「 Let’s clean up first . 」 Ya-chan, Katsuko-nee, help me out 」
I said .
「 It’s Saturday today so we won’t be making bread tomorrow, right? We need to keep things clean, or the fungus will breed themselves 」
We need to clean everything before leaving .
「 What should I do? 」
Err .
「 Edie and Michi don’t need to clean up . Oh right . Use that laptop and check the school 」
Endou and old man Dai Grepher retreated, but .
Shou-neechan purposely showed up herself .
「 Kouzuki SS and other escorts should be around the school 」
「 Anything else? What about the police? 」
Edie asks me .
「 The police are present, but there are also other organizations present 」
Michi replied .
「 Can you explain that to us now? 」
I asked .
「 No, I think Kuromori-sama should be the one to explain it back in the mansion 」
「 But we need to be careful with them, right? 」
「 Why do you think so? 」
Michi asks back .
「 It’s because Misuzu sent over Michi here . Something’s out of the norm if she’s worried that Edie’s alone, right? It’s not some unforeseen trouble, but instead, someone’s aiming at us systematically 」
That’s all I can think .
Edie’s strong, but she doesn’t know anything about the underground society .
Michi is Misuzu’s bodyguard . She should know the people from the underground society through Kouzuki SS .
「 That’s right 」
Michi replied .
「 Katsuko-nee, how far do you know? 」
I asked .
「 All I know is that Ojou-sama met with Takakura-sama in Kyoto . I don’t know any other details 」
Katsuko-nee’s also under the one month trial period just like me .
Minaho-neesan didn’t talk any details about Kyoto to have her concentrate on the bread .
「 Ya-chan noticed that Minaho-neesan sent over Endou halfway through it, so you don’t know any details 」
「 Well yeah 」
In the end, we don’t know anything until we come back to the mansion .
「 Okay, let’s finish up cleaning for now 」
I try to resume working but .
「 Uhm, Yoshi-kun 」
Megu speaks .
「 What should I do? 」
Well .
「 Everything’s late because of Endou, isn’t it about time for Megu to go to the club? 」
「 Wait! I can’t just go to the club in this situation! 」
Megu said .
「 Something huge is about to happen, right? 」
…I
「 All the more I want Megu to keep on her daily life 」
「 Yoshi-kun? 」
「 We’ll do something about the unusual situations, Megu, keep on doing the usual . Isn’t that your role? 」
「 My role? 」
「 Yeah, it seems like Minaho-neesan’s in a bit of a negative situation . 」 If Megu doesn’t keep her usual lifestyle then we’ll be pulled down by the unusual circumstances 」
I said .
「 It’s Saturday Afternoon right now . We’ll finish it by tomorrow, Sunday . Then we’ll be back to usual by Monday Morning 」
I made my decision .
「 Minaho-neesan speaks like the heavens and earth are turning over and our daily life won’t come back, but I won’t let that happen . Everyone’s finally starting to accept the bread we make, us ourselves 」
Yeah .
「 Something big his happening . Okay, I get that . Then, I’ll deal with it appropriately . Something might change again, but our daily life will continue . It has nothing to do with it 」
「 Yoshi-kun 」
「 That’s why, Megu, go back to your club as usual . We’ll come to pick you up at the same time . It’s 6pm tonight, right? 」
「 Yes 」
「 Then, Nagisa will pick you up by car later 」
Margo-san should be in Nagisa’s shop .
「 But, Yoshi-kun, I 」
Megumi said . Yukino;
「 You’re in the way, Megumi 」
Yukino’s sweeping the floor with a broom .
「 What are you doing, Yukino? 」
Megu’s surprised .
「 Is that not obvious? Cleaning 」
Yukino continues to sweep .
「 I’m in the stable period, so I need to exercise a bit . 」 I’m only doing this on my own so don’t mind me 」
Yukino says with a calm face .
「 So, you’re in the way, Megumi! Go somewhere, your club or whatever! 」
Megu looks confused .
「 Megumi-chan, here! 」
Katsuko-nee takes out a paper bag and hands it to Megu .
「 I made sandwiches for everyone this lunch but there’s been so much ruckus, you see? Eat this before you start your club activities . We’ll eat back in the mansion 」
Katsuko-nee smiles .
「 I also made some for Nikita-san, but I’ll have Michi-chan eat it instead 」
「 Ah, speaking of which, Anya helped out in sales, but we forgot to have eat some of our bread! 」
Nei said .
「 I feel sorry letting her go home like that . We’ll give her a feast next time 」
I replied .
「 Megu-chan, you must be having a lot of questions in your head, don’t you? So empty up your head with your club activities 」
Nei tells Megu .
「 Overthinking is bad for your body, for now, run with all you can 」
「 Please leave Master’s safety to me 」
Michi said .
「 Seriously, you’re in the way Megumi! Don’t just stand over there! 」
Yukino, what are you doing?
「 I get it . I get it already 」
Megu’s convinced, unwillingly .
「 Then, I’ll go to the clubroom . Katsuko-oneesan, thanks for the sandwich
「 Ah, bring some drinks with you too! 」
Katsuko-nee hands Megu a bottle of Megu’s favorite sports drink .
Megu looks at me .
「 Yoshi-kun, I’m still your wife, right? 」
I…
「 That’s for Megu to decide 」
「 Yoshi-kun 」
「 I’ll accept whatever decision Megu will have . But, if Megu can’t decide on herself, I can’t do anything 」
「 I said you’re in the way! 」
Yukino’s sweeping near Megu’s feet .
「 I get it, I’ll run for now 」
Megu said then, she left the bakery without any energy .
「 Edie 」
I turn to Edie .
「 Follow Megu . There’s a possibility that Megu gets kidnapped by an enemy that infiltrates the school 」
「 Roger 」
「 Do you have a phone? Keep in touch with Michi . Contact us if anything happens . We’ll call you when we need your help 」
「 Got it, Darling 」
Edie smiles .
「 I’ll stay in the school! I still have things I have to do 」
Nei said .
「 Besides, I’m more familiar with the system in the school than Edie 」
I guess that’s okay .
「 I’ll also follow up on Megu-chan as much as possible . I think that Takeshiba-san will get angry at Megu-chan if she goes there in that condition 」
There’s also Megu’s race with Anya this morning .
「 Takeshiba-san must be worried, I’ll talk to her 」
Nei’s a repeater, so she’s on the same age as captain Takeshiba .
If Nei talks to her, she’ll listen .
「 Yeah, thanks, Ya-chan 」
I said .
「 I mean, you’re also in the way! 」
Yukino also sweeps my feet with a broom .
◇ ◇ ◇
We’re done cleaning up .
We put back the tools back to their designated locations .
This is to make sure that we don’t have to look for it when we start working on Monday .
That’s the basics of the bakery .
「 Okay, let’s go 」
Katsuko-nee deposits the sales for today on a cash box .
Is there anything we forgot? None .
「 Let’s go, Michi 」
「 Yes, Master 」
We exit the bakery through the backdoor .
Katsuko-nee’s van is parked there .
We open the rear door and load in the empty pads .
We’ll have to bring the dough in before baking using this pad on Monday .
「 Yukino-chan, get in 」
Katsuko-nee asks Yukino to board on the rear .
while nobody else is watching .
It would be dicey if others see us taking Yukino .
「 Can’t be helped 」
Yukino joins the mountain of pads on the rear .
「 Michi-chan, get in first 」
「 But 」
Michi seems to be waiting outside as a precaution .
「 No, you stand out too much so get in while there’s nobody around 」
I said .
After all, she’s a middle school girl, wearing a different school uniform .
Earlier, students saw Michi fight off old man Dai Grepher .
I want Michi to hide before it becomes trouble .
「 Certainly 」
Michi hides behind the shadow of the pads .
「 Then, let’s go 」
Katsuko-nee also gets in the driver seat .
When I tried to get in the passenger seat;
「 Oh, Yoshida? Closing? 」
Tanaka shows up .
「 I heard of it earlier, Endou came and made a huge fuss, they said 」
Oh right, only the students near the cafeteria has seen what happened during the fuss earlier .
「 Sorry, I was outside the school today, Sakamoto and the guys invited me to eat ramen outside 」
There’s no need for that, you don’t have to buy my products every time .
「 You went outside to eat so why come back to school? 」
I asked .
「 Yeah, there’s a committee assembly now 」
「 Committee? 」
「 Well yeah, I’m a member of the election committee of the next student council president . 」
I see . The election for the new president would be in October .
「 When I came back, they told me that Endou was riding a festival truck and went into the school 」
That wasn’t a festival truck but a propaganda one .
「 Then, I heard that there was some fight then Nikita-san and her friend kicked them away, was it? 」
「 Friend? 」
「 Yeah, I heard that it was an ojou-sama chick cosplaying as a petite action actress . She looks like a middle school girl, but her age should be about 30 . That’s what I heard from the movie research guys . “That kind of action star must be in the industry for a decade” 」
Michi .
Speaking of which, Anya mentioned her as a close friend .
People thought of her as Anya’s friend than ours .
Well, Michi’s uniform is from a super-high-class ladies school .
After all, she went ahead and played a significant part by lashing out her red whip .
They all think of her as a professional action star wearing a cosplay .
Usually, a girl from a high-class school doesn’t lash out whips . Yeah .
「 Well, yeah, we’re just about to go home . Still, I don’t get what Endou’s Nyapoleon is 」
I dodge the topic appropriately .
「 I see . Well, I’m just glad that you’re safe 」
Takana who’s a leader-type of guy came to see me to ask my situation .
「 Oh right, Katsuko-nee 」
I call Katsuko-nee .
「 Yes? 」
Katsuko-nee shows up from the driver seat .
「 Tanaka, this is my teacher in the “bread-making course” Takanashi Katsuko-san 」
「 Oh, it’s her! I heard that there was an amazing beauty who was selling out your products 」
That information is going through as well .
「 Hello . I’ll be standing on the counter starting next week 」
Katsuko-nee smiles at Takana .
「 What the hell bro, you’re learning how to bake bread from such beauty? 」
「 Yeah, that’s right bro 」
「 Everyday bro? 」
「 It’s everyday bro, that’s obvious 」
I replied .
「 Somehow, I feel like even without advertisements on that bread-making course, the boys will flock in 」
「 What? 」
「 They’d obviously want to join in with you . Or maybe, try putting the lady’s picture on the pamphlets? 」
What?
「 Unfortunately, we’re not giving out pamphlets yet . The official start of the curriculum is by next spring . Yoshida-kun’s only a test case 」
Katsuko-nee explains lightly .
「 I thought so . I knew it 」
Tanaka smiles .
「 So, Tanaka, as for your suggestion on giving 50 yen discounts, I talked with Katsuko-nee, I mean, Takanashi-sensei about it 」
「 Huh? Really? Do you plan on giving discounts to your classmates? 」
Ah, I didn’t explain properly .
「 No, not that . I won’t give discounts, we’ll start selling a lineup of products 50 yen cheaper than what we sell now 」
「 Huh? Why? 」
「 Well, if you just tell me to make it 50 yen cheaper and I did, the demand would be more than expected 」
「 I see, that’s an exciting thought 」
Tanaka smiles wryly .
「 But, I think that’s correct . You can sell bread that is 50 yen cheaper than the others 」
「 Do you think so? 」
「 Yeah, to be honest, the quality of your products are a bit better than what’s sold in the cafeteria . Of course, the cafeteria has their products from mass production, and we know that yours is handmade . Yours taste better too . But you know, high school students would prefer cost efficiency than taste 」
I see .
「 Cheap but edible is better . Well, in your case, you’re studying how to make it, so you don’t need to think too much 」
「 No, I will, I just noticed that I can’t just ignore it 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 Tanaka, is there any other way to make better bread? 」
I asked .
「 I mean, you make bread for women too much . The time and effort done makes it delicious but, men prefer Zappa 」
「 What? 」
Katsuko-nee asks .
「 Are you talking about Frank Zappa? 」
「 No, that was short for rough (Oozappa) Sorry 」
Tanaka apologizes .
「 I mean, who’s Frank Zappa, Onee-san? 」
「 Huh? The young ones don’t know anymore? You don’t have to mind it then 」
Katsuko-nee blushed .
「 Ignoring that, can you tell me what do you mean by rough? 」
Tanaka .
「 Well, the boys prefer denser food, those that fill your belly when you eat them 」
「 In other words, an eat-all-you-can of round slices of French bread? 」
「 Hmmm, that lacks in taste now 」
「 There would be butter and jam, of course 」
「 No, I think that’s just troublesome putting it yourself 」
Then .
「 How about we smear it with butter and jam beforehand? 」
That takes too much trouble .
「 No, we can just place cheese inside the baguette before baking it? What do you think of a cheese baguette? 」
「 Ah, that’s nice . That’s better, boys prefer the saltiness in bread more than sweetness 」
Tanaka replied .
「 Yeah, it’s easy to work with . We also have a machine cutter in the bakery 」
Katsuko-nee’s ideas are spreading out inside her head .
「 Thanks, I now have an idea 」
Katsuko-nee tells Tanaka .
「 Not at all, it’s my pleasure 」
「 You see, I’m also good at other dishes . Next time, I’ll open a dinner party at Yoshida-kun and Megumi-chan’s house, come over Tanaka-kun 」
「 Huh? Really? 」
Tanaka looks at my face .
「 Yeah, come over . It’s our way of saying thank you 」
「 What’s that? Well, okay . I’m expecting a treat then 」
After that talk, we parted ways .
◇ ◇ ◇
Katsuko-nee drives out of the school gate .
Usually, we go through the back gate, but we went outside the main entrance this time .
「 Oh, they really are here 」
Katsuko-nee mutters .
There were suspicious looking black cars parked before the school gate .
After confirming that it’s our van, three followed us behind .
They’re not from the police .
Those people don’t tail us that blatantly .
I mean, this is too amateur .
But, there’s three of them so they should be an organized group .
「 Who are they? 」
I mutter while looking at the tailing car reflected in the rearview mirror .
Katsuko-nee .
「 Are they not from Nyapoleon party? 」
She joked .
「 What do you want to do? Should we take a detour or watch their movements? 」
I asked .
「 That’s a hassle . Let’s just go home 」
Katsuko-nee chose the route going directly to the mansion .
「 Either way, Kouzuki SS and the police are near the mansion .
As long as Ruriko lives in the mansion, there will be vehicles from Kouzuki SS always waiting to guard her as she’s the successor of Kouzuki house .
As for the police, they haven’t come every day recently but, Anya, Kyouko-san’s subordinate stayed over last night . How many vehicles from them are parked today?
「People are checking from behind, let them do it 」
Katsuko-nee plans to press the problem to the police and Kouzuki SS .
But .
「 What’s this? 」
The suspicious cars parked close to the mansion have increased .
And then, reaching the road to the main gate of the mansion .
There are dozens of cars lined up .
Most of them are painted black .
「 I’ve heard that Yakuza sometimes arrange cars like this when they welcome their big boss, although 」
Katsuko-nee’s surprised .
Oh, at least, Kouzuki SS and the police vehicles are in front of the gate as expected .
「 I give up 」
We can open the front gate of the mansion via remote control, but .
We need to wait before the gate opens .
Furthermore .
「 They look like they’ll jump inside when the gate opens, don’t you think? 」
I see dozens of men wearing black suits folding their arms in front of the gate, I can see them as nothing but Yakuza .
They’re glaring inside the gate .
「 Well, that’s Takakura house 」
Katsuko-nee mutters .
「 What does that mean? 」
I asked .
「 Takakura house is a family older than Kouzuki house even in history, their status is of high-class above high-class families 」
I heard of that already .
「 And then, they’re the family that ties all of Yakuza in Japan 」
Huh?
「 Takakura house itself isn’t a significant force . But, their social status is higher than the common, you see? Takakura house is always present when there’s a succession of a leader, or when a dispute is settled . Everything is invalid without the Takakura house’s presence . They’re a house that brings “control” to it’s meaning 」
And the lady of that house .
The woman Minaho-neesan met will be turned to a prostitute of Kuromori, right?
Is that really okay?
「 Although the person herself made the decision, the other Yakuza houses don’t permit it . That’s how it feels like 」
That’s really dangerous .
「 Hey! You! Are you from this house? 」
When we stopped our van in front of the mansion .
The yakuza guys come down from their black painted cars .
「 What the hell?! Are you serious?! 」
Even the Yakuza hanging out in front of the main gate looks at us .
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