We hurried up the car and got back to the mansion in five minutes.

Im glad that its close to the school.

The guards from Kouzuki security service in front of the gate saluted, probably because Reikas in the passenger seat

As expected, Reika in her boyish appearance stands out.

Geeeeeez, late, youre all late!

Mao-chan and Katsuko-nee meet us up at the entrance.

Sorry

Nagisa hugs her daughter.

Anyway, everyones waiting!

Being hugged by her mother, Mao-chan smiles.

Err, the dinner is at Agnes room, right?

I asked Katsuko-nee.

Yes, Im sure youll be surprised

By what?

Kyouko-san and the gang finished the construction in no time

Construction?

Youll see when we get there

Anyway, we cant let everyone wait further.

We didnt change our clothes and head straight to Agnes basement

Then.

Oh, you finally arrived

Kyouko-san and Miss Cordelia welcomes us in the room that is

Twice as wide.

The room partitioning the next room was taken away.

We bought a chainsaw on the way back. Then, we did it in one go. We cut them into big chunks so the waste materials were already transported to the upper floor. Its dangerous for these little children if its just lying around

As expected of Kyouko-san, she works fast

Or rather, she just casually bought a chainsaw

Its gotten wider now so I can train here too

Margo-san said.

Yeah, true, its about the size of a basketball court

Or rather, this is the original size.

This basement was an atelier for the guests that come to the mansion.

This is for a person who likes art who would like to paint a prostitute

But.

Agnes seems to be confused by the expanded room.

Shes clinging to Mana and Ruriko closely.

Then, Mao-chan joins them.

As someone who made a cake together with her, they seem to be close already

Edie tries to join the group, but

Agnes isnt good with Edie so she hides behind Mana.

Edie shows aWhy?face

Now then, Im sorry to keep everyone waiting. Lets eat!

Katsuko-nee, the homemaker of themansiondeclares

Today, its hand-rolled sushi!

Running down from the upper floor, opening the refrigerator, Katsuko-nee takes out the sashimi, shellfish, and vegetables.

Tuna, sea bream, tied mackerel, boiled octopus, shellfish, salad dressing, then

Each of them is quite a lot

I wasnt able to buy outside lately so for today, its all fresh ingredients!

Katsuko-nee smiles

The nori is over there. The rice is

Ah, Ill do it

Nagisa rolls up her sleeves and transfers the cooked rice from the huge rice cooker.

What is a hand-rolled sushi?

Ruriko asks.

Yes, yes, thats a good question

Nei comes forward.

First, you put the rice on top of the nori

Neis white and long fingers move skillfully

Then, you put on what you like, fish, shellfish, or vegetable, and roll it over!

Nei rolls it down neatly

Then, you put on the soy sauce, Im going ahead, Itadakimasu!

She takes a bite!

Yes, thats delicious!

Margo-san whispers to my ear.

Katsuko-san did this since the cake-baking was popular

I see Agnes whos always been served a finished meal.

She must be interested in making her own hand-rolled sushi.

Can I do it well?

Its fine! Lets make it together! Agnes-chan too

Mana speaks to the worried Ruriko and to Agnes too

Somehow, she feels composed.

But still, having an interaction with everyone like this is very effective.

As expected of Katsuko-nee, she knows.

Ive made egg soup and Caesar salad too so eat up

She said, smiling.

Katsuko, before that

Kyouko-san said.

The seafood today are all Cordelias treat!

Huh, why?

Yes. I lost my bet with Kyouko! So, everyone, eat a lot!

Miss Cordelia says feeling a bit frustrated.

In exchange for that, Ill give you a special wine

Saying that Margo-san takes out several white wines.

My, arent these all branded?

I took it from the wine cellar of the mansion. Katsuko, I dont mind the price from when the guest delivered it, just drop it on my acount

No, its fine if its the price at the time of purchase

No, just let me, Minahos annoying in that regard

Kyouko-san stabs the screw on the first bottle.

The young ones will be having juice or tea

Nagisa said.

I want at least a sip

Mana said

Since shes a daughter of Shirasaka house, she mustve drunk wine before.

Shes been taken to a restaurant by her Grandfather, Ichikawa-san.

Not today. Agnes and others would imitate you

Margo-san tells Mana gently

Ah, I see, it cant be helped then

Manas convinced, so she smiled.

I will drink! Im already an adult!

Nei laughs.

Adult? At what countrys law?

Margo-san smiles at Nei.

Margo-oneechan, this room is in France right now

Then it cant be helped

Regardless of the law, Nei should be an adult from Agnes eyes

Ah, does Edie not want to drink?

Its fine, shes from an assassination cult so she shouldnt be drinking alcohol except for religious ceremonies

Kyouko-san said.

You cant be an assassin if youre alcoholic you know?1 Besides, Americans are conservative so its unlikely for them to let children drink alcohol

I see.

Here, Yoshi-kun!

Meanwhile, Megu pours tea on my glass.

For the others too.

Megus a girl who works silently on this kind of scene.

Everyone, hold your glasses

The one who takes lead on times like this is Kyouko-san, the patriarch.

Well then, cheers!

Cheers!

Itadakimasu!

Then, the meal begins

Like this, you do it this way, Agnes-chan

Mana instructs Agnes how to make hand-rolled Sushi right away.

Edie is imitating from the side.

Ruriko

Ruriko, youre doing well

Whatever she does, its elegant and done neatly

Onii-sama, its my first time eating this kind of meal

No, Im the same

Well, Ive seenhand-rolled sushion Television but

Eating it for real is

Is that so?

Yeah, Im the same with Ruriko

Ruriko smiles happily

Im having fun

Ruriko?

Its my first time having so much fun during meal

Shes an Ojou-sama in Kouzuki house right.

She pays attention to the servants at home, to the people outside.

Always alone with Yoshiko-san, I think she must have it hard

Its fine, just eat

Yes, Onii-sama

Ruriko elegantly opens her mouth and takes a bite.

Non, non, Ruriko, you should open your mouth wide and munch it widely! Munch!

Nei opens up her mouth widely and takes a big bite.

My!

Rurikos surprised and laughs.

Theres nobody here but Rurikosfamily! So you can eat inelegantly! Okay!?

Yes, Nei-oneesama

But still.

Edie takes a bite, and she looked surprised.

Ah, could it be that its Edies first time eating raw fish?

Nei realized, and talked to Edie in English.

Edie replies showing a confused face.

What did she say?

Yeah. Its really her first time eating Japanese food

Then, should we prepare something else for Edie? Meat or something baked?

Katsuko-nee asks, but

No, she mentioned that Agnes and Mana are eating it deliciously so she wants to try it too

Nei translates Edies words.

Hearing that, Mana

Agnes-chan, make a sushi for Edie-chan

Agnes.

Agnes makes it?

Yes and Mana will make one for Agnes-chan

Then, I will make Mana-sans sushi

Ruriko joins in

Then, Mao will make one for Papa!

Everyone decided to present hand-rolled sushi to the other

Here

Agnes hands the sushi she made to Edie.

Mana speaks English.

I think itsAgnes made this for you

Edies deeply impressed

And she eats it without adding soy sauce

Good!

Shes a good girl on this kind of things.

Here, Papa!

Mao-chan hands me her hand-rolled sushi

Theres too few rice, and a lot of ingredients, the Nori isnt rolled well.

Well, shes a child

Yes, thank you

I accept it with a smile, put soy sauce, and eat it.

Delicious?

Mao-chan looks at me worriedly

Yes, it is

Ehehe, Im glad!

Mao-chans smile is so cute

Onii-chan, eat mine next

7Mana said

Onii-sama, me too, please eat mine too

Ruriko

Ah, wait! Me too! I want to feet Yo-chan!

Nei

What feed?

Nei-oneechan, this is a place for the young ones!

Mana protests

Im also young! Ill be a child!

Geez, Nei-oneechan, being adult, being a child, thats unfair!

Mana said, Megu

Mana, dont get mad. Were in the middle of a meal

Okaay!~

Katsuko-oneesan said that Mana should refrain from Sushi. Its fine to eat Salad though. Also, no juice. Just tea

Megu tells Katsuko-nees message in low voice.

Manas already starting her body modding to become a supermodel.

Ive already eaten cake today, but even though I made a cake for everyone, I cant just be the only one who doesnt eat it

Mana seems to be paying attention.

Then fine, Ill be making Sushi for Onii-chan!

Mana said laughing.

She seems to want to join in the hand-rolled sushi making with Agnes and others.

No, if Mana doesnt join

Agnes, Ruriko, and Mao-chan will follow Mana.

Since everyone does it, Edie will start to rely on Mana too.

Mana can speak English.

Shes become the key person in this group.

Mana has completely stabilized

Nei tells me.

As expected when you become anOnee-chanyou become composed

What are you talking about, arent you the same?

Margo-san laughs.

Huh, Me?

When he came, and Nei became anOnee-sanyouve stabilized too

Nei looks at me.

Yeah, that might be

Does everyone want a refill?

Megus considerate to us.

Ah, Margo-oneesan, and Nei-oneesan, would you prefer wine?

No, I wont drink. Not a single drop of alcohol

Margo-san said.

Margo-sans father was an alcoholic.

I change the topic in a hurry.

Margo-san, are you fine with raw fish?

Im used to it. Look, when there was a lot of guests here, the rich Japanese people love Sashimi you see? I had to accompany them inevitably sometimes

As a guard of thebrothelthere were also dinner parties.

What about Miss Cordelia?

I look at the adult group

Ah, theyre eating it without problems.

Miss Cordelia is Kyouko-sans partner so shes used to Japanese food too. Japanese food seems popular in the US. Besides

Besides?

Those people go to the jungle on their work to so, on their survival training, they catch fish and I think theyre used to eating it raw

Then, Eenie and Meenie too

Margo-san talks to the two in English.

Eenie and Meenie answer something while laughing.

Both of them like the hand-rolled sushi healthily. Above all, its great to be eaten by hand

What?

They seem to have been taken by Miss Cordelia to a Japanese restaurant but, they seem to really be bad with chopsticks

Oh.

Speaking of which, todays ingredients are all bought by miss Cordelia, though

Yeah, that

Margo-san talks to Kyouko-san

Kyouko-san, he seems to want to know why miss Cordelia lost the bet

Kyouko-san grins.

Ufufu, it was an interesting bet

Or rather, I was surprised by this country!

What?

Rather than Japan, its the violent organizations in Japan, right?

Kyouko-san laughs happily

You see we came to crush gangs today

Oh, speaking of which, they did

Did it go well?

Obviously. If it didnt go well, we wont be eating dinner with everyone here now

True.

If they failed, theyd be caught by police or dead.

How do you think Kyouko-san and them crushed the gangs?

Margo-san asks me.

No, even if you ask me I dont know. They did something amazing or something?

I shouldnt be able to know.

Kyouko-san

Well, we came right to their front door

What?

The higher-ups of the gang had rented all of the five floors from the seventh floor to the top floor of an 11th story building. Then, the chairmans office is on the top floor, we confirmed that the target was there so we charged right in front of them

Err.

To be accurate, we didnt go right in front, there were three entrances to the building there and me, Edie, Cornelia, Eenie & Meenie went in divided into three groups. Not letting a single person inside get out. Our plan is to beat everyone up to pulp

Is that even a plan?

Could it be that the bet was who will be the first one to arrive at the chairmans office?

I asked, then Kyouko-san laughed.

Thats not the bet. There was no need to rush. Its more important to take everyone down

Then

Our bet was when will guns come out

Guns?

Look, Japans different from the US, its illegal to carry a gun but, as expected, if its a criminal organization, they probably have guns. Therefore, if we beat them up front, how long will it take until they bring out guns, that was the bet

Haa.

Miss Cordelia bets that guns will come out within ten minutes after they rush in. I thought that it would take more than ten minutes. Then, in reality,

Kuhahahahaha, Kyouko-san laughs loudly.

Even when we arrived at the chairmans office, there were no guns that came out!

Thats right, just what the hell? This country doesnt have a single enemy with a gun coming out even though they occupied all of the five floors from the bottom? If theyre a crime organization, dont they normally have a couple or three guns?

Err

I think that Kyouko-sans progress was just too fast

Margo-san smiles wryly

Perhaps they have several guns in the office but, since the offices of the gangs also expect to be searched by the police, theyre hiding their guns somewhere.2 Kyouko-sans attack was too fast, that they had no timing to get it out of their hiding spots

What the hell, then theres no point to having a gun!

Miss Cordelia gets angry.

Well, in Japans case, the gangs use guns only when they are coming to attack. They dont assume that their headquarters office would just be attacked right in their front. Even in cases of trouble, most of the enemies would attack outside the office, when they ride a car, or when theyre inside a shop, aiming at defenseless places. For example, shooting bullets from outside. Raids in their headquarters havent happened in the past few decades, maybe?

Seriously, theyre so bad. These Japan gangs

No, look

Then, in the end, all of the people inside were blown away and fainted. And when we reached the chairman, we got him naked, bound him with a rope, and hanged him upside down from the window

What?

Ah, we hung him from the window of the 8th floor, if its from a very high place, the impact of looking below becomes rather thin. Looking from up the seventh, eight floor to the ground is the most chilling. This is a result of science and statistics tested multiple times so theres no mistake about it

Right. Weve hung a lot of guys upside down in the past

Miss Cordelia speaks nostalgically

But, since this is Japan, we actually have to paint their whole body white then hang them upside down, right?

Eh, what do you mean?

I dont get it.

Eh, isnt that a traditional art in Japan? A human painted white hung upside down in a tall building?

Miss Cordelia, I think youre making a mistake here?

Cordeliathat wasButohits not a traditional art

Kyouko-san said.

Besides, its not popular recently that people on their age wont know it normally

My, is that so?

Besides, even though they paint themselves in white, why is it called Dark Butoh I dont get that

W-WhatsDark Butoh?

The true Japanese tradition wasnt painting the whole body white, but putting scriptures throughout their whole body, right

Uhm, Kyouko-san?

And then, they surely leave the ears. Thats the tradition of Japan

I get it, thanks for telling me Kyouko

Miss Cordelias convinced.

No, I think thats wrong.

This is bad, shes being taught strange knowledge about Japan.

I look at Katsuko-nee and Nagisa.

Ah, theyre averting their eyes.

Err.

Someone, tell them that its wrong!

Of course, I cant though.

Nei, Reika?

Reikas doing Kendo so shouldnt she know a lot about Japanese traditions?

Wait.

Theyre not here.

Since when?

Uhm, writing a sutra on the body is just a folk. Its not a tradition

Megu, youre amazing!

Besides, not writing on the ear is just a mistake, they actually have to write even on the ear

Oh, is that so?

Kyouko-san laughs.

Ah, she told Miss Cordelia a lie purposely

Ive read Lafcadio Hearn after all

Lafcadio what?

Miss Cordelia reacts to what Megu just said.

100 years ago, a Brit born in Greece, went to the US and became a journalist, and for some reason, he became a school teacher in Japan. Then, he gathered old Japanese stories and wrote a book, and died in Japan. He was that kind of man

Hmmm

Miss Cordelia doesnt seem to be particularly interested

Then

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Everyone! Look this way!~!!

Nei shouts at the entrance.

I will introduce our new friend to everyone!!

Could this be?

Okaay. Our cute Rei-chans coming in!

Then.

A tall embarrassed lady appears in the doorway.

Shes wearing a pink maid clothing.

Even though its a long skirt, since her legs are too long, her skin under her shin is exposed.

Even her arms, the sleeve isnt enough.

The girl wearing a maid cap is trembling, blushing.

Hey, Rei-chan, why dont you greet everyone

Then.

The professional guard, the one namedbeat to death swordswomanby Kouzuki security services top elite, Fujimiya Reika

Nei mustve practiced her, she grasps her skirt with both hands, and she lowers her head.

I-Im Rei, please be friends with me

1. Ahem, AC4 Black Flag

2. You can research about gun control in Japan