Chapter 1349. Judgment / Yosoro!
Chapter 1349. Judgment / Yosoro!
Dogagagaga!!
The armored car starts driving.
Inside the trunk space are Tsukiko, the Ishigami siblings, and me.
Kyouko-san’s driving.
Maybe Kinosh*ta-san and the drill sisters got on again.
I don’t know if Anya also got on either.
「It’s okay」
Tsukiko read my thoughts and smiled.
Tsukiko’s controlling the Ishigami sibling’s mind so they’re now just absentminded.
「What did you hear, Tsukiko?」
From Minaho-neesan, or maybe Shou-neechan?
「Yes, They gave me instructions earlier. Both of them」
Both…
Well, I thought so.
The incident today involves a rebel troop from Kouzuki SS.
Also, some police members.
Apart from that, there are also other underground people.
The scope is huge.
『Err, the next stop is a one-way trip to hell! It’s gonna get rocky so be careful』
Kyouko-san speaks like an announcer.
Since the mileage is short, we should still be inside the school.
Then.
Gatagatagata!
Are we going down the slope?
Seems like we’re going underground.
Gugagaga!
The armored car came to a stop.
「Okay, good work」
I don’t know who opened the hatch of the armored car, but…
It’s Kinosh*ta-san outside.
「Leave Ishigami-sama in the car and leave them there」
Kinosh*ta-san said.
We leave the absent-minded Ishigami siblings.
Tsukiko and I left the armored car.
It’s dark and cool outside.
Are we underground?
It’s like a huge gymnasium, but…
Above the armored car are Dolly and Anna holding their spears.
A huge gate opens from behind.
I went through the gate and then entered the facility through this door.
「This was an underground warehouse for storing disaster supplies back then」
Turning around, Minaho-neesan is through the door and back door of the warehouse.
「Now they’re no longer using it because they built a new warehouse elsewhere」
「We rented it to prepare for today」
Shou-neechan also comes in after Minaho-neesan
「Preparation?」
「It’s better to let the rebellion happen than to prevent it in advance. We already know who’s involved, and if they’ve done it, they won’t have any excuses, right?」
Shou-neechan said.
「Then, you knew that this would happen today?」
「It’s not about that. I was the one with the master plan of rebellion. I had a spy infiltrate the rebels and have them target the high-school festival here to attack」
So it was all in Shou-neechan’s plan?
「I knew that this would happen when you obtained the Kouzuki SS from Kakka」
Shou-neechan smiled.
「There will be people who just can’t accept that a high-school boy will be the owner instead of Kouzuki Kakka」
!
Right.
I’m still in high school.
Owning a special organization that combines intelligence, defense, and military power like Kouzuki SS is unthinkable in normal circumstances.
「Kouzuki SS was Kakka’s private army after all. It won’t turn to Kou’s army exactly the same」
Minaho-neesan said.
「If Misuzu-sama were to inherit it from Kakka, then they’re still serving the Kouzuki house, but you’re not even blood related to them, right?」
Jii-chan only recognized me as Misuzu’s partner.
Kuromori Kou isn’t a member of the Kouzuki house.
I have no blood relation to the nobility.
「Right. The professionals won’t want an unknown commoner kid to be the head of Kouzuki SS」
I sighed.
「Well yeah. In fact, many have offered me their resignation letters. That’s inevitable. I can’t keep them all. Although, only a few actually resigned」
Shou-neechan said.
「Kouzuki SS is a special organization. No other organization in Japan is allowed to hold this kind of power. They have good pay, and the years of trust and the best customers, the nobility」
Jii-chan made that organization to guide the nobility after all.
Since Jii-chan has a strong influence on people in the political and business world, they allow him to have this power without having the state institution crushing it.
「And so, many think that it’s a shame to resign from Kouzuki SS now. Many wait until they have the chance to assess you, the new owner, before deciding on what to do next」
Meaning, it depends on me.
If they feel like Kouzuki SS is going downhill because I’m the owner, they’ll leave immediately.
They’re going with the wait-and-see approach.
「Well, never mind those people. Either way, we have no choice but to build on our achievements under the new system, the problem is…」
Shou-neechan smiled wryly.
「Those who thought that it would be better if they killed you instead of quitting」
And that’s the current rebel unit.
「Now that Kakka’s retired, they’re going to expel you from the Kouzuki house or kill you, and put Misuzu-sama as the new owner. Then, they were thinking of seizing the real power of Kouzuki SS themselves」
「Still, if they killed me, Kouzuki SS still has Yazawa-san and Shou-neechan as the management, so they can’t grab the power, right?」
I asked.
「Oh? If they were to assassinate you, the internal affairs of Kouzuki house will return to half a year ago」
Half a year ago?
「Misuzu-sama, Ruriko-sama, and now we also have Yoshiko-sama. Won’t that revive the ambition of everyone to become the son-in-law and eventually the head of the Kouzuki house?」
I see.
Kouzuki house before May…
They were split into Misuzu and Ruriko factions, having internal strifes
Many were ambitious to have Misuzu or Ruriko marry their son and take over the Kouzuki house.
But now…
With the unnatural death of Ruriko’s father, Ruriko’s out of the succession battle now.
Yoshiko-san’s the daughter of Jii-chan’s late eldest son, but she’s not a legal child.
Therefore, everyone feels like Misuzu’s going to take over the Kouzuki house.
And I’m Misuzu’s official partner.
That settled the problem of the successor of the Kouzuki house.
「There will always be bad apples in whatever group」
This time, it’s Minaho-neesan speaking to me’
「It’s only been half a year, right? It’s about time the shock wore off and somehow, there were people in the Kouzuki house who planned to do what they wanted」
「But, some of the Kouzuki house, branch families, the executives, and the young were all there during Cesario Viola’s attack in May, right?」
The branch families, the executive vassals, their children, Jii-chan’s students.
They were all in that high-rise hotel fight and felt fear.
「They all swore not to turn on Jii-chan back then」
Those who go against Jii-chan…
All the people who were connected to Cesario Viola, even including Ruriko’s father, were disposed of.
Those who were there were in awe of Jii-chan and reaffirmed their allegiance to him.
Then they also accepted that I’m Misuzu’s partner.
「Well, their loyalty is towards Kakka, not towards you, right?」
Shou-neechan said with a smile.
「The fear they had for the past six months also includes you, and so you’ve been untouchable. But people immediately forget their fears. Once on the shore, we pray no more, right? Their fear from six months ago had faded」
「And so, now they thought about it calmly, and some have started considering that it’s in their best interest to remove you from the Kouzuki house」
「Rather, it was helpful to us that they didn’t make a move for the past six months. We were able to prepare for them」
「Right. We made it barely in time」
Minaho-neesan said.
「Kakka’s past his eighties. He’s too old already. That’s why they were already planning ahead of his death, all while he still has time」
「Kakka’s taking it most seriously, and that’s why he handed the Kouzuki SS to you」
「Once we’re ready, we can purposely create a reason for the rebels to move hurriedly」
「They never expected that Kouzuki SS will be handed to a high-school student like you」
「Now that you took over over Kouzuki SS, they won’t be able to go against you」
「Kouzuki SS is basically the violence device of the Kouzuki house」
The one who took charge of Kouzuki SS, who was in charge of the protection and security of the Kouzuki group and their companies was not one of the nobility, not one of the branch family, not one of the executives.
If I take control of Kouzuki SS, they will be in danger.
If they wait for Jii-chan to die before assassinating me, then that’s too late.
On the contrary, I will know the secrets about them and all the other families.
「That’s why they’re in a hurry to eliminate you before you take control of Kouzuki SS」
Shou-neechan said.
「Their miscalculation is that they don’t know your relationship with me. They seem to think that I’m only your subordinate and that I’m loyal to Kakka」
I see.
They don’t think that Seki Shou, Jii-chan’s personal bodyguard, has become a woman of this “just a high-school boy” me.
「They only see it as a business relationship, and they thought that I’m also dissatisfied that Kakka’s forcing me to protect a high-school boy. I mean, those were the rumors I spread around the company」
She made them believe that Shou-neechan hasn’t been able to communicate well with a high-school student that’s becoming the owner.
「And so, there was actually a group that wasn’t happy that Kou’s the owner now」
「The dissatisfied group inside the Kouzuki house and Kouzuki SS have made contact」
「There’s no better time to get rid of you than now, right?」
Shou-neechan and Minaho-neesan tell me.
「The two dissatisfied groups went together and erupted」
「While at it, the Kouzuki house members inside the police force also enlisted some people」
Minaho-neesan laughs.
「Kouzuki house is connected to the political world so those who were dissatisfied, can just bypass it. Some radicals who want to reduce the power of the Kouzuki house as much as possible by arresting you in public」
Saying that Minaho-neesan looked at Ishigami Norio.
「They were going to arrest that boy over there for carrying too many weapons. They were going to catch Kou together with them as allies and leak to the media that they were dangerous young men carrying illegal weapons」
「So, that Koda guy who gave him the weapon was someone the police sent to the Ishigami house?」
I asked.
「No. It was the Kouzuki SS group who sent Koda. The police were just co-conspirators」
The dissatisfied members of Kouzuki SS want to take control of Kouzuki SS in the future.
The police want to reduce Jii-chan’s power as much as possible.
Meanwhile, the Kouzuki house wants their son to be married to Misuzu.
They all have different purposes for eliminating me.
「And so, they started doing their work, but we had to pretend that we aren’t aware of it so we could only send Kudou-san and Kinosh*ta-san」
If they sent out regular personnel of Kouzuki SS, the rebels will call off their attacks.
「No, it helped. If not for Kudou-san and Kinosh*ta-san, we can’t even get in the car ourselves」
「That’s not true! All I did was say random things and crush a big stone」
Kinosh*ta-san laughs as she holds her flail.
「Kuromori-sama made the right decisions calmly. Edie-san and everyone also played an active role」
「Yes, you get a lot of credit for getting through the hardship today. You did well」
Even so, these are all within Shou-neechan’s plans.
To spread the word that only me and my group have repelled the rebels’ attack.
「You need it to take control Kouzuki SS. Accept the credit, Kou」
Minaho-neesan tells me.
「You need to be a tough and scary opponent to them」
「Yeah, okay」
I replied.
If I don’t become an object of fear, I can’t keep my family safe.
「So, do you know why it’s just you who got called here?」
That’s…
「I have to punish all those people who did the conspiracy on me, right?」
I have to give orders to dispose of the rebels.
I can’t scare them unless I dirty my hands.
「That’s right」
Minaho-neesan smiles.
Then.
Dorururururu! Dorurururu!!
A siren roars through the warehouse and a red light above the large gate flickers.
Gagagagaga!!
The huge door slowly opens.
Oh, I knew that the gate leads to outside.
Three cars come down the slope.
First was Kudou-papa’s truck. Edie and Kurose-san loaded up the men they defeated at the open cafe in front of the bakery there.
The second one is a business van.
The type that carries people instead of luggage.
The third car goes inside the underground warehouse.
Then, the huge gate closed once again.
「Good job, Kudou-san」
Shou-neechan tells Kudou-papa as he leaves the driver seat.
「Yeah, that’s the police van, and this truck and the van there is for Kouzuki SS」
Kudou-papa said.
「Even those who are sleeping only need a splash of cold water on their heads to wake them up. We’ve disarmed all of them and tied them up.」
Kudou-papa’s men are watching every car.
「Then, why don’t we splash them in order. But leave the police for later」
Shou-neechan said.
「We’re going to send them back to their friends unharmed, but we need to erase their memories since it’ll be a problem if they remember」
The biggest problem is how much information has leaked out, that Kuromori Kou, goes to this high school, under the name of Yoshida Yoshinobu.
Worst case scenario, I won’t be able to stay in this school.
「Right, let’s deal with these people first. Hey, get those down」
Kudou-papa orders his subordinates.
◇ ◇ ◇
Handcuffed men descend from the van.
The guys who passed out on the truck got doused with buckets of water and dragged off when they regained consciousness.
It’s about 30 people.
「Kudou-san stand next to Kuromori-sama with your group」
「Yeah, do as you’re told!」
Shou-neechan gave orders. Kudou-papa and the group did as they were told.
Kinosh*ta-san’s in front of me, holding her flail. Dolly and Anna are guarding me with their drill spears at hand.
Kyouko-san also got out of the driver’s seat and is standing in a position to protect Tsukiko and Minaho, although, I can’t see her face since she’s wearing some weird helmet and sunglasses.
「Hmm?!」
As for the Kouzuki SS rebel men…
They’re split into two kinds.
Most of them are looking confused, timid.
But, only five of them are staring at me with such hate.
And one is looking at Shou-neechan.
「In the end, Seki-san just played us」
I…
「Tsukiko, can you shut them up?」
「Yes, Kou-sama」
Tsukiko looked at the thirty men and approached them.
「?!!!」
Tsukiko’s power can control all of them in this distance.
Michi and Edie have been mixing Qi training with her so Tsukiko’s Miko power has grown stronger.
「Well then」
I looked at the men.
「Sorry, I’m the owner of Kouzuki SS, but I’m not the president or anything, I don’t know your faces nor your names. That’s why I don’t know who you are, but…」
I speak in a low and slow voice.
I don’t need to introduce myself. I was their target until earlier after all.
「I don’t intend to have a discussion with you people. You already rebelled against me. What’s left for me to do is dispose of you. Just as the activities of Kouzuki SS often violate the law, my punishments for you also do the same. Meaning, this is personal」
Those who were frightened just grew even more anxious.
Those who were looking hatefully continued to glare at me.
「As you know, I’m just a high-school student, I don’t know much about corporate organizations, but I can imagine that there were cases where you can’t say now because your superiors ordered you. But that wasn’t the case this time, right? Okay, those who couldn’t say no and that’s why they were in this rebellion, raise their hands」
The confused faces look at each other.
Then, one timidly raise their hand, and others followed.
「Tsukiko, check」
I asked Tsukiko to read their minds.
「Most of them are. Oh, this one and this one is lying」
Tsukiko points.
「Okay, apart from those two, those who raised their hands move to this side」
「Do as Kuromori-sama says」
Shou-neechan said, and the men timidly move.
They’re all handcuffed and they know Shou-neechan and Kinosh*ta-san’s strength.
Kudou-papa’s subordinates also surround them so they can’t disobey.
To the men who can’t disobey their orders…
「You’ll be let go without questions today. I know that you’re worried about me becoming the owner of Kouzuki SS, so I’m not going to charge you to failing to report the rebellion, just once」
I speak clearly.
The timid group looks confused and looked at each other.
「Kuromori-sama says so, there will be no records of this incident for you. However, I remember all your names and faces, don’t forget that」
Shou-neechan said with a smile.
Kouzuki SS documents will not include anything about this case but…
Shou-neechan’s in charge of them on-site, their assessment will become harsh.
「I hope this inspires you to rewrite your evaluation of me」
If they want to get a promotion or higher bonus, they’ll have to work harder than ever and show achievements.
「Well then, as for this group…」
The hateful group, meaning, the seven ringleaders of the rebellion.
「Tsukiko, who’s the one who sent in Koda and involved the Ishigami house to this plan?」
「It’s this one」
Tsukiko points at the men on the left edge.
「Those who aligned themselves with the dissatisfied Kouzuki house members in the police?」
「It’s this one」
Tsukiko points at the guy on the right.
His look of hatred turns to surprise.
「And the last one, the one who made contact with someone within the Kouzuki house who is dissatisfied」
「It’s this one」
Tsukiko points at the man in front of her.
I see.
「Okay, which one did the first move?」
To use any method to take me out.
These guys talked to the Kouzuki dissatisfied members of the Kouzuki house.
Did they bring the topic to the dissatisfied members, or?
「It’s him who approached first」
Tsukiko points at the man in front of her again.
「Thanks. If he’s the one who approached first, then we’ll make the punishment for the dissatisfied members of the Kouzuki house a stage lighter」
I told Shou-neechan.
「As Kuromori-sama orders」
Shou-neechan bows to me respectfully.
I look at the ringleaders once again.
「I don’t want to kill anymore. That’s why I don’t plan to kill you. Although, you all won’t be able to work in security again, and the three who were at the center of the rebellion plan will become vegetables」
Forgive those who had no choice but to join the rebellion.
But, be ruthless on the ringleaders.
I have to be as feared as Jii-chan.
「Tsukiko change them to piss and defecate themselves whenever they see or hear the name Kouzuki or Kuromori」
「Yes, Kou-sama」
That’ll make it impossible for them to work in security anymore.
Even if they try to take a job at another security company, their body will leak on its own if asked about Kouzuki SS.
They can’t even write Kouzuki SS in their own resume.
「As for the three, make their body urinate, fart, defecate, as soon as they see, or hear anything round, square, red, blue, borrowed from someone, new, old. Then, while doing all that, make them report “I got three times more than usual!” to five people! After all that, they’ll sing the longest song they know out loud. Then, they can’t move from the place until they sing the whole song」
「Certainly」
I ask the men directly.
「What’s the longest song you know?」
He replied.
「It’s Captain on the ship」