"I cannot say for certain. But... considering Kagon-sama’s temperament, this is as close to the worst-case scenario as we can get."
Ms. Shizune, who was normally so composed, was visibly on edge.
I waited for the luncheon to end with bated breath. Ten minutes later, the participants emerged from the villa, having finished their preparations to leave.
"Thank you very much for joining us today."
"No, no, I had a wonderful time. Everyone needs a breather like this once in a while."
The president and his executives, the guests of honor, responded to Kagon-sama’s formal bow with high spirits.
There appeared to be no lingering ill will—until the President of Chikamoto Shipbuilding spoke up as if suddenly remembering something.
"Ah, and one more thing, Konohana-san. Regarding that marriage proposal we discussed... let's just act as if it never happened. My own reputation is on the line when it comes to making introductions, you understand."
"...I see."
"Hahaha, don't take it to heart. If I may be so bold, it was only a discussion about a third party who isn't even here. As for us, I hope to maintain our relationship both publicly and privately."
"Yes, I feel the same way."
The guests climbed into their cars and departed from the villa.
Once the last of them had been seen off, Kagon-sama turned toward us.
"Shizune."
"Yes."
"Who taught Hinako such an unsightly habit?"
"That is..."
Ms. Shizune hesitated.
Unable to withstand the heavy atmosphere, I stepped forward.
"...My apologies. It was me."
When I confessed, Kagon-sama let out a long, weary sigh. It was the look of a man whose suspicions had just been confirmed.
"I have often wondered," Kagon-sama said, "if a caretaker was truly necessary at all. As you know, there is a massive gulf between Hinako’s true self and her public persona. The burden of maintaining that act is great, and she occasionally slips up. The caretaker’s role is to hide those slips and provide maximum support... but in the end, it is a roundabout method."
Kagon-sama glanced at Hinako. His eyes were cold—so cold it was hard to believe he was a parent looking at his own child.
"I should never have tolerated these lapses from the start. Having a 'true personality' is exactly what leads to situations like this. A caretaker only serves to encourage Hinako’s weakness."
He muttered the last part as if to himself before turning his gaze back to Ms. Shizune.
"Shizune. From now on, ensure that Hinako maintains her performance at all times, both in public and in private."
"In private as well, sir?"
"Correct. Not just at the academy, but even while she is at the estate. She is to remain in character at all times."
"...I fear the Young Lady would collapse under the strain of such a thing."
"Then fix her," Kagon-sama said, his voice sharp and final. "This is the result of coddling her just because she might collapse. It is not as if she has a chronic illness. I will not tolerate this any longer. Overcome it. If necessary, I will provide the time and the instructors. As long as she is born into the Konohana family, protecting the family name is a duty she must fulfill."
A vision of the worst possible future flashed through my mind. This wasn't about whether she would collapse or not. To force her to act in private meant...
He intended to completely seal away Hinako’s true self.
"W-Wait a minute!"
I called out to stop Kagon-sama without thinking. He turned back, his expression dreadfully cold. I flinched for a second, but I forced the words out with a trembling voice.
"I... I apologize for ruining the luncheon. It was my fault. But no matter what, doing that is—"
"It is not your fault."
"...Eh?"
"Historically, many caretakers have quit after a short period. I expected the same of you. I predicted that the influence you would have on Hinako would be trivial. The fault does not lie with you, but with me for making that judgment—and with Hinako for being so easily swayed."
With regret etched deeply into his face, Kagon-sama spoke.
"Shizune. Once we return to the estate, pay Itsuki-kun his wages."
"...Understood."
I tilted my head, confused by the "reward" for that brief conversation.
"Wages...?"
It was almost payday, sure. But the reason for paying me so suddenly was...
"Hinako no longer needs a caretaker," Kagon-sama said, his eyes narrowing as he glared at me. "Itsuki-kun, your employment is terminated as of today."
Two hours later, I stood staring at the massive, closed gates, utterly stunned.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
As expected of the man who ran the Konohana Group, Kagon-sama’s efficiency was terrifying.
After returning to the Separate Residence, I was immediately ordered to pack my things. Because the dismissal was so abrupt, I was handed an extra sum of money on top of my wages. "If you have nowhere to go, use this to manage for a while," Kagon-sama had said. His cold expression had carried a weight that allowed for no argument.
With an extraordinary amount of severance pay in my pocket, I was unceremoniously kicked out of the estate.
In a single day... in just a few hours, the life I had known had collapsed.
I probably wouldn't be able to attend Kikou Academy anymore, either. Just like when I transferred in, they would handle the withdrawal procedures with ruthless speed. The power of the Konohana family was absolute; they could clean up the aftermath however they pleased.
"Haha..."
A dry laugh escaped my lips.
"...Well, it was a dream-like life from the start, I guess."
Resignation began to cloud my mind. I almost wished it had all been a dream. Then, at least, Hinako wouldn't have to suffer.
"...Hinako."
At this rate, she was going to be forced into a life more miserable than anything she'd faced before. But as I was now, I couldn't rightfully complain to Kagon-sama.
In the end, it was my fault. Kagon-sama said I wasn't responsible, but that was a lie. The root cause of everything was me teaching Hinako something as stupid as the three-second rule. I knew how much she loved those commoner customs, and I let it happen.
The responsibility was mine. And because I felt that weight, I felt paralyzed.
"Itsuki...?"
As I wandered aimlessly through the city, someone called out to me. I turned around slowly to find a familiar girl standing there.
"...Narika."
It was her, her long black hair tied back and reaching down to her thighs.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I'm on a walk. I told you, didn't I? I gained my freedom by winning against my father. I'm allowed to go out on my own now—"
Narika, who had been speaking boastfully, suddenly looked at my face and stopped. Her expression shifted to one of deep concern.
"...Itsuki, what's wrong? What happened?"
I tried to feign composure, but it seemed the emotions swirling in my chest were too obvious to hide.
"Actually..."
I didn't want to cause trouble for the Konohana family, so I explained the situation while leaving out the sensitive details. I told her that Hinako had made a mistake in public because of me, that I had been kicked out to take responsibility, and that the family was tightening their control over her.
"...I see," Narika said, her expression solemn. "That Konohana-san, making a blunder in public... it's hard to believe, but seeing you like this, it must be true."
Narika looked at me with even more worry.
"The Miyakojima family isn't as grand as the Konohana family, but it’s still a prominent house. I can guess what’s going on. I'm sure she was struggling in ways I couldn't see."
"...Yeah."
Even without the full story, Narika understood the gravity of the situation.
"What's going to happen to her?"
"I don't know the details. But from the look of things, she's going to be even more restricted than before. No more tea parties or study groups."
"I see... The Konohana family is truly ruthless. To bind their own daughter and kick you out over a single failure."
I wondered if Kagon-sama even thought of Hinako as his daughter. Nothing in his words or actions suggested he actually cherished her.
"It's all my fault," I confessed, my true feelings finally pouring out. "If I hadn't taught her all that unnecessary stuff, it wouldn't have come to this."
I was drowning in regret. I had resolved to do my best to fill Hinako’s loneliness, and this was the result. I had only succeeded in making her suffer more.
"In the end, I'm just a commoner who doesn't know proper etiquette. I should never have gotten involved with her from the start—"
"—That's not true!"
Narika’s shout was so loud it made me jump. I stared at her, stunned by an intensity I had never seen from her before.
"Itsuki, you're wrong! You haven't done anything wrong!"
"Narika...?"
"Think back to the old me!" she said, staring straight into my eyes. "I was once forbidden from even stepping outside! But you, Itsuki—you changed my world! I still remember that day vividly! You made me realize just how narrow the world I lived in was!"
Overcome with emotion, Narika continued.
"If you hadn't been there, Itsuki, I’d probably still be afraid of the outside world today. I wouldn't know the taste of cheap candy, or how to go shopping. I wouldn't know the bustle of the city or the peaceful air of a park. I'm grateful to you. More grateful than I can ever put into words."
Narika lowered her gaze.
"I'm sure it's the same for Konohana-san," she whispered sadly. "To be raised only being taught what is 'necessary'... it’s a lonely existence. I’m certain you saved her from that solitude, just as you saved me."
She looked back into my eyes.
"Have some confidence. That's the side of you that I think is... r-re..."
Suddenly, her face turned beet red. She averted her eyes and stammered out the rest.
"Re... Really... amazing, I think..."
For some reason, she looked totally downcast as she finished her sentence, as if she had compromised on the words she really wanted to use. But even so, her words hit home.
I realized then that even if those things seemed silly or ordinary to me, to Hinako and Narika, they were precious.
"Narika... thank you."
As I thanked her, I thought back on my days at the estate. I wasn't being conceited; I knew for a fact that Hinako hadn't found my presence a nuisance. She trusted me. And I wanted to live up to that trust. I wasn't finished yet.
"...Alright."
I remembered the resolution I had made. Hinako was carrying a massive burden on her small shoulders. Someone had to be kind to her. If her parents and the servants wouldn't do it, then I—her caretaker—would.
"I'm going."
"...Where?"
"To the Konohana estate."
I looked at Narika, who had given me the strength I needed.
"I'm going to have a little talk with him."
The gloom had lifted. With my confidence restored, I headed back toward the mansion.
Narika watched him run off without a single glance back, a small smile playing on her lips.
"...'Hinako,' huh?"
He must have been really flustered. In the end, Itsuki hadn't even realized he’d dropped her last name.
"Aaaah... I ended up... helping the enemy...!"
He was her benefactor, so it was only natural to help him. She didn't regret it, but that was a separate issue. Narika held her head in her hands.
What exactly was the relationship between those two?
While Itsuki was heading back toward the mansion, the door to Hinako’s room suddenly swung open. She was sitting on her bed, listless.
"Excuse me."
Ms. Shizune entered the room.
"Young Lady. How are you feeling?"
"...Nothing special. Fine."
Hinako answered sluggishly before flopping onto her back on the bed. Since it was a holiday, she hadn't gone to the academy, but the stress of the luncheon had taken its toll. Shizune had interrupted her work to check on her, worried she might collapse.
"Shizune... Where's Itsuki?"
"...Itsuki-san has already left the estate."
Hinako’s gaze dropped.
"Itsuki... he was my caretaker for a whole month, wasn't he?"
"Yes."
"...It felt long."
"I suppose it did."
Shizune responded neutrally, unable to read Hinako’s thoughts. Hinako’s voice was hard to pin down—she sounded sad, yet disinterested. Shizune wondered if Hinako didn't actually care that much about his departure. But then—
"...If he can't be a caretaker, couldn't we hire him as a servant?" Hinako asked.
It was a suggestion she had never made for any of her previous caretakers.
"I heard the gardeners were short-handed..."
"...Young Lady."
"What about a cook? Or someone just to clean? There's... plenty of work..."
"Young Lady," Shizune said, her voice firm. "Kagon-sama has no intention of hiring Itsuki-san again."
Hinako must have known that. Unlike her public persona, the "true" Hinako was usually stoic, which was why Shizune only now realized the depth of her despair. She was trying to hide from reality.
"...No," Hinako whispered. "...I want to see Itsuki."
Shizune bit her lip and spoke slowly.
"Kagon-sama will not permit it. It is best to give up this time. Displeasing him further would not be wise."
Hinako pouted. "Shizune... whose side are you on?"
"I am an employee of Kagon-sama."
Hinako’s mood soured further. "...Fine. Then I'll go find him myself."
"You will do no such thing." Ignoring Hinako’s sharp glare, Shizune bowed. "I have duties to attend to for Kagon-sama, so I will take my leave. I will have a guard wait outside your door just in case, so please refrain from any reckless behavior."
Shizune turned on her heel and left. Watching the door close, Hinako let out a heavy sigh.
"...Shizune doesn't understand."
With a sudden burst of resolve, Hinako gripped her duvet.
"I'm a woman of action when the time comes..."
Her eyes sparkling, she began to move.
After parting ways with Narika, I rushed back to the Separate Residence.
Kagon-sama was currently there. He had intended to return to the Main Residence after the luncheon, but he’d made a detour to inspect Hinako’s living conditions. He’d mentioned working in the office, so I knew he’d be there for a while. I didn't know where the Main Residence was, so I had to reach him today.
When I arrived at the gate, the two guards glared at me.
"What are you doing back here?"
Their voices were cold, but I saw a flicker of sympathy in their eyes. After a month on the job, the staff knew my face. These gatekeepers saw me every morning and evening when I walked Hinako to and from school.
"Please, let me in."
"...The answer is no. If you want in, follow the proper channels."
He meant I should get an appointment. But I couldn't just walk away. Kagon-sama would never grant an appointment to a fired caretaker.
Ignoring them, I walked up to the gate. It was a sturdy thing, but it had enough ridges to climb.
"Wait."
The guards stepped toward me as I reached for the bars.
"If you go any further, you're an intruder. We'll have to take action."
I knew they were trying to warn me for my own sake, but I couldn't stop.
"I'm sorry!"
I made a dash for the gate.
"What!?"
The guards rushed me, surprised by my sudden attempt to climb.
"You idiot!"
"Don't underestimate the Konohana gatekeepers!"
They closed in from both sides. If I got caught here, I’d never see Hinako again. The anxiety was overwhelming, and for a second, my thoughts were a mess—until suddenly, they weren't.
Despite the chaos, I felt an eerie sense of calm.
"—Eh?"
I was the one who let out a surprised sound, but my opponents were the ones who were truly shaken.
I dodged an arm from the right by a hair's breadth, dove into the guard's personal space, and used the momentum from my legs to throw him. He slammed into the ground with a heavy thud.
"Gwah!?"
I ignored the groaning man and turned to the other.
"W-What was that move...?"
He hadn't expected a counterattack and had frozen up. I wasn't going to miss that opening. My body was moving on its own. Ms. Shizune’s self-defense lessons were replaying in my head like a reflex.
The guard tried to recover, but it was too late. I closed the distance, grabbed his arm, and twisted it outward. As he lost his balance, I swept his legs.
"Gah!"
The second guard hit the deck just like the first.
"You... where did you learn that...?"
As they groaned, I looked at my own hands. I remembered Ms. Shizune saying I had a natural talent for self-defense.
"Sorry! I'm in a hurry!"
I scrambled over the gate and onto the grounds. Behind me, the guards finally found their voices.
"Intruder! Someone stop him!"
I knew the estate’s layout well enough after a month. I dove into the bushes and circled to the back of the house, keeping my footsteps silent. I timed my movements based on the patrol routes I’d memorized.
"Damn it, where is he?"
"Check the main gate again!"
I could hear the servants shouting in the distance. I held my breath and waited for them to pass.
"Now, how do I get in...?"
The main entrances were out of the question. Then I remembered the walk Hinako and I had taken late at night. I headed for the service entrance near the back of the garden and slipped into a narrow, quiet hallway.
"Thanks, Hinako."
I made use of her favorite shortcut and kept moving.
"Is he here!?"
"No, nothing!"
The house was in an uproar. I'd caused a massive scene, but I wasn't backing down. Kagon-sama wouldn't listen to reason, so I’d have to force him to listen.
"Found him!"
"Crap."
A group of servants in black suits spotted me from the end of the hallway. I bolted up the stairs to the second floor, only to run into another group.
"Grab him!"
One of them lunged at me with a tackle.
"Not a chance!"
I hopped back to avoid the lunge and gave him a sharp kick in the back.
"Whoa—agh!"
The momentum sent him tumbling down the short flight of stairs. He wouldn't be seriously hurt, but it bought me time.
"He's tough!"
"Surround him!"
As the men closed in, I stayed calm and channeled Shizune’s voice. When one of them swung a punch—
"What!?"
Before the fist could connect, I was inside his guard. I held him in a clinch, spun behind him, and kicked the back of his knee to bring him down.
"Just stay still!"
I dodged another punch, caught the man's arm, and twisted his wrist outward. To escape the pain of the joint lock, he had no choice but to follow the movement and fall.
"Guh!"
A perfect kotegaeshi.
I stepped over him and dashed up to the fourth floor.
"Thank you, Ms. Shizune," I muttered.
Self-defense wasn't about winning; it was about protecting yourself—which, in this case, meant escaping. It was the perfect skill for a situation like this.
"The office should be this way..."
I headed toward the room where I’d first met Kagon-sama. I only vaguely remembered the path, but I knew the general direction.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something bizarre. I stopped to confirm what it was.
"...Wait, what?"
Something long and thin was hanging outside the window. It was a curtain. It had been tied into a rope and was swaying in the breeze from the floor above.
Is someone drying laundry? No, that can't be it...
As I watched, a girl came sliding down the curtain rope.
It was Hinako.
"Hnnnnngh!?"
What the hell is she doing?!
I tried to shout for her to stop, but she had already reached the level of the floor below. This was bad—if she fell, she’d be seriously hurt. I was so close to the office, but that didn't matter now. I sprinted down the stairs and out into the garden.
"Hinako! What are you doing?!"
She was hanging onto the tied-up curtains, staring down at me.
"It's dangerous! Get back—"
"...Limit."
"Huh?"
I had a very bad feeling about this.
"Catch... me..."
"Wait—"
Hinako let go.
Her slender body dropped through the air. I scrambled forward, arms wide, and caught her against my chest.
"Gueh!"
The impact knocked the wind right out of me.
"...Nice catch."
"You... what were you thinking? Seriously..."
"I wanted to see you, Itsuki."
She gave me a relieved smile. When she looked at me like that and said those words... I couldn't even be angry.
"I have a... proposal."
"A proposal?"
Before she could explain, a shout erupted from the window above.
"The Young Lady is being kidnapped!"
"Crap!"
It wasn't exactly what I’d planned, but I couldn't leave her there. And I was curious about that proposal.
With Hinako in my arms, I turned and ran.