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"When purchasing this mansion, there were some complications, but those issues have since been resolved," Eri Kisaki said with a smile.

As a top-tier lawyer, Eri Kisaki was well aware that she needed to make her work sound difficult in order to justify the price paid by her clients and ensure they didn’t feel regret afterward.

Even if the task itself had been simple, it still needed to be presented as though it were fraught with challenges.

"Oh? What kind of trouble?"

Fujiwara Tōru asked with keen interest.

"As I mentioned earlier, this mansion holds significant value as a collector's item. The head of the Toyokawa family was deceived into handing over the deed by his own 'good son-in-law,'" Eri explained.

"If the Toyokawa family had decided to take legal action, given their influence, it’s very possible the court would have ruled the sale invalid."

Eri recounted the efforts she had invested in resolving the matter.

However, as she spoke, noticing how attentively Fujiwara Tōru listened, she couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

Here was Fujiwara Tōru, only a few years older than her daughter, and yet she was employing such calculated adult tactics on him.

After years of navigating the complexities of society, she realized she had become the type of person she once despised.

With that thought in mind, Eri abandoned her polished rhetoric and spoke plainly: "To be honest, this outcome was also influenced by you, Mr. Fujiwara."

"After learning that you were the one purchasing the mansion, the Toyokawa family weighed the pros and cons and ultimately decided against pursuing legal action."

Eri’s explanation was subtle but clear enough.

It wasn’t hard to uncover Fujiwara Tōru’s public identity.

Just as one might not know the identity of a CIA agent, everyone knew who the CIA director was.

Since Fujiwara Tōru had returned to the Fujiwara family, the family patriarch had subtly spread word of this fact among the kazoku (aristocratic families).

The Fujiwara family boasted deep historical roots in Japan, tracing back over a thousand years to the Asuka period.

Their ancestor was none other than Fujiwara no Fuhito, the man who nearly tricked Princess Kaguya into marriage in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.

Over time, as the family evolved, the Fujiwaras split into various branches, eventually becoming part of the five regent houses (go-sekke) within the kazoku.

Though the Fujiwara family no longer held the same level of prominence as in ancient times, they still wielded considerable influence in Japanese politics. In comparison, while the Toyokawa family was also part of the kazoku, they paled in comparison to the Fujiwaras and naturally wouldn’t dare challenge them directly.

Of course, that was only one reason. The second reason lay in Fujiwara Tōru’s status as the adopted son of Spencer.

The relationship between the United States and Japan could be likened to that of a father and son.

Upon hearing that the adopted son of the CIA director—and a member of the Fujiwara family—was interested in purchasing the mansion, any rational decision-maker in the Toyokawa family would surely back down.

Moreover, the mansion wasn’t being handed over for free; Fujiwara Tōru had paid handsomely for it!

"But I must admit, I find it curious, Mr. Fujiwara. You’re quite young—why would someone like you be interested in a European-style mansion? I assumed today’s youth preferred modern penthouses," Eri mused aloud, teasingly adding, "Could it be that I’m getting old and can’t keep up with the younger generation anymore?"

She pulled out a contract and made light of the situation with a joke.

Fujiwara Tōru chuckled. "Ms. Eri Kisaki doesn’t look her age at all. When I first met you, I was genuinely surprised that someone so young—barely in her twenties—had already earned the title of 'The Invincible Queen of the Legal World.'"

Eri couldn’t help but laugh. His flattery felt refreshingly sincere, delivered with youthful vigor and confidence rather than oily insincerity.

Tōru continued: "I lived in high-rise apartments while I was in America, but upon returning to Japan, I wanted to try living in a different style."

This was a lie. The real reason was that he needed a spacious place to train and store certain belongings that weren’t suitable for an apartment.

Thus, he required something akin to a villa.

After his household registration returned to the Fujiwara family, the family patriarch, delighted, offered him a property of his choosing.

Fujiwara Tōru, never one to stand on ceremony, immediately selected this mansion.

The price of the mansion was no small sum—it cost over two billion yen, and that was just the purchase price. Future property taxes and maintenance fees would incur additional costs.

Rumors circulated within the Fujiwara family that some members disapproved of Tōru’s choice, but the family patriarch swiftly silenced their complaints.

He justified it eloquently: "America has its own unique circumstances, and Tōru grew up immersed in American culture. He doesn’t bother with the pretense of humility."

Fujiwara Tōru picked up the contract from the table.

Eri sat beside him, the faint scent of her mature woman’s perfume wafting through the air. From the neckline of her tailored suit, a hint of lace and cleavage peeked out.

But Fujiwara Tōru merely glanced briefly before focusing intently on the contract in his hands. Whenever he encountered unclear clauses, Eri patiently provided detailed explanations.

A contract worth billions couldn’t be skimmed carelessly, no matter how much trust he placed in Eri.

They meticulously reviewed the document, line by line, until the clock struck five in the afternoon.