V7 – Episode 29

One week later.

” ” “We’re home.” ” “

” “Welcome home.” “

It was late at night when Yuzuru’s family returned from their trip abroad.

“Sorry for coming back in just a week.”

Ayumi’s teasing words made Arisa laugh.

Yuzuru, on the other hand, nodded vigorously with a serious expression on his face.

“Totally…, you could have traveled for a couple of weeks longer, couldn’t you?”

“Adults can’t take that much time off.”

Sayori said and then leaned over to whisper in Yuzuru’s ear and asked, 

“You didn’t slip up, did you?” 

Yuzuru thought for a moment before answering her question.

“I might have, but I didn’t miss anything I shouldn’t have.”

“Ara~…, you’re saying some pretty good things.”

Sayori said in admiration.

Then she turned to Arisa.

“…everything okay?”

“Yes.”

“Right. That’s good.”

Sayori looked somewhat relieved.

As a guardian, she was probably a little worried about leaving the two young people behind.

“I’ll help you carry your luggage.”

“I’ll also help you.”

Yuzuru and Arisa helped them carry their luggage out of the car.

Because of the souvenirs, there were a few more than when they left.

“I am… sleepy. so I’m going to bed.”

After finishing putting the luggage inside the house, Ayumi went to her own room unsteadily, rubbing her eyes.

Sayori called out to Ayumi from behind her back, “You should brush your teeth”.

Kazuya chuckled at the sight of his wife and daughter, then turned to Yuzuru and Arisa.

“It’s late today… Shall we talk about the rest tomorrow?”

They went to sleep immediately that night.

Later that night.

“Oh, Yuzuru-san…”

While Arisa was gazing at the moon on the porch, an individual came to her.

At first, Arisa thought it was Yuzuru, but soon realized it was not.

“…Kazuya-san?”

It was Yuzuru’s father, Kazuya, who appeared.

Kazuya, who was mistaken for Yuzuru, put his hand on his chin and asked, 

“Ah, that’s right… Do I look that young?”

“Ah… um, it was dark, so ….you do look like him, after all.”

“Could you please affirm that I look young…?”

Kazuya looked dejected and his shoulders slumped.

Arisa hurriedly rephrased.

“Oh, not at all! I think you look very young..?”

“Ah, yes. It’s okay… I’m aware that I’m not that old.”

Kazuya said so and sat down at a little distance from Arisa with a reserved look on his face.

Then he asked Arisa.

“Why are you up at this hour?”

“…I just woke up. Um, what about you, Kazuya-san?”

“Jet lag, couldn’t sleep… Thank God I’m off tomorrow.”

Kazuya shrugged his shoulders as he said this.

Then, after a moment of silence, he asked Arisa.

“‘May we talk for a moment…?'”

“Sure.”

“Thank you… Well, just think of it as me talking to myself, and you can just listen in.”

Kazuya stated emphatically, and then began to speak.

“I’m grateful that you get along with my son and that you like him.”

“Oh, no!　I’m the one who keeps getting help from… Yuzuru-san.”

Arisa shook her head and remarked that she did.

Yes, Arisa had always been helped by Yuzuru.

She has not been able to repay the favor she received.

“That’s how much Yuzuru likes you. And you are responding to that. As a parent, I couldn’t be more grateful. Even more so considering that… it’s a political marriage.”

A political marriage.

The word made Arisa involuntarily hold her tongue.

Kazuya, on the other hand, muttered with a slight look of regret.

“We gave birth to Yuzuru as my heir.”

“Well, that’s…”

“There is no doubt that I love him as my son. But before that, he is the next head of the Takasegawa family and I am the current head.”

Then he gave a small sigh.

“Ayumi as well… They are well-behaved children. They understand their position well. But well, that’s how I brought them up, so it’s not surprising…”

“I-I see…”

Arisa did not know how to react to Kazuya’s words.

Kazuya continued.

“The only time my son becomes selfish is when… you get involved.”

“Um, well, about that… I’m sorry.”

“No. No need to apologize, I’m happy about it.”

When Arisa bowed her head, Kazuya smiled happily.　

“The only person Yuzuru can truly trust is you.”

“I’m glad that you say so… but I don’t think that’s true, you know?”

You’re being too dismissive.

And Arisa denied Kazuya’s words.

Indeed, Arisa was Yuzuru’s fiancée, and they had a special relationship.

But Yuzuru also had his childhood friends and best friends.

They had probably known each other longer than Arisa.

“Tachibana Ayaka. Uenishi Chiharu. Satake Soichiro. Ryozenji Hijiri. After that… Nagiri Tenka. I think that’s about it, right? …Your mutual friends.”

As if seeing through Arisa’s inner thoughts, Kazuya listed the mutual friends of Yuzuru and Arisa.

Arisa nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. We are close friends. Of course, with Yuzuru-san as well…”

“But before they are friends, aren’t they heirs of their respective families or related to them?”

Arisa kept her mouth shut at Kazuya’s words.

Their positions were slightly different from each other, but like Yuzuru, they carried the signboard of the family.

“They may be friends. They may take each other’s hands, but they may also point bows at each other.”

“That’s…”

Arisa could not deny his words.

She had heard from Yuzuru that the families had a complicated history of conflicts and interests.

“But Ayumi-san is…”

“She’s going to get married.”

“…!”

Even if she was his sister, even if she was related to him by blood, he would not necessarily be able to let loose on her.

Kazuya assured her so.

“Of course, as far as I’m concerned, I would like them to get along well with each other… but in the history of the Takasegawa family, from birth to death, there have been fewer examples of siblings getting along well… than there have been of siblings getting along badly. Unfortunately.”

“I-is that so?”

“Well, there’s inheritance and stuff involved… Just like I’m getting ready for war, my brother will be getting ready for war as well.”

“…”

“Of course, I’m going to try to avoid really going at it with just preparation. The brothers should get along well with each other, and that’s the best way. There is nothing more foolish than to be taken advantage of by a predatory force.”

Kazuya laughed happily.

Arisa could not smile much.

“Yuzuru’s only ally who will never betray him is you.”

“Really…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Kazuya nodded sharply.

“So just by being by his side, you are helping Yuzuru.”

“…Is that how it is?”

“That’s the way it is.You just don’t know it yet.”

I have finished what I wanted to say.

As if to say so, Kazuya stood up.

“Then, I ask you to take care of my son from now on.”

With that, he walked away.

Arisa looked at Kazuya’s back.

“Just being by his side…”

Is that how it should be?

Arisa tilted her head.

Arisa couldn’t really grasp the meaning of Kazuya’s words.

At least, not yet.

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TN: And there… We caught up. I am not entirely sure if this was the last chapter of the volume since there was no note from the author. He haven’t updated in almost 6 months. Perhaps more chapters will be coming when the next LN volume gets released. Until then…

IMPATIENT MTL READER

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