Pop, the dim living room suddenly lit up with bright white light, illuminating the layout inside.
It also illuminated the girl's long golden hair. Her clear eyes flashed with worry as she said, "If soone sees the lights on here, won't it look strange?"
"People working in the big cities are as tired as dogs; no one cares when their neighbors return ho."
Aozawa strode into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and discovered how poor the hoowner's living standards were.
A lonely cabbage inside, a few leeks nearby, and two raw eggs placed there.
"Tsk tsk, this is the life of a corporate slave."
He shook his head, took two eggs, closed the fridge, and prepared to add them to instant noodles.
When asked why he was certain there were instant noodles in this house, naturally, he had used his catalyst sensing ability to see the noodle boxes by the bedside in the bedroom in advance.
He skillfully walked into the bedroom, took two containers of instant noodles from two different boxes, and returned to the living room.
This action surprised Phoenix Academy Maggie a bit, "You seem familiar with this place."
"Such working corporate slaves are generally lazy. If they're hungry at night, they definitely don't want to leave the bed, and instant noodles must be placed nearby."
This statent did not eliminate the doubt in Phoenix Academy Maggie's heart. She frowned, "You're just a high school student. Why do you sound so familiar with working life?"
"Because the class president is one of those working people."
Aozawa initially wanted to shift the bla to Chitose. On second thought, such laziness couldn't possibly involve Chitose, so he ended up attributing it to the class president.
Phoenix Academy Maggie's gaze beca sowhat complicated, and she added a hint of jealousy to her tone, "Oh, you two are really close."
"If you want to talk to about so private matters, I don't mind."
Aozawa smiled as he answered her question, boiled water, opened the instant noodles, cracked the eggs, tossed them in, and used a fork to break the egg liquid.
Phoenix Academy Maggie saw his actions and frowned slightly, "Is it okay to eat eggs like this?"
"Don't worry, it's fine."
Aozawa opened the seasoning packets and sprinkled them on top.
Waited for the water to boil, poured hot water into the noodles, covered them, and used a fork to pierce the noodle lid to clamp it on the edge of the container.
"Just wait to taste my skills."
"What skills? It's just instant noodles."
Phoenix Academy Maggie poked through his bragging and crossed her arms, her chin slightly raised, "My braised pork with preserved vegetables is what's really skillful."
"Yeah, it does taste pretty good. I just don't know when I'll get to taste it again."
Aozawa nodded, his gaze fixed on her chest. Whether he was savoring the braised pork with preserved vegetables or sothing else, was unclear.
Phoenix Academy Maggie rembered what happened that day, glaring fiercely at Aozawa, only to feel that familiar sensation sweeping her chest once again.
She controlled her facial expression and changed the topic, "And I wonder what's going on outside."
"Don't worry, everything will get better."
Aozawa comforted her.
Phoenix Academy Maggie nodded, "I hope so, or if this continues, I feel like I'll beco a little ghost thief wandering in Tokyo.
Sneaking into empty houses, eating their snacks everywhere."
"Isn't that great? I enjoy this kind of outlaw vibe."
Aozawa chuckled.
For experiences like running around Tokyo with Phoenix Academy Maggie, sneaking into empty houses, and taking other people's snacks.
Since he knew Phoenix Academy Maggie would make generous compensation afterward, it seed perfectly justified.
He felt it was pretty good.
Phoenix Academy Maggie rolled her eyes at him and retorted, "I'm actually a law-abiding good citizen."
"Fine, fine, I'm the only one who's bad."
Aozawa shrugged, checked if the noodles were about ready, and asked, "Do you want braised beef noodles or pickled cabbage noodles?"
Phoenix Academy Maggie had never actually eaten instant noodles, curiously asked, "Which is tastier?"
Aozawa thought about it and replied, "For , I definitely recomnd braised beef noodles."
"Then give the pickled cabbage ones."
"Hey, you're not following the usual ga plan here."
Aozawa teased her gentle behavior, offering the braised beef noodles forward, "In such situations, I should show gentlemanly manners and let you have the braised beef noodles I like."
"Ew, gentlemanly manners, how can you have the audacity to talk about manners you don't possess."
Phoenix Academy Maggie spoke while her pink lips slightly curled up, her heart feeling quite pleased.
She pulled the fork, lifted the noodle lid, and a fragrance wafted up to her nose.
It slled quite good.
Phoenix Academy Maggie picked it up, took a bite with a fork, and imdiately frowned, "It's really bad!"
"That's how instant noodles are. Just put up with it; the pickled cabbage flavor is even worse."
Aozawa held the sauerkraut to her mouth, laughing, "If you don't believe , try it."
Phoenix Academy Maggie opened her mouth and took a bite, the taste of sauerkraut suddenly making her delicate porcelain doll-like cheeks show a bit of sourness.
"Haha."
Aozawa saw her expression and burst into laughter, then animatedly took another bite with the fork, savoring it as he said, "That's the taste of feet."
Phoenix Academy Maggie was about to call him disgusting when she suddenly realized they had used the sa fork. Could this be an indirect kiss?
Thinking of those scenes in ani, Phoenix Academy Maggie's heart started to race, and she felt so guilty she couldn't even look at Aozawa. She quickly changed the subject, saying, "Check if there's any news on TikTok."
"No problem."
Aozawa slurped up so more instant noodles, took out his phone from his pocket, opened TikTok, and the first video that popped up was titled, "Mourning! The Bloodline of the Unbroken Imperial Line Tragically Falls to the Traitor Funahashi's Treachery!"
Seeing the title, Phoenix Academy Maggie was stunned. Upon looking at the video, she saw outside the Pri Minister's residence, Kochou surrounded by a group of camouflaged Self-Defense Forces soldiers, shouting into a gaphone.
"Funahashi, your conspiracy has been exposed. Surrender imdiately, lay down your weapons, and release Emperor Shinjin and the others. I assure you, you'll be allowed to live abroad."
"Shut up! I will never lose to you, and no one can make yield.
Haha, if I'm going down, we're all going down together!"
Funahashi Hikoshiro, standing behind bullet-proof glass, let out an arrogant laugh and lit the fuse in his hand.
Soon, there was a loud boom from the Pri Minister's residence, as flas from the explosion erupted outward.
The Pri Minister's residence was engulfed in flas.
"Quick! Rescue His Majesty the Emperor!"
Kochou's sorrowful and angry voice ca through the video.
Then the video ended.
Aozawa scrolled down, finding mostly videos of mourning, with occasional explanations of how Pri Minister Kochou foiled Funahashi Hikoshiro's plot.
The tropolitan Police Departnt also withdrew the wanted notices for the three involved.
Police Director Okayama Buji held a press conference in person, explaining that previously, he had to falsely comply with Funahashi Hikoshiro's orders to protect His Majesty the Emperor's safety.
The online narrative shifted in an instant, turning Funahashi Hikoshiro into a public enemy.
Aozawa looked over at Phoenix Academy Maggie and said, "You're safe now."
"Yeah."
Phoenix Academy Maggie had been very worried when she hadn't heard from her mother, eager to know her mother's whereabouts and condition.
But knowing her mother was unhard and had reclaid the position of Pri Minister, Phoenix Academy Maggie felt it all happened too soon; she wished to continue spending a few more days with Aozawa like this.
The comforting sensation of his back—she wondered when she might get to rest on it again?
Phoenix Academy Maggie sighed inwardly.
Why did her mother reclaim the Pri Minister's position so quickly?
But as much as she was thinking this, after watching such videos, she knew she couldn't stay here any longer.
It was ti to go ho.
...
Hosting a press conference to address the citizens, handling the royal family's remains, moving the governnt office to the Honmaru Palace Building of the Imperial Palace, manipulating online opinion—all to ensure everything was in her favor.
Kochou was so busy she didn't even have ti for a sip of water; when she finally t with Phoenix Academy Maggie, it was already midnight.
The warm light of the palace lamps illuminated the Imperial Residence.
Kochou saw Phoenix Academy Maggie sitting in a chair, holding a book.
The sight of her daughter's diligence brought a smile to her face as she said, "Maggie, I already know about Nagai's situation.
Sorry for putting you in danger."
"No, it's not related to you, Mother."
Phoenix Academy Maggie quickly got up and went forward, saying, "Mother, with so many people to manage, it's inevitable to misjudge sotis."
"Indeed."
Kochou exhaled, realizing that Nagai was unexpected, but the actions of Aozawa and Morimoto Chiyoda were within her expectations, ensuring her daughter's safety.
Phoenix Academy Maggie hesitated a little and said, "Mother, is it really appropriate for us to be staying in the Imperial Palace now?"
Kochou chuckled, indifferent, and said, "Emperor Shinjin died at the Pri Minister's residence, and the forr Emperor, having received the bad news, soon passed away. The Imperial Lineage has now been broken.
Such a pri location, how could I leave it empty?"
With a hint of sarcasm, Kochou added, "All of this is to inherit the great legacy of Emperor Shinjin."
That was her public excuse; with the Pri Minister's residence unable to be rebuilt in the short term, she had to work from the Imperial Palace.
"Soon, I'll also find an excuse to close off the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and have the First Division stationed nearby."
Phoenix Academy Maggie gasped, and a bold idea suddenly flashed in her mind. She whispered, "Mother, could it be you who..."
Kochou looked at her daughter's expression, eager to speak but afraid, and slightly raised the corners of her mouth, saying, "You're not wrong.
At that ti, Funahashi seed to be conversing with normally, but in reality, he was under the influence of drugs, paired with a psychologist's hypnosis, resulting in his madness.
Thanks to that, I could stage the failed coup of Funahashi, declaring he furiously took the entire royal family down with him."
Phoenix Academy Maggie looked at her mother, unsure of what to say.
Kochou realized she seed overly excited.
She quickly took a deep breath, suppressing her thoughts, and patted her daughter's shoulder, smiling, "Your identity is now exposed; staying at Brilliant High School isn't appropriate. I want you to transfer to the high school division of the Gakushuin School."
"Mother, I don't want to transfer."
Phoenix Academy Maggie instinctively refused.
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