Chapter 347: Has My Missile Arrived Yet?

"So that's the deal. After talking with Hayasaka, I'm hoping you can give her a day off."

"..."

Only Kaguya and Rinji were in the student council room.

To avoid exposing Hayasaka's true identity, Rinji waited until the other council members had left before bringing it up.

Kaguya was briefly stunned by the request. Then she asked, "A day off for Hayasaka? Why?"

"To have her try being my maid for a day."

"..."

Her face went from shocked to horrified.

"What… what do you plan to do to her?"

"Just want to see what it's like to have her be my maid for a day," Rinji replied plainly.

"Why so sudden?"

"To work through a psychological issue."

"Huh?"

Rinji explained, "Back then, when I found out Hayasaka was your maid, I had to hold back the urge to smash your head in every time I saw you in the student council."

"..."

"But later I got a girlfriend, so I wasn't as hostile. Still..."

He walked over to the window, leaned against the sill, and looked at the setting sun outside.

"I won't deny that I used to like Hayasaka. And knowing the girl I once liked was working as a maid for my enemy's daughter… Shinomiya, do you get how that feels?"

"...I think I do."

"If I didn't genuinely consider you a friend, I wouldn't even be able to work with you like this. So, to get past this mental block, I'd like you to let Hayasaka take a day off and be my maid for a day," Rinji smiled. "Think of it as doing me a small favor."

"I don't really mind."

Kaguya sounded hesitant.

"But you do realize that Hayasaka was assigned to me by the main family when I was seven. For her to leave the residence, we'd need approval from them. Even I…"

"…Then just call it a sick day."

"You want me to lie to the main family? If they find out—"

"Hello? This is Logistics Support, IW Southeast Asia Division? This is Agent 0054. The BLU-113 bunker buster I ordered two days ago should be—"

"Alright!! I'll get her the day off!!"

Seeing Rinji about to go off the rails, Kaguya quickly caved.

"That's why you're the great Shinomiya lady—always decisive," Rinji said, putting down his phone and applauding.

"You were blackmailing me!!"

"How exactly did I threaten you? Even if a missile gets dropped, it's going to hit the main house, not you," Rinji said with a grin. "Besides, you know I wouldn't move against the Shinomiya family before finding the right way to take over their industries."

"Then that phone call just now…"

"Just confirming my order status."

"You scared the hell out of me…"

"Though eventually, it's still going to the main house."

"You really are dangerous!"

Kaguya couldn't help covering her face.

"Seriously... I thought you had turned over a new leaf after staying in the student council for a while. But you're still the same bastard who doesn't treat people like humans."

"Hey now, it's not like I'm bombing your house. Worst case, your dad and those two brothers of yours get flattened."

"I have three older brothers."

"Huh? I only saw two last time I visited your place."

"Remember that missile you launched at the main house four years ago?" Kaguya said with a blank expression.

"Yeah, I aimed it at your ancestral shrine. There shouldn't have been anyone there, right?"

"My third brother was on a call near the shrine. He got hit by shrapnel and was in the hospital for three months. I bet he's hiding somewhere right now since he heard you're coming."

"Tch, still alive? You Shinomiyas are tough."

"I'll just take that as a compliment."

Kaguya shook her head in exasperation. While she wasn't afraid of Rinji like the rest of her family, she had to admit that talking to him was exhausting.

"Honestly, with your means and influence, if you really wanted to destroy the Shinomiya family, you wouldn't need to go for such extreme methods."

"…Shinomiya, let me ask you something." Rinji looked at her. "You were taught economics from a young age, weren't you?"

"Yes. Things like monopolistic competition, encouraging consumption, promoting market economy… that whole set."

"New Classical Economics, huh? Fits your corporate background perfectly," Rinji said with a smile. "But do you know what kind of economic principles I was raised on?"

"What?"

"Increase production, reduce consumption, cut back on investment and capital."

"…War economics?"

"We grew up in different worlds. I'm not someone who excels at commercial warfare—I specialize in real war. Facing an enemy on their turf where I'm weak would be foolish. So all I do is drag my enemies into my battlefield," Rinji said. "In other words, what I'll be doing in the future is no different from what I did four years ago."

"…You really are dangerous."

"Thanks. My job is to create hell. If I'm not dangerous, that just means I'm slacking off."

Kaguya knew Rinji wasn't going to change anytime soon. She gave up thinking about it and instead walked over and patted his shoulder.

"Hayasaka will be at your place tonight. You better not bully her. Even if you're dangerous, I won't forgive you if you do."

"Don't worry."

Rinji replied,

"I'll treat her better than you ever did."

---

Dressed in a maid outfit, Hayasaka stood outside Rinji's apartment and looked up at the door.

Though she had joked about it, she didn't expect Rinji to actually agree.

But this was a good thing—it meant she'd successfully gotten under the same roof as Rinji, even if just for a one-day trial period as a maid.

Still, it was a great opportunity. Who knew what might happen over the course of the day?

She lightly slapped her own cheeks, then rang the doorbell.

Ding dong.

Click.

"Hayasaka, welcome."

"Sorry to intrude."

As the door opened, Hayasaka slipped fully into maid mode.

"This is my first time working as a maid in someone else's home. Should I start by cooking or—"

"I've already made dinner."

Rinji pointed to the dining table.

There were several aromatic and delicately prepared dishes already laid out.

"…Cleaning, then?"

"I cleaned already."

"…Laundry?"

"Already hanging to dry."

"So... am I really here as a maid?"