"It seems Ryuga was a far greater man than we gave him credit for."
"Indeed. To swallow both his vengeance and his rage, and to trust another while shouldering such a burden... I must admit, I am surprised he was capable of such a feat, even toward his father's nemesis."
"That’s just the way he is. He claims to be weak, but he’s actually incredibly strong."
Such was the praise for Ryuga, who had shown the depth of his character during a confrontation that, at its worst, could have ended in bloodshed.
As Yugo spoke, sounding like a proud brother boasting about his partner to Tadakatsu and Motonari, the two men shared a soft chuckle.
"Speaking of surprises, the fact that Ryuga entrusted his katana to you was equally telling," Motonari added.
"To a swordsman, his katana is more precious than life itself. To hand it over without a moment’s hesitation shows that his trust in you is absolute."
"It is only natural! Both Yugo-dono and Lord Ryuga have risked their lives for one another! The bond they share goes far beyond anything you fathers might imagine!"
"I believe Yugo’s influence played a large part in why Ryuga changed. As he said himself, meeting Yugo is what allowed him to grow."
"Please, stop saying such embarrassing things. I’m really not that great of a person."
Yugo looked genuinely overwhelmed by the praise coming from the Yamato VIPs.
From his perspective, he hadn't done anything particularly remarkable; he had simply done what felt right. He had made a friend, found common ground, and helped him out. It was as simple as that. He felt the positive outcome wasn't his achievement alone, and he certainly didn't think he deserved such high accolades.
"Gahahaha! I’ve taken a real liking to you, Yugo! And to that Ryuga boy as well!"
"So, you intend to welcome him as a son-in-law and have him inherit your house? My apologies, Tadakatsu, but I won’t let you have your way so easily. Remember, you aren’t the only one with your eye on him."
"It doesn't matter. My daughter is bound to win. Sakura is easily the most charming of all the girls in his circle, isn't she? Right, Yugo!"
"Father! Stop being so disgraceful! You’re making Yugo-dono uncomfortable!"
Following Tadakatsu’s boisterous laughter, Sakura’s sharp retort flew at him for asking Yugo a question that was nearly impossible to answer.
As Yugo gave a wry smile, thinking that the man really needed to learn how to read a room, Tadakatsu pressed on.
"I might as well invite Ryuga to join us too! Yugo, you'd be happy to have your best friend serve as your personal aide and guard, wouldn't you?"
"Absolutely not! Of all your suggestions, that is by far the worst!"
"She's right... no matter how much you might want it, Uncle Tadakatsu, I can't condone that either."
"Ahaha. I’m with them on this one."
Yugo and the rest of the younger group immediately voiced their opposition to the idea of bringing Ryuga into the House of Amamiya.
While Tadakatsu looked puzzled by their intense pushback, Motonari let out a long, weary sigh.
"Really, you are quite hopeless... Can you look at that and still say the same thing?"
"Hmm? ...Ah, I see."
Motonari gestured toward the crack in the door, pointing into the room. Tadakatsu peered inside, and his expression shifted as the realization finally hit him.
"...I'm so glad. Truly...!"
Raiha stood by, watching the reconciliation between her savior and her father with a faint, tender smile. One look at her face—the way she hesitantly stole glances at Ryuga, looking away only to let his image fill her eyes once more—made it painfully obvious how she felt about him.
If Ryuga were taken away to be an aide for the House of Amamiya, Raiha’s love would never stand a chance. As Tadakatsu reflected on his lack of tact, finally understanding what the kids were trying to tell him, Yugo spoke up.
"It looks like their talk is wrapping up. Professor Castle should be back any minute now, shouldn't he? We had some strange interruptions, but I'd like to get back to the tour—oh?"
Lamy and Cyan had certainly derailed things, but the Heads of the Three Great Houses were still here for an official inspection.
Yugo had intended to ask Uno to resume the tour of Luminous Academy as soon as he returned, but then the sound of footsteps reached his ears.
'Speak of the devil,' he thought with a grin. He turned around, ready to greet the professor, but the words died in his throat.
"Wait... what!?"
Uno had indeed returned, just as expected—but Yugo’s breath hitched when he saw the person standing beside him.
It was a middle-aged man with a stern, rugged face and the same blazing red hair as Yugo himself. Even though they had only met once, the image was burned into Yugo’s memory. His eyes widened in shock.
The man gazed at Yugo calmly, his voice flat and matter-of-fact.
"It’s been a while, Yugo."
"F... Father...?"