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Xiangzi was bewildered. She instinctively shook her head and said, "This... how is this possible? No one will accept it. Even if we get married, as a son-in-law, you won't be able to convince everyone. Those people are so stubborn in valuing bloodlines."
She was just making up an excuse because she didn't want Banami to take on that responsibility.
For many, the head of the Toyokawa family is an unattainable figure, but not for Shoko, and certainly not for Hachinami.
Xiangzi understood him; he was a free man, a free bird, and his abilities ensured that he could live freely and unrestrained in this world.
The head of the Toyokawa family was just a burden to him, just like he was to Xiangzi.
But Xiangzi was different. This family raised her, so taking responsibility for her was a responsibility that Xiangzi was born with, and she could not escape it.
Can you see...
"Xiangzi, do you remember the Miaomiao gadget that I told you about before, worth one million cat coins?" Banami suddenly said.
Xiangzi was a beat slow to react, looking at the other person with an incredulous expression.
Banami once said that he didn't have enough cat coins for the time being and would wait until he earned a million cat coins. That item was the key to him creating a world where everyone would be happy.
Ke Xiangzi was puzzled at the time. With only one million cat coins, even if he bought an identity card, he wouldn't be able to buy anything decent. How could he possibly achieve Banami's goal?
However, the events that followed made Xiangzi almost forget about the incident. In the end, with her succession as the head of the family and Hatsune's revelation of her identity, she completely forgot about it.
Banami took the wonderful little gadget, or rather, a contract, from her pocket and placed it in front of the box.
※Product Name: Identity Exchange Contract
※Effect: This item can swap the social identities of two people without time limit. The system will fill in the corresponding social and memory gaps.
※Note 1: This item can only be signed with the voluntary consent of both parties. If coercion, threats or other means are used, the system will automatically determine that the contract is invalid.
※Note 2: This item is ineffective for characters who have participated in fan creations or those designated by the host; their original memories will still be retained.
※Additional conditions: Based on the host's customization, this item allows one of the parties involved in the identity swap to initiate the power to invalidate the item. Once initiated, the contract is voided, and both parties return to their original identities.
※Value of the item: One million Cat Coins.
Xiangzi stared blankly at Banami, never expecting that his so-called trump card would be this.
Why didn't you tell me back then?
At that time, Xiangzi kept guessing what the prop was, but Banami just wouldn't say.
No wonder this item only costs one million cat coins. After all, a regular identity card for someone like Xiangzi, the heir to a wealthy family, would cost an astronomical sum.
However, the identity exchange contract is different; the two simply... exchanged identities.
Banami gently stroked the girl's hair and whispered, "If I had told you from the beginning, you definitely wouldn't have agreed, right, Xiaoxiang?"
How could you, with your gentle nature, bear to imprison me in this cage?
Immediately, Xiangzi's eyes filled with tears, and he cried out, "But how do you know I'll agree to your request right now?"
Banami cupped her face and said, "Because you are now the captain of Ave Mujica. Hatsune, Nyanko-sensei, and Mutsu are all waiting for you. Hachiman Umi is also waiting for you to lead them to stand on the stage."
"But...but you can too..."
Banami gently shook her head and said, "It's different, Xiaoxiang. They like me, but the only one who can lead Ave Mujica is you. And I will be offstage, protecting you."
That gentle voice, however, revealed Xiangzi's deep sadness; these were the words she had once spoken to Banami.
She couldn't help but exclaim, "But Xi, what about you? What about your own musical dreams?!"
Influenced by Xiangzi, Banami, who initially only saw music as a means of self-interest, gradually began to enjoy music like Xiangzi, and even took the initiative to create an account called "Guitar Hero".
However, Banami chuckled and said, "Didn't I already say that I would upload those classic songs to that account as soon as possible so that everyone can enjoy them?"
Upon hearing this, Xiangzi's mind went blank. Initially, she thought that Banami was just eager to get the account up and running, but now that she knew everything, she finally understood. Banami wanted to take advantage of her spare time before inheriting the Toyokawa family to make sure that as many classic songs from her world as possible could be appreciated by people in this world.
Having figured everything out, Xiangzi couldn't help but choke up.
Banami gently embraced the other person and said tenderly, "Xiao Xiang, you will inherit my musical dreams."
Xiangzi had said this to Banami before, but now, he was saying it to himself.
Xiangzi was already choked with sobs and unable to speak. When Banai saw that he had taken the contract into her hand, he said in a low voice, "Xiangzi, sign it. Don't let my and your grandfather's efforts be in vain."
I will create a world where everyone can be happy, no matter what the cost.
Xiangzi raised her head, her eyes showing even a hint of anger, and... even more sadness.
"Xi, you... idiot!"
After saying that, she punched Banami in the chest.
The boy groaned, but then the system suddenly issued a notification.
※System: The identity swap contract is established. Wishing the host a wonderful life ahead.
Hagi, you bastard.
Xiangzi choked back tears and collapsed to the ground. From this day forward, she was freed from the shackles of bloodline responsibility.
But everything comes at a price, and now this shackle has fallen on the person I love most.
In order to allow her to continue pursuing her dreams.
Banami hugged the girl tightly and said, "Xiaoxiang, you're such an idiot. You know perfectly well that as long as you're happy, I'll be happy too."
Xiangzi stared blankly at the smiling boy in front of him.
God, you're such an idiot.
"My God," she murmured to herself.
Volume Ten: A Magnificent Betrayal Against the Gods
Chapter 1 Triangle - Cinderella - Hatsune Miku
The dawn sunlight, the warm rays of the rising sun, shone through the window onto Miku's eyelids. She slowly woke up, only to find herself in a somewhat unfamiliar ceiling.
The girl, whose mind was not yet fully awake, seemed to be startled and jumped up. However, after looking more closely at the elegantly decorated room, she finally remembered something.
She... is currently at the Toyokawa family home, having already moved in as the daughter of the former head of the family, Toyokawa Sadaharu.
This was originally an extremely unbelievable thing, after all, she was just an illegitimate daughter, and the Toyokawa family should have avoided her existence like the plague.
But... in Hatsune's mind, the images of those two people appeared. If it weren't for those two people...
Her heart slowly filled with an emotion called happiness.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she took out her phone and called her mother, Nao Sankaku.
"Hey... Mom, I... I'm already living with Saki and the others."
After a moment of silence, Nao Misumi said, "I see. You're so different from your sister, you're just like me, both in good and bad ways."
After the mother and daughter chatted for a while, Hatsune hung up the phone.
She knew that her mother would have mixed feelings after learning that Mr. Toyokawa had acknowledged her as his daughter, but...
She has made up her mind that this time she will use her own hands to grasp hope and not let it slip away.
With that thought in mind, Hatsune sent another text message to Mana Junta.
"Great, Hatsuka-chan, we can perform together again!" Mana-chan's text message was full of excitement.
Actually, she has always been very lucky. No matter how many bad things she has encountered, she always manages to meet very good people, whether it's Xiangzi, Mana-chan, or Xi-kun...
As she was thinking this, Hatsune gently pushed open the door and went out, just in time to run into Fujita, the butler, who was busy at work.
Upon seeing the blonde girl, the butler Fujita smiled kindly and said, "Good morning, Miss Hatsune."
"Butler Fujita, you can just call me by my name. 'Miss' and all that..." Hatsune felt a little awkward.
“How could that be? You are Master Teiji’s own daughter, and also the aunt of Young Master Xi and Miss Xiangzi. The way you address them cannot be wrong,” Butler Fujita said respectfully.
Hearing her say that, Hatsune's face flushed even more. She still felt somewhat at a loss about her new identity.
But the butler Fujita simply looked tenderly at the young girl, who was about the same age as his granddaughter, and waited for her to slowly sort out her thoughts.
After a long pause, Hatsune took a deep breath and said, "Um, Mr. Toyokawa, are you awake now?"
She was still a little embarrassed to call that man "father".
Butler Fujita smiled and said, "Master Sadaharu is in his study right now; he's been sleeping less lately."
Hearing the old butler's words, Hatsune felt a pang of pain in her heart, and then quickly said, "Um, Grandpa Fujita, could you take me to the kitchen? I'd like to prepare coffee for Mr. Toyokawa."
Fujita, the butler, was slightly surprised, then smiled and said, "Miss Hatsune, please come with me."
A short while later, Hatsune Miku brought out a cup of espresso from the kitchen and came to Toyokawa Sadaharu's study, gently knocking on the door: "Um... that's me."
"Come in." The voice was still as firm and strong as a rock, hard to believe it belonged to an elderly man who was seriously ill.
Hatsune gently pushed the door open and found Toyokawa Sadaharu... her father, standing by the window, looking outside.
"Good morning, Mr. Toyokawa."
After Hatsune finished speaking, she gently placed the coffee on the table and subconsciously stood to one side.
Toyokawa Sadaharu looked at his biological daughter, then glanced at the steaming cup of coffee, and at her anxious expression.
“You are no longer a servant. These tasks are for servants to do. You are my daughter now. Don’t lose face as a daughter.” He said in a reprimanding tone.
Hatsune shrank back, looking at the stern-faced old man, and finally said, "Since I am Mr. Toyokawa's daughter, then... then I feel that I have the right to make you coffee... right..."
She spoke with a hint of stubbornness and a touch of insecurity.
Hearing the girl's answer, the old man raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, turning back to look out the window, which made Hatsune breathe a sigh of relief.
Although every time she met this old man felt like an exam, she couldn't help but go and see him.
“The person you should be trying to please right now is not me,” Toyokawa Sadaharu said calmly.
"Huh?!" For a moment, the girl didn't understand what the other person meant.
However, following the old man's direction, I looked out the window.
"Xi, you're so useless! You're already out of breath after just ten kilometers. How can you inherit the title of head of the Toyokawa family like this? Show me some manly behavior!" Xiangzi's familiar voice came over, sounding quite angry at her lack of ambition.
"I...I...I f***ing...became the head of the Toyokawa family...to be a tyrant...bullying men and women...harassing maids and stuff...no...not here to...compete in strength with you...ahhh, I can't take it anymore..."
Then, Hatsune saw the boy, drenched in sweat, lying directly on the lawn.
As a result, Xiangzi sat down on his stomach: "Huh?! Say it again? What? Who are you flirting with? Banami Yu, let me tell you, you'd better give up on this idea. If you do anything to disgrace the Toyokawa family, I will immediately put the family aside for the greater good."
"Who are you calling, Banami Yu? I am Toyokawa Yu now. Banami Shoko, you country bumpkin who got into this rich family by being favored, you better watch out. If you treat me, a young master of a wealthy family, like this again, I'll kick you out! I'm divorcing you! I'm divorcing you!"
"You bastard, you bastard, you bastard!" Xiangzi sat on Banami's stomach and struggled violently.
The boy let out bursts of wails.
Hatsune Miku was somewhat frightened by what she saw.
I even felt a pang of envy.
She simply couldn't say those kinds of things as casually as Xi Jun and Xiang Zi.
"Did you see that?" Toyokawa Sadaharu's voice drew her attention back.
"I saw it." Hatsune's tone was somewhat bitter.
She knew that no matter what she did, she could never compare to the two of them in each other's hearts.
But she didn't ask for much; she just wanted to... stay by their side forever.
Seeing that his own daughter was still clueless, Toyokawa Sadaharu shook his head slightly in his heart and spoke more bluntly: "You are not a smart person. You are suspicious and sensitive. In this respect, you probably inherited my flaws."
"Ah..." For a moment, Hatsune didn't know what to say.
Why... what is Mr. Toyokawa saying?
“Even if I bring you into my home, if no one gives you a push, you will ultimately only be Xiangzi’s foil and will never be able to enter that little rascal’s heart,” Toyokawa Sadaharu said.
"Mr. Toyokawa, what... are you saying?" Hatsune suddenly felt a fever.
"See? You're so thin-skinned you don't even have the courage to call me 'father,' while that little brat has already called me that right in front of me. Hatsune, you're not a smart person..."
Hearing the old man repeat it again, Hatsune lowered her head sadly.
"Therefore, I must find you someone to rely on before I leave. Everyone has their own way of living, and your personality means that you can only find a reliable person and depend on them to live."
Despite the self-deprecating tone, Hatsune Miku didn't feel humiliated because that's exactly what she thought.
“So the person you should be trying to please, the person serving coffee, isn’t me, but Banami Yu,” Toyokawa Sadaharu said.
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