Chapter 397. Milk
First, we left the room.
「Yo-chan, wear this」
Nei hands me a thin vinyl jumper to me.
「It’s a bit hot though」
…I see
I hurriedly wear the jumper on top of the Kouzuki security service’s uniform.
With this, for now…I’ll be a person unrelated to Kouzuki security service.
My pants are the same but…well, if someone catches me, Nei and Margo-san will just follow up.
「Are you thirsty? Let’s go drink coffee」
Margo-san said.
「…But, is it okay to do that?」
「If it’s going on schedule…we can’t move now」
Margo-san smiles wryly
「Changing from place to place from the crematorium…starting from『seventh day the memorial service』to the『forty-nine-day memorial service』 Then, they rented the restaurant on the other side of this parking lot, that’ll be the dinner location for the『end of abstinence』! 」
Nei memorized the schedule after this.
「…I think that the moving to the restaurant is our chance. Or rather, Nei said to not make a move until then」
「Yeah. We shouldn’t move until Ruriko’s late father’s ash is collected and the memorial service is over That is a bad thing to do」
Nei said.
「True…I think so too」
「I don’t know the j.a.panese funeral’s formality, so…we’re okay moving when it comes to『end of abstinence』?」
「Yeah. That’s because it’s simply a dining gathering with the family…though I say that, it should only be Kouzuki gramps, Ruriko, and Misuzu. If the branch families and people from the companies are together…they can’t loosen up
「Nei…did you have an experience in funerals?」
「Yeah. When I was five, my paternal grandfather and grandmother died together in a traffic accident…so I remember The flow well」
「I see. As for me, …my maternal grandfather died last year」
I remember it quite well
「Back with my grandma, I was small so it’s vague, but…」
「…I see」
Nei tangles her arm with mine…
「Anyway, let’s go…Yo-chan」
「…Yeah」
◇ ◇ ◇
We move to the lobby.
Kouzuki security service’s black clothed men have already moved.
「Be careful…there are guards outside the building」
Margo-san whispers to me
「They withdrew from this building so they don’t bother the ordinary customers」
「The crematorium and the memorial service is in the neighboring building after all!」
Following Nei’s gaze…
The next building’s visible from the lobby gla.s.s.
They’re connected to this building via a bridge, but…
I see people in black clothes inside the building covered with reddish marble.
In short…Jii-chan, Misuzu and Ruriko are in there now.
「That’s the only customer-only exit. They will head straight to that exit to the restaurant for the『end of abstinence』…over there」
Following Margo-san’s eyes…Oh, there’s a j.a.panese restaurant indeed.
「Normally, it would be a shop that Kouzuki house uses but…today’s funeral isn’t that big. They might want to end it at the crematorium and dimiss」
The Kouzuki group wants to hide the sudden death of Ruriko’s father, Kouzuki Shigeaki as much as possible.
While the interest of the media’s still swaying to the scandal of Shirasaka house…so they don’t draw public attention.
Therefore, they rushed the funeral…
「They should move selecting the shortest route. The new security director is Asami-san after all. Therefore, it’s okay to monitor them from the lobby here」
Margo-san said.
「Is there no backdoor or employee exit from this facility? Somehow, Asami-san’s a top-heavy kind of person…so she won’t go outwit from behind」
I said.
「I think so too. Or rather…Seki-san has shown me the guard plans made by Asami-san last night」
…What?
「If it’s Asami-san’s plan…they won’t come in front. The limousines would turn into the emergency exit…Kouzuki-san, Misuzu-san, Yoshiko-san, and Ruriko-san will be the only ones to move the shortest distance by car. The others are supposed to oowalk」
「Then …it’s not worth to watch over here?」
Ruriko, our target would move by car…so we can’t make a move.
Margo-san laughs at my stuffy voice.
「 Don’t panic…that’s just a plan of Asami-san from yesterday. Tanizawa-san would definitely be kicking that way
…Chief Tanizawa?
「Today is Asami-san’s first day on her job you see? Therefore, obviously…Tanizawa-san will be checking what Asami-san does in detail. Well, it’s not a big deal…at work, he can just close his eyes and let them do it for real, and just coach her later, saying『that one isn’t good』but… when it comes to Kouzuki-san and Misuzu-san’s and girl’s safety, he has to interrupt you see?」
True…it took them time to leave the funeral venue…
They rushed the car train in order to regain the delay…
Asami-san’s mistake is already coming out.
「Asami-san’s plan has three problems. One is that she breaks the security personnel. The limousine guards that will drive Kouzuki-san and others…and the guards that’ll navigate Kouzuki clan by walking. If they’re moving together, you can concentrate all the guards…it’s not good to separate them Furthermore, walking and driving have different speeds. Asami-san has grouped the guards in black dress to…group inside Kousuki-san’s limousine, guards protecting the limousine and a group that went ahead to the restaurant, greeting the limousine. Furthermore, it becomes necessary to divide the guards protecting the Kouzuki clan into four…if you do that, the guards of Kouzuki-san who’s the most important here would be lacking」
…I-I see.
「Second…if you separate the limousines of『Kousuki-san and his granddaughter』and『other members of Kouzuki house』who are walking, as expected, the branch families would be in ill-mood」
…Oh
Those guys posses quite the troublesome pride.
「Furthermore, in Asami-san’s plan…for some reason, Ruriko-san’s mother, and Misuzu’s parents are on the『walking group』too」
「The late husband’s wife is walking?…What the h.e.l.l?…That’s bulls.h.i.t!?」
Nei’s angry
「You can imagine the reason…it’s surely because they can’t fit in one car」
…What?
「The driver would be from Kouzuki security service as expected. Then, Kouozuki-san, Misuzu-san, Yoshiko-san, and Ruriko-san…that’s five. Then there are six guards」
「But…you can ride more people in the limousine, right?」
I asked…Margo-san…
「Look…do you think it’s fine for the car of the head of Kouzuki house to be jam-packed?」
…I-I see.
Well, that’s not good.
「Since it’s a limousine, it can afford to have six more people. Or rather, the driver’s seat and the front pa.s.sengers which are security guards…feel like separated by a transparent plate」
「Then, they should just move with two cars. Then, Ruriko and Misuzu’s parents can go by car too, right?」
「Then…the branch families will also say『let me ride a car too』」
…Oh
「It’ll be a mayhem inside the branch families asking who’ll be the one to ride the empty seat next time. If it’s just a simple order, then it would be Kouzuki Souji’s father but today…there are elders who came too. It’s not decided by just the thickness of the blood…if you get in, there would be strange suspicions from people saying『That person’s being favored by Kakka』」
Seriously…they’re such helpless n.o.bles.
「Asami-san is only thinking politically in her head so her plan was only one limousine. Kouzuki-san and his granddaughter…was her decision
…Haa
「By the way…here’s the third problem」
「…What?」
「In the first place…do you think Kouzuki-san would be happy with that treatment? Only himself and his granddaughters were being treated specially…」
「No…Jii-chan would hate it」
「Besides, this facility is a public area. Just because you’re the head of a famous house, Kouzuki house…to think that you’d let the people of the establishment open their normally closed paths」
「…This is bad. If they opposed that…and got posted over the internet, it’ll become a mess」
In with that as start…Ruriko’s father’s death would be taken largely…
Then people who doubt that it’s a strange death would show up…
「Therefore, Kouzuki-san will never accept Asami-san’s plan…knowing that will be the case, Tanizawa-san ordered Asami-san to change plans before showing it to Kouzuki-san」
Yeah, …it’ll be too late after showing it to Jii-chan. He’ll only get angry.
「…However, Asami-san has a stubborn personality」
…Margo-san?
「If you see the plan, you can see the person’s character…Tanizawa-san told Asami-san in advance that it’s not okay, then she got offended, saying『Okay, I’ll just do exactly as you say!』…therefore」
…Yeah
「From that exit to the restaurant over there…the shortest distance will all be faced with guards…!」
…Uumu
「That’s my inference…we’ll it’s fine. If the plan changes completely, Seki-san will tell us…」
「Oh, right」
「Obviously! We have to deal with the momentary changes!」
Nei always comes with Margo-san as the execution unit of『Kuromori』…so she seems to be used to this kind of thing.
「Ah, I’ll buy something from the shop!」
She goes to the lobby’s shop.
I look at the crematorium where Ruriko and others are at.
「…After burning the bones…what are they going to do next?」
Margo-san asks me.
「They join a pair of chopsticks and put the bones to the pot one by one」
「…Hmmm」
「Somehow, it’s quite shocking…the human-shaped body earlier…gets burned and turned to bonoes」
「True…it’s somewhat unimaginable」
Margo-san thinks.
「In US, most people don’t burn their corpse…it’s at most 20%」
Oh, they just put them in a coffin and bury down?
「In Christian ideology…all of the dead are given their『final judgement』from their grave and then resurrected. So they think to not damage the physical body beyond the time of death」
「I see」
「Well…for countries like in the UK, even Christians have a high percentage of cremation…」
Margo-san really knows a lot of things.
「Do you believe in G.o.d?」
Margo-san’s blue eyes ask me.
「Err…I can’t say if there’s one or not. But, if there’s one…I don’t think G.o.d’s kind to me」
「…not kind?」
「Yes, I feel…like G.o.d’s given me only challenges」
Margo-san smiles
「You say something interesting」
Then, she thinks once again
「Hey…the nature of the G.o.d the people believe in changes depending on the ethnic group and the area you live in」
「…What?」
「Yeah. For example…Judaism is a religion born in the desert. Their G.o.d is very strict to humans. They immediately give people challenge…it’s very unreasonable. Therefore, G.o.d is a scary existence to humans there…」
Margo-san keeps ono talking.
「That’s because the environment is a desert…it’s very harsh towards humans…no matter how careful you are, you’d die immediately on a dry land. Compared to that, Christianity… is originally developed from Judaism, however…when it came to Europe, it changed as expected. Europe in Middle Ages have a mild climate…it’s very easy to live. The ideology of G.o.d loves humans is very strong…」
…I see.
「Then…looking at the religion on South Asia. It’s very easy to live in there…if you go to the ocean, there’s plenty of fish, if you go to the mountains, there are a lot of fruits you can eat. There’s no inconvenience in living…in that environment, they believe that G.o.d has a soft personality towards humans. Therefore on the southern islands…everyone has much more festivals for the demons than G.o.d」
「…Demons?」
「It’s not that they’re having faith in demons. In those islands…『G.o.d gives happiness to humans, even if you don’t make festivals for them. But, it’s unknown when demons bring misfortune to humans. Therefore, they have to do their best for festivals so the demons won’t be displeased even at least. Even if you do that, G.o.d won’t get angry. 『Because G.o.d loves humans abysmally』…Is their kind of faith」
「…That’s interesting」
「What do you think about j.a.pan? Their ideology」
「Hmm, I think that it’s ‘He’s gentle to humans’ But if humans don’t make their own effort, their wish won’t come true…I think that’s how everyone thinks of G.o.d…」
「I see…true, it’s like that」
Margo-san thinks even more.
「I guess I’ll write this theme as a report」
Speaking of which…she’s more or less a college student.
「Hey, I bought some!」
Nei comes back from the shop…
「Sorry…there’s no milk so take this coffee milk instead…!」
Nei hands a square paper pack to me and Margo-san
「Eh…why milk?」
Before I finished asking…
「And! Anko bread. They have this too!」
…Anko bread and milk.
「We’re on the lookout after all!」
Nei laughs.
「Why does it have to anko bread and coffee milk when we’re lookouts?」
「Wrong! Margo-oneechan! Normally it’s white milk」
「So…why?」
「…Well, you see」
Ah…I hope Margo-san doesn’t write any strange reports about j.a.panese culture…
◇ ◇ ◇
Then…we kept watching from the lobby for about 40 minutes.
It’s a public s.p.a.ce…so various families are visiting.
There are other family members waiting for the cremation to end.
Therefore, n.o.body cared even if we’re in the lobby.
「…They moved」
Margo-san mutters.
True…the black clothed security guards in the other building are moving.
「…They’re close to moving now. They’re switching over their positions」
Margo-san a.n.a.lyzes.
「What should we do?」
「You and Nei will stay here…!」
「…Huh?」
「I will go to Iwakura-san」
Oh right.
Speaking of which…where’s Iwakura-kaichou?
「I’ll be making a mess…then, we’ll take only Ruriko-san out of security」
「How?」
Margo-san smiles at me.
「Ruriko-san’s going to follow what you say, right?」
「Yeah, somehow」
「Somehow?」
「She’s too smart, but…top-heavy as well. Her head knows that she has no choice but to follow me. But, her heart isn’t completely done yet」
Furthermore…her body too.
Until she feels pleasant from s.e.x…
Ruriko’s body won’t accept me, I think
「Well, Ruriko’s a blue fruit…」
Nei speaks her impressions.
「Well, there’s no need to worry.」 Misuzu-san and Michi-san are there too. They’ll follow up well」
Once we start the『Ruriko ー Kidnapping』…Misuzu and others will read the air and cooperate
「Kouzuki-san will also help」
「No, Jii-chan told us to do our best with our own power」
「But…he won’t interfere on purpose, would he?」
That’s…true
Jii-chan was the one who originally sold Ruriko to me to separate her from Kouzuki house.
Jii-chan doesn’t wish Ruriko to keep trapped inside Kozuki house.
Ruriko…has to break her sh.e.l.l and feel the outside air.
「Then…the problem is only that girl!」
Nei said…
「Yeah…Yoshiko-san」
Yoshiko-san might try to interfere our『kidnapping』
「Well, I’ll do something about it」
…Nei?
「Good…then I’ll be heading to Iwakura-san’s place, you and Nei…let’s see, go near to the path there. You just have to pretend to be talking to each other. It’s fine, this is a public facility, as long as you don’t show hostility…Kouzuki security service can’t take you out」
「…Okay」
「Understood」
「Hold to your phones…if something happens, I’ll contact right away…」
Then, Margo-san walks out in small steps
「Let’s go too!」
Nei stands up holding the anko bread.
◇ ◇ ◇
Now then, the other side of the building’s finally getting noisy.
Jii-chan and others should be coming out soon.
The black clothing guards outside…have also gathered in the way to the restaurant from the exit.
「Everyone’s gathering here…that’s a key point!」
Nei said.
「Look, Yo-chan…stick to me closer! Let’s pretend to be lovers!」
「We’re not pretending」
「W-Why! We’re on our operation right now!」
「Well, we’re lovers, after all, …me and Nei」
When we’re alone, I call her『Nei』, not『Neeーsan』
「…Geez」
…arere?
「Are you angry…Nei?」
「Wrong! I’m embarra.s.sed!!!」
Nei whispers to my ears…
「…I love you, I love you, I love you」
「…Me tooo」
I whispered
「Yo-chan…!」
「Nei…!」
I want to kiss but…the black-clothed men gather around here too…
Ah, the person I met with Seki-san from the parking lot earlier.
…This is bad.
「Sorry…it’s better to make them think that I’m Seki-san’s a.s.sistant now」
I hide in the shadow of the parked car and tell Nei.
「…Huh?」
「I met that person earlier when I’m with Seki-san」
「…Roger. Rather, it might be better for us to adapt」
I take off the vinyl jumper right away and hand it to Nei.
Nei sniffs it.
「Yes, it smells like Yo-chan!」
Then, she wore the jumper herself
…Good
「What’s the matter?」
The black-clothed guard from earlier…noticed me and comes.
…Err
「 Uhm…which bus station is the best to get from here to **** ?」
Nei asks the man in black clothes with a smile.
「Oh, that would be…」
The man in black clothes misunderstands that Nei’s just asking me the directions.
…Then
…Pii!
One black-clothed man whistled at the entrance of the building.
「…『Kakka’s』coming!…I’m sorry, lady, could you move over there? A group’s coming right nowo」
The automatic door opens and Seki-san appeared first.
She immediately noticed me…
「Ah, I’m being called…I’m going」
「Oh, okay」
The man in black clothes thinks that I’m Seki-san’s a.s.sistant
I walk towards Seki-san dignified…