“Hmm hmm hmm~ Matshing, matshing~”
“Hmm hmm hmm~ Matching, matching~”
Koume and Mei, two cheerful little girls, happily hummed as they walked hand-in-hand into the venue. They wore matching, adorable dresses designed by a top-class designer using magic within a short span of three days. Their side ponytails were tied with identical ribbons, perfectly complementing their outfits.
“Lan, is my attire okay? I don’t look strange, do I?” (Chihiro)
“You look lovely. That exquisite kimono truly enhances your charm, Chihiro.” (Lanpeach)
Chihiro, who had been acting nervous since the journey here, kept fiddling with her kimono’s hem. Lanpeach reassured her with compliments to help her relax. It was true, after all.
“Lan, you look great too. Um, maybe sunglasses would complete the look.” (Chihiro)
Chihiro said with a shy smile. Behind her, a girl’s giggle mocking that he looked like a debt collector in a black suit was conveniently ignored.
Standing next to the boss, perfectly fitting into the role of a mass-produced black-suit man, was Lanpeach Kouza, the quintessential minor villain.
They decided to attend the Tanabata Festival. Lanpeach brought Chihiro, Koume, and Mei to showcase them as his family, making it a group of four.
Behind them, Libra and Mira followed discreetly, pretending to have coincidentally entered with Lanpeach. Though tasked with security for the venue, Mira seemed more interested in the food on the tables and wandered off, making Lanpeach uneasy.
Dry and the others had already infiltrated earlier and were handling security from behind the scenes. Gotta reward them generously later. Meanwhile, Touka and Nono stayed back to avoid overshadowing Chihiro and would join the venue later.
The atmosphere momentarily tensed as they entered, and various gazes filled with ulterior motives fixated on them. It wasn’t surprising, so Lanpeach stayed calm and decided to grab a drink.
“What, no lemon sour? Only wine and whiskey? Oh, you have sake? I’ll take that.” (Lanpeach)
Lanpeach took sake from a waiter and drank boldly immediately upon entering. His confident demeanor while sipping sake made him appear like a petty man simply indulging in free drinks.
“Is that the eldest son of the Shukou family? That petty-looking man?”
“Yes, I’ve seen him before, but he doesn’t exude any sense of authority.”
“He seems easy to deal with, doesn’t he? Wide open for exploitation.”
“Just a lucky guy who happened to connect with the Underground District.”
Those seeing Lanpeach for the first time at the grand Tanabata Festival looked down on him. Their eyes gleamed ominously as they grinned, eager to take advantage.
Those familiar with Lanpeach watched these reactions with amusement, thinking, ‘They’ll get devoured and go bankrupt; no need to warn them’. Gathering intelligence is a necessary skill for those leading a house.
Amid these swirling schemes, Lanpeach quickly scanned the room, identifying faces.
(Anyone looking at me can be ignored. Who’s eyeing Mei?) (Lanpeach)
While one purpose of attending the festival was to make Lanpeach’s presence known, the greater goal was to identify anyone interested in Mei’s true form.
Anyone aware of Mei’s real identity as a little girl would either be part of Harkein or connected to them. Lanpeach intended to have a “friendly” conversation with such individuals.
Lanpeach surveyed the room with the sharp gaze of a hyena targeting prey. He believed he looked cool, but the impression he left on others was another story.
He soon noticed several individuals reacting to Mei and Koume, some with suspicious, excited expressions. These men, with questionable glints in their eyes, were dismissed outright.
(Hmm… Just as expected, certain people reacted…) (Lanpeach)
He glanced at Libra and Mira, who gave small nods, indicating they confirmed the same.
[Soldier, this roast beef is so thick. It’s rare and melts in your mouth. Can I have another slice?] (Libra)
[Commence the takeout operation. Summon the Tupperware unit. Minimum quota: three full containers.] (Mira)
Looks like their input wasn’t necessary.
Lanpeach gazed into the distance, reflecting that, in the end, he could only rely on himself.
“Lanpeach-dono, you’re late. You’re the center of attention today.”
“I was nervous; it’s my first time participating. And hey, I’ve got my family with me.” (Lanpeach)
Bacchus approached, his footsteps heavy yet friendly, wearing a smile. Lanpeach initially intended to keep their interaction discreet, but the strategy changed greatly, so Lanpeach responded with an equally affable smile.
“You brought your family. Lady Chihiro looks splendid in that outfit. Truly, introducing you to my contact was worth it.” (Bacchus)
Bacchus laughed heartily, his intention clear: to demonstrate his close ties with Lanpeach. The surrounding attendees perked up their ears, eavesdropping on their conversation, ensuring Bacchus’s message was received.
“It’s been a while, Shukou Arata-san. I didn’t expect you to have children.”
“How do you do, Yoroizuka Aegis-san? At a festival this grand, bringing children isn’t strange. Later, we’re planning to write wishes on tanzaku. It’s something to look forward to.” (Lanpeach)
Another voice called out -a woman with a beautiful yet cunning and dignified demeanor, Yoroizuka Aegis, approached. Her kimono suited her perfectly.
Her sharp gaze shifted to Mei and Koume, who were stretching on tiptoes to reach some jelly on the table.
“Right, writing wishes on tanzaku is part of the Tanabata Festival. I almost forgot, having been caught up in dull conversations. Perhaps rising in rank equates to becoming boring.” (Aegis)
“Gahaha! Spoken like someone who knows the weight of those words, Aegis-dono. It is true that the boring conversations have increased. I personally think minimal conversations are fine though.” (Bacchus)
Bacchus laughed heartily at Aegis’s spicy remarks.
“I’ve yet to reach that level of detachment, so I still find it daunting.” (Lanpeach)
Lanpeach shrugged, maintaining a tone that emphasized his equal standing. The power plays were already underway.
Bacchus referred to him as Lanpeach, while Aegis called him Shukou Arata. The divide between the faction recognizing Lanpeach Kouza’s position and the one treating him as a member of the Shukou family was evident.
The subtle battle of influence had begun.
“Well, it is a skill you will obtain even if you don’t want to as you negotiate with many people from here on. In my young days, I also had sleepless nights, thinking about how I now had to connect with so many households.” (Bacchus)
“My, I’m surprised to hear there was such a humble period in your life.” (Aegis)
Aegis laughed softly, seeming perfectly at ease, however…
“By the way, I knew there was one child, but I didn’t realize there was another. Would you mind introducing them?” (Aegis)
“Of course. Koume, Mikoto. Mikoto only recently became my child.” (Lanpeach)
As Aegis turned her gaze toward Mei and the others, Mei, overhearing the conversation, waddled over with her face covered in whipped cream. Koume, drawn in as well, followed close behind.
With sparkling, wide-open eyes, they each gave a small bow in greeting.
“I’m Mikoto-deshu. I’m Father’s child-deshu yo. Nice to meet you-deshu deshu!” (Mei)
“I’m Koume. I’m five. Mishter, Mishsus, nice to meet you!” (Koume)
Their greetings were delivered earnestly. Lanpeach, ever the doting parent, patted their heads proudly, declaring how well they had done. The two young girls squealed with delight, leaning in with shining eyes and eagerly asking for more head pats.
“Papa-shan, this shortcake ish yummy! Try it, try it!” (Koume)
“Pick me up! I want you to say I’m a good girl and hold me!” (Mei)
Koume offered her half-eaten shortcake, while Mei, now entirely smitten with being held, clung to Lanpeach’s arm, attempting to climb up. Incidentally, Mikoto was Mei’s alias.
“Oh my, oh my, what a close-knit family. Parenting must be challenging at this age. Have you started their education as heirs yet? If you’d like, I could recommend a skilled tutor -one who even taught Toko.” (Aegis)
“Whether they’ll become heirs is still uncertain, but I intend to ensure they have a secure life. For now, I want them to play, eat, sleep, and grow up healthily like children should. So, I’ll pass on the tutor for now.” (Lanpeach)
“I understand Lanpeach-dono’s perspective. There’s no real benefit to rising too high in status, and they’re only five years old. A little studying here and there is enough. My children didn’t study much at that age either. They were always running away from their tutor.” (Bacchus)
The three shared lighthearted parenting anecdotes. Behind the scenes, there was an unspoken dismissal of the need for a tutor connected to the Yoroizuka family.
“Chihiro-san, isn’t parenting at your age difficult as well? I could introduce you to an excellent babysitter.” (Aegis)
“Thank you for your kind offer, but Koume and the others are very well-behaved, and raising Lan’s children has been no trouble at all. So, I’ll have to decline.” (Chihiro)
Aegis directed her offer toward Chihiro, switching tactics, but she politely refused with a sweet smile, clearly experienced in deflecting such inquiries.
To an outsider, the conversation sounded friendly and lighthearted. This congenial atmosphere attracted others from various noble families, eager to form connections with Lanpeach.
That’s how negotiations began under the guise of casual chatter. Lanpeach skillfully deflected their advances, avoiding any binding commitments. Meanwhile, the parents of the Shukou family, aware this was Lanpeach’s moment to shine, kept their distance to avoid interference.
Mei and Koume returned to sampling more food, and though lively, the party maintained a peaceful atmosphere.
In the distance, Touka was surrounded by peers her age, accompanied by Nono. Tsurugi Muramasa could be seen speaking with the head of the Yarita family, while a girl determined to empty her plate remained unnoticed.
(This is surprisingly calm. No one’s bothering Mei, which is a relief, but are they planning something subtler?) (Lanpeach)
Lanpeach relaxed slightly, taking a sip of sake. He began to wonder when his turn to enjoy the food would come, as the endless stream of conversations dragged on.
Just as Muramasa finished his discussion with the head of the Yarita family, they started heading toward Lanpeach…
“Everyone stay where you are! This venue is now under the control of the Democratic Liberation Front!”
A sudden shout echoed through the hall, cutting through the calm atmosphere.
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