Chapter 1341. School Festival A Part 2 / Explosive Girl

Whats up, Yo-chan?

The English prep room is a room where you can check the cameras all over the school, so

Nei was watching us come to her.

She made sure that no other students are nearby and unlocked the door.

Going inside, Neis sitting in front of lots of monitors.

No, Katsuko-nee gave me an hour of free time so

So dont come here! You couldve gone around with Megu-chan and Edie during that time

Nei said with a gentle smile.

I also want to see Ya-chan. Here, ice cream.

Hmm, thanks, Yo-chan. You can sit here, Megu-chan

Okay

I pull out a pipe chair leaning against the wall and we all sat down to eat ice cream.

A lot of people are here today and they seem to be having fun

Nei looked at the parents and guardians who came to the festival today and said.

Ya-chan, you dont like crowds?

Well yeah. I dont like it when theres a crowd

Neis usual bright personality is something she made.

Nei was on the verge of a mental breakdown after her twin brother got murdered, and so she used Kyouko-san as her model to create a personality that was bright, energetic, and bold.

The real Najima Yasuko is a docile, quiet, and introverted girl.

But, were here. Lets go tour around the school, Ya-chan. Dont just watch from the cameras, look at them in person

I suggested.

Thanks, Yo-chan

Nei smiled.

But, maybe not now

Then, the extension phone rings.

Hello?

Nei picks up the phone.

Yes, Ill give it a check too. Yes, got it. Im with Yo-chan. Im going out. Uhh, yes, okay Roger that

Nei ends the call

Minaho-neesan?

Yep! As expected of Yo-chan

No, Minaho-neesans the only one Nei talks half-respectfully.

I mean, only Minaho-neesan knows that were here since shes watching the cameras through the surveillance system underground.

Whats up, Ya-chan? Kudou-san is also here

Kudou-papas a man from the other side, and he showed up on purpose.

Hes sending a message for us to be careful.

I thought that Nei was in the surveillance room because she had no place to stay, but it seems that Minaho-neesan tasked her to do something.

Somethings happening in school right now.

I cant tell you right now. Were still in a situation where we have to be vigilant

Nei said.

To be honest, we dont know how many of them are mixed in with the parents

Were having a school festival, and theres no stopping the outsiders from coming and going

Our school is a regular co-ed high school.

Were not like Misuzus school where you cant enter unless you have an invitation ticket, and theres a strict inspection at the entrance.

So, Minaho-oneechan wants me and Yo-chan to go fishing

Fishing?

To be precise, were going to be the bait, for fishing, I guess? Were going to drag some enemies and pick them up

She meant that were going to be the bait.

If the enemys infiltrated the school, then Kudou-papas probably deployed his group too.

We can stir up the place and reveal which are the enemies.

Well, give me a moment

Edie said with a smile.

We can go out after we finish our ice cream

Thats right. Its a special made ice cream from the cooking club.

Right. Lets finish eating first before moving, Nei-oneesan

Megu told Nei.

After were done eating ice cream, we head out of the English prep room.

Where should we go around first?

I open the special event map of the school festival.

Nei-oneesan, the anime research exhibit seems close

Megu recalled that Neis an otaku so she made that suggestion.

Oh, skip that. Their anime scope is so small

Nei said.

Theyre only into the current anime and popular voice actors. They call themselves anime research circle, so they should at least know Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei!

Whats that title?

Megu asks.

Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei, is a sister film to Momotaro no Umiwashi, the first full-length animation in Japan. Its a film made to raise awareness of the war efforts. Theres a great music scene where Momotaro goes to an island ruled by westerners with a Japanese naval paratroop unit and teaches Japanese to the local children

Edie, why do you even know about that?

You cant even talk Japanese half a year ago.

No, not that I mind.

Anyway, my preferences dont align with them

Nei said.

Then, how about the tokusatsu research group?

Megu found another otaku-oriented study group on the map.

Oh, theyre bad too. They dont even know the influence of Judo Isshin on the action side, or Daieis Yokai Taisen on the modeling side when talking about the history of Kamen Rider

Err.

The company that made the large-sized stuff monsters for that movie were the ones to make the Kamen Rider monsters. That experience is still alive in the creation of the Shocker monster

Im getting curious.

Ya-chan, have you ever talked about that with the people from the anime or tokusatsu research groups?

I dont know if shed been in contact with the research groups, but

Nope. The truth is, Ive only listened to them when theyre hanging out in their clubrooms through the surveillance systems!

Nei said.

Thats why I know that their otaku knowledge isnt that deep

Oh, I knew it.

Then, Nei-oneesan, why dont you go and share your knowledge with them?

Megu said.

Huh, why? Why would I go out of my way to do something thatll get hated?

Nei said with a wry smile.

Yo-chans the only one who listens to my otaku knowledge without getting bored

People who like anime have different interests though. If the topic is in the same genre, its natural that people will hate it if youre trying to push knowledge that theyre not interested in

Edie tells Megu.

As for me, Im interested as long as theres something to learn

Edies a genius so she just swallows any knowledge given to her.

Especially in visual culture. Theyre a reflection of the customs of the people who produced them. Instead of reading a bad guidebook, you can learn more about the lifestyle, way of thinking, and historical customs, by watching at least ten movies of the ethnic group

I see. Edies looking through Neis collection of movies, manga, and anime with such sense of purpose.

For example, Japanese anime has a lot of stories about going to the beach, hot springs, and such. This shows that Japanese people have a special sympathy to sea bathing and hot springs

Oh, now that you mention that. If they live on land without the ocean, they wont make stories about swimming in the sea. The abundance of hot springs is another feature of Japan

Well yeah.

I think only a few Japanese borns have never soaked in a hot spring ever since they were born.

What I dont get is why do Japanese anime always have watermelon splitting at the beach?

Huh, Edie?

As far as I can tell, watermelon splitting isnt an activity they do at the beach. Its not something every group do at beaches, like in the anime

Thats true.

I also havent done watermelon splitting in real life either.

Well you see Edie, thats what they call the beauty of style

Nei laughs.

Theres a lot more of that in the past, but theres less of it recently. In anime and tokusatsu until the 80s, they always play the Hagoita on New Years, and the loser of the game will get their face scribbled with ink. Despite having only so few houses doing that for real

Using inks when winning Hagoita? What?

Hagoitas a board with a picture someone painted with a cloth or something.

The one they decorate every year with pictures of the years events and stuff, right?

Its often in the news near the end of the year or something.

Whats the game with that thing?

The winner gets to have their portrait for the year? Hmm

Grendizer was aired in Europe under the title of Goldrack and it was popular, but, for their new years episode, they were playing Hagoita, so I wondered how the people from the other side thought of that. What do they think when Duke Freed, Koko-kun, and others wore kimonos

Sometimes, I dont get what Neis talking about.

Then.

What do you need from us?

Suddenly, Edie turned her back and asked.

Then.

A beautiful girl is standing there, wearing a uniform from another school and a backpack behind.

Shes a high schooler. Shes got long black hair tied up in braids.

Her eyes seem to be brooding over something.

Excuse me. Youre Kuromori Kou-sama, am I correct?

Shes called me with that name.

No, you got it wrong. Im Yoshida. Yoshida Yoshinobu

I forced a smile and said.

Im Yoshida Yoshinobu in this school.

Kuromori Kou is the name I give I use on the surface when my family is involved.

Also, in my family register, when I got adapted to the Kuromori house, Im named Kuromori Yoshinobu.

Then, since I also took over Neis brothers register, and also got adopted to the Kuromori house, I also have the name of Kuromori Keito.

U-Uhm, Im sorry to ask but could you follow me?

I denied that Im Kuromori Kou and yet the girl still speaks.

My Lord has parked his car outside the school. Please come and have a discussion with him

A car outside the school.

Who is this girls master?

Oh, sorry, but Im just taking a break. I cant afford to waste any more time

I told the girl.

Then.

We have a bomb in this backpack

The girl speaks to me with a straight face.

In case you dont show up, well detonate this explosive. Ill die with Kuromori-sama. No, itll cause a lot of destruction in the school building so there will be a lot of casualties

So they sent a suicide bomber here?

Nei asks.

Uhm, if you cant come with me, then I may be reluctant, but

The girl says while sweat floats on her forehead

I

Hmmm, is that your idea? Or is it your Masters idea?

I ask with a smile.

Do you have the switch? Or does your master have it remote controlled?

The braided girl;

Ah, my master has it. Master can detonate it. S-So, theres no way I would spare my life and prevent the explosion

She says with a confused face.

Oh, shes got a small camera attached to the belt of the backpack.

I guess their master is watching from afar.

Oh, theres also a headset attached to her ear.

Her master is listening to our conversation through the microphone.

Shes also giving instructions to the girl through the radio every step of the way.

I have a few things I dont like

I said.

First, youre not naming yourself

I said. the braided girl panics.

I-Im Kurose Anju

She names herself.

No, Im angry not at you, but at your master

I glare at Kurose.

No, uhm, I cant speak of my Masters name

I thought so.

Then, I wont meet with someone who cant name themselves

Huh?! No, but, K-Kuromori-sama?

I told you, you got it wrong. Im Yoshida

T-Thats not it, butIm carrying a bomb on me!!

Kurose-san tries to show off the backpack.

Theres no way theres a bomb there, you know? I hate nonsense jokes like that

I said.

Yeah, I get it. This wasnt Kurose-sans idea. Youre not someone whod come up with something like this, and youre not someone whod willingly go through it either

Shes not someone from the other side.

She came to me with a straightforward tone.

Her behavior doesnt show any cunning or evil.

So, this trivial threat is your masters idea. Furthermore, he forced you to it, getting you to trouble and enjoying watching us get afraid

Now that evil is a hundred points.

Thats unforgivable. Hes just plain rude and looks down on us. I dont like that

N-No, b-but, there really is a bomb here!

Kurose-san appeals to me with a crying face.

Is it okay, Yoshi-kun?

Megu grips my arm and asks.

No problem, Darlings got it right

Yeah, I agree with Yo-chan

Edie and Nei supported me.

Its obvious. Her master doesnt have the guts to bring real explosives, even if its just a prop to scare me. They only speak of threats, but that backpack is empty. Just like her master, theres nothing inside

I purposely fan the flames.

Either way, her master is listening from afar.

Im making him a laughingstock.

Well yeah, if its a remote-controlled explosive, then they would be afraid to touch it just from the fear that it will malfunction.

If they make a mistake and detonate the bomb, itll cause collateral damage to the public school thats in the school festival, and thats big trouble

Seriously, looking down on us. Do they really think that they can fool us with such an obvious trick

Right, even a three-year-old wont fall for something like that

Whats with your master? Did his brain stop growing after three?

Edie and Nei are making fun of Kurose-sans master so he can hear them.

Eh, err. U-uhm

Kurose-san is chaotically confused.

Tell your Master this. Where are your manners! Also, if you want to meet me, then come here! Dont use your subordinate for something this trivial. Thats all!

I made it clear.

Lets go, Megu

Thats right, lets just ignore them, Yo-chan

Its not your fault, its just that your master is an idiot

We turned our backs on Kurose-san and head off.

Then.

W-Wait! Im begging you! Ah?!

Turning around, Kurose-san is holding her earphone, listening to something.

Y-Yes! Yes, I udnerstand. Norihiko-sama

Norihiko, thats the girls master.

U-Uhm, My lord said that hes on his way right now

I see. He got a silly trick up his sleeve, but

He definitely wanted to see me.

He wants to meet to a place where there are no other people

Kurose-san listens to the instructions on her earphone and tells us.

My lord has seven bodyguards apart from me. Therefore, Kuromori-sama is allowed to bring the same number of guards with him

Allowed? Why is he so bossy?

Also, the Takakura shrine maidens arent allowed to approach within 300 meters of my Lord. He said that hed meet with Kuromori-sama if the conditions are met

No thanks. Its not like I want to meet with your Master either way

I said.

Hes the one who wants to meet me, right? I didnt make any promises with your Master. I have no intentions with someone that rude

I walked up to Kurose-san and approached the small camera on her shoulder.

If you want to come, then do it. Come here/ However, only two bodyguards. Its annoying to have a bunch of bodyguards walking around at a fun school festival. Have some common sense

I said, then opened the school festival map.

Err.

We dont even know who the other party is so its dangerous to call them to the principals office.

She doesnt know that the whole school is under the Black Forests control.

We shouldnt give them hints then.

If thats the case.

Nobody uses this room during the school festival

Megu points at the map of the school building.

Yeah, the emergency broadcast room next to the principals office isnt usually in use.

Thats the room where Endou attacked Yukino last May, and I eventually raped her.

Oh, Im in the broadcast committee so I have the key

Edie gives out an easy lie.

This room is soundproof so we can have secret conversations here

Kurose-san, remember. Its this room. Youre here right now

I show Kurose-san the map and give instructions.

Ah, yes. I can see it

Kurose-san understood it right away.

Oh, she belongs to the bodyguard families.

Guards mainly check out the places to follow in advance.

Theyre accustomed to looking at maps and getting a sense of what the space looks like

Good, come to this room after five minutes I wont wait for more, so dash for it. You hear?!

I look at the camera and said.

Go, you should meet with your master now

Edie told Kurose-san.

Oh, right. I understand. Thank you

Kurose-san bows her head to Edie.

Then, she bows her head.

U-Uhm, Im sorry for the trouble. We will see you later

She hurries and leaves.

Wait, Kurose-san

I stopped Kurose-san at that moment.

W-What?

Kurose-san turned around in surprise.

Which family are you serving?

The way shes behaving, I can tell that she has the elegance of someone from the nobility.

Her uniform is different so shes not from Misuzus school.

But

The school for young ladies only has the ladies of nobility.

The sons of nobility, and their bodyguard, should be attending a different school.

Just like Kurose-san.

Thats

Kurose-san paused for a moment.

Then, after confirming that theres no point in hiding anymore

She whispered.

Im a servant of the Ishigami house

Oh, I get it now.

Ishigami house should be a relative of Motokos Kuromiya house.

I see. So thats how it is.