Later, after going to live at Tetsutaisho's house, Takara saw but little of Daikomitsu, meeting him only occasionally at Maido's, where they were both wont to go and visit at odd times. While Daikomitsu knew of Takara's abandonment of her own home for that of her brother-in-law he did not divine the true extent of her relations, though much of the gossip reaching Kyoto--finally resulting in her strange return--did so through the medium of none other than himself. And when she had gone he too returned, though no one ever accused him of having any direct connection with her removal.
Daikomitsu had through all these years grown to be popular at the capital and considered a good friend at court--even accredited by some as being in sympathy with the shogun's cause. Especially the opposition to Ikamon courted his favour and even many of the latter's staunchest supporters admired him. In fact his influence had already come to be felt, and he had not a little to do with prolonging peace and maintaining order between the two rival factions, the north and the south. In consequence he interested himself to know whether the geisha party had been given to cover some breach between Maido and Ikamon, and whether the lord daimyo's removal to the country had a political meaning deeper than appeared.
Tokyo he did not believe to be the place to gain such information, and hastening back to Kyoto he began making himself a friendly caller at the Kanazawa castle, though he did not associate himself much with the quiet meetings that were beginning to be held there to discuss public affairs. He may have been too sagacious for that, even though thought to be slow and of small consequence.
Nor was he in harmony with the sentiment so rapidly centring around Maido. He had lost none of his sympathies for the mikado, still he did not believe that any improvement could be brought about by the admittance of foreigners into the land; and on that point thoroughly accorded with the mikado himself, as well as with Saigo and Kido and all the leaders of the dominant faction in the south. Realising the dangers of personal alliance, Daikomitsu held himself as much as possible aloof from all doings, and contented himself with investigating the real status of affairs.