「 Okay, we’re about to arrive 」
Just like last night, we head outside the rear entrance of the Kouzuki mansion and drive to the main entrance of the old training building.
There are some uniformed guards from Kouzuki SS before the entrance but as soon as they saw Shou-neechan’s face, they let us through.
And then, the car heads to the first floor’s parking lot.
「 Err, all I have to tell them is that their parents died, right? 」
I asked Shou-neechan.
「 Yes, don’t talk about anything specific. Although, you can tell them what the media knows 」
Of course, Kouzuki house is controlling the information.
「 It’s in the talk shows right now so if they don’t believe you, just show them the broadcast 」
Yeah.
If they see a commentator on a talk show or a reporter on a news show, they’ll believe it.
Even if it’s Kouzuki house, they can’t make a fake show by gathering such people.
No, I’m sure that they have enough influence and money to create a fake show, but still…
They won’t do something that large-scale just for the daughters of Yakuza.
They’ll know that much.
「 Good morning! 」
Kinos.h.i.ta-san greets happily in the morning.
「 I’ll take over Reika, and prepare a meeting with Minaho-san. Kinos.h.i.ta-san will lead the way 」
「 Got it. Tell Minaho-neesan and Rei-chan my regards. Thanks, Shou-neechan 」
I thanked Shou-neechan, she smiled and entered the building.
「 So, what’s up? 」
Kinos.h.i.ta-san asks me.
「 Hmmm, Tendou Otome, Tokuda Sonoko-san, and Kurosawa Naoko-san, Rie & Eri, and Ya-chan & Mana-chan are on separate rooms, right? 」
I asked.
「 Yes, they’re on separate floors and rooms 」
「 Minaho-neesan and Rei-chan are both busy and so n.o.body made contact with them this morning? 」
「 Yes, last night, Kuromori Minaho-san was talking to them but she’s been busy manipulating information from the late night and since 」
Oh, she was guiding Sonoko-san and Naoko-san for their job as prost.i.tutes, but…
After that, she got busy with the jobs from Kouzuki SS.
「 Ah, but, breakfast reached each of their rooms 」
Kinos.h.i.ta-san said.
「 What’s the situation? 」
「 Err, starting from above…I mean, those who have someone from Kuromori house with them, well, they were at peace. They were having a good chat until late 」
Nei and Mana are looking after Eri and Rie.
「 But, for the lower floor, they seem to be awake all night. You-know-who is frightened all the time 」
Tendou Otome had a near-death experience from Edie’s Qi.
「 Then, let’s go check the lower floor first 」
I decided.
I’m more worried at Tendou Otome and the two who we left behind last night.
「 Certainly, I’ll be leading the way 」
Kinos.h.i.ta-san smiles.
Michi and Tsukiko are off the car already.
「 Hey, Torii-san, let’s go 」
I call out to Torii-san who remains in the car.
「 I’m…uhm 」
Tsukiko already lifted her order. Torii-san can talk as she please now.
「 Why is Kuromori-sama doing all this? 」
She looks at me.
「 This what? 」
「 Uhm, I mean, you’re going to tell the girl who invaded the party yesterday that her father died, aren’t you? 」
「 Yes. To be precise, it’s not just Tendou Otome. The Yakuza group from Kansai sent the children of the group together with her 」
The three girls we abandoned and Shigeyo-san who already came back to her relatives are no longer present here.
「 They have no place to go, and so they’re staying here. They know that their parents will die. But, you see, hearing that they died for real is going to be a shock to them 」
「 Then, why is it that Kuromori-sama is the one doing it? 」
I…
「 Torii-san, have you ever punched someone? 」
「 Never 」
Of course.
She’s the young lady of Torii Electronics. And she’s a girl.
「 You can use your hand, your fist, or even some beat-up stick, if you hit someone, it’ll give you a response. You’ll see how much damage you did on the other party. You did the hit after all. You’ll know how much painful it can get because you did it 」
I clenched my fist and said.
「 I want to understand what it means when I make the hit. How does the other party feel, does it hurt them? Are they suffering? Do they find it harsh? I have to feel it 」
Torii-san stares at me.
「 If it’s not your hand that makes the hit, you won’t understand who got hit. No, you can imagine how much damage the other party received if you’re smart, or maybe you can calculate and make a guess based on the physical damage, but, I’m an idiot so I can’t do that 」
I must make an effort to look at the other party to understand.
「 This is the reason why I don’t leave this to others 」
「 However, they’re just troublesome people who hold ill-will towards us, right? I don’t know about that Tendou girl or whatever but I don’t care if I don’t see her again 」
To Torii-san, Tendou Otome is just a spy from the Yakuza who infiltrated the party for the young ladies of n.o.bility to gather information about them.
「 You’ll know once you see them 」
I said.
「 Anyway, they came after us yesterday but a lot of people died concerning the party yesterday. That’s the fact 」
「 But, they’re all bad people. Isn’t that what Yakuza is? 」
Torii-san can’t agree.
「 Yes, and I don’t actually care if they die. I’m actually glad that they did 」
They’re people who gang-raped the daughter of the weakest of the group to waste time in Tokyo.
I won’t forgive even those who didn’t say anything and just let it happened.
「 But, they have children. It’s not about logic. Someone has to take all their hate and anger 」
If not, they cannot survive what’s ahead.
「 I don’t get it 」
Torii-san looks away from me.
「 It’s okay. For now, look at them. Aren’t you going to watch over everything, Torii-san? 」
「 Haa 」
She sighs.
「 I get it 」
Torii-san in her maid uniform gets off the car.
◇ ◇ ◇
「 Here, it’s this room 」
Kinos.h.i.ta guided us to Tendou Otome’s room.
She uses the keypad to unlock the door.
「 Okay 」
She opens the door without knocking.
「 Hey, everyone, did you eat your breakfast? 」
Her optimism is boundless as usual.
I mean, that’s a bit scary.
We follow Kinos.h.i.ta-san and come inside the room.
It’s a 10 tatami mat floor at least.
On the right side, Kurosawa-san, the girl who willingly accepted to become a prost.i.tute is covering herself with a blanket.
On her side are a half-empty pet bottle and an empty lunch box.
Tokuda Sonoko-san and Tendou Otome are on the left side.
As usual, Kurosawa-san hates the two.
Tendou Otome…
「 Sonko-chan! Sonoko-chan, I’m scared 」
She continues to cling to Sonoko-san in her regressed state.
「 Err, uhm, morning 」
For now, I greeted them.
「 Well, how are you, girls? 」
This looks stupid but that’s the only opening phrase I could think of
This room has no windows and so I can’t say “Looks like we have good weather today,” or “it looks like it’ll rain in the afternoon.”
「 You finally came. n.o.body came to us since last night that we thought we’re abandoned 」
Kurosawa-san said.
「 Oh, that’s because everyone’s busy. To put things bluntly, last night, your parents who departed from here…also, Irokuchou Ichirou-san… They drove off throughout the night and reached Kansai this morning 」
I speak with my emotions in control.
「 Hmm, I-I see 」
Kurosawa-san’s voice becomes stiff.
「 I’ll get to the point. Your parents have died. All of them 」
I said. Torii-san.
「 Hey, what’s with that way of talking? 」
I ignored her.
「 They all died. n.o.body’s left alive 」
The room quiets down.
Before long.
「 Ah, I see. Okay. Right, I thought so 」
Kurosawa-san speaks bluffingly.
「 It can’t be helped. Our parents are dumb, sc.u.ms, and good-for-nothing, I know that they would die miserably someday 」
She grits her molars.
She doesn’t look cute and so Tendou Sadao’s followers and the other girls bullied her.
She’s accustomed to enduring this.
However.
「 Murderer 」
Sonoko-san looks beautiful and that’s why the group gang-raped her…
「 Everyone died? That’s just… 」
「 What are you talking about? Shouldn’t you feel relieved Sonoko?! Now we’re truly free from them! Free from those stupid parents of ours! 」
Kurosawa-san throws the troubles in her mind to Sonoko-san.
「 But, they’re dead! They were so noisy last night but these people killed them! 」
Sonoko-san glared at me.
「 I know about it, you used that girl with that strange power to give orders to our parents to become crazy 」
Sonoko-san watched Yomi turn Tendou Sadao to insane people through the security cameras in real-time.
「 That’s right. I…we killed them. We sent your fathers to their deaths. And as planned, your parents have died. They mixed their own bosses and organization with them 」
I look at the ceiling.
「 Shou-neechan, are you listening? If you are, can you show what’s on TV right now? 」
Then…
『 I’m here. This is the current broadcast on TV 』
The TV on the wall turns on.
『 No you see, this is a serious incident 』
The former comedian talent commentator on a talk show makes a lot of noise.
『 Sugawara-san from the news bureau? What’s the current situation? 』
The screen changed to the announcer’s station.
Oh, even the TV station news area is noisy.
The announcer who’s usually in charge of the night news is reading the ma.n.u.script in a hurry.
『 Ah, yes. For now, here’s everything that we know. This morning, 7:30 AM, terrorist attack offices, and homes of members of several Yakuza over the Kansai area. No, I don’t know if the correct word to use is terrorism since they’re a criminal organization but still, there are more than 10 points all over Kansai related to them that blew up and set on fire.
Burning buildings show up on the screen one after another.
Somehow, this has become a lot more intense.
I’m sure that Kyouko-san planted the bombs and incendiary devices there.
『 Then, uhm, the information is a little entangled that we’re still trying to confirm it but the **** police station mentioned earlier had a different set of criminals belonging to an organization surrendering themselves, they have nothing to do with the incident earlier or so reported. The police will make an official statement later, however, 』
Oh, it’s Irokuchou Ichirou’s group. They surrendered and confessed to all the crimes they’ve done so far.
『 Also, according to some witness statements; there are more than ten people intruded in the home of the head of the **** group in his home. Along with the terrorist attacks this 7:30 in the morning. According to the witnesses, they were from the same organization but they speak of something n.o.body could understand as they rage, and eventually, it led to a shootout 』
Oh, now that’s Tendou Sadao’s group.
『 Err, the police station has given their statement in regards to this incident. Err. The culprits who were rioting with a gun all died. It’s unknown whether the shootout and the fire afterward are related however, the police reports say that all the culprits on this incident have died. Everyone escaped for a while but everyone was allowed to return home soon after 』
Hearing the word “Everyone died” surprised Sonoko-san.
Another memo comes into the announcer.
『 New information has come in. Starting from the boss of the organization, the 13 criminals who they shot to death are all people who shot other groups 』
In the end, Tendou Sadao kept on asking for the location of the Tokugawa’s buried treasure in the African seas.
They attacked the boss by firing a gun, and so they retaliated by shooting them to death.
『 Err, we will be listing all the names of the culprit who have died 』
The screen shows the names of people one after another.
Tendou Sadao’s name is there.
「 Haa 」
Kurosawa-san sighed.
「 Father 」
Sonoko-san seems to have found her father’s name too.
「 Uuu, I’m scared. Sonoko-chan! Sonoko-chan! 」
Tendou Otome clings to Sonoko-san and cries.
「 It’s okay. Thanks, Shou-neechan 」
『 No problem 』
The TV turned off.
「 Anyway, with that, said. Your parents are dead 」
I speak firmly.
「 Hey! Why do you say it like that! Look at them, they’re afraid 」
Torii-san is angry at me.
「 It’s because they need to strengthen their resolve 」
I said.
「 Their parents died. They’re people who oppressed them but they’re still their blood-related parents. And they died. That’s why they will live by themselves from now on 」
I look at Kurosawa-san, Sonoko-san, and Tendou Otome.
「 You do understand that you can’t return home after watching that broadcast, right? 」
Their parents caused an extreme incident, they started a shoot-out, died, and reached the television.
They can’t return to their hometown.
「 Resolve yourself and start working in Tokyo 」
I said. Torii-san;
「 Work? Wait, these girls are still in high school aren’t they? What work can they do in Tokyo? 」
Misuzu asked to bring Torii-san with us.
That means I can talk about it.
Kuromori house’s business is a brothel, and Kaan Momoko-neechan should know about it.
「 Prost.i.tution. These girls, I mean, Kurosawa-san and Tokuda-san will earn money by selling their body 」
「 Eeeh, why? 」
Torii-san’s surprised.
「 Why do they have to do that? 」
I…
「 Do they have a choice? They need money to erase their past and start a new life. Therefore, they will work as prost.i.tutes for five years. In exchange, we will guarantee them a new ident.i.ty and support them to make a new life once they stop being prost.i.tutes. They will sell their body to earn money to start their own business. If it’s for that reason, five years isn’t that long 」
「 That’s stupid! I mean, if you ask Misuzu-sama, she can deal with it with money, can’t she? 」
Torii-san doesn’t get it.
「 Are you telling me to help these people with Misuzu’s family’s money 」
「 That’s right! Don’t you feel sorry for them?! They’re alone, their parents died, right? 」
「 If you think that way then why don’t you help them, Torii-san? 」
I said.
「 Torii-san, if I recall, you partic.i.p.ate in the stock market, right? Why don’t you help these people with your own money! 」
Torii-san’s startled.
「 Father allows me to use my money in stocks but he will not allow me to use it to help them 」
「 Why? You have money, right? 」
「 I do have a.s.sets but I’m still a minor! Father’s the one managing my money! 」
That means, she’s just a ‘young lady’
「 I use credit cards when shopping, and Father will see all the details. Therefore, I… 」
「 Then ask your father. I wonder if Torii-san can ask to save these poor strangers? 」
Torii-san.
「 I-I can’t. Father will not give money for something like that 」
Torii electronics is a company that grew postwar.
Torii-san’s Grandfather created this company and it became big.
Their family should be strict when it comes to money.
「 But, if it’s you 」
Torii-san looks at me.
「 You carry so many women in your arms, you can do it, right? 」
That annoyed me.
「 Don’t push what you can’t do to other people so thoughtlessly! 」
Then.
「 Shut up you two!!! 」
Kurosawa-san’s angry.
「 I’d rather die than to have you people pity me! I’m different from you people! 」
She glares at Torii-san and me.
「 Oh, I don’t really see you as pitiful. Nor I want you to die either. I’m just desperate to keep my family safe. I have no time to save you 」
I glared back.
Therefore, Kurosawa-san glares only at Torii-san now.
「 I don’t need your help. I’ll deal with it myself. I’ll survive by selling my body. I’ll rise up in this world. I’ll definitely triumph over a naive woman like you!!! 」
Torii-san trembles from Kurosawa-san’s threatening look.
「 Why do I have to receive those?! Why is this person angry at me? 」
「 It’s because you never looked at her as an equal 」
Tsukiko who’s been watching all this time shows a smile.
「 An equal? 」
「 Yes, Torii-san, you own a lot. Therefore, you speak in such a way that it would hurt her without noticing it. But, she has nothing. All she has is her body. Therefore, she has no choice but to sell it. Torii-sama who didn’t understand her situation speaks so excessively and, naturally, she will hate you 」
Tsukiko said. Torii-san’s shocked.
「 That’s right! I have nothing else but my body! What’s wrong with selling my body?! I’m not going to just barely survive, if I want to show that I won against the people who looked down on me, including you, I have no choice but to use my body and anything to earn a lot!!! 」
Kurosawa-san said.
「 And what about you? 」
Tsukiko asks Sonoko-san.
「 I hate it. I don’t want her money. I have nothing but my body. I will do anything, even if that is prost.i.tution. I will earn by myself and survive
She speaks in a low tone.
「 Is that so? Then, lastly… What about you? 」
Tsukiko asks Tendou Otome.
「 Uuuu, I’m scared. I’m scared. Sonoko-chan, Otome-chan’s scared!
Tendou Otome does nothing but buries her face on Sonoko-san’s chest.
「 Aaaah! I’m scared! I’m scared! Sonoko-chan! 」
「 Otome-chan’s been like this since last night. Please leave her alone for a while 」
Sonoko-san embraces Tendou Otome to protect her.
「 I can’t do that 」
Tsukiko smiled.
「 You should stop that 」
She speaks to Tendou Otome gently.
Huh?
「 She already recovered from the mental chaos Edie gave her last night… 」
Wait, was that just an act?
「 It’s easier for her to act spoiled when she’s like this 」
Tendou Otome loves Sonoko-san since before…
So she’s clinging to Sonoko-san on purpose?
「 If that’s the case, it’s my turn 」
Michi moves forward.
「 Stand up. I’m not as kind as Edie 」
Michi takes a stance.
「 Uuu, I’m scared, I’m scared, Sonoko-chan!!! 」
Tendou Otome clings harder to Sonoko-san.
「 I-It hurts! Otome-chan, it hurts 」
Tendou Otome’s a fighter, and so if she clings seriously, Sonoko-san won’t be able to endure it
「 Okay, that’s enough, stand up 」
Tsukiko uses her Miko power.
「 ????!!! 」
Tendou Otome lets go of Sonoko-san and stand up.
Since it’s a power that defies her will.
「 You’ll remain lost if you continue that 」
Tsukiko looked at Tendou Otome and Sonoko-san.
「 You can continue spoiling each other but you’ll never become strong 」
Yeah.
It would be impossible for Sonoko-san to continue living while carrying Tendou Otome in her regressed state.
Tendou Otome would want to continue clinging to her, but…
「 Now then, shall we discuss on how do you want to live hereafter? 」
Tsukiko said. Michi;
「 There’s no need to speak. Let’s begin by using our fist!!! 」