Multi-Anime, Kira Yoshikage Yearns for a Peaceful Life

"Miss Yukinoshita, what will my work be?"

Kira Yoshikage inquired.

Yukinoshita Haruno clicked her tongue:

"Well, let me go over the job requirements first."

"Working hours are from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM daily, with an hourly wage of 2000 yen. No weekends off; you get three days off per month, which can be requested in advance. Of course, if the guests are satisfied, they might personally tip you, and that income is entirely yours..."

Yukinoshita Haruno detailed the job requirements, a glint of cunning flashing in her eyes as she raised her index finger for emphasis:

"But on top of that, there's one most important point—the customer is king. So during working hours, you cannot refuse any request from a guest! Got it, Kira-kun~?"

"Got it."

Yukinoshita Haruno's gaze turned slightly mocking, I can tell you don't get it at all~!

Watching the mockery in the girl's eyes, Kira Yoshikage's heart remained unruffled.

During work hours, the customer might be king, but after hours, that's not necessarily the case.

Chapter 24: Well Said, But I Don't Believe It

Minato Ward, Nishikino General Hospital.

In the VIP luxury ward, Shinomiya Kaguya, now awake, lay on the hospital bed. Beside the bed stood a middle-aged man in a suit and tie, his expression blank.

He was the chairman of Shuchiin Academy and also the eldest son of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya Kōkō.

"Shinomiya Kaguya, tell me what happened."

Shinomiya Kōkō looked coldly at the pale-faced girl on the bed, as if the person lying there was a stranger rather than a sister sharing his blood.

Shinomiya Kaguya turned her head to the other side, her tone equally indifferent:

"Haven't you already heard from the others?"

"I jumped into the swamp to save Koyasu-senpai, but ended up cramping in my right leg mid-way and drowning, needing someone else to rescue me. If you're here to scold me for disgracing the Shinomiya family..."

Shinomiya Kōkō cut her off roughly, his voice low:

"That's not what I want to hear! What did you see before you lost consciousness?"

Shinomiya Kaguya frowned:

"See what? I saw Koyasu-senpai drowning at the time. What else?"

Shinomiya Kōkō pressed on:

"And the person who saved you? What did they look like?"

Shinomiya Kaguya paused for two seconds, then shook her head lightly:

"I was probably already hazy. I don't remember who saved me. Wasn't it Kasumigaoka-san?"

Shinomiya Kaguya put on a surprised and puzzled expression, as if quite taken aback.

However.

That was a lie.

Though her consciousness had been fuzzy at the time, Shinomiya Kaguya clearly remembered that her rescuer was a blond boy... Well, since he appeared at Shuchiin Academy, he was probably a student, right?

Shinomiya Kōkō stared intently into Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes, as if trying to see if she was lying, but he couldn't discern anything. Just as he was about to press further, he heard the sound of the door opening.

"Who is it?"

Shinomiya Kōkō said coldly, "Didn't I say no one was allowed in?"

Shinomiya Kōkō glared at the young man who pushed the door open—his third brother, Shinomiya Unkō.

Just as with his sister Shinomiya Kaguya, he showed no kindness to this younger brother either.

Shinomiya Unkō didn't give him any face either, saying flatly:

"Father told me to call you over."

Shinomiya Kōkō's expression shifted slightly. He glanced at Shinomiya Kaguya on the bed, then turned and left the ward.

Outside the corridor, an elderly man with graying temples, still dressed in a suit and tie, looking vigorous and sharp, calmly watched the direction of the ward, watching Shinomiya Kōkō step out.

"Father."

Shinomiya Kōkō approached, bowing respectfully.

Though he managed most of the Shinomiya family's business now, Shinomiya Kōkō knew well that none of it belonged to him. It all belonged to the old man before him—the head of the Shinomiya family, the direct-line commander of the Shinomiya Group, the shared father of himself, Shinomiya Unkō, and Shinomiya Kaguya: Shinomiya Gan'an.

Shinomiya Gan'an gave him a faint glance, then turned his gaze to a female doctor with dark red hair, wearing a white coat, her features lovely. In a tone of concern, he asked:

"Director Nishikino, how is Kaguya doing?"

Nishikino Mizuki flipped through the medical chart and replied softly:

"No major issues. Miss Shinomiya has one broken rib, caused by the emergency resuscitation. But thanks to that resuscitation, she was pulled back from the brink of death. Miss Koyasu is the same, though her condition was more critical."

"The person who saved them used very professional first-aid techniques—likely trained specifically..."

Shinomiya Gan'an looked as if he had breathed a sigh of relief, and also caught the implication in Nishikino Mizuki's words. He smiled:

"Director Nishikino, rest assured, we'll properly thank him. By the way, Kōkō and I have some matters to discuss—may we borrow your office?"

"Please, go ahead."

Nishikino Mizuki made an inviting gesture.

"Thank you."

Shinomiya Gan'an smiled his thanks, glancing at his eldest son from the corner of his eye.

"You don't mind if I listen in?"

Kashiwagi Masao suddenly spoke up from the side.

Shinomiya Gan'an looked at Kashiwagi Masao's forced smile and didn't take offense at the man's rudeness. He replied with a smile:

"Perfect timing. President Kashiwagi, please join us as well."

With that, Shinomiya Gan'an turned and walked into the director's office, and Kashiwagi Masao followed without any hesitation.

Though this appeared to be a family matter of the Shinomiya household, his own daughter had nearly lost her life today as well. As her father, he couldn't possibly let that slide without speaking up.

Inside the office, Shinomiya Kōkō closed the door, cutting off the gazes of those outside, and immediately spoke impatiently:

"Father, I—"

Shinomiya Gan'an sat down on the sofa, calmly cutting him off as he said flatly:

"Explain yourself. Why did the sacrificial ceremony go so terribly wrong?"

"..." Shinomiya Kōkō was silent for a moment, then explained in a low voice:

"I couldn't find a suitable offering..."

Shinomiya Gan'an's gaze turned icy:

"Couldn't find? Or didn't want to find? Were you trying to kill your sister? Is that it?"

Shinomiya Kōkō's heart tightened, and he explained in a grave tone:

"Father, you know me.

"Though I've never liked her, she's still a member of the Shinomiya Family. If something happened to her at the school under my jurisdiction, I'd be the one suffering the greatest loss of benefit!"

"A very convincing explanation."

Shinomiya Gan'an nodded lightly, but then shifted his tone: "But I don't believe it."

"Neither do I." Kashiwagi Masao let out a cold laugh.

Shinomiya Kōkō was cornered by that single remark and had no choice but to explain in full detail:

"Father, President Kashiwagi, even though I manage Shuchiin Academy, you both should know that the Lake God's appetite has grown larger these past few years. I've been doing my best to find a suitable offering, but I was still one proper Miko short."

"And that girl named Koyasu Tsubame happened to meet the Lake God's requirements. Originally, sacrificing only her would have been enough for the blessing ceremony to proceed smoothly. In other words, this matter wouldn't have involved Kaguya or President Kashiwagi's daughter at all..."

He paused, not continuing further.

Kashiwagi Masao also fell silent.

The existence of the Lake God within Shuchiin Academy—all of them were perfectly clear on that fact.

The Lake God had existed long before the school was built; in fact, the entire Shuchiin Academy was established because of the Lake God. Every year, new Pure Academy students were required to participate in a 'Swamp Cleanup' entrance ceremony, which was essentially a sacrificial ritual and blessing ceremony for the Lake God.

As long as a qualified offering was presented, the Lake God would bestow its blessing upon those Pure Academy students. The blessed Pure Academy students would receive the Lake God's protection, and from then on, they no longer had to worry about the threat of Evil Spirits.

The fact that their families had been able to thrive for centuries without decline, even growing larger and larger, was inseparable from the Lake God's protection.

Of course, not all parents of Pure Academy students were aware of this.

Only a few ancient families that had endured for centuries and truly stood at the top of Japanese society were qualified to know of the Lake God's existence.

For example, the Shinomiya Family, and the Kashiwagi Family.

As for that girl named Koyasu Tsubame, though she was also a Pure Academy student, her father was merely a regional manager of a large food service company. He had no standing to know about the Lake God, so even if they secretly sacrificed Tsubame, he would only assume she had accidentally fallen into the water and drowned.

In other words, according to Shinomiya Kōkō's reasoning—

If Shinomiya Kaguya hadn't jumped into the water to save someone on her own, none of this chain of events would have happened at all.

Chapter 25: I Know Faith Is Important

Shinomiya Kōkō calmly endured his father's scrutinizing gaze, because his conscience was clear.

Koyasu Tsubame's father had once been a student at Shuchiin Academy as well.

But back then, he was a Mixed Academy student, and at that time, Mixed Academy students also participated in the Swamp Cleanup entrance activity.

Without knowing of the Lake God's existence, he had ridden on the coattails of the Pure Academy students and shared in the Lake God's blessing. The fact that he had risen from a Mixed Academy student all the way to manager of a large food service company was thanks to the Pure Academy's patronage.

Even his daughter had now transformed into a Pure Academy student.

As the price for everything he had gained, having his daughter repay it now—wasn't that only reasonable?

If things had spiraled out of control, in the end, it was Shinomiya Kaguya's fault!

At Shinomiya Kōkō's expressed viewpoint, Kashiwagi Masao remained silent.

If not for Shinomiya Kaguya jumping into the water to save someone without permission, causing her to also be taken as an offering by the Lake God, then his daughter Kashiwagi Nagisa wouldn't have jumped in to rescue her, and wouldn't have nearly fallen into the danger of being made an offering by the Lake God...

"Fool!"

Shinomiya Gan'an roared in reprimand, like a furious lion:

"Who allowed you to use Pure Academy students as offerings?"

"Father's lesson is well taken."

Shinomiya Kōkō dared not argue, lowering his head in agreement.

Shinomiya Gan'an's tone was icy:

"You alone will bear the consequences of this matter."

"That student named Koyasu Tsubame—give her father sufficient compensation."

"Yes."

"And Kaguya as well. Transfer a portion of the assets under your name to her."

"Yes."

Shinomiya Kōkō remained deferential, not daring the slightest defiance.

Kashiwagi Masao spoke up faintly:

"And what about my daughter? What compensation do you plan to give her?"

Shinomiya Gan'an let out a scoff, but Shinomiya Kōkō replied calmly:

"Speaking of President Kashiwagi's daughter, there is another matter that requires Miss Kashiwagi's assistance."

"What matter?"

Kashiwagi Masao looked wary. "Nagisa was frightened and needs a few days to rest. What do you want to ask?"

Shinomiya Kōkō did not dare be negligent and explained carefully: