“Votes?”
Hitomi tilted her head, her expression clearly confused.
“What do votes have to do with me?”
Chihaya looked at You with slight surprise before picking up the conversation.
Her voice remained cool, but her speech was a little faster than usual, indicating she was thinking it over as well.
“You-kun means the Nissho Clan influences votes in the Kyoto region. So because of that fear, they didn’t fire you but instead transferred you, Hitomi.”
She frowned.
“But was that really necessary?”
Hitomi blinked, not quite understanding the situation.
Futaba laughed and snapped her fan open with a pop, covering half her face.
“Chihaya, have you forgotten?”
She pointed her fan at the TV screen in the store.
The LCD TV mounted on the wall was playing the news.
The screen showed a street scene in Nagatacho with subtitles reading, “Midterm election approaching, parties intensify their campaigns.”
“The midterm election is coming soon. The Prime Minister is definitely playing it safe right now.”
Chihaya glanced at the TV and nodded.
“That makes sense.”
Hitomi and Mai both looked at the TV, then at Chihaya and Futaba, and then at each other.
Both saw confusion in the other’s eyes—Hitomi’s was gentle but lost, while Mai’s was innocent but bewildered.
‘We have no idea what they’re talking about.’
Mai muttered quietly, “What are Sis and Futaba-nee talking about…”
Hitomi nodded inwardly.
‘Yeah, what are they talking about? Votes? Midterm election? What does that have to do with my job transfer?’
You watched this scene and scratched his head.
‘Why do Hitomi and Mai look like they don’t get it?’
Futaba laughed and waved her fan, her movements more relaxed now.
“You-kun, not everyone knows about these things.”
Her tone was airy, as if stating the obvious.
“Schools don’t teach this. This is all part of a family’s legacy.”
She glanced at Hitomi, a hint of deeper meaning in her smile.
“It seems Hitomi wasn’t the next heir of the Nissho Clan, so she never learned these things.”
Hitomi blushed and lowered her head.
“That’s right. The Nissho Clan has another heir.”
Her voice was very soft.
“I apologize.”
You laughed internally.
‘Not possible, something as simple as this is considered a family legacy? So Chihaya and Futaba know this stuff because they’re the next family heads?’
‘Ballot politics, interest exchange—isn’t this common sense? I learned it in my past life’s high school civics class. Things like “Elections are a way for voters to express their will” and “Interest groups influence policy through lobbying.” It’s all written clearly in textbooks. Honestly, a lot of middle schoolers in my previous life had this level of political understanding.’
But thinking about it, he realized they never really taught this in Japanese schools.
Social studies classes covered the constitution, political systems, and history, but things like “how to manipulate votes” were never taught.
‘No wonder I always felt average young people seemed kind of clueless.’
Futaba smiled at You, her fan swaying at a leisurely pace.
“But You-kun knowing this so clearly must be thanks to Lord Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto and the Moon Princess’s teachings.”
You quickly nodded.
“Mm-hmm, yeah. Mom told me about this.”
He added internally:
‘Better to admit it here. Otherwise, they might attribute it to bloodline—”As expected of the Divine Child, born knowing these things”—that would be way too weird.’
Hitomi raised her head, the blush still not fading.
“So… my transfer is because of the election?”
You thought for a moment.
“Most likely. You were absent for three days. That could be handled in a scale from minor to major. By the rules, you should be disciplined, and in the worst case, you could be fired. But you’re part of the Nissho Clan. Disciplining you would offend them. Offending the Nissho Clan would affect the votes in the Kinki Region. So it’s better to give you a sinecure where you don’t have to show up. That saves face for the rules while not making enemies.”
He spread his hands.
“That’s politics for you.”
Chihaya and Futaba exchanged glances.
‘So You-kun really isn’t an ordinary person.’
***
As the ingredients in the pot dwindled, the conversation somehow veered off onto money.
Probably because Hitomi’s talk about work reminded everyone—work meant salary.
You set down his chopsticks and casually asked, “Hitomi, what’s the annual salary for that position at the Imperial Household Agency?”
Hitomi tilted her head and thought for a moment.
“I’m not sure about this new post yet, but I think it should be about the same as before. Around six million yen a year.”
Your chopsticks froze mid-air.
‘Six million?’
‘What the hell is six million? Honda fresh graduates only get four and a half million yen! Damn it, is this the rotten bourgeoisie? A sinecure is one thing, but this starting salary is way too good!’
His mind quickly did the math—fifty thousand yen a month, after taxes and insurance, take-home was probably around four hundred thousand.
You felt his teeth ache.
His monthly allowance was only eight thousand yen!
This gentle older sister’s take-home pay was fifty times his!
Chihaya raised an eyebrow slightly.
She only had one hundred twenty thousand yen a month for living expenses.
That came out to a little over one point four million a year.
Hitomi’s annual salary was over four times that.
Futaba’s smile faded a bit too.
She also got one hundred twenty thousand a month.
The Mochizuki and Tsukuyomi families were very consistent on this point—the allowance for the family heirs was exactly the same.
But that number still circled in her mind, refusing to leave.
Mai’s eyes went wide.
“Six million?”
Her voice was a bit higher than usual.
“Big Sis Hitomi is amazing!”
Mai’s monthly allowance was only ten thousand yen.
You coughed dryly.
“What’s everyone’s allowance level?”
“One hundred twenty thousand.” “Same for me.” “Ten thousand.”
Everyone’s tone was noticeably bitter.
You felt doubly wounded.
‘Great, so I’m the poorest. Chihaya and Futaba are college students and have to cover rent and utilities, but even Mai’s allowance is more than mine. Even if girls spend money on makeup, it’s still frustrating.’
You sighed internally.
‘Whatever. I eat and sleep at the inn, someone else pays when I go out, and I don’t need to buy anything. Eight thousand is fine.’
He tried to comfort himself, but it didn’t work very well.
Futaba’s smile remained, but her eyes were distant.
‘Six million yen…’
She repeated the figure in her mind.
For her current self, that was a huge sum.
She couldn’t help feeling a bit envious, but she quickly adjusted her mindset.
‘I’m the heir of the Tsukuyomi Family, not a family member sent out like Hitomi. Our futures are different. I can’t compare like that.’
Chihaya looked away and took another sip from her teacup.
Her expression remained dignified and composed, but the wavering in her eyes showed her heart wasn’t as calm as her appearance suggested.
As for Mai, her big, watery eyes had already lost their luster.
‘How many things I like could I buy with that? Is this the adult world? So cruel.’
Hitomi saw the situation and felt awkward.
‘Oh no, what do I do? The atmosphere is about to get really awkward!’