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 Lunchan, 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 “hah”
「 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, 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? Dannsama? 」
「 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 」
Chapter end
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