In the Zui’ran primary section, the results of the tests we regularly have aren’t published.119Please respect copyright.PENANAimN4dTnjxd
When we enter the middle school section, the top 20 students overall, and in each subject are pasted up on a board, and each student is privately told what their ranking is, but even that doesn’t happen in the primary section.119Please respect copyright.PENANAtsnt3giwoV
There’s a report card at least, but it’s all based on a non-relative evaluation, so it isn’t really dependable.119Please respect copyright.PENANAVUMCofEFyD
Because of that you don’t get a good idea of how everybody else is doing. Nor do you get a good idea of how you yourself stand in the school.119Please respect copyright.PENANAFGlnu0b20K
Most of the girls who attend Zui’ran from the primary section tend to enter a political marriage after graduating from university, or find work through their parents’ connections, or go looking for somebody to marry, so basically none of them will really give it their all studying.
But I’m different!119Please respect copyright.PENANAbdlCEgQrHn
I haven’t incurred Emperor’s wrath as of this moment, but I can’t ignore the possibility that by some chance I butt heads with the protagonist in high school and anger the Emperor, and end up having my whole family destroyed.119Please respect copyright.PENANAMMU4xTgBIf
And it seems that the pattern of ‘Father’s dishonesty coming to light’ → ‘people demand Father’s resignation’ → ‘our assets are seized’ → ‘our family falls into ruin’ is set pretty firmly.119Please respect copyright.PENANAl93nQnAK0b
Aahh, Otousama, please turn over a new leaf. (Although I don’t actually know if he is doing anything dishonest. It’s fine even if it’s a false charge!)
If our family falls into ruin then I probably won’t have anyone to marry after all, so I need to earn my own living expenses.119Please respect copyright.PENANAPzfktVQseL
To that end, I need to study.119Please respect copyright.PENANAm2RO7opluc
In preparation for if I don’t have the fees to pay for a private university, I want to have enough academic ability to get into a national or public university.119Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7LkvjD5p9
In the future, I want to make enough money not just for me, but to take care of my parents as well.119Please respect copyright.PENANAD9BZe1vlxU
Because of all this, I asked my parents to let me go to cram school.119Please respect copyright.PENANAQt6Pr5DqcT
“You are a girl, so isn’t there no need to study so hard?”
As expected, Okaasama was negative.119Please respect copyright.PENANAZuBdZxgl85
‘How about flute or violin instead?’ she suggested.119Please respect copyright.PENANAc35fcDsUp3
Incidentally, Otousama completely leaves child-raising to Okaasama. He’s completely useless at times like this.
“But Okaasama, I find studying very interesting.”
Hm~mm, I wonder if that was too weak an excuse.119Please respect copyright.PENANAPl2P1IjFQw
Well then,
“When we enter the middle school section, talented people from other schools will enter. When that happens, I will be left behind.”
Just to make sure, I added, “Even though I am a Pivoine member, to have something so shameful happen is…” which made her eyebrows twitch.
“Pivoine” is like a magic word when it comes to her.
“You’re right. Then shall I find you a private tutor?”
That would be troubling! I don’t want a tutor, I want to go to cram school.119Please respect copyright.PENANA4tGEemIYqL
Besides becoming smarter, I have one other goal too.
“I want to go to cram school. I want to see how people from other schools are doing as well.”
I bend my upper body forward as I begged her.119Please respect copyright.PENANADJDtR2iVFu
I had to go to so much infant class before I got into Zui’ran, so can’t you just let me go to cram school as well!
“But as a daughter of the Kisshouin household, there shouldn’t be any need to get along with ordinary children. And what’s more, in a place like that, there are children from public schools too. It would be terrible if they hurt the cute little you.”
It’s here. That sense of being a class of chosen ones.
She’s saying stuff like “You need to choose who you associate with, okay?”.119Please respect copyright.PENANAWe5hu7zLjy
Didn’t the Kisshouin Reika in kimidol turn out to be that useless rich girl because she chose who to associate with?
“It is fine, Okaasama. I will just be going there to study. I will make sure to remember your teachings, Okaasama.”
I’m a little irritated as somebody who once went to a public primary school, but I’ll endure here, endure.
“Okay? Please, Okaasama.”
I clasped my hands together in front of my chest like I was praying.119Please respect copyright.PENANAWBbz9mzEUj
How’s this? My ‘Cute Daughter Begging Beam’!
“Isn’t it fine?”
OOOHH! Sudden reinforcements from the rear!119Please respect copyright.PENANAr0VUpRDBQV
Hearing our conversation, Oniisama supported me.
“It’s not often that you get somebody who wants to study. What if she went to the cram school that I attended when I was in primary? The lessons there are thorough and easy to understand, you know?”
The cram school that Oniisama went to! That sounds really reliable!119Please respect copyright.PENANAfUJ395vXoE
How about it, Okaasama. Even Oniisama is supporting the idea. Come, come! Give me a positive reply!
After looking at the two of us and giving a small sigh, Okaasama said,
“I understand. Then tomorrow I will take care of the enrolment.”
YAHOOOOO!119Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9JcgmR2Jv
Hooray! Hooray! I can go to cram school!
“Thank you, Okaasama!”
I couldn’t hold back the smile from inside me.119Please respect copyright.PENANAXvkuEh3DIn
With this, my dream will come true…119Please respect copyright.PENANAx3BxTVCABp
“Oniisama, thank you for earlier.”
While we were returning to our rooms from the living room, I chased behind Oniisama in the hallway and thanked him.119Please respect copyright.PENANAQhMKzxj8AE
As expected of my kind Oniisama~119Please respect copyright.PENANA0FYXb6eLpK
Uhuhu.
“It wasn’t much. More importantly, I know that you really want to go to cram school for some reason, but I wonder if you have some other motive as well.”
-creak-
Was it that easy to tell?
“Mm~mm, if I study at home I’ll probably just relax and get lazy~ And I want to become close to kids outside of Zui’ran too, so~”
While my eyes swam about in a corner, I somehow managed to wring that out.
“Hm~mm.”
Oniisama looked right at me for a while, but when I began to pout,
“I got it, I got it. Let’s go with that then.”
After giving me two pats on the head, Oniisama smiled.119Please respect copyright.PENANATJcxVPmSO9
So you’ll be understanding, Oniisama?
“But you know, Reika.”
Oniisama brought his face close to my ears.
“When people lie, they look to the top right, you know.”
And then with a smile, Oniisama said “Well then, good night.” before returning to his own room.119Please respect copyright.PENANABh2vFfAmdh
Eh-, what was that just now?119Please respect copyright.PENANAgB3Xv5In0B
Gosh, what a scary 13 year old. Why does he know something like that?119Please respect copyright.PENANAcRjyXu3Rwn
Could it be that the kind and gentle Oniisama is actually a crafty type?119Please respect copyright.PENANACRIu4H7517
Like, what if he knew how to see through lies to hide his own lies.
Oniisama, please stay as my mental oasis.
Anyway, from now on I’ll be careful when I lie…
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