Prisoner's Conviction (Yandere Detective x Reader x Yandere Heirs)

Chapter 31: Nouveau Riche

"You're a talented girl," the green-haired male stated, motioning with his eyes to the paper, "That's why you've gotten a full-ride scholarship at Drisless, hm?"

"Mm, you got me. It's a flow-blown government secret, but," the (h/c) haired girl paused, noting the look of interest in the male's eyes, "Well, actually, my best talent - the one they're trying to keep hidden from public view - is my inane ability to destroy tea conglomerates! Shh!"

With a blank face, the male drew back, staring into her eyes without so much as a blink. He didn't flinch as though he had anticipated the response. However, upon hearing it, he was shocked to his core, despite the look of apathy on his face. Truly, the young lady in front of him was one to be feared. Her ability to manipulate even the biggest of companies in the tea world was something he just couldn't pass up on.

"I see now why Yasojiro is trying to monopolize you. Is there any chance I could have you sign a contract of my own? I can't pass up this offer, you see. It's bad business sense."

At that point, the level of sarcasm had reached beyond what most people could offer the younger girl. Shota was stiff, Hotaka was too nice to play passive-aggressive, and most everyone in between was supposedly not on a level to be speaking to her in such a casual manner. Even if most everyone in the Yasojiro manor was relatively modest and open to her, there was still a line they couldn't cross as staff and master. So, despite her previously conceived notions about the male in front of her, he was a breath of fresh air.

"No, but, truly, this is impressive," he noted, drawing back into his "serious mode", "Most nobles don't care to listen to people like us."

"I don't think we're in the same position here. You're rich enough to throw away two million at your own whim. I don't have any money, good sir."

"It wasn't on a whim. It's done more for me than you think, and regardless, I didn't want anyone else to have it. I doubt you would have wanted to stay around people who only want to make a fool of you. But, sure, I understand your statement. To you, it looks like we come from two different worlds, but to them, we're the same."

Of course, the world of high society the younger girl had been exposed to thus far wasn't quite as elegant as it was made out to be. The sny remarks and the tactical backstabbings were just one instance of their civility, but there was also the notion of their constant need for the spotlight to be on them, even at the expense of others. So the idea that they believed she and Akiyama were on the same level didn't seem all that surprising. However, the thought made her want to dump tea over all of their heads.

To her extent of understanding, she was of use because of her naivety in society. Regardless of if she was intelligent, there was the issue of her upbringing which she still didn't have any memory of. That, however, was the main concern of those above her in the sphere of high society. As a low-born, marrying into one of the most well-preserved noble families of the eastern world was unthinkable to them. Why they hadn't attempted to suck up to Shota before, she had little idea, but using her to get to him proved to be effective. Why else would they have been sending her so many invitations to different gatherings?

Regardless, their agenda was clear. They wanted to make a connection by placing empathy and guidance on a young girl who is lost in the privileged world. And, sure, she could give them a little slack when addressing them, letting them think their schemes were working, but she was the one with their strings around her finger. She didn't get why it was that they still regarded her as a naive little lamb when it was clear she was the one taking them to slaughter. In that sense, the nobles really were pitiable.

Then there was the Akiyama family. Though knowing little about them, the (h/c) haired girl had enough information to make her own assumption about the nobles' impressions of them. According to those tidbits of knowledge, they were only recently recognized as a wealthy and powerful family. So wealthy that it took them only ten years to acquire such levels of recognition from their original status of living as commoners. Obviously, they were not nobles. They possessed no land aside from their house, no ancestors of interest, and, from what the younger girl had discovered on her walk through the corridors, no taste in the "old way of money".