After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

But there are some things that you absolutely must ask about and clarify.

"What are you thinking? Didn't you notice that Xiao Mu was almost crying on stage?"

Looking in the direction behind Toyokawa Shoko, what unfolds before Nagasaki Sase is the road down the mountain, flat and wide, and just a few more steps and she will be back in the warm and peaceful city lights.

"What does this have to do with you? Stop pretending to care about others. What we are doing right now is our own business."

Faced with Nagasaki Sōse's questioning, Toyokawa Sōko neither gave a direct answer nor softened her tone in the slightest.

Looking at the mountain road behind Nagasaki Sase, the lights were dim and it was getting narrower and narrower, but it was the only direction he could face now.

"Stop dodging my questions and answer me... Do you really consider Mu a friend, or just a tool to achieve your own goals?"

Seemingly having his patience worn thin by Toyokawa Shoko's evasive behavior, Nagasaki Sase's remarks this time were quite direct and sharp.

Like a sharp knife, it pierced straight into Toyokawa Shoko's heart.

"You really are...so high and mighty. And what do you... know about me?"

Clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, Toyokawa Shoko slowly squeezed those words out of her lungs.

The atmosphere between the two immediately became tense.

Are they really chatting, or are they actually arguing?

Seeing the tension between the two who were already palpable upon meeting, Chihaya Aine, who was secretly hiding in the shadows, began to feel a sense of unease.

If this continues, they're bound to start arguing.

No, I need to find someone who can mediate. If they really start arguing, I can't separate them by myself.

But who should we turn to?

Li Xi? She'll probably align herself with Soyorin and face Xiangzi together.

A lamp? That won't do either. Maybe the scene will turn into Soyorin and Xiangzi facing each other on one side, while she's alone in a corner secretly wiping away her tears.

Lena? What if she gets lost on her way here?

After much thought, Chihaya Aine could only think of one person who was reasonably reliable.

Oh, right. Mr. Youyu is Xiangzi's sworn brother, and he also provided Soyorin with the concert tickets this time.

He has influence on both sides.

Taking out her phone, the pink-haired girl's fingertips groped across the screen from memory, and she clicked on the name 【Toyokawa Yuu】 in the contacts section.

......................................................

Inside the agency, Yuu Toyokawa sat behind her desk, her cell phone and the telephone on her desk ringing incessantly.

The concert is indeed over. Although there were many unexpected events, the result was still acceptable.

But this does not mean that Toyokawa Yuu's work has also come to an end.

Thanks to the sudden outburst of "Wakaba Mutsumi," whose identity remains unknown, Toyokawa Yuu now has to handle online public relations as well as communicate with the upper echelons of her agency.

“That’s right. Today’s performance was a last-minute decision by Xiangzi and me. We felt that this kind of dramatic performance would better reflect the theme of death (Mortis), and Mortis’s performance did not disappoint us. It successfully stirred the audience’s emotions.”

He gripped the landline on the table in one hand; it was the brokerage firm's internal phone, with the line connecting directly to some more upscale offices upstairs.

“I remember when Ave Mujica was first formed, the company gave the band a high degree of independence and autonomy, right? Now that the audience's reaction has met expectations, I don't think it's necessary to dwell on some minor details. What do you think?”

"If Xiangzi hasn't gone to rest yet, he certainly wouldn't want the band and the company to argue over such a trivial matter, right, President?"

Although the person on the other end of the phone was theoretically her superior, and even procedurally had the power to intervene and forcibly dissolve Ave Mujica, Toyokawa Yuu's tone was hardly respectful; at best, it was merely polite.

After all, if the other party really has that kind of courage, then in some ways it might actually be easier for me.

"Of course, I am also well aware that this act of willfulness has caused considerable trouble for the staff behind the scenes. Xiangzi and I will be more careful to restrain ourselves in the future... How about we use my salary for this month and my share of the concert's revenue as a thank you gift for the staff's outstanding performance tonight?"

"However, given my current workload, I probably won't have time to handle these matters myself, so I'll have to trouble you to do it for me... Well, that's all, sweet dreams."

With a snap, the microphone was slammed shut. Toyokawa Yuu, who had just promised away a significant portion of the profits, showed no sign of heartache. She seamlessly pressed the answer button on her phone, which had been ringing for almost half a minute.

"Yes, continue to steer public opinion in a favorable direction. Remember, this isn't a performance mishap, but rather one of Ave Mujica's flamboyant styles..."

Beside the desk, Hachiman Kairin stood quietly, the constant ringing of Toyokawa Yuu's phone as she contacted various parties filling her ears.

Her phone kept vibrating in her pocket, as if someone was relentlessly sending her messages, but Hachiman Kairin had no intention of opening it to check.

There were only her and Toyokawa Yuu in the office, but the other woman didn't seem to want to talk to her at all, let alone ask her to help with any work.

Watching Yuu Toyokawa's busy figure, Kairin Hachiman hesitated, but every time her lips moved, she couldn't say anything.

In the end, all that could be done was to remain silent.

In her eyes, Toyokawa Yuu's attitude of ignoring her while getting busy was undoubtedly a sign of distrust in her abilities.

ability......

If this incident wasn't due to Youyu's attitude, could it actually be a problem with your ability?

Toyokawa Shoko's accusations still echoed in her mind at this moment.

This was probably the first time in her life that Hachiman Kairin's abilities were questioned by her husband.

Listening to Yuu Toyokawa on the phone, Kairin Hachiman lowered her head and stood by the desk like a secretary, neither leaving nor sitting on the sofa, her thoughts unconsciously drifting back to the past.

Although saying this might sound like boasting, in Hachiman Kairin's eyes, she actually possesses considerable talent.

It may not be unique, but it is certainly outstanding.

From a very young age, she has been able to master both academic studies and hobbies with ease.

Because of her excellence, she began to be trusted, relied upon, and surrounded by people like stars around the moon.

The group activities she led always achieved satisfactory results.

As for Hachiman Kairin herself, she gradually came to enjoy the feeling of helping others... or rather, leading others.

She had always firmly believed that as long as one followed the instructions of a capable person, one could succeed.

This is not about domination, but about responsibility and love.

Although some people may have complaints about her command, all doubts and complaints will disappear when the final result is presented to everyone.

Until she suffered her first betrayal because of this outstanding talent.

Yawata Kairin still remembers that it was her first band.

The initial development went quite smoothly, and I naturally became the team leader. As I had done countless times before, I made detailed plans for everyone, and everyone made rapid progress, even qualifying to participate in auditions with talent scouts present.

"Everyone, hang in there! We'll practice for another three hours today. Don't slack off when you get home; familiarize yourself with the new sheet music I found..."

The words she spoke when she chased after each team member, urging them on, are still clearly audible; Hachiman Kairin even remembers the smile on her face at that time.

She could certainly sense that her teammates were showing some displeasure and reluctance, just like the doubts she had faced countless times before.

But at the time, Hachiman Kairin didn't pay much attention.

She was already used to these doubts. As long as the band could successfully debut through the audition, when success was presented to everyone, those unpleasant feelings would naturally disappear as they had countless times before.

Success silences the doubters, a lesson learned by Hachiman Kairin beforehand, and she never believed she would fail.

After all, she had already met the requirements for debuting, and she was quite pretty. If she put her mind to it, finding a good band wouldn't be difficult.

However, since one enjoys the feeling of leading others, one should at least fulfill the responsibilities that come with it.

Even if it's done through unpleasant methods, forcibly elevating that fledgling band to a level that doesn't belong to them.

At the time, Hachiman Kairin never imagined that there would be a third outcome besides success or failure.

On the day of her audition, she was betrayed; everyone conspired to stand her up.

【We're sorry, Hailing, we won't be going. We're not naturally strong like you, and we won't hold you back anymore. Please don't bother us again.】

Her words, though polite in a perfunctory manner, were utterly heartless, shattering Hachiman Kairin's last illusions.

That day, all the spotlights were on her, but Hachiman Kairin felt like she was standing on a giant interrogation table.

She doesn't remember how she composed herself and finished the performance while holding her bass guitar; all she knows is that she didn't lose.

Even though it was just a bass solo, her skill was still recognized. Several talent scouts extended invitations to her, promising to find her a suitable band, but she politely declined.

I did not lose, but that was all. The outcome of being betrayed by a group of people I trusted can never be called a success.

This difficulty in clearly defining the scope of the result only made her feel more tormented.

But since then, she has also begun to change.

He joined many bands at the same time to avoid the risk of being betrayed by everyone again, and to use his talents more carefully, accommodating the level of others, so that others would not feel inferior due to the gap in their skills and thus distance themselves from him.

But this behavior ultimately stems from a lack of trust in others, a belief that they cannot progress together or share risks.

Similarly, those whose talents are far inferior to hers cannot satisfy her deep-seated desire for control, nor can they fulfill the demands she makes.

A person who doesn't trust others will naturally not be able to gain the trust of others.

Therefore, even though she joined more than thirty bands, Hachiman Kairin never truly integrated into any of them, always remaining an outsider.

Until this band called Ave Mujica appeared.

Undoubtedly, this band has all sorts of flaws... even defects, with each member having their own quirks.

But one thing is certain—everyone here has talent that is no less than mine, and I will not feel inferior or alienated because of the difference in talent.

According to Yawata Kairin, this is the foundation for building trust, enabling them to step onto the business stage together and achieve greater success.

Here, you don't need to suppress your talents to keep up with others, nor do you need to restrain your desire to command others.

Therefore, at least in Hachiman Kairin's heart, she truly hoped that Ave Mujica could continue to exist.

What's more, there's also Toyokawa Yuu here, who's willing to give him her trust.

She could see that Yuu Toyokawa and Shoko Toyokawa were vying for control of the band, but she didn't care.

That unforgettable betrayal had long ago made her completely relinquish her overt leadership of the band.

What she sought was a more covert approach—to become a figure akin to a powerful minister, the actual controller of the band's operation, permeating every detail of the band with her own control.

In this way, the band will be inseparable from him and will naturally no longer be betrayed.

However, this requires the ability to be proficient in all aspects.

Today, my abilities have been publicly questioned.

Not only did Toyokawa Shoko blame part of the responsibility on her, but even Toyokawa Yuu, who had always trusted her, seemed to have doubts about her ability to handle more work.

If things continue like this, the trust I've finally gained from Mr. Youyu will slip away.

Yes, if forced to choose between Toyokawa Shoko and Toyokawa Yuu, Hachiman Kairin would choose the latter.

The former has the half-body of Wakaba Mutsu, the die-hard fan of Misaki Hatsune Miku, and even the contract of Yutenji Wakame is in her hands.

As for Yuu Toyokawa... at least at this stage, Kairin Hachiman believes that the only person she can trust is herself.

But now, this trust built on competence is in serious jeopardy.

Watching Yuu Toyokawa's busy figure, Kairin Hachiman bit her lip, her emerald green eyes seeming to have made a decision.

She must demonstrate her reliability in terms of competence, sustain this newly established trust, and extend it in other areas.

From ability to affection, and finally to a simple habit... that way you won't be betrayed.

This is what a true community of shared destiny looks like.

No matter the form it takes, no matter the cost, I will...

"Mr. Youyu..."

Finally mustering her courage, and taking advantage of the brief lull in work after Yuu Toyokawa hung up a phone call, Hairin Hachiman spoke earnestly.

"Timoris, help me find a qualified psychologist from this contact list and schedule a counseling session for tomorrow."

Upon hearing Yawata Kairin call her name, Toyokawa Yuu's heart stirred, and she temporarily stopped what she was doing.

After standing there for ages, have you finally given up?

Toyokawa Yuu knew perfectly well what Hachiman Kairin was thinking when she stood silently beside him.

It's simply that he felt he no longer trusted her abilities, which created a sense of panic about not being trusted.

After all, he deliberately ignored her existence and called her by the somewhat unfamiliar code name Timoris in order to create this feeling.

Because of a mistake at work, her abilities were questioned, and she no longer trusted her competence.

This anxiety of gain and loss is exactly the effect that Toyokawa Yuu wanted to achieve.