Chapter 48: Value, Employment, and Domestic Bliss
[University graduation.]
[You received the title of Outstanding Graduate from Meiji University.]
[In accordance with the agreement, you joined the Shinomiya Group.]
[However, you did not join the main conglomerate. Instead, under Ai Hayasaka's arrangement, you entered a pharmaceutical company subsidiary of the Shinomiya Group.]
[This company belongs to Kaguya Shinomiya's faction.]
[Correct. The Shinomiya family is currently embroiled in internal strife. This was the first thing Ai Hayasaka told you after you joined.]
Inside the pharmaceutical company.
Having not seen her for many years, Ai Hayasaka had become more mature. However, that aura of exhaustion was exactly the same as before—no, it was even heavier.
Haruka thought this as he looked at Hayasaka, who was dressed in a sharp grey-and-black office outfit.
Of course, Haruka himself had changed significantly as well.
The glasses added a scholarly air to his appearance. His posture was upright and tall; he had grown into a handsome man with a refined temperament.
"Kasugano-san, it's good to see you again."
"Likewise."
"Alright, let's cut the small talk. I'll explain the current situation to you."
Hayasaka became very crisp and professional.
"In recent years, the head of the Shinomiya household has seen his strength wane. Naturally, his children have begun vying for influence. Like a traditional family with a long lineage, only one of them can truly inherit the household's main assets."
"In the Shinomiya family, there are only four people with a legitimate claim to the right of inheritance. And our liege, Kaguya-sama, is the only woman among them."
"..."
Afterward.
Hayasaka explained their current predicament to Haruka in detail.
For a zaibatsu the size of the Shinomiya Group, and for a man like the current patriarch, it was impossible for there to be only four children. The number of illegitimate children was likely countless.
But only these four had been raised in the main Shinomiya estate since childhood and possessed the primary rights of inheritance. Therefore, they were the default competitors.
As for the other illegitimate children, unless the head of the Shinomiya household stated otherwise, no one would support them.
But the current situation was that Kaguya Shinomiya was the weakest of the four factions.
Strictly speaking, her mother was merely a mistress of the Family Head. Her maternal family's status was too low, she was born too late, and she was still too young.
That's right.
Mistress.
That feudal term still lingered even today — perfectly normal in high society.
In short, Kaguya Shinomiya held no advantage. Very few people in the group were allied with her. That's why, back in high school, once she realized this, she doubled down on finding her own independent talent.
Haruka's contract was a product of that realization.
However, even though Haruka had returned with his studies complete, he wasn't exactly a game-changer. But he wasn't useless, either.
Currently, this company was one of the few physical assets Kaguya held. Fortunately, since it belonged to the high-tech medical industry, it counted as a quality asset.
"So, what exactly is my position here?"
This was critical.
Hayasaka glanced at Haruka. "According to the previous agreement, I've assigned you to the R&D department of this company, responsible for developing new drugs."
"Your specific title is Deputy Head of Research. If you perform well, you can continue to climb. We also have a specialized medical research institute here, where many renowned figures work."
Haruka nodded directly.
That was enough.
After the contract was signed...
Hayasaka sighed as she watched Haruka head toward his workspace.
Truth be told, she hadn't wanted to give him such a high position right off the bat—making him a deputy department head immediately upon entry. But the current situation wasn't optimistic. A talent like Haruka, who had already joined an academic clique, was worth roping in.
Especially since the clique Haruka joined was the "Purple Star"—a massive entity deeply rooted in medicine and its peripheral industries. This significantly increased Haruka's added value.
'I hope he lives up to this investment. After all, our resources are truly limited right now.'
As she thought this, Hayasaka suddenly seemed to wake up. She hurriedly rushed off in another direction.
She still had a mountain of work to do.
There were simply too few people Kaguya-sama could trust...
***
Back home.
Shoko, who had grown into an adult, was cooking in the kitchen.
The Shoko standing there now had a soft, curvy figure and long flowing hair. She still looked gentle and refined, the very image of a proper, traditional wife. Her face was as beautiful as ever, and she still wore that same quiet, perfect smile.
Every time he saw Shoko's smile, Haruka felt his mood relax.
Seeing Haruka return, she immediately trotted over and helped him change his clothes.
Haruka peeled the wrapper off a candy he had bought on the way home and popped it into Shoko's mouth.
Shoko had a sweet tooth, but she never ate much at once, so Haruka usually bought just a little on his way back.
Then, Shoko planted a light kiss on Haruka's cheek before running back to the kitchen.
Haruka smiled and shook his head. He sat down in the study and opened his laptop.
He began to continue his research on some medical papers.
This had been their daily routine recently.
After graduation, Shoko applied for a job as a teacher at a sign language institute. She also took a part-time job as a pianist at a high-end music restaurant on weekends.
It wasn't tiring, but every day was fulfilling.
Before long. Shoko called Haruka for dinner.
"Haruka, time to eat."
That's right.
The current Shoko could speak normally.
Although she couldn't argue as fluently as a normal person, her daily conversation was no different from anyone else's.
This was the result of her training over two years of high school and four years of university.
While Haruka was working hard for her, she was also working hard for herself...
At the dining table.
Shoko, wearing an apron with her hair tied up, brought the dishes to the table with Haruka.
Under the warm lighting, accompanied by the cozy heating of the room.
The food on the table was sumptuous: miso soup with pork and winter vegetables, nikujaga, stir-fried spinach, Japanese curry rice, and a matcha pudding for dessert.
By now, Shoko and Haruka's tastes had converged.
"Is today's food good?"
"You're asking what you already know."
"Last one to finish does the dishes!"
"Huh?"
Shoko's cheeks flushed slightly, her voice small and almost pouty. "Haruka… that's not fair."
But Shoko didn't speed up her eating at all.
When a woman pours her heart and soul into honing her culinary skills for one person over many years, the returns are astonishing.
At the very least, Haruka felt ashamed of his own cooking skills compared to Shoko's current level. Her food was definitely chef-tier if sold outside.
The pork rib in the winter melon soup was rich in flavor and tender in texture.
The stir-fried bok choy was crisp and refreshing without being bland.
The curry rice was perfectly balanced, hearty and comforting.
Paired with the tender rib meat in the soup, each bite sliding down the throat was simply divine!
Naturally, Haruka was the first to finish.
Then, Haruka took the bowls to the kitchen and started washing them.
You've got to be kidding me. How could he let Shoko wash the dishes?
Shoko had already made the meal.
However, at some point, Shoko walked over and started washing the dishes alongside Haruka.
The two looked at each other and smiled. It was plain, but warm.
Outside the window, the stars dotted the sky.
Haruka and Shoko's life was very happy.
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A/n: I haven't really been paying attention to Power Stones lately, but yeah, since we passed 100, here's your extra chapter...
If we break 200, another one is coming, meaning a total of 3 chapters will be released today!
Hand over all your Power Stones!!
For advanced chapters: Patreon.com/Demonic_Fiction