Chapter 177:Aoba / Make Yourself Comfortable to the Maaax! (1/2)

Chapter 176: Aoba / Can’t let you do that Chapter 178: Aoba / Blood and Soul

Translator: Reflet

「I see, that does make sense」

「What are you talking about？」

Her body still next to him, Aoba looked up.

From her tilting her head, it was clear that she wasn’t keeping up.

He explained to said girl in a whispering tone.

「First, the reason why Pochi even almost got taken away is because there are people who want to use Pochi to oppose Youran. Although they were born of different mothers, they are legitimate sisters, so she has the background of equal rights. If it were a household dispute between sisters, either one could have a decent excuse. But the story is different if a guardian and ward come into the picture」

「Uhh, so not a fight between sisters, but something along the lines of rebellion against the parents？」

「That’s right――Thanks for skillfully wrapping it up in one sentence」

Giving her a smooch on the forehead, he continued further.

「Just as you say, it would be fine if the younger sister were disputing with the elder over the headship, but it won’t make sense to do that to one’s guardian. Provoking antipathy too much would definitely make their reputation worse. In this case Pochi was the one who did it, and once she was on the other side it counted as rebellion, so of course the people allied would significantly decrease」

「Yes indeed! Kohaku-tan said that『In the present or the past, politics be in the end somethin’ fought with numbers』」

「The means of gathering numbers changes from age to age, but the objective itself hasn’t changed at all from long ago, after all」

Taiyou laughed derisively.

「And it’s also a natural state of things. The older sister who already has societal power taking the position of protecting her younger sister who knows nothing is an architype that’s easy to accept. Although if it were the reverse then this wouldn’t go」

「I see. Wait. But if that’s the case then wouldn’t that mean you don’t have to fight here anymore, Natsuno-kun？」

「……It would certainly stop being a “must” condition, yeah」

Taiyou said, picking up his chin deep in thought.

Absorbed in thought, he wondered if there were any sort of ulterior motives mixed in with what he hadn’t been informed of.

But even when he thought about it he wasn’t sure, so he abandoned it.

「No, Kohaku-san is linked with this situation. So I only have to continue at this pace」

「Yeah, that’s right」

Taiyou and Aoba nodded at each other. They both trusted Kohaku.

「Now then, I guess we’d better do our part as well」

Taiyou nodded, reaffirming his determination.

「Standing around――Yeah, you’re right」

Aoba also pulled on her chin in the same manner, afterward leaning more on Taiyou than before.

What was there was not a sweet air, but firm resolution.

「And I can just take it easy in your arms, right Natsuno-kun? I can・・・――make myself comfortable with all my might, right」

「That’s right. If that’ll help rouse your spirit then I can even set it to be in the middle of a date」

「Seriously！ Don’t act like that guy」

After Taiyou and Aoba had messed around for a bit, they nodded at each other.

With that as a signal, Taiyou rose up embracing her, advancing further in along with Hera.

On the way, they had encountered enemies several times more.

They were all small forces of three to five, and there wasn’t a single leader-like person among them.

Each time, Taiyou swung his fists and mowed down all of them, and Aoba purposefully exchanged everyday conversation like「What’s for breakfast tomorrow？」.

On the path that Taiyou and company were advancing along, with the clattering sounds the enemies made as they fell down, they were like a trail of breadcrumbs.

That was how they reached the innermost part of the estate.

The most splendid door they had seen was in front of them.

It was a door with a superabundance of decoration, five meters tall and three meters wide.

(It must be here), Taiyou thought, signalling with his eyes to Hera and counting on her for scouting.

Hera briefly passed through the wall entering the interior, then soon came out and said「They are here」.

Nodding, Taiyou kicked the door that was possibly some hundred kilograms, forcibly wrenching it open.

The room was of a making in which the back was spread out.

There were several one-person sofas and side tables, and they were all lined up like the katakana character「コ」.

In the center, sitting in the seat where the socially highest person likely sat was one middle-aged woman.

She was a plump woman easily passing fourty; a woman who had thick enough makeup on to where it was evident from further away.

「So you’re Tsubaki Juunishima」

Taiyou intentionally addressed her as the name Youran had told him without using any suffixes.

Tsubaki twisted her face at that behavior.

「Wait, why have you come this far? Just what are the people outside doing！?」

「I defeated them all」

「You did what？」

「I knocked ‘em all down, that is to say, all those who stood in my way before I reached here. You’ll be the last. Any last words？」

「Wait a second Natsuno-kun, there’s blood on you」

As if to say this was her turn, Aoba said that, wiping his face with a handkerchief.

「Okay, I got all of it」

「Thanks. Now then――」

After fitting in a little play, he once again faced Tsubaki.

「You said……everyone？」

「That’s right」

「And you think that you’ll get away with doing these kinds of things？」

「Let’s completely turn around those words. Do ya really think you’ll get away with doing those kinds of things？ Having your subordinates come and attack my family and take them away」

「You did this kind of conduct because of something like that? You’ll regret this」