Chapter 97: Young Lady, I Suggest You Get Glasses
At the airport, everyone was seeing Shizuku off.
"Shizuku-chan, remember to message us when you land. If anything happens, you can always contact us here."
"Mm, I'll remember. Thank you, Miyuki."
Shizuku pulled her luggage and nodded lightly, then turned her gaze to Mahiro.
"Then, Yotsuba-kun, I leave Honoka in your care. Please look after her for me while I'm away." The girl bowed slightly to him.
Somehow, it gave off the vibe of parents going on a business trip and entrusting their daughter to relatives or neighbors.
However, in reality, Honoka did indeed require special attention.
Her relationship with her family seemed strained, so she had been living at Shizuku's place, and Shizuku's mother treated Honoka as her own daughter.
"Shizuku! What are you saying?!"
Honoka stomped her foot in embarrassment and indignation, protesting, "You make it sound like I'm some kind of pet!"
"Alright, alright, I get it. I won't let anyone bully Honoka. It's getting late—hurry up and board the plane," Mahiro urged with a wave of his hand.
"Mhm. Well then, everyone, see you in a few months."
With that, Shizuku disappeared down the boarding gate amidst the reluctant farewells of the group.
Shortly after, the Kitayama family's private jet took off into the sky.
Meanwhile, a flight from the USNA quietly touched down...
January 1st.
"Happy New Year, Mahiro-niisan, and Minami."
"Happy New Year, Miyuki-sama."
"Ah... Happy New Year, Miyuki."
Today was New Year's Day, 2096.
Early in the morning, Miyuki, who lived next door, came to visit, dragging him out of his pleasant dreams and back to reality.
Stepping out of his bedroom, Mahiro saw Miyuki gracefully ascending the entrance steps, clad in a kimono with a red glossy base adorned with white and pale red peony patterns.
With Mizuki's assistance, she slipped into house slippers and approached.
Her fair, makeup-free face was accentuated only by a touch of vivid red on her lips.
The dangling ornaments of her hairpin swayed slightly in her elegantly tied-up hair—a touch of childish charm amidst her mature beauty, creating an age-appropriate cuteness that was utterly captivating.
Not to mention, the traditional kimono accentuated Miyuki's slender willow-like waist and the full curves of her chest while elegantly concealing the skin at her collar.
It was subtly alluring yet never crossed the line into impropriety, maintaining an air of grace.
This ensemble left Mahiro momentarily stunned.
She looked... so much like her.
If Ayako was a younger version of Maya, then Miyuki was the spitting image of Yotsuba Miya reborn from the dead!
Her demeanor and appearance were nearly identical.
"Speaking of which, where's Tatsuya?"
He noticed that Miyuki had come alone—Tatsuya wasn't by her side as usual.
"Onii-sama is currently at FLT, analyzing the souvenirs you sent with Director Ushiyama. He found them quite fascinating, so today, it's just me visiting.
And if I may say so, it's all your fault, Mahiro-niisan. If you hadn't given Onii-sama those things, he wouldn't be so busy."
Miyuki smiled as she defended Tatsuya while teasing Mahiro in the same breath.
From her demeanor, she seemed accustomed to Tatsuya's frequent absences. Even spending New Year's alone didn't faze her.
"Yeah, yeah, it's all my fault, alright?"
Mahiro placed his hands on his hips, initially intending to ruffle Miyuki's hair but reconsidered upon seeing her carefully pinned-up locks.
Honestly, he hadn't expected Tatsuya to be such a research fanatic—the kind who'd even leave his sister behind.
You should know that ever since the late-night incident, their so-called father Shiba Tatsurou had never returned to their home, choosing instead to live with his former mistress—now his current wife.
Even during New Year's was no exception.
Miyuki should have been a young lady of high status, yet she ended up feeling like a lonely orphan.
"Never mind, it's about time anyway. Let's head to the shrine."
He took Miyuki's fair, delicate hand, exposed beneath her kimono. Though her cheeks flushed pink, she didn't resist, allowing him to hold it without protest.
Visiting the shrine could be considered a uniquely Japanese New Year's tradition, so they had already agreed yesterday to meet there today. Otherwise, even if Miyuki had dragged him out of bed, he wouldn't have gotten up this early.
Come to think of it, there was something rather amusing about it.
Even though no one in this world still believed in gods or buddhas, the tradition of shrine visits during the New Year persisted.
"What about you, Minami? Want to come along?" Mahiro then turned to the maid-clad girl and asked.
"M-Me?"
Minami pointed at herself in surprise, but after receiving his confirming nod, she happily agreed:
"Please, I would love to accompany you."
"Then I'll help Minami pick out an outfit. Mahiro-nii, wait here for a bit."
With that, Miyuki slipped her hand free from his grasp and led Minami back to the room to change.
Meanwhile, he also returned to his room to change into casual clothes.
A short while later, he saw Minami emerge in a pale purple kimono, its elegant lines accentuated by golden wheat ear patterns.
Though not quite as stunning as Miyuki, she was still plenty charming.
Come to think of it, could they be considered the Yotsuba family's trio of adjustments?
Later, when he drove the car out of the garage, Miyuki couldn't help but cover her mouth in surprise:
"Mahiro-nii, this car of yours…?"
"What's wrong? Doesn't it look good?"
Mahiro stepped out of the car and circled it, admiring it carefully.
The sky-blue exterior, sleek lines, and the prominent trident emblem at the front exuded an air of luxury and sophistication.
This was something he had specifically brought back from the Black Bullet world—one of the few items he could actually use.
"No… Miyuki means, is this car even road-legal?"
Miyuki recognized the car's emblem. She remembered seeing it in a book on automotive history.
It was a classic brand from the early years of this century and the late years of the last.
By the late 21st century, it was practically museum-grade.
Most importantly, this car ran on gasoline, which had been phased out due to pollution, leading manufacturers to universally switch to the energy-efficient vehicles of today.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Noticing her concern, he chuckled. "Ah, don't worry. The law doesn't explicitly forbid gasoline-powered cars, nor does it prohibit driving vintage models. Otherwise, they wouldn't have issued me a license plate or passed the inspection."
Though, admittedly, he had pulled some strings with the Yotsuba family for that.
Since he had put it that way, Miyuki didn't press further and got into the car with Minami.
Minami sat in the back, while Miyuki took the passenger seat.
With the faint rumble of the engine, they slowly made their way to the nearby shrine.
There was no denying it—driving a gasoline-powered car in this era, especially such a classic, large model, turned heads everywhere. Countless eyes were drawn to his car as they passed by.
People looked on with a mix of astonishment, admiration, and appreciation.
After nearly half an hour of driving, they finally arrived at the meeting spot.
"Wow, Miyuki, you look stunning!"
That was the first greeting they received upon arrival.
Mizuki, dressed in a long dress with a fur-collared coat, gazed at Miyuki with an intoxicated expression. The intensity of her stare gave Mahiro an odd sense of déjà vu.
She kinda reminds me of Mayumi's little sister, Izumi…
"Happy New Year, Mahiro-kun."
Honoka, who like Miyuki was wearing a kimono, seemed initially overwhelmed by Miyuki's beauty and commanding presence, perhaps feeling a bit inadequate?
But when she noticed Mahiro's warm gaze, she immediately regained her usual cheerful smile.
"Happy New Year, Honoka. You look beautiful today."
"R-Really? That's great, thank you…"
Though Honoka smiled happily, she was a little shy, lowering her head to glance at her outfit.
Mahiro wasn't just being polite—Honoka's appearance was indeed striking.
The pale yellow color complemented her short orange hair and fair skin perfectly. Not to mention, her bust was slightly larger than Miyuki's, allowing her to fill out the fitted kimono beautifully.
That said, aside from him and Miyuki, the only ones gathered here today were Honoka and Mizuki.
Everyone else was busy.
Mari-senpai had gone to help Mayumi receive guests visiting the Saegusa household; Erika was also tied up with managing her family's dojo affairs due to the many disciples.
As for Shizuku, she had already gone abroad for studies and could only send New Year's greetings via video call.
Lastly, Sayaka had gone to Hokkaido with her father, Mibu Yuzo and wouldn't be back for a while.
"By the way, who is this...?"
Mizuki noticed the girl following behind Mahiro and asked.
"Oh, this is Sakurai Minami, sort of like my little sister. She was arranged by the main family to live with me and take care of my daily needs."
As Mahiro introduced her, he gently pushed the girl forward, signaling her to greet the others.
"Yes, I'm Sakurai Minami, Mahiro-sama's younger sister. Pleased to meet you all!"
"Hello, I'm Mitsui Honoka, Mahiro-kun's classmate."
"Nice to meet you, Sakurai-san. I'm Shibata Mizuki..."
Compared to the lively Honoka, Mizuki was slightly more reserved and timid.
That's just how she was—a girl lacking confidence.
Despite possessing talents that would make all ancient magic families who wield spirits envious, not to mention her enhanced abilities surpassing most magicians.
After introductions, Honoka suddenly caught onto something important.
"If Sakurai-san is responsible for Mahiro-kun's daily life... doesn't that make her a maid? Like Shizuku's personal attendant?"
"Ah..."
The moment Honoka said this, Mizuki seemed to imagine something and let out a small gasp, her fair face gradually turning red.
Clearly, she was picturing some R18 doujinshi scenario.
Noticing this, Miyuki smiled understandingly and gently reminded her, "Mizuki, don't let your imagination run wild. Minami and Onii-sama don't have that kind of relationship you're thinking of."
"Ah... sorry."
Mizuki bowed deeply in apology, but when she looked up, a new question arose.
"But if she was arranged by the Yotsuba family, does that mean Mahiro-kun has returned to the Yotsuba household?"
This wasn't just Mizuki's curiosity—Honoka was equally concerned.
"Not exactly. Maybe the main family's attitude toward me has just softened somewhat?"
"I see..."
Mizuki murmured softly, while Honoka seemed to sigh in relief.
Only Minami blinked her amber eyes, staring intently at Mahiro.
She didn't understand.
The madam often spoke fondly of Mahiro-sama during her service at the main family, showing clear concern for him.
Moreover, before coming here, the madam had said many good things about Mahiro-sama.
Why would Mahiro-sama say this?
Was it because of the adults from the branch families?
They didn't dwell on this matter further, and soon the five of them proceeded toward the shrine's main hall.
The sight of various stalls lining both sides of the approach was almost identical to scenes from the early 2000s, which pleasantly surprised Mahiro.
After all, what's the most interesting thing about Japan?
Aside from otaku holy grounds like Akihabara and certain gray industries, it's festival stalls—the only aspect of Japan that truly interested him.
The group didn't take any detours, briefly stopping by nearby stalls to buy some candied apples and try their hand at goldfish scooping before climbing the long stone steps through the torii gate into the courtyard before the worship hall.
However, upon arriving, Mahiro's footsteps suddenly faltered slightly.
He sensed a peculiar gaze, not the curious glances from before, but more like a furtive observation.
And the owner of this gaze seemed rather clumsy, as if they'd completely neglected to invest any points in stealth skills.
Not only was the spying technique poor, but the person themselves stood out conspicuously.
A golden-haired beauty, her lustrous hair and striking eyes practically demanding attention.
Judging by her features, she appeared to be mixed-race.
But what stood out most was her bizarre outfit.
A bright cream-colored short kimono with white fur trim around the shoulders, hem adorned with ruffles, and a large bow tied at the chest with the obi.
Her exposed slender white legs were clad in white thigh-high boots.
No sign of stockings, was she really going barefoot in those?
At first glance, the outfit resembled something a underground idol from the millennium era might wear, completely out of sync with current times.
Even when he returned her gaze, the girl pretended to be just another tourist, despite having been caught red-handed.
"...She's quite beautiful," Miyuki remarked after noticing the girl and giving her a thorough once-over.
"Really? Different styles, but I think you're prettier, Miyuki."
"Mmm... Mahiro-nii, is this how you usually sweet-talk girls?" Though her words carried a hint of displeasure, Miyuki's flushed cheeks and shifting eyes betrayed how much she enjoyed the compliment.
"Not at all," Mahiro spread his hands. "I'm just stating facts. The combination of little sister vibes with an ice queen persona is rare enough, let alone your widely recognized beauty."
"Mmm... Mahiro-nii, please don't say such strange things in public." Miyuki's face had turned completely red.
His gaze returned to the girl.
Unexpected that Stars would target us first... I thought they'd go after Tatsuya.
After all, "Material Burst" is far more dangerous than harmless me.
Maybe because Tatsuya's at FLT and they can't infiltrate there?
"Excuse me, miss. Have we met before? Might I ask why you've been staring at me?"
Rather than wait passively, Mahiro chose to take the initiative, walking straight up to the evasive girl.
This move particularly surprised Honoka and Mizuki.
"...Is he hitting on her?"
"No, Mizuki. That girl's been watching Mahiro-nii, so he's probably just teasing her a bit. How mischievous." Despite her words, Miyuki couldn't suppress her smile, clearly ready to enjoy the show.
Her explanation helped the other two relax somewhat.
They thought Mahiro had approached her because he saw a pretty girl, which would have been quite inappropriate if true.
Meanwhile, the blonde girl who had been secretly observing him panicked for a moment when she realized her target was speaking to her.
But she quickly composed herself, meeting his gaze calmly with her crystal-blue eyes.
"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. You just looked familiar, so I stared a little too long."
"Oh? You did stare for quite a while—from the main hall all the way to the side hall. Have you gotten a good enough look now?"
His teasing tone was unmistakable, and the girl frowned slightly in response.
"...What do you want?"
"Nothing, really." Mahiro shrugged. "Just making an observation. Maybe you should get a pair of glasses—might help."
"Thanks for the suggestion. I'll consider it. Now, would you mind moving aside? I'm leaving."
"Be my guest."
Mahiro stepped aside, giving her enough space to pass.
Without another word, she brushed past him and descended the long staircase.
Only when she was completely out of Mahiro's sight—only when she returned to her temporary rented apartment—did she finally let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Welcome back, Lina."
A welcoming voice came from inside the house, followed by a beautiful woman with short, neat hair who appeared from the living room, wearing an apron.
"Ugh... Sylvie, I've been exposed. What should I do...?"
The girl called Lina kicked off her boots and immediately threw herself into the woman's arms.
Silvia looked down in surprise at the girl clinging to her waist and sobbing.
"E-Exposed? Lina, has your identity been compromised?"
"No, just the target noticed me and even talked to me."
Sylvia: "..."
Her eye twitched as she took in Lina's outfit, then she sighed helplessly. "Lina, with this getup, it'd be weird if you weren't exposed."
"Huh? But I went through so much effort to avoid unnecessary attention! I researched Japanese fashion archives from the 'past century' and carefully picked out this perfect disguise!"
Sylvia pressed her fingers to her temples, as if warding off a headache.
"Lina, I don't know what references led you to this conclusion, but your historical research went way too far back, got it?!"
Despite being her subordinate, Sylvia had now entered full lecture mode against their Stars commander, Angie Sirius—no, Angelina Kudou Shields.
Meanwhile, Lina trembled like a leaf, not daring to interrupt.
Ugh... Sylvie's so scary like this...
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan