Chapter 992. Noon Sunshine / The location of the Hidden Treasure

「 Now then, what’s left is for you to deal with it 」

After lunch, Jii-chan stood up and said.

「 Grandfather. Would you like to have some after-meal coffee? 」

Ruriko asks her Grandfather.

「 Hmm. I’ll take your offer. However, I will head to that table 」

Jii-chan looks at the small table Ruriko used.

「 Sorry, but I’ll switch with you. Come to this table and join in 」

He looked at Yomi and said.

「 Okay! Got it! 」

With that said, Yomi comes to this table.

I look at the table of the young group and…

「 Still, this stew bowl is delicious 」

Eri’s still eating her nth serving.

「 Eri-chan, it’s not a stew bowl but Hayashi rice 」

Rie’s still eating too.

「 But, I never had this kind of food back in Kyoto. Like, this sauce whose name I don’t know 」

「 It’s demi-glaze sauce 」

Mana said with a smile.

「 Yes, that. It’s really delicious, right, Rie-chan? 」

「 Yes, Eri-chan 」

Yeah, the two seem to have a stable mental state now.

「 Yes. That’s right 」

Yomi read my thoughts and replied.

「 At first, they were nervous but now they’re at ease. That’s how they can eat that much 」

I see. If you’re nervous, you won’t even know that you’re hungry.

It’s approximately ten days since their good-for-nothing yakuza parents brought them to Tokyo.

During that time, they gang-raped Sonoko-san, another girl brought with the group.

The other daughters of Yakuza oppressed them.

Then, last night, it took a sudden turn.

We captured them, and I raped them.

I turned them to my sex slaves, then to my family.

「 Mana-chan who knows a lot from behind the scenes, and Agnes-chan who accepts the girls with an innocent smile is with them, and so it should be okay 」

Misuzu said.

The twins also know that Mana’s carrying a painful past in her back. Last night, they had a lot of time to talk together and along with Nei.

On the other hand, Agnes is completely okay accepting anyone I add in the family. She doesn’t accept them with caution, she is also looking after the twins.

「 Luna and Koyomi are doing good in support. They can read minds after all. Besides, Mao’s a big part of it too 」

Edie’s right.

When you have a little girl smiling brightly with you, the place becomes calm.

「 Haiji’s doing well too. She’s not a rookie who came in together with the twins but instead, a member of the team facing the rookies, she’s making contact 」

Agnes and the girls got along with Haiji in such a short time.

Therefore, Haiji’s also a member of those who welcomes the twins.

That’s simple, but it works.

The twins, especially Eri is a self-assertive girl.

Haiji has to become the senior, not someone who enters the family together with them.

Or, they might have some dispute later.

The twins and Haiji are all 13-year-olds.

「 Speaking of which, Anjou Kinuka-san, the younger, is also 13 」

The bodyguards of the Kurama sisters.

Right, the two of them fought during the party and they named it “The battle of the 13-year-old’s,” so I’m sure of it.

Arisu-san, her Master from the Kurama house is also 13.

Then…

「 Huh, Misuzu, where’s Karen-san? 」

Mizushima Karen-san.

The one punished because she brought Tendou Otome to the Kouzuki mansion.

The one Misuzu picked as her pet.

If I recall, she’s at the same age as Agnes.

She was here last night, but I can’t find it here anywhere now.

「 Karen is together with Kurama-san 」

Misuzu said.

「 I think that it will not be good if the sisters remained by themselves 」

Misato-san, the elder of the Kurama sisters, has a weak heart.

When she’s sentenced that she’ll become a prostitute, she fell to despair right away.

Her little sister, Arisu-san is tough, but…

「 It shouldn’t be just the sisters but also Karen, someone who is in a similar situation as them. Karen is also a daughter of nobility and is much younger than the Kurama sisters. It’s like the daughters of nobility to not show anything disgraceful in front of daughters from another family 」

If you leave the Kurama sisters alone, they will only fall deeper into their dark thoughts filled with despair.

But, if Karen-san is with them, they have to keep their appearance as the daughter of nobility.

「 Our school educates the daughters of nobility that way 」

Misuzu’s school, the best school for the high-class ladies.

Of course, not all of them are daughters of nobility, but I heard that you’re not allowed to enroll unless you have a good lineage.

There are no daughters of upstart directors or celebrities.

「 Misato-san, or Arisu-san, have received it since infancy. If they do something careless, then it’ll defile their family’s name. That’s the kind of thing they learn every day 」

Therefore, Karen-san’s presence will work on them.

「 Karen listens to what she’s told, and so there should be no problems 」

「 Or should I say that she’s a good girl. I’ve only seen her from afar once 」

Misuzu said. Edie added.

「 They need to take a good look at their situation objectively 」

Yeah.

Karen-san is also 12, and yet…

She had to come to the mansion for an act of treachery towards Kouzuki house because of her fear of Tendou Otome.

She accepted becoming Misuzu’s pet with ease yesterday.

I think that she needs some time to think about it.

「 Anyway, the young ladies are down in despair, and so the priority is to keep them from committing suicide 」

Misuzu said.

「 Right 」

They don’t have a strong heart like Eri and Rie.

If you push them too hard, their heart will snap and break.

「 She needs to accept that she’ll become a prostitute without putting too much burden on her heart 」

That’s a complex situation.

Then, Jii-chan leaves the discussion to us.

We haven’t decided yet.

「 Uhm 」

Torii-san looked at me.

「 To begin with, can’t we just call off the plan where you turn Kurama-sama into a prostitute? 」

Well…

「 Like asking Kouzuki-sama right now… 」

Torii-san looked at Jii-chan drinking coffee, sitting together with Ruriko and Yoshiko-san.

「 That’s impossible 」

I said.

「 Kurama Misato-san’s fall into prostitution is the punishment for the Kurama house, that was Jii-chan’s decision 」

I told Torii-san.

「 Then, ask Kouzuki-sama to withdraw the punishment 」

Torii-san said. Misuzu…

「 Then, will Mariko-san be willing to pay off all the debts Kurama house is carrying for them? 」

She smiled.

「 Grandfather has to give out a harsh punishment to prevent other families like Kurama house from becoming spoiled from the help of Kouzuki house and other powerful families. If Kouzuki and Kaan house were to assist because “Kurama house is from the nobility, and so other nobility should help them,” then… 」

「 Yeah, more families like them will become spoiled and come one after another. Eventually, nobody can support other families anymore 」

I said.

「 Therefore, she must receive a harsh punishment, which is becoming a prostitute. It’s to prevent this from happening again 」

「 I understand that, but… 」

Torii-san looked at me.

「 Kurama Misato-sama has a fiance… 」

Huh?

「 She dreamt of marrying that man ever since she was young and yet, she’s going to become a prostitute, it’s just too much! 」

Oh, so that’s why Torii-san’s appealing for the release of the Kurama sisters.

However.

「 Mariko-san. You don’t get what it means to become a daughter of nobility, don’t you? 」

Misuzu sighs.

「 When the house decides who your marriage partner is, then you’ll marry that man. And when your family commits a sim, you’ll become a prostitute. Do you know how different those are? 」

That’s…

「 Both of them aren’t the choice of the daughter of nobility, have you ever thought that there’s no difference because you’re walking a life dictated by the family? 」

Torii-san…

「 But, one is marriage, and the other is prostitution 」

「 It’s the same. Your will is irrelevant, and your body is taken away 」

Misuzu said.

「 Better, she will only live as a prostitute for five years. But if she is to marry with a fellow nobility, she will have to endure it for the rest of her life 」

「 Can’t you get divorced? 」

Edie asks.

「 When it comes to marriage between fellow nobilities, and in addition to that, it’s a marriage ceremony between two head families, people from various circles will come, and they will celebrate. Recently, there are those who divorce, but they become a shame for the family. When Sakakihara-sama’s heir son divorced, he became disqualified from inheriting the family, and the second son inherited the clan. The eldest son is also dropped off from the senior management of the business group 」

I see. Heads from the various noble families and leaders of political and business circles went to that wedding.

「 Then, the business partnership with the married wife’s family is all wiped off. The wife’s family also treats the woman as a defective item 」

Yeah, she’s married into the family to strengthen the connection between fellow nobility, and yet…

They divorced right away, it hurt the honor of their family.

「 Both families, the companies under their umbrella, each of the nobility and families connected to them, they’re all involved 」

Well, that’s a lot of trouble.

「 Marriage between fellow nobility has to hold smoothly to let both families and the families around prosper, and if it fails, it only causes misfortune to everyone 」

Misuzu said.

「 Furthermore, Kenmochi house, the family Misato-san is to marry probably already gave up on that topic 」

「 Why? 」

Torii-san asks.

「 Kenmochi house wishes to marry into the Kurama house whose business is centered on the Kurama Kaku. Now that Kurama Kaku is gone, they’re drowning in debt, and Kouzuki house glares at them, it’s no longer the Kurama house that they want 」

The two families becoming blood relatives think of prospering each other’s business, and yet…

Kurama house failed in business, lost its long-established Kurama Kaku, and received a harsh punishment from Jii-chan.

They can never start talking about marriage with the Kurama house anymore.

「 Marriage between nobility isn’t as romantic as Mariko-san thinks 」

Misuzu said.

「 But, Misuzu, if I recall, you’re… 」

Misuzu also had a fiance.

But, that man wasn’t from nobility…

He was the eldest son of Shiba-san, the director of the Kouzuki group.

「 In my case, Kouzuki house doesn’t have any nobility where we need to have any blood relationship with 」

Oh right.

Kouzuki house, the noble among nobility is one of the three big houses.

「 We will have a blood relationship with any nobility through our branch families. There is no need to deepen our blood in other nobility than that. Rather, the internal side of Kouzuki house was having troubles until half a year ago

Ruriko’s father made some moves behind the scenes to create factional infighting.

「 Therefore, Grandfather thought of such things to keep the solidarity of the group 」

As Shiba-san’s the top of the rising power, Jii-chan would someday hand the leadership to him, and have Misuzu marry his first son.

That was the plan.

「 But, thanks to Danna-sama’s efforts, everything is cleared off 」

Misuzu laughs.

「 Currently, Kouzuki group is unified, and so there’s no need to worry 」

To protect the family, Jii-chan watched his second son die.

Shiba-san and all the other directors are working as one.

The branch family of Kouzuki house and their groups are no longer fighting each other as Misuzu, Ruriko, and Yoshiko-san all get along.

Above all, Misuzu has me by her side.

Jii-chan accepts my existence.

There will be no more fuss.

「 Then, there’s no need to worry about Kurama Misato-san’s fiance, right? 」

I confirmed with Misuzu.

「 Yes. It’s okay to forget him. Danna-sama 」

However.

「 But, I know… 」

Torii-san…

「 Misato-sama loves her fiance, Kenmochi Yuugo-sama 」

◇　◇　◇

「 Is that true, Mariko-san? 」

Misuzu asks.

「 Since it’s Mariko-san, there’s a possibility that it’s just your assumption 」

「 I’m sure of this. I’ve seen it with my own eyes! 」

W-What did you see, Torii-san?

「 Misato-sama is embracing Kenmochi-sama! 」

Huh?

「 Where? 」

Misuzu asks.

「 Last week, in Kenmochi-sama’s hotel party, they were doing it on the waiting room 」

Torii-san said.

「 It was the start of the party and so there’s nobody in the waiting room. I was worried about New York’s stock prices and so I left the party to check my phone. Then, Kenmochi-sama and Misato-sama are both there, the two of them didn’t notice me because of the partitioning screen. However, I could see Misato-sama through the gaps 」

The fiance left the party?

「 Then, Kenmochi-sama told Misato-sama, “Our family is in trouble right now but don’t be discouraged and do your best. I will be your ally no matter what” 」

Oh, I see.

「 Then, what happened next? 」

Misuzu asks.

「 Then, Misuzu-sama embraced Yuugo-sama. She embraced Kenmochi-sama with all her strength 」

Hmm, hmm.

「 I was so surprised by it… 」

To think that the shy Kurama Misato-san embraced her fiance.

That would be surprising.

「 I made a noise. Misato-sama was surprised that she escaped outside. Then, Kenmochi-sama told me “Please keep what you saw a secret,” and left the room as well 」

So that’s what happened.

Misuzu immediately looks at Rei-chan who is in the same table as us.

「 Roger 」

Rei-chan picked up the extension phone on the wall…

「 Shou-oneesama? We have something urgent needing investigation. Yes. It’s Kenmochi house 」

Kouzuki SS is going to check it out?

「 I understand. Then, I will do my part too. Yes, thank you 」

Rei-chan puts down the receiver.

「 What is it? 」

Misuzu asks. Rei-chan.

「 Shou-oneesama has begun investigating Kenmochi house already. She’s sending an interim report now 」

She already started investigating?

「 Huh, you mean that there’s something suspicious with the Kenmochi house? 」

I asked.

「 When investigating the links of Kurama house, that also includes investigating Kurama Misato-sama’s fiance 」

Oh right.

「 Or should I say that it’s common to make investigations when it comes to the political and business circles and influential families 」

Kouzuki SS is a company that specializes in protecting the nobility of Japan.

Naturally, they’ll investigate Kenmochi house too.

「 Danna-sama, it’s just my impression but… 」

Misuzu said.

「 Kenmochi Yuugo-san isn’t a good man. He’s a man with a dry nature, speaking gently to a daughter whose family is about to collapse, even though she’s his fiance… 」

What?

「 That’s how Kenmochi-sama, the father is. He’s very strict when it comes to business 」

「 Yes, I remember him too 」

Rei-chan who has knowledge from the top elites said.

「 B-But, they’re engaged, and so when Kenmochi-sama speaks kindly to her… 」

Torii-san said. I interrupted her.

「 You must assume the worst at times like this 」

I told Torii-san.

「 If you think positively, you’ll miss a lot of things. The situation will only get worse. Assume every worst possible outcome in your head 」

Then, Misuzu…

「 Danna-sama. 」 If that event happened last week, then he shouldn’t have known the harsh punishment Grandfather gave to the Kurama house 」

Yeah.

Jii-chan only announced the punishment for the Kurama house last night, during the party.

「 But, it’s widely known that Kurama house is denied help when they tried to ask for Kouzuki house’s help 」

If that Kenmochi guy is a bad guy.

Then, his treatment with Misato-san of the Kurama house, which is about to collapse.

Purposely calling her out to an unpopulated area, comforting her with kind words…

「 Does Kurama house have any utility value left? 」

「 That way of thinking is reasonable, Danna-sama 」

Misuzu nods.

「 W-Wait, Misuzu-sama?! 」

「 What is it, Mariko-san? 」

「 You’re overthinking it. Even if you look at the movement of banks, it would be impossible for Kurama house to recover 」

Torii-san said.

「 But there should be some underhanded trick here 」

「 Underhanded trick? 」

Torii-san makes a confused look.

「 Do you not get it Mariko-san? If Kenmochi house’s aim is the hidden assets of the Kurama house, then… 」

Misuzu said.

「 Then the amount of that fortune can be used to repay their debts 」

If Kurama house can save themselves, then…

Jii-chan can withdraw his punishment.

Kurama Misato-san won’t need to become a prostitute.

「 Or maybe, only Kenmochi house knows of such fortune and nobody in the Kurama clan noticed it 」

And so, they intend to take it away from the Kurama house secretly.

「 Reika-oneesama, please give us a summary of the report. Danna-sama 」

Misuzu looked at my face.

「 I know. I’ll talk to Kurama Misato-san and Arisu-san 」

They might know something.

「 Edie, Yomi, come with me 」

「 Okay 」

「 Got it 」

I’m going to need a genius observer and a mind reader for this.

「 Michi, stay here and guard the girls 」

I can’t entrust everything to Haiji alone yet. She’s not accustomed to this mansion yet.

「 Certainly 」

Michi replied.