Chapter 5

"In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there."

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Mr. Ichijo's words were reasonable.

"Most likely, there were people who offered help. However, my grandmother's pride was higher than Mount Everest, and she was the type of person who would rather die than accept charity."

I thought of Lady Mari. Even in her 90s, she had a straight back, beautiful fingers, and played the piano whimsically. She was incredibly haughty, and she would get furious if I received anything from the neighbors. 'What do you think you are, a tenant farmer?' Tenant farmers don't exist anymore, and the person who gave me things was far more respectable than Lady Mari. She even taught me about plants that could be foraged in the mountains and how to prepare them. Fuki, who was from the city, didn't know much about country living.

"My grandmother's personality was terrible. She had a strong sense of superiority, was extremely self-centered, and had a difficult, artistic temperament, making her hard to deal with."

"Actually, when I heard about the Kujo family from my grandfather, I heard a similar story. That's why they couldn't offer help. They respected her pride."

Mr. Ichijo seemed unconvinced. That's understandable. It's impossible for an elderly woman and a baby to live without any help.

"It seems you still have doubts, Mr. Ichijo. My grandmother and I always had someone to support us. She called them maids, but they were the ones who raised me. That's why we could live until now. However, after my grandmother passed away, Fuki—her name—returned to her family. She was over 80 years old."

Thinking of Fuki, I feel a bit, no, quite lonely. When I was little, Fuki and I used to go for walks holding hands. They were mostly errands, but walking along the ridges while talking was fun. At home, Lady Mari always took precedence.

"Fuki seemed to like my grandmother. She often said that serving the proud noble Lady Mari—Lady Mari is my grandmother—was an honor."

I wonder if Mr. Ichijo is convinced. If someone knew Lady Mari and Fuki, they would understand immediately.

"That's enough of my story. I understand the situation with the villainous lady. However, as I mentioned, I am not a lady; I am just a poor villain. I will accept that role."

"What are you saying?"

Lady Sara, you're too surprised. Your curls are getting messy.

"When my grandmother had dementia, denying what she believed to be true often made her condition worse. Denying Yuria Sakurada's delusions might affect her treatment, don't you think, Mr. Ichijo?"

"Well, I didn't really intend to do anything about it. There were many dazzling boys around her, so I thought she was just imagining a fairy tale. However, today, I met you, the villainous lady Reiko Kujo, from her delusions. I was quite surprised."

You were going to leave her delusions, no, her illness, as it was!

"Because of that, Reiko got hurt. She was also subjected to unwarranted insults. Do you think she can live a normal life at the school after being treated like that by an internal student at the time of enrollment?"

Lady Sara's voice grew harsh. I feel bad because I'm the reason she's always angry. I'm sorry.

"Oh, it wasn't a laughing matter. I apologize for laughing this morning."

Mr. Ichijo bowed, but since I received free treatment, I have no complaints.

"I'm fine. Besides, thanks to Yuria Sakurada, I became friends with Sara. It's truly a silver lining!"

I think I managed to wrap things up nicely. What do you think? Lady Sara is smiling a bit. She's cute. Mr. Ichijo, on the other hand, looks puzzled.

"Mr. Ichijo, I would appreciate it if you could take charge of Yuria Sakurada's treatment. It's not her fault that she's sick."

"...Even if it's a delusion, I'm still bothered by the fact that Yuria knew about you. You've never met her, right?"

That's the point. Indeed, Yuria Sakurada knew about me. Well, the part about being a lady was wrong, but the poor villain is correct. It's sad to correct myself.

"Didn't you hear what I said earlier? The Kujo family is a prestigious one. Everyone of my grandparents' generation knew about them. Many families were helped by the Kujo family, so it's natural for their name to come up in conversations, and we would hear about it. Also, you mentioned that she knew about me before enrollment. The list of new students was already made, and since her childhood friend, Mr. Katsuragi, is in the student council, it's not strange for her to have seen the list through him."

Mr. Ichijo scratched his head and groaned.

"...You're right. I don't know why, but Yuria's delusions seem like the truth. No, it's not that you look like a villainous lady. You are very clear and beautiful. It's just that Yuria's story is incredibly specific. I was listening to it half-heartedly."

"Mr. Ichijo, don't casually compliment Reiko. Please keep an eye on Yuria Sakurada. I will protect Reiko."

Protecting me sounds like something from a fairy tale. I want to hide my flushed face, but I can't.

"Mr. Katsuki, thank you. But I'm fine."

Yes, I'm fine. In middle school, I was often the subject of gossip. There was no direct bullying, but I was mostly alone at school. I couldn't attend regularly due to caregiving responsibilities. I'm Lady Mari's granddaughter. It's inevitable because I'm her granddaughter.

"There are some nasty people in this school. It's better to be careful."

Mr. Katsuki's serious tone made me shiver. What kind of nasty things could they do?

"I don't think anyone would dare to harm my friend."

"Sara, thank you. I feel supported."

Lady Sara and I held hands. Ah, Lady Sara's hands are so smooth. They are a lady's hands.

"Me too, right?"

Mr. Katsuki placed his hand on top of ours. Lady Sara glared at him, but he remained calm. Mr. Ichijo cleared his throat, and we sat back down. Then Lady Sara started questioning Mr. Ichijo.

"So, I'm apparently a decoy. Do you have any idea who for?"

Lady Sara crossed her arms, raised her chin, and glared at the teacher.

"Honjo is apparently a decoy to bring together Katsuragi and Yuki."

Lady Sara's face turned fierce. I want her to calm down, but it seems impossible.

"You mean I'm a decoy for some woman named Yuki? I don't want to be treated like that!"

"Sara, calm down. This is part of Yuria Sakurada's delusions. Look, I'm a poor villain! I'm a villain!"

"Being a villain is better than being a decoy!"

Indeed, being a decoy doesn't sound good. On the other hand, being a villain sounds cool.

"By the way, do you like Mr. Katsuragi, Sara?"

"No."

Lady Sara answered firmly.

"Then there shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"Maybe. Whether Sara has romantic feelings for Katsuragi or not, she can still be a decoy."

Mr. Katsuki's words are reasonable. However, the term 'decoy' doesn't suit the noble Lady Sara.

"I'm sorry, Honjo, but I didn't hear the specifics of that. Yuria seems to want to pair up Torigoe with the heroine."

Mr. Ichijo said apologetically, but Lady Sara was still upset.

"Sara, I know it's very unfair to be called a decoy, but let's forget about it. It's not Yuria Sakurada's fault; it's her illness. If she says something again, I will counter it! Let's go home now, okay?"

I will protect Lady Sara, who became my first friend at the school! And let's buy some katsuobushi on the way home. Even if we have some at home, we can just use it. Tomorrow's onigiri will have katsuobushi!

Thinking about this, we left the infirmary. It was already dusk. I had a two-hour commute ahead, and I was already exhausted.