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Now, with everyone eating, who do you think is the busiest? It’s of course the person in charge of the food. In short, me. After all, I have to respond to those who complain about running out of food and ask for seconds.

「Kotone, your food is delicious as usual.」
「Lucky you, Hadzuki. Getting to eat her cooking a lot of times. Meanwhile this is my first time tasting it.」
「It’s the privilege of being a boss.」

Glad to hear that it’s surprisingly well received. I’m really glad that I consulted with Kaori on how to make store-bought roux taste as good as possible. That first curry I ate then was really delicious. And now I’m convinced, Kaori is a much better cook than I am. She, too, has a dream for the future.

「Kotone! More please!」
「Okay, but are you sure?」

This will be Kotori’s fourth serving and everyone of us here is wondering where all that food fits her small body. I feel like for today, more than Aya and I, Kotori’s the one who’s most different from how she appears.

「Seeing it like this, Ms. Kisaragi is basically everyone’s mother.」
「Oi, Minadzuki. Wanna to get smacked?」

How did you make such a leap of logic? I’m just cooking food here, aren’t I? Also, you seniors, don’t you make that convinced look. You guys are older than me.

「I firmly believe it should be older sister!」
「Kotori, don’t complicate things even more!」
「I agree with Sister Kotori.」
「Not you too, Rin!?」

The stopper isn’t working as intended, why? Is it that I misjudged her because I based my evaluation of her when she still had her mask on? Maybe I should’ve been a bit more attentive.

「My stress is piling up at max speed.」
「Isn’t that just as expected? I genuinely thought that you took that in account when you agreed.」
「I’d love to change the mind of me back then.」

I was stressed about the principal’s invitation, so I ended up deciding impulsively. For a while, I was still riding on that high, but as the after-party started, I’m back to sanity. Nagatsuki, hurry and come already. I want to be on the “go wild” side too.

「Now then, since we’re done with dinner, what do we do next?」
「I have to tidy things, so I’ll be out for a while.」

It’s curry after all, so it’ll be a problem if I postpone the cleanup for later. Still, I didn’t expect them to finish everything when I made so much. Rather, Kotori ate so much.

「Kotone~! It seems like someone came~!」
「It can’t be anyone else but him.」

Did you forget that we have one participant left, Aya? The only one who’d come here to a place with all these troublemakers around is another one, don’t you think? In other words, the sacrifice has finally arrived.

「What sort of mixer are you attending?」

Those were my first words upon seeing Nagatsuki’s appearance. Why are you dressed so prim and proper? I know we have mostly female members, but this after-party is for kicking a fuss and making merry.

「Kisaragi, what did you say to my mother? She was awfully eager to dress me up.」
「I haven’t even met your mother. She’s talked with my mother, so it might be her influence.」

Just a hunch, but mom might have bragged about me. Perhaps as a mother in the same environment as Madam Nagatsuki, she wanted to exert some sort of influence. Alternatively, she may have wanted to set me up with her son, but I have no interest in that whatsoever.

「Ah, thanks for your hard work. With this, everyone’s here, so this is the last of it.」
「I’m really exhausted. Mostly due to getting a glimpse of the 12 families’ true nature.」
「Same. To think that they’d dash up the stairs instead of using the elevator.」

Well, yeah, that sounds exhausting. Still, since they train together with me, I can see that they’re fine stamina-wise. They’re really just tired mentally. They’re going to get even more exhausted, though.

「Kotone, don’t cause any more trouble, please.」
「No way. Byebye.」

I dragged Nagatsuki into the room and closed the door. I hear loud banging from outside, but I’m ignoring that. After all, even if I don’t start anything, the others still will.

「The last one’s here~!」
「「Ahahahaha!」」

Seeing Nagatsuki’s appearance, the two upperclassmen started laughing uncontrollably. I agree that he looks extremely out of place. I mean, even the Shimotsuki sisters look really weird. Nagatsuki isn’t even getting angry, he’s just dumbfounded.

「Kisaragi, what exactly is that?」
「This might sound unbelievable, but that’s Aya.」

Your fingers are shaking. I know you don’t want to believe it, but look at reality. The person who’s smacking the floor in laughter is undoubtedly our academy’s most pure and demure. Once you see her actual nature, that image is ruined forever.

「Yahoo~, I thought you were a bit late, but I guess that’s the reason.」
「The son of the 12 families going to a mixer, I kinda want to see that. Not going to one, though.」

It’d be a big scandal, I thought to myself, but being in something kind of similar, I’m really not the one to talk. No one should know of it. As long as the principal doesn’t slip his tongue.

「Now then, I was in the middle of cleaning the dishes, so I’ll be out now.」
「Oi! You intend on leaving me in this chaos!?」

Well, I’d be stumped if you rely on me. To start with, you’re not that type of character. Relying on me, where did your pride fly off to? More importantly, your mother didn’t say anything else, did she?

「Time to clean things up in a jiffy.」

While I shouldn’t get interrupted, there’s also a chance that some sparks might fly at me. There’s too many people who’s actions I can’t anticipate. Also, none of them are offering to help. Kotori’s captured by Aya, after all.

「Kotone, we’ll be going home now.」
「It’s a bit tasteless for us to keep on intruding with mostly minors around, after all. Just seeing my little sisters doing good is enough.」

True, having adults around when everyone else is a student makes it a bit awkward for both sides. I appreciate their consideration, but what’ll they do after this? No, it’s not my place to think about that.

「Well then, see you tomorrow.」

Now with this, it’s only us here in the truest sense. What to do now? Hadzuki brought a lot of games, so I guess we’re playing with those. What should we have as punishment?

「And now it’s time to play a game!」
「Just as I finished washing dishes, what timing.」

Quipping at Hadzuki wouldn’t do any good. After putting away the tableware and removing my apron, I came to the living room to see Hadzuki playing with cards. And that’s when the previous exchange happened.

「So, what are we playing?」
「Since we have a lot of people, what’s good… Old maid?」

Don’t end in inquisitive form, please. Err, how many are we again? Old maid with seven people will continue for a long while, but it’ll work to kill some time. Now if only everyone is fine with it.

「What should we have as punishment? Let’s leave this one to Kotone.」

I just noticed that no one here is in opposition. Everyone’s in a “As long as it’s fun, let’s go!” mood, after all. And are you really sure about leaving the punishment-making to me, Aya? There’s a chance that you might have to do it, you know?