Saijo no Osewa ~ Takane no Hana [LN] - V2 Epilogue

After Tennouji-san turned down her arranged marriage, the next competency exam was soon held.

Unlike the regular exams, the competency exams were not composed of many subjects. However the number of questions was still very large, even for such a prestigious school, and the exam was held over the period of 3 days.

One week passed after that.

Then, the results of the exam were announced.

[Everyone~! Over here~!]

Many students had already gathered at the bulletin board in front of the staff room.

After putting my bag in the classroom, I headed to the bulletin board with Hinako, and Asahi-san beckoned to us in the distance.

Next to her was Tennouji-san.

[I met with Tennouji-san just now!]

Asahi-san said, and Tennouji-san bowed silently.

Then she turned her gaze to my face.

[Let’s see how it turned out together]

If I wasn’t being self-indulgent, the line was directed at me personally, and not anyone else.

Tension built up in my stomach and I gulped.

After an examination is being held, the scores and names of the top 50 are announced. My goal was to be among the top 50.

I looked at the board with that resolve.

There, my name was―

[…It’s not on it]

My body was on the verge of collapsing to my knees, but I barely held myself together.

I failed to achieve my goal.

[It’s not a surprise desuwa]

Tennouji-san said next to the depressed me.

[All the students here have been educated from a young age to be gifted. If you want to catch up to them, you need to continue to work hard for many years]

That may indeed be true.

Still, I wanted to make a difference.

I couldn’t give a good result even though I had learned from Tennouji-san.

Tennouji-san let out a sigh as I remained silent.

[…You, have you graded yourself?]

[Eh? No, I haven’t….]

[I think your score is very close, based on what I’ve seen so far. At least, if we only look at the changes in score, you’ve improved by a long shot]

Tennouji-san looked at me with admiration.

[If you’re still not satisfied… Then you should just keep trying in the future desuwa]

That one sentence made my depressed feelings go away.

Seeing Tennouji-san with a smile on her face, the heaviness in my heart quickly dissipated.

[…That’s right]

That’s right. I just have to keep trying.

Because Tennouji-san isn’t leaving the academy…

I can leave this frustration to the future.

[Unnn~, I don’t see mine either. Well, I expected it]

[I’m not there either, like I should be]

[Yes. Mine isn’t either]

Asahi-san, Taisho, and Narika seemed to have given up from the beginning.

The remaining two were… Hinako and Tennouji-san.

[Konohana-san and Tennouji-san seem to be in the single digits. Hmm…. but the crowds are so big, we might not be able to see them from here]

Asahi-san stood on her tiptoes and tried to peer across the crowd towards the bulletin.

The names of the top 10 were apparently announced in a big way on another bulletin board. An even larger crowd gathered in front of it.

[Hey, that’s awesome! It looks like a perfect score!]

Taisho said excitedly as he heard the students around us talking.

[Is a perfect score that rare?]

[Of course! The exams at the academy are really difficult. It’s extremely rare to get a perfect score]

It was true that the questions were quite difficult.

For a moment, I silently looked at Hinako and Tennouji-san.

If there was a student who got a perfect score, it’d be one of these two…

[This time, I and Konohana Hinako…]

Tennouji-san let out a small mumble that almost no one could hear. …But I was the only one who heard it. I was the only one who knew what Tennouji-san was prepared to do.

Feeling a slight tension, the students in the crowd noticed Hinako and Tennouji-san’s presence and gave way. The noisy crowd scattered left and right like how Moses split the Red Sea.

The two Ojou-samas of the academy stood in front of the bulletin board in a leisurely manner.

When they saw the result of the test… Their eyes widened.

[This is…]

[A perfect score, both…?]

At the top of the list was Hinako’s name. Below that was Tennouji-san’s.

However, both of their scores were exactly the same―800 points.

The students clapped for Hinako and Tennouji-san.

I secretly called out to Hinako in the middle of the applause.

[Hinako also gave it her best, right?]

[…Nn]

In a plain tone of voice, Hinako affirmed.

[To the two of you… I won’t lose]

Hinako said somewhat teasingly.

Ahh… that’s right.

I couldn’t help but laugh. It was natural when I thought about it.

Tennouji-san wasn’t the only one who worked as hard as she could for this exam.

Hinako, too, was doing her best.

[…Fufu]

Tennouji-san let out a laugh.

She couldn’t achieve her goal of beating Hinako. But Tennouji-san was―

[Ohohoho! This is why you’re my rival desuwa!!]

Tennouji-san laughed in a good mood.

It was as if she was happy to continue being Hinako’s rival.

[I have a proposal for my rival]

Tennouji-san blushed slightly and looked nervously at Hinako.

[T-Tonight… would you like to visit my house?]

That night.

I visited the Tennouji family again.

[Then, we’ll be going our separate ways from here]

Shizune-san got out of the passenger seat and bowed her head towards me and Hinako.

[What are you going to do, Shizune-san?]

[I will go with Keigon-sama to greet the representative of the Tennouji family first. Itsuki-sama, please go with ojou-sama to greet them later]

[Understood]

Behind Shizune-san, Keigon-san was straightening his tie.

While Hinako and I were talking with Tennouji-san, Keigon-san and Shizune-san seemed to be going to greet Masatsugu-san and Hanami-san, the representatives of the Tennouji family.

[Itsuki… that suit, is that new…?]

Suddenly, Hinako asked me in a small voice.

[Yeah. I heard today’s dinner was French, so I decided to match my suit with a French one]

This is because before leaving the mansion, Shizune-san asked [Which suit will you be wearing?] so I thought a little about coordinating in my own way. I had worn an Italian suit at the Konohana social event before, so I wanted to change the mood.

Hearing this exchange between me and Hinako, Keigon-san who was standing beside me, muttered quietly.

[It’s refined]

[Eh?]

I couldn’t believe what he said, so I asked.

[…Did you just compliment me?]

[I was praising the Tennoji family’s human resource development techniques, not you]

With that, Keigon-san turned his back on us and walked away with Shizune-san.

I wasn’t so naive to take that at face value. When I realized that Keigon-san recognized me, a sense of accomplishment slowly crept to my heart.

It was all thanks to the time I spent with Tennouji-san.

With Hinako, I stepped into the Tennouji family mansion.

[I was waiting for you! Konohana-san, Tomonari-san!]

Tennouji-san welcomed us with a full smile.

She looked like a girl who was waiting for a friend, rather than someone of elegance.

[Thank you for your invitation today]

[Hinako, who switched modes, greeted her carefully.

[I’ve visited several times before, but this is the first time I’ve come over for a private affair. Was there any reason why?]

[There is no particular reason]

After that, Tennouji-san smiled softly.

[But, if you ask me… I just wanted to get along with you, not as a daughter of the Tennouji family, but as a normal classmate]

Hinako looked slightly surprised. The fact that Hinako, who was playing the role of Ojou-sama, was about to lose her expression showed how unexpected Tennouji-san’s remarks were.

Tennouji-san has changed.

Now Tennouji-san has accepted two realities: that she’s the daughter of the Tennouji family, and that she’s a girl.

[…I too, want to get along with Tennouji-san]

Hinako, who hid her surprise, smiled, and Tennouji-san’s cheeks were dyed red.

[W-Well, it’s kind of embarrassing to say…]

I was watching them from a step away as the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Then, without thinking, I turned my gaze elsewhere―

[Uuuu….! Mirei is…Our Mirei is growing…!!!]

[That’s right dear….! Somehow, our daughter looks even more radiant than usual…!]

The two parental figures were shedding tears at the sight of Tennouji-san.

[Tomonari-kun. …No, Itsuki-kun]

Masatsugu-san, who wiped his tears with a handkerchief, approached me.

For some reason, Masatsugu-san adjusted the way he called me.

[I’ve heard about you from Mirei. It seems you brought out our girl’s true feelings]

[No…]

[Mirei has such good friends. ….I see. Surely it would be a shame to leave the academy]

Masatsugu-san said, looking at me and Hinako.

Looking at that calm face. I felt it again. After all, Masatsugu-san was thinking about her daughter, Mirei, rather than their family’s prestige.

[By the way, Itsuki-kun. Are you interested in the Tennouji Group?]

[Excuse me?]

I tilted my head at the sudden question.

[I guess I was too indirect. So I’ll ask you again… Are you interested in becoming my son-in-law?]

[Ha? Eh… What?]

[It seems that Mirei wants to marry out of love. I’m sure you’re the closest man to my daughter at the moment, right? First, you have to―]

[―Father!!]

Tennouji-san’s shout resounded through the area.

I guess she was listening to us. Tennouji-san approached with a bright crimson face.

[Please don’t talk without permission!]

[W-well, but. If Itsuki-kun becomes our son-in-law in the future, he needs to know about the work of the Tennouji group from now―]

[We still have a lot of time!!]

Perhaps because Tennouji-san is now more aware of her position in her family, Masatsugu-san’s parental feelings have run rampant as well.

Masatsugu-san’s shoulders slumped and he fell silent.

[Honestly… I’m sorry for that, Tomonari-san]

[No, I don’t really mind it…]

Tennouji-san apologized awkwardly, and I chuckled.

[Even if it was a joke, I was surprised]

When I said that, Tennouji-san made a somewhat boorish face.

Tennouji-san turned away and looked somewhat sulky.

[…It’s not necessarily a joke]

[Eh?]

[I’m not sure if there’s anyone I’m more in sync with than you, at least right now. Perhaps you’ll be approached by the Tennouji family with an offer of marriage]

[….No, but… I’m not really the heir to any company…]

I told her quietly so that the others wouldn’t hear.

Then Tennouji-san smiled confidently.

[Ara. Do you think my parents care about such a title?]

They wouldn’t, I guess….

And because they didn’t care, Tennouji-san was freed from her arranged marriage.

[If you were offered an arranged marriage with me, what would you do?]

[Well, I don’t know how to say it… but I’d have to hear Tennouji-san’s intentions first…]

[Then, if I’m willing to, you’ll accept?]

[That would be…]

I was at a loss because I couldn’t visualize the future at all as told by Tennouji-san.

When I was like this, Tennouji-san gave a sly smile.

[I’m just kidding. I shouldn’t do this to a swindler]

Tennouji-san said happily.

[But, if such a time comes then―]

Tennouji-san looked as confident as ever.

Tennouji-san gently touched my lips with her finger.

[―I will surely let you choose me]

---

Editor: And that’s it for volume 2! Hope you enjoyed it!

Donations are very much appreciated. (EDN: Help fuel me and Ezu’s Honkai addiction plz)

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TL: Ezu
ED: Animu
PR: Mateo