Matsuo Bashou was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan.
Bashou was born in 1644, near Ueno, in Iga Province. A place famous for him, and ninjas.82Please respect copyright.PENANAKXArLved9s
There’s a rumor that the famed haiku poet Matsuo Bashou wasn’t just a master of poetry, but a master of the art of Ninjutsu, the art of stealth, subterfuge and spying. The art of the Ninja!
So was Matsuo Bashou just a wandering master poet, or was he a master spy? During the cautious years of the early Edo, or Tokugawa period, people were not permitted to travel freely around the country, however Bashou managed to obtain permission. His position as a celebrated poet gained him a close access to the nobility. He was able to enter castles and palaces, view the estates of the lords and spend time chatting with them. Speaking directly to the various lords, he would have been able to discover their hidden thoughts as they composed poems together. Wonderful opportunities for intelligence gathering.
It took no time at all to hear about Ririna from a friend in Kaburagi’s class.
“Yes, that girl has been loitering about Emperor recently. Ah-, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to badmouth your cousin.”
“No, you are right. I should be apologising to you on her behalf.”
I see. So everybody’s been careful not to badmouth a relative of mine in front of my eyes.82Please respect copyright.PENANA3nsQumRJXY
Please just give me a break, Ririna~
“Well, could I ask what she does, specifically?”
“Well, things like calling out to him, or sometimes even coming to our classroom. She hasn’t done anything too eye-catching quite yet though.”
It’s plenty already. The thing that the female upperclassmen hate the most is a first year girl following about upperclassmen boys.82Please respect copyright.PENANA0PurSEOnkC
Even in my old life, the relationships between females was in a strict grade-based hierarchy. If you didn’t greet them in the hallway, they would say stuff about you “getting ahead of yourself”. I guess when you’re at that age, you start to want to act like you’re a senpai.82Please respect copyright.PENANAPhvrx4tu8a
For girls of that age, if a younger girl starts making eyes at a boy in their grade, the girl’s name immediately spreads throughout the grade and every girl becomes their enemy.82Please respect copyright.PENANAqrLuQRNYom
It’s really scary when that happens, you know. The more extreme senpai will call you out and lecture you too, you know.82Please respect copyright.PENANA43QIWVMmaE
I don’t know if the same thing happens at Zui’ran, but they should at least be feeling the same way, so I can’t help but worry about Ririna.82Please respect copyright.PENANA4qZOmyODow
Oh, no, rather than worrying about Ririna as a person, I’m just worried that I’ll get into trouble for being her cousin.
“I must warn my cousin as well.”
“Yes. Umm, we don’t really mind, but Tsuruhana-san’s group is…”
Uwah, she’s being targeted by them?82Please respect copyright.PENANAQU1UCPEcJy
My stomach is really hurting.82Please respect copyright.PENANARQGOjsyB6z
The last time I spoke to Ririna was when she came over with her parents before I entered Zui’ran.82Please respect copyright.PENANAZSDuWjxwoS
That girl has always hated me. But I guess that goes the same for me.82Please respect copyright.PENANA6YSn39gVEj
But even though she always used to go “Taka-niisama” “Taka-niisama” when the heck did she turn into an Emperor fan.82Please respect copyright.PENANA49cx5sMlYf
And it’s Kaburagi, of all people. Even Enjou would have been better. It’s like a landmine around that guy. Things are going to get bad if she carelessly approaches him.82Please respect copyright.PENANAEH5BS3Hd4T
I could already envision a future where my slowly heaped efforts and reputation were being smashed to pieces by Ririna.82Please respect copyright.PENANAB2FK6AcCmt
I see. So there was this kind of problem too.82Please respect copyright.PENANAjiuVCBkE9F
Even if I try my best not to incur Emperor’s displeasure, and even if I stop Otousama’s dishonesties, there’s still the plot device of having my relatives do something instead.82Please respect copyright.PENANA1JQOjXNTSU
Guilt by association is truly terrifying.82Please respect copyright.PENANAr0y5RgcbyY
Ririna is selfish and high-handed and spoilt by her parents, so she’s like a miniature version of Kimidol’s Kisshouin Reika, after all.82Please respect copyright.PENANAgbhMOC2efD
What do I do, what do I do? I definitely don’t have the skill to rehabilitate that girl!
But, I did at least give her a phone call to give her a few words.
“Ririna-san, I hear that you have been following Kaburagi-sama about? I think it might be better if you abstained from bothering your upperclassmen.”
“My. Whatever I do should be my own business. And Kaburagi-sama has never really said that I bother him.”
And the moment he does say it will be your last.
“But,”
“More importantly, Reika-san. I want to have a look at the Pivoine salon. Take me there.”
This little!
“The Pivoine is off-limits to Externals. And not ‘more importantly’, we were talking about Kaburagi-sama. You have a terrible reputation amongst the girls in the higher grades, you know.”
“Hmph. So? I’m not scared. Aren’t you just jealous that I’m getting close to Kaburagi-sama?”
HAHHH?!
“Ririna-san, Zui’ran has its own rules. If you ignore them, you will be crushed.”
“Yes, yes, got it, got it. Goodness, Reika-oneesama.”
She hung up.82Please respect copyright.PENANAPuRzckxzTM
…Annoying. Annoying, annoying, ANNOYINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!82Please respect copyright.PENANAGfqEfjtibf
What’s with her attitude! Somebody was calling her because they were worried! Or rather, you’re going to bother me so stop it already!82Please respect copyright.PENANA2q4LtPiDFs
GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! ANNOYING!82Please respect copyright.PENANA0SXfw6OQBb
I suppose people do say that every family has its annoying members. Ririna is so tiring to handle.82Please respect copyright.PENANAVRlmhiwb5a
If I ask Oniisama to help, I think even she’ll behave a little, but Oniisama is busy with work and studies, so he doesn’t have the time for this. I don’t want him to have to deal with something so bothersome.82Please respect copyright.PENANAqadZqeaQcF
But is it even possible for me to stop her?!82Please respect copyright.PENANAkvz6NLxtFi
UGAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! The stress is building up!82Please respect copyright.PENANAUdaHlNlRjx
I opened up a packet of You Can’t Stop, You Won’t Stops that I had hidden in my closet, and began devouring them by the clawful.82Please respect copyright.PENANAdYsc3BRSpC
If I get fat because of that girl, I won’t forget!82Please respect copyright.PENANA5dClqHcLCg
This year’s excursion was to a mountain temple. Why a temple?82Please respect copyright.PENANAXgOsplyokY
After we got on a bullet train and bus, there was a long, long staircase. You’re telling me to climb this?82Please respect copyright.PENANAWZlQZijEty
Because I heard it was a temple, I let my guard down. Isn’t this exactly the same as last year’s mountain climbing hell?82Please respect copyright.PENANAwrbVKXKXuy
But before long, my calves started acting up. My body is slanting forward. Somebody, somebody please bring me a cane.82Please respect copyright.PENANASZzcsyi3AH
While wheezing just like last year, I saw Tsuruhana-san’s group snickering at me as they passed me by. I didn’t know what to say.82Please respect copyright.PENANA2QWuZR3ywo
Apparently this temple was a temple featured in a famous haiku by Matsuo Bashou. Bashou climbed this horrifying mountain too? That theory about him being a ninja might actually be true.82Please respect copyright.PENANAXTobDIf6b0
O Heavens, please sever my inauspicious connections. I have many of them. Ririna, Kaburagi, Enjou, Tsuruhana…82Please respect copyright.PENANA7TTc03wNn5
Names kept coming out. Thanks to that, my heart was pitch-black. Making a pilgrimage with such a negative mindset, will the gods even grant me a miracle?82Please respect copyright.PENANADlaKoqehLa
After somehow making it to the top, it was already time to descend. WHY!? Apparently they were waiting for us. I’m sorry…82Please respect copyright.PENANAKbP9m5uNrd
After that, they took us to have a stroll around the Five Coloured Swamps Goshiki-numa, a collection of five multicoloured volcanic swamps.82Please respect copyright.PENANA7QhOBYtodq
But once I saw the boats on the swamps, my mood suddenly shot up. I want to ride one! I want to row one!82Please respect copyright.PENANA5YnPl9dUKH
I invited my friends, and quickly got on one.82Please respect copyright.PENANATDWNLoeOBK
It’s not moving. Even though I’m desperately rowing, why isn’t it moving. I just keep spinning around on the spot. What’s going on here?82Please respect copyright.PENANASRucygMsBI
Unable to watch any longer, one of my friends took over the rowing for me. Thank you, Ayame-chan.82Please respect copyright.PENANASzm7yyyhtO
It felt great sitting on the boat as it smoothly glided through the water. When I looked around, suddenly there were boats with couples on them! When!?82Please respect copyright.PENANA7LcV5QBddP
Before my eyes was a smiling girl. No, I’m thankful that you’re rowing for me. But even I wanted to try a boat ride with a boy…82Please respect copyright.PENANAoadXV2vj6G
But looking carefully, Kaburagi and Enjou were on a boat together. Two guys, riding a boat together…? Upfpftpft…82Please respect copyright.PENANAr9mfJOkkT5
I’ll just consider it a good thing that I’m with my friends.82Please respect copyright.PENANAMjFqEhGG2p
By the time I got home, I gradually started feeling the muscle pains. Aahh, tomorrow is going to be rough…82Please respect copyright.PENANAF7NJw6EqwC
Ah! I forgot to try the Tama Konnyaku!