「 Of course, we’re not forcing you. You can take your time and think about it. Reika wants to tell you that 」
Shou-neechan speaks to Adelheid-san with a smile.
「 Fujimiya Reika-san? 」
Adelheid-san is surprised.
「 Indeed, Reika back then was similar to you 」
Back then. Rei-chan before she joined our family.
「 Back then, when she was new to Kouzuki SS, she’s isolated, and she never cooperates with anyone. She does everything herself and never relies on others 」
Yeah, she belongs to the top elites, and yet, she works alone, wearing her gentleman suit.
「 Therefore, she was mentally unstable. She has such high individual ability, but she can’t do any high-level work 」
「 As for me, I’m glad that I’ve entered this family. I don’t have to do everything alone now. Just earlier, when the enemy was concentrating on Darling and Nei, I jumped in, and then Michi dashed inside right after that, we know how we think, how we move, and so we can do it smoothly 」
Edie tells Adelheid-san.
「 I’m confident that someone will follow up for me even if there’s trouble. I won’t get cornered nor have my thoughts all over the place 」
「 That’s because you trained as a team, right? 」
Adelheid-san retorts.
「 Nonono, we’re not a team, we’re a FAMILY. We can’t cooperate like that unless we are one 」
「 What’s the difference? 」
「 The depth of relationship. Our family shares the same fate 」
Edie smiles.
「 It’s a more profound relationship compared to blood-relatives. Darling, Michi, Nei, Mana, Agnes, Mao are all precious to me. More valuable than my life 」
Edie pats Agnes and Mao-chan’s hair.
「 Why? Why would you have such an affinity towards people who aren’t your blood relatives? 」
Adelheid-san asks. Edie.
「 Hmm. It’s basically similar to marriage 」
Marriage?
「 Look, when two people get married, two unrelated people become a family. Isn’t that what usually happens? 」
Edie said.
「 There’s no blood relation, and yet, this is our HOME. And the people that live with us are our FAMILY. They’re people I love 」
「 Oh, I get that 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 I can’t marry in official papers, but it’s inevitable. I’m not an ordinary girl after all 」
Edie?
「 I’m born from an assassination cult. Furthermore, they sold me out 」
Adelheid-san is startled.
「 You’re not the only one born from a worthless place. I’m also born from a messed up place 」
「 But, selling someone off at this age… 」
「 It’s nothing rare. Darling bought Ruriko too 」
Edie looked at me.
「 It’s true. I bought Ruriko from Jii-chan 」
For 3000 yen.
「 Sorry, but there’s no punch line. Ruriko herself knows that she’s sold off. You’re making a big mistake if you think that she’s an ordinary young lady. That girl also lived in a complex environment that she has her own hardships too 」
The life of a young lady of Kouzuki main family isn’t easy.
「 Returning to my story, I escaped from the people who bought me, and I joined in Darling’s family. I was lucky. I’m enjoying my daily life now 」
「 W-Why? 」
Adelheid-san asks nervously.
「 Someone born in the underground world can never officially marry. But, I have my beloved Darling 」
Edie embraces me.
「 Ah, Edie-chan! Agnes too! 」
「 Mao too! Mao too! 」
Agnes and Mao-chan cling to my legs.
「 Then, this is my precious family! Their happiness is my happiness. I have something to protect now. People I treasure, and want to raise with love 」
Edie smiles happily.
「 That’s why Misuzu is Darling’s official partner, but, it’s okay. Misuzu is also a member of my precious family. I love everyone 」
「 I-I see 」
Adelheid-san speaks whisperingly.
「 And right now, you have a decent skill, but if you keep it at that pace, you will never grow. You will stay alone 」
Shou-neechan tells Adelheid-san.
「 In Reika’s case, she joined in Kouzuki SS, and so it was still okay, but in your case, you don’t have any organization affiliation, and it will be difficult for you 」
Adelheid-san looks down.
「 That’s why you left Europe and came to Japan, right? And you had no success in Japan other than Torii-sama who hired you 」
Yeah, Europe needs connections more than Japan.
Especially in bodyguard duties, it influences the nobility.
「 Even when you have the A-rank specialist license from the Academy, there’s hardly any nobility nor organization that wants to accept you. Well, you could’ve lowered your standards, but if you do that, you’ll join in an underground organization, not a security firm 」
Nobody will trust a 13-year-old girl for their safety.
「 But, as mentioned earlier, in Japan, nobility will not hire someone whose origins are unknown as their bodyguard. Well, Torii-sama just happens to be an exception to that, and that’s why they hired you 」
She doesn’t belong to the nobility, but they allow Torii-san to bring a personal bodyguard.
Torii Mariko-san’s Grandfather belongs to nobility and is the head of Kanou house.
Inheriting that blood, she’s accepted as a semi-nobility young lady.
However, Torii house isn’t nobility, and so they couldn’t hire a bodyguard that belongs to the lineage of bodyguards in Japan.
That’s why they had to bring Adelheid-san, who comes from abroad.
「 But, do you want to continue as Torii Mariko-sama’s bodyguard? That seemed fun, but, once she graduates high school, she will dismiss female bodyguards and attendants 」
Because when the young ladies graduate high school, they will have a male bodyguard with them for their daily life.
Bringing a female bodyguard of the same age only applies when they attend school.
「 And in Torii house, only Torii Mariko-sama has the blood of Kanou house. You’ll find no job in Torii house 」
Torii Mariko-san is the only one with the qualifications of a semi-nobility.
「 That’s why come to us 」
Mao-chan tells Adelheid-san.
「 It’s fun over here! Ehehehe 」
Then, Agnes…
「 Mao-chan, plug your ears for a bit 」
「 Eh, why? 」
「 Do it, just place your hands in your ears and say “Aaaaaa” 」
「 Okay, “Aaaaaaa” 」
Mao-chan followed Agnes’ instructions, plugged her ears, and says, “Aaaaaaa.”
「 Can you hear Agnes’ voice? 」
Agnes asks. Mao-chan.
「 Aaaaah! I can’t hear it! Aaaaaah 」
You can hear it.
Agnes nods, then, speaks to Torii-san.
「 Then, keep this a secret from Mao-chan… 」
Eeeeh?
「 There’s a benefit in joining our family! 」
Agnes smiles.
「 You can have sex with Papa! And if you ask for it, he can do it anytime, anywhere, and as many times as you want! 」
Err.
「 It feels great! It melts you in pleasure! There’s no harm in doing it! 」
Look, Agnes.
Adelheid-san is dumbfounded.
「 Mao-chan, it’s okay now 」
「 Aaaah, can I stop now? 」
Mao-chan lets go of her ears.
「 Did you hear anything? 」
「 Nope! I didn’t hear anything! Mao doesn’t know anything until she’s an adult! 」
Mao-chan laughs.
「 It’s not “until Mao-chan is an adult,” it’s when “Papa makes Mao-chan an adult!” 」
「 Oh, right! I misspoke! 」
「 Geez, Mao-chan 」
「 Eheheheh 」
What do I do with these two angels?
「 Well, think about it. For now, let’s eat 」
Shou-neechan said.
Oh right.
The Anjou sisters are already there.
「 Yeah, let’s hurry 」
「 Okay, Onee-san, let’s go 」
Mao-chan pulls Adelheid-san’s hand while she still looks confused.
「 Ah, yes 」
For now, we head to the dining room.
◇ ◇ ◇
「 Ooh, finally here 」
Jii-chan is also in the dining room.
Misuzu, Ruriko, Yoshiko-san, and Torii-san are also here.
Luna, Koyomi-chan, and Mizushima Karen-san are present.
Rei-chan is also here.
「 Usually, the maids are here, but since Katsuko-kun, Yoshiko, and Mana-kun cooked dinner, I thought that it should be just us 」
So he had the servants leave the room.
「 What do you think after seeing this room? 」
Jii-chan asks me.
「 What do I think? It’s extravagant. 」
Like, there’s a chandelier in here.
Also, there are oil paintings on the wall.
「 Is that all? 」
Jii-chan smiled.
「 Err. 」
The overall size is about 12 tatami mats.
There’s a big table in the middle and chairs lined up with it…
It’s similar to the private room of the high-class Chinese restaurant that Minaho-neesan dined before.
But.
「 It’s much smaller than our mansion’s dining room. The table in the middle is too big, and you can’t conduct a party with many people here 」
This is the Kouzuki mansion, and so they hold parties here, but…
This isn’t the room for that.
「 Hmm, this room isn’t for parties. We have a separate room for that 」
Jii-chan said, laughing.
「 The dining room is for the family in this mansion to dine 」
Katsuko-nee comes over, pushing a wagon while smiling.
「 Right. This is a room for the family. We can invite people who are close to us but doesn’t belong to the family, but, well, we have people who don’t belong in my family in here today, but I’ll allow you in as friends 」
Torii-san, Adelheid-san, and Karen-san
「 Huh, where are the Anjou sisters? 」
The combat sisters should be here, but…
「 Oh, those girls are eating on the other room together with their Masters 」
Kurama Misato and Arisu have fallen, and so they’re not allowed to eat in the same room as Jii-chan.
Therefore, Anjou Mitama and Kinuka too.
「 Don’t worry, they have the same dinner as us 」
Katsuko-nee said.
「 I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that Katsuko-kun 」
Huh, Jii-chan.
「 Katsuko-kun, what do you think this room is? 」
Hmm?
「 Well, it’s a room for the family to eat their meal, right? 」
「 Wrong, Onii-chan, it’s not “meal,” but dinner 」
Mana comes in with another meal wagon.
「 Dinner? 」
「 Yes. It’s a place where you eat DINNER, and that’s why it’s called DINING ROOM 」
Yoshiko-san gives me a lesson while carrying another wagon of meals.
「 Wait, it’s only for dinner? What about breakfast? 」
「 It’s on the morning room over there 」
Y-Yoshiko-san, W-What’s morning room?
「 Then, there’s also a lunchroom? 」
Then, Jii-chan and the girls in the room laughed.
Misuzu, Ruriko, and Torii-san.
Mana, Yoshiko-san, and Katsuko-nee.
Nei, Shou-neechan, Rei-chan, and Luna.
Michi, Edie, Agnes, and Mao-chan.
「 Papa, that’s funny! 」
「 Why is Yo-chan so serious at times like this?! 」
They’re not laughing at my stupidity.
They were laughing at my facial expressions.
It’s only Adelheid-san and Karen-san who aren’t laughing.
「 The room for lunch isn’t decided. That’s why there’s no Lunch Room 」
Yoshiko-san teaches me.
「 Most of the time, I eat lunch outside 」
Yeah, if the head of the house doesn’t eat dinner here, then there’s no need for a room for that.
「 Remember this, Danna-sama. You need to learn this when other nobility invites you to their home 」
Misuzu tells me.
Right, if I get in the dining room of a mansion of someone I don’t know,
If I head to the dining room for breakfast after staying over, they’ll laugh at me.
「 I don’t think any other families follow the morning and dining rooms unless they are an old family, just like Kouzuki-sama 」
Torii-san tells Misuzu.
「 Oh, what about Kaan-sama’s house? 」
「 I’ve stayed over Momoko-oneesama’s house multiple times but, speaking of which, I never went in their dining room before 」
Misuzu asks. Torii-san replied.
「 Momoko-oneesama has her villa inside Kaan-sama’s mansion 」
They’re not living apart, but instead, she lives in a mansion in the plot.
「 I haven’t entered Kaan-sama’s main house yet 」
Torii-san hasn’t entered the mansion of the head of the house.
「 Kanou house doesn’t give any distinction between Dining and Morning rooms 」
Torii Mariko-san has a blood relationship with Kanou house.
She should’ve stayed over her Grandfather’s house before.
「 The room themselves are still there, but, they eat both breakfast and dinner in the same room 」
Kanou house lost their former vigor.
Jii-chan and all the other nobilities give them honorary position as foundations…That’s how they manage to live for now.
They can’t hire lots of servants like before.
Therefore, they eat their meals in one room.
「 They only use the dining room? 」
Jii-chan asks. Torii-san;
「 No, they use only the morning room. There are hardly any people living there now. It’s easier for them to use the morning room, which is smaller 」
「 I see 」
Jii-chan mutters with a sad tone.
Kouzuki, Kaan, and Kanou house, they were the big three back then.
Using a small room for breakfast and dinner, the image of Kanou house’s ruin is too vivid for them.
「 Okay, that’s enough idle talk, let’s eat 」
Katsuko-nee softens the mood.
「 Our dinner for tonight isn’t the Kouzuki style but our style. It has to be a full-course dinner! 」
「 Soup, Milanese cutlet, and legume curry 」
Yoshiko-san said.
「 Mana and Yoshiko cooked the curry! Oh right, we also have salad prepared 」
Mana adds another.
「 Onii-sama, take a seat 」
Ruriko urges me to sit down.
Oh right, I’m still standing.
I mean, my seat is over there.
The chair next to Misuzu is open.
「 Ah 」
「 What’s wrong? 」
Misuzu asks me.
「 No, nothing 」
The seating order’s decided.
Jii-chan, the head, is in the best location,
Then, Misuzu.
And I sit next to Misuzu as I’m her partner.
Torii-san is an outsider, and so she keeps the order as well.
Therefore, Torii-san is a semi nobility but a guest, and so she sits on the seat of honor, close to Jii-chan and Misuzu.
But, Adelheid-san is on the lower seat.
Oh, Shou-neechan and Rei-chan are with her.
Yeah, this should be okay.
「 By the way, have you finished the problem outside? 」
While the meals are distributed…
Torii-san asks suddenly.
「 Yes, for now, we caught them all without problems 」
I blurred out the details.
「 Really? Haiji, how was it? 」
Torii-san asks Adelheid-san.
「 It ended without problems 」
「 I won’t understand anything from that. You were there watching everything unfold, right? How did it all go? 」
Adelheid-san…
「 Everyone played an active role, and I feel ashamed in my immaturity 」
「 Haiji? 」
Torii-san’s surprised.
「 Oh, that’s not like you. That confidence in yourself was what’s cute about you, Haiji 」
「 But when they showed off such overwhelming difference, my confidence is blown away 」
「 Hmm, I see 」
Torii-san speaks in dissatisfaction.
「 Danna-sama, are you going back there later? 」
Misuzu whispers.
「 Yeah, Minaho-neesan, Tsukiko, and Yomi are still there, I’m also going with them 」
「 Minaho-oneesama gave her instructions 」
Minaho-neesan gave instructions to Misuzu?
「 She asked to let Danna-sama feel his family 」
Feel his family.
「 You need to feel the people who you want to protect once more 」
Yeah.
Tendou Sadao and Irokuchou Ichirou.
We have to be merciless with them.
It’s all to make sure that the Kansai Yakuza will never touch Misuzu, Ruriko, and all the other young ladies.
If they try to hurt the ladies of nobility, they will also experience the same cruelty like this, that’s what we need to convey.
We’re punishing them, to make this an example for others.
However, among the Yakuza daughters that we saved.
Some of them will not like that their fathers and mothers will have a disastrous experience.
Even so, we have to do it.
It’s so that I could protect this family.
Even if those girls hate me.
I must steel my heart.
「 Danna-sama’s too kind that you might empathize with the prisoners, and so, Minaho-oneesama worries 」
If I go there right away.
I will pity Tendou Otome and the eight daughters.
It’s highly likely that Tendou Sadao will not receive any harsh punishment.
Therefore, I had to return home.
Have dinner with the family.
It’s a break for my mental tension.
「 Speaking of which, she didn’t come back with you 」
Torii-san said.
Tendou Otome.
「 Yeah, she’s with her friends 」
To be precise, she’s unconscious, together with the other daughters of Yakuza.
「 She will not come back 」
I replied.
「 I see. That’s great. I don’t think she should 」
Torii-san.
「 I mean, in the end, she never looked straight into our eyes when talking 」
Tendou Otome wasn’t looking?
「 Her head is filled with nothing but her friends 」
Right.
Torii-san’s right.
Tendou Otome only worries about Tokuda Sonoko, and her friends, who are hostages of her father.
She didn’t look at our faces.
Her head is filled with such thoughts.
「 I would say that I’m also sharp-tongued that I only think about myself, but… 」
Torii-san said.
「 But I still look at the people around me. But she, she never looks at anything but one thing 」
She looks at the situation objectively.
She has a cheeky personality, but she’s smart.
She pushes strong, but she never forces the impossible.
「 Oh, just like Adelheid-san 」
I replied.
「 What about Haiji? 」
「 Well. That’s what I experienced after being on the same operation 」
Adelheid-san looks around a lot.
She asserts herself a lot but never pushes for the impossible.
She’s emotional, but she listens to others.
They have the strength to accept the opinions of others with a calm presence.
「 I see, Tendou Otome lacks that part 」
「 What do you mean, Danna-sama? 」
Misuzu asks me.
「 No, well, I found the reason why Tendou Otome can’t work with us 」
She concentrates on herself that she can’t see what’s around her.
If she doesn’t listen to what others say, then,
「 That’s the reason why Edie left Tendou Otome behind and sneaked in alone 」
Edie and Tendou Otome were supposed to infiltrate the karaoke bar from behind.
Then, if Edie supported Tendou Otome, they could’ve come in late.
Tendou Otome, who is impatient to save Sonoko-san, will ignore Edie’s orders and rush recklessly once they arrive.
Tsukiko gave an order to have Tendou Otome follow Edie’s instructions, but.
If she moves before Edie could order her to stop, that will only put the Yakuza on guard.
That’s why Edie ignored Tendou Otome.
She sneaked in with her maximum speed.
That was the right call.
I mean, Minaho-neesan’s amazing, she deployed Edie and Tendou Otome together from behind.
She knows.
「 I’m still immature as well 」
I sighed.
「 It’s okay. Take your time to learn 」
「 Yes, discovering your mishaps and learning from it is what makes life fun. Onii-sama 」
Misuzu and Ruriko said.
「 Yeah 」
I look around the dining room.
This is my family.
Yeah.
Minaho-neesan is right, I can feel them now.
Before long, all the meals are prepared on the table.
It’s warm, and it smells delicious.
It’s dinner where the family poured their love into making this.
「 Okay, everyone. Together! 」
Katsuko-nee speaks.
「 Itadakimasu! 」
「 Itadakimasu! 」
Cheerful voices echo in the room.
