Osaka Itami Airport, eight in the evening.

At the business-class exit, two men in suits stood waiting for the arrival or their clan’s young lady.

After a while, a red-haired girl emerged, followed by a young woman their luggage.

“Ojousama (Milady), welcome back!” Both men bowed deeply.

After a long day if travel, Scarlet felt utterly drained, longing for a warm meal and a bed. She stifled a yawn, her mind already reviewing her plans for the coming weeks. Her surprise at seeing the two men waiting for her in the arrival hall quickly turned into a smile.

“Yamamoto-san, Honda-san, it’s been a while,” she greeted, offering them a polite grin. “I thought I mentioned I’d be staying at a hotel near the airport tonight before heading to Kanka-tei. There was no need to go out of your way to collect me.”

She struggled to adjust to being addressed as “Ojousama” when she was first adopted by her dad, although she has since got used to it. The other cousins were referred to as “Ojousan” - a term used for younger female core members - but she alone was called “Ojousama” because her dad was in charge of the entire family business, and she was his sole legal heir should anything happen to him. She had to conduct herself in a manner befitting her role as the Ojousama if she wanted to secure her position and prevent others from doubting her capability or thinking her father had made a poor decision as the head of the family enterprises.

When will he get married and give me a younger brother or sister? Scarlet mused wearily. I just want to run my own little charity company...

Hoda gave a slight bow, smiling warmly. “We’d feel ashamed if we neglected out duty to ensure Ojousama’s comfort,” he said. “Besides, Sato-sama (Scarlet’s grandma) insisted you should feel a warm welcome the moment you returned to Nippon.”

Japanese, the lengths they’ll go to for hospitality...It’s almost unnerving. Scarlet mused as she mustered a faint smile. Following them to a luxurious apartment, she settled in for the night, ready to depart for Kanka-tei the following morning.

Kanka-tei, the main house of Tachibana clan, was a sprawling estate built just before the Japanese government’s alignment with Germany during WWII. The clan’s chief at the time vehemently opposed Japan’s decision to enter the war. To shield the family, he summoned all its members to retreat to estate, hidden deep within the forest, ensuring none would be conscripted. In the aftermath of the war, the Tachibana Gang was formed - a Yakuza group that came to control parts of Kyoto’s society during the chaotic post-war era.

The estate was enormous – practically a palace – with an entire mountain under the clan’s jurisdiction. Legally, they could have developed the area into a city, but instead they chose to preserved most of the natural landscape, transforming part of it into a resort. Fūei Sansō, the Tachibana clan’s mountain resorts, complete with hotels and tourist facilities, became a key attraction.

During the drive to Kanka-tei, Scarlet noticed several buses heading toward the tourist areas designed by her family. The influx of tourists had noticeably grown since her last visit.

Seeing her gaze, Honda offered an explanation. “Young Master Kyle has refined the strategy of promoting Fūei Sansō. We’re expecting record numbers of tourists this autumn, and preparations are already underway.”

Young Master Kyle - that’s how the family members addressed Scarlet’s dad, as he would only be referred to as “Master” after the previous Head of the family passed away. Yet in truth, Kyle was already managing most of the family affairs, while Mr. Hong and Lady Sato were effectively semi-retired, only making public appearances when urgent matters arose.

No wonder, Scarlet thought, nodding thoughtfully. She turned her attention to the two men seated in the front of the car.

“I heard my grandma has called for a family meeting next month to discuss Fūei Sansō. What’s your take on it? Should we merge with RedOrange Corporation to create a larger business group, or keep it as the Tachibana clan’s own enterprise?”

Honda, seated in the passenger’s seat, responded. “We’re torn between the two options. Joining the Corporation would certainly make it easier to secure resources and expand our international network. However, keeping it within the clan would preserve out control over decision-making. Cultural difference could make it challenging for foreigners to manage out operations effectively.”

Scarlet nodded, seeing merit in both perspectives. She was expected to present her own opinion at the upcoming meeting, making this a key task during her summer holiday. It was a tricky matter. The marriage between Richard Hong and Yuzu Sato had united the Hong Kong triads and the Japanese Yakuza years ago, but the two groups often struggled to find common ground.

Even now, tensions lingered. Some members of the Hong Kong side saw their Japanese counterparts as outdated and bogged down by bureaucratic formalities. Conversely, the Japanese side viewed the Hong Kongers as uncultured, overly focused on money, and lacking in virtue.

It was inevitable that some clan members would strongly oppose Fūei Sansō joining RedOrange Corporation, even though both were overseen by Kyle - the only half-blood accepted by both factions.

Their car soon arrived at the grand entrance of Kanka-tei.

As Scarlet absentmindedly reached for the door handle, it was opened for her. Looking up, she saw a line of senior house servants standing on either side of the door, bowing deeply to greet her.

“Welcome home, Ojousama!”

“...” Scarlet froze mid-step, a peculiar numbness creeping up her spine. They definitely didn’t act like this the last time I was here. Before she could recover, the car sped off, leaving her no chance to retreat.

Looking around, she spotted the house butler, Mr. Chiaki, standing nearby with a subtle, knowing smile.

“I’m fairly certain April Fool’s Day isn’t a major festival in Japan,” Scarlet said dryly. “And it’s clearly not April. Care to explain, Chiaki-san?”

Mr. Chiaki’s smile only deepened. “I wouldn’t dare ruin the surprise, Ojousama,” he said, his tome light with amusement.

The other servants shared his teasing grin. Scarlet crossed her arms and let out a humph. “This must be Junji-kun and the others, isn’t it? Trying to pull a prank on me?”

Junji and the others she mentioned were her cousins – grandchildren of Lady Sato’s siblings. Same as Scarlet, none of them shared the Tachibana surname.

The Tachibana clan’s lineage was unique. Centuries ago, when the family had no male heir, they adopted a boy from another prominent family to carry on the surname. However, this adopted heir changed his surname multiple times over history, and his bloodline eventually died out. In contrast, the daughters of the Tachibana clan upheld the family’s honour and spirit, even after marriage and adopting their husbands’ surnames. Their descendants became the true foundation of the Tachibana clan.

As a result, many core members of the Tachibana clan now bear different surnames, being the progeny of these daughters. This distinctly unconventional structure set the Tachibana apart, as they embraced daughters as equals in carrying forward the family legacy – an exceptional practice in a culture that prioritised male heirs as rightful successors.

Scarlet’s cousins ranged in age from five to eighteen, and to her amusement, she even had an uncle around her age. Despite the unusual dynamic, they got along well, and she had missed them during her time away from Japan.

“I would say it’s a warm and creative welcome,” Mr. Chiaki remarked as he led the way, while Meiko silently slipped away to deliver their luggage to their rooms.

The senior staff bowed out after escorting them for a short distance, leaving Scarlet and Mr. Chiaki to continue deeper into the house. As they approached the living area of the sprawling mansion, Scarlet was met with a curious sight - her cousins, all gathered in extravagant Victorian attire.

The girls wore corsets, bustles, and hoop skirts, while the boys sported top hats, tails, and walking sticks. They clustered around coffee tables laden with high teas sets, their elaborate ruffles, laces, bows, ribbons, and bold colour palettes making the entire scene look like a Victorian film set.

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Scarlet raised an eyebrow, her expression equal parts bemused and sceptical. “Are you guys hosting a British fashion event and just forgot to send me the invitation?”

One of the boys, puffing out his chest, stood up theatrically. With a heavy Japanese-accented English, he began in an exaggeratedly operatic tone. Scalet knew he could speak fluent English perfectly well, but clearly, Junji had decided this was part of the performance.

“Why, if it isn’t our dearest cousin, returned from a faraway land across the seas! What a delight it is to see you, dear sister, back in one piece, for we have heard not a word from you for nearly a year!”

Scarlet narrowed her eyes, unimpressed by his act. “Junji-kun, I did write you letters. Don’t pretend you didn’t reply to any of them.”

“In letters!” Junji exclaimed dramatically, causing a ripple of giggles from others. He clutched his chest as if wounded, then collapsed theatrically onto the nearest armchair. “Cursive writing on scented paper! I almost believed I’d time-travelled to an era before the invention of telephones!”

The girls quickly chimed in, teasingly. “We don’t mind, though~”

“Hey! I’m expressing my distain here!” Junji snapped, his tone more mock outrage than genuine annoyance. Straightening, he turned back to Scarlet with a flourish, his dramatic air unbroken. “My dear cousin, surely you haven’t become so obsessed with your blood-related brothers from some shared ancestor centuries ago that you forgot your poor, melancholic cousins, waiting desperately for news in this faraway land?”

Scarlet rolled her eyes. “I told you, my school is old-fashioned. No telephones, no electricity. And need I remind how delighted you were with the quill set I sent as a Christmas gift?”

The others burst into laughter, the boys and girls alike giggling as they nodded in agreement.

Junji flushed, spinning around to glare at them. “Oi, you’re supposed to be on my side!”

“Aww, little brother’s jealous his sister might prefer someone else~”

“Shut up!”

Scarlet couldn’t help but grin at the scene. She blinked, then smirked mischievously. “Aww, Junji-kun, you missed me that much? Come here and give your Nee-chan a hug!”

“No, no! Wait--uh!” Junji, a nine-year-old prodigy in essay writing but woefully lacking in physical skills, struggled to escape his cousin’s embrace. But Scarlet’s strong arms, honed from practicing spear arts, held him tight. Defeated, he finally relented, his cheeks glowing crimson.

“Yup, he missed you, alright,” Nami, one of the older girls, teased, taking a sip from an obviously British tea set. “The first month you were away at school, he kept mumbling about when you’d come back, why you had to attend some weird school in the middle of nowhere, and worrying if you’d get sick on rainy days. The list goes on and on. Guess anything, and he probably did it.”

Another boy, Shouta, chuckled. “And when he found out you’d be back today, he gathered all of us to organise this welcome - with a twist, of course. Hence the suits and gowns.”

“He even turned Kanka-tei's storeroom upside down to find these...props,” Reika laughed, pulling Junji - who had just escaped Scarlet’s hug – into her own arms. “Isn’t our Junji the cutest boy?”

“...Shut up.” Junji’s protest was half-hearted, his cheeks once again glowing red. He turned to Scarlet with an earnest gaze. “I bet I’ve given Hiiro-neechan the best welcome party ever.”

“Yes, indeed,” Scarlet said warmly, patting his head. She watched as his lips curved into a proud smile, his eyes shining like a contented kitten. “I’m very surprised! Did you prepare my gown as well? I can’t attend the party without one, can I?”

“Of course I did!” Junji puffed out his chest. “It’s already in your room. Hurry up and change! We’ve prepared all your favourite meals that you must’ve missed during your time in Britain.”

“All right, I’ll be back soon,” Scarlet chuckled as she excused herself. She returned to her room to find Meiko already preparing a Victorian-style gown for her.

Meiko smiled as Scarlet entered. “Milady, I wasn’t informed about the party, but I assume you’re quite pleased with it?”

“Yeah,” Scarlet said, stepping forward to get ready. With Meiko’s help, she began donning the elaborated gown. “I never knew Junji would miss me that much. He seemed so normal in his letters.”

In fact, she was surprised by how many of her cousins had shown up for a welcome party organised by a nine-year-old. Scarlet had never thought herself as particular close to them, given her constant travel between Britian, Japan and Hong Kong, and sometimes even Africa or Southeast Asia countries for her company work

Perhaps my family bonds were closer than I’d expected. Maybe I should send them more letters after I return to Hogwarts, she mused.

“Perhaps it’s because you’re the only one at Kanka-tei who discusses novels and stories with him,” Meiko suggested as she fixed the hoop skirt and began layering the fabrics. “The others aren’t really interested in such things”

“Maybe,” Scarlet agreed, standing still so Meiko could adjust the layers more easily. “I think I’ll spend more time with him this summer holiday.”

“As long as he doesn’t mind accompanying you to visit the factories here and in Hong Kong,” Meiko reminded her with a hint of caution. “Milady, you’ve planned quite an extensive schedule for this summer – visiting sites across nearly all of Japan and Hong Kong. I doubt you’ll have much time for the other young masters and misses here at Kanka-tei.”

She added pointedly, “And don’t forget, Lady Sato and Master Hong are eager for you to join them for frequent dinners. Plus, Young Master Kyle likely has a lot to catch up on with you as well.”

“...Yeah, right. I almost forgot about the site visits. My full attention was temporarily stolen by the party,” Scarlet mused wearily. That’s why I hate how Hogwarts messes with my schedule. It taking away my time to visits sites on dad’s behalf.

The welcoming party grew larger as some adults, passing by around noon, decided to join in. One even suggested making the themed party a monthly event. The idea was enthusiastically received and immediately added to Kanka-tei's house schedule.

Later, Mr. Chiaki, who had been busy taking pictures throughout the party, printed albums and distributed it to the attendees. Somehow, the event caught the attention of the general manager of the Fūei Sansō, sparking a plan for a new source of income for the clan – a fact that surprised Scarlet when it was brought up during the clan meeting.

“And these ideas all originated with Ojousama,” the general manager, Mr. Nakamura, announced with excitement. “We are eager to invite Ojousama to serve as our ambassador to promote the themed event week and the photoshoot-and-album-printing service.”

He turned to Scarlet with an earnest gaze. “Please, Ojousama, you are the ideal candidate for our advertisement!”

Scarlet pondered for a moment, then smiled. “Suuure, but Junji-kun has to come along. He’s the mastermind behind the party!”

Mr. Nakamura exchange a few quick words with his assistant and nodded with a broad grin. “Of course! It would be an honour to have another young master of Tachibana promote our activities.”

Poor Junji-kun. Tasked with a job he didn’t even know existed. Scarlet supressed a chuckle as she continued the meeting with a composed and serious expression.

Time flew by. Scarlet completed the commercial for Fūei Sansō - with the pouting Junji by her side – and spent the rest of her summer balancing site visits with moments spent with her family and cousins. William, who hadn’t followed her back to Japan, was travelling between countries to handle documents and projects on her behalf. Apparently, Mr. Dursley had done an excellent job coordinating efforts to send engineers to rural villages in Niger, working on well-drilling machines and irrigation systems.

Three weeks before the end of her summer holiday, Scarlet received a call from Alexis.

“Heeey sensei! Guess what – I totally finished my jobs, and now I’ve got, like, three weeks of free time! Can I come to Japan and visit you?” Alexis sounded ecstatic, probably having achieved her goal as a movie extra.

“Absolutely!” Scarlet replied. “I was just about to take a break myself. Come, and I’ll show you around.”

“...you what?” Alexis exclaimed. “Don’t even tell me you’ve been working the whole summer break! I thought you, like, finished all the hunting weeks ago or whatever, and you were supposed to be free! Wait – hold up – are you already starting that, uh, research thingy for the counter-spell?”

“No, I haven’t had the time for research yet,” Scarlet admitted. “But I did manage to finish the hunting. I’ll tell you everything in detail when we meet.”

“Then you should’ve been free for the whole summer break? What’ve you been so busy with?”

“A lot,” Scarlet replied simply, “The wealthy manor of the Red House didn’t just fall from the sky.”

“Uh, isn’t that, like, your dad’s job or whatever?” Alexis asked, sounding thoroughly confused.

“You’re witnessing the reality of being the heir to a renowned family,” Scarlet said with a shrug. “And I’m adopted. I need to work extra hard to secure a place for my dad’s future child.”

“Never seen Draco have this kinda reality,” Alexis quipped. Scarlet could practically picture her friend rolling her eyes on the other end of the call. “Anyway, I’m coming! I’ve got so much share with you. You would not believe the dramas I’ve seen on those movie sets. Like, you could totally use it in your next novel or something. Wait, you are working on the new series, right?”

“Not yet, too busy...” Scarlet admitted with a sigh. She then shifted the topic to logistics. “Head to Osaka Itami Airport. I’ll pick you up from there.”

“Okie-dokie! I’m booking my flight for tomorrow. See you sooooon, sensei!”

“See you soon - and stop calling me sensei!” Scarlet retorted, but Alexis had already hung up, clearly ignoring her protest.

Kyle happened to be in Japan when Alexis was set to arrive, so he offered to take Scarlet to the airport to greet her friend.

They arrived much earlier than the flight, so they decided to wait at a restaurant. As they were ordering their meals, Kyle’s mobile phone rang. After a brief conversation, he handed to phone to Scarlet.

“It’s William,” he said. “Sounds urgent.”

Scarlet took the phone, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Hello, this is Scarlet. William?”

Her expression turned sharp as she listened, her voice tightening with alarm. “What?”