251: Emergency Meeting Part 2

In the kitchen,

Utaha and Eriri stood in front of the stove together, their hands idle as they stared at the soup simmering over a low flame.

They had left together not to prepare food as mentioned earlier, but to find an excuse to create a space for private conversation.

Now that they had achieved their goal, Utaha started talking, sneering softly,

"It's really ironic. Now it's us who have become the despicable ones, and the pink-haired girl has turned against us and become the condescending one."

Eriri sighed softly,

"That's not what's important. Don't you see? Chisato didn't have any special reaction to this from the beginning to the end."

"What do you mean?"

"What Hitori said; I suspect Chisato was hinting from behind."

Utaha looked a little surprised.

"Chisato... do you have any evidence?"

"No, this is just my guess, but I'm 90% sure it's correct."

"Chisato is biased in private, so he instructed Hitori to say what she just said when she saw us. If she gains the moral high ground, she'll always be invincible."

In a few words, Eriri summarized Chisato's plans and thoughts.

There were some more detailed aspects she didn't mention, thinking that Utaha might not understand even if everything were clearly stated at this point.

"Are you saying that Chisato likes that guy, Hitori, more?"

When Utaha mentioned this possibility, her teeth couldn't help but tremble.

"I didn't say that, and it doesn't matter. After all, he brought the girl to see us. This behavior itself raises some questions. If the girl isn't so important to him, why would he bother?"

Eriri shook her head, sighed again, and expressed her thoughts:

"Chisato's main purpose is to take this opportunity to assert his will to us." 

"Just like the previous issue of renting a house, he intentionally wants to draw a clear line with us on the issue of rent because he doesn't want to rely on us. This allows him to assert his independence."

"What just happened conveyed this message, intentionally or unintentionally." 

"He knew that we were extremely resistant and unwilling to accept Hitori, so he came up with a way to forcefully keep her by his side, regardless of our wishes, while simultaneously communicating his intentions to us."

"Even if we notice it later, the fact that it has been fabricated can silence us, leaving us unable to say anything else."

"This is... a blatant conspiracy."

Utaha began to lightly bite her nails, feeling irritated.

"That's exactly what happened. It's just that our response was too slow. Knowing it now doesn't help."

"So this is how we compromise?"

"Who said there was a compromise?" 

"I completely disagreed with Hitori's statement. My thoughts have never changed. You, me, and Chisato are all good. There is no fourth person who can join this."

Eriri placed her hands on the stovetop, her words firm.

Because of their fundamentally different personalities, Utaha and Eriri often quarreled and clashed.

But in this moment of shared hatred and a common enemy, Eriri provided a sense of security and reliability.

Utaha also increasingly noticed Eriri's growth since the last time she had failed to secure a position and let Eriri take the lead.

This realization was not merely physical; Eriri's figure remained small and cute.

What surprised Utaha even more was Eriri's way of thinking about how to handle people, especially her inner feelings. 

Her insight, decisiveness, and feminine power were truly impressive.

This moment reminded Utaha of Eriri's mother, Sawamura Sayuri.

The lady, who resembled her about 60 to 70 percent, smiled most of the time but always gave off an unfathomable aura.

In Utaha's mind, there were often moments when the figures of the two women overlapped, making it difficult to distinguish between them. 

This thought was inexplicable, yet it occurred frequently.

"Then, as we said before, let's find an opportunity to avoid Chisato and talk to the girl privately?"

Utaha expressed her understanding and proposed a countermeasure.

Her idea was actually quite sound.

Since the fair referee was no longer neutral, it was clearly a good strategy to avoid him in the duel.

But Eriri rejected her idea once again.

"Don't be so hasty in making a decision. There's something I've always been concerned about. Have you noticed Hitori's demeanor when she talked to me?"

"Demeanor?"

Utaha pondered for a moment.

"She seemed timid and shy, her speech a bit choppy. She appears to be the type who lacks confidence and independent opinions. Is that what you mean?"

"That was just how she spoke at first. Later, didn't you notice that she seemed like a different person?" 

"She spoke coherently and naturally, and even her expression no longer showed fear or hesitation, right?"

"…"

Utaha considered what Eriri said and realized it was indeed true.

When she spoke those last words, Hitori had even looked into her eyes, and for a moment, the look in her eyes made Utaha feel a connection.

"If we're talking about acting, then her acting skills are also very impressive."

Eriri felt a bit uneasy.

"Then what do you think we should do now?"

"Don't worry; the situation can't get any worse. Calm your bitter and resentful expression." 

"Let's eat first. In short, we should have more contact with Gotoh Hitori and learn more about our enemy." 

"Some of this is not a bad thing, and the other thing is… pass me that glove over there."

Eriri placed the steaming soup pot on the dining table.

As Utaha leaned over to greet her, it was time for dinner at Chisato's house.

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(14/22)

50+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta

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