Chapter 1341. School Festival A Part 2 / Explosive Girl
「What’s up, Yo-chan?」
The English prep room is a room where you can check the caras all over the school, so…
Nei was watching us co to her.
She made sure that no other students are nearby and unlocked the door.
Going inside, Nei’s sitting in front of lots of monitors.
「No, Katsuko-nee gave an hour of free ti so…」
「So don’t co here! You could’ve gone around with gu-chan and Edie during that ti」
Nei said with a gentle smile.
「I also want to see Ya-chan. Here, ice cream.」
「Hmm, thanks, Yo-chan. You can sit here, gu-chan」
「Okay」
I pull out a pipe chair leaning against the wall and we all sat down to eat ice cream.
「A lot of people are here today and they seem to be having fun」
Nei looked at the parents and guardians who ca to the festival today and said.
「Ya-chan, you don’t like crowds?」
「Well yeah. I don’t like it when there’s a crowd」
Nei’s usual bright personality is sothing she made.
Nei was on the verge of a ntal breakdown after her twin brother got murdered, and so she used Kyouko-san as her model to create a personality that was bright, energetic, and bold.
The real Najima Yasuko is a docile, quiet, and introverted girl.
「But, we’re here. Let’s go tour around the school, Ya-chan. Don’t just watch from the caras, look at them in person」
I suggested.
「Thanks, Yo-chan」
Nei smiled.
「But, maybe not now」
Then, the extension phone rings.
「Hello?」
Nei picks up the phone.
「Yes, I’ll give it a check too. Yes, got it. I’m with Yo-chan. I’m going out. Uhh, yes, okay Roger that」
Nei ends the call
「Minaho-neesan?」
「Yep! As expected of Yo-chan」
No, Minaho-neesan’s the only one Nei talks half-respectfully.
I an, only Minaho-neesan knows that we’re here since she’s watching the caras through the surveillance system underground.
「What’s up, Ya-chan? Kudou-san is also here」
Kudou-papa’s a man from the other side, and he showed up on purpose.
He’s sending a ssage for us to be careful.
I thought that Nei was in the surveillance room because she had no place to stay, but it seems that Minaho-neesan tasked her to do sothing.
Sothing’s happening in school right now.
「I can’t tell you right now. We’re still in a situation where we have to be vigilant」
Nei said.
「To be honest, we don’t know how many of them are mixed in with the parents」
We’re having a school festival, and there’s no stopping the outsiders from coming and going
Our school is a regular co-ed high school.
We’re not like Misuzu’s school where you can’t enter unless you have an invitation ticket, and there’s a strict inspection at the entrance.
「So, Minaho-oneechan wants and Yo-chan to go fishing」
「Fishing?」
「To be precise, we’re going to be the bait, for fishing, I guess? We’re going to drag so enemies and pick them up」
She ant that we’re going to be the bait.
If the enemy’s infiltrated the school, then Kudou-papa’s probably deployed his group too.
We can stir up the place and reveal which are the enemies.
「Well, give a mont」
Edie said with a smile.
「We can go out after we finish our ice cream」
That’s right. It’s a special made ice cream from the cooking club.
「Right. Let’s finish eating first before moving, Nei-oneesan」
gu told Nei.
◇ ◇ ◇
After we’re done eating ice cream, we head out of the English prep room.
「Where should we go around first?」
I open the special event map of the school festival.
「Nei-oneesan, the ani research exhibit seems close」
gu recalled that Nei’s an otaku so she made that suggestion.
「Oh, skip that. Their ani scope is so small」
Nei said.
「They’re only into the current ani and popular voice actors. They call themselves ani research circle, so they should at least know Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei!」
「What’s that title?」
gu asks.
「Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei, is a sister film to Momotaro no Umiwashi, the first full-length animation in Japan. It’s a film made to raise awareness of the war efforts. There’s a great music scene where Momotaro goes to an island ruled by westerners with a Japanese naval paratroop unit and teaches Japanese to the local children」
Edie, why do you even know about that?
You can’t even talk Japanese half a year ago.
No, not that I mind.
「Anyway, my preferences don’t align with them」
Nei said.
「Then, how about the tokusatsu research group?」
gu found another otaku-oriented study group on the map.
「Oh, they’re bad too. They don’t even know the influence of Judo Isshin on the action side, or Daiei’s Yokai Taisen on the modeling side when talking about the history of Kan Rider」
Err.
「The company that made the large-sized stuff monsters for that movie were the ones to make the Kan Rider monsters. That experience is still alive in the creation of the Shocker monster
I’m getting curious.
「Ya-chan, have you ever talked about that with the people from the ani or tokusatsu research groups?」
I don’t know if she’d been in contact with the research groups, but…
「Nope. The truth is, I’ve only listened to them when they’re hanging out in their clubrooms through the surveillance systems!」
Nei said.
「That’s why I know that their otaku knowledge isn’t that deep」
Oh, I knew it.
「Then, Nei-oneesan, why don’t you go and share your knowledge with them?」
gu said.
「Huh, why? Why would I go out of my way to do sothing that’ll get hated?」
Nei said with a wry smile.
「Yo-chan’s the only one who listens to my otaku knowledge without getting bored」
「People who like ani have different interests though. If the topic is in the sa genre, it’s natural that people will hate it if you’re trying to push knowledge that they’re not interested in」
Edie tells gu.
「As for , I’m interested as long as there’s sothing to learn」
Edie’s a genius so she just swallows any knowledge given to her.
「Especially in visual culture. They’re a reflection of the customs of the people who produced them. Instead of reading a bad guidebook, you can learn more about the lifestyle, way of thinking, and historical customs, by watching at least ten movies of the ethnic group」
I see. Edie’s looking through Nei’s collection of movies, manga, and ani with such sense of purpose.
「For example, Japanese ani has a lot of stories about going to the beach, hot springs, and such. This shows that Japanese people have a special sympathy to sea bathing and hot springs」
「Oh, now that you ntion that. If they live on land without the ocean, they won’t make stories about swimming in the sea. The abundance of hot springs is another feature of Japan」
Well yeah.
I think only a few Japanese borns have never soaked in a hot spring ever since they were born.
「What I don’t get is why do Japanese ani always have waterlon splitting at the beach?」
Huh, Edie?
「As far as I can tell, waterlon splitting isn’t an activity they do at the beach. It’s not sothing every group do at beaches, like in the ani」
That’s true.
I also haven’t done waterlon splitting in real life either.
「Well you see Edie, that’s what they call the beauty of style」
Nei laughs.
「There’s a lot more of that in the past, but there’s less of it recently. In ani and tokusatsu until the ’80s, they always play the Hagoita on New Year’s, and the loser of the ga will get their face scribbled with ink. Despite having only so few houses doing that for real」
Using inks when winning Hagoita? What?
Hagoita’s a board with a picture soone painted with a cloth or sothing.
The one they decorate every year with pictures of the year’s events and stuff, right?
It’s often in the news near the end of the year or sothing.
What’s the ga with that thing?
The winner gets to have their portrait for the year? Hmm
「Grendizer was aired in Europe under the title of Goldrack and it was popular, but, for their new year’s episode, they were playing Hagoita, so I wondered how the people from the other side thought of that. What do they think when Duke Freed, Koko-kun, and others wore kimonos」
Sotis, I don’t get what Nei’s talking about.
Then.
「What do you need from us?」
Suddenly, Edie turned her back and asked.
Then.
A beautiful girl is standing there, wearing a uniform from another school and a backpack behind.
She’s a high schooler. She’s got long black hair tied up in braids.
Her eyes seem to be brooding over sothing.
「Excuse . You’re Kuromori Kou-sama, am I correct?」
She’s called with that na.
「No, you got it wrong. I’m Yoshida. Yoshida Yoshinobu」
I forced a smile and said.
I’m Yoshida Yoshinobu in this school.
Kuromori Kou is the na I give I use on the surface when my family is involved.
Also, in my family register, when I got adapted to the Kuromori house, I’m nad Kuromori Yoshinobu.
Then, since I also took over Nei’s brother’s register, and also got adopted to the Kuromori house, I also have the na of Kuromori Keito.
「U-Uhm, I’m sorry to ask but could you follow ?」
I denied that I’m Kuromori Kou and yet the girl still speaks.
「My Lord has parked his car outside the school. Please co and have a discussion with him」
A car outside the school.
Who is this girl’s master?
「Oh, sorry, but I’m just taking a break. I can’t afford to waste any more ti」
I told the girl.
Then.
「We have a bomb in this backpack」
The girl speaks to with a straight face.
「In case you don’t show up, we’ll detonate this explosive. I’ll die with Kuromori-sama. No, it’ll cause a lot of destruction in the school building so there will be a lot of casualties」
「So they sent a suicide bomber here?」
Nei asks.
「Uhm, if you can’t co with , then… I may be reluctant, but…」
The girl says while sweat floats on her forehead
I…
「Hmmm, is that your idea? Or is it your Master’s idea?」
I ask with a smile.
「Do you have the switch? Or does your master have it remote controlled?」
The braided girl;
「Ah, my master has it. Master can detonate it. S-So, there’s no way I would spare my life and prevent the explosion
She says with a confused face.
Oh, she’s got a small cara attached to the belt of the backpack.
I guess their master is watching from afar.
Oh, there’s also a headset attached to her ear.
Her master is listening to our conversation through the microphone.
She’s also giving instructions to the girl through the radio every step of the way.
「I have a few things I don’t like」
I said.
「First, you’re not naming yourself」
I said. the braided girl panics.
「I-I’m Kurose Anju」
She nas herself.
「No, I’m angry not at you, but at your master」
I glare at Kurose.
「No, uhm, I can’t speak of my Master’s na」
I thought so.
「Then, I won’t et with soone who can’t na themselves」
「Huh?! No, but, K-Kuromori-sama?」
「I told you, you got it wrong. I’m Yoshida」
「T-That’s not it, but…I’m carrying a bomb on !!」
Kurose-san tries to show off the backpack.
「There’s no way there’s a bomb there, you know? I hate nonsense jokes like that」
I said.
「Yeah, I get it. This wasn’t Kurose-san’s idea. You’re not soone who’d co up with sothing like this, and you’re not soone who’d willingly go through it either」
She’s not soone from the other side.
She ca to with a straightforward tone.
Her behavior doesn’t show any cunning or evil.
「So, this trivial threat is your master’s idea. Furthermore, he forced you to it, getting you to trouble and enjoying watching us get afraid」
Now that evil is a hundred points.
「That’s unforgivable. He’s just plain rude and looks down on us. I don’t like that」
「N-No, b-but, there really is a bomb here!」
Kurose-san appeals to with a crying face.
「Is it okay, Yoshi-kun?」
gu grips my arm and asks.
「No problem, Darling’s got it right」
「Yeah, I agree with Yo-chan」
Edie and Nei supported .
「It’s obvious. Her master doesn’t have the guts to bring real explosives, even if it’s just a prop to scare . They only speak of threats, but that backpack is empty. Just like her master, there’s nothing inside」
I purposely fan the flas.
Either way, her master is listening from afar.
I’m making him a laughingstock.
「Well yeah, if it’s a remote-controlled explosive, then they would be afraid to touch it just from the fear that it will malfunction.」
「If they make a mistake and detonate the bomb, it’ll cause collateral damage to the public school that’s in the school festival, and that’s big trouble」
「Seriously, looking down on us. Do they really think that they can fool us with such an obvious trick」
「Right, even a three-year-old won’t fall for sothing like that」
「What’s with your master? Did his brain stop growing after three?」
Edie and Nei are making fun of Kurose-san’s master so he can hear them.
「Eh, err. U-uhm」
Kurose-san is chaotically confused.
「Tell your Master this. Where are your manners! Also, if you want to et , then co here! Don’t use your subordinate for sothing this trivial. That’s all!」
I made it clear.
「Let’s go, gu」
「That’s right, let’s just ignore them, Yo-chan」
「It’s not your fault, it’s just that your master is an idiot」
We turned our backs on Kurose-san and head off.
Then.
「W-Wait! I’m begging you! Ah?!」
Turning around, Kurose-san is holding her earphone, listening to sothing.
「Y-Yes! Yes, I udnerstand. Norihiko-sama」
Norihiko, that’s the girl’s master.
「U-Uhm, My lord said that he’s on his way right now」
I see. He got a silly trick up his sleeve, but…
He definitely wanted to see .
「He wants to et to a place where there are no other people」
Kurose-san listens to the instructions on her earphone and tells us.
「My lord has seven bodyguards apart from . Therefore, Kuromori-sama is allowed to bring the sa number of guards with him」
Allowed? Why is he so bossy?
「Also, the Takakura shrine maidens aren’t allowed to approach within 300 ters of my Lord. He said that he’d et with Kuromori-sama if the conditions are t」
「No thanks. It’s not like I want to et with your Master either way」
I said.
「He’s the one who wants to et , right? I didn’t make any promises with your Master. I have no intentions with soone that rude」
I walked up to Kurose-san and approached the small cara on her shoulder.
「If you want to co, then do it. Co here/ However, only two bodyguards. It’s annoying to have a bunch of bodyguards walking around at a fun school festival. Have so common sense」
I said, then opened the school festival map.
Err.
We don’t even know who the other party is so it’s dangerous to call them to the principal’s office.
She doesn’t know that the whole school is under the Black Forest’s control.
We shouldn’t give them hints then.
If that’s the case.
「Nobody uses this room during the school festival」
gu points at the map of the school building.
Yeah, the ergency broadcast room next to the principal’s office isn’t usually in use.
That’s the room where Endou attacked Yukino last May, and I eventually raped her.
「Oh, I’m in the broadcast committee so I have the key」
Edie gives out an easy lie.
「This room is soundproof so we can have secret conversations here」
「Kurose-san, rember. It’s this room. You’re here right now」
I show Kurose-san the map and give instructions.
「Ah, yes. I can see it」
Kurose-san understood it right away.
Oh, she belongs to the bodyguard families.
Guards mainly check out the places to follow in advance.
They’re accustod to looking at maps and getting a sense of what the space looks like
「Good, co to this room after five minutes I won’t wait for more, so dash for it. You hear?!」
I look at the cara and said.
「Go, you should et with your master now」
Edie told Kurose-san.
「Oh, right. I understand. Thank you」
Kurose-san bows her head to Edie.
Then, she bows her head.
「U-Uhm, I’m sorry for the trouble.」 We will see you later」
She hurries and leaves.
「Wait, Kurose-san」
I stopped Kurose-san at that mont.
「W-What?」
Kurose-san turned around in surprise.
「Which family are you serving?」
The way she’s behaving, I can tell that she has the elegance of soone from the nobility.
Her uniform is different so she’s not from Misuzu’s school.
But…
The school for young ladies only has the ladies of nobility.
The sons of nobility, and their bodyguard, should be attending a different school.
Just like Kurose-san.
「That’s…」
Kurose-san paused for a mont.
Then, after confirming that there’s no point in hiding anymore…
She whispered.
「I’m a servant of the Ishigami house」
Oh, I get it now.
Ishigami house should be a relative of Motoko’s Kuromiya house.
I see. So that’s how it is.
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