Chapter 252: Staying at the Kamisato Estate
With the culprit apprehended and the last of the flashing police lights fading into the distance, the incident at the preliminary venue finally drew to a close.
Since the official kendo tournament was scheduled for the next day, the organizers—the Kamisato Clan—required all participants to stay in the provided dormitories to prevent any further accidents.
Ran, Sonoko, and Natsume had originally planned to meet Kazuha today, spend the night at the Hattori residence, and then head to the venue tomorrow to cheer him on. However, with so many people having come to Osaka this time, the Hattori home clearly couldn't accommodate everyone.
Seeing their predicament, Natsume decisively turned to Ayaka for help.
Kamisato Ayaka didn't hesitate for a moment, happily agreeing to let Natsume and her friends stay over. The initial plan was to split the group, with some staying at the Hattori residence and the rest at the Kamisato estate. But upon learning that the estate had more than enough rooms for everyone, they all decided to stick together.
When Ayaka heard just how many people needed a place to stay, she showed no sign of reluctance. Instead, she immediately called Thoma, the clan's housekeeper, instructing him to prepare suitable rooms and arrange for a vehicle to pick them up.
In the car, Conan shot a deadpan look at the Osakan detective crammed beside him. He couldn't fathom why Heiji, whose own home was right here in Osaka, was so insistent on squeezing in with them to stay at the Kamisato estate.
Sensing the boy's pointed gaze, Heiji Hattori flashed a smug grin. He leaned close to Conan's ear, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Kudo, this Kamisato Clan… they're not normal, are they? I saw how you were acting around their young lady earlier and figured it out right away. And what about Miss Barbara? Is her identity unusual, too?"
Seeing Conan's eyes widen slightly, Heiji raised a triumphant eyebrow. "Just as I thought. I was right, wasn't I?"
Conan glanced at him, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected Heiji to be so sharp this time. He gave a subtle nod, confirming the detective's suspicions. But since Heiji was completely in the dark about Teyvat, Conan kept his explanation brief. He simply told him that the people of the Kamisato Clan, much like Barbara, likely had complicated backgrounds, and advised him to be extra observant during their stay.
Upon arriving at the Kamisato estate, Thoma and Kamisato Ayaka led the group to meet the head of the clan.
Kamisato Ayato had short, light blue hair and amethyst eyes, with a small mole just beneath the corner of his faintly upturned lips. He wore a beige, high-collared haori with a blue-purple lining, the inner hem of which was imprinted with the elegant camellia crest of the Kamisato Clan.
Throughout their conversation, Ayato was the picture of grace. His demeanor was kind and his words were measured, his gentle tone never wavering. He was remarkably attentive to everyone's comfort, even that of the children. At first glance, he was the image of a perfect clan head—refined, proper, and exceedingly approachable.
Yet, despite his kind and gentle bearing, Sonoko seemed somewhat reserved. Even she, who typically seized any chance to admire a handsome man, didn't boldly strike up a conversation as she normally would.
As for Okiya Subaru and Conan, their eyes had already caught the glimmer of the blue Vision hanging from his golden waist cord. Confirming that he, like his sister, was from Teyvat, they tacitly chose to remain silent, deciding it was best to avoid unnecessary trouble by probing any further.
Among the entire group, only Natsume chatted with Kamisato Ayato for any length of time.
But seeing the exhaustion etched on his guests' faces, Ayato didn't keep them long. He quickly had Thoma lead everyone to their rooms to rest.
After the housekeeper departed, Conan's eyes darted around before he crept over to Natsume. Tugging on the hem of her clothes, he asked with the feigned curiosity of a child, "Sister Natsume, how did you get to know the head of such a prominent clan?"
Hearing Conan's question, Sonoko also drew closer, her expression just as inquisitive. "Yeah, Natsume, I have no idea how to even act around people who are so obviously on another level. I never expected you to know someone like that. And it looks like the clan head treats you really well, too."
"I just happened to do Ayaka a favor by chance," Natsume explained simply. "That's how I met Ayato."
Seeing the skeptical looks on their faces, she sighed, realizing she had no choice but to elaborate. "Ayaka asked me for help changing Ei's mind. Oh, Ei is that elder of the Kamisato Clan that Mr. Zhongli mentioned before; she's a bit… stubborn. Anyway, due to a whole series of reasons, I needed to defeat Ei at the time to change her will…"
"Then you must have defeated that stubborn old lady in a flash, right, Sister Natsume?" Genta declared, his face alight with excitement.
"Not exactly." Hearing his confident assertion, Natsume shook her head with an awkward smile. "In fact, if it weren't for others helping me, I would have lost."
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