By A Slight Mistake – Chapter 2

02.

“I’m so lonely that Mizuhime-sama has graduated!”

While I was absorbed in deep emotions, before I knew it, I had been surrounded by underclassmen who attended the graduation.

“The high school grounds is just adjacent here so we can still meet anytime, right?”

I smiled bitterly and reproved her.

“That’s right, isn’t it. If there would be a reason we can’t meet anymore…ah…”

One person who began to nod in agreement covered her mouth with her hand.
The gesture made it clear she noticed her obvious verbal slip.
It seemed like she unconsciously started speaking of the incident two years ago.
Criticizing eyes poured down on the girl who dampened the mood.
This might be slightly bad.
I thought it might be better to evade so I laughed a little.

“Oh? It seems like you want to put me in a Swiss dorm school, don’t you?”
“Nooo!! Such thing!! Absolutely not!!”

When I said that jokingly, the girls went red and shook their heads.
There are many famous Swiss dorm schools but what came to the girls’ minds was probably a certain school well-known for training brides.
When offered a topic that makes girls of marriageable age slightly get excited, they begin entertaining themselves with love stories. This appears the same no matter their descent.
I quietly erased my presence while looking around, then picked a suitable moment and left the place secretly.

I did not mean to come off as an aloof person but the people who called out to me — a Student Council officer and someone from the most distinguished of distinguished families — are very few.
The young ladies who raised shrill voices at me were exceptions, but there were also people who say they somehow feel an intimidating air around me.

Two years ago, I was involved in an incident. It was also a coincidence so it was inevitable.
Even though it was related to the game, it could also be said that the “scenario” is an unrelated event.
I have a connection to Suwa Iori, president of the Student Council who graduated with me this year and was one of the top two best routes— like my older brother Yakumo.
Suwa Iori had an older cousin whom he was deeply in love with.
He held onto his unrequited love since primary school and it’s the ninth year now.
By “scenario” I meant that this spring break, that cousin will reject him. He will drag out his broken heart for one year like a girl. Later on, after quarrelling with the heroine about the matter, the subtle fact that he is falling in love is waiting.

Is that guy M!? I felt like shouting that, but if I have to say, he appears to be a sadist, ore-sama type emperor.
The Suwa with a somewhat persistent quality, following around his cousin like a stalker and eliminating every danger, was merely useless at that time.

His cousin Suwa Shiori-sama was almost kidnapped in front of him.

Shiori-sama was captured by several men near the back gate of the high school department and was brought to a station wagon.
By chance, I witnessed Suwa recklessly confronting them alone.
For a first year middle school boy who is still small and fragile with no describable physique to fight against four adult males, it is certainly reckless.
Furthermore, Suwa does not particularly excel in martial arts.

Although it can be said that they are similar clans, the Suwa house is a lineage of Shinto priests for generations and has a different upbringing from the Sagara, which originated from a military officer who became a feudal lord of a powerful clan.
I can instantly judge that taking up four adult men single-handedly will be difficult even for a rank-holder like me.

Love is a terrifying thing, I thought as I shuddered.

The right action to take here is to contact someone so I sent messages to various people using the cellphone I’m carrying.
A special app with a GPS function had been installed so it’s convenient for times like this.
Rich people’s crisis management is pointlessly flawless.

While I was feeling relieved that the police and the academy’s security division had already began to take action, Shiori-sama incidentally noticed me.

『Mizuhime-san!? It’s hopeless, run!!』

Towards that yell that totally ignored The Rule when being kidnapped, I certainly clicked my tongue.

『Sagara!? You…』

Ah, another idiot also turned here. It’s unavoidable for me to have those thoughts inappropriate for a perfect young lady, right?

『…!! Sagara? That brat’s the daughter of the Sagara house!?』

Leaking out my bloodline after exposing my presence, may I get angry?
In case of these two, it will happen one way or another.
The Security Division is rushing here.
Then becoming a decoy would be a good plan here.
Therefore, I deliberately showed the phone I had in my hand.

『I already contacted the police and the Security Division. They will arrive here soon. You better run away, misters.』

In fact, I also properly took pictures of their appearances.

『What!? Oi, let’s run.』
『But, even just this trophy…』
『Let go of Shiori!!』

Not knowing when to give up, Suwa jumped at the man trying to take Shiori to the wagon.
So annoying…while I thought of that, I activated the camera and let the shutter sound be heard.

『Did you capture that!? Shiiit! Stop!!』

The man who heard the shutter sound pushed Suwa away and chased after me as I turned around and started running.
He fell for it!
I waited for approximately three seconds then turned around and start running.
Yes, I chose the route where the academy’s security division will appear.
However, a miscalculation happened here.
One man caught my shoulder and I used the recoil to headbutt the enemy while falling backwards. The enemy flinched, I used the gap to take his arm and lower my posture, put his body upper body on my back and flung him down.
It was the so-called seoi nage.

With my body smaller than the opponent’s, movement must be quick, it was a technique I am able to do because I accurately understand the basics.
An amateur would not be able to do this.
Like that, I stepped on the neck of the man groaning in pain. I pressed on his air duct and also took the opportunity to trample on his solar plexus. Then I began running again.
There were more than one person chasing me.
They were intending to do a pincer once the distance between us shortened.

『This brat! Wait!!』

This time I turned around before my shoulder was caught.
This is to prevent my waist-length hair from being gripped.

『Suspiscious person discovered!』

A voice from the rear resounded.
And a lot of footsteps, too.
They finally came.
The moment I thought that, I heard a dull thud.
The feeling of having your body suddenly thrown to the air, like during a roller coaster ride, attacked me.
I was flung hard against something.
My whole body became hot.
The sensation of being thrown completely into boiling water, so this is 『pain』, my head comprehended.
Why is it that the feeling won’t catch up at all?
Red occupied my field of vision.
My sight was dyed with various drops of red.

『………………』

I hear the voices of several people in the distance.
However, my body did not move.
My consciousness is gradually being buried under the depths of my mind.
Though I thought that I mustn’t sleep, my consciousness is being drawn somewhere.
And thus, I lost consciousness as if crashing to a chasm.

When I came to my senses once more, I, Sagara Mizuhime, was dragged into a kidnapping incident as a result of reluctantly saving an acquaintance. I understood that I was ran over by a car.
It was truly a miscalculation.

The kidnappers whom I thought was just escaping when they got on the car, tried to kill me including their comrades by running over us and they partially succeeded. The Security Division that came with my report witnessed that situation and they subdued the kidnappers. Then the police who arrived afterwards arrested them with flagrante delicto.

This was what I heard from my older brother who came to visit later on.
Of course, together with a scolding.

In a sense, the way I dealt with the situation is certainly correct.
However, I also made a mistake.
Saying so, the price I ended up paying was my body.

My body which had narrowly escaped from death was really in a tattered condition—- carved on me were innumerable scars of various sizes that will remain all throughout my life.

The Suwa clan who came rushing and my Sagara clan earnestly requested the best plastic surgeons to have it treated such that no scars will remain. I underwent surgery several times.
I also had to undergo a rehabilitation so painful to the extent that I was unable to do it, in order to restore the functions of my unmoving hands and feet and be able live my usual life.
Because I had an optimistic mentality, I endured it at first and underwent the operations.
However, with the repeated surgery, the movements of my limbs became sluggish at each occasion. The rehabilitation was dragged on and after enduring for quite a time, I shouted, “I don’t want anymore plastic surgery operations!”

My mother persuaded me several times that this was for my sake, but I was already at my limit.
Both physically and mentally.

Though the Suwa clan brought a new plastic surgeon, it was also declined.
My doctor and even the new plastic surgeon also acknowledged it.
This was because I was still a child.
Moreover, a child in the period of growth.
Even if I did not do plastic surgery, specialists judged that a child’s body in its growth period will restore a considerable portion with spontaneous recovery.
On the contrary, my growth will stop if repeatedly go through operations as my body will suffer from the burden. I persuaded my parents and the present head of Suwa clan.
My wounds were examined periodically and I stopped growing to some degree. After my physical strength recovered completely, it should make the remaining scars fair, I explained.

As for the matters which require attention in everyday life, I was made to promise not to act recklessly when my wounds hurt, continue doing basic exercises to restore my functions, don’t expose my wounds out in the open. And I got the approval to leave the hospital.

It was half a year after the incident occurred.

I spent the latter half of my precious first year in middle school living in the hospital, wasting time.
My attendance was insufficient but I was promoted without problems thanks to my grades which were habitually excellent.
The reports I made and examinations I took were regarded as equivalent to attendance. I avoided having to repeat a year.
I was hospitalized so it could be an act of mercy, but in a certain meaning, it might be a proper measure.
I also requested something from my father in order to not let my scars be exposed in public.
The scars in my arms and legs are seen in the girl’s uniform.
So I wanted the permission to wear the male’s uniform, long sleeves during summertime and as well as jersey during PE classes.
Father immediately moved at his youngest daughter’s wish.
It was petitioned in exchange for not pointing out the flaw in the academy’s security or announcing various causes for concern.

Even after my consciousness returned and even later on while I was working hard at rehabilitation, I did not accept visitors other than my family.
It seemed like Shiori-sama and Suwa said they wanted to visit several times but I intently refused.
I wasn’t thinking that the Suwa clan is the demon’s gate just as the game stated.
The reason is because I wanted to inform the Suwa clan that my own wounds were the result of my own self-conceit.

After single-mindedly enduring the rehabilitation and leaving the hospital, I was surprised because a detached Western-style house was built at one corner of the pure Japanese-style residence.
I could do nothing but be amazed at the fortitude of a distinguished family when I heard that this was the decision of the present head who thought that living in a Japanese-style building will be hard for the injured me.
Is it normal to build a house in a house!?
Commoners will surely retort at this point.
The previous me who attended a common school for commoners also wanted to swiftly retort, but I swallowed down the worlds.
Isn’t it fine to call this as mere room remodelling?
And as such, I live alone in a separate building even at present.
Because the Sagara family is a large family, I can certainly settle down while alone judging on the aspect of privacy, though I cannot say such things in front of the family.

I decided not to grow my hair long since I’m wearing the male’s uniform.
It’s length covered my back when I entered middle school but it was cut off completely during the incident.
I received an explanation afterwards that it was unavoidable because of the operation so it was cut, but even then I received a shock at my disheveled hairstyle.
I know that my hair was a hindrance because my head had been injured.
Nevertheless, the length was cut so unevenly that it couldn’t be adjusted at all, I received that kind of shock.
I feel like I would have received lesser impact if the whole thing was made into a buzz cut.
Because it will grow evenly.
I can put on a wig, too.
It seems hard to arrange if the length is inconsistent.
While I was hospitalized, my mother worried about my hair and called the my beautician. Her expression when she saw my hair was unforgettable.
It was a look so ghastly that you would think a yaksha was present.

I apologized to her but, “No. The one at fault is the criminal nurse who gave you a haircut!” she decisively concluded. I was stumped and couldn’t apologize anymore.
I feel like it will become something outrageous again if Shiori-sama saw this hair, so I also refused meeting with her.
Half a year passed and my hair also became uniform to some extent. I consulted with Ms. Beautician when I finally manage to get admitted again to the academy.

『You’re wearing male’s uniform so I doubt you should let your hair grow as it is. I want you to have a hairstyle that suits your uniform. 』

Right now, I don’t mind if it’s cut very short.
When I was asked about my feelings, I softly laughed and said it’s also the privilege of youth to try out various hairstyles. And now I have this current hairstyle.
Honestly speaking, it unexpectedly suited me so much and I was troubled instead.
My height had also grown too much, no matter how you look, only a splendid male student can be seen.
The request for wearing male’s uniform was approved even until high school so this hairstyle is will be my friend for a while.
But I want them to stop that “Prince” treatment.
I don’t have the hobby of dressing up as a man, I also don’t have the preference of liking women.
No matter how much the girls think of me as a handsome guy, I can’t hold any deep emotions for them.

There is no point in staying here in the middle school department any longer.
It’s impossible to have a karaoke party after graduation in this school for wealthy kids.
Rather, the people who know the existence of karaoke might be fewer.

Anyway, the usual topic of conversation between boys are stock prices. As for girls, they only talk about classic concert and opera, exchange information on parties and what kind of dress they will wear.
It’s a bizarre place that makes you think of nothing but the words “another world” and “different dimension”.
Even if they somewhat talk about lessons, wealthy socialites gave priority over practices, academics wasn’t something they put effort into.
In that situation, it can be said that I, Suwa and Ookami are unique.
Well, it’s necessary for Suwa and the others who will soon become the head of their clans, so they study in depth.

In my case, it might be completely unique.

It’s a behavior that assumes the case where my scars will not disappear even if I undergo plastic surgery.
The Sagara family is a large family.
Moreover, I am the youngest child.
The peculiarity of the Sagara House is that many families want to marry their daughters.
I also had such offers even though I am still a junior high school student and have not yet come of age.

However, my grandfather who is the present head of the family refused everything with a thundering roar.

While it might be true that I’m a Sagara daughter, nobody wouldn’t recoil from personally seeing my excessively tragic injuries.
Men are especially weaker than women when it comes to such kind of injuries.
In fact, aside from my family and the doctor, there is no male who could look straight at my wounds.
Although females stiffen for a while when they see my wounds, they pull themselves together immediately and show a pitying expression.

According to one’s impression of daughters of a high-class family, it seems like they will shriek immediately if they see something cruel, but it’s a little different in reality.
The really well-bred ones understand that the other party’s feelings will be hurt if they scream, they will never raise their voice. And they will say at once that they’re glad I was alive.
Those who scream were from the families who had not received proper training for the upper class, the so-called upstarts.

Forcibly meeting a person even though she already declined, pretending to scream then faint, showing themselves to be delicate and weak while looking down on others—-they seemed to calculate such, but I didn’t take notice of these sort of people. After disregarding such beings before long, they seemed to tragically drop out of school by their own will.
Birth is much but breeding is more, however, Shinonome Academy made it a principle to train the younger generation of the most prestigious families in both lineage and in breeding.
For that reason, I only noticed that they chose me as a test case after a long time.
I entered the school building from the auditorium and went to the drop-off spot after taking my luggage.
It was about time for me to slip away and the car of Sagara clan must be waiting already.

“Sagara.”

A voice came from behind me.

“…Suwa-sama, gokigen’you.”

It was Suwa Iori holding a large bouquet.
Ookami Guren is also there beside him.
They are the former Student Council president and vice president.

“Are you leaving already?”

I was pretty much also the previous Student Council secretary.
This doesn’t mean that my penmanship is particularly good.
All the minutes are saved as data in the computer.

“Yes. I have nothing to do in the middle school department after all. I was told by Father that we would have a meal with the family after the graduation ceremony.”
“…You’re calm as ever. If you don’t have anything…”
“I have nothing to do here, but I have private business after this.”
“…Is…that so?”

When I immediately cut off his invitation, Suwa nodded as if perplexed.

“Suwa, will you be heading to Shiori-sama after this?”

Ookami who was standing aside only talked with his eyes, so Suwa continued his words while feeling tedious.

“Yeah. Shiori said she wanted to meet you, Sagara, so…”
“I’m sorry but please refrain from actions that were not scheduled. I shall meet Shiori-sama if I have the time.”

After that event, I only met Shiori-sama a handful of times.
The Shiori-sama that the female students admire as an older sister, although she expressly took an attitude of being deeply concerned about me, I know that she only wants to meet because she actually has a selfish request.
To the extent that I pity Suwa’s pure heart, which was excellently manipulated.

In other words, she can only think of her cousin and childhood friend Iori as a little brother and wishes for him to give up. On the other hand, she hoped for me to act as a go-between because she wants my older brother Sagara Yakumo to be her future husband.

Brother immediately declined the proposal from the Suwa branch family.
The reason is because Shiori-sama‘s parents never came the to the Sagara House to apologize to me since that incident.

The Suwa main family’s current head couple, who also happened to be the parents of Iori, came to apologize just after the accident, but the branch family seemed to have thought they got off with it.

They washed away their guilt with water and proposed Shiori-sama to be my brother’s fiancée.

It was undoubtly due to Shiori-sama‘s mistake that I was hit by a car.
Therefore, the Sagara clan cannot forgive Shiori-sama of the Suwa branch family.

In case you are abducted and someone happened to be nearby, that person should be allowed to get away and ask for help without the criminals realizing it.
That was tightly instilled in the elementary department of Shinonome Academy.
The person who comes across that kind of crime scene should always stealthily call for the academy’s security division and the police or asked help from their own home.

That time, Shiori-sama called out my name on purpose.
That is because she judged that the Sagara clan had a higher standing than the Suwa clan.
If the kidnappers’ aim was ransom, then it can be assumed that the Sagara clan could be exploited more than the Suwa clan.
It seemed like she thought that they wouldn’t attack me.

Nevertheless, Shiori aimed at me with that certainty.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t even think of it if I would be killed.
Fortunately, I was able to survive.
Therefore, Shiori-sama‘s guilt had been reduced by half.

My older brother’s rage at that time was too great.

Even the older brothers and sisters aside from Yakumo seriously discuss what kinds of suffering they will inflict on the Suwa branch family with freezing smiles.
If I come into contact with Shiori, my older siblings will show that smile again and really carry out their scheme.

“…I see. Shiori will be disappointed.”

Suwa dropped his shoulders and muttered in regret at not accomplishing his errand.

“Suwa, I also think you shouldn’t wait upon Shiori-sama‘s side so much.”

Your broken heart is now beginning its countdown.

“What did you mean by that!?”
“There will be an achievement test the day after the entrance ceremony. External students will be entering, too, so it will be unavoidable for some to drop ranks.”

What I said was just the truth.

“So you were referring to that.”
“Yes, that’s right. Externals are all excellent people who qualified by taking an examination. Unlike us who are not aware of what’s outside, they are also strong against pressure. They say self-conceit will ruin oneself. I think that we should brace ourselves, maintain the first place and make them see the ability of internal students.”
“Iori, I also agree with Sagara-san‘s opinion.”

Ookami seconded my statement while showing a calm smile.
I really never expected Ookami to agree to my opinion.

“That’s just you, Guren. In your case, you can perfectly take the first place even without studying, right?”
“I think it’s also our role to not be negligent in our efforts and show how much ability the Internals have.”
“What he meant was, if you will do as you please, Suwa, then Ookami and I will take the top two seats in the next proficiency test. Right now, I’m looking forward to the results. Then, excuse me.”

I started to leave just like that without saying goodbye.

“Sagara-san.”

Ookami stopped me with a radiant smile.

“What is it?”
“If I don’t understand anything while studying, can I email you?”
“…Do as you will. Though I don’t know whether I can answer or not.”
“Thank you. Please take care.”

I slowly walked towards the waiting car.