At Yugo’s answer, the fathers' expressions tightened for a moment.
As he gazed steadily at the three of them, the first to speak was Ujiyasu, the man with the deepest history with Ryuga.
"…Those arrangements are already in place. I should have told you sooner."
"Is that so? I’m glad to hear it."
"…Considering the root of all this lies with the Utusemi family, it is far too late. I have done something to Renjou-kun that no amount of atonement could ever truly make up for."
Ujiyasu looked down as he spoke, his interlaced hands trembling slightly as he gripped them tight.
As if to intercede, Motonari spoke up.
"…The Utusemi family was unable to involve themselves with Renjou-kun and his sister because of orders from the Yamato side. They feared that reckless contact would lead to the exposure of Raiha’s secret. He truly regrets his sins."
"However, that doesn't change the fact that my ego caused this tragedy. In my desperation not to lose my daughter, I made a choice that left no one happy…"
"Don’t be so hard on yourself. We, who helped hide that secret until now, are just as guilty. You aren’t the only one at fault."
Just as he said, Ujiyasu seemed to deeply regret triggering the events that led to the death of Ryuga’s father.
Even if it was to save his daughter's life, destroying someone else's life and depriving Ryuga and Yui of their father was an act that could never be fully forgiven.
Motonari and Tadakatsu, who offered to share that burden of guilt, clearly felt they were equally responsible.
Sensing a genuine camaraderie between them that transcended their status as heads of the Great Houses, Yugo spoke to the downcast Ujiyasu.
"…I can’t pass judgment on what happened. Ryuga probably won’t be able to forgive you or Raiha-san easily, either. But… right now, he has moved past his hatred and his need for revenge. He might not be able to forget everything, but he’s trying to move toward the future. It’s the same for Raiha-san."
"…Yes, he truly is a strong young man. Given his position, it would have been natural for him to abandon her, yet he saved the daughter of his father's nemesis. I can never thank him enough."
"If you feel that way, then please look forward as well, Ujiyasu-san. Please show a willingness to atone—not just to Ryuga and Yui-chan, but to everyone caught up in the incident. I believe that would be the best way to show your apology and your gratitude to Ryuga."
"………"
Ujiyasu gave Yugo a silent, firm nod.
Motonari, who had been watching the exchange, adjusted his glasses and whispered softly.
"…I think I understand why my daughter thinks so highly of you. You are strong, but more than that, you are a kind man."
"Right? He’s a fine fellow. Having actually fought him, I felt the same way."
At the high praise from the Yamato VIPs, Yugo gave a bashful, sheepish laugh.
As the heavy atmosphere gradually lifted, Motonari spoke again, his tone official once more.
"Yugo-kun, you said you desired nothing, but we cannot be satisfied with that. As a small token of our gratitude, please accept this."
Motonari clapped his hands, and the door to the reception room opened. Three people who appeared to be servants entered the room.
They placed several reasonably sized Tamatebako on the table, bowed respectfully, and withdrew. A slightly nervous Yugo turned to Motonari and the others.
"Um, what is this…?"
"Open them and see."
Following the suggestion, Yugo opened the Tamatebako and gasped.
Inside the boxes were materials—lustrous green scales and long, string-like whiskers. The three men spoke to him as he realized at a glance what they were.
"These are materials from the Wind Dragon, Water Dragon, and Thunder Dragon. Please make full use of them for your armor or as research materials for your brother."
"We gathered only the finest materials. The quality and quantity should be more than enough… but if you need more, don't hesitate to say so, Yugo! A man should be a little greedy!"
"This is the least we can do to thank you for saving our daughters. Please, accept them."
"Ah, um… thank you very much. I can’t believe you’re giving me something so precious…!"
Even though Yugo wasn't intimately familiar with the world at large, let alone Yamato, he understood the value of the materials before him.
Uno had moved past mere surprise; he was practically dripping with cold sweat from the tension. Above all, the unique, heavy pressure emitted by the dragon materials was palpable.
For that reason—though not only for that—Yugo decided to gratefully accept the gifts.
He hadn't been looking for a reward and had considered declining at first, but these men had their pride as Yamato VIPs to consider. They likely felt they couldn't return home without making a proper gesture of gratitude.
…Besides, he had a strong feeling that if he refused now, Uno’s stomach would actually give out.
Thinking it best to accept for the sake of Luminous Academy's honor and to avoid insulting his guests, Yugo bowed deeply in thanks. Tadakatsu let out a boisterous laugh.
"Don't be so stiff! If you become the Groom of Amamiya, I’ll craft you a set of leg guards using as much Water Dragon material as you like! My daughter takes after me—she’s got a bit of a temper and some real muscle behind her… but you’d be a worthy match for her! So, how about it? Won't you become the Groom of the House of Amamiya? Eh?"
"Tadakatsu, have you forgotten our agreement not to bring this up? If you are making offers, then I would also welcome you, Yugo-kun. You received a confession from Setsuna about becoming her fiancé, didn't you? You may consider that confession to represent not just my daughter's will, but the will of the current head of the family as well."
"Wh-wha—!? E-eh…!?"
"Both of you, stop it. You’re making Yugo-kun uncomfortable."
He’d had a bad feeling ever since he first met Tadakatsu, but it seemed they were both dead set on bringing Yugo into their families for the sake of their daughters.
As terms like "marrying into the family" and "fiancé"—words that could decide a man's entire life—flew around the reception room, Uno’s face turned pale as he began to twitch.
Well, anyone would react that way if they saw their student being aggressively scouted as a son-in-law by Yamato VIPs, Yugo thought… while also realizing, perhaps too late, that the dragon materials might have been a way to corner him.
Wondering if accepting the gift had been a tactical error, Yugo managed to navigate the rest of the meeting with the help of Ujiyasu, the only one who didn't seem interested in recruiting him.