord Ryuto, is there something you need?"

"No, there's nothing special. I just saw you here and came over."

Ryuto smiled and waved his hand. Then he suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, Hiyori, I think I just saw something flying. What was that?"

"Lord Ryuto, that was a communication talisman from the Tsuchimikado Family. We write messages on the talisman and it automatically transforms into a thousand origami cranes to deliver the message. I was just sending a message to the Tsuchimikado Family..."

However, Hiyori didn't explain in detail, speaking rather vaguely.

Wow, this is so advanced. The legendary carrier pigeons are no match for this, Ryuto couldn't help but think.

Afterward, Ryuto rested his arm on the railing.

"I see. That makes sense. It's normal to let them know you're safe when you're so far away from home. How about here? Are you comfortable staying here? Well, it's a bit strange to ask that on the first day."

"Yes, Lord Ryuto."

"Really? That's good. Although I don't know the reason, thanks to you today, otherwise it would have been bad."

"No, Lord Ryuto, it's my duty, it's only natural."

"Although it is indeed true, there is no inherent reason for it to be taken for granted."

"Ah..."

Hiyori was surprised by Ryuto's answer, just staring at him with wide eyes.

"Based on your performance during the day, it's clear that you're excellent, much better than me."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Hiyori remained uncharacteristically silent.

"If everything becomes taken for granted, then there is no need for gratitude. Therefore, there is nothing in this world that is to be taken for granted. Whether it is the upbringing of parents to their children or who should be protected by whom, no laws explicitly define these things. What is important, what is cherished, has always been by our side. Once it becomes taken for granted, it becomes hard to notice. If it becomes hard to notice, then everything loses its meaning."

As Ryuto said this, he closed his eyes and continued his previous remarks with a thoughtful tone.

"So, no matter what, I must express my gratitude for what you have done, Hiyori. Thank you!"

It took Hiyori a while to regain her senses before she replied with a mood she herself didn't understand.

"If Lord Ryuto says so, then I will accept it. And at the same time, I also want to say thank you to Lord Ryuto."

"Me?"

Ryuto appeared a bit confused, on the verge of asking, when suddenly Asuka's voice came from inside the room.

"Why are you still standing on the balcony so late? You idiot brother."

"Okay, I'm going inside now."

Saying that, Ryuto hurriedly ran into the house.

After Ryuto left, Hiyori lowered her head with a complex expression, covering her chest with her right hand and occasionally making intermittent sounds.

"I'm... sorry, Ryuto... Lord... I... did... this... for... myself..."