CH 75

Nothing is More Expensive than Free Stuff

Translated by LyraDhani

Edited by LyraDhani

Around the end of May. At a dock in the purple dusk of Tokyo Bay, Tsugumi, dressed in formal attire, looked up at a huge ship standing comfortably in front of him.

–The ship, built about three years ago, was a luxury cruise ship for celebrities, designed for cruising rather than sailing. The venue for the reception party was inside this ship.

For safety reasons, the outside of this ship was coated with paint that dissolved a magic nucleus, and it had the defensive strength of a small fortress. It was perfect for a party of VIPs.

“…Even so, this tightness made it hard to breathe. –Hah. Why is it so hard to wear a kimono?”

In a voice quieter than the sound of the waves, Tsugumi let out a complaint.

–The clothes that Shiro gave him. It was a beautiful kimono with a gorgeous cherry blossom pattern on black.

The greatest advantage of a kimono was the lack of disparity in body shape. Even if he had a flat body with no sharpness or a fat body with no neckline, he could still look good in a kimono.

Above all, it simply looked good and was well received by others. As a ceremonial dress, it was the most appropriate one.

As he gazed out to sea with such thoughts in mind, Tsugumi – Hagakure Sakura was secretly attracting the attention of the people around him. His beautiful appearance caught their eyes.

The colorful cherry blossom patterns, as if they were dancing, were painted on a fabric of excellent quality. The obi was a subdued silver color, embroidered with a pattern of flowing clouds in gold and red threads.

The obidome had a large green cat’s eye stone and its surrounding area was elegantly crafted with a raden.

His black hair, which was tied up in a bun, was shiny and glossy, and the thin, white nape peeking out from the base of his neck gave off an austere, sexy impression.

The people around him were admiring his beauty in kimono, but Tsugumi was not at all at ease.

–The story goes back to the time when he received the kimono.

“This, you know, looks very expensive…”

When Shiro presented him with this gorgeous set of kimono, Tsugumi felt an indescribable sense of dread.

-A hint of a wad of cash was coming from this kimono. And a tremendous amount of it, too.

The fabric had a texture that felt as if it was absorbing to the skin, and the embroidery shone as if it was glowing even in the dark. The obi was clipped with fine jewels and elegant hair ornaments. The other accessories did not look like things that ordinary people could afford.

And when he held the kimono, expecting it to be heavy, he found that everything was as light as a feather. It was definitely not an ordinary kimono.

“Is this kimono really for me? Could it be mistaken for something else?”

When Tsugumi, who was upset, asked Shiro about the details of the kimono, his face scrunched up, and he received a surprising answer.

“Hmm? It’s not mistaken, though? …But that kimono was originally made by a friend of mine who is good at sewing to send to my ‘sister’. In the end, she refused to accept it, so I stored it in the warehouse, but I thought the pattern would suit my cute little sister, so I picked it out.”

Of course, I left some for Chidori, Shiro said proudly. As he listened to the explanation, Tsugumi gently lowered the kimono onto the table with trembling hands.

Originally, the kimono was supposed to be given to Shiro’s sister – in other words, to a famous God. …There was a saying that nothing was more expensive than free stuff, but this was a product that couldn’t even be priced properly.

Frightened by the seriousness of the situation, Tsugumi tried to return the kimono, but Shiro ran away from the scene in a flash as if he had made the first move. He quickly called out to him, but for some reason, he didn’t seem to stop.

As Tsugumi looked in dismay at Shiro’s back as he left the set of kimonos behind, Bell, who had been standing silently next to him the whole time, muttered.

“…He’s really crazy.”

Tsugumi gave a small nod of agreement, and then let out a deep sigh.

–Now that I’ve received it, I have to wear it. Tsugumi gently held his head, which was giving him a headache, and let out a loud sigh.

It would not be that difficult to prepare another kimono, but it was obvious that Shiro would be shocked if he did. Basically, Tsugumi had a soft spot for his family.

Shiro was also one of his family members, even if only temporarily. He didn’t want to see him sad.

–And then, he had asked the government to introduce a professional dresser and make-up artist, and here he was today.

The people who were in charge of dressing the guests didn’t scrutinize his kimono, as if they were proud of his professionalism. …Well, they’d be amused to know that his hands were shaking slightly when he put it on. He knew how it felt.

“Good evening, Hagakure-san. -It’s a lovely outfit. Did you get that new kimono for today?”

As he gazed idly at the ocean, he was approached by someone walking up from behind.

“Good evening, Sobi-san. …Yes, it’s a gift from my brother. Sobi-san also looks good in a blue dress.”

Tsugumi formed a smile and greeted her with a slight bow.

There she was, Sobi Maki, who was assigned to security duty with Tsugumi. Her speech was always gentle and he could sense her innate elegance.

Sobi was wearing a fluffy blue dress with a soft silver shawl. A dainty necklace featuring roses sat around her white, thin neck.

The most remarkable thing about her was the way she stood. Her spine was straight and gentle smile was dignified, which Tsugumi did not have.

“Fufu, thank you. –Even so, I’m sorry to hear that Hitsugi-senpai had a mishap, too. Didn’t she get driven into a fight with Irregulars this morning and injured her throat? I heard it wasn’t serious, but I’m worried…”

“Yes, I also received a call during the day. It was a call from the deputy, she will be on her way to the ship as soon as she is finished with the treatment, although she may be late. To be honest, I hope she won’t be too hard on herself…”

Tsugumi replied to Sobi’s words with a somber expression.

–Hitsugi Airi’s injury. The news was spread throughout the country in an instant.

Hitsugi fought against a B-class Demonic Beast that appeared by shortening the time in the morning today, and at the end of the fight, the Demonic Beast sprayed black mist on her, injuring her throat. Fortunately, it was not serious, and most of the injury was healed when the barrier was lifted, but it seemed that the discomfort in her throat did not disappear.

Normally, a slight injury could be completely healed by the conversion of divine power when the barrier was closed, but if the injury was severe enough, it might not heal completely. In other words, it was like Tsugumi in the Radon battle.

“She has a strong sense of responsibility. Most likely, she is thinking, ‘I don’t want people to think that one of the Jukka, a national force, has been weakened on a day when VIPs from other countries will be gathered’. …It would be fine if she can rely on us juniors a little more.”

“That’s right…”

“For now, our work will not change whether Hitsugi-senpai comes or not. Please enjoy the party like everyone else and observe if anyone is acting strangely. …I think the food will be delicious but don’t eat too much, okay?”

“Haha… I’ll be careful.”

Saying so, Tsugumi laughed and fooled around.

…Perhaps because of the rumor that Hagakure Sakura was a big foodie, he recently had been receiving more gifts and sweets from people he met in the government. Perhaps it was because he has always accepted them with a smile, but apparently, the rumors had been spurred on.

Sobi’s earlier comment was probably made out of concern that Tsugumi might get carried away with the food at the party and neglect the security. …It was a somewhat disgraceful treatment, but it was hard to correct it now, so he had to keep quiet.

Then, as he was discussing future plans with Sobi, a bell was ringing from the ship. Apparently, the ship was ready for boarding.

Prompted by the staff member in charge of the landing area, Tsugumi boarded the ship, smiling at the news cameras gathered around the ship, and headed for the party venue, straightening his back.

-It was different from what he’d been up to, but this place was like a battlefield in a sense. He had to be careful.

With a small exhale, Tsugumi gazed at the door in front of him. The doorman in uniform opened the grand door, announcing the name of Hagakure Sakura.

“Jukka, Hagakure Sakura-sama is now entering.”

–Now, the battle begins.