Chapter 62 Reika’s Past
Chapter 62 Reika’s Past
For much of her life, Reika had always tried to be the perfect lady. She was raised that way from early childhood—the hopes and dreams of her parents entrusted to her.
The Rizumu family was a vast conglomerate that had risen to become one of the top business enterprises in Japan. Reika’s grandfather, Takeyoshi Rizumu, had started as a simple merchant in the aftermath of World War II. Through charisma, intelligence, good looks, and sharp leadership, he built powerful connections and climbed the social ladder.
He was hailed as a man among men—admired and respected at the highest levels of society. With the wealth and influence he amassed, it was easy for him to marry into a high-standing, though now-fallen, noble family: the once-prestigious Aokawa clan, which had lost its political sway and fortune after the war.
His wife, Sayuri Aokawa, was the last daughter of the lineage—graceful, well-educated, and refined, but raised in the fading shadow of her family's former glory.
Takeyoshi sired many heirs, all of whom were raised to be successful. But as the old proverb goes: "Hard times create strong men. Strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men. Weak men create hard times."
Takeyoshi Rizumu’s only male heir—and his youngest child—was Kaito Rizumu , Reika’s father. As the sole son, Kaito was raised to become the true heir of the Rizumu economic empire. But in many ways, he fell short.
Doted on since birth, given everything without having to struggle, Kaito grew conceited and complacent. Unlike his elder sisters and even some of the capable in-laws from the Aokawa side, Kaito failed to meet the expectations placed on him.
Though he always longed to lead the family empire, he was eventually outperformed—outshined by those around him. Disappointed, the aging patriarch Takeyoshi made a new declaration: only the most capable member of the Rizumu family would be allowed to direct the business. Blood alone would no longer be enough.
Then Takeyoshi’s time came to an end, and the new generation took the reins.
Kaito was given a high-ranking position within the company—but only in name. Though the title sounded important, the role held little real power. Disappointed in himself and stripped of ambition, he crafted a new plan: if he could not inherit the company, then he would raise a son capable of reclaiming it from his sisters and the dominant Aokawa branch.
But for that plan to work, he still needed the blood of the Aokawas.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t marry the woman he had originally desired. The regret weighed heavily on him, a quiet sorrow he carried in silence.
Yet fate offered him a compromise.
Though already advancing in age, Kaito eventually met a young woman from a lesser, branched line of the Aokawa family. She held little standing in the political hierarchy—but she was refined, graceful, and undeniably beautiful. To Kaito, she was more than enough.
And so, the next phase of his plan began.
They married, and Kaito fathered many children—just like his own father before him. But this time, he was determined not to repeat Takeyoshi’s mistakes. He raised his children with strict discipline and unwavering attention, determined to mold them into paragons of strength, refinement, and ambition.
Yet, despite his efforts, none proved to be enough. Though they outshone him in many ways, the company’s leadership had long solidified its grip. His sisters and the powerful Aokawa in-laws—now deeply entrenched—felt threatened by Kaito’s growing line. They made sure to sabotage and undermine the development of his children at every opportunity, ensuring that no challenge could rise from within.
Then came Reika.
Like Kaito himself, she was the youngest of the family. And this time, Kaito poured everything he had into her. She was his last hope.
From a young age, Reika was raised under strict, relentless standards. She studied tirelessly—trained in etiquette, beauty, and diplomacy. Everything about her was shaped to embody perfection, molded into the image of a flawless lady worthy of high society… and perhaps, worthy of power.
But that kind of pressure eventually eats away at a child’s spirit.
Reika never felt hated or despised by her parents or siblings. But being raised under such strict and suffocating conditions—never allowed to simply enjoy her childhood—slowly took its toll. The light in her eyes began to dim at an early age.
She studied, behaved, and did everything her parents asked of her. By the time she reached middle school, she didn’t even know what real fun was. She had no close friends; she was always working toward some distant, undefined goal. Unlike other children her age, she wasn’t allowed to indulge in things like movies or manga. Love was a foreign concept to her.
That is, until one day, she overheard a classmate talking about fantasy novels.
She had read books before—plenty of them—but they were always technical, educational, or penned by acclaimed authors her parents approved of. But these fantasy novels were different. They opened a door. For the first time, she found an escape.
And in that small escape, she began to relax—just a little.
After graduating middle school at the top of her class, Reika aimed to enter a prestigious high school. But just as things seemed to be going according to plan, a problem arose—she was sabotaged by the leading branch of the family. As a result, she was forced to attend an average high school instead.
Her father nearly had a heart attack when he heard the news. But after the initial shock, he calmed himself and told her, “The school doesn’t matter. What matters is what you do, Reika.”
So she attended an average school, doing her best to remain composed and focused. Before long, everyone around her was enchanted—by her grace, her intellect, her presence, and her beauty. However, Reika never paid much attention to her classmates; she remained distant, guarded. Still, the weight of expectations pressed heavily on her.
Whenever she felt tired or drained, she would steal quiet moments to read fantasy novels during school hours—the only time she wasn’t under the constant gaze of her parents.
“Wow…” she whispered, shuddering softly as she reached the climax of a story. A noble princess in a fantasy world had defied her strict parents, carved her own path, and saved the world. She had done everything her way—with her own power.
Reika sighed, closing the final chapter with a faint smile, the ending leaving her heart fluttering with hope.
Could I escape like that, too? she wondered. Could I be someone else? Live freely—like the girl in the story?
“I want to be the hero…” she whispered.
Then it happened.
She heard whispers behind her.
“Freakin' midget… heheh.”
“Moo… she’s just a cow.”
“Ugh, smells like a dirty cow.”
Reika turned her head and spotted a group of unruly students snickering and tossing paper balls at a short girl with a bob-cut hairstyle and glasses. The girl sat hunched over, as if trying to make herself invisible.
Something stirred in Reika’s chest. The courage from the novel’s heroine hadn’t faded—it lingered, burning bright.
She stood up, voice clear and unwavering. “Please stop. Are you children?”
The group froze, startled.
“We’re already adults,” she continued, arms crossed, tone sharp. “So why are you acting like this? If you don’t stop, I’ll report you to the principal.”
Silence fell over the classroom. The group exchanged uneasy glances, clearly caught off guard by her unexpected confidence.
Without another word, Reika turned on her heel and walked back to her desk. She sat down, picked up her book, and calmly resumed reading.
A quiet smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
That felt... good, she thought.
She used to brush off everything that happened around school—keeping her head down, focused only on her duties. But now, still inspired by the novel she'd finished, Reika began to notice her classmates more.
The very next day, she spotted the short girl with the bob-cut and glasses entering the classroom again. This time, Reika really looked at her.
She was… pretty. Striking, even. She wore baggy clothes that hid her figure, and her hair partially veiled her eyes. She looked tired, like someone carrying the weight of too many silent burdens.
Everyone has their own problems, Reika thought.
She expected to see the unruly group from the day before—but to her surprise, they didn’t show up.
Later, during P.E. class, Reika actually paid attention to the young teacher, Alessandra-sensei. The woman commanded respect with her strength and beauty. But Reika noticed a flicker of hesitation—Alessandra stood still for a moment, staring into nothing.
Reika walked over and asked, “Hi, Sensei… could you teach me how to do this exercise?”
Alessandra blinked, then smiled, gently guiding Reika through the movement.
The day after that, one of the teachers made an announcement: the same group of bullies had officially withdrawn from school.
Reika’s heart skipped. It’s not because of me… right? she thought nervously. Is Father really watching my every move?
Her eyes darted around the room in quiet panic.
Then the teacher added, “They were severely injured. The details have not been disclosed.”
Reika clutched her head. No way… don’t tell me it really was because of me.
But later, while switching classrooms, she overheard a group of students whispering:
“Did you hear about Rio and her gang? I heard they messed with that new delinquent guy…”
“Yeah. Got beaten up real bad...”
Reika let out a small breath of relief. So it wasn’t my family after all. Thank goodness.
At lunch the next day, the bob-cut girl approached her.
“H-Hello, Miss Reika. My name is Yumi Chiisai. C-Can I talk with you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ahh, she’s so precious, Reika thought, melting a little at Yumi’s gentle demeanor.
“Of course! And just call me Reika,” she replied warmly.
“I… I just wanted to thank you—for standing up for me that day,” Yumi said, bowing her head slightly.
Reika blinked, then smiled. “It’s nothing. Really.” She patted the seat beside her. “Come, sit with me.”
They began to talk, and to Reika’s surprise, the conversation flowed easily despite them barely knowing each other.
Then Yumi’s eyes landed on a book resting on Reika’s tray.
“The Courageous Princess Does It Her Way?” she read the title, her voice lifting with interest. “Is it good?”
“Ah—!” Reika blushed, suddenly embarrassed. Her cheeks turned a soft pink.
“Y-Yeah… I like it a lot.”
“What’s it about?” Yumi asked shyly, her eyes shining.
As they chatted, laughter and smiles began to bloom between them, and a quiet hush fell over part of the cafeteria.
Unbeknownst to the two girls, students nearby were captivated—watching as the two beauties talked together like characters from a painting come to life.
Later, after lunch, Reika and Yumi walked together to their next class. As they entered the room, it quickly became clear that something was off—people were staring.
Reika noticed the lingering glances, the quiet murmurs, but chose to ignore them and calmly took her seat. Yumi walked to her seat.
Then the room shifted again.
Someone else had captured everyone’s attention—even Reika’s.
A guy walked in—shirt messy, eyes sharp and mean, with a lazy swagger like he owned the school. He didn’t care about the whispers or the glances. His gaze swept the room, slow and deliberate, like he was sizing everyone up he still had bruises on his face and arms.
When his eyes landed on Yumi, Reika caught the slight shudder that ran through her new friend. Yumi looked down, shrinking into herself.
“Is that him…?”
“Did he really beat up Rio and her gang…?”
“Who knows… I heard it was brutal…”
Whispers buzzed through the room, reaching Reika’s ears.
She looked at the guy again—and for the briefest moment, their eyes met.
She didn’t flinch.
Neither did he.
Then he smirked—low and amused—before casually heading to his desk without saying a word.