Campione: Strongest# 418: The Gala

The Ryougi Family.

In the past, they were an ancient lineage known as one of Japan’s four great demon-slaying families.

Unlike the other three fallen clans, the Ryougi still held a prominent position within Japan’s elite—no longer through the martial prowess of demon-slaying, but through finance, economics, and connections to yakuza organizations.

And Ryougi Kaname was the eldest son of this great family.

Neat black hair, handsome features inherited from a superior lineage, and a gentle, magnanimous personality—Ryougi Kaname had everything a normal person could dream of.

But Kaname, who had everything, was not happy.

In the hall of a high-end hotel, an upper-class birthday party was in full swing. Men and women were gathered, laughing and chatting, exchanging pleasantries and favors.

“Kaname, this is the head of the Asakura family. Quickly, call him Uncle Asakura,” the stout head of the Ryougi family said, pulling Kaname over to introduce him to the old man in the kimono before them.

“Uncle Asakura,” Kaname said, his face respectful as he bowed slightly.

“Master Ryougi, your son is truly an exceptional young man!” the wily old Asakura said with a grin, flattering the head of the Ryougi family.

“By the way, this must be your lovely daughter,” Asakura said, his tone casual as he looked at the ice-cold beauty in a kimono beside Kaname.

The head of the Ryougi family shot Kaname a look.

“This is my younger sister, Ryougi Shiki, Uncle Asakura,” Kaname quickly replied, taking a small step forward to partially shield the impassive Shiki.

Kaname was used to this. At every party, as the eldest son, he had to act as a shield for his aloof younger sister, shielding her from the unwanted attention of relatives and the children of other great families.

He was, perhaps, the Ryougi family’s diplomatic spokesman.

And this was one of the few roles he played in the family.

The successive heads of the Ryougi family were all bearers of artificially created split personalities. This tradition was likely related to the family’s ultimate ambition: to create an omniscient and omnipotent being.

A normal person could typically only master one discipline in their lifetime, but the Ryougi family attempted to create an omnipotent individual by housing multiple personalities within a single body. Through careful bloodline manipulation, a considerable proportion of their children were born with split personalities, and such a child would become the true heir.

In the past, the head of the family had always been the eldest son.

But unfortunately for this generation’s eldest son, Ryougi Kaname was not born with a split personality. His younger sister, Ryougi Shiki, was.

Thus, the next head of the family had been decided the moment she was born. And he, Ryougi Kaname, was the public face, tasked with shielding her from the pressures of the world.

Though tragic, he was used to it. With his gentle personality, he had no complaints. In fact, he was quite fond of his distant younger sister. He was, in short, a one-in-a-million good brother.

“Hmm? Excuse me, Mr. Asakura, a guest has arrived. I must excuse myself,” the head of the Ryougi family said apologetically to the old man before bowing slightly and leaving.

“No worries. You go ahead,” Asakura said with a kind smile. After the head of the Ryougi family left, he turned to Shiki with a gentle tone. “The last time I saw you was five years ago, wasn't it? I didn't expect you to be so grown up now!”

Shiki raised an eyebrow. Though she was only thirteen, she had heard enough of this kind of polite talk. The next sentence would probably be a probe about her marriage prospects or some other nonsense.

Shiki already disliked socializing, and her already-frosty expression became arctic.

“Excuse me,” she said, her expression impassive. She bowed slightly to Asakura and, lifting her small, geta-clad feet, walked towards a corner of the room.

“Sorry, my younger sister is not feeling well today. I hope you can forgive her, Uncle,” Kaname said, his forehead breaking out in a sweat as he quickly bowed to Asakura and repeatedly apologized to salvage the situation.

Kaname’s heart was about to break. His sister was always like this. If she took a disliking to someone, she would ignore them completely, and every time, he, her older brother, had to clean up the mess.

At least give me a heads-up! If you don't want to deal with it, I’ll block for you! Stop screwing me over!

“No worries, no worries,” the old man said with a nonchalant tone.

'Thank god he's a reasonable man. Otherwise, this would have been another mess.' Kaname sighed internally.

Just then, his attention was drawn to the main entrance.

Two men and one woman, all in formal attire, slowly walked into the hall.

His heart began to pound like a drum. Kaname felt as if he had been struck by Medusa’s gaze.

In that instant, his eyes were completely captivated by the shy, alluring young woman.

Kaname felt that he was in love.

————

“Bro… er, no, Sister, this way, please,” Kazuhiko Asagami, dressed in a kimono, said, pulling the fidgeting, kimono-clad beauty beside him as he slowly walked into the living room.

Behind them, Haru, in a white Kimono, followed with a strange expression on his face.

‘Wow, that hip sway, that shy and timid expression, so impressive! Does this guy have a talent for cross-dressing?’ Nyarko commented with astonishment.

“Are you stupid? This is Masahiko Asagami’s first time wearing a woman’s kimono and geta in public. It would be strange if he wasn't like this,” Haru silently retorted.

Suddenly, the former young master of the Asagami family twisted his ankle and fell to the side.

Thump—!

“Are you alright, miss?” Kaname, who had caught the young woman, said with the kindest smile he had ever managed in his life.

“Nyarko, you did that, didn't you?” Haru’s lip twitched. He had seen photos of Kaname at the Asagami residence and naturally recognized the man who was now being so attentive. But this was too much. Even Kazuhiko beside him had a bewildered expression.

‘I’m not taking the blame for this. I haven't even started!’ Nyarko said, dumbfounded.

“Wait, I think I understand,” Haru said, looking around. Seeing the fiery gazes of the young men in the room, a hint of understanding dawned on him.

“Hmm?” Just then, Haru raised an eyebrow and looked towards a corner on the right side of the hall.

His deep gray eyes met a pair of dark, empty ones.