『 Then, we’ll be waiting 』
Minaho-neesan said and ended the call.
Now then.
「 Let’s clean up first. 」 Ya-chan, Katsuko-nee, help me out 」
I said.
「 It’s Sat.u.r.day today so we won’t be making bread tomorrow, right? We need to keep things clean, or the fungus will breed themselves 」
We need to clean everything before leaving.
「 What should I do? 」
Err.
「 Edie and Michi don’t need to clean up. Oh right. Use that laptop and check the school 」
Endou and old man Dai Grepher retreated, but.
Shou-neechan purposely showed up herself.
「 Kouzuki SS and other escorts should be around the school 」
「 Anything else? What about the police? 」
Edie asks me.
「 The police are present, but there are also other organizations present 」
Michi replied.
「 Can you explain that to us now? 」
I asked.
「 No, I think Kuromori-sama should be the one to explain it back in the mansion 」
「 But we need to be careful with them, right? 」
「 Why do you think so? 」
Michi asks back.
「 It’s because Misuzu sent over Michi here. Something’s out of the norm if she’s worried that Edie’s alone, right? It’s not some unforeseen trouble, but instead, someone’s aiming at us systematically 」
That’s all I can think.
Edie’s strong, but she doesn’t know anything about the underground society.
Michi is Misuzu’s bodyguard. She should know the people from the underground society through Kouzuki SS.
「 That’s right 」
Michi replied.
「 Katsuko-nee, how far do you know? 」
I asked.
「 All I know is that Ojou-sama met with Takakura-sama in Kyoto. I don’t know any other details 」
Katsuko-nee’s also under the one month trial period just like me.
Minaho-neesan didn’t talk any details about Kyoto to have her concentrate on the bread.
「 Ya-chan noticed that Minaho-neesan sent over Endou halfway through it, so you don’t know any details 」
「 Well yeah 」
In the end, we don’t know anything until we come back to the mansion.
「 Okay, let’s finish up cleaning for now 」
I try to resume working but.
「 Uhm, Yoshi-kun 」
Megu speaks.
「 What should I do? 」
Well.
「 Everything’s late because of Endou, isn’t it about time for Megu to go to the club? 」
「 Wait! I can’t just go to the club in this situation! 」
Megu said.
「 Something huge is about to happen, right? 」
…I
「 All the more I want Megu to keep on her daily life 」
「 Yoshi-kun? 」
「 We’ll do something about the unusual situations, Megu, keep on doing the usual. Isn’t that your role? 」
「 My role? 」
「 Yeah, it seems like Minaho-neesan’s in a bit of a negative situation. 」 If Megu doesn’t keep her usual lifestyle then we’ll be pulled down by the unusual circ.u.mstances 」
I said.
「 It’s Sat.u.r.day Afternoon right now. We’ll finish it by tomorrow, Sunday. Then we’ll be back to usual by Monday Morning 」
I made my decision.
「 Minaho-neesan speaks like the heavens and earth are turning over and our daily life won’t come back, but I won’t let that happen. Everyone’s finally starting to accept the bread we make, us ourselves 」
Yeah.
「 Something big his happening. Okay, I get that. Then, I’ll deal with it appropriately. Something might change again, but our daily life will continue. It has nothing to do with it 」
「 Yoshi-kun 」
「 That’s why, Megu, go back to your club as usual. We’ll come to pick you up at the same time. It’s 6pm tonight, right? 」
「 Yes 」
「 Then, Nagisa will pick you up by car later 」
Margo-san should be in Nagisa’s shop.
「 But, Yoshi-kun, I 」
Megumi said. Yukino;
「 You’re in the way, Megumi 」
Yukino’s sweeping the floor with a broom.
「 What are you doing, Yukino? 」
Megu’s surprised.
「 Is that not obvious? Cleaning 」
Yukino continues to sweep.
「 I’m in the stable period, so I need to exercise a bit. 」 I’m only doing this on my own so don’t mind me 」
Yukino says with a calm face.
「 So, you’re in the way, Megumi! Go somewhere, your club or whatever! 」
Megu looks confused.
「 Megumi-chan, here! 」
Katsuko-nee takes out a paper bag and hands it to Megu.
「 I made sandwiches for everyone this lunch but there’s been so much ruckus, you see? Eat this before you start your club activities. We’ll eat back in the mansion 」
Katsuko-nee smiles.
「 I also made some for Nikita-san, but I’ll have Michi-chan eat it instead 」
「 Ah, speaking of which, Anya helped out in sales, but we forgot to have eat some of our bread! 」
Nei said.
「 I feel sorry letting her go home like that. We’ll give her a feast next time 」
I replied.
「 Megu-chan, you must be having a lot of questions in your head, don’t you? So empty up your head with your club activities 」
Nei tells Megu.
「 Overthinking is bad for your body, for now, run with all you can 」
「 Please leave Master’s safety to me 」
Michi said.
「 Seriously, you’re in the way Megumi! Don’t just stand over there! 」
Yukino, what are you doing?
「 I get it. I get it already 」
Megu’s convinced, unwillingly.
「 Then, I’ll go to the clubroom. Katsuko-oneesan, thanks for the sandwich
「 Ah, bring some drinks with you too! 」
Katsuko-nee hands Megu a bottle of Megu’s favorite sports drink.
Megu looks at me.
「 Yoshi-kun, I’m still your wife, right? 」
I…
「 That’s for Megu to decide 」
「 Yoshi-kun 」
「 I’ll accept whatever decision Megu will have. But, if Megu can’t decide on herself, I can’t do anything 」
「 I said you’re in the way! 」
Yukino’s sweeping near Megu’s feet.
「 I get it, I’ll run for now 」
Megu said then, she left the bakery without any energy.
「 Edie 」
I turn to Edie.
「 Follow Megu. There’s a possibility that Megu gets kidnapped by an enemy that infiltrates the school 」
「 Roger 」
「 Do you have a phone? Keep in touch with Michi. Contact us if anything happens. We’ll call you when we need your help 」
「 Got it, Darling 」
Edie smiles.
「 I’ll stay in the school! I still have things I have to do 」
Nei said.
「 Besides, I’m more familiar with the system in the school than Edie 」
I guess that’s okay.
「 I’ll also follow up on Megu-chan as much as possible. I think that Takeshiba-san will get angry at Megu-chan if she goes there in that condition 」
There’s also Megu’s race with Anya this morning.
「 Takeshiba-san must be worried, I’ll talk to her 」
Nei’s a repeater, so she’s on the same age as captain Takeshiba.
If Nei talks to her, she’ll listen.
「 Yeah, thanks, Ya-chan 」
I said.
「 I mean, you’re also in the way! 」
Yukino also sweeps my feet with a broom.
◇ ◇ ◇
We’re done cleaning up.
We put back the tools back to their designated locations.
This is to make sure that we don’t have to look for it when we start working on Monday.
That’s the basics of the bakery.
「 Okay, let’s go 」
Katsuko-nee deposits the sales for today on a cash box.
Is there anything we forgot? None.
「 Let’s go, Michi 」
「 Yes, Master 」
We exit the bakery through the backdoor.
Katsuko-nee’s van is parked there.
We open the rear door and load in the empty pads.
We’ll have to bring the dough in before baking using this pad on Monday.
「 Yukino-chan, get in 」
Katsuko-nee asks Yukino to board on the rear.
while n.o.body else is watching.
It would be dicey if others see us taking Yukino.
「 Can’t be helped 」
Yukino joins the mountain of pads on the rear.
「 Michi-chan, get in first 」
「 But 」
Michi seems to be waiting outside as a precaution.
「 No, you stand out too much so get in while there’s n.o.body around 」
I said.
After all, she’s a middle school girl, wearing a different school uniform.
Earlier, students saw Michi fight off old man Dai Grepher.
I want Michi to hide before it becomes trouble.
「 Certainly 」
Michi hides behind the shadow of the pads.
「 Then, let’s go 」
Katsuko-nee also gets in the driver seat.
When I tried to get in the pa.s.senger seat;
「 Oh, Yoshida? Closing? 」
Tanaka shows up.
「 I heard of it earlier, Endou came and made a huge fuss, they said 」
Oh right, only the students near the cafeteria has seen what happened during the fuss earlier.
「 Sorry, I was outside the school today, Sakamoto and the guys invited me to eat ramen outside 」
There’s no need for that, you don’t have to buy my products every time.
「 You went outside to eat so why come back to school? 」
I asked.
「 Yeah, there’s a committee a.s.sembly now 」
「 Committee? 」
「 Well yeah, I’m a member of the election committee of the next student council president. 」
I see. The election for the new president would be in October.
「 When I came back, they told me that Endou was riding a festival truck and went into the school 」
That wasn’t a festival truck but a propaganda one.
「 Then, I heard that there was some fight then Nikita-san and her friend kicked them away, was it? 」
「 Friend? 」
「 Yeah, I heard that it was an ojou-sama chick cosplaying as a pet.i.te action actress. She looks like a middle school girl, but her age should be about 30. That’s what I heard from the movie research guys. “That kind of action star must be in the industry for a decade” 」
Michi.
Speaking of which, Anya mentioned her as a close friend.
People thought of her as Anya’s friend than ours.
Well, Michi’s uniform is from a super-high-cla.s.s ladies school.
After all, she went ahead and played a significant part by lashing out her red whip.
They all think of her as a professional action star wearing a cosplay.
Usually, a girl from a high-cla.s.s school doesn’t lash out whips. Yeah.
「 Well, yeah, we’re just about to go home. Still, I don’t get what Endou’s Nyapoleon is 」
I dodge the topic appropriately.
「 I see. Well, I’m just glad that you’re safe 」
Takana who’s a leader-type of guy came to see me to ask my situation.
「 Oh right, Katsuko-nee 」
I call Katsuko-nee.
「 Yes? 」
Katsuko-nee shows up from the driver seat.
「 Tanaka, this is my teacher in the “bread-making course” Takanashi Katsuko-san 」
「 Oh, it’s her! I heard that there was an amazing beauty who was selling out your products 」
That information is going through as well.
「 h.e.l.lo. I’ll be standing on the counter starting next week 」
Katsuko-nee smiles at Takana.
「 What the h.e.l.l bro, you’re learning how to bake bread from such beauty? 」
「 Yeah, that’s right bro 」
「 Everyday bro? 」
「 It’s everyday bro, that’s obvious 」
I replied.
「 Somehow, I feel like even without advertis.e.m.e.nts on that bread-making course, the boys will flock in 」
「 What? 」
「 They’d obviously want to join in with you. Or maybe, try putting the lady’s picture on the pamphlets? 」
What?
「 Unfortunately, we’re not giving out pamphlets yet. The official start of the curriculum is by next spring. Yoshida-kun’s only a test case 」
Katsuko-nee explains lightly.
「 I thought so. I knew it 」
Tanaka smiles.
「 So, Tanaka, as for your suggestion on giving 50 yen discounts, I talked with Katsuko-nee, I mean, Takanashi-sensei about it 」
「 Huh? Really? Do you plan on giving discounts to your cla.s.smates? 」
Ah, I didn’t explain properly.
「 No, not that. I won’t give discounts, we’ll start selling a lineup of products 50 yen cheaper than what we sell now 」
「 Huh? Why? 」
「 Well, if you just tell me to make it 50 yen cheaper and I did, the demand would be more than expected 」
「 I see, that’s an exciting thought 」
Tanaka smiles wryly.
「 But, I think that’s correct. You can sell bread that is 50 yen cheaper than the others 」
「 Do you think so? 」
「 Yeah, to be honest, the quality of your products are a bit better than what’s sold in the cafeteria. Of course, the cafeteria has their products from ma.s.s production, and we know that yours is handmade. Yours taste better too. But you know, high school students would prefer cost efficiency than taste 」
I see.
「 Cheap but edible is better. Well, in your case, you’re studying how to make it, so you don’t need to think too much 」
「 No, I will, I just noticed that I can’t just ignore it 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 Tanaka, is there any other way to make better bread? 」
I asked.
「 I mean, you make bread for women too much. The time and effort done makes it delicious but, men prefer Zappa 」
「 What? 」
Katsuko-nee asks.
「 Are you talking about Frank Zappa? 」
「 No, that was short for rough (Oozappa) Sorry 」
Tanaka apologizes.
「 I mean, who’s Frank Zappa, Onee-san? 」
「 Huh? The young ones don’t know anymore? You don’t have to mind it then 」
Katsuko-nee blushed.
「 Ignoring that, can you tell me what do you mean by rough? 」
Tanaka.
「 Well, the boys prefer denser food, those that fill your belly when you eat them 」
「 In other words, an eat-all-you-can of round slices of French bread? 」
「 Hmmm, that lacks in taste now 」
「 There would be b.u.t.ter and jam, of course 」
「 No, I think that’s just troublesome putting it yourself 」
Then.
「 How about we smear it with b.u.t.ter and jam beforehand? 」
That takes too much trouble.
「 No, we can just place cheese inside the baguette before baking it? What do you think of a cheese baguette? 」
「 Ah, that’s nice. That’s better, boys prefer the saltiness in bread more than sweetness 」
Tanaka replied.
「 Yeah, it’s easy to work with. We also have a machine cutter in the bakery 」
Katsuko-nee’s ideas are spreading out inside her head.
「 Thanks, I now have an idea 」
Katsuko-nee tells Tanaka.
「 Not at all, it’s my pleasure 」
「 You see, I’m also good at other dishes. Next time, I’ll open a dinner party at Yoshida-kun and Megumi-chan’s house, come over Tanaka-kun 」
「 Huh? Really? 」
Tanaka looks at my face.
「 Yeah, come over. It’s our way of saying thank you 」
「 What’s that? Well, okay. I’m expecting a treat then 」
After that talk, we parted ways.
◇ ◇ ◇
Katsuko-nee drives out of the school gate.
Usually, we go through the back gate, but we went outside the main entrance this time.
「 Oh, they really are here 」
Katsuko-nee mutters.
There were suspicious looking black cars parked before the school gate.
After confirming that it’s our van, three followed us behind.
They’re not from the police.
Those people don’t tail us that blatantly.
I mean, this is too amateur.
But, there’s three of them so they should be an organized group.
「 Who are they? 」
I mutter while looking at the tailing car reflected in the rearview mirror.
Katsuko-nee.
「 Are they not from Nyapoleon party? 」
She joked.
「 What do you want to do? Should we take a detour or watch their movements? 」
I asked.
「 That’s a ha.s.sle. Let’s just go home 」
Katsuko-nee chose the route going directly to the mansion.
「 Either way, Kouzuki SS and the police are near the mansion.
As long as Ruriko lives in the mansion, there will be vehicles from Kouzuki SS always waiting to guard her as she’s the successor of Kouzuki house.
As for the police, they haven’t come every day recently but, Anya, Kyouko-san’s subordinate stayed over last night. How many vehicles from them are parked today?
「People are checking from behind, let them do it 」
Katsuko-nee plans to press the problem to the police and Kouzuki SS.
But.
「 What’s this? 」
The suspicious cars parked close to the mansion have increased.
And then, reaching the road to the main gate of the mansion.
There are dozens of cars lined up.
Most of them are painted black.
「 I’ve heard that Yakuza sometimes arrange cars like this when they welcome their big boss, although 」
Katsuko-nee’s surprised.
Oh, at least, Kouzuki SS and the police vehicles are in front of the gate as expected.
「 I give up 」
We can open the front gate of the mansion via remote control, but.
We need to wait before the gate opens.
Furthermore.
「 They look like they’ll jump inside when the gate opens, don’t you think? 」
I see dozens of men wearing black suits folding their arms in front of the gate, I can see them as nothing but Yakuza.
They’re glaring inside the gate.
「 Well, that’s Takakura house 」
Katsuko-nee mutters.
「 What does that mean? 」
I asked.
「 Takakura house is a family older than Kouzuki house even in history, their status is of high-cla.s.s above high-cla.s.s families 」
I heard of that already.
「 And then, they’re the family that ties all of Yakuza in j.a.pan 」
Huh?
「 Takakura house itself isn’t a significant force. But, their social status is higher than the common, you see? Takakura house is always present when there’s a succession of a leader, or when a dispute is settled. Everything is invalid without the Takakura house’s presence. They’re a house that brings “control” to it’s meaning 」
And the lady of that house.
The woman Minaho-neesan met will be turned to a prost.i.tute of Kuromori, right?
Is that really okay?
「 Although the person herself made the decision, the other Yakuza houses don’t permit it. That’s how it feels like 」
That’s really dangerous.
「 Hey! You! Are you from this house? 」
When we stopped our van in front of the mansion.
The yakuza guys come down from their black painted cars.
「 What the h.e.l.l?! Are you serious?! 」
Even the Yakuza hanging out in front of the main gate looks at us.
Pipiiiiiiiii!!!
The guards from Kouzuki SS’ cars blow the horn.
If this goes on.
It might get dire.