Chapter 1323. Farewell to the Spear / High Risk

「 Thank you for the hard work, Kinosh*ta-san, would you like a deluxe cake? 」

Katsuko-nee asks Kinosh*ta-san

「 Of course I’ll have some 」

Kinosh*ta-san replies with a smile. She sure looks like a high-school girl.

No, no…

Among the freelancers, Neko-san looks much younger than Kinosh*ta-san.

Yeah, Neko-san looks like a grade school girl.

「 Well then… 」

I look at the clock on the wall.

It’s about time we start to work on the pastry for tomorrow.

「 Papa, uhm 」

Agnes comes with Luna and the girls.

「 Nii-san, can we take a break from helping with the pastry? 」

Huh?

Agnes and the girls are helping out make the 50-yen cheaper pastries every night.

「 It’s our first day in school so we have to prepare for the lessons tomorrow 」

Koyomi-chan said.

「 As expected from a school for the young ladies, their studies are on a level higher than we expected 」

「 We also took a break from school so we need to do our studies 」

Luna and Koyomi-chan do have an earnest personalities after all.

Oh right…

I also have to consider Agnes as it’s her first time going to school.

She has to prepare for the lessons or else she won’t be able to catch up with the studying pace.

「 Karen-chan will also come and help us desuno! 」

「 Yes, Kou-oniisama 」

Karen, who’s always been a student of the school for the young ladies will surely be a great help in their study.

「 Danna-sama, I’ll watch over them 」

Misuzu said.

Misuzu’s in her second year in high school so it will help that she’s going to watch them study.

No, if it was me, then it’ll be doubtful that I can teach the grade school girls but Misuzu’s an honor student.

「 Thanks, Misuzu. Agnes, Luna, Koyomi-chan, and Karen. You girls can help when you can from now on. Focus on your studies first 」

I said.

「 No, it’s our first day in school today, so we’re a bit late on things after returning home. But starting tomorrow, we’ll do both school studies and helping with the pastry 」

Koyomi-chan said.

「 Both of them are important to me 」

「 Yes, that’s right. We want to do both every day 」

Luna said.

「 So forgive us just for today! 」

「 We already got the gist of the studies in school today so we only want to confirm the subjects e had today 」

Agnes and Karen speaks with a serious face

「 If you girls are going to study, then you can use the second-floor library. It’s quiet there and there are tables and chairs as well 」

Katsuko-nee handed them the keys.

「 Well then, everyone, go study in the room Katsuko-nee told you to go 」

I think that room was also used back in the Kuromori tower era.

The prostitutes going to our high school that they brought from the other districts.

Everyone’s studying in the same room.

「 Thank you deusno! 」

Agnes replies to me happily.

「 See you, Papa! Dolly-chan and Anna-chan, later!! 」

Agnes called the girl assassins that are with Anya.

Then, they went out of the dining room.

「 Agnes-chan’s doing well 」

「 Yeah, we’re not even preparing for our lessons at all 」

After confirming that the sixth-grade quartet is gone from the room…

Eri and Rie came to me.

「 School s still on the other day so we’ll help you, Onii-san 」

「 We’ll help you. Onii-san 」

「 Yomi will help too! 」

Behind Eri and Rie are Yomi, then Arisu and Kinuka as well.

「 We’ll help too 」

They know the basics of pastry making so there should be no problem.

「 Then, let’s move to the bakery 」

I stood up from my seat, but…

I gave Anya, Dolly, and Anna another look to check on them.

「 I’ll be watching the two so it’s okay. We’ll be working our sweat for a bit longer. When we’re feeling lost, we should move our bodies. Then, we tire ourselves out and take a rest soon 」

Anya said.

Yeah, Dolly and Anna need some time to cool their heads off.

A lot happened to them today.

「 We’ll be with them 」

Mitama and Haiji said.

The combat girls know how the same people feel.

「 If so, why don’t we go to the basement, Agnes’ former room 」

Nei shows the basement room through the monitor in the wall.

「 They had the same idea, so they went and started working out first 」

The monitor shows Edie and Grace Marinka-san wearing training wear.

『 That’s not it, your steps are still naive. Jun 』

『 Another 』

『 I’ll keep playing with you as much as you want 』

Grace-san has made a comeback from her loss.

「 Haiji-chan, can you bring Anya-chan to the basement? 」

Nei asks Haiji.

「 Certainly. It’s this way 」

「 Sure, thanks 」

Haiji leads the group and left the room with Anya, Dolly and Anna, and Mitama.

「 Fujimiya-san, you won’t go? 」

Kinosh*ta-san asks while eating the cake Katsuko-nee brought for her.

「 I don’t think an adult should be there, so I won’t. I think those girls need to have the same generation group together 」

Rei-chan said.

「 Dolly Lu-san, Anna Lu-san, Nikita Gorbachev or Anya-san as well 」

Right, Anya’s been Kyouko-san and Miss Cordelia’s subordinate since then…

But now that she’s a member of the family, she needs to get used to doing things proactively.

「 Instead of me, why don’t you go there, Michi-chan/ 」

Rei-chan calls Michi.

Speaking of which, Michi’s been quiet tonight.

「 They have Edie so I can let her take care of it 」

Michi replies calmly.

「 There has to be at least one person that’s ready to deploy anytime when it comes to the mansion’s security 」

「 Oh? But I’m here right now 」

Rei-chan said.

Yeah, Rei-chan knows how to check on the monitors. Rather, Rei-chan’s a professional so she can do things flawlessly.

「 Well, I know what Michi-chan’s feeling 」

Rei-chan said and then looked at Kuromiya-san and Mikuriya-san sitting on the other table.

Oh. Right.

Misuzu, Arisu, Karen, and Agnes already left their seats.

Ruriko and Yoshiko-san are cleaning up the dinner in the kitchen so they’re not here.

Kuromiya-san’s a young lady of the nobility, and so she can’t open up her feelings towards Misuzu and the girls, who are also young ladies.

All the young ladies from other families are away from Kuromiya-san’s sight for now.

Furthermore.

Kuromiya-san feels awkward to consult Rei-chan and Kinosh*ta-san, who are vassals of the Kouzuki house, so she can’t talk to them.

If that’s the case…

For a young lady, and also a combat lady, then there’s only one person that’s easy to talk to…

Someone she knows from before, another bodyguard of the Kouzuki house. Michi…

No, even when Kuromiya-san and Kinosh*ta-san lost earlier, Michi kept her presence to a minimum.

Therefore, Kuromiya-san should find it easy to talk to Michi.

Maybe we should move to the bakery and leave Kuromiya-san and Michi here?

Rei-chan will move when it’s time.

「 Well, let’s go to the bakery 」

I left the dining room.

◇ ◇ ◇

「 There 」

「 Katsuko-oneesan, how is this? 」

「 Is this good? 」

「 Yes, I don’t see any problems 」

Tonight. Ai, Megu, Yomi, and Katsuko-nee are finishing up the harder pastries

「 How is this? 」

「 Onii-san, is this good? 」

「 What do you think? 」

Arisu, the twins, and Yomi are making the easy pastry with me.

Teaching, checking the results. I’m told it’s a lesson for when I’m managing the bakery.

Once we start the real business, then newbies and part-time workers need to be taught, and so we have to constantly check the results.

「 Eri, you need to make sure that there’s a line in here 」

I adjusted the pastry Eri made.

「 Oh, sorry 」

「 Eri-chan, yours is too rough 」

Rie laughs.

「 Arisu and Yomi have no problems. Kinuka, yours is too tight. Don’t shape it like a square, you need to make the line softer

「 Like this, Kinuka 」

Arisu shows an example

「 I see. I understand 」

Kinuka nods.

She rounds up the shape and the results show.

The girls know how to think and find what’s important.

For example, Kinuka takes her time, but she tries to perfect her products to her ideal shape, but…

Eri’s trying to finish as much as fast as possible.

Meanwhile, Arisu’s only thinking about mastering what’s taught to her.

As for Rie, you can see that she’s trying to come up with something her own.

They’re all middle school girls but they’re different.

No, even the grade school group of Agnes has a different way of thinking

Agnes and the girls try to look at each other’s work and try to average the results of their pastries. Their idea of matching with each other is strong.

「 This group will be in the same school land same class the next day 」

Rie mutters.

Yomi and Mana are also going to a new middle school but they’re in a different year.

Both of them are in their second year.

「 Well, it should be okay. If there’s anyone troublesome, then Rie-chan and I will keep Arisu-chan and Kinuka-chan safe! 」

Eri said.

「 If there’s an enemy, then I’ll eliminate them 」

Kinuka said, but…

「 Nono…not like that. Arisu-chan and Kinuka-chan only know about the school for the young ladies, right?

「 Ordinary schools are much more troublesome 」

Rie nods.

「 If it’s someone that needs to be dealt with immediately then we’ll let Kinuka-chan take care of it, but… 」

「 Well, that’s if there’s someone who isn’t walking well and coming at us with vulgar thoughts 」

「 Yeah, that’s what we’ll guard you girls from 」

「 Yeah, if they come up to you then just talk to us. If you react on reflex, then you’ll be playing in their hands 」

「 You don’t know if there are malicious people around 」

「 Persistent people are those who start to bully 」

Hmmm.

These girls had their hardships because of their parents being Yakuza.

They are quite wary.

「 That’s the reason why you girls shouldn’t deal with them alone. Rely on me 」

Yomi called out the twins

「 That’s where we use my power 」

「 I know. If we can’t deal with it then we’ll ask for Yomi-neesan’s Miko power to help us 」

「 But, if it doesn’t get too complicated, then we will 」

The twins said, but…

「 No, even if it doesn’t get complicated, talk to Mana and Yomi. 」

I said.

「 It’s Eri and Rie’s first time going to a school in Tokyo so the local rules might be different you know? 」

「 Is that something Yomi-oneesan, who came from Kyoto as well, should say? 」

Eri asks.

「 Well, Yomi can read the minds of others so she can immediately see whether they have ill will, or if there’s a difference in culture, right? 」

I said.

「 Eri and Rie too, I know that you’re sensitive towards some clear malice, but you’re too sensitive that you might think that even those you’re not sure whether it’s evil or not as evil 」

「 Therefore, don’t decide on your enemies right away. Get Yomi-chan to look at them. That way, there’s no mistake 」

Megu said.

「 On the other hand, Eri, Rie, and Kinuka are in a different classroom but Yomi and Mana, look at their class. Especially Kinuka, you’re the only bodyguard here 」

「 Certainly! 」

Kinuka nodded.

「 If there’s a problem then our family will come and help. But normally, it’s just Eri, Rie, Arisu Kinuka, Yomi, and Mana in school so help each other. Don’t think that you’ll deal with it yourselves, rely on the other girls’ power 」

「 You shouldn’t stick just to yourselves… 」

I said. Ai added.

「 The twins are popular over the TV after all 」

「 That’s right. You girls do stand out, so think of what you say since it’ll affect Arisu-chan and Kinuka-chan’s status as well 」

Megu said.

「 I won’t tell you to get along with anyone displeasing, but try to be conscious of what you do so you don’t make enemies. Try to be sociable. Also, first impressions are important 」

At ties like this, an ordinary girl like Megu will have a strong effect.

「 Yeah, Megu’s got a lot of friends in school and they’re a great help. It’s a huge help to have people you can trust in your ordinary life 」

I said.

「 Strategically, you should put effort to become a likable person around you. It’s no longer just you two twins that’ll go to school 」

Katsuko-nee speaks to the twins kindly.

「 Right. We can’t just give poor impressions on Arisu-chan and Kinuka-chan because of us 」

「 We’ll be careful and sociable 」

The twins were convinced.

Then that’s when…

「 We’re done in the kitchen so we’re here to help! 」

「 What should we do? 」

Mana and Ruriko come to the bakery.

The two aces sped up the progress in the bakery.

◇ ◇ ◇

「 Good, we can do the rest tomorrow. Thank you girls 」

We’re done with the work we need to do today.

「 Well, let’s go back to the dining room and have some tea 」

Katsuko-nee smiled at us.

We left the bakery and took off the apron and cap.

Oh, we’re not wearing our see-through clothes.

We had to change before going to work.

Returning to the dining room and;

Rei-chan and Kinosh*ta-san aren’t there.

Michi and Kuromia-san remain.

「 Uhm, Kuromori-sama 」

Kuromiya-san saw me and came over.

「 Can I ask something? 」

「 What is it? 」

I replied with a smile.

「 Why is it that Kuromori-sama works on pastries? 」

Huh?

Looking at it, the monitor in the dining room shows the feed in the bakery.

Oh, Michi must’ve made Kuromiya-san watch us work on the pastries. 」

「 It’s so we can live wherever we go in this world 」

I replied.

「 If we can make good pastry, then wherever we go, I can go and support the family 」

Recently, I understood why Katsuko-nee wants to open a bakery.

For someone who had a hopeless life as a prostitute, Katsuko-nee asked what her dream is.

「 But, Kuromori-sama is Misuzu-sama’s fiance 」

Kuromiya-san said.

「 Someday, you’ll take a key position in the Kouzuki group. I would understand it if you were studying management through the bakery, but what I don’t understand is why would you make the pastry yourself 」

Yeah, if it’s management, then it’s faster to hire someone good at baking.

That’s how a young lady of the nobility thinks.

「 You don’t seem to understand how this world works 」

I replied.

「 Currently, our family is under Kouzuki house’s, Jii-chan’s protection. With the Kouzuki housekeeping us safe, hostile forces are kept away 」

Jii-chan has influence over the political and business circles.

We can move forward without taking down influential people.

「 But, we can’t confine ourselves in that place in the future 」

Jii-chan is old.

If ever Jii-chan dies, Misuzu and Ruriko are still young.

They won’t make it on the transfer of power of the Kouzuki house.

「 Of course, Jii-chan’s planning ahead too, but we can’t just idle around 」

Jii-chan must be asking Kaan-san or other family heads to take care of Misuzu and Ruriko.

Many people will help out to prevent the extermination of the Kouzuki house’s bloodline.

Even Shiba-san who’s entrusted to take care of the Kouzuki group can’t abandon Misuzu and the girls.

Even so…

「 Even so, we need to assume the worst things… 」

I said.

「 The worst? 」

「 The possibility of the Japanese government coming after us to take us down 」

Kuromori house is still a crime syndicate.

The police are even watching over the mansion from the outside.

「 There could also be people thinking of crushing the Kouzuki house and us 」

「 No way, that can’t be. Kouzuki house is the cornerstone of the nobility in Japan 」

Kuromiya-san said.

「 Just because it’s a house with a tradition of hundreds o years doesn’t mean that it can’t collapse. You don’t know what people with ill intentions and power will do 」

I said.

「 That’s why we consider the worst outcome and we’re ready to leave Japan and live in a different country 」

The bakery is just another skill in our survival.

「 Kuromiya-san, you might’ve come to us thinking that you want to keep the Kuromiya arts safe, but… 」

We’re only under the Kouzuki house’s protection.

A young lady who’s only seen the world of the nobility from childhood.

She believes that the power of the Kouzuki house is absolute.

However, there’s no absolute power in this world.

「 That’s wrong. We’re not as safe as Kuromiya-san assumes us to be. We have a lot of enemies, and we’re always desperate for our survival. We also consider that there’s a traitor in the Kouzuki house and wants to disperse us apart 」

Kouzuki house has a lot of troublesome branch families.

Someone among them could join hands with someone powerful, take over the main household, and try to take out the Kuromori house.

「 Naturally, we’re careful not to let that happen, but, you never know what’s ahead of you 」

Kuromiya-san felt chills from what I told her.

「 We’re taking a fighting pose constantly because if we don’t, our whole family will be taken out. We live in that kind of world 」

I…

「 We hold the will to protect, to fight to the death, to survive 」

I tell her my belief.

「 Kuromiya house is much more stable. This place is a frontline 」

I tell her with a smile.

「 Staying with us puts you at high risk, please understand that 」

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