Vol 2 Chapter 6- A Maiden’s Heart Is Hard to Understand (【Just Trying to Be Kind】Arc)

“Here you go, Boss.”

“Coffee? Thank you.”

After receiving a message from Arisu, I called Hirata back and waited in my room.

Once Hirata handed me the coffee she had made, she sat down next to me on the sofa, just like Arisu had earlier in the day.

Why doesn’t she sit on the sofa across from me?

I turned to Hirata and asked her directly.

“Is it alright for me to sit next to you?”

“Am I bothering you?”

Hirata looked up at me, her voice tinged with worry as she gazed at me anxiously.

“No, that’s not it… I was just wondering if sitting next to me might make you nervous or make it harder to talk.”

Hearing my words, Hirata let out a small laugh.

“Hehe, thank you for your concern. But, being next to you, Boss, is where I feel the most at peace…”

“I see…”

Hearing that, I almost misunderstood her intentions.

Though in reality, both Hirata and Arisu are probably sitting so close to me just to keep a watchful eye—making sure I’m not slacking off.

Still, isn’t this distance a bit too close? Our shoulders are practically touching…

I’m so tense I feel like I’m going to throw up.

Ignoring my inner turmoil, Hirata asked me a question.

“By the way, I heard from Meido-san earlier today that you were supposed to have dinner with her tonight?”

For some reason, Hirata’s question gave me a strange sense of discomfort, but it quickly passed.

“Yes, that’s correct. However, due to the current situation, it has been canceled…”

“That’s unfortu—… such a shame.”

She took a sip from her coffee mug.

Did she almost say something else just now? Must’ve been my imagination.

“It is a shame, but I’m hoping for another opportunity soon.”

It really is disappointing.

It was supposed to be a rare chance to unwind and maybe see a surprising side of one of the senior members.

“Arisu’s cooking is—” Click “…Huh?”

Just as I was about to ask Hirata if she’d ever tasted Arisu’s cooking, I heard a sharp clicking sound.

The only person who could’ve made that noise was the woman sitting next to me.

I shifted my gaze toward her.

“Boss? Is something wrong?”

“N-No…”

Hirata turned to look at me as well, and our eyes met.

She smiled, but her eyes weren’t smiling.

The mug in her hands trembled, as though it would shatter under her grip.

Feeling a strange sense of pressure, I hurried to change the subject, hoping to avoid upsetting her further.

“S-So, Hirata, do you cook at all?”

“Yes. When I have time, I make my own meals.”

She smiled as she said this and then showed me pictures of the meals she had prepared, stored on her phone.

The photos showcased a variety of dishes—Japanese, Western, and Chinese.

She really seems to be good at it.

“What do you think?”

Hirata looked up at me with those same pleading eyes.

Could she stop with that gesture already?

“They look very delicious. Hirata, you’ll make a wonderful wife someday, I’m sure.”

“…Ah, thank you…”

Hearing that, she lowered her gaze to the floor.

Huh? I thought I was complimenting her… A maiden’s heart really is hard to understand.

——————  

The awkward atmosphere in the room was interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door.

I granted permission, and entering the room was a young girl dressed in a maid outfit—Arisu.

“I’ve returned to report after finishing my task…”

“Good work, Arisu. Hmm? Is something the matter?”

“No, I just noticed that Hirata-san is here as well.”

Arisu’s gaze landed on Hirata, who was sitting beside me.

At some point, Hirata had reverted to her usual demeanor.

Good. It seems her mood has improved.

“Yes, as she’s in charge of overseeing operations, I thought it best to share information immediately.”

“Boss is absolutely right. Besides, I also assist Boss as his aide.”

“I see… understood.”

Although Arisu’s expression was as stoic as ever, something seemed off.

She must be tired after her task.

To send her back to rest as soon as possible, I urged her to proceed with the report.

“Let’s get to the point. Arisu, please give your report.”

“Understood. I will begin the report—”

——————  

“Firstly, the person I gathered information from this time was Ueshima Daiki, a high-ranking member of the police force. According to information from a spy, he was one of the key individuals involved during the establishment of the Guardians.”

“That’s quite an important figure, isn’t it?”

If he was involved in the founding of the Guardians, he must hold a significant position.

Arisu continued speaking.

“I thought so too, so I used various methods to make him talk.”

“I see.”

“What kind of information did you obtain?”

Hirata asked, prompting Arisu to continue.

——————  

【Guardians】

The Guardians are an organization formed by the police to counter the Empress.

According to Arisu’s report:

The Guardians are similar to the Empress’s group, consisting of eight executives.

All eight are said to specialize in combat.

Their exact abilities are known only to a select few top-ranking officials within the police.

Like us, the Guardians also have subordinates who conduct investigations into incidents caused by the Empress and work on restoring damaged sites.

That sounds like exactly the kind of group I’ve been looking for…

Wait, isn’t this pretty much the organization I wanted to create in the first place?

Honestly, I’d like to join the Guardians. Maybe if I get arrested and prove my innocence, they’d let me in?

While I was lost in thought, Arisu’s report continued.

The police apparently no longer have decision-making authority over the Guardians.

They used to when the group was first formed, but that’s no longer the case.

“Does that mean there’s internal conflict between the police and the Guardians?”

I muttered, and Arisu responded.

“There’s a rumor that the Guardians’ boss dislikes the police.”

“Even though they’re similar organizations? That’s strange…”

Exactly.

I silently agreed with Hirata’s observation.

Maybe the Guardians feel a gap in competence compared to the police?

“Did you manage to get any other information about the Guardians?”

“No, the person we captured didn’t have information on their plans or movements.”

“I see…”

Well, even gaining a little insight into the Guardians, who had been a complete mystery until now, is significant.

The next issue is figuring out how to directly confront them.

If it’s an obvious invitation, they’d probably be too suspicious to take the bait…

“Oh, right,” Arisu said, as if remembering something.

“One last thing. The Guardians’ boss is a woman.”

“A woman, huh…”

If the boss is a woman, I’ll have to think even more carefully.

If it were a man, a straightforward, brute-force strategy might’ve worked to some extent…

Looks like we’ll need to hold a more detailed strategy meeting.

I should also prepare myself in case I end up captured.

“That’s all the information I was able to obtain this time.”

“I see. Good work.”

I offered Arisu a few words of appreciation.

When I glanced at Hirata, who had been listening beside me, she also said, “Good work,” in a calm voice.

——————  

“This information will be shared with all the executives tomorrow morning,” Hirata said.

“Yes, please handle that.”

“Well then, Boss, I’ll take my leave. Arisu-san, please head home soon and get some rest.”

“Understood.”

With that, Hirata stood up from the sofa and exited the room.

For some reason, I felt like the look she gave Arisu before leaving carried some murderous intent…

Must be my imagination.

As I was thinking this, Arisu sat down beside me.

Close.

But there’s something I wanted to ask her anyway, so this works.

“Arisu, there’s something I’d like to ask you…”

“Yes, please feel free to ask me anything.”

She leaned in and listened carefully to me.

“What happened to the person we captured this time?”

What I wanted to know was the fate of the captured individual.

Until now, I hadn’t paid much attention, but since all abductions and interrogations are handled by Arisu, the treatment of the subject is also likely decided by her.

If the subject was released in some way, I might be able to use them to spread misinformation about the Empress.

“Of course, they were killed.”

“I see. They were killed, huh—.”

Of course!! There’s no way my brilliant executives would let them live!!

Now that I notice, Arisu’s maid uniform has something that looks like bloodstains on it!

I was an idiot for even hoping otherwise.

Honestly, I’m the only one in this organization who entertains such naive thoughts.

“You did well. Thank you for your hard work.”

“It’s just my job.”

Her expression remained unchanged as she responded to my praise.

I need to think of a new strategy against the Guardians…

As I mulled over this, Arisu spoke up next to me.

“Changing the topic, Master, regarding the canceled ‘dinner’ this time…”

A “dinner,” huh? Are we adjusting plans for the next one?

I’m free anytime, though.

“Are you referring to rescheduling? If so—”

“No, I actually have a proposal…”

Before I could finish speaking, Arisu interrupted me.

—A proposal?

“If it’s alright with you… I was thinking of bringing you a bento tomorrow. I’d like for you to eat it and share your thoughts with me.”

“A bento, huh.”

A bento?!

Getting a handmade bento from the opposite sex—this was something I used to dream about.

There’s no way I’m turning this down.

“A bento is fine with me.”

“—Really?”

For the first time, Arisu, who had been expressionless, smiled.

“Yes, I’m looking forward to Arisu’s bento.”

“I’ll make sure it’s something you’ll be completely satisfied with.”

She seemed genuinely excited as she said this.

——————  

“Well then, I’ll excuse myself.”

“Tomorrow will likely be a busy day as well, so please don’t push yourself too hard with the bento.”

“Understood.”

With that, she left the room.

Left alone in my room, I muttered to myself.

“Today was exhausting…”

From morning meetings to the canceled dinner that turned into a strategy meeting with Hirata, and then receiving a late-night report about the Guardians…

Now that I think about it, today was especially busy.

“Time to head home.”

I called for my driver and left the room.

——————  

In a certain apartment room.

“Hmm~♪”

In the kitchen, a girl in a maid outfit hummed to herself as she cooked.

She was preparing a handmade meal with utmost care for her beloved master.

On the counter, a variety of ingredients, including meat and vegetables, were laid out.

She skillfully chopped the ingredients, added oil to the pan, and began frying them.

When the dishes were finished, she plated them, then stored them in the refrigerator.

“Since mornings are early, it’s best to prepare everything before going to bed…”

Just as she was finishing the last dish, she muttered:

“Oh, I forgot to add the secret ingredient.”

She reached for a “syringe” that was lying on the counter.

The syringe contained a red liquid, which she injected into the dish without hesitation.

The red liquid began to evaporate slowly, releasing a metallic scent into the air.

“Hehe… It’s done.”

She stored the final dish in the refrigerator and began cleaning the kitchen.

The metallic scent lingered, not just in the kitchen but throughout the entire room.

“Ouch—. I guess I overdid it with the ‘meat’ cutting… Do I still have bandages for stopping the bleeding?”

Her face wore a smile, but it was one filled with madness.

——————  

“Tired…”

Having finished cleaning the kitchen, the maid stepped out onto the balcony alone and lit a cigarette.

Her hands were wrapped in numerous bandages, and her left wrist bore multiple injection marks.

The maid uniform she had been wearing earlier was discarded, leaving her in her underwear.

“Guess it’s going to sting for a while when I take a bath…”

She muttered with a smile as she exhaled smoke into the night.