Rich Girl Caretaker Vol. 6 Bonus Chapter

A Possible Future with Tennouji-san

One holiday, Tennouji-san invited me out to relax, as I was wound way too tight.

We viewed famous paintings at a museum, savored aromatic tea at a cafe, enjoyed ballroom dancing for the first time in a while, and then chatted while strolling outside.

"By the way, did you always plan to run the Tennouji Group in the tournament?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, just... you're not putting pressure on yourself just to 'repay the family' anymore, right? So, I thought you might consider starting your own business, like I did..."

Since Tennouji-san is so ambitious, I thought it was a real possibility. In fact, even though their personalities are opposites, Narika had wanted to run a Dagashiya, not her family's company.

"That's true... I actually did consider it a little."

I went "Oh?" feeling a bit curious. What kind of business would Tennouji-san want to run?

"A cafe."

"A cafe...?"

"Yes! I'd run an elegant cafe that serves only the absolute, first-class tea and coffee that I approve of!"

"Like that place we went to today?"

"Exactly."

Gilded interiors, elegant music playing... that kind of cafe.

"However, I'd want to make it a place the general public could visit."

General public...? Seeing my confusion, she added:

"Meaning, not membership-based. A super-high-class cafe that anyone can easily drop by!"

"I feel like the moment you call it 'super-high-class,' people can't 'easily drop by'..."

"Oh, nonsense. People get the urge to splurge once a week, don't they? My cafe would fulfill that desire."

"...I see."

So her target demographic is people who want an occasional luxury. I'm not exactly a "commoner" anymore, so I can only guess, but she's probably aiming to be a high-end treat, like yakiniku or sushi. Cafes already have a relaxing image, so... a "casual-but-high-class" cafe... I'm starting to think it's a good idea.

"If you thought it through that much, why'd you give up on it?"

"Because I'm ultimately better suited to running a large corporation. And... unfortunately, I don't think I can handle a B2C business right now."

It must be from a lack of knowledge and experience. This is probably the one weakness of Kiou students. Their values, especially regarding money, are completely detached from ordinary people. Taisho and Asahi-san are a little better, since their family businesses are B2C—selling to the public, not just corporations—so they know a bit more. Only a bit, though... I still remember when I first transferred, we were talking about where to hang out after school, and "Taiwan" came up as an option.

"...Thinking about it now, I should have just hired you as a consultant."

"No, I don't know that much either..."

At Kiou? I'm sure you could find a cafe owner if you looked.

"Anyway, if you did that, it wouldn't fulfill the tournament's purpose of simulating your future path, right? Not that I'm saying we'll ever be running a cafe together..."

"The two of us... running a cafe..." I meant it as "that's not going to happen," but she seemed to be... seriously imagining it? Huh?

"...Not bad."

"Huh?"

"Me, making the tea... You, serving the customers... A warm, happy, mom-and-pop..."

I definitely didn't say "mom-and-pop." Tennouji-san had just unconsciously said what she was thinking.

"Ah!? Wh-What did I just say!?"

"...Nothing. You didn't say anything."

Answering honestly would just make it awkward for me, so I dodged. ...But, that really might be a wonderful vision of the future.

Ojou-sama and the Internet

About a week after the Management Tournament began. During one of our usual tea parties, I idly voiced a question:

"By the way, everyone's really good with computers."

"Of course."

Tennouji-san said, setting down her cup.

"Every job these days requires one. I've been learning since I was a child."

"Plus, we had those classes in our first year~"

Asahi-san added cheerfully. She must mean computer literacy. My old high school had that, too. It's no surprise. But, that's not what I meant...

"But isn't everyone's knowledge... a little skewed?"

"How so?"

"Well, it's just... you don't seem to know anything about common culture..."

Like the "three-second rule," or "finders keepers"... Okay, maybe those aren't "common knowledge," but they should have had chances to learn about shopping arcades or arcades. Especially someone like Tennouji-san. If she got curious, she'd look it up.

"...You know, you're right."

Tennouji-san looked puzzled. And beside her, Hinako tilted her head in confusion.

"Why is that?"

◆

"That's because their information is filtered."

When I got back to the estate, I asked Shizune-san the same question. And I got a clear answer.

"After all, high society is full of doting... apologies, overprotective parents. Services exist to filter internet content specifically to 'protect' the children of the wealthy."

That definitely counts as 'doting.' Forget elementary school, I can't believe a high schooler would need that...

"Because ignorance creates dignity."

"What do you mean...?"

"When you see an ojou-sama who knows nothing of common culture, what do you think? ...Doesn't it make you feel 'This is a real ojou-sama?'"

"...You have a point."

When I see them, rather than being exasperated, I feel... almost moved. Like I'm witnessing a sheltered princess from a story. It might even be a little exciting. So, there's a "demand" for that image. And the filter service exists, in part, to protect it.

"Normal people don't use it, but you can find it... Here."

Shizune-san showed me her tablet.

"'Celebrity Gatekeeper'... That's... on the nose."

I had a complicated expression.

"Does Hinako use this?"

"Ojou-sama used it as a child, but the contract was canceled."

"Why?"

"Because, with Ojou-sama, any free time she might spend 'looking things up' is instead spent 'sleeping.'"

I see. That makes sense.

"However, she has been changing lately. It might be good to keep an eye on her."

"True... She's into shoujo manga. She might try to buy some."

"If it's just shoujo manga, that's fine..."

"No, I've heard... some recent shoujo manga can be pretty extreme. The ones she's reading now are from Yuri, who probably filters them, but..."

I might be getting overprotective, too. But Hinako is, for better or worse, pure. A sheltered girl. If she saw something too strong, she might actually get a fever.

"To be safe, I have access to her browser history. I can prevent a disaster."

"Is that okay? That's pretty private..."

"It was the Master's order. And Ojou-sama was informed."

If she knows... fine.

"...Oh my."

Shizune-san's brow furrowed.

"...This is not good."

"What's wrong?"

"Ojou-sama is looking at an indecent website."

"EH!?"

◆

While Itsuki and Shizune were discussing this, Hinako was in her room, playing the game.

(Phew... Done with today's work. Time for a break...)

Her eyes left the screen and fell on the shoujo manga on her desk. They were from Yuri. Her "love textbooks." She'd finished them. Yuri said she'd bring more, but Hinako was impatient.

"...Right. If I look online, I can find out what happens."

It was her first time using the internet for personal reasons. Hinako immediately searched for the title. She clicked the official site, and...

"...What's this? An ad...?"

A pop-up. She clicked it. The screen filled with pink images.

"Eh? Eh? Eh...!?"

It was an ad for a manga... one of the spicier ones.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What... What is this...!?"

Hinako was bright red, overwhelmed by the new stimuli. The bottom of the screen prominently displayed... a "bed scene."

"Ojou-sama!"

"Hinako!"

Shizune and Itsuki burst into the room. But Hinako was—

"Nnngh... Nnngh..."

She was so flustered, her eyes were spinning.

"Looks like we were too late..."

"This was definitely too much for her..."

The two of them looked at the screen, troubled. The next day, after hearing Shizune's report, Kagen signed Hinako up for the Celebrity Gatekeeper service... without her knowledge.

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