Chapter 1382. School Festival Day 2 / Alibi

「 Hey, Nobu, what should I do? There’s a TV coverage and the tennis girls are all surprised and making a fuss! 」

Kana-senpai’s mad.

「 No, well, you see.. 」

I don’t know how to respond.

「 Isn’t it common to tell us something this important? You know, we could’ve prepared for it, like, all of us 」

Prepare? It’s news coverage for a high-school festival where students sell their baked goods.

Why do Kana-senpai and the tennis club need to prepare for it? I don’t get it?

All we had to do was prepare bread and refreshments just like yesterday.

I mean.

「 Nei-san texted me on my phone about half an hour ago, and I was so surprised that I made a strange noise while I was on the bus. Yes, I already left home and got on the bus, so I can’t go back to get my cosmetics and stuff! Aaaah, this is making me angry! 」

Oh, Nei sent Kana-senpai a mail..

Right after Katsuko-nee’s van left the mansion.

「 I also discovered about the TV coverage this morning 」

Katsuko-nee told Kana-senpai timidly.

「 Really? Nobu? 」

Kana-senpai stared at me.

「 Yeah. I didn’t even know about it until this morning either 」

I replied honestly, but..

「 What time?! Exact minutes and seconds! 」

Kana-senpai’s anger doesn’t calm down.

「 If I recall, it was.. 」

When I woke up, the Takakura shrine maidens gave me fellatio.

Then, after one ejaculation, I took a shower.

Then, while we were in training in the courtyard, Minaho-neesan called me.

Then, I heard about the TV coverage about..

「 I think it’s about an hour? 」

「 Then! That’s enough time for Nobu to contact me!! 」

Eeeh?

She just got angrier.

「 Having TV coverage is the most important thing you know! Why did you not call, even just text me?! 」

No, well, look..

「 Look..Kana-chan..Yoshida-kun..was busy this morning 」

Ai told Kana-senpai.

Ai continues to work on her pastry even though Kana-senpai’s angry.

「 And so, when he could contact Kana-chan..it’s already time to leave..that was half an hour ago..Kana-chan already left go and about to get on the bus.. 」

Ai takes at her pace.

「 That’s why..Nei-oneechan was entrusted with contacting Kana-chan..also..we have to put down the pads after reaching the bakery..heat the ovens..and we have a lot more to do..we can’t contact Kana-chan.. 」

Ai’s cute voice and slow speech loosen up Kana-senpai’s tension.

「 Is that true, Ai? 」

「 It’s true..what would I get from lying..right? Yoshida-kun? 」

She smiled and looked at me.

「 Y-Yeah. 」

「 Kana-chan..it’s the usual pattern 」

「 What do you mean, Ai? 」

「 It’s Minaho-oneesan who decided to bring the TV coverage..and it’s normal for her to do that 」

「 Oh, I get it now 」

historical

Kana-senpai nodded in agreement.

「 MInaho-oneesan’s always bringing trouble to Yoshida-kun so suddenly 」

「 She’s always trouble to Nobu and those around him just go give him a test 」

「 Uhm, Kana-senpai, I think Minaho-neeesan.. 」

If it’s the usual pattern, then she’s definitely listening to this conversation.

「 I know. I stayed over at the mansion many times already 」

Kana-senpai looked at the ceiling.

「 I’m doing this on purpose. Let me vent it out you know! I’m still angry 」

She’s that upset that she wasn’t told about the TV coverage.

「 Okay, Nobu’s a victim too. Geez, why does she find amusement in talking to Nobu at the last minute, watching from a monitor somewhere watching Nobu in trouble? Minaho-san, that’s a bad hobby! 」

Really?

Minaho-neesan would usually tell me what’s happening at the very last minute, not earlier this morning.

If the TV coverage is a test that Minaho-neesan planned, then it’s to train my skill to make snap decisions.

「 Anyway, don’t worry about it Kana-chan..Yoshida-kun didn’t miss contacting Kana-chan because he hates you 」

Huh, Ai?

「 I get that, I know how busy Nobu gets in the morning. Taking care of the younger girls, and even checking if Misuzu-san peed already 」

Well, that’s true.

「 It’s not just the younger girls..even the older ones are clinging to Yoshida-kun in the morning 」

Ai finished her dough and put it on the pad.

「 I get that. I would love to get sticky with Nobu in the morning too 」

Kana-senpai said and came to me.

「 Sorry, I got angry right in the morning. Nobu 」

She bows her head sincerely.

「 No, let’s put that aside. Kana-senpai 」

「 I didn’t trust Nobu and just got angry without hearing your side. I’m sorry 」

Hey, Kana-senpai.

「 So, don’t abandon Kana. Kana doesn’t want Nobu to leave me 」

Huh?

「 Kana loves Nobu! I love you, so I’m sorry 」

Anyway, I gave Kana-senpai’s soft body a hug.

「 I love Kana-senpai too. So don’t think of weird stuff 」

「 Nobu 」

「 I was also thinking lightly. I should’ve contacted Kana-senpai after I heard about the TV coverage. Sorry, really 」

I still don’t understand why the TV coverage is so important to Kana-senpai and the tennis girls.

I don’t get it, but that was my mistake.

I should’ve told Kana-senpai as soon as I could.

「 Yes. I wanted Nobu’s call instead of Nei-san’s mail. I wanted to hear it from Nobu’s voice, then I could’ve said “Amazing,” and “Let’s do our best today” 」

I see.

So that’s it.

Kana-senpai just want me.

I guess that’s normal for high-school students.

「 No, I was being selfish. I’m not the only one who needs Nobu’s time. Other girls are much more troublesome 」

「 No, that’s not it. I missed that, so I’m sorry. Kana-senpai 」

I feel miserable since I didn’t figure out Kana-senpai’s thoughts.

「 Don’t worry, Kana’s Nobu’s sex slave. Sorry for being a selfish slave 」

「 Sorry for being a dense master 」

The two of us hugged each other.

「 TV coverage, that seems fun. 」

「 Yeah 」

「 I wonder if they’ll also take videos of us? 」

「 I don’t know 」

「 The main focus of the coverage is the baking course, which should be Nobu and Ai, right? But, Kana may just sneak in ~run~ 」

It’s been a while since I heard that verbal tic from Kana-senpai.

Kana-senpai wanted to have this silly conversation with me.

I didn’t see that.

Then.

「 Uhm, can you guys..you know? We still have a lot of work ahead of us 」

Katsuko-nee called.

「 Oh right! I’m still baking 」

I noticed that Katsuko-nee and Ai were doing most of the work.

「 Oh, the tennis girls are still upset. 」 Katsuko-san, can you talk to those girls and calm them down? 」

Kana-senpai asks.

「 Should I? 」

「 No. Let the adult talk. Nobu’s just an ordinary boy in the bakery to the girls in the tennis club. Katsuko-san’s the teacher in the bakery, right? 」

It’s our high school that accepted the TV coverage from a national broadcaster.

That’s it makes more sense if Katsuko-nee, who’s hired by the school for the bakery course, speaks to the tennis club girls.

「 Right, I have to talk to them 」

Katsuko-nee stopped working.

Then, I took over her work.

「 I didn’t have much time, so I didn’t think much about the details. Right, there would be girls who don’t want to be on TV 」

Oh, that.

They might not want their faces on TV.

「 No, the girls in our club rather want to be on TV 」

Kana-senpai.

「 So the problem is the opposite, if some girls appear on TV while others don’t, it’ll be a mess in the club later. They don’t know how long the coverage will be, so everyone wants to be in the shop by that time 」

Oh, the tennis club girls are taking turns on break at the open cafe selling pastry and drinks.

「 It should be okay. The person in charge of the coverage sent me an e-mail with a time chart saying that the broadcast would be on such schedule. Ojou-sama gave it to me, here’s the file

Katsuko-nee took out the papers.

「 They’re going to air it live on the noon news slot and news only has 20 minutes, so it’s probably around the last segment. It’s like the townscape section after the current affairs news 」

「 If so, that should be about 15-20 minutes from 12 o’clock. Government broadcasts have no commercials after all 」

Kana-senpai listens.

「 Then, we’ll line them all up at the same time. It’s up to the cameraman who gets on screen, that makes sure that there are no hard feelings 」

「 Is there anything else? 」

Katsuko-nee asks.

「 What’s left is the one I mentioned earlier. The girls are saying that “I should’ve done my hair if that’s the case,” or “should’ve brought my makeup kit” 」

「 I get that you want to look good on TV, but you know.. 」

「 But we’re pretty excited about it, and if that continues, it’ll interfere with our business at the store until noon 」

Kana-senpai said.

Their heads would be occupied with the TV coverage that they’ll make mistakes in selling bread and drinks until noon.

「 Even if you say that.. 」

Katsuko-nee looks troubled.

I look at the clock on the wall.

The time now until opening our store, and the TV coverage arrival.

Thinking about the three of those.

「 Katsuko-nee, you should see the girls with their hair and makeup 」

I readied myself.

「 Don’t get too fancy, make them look like high-school girls still, but make them a bit more mature and beautiful than usual 」

「 We don’t have time for that. We don’t even have enough equipment to put on makeup on the tennis girls 」

「 Just bring cosmetics and other stuff from the mansion, we still have Ya-chan there 」

Nei’s coming here with Kinuka and the girls by 10.

Nei knows everything in the mansion so she can bring what we need.

「 Then, just bring them together in Rei-chan’s van 」

「 Even so, we still don’t have enough time 」

Katsuko-nee looked at the clock.

「 No, we do. It’s only a five-minute drive from the mansion, right? Ya-chan only needs an hour to pack up and load the gear

I talk about my thoughts.

「 Katsuko-nee and Ya-chan can do the makeup with the girls. With the two of you, you can finish doing makeup for the tennis girls in one hour 」

「 We won’t be able to open the shop in two hours if that happens 」

The school festival starts at 10.

The outsiders will come in by that time.

「 Don’t worry. Even if some girls don’t get their makeup done on time, the store can still start with those who are ready 」

There’s no need for all the tennis club girls to be present from the start since they take turns for breaks.

「 Besides, Mana will come and help at ten, so we can manage the bakery stuff. What’s left is for Ai and me to do our jobs 」

I told Katsuko-nee.

「 But, do we need to go that far for the tennis club girls?

Katsuko-nee.

「 What’s important to us is the pastry, right? So we should focus on getting the pastry baked before we open 」

I..

「 Katsuko-nee, that’s where you’re wrong. Sure, the pastry’s important, without pastry to sell, we can’t open the shop. But, that’s not enough, right 」

Yes.

That doesn’t mean that we can just throw everything out but the bread.

「 The bakery also has other important things. It’s our job to set the system so the sellers in the store can work calmly, without worries, right? 」

「 That’s true, but.. 」

Then, Ai..

「 Katsuko-oneesan..when we start a real bakery..we’re going to start working.. with high-school students.. who are working part-time too..and we’re hiring them 」

She says while doing her work.

「 If so..I think today..is a practice..for the future..store 」

「 Ai-chan? 」

Katsuko-nee’s surprised.

「 Ai’s right. If there’s anything we can do to make our sellers feel good about their work, then we should do everything that we can to make that happen. Don’t worry, we’ll manage with our hard work 」

I’m confident.

「 I understand how you feel, but still, we don’t have enough time 」

Katsuko-nee looked at the clock and said.

Then.

『 Hey, hey, hey! 』

We hear a voice from the speakers on the ceiling.

『 Sorry for interrupting the conversation, it’s everyone’s Kyouko-san! 』

Kyouko-san’s watching from the mansion too?

『 Minaho’s busy right now so I’ll interrupt instead! By the way, the foreign girls are also watching what’s going on there 』

Anya and the thirteen girl assassins are watching with Kyouko-san.

『 For now, Nei’s already packed up her set. It won’t take an hour, she’ll be there in 25 』

Nei’s also listening to our conversation, she started moving right away.

『 Mana-chan’s told that she’s not allowed to go to school before 10 but who cares about rules, she’s going there with Nei 』

That helps if Mana’s here.

I mean, I already brought Kurose Anju here, which should be against the rules.

If that’s the case, then I should’ve brought Mana from the start.

『 Also, Nei will bring another one to take care of the makeup. You don’t have to worry there, Katsuko. That is what she said 』

Who’s the other one?

Who else apart from Katsuko-nee and Nei knows much about cosmetics and hairstyles?

Nagisa’s taking care of her shop so she won’t be here.

If it’s Kyouko-san.

『 Katsuko, you underestimate your family. Ruriko’s already increased the production of pastry here, Reika’s ready to drive the car anytime 』

We asked Ruriko to take charge of Agnes and the girls making the simple souvenir pastries.

Katsuko-nee’s stuck here so we need someone to deliver the pastries from the mansion to here.

Rei-chan will do that.

『 You try to build the bakery on your own as much as you can, but the family will just continue to step in even if you don’t want them to. That’s what family means 』

You can hear Kyouko-san’s laughing voice from the speaker.

『 Lastly, a message from Minaho. I’m not that kind of a bottom-feeding woman you think I am. You know, she’s angry. Apologize to her later 』

Minaho-neesan got angry at Kana-senpai’s remark from earlier?

Then I guess..

The TV coverage today isn’t a trial.

If that’s the case.

「 Kyouko-san, tell Minaho-neesan this.. 」

『 Sure, what is it? 』

「 Tell her to “Take care” 」

The fact that we’re featured in the national news at noon means..

It just means that the people who are in the school can prove that they’re here at that time.

This means this is an alibi.

I think that Minaho-neesan’s going to do something huge during the news period.

『 I’ll tell her that, but you don’t have to worry. I’ll watch over Minaho. Besides, Minaho’s a capable woman, that’s why she called Agippina 』

Julia Agrippina-san, the strongest freelance guard.

Minaho-neesan’s in a situation where she hired her.

『 You seem to have piqued her interest. Saying that she’s been living in this world for a long time, but she’s never met someone who told her that she’s a good person 』

Kyouko-san laughed.

『 Anyway, Minaho will be fine, you should focus on what you should do instead. Well then, that’s your DJ Kyouko-san. See you later! 』

And she cuts off the audio.

Kana-senpai talked to me.

「 Who was that? 」

Oh, Kana-senpai doesn’t know Kyouko-san.

Then.

「 We’re here, Darling 」

「 Anjou Mitama has arrived! 」

Edie and Mitama, who were walking from the mansion, have arrived.

「 We’re a little late 」

「 There was someone suspicious in front of the back gate of the mansion, so we took him out and handed him to the police 」

Suspicious individual?

「 They weren’t from Kansai Yakuza, they don’t seem to know us 」

「 Yes, they don’t seem to know about the cars in front of the mansion. 」

「 They were surprised to find that there were police 」

As usual, there are cars parked in front of the main gate of the mansion, it’s the police, who are trying to catch Kyouko-san and the Kouzuki SS teams.

KansaiYakuza should know that Tsukiko and the girls are there.

「 It’s only one strange guy. Nobody else around the mansion 」

Edie said.

「 I’m late! 」

Megu returned to the bakery.

「 I told the captain about the TV coverage and she said that I could focus on helping here until afternoon 」

「 That helps. If Megu’s here then we can make progress in the bakery 」

I feel sorry for the track and field club, however.

Furthermore.

「 Excuse me 」

「 Coming in 」

「 Hello 」

「 Hello 」

The prostitute cadets in Minaho-neesan’s new brothel come from the school cafeteria door.

Kurama Misato, Sumitomo Momoka, Shirahata Setsuna, and Asahina Nozomi comes in.

「 Good Morning, let’s do our best today 」

They agreed to help out in selling the pastries today.

Minaho-neesan gave them permission.

Right.

Minaho-neesan should’ve used her car to pick them up from the new brothel and pick her up here

「 Where’s Minaho-neesan? 」

I asked.

「 She’s already out 」

「 She dropped us off at the back of the cafeteria 」

「 Then, she told us to do our jobs 」

「 Kurosawa-san and Tokuda-san went to the other room 」

The other room must be the principal’s office

The remaining two prostitute cadets, Kurosawa Naoko-san and Tokuda Sonoko-san said that they don’t want to help us in the store.

With that said.

Minaho-neesan’s leaving the prostitute in the school.

And she went somewhere with Kudou-papa and Agrippina-san.

Something will happen during the lunch news.

「 Okay then, we’ll introduce the four of them to the tennis girls. Our agreement with Minaho-san is that they won’t be serving customers, right?

Kana-senpai said.

The prostitute cadets are strictly ordered to work only inside the store, such as preparing drinks and other stuff.

「 If so, come with us Katsuko-san. 」 We still need to talk it out with the tennis girls. They’re done putting on their tennis uniform so they should be coming here by now 」

It’s time for the tennis club girls to gather in the temporary cafe in front of the bakery and start preparing for the opening.

「 Right, let’s do that. I’ll talk to them. I’ll tell them about the TV coverage and get their hair and makeup done 」

Katsuko-nee finally readied herself.

「 Thanks. Can’t convince those girls unless it’s the beautiful and fashionable as usual Katsuko-san 」

Kana-senpai smiled.

「 You’re flattering me 」

「 It’s no flattery. The idea of having Katsuko-san check on your makeup is a huge win. They’re going to be happy 」

「 Then, I’ll be off for a while 」

「 Yeah, have fun Katsuko-nee 」

「 I’m borrowing Katsuko-san, Nobu 」

Katsuko-nee and Kana-senpai left the bakery.

I..

「 Edie, Tsukiko, and Kurose-san are in the break room, using the school’s monitoring system, checking if there’s anyone weird wandering around 」

「 Roger

「 Mitama, you’re guarding Misato and the girls. Don’t let any weird men involve themselves with them 」

「 Certainly 」

Mitama’s formerly a bodyguard of Misato, so this kind of assignment is good for her.

The prostitute cadets, or the Nadeshiko department, are separated from the ordinary students.

The four of them are beauties so some boy could get carried away and try talking to them.

That’s why Mitama will take them out.

「 Yoshida-kun..this pad is baked 」

「 Yeah, go tit 」

Ai, Megu, and I remained in the bakery, preparing even more pastries.

I put the dough in the oven.

「 Yoshi-kun seems like my senses have gone weird 」

Megu speaks up.

「 Huh, what do you mean? 」

「 I mean, when I told the girls about the TV coverage, that we’re going to be featured in national news, they were all very excited about it 」

That’s..

「 Honestly, I wasn’t excited when I heard about the TV coverage. Of course, I know that I have to work harder, but I wasn’t as excited as the girls in the club 」

「 Me too. Well, I thought that being featured on TV would help us when we open the bakery in the future, but, I just want to do my best to make sure we get the coverage we deserve. How do I say it, it feels like a duty more than anything 」

That’s why I didn’t understand why Kana-senpai was so excited when she came to the bakery.

「 I think our senses are just weird now 」

「 Really? 」

「 Yes, You know, Yukino’s living with us and we watch her on TV all the time. Reika-oneesan’s also a celebrity now, even Eri, Rie, Mitama, and Kinuka appear on TV nowadays. 」

We have a lot of girls in the family that show up on Yukino’s TV show.

Arisu already made an appearance, and Motoko and Kurumi had a martial arts demonstration.

「 Ruriko-chan also appeared in the program about the historical building of the Kouzuki house, right? 」

Oh, that happened too.

Ruriko’s preparing for the second program, where she introduces the national treasures of the nobility.

「 Yeah, we got accustomed to our family showing up on TV that we lost the sense of what’s special about being on TV 」

Oh.

So that’s why.

Kana-senpai and the girls aren’t weird for getting excited.

It was us who were weird for having low tension even though the TV coverage is coming.

「 That’s okay too 」

Ai mutters.

「 Katsuko-oneesan..can do the makeup..and the hair of the tennis girls.. Katsuko-oneesan would feel at ease..when she’s dragged by the mood of ordinary high school girls 」

That’s true.

We’re not opening the bakery until we graduate from high school so we still have at least two and a half years.

It’s not a big deal if our pastry is featured on TV today.

Yet, both Katsuko-nee and I were full of emotions for our bread.

「 Normal high-school girls would make a big deal because they’re going to be on TV 」

Being exposed to the girls lets Katsuko-nee’s heart become close to the high-school girls

Katsuko-nee got kidnapped in her first year in high school and she never had high-school experience.

「 Minaho-neesan wants Katsuko-nee to regain her adolescent time 」

That’s what I think.

「 Yoshida-kun too 」

Ai?

「 Yoshida-kun, Ai, and megumi-san too. We need to return to our senses as ordinary people. Especially Yoshida-kun 」

Ai stopped her hands and looked at me.

「 Yoshida-kun’s been in a lot of trouble lately 」

「 Right.. 」

Like, dealing with the rebels from Kouzuki SS.

Raping Ishigami Mizuki.

Or the thirteen assassins.

It’s been tough.

「 Don’t forget the feeling of excitement 」

「 Yeah, I’ll be careful 」

I told Ai.