Chapter 1268. Rivalry in Love / The Threat Below
「 Well, who will you do it with, Kou? 」
Mariko smiles at me.
Sakurako, Karen, Arisu, Erica, Marika, Mariko and Kana-senpai.
These beauties wearing only the top pajama are looking at me.
「 Well… 」
Mariko and Karen, the girls going to the school for the young ladies…I get that they’re cautious of Misuzu.
I have to do something about that, but…
For now, I have to look at the girls I have here.
But.
Knock, knock.
Someone suddenly knocked on the door.
The rule in the mansion is that the girls that are not on schedule can’t disturb us once we enter the s.e.x room and until we leave.
The reason is that s.e.x before sleeping at night and morning s.e.x was guaranteed as the rights of the girls on schedule.
Despite that, someone’s coming at this time means…
「 Oh, I knew it, you were listening? 」
Mariko looks up at the ceiling.
Mariko and the girls know that there are microphones all around the mansion.
「 I don’t really mind, I just said something that’s okay when asked 」
Mariko looked at me and smiled wryly.
「 We just want Kou to know what we think of the Kouzuki house 」
「 For us, the Kouzuki group, or Mariko’s Torii electronics aren’t so different. Both of them are big, rich, and amazing houses 」
Kana-senpai said.
「 But, there’s a clear difference between us. Torii house isn’t from the n.o.bility, meanwhile, Kouzuki house is on top. Even among the n.o.bility, they still have a higher status 」
Arisu’s Kurama house, Karen’s Mizushima house. Its status is higher than that.
Knock, knock, knock.
They continue knocking on the door.
「 I’m checking it 」
I tried to get up from the bed, and then…
「 I’ll go too 」
Mariko comes too.
「 No need. Mariko and the girls already took off half of the pajamas. I’m still wearing clothes 」
I go to the door alone.
As you could expect, it would be embarra.s.sing for the ladies to face a visitor while looking like they’re ready to have s.e.x.
Knock, knock, knock.
I unlocked the door as soon as I hear another knock.
Click, the door opens.
「 Ah, sorry, do you have time? 」
It’s Megu on the other side.
「 What’s up, did something happen? 」
I asked.
「 Sorry, I completely forgot about it. Yoshi-kun, we need to get something sorted before going to school tomorrow 」
Megu said.
Oh, she’s holding some kind of paper in her right hand.
But…
「 Oh, there was that? 」
I don’t even remember that.
「 The teacher handed this in last week when Yoshi-kun was in the bakery instead of the cla.s.sroom. It’s a survey form, and you need to turn it in by tomorrow morning. But, Yoshi-kun has worked in the bakery by morning so you can’t come to homeroom, right? 」
No, I usually try to be in the cla.s.sroom by homeroom, but…
Hmm?
Megu’s expression seems weird.
「 I’ll submit Yoshi-kun’s paper together with mine, can we write it now? I also have my training tomorrow so we’ll miss each other tomorrow morning 」
Megu faced inside the room, then…
「 We’ll just fill the doc.u.ments in three minutes, I’m sorry girls but can I borrow Yoshi-kun for a while? 」
She asks the girls.
「 Sure, Megumi-san 」
Kana-senpai replies loudly.
「 I filled out the same survey last year. That’s an important paper so you should fill it without rushing, n.o.bu 」
She agreed with Megu.
「 Yes, I know what to write and so Yoshi-kun, just write down the necessary information 」
Megu’s saying that she has to teach me how to write in this doc.u.ment.
「 If it’s just three to four minutes, then it’s okay, right? 」
Kana-senpai, as the eldest in the room, asks the girls on the bed.
「 Right. If it’s school papers then it can’t be helped 」
Mariko said.
「 Kuromori-sama, how about going in the room to write. Megumi-oneesama, please come in too 」
Erica said.
「 No, I feel bad to do that. I’m not on the schedule tonight after all 」
Megu refused to enter.
Then.
「 I’ll write on the corridor. You have a pen, right? 」
「 Yes, it’s in here 」
Megu replies.
「 Then, give me a moment. I’ll come right away 」
「 I’m really sorry for taking your time 」
I went to the corridor.
Then, I closed the door.
Click.
「 I knew it. 」
Apart from Megu, Minaho-neesan, Nei, and Michi, and for some reason, Kuromiya Motoko-san and Mikuriya Kurumi-san are in here.
Then, Misuzu too.
「 Danna-sama 」
Misuzu’s looking depressed.
She was listening.
Listening to how Mariko and Erica think about her.
「 Misuzu 」
I embraced Misuzu.
Misuzu also hugged me back tightly.
「 Sorry, everyone knew that I lie. So, I had Megu-chan do it for me! 」
Nei said.
True, if Nei did that, the girls in the room would notice that she’s lying right away.
But, Megu has a very earnest personality, and so Mariko and the girls can’t distinguish the lies from the truth.
「 That said, if Minaho-oneechan were to come in, it’ll get critical! 」
That’s true.
If Minaho-neesan were to suddenly appear, the girls in the room would feel nervous.
Kana-senpai, Mariko, Erica, Marika, Karen, Arisu, and Sakurako.
All of them became my women just recently.
They’re still not accustomed to Minaho-neesan.
Then.
「 We only have a few minutes and so we’ll keep the inquiry brief 」
Minaho-neesna told Kuromiya Motoko-san.
「 Then, I’ll be brief. Why is it that Kuormori-sama doesn’t do anything even after finding that Torii Mariko-san and everyone was dissatisfied with Misuzu-sama? 」
Kuromiya-san tells me.
She had a different atmosphere than before.
Her calm as a young lady is gone.
「 If it’s Kuromori-sama, then you could order them to ally themselves with Misuzu-sama 」
Me? Order Mariko and the girls.
「 Misuzu-sama’s a young lady of the Kouzuki house, and so she should be placed at the top of the list in Kuromori-sama’s harem. You can’t properly rule these many people if there’s no clear ranking. From how I hear their conversation, it seems like it’s an act of branching off. If you let that happen, they’ll create factions and be at odds with each other, won’t they? 」
Well.
「 That won’t happen 」
I said clearly.
「 Why can you say that? 」
Kuromiya-san looks straight at me.
「 I’m the one who put them together. I won’t allow them to split to factions and fight 」
I reply while embracing Misuzu.
「 Kuromori-sama says that but all you did was listen to them talk, and you didn’t take any immediate or appropriate action 」
Kuromiya-san said.
「 Yeah, I get that it’s a big problem, but I intend to deal with it tomorrow morning 」
「 If it were me, I could’ve dealt with it by tonight 」
「 Hmm, for instance? 」
I ask Kuromiya-san back.
「 There might be others who feel dissatisfied about Misuzu-sama, so I’ll gather them and hold a meeting 」
「 It’s already evening, and everyone’s in their bedrooms 」
「 It’s about Misuzu-sama! Don’t you think that it’ll be painful for Misuzu-sama if you leave this alone? 」
I…
「 Misuzu’s a strong girl. She won’t stay down from something like that 」
I say while embracing her tightly.
「 Besides, it’s Mariko’s time right now. I will not stop their schedule just to have an emergency meeting for Misuzu’s sake. If I do that, it says that I’m showing Misuzu priority over them 」
「 That’s how it should be. Misuzu-sama is a young lady of the Kouzuki house. She’s Kuromori-sama’s legal wife 」
「 There’s no difference, she’s my woman 」
I look at Kuromiya-san in the eye and said.
「 If you can’t find that reasonable, then you can leave the mansion, Kuromiya-san 」
Then.
「 The rules inside this mansion are different from the n.o.ble society. I don’t like pushing our sense of values to Kuromiya-san. All my women are proud. If I prioritize Misuzu, then it’ll hurt their pride. I can’t allow that to happen. And besides… 」
I look at Misuzu.
「 This incident is something Misuzu has to take her time and resolve through her actions. Just like how Ruriko took half a year, Misuzu has to change the impression that she’s scary because she’s the daughter of the Kouzuki house. That’s why even if I call an emergency meeting, and tell them to not be afraid of Misuzu, nothing will change in their minds. This is just a trial for Misuzu to conquer. I’m here to support her, but I’m not going to deal with it 」
「 Danna-sama 」
Misuzu hugs me tighter.
「 I can’t change the fact that Misuzu is born into the Kouzuki house, I can’t change the past she had with the children in that school. Misuzu’s currently influenced by her past, and so it’s inevitable, but you can still change the future. If you work on getting people to understand you better, then you can get rid of the image that Misuzu from the Kouzuki house is scary. No, that’s all you can do. It won’t happen right away, but take your time 」
I tell Misuzu. Kuromiya Motoko-san feels sullen.
「 What Kuromori-sama’s saying is just lip service! People won’t obey unless you put strong pressure from above! No matter how much you tell them, they will only understand what they want to 」
She tells me.
But…
「 Yeah, probably. I’m only speaking my idealistic thoughts. You can call it lip service all you want 」
I…
「 But, that doesn’t mean that you have to give up! People keep struggling with their ideals until they die! That’s why I’ll do the same, I’ll struggle to the end! And so, Misuzu, struggle! Fight! 」
I said.
「 Being alive means that you’ll be fighting against your past and your destiny forever! You have to keep your fighting pose and face it! That’s why Misuzu also has to fight the shadow of the Kouzuki house all the time! 」
「 I was wrong. I was under the illusion that the Kouzuki house’s power would allow me to become Danna-sama’s number 1. I thought that it’s natural for me to stay by Danna-sama’s side. I got carried away 」
Misuzu says while crying.
「 I was watching Ruriko’s efforts, and yet, I haven’t done any effort to blend in with everyone. That’s why it’s normal for them to have a bad impression of me. I was a bad girl, I’m sorry 」
「 How about telling them your honest feelings right now, Misuzu-san? 」
Megu suggested, but…
「 No, words alone aren’t enough. She has to make them understand through her actions bit by bit 」
I think.
「 Danna-sama’s right I’ll persevere through all this pain 」
「 Yeah, go for it. I’m right behind you 」
I embraced Misuzu’s body once again.
Yeah, her body loosened up and became soft compared to earlier.
She feels a bit refreshed after talking out her thoughts to me.
「 I cannot understand why Misuzu-sama and Kuromori-sama would do something so irrational and time-consuming 」
Kuromiya-san said.
「 You won’t understand. The world isn’t as rational as you think it is, and you can’t good results from anything if you don’t take your time 」
Minaho-neesan tells Kuromiya-san.
「 Yo-chan, that’s three minutes 」
Yeah, I have to go back to the room.
「 See you tomorrow, Misuzu 」
I didn’t kiss her.
I’ll feel sorry for Mariko and the girls if I kiss her here.
「 Yes, thank you 」
Misuzu let go.
「 Then, I’m going back 」
I told Minaho-neesan.
「 Yes, sorry for this 」
Minaho-neesan looks at Kuromiya-san and the girls.
「 It’s just that these two wanted to see your true nature by all means 」
I look at Kuromiya-san, who still looks dissatisfied.
「 In the end, just what kind of person Kuromiya-san is? 」
These two pushed in, saying that they want to be my concubines.
This beauty, perfect in cooking and housework, and is a spear master, a highly-skilled fighter, a daughter of a combat n.o.ble family.
「 Your chaperone 」
Minaho-neesan said.
「 Remember, Kouzuki-sama gave the Kouzuki SS to you, didn’t he? 」
I’m the owner of the Kouzuki SS.
A security company with the strongest personnel, protecting everyone from the politics and business VIPs to the n.o.bility. They’re under my control.
「 That’s why the n.o.ble families are afraid of you. They think that you might cause the Kouzuki SS to go haywire 」
Well yeah, a mere high school boy is the head of the Kouzuki SS]
I also feel the same fear.
「 Currently, Kouzuki and Kaan house are uniting the n.o.ble families, but they’re no va.s.sals of the two, and so when they sense danger they prepare a deterrent 」
And that’s Kuromiya-san?
「 It’s the same people who are afraid of Misuzu-san. Regardless of what kind of a person you are, people who have great power are feared from that alone. That’s also true in your case. To the n.o.bility, holding to the Kouzuki SS is a threat. They fear you 」
Minaho-neesan said.
「 So, I’m given the task of going in here, and finding out what kind of a person Kuromori-sama is, and at the same time, stop him in case of emergencies 」
Kuromiya-san said.
「 The n.o.bility isn’t a monolith. All families have to follow Kouzuki-sama and Kaan-sama, but they want to judge for themselves if that instruction was the right one or not. And if there’s a problem, they would deal with it without Kouzuki-sama and Kaan-sama seeing 」
Meaning, Kuromiya-san’s here as a spy from the Kuromiya house.
And, she’s also an a.s.sa.s.sin who will dispose of me if I try to send instructions to the Kouzuki SS that will be troublesome to the n.o.bility.
「 Taking in these girls will also carry that risk 」
Minaho-neesan tells me.
Kuromiya-san;
「 As a concubine, I also am ready to serve with my mind and body as soon as I arrived here. Kurumi and I will offer our purity, and even become pregnant with a child. Although, we will do our best to stop Kuromori-sama if he tries to attack other n.o.ble families 」
I see. So they’re that kind of person.
「 What do we do, Yo-chan? Are we taking them in? 」
Nei says with a smile.
「 Now’s not the time to decide. I still don’t know much about Kuromiya-san and Mikuriya-san 」
They don’t always make that unreliable look at their face.
I know that Kuromiya-san also has an intellectual and cold expression.
「 I take my time on deciding what I don’t need to rush. There’s no answer right now 」
I said.
「 Anyway, we’ll deal with Kuromiya-san tomorrow 」
I have to go back to the girls I put on hold tonight.
「 Good night, Misuzu, Minaho-neesan, Ya-chan, Megu, Michi 」
Then…
「 Kuromiya-san and Mikuriya-san, good night. See you tomorrow 」
「 Good night. Kuromori-sama 」
「 Good night 」
Kuromiya-san goes back to their “young lady” face and bowed their heads.
「 Good night, Yo-chan! 」
「 Send Mariko-san and the girls our regards 」
「 Good night! 」
「 Good night, Master 」
Nei, Megu, Minaho-neesan, and Michi told me.
Then.
「 Good night, Danna-sama 」
Misuzu bows her head to me.
「 I’ll refrain from the usual ritual for tonight and tomorrow morning as well 」
Yeah, Misuzu’s peeing display.
I guess she doesn’t want to give Mariko and the girls have any more bad impressions.
「 Yeah got it. See you tomorrow 」
I said with a smile. Then open the door where Mariko and the girls are waiting.
I entered. Closed the door, and locked it.
「 Sorry, I’m done now. No more interruptions 」
Turning around to the oversized bed where the girls were…
「 Welcome back, n.o.bu 」
「 What do you think, Kou? 」
「 How is it? 」
「 It’s embarra.s.sing 」
「 Uhm 」
「 Err 」
「 Please take a look 」
Kana-senpai, Mariko, Erica, Sakurako, Marika, Arisu, and Karen.
The seven beauties took off their panties.
They’re all spreading their legs, showing me their genitals, lined up on the bed.
「 Now, let’s do it, n.o.bu! 」
Kana-senpai looks at me with craving eyes.