Chapter 94: Class Trip (6)

Class Trip (6)

July the 17th – the day of Yuuta’s birthday.

Just like last year, Yuuta, Aoi, and Manami visited a garden. However, this year Aoi was Yuuta’s fiancée and Manami his lover. And today Yukishiro was with them as well. After Aoi and Manami had forced her to take off her maid uniform (while getting quite a bit of skinship from Aoi) and replace it with a lovely dress.

The dresses of all three girls used flowers as motifs. Aoi’s was a pure white lily dress. Manami’s was a violet and blue veronica dress. And Yukishiro’s was a white and pink marguerite dress. All of them were of the finest quality.

Yuuta had gifted Aoi and Manami dresses. As for Yukishiro’s dress; they didn’t tell her who arranged for it, but in reality it had been Yuuta. Aoi and Manami were told by Yuuta to keep it a secret from Yukishiro, but seeing Aoi holding back her urge to blurt it all out, Yukishiro immediately grasped what was going on.

Ever since Yuuta had given Aoi a white lily fan, the Yoshiwaras had started to plant many lilies. Fields of lilies in white, orange, pink, yellow, and many more colors were blossoming in this garden. You wouldn’t find any bad luck here as the flower language for lily suggested.

This year many veronicas had been planted as well since Yuuta had given Manami a veronica fan. Because the blooming period of marguerite had already passed, the staff had planted stewartias in the garden, based on the stewartia handkerchief given to Yukishiro by Yuuta.

The one walking on Yuuta’s left was Aoi while Yukishiro was occupying his right side. Manami was right behind Aoi.

“I’m happy to be able to walk through this garden together with you this year as well, Yuuta-sama.”

“The pleasure is on my side. I’d love to visit plenty of gardens together with you in the coming years.”

The relationship between Yuuta and Aoi kept deepening. He had become able to talk about Dreamseducers with her as well. He was still hiding the fact that he was a personality transplant of a man from the Old World, but Yuuta expected that he’d likely remain unable to tell her about this for the rest of his life.

I’m me. Not someone else. Just like I’m not a man from the Old World, I’m also not Yuuta-kun. The memories of both belong to me.

“Last year I took the liberty to ask you whether there was something you want to achieve in the future.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“At that time your answer was that it’s still not clear, but how about now?”

Yuuta pondered about Aoi’s question for a moment and then replied, “My answer is still not clear, but I want to give my very best for each and every matter in front of my eyes.”

“What do you mean?”

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“I think it’s important to also have goals in the distant future. But, right now I have my hands full with the things in front of me. That’s why I won’t think about matters lying far ahead, and instead focus on what’s in front of me. I want to pool all my power on the things I actually can do.”

Aoi hugged him from the side with a broad smile. Doing his utmost for the matter in front of him was about Aoi, Manami, and Yukishiro. And of course everyone else as well.

After the conversation with Aoi, Yuuta looked to his right. He deliberately did so because he thought that it was also the wish of the girl walking behind them.

“I’m also very glad that I can walk together with you like this, Yukishiro-san.”

“I’m also happy…,” replied Yukishiro while being all smiles just like Aoi.

Even if she were to be called shameless by someone, she wouldn’t care. Even if people were to talk behind her back, calling her brazen and unscrupulous, she wouldn’t look back. After all, Yuuta, Aoi, and above all, Manami were showering her with their kindness. Yukishiro gently wrapped her arm around Yuuta’s right arm, gluing her body to his, albeit not as vigorously as Aoi did.

“Manami, thank you for always.”

“I will be happy as long as I can be of service to you, Yuuta-sama.”

Manami had been cheerfully watching over the three in front of her. As long as Yuuta’s relationship with Aoi proceeded well, the wedding ceremony would take place today in one year. Just as with the engagement, the wedding ceremony proposal had to come from the man since he had the right to decide.

What was different from the engagement ceremony, which was often held on the birthday of the woman, was how the wedding ceremony would often take place on the birthday of the man. This stemmed from the law that men were allowed to marry after their eighteenth birthday. By the way, women were allowed to marry one year earlier, at the age of seventeen. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

The number of couples, who were able to hold the wedding ceremony on the man’s eighteenth birthday, has been rather limited. Nanase had her ceremony on Takashi’s eighteenth birthday. And although she strongly wished for Mizuki to do it together with her, Mizuki hadn’t agreed to that, resulting in Mizuki having her ceremony one year later, at Takashi’s nineteenth birthday.

Assuming that the ceremony would take place on Yuuta’s eighteenth birthday, and if the targets were to be Aoi and Manami, Manami would likely delay her own ceremony by a year, just like her mother did. But, Yukishiro has been added to the possible targets.

Of course, thinking about a marriage with Yukishiro was premature since she wasn’t Yuuta’s lover yet. But, it was important to consider such things in advance.

If Aoi wished to have a wedding ceremony with Yuuta all by herself, Yukishiro would have no choice but to pull back. Normally, that would be common sense. The Yoshiwaras won’t yield Aoi’s status of being Yuuta’s first wife to anyone else.

However, they welcomed Yukishiro as a second wife. Yukishiro will eventually go back to the Minatos and very likely become the next family head in due time. It was unnecessary for the Yoshiwaras to care about the reputation of the Minatos, but Aoi had Yukishiro’s interests in mind. And Yuuta wasn’t that much of a fool that he didn’t understand the circumstances of Eternal families. If he were to marry Aoi as his first wife and Yukishiro as his second in exactly one year, it’d allow the Minatos to keep their face.

“Yuuta-sama♡”

“Yes?”

“Is it alright for me to hand you your birthday gift?”

“Of course.”

As soon as Aoi signaled with her eyes, servants of the Yoshiwaras suddenly showed up.

“It’s my present for you. A ring with a ruby, your birthstone.”

“Thank you very much. I’m very happy about this!”

He was given a ruby ring by his fiancée. The ruby was embedded in the ring so that he’d be able to wear it normally. Moreover, it wasn’t just a ruby either. Diamonds and more rubies were embedded on either side, too. It had the same design as the emerald ring which Yuuta had given to Aoi as proof of their engagement.

Yuuta put the ring on his left ring finger on the spot.

“It fits perfectly. I will wear it at all times.”

“Hehe, I’m delighted to hear that.”

The emerald ring was glittering on Aoi’s left ring finger. Aoi seemed very happy that they had matching rings now.

“Yuuta-sama.”

Next Yukishiro called out to him.

“Would it be okay for me to give you your birthday present as well?”

“Of course. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got me.”

Yukishiro held out a handkerchief in front of Yuuta.

“It’s a handkerchief with a bindweed, your birthday flower, stitched onto it. I would be very delighted if it suits your liking.”

“Thank you. You stitched it for me, didn’t you, Yukishiro-san? You’re very good at this!”

The white handkerchief was adorned by a pretty embroidery of a pink bindweed. The color perfectly matched Yukishiro’s dress.

The flower symbolism of marguerites is Hidden Love. Furthermore, white marguerites signify Trust while pink marguerites stand for True Love.

Believing that Yuuta had prepared her dress to be in the colors of white and pink marguerites, Yukishiro’s chest felt warm, overflowing with happiness. The flower symbolism of the bindweed, which Yukishiro had weaved onto the handkerchief, was Bonds. She had wholeheartedly worked on it while praying for her bonds with Yuuta to grow strong.

By the way, it’s a digression, but bindweeds are also known as flowers with a high propagation rate. But, Yukishiro didn’t have any such ulterior motives.

After Yukishiro, it was Manami’s turn. She quickly moved in front of Yuuta and held out a dagger before him.

“Yuuta-sama, this is my birthday present for you. Please allow me to give you a dagger.”

“Thank you very much. It makes me happy.”

Imitating what Aoi had done last year, Manami gave Yuuta a dagger this year. Floral patterns of hostas were drawn onto the dagger’s scabbard. Hostas are Yuuta’s birthday flowers alongside bindweeds.

“Also, please take these.”

“Okay.”

Right after giving him the dagger, Manami handed two boxes to Yuuta. Not only Yukishiro, but even Aoi looked flabbergasted. After all, Manami was acting outside of what they had discussed beforehand.

“Aoi-san, Yukishiro-san.”

“Yes!”

“Yes?”

“Actually, I do have presents for both of you.”

Yuta passed one box each to Aoi and Yukishiro. Going by the size and shape of those boxes, one could imagine what was hidden inside them.

“Please open them.”

Yukishiro opened hers with trembling hands. Just to find a fan inside.

“Oh my! Thank you so much!”

Aoi leaped in joy. Next to her, Yukishiro was holding back her tears. She hadn’t expected that she’d be able to receive a fan yet.

“It’s a matching fan with that of Manami-san.”

“I told Yuuta-sama that I would be happy if all three of us could have matching fans.”

“T-Thank…you.”

Aoi gently hugged Yukishiro who was frantically suppressing her tears.

“Yuuta-sama, Manami-san, thank you kindly. But, for just Manami-san to not receive a present…”

“It’s no problem.”

“Eh?”

Manami grinned broadly.

“It means I will get Yuuta-sama to listen to one of my selfish requests again.”

“Oh my♡”

Clearing his throat, Yuuta commented, “L-Let’s talk about that at a later time, okay?”

“Of course. Once we get back to the Yoshiwara residence…”

Manami looked at Yuuta, her eyes sparkling.

“…with others.”

“Huh?”

“Come on, let us walk that way.”

After mumbling a few words so quietly that it was hard to understand, Manami fell back behind Aoi once again. Yuuta’s group continued to walk for some time. They planned to return to the ryoukan after eating lunch at the garden’s restaurant.

Am I going to add Akari-san to this?

Many men in Nihon were said to possess just as many wives as they could count on one hand. In other words, at most they’d have five wives. It wasn’t as though there existed a set limit, but realistically it was difficult to go beyond five.

Takashi-san only has two as well.

Even a man with many lovers like Takashi had just two wives. There exists a big difference between wives and lovers. Not to mention the rights a woman possesses in regards to her husband, only a wife would be allowed to call her family a high family, continuing into later generations. Lovers achieved high family status if they gave birth to a man’s child, but their status was limited to one generation.

My situation is slightly special though. Still, a harem must be quite a lot of work.

Having the next family head of the Eternal Yoshiwara and the next family head of the Eternal Minato as partners was a first ever since the foundation of Nihon. Despite such a unique distinction, and even if it wouldn’t be like that, Yuuta still understood just how difficult it was to have several wives.

Of course I feel thankful towards Aoi-san, but above all, I cannot underestimate the value of Manami-san. Takashi-san mentioned it as well, didn’t he? That Mizuki was one level above them all.

Before accepting Yukishiro, Aoi’s feelings on this were the crucial issue. Aoi seemed to be happy about being able to become friends with Yukishiro. Moreover, Yuuta had seen Aoi doing skinship with Yukishiro too. Though Yukishiro looked somewhat troubled when Aoi was glued to her like that.

And then there was Manami as well. Normally, it’d be logical for her to hate this. Or at the very least she’d usually desire some sort of benefit for herself in exchange for Yukishiro getting priority over her.

But, Manami didn’t do any of that. She willingly yielded the place, which should be hers, to Yukishiro.

Does she have a strong mindset of self-sacrifice? Manami-san has been worried that she’s going too far with it, too. I must properly look over her so that she doesn’t try the impossible.

The kindness Yuuta directed at Manami was probably pure bliss for Manami.

Around the time when Akari-san is added, Yukishiro-san will go back to the Minatos, if all goes well. Once that happens, the form of our exchanges will likely change.

Because Yukishiro had the Yoshiwaras allow her to stay with them, Aoi and Yukishiro were able to interact with Yuuta in the same place. However, once Yukishiro went back to the Minatos, Yuuta would likely need to go to the Yoshiwaras to spend time with Aoi and to the Minatos to spend time with Yukishiro.

“I’m so looking forward to the evening party!”

“This year we will also have a small guest with us.”

“Naoto-kun sure is cute~”

“Being able to celebrate your birthday with everyone is such a joy for me, Yuuta-sama.”

Yuuta hadn’t noticed. An ordinary man wouldn’t try to shoulder such complicated woman issues. Aoi, Manami, Yukishiro, and the other related people could only embrace such outlandish thoughts because Yuuta accepted them.

In the eyes of the women, Yuuta was the man with the strongest mindset for self-sacrifice.

While the four ate a great lunch together, they enjoyed their date to the last second.