Have Mercy, ■■■■, on Me 1

A memory. Several years ago, in late autumn. In the garden at the Tomoe residence

Hiyori: —I’m so bored!

The sky was so clear and blue I thought it’d be a waste not to go outside and play. That was obviously where I went wrong.

I’ve just been strolling around looking bored, so really someone should be obligated to ask me to play with them.

That would have been fine. But to think so many other kids would actually turn me down!

Just thinking about it is so annoying. Having tea with me should take priority over anything else they might have to do.

Now I’m convinced I’d have been better off just going to my lessons!

Ughhh, I’m so bored. I never would have imagined a day like this could be so terribly dull!

The sun is shining so stupidly bright and lighting up the whole world. But my heart feels like total crap! What foul weather...^[1]

(...But complaining about it all by myself feels empty and pointless.)

(Well, I do whatever I want every day already. I guess it’s inevitable that I have days like this sometimes.)

Sigh... Anyway, I guess I’ll quietly go hole up in my room today and sulk about it.

...? For some reason, it looks like there’s a lot of commotion at the manor.

Don’t tell me... Father found out I skipped my lessons?

Mmm, but I doubt he would make such a big fuss about something like that.

I’m just the happy-go-lucky second son. Father probably doesn’t even notice what his useless second son is doing, since I don’t offer any benefit to the foundation.

It’s not like I’ve done anything to bring dishonor to the foundation, right?

Yeah, nothing at all! So that means whatever’s going on in there has nothing to do with me!

In that case, it’s more likely that they’re hosting a really important guest at the manor.

That would mean I might actually get in the way if I go back now. But I’m also so tired of wasting my time outside...

Okay, I’ll just keep an eye on things for now. I can always decide what to do after confirming what’s going on.

(If I listen in by the window over there, I might be able to overhear something useful.)

(Hmmm? Urgh, even from here I’m only getting bits and pieces of the conversation...)

(Based on the fragments I’m getting, it sounds like someone’s hidden fortune was found on land our foundation controls.)

(They say walls have ears and windows have eyes. Information is an essential weapon, no matter where you are.)

(Maybe I should tell Brother to keep an eye on security around the manor.)^[2]

(No, that’d just make it harder to ditch my lessons. I’d better not.)

(Anyway, what’s this about a hidden fortune? Did they find buried Tokugawa treasure or something?)^[3]

(That’d be a real stroke of luck for this declining family. But it also smells suspicious.)

???: ...What are you doing over there, Hiyori?

Hiyori: Huh...? What are you doing here, Sanbi?^[4]

Sanbi: That’s what I should be saying. Aren’t you supposed to be having your lessons right now?

Hiyori: Uh, hahaha. You must be mistaken, Brother. My schedule today was entirely clear, actually.

Sanbi: Oh, really? Then the tutor waiting inside the manor was also a mistake on my part?

Hiyori: Yes, indeed! You’re always so busy, Brother. Surely you must be tired!

You always work too hard. Let me give you a special shoulder massage!

Sanbi: Honestly... you should stop causing so much trouble for your tutors, Hiyori.

Hiyori: Urgh, I was hoping you’d play along and pretend to be fooled!

Well, anyway, it looks like there’s something going on at the manor. What is it?

Sanbi: You have a bad habit of trying to brush things aside the moment they become inconvenient for you.

But yeah. I was wanting to get your help about something, so this actually works out well.

Hiyori: Hm? You don’t come to me for much, Brother. Is it really that bad?

Sanbi: Yeah. It’s got a lot of complicated and troublesome parts to it.

There are some things I can’t handle on my own, so I wanted your help with them.^[5]

You have plenty of free time anyway, so it works out perfectly, right?

Hiyori: Hmm. No matter how I look at it, it sounds like it’ll be annoying. I’d rather refuse it if I could...

But since it’s a request directly from my beloved older brother, I’d be happy to accept!

Sanbi: Thanks. In that case, can you come with me?

There’s someone I want you to meet.

??? (Nagisa): ......

Hiyori: Hi, there. My name is Tomoe Hiyori! You must be the one my brother was talking about.

??? (Nagisa): ......

Hiyori: Oh, no. Ignoring me when I speak is very rude, don’t you know?

In fact, you’re the one who should have introduced yourself first. But I took the initiative, so you should at least show your appreciation for that.

??? (Nagisa): ......

Hiyori: ...?

Heyyy, can you hear me?

??? (Nagisa): ......

Hiyori: ...Okay. Brother, I think this kid is dead!

Sanbi: Come on, Hiyori. Don’t bully him too much.

Hiyori: But Brother, I’ve been trying so hard to talk to him, but he hasn’t even moved a muscle!

He might as well be dead if he’s not going to give even a little bit of a reaction!

...Oh, wait. I think he just blinked? So he really is alive.

I was starting to think you found a doll and brought him home.

So since he still won’t answer me, who is this really pretty but really rude kid?

Sanbi: Answering that question is a bit tricky.

Hiyori: ...? What do you mean?

Sanbi: This boy was being confined within a certain man’s mansion.

There are some circumstances that led to him being put under the Tomoes’ protection...

But it looks like he hasn’t gotten a proper education at all. He doesn’t even know how to speak.

Hiyori: ...Huh?

Sanbi: So to answer your questions about who he is, I can only say this—

I want you to teach this boy the best you can and find out who he is.

I believe you’re kind enough to open up his heart... ♪