Vol 3 Chapter 1 – My Executive Can’t Be This Kind  (【The Exonerator of the Maritime Nation】Arc)

From the moment we arrived at the airport, everything moved smoothly, like clockwork.

Kuzuryu and Satsuki boarded the plane without any issues.

“Wow…”

I muttered in awe.

It was my first time experiencing first class.

Each seat was its own private cabin—very spacious and luxurious.

The seat was so comfortable that I didn’t want to move.

With about an hour left until takeoff and nothing much to do, I decided to take a nap.

Or so I thought.

The moment I closed my eyes, I felt something strange on both of my thighs.

Something—or someone—was on top of them.

When I opened my eyes, I saw—

“Why are you here, ‘Satsuki’?”

She was straddling my thighs.

“Mm? No particular reason~”

She scratched her cheek, sounding totally nonchalant.

But there wasn’t even a hint of nervousness in her voice.

How could she act so laid-back?

Meanwhile, my heart felt like it was about to burst.

“I get that you might be scared of flying, but… please try not to do anything that draws attention in such a public place.”

“So it’s fine if it’s somewhere no one can see?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

My attempt to scold her seemed to backfire.

Satsuki sounded like she was messing with me.

Even if she was just joking, having an older beauty act this way toward me made it pretty hard not to… react.

“We’ll be in the air for about two hours. Once we land in Hokkaido, Kuzuryu can handle anything you need. So please get off me.”

“Boss, you’re so cold. Oh well, guess I have no choice.”

Satsuki got off my lap with a shrug.

I heaved a sigh of relief, grateful my words kept me from landing in real trouble.

“By the way, where’s Kuzuryu?”

Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t seen him since boarding. He’d gone into his private seat and never came out.

“Who knows? I’m only interested in you, Boss. He’s probably sleeping or something.”

Satsuki spoke with indifference.

I wish the executives would at least share some basic info with each other…

While I was thinking that, my phone buzzed with a message.

It was from Kuroda Shiromi, the monochrome girl I’d exchanged contact info with.

“I’m in Hokkaido. It’s a bit chilly, but I’m having fun.”

Attached was a photo of the sea.

Seriously? She’s in Hokkaido the same time as me?

Well, she shouldn’t recognize me anyway, so even if we run into each other, it should be fine.

I quickly sent a reply:

“Nice. Which part of Hokkaido are you in?”

Her answer came right away.

“I’m staying in [City Name]. That’s where my hotel is.”

[City Name]? That’s exactly where I’m headed!

What are the odds? Coincidence… or fate?

Still, I can’t just say, “Oh, I’m going there too—let’s meet up.”

“Enjoy your trip in Hokkaido.”

“Thanks! I’ll send more photos if I find anything cool.”

After that exchange, I put my phone away.

At some point, Satsuki had slipped out of the cabin without me noticing.

“Guess I’ll take a nap…”

I shut my eyes to pass the rest of the flight by sleeping.

Gradually, I felt my consciousness drift away.

——————————————————  

“Looks like he’s finally asleep.”

“So it seems.”

They stood by, gazing at me while I slept. There must have been a peaceful, blissful expression on my face, because they watched me with gentle smiles.

“Shall we continue discussing the ‘plan’ now?”

“Yeah, my cabin should work.”

“Agreed. It’s the most secure location.”

With that, Kuzuryu and Satsuki left the room.

They headed toward Kuzuryu’s private cabin.

——————————————————  

Suddenly, the scene shifted.

I found myself in an entirely different place.

It only took a moment to realize this had to be a dream.

Yet, despite it being a dream, something about it felt so real—almost unsettling.

Though I didn’t recognize this location, it also looked strangely familiar.

It was a bizarre feeling.

What’s This…?

I was standing in an alleyway in some town.

Around me were the remains of several abandoned buildings.

And in front of me, a battered girl lay collapsed on the ground.

Her beautiful silver hair stretched to her shoulders, and her delicate features were strikingly refined. However, her face, usually radiant, was now devoid of life as she shut her eyes in pain.

Dressed in a white one-piece dress, she looked like a princess from some far-off kingdom. But instead of focusing on that, I was captivated by her pitiful state.

It was then that—

A sword pierced my back.

The pain was unlike anything I’d ever felt—intense, overwhelming, and utterly excruciating.

The blade, thrust from behind, penetrated straight through to my chest.

The sword protruding from my chest seemed like wings sprouting from the center of my back.

“Wha…?”

As I murmured in confusion, the monochrome girl who had driven the sword into my back spoke.

Her words were heavy, cold, and filled with sadness.

“…So, you were on their side too.”

Before I could even grasp the meaning behind her words, my consciousness faded into darkness.

“…ss.”

I heard a voice.

“…Boss!”

Huh…?

“Boss, wake up. We’ve landed.”

“Huh…?”

When I opened my eyes, Satsuki’s face was right in front of me.

She was staring at me with a slightly worried expression, and for a moment, I found myself entranced.

The sweet scent wafting from her made my head feel numb, almost dizzy.

Ah, that’s right… I was lying on her lap, wasn’t I?

…Wait, hold on! What!? Why is Satsuki giving me a lap pillow!?

I mean, I’m happy! Overjoyed, even!! But why is this happening!?

“Are you okay? You were groaning in your sleep the whole time. Are you feeling unwell?”

Her concerned gaze pierced me as she leaned closer.

“N-No, I’m fine. I was just a little tired, that’s all…”

I hurriedly sat up and flashed her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

Ah, right. That smile must’ve been blank as hell.

Suddenly, Satsuki hugged me tightly.

“…Don’t make me worry like that, Boss.”

Her soft voice whispered near my ear, making my heart skip a beat.

“S-Sorry…”

“As long as you understand.”

She pulled away with a smile and began patting my head.

Something’s off. Satsuki is usually one of the more amiable members among the executives, but today she’s acting weird. This feels completely out of balance.

There’s no doubt about it—she’s up to something.

“Thank you,” I said while grabbing her hand and moving it off my head.

She looked a little dejected but obediently returned to her seat.

What’s going on in her head? My mind was filled with questions.

But those thoughts vanished instantly.

“Boss, it’s time to prepare.”

“Ah, right. I’ll get ready now.”

Following Kuzuryu’s prompt, I began preparing to disembark.

The two of them seemed to have already finished.

I quickly left my seat, stretched lightly, and stepped off the plane.

“It’s a bit chilly.”

The time was 10:24 a.m.

Sapporo Airport in September was cool enough to warrant wearing an extra layer.

By November, I might need even more layers.

I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt to avoid drawing attention since my usual suit would make me an easy target. But honestly, long sleeves wouldn’t have been a bad idea in this weather.

Even inside the airport, the air felt slightly cold.

After an uneventful arrival, the three of us hailed a taxi and headed for the inn.

“The inn we’re going to, as I mentioned before, has been reserved entirely for us. They’ve been informed of our arrival.”

“Of course, Boss will be sharing a room with me, right?”

“Wait, if it’s reserved, can’t we each have our own room?”

We were still debating when we arrived at the inn.

The exterior had the traditional look of an old-fashioned Japanese inn, complete with a large gate.

The premises seemed vast.

Upon entering, we were greeted by a woman who seemed to be the landlady.

“We’ve been expecting you, Saitou-sama. Please, this way.”

She led us to a detached building at the back.

Thank goodness. Even though this inn falls under the Empress’s jurisdiction, it’s a relief they’re using an alias. If they’d used my real name, Sakata, I’d have passed out from the shock.

“These are the three rooms. Please use them as you see fit.”

“Wow…”

When she slid open the door, a large tatami room unfolded before us.

Through the wide windows, a Japanese garden was visible. The atmosphere was serene and inviting.

It felt like stepping into a scene from a TV show.

I placed my luggage down and began exploring the room. The scent of fresh tatami tickled my nose.

In one corner was a small table with an electric kettle and some tea snacks.

It had been a while since I’d stayed in a traditional room, but this cozy vibe wasn’t bad at all.

“Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Please enjoy your stay.”

The landlady left the room, and Satsuki immediately grabbed my arm.

“Alright, Boss and I will take the room at the far end. Kuzuryu can have the one at the front.”

“Wait—”

“I don’t mind, but is that okay with you, Boss?”

Not okay. Definitely not okay.

If I end up sharing a room with her, who knows what might happen while I’m asleep? “I woke up dead” isn’t a scenario I’d like to entertain.

“Actually, since they’ve gone to the trouble of preparing rooms for us, let’s each take our own.”

Satsuki pouted.

“Boss, do you not want to share a room with me?”

I couldn’t answer.

Honestly, I wanted separate rooms because I had no idea what she might do. But saying that might provoke her.

Staying silent might be taken as agreement. I needed to deny it somehow…

“N-No, it’s not that. It’s just that the room would feel cramped… and Kuzuryu might get lonely by himself.”

“I don’t mind. Satsuki is here as Boss’s bodyguard, after all.”

Thanks for nothing, Kuzuryu.

Right. I brought Satsuki as my bodyguard this time.

I glanced at her face. She was wearing an expression that screamed, “Just as planned.”

You…!

Well, refusing further would only make things worse. She wasn’t going to back down.

“Fine. I’ll share a room with Satsuki.”

“Yay! Leave the guarding to me!”

She seemed genuinely delighted, smiling like a child.

Happy your plan worked out, huh?

…Looks like I won’t get much sleep for the next five days.

With a heavy sigh, I resigned myself to my fate.

Dusk.

The monochrome girl stood on the shoreline.

“So pretty. I’ll take a picture.”

She stared at the sunset over the sea, phone camera in hand.

The sound of waves and the salty breeze surrounded her.

Click.

She smiled, pleased with the photo she’d taken.

“This one too… I’ll send it to Sakata.”

She opened her messaging app and sent the picture to one contact.

Her expression was one of contentment.

“Hokkaido. Fun.”

Just then, the right pocket of her cardigan vibrated faintly.

Her demeanor shifted to seriousness as she pulled out a communication device.

“Yes. This is ‘Second.’”

She spoke with calm precision to the voice on the other end.

“Understood. Thank you.”

After ending the call, her gaze sharpened as she turned toward the town.

“The Empress is coming to this town.”

As the sun set over the sea, only her footprints remained on the shore.