Chapter 419: Ren Blacklisted, Mashiro Discovers Anomaly
Cerberus and Lanterby were practically glowing, recounting their arcade triumphs from earlier in the day with immense pride. The rest of the group listened attentively as they boasted, their voices full of competitive spirit. Alice leaned forward, her eyes sparkling.
"That sounds like so much fun! I want to play next time, too!" she chimed in, though she admitted she hadn't had much luck with those games before.
Nakiri Mana smiled warmly. "You two certainly had a good time, didn't you? But Lanterby, your skill with the claw machine is still as impressive as ever... you actually managed to win three prizes!"
Alice nodded in agreement. She'd tried her hand at claw machines in the past, but always came away empty-handed. As a young lady from a wealthy family, she couldn't imagine spending tens of thousands of yen just to snag a small stuffed rabbit, unlike some dedicated enthusiasts.
Lanterby grinned, waving a hand dismissively. "It was nothing, really. But I have to say, I finally managed to beat Cerberus today! Seriously, it's the first time I've ever been so thoroughly defeated by one person in an arcade!"
A triumphant smile spread across Cerberus's face. "It was a blast! We have to go again soon! And next time, we'll bring Mashiro with us!"
"Me too! Me too!" Alice piped up immediately.
"We won't forget you, Alice," Lanterby chuckled, then turned her attention to Ren. "But speaking of skills, Ren, as someone who's so popular with women, you must be a master at the claw machine, right?"
Ren paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face. "Claw machines... you know, I think I'll let a witness answer that for you. You'll get a better picture that way."
A chorus of confused sounds rose from the group.
He pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and placed a call. It connected within seconds. Putting it on speaker for everyone to hear, he greeted the person on the other end with a casual smile. "Hey, are you busy?"
A familiar, energetic voice replied, laced with teasing affection. "Not really. What's up? Miss me already after just a few days? You're surprisingly clingy, you know~"
"It's Rindou!" eight voices exclaimed in unison.
On the other end of the line, Kobayashi Rindou was clearly taken aback. "Eh? How are you all together? And why is it so noisy over there?"
Lucifer leaned closer to the phone, a smile in her voice. "We're out shopping. Mana and the others just moved in, so we were grabbing some daily necessities and happened to run into Alice. Do you Totsuki students get such long holidays?"
Rindou let out a sigh. "Ah, if I'd known, I would have come over! But I had a bunch of things to take care of today. I didn't even realize everyone had moved in already. Well, I'll see you all during the practical training period. So, what did you call me for?"
Lanterby, still puzzled, spoke up. "It was Ren. We were just talking about claw machines and got curious about his skills, so he decided to call you. What's that all about?"
A distinct twitch could almost be heard in Kobayashi Rindou's voice as she replied with a single, loaded word. "Legendary."
"Huh?" The group murmured, their curiosity piqued.
Rindou sighed again, this time with a mix of exasperation and fondness. "Ren's claw machine skills are too good! He's been blacklisted by so many arcades! I'm already stressing about how I'm going to move all the dolls he's won for me out of my room when I graduate!"
After Rindou's bombshell explanation, she said a quick goodbye to go cook dinner and hung up. A stunned silence fell over the group. Lucifer finally broke it, swallowing hard as she stared at Ren.
"You two... did you really empty out entire claw machines?! That's just overkill!"
Ren sighed, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You can't say we emptied them. We always left a few at the bottom for others. Now that your curiosity is satisfied, it's about time we headed back. If we leave now, Sora should be home by the time we arrive."
"Mm!" the group agreed.
"Alice!" Mana called out, her tone firm. "You need to head back to Totsuki!"
"Eh?! Aunt Mana! At least let me have dinner with you all!" Alice pleaded.
Mana's resolve softened slightly. "I'm really at my wit's end with you... Fine. Eat quickly, and then go straight back. It's not safe to be out too late!"
"Yay!" Alice cheered. "But... who is Mashiro?"
At the mention of the name, Cerberus and Lanterby immediately perked up, launching into another excited conversation. The group began walking towards Ren's shop, their chatter filling the air, completely unfazed by the curious stares they drew from passersby.
"Mashiro, this doll... I'm not going to take it, so don't worry."
Shiina Mashiro nodded silently from the back seat of Hiratsuka Shizuka's car. She stared down at the plush toy in her hands, her voice a soft whisper. "Cousin, are you also going to that school?"
Sengoku Chihiro, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around with a lazy smile. "Of course. And by the way, your dear cousin found a very easygoing student in the same grade as you. You'll be in the same school, probably even the same class. You'll be living at her house—it's a mansion, by the way."
Mashiro tilted her head, her expression placid but curious. "What about you, cousin?"
"I'll be staying with this big sister here," Chihiro said, gesturing towards Shizuka. "She's always complaining about how she's not used to having an empty room~ Hehe."
Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed, glancing at her friend in the rearview mirror. "Senior, you're really something else. But it's fine, at least now I'll have some company. Mashiro, don't worry. The family you'll be staying with belongs to a junior of mine and your cousin's. She and her sister are both very kind people. In fact, her sister is the Student Council President of Koyo Academy. She can help you get settled in quickly."
Mashiro nodded again. "Understood. But... is tomorrow a day off?"
"Mm!" the two teachers answered in unison.
Sengoku Chihiro grinned mischievously. "Really, Shizuka, you're so mean! Taking Shion out for drinks and not inviting me!"
"Don't try to shift the blame, you weren't even here, were you? Didn't I call to invite you?" Shizuka retorted.
"Tch! Mashiro, tomorrow night, I'll take you out for a big meal!" Chihiro declared.
"I want to draw at home..." Mashiro replied softly.
"That works too!"
The drive wasn't long. Soon, the car pulled up to the gates of the Sōryūin estate. Sengoku Chihiro's mouth twitched as she took in the sight. "Good heavens, Shion's house always looks a bit outrageous, no matter how many times I see it..."
Shiina Mashiro's eyes lit up. A place like this looked perfect for finding a quiet room to draw. Standing at the entrance to greet them were Sōryūin Shion, Sōryūin Akemi, and Amou Kirukiru.
When Sōryūin Shion saw Mashiro, her eyes brightened with a warm smile. "Senior Shizuka, Senior Chihiro, it's been a while. It's especially good to see you, Senior Chihiro. You've really brought us a wonderful child."
Sengoku Chihiro feigned a pout. "Shion, am I not wonderful?"
"Senior, have you ever seen a boss praise their own employee to their face?" Shion teased back.
"Tch~ Come, Mashiro, let me introduce you," Chihiro said, steering the girl forward. "This is Sōryūin Shion, our junior, and the President of Koyo Academy. You can just call her Sister Shion."
"Sister Shion."
Sōryūin Shion nodded kindly. "Let's talk as we walk. Akemi, please take care of Mashiro. Starting tomorrow, she'll be in your class and will also be living here with us."
Sōryūin Akemi's eyes sparkled with excitement as she nodded vigorously. "Mm! Don't worry, Sis! Mashiro, I'm Sōryūin Akemi, you can just call me Akemi. Oh, and that's Sister Amou Kirukiru. She might look a little cold, but she's actually very kind."
Mashiro gave a small nod, allowing the energetic Akemi to lead her inside, chattering away. The three older women followed behind, smiling to themselves, a shared thought passing between them: things were about to get very interesting.
Once they were inside, Sengoku Chihiro immediately flopped onto a sofa. "Ah, I'm exhausted! Shion, I'm hungry!"
"Dinner is almost ready," Shion replied. "And today, I'll make an exception and have one drink with you two. Just one. Kirukiru can handle the rest."
"Shion, you still have a long way to go~" the three guests chorused.
"Tsk..."
Meanwhile, Sōryūin Akemi had already taken Shiina Mashiro upstairs to see her new room. "This room is right next to mine," Akemi said with a bright smile. "Mashiro, you can call me anytime if you have any questions!"
She opened another door. "Come on, let's go to my room first. I brought all your textbooks back from school for you. Come take a look."
Mashiro followed her into a room that was identical to her own, save for a few personal decorations. Her gaze drifted around, then settled on a framed photograph on a desk. It was a casual glance at first, but in the next moment, she froze. Her feet stopped. Her eyes locked onto the image, and she found herself walking towards it as if pulled by an invisible string.
Noticing her sudden focus, Akemi walked over to see what had captured her attention. "Ah, that one. That's a group photo from Brother Ren's shop. It was a rare night when so many of us were there at once. Ayaka was there too, it was really lively. Hey! I'll have to take you to the shop to meet everyone sometime!"
Shiina Mashiro stared blankly at the smiling faces in the photograph, her lips parting to form a single, whispered name.
"Cerberus..."
"Hmm?" Akemi tilted her head, confused. "Mashiro, do you know Sister Cerberus?"
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