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Chapter 1147. Approaching the Night / Checking Answers 1
Chapter 1147. Approaching the Night / Checking Answers 1
Chapter 1147. Approaching the Night / Checking Answers 1
? Okay, well then, we’re going to erase his memory of meeting us ?
Nei tells Tsukiko.
? Yes, but it’s likely to leave some marks on his mind so I’ll replace it with a fake memory that “just before coming to this hotel, he was crossing the intersection and almost got hit by a car,” ?
? Nice, nice. Is that good? Yo-chan ?
? Yep ?
Tsukiko’s manipulating the memory of this self-proclaimed sociologist. Madohori Tadashi.
? Okay, I’ve done the minimum necessary alteration. I don’t think it’ll break his mind if it’s this much ?
She didn’t go deep into his memories and force her hand at rewriting it.
It’s only been a few minutes since he met us, and so it hasn’t stuck into his memory yet.
She just planted a false memory that he turned down the engagement offer with Anna Erica, and gave him a strong urge to go to India to pick up the Grateful Sutra or something.
? Okay, well then, good luck going to India! ?
Nei tells the absent-minded Madohori.
? Err, uhm, I know that it’s in India, but where can I find the Sutra? ?
Madohori asks Nei with his eyes looking blank.
? You can find that over the internet yourself ?
? Haa…also…my companions are Miklas, Aguila, and Sevengah ?
? Miklas is available as a 500 yen soft vinyl toy, Aguila was an EX-series before but it’s no longer available, so you have to look him up in online auctions, and Sevengah is sold in the play hero showdown set a while back so you have to look for that online too ?
? Haa, okay ?
? Anyway, someone like you should go to India and rethink yourself. Hurry up and leave! Don’t come back until you get the Sutras ?
? Okay ?
Madohori replies.
? Then, the exit is over there! Mitchan, open the door ?
? Okay, this is your way out ?
Michi opens the door and Madohori walks.
? Don’t you ever show up in the faces of the people in here okay? Bye-bye! ?
Madohori didn’t reply and just went out to the corridor.
Shou-neechan also goes out to the corridor.
? Yoshizumi-kun! ?
? Yes, Seki-san? ?
She called in someone from Kouzuki SS and gave instructions.
It’s probably to monitor Madohori until he returns home.
? If you’d please ?
? Roger that ?
After confirming her personnel following Madohori, Shou-neechan came back to the room.
Michi closed the door.
Then, the completely soundproof conference room is once again isolated from the outside.
? Still…after seeing it for real, that’s a really fearsome power ?
Kaan Momoko-neechan says.
? Reading people’s minds, memories, manipulating them ?
? I’m the next Takakura Shrine Maiden after all ?
Tsukiko smiles.
? Please understand that I have such power ?
She tells Anna-san’s parents, and Anna Erica-san herself.
The words coming from beauty in shrine maiden’s clothing with a mysterious atmosphere has weight.
? Tsukiko can read the thoughts and memories of everyone in here, and she can rewrite them. If your thoughts are rewritten, then Tsukiko can make you move as she wants, and if she rewrites your memories, she can change your past ?
I said.
? But, without my instructions, Tsukiko will not make a move on other people’s minds, so please do not worry ?
? But, it’s inevitable to have your mind seen through? ?
Momoko-neechan said.
? Yes, Tsukiko will see it. So give it up ?
I said. Nei.
? Anna Erica-san, that means that everything you’re hiding in your mind is exposed, okay? ?
She smiled.
Anna-san looks this way worriedly.
She doesn’t know that Takahata Marika-san is in another room.
That Nei and I heard the details of this case from Takahata-san in the car until we reached this place.
? Uhm, then, what should we do? ?
Anna-san’s father said.
? Showing us such mysterious power, no, before that, you brought Kaan-sama and Kouzuki-sama’s ladies, and even Kouzuki SS’ Seki-san, and Kuromori house from the underside, it seems like we have no choice but to follow what you say ?
The father looks at Anna Erica-san with sad eyes.
Anna-san’s mother too.
? Right. Kou-chan, how do you plan on settling this? ?
Momoko-neechan smiled at me.
? I’m just an observer this time so you got this, Kou-chan ?
Right.
I’ve talked to Anna Erica-san…
Then, after hearing Takahata Marika-san’s side in the car earlier…
I know two sets of information.
Furthermore, if we think of the future of Anna-san’s family…
The best way to resolve this is uhm…
? Yo-chan, can you let Tsukiko and I take the wheel for now? ?
Nei?
? You know, I just had an idea of a method to fix the problems this time ?
Yeah. I think so too.
? So, let’s go with a gentle approach ?
Nei seems to have a good idea.
If that’s the case, I’ll let her do her thing.
? Okay. I’ll entrust this to Nei and Tsukiko ?
I said.
? Hey, Kou-chan, are you sure that you’re letting her take care of this? ?
Momoko-neechan tells me.
Oh, Momoko-neechan doesn’t know Nei.
? There’s no problem. Momoko-oneesama ?
Ruriko, representing the Kouzuki house, says.
? Nei-oneesama’s our big sister who Onii-sama trusts and loves the most ?
She smiles.
? Of course, I also trust her ?
? Me too ?
Michi said.
? Nei-san’s a smart girl. That beautiful smile of hers will deceive your judgment however ?
Shou-neechan said with a smile.
? Geez, that’s cruel of you to say that. I’m not trying to deceive anyone! ?
? But, it’s true that you’re beautiful ?
Tsukiko says.
Yeah, these two are of the same age. Although, Nei repeated a school year so that’s different.
? It was a lot of trouble to prevent the man earlier from recognizing Nei-san’s beauty. If it remains in his memory, it will become something I can’t erase ?
I see. So that’s why Mad Hori didn’t react to Nei’s beauty.
No, he wasn’t appreciating Kaan Momoko-neechan nor Ruriko either.
That’s because Tsukiko was impeding his awareness.
Speaking of which, Tsukiko who stands out in her shrine maiden clothing wasn’t even recognized.
? Thanks, Tsukiko-san. So, I want to do it like this ?
Nei plans something in her head.
? Okay ?
? Yep, I find it easy when I don’t need to speak of the plan at all! ?
Nei said.
? Yo-chan, sit down and watch. Shou-neechan, Mitchan, and Yamada-san too ?
? I’m Momoko-ojousama’s bodyguard ?
Sebastianus, Yamada Umeko-san said.
Michi too. Servants of nobility normally stand behind their Master.
? Don’t mind it, sit down, Sebastianus ?
Momoko-neechan said.
? It’s dangerous to stay standing, right? Her power is radiating ?
? Nono, that’s not it, Tsukiko-san’s power is directional, so it won’t influence other people by mistake. It’s just that… ?
Nei smiled.
? Since while we’re at it, I want everyone to be the spectators ?
Spectators?
? Well, we’re about to dispel some of the secrets! ?
I didn’t let that pass.
Only Anna Erica-san and her mother reacted to the word “Secret”
The father, Anna Kenichirou seems to not know what’s going on.
? So, you should sit down. You don’t need to be a bodyguard inside this room ?
Shou-neechan took the initiative and sat down.
? Excuse me ?
Michi follows and sits on the nearby chair.
? Then, I will do the same ?
Sebastianus (Yamada Umeko-san) also sat down
? With that done, Tsukiko-san, can you go here? ?
Nei moves Tsukiko to the spot where everyone can see her.
? Certainly ?
Tsukiko wearing a white and red shrine maiden outfit looked at me.
Yeah. If you go there, you can use your Miko power on everyone
? Well then, I’ll be the prosecutor in this place ?
Nei wearing a black pantsuit sure looks like a lawyer in the courtroom.
? Oh well. Show me what you’ve got ?
Momoko-neechan tells Nei.
Anna Erica-san and her parents look worried.
? Okay then, we’re going to reveal the truth with the Anna Erica-san running away from home incident. Let’s begin with Erica-san’s father ?
? M-Me? ?
Anna Kenicirou’s surprised as he’s suddenly called.
? Yes, that’s right! Anna Kenichirou-san, do you remember any reason why your daughter, Erica-san ran away from home this time? ?
The father looked at his daughter’s face.
? No, uhm, that’s…it’s embarrassing to say, but… ?
? Really? He doesn’t have anything? ?
Nei looks at Tsukiko.
? Then, would you like me to talk on your behalf? ?
? Uuugh ?
The father groaned.
? It’s useless to keep secrets when she’s here ?
Momoko-neechan says with a smile.
? It’s better if you consider that you can’t hide anything to Ruriko, Kou-chan, Seki-san, or me ?
? Anna-sama, we will not reveal secrets to anyone outside this room. Please do not worry ?
Shou-neechan told the father.
? Ruriko and I, and Kou-chan will keep your secret safe too ?
? Yeah, we’ll keep it safe and secret ?
I promised the father.
Then.
? Erica may have noticed the truth about her birth. And I believe that she’s angry because we have been quiet about it all this time ?
The father had no choice but to talk.
Anna Erica-san looks at her Father quietly.
? Ever since our marriage, we weren’t blessed with a child. We often come and go to the doctor, tried various methods, but, it doesn’t go well…and then, in the end, we had to resort to a surrogate birth ?
Momoko-neechan and I weren’t surprised.
That’s because Shou-neechan already told us this story.
Anna Erica-san herself already knows the truth from the journal her Grandfather left behind.
? Even if you say it surrogate birth, there are various ways to do it. However, the one we chose is to use our fertilized egg and put it inside the surrogate mother’s womb. Therefore, Erica’s born from the flesh of another woman, but, she definitely is our daughter ?
Anna-san’s father insists.
? Of course, Surrogate birth is illegal in Japan, so the mother had to give birth in America. The surrogate mother isn’t in the paper so legally, Erica’s our daughter ?
The father looked at his daughter and speaks.
? I’m really sorry for hiding it and not telling you! But, Erica, you’re my daughter, Kazumi and my… ?
Anna Erica-san can’t endure what her father’s saying and is about to say something.
At that moment;
? Okay, cut!! ?
Nei intervenes.
Then…
Anna Kenichirou stares blankly into the air.
? Father? ?
? Dear? ?
Erica-san and her Mother are confused with Kenichirou’s sudden change.
? It’s okay, I only stopped his thoughts with my power ?
Tsukiko said.
? He doesn’t see anything. Hear anything. And when I resume his thoughts later, he will not know anything during the time I stopped his thoughts.
? Meaning. Anna Kenichirou-san currently has his time stopped! ?
Nei said.
? As expected. Anna Kenichirou-san didn’t know the truth. That’s what we confirmed ?
? What do you mean? ?
Momoko-neechan asks Nei.
? Well, Anna-sama’s mother, Kazumi-san, right? You’ll know when you ask her ?
Nei smiled at the mother.
? Please tell us! We know that Anna Erica-san’s born from a surrogate mother in America, but, whose semen was it on the fertilized egg? ?
She asks cheerfully in this serious talk.
? Who are Anna Erica-san’s real parents? ?
The mother looked at her suspended husband.
? Does he really not hear anything? ?
? Yes, Anna Kenichirou-san’s senses are all cut off ?
Tsukiko in her shrine maiden outfit replied.
? Mother, please tell me. I want to know the truth from Mother ?
Anna Erica-san asks her mother with a straight look.
She already knows the truth from her Grandfather.
Even so, she probably wants to know the truth to come from her mother’s mouth.
? She was born when father-in-law was still lively ?
The mother starts talking with a small voice.
? It’s hard to make a fertilized egg with my husband, and so we used father-in-law’s seed instead. No, father-in-law gave such instructions ?
Meaning.
? We kept it a secret from my husband. Father-in-law used his sperm, and my egg cell, and placed the fertilized egg into a surrogate mother’s womb ?
The mother speaks of the truth.
? Then that means Erica-san’s biological father is her Grandfather ?
Momoko-neechan said.
? I see. So that’s why he adopted Erica-san as his daughter before dying to give her the equal inheritance as his son.
She’s given the rights because she’s actually his real daughter ?
Not his granddaughter, but his daughter.
She’s left with half of the inheritance because she’s adopted.
? Father-in-law was afraid that if my husband were to notice that Erica isn’t his daughter, then he might treat her horribly ?
The mother said.
? So that’s why she’s adopted, and the inheritance ?
Anna Erica’s personal assets are all independent, even if she gets on bad terms with her Father.
? My husband is truly happy that Erica’s born, and father-in-law doesn’t want him to know that it’s his body that can’t make a child. After some long time, all sorts of methods, we finally had a daughter… ?
? He’s thinking that if his son was to discover that the daughter wasn’t his, but his father’s, then the love might turn to hate a hundredfold ?
Nei said.
? Yes, I believe so too ?
The mother said. Erica-san’s listening quietly.
Then, Shou-neechan;
? We know the fact about Erica-san’s secret in her birth because the surrogate mother was affiliated with the Kuromori house ?
Anna Erica-san turned to Shou-neechan in surprise.
? Anna Erica-san’s late Grandfather was seeking in Kuromori house, to be precise, with Morimoto-san, the clerk of the Kuromori house, for a woman who can become a surrogate mother ?
A woman who can stay in America and gave birth to a child in secret.
Furthermore, a woman who is tight-lipped, and will never reveal secrets of their customers.
If that’s the case, the prostitutes of the Kuromori tower are qualified.
Anna-san’s Grandfather went to the Kuromori tower.
Then, I see why he asked Morimoto-san to be the middleman.
? Then, Morimoto-san introduced an ideal surrogate mother who had experience in giving birth a few years ago ?
Shou-neechan said.
? Is Takahata-san doing well? ?
The mother asks.
? I also had to pretend that I’m giving birth so I was with Takahata-san in America for half a year. Until Erica’s born. I was there for the childbirth, and so was Takahata’s little daughter. ?
That would be Takahata Marika-san. 14-years-ago.
Meaning. Anna Erica-san and Takahata Marika-san are sisters born from the same mother.
? Takahata Youko-san is still alive and well, although, she’s been in poor health lately. As for her daughter, Marika-san, she’s in high-school now ?
Erica-san listens to Shou-neechan’s report to the mother.
? My, I see. I never met Takahata-san again after I took Erica to America. No, that was the arrangement so I had no choice, but… ?
The mother said in loneliness.
? Okay, cut! ?
Nei gave the sign and Tsukiko used her power.
Following the father, the mother’s thoughts also stopped.
She’s now in a state of stopped time.
? Tsukiko-san, did you check the mother’s memories? Is she not lying? ?
? Yes. She told us honestly everything she knows ?
Tsukiko tells us the state of the mother’s thoughts.
? So, what do we do, Yo-chan? ?
Nei smiles wryly.
? I mean, Anna-san’s mother only told us half of the truth here, right? ?