Chapter 81: Scheme

The day of Touka Academy Elementary Division’s sports festival. That day was bustling with guardians. Because it was an event for all grades, you’d see people in different grades who you normally couldn’t see. Guardians could see each other too. That was why an unusual percentage of guardians participated even in normal years, and there were many people who came not to watch their children but to greet other guardians and socialise with other families.

Additionally, motivated families had brought along professional staff to record their children’s valiant figures. There were specific videography points so you couldn’t record from just anywhere, but staff overflowed here and there.

Most importantly, this was a lucky year where three of the Five Norths families’ children were new arrivals at the school. An unusually large amount of parents gathered this year, and even Touka Academy with large grounds looked quite congested.

“Good morning, Konoe-sama!”

“Well! Greetings.”

“Konoe-sama, greetings.”

“Yes, greetings.”

When the Konoe family came, everyone around them immediately started greeting them. A path for the Konoe family opened up like the sea of people was parted.

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“Rv byp clld y zsdt vkxl, Isdsl-pyxy.”

“Myjyvpwjypy-pyxy, zsdt vkxl ds pll.”

G vaydpkldv clywvu nzlyazu nyzzle swv vs vbl Isdsl qyxkzu xyvakyanb. Yap. Isdsl blyae bla alrzu yde alprsdele byrrkzu.

“Xb… vbl Isdsl qyxkzu yde Myjyvpwjypy qyxkzu yal…”

“Gp lmrlnvle, vblka qyxkzu pvyvwplp yal sd y ekqqlaldv nzypp…”

Mblal oyp y xyflpvkn yway pwaaswdekdt vbl vos qyxkzklp qasx vbl Wkhl Lsavbp qyxkzklp. Mbl rlsrzl obs’e ralhkswpzu nsxl wr vs tallv vbl Isdsl qyxkzu alnskzle yde eked’v dlya vblx. Rq vblu olal vs tallv vblx, vblu, bszekdt zsola aydjp, oswze sdzu es vbyv yqvla vbl Isdsl yde Myjyvpwjypy qyxkzklp qkdkpble vblka nsdhlapyvksd. Ls sdl oswze cl ps awel yp vs nwv kdvs y nsdhlapyvksd clvolld vblx.

“Xk… qasx shla vblal…”

“Xb…”

Then, as the Konoe and Takatsukasa families stopped and conversed, a group of people calmly neared them. When you normally thought about it, no one would be so discourteous as to cut through or even near the Konoe and Takatsukasa families. If someone were to do that, they would be…

“Well-! Kujou-sama! Greetings!”

“Greetings, Kujou-sama, Takatsukasa-sama.”

“Kujou-sama, it has been a long time.”

Only a another member of the Five Norths families could easily enter a conversation between the Five Norths families. The three Five Norths families who’d entered the school year had now assembled. The surrounding onlookers were quite interested in what was going to happen.

“Kujou-sama! I would like to talk about something related to both our families’ futures, so would you accompany me in watching the sports festival?”

“I am sorry. Ever since my Yoshizane has entered this school, our family has secured the same seats. If we were to change them now, that would inconvenience the other guardians, so I am afraid that I must go along with our present plans.”

Mrs. Kujou was slightly cautious and kept her distance towards the unusually favourable Mrs. Konoe. Their husbands also greeted each other, but as expected, their impact was quite small. The onlookers were watching what they thought might be the women fighting, but Mrs. Konoe threw in an unexpected bomb.

“Is that so? That is quite unavoidable. Then, let us watch it together next year. If I secure a promise with you now, it should be fine, yes? Our children are marriage candidates. I feel there is a need for both our families to grow closer.”

“Huh!?”

The surrounding onlookers listening in doubted their own ears. The Konoe family had just said “as each other’s marriage candidates”. That meant that the Konoe and Kujou families were continuing talks for marriage candidates.

“Konoe-same, you are joking… neither Yoshizane nor Sakuya have fiances…”

Mrs. Kujou, making a slightly pained face, explained that away, but Mrs. Konoe’s attacks didn’t abate.

“Yes, I have heard that they do not have “fiancés” yet. However, there are talks of my Ibuki and your Sakuya becoming “marriage candidates”, yes?”

The surroundings quietly… broke out in a panic. As expected, they wouldn’t break out into loud chaos in front of three of the five families in the Five Norths families. But that discussion quickly spread through the grapevine of the Touka Academy guardians.

　　～～～～～～～

As the shock from the Konoe family’s “marriage candidate announcement” still reverberated, the sports festival began. There were some students who stood out amongst the number who had entered. Konoe Ibuki, Takatsukasa Enju, and… a beautiful girl with a more overwhelming presence than both of them…

There were many people who didn’t know about that beautiful girl who rarely appeared in society. But they knew who she was from a glance. Even those people who didn’t know about her immediately understood that she was a member of the Five Norths families from her overwhelming presence. The Konoe, Takatsukasa, and Kujou families were the only members of the Five Norths families who had children in first grade. That was why they immediately knew that this beautiful girl was the rumoured “Kujou Sakuya”.

Outwardly beautiful. Beautiful manners. Overwhelming presence. More overwhelming than any other family. And, more than anything, she was the subject of the current topic: the “marriage candidate announcement” that the Konoe family had declared. There was no way she wouldn’t stand out after satisfying all those requirements. She gained a lot of attention just from entering and forming a line.

And… in no time after the entrance ceremony had ended, the topic of discussion, Kujou Sakuya, would appear in various events. Kujou Sakuya, participating in the short-distance race ran leisurely with an overwhelming distance between her and everyone else and got first place. No one could follow in her athletic ability, not just her appearance and manners. Since she was even smart, she was so amazing that people could think of her as a perfect superhuman.

No one knew why the Kujou family had hidden a girl like that from high society. She was said to be the Kujou family’s favourite child, but she was really kept treasured. 

There were people who knew about the incident at the Konoe family’s party, but the story hadn’t spread to the whole group. The confusion was compounded by the fact that some didn’t know about those circumstances or that fuss. But…

“H-Hey!”

“That’s…”

“Well… something like that…”

Kujou Sakuya, who had finished the event and returned, was… arrogantly reclining in her seat while ladies from the prestigious Tokudaiji family, Higashiboujou family, Kitakouji family, Kawabata family, and Mushanokouji family were bringing her towels, drinks, and fanning her. Even the lady from the Saionji family, who wasn’t really doing anything, was standing beside her and waiting on her.

Kujou Sakuya was definitely amazing in terms of family status and her own temperament. However… a first-grader was being given towels and drinks, being fanned, and being waited on by fellow young ladies. What did the adults watching think of that?

If that was a fellow adult, they’d accept it as normal because of their difference in family status, charisma, economic strength, an influential voice, or social status; any one of those various reasons.

Even though they were prestigious families attending the same Touka Academy, one group were the presidents of companies or groups, while another were hired hands. Both groups wouldn’t be equal; there was nothing strange about the hired group waiting on the president group.

But the surrouding adults saw someone from first grade, with the person themselves not having done anything and relying purely on the power of their family, using ladies from other families like servants. What would they think of that?

The Kujou famiy was more overwhelming than other families and had appeal. She was showing here to the other guadians that even those from other factions and monryuus obeyed her like they were her own servants.

The Kujou family might’ve had that kind of power. But no one was happy at being shown that. Rather, most people were appalled by it. Those people who were easily jealous of others were especially…

Now the people who admired her beauty and perfection could guess why the favourite child of the Kujou family hadn’t appeared in society yet. They knew her true personality: she stepped on other people, borrowed her family’s power, and was extremely arrogant. She was kept treasured so those things wouldn’t be disclosed.

But that was already revealed now. Becuase of that excessive behaviour, bad rumours about Kujou Sakuya instantly started spreading amongst the guardians.

　　～～～～～～～

After a lunch break, the sports festival started heating up in the afternoon. The events the PTA were participating in continued and the struggle for victory got fierce, with the guardians getting motivated too. Then, it was finally the last event of the day: the mixed-gender relay.

There was still a possiblity for any class to win. Because there was such a slim margin, any class could win if they placed first in the relay, so everything was relying on this last battle. And, in this last relay, Konoe Ibuki and Kujou Sakuya were participating.

The adults were wholeheartedly cheering on Konoe Ibuki. The Konoe family obviously had appeal, but it was more because of the hate for Kujou Sakuya that had spread during this sports festival.

When the relay began, Team Three was the only team that had a guy running first. The other boys were in the last position, but Team Three was the only one with their boy running first. Clearly Lady Sakuya had demanded that she go last out of some arrogance. It couldn’t be helped that those who knew almost nothing of Kujou Sakuya would think that way.

Immediately after the start signal, it was going well. A close match continued between all three classes. The boy from Team Three was slightly faster, but because he was on the outer ring, he couldn’t get a lead and they remained bunched together. Then, at the last corner, the boy from Team Three fell.

The fallen student started crying. Of course he would. There were first graders who’d cry just from falling over, to say nothing of the shock and injuries he’d get from falling in the middle of running as hard as he could. It was normal for first-graders to cry. The guardians watching thought that. Even so…

“What are you doing, Nishigori Yanagi! Stand up! Have you passed the baton to me yet? If you stay fallen over and crying forever, you will not be able to pass the baton! Hurry, stand and run!”

A furious Kujou Sakuya said those harsh things to a fallen, crying child. There wasn’t a shred of kindness. Saying those harsh things to a fallen crying child because her team was going to lose… the guardians furrowed their brows at hearing that.

“Nishigori Yanagi! Were you not going to win against Konoe Ibuki! If you have time to cry, stand up! Are you planning to end this relay as a loser!”

Then she forced the Nishigori family, who were part of the Konoe monryuu, to defeat the Konoe family. That was almost as if she was saying to leave the Konoe family’s monryuu and serve under the Kujou family. She was yelling for a family who were part of the Konoe monryuu to defeat the Konoe family. What kind of daughter was that?

There wasn’t a trace of the perfect lady with stunning manners and appearance from before. Almost all of the guardians who attended this event had their impression of Kujou Sakuya changed in an instant.

When Kujou Sakuya finished running… it was a pretty tumultuous race, but she couldn’t catch up to Konoe Ibuki. When she returned to the waiting area, the boy who ran first, Nishigori Yanagi, approached her. Then…

“I am sorry!”

They were still midway through the race, but most poeple weren’t watching the race aymore. The race was still going, but Nishigori Yanagi lowered his head towards Kujou Sakuya in the waiting area for people who finished running.

“I… I just fell… wah, waaaaaaah!”

Kujou Sakuya got nearer to him and placed even more pressure on Nishigori Yanagi, who had began crying again. It was inhuman or something, not what you’d expect of a first-grader at all. She was a selfish lady who didn’t care about people’s feelings or the pain and arrogantly stepped over them. The guardians got a strong impression that Kujou Sakuya was like that.

After that, Team One got first place during the relay in the end and won first place in the sports festival. Team Three had gotten second and was in second place. In the end, Kujou Sakuya didn’t forgive Nishigori Yanagi, who apologised over and over again while crying. She made him a fool in front of others as he continued crying and apologising. That was how Kujou Sakuya’s true nature was revealed during the sports festival, and the curtain closed… or so you would think… but this was not the true end.

　　～～～～～～～

After Sunday, and on the dawn of a Monday morning, a newspaper was stuck to the wall of Touka Academy’s bulletin board.

“The prideful lady’s true nature”.

“The heartless lady who scolded her fallen relay member”.

“The lack of consideration not to forgive after countless apologies”.

“She blamed her loss on her fallen teammate and got in a fight with her classmates when they returned to the classroom”.

On the bulletin board, large pictures and images from the cameras were put up with sensational headlines almost bouncing off the page. And…

“Huh? What’s this…”

“I saw what happened at the sports festival, but this happened behind the scenes too?”

“Woah~… that’s harsh~…”

The students and the guardians had seen what had happened at the sports festival. But one picture on that bulletin board was taken at a different place from where they expected. The headline dancing there was…

“The devilish lady who hounded another student that was running with the person who’d fallen in the relay”.

That was written there. Other headlines and impactful things were written as well, but another item that sparked interest was written in large characters.

“The lady had cornered a female classmate and ordered her to disrupt Team One! A voice file has been obtained!”

If you read the contents, that student she cornered was part of Team Two and a lady from the Hagiwara family, the main branch of the Nishigori family. Kujou Sakuya had forced both the Hagiwara and Nishigori families to betray the Konoe monryuu. She had ordered the lady from the Hagiwara family to disrupt Team One during the race, and a picture was taken of Hagiwara Shion being cornered for not following the order.

Even if that much was written down, you wouldn’t be able to judge if that was what had really happened from a simple photo. But after seeing Kujou Sakuya and Nishigori Yanagi’s exchange at the sports festival, anyone would be thinking “Maybe that really happened”. And the article had also explained that they’d obtained voice files.

They hadn’t actually heard the voice files, but since that was written and that much had been said, people thought that it might be true from reading the article. Everyone thought it might be true since it was Kujou Sakuya, who said those things to Nishigori Yanagi.

The newspaper on the bulletin, which was “put up after Kujou Sakuya went to the classroom”, stayed up for a long time and was seen by many students.