Chapter 2 : The Stars of Baker Street
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Lisa’s homeland of the Netherlands–in terms of both location and culture–are a mix of German and British.
Because having a maid would make living in London much easier, once the Beretta Scholarship is deposited, things should get on much more simply afterwards.
Because Lisa loves a neat and tidy room, she set about dusting until the room sparkled and rigged a system to open the latch on the tiny window to set up a cross-breeze to regulate the room temperature. Her cooking specialty has also improved the quality of food I was eating. Having a woman in the house is truly indispensable.
As for her attire, I put a strict ban on working naked or anything else similar and ordered her to wear her home-made French maid sailor suit uniform. Why do I have to explicitly order something like this?
「Lisa is happy. It is Lisa’s fate to be with her master Hero-sama from today onward. I wish this moment could last forever…」
As we did our washing at the coin-operated laundry next door, Lisa sat down heavily on the old, worn-out sofa next to me while muttering this rapturously. Before I knew it, I felt her lean her head on my shoulder, letting its weight rest on it.
What’s more, the scent of her silky blonde hair was deadly. It wafted up, sweet and strong.
Because I typically rely on Lisa’s heroic efforts every day, I’ll let her rely on me for a bit.
However… In order to save money, we did all of our washing at once, and seeing my boxers and Lisa’s underwear tumbling together is quite an embarrassing sight. I’m suffering some kind of mental trauma.
As I sat in a slightly depressed state, from my pocket–
The strains of an Enka ballad that did not suit the London atmosphere streamed out.
『Tooyama. I have finally arranged an appointment to meet with Minuet. She will see you alone.』
–It happened. Things are moving forward.
「Thanks, Watson. And… sorry for the other day. I vented my anger on you. I’ve looked back, and I regret it.」
『Fufu! Don’t worry about it. I thought you were a bit cute back then.』
You’re the cute one. With that laugh of yours just now.
Sooner or later, the fact that you are a girl will eventually be exposed.
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I had planned to have Watson take care of Lisa while I deal with Minuet, but she wanted to stay by my side until the very last minute… On the evening of that very same day, I took a double-decker bus to Minuet’s house, and riding with me, she became car sick.
Little Miss Beast of Gévaudan can fly through the air on a V-2 rocket without any issues then gets car sick!?
But thanks to the sometimes comical antics of this maid, I was able to relieve some of my stress–
The issues of Aria’s marriage and irokane are things that simply must be addressed.
I must steel my will for whatever happens next.
The one who holds the key to all of this–
Is Aria’s younger sister, Minuet.
According to Aria, Minuet is a fairly dangerous person. But I’ve spent my life meeting with dangerous people on an almost daily basis. Namely the one who told me that. When it comes to little sisters, my own is dangerous enough. Ever since I’ve attended the peculiar school of Butei High, the number of people around me that aren’t dangerous have been in the minority. It doesn’t matter what kind of child Minuet is.
「Now then, Master… *Hic!*… take care.」
The address Watson had given for Minuet was nearby–I got off at the Baker Street stop and, still green-faced, Lisa saw me off with her cute bow and slight spread of her skirts.
「Well, I’m off. Say hello to Watson for me.」
I left here with those words and began walking down the moderately busy Baker Street.
The apartment building where Sherlock Holmes had lived in the 19th century still existed. Minuet appeared to own the entire building. Indeed, all of the shops lined up on both sides of the street seemed to be Holmes Family property. It was like someone owning all the real estate in Monopoly.
Although it has been entirely renovated, it still retains its historical appearance–It seems like 221 Baker Street has slipped through time from the 19th century. The chased metal nameplate definitely said:『Minuet Holmes』.
She’s here. Aria’s younger sister, Minuet.
Pressing the door buzzer…
The black-edged white wooden door opened, and two stereotypical monochrome French Maids appeared, flanking the doorway.
At a glance, I could tell that the girls were both twins, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin.
「I’m Kinji Tohyama. I’ve come to meet with Minuet.」
「I am Sachet. Welcome.」
「I am Endora. Welcome.」
Sachet had short hair, and Endora had long hair. I’ll remember the difference in their hair lengths.
However… in contrast to our own Lisa, these maids were cold and aloof.
They were both beautiful, but all they gave their guest was a small bow.
Socially detached myself, I looked around the interior–and it was decorated in an antique style.
The British seem to dislike the gaudy, and the entire room was decorated in tasteful moderation.
In that instant… I realised the house was set up for maximum accessibility. Minuet was a logical genius from whom the leaders of her country sought advice. Thus I inferred that there might be quite a few elderly guests coming and going.
「There are still 10 minutes until your meeting. Would you care for some tea?」
「No, actually I have to p-… May I use your toilet? It may be a long conversation.」
When shown to the first floor toilet by Sachet, it was large and stylish. The floor was porcelain tile with a plant motif drawn on them, and it was fully accessible and equipped with handrails made of brass. Very tasteful.
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When the time for the meeting came, Endora showed me down a hallway.
Looking outside the window, I could see that dusk had fallen outside in the courtyard that was a round herb garden. I noticed that some flowers were blooming in just one part of it, and it must have been their blooming time–It must be that they are coordinated on a schedule such that a portion of them are always blooming depending on the time of year. Someone knowledgeable about plants must have done it… it was probably Minuet who designed the landscape.
The room had an amaranth coloured wallpaper with golden patterns, and a black and white framed photograph of Sherlock hung on the wall. He is well-respected.
「…」
Entering further into the first floor, I lost the words to describe what I saw.
This… is just like a museum! No, it’s a room with more articles arranged in rows than any old museum.
There were trilobites, ammonites, and horseshoe crab fossils. Further in there were more mid-sized fossils of a velociraptor and young pteranodon.
Walking through the room with Endora, we passed skeletons of snakes, dolphins, and lions.
「This is the room where the articles of Natural History that young miss Minuet has collected are displayed. The young miss’ room is further on–on the second floor.」
It seems that Minuet’s hobby is collecting fossils and bones.
Even for someone who has been called a gloomy person like me, that isn’t a very bright hobby at all.
There were large beehives without bees, butterflies, scorpions, and other insect specimens behind glass panes, and also stuffed hawks, owls, falcons, and trogons, along with several strange shellfish lined up in rows.
All of those things… are probably arranged in some kind of scientific order.
The impression I am getting from this scene…
It is familiar to me. I wonder if I can say that I’ve seen it before?
This scene–I remember it from the time I broke into the nuclear powered submarine in August.
–On I.U.
It looked similar to that entryway.
Minuet Holmes… is Sherlock Holmes’ great-grandchild…
They are similar. Things are happening like they did with Sherlock. That can’t be the reason for this conversation, though.
In a corner of the room of Natural History, I noticed some crystals, gold ore, and other minerals–
–Irokane was brought back to my mind once more.
Minuet. You know about it, don’t you? You know about it from your travels around the world.
Given it’s true nature as『metal with a will』, will you tell me how to save Aria?
Minuet wanted to meet with me alone, so she had not given Endora permission to go up the stairs at the end of the Natural History room.
As a result, I went up the stairs that were also equipped with a simple elevator by myself.
The dim corridor above… was quiet. The only thing audible was the slight creak of the wooden floor caused by my own footsteps.
I’ve felt it strange ever since Paris not to take my shoes off inside the house.
— As instructed by Endora, I found the black-framed, white door with a golden knob–then knocked.
「…」
There was no answer. But I could tell someone was there.
The keyhole was mushroom-shaped, a rarity these days…. but the door wasn’t locked. Then I opened it.
The somewhat bright room seemed slightly dishevelled. Not only were there objects strewn across the floor, but the top of all the table tops and bookshelves were also a jumbled mess.
However, according to the stories that have come down, the former Sherlock was like this as well.
There was an old, wooden letterbox with faded lettering. A gramophone with a slight layer of dust. A typewriter. A pendulum clock. All very nostalgic.
Finally, made of dark brown wood… and polished to a dull shine, there was an elegant magnifying glass.
That’s…
I’ve seen it on the internet. It’s the magnifying glass that Sherlock used in his investigations in the 19th century.
Seemingly deemed to be the proper successor to the Holmes Family legacy, she was given this memento. Minuet, that is.
But somehow… the room gives the impression of being someone’s who does not mingle in the world and maintains a sense of detachment. The sole piece of electronics in the room was a desktop PC.
「–What a horrible smell.」
Turning towards the half closed curtains as an anime-like voice broke in…
The small girl looking outside of the window that I saw from behind was Minuet.
She sat in a chair edged with metal in an arabesque pattern with the back facing me.
What truly caught my eye, however…were the large wheels on either side of the chair.
It was a wheelchair.
On the underside in back, there was some kind of gearing and shafts–it was attached to what looked like a small engine and seemed capable of moving itself, but it also included handles for someone to assist in pushing. She is someone that cannot walk.
I…
Just then I recalled how accessible the entrance hall was; the large washroom, and the simple elevator on the stairs.
Aria’s little sister was physically disabled.
「Smell? Are you talking to me?」
Her back still toward me without turning to face her guest, I asked before even introducing myself.
「The scent of gunpowder. You have the same scent as my older sister, the smell of one who fires guns daily. My older sister did not give me a run down of your profile, but you are an Armed Detective like her. That much required no deduction, so I believe that I should rather say that it was confirmed, should I not?」
Her back still facing me, Minuet continued to speak.
Her voice was similar to Aria’s. But despite being younger, her voice was slightly lower pitched.
「Your height is somewhere between 168 and 172 centimetres. Despite rigorous training, you are not overly muscular, only having the intent to maintain physical conditioning. Your weight is 68 kilograms, more or less.」
…My height… is exactly 170 cm. My weight is 63 kilograms. She had it right.
How did she know that without looking? She must have seen me in the angled reflection from the window, right? But even if she has some kind of camera, the ability to guess physique and weight underneath clothes is strange.
「How do you know that? Information about the physique of Butei is not released to the public, and it would have been impossible to find out beforehand. Aria and Watson are not foolish enough to prattle on and tell you about it in advance. There’s no way that you could have had any information about me.」
Things like this are important to establish at the outset.
Before entering into a proper conversation, I began cross-examining her in the Butei style to check Minuet.
But Minuet’s tone was unphased.
「That is an embarrassing question for you to ask. You are an Armed Detective. At the end of the day, you are a detective. You should be capable of at least an elementary level of deduction, should you not?」
…elementary?
That was one of the great detective Sherlock’s favourite sayings. I don’t know if it was intentional or not on her part.
「How did I deduce your profile? –I shall step you through it from the start, like the steps of a minuet. You said that I could not have had any information about you. That was your first mistake. The human body is always transmitting various kinds of information while in motion. Scent is but one. From the scent of gunpowder, the assumptions regarding your occupation can be narrowed.」
In a professorial tone, Minuet began to dissect and string ideas together.
「Then there are the sounds of footsteps.」
The sounds of footsteps…?
「Before you entered the room, you walked through the hall. Naturally, I am familiar with its length. As a result of physique, human stride carries a strong correlation with height. I counted the numbers of your steps, that is to say, I divided their number across the distance–From that I deduced your stride, and from your stride, your height. And from the reverberations of your footsteps, I could determine a general idea of your weight.」
「I see, you’re smart! I just wanted to make sure. You really are Minuet.」
I have waited for this for a long time, but now I’m finally here. In front of this key person.
Instead of blowing up in anger, the fact that this child engages in a cutting manner of speech might well be expected. A by-product of her deductive reasonings.
Her ability to accurately guess things is like Aria’s, except that in Aria’s case it is merely intuition, and hers is based upon a logically founded argument. It is almost proof of her pedigree from a great detective.
「So you are one of the common people. Is not the word『courtesy』contained within your vocabulary?」
「What’s that?」
「See that you do not know –I shall step you through it from the start, like the steps of a minuet. A gentleman is supposed to introduce himself by name first, before a lady gives her own. This is bare minimum courtesy. I am not so foolish as to judge your character merely by your level of intelligence… however, this is my room. If proper manners are not observed, I shall ask you to leave.」
Like her older sister, the younger sister is very much a contrarian. These Homes sisters are alike.
It doesn’t matter to me which order names and introductions are given.
However, it would be a problem if we are distracted from the main topic of irokane, so:
「I am Kinji Tohyama. In keeping with good manners, you should turn and introduce yourself as well. Keeping your back toward a guest is rude.」
I declared.
In response, Minuet *Squeak!*… as she slowly turned her wheelchair around, said:
「Ah, there is one more thing. Something else I was able to deduce about you. You are not a very good Armed Detective. That is an issue. You have underestimated me because I am in a wheelchair.」
She came to face me.
I then caught my breath.
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By all appearances…. She was super cute. Such was only to be expected of the English sister of the beautiful girl Aria. She was a match for Aria in terms of charm. On the statistical beauty T-score index, she was a 75. 1
However, they only share a single parent, and the younger sister had a different mother, so the impression was slightly different.
Firstly, Aria was fair skinned, but Minuet was more pale. In addition to a stronger mix of Caucasian blood, she also had the peculiar pallid tone of one who rarely basks in the sunlight.
Her large, forget-me-not blue almond-shaped eyes were just like Aria’s. However, they were oppressively–devoid of light. If she were my classmate, I would call her『gloomy』.
Her hair itself, held up at both sides of her head, glittered a pale platinum blonde. It was just like Aria’s in her old passport photo, but different from her hair colour now.
Her dress is doll-like and covered in ruffles and frills. It was burgundy, with a bonnet-like hood for the head like one for an infant. Could it be called Gothic Lolita? Yeah, that’s about right. If Riko ever saw it, she’s cry in sheer happiness.
In what appeared to be for my benefit as a guest, the collar was an imitation of the ones from the Butei High sailor suit, however… there was something else.
What caught my eye and held my attention was a gun.
Minuet had a gun from the start–an old English military rifle, and she had sighted it in as she turned the chair around. Letting go of the rifle with one hand for a brief moment, she engaged a handbrake on the wheelchair with a *Creak!* It was likely to prevent her from rolling backwards from the recoil.
「…」
She had entirely stolen the initiative. The Detective Minuet had triumphed over me as a Butei.
Sitting upon a scarlet cushion–Minuet said:
「It is a pleasure to meet you. Now then, farewell. My name is Minuet Holmes. I am Holmes the 4th.」
–Nice to meet you and goodbye–
While enunciating each word of this greeting clearly, she set an eye to the scope to further increase the odds of hitting a target at a distance of 7 and a half metres at which any amatuer almost certainly could do it…
–*Whoosh!*
She fired!
「–!」
The bullet struck a bullseye on my forehead, causing a lightning surge of pain.
Knocked backwards and falling on my back…
….I was still alive.
I clutched a hand at the pain in my forehead, but no blood was transferred.
Actually, from the sound of the report, I could tell that Minuet’s Lee-Enfield rifle was modified.
Moreover, it was an air gun used for fowling.
But if it were a real gun just now– I would really be dead. By Minuet’s hand.
「…Hmm.」
With an expression that seemed she had just come to her own conclusion about something… Minuet raised the muzzle of her rifle…
I wanted to shout in order to regain the initiative, but she forestalled me even now by saying–
「Based upon the fact that my elder sister fell for you at first sight, you must have some exceptional ability. However, based upon the way you reacted to the bullet just now, it must be something not under your conscious ability to control.」
–In less than 5 minutes after meeting, she had more or less figured out Hysteria Mode.
As I thought…. She is not someone I can let my guard down around.
As she said herself, if you think of her merely as a girl who cannot walk, you will have your feet swept out from under you.
「I do not typically allow men within a 5 metre radius of myself. It is not to say that I possess a phobia, but men smell horribly. I detest them.」
Pouting while holding a rifle, she made no effort to apologise.
「…」
With my forehead throbbing in pain underneath my hand, I turned a spiteful gaze in her direction.
It hurts. It really does! I wonder if there’s a skull fracture.
「As you can see, my body is not capable of any resistance to the application of force. As you are a young man, please indulge me to retain the rifle. Furthermore, this rifle employs a radioactive isotope battery cell to charge up air pressure. A greeting bullet employs a pressure of 150 atmospheres and is sufficient to kill a pigeon, while at 750 atmospheres–at that point, within the 5 metres mentioned previously, it possesses impulsive power comparable to that of a .22 calibre bullet. That is to say it is capable of killing humans.」
–What she is saying is that she peppers people with bullets as soon as she meets them, just like her sister Aria.
What is a greeting bullet? Only you sisters greet people by shooting.
However…
「Alright, keep it if you want. I just saw your skill with your rifle. It doesn’t matter to me. With a gun in my possession, I would see through any tricks you might try to pull. You don’t want to have a gunfight.」
I said aggressively, trying to assert control of the situation.
「How gallant of you to clarify the situation for me. However, if you think that my power is merely that of an air gun, you are a third-rate Butei. E-Rank, or D, at best.」
She was right. But I didn’t want to say『correct』to this brat.
「…」
「…」
Minuet and I both retained our guns–
Once more, we returned to a staring contest as fellow gloomy persons.
Even then, however, she was cute to look at.
Looking more foreign than Aria, her clothes made her look like a real life-sized doll.
「Now that I think about it, how old are you?」
「My! How tactless are you? Is there no end to your ignorance? There are several questions that one should never ask of a woman with whom they are not well acquainted. Telephone number, weight–and especially age. I would much prefer that you save me the trouble of shooting you by killing yourself with your own gun by way of apology for your rudeness– However, it is a timely matter, so I shall answer. I was 14 yesterday.」
「You answered anyway, so drop all the pretense. 14…. In Japan, that would put you in the second year of middle school. Huh! In Japanese, we call them chuunibyou, and with all your double-talk and style, that seems to fit. 14 is an ~embarrassing~ age–」
「Oh? You should not ridicule the number 14, Kinji. It is the smallest, even nontotient number. It is also the smallest composite number that is not a Harshad number. It is Johan Cruyff’s number, arguably the best soccer player of the 20th century. In Japanese mahjong, you need 14 tiles in order to win. You should have more respect and an interest in all numbers.」
Treating me as if I were stupid, she peevishly batted aside my statements.
What’s more, she addressed me without any honorifics. This seems to be a particularly Western bit of rudeness. She looks down on me completely. She can probably read from my expression that I am thinking something rude.
Now, about this way of talking around a subject.
In that, she truly resembles Sherlock. Every word she speaks is irritating.
「By the by, this collar of mine–I patterned it after the Tokyo Butei High girl’s school uniform. Do you think that the colour and shape are quite right, or does it look strange? I made it in celebration of my elder sister’s return… but I have never observed the true article myself.」
「…On the whole, your clothes are strange, but just looking at the collar, it does not seem out of place.」
「I award you 65 points. It was a good, clear answer, but in order to not overtax your pea-sized brain with women’s fashion, you should instead take every opportunity to praise their attire.」
First confirming that I was a Butei High student, Minuet then rearranged her collar.
What did she mean by 65 points? Are you scoring my words?
「…You said celebrate Aria’s return, however, you were unable to do so. Right now, she is at Buckingham Palace, serving as the Prince’s bodyguard.」
「Things are all proceeding as I had deduced that they would, are they not?」
「What?」
「I first learned of my elder sister’s return, then the information made its way from Scotland Yard to the members of the Armed Detective party of our family, and that eventually brought His highness and my elder sister together. I have no particular interest in the matter of family succession, but if the relationship between His Highness and my elder sister were to develop, her supporters would consider that to be a great windfall. If things go well, I might even find myself to be the younger sister to the Crown Princess. Finding myself a member of the Royal Family would be an interesting turn of events, would you not agree?」
–Oi! So part of this… was her doing! The thing with the Prince.
「What are you doing completely ignoring what Aria’s own wishes?」
「It is my purpose in life to harass my elder sister.」
「Aria has a very serious problem right now. And that is a pretty dark reason for living–」
「Dark reason for living? You can say that with your dark face?」
「Shut up! I was born this way.」
「Self-conscious, aren’t we?」
「Well… tease me all you want. But I’m the kind of person that might reach out and surprise you.」
Is she trying to pick a fight?
I wanted to reach for her throat, but… I checked myself.
I had come to ask for Minuet’s help. If we stray too far from a pleasant exchange, she might not tell me what I want to know, and that would be a problem.
Like a Butei, I hung in there a bit longer.
「…I did not come to argue with you. I came to ask about irokane. You must know of it from your world travels. And you heard the story of Aria transforming into the Scarlet Goddess from Watson, if not Aria herself.」
「Yes. To become a princess or a goddess: my elder sister’s prospects are indeed bright.」
「What can I– Rather, what can we do to stop it? That is what I came to ask. I already have ruruirokane at my disposal. I’ll do anything that you say I need to. Do you know what to do?」
「Yes. I have deduced that much.」
*Squeak!*… Pushing on one of her wheelchair’s wheels with one hand, Minuet angled herself away from me.
「–But I shall not tell you.」
Minuet shot me a sidelong gaze much more mature than her years.
「What…?」
「First and most importantly, my elder sister does not wish to become the Scarlet Goddess. In that case, it would be best for her to distance herself from battle and love. She would then have to resign from the police and Butei– and all other such organisations to do with fighting that have stolen her from my side and become a detective with me. She should then spurn love and live as a nun for her entire life. As far as I am concerned, the hidan is a collar upon my sister’s neck, and what has occurred is rather a good thing.」
Watson did tell me….
Minuet loves Aria.
She wants–Aria to stay by her side, is that it?
「You’re just repeating what Tamamo said, but the heart cannot be so easily bound, no matter how much you want to. Even if you keep her by your side– something will happen eventually, and the Scarlet Goddess will seize the chance to take over. She wants to start a war.」
「War? Do you mean a war between nations like the Second World War? Does the image of total warfare come to your mind?」
「Exactly! A civil war. London will become a sea of fire.」
「You ought to let go of that notion, Kinji. Modern society is ruled by party politics, and the Scarlet Goddess would have to first form a party like Hitler, taking over parliamentary seats one by one in order to take over the governments of Japan and Britain in order to usher in a war.」
「…」
「For the sake of argument, let us suppose that such a thing did occur, and that Japan and China or Britain and France, for example, crossed the channel between then and engaged in a total war. The machine guns employed by modern landing forces can fire more than 10 bullets each second, and require 700-1,000 bullets each. That is to say that for a single day, enough bullets to fill this entire room would be required.
Landing operations and securing a beachhead would take several days–The nation on the other side of the sea would also require transport troop ships to transport their troops to the enemy nation. Of course, a war cannot be waged with a single gun, so a landing operation of 10,000 personnel requires enough transport ships to carry them. Each transport ship requires an escort to guard it in all directions, raising the overall sum to 90,000 personnel. And that is just for a few days.
「Such a total war requires a large amount of capital. Do you believe that the nations of today, ravaged by a global recession, would be willing to commit to such a large expense of resources?」
「Well… I hadn’t thought of that… But what would the Scarlet Goddess be planning to do…?」
She had said back in Hong Kong that she wanted a Three Kingdoms-style battle of superhumans, so I don’t think that she would like the conflict to end in an instant nuclear war.
「That is elementary. If I were the Scarlet Goddess, I would aim to spark an exchange of terroristic attacks. Ethnicity and religious tensions– these are powder kegs of conflict all around the world. All it would take would be a tiny spark to set off the conflagration. A single pull of the trigger could set off an armed conflict for those who wish for war. Small groups within nations will ignite local conflicts, setting off a string of terror attacks. This would not be restricted to Japan or the United Kingdom, but this new『War』would spread across the world.」
Fan the flames of ethnic and religious division to create a quagmire of terrorism?
And from there, draw out the superhuman soldiers from each region to fight… that is probably her aim.
Until now, I had imagined something like a Third World War, but this was much more likely.
「…The way you talk is as if it is someone else’s problem.」
「That is because it is someone else’s problem. Terrorism will occur wherever people gather, but I do not go out. It has no other effect bessides increasing the amount of time I spend watching news programmes.」
Is she merely watching the outbreaks of terrorsim on television and purposefully ignoring it? In actuality… most people would probably profess ignorance. As a general rule.
Aria would not become the Scarlet Goddess, and so it would not be a problem. It was logically explained and reasoned, and I felt that my argument had been defeated… but I couldn’t accept it.
–Until now, I had responded politely to my partner’s younger sister, but should I adopt a more typical Butei style here? It would also serve to correct her warped character.
「Alright, alright, I get it, you pain in the neck. You’ve done a whole lot of rationalising, but stop now. This is Aria’s–and by extension as her Butei partener, my own serious issue. If you have some secret but will not tell me, there is no more use talking, and I will have to pry it from your lips.」
I told G-3 that『Persisting in dialogue and negotiations is the Japanese way』, but…
If that doesn’t work, suddenly changing tack and attacking immediately with a sword or Zero fighter, is the way we handle things.
「Hmm. That may be one strategy. Although it is certainly the most foolish. Now then.As for prying the secret from my lips… I wonder just how you intend to do that?」
With a small sound, Minuet tightened her grip on her Lee-Enfield.
She was increasing the internal pressure like she had said before. Until it reached a lethal level.
But that is actually just fine.
If she chooses force, I can bring my own strength to bear.
Aria said that she could employ something like hypnotism to kill merely with words.
Aria’s Amica Angelica’s brain had been scrambled.
I will apply a bit of pain, as I said I would, and extract the information.
「Guns don’t work against me. If you rely on them, you will lose. If you have any other weapons, you should use them.」
I said, opening my hand to perform a quick-draw with my pistol….
Then I boldly strode toward Minuet to encroach upon her 5 metre sphere of exclusion. Then I further reduced the distance, 3, 2, then 1 metre.
However, it became apparent that Minuet would not counterattack by firing.
In fact, this child’s experience with guns is at a level where she has been preempted.
Her sweet attitude exposed this fact, more so than a first-year student at Butei High. Even without Hysteria Mode, my opponent has not had the benefit of the grueling training from my Nii-san and Ranbyou.
Actually, she is merely a girl in a wheelchair.
It’s possible that Aria might open up a wind-hole in me because I bullied her little sister, so I’ll just grab her lightly by the collar to frighten her.
「It would be best if you didn’t move. You might break a bone.」
Speaking that bluff of a threat as I approached, I first reached out with my right hand to take the air rifle–
With exquisite timing, Minuet shouldered the rifle on her left side, then took her right hand off the gun and reached out as if to shake my hand.
Paying closer attention, it was like a『pinky swear』where only our pinky fingers entwined.
–Then it happened.
…Uh…Wha…!?
Ou-ouch! What the hell!?
It appeared that Minuet applied minimal force to wrench my pinky finger back, and in that same action, bent my wrist in a direction it did not naturally bend.
In the instant the sharp pain hit me, I lost all my belligerence.
Ow-ow-ow! This is inconceivable. I can’t get away! If I tried to break my finger free, she would likely only need to apply a bit more strength to break my wrist. Using my own strength.
Further, Minuet entwined her fingers in mine like cat’s cradle, causing the bones in my fingers to *Creak!* as she flexed them.
「–Hrng…Urgh!」
This time the pain reached up to my elbow.
I am now kneeling on the carpet on the floor. I had no other choice but to stay there as it continued to spread.
Then the pain in my shoulder then reached my spine–
FInally, I found myself pinned to the floor like a spider.
A cold sweat broke out on my forehead, as Minuet continued to sit in her wheelchair…
She was looking down at me with a cold stare, just as she would if I were an insect.
WIth the cool look on her face, it did not look like she was expending any effort.
That was the situation. Using a method I did not understand, my arm was forced behind my back– turning all of my own power back on myself in order to control me.
Minuet had evolved this from a simple『pinky swear』.
This is probably– an Aiki technique, a master-level skill.2 It was some kind of ancestral style.
「It would be best if you did not move. You might break a bone.」
Minuet repeated my own words back at me… I did not know what to say to that. If I were to shift slightly, all the bones between my pinky and spine would be torn apart. All using my own strength.
This was the situation in which I found myself stuck.
「Baritsu has its origins in Japan, but was later refined in Brazillian『Vale Tudo』where anything goes–a complete, comprehensive, and adaptable mixed material arts system. As such, it is only natural that it can be employed from a seated position. My elder sister’s technique emphasises strikes and throws, but my own application– employs mainly joint-locks. This one is『Batsuta』3. Refined by my great-grandfather, it has been passed down through the generations of the Holmes family.」
As she spoke, Minuet placed the muzzle of the Lee-Enfield against the back of my head.
「Kinji? Do you know that I like you just a bit?」
If that’s true, then don’t poke your gun into my head!
「Because of that, I shall allow you to be my mount.」
Twisting my pinky finger slightly– like a puppet, she forced me to creep along on my left hand and knees. Due to the pain, I couldn’t take any other posture.
Then, *Shuffle!* *Shuffle!*… I came up alongside as Minuet’s wheelchair moved.
Her air gun returned to a metal rack on the chair, she spoke:
「Yee-haw! ♡」
With her left hand resting on the arm rail of the wheelchair and supported by my right arm, with a *Plop!*, she transferred her small buttocks from the chair to my back. She sat on my back like a girl riding double and sitting sideways on a bicycle.
「Now. Trot. If you do not do as I say, I shall break your spine.」
…I’ll kill you…!
Those words could be heard clearly… spoken by my inner voice from deep inside me.
D-Dammit…! Transmitting force down through my immobilised right arm, she forced me to crawl. Shivering in pain, I moved across the floor on the 3 contact points of my left arm and knees as Minuet rode upon my back,
「Ah…! Grk…!」
It hurts…! It hurts…!
Due to the pain, I was unable to speak, only make noises like an animal.
「Ohoho! You are a miserable mount. Come, make a circuit of the room on your hands and knees.」
With a sadistic laugh, she used my right hand to guide me…
What actually happened was that she made me crawl around an antique desk. When we got back in front of her chair she shouted「Whoa! Whoa! ♡」in a soft voice and brought us to a stop.
Then Minuet reclaimed her seat in the scarlet covered wheelchair…
Then, as she released my hand, I understood what she held in hers.
But for the moment, my whole body was wracked with pain, and I couldn’t move.
Collapsed miserably in front of Minuet’s wheelchair, I cradled my right arm… I couldn’t do anything else.
Minuet looked down on me in that state from her chair.
「Kinji. Earlier, I said that I liked you. You are different from those who seek to take advantage of a girl who cannot walk and mask their true intentions with flattery. At first, I thought, like Angelica,『I will kill you』.」
「Y…You were going to kill me…!?」
「At first, I just intended to pass the time.」
Rustling her hair, Minuet stared down at me in contempt with her blue eyes.
–I shivered–
Then I understood.
This feeling.
This is– bloodlust.
She was a national treasure level weapon… but the blade was still stowed in its sheath.
It wasn’t her gun or Baritsu. Minuet had another hidden blade. The blade that is her tongue has not yet been drawn.
That blade could easily pierce me through. This girl can use words to kill people instead of a gun or knife.
This is Minuet Holmes.
Guns and explosives; swords and magic; traps and advanced weaponry, many people with all kinds of powers have tried to kill me– but Minuet’s power was like nothing I could imagine
Just like a samurai that had never seen a gun and had no way to handle it, I had no idea how to deal with Minuet’s deadly words. If she uses them, she’ll kill me.
Her bloodlust was not all that I noticed. It was instinctive for a Butei.
「You are the villain who took my elder sister away from me and England, after all. However, If forced to say, I have taken a liking to your uncomplicated personality and gloomy face.」
「N-no one is asking you to like me…!」
「Regardless, it is so. Since we began the converse, you have not changed your manner of speech. Your tone became threatening, but that was due to your anxiety and impatient care for my elder sister’s well-being and attributable to your mental state. When it comes to my sister Aria, you will not be turned aside. That is my estimation.」
…What a self important child she is.
Moving backwards to escape from Minuet, I fell into a seated posture…
Then I crossed my legs and folded my arms.
「…」
「Now then, what is this pose?」
「I’m sitting in protest. Until you tell me about irokane, I’m not moving.」
Adopting the desperate strategy of the weak, I resolved to pester her into telling me. Even Butei occasionally employ this method.
Although Minuet said that she liked me, she hates smelly and dirty『men』.
Besides, with my strange luck, If I just wandered outside, I might meet a 00-series agent from MI6 who might take the opportunity to use his licence-to-kill to bump me off. Remaining here kills two birds with one stone.
「Oh, well you have been thinking. I thought up something for you to do as well.」
However… It seems that Miss Minuet has caught on to my underhanded trick.
Her wheelchair vibrated slightly with a small *Bzz!*…
With a grin, she gave a dark, ill-boding laugh.
Facing this ominous, beautiful girl, I shivered slightly.
I had a bad feeling about this, for some reason. This was the second time it has happened since I arrived in London.
「You shall stay near me.」
Have I… stepped on a landmine with this strategy?
「You will not leave until I tell you about irokane, and I will never tell you. However, under those circumstances, you may never return home… So I shall establish『The Star System』.」
*Brrrr!*… With a small sound of a drive system, the wheelchair began to move forward under its own power.
Then, from the desk decorated in fairytale-like patterns, she took a white card.
Passing it over to me, I saw it was a blank business card.
「If you do something good for me, then I shall draw a star upon it. Once you have accumulated 10 stars, I shall tell you all that I have deduced about hihiirokane,」
…She hasn’t told me yet, but is she giving me a chance?
I don’t have time to spare to play games with a self-important noble, but…
But isn’t this better than when I hadn’t a single clue up until now?
「Good, you say, but what do I have to do to earn a star?」
「We shall see.」
「See what!? Don’t you already know what you want me to do!?」
「Why does the Sun rise? How does the Moon shine? You do nothing but ask questions like a child. Even if you are only pretending to be an Armed Detective, please exercise your own mental faculties.」
「The Sun rising and the Moon shining are mere natural phenomenae There is nothing to reason out. There is no logic to apply.」
「Quite so. There are many such things in the world that lack logical motivation. In other words– I need not have clearly defined reasons to draw or to not draw a star. What do you think is a good thing to do?」
Good thing…? I furrowed my eyebrows…
*Tick!* *Tick!* *Tick!*… the grandfather clock ticked.
「It is time for dinner, Kinji.」
With a sudden motion, Minuet turned one of the wheels on her chair to the side…. and pointed its handles toward me. Then:
「Please push me.」
「I will if you give me a star.」
「Ah! I see you have grasped the Star System. From this point forward, if you push me when I ask–I shall give you a star immediately afterwards.」
That said, Minuet took the card from me…
Standing up, I grasped the handles of the wheelchair, and turned the brass lever near my hands.
The there was a *Poof!*
From what looked like a small steam engine at the lower, back portion of the chair, a white smoke went up– it looked like water vapour. It was hot.
Then, taking a quill from the desk, she drew a star. My first.
「Oh, yes. If you do something bad to me, you will lose stars, understand?」
Minuet said with an evil grin that chilled me to the bone as she handed back the card as she looked back over her shoulder–
That is to say, the number of stars rises and falls according to the whims of this little sister, doesn’t it?
It is a crude, and childish system in keeping with the twisted nature of this Miss’ personality.
However– that is what makes it challenging. Dammit!
Using the simple elevator, I took Minuet in her wheelchair to the first floor…
Then I pushed her back through the Natural History room.
Having no choice other than to go along with the Star System, I would have to conduct surveys in order to determine what a『good thing』to do for Minuet would be. What her likes and hobbies were…
Trying to gain a clue where to start, I began looking around.
However, on the contrary, I didn’t know anything about the things in the Natural history room, so puzzled, I began casting my eyes about aimlessly… until my eyes settled upon something strange.
Above a shelf with a collection of seashells on it, there was an unrelated frames certificate.
It appeared to be a certificate for placing first in a primary school footrace, but the name on it… it was Aria’s.
「That’s Aria’s certificate over there, isn’t it? Why do you have it?」
「I won it in a game of poker. All of the good things my elder sister has gotten have come to me. They are all spoils of war that I have won in wagers with my elder sister.」
Looking back up at the shelf, I saw other trophies, medals, teddy bears, nutcrackers shaped like soldiers, unusual candies in tins, and the like. All the things that, from an early childhood, Minuet had steadily taken from Aria were arranged in rows. How much have you lost, Aria?
「What’s Aria’s is yours, is that it? You’re Like Jaiko.」
「Jaiko was not the founder of Gianism.」4
She knew the details of a Japanese manga better than me. Just how far does her knowledge extend?
Looking again, I saw a picture of a craggy landscape on the shelf.
「Where was that picture taken? Did you win that in a bet too?」
I asked, thinking that it may be somewhere that she wished to visit.
「That is not a photograph. It is an oil painting.」
She said that, and I looked back at it… Really!? A painting?
「A-amazing! It’s super detailed. Did a famous painter, or someone, reproduce a photo?」
「No such thing occurred. It is a portrait of a landscape from Dartmoor in Devon that I painted from memory. I completed it when I was 10 years old.」
This painting… I had mistaken it for a photograph… but she did it at 10? She’s a prodigy.
In addition to Shirayuki and Reki, it appears that I have come across another girl able to create paintings worthy of notoriety.
「That name. I think I have heard it somewhere before. Dartmoor in Devon. Probably from Aria…」
「My elder sister’s land holdings– Baskerville, is located there. It encompasses 11 square kilometres and is a fossil-rich area. I excuse myself upon visits from time to time because I possess the rights to extract fossils. I won the right to do so from my elder sister in a poker game. I have tired of doing so and have not visited for some time.That painting is symbolic of my fossil rights.」
I don’t understand what is so interesting in collecting fossils, but this may be a singularly useful discovery to aid me in star collecting.
Minuet likes to gamble.
Now that you mention 11 square kilometres… That means that Aria really owns as much land as Bunkyo and Arakawa wards combined.
「…So you like poker? I’m not very good at it, so I don’t play… How about it? Care to wager a star against me later?」
「My, you are rather eager. However, if you lose, you will be deprived of a star, you realise?」
「Is there anyone who thinks they will lose before they even start playing?」
「Ufufu! My elder sister would say much the same before making a wager. Very well, I shall consider it. However, you should accumulate a few more stars with which to make a wager, Kinji.」
Pleased at my frank adherence to the Star System, I pushed the good-humoured Minuet into the dining room…
Silver candlesticks were set out on a pure white table cloth, and Sachet and Endora’s blue eyes widened in surprise as they set out rows of tableware.
Speechless, the twins took in our faces, turned to exchange a look with each other, then turned back to look at Minuet’s face.
「…What has you guys so surprised?」
Being stared at by two beautiful girls in classic maid outfits was a little embarrassing, so I grumbled this.
「N-no, it is Minuet-sama… she is smiling.」
「Miss, please excuse me– but I would answer our guest’s question. Since Miss Aria has returned to the country…this is the first time that we have observed her do so. Our lady smile, that is.」
Before Sachet and Endora could be confused any further, Minuet spoke:
「Hmm. Perhaps it is so. But your hands have stopped. Attend to your duties, both of you.」
She issued a stern command.
*******************************************************************
Sachet and Endora were as cool and collected as professional maids.
Likely due to Minuet’s order to focus on their work, they did not pry any further into personal matters.
If this Miss’ good mood were to vanish, she might end up using her gun, Baritsu, or verbal abuse to kill me. So after dinner, when Minuet made me take her back to her room I agreed.
But… What kind of dinner was that!? Wasn’t it a bit extravagant?
Mounds of cherries on rum raisin ice cream, garnished by blocky preserves and served in a large vase-like container like a pudding parfait.
The dinner served to me was fried fish with corn soup and bread– Simple but good food that Minuet had directed to be served herself..
「Oi! Minuet, what was that dinner? I guess you don’t count things like calories?」
「You noticed. If I ingest less than 3,300 calories in a single meal, I will fall into a hypoglycemic faint. The neocortex of my temporal lobe is far more active than the average human, therefore I require a large amount of sugar intake. There are a lot of authors and gamers who possess a sweet tooth.」
「In that case, you can afford to be a bit more irresponsible, but you should still eat proper meals. I’m just about fed up with Western food. ‘You are what you eat’ they say, and if you don’t eat well you will ruin your health and get sick. I take it that the maids who prepare it do not say anything?」
「They do not.」
「Of course not, they do what you tell them…」
「Just so. They will do whatever I ask them to do. Do you wish to see?」
「Don’t talk about people like they’re toys. With people like that around you, taking care of your daily needs, you’ll only fall into depravity. The ancient Roman society collapsed because they had slaves do everything for them, you know. This place should be tidied up, and the darkness and stagnant air from poor airflow is bad for your health. You should order them to do that.」
「Precisely. I dislike the outside air. Now then, Kinji, Roman slavery was–」
「Let’s leave the history lesson for the time being; I’m talking about your quality of life. There are all kinds of geniuses… but seeing someone live like this makes it hard to breathe. So let me call in a maid to show you a better way of living. She can start work tomorrow. Let’s make this a bet. If you like her, I get a star. If I’m wrong, you can take one away.」
「Show me a better way of living? I believe my current manner of living is more than adequate. However, this maid of yours had piqued my interest. As you wish. I accept the wager.」
–Good. She accepted the terms of the bet.
If I made a bet with Minuet, I could do nothing but strike out, but if I can call Lisa in to pinch-hit, it can’t be anything other than a home-run.
I saw it back at the Butei High dormitories, that Lisa has the ability to make girls like her and turn them into rabid fans. She was able to cozy up even to Aria in a matter of mere minutes.
*******************************************************
In Minuet’s room, I was looking around for a clue as to what I could do to earn another star…
Assisted by me, Minuet shifted herself from her chair to the bed, and once situated:
「Kinji, take off my boots. I cannot do remove them myself.」
She made this request.
「Huh? Ah! Alright…」
Kneeling on one knee in front of the bed, I unlaced the light brown high-laced boots.
*******************************
*******************************
「These boots constrict my legs. The doctors say to do so. However, at night, it is best to remove them. Now look here. Please do the same to the left leg.」
Then Minuet *Whomp!* , hit me on the head with an antique pipe–a cherry scent went up from cotton stuffed inside it as she hit me.
「…」
You do that after I help you…? Ugh. And why a pipe!
A normal man might consider it a『good smell』, but as a man, for someone whose trigger for hysterising is a female scent, it is a dangerous one. It’s bittersweet. Girls are so powerful.
And I became aware of the girl above me whose boots I was removing–
Crap! The twinge of bitterness in such pleasure appeared as I caught a slight whiff of scent lingering inside them.
The smell as I removed her boots–was the unmingled female aroma of her foot.
In modern society, such scents are embarrassing, but the parts of the body like the toes and armpits… made it easier to leave their scent on the ground and in the air when humans were still animals and meet the opposite sex, using what are called pheremones. The numbers of men who steal female slippers and shoes are endless.
Actually, why are girls so aromatic from the tops of their heads to the tips of their feet? The world is truly a barren wasteland of hopelessness.
And so, more so than ever reminded of her status as a girl, I looked up at Minuet…
Directly in front of my eyes, there was an incredible sight.
That is to say, a girl was seated on a bed in front of me while I knelt in front of her on one knee with my head lowered.
In order to allow me to remove her boots, Minuet had bunched up her thick skirt about her knees, and inside and across from me–it was almost invisible in the shadow of the skirt, however–
Exposed and shining dazzlingly bright white and warm, but the owner could not move her legs of her own accord.
…『My body is not capable of any resistance to the application of force.』…
She said that–but no, bad! You shouldn’t be thinking like that about another person, Kinji!
「Kinji, what are you thinking right now?」
Hearing her voice from the side, my face registered shock–
Pinching her skirt, Minuet grinned down at me.
T-This girl! Was having fun at my expense!
「You put us both here in this position on purpose! The doctors probably said no such thing!」
「Well, if I had not boosted my spirits a little, I would not have been able to articulate my next command clearly.」
「Huh? Your next one…」
「Please take off my clothes. Even the underwear. Then please bathe my entire body in the bathroom. I will not be embarrassed, so do not worry. Nobles and commoners are different creatures. Changing clothes in front of you is not a thing of which to be embarrassed.」
With a placid expression on her face, Minuet reached out her arms in front of her in a『Hug me』pose.
This– was a pose that said–『take it off』wasn’t it…!?
「If you help bathe me, I shall give you one star. If you do not, then you shall forfeit one.」
「Hold it…!」
This sudden development had me flustered and stepping back. Y-you’ll gamble a star on that…!?
「Come now, quickly.」
Minuet’s blue eyes narrowed seductively as she waved her arms about. Urging me to take off her clothes.
D-do I really have to do that? Gaining stars is directly related to solving the issue of irokane.
For Aria–will I do it?
My little sister wanted me to do something like this… but that got me all worked up.
「Fufu! Kinji, you coward.」
Minuet grinned and squinted her eyes.
「It was a jest. Sachet and Endora always assist me in bathing, do not worry. However, I wonder if you are capable of bringing me a change of clothes? The negligee is in that centre drawer and the underwear is on the left.」
Arching her back, she chuckled a soft laugh.
Instead of becoming filled with anger, I felt dejected and hung my head…
If the number of stars were reduced, it would be a bad thing, so I did as I was told and reached into the draws to take out the spare change of clothes.
There was negligee that was transparent except in the dark, and uncountable red lace knickers that got my blood flowing in a bad way. Is she really 14? Not only a genius–but a devilish woman in the making, and as such was she not my natural enemy?
***********************************************************************************
With glowing, cherry-scented hair done up in a cute braid, Minuet returned wearing a gown over the negligee that I had left in the hamper by the bathroom door.
It seemed that the maids were bathing Minuet’s naked body in the bathroom, so I went back to sit by the wall in her room and went through an accounting of the list of 151 unique Japanese monsters.
「I have returned, Kinji.」
She announced cheerfully, turning her back on me where I sat in protest…
*Clickety-Clack!* *Clickety!*
She then began to play an online game on the PC on her desk.
「…」
Looking over her shoulder from behind, I saw that her handle was『Munue』, and in the game…
Her character was a lively young girl with aqua-coloured hair cut short that looked nothing like her real self.
It was a half-baked fantasy game world set in a school where you could play basketball and cricket against other players, and she was doing well.
「…You’re pretty good at this. You don’t stay up to all hours, do you?」
「This is a domestically produced game from Japan with many young Japanese girl players. Because of the time difference, it is hard to make friends until late in the evening.」
She answered without even looking back over her shoulder, and Minuet seemed totally sucked into the netgame.
But just now, I heard a word that could be the starting point for more stars. Do you want to make friends?
「How many friends have you made playing the game?」
「That matter is entirely none of your concern.」
「Is that how it is? You haven’t made any. You’re just as bad as Aria at making friends.」
「I most certainly have!」
「Then how many?」
「…One.」
Ha! I knew it. Even in an entire netgame, she’s only made a single friend.
But if I laugh, she might punish me by making me a horse again. So I didn’t laugh. I pushed down the urge to do so.
「Friends shouldn’t be judged by their number.」
「I entirely agree. One good friend is better than a hundred bad friends. See this girl here. The one with the handle: Momoko.」
Minuet indicated a girl with the name tag『Momoko』with her heart-shaped pointer…
It was a girly character with fluffy orange hair.
The game seemed to be designed with girls in mind, so the femininity of the character designs were quite high, and it was hard to tell which girl was which. They were all covered in flowery ribbons and looked very much alike.
What’s more, none of them carried blades or guns.
「…Have you ever met her?」
「She is far away in Japan.」
On the game screen, Minuet made her character run around.
Controlling her character with her mouse, she entered a hall, and I got the impression that she was a serious gamer junky.
When they finished playing lacrosse, Minuet entered a Japanese text chat with Momoko, occasionally saying things like:「Fufu」and「How naughty」to herself. It was as if she had been entirely drawn into the game world.
Judging it best not to interrupt, I remained silent… Taking out my mobile, I searched up the title of the game that appeared when she booted it up and the handle Momoko.
I located Minuet’s singular friend, Momoko-san, rather quickly. She had a Twitter account. The name was Momoko Suzuki.
I don’t know if it was her real name or not, because it was so common.
If things go well, I’ll be able to gain a star from this… I might even learn the way to defeat Minuet.
Considering my situation that was presently like a game with a high difficulty level, I gave a sigh–
In the game, Minuet and Momoko gave each other a kiss on the cheek and said goodbye.
Logging off, the real Minuet gave a sigh of contentment.
Then, perhaps intending to go to sleep, she operated her wheelchair further into the room near the bed.
I guess this means that I should be going.
「I’ll be back tomorrow– no, everyday until you tell me what you know about irokane. As a Butei I have a reputation for being more persistent in collecting my debts than the yakuza.」
I said this as I stood up–
「It is already late. It is dangerous to go outside. Please stay here.」
「Oi! Didn’t you say you hated men? Isn’t it a bit rash to let a man stay in your room?」
「In the first place, I have never met with a man in this house except in the drawing room. That is to say, you have been an exception from the start, Kinji.」
「You just confirmed again that I am a man, and this room is a girl’s. I’d be unable to get any sleep in a place like this.」
「I wonder if you would stay if there was a star in it for you?」
She teased the Star System once more as she yawned… infuriating me…
However, influenced by her own yawn, I yawned myself. I became very tired. Almost instantly.
–Oi! It’s already 2 AM, isn’t it?
「O-Oi! I get it! I get it! I’ll sleep here on the floor. So hurry up and lie down. Tomorrow is a weekday. If you can’t wake up in the morning, you’ll be late to school」
I spoke like a parent to Minuet who had stayed up to all hours playing the netgame–
「That was a verbal blunder, Kinji. I hate school.」
「But isn’t attendance mandatory?」
「Do you truly believe that I have need of such a thing?」
Turning a slightly angry face toward me…
She did not say that there『wasn’t』compulsory education.
Are you a net gamer and a truant as well? You’re on the leading edge of modern society.
But… what was the reason behind that sulking expression? Does that mean Minuet doesn’t go to school–?
「U-Uhuh. You were bullied. Made fun of for who you are.」
I said that, adopting a posture that said:『Good grief!』, intending to rile her up, but she…
…Said nothing.
For some time, she stared at me in angry silence.
Then…
「Correct.」
She answered in a trembling voice.
Ah… I’ve really done it now!
「You forfeit one star. Until 2 years ago, I certainly attended the all-girl St. Elanor’s Senior School. However, there is a Japanese proverb:『The nail that sticks out gets hammered down』.」
Minuet’s voice became suddenly hard, and I forgot completely about my star tally…
What I had heard was troubling.
「…You fought back, didn’t you?」
「It was just as you say.」
「You didn’t kill someone, did you?」
「No one was killed. However, I do not go to school anymore, as I said.」
She… let it loose.
She used the blade in her tongue on an ordinary person, one of her classmates.
「You see, bullying is a wonderful thing, for even if you bring the one who used a fire extinguisher to knock me down from my chair to the attention of the headmaster–The offender is merely replaced, and the abuse continues. Those who would knock me to the earth and pelt me with balls and mud are replaceable foot soldiers, and their numbers never diminish. I began to remove them, one by one… students steadily disappeared… until finally word of what I was doing came to the attention of the school. They told me:『Please do not come any longer』.」
With tears in both of her large eyes due to the trauma in her past, even then Minuet resolutely pushed on to share the story…
That is why she doesn’t go to school.
In contrast to me when I dropped out into Ikebukuro High, her intelligence level was much higher than her peers.
But, even so, she definitely wants to go to school. She wants to have friends. Her tears tell me that much. Thick-headed as I am, I can understand that.
Because she was born smart…
Now, the only school Minuet can attend is a make-believe one in a game.
And the only friends she can make are fake ones, created of virtual data.
…That’s about the size of it…
********************************************************
Since sending Sachet and Endora to their own beds, Minuet…
Since that moment, she hadn’t said a word, but pulled the blankets over her head and fell asleep.
Reminded of something unpleasant, I could not raise my voice, and I fell asleep sitting up.
The central heating system ran inside the walls of the room, so placing my back against it…
More than mildly warm, it was hot, so I could not sleep too deeply.
That was how I found myself at 3 AM.
「…Uugh…」
Minuet’s subtle moan caught my attention and snapped me to wakefulness.
「…Please… stop it… no, stop… don’t hit me…! If I meddle with your minds… you’ll turn in entirely blank sheets on the next examination…!」
She was scared. Remembering her time at school, she was having a nightmare.
「…Ouch…! Hot!… Someone, someone put out the flames in my clothing…! I can’t do it myself…! Ah, don’t break my chair! I cannot go anywhere without it… Ah…!」
Getting the sense that this wasn’t something trivial, I stood up–
–*Whomp!* I heard Minuet fall from her bed.
「Minuet!」
Shouting, I ran over to where Minuet had fallen and lay on her right side on the floor.
Her already pale face was pallid–Realising it was a dream, she stared blankly for a few moments.
In the instant she had fallen, she couldn’t move her legs, so she lay sprawled like a discarded doll with her legs crooked and overlapping.
「…Ugh…」
Unable to do anything to arrest her fall, Minuet writhed in bitter agony.
「You’re not hurt, are you? Did you hit your spine or head!?」
I said, and as I rushed over to her– *Tap!* *Tap!* *Tap!* Hearing the sounds of Sachet and Endora’s footsteps coming rapidly up the stairs, Minuet said:
「–D-do not enter! Y…You must not see me like this.」
Twisting her body around to face the door, she shouted this harshly. While in that painful position.
As noble… no, as the next head of the family, she must be seen in a position of authority, and the staff must never see her in such a state. If the commoners begin to look down at her, all that is lost.
Receiving orders from their lady, and with a man and woman staying in the same room, they will hardly burst into the room.
「Both of you return to your rooms. No one ordered you to come up here, did they?」
After Minuet had rebuked them in a shrill voice, I sensed the maids timidly began to retreat back down the hall.
Now, no one else besides me could help her, so I reached out to lend her a hand–
*Slap!* Minuet batted my hand away.
「I do not require your assistance! I… I can get up myself!」
Saying that, she gripped the bed sheets–using her delicate arms, she twisted her body around–and now in a position that looked like she was leaning against the bed, she moved her right, then her left foot and pulled them up tight against her and into her arms.
「…Huff, huff…」
Out of breath at this point, Minuet grit her teeth…
Trying to crawl up into the bed, she pulled on the sheets with all her strength.
However, they began to shift cruelly and she fell back down. There was no way she could lift her own body.
「…Urg, urg…」
With dishevelled hair, Minuet persisted, but… she could see it was pointless.
And so, despite risking Baritsu–
I lifted her light body.
I couldn’t merely lend her a shoulder, so I picked her up in a bridal carry.
「No! No! Do not lay your hands on me! I said that I would get myself up! Just because my legs do not work, you think–」
The proud Minuet’s face was now flushed with panic.
However, in such a situation, the likelihood of receiving a Batsuta was low.
「If you really could do it yourself, I wouldn’t help you. I’d help anyone able-bodied if they couldn’t do something. I’m not giving you any special treatment. Let go of your absurdly stubborn pride.」
As I said that, my chest and shoulder– *Whomph!* *Whoom!* *Whomph!*
Minuet began dealing out a series of hammer blows. Her reaction was very much like Aria.
****************************************************
*************************************************
However, at this close range each of the strikes only carried about 15% of relative power. Even so, Aria’s blows were as destructive as real hammers, but Minuet’s were something I could brush off.
But caught unprepared– *Whomp!* An unlucky blow grazed my chin in an upper cut at just the right angle.
Caught by surprise, I staggered– *Flop!*
I pitched forward, and ended up pinning Minuet down onto the bed.
「…!」
My own body was draped across Minuet like a mantle as she laid on her back looking up…
「Shameful…! Absolutely disgraceful! Do you intend to take advantage of me?」
With tears in her blue eyes, she glared at me.
The scent of cherries wafted up from Minuet and the bed.
「No, that’s not it at all! I’m not trying to do anything strange to you…!」
Then as I attempted to rise–
Minuet tightened her grip on my collar and pulled me in close.
For a moment, she had a look in her eyes that reminded me of Aria’s murderous glare that looked like she wanted to cut me into pieces–
「At first, I thought that I would simply kill you. However… please do what you wish first. I shall not kill you until afterwards.」
「D-do what I want…?」
「I mean to snatch you away from my elder sister. All of the good things my elder sister has gotten have come to me.」
She said–
「It is alright. It is only right that it be so. My elder sister possesses an exceptional body, one that can move freely, as well as the love and respect of many, and even a lover– Each and every one I will take. I have nothing! With this body of mine I have had since birth, this brain of mine that inspires fear, hated by everyone, branded an eccentric, I have spent my entire life alone! It is entirely just that such should happen!」
Minuet– is envious of Aria.
Envious. These sisters are the same; wanting what the other possesses–She wants to travel widely around the world and to be popular enough to appear on the cover of a magazine herself, this anti-Aria. And so…
「–That is the reason I agreed to meet with you. Because you spoke of school, I altered the time, but I had reasoned this conclusion from the very first.」
…She intends to hold me here in an attempt to steal me, myself, from Aria.
She had even gone to the meticulous length of foisting Aria off onto the Prince.
「I shall not resist. I shall not cry out. I do not harbour any affection for you, but do as you will to me so that I may take you from my elder sister. I shall not be your woman, but you shall become my man. That one’s lover shall become mine.」
Although young, she was definitely a woman from birth–looking much more mature than her age, Minuet…
Screwing her eyes shut and released my collar. With a *Clap!* grabbed both of my cheeks on her hands, and suddenly–
She kissed me.
Her light pink lips puckered, and…
I raised a finger and stopped her.
Before I knew it, I was entirely consumed– In Hysteria Mode, thankfully.
「Hey, lover? What kind of lover shoots you 8 times a day?」
Then, having kissed my finger–Minuet opened her forget-me-not blue eyes as soon as she realised it and forced a bitter smile as she muttered something uncomplimentary about Aria.
「There is also something else. You don’t love me… and that fact, it does nothing but pain me.」
My first choice of action was to show her a kind smile to calm her down… and she said.
「Pity is a variety of Love. In this– please show pity to someone as miserable as I. Once, or perhaps even twice…!」
She talked of a Theory of Love that was entirely above me.
It would seem best not to engage with that topic too deeply. Although I have been restraining myself because she is younger and Aria’s little sister, I cannot deny that she possesses her own uniquely devilish charm.
Even if the other person were not the child prodigy Minuet, the type of conversation we are having right now is dangerous.
They are Kana’s words, but a conversation is the first bond between a man and a woman. When it comes to Love, talk leads to emotion, emotion to physicality, so on and so on– each step strengthening an instinctual bond. And so…
「Pity…you say? Your own feelings of pity have driven you to this action. However, that is not entirely wrong. If one had everything, they would be unable to view themselves clearly. The perfect human does not exist. So humans devote themselves to various endeavours to improve themselves. In order to do so, one must see themselves clearly. You pity yourself occasionally. However, I believe that you are capable of doing so– as a mature person.」
I admonished Minuet as I spoke in a teaching manner.
Drawing her arms and legs together, Minuet sat in a feminine posture…
Taking a seat on the edge of the bed myself, she watched me from behind out of the corner of her eye.
「Conversely, no one has everything. As you said, Aria certainly has a lot. Although it is a little, I do as well. And of course so do you too. People with things tend to forget them, such as great fortunes and intelligence–and such a cute figure as well.」
Here I reached out to touch her blonde hair and pale skin…
I gently stroked her cheek. *Slap!*
Minuet swatted my hand away with the back of hers. She hit me.
That’s fine. Enough has passed between us for one night.
「You merely pretend to offer me advice to further your own ends. However, from your own words… I have deduced 3 things.」
While still glaring at me with a scowl, Minuet declared that she had seen through my intentions.
「One: You do not truly pity me. Seeing this body of mine and how I live, do you truly feel pity for me?」
「No. Not in the slightest.」
「…Two: Until now, I believe that the only one who has seriously touched me–in the entire world, has been my elder sister. However, there is now one more individual to be added to that list. Now… You have touched me. You have conquered your own horror and loathing. You have been serious in everything, but not for my sake. It has all been–for my elder sister. 」
「As a rule, I do not talk about women in front of other women, but as sisters, I believe this is a special case. It is as you say.」
Then from MInuet’s eyes–
All trace of anger vanished.
Then with a pained expression, she averted her eyes and looked out the window.
The stars glittered in the London sky…
…After a moment of silence, she looked back at me.
I sensed that something had changed, somehow, and that she had regained her previous composure from the time we met.
「And Three: This is your special ability.」
Pointing a finger at me with an expression like Aria, the look in Minuet’s eyes sharpened.Her mood was entirely different than it had been until now.
「I shall step you through it from the start, like the steps of a minuet. The tone of your voice, your words, and your expression are all changed from a few moments ago. Based on my diagnosis, it would appear that your cerebral activity has risen to the level of a Savant Syndrome. I did not observe you use any kind of psychotropic drug, so it must be something internal to yourself–something, shall we say, constitutional. I have already established that you are incapable of triggering it yourself. Therefore, the inducement must be a psychological or physiological motivator. When that occurs, several things happen….」
…Crap…!
I’ve shown it to her. This sharp-witted child has noticed. And in great detail.
「…」
A contrastingly cold sweat welled up on my forehead in response to something other than a rise in temperature.
The perceptive Minuet’s forget-me-not blue eyes regarded me–
「Hysteria Savant Syndrome.」
She declared the end result of her deduction.
…I’m beat. She’s seen through me in just half a day, hasn’t she?
As expected of Sherlock Holmes the 4th. It is impossible to hide anything from this child.
In place of a reply– I merely gave a bitter smile without words.
「It is an exceedingly curious personal trait, and it required some time to puzzle out. Does my elder sister know if it?」
「She does. Although, unlike yourself, it took her 10 months to figure out.」
「I see. She has preceded me slightly. In that case, please demonstrate for me what she has observed.」
「I believe that there is some slight misunderstanding. In order to so, some… contact stimulation is required.」
I spoke these words out of concern for the girl in the conversation–
But then I realised my slip of the tongue.
「–I see. Then I will touch whatever area is required.」
Hearing my words, Minuet leaned in to say this.
「As a result of the two of us coming together, there will be no more need for stars. I shall grant you 10 of them, then… what was once my elder sister’s, will come to me.」
This child of aristocrats, she spoke euphemistically, but…
Minuet’s desire–I have an idea of what it means.
「You are invoking the use of stars here. Therefore, I cannot defy you.」
「I have only ever seen images, but when it comes to men and women– there is a mystery that I have no firsthand knowledge of myself. This is the best opportunity to gain experience, and I will not let it slip away. Ah, however… if I might trouble you in one thing… According to the imagery, many women lose themselves so…」
Minuet continued.
「…You will support my legs, will you not.」
As she reached out to touch my back–
–I rose from the bed.
Then moving to stand by the window, I looked out at Orion that was visible from this country.
「The stars… they are beautiful. If you take only 10 of them, then the night sky of London would be spoilt.」
I said, looking back over my shoulder at Minuet who wore a puzzled expression… I smiled gently once more.
「At any rate, I will return at noon to work to collect more stars. In a way that no one in London will notice. So– goodnight for the meanwhile, Young Lady.」
In the manner of a noble’s male retainer, I clapped my arm across my chest and bowed…
I returned again to my position against the wall. However, I still remained somewhat near.
Minuet…
She folded her arms somewhat stiffly and puffed out her cheeks in a *Huff!*.
It was the first childish gesture appropriate for someone 14 years old that I had seen.
「–In all of my life, I have never been so envious of my elder sister as I am in this moment.」
Stating this in a relatively flat tone, she plopped herself back down on her side.
It was Minuet. Such a response was to be expected…
–She may have even deduced as much
****************************************************
After waking up and showering, I pushed Minuet in her wheelchair toward the dining room.
Assisted by the maids, Minuet changed into her usual frilly clothing… When asked for my star card, I handed it to her.
「You spoke of school yesterday. You forfeit one star.」
Such a broken system. Entirely dependent upon Minuet’s whims, isn’t it a bit too lax?
「And for what occurred last night, you gain 3 black stars.」
「What are these black stars?」
「They are negative stars. You were dismissive and caused me embarrassment, that is the reason for them.」
While regarding me cooly from beneath the edge of her hood, Minuet used a ballpoint pen to sketch 3 crude star shapes and scribble in to fill them.
What’s with this brand new rule?
Although the me in Hysteria Mode enjoyed it, my normal self was being absurdly abused. This sudden change of attitude was the same for both of these sisters.
Instead of earning stars, these black stars saddled me with debt, and I wearily returned the card to my breast pocket.
「…」
Sulking, I crossed over to the first floor hall…
Through the windows that looked out on Baker street, I saw a gaggle of highschool girls passing by.
They carried lacrosse sticks under the overcast sky. It seems like going to early morning club practice is something that happens in the country as well.
They wore green check-patterned pleated skirts, white blouses, and light brown blazers… they look like Japanese highschool girls. They were smiling, giggling, and laughing happily as they passed by chattering to each other.
Seeming to not have a care in the world, they made me angry.
「Noisy brats… working hard despite the bad weather. I hope there’s a huge rainstorm. Then the lacrosse match would be cancelled.」
Irritated by what had happened with the star card, I laid a dark curse upon the normal girls.
「The probability of that occurring is not inconsiderable. There will not be rain accompanying it, but there shall be lightning. No matter the state of the match, whenever thunder is heard, the rules call for a suspension of the game.」
With her mouth screwed up into a smirk, Minuet answered, pointendly not looking out of the window.
This is… something she wants to do herself. Club activities. She would like to play and knows the rules in detail. But she cannot go to school in the first place. Above all, she has no friends. And so she was sulking.
And unfortunately because those high school girls passed by, she became more sullen.
If this goes on, the number of black stars I have will only multiply… and that made me nervous, so:
「…Hrng…」
Minuet made a noise from the entryway to the dining room.
「What are you doing.」
「Nothing at all. I must answer a call of nature, so please call Sachet or Endora.」
Nature…? Does she want to take a walk in the garden?
Not wanting to miss the chance to help Minuet, and thereby gain a star, I replied:
「Then we’ll go to the courtyard if that’s alright? The herb garden looks like a thicket.」
Opening the door to the natural courtyard with a *Click!*– The cold winter wind struck.
Likely paling from the cold I had just admitted, Minuet…
「Wh-what are you attempting to do to a noble lady!? H-hurry and call the maid! What if they do not make it in time!?」
「I’m just doing my best to get a star. What do you mean by being in time? If you mean you want help, what do you want me to do?」
「You fool! Simpleton! Commoner! Ah! Ah! Now… Hurry and get the maid!」
The pale Minuet seemed truly and honestly angry–*Whipsh!* She hit me with a broom that stood near the courtyard. This sudden fit of temper is just like Aria. Reaching out my hand to ward off the broom, with a *Snap!* she bit me.
*******************************************************
…Looking up what『call of nature』means on my mobile…
I found out that it was an uncommon affected jargon not in common use that simply meant:『I have to go to the toilet』.
Afterwards, Endora dashed in and pushed Minuet quickly towards the toilet as she covered her red face with her hands as she cried
Already having made Miss cry this morning, I would have to exercise some quick wits–
Shortly after, Minuet returned, her face evincing a desire to verbally abuse then shoot me with the Lee-Enfield that she now carried, so I pretended not to know what『nature』referred to.
「Where did you go?」
I said, exercising the skill to『play dumb, no matter how frightening the situation』that Aria had put the extreme test. In response, Minuet, whose faculties of logic seemed to be greatly impaired by her lost temper said–
「I-It does not matter!」
She said, raising her air gun.
She regarded me as an idiot, so nothing of great consequence occurred…
Due to these circumstances, sooner or later, another pitch black star will appear on my card.
As my inner fibres trembled…
「Good Morning, Master and Miss!」
Welcome reinforcements arrived from the entryway, shown in by Sachet.
Her polite greeting, along with her maple syrup scent softened the bloodthirsty atmosphere of the Holmes Family residence.
「Lisa! I’m glad you’re here. Let me introduce you to Minuet. This is the maid I told you about yesterday, Lisa. Lisa, this is Aria’s younger sister, Miss Minuet.」
Lisa smiled in the sailor suit maid uniform–
The third maid spread her skirts and bobbed a curtsy.
「Well. What a charming maid. You come from the Netherlands, do you not? The pleats in your frilled headdress are in the style of a southern Amsterdam district maid school, and your accent is one of modern Dutch.」
Minuet, like Sherlock, typically gives a demonstration of her powers of deduction to those she meets for the first time.
「Such a wise, noble, and beautiful Lady! You have my respect from the bottom of my heart as well as my utmost thanks for the pleasure of serving you.」
Minuet haughtily presented the back of her hand, and Lisa took it and brought it close to her mouth… coming close but not touching, Lisa observed the English style of manners, endearing herself to the Lady.
Without a moment’s delay, Lisa then opened the suitcase she carried.
「–I have just collected some morning dew from the cinnamon stalks from Sir Watson’s personal garden. Please accept it as a token of our meeting.」
Proffering a small glass bottle with a slight amount of water at the bottom like a bribe, she handed it over.
「『If you put morning dew on a woman’s face, she will become more beautiful』–You are acquainted with the old English tradition. This is slight flattery, but acceptable. I shall put it to good use.」
Good. She still has a bit of a stand-offish expression, but Minuet has accepted Lisa
The fact this maid transforms into a legendary beast that rips and tears everything around here, regardless of friend from foe on the last night of a full moon, is a whimsical secret that not even Minuet could unravel easily.
Please work diligently from now on to make up for my black stars, Lisa.
I bore that thought in mind like a poor excuse for the head of a household.
***********************************************
Snatching Lisa away from Watson and transferring her to my control was a great success.
The English-style breakfast was ordinary, consisting of cooked beans, bread, and orange juice…
Abandoning a menu that was lacking in nutritional balance, Lisa worked with Sachet to make a large parfait for Minuet.
However, Lisa’s specially made parfait allowed for the 6 major nutrients without compromising taste or calorie count. Moreover, she did not use artificial sweeteners at all, and it was seemingly magically constituted entirely of all-natural household ingredients.
Her daily stock gain of goodwill quickly maxed out Minuet said:
「This parfait is a work of culinary art. A true masterpiece.」
Using roundabout language to convey a compliment, the general sense was that of praise for the parfait. Ingratiatingly holding out my star card to her, Minuet returned it, erasing all of the black stars and leaving the note:「Please make these every morning」.
It did not stop there, for in this Western-style house, Lisa was perfectly in her own element.
While listening to a few stories from Sachet and Endora, Lisa made a cursory inspection of every room on Minuet’s house…
The Times, Express, and Mirror– regardless of whether they were well-respected newspapers and tabloids, Lisa bought all the morning papers and clipped the articles most likely to be of interest to Minuet and compiled them into a special scrapbook.
Then as Minuet held an essential oil pipe in her hand and hummed along as she read along, she now stood at the side of her wheelchair and brushed her hair. Seeing her skill and judging that she was a top-class beautician, Minuet was in a good mood and gave me a star, saying:
「Please make this morning’s activities a daily occurrence.」
*********************************************
*********************************************
–This is great!
As her master, my maid was steadily making up for my blunders. Minuet did not seem to have any qualms about recording Lisa’s stars on my card. It seems that such an apparently absurd system as『A maid’s accomplishments are her master’s』is allowable in Europe
By the point it was time to prepare lunch, Sachet and Endora were observing and learning from Lisa, looking up to her as their senpai.
What’s more, during lunch Minuet said:
「I cannot cook.」
Catching that remark, after a brief rest period after the meal, Lisa wheedled Minuet into allowing her to be taken into the kitchen.
Believing that Minuet would never enter the kitchen, even if Heaven and Earth were moved, Sachet and Endora lost their balance and faltered.
「Let’s make a cherry tart together. It will make tea time fun.」
「I could not. It would not be fitting to perform the duties of a maidservant.」
At first, she gave this refusal, but Lisa employed her characteristic charm–and successfully convinced the proud Menu to remain in the kitchen.
With the movement of whipping a whisk in a bowl, both of her large breasts that were contained within her sailor suit maid uniform swayed ponderously from side to side…
「I am envious of your large breasts.」
Once again, she trapped Minuet who made this statement.
「Actually, having breasts like this only results in stiff shoulders–Work like this exercises the upper arm muscles and has the same effect as an underarm lymphatic massage, and a British Medical Journal article has linked it to increased breast size. The underpinning medical theory was on shaky ground, but the statistical results were undeniable. The likelihood that my breasts are like this as a result of such daily work is not entirely deniable.」
「Please allow me to take your place. Also, please keep this information in confidence from my elder sister, Aria. It will serve to widen the respective gap between us and vex her.」
Minuet replied, and at the sight of Miss Minuet holding a bowl and whisk, Sachet and Endora simultaneously fainted on the spot, and I unfortunately found myself forced to support both of them in my arms from behind.
「If you wish, we can add soy milk and almonds. They are said to increase breast size during a girl’s period of growth.」
As Lisa said this, Minuet’s eyes changed colour, and she became earnest in taking part in the preparation of the tarts. Although grumbling as she did it, she helped put the tart batter in the oven.
「How long does it require?」
「It will need about 30 minutes at 170 Celsius. In the meantime, we should firm up fresh cream and custard by beating the ingredients. After that, we will take this powdered sugar…」
「Do you sprinkle it? How do you do it? Is this how you are supposed to do it?」
The monomaniac Minuet wanted to know all of the ins-and-outs of the process of tart making, and in her over-zealousness, she filled the air with powdered sugar.
It seeming that some of the powder entered her nose, Lisa–
「No, more like… Achoo!」
Turning away from Minuet and covering her mouth and nose, Lisa sneezed.
Then *Poof!*
…!
I-It came out! Animal ears peeked out from her blonde hair and behind the fan of frills on her lacy headband! That was way too easy!
It also seemed that her tail appeared, and the back of her skirt was bulging out like Mokorin… 5
「Oh my!」
「M-My sincerest apologies, Miss! I have been terribly inconsiderate…! Please accept my apologies! *Sniffle!* *Sniff!*」
Bowing her head low in apology, her animal ears lowered as well, and Minuet’s blue eyes flashed as she grabbed a hold of them.
Seeming to function much like human ears, having them grabbed caused her some pain.
「What is this? They are lovely. Please let me observe how they are attached at the base. I will give you a star. Now then, do not just remain there on the ground. Hurry and fetch me a magnifying glass, Sachet and Endora.」
Lisa was Lisa and carelessly allowed this to happen, but Miss Minuet, being much more detached from the world than I had expected, took a dispassionate interest in her new maid that was also a beast girl.
Worried that I would be held to account for the crime of hiring her, Minuet seemed to be entertained instead and offered more stars.
But Lisa. You must hide your tail at all costs.
If she finds out, she’ll flip up your skirt to observe your buttocks.
*************************************************
In England, it is customary to cook a large amount of food then eat it little by little. That being the case, there were cherry tart snacks for 3 days. Minuet felt that she had made them all by herself, and was very proud of that fact, although it was Lisa who actually made it, and that was why it was so delicious.
While eating tarts at just past noon on the third day in the living room–
It was.. just about time.
Casting a glance at the antique clock, I stood up and gripped the handles of Minuet’s chair.
「Hah? What is the meaning of this?」
「You didn’t go outside yesterday even once. You will stagnate. You should go out at least once a day to breath the air.」
Thanks to Lisa, my card now held 4 stars. 3 from the first day and 1 from the second.
However, it seems that Minuet has been reluctant to give them out, and today I have received 0.
But–Even myself, taking the advice of Article 5 of the Butei Charter to heart, I devised a new strategy to gain stars.
「The vehicle combustion fumes in the air outside are poor for one’s health.」
「Now, now, don’t say that. You said earlier that if I saved up enough stars, you’d make a wager–I have some, so how about a wager? I’ve got a belated birthday present prepared. I’ll wager 4 stars. If I win, you’ll double them, and if you win, you’ll take them back.」
Lisa’s tireless efforts had netted me 4 stars, and I was going to use them all on a high-stakes gamble.
Given that nobles have an image to maintain in front of commoners, and I had put her in a tough position as the mistress in front of her busily working maids.
Aiming to augment the fruits of Lisa’s labour with a risky gamble made me feel like I really was a terrible master.
「–Well then. A present you say? No doubt it is something dull and uninteresting. However, I suppose that I could offer a few stars. I accept your terms.」
Alright, she’s on board.
「Sachet, Endora, I am going out. Prepare my shawl and lap blanket.」
With the shawl layered on top, it would be too warm, so she told them to take off the sailor collar, and the twin maids had the following split exchange of surprise.
「It has been a year–?」
「–Since Miss went out, hasn’t it?」
***********************************************************
With white breath puffing, we proceeded down Baker Street as the weather in London decided to clear up for the day–
I pushed Minuet’s squeaking wheelchair down the footpath.
Despite the fact that this was her first time out in a year, Minuet showed no particular expression.
With a schooled expression on her face, she smoked the cherry scented essential oil that had come down to her from Sherlock.
「Here we are.」
We arrived after 5 minutes’ walk…
A stylistic modern cafe on the corner of Marylebone Road with glazed glass.
「I purposefully did not apply logic in order to grant you the chance to earn a star, but I wonder if this is your goal?」
Minuet furrowed her eyebrows as she looked up at me quizzically.
「Well… Yeah, that’s it. Now, let’s go inside the shop. Sitting inside, near the back, there is a girl with long, black hair and a white flower on the left side of her head. She’s about my age.」
「What is the significance of that fact?」
「It’s Momoko.」
As I said that, Minuet’s face registered an expression of shocked surprise, and dropped her precious pipe like a beanbag.
「I looked her up on the Internet and sent her a message. She said she was awfully eager in wanting to meet『Munue』. Apparently she’s rich, and she caught a flight from Japan yesterday.」
「Y-You, why…!?」
In her panic, it seems that Minuet has downgraded her term of address for me from using my name to using impersonal pronouns.6
Her naturally pale face went totally ashen, and her eyes filled with immense rage.
Seeming linked as one heart and mind and just as agitated, her wheelchair hissed steam from below.
「Due to her man-hating, I won’t be coming with you. But don’t worry. I’ll be just outside–waiting on a bench. If there’s a problem with her, I’ll come for you.」
When I sent the message『Almost there』that I had typed beforehand, a woman with good posture sitting at a white table picked up her mobile. I had already sent one before, and now this was another.
「Alright, that’s really Momoko. Go meet her.」
「N-No, I cannot! Come with me!」
Minuet was much more flustered than I had ever seen her.
Without a trace of aristocratic pride, and her blue eyes half filled with tears, she clung on to me.
「I promised that I would not come. A Butei must keep their word.」
「D-Did you mention it? That I am in a wheelchair?」
「I didn’t. I didn’t think it was necessary. You’ve talked about it, haven’t you?」
「…」
…Did she hide it?
「I-I said that I went to school, and what is more that I was the ace of the basketball club. We began chatting online and once I said that–it wasn’t possible to stop with just one lie–I told her I was popular, and that I doubled as the Lacrosse club ace were all things that I told her…! She believed me! As a result she became friends with a liar!」
In what she considered to be a truly dire situation, Minuet spilled the entire story.
…When exchanging messages, you can’t see the real person you are talking to. Ever since humanity began sending letters, it has been a tradition to『present your idealised self』, and it seems that Minuet has continued the practice.
「Then this is your chance to set the record straight. Lies are not good. Now go ahead.」
Saying that, I manually disengaged the handbrake on her chair.
「She doesn’t know! As I am… Far from being an ace, I cannot even walk and am confined to a wheelchair!」
「What’s wrong with wheelchairs? What’s more, yours is stylish and cool. Have some confidence.」
「With the exception of my elder sister, I have not spoken with girls of my own age for years! She is a first-year highschool student… I am going home! Give Momoko my apologies!」
Ultimately deciding to run away, Minuet grasped the wheel on her chair–
–And I held her hand back.
「Let go! I am leaving!」
「No, go meet her.」
「No no no, I have deduced as much! Momoko went to the trouble of coming all this way, but as I am–She will abuse me for being a liar! She will come to hate me! Momoko is my sole friend! I do not wish to lose her! That result is only logical!」
「You have deduced it… and that’s just the end of it, is it!」
In addition to Minuet, I was also angry for myself–
Not allowing her to escape, I strengthened my grip on her slender arm.
「Disprove that logic. Take that logic that is inconvenient for you, and stand it on its head. You’re a genius, aren’t you? But what is all that deduction for? You move in the best direction based upon logic. But that logic is not the answer itself! What happens when you go and do something is the real answer!」
「…!」
Truly furious, I showed her a truly angry face for the first time–
Having become uncharacteristically timid, Minuet listened to my words without responding.
「Have you heard from Aria that Sherlock was alive as of July last year?」
「…I was informed.」
「Even Sherlock’s logical answer was overturned!」
「Such a thing is impossible. I have not known my great-grandfather to be wrong even once in his entire life. What kind of person could upset his logic?」
「I did.」
「Oh…」
She came to a sudden realisation.
「The unbounded actions of foolish persons defy all comprehension. Just now, I was unable to deduce your actions. Bringing me here to meet with Momoko was something that I could not have foreseen.」
「I am a terrible fool. But I understand this one thing with absolute clarity. Whether it is the prophecy of a god or the prediction of a supercomputer, if it is an undesirable future, you can overturn it. Humans are capable of doing that. Go. Go reverse your loss and make it. A true friend.」
–At the words『true friend』–
A glimmer of hope finally appeared in Minuet’s eyes. Although her face still registered an expression of 90% desperation.
Then, when I released her, recovering her noble poise, putting in order her slightly dishevelled hair, and smoothing down her frilly dress–
「…」
Until now, she had gripped the wheels of her chair, wanting to escape, but now she laid trembling hands back on them.
Then she turned herself toward the ramp leading up to the cafe of her own volition. She turned the wheels of the chair, no longer relying on my help.
Encouraged by me who defied Sherlock’s logic, no– rather with a rising hope of making a friend within her chest…
A great detective in her own right, she had come against the wall of『Logic』and decided to face it by herself
With a forced smile on her face, she looked just like Aria during a fight–a truly brave expression.
*******************************************************
Because the exterior was glass, I could see inside well, and Minuet entered with a noble figure. Confidently facing Momoko, she swept her hand across her chest, and I watched intently as she gave a graceful『How do you do?』in greeting–
They began to talk, and the waitress brought afternoon tea.
At first she seemed surprised as I thought she might, and I could tell that from Momoko’s expression, but… She did not seem to be the type to discriminate based on eccentricity, and rather interested in the situation as they engaged in amicable conversation.
Well, with her good head on her shoulders, Minuet is able to smooth things over when it comes to the lies she told.
I was bad at lip reading, so I couldn’t tell what was being said…
I thought I would drink some canned coffee, but this is London. Public safety isn’t as good as Tokyo, so there aren’t vending machines scattered everywhere.
So I just stuck my hands in my pockets and just sat around and waited like an unemployed person.
Over in the heated, stylish cafe, over tea and sweets–
They chatted on.
It stretched on.
…Forever.
Even as it started to darken, there was no sign of ending. It had already gone on for an hour.
It seems like they are really excited to discuss the game.
If found here by the elite 00 series of MI6 soldiers, I would be killed in this dangerous country for Butei. Sitting here, exposing my true face for such a long time is not good, but… despite Watson’s strict warning when I entered the country, I haven’t once felt a hint of their presence. Is that petty thing to say?
Then… as the girls’ gamer talk stretched on into its second hour…
I saw a change come over Minuet.
She was smiling.
There was a smile on her face. Momoko was also smiling and laughing. The girls were having fun together.
…This is good, isn’t it, Minuet?
I thought you’d be able to do it. You’re Aria’s little sister, and she completely overturns situations that are not to her liking with violence.
Actually, are you still talking? The girl’s conversation is going on long. It’s pretty cold out here.
***********************************************
As dusk began to fall…
Minuet finally emerged from the cafe.
Unaware that I was here, Momoko gripped her hand bag in one hand and headed off down the cobbles of the street to see the sights in the area of Regent’s Park.
I only saw her retreating figure, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had seen her somewhere.
However, I had promised her that I wouldn’t come. Investigating her would be a rude act, so I didn’t.
「…How was it?」
I asked while scratching my totally numb nose when Minuet came back to me–
「As you said, somehow, I was able to overthrow logic myself. Momoko had also falsified her own age, and that was an unexpected an unquantified factor that proved to be advantageous that cannot be understated.」
She expressed herself in a roundabout manner, but I understood her meaning from her facial expression.
England’s great detective and aristocrat had a distant personality, but she could not hide how happy she was.
She is 14 years old, after all.
「Well, I’m glad if you enjoyed this offline meeting.」
Saying, that I resumed my position behind her wheelchair, grabbed the handles–
Then spun it around, completing a 180 degree turn on the spot.
Then with Minuet in front of me…
She placed a hand across her chest in a gesture that was simultaneously graceful and cute as she hung her head.
「It was truly a wonderful birthday present. Thank-you, Kinji.」
She said in a cute anime-like voice while giving a sweet smile.
**********************************************************
**********************************************************
「Alright, then give me a star.」
Having gone to immense trouble to organise this offline meeting, I immediately held out my star card, at which Minuet’s gloomy expression returned–
「Well. I do not know if you are a refined or boorish man. Regardless, this is a total victory for yourself. The present was truly a『friend』as I was told. I shall grant you 4 stars.」
「That makes a total of 8. You won’t give me 2 more as an extra bonus, will you?」
Minuet hugged my sleeve close, telling me that this was something good…
「If I do that, however, will that not mean that you will be leaving shortly afterwards?」
She said, giving a small laugh and sticking out her tongue. This action was just like Aria and surprisingly cute.
[END TEXT]
******************************************************
1. If you’ve ever taken a Statistics class, you have an idea of what this means. T-score is a common way of representing the distribution of academic grades (where 50 is average, and Standard Deviation is 10 points) Translated to percentage, it puts her in the top 1%. See this chart for conversion: https://www.medfriendly.com/standardscoretopercentileconversion.html
2. Aiki is ‘life force’, similar to Chinese ‘Chi’. In a more extreme context it may mean no-contact ‘spirit throws/punches’, or less so in Aikido, the blending of movement and manipulation of opponents’ motion to control them. I think it is the latter, especially with the Author’s penchant for referencing Aikido.
3. Literally ‘Horse-Ivy’. Katakana means ‘grasshopper’. Also to note, ‘batsu’ means punishment, but this could be a coincidence…
4. ‘Bully character in Doraemon was named Gian (Short for Giant). He constantly takes what belongs to others.His sister is Jaiko (Gian with a female suffix). As explained, this is an obscure manga reference.
5. Seems to be a female turtle or dinosaur mascot. When she wears a skirt, the back of her skirt is raised and rests on it.
6. Until now, she hasn’t used Japanese pronouns ‘omae’, instead using ‘Kinji’. Having it be ‘Kinji’ all the time is weird in English so I’ve substituted it where it makes sense.
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