SCIAW: Chapter 392/394

Chapter 392: Happy Birthday

The 60th anniversary of the Suzuki Zaibatsu was a major event recently.

In particular, a thief openly provoked the Suzuki Zaibatsu, even attempting to target the black pearl that the Zaibatsu had showcased earlier that morning. This incident caused quite a stir.

The previous theft at the Beika Museum had ended with the thief leaving yet another taunting notice.

However, the tone of that letter had been extremely provocative, forcing the Suzuki family to bring out the real black pearl and engage in a high-stakes gamble with the thief.

In the end, would the Suzuki family manage to protect the black pearl, or would the thief successfully steal it?

Of course, such an event unfolding during the 60th anniversary celebration of the conglomerate made the whole thing feel like a joke.

To put it bluntly, if the Suzuki Zaibatsu could defeat a thief, that was expected.

But if they couldn't even do that, it meant they were no better than a thief.

Risa Asakaze's eyes flickered slightly. Then she said cautiously, "Honestly, everyone's watching the Suzuki Zaibatsu's 60th anniversary event."

"Waiting to laugh at them, huh?"

Nagi wasn't nearly as cautious, saying out loud what others merely implied. Her expression didn't show the slightest concern about what others thought.

"If they want to watch, let them watch. Do you think Suzuki would care?"

Sonoko, whose name had come up, chuckled with a casual smile.

"That's right, laugh if they want. If our Suzuki family cared about stuff like that, we wouldn't be doing it this way in the first place."

Sonoko was well aware that many other conglomerates were mocking the Suzuki Zaibatsu.

But so what?

Maybe it used to matter to the Suzuki family in the past, but it didn't mean anything now.

They could've avoided the whole joke to begin with. Just look at what her mother had done initially—swapping out the real black pearl at the last second. That move alone could've completely undercut the thief's arrogance.

But didn't Ren change everything?

He restored the black pearl's original luster and even made modifications to it, turning what had once been a symbolic heirloom into a real one. How could they keep a low profile after that? The Suzuki family had no choice but to shift focus to substance.

"???"

Seeing Nagi and Sonoko's reactions, Risa Asakaze was full of question marks.

"So, there's a secret behind all this?"

"Well, sort of. Like Nagi-chan said, if you can find out, then go ahead and try."

Sonoko didn't seem to care much. She knew a few things, but some details weren't so easily uncovered.

"You're seriously saying that…"

Risa looked skeptical. The way Nagi and Sonoko phrased things clearly meant there were layers to this mystery. Still, it seemed obvious that the hidden story behind it wasn't something easy to uncover.

"In that case, can we also attend the Suzuki Zaibatsu's 60th anniversary?"

"Yeah, sure."

Sonoko thought about it briefly and didn't decline.

"My family should've sent an invitation to the Asakaze Shrine already, but your parents probably haven't responded."

"Then I'm sure there's been no reply."

Risa muttered bluntly.

"My old man hates social events. My mom always says he was born to run a shrine."

"And every time, he replies with the same thing. 'What's wrong with guarding a shrine? Maybe the gods will appear someday.'"

That was clearly a complaint from Risa's dad.

But his words immediately caught the attention of many in the room, and their eyes instinctively drifted to Ren, who was quietly eating cake.

The existence of gods was supposed to be impossible—especially in a scientific world like this one. Such things were unrealistic.

But even in a world so grounded in science, there now existed someone who might genuinely be walking the path to godhood.

In a way, Risa's father's complaint could be seen as a kind of prophecy.

Sonoko quickly came back to her senses and shifted her gaze.

"In that case, I'll have my sister send you an individual invitation after the party."

"Ms. Katsura Yukiji, Miss Katsura Hinagiku, do you want to join us too?"

"Oh my gosh!"

Yukiji's eyes lit up green with desire. The only thing on her mind was the lavish banquet.

Even though Hina was restricted from drinking too much, there was no rule against having alcohol. That made Yukiji genuinely excited to attend a party where fine liquor would clearly be served. After all, this kind of premium alcohol was rarely available unless you went to events of this level.

"…Sister."

Seeing her older sister's expression, Hinagiku knew it would be impossible to decline.

"Thank you, Ms. Suzuki."

"Ah, it's no big deal. It's just an invitation. Miss Hinagiku can also try investigating the secrets we're hiding. If you do figure something out, I think that would be kind of fun."

"Hmm? Sure, I'll give it a try."

Hinagiku wasn't sure why someone would be so open about letting others dig into their secrets, but since the person involved had given the green light, she figured there was no harm in looking into it.

Sometimes, the more something was hidden, the more people wanted to uncover it.

"Well then, let's wrap up the serious talk."

As the host, Nagi was the first to stand up, raising a glass of juice.

"Yesterday was Hayasaka's birthday. Today is Sakuya's. Tomorrow is Sonoko's."

"I think it's fate that our birthdays are so close together. So since fate brought us together, let's celebrate all three of our birthdays at once."

"I just feel a little bad for Hayasaka, since her birthday was yesterday, and for Sonoko, since hers is tomorrow."

In truth, Nagi had only learned yesterday that all three of them had April birthdays—each just a day apart.

So, this birthday party had been organized hastily, with only close friends invited.

"In any case, I still want to wish the two of them a happy birthday today."

"This is our first birthday party together. I believe there'll be many more to come."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 393: Excitement Is Not Very Friendly to the Heart

The birthday party lasted until 7 p.m.

Everyone returned home quite late. Aside from those who had cars sent from home, the rest were driven back by a vehicle from the Sanzenin household.

As she had mentioned earlier, Sakuya Aizawa brought Kasumi Aika back to her home.

However, after getting out of the car, Sakuya didn't lead Aika into the main house. Instead, she headed toward the private swimming pool built in the annex, meant for diving practice.

When they arrived, the night was still and silent, not even a servant in sight.

Bang!

Sakuya flicked on the lights, instantly illuminating the entire dark pool area.

"Miss Sakuya, what are you doing?"

Kasumi Aika still didn't understand what Sakuya was up to.

"Just watch from the side. This is my first time testing it, but since it's a gift from Ren, there shouldn't be any problem."

Standing by the pool's edge, Sakuya opened a sealed hatch.

The moment it opened, the lights inside the pool activated, and the surrounding monitors switched to underwater camera feeds.

At the same time, the pool's surveillance system also came online.

Looking down from the edge, it appeared you could see the bottom easily—it didn't even seem that deep.

But Sakuya knew the truth. The pool was 15 meters deep.

This was far deeper than standard snorkeling depths.

Normally, proper diving training in such a pool would require a professional coach to ensure safety. One mistake here could be fatal.

However, Sakuya didn't seem the least bit concerned about that.

"Aika, get me a towel and just observe from the side."

"Don't be overly surprised. And don't call for help. After you see my test, your questions will be answered. Then I'll explain everything."

Although Aika didn't understand, she still nodded slightly.

"Alright."

Wearing a kimono, she first retrieved a large bath towel to wrap herself in, then sat in the pool's rest area.

Sakuya glanced back at Aika, then tossed aside her shoes. Without even taking off her blue dress, she took a diving posture and plunged into the water like a dolphin.

"!?"

The sight stunned Aika so much that she stood up in shock.

Just as she was about to rush forward in a panic, the monitors near the pool showed Sakuya's underwater condition.

She was fast.

Even in a dress, Sakuya moved swiftly in the water, accelerating with just subtle body movements.

The dress, which should have been a hindrance, didn't affect her at all.

This… is this Sakuya's hidden ability?

Aika glanced toward one of the surveillance cameras.

Anyway, her uncle should be arriving soon.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves and continued watching Sakuya on the screen.

At that moment, Sakuya was filled with an overwhelming sense of excitement.

Ah, I can feel it. My entire body feels like it's breathing. I don't need to open my mouth or use lungs or gills to breathe. I can breathe naturally.

And my movements underwater are totally unrestricted.

However, there's a time limit.

She looked at her watch. A section of the dial had turned red, and the minute hand was ticking—clearly indicating a countdown.

Thirteen minutes. That's the duration I can breathe and move freely underwater. After that, the ability will deactivate.

That's more than enough.

She dove quickly, covering the full 15-meter depth. It took her less than 10 seconds to reach the bottom.

Fifteen meters wasn't enough to cause crushing pressure, but the water pressure was still palpable. She could dive deeper, but this was probably the safe limit.

As she continued to swim through the deep end, she suddenly heard a noise from above.

Even through the water, Sakuya could hear it clearly.

"Sakuya! Why did she jump?! Hurry! Rescue her! Hurry up!"

Looking up, Sakuya saw her usually unkempt father flailing at the edge of the pool, shouting in a panic.

Sakuya checked her watch. She still had eight minutes left. She had only been underwater for five.

Dad, you really rushed over quickly.

Sakuya sighed and shot upward like a dolphin.

The distance back to the surface was 15 meters. But before any rescue operation was ready, Sakuya had already broken the surface.

"Dad, your daughter isn't dead."

…

She rested her arms on the edge of the pool, looking at her father, who was frozen in place, his face blank with shock.

"S-Sakuya… you… you almost gave me a heart attack!"

Seeing his daughter alive and speaking, her father stammered, overwhelmed by relief and fear.

"Haah… and I was right in the middle of a good test."

Sakuya knew it was impossible to continue testing now.

Still, she had already confirmed the results. The underwater breathing function and movement efficiency were excellent. The equipment Ren made far exceeded her expectations.

She pulled herself up the ladder at the edge of the pool.

Her soaked dress clung to her uncomfortably, making her want to change immediately.

But aside from changing clothes, she also needed to calm down her father, whose heart had clearly taken a hit.

"Alright, alright, Dad. I'm fine, aren't I?"

"You're fine, but my heart isn't!"

Her father rolled his eyes in frustration. Heaven knew his heart nearly stopped when he found out Sakuya had jumped into the diving pool.

He had already lost his wife. The thought of losing his daughter too was unbearable.

Luckily, she was unharmed. Otherwise, how would he face her mother in the afterlife?

Though he didn't understand how it was possible, her father's heart finally began to settle.

"…Now explain everything to me. Clearly!"

(To be continued.)


Chapter 394: Can Completely Eliminate the Sickness

After coming out of the pool, Aizawa Sakuya kept monitoring the state of her watch.

It seemed that ever since her head emerged from the water, the red area on the watch had turned green, and the countdown had gone from 8 minutes to 5 minutes.

So, as long as her head was submerged, the ability to breathe and move freely underwater would activate. Once she left the water, the remaining time would begin to recover.

In simple terms, she had 13 minutes of usage time. Once consumed, it would take 13 minutes to recharge.

Originally, she thought it would require more time—or even some spiritual consumption.

Then Sakuya paused.

No, spiritual consumption still exists. It's just that this specific ability doesn't use much. Maybe if I used it for longer, I'd notice some symptoms of spiritual depletion.

Spirituality originates from the spiritual body and can also be considered a kind of energy.

But energy is not the same as spirituality. The most noticeable consumption occurs when one's spirituality is depleted.

Since I haven't taken the potion, I haven't formally transformed my energy into spirituality. So I can't precisely tell how much I've consumed or how much I have left. At most, I can sense my energy reserves, and even that's vague.

As expected, even with such an impressive item, I can't underestimate its implications.

Still, once I become a Beyonder and my spirituality increases significantly, I should be able to utilize this item more efficiently. Right now, there are still some limitations.

After sorting out her observations about the item, Aizawa Sakuya changed into a bathrobe and stepped outside.

Kasumi Aika was sitting quietly outside. Since they were all girls, it was easier this way.

When she came out, Sakuya sat down directly across from Aika.

"How was it?"

Kasumi Aika was silent for a while.

"So, this is the secret that Miss Sakuya and the others are hiding?"

"Not quite. It's just a small secret. Compared to what we're really hiding, this is just an appetizer."

As she spoke, Sakuya raised her left hand and looked at the watch on her wrist.

"This is a birthday present from Ren. So, Aika, how much do you think this watch is worth?"

Kasumi Aika examined it carefully, then shook her head slightly.

"Priceless."

"Miss Sakuya, even though my knowledge is limited, I understand that this kind of gift can't be measured in monetary value. But judging from what you just demonstrated, I can say with certainty—if the watch's function became public knowledge, there would be countless people willing to pay a fortune to obtain it."

"And what's valuable isn't the watch itself, but the person who made it."

Kasumi Aika quickly caught on.

"So, that boy really is the core of your group."

Aizawa Sakuya didn't deny it. Instead, she asked a question:

"Then, Aika, do you think Ren lied?"

Kasumi Aika carefully recalled everything Ren had said, then shook her head slightly.

"No, everything he said was true. He always emphasized that he's just an ordinary person. Maybe I didn't quite understand at first, but now I get it. The part he emphasized was that the identities people can investigate are all ordinary. That's what he meant."

"Exactly. Ren's official identity is very simple, just an ordinary person. No matter how deeply you look into him, the result won't change. But he's also the most extraordinary 'ordinary person.'"

After hearing this, Kasumi Aika didn't feel excitement—only confusion.

"Then why tell me all this now?"

Sakuya nodded slightly.

"Because what I'm about to say next is related to you. Ren asked me to remind you—you're going to get sick soon. The illness that's been holding you back for years. I happened to ask him about it today. He said your disease can be cured."

Kasumi Aika paused for a moment, then she understood.

"...You mean through special means?"

Aizawa Sakuya nodded.

"Your physical condition has troubled you since birth. If your family could have cured it, they would have done so already. They wouldn't have let it affect your health this long."

The Kasumi family was well-off and had excellent medical resources. If there had been a way to cure Aika's illness, money wouldn't have been an obstacle.

And yet, even under such circumstances, her disease had persisted since birth.

That alone proved it wasn't something that could be resolved with conventional medicine.

But what normal means couldn't fix, extraordinary methods just might.

Kasumi Aika paused again. She hadn't expected her condition could be treated, and by using unconventional methods at that.

"Miss Sakuya, is it really okay to tell me all this?"

"It's nothing that serious."

Aizawa Sakuya waved her hand casually.

"I already got Ren's permission. Besides, this isn't something we can keep hidden forever. It's bound to be exposed sooner or later. We just try to control the timing. Now that we have more allies, as long as we don't take the initiative to reveal anything, some things won't come to light."

"And more importantly, I believe Aika won't casually talk about this with others."

Kasumi Aika paused briefly, then slowly closed her eyes, placed her hands over her lower abdomen, and bowed her head slightly.

"Yes. I swear on the Kasumi family name that I won't reveal any of this."

"Good. With that kind of promise, I'm at ease. So, are you ready now?"

"Right now?"

Kasumi Aika looked a bit stunned, a trace of hesitation appearing on her face.

"But... the birthday party just ended. Isn't this a little sudden?"

"It's fine. I'll make the call."

Sakuya said calmly, pulling out her phone to contact Ren.

(To be continued.)