SCIAW: Chapter 248/249

Chapter 248: The Person I Like the Most Is
When she heard her maid say the thing she cared most about out loud, Kaguya nearly exploded.

What made it worse was how bluntly Hayasaka had phrased it, making it sound like she was overly sensitive about her body!

"Eh? No."

…Hayasaka, well done…!

The moment she heard Ren's reply, the boiling pressure in Shinomiya Kaguya's chest deflated instantly.

"A person's figure is largely determined by genetics, or you could say it's a natural trait. I won't deny that most guys tend to prefer girls with better figures, but appearance isn't everything. There are other important traits too."

A person's figure wasn't the only measure of value, and Ren didn't think a girl's body was her defining feature.

"For example, Kaguya's personality is actually quite good. Outsiders might think she's cold, but Hayasaka knows better. She's cold on the surface, but warm underneath. She despises betrayal, yet doesn't act rigidly based on that. Otherwise, I doubt she would've forgiven Hayasaka."

"When she was younger, she was isolated because she was too talented. She didn't understand why her peers couldn't do what she could. From my perspective, it was because her talent and upbringing didn't match her age group. She was too mature. That's why she always keeps a layer of ice on her face—to avoid repeating that same pain."

"She probably didn't even realize that, back then, she could've made those bullies disappear with a single word."

"Or maybe... she did realize it, but chose not to."

"That's the kind of person she is, deep down."

At this point, Ren gave an awkward smile.

"Of course, I know so much because I have some... preconceived impressions."

All three girls understood what he meant.

They knew what he was referring to—those who knew the story would get it.

Because he had read the story and understood Kaguya from it, he had already formed a strong understanding of her traits and personality. That's why he could describe her so clearly.

"Ren, if you had to pick, which version of Kaguya's story do you like the most?"

Since the story had been brought up, Sonoko asked curiously. Who, among the versions of Kaguya in the story, did Ren like the most?

Kaguya and Hayasaka also looked toward him, interested in his answer.

"Favorite? It's definitely Hayasaka."

Everyone froze. Both Sonoko and Kaguya stared in disbelief at Hayasaka.

And the one most stunned of all—was Hayasaka herself.

This answer was far beyond what she expected. She had assumed Ren would say Kaguya, without hesitation. Who would've guessed he would name her?

Sonoko, snapping out of her daze, quickly grew intrigued. She looked from Kaguya to Hayasaka with amusement.

Only now did she notice—Hayasaka, despite being a maid, was actually much cuter and more beautiful than Kaguya... and curvier too.

"Ren, you really picked Hayasaka as your favorite? I thought you liked that ice cube Kaguya."

"Yeah, same here. I totally thought you'd pick Kaguya."

A sudden voice cut into the conversation. Sonoko stopped mid-sentence and turned toward the hot spring entrance.

Chika stood there, wearing a pink bikini.

Not just Chika, but several others had also entered from the hot spring entrance.

Wow, Chika's figure was still outrageously good.

Sonoko, normally very confident in her own figure, felt too self-conscious to stand next to Chika. The difference was just too much.

Her figure didn't look like something a high schooler should have. The bikini only made it more obvious.

Right after Chika arrived, Ran followed behind in a blue bikini.

"I also thought Ren would go for Shinomiya-san."

Ran's arrival caused another shockwave among the girls. Her figure was even more exaggerated than Fujiwara Chika's, dealing a heavy blow to the others' self-esteem.

You could clearly see the defined waistline and her long, toned legs. She was practically the embodiment of a perfect girl.

Not a trace of excess fat. Her body was clearly shaped by years of training. She radiated both health and beauty. No bulky muscles, just sleek lines and strength—a body any girl would envy.

"Hmm~ So does Amamiya like maids?"

Aizawa Sakuya, in a navy blue two-piece swimsuit, also joined. Despite being thirteen, she already had a surprisingly mature figure.

"If it's about maids, then shouldn't Ren like Maria too?"

Nagi, in a red two-piece swimsuit suited to her petite build, commented as she followed up, steering the conversation toward Maria.

"Nagi, don't say things that might be misunderstood. Also, Mr. Ren hasn't answered that yet, has he?"

Wearing a modest brown bikini, Maria's swimsuit had no fancy designs, but it gave her a mature charm that far surpassed her age.

It wasn't just her calm demeanor—her physical development was also far beyond average.

Mature in speech, mature in looks.

Maria then smoothly redirected the conversation back to the person in question—Ren.

"Eh?"

Suddenly placed back in the spotlight, Ren felt the weight of the girls' collective curiosity. The way their eyes glimmered made him feel the pressure mount.

Maria smiled and took Nagi's hand as they stepped into the hot spring.

"This conversation about Mr. Ren's preferences in the story could go on forever. Shall we all sit and continue?"

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement and began entering the hot spring one after another, sitting around together.

Girls always had a soft spot for gossip—especially when it came to someone they liked.

Especially when it concerned how Ren had viewed them back in the story.

Of course, they were also curious to know more about their roles in that world.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 249: I've Always

Everyone who came on this hot spring trip was now soaking in the hot spring, casually watching Ren seated between Kaguya and Sonoko with gossipy eyes.

A cool breeze blew down from the mountainside, dispersing some of the fog lingering over the spring. The sudden chill refreshed everyone, preventing them from feeling stuffy after soaking too long.

"Amamiya, your favorite character from that story you just talked about is Hayasaka? Is it because she's a maid?"

Sanzenin Nagi asked bluntly, her face filled with curiosity and gossip.

"I won't deny that a lot of people like the maid archetype when reading stories, but I don't think that's the only reason for me."

Ren acknowledged that the maid setup had its charm, but when he first read the story, it wasn't solely that aspect of Hayasaka Ai that drew him in.

"In fact, Kaguya's story is more of a slice-of-life comedy. I mean the original part where the idea is that whoever confesses first loses—it had a strong comedic vibe."

"The plot's your typical young lady romance setup. But because the male and female leads keep playing mental games to get the other to confess first, it turns into a kind of romantic battle comedy."

"And Hayasaka's the one who carries out Kaguya's ridiculous plans, always stuck playing the role of the exasperated spectator. Her face every day is just screaming, 'How are these two even dating?' But she still works hard to follow Kaguya's instructions."

As he spoke, Ren couldn't help but laugh.

"She's a popular, sociable girl at school, but in front of Kaguya, she's the textbook kuudere maid. Sometimes she even mocks others, and she bottles up so much pressure from work every day. Her only joy is watching hydraulic press videos online."

"The cat-and-mouse between the main couple is fun, but Hayasaka's story is actually pretty deep too."

After hearing Ren's description, everyone's eyes turned to Hayasaka, suddenly intrigued by her.

Even Kaguya looked at Hayasaka with a strange expression.

"Hayasaka, what Ren said is pretty much spot-on with your situation. But I haven't seen you watching hydraulic press videos lately."

"Miss Kaguya, did you forget? Oko retired, remember? Without him stressing me out anymore, the daily pressure isn't nearly as bad."

Hayasaka calmly reminded Kaguya of Shinomiya Oko.

Back then, her biggest source of stress was Kaguya's betrayal and the suffocating pressure from Oko. That combination was what wore her down the most.

"Plus, you don't even like President Shirogane's personality, so I don't have to go around acting like in the story and constantly execute your plans. The daily stress is way more manageable now."

"Crushing Oko's pride really was the right move."

Kaguya now felt more justified in her past decisions.

She had stomped all over her older brother's pride and confidence, leaving him unable to recover. She uprooted every nail he had planted inside the Shinomiya conglomerate, promoted the Hayasaka family in full, and sent all the termites that infested the group to prison. She thoroughly severed his ability to stage a comeback within the Shinomiya group or family.

Hayasaka also agreed with this.

"Oko was rigid to his bones. His methods were brutal, always exploiting weaknesses, stomping directly on people's sore spots so no one could resist him."

"I think the trauma from what Miss Kaguya did that day will haunt him for life."

Even now, Hayasaka couldn't help laughing whenever she recalled the image of Shinomiya Oko's retreating back.

Watching from the side, Nagi felt she could understand why Ren liked Hayasaka so much just from that short explanation.

Maid + aloof + tsukkomi + stress + sarcasm + loyalty—it made sense why someone would like her.

As a full-blooded otaku, Nagi also thought Hayasaka was a really fun and charming character.

But then, Nagi became curious about something else.

"Then, who do you like most from my story?"

"Saginomiya."

"Huh?"

Saginomiya Isumi blinked, stunned, her whole face turning red a second later.

She was dressed modestly in the same two-piece swimsuit as Nagi. After all, she was still a child, so it was better to wear something age-appropriate.

The soft lavender swimsuit made her look like a delicate violet, her shy smile like a flower just beginning to bloom.

"Being cute is one thing. But even though she's scared, she still bravely faces danger for her friends. She's often confused, but never hesitates when it matters most. She can do so much for Nagi, and her pure friendship with Nagi is something really touching."

Ren didn't hold back in explaining why he liked her.

The more Isumi listened, the more flustered she became, especially since Ren's compliments sounded way too flattering.

"Actually, it's not just Saginomiya."

"When faced with temptation, Sanzenin chose to give up for the sake of her butler. She may be a bit tsundere, but she's always true to herself. Her words can be sharp, but she's incredibly kind at heart."

"Miss Aizawa is also very attentive to her siblings. Whenever Sanzenin's in a bad mood, she notices right away and does whatever she can to cheer her up. She's a really good big sister."

"It's the same with Ran and Sonoko. They always understand each other without words, and their friendship is incredibly pure. When Ran's in trouble, Sonoko always stands by her side. Ran does the same in return."

"Fujiwara Chika also values her bond with Kaguya a lot. When she sees injustice, she speaks up. Even though she's always smiling and cheats during games, she still really looks out for her juniors."

"And then there's Miss Maria. She left on her own to help Sanzenin grow, completely out of selfless love. She's always been caring and considerate. Honestly, she's just like the Virgin Mary."

"Seeing all of you like this, I've always liked you very much."

(To be continued.)