After taking a sip of the tea the butler had set in front of her, Mejiro Ramonu returned her gaze to the documents.
"So Tokai Natural didn't die like the Tokai Family announced… she's living near Tracen Academy."
Setting her teacup down, Mejiro Ramonu turned her head slightly toward another file.
Tokai Natural's alias file.
It was very clean—so clean you could almost ignore the relationships listed, the kind that were frankly ridiculous.
But those connections belonged to Yayoi Natural, not Tokai Natural.
Just looking at Tokai Natural and Tokai Roman's situations, Mejiro Ramonu truly couldn't understand why Rudolf would choose them.
But…
"And she's also a chef the Mejiro Family invites."
As she said that, Mejiro Ramonu shifted her gaze slightly, then turned to the butler. "Do we invite her to every banquet right now?"
"Yes. Miss Yayoi's culinary skill is excellent. She has very high value as an invited banquet chef."
"I see…"
Mejiro Ramonu fell silent for a few seconds, then looked at the butler. "Mr. Afu, how do you think I should face her?"
As for the Mejiro Family's affairs—
This butler, who had worked for the Mejiro Family for nearly fifty years, of course knew them well.
And as for Mejiro Ramonu's own matters...
Thinking of that, the butler shifted his gaze slightly before speaking. "I think, miss, you only need to face her with your usual attitude."
As he said that, the butler shifted his gaze again and continued, "The key part of this matter may not lie with Miss Yayoi."
Butler Afu had met Tokai Natural before. And it was precisely because of that that he offered this thought.
Because Tokai Natural really was quite a decent person.
So under these circumstances, it would be better to prevent her from running into something unpleasant.
Reminded by the butler, Mejiro Ramonu fell silent for a few seconds, then moved her gaze elsewhere. "…Maybe that's true."
After sorting the documents, Mejiro Ramonu raised a new question. "How is the exchange progressing with that Uma Musume Association?"
"They've already provided several proposals. We are currently waiting for the Mejiro head's decision."
Hearing that, Mejiro Ramonu lifted her cup, took a sip of tea, then looked back at the butler. "What do you think—how about I make another trip to Irabu Island?"
She didn't continue asking about work.
Instead, Mejiro Ramonu shifted the question to her own feelings.
Hearing Mejiro Ramonu's question,
the butler gave the obvious reply. "At present, the Mejiro Family does not need miss to step in and handle affairs, so miss is still free to move as she likes."
Hearing that, Mejiro Ramonu nodded, then drew her gaze back.
...
Sitting on one side of the low table, Symboli Rudolf held a magazine in her hands.
Ever since she'd cut herself off from life at the center, Rudolf had started liking nothing more than holding a magazine and flipping through it.
Because for her, there weren't many ways to pass the time.
So day after day, she'd simply become idle—completely unlike before.
Still, every so often, a few people would come visit Rudolf.
Her phone rang. Rudolf answered immediately.
"Rudolf, I'm coming to see you."
A voice sounded, and Rudolf went quiet.
She listened, then after thinking for a few seconds, gave her answer. "Alright."
"Then open the door."
Rudolf didn't keep holding the phone. She simply hung up, then walked to the entryway door.
Opening it, Rudolf saw Symboli Sirius standing outside.
Looking at her, Rudolf didn't say much. She only turned around. "Close the door."
Sirius followed behind Rudolf into this little nest of less than five square meters. Only then did she close the door, then walk all the way to the low table.
Sitting on Rudolf's right, Sirius shifted her gaze slightly. "Shadai is planning to unite again."
"Oh."
Hearing Rudolf's response, Sirius knew Rudolf wasn't interested in this at all.
Noticing that, Sirius fell silent for a few seconds, then spoke again. "Teio and Natural have acknowledged each other."
"Is that so…"
Her tone shifted, ever so slightly.
Clearly—Rudolf could completely stop caring about what happened at the center, could even ignore the fact that everything she'd once worked for had been torn apart, but…
Watching Rudolf's reaction, Symboli Sirius stayed silent for a few seconds. "She's living well right now. There's no need to worry too much."
"But you, on the other hand."
With that pivot, everything turned onto Rudolf.
"Are you going to keep going like this?"
"There's nothing bad about it, is there?" Rudolf set the magazine in her hands down, then continued, "If I go back, it'll be a hassle."
"Maybe. But Shadai over there is even more of a hassle, isn't it?"
"Maybe. But I don't want to go back." Rudolf paused, then continued, "The address Ramonu has—was that you who gave it to her?"
"Yeah."
"I see…"
Symboli Rudolf turned her head and put her gaze back on the magazine cover.
On the cover was a pair of very pretty-looking hands, arranged with a photo of food.
It was a gourmet magazine. Symboli Rudolf was spending time learning how to cook.
But Symboli Sirius didn't notice that. She only looked at Rudolf. "…After this, I won't come over anymore."
After saying that, Sirius paused, then continued, "Mm."
Rudolf, who'd responded like that, glanced at Sirius, then said, "Grandmother's back, right?"
"How did you know?"
"Just a guess. There's a lot in this matter that needs attention—of course she'd come back to handle it." Rudolf fell silent for a few seconds, then asked, "She doesn't plan to come see me?"
"…Mm."
Answering Rudolf, Sirius sighed. "She'll be living in Japan long-term after this."
"That's good. Old people returning to their homeland is a good thing."
Seeing Rudolf still act like none of it mattered,
Symboli Sirius stood up. "I'm leaving."
"Be careful on the way."
---
T/N: shadai is a stallion station
T/N2: heres ur updates :3 meeting the 4 chaps a week quota :3 do u think itd be better to do it earlier in the week to make u guys wait more for the bonus chapters
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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