115. In the abyss….
I looked back when Minaho-neesan told me that…
Certainly….There’s a car that’s running after us in a bizarre speed. 1
「You’re mistaken if you think that that’s the only one…!」
…Eh?
「We have phones and internet nowadays…While they’re chasing after us in a loud manner, there’s another car going ahead of us…!」
So the other party is such a huge organization…!
「W-What should we do?」
I turned to Sensei…
Sensei who’s holding the steering wheel spoke calmly.
「It’s okay…This is why we’re going round and round the station…!」
Speaking of which…we’re not getting away from the station…?!
「We’ll be able to read most of the enemy numbers. As long as we can know the number…we can know how serious they are…!」
…Minaho-neesan?
「How many years do you think we stayed in this town? We have reliable investigators hired. All of the suspicious people around the station are being suppressed right now… This is our hometown. We’re all using surveillance cameras in the public facilities and shopping district…!」
She’s going around the station on purpose to see through the enemies…!
「Also, this is a location with a lot of people so the enemy cannot touch us by force…!」
As expected of our Nee-san!
「It’s about time I guess…!」
…Eh?
…What are we going to do?
「…We had our escape destination since the start?」
…Escape destination?
「…Everyone, hold on tight!」
Saying that, Minaho-neesan suddenly turned the steering wheel…!
「Uwa!」
「Kyaa!」
We’re being pushed by the force!
Maika and Megu screamed!
…Buaaaaaan!
The car blows it’s exhaust and jumps into the underground parking station of the big hotel from the main street…!
「…Isn’t this?」
Katsuko-nee smiled…
「That’s right, this is the hotel that’s contracted with Nagisa…and」
Katsuko-nee looks at Minaho-neesan.
「…I have forty percent of the stocks here」
In short…Minaho-neesan is a big shareholder of this hotel…
This building is under the patronage of 『Kuromori』…!
「…They’re coming as expected」
Our car blasts in the underground parking lot…
The car from a while ago comes from our back!
No…it increased to two!
「Now then…It’s about time we end this」
Minaho-neesan turns the car to the gate on the interior of the parking lot.
There’s a 『Members only parking lot』…
There’s a management office and a muscular security guard runs out in groups.
Minaho-neesan flickers the light of the car…
With just that, the gate opens automatically…!
「I’ve contacted them a while ago so they know my car」
Our car slides in to the 『Members only parking lot』…
At the moment the car enters, the security guards bowed to Minaho-neesan.
「…I’ll leave them to you people」
Opening the car window, Minaho-neesan spoke to the guards.
The gate has already been closed.
「Hey fuckers…Open this gate!」
The two cars chasing after us are prevented by the gate from coming inside.
「Sorry, this is a member’s only area」
The security guards face the pursuers.
「What? What Member?!」
The pursuers got off their car noisily as well.
1, 2, 3, 4…there’s 5 people in total
All of them are hoodlums…or rather, they look like Yakuza.
「Well you see…This is a gate that never let those people who doesn’t know what organization enter…!」
The security guards took out their metal policeman club and stun gun…!
「We can just leave everything else to those people」
Our car goes in deeper the 『Members only parking lot』
There’s an elevator that can fit a large sized car in the interior of the parking lot.
Minaho-neesan took out an electric key and turns it to the elevator.
There’s a gate protected by humans and a double check elevator machine that performs a check.
The elevator door opens and the car comes in.
「…Uwaaaaa!」
「…Ugyaaaa!」
I can hear the men screaming from the background…
「…Don’t look back. They’re just an unsightly scenery」
Minaho-neesan said over the mirror.
The elevator door closes…
I can no longer hear the screams
◇ ◇ ◇
The elevator goes further underground.
「This is the fifth underground floor…」
Minaho-neesan told us.
The elevator’s descent stops and the door opens.
Approximately ten cars can park in here.
But…There’s not a single one parked in.
「It’s been a while coming here…」
Katsuko-nee muttered expressionlessly.
I somehow understood it…
This hotel is is an annex of 『Kuromori』brothel
Minaho-neesan chooses her words in explaining so Maika won’t notice the existence of 『Kuromori』
「You see…This is a meeting place for rich people and their mistress without being known by anyone. Nowadays, this is a 『Room rent』for such people…!」
『Kuromori』prostitution section has stopped their activities however…
This annex is still lending rooms to the guests of 『Kuromori』from the old days.
The guests take their female partner by themselves.
Therefore, the security guards are residing here…
「If it’s a city hotel, you can just pretend to have a meeting on a different room…then go down the secret elevator won’t you? You can have 『Adult meetups』without everyone seeing it. You can use the usual guest room rented as an alibi and the hotel can make a profit as well」
…So they’re doing that kind of business.
「Either way, let’s go to my office. Take all the baggage when you’re going down. I like this car but we can’t use this anymore. Those people have the number of this one」
Minaho-neesan said in regret.
「I feel sorry for the people who owns this car in papers but…the trouble fee has been paid in advance, we have no choice but to give up…」
「What kind of people are they?」
I find it curious so I asked.
「If I recall, they’re elderly people working at a plating factory in an industrial park…」
Oh…Those people would be invaded by the companions of those hoodlums.
My condolences.
「This way」
We took our baggage and followed Minaho-neesan…
「It’s here…Even though I said office, It’s hardly used」
Nee-san opened the lock and invited us inside.
There’s only a desk and reception set…It was an unexpectedly simple room.
「Either way…we’re absolutely safe here」
We sat on the sofa being told by Nee-san.
Maika leaks out a sigh.
As expected, she’s nervous.
「Are you okay Maika?」
「Un…I’m fine. Or rather, it made my heart throb!」
Maika looks at my face and smiled.
「…Maika?」
「Yuzuki-san, what kinds of room are those used for 『Secret adult meetings』?」
Maika asks Minaho-neesan.
…What?
When you said that your heart is throbbing, you were interested in those?
…No, that’s wrong.
Maika’s face might be laughing…
…But her legs are trembling.
She’s talking a different topic on purpose to hide her unease…
This child had that character…
If I don’t take a look at her more.
Megu nods at my glance.
Megu understands…
Katsuko-nee’s holding Maika’s shoulder casually…
Everyone’s thinking carefully of the smallest among us, Maika…
「The secret meeting rooms have luxurious interior. The concept is different on each room」
「Waa, Maika wants to see」
「Not right now…There’s a lot too stimulating things in there」
「Eeeh!…Stimulating? What kind?」
Maika bites Minaho-neesan’s words.
「We’ll visit next time…we don’t have time for today」
Minaho-neesan smiled wryly.
The phone on the desk rings.
「…Yes, it’s me」
Minaho-neesan answered the call.
「…Is that so? Got it. They’re also intruding the front of the hotel. I don’t mind, call the police. So they knew it from the people who chased us to the underground…As expected. They’re fast to talk to people on the crime syndicates…please report to the lawyer, Tsuruya-sensei. If they deal with that kind of team, the opponent would be plucked off enough…」
As expected…it was a crime syndicate.
「…The detailed correspondence should be left to Manager Takada and Concierge Chief Nomoto. The crime syndicate will persist to destroy the hotel side by putting false charges on them…the hotel should strongly appeal that they’re unrelated. I’m going up immediately. The usual room please. Thank you…!」
Nee-san said then hang up the phone…
「The concierge of this hotel is my senior」
Katsuko-nee told us with a smile.
Katsuko-nee’s senior…In short, a retired woman of 『Kuromori』
「She’s very reliable so please feel relieved…」
Perhaps, most of the women in the mansion has taken part in Minaho-neesan’s various business.
There’s a firm bond between the women who were made prostitutes…
「Ojou-sama…should I prepare tea?」
Katsuko-nee stands up from the sofa.
「No need. We’re done here anyway. There’s a guest room prepared above so let’s just call for room-service」
「Then, we’re having supper here as well?」
「Right…the people in room service are safe」
…It seems that we’re going to eat supper at this hotel.
「This underground facility isn’t just used to run away from the pursuers」
Minaho-neesan looked at us.
「Electric waves doesn’t reach this underground facility. There’s no relay broadcast facility as well. There are a lot of customers who want to enjoy the 『Secret Meeting』in a place where phones won’t reach…」
…Phone?
「I’m going to confiscate your phones」
Minaho-neesan…told Megu, Maika and I.
…Err?
「…Did you not know that the location of a person can be known from the phone?」
Un…I’ve heard about it.
「Your phones are already identified by those people…!」
…I see.
Megu and my location can be found out by the GPS.
「But…Maika would be troubled if she can’t contact her friends」
Maika said.
「That’s fine」
Katsuko-nee took out a machine that looks like a laptop from the car.
「We’ve bought identical ones from the phone shop. We’ll just read the data on your phone and transfer it」
In addition, Katsuko-nee took out three phones with the same model.
「We’ll give this in exchange of the confiscated phones. You can use it so don’t worry. The data from contacts and mails, everything will be transferred. You may not like it but endure it. Once this event settles down, we’ll change the model…」
Katsuko-nee said with a smile.
「That’s fine isn’t it, Maika-chan?」
Megu smiled at Maika.
She handed her own phone to Katsuko-nee, taking the lead.
「…Then please」
「Yes, leave this to me!」
Katsuko-nee ties the phone to the machine via cable and begins her work…
「It can’t be helped…Maika just renewed the other day…」
Saying that, Maika presented her own phone.
I took out my phone as well.
「But…They’re faster than I thought」
I told Minaho-neesan.
「Are you talking about Shirasaka house’s movement being sooner than expected?」
Then…Minaho-neesan…
「No. Shirasaka house still haven’t began to move yet. According to my investigation, it seems that they hired an underground investigation company but…they have bad reputation, they move slow, and have low investigation ability. Why would they hire those people expressly? As expected, newsspaper people are useless. They have tunnel vision on what they know…thus they’re naive…!」
…Eh?
「Then…Shirasaka house haven’t started investigation yet?」
「That’s right. Well, with the scale of their investigation company, they’ll complete their preparations by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow」
…With that said?
「Huh…If so, when who’s the crime syndicate that’s coming after us…?」
…W-Who employed them?
…*Knock*
Suddenly, the door was knocked…!
I was startled by it.
This is an underground facility so we’re the only one’s here, right?
「…Who’s there?」
Minaho-neesan asked…and the person on the other side answered.
「…It’s me…Minaho!」
There’s only one person calling Minaho-neesan 『Minaho』…!
…M-Margo-san?!
「…Come in, it’s open」
The door opened and Margo-san comes in.
「…How did it go?」
Margo-san took out one sheet of paper when Minaho-neesan asked.
「It’s them as expected」
There’s a low resolution photo from a surveillance camera somewhere printed on the paper.
It’s a tall foreigner?
I don’t get his face though…
「…It’s Cesario Viola」
…Margo-san?
「He’s already in this town…!」
My head was filled with what’s ahead that I forgot the existence of the strong enemy…
「Who’s this foreigner?」
Maika peeps to the photo in curiosity.
「…Nei’s archenemy」
Margo-san spit out.
「Nei-san’s archenemy?」
「Yeah…He’s an American that killed Nei’s parents and is now chasing Nei…!」
I’m surprised.
「Could it be that those people who chased us just now…?!」
Margo-san smiles wryly.
「It’s as Yoshida-kun expects…Those are hired people of Mr. Viola in Japan」
…Is that how it is?
「Mr. Viola’s parents are soldiers so he came in Japan in his childhood and he can speak Japanese. However, he should’ve been in Okinawa. It’s my first time hearing that he has come to the mainland as far as I know. Naturally, since he’s not familiar with the land…he employed locals」
Margo-san explained.
「Is it that easy to employ Yakuza?」
Megu asked and Margo-san…
「Mr. Viola’s underground community in US is well known…He must’ve mingled with the people of the crime syndicates in Japan」
Then…
The crime syndicate trying to intrude the hotel hardly knows any information on Cesario Viola.
Their relationship is just an employee and employer.
「As a makeshift…a huge amount of Yakuza will chase Yoshida-kun and Mr. Viola will take a look at our reaction…」
…Reaction
「The number of people, the scale…and the connection with the underground」
I see…
「We’re the same though. We’re both still in the dark. But, because of the uproar being concentrated only around the station, we’re able to confirm that Mr. Viola is in Japan. We have checked all the surveillance cameras in the neighborhood」
Minaho-neesan let the pursuers chase us around the station to confirm the appearance of Cesario Viola.
Thinking that Mr. Viola himself is near the location…
「Then…Where is he right now?」
Margo-san shook her head…
「Taking a look at the surveillance cameras, he left by the taxi after this. We’re examining the taxi company for the moment but…it seems impossible to chase after him. I don’t think he’ll come to this hotel. He’s not an idiot that jumps to the enemy nest alone…!」
…They’re already good by just confirming that the enemy is in Japan.
「But…Why do those people know our whereabouts?」
Megu asks Margo-san.
「That’s because of Yoshida-kun’s phone」
My phone?
「…Iwakura-san leaked information about Yoshida-kun, Nei, and me to the underground community, don’t you remember?」
That’s right. Our personal information was leaked by Iwakura-san to the underground community.
Mr. Viola came to Japan because of the leaked information and photo of Nei-san…
「…Yes」
「Nei and I were hidden all the time so it’s impossible to search our whereabouts in Japan」
Margo-san and Nei-san are members of 『Kuromori』…
Nei-san never took in a guest so she has never shown her face in 『Kuromori』
Margo-san is on backstage as guard so she basically don’t show her face.
There’s no information on the two connected to 『Kuromori』…
「Iwakura-san had leaked information at least which school Nei is staying but…In the first place, the phone number and address Nei submitted to the office of school are all fictional. Even if someone access it, we would immediately be alerted and be standby to move. It’s holiday today as well so they cannot distinguish Nei’s location from the school. As for me, my address in the university and the embassy are identical… My phone number are all from a different person…and I’m always using multiple ones. Ah, the number Nei and I have been using until now has been disposed. We’ll tell you our new number later…!」
So they’ve been thorough with that.
「Therefore…Yoshida-kun’s the only clue they have」
…Me?
「Iwakura-san leaked out the information about who you are and which school you go to. Your mobile number, even if who of your classmates has 10k yen, they’re able to have that from the phone network」
…Perhaps they do.
Who’s number did I write on the emergency contact again?
「That’s why those guys come to you first…」
…Is that how it is?
Nobody knows that I’m related to 『Kuromori』
They just think that I’m a normal high school student.
They’ll take a hold of me then have me spill out Nei-san’s location.
「Ah…Then, Maika and Megu are still safe, aren’t they?」
I sighed.
If I’m the only one they’re aiming, I can deal with it somehow.
But…Margo-san…
「You see Yoshida-kun…the underground world is comparatively small」
…Ha?
「What do you think will happen if Mr., Viola’s hired Yakuza and Shirasaka family shared information?」
…Share information?
「It would immediatelye known that Megumi-chan’s the girl who run away with you. Shirasaka house is requesting to search Megumi-chan no investigation companies. Students on the same class and same school would be uploaded on the underground community. There’s no person who won’t think that you two are related…」
In short…They’ll cooperate and come after us…?!
「It’ll be immediately found out that we’re behind Yoshida-kun and Megumi-chan. If both targets are in the same group… There’s a high possibility that Mr. Viola’s hired crime syndicate and Shirasaka house’s hired investigators will cooperate」
…Certainly.
That would become troublesome…
「Can’t we have the syndicate hired by Cesario Viola withdraw?」
Katsuko-nee asked Margo-san.
Un…If we use the name 『Kuromori』, the crime syndicate might give up…
「That’s no good. The crime syndicate is connected with Mr. Viola. There’s almost clues on that mister. We should let him free and gather more intelligence」
Margo-san’s opinion is reasonable.
「…We’re able to escape to this hotel from the crime syndicate by chance. They don’t know our relation with this facility after all…
Minaho-neesan said.
「Those who enter the underground gate of this hotel will be 『Guests』without question thus…they cannot tell information about the customers, they’ll reject it. That would make the other side quiet」
『Kuromori』is a prostitution ring that is associated with the big shots of politics and business circles.
That means that they’d rather die than tell that 『Information about the guests』
For the time being…Mr. Viola’s hired crime syndicate would hold back.
They would feel indebt with the hotel that’s under the rule of 『Kuromori』without knowing anything.
But…Shirasaka house.
They know that they’re dealing with 『Kuromori』from the start…
「…We need to make a hit before Shirasaka house is able to arrange themselves.」
Margo-san said and looked at Maika.
「I feel sorry for Maika-chan but…can you contact your mother and your grandfather on mother’s side?」
…That’s?
「What the Shirasaka house fears the most is the people knowing Shirasaka Sousuke’s evildoing. It would cause serious damage on the Shirasaka house after all」
Margo-san analyzes it clearly.
「The second one is to secure Shirasaka Sousuke himself. They want to recapture Shirasaka Sousuke without anyone knowing that he’s kidnapped」
…I see.
「Securing Megumi-chan is the later of the priority level…At most, they must be thinking that she has the clues on Shirasaka’s current whereabouts」
Margo-san supplements Minaho-neesan’s talk.
「If the head of Shirasaka house was a bit more decent and…He’ll contact me directly. There’s a lot of people among them who knows me and the mansion…!」
The family and the persons connected with Shirasaka Sousuke naturally knows 『Kuromori』as well.
No…There’s a lot of 『Guests』among the clan as well.
「It’s a makeshift…All the dirty work are done by the people they hired, it’ll get even more troublesome as they don’t approach themselves…」
…I see
「Therefore…What was Shirasaka Sousuke doing in the back until now. And with the fact that he’s being restrained in Australia…They think that this will be leaked to people other than Shirasaka house」
Margo-san smiled.
In short…We’re informing Maika’s mother’s side to restrain the head of Shirasaka house!
「Maika-san’s grandfather…Ichikawa-san is a decent and honest person, or so I’ve heard. …We’ve never met each other however…」
In short…He’s not a guest of the mansion.
A person completely without contact with 『Kuromori』
「There’s no need to let the public know Shirasaka Sousuke’s back face…Having the relative, Ichikawa-san know first and it will have enough effect. Ichikawa-san is the leader of the advertising industry and a person in equal ground of the head of Shirasaka house. He won’t do something that’s on Shirasaka house’s convenience…!」
「Rather…They hate being involved with the scandal of Shirasaka house. For Ichikawa-san, Shirasaka Sousuke’s evildoing is an inexcusable act of betrayal」
Even if it’s a political marriage…the man who married his own daughter is a manager of an illegal prostitution ring…
An honest man shouldn’t be able to tolerate such things…
「I’m sure my Grandfather would be surprised…」
…Maika muttered.
「It seems…Maika should better report him now…」
Quietly…she laughed and answered.
「…Maika, will you please do it?」
Maika looks up at me.
「What are you saying…I’m Onii-san’s 『Woman』」
…Maika.
「Maika understands how serious Yuzuki-san as well…but…!」
Maika hesitates.
「Isn’t it about time you tell Maika everything?」
…Maika’s too clever.
Even though we try not to speak the whole picture of 『Kuromori』to Maika…she noticed it.
「It’s still no good…We can’t tell you everything」
Minaho-neesan said clearly.
「Does that mean that you can’t trust Maika?」
Maika looks straight at Minaho-neesan.
「…That’s wrong. It’s the problem of timing. I think that it’s better not to tell Maika-san everything yet. That way, you can behave at ease」
MInaho-neesan answered with a smile.
「…What do you mean?」
「We can’t have Maika-san come home today but…it’s possible that you will meet your mother and grandfather tomorrow. At that time, I would be troubled if Maika-san knows too much. You might tell Ichikawa-san information we don’t want them to know yet…」
「You’re thinking that Maika will tell her grandfather without thought?」
「I don’t…But, I cannot underestimate Maika-san’s grandfather. He’s managing a big enterprise. I think that he’ll be able to gather information from Maika-san persuasively…」
Minaho-neesan looked at Maika with strong eyes…
「Therefore…We still can’t tell you about everything『Yet』…!」
…Maika
「Not 『Yet』for now. Then you’re going to tell me everything sometime?」
「…Yes. I promise that」
The two women glare at each other…
「Got it…Maika will contact Mama and grandfather…」
Maika submitted for the time being…
1. Teki no stando da! ↩