Translator: Silver Editor: Namorax
「17」
The day of the summer banquet.
Hayate was wearing his costume and the necessary accessories.
Though it was a costume, it was just a three-piece suit.
Because it was formal wear, it included a proper jacket.
Of course, it was hot in the summer.
While the heat didn"t bother us due to the air conditioning, it would impolite to greet other guests in half-hearted outfits.
Even though it was just a costume party, we were still young guests.
“Ariwara, your tie is crooked.”
“Huh? Really? Should I tighten it, or just re-tie it again?”
Ariwara presented his tie to Hayate.
That"s it.
Fujoshis would be delighted by this scene.
Tachibana"s voice caught me off guard.
“You look good Mizuki. I didn"t know a slim suit suited you so well. You don"t have your tie on yet. Shall I tie it for you?”
No, not me!!
Tachibana took the tie from my hand and smoothly unfolded it.
“……by myself…”
“Am I doing it right?”
The tie decorating the smiling Tachibana"s neck was immaculate.
I"ve never even seen his uniform"s necktie come undone.
Though I wanted it to look good, it was embarra.s.sing to have someone else tie it.
“Umm……”
Tachibana chuckled and pa.s.sed the tie under my collar while I was lost in thought.
“Don"t move, Mizuki.”
“Uhuh!?”
“Oh, Mizuki! The honor to tie your necktieー”
Ariwara"s voice was laced with envy.
Is it okay?
Is there any value in tying things?
Tachibana finished my tie while I was still worrying about it.
“There, it"s done. Though the uniform is fine, this is good too. However, I can"t invite you to dance.”
“The waltz is too excessive, but how about the Charleston?”
“No, I don"t dance.”
I gave the high-spirited Ariwara a brief warning.
“Huh!? What a waste.”
“I was always a poor dancer. I never danced beyond what I learned in cla.s.s.”
“That can"t be true!? A young maiden of the Sagara family who doesn"t dance!?”
“There are too few partners compatible with my height.”
Though I didn"t feel inconvenienced since I didn"t buy pre-made clothes, the fact that I was at eye level with most of the boys in my grade was another issue.
I used that to get out of dancing.
“You"re rather quiet today, Hayate.”
“Yes. I"m looking forward to visiting the former manor of a genuine j.a.panese samurai.”
“…… Well, it"s enjoyable in various ways. Especially in the summer.”
I stared at the laughing Ariwara before glancing at Hayate.
“Well, there are various things.”
Hayate suppressed his own laughter even as his eyes wandered.
“What? What various things!?”
“You should look forward to the trip, it"s a rarity for you after all. Even the summer haunting is a valuable experience.”
Tachibana joined in on the teasing.
“Valuable! Of course, that"s a valuable experience!!”
I put aside Ariwara shouting over ghost stories for later and carefully arranged the contents of the box in front of me.
We were dressed as hustlers.
A somber disguise for the well-informed.
“Now then, let"s go.”
I tried to pick up the box after snapping the metal clamps shut, but Hayate s.n.a.t.c.hed it up first.
“We leave early, we return early. Treat this like a showcase, nice and simple.”
“Yes.”
After nodding in agreement to Hayate"s comment, we went to the main building and got into the car waiting out front.
The Otomo mansion was an old and elegant western-style building.
Coupled with the tasteful garden, the mansion was befitting of european n.o.bility.
The party began at noon and would last till midnight.
The younger guests arrived during the day and would gradually be phased out by the adults as the night wore on.
We were planning to enjoy a light lunch and leave around late evening.
Well, it couldn"t be said that the Otomo didn"t go all out when they hosted events.
“Let"s say h.e.l.lo to Nanami-sama, then we walk around for a bit. The Sugawara twins seem to be coming too.”
I began to imagine what type of costumes Chikage and Chiaki would have when, almost as if on cue, a young man looking similar to Suwa got out of the car in front of us.
“Good evening, Mizuki-san. I haven"t seen you in a while, but I"m happy to see you"re in good health.”
He was part of a Suwa branch family and, unlike Suwa, had a kind demeanor and gentle smile.
He was one of Suwa"s cousins, like Shiori.
“Long time no see, Suwa Kaori-sama. I"m doing fine, thank you.”
Even though he was from a Suwa branch family, my family remained on good terms with Kaori"s.
His family immediately a.s.sisted my family when news of the accident reached them.
Though Kaori attends a different school these days, he still visited frequently.
He was about the same age as Yak.u.mo-niisan and was easy to talk to.
“I was relieved when I saw your smile in the distance.”
“Is that so? Have I done something to worry you?”
“No. As for that matter, we were completely at fault.”
Kaori"s gaze wavered as he lowered it for a moment, before looking back at me.
“Do you remember my engagement proposal from before?”
“Yes. We received it, but I would like a have a bit more time to decide……
“There"s no need. Even though it is a bit rude to ask you this in such a place Mizuki-san, but I would like to withdraw the proposal.”
“……Huh?”
I was taken back by Kaori"s unexpected comment.
Hayate was throwing glances at me from my right.
Ariwara and Tachibana remained silent.
“Would you like to discuss this somewhere else?”
“No, this place is fine. It is a rather short story. My engagement has already been determined. The next head of the household has already decided it.”
“Suwa……”
“Yes. The current first branch family will be dismantled and Mrs. Saori shall be divorced. Her former husband will become a member of a different branch family six months later.”
“And… your new fiancé……”
“If I had to guess, it would be Shiori. Although, it"s just a guess at this point. If Shiori is engaged to me, my family will move up in rank. However, I will not marry Shiori. Shiori will become my adoptive sister, then she will be exiled.”
“Why? Why are you telling me this?”
“It will become public soon, but the estrangement of that branch family has started to become obvious. The decision was made to destroy the house ahead of the criminal charges. Mrs.Saori and Shiori were equally guilty, but since they weren"t directly involved in the crime, Saori will be monitored by another branch family and Shiori will be completely cut off from the Suwa once she learns to live like a commoner. It"s impossible for them to have a normal life as things are now.”
“I see.”
I thought of the various ways to handle the situation.
Power was conceded to another branch family, the possibility to send them abroad was still there and the embezzled profits were rendered forfeit.
Suwa had certainly played a sweet hand this time.
However, only the severity of the wound had been lessened.
It wasn"t wrong to protect the things which you should protect, but trying to mitigate the damage like that was a bit greedy.
As for Suwa himself, doing so must have been like inflicting a wound upon himself.
Not only was he ordering Shiori, who"d he"d been pining for all this time, to get engaged to another man, he was also having her learn how to be a commoner because he knew they couldn"t be apart of the same world anymore.
“My speculations about the Suwa seem to have troubled you. I understand the wrath of the Sagara, but I wanted to inform you of that branch family"s situation.”
“Is this the intention of the new leading branch family"s head?”
“Yes.”
I glanced at Hayate when Kaori nodded his head.
“Hayate. What do you think of this?”
“I"d accept the new branch"s sincerity. However, I wouldn"t have any further contact with the former heads.”
“Is that so? It"s as you"ve heard, Kaori-sama. I have nothing more to say on the matter, but my grandfather will definitely hear about the Suwas" intentions. I won"t congratulate you on your engagement either.”
“Thank you. To be honest, I didn"t want to hear those words from you, but I will still do this.”
Kaori bowed his head and attempted to leave the way he came.
“Kaori-sama? You are not going to stay?”
“Yes. While I did receive an invitation, I only came to speak with you. I do not want to see the people inside. Do you think that is childish?”
Kaori offered a complex smile which conveyed his intentions to leave.
I see.
"They" were inside.
“No. Please have a safe trip. Then.”
“Excuse me.”
Kaori bowed again and headed towards his car.
An atmosphere of uncertainty was left in his wake.
“It would have been better if that man had been born to the main family.”
Hayate bitterly muttered that.
“Obviously… That person would never fall in love with Shiori. He was aiming for Mizuki.”
“Is that so? I remember how she gave children"s books to the younger children back then. It was rather troublesome, which is why I still remember that.”
“Mizuki!! It"s like you don"t have any girl power…”
Ariwara grabbed my shoulder and shook me.
“I think you do have some femininity. Your cooking is delicious. Your fashion sense is impeccable. As for makeup…… you"re more beautiful without it.”
“I see. It"s attractive to see a high school girl wear makeup. I lose to everyone when it comes to makeup, huh?”
“Makeup is something like a woman"s battle attire. Take a moment to reflect on it. In addition, it would be strange to wear makeup in this outfit.”
When it came to cosplay, you could make your eyebrows fiery or deep. Everyday restraints were unnecessary.
“Well then, shall we go and look for Nanami-sama?”
I managed to recover and enter the mansion.
I heard the sound of a live band.
“It"d be nice to visit the garden later.”
Tachibana whispered that into my ear.
I see.
The performance was in the garden.
“Is there a game room here? A game of billiard would be delightful.”
Ariwara seemed to be getting into his hustler cosplay.
Both of them looked happy.
However, greeting Nanami-sama came first.
A shout from behind us reached our ears.
“Well, that"s quite the figure! Haha, Dracula. Even though you"d be better suited as Frankenstein.”
“………eh!”
Hayate glared at the person that said that.
He also grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him.
Ariwara, Tachibana, and I cl.u.s.tered together.
A woman in her twenties stood in a group near the stairs.
She was looking at me and laughing.
I let out a sigh when I recognized her face.
Apparently meeting Nanami-sama wouldn"t be so easy.