Chapter 1085. Night of Retrieval / Return Song
「 Arisu, look after Karen 」
We finished bathing, then I told Arisu in the dressing room.
Anyway, I should let her free from Misuzu today.
Anyway, staying together with me for longer will only make her tension grow.
I thought that I should leave her to Arisu, who’s also a daughter of n.o.bility, and is a year older than her.
Mitama and Kinuka go to the same school with Arisu as bodyguards, and they’ve seen each other at parties and such, so it would be rea.s.suring for Karen.
The isolation Karen felt during the one week she spent with Misuzu and the girls have to clear away first.
「 Agnes too 」
「 Of course, Papa! 」
Karen needs Agnes’ innocence and cheerfulness.
Then, Luna and the twins will have to support them.
「 Agnes and everyone loves Karen-chan, so there’s no need to worry 」
「 P-Please take care of me 」
Karen bowed her head to Agnes.
「 You don’t have to do that! It takes a bit of time for the new girls to get used to the family. Agnes also had that time. But now, I love everyone 」
Agnes shows a smile to Karen.
Yeah.
Agnes had that time when she’s the youngest in the family.
That time when she doesn’t open up doesn’t talk to anyone.
「 Mitama, Kinuka, and I have been living in this place for a week too, but… 」
Arisu said.
「 They’re all kind people. Don’t worry. You can rest the night with us tonight 」
The little sister who had other big sisters look after her…
They become the big sister when a new girl joins the family.
They look after her, worry about her.
They grow up when they find someone they want to protect.
They become stronger.
That’s why I don’t have to worry.
Karen will sure come to that side too.
We have Mao-chan, a toddler, the youngest member of the family.
Then, next year, Yukino and Nagisa will give birth to my child.
「 Now then, Misuzu-chan and Ruriko-chan. It’s been a week since you’ve come but I’m sorry, you have to let him go for tonight 」
Katsuko-nee who’s wearing a bath towel told the two.
「 Uhm, why is it? 」
Ruriko asks.
「 Let it be, Ruriko. Danna-sama’s been troubled for today, so we should let him be free from us for tonight 」
Misuzu said.
「 That’s right. Tomorrow is a Sunday, so it’ll be a bit hard, so I want him to rest for tonight 」
Katsuko-nee smiled.
Tomorrow, I’m going to Minaho-neesan’s new brothel, and then meet up with Kurama Misato-san and the other prost.i.tute candidates.
By night, Kaan Momoko-neechan is coming over.
That’s a lot of trouble.
「 Besides, don’t we want to have another conversation with Yoshiko-oneesama? 」
「 You’re right 」
Misuzu and Ruriko stayed in the Kouzuki mansion for one week to have a conversation with Yoshiko-san, but…
The result was the two of them recommending Yoshiko-san to have s.e.x with me and nothing else.
They didn’t try to understand how Yoshiko-san feels.
Therefore, Yoshiko-san chose the option to not hold any relationship with me. The opposite.
「 Yoshiko-oneesama already determined her answer. So, we… 」
「 Yes. We will have to adjust to lessen the load on Yoshiko-oneesama 」
Jii-chan recognizes Yoshiko-san as the daughter of the Kouzuki house, but…
She’s given up on trying to stand in line with Misuzu and Ruriko, who were born daughters of the n.o.bility.
Yoshiko-san who’s lived as the servant of the Kouzuki house suddenly became a member of the head, it’s mentally impossible.
Therefore, in cases where the daughter of the Kouzuki house has to come in public, Misuzu and Ruriko will show up as much as possible from now on, reducing her burden.
「 Yoshiko-oneesama has to be comfortable in her status 」
「 We need to understand her 」
The idea that ‘since they can do it, Yoshiko-san can do it too,’ is wrong.
People are different.
Especially for those who have a different status, different environment in their life.
「 I’ve been living with Yoshiko-oneesama for so long and yet…I saw things differently 」
Ruriko’s the Master, and Yoshiko-san’s the Servant.
Even if they were in the same places with the same experience, they see and feel it differently.
「 Err, I think that you shouldn’t try to make contact with Yoshiko-san tonight either 」
I said.
「 Earlier, she was talking to Mariko, and she was having fun. I think that it’s better if Misuzu and Ruriko step back and let the other girls mingle with her, right?
They were facing each other for a week, and yet, they still want to talk more.
「 I think so too. You don’t have to rush. Give her some time. Misuzu-chan and Ruriko-chan’s the type who makes decisions right away, so you hurry too much on everything 」
Katsuko-nee said.
「 Human relationships take time to adapt, to adjust. You can’t just start a conversation, then decide, and it becomes like that. You girls are smarter than ordinary people, and you are skilled in adapting so it’s like that, but asking other girls to have that same skill is cruel 」
「 I think so too. Misuzu and Ruriko are mentally trained as they’re raised as daughters of the Kouzuki house. They have strong pressure too 」
「 That’s not true 」
「 Yes, we’re not that strong 」
The two denied it.
「 That’s why we always depend on Danna-sama 」
「 Yes. We can move forward at ease when we’re with Onii-sama 」
That’s…
「 You girls can digest the pressure and stress from being the daughters of n.o.bility because of your relationship with him. That’s a good thing, but still, you girls flick your “ON,” or “OFF” switch faster than others. You’re accustomed to that situation since childhood. Therefore, no matter what situation you’re in, you can blow away your negative emotions by having s.e.x with him and immediately act with a positive att.i.tude. But, ordinary people can’t gear change that fast 」
Katsuko-nee said
「 Yoshiko-san isn’t like that. She takes her time to worry, thinking “Is this really okay?” as she moves forward slowly. You girls a.n.a.lyze the situation in an instant, and find your conclusion right away, “If it’s like this, then this is what I should do,” and so, you make the move right away, but not everyone is like that. Even if they find their conclusion, some people take time to gain courage and take a step forward. No, it’s most, not some 」
Karen and Arisu listen to Katsuko-nee’s talk silently.
「 So, don’t rush. You don’t have to. Misuzu and Ruriko, you should understand that Yoshiko-san’s not going at your speed. The idea of “So it’s like this, now we do this. That’s the only choice,” is too fast 」
I said.
「 That means that we should give her some s.p.a.ce 」
Ruriko replies.
「 Yes. She will only be confused unless given time to adapt to the situation 」
Hearing that, Arisu;
「 Mitama, Kinuka, and I have spent a week in this mansion. Agnes-san and Luna-san as the center, naturally, everyone is also being considerate for us so we could adapt in this life, that’s why… We find it good to stay in this place 」
「 In the same one week, Misuzu-chan and Ruriko-chan had been forcing Karen-chan to accept the situation. That’s the difference between the two of them now 」
Karen compared Arisu and Karen.
「 Karen-san, you just had s.e.x with him. So, Misuzu-chan and Ruriko-chan thinks that Karen-san is already his woman, so it should be okay now, right? You girls make decisions based only on the situation 」
Katsuko-nee smiled at the two.
「 But, the truth is, Karen-san herself still don’t know what kind of effect does offering her virginity to him will do on her life in the future. It’s unknown how much it heals her heart to have s.e.x with him. She doesn’t have experience. She has to take it in slowly. It’ll take some time for her to understand the situation she’s in 」
「 I mean, Misuzu and Ruriko forgot it already but you girls also were confused after our first s.e.x, right? 」
I said.
「 You girls also took some time before you adapted. I still remember it 」
「 R-Really? But I believe that I was already devoted to Danna-sama from the beginning 」
「 Me too, I began to see s.e.x as a fun activity immediately after offering Onii-sama my virginity 」
Misuzu and Ruriko said.
「 Okay, I get it. Then we’re going to have a screening later 」
Katsuko-nee smiles.
「 We still have videos of your first, second, and third experience. You can watch yourself and confirm if you rewrote your memories 」
「 Uhm, can we also watch? 」
Arisu said.
「 Why not? Misuzu and the girls watched Arisu and Karen’s first time, so I think that they have the rights to watch Misuzu’s first time too
I said.
「 So, what do you think? 」
Katsuko-nee asks. Misuzu;
「 I don’t mind. I think that it’s just fair 」
「 Feel free to watch my records too 」
Yeah.
That’s good.
They can confirm each other’s past with this…
「 You don’t have to come with them, take a rest for tonight 」
Katsuko-nee smiled.
「 If you’re there, they’ll be embarra.s.sed that they might faint in agony 」
Huh? Why would Misuzu and the girls faint from watching their first experience?!
「 Well, you’ll see it tomorrow 」
◇ ◇ ◇
With that said. I parted with everyone from the bathroom.
Agnes also said that she wants to watch Misuzu and Ruriko’s first time.
She called Eri, Rie, and all the other young girls.
It seems that there will be a lot of fuss during the screening tonight.
As for me, I’m thirsty so I moved to the dining room.
「 Oh, Yo-chan. Kudou-san sent over a mail. It seems that he’s entered the final stage 」
Nei and Margo-san are facing a laptop each.
Tsukiko and Koyomi-chan are here too.
「 The bureaucrats who have been acting recklessly have been dealt with. With that, everyone who’s trying to control the Miko power from the government is dealt with. Well, sooner or later, another group will come, but… 」
「 There won’t be any stupid people showing up for now. The view of letting the Kouzuki house manage the Takakura shrine maidens will grow stronger. It’s not like the Kouzuki house and the government are in opposition, so if they make some trouble, they know that it’ll only get difficult for them 」
Margo-san said.
「 Look, this is the latest news 」
Margo-san cast the news article on the internet from the laptop to the monitor in the dining room.
「 Huh? 」
The prime minister resigned.
「 The state bureaucrats are people of the government, and that’s why they won’t be acting recklessly alone. Above the bureaucrats are the cabinet ministers, then ordering the cabinet is the prime minister 」
「 They’re to take responsibility after biting against the Kouzuki house 」
Nei laughed.
「 The whole n.o.bility had the consensus to let the Kouzuki house manage the Takakura shrine maidens. And n.o.bility covers most of j.a.pan’s leading companies and management, they have enough power to dismiss the prime minister from his position 」
「 I’m really sorry for all the troubles just for our sake 」
Tsukiko said, but…
「 No, this might not be their initial objective. Maybe the objective of the bureaucrats was actually to dismiss the prime minister and replace him 」
Margo-san said.
「 Wait, Jii-chan? 」
「 Nope. Kouzuki-san won’t take that risk. If it goes poorly, Mizusu-san, Ruriko-chan, and you would be at risk 」
I see. If the reckless bureaucrats tried to take Tsukiko and the girls…
It just happened that Misuzu and the girls are there…
Jii-chan can’t take control of the underground society employed by the bureaucrats.
「 Oh, while we’re talking, another mail came from Kudou-san 」
Nei smiled.
「 Oh, this is another news 」
Margo-san casts another news article.
「 An influential man in the ruling party had been hospitalized 」
He suddenly collapsed at a time like this?
「 Is that the mastermind behind this case? 」
I asked.
「 Well, he probably is. He could’ve tried to use the reckless bureaucrats and take Tsukiko-san from the Kouzuki house, making them do what he tells them 」
Using the Miko power, they can control people, and control their memories.
「 But, this case will convey that the shrine maidens won’t be under anyone’s control. Making the Kouzuki house and n.o.bility fight, argue, dismiss the prime minister, and forcing big politicians to retire could be a precedent 」
「 So, it’s not the sudden hospitalization? 」
I thought that Kudou-papa wouldn’t go for a physical attack.
Instead of beating them up, making them drink poison.
「 I mean, the hospital the politician went to is a purveyor university hospital. It’s a place where politicians can pretend illness if there’s any trouble. They have private rooms prepared for such 」
Margo-san said.
「 Well, Kouzuki-san went thoroughly with them so they might retire from the political world, right? If they don’t step out voluntarily, the scandal will become public, and that could socially murder them 」
That’s…
「 The society thinks that it’s Kouzuki-san who did what we did to Shirasaka Sousuke. Next, it would be the turn of an actual a.s.sa.s.sin. Everyone knows Kyouko Messer’s relationship with us 」
Either way, if they’re cornered, they can’t fight.
「 Politicians and bureaucrats can’t take us down anymore 」
That’s what this incident proved.
「 Kouzuki house deals with the surface, and we deal with the backside. Kouzuki SS. Kudou-san’s monkey business party. Kyouko-san’s a strong poison, and anyone careless to touch us would be dealt with from every direction. Right. If it’s the Kaan house, which has the same power as the Kouzuki house, then they might be able to deal with us, but, Kaan house has no intention of going against the Kouzuki house. Instead of fighting each other, they find more benefits in getting along. Kaan house is now a businessman, and so they know that they should look and decide things with a cool mind. Compared to that, the politicians and bureaucrats don’t do that 」
Margo-san said.
「 Even if it’s settled now, there are still more politicians and bureaucrats who are still learning. Therefore, someday, someone will make this stupid incident repeat. Get ready for them, Yoshida-kun 」
We demonstrated that they can’t take us down and yet…
They’re still coming?
「 Politicians and bureaucrats are the kinds of people who decide using emotions. They’re not composed. They don’t think logically. “I don’t like that guy. He gets me angry. I’m angry. I’m Frustrated. I’m humiliated,” they’re quite impulsive like that and so it’s easy for them to act rashly 」
「 Really? 」
Politicians and bureaucrats are the people who are in hold of the fate of the country, right?
Why are they so shallow?
「 Right. That’s how it is. They can run with just their emotions, and pander to the emotions of the people, or they can be pulled or swayed by the public opinion. Anyway, they’re quite the emotional creatures. Those who are in charge of the field can restrain themselves because they are confronted with giants, but those in the upper echelons who are discussing the kingdom of heaven are dreaming, talking only in idealistic terms, and are not able to reconcile with reality 」
Oh, I think I get that.
「 On the other hand, people in business, well, there are some emotional people at the top, but people who are still fighting for survival in a compet.i.tive world have to cool down their heads or their company will crash 」
Yeah.
「 You should cool yourself too. Don’t let your emotions take control. Don’t forget to look at the facts before talking idealistically 」
Margo-san told me.
「 We managed to do something with the miserable reality today, but either way, some politician or bureaucrat would become the new enemy. Don’t consider this over 」
This will happen again.
「 You can’t root them out. Even if you take down one, another one will get conceited, and try to push their control over the Kouzuki house and us, making stupid schemes. This will repeat for tens of times for as long as we’re alive… 」
「 Or should I say that Kouzuki Ojii-chan’s already used to this! Politicians and bureaucrats who want to take the Kouzuki house always come after them 」
Nei said.
Yeah, Jii-chan dealt with them so many times that he’s already accustomed to it, but…
The politicians and bureaucrats always get replaced, and so, they’ll pick a fight with the Kouzuki house, without even reflecting on the failure of the previous.
「 Well, that’s just how it is 」
Margo-san smiled wryly.
「 It’s common. Bad people have no end. They’ll come again and again. Therefore, we just have to repel them again and again too. If you feel hopeless, then you lose 」
「 We need to fight forever if we want to protect our family 」
I said.
「 Don’t make that kind of face. You’re not fighting alone 」
「 Yeah, you have us you know! Yo-chan! 」
「 Kouzuki-san’s also constructing a system to put them away 」
Yeah, they’re right.
I’m not alone.
No matter who comes to attack, we have people who can deal with them.
「 Nei, open Kudou-san’s mail 」
「 Okay! Margo-oneechan 」
Nei operates her laptop.
「 Ooh, another video’s attached. I’ll cast it on that monitor 」
This time, Nei’s screen is shown on the monitor in the dining room.
「 Okay, playing video 」
Nei presses a key.
Kudou-papa’s shown on screen.
『 Stop time! Tracey Police Inspector Respond! Kurukuru moko moko, kuru kuru, mokomo, Secret Detective Zero Zero one one one!! 』
As usual, he’s making some joke I can’t understand.
『 Oh, anyway, it’s all done. Lifting alert status. I’m also going back home and sleep like a log. It’s all over. Yosoro! 』
He’s so excited. It’s because his work is over.
『 Then, we will introduce the members of the final operation. First 』
A handsome man wearing a black suit appears.
『 Yay! I’m the lead guitar of the Kido Qtaro, my name’s Kid Blaster! 』
『 Yay! I’m the keyboard boy, Angel Belle 』
A red-haired flashy lady said.
『 Yay! I’m the drummer! Boy Steve! 』
A blue hat blonde-haired man speaks lively.
『 And, I’m the villainous manager Epstein, Shaved Isaac! Yay! 』
Err. Who cares?
『 I’m Ken, percussion. I’m sorry for being clumsy 』
A tall short-haired old man said.
『 h.e.l.lo. My name is Pondo. Eames Pondo 』
Now there’s an Englishman here.
『 Lastly, I’m the crusher chou. Kudou Yuusaku!! 』
Kudou-papa joined the mysterious group.
『 Well then, hear out the song. “Jun Ai” Let’s go! 』
W-What?
What’s starting?
『 Ara Yotto! Shizukana Kohan no Momi no Kage Kara 』
『 Shizuka Kohan no Momi no Kage Kara 』
『 Mou Tsuitekena to, tsuma ga naku 』
『 Mou Tsuitekena to, tsuma ga naku 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
『 Shizuka Kohan no Momi no Kage Kara 』
『 Mou Tsuitekena to, tsuma ga naku 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
『 Shizuka Kohan no Momi no Kage Kara 』
『 Mou Tsuitekena to, tsuma ga naku 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
And they repeat.
『 Shizuka Kohan no Momi no Kage Kara 』
『 Mou Tsuitekena to, tsuma ga naku 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
『 Iyaan, Bakan~ soko wa oheso~ 』
『 Attaka gohan ni kakerudakeeeee 』
W-What?
『 Yay! Thank you! I love Tokyo!!! 』
『 See you next time! Bye-bye! 』
Then, the song ended.
「 That video was just horrible 」
Nei said dumbfoundedly.
「 Let’s not show Michi that 」
I’m also dumbfounded.