Chapter 1047. Blossoms of Nobility / To Compile

Misuzu said.

「 Yoshiko-oneesama’s thoughts reject Danna-sama deep inside, you must’ve noticed it 」

「 That’s…refusing isn’t… 」

Yoshiko-san looked down.

「 I just don’t know what I should do in the future 」

Yoshiko-san’s situation is complicated.

「 Oh well. You have been Ruriko-san’s attendant ever since you were a child. Living a life as a servant of the Kouzuki house and then suddenly, you discover that you’re a daughter of the Kouzuki house too 」

Minaho-neesan’s right.

「 The way people around Yoshiko-san look at you has changed because of Kouzuki-sama’s proclamation, hasn’t it? 」

Jii-chan’s granddaughters are people of the head house of the Kouzuki clan. That means she has inheritance rights to the assets.

「 It’s unpleasant to see people approaching you to pamper you suddenly but, I believe that there are people who are also harassing Yoshiko-san due to jealousy, am I right? 」

「 Well, Grandfather, Misuzu-sama, and Ruriko-sama prevents them from doing anything 」

Jii-chan announced that Yoshiko-san is his granddaughter and brings her wherever he goes.

With that impression that he’s close to Jii-chan, people who would do anything strange to Yoshiko-san goes away.

They want to avoid having the head of the Kouzuki house keep an eye on them.

「 Maybe it’s that straightforward in Yoshiko-san’s eyes, but… But, I think that Yoshiko-san also noticed the horrible words people throw at Yoshiko-san from behind, haven’t you? 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 That’s… 」

「 When you were Ruriko-san’s attendant, you had friendly conversations with the servants of other nobility, haven’t you? What about now? 」

「 They’re no longer the first to speak to me 」

Yoshiko-san speaks lonely.

「 My, is that so Yoshiko-oneesama? 」

Ruriko’s surprised.

「 Ruriko-san and Misuzu-san are daughters of nobility so you don’t look at the servants that much, do you? 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 During the party yesterday, each of the young ladies of nobility brought their bodyguard with them. Only the members of nobility can bring bodyguards, those who are combat capable, am I correct? Most of them brought attendants as their school friend 」

Right…

Most of them were making a fuss together with their young lady as they were watching Margo-san and Rei-chan fight.

「 They’re no daughters of wealthy men and yet they had to attend Misuzu-san’s school as a bodyguard or an attendant. I think that’s a lot of pressure for them. That’s because most of the students in the school were daughters of the elite who were examined and permitted to enter the school. Only the high-class, the daughters of nobility can bring in attendants with them among the schoolgirls, am I correct? 」

Misuzu replies.

The count for the girls who came to the party yesterday is about thirty, that’s from elementary to high school.

Meaning, only half of them are the attendants.

「 Yoshiko-san was also an attendant before. If the number of attendants among the whole student body is that much, it’s natural that they would have a relationship where they talk to each other 」

Minaho-neesan looked at Yoshiko-san.

「 They all have their Masters, and so they can’t publicly show that they’re in good terms but they should be greeting themselves at least 」

When there’s a lack of the same individual, you can’t ignore them.

Besides, in Yoshiko-san’s case, she’s been Ruriko’s attendant ever since she was a child, going to the same school.

There should be other attendants who have been with their masters ever since elementary, like Yoshiko-san. Michi’s a bodyguard, but she’s the same. Mitama and Kinuka too.

「 And so, did an attendant from another family even greet or exchange words with Yoshiko-san yesterday? 」

That’s…

「 Minaho-oneesama, Yoshiko-oneesama has become a daughter of the Kouzuki house, and so she’s treated not as a vassal but as a master, so I think that the servants of other families held back from calling her out 」

Ruriko said.

「 Oh, really? So Yoshiko-san became a young lady now…So, have you ever seen Yoshiko-san called out by young ladies from the other families and had a fun conversation with them? 」

Everyone froze.

When greeting Misuzu and Ruriko, they also call out to Yoshiko-san since she’s there, but…

Nobody went only for Yoshiko-san, trying to proactively talk, to get along with her.

「 Yoshiko-san is in limbo right now. She’s not a young lady nor a servant. They’re not doing it out of ill will either. They just don’t know how they should treat Yoshiko-san 」

Yeah.

At the end of the party, I greeted the young ladies out but…

It’s not like they’re bad girls.

They’re not trying to be mean to Yoshiko-san.

They just don’t know…

「 It’s not just the young ladies. Yoshiko-san herself doesn’t know it either. She just said it. She can’t be a complete young lady, but she can’t return to being a servant either. She’s confused 」

Minaho-neesan looked at me.

「 Would you really say “It’s your life, it’s your choice” to a girl in that state? 」

That’s…

If Minaho-neesan came here to intervene…

I guess that’s what I told Yoshiko-san.

「 I’m very sorry! Yoshiko-oneesama! 」

「 I’m sorry! Yoshiko-oneesama! 」

Ruriko and Misuzu left the bathtub and prostrate themselves on the floor.

「 I didn’t understand Yoshiko-oneesama’s painful situation 」

「 Me too, I was too absorbed in the party that I forgot about Yoshiko-oneesama 」

The two rub their foreheads on the tiles and Momoko-neechan stares at them in mute amazement.

「 P-Please raise your head. D-Doing that for me isn’t… 」

Yoshiko-san’s confused.

「 But, I wasn’t thoughtful 」

「 That’s right. We haven’t been… 」

Ruriko, Misuzu.

「 Right. She’s family too 」

I…

「 I think it’s also my fault. I didn’t even notice it 」

I bowed my head.

「 That’s right. Yoshiko-san’s confused due to the sudden change of the situation and yet I keep telling you to decide for yourself, it’s absurd 」

I shouldn’t have done that.

「 Yoshiko-san is 18, in her third year in high school. Misuzu’s 17. Second-year. Ruriko’s 15. Third-year in middle school. Even if they go to and from school together, the three of you are alone when you’re in your classrooms 」

Not a young lady nor a servant, a state of limbo.

「 Misuzu, if I recall, Mitama’s 18, right? 」

I checked.

「 Yes, that’s right. Danna-sama 」

「 Mitama is Kurama Misato-san’s bodyguard. She goes to Misuzu’s school. Since she’s still registered in school, let’s make her Yoshiko-san’s bodyguard 」

「 Kuromori-sama? 」

Yoshiko-san’s surprised.

「 Unfortunately, Kurama Misato-san can’t attend to that school anymore 」

She’s going to become a prostitute of the Black Forest brothel.

It would be impossible for her to attend the school for the young ladies.

「 So, Mitama’s going with you. During the party yesterday, Misato-san asked Misuzu to look after Mitama and Kinuka while the other young ladies are watching. In that situation, it won’t be weird to have Mitama who no longer has a master to become hired as Yoshiko-san’s bodyguard 」

I said.

「 If Yoshiko-san has a bodyguard, the other girls will look at Yoshiko-san a bit differently. It would be reassuring to Yoshiko-san to have someone from the family in the same school year with you, right? 」

「 B-But, a b-bodyguard for someone like me is… 」

Yoshiko-san’s confused.

「 It’s okay! Yoshiko-san is Jii-chan’s granddaughter too 」

Err.

What else can I do for Yoshiko-san?

「 Kou, that’s good enough 」

Minaho-neesan tells me.

「 You can leave the rest to Misuzu-san, Ruriko-san, and Michi-san as they all attend the same school 」

I don’t know much about Misuzu’s school.

It’s a girls’ school after all.

「 The reason why Yoshiko-san has been in a troubled situation and everyone hasn’t noticed is because the problem is that Yoshiko-san couldn’t say it herself. She’s finally frank and so you all can take your time after bath and talk about it 」

Minaho-neesan looked at us and smiled.

「 You can’t solve Yoshiko-san’s solitude for half a year that quickly, can you? Yoshiko-san still has a lot she hasn’t said and it would be better if Kou’s not there. Give them some girl’s talk 」

You could say that.

If I leave then Yoshiko-san would find it easier to talk.

Yoshiko-san is under the impression that she has to have sex with me to become equal with Misuzu and Ruriko.

It’s not her obligation though.

「 Kou, can I join in the conversation? 」

Mariko asks me.

「 I’m also a student of the same school, I’m not a daughter of nobility, so I know conversations that don’t reach Misuzu-sama and Ruriko-sama’s ears 」

Right. Opinion from a third party like Mariko would be crucial.

「 Yeah. Thanks. Misuzu, let Mariko join in the conversation 」

「 Certainly, Danna-sama 」

Misuzu agreed with a smile.

「 Anyway, listen to everything Yoshiko-san had piled up in her heart and then think about what to do. Yoshiko-san too, okay? 」

「 I-I… 」

「 If you think with everyone, you’ll be able to manage somehow. If you still haven’t found your answer, then you can change schools and go to ours 」

「 Yes, it’s fun over our side! You can eat delicious food every day! 」

Edie, it’s just you.

Edie’s the only one who guards the bakery when we’re on sale and she never helps out in making pastries.

Well, she’s a genius at everything she does…

She’s doing it to not disturb the others, but…

But still…

「 Edie, I never tried out a pastry you baked 」

「 Darling? 」

「 Well, I just thought that if it’s you, Edie, I’m sure that you can make delicious pastries 」

I feel like this genius could make something amazing.

「 Then, soon 」

Edie smiled.

「 Anyway, our school doesn’t care about the young ladies or servants. Yoshiko-san’s a beauty, and you have a good personality, so I’m sure that they’ll like you 」

「 But, there’s only half a year before I graduate 」

Yoshiko-san said.

「 If it’s about enduring something, then half a year is a long time. If the environment doesn’t suit you, running away is the right choice 」

I think.

「 “If I were to met someone who thinks differently than me, then I won’t correct their way of thinking. I’ll go away from them as soon as possible,” if I recall, that was a quote from Heinlein’s novel 」

Minaho-neesan speaks to Yoshiko-san.

「 It may be your fate to fall in such a troublesome situation but knowing how to escape is human effort. You don’t have to do anything unreasonable nor endure anything. As mentioned earlier, there’s no “have to,” “need to,” in this world. If you force yourself that your heart bursts and crashes, then it’s better to run away. The thought of “There’s no paradise for those who escape from the pain” is a lie. If there’s no paradise where you escaped then just escape again. There should be a place that’s kind to you somewhere. A life where you jump from place to place is okay 」

Minaho-neesan escaped from the hell of Black Forest brothel.

Even if there’s a five-year limit, Minaho-neesan that she had to reopen the brothel.

「 Minaho-chan’s like a teacher! 」

Agnes smiled.

「 Agnes hasn’t gone to school yet but Nei-chan watched a school story movie with us 」

Err.

「 Minaho-chan is like the school teacher 」

Minaho-neesan is our homeroom teacher. Yeah.

She’s supposed to be our English teacher but she’s a mysterious teacher not teaching in any other classroom.

I mean, the truth is her license is a fake one.

Therefore, she’s not teaching us.

「 I have to work hard too I guess 」

Minaho-neesan smiled wryly.

「 Even if I pass the secondary education University Entrance Qualification Exam in one year, I don’t think that I can get a five-year qualification 」

Minaho-neesan’s dream is to become a school teacher.

「 It’s okay. No matter how many years it takes, the school you’re going to for teaching practice is already settled 」

Minaho-neesan is the board chairman of our school.

She has a place to return.

「 True 」

Minaho-neesan smiled.

「 Kouzuki-sama has a reward for you 」

「 Reward? 」

「 Yes, for the hard work you’ve done for the past two days 」

W-What is Jii-chan giving to me?

「 We obtained a middle school 」

Huh?

「 To be precise, a private junior high school class 」

「 What does that mean? 」

「 You see, girls who are truant or have problems with their home exist in any middle school. But, middle school is compulsory education, see? If you can’t go through it, then you can go to the school infirmary instead of the classroom and study there 」

Yeah.

「 A board chairman who’s an acquaintance of Kouzuki-sama created a special classroom for such girls with a troublesome situation. An old school building where other students don’t go in 」

「 So Mana’s going thee? 」

Mana’s new school hasn’t been decided yet.

With her past as Shirasaka Maika, she can’t enroll in Misuzu’s school.

If she’s in an ordinary middle school, and her identity is exposed, she would be bullied.

Shirasaka Sousuke’s an enemy of the nation even now.

「 Not just Mana-san, Arisu-san too 」

Arisu too.

The Kurama sisters can’t go to the school for the young ladies anymore.

Their father is hiding from the bill collector after all.

「 There would be no need to go to and from there every day. All you had to do is show results when you’re there. There’s no need to show in front of the other students too. That class is created so other students don’t interfere. I mean, the ordinary students don’t know anything about that special class 」

So, they never meet students from the same middle school?

「 Even in graduation, they can just get their certificate in the principal’s office in secret. Anyways, they only need to have a school register and graduate from middle school and then they can attend our high school 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 But, that would mean that Mana and Arisu can’t make new friends in school 」

That’s what I’m worried about

「 You can’t ask for that much in our situation 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Middle schoolers nowadays keep in touch through phones when they become friends, right? If anyone notices Mana-san’s true identity, it will spread immediately. Furthermore, it won’t reach just the school but the media too 」

Oh, if anyone makes a rumor about the daughter of Shirasaka Sousuke attending in their school…

It’ll spread throughout Japan in one day.

The media would jump in and cover it right away.

「 If we want to erase her past, then we need the people to lose interest in her first. At any rate, that’ll take years 」

Until Mana grows beautifully that she no longer overlaps with her past image as Shirasaka Maika…

「 Arisu-san too. Currently, her behavior and speech are still of a young lady, right? It would be dangerous to place her together with ordinary people 」

Arisu who speaks like a young lady would be a target of bullying too?

Furthermore, if they discover that Arisu’s home, Kurama house, lost their assets, the bullying would escalate.

「 Arisu-san still has some work to do depending on her progress but Mana-san will have to spend her remaining time in middle school to launder her personal history. Her ordinary life will return to high school 」

I think Minaho-neesan’s right on this one.

「 But, we can’t progress unless she enrolls in a middle school, graduate, and obtain records. Of course, she’s going to use Yoshida Mana as her name 」

For Mana to accomplish her dream of becoming a supermodel someday…

She needs to have records of graduating from middle school as Yoshida Mana.

「 Arisu-san should change her surname too. You should talk to Arisu-san when deciding about it 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Okay, we’ll talk about it later 」

That’s my job.

「 Still, if this can solve Mana’s problems then this is good 」

The family has Yomi, who’s at the same age, and the younger group has increased.

What’s left is for the family to be watchful so Mana and Arisu don’t get lonely.

「 Oh, the problem is the opposite 」

「 Papa, what is it? 」

I looked at Agnes and she asks me worriedly.

「 Well, Agnes has to go to school soon 」

「 That’s right 」

A girl who’s never gone to school since birth is going to a school for the young ladies…I wonder if it will go smoothly.

Well, Luna and Koyomi-chan, who is also 12, are with her, but still…

Those girls will find it hard to adapt to a school filled with young ladies.

「 Onii-sama, we will look after them 」

Ruriko said.

「 Oh, right. Agnes-chan will become a student in our school. It’s okay. I’ll cheer on you girls too 」

Mariko said.

「 I like Agnes-chan, and if anything happens to her, I’ll jump out of the high school building to her side! 」

「 Thank you, Mariko-san 」

Misuzu said.

I see. if the young lady of the Kouzuki house moves all the time, it’ll become a serious matter.

Mariko who isn’t a young lady of nobility would be much more flexible.

「 Yes, leave it to me! 」

Mariko replies out of fun. Momoko-neechan’s staring at her with a complicated look.

She sure likes Mariko as a protegee of hers.

「 Well, let’s step out of the bath…Let’s drink something cold 」

I told everyone.

「 Also, as for our return home… 」

「 Yes. Ruriko and I will stay here and talk to Yoshiko-oneesama 」

「 I will spend the night here and go to school together with Misuzu-sama 」

Mariko said.

「 What about your school uniform and the likes? 」

If I recall, they were wearing those from the party yesterday, but still.

「 I can have them delivered from my home. There should be no problems in that regard 」

Mariko said with a smile.

Then that’s good.

「 Michi, you’ll stay here too? 」

「 Yes, Master 」

Michi is Misuzu’s bodyguard so it can’t be helped

「 I’ll keep Darling safe 」

Edie will be our bodyguard on our return home.

「 What about Minaho-neesan? 」

「 I still have to return to Kurama Misato-san, Tokuda-san, and Kurosawa-san 」

Training the new girls for the reopening of the brothel.

「 Reika-san will send you off to the Kuromori mansion 」

Rei-chan comes over.

Agnes, Edie, Nei, Mana, and I…

We can fit in one vehicle

「 By the way, what do we do with this Papa? 」

Agnes gently pats my half-erect penis.

「 Michi-chan is looking at it greedily. Why not do it with Michi-chan? 」

「 I-I-I-I-I-I-I’m not making a greedy face! 」

Michi says in a panic.

No, Michi had gone through a lot too so I want to make her feel good, but…

I’m so close to my limit already…

「 Put that aside and bring it home as a souvenir 」

Minaho-neesan said with a mean smile.

「 Oh! Right! Yukino-chan! Megumi-chan and Ai-chan are all staying at home! 」

Right…

The advance party went home first…

Haiji, Eri and Rie, Mitama and Kinua, and Arisu…

With the increase of my women…

Megu will get angry.

I can imagine it already.

「 Even so, we have to return. That’s your home 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Yeah 」

Let’s go back… I have to.