After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 53

So many things were messed up.

It's normal for Toyokawa Yuu to resent him, after all, in his eyes, he probably doesn't even have the right to bring up these things.

"I'm sorry, Yu-kun. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness. You've never accepted my apology in the past ten years, but please don't continue to remain silent like this."

As Nagasaki Sōse withdrew her gaze from the doll-like Wakaba Mutsumi, the mist in her eyes seemed to dissipate slightly, and for the first time in ten years, Toyokawa Yūu saw clearly the look in those deep blue eyes.

A plea that was almost stubborn.

“The Toyokawa family has just suffered such a huge change. You must need a reliable ally, right? My company may not be as powerful as the Toyokawa family, but it can still help... Yuu-kun, I can help you, really.”

Nagasaki Sase knew that it was inappropriate to bring up this matter in this setting.

Yuu Toyokawa's wife had just passed away, and the funeral hadn't even officially ended yet, but he was already talking to him about their vested interests.

This behavior is simply polluting the solemnity of the funeral hall with the stench of money.

If Xiao Xiang were still alive, he would definitely start blaming himself for "only thinking about himself" again.

Staring intently at the somewhat emotionally distraught widow from a prestigious family before her, Toyokawa Yuu tried her best to keep her expression from changing too much, though her brows furrowed even deeper without her realizing it.

When interests are involved, try to talk about work and avoid discussing personal feelings...

This was something that Nagasaki Sase had told her before she was poisoned to death by him, something she had taught her.

But the Nagasaki Sase in front of him was clearly in a state of mind where he was willing to sell out his own interests for some uncontrollable thoughts.

The magnitude of the change is thought-provoking.

However, Toyokawa Yuu did not intend to believe her so easily, nor did she intend to give Nagasaki Sase the forgiveness she had promised.

Whether the apology in the other party's eyes is genuine or not, it at least proves one thing.

—Nagasaki Sase wants to make his own statement now.

Since there is demand, it can still be utilized, but we cannot be too heartless. After all, this is not a forced binding of interests, but merely the emotional satisfaction of wanting something that cannot be obtained.

If you act too coldly and make the other person give up completely, you'll end up with nothing.

First, let the line out and figure out what's in the muddy water before deciding whether to fish in it.

"Let's talk about this later, Nagasaki... Sosei."

The way they address each other is no longer so cold and harsh, but they still maintain a sufficient sense of distance.

Standing up from her seat, Toyokawa Yuu never touched the cup of tea on the table again, but instead turned and walked towards the door.

Toyokawa Shoko's funeral was not over yet. He had to take advantage of this last period of relatively peaceful division of the family property to sort out the gains he had made by returning to ten years ago.

Nagasaki Sase's transformation was unexpected, but there were other things he had been planning for a long time, hoping to reap the rewards ten years later.

Aiyin should be trustworthy.

In any case, if others could have seen some signs ten years ago, then Yuu Toyokawa could never have imagined that the pink sun would turn so malevolent.

As for Hachiman Kairin... if the trust she built up hasn't crumbled even ten years later, then she can still be considered someone who can be trusted in some matters.

So, which side should I contact first? I didn't see either of them at the funeral... Strangely enough, of the people who had formed a band with Toyokawa Shoko, only Nagasaki Sose and Wakaba Mutsumi came to pay their respects.

Watching Yuu Toyokawa turn and leave, Sase Nagasaki felt utterly powerless.

This estrangement, which seemed to offer a glimmer of hope but ultimately maintained a sufficient distance, appeared to Nagasaki Sase as a light that briefly shone before being extinguished.

With a "whoosh," Nagasaki Sase got up from the guest sofa, his eyes filled with increasingly thick tears.

The complex, tearful expression on her face revealed her melancholy temperament.

"Yuu-kun, why do you keep resisting communicating with me? If we had just talked things out back then, perhaps Aine wouldn't be like this..."

Love sound?

Yuu Toyokawa paused slightly. In Sosei Nagasaki's view, after mentioning this name, the man's back suddenly became somewhat frightening.

The words that had not yet been fully organized got stuck in his throat, and Nagasaki Sase could only watch the man leave the reception room.

“You are Xiangzi’s friend, I just want to tell you on her behalf... don’t be too sad.”

The moment the door closed, it sounded as if someone had slumped onto the sofa in despair, coming from behind Yuu Toyokawa.

Gently closing the door to the reception room, Toyokawa Yuu glanced at the girl standing by the door frame, looking like a doll.

Its golden eyes remained unmoved by its conversation with Nagasaki Sase, as if it were truly just an inorganic puppet awaiting its next command.

"Mu, you must be very tired too. Go and get some rest."

Although it was only the beginning of the morning in theory, and people who had just woken up from their sleep would not regret feeling tired so early, Toyokawa Yuu still wanted to test her.

Is Wakaba Mutsumi standing here because Nagasaki Sase brought her here, or is she simply using auto-follow on herself?

"Um......"

Upon hearing Toyokawa Yuu's words, Wakaba Mutsu nodded slightly, his golden eyes still looking lifeless.

With each step she took, Ruoye Mutsu's gait resembled that of a puppet being pulled by threads, as she walked towards the end of the corridor.

This listless yet obedient demeanor was completely different from Metis, who had once engaged in a dramatic exchange with her at the funeral, making Toyokawa Yuu feel uneasy.

This doll, though it looks obedient, has no real control over the Wakaba family.

Even if it's just a puppet, controlling it would be far too complicated.

What exactly did Nagasaki Sase do?

How exactly did Metis disappear?

And...Aine?

When Toyokawa Yuu heard this name from Nagasaki Sase at this point in time, she admitted that she was somewhat bothered by it.

Could that girl, as warm and lively as a pink sun, also get involved in these messy and complicated matters?

The feeling that there is such a large-scale discrepancy in known information is truly unsettling.

However, Toyokawa Yuu has no time to pay attention to this right now, or rather, there is something else that must be confirmed immediately, rather than investigating these matters.

Her gaze fell upon Hatsune Miku, who had been waiting outside the door for her and Nagasaki Sosei to finish their conversation.

The woman in the black dress stood silently outside the door, the sunlight casting a glow on her long golden hair.

Ten years ago, when this guitarist was active in the idol group Sumimi, he was praised for having a "great face".

Now, with age, that beauty has not faded but has become more mellow and fragrant, like aged wine, and the posture of standing with eyes lowered outside the door looks more and more sacred.

If she hadn't already witnessed the true nature beneath that dignified face, Toyokawa Yuu might have genuinely thought she was a dutiful housekeeper.

Moreover, Yuu Toyokawa's careful observation of Hatsune's demeanor was not to fulfill the Toyokawa family tradition of commemorating the deceased head of the family, but to verify whether the alliance he had temporarily formed with this golden retriever still held true.

With such significant changes occurring in both Nagasaki Sosei and Wakaba Mutsumi, and even Wakaba Mutsumi having a different pilot for his mecha, Toyokawa Yuu couldn't be sure that Hatsune Miku was still following the original trajectory.

"Lord Yuu, have you finished talking with Miss Nagasaki? If it was your request, she shouldn't refuse."

Noticing Yuu Toyokawa's gaze upon her, Hatsune bowed respectfully.

From the collar, Toyokawa Yuu could vaguely see the sachet she had given to the loyal golden retriever when she had tricked her.

Seeing this keepsake, Toyokawa Yuu felt a little relieved.

As long as this thing still exists, it means that Hatsune will still cooperate with her for Xiangzi's belongings. Before emptying out that little bit of wealth, she can still be considered trustworthy.

"After all, Ms. Nagasaki has always held a grudge about some unpleasant things that happened in the past and wants to apologize to everyone."

"If she doesn't achieve her goal, she probably won't give up easily, after all, this has been her persistence for nearly ten years."

Hatsune lowered her eyes and sighed. Ever since Nagasaki Souse secretly went to see Wakaba Mutsumi, which led to that almost irreversible result, she had been filled with self-blame and wanted to seek forgiveness from others.

Hatsune Miku had been watching this almost self-indulgent act of redemption, and even felt a certain empathy and appreciation for it.

She was well aware that this mentality was extremely distorted, and that she should be hoping that everyone would have a better life.

"So, have you chosen to forgive Nagasaki Sosei?"

Seeing that Hatsune Miku seemed to be subtly speaking up for Nagasaki Sosei, Toyokawa Yuu immediately asked a question.

These are things that everyone seems to have accepted as common knowledge, so Toyokawa Yuu can't ask too directly or in too much detail, otherwise she will only amplify the suspicions surrounding her.

The only way to gauge the seriousness of the matter is through indirect inquiries and the attitudes of others.

"this......"

Hatsune was momentarily speechless, but from her somewhat evasive gaze, Toyokawa Yuu already knew the answer.

"It's no use asking for my opinion on this kind of thing... It's a pity that Ms. Chihaya Aine moved to England ten years ago, and I don't know if Ms. Nagasaki has been able to contact her."

However, before Hatsune could immerse herself in her own feelings again, Toyokawa Yuu's voice forcibly brought her back to reality.

"What did you just...say?"

Has Aine left Tokyo for England?

.................................................. ............................

Tokyo, Japan, Haneda Airport.

A plane that took off from Suffolk, England, slowly landed at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. A young woman who looked to be around 25 or 26 years old carried her suitcase toward the exit.

Carrying a suitcase in her hand and a guitar case slung over her back, her long pink hair shone brightly in the sunlight, making her rather sophisticated gray-white trench coat appear somewhat overly plain.

As if it had been timed perfectly, the ringtone in her pocket went off even before the girl with long pink hair had actually left the airport passage.

She took her phone out of her pocket, and seeing the caller ID on the screen read "Mom," a hint of helplessness flashed in the pink-haired girl's eyes.

Honestly, I graduated with a PhD from Culford School and I still think of myself as a child.

However, despite her reluctance, the girl still answered the phone, and almost immediately, a voice filled with doting affection and concern came through the phone.

[Aine, you should have gotten off the plane by now, where are you?]

"Yes, I just got off the plane and I'm about to go back to my room here."

Carrying her suitcase, Chihaya Aine walked towards the airport exit while thinking about her loved ones on the other end of the phone.

Ten years have passed, and the girl's voice is no longer as naive as it was when she left Tokyo. It has become more composed and calm, but it has also lost some of its vitality.

Looking out over the city from inside the airport, even though the airspace around the airport was vast, Chihaya Aine's eyesight allowed her to see the bustling city in the distance and vaguely recognize a few buildings that she was familiar with.

【I'm sorry, Aine, you were supposed to go back to Japan with me or your dad, but we've both been too busy with work lately to go with you...】

Just as she was feeling sentimental, Chihaya Aine heard her mother's apologetic voice coming from her phone.

Chihaya Aine's mother was well aware that when her family had to move to England for work, her daughter felt a deep sense of reluctance to leave the city... or rather, certain people in the city.

But they had no choice; they were really worried about leaving Aine alone in Tokyo, and even if it would make their daughter sad, they had to resort to this measure.

"It's okay, Mom. I just finished my academic career. Graduation trips are more meaningful when you do them yourself... Besides, there's no danger in revisiting familiar places."

"Anyway, I'm going back to my room to put my things away. Tomorrow, my graduation trip will officially begin."

Okay, okay, whatever you want. But don't go too wild. Your dad has prepared recommendation letters from several companies for you, and you'll be officially starting work soon... Do you have enough money on you? You haven't used yen in almost ten years. If you don't have enough money, tell your parents right away.

"I know, I know... I'm [anon London], you know. I've challenged every band in school. If you need money, just find a part-time job at a livehouse."

Chihaya Aine patted the guitar case on her back and a confident smile appeared on her face.

She is no longer just the C chord master she was ten years ago.

The rock style in the UK is arguably even more advanced than that in Japan.

"Besides, even though I haven't been back for ten years, I still have some friends here. I'm not... all alone."

When she mentioned that word, Chihaya Aine's voice paused for a moment, but quickly became lively again.

Trying to say goodbye in a more cheerful tone, Chihaya Aine hung up the phone, and the smile on her lips quickly faded.

Using the reflection from her phone screen after it went off, Chihaya Aine confirmed that the corners of her mouth had once again curved into a smile, and nodded in satisfaction.

"That's how it should be! A graduation trip should be fun and enjoyable."

As she scrolled through the maps on her phone, a hint of conflict appeared on Chihaya Aine's face.

So, after we go back to the old house and put our things down, where should we go first...?

In fact, even Chihaya Aine herself hadn't made any plans for this graduation trip.

After successfully completing his degree at Culford School, which he had fled in haste ten years ago, he jumped on a plane to Tokyo without much thought.

Even Chihaya Aine herself didn't know what she really wanted to do during this so-called revisit to familiar places.

Ten years have passed, and she is still lost.