7 Chapter 7 : First Mission : Impress Grandpa Takigawa!

Midori followed Chie and Fumiko out of the living room and moved along a corridor next to the staircase. If she was not mistaken, they were heading to Grandpa Takigawa's personal living space.

At that time, S-9898's cheery voice popped up in her head again.

[Ding! Midori-san, congratulations on making it this far into the novel! You have herewith unlocked the mission stages!]

Midori listened to an unfamiliar BGM for a few seconds, and then S-9898's voice rang out again.

[First Mission : Impress Grandpa Takigawa.

Basic reward upon completion : + 10 Life Points.

Basic punishment upon failure : -10 Life Points.]

Midori almost spat out blood on the spot.

S-9898, are you aware that I only have 110 Life Points left? Midori screamed in her head. Must you rob me of more Life Points?

[Awww, Midori-san, no need to be more dramatic. If you do not mess up too much, you still retain 100 Life Points upon failure.]

Wow, your math skills are amazing, Midori remarked with a touch of sarcasm.

Wait, what do you mean by "if I do not mess up too much"?

S-9898 cleared her throat. She sounded a little nervous when she spoke again.

[Anooo~* Midori-san, you are not dealing with NPCs after all. Grandpa Takigawa is capable of feeling a range of emotions after not meeting you for a long time. Your performance in this first mission might just open up further missions that will benefit you along the way!]

Great. That's what I need the least right now -- more pressure.

"Midori-san, we are here."

Chie turned to look at her with an unknown smile plastered on her face. They stood in front of a heavy wooden door that was very similar to the one that led to the living room downstairs.

Chie put a hand on the polished brass handle and turned it. The door opened up to the entrance of an all-Japanese living space. One pair of male shoes was placed neatly on the floor. It clearly belonged to Grandpa Takigawa.

"Grandpa," Chie called out in an exaggerated sweet voice. "Grandpa, I brought Midori-san to meet you."

A moment of silence followed, during which Midori's heart lurched to the bottom of her stomach. To her greatest relief, Grandpa Takigawa responded with a grunt. While Chie did not show any reaction, Fumiko rolled with her eyes in distaste. 

Midori sneered at her side profile.

This despicable woman was counting on Grandpa Takigawa to throw Midori out of the house. Good that it did not happen, otherwise Midori was going to end the way the host did, just not in Tsukigata but in Tokyo.

"Grandpa has allowed us to enter," Chie announced. She smiled at Midori.

"Midori-san, please enter."

Midori scraped off her sandals, paying attention to put them neatly next to Grandpa Takigawa's old but preserved pair of shoes. She mouthed a "Wow" as she followed Chie and Fumiko into Grandpa Takigawa's personal living space.

At the heart of this humble dwelling lay an open hearth, its warm glow casting a cozy ambiance. A kettle sand whistled softly on the stovetop, its steam curling lazily upward, promising a comforting cup of tea. A low table, polished to a gleam, stood beside the hearth, adorned with simple utensils and a Japanese flower arrangement.

A small alcove at a corner of the living space housed a wooden altar with intricate carvings along the front and shutters that could be opened and closed at will. Inside the altar stood two wooden plaques bearing the names of Grandpa Takigawa's parents, who passed away a long time ago. Two cups of green tea and a plate of rice cakes were served in front of the altar.

A bowl of incense stood between the two wooden plaques and the offerings, filling the living space with a sweet smell that made people drowsy and lulled them into sleep.

Elegant calligraphy scrolls adorned the wall, their inscriptions conveying profound wisdom and serenity to those who observed them.

Midori took a deep breath and inhaled the sweet scent of the incense.

One look at the living room was enough for her to understand Grandpa Takigawa's heart.

Although the elderly gave Midori's eldest brother permission to slowly transform the Takigawa family mansion into a Western residence, the Japanese blood in the old man's veins remained thick and strong.

Deep in his heart, he did not feel comfortable living in a fancy Western mansion.

On the other side, Midori's eldest brother was set to inherit the mansion in the future and Japan was slowly changing. So what was the use of sticking to his old values stubbornly?

Therefore, the patriarch of the family made a compromise with himself. He allowed himself a piece of heaven, tucked like a secret inside the vast Takigawa family mansion. A sanctuary where his authentic self could flourish, where he could escape the clamor of the modern world and embrace the timeless values of Japanese culture.

"Grandpa?"

Chie called out again when she did not see the elderly around.

"In here."

Grandpa Takigawa's gruff voice resounded from the porch. The three women found him standing at the edge of a koi pond. He was scattering rice into the pond to feed the fishes.

A gentle symphony of nature's lullabies echoed through the serene garden, drawing Midori back to the tranquil days of her childhood. The whisper of the wind rustling through the bamboo stalks, the gentle gurgle of the koi pond, and the rhythmic ticking of the bamboo water fountain created an ambiance of serenity that washed over her like a soothing balm.

"Grandpa," Midori heard herself calling out to the host's grandfather.

Grandpa Takigawa slowly turned to look at her. 

"Midori-san, you have returned."

In that fleeting exchange of glances, time seemed to bend and twist, carrying the grandfather and Midori back to a bygone era, a time when Midori was not yet the rebellious teenager she had become.

The bitter arguments and hurtful words had yet to tarnish their relationship, and Midori was still the apple of her grandfather's eye, the beloved Ojou-sama of the Takigawa family.

Unfortunately, beautiful moments were short-lived. Just as the sun's harsh rays mercilessly pierce through the delicate skin of a water bubble, dissolving it into a fleeting wisp of iridescent foam, so too was Midori's fleeting moment of tranquility shattered by Chie's venomous remark.

"Grandpa, is it not good to have Midori-san back here? Please forgive her for the youthful obstinacy of the past three years. A few days ago, she was kicked out of the Koishikawa family for being pregnant with the result of her extramarital affair. Right now, she truly has nowhere else to go."

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Author's note :

*This is another interjection. It means something like "Well..."