Chapter 10

"Kazuki, what are you doing? I explained it so thoroughly! Getting involved with the villainous young lady will lead to serious trouble!"

Behind Sakurada Yuria-sama, the heroine Yuki Miharu and the external students lined up. It was an impressive sight.

"Yuria, are you still saying such foolish things? And you've even tamed the external students. You've never used the cafeteria before, have you?"

"I don't think it's right to discriminate against external students. Just because they are external students doesn't mean they are less important. They just come from good families and are wealthy."

The external students were moved by Sakurada Yuria-sama's words. They had also been brainwashed by yesterday's words from Katsuragi-sama.

I felt a sense of danger. No, Katsuragi-sama and Sakurada Yuria-sama are amazing. The words of people in positions of authority carry weight, I guess.

"Kujo Reiko! It seems you've taken advantage of Sogiku-sama, but I will protect this school. I will fight no matter what you do. Sogiku-sama, I will definitely save you."

She looked at Sogiku-sama with a sad expression. On the other hand, Sogiku-sama, who had had his rice ball taken and was being treated as a brainwashed victim, was on the verge of exploding with anger. His eyes were very scary, very cold.

I made up my mind.

"Sou-kun! Next time, I'll make a lot of rice balls, so please eat as many as you like!"

I called him Sou-kun. I, who am so poor and stingy, calling Sogiku-sama Sou-kun. It had a big impact.

"Rei-chan called me Sou-kun!"

He broke into a smile. It seemed like I could somehow defuse the situation. Sara-sama was so angry she couldn't move. She was trembling.

Alright, please leave now, Sakurada Yuria-sama and your group. Yes, Katsuragi-sama will be the chaperone!

"Katsuragi-sama, regarding the apology earlier, instead of us, please take Sakurada Yuria-sama and the others to the salon's café. Please treat them to dessert. We can't cause a commotion in the cafeteria anymore. What do you think?"

My suggestion was completely absurd. It had no benefit for me. And Katsuragi-sama, who had only eaten one rice ball, would end up treating over a dozen people to dessert. It was like the opposite of the story of the miserly old man. Would Katsuragi-sama agree to this crazy deal?

"OK! If Rei-chan says so. Alright, everyone, follow me. I'll treat you."

"Kazuki, what are you saying? Sogiku-sama is also acting strange. Everyone is being deceived by this woman!"

"Alright, alright, Yuria, you're coming too!"

Katsuragi-sama winked at me and led Sakurada Yuria-sama and the external students to the salon's café. The cafeteria finally returned to its usual quiet.

"Rei-chan, will you really make rice balls for me?"

"Sure, if you want such ordinary rice balls. They'll be very, very ordinary, Sogiku-sama."

"It's not Sogiku-sama, it's Sou-kun!"

I only said that to defuse the situation; I can't call him that normally.

"S-Sou-kun. I think we should stop. It's too much of an honor."

"No, it's not an honor at all."

Sogiku-sama has a very neutral face, but he exudes a lot of pressure.

"Y-Yes, Sou-kun."

Sogiku-sama's mood improved. On the other hand, Sara-sama couldn't contain her anger over the actions of Sakurada Yuria-sama and the others.

"Sakurada Yuria and Katsuragi Kazuki must be punished."

"Sara-chan, you shouldn't say such violent things. It's because of Sakurada Yuria-sama and Katsuragi-sama that we met and became friends. Without Sakurada Yuria-sama's delusions, we might not have become close."

"As the saying goes, 'turning misfortune into good fortune,' but I just can't forgive them."

Sara-sama's anger didn't subside, and lunch break ended.

The fifth period is English. It's taught by the elderly Ms. Koda. The entire class is in English. However, I often spoke English with Mari-sama and Fuki-san, so it wasn't a problem.

Or so I thought, but in junior high school, a foreign ALT teacher laughed at my English, saying it was pretentious. HAHAHA! He laughed loudly, so it must have been really funny.

This is how Mari-sama speaks English. It couldn't help but be pretentious. It was a blind spot, but being busy with Mari-sama's care, I ended up only speaking pretentious English. I, who am so poor and have hardly ever left Hanazuka Town, speaking pretentious English. It's embarrassing.

The text we were given was the first section of T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land," "The Burial of the Dead."

It's a dark poem that starts with "April is the cruellest month." I don't think this poem is appropriate just because it's April. A brighter poem would be better. Wordsworth's daffodils, for example, would be lovely.

Speaking of daffodils, they remind me of garlic chives. It annoys me when daffodils grow next to garlic chives. Don't be fooled by those cute flowers! But garlic chives are not only cute but also edible. They are a wonderful and excellent flower.

Of course, I can tell the difference between daffodils and garlic chives. But when they grow close together, it annoys me that I can't eat them. Do you think beauty is enough? Yes, daffodils are beautiful and poisonous, which is why they are allowed to exist as ornamental plants. What a little devil they are!

While I was thinking about garlic chives, I was called on by the teacher. Ms. Koda is elderly but stands straight and is very energetic.

She instructed me to read the beginning of the poem. I read it in the English I learned from Mari-sama. Even if it's pretentious or I'm being cheeky for being so poor, it's the only English I can speak.

"Excellent Queen's English! It's very refined and wonderful. Everyone, take a lesson from her."

I was so focused on being annoyed by the daffodils that I didn't notice Ms. Koda's pronunciation was the same as Mari-sama's.

I see, she must recognize her own kind.

Next, the heroine Yuki Miharu was called on and read fluently.

"Well, that was good."

Ms. Koda was indifferent. I think she could have praised her more. Is it because her pronunciation is different from her own? She then had the external students read the poem, and her evaluations were harsh. I was the only one praised. It made me feel very uncomfortable.

When the class ended, the external students were whispering about me from a distance. It was probably about the teacher's evaluation. I was praised just because my pronunciation was the same as the teacher's. It's understandable that they felt it was unfair.

I pretended not to notice their gazes and started preparing to leave. Sara-sama and Sogiku-sama offered to walk home with me again.

It's so reassuring not to be alone.

Sara-sama and Sogiku-sama walked with me as if protecting me. I really don't want to see Sakurada Yuria-sama on the way home. I don't mind the villain, but I want to limit it to once a day.

When we reached the school gate, I said goodbye to the two of them.

But, once again, I was taken in a car. They said the train is dangerous and that they would take me home as they did yesterday.

"I'm fine now. I have a perfect plan to deal with perverts!"

"When did you get a safety device? Show me."

I took a safety pin from my pocket.

"This is it. I'll use it to stab the pervert."

The two of them froze.

"That's dangerous."

"Yeah, that's not a good idea."

True, using a safety pin to stab someone carries risks.

"There is a risk of contracting diseases through blood, but if you consider the area to stab, it should be fine."

After stabbing someone with a safety pin, there's a risk of stabbing yourself. However, I think you can minimize this risk by choosing the right area to stab, like the thigh. If you don't pull out the pin, it won't bleed much, and if it does, the blood will be absorbed by the fabric of your pants.

When I explained this, the two of them sighed.

"Rei-chan, perverts aren't just on trains. Yesterday, I went to Hanazuka Town for the first time, and walking in such an isolated area is dangerous. You could easily be kidnapped."

Indeed, I'm currently being taken in a car.

"I've been walking alone before. It's nothing new."

"That's just luck. If you were kidnapped, it would be terrifying."

"True, just because you've been safe so far doesn't mean you will be in the future. There's no guarantee."

While there's no guarantee, I think it's inevitable.

"Your grandfather wants to take care of your transportation. He probably wants to repay his debt to your grandfather. Please grant the wish of an elderly person with a short life left."

"Yeah, if we know about your existence and don't do anything to repay you, we won't be able to rest in peace."

The two of their grandfathers seemed very strong and healthy, but do they have some illness?

"I would like to accept your kindness, but I feel hesitant. If my performance really has value, then..."

It's just an amateur performance. Using it as payment for transportation is presumptuous. I regret saying something so embarrassing.

"That's a good idea! Let's do that! There's a party at the mansion next time. Please perform there."

Sara-sama clapped her hands, looking like she had a great idea.

"Then, let's do that. I'll have Takaguchi take you home today."

"I'd like to go with you too, but I have something to do today. It's a shame."

No way! I can't let you two spend more of your precious time on me.

From that day on, I started commuting to school by car.

Today, Takaguchi will take me, but from tomorrow, someone else will. Thanks to my late grandfather, I'm commuting to school like a rich girl, even though I'm so poor.

Thank you, grandfather in heaven. Why did such a beloved grandfather marry that Mari-sama? It's very mysterious. Was it a political marriage?

So, I was taken home by Takaguchi.

Takaguchi opened the car door for me, the poor person. Feeling guilty, but knowing it's his job, I thanked him and got out of the car.

Then, two men in suits approached from the landlord's house. When I braced myself, they spoke to me.

"Are you Kujo-san? I'm Hayashida from Sakurada Online. I was sent by President Sakurada. Let's talk inside your house, shall we?"

"My house is more like a shack, Hayashida-san."

The men, who laughed unpleasantly and acted arrogantly, were from Sakurada-sama's company.