Chapter 23 – Takagi Estate

Takagi Estate was the definition of a mansion.

With the young lady, Takagi Saya, with us, we managed to reach the place faster than expected.

The estate was a large traditional western house surrounded by tall walls. A large metal gate stood at the entrance, preventing the zombies from entering the premises.

'No wonder why they were safe here. The estate is perfect for defense.'

Miss Shizuka stopped the humvee in front of the gate and we all stepped down from the vehicle.

A guard near the entrance narrowed his eyes.

"Identify yourself! Are you bitten?"

"Are you stupid that you can't recognize me? Call my Mama or Papa and let us in immediately! And we're not stupid enough to get bitten, you stupid!" Saya shouted in anger, glaring at the guard.

However, the guard wasn't affected at all and kept a calm composure. "Please, answer my question. Are you bitten, Miss Takagi?"

Saya snorted and flipped him off, "No, I'm not bitten. Nor are my companions here. We are not stupid."

The guard nodded and opened the gate. "Welcome back, Takagi-sama."

"Hmph!" She huffed in annoyance and walked inside the gate, followed by the rest of us.

Once inside, we were greeted by some people, guards, and were told something.

"Please follow us for now for a body check. We can't allow any bitten person inside the house." One of the guards said.

I looked at Saeko and Miss Shizuka, and then at the protagonist's group, before shrugging my shoulders.

"It's fine, right?" I asked them.

They all nodded.

"Okay, we'll comply." I said to the guard, who nodded in response.

We were escorted to a large room where we were checked one by one, differentiate by genders. The girls were also checked by women to make sure they weren't bitten or scratched.

Afterward, the guard guided us to the living room, where a harsh-looking man and beautiful woman, presumably Saya's parents, were waiting for us.

"Mama!"

Saya's reaction upon seeing the woman answered all of our questions. Yes, the woman was Saya's mother, Takagi Yuriko.

"Saya!" The woman ran towards her and hugged her daughter tightly. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she cried in happiness.

The man also approached her, but he didn't say anything. However, his eyes showed how relieved and happy he was. Then, he looked at us, seemingly recognizing us, before speaking.

"Thank you for bringing our daughter back. I'm Takagi Souichirou, and this is my wife, Yuriko. We're indebted to you, truly." He said with a sincere tone.

Despite his rough face and scary look, he was actually a caring father. I didn't expect that, but I smiled and accepted his gratitude with a nod.

"We only saved her at the last moment. If you'd like to offer your gratitude to someone, then this Takashi Komuro, who protected her along the way, should receive it." I said, gesturing at the protagonist.

"Hmm. You've known Saya for a long time, right? I give you my thanks. If you need anything, feel free to ask." Souichirou said.

"Ah, yes! Thank you very much." Takeshi bowed his head, clearly nervous.

"Although I want to sit and relax, I have much more to do right now. For now, feel free to rest here. We have a refugee camp outside and they are in dire need of supplies." Souichirou said, "Yuriko, please take care of them in my stead."

"Alright, darling." Yuriko replied with a nod, wiping her tears away.

She then turned to us, her eyes filled with warmth and kindness.

"Welcome, everyone. Please, feel free to rest here. We will provide everything you need." Yuriko said, bowing to us.

"Thank you very much, Ma'am." Miss Shizuka replied. "I'm a nurse, so I can help with treating injuries."

"Oh, really? That would be a great help!" Yuriko replied. "We have many refugees who are injured and sick. We are in desperate need of a nurse."

"Please, leave it to me. I will do my best." Miss Shizuka bowed her head once again, showing respect to her.

They began to chat and walked away. I also turned around and about to follow them.

"Ah, wait. I have something to talk about with you and your sister."

Only if Souichiro didn't hold us. I already expected this.

In fact, Don Takagi Souichiro, the right-wing political association, was a big reason why I wanted to be here.

"Yes, sir?" I said.

"Follow me to my dojo. We can have a nice chat there." He said, walking away.

Saeko and I looked at each other, then at the rest of the group. We excuse ourselves and followed him.

Takagi's dojo was spacious, with tatami mats covering the floor and the walls. A few wooden swords and katanas were on display near the entrance. It was a traditional Japanese dojo, the one where you would see martial arts practitioners train and practice their skills.

Souichiro sat down on the tatami mat and crossed his legs. He gestured for us to do the same and we complied.

Silence filled the room as he stared at us with a serious expression on his face. His sharp gaze pierced through us, making me feel uncomfortable.

However, Saeko was different. She met his eyes with her own, her eyes filled with determination. She wasn't scared of him at all.

I, on the other hand, was a bit worried. I didn't know what he wanted to talk about, so I tried to keep a straight face and wait for him to speak.

"What do you think of this?"

Suddenly, he handed us, or rather Saeko, a long katana.

"I've heard about your accomplishment in sword. Daughter of Busujima Kageaki, the master swordsman. I've seen your skill with my own eyes too when you participate in that national tournament."

Saeko was surprised by his words and looked at the sword in her hands. It was a beautiful sword with a black scabbard and gold ornaments on it.

"It's a Murata Katana, made in the Meiji Era. A gift from a friend. I believe this sword has no single blemish or nick."

"Indeed. This is truly a beautiful sword." Saeko replied, her eyes filled with admiration as she inspected the sword closely. "I've never seen such a magnificent blade."

"Take it." He said, then he turned to me. "I'd like to give the Son of Busujima something too, but you don't need it, right? That sword... It's already a fine one. I don't think I have anything better here."

He pointed at the katana on my side, which Saeko returned to me.

"I am grateful, sir. This is enough."

"Sir, I know this is rude, but..." Saeko spoke up, her voice trembling a little.

"Hmm?" Souichirou raised an eyebrow. "Speak your mind."

"Unless there is a reason, I can't accept this gift. I don't deserve such a valuable gift." She said, looking down at the ground.

"Of course, there is a reason. I've been in your father's care for a long time and you've become my daughter's savior." Souichirou replied with a calm smile. "Most of all, I want to have skilled people to help with the current situation. Your skill is indispensable."

"I see." Saeko nodded, looking at the sword in her hands. "Thank you, Sir. I'll use this katana with pride."

***

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