Natsuyu added, "Hey, do you think this counts as 'grand escape towards the sunlight'? I have to say, it fits the occasion pretty well. No, wait, that's not right. This shouldn't fit the occasion; I don't have lions in my eyes anyway."
Rurikawa Tsubaki didn't know why Natsuyu, who had been in high spirits just a moment ago, suddenly revealed a look of utter disgust.
But she had fallen in love with this romantic phrase that Natsuyu described.
In Rurikawa Tsubaki's most desperate moment, when even hope had lost its light, Natsuyu descended from the sky to save her, and the two were chased by dozens of people.
Together, they were Facing the Sunlight, A Grand Escape, completing their salvation.
However, since Natsuyu seemed capable of beating everyone to the ground, this wasn't an escape at all; it was just the high-spirited playfulness of a young man.
But regardless, Rurikawa Tsubaki just loved that phrase. She liked it like crazy, just as she couldn't stop liking him.
"Caw! Caw!"
Rurikawa Tsubaki looked up in surprise and saw a pitch-black crow flying freely toward the morning sun.
The crow lowered its head, made eye contact with Rurikawa Tsubaki for a moment, then looked away toward the boundless blue sky. It flapped its wings and flew high, turning into a small black dot in the glow of the morning sun.
Rurikawa Tsubaki withdrew her gaze and fixed it on Natsuyu's profile. A happy and sweet smile appeared on her face as she ran freely, facing the wind and stepping into the light.
"Natsuyu... Brother."
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
"Brother Natsuyu!"
"So what do you want to say to me?"
"Brother!"
"...I'm here."
"Brother!"
"Tsubaki, I'm here."
Natsuyu pinched Rurikawa Tsubaki's cheek with fond affection. Looking at the girl who revealed a shy and happy smile because of his closeness, he gladly accepted this unfamiliar, unrelated younger sister.
He was now a Member of the "Having a Sister" Club too.
...
At the main entrance of the Old Fox Mountain Courtyard of the Rurikawa Family.
Natsuyu had already left the pursuing servants far behind.
Rurikawa Tsubaki was panting, tightly holding Natsuyu's hand. On her flushed face from the exercise, she couldn't suppress her happy smile.
Suddenly, Rurikawa Tsubaki noticed that there were no security guards blocking the entrance. Instead, a well-endowed Maid with long blue hair appeared.
The Maid leaned against the doorframe in a very relaxed posture. She had a lazy temperament and her eyes weren't even fully open.
After noticing them, the Maid stood up straight and bowed with flawless etiquette that left no room for criticism:
"Master Natsuyu."
Natsuyu stopped, not swinging down the iron rod in his hand. His expression was somewhat cold. "Nora, are you going to help the Old Lady stop me too?"
Nora's eyes were complex. "I didn't expect that Master Natsuyu would resist to the bitter end and go to such lengths for Miss Tsubaki."
Rurikawa Tsubaki squeezed Natsuyu's hand even tighter.
Natsuyu looked at Nora and asked softly, "Did you really not expect it?"
"...I am the Personal Maid who grew up with you, and I understand you best. Because I guessed this would happen, I came to wait for you at the entrance. I just didn't expect the worst to actually happen."
Natsuyu nodded. "But even though you understand me so well, you still chose to stand on the Old Lady's side."
"...If you leave the Rurikawa Family, you will have no funds, and the road ahead will be very difficult. Please stay."
"I think it's quite nice to leave for a while. The thought of them living in fear because they can't find an heir makes me want to laugh."
Nora's eyes remained complex. "Obviously, if Master Natsuyu just married a Noble lady and had a son, the Branch Family would support you without hesitation. Even marrying me would have been fine. Yet now it has escalated to this situation. Does Master Natsuyu hate me?"
"Not at all."
Rurikawa Tsubaki's gaze shifted between the two, feeling very uncomfortable in her heart.
Especially thinking about how this Maid was Natsuyu's childhood friend with a deep relationship, and how things seemed ambiguous between them right now, made her feel even worse.
Natsuyu said, "Nora, then let me ask you a question."
"Are you willing to leave with me? Mind you, I won't be paying you a salary."
Nora fell silent for a moment. "Master Natsuyu, please do not ask me such a difficult question to answer. You have never experienced the despair of lacking money, and my secret stash is still unable to afford you a comfortable living condition. You should go back; don't force yourself to suffer needlessly."
Natsuyu stated calmly, "You see, you don't actually like me. You just feel that serving me is your job."
"That's why I couldn't be bothered to play with your feelings, and I've never been particularly good to you. I just tacitly allowed you to slack off, and sometimes when I didn't want to see you slacking off, I would drag you around just to admire your look of utter despair."
"From beginning to end, I have only treated you as an employee I have a good relationship with."
"Step aside. When you follow the Old Lady from now on, don't be so lazy."
Nora bit her lip, wanting to say something, but ultimately couldn't speak. She lowered her head and cleared the path behind her, watching as Natsuyu held another girl's hand and walked past her without a shred of reluctance, walking further and further away.
"Sister Nora, are we really not going to try and stop the young master?"
Inside the security room, a young security guard saw the group of panting people chasing from afar and carefully asked Nora, this veteran he couldn't afford to offend, a higher-up who would either be the madam or the head butler in the future.
The guard had long received the order via his phone to stop the young master.
But Nora had forced him to do absolutely nothing.
Caught in a dilemma, the guard was so anxious he was about to cry.
Nora lowered her eyes, leaning lazily against the doorframe, and said softly:
"The future of the family definitely belongs to Master Natsuyu. Remember that."
"But didn't Sister Nora also choose...?"
"Master Natsuyu actually hates having to attend classes during the holidays; he likes sleeping in until he naturally wakes up."
"He can afford to be willful, running away to skip school for a while, and coming back when the term starts."
"I can't. I still have to earn a salary."
The guard felt this made a lot of sense and sighed softly:
"Alas, the lives of nobodies like us are truly bitter."
Nora gave a soft hum of agreement. The words Natsuyu had just said to her were still echoing in her mind. Her mood was completely depressed, and she felt awful inside.
Master Natsuyu, so this is the reason why you turned a blind eye to my advances?
But have you ever thought about how I, a mere Maid, could ever afford your noble life?
Couldn't you consider how inferior a girl, especially one like me who considers herself unattractive and plain, would feel in front of someone as excellent and handsome as you? How much courage it took for every single initiative?
You're too mean, Master Natsuyu.
When you've suffered enough hardships and return in a wretched state, I will definitely laugh at you.
...
Tokyo Metropolis.
"Brother, do you really not like her?"
Rurikawa Tsubaki felt a bit happy inside. Being led by Natsuyu's hand as they walked along the bustling street, ignoring the glances from pedestrians, she wanted to confirm this good news once more.
"Not entirely."
Natsuyu answered softly, "After all, she is the Maid I grew up playing with, and she is already a woman I won't let go of. But she's too lazy by nature and a bit insecure, so I wanted to stimulate her a bit."
"We are all human. She is simply exchanging her labor for my wages. There is no need for her to feel inferior to me or unworthy of me."
Rurikawa Tsubaki's expression froze, her lips pressing tightly together. "I-I see..."
Natsuyu asked, "Tsubaki, do you have any money on you?"
Rurikawa Tsubaki shook her head.
Natsuyu threw his hands up. "We're in trouble. I was in too much of a hurry when I saved you. Normally, I leave my money with Nora, so I didn't bring any."
"My bank cards will probably be frozen by the Old Lady."
However, Natsuyu wasn't panicking.
Wouldn't it be simple for him to support himself and Rurikawa Tsubaki?
He wouldn't even need to get a part-time job. He just needed to go to Chiba and find the dear Miss Yukinoshita Yukino, treating it as the payment for the Monster Pill.
The wealthy Yukino would definitely be willing to spend money to keep him.
Then Natsuyu would use the money Yukino gave him and Yukino's house to keep Rurikawa Tsubaki.
It was simply perfect.
★ ★ ★
T/N: Grand escape towards sunlight seems to be a reference from Dragon Raja, which ends in tragedy.