>>2447657
There's only one way to save Zipang - assassinate Aiteng. Get to it, anons.

File: 67807252_p9.png (424 KB, 653x1000)

424 KB PNG

>>2447657
Taking her leave, Yanagi left us temporarily to issue our order. At the same time, I had to come up with something more convincing to not blow up our cover.
“Hauser-san, I believe we need to convince the gentleman that we are a couple,” I whispered in Margaret’s ear. “Could you take the initiative?”
…
…
Part of me instantly regretted letting that slip through my lips.
Responding with an angelic smile, Margaret locked me in a swift embrace, her soft, pillowy body pressing tightly against mine.
“Kurokawa-kun, this may be a bit unpleasant, but please bear with me.” I heard her whisper in my ear. Knowing Margaret’s standards for what was pleasant, I’m actually very worried as to what might constitute as ‘unpleasant’ for her.

I felt her fingers on my chest, slowly traveling upward to my throat, and finally to my chin, lifting my head. Gently, she tipped my face to the side, making space for her to snuggle her face in. Shutting my eyes tight, I prepared for my uncertain fate, as the Valkyria’s deep, controlled breaths reverberated through my ears. With her body pressed tightly against mine, I can feel her heart beating faster and faster, mirroring my own.

Next thing I knew, I felt Margaret’s lips pressing gently on my neck, sending a ripple of goosebumps down the rest of my body.
The dim scent of perfume dulled my senses, and as this short encounter felt more and more like an eternity, as my consciousness began getting intoxicated by the atmosphere. What followed was a tingling sensation, as if something softly nibbling on my neck, and… suction?

Whilst the sensation was not exactly uncomfortable per say, I couldn’t but feel worried about where this is going. Particularly when the action, slowly but surely, began to intensify-
“Miss Hau--”
I was silenced as Margaret placed her index finger on my lips.
“Call me Eirene,” she whispered softly, finally letting go of my neck to speak to me.
“Eirene-san, I think we’ve gone a little bit… overboard.”

In the attempt to appear as a normal couple, the two of us had unintentionally become the center of attention of the cafe.
Itaru at the bar was nodding with a wide, approving grin on his face, while Ayafumi froze amidst serving, his face turned away from us in embarrassment.
Our targets were staring right at us as well, the princess covering her mouth in disbelief with her face glowing red, while the younger Sima wearing a face that conveyed nothing but absolute shock.
And then there was Yanagi, exiting the kitchen and slowly making her way towards us...

File: 6048d3bcafd015afa7083acad(...).jpg (167 KB, 900x650)

167 KB JPG

>>2447662
“Here’s your drink.”
Yanagi promptly slammed our order onto the table with a force that seemed to make the table vibrate. She wore the same sunny, amicable smile as any waitress should, but her actions spoke the polar opposite of that expression.
Before I had the time to speak, Yanagi went back to the counter, returning shortly after with a small plate in her hand.

“And here’s the complimentary snacks with your order.”
True to the image laid out on the menu, our order came with a small plate of heart-shaped crackers and sliced strawberries. However, on the plate we received were some shattered cracker pieces, tainted red by the juice of crushed strawberries.
“Um, Ya-”
“Please enjoy, lovebirds.”
Ignoring my calls altogether, Yanagi turned and left, retreating back into the depths of the cafe, leaving the two of us looking at the ‘snacks’ we were just served with.

“Kurokawa-kun, I think she’s mad…”
Margaret whispered in my ear, and she couldn’t be more right.

>Give Yanagi some time to cool off
>Excuse yourself to go sort things out with Yanagi
>Write In

>>2447675
>Excuse yourself to go sort things out with Yanagi under the guise of complaining about shattered crackers

>>2447675
Backing this >>2447689 make it a more believable food item tho

>>2447675
>>Excuse yourself to go sort things out with Yanagi

>>2447675
>Excuse yourself to go sort things out with Yanagi

File: 6eda639a25d0af51d3be1f5f3(...).jpg (625 KB, 1250x1250)

625 KB JPG

>>2447689
>>2447691
>>2447718
>>2447794
Roll me a 1d10 for a communication check.
Taking the best of three unless it's a critfail

Rolled 10 (1d10)

>>2447829

>>2447835
man, speak of the devil

>>2447849
And he will appear, So tell me high was good right?

>>2447859
of course

>>2447829
I won't even roll, cause I'm sure to roll a 1.

File: 52775642_p1.png (397 KB, 574x873)

397 KB PNG

>>2447835
There was no way I can bear watching my childhood friend like this.
“Excuse me, Eirene.” I stood up, freeing myself from Margaret’s grasp.
“What is it?”
“I need to have a word with the staff about this.” I answer, taking up the plate of crushed snacks. Of course, that was but a diversion, and Margaret understood my implications as well.

As I walked to the counter, I placed the plate at the sink, before setting off right towards the storage room Yanagi vanished into. As I entered the room, I noticed her standing alone among the junk, her back turned away from the entrance. Within this dim, quiet space, the two of us were completely alone, secluded from the outside world.

“Yanagi-”
“Shut up!” Yanagi cut me off with an angry retort, but then quickly turned away, lowering her head.
“...just leave me alone.”
Following that short burst of anger, her tone deflated into wistful melancholy.

Normally this would warrant me to give a full explanation to what happened, how I asked Margaret to take the initiative and that whole incident was the course of action she decided to go with, but… I doubt she’s in the mood to hear any of it. In her current state, anything that came out of my mouth would be perceived as either an excuse or a lie.

Regardless of the outcome, I would be making the second horrible decision for today.
Taking a deep breath, I grabbed her arm to bring her closer, then rolled my arms around her shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered in her ear as I held her tightly in my arms.
I steeled myself and prepared for her to scream at me and push me away…
“....”

Yet that did not come.

File: 59874174_p0.jpg (1.08 MB, 2000x1227)

1.08 MB JPG

>>2450021

In the small, secluded room, the two of us stood in a sea of silence, so close together that the only sound I can hear was her breath.
As she leaned closer into me, I noticed my shoulder, where she rested her head, slowly dampening. It finally dawned on me that she has been sobbing all this while.
Little by little, Yanagi’s breathing rhythm began slowing down, and as her tension died down, my childhood friend finally embraced me back.

“Feeling better?”
It felt like the most appropriate time to ask, with Yanagi apparently having calmed down. Yanagi did not reply, instead-
“!!!”
Like a predator ambushing an unsuspecting prey, Yanagi forcefully chomped down on the left side of my neck, sending a sharp pinching pain searing right through my nerves.
“Yanagi!”
It took a while before she decided to let go, leaving me completely disoriented by this action which came out of the blue.

“What was that for?” As soon as I was freed from Yanagi’s maw, I reflectively held onto the bitten portion of my neck. While the bite was not deep enough to pierce the skin and cause bleeding, it was more than enough to leave a mark.
As I rubbed the injury in an effort to ease the pain, I quickly realized that the spot Yanagi bit, curiously enough, was on the exact opposite side of where Margaret had kissed earlier.
“Serves you right!” she scoffs, shoving me aside and sticking out her tongue.
“Was that necessary!?” I complained.
Yanagi, seemingly ignoring my complaint, went and rummaged through the storage. As she eventually found what she wanted, she gestured me to approach her again.

“Stay still.”
Standing up, she ripped opened some bandages and started wrapping my neck with it, covering up the marks on my
“There, the marks should heal by itself within a week,” she says, giving a tap on the bruised side she inflicted. “Now go enjoy the rest of your day.”

>You still haven’t given me a reason why you did that.
>What do you mean by ‘marks’?
>Do you… take issue with Denisov’s behavior?
>Go back to Margaret.
>Write in.

>>2450023
>You still haven’t given me a reason why you did that.
>Also, please warn everyone: that girl is the Tengar princess, and that guy is a Yu prince, and we're going to kidnap the fuck out of them.

>>2450023
This >>2450048

>>2450023
>I wasn't aware you were claiming me as your mate already, I'll expect to see you later.

>Go back to Margaret.

>>2450023
>Do you… take issue with Denisov’s behavior?

File: 34429948_p0.jpg (1.63 MB, 1240x1703)

1.63 MB JPG

>>2450048
>>2450109
“You still haven’t given me a reason why you did that.”
Yanagi did not reply, as she looked away to avoid eye contact.
By dodging the question, Yanagi only raised a dense, awkward atmosphere between us.
…
…
“You… liked it, didn’t you?” She finally muttered, wearing a faint blush on her cheek.
“What?”
“You know, the whole... ordeal.”
She stopped here abruptly as if she just ran onto a steep cliff and was now looking down and gauging just how deep it goes. Gulping down here hesitation, Yanagi continues without actually completing this line.

“I felt maybe if I did something, you… Aargh!” Propping her head up, Yanagi gave two quick pats on her cheek, as if to sort herself out. “Enough about this, we have more important issues at hand! We’ve got the princess of the Khaghan and the nephew of the Beiyang Admiral at the cafe! Focus on dealing with them first!”
In swift steps, Yanagi exits the storage room, with me quickly following suit.
In the end, I still didn’t quite get her motivations. If anything, it only left me more confused than before, just what got into her?

Despite our newfound resolution, the couple was nowhere to be found by the time we went back into the open.
“Where’s the two of them?” I asked no one in particular.
“They left shortly after you went after Morishma-chan.” Itaru states with a sigh. “Seeing how the Admiral’s nephew dragged his bride out, they probably wouldn’t be paying us a visit anytime soon.”

“I---I’m sorry!” Walking towards us was no other than Margaret with her face held down. “You were right, Kurokawa-kun. I think I went overboard and scared them away…”
But ever the so diligent at noticing detail, the Valkyria also noticed the new bandage which wrapped around my neck. Instead of questioning it, however, she would let out a smirk.
“Umm… Denisov-san?”
“Ah no, I just remembered, my brother ended up with the same bandage on the neck after sister Vione did that to him back then. It brought back some memories…”
I placed a hand on the side of the neck where Margaret performed that awkward kiss. Did the something similar happen between her two family members? Did this Vione person actually bit her brother on the neck like some hungry predator the way Yanagi did to me?

File: 65480654_p2.png (1.11 MB, 900x1124)

1.11 MB PNG

>>2452410
“I guess we should continue tracking those two down,” I say with a slight slouch.
“That wouldn’t be needed.” Itaru shoots my idea down in an instant. “With such bold display of love back there I’m pretty sure they already have your looks permanently imprinted in their minds.”
With that, the senior gave me an approving thumbs up.
“But, I have to admit, Kurokawa, you’re pretty go...”
“Ahem.” The small huff Yanagi did appear to have made Itaru swallow his last words. At the same time, I felt my childhood friend tugging on my shoulder.

“If that’s the case, Subaru, Denisov-san, would the two of you like have your dinner here?” She suggests, eyes locked on me instead of Margaret. “We can discuss what to do about the princess and her fiance in detail with all of us are around.”

>Agree and spend the rest of the day in the cafe
>Take Margaret somewhere else

>>2452414
>Take Margaret somewhere else

>>2452414
>Take Margaret somewhere else

>>2452414
>Take Margaret somewhere else

>>2452414
>Agree and spend the rest of the day in the cafe

>>2452414
>Take Margaret somewhere else

File: 49173070_p0.png (566 KB, 818x798)

566 KB PNG

>>2452420
>>2452426
>>2452438
>>2455350

…
…
“I think the two of us have caused enough trouble for today,” I say, taking Margaret’s hand and freeing myself from Yanagi’s grasp. “We can decide this once we are all back to normal schedule.”
“Subaru…”
“I want to finish my day off first.”
Taking a bow, Margaret and I exited from the cafe and back into the darkening winter streets of Kure. Only slightly past 17:00, the skies have already started to darken, and the sailors of Beiyang that populated the streets either dispersed or went to restaurants for dinner.

“Subaru-kun, where are we going?” Margaret asked, a single speck of snow falling gently on her hat.
To be honest, I don’t really want to share tables with former enemies, and in a sense, still enemies. And we can’t just walk back into the cafe when we had just left it… In this case, there was only one more place we could go.
“Somewhere more appropriate.” Giving her a rather vague answer, I led Margaret down the road, heading straight towards the one place I never had the chance to pay a visit since I arrived in this town.

As we continued down the road, the late winter snow began its full descent upon Kure, covering the streets in a sheet of pure white, a color that contrasted perfectly with Margaret’s full black dress. Yet it was this swiftly-changing backdrop which made her beauty stand out even more. When we reached our destination, the sun has completely retired from the skies above.

“This is…”
“It’s one thing to see it from afar, but another to see it close up.”
In front of us lied the gates of the Kurokawa estate, a mansion and a relic from Zipang’s shogunate years. Given to my ancestors by the Shogun at the time, this place was refurbished again and again until it reached its current iteration.
I guess the people of my ethnicity owning property like this must be utterly unheard of in the Empire, judging by Margaret’s near-tangible awe and curiosity. Then again, the barbaric Darcsens that inhabited Europa, they who refused to cast away their backwards culture, would never find success no matter where they go. It was why my ancestors stayed in Zipang while others returned back to the Empire, it was why they threw away their name and adopted the names of the Zipangnese people.

File: b2352255ea3fb1bc53f7a1010(...).jpg (2.92 MB, 2423x984)

2.92 MB JPG

>>2456530
Looking around, there weren’t any guards, nor does it appear that my old home was raided, or even touched by the people of Beiyang in any way shape or form…
Well, that’s how it appeared from the outside at least.
“Let’s see, if I remember correctly, it should be around here…”
I scraped the walls that surrounded the gate, looking for that one little hole in the concrete where I concealed the spare keys of the house… Found it.

“Welcome to the Kurokawa estate, Eirene-san.” I entertained the starry-eyed Margaret, mesmerized by an architecture completely alien to her. The gates, long neglected since the outbreak of the war, made an ear-wrenching screech as it laid open the first time in three straight years.

I took a deep breath, placing the first step in a home I haven’t returned to since forever, and probably would never after Operation Ten-Go.

>Give Margaret a tour of the house
>Check the interior, see if everything is still intact
>Prepare dinner, allow Margaret to run free
>Write in

>>2456539
>Check the interior, see if everything is still intact

>>2456539
>Prepare dinner, allow Margaret to run free

>>2456539
>Prepare dinner, allow Margaret to run free

>>2456539
>Prepare dinner, allow Margaret to run free

>>2456539
>Prepare dinner, allow Margaret to run free

File: funa-0.jpg (122 KB, 580x435)

122 KB JPG

>>2458622
>>2458875
>>2457438
>>2458587
“Make yourself at home,” I tell Margaret, essentially allowing her to run free in the estate. “I’ll… get something prepared.”
“Can I help?” came her reply. While I did appreciate what she wanted to do, I felt doing this with her and would have degraded my purpose as a host.
“It’s fine.” I turned down her offer and showed her way to the living room. “I’ll be back shortly when it’s done.”

Leaving Margaret off to explore the rest of the estate, I made my way towards the back of the mansion, the kitchen, to be specific.
My memory was a bit foggy after such long absence from this place, but if I remember correctly there should be something Tewi and I left here right before the war broke out…
…
…
Found it.

From beneath the sink, I laboriously tugged out a dated celadon jar, wrapped tightly with ropes and covered in a thin layer of dust. Removing the layer precariously, I opened myself into a strong odor of salted, fermented carp. The rice used to facilitate fermentation for these things have long since turned into pulp, and with them was the terrible odor anyone would find questionable for tasting. However, the smell itself was an indication that these are ripe for serving.

The bones, long since softened, allowed the fish to be sliced open easily, like a scissor to a piece of cloth. Within the carp shined the bright orange color of eggs, sticking onto the meat as I continued working my way through the thing. With some toppings of garnish and other various tsukemono, the deal was finished. Considering how long of a while I haven’t done this, it went off quite smoothly.

“It’s done!” I opened the doors of the living room, finding Margaret rummaging through some books she took from the shelves. Whatever interest she had in those history books instantly shifted onto the dish as the odor caught her olfactory senses. Judging by the way she visibly cringed at the smell, this was probably the first time she has been exposed to these things.

Well, I also have kusaya, but that would be too much for any first timers around.

“This is umeboshi with rice.” I presented the bowl of rice topped with a salted plum and then went on with the rest. Braised fish, corned meat, miso soup, and most importantly, the Funazushi from earlier. Despite the fact that these were all foods that were stored up for quite some time, watching myself filling up the table with an actual dinner was… oddly satisfying, the same satisfaction as I watched Margaret sending one piece of the fermented sushi into her mouth.

File: 66679013_p3.png (470 KB, 901x901)

470 KB PNG

>>2460570
“It’s a bit sour.” she comments, until the taste finally catches up to her “No… it’s very sour!”
Covering her mouth in surprise, I responded by serving up a cup of sake.
“Here, it’ll soothe things out little by little.”

There was an odd sense of harmony between the way Margaret reacted to the various dishes alien to her, and myself observing it. I guess, maybe this was the sort of thing she really wanted out of our date. Not walking around stalking some high profile officer from Beiyang or get into embarrassing shenanigans in public, but rather tasting the culture of Zipang before it becomes lost in the annals of history. After all, this was someone who was isolated from the outside world for most of her life.

“Thank you for the meal, Subaru-kun.”
Much like her height, Margaret also had an appropriately huge appetite. In the end, she managed to go through what would constitute three meals for Tewi and myself. Then again, we never had much during lunch.
“It’s nothing, most of these are just canned and preserved food during times of war.” I stated the truth, feeling slightly guilty. “None of them are really appropriate for me to bring onto the table in the first place.”
“No, no, I really enjoyed it, Subaru-kun.” She hurriedly tried to remedy the situation, holding onto my hand. “Even if they are all preserved food, it’s still far better than any of those back where I came from…”
It’s quite peculiar for being complimented on what was essentially junk food, but a compliment is still a compliment, and to hear that from Margaret greatly warmed my heart.

With dinner finished, I gathered the plates and made way back to the kitchen, only to be greeted by a strong gust of wind and winter snow as I exited the living room.
It appears that the soft January snow that started just some hours ago has turned into an actual snowstorm. This wasn’t much of a problem for me, but Margaret would have a hard time getting back to her hotel at this rate.

>Sit out the snowstorm
>Offer Margaret to spend the night here
>Write in

>>2460575
>Offer Margaret to spend the night here

>>2460575
>Offer Margaret to spend the night here

>>2460575
>Offer Margaret to spend the night here

>>2460575
>Offer Margaret to spend the night here

File: valk.png (382 KB, 755x944)

382 KB PNG

“Ah, what wondrous weather we’ve got for tonight” I complained as specks of chilling snow strike my face.
“Doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon,” Margaret observes with caution.
I glanced back at her, then back at the blowing snowstorm at the gates, covering my visage with a blanket of white. Then I looked back at Margaret, who also trapped here with me.

Having her walk the night in this situation would be dangerous, even for someone like her. At least, it was the way I felt.
“Denisov-san,”
“Hmm?”
I took a deep breath as my anxiety built up. Asking her to stay here for the night, not to mention with only the two of us? That’s not something I could suggest with ease.
“Well, it’s a bit late, and the snow out there...”

Seeing her attention fully trained on me, eagerly waiting for me to finish the sentence only made me want to look away.
“What do you say to stay here for tonight? I can prepare the guest room for you.”
Contrary to what I thought, having finished the sentence actually eliminated some of my stress. Now I only need to brace for the inevitable answer.

“It’s alright, Kurokawa-kun, winds of this caliber are no match for me!” She exclaimed confidently.
While I would usually question the claim, this is a person who could survive the winter of the Perm Mountains. A snowstorm like this might really just be like a walk in the rain, but even so…

“I believe you’re not in the most suitable outfit for that,” I said, pointing out the ornate dress and high heels she wore today.
“More importantly, as the host of this house, I cannot allow my guest to walk home alone under such dangerous circumstances.”
This wasn’t just something that concerned Margaret’s safety, but also something that concerned my family creed. I, as the successor of Kagetora Kurokawa, as the inheritor of the Kurokawa family, has the duty to uphold its name, let alone the most basic of etiquette.
What would the others say if words spread that I let a lady walk home alone in a heavy blizzard?

“You are right, this dress isn’t really suited for traversing in such weather.”
A moment of silence later, Margaret actually gave in to my insistence, much to my surprise. I probably would have backed down if she decided to press the issue otherwise.
“Then, I shall be under your care, Kurokawa-kun.”
Standing to her full height, she answered with a graceful curtsy, of which I returned with a polite bow.

File: valk2.png (447 KB, 809x1200)

447 KB PNG

There were pros and cons when it came to returning to an old, half-abandoned family home.
It being unscathed from the war sure brought back memories, as well as a sense of belonging.
At the same time, many things in the house ended up dysfunctional, worn down by years of use and general lack of maintenance.

Of such dysfunctional appliances unfortunately also included our heating system. While the absence of a hot bath was unfortunate, the walls and windows were intact enough for the two of us to not freeze in the house.
At the very least, the futons should be enough to provide us with enough warmth to get through tonight. However, that inexplicably led to another problem…

“Denisov-san, are you planning to sleep in that?”
I asked, setting the spare futon in the guest room as Margaret waited, standing in the corner.
Strangely enough, Margaret did not answer my question.
“Denisov-san?”
“Kurokawa-kun… Can you help me with this?”
Kneeling down, her hand pointed to a zipper at the back of her dress, sat on a perfect plane with her shoulders.
Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, I slowly approached her, then began unzipping her pitch black sundress. The smooth fabric peeled off her skin like that of a shedding snake, revealing the creamy, snow white skin of her bare back.

Beneath her pitch black outdoor wear was nothing but a simple, frilled halter top which held tightly onto her form, accompanied with a pair of red-laced knickers designed deliberately to appear semi-transparent. Staring at Margaret slowly rising to her full height, I could feel my heart beating audibly again.
“Thank you.” she gently spoke, adding more fuel to the fire.
“Denisov-san, you’ll catch a cold like this,” I say, turning to face the futon I prepared for her. “It’s better if…”
“It’s alright!” she spun around as if to show off her figure, “I’m quite used to sleeping like this.”
Sleeping nearly naked? This must be one of those habits people from the west have. If that was her solution, it would be best for me to move out of the scene for now.
“Um, in that case, I’ll be in my room if you need anything.”
And at this moment, I felt a slight tuck over my shoulder.
“You’re not sleeping here?”
I clocked my head around and was received by a rather concerned Margaret.

“Denisov-san, I… I’m afraid that won’t be appropriate. I have my own room, after all.”
“But you will be alone in the cold, won’t you?” She runs a hand through my hair. “You can’t sleep like that!”
“The futons produced in this country are of the highest quality, Denisov-san. It could withstand much harsher temperatures than this.”
Despite my explanation, she didn’t seem to be listening at all.
“In any case, I will see you tomor-…”

File: valk3.png (1.02 MB, 1200x901)

1.02 MB PNG

Before I could even finish, the Valkyria decided to take action first, taking me in with one forceful yank. The next moment, I was stuffed and wrapped under the warmth of the futon, my body snuggled tightly against Margaret’s as she locked me into an all too familiar bear hug.

“It’s better if we sleep close to staying warm.” She concluded with a gentle smile “Besides, the futon has ample space for two!”
Met with Margaret’s sultry, welcoming voice and her smile as splendid as the summer sun, I instantly felt my determination to uphold family honor faltering… No, Subaru Kurokawa! Keep it together!

“D-Denisov-san-”
She placed her index finger over my lips.
“Margaret is fine,” Her soft whisper echoed in my ear. “Just like how you called me Eirene.”
And this was where I gave up any pretense of putting up any resistance.

“... Good night, Margaret-san.”
“Good night, Subaru-kun.”
Within the absolute silence that permeated the room afterward, I could only hear Margaret’s rhythmic breaths at my side, along with her body heat that quickly warmed the blankets. With the war roaring through the past few years, I have almost forgotten what it felt like to rest in safety, with someone by my side.

Enjoying the moment, I slowly slipped into slumber in Margaret’s warm embrace...

File: sat.png (280 KB, 792x792)

280 KB PNG

“And that’s it?” Satoru remarked, looking oddly perplexed.
“Yeah? I don’t see what’s more to add.” I replied, checking on the marks on my neck. On the left were the full set of Yanagi’s dental imprints and to the right a darkened bruise from Margaret’s kiss.

"Let me get this straight, you invited her to your home, made her dinner, even shared the same bed, and did nothing else?"
“Well, I woke up today pretty much crushed by her, if that’s what you want to know,” I added, wrapping up the bruises on my arms and legs. “Margaret-san, for all her merits, wasn’t exactly gentle with her embrace while asleep.”
“I’m just surprised by how utterly platonic your date was, following what I’ve heard from Shirataki.” Satoru commented, gesturing at his own neck.
Ah, so that's why he was this interested about the topic.
“Well… Margaret didn’t seem to be particularly acquainted with social norms, particularly when it comes to intimacy.” I pointed to the bruises on my neck.
Thinking about it, what Satoru said made sense. At first glance, one could easily think Margaret was making aggressive moves, but the intimate behavior she displayed always ended right there and then, no confessions or any farther steps are taken.
If anything, it was more like a child mimicking an adult’s actions, without understanding what or why.

“In any case, I’ll leave you with the advice.” Satoru gets up, ready to enjoy his day off. “You see, when a predator catches the mark of the same species within its territory, it would proceed to place a mark over it, signaling the intruder that this is its territory. You might want to sort that little misunderstanding with those two out before things escalate out of hand.”
“I don’t know whether or not to be offended for you to compare me to a territory, or that you’re describing the girls as animals.” I send my friend off as I prepared for today’s shift.

But again, he was right, it would be better for me to resolve the matter between the ladies, as compared to sitting them out.

File: sub.jpg (19 KB, 280x328)

19 KB JPG

February 15th, 1943 EC
With the Yamato nearing completion, the Beiyang Fleet has scheduled a review to commemorate her maiden voyage. The completed Yamato was to be assigned to Beiyang as the fleet’s new flagship, renamed Huashan.

From Osamura’s accounts, Yamato would be ‘completed’ by the end of the month, with the naval review following a day later. Operation Ten-Go would then logically be carried out the day prior. With that in mind, everyone has begun to make their own preparations for the heist to come. Satoru and Itaru left to infiltrate the naval base with some help from Akane on the sidelines, while those of us left were to use this time to finish off anything we had in mind before leaving the homeland. For me, there was one last thing to do…

The sea lanes, having closed for the past few months, finally reopened following the Khagan’s amnesty edicts. My sister, now finally allowed to return, came back just in time for father’s funeral. Leaving the now closed, empty cafe, I…

>Fetch Tewi at the port
>Grab something for the offering
>Go directly to the cemetery

>>2473161
>Grab something for the offering

>>2473161
>Fetch Tewi at the port

>>2473161
>Fetch Tewi at the port

>>2473161
>Go directly to the cemetery

>>2473161
>Grab something for the offering

>>2473161
>Grab something for the offering

File: 30742772.png (636 KB, 827x1169)

636 KB PNG

I should be fetching some offerings to place on the altar during the ceremony.
With that in mind, I trekked back to the old family estate once again. A quick run through the kitchen I acquired a few of the essentials: a bottle of sake and a box of salt, and all that was left to fetch was something to serve as a symbolic offering.
In order to find suitable objects for the purpose, I decided to pay my father’s old study a visit.

Opening the heavy wooden door, I finally entered this room for the first time in years. What greeted me was a familiar sight - rows and rows of folders and books tidily organized on the shelves, the large writing desk stacked with paperwork, and the family heirloom: an ornate, oversized full Ooyoroi armor that has been sitting quietly in the same corner for as long as I could remember. Albeit everything was covered by a thick layer of dust by now, nothing appeared to have changed since my last visit about ten years ago.

I quickly began rummaging through the room for anything noteworthy enough to serve as a symbolic offering.
Most things that were compiled on the shelves and table had been some variant of documentation, quite typical of the workaholic father who seldom comes home I remember. In the end, aside from father’s private stamp engraved with the family crest, the only other item of interest was...
an old photo of him and mother, taken shortly before I was born.
Come to think of it, while father has always been serious about his work, the workaholic attitude only surfaced after mother passed away.

In hindsight, his change wasn’t hard to comprehend. While Tewi and I lost our mother, he lost the love of his life, and working was his coping mechanism.
But that was not as easy to understand for his two young children at home waiting for their father who never returned. Even though Tewi and I were old enough to look out for each other at that point, it felt like we had lost both parents at the same time.

Kagetora Kurokawa, a national hero of two wars, a figure looked up to with utmost respect by his comrades, but at the same time, an absentee father who was never there for his family when they needed him most…
Is that truly a legacy I wanted to carry?

*Ding! Ding! Ding!*

It was the deep, brass toll of the old grandfather clock that reminded me of my purpose coming back here. I packed the crested stamp and the old photograph alongside the sake and salt, then quickly made my way out of the family estate.
As I stepped out of the front gate, I took one last look back at the structure, knowing that it may very well be my last opportunity to do so.
Goodbye, ‘home’. I will never forget what you once meant to me.

Done bidding my final farewell, I began making my way to town

File: 30714940.jpg (142 KB, 1024x1024)

142 KB JPG

Taking a walk in the marketplace, I did manage to find some items that can be used as apt sustenance for the funeral.
Candles and other assorted decorations are plenty, while most florals were mostly foreign. The Mayflower carved on the Kurokawa family insignia would’ve been the most ideal, but that wasn’t an option given the season. Then again, this was my father’s funeral; I can’t just let him pass on with a modest burial.

I skimmed past the available options at a floral shop, eventually encountering not what I wanted, but rather a silhouette of someone I knew.
In this case, someone who was completely out of place in this modern canvas.

Ayafumi Haruta, in a flower shop of all places?
And he’s even dressed up in his full garb with the mask and all. Is this his interest? No, I would have heard it from Itaru a long time ago, yet the man looked so invested.
So invested, he hasn’t noticed me around yet.

>Approach him, maybe he can give some useful advice
>Leave him be, there’s a funeral to attend and a sister to fetch.

>>2484552
>Approach him, maybe he can give some useful advice

>>2484552
>Approach him, maybe he can give some useful advice

>>2484552
>Approach him, maybe he can give some useful advice