Episode 25 – The Price Paid And Reward

 …… ha ……”

I’m in a white space that can only be described as bleak, with men in black lying on the ground beside me, trying to catch my breath with my arms on both elbows.

My chest was heaving with pain in my lungs, and I felt exhausted all over as if I could collapse if I let up.

My body was screaming that it was almost at its limit.

“You really haven’t made a single noise of complaint for the past month. I’m impressed.”

As I was thinking about this, Yomi-san, who had been watching us from afar, spoke to me with a satisfied smile on her face.

So, what exactly happened in the past month?

It goes back to the day I visited Yomi-san’s house.

◆

” — Hire me, please. As your personal bodyguard.”

When I said that, Yomi-san looked a little surprised as if she was half in doubt. But I could only assume that was the answer.

Then she opened her mouth, looking at me as if testing me.

“Does that mean only during long vacations like in the past?”

When she asked me this question, I was sure that my answer was correct.

If it wasn’t, she wouldn’t have asked such a question, she would have acted dumbfounded.

So I decided to be a bit aggressive here.

“No, I’ll be your bodyguard for as long as you want. And I don’t want any money as a reward. In return – please be a backer for Nekoto-chan and the others. That’s the reward I’m looking for.”

I looked into Yomi-san’s eyes and told her what I was thinking.

Then she thought for a moment and opened her mouth again.

“ ……Do you know what means?　Being Yomi’s bodyguard all the time means–“

“I know, I have to leave my hometown.”

Yomi-san lives here in Tokyo.

If I’m going to be her bodyguard all the time, I’m going to have to leave Okayama too.

To be honest, I think I’m going to miss Minato and the others.

But I’m sure my request will not be met if I’m only a bodyguard for long vacations.

So this is what I have to do.

“You’ve made up your mind faster than I thought. So we can go to the office to talk about Yomi becoming the backer of the idol Nekoto and the others, on the condition that the office does not remove the idol Clara from the group?”

After all, Yomi-san was quick to talk and understood exactly what I was looking for.

It seems that she is willing to accept the conditions that I have presented.

“Yes, I would like that. It seems that Nekoto-chan’s office is now aiming to expand into Tokyo in earnest, so I think they are in great need of backing. If the Tenjouin Zaibatsu, one of Japan’s foremost conglomerates, were to become a backer, they would cling to you, even if it meant dropping the matter of Clara-chan.”

I don’t know the details, but it seems that each entertainment company has its own power relationships.

In the midst of all of this, it is difficult to make new inroads into the market, and in fact, you may be targeted for crushing.

In such a situation, with the Tenjouin Zaibatsu behind them, they would have nothing to fear.

“Even with Clara-chan’s case, they might even have the idea that the Tenjouin Zaibatsu will crush it if they play their cards right.”

“In addition to these, it is also a great advantage to use idols who have the potential to become top idols as image characters early on, as long as they don’t get in the way. Though doing it free of charge is a problem, but hiring you at a low price is an unbeatable deal. So Yomi will accept your request.”

“Thank you very much!　Then–!”

“But there’s one more condition.”

Negotiations are concluded!

As if to ridicule my expectations, Yomi-san held up her index finger.

“For the next month, you will be fighting against the SPs hired by the Tenjouin. Of course, you will have time to take a nap, but other than that, you will be fighting all the time. If you say even one word of complaint, we’ll pretend this story never happened.”

(TN: SP: Security Police)

The conditions that Yomi-san came up with were so difficult that it seemed as if everything that had happened up until now had been easy.

I honestly doubted her sanity.

“I’m sure that the SPs hired by the Tenjouin Zaibatsu are all very good at what they do. ……”

“We need to show everyone else that you’re capable. You need to show them that you’re capable, so they don’t get weird ideas about you.”

It seems that Yomi-san has her own ideas about the condition.

If she says it, then it must be necessary.

However, no matter what, this condition is …….

“What, you’re losing your nerve?　If that’s the case, we’ll just pretend this never happened.”

Seeing my expression and attitude, Yomi-san guessed what I was thinking and sighed in exasperation.

She then turned on her heel.

“I’ll do it!　I’ll do it!”

I had no choice but to say I would do it.

–The ordeal that had begun in this way, which could only be described as demonic, finally came to an end.

I’m not going to lie, I can’t help but think of Yomi-san as a demon now.

“Haa …… haa ……, you will keep your promise, won’t you ……?　You promised that you’d back up Nekoto-chan and the others. ……”

“Of course. I’ve already talked to them about it about three weeks ago.

“Aren’t you acting fast, ……?”

“I was confident you would see it through, so it was best to act sooner rather than later. Rest assured that it turned out exactly as you wanted.”

“I see…….”

Hearing Yomi-san’s words, I patted my chest in relief.

I was not worried about any negotiations when she accepted the job, but I was relieved to hear the results.

“Yeah, so next you’ll have to keep your word.”

“Yes, I know. I’ll keep my promise.”

Yomi-san kept her promise.

There is no option for me not to keep my promise.

And I had no regrets about this choice I had made.

It was a solid result that Nekoto-chan wanted, and Yomi-san is smart enough to already be in charge of several companies run by the Tenjouin Zaibatsu.

Now that she was backing Nekoto-chan and the others, they wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

Clara-chan will have to suffer for a little while, but that’s her punishment.

People who do bad things need to be brought to justice, that’s what I think.

So the result was more than enough for me.

I’m really glad that I relied on Yomi-san.

…… However – it’s not that I don’t have a little bit of regret.

I wanted to spend a little more time with everyone, and after Nekoto-chan – Saotome san – had opened up to me, I didn’t want to say goodbye like this.

But if I see her, I’ll have even more regrets, and I can’t afford to explain my situation to her.

So the best thing to do would be to part ways without seeing each other.

That’s what I told myself.

“…………”

As I was thinking about this, I noticed that Yomi-san was staring at my face, but I wondered if there was something more.　

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TN: Well, that went as we expected.. I wonder if Yomi would do something else..

IMPATIENT MTL READER

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