Chapter 25 - The Fujiwara Family's Inheritance Rights

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Fujiwara Kenji rubbed his temples as he gazed at his daughter, unsure of what absurd thoughts were swirling in her mind. He couldn't help but admit that all three of his daughters had their quirks—especially the second daughter, Fujiwara Chika, who was an outright handful.

Still, after all these years, he had grown accustomed to it. They were his own flesh and blood, so no matter how much trouble they caused, he had no choice but to endure it.

"Regarding your cousin, Chika, you've actually met him before."

Kenji sat on the sofa while a drama played quietly on the living room television. The Fujiwara family upheld strict rules; children weren't allowed to indulge in video games or similar distractions. Watching TV in the evenings was considered a rare treat.

But today, even the usually captivating drama had lost its appeal.

Chika tilted her head up, one hand poking her chin as she strained to recall. "I've met him? I don't remember."

She sighed dramatically. "Oh no, I must have early-onset dementia!"

Her younger sister, Fujiwara Moeha, gasped. "Wow, Onee-chan, you're so young and already have dementia?"

Chika, seemingly convinced by her sister's teasing, covered her face with her hands and crouched down, feigning despair. "It's over! I really do have dementia! If I don't do well on my exams next year, it'll definitely be because of this illness."

It was clear from her tone that she was already laying the groundwork for future excuses if her grades slipped.

Ignoring his daughter's antics, Kenji spoke calmly. "The student council president of Shuchiin Academy's high school division last year was your cousin."

Chika's eyes widened in surprise. "Father, do you mean President Fujiwara?"

Though the Fujiwara surname wasn't uncommon—there were around thirty to forty thousand people in Japan with the name—not every Fujiwara belonged to the ancient and prestigious family. Neither Chika nor any former students of Shuchiin Academy had connected Fujiwara Tōru to the illustrious Fujiwara clan, assuming it was just a coincidence of shared surnames.

"Yes, him," Kenji nodded. "However, last year, your cousin didn't want to acknowledge his identity, so I didn't mention it to you. At the time, you were still in middle school and had little interaction with the high school division."

"Oh…" Chika looked crestfallen. "So President Fujiwara is my cousin? That's such a shame."

Her older sister, Fujiwara Toyomi, smirked mischievously. "What's got you so disappointed, Chika? Could it be that you had a crush on our handsome cousin and got dumped? Oh, how amusing! Lovers destined to become siblings!"

Chika paid no heed to her sister's teasing. Such banter was typical among the three sisters. Instead, she sighed wistfully. "Cousin already graduated. I think he entered Tokyo University as the top scorer in the entrance exam."

"If only he hadn't graduated!" Chika clenched her fists, her mind racing with schemes. "He could've used his position as student council president to appoint me as vice-president. Then we could protest together, saying the workload is too heavy and demanding extra points on exams!"

Though Chika's academic performance wasn't terrible, it certainly wasn't stellar either. She hovered around the middle of her class and had to work hard just to maintain her grades.

Kenji massaged his temples, exasperated but secretly amused. At moments like this, Chika truly resembled someone from the Fujiwara family—a political dynasty where leveraging connections and exploiting positions for personal gain came almost instinctively.

Could it be that Chika was actually suited for politics?

The thought crossed Kenji's mind briefly before he quickly shook his head. Absolutely not! If Chika ever entered government service and somehow rose to a high-ranking position, her personality would likely bring Japan to ruin!

"Moeha, when we have some free time, let's go visit Tokyo University, okay?"

"Okay, Onee-chan!"

"Chika, you're leaving me out?"

"We'll bring you along too!"

"What do you mean 'bring me along'?"

"…"

Kenji glanced at the clock on the wall and urged them. "Alright, it's getting late. All of you should head to your rooms and prepare for bed."

"Chika starts high school tomorrow, and Moeha is moving up to middle school. You'll be meeting new classmates, so make sure to put your best foot forward."

"Toyomi, you should rest as well. You'll be starting your third year of university soon."

Under the strict household rules, none of the sisters dared to argue. They obediently returned to their respective rooms.

Once the living room fell silent, Kenji sighed deeply. "These three girls… what will become of them?"

His wife chimed in. "Everything will be arranged for them, so there's no need to worry. But aren't you concerned about letting them meet your brother's son?"

"That child was essentially abandoned when he was young. Even though he's back in the Fujiwara family now, he probably doesn't harbor much affection for us. I wonder how he views his sisters."

Kenji's wife frowned in concern.

"He once told my brother that he intends to enter Japanese politics," Kenji explained.

"You know how things are. The Fujiwara family isn't blessed with many heirs in this generation, and all of them are girls. Grandfather has been worried for years. That's why he was furious upon learning that there was a male heir in the third generation but that my brother had kept it hidden."

"Of course, my brother made a grave mistake back then. He's trying to make amends now. Didn't he recently spend over two billion yen buying a mansion just to please our nephew?"

His wife remarked, "I doubt that child cares much about material things."

Kenji chuckled awkwardly. "Our nephew has had remarkable fortune. Growing up in America, he had a highly influential adoptive father. Compared to the status and opportunities he's enjoyed in the U.S., Japan might not even register on his radar."

"That's precisely why Grandfather was so thrilled when he learned of his intention to enter Japanese politics. He wants to throw the entire resources of the Fujiwara family behind him."

"And that's why I'm encouraging Chika and the others to get closer to their cousin."

Kenji's words were veiled, but his wife understood the underlying meaning.

Clearly, Fujiwara Tōru had been earmarked as the successor to the Fujiwara legacy. Otherwise, Grandfather wouldn't have gone so far as to arrange a marriage for him, hoping to elevate him using the wealth of the Shidou family and the influence of the Fujiwaras.

By urging his daughters to build rapport with their cousin, Kenji hoped to secure their future under Tōru's protection.

Though Kenji himself had chosen a quieter life as a diplomat, leaving the lion's share of family resources to support his ambitious younger brother's rise to a high-ranking cabinet position, growing up in the Fujiwara household didn't mean he was ignorant of such strategies.

The main concern was the personalities of his daughters, especially Chika. They had been sheltered and raised in innocence, which, for a family like the Fujiwaras, was more of a liability than an asset.

---

At the same moment, Fujiwara Tōru, currently at home, answered a phone call.

"You want to see me tomorrow? Fine, do as you wish."

Knowing that Tōru wasn't inclined to prolong the conversation, the caller hung up promptly.

Tomorrow was the opening ceremony at Tokyo University, and the caller was none other than Tōru's biological father from this life. Despite being his biological parent, Tōru felt no particular attachment to him. In fact, he felt closer to Spencer, his adoptive father in America.

Though Spencer had taken him in with ulterior motives, at least he had genuinely raised him.

"Hmm… To achieve my goal of becoming Japan's prime minister, the Fujiwara family's support is indispensable. It could shave at least thirty years off my journey."

Tōru muttered under his breath. In the realm of politics, capability alone wasn't enough. One had to master the art of negotiation, leverage alliances, and seize opportunities. Success in this field required more than individual effort—it demanded strategic maneuvering.