Not sure how much time had passed, Shuichi Chiba tossed the two small white stogs aside, then, satisfied, got up ao the bathroom, leaving behind only oence.

  " the floor, aime, don't ugh so loudly. It really ruins the atmosphere."

  She mumbled indistinctly, "But... the soles of my feet are so itchy... it was really hard to bear..."

  However, the young master's orders weren't fihe little maid relutly propped herself up, found the rag she had tossed somewhere earlier, and, her limbs trembling with weakness, wiped the messy floor .

  She hesitated for a moment before ging bato her uniform.

  It seemed that Tsuki Akiyama had regained some of her energy. She coldly remarked from the side:

  "You're really a pervert, so ied in the blue-and-white stripes panty on a girl, and scratg a girl's soles in that way."

  "It's time to eat." Shuichi Chiba, not in the mood to py along with this verbally straight-ced person, walked past her without a sed gnce.

  "..."

  Tsuki Akiyama bit her lip in displeasure, quickly packed up the maid outfit, white stogs, and blue-and-white stripes, stuffing them int, pnning to secretly e back ter to wash them off.

  She caught up to Shuichi Chiba and followed him downstairs. "The perverted young master is definitely dying to look baht?"

  "Not ied." Shuichi Chiba said coldly.

  Although today’s replenishment had given him more energy thaerday, after nearly three hours of inteion, he was now pletely calm and posed.

  Even if Tsuki Akiyama suddenly had all her clothes disappear right now, he would only care about what kind of magic could make clothes vanish in an instant.

  "Despicable young master, you're definitely going to use my sister as a threat iure, tinuing to do this kind of thing to me and making a mess of me, right?"

  Tsuki Akiyama bitterly expressed her desires, her face filled with indignation.

  Shuichi Chiba stopped, turned around, and g her. "Rather than that, I'd prefer to do it in front of the css presideime."

  "Ugh..." Tsuki Akiyama's legs immediately went weak, and she colpsed on the spot, breathing heavily, her hand weakly clutg the railing. "No, this absolutely 't happen. I won't accept it. I'd rather die..."

  "Don't want it? That just makes me want it more. The president is so worked up, looks like you're really looking forward to it. How perverted," Shuichi Chiba said, giving her a look as though she were a simple creature.

  "Ugh... It's not going tain..." Tsuki Akiyama couldn't stand up from her weak legs.

  Dinner was uful. Shuichi Chiba was fully satisfied, his miirely focused on the sumptuous meal, eating with great dedication.

  Tsuki Akiyama sat alone, repying the events from earlier in her mind.

  On a Wednesday m, in an old, small shop in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, an elderly woman in her sixties carefully locked the shop door and hung the closed sign for the day.

  After double-cheg that the door was secure and the sign was in pce, she slowly left along the street.

  "I wonder how Tamako is doing. The security around Adachi Ward really isn’t great. It’s probably for the best that she moved with her two daughters... sigh..."

  She sighed and muttered to herself, then boarded the train.

  To avoid the rush hour, she had left early so she wouldn’t have to worry about the crowded crowds—something quite dangerous for elderly people.

  As for taking a taxi, the fares in Tokyo were just too high for her to accept.

  Siting older, she had go less and less, spending most of her time in the shop serving regur ers.

  But this time, with Tamako Akiyama opening her new shop after moving, as the mentor who taught her the art of making ramen, Granny Mutsuki was still somewhat worried and wao see for herself.

  Between Adachi Ward and Taito Ward, there’s Arakawa Ward, and although she left early, by the time Granny Mutsuki arrived at the Chisake shopping street, it was already dawn and beginning to bustle.

  She staggered along the street and soon found Tamako Akiyama's ramen shop.

  The shop had an old sign hanging outside, ohat she was very familiar with, simply dispying the words "Akiyama Ramen Shop."

  It was breakfast time, and Shuichi Chiba’s hand was still rubbing Tsuki Akiyama's thigh when suddenly a figure appeared at the diving him quite a shock.

  Turning his head, he saw a hunched old woman, someone he hadn’t seen in the shopping street before.

  “Granny Mutsuki?!”

  Tsuki Akiyama immediately reized her and hurriedly pushed Shuichi Chiba’s hand out from under her skirt to prevent her elder from seeing it. That would pletely ruin the image of a well-behaved child.

  Her younger sister was ohing, but an elderly woman of that age would likely be frightened.

  "An acquaintance?" Shuichi Chiba asked, curious.

  "Yes, she used to take good care of our family. Mom learned how to make ramen from Granny, but Granny Mutsuki was very strict. When Mom was learning the craft, she would often be scolded to the point of tears." Tsuki Akiyama briefly expined, quickly getting up to greet her.

  Shuichi Chiba watched the se with i. Finally, he got to see the css president's serious side; it was a bit of a y.

  Despite her reputation for being strict, Granny Mutsuki appeared very kind when she faced Tsuki Akiyama, smiling warmly as she reached out to pat her head.

  "Good girl, yettier aer. How's your mother?"

  Granny Mutsuki looked at Tsuki Akiyama with a sense of satisfa. This child was not only a good learner and quick to act, but also very sensible and smart—she wouldn't easily be deceived.

  Rather than saying the Akiyama family was supported by Tamako, it was more accurate to say it was this child who was holding things together.

  "She's by the stove..." Tsuki Akiyama turned around and pointed, but then realized the figure had disappeared.

  Shuichi Chiba stood up, brag himself on the bar ter, and peered into the kit. After searg for a while, he finally spotted Mrs. Akiyama, curled up in the er, hugging her head and trembling.

  "..."

  It seemed that Granny Mutsuki really was as strict as rumored. What kind of psychological trauma must Mrs. Akiyama has to react like this?

  "Still so useless. As a mother of two, how you act like this?"

  Granny Mutsuki, with Tsuki Akiyama’s help, blocked the kit exit and began scolding Mrs. Akiyama, who was crouched down, clutg her head like an ostrich.