Chapter 9 (1/2)

It is with a painful heart that we, Ainus.h.i.+ Translations, announce that we will be dropping MnU. MnU has been a really interesting story and one that we wished we had the means to continue. However, given the constraints and our inability to continue with this dense novel, I’ve spoken to Shasu and he will be continuing it at his own pace.

Thanks everyone for the ride. We will be posting up the official bio pages and any ill.u.s.trations in the light novels including the prologue manga included in Volume 2. Till then~ Thank you and please show all your support and love to Shasu from .

Chapter 9: A Date with the Object of Admiration of the Academy

TL: Cnine

TLC: Januva

Editors: Puissansa

First published on Ainus.h.i.+

Few days after the Academy's joint practical excercise, Hildegard suddenly appeared in Cla.s.s E. After elegantly bowing to Claudia at the entrance of the cla.s.sroom, Hildegard went straight toward where Kamui is.

「Do your best, Lutz」

「I’ll refuse her, alright?」

Lutz made a bewildered face when Kamui gave him  this unreasonable task. Negotiations was his weak point.

「Think about it, after telling her to leave you alone, there'll be no need to answer her」

「Then, Kamui should be the one replying」

「… I can't handle that person」

Though Kamui was not bad at negotiations, he was weak against Hildegard. Against Hildegard, who did not seem like she could handle jokes, it seems impossible to take control of the conversation with her.

「Me too, you know」

「It's been so long that I thought she had long since given up, though」

Hildegard arrived before them as Kamui and Lutz were having that conversation.

「Kamui Kreutz-san」

「Yes」

The one being addressed by Hildegard was Kamui.

「May I have your time as I would like to speak with you for a while」

「Regarding the matter with Lutz, please let me refuse once again. Lutz doesn’t seem to want it, and I also don't intend to let Lutz go」

If he couldn’t deceive her, then he would have no choice but to answer her honestly.  Kamui made his refusal while thinking so.

「That matter has already pa.s.sed」

「… Then what’s the matter?」

Hildegard had a different agenda. Kamui had no idea what this other agenda was.

「I want to speak to you alone. It’s a matter I don’t wish others to hear」

「Haa… Then, how about I visit your room? 」

「No, I don’t want the others to hear about it too. Since the thing I’m about to ask for is a little complicated. This is for your sake, not mine」

The conversation was going towards a suspicious direction. Something like a talk that she wouldn't want other people to know – it must not be a decent one.

「… Then, where?」

「Do you not know a suitable place?」

「… I have a location in mind, but it's not somewhere I can bring Hildegard-san to」

If it’s a place suited for secrecy, Kamui had nothing in mind other than the General's store. However, he didn’t feel like bringing Hildegard there, as could be expected.

「I see. Well then, there’s a store that's familiar with my house. How about we go there?」

「I’ve no problem with that. When? 」

「Is it fine if we go now?」

「No problem. Are we leaving immediately?」

There’s nothing better than to finish troublesome things as soon as possible.

「Yes」

「Well, let’s go then」

Kamui left the cla.s.sroom following Hildegard. Right after those two left the cla.s.sroom, the cla.s.sroom instantly turn noisy.

After Diefried, it’s Hildegard's turn. It’s natural for them to make a fuss about what was going on with Kamui.

「Hey, what kind of talk was it?」

Lutz was in the same boat, not understanding what was going on. So he tried asking Alto.

「Of course I didn't understand either. She even said “Don't want others to know”」

As expected, even Alto could not understand the situation.

「To leave even his close aides in the dark. I really can’t imagine what's going on」

「What’ll you do? If it was something like love confession」

Otto said in a joking manner.

「Please don’t say something so ominous, Otto-kun」

It’s not a joke Alto could laugh at.

「Ominous you say, if it’s a love confession from that Hildegard, isn’t that a brilliant achievement?」

After all, the other side is the male pupil's object of admiration. Wouldn't it be some kind of brilliant achievement if it really was true. Although Alto was not in a position where he could be amused at the idea.

「She's not just the daughter of the Earl of East. Just having this kind of rumour going around is bad enough, isn't it?」

「… Sorry, I forgot. She’s the foremost prospective fiancee of the crown prince. That’s a problem.」

Even Otto could understand Alto's concerns. Becoming the lover of the crown prince's prospective fiance is nothing but bad news. He would not just incur the ire of the crown prince, but also the ire of the house of the Earl of the East as well.

「We need to make up a suitable story for now. For that uproar. The other cla.s.ses will find out soon. … I think the matter about Lutz will work. We'll just say they have yet to conclude that matter」

「That'd be a safe choice. How about saying that she wanted to persuade him one last time without mixing in other matters, and to share her true intentions」

Having reflected on making that inappropriate joke, Otto was unusually proactive in helping to come up with a reasonable excuse.

「Aah, that's fine. Well then, thanks, Otto-kun, I'll be counting on you」

「Eh, me?」

As expected, Alto's request came as a surprise for him.

「If we were the source of this information, people would get suspicious, right? So, we have to depend on you.」

「Ha~, it can’t be helped then. I ate something delicious thanks to Kamui-kun too」

Otto accepted his request because they gave him a chance to speak to Diefried. If he left the debt unpaid, he might be requested to do something even worse later.

「Though I should not be saying this as the one making the request, why do you feel like you owe us a debt despite being the son a wealthy merchant?」

「I worked hard to earn money when I was young and thought a lot about it. I can't be a good merchant without knowing the worth of money」

「Well that’s correct」

「That’s why I can’t complain about anything. We live frugally by limiting our allowance」

「Aren’t we practically the same? I think it's unreasonable for all 3 of us to study here. Just obtaining food was all we could do back then. But I'm thankful to be able to study, so I'm not going to complain」

「Is that so, it’s three persons' worth of school fees, right. … But, what will you do if it’s really a love confession?」

Though he had reflected on it, once again, Otto brought up the topic.

「I’ll crush it with every bit of my power」

「That’s obvious. But, how will you do that?」

「With something called “Kamui's lover is Selene”」

「… EH?」

Her name suddenly came out so Selene was in a state where she couldn't understand what Alto just said.

「What, didn't you hear? If it's necessary, Selene-san will act as Kamui's lover」

「Why me?」

「Do you understand how bad things are? Besides, if Selene-san were to act as his lover, in the off chance that it's a confession, Hildegard-san will have to give up.」

「What will become of me?」

For the sake of preventing any strange rumours with Hildegard, they were going to go all out in spreading false information. That meant making the whole school think that Selene and Kamui were going out.

「What do you mean? Is there some sort of problem?」

Alto showed a puzzled face at Selene's question.

「… You know, I’m also a girl at marriageable age. The other boys won’t approach me if you spread that kind of rumor, right?」

「It doesn’t matter, no one will approach you even without that rumor…」

「What does that mean!?」

When it comes to teasing others, Alto won't lose to Kamui.

「It’s a joke, a joke you know. What, don't tell me it's because you think of Diefried-san that way? 」

Moreover, once he began, he would keep pestering on, like Kamui.

「Why are you bringing Diefried-san's name into this matter?」

「I mean, aren’t you blus.h.i.+ng every time you're teased by Diefried-san? Don't worry, I will reveal the truth behind the rumour to Diefried-san soon」

「That's not it」

「But, even if it's Diefried-san, he would be like that. Well, since Diefried-san is a man, it can't be helped if he had a woman or two before」

Even if Selene denied it, Alto continued the conversation under the a.s.sumption that she likes Diefried.

「Like I said, that's not it」

「Then, there's no problem, is there?」

「… Uhm. Eh, that's not the point here. Why must I sacrifice myself for Kamui?」

Selene put up resistance, without letting herself be deceived off-track.

「I guess we don't have a choice. Alright, I'll specially treat you to the General's deluxe soup.」

This time, he tried the strategy of enticing her with material rewards.

「… Somehow, I'm kind of cheap?」

However, there's still the issue of whether or not they have the money for that.

「That's the best I know」

「Well, okay since it’s delicious」

「It’s a deal then. You’ll be compensated with that」

Eventually, despite her grumbling, Selene accepted her role.

「Hey, what is this special soup?」

Incidentally, after the negotiation between Selene and Alto is concluded, Otto asked that question. Otto didn’t know about General's store.

「… Oya? Could it be that we haven't brought Otto-kun to that place yet」

「Why am I the only one being left out again? Please, I am also in the same group right?」

「That’s right.  Even so, Kamui's permission is necessary to go to that place. Let’s try asking him next time」

「Don't forget, okay?」

In any way, Alto's verbal promise doesn’t have any credibility to Otto.

「I said it’s okay. My memory is good you know」

「Acting as if you forgot is also your strong point」

「Don’t say unnecessary things, Lutz」

「… I’m kinda worried」

◇◇◇

Kamui followed Hildegard to a certain high cla.s.s restaurant in the imperial capital. Its luxurious appearance made it rude for Kamui to compare it to the back alley restaurant which he usually goes to.

Hildegard didn't even go through the front door. She entered via a small door a short distance to side of the front door. They entered a narrow winding  pa.s.sage which led to a small door that, even if small, was a luxurious door.  Without hesitation, Hildegard opened that door, where the store employee was already standing by inside.

「Welcome, Hildegard-sama」

The employee said that while deeply bowing. It seems that the employee has already confirmed who was coming while they were walking in the pa.s.sage.

「Is the inner room empty?」

「Certainly」

「Then, I’ll use it」

Hildegard is went inside without even asking to be guided by the employee. The employee remained in the deep bow the whole time.

「That’s something like a custom」

Hildegard explained to Kamui, who seemed interested in the att.i.tude of the employee.

「Showing his face is no good?」

「Rather than for me, it’s for the sake of the person who comes with me. This is a place we frequently visit when our house visits the imperial capital. Since the opening of this shop, it's been used numerous times for clandestine meetings, when the other party wants the meeting to be kept secret」

「Even so, there are actually checks, right?」

「Well, you’re right about that but pretending to not see is important」

「Is that so」

「There are various ways to use this kind of shop. There’s the political negotiation… Please don’t make me say anything further」

「Haa~」

What she meant by further – at this time Kamui did not understand, but he guessed it right after entering the room.

The room he entered behind Hildegard, rather than a dining room, was a hotel room. Moreover, quite a luxurious one at that.

A rather big table is placed on one side, which gave off the feeling of a dining room, but there were many more rooms that could be seen further inside. Office-like rooms and bedrooms.

He can roughly guess the what other kinds of clandestine meetings are done here, other than political negotiations.

「…There are no other places available?」

「This the best place to talk without being overheard by others」

「Your family also uses this?」

「Therefore, please don’t make me say it. To be honest, I also don't like using this place」

It seems to include her father. It seems that his daughter does not feel comfortable imagining it. Moreover, this father of hers also brought his family along to this place. His nerve couldn’t be understood by Kamui.

「Understood」

「Well, please sit」

Hildegard said that while facing Kamui and pointing at the table before them.

After Kamui sat on a seat at the table, Hildegard also sat on the chair at the opposite direction from him.

「Well then, what’s this about?」

「You’re quite impatient, aren’t you?」

「This place isn’t really comfortable. Even if it’ll surprised Hildegard-san, I should have brought you to the shop I'm familiar with – I'm currently regretting it」

「Sorry. I don't know any other stores. Please take me there next time」

「… Yes」

Kamui nodded, although he was thinking “Will there even be a next time?“.

Their conversation was interrupted by the topic of the store. Hildegard didn’t seem to want to speak.

「Uhm?」