Our car runs through the town at a violent speed.
「…We don’t have time. We have to take Megumi and Mana to the school then we’ll be heading to the other house of Shirasaka」
Minaho-neesan said.
「Eh…Minaho-neesan too?」
Minaho-neesan’s the brain of 『Kuromori』
I don’t think she should go to dangerous locations…
「It can’t be helped. Margo can’t leave Nei’s side because she has to counterattack… Katsuko will manage the work on the internet」
「But…Minaho-neesan, if something happens to you」
Minaho-neesan smiles from the driver seat.
「It’s okay…I have plans organized for various situations. Even if I’m not there, Margo and Katsuko will execute it perfectly」
「…That’s not true」
I said.
「We need Minaho-neesan…!」
The smile in Minaho-neesan’s face disappears.
「…Thank you, Yoshida-kun」
7Then…said
「To tell you the truth…we have something to steal from Shirasaka’s other house. That is an important trump card for us right now. It’s impossible to distinguish if I won’t go…」
So that’s the idea…
「Got it…I’ll protect Minaho-neesan」
Kudou-chan looks at me.
「Then…I will be protecting Yoshida-sama」
…Kudou-chan
「That is Misuzu-sama’s orders…」
She looks inside her bag.
I wonder if she’s checking her accessories.
She’s going to take some surprising weapon again.
「Kudou-san…I’ve got a question」
Minaho-neesan looks at Kudou-chan.
「Yes…What is it?」
「What kind of department does your father belong to among the Kouzuki security service? He did say that he doesn’t belong to the security department…」
Kudou-chan answers.
「He belongs to the president’s office from the organizational chart. Actually…They’re a mobile unit directly under Kouzuki-sama…or rather, they’re thought as Kouzuki-sama’s plaything」
…Plaything?
「Father receives direct orders from Kouzuki-sama. The contents of the orders aren’t told to anyone in the company at all. Therefore…if you look from outside perspective, you can only think that father is just playing around」
Well…with his looks and behavior.
n.o.body would think that he’s being serious.
「…How much is the salary?」
「The budget of the department is obtained directly from Kouzuki-sama. That car isn’t registered as an equipment of Kouzuki security service, it’s not audited by the company either. It belongs to father’s company on doc.u.ments」
Kudou-chan says while looking at the 『Kudou detective agency』van behing us.
「…Your father’s company?」
I ask.
「That 『Kudou detective agency』 It’s a different company that has nothing to do with Kouzuki security service. Officially, 『Kudou detective agency』and the 『Guard division』is a business tie up and it’s displayed that father is sent there」
「…That said」
「Yes…father’s not a regular member of Kouzuki security service. He receives an annual salaray from Kouzuki-sama every year」
…Annual salary
「It seems it’s fun to make renew the contract every year…it seems that it goes up or down depending on the year’s achievement」
Haa…it’s like a pro baseball player.
「Noma-san and Tony-san who’s under father are full time security service employees. Father’s the only one who’s not a full time employee」
Kudou-chan looks lonely…
「Actually…father doesn’t have the quality to be a regular employee of Kouzuki security services…」
「…Why?」
「You won’t even be accepted at the entrance if you do not have a judo, kendo, or a designated karate school certificate… And you have to be on the 3rd dan according to the regulations」1
「…Is Kudou style martial arts no good?」
「Yes…Judo and kendo have a clear certification criterias. For Karate as well, you’ll be accepted if the school recognizes you. However…Kudou style only has me and my father」
…They have no way of authorizing it.
「Mama-uesama has been doing Karate since the past…she has joined the Kouzuki security service as a full-time employee. Also, Onii-sama and Ane are both recommended with Karate…」
…I see
「My father can be employed if he just learns Judo or Karate and reach the 3rd dan but…He said『I only do Kudou style』and refused to learn other martial arts」
「The mother is a full-time and the father isn’t…As expected, that creates a discord between couples…?」
I imagined it that way.
「No…I think they are a very harmonious couple couple when I was young. Their atmosphere turned strange on the past several years」
Kudou-chan looks behind the van.
Kudou papa sitting on the pa.s.senger seat is happily shouting at Tony-san on the driver’s seat…
「I think the big part has been when Mama-uesama has been promoted to 『Chief』 Mama-uesama seems to have good reputation with the company…she has been promoted and her salary and bonuses increased. Kouzuki security service is warm with her welfare…and father on the other side is different」2
…So that’s how it is
「Father’s side’s annual salary just goes up and down every year, it doesn’t increase. Even so, father is commited to 『Kudou style』…so the money is just a.s.signed to clothes and equipment…!」
The wive’s salary increases every year, succeeding her career…she’s getting recognized steadily.
And yet her husband is working secretly under Kouzuki『Kakka’s』orders so n.o.body knows what kind of activity he’s doing. If you look from outside perspective, you can only think of him as playing around. Furthermore, he’s not a full time employee and he’s not getting promoted…his salary doesn’t increase either.
…Un
I understand the reason why the wife is cheating…
「Also…I think it is a big part that Onee-sama and I were selected as guards of Ruriko-sama and Misuzu-sama」
That’s right…because they’re guards.
Kudou-chan is also going to the same Ojou-sama school as Misuzu…
「Ane is doing Karate so she’ll be appointed as a full time employee of the security service. And if Ruriko-sama becomes the successor of Kouzuki family…ane will become the security chief. Her promotion is certain…therefore」
Kudou-chan looks at me.
「…I think that’s why Yamaoka-buchou approached Mama-uesama」
…Is that how it is?
Becoming a father in law of a the girl who will undoubtedly be successful, is his ulterior motive
「Who knows…we don’t know」
…Minaho-neesan intervenes from the side.
「You see…women’s peak of l.u.s.t comes in mid thirties」
…peak of l.u.s.t?
「Therefore…their decline of l.u.s.t and physical aging comes at almost the same time. It’s around 40s…」
「What’s does it have to do with it?!」
Kudou-chan glares at Minaho-neesan
「While you’re young…i think people like Kudou-san’s father has the charm. He’s fun to look at and he’s free」
…I see
「But…when you reach over forty years old, you have to think about you and your child’s future…they get disillusioned. Kudou-san’s father will stay like that until he die…」
「Yes…father will carry out 『Kudou style』until death」
「Your mother doesn’t want that. As expected, she’ll prioritize her own live and learn both Judo and Karate to become a full time employee」
「But…the 『Guard Division』is directly under Kouzuki-sama…he has a higher position than Yamaoka-buchou」
Minaho-neesan laughs…
「The『visible position』is much more stronger than the 『Substantial』 The regular employee’s security officer receives much more favorable treatment than a somewhat unknown non-regular employee who’s dispatched to a detective office」
I don’t get the society
「When you grow older…it’s inevitable that your criteria value changes from when you were young. Thinking about insurance and pension…you’d want to marry a regular employee…」
I think about myself
「When they grow older, Misuzu, Megu and Mana will abandon me…」
No…it won’t be that long…
There’s a lot of men better than me…I think it’s normal to abandon someone like me
Minaho-neesan laughs.
「That might be the case…but, don’t worry. Not everyone will go away」
…Eh?
「At worst…at least one person won’t leave you. Yoshida-kun, you’ll never be alone for the rest of your life」
…Is that so?
…Really?
◇ ◇ ◇
Before long…the car arrives at school.
Katsuko-nee’s car goes from the main entrance…
Katsuko-nee’s an official of the school…Megu’s wearing a school uniform so it’s okay to enter the school grounds.
Yukino is limped out…Mana’s hiding behind the seat.
The present time is 3:36PM
Megu’s looking towards us worriedly…
Mana’s hands stretches out from the back seat and is waving towards me.
Katsuko-nee’s car disappear inside immediately after.
「…Won’t it be bad if we were followed? We even enter the school from the main gate」
When I say that…Minaho-neesan
「We’re already prepared for it. The school is our final line of defense. Rather, it’s much scarier if they identify the secret pa.s.sage now. That’s why we’re going in from the main gate…!
…I see
We go through the princ.i.p.al’s office to the monitoring room…
We don’t want to let them know the existence of the back pa.s.sage leading to the staff parking lot.
We carry Yukino while she’s covered with blanket…I don’t know if we’re going to carry her to a cardboard box however…
「Now…let’s head to Shirasaka’s other house」
Minaho-neesan steered the handle.
The 『Kudou Detective agency』follows behind
…4:26 PM
We arrived at Shirasaka’s other house somehow.
「…What the h.e.l.l?」
It was a mansion enclosed by a high wall.
To be honest…it’s bigger than Yukino’s house.
「Now then…what should we do?」
Minaho-neesan mutters from the driver seat.
「I’d like to get in as soon as possible…take all what we need and set it on fire…!」
「…What is the problem?」
When I ask…
Minaho-neesan points at the metal wire running over the fence.
「That’s perhaps connected to a security company. If something wrong happens, they will be sent out immediately」
Oh…if you touch that line, the system will report immediately.
「At this point, the entrance is much harder. I think the surveillance camera is also seen directly from the security company…」
…Un
If we break though that security system and come inside…
That’s heavy for us.
If Margo-san is here, she’ll know some good method.
「…Please leave this to us」
Kudou-chan speaks out
「『Kudou style』is used at this cases」
◇ ◇ ◇
Instructed by Kudou-chan…we stopped the car beside the wall with only a few pedestrian.
The other side of the wall is the house.
I guess it’s behind the house.
There’s a few windows on this side.
「…Father!」
Kudou-chan gets off the car and stops the 『Kudou detective agency』van
「…Hmmmmm! What is it, Michi-kun?!」
Kudou papa opens the van’s window and talks to his daughter.
「We will be sneaking to the mansion without touching the security system We’ll be stealing an object of interest then set fire in the mansion…!」
「…Hmmm, I see」
「Father…do something. It’s urgent…!」
…Kudou-chan
…Do something, you say
「Okay, got it…Hey, Noma!」
Kudou papa turns to the back of the van.
「…Noma here!」
Noma-san answers immediately
「『Strategy 505』!」
「Err…Boss, again?!」
Noma-san complains.
「Stop complaining…Tony, get the camera and the 『Seventh Scripture』…!」
「…It’s Tanii!」
「Shut up, do it faster!」
After the slapstick…they begin preparing
「What do you intend to do?…If you make so much noise, you’ll gather people」
When I tell Kudou-chan that…
「We don’t mind even if they gather…rather, we want to do it in public」
…Why?
「If we do it publicly…people who saw us won’t think that we’re 『thieves』or 『arsonists』…!」
That’s something bold once again…
「Here, here, here!」
Noma-san removes the huge 『Kudou detective agency』written on the van
Just like Margo-san’s white car…it was pasted magnetically
They changed it to…
…『Kudou Production: Television Production Department』
They took out traffic cones and barricades out from the van.
Tanii-san then covered a part of the wall.
It feels like they’re starting a construction…
Then…
Kudou papa really took out a huge steel machine for construction.
「…What’s that?」
When I ask Kudou-chan…
「A concrete breaker『The seventh scripture』…!」
Concrete Breaker?
「It’s actually a concrete crusher used by construction work of demolishing the house…」
「Eh…then, how do they intend to use it…?」
Kudou-chan looks at my face and answered.
「Isn’t that obvious? It is as you see」
…As I see?
「We’re going to break the wall. There’s no sensors on the walls after all」
Open a hole in the wall…?
「It’s okay to open a hole where a person can pa.s.s through, right?」
True, she’s right, but…
「Won’t that be loud?」
I feel like it’s going to make some terrible sound.
「It’s originally used for construction work so I think it’s quite noisy」
Kudou-chan answered lightheartedly.
「Then…won’t everyone around gather?」
「It’s okay…that’s what 『Strategy 505』is for」
…Err
「Let’s leave this to them, Yoshida-kun」
Minaho-neesan said seriously.
「…They’re professionals under Kouzuki『Kakka』for a long time…you should trust them」
…Then
Tanii-san brings out a business video camera from the car.
Noma-san attaches a 『***Television』armband
She puts a waist bag on her hips for some reason…Oh, there’s a black packing tape.
She now looks a pro AD from her original plain look.
Holding a traffic light baton…Noma-san stands outside the traffic cone.
Tony-san turns the camera to Kudou papa.
「…Well then, here we go!」
Kudou papa…turns on the concrete crusher wearing a flashy outfit
…Burn, zubababababab, barunbarunbarun!!!!
The concrete breaker 『Seventh Scripture』has an iron pile moving up and down making a loud sound.
「…Impact!!!!」
Kudou papa then b.u.mped the tip to the wall of the mansion!!!
…Gagagagagagaga!!!!! Baon, baon baon!
…Dougagagagagagagaga!!!
The concrete wall is breaking!!
「…Hey, what are you doing!」
An old lady from the neighborhood comes to see the source of the noise.
「Sorry…it’s a television recording!」
Noma-san answered without motivation
「Television…what program?」
The old lady looks suspicious but Noma-san doesn’t mind.
Tony-san calmly records Kudou papa destroying the walls.
「It’s a comedy variety!」
「…Variety?」
「It’s a late-night program named『A huge surprise』!」
「…I don’t know that」
「…It’s on BS」
「With that said, that person destroying the wall is a talent?」
「Yes, he’s a comedian」
「…You don’t look like he sell well」
「I think so too!」
「Is there any popular person coming?」
「No one else will come to this location!」
The old lady got convinced somehow
「Finish this as soon as possible」
「Yes, we will withdraw immediately after we take the scene where he makes a hole in the wall」
「Then fine…do it faster」
「Thank you for your cooperation!」
The old lady returns to her house.
Meanwhile…there’s a hole in the wall now.
It has enough size for people to enter.
「Okay…Let’s get in while we have time!」
When I tell Minaho-neesan…
「Wait wait wait wait…it’s still too early, you fail if you rush you know!」
Kudou papa stops me for some reason3
「…You see, we’re going to set fire in this mansion later won’t we?」
This time, he’s speaking lightly…
「Yes…that’s the plan」
「Small fire…partial destruction…total burn down…which will it be?」
Kudou papa looks at Minaho-neesan
「…total burn down」
Kudou papa laughs.
「Then, it won’t matter if we put a hole in the wall…!」
Once again…he turns on the concrete breaker
「It’s faster to open a hole in a good place than…! 」
Kudou papa enters the wall while holding the concrete breaker…
Next…he points the iron pile on the wall of the mansion…
「…Lock picking the door while checking for the security firm sensors!!!!!」
…L-Lock pick?
「…Impact!!!!!」
…Bagagagagaga!!!
The wall fragments gets smashed!!!
…Dobababa, nugagagaga, gagagagagaga!!!
A hole opened the wall in the mansion in a blink of an eye.
「…How about that?!」
Kudou papa shows off.
…But
The hole from the wall of the mansion to the outside road…
It continues straight…
It’s making a surreal situation…
「…That saves time Yoshida-kun, let’s go」
Minaho-neesan thanked Kudou papa.
「…I will accompany as well」
Kudou-chan gets inside the hole in the wall as well.
「…I’m going too. Tony and Noma, watch over the hole!」
Kudou papa tells his subordinates…
「Eh? Like this?」
Un…I think it’s quite ridiculous
「Just use 『Strategy 505』…and fool them!」
「…Roger, boss」
「Tony-kun, want to drink canned coffee?」
「…It’s Tanii, Noma-san」
「…Noma!」
The two people invades the mansion.
「…It’s dangerous if those two aren’t together」
Kudou papa mutters…
「If ever we received an attack from the『Enemy』…only one was knocked down by a swift attack If it’s the two of them…if one gets attacked, the other can sound the alarm」
Kudou papa thinks of the possibility of being attacked.
「Michi-kun, watch ahead…I’ll be looking behind」
「Roger…father!!」
We’re wrapped with a feeling of cold tension…
1. You’ll get it if you play tekken ↩
2. Kouzukiセキュリティ・サービスは、福利厚生も手厚いですし……お父様との間に、格差が付く一方です」 ↩
3. The raw actually says that Kudou papa used a dialect but, I removed it because you can’t distinguish it in english ↩