Chapter 56 – Study Group

Now that all the children of the Ootori generation have become elementary school students, all five of us are finally together for afternoon study sessions at the main Ootori estate.
The general curriculum at school is merely a form of recreation or a mandatory activity for us.

Especially for our generation, we’re practically a lineup of child prodigies.

(Well, that might just be because of the constraints of the game setting.)

We, the children of the Ootori family, are handling studies meant for kids nearly twice our age with ease, thanks to the guidance of excellent tutors.

As for me, my knowledge from a past life has been completely absorbed and even upgraded by this body’s cheat-level villainess brain, so I’m simply reviewing things I already know.

Until we reach the level of general university knowledge from the 21st century, I plan to devote my intellectual efforts to other areas.
Alongside studying this era’s economy, politics, and biographies of important figures, I’m also focusing on language studies, which I neglected in my past life.

That’s why during these shared lessons, I have the luxury of watching the other kids with ease.

And from time to time, Gentarou, the intellectual character, glances at me.
He must be fired up with a sense of rivalry.

Ryuichi-kun is basically all brawn, but he’s serious, so he focuses intently and doesn’t look at anyone else.
He’s aiming to be the top of the Army, which effectively means the best grades in Japan, so he studies desperately.

Koshiro-kun is a natural genius, but since he only puts his full effort into what he enjoys, he studies at a normal pace.
Even so, he still does well—that’s just what being a genius means.

Youko-chan has the worst grades among us, but that’s only because the Ootori children are too exceptional.
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t just be the top of the class, she’d be at the top of her entire grade level. 

In terms of deviation score, she’d easily be in the high 70s or 80s.

I mean, the fact that we’ve only just entered the first grade of elementary school and we’re already studying upper-grade material is bizarre enough.

(Well, I’m the weirdest one of all, though.)

Since I don’t really hide what I am, and I’ve already finished the assignment I was working on, I think of taking a break.

“Sensei, I’m going to pick some flowers.”

And so, after taking a full five minutes or so, I return to the study room.

Just then, Gentarou-kun comes walking from the opposite direction.
Looks like he also needed to use the restroom.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

It’s rare for Gentarou-kun to call out to me.

He gestures toward the next room.
It doesn’t seem like it’ll be a short conversation, but we’re way too young for it to be a secret rendezvous or anything.

“Fine, but don’t take too long. Girls have their own things to deal with, you know.”

At my words, Gentarou-kun doesn’t reply, just gives me a look like he wants to say something. 

It seems like a serious topic.
I think I can even sense some urgency from him.

I could brush him off lightly, but when a boy wants to say something important, it’s a girl’s role to at least hear him out—resigning myself to that thought, I let out a small sigh.

“So, what is it you wanted to say that you went out of your way to get me alone?”

“…What are you doing with Great-grandfather Souichirou, Grandfather Kiiichirou, and Tokita?”

There was a moment of hesitation, but he asked it clearly.

He’s saying: I know you’ve been sneaking around doing something.

“What, you mean that? I’m learning the things I need to know before becoming an adult. I am the eldest of the Ootori family, after all.”

“The eldest, huh. But the one who’ll become head of the clan will be either me or Ryuichi. You can’t inherit the title, Reiko. If it’s with Ryuichi, I’m fine being the head of the zaibatsu while Ryuichi becomes the head of the family. It’d be just like the relationship between Grandfather Kiiichirou and the late Ryujiro-sama.”

“So I’m being left out?”

I tighten my gaze a bit and purposely make my tone rougher.
Somehow it feels like one of those in-game conversations, and I’m sure there was a scene like this somewhere.

And as expected, he shows a slightly unpleasant expression for a moment. 

But it really is just a moment—then he blushes a little.

“Isn’t it enough that you’ll marry either me or Ryuichi?”

“Maybe. So, what is it you really want to ask?”

Still putting on my bad-girl act, I ask again, and this time his slightly unpleasant expression stays fixed on his face.

“Reiko, you’re doing something with Great-grandfather and the others, aren’t you? Something other than studying.”

(If only I could say, ‘I hate sharp kids like you.’)

I smile wryly to myself at the thought, but for some reason, I don’t feel like answering him right away.
So I decided to keep up the rebellious tone.

“What’s your basis for thinking that?”

When I ask that, he pauses to think, then looks back at me after a few seconds.

His eyes are so straight and earnest—it’s a bit of a reward for someone who’s mentally in her forties, but honestly, it’s a little blinding.

“You went to Kagoshima and Manchuria for unclear reasons.”

“Those were just trips. I did ask to go because I wanted to see the outside world, though. Anything else?”

“You once snuck out of the estate at night. And it was on a night when Great-grandfather Souichirou and Grandfather Kiiichirou were also out.”

“You’re pretty well informed. I want to ask, ‘Who told you that?’ but this is actually the first I’ve heard of it. So seriously, who told you?”

“I can’t go into detail, but while we’ve been coming here for afternoon studies, I got it from one of the servants at the Ootori main estate—pushed them a bit. If you do manage to figure out who it was, please don’t blame them.”

“That’s understood. But still, isn’t that evidence insufficient?”

“Then this will be the final blow… The way Father looks at you is scary. You joined the adults-only family meeting, and something must have happened to you, Reiko.”

He threw a fastball at me at the end.
“Father” here means my uncle Genji, the younger brother of my father.

He probably doesn’t know about the ‘Dreaming Miko’ story, or if he does, he has enough discretion not to talk about it here.
So it’s safe to assume he doesn’t know.

To keep that point hidden, I raised both my hands up near my head.

“I surrender. I’m studying on the job, mixed in with the adults.”

“On the job? Is that all?”

“Also, it’s been decided I’ll be in a position disliked by your fathers. But what can a seven-year-old kid do? Even if we say something, we’d just be told we’re being smart-alecky. That’s true anyway, and since we’re still too young, we don’t even get scolded. But it’s a good experience.”

“I-I see. Well, that makes sense… I wonder if I’ll be able to join the adult talks someday?”

This time he asked, with various childish feelings evident in his voice.

As a boy, he probably wants to act grown-up. 

He’s really cute.

“I’m the eldest child, so it’s just to prepare for any emergency. Great-grandfather is already old, and this might be unfair to say, but my father isn’t around either.”

“Y-yeah, you’re right. No, I’m the one who should apologize. I never meant to make you say something like that. But, can I ask one last thing?”

“What? It’s not like I’ll answer anything, but go ahead.”

“I heard that Uncle Kouryuu from the Kou family sometimes came to the main household. What was he doing here? I also heard you were entertaining him?”

“Oh, that. Since I was buying all sorts of rare sweets from all over the Imperial Capital, he came to eat them too. Actually, Uncle Kouryuu loves super sweet things. Keep that a secret, okay?”

I added a little cute gesture at the end, and he blushed slightly.

Yeah, boys have to act like that to keep girls interested.
Still, that only lasted a moment.

“R-really? That’s a bit surprising. The sweets you send are definitely rare. Honestly, I like them too.”

He said that genuinely impressed.

Well, there’s no way he’d imagine I was secretly giving hints for revolutionary new drug development with my future knowledge.

Thanks to Uncle Kouryuu’s slightly silly story, the mood lightened, and we were able to wrap up the conversation there. 

Seems like Uncle Kouryuu can be useful here sometimes.

Still, whatever the reason, I wish he wouldn’t say he likes me when we’re alone.

After that, the study session ended without issue, but since Ryuya onii-sama was coming to the mansion with our fatherly grandfather, Ryuuichi-kun and Youko-chan ended up going home together with onii-sama.
However, it seemed his work was running late, and even after dinner he hadn’t returned yet, so the three kids relaxed and waited in the living room. 

They could have gone home without waiting, but Youko-chan insisted on going home with her Papa, so there was no choice.

However, overcome by post-meal sleepiness, Youko-chan leaned against her onii-sama Ryuuichi-kun and dozed off.

“What are you smirking about? That’s gross.”

“Gross? That’s because Youko-chan is too much of an angel, so it can’t be helped.”

“It’s obvious Youko is an angel, but your face really falls apart around her. Don’t get too close to making weird faces in front of Youko.”

He was as much of a siscon as ever.
While complaining, his gaze kept drifting more to Youko than to me.

But then he fixed his eyes on me. 

And he was quite serious.

“Anyway, you keep calling Father ‘onii-sama’ but—”

“Since grandpa took the role of my father, it’s onii-sama, isn’t it?”

I cut him off before he could tell me to stop saying onii-sama.

But apparently, that wasn’t what he wanted to say.

“No, that’s fine, but you’re not thinking of Youko and me as just your nephew and niece, right?”

“Huh? Of course not. If anything, I want Youko-chan as a little sister.”

“That’s absolutely not going to happen… Well, there is one way.”

He had a mischievous, no, a bossy kid’s grin.
When Ryuuichi-kun was a child, this kind of expression suited him perfectly. 

And I think he understands what he’s implying even better than he does himself.

“Yeah, but since you’re a bit more distantly related by blood, isn’t the path to becoming head of the Ootori family still far for you, Ryuuichi-kun?”

“It’s fine. Even if Gentarou is top of the imperial university, I’ll graduate top of all four army divisions just like Father did. If I do that, no one will complain if I take you.”

He had a seriously proud look on his face.

But from my knowledge of history from my previous life, game knowledge, and predictions based on this body’s past life experiences, I know his hopes and ambitions will be crushed along the way.
After all, the Imperial Army will cease to exist before he even enters the Army University.

Still, without letting any of that show, I say,

“Oh, is that so? Good luck with your romantic showdown. I’ll just wait for the winner. Besides, the enemy is outside, too.”

“Ah, Katsujiro, huh. He’s not a bad guy, but now that the Ootori family has grown this big, there’s really no chance of connecting the two houses. Everyone around would definitely get in the way.”

That comment surprised me a little.
To be able to make that kind of analysis at this age is impressive.

Though I mock him as a muscle-head in my mind, as expected of the eldest son of my older brother, both his brain and brawn are top-notch.

Because of that, I almost feel renewed determination to help Ryuuichi-kun achieve his ambitions.

(No, no, first I need to avoid my own ruin. Besides, these guys are basically competing for the game heroine more than me anyway.)

“Hey, why the sudden sour mood? You’re not seriously thinking that, right?”

“Ah, huh? Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else. I don’t think there’s any chance with Katsujiro either, and at this age, I can’t possibly feel that way.”

“That’s true. Even though I say all this, right now just having fun is the best.”

“I totally agree with that.”

As the two of us laughed, we accidentally woke the two angels with an “Uuu, is it morning already?”