「 Eh, Papa’s going out already? 」
Mao-chan shouts as she discovers that I’m heading out.
「 Sorry, this is some important job 」
Sonoko-san has Minaho-neesan, but…
Rie and Eri are mine to look after.
They’re my s.e.x slaves.
「 Uugh, I thought we could play a lot today 」
Mao-chan said. Agnes.
「 Papa has his work. It can’t be helped 」
She speaks like an elder-sister to her.
「 Besides, Agnes has to play with Haiji-chan 」
Huh?
「 Haiji-chan just joined our family, and so Agnes and Mao-chan have to get along with her! 」
「 Ah, I see! 」
Mao-chan nods.
「 If we can’t do that, Papa will worry about Haiji-chan and he can’t do his work right! 」
Agnes is growing to become a good girl.
To think that this girl who never had communication with other people back then…
「 With that said, Papa, leave Haiji-chan to Agnes, Mao-chan, and Koyomi-chan 」
Agnes puffs her chest with pride.
Luna’s not here right now.
「 Yeah, please do, Agnes 」
I tell Agnes. Then, looked at Haiji.
「 Haiji too, look after them 」
「 Yes, leave this to me 」
Haiji bows her head.
She’s going to be Agnes and the girls’ bodyguard.
「 Then, let’s go. Shou-neechan 」
While I’m leaving the courtyard…
「 Danna-sama, please wait 」
Misuzu shows up.
She comes down from the second-floor terrace area together with Jii-chan.
「 Maybe you should take Mariko-san with you? 」
Torii-san?
Oh, speaking of which, I haven’t seen Torii-san ever since the entrance of the Anjou sisters
「 Torii-sama, how long are you going to hide over there? 」
Shou-neechan speaks to the bushes.
Then.
「 You noticed? 」
Torii-san shows up.
「 Yes. Of course 」
Shou-neechan smiles.
「 I mean, they’re scaring me 」
Yeah, the Anjou sisters purposely dashed in the middle of us to put Michi in check.
「 It’s okay now. They’re gone already 」
Katsuko-nee, Edie, Yomi, and Luna brought them.
「 We swept down all of the culprits for yesterday’s incident. There are no more dangerous people around the mansion. Even the place he’s going to right now 」
Shou-neechan tells Torii-san.
「 Mariko-san, if I recall, Kaan Momoko-oneesama told you to watch over everything that happens, hasn’t she? 」
Misuzu said.
「 You’re unable to leave the mansion due to the situation but it’s all clear today 」
Last night, Tendou Sadao and Irokuchou Ichirou’s Yakuza groups were at the old training building of Kouzuki SS.
Also, we didn’t know what Tendou Otome would do either.
However, Yakuza’s gone now.
Tendou Otome shouldn’t have any will to fight for now.
「 Since it’s an opportunity, you should try to look at various things. Of course, you will have someone to protect you. Michi, keep Mariko-san safe 」
Misuzu calls Michi.
「 I… 」
「 I’m not going outside so I don’t need a bodyguard. I’m in Grandfather’s home, Ootoku-san’s in here. Yazawa-san’s come too 」
「 Yes. He switched with me and is now taking command. I pa.s.sed the baton to him 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 I will subst.i.tute with Reika over there. I took a nap but Reika’s still on duty 」
Then, Shou-neechan looked at me.
「 Minaho-san too. She’s been leading the team manipulating information over the internet, or should I say that she’s most busy at this moment. Ma.s.s Media’s moving around in Kansai after all 」
Tendou Sadao and his group returned to Kansai via rental cars, and since they’re under the Miko power’s influence, they will not go down quietly.
They should be rampaging against the bosses who sent them to Tokyo.
While at it, Kyouko-san’s also making her move.
If it creates big news, it’ll make noise over the internet.
Minaho-neesan’s job increases.
「 We have to hurry then 」
If Minaho-neesan can’t move around because she’s still manipulating information…
That means n.o.body’s looking after Sonoko-san and the other girls
「 Michi, Torii-san, let’s go 」
「 Err, I… 」
Torii-san looks confused.
Haiji, the girl she relies on, isn’t coming She’ll be separated from Misuzu and the other young ladies.
She doesn’t trust a man who isn’t from n.o.bility, like me.
Therefore.
「 You’ll never see the truth if you stay here. You have to see what truly happened with your own eyes 」
I provoked her.
「 Well, not that I care if Torii-san doesn’t want to see it 」
As expected, Torii-san gets offended.
That’s what’s easy about her.
「 I’m going! I’m going to see all of it 」
But, yeah.
Torii-san’s making that curious face again.
◇ ◇ ◇
We head to the car…
Tsukiko’s waiting for us. She’s wearing a shrine maiden clothing.
「 I’ve been waiting 」
Tsukiko bows her head.
「 Tsukiko, you want to go too? 」
「 Shouldn’t you have a bodyguard and a shrine maiden accompany you? 」
That old training building is no longer dangerous.
However.
Right, I guess I should have one shrine maiden who can read minds with me.
I don’t know what kind of reaction will the daughters of Yakuza have after they discover that their parents are dead.
「 Yeah. Come with us, Tsukiko 」
「 Yes, Kou-sama 」
We get inside the Kouzuki SS car.
Shou-neechan takes the driver’s seat.
Michi takes the pa.s.senger seat.
Tsukiko and I take the second-row seat.
Then, Torii-san sits down on the rear seats.
「 Huh, speaking of which, Torii-san, you’re still holding that 」
Torii-san is still holding the victory hammer Edie handed her for training.
「 It’s for self-protection. Something like this might prove useful 」
Oh, she’s anxious as expected.
She’s going on a place without Misuzu watching nor her bodyguard.
「 Come to think of it, Torii-san, you’re still wearing a maid uniform 」
She’s still wearing the same maid uniform jus like Misuzu from earlier.
「 Don’t mind this! 」
Although, I’m also still wearing my training clothes.
Exercise makes you sweat a lot, besides, I had s.e.x this morning.
The plan was to take a bath after training.
Do I smell?
「 It’s okay. n.o.body minds it 」
Tsukiko read my thoughts and replied.
「 Instead, I think that the manly smell is better on the place we’re heading to 」
I don’t get what she means by that.
「 Okay. Let’s depart 」
Shou-neechan drives the car off.
「 There were some people still watching the Kouzuki mansion’s circ.u.mference until this morning but they’re gone now. They’ve retreated 」
Shou-neechan says before we exit the gate.
Yeah, there’s always some guys looking at the cars leaving the mansion.
「 Those are people from the organizations in Tokyo that the Kansai people are friends with but they gather information to make the Kansai people indebted to them 」
It’s confirmed that the Kansai dispatch tare only Tendou Sadao’s group and Irokuchou Ichirou’s group only.
「 But, they no longer need it 」
Shou-neechan’s lips in the rear mirror smiles.
「 The Kansai organization hostile to Kouzuki house was annihilated. Tendou-san and his followers all died. Kyouko-san already blew up and set fire on the primary inst.i.tutions of our enemy. Their gambling dens, narcotics, and even their offices all at once. Irokuchou Ichirou-san went straight to the police station and confessed to everything, their murders, theft, and all the information they have on their group 」
Their organization collapsed.
「 The boss lost his workplace, and the Yakuza’s weakened. Their gathering flag and their gathering spot are gone. There’s no force left to deal against the Kouzuki house. Their resistance is over. What’s left is for Miss Cordelia to clean them up 」
Miss Cordelia, an influential woman in Los Angeles’ underground society.
「 Kouzuki house is from n.o.bility, and so they can’t make contact with the underground society. That’s how it will be 」
Up until now, Jii-chan has some connections with people from the underground society.
However, when it becomes Misuzu and Ruriko’s generation.
It’s not good to let those girls make contact with the underground society people directly.
There should be someone in between them.
Furthermore, it has to be someone who has no ties to the underground society of j.a.pan.
「 j.a.pan’s a country that will use external pressure to destroy the vested interests. You won’t think of that as a good thing but it’s inevitable 」
Miss Cordelia will penetrate her foreign forces to where the Kansai organization broke.
When the American underground society groups invade, the remaining Kansai organizations will get busy defending themselves.
They should be weakened this morning.
They’ll have no time to deal with Kouzuki house hereafter.
No, underground societies in j.a.pan will no longer oppose Kouzuki house.
If they deal with them poorly, the retaliation is absurd.
They will be destroyed.
This way of punishing to make an example for others has succeeded.
It resulted in sacrificing a lot of lives.
「 Uhm, what’s going on? 」
Torii-san asks.
「 Do you remember the Kansai Yakuza’s spy who infiltrated as Mizushima house’s bodyguard? We’ve destroyed the organization that sent that spy 」
「 I see. That’s great. That was fast 」
Torii-san listens to my reply with slight annoyance.
「 So, how many died Shou-neechan? 」
「 43 」
「 Huh? 」
Torii-san’s surprised.
「 As expected of Kyouko-san. No ordinary people got killed. All of them were affiliated with Yakuza 」
Tendou Sadao’s group boss, and all the Yakuza around them.
And all the other allies who happened to be in the place.
「 It’s complete annihilation. Of course, there will be casualties 」
「 Ah, I-I see 」
「 But, there will be no more Yakuza trying to make a move on the young ladies of n.o.bility. This happened just because they sent in a spy 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Right… 」
Torii-san’s frightened.
「 We’re going to meet the daughters of the late Yakuza. We’re going to tell them that their parents are dead 」
「 W-Why? 」
Torii-san asks me.
「 I have to do so 」
Then, Tsukiko;
「 He has a higher status than them and it’s the duty of those who have a higher status to deliver 」
She smiled at Torii-san.
「 n.o.blesse Oblige? 」
「 Correct. And Kou-sama’s the man of n.o.bility 」
Give me a break.
What part of me is n.o.ble?
I’m just doing what I can.
「 Uhm, Shou-oneesama 」
Suddenly, Michi speaks up.
「 I’d like to consult you with something, May I? 」
「 Sure, but everyone’s listening 」
「 That’s okay 」
That means, she’s putting it as herself consulting with Shou-neechan.
But, she wants us to hear it too.
But, in the end, it’s just her talking to Shou-neechan.
She doesn’t want to say that it’s her comment.
「 I feel a little impatient recently 」
Michi said.
「 Edie picked Haiji-san as her disciple. Therefore, I thought of picking up my own promising disciple for Master’s family 」
「 Hey, Haiji isn’t that foreigner’s disciple! She’s mine! 」
Torii-san speaks arrogantly when the other party isn’t a daughter of n.o.bility.
She only sees Michi as Misuzu’s servant.
「 Please quiet down for now 」
「 Ngu?! 」
Tsukiko seals Torii-san’s mouth with her Miko power.
「 Please go ahead, Michi-san 」
She smiled.
「 Thanks for the help 」
Michi replies gloomily.
「 Oh well. That’s why Michi-chan gave the Anjou sisters a test? 」
Shou-neechan said.
Right. Michi talked about her plan of taking the Anjou sisters as her disciples.
「 I misunderstood 」
Michi said.
「 The sisters have talent. They have discipline. Their skills are certain. However 」
「 Their personalities don’t suit the job 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Yes. It’s a surprise. Anjou house has been the bodyguard of Kurama house for generations, and so I thought that their family taught them the pride as a bodyguard 」
「 True. If you think only of your Master’s safety, that means that you’re not doing your job well 」
Shou-neechan’s in charge of Kouzuki SS on-site, the organization whose job is to protect the n.o.bility.
She knows that more than anyone.
「 But, it’s comparable. People who think like those two. Well, in the end, they’re dismissed by their employers and become dropouts. No matter how skilled they are, if they can’t coexist, then they’re expelled. If the bodyguard protects their Master but abandons everyone else, it’ll only lower their Master’s reputation 」
That’s true.
「 Do you think I can mend them with my guidance? 」
Michi asks.
「 The possibility isn’t zero, but I think that you should stop. At least, I…Kouzuki SS will not hire Anjou-san 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Their personality is their way of life, and so, you can’t meddle with it that easy. And they won’t change that easy either 」
「 However, I’m aware that I’ve changed a lot after my encounter with Master. Everyone else too… 」
「 I know that too. But, that doesn’t mean that everything’s changed, has it? He changes people he makes contact with for the better but the base foundation of our personality hasn’t changed. The problem is in their foundation 」
True, Mich’s changed but she’s still Michi.
She still has that dignity and elegance from when I first met her.
「 Those girls are fundamentally not suited as bodyguards. They have no interests with people other than their Masters. They hardly care about the feelings of the people around them. Anyway, they have a very narrow outlook. It’s fatal to let them become bodyguards 」
I think so too.
「 Maybe they can learn how to be cautious around her by training them military-style but it still won’t be enough. Even armed forces take out people whose carelessness is incurable 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 In the end, it’s about the right person in the right place. There’s no such personnel who starts fresh and matures with just training. You have to look at the base personality, make that grow instead. Right? 」
Shou-neechan calls me.
「 What do you want the Anjou sisters to become?> 」
「 Performers 」
I answered immediately.
They love attention, and they are always flashy.
「 Kukuku, I thought of the same thing 」
Shou-neechan laughs while handling the steering wheel.
「 Anyway, they’re born from a family of bodyguards and so they’ve been bodyguards so far, but they’re not suited for the job. I can attest to that 」
Yeah.
Either way, they’re not suited to face Michi, who’s always earnest.
Michi can’t guide these sisters.
「 Then, what do I do? 」
Huh, Michi?
「 Currently, I’m Misuzu-oneesama’s bodyguard, but… 」
「 Right. Michi-san’s the most suited person for the role of keeping Misuzu-sama’s safe since ordinary people don’t pay attention too much on you 」
Michi’s pet.i.te and cute, no ordinary person can see that she’s a bodyguard.
When she’s with Misuzu, she holds enough sweetness and elegance that it doesn’t seem strange.
Michi’s best as a bodyguard.
「 However, someday 」
Michi.
「 Right. Once Misuzu-sama becomes an adult, she will need an adult, a person everyone can identify as her bodyguard. Someone that will make criminals stop their approach because of such person is with her 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Just like Ootoku-san who’s Kakka’s bodyguard 」
I see.
She’s still a student right now and so having a muscular guy as her bodyguard will look awkward.
Therefore, it’s better to see a girl like Michi as a bodyguard.
But, once Misuzu’s becomes an adult and she starts working.
It will look weird if she walks along with Michi, a cute girl.
As expected, she will have a bodyguard suited for the successor of Kouzuki house.
「 Am I not suited for this? 」
Michi speaks lonely.
「 Am I just like the Anjou sisters? I have the skills but I’m not suited as a bodyguard? 」
Shou-neechan;
「 I don’t know about that 」
She speaks brightly.
「 After all, can’t you see? I’m also a woman, and am Kakka’s personal bodyguard 」
「 That’s because Shou-oneesama’s physique is exceptional 」
「 Don’t call me a gorilla. I’m 176cm but I don’t have macho muscles. I’m careful about that 」
Shou-neechan’s body has a splendid proportion.
「 But I’m short 」
Michi feels down.
「 Hey, Michi-san. Aren’t you still 15? You’re still in your growth period. Mana-san is growing taller ever since she started her program 」
Mana’s aiming to become a supermodel, therefore she’s using a program to ripen her body through diet and exercise.
「 I also take the same program but I’m not growing at all 」
Michi;
「 My b.r.e.a.s.t.s didn’t even increase a single millimeter 」
I-I see.
「 Do you not get it? People have different growth degrees. It worked with Mana-chan right away, but it’ll take time with Michi-san, it’s highly likely
「 However 」
Shou-neechan sighs.
「 If you keep thinking negatively, it’ll affect your mind the same way. You mustn’t do that. Your dark mood will affect others 」
「 I’m sorry 」
「 Instead of thinking that way, think of what’s your ideal body? What kind of girl do you want to become? 」
Shou-neechan speaks brightly.
「 I’m not talking about just the bodyguard life. Put that aside, think of a life other than a bodyguard 」
「 What? 」
Michi’s dumbfounded.
「 I-I can’t imagine a life other than Misuzu-oneesama’s bodyguard 」
「 Then you’re the same as the Anjou sisters. They can’t imagine a life other than being the bodyguards of the Kurama ladies, and look how messed up they are now 」
「 But I… 」
Michi’s also a girl born under martial arts.
She feels that it’s her life task to become Misuzu’s bodyguard.
「 Of course, I will ask you to continue your job. The world may not notice the bodyguards but if they see Michi-san’s worth as a bodyguard, you can still do other things, can’t you? 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 You may want to work in the bakery together with him, maybe, become everyone’s mother in home 」
「 M-Mother? Me? 」
Michi’s surprised.
「 I mean, everyone’s going to bear his child, right? If they grow up, they’ll need to go to kindergarten, and shouldn’t the children have a strong mother who knows martial arts to drop them off and pick them up? 」
Michi will become a cute mother.
「 As mentioned earlier, it’s about the right person in the right place. It’s about what you can do and what you want to do. Think about your feature and find what’s most suited for it. You don’t need to worry too much about it…Humans become what they have to be 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Get yourself together, Kudou Michi-san 」
「 Uugh 」
Michi looked at me.
「 Master, I… 」
I…
「 We’re still family, no matter what path Michi chooses, I’m myself, Michi’s still Michi, right? So don’t worry about it. Take your time considering. Either way, we’re going to need Michi as our bodyguard for now 」
「 Yes 」
「 You still have a year until Misuzu graduates, and Ruriko still needs three more years. Michi still has some time in school, so you can take your time and think about what you want in the future 」
「 Certainly 」
「 But, don’t set yourself in it. You have other paths other than becoming a bodyguard 」
I said.
「 Take interest in various things. And, concern yourself with those interests. And I’m sure that you’ll be able to see what you want to become 」
Then.
「 Kou-sama too 」
Tsukiko?
「 The bakery is Katsuko-sama’s dream. Kou-sama, I think that it’s about time you find your own dream
I-I…