126 SSj5: The Tragic Princess 2 in 1

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Note: Should be the last SS? ...or is it?

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Kanade and her staff members gathered around Kazuya to make sure that everything was perfect. They were at one of the locations where a major scene was about to be filmed. It was the fight scene between Ayame and Kaguya which was one of the highlights of their characters in the drama.

There were major changes these couple of weeks that even shook the carefree nature of Kanade. Kazuno Mei, the mischievous guardian of Kazuya who she found a strange affinity with, was recently being portrayed as an ambitious person who had betrayed her mentor which was Kazuya's mother.

Only after Kazuya explained to her that it had all been a ruse with the Kuroganes fanning the flames from behind the scenes did she understand what was going on and calmed down. It would have been the end of this project if Kyouko suddenly pulled Kazuya out of filming because she was still this boy's primary guardian after all.

Though Kazuya and the rest wanted to keep everything to themselves, the scale of their plans exceeded their initial expectations. There were too many parties involved and a whole lot of things to be considered. Kanade was involved in the collaboration project with Kazuno Tech's public relations so she was made an exception.

"How long do you think this will last for?" Kanade asked when the rest of her staff made themselves scarce while preparing for the next scene.

"I'm not too sure. I still don't know what Kurogane Shishio's intentions are for being interested in me but what I am sure about is that it is nothing good" Kanade was a little surprised because he said it like it didn't concern him at all.

Her son Takaya had already warned her mother not to be too offended by the way Kazuya speaks because he barely knows how to hold anything back. This was also one indication that he has lowered his guard around you so it's really not that bad considering the kind of person Kazuya was. One should even be more afraid if he didn't say what you'd expect him to.

"I see" Kanade smiled. "So what are your plans with Kuronuma Ayame? Are you going to tell her who you really are?"

"I'd rather not" Kazuya sighed. He checked himself once more in the mirror because of what Takaya's mother said since he felt like her smile gave off a different meaning.

"Please take your place, Kaguya-san" one of the staff members called their attention. He led them to the scene where the director and everyone else were waiting.

Because of their proposal, multiple cameras had been set up to capture every moment of their bout. They were also handed prop weapons that looked like real swords except that these were blunt.

"(They may be blunt but these toys would still be weapons in the hands of that girl)" Kazuya thought as he felt Ayame's gaze on him as soon as he entered wearing his costume.

The director came with the stunt coordinator they had for the drama. Both of them were reminded of the key points of the area and where the cameras were placed. He didn't have many expectations when he heard the suggestion but agreed to it since the director wanted to give it a try because of Ayame's reputation. They still didn't know if both these rookies were going to perform well since they were new to the business so this was going to be the first test.

"Alright! Everyone to your places!" The director grinned showing his anticipation. He had done his homework and looked up some of Ayame's footage so he was aware of how much this girl's popularity was deserved.

"I hope you won't be foolish enough to try and test the waters with me" Ayame stated before she went to her position. Kazuya turned and went to his with a smile. Just how long ago was it when the same kind of words were said to him?

Kazuya or the clan princess Kaguya was surrounded with her clansmen as she was being escorted through the mountains so that she could meet with the people that would help her clan. It was here that they came across the group led by Ayumu, the clan they wanted help against. They were unexpectedly hunting in the area. Ayumu's character didn't like her brother's engagement to Kaguya so she saw this as a chance to get her to back off from the engagement.

Kaguya didn't have many lines since his character was supposed to be a boy in the guise of a girl. Due to Kanade and her team's techniques, however, no one even suspected him being a boy and assumed that an actual girl was cast. He didn't have many lines to say because of this but Kazuya already modified his voice because he would need to let out a few sounds in this mock battle.

This was also one of the talents Kanade was very fond of. The ability to change his tone on a whim made it more convincing that he was indeed a girl. She was glad that she didn't reveal much about Kazuya's identity even to the director who just knew that he was really a boy.

They were in a real bamboo forest so if one were to look at the camera views, the scene looked very promising. Kaguya stepped up to face Ayumu's challenge because he couldn't risk this girl making things harder for his clan already.

"Let's see if this clan princess is as talented with a sword as she is talented with keeping silent" Ayumu loudly declared as she drew her sword and launched an attack against Kaguya.

To be honest, Ayame didn't expect much when she heard about this Kaguya girl's suggestion. There has been far too many people who have been saying that they will beat her or they have set her as their targets in interviews but none of them even got close. This especially unknown girl that came out of nowhere and was the same as her in the industry so how good could she actually be?

"(Looks like this girl is taking it pretty easy huh?)" There was nothing wrong with Ayame's strike per se, but it was showy more than it was for battle. "(So if it's a battle of showy techniques then…)" Kaguya lowered his stance and clenched the sword's hilt tightly.

"(Drawing technique!?)" Ayumu was a bit surprised at the stance. This was not a style that could be pulled off by kendo practitioners as wooden swords or bamboo swords had no scabbards.

*CLANG* Kaguya drew the sword swiftly and caused Ayumu to get thrown back. This made everyone behind the cameras to feel goosebumps on their bodies. They all expected the middle school kendo champion to effortlessly make this look one-sided but in their initial clash, she lost just after Kaguya drew her sword.

"…" Kaguya silently used his expression as if saying 'have you had enough?' which everyone thought he did perfectly. This simple act made Ayame forget what she was supposed to do. She felt that she had only been caught off guard because she underestimated her enemy and they were using props that emulated actual swords.

"So you do have some skill" Ayame regained her composure and took another stance.

This wasn't part of the script but the director didn't mind. This was already more than he expected, the single shot from earlier was well worth allowing them to do it their own way. He signaled the staff members to stay quiet and continue to observe as he was hoping to get more of what happened earlier after Ayame finally showed some ferocity.

"(This girl shouldn't be in this kind of drama)" Kazuya sighed internally. He felt the blaze in Ayame's fighting spirit as she took a more serious stance. Their spar resumed when Ayame once again launched her attack.

"(Has this girl really been that lacking of capable opponents?)" he thought as he continued to defend against Ayame's attacks. His character couldn't win and it was supposed to end in a draw where both parties deemed that it was useless to continue but in Ayame's current state, Kazuya couldn't see that happening any time soon.

This girl was a talented person with an affinity to mana so her stamina was stronger than even most athletes. There was also no one from the crew stopping them and the director could be seen grinning from ear to ear as he watched the different angles of their skirmish.

Ayame was getting even more fired up. Her usual opponents, aside from that persistent Akabane girl wouldn't last very long yet this unknown girl in front of her was fending off her attacks as if they were nothing. She didn't even break a sweat and Ayame couldn't tell if she was just trying to stay in character or she was that confident in herself.

Ayame's next strike was done swiftly but it was once again parried. This time, she decided to test this mysterious Kaguya's response to the strike she had been practicing in case Shiroyuki Tomoyo or Kouzuki Kazuya faced her again. It was a thrust that used her mana to make the weapon stronger and a lot faster.

"!!" Kazuya immediately felt the changes and knew that the girl was going too far. "(So unprofessional…)" he thought as he once again sheathed his sword and hid a sliver of his mana on the edge of the blade inside the scabbard to hide it from Ayame's keens senses.

"HAAAH!!" Their weapons clashed as a loud sound entered everyone's ears.

"CUT!" The director who was one of the few who just saw what happened stood up and clapped his hands. "Bravo girls! Bravo! I knew I felt something when I met the both of you!" He continued clapping and everyone who was clueless as to what just happened saw the prop swords in their hands.

One had been cleanly cut in half while the other one was cracked and unusable. Despite the setback, it went as it was supposed to, a draw. Ayame only realized the situation after the director and everyone else started congratulating them. The scene was not yet over but everyone thought that they should say something after a stunning performance the two rookies just showed them.

Ayame glanced at Kaguya who looked like she hadn't done anything out of the ordinary and was intrigued. She felt puzzled at how that last strike got stopped when she didn't feel any mana coming from the other side. Was this Kaguya really that skilled at using real swords? She wondered.

"Remember what you came here to do" Kazuya whispered to Ayame as if scolding her.

With his words, she felt a little embarrassed. She indeed lost her cool because she found an unexpected and worthy opponent in the oddest of places. She was here to make a name for herself that was big enough to intimidate the boy who dared ignore her. Ayame couldn't help but feel a little guilt and gratitude towards this girl who hadn't lost her cool despite her actions.

"Sorry… and thanks" Ayame politely bowed which caught Kazuya off guard. Was this girl really capable of being humble?

The hardest part of the day was already over and because of Kazuya's reminder, Ayame pretty much concentrated on her role. To Ayame, this day was quite fruitful, not only had she found a worthy opponent, she was even reminded of her own mistake which was a refreshing feeling because she had been spoiled by the people around her.

"Hey, what should I call you?" Kazuya and Ayame were given a rest because most of their scenes in the area were already over. It was the other actors' turn so Ayame wasted no time to talk to this interesting person she had found.

"Just call me Kaguya, that is my name after all" Kazuya tried to stay as calm as he could after Ayame approached him out of the blue. "(Did she notice something?)" he nervously thought.

"So, the name of the character turned out to be your name as well…" she paused as if realizing something, "The Aoki group sure know their way around making stars. Maybe I should sign with them?" she smiled as she considered it.

Kazuya didn't know what her purpose was for making small talk like this. Why didn't she just ask whatever she wanted to like the Ayame he knew would? He really couldn't tell what she was up to but before he could ask, Kanade stepped in.

"Our group would welcome you with open arms if you're seriously saying that Kuronuma-san. It would be an honor to represent the rising star of the kendo world after all" Kaname smiled at Ayame whilst taking the opportunity to keep Kazuya silent. Anyone who knew him could tell that he was about to shoo away this potential client.

"Is the Aoki group confident in making me a star in the quickest way possible?" Ayame turned to Kanade and asked politely. She may have been proud of herself but this was still one of the heads of the illustrious Aoki group who could crush her plans on a whim.

"Is there any particular reason why you're in such a hurry?" Kanade was intrigued. This girl already had riches because of the family she belonged to and a reputation that would be respected more than a celebrity once she took her place in her family's ranks so what was her purpose?

"I want to make someone regret chasing me away and avoiding me as if I'm some sort of plague" she honestly replied which made Kazuya who was looking uninterested look towards Ayame in surprise. "By the time that boy finally takes an interest in girls, I want to be in a position that is above anyone else that is surrounding him" she boldly declared.

"Someone actually dared to avoid the 'Sword Fairy' like a plague? A younger boy it seems? Which boy could be so lucky?" Kanade asked curiously as she giggled. This girl was indeed very prideful.

"It's no secret since I've mentioned his name on every interview but his name always gets changed to 'someone that has beaten me before' when they are published. Maybe because they are afraid to mention the name of the heir of the Kouzuki Corporation, Kouzuki Kazuya" Ayame answered without hesitation.

Kazuya's face grew black lines after learning of Ayame's reasons. Kanade, on the other hand, couldn't help but give a wide smile. She held back the urge to laugh because what Ayame didn't know was that she had confessed her plans to the person she plotted against as he was just behind her.

"I see… since you're very clear on your reason for wanting to become famous at a rapid rate, why choose our group then?" Kanade understood her motivation but what made her consider choosing them? She didn't need to join a big group like them in case she wanted to make money because not only did she have her own reputation already, she could even go independent and still have a stable career because of her family's influence.

"I never considered it until today" Ayame honestly replied. "It was only because of Kaguya-san did I find that this endeavor may not be as uninteresting as I initially thought" Ayame smiled at the girl who she had taken an interest in.

"You've taken an interest in Kaguya?" Kanade turned to the supposed girl who was also wearing a surprised impression.

"I trust my intuition a lot and it has not failed me in the most important things. It tells me that she and I are kindred spirits especially after we've clashed blades" Ayame smiled which made Kazuya grow a more complex expression.

"So are you planning on taking on the industry by her side? Is that what you're saying?" Though Kanade found this strange situation interesting, this topic had to do with her business so she put those matters aside and asked Ayame what she intended.

"That would be up for your company to decide if I do join it. Though I would prefer having more jobs with Kaguya-san, if your company can help me to reach my main goal for doing all of this, I would be more than happy to sign with you" Ayame declared.

"Then that could be arranged" Kanade smiled as she put a hand on Kazuya's shoulder after noticing his desire to object. "You can visit our office this weekend where we can present a formal contract as well. We will decide there whether you want to join or not"

"Will Kaguya-san be there as well?" Ayame turned to ask him.

"Kaguya's big sister has a bit of a sensitive identity so we're keeping both their identities under wraps for now" Kaname paused to see Ayame's reaction. "I hope that even if you don't join the company, once you discover a few things, please keep the secret" Kanade used this as a hint for both of them. "I'll leave you two alone to get along before we move to the next location" Kanade then left them alone.

"I knew you weren't as simple as you seemed" Ayame waited for Kanade to leave before she grinned at Kaguya. She strangely felt comfortable around her which was unusual for any girl in her age group. This was especially now that the troublesome students in her new school got close to her because of other reasons than just simply being a friend. "Which school did you go to? How come I haven't heard of you? Why don't you participate in the kendo tournament?"

Ayame didn't waste time and asked a lot of questions. She was truly glad to have found someone who had as much skill as Kaguya. Though she didn't confirm if the girl had mana control or not, even if she didn't, with her skill, it wouldn't take long for her to learn it.

Kazuya, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with these questions and grew confused. Who was this girl? Was this the Kuronuma Ayame who chased him around and acted proudly in front of people? Why did girls have to be so confusing and complicated?

"I… don't go to any school and I study with tutors at home instead" he made up his mind to answer Ayame's questions since Kanade hinted that there was something else behind her intentions. He would leave it for later.

"So that's why… I haven't heard of you before" Ayame crossed her arms. Kazuya had a little understanding of this girl as well. He gave out answers that would protect Kaguya's existence as well as not to feed Ayame's curiosity for her to pry into his identity. "Who taught you how to fight?"

"A few tutors. They trained me in swordsmanship and not kendo" he answered in a way that would depict the experience he had in his previous life so that his deception would be more convincing.

"So that's why you seemed to be used to handling such a weapon" Ayame looked a little envious. No matter how much her grandfather spoiled her, no one would allow her to touch such weapons.

"Were you serious when you said that you were doing this to get back at a boy?" His question made Ayame's smile widen. She finally had someone she could talk about this openly to.

"Yes! That guy is so insensitive and doesn't know how to see a good lady when he sees one! I want him to regret it!" Ayame grinned as if she could see the Kazuya in her future plans. This made the real one grit his teeth in silence because even though he knew that such a thing would never come to pass, it was still uncomfortable for someone to be thinking about him as such especially in front of himself.

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"Since you know that boy is so obstinate, don't you think that he will still choose to ignore you?" Kazuya asked curiously. He really didn't know where Ayame's confidence came from since he knew that he wouldn't fall for such a shallow plan. He already met princesses, nobles, royalty, demon generals and even the demon king himself so what was a mere idol in his eyes?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You seem to not understand how simple boys are since you probably don't have much interaction with them" Ayame waved her finger from left to right repeatedly while confidently clicking her tongue. "Even if he doesn't think much of me now, he will eventually hear my name once I get famous. Imagine a normal boy like that suddenly reuniting with someone he treated badly after they got separated in the passage of time? Isn't it the perfect scenario where he would think back on how wrongly he treated me?"

"(This girl is crazy. She truly deserves the name naïve girl I gave her so long ago)" Kazuya sighed. He decided not to pay attention to this girl's twisted imagination as it would just cause him more headaches. He just nodded every now and then and muttered words such as 'I see' or 'that's not bad' which was more than enough to keep Ayame occupied.

Their girl talk was interrupted when they moved to a different location where they had to work once again. Because of Ayame, Kazuya was more worn out mentally than usual and looked towards Kanade for answers once they entered the vehicle to go back to the Aoki group's offices.

"Guess who?" Kazuya's vision was covered as soon as he took a seat in the van. He immediately knew who it was as soon as the hands touched him because it wasn't only her aura that was familiar, it was even her scent.

"Why are you here, Big Sis?" Kazuya didn't move and just relaxed. He would have reacted differently if it was an unfamiliar person so he was glad that it had been Mei who he hadn't seen ever since she left their house.

"Uuuu!" She immediately pulled him to her arms and held him as if she was never going to let go. "I need to charge!"

"Was this why you stopped me from rejecting Kuronuma Ayame earlier?" Kazuya turned towards Kanade who was pressured by the gaze.

"Hey!" Mei bopped his head. "Don't blame Kanade-san because it was her who came up with an idea so that we wouldn't be separated for the whole time this thing is going on!"

"What exactly is going on?" Kazuya was confused. It seemed that things have been settled without him being informed.

"I was hoping you would notice it when the official scripts were given out but it looks like you really memorized the first copies they gave out after all" Kanade didn't know whether to be impressed or disappointed as she handed Kazuya the official copy of their script which included the name of the cast.

[Kaguya-hime – Kazuno Kaguya]

"Kazuno… Kaguya?" He glanced at Mei questioningly.

"Yes! That will be the identity of this side of you! You'll be my little sister off-screen as well as the face of Kazuno Technologies!" Mei declared with an excited expression. "This way, we won't be separated for the whole time and could appear as 'Kaguya' when you're with me and when you're at home with Kyouko, you will be back to being 'Kazuya'"

"We've also discussed this with your mother and she has agreed to it. Even the Kurogane clan can't infiltrate something that they know nothing about and the only people who know your true identity are my husband, son and personal assistants" Kanade followed up.

Kazuya didn't know what to say and felt like a bomb had just been dropped on him. Sure he was glad that he didn't need to be separated from Mei for that long but he would have had his ways if he wanted to see her.

"I know what you're thinking" Mei ruffled his hair. "There are of course other reasons we thought of to take advantage of your identity and that would be for Kurogane Shishio to be less wary of our relationship" Mei said in a somewhat serious tone.

"Did that guy do something?" Kazuya didn't receive any reports of anyone strange meeting with her so it was probably a private call.

"He said that they would stop trying to label me as a traitor if I promised not to interfere with matters concerning you. He even threatened to hinder our company's growth. Though he wouldn't have that much power, he can still cause delays which is why I agreed. If the Kuroganes decide to leave the company alone, they would be the ones to regret it in the long run" Mei explained.

Kazuya agreed with her decision. As long as the public get their hands on their products, no amount of bad press would be able to stop them from rising up. This was already proven from his previous life and with the Ringo Corporation out of the way, even if they started to hinder them, it would already be too late.

"Your father looks to be planning something big with you in mind so we'll use your identity as 'Kaguya' to let him think that Mei has put her attention elsewhere or has moved on from any connections with the Kouzuki Corporation" Kanade grinned. "We can even use it to merge the two companies if Mei-san here proposes a marriage between your two identities" Kanade giggled.

"So you plan on using Kuronuma's fame to remove doubts about Kaguya's identity?" Kazuya ignored that last comment and clarified the purpose of Ayame's involvement.

"Yes. Since she is looking forward to working with you, we can also make use of your reputation as friends to give a positive image towards Kazuno Tech. You shouldn't underestimate her current popularity as many people are already paying attention to her" Kanade noticed the black lines growing on Kazuya's head and smiled.

"Fine but… can you not come up with these kinds of plans without me in the future?"

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