"How tired I am of these... flutterings," I thought, getting out of the car in front of the Ohayashi mansion. — My God, and I still strive to become an aristocrat. What should begin after that? Maybe, well, him?"
— Don't mention it with a dash, — I said to Goro, who was looking at me from the open car window.
"We'll remember you, boss," he replied and drove slowly and mournfully towards the Ohayashi garages.
"A joker," I said, adjusting the sleeves of my kimono and walking through the gate.
They met me at the very gate.
—Good afternoon, Sakurai-san," the servant said with a bow. — Please, — he waved his hand in the direction of the house.
He led me into a huge living room, in the center of which there were several low tables. As soon as I sat down next to one of them, a small teapot and a bowl appeared in front of me. A moment later, a tray of Japanese sweets joined him, and the bowl was filled with tea. I wonder if they're not afraid to kill my appetite? Or is it a hint that lunch will not be soon? And I wonder who will be the first to meet me? I mean, who will I see first from the Ohayashi family? The idea is either Raydon or Aneko, which will emphasize the informality of my visit. If the head of the clan himself appears, it is also clear — a business meeting wrapped in friendly gatherings, given the form of the invitation. And if it's one of the older sons? It seems that the answer is simple, but I have a bad idea how to behave in this situation. It was necessary to look at the neighbors anyway. After all, it's for them that I'm suffering here... Ugh, ugh, ugh. I'm boiling my brains... uh... wasting my time.
After about five minutes of my loneliness, when I was already beginning to wonder what it would mean to ignore the guests for so long, a blue miracle named Ami flew into the hall. I give up. Outplayed. What this could mean, I have no idea.
— Hi, — she fell down next to me. — My sister wanted to meet you, but, alas, — she made a mournful face, — she has so many clothes that she got lost.
—There will be," I replied, smiling. — She's an adult girl. The main thing is that you are not lost. Thanks to this, I have the pleasure of seeing such a charming young person in front of me.
Hearing my words, Ami was mildly embarrassed, blushing slightly. The good thing about children is that they still can't control their feelings, which touches old cynics like me.
— And Dad and Seng are busy with something in their office, and Raydon and Hiroshi are now, and Hikaru has disappeared somewhere, and mom is in the kitchen ... - the girl began to frequent. To which I could only smile.
Hiroshi, as far as I know, is Raydon's eight-year-old brother, but I didn't understand about lunch. I was kind of invited to check out Aneko's cooking, so why exactly did she get lost, and moms are in the kitchen? Apparently, Ohayashi thought that by eating bento prepared by her at school for almost the whole week, I decided everything for myself. And Aneko can be freed from cooking a full meal. Oho-ho. What nonsense comes into my head. But, looking at this piglet, all serious thoughts begin to hide.
We chatted with her, or rather she chatted with me, for another fifteen minutes. After that, the doors to the living room moved to the side, and Aneko came to us. A wonderful vision. The blue yukata with butterflies was very becoming to the girl, knocking her off the business mood. I already had the same one, but when the eldest daughter Ohayashi appeared, I tried to get ready. It didn't work out. By the way, for the first time I see her with a braided braid. Okay, that's enough, get it together, Max. A kawaii girl and a young beauty will not be able to cloud your mind. You're the coolest.
However, by the time the clan head and his sons arrived, Ami was already sitting on my lap. In general, she didn't look much like that, albeit cheerful, but rather calm girl, watching what and how she was doing, what she was like on her birthday.
A welcoming conversation with the men of the genus did not give me anything. It seems as if I really am just a classmate of their son and brother, who came to have lunch with them. Maybe, of course, I'm a fool, but I didn't find any hints in their words.
But then three women dressed in homemade yukata came into the hall, followed by several maids, who immediately began to arrange dinner on the tables. Ami, Raydon and Aneko are sitting at my table. Three mothers dragged a small kid to their place, and adult men took the third table. It was a little unusual, considering that everyone had lunch at the same table at Koyama's, but in principle, lunch was fun. Ami talked about everything in the world, Aneko rebuked her, and Raydon maintained a meaningful conversation, the topic of which was combat robots. More precisely, their technical stuffing. Moreover, the guy managed not to slip into specific terms and conduct a conversation in such a way that even Ami seemed to understand him. Although she tried to turn the conversation to topics that were more interesting to her, which revolved around computer games.
"Shinji—I-I," Ami tugged at my sleeve. "What's your rank?"
Oh, childlike spontaneity.
— I'm A Student.
"Well," the girl drawled. "I thought…
—Ami,— Aneko said sternly. — Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
"I'm sorry,— she drooped in response to her sister's words.
I smiled. But not because the owner of the blue mop of hair looked touching at that moment, but because I wanted to grimace. And since it wouldn't be worth doing, I had to smile. No, well, in fact, I have recently become annoyed by the worship of the inhabitants of this world before the ranks.
"And what did the young lady think?" I asked, still smiling.
—What are you... uh… A veteran," she replied cautiously.
Okay, let's take that as a compliment.
— Do I look so personable? — he added a smile to his voice, making it more lively.
— Yes, — the little one nodded her head, having lost the last crumbs of embarrassment. — Although you feel like a Master. But Dad said that there are no Teenage Masters. Even the Teacher, and he's the only one in the empire. More precisely, one. — After which she was embarrassed about something again.
"You feel" is interesting. And looking at Raydon and Aneko, I want to add — it's dangerous. For they looked after the words of their sister... surprised. M-ja. That's how the scouts are fired. On some bullshit. I really hope that I'm the paranoid one, and she's not capable of feeling... damn, I don't even know what. Sighing, hopefully not hard, I realized that I was tired. I'm not used to hiding. I'm not used to it and I don't like it. If anything, he always hit me right in the eye. And here's a fucking eight years… Tired, to be honest. That's just no other way.
"Do you know how to determine... uh... a person's strength?" I asked the girl, feigning curiosity. It would be a century not to ask such questions.
Ami hesitated at my question. I don't know if it's a family secret, or if I was just shy, but Aneko answered for her.
"She got it from her mother," she patted her sister on the head. — In her kind of Anda's mother, this sometimes happens. Children are born with a similar gift. However, rarely. She doesn't have anything like that herself, and neither does Hikaru.
— And what? Always a one hundred percent hit? — I asked another question. — This is about the fact that I really am just a Student. That's interesting.
— Somehow I don't even know, - she looked at her sister. — It is necessary to ask Mom. Or at my father's, as a last resort.
—The hit, as you put it, is one hundred percent," Raydon said, washing down something with tea. — Only she doesn't feel the power level, but the potential. Add to this the small age of this miracle ... — Ami frowned at these words. — Which means her inexperience.
Thank God. I was really scared. If you think about it, that's right. Akeno at one time, after I lit my first and last light of bahir, for a long time predicted a great future for me. But, as for me, an Absolute is better than a Master.
— So I'm going to become a teacher anyway? I asked. — This can not but rejoice. Thank you, baby," I patted her on the head, "she was encouraging.
She's cute after all when she's embarrassed.
In principle, this visit to the Ohayashi family went well. After lunch, me, Raydon, Aneko and Ami took a walk in their park for a while, after which Ami ran off to practice. Which one, however, did not specify. Aneko left to get ready for a meeting with her friends half an hour after her sister. And Raydon and I spent three hours after that burning cartridges at their clan small firing range. I doubt that he does it often, but I think it was fun not only for me. Until the very last moment, until I got into my car, I was expecting a conversation with the head of the clan or his eldest son, but it never took place. And what did Sen want from me then? Why did you invite me? Unclear. But personally, I adhere to simple principles: one should rejoice not only when something good has happened, but also when nothing bad has happened. Therefore, Max, go ahead! You'll still have time to do a couple of things today.
* * *
Following the youngest daughter who ran out of the office, Ohaya-si Dai turned his gaze to the heir, who was sitting, as always, in his favorite chair. Taking a deep breath to say something, he exhaled without saying anything. A second or two, and, having decided to say at least something, Seng spoke up.
"But it's even good," he said half—interrogatively. — I don't understand your shock.
— It's not a shock. I just didn't expect it. So I don't know what to say now," the elder Ohayashi said, drumming his finger on the table.
— I don't even understand that. Well, yes, he has a high potential, so what?
— Remind me, what did Ami say about Koyama Shin when we were able to arrange their meeting six months ago?
— Hmm, the same thing: The Master. But what do we care? We can only be happy for Aneko. If we succeed. Yes, we will have to pay more attention to this, perhaps force a rapprochement with Koyama. I understand everything, a Master, and perhaps a Virtuoso, even if not in a clan, but in a friendly family — it's great. However, I repeat — and what?
— And then, — Dai rubbed the bridge of his nose, — that little Koyama was ALREADY a Teacher by that time. And Sakurai, the demons damn him, is not even an Apprentice!
— Oh!
—There's an 'o' for you.
— I should tell Ami not to talk about it. Wait, so he's a Teacher now? But this is nonsense, why would he hide such a thing?
— Son, you don't want to think at all today. Do I remind you what you did at the training ground before you reached your current rank? And what did he turn into before you officially confirmed your rank?