Chapter 1141. Approaching the Night / Itadakimasu
Chapter 1141. Approaching the Night / Itadakimasu
We left the shower room…
I put on my clothes, and the girls put on their Arabian harem clothing with only the parts dirtied replaced.
『 Okay, dinner’s ready, gather in the dining room! 』
Katsuko-nee’s voice comes from the speaker at a great timing.
「 Great. I’m getting hungry already 」
Kaan Momoko-neechan said, but…
「 Oh, I think that Kaan-san’s going to eat dinner in a different room 」
Nei said.
「 Different room? 」
Momoko-neechan looks puzzled.
「 After all, you don’t want to be in the same room with the Takakura sisters, do you? Our motto is to eat together with the family, so we’re sorry to ask but Kaan-san, you’ll have to eat dinner in a different room 」
「 Oh, I see 」
Momoko-neechan is afraid that Miko power will change her memories or tamper with her mind.
「 I’ve said it many times but you know Momoko-neechan, those girls won’t use their power on you. They won’t do anything unnecessary 」
I said. But…
「 I’ll say it again too. Servants often do something selfishly because they think it’s for the better. Furthermore, the more talented the servants are, the higher the tendency. Therefore, those girls may think of controlling me even if it’s contrary to Kou-chan’s will 」
Momoko-neechan said.
「 Our family’s investigating the Takakura lineage. Girls with that power cause mental instability on the place, see? 」
Tsukiko’s mother, who was the previous shrine maiden, and Koyomi-chan’s mother, who’s the sister of her…
In the end, they were swallowed up by their power…their hearts broke, and died.
「 I don’t want dangerous people to approach me 」
Well, sure, but…
「 Kaan-san’s investigation is lacking 」
Nei smiled.
「 Oh, what do you mean? 」
「 Your investigation was only with the tendency of the Takakura shrine maidens so far, isn’t it? You haven’t investigated how the current girls fare 」
Ever since Tsukiko and the girls escaped from Kyoto, they spent their time mostly in the mansion, so…
Kaan house hasn’t done their investigation here yet.
「 Those girls are very stable since Yo-chan became their Master. I don’t think there’s a danger for a mental breakdown 」
「 I believe so too 」
Edie nodded.
「 The main reason why the Takakura shrine maidens collapse isn’t because they have too much power. It’s not the power’s fault. The issue is the people around them and their environment 」
「 They can read the minds of the people around them, and so they know if the other party lies to them, or have negative thoughts on them, that’s what breaks their hearts 」
The Miko power isn’t the problem, but the relationship with the people around them?
「 However, Darling never lies to Tsukiko and the girls, and he doesn’t have negative thoughts on them either 」
「 Yo-chan’s got no privacy when it comes to us. Everyone knows what he’s doing or where, and he always does his best to think of everything and decide on what he’ll do, and we know that too 」
The two said, but…
「 No, I’m just dumb. I need to take a lot of time thinking compared to others 」
「 Yo-chan’s easy to understand. Yo-chan follows some clear rules in his life, and he’s a virtuous man in essence 」
「 Huh? But I’m a bad guy tho? 」
I said in surprise.
「 I’m never someone with virtue. I’m a bad person belonging to an immoral organization, I’m aware that those who are lawful can come and destroy us anytime 」
I’m Yukino’s rapist.
I murdered Cesario Viola.
I committed various crimes that are illegal in Japan.
Furthermore, I have no intention of surrendering.
I’ll remain a criminal, unable to atone for my sins, and will continue my life as one.
「 That’s why you’re virtuous 」
Edie said.
「 Majority of the criminals think that they’re good people. That’s why their speech and actions blur 」
「 Look at the managers of black companies, most of them want to become politicians because they advocate for social issues 」
They oppress people who work for them and their service to their customers is horrible, that in itself is already an anti-social act, but for some reason, they want to make a big deal about public welfare and get into politics.
「 Yo-chan knows that he’s not a good person, and that’s why there’s no blur. You’re stable, and that’s why Tsukiko-san and the girls who entrust themselves to you, also don’t get mentally unstable 」
「 If you ask us why we’re unified as a family, then it’s because we believe in Darling. That overwhelming passionate feeling of living through in peace with everyone as long as none of us in the family betray another is a strong will 」
「 And everyone relies on that determination coming from Yo-chan. We entrust ourselves to it. We obey it. That’s true for us, and Tsukiko-san and the girls too 」
「 Therefore, Tsukiko’s mind will not break 」
Then that means.
「 If I break down, Tsukiko and the girls will do the same 」
「 Correct. It won’t be just Tsukiko and the girls though 」
「 Edie and I won’t know what to do if Yo-chan’s gone you know 」
Nei said.
「 Us too 」
Misuzu said from my side.
Ruriko and Michi look this way too.
「 But, it’s okay, Darling’s got the mental fortitude 」
「 Yeah, it’s just as thick as Yukino-chan 」
Nei laughed.
「 Huh? I don’t think I’ll go to Yukino’s level though 」
Shirasaka Yukino. That girl’s got nerves that you can use as a rope.
「 That’s not true, ordinary men would burst out dealing with just one of the shrine maidens. 」
Nei?
「 Tsukiko-san’s mother’s heart broke not because of her Miko power, it’s because her partner couldn’t accept that she’s a woman with that power 」
Yeah, that man lived a life knowing that his wife read his thoughts and control them…
Thus, the husband broke.
「 What’s essential is that it has to be like Yo-chan, someone who can take it in nonchalantly, with his mighty dullness 」
「 Danna-sama took me and Kouzuki house nonchalantly too 」
「 Darling’s dullness is some amazing talent. And so, even when Darling makes a harem, he takes it calmly and just stands strong 」
「 Really, there’s not even a fight inside Yo-chan’s harem 」
Nei said.
「 Ordinary harems have women jealous of each other, hating and being brutal on each other, but… 」
「 No, no, Ya-chan, harems aren’t even normal, right? 」
I said, but…
「 Well, that’s where you’re lacking in awareness Darling. Some countries still accept polygamy, and if you read history, you can read records of the royalty of some countries gathering women 」
Edie said.
「 Indeed. Our group is indeed intimate 」
Ruriko smiled.
「 All of it is because of Darling’s massive stability 」
「 With that said, Anna-san, if you want to reach peace, then come to our side 」
「 Huh? 」
Anna-san’s surprised that her name’s suddenly called.
「 Anna-san, you don’t know how big of a problem you are carrying, but… 」
「 It’s definitely less than the Kouzuki or the Takakura house’s problem. Even Nei has quite the complicated heart you know 」
「 Edie too 」
「 I don’t deny that, but, everyone in here has something heavy that we carry with us. But, Darling catches it all so calmly. 」
「 It’s that mighty dullness 」
Nei and Edie looked at me and smiled.
「 THat’s right, that’s why I’ve come to love Kou too 」
Mariko said.
「 Thinking about it now, I was such a hesitant and bothersome woman, and yet, Kou just accepted me with such a calm face 」
Mariko speaks to Momoko-neechan.
「 And so, I think that Momoko-oneesama can entrust her body to Kou too! 」
「 M-Mariko! W-What are you talking about! 」
Momoko-neechan panics.
「 I-I’m the daughter of the Kaan house! Someday, I’ll have to marry into another noble family for my house 」
「 Well, that’s true for me too, but, oh well, we will manage 」
Mariko whose mother is from the Kanou house is to marry another nobleman to raise her family’s status.
「 Even in nobility, there are heads that are homosexual too 」
「 Mariko, are you going to marry someone in that kind of family and just give birth to a child? 」
「 No way, I’ll bear Kou’s child. My legal husband won’t touch me at all 」
Mariko smiles.
「 I’m also the same kind of evil as Kou 」
「 Haa, so you plan it to be like that 」
Momoko-neechan said with a fed-up look.
「 But, I can’t do something like that with Mariko. Kaan house is special, and so I have to fulfill my destiny 」
She speaks lonely.
Momoko-neechan hasn’t noticed that she’s already served to me on a plate.
◇ ◇ ◇
「 Okay, Kaan-sama, this room please 」
Mana’s waiting in the corridor to the dining room.
Momoko-neechan goes to a room a bit distant from the dining room.
「 Thanks, Sebastianus, you can dine in with everyone else 」
Momoko-neechan tells her bodyguards.
「 No, I’ll stay with Momoko-ojousama 」
Sebastianus (Yamada Umeko-san) replied
「 Ah, t-then sure 」
「 Kaan-sama, I will sit with you 」
Shou-neechan comes from the dining room.
「 Misuzu-sama, join them in their table, Kaan-sama is a guest of the Kouzuki house 」
「 I understand 」
「 Then, I’ll accompany you too 」
Michi’s also going with Misuzu and Momoko-neechan on the other room.
「 You too, it’s okay if it’s later, but could you drop by later? 」
Shou-neechan tells me.
「 Huh? If that’s the case, then why shouldn’t I join you in the room for dinner? 」
「 That’ll make the other girls sad. Anna-san’s going there too…eat together with everyone. You can just join with us later 」
Oh, can’t leave Anna-san, right…
Also, Shou-neechan hasn’t beckoned Anna-san to Momoko-neechan’s room, meaning;
They must be having a conversation while Anna-san isn’t there.
「 Got it. Then, see you later, Momoko-neechan 」
「 Okay, later. Kou-chan 」
Momoko-neechan smiled and goes to the room designated to her with Sebastianus (Yamada Umeko-san).
Misuzu, Michi, and Shou-neechan followed after.
「 Err, in the end, it’s five people. Mana’s going to be serving at that table so Megu-oneechan and Katsuko-oneechan’s in the dining room 」
「 Oh, sorry, I haven’t done anything today 」
Ruriko apologized to Mana, her fellow houseworker.
「 Don’t mind it, sometimes this day happens! See you! 」
Mana goes to the kitchen taking meals for their share.
「 Mana-chan’s also stable thanks to Yo-chan, right? 」
Nei said.
「 Well, let’s go in 」
We also go to the dining room.
「 Ah, it’s Papa!! 」
「 Papa!!! 」
Mao-chan and Agnes runs and jumped at me.
Oh, Agnes and the girls also changed their clothes to the Harem-like bikini top and bottom and see-through pants.
It’s just Katsuko-nee, Margo-san, Megu, and Yukino, who’s wearing that mysterious Indian look, who hasn’t changed their clothes.
Although, Katsuko-nee and Megu are wearing maid clothing.
Yeah, everyone in the house is here.
「 It’s Arabian Nights today! 」
Agnes smiles.
Then…
「 Huh? Another new girl? 」
Mao-chan noticed Anna-san.
「 Papa! Papa! Done with her already? 」
Agnes asks me.
She’s prohibited from talking about sex when Mao-chan’s present.
「 Not yet. But, tonight, that’s for sure 」
Noticing what we’re talking about, Anna-san tensed up.
「 Then, she’s Agnes’ friend, right?! 」
Agnes smiles happily.
「 Err, is she going to be Mao’s family too? 」
「 She will! So, she’s now a provisional friend! 」
「 Oh, Agnes, you know what provisional means now? 」
「 I do! I’m doing my best in my studies after all! 」
Agnes puffs her chest with pride.
「 I’m Mao! 4 Years old! Onee-san, how old are you? 」
Mao-chan smiled brightly and looked up at Anna-san and asked.
「 I’m Anna Erica. 14 」
「 Err, 14… 」
「 It’s in the same age as Mana-chan and Yomi-chan 」
「 Older than Arisu-chan and Mitama-chan? 」
「 That’s right! And younger than Ruriko-chan and Michi-chan! 」
Mao-chan and Agnes talked.
「 Then, let’s go to the table 」
「 Papa, can we bring her to our table? 」
Recently, girls who are in the same age group gather in the same spot at the table.
Well, I get that Arisu and Karen have their circumstances…
Luna and Yomi are being considerate too.
Anna-san will feel at ease when she’s at the table with those of the same age as her.
「 Yeah, go eat dinner together with Anna-san 」
「 Err, Anna-chan? Erica-chan? Which do you prefer? 」
「 Erica 」
「 Then, Erica-chan, this way 」
Agnes pulls Anna-san’s hand.
Anna-san looked at me worriedly, but…
「 It’s okay. They’re my family, they’re good girls 」
「 Yes, it’s okay. Erica-san 」
Ruriko said.
「 Agnes will introduce you to everyone! Come, Erica-san! 」
「 Y-Yes 」
Agnes takes Anna-san to the table of the young group.
「 Hmm, she’s getting trained nicely 」
Nei whispered to my ears.
「 That girl looked at Yo-chan when she was feeling worried 」
Ah.
So far, she’s come here relying on Ruriko, so…
She looks at Ruriko’s face whenever she’s worried.
「 Nagisa’s got some job to do in the shop so she’s not coming, so Nagisa and Haiji-chan will eat later 」
Katsuko-nee comes from the kitchen while saying that.
Minaho-neesan won’t be coming back home since she’s in the hotel basement in front of the station…
「 Ah, I’ll also help out 」
Seeing Megu carrying the meals in the wagon from the kitchen, Ruriko hurriedly puts on an apron on her harem clothing.
Today, Mitama and Kinuka’s also wearing an apron, helping out on the table like it’s also their turn
「 Since it’s a rare opportunity, I thought of making some Arabian-style food! 」
Katsuko-nee tells everyone.
「 Steamed Arabic Chicken, Arabic meatballs and dumplings, and Arabic salad! 」
Everyone clapped their hands.
Anna-san’s looking at the situation dumbfoundedly.
「 Well, it’s not really Arabic food! It’s just Arabic style, don’t think of the other way around, if you ask me why is that, well, some of them has pork mixed in! Let’s keep that a secret 」
Katsuko-nee said loudly.
「 Distributing the plates 」
「 Plates! 」
Mitama and Kinuka arrange the plates on the table.
We also sit down with the senior group.
Then.
Tsukiko comes in.
「 It seems that our power is needed 」
She tells me.
She read my thoughts.
「 Yeah, I don’t think we can solve Anna-san’s house problem without using the Miko power 」
Anna-san came over suddenly today…
She was having high tension from the start, and she looks desperate.
That young girl came here, running away from home suddenly.
Furthermore, she suddenly talks about making her a sex slave to me, a man she just met for the first time, it’s just abnormal no matter how you look at it.
I’m not that stupid to get swallowed in with Anna-san saying that she’s interested in sex, rape, and training.
Somehow, there’s something absurd going on in the background.
The reason why I haven’t asked yet is…
「 Momoko-neechan finds it amusing, so we can’t take it slow. We need to settle it by tonight if possible 」
If we drag on this incident, it’ll only get worse.
We should end it during our meeting with Anna-san’s father.
「 Certainly. Then, I’ll bring Luna 」
Tsukiko said.
「 Yomi’s aggression is too strong, and Koyomi-chan doesn’t have her power stable yet. In that regard, Luna can feign to be Anna-san’s friend in school 」
The truth is, Luna’s also enrolling in that same school.
So, she will be Anna-san’s junior soon enough.
But…
「 No, you do it Tsukiko 」
A flash came into my mind.
「 Me? 」
「 Yeah, I think that Tsukiko’s better at calming her mind since you’re an adult 」
「 But I’m not that stable 」
Tsukiko said.
「 But, if Kou-sama’s with me, then I can calm down. I can stabilize myself 」
「 Then do that, Luna still has to accompany Agnes in her studies tonight 」
They’re of the same age, and they will take their entrance exams.
I want Luna, Koyomi-chan, to pull Agnes up during the tests.
「 You’re right. I understand 」
Tsukiko smiles gently.
「 What? What are you guys talking about? 」
Nei comes into our conversation.
「 Ya-chan, you’ll join us during the conversation with Anna-san’s father later 」
I said.
「 You sure? 」
Nei asks, but, she’s smiling.
「 Shou-neechan’s going to manage the negotiations she’s smart, but we need someone to stir things up 」
「 Why can’t I do it? 」
Edie said.
「 Edie, I think it’s going to be a delicate family problem so if it’s you, you’re going to stir it up too much 」
「 Right, I guess I’m going to confuse the other party too much 」
An American combat girl with blonde hair, blue eyes, and brown skin talking with weird Japanese…
It’s a little too quirky.
「 Besides, I think that it’s better to have Michi, someone whose face is known, to let them see that they’re dealing with the Kouzuki house 」
Right, Michi’s the bodyguard of the young lady of the Kouzuki house.
Michi should come with us.
「 Danna-sama, Ruriko’s the perpetrator to why Anna-san came here so I have to go to the negotiations, but can Misuzu-chan come? 」
Ruriko asks.
「 I’m sure that Misuzu-chan wants to know the truth on the scene 」
If Misuzu thinks that way, maybe we should bring her.
「 Hey, if she wants the truth, she can just wait here and ask for it later, right? 」
Yukino, who’s wearing that Indian clothing, asks Misuzu.
「 It’s going to scare the other side of the two daughters of the Kouzuki house is in there. So, Mii-chan maybe needs to stay at home 」
「 I think so too 」
Yoshiko-san who’s one of the three granddaughters of the Kouzuki house says from the other side of the table.
Oh, everyone’s aware of the situation.
There’s no privacy in this house.
「 Well, the place is in the Kouzuki house’s hotel so they can watch the discussion in real-time 」
Nei said.
「 Yeah, the setting is that Anna-san asked Ruriko, her senior in school, for advice, and so, she ran away from her home. So I don’t think that Misuzu should be there. Anna-san’s father will think that it’s still confidential 」
He fears that Jii-chan, the head of the Kouzuki house, will discover this.
「 I understand. Misuzu-chan will stay here 」
Ruriko agreed.
「 Yeah. Yeah, leave this to me 」
「 By the way, Yo-chan 」
Nei said.
「 Momoko-chan said that she wants to go, should we do something about it? 」
Oh right.
Momoko-neechan wants to be there during the talks.
But, showing Momoko-neechan from the Kaan house, who should be irrelevant to Anna-san…
It’s definitely going to cause chaos.
「 I got it, I’ll go persuade Momoko-neechan in that room later 」
While we’re talking…
The food’s ready on the table.
「 Who’s to start the dinner? 」
Katsuko-nee asks.
「 It’s Koyomi-chan 」
Agnes said. Koyomi-chan stands up.
Then, loudly;
「 Well then, Itadakimasu 」
「 Itadakimasu 」
Yeah, Koyomi-chan’s grown accustomed to the family now, she’s much more cheerful.
「 Now, come and let’s eat, Erica-chan 」
Agnes talks to Anna-san positively.
「 Katsuko-neesan’s food is delicious 」
「 You can ask for seconds 」
The twins, Eri and Rie tell Anna-san with a smile.