Arata Tsuruki (鶴木新, Tsuruki Arata?) is the twenty-second chapter of the My Happy Marriage manga adaptation.
Summary[]
Kiyoka is busy with reviewing reports. His unit has been burdened with investigating the Burial Grounds incident and patrolling in addition to their regular duties. In addition, Kiyoka is also worried about Miyo's nightmares and the Usuba Gift. He has an informant looking into the Usuba family but has yet to hear any useful information, and he is afraid that Miyo will waste away from weakness if nothing is done soon.
Godou informs Kiyoka that the person sent by the Ministry of the Imperial Household about the Burial Grounds incident has arrived. It is the chestnut-haired young man who saved Miyo from fainting. He introduces himself as Arata Tsuruki, an amiable twenty-four year old man who is the heir of the Tsuruki family. The Tsuruki family owns Tsuruki Trading, a relatively new company that almost went bankrupt around twenty years ago but has since re-established themselves as a mid-sized trading company. Kiyoka had looked into them independently from the information Ookaito has given him and found nothing suspicious, but he can't understand why the Ministry sent Arata as he isn't a part of them.
Kiyoka also introduces himself, but Arata already knows who he is and even his coldness towards women. Arata explains that he will be the liaison in this matter. The reason he is sent by the Ministry despite not working for them is because he works as a negotiator for his family's company but also occasionally helps acquaintances to negotiate on their behalf. Arata is well-informed about the Burial Grounds and the Gifted. The Burial Grounds were unsealed two weeks ago in the middle of the night, but the Ministry has yet to find the culprit. Kiyoka asks him why the Ministry has decided to talk to them now after staying silent for so long. Arata explains that the Ministry's sorcerers have their hands full so the elites finally understand their situation. Kiyoka agrees that his unit will help, as lives are at stake.
According to Arata, Ministry sorcerers have already collected two-thirds of the escaped spirits, and the remaining ones are vengeful and aggressive. The Emperor has given permission for them to be destroyed with Gifts. Arata then gives Kiyoka his written orders, which were already signed off by Ookaito. Before Arata leaves, he asks Kiyoka if it's true that Kiyoka has gotten engaged. When Kiyoka confirms it, Arata mentions that he is also hoping to settle down but hasn't managed it yet, then meaningfully remarks that marriage isn't easy. He shakes hands with Kiyoka and leaves. Kiyoka is left with the feeling that there is something off about the man.
Some time later, Godou comes into Kiyoka's office, wondering why the Burial Grounds were made in the first place, much to Kiyoka's annoyance at his barging in. Godou remarks on Kiyoka's fatigue not hearing him say he was coming in beforehand and reminds him of Takaihito's warning, something that is constantly weighing on him. Godou then delivers the letter from the informant. He knows it's about the Usubas and offers to help investigate, but Kiyoka declines him. Godou warns him to be careful about sticking his nose in the wrong places before leaving.
Kiyoka opens the envelope, thinking about how elusive the Usubas are. Unlike the other clans, they have always hid themselves away thoroughly and there isn't a single trace of them in public records. Kiyoka first had his informant look into the previous Lord Saimori as he was the one who arranged the marriage between his son and Sumi Usuba, but that didn't turn up any leads as he and his wife died soon after their son's wedding two decades ago. The informant then planned on investigating Sumi by going through girls' school records in the capital during the time she would have gone to school and look for the name Sumi. The informant believes that the Usubas, as a Gifted family, would have sent her to school but under a different last name. The informant has found twenty names, and Kiyoka is stunned when he comes across the name Sumi Tsuruki, who fell ill soon after graduation. Kiyoka wonders if it's a coincidence or not that he happened to meet someone with the same last name today. He decides to look into the Tsurukis more.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Kiyoka Kudou
- Yoshito Godou
- Arata Tsuruki
- Masashi Ookaito (pictured)
- Takaihito (flashback)
- Sumi Saimori (pictured)
Chapter Notes[]
- The manga rearranges the order of several scenes:
- The initial scene of Kiyoka working takes place after his meeting with Arata in the novel.
- Kiyoka and Arata's conversation is rearranged slightly. For instance, Kiyoka asks Arata about his connection to the Ministry after listening to Arata talk first in the novel.
- Godou's scenes with Kiyoka in this chapter are original to the manga. In the novel, Kiyoka already has the information from the informant on his desk instead of having Godou deliver it.
- The manga expands on the Usuba family's connection to the Saimori family as well as Kiyoka's investigation into them.
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| Volume 1 | |
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| Volume 2 | |
| Volume 3 | |
| Volume 4 |
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| Volume 5 | |
| Non-tankōbon | |