Chapter 1176. And now, A Bright Morning / Team Ruriko, Start
「 Sorry I’m late 」
I got inside the bakery in a hurry.
Katsuko-nee and Ai are already working.
I washed my hands and put on my ap.r.o.n and gloves.
I also disinfected
「 You don’t have to rush. Take a look at this 」
Katsuko-nee points at the monitor at the corner of the room.
Oh, it’s showing the dining room.
Tsukiko and the girls are also up, there are more people in there now.
「 It’s Ojou-sama’s instructions to send Marika-san together with Reika-oneesan and Margo-san 」
Katsuko-nee says while working.
「 Minaho-neesan did? 」
I asked Katsuko-nee while doing the usual work.
「 You know, as you can see, Marika-san’s docile, and she doesn’t a.s.sert herself, doesn’t she? Her mother is a former prost.i.tute and she’s been concerned about being a fatherless family it seems, so, she sent Margo-chan to check up on her life in school, whether she’s bullied or something 」
Minaho-neesan’s worrying about Marika, who has a close relationship to the old days of the Black Forest.
「 Well, even if there are problems in school, once it shows off that Reika-oneesan is a relative of Marika-san, I don’t think there will be anyone that’ll try to make a move on her 」
「 But still, that’ll gather attention 」
Ai muttered.
「 Yeah, I believe so too. Rei-chan’s famous, cool, and beautiful, the students in the school will be gathering their attention to Marika for better or for worse 」
To be honest, that’s what I’m worried about.
「 That’s also one of Ojou-sama’s objectives. Marika-san’s cute, and she’s talented in piano, and yet, she never puts herself in front, and so she avoided attention so far 」
Katsuko-nee said.
「 When girls like her become the center of attention, and she’s always concerned about the gazes of the people around her, then her will changes. You remember that too, right? 」
「 Me? 」
「 When your engagement with Megumi-chan was announced, you started caring about your looks, your hairstyle, and such, right? Nowadays, you look much cleaner compared to your old self 」
「 No, well, that’s because everyone’s fixing my hair and clothes every morning 」
Katsuko-nee started that, and then my women check on me every time we leave.
「 Oh? You do it yourself too. 」 That’s why you always look nice even in school 」
「 Yes, Yoshida-kun’s always so clean… I love it 」
Ai smiled while kneading the dough.
「 Well, that’s because it’s going to be troublesome if Megu’s laughed at because of me 」
Not just Megu.
The girls who are with me in school, Ai, Edie, Nei, and Kana-senpai, I don’t want to embarra.s.s them with my appearance.
「 In the end, it’s because people are paying attention to you. You started becoming aware of the eyes around you. Marika-san also needed that experience 」
Katsuko-nee said.
Well, if the school discovers that Marika is Rei-chan’s relative, and Rei-chan herself appears too, it will make a fuss.
「 But, I wonder if there would be too much attention that she gets bullied instead 」
I think of the possibility.
「 That’s why Margo-chan’s coming to see the situation with that thought in mind. If any problem arises, then we can deal with that later. Erica-san and you should give her a call every day until she returns this weekend. If the situation turns grave, then she should leave the dorm as soon as possible 」
We’ll be checking on Marika’s mental state frequently.
「 Even so, Marika-san needed some change. I agree with Ojou-sama’s decision 」
Yeah.
Rei-chan and Margo-san’s sending her off in a Maserati, that’s already set.
All we have to do is support her.
「 Yeah, the first group is departing 」
Katsuko-nee said. I turned to the monitor.
Marika greeted off the family in the dining room then went with Rei-chan and Margo-san.
Nagisa and Hiaji too.
Oh, Mao-chan’s awake now.
She’s waiving her hand to Nagisa together with Luna.
She’s got a lot of big sisters to play with so she doesn’t feel sad that her mother’s going out.
「 Well then, we should finish our work too 」
I continue stuffing the pastry we’re about to bake in school into the pads.
Once we pack this into the van in the garage next door, we’re done for the morning.
We’ll take them to the bakery by the cafeteria before school starts, but…
「 Yoshida-kun…this too 」
「 Yeah got it 」
Ai’s taking it easy when talking, but when it comes to working with pastry, she’s getting faster.
I mean, I think that Ai has more talent in this more than me.
Her skills go up reliably.
「 And that’s the last 」
Katsuko-nee puts in the last pad.
I pile up the cover to the pads.
「 Well then, let’s go eat breakfast now 」
It’s going to be a problem if something suddenly happened and our prep won’t make it in time, and so we don’t eat breakfast until we’re done with our work.
Seriously, mornings are a contest.
Besides, Edie and Yukino are also riding the same van we’re using to go to school.
「 Let’s go, Yoshida-kun 」
We took off our ap.r.o.n and went back to the dining room.
「 Yoshida-kun…you see 」
Ai whispered.
「 Ai…wants to have s.e.x…after the lunch break, when we’re done cleaning up the bakery 」
We sell pastry during lunch break and so we don’t go to our fifth cla.s.s since we’re cleaning up.
AI and I are students of pastry making course, and so they’re okay even if we’re late for our fifth cla.s.s.
That’s why we use that time…
「 Right, we’ll have s.e.x in secret 」
I agreed.
Megu, Edie, and Kana-senpai are still ordinary students so they prioritize lessons.
So, Ai and I can enjoy s.e.x with just the two of us
「 Ufufu…I’m looking forward to it 」
Ai hugged me tightly.
Returning to the dining room, the remaining members of the family have all the seats occupied.
「 Good morning! 」
「 Morning! 」
I looked around and greeted them.
They also greeted me back.
「 Morning, huh? what’s up? 」
We’re going to school. Everyone’s wearing their uniform, and yet, Yukino’s still in her plain clothes.
「 I’m skipping school today 」
「 Feeling bad? 」
She’s pregnant so I’m worried.
「 Not really, I just want to take it slow today 」
「 Let Yukino be 」
Edie told me with a smile.
Yeah, Yukino’s isolated even if she goes to school.
In fact, she attends school only half of the week.
「 Then, let’s 」
「 We want to talk about the show this week 」
The twins come over.
「 Sure. You girls got a plan? Let’s talk 」
「 Mitama-neesan, come over here too! 」
「 Kinuka-chan too! 」
With that said, they started their planning conference at the table.
「 Onii-chan, here, breakfast 」
Mana brings over our breakfast.
Err, Misuzu, Michi, and Mariko’s on that table.
Arisu, and Karen’s here.
Tsukiko’s already done eating and so they’re giving the other girls tea.
Somehow, everyone’s on their team.
Then.
「 Onii-sama, may I have some of your time? 」
Ruriko comes to me.
「 What is it? 」
「 Uhm, I want to talk over there 」
Ruriko pointed to a small room in the dining room.
She doesn’t want to talk in the dining room.
「 Yeah got it. 」
I followed Ruriko to the small room.
That’s Minaho-neesan’s monitoring room.
Ruriko opened the door and went in.
Yoshiko-san’s there.
「 Good morning, Kuromori-sama 」
「 Yeah, morning 」
Yoshiko-san’s making a complicated face too.
She probably came here after Ruriko suddenly calling her out.
「 It’s a busy time in the morning, so I’ll be brief 」
Ruriko makes a serious face.
「 Onii-sama, please watch 」
Sure, I’ll watch, but what?
Ruriko faces Yoshiko-san.
「 Yoshiko-oneesama, I earnestly ask you 」
「 Yes, what is it? 」
Yoshiko-san was Ruriko’s former servant, attendant until she was recognized as the daughter of the Kouzuki house.
She responded with a depreciating tone in response to Ruriko’s serious look.
「 Uhm, Yoshiko-oneesama, I… 」
Ruriko hesitates.
「 I was wrong. I’m sorry 」
She bows her head to Yoshiko-san
「 What do you mean? 」
Yoshiko-san doesn’t get it.
「 Well, uhm, Yoshiko-oneesama 」
Ruriko resolved herself.
「 No, Yoshiko, I made you feel lonely. I’m really sorry 」
She called Yoshiko-san without a suffix, like half a year ago.
「 You’re just like me, Grandfather’s daughter, a lineage of the Kouzuki house, and we’re actually cousins, but still 」
Ruriko looked at Yoshiko-san with strong intent.
「 I, Ruriko, am your Master. Yoshiko, serve me as you did before 」
So Yoshiko-san’s going back to her as an attendant?
That’s…
Yoshiko-san was putting all of her effort to act like a daughter of the Kouzuki house, and yet…
「 Ruriko-sama, weren’t you able to do anything by yourself ever since you parted from me half a year ago? 」
Yoshiko-san asks.
「 Yes, now I can do my necessities by myself. But 」
Ruriko?
「 I’m lonely that Yoshiko isn’t with me. We were together ever since we were young 」
Yoshiko-san’s been with Ruriko ever since she became aware of her surroundings.
「 But, don’t you think that it’s pitiful to see with my status now? 」
Yoshiko-san said, stopping Ruriko.
「 Grandfather recognized me as a daughter of the Kouzuki house, and yet, I couldn’t behave myself as a daughter of n.o.bility. So Ruriko-sama pities me 」
「 That’s not it 」
Ruriko shouted.
However, Yoshiko-san;
「 Ruriko-sama, please do not mind me, you’re now free to do what you want. Ruriko-sama truly changed ever since half a year ago. You’ve become brighter. You smile happily every day. Yoshiko’s been watching 」
Far from Rurko.
「 Yes, it was fun. Every day was a shine for the past six months. But… 」
Ruriko’s eyes become wet.
「 I can’t be the only one who’s happy. Yoshiko, I want to be happy with you! Yoshiko, you should be by my side all the time! 」
「 Ruriko-sama 」
「 Yoshiko and I are cousins, and so I thought that we need to be in equal status. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have treated you that intimately as I did before. I was wrong. Had the wrong idea. I thought that it would be a good idea to stay away from Yoshiko. I had such selfish ideas 」
「 However, I… 」
Yoshiko-san argues, but Ruriko;
「 Just listen to me first! Yoshiko! I admit that I’m wrong, so you just have to accept it. I’m your Master! 」
Ruriko and Yoshiko-san’s master and servant relationship were longer compared to the past six months.
「 Letting you go was the greatest mistake of my life. So, come back to me 」
Ruriko told Yoshiko-san.
I…
「 Yoshiko-san, it’s only us in here. So, why don’t you be honest? 」
「 Honest? 」
「 Yeah, don’t think that you have to do this or you have to be like that, or if it’s for the Kouzuki house or for Ruriko. Take it away from your thoughts 」
I said.
「 What Ruriko’s saying is she wants to return to the master-servant relationship with Yoshiko-san again. So, what are your honest feelings about it, Yoshiko-san? 」
Yoshiko-san looked at Ruriko.
Ruriko looked straight at Yoshiko-san.
「 I want to go back to the way we were before too, but… 」
Yoshiko-san.
「 I’m also a daughter of the Kouzuki house, and that’s officially known 」
「 Nononono, we don’t need the “but” 」
I stopped Yoshiko-san.
「 It’s okay even if it’s different outside. The other people can remain thinking that Misuzu, Ruriko, and Yoshiko-san are daughters of the Kouzuki house, but in reality, Yoshiko-san’s returned as Ruriko’s attendant 」
「 Can you deceive the public like that? 」
Yoshiko-san’s surprised.
「 Yeah, we do that kind of deception all the time. Right, Ruriko? 」
「 Yes, Onii-sama 」
Ruriko replies.
「 Yoshiko-san. I’m going to ask for the same. Please return as Ruriko’s servant. That’s for the better for Ruriko, for you 」
Compared to being isolated.
Yoshiko-san should join the team Ruriko instead.
Now that Ruriko’s resolved to make her team.
「 Yoshiko, I ask you. I don’t care if we keep it a secret to the public. Even so, when we’re together, I want to call you Yoshiko, not Yoshiko-oneesama 」
Ruriko moves Yoshiko-san’s heart.
「 I understand. If we can keep it secret from Grandfather and Misuzu-sama, and everyone else, then Yoshiko will return as Ruriko-sama’s servant 」
She said and looked at Ruriko.
「 I was also really, really sad that I can’t be by Ruriko-sama’s side! 」
Yoshiko-san’s eyes are in tears.
「 Thank you, Yoshiko. Yes, stay with me. And we’ll never leave each other again 」
「 Yes, I’ll follow you 」
「 And this is a secret between me and you, and Onii-sama 」
「 Yeah, I won’t tell Jii-chan either 」
I promised.
「 Certainly, Yoshiko will keep it a secret too 」
In the end, it’s resolved in the best way.
For Ruriko and Yoshiko-san that is.
「 Yoshiko, I’ll ask Shou-oneesama, from now on, we’ll go to school from the mansion in two cars 」
Ruriko?
「 From now on, we’ll ride a different car from Misuzu-oneesama and go to school 」
You mean?
「 We’re team Ruriko after all 」
Ruriko’s resolution is firm.