SCIAW: Chapter 320: Afternoon Place to Go

"Amamiya, do you have any plans for the weekend?"

Sitting on his lap with her back resting against Ren’s chest, Nagi suddenly asked.

"I don’t have anything specific planned this weekend."

"Eh~ I thought Shinomiya would take you out on a date or something."

Hearing Nagi’s comment, Ren couldn’t help picturing Kaguya’s goofy expression from the anime she once showed him.

"Pfft~ That sounds like something Kaguya would do. But she’s not the type to be straightforward. She always goes about things in a roundabout way, so she probably wouldn’t suggest it outright."

He laughed while replying, sounding almost certain.

"I’m talking about you, idiot."

Nagi nudged the idiot behind her with her elbow.

"Weekends are prime time to go on dates with girls. You should be the one taking the initiative."

"...You’re not wrong. But, I don’t really have a clear concept of what dating is, and I don’t have much experience interacting with girls."

Nagi’s lips curled up slightly, though she tried to hide it by forcing a neutral expression.

"Then aren’t your weekends boring?"

Ren didn’t think of his weekends as boring. Actually, compared to his previous life, this year had been the most relaxing and enjoyable time he’d ever experienced.

"I read books, browse the internet, and take tutoring sessions when I have free time. Thanks to the extraordinary traits I’ve awakened, I don’t have issues with learning or memory."

"People get bored because they don’t see their own progress. Once you make visible improvements, boredom disappears and is replaced with interest and a sense of accomplishment."

"Of course, that’s assuming your living conditions aren’t terrible."

Having experienced hardship, he understood that people without stable lives don’t have time to consider leisure. Back then, his life revolved around studying, working, and covering daily expenses.

It might sound dull, but that’s just life for the poor.

He hadn’t known that kind of poverty in his previous life, but in this one, he finally understood it deeply.

The heavy topic passed quickly, giving way to a casual, relaxed vibe.

"Well, I’m the type who can stay at home for months or even years without getting tired of it. I’ve got all kinds of entertainment gear at home. There’s no way I’d get bored."

"What about you, Nagi? Are you bored with your current lifestyle?"

"Of course not."

Nagi answered instantly.

Maybe it was just like Ren said—the boredom from before had been replaced by her expanding social circle. And the anxiety she once had about being kidnapped had been replaced with real power.

All fear comes from insufficient firepower.

Once your firepower is strong enough, you gain the confidence to handle anything.

"I’ve been practicing how to control elemental power recently. Even if I consider myself smart, mastering elemental energy takes real effort. But I do feel like I’m making progress every time I train."

As she spoke, Nagi opened her hands. A sphere of green wind formed in her palms.

"I’m getting the hang of it. It’s not just about controlling elemental energy, but also understanding its destructive power."

Wind is the element with the strongest cutting force. Unlike in games where it only spreads, in reality, wind is far more destructive.

The spinning sphere in Nagi’s hands at that moment could easily shred steel.

After dispersing the wind in her hands, Nagi looked excited. She didn’t seem bored at all.

"Training is way more fun than I thought."

Ren smiled and added, "That’s why I said people are lazy only when they don’t see results. Once they feel like they’re making progress and that it means something, they become super motivated."

When progress is shown through data, there’s hardly anyone who won’t work hard.

Even if the improvement is slow, as long as it’s visible, people are more willing to try.

Because the more you can visualize your efforts, the more infinite the possibilities become.

"Nagi, is there anywhere you want to go this afternoon?"

"Somewhere I want to go…?"

The sudden question caught Nagi off guard. She didn’t know how to answer.

Honestly, there wasn’t any specific place she wanted to go. Her social circle was pretty small, and there weren’t that many people she wanted to hang out with or that many places to visit.

"Ah."

Suddenly, someone popped into her mind—someone who was probably still crying under their blanket.

Now that she thought about it, ever since she dragged Isumi along and transferred schools, she hadn’t seen that guy in ages. As she thought harder, she realized he hadn’t shown up at all since then.

"Just remembered a troublesome guy. Isumi and I transferred schools, and that idiot’s probably been crying at home this whole time."

"If he’s been crying for a month straight, he must have a serious problem."

Thinking that, Nagi figured she should probably check in on him. Otherwise, that guy might spiral into full-blown depression.

"That guy?"

Ren couldn’t recall who she was talking about right away.

"Tachibana Wataru. My so-called fiancé, the one my grandfather assigned as my human shield."

"Oh, right. I remember his parents tried to arrange a marriage for the sake of the Sanzenin estate?"

"That was just the official story. Aunt Mikoto and my mom were old friends. There’s no way she’d want anything from the Sanzenin estate. Aunt Mikoto’s husband is more like a live-in son-in-law. He has no say in anything. After marrying Aunt Mikoto, he was practically exiled from the family."

"That sounds like typical noble family politics… But shouldn’t they at least keep up appearances?"

Among noble families, it’s not uncommon for the husband to have no real status. But still, they usually put on some kind of front.

Ren didn’t fully understand how noble family dynamics worked, but he figured appearances still mattered.

"That might be true among functioning noble families. But the Tachibana family’s completely fallen. The financial crisis wiped out all their businesses. Right now, the most valuable thing they own is that old video rental store Wataru runs. And I’m not talking about the store itself—I mean the land it sits on. The store has zero value."

"Nowadays, with all the foreign tech flooding in, videotapes and discs are becoming obsolete. The only reason his store still survives is because he sells limited edition stuff."

(To be continued.)