Chapter 1421. Next Mission / The taste of Bread
「 You’re late. Matsumoto-san and everyone got in the car first 」
Getting to the entrance, Minaho-neesan was already there.
She’s wearing her usual black suit.
「 Yeah, sorry 」
「 Don’t apologize, I was listening to what you were doing. 」
There’s a small room at the entrance connected to the surveillance system in the mansion.
Minaho-neesan was listening to our conversation in the bathroom there.
It’s the usual so I don’t mind.
「 Michi-san, we’ll use your suggestion with the Mizushima pharmaceuticals 」
Minaho-neesan told Michi.
「 Kou, can I ask you to move Kouzuki SS? 」
I’m the owner of Kouzuki SS so Minaho-neesan asks for my permission.
Minaho-neesan’s also working on the information a.n.a.lysis at Kouzuki SS.
「 I want to spread some rumors about Mizushima pharmaceuticals over the net 」
As expected, it’s an information operation, not a bodyguard.
「 Yeah, I don’t mind. If Minaho-neesan thinks it’s good then do it 」
I agree with it all.
「 Then, I’ll give the instructions while driving 」
If she’s sending instructions via her phone while in the car, that means that Minaho-neesan isn’t driving.
But…
The Matsumoto siblings, Igarashi Izumi, Marika, Minaho-neesan, Michi, Kurose Anju, Luna, and Mariko are also joining.
We can’t fit them in one car so we’ll need two cars, but…
If Minaho-neesan isn’t driving, who will?
「 Oh, finally here. Well then, get in the second car with the new girl and Luna-chan. Minaho and Kudou-chan will be in my car 」
The woman standing at the front door without making any footsteps.
Err, who.
Who are you again?
「 It’s me! Me! Don’t look at me like I’m someone suspicious! 」
What?
Did we have someone this old in the mansion?
It looks like she’s around 60.
Her hair has a lot gray, and she’s wearing large gla.s.ses with chains.
She’s wearing an expensive suit. Carrying a purse.
Her kind plump face has a tall nose, looking like a foreigner.
And yet, her hair ad clothes look elegant.
It doesn’t match her blunt speech at all.
「 Kou, that’s Kyouko-san 」
Minaho-neesan laughs.
「 Huh? 」
Kyouko-san’s not this old, her physique looks much more st.u.r.dy, and she wears masculine clothing.
「 This is one of my disguises. Though I say that, this is also my real look 」
Kyouko-san tells us while laughing.
「 The name is Chemin Koda. 63. Born in Hong Kong. Her father’s a j.a.panese-British, Bright Koda. Her mother’s Mirai, and her sister’s Anne Hathaway Koda. They went from Hong Kong to France to study the history of the fine art exchange between j.a.pan and Europe at Sorbonne University. After that, she came to her father’s roots, j.a.pan. Currently, she’s working full-time as a senior researcher at the Kouzuki Center for Global Cultural exchange 」
She mentions Kouzuki.
「 This is part of my contract with the old man. Something of insurance for me in case anything happens 」
In case the police almost catch Kyouko Messer.
She could just escape the country as Chemin Koda.
If her job is at a world cultural exchange center, then traveling to and from j.a.pan and other countries won’t look weird.
「 I get paid a monthly salary by Kouzuki world cultural exchange center, and my name is also on the staff list. After a few years, they do things like move departments or pa.s.s on some positions. I show up at events sponsored by the center, from time to time to show that I’m an actual employee. Of course, I also have a rented room at a high-rise apartment in Tokyo under the name of Chemin Koda. Also, I’m doing Instagram as Chemin Koda 」
Kyouko-san’s an international criminal, so she’s thorough with things.
There are no flaws in her disguise.
「 Well, when putting on this disguise, I have to put on some Chanel suit 」
I see. Her clothes and bags are all Chanel.
But…
「 Uhm, Kyouko-san’s coming with us? 」
Kyouko-san’s always watching us over, but…
She doesn’t help out directly most of the time.
She’s always educating us with the mindset to wipe our own a.s.ses.
「 This one’s a special case. You’ve taken Dolly and the girls in a lot more smoothly than I thought 」
Kyouko-san brought Dolly and the girl a.s.sa.s.sins from a Southeast Asian crime syndicate.
「 That’s why I thought of helping out a bit. If you’re trying to deceive an upstart old man, then Minaho’s not enough for that 」
Kyouko-san describes the grandfather of the Matsumoto siblings, who raised a drugstore chain in just one generation as an upstart.
「 Old geezers don’t trust people because they’re younger. You’ll need someone with certain age and certain status to be able to negotiate with them 」
I see.
To me, a high-school guy, Minaho-neesan’s already an adult woman, but…
Minaho-neesan’s just 28.
To Matsumoto-san’s grandfather, she looks young.
「 Well, leave it to me. I’ll show you an example of how to deal with old men 」
Kyouko-san, who transformed herself into a white-haired elegant lady laughs.
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「 We’ve been waiting, please get in the car 」
Kinosh*ta-san’s the driver of the second car I’m riding.
She’s also my personal bodyguard.
Kinosh*ta-san got off the driver’s seat and opened the door for us.
We’re using a black limousine.
It’s amazingly gorgeous, it is large enough to fit more than ten people.
This is the kind of care we don’t have in the mansion, so Minaho-neesan must’ve had it prepared.
Looking inside the window and I saw Marika, Matsumoto Maki, Miki, and Igarashi Izumi.
Igarashi Izumi removed the flashy makeup she used to intimidate us, but she’s still wearing the black leather jacket over her uniform.
Then, Mariko’s also in.
Then.
「 Ruriko’s coming too? 」
Ruriko’s wearing a cla.s.sy expensive dress instead of her uniform.
She also has a pendant with real gems and a watch.
She’s dressing as if she’s going to a three-star restaurant in a first-cla.s.s hotel.
「 Yes, Onii-sama 」
Ruriko welcomed me with a smile.
「 Heard that I’m not enough 」
Mariko speaks dissatisfied.
「 Well, it can’t be helped. Having the daughter of the Kouzuki house would make a stronger impression than the daughter of the president of Torii electronics 」
The Matsumoto siblings can’t continue their music studies after their father died of illness.
Their Grandfather doesn’t understand music and wants them to stop to go to regular school instead.
He’s also trying to force Matsumoto Miki-san to sell the violin her Father bought for her.
And so, the job today is to persuade the grandfather of the siblings to allow them to continue their music studies.
「 It’s true that I happen to like Matsumoto-san’s music, so I could ask Father to use Torii Electronics’ scholarship program so Matsumoto-san and her sister could have enough money to continue studying music, thus, they no longer need financial support from their grandfather. Then I could ask him to leave them alone. But that’s not too credible 」
Mariko smiled wryly.
We had that conversation earlier.
「 If you look up at the Torii Electronics’ scholarship program, you can see that they’re currently not accepting any applicants, and middle school students aren’t even eligible 」
So it would be weird to think that the Matsumoto siblings get their scholarship at this time.
It would be impossible to deceive the elder like that.
「 But, isn’t it the same for the Kouzuki house? 」
I looked at Ruriko.
The idea of Ruriko, a middle school girl asking Jii-chan, to pay for the expenses of the Matsumoto siblings…
That doesn’t sound credible either.
「 No. Kou, this is completely different 」
Mariko said.
「 It’s the Kouzuki house! The Kouzuki group. Torii house is incomparable when it comes to tradition, prestige, and corporate size. Ruriko-san is their young lady, so people think that she can make things happen, no matter how absurd it is 」
「 I appeared on TV for situations like this 」
Ruriko.
Ruriko recently organized her own TV show to introduce the Kouzuki house and the art within the Kouzuki mansion.
Ruriko’s the guide of that show.
Her program appears during prime time and she’s getting favorable reception.
Ruriko plans to make a series of shows in which she introduces the treasures pa.s.sed down in the homes of various n.o.ble families.
「 I’m using the recognition I gained as Kouzuki Ruriko as an ace card 」
If the other party knows the face and name of the young lady of the Kouzuki house, then negotiations are easier.
「 Many would want to be acquainted with the Kouzuki house 」
Mariko smiled wryly.
「 As far as I know, most of the people at the top of the major corporations watch Ruriko’s show. Even Father mentions that it’s a topic even among parties. 」
「 But, that’s only for those big business owners like Torii Electronics, right? 」
I asked Mariko.
「 People like them have socialized with the n.o.bility, so they would be interested in a program in which the daughter of the Kouzuki house introduces their treasures, which isn’t usually open to the public 」
Matsumoto-san’s grandfather runs a drugstore chain.
Is it an industry that can interact with n.o.ble families?
「 That’s not a problem, Matsumoto-san’s grandfather probably doesn’t have contact with the n.o.ble families but I’m sure that some of the people at the companies he does business with have relationships with them 」
Mariko smiled.
「 In business, they don’t just cut down to the chase. They also do small talks. Then, Ruriko-san’s name will naturally come up. Especially with the people he’s dealing with 」
Matsumoto Elder may not show interest in the Kouzuki house, but it will be a topic of conversation with other business owners.
「 If that’s the case, Matsumoto-san’s Grandfather will also tune in to Ruriko’s show to match with the conversation. If he’s a man who started a small drugstore and turned it into a hundred drugstore chain, then naturally, he put on some effort 」
I see.
Compared to Mariko, who could name herself as the daughter of Torii electronics, despite not being acquainted…
It has more impact to bring Ruriko, a young lady of n.o.bility, the show has appeared on TV.
「 Oh, so that’s why Kyouko-san’s dressed like that 」
I figured it out.
Kouzuki house’s Ruriko will show up with the 60+-year-old Kouzuki World Cultural Exchange center employee.
「 Indeed. Ruriko asked, and so the Kouzuki house is going to pay for the scholarship of the Matsumoto siblings from the Kouzuki house’s world cultural exchange center or something like that 」
Mariko smiles.
「 That’s how it will be in reality. Maki-san and Miki-san, don’t worry about your tuition and living expenses now 」
Ruriko said with a soft smile.
「 Kouzuki house will shoulder them all 」
Maki-san, Miki-san, and Igarashi Izumi-san who forcibly came together with the sisters fell silent with a confused look.
I guess the situation isn’t acceptable.
「 Don’t worry, believe in us 」
Marika holds Maki-san’s hand with a smile.
「 Okay, everyone’s wearing their seatbelts? Then let’s depart! 」
Kinosh*ta-san says from the driver’s seat.
The black Benz in front of our limousine starts its engine.
The headlights turn on.
The other car has another driver.
Kinosh*ta-san also starts her engine.
「 We’re departing!! 」
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Our cars went from the mansion to the site without problems.
Ruriko’s the daughter of the Kouzuki house, and she’s going out of town, so the three cars from Kouzuki SS parked outside the mansion came together as an escort.
The police don’t follow us.
They didn’t see Kyouko-san’s disguise.
The police seem to think that it’s a Kouzuki house’s outing, so it had nothing to do with Kyouko Messer.
「 Onii-sama, you didn’t find time to eat earlier, please enjoy the refreshments in the car 」
Ruriko hands me some food packs.
Looking at the middle, the sandwich has cheese, ham, and lettuce.
「 We had our meals while Onii-sama was getting ready 」
While I was having s.e.x with Karen in the bathroom.
「 Thanks, who made this? 」
I asked Ruriko.
「 Sakurako-oneesama and Kurumi-chan made it 」
Oh, speaking of which, I saw them in the kitchen.
「 Luna-chan, Kurose-san too. Mitchi’s share is in the other car 」
Ruriko hands the two who were with me sandwiches too.
「 As for drinks, we’re in the car, so I’m sorry for this 」
She gives me a bottle of black tea.
「 This was from the leftover pastries made at the mansion, right? 」
I ask while eating.
Ruriko and the girls made souvenir pastries from the mansion for today’s school festival.
Then, Rei-chan brings over the finished products to school.
They stopped halfway to check on the customers but some of the pastries were already in the oven.
「 Yes. When Onii-sama told us that it was enough, we still had a lot that was ready to some extent 」
Ruriko replied.
「 Agnes-chan and the girls worked hard in the mansion today. Among the new girls, there’s one who progressed quickly 」
Some of the girl a.s.sa.s.sins showed interest and made it enthusiastically.
I’ll check later on who joined.
I shouldn’t talk much about the girl a.s.sa.s.sins in front of Matsumoto-san and her group.
There was the fuss just earlier.
「 I’ll give my thanks to Agnes and the girls later on 」
Seriously, because of the fuss right after coming home…
I didn’t even get to thank everyone who helped
「 Yes. And so, Onii-sama 」
「 what? 」
「 Uhm, I’ve packed up some of the extra pastry in bags and gave them to the people in front of the mansion 」
Ruriko?
You gave some pastry to Kouzuki SS and the police?
「 We gave away some of the pastries we made at the school festival, Reika-oneesama and Agnes-san were with me 」
Rei-chan, Ruriko, and Agnes?
Huh, why?
「 It was Agnes-chan’s idea. That it’s better if we give the remaining pastries to the people in front of the mansion 」
Agnes did that?
「 And so, they were sending us off with a smile on their face 」
Ruriko said. I’m surprised.
I didn’t even check on the faces of the police.
I see.
Since Ruriko, who gave them pastries, is going outside.
The police were sending her off with a smile.
「 I’m sorry for telling you after the event. But, I thought that it was a good suggestion. 」
Ruriko bows her head.
「 No, I don’t see the problem. I also think that’s a good idea 」
Rei-chan’s famous as she’s the ace of Kouzuki SS.
Ruriko’s a young lady of the Kouzuki house.
Then, Agnes, a blonde beauty.
The three of them gave them some hand-baked pastries, so loosen the tension of the police that were monitoring us.
Kouzuki SS people seem happy too.
Not bad.
Also…
Agnes made that suggestion.
「 Delicious 」
I bite on the sandwich.
Six months ago, Agnes, who never left the bas.e.m.e.nt before, was completely unaware of the world outside.
I’m happy that Agnes’ heart is growing.
「 Delicious 」
Luna tells Kurose Anju who’s sitting next to her.
「 Yes, I’m a little hungry so this helps 」
Kurose Anju’s a little nervous, but she’s following the ironclad rules of bodyguards of eating whenever they can.
Then.
「 I can’t cancel my request anymore, can I? 」
Matsumoto Maki-san, suddenly speaks up.
「 Is it okay for us to meet Grandfather? 」
That’s…