Pure Love ✕ Insult Complex

Chapter 1265. Rivalry in Love / Fresh Start

We ate ice cream after bath, then…

We enjoyed Marika playing on the organ.

「 It’s wonderful! 」

When Marika was done playing, Agnes and the young group clapped their hands.

Marika stood up from her seat and bowed bashfully.

「 I can play piano too but still, it’s no match against those who had professional education 」

Misuzu said.

Marika’s enrolled in a music high school.

「 This is why Nei-oneesama calls you “unkind,” you speak like that after all 」

Ruriko told Misuzu.

「 W-What did I say? 」

Misuzu asks Ruriko in panic.

It seems that it was quite shocking to hear Nei say that she’s not kind to people.

「 Misuzu-oneesama, you didn’t say anything wrong 」

Ruriko said with a smile.

「 But, some things are better left unsaid 」

「 W-What do you mean? 」

Misuzu doesn’t seem to understand what Ruriko meant.

「 You see, Marika-chan just played a lovely piece, and so all you had to do is give her your honest praise 」

Nei said.

「 Did I not praise her? 」

Misuzu looks dumbfounded.

「 Mii-chan, you may have the intention of praising her, but from an outsider’s perspective, you sounded satire! 」

「 Satire? I had no intention of such! 」

Misuzu denies frantically.

「 Then, uhm, I think it’s a problem if how you accept things 」

Mariko speaks from the side.

「 Misuzu-sama’s like Momoko-oneesama, you see 」

Like Kaan Momoko-neechan?

「 Momoko-oneesama is always misunderstood. She has a high-handed condescending attitude, speaking sarcasm. But, that’s not actually the case. Momoko-oneesama is… She’s the young lady of the Kaan house, and so everyone pays attention to her no matter where she goes. Doesn’t that make her the leading actress at all times? 」

I recall the time I first met Momoko-oneechan at the party in the Kouzuki mansion.

True, Momoko-neechan’s arrival changed the atmosphere.

Everyone’s gazes gather around Momoko-neechan, and she is aware that her speech and behavior are watched by others.

That’s why she plays that theatrical attitude.

「 Momoko-oneesama’s always meeting people wherever she goes, and so she always expresses “This is how I feel.” 」

Mariko said.

「 Especially when she ate lunch with us at the restaurant, she comments on every single thing like “This dish is delicious,” or “This is different from my preference.” We pay attention to Momoko-oneesama, and so she thinks that speaking out her impressions is her duty 」

True, Momoko-neechan’s always speaking out how she feels.

「 She thinks that she’s the center of the place at all times and so she continues to be the leading actress, as it’s her duty as a high-class lady 」

Momoko-neechan isn’t so narrow-minded that she can’t stand it if she’s not the star of the show.

She’s born as the granddaughter of the Kaan house, and so she’s obliged to shine as the star of the place at all times.

That’s why she has that kind of personality.

「 I can understand that. I was also like her until the spring of this year 」

Ruriko said.

「 I was assuming that I will be the successor of the Kouzuki house. I thought that I had to lead the household and the vassals. I was arrogant, and Onii-sama disciplined me 」

「 Me? Discipline? 」

What discipline?

「 Yes, whenever Onii-sama violates Ruriko, Onii-sama educates me that I’m not a special person, but rather a naive and pathetic girl who can’t do anything 」

No, that wasn’t the intention.

「 Although I’m still inexperienced in housekeeping and sex, as a woman, I work hard every day to improve myself in what I can offer Onii-sama as much as I can 」

Ruriko smiles.

「 People are certainly the protagonists of their own lives, but you see… 」

Nei speaks.

「 But that’s not everything. You don’t live alone. Family, Friends, the people you pass by on the street, you live in contact with so many people every day. They’re the protagonists in their lives, and so you need to understand that in theirs, you’re just a supporting character 」

「 Yes. That’s what Onii-sama taught me. 」 Therefore, I had to break free from being a woman who can do nothing but sit around foolishly. First, I wanted to be able to do what Yoshiko and the servants at the Kouzuki house have done to me to that point, I also want to be able to take the initiative in serving Onii-sama and the rest of the family 」

Ruriko…

「 Of course, I’m the protagonist in my own life, but at the same time, I want to be good support for Onii-sama and everyone else. Not as someone who causes troubles, but as a woman that is worth being by their side 」

Ruriko has changed, truly.

She’s become a girl that’s kind to everyone.

「 You don’t have the same senses as Ruri-chan, do you? Mii-chan? It’s not like you don’t care about Yo-chan and everyone else in the family, but Mii-chan never tried being anything but the protagonist of your own life. You don’t feel like playing the support role in Yo-chan’s life, do you? That’s why you can’t take away that feeling of “I’m the main protagonist,” anytime, anywhere. That’s why when everyone was clapping their hands on Marika-chan’s performance, you started comparing your skills to hers 」

Nei analyzed.

「 That’s what I meant when I said that you’re not kind to people. You’re always conscious of yourself that you lack awareness of other people. You put your own feelings first and you can’t see the heart of the people around you 」

「 I… 」

Misuzu looks down.

「 Misuzu-sama, you don’t have to be so depressed. Even I am just like Misuzu-sama. I was a girl who only thinks about herself until meeting Kou 」

Mariko smiled wryly.

「 Erica too! I was a bad girl who thinks only of herself. That’s why Kuromori-sama needs to punish me more! and I’ll serve more too!! 」

Erica said.

「 In my case, I don’t think I can do housework and cooking as well as Ruriko-sama, but I’m looking for things I can do to help Kou and the family. I don’t want to be just baggage, but also a fighting power 」

「 Erica too! I want to be someone who can do something for everyone 」

Mariko and Erica said. Misuzu;

「 Even I think of those!! 」

She speaks intensely.

「 I always want to be someone useful for Danna-sama, for the family! 」

「 It’s nice that you think that way, but what did you do then? 」

Nei speaks calmly.

「 Mii-chan, I don’t you could even step out from your status as a young lady of the Kouzuki house 」

「 I-I… 」

「 If you’re saying that I’m wrong, then what did Mii-chan do apart from being a daughter of the Kouzuki house? Ruri-chan’s starting her job as someone who introduces the treasures of nobility to the television apart from the housework. She broke out of her shell and is challenging various outlooks! 」

Right, Ruriko’s continuing to walk her path.

「 Misuzu-oneesama, that also applies to sex. Our sex with Onii-sama still doesn’t refresh him but, we have to continue serving Onii-sama until he feels refreshed and great just like how Nei-oneesama did earlier 」

Ruriko said.

「 That’s right. Agnes is still working her hardest to please Papa more! 」

Agnes said.

「 Really, we’re still inexperienced compared to Nei-san and Katsuko-san. Right? 」

Kana-senpai mutters.

「 We’re inexperienced, therefore, we work for it. We persevere. And Erica too!

Erica looked at me and vowed.

Then.

「 It’s okay to persevere, but you don’t have to rush it. You girls are still students 」

Katsuko-nee comes to the dining room.

She looks at me with a gentle smile.

「 Take your time and find the path you shall walk. If you want to be his lover, then you shouldn’t rush, take your time. Don’t forget, you girls are protagonists of your life, but your lives are already supporting roles for his. If you girls fall down because you were in a hurry, it’ll affect him, and even us 」

We’re a family.

We’re already sharing the same boat.

「 Right. You can’t take responsibility for what you did alone, Kou’s going to come and help you. If that happens, it won’t be just Kou, but the whole family that you bothered 」

Mariko said.

「 Yes. Personally, I don’t really mind if you girls cause trouble, but… You girls have little sisters. You don’t want your little sisters to cry because of what you did, right? 」

Katsuko-nee said. Agnes;

「 That’s right, desuno! I don’t want Mao-chan to feel sad because of Agnes 」

Agnes, the youngest in this place, is worried about Mao-chan who’s younger than her.

「 That’s it. That’s why you shouldn’t rush it. You can come and talk to us. You have some big sisters so go to them 」

Katsuko-nee said.

Then, she looked at Kuromiya-san and Mikuriya-san who had been quiet all this time…

「 You two as well, if you girls truly intend to be his concubine, then you need to talk to the girls. It affects us too 」

「 It seems like it 」

Kuromiya-san speaks with a straight face.

「 Well then, let’s end that conversation for now. You have to take your time to think about it. But for now, we shall start our fashion show! The first contestant, come out 」

Katsuko-nee said. Tsukiko appears.

She’s wearing our school uniform.

「 Oh, right. Tsukiko’s also attending our school tomorrow 」

Together with the new brothel prostitute cadets.

「 Yes. I will be joining in as well. What do you think? 」

Tsukiko twirls around.

Her skirt fluttered.

「 Yeah. That looks good on you 」

Tsukiko’s usually mature-looking, but when wearing a school uniform, you can see that she’s also a high-school girl. Her youth is sparkling.

「 I thought that I could never go to school anymore but thanks to Kuromori-sama’s power, I can graduate from high-school 」

Tsukiko’s 18, in her third year in high school.

Therefore, even if she enrolls, she only has half a year of school left.

Even so, she should go to school.

This is the only time where Tsukiko can go to high school after all.

「 Okay, next person, come in! 」

Katsuko-nee calls outside the dining room.

Right, attending our high school together with Tsukiko is…

「 Excuse me 」

As expected, it’s Mitama.

Yeah, Mitama is also 18 this year so she will graduate in half a year…

But…

I see.

Still…

「 What? 」

Mitama stares at me.

「 Well, I’m just wondering. Tsukiko’s wearing a female uniform, and yet, Mitama; 」

Mitama’s wearing the male uniform for some reason.

The stand-up collar school uniform.

No, it’s not the same actually.

Mitama’s male uniform is of a different color than mine, it’s a white uniform.

A white stand-up collar. And the Japanese sword at her back, the same one she brings at Yukino’s show.

「 Why are you wearing that? 」

I asked.

「 That’s Nei-oneesama 」

Nei what?

I turned to Nei.

「 I mean, if it’s Mitama-chan, the ordinary girl’s uniform would suit her, but still, I thought that this would have a better impact! 」

So Mitama’s going to school wearing male clothing just for the impact?

「 Hey! Mitama-chan! Can you try saying “The commoners are pigs” 」

Nei requests Mitama.

「 Kuh, the commoners are pigs! 」

Then, Mitama does as she’s told.

「 See? Isn’t that interesting? 」

Well, look.

Sure, that’s interesting, but…

Girl uniforms are much…

「 Oh, right, I also have an ordinary female uniform prepared for Mitama-san. You can change to those when you want to have sex in school 」

Nei laughed.

「 As expected, it’s going to be hard to have sex in school unless you’re wearing a skirt! 」

No, look.

Oh well.

It seems that Mitama likes the white school uniform too.

「 With that said, that’s the end of the fashion show! 」

Katsuko-nee said with a smile.