"So it is also time uncle hands over the seat of the family head to me."
Amane awaited an answer. Even the sound of a pin dropping would be audible in the clearing's still conditions.
The only one that still dared to make any move in such a situation was the Griffin standing behind Amane. It seemed incapable of sensing the tense air around the gathering.
Finally, the silence broke. The old man decided he could no longer tolerate Amane's nonsense and he exploded.
With a red face and a shaking voice, Lord Tsurugi finally opened his mouth.
"You ungrateful brat. Just what do you think you are doing? It's a fluke! There is no way you were able to tame that beast when even I could not tame it. You will regret your decision to go against me…."
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much uncle? The more you speak, the more you sour my mood."
If possible, the old man looked even madder at getting interrupted in the middle of his speech.
The guards around the old man flinched at seeing him this angry. It seemed like no one had ever dared to cut him off before.
'Lord Tsurugi sure has an ego. I wonder how long it will take before he raises his hand against me?'
To think a humble family such as Tsurugis had fallen this low. Time and money sure change a person.
"Don't you dare forget Yoko! I am the family head currently. ME. Not you or your father. But 'ME'"
The old man seemed too fixated on the position of being the 'family head'. It was almost like a complex this man had.
'He's behaving just like those old fools who used to rule the council back in my days. But unlike her uncle, they could back their claims up with their own merits. Lord Tsurugi is all bark and no bite.'
"Uncle, does it matter if you are the family head or not? You cannot tame the beasts so you will lose your position sooner or later. It is better to step down now to avoid any backlash.
Amane was not sure why she was willing to give this man an out. But this would be his last warning.
Even the Griffin behind Amane was getting impatient with her sour mood. And Amane was not sure she would want to stop her if the Griffin decided to extract vengeance against Lord Tsurugi.
"I won't hand it over. The position of the family head is mine. I won't hand it over to…."
"Let's stop here for today. Yoko, I am sure that the heat of the day is getting to you which is making you act like this. You should go back to your room and take a bath to calm down. You won't want to show such an undignified sight to your future fiance, right?"
Amane's eyes narrowed at the diplomatic answer Sakura gave. She had not come out and opposed Amane openly but her words indeed said all they needed to.
"Sakura, I think I told you that I will not get married. I can't take over the family business if I get married and I very much want to take over the beat-taming business. Those who have talent should use them, right?"
Amae could see that she was forcing Sakura into a difficult situation. Sakura had already knocked out the old man because he had already lost his temper.
It was a brave thing for Sakura to do. Amane was told by her eyes that she had done it for her benefit.
'How funny. Sakura thinks she is doing me a favor by knocking her father out.'
"Amane, go back to your room and freshen up. Please do it for our family name if you don't want to do it for me. No matter how you feel, we should not let our matters drag outsiders into it. If you don't want to marry, then it is alright. But don't make an enemy out of the Divine Guild."
Sakura sounded desperate when she spoke those words.
Amane had half a mind to screw her over even further by disagreeing with her but it did not feel worth it.
"Fine. I will come back now but I will take my time. I will meet you in the family hall in one hour but don't expect me to cooperate with you. And take the guards with you."
Sakura looked thankful for Amane's cooperation. But Amane knew she made her decision for personal reasons.
"Thank you. I will help you out where I can but I cannot make any promises. I don't have as much power as my father does. Still, if you want help then I am always there." With those parting words, Sakura left the scene.
As much as Amane wanted to be a bitch, she also wanted her freedom in her new life. Making enemies left and right would not help her.
"Look at me, trying to be sensible. Aggghhhhh, now that I realized this fact, it makes me want to do something crazy."
The frustration that had built up inside Amane had not gone away even after she had been left alone.
She had been able to suppress it for some time because she had not wanted to deal and that old man at the same time. But now that Amane had no other outlet for her frustration, it was making her itchy.
Knowing Sakura and that older man, Amane was sure they would not give up that easily.
'The old man would not be a problem but I don't know about Sakura. She is an odd one but she seems interesting.'
Sakura was not an ally but she was not an enemy either. She seemed to be playing a neutral role while favoring the more powerful party at the moment.
'She changed her tone as soon as she realized that I might be useful. Her offer of help was unexpected but I should not take it at face value.'
"Man, I want to seduce her to my side. Does it make me weird for thinking like that?"
Amane had always been a sucker for such twisted people. Most people she had ended up taking under her wing during her last life had not been normal.
Either they had been too traumatized or they had been too far gone. But Amane had liked them all and found a family with them.
After all, she was the same in that regard.
The Griffin gave Amane a stare that could only be intercepted as 'you are ridiculous' which brought a smile to Amane's face.
Some things never changed no matter where you were or who you were.
"Hey, I have an idea about how to vent out my frustration and anger that old man Tsurugi at the same time. Would you help me out?"
The Griffin let out an agreeing purr at Amane's words and an unholy grin took over Amane's face.
___________________________
Sakura's mind was working in overdrive. She was not sure whether what she had witnessed had been a dream or an illusion.
Or if it had been the reality.
'Yoko managed to tame a beast? But it should not be possible. The journals said that only those who had the pendent could utilize it to tame the magical beasts. How mad Yoko managed to do that?'
Sakura was more sure than ever that it had to be some kind of trick. She had read those journals herself and they all said the same thing.
And Sakura was also sure Yoko had never been able to read those journals. Every time Sakura tried to hint at the content of the journals but Yoko was as unaware as ever.
'Then what happened? I thought it was one of her regular fits but Yoko seems like an entirely new person today. Was she hiding this personality all this time? Or did something else happen?'
Sakura's mind was in overdrive. This new development had caused her world's perspective to shake.
'I need to inform the mother of these changes and tell her about Yoko's new powers as soon as possible. We will also need to change our plan if Yoko is serious about her claim.'
If Sakura was afraid of her father's temper, she was even more afraid of her mother's sharp mind.
Everyone knew that Sakura's mother, Lady Tsurugi had married her current husband because he was from the Tsurugi main family.
There was no love between the pair but s constant power struggle. It was also her mother's idea to use her father to gain the Tsurugi family fortune.
Beast Taming was a dying art. Only the Tsurugis were ever able to tame the beasts and use them for communal usage.
Although other elders and leaders could tame the monsters, they were not interested in doing so for the benefit of the general populace. The majority of them preferred to slay the monsters and use the materials they captured as ingredients for potions.
The Tsurugi's current position in the globe was crucial because of this. Everyone wished to be friends with them.
"We won't be able to hide Yoko's talent anymore. I guess I should change my targets now."
Initially, Sakura had wanted to do nothing with this power struggle. All she wanted to do was to live a peaceful life.
But it was impossible to do in this family that was in a constant power struggle. One had to adapt and learn how to go with the flow like Sakura or they would be pushed to the side like Yoko.
"S-Sakura, how dare you? Why did you know me out? I could have taught Yoko a lesson in humbleness. If you hadn't stopped me that…"
"Father, stop it. You have already lost your position as the family head to Yoko."
"W-What are you saying? Sakura, how dare you say this to me?"
"But it is the truth. Yoko can tame the beasts without even the help of a pendent. She has a real talent in this field and the other families would agree with her over you. We have no other choice but to go along with her wishes."
Sakura felt the slap coming but she did not flinch.
She stared her father right in the eyes and he stopped before his hand could make an impact on Sakura's cheek.
"Darn you. Why did you have to have your mother's eyes? I cannot even hit you."
Sakura knew that her father was afraid of her mother. That was why he was so desperately clinching to a position that he could not hold on to.
"Father, Yoko has the talent and you saw it as well."
"So you are abandoning me? After all, I did for you and our family?"
"No, I am not abandoning you father. I am just trying to save your life. You need to survive if you want to take your rightful place back.'
Her father went quiet. He knew Sakura was right so he had nothing else to say in retaliation.
After all, even Lord Tsurugi knew Sakura was not talking about Yoko but her mother. That woman would kill even her husband and her daughter if it meant she would benefit from it.
"Fine, I will stay calm for now and follow your lead. But I won't sit back quietly forever."
Her father finally calmed down. It showed how shaken he was because Yoko displayed abilities.
Her father had never considered Yoko as important before so this sudden change must be too big of a shock for him.
"Don't worry father. I am not saying that we should give us here. If we can't push Yoko out of the house ourselves, we will need someone else to do it for her. I will try my best to make these marriage preparations go thorough with the Divine Guild. Even Yoko will not be able to oppose them."
No one could oppose Lady Suzuki and that was a fact. Even Yoko would fall soon in front of her.
And if not, then Sakura would really need to step up her game and stick to Yoko like glue for her survival.