"Good heavens! This... this is the Prime Minister, sir, am I seeing things correctly?"
"It is indeed the Prime Minister! I never expected him to personally attend the old madam's funeral."
"It seems the young lady's status in the East Island nation has far surpassed what it was before."
"No! It's also possible that the Prime Minister is now worried that the young lady's emotions might be unstable, so he's come personally to observe!"
"Hmm! That makes sense!"
"Shush! Keep your voices down, if these words reach the young lady's ears, we'll all be finished!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
"..."
The appearance of the middle-aged man stirred a ripple in the otherwise somber atmosphere. However, the crowd only whispered amongst themselves, fearing to anger Nogawa Sagyu.
But from their hushed discussions, they learned the identity of this middle-aged man.
The Prime Minister of the East Island nation!
An absolute heavyweight.
"Miss Sagyu! I am deeply saddened by the passing of your esteemed mother. I hope you can find strength, for the entire East Island nation needs you!"
After bowing in condolence, the Prime Minister looked at Nogawa Sagyu, who had remained silent throughout, and spoke with a hint of melancholy.
This Prime Minister, named Koizumi Eikō, had sharp features and stood about 1.8 meters tall. Though advanced in years, it was clear that in his youth, he must have been a handsome man by popular standards.
He also exuded a gentle aura, suggesting he was a kind person.
However, his words seemed to garner little attention from Nogawa Sagyu. At least Kimura Takeo had received a nod from her earlier. This Prime Minister, however, didn't even receive that courtesy.
The members of the Nogawa family who witnessed this nearly had their hearts leap into their throats.
That was the Prime Minister!
Was it really appropriate to ignore him like this?
Despite their shock, none of them dared to say anything further.
Seeing this, the Prime Minister did not show any anger. Instead, he offered a slight apology, "It seems Miss Sagyu still needs time to compose herself. I shall not disturb you any longer!"
With that, the Prime Minister bowed once more towards the coffin before turning to leave.
Every action was marked by an unusual degree of humility.
The others present were more or less surprised by this turn of events.
After all, the Prime Minister's personal attendance for condolences should have been a great honor for the Nogawa family. Yet, in the end, he was treated with such disregard.
For Koizumi Eikō, this was more than just a matter of losing face.
It was a slight against his very status.
Yet, even so, as the Prime Minister, he showed no signs of displeasure, which was rather intriguing.
Unconsciously, a guess formed in everyone's minds: "The Prime Minister is wary of Nogawa Sagyu."
Only this theory could explain the events that had just unfolded.
However, just as everyone thought the matter was settled, Nogawa Sagyu, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke.
"Prime Minister, after my mother's funeral, I will give you a reply regarding what you anticipate, at the Prime Minister's official residence."
Nogawa Sagyu's tone was calm, yet it carried a faint sorrow.
Hearing this, Koizumi Eikō paused with one foot already out of the mourning hall. A faint smile then graced his lips.
"I shall eagerly await Miss Sagyu's visit then!"
From this single sentence, it was evident that Koizumi Eikō's mood had lifted considerably.
Wasn't this exactly why he had come in person?
After Koizumi Eikō's departure, many other family representatives arrived to offer their condolences for the death of Nogawa Kyoko.
The vast majority of these attendees were heads of their respective families.
This spoke volumes about their stance.
...
"Sister Zhen... Sister Zhen! It seems we'll have to address you this way from now on!"
In a certain special space, Nangong Qianyu looked at the woman before her, feeling an almost otherworldly sensation.
Two days ago, she could never have imagined things would have progressed to this point.
But who could predict the capriciousness of fate?
"Nogawa Kyoko is dead. From now on, I am Kawano Shin. Addressing me as Sister Zhen is perfectly fine, isn't it?" Kawano Shin smiled at Nangong Qianyu, clearly fond of the young girl.
"Yes! I think this is great too!"
Nangong Qianyu linked arms with her, smiling, "If I had to call you Auntie, that would be so awkward!"
"Don't you think so, Ye Ming?"
She glanced at Ye Ming beside them, seemingly seeking his opinion.
"This... Yes! Cough cough! It's quite good!"
Ye Ming dared not meet the gaze of the two women before him, his eyes darting away.
More accurately, he was avoiding Kawano Shin's slightly intense gaze.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Nangong Qianyu asked, finding Ye Ming's behavior peculiar.
"No... nothing! I'm just not used to it!" Ye Ming scratched his head and gave a dry laugh.
"Indeed, it's a little unaccustomed!"
Seeing Ye Ming's awkwardness, Kawano Shin spoke softly, as if to ease his discomfort, "It will take some time for Sagyu and me to adjust to our new relationship."
New relationship?
What could it be?
"Right!"
Nangong Qianyu nodded, showing understanding, "The transition from mother and daughter to sisters certainly requires time."
Sisters?
Nogawa Sagyu and her mother were to become sisters.
This... wasn't this a bit too intense?
"When things are over, I will need to leave for a while," Kawano Shin sighed. "Sagyu and I need a period to get to know each other anew. Only then will people not become suspicious."
Based on their current relationship, Nogawa Sagyu and Kawano Shin were complete strangers to each other.
Therefore, they needed an encounter.
"Actually, this is quite good!"
Ye Ming looked at the woman before him, who had regained her youthful appearance, and smiled. "During this time, you can properly see the world as it is now. It won't be long before..." He paused here, his smile turning grave. "This world will no longer be as it is today."
The world was about to change because of him.
After hearing his words, Kawano Shin gazed deeply into the eyes of the man who had changed her fate. She knew that he bore a heavy responsibility that she could not comprehend.
Now that she had become his spirit attendant, did she have the right to understand?
No!
She had to understand!
However, with Nangong Qianyu present, their relationship could not be revealed at this moment. Everything still required a suitable opportunity.
"You're right. After spending over twenty years in the Nogawa manor, it's time for me to go out and explore."
Kawano Shin withdrew her gaze, which held a hint of warmth, fearing that if she continued, the situation might become uncontrollable.
Nangong Qianyu remained oblivious to all of this.
Of course!
She could never have imagined that Ye Ming and Kawano Shin had such an entangled relationship.
After all, some of the latter's identities were indelible.