Approaching the Mansion
By the time they reached the main building, Myraa was already running on fumes. Physically exhausted from her long-haul flight and emotionally fried from the series of increasingly bizarre events, she followed Kyra in a daze.
The Reizei mansion loomed ahead like something out of a history textbook, but with extra zeros tacked on for extravagance. It was a towering traditional structure that somehow managed to balance centuries-old Japanese architecture with modern, movie-set-level luxury.
Wooden double doors carved with delicate floral engravings gleamed under the lanterns, which cast a soft glow on the koi pond stretching along one side of the stone path. Myraa barely noticed she was gaping again, too stunned to close her mouth.
"Is this even a house?" she muttered to no one in particular. "I feel like I just walked onto the set of Crazy Rich Asians: Samurai Edition."
Kyra, walking ahead, didn't respond. Instead, she gestured toward the massive doors with a casual flick of her hand. "After you."
Myraa hesitated, her instincts screaming that this was some kind of trap. But she stepped forward anyway, cautiously pushing the doors open.
---
The second she stepped inside, her senses were assaulted by the overwhelming opulence of the mansion.
Polished hardwood floors stretched endlessly, gleaming like they'd been buffed with unicorn tears. The walls were adorned with delicate scrolls and paintings that looked older than her country. A faint, floral scent lingered in the air, like the mansion had its own dedicated perfume line.
Oh, and then there was the indoor waterfall. Yes, an actual waterfall. It trickled serenely in the corner, surrounded by smooth rocks and carefully arranged ferns, as if it were auditioning for the cover of a luxury spa magazine.
Myraa stared at it, her brain grinding to a halt. "Why is there a waterfall inside the house? Who needs that? Is it for… emotional support?"
Kyra, standing behind her with her usual air of calm superiority, smirked. "You'll find the Reizei estate exceeds most expectations."
"Expectations?!" Myraa spun around, arms flailing. "I thought I was coming here for a vacation! You know, relaxing? Maybe sightseeing? Not this… this billionaire bonsai fantasy!"
Kyra's expression didn't waver. "You'll adjust."
"That sounds suspiciously like a threat," Myraa shot back, pointing an accusing finger at her cousin.
Kyra's smirk widened, but she didn't respond, instead gesturing toward a nearby butler who had materialized out of nowhere like a butler-shaped ghost.
The man bowed so deeply Myraa thought he might actually break in half. Startled, she bowed back, awkwardly mirroring him. But when she straightened, he bowed again. So she bowed again. He bowed. She bowed.
This went on for five increasingly uncomfortable rounds until Myraa finally muttered, "Okay, let's call it a draw."
The butler didn't react, instead straightening with the same unnerving elegance. "Shall I prepare refreshments, Miss Reizei?"
"Uh… sure?" Myraa said uncertainly.
---
The Room Fit for a Queen (and a Confused Teen)
Kyra led her further into the mansion, eventually stopping at a set of sliding doors. She pushed them open to reveal a room so extravagant it felt like a personal attack.
Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in soft moonlight, opening onto a private balcony that overlooked the koi pond. In the center of the room sat a canopy bed draped in silk, with so many pillows it looked more like a marshmallow fortress than a place to sleep.
A vanity table sat gleaming in the corner, surrounded by ornate lacquered furniture, and the walk-in closet was already filled with clothes. Myraa hesitated before peeking inside, only to find racks of elegant dresses, tailored suits, and casual outfits that probably cost more than her mom's car.
"This can't be real," she muttered, stepping further inside. "Am I even allowed to sleep in here? What if I drool on the pillows? Is that… illegal?"
Kyra leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. "Relax. It's yours now. You can drool all you want."
Myraa turned to glare at her. "Don't relax me, Mr. Knight! This room belongs to some kind of fairy tale princess, not me!"
Kyra raised an eyebrow. "You are the princess."
"No, I'm not!" Myraa exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "I'm just a semi-average, semi-functional human who thought she was coming to Japan to eat sushi and maybe visit a shrine—not to be abducted into some kind of luxury soap opera!"
Kyra's smirk returned. "You'll get used to it."
"That sounds suspiciously like a promise of future suffering," Myraa muttered, flopping into the nearest chair—which immediately creaked ominously.
She froze, eyes widening. "Wait, am I even allowed to sit on this? It looks like it belongs in a museum. Did I just… accidentally devalue history?"
Kyra shrugged, clearly enjoying her cousin's overwhelmed state. "Dinner is in an hour. Try not to break anything before then."
"Try not to break anything?" Myraa repeated, her voice rising in pitch. "That's not helpful advice! I'm like a human wrecking ball under pressure!"
Kyra just chuckled softly, adjusted her waistcoat, and walked off, leaving Myraa muttering to herself.
---
Not long after Kyra left, Myraa found herself face-to-face with a maid who appeared with a tray of tea, bowing so low that Myraa almost dropped her cup in panic.
When she accidentally grabbed the saucer wrong and spilled tea all over the table, the maid didn't bat an eye. Instead, she bowed even deeper. "It is an honor to clean after you, Miss Reizei."
Myraa blinked at her. "No, seriously, it's not. I'm a disaster, and you don't have to pretend it's an honor."
The maid smiled politely but didn't reply, instead whisking away the mess with alarming efficiency.
Then there was the gardener, who reappeared to ask if she'd reconsidered her treehouse plans. Myraa had to physically stop him from showing her blueprints.
---
Later that evening, Myraa was finally summoned to meet the "caretaker of the estate." She expected someone stiff and formal, maybe one of those intimidatingly stern old women who spoke in clipped sentences and glared at you over the rim of their glasses.
Instead, the woman who greeted her was small, sprightly, and wore a simple but elegant kimono that contrasted with the mansion's over-the-top luxury. Her silver hair was neatly pinned up, and her warm smile carried an air of mischief that immediately put Myraa on edge.
"Welcome to the Reizei estate, Miss Myraa," the woman said, bowing politely. "My name is Camellia. I am the caretaker of this house."
"Uh… hi," Myraa stammered, bowing back awkwardly. "Thanks for, uh, letting me stay? It's, um, a really nice house."
"'Nice,' she says," Kyra muttered from behind her, sounding both amused and horrified.
Camellia chuckled, her sharp eyes glinting. "Yes, it is a bit much, isn't it? But I'm glad you like it. Lady Reizei has been looking forward to your arrival for quite some time."
"Lady Reizei?" Myraa asked, her brow furrowing. "Wait, so… she's not coming down to meet me? Is she, like, allergic to people or something?"
Kyra coughed into her fist to cover a laugh, but Camellia didn't miss a beat. "Lady Reizei prefers to observe new arrivals before meeting them formally," she said with a serene smile that somehow made Myraa feel like she was being studied under a microscope.
"Observe me?" Myraa repeated, narrowing her eyes. "What, like I'm a science experiment?"
Camellia's smile widened slightly. "Perhaps. You might be surprised by what Lady Reizei sees in you."
"That's… not ominous at all," Myraa muttered, crossing her arms. "So, uh, what's the deal with her? Does she just hide in an office all day or something?"
"Lady Reizei's whereabouts are not for me to disclose," Camellia replied cryptically, her tone light but unyielding.
Kyra smirked. "You'll understand soon enough."
"Why does everyone here keep saying that?" Myraa demanded, throwing her hands in the air. "What is this, a mystery novel? Can someone just give me a straight answer for once?"
"Patience, Miss Myraa," Camellia said, her smile never faltering. "Everything will become clear in time. For now, you should rest. Tomorrow will be a very important day."
---
As Myraa flopped onto her ridiculously luxurious canopy bed later that night, her mind raced with questions.
Who was this mysterious "Lady Reizei"? Why was she hiding? And why did Camellia, the so-called "caretaker," feel more like the boss of everything than the hired help?
"Why do I feel like I just got tricked into starring in one of those mystery shows Mom binges on weekends?" Myraa muttered, pulling the silk blanket over her head.
But before she could overthink it any further, exhaustion from the day's chaos pulled her into a deep, dreamless sleep.