CHAPTER 506: CHAPTER 504 AOZAWA STILL UNAWARE OF HER SECRET_1

Kita-Senju, Adachi Market.

Hojo Shouko arrived early at the market entrance. She smoothed her jet-black hair at her temples with one hand, a rare hint of nervousness showing on her delicate cheeks.

It was all because of what Summer Flower had said yesterday, turning an ordinary matter into something rather extraordinary.When she got up this morning, she even felt conflicted about what to wear.

That kind of hesitation usually wouldn’t happen. It was only after Summer Flower pointed it out that she felt there might be some truth to it.For her, wandering the vegetable market wasn’t much different than an average girl out shopping.However, this way of thinking was limited to her alone.

Hojo Shouko wasn’t sure what Aozawa-senpai was thinking; his thoughts were probably quite different from her own.

She looked down. She couldn’t see her toes, only the curve of white fabric stretched taut by her chest. This pure white dress didn’t quite match the market’s atmosphere.

She carried a small, square bag in her right hand. It had a light white border rimmed with a touch of gold and was quite spacious inside.

Hojo Shouko wanted to reach into her bag to check her phone but withdrew her hand when she saw Aozawa approaching.

Unlike his usual blue and white attire, Aozawa wore a dark black long-sleeved shirt, black sweatpants, and athletic shoes today, seemingly to emphasize his status as her senior. He kept his hair short, and his well-defined features exuded the handsome charm of a cheerful young man as he walked towards her.

Hojo Shouko’s heart thumped wildly. Had Aozawa-senpai dressed up today too? Considering her own outfit, didn’t this make it seem even more like a date?

As this thought flashed through her mind, she clenched her small fists tighter. How could she be thinking such things?It was no different than a pervert fantasizing about him.

Hojo Shouko forcefully suppressed those thoughts she deemed inappropriate, a faint smile crossing her face as she said, "Good morning, Aozawa-senpai."

"Good morning, Shouko."

Aozawa raised a hand in greeting and assessed her outfit. The simple white dress paired with the small bag gave Hojo Shouko an ethereal, dream-like quality, he thought, like the girl next door every boy fantasized about.

"Shouko, that dress suits you well, and the square bag is nice. It can hold a lot of stuff," he said.

Aozawa couldn’t see anything amiss with Hojo Shouko from her dress, nor could he discern anything unusual from her expression. Hojo Shouko was the type to keep her troubles hidden inside, rarely letting them show on the surface. It wasn’t about being artful; her personality was simply too introverted, and she was unwilling to trouble others.

"Yes, I’ve got quite a few things in here~"

Hojo Shouko nodded vigorously, her lips curving into a slight smile. She was pleased Aozawa-senpai had noticed.

"Shouko."

Aozawa had intended to ask directly, but on second thought, he decided against it. Instead, he smiled and said, "I’m counting on you today, too."

"Leave it to me!"

Hojo Shouko nodded and turned towards the market.

Aozawa, who normally lagged a step behind her, walked shoulder to shoulder with her today.

This unusual behavior made her heart skip a beat again. Didn’t she say just yesterday that she was worried about being misunderstood? So why wasn’t he worried about it today?

As this thought flashed through her mind, Hojo Shouko took a deep breath.

"Shouko, is there something bothering you?"

"No."

She quickly shook her head and continued towards Adachi Market.

Through discreet observation, Aozawa realized Summer Flower was most likely spouting nonsense. He couldn’t discern anything abnormal about Shouko. Whether it was her sharp bargaining skills or her success in smoothly securing low prices, everything was as usual.

The two successfully bought the meat and vegetables they wanted and stepped out of Adachi Market.

The sun gradually became a bit hotter, and the blue sky was mostly veiled by white clouds.

The crowd was rather large, so Aozawa stopped and asked, "Shouko, what kind of milk tea would you like today?"

"Green smoothie bubble tea."

Hojo Shouko again mentioned that familiar milk tea. Aside from the vegetables in her bag, nothing had changed. Today really wasn’t much different from yesterday.

The familiar déjà vu flickered through Aozawa’s mind, but he didn’t ask as he had the day before, instead suggesting with a smile, "Okay, I’ll try the green smoothie bubble tea too."

Upon hearing this, Hojo Shouko quickly spoke, "Aozawa-senpai, you can get whatever you like, no need to follow my lead. In fact, Senpai seems a bit odd today, always sneakily looking at me."

Due to her introverted nature, Hojo Shouko was not only exceptional at concealing her emotions but also incredibly adept at noticing changes in the expressions of those around her. Her observational skills could be considered 007-caliber. She had long noticed that Aozawa-senpai was different today, occasionally casting glances her way. At first, Hojo Shouko thought there was something amiss with her outfit, but she later realized that Aozawa-senpai seemed solely focused on the changes in her facial expressions. This puzzled Hojo Shouko greatly.

"Senpai, when did you develop a peeping habit?" Hojo Shouko voiced her thoughts. There wasn’t a hint of blame in her words; in her eyes, Aozawa-senpai was a good person, just occasionally prone to strange whims. It wasn’t a big deal. After all, others considered her an oddball too.If being odd was bad, then she wasn’t a good person either.

Aozawa immediately felt a bit embarrassed. Damn Summer Flower for putting me in this spot! he cursed inwardly, but he didn’t betray his friend. "No, it’s not that," he said. "I’m just a bit worried about you. It feels like something might be on your mind?"

"On my mind? Yes, there is something," Hojo Shouko said, blinking. It was difficult to admit her worries were related to Aozawa-senpai. "But I can’t discuss it with you, Senpai."

Aozawa couldn’t help but say, "Shouko, Tetsuji and I are friends, and you’re his sister. You can rely on me like an older brother. If anything is on your mind, you can tell me, and I’ll help you sort it out."

"Onni-chan..." Hojo Shouko murmured the word. A slight pang of disappointment pricked her heart. Yet, her face revealed a gentle and reserved smile as she said, "That’s precisely why I can’t discuss it with you, Aozawa-senpai. This is my own secret."

"Alright then."

Aozawa didn’t press further. Just as he harbored his own secret of being a Superpower User.Everyone has the right to keep secrets they don’t want others to know. "I just want you to know that you can rely on me for anything in the future, and when you feel like sharing, you can find me anytime."

"Yes, please don’t worry, Aozawa-senpai."

Hojo Shouko nodded, her gaze gentle as ever, like the unrippled surface of Lake Baikal.

Aozawa headed to the bubble tea shop and bought two cups of green smoothie bubble tea.

Hojo Shouko stood there. Truthfully, she wasn’t very fond of the slightly bitter taste of green smoothie bubble tea, but it was the first one Aozawa-senpai had ever bought for her.Every time she thought of drinking bubble tea, she would be reminded of green smoothie bubble tea.This was her secret, one she wouldn’t share with anyone.

「In the afternoon, the Chiyoda District.」

Inside a luxurious office on the fifth floor of the official residence, Kochou put down the documents in her hand and smiled. "Minister Takeda, matters of public welfare will require much of your attention."

"Yes, please rest assured, Prime Minister, I will certainly not let you down." Takeda Eijiro rose and bowed solemnly.

Until the day before, he had never imagined that his tiny political party would catch Kochou’s attention, let alone that he would be appointed Minister of Labor at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. For years, he had been ostracized and suppressed by various factions, even landing on the blacklist of the Public Security Bureau’s General Affairs Division. Suddenly, he was given a stage to showcase his talents, and it was in his area of expertise.

The inner workings of hospitals were all too clear to Takeda Eijiro. He knew exactly how to take strong measures to deal with those people.As for the resistance, even potential assassination attempts, that such a cleanup might provoke, Takeda Eijiro wasn’t afraid in the slightest.He was well aware Kochou was using him as a tool. However, to eradicate those corrupt practices, he was more than willing to act as her forerunner, bravely leading the charge.Takeda Eijiro wanted to pull this country out of its stagnant swamp and onto solid ground.Since Kochou was willing to give him the chance to display his talents, he would give it his all, slashing through the bloated system and scraping out the rot.

"Minister Takeda, I naturally trust your abilities. After you’ve drafted the plan, show it to me first. Then, you can formally propose it at the cabinet meeting," Kochou said, a smile on her face.

Aside from her daughter, she didn’t trust anyone else. Her definition of absolute loyalty also differed from most people’s.Her judgment of loyalty hinged on whether a person listened to her commands and proved useful during a specific period.As long as they were useful, they were loyal.Kochou was confident in her own abilities, believing she could manage both Morimoto Chiyoda and Takeda Eijiro.She knew that to truly take charge of the country, she needed people who weren’t overly ambitious for power, people who simply wished to realize their own ideals with all their heart.Many radical, potentially offensive policies would be shunned by the seasoned politicians. However, someone like Takeda Eijiro would definitely be willing to lead the charge, acting as her forerunner in transforming the cabinet and the country.

Of course, the downside to this approach was that she had to ensure all her policies were correct and truly beneficial to the nation.Attempting any self-enriching schemes would inevitably invite backlash. This was why some individuals, after achieving success, would begin to purge the idealists within their ranks.This was because the kind of dynastic rule a dictator desired clashed with those people’s ideals.But before any such conflict erupted, Kochou had to use these people to accomplish her series of grand plans.

"Yes, I expect to have a complete proposal ready the day after tomorrow for your review."

"Very well. If there’s nothing else, you may leave." Kochou dismissed him and then picked up a report from Mexico. To have caught the Shadow Emperor’s eye, Nied was truly no ordinary individual.

KNOCK, KNOCK. Phoenix Academy Maggie tapped on the door and said warmly, "Mother, I’d like to take a walk outside."

Kochou looked up and replied, "Oh? Don’t go too far then."

"Yes."

Phoenix Academy Maggie turned and headed outside.