I feel like I’m rude if I take some self-important attitude .
「 For now, please put this on, Danna-sama 」
Misuzu hands me sunglasses .
「 We’re making it so that Kuromori Kou goes to formal places wearing glasses 」
Oh, if I put on sunglasses, I can keep off the dumb face I make .
「 Wearing dark sunglasses makes the other party not know where you’re looking 」
Jii-chan said .
「 However, you can only do that with people lower than you . Don’t wear sunglasses when facing people in equal status 」
「 Why? 」
「 Wearing sunglasses means you’re concealing your thoughts . Trying to hide your thoughts in a battle of wits implies that you don’t have enough composure, and they’ll look down on you 」
「 I see 」
「 But it matters not, for now, the ladies have little to no interest with you . They’re bent on ignoring you… 」
「 O-Okay 」
I put on the sunglasses Misuzu gave me .
「 Is this one of your preferences? 」
「 No, it’s Shou-oneesama… 」
Misuzu replied .
「 The one I chose got rejected by everyone 」
As usual, Misuzu’s got some strange tastes when it comes to what I wear .
「 I thought of asking you to put on some wilder sunglasses, but everyone said that the elegant looking one is better 」
「 Hmm, I think this is good 」
Jii-chan said that . Please stop with the wild ideas, for now, Misuzu .
「 The suit looks good with you . Is that from the usual? 」
「 Yeah got this from the shop you told me 」
Jii-chan told me to get some custom-made suits when going to events related to Kouzuki house .
He told me where to go, and get measurements on my whole body, and check on the temporary sewing…
I like the suits Katsuko-nee mends for me, but those were suits of Minaho-neesan’s Grandfather .
I feel sorry for putting on some memento suits, and so I accepted it and asked for brand new .
「 What do you think? Having suits that fit your figure feels great, doesn’t it? 」
「 Yeah . Somehow, it’s light and easy to move . This suit doesn’t get me tired 」
For real, this is what someone can expect from professionals .
「 Ruriko, Katsuko-oneesama, and I chose the material for the cloth 」
I don’t know much about the materials, color, and design, and so…
And so, I brought them to the store .
Michi was there, but she didn’t say a thing .
Well, Michi’s wearing nothing but her uniform all the time .
She probably doesn’t know much about fashion .
「 They listened to my opinion on this one 」
Misuzu said .
「 Hmm, the cloth is slightly gaudy and coquettish, but, Yoshinobu’s still young, and he’s not using it for business . I guess this will do 」
「 We also asked to make one for calm gatherings . That one didn’t use my opinions 」
Misuzu said regretfully .
「 There shouldn’t be any problems if you had Katsuko-kun look at it . Her guests were mostly dandy from the start . She’s seen good material and excellent tailoring . She’s much more refined than Ruriko or you 」
Jii-chan said and laughed .
「 Now then, shall we meet the ladies in the courtyard? 」
Jii-chan stands up .
「 Oh right, Yoshinobu . I will be calling you Kuromori-kun from now on 」
He said and smiled .
「 As I said earlier, I must show that I am someone with authority in public . Therefore, sorry, but we’ll be fussing with that 」
「 I know that 」
I’m not that stupid .
「 I won’t call you Jii-chan, but “Kakka,” right? 」
「 No, call me “Grandfather” 」
Jii-chan said .
「 People know that I gave permission to your relationship with Misuzu, and so they’ll start doubting my character if someone from family calls me “Kakka” 」
「 Then, I’ll go with “Grandfather” 」
「 Indeed 」
Jii-chan said while smiling .
「 That way of calling is okay, but use it respectfully . I still am the head of Kouzuki house, an influential man 」
「 Ah, yeah 」
「 Misuzu and Ruriko’s friends will come to greet us, but don’t do anything until I greet them back . It will break my honor 」
「 Oh, the order of big-wigs, that it? 」
「 Naturally . Don’t look at the faces of the girls that come close, if you meet their eyes, you’ll need to greet them back, won’t you? 」
「 Oh, I see 」
「 If you’re away from me, then you can gaze at the women, however, don’t stare too much, and don’t look at them where you have to give greetings . It’s a must 」
That’s hard .
But it can’t be helped . I can’t embarrass Jii-chan .
「 When I’m talking, look at my face . Don’t look away . Be sure to listen earnestly 」
「 Okay 」
「 Then, let’s go 」
◇◇ ◇
Ootoku-san and Choumoto-san are waiting in the corridor .
The two are full-time bodyguards . Anyway, they’re huge . You can tell that they’re strong from a glance .
The two follow right away, even without Jii-chan telling them anything .
「 Oh right, you’re free to talk to me whenever you want . It would be an annoyance if the girls think that you’re too nervous that you can’t say anything, don’t you think? 」
Jii-chan said .
「 That, or maybe I’m standing next to Jii-chan, so I only answer when I’m asked? 」
「 You’re still a relative, you know? Is there a family that is too tense like that? You can go with normal for that one . However, don’t let them think you’re stupid in the conversation 」
「 Well, I’ll do my best 」
I mean, I’m an idiot . So I think I’m going to say something stupid .
Therefore, I prefer to stay silent all the time, but…
Jii-chan told me to join conversations like normal .
「 I think that everyone in the courtyard would be listening to the conversation Grandfather and Danna-sama will have 」
Misuzu said .
「 Women loves to prick up their ears and listen 」
I guess that’s what’s similar between the high-class ladies and my classmates .
「 Danna-sama, this way 」
We head to the terrace on the second floor, looking out the courtyard .
However, this mansion is so vast and anciently .
However, this building is the third oldest among the buildings in the Kouzuki clan plot . If I recall correctly, it’s built around the middle of the Showa era .
The other one is a western house built during the Meiji era .
That building is too precious, yet hard to live in, and so, it’s preserved and used only during exceptional occasions .
The heating is just firewood in the fireplace, and the chimney is connected to each room .
A part of the window glass comes from the Meiji period, and it’s impossible to reproduce at the current age .
「 Traditional buildings are beautiful, but to live in it, is a different story . Designs with no air-conditioning system will always be hot in summer and cold in winter . The ventilation improvement during summertime is a priority . If you were to put in air-conditioner, the cold wind would only escape . It’s hard to cool off . And the cold wind outside comes in during winter 」
Jii-chan said .
「 It’s better to live in a new house instead 」
With that said, Jii-chan’s living in the building constructed during the Heisei Era . That one’s much more spacious and it’s fully equipped with air-conditioning . Ruriko and Yoshiko-san’s living there too .
「 Although, if you were to hold a party, this older building retains the charm 」
And that’s why the Garden Party is held at the Showa era Mansion courtyard .
「 I see . Most of them have gathered now 」
Jii-chan looks down at the courtyard from the terrace .
Oh, beautiful women wearing party dress sits down on white chairs and is having a fun conversation .
Then, each of them has their personal bodyguards on their sides .
「 Other than the female personal bodyguards, the others are standing by outside the courtyard . Naturally, that includes everyone from the Kouzuki SS as well 」
Oh, those that aren’t female bodyguards…
That means that they have male bodyguards brought in too .
「 It’s our informal social gathering . Besides, Shou-oneesama and Reika-oneesama, the elites of Kouzuki SS will be giving them lectures, and so the bodyguards from other companies are refraining themselves 」
I see . Kouzuki SS won’t be teaching their ways to their business rivals .
「 Hmm, very well 」
Jii-chan looks at the girls .
「 Don’t you think they’re all beautiful? 」
Sure . The ladies from wealthy families are all beautiful and have good builds .
「 Why do you think so? 」
Jii-chan looked at me and smiled .
「 Why? It’s because they’re pampered, right? 」
「 That’s what I’m asking, why are these young ladies beautiful? 」
That’s…
「 It’s because the family only marries to beautiful women? 」
Hit or miss . I answered that way .
「 Well, that’s right . The rich and powerful love beautiful women . If you make a child with a beautiful woman, then the child would become genetically attractive as well . And if you repeat that each generation, the mother’s beauty adds up, and soon enough, only beautiful children would be born 」
「 I see 」
Misuzu, Ruriko, and Yoshiko-san, they’re all beautiful .
「 Naturally, some families marry their daughter to their fellow to strengthen their connection . However, still, that family will take the beautiful woman . Back in the old times, some children were born from the mistress womb who inherited the family, as the legal wife didn’t give birth 」
Noble families mean that they’ve gathered beauty genetics .
「 And the women in there aren’t just daughters of wealthy families . They’re not daughters of upstarts . They are daughters of noble families that were in the upper class for generations 」
Jii-chan said .
「 Therefore, they’re all beautiful 」
I look at the women once again, but…
「 My, Kouzuki-sama’s present! 」
「 Oh! “Kakka” …! 」
Oh, the girls noticed us watching them from the second floor .
The merry conversations they had earlier quiet down .
They must be tensed that Jii-chan appeared .
「 Don’t look at their eyes 」
「 Y-Yeah 」
Jii-chan whispered to me .
「 Let’s go, Danna-sama 」
Misuzu takes the lead, then I follow her . Behind us are Jii-chan, Ootoku-san, and Choumoto-san .
We head down the white staircase from the terrace’s side to the courtyard .
The women in the courtyard hold their breaths as they watch us come down .
Yoooooo .
I’m getting nervous now .
The tension is so high that if it was Ai, she’d already say “shuffle” on herself .
「 Oh, by the way, Kuromori-kun 」
Jii-chan speaks loudly while we head down the stairs .
「 I heard from your sister about the business you want to start with Katsuko-kun 」
Huh, Katsuko-nee, and my business?
「 When it comes to business . Failures aren’t allowed for professionals 」
Oh, the bakery?
Katsuko-nee scolded me when I tried baking something arbitrarily .
Did that reach Jii-chan?
「 Oh . I thought that the customers wouldn’t like the same product every time . Selling failed products harms the customer’s trust . That’s why I can’t fail 」
I said .
「 Hmm . From a business management perspective, that is correct . We never sell a failed product no matter what . However… 」
We’re already down the stairs and in the courtyard .
「 However, to profess your work also means that you must not fail in your business . That’s indeed a difficult problem 」
The ladies and their bodyguards pay their attention to Jii-chan and me, who got down the stairs .
Some of them left their seats and is coming to greet Jii-chan .
「 I’ve been thinking recently about “business,” and “work” 」
Jii-chan ignores the girls and sits down on the seat in an open table .
「 Well, sit down, Kuromori-kun 」
「 Ah, okay 」
I also ignore the gaze of the girls and sit down .
Misuzu sits next to Jii-chan .
Ruriko comes in naturally with a smile .
「 Grandfather and Kuromori-sama are in the middle of a conversation… 」
Misuzu tells Ruriko .
「 Indeed, just like usual 」
Ruriko replied with a smile .
「 Indeed, just like usual . I’ll leave the others to you, Ruriko 」
「 Yes, Misuzu-oneesama 」
Ruriko calls Misuzu “Onee-sama” in public .
The girls in the courtyard observed us .
They’re all looking this way, saying nothing .
「 Well then, Kuromori-kun . Do you think that there is work in this world where you must never fail? 」
「 I think they exist 」
For example, the fight with Cesario Viola .
Failure means everyone’s death . And so we can’t lose .
「 True, there are that sort indeed . Especially if it’s a life-or-death situation, doctors, rescue team, firefighters, police, and soldiers 」
Jii-chan said .
「 However, let’s put that unique jobs aside . Let’s think of the general occupations people take 」
Jii-chan starts to speak, he’s looking only at me .
「 For example, a professed job means “I can’t fail this,” and “if I fail this, I will get fired,” which do you think that is? 」
That’s…
「 Well, there’s none . What decides the fate of a company is its big projects . However, does that mean that you must not fail? Would you lose your job if you fail? 」
Err .
「 Before we reach a conclusion, let me say this, no matter what job it is, if it’s a professed work, then failures are forgiven to some degree . Well, it may result in a demotion or a halt in your success, but you won’t lose your job . It won’t drop you to hopelessness where you have to die as an apology 」
Failures are forgiven?
You don’t lose your job that easy?
「 That’s how it is with regular employees . The employee who failed won’t lose his job unless it’s a significant loss of profit 」
「 Err, so, how big are we talking? 」
「 Well, we’re talking about cases where it affects the foundation of the company if it’s an ordinary one . If it’s a bigger one, then they will start firing when there’s hundreds of millions of loss of assets . Oh the other hand, if it’s a small company, a million yen decline may cause the person who failed to file his resignation . And if it’s not a problem of money, it depends on the company or the person who broke the trust, and so it must be dealt with 」
I see .
「 However, the business won’t discharge its regular employees unless it reaches that extent . The labor union is a noisy bunch, and the law protects the workers too 」
Jii-chan looked at me .
「 Above all, mistakes and troubles is a common thing . An employee’s error or troubles shows the handicap of someone in the company . That’s common . It’s indeed common . If a company were to dismiss every employee that makes mistakes, then, they’ll lose every personnel they have 」
Oh, I see .
「 Making mistakes, bowing heads, and piling up experience is what develops an employee . If one’s afraid of making failure in a creative job, then that person won’t be able to do anything 」
Jii-chan said .
「 In my professed work, a mistake is a complement . Or should I say that success all the time isn’t a necessity? Therefore, I don’t tell my subordinates to succeed or to not fail . Those words will only hinder the employee . Once that happens, they’ll work without taking risks 」
O-Okay…
「 People will fail, no matter what . A person who never fails doesn’t exist . Do you understand that? 」
「 Of course 」
「 That is why you must endeavor to not make mistakes as much as possible . But if you were to fail, then smile bitterly, and you must know that it happens… 」
「 I see . People who think, “I’ll succeed for sure . I can’t fail” are those who don’t think of failures 」
「 Indeed . Humans who believe in the supremacy of success are always taking their last stand . They never have the composure 」
If they considered the likelihood of failure from the start, then their thoughts would start to crumble .
「 Remember that . Anything that is a business will make some failures at some point . On the other hand, if everything is wasted after a single mistake, then it’s a job, but not a business… 」
Jii-chan speaks with a serious face .
「 For example, F1 Race has racers, right? For those whose occupation is known as a racer, then even if they were to disappear in one year, they can still join the next year’s race . He’s a known racer, and his talents and achievements are recognized 」
Yeah, someone who became a champion once…
They could have a year with poor performance, but they’ll think, “it must be the car’s performance issues,” and so, the person can attend the next racing event .
「 A person who entered a race one year, and made a contract with some team in the following year . That person can be called “F1 racer,” but, I don’t think his occupation can be called an F1 racer 」
Occupation .
「 Maybe the person will only do it once . Or maybe, they could only join for one year . And so, failure isn’t an option . That kind of harsh job can’t be called an occupation . Occupation means that you can continue, no matter how many failures it takes 」
O-Okay .
「 Katsuko-kun is correct . However, it’s lacking . Even if it is a custom within the bakery 」
The bakery is my job .
「 Yesterday, you baked your products as usual and sold them to your customers . However, what if you encountered trouble, and for example, you weren’t able to obtain your high-class raw materials? Or, you weren’t able to secure your workers? Well, it could be any of a lot of things . Either way, the product became something different 」
Jii-chan speaks to me .
「 That happens in reality . It’s hard to avoid . Unexpected troubles always come . They do come at miraculous moments 」
Inevitable failures exist .
「 The ideal is to sell the same taste every time . It’s what we prefer, and what we have to do . However, it can’t be consistent all the time 」
It never does .
「 However, if that bakery is an established business, and the customers notice that the taste of the product changed for one day, you can still take it back . That’s how it is 」
If they know that our products are delicious…
Then, even if they bought some bad products for one day because of some reason…
Their trust won’t break .
We can regain their trust .
No, we have to .
「 “Don’t fear failure,” doesn’t mean that you are free to fail . It means that failure comes, inevitably . That is why one must think of how they can stand up again, even if they fail . Especially the relationship with customers 」
Jii-chan said .
「 If you’re making business, then there’s always customers… 」
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