CH 45

A short knocking sounded echoed in Hinako’s room.

Hinako replied “Don’t come in” when she didn’t want someone to come in, and she said nothing when it was okay to come in. The person who knocked on the door seemed to be well aware of Hinako’s character and after waiting for a few seconds, opened the door.　

“Excuse me.”

It was Shizune, her servant, who emerged from behind the door.

“Miss. How are you feeling?”

“…… Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Hinako, who was lying on her bed, answered lazily.

Today was a holiday, so she did not attend the academy, but only attended a dinner. The time she was wearing her cover was shorter than usual. Even so, she sometimes collapses due to the stress she’s been under.

Especially today, there was an inconvenient event for Hinako.

That’s why Shizune interrupted her work to visit Hinako’s room. She didn’t want anything to happen to her, so she went to check on her.

“Shizune. Where’s Itsuki…?”

“……Itsuki-san has already departed the mansion.”

When Shizune answered that, Hinako lowered her gaze.

“Itsuki…… had been my caretaker for a month, hadn’t he?”

“That’s right.”

“…… That’s a long time.”

“That’s right.”

Shizune nonchalantly responded to Hinako’s words, not really knowing what she was thinking.

Hinako’s voice sounded both sad and uninterested.

Maybe Hinako didn’t care that much about Itsuki’s departure. That’s what Shizune thought.

“If he can’t be a caretaker, why not hire him as a servant ……?”

Hinako asks.

This was a suggestion that she would never have made to her previous caretaker.

“I’ve heard that there’s a shortage of gardeners…….”

“…… Miss.”

” Are there cooks at ……?　There are lots of …… jobs, like people who just clean. ……?”

“Miss.”

Shizune said, her tone a little more forceful.

“Kagen-sama has no intention of hiring Itsuki-san anymore.”

I’m sure Hinako understands this as a given.

It’s hard for Hinako to express her emotions when she’s wearing a mask, let alone when she’s not.

That’s why Shizune finally realized now. That Hinako is so depressed that she is distracted from reality.

“…… No.”

Hinako says in a small voice.

“I want to see Itsuki.”

“That is not allowed by Kagen-sama.”

Shizune told her without changing her expression.

“It would be better to give up this time. It’s not in our best interest to offend Kagen-sama any further.”

When Hinako heard Shizune’s words, her lips twitched.

“Shizune…… whose side are you on?”

“I am employed by Kagen-sama.”

Hinako became even more grumpy.

“…… Enough. Then I’ll go find him.”

“Will not happen.”

Shizune ignored the sharp glare being cast at her and bowed.

“I have to help Kagen-sama with his work, so if you’ll excuse me. …… I’ll have a guard standing by the door just in case, so please refrain from any reckless behavior.”

With that, Shizune turned on her heels and walked out of the room.

As the door slammed shut, Hinako let out a sigh.

“…… Shizune, you don’t understand.”

Hinako clutched the futon with both of her hands like she was making a decision.

“I am a woman who does things when she has to……”

Her eyes glittered and she began to move.

◆

After parting from Naruka, I immediately went to the Konohana family’s mansion.

Kagen-san is now at the villa instead of the main residence. I had originally planned to return to the main residence after the dinner was over, but I took a detour to the other residence to check on Hinako. She also said that she was going to do some work in the office, so she must be planning to stay there for a while.

Since I didn’t know where the main residence of the Konohana family was, I had to see Kagen-san by the end of the day.

When I returned to the mansion, two servants standing in front of the gate stared at me.

“What are you doing back here?”

Their voices sounded cold ……, but their gazes were filled with sympathy.

After working as a caretaker for nearly a month, the servants of the Konohana family had come to know me by face. Of course, I’ve even had conversations with them. The two gatekeepers in front of me saw Hinako and me every day on our way to and from school.

“Please let me in.”

“I refuse to ……. If you want to enter the mansion, follow the proper procedure.”

I guess he’s telling me to make an appointment with Kagen-san before I come.

But I couldn’t just accept those words and back out.

–If I followed the advice honestly, there was no way that Kagen-san would allow me to do so.

I ignored the two gatekeepers and made my way to the gate.

It was a sturdy gate, but there was an uneven surface that I could put my foot on. It would be possible to climb over it.

“Hold on.”

As soon as I took a step toward the gate, the two servants standing on either side of it approached me.

“If you go any further, you are an intruder. We will take appropriate action.”

These words implied that they were worried about my safety.

But I had my own reasons not to retreat.

“Sorry!”

With all my might, I ran towards the gate.

“What!?”

The two servants were startled and rushed to my side as I tried to force my way up the gate.

“You idiot!”

“Don’t underestimate the gatekeepers of the Konohana family!”

The gatekeepers were closing in from both sides.

If I get caught here, I may never be able to see Hinako again. Such anxiety made me impatient, and I thought my mind was in disarray.

But despite the situation, I was surprisingly calm and collected.

“Huh?”

I was the one who was startled.

But my opponent was more agitated.

I dodged the arm approaching from the right by a mere slip of a paper and immediately dove into the gatekeeper’s chest, using my knees as a spring to throw my body. The gatekeeper’s back slammed into the hard ground and bang!

A violent sound echoed.

“What the hell!?”

I turned away from the gatekeeper who was screaming at my feet and looked at the other one.

“What the hell was that move ……?”

The remaining gatekeeper, perhaps not expecting to be counterattacked, was shrinking.

There is no way to avoid taking advantage of this gap.

–My body moved on its own.

In my head, the self-defense tips that Shizune had taught me replayed rapidly.

The gatekeeper came to his senses and approached me, but it was too late. I quickly grabbed his arm and twisted it outward. As soon as he was out of position, I swept him off his feet and sent him toppling.

“Ah!?”

The second gatekeeper fell like the first.

“Hey, you ……, where did you get this skill ……?”

As the gatekeeper groaned, I stared at my fists and remembered the past month.

I remembered what Shizune had told me once. I’ve always had a talent for self-defense.

“Excuse me ……, I’m in a hurry!”

I climbed the gate and entered the compound.

The fallen gatekeepers shouted loudly.

“There’s an intruder! Seize him!”