Volume 6 Chapter 3 Lady Perfectly？②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Oh, just so we’re clear, you’d better not follow me, alright?” Naoshi warned.
Kazuramichi Naoshi tossed the remark over his shoulder to Suzuri and the others seeing him off at the entrance of the Touma estate, his tone suggests he was merely double-checking just in case.
”Where exactly are you going?” Suzuri asked in return. She remained entirely unfazed by his attempt to head her off.
In response, he flashed a suspiciously upbeat, shady grin.
”Well, that’s a secret, naturally.”
”In that case, we might just happen to end up in the same place as you, Big Brother,” Ako added smoothly.
”Hm, quite. If we don’t know the destination, we have no way to avoid it ourselves. It can’t be helped—truly, it’s unavoidable,” Suzuri said, nodding with an air of profound logic at Ako’s immediate covering fire.
”Hooh. So you two are plannin’ on a joint outing, then?” Naoshi asked.
”Yes, since it’s a rare day off, we intend to spread our wings a little,” Ako replied.
”Our destination is currently undecided, though. After all, I’m not well-acquainted with Tokyo; there’s no telling where or what might catch my eye—”
”I’m truly looking forward to seeing where we end up,” Ako said.
”Yeah, yeah. These kids, I swear…” Naoshi muttered.
Naoshi simply shrugged at the sight of Suzuri’s transparent emphasis and his younger sister’s coordinated performance.
”Just spare me any pathetic displays, alright? Well then, I’m off.” Naoshi said.
”Yes, have a safe trip,” Suzuri said.
”Please take care, sir,” Ako said.
* * *
The moment the door clicked shut, the two girls hurriedly grabbed their coats and began preparing to head out. Suzuri had opted for a more formal aesthetic, while Ako wore a feminine style distinct from her usual look—both choices deliberate for the tailing mission ahead.
”—What do you think, Ako-san?” Suzuri asked.
”It’s fifty-fifty. The information provided to First and Second Class differ, after all, so there is a chance this is a job related to the current incident,” Ako replied.
”Though, if that were the case, Nao-nii would likely just say so outright,” Suzuri noted.
”I feel the same. However, I can’t think of any acquaintance here that my step-brother would go out of his way to make time for,” Ako said.
”Then perhaps he picked someone up since arriving?”
”It is Kanto¹, after all. I would expect him to want to spend his leisure time with the Head of the Touma House,” Ako reasoned.
”That is incredibly persuasive…! All right,” Suzuri said.
Suzuri stepped down into the stone entryway, sliding her feet into her boots, but she turned back with a puzzled expression when she noticed Ako had come to a halt.
”Is something the matter?”
”No, I was just thinking… step-brother might get angry. He did just warn us not to do anything pathetic,” Ako muttered.
”I see,” Suzuri said.
She could understand the hesitation. Unlike Suzuri, who was a self-proclaimed ‘fiancée in practice’ but still technically from another house, Ako was his younger sister and had her own standing within the Kazuramichi family to maintain.
”I understand. I won’t force you to come,” Suzuri said.
Yet, on the other hand, Suzuri held a resolute belief that action was the only path forward. If she hesitated out of deference to a partner who never stopped moving, she’d eventually lose sight of him entirely—
”However, even if I’m thought of as pathetic, I’m going to follow him!”
At Suzuri’s remarkably gallant declaration, Ako’s eyes widened slightly before she let out a small laugh.
”—I feel I would regret it if I didn’t go. I can’t afford to let Suzuri-san pull even further ahead of me,” Ako said.
”Good,” Suzuri replied.
Suzuri nodded vigorously, as if to say ‘That’s the spirit.’ With that, the two of them stepped out into the world.
* * *
”Now then, I expect he’d head toward the station first today, but what do you think, Ako-san?” Suzuri asked as her heels clicked rhythmically against the pavement.
”There is no need for concern on that front. For loss-prevention purposes, I took the liberty of installing a tracking app on my step-brother’s smartphone. If we look at this… it seems he is at the station for now,” Ako explained.
”Isn’t that… quite a gray area??” Suzuri asked.
In reality, it was pitch black.
”I did receive my step-brother’s consent for the installation,” Ako said.
Whether that consent extended to surveillance was a question not worth asking. The two shared a silent look, reaching a non-verbal consensus to stop digging into the ethics, and gave each other a firm nod. After confirming Naoshi was at the station, they watched his location shift toward Ueno and hopped onto a train one after the other.
”This is bad. This station has a transfer to the subway,” Ako spoke up, her eyes fixed on the data as the signal stalled at Nishi-Nippori Station.
”The route map… no, should we just try to get into the same carriage?” Suzuri asked.
”The probability of being noticed is too high. Besides, it doesn’t look like we’ll make it in time,” Ako replied.
”In that case, we should probably commit to a target station and get off—oh,” Suzuri said.
Suzuri and Ako stepped off the train and, after confirming Naoshi hadn’t moved from the station, hurried toward the subway platform.
”I lost him after all,” Ako announced.
She reported that his signal could no longer be tracked via the app. When it came to detection using Spirit Energy², Naoshi’s skill was so far beyond theirs that a single day wouldn’t be enough to bridge the gap; any attempt to probe for him would result in immediate counter-detection.
”Station-wise… the name Yushima looks familiar,” Suzuri said.
”It’s likely Yushima Tenjin. Though I don’t believe my step-brother has any business there. If it’s work… Kasumigaseki or Meiji Jingu are the most likely candidates,” Ako mused.
”I see,” Suzuri said.
Nagata-town³ houses the headquarters of the Bureau of Onmyo⁴, and Meiji Jingu stands as the heart of the capital’s Great Barrier. Considering those factors, it seemed this was indeed a move as an exorcist that he couldn’t discuss with Suzuri or Ako—and yet—
”By the way, if it were work, do you think Nao-nii would keep things hidden from you like that, even if I’m out of the loop?” Suzuri asked.
Ako was the assistant to the Acting Head of the Family⁵—even if the title was currently suspended—and that arrangement was slated to continue in the future. She was truly Naoshi’s confidant among confidants, his cousin by blood and his younger sister by law. For him to hide something from Ako, whom he relied on so heavily for practical matters, it had to be a very significant story.
”My apologies to Suzuri-san, but I believe he would usually keep ‘secrets’ quite openly. That is exactly why it is highly likely he is heading there directly,” Ako said.
”Ugh…” Suzuri groaned.
Suzuri glared at the route map as if it were a mortal enemy, tracing the station names with her finger. While part of her wanted it to be work, that would simultaneously prove she was just acting like a stalker based on a misunderstanding—a complicated emotional state for a young lady.
”Is there a chance he’s meeting a college girl at Shin-Ochanomizu? No, winter break has already started…” Suzuri muttered.
”That’s right. Also, there are no women’s universities near that station,” Ako noted.
”Eh?”
”I hear there are many universities in the area, though,” Ako said.
”Why would you even know that…?” Suzuri asked.
”Well… I wonder why,” Ako tilted her head, her expression a perfect blank.
”Regardless, if his goal was amusement and he went out of his way to use this line, should we assume he’s going as far as Omotesando?” Suzuri asked.
This was also a name Suzuri recognized. Omotesando, Aoyama, Daikanyama—come to think of it, she should probably buy something for her friends. Regaining some composure, she scrutinized the route map once more.
”That’s quite a few stations ahead. In that case, should we bet on the possibility of work and get off at Kasumigaseki for now?” Suzuri asked.
”If we reach the surface first, we can recover faster if we’ve misread the situation. I agree,” Ako said.
”Understood… I’ve got it,” Suzuri said.
”And Suzuri-san. You don’t have to try so hard to use polite language when it’s just the two of us,” Ako added as an afterthought, giving a small shake of her head at the tacked-on honorifics.
”Please speak to me the way you talk to my step-brother,” Ako said.
”—Is that really okay?” Suzuri asked.
”Yes, except for when the eyes of other houses are upon us. There is a possibility that I might end up calling you ‘Sister’ eventually, after all,” Ako said.
”Now that you mention it, that is how it would turn out…!” Suzuri exclaimed.
As Suzuri held her head at the sheer complexity of their relationship, the train reached its destination. Upon heading up to the surface, it became increasingly apparent that Naoshi was indeed likely at the Bureau of Onmyo headquarters. Realizing her desperate pursuit had been in vain, Suzuri collapsed to her knees.
—
Summary:
Naoshi heads out alone on a ‘secret’ trip, prompting Suzuri and Ako to tail him. The girls use a tracking app and rail knowledge to chase him through Tokyo’s subway system. They debate whether his trip is for play or official exorcist business. Upon arriving at Kasumigaseki, they realize he is likely at work, leaving Suzuri defeated.
—
Character Insight:
Suzuri’s ‘gallant’ determination to follow Naoshi even at the risk of appearing unsightly reveals her deep-seated fear of being left behind by him. Ako, meanwhile, demonstrates a more calculating and possessive side, utilizing tracking software and showing a subtle competitive streak with Suzuri regarding their future relationship with Naoshi. Their dynamic shifts from mere rivals to uneasy allies bound by their shared obsession.
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Behind the Scene:
The use of real-world Tokyo geography (Ueno, Nishi-Nippori, Kasumigaseki) is a staple of ‘Urban Fantasy’ light novels, grounding supernatural elements in a familiar setting. The ‘fake Kansai accent’ Naoshi uses is a common trope for characters trying to appear untrustworthy or eccentric.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Muo – Non-human (Kyonshi). A reanimated corpse with refined kung fu skills. His appearance is not detailed, but he is a formidable opponent. He engages Naoshi in a intense martial arts battle.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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