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 October 4th, 1986, 1:30 PM  BGM: Doorway of Summer However, because the sons and siblings had been lent a great fortune, in the Ushiromiya family, which considers only those that achieve success in business adults, it literally was a conference. How much of the fortune was invested? What kind of business was conducted? How much was earned? As a result, how much of the fortune borrowed from the main family can be repaid? Or, possibly, how much will be borrowed for future business ventures? What lessons have they learned, and what could they learn from their mistakes? It seems that topics like these had been discussed very seriously in the past. My dad called it a bed of nails. Apparently, it used to be a very serious family meeting, bathed in harsh and angry voices. Even on a good year, it was common for someone to get slapped. However, that had become a thing of the past. Now, with everyone pursuing their own business ventures and achieving success, it was a normal yearly get-together. Even so, hearing about Grandfather's condition caused a significant amount of stress, so while to us grandchildren it was nothing more than a simple meeting, to our parents it was still a real stomachache. I guess that since the ringleader was absent for various reasons, today's lunch was even more delicious. The phrase 'while the demon is not around, everyone can relax' comes to mind. Well then, let's introduce Jessica's father, whose face I hadn't seen for six years. The man sitting to my father's left was his older brother and the father of Jessica, uncle 蔵臼.  Just like with aunt Natsuhi, I didn't have many memories of speaking with uncle Krauss. He had never been one to talk to children, and I felt like he was always talking with the adults, just like aunt Natsuhi. From my father's gossip, it seems that he was a pretty spiteful and unreasonable person. If what my father said is true, he used to be very domineering as the oldest sibling, and was hated by aunt Eva, aunt Rosa, and the rest of the family. Huh? It looks like he's having a friendly chat with the rest of the family, doesn't it? Oh, well. Even if their relationship was bad when they were children, sometimes when people grow up and go their separate ways, their relationship changes. That's probably what this was. After all, they all had children of about the same age. By sharing the same family environment, they probably profited by exchanging opinions. Maybe because of that, a short while ago the circle of parents began to discuss the exams Jessica and I were taking. Jessica, in order to escape the discussion of exams with my father sitting on her left, purposefully faced right while firing off a rapid series of comments, so as not to show any weaknesses. Moving on, let's look at the end opposite from Krauss and the others. In the very last seat at the table, an old gentleman with a sturdy physique sat facing Kyrie-san. This was my first time meeting him.  He had known Grandfather since the very beginning when the mansion was first constructed on this island, and had built up a relationship over several decades. I thought that he might be Grandfather's companion in his suspicious hobbies, but, surprisingly, it seems that he is Grandfather's chess partner... I see. That kind of hobby seems very like our Grandfather with his love of western style. You could probably say that he was the only person who could enter Rokkenjima and was neither a family member nor a servant. He gave an impression of a calm old gentleman as he listened to Kyrie and the other women's conversation. After staying by our short-tempered Grandfather's side for so long, his big heart was nothing to laugh at. Still, even if he was the head physician, having anyone outside the Ushiromiya family attend the family conference was a little odd. I imagined that because Grandfather's condition had grown much worse, it may have become one of the major topics of discussion. George was just saying it, too. Reports that Grandfather's remaining life was very short had been appearing continuously since around a year ago. It was a nasty story, but Grandfather was an extremely rich man. At the time of his death, his wealth would suddenly be released, along with our parents' stomach acid, and would probably lead to ulcers. With this kind of thing, the greater the share, the more trouble would be caused. This would probably also be included in the family conference. Oh well, it's not like it had anything to do with us children. Finally, even though he was absent, let me introduce our Grandfather.  As you can probably guess from the topics that have been raised, he was a frightening person with an extremely short temper. Because I was one of the grandchildren and hadn't met the family since elementary school, I had no memory of being beaten, but it seems that our parents were raised with an iron fist. That earlier conversation between my father and uncle Krauss about who should go try to convince Grandfather to come out seems oddly funny if we take this into account. In order to tell Grandfather's story, you have to first go back and recount that episode that occurred before the Showa era (1926-1989). Until the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taishou (1912-1926) eras, the Ushiromiya family was great and prosperous. They owned several spinning mills, so while they just laughed heartily every day, the money kept rolling in, making them very wealthy.  BGM: Rose Even so, during the Great Kanto earthquake in the year Taisho 12 (1923), the mansion owned by the Ushiromiya family in Odawara was flattened. The spinning mills in Tokyo were all burned down in a huge fire, and the Ushiromiya family lost most of its wealth and family members in an instant. It then became a matter of who in the main family would become the heir, and it seemed as though no one except the branch family, which included Kinzo, was left. Kinzo himself later said that it was such good luck, it was as though fate itself had been turned upside-down. With that, Grandfather's normal life did a 180. He was entrusted with reviving the wealth that the dying Ushiromiya family had almost completely lost. Naturally, just because he had been entrusted with this task didn't mean he could accomplish it. It seems that the surrounding people weren't really expecting much. However, from this point on, Grandfather began displaying his extraordinary talent and good luck. Grandfather used all of the family funds and everything from the hair on his head to his toenails as collateral to borrow a massive amount of money, created a gigantic supply of funds and soon revived the family's business. It was like tumbling down a hill on a bike without any brakes. And then, jumping onto a neighboring bike, and then another one! Just like some crazy street performance. Probably, anyone would have thought that Grandfather had no business ability. Even so, with an unbelievable amount of good luck and miracles, with coincidences piling up and every chance taken advantage of, before anyone knew it, he began to make connections with the occupying forces. At that time, McArthur and the GHQ were in charge. Grandfather, in a twinkle of the eye, began succeeding in business under the protection of the occupying forces, quickly becoming very rich. At this point, it was no longer luck but information that won the day. He must have made some seriously thick connections with the occupying forces... Grandfather knew beforehand about emergency demands that would be made for the Korean War. No, on the contrary, he must have foreseen these special procurements from the very beginning and started eating into his businesses. As we read in the history books, all of Japan made a large profit off of the emergency demands for the Korean War, but in actuality that didn't happen. Only a very limited number of the super rich played the money game and made an easy profit. Most of the citizens remained poor. In other words, Grandfather was an extremely lucky member of this group of winners. This all happened... during the year Showa 25 (1950), I think. And, since the year following the Great Kanto Earthquake was Taisho 13 (1924)... That means Grandfather was able to revive the near-dead Ushiromiya family in only about 20 years to a level even higher than it had been before. With that, you'd think that he would revive the main family in Odawara, but for some reason, he went and did something as crazy as buying an entire small island in the Izu archipelago.  After the war there were prevention measures against food shortages, and, furthermore, having the sponsorship of the GHQ meant that nobody could oppose him. It seems that Tokyo Metropolis had almost no money at the time and offered this land. Later, Tokyo made difficulties by telling Kinzo to return the land, but the pushy GHQ intervened. Anyway, it seems as though under the table bribes worked perfectly. In the end, the city gave up in frustration. Grandfather, with considerable skill and blessed with good luck, managed to weather the stormy seas of that period, obtaining a vast fortune and his own island. Of course, it wasn't all luck. He was skilled with English, and this was cultivated by his western obsession. Using this as a weapon, he was able to take a bite out of the GHQ. A mansion was immediately built on the island. That would be this mansion. Grandfather, with his western style, made this once uninhabited island, Rokkenjima, a canvas upon which he could realize his dreams to his heart's content. With the western mansion that he had always imagined, overflowing with emotion, to the beautiful garden where various roses had been planted, and a private beach where nobody other than himself would ever be permitted to leave a footprint. ...If a boy could have this much, it would be a dream come true. After that, making good use of his huge fortune, he became a large stock holder in the extremely stable iron and steel industry and was able to live an easy and comfortable life just using the dividends. Well, he's just that incredible. This kind of person usually has the ability to foresee and predict the future, or at least that is how they are portrayed. Grandfather denies all of that, repeatedly saying that he was simply blessed with extraordinary luck... Anyway, even a lord like that, with all of his dreams made real, can't help but grow increasingly odd when locked up alone on an island.  Did his love of black magic begin way back when he became fascinated with everything western, or, possibly, did his miraculous stretch of good luck which allowed him to revive the family cause him to feel a mysterious power in himself? At some point, Grandfather began to make the research of black magic his life's work. He filled his study up with suspicious books, chemicals, and magical items as he became increasingly bizarre. I heard that, as a successful man, he had the right to decide how he wanted to live the rest of his life, and those surrounding him warmly watched over him, but... That's definitely a lie. They probably were just driven away, thinking 'that's disgusting, I don't want to get involved.' Well, that agitated period was like a big gamble, with both opportunities and risks. Let's say Grandfather was born in this time period. He would've had no opportunities and would probably have advanced like a chess piece from mandatory education to college at a leisurely pace, never becoming more than an average salary man. If that happened, he'd probably have sat somewhere, happily talking behind his boss's back. No, no. Not in a mansion's dining hall. More like a table at some bar. If that were the case, I'm sure that this would be a more comfortable family conference.  BGM: Novelette  "I'm already convinced by the sashimi salad! Gohda-san is an excellent chef! Plus, these fish were caught in the adjacent seas, weren't they?! They're totally different from sashimi you get at the supermarket!" "Hey, quit it Battler. Your upbringing will be exposed."Everyone let out a big laugh. drat it, you say that even though you love those cheap pubs.  "Hahahaha. Depending on the situation with my job, I also have eaten at many odd places, but compared to all of those, this is an excellent dish. Gohda-san probably also learned a lot that way." "Well, I don't know too much about it. At the famous hotel where he used to work, employee politics got pretty complicated and everyone split into factions. In the middle of all that, he was apparently forced to retire. Then, by chance, Mom sent out job offers for a servant."Gohda lowered the empty plate and, without losing his smile, began to recount his own uneven past.   "That is because among all of the applicants, you were the most talented. The decision was not based on personal feelings, but purely objective, so there is no need to thank me."...Oh man, why does aunt Natsuhi always have to speak so frankly. If only she spoke more gently, she might give off a different impression. Shannon-chan and Kumasawa-san entered from the hallway with a serving cart.  "Please excuse us." "Now then, let us move on to today's dessert."Gohda-san and the others laid out the beautifully adorned dessert. I guess it's true when they say you have another stomach for dessert. I'd thought that being fed all that delicious food had totally filled me up, but as soon as I laid eyes on the dessert, my stomach started yelling 'More!' I don't know much about desserts, but this looked really good. A white pudding-like substance was garnished with two shades of red sauce, and elegant rose petals adorned the dish. With such magnificent food distributed in front of everybody, it was time for the chef to extol the virtues of his creation. However, Maria, who was completely indifferent to this strict rule, got excited by this beautiful and delicious looking dessert and jumped into the fray as soon as it was placed before her. Aunt Rosa scolded her, calling it bad manners, but George responded by saying 'Now, now, it's alright.'  "Uu-?! This part's sour! This part's sour! Battler, this one's no good! Uu-!"Maria exclaimed as she sampled the two colored sauces.  "What, some are good and some bad? Alright, I'll give it a go~! Mmmmm?!"Apparently the sauce was a blend of sweet and sour. Despite it being bad manners, I also stuck my little finger in and licked it. Whoa, half of it was sour enough to make you pucker up. If it were yellow, I'd have suspected lemon, but I couldn't guess what kind of sourness would be red. I decided to ask Shannon, who was putting away the serving cart behind us.  Maybe she was just setting the table and doesn't really know. Man, she's at a total loss... did I ask something wrong? Or did they use something that we'd be better off not knowing about? While aunt Natsuhi acted as though she had a headache, Kumasawa-san, who was setting the table at the opposite seat, began to laugh with a 'Hoh-hoh-ho'.  "What ingredients do you think we made it out of? Hoh-hoh-ho, it'll shock you..." "Huh? I, I don't have a clue. Wait a sec, Kumasawa baa-san, that laugh's pretty creepy. So, what is it?!" "Don't tell anyone, alright? Let me borrow your ears."Kumasawa-san leaned across from the other side of the table. I leaned forward too when she asked me to listen. Their interest caught, Jessica, George-aniki, and, of course, Maria also put their ears closer.  "Uu-. What? Wha-t? Quickly-! Quickly-!" """HAAAaaahh, mackerel?!?!""" "That's crazy," we all thought, horrified. Only Maria accepted it, nodding with an 'uh-huh'. "Uu-? Mackerels are sour? If you squeeze them, this comes out!"""...ha, Wahahahahaha...!"" When Maria started clamoring that mackerel were sour, the adults were unable to contain their laughter. Only aunt Rosa, her face red, told Maria that mackerel is sour only once prepared, in a small voice.  "Kumasawa baa-chan, you sure haven't changed...! You know Maria's gonna believe now, right?" "Hoh-hoh-ho, it's just a joke, right? Now, Gohda will tell us what the sauce's true nature is, won't he?"Gohda looked a little put off about his masterpiece being laughed at in such a strange way, but after clearing his throat once, he introduced the dessert to us.  "Well then, allow me to introduce tonight's dessert. Based on the rose garden that everyone seemed to enjoy so much today, I finished this panna cotta in a rose garden style. The rose petals scattered across were selected just now from that rose garden. The sauce is a combination of two reds, strawberry and rose hips. Please enjoy this mixture of the strawberry's sweetness and the rose hip's sourness. Furthermore, the rose petals are merely decoration, so please avoid them while you eat. With that said, please, enjoy."...Ha... Man, I almost want to applaud before eating. Just like with medicine, reading the instructions seems to work better than just drinking it. As Gohda-san elaborated on the details of this dessert, it started to feel even more appetizing. Seriously, should you call him subtle or just talented? The dessert was probably planned from the beginning, but taking the hint when we all stopped in front of the rose garden earlier today, he displayed an incredible and timely awareness by just adding a few rose petals from that garden. This combination of sweet and sour was also exquisite. If it was just sweet, you'd just get used to it and bored halfway through. But if you reached the sour sauce at that point, you'd get a really vivid taste. And then, once you returned to the sweet sauce, all of the sourness in your mouth would be replaced with an enjoyable sweetness. I'm sure everyone else felt the same way. Every time Gohda-san passed by one of the seats, someone praised the taste and his creation. "How is it, Madam?" "Splendid, as always. It is worthy of entertaining our guests." "I am most grateful for your words. ...Madam, did you know? I have heard that rose hip has the ability to cure headaches. I thought that Madam especially would appreciate it, so I had it specially prepared." "Is that so? Thank you." "See, didn't I tell you, Natsuhi nee-san? Rose hip works on headaches." "So it seems. At least it would be nice if that were the case." "Haa-! Gohda-san, I love ya! Hey, later, why don't you tell me how they're treating you! If you've got any problems with it, just lift a finger and I'll give you whatever salary you want! Having your talent monopolized by this small island is sacrilege to humanity's cooking culture! Wouldn't you be willing to display your talent to all of the guests at my company?" "Hahaha, Hideyoshi-san. Are you trying to recruit our Gohda? how troubling. We better start treating Gohda better or he'll get snatched away." "*giggle* Yes, you really should. If you don't, he'll be lured away and you'll be stuck with three meals a day of Kumasawa-style mackerel cooking, won't you?" "Hoh-hoh-ho, that's harsh. It seems someone's holding a grudge against me." Kumasawa-san often claimed that mackerel had a precious nutritional value that could do things such as prevent aging and make people smarter. It seemed that while it couldn't stop the outward signs of aging, it helped prevent aging on the inside. Since she was still healthy enough to tell these kinds of jokes at her age, that benefit must be the real thing. "Hoh-hoh-ho... In that case, if you'll excuse me... Prepare yourself for tonight's dinner! I'll be cooking plenty of mackerel dishes for you to eat, so look forward to it!" "Wahahaha, we sure will. I want to get all dressed up for tonight's mackerel!" "That sounds wonderful. I wonder if any delicious Japanese sake will be included." "Really, is that so? How about some of our famous Rokkenjima mackerel liquor...""""Wahahahahahaha!!!""" Kumasawa-san, together with Shannon-chan, bowed and pushed the serving cart away. Amusingly, Gohda-san, who looked just as though his stock had been stolen from him, explained very seriously that tonight's dinner would actually be calf steak.  "Hoh-hoh-ho, I haven't done a~nything that requires thanks."Kumasawa may have played dumb, but she had obviously understood and saved Shannon in the nick of time. Back when Battler had asked for the details of the dessert, Shannon had unfortunately hesitated. There may have been several ways to dodge the question, but all of them would have been tricky. Shannon, who hesitated when hard pressed for a response, was always suffering because of this small weakness. If only Shannon, like Gohda, had a little of the craftiness needed to skillfully shake off a mistake, her days would be a little more comfortable. As far being able to flawlessly handle her work, this weakness was especially unfortunate. Naturally, those whose knew of Shannon's meek nature and her inability to gloss over a mistake and deceive people would understand this. Therefore, Kumasawa came to her aid without hesitation. "I just heard from Genji-san that there was a change in the afternoon shifts. I believe Shannon-san was given a break until this evening. Hoh-hoh-ho, I'm jealous." "Huh... ah, I'm sorry. I haven't checked the list of shifts yet." "Ah, yes. I was thinking I might start cooking some mackerel in the oven. If you don't mind, I would be happy if you would help out a bit before your break." "Ah, yes...! I would be delighted to help."To Shannon, Kumasawa was like a mother among the servants.  BGM: Steady Pace Maria insisted that she also wanted to drink the black tea, but was rejected by the old bastard, who told the children to go play outside. "Battler-kun, why don't we all go for a walk outside?" "It's alright if you just go to look at the roses. But keep a close eye on the weather. The sky's still clear, but the weather report kept talkin' about rain." "Uu-! Maria wants the beach, wants the beach!!" "Aw, isn't that great? Playing on a sandy beach isn't something that you get to do often, is it?" "Really? Alright, let's all go to the sandy beach then!" "Uu-! Let's go, let's go!" "Maria, be careful not to get your clothes wet. Your shoes, too." "Uu-! Won't get wet!" "*giggle*, that obedience is so cute. Battler-kun, make sure you keep an eye out for Maria-chan, okay?" "Great, leave it to me!" "Haaah, isn't your obedience to Kyrie's request just as cute? ...Why don't you also listen to me obediently for a change?" "Heh! Hell no! Let's go everyone, c'mon!"The children flew out of the parlor. They were replaced by Genji, who pushed a serving cart in and prepared the black tea. The parlor was filled with a sublime aroma which entertained everyone while they waited to appease their thirst...   "That's true~. Jessica-chan really has been raised to be cute. hasn't she? This is also the fruit of your training, isn't it, Natsuhi nee-san?" "...Thank you."Natsuhi answered coldly. With that, the conversation halted, and the parlor became silent. Possibly because he couldn't stand it anymore, Hideyoshi broke the silence with an exaggerated gesture. "Still, they sure do grow fast. ...I've always thought of them as children, but they've been gettin' huge right before my eyes and, before I knew it, they've joined the group of adults. Battler-kun, for example, is beyond recognition!" "His body has gotten much bigger, but he is still a child. Well, my husband is also still a child." "I wonder where the border between child and adult is. I still don't feel as though I've grown up." "Hmph, isn't that pitiful. That's not something the mother of a child should say." "That's right. We're not children anymore. We are all adults. So I want to stop this sentimental talk and move on to a more intellectual discussion."  "We have all intended to have an intellectual discussion for some time now, haven't we? ...It seems that your sarcasm is poorly timed. Just as it used to be." "...'Just as it used to be,' is it? My, my. I wish I could wrap those words up and send them to this room a few decades ago. Right, Rosa?" "..."Rosa smiled with an uncertain face. Whether she agreed or disagreed, she knew that she would earn the displeasure of her brother or her sister. It was a bit of worldly wisdom she had needed to learn as the youngest sibling.  BGM: At Death's Door  "Last year, his life expectancy was estimated at about three months. Which means that you could say that it's already minus nine months now, couldn't you? I guess this means that it could come at any time now." "The family head is still in good health. Raising such an inappropriate topic while the sun is still bright...I can't help but doubt your true intentions, Rudolf-san." "Still, Natsuhi-san. If we don't discuss this until somethin' happens, it'll be too late. He's still healthy now, so we must figure out something while we still have some time left over. It's the same as financial etiquette." "It seems as though everyone is concerned about Father. ...Doctor Nanjo. Could we hear the details from you? It seems as though they are also hoping for that." "...*cough*."Nanjo, standing by the window and staring out at the rose garden, let out a single cough when he realized that he was being called. "...Doctor Nanjo. ...How is Father's condition?" "Well, first off... Because my estimate last year that he had only three months to live has not borne out, allow me to start with that revision." "No need to explain. You're saying that measuring remaining life is only a prediction, not a promise, right?" "...That is correct. Because of that, while I will accept everyone's repeated questions, I can by no means confirm when he will pass away. A human's life is supported by their body and their mind. If the body is weak, the situation becomes more dangerous, but if the mind is strong enough to compensate for that weakness, the lull in one's condition can be preserved." "So you're saying that even if his body is weak, his mind is still firm and spirited." "...Kyrie, sorry, but please stay quiet for a while." "...Sorry." "That is correct. Kinzo-san's body is being overwhelmed by the demon of ill health. Furthermore, to continue having a taste for that kind of strong liquor is very, very..." "So drinking is reason why he's teetering on the edge. Is his long life also the liquor's fault? Sounds like Father, the heavy drinker." "Well then, Doctor, I know you can't give anything more than a prediction... but what do you think about Father's chances of living until this day next year...?"  "Ah, Natsuhi-san, forgive her! Eva, couldn'try and choose your words a little more carefully, okay?" "I'm sorry. I was just so concerned over Father's condition. *giggle*." "Is that so? I hadn't realized." "Doctor Nanjo, please tell us. For the sake of the beautiful family love of a daughter worried about her father's lifespan."Krauss laughed sarcastically, and Eva, smiling sweetly, returned an identical chuckle. "...You ask whether he will still be healthy next year, but as a doctor, it is very hard to say. Because while I do think this lull in his condition will continue for a while, if he suffers some kind of fit, there may be nothing we can do. Anyways, Rokkenjima is a solitary island. It is not as though an ambulance can quickly jump in to save him. Normally, I would want to have him hospitalized in a large hospital on the mainland, but..." "Father stated that he does not want his noble research interrupted. It seems he holds a grudge over the way we tried to force him out last year. Apparently, he strongly suspects that he'll be shut away in some hospital if he goes outside. And that's how things are now." "Has Doctor Nanjo been examining him?" "Father trusts Doctor Nanjo. It seems he can be examined when in a good mood..." "I can examine his condition, but if I try to recommend medicine or hospitalization, he refuses to listen. I've really only been able to look." "It's true that there are people that hate doctors... Still, what a hassle!"Nanjo sighed deeply. The purpose of an examination was to determine what medical treatment was appropriate. Receiving an examination and then not following the advice given made the whole thing pointless...  "I understand Doctor Nanjo's opinion. What do you think, Krauss nii-san?" "...Hmph. To be perfectly honest, I have to disagree with Doctor Nanjo. I find it truly difficult think of Father as a person so sick that he has only three months to live. His yell is as healthy as ever, and I still get the chills at the thought of his fists raining down on me. Pushing the care of your father solely on the shoulders of the eldest sibling is far from fair." "Hahhaha. In the next world, get born after me..." "Alright, let's return to our discussion. In that case, according to the impartial and neutral doctor's opinion, it wouldn't be odd for him to go any time. Sorry, Aniki, but I'd rather trust the opinion of a specialist. With that, I believe the discussion of Father's fortune is no longer a premature topic." "Father's personal funds probably reach as far as several ten billion yen, right? But, it's not as though all of that is neatly gathered as ready cash. It's not as simple as neatly cutting a birthday cake with a knife." "...Aneki's metaphor is interesting, isn't it? That's right, sometimes strawberries or chocolates are placed on top of the cake, making it hard to cleanly divide it into equal parts. Taking that into consideration, I think it's important to first discuss how best to stick the knife in, don't you...?" "I truly don't understand everyone. Even while the head is still alive, you're discussing the matter in loud voices as though he were already dead." "Come now, don't you see how important this is? After all, when the time comes, the inheritance of his fortune must be carried out immediately, right? Moreover, the glorious Ushiromiya house's wealth is vast. Don't you understand that a careful discussion is necessary beforehand? Because there's a huge difference between this family's resources and your family's wealth." "...How rude. The family I was born to has nothing to do with this."As Natsuhi resentfully responded in a low voice, the already dark atmosphere grew even more hostile... "Give it a rest, Eva... Natsuhi-san, forgive us! Pardon her rudeness."Hideyoshi, tried to smooth things over by glancing at both with a forced smile, but it only resulted in making the hostility between Eva and Natsuhi even more intense... Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Oct 31, 2016 |
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 After the doctor had exited and his footsteps had disappeared into the distance, Krauss recrossed his legs. "In other words, what you all have to say is something like this. Father's remaining life is short. You want to quickly enter into a practical conference concerning the distribution of the inheritance... Why are you so eager, I wonder? Certainly, as you say, estimating and distributing the Ushiromiya family's wealth is no simple task. In that case, shouldn't we carefully and deliberately calculate? It seems to me that you are all impatient to split up the cake tonight. That's true, isn't it Rosa? Is something making you impatient?" "...We are not impatient. However, a decision between the siblings is essential. It doesn't matter when, but if the day when Father's condition worsens is approaching, discussing the matter beforehand isn't what I would call impatience..."Rosa shot a glance at Eva and Rudolf. As the youngest daughter in the family, being cross-examined by the eldest was harsh.  "...Oh? Is that your true opinion? I didn't expect that the most honest and pure-hearted of the siblings would say something like that. I wonder if those two told you to say that...?" "..." "Quit it, Aniki. Rosa is also our sibling. She has a fair right to Father's inheritance. It's obvious she would be interested, right? After all, Father will definitely die, and that's not something that'll happen in the distant future. On the contrary, Aniki, you are far too relaxed. It seems almost as though you would like nothing better than to turn the discussion away from the distribution of the inheritance." "...What do you mean by that? Are you trying to accuse my husband of something?" "C, calm down Natsuhi-san. Listen to what we have to say..." "Nii-san, I hear these are very good times nowadays. That's right, on the one hand, since last year the rise of the yen has led to an unprecedented boom in prosperity. It seems that it's no longer a dream that the dollar will reach 100 yen. Also, the ruling party says that it will establish health resort maintenance law by next year. At this moment, resort development companies across Japan are running about trying to gather as much capital as they can." "You sure are knowledgeable. Soon, Japan will see an unprecedented boom. Just like when Father revived the Ushiromiya family. Another case like the Korean war demands. The people of Japan have gotten into in a frenzy trying to realize vast economic growth and become the most prosperous people in the world, glorifying the spring of our society. Private spending has increased, and institutions that can profit from that can make easy money in this era. The people's needs are not three kinds of electrical appliances. Places to ski, to golf, public pools. Resort hotels and theme parks!" "Krauss-san, your foresight isn't something to be trifled with. When I heard that several years earlier, I thought it was ridiculous. However, when I heard about the G5 nations' Plaza Accord, that changed. The yen became increasingly strong, and the price of land will soon skyrocket, I believe. The day that Japan becomes the economic center of the world isn't far off. You have a very forward looking view. At least there can be no debate about that." "I feel the same as Hideyoshi-san. Aniki, you can read into the next decade of history. That keen sense surely came from Father. It's incredible... However, unlike Father, there have been cases where the timing of your predictions have been mistaken, haven't there?" "Nii-san, believing that Japan will definitely face an economic boom, you have been planning resorts everywhere. And almost all of them continue to fail. While I'm sure that the era you predicted is arriving, it seems that you misread the timing of that boom." "...You were too early. And then you hurriedly tried to sell everything off, and as a result opened the wound even further. If your nose was really so reliable and you predicted the coming of a boom, then there should be no reason for you to sell off your property. Is this proof that you don't trust your own ability?" "...How rude! Are you trying to insult my husband?"Natsuhi's forehead creased as she rose from the sofa. Eva, paying this no heed, stared at Krauss with a confident smile. Krauss, who also maintained his confident appearance, told Natsuhi to sit down. "Please stop, Natsuhi. My little sister has always talked that way. ...Calm yourself a little. Your headache will get worse." "Proof that you have no talent is also right here. After all, Nii-san, weren't you all excited about turning this island into a resort? Building a wonderful resort hotel, beautifully maintaining the garden. I'm just an amateur and don't pretend to understand, but you must have used a significant amount of money, right?" "Then, what are you trying to say! My husband's business has nothing to do with you!" "Actually, that's not true, Natsuhi-san. Rokkenjima is not Aniki's. It is Father's. Of course, the hotel that was constructed is Aniki's, right? If you like, you can charge us lodging fees tonight. Right, Rosa?" "...Well, hmm. If what I have on hand will suffice." "If I can make it into a resort, this island's financial worth will rise. It is true that expenses have piled up, but we can hope to have a large harvest in the future. When that happens, it should prove to be beneficial to all of you as well." "I understand that. If the value of this island rises, that will increase our shares when we distribute the inheritance. Of course, I won't ask you to divide the island and the mansion into four equal parts. But that's only if the matter can be settled by calculating its financial worth." "If you understand that much, what about my business makes you so dissatisfied?" "We aren't dissatisfied, we're uneasy. In the first place, Aniki, when do you plan to open that hotel? Left this way, you won't get anything out of it except our grubby hand prints, right?" "That's right. It's an important tool for your business, isn't it? Surely you can't keep it locked up until the moment you open it for business, right? Buildings go bad if you don't use them and air them out every once in a while. Even so, it's a bit extravagant for a guesthouse that we only use once a year. Right, Rosa?" "...That's right. If it is that wonderful, I'm sure that it will become quite popular once you open it." "Oh...The hotel that you mentioned earlier is actually the guesthouse, isn't it..." "It's splendid. Just as Rosa said, if you were to open it, I'm sure it would become popular." "Nii-san, it's just like all of your enterprises. Your attention and planning are both fabulous. Then, it always becomes unable to maintain itself partway, and ends without being able to collect any profit." "It was brilliant of Aniki to spot that this island, when used only as a place to live, was a waste. I think that turning it into a resort which could use things like marine sports, fishing, or honeymoons to attract customers was a pretty good plan. If I were the oldest son, I'm sure I would be puzzling over what kind of profit I could get out of this island." "But, two full years have passed since you finished building, right? After two years, you still haven't had the opportunity to open it? Where is the managing company you entrusted it to?" "...Impertinence! That is not my husband's fault! There has just been some trouble with the company that my husband contracted with. No matter how you look at it, we are victims here!" "And yet... This company that Krauss-san hired... I haven't heard many good rumors about it." "Just spit it out. Did you think that rumors about nonpayment, embezzlement, and projects that disintegrated mid-way wouldn't reach my ears? I've been collecting evidence." "I don't know what kind of evidence you found, but it's all baseless! As new members in the sightseeing business, it is necessary to lay the groundwork with various people. It is also important to discuss how trustworthy the other party is. This is nothing more than taking some time to meet that end!" "...I'll accept that, in my rashness, the hotel was completed too early. However, we are not paying maintenance costs. It's a slow and vital strategic arrangement." "Liar. I'll bet you want to sell it but can't. There's no reason for anyone to buy such an extravagant hotel on an isolated island without any established sightseeing routes. What happened to the financing that you collected for this project?" "Even if you aren't incurring maintenance costs, the borrowed money that you can't return is steadily swelling. Sorry, Krauss nii-san. I investigated the development plan for this island a little. Honestly, I have also heard nothing good." "Hideyoshi-san. I'm sure that only looking at the current financial condition could lead you to that impression. However, that is a prior investment. I have no choice but to admit that my prediction was mistaken, and that up until now, several liabilities have been created." "However, the times have finally caught up with me. I will soon regain everything that I have lost up to this point. No, actually, all of the investments I have made until now will finally return to my possession. That's right, just like throwing away a small fry which then becomes a salmon, they will come back even bigger than before." "I'll accept that. Starting soon, the resort business will probably see an unprecedented boom... Whether it'll be enough to bury all of your liabilities is... However, Krauss nii-san. After all your miserable and repeated failures in the past, who in the world would supply you with funds? It would have to be a massive amount of funds. Enough funds to cover your massive debt, right?" "...What are you trying to say, Hideyoshi-san?" "Ahh, Natsuhi-san, please don't get angry! We also investigated that. We investigated to see if anyone loaned Krauss nii-san, who has continued to lose so much, a large enough investment to support him recently." "...And the result, there is none. There is no backer. Turning things around during a time of weakness is the iron rule of the money roulette. Aniki's was a well known time of weakness in this neighborhood. Surely this era seems set to welcome an economic boom, but when we asked who, with respect to Aniki's failures, would find him worthy of funding, there was no one." "Then what...? Where did you raise that money from? ...That's the question, now." "...Ho. Isn't this an interesting story. And?" "D, dear! How long do you plan to ignore these abusive remarks!!" "Sit down, Natsuhi-san. Let me say it directly. Aniki has been diverting Father's private funds for his own business. There is almost no doubt. If we made some mistake, please, feel free to explain it for us." "They aren't abusive, they're right on the mark, aren't they? I'm sure he'd like to make his business succeed so that he can recover his losses, but his debt is actually growing! He's just trying to cover up the failure of one gamble by making an even bigger one. If he had funds close at hand, it's only logical that he'd try to use them! Let me say it clearly. Nii-san, what you are doing is embezzlement. You're betraying our father. You know that we'll the the courts settle it after this is all over, right? Do you think that kind of person has any right to assume the position as successor to the Ushiromiya head house?" "Y-, you can't say that... s, saying that he's betraying the head isn't something that can be easily overlooked!! You have no right to straddle the threshold of the glorious Ushiromiya family!! Leave this place immediately!! All right?! Get out!!"Natsuhi, who had already reached the limits of her anger, shouted at Eva in a rage. She then pointed alternately at Eva and the hallway, indicating that she should leave. Eva took out a folding fan and fanned herself with it, glaring maliciously at Natsuhi as though silently daring her to repeat what she'd said. However, her mouth was still smiling, curved in the shape of a crescent moon. In that unpleasant silence, Rosa gulped.  "I'm speaking to the extremely impolite sister of my husband!! As the person in charge of the main family's kitchen, I cannot overlook any more of this!!" "In charge of the kitchen? Huhuhu, hahahaha, ahhahahahaha!! Shut up, you maid servant!"Eva folded the fan with a snap and rose powerfully. Compared to the elegance and playful behavior she had shown until just now, she was unimaginably aggressive. "How foolish. Bow down!! Before Eva of the Ushiromiya family! There were a hundred ways Natsuhi wanted to respond. However, her anger and sorrow crushed her throat, and not one of them managed to make it to her mouth. The anger which had lost any place to go became a single hot tear which slowly dripped down...  "Whaaat? If you have something to say, please, say it now. Come on."Eva faced her with a provocative gaze. However, Natsuhi's fist was shaking; she trembled all over, unable to do anything... Krauss quietly broke that powder-keg tension.  "D, dear, don't you understand what they're saying about you?! These people are baselessly calling you a traitor to Father!! They are making light of the fact that we protect the glory of the Ushiromiya family and in order to receive that glory from Father, we have been purely spending our days expending every effort. They trample all of that underfoot; what a painful rambling!!! You are you. Why don't you talk back! Since you won't talk back, I have, but for a while you have been relying completely on me!! Are you telling me to go cool my head and come back?! It's a-lways me!!" "Even though I have always seriously considered this family's affairs, you've...!! WhaaaAAaaAaaaa, whaaaaaAAAAAAA!!!"Natsuhi was already unable to hide her tears. She flew from the room in that state. After that, all that remained was an somewhat embarrassed mood about the parlor... When the sound of footsteps grew distant and silence returned, Krauss shrugged his shoulders slightly. "...I apologize for my wife. She has always been bad at controlling her emotions. It's hard even for me right now." "If she's been managed like that, it must worry Nii-san to no end, huh? *giggle*giggle*...!" Natsuhi flew into her room and bent over the bed, lamenting... Those heartwrenching sobs reached Kumasawa in the hallway...  There is a deep enmity between her and and Eva-sama. Explaining their relationship would be very tiresome for a woman such as myself... The Ushiromiya family held blood in high regard, but if someone married outside the family, they were normally removed from the family hierarchy. Thus, under normal circumstances, Eva-sama should have been removed when she married Hideyoshi-sama. However... this was not anyone's fault. Madam definitely bore no guilt. There's no way to say it other than calling it a whim of god. Krauss-sama and Natsuhi-sama were not blessed with children for some time. Anyways, this was the male dominant Ushiromiya family. A wife was just a tool to create a heir. If that wife could not fulfill her only duty, she would not be treated as a human. It is painful to remember how much the Master tortured Madam during that time... During that time, Eva-sama and Hideyoshi-sama's wedding was discussed. Eva-sama was sly. Taking advantage of Madam's inability to become pregnant, she gained the favor of the Master. She inspired him to allow her to marry and give birth to a successor herself, making sure to avoid transferring her name out of the Ushiromiya register. There was a vast difference in the Ushiromiya hierarchy between Madam, who married into the Ushiromiya family and was treated like an outsider, and Eva-sama, who was related to the family by blood and whose husband took on the Ushiromiya name. And beyond that, Eva-sama was the first to give birth to a boy... As for how much weaker Madam's position was compared to Eva-sama, I believe you could see for yourself... I'm sure Madam is tormented by the thought that if only she had gotten pregnant earlier, the Master wouldn't have accepted Eva-sama's request to keep her last name after marriage, and Eva-sama wouldn't have been permitted to act as arrogantly as she had today... However, that was not Madam's fault... All of the blame lies with god's whims and the stork that delivered Jessica late... Even so, Madam won't allow herself to see things this way... She probably can't help but cry bitter tears at her inability to carry out the duties expected of a wife... 
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Sep 21, 2016 13:40
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Holy poo poo, this family is hella loving assholes. Two things I want to say though: first, I forgot Battler had a sister, and what year did this take place?
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Sep 21, 2016 16:02
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bman in 2288 posted:Holy poo poo, this family is hella loving assholes.  "Little Ange-chan" was very briefly mentioned in the introduction at the airport. She's currently sick and can't attend.
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Sep 21, 2016 17:07
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tiistai posted:
Thanks, and sorry for forgetting everything. Don't know why that's the case for me right now.
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Sep 21, 2016 17:38
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I wonder how this typo slipped through? (They're referring to Tokyo Disneyland which was established in 1983, and which is apparently stupidly successful.)
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Sep 21, 2016 20:49
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I imagine the 'typo' slipped through because Ryukishi didn't want to mention Disney by name in his game, just in case.
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Sep 21, 2016 20:50
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Yeah, that's one of those "writing around trademark" name spoofs, like how in D&D you don't have hobbits, you have halflings because otherwise the Tolkien estate will sue.
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Sep 21, 2016 20:55
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bman in 2288 posted:Thanks, and sorry for forgetting everything. Don't know why that's the case for me right now. I couldn't blame anyone for missing the Ange mention, it feels almost deliberately hidden among the sea of other character introductions. And yeah Japanese copyright/trademark/whatever laws are a little weird in some respects, R07 is avoiding a potential lawsuit by not using the actual name.
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Sep 21, 2016 21:00
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ProfessorProf posted:While it lays a lot of important groundwork for the amazing parts to follow, Episode 1 is definitely the weakest part of Umineko - which is a shame, because it's the part you see first. As I'm sure you've noticed, it suffers from a far-too-slow opening before the fun starts. While I totally agree, I noticed something very unusual a little bit further in the game: It's actually, to me, introducing the characters very well. I could list off all the introduced characters and remember important personality traits about them without them feeling like caricatures. Pretty standard for a classical mystery, but not so much for Japanese Animes. Qrr posted:I think this has been a yearly thing for a long time, but battler skipped the last 6 years because he was living with the other side of his family until they died. It's not him hitting on them, he's trying to play to a classic pop culture stereotype, and getting disappointed when they don't respond in kind. Like if he had posed dramatically and said "So, Chosen One... you have come to defeat me? You will find that the power of the Dark Lord is not so easily overcome!" and the other person responded with "uh yeah okay bro," he's trying to play around with his relatives and it's not working out. The fact that talking about their Sweet Tiddies is considered playing around is a one of those especially obvious cultural differences; it's just not as big a deal in many situations in quick edit: Oh yeah, I'd apply the updated patch for the stuff you don't have done, Prof. The updated translation and visual effects are totally worth it.
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Sep 21, 2016 22:40
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bman in 2288 posted:Holy poo poo, this family is hella loving assholes. Hella sexist too. Why do they keep calling Krauss Aniki? I guess George is called George-Aniki too.
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Sep 22, 2016 00:04
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Qrr posted:Why do they keep calling Krauss Aniki? I guess George is called George-Aniki too. It's literal in the case of Krauss being adressed by the other siblings, but Battler using it to refer to George is probably a term of endearment. Cobalt Zeroni fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Sep 22, 2016 |
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Sep 22, 2016 00:09
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Qrr posted:Hella sexist too. It'd be like if you had a relative that everyone in your family called "bro", I guess, whether or not he was actually directly their brother. It's meant as a term of endearment, they're seen as the "big brothers" of the family. I mean, it's either that or the EDIT: I can't even with that last name. KataraniSword fucked around with this message at 00:58 on Sep 22, 2016 |
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Sep 22, 2016 00:09
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KataraniSword posted:I mean, it's either that or the Uroshimiyas are a yakuza clan and George and Krauss are the higher ranking officers.
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Sep 22, 2016 00:12
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From what little I understand this stuff Battler uses aniki for George because he feels close to him and/or respects him. Rudolf either is used to calling Krauss aniki since youth or he wants to be straightforward and a little rude about addressing his brother (since he doesn't even use his name). Probably both.
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Sep 22, 2016 00:37
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tiistai posted:From what little I understand this stuff Battler uses aniki for George because he feels close to him and/or respects him. Rudolf either is used to calling Krauss aniki since youth or he wants to be straightforward and a little rude about addressing his brother (since he doesn't even use his name). Probably both. It's a fairly common way to address a familiar man in Japanese, even if he isn't literally your brother. John Lee posted:While I totally agree, I noticed something very unusual a little bit further in the game: It's actually, to me, introducing the characters very well. I could list off all the introduced characters and remember important personality traits about them without them feeling like caricatures. Pretty standard for a classical mystery, but not so much for Japanese Animes. The characterization is really good even in Episode 1, before the plot kicks off. Higurashi was your average VN with a mostly teenage cast, but Umineko gives a lot of attention to the parents. For someone coming from Higurashi it would be the most obvious difference at this point. I feel pretty bad for Krauss here at first. He had huge expectations piled on to him as Kinzo's firstborn and he's just so comically bad at business he can't fulfill them. Then he leaves Natsuhi in the lurch when she's trying so hard to defend him, and you remember he's also an rear end in a top hat.
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Sep 22, 2016 01:45
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 October 4th, 1986, 1:30 PM  BGM: Hope As we did, we once again saw that witch's portrait. However, the word 'saw' is probably not the best word to describe that experience. It was more like our eyes were drawn to it. That woman's eyes, with their sage-like glamor, definitely had the power to make those who viewed it stand rooted to the spot.  Back when he had asked what this picture was, the first person to tell him it was Beatrice had been Maria. Therefore, when Battler showed signs of doubt, Maria must have felt that Battler didn't have faith in her. Of course, that's not what Battler meant. Maria ran up to the portrait and began banging on a plate hanging below it. Maybe the title of the portrait was written there. Maria, trying to prove that she wasn't lying, obstinately continued to hit the plate. "Ah-, sorry 'bout that, it's not like I doubt anything you said, Maria." "Uu-! Battler believe it! Uu-!"When he patted Maria's head and apologized, she seemed to accept it, sticking out her chest and proudly uu-uu-ing.  BGM: Rose The plate did have the title of the portrait written on it, but it was much too big to contain only that. Beneath the title, what looked like an long epitaph was also written. If you just skimmed over it, several unnerving words would jump out at you.  "Incredible, isn't it? Grandfather had that written. Pretty deep, huh?" "Uu-! Maria knows! The place where the gold is hidden!" "...Wait, is it that story about the Ushiromiya family's hidden gold? There's another thing that I remember from long ago... Wait, Aniki, is that for real?" "Grandfather had this written, but he never said anything about this picture or the epitaph... Even so, amongst the family, it is often whispered that it points to the location of Grandfather's hidden gold, and that he will relinquish the inheritance and the gold to the person who solves the riddle." "Uu-! Maria heard that too, Maria heard that too! Lots and lots of gold!" "...Well, something like that. Something like 10 tons of gold bars. I think it's a fake, though." "Still, if you read this all the way through, it almost seems real." Grandfather succeeded the Ushiromiya family after it had been destroyed in the Great Kanto earthquake and, by successfully riding the stormy seas after the war, managed to accumulate great wealth. That much of the story everyone knows. However, from here on, the strange part of the story begins. Part of it is closely tied to Grandfather's black magic hobby, so its credibility is extremely low, but... Well, wait until the end before you doubt or make fun of it. After the war, Grandfather correctly predicted what the future would hold and won in a huge gamble, accumulating a vast store of wealth, but there is a mysterious legend about how he gained the funds in the first place. Grandfather came from the branch family and had no connections in the business world or the financial world. Even though he later built connections with the occupying forces, in the beginning he was supposedly a nameless person who had not yet gained anyone's trust. Money can only be gathered based on trust. There's no way anyone would lend money to an untrustworthy person. How did Grandfather, whose trustworthiness was zero, manage to obtain the large amount of funds in the first place? It is said that, when asked that question, Grandfather answered like this...  Grandfather then went on and on about how he continued to research alchemy and techniques for summoning demons in order to become a great magician... And the entity summoned as the result of the demon-calling ceremony was the Golden Witch Beatrice. He then said that he made a contract where, in exchange for his own soul, he would receive fortune and honor. The witch then granted Grandfather 10 tons of gold. Grandfather used this gold as collateral to prepare a vast quantity of funds, and then used that to multiply his wealth by several times and revive the Ushiromiya family... It seems that this story was so old that our parents had already been told it when they were still children. Therefore, while our parents were still young, they explored this island in various ways, believing that the gold that Grandfather had received from the witch might be hidden somewhere. However, since there was the danger of them getting lost in the abandoned forest, Grandmother began to spread the story that the witch lived in the forest and that approaching it was forbidden.   "We sure were idiots, weren't we? After all, Grandfather used that to build up the funds that he finally bought this island with, right? That means he must have had the gold before coming to this island. There's no reason the gold itself should be on the island." "That's not necessarily so. Maybe the gold was hidden on the island from the beginning and he bought the whole island just to make sure it was all his. There was a whole 10 tons of it, right? It seems more realistic that he would try to secure the place where it was hidden rather than try to move it all." "This epitaph was written two years ago. And since Grandfather wrote it himself... I see, this does make the Legend of the Gold more believable. The funds that revived the Ushiromiya family which he calls the witch's gold weighed 10 tons... And that's sleeping somewhere, ready to be turned over to whoever can solve Grandfather's riddle. Maybe that's why he did it? Haa, I guess that sounds like Grandfather's style or something... Ihihi! If it's true, that's pretty incredible."The epitaph carved into the plate was very mysterious, with something like a poem or a song written on it. That paragraph was incredibly disturbing, filled with the signs of Grandfather's black magic hobby, and its contents were in bad taste, but it could definitely be viewed as a puzzle which, if solved, could lead to the place where the gold was hidden.  "Whether that's what he intended or not, I can't even imagine what his true motive was. All I can say is, this shady epitaph was displayed here so that everyone in the family could see it. By doing so, he could hint at the existence of the gold while still avoiding telling where the hiding place is. That caused our parents' imagination to run wild and call it equal to Grandfather's level of genius..." "...Sounds just like my dad, so greedy that he takes something like this so seriously. Even though he laughs at Grandfather's black magic hobby, he'll still believe this story about the hidden gold. It just sounds so good." "...Well, it's certainly not a realistic story. At that time, when Grandfather was still nameless without any connections, there was no way anyone would just lend him a massive quantity of gold bars for free. Because of that, it's not unthinkable that Grandfather would call his sponsor a witch." "Yeah, but, it's 10 tons. 10 tons! If you traded that for money, how much would that come to? Anyway, it'd have to be a ridiculous amount, right?!" "...It would be a ridiculous amount. They say that the total amount of gold mined by humankind since the dawn of history is at most 100,000 tons. That 1/10,000 of all of the gold humankind has obtained throughout history should belong to just one person is just insane... And that all of that was collected in one place and that there was a witch who could just 'poof' lend it to Grandfather. That would be no ordinary person." "As for me, I think that that number '10 tons' sounds totally fake. In the first place, has anyone other than Grandfather ever even seen it? And even if some generous witch lent him some actual gold, couldn't that 10 be right but actually be mistaken from 10 kilograms? Even 10 kilograms would be a pretty incredible sum, right?" "Uu-... 10 kilograms of gold is how much?"Maria, who wasn't following the story and felt like she was being spoken to in riddles, finally found a place where she could ask us a question. A question which I also wanted to know right then. Whether I hear 10 kilograms or 10 tons, I know that it's an incredible amount, but I couldn't guess exactly how incredible each one is. George-aniki folded his arms and tried to remember the market price of gold. "...Well. Gold is also affected by speculation. Its price can also change depending on its purity and the trustworthiness of the foundry. You would also need to pay a commission to turn it into money. Still, it is definitely a precious metal, and some people estimate that if gold mining continues at its current rate, within half of a century, humankind will have mined all of it...Just guessing haphazardly, For one kilogram, I think maybe a price of 2 million yen." "WHAAaa... I know I just randomly said that 10 kilograms would be a humble amount... but even that would be worth 20 million yen, wouldn't it!?" "Uu-? Maria weighs 28 kilograms." "...Which means that if we had Maria-chan's weight in gold, we could estimate its worth at over 50 million yen." "That's just unbelievable... How much would 10 tons be then? 10 kilograms is 20,000,000 times 1000, so... umm... That's it! 20 billion yen?! What the hell!"How much is 20 billion yen actually worth? ...We can only measure it relative to our own pocketbooks.  ...So 100 times this sum is an unbelievable amount of money. If you work from age 20 to age 60, that's 40 years of work... so it's equal to 4000 years of work wages. It's like you worked every day starting from the Jomon period and finally accumulated this much money.  "...Uu-. Is 20 billion yen huge...?" "Yeah, it's huge. Maria, you could buy more of that shortcake you love than you could eat in a lifetime." "...However, while that might be possible with 20 billion yen in cash, I don't think it would be very realistic to have that much in gold bars all in one place. Just as I said, gold is extremely heavy, and it is not very convenient for purchasing assets. With highly valued stocks and bonds or really expensive precious gems, it wouldn't be unthinkable though. You often hear of people who, in the period of confusion during the war, often traded their wealth for precious gems so that they could carry it around with them... But you don't usually hear stories of people exchanging their wealth for gold." "Of course it's heavy, but internationally it's the most trusted and stable. Doesn't that mean something? With bonds, for example, if the country is destroyed they're just scraps of paper." "You can also look at it that way... but even one 10 kilogram ingot is pretty heavy to carry around. Haven't you heard? A 50 kilogram person can't carry a 50 kilogram bag over their shoulder. With that many gold bars, the amount of labor and risk for one person would be hard to calculate." "So what you're saying is, while a stack of banknotes worth 20 billion yen would be annoying, 20 billion yen in gold would be such a big mountain that practically it would be kinda pointless." "That's right. Although the Legend of the Gold does have a pretty interesting ring to it, just the part about the 10 tons of gold makes it pretty much impossible..." "If you think about it logically like that, it sounds obviously fake. Haha, kind of brings you back down to reality." "Anyways, that's Grandfather for you. Spreading exaggerated rumors about financing from some kind rich person by calling it 10 tons of gold received from a witch, probably figuratively. Even the number '10 tons' feels pretty symbolic." "You mean like his gratitude for the money he borrowed was worth 10 tons of gold, or something?" "Hehehe, maybe some rich man's leisured wife generously granted it to Grandfather. And maybe then he started calling this person a witch?" ...Furthermore, Grandfather later used that money to build a vast amount of wealth. Someone with such a great ability to judge people might also fittingly be called a witch. Also, since she went to the trouble of lending all that money, she might also have enthusiastically guided how it was spent. The decision to unexpectedly get involved with the occupying forces and profit from the Korean War demands might have been inspired in Grandfather by the witch. If you put those together, saying that he received wealth and honor from the witch might actually make sense. "I see. So, in other words, this witch granted the funds necessary to revive the Ushiromiya family and Grandfather owed her big time. If that's the case, Grandfather, with his feelings of gratitude, had that huge painting drawn and displayed... I get it. It's not that strange a story." "What if this person looked like an old witch-like granny? If that's true, I can definitely understand why Grandfather tried to pretty her up when he had the painting drawn. Hahahahaha, I'll bet if we ever did meet this person, she wouldn't be nearly this pretty!" "Hahahaha, that's possible. The name Beatrice sounds pretty western, and if you think about how everyone in our family has western-style names, maybe even the name Beatrice is the result of Grandfather trying to rearrange some Japanese person's name to make it sound western." "I get it, I get it. That means that this pretty girl doesn't exist outside the picture. Guess that means I won't be able to rub those elegant breasts~, ihihi! In the first place, isn't a witch a little weird? Like you could find something like that anywhere on earth."As I made fun of the witch, laughing, I was trying to separate myself from the kid I was six years ago who was afraid of the witch of the forest. At that time, Maria tugged on my sleeve. The strength with which she did was filled with a little unhappiness.   "Witches exist! Witches exist! Uu-uu-uu-!!!" "Well sure, they do exist... if you turn the TV on and watch anime or something." "Exi-st!! Witches exi-st!! Uu-uu-uu-!!!"I started getting impatient, not knowing why Maria was jumping on me like this. Then, Jessica tapped me on the shoulder and told me in a small voice. "Dumbass, you're smashing a kid's dream. Maria really believes that things like witches and Beatrice exist." "Come to think of it, Maria-chan, in social studies at your school, when you were asked to write what you wanted to be when you grew up, you wrote 'a witch', didn't you?"Maria nodded seriously. Tears started to run from the corners of her eyes. ...I see. To a girl who wants to become a witch in the future, the existence of Beatrice was proof that witches do exist in this world, and was therefore an image that she yearned after and admired. "Exi-st! Exi-st! Witches exi-st!! But Battler still doesn't believe! Uu-uu-uu-!!!" "It's alright. They exist, witches. Onii-chan believes it."George-aniki kneeled down and held Maria's head. Watching this, Jessica poked my side.  "...Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make fun of your dreams. I apologize. Beatrice does exist. Even now she's living in the forest, and comes every night to the mansion to peek in and see what everyone's doing... So you shouldn't go into the forest. At night, you mustn't stare into the dark forest. You might be seen by the witch of the forest, Beatrice. After all, Grandmother said so." "Uu-... Really? Battler really believes?" "Yep. I believe. Sorry for doubting it. C'mon, let's make up."I stuck out my hand and Maria grabbed it with her tiny hand, and we made up. Maria didn't grumble any more than that, so George-aniki and Jessica were relieved.  BGM: Moonlit Night "Ah, Shannon. Well, this is the first time Battler has seen Beatrice's portrait. He was just fascinated by it." "That's right, it is fascinating. Beatrice-sama is truly beautiful. I am sure that she captivated the Master." "Ahahahaha. In addition to the patron theory, there's also a theory that she was Grandfather's first love. Either way, although it's been several decades since he met her, even now she holds a special place in his heart... Which must mean that he is still captivated by her." "Sheesh. That must have made Grandmother pretty jealous, right?" "I'm not really sure, but that might actually be true. Apparently Grandmother believed that he was cheating on her with some blonde-haired person." "Ah, I apologize. I was told by Kumasawa-san to bring them to everyone." "What is it, I wonder? ...Ooh, excellent! Cookies." "Uu-! Want to eat cookies! Want to eat cookies! Uu-!" "Please, eat as much as you would like... But, umm..." "Maria, why don't we eat someplace other than here? Let's put the cookies in a bento and have a picnic." "Uu-! Have a picnic, have a picnic!! If we can eat cookies, let's go!" "That's right, let's go get some fresh air. We shouldn't grab food right in front of the witch." "That's right, didn't we say that we wanted to go down to the beach in the first place? Let's go, let's go." "Shannon-chan. Sorry, but could I ask you to get us a blanket to sit on and some flasks of tea." "Right...! Certainly."Shannon-chan received her instructions and gracefully bowed before retracing her steps. We headed for the beach on our own. Everyone headed for the entrance in a group. ...Feeling as though that witch was staring down at our backs, I turned around once more.  "Nope, I believe. That way is more imaginative! The golden witch Beatrice gave Grandfather 10 tons of gold! And that gold might be sleeping around somewhere. And besides, didn't Grandfather write that strange epitaph as though challenging us to find it if we can? I think that kind of romantic story is way better." "20 billion yen worth of go-ld! Hehe, even if we split it up between the four of us, that's still a ridiculous amount of money!" "5 billion yen for each of us...Incredible! With that kind of money, any business would prosper. No wait, we could live our whole lives fabulously without working at all." "Uu-uu-! Not 5 billion yen, cookie, cookie!!" "Wahahaha, Maria would take cookies over money. Still, 5 billion yen, that's like a dream!" BGM: Corridor of the Sands of Purgatory "...The story about a witch who gave him the gold and so forth, we obviously don't believe. However, there's no mistake about the gold." "The fact that Father obtained gold bars from an unknown source can be confirmed in several ways. We heard that, before the president of the Marusoo company died, Father showed him a large amount of gold somewhere. Father used that claim to prove that that there were 10 tons worth." "That's just the nonsense of a senile old man. Along with Father, he was just fabricating a story. You can't take it seriously." "If that gold didn't exist, he wouldn't have been able to gather so much funding! Before the president died, he was a person with such a sincere personality that he gathered the respect from many in the business world. He couldn't have become a partner in such a fraud!" "Aniki, the president of Marusoo definitely saw it. 10 tons of it, clearly with his own eyes. Even more, Father let the president take one ingot at random and have it examined. The results of the examination showed that the 10 kilogram ingot was 99.99 percent pure. He said that the Ushiromiya family crest, the One-winged Eagle, was carved into it." "Almost instantly, the Ushiromiya Legend of the Gold spread amongst the fixers of the business world. Gold from an unknown foundry has a poor rate of conversion into money. Thinking that it was a chance for decisive profits, they accepted it as collateral, and as a result Father was able to receive a giant loan..." "Isn't there a limit to how ridiculous you can get? How old are you people? Are you still taking that nursery tale you heard as a kid seriously? Where is the proof that this 10 tons worth of gold even exists? Isn't it just the lies of Father and those who were closest to him?" "...Of course it's just a story. But still, Aniki. The amount of money that Father raised required a suitable quantity of collateral. Even if the gold was just a rumor, that he must have shown them a treasure of comparable worth is an unmistakable truth." "It was just an illusion of money created by our penniless father. He made it seem that non-existent gold actually existed and fooled his sponsors. It was probably the gamble of a lifetime. Fortunately, his use of those funds proved successful. If the Korean war demands hadn't come and the Ushiromiya family had not been restored, Father would probably have been hounded after as the crook of the century." "In that case, are you saying that the gold never existed, and that Father made it all up?" "Of course. Therefore, after he was sufficiently successful, the illusion of gold became inconvenient. So Father made up that absurd story about the witch and black magic and made the whole thing seem less believable. In other words, he revealed that the illusion of gold was fabricated. If he says that he received the gold from a witch, no one would believe that it exists at all, right? He possibly said it for all of your sakes. Nevertheless, some stupid offspring wanting to divide up this non-existent gold with the rest of the inheritance have appeared. Rosa, don't tell me that even you believe this kind of a fabrication...?" "...I can't prove whether or not Father really has the gold. However, as one of father's four children, I just want to claim my rightful share." "Ho... It looks like even Rosa's started to say it. All right, maybe this is what you all want to say: that I am trying to keep all of the gold to myself..." "Nii-san, the fact is that you've obtained a massive amount of funding. If we rule out the possibility that you have been embezzling Father's personal funds, then there's only one possibility left, right?" "Aniki, maybe you have already found the 10 tons of gold bars. It sure looks that way to us." "Ridiculous. Something like that never existed in the first place." "Then explain yourself. Embezzlement of Father's assets or Father's hidden gold. How could you have gathered so much funding if you didn't use one of these?" "I also have many friends in the political world and the financial world. I have done nothing more than gain their assistance. And as to that, I have no responsibility to explain it to you. You understand, don't you? There are some topics that can't be talked about." "...If you insist on it, that's all right. But Aniki, Father doesn't have long. Nobody can ensure that he will live to see this day next year. When Father dies, the inheritance will be passed on. We will all set up impartial lawyers and accountants to inspect Father's financial and political status." "If, at that time, the fact that our brother has unjustly interfered with Father's money comes to light... you understand, right?" "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. You're starting to make me feel as indignant as my wife was." "...Father's gold is definitely one of Father's assets! I understand that it's money that you can't reveal openly, but the four siblings should have an equal right to it." "In short, even though you are our brother, we will have your financial situation investigated to determine whether or not you are hoarding the gold." "Isn't this a good opportunity. Prove the existence of this backup from friends and acquaintances that you mentioned. That way we can sportingly apologize for foolishly doubting you. Right, Rosa?" "...That's right. Krauss nii-san, you are the one who's avoiding the topic. If you were guiltless, you could just prove that you were in the right. Yet you aren't even trying to respond." "However, Aniki, we still have to consider your position here. As Father's representative, you're probably bearing a larger share of the burden than we are. It wouldn't be fair for the rest of us, who have been living terribly relaxed lives until now, were to complain without taking that into account." "...Ho. Until just now I've been busy being spoken ill of and being flattered. Please get to the point." "Consultation? Ho." "...When the inheritance is distributed, you will be rewarded for your years of hard work taking care of Dad by an agreement that is generous in your favor." "Don't misunderstand us, Nii-san. It's not like we are saying that we will abandon our rights. It's just that when we claim what we deserve, it wouldn't be bad if we allow a generous understanding from your position. That's what we mean." "In other words, if you'll accept our conditions, at the time of the division of the inheritance, we won't mind leaving the investigation of Father's financial status to you, Krauss nii-san." If, as they claimed, Krauss was actually embezzling money, Krauss would be able to hide that fact. Besides that, it would also be possible for him to control the distribution of the inheritance in a manner favorable to himself. Krauss, also realizing that this sounded to good to be true, couldn't help but feel doubt. He had to worry about what kind of collateral they had to make this kind of a compromise... "...Hoh. After mistrusting me completely, you now say that you're willing to restore your confidence in me as the eldest sibling? And what are you asking for?" "Just what we deserve as siblings. You aren't the kind of person who would steal Father's property. However, there is no patron financing you. Considering all that, there is a certain explanation that would satisfy the rest of us." "...Nii-san, you found 10 tons of gold and used that as collateral to gather some funding. Yes, just like Father did in the past, right?" "If that's the case, there won't be any funny bits in Father's finances. You've always been a good son, lookin' after Father. Why would we mistrust a person like that?" "...You're being so roundabout I can barely understand you. Say it more clearly and practically." "Our second condition: Regarding the gold, take each sibling's portion and pay it to us." "How foolish. With the non-existant 20 billion yen of gold, that would be 5 billion yen per person. Are you telling me to pay a total of 15 billion yen? Ridiculous!" "Keep listening 'til the end! We know that much money can't just appear. We're not asking you to make an impossible deal! Of course, regardin' the portions of the gold, we plan to reward you sufficiently for your hard work until now in our calculations." "Our third condition: The portion of the gold to the one bearing the title of successor to the Ushiromiya main family will be 50%. The remainder will be split fairly between the siblings. Of course, this also includes you, Krauss nii-san." "Of the 20 billion, 12.5 billion will go to Aniki, 2.5 billion will go to Eva nee-san, 2.5 billion will go to me, and 2.5 will go to Rosa." "...That portion makes me so grateful I could cry. So you're saying, for the sake of the gold that doesn't exist, I must pay you 7.5 billion." "What's wrong? Nii-san, your share is five times the size of ours. That's such a good condition, I'd be jumping for joy. Uhuhuhuhuhu..." "Our fourth condition: The divided gold will be included when the inheritance is distributed at the time of Father's death. However, as a deposit, 10% of our portions will be paid to us promptly. The payment must be made before March of next year." "What do you think, Krauss nii-san? This is an ideal chance for you to restore the trust you need to run Father's assets, isn't it?! Of course, it might be impossible to get a whole 7.5 billion before Father dies. However, you can't say that you couldn't manage a deposit of 750 million, right?" "Paying 700 million in half a year might be slightly bothersome, but Aniki, who has many friends in the political and business spheres, should be able to manage it." "Normally, I'd hope to receive the 7.5 billion right now, all at once. But out of concern for you, I'll show my sincerity by asking for only 1/10 of that for the time being. It's alright to let the remaining 9/10 carry over until the distribution of the inheritance. Right? With 1/10 to show sincerity, even you would notice it." "...So my right to investigate the status of Father's assets is being sold to me for 750 million. Heh, heheheh. Isn't that great? You all sure have grown. I never thought you all would become capable of offering a deal to me." "Nii-san, If you accept these, the rest of us siblings will leave the investigation of Father's assets to you. However, the results of that invesigation will be subject to protest... It's only natural, right? We'd be sad if you adjusted our portion of 7.5 billion downwards." "As a general rule, we wouldn't complain. As long as you do it neatly, it's fine. As long as you don't do anything significantly obvious, we don't plan to aggravate anything. We just want the inheritance quickly. We don't want it to get all drawn out and led astray." "...In the case of a complaint, who would do the second investigation?" "...It's alright if it is you. This will probably be the first and last opportunity for the siblings to discuss this. I believe that it won't come to that." "Heheh, *cackle*cackle*! Rosa really can talk sometimes." "I'm sorry, but the conditions still continue. Our fifth condition: This decision must take precedence over Father's will. Later on, we don't want some will to appear and make this decision completely useless." "...You are quite scrupulous. Then let me ask, if the gold really were found, what would you do?" "As long as you settle this matter with the corresponding payment, the rest of us 'really' don't care whether the gold appears or not. You can think of our share as an advance payment." "*giggle*, it's alright to dream. You plan to turn this island into a resort, right? During construction, you might stumble upon the gold by chance."Eva let out a high-pitched laugh. Krauss watched without even flinching. "...Let me add a 7th condition before I accept. In the situation that any sibling other than myself finds the gold, they will immediately turn it over to me." "Yes, yes. Of course, we'll hold onto it for you. *giggle*!"It was a play on words. The others, who were forcing Krauss to pay money for some nonexistent gold, would of course not ensure Krauss's portion if they actually found the gold. From the beginning, this deal had been nothing more than a threat directed at Krauss. While the truth might be different, the possibility that Krauss was embezzling his father's assets was extremely high. When at last Kinzo faced death and the inheritance would be distributed, surely some unpleasant facts would be established. That situation would likely be a fatal wound to Krauss. They had snatched up that weak point and, under the veil of compromise, were threatening their brother to try and wring out a huge sum of money.  Krauss, noticing that Eva, sure of her victory, could not hide her smile, relaxedly let out a gloating laugh as he spoke. "Hahaha. Isn't that a great story? ...I also have felt a deep pain in my heart at my estrangement from the rest of you. If by accepting these conditions, the relationship between the siblings could once again become friendly, I would be quite pleased. I'll join in on this with pleasure. Be happy, Rosa. The deal is concluded." "..."Rosa's expression dimmed. When her brother started talking like this, the conversation would never change for the better. Eva was also sensitive enough to realize this. Therefore, even though Krauss had obediently accepted the deal, she was unable to wipe away her feeling of insecurity. "...My, how obedient. That's not like you, Nii-san." "That's harsh. You think I have an ulterior motive? Of course there isn't one. Just the same as all of you."'Just the same as all of you'. It felt as though only that part was emphasized. The color of Rudolf's face darkened. He heard it as 'I have an idea at the same level as yours'. That gave him a sense of urgency. Trying to bring this near-finished discussion to a conclusion, he rushed to wrap it up. "...Then we are good. So, Aniki. Would you mind signing here? This is a written contract containing the discussion we have been having. There's one for each person. Everyone will sign for the same contents."Rudolf took four written contracts out of his breast pocket that had the details of their deal written on them. "The seventh condition that Krauss nii-san proposed will, of course, be added from now on. Don't worry." "Aniki, will you use a pen?"Rudolf took a fountain pen out of his breast pocket and offered it to Krauss. Krauss made as if to accept it, but then, with a small laugh, drew back his hand without taking it and spoke.  When Krauss said that one sentence... All of the siblings felt as though something annoying was creeping up their backs at the same time. "...Tha-, that won't do. We've already decided, haven't we? Quietly sign it." "Eva, why are you so impatient. Of course I will sign. I'll promise that your share of the gold will be 7.5 billion yen. I also promise that, when Father's inheritance is distributed, I will cleanly and neatly liquidate it... However, in one part, there is a point that I cannot compromise on no matter what." "...What are you talking about. What point don't you like...?" "The part about promptly paying 1/10 of each portion, 750 million yen. As you pointed out, my political and financial status is not prosperous. While I can ensure that I will definitely collect on various future investments, at this time I have no choice but to admit that I am very poor. In short, I have absolutely no money that I can move around right now. I am incompetent, and my business skills and senses are dull. Since I am as weak as you all have said, I have no power to move 750 million in just half of a year." "Tha-, that can't be true. Are you trying to deceive us with such a careless trick?" "At the time of the division of the inheritance, I will liquidate everything at once. Remove the condition that I quickly pay you 1/10. That is the only condition under which I will sign." "...Krauss nii-san, no matter what, that 1/10 is a number to measure your sincerity, isn't it? In that case, there's no spare margin in the deal. If you would at least grudgingly accept that for the time being, then at least 1/10 good faith can be spread around as a huge service to everyone. After having that explained, to reject it would cause our mutual trusting relationship to fall into the shadows, wouldn't it...?"Hideyoshi had a humble expression on his face and was rubbing his hands together, but his eyes were not calm at all. Krauss had already seen through the shadow in the depths of those eyes. "...Hmph. Why are you all so hurried? Or are you possibly afraid of something? Rosa, won't you tell at least me? Secretly, without telling the rest of the siblings." "...It, it's not like I..." "Quit it, Aniki. All we're asking is whether you're going to sign or not. Just forget about making any strange deals or anything suspicious." "...Hoh? So I have no margin for negotiation. Do you claim that my position is so weak that we are not in an even relationship...?"
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 02:36 on Oct 31, 2016 |
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Sep 22, 2016 13:38
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 "Shouldn't this deal be made on an even footing? To me, this deal will restore the long lost trust of my younger brother and sisters and deepen the love between us siblings. And there has been an uneasiness in my heart to have this resolved quickly. I would be very happy if it could be resolved today... But you too would be very happy if this deal were quickly resolved, wouldn't you...?"Krauss stared at each of the siblings. They avoided his gaze with animal-like instinct. Only Hideyoshi was slow avoiding it, so he was caught in Krauss's gaze. "Hideyoshi-san. I hear that your company has been going extremely well recently, hasn't it? With a swift rhythm it has become listed as a stock, and both its performance and stock prices have soared. I am truly jealous." "...M, my husband's situation surely has nothing to do with this." "However, it is unfortunate that you have neglected your stockholders. It's also horrible that you were unable to solidify your base when you became stock-listed. Before you realized it, some bad-natured colleagues of yours had bought up a huge share of your company's stock, didn't they?" "...H... how could you know something like that..." "The same way as Hideyoshi-san. If you can collect evidence proving that no one would offer a loan to me, then I can collect evidence on Hideyoshi-san. Hahaha, is it really that strange of a thing?"Krauss grinned broadly. In contrast, Hideyoshi's face was turning obviously pale...  The greatest advantage of being in the stock-holding system was that, by selling stock certificates, a large amount of financing could be gained. That amount was far greater than the actual profits from the business. This made it an extremely effective way to gather the massive funds needed to grow his company even further. However, in exchange for financing the company, the stockholders had certain rights. That was, in order to give the company that they had financed even greater profit, they had the right to observe and control it. That right was guaranteed to all stockholders, and they would sometimes use it to dismiss ineffectual management. It was the 'right' to prevent the money they had spent financing the company from going to waste by watching the management of the company. However, if they use this right forcibly, they can eject the former management and take over the company... Because the general body of all shareholders has the power to dismiss the management and nominate new management. That power is determined based on the majority decision of the stockholders, and people who hold more stock get to cast more votes.  In many companies, their stock gets bought up by malicious people and, in order to prevent their position from being threatened, they make their own employees or people close to them buy a lot of stock certificates. To prevent hostile action from being taken by the majority, they try to take some kind of defensive measures. However, since Hideyoshi's company had only recently become stock-listed, he hadn't had the time to strengthen those defensive measures. No, maybe Hideyoshi himself was so engrossed in the management of his company that he couldn't realize the dangers of being stock-listed. It's hard to say whether he should be viewed as a kind-hearted and skilled manager immersed in management, or a foolish manager who had his feet swept out from under him... There were people out there who would not let him get away with that naivety unscathed. They began repeatedly buying up Hideyoshi's company's stock and suddenly gained such strength that they couldn't be ignored. They then sent anonymous documents to the shareholders and began to capture the majority. The documents read: 'The current management continues to make pointless investments and is ignoring the needs of the stockholders. Let us force the current management to retire, cut the current wasted investments, and let this company be born again as one that gives more back to the stockholders.' It is very difficult to make the actual state of a company's management known. The success created by Hideyoshi's tiny amount of sleep and his constant concern for his company was cruelly twisted, and he lost the trust of his stockholders. Their efforts had almost collected a majority of the stock in the company. At that point, even Hideyoshi noticed and started to buy back the stock, but the stock holders, who realized that the company was undergoing an acquisition maneuver, demanded a ridiculous price for the shares that Hideyoshi was trying to buy back. They continually tortured Hideyoshi, who had no leeway in the negotiation of the price. One of the certainties of capitalism is that value will rise when both parties vie for the same thing. And one of the certainties of democracy is that the majority controls everything. So in the end, whoever manages to buy up the most stock wins. So, whoever has the most money wins.  "And you, Rudolf, you've been in a lot of trouble lately, haven't you? They say it's scary overseas, but it seems that's really true. American trials are settled quite emotionally. They won't give a generous judgement to a foreigner. Weren't you advised by your lawyer that making a settlement with the other party would be more economical in the end?" "...What are you talking about...?" "...Well, it's some trouble from work. It's no big deal. It'll be settled with money..."Kyrie quickly recognized what Rudolf's complicated expression meant. Her husband had gotten wrapped up in some kind of trouble without her knowledge, and had been suffering alone. "That's right. In this world, anything can be settled with money. After all, it can even buy back the broken bonds between siblings! America is very fussy about the violation of rights. But with money, anything can be settled. Long live capitalism. Although it's rumored that the settlement money can reach several million dollars, isn't it?"Rudolf had been building a large amount of wealth with a certain type of niche market. However, a niche is a niche. It's definitely not a sunny job. An American corporate giant was trying to accuse Rudolf's company of violating their rights. For various reasons, it was thought that winning the trial was extremely unlikely, and Rudolf went for an all-out surrender... But even that was a path resolved with money. If he could only pay that money, though it might be painful, he could still pick himself back up.  "...Rosa, you're a good and noble little sister. You wouldn't even touch a dangerous money game. However, your softhearted nature was your ruin, wasn't it? I wouldn't think one should agree to become a co-signer so lightly." "Nn, ...umm, ...Th-, that has nothing to do with you, Krauss nii-san!!"Rosa uncharacteristically lay bare her emotions and yelled. There's no way he could know. As Krauss watched, he let slip a muffled laugh...  In other words, the situation had been reversed. Because only Krauss, who they were threatening, had no urgent need for a large sum of money. Compared to that, the three who were threatening him wanted money quickly, no matter what the cost. So Krauss was able to control this deal however he liked. Krauss was very sly. He had known of their Achilles heel from the beginning. Even so, he had not been certain. Therefore, he had hidden that until the very end, and, upon closely and completely examining their attitude, he had struck back. "If I could, I would love to raise some money for my cute brother and sisters in their time of need. But unfortunately, I have nothing on hand... If you have any sponsors in mind that can raise a whole 750 million, I suggest you try there first."Krauss's elated words were horribly blunt. The other siblings could do nothing more than listen, grinding their teeth. If they could think of a sponsor that convenient, they wouldn't have kept up this charade. They had entered this huge battle specifically because they had exhausted all other options. "...If you're still set on relying on your older brother, you can use my influence to find a sponsor. Oh wait, you already said that I have no influence. Well then, I can't do anything, can I? Hehheheheheheheh!" "...E, Eva..." "...Don't make me laugh... As if I could borrow from you...! Don't make me laugh, don't make me laugh...!" "...If... if we relied on you, how would you help us..." "I told you, didn't I. All I can do is find other sponsors for you. Of course, I will negotiate for the largest interest rate possible. Hehheheheh, gahahahahahahahaha!!" "...drat you... taking advantage of us..." "...Honey. Please calm down." "I am calm. I'm extremely cool... You bastard...!"Kyrie grabbed her husband's hand. But that action made him feel even more pitiful, so Rudolf shook it off. Krauss laughed as though seeing that made him extremely happy. "In times like these, it sure would be nice to find Father's hidden gold. If you did, you could split it up into 2.5 billion yen portions right now. How sad, how sad. How very sad! How extremely totally truly hopelessly sad!"  BGM: Rose  "...Yes. Whether or not Krauss-sama actually discovered the gold, he would pay Eva-sama, Rudolf-sama and Rosa-sama a total of 7.5 billion yen for their shares. However, 1/10 of that would be paid before March." "...Yes. Krauss-sama exposed that Eva-sama and the younger siblings all had an urgent need to get money." "Hmph. Can you really call something of that level exposing? That incomplete, incompetent man. What are they doing now?" "...That conversation has been interrupted for now. Now, Beatrice-sama's epitaph is being discussed." "So, they are trying to solve the riddle and find out where my gold is hidden?" "...Yes."Kinzo set down his glasses and snorted. "...Will the miracle be fulfilled first, or will those fools expose the gold first? What a sight. If those fools solve my puzzle, at that time I will be completely defeated. They can suck my corpse down to the last fragment of bone. Great magic can house a miracle from the fools' greed. And yet!! If the fulfillment of the miracle comes first... If it comes first! Beatrice will be resurrected again!! That smile which I have been chasing half my life will be restored...!" Kinzo choked, apparently in great pain. Kanon got closer and tried to pat his master's back, but Kinzo signaled that he didn't need to.  "...Do you know why I went to the trouble of exposing the hidden location of the gold so that everyone could see it?" "...No." "It is because magical power is decided by risk. If the number of people who try to discover Beatrice's gold is great, and the danger of that happening is great as well, then assuming that the bet is successful despite those long odds, the magical power will bring about a grand miracle... In other words, magic is a game. It is not true that the most superior person will become the winner. The winner is superior because he is granted magic. Do you understand? The miracle of life can be granted only after winning against the divine odds of several hundred million to one. Is this a little difficult for you to understand?" "...My apologies." "That's fine. It all comes down to this. To the one that solves the mystery of Beatrice's epitaph, I will give all of that which I have built up. Wealth, honor, gold, and the inheritance of the Ushiromiya family. Everything that I have established! Since tackling the riddle is the only condition, it is not limited to my children. For example, if you succeeded in solving it, that would make you qualified to gain everything." "...Yes. However, I couldn't possibly understand such a difficult riddle." "Of course. I made it difficult... But you must also challenge it. That will become the seed with which the miracle of my magic will be summoned. If everyone challenges it, and everyone fails, that will be that. However, if the miracles are gathered and the magical power is born, it will happen then! Beatrice will revive. Therefore you too must challenge it. Everyone must challenge it. And in doing so, they must give strength to my magic!! Do you understand?!" "...Yes. I will try." "It's all right, leave me. There is a bag of sweets on the liquor cabinet. You can take some with you as a reward." "...I'm fine. Because I'm... furniture." "...Hmmm. So furniture doesn't eat things like sweets? Indeed. In that case, leave me." "Yes. ...Excuse me."Kanon bowed and left the study. As the door was closed, a heavy locking noise resounded.  He was already unable to trust anyone excepting, not the sons who shared his blood, but those servants who called themselves furniture...  For the most part, Genji also understood the family's situation. It must have made him want to frown, knowing that right now in the lounge, the master he served was being discussed so disrespectfully. But it would have been very difficult to gather that from his indifferent expression. "...But, I don't understand. Why did Kinzo-san have something so provocative written, I wonder."Nanjo looked at the portrait of Beatrice. No, he actually directed his gaze beneath the portrait, at the plate with the epitaph.  "...I don't presume to understand the Master's thoughts. However, I have realized that those thoughts are very deep." "Since long ago, when Kinzo-san played chess, he would always prepare his moves according to some far-reaching judgement. Yes, sometimes even to make moves I couldn't understand. For an average person like me, it was impossible to see through to whatever it was he was planning..." "Sometimes I wonder whether this is not some kind of will from the Master. Would he entrust his assets and inheritance to whoever could solve this riddle?" "Then maybe he hoped to force the four siblings to work together and solve the riddle before some outsider like myself solved it. It might be something like that. Kinzo-san might rudely abuse his children, but he may also hope that the siblings repair their relationship." "..." However, both Nanjo and Genji realized that at least that much was definitely impossible. As those who held the longest relationship with Kinzo, even though they were more trusted than his blood relatives, they could not guess at Kinzo's true motive... "...The Master is always saying that it doesn't matter whether they're a member of the family as long as they have the qualification of solving the riddle. What about you, Doctor Nanjo?" "No, no... It's a little too hard to understand for this senile old man. Actually, I wrote this epitaph down on my notebook at one point in time. Night after night, I would try to solve it before going to sleep, but, hahaha, it really is hard. It looks like there might be some free time to relax and consider it before someone comes to get us. What do you say, Genji-san?" "...I am nothing more than furniture that serves the Master. Gold and assets are useless to me." "My, my, you are a humble person. That's probably why Kinzo-san trusts you so much." "If so, I am honored..."As Nanjo lightly laughed in response, he once again looked at the epitaph. "...My beloved hometown, the sweetfish river running through it. You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream and seek the key..."That which is written on the epitaph of the portrait of my most beloved witch Beatrice is as follows:     
Quinn2win fucked around with this message at 02:36 on Oct 31, 2016 |
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Sep 22, 2016 13:41
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This post is here because of a planning error Did you know that SA posts have a maximum length of 50k characters? I did not know this
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Sep 22, 2016 13:42
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Man, I prefer these sprites over the Steam version's... not to mention the pretty backgrounds. It was around this point I actually started getting interested in the story - up until the inheritance discussion, I was bored out of my mind. Didn't really help that I had no idea what kind of story Umineko was supposed to be, just that everybody said it was good.
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Sep 22, 2016 14:43
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ProfessorProf posted:Ushiromiya Nanjo There are so many Ushiromiyas in this story, even the character list is getting confused. (His first name is Terumasa, apparently:) 
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Sep 22, 2016 18:03
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That is easily my best fuckup yet.
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Sep 22, 2016 18:28
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Uhhh, are all the posts in this thread supposed to be spread out over 71 pages.  edit: Ok things are normal again, I just had to reset the thread. I'm not sure how you do that Prof.
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Sep 22, 2016 19:06
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I generally prefer making the links from the TOC go to just that post, without the thread surrounding it. If people would prefer I didn't, I can redo the links.
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Sep 22, 2016 19:25
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Time for the ground floor on this crazy train. Umineko is my favorite VN. So you go Prof.
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Sep 22, 2016 20:37
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So from how I got it. Krauss (Who was clearly intended to be Claus.) is a failing businessman who is good at most of the steps of his plans except making them last and has poor timing for his ideas. Eva and Hideyoshi are doing fine business wise. But Hideyoshi's unfamiliarity with the stock market and shareholders is threatening to make him to lose control of his company, unless he gets enough money to quickly get enough stock back. Rudolf got sued and needs money to reach a settlement. Rosa appears to have co-signed on a loan and is now in debt.
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Sep 22, 2016 22:00
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So Krauss is a gigantic rear end in a top hat who'd either steal from his family, or throw them under the bus just to save himself some money. Since this is a spiritual successor to Higurashi, I'm betting he dies first. It's not a spoiler to assume that people die, right? I'm not familiar with this story.
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Sep 22, 2016 22:38
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I called it a murder mystery in the first post, so the cat's out of the bag on that one, yeah.
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Sep 22, 2016 22:47
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I think I'd be quite fine with everyone dying in this story so far, with exception to Natsuhi. The Ushiromiya family is bonkers.
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Sep 22, 2016 23:17
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EagerSleeper posted:I think I'd be quite fine with everyone dying in this story so far, with exception to Natsuhi. The Ushiromiya family is bonkers. Hey now, the kids haven't proven themselves utter assholes deserving of death. Yet. 
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Sep 23, 2016 00:13
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EagerSleeper posted:I think I'd be quite fine with everyone dying in this story so far, with exception to Natsuhi. The Ushiromiya family is bonkers. What did the servants ever do to you?
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Sep 23, 2016 00:40
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Lord Koth posted:Hey now, the kids haven't proven themselves utter assholes deserving of death. Maria is moe in a time when anime moe didn't exist (the 1980s). The scourge can be stopped right here. Dire Wombat posted:What did the servants ever do to you?  I only advocated for the Ushiromiya family to be murdered, not for the furniture to be chopped up.
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Sep 23, 2016 01:14
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EagerSleeper posted:Maria is moe in a time when anime moe didn't exist (the 1980s). The scourge can be stopped right here. What is it about anime that compels writers to pen kids like they're imbeciles, anyway? Is it a cultural thing/language thing that people refuse to translate? I mean, most English-speaking kids grow out of talking in the third person by like, three. Four or five if they think it's funny/cute. Maria is 9, if memory serves. KataraniSword fucked around with this message at 05:17 on Sep 23, 2016 |
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Sep 23, 2016 05:15
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Umineko has a lot of cards left to play. If you see something odd, there's probably a reason for it. I say this both because it's true and to jack up the general level of semi-justified paranoia.
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Sep 23, 2016 05:16
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I knew a grown rear end college student who did the third person talking thing when I was living in Tokyo, so I guess it varies. (If you want an anime that does a good job of portraying a child as something other than a weird, stupid adult, maybe give Sweetness and Lightning a shot.)
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Sep 23, 2016 05:22
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 is a perfectly acceptable response to most of Umineko, yeah, and especially all that stuff that just happened. But Maria speaking in the third person isn't a translation issue, it's a non-translation issue; it happens a lot more in Japan because it's considered 'cute' or a sign of innocence. Or, as it happens, stupidity.Uuu~! Uuuu~!
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Sep 23, 2016 05:23
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ProfessorProf posted:I knew a grown rear end college student who did the third person talking thing when I was living in Tokyo, so I guess it varies. Or known anime only series Bunny Drop.
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Sep 23, 2016 05:53
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I really think this whining about Maria being an dumb, annoying child thing has become more annoying than Maria herself. Also 9 year olds are still pretty loving dumb and annoying. I get that it's anime where anyone above 19 years old is probably a grizzled war veteran for anime, while kids (in most fiction honestly) just act like insecure adults who are conveniently dumb when writers can't come up with conflict/suck. So Maria being a dumb, annoying child doesn't really bother me as much.
Fabulousvillain fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Sep 23, 2016 |
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Sep 23, 2016 06:27
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On night number nine, EVERYONE loving DIES. On night number ten you're in the clear!
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Sep 23, 2016 12:19
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If my math is right, this will push the update onto the next page by itself.
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Sep 23, 2016 13:24
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