Chapter 1380. School Festival Day 2 / Minnesota’s Homeless
We went back to the mansion from the courtyard and then…
「 Hey, Morning 」
Black, suit, black hat, red shirt, and a thin tie.
Kudou-papa’s eating toast ham and eggs for breakfast at the terrace.
Next to him is a white blonde stranger.
She’s wearing denim hotpants, a sleeveless black leather vest, and a headband with a fancy rose flower embroidery on her head.
Also, there’s a large bird feather on the headband.
She looks like a foreigner with her flashy appearance, and her body is well built and quite beautiful.
She’s also eating breakfast together with Kudou-papa.
The girl a.s.sa.s.sins put on their guard at the appearance of a stranger.
「 They’re no enemies. Anya, tell them to get in that room. Everyone else can have breakfast in the dining room. Edie, Rei-chan, and Yomi can stay 」
I gave my instructions
「 You heard Yoshin.o.bu-kun, now get in 」
「 Yes, we’re having breakfast! 」
Margo-san and Nei took the initiative and let the members of the morning training get inside.
Anya also led the girl a.s.sa.s.sins inside.
「 Why are you eating outside? 」
I asked him straight away.
「 Well, it’s because you don’t let anyone outside your family in so it can’t be helped 」
Oh, so it doesn’t stir up the girl a.s.sa.s.sins.
Kudou-papa’s Michi’s father so he’s close to our family, but…
He’s not part of the family.
We have many things in the Black Forest we haven’t told Kudou-papa.
Besides, he’s got a newcomer this time.
「 I don’t have any jobs at your school like I did yesterday 」
Kudou-papa says while he eats a piece of toast with melted b.u.t.ter on it.
Just as Minaho-neesan mentioned earlier, there won’t be any events that’ll put Kouzuki SS rebels in motion.
「 I’m driving for your boss today so I’m here this morning 」
Minaho-neesan?
Minaho-neesan’s been in this mansion this morning, but she’s gonna head to the new brothel to pick up the prost.i.tute cadets.
Four of them, namely, Misato, Momoka, Setsuna, and Nozomi will help out at the bakery today.
Minaho-neesan gave permission for them to experience the school event.
I guess Minaho-neesan asked Kudou-papa to guard her since she has a lot to do today.
「 So, Kudou-san, who is this? 」
Rei-chan asks Kudou-papa.
「 Oh, she’s my new hire. Well, I thought I’d introduce her to you guys first 」
Kudou-papa belongs to the shadow crew of Kouzuki SS, and he’s contracted with various freelancers.
「 Then that means she’s also a freelancer? 」
Well, it’s usually the freelance who dress up suspiciously after all.
「 No, I hired her to my Kudou detective agency. That means that she’s my employee and I’m her boss 」
「 That’s right, he’s my boss 」
The blonde foreign girl speaks in broken j.a.panese.
Still, it has that same style as Edie.
She could be acting it out, she might be able to speak j.a.panese just fine.
「 Yeah, Polly, introduce yourself. This boy’s the owner of the fearsome Kouzuki SS 」
Kudou-papa smiled wryly and urged the foreign woman.
「 Okay, nice to meet you. My name’s Polly. Pleased to meet you, pleased to meet you 」
She makes a pose with one hand thrust upwards while she smiles.
「 Oh, sorry. I showed Polly the video of “Jirocho Sangokushi” last night to help her learn j.a.panese 」
Err.
「 Polly-san, what’s your full name? 」
Rei-chan asks.
Rei-chan’s a top elite of the Kouzuki SS, so she’s looking not just at the bodyguards in j.a.pan, but also abroad.
「 It’s Polly Hatter 」
Polly Hatter
「 Can you use magic? 」
Rei-chan asks with a smile.
「 Nononono, I’m a Ninja, I don’t use magic 」
「 Oh, Polly from Minnesota 」
Minnesota, Ninja.
「 Minnesota’s where I was born. Their seas are beautiful. Minnesota’s a great place, try going there 」
「 Err, it’s in America, right? 」
I know that Minnesota’s one of the USA’s states, but I don’t know where it’s located.
Oh, Edie, who knows a lot is remaining silent and smiling.
Edie seems to know something.
But, she’s smiling so she doesn’t see Polly-san as a bad person.
「 That’s right. Minnesota’s in the states. The USA! The USA! And I’m a ninja from Minnesota. Do you understand? 」
Hmm.
「 I don’t get it. What do you mean by Minnesota Ninja? 」
Do America even have Ninjas?
「 Oh good heavens! You don’t know the history of Minnesota so it’s understandable, but I’m still shocked 」
「 Oh, sorry 」
「 The history of Ninjas in Minnesota is old, they’ve been around for 650 years 」
What?
「 Besides, ninjas born in Minnesota date back in John Maynard Keynes Era, which is also called Minnesota’s warring states era 」
Even Minnesota had warring states?
「 When John Cage, the one they call the Oda n.o.bunaga of Minnesota, was defeated by John Carpenter, called the Akechi Mitsuhide of Minnesota, in the battle of John McEnroe, it was called the Honnoji incident in Minnesota? 」
Hmmmmm?
「 John Scatman, the Tokugawa Ieyasu of Minnesota, happened to be in town with John Elton, the Sakai of Minnesota. John Scatman brought only a small force with him, determined to escape the town, but at the time, a ninja from the town of John Ken Nuzzo, the Iga no Sato of Minnesota, saved John Scatman. That’s the oldest ninja record in Minnesota history 」
Err.
「 The leader of the Ninja at that time was John Shepherd, who later became known as the Hattori Hanzo of Minnesota. He would later undergo the Tommy John surgery, the gate he guarded stands as the John Shepherd’s gate, like Hanzomon, and its name is Minnesota Metro 」
Something’s weird.
「 The thirteenth generation of descendants of John Shepherd are John Kabila, John Travolta, and John Man Jirou, who were my Ninjutsu masters. Isn’t that amazing? No really. It’s amazing. 」
Oh, I get it.
「 Polly-san’s just making it all up, right? 」
I said.
「 Who am I then? 」
Oh.
「 You’re Agrippina 」
Rei-chan said with a smile.
「 That’s right 」
「 Polly-san, not. Agrippina-san answered in flawless j.a.panese 」
Then.
「 You need to study a bit more, but that honesty of yours is cute 」
She smiled at me.
「 It’s okay, we prefer the honest Darling 」
Edie replied.
「 What do you mean by that, Edie? 」
I asked.
「 Minnesota’s got no sea. They have five great lakes, but…
Oh, speaking of which, Agrippina-san mentioned that the seas are beautiful.
「 Also, Darling, what year did Columbus discover the “New World?” 」
「 If I recall, it was 1492 」
「 So there’s no chance that Minnesota Ninjas had a history for 650 years. The natives weren’t Ninjas after all 」
Now that she mentioned it.
「 Also, Minnesota’s got no subways. I mean, there aren’t that many cities in the world that have subways 」
Rei-chan told me.
「 That’s why I’m telling you to study more 」
Agrippina-san laughs.
「 No, he’s fine that way 」
Kudou-papa.
「 The most important thing for him now is whether you’re an enemy or not, right? 」
「 That’s right. There’s no need for any unnecessary knowledge. That’ll only cloud Darling’s judgment 」
「 He might’ve decided that you were an enemy the moment you said that the ocean in Minnesota is beautiful. One lie can make you think that the other party is just bad at lying 」
Kudou-papa’s right.
One lie brings in doubt, and you stop believing and think that the other party is an enemy.
「 Speaking of which, he never doubted me 」
Agrippina-san looked at me.
「 That’s because he trusts you Kudou, right? You brought me so he didn’t see me as a threat, right? 」
「 Trust me? You must be joking, out of that whole group of people, he asked the strongest to remain here 」
Rei-chan, a top elite of Kouzuki SS.
Edie, who learned skills from the a.s.sa.s.sination cult.
Yomi, who has the Miko power.
「 If he trusts me, then the three of them aren’t here 」
「 I wonder? If it were me I’ll also keep Nikita Gorbachev-san here. She’s enough as a bodyguard 」
Nikita is Anya’s codename in the criminal syndicate.
「 She won’t do. You know her since you’re an undercover agent. That’s why he picked these people instead 」
There’s that, but I also need someone to take care of the girl a.s.sa.s.sins so I had to pick between Anya and Edie.
「 Meaning, he left his three biggest defenses with him. He doesn’t trust me at all. He tried to see what kind of person you are with his eyes 」
「 Darling certainly doesn’t know enough about the world, but he looks straight at people, and tries to understand them through his skin 」
「 And, it seems that he sees you as a good person 」
Kudou-papa, Edie, and Rei-chan said.
「 I’m a good person? 」
「 That’s right, Darling feels that you’re joking with him, but he doesn’t feel malice. That’s why he sees it as a joke, and he’s not angry at you 」
「 You should know that Sensei’s scary when angry 」
Yomi who had been quiet all this time said.
「 People often play jokes with me. But, I can tell if their expressions or speech are filled with ill intent. Agrippina-san didn’t have that 」
「 Oh, I see 」
Agrippina-san’s got a confused look.
「 Darling’s the one who makes decisions in our family. As for knowledge, wit, and strength, they’re handled by people who are good at it in the family. Darling can remain as he is 」
「 Oh, I finally get why he’s not the boss and others are subordinates, you’re structured like a family 」
「 That’s right 」
Edie said and looked at me.
「 Let’s go, Darling, I’m also getting hungry 」
She invites me to the dining room.
「 Yeah, let’s do that. We need to hurry with our meals or we won’t have time for the school festival. Then, Kudou-san, take care of Minaho-neesan’s security. Also, Agrippina-san, let’s meet again 」
I greeted them.
「 Meet again? 」
Agrippina-san smiles.
「 You’re not an enemy today, but your work can get you on the other side someday 」
「 Can you hold back if that happens? 」
「 Nah, if that happens, sorry but you’re doing down, so I send my regards in that meaning 」
I look at Agrippina-san straight in her eye and said.
「 Oh boy, you sure are upfront, I like it 」
Agrippina-san laughs.
「 Hey, just between you and me… 」
Kudou-papa said.
「 I don’t know much about your house, but you got the female talents from a professional entertainment group, right 」
Kudou-papa knows that Minaho-neesan took over the women’s division of Death Star Productions.
「 That’s right, what about it? 」
「 You see, you should try to make a contract with Dai Grepher 」
Dai Grepher?
「 No, but that guy… 」
「 Yeah, as you know, he’s a hard lolicon. But, he’s got a self-imposed rule that he’ll only watch from a distance and never touch them 」
Well, I get that, but…
「 But, why make a contract with Dai Grepher? 」
「 Well, you know that talent agencies got some kind of violent group attached to them, right? 」
Kudou-papa said.
「 If you want to start working in the entertainment industry, then the fun guys will try out things on you. Let Dai Grepher deal with them before they could 」
So, making Dai Grepher deal with the hara.s.sers from other entertainment agencies before they could attack?
「 You don’t need to pay him much, just promise him some preferential invitations to concerts of cute idols, or handshake tickets every month and that’s enough to seal the deal 」
It’s a cheap deal.
「 Okay, I’ll tell Minaho-neesan. Thanks, Kudou-san 」
「 Sure 」
Kudou-papa resumed eating his breakfast toast.
「 Agrippina-san too 」
「 Oh, see you again boy 」
「 Excuse us then 」
I bow to the two of them. Rei-chan and Yomi bowed together with me.
Edie joined and the four of us entered the mansion.
「 Reika, who was she? 」
Edie asks while walking in the corridor.
「 She’s one of the best bodyguards. If Kyouko-san’s a world-cla.s.s criminal, Julia Agrippina’s the internationally renowned guru in security 」
She’s that famous?
「 So, why is she at our place? 」
「 That’s what I don’t know 」
Edie and Rei-chan said.
「 Minaho-oneesama hired her 」
Yomi said.
「 I read her thoughts 」
Minaho-neesan hired Agrippina-san?
「 Oh, now I get why she’s with Kudou-san 」
Rei-chan?
「 Both of them are Minaho-san’s bodyguard today 」
Meaning, Minaho-neesan is in a situation where she has to hire her?
「 Is it going to be okay? 」
That makes me worry.
「 I’ll contact Shou-oneesama after we’re done with breakfast, so it should be okay. 」
Rei-chan holds my shoulders.
Shou-neechan should be able to guard Minaho-neesan using the Kouzuki SS.
「 That’s right, let Minaho take care of herself, Darling still has things to do today.
It’s the last day of the school festival today.
I have my job to bake pastry.
「 Also, with Kudou-san and Julia Agrippina guarding her, they can repel any enemy that comes along. They’re out of this world in their skill 」
Rei-chan said.
◇ ◇ ◇
「 Hurry up and eat 」
Katsuko-nee urged us as soon as we reached the dining room.
「 Where’s Minaho-neesan? 」
「 Just left, she’s going to the garage now 」
I was late. Kudou-papa and Agrippina-san must be with her to the station.
「 Hurry, we’re busy today! 」
Katsuko-nee’s head is already filled with the school festival and the bakery.
「 Ai-chan and Mana-chan went to the bakery. I’m going there too, Motoko-san can I leave the kitchen to you? 」
「 Yes, Kurumi and I will take care of this 」
It’s Sunday, so they’re also having a day off from their school.
It saves us that we have Motoko here, as she’s good at housework.
「 Here, Onii-sama, Edie-oneesama, Reika-oneesama 」
Ruriko brings us a plate of ham and eggs.
「 Thanks for the meal 」
I ate breakfast.
「 Agnes-chan will be in the bakery too. I’ll stay here as well 」
Agnes and the girls will be making souvenir pastries to sell at the school festival from this mansion.
「 I’m happy that I can help Onii-sama 」
Agnes and the daughters of n.o.bility aren’t allowed to go to the school festival since there’s an unknown number of strangers there.
Especially Agnes, who’s a half-foreign girl, stands out.
That’s why she’s supporting from the mansion.
「 Kou-san. Can Markika-oneesama come over and watch? 」
Erica asks from the other table.
「 We’re not from the n.o.bility, so… 」
Erica goes to the same school as Ruriko and others, but she’s a daughter of a large accounting and auditing firm and not a daughter of n.o.bility.
Marika, her sister is also taking a break from her school.
「 Sure, but, you need to bring someone to guard you 」
I’m worried about Minaho-neesan’s case, so I told them.
Then.
「 Uhm, Kou-kun 」
Marika comes to my table.
「 Actually, my friend is coming over 」
「 Marika’s friend? From the music school? 」
「 Yes, a dormmate of mine 」
Marika lives in the dorm of a music high school.
「 She wanted to see Kou-kun no matter what 」