「 That was fun 」「 I enjoyed the party 」
The young ladies greet off Misuzu with a smile before they leave the courtyard.
「 I"m glad that you enjoyed the party 」
Misuzu replies with a smile next to me.
Misuzu is the host of today"s party, and so she has to greet off all the young ladies leaving.
「 I want to use this chance to get closer to Misuzu-sama, Ruriko-sama, and Yos.h.i.+ko-sama 」
「 Indeed. You can call us out anytime. Also, please be kind to princess Agnes 」
Misuzu turns around.
I told Agnes to not cling to me during this period, so she had no choice but to stick to Ruriko instead.
Well, the two of them get along anyway. Koyomi-chan"s standing next to them, and Yos.h.i.+ko-san"s over there too.
Mizus.h.i.+ma Karen-san, who just became Misuzu"s servant, is standing by with Michi.
Agnes will surely gather a lot of attention once she enters school.
Or should I say that Agnes stands out because of her half-race? She has the charm to gather attention even in a gathering of beauties.
She has to get used to it, even for a bit.
「 Yes, my little sister is still in elementary, I"ll tell her about it 」
「 Our branch family also has a 6th grader. But, would the princess mind to have friends with a lineage such as ours? 」
The young lady said, Misuzu.
「 Don"t mind it. Princess Agnes is fresh in j.a.pan, I believe she wants to have a lot of friends 」
Correct.
Currently, Agnes has n.o.body but her family.
She hasn"t met someone who can be her friend from a different family, where they attend the same school, but doesn"t sleep together.
Our family will never betray the members.
We"re all sharing the same boat, after all.
If someone"s hurt, they are hurt as well.
Both Agnes and I can only live together with our family.
We don"t open up our hearts to anyone other than our family.
Agnes and I both didn"t have guardians, parents.
Therefore, I"m thankful to Minaho-neesan, who picked us up.
Thankful to Misuzu and the girls who accepted us.
I"m happy to meet this wonderful family, and I have nothing to fear when I"m with my family.
But.
Agnes and I cannot stay spoiled in the warmth of the family.
There is an outside world.
We need to make contact with people outside our family.
If we don"t put our effort into it, we cannot preserve our family.
We cannot close off our family and remain self-sufficient after all.
We need to make contact with the outside world, create a business, earn money.
Someday, both Agnes and I need to earn for our family.
Nagisa and Yukino are both giving birth next year.
Tsukiko also wants to get pregnant as soon as possible.
Our family will increase in numbers.
That is why we want Agnes to learn how to live together with people outside as well.
It"s to transition her from one protected by everyone in the family to one who protects those newly born in the family.
That is why she must make friends outside.
Friends are different from family.
They"re people from different families, they don"t share the same fate as oneself.
They might think and act differently.
Some might lie and show ill-will towards Agnes.
How can she create a good relations.h.i.+p with the outside people?
That is my current worries, and also Misuzu"s.
I want Agnes to experience the same worries we"re having now. I want her to surpa.s.s it.
I want her to grow to a strong girl.
Naturally, I cannot lose to the reality outside as well.
Agnes is always watching me.
I can"t reach failure sooner than Agnes does.
「 Kurodsama, Nagatabsama, thank you for waiting 」
A maid from Kouzuki SS calls over.
「 Yes. We"re coming. Well then, Misuzu-sama, Thank you for inviting us today. See you at school 」
「 I will also excuse myself, good day 」
「 Take care on your way home. Good day, Kurotsama, Nagatabsama 」
Misuzu greets them off.
The other side of the courtyard has some cars coming to get the daughters from each family come from the parking lot in order.
It seems predetermined by Kouzuki SS and each family contact on which young lady goes out first.
Well, that probably depends on the influence of each family.
「 Kaan-sama, Kanou-sama, good day 」
「 Yes, good day to you as well 」
The young ladies leaving greet off Momoko-neechan and Kanou-san.
Momoko-neechan returns the greetings as if she"s the host of the party, but…
Kanou-san does nothing but returns a bow.
Right, those who are in higher status go out last.
It applies to parties and conferences, but it seems the rule applies even at the end of the party.
「 Kuromori-sama, good day 」
Huh, me?
「 Ah, yes, thank you for coming today 」
I bow in a hurry.
The young ladies who were watching me laughed.
「 You have found a sincere man. Misuzu-sama 」
She told Misuzu.
「 I believe Kouzuki house will be at peace with this splendid partner of yours 」
Huh?
Oh, I see. It"s flattery.
They can"t speak ill of me at this moment.
「 Thank you 」
Misuzu replies with a smile.
「 Ojou-sama, let"s go 」
「 Yes, let"s go 」
The bodyguard called the young lady, and she left the courtyard.
「 Next, Mokuhon-sama, Jinai-sama 」
「 My, it"s us. Misuzu-sama, Kaan-sama, Kanou-sama, if you"d excuse us 」
「 Indeed, good day 」
The young ladies are sent home smoothly.
However.
I had to greet them off together with Misuzu until all of them goes home?
It"s hard to be Misuzu"s fiance.
If Misuzu hosts another one of these events, I had to do this again.
No, wait.
What if Ruriko hosts it?
Ah, I knew it, I also have to stand next to Ruriko.
It would be unfair if it"s just Misuzu who receives special treatment.
「 Dannsama, please look at that 」
I look where Misuzu is looking.
Oh, as usual, Rei-chan"s fans gather around her, both young ladies and bodyguards.
On the other side.
Hmmm?
Some bodyguards are surrounding Shou-neechan with a cold look in their faces.
「 I"m no longer talking today 」
Shou-neechan said with a smile.
「 Everyone will come over to do joint training with Kouzuki SS, and so if you have something to ask, please do that at that time. However, please come only when your Master gave permission 」
Oh, it"s those girls who want to part from the family they"re serving and test their strength.
Kouzuki SS has become their point of contact.
They can check the degree of their strength in the joint training.
Families with excess bodyguards will fill in for those lacking.
「 Well, the spy case has made it clear, I think that the families will think about it seriously 」
Momoko-neechan said, laughing.
「 Each family who has servants and bodyguards who served them for years means that they will have it hard 」
Due to the decline of birth rates, most families have no daughters, and the servants guarding the n.o.bility itself is decreasing.
「 It"s hard to hire someone from overseas, like how Mariko did with Adelheid-chan. Although, it"s outrageous to have crime syndicates to push bodyguards to us 」
Momoko-neechan said.
「 So far, each family a.s.sign bodyguards by themselves and other families don"t interject, but, with the case that happened today, I"m sure that everyone will need approval from other families now 」
Tendou Otome sneaked in as Mizus.h.i.+ma Karen-san"s bodyguard one week ago.
Therefore, Tendou Otome shared the same school life with the young ladies for one week.
Naturally, the likelihood of personal information flowing to the Kansai Yakuza exists.
「 Each family has to give approval, or should I say that Kouzuki house will batch it all up? I think it"s a good idea to ask Kouzuki SS to do a background check on the new bodyguards. Kaan house wouldn"t want to go through all that trouble 」
Kanou house lost its momentum, and so they have no a.s.sets to use for research such as that.
「 Kouzuki SS isn"t the only bodyguard company focused on n.o.bility, but we have confidence in Kouzuki-sama. I will talk to my grandfather. I don"t think other families will complain either 」
Moving forward, if a n.o.bility wants to hire a bodyguard for their daughter, they will send a pet.i.tion to Kouzuki house, Kouzuki SS will investigate that bodyguard, and give approval if they don"t find any faults.
Bodyguards Kouzuki SS hasn"t checked yet can"t go to school with the young ladies.
If done habitually, Kouzuki SS can grasp all of their skills, no matter which n.o.bility the bodyguard serves from.
In case that the personality and age don"t fit the young lady, the bodyguard can find another appropriate house and work there instead.
「 Haiji, you mentioned that the foreign bodyguards that graduated from the Academy in Europe are all affiliated with n.o.bility, right? 」
Torii-san asks Adelheid-san with a teasing smile.
Adelheid-san, a self-proclaimed rank license holder, thinks that way, but…
Shou-neechan herself is an alumnus of that academy.
If the other side wants to come to j.a.pan, they will have to consult with Shou-neechan, the top of Kouzuki SS.
n.o.body other than Kouzuki house could do a background check on bodyguards coming from abroad.
Adelheid-san"s recommendations are a bit worrying as she only took the short-term course from the academy, and she"s just 13.
「 It"s not yet too late, you should curry Seki-san"s favor. I think she"ll allow you to get one referral in at least 」
Torii-san said.
Yeah, Adelheid-san can tell Shou-neechan, “This person wants to come to j.a.pan.” Then Kouzuki SS will give it a check to guarantee the ident.i.ty and background.
If that"s the case, Adelheid-san can call out to her friends when she was in Europe and earn a referral fee from them.
Naturally, offering mediation is profitable, but trust is crucial here.
「 I understand. I"m unwilling, but I"ll give it a go 」
Adelheid-san goes to Shou-neechan with her clothes torn out from Anjou Kinuksan"s iron claws, with her legs and panty exposed.
「 Haiji will grow once she gets to know the world more. Her talents are great 」
Torii-san said.
「 That applies to you too, Mariko 」
Momoko-neechan giggled.
Then.
「 Misuzu, Mariko and Adelheid-chan will stay 」
Huh?
「 You still have a lot to deal with, right? Mizus.h.i.+ma house is already dealt with, but, There"s still that spy and the Kurama sisters 」
Momoko-neechan sent a glance on Mizus.h.i.+ma Karen-san and said.
Hearing the name of Kurama sisters, Kanou-san reacted.
「 I would also like to know their situation. And so, I want to stay, but, you know, the shrine maidens are in here, aren"t they? 」
Momoko-neechan smiles.
Kaan Momoko knows about the Takakura shrine maidens.
「 I want to remain in control all the time. I don"t like other people manipulating me. But, I don"t care if other people peek into my thoughts 」
She really is easy-going.
「 Therefore, I won"t stay. But on the other hand, Mariko will stay. Her personality"s unique, isn"t it? I can find it out if the shrine maidens were to change her personality. If that happens, Kaan house and Kouzuki house would be in an all-out war 」
She said with a smile.
「 Momoko-oneesama, what are you talking about? 」
Torii-san asks dumbfoundedly.
Oh, she doesn"t know about Miko power.
I mean, Torii-san would spread the word about it without care.
She doesn"t think of how outrageous it would be to do that.
「 Shrine maidens are all in Dannsama and my control. We will not do anything that impolite, as long as Torii-sama doesn"t force our hand 」
Misuzu replies.
「 Well, I trust you. Misuzu is now my little sister. Mariko, stay over for now and watch the events unfold. I will contact the Torii house personally. They"re no match against Kaan house anyway 」
Oh, Torii-san"s family and Kaan house are close.
「 We might have to stay overnight 」
Ruriko, who"s hugging Agnes, speaks from behind us.
「 I don"t mind. I will stay over the main mansion of the Kouzuki house. Besides, I always stay over Momoko-oneesama"s mansion 」
Torii-san said.
「 If you are to stay over, then you don"t mind following our home tradition, do you? 」
「 Home tradition? I don"t know what"s that, but I"ll surely follow it. I"m now looking forward to it 」
Torii-san laughs, but…
I"m scared of what Ruriko"s saying.
Ruriko"s got some plans when she speaks like that.
「 Momoko-oneesama, there will be no changes with Torii-sama coming from supernatural powers, but you don"t mind Torii-sama changing after spending a night with us, do you? 」
Ruriko told Momoko-neechan.
「 What do you mean? 」
「 Coming in touch with Onii-sama develops people. It happened to me 」
Ruriko smiles.
「 Kou-chan? 」
Momoko-neechan looked at me, curiously.
「 Really? I don"t get it though 」
Then, she speaks to Misuzu.
「 My purpose for today was to see if Kou-chan"s relations.h.i.+p with Misuzu is for good 」
Me?
「 I thought that the Kouzuki house was crazy for choosing an unsophisticated man for their daughter 」
Unsophisticated1?
「 But, I thought that it wasn"t Misuzu"s fault for choosing that kind of man. They often say that lovers are a relations.h.i.+p between equally leveled males and females. That there shouldn"t be someone excelling or inferior 」
Momoko-neechan said.
「 Actually, as I watch the party today, you all didn"t have the composure. Always swearing because you"re doing all the best that you can do, it"s inelegant 」
「 I"m sorry 」
Misuzu apologized.
「 Why apologize? Misuzu"s still young, and it shows everyone that you"re doing your best. Therefore, they hold a good impression of Misuzu, Kouzuki house, and Kou-chan 」
Oh, she"s right.
Misuzu and I didn"t have that much composure.
「 But, if it was me, it will be a much more elegant party. Kaan house will host a party next time, come with Kou-chan 」
「 Yes. Thank you. That was insightful, Momoko-oneesama 」
Misuzu said.
「 But, it"s our family tradition to do all our best to continue even if we don"t have the composure, even if the party isn"t elegant 」
Family tradition?
It"s the same line Ruriko used earlier,
「 Oh, another family tradition? I didn"t know that Kouzuki house had that 」
Momoko-neechan laughs.
「 Wrong. It"s Dannsama"s, Kuromori Kou"s family tradition 」
Misuzu speaks with a straight face.
「 And so, we"ll leave the elegance to Momoko-oneesama 」
「 I see 」
Once again, Momoko-neechan looks at me.
「 Ruriko too? 」
「 Yes. I follow Onii-sama 」
「 Yos.h.i.+ko-san? 」
Momoko-neechan asks. Yos.h.i.+ko-san…
「 Currently, Kouzuki-sama moves with Kou-sama as the center 」
「 B-Bakerata! 」
Agnes suddenly speaks up.
She"s glaring at Momoko-neechan.
Michi"s staring at Momoko-neechan silently.
「 Huh? Princess Agnes-sama 」
Koyomi-chan tries to translate it in a hurry, but,
「 You don"t have to. I can see what she"s trying to say 」
Then.
「 I see. So this is Kou-chan"s influence? 」
「 Yes. Naturally, it has nothing to do with the shrine maidens. Or should I say that the shrine maidens have gone for the better thanks to their contact with Dannsama 」
Misuzu said.
「 Then, Mariko can improve as well? 」
「 Onee-sama?! I"m at my best form already! 」
Torii-san revolted.
「 I don"t have to worry about Kuramsan at least, do I? 」
Momoko-neechan asks. Misuzu;
「 Not just the Kurama sisters, leave the spy from earlier to us 」
「 Hmm. I thought that some unsophisticated man wouldn"t have that power, but 」
She stares into my face.
「 U-Uhm 」
I speak up.
「 What, Kou-chan? 」
「 What do you mean by unsophisticated? 」
I don"t get it?
「 “Bokutotsu” is a person"s name 」
Edie shows up suddenly.
「 Bokutotsu is the name of the king of the Xiongnu empire. He died at 174BC 」
Really?
「 Hey! That"s Modu Chanyu 」
Torii-san shouts.
「 Right, that"s the one we"re talking about 」
「 We"re not talking about that person! 」
Err.
「 Now that you"re here, what were you doing earlier, Edie? 」
I didn"t see her for a while.
「 Monitoring the spy. She tried to escape as soon as she woke up, so I apprehended her 」
Oh, Tendou Otome?
「 So, how is she now? 」
「 She"s now obedient that Tsukiko"s present 」
Haa, I guess that"s okay.
「 Oh my, that"s a lot of trouble. I guess I"ll leave them to you 」
Momoko-neechan said, then she heads to Kanou-san.
「 Mariko"s staying, but Sakurako, you and I are going home 」
She takes Kanou-san"s hand.
「 I-I… 」
「 I know that you"re worried about Kuramsan, but we cannot stay. 」 We have our status to consider 」
The daughters of the big three.
「 I"ll tell you what Mariko and Misuzu report me, so let"s go home tonight. Okay? 」
Momoko-neechan said.
「 O-Okay 」
Kanou-san replies bitterly.