Chapter 23: Family Meeting

This was bad… this was very bad!

It’d be absolutely pointless to insist that I had rejected Ibuki’s invitation. The other members hadn’t thought that I accepted either at first. But since Enju announced that I’d said “Yes”, they already thought that I’d accepted the invitation.

Enju used a figure of speech, or rather, capitalised on my slip of the tongue, or rather, misinterpreted me…

For example, many people think the word “good” has a positive meaning when used by itself. It could mean something like “absolutely wonderful” or “quite satisfied”. But the words “I’m good” had both a positive and a negative meaning.

People can say “I’m good”¹It refers to a specific word in Japanese – 結構 (kekkou) – that doesn’t really have an accurate English equivalent, so the next few paragraphs will sound awkward. to mean something’s absolutely wonderful or they’re quite satisfied, but they can also say it to mean they don’t need any more and are satisfied with the current situation. It could be used for both approval or rejection, but both usages had one thing in common: they were used to indicate a situation where one was “satisfied”.

So you could say “I’m good” to express that you’d be grateful or satisfied if someone did something, but also use “I’m good” to say that you’re satisfied with the current situation and didn’t need anything else. There was a famous scam a while back exploiting this.

If you told a person calling or visiting you for business or sales “I’m good”, meaning that you didn’t need the items, they’d bring the orders or products that you had just declined. If you said “But I said I didn’t need them”, the salesperson would reply that they interpreted your “I’m good” as “I would quite like it” and force you to buy the products.

The words “Perhaps” and “I’m good” could both be taken positively or negatively, so the salespeople said “I brought (or sent) this to you because you said you’d buy it, so pay up”. Someone got recorded saying that, so when it got to court and people started saying the prosecutors would win, Japanese people who were victims of forceful salesmanship appeared one after the other, thinking “If they’re paying that much to resolve it, then…”.

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Gdsvbla lmyxrzl zkjl vbkp oyp vbl “R byhl nsxl qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd” pnyx wple vs qsanlqwzzu plzz qkal lmvkdtwkpblap. Mbl osaep “R’hl nsxl qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd” yde ‘“qkal lmvkdtwkpbla” xyel rlsrzl vbkdj vbyv vbl tshladxldv yde qkal pvyvksdp olal nszzycsayvkdt vs xyjl lhlau bswplbsze sod y qkal lmvkdtwkpbla, cwv vbspl satydkpyvksdp olald’v kdhszhle yv yzz.

Kwpv clnywpl psxlsdl pyke “R nyxl qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd” sa “qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd’p tldlayz ekalnvksd” eked’v xlyd vbyv vblu olal psxlsdl obs osajle yv vbl qkal pvyvksd. Vlsrzl cswtbv vbl qkal lmvkdtwkpbla sdzu clnywpl vblu vbswtbv vbl plzzla oyp psxlsdl nsddlnvle vs vbl qkal pvyvksd. Jwv, obld kv vwadle swv vbyv vbl rlapsd oypd’v ynvwyzzu nsddlnvle, kv oyp vss zyvl qsa vbl cwula vs pyu “R esd’v dlle vbkp pvwqq”.

Rq vblu olal vsze vbyv vbl rlapsd pyke “R nyxl qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd” yde dsv “R’x psxlsdl qasx vbl qkal pvyvksd”, xydu Kyrydlpl oswze vbkdj vblu olal yv qywzv yde tkhl wr. Mbkp oyp vbl srrspkvl sq vbl ralhkswp pnyx: vbl plzzlap eked’v xkpkdvlaralv obyv psxlsdl lzpl bye pyke, cwv kdpvlye xyel kv rsppkczl qsa obyv vblu pyke vs cl xkpkdvlaralvle. Mbl nsdnlrv oyp vbl pyxl, vbswtb.

Rv xktbv’hl pllxle zkjl osaerzyu wple kd fsjlp, akeezlp, yde ayjwts² G vurl sq pvsauvlzzkdt oblal vbl pvsauvlzzla vlzzp y zsdt, nsxrzknyvle, cwv yzps qwddu pvsau wpkdt sdzu y ryrla qyd yde y pxyzz nzsvb qsa rasrp. , cwv vblpl pnyxp bye alyzzu byrrldle. Rd vbl nwaaldv pkvwyvksd, Odfw bye kdvldvksdyzzu xkpkdvlaralvle xu pvyvlxldv yde vsze lhlausdl ycswv bkp kdvlaralvyvksd ps vblu’e byhl vbl pyxl srkdksd: vbyv oyp rzykdzu alyzkvu.

Gde, sdl xsal vbkdt… vblal nswze sdzu cl sdl alyzkvu, cwv vblal olal yp xydu vawvbp yp vblal olal rlsrzl.

Rq usw zssjle yv vbl osaep, sa ayvbla, vblka saktkdp vblxplzhlp³ Mbl osae alyzkvu (kd Odtzkpb) nsxlp qasx vbl zyvl Nyvkd alyzkp, xlydkdt ‘alzyvle vs vbkdtp’, obkzl vbl osae vawvb nsxlp qasx vbl Xze Odtzkpb vaēsovb, xlydkdt qykvbqwzdlpp yde nsdpvydnu. Mbl saktkdyz Kyrydlpl alqlap vs vbl ekqqlaldv qkapv nbyaynvlap: ‘alyzkvu’ byp 事, xlydkdt vbkdt, obkzl ‘vawvb’ byp 真, xlydkdt vawvb. usw xktbv vbkdj vbyv vawvb xlydv lmynvzu obyv byrrldle, obkzl alyzkvu eked’v. Jwv vbl srrspkvl oyp vawl.

Slyzkvu xlydv yd lhldv vbyv byrrldle kd alyz zkql. Rq J’p nya alya-ldele kdvs G’p, vbyv oswze cl nsdpkelale alyzkvu. Rv alqzlnvle yd lhldv vbyv oyp ycpszwvlzu wdnbydtlyczl.

Usxryale vs vbyv, G’p vawvb oyp vbyv J naypble kdvs G’p nya qasx clbkde, obkzl J’p vawvb oyp vbyv G nwv kd qasdv sq vblx yde pvsrrle pweeldzu, ps J nswzed’v yhske G. Mbyv nswze byrrld.

Compared to reality, which was an unchangeable event that happened in real life, truth was an opinion that’d be formed based on what someone saw and heard. Basically, there were as many truths as there were people, and it was impossible for there to “always be a singular truth”.

There was never a singular truth, although that was misunderstood because of people who repeatedly said phrases like “There is always only one truth”. 

Additionally, the courtroom wasn’t a place to reveal reality, but a place to reveal the truth. It was just a place for the judges to listen to both sides’ arguments and judge which side they “thought” was right. The reality of a situation wasn’t revealed at trial; instead, the judge passed judgement based on “truths” which contained personal thoughts and feelings in them.

So the judge’s decision was no more than the results of the judge thinking “This side “should be” the weaker party, so they’re the victims,” or “What this side is saying sounds substantially “reputable”, so they’re probably correct,”.

If you asked me what I was trying to say… right here, right now… the Five Norths Association members didn’t think that the “Yes” I said meant acceptance at first. However, Enju told them that my “Yes” actually meant acceptance. Therefore, the Five Norths Association members had the common understanding that maybe my “Yes” did mean acceptance after all.

The result was that everyone interpreted that word made up of Y, E, and S as a “Yes” meaning approval. If I insisted they were wrong, that’d refute Enju and cause a conflict. It’d even make Ibuki lose face, and pretending that I’d accepted but had actually refused would pointlessly make our relationship worse.

If I was the only one saying “I didn’t mean that”, I’d be antagonising both Ibuki and Enju. The Five Norths Association would probably support Ibuki too.

Basically! I couldn’t refuse my invite to Ibuki’s party!

You had such a long-winded introduction, but that was all you wanted to say, you’re asking? Yes! So many things were going around my head, and they wouldn’t stop!

“Isn’t this great, Sakuya?”

“Brother!”

My brother placed his hand on my shoulder from behind me and said that with a smile. What was “great”, huh!? I didn’t want to make contact with Ibuki at all! And the fact I had to talk to Enju at the same time was the worst. Enju was definitely going to whatever this party was too.

“Nothing is “great” at all! I do not even know the date…”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, true. I didn’t get an invitation either, so we don’t know when it is.”

“Speaking of that…”

“I have also not received a written invitation from Konoe-sama…”

Hearing my brother and I’s conversation, unrest started spreading around us. With a normal party, a written invitation would be sent beforehand with the date and time included. If you weren’t told the date, you really couldn’t go even if you said you were attending. Even so, the other Five Norths Association members didn’t know the date and time of the party and hadn’t received a written invitation, so something was up…

…aha! Got it! This was a fake party invitation! He invited me so he could trap me!

The Konoe family would normally send out invitations to other influential families. Even so, no one had received a verbal or written invitation, apart from me, who’d just gotten invited.

Basically, this party was a lie to lure me out. Ibuki would definitely do something to me there if I attended! Give a present before to hide your killing intent… he invited me to a “party” that no one else was invited to… he was finally doing it, huh!?

But, unfortunately for him! I wouldn’t just let myself get beat up! I already knew what he was planning, anyway. I had thousands of methods to avoid the party!

“Ahaha! You’ve been found out, Ibuki!”

“——whuh!?”

Enju laughed. He admitted it! Ibuki was definitely inviting me to a fake party, right!? And Enju was involved in it, just as I expected. It was the same in the game. Ibuki and Enju set Lady Sakuya up and destroyed her. Those two would lead Lady Sakuya to destruction no matter which route you picked. These guys were my enemies!

“Sorry, Kujou-san. Ibuki actually…”

“Stop, Enju!”

Enju was going to say something, but Ibuki covered Enju’s mouth. They looked just like kids playing. They didn’t look like fiendish guys who were planning to do something to me at all. When they were messing around, they looked just like normal first-graders.

…no, don’t be deceived. These guys were the most heinous duo who destroyed Lady Sakuya in “Love Flowers”. They even intruded in other character’s routes to destroy Lady Sakuya. Did they want to destroy her that much? I couldn’t help but think they were the devil duo.

“Ibuki… said he really wanted to invite Kujou-san first, so he invited her even before the written invitations were sent out.”

“Well… that’s, as expected…”

“Ibuki-sama had…”

“Their relationship is quite definitely…”

Everyone started whispering at the words Enju finally finished saying. What was going on? I was the only one invited to his fake party, so I’d probably be the first and last invitee, though?

“W-Waah! You’re wrong! You’re completely wrong! Me doing that… Waaaaaaah~~!”

“Oh…”

Then, Ibuki yelled in a strange voice and ran out of the salon. Maybe he couldn’t bear being here because I’d discovered his true plans?

Well, whatever. The evil had left. My emergency left with it. I survived only because I already knew what Ibuki was plotting. As expected of Lady Sakuya. Her bad luck was outstanding.

“Aah… well, I guess it’s fine. Alright. Then, um… this is your invitation, Kujou-san.”

“…huh?”

After Ibuki ran away, Enju handed me an envelope. I could already see that it was just an envelope with some sort of invitation inside it.

“Yoshizane-san, too.”

“Oh, thank you, Enju-kun.”

Then, my brother received the same thing. Afterwards, Enju started handing out envelopes to the members of the Five Norths Association.

“…huh?”

　　～～～～～～～

Aaaaaaah! What should I do?! This was really really really bad!

After that… I knew that what was inside the envelope was an invitation after all. It looked like Ibuki had prepared an actual party, so he had to officially invite the Five Norths Association members.

“Wh-Wh-Wh-What should I do, brother…”

“Oh, it’s your first time going to a party, right, Sakuya? Don’t worry. I’ll be coming with you.”

That wasn’t it! You didn’t know anything! It was an invitation from the devil duo Ibuki and Enju. There was definitely some scheme behind it!

Were they planning to destroy me… or were they planning to ruin the Kujou family…

If I went there so casually without a single countermeasure, something bad would definitely happen to me. Having said that, I had to attend the party now. The older brother and younger sister of the Kujou family had said they were attending in front of the Five Norths Association members. I definitely couldn’t say that I would not go now.

…illness, that’s right! Illness! What if I said I suddenly got sick on that day, so I couldn’t go! But what if they did something about that? Would I have a better excuse…?

Maybe the fact I was faking sickness would be revealed. Maybe people would say something behind my back. But if I myself insisted I was sick, they wouldn’t be able to openly say I was lying. Even if everyone really knew, they wouldn’t be able to criticise me for it. People might think worse of me, but that’d be it.

I thought that, but…

“Isn’t it great that Ibuki-kun invited you, Sakuya? How about you and Ibuki-kun get a little closer and try dating?”

“Father! I had told you countless times not to say such things, even as a joke! Do you not understand that?!”

Once we got home, my brother told my father about how we received a written invitation from Ibuki to his party, which made him perfectly happy. This was very bad. If my father got into it and tried to force Ibuki and I to get married, which would antagonise the Konoe family, we’d be rocketing straight to flags pointing to the Kujou family’s destruction.

“I had said not to say that in places where people could hear, right? That matter does not involve only the Kujou family, but will also inconvenience the Konoe family! Doing that will not get you closer to the Konoe family at all! It will only inconvenience them, antagonise them, and make them dislike us!”

“Got it, got it… Papa’s sorry.”

This guy didn’t know anything! He wasn’t actually going around telling people “My daughter and the Konoe family’s Ibuki-kun are proceeding with their engagement”, right? Those lies and pretentiousness would definitely make an enemy of the Konoe family and destroy the Kujou family!

“But I wonder if it is alright to let someone like Sakuya go to Konoe-sama’s party…”

And, this mom… she now said “someone like Sakuya” so naturally… it was behaviour that’d probably make a normal first grader rebel.

“However, they’ve already announced that they’re attending in front of the Five Norths Association, right? We can’t pretend that didn’t happen now.”

“That may be true…”

Scary… it looked like my dad wanted to get me to go to the party no matter what. My mom didn’t have much interest. My only ally had become my mom who said such harsh things to her daughter. But mom wasn’t quite on my side either. I think it was because I indicated that I would be attending in front of everyone.

“We have to prepare Sakuya’s dress too.”

“That is true…”

Aah! Mom! Don’t give up! If you do, that’ll be the end!

“I do not know etiquette, so perhaps it is better if I do not…”

Afterwards, I had explained that to my dad, mom, and brother, but not a single person listened to my opinion.