SCIAW: Chapter 284/285

Chapter 284: Praise the "Fool"!

The silent Chikako Ikeda felt as though her entire past had been laid bare.

She hadn't crossed the line in certain matters, which is why she hadn't forcibly taken Atsuko's story. Otherwise, she might have gone to extremes, even pushing Atsuko toward death.

But if she had crossed that line, she might really have done something unforgivable.

After all, there were too many examples of people doing so for the sake of profit.

Fame and fortune were what many screenwriters longed for.

Fortunately, two years ago, Chikako had still upheld her bottom line. She didn't do anything despicable. She simply reached her goal through normal transactions.

Some things were just as she had said before: the quality of a story also involved a degree of luck. No one could predict if their script would become a hit, so screenwriters often needed to be strong enough to withstand pressure and uncertainty.

With this concept in mind, Chikako understood the principle of "one full meal after another."

She could buy Atsuko's story, but she couldn't steal Atsuko's creativity or talent.

Just taking one of Atsuko's stories wasn't enough. Because of this understanding, Chikako had never intended to steal Atsuko's story. Even though she knew it was interesting, she only ever intended to purchase it—not seize it.

Taking a deep breath, Chikako realized that the boy in front of her, plain as he looked, indeed possessed extraordinary abilities.

She had been holding back due to Ayako's strange attitude. But now, she understood why Ayako acted the way she did.

"Amamiya-san, if that was my original ending, then… have I changed it?"

Ren nodded slightly, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes at the question.

"Yes. That's what surprised me. It's not easy for someone to change their own fate. It takes courage to face oneself, a clear understanding of who you are, and the opportunity to make that change."

"It's because Miss Ikeda encountered some extraordinary variables that I became interested in what had happened to her."

Ren explained it further.

"Normally, a person's destiny doesn't change so easily. Even if the incident involving the sale of Miss Atsuko's story two years ago was orchestrated by her mother, the one who sought revenge on Atsuko's behalf already had that intention and was prepared to act."

Chikako's face turned even more grim.

At this moment, she could only feel regret for having bought that story two years ago. It had brought her so much trouble, even putting her life at risk.

"So, from this perspective, your fate hadn't changed. Maybe today you'd have been framed or killed. But everything you did in the past introduced variables. The most important turning point was the case of Miss Atsuko's suicide two years ago."

"Because you never intended to harm Miss Atsuko, and only made a transaction through her mother—one that aligned with the standards of normal business dealings—that's what changed your fate."

Then Ren pointed at Ayako.

"Variable 1."

He pointed to Sonoko.

"Variable 2."

And then he pointed back at Chikako Ikeda.

"Because of these two variables, the nature of this class reunion changed. Also, your own efforts over the past two years proved that you could stand on your own. That shifted you from a fixed scalar into a variable."

At this point, Ren's voice paused.

"So, Miss Ikeda, are you interested in religion?"

The sudden shift in topic at such a critical moment made Chikako anxious, but because of that, she became even calmer.

Perhaps it was because the boy in front of her said her fate had already changed.

After slowing her heartbeat, Chikako Ikeda responded more rationally.

"Of course I'm interested. I've never joined any church, and I don't know much about any specific faith. Amamiya-san, which god's belief are you referring to?"

Ren nodded and slowly explained:

"The god I believe in is not one from traditional belief systems, but an imagined god. Everything about him is still illusory."

"Though this god seems to possess nothing, he is kind, and he treats his believers with great generosity."

"His name is the Fool."

As he spoke, Ren's eyes shimmered with a faint smile.

"This god has certain preferences in choosing believers. He enjoys observing the fate of others, and he also delights in interfering with predestined fates. People like Miss Ikeda, who change their destiny with their own strength, are exactly the type he favors most."

"And when his believers encounter trouble, he will certainly be glad to help resolve it."

Upon hearing this, Chikako Ikeda immediately stood up and knelt before Ren with deep reverence.

"Praise the Fool!"

At that moment, Chikak fully understood, the person before her was the one who delighted in observing the fate of others.

Ren wasn't surprised at all. He had made it clear enough.

"Mr. Fool does not concern himself with formalities, but he does have certain expectations for his believers. Spreading his faith, for example."

"Of course, on that basis, Mr. Fool is still very generous with his gifts. For instance…"

Ren stood up from his chair and walked over to Chikako Ikeda. He slowly squatted down and placed his index finger against her forehead.

In that moment, a gift was bestowed.

Chikako felt her mind go blank. Her memories became crystal clear. The fog of her thoughts lifted and grew more structured.

Her memory of the Blue Kingdom became more vivid. That strange, indescribable feeling helped her understand Atsuko's stories more deeply. She also came to comprehend the difference between herself and Atsuko.

When she emerged from the sea of memories, Chikako was overwhelmed—shocked and devout.

She held Ren's hand in both of hers. With a face full of reverence, she pressed her lips to the back of his hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Fool, for your gift."

(To be continued.)




Chapter 285: Long-Term Mission: Scattered Beliefs

At that moment, Chikako clearly felt the gift from Ren.

The subtle changes in her body, along with many vague memories, suddenly became vivid. Even the Blue Kingdom, which she had never fully understood, now appeared crystal clear in her mind.

Now, she fully recognized the difference in talent between herself and Atsuko.

But what surprised her even more was not that revelation—it was the realization that she could now express the images in her mind with simpler and more accurate words. This sense of enlightenment made her feel as though she had truly been touched by a god.

In fact, the light of the divine had indeed shone upon her.

Because she had witnessed with her own eyes a god descending to the world.

"Reader. That is the name of the power granted to you."

"Reader enhances your memory and comprehension. It also allows you to utilize some ritual magic. As long as you study diligently and increase your reading, you'll gain more knowledge, and that knowledge will become your power."

"This is the power bestowed upon you by Mr. Fool. It is your reward as a believer. In return, what you must do is exactly as I said—spread the faith of Mr. Fool."

Chikako's heartbeat sped up as she listened.

What she had hoped for today was merely a chance, an opportunity offered by Ayako. She never expected to gain the appreciation and blessing of a god.

She suppressed her excitement, raised her head slightly, and asked with a mix of nervousness and caution,

"Mr. Fool—cough, Amamiya-san… how should I go about spreading Mr. Fool's faith?"

Ren smiled and reached out to help Chikako, who was still kneeling, to her feet.

"Mr. Fool has his own stories. What he hopes from you is to write those stories and shape them into detailed narratives."

"I believe that someone like you, who already knows how to construct a proper story, can handle that."

Chikako took a deep breath and responded with firm resolve,

"Mr. Fool's gift has given me so much. I believe I can meet his expectations."

This wasn't arrogance. Chikako now fully understood the power she had received. She knew what she could do.

Spreading faith through writing was a perfect fit for her skillset.

She was good at creating stories. Now, with the power of the Reader—enhanced memory, sharper understanding, and even ritual magic—she felt completely confident that she could fulfill the task of spreading the faith.

"That's enough."

As for managing believers, Ren had no particular method. So he chose to let each believer handle their own faith dissemination. How far they could go depended on their own ability.

"There's no need to rush. Mr. Fool understands that spreading faith isn't something that happens easily—especially for someone working in the literary field."

Chikako understood that too. As a screenwriter, she would need to raise her popularity if she wanted to elevate her standing. That wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight.

"That's easy."

Sonoko suddenly interjected with a bright smile.

"Chikako, just focus on writing your stories. When it's time to publish, you can come to me. My sister will definitely help out."

Chikako's eyes lit up. That was a great idea. It could increase her visibility while giving her the opportunity to fulfill her mission of spreading Mr. Fool's faith.

Ayako, now fully caught up in the conversation, immediately followed up.

"Of course, that's no problem. As long as Chikako finishes her manuscript, she can come to me. Publishing isn't that complicated."

With enough money, it was easy to publish printed works.

This approach might be simple, but it was also effective.

As long as Chikako's work was good, people would recognize it, especially with some well-placed promotion.

Ayako could handle that without trouble.

Ren observed their enthusiasm, but shook his head slightly.

"There's no need to spend money. If Miss Chikako's work is truly of value, then let it be published the normal way. Besides, someone who can polish a script over two years should have no problem doing this."

"What's more, now she has the Reader's power. That should make her capabilities even more evident."

After hearing this, Chikako nodded confidently.

"Amamiya-san, I'm confident. Mr. Fool's gift gave me that confidence. I might still be lacking in personal ability, but I believe the Reader's power can make up for that gap."

Literature requires innovation, cognition, and accumulation.

Through the Reader's ability, writing skills could be more deeply understood and remembered. The more books she read and knowledge she accumulated, the more she could break through the limitations of her past.

Now that she understood the meaning of the Reader, Chikako was overflowing with confidence.

In truth, the god's gift had become her greatest source of certainty.

"Amamiya-san I hope I can get more information about Mr. Fool. That would really help with the stories I'm going to write."

"Sure. I do know some things about Mr. Fool. You can contact me after the class reunion. As for my contact number…"

Ren gave her a string of numbers.

Chikako nodded and softly repeated the number. With her improved memory, she committed it instantly to memory without any difficulty.

With the conversation wrapped up for now, Sonoko couldn't hold back her curiosity and asked,

"Ren, earlier you said someone wanted revenge for Tokumoto Atsuko's suicide two years ago. Should we be preparing for that?"

(To be continued.)