kscans

Chapter 430 - Natsume Itsuki

Come to think of it, this was the third time I was meeting 'her'—the one whose favorability towards me had been mysteriously high from the start. And all three times had been in this very place.

"—Here you are."

"Thank you."

In the 'office,' which seemed to be used as a sort of hideaway, I was being served coffee by that same maid for the third time. The only difference this time was,

"Now then… shall we get down to business?"

She—Natsume Itsuki—sat down in the chair across the desk from me.

I had only ever seen her standing in attendance to Togo-san, so this was the first time I was seeing her calmly seated. There was a strange aura about her as she settled in so composedly… and the fact that I was feeling intimidated was likely due to my awareness of my own weak position.

Regardless, it was time to brace myself.

"First of all… again, I apologize for summoning you on such short notice. Thank you for taking the time to see me."

"Please, don't worry about it. A maid has more free time than you'd think."

The maid responded cheerfully, just as she had when she'd given me her 'reply' this afternoon. Honestly, her tranquil demeanor was a little frightening right now.

I was just psyching myself out, I was sure, but it was a fact that out of everyone related to Yotsuya Development, she was by far the hardest to read.

"Fufu, you seem rather tense."

"…I'll confess, I am. Which is to say, this is the kind of business that warrants being tense."

"I see. In that case, I too shall listen with the utmost seriousness."

The pressure emanating from the combination of her unwavering, gentle smile and the unreal quality of her maid uniform—I can't let it get to me. I'm just shadowboxing again.

"My business concerns So— I mean, your young lady, Natsume-san."

"I imagined as much. And please, feel free to just say Sora. My young lady is a difficult child who sulks when she's called 'young lady.'"

"Ah, I see…"

"Furthermore, there is no need to be so tense around me—I don't know what Kazuharu-san may have told you, but I am merely a beautiful and kind maid."

"………………"

Oh man.

This woman is even harder to grasp than I thought.

"Well then, to be blunt—"

"Before that, just one thing."

The maid, who refused to cede the pace of the conversation, once again took the reins. She said she would be serious, and I didn't sense any hint of teasing, but there was something so fluffy about her…

It felt like trying to punch a curtain.

"I would like you to tell me your 'position' in calling me here today."

"My position?"

"Yes. Are you Haru, Sora's partner? Or are you Haru Kasuga, Sora's fiancé? …I don't intend to change my response based on your answer, so please feel free to speak your mind."

This is just for my own personal curiosity—she added, but it was a deeply meaningful question that was impossible to answer 'freely.'

What should I say? I hesitated for a moment. But when I calmed down, I realized there was no need, no reason, and no meaning in overthinking it.

"I'm not thinking about it. So, my answer is 'no position in particular.'"

The maid tilted her head, her dark eyes staring at me, her gaze impossibly soft as she prompted me to continue. Well, of course she would, I thought.

"Partner, fiancé… though the latter is just a pretense. It's not that I'm neither, it's just that I don't care about a named relationship or anything like that anymore."

I was fully aware that I was about to say something embarrassing—but I would not hesitate. Following someone's example, I had decided, of my own free will, to be the 'me' that was needed.

"As just 'Haru,' there are things I want to tell 'Sora.' Things I want to talk about. Things I want to confirm with her. Things I need to apologize for, things I want her to teach me, and things I want to promise her… and so many other things."

"…………"

"Position doesn't matter. There are just things that I have to say to her."

Natsume-san stared at me, frighteningly unresponsive. Her eyes didn't waver, her expression didn't change, she just looked straight into my eyes—

"Kasuga-san."

"Yes."

When she spoke again, she smiled for the first time.

"To be perfectly honest, I did not like you."

"…Yes."

I could think of countless reasons. I nodded, taking in her words, but contrary to her harsh statement, Natsume-san just giggled.

"Please don't misunderstand. I was simply jealous of the 'knight' who had stolen my precious Sora's heart. I felt like, 'Who is this punk?'"

"Wh—… Yes, ma'am."

"So, I had no particular feelings towards you as an individual. In other words, I had zero interest. This is strictly from my own personal perspective, of course."

"……, …………"

Leaving me at a loss for how to react, the maid, now using more unrestrained language, continued to rattle on.

"I trusted Sora's judgment of character… or rather, I trusted the people she grew attached to, so apart from my jealousy, I held no ill will. I even said something arrogant like, 'His thorough risk management is a point in his favor,' so I did have a certain evaluation of you."

"Th-thank you for that…"

"But that being said, I also thought you were a boring person."

Her beautiful smile pierced right through me.

"And I mean that in comparison. The 'Acrobat' I first saw was a much more joyful person."

"…During the Four Pillar War?"

When I asked, Natsume-san nodded and let out a happy little laugh.

"It's embarrassing to admit, but I don't know much about the virtual world. You might think, 'How can you not, working for Yotsuya Development?'… but I just can't seem to get interested in it, so I wouldn't know how to answer if you asked me why."

"I see…"

"However, even to my inexperienced eyes—you, at that time, were captivating. I had high hopes, you see? I thought that maybe this person could protect my precious young lady. That he could stand by her side, never losing that audacious smile… that he could take her hand and lead her."

A-audacious…

"But then I met you in the real world, and you were just an ordinary boy who was a little considerate. Forgive my bluntness, but honestly, it was a letdown."

"……………………………………I have no excuse…"

"Therefore, I would like to apologize here and now."

"I… what?"

Honestly, I couldn't keep up at all. Her conversational style was too free-form. This maid was truly, among all the Yotsuya associates, in a league of her own—

"The you of right now is sufficiently… no, about eighty percent charming—you were cowering from reality, putting on a persona, weren't you? Haru Kasuga."

She was a maid who marched to the beat of her own drum.

"I said I wouldn't change my response based on your answer, but I retract that. If I'm dealing with the current you, Kasuga-san, then I feel there is no need for me to hold back either."

"R-right… uh, no… um…………huh?"

"And so, let's hear the details of your business again. There's no need for you to hold back with me either, Kasuga-san, so please, say whatever you wish."

"Even if you say 'whatever I wish'…"

Just give me thirty seconds, seriously.

I had run through various scenarios in my head before coming here, but I never once predicted that this maid would go all out with her freewheeling personality like this.

I mean, sure, it was a weird way to get it, but I did get the words I wanted…

"By the way, may I ask why you chose me? If it's about Sora, wouldn't my master have been more suitable than a maid who has barely interacted with you… or rather, I think it would have been easier for you to approach him."

"Ah, well… about that."

That was precisely it. The words I wanted—the reason I chose her, the one who said she 'did not like me,' was because she was, more than anyone, the most suitable person.

"Because I was sure that you, Natsume-san, would absolutely not be on my side."

What I wanted wasn't support. I wanted my resolve to be 'judged,' and then I wanted to receive 'permission' from someone who was an absolute ally to Sora and Sora alone.

Therefore, there was no one but Natsume Itsuki. When I explained my reasoning,

"Kasuga-san."

"Yes."

"As I thought, I find this version of you far more charming."

"…I'm honored."

The maid, who was both a sister and a mother to my precious partner, narrowed her eyes softly and offered a cheerful smile.

---

Aim for perfect communication.