「 Allow me to join the family as well!!! 」
Adelheid-san suddenly declared.
「 Sure! Right, Papa? 」
Mao-chan smiles.
「 Err, 」
I can’t process what just happened.
「 It’s okay, we know that this would happen 」
Edie says while still eating.
「 We’re a gathering of people who lost their family and is filled with talent, skill, and cute girls. It’s the world’s proposition. Common sense 」
That’s…
「 I’ll look after her, so please accept her 」
Rei-chan tells me.
She’s accepting Adelheid-san as her little sister.
「 Of course, I will also look after her. If she wants, I can train her to become a first-class professional bodyguard 」
Shou-neechan said.
Professional bodyguard. Furthermore, the two top elites are vouching for her, she must be extremely talented.
Besides.
「 Reika and I were both stubborn until we met you, remember? She’s that kind of girl, and so I want to look after her 」
She probably sees Adelheid-san as a cute little sister.
「 We’re insistent, and this girl is stubborn, and in the end, the cause of it is that she doesn’t have a family 」
「 That’s why we want to accept her 」
Rei-chan looks at Adelheid-san with gentle eyes.
「 H-Hey! Haiji’s contracted with me! 」
Torii-san complained.
「 Oh? But you did dismiss her during the party, didn’t you? 」
Shou-neechan laughs.
「 But, I also decided to continue to employ her after that 」
Torii-san retorts.
「 But, did she accept Torii-sama’s proposal 」
「 S-She did! Right! Haiji?! 」
Torii-san shouted. Adelheid-san doesn’t respond.
「 Do you have proof of that? Did you have her signature on legal contract papers? 」
Shou-neechan puts pressure.
「 T-That’s… 」
Torii-san thinks for a moment.
「 If you’re going that way, then nobody can prove that I dismissed Haiji earlier! Then, Haiji still is my bodyguard! 」
It seems like she can’t let go of Adelheid-san.
「 Oh? Torii-san, I have witnessed Torii-sama dismiss this child. Reika, you saw that too, didn’t you? 」
「 Yes, I saw it earlier in the party 」
「 I-I saw it too 」
Luna raised her hand.
「 Ruriko, Misuzu, and I were close by when it happened 」
Yoshiko-san was on a separate table though.
「 We have so many witnesses, and yet, you say that you haven’t dismissed her? 」
Shou-neechan provokes Torii-san.
「 T-Then I only need to reemploy her! That’s it! 」
「 You can’t establish a contract with her unless you have legal papers to back you up 」
In this conversation, Torii-san, a young lady, has no chance of winning against Shou-neechan, the head of the on-site team of Kouzuki SS.
「 Even if the current contract still exists, if I recall, her contract with Torii-sama’s family is until the end of the month, correct? 」
「 Ugh 」
For outsiders, they will listen attentively when it comes to contract clauses, and they will not forget that.
「 Either way. She’s free to pick whoever contractor she wants. It’s not Torii-sama’s decision 」
Hearing Shou-neechan says that…
「 Wrong, Shou, she wants to join in our family, not a contract 」
Edie said.
「 Once she joins the family, she can’t leave. That’s what family means 」
「 They say that blood is thicker than water, but our bonds is thicker than blood 」
Michi tells Adelheid-san.
「 However, once you join in our family, that means you will remain as one, no matter what happens. We will support you, and we will not abandon you, even if that costs our lives 」
「 That’s what it means to join our family 」
Michi and Edie said. Torii-san;
「 What?! Is this some cult or something? 」
「 No, no, it’s a family 」
Edie answers Torii-san with a bothered tone.
「 It means everyone gets along, right? Luna 」
Agnes asks Luna.
「 Err, for Torii-sama who has a family, she won’t understand what it means 」
Luna replies.
「 In our case, our real families were destroyed, and we become children with no place to go. Us Takakura sisters just lost our parents 」
Luna looks at Adelheid-san with a smile.
「 We have this mysterious power. Therefore, most adults would want to capture us and use our powers for their benefit. But, Nii-san accepted us in his family 」
「 Uhm, it’s not just Luna-chan, me too. Furthermore, everyone thinks of how I would live from now on, even my school were also in the family’s consideration 」
Koyomi-chan said.
「 It’s natural! Koyomi-chan is also a member of our family 」
Nei said.
「 Oh well, let’s go all out! Anyone who had their real father or mother or someone related by blood, killed by someone else, and had no family to accept them, raise your hand 」
Nei raised her hand immediately.
「 Both my parents and brother were murdered, and so, Yo-chan is now my precious brother, and everyone here is my dear family! 」
Then, Mana raised her head.
「 Me too! My father, well… 」
Shirasaka Sousuke’s no longer alive.
「 Karen-san, my family also abandoned me. My Grandfather and mother don’t need me, they said. Then, Onii-chan picked me up. Karen-san isn’t the only one who was abandoned by their family. Therefore, I welcome you, and I will keep you safe. From now on, call me Onee-chan 」
She speaks to Mizushima Karen-san.
「 Y-You? 」
Karen-san’s surprised.
「 I’m Mana, nice to meet you 」
Then.
「 AS mentioned earlier, both our parents were murdered 」
「 My parents are no longer here 」
Luna and Koyomi-chan said.
「 And so, Adelheid-san, it’s okay to stay with us. We welcome you 」
「 I-I… 」
Oh, I see.
Adelheid-san is also an orphan.
Luna knows that from reading Adelheid-san’s thoughts.
No, that’s wrong.
They were reading Shou-neechan and Rei-chan’s thoughts.
Kouzuki SS should have checked through Adelheid-san’s history.
She’s an orphan yet. She has a license from the academy and is now a professional at age 13. Shou-neechan praises Adelheid-san.
They can see those thoughts.
「 Me too, I just lost my father 」
Ruriko shows a sad smile.
Ruriko’s father…Jii-chan took away his life to prevent his rebellion inside Kouzuki house.
Jii-chan looks at Ruriko with lonely eyes.
「 Therefore, Adelheid-san, I can feel like you and I are really, really, really close. You’re not alone 」
「 Ruriko-sama 」
Adelheid-san is moved.
「 However, you will need to resolve yourself if you want to join the family 」
Misuzu said.
「 Yes. I know the terms. I accept it 」
Adelheid-san replies.
The terms of joining this family.
That is, to become my woman.
「 That’s not a term or condition 」
Misuzu said.
「 Yes, all you have to do is bring happiness to Onii-sama 」
Ruriko.
「 Or rather, I should ask, are you prepared to love and live for the sake of the family? 」
Misuzu asks.
「 Hey! Cut! 」
Torii-san protests, but,
「 No, We’re a cooperative system. We’re not forcing anyone, it’s all for you to decide 」
Ruriko said.
「 Adelheid-san, I like girls like you. You’re a bit stubborn, but it’s cute 」
「 Me too 」
Shou-neechan and rei-chan talks to Adelheid-san.
「 Agnes also likes Karen-chan! I want you to stay with our family forever! 」
「 Me too! 」
「 Me too! 」
Agnes, Luna, and Koyomi-chan speak to Karen-san.
「 Karen-chan, what about you? Do you like Agnes and everyone? 」
「 Adelheid-san, will you accept us as your elder sisters? And the younger girls as your little sisters? 」
Adelheid-san looks at Mao-chan, the youngest of the group.
Mao-chan…
「 Huh? What about Mao? 」
Hm? What is she worried about?
「 Was Mao’s father murdered too? 」
Nagisa raised Mao-chan alone.
She doesn’t know who her father is.
It sure is one of the men who followed Shirasaka Sousuke’s orders and raped Nagisa, although;
Even if we find him, nothing will change.
「 Mao-chan’s Papa is Agnes’ Papa! 」
Agnes hugged Mao-chan and said.
「 We have a Papa! That’s why you don’t have to think about it! 」
「 Oh, right! As expected of Agnes-chan! 」
Mao-chan laughs.
She’s still young, and so she believes what her elder sisters tell her.
「 Right! Papa! Papa has always been Agnes’ Papa! 」
Ah.
As for Agnes.
She knows.
Agnes knows that I replaced Shirasaka Sousuke as her Papa.
And that Shirasaka Sousuke died, murdered rather.
「 It’s obvious! Agnes will forever be my Agnes 」
I look into her eyes and tell her.
「 That’s right! Hey, Papa! 」
Agnes smiles.
「 I love you! 」
「 I love you too, Agnes! 」
「 I know! Papa! Agnes also loves Mao-chan and everyone! Therefore! 」
Agnes.
「 I also love new girls! Right, Papa? 」
I look at Adelheid-san and Karen-san.
「 Of course, I welcome you two 」
Then.
「 Okay, let’s open a bottle of wine. The adults will drink wine, and the children will toast with juice 」
Katsuko-nee takes out a wine bottle.
「 Ah, you can’t drink, Dear. You still have jobs to do. And Shige-chan, you can only take a sip, take care of your body 」
I got juice.
Jii-chan gets only a sip.
Katsuko-nee calls Jii-chan “Shige-chan” when it’s just us family in the room.
「 Ah, Mana will help out! 」
「 I’ll also help out 」
Mana and Ruriko helped-out pouring wine and juice on everyone’s glasses.
「 R-Ruriko-sama? 」
Torii-san’s surprised.
「 We’re in the dining table of Kuromori family, and so… 」
Ruriko helps out with the housework.
「 Uuugh, I can’t understand 」
However, Torii-san can’t understand why the young lady of Kouzuki house does that.
「 I wonder how do I report all this to Momoko-oneesama 」
「 Well, how about you tell her what you saw? 」
Misuzu said, laughing.
「 Kaan Momoko-sama is also my Momoko-oneesama. But, I don’t know whether she’ll believe my story or not 」
「 Is that so? I don’t think Momoko-oneesama will believe that any of this is true 」
Torii-san’s troubled.
The relationship in our family is hard to understand.
「 But, it’s not only Misuzu-sama and Ruriko-sama, but Kouzuki-sama also accepts this baffling group 」
Jii-chan’s watching all this on the same dining table.
「 I’m also a member of this family after all 」
Jii-chan smiles wryly.
「 What? 」
Torii-san stopped thinking.
「 Yeah, that’s right! Love you, Ojii-chan! Agnes and everyone feels the same way, right? 」
Nei said with a smile.
「 Yes! Papa’s grandpa is Agnes’ grandpa too! 」
Agnes replies with her angelic smile.
「 Err, shouldn’t that be great-grandfather? 」
Torii-san is dumbfounded.
「 You’re overthinking it 」
Jii-chan tells Torii-san.
「 I-I’m sorry 」
Torii-san shrinks back in fear.
「 Although, you’re entertaining. I can understand why Kaan’s granddaughter won’t let you go 」
Jii-chan stares at her, Torii-san shrinks further, saying “haha-”
「 You’re a good thinker, but, you’re held captive by the common sense from the environment that raised you 」
「 Y-Yes 」
「 But, once you break through that stiff common sense, you will become a functional girl who has great insight. The problem is caused by the environment that raised you, it’s not your talents 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 Try jumping over your common sense and think flexibly. Just like him 」
Jii-chan points at me.
「 He does not own Kouzuki house. He won over Misuzu, Ruriko, and I over to his family instead 」
「 What? 」
Torii-san doesn’t seem to understand.
Jii-chan and his granddaughters are our family, but…
The other Kouzuki clan members, like Kouzuki Souji, and Satoshi, they’re not our family.
「 Once you understand how it happened, you will also come here 」
Jii-chan said.
「 I-I will? 」
「 Right. Maybe not now, but once you switch to Copernicus’ way of thinking, I’m sure that Torii-san will join in our family too 」
Misuzu?
「 However, Yoshiko, how long are you thinking of using pity to join in? 」
Jii-chan asks Yoshiko-san.
「 I-I… 」
Yoshiko-san panics as she’s suddenly brought up.
「 You can’t wait for it. He’s busy as you can see, and so you need to become a bit more assertive, Yoshiko 」
「 Uhm, Grandfather, may I? 」
Yoshiko-san looks at me.
That means…
She’s asking whether it’s okay for Jii-chan’s last Granddaughter, Yoshiko-san, to become my woman as well.
「 That’s for you to decide. I’m not giving you orders 」
Jii-chan said.
「 Although, I don’t think you should stay in that status quo, where the other family shows mercy to you 」
「 Y-Yes 」
Yoshiko-san looks down.
「 Yoshiko should learn from the girl who mustered up her courage and asked to join the family earlier 」
Saying that. Jii-chan looks at Adelheid-san.
Then.
「 Don’t drink wine. You’re coming with me later. This will be your first job 」
Edie calls out to Adelheid-san.
「 As for Michi, you can. I will be guarding Darling later 」
That means, when I’m going to return to the confinement location for Tendou Sadao and the other Yakuza, Edie and Adelheid-san will come with me.
「 I will remain in guard here, I will not drink alcohol 」
Hearing that;
「 That’s our job. Leave it to us, and Michi-chan, go mingle with the other girls sometimes 」
Shou-neechan said.
Shou-neechan and Rei-chan chose juice instead of wine.
「 Michi, rely on Shou-neechan too 」
「 Yes, Master 」
Michi accepts.
「 That’s all, is that good enough? 」
Edie reminds Adelheid-san.
「 Ah, okay 」
Adelheid-san is somewhat perplexed.
Edie noticed that.
「 You can call me Edie-oneesama, or sister Edie, anything. I’m now your elder sister 」
She smiled.
「 Ah, yes. If that’s the case, please call me Haiji 」
Adelheid-san.
「 Hey, Haiji?! I’m the only one who can call you that 」
Torii-san shouted, but.
「 My late father called me Haiji when I was young 」
That’s…
「 My father was a Japanese man. I didn’t understand why he would call “Adelheid” as “Haiji,” but my father called me that way, and so it’s precious to me 」
Adelheid-san looked at Torii-san.
「 When I first met Mariko-ojousama, she said, “Your name is Adelheid, so I’ll call you Haiji,” it made me happy. It made me emotional. I left Europe, and chose to serve Torii-sama’s house because of that line 」
I…
「 Then, why is it read like that? 」
「 You still don’t know Yo-chan? 」
Nei said.
「 Do you not know “Heidi”? 」
「 Just the name 」
I never watched it.
「 What about Heidi, the girl of the Alps? 」
「 I don’t know that at all 」
What’s the relationship?
「 Hey, Nei-chan! 」
Katsuko-nee scolds Nei.
「 Oh right, sorry, forget about that one 」
O-Okay.
「 The real name of Heidi is Adelheid-san 」
I-I see.
「 Therefore, A-chan’s father named her Adelheid from “Heidi, the girl of the alps” 」
「 Is that so? 」
「 Yeah, I’m sure of it 」
Nei declared.
「 I think we have a videotape of Heidi in the mansion’s archives, let’s watch that next time 」
Oh, it’s the room where the former prostitutes left their manga and videotapes.
「 Yeah, let’s watch! Luna, Koyomi, Karen, and Mao-chan, let’s watch them together 」
Agnes said.
「 Yeah, let’s! Karen-san 」
「 O-Okay 」
Koyomi-chan called her out, Karen-san replies.
「 Then, that’s a promise, Haiji-oneesama 」
Luna smiled, and told Adelheid-san.
「 Okay, everyone’s got their glass filled! Let’s toast! 」
Mana tells everyone.
「 Okay, now everyone holds their glass up high 」
「 Mao-chan too, like this 」
Katsuko-nee and Ruriko ask everyone to raise their glass.
「 Then, to lead the toast… 」
Nei looks at me, but…
「 Misuzu, do it 」
「 Me? Danna-sama? 」
「 It’s your day, right? 」
Misuzu hosted the party.
And since we’re in Kouzuki mansion, it is Misuzu’s day.
「 Yes. Then I will 」
Misuzu stood up and looked at everyone.
「 To celebrate Haiji-san and Karen as they join our family. Also, for the health and happiness of our family! Cheers! 」
「 Cheers! 」
Everyone toasted their drinks.
Torii-san also joins in with a smile at times like this.
What a fun personality.
Yoshiko-san feels a little down because of what Jii-chan told her.
「 Darling 」
Edie whispered.
「 It’s great that those girls joined the family without problems 」
Yeah.
Adelheid-san, no, Haiji-san looks like she broke through.
Karen-san shows a calm face, compared to the time where Misuzu was forcing her consent.
She knows what kind of people we have in the family, and she gets along with the girls of her age.
And as expected, she’s afraid of Misuzu as she’s the young lady of Kouzuki house and is older than her.
「 Right now, we see our family increasing 」
Edie?
「 But, later, Otome will lose hers 」
Tendou Otome will lose her family.
Otome’s father, Tendou Sadao, awaits prison.
「 If Otome’s thoughts were turned Copernican, then we can still save her 」
You mean?
「 It means, that once she lost her family, she might join in our family 」