🎉🎉SCIAW: Chapter 541/544

Chapter 541: I’ll Still Choose "Lawyer"

Countless pieces of information flooded into her mind. Even without opening her eyes, Toyomi, who was receiving this information, saw a strong but not dazzling golden light radiating from Ren before her. Bathed in that golden glow, she felt an indescribable comfort spreading through her entire body.

An unknown switch within her seemed to be turned on, and a warm, golden energy began to circulate throughout her.

Specks of golden light appeared around her body, and combined with her devout praying posture, she truly looked like a holy nun.

If she were wearing a nun's habit, any cardinal who saw her at this moment would surely recognize her as a saint blessed by divinity.

Saintess...

At this moment, Maho could only think of this one word to describe her eldest daughter.

Taking the path of religion, this path was indeed the most fitting for Toyomi.

In that case, their plan needed to be carried out as soon as possible.

The newly built city, Tingen City, clearly needed a cleric of extraordinary status to preside over it.

Toyomi was most suitable for that position.

Maho began to pay close attention to the progress of that city's construction.

Of course, such things could not be accomplished overnight. She needed to make considerable preparations for the plan to build a film city.

Toyomi slowly opened her eyes, and the golden specks of light around her vanished as she did.

But in their place was a devoutness she had never possessed before.

Deep within her eyes shimmered a faint blue light, and the reflection in her gaze still carried a golden glow.

Blinking lightly, Toyomi smiled and rose from her kneeling position.

"Praise the Sun."

"Toyomi-san, not the Sun, but the Fool."

"I understand, praise the Fool."

Although slightly confused, Toyomi still changed her words.

Ren did not explain, shifting his gaze from Toyomi to the youngest of the three Fujiwara sisters.

"And now, Moeha-san."

Toyomi returned to Chika's side, and Moeha, whose name was called, stood up at the right moment.

"Moeha-san, who enjoys playing pranks, is actually skilled at finding others' weaknesses. Based on this, I believe Moeha-san is very suitable for the Lawyer pathway."

"Of course, another reason is that this Sequence aligns closely with the ruling family."

Everyone present knew what he meant; Ren's recommendation was clearly based on Fujiwara's background.

"Because lawyers are directly connected to rules?"

Moeha couldn't help but ask.

"Exactly."

Ren nodded slightly and explained,

"The professional standard of a lawyer is to find loopholes in rules and make use of them, turning those rules to their own advantage."

"This is the foundation of the Lawyer Sequence, and as they progress, lawyers begin to create rules themselves, forcing others to obey them."

"Lawyers can subtly influence others' concepts and thoughts. High-Sequence ones can even distort rules themselves."

"I believe that those suitable for this Sequence must be astute. They must know how to use rules wisely, and how to create them when necessary."

Moeha immediately understood the essence of this Sequence.

Using rules to achieve one's goals, and the abilities of this Sequence were undoubtedly related to the concept of rules.

And societal rules were inseparable from power, which was why lawyers suited the ruling family.

Maho and Chika had both chosen the Spectator pathway, standing behind the scenes as manipulators.

Toyomi had now stepped onto the path of religion, so a law-related Sequence was indeed most fitting for Moeha.

To use rules, to create rules.

"Are there any other Sequences?"

"There are others, of course, but they aren't very suitable. Fujiwara should have mentioned the others before, right?"

"Yes, my sister told me everything."

"Do you like any of them?"

Moeha thought carefully, but in the end, shook her head slightly. None of those Sequences truly suited her.

"In that case, I'll introduce two new Sequences."

"One of them is the Moon Pathway, basically a Vampire Sequence. This path primarily follows the lineage of blood and mainly focuses on beast taming."

"The other is the Mother Pathway, also called the Planter Sequence. This path mainly follows research and nurturing."

After hearing the brief explanations, Moeha shook her head slightly. Clearly, neither beast taming nor research fit her.

"As for the others... there are two more, but they're also not very suitable."

"What are they?"

Moeha's curiosity was piqued by his tone.

"The Red Priest Pathway, also known as the Hunter Sequence. However, higher Sequences in this path are restricted to males. If a woman chooses it, she will become a man."

Moeha shuddered, a strong sense of rejection coursing through her body as she shook her head repeatedly.

"Unsuitable, this one is absolutely unsuitable. I like being a girl."

The others from the Fujiwara family were also dumbfounded.

They hadn't expected such a Sequence to exist.

Ren also thought that girls weren't suited for that Sequence. As for the next one, it was even less appropriate, especially for good girls.

"The other Sequence is the Demoness, the counterpart to the Red Priest."

"However, good girls shouldn't choose it. I'll explain why directly."

"Pleasure Demoness, this is one of the promotion points in the Demoness Pathway, and its main method of acting is... creating pleasure between men and women."

Pleasure... isn't that that kind of thing?

Moeha was stunned, completely not expecting such a path to exist among the Sequences leading to godhood.

She quickly shook her head, trying to push the word "Demoness" out of her mind.

The most suitable one for her was clearly the Lawyer Sequence. As for Witch, she didn't even want to think about it.

Taking a deep breath, Moeha knelt before Ren.

"Ren-senpai, I'll stick with the Lawyer."

"Decided?"

"Yes, decided. The Lawyer suits me better. I'm more of an agile person."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 542: Fujiwara and Suzuki Hold Hands

Late at night, after arranging for someone to send Ren home, the entire Fujiwara family gathered again.

"It seems our family's future direction needs to change," General Shota said with a sigh.

"It is necessary to make changes," Kenichi agreed. "Although our family has always advanced steadily, not seizing such an opportunity would be a mistake in judgment. Especially an opportunity this stable—are we really willing to pass it up?"

Shota thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Indeed, failing to seize such a chance would be a great mistake."

"Fortunately, our granddaughter has already boarded a big ship."

Shota looked affectionately at his granddaughter. Her luck had been remarkable. After transferring schools, she managed to form a relationship with a future god.

Because of this connection, the Fujiwara family would almost certainly rise to the heavens under her lead.

"This is true. Our granddaughter is incredible," Kenichi added with pride.

Their current opportunity was entirely thanks to her involvement.

"Oh dear~ I just followed Kaguya. Who would have thought Ren was the one behind her?"

Chika, praised by both her grandfather and father, showed a proud smile.

Their praise wasn't misplaced. The advantageous position Fujiwara held now was entirely due to Chika's connection. Without her, they would never have such an opportunity.

"Maho, next, you need to focus on the new city," Shota said seriously to his daughter-in-law.

"The location of the land will be somewhat remote, but such places aren't rare in Japan, especially in some coastal mountain regions."

Indeed, many of those areas were sparsely populated. Most of Japan's population was concentrated in large central cities, leaving many coastal or mountainous towns nearly abandoned.

In the past, small towns had thrived there, but as time passed, the younger generations left for the big cities, and the towns became deserted.

Some coastal towns were so desolate that even ghosts wouldn't want to stay.

Before his retirement, Shota had held a high-ranking position in the ruling circle, and he was familiar with such situations.

Even those in power were reluctant to manage these towns.

Because there was no profit.

Without residents, money could not circulate. No matter how much one invested, it would only be wasted resources.

Maintaining a city required a large budget, and for uninhabited areas, such spending was meaningless.

There were even cases where entire districts could be sold cheaply.

"Maho, remember to negotiate with the Suzuki Zaibatsu. Sell those useless lands to them under the pretext of building a film city," Shota instructed.

"Sell those lands cheaply."

"If the surrounding areas are all similar plots, then package them together. Do it quietly. Such a transaction won't draw much attention."

"Even if the government notices, they'll be glad to see the Zaibatsu handle those worthless lands."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, do not let our Fujiwara family directly participate. It could attract unnecessary attention and trouble."

Shota understood the principle well: success thrives in secrecy, failure comes from exposure.

"I understand," Maho replied calmly.

The Fujiwara name carried great influence. If they took the lead, the transaction might proceed more smoothly, but it would also be far easier for others to notice.

If, however, other officials or corporations completed the transaction with the Suzuki Zaibatsu, it would not only draw less scrutiny but also leave Fujiwara clear of suspicion.

Maho knew this matter needed to be settled quickly.

Time passed, and it was soon noon the next day.

Friday noon was still class time at Teitan High School. Meanwhile, at the Suzuki Zaibatsu headquarters, a guest had arrived—Fujiwara Maho.

Upon hearing who it was, Suzuki Ayako immediately understood her purpose.

She formally received Maho, and when the two women met, they instantly noticed something unusual about each other.

"Miss Suzuki..."

"Miss Fujiwara..."

They spoke simultaneously, paused, then both uttered the same word.

"Spectator."

At once, the two, despite their significant age difference, both smiled knowingly.

"So that's what it is," Maho said, her smile calm and composed.

"Indeed, handling the affairs of Suzuki requires such an ability. It helps with everything."

"The same applies to diplomacy," Maho replied. "A diplomat's work benefits greatly from the power to perceive others."

Ayako nodded. "It seems your visit concerns the film city."

"Mm."

Maho didn't deny it. Since they were both Spectators, she could speak directly.

"Yesterday, Ren was invited to our home, and we discussed some important matters," she said, then continued, "One of them was about the film city."

"As for the land, I assume Suzuki Zaibatsu is struggling to secure approval?"

"Indeed," Ayako admitted with a sigh. "Even if our family wishes to proceed, it's not that simple. The film city is clearly meant to be the future city for the extraordinary. It would be best not to let the ruling circle interfere too much. But even on paper, it still needs considerable approval and preparation."

"It's actually not that complicated," Maho said, shaking her head slightly. She opened her briefcase and took out a folder.

"Please take a look, Miss Suzuki."

"This is…!?"

The documents described a vast area large enough to build a new city, connecting several long-abandoned coastal towns.

It explained that these towns had been deserted for decades.

Each one was situated near the coast, with mountainous terrain surrounding it, making development difficult.

Transportation was inconvenient, and although there were usable ports, the towns lacked significant resources. After decades of population loss, these towns had been removed from national development plans.

However, this very lack of people and resources made Ayako's eyes light up.

Developing such an area would be difficult, but once completed, it would be perfect for their new city.

"It's quite suitable, isn't it?"

"Hmm, although the development cost is high, these towns are ideal and match my expectations perfectly," Ayako said after a pause. "There aren't many such areas, and it's even rarer to find several connected towns like this."

Maho nodded. "Indeed. These areas are recorded by the government, but few are willing to develop them. The effort and reward are disproportionate. Building proper roads alone would require blasting through mountains. It's not considered worth the cost."

"That's why the land prices are so low."

"Then these lands..." Ayako pointed at the map in the documents.

"These lands are for sale, of course," Maho said. "But Miss Suzuki will have to find them herself. Fujiwara draws too much attention."

Once Ayako entered her observer mode, she immediately understood the implication and nodded.

"Alright. I'll find them as soon as possible."

"Then I'll congratulate you in advance," Maho said with a smile.

"Not at all, I should be thanking you instead."

The two women stood and exchanged a knowing smile before shaking hands.

Some things didn't need to be spoken aloud. Observation was enough.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to paladar blade for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 543: Weekend Plans

"Your older sister is taking the religious path, and your younger sister is taking the Lawyer path."

"One wants to become a Notary, and the other wants to make a name in the legal world."

"The direction of your family is quite targeted."

Sonoko immediately understood that all three paths were political.

Becoming a Notary and entering the judicial system clearly pointed toward politics.

From a family perspective, the entire Fujiwara family truly walked this path, and now with Ren's help, they could go even further.

Thinking of this, Sonoko turned her gaze back to Ren.

"Ren, just for the sake of one city, are you preparing to have Fujiwara control the entirety of Japan?"

"It's mainly to avoid trouble."

Ren had no extra thoughts about this country. His desire to control it was solely for Tingen City.

"Fujiwara and we have always had a good relationship. Compared to others, it is definitely best for us if Fujiwara can control Japan."

"Indeed, just as Ren said, Fujiwara has always been an evergreen in politics."

Kaguya glanced at Chika and strongly approved of Ren's decision.

The political circle must be full of troublesome matters. Throwing these problems to Fujiwara would definitely simplify their troubles and allow any incidents on their side to be concealed to the greatest extent.

It was beneficial for both sides.

Fujiwara would regain the opportunity to control political power and gain the chance to rise overnight.

Under such circumstances, it would be foolish for Fujiwara to refuse.

"Grandpa and maternal grandpa also said so."

Chika did not have much of a concept of power, but she understood that this was what Fujiwara needed, and what their group needed.

With political protection, even if they caused some trouble in the future, it could be covered up, preventing a bigger commotion. That was definitely a good thing.

"Grandpa and maternal grandpa also said to quickly advance the film and television city project."

"This time, Mom is going to start taking action. Grandpa said that many remote places in Japan are connected, and those places do not even have people, having been abandoned for a long time. Plus, they are difficult to develop, so they are very suitable for building a film and television city."

The land problem was considered solved.

"But in that case, would anyone go to such a remote place?"

Ran was more concerned about this question.

"Miss Mouri, such remote places cannot recover costs for now. The key is that the place itself does not have very rich resources," Hayasaka explained briefly.

"The biggest resource of that city in the future will be the stories Suzuki is preparing to film."

"Using stories as the condition to attract tourists, and then using the city's living conditions to attract more outsiders to settle in the city."

"After that, the Fool Church will be built in the city, and the church will also have Fujiwara's sister. In the future, the city should welcome many religions. Among them, there will also be some politicians who know certain things."

"I think, when it really comes to that point, Tingen City should become a hub of commerce, religion, and politics."

"If it truly develops to that point, then even if that city does not possess rich resources, it can be said to be the most central resource itself."

Upon hearing Hayasaka's explanation, Ran finally understood.

The foundation of that city lay in its subsequent development. As long as it developed more orderly in the future, it was normal for it to become a core city.

All current efforts were for future gains.

Of course, Ran also understood that normal investments carried risks, but the investment in Tingen City carried no risks whatsoever.

Because Ren was there.

"However, the construction of a city should take a long time, right?"

Hayasaka nodded slightly at Ran's question.

"It will indeed take a long time. But that is the basic situation."

"As long as investment is increased later, a city will quickly spread outward from a single point."

"Especially since the Suzuki Zaibatsu is also preparing to film stories there, some iconic buildings will definitely be built first."

"The architectural style is Western, and it is retro, so most of them are wooden structures. That means the time required will not be particularly long…"

Western wooden structures can be completed relatively quickly, especially with more construction workers. These buildings can almost be built in less than a month.

"I think the construction within Tingen City will be completed while the story is still set there."

"Indeed."

Ren strongly agreed with Hayasaka. The construction of Tingen City itself was not particularly difficult.

"One year, no, perhaps less than half a year, Tingen City can be fully completed."

"The key afterward is how to operate this city."

"However, this cannot be separated from the influence of commerce, politics, and religion."

"Therefore, I hope the Fujiwara family can first take control of Japan."

"After that, there will be no need for so-called resource allocation. Only by ensuring the uniqueness of Tingen City can it naturally begin to operate."

For a city to operate, the help of the state apparatus was indispensable.

This was the biggest reason Ren hoped Fujiwara could control Japan.

"Speaking of which, does anyone have plans to go out this weekend?"

"Weekend plans, huh…"

"Hmm, how about we all go skiing together?"

After a brief silence, Sonoko was the first to suggest it.

"Skiing? That's possible."

Ren had no objections.

"But why the sudden suggestion?"

"Hehe~ I recently joined a magic chat group online. They said they are going camping in the mountains soon, and my family happens to have a villa there."

When the Suzuki villa was mentioned, everyone's gazes turned a bit strange.

Under those gazes, Sonoko quickly explained, "It is definitely fine. Nothing will happen this time."

"This time, my family's villa is not in the remote mountains, and I have not invited anyone else. I guarantee that this time, my family will definitely not have any problems."

Sonoko had learned many lessons. At least, she would not choose a villa deep in the mountains, trigger some strange mechanism, and attract the favor of the God of Death or something similar.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to paladar blade for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 544: Free After School?

"Speaking of which, Sonoko, you even joined an online chat group?"

In this era, the internet had not yet become fully widespread, and everyone maintained a relatively cautious attitude toward online matters.

Mainly, they were afraid of being scammed.

Ran naturally knew about online chat groups, but she had never actively participated, mainly because she was worried about encountering scammers online where they could not see each other.

"Hmm, just simple chatting."

"It is really just people with the same interests talking about their hobbies. Plus, in online chats, everyone uses pseudonyms and genders, so there generally are not any problems."

Sonoko also knew the dangers of not being able to confirm each other online, so she even used a fake gender.

She was not stupid. She would not leave herself such a big loophole.

"The reason I suggested skiing is also because that chat group mentioned their plans for an offline gathering."

"So, you have decided to go too?"

Facing Ran's question, Sonoko immediately gave her a blank stare.

"Do I look like that kind of idiot?"

"It is fine for everyone to chat online. It is just a chat group for a common hobby. But an offline gathering is a completely different situation. The danger levels online and offline are completely different."

She loved trying new things and enjoyed going out and traveling.

But Sonoko had always been very good at controlling who she played with.

"When they talked about an offline gathering in the chat group, I immediately refused."

"I absolutely do not want to meet up offline with people I only know online. It would be too foolish if something dangerous happened."

Sonoko, who had been trained to be aware of danger since she was young, was not foolish enough to put herself in harm's way.

"It is just that Ren mentioned his plans for this weekend, and it made me think of that offline gathering."

"Coincidentally, I know the place where their offline gathering is. It is a great spot for skiing and enjoying the snow. Plus, the Suzuki family has a villa there, which would be perfect for our weekend activities."

Sonoko had no interest in investigating the people she met in the online chat group, since she had no intention of attending the offline gathering anyway.

However, she did know the location of their offline gathering. She had previously experienced life in a snowy mountain villa, which made her even more familiar with the area.

"How about it?"

"Sounds good."

Ren did not see any problem with it. They were not going to the magic chat group's offline gathering, but to the Suzuki family's private villa nearby, so it was not a big deal.

"Going to the villa near that magic chat group for the weekend is fine, but do you think something might happen at that gathering?"

"No, not necessarily, right?"

After Ren said that, Sonoko actually lost her original confidence.

Everyone else looked at Sonoko with subtle expressions. In fact, they thought the same thing.

"Do you remember what I said before? Many cases are encountered by you and Ran, especially when traveling. A large portion of them are related to you, Sonoko."

"Hmm…"

Sonoko remembered. Ren had said something similar.

"You do not need to worry too much about that magic chat group. This weekend, we are going to your family's villa. As long as we maintain a certain distance, their affairs will not involve us."

Ren always maintained an indifferent attitude toward things that did not concern him.

After all, the number of murder cases was truly too many. He had not watched every episode of Conan, so he could not remember every plot clearly.

"Mm-hmm, as long as we do not interact with them, we will be fine."

Hearing Ren's words, Sonoko quickly recovered her spirits.

Regardless of the situation with that magic chat group, she was not going to meet anyone from it offline anyway.

Then she recalled the situation on that snowy mountain.

"Hmm, I remember they said their location was a villa deep in the mountains, specifically on the mountainside. I have not paid much attention to the exact situation of that place, but it should be somewhat similar to our family's villa up there."

As she spoke, even Sonoko herself began to have doubts.

A weekend offline gathering, and they liked to go to such a secluded place? Shouldn't offline gatherings be held in more open places, avoiding sparsely populated areas?

Everyone wore similar expressions, almost simultaneously saying the same thing.

"Something's definitely going to happen!" * 5

The same scene was projected in their minds.

A group of magic enthusiasts who met online went to a deserted area deep in the snowy mountainside for a gathering.

Clearly, such an arrangement for a gathering deep in the mountains would not lead to anything good.

Ran also had some worries on her face, and she turned to Sonoko again to confirm one point.

"Sonoko, is our place really far away from that dangerous area?"

"Do not worry, this time I am really sure."

Sonoko was very certain.

"Their gathering place is on the mountainside, and our family's villa is on the mountaintop, which offers a better view of the entire mountain's snow scenery."

"Moreover, there is not just our villa on the mountaintop. There are many high-end hotels as well."

"Last year, when the school organized a snowy mountain trip, we stayed at a hotel up there, and some unpleasant things happened at the time."

"Oh, that place!"

Only after being reminded did Ran remember which snowy mountain it was.

It was a natural snowy mountain, and due to its high altitude, the mountaintop was covered in snow year-round. It was not only a very natural ski resort but also a good place to view the snow scenery.

"So, the unpleasant things… were also murders?"

Nagi asked casually, immediately plunging Ran and Sonoko into silence.

Seeing the two of them quiet, everyone could not help but sigh.

No need for further confirmation. It was almost certain that the unpleasant incident was indeed a murder.

Ren also had a slight headache.

"In that case, the skiing Sonoko mentioned will be this weekend's outdoor activity."

"What do you all think?"

The others exchanged glances. Aside from the unpleasant incidents and the magic chat group being a bit annoying, they did not have many objections.

"Then let's go skiing."

The weekend activity was decided.

"Ren, do you have time after school?"

"Amamiya, do you have time after school?"

After the topic of the weekend ended, Ran and Hayasaka both spoke similar words in unison.

The two looked at each other, and both simultaneously thought of the other's matter.

(To be continued.)