She Is Like Us

Deep in the night, the campus outside the window had sunk into a serene darkness, with streetlights casting halos of dim, yellow light along the empty paths.

The lights inside the dormitory remained on, the warm-toned glow enveloping the entire living room in a soft atmosphere.

Mazumi Mami sat on the sofa, leaning back in a relaxed posture, his gaze fixed on the cup of tea on the coffee table that had gradually grown cold, as if he were deep in thought.

The three girls sitting opposite and beside him were currently staring at their respective electronic devices, their expressions serious—a stark contrast to the playful, boisterous demeanor they had displayed at the restaurant earlier that day.

"My Lord—"

Walnut was the first to break the silence. Her eyes, reflected in the blue light of the screen, narrowed slightly as her fingers tapped rapidly across the keyboard.

"We've finished gathering the intelligence on Karuizawa Kei. After cross-referencing and verification... all in all, it doesn't deviate much from what she told us herself."

She paused, seemingly organizing her next words, before continuing.

"There's even a suspicion that she sugarcoated it, because her actual situation right now is likely far worse than she even realizes."

As she spoke, she hit the Enter key.

Several crisp notification sounds rang out simultaneously on the phones of Mazumi Mami, Chisato Nishikigi, and Runa Inoue.

Opening them, they saw a detailed dossier on their screens. At the top was a slightly youthful ID photo—the girl in the picture wore her hair in a modest, standard style and had delicate features, looking like a completely different person from the gal-style appearance she sported now. Yet, those violet eyes were unmistakable, confirming it was the same person.

Scrolling down the file, they saw her name, age, place of origin, family structure, academic history...

Each item was laid out clearly, like an open ledger of a life, every entry silently recounting the fortunes and misfortunes the girl had experienced thus far.

"The main reason for the family's collapse is here."

Walnut used her mouse cursor to circle a paragraph, her tone as calm as if she were reading a weather report, though the content was anything but light.

"Her mother, relying on her youth and beauty, remained unfaithful after marriage, hooking up with a young nobleman and betraying the family. When her father found out, he didn't choose to save the marriage, but instead took a path of near-retaliatory nature—he, too, began keeping a young, beautiful student on the side."

She raised her eyelids and added, "Simply put, the couple was evenly matched when it came to 'playing around'."

"And it's not just a matter of 'playing around'..."

Runa Inoue took over, her own tablet displaying the same information.

"More importantly—both sides, without prior consultation, viewed Karuizawa Kei as a 'burden'. According to the records we obtained from her middle school guidance counselor, her mother explicitly stated—'If it weren't for Kei, I could have roamed the upper echelons of society without a care in the world; no one would have even known I'd given birth.'"

Chisato Nishikigi's brow furrowed slightly. "What kind of talk is that... what does she mean 'if it weren't for this child'? That's her own daughter."

"As for her father, his attitude was just as vile—"

Runa Inoue continued, her tone still calm, though a faint, imperceptible chill flickered in the depths of her eyes.

"According to the records we pulled, her father felt annoyed every time he saw Kei's face. He believed that both mother and daughter were 'the same'—'born beautiful, but rotten to the core.' If the court hadn't ordered him to pay child support, he wouldn't have wanted to spend a single cent."

The living room fell silent for a few seconds.

Chisato Nishikigi looked down at the text on the screen, and after a long while, she let out a soft sigh.

"...This really is... the trauma brought on by one's original family. I used to think our own childhood experiences were unlucky enough, but compared to Kei... these parents are just too extreme. I don't even know what words to use to describe them."

"Having parents like that is truly Kei's misfortune."

Runa Inoue set down her tablet, clasping her hands on her lap, her gaze filled with a rare touch of pity. "And—the situation isn't just as simple as 'family discord'."

She looked up at Mazumi Mami. "I investigated her financial records before she enrolled. After she entered this school, her father secretly sold their property and took all the proceeds, leaving Kei with nothing. He is currently unreachable, and even the court-mandated child support payments have been suspended for several months."

Chisato Nishikigi gasped.

"If this school didn't have its special educational mechanism, waiving basic tuition and fees while providing living expenses in the form of 'points' every month..."

Runa Inoue said slowly, "I'm afraid Kei would struggle to maintain even the most basic standard of living right now, forced to scrape by on that meager, barely-sufficient child support."

Her gaze turned serious. "You could even say—if she hadn't met you, My Lord, at this school, given her current financial and psychological state, it wouldn't be long before she was crushed by life, forced to voluntarily apply for withdrawal, and return to the shadow of that broken home, disappearing into the crowd forever."

After she finished, the living room fell into a brief silence.

Chisato Nishikigi bit her lip, saying nothing. Walnut stopped her fingers from tapping the keyboard, and Runa Inoue lowered her gaze quietly.

The expressions of the three girls were all, without exception, heavy with sympathy.

Mazumi Mami sighed softly and reached out to pick up the cup of tea that had gone slightly cold, but he didn't drink, merely watching the reflection of the lights on the surface of the liquid.

"...It seems I was a bit too lenient back then."

His voice was calm, but his words made the three girls pause in surprise.

"I thought that by dealing with those external bullies and allowing her to continue her studies and life in a relatively safe environment, it would be enough."

He set the teacup down, his gaze carrying a complex look. "I didn't expect... the biggest problem wasn't the classmates bullying her at all, but her own family. The people who wanted to destroy her were living in her own home from the very beginning."

He looked up, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the three girls. "When there's time later, find an opportunity to ask her—see how she wants to handle these matters. If she has enough resolve, I don't mind helping her one more time."

"The right way to think, My Lord."

Chisato Nishikigi was the first to speak up, a look of seriousness appearing on her face that was completely different from earlier that day. "If Kei wants revenge, or wants to break free from that family—I'll help too."

Mazumi Mami looked at her, unable to help but raise an eyebrow slightly, a hint of an intrigued smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Chisato, your attitude changed pretty quickly. Just a moment ago at the dormitory entrance, you were full of vigilance and caution toward her, acting like 'don't you dare get close to my Lord.' Not much time has passed, and you're already calling her 'Kei'."

Upon hearing this, a bashful smile appeared on Chisato Nishikigi's face. She reached up to scratch the back of her head and let out a small, sheepish laugh.

"Hehe... well, times change. If she were someone with ulterior motives, I naturally wouldn't give her a pleasant look. But Kei... she's really different."

Her smile faded slightly, and her gaze turned earnest.

"I felt something in her—an experience similar to what we went through. Although the specific circumstances differ, I wouldn't mistake that feeling of 'regarding the young master as one's only sanctuary.'"

"The way she looks at the young master, that reliance, that trust, that obsession as if she's clutching at a final straw—I can feel it. It is absolutely not fake."

She lifted her head, her gaze firm. "She has completely made you her final destination, Young Master. In this regard, she is just like us."

"Indeed."

Runa Inoue nodded. "Perhaps it is precisely because we empathize that we cannot just stand by and watch. Moreover, for you, Young Master, this isn't merely a simple 'act of kindness'—"

A flash of an analyst's coldness crossed her eyes.

"If Kei can officially become one of us, it would be a good thing for us as well."

"It doesn't just mean more people to serve you, Young Master; more importantly, she can act as a nail driven into Class D. Our current identities are far too conspicuous on campus, which actually limits our ability to collect intelligence in the shadows."

"With Kei's identity and position, she may be able to reach people and information that we normally cannot."

"Chisato and Runa are both right."

Walnut nodded and took over the conversation.

"For our current situation, the more hands we have, the better. Our fame on campus is too high. While that has brought us convenience and value to a certain extent—like making it easier to gain trust during negotiations—"

"On another level, it is not conducive to gathering intelligence discreetly. If we have Kei as our mole in Class D, many information channels that were previously inaccessible might finally be opened."

Walnut said.

Mazumi Mami listened quietly to the three girls, his gaze sweeping across their faces one by one before he slowly revealed a sincere smile.

"Thank you all."

This "thank you" was spoken softly, yet it carried a heavy weight.

Chisato Nishikigi was slightly taken aback, then grinned and waved her hands vigorously. "What are you thanking us for! We're all one family! And family doesn't stand on ceremony!"

She changed the subject, holding up a finger with a playful touch.

"However—I'll say this first. We agreed to take Kei in because she is special enough and because her feelings are genuine. You mustn't think that 'bringing any random girl home is fine' just because of this. If you start dragging home strangers every day saying, 'she's going to be a maid too,' I'm going to go on strike!"

Chisato Nishikigi said.

"Indeed."

Runa Inoue nodded expressionlessly, adding a blunt remark in a flat tone. "While carrying on the family line and expanding the clan are duties you must fulfill as the family heir, we cannot manage it if the numbers become too high. So, Young Master—please try to control yourself and don't fall for every girl you see."

"Mm."

Walnut also set down her computer, crossed her arms over her chest, and nodded solemnly. "A harmonious family atmosphere is very important. If there are too many people in the backyard, just dealing with interpersonal relationships would be enough to exhaust our energy. It is not conducive to maintaining the team's overall operational efficiency."

Mazumi Mami looked at the three girls who were singing in harmony and working so well together, and couldn't help but smile helplessly.

"I'm not the type of person who can't walk straight just because I see a pretty girl, okay... Don't imagine me as some kind of playboy with a head full of lewd fantasies."

Mazumi Mami said.

"Hard to say, after all, you are a boy."

Chisato Nishikigi spread her hands with a smile, her tone carrying a hint of playful teasing.

"It seems we still need to work harder when it comes to your lustful nature."

Runa Inoue said something baffling with a blank expression. "Mm, we must find a way to exhaust the Young Master's excessive energy. That way, he won't have any spare thoughts to go out and flirt with others."

"Exactly."

Walnut nodded in solemn agreement.

"Seriously—what kind of nonsense are you all talking about?"

Mazumi Mami rubbed his forehead, feeling a mix of laughter and tears, but the curve of his lips betrayed his true mood.

The night breeze gently stirred the curtains, and the light in the dormitory was warm and bright.

The relaxed and natural atmosphere among the four of them seemed to sweep away the gloom left by the heavy conversation from moments ago.

In another dormitory building not far away, a girl who had just finished bathing and was wrapped in a bathrobe stood under the moonlight, looking at the same night sky and silently making her vow.

From this day on, their fates would be tightly intertwined once again.