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Not far from Chitanda house, there’s a unit of 2 1/2 floor building¹. The building has a lawn, and although not as expansive as Chitanda family’s villa, it isn’t small. It was originally meant to be used as the family’s office building, but as the family business expanded, this building in the countryside was eventually abandoned.

For the first time after so long, there’s human presence in its lawn.

“Five Glock 17, one M16 rifle, one M24 sniper rifle, three thousands round of bullets combined,²” a well-build, black, sunglasses-wearing American introduced to Kana the contents of the five trunks that he was lifting up the table.

This black man is the Lagoon Company’s leader, Dutch. They brought the purchased weapons into Japan together with them since they are entering too anyway.

“Three thousands rounds?” Kana wrinkle her brows, “Isn’t that a little too little…”

“Little girl, you don’t know enough. Three thousands rounds are enough for a meeting engagement.³” The girl named Revy said arrogantly.

“O? Is that so? I wasn’t aware of that,” she replied.

Chitoge who was standing beside her looked at her in surprise. She wasn’t known for her good temper; under normal circumstances, if someone looked down on her like that, Kana should have retorted without hesitation.

Kana then produced a folder, “This is the girl that you have to protect.”

Dutch received the folder and opened it. Inside, there’s Eru’s photo and personal information. Chitoge only know have a stroke of realization. It’s most likely when it involved Eru that the big sister can adopt a cautious and humble stance.

A young American man, Benny, one of the members, stretched out his head and looked at the photo. He whistled, “She is a cute one.”

Kana shot him a glance, and then said, “Before formally starting the job, there’s 2 months trial period. If you guys show any sign of disobeying my order, then I can’t pay you.”

Dutch and Revy both unhappily stared at Benny. His whistle just cost them their two months worth of pay. Benny embarrassingly closed his mouth.

“These will be your identities in Japan,” Kana took out the second folder. It contained their newly registered mountain rescue team certifications and also everyone’s driver license. “This building will be the rescue team’s base. It has been completely stocked for your daily needs, you can start living here immediately. Additionally, I’m still preparing two cars as your transportation vehicle.”

“Little girl, do your parents know what you are doing?” Revy asked curiously.

Kana squinted her eyes and looked at her for quite a while, and then replied, “I would like for you to understand one thing. Your employer is only one person, me! My parents’ opinion is none of your concern, you guys may consider them as a potential threat.”

Dutch finally showed a serious expression after hearing this.

Although mercenaries sounds cool and impressive, that they are the best soldiers, the king of guns, ruthless and iron-blooded, cold and emotionless… but in reality? They are, in the end, just a group of workers scraping by for wages. Helping second-generation kids of a wealthy family fight each other, causing disturbance, or to secure public space are common jobs, and because the pay is high, and the risk is low, and the working environment is favorable, such tasks are very popular in the industry.

Revy initially thought that this is just another second-generation wealthy children’s conflict, but after talking with Kana, she realized that this wasn’t the case.

“I have already given you guys very good pay. If you performed well, I may double it. But! If Eru was harmed due to your blunder, none of you will leave Japan unscathed!” she said, as she fiddled with her phone. She showed a picture, which prompted a reaction from the members. Benny held his water cup tightly, Revy acted as if she has been pushed to a corner, Dutch’s complexion turned a level paler.

In the photo was a 20-ish year old man, wearing white collar shirt, who looked educated. He was tied with a thick rope, locked in a dark room, and he didn’t look too well.

He was the Lagoon Company’s fourth member, Rock.

Japan is way too safe. It isn’t suitable for Lagoon Company’s illegal activity. Their numerous number of offenses would easily make them the target of police’s special agents. They first hide Rock to prepare an escape route, so if things took a bad turn, then he can bring the three people out of the country quickly.

But as it turned out, Kana foresaw this move, and she had the Hive kidnapped Rock.

Her action can be considered cruel, but the mercenaries aren’t good people either. Getting them to protect Eru is itself a risky move, so she had no choice but to knock them down a peg.

The leader was the first one to understand her meaning, he said with deep voice, “Chitanda-sama, you can be rest assured, we Lagoon Company has the most stellar reputation, we have no record of deliberately breaking a promise. Since we already take on your commission, we naturally have to carry out our obligation.”

“Then that’s good,” Kana nodded.

Although she didn’t sound delighted, the deal with the Lagoon Company has gone through. Kana was considering to introduce Revy to Eru, so it would be easier to protect her going forward.

This building was less than 500 meters away from her house. She opened the door, and then told Chitoge, “To show you my appreciation, I would like to invite you to dinner.”

After the school’s opening ceremony, Eru went to her piano lesson. She won’t be going home together with Kana, so she had to resolve this issue herself.

“No need. If you really want to thank me, then return my notebook now,⁴” Chitoge answered Kana as they walked together inside, curiously looking around.

“Eh? You really still remember about that event?” Kana carried a kettle from the kitchen.

“Of course I still remember. Return the book quickly, now might be the last chance.”

“Why?”

“I’m transferring.”

“Transfer where?”

“Tokyo.”

“Oh, right, to see your fiance.”

“I told you, he isn’t my fiance! We don’t know each other!”

Chitoge’s mood turned sour. She not only have to leave behind the school she’s familiar with for an entirely alien environment, but also to face an inexplicable prospect of marriage. No girl would be happy with this circumstances.

Kana brought out two cups of noodles. Looking at her gloomy state, she despicably whispered, “From Tokyo to Kamiyama, it’s only a few hours by car. If you transfer to Tokyo, you can still go back to Kamiyama on the weekends, if you really hate to leave me, you can stay over at my house on the weekends.”

“Who can hate to leave you! You invited me to a dinner, and at the end, you only brought out instant noodles!”

“What’s wrong with eating noodles, I can’t cook!”

“You’re a loser, yet you confidently justified it, this country has no future!”

“Your cooking class leaves something to be desired too, you have no right to criticize me.”

“But I wouldn’t invite someone to eat noodles…”

After arguing with Kana, Chitoge suddenly found her own mood have significantly improved, as if the deal with school transfer wasn’t that big of a deal anymore.

Well, I can come back in the weekends anyway.

1. This means that it has two floors, and an accessible flat third floor that doesn’t have a roof. It is basically rooftop.
2. Richie: Just what kind of threat is Kana looking out for???
3. This is a military jargon. To quote Wikipedia, I know, it is unreliable, but it is the most convenient, and is a good starting point, “In warfare, a meeting engagement, or encounter battle, is a combat action that occurs when a moving force, incompletely deployed for battle, engages an enemy at an unexpected time and place.”.
4. She is talking about her notebook that contains her rating of the people at school. Even I have forgotten about this.

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