'Wait a minute, what the heck is Togawa Mizuho doing here?'
[T/N: Guys, after grinding hard for months I have finally reached the latest chapter of this novel. It is currently ongoing and author is releasing chapter very slow, so next chapter will depend upon when the author Releases it(Only in Patreon. WebNovel readers will get 1 chapter per day instead, as they are behind by 40 chapters). As soon as the new chapter is released I will translate and publish it immediately. So stay tuned~ and in the mean time try my other novels.]
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Chapter 229: Togawa Mizuho: Sakiko, You Cant Handle It
'So strange.'
'Something's wrong, look again.'
'Still so strange.'
"Mm? What's wrong?"
As if feeling a bit embarrassed by Kaito's strange gaze, Togawa Mizuho tilted her head slightly, brushing back a stray lock of hair near her ear in a somewhat self-conscious manner. Every motion was very natural, and full of girlish charm.
"No, nothing."
After the initial surprise, Kaito had already figured out why Sakiko's mom would show up here.
Her daughter was living alone outside, with a somewhat distant personality. It was natural to worry. Just dropping by to take a look was perfectly normal.
"Mom, move over, you're in the way."
A little head with blue twin-tails peeked out from behind, or more accurately, "squeezed" her way out with difficulty.
The space in front of the entrance was very narrow, forming a terrain where one person could block the path. Even though Togawa Mizuho was quite slender, she still took up most of the hallway.
'In the way? Is this idiot daughter indirectly calling me fat?'
Togawa Mizuho still maintained a gentle smile. This rebellious little Sakiko, just like sticky rice cake, really needed a good smacking, she couldn't go a day without being disciplined.
Unaware that her mother had already marked her down in a little mental notebook, the rebellious Sakiko instantly switched to a sweet, soft persona in front of the president. Even her voice was much more delicate, and her high-pitched voice had quite the flavor of a certain familiar person.
"President, welcome back!"
The green-haired girl behind her also opened her mouth, and softly said, "Onii-chan, welcome home."
Kaito nodded at them in response, though he still found it a little odd, "How come Mortis isn't here?"
Considering how sticky the great Mortis-san is with her onii-chan, hearing he was coming home should've prompted a joyful headbutt straight into him, yet now she was nowhere to be seen. He found it a bit disorienting.
"She's hiding in her room."
Wakaba Mutsumi hesitated, then added, "She seems to be in a bad mood."
Kaito: "?"
He released his divine sense to scan the direction of the bedroom.
Sure enough, he found someone hiding with her head buried in a pillow like an ostrich, shutting herself off.
The girl's silk-stockinged feet were kicking about restlessly in dissatisfaction, muttering something under her breath.
Kaito listened carefully, and roughly picked up words like "blue-haired evil witch."
"W-wait! Who's this Mortis you're talking about?", Togawa Sakiko was a little confused. She had only been gone for a couple of days, but it felt like two years had passed.
Togawa Mizuho also perked up her ears quietly, paying attention to this sudden piece of information.
"Strictly speaking" Kaito thought for a moment, a bit unsure himself, and said, "You can treat her as Mutsumi's little sister, or big sister, either is fine?"
Togawa Sakiko: "?"
Togawa Mizuho: "?"
Mother and daughter looked at each other and saw a familiar confusion in each other's eyes.
'Aunt Mori/Minami when did she secretly give birth to another daughter?'
"Why isn't Onii-chan back yet"
The girl with light green long hair rolled on the bed, her slim but nicely proportioned legs clamping down on the pillow in her arms, visibly distressed.
Though born from Mutsumi's second personality, Mortis was different from Mutsumi. She did not like the girl named "Togawa Sakiko."
There were many reasons: because Sakiko seemed to want to steal her onii-chan; because Mutsumi, out of consideration for her existence, had become hesitant and timid.
And, most importantly, she didn't know how to face Sakiko.
Even though she now had a body, in this world, Mortis was still completely undocumented.
Even if she shared origin and soul with Mutsumi, and even if Mutsumi was Sakiko's childhood friend, that didn't mean she was.
Mutsumi's elder was not necessarily her elder.
Mutsumi's onii-chan was not necessarily, ahem, forget that. That one could stay.
Perhaps in their eyes, the name "Mortis" was just a wild girl who appeared out of nowhere but had a face exactly like Mutsumi.
That kind of thought made Mortis feel even more depressed in her already gloomy mood.
So, when the Togawa mother and daughter arrived earlier, she hid in her room alone and specifically told Mutsumi not to reveal her existence.
Of course, that was a dumb solution. Could avoid for a while, but not forever.
But it very much fit a child's mindset: when faced with scary situations, the first instinct is always to hide.
"Mm Onii-chan"
When people feel insecure, they always want something to rely on.
Mortis once again hugged the pillow tightly, and her mood, though low, improved somewhat. To her, her onii-chan's existence was like the safety word in an SM scene, just hearing it made her feel secure.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The closed door was suddenly knocked on. In the next second, a familiar, clear male voice rang out.
"Mortis, may I come in?"
[Five Minutes Later]
The previously spacious bedroom suddenly became a little crowded with four people inside.
Togawa Mizuho looked at the girl in front of her, dressed only in silk sleepwear, same green long hair, same delicate features, even the curves on her chest looked like they'd been carved from the same mold as Mutsumi.
If Kaito hadn't just given a quick explanation of the context, suddenly seeing Mortis appear like that would've definitely made her suspect that Minami had actually given birth to twins back then.
'Come to think of it, if even crafting a physical body can be done, is this Kaito-san really a walking god on earth?'
It felt like the situation ran pretty deep.
'Can Sakiko, this silly girl, really handle it?'
While these thoughts raced through her mind, she still wore a gentle smile on her face, and reached out tenderly toward the girl hiding behind Onii-chan.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Togawa Mizuho. Mortis-chan, Mortis is it okay if I call you that?"
Togawa Mizuho and Mori Minami had been close friends in their youth. This was the reason why Sakiko and Mutsumi became childhood friends. Without that connection, just being a famous actress wouldn't have qualified her daughter to be the companion of the Togawa family's future heir.
Mutsumi was someone she had watched grow up. In Togawa Mizuho's heart, she was like half her own daughter. And by extension, her attitude toward Mortis was naturally gentle.
What's more
Even if Minami didn't want to admit she had another daughter, at least in Kaito's eyes, Mortis was still his little sister.
Just based on that relationship, Togawa Mizuho would still treat her as one of their own. After all, Kaito was her lifesaver, and Kaito's sister was of course also her.... 'Cough! Cough! Wait, this generation might get confusing, Surely Sakiko shouldn't call Mortis-chan "Auntie," right?'
'Then won't that mean she'll have to call Mutsumi "Auntie" too?'
'A childhood friend she grew up with suddenly became an elder, if my dumb daughter found out, she'd probably explode.'
'So."
Togawa Mizuho pondered.
'How should I help her accept this?"
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Chapter 230: You Dont Even Want to Call Me Onee-san
Though she looked as young as a female college student, she had still been a mother once. Her daughter was already old enough to go out and buy soy sauce(live independently) by herself.
In terms of mature womanly charm, Togawa Mizuho even surpassed Suiren.
Faced with the hand she extended as a sign of goodwill, Mortis hesitated for a moment, but in the end, didn't take it.
The girl continued to hide behind her brother like a wary kitten nestled beside its mother, rejecting the closeness of outsiders.
'Hmm, is she the type that lacks a sense of security?'
'Also, isn't this kid a little too attached to her brother?'
Togawa Mizuho felt a little troubled, but after all, she was a mature lady who had weathered storms, and she soon relaxed again.
Lacking a sense of security was perfectly normal for the newly born Mortisrtis, who still didn't understand this world.
As for clinging to her brother?
Even her body had been created by Kaito's help. Nominally they were siblings, but calling them father and daughter wouldn't be a stretch, it's just that there was no blood relation.
A little girl who doesn't know better being attached to her "dad" was only natural, it was understandable.
Since Mortis couldn't accept her just yet, then it was time for a long-term strategy.
Having made up her mind, she naturally retracted her hand, still wearing a gentle smile, and changed the topic.
"This is Togawa Sakiko. In terms of age, she should be a bit older than you Of course, if Mortis is willing, it's perfectly fine to just call her Sakiko."
Togawa Sakiko: "???"
'What did I do wrong to deserve such disrespect?'
'You don't even want Mortis to call me "Onee-san"?'
Somehow, ever since mom got better from her illness, her status in her daughter's heart as an adult just kept dropping.
Soft little Sakiko couldn't help but grumble inwardly, but when faced with Mortis's guarded gaze, she still greeted her kindly.
"Nice to meet you, Mortis-chan. Please take care of me."
Unfortunately, it didn't work very well.
Mortis shrank her head back, and her gaze became even more wary, like a puffed-up kitten clinging tightly to her brother's arm.
"If you're tired, just rest in the room for a while."
Seeing that Mortis was uncomfortable in front of strangers, Kaito patted the girl's head and didn't force her to accept the Sakiko mother-daughter pair right away.
Human relationships were complicated, and feelings took time to accumulate. It was hard to make quick progress overnight.
As her big brother, he hoped Mortis could develop healthy interpersonal relationships, but he wouldn't force her to make friends.
If Mortis eventually accepted Sakiko and Mizuho's presence, that would be great.
But if she strongly resisted, he'd still respect his little sister's wishes.
Although
Why did his attitude feel strangely like a single dad considering remarriage while cautiously respecting his daughter's feelings?
Kaito shook his head, a little amused at his own thoughts.
No longer disturbing Mortis, and thoughtfully leaving her some personal space, Kaito returned to the living room and began entertaining today's guests.
Togawa Mizuho was a very sociable person.
Although she had hit a wall with Mortis, she didn't feel discouraged at all. In fact, she enthusiastically pried into every detail about Kaito.
"Kaito-kun, where are you from? Judging from the name, could it be from that big country to the east?"
"Do you plan to settle long-term in Japan? The Togawa Group has some influence here, if you need help with anything, just let me know~"
"And also, about your future partner"
"Mom, it's already quite late. You should head home and get some rest, or Grandpa will be worried!"
Togawa Sakiko finally couldn't take her idiot mom's enthusiasm toward the president anymore, 'Ignoring me is one thing, but what is with that blooming-flower expression. Mom, you're almost forty years old already! Can you have some boundaries with younger boys?'
"Your grandfather wouldn't care about something like this. But Sakiko, interrupting your mother's conversation with others so casually seems like you've forgotten what it means to be a proper lady."
Togawa Mizuho cast a light glance at her rebellious daughter trying to revolt. Instantly, the would-be Mordred-Sakiko who had just raised the sword of rebellion shrank back. After two seconds of puffing up, she instantly turned soft and fluffy again.
"Auntie Togawa, please have some tea."
At the critical moment, it was Mutsumi who couldn't stand it anymore and stepped in to save her childhood friend.
It wasn't anything fancy, just the ordinary black tea found everywhere, the kind that cost a few thousand yen and you could drink to your heart's content. It couldn't compare to the Togawa family's exclusive blends.
But Togawa Mizuho still accepted it with great delight. Then she glanced disdainfully at her idiot daughter, her whole face saying, "When will you learn to be as sensible as Little Mutsumi?"
'It's just making tea I can do it too, you know,' Togawa Sakiko grumbled quietly in her heart but wisely kept it to herself.
Seeing the three of them enjoying each other's company and the warm atmosphere, Kaito hadn't planned to interrupt. But glancing at the time, he still made a customary offer.
"It's already getting late. If you don't mind, Miss Togawa, would you like to stay for dinner?"
Togawa Mizuho placed her hands on her knees and sat with a perfectly straight back, an elegant lady's posture.
The woman seemed to have been expecting him to say that and nodded without hesitation, smiling, "Then I'll be troubling Kaito-kun."
Kaito asked again, "Any dietary restrictions?"
He already knew Mutsumi and Sakiko's preferences by heart, but with a new guest, he had to pay attention.
"Anything is fine. I'm easy to feed." [T/N: ]
That reply really didn't sound like it came from a pampered young lady raised in luxury.
Kaito let out an "Mm" and was just about to head to the kitchen to prepare dinner when his sleeve was tugged.
"I'll help too!"
The woman's amber eyes, so similar to Sakiko's, sparkled brightly. Seeing him look over, she even bent her slender arm to show off her utterly non-threatening, fragile biceps and said confidently, "Don't look at me like this. I'm actually pretty confident in my cooking! I won't get in your way!"
