Matsuo Bashou was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan.
Bashou was born in 1644, near Ueno, in Iga Province. A place famous for him, and ninjas.83Please respect copyright.PENANAK6g0GJhAXr
There’s a rumor that the famed haiku poet Matsuo Bashou wasn’t just a master of poetry, but a master of the art of Ninjutsu, the art of stealth, subterfuge and spying. The art of the Ninja!
So was Matsuo Bashou just a wandering master poet, or was he a master spy? During the cautious years of the early Edo, or Tokugawa period, people were not permitted to travel freely around the country, however Bashou managed to obtain permission. His position as a celebrated poet gained him a close access to the nobility. He was able to enter castles and palaces, view the estates of the lords and spend time chatting with them. Speaking directly to the various lords, he would have been able to discover their hidden thoughts as they composed poems together. Wonderful opportunities for intelligence gathering.
It took no time at all to hear about Ririna from a friend in Kaburagi’s class.
“Yes, that girl has been loitering about Emperor recently. Ah-, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to badmouth your cousin.”
“No, you are right. I should be apologising to you on her behalf.”
I see. So everybody’s been careful not to badmouth a relative of mine in front of my eyes.83Please respect copyright.PENANA7roRNmUWNR
Please just give me a break, Ririna~
“Well, could I ask what she does, specifically?”
“Well, things like calling out to him, or sometimes even coming to our classroom. She hasn’t done anything too eye-catching quite yet though.”
It’s plenty already. The thing that the female upperclassmen hate the most is a first year girl following about upperclassmen boys.83Please respect copyright.PENANAxGcKrjQWkv
Even in my old life, the relationships between females was in a strict grade-based hierarchy. If you didn’t greet them in the hallway, they would say stuff about you “getting ahead of yourself”. I guess when you’re at that age, you start to want to act like you’re a senpai.83Please respect copyright.PENANAR6PS9LFES6
For girls of that age, if a younger girl starts making eyes at a boy in their grade, the girl’s name immediately spreads throughout the grade and every girl becomes their enemy.83Please respect copyright.PENANAqDJoYFK2wL
It’s really scary when that happens, you know. The more extreme senpai will call you out and lecture you too, you know.83Please respect copyright.PENANAwVA7BJ9fOT
I don’t know if the same thing happens at Zui’ran, but they should at least be feeling the same way, so I can’t help but worry about Ririna.83Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6MspRgeFf
Oh, no, rather than worrying about Ririna as a person, I’m just worried that I’ll get into trouble for being her cousin.
“I must warn my cousin as well.”
“Yes. Umm, we don’t really mind, but Tsuruhana-san’s group is…”
Uwah, she’s being targeted by them?83Please respect copyright.PENANAwfngRJkpoD
My stomach is really hurting.83Please respect copyright.PENANAZeMT55mkdz
The last time I spoke to Ririna was when she came over with her parents before I entered Zui’ran.83Please respect copyright.PENANA47n4F6ghOK
That girl has always hated me. But I guess that goes the same for me.83Please respect copyright.PENANAssAjmkajpr
But even though she always used to go “Taka-niisama” “Taka-niisama” when the heck did she turn into an Emperor fan.83Please respect copyright.PENANADa5fAC52HP
And it’s Kaburagi, of all people. Even Enjou would have been better. It’s like a landmine around that guy. Things are going to get bad if she carelessly approaches him.83Please respect copyright.PENANA3HP66PpTav
I could already envision a future where my slowly heaped efforts and reputation were being smashed to pieces by Ririna.83Please respect copyright.PENANA5WIKa6LSRE
I see. So there was this kind of problem too.83Please respect copyright.PENANAWxYNvZWyK9
Even if I try my best not to incur Emperor’s displeasure, and even if I stop Otousama’s dishonesties, there’s still the plot device of having my relatives do something instead.83Please respect copyright.PENANAb05joaN96f
Guilt by association is truly terrifying.83Please respect copyright.PENANApuT0QopeR7
Ririna is selfish and high-handed and spoilt by her parents, so she’s like a miniature version of Kimidol’s Kisshouin Reika, after all.83Please respect copyright.PENANAtxOER5czdr
What do I do, what do I do? I definitely don’t have the skill to rehabilitate that girl!
But, I did at least give her a phone call to give her a few words.
“Ririna-san, I hear that you have been following Kaburagi-sama about? I think it might be better if you abstained from bothering your upperclassmen.”
“My. Whatever I do should be my own business. And Kaburagi-sama has never really said that I bother him.”
And the moment he does say it will be your last.
“But,”
“More importantly, Reika-san. I want to have a look at the Pivoine salon. Take me there.”
This little!
“The Pivoine is off-limits to Externals. And not ‘more importantly’, we were talking about Kaburagi-sama. You have a terrible reputation amongst the girls in the higher grades, you know.”
“Hmph. So? I’m not scared. Aren’t you just jealous that I’m getting close to Kaburagi-sama?”
HAHHH?!
“Ririna-san, Zui’ran has its own rules. If you ignore them, you will be crushed.”
“Yes, yes, got it, got it. Goodness, Reika-oneesama.”
She hung up.83Please respect copyright.PENANAN1VdNpIqxV
…Annoying. Annoying, annoying, ANNOYINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!83Please respect copyright.PENANAqnshueB0Qr
What’s with her attitude! Somebody was calling her because they were worried! Or rather, you’re going to bother me so stop it already!83Please respect copyright.PENANAT0zy79Pv0j
GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! ANNOYING!83Please respect copyright.PENANA8h2K3ZfzFE
I suppose people do say that every family has its annoying members. Ririna is so tiring to handle.83Please respect copyright.PENANARGNaDpMdTK
If I ask Oniisama to help, I think even she’ll behave a little, but Oniisama is busy with work and studies, so he doesn’t have the time for this. I don’t want him to have to deal with something so bothersome.83Please respect copyright.PENANAdvb7Vlb3PS
But is it even possible for me to stop her?!83Please respect copyright.PENANAB3llXn1fYE
UGAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! The stress is building up!83Please respect copyright.PENANAzud9DLuWeS
I opened up a packet of You Can’t Stop, You Won’t Stops that I had hidden in my closet, and began devouring them by the clawful.83Please respect copyright.PENANAx0C3E28fwq
If I get fat because of that girl, I won’t forget!83Please respect copyright.PENANAQTwOKN7o8h
This year’s excursion was to a mountain temple. Why a temple?83Please respect copyright.PENANAclCJvOBUNk
After we got on a bullet train and bus, there was a long, long staircase. You’re telling me to climb this?83Please respect copyright.PENANApMEGhPcaSR
Because I heard it was a temple, I let my guard down. Isn’t this exactly the same as last year’s mountain climbing hell?83Please respect copyright.PENANAEgIlxAqlfv
But before long, my calves started acting up. My body is slanting forward. Somebody, somebody please bring me a cane.83Please respect copyright.PENANAqrU3C1FQn6
While wheezing just like last year, I saw Tsuruhana-san’s group snickering at me as they passed me by. I didn’t know what to say.83Please respect copyright.PENANAiAeG1TDCXe
Apparently this temple was a temple featured in a famous haiku by Matsuo Bashou. Bashou climbed this horrifying mountain too? That theory about him being a ninja might actually be true.83Please respect copyright.PENANAjihFkYkEGA
O Heavens, please sever my inauspicious connections. I have many of them. Ririna, Kaburagi, Enjou, Tsuruhana…83Please respect copyright.PENANAlnsrfOOFel
Names kept coming out. Thanks to that, my heart was pitch-black. Making a pilgrimage with such a negative mindset, will the gods even grant me a miracle?83Please respect copyright.PENANAjT9hN8B8tX
After somehow making it to the top, it was already time to descend. WHY!? Apparently they were waiting for us. I’m sorry…83Please respect copyright.PENANAv1VVU5Jl8d
After that, they took us to have a stroll around the Five Coloured Swamps Goshiki-numa, a collection of five multicoloured volcanic swamps.83Please respect copyright.PENANABdSNIT6TPL
But once I saw the boats on the swamps, my mood suddenly shot up. I want to ride one! I want to row one!83Please respect copyright.PENANA7FSnInkD23
I invited my friends, and quickly got on one.83Please respect copyright.PENANAJMeuaa5xcN
It’s not moving. Even though I’m desperately rowing, why isn’t it moving. I just keep spinning around on the spot. What’s going on here?83Please respect copyright.PENANAurFndlZaih
Unable to watch any longer, one of my friends took over the rowing for me. Thank you, Ayame-chan.83Please respect copyright.PENANAmNjlUXGGyb
It felt great sitting on the boat as it smoothly glided through the water. When I looked around, suddenly there were boats with couples on them! When!?83Please respect copyright.PENANAL3eRvuP3QV
Before my eyes was a smiling girl. No, I’m thankful that you’re rowing for me. But even I wanted to try a boat ride with a boy…83Please respect copyright.PENANAGjPT6Av78L
But looking carefully, Kaburagi and Enjou were on a boat together. Two guys, riding a boat together…? Upfpftpft…83Please respect copyright.PENANAim2dzIopEc
I’ll just consider it a good thing that I’m with my friends.83Please respect copyright.PENANAfaAlLnJoP8
By the time I got home, I gradually started feeling the muscle pains. Aahh, tomorrow is going to be rough…83Please respect copyright.PENANAJXamu5ybag
Ah! I forgot to try the Tama Konnyaku!