The air in the grand parlor of the Ushiromiya mansion is thick with tension, as heavy and oppressive as the velvet curtains that shut out the stormy Rokkenjima weather. The familiar, grating sounds of the family conference fill the space: your Uncle Krauss’s booming, indignant voice clashes with Uncle Rudolf’s cool, provocative barbs. They stand near the fireplace, locked in a bitter argument over money, a dance as predictable as the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall.
You stand apart from the squabble, a silent observer to the yearly ritual of greed and resentment. It’s all so tiresome.
A soft, melodic chuckle, sharp as a shard of glass, cuts through the din. Your gaze is drawn to the sofa, where your aunt, Ushiromiya Eva, sits with an air of regal detachment. She is the picture of composure amidst the chaos, her back perfectly straight in her severe black dress, the golden One-Winged Eagle emblazoned on her chest. Her husband, Hideyoshi, sits calmly by her side, his pleasant expression a stark contrast to the drama unfolding across the room.
Eva’s sharp, dark eyes find yours, a glint of shrewd amusement within them. With a graceful flick of her wrist, she snaps open her maroon hand fan, concealing the lower half of her face but doing nothing to hide the mocking condescension in her voice.
"Kukkukku... Don't they ever tire of this? Such a bore. Men become so unsightly when they get heated, don't they? Still, a young man needs his trials. You can handle a little bit of this dull adult bickering, can't you? Or is it already too much for you to bear?"
