"By the way... why are you here?"
The girl asked with a carefree air, as if it were the most natural question in the world.
"...I wanted to return the student ID you dropped. Just as I got there, the kidnappers showed up, and I got dragged along with you."
"I see."
The girl seemed satisfied with that explanation.
"Where is my student ID?"
"Eh?...Oh, right. I’ve got it right here."
I pulled her student ID out of my pocket.
She took the card and fumbled with its surface with awkward, clumsy movements. Looking closely, I noticed an unnatural bulge in the bottom-right corner. It looked as if a tiny button had been embedded inside.
The girl pressed the protrusion with her fingernail.
"Help should be on its way now."
Having said that, she let out a long, weary sigh.
"I’m going to sleep."
With a soft thud, she lay down on the floor right beside me.
However, even as she lay there, she stared fixedly at my face.
"Sleeping."
"...Can't you just go to sleep, then?"
"Pillow."
I was about to tell her that there was no such thing here, but she silently stroked my knee....She wanted a lap pillow.
Being relied upon like this by such a beautiful girl almost made my heart race, but after witnessing her clumsy behavior earlier, I had developed a bit of an immunity. Since the kidnappers had ordered me to look after her anyway, I sighed and offered her my lap.
"Mm... perfect height," she muttered, looking content.
"Lullaby."
"...Sorry, that's not in my repertoire."
"Then tell me something interesting."
She was certainly demanding.
Yet, her sheer audacity was powerful enough to blow away the dark, oppressive atmosphere of the room. Normally, this was a situation where anyone would be reduced to tears of terror, but thanks to this girl, I was somehow able to maintain my composure.
"Well, there’s this story from when I was on the train with a friend recently—"
The content probably wasn't even that funny, but she listened to my story in silence.
A few minutes later, I heard quiet, rhythmic breathing coming from my lap.
She certainly fell asleep easily.
"...You’re drooling all over the place."
I used the hem of my shirt to wipe the drool leaking from the corner of her mouth.
"...Mm."
"Ah, sorry. Did I wake you?"
"I'm fine," she replied, rolling over. "My hair feels... greasy."
"Wouldn't it be better if you tied it up? Turn around for a second."
"Mm."
I gathered her hair and tied it up high, ponytail-style.
"You seem... practiced at this?"
"Ah... well, I used to fix my mother's hair a lot."
"Hmm."
My mother worked at a hostess club for a while, and I was often roped into helping set her hair before she went to work. It was a memory I didn't particularly care to recall.
Just then, one of the kidnappers kicked a piece of wood nearby.
The sudden, sharp crack echoed through the building, making my shoulders jump.
"—Enough already! If you drag this out any longer, I'm going to slug your daughter!"
The kidnapper was venting his fury into a smartphone held to his ear.
"...Don't say anything to provoke them like you did before," I whispered, looking down at the girl. "Don't worry. If things get bad, I think I can at least act as a shield for you."
Even for someone like me, whose future was looking pretty dark, I could still try to help someone else.
Even though I knew it was just self-satisfaction, I felt a strange sense of salvation in those words as I spoke to her.
"...Why would you go that far for me?"
"Who knows."
I had no intention of boring her with my life story. I simply tried to give the puzzled girl the kindest smile I could manage.
"...I like you," she said. "You're comfortable. You smell like a futon that's just been dried in the sun."
Wait, wasn't that actually the smell of dead dust mites? Not exactly the kind of compliment that makes a guy's day...
"I have so many caretakers... but they're all so stiff."
"...I see."
"But since you treat me so casually, I can relax too. I'm happy."
I was momentarily captivated by her shy smile.
"What's your name?"
"...Itsuki Tomonari."
"I see. I am Hinako Konohana."
She stated her name succinctly.
"From now on, you're going to be my—"
Just as Hinako was about to say something, a small canister was tossed through the broken window of the abandoned factory.
The canister landed with a metallic clatter, and a second later, it began spewing thick white smoke.
"MOVE INNNNN!"
A loud shout erupted from the first floor. Simultaneously, the sound of countless heavy footsteps thundered from every direction.
"D-Dammit! I can't see anything!"
"When did they get so close—gaah!"
Men who looked like police officers appeared out of the fog and neutralized the two kidnappers in the blink of an eye. The men immediately swarmed toward the girl and me.
"Don't move!"
"...Eh?"
The men were clearly hostile toward me.
"W-Wait! I'm a victim—"
"Shut up! Stay still!"
"Guh!"
My head was pressed into the dirt, and I was forced flat against the floor.
"Shizune-sama! We have neutralized the third man!"
"There were supposed to be only two perpetrators... perhaps the scout team's information was flawed?"
As the smoke cleared, a woman appeared with rhythmic, steady footsteps. She had long black hair that reached down to her waist. She was wearing an outfit of stark black and white with an abundance of frills—a maid uniform.
"Milady, are you unharmed?"
"Mm."
The maid, Shizune, approached the girl and removed the handcuffs and leg irons. Despite the chaos, Hinako seemed entirely unfazed. She let out a large yawn, as if she had only just been roused from a nap.
"I apologize for the delay in your rescue. However... I believe I have told you many times. When you go out, you must notify us in advance."
"But it was such a pain."
"And this is the result....Honestly."
Shizune let out a weary sigh.
"Shizune. This person isn't a kidnapper."
"...Is that so?"
When Hinako pointed at me, the maid's eyes widened in surprise. Slowly, the men released their hold on me.
"Ouch..."
"My apologies. I was certain you were one of the culprits as well."
"I was the one tied up, so there's no way I could be a culprit..."
"There are cases where criminal groups have falling outs. It is a common occurrence in long-term crimes like kidnappings."
That... was true, I suppose. Finding myself unable to argue, I fell silent.
"We will leave the cleanup to the authorities and head home. You over there, please come with us."
Apparently, she was going to guide me out. I nodded silently. However, instead of standing up, Hinako looked at me with a flat, expectant gaze.
"Hey, Shizune."
Hinako pointed at me.
"I want this person."
"As you wish. I shall make the arrangements immediately."
Shizune bowed respectfully.
"...Eh?"
Arrangements for what?
"Wake me up when we arrive."
"Understood."
After being guided to a sleek black car, Hinako fell asleep immediately. She took the innermost part of the back seat, followed by me, and finally Shizune got in and closed the door.
I fastened the seatbelt for the sleeping girl, then fastened my own. Feeling a gaze, I looked over and realized Shizune was watching me. "I see, so that's why she took a liking to you," she whispered softly as she fastened her own belt.
"Um... where are you taking me?"
"You will find out soon enough."
Just as Shizune answered, a small vibration came from her pocket. She pulled out a smartphone and held it to her ear. After about a minute of silent listening, she put the phone away.
"The background check on you is complete."
"...Huh?"
"Itsuki Tomonari, sixteen years old. A student at Ryugu High School. You have no siblings, and both your parents are alive....It is commendable that you earned your own tuition out of consideration for your impoverished household. However, your parents fled in the middle of the night five days ago, taking every yen in the house with them. As a result, you are currently in a critical situation."
"...H-How do you know all that?"
"Do not underestimate the Konohana family's network. This level of investigation is trivial."
Shizune stated this as if it were a law of nature.
"By the way, you were supposed to start your second year of high school tomorrow... but you can no longer attend that school."
"...Eh?"
"Your tuition has not been paid. It seems your parents planned their flight for this specific time from the very beginning. The tuition money you worked so hard to earn has already been stolen by them."
"No way..."
"Your rent, utilities, and other bills are also significantly past due. You won't be able to stay in that house much longer."
Was my life really in that much of a wreck...?
"Therefore, we have a proposal for you."
Shizune spoke to me as I sat there, utterly dejected.
"Would you be interested in working for milady?"
"...Excuse me?"
The proposal was so out of left field that I could only tilt my head in confusion.
"Um, I don't really understand what you mean."
"Then let me explain."
Choosing her words carefully, the maid began her pitch.
"Does the name 'Konohana Group' mean anything to you?"
"...It does."
"I thought as much. Since you have an account with Konohana Bank, you must be aware of it."
Now that she mentioned it, she was right. My part-time wages were deposited into a Konohana Bank account. They probably got all that information by looking at my bank records.
"The Konohana Group is a famous conglomerate that controls city banks, major trading companies, heavy industries, real estate, and insurance. Its total assets are approximately three hundred trillion yen. Its influence extends across the globe."
Shizune's explanation was flawless.
"And the girl sleeping next to you is the Konohana family's daughter, Hinako Konohana-sama. I am one of the maids in her service."
It seemed the girl sleeping next to me was an incredibly high-ranking lady. I knew she wasn't a commoner, but she wasn't just wealthy—she was on a level that was likely the best in the country.
"The job I am proposing to you is similar to my own."
"In other words... I'll be a maid...?"
"You would be a butler, I expect."
Ah, right. That made more sense. I was just so overwhelmed by the scale of the conversation that I was losing my grip on reality.
"Strictly speaking, it's not quite a butler, but it’s a similar role. We would like you to become milady's caretaker. Do you accept?"
"Accept? Is someone like me really okay for this? I'm just a student..."
"Normally, one cannot take this position without rigorous training... but this is a special exception made at milady's request. It seems Hinako-sama has taken quite a liking to you."
With that, Shizune looked at the girl sleeping beside me. She looked completely at peace, with drool leaking from the corner of her mouth.
"Mnn... mu."
"H-Hey... don't cling so hard..."
Hinako rolled over and hugged my arm. A mysterious, sweet scent drifted from her long, soft hair.
"By the way, if you try anything untoward with milady—I will chop it off."
"...W-Where, exactly?"
"The part you just imagined."
That would be a problem. I’d really end up as a maid at that rate.
"We shall discuss the specific conditions with my employer."
Shizune turned her gaze back to the window as the car came to a stop.
"Milady, we have arrived."
"...Mm."
The girl clinging to my side woke up sluggishly. The car door opened automatically, and we stepped out.
Standing before me was a mansion so massive I had never even imagined such a place existed.
"This is..."
"This is one of the villas of the Konohana family. You will now meet with Hinako-sama's father."
Meeting her father was scary enough, but I was more shocked by the fact that this place was merely a "villa." If this was a villa, then my house was a doghouse. Or a toilet.
"Welcome home, milady."
As we approached the entrance, a line of maids and butlers on both sides bowed in perfect unison. Faced with at least a dozen attendants, Hinako simply gave a light yawn and offered a short, "Yeah."
She was as much of a loose cannon as ever. However, the staff seemed used to it; they showed no reaction and remained bowed until she passed.
The solemn doors opened, and we stepped inside. The interior put luxury hotels to shame. A plush red carpet stretched into the distance, flanked by lavish furnishings. Unlike a hotel, it felt like a lived-in home, which gave it a more settled atmosphere, but there was still more gold decoration than I had seen in my entire life.
"Whoa..."
"What is that reaction for?"
"N-No, well... the world is just so different, I'm getting goosebumps..."
"Please get used to it. If you start working here, you will see this every day."
I hadn't even decided if I was taking the job yet, but my confidence was already at zero.
"Milady, regarding your schedule—"
"Sleep."
"Understood. Then, since I must guide Itsuki-san, I will assign someone else to attend to you."
Shizune signaled to another attendant. However, Hinako frowned at the suggestion.
"...Actually, I won't sleep."
"...You won't?"
"Mm....I'll stay with Itsuki."
Hinako said this while tugging on my sleeve. For a moment, I thought it was like having a younger sister, but then I saw Shizune standing beside me with her eyes wide.
"I can't believe it... For milady to put off sleep...!"
Was it really that big a deal? She had been sleeping through the entire kidnapping and the car ride, so I just thought she was finally awake...
Recovering her composure, Shizune resumed her guidance. After climbing a grand staircase, she knocked on a door at the end of the hallway.
"Excuse me."
Shizune opened the door to reveal a large office where a man was waiting.
"You must be Itsuki Tomonari-kun. I am Kagen Konohana. Hinako's father and the Chairman of the Konohana Group."
Kagen-san greeted me with a youthful face, but he exuded an aura of immense dignity. He wore his high-quality suit with the ease of a man born to power.
"Even though I say Chairman, I am merely entrusted with one company within the group. I am not in a particularly high position."
"You jest. A man who is to be the next head of the family should not disparage himself so needlessly."
"Hahaha, don't be so stern, Shizune. That was just a joke. If the atmosphere is too formal, Itsuki-kun will feel intimidated."
Kagen-san laughed, but his eyes suddenly turned sharp.
"...I see. She certainly has taken a liking to you."
Kagen-san looked at the girl behind me. Hinako was resting her face against my shoulder while still holding my sleeve, her head nodding up and down.
"She's sleeping while standing!?"
Is she a salaryman on a train? And she was drooling again. I had no choice but to take a handkerchief from my pocket and wipe it away.
"Mnn..."
As I wiped her mouth, Hinako leaned her weight against me.
"...I heard Itsuki-kun was simply caught up in my daughter's kidnapping, but did something happen during that time? This is the first time she has bonded with a stranger like this."
"N-No, I didn't really do anything."
"I see. Well, Hinako lives by her intuition, so I'm sure your wavelengths just happened to align."
"Wavelengths..."
I wasn't sure "wavelengths" covered it, but I didn't know why she liked me either.
"Furthermore, Hinako has wanted a caretaker she could interact with naturally for a long time. However, given our position, it was difficult for me to provide someone like that. That is likely why she doesn't want to let go of you."
That actually made sense. She had said it herself—all the other caretakers were too stiff.
"Now then. Before explaining your duties, you first need to understand Hinako....Shizune."
"Yes."
The maid operated a projector. The lights dimmed, and an image appeared on the wall.
"This is milady as she appears at the academy."
The footage showed Hinako in what looked like a school hallway.
'Good day, Konohana-san.'
'Good day.'
Hinako responded to a schoolmate's greeting with a refined, elegant smile. Wait... what was this?
The scene changed to a classroom during a lesson.
'Then, for this problem... Konohana-san. Can you provide the answer?'
'Yes.'
Hinako stood up gracefully, her posture perfect as she walked to the blackboard and wrote out the answer without a moment's hesitation. She exuded an air of absolute nobility. The students around her watched with gazes of pure admiration.
The scene changed again to after school. A female student was speaking to Hinako.
'K-Konohana-san! We're having a tea party in the garden... I-If it's alright with you, would you care to join us?'
'If you'll have me, I would be delighted.'
'T-Thank you so much! I've prepared some delicious scones just for you!'
'Fufu, there is no need to go to such trouble.'
As Hinako smiled, the other girl's cheeks flushed with adoration.
The footage ended, and the lights came back on.
I spoke my thoughts honestly. "...Who's that?"
"It is Hinako-sama."
"...No way."
The girl in the footage was a perfect lady—refined, lovely, and noble. She bore no resemblance to the girl swaying behind me while she slept—well, except for the face.
"Hinako is capable of playing the perfect lady in public."
"...In public?"
"Yes. Conversely, when she is not in public..."
Kagen-san signaled to Shizune again. She switched the footage.
The scene was an empty classroom. Only Hinako and a female student in the same uniform were there.
'M-Milady. The next class is about to start...'
'Too much work. Sleeping.'
Hinako slumped onto the desk with a groan.
The scene changed to a hallway.
'M-Milady! Next is P.E., so please change your clothes quickly...'
'Dress me.'
The scene changed to the schoolyard.
'Milady!? I just received word from the main house that your credit card is being used fraudulently!'
'I probably dropped it.'
'W-Why didn't you say so sooner!?'
The footage cut off just as the other girl began to scream. That last one was definitely not a joke.
"This is the real Hinako."
Kagen-san spoke with a pained expression. Apparently, Hinako Konohana had a massive gap between her public and private selves. To be honest, I was more familiar with the "private" side since that’s how she was during the kidnapping.
"Um, was that other girl in the footage a maid?"
"She was the previous caretaker. She developed a stomach ulcer from the stress and resigned after being hospitalized."
"...Whoa."
That was grim.
"In short, Hinako is a flawless lady in public, but otherwise, she is a complete mess. This gap is quite extreme. She needs an aide who can handle both."
"And that is the caretaker..."
"Exactly." Kagen-san nodded. "Your role is to protect Hinako's public image as a perfect lady. In other words, to support her from the shadows so that her true nature never comes to light....What do you think? It is Hinako's own request, and it would be a great help to me if you would accept."
I thought about it for a moment.
"You saved me from being kidnapped, and I know I owe you, but... will there be a salary?"
"Of course. It's a live-in position with three meals a day, plus a salary."
That was an incredible offer. It was a total stroke of luck for someone about to lose his home. I wondered if they had made the offer specifically because they knew about my situation.
"Regarding the salary... how does twenty thousand yen a day sound?"
"T-Twenty thousand!?"
"Oh, was that not enough? But as you might expect, I am hesitant to give a novice the same salary as a professional butler... how about fifty thousand yen a day, then?"
"It's the opposite! That's way too high!"
I never expected the price to go up.
"Then I shall hire you at your requested price. How much do you want?"
My requested price? I'd never heard that outside of a movie.
"If it's a daily wage, eight thousand yen would be plenty."
Even eight thousand yen was high for temporary labor. I was trying to state a fair market price... but Kagen-san furrowed his brow.
"Itsuki-kun. The responsibility of a caretaker is more serious than you think."
His expression became solemn.
"Just between us, the Konohana Group's performance has been sluggish lately. Much of it is the economy, but there is also factional infighting and competition. It's not enough to go bankrupt, but it's not something we can ignore....That is why my daughter's marriage prospects are vital."
"Marriage prospects?"
Kagen-san nodded and looked at his sleeping daughter.
"Hinako plays the perfect lady to secure the best possible marriage partner. At the academy or parties, she is a masterpiece of acting....The caretaker's job is to assist that—to protect the Konohana brand."
I realized then that we really did live in different worlds. Marriage prospects and brands were things I had never once considered.
"So, what will the salary be?"
Pierced by his sharp gaze, I gulped. I finally understood the intent of this question.
He was testing my resolve. He was asking me, implicitly, exactly how much my work was worth. If I sold myself too short, he’d be disappointed. If I asked for too much, he’d laugh me out of the room.
In the end, I chose my answer.
"...I'll take the twenty thousand yen."
"Hmm... the original price. Very well. I expect you to earn it."
Kagen-san pulled a document from his desk and began writing.
"You will start tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!?"
"You saw the footage. Without a caretaker, Hinako would get lost in her own home. She needs support immediately."
Well, in a house this big, I could see why.
"First, let's get you fitted. I've called a tailor to the next room."
"Yes....Will you be preparing a work uniform for me?"
"More like a school uniform. You will be attending Kikou Academy starting tomorrow, after all."
"...What!?"
I was expecting a suit, but this was a total shock.
"Hinako attends the academy. It's only natural for her caretaker to go with her."
"But Kikou Academy is for the elite, isn't it? I don't think I'd fit in at all..."
"Manage somehow. That is part of the job. Your grades were good at your old school, so you’re not a total lost cause, right?"
I had studied hard to try and get into university... but an elite school was on another level. Anxiety began to swell inside me.
"Since attendants aren't allowed at Kikou Academy, you will attend as a regular student. We’ll set your identity as someone related to the Konohana Group. You’ll be the son of a successor to a branch company... a boy aiming for management who also happens to know the common world."
"The 'successor' part already makes me not-regular..."
"It's perfectly regular at Kikou Academy," Kagen-san said flatly.
"Your father's company will be a subsidiary of the Konohana Group. That is why you can’t say no to Hinako....That should keep any suspicion at bay."
I see. That status would make it easier to hide my true role. I looked at the girl behind me. She was drooling again, so I tilted her head up to close her mouth. We were going to be seeing a lot of each other.
"By the way, if you lay a hand on my daughter—"
I caught Kagen-san’s glare and straightened my back.
"You'll c-chop it off, right?"
"Chop it off? Hahaha! Of course not!" He laughed heartily. "I'll simply kill you."
"Eep!"
The simplicity of it was terrifying.
"Well then, I'm counting on you."
Shizune opened the door for us. Just as I was about to leave with the sleepy Hinako—
"Oh, and one more thing—I looked into your family history."
I turned back to see Kagen-san with a very serious expression.
"A daughter of the Miyakojima family is also at Kikou Academy. There shouldn't be any personal issues between you and that family... but just in case, refrain from any unnecessary contact."
"...Yes."
So... that person is at the academy too. Well, they probably don't even remember me. There’s no way we’d ever cross paths.
"I haven't introduced myself properly. I am Shizune Tsurumi, milady's maid. I will be training you as her caretaker, so I look forward to working with you."
The maid spoke as we walked down the grand hallway.
"Outwardly, you are the son of a successor, but inside this mansion, you are her caretaker. You must address her correctly here."
"...Understood. I should call her Hinako-sama, right?"
Shizune nodded.
"Conversely, at school, you are her classmate, so calling her Hinako-san would be best."
I’d have to manage that distance carefully. I nodded.
"This will be your room, Itsuki-san."
Shizune opened a door. The room was about seven tatami mats in size, furnished with just a bed and a desk. It was clearly a servant's room, and I felt a wave of relief. This, I could get used to.
"If you need anything else, let me know. This is where you will stay."
"Thank you." I wasn't about to start asking for luxuries on day one.
"Nyuu."
With a strange little noise, Hinako dove face-first onto my new bed.
"Um... Hinako-sama. That's my bed."
"The caretaker's bed... is my bed..."
Mumbling happily, she buried her face in the pillows.
"...It can't be helped. Let her sleep there for now," Shizune said with a sigh. "Itsuki-san. You will be a transfer student tomorrow... but before that, there is a lot you need to learn."
"About the caretaker job?"
"That too, but there’s more. Kikou Academy is for the elite. The curriculum is extremely advanced. You won't be able to keep up if you just walk in cold. So, until dinner, you will be studying."
"...Is it really that hard?"
"Yes. And since you will be with milady constantly, your grades must be good enough to stand beside her."
"...I’m definitely losing my confidence."