Chapter 297: Warning (1/2)

Oho, quite the interesting combination.”

Kohaku said when she came back from the roof. In the living room, Sakura and the three girls were facing each other, drinking tea as they chatted. It was a mellowed-down atmosphere, like that of good friends.

“Ah. Welcome back, Kohaku-san.”

Kotone said, and Suzune got up, heading to the open-type kitchen. They could see her pouring a cup for Kohaku. Kohaku sat facing Sakura, then spoke.

“What were ye talking about?”

“A bit about Unchanging.”

“Oh come on, Sakura-san.”

Kazane made a slightly pouty face. The so-called “Unchanging” keyword was the reason why Sakura had tried to kidnap the three sisters way back when. The three sisters pouted at her using that as a joke, and Kohaku giggled.

“What a fine topic. No matter what age women be, they must always act their part as women.”

“If that’s the case, then you’ve been a woman for a while now. In such a short time, I almost couldn’t recognize you there.”

“Aye, I be in the midst of love.”

“Not drowning in love?”

“That be only the difference between winning and losing. I be tagging along with Danna-sama, so I have no intention of losing, lassy.”

“But they do also say that whoever falls in love is the loser. Since you’ve lost by that logic anyway, why not profit further and drown?”

“…Indeed, albeit recently, I have come to understand that philosophy.”

“It truly does seem that humans cannot understand until they get in such situations.”

“Well, ye seem to have quite the grasp on all of this…”

“Overly-theoretical, I am.”

Kohaku and Sakura were engaged in a conversation that no one else really got. Suzune inquired after she had returned from the kitchen to place Kohaku’s teacup down.

“Umm, what exactly are you talking about?”

“Ah, it probably sounds like gibberish to ye lasses. See, we know a woman who once said, ‘I don’t lose, because I am amidst love’.”

“‘Nor do I win, for I am drowning in love.’”

Sakura continued after Kohaku. It felt like they were reading the top part of a verse together with a bottom part. Even after hearing all that, the three sisters were still perplexed.

“Well, let us not dwell on other women. More importantly, what errand have ye come for today?”

“There’s something a bit serious I must discuss. Are Natsuno-sama and New Moon-sama here?”

“Youran be further up, but Danna-sama be currently busy, and I know not whether he will be returning even tonight.”

“I’ll go call Youran, then.”

Kotone said, and the three sisters exited the living room together. After seeing them off, Kohaku asked Sakura.

“I noticed that ye started to refer to Danna-sama with ‘sama’.”

“He is New Moon-sama’s spouse after all.”

“Then, might I take it as meaning that ye no longer oppose him?”

Unlike when she was merely bantering, Kohaku cut right to the chase, the polar opposite of roundabout, playful words. Sakura replied with a serious face.

“For the meantime.”

“The meantime, eh…”

“Yes.”

“But I hear that Pochi was attacked.”

“And I heard that it was a simple misunderstanding.”

“The evidence be far too obvious. Youran thought the same, which be why she took ye out of the equation, but there also exists the possibility that ye knew she would do that and used it to yer advantage.”

“That’s very true.”

“…”

“…”

Kohaku and Sakura stared at each other, eyes locked, not saying a word, as if an underwater fight were unfolding.

“Eh, not that I care.”

“Are you sure? I know that I’m one to say this, but in the end, nothing was proven, right?”

“Even if ye had plotted something, that in itself was fine. Actually, I might prefer it that way.”