SCIAW: Chapter 186/187

Chapter 186: Ran’s Advice

"Ran, the real issue isn't whether I'd accept it, it's whether anyone would actually confess to me."

In response to the question, Ren gave a helpless explanation.

"To be honest, I like all of you. But… I also feel a certain distance between us."

"That's the difference between liking someone from a distance and liking someone in reality."

Ren had always had a kind of "filter" for these girls.

For heroines he'd only seen through a screen, he naturally liked most of them.

That was only normal—after all, who wouldn't like a heroine that's cute and kind?

But now, having the chance to meet them in person, Ren couldn't help feeling hesitant.

Saying "I love you, my waifu" online was easy. Anyone could do it. But saying it offline?

And now, those heroines he once admired through the screen were standing right in front of him—real, living people. It made spouting nonsense far more difficult.

Ren had once dreamed of being the protagonist. But in the end, he was just a regular guy, not someone with protagonist-level charm.

Even now, he was at most just an ordinary person with a cheat.

Who would've thought his relationship with these heroines would become this complicated?

That someone might genuinely fall in love with him?

It all felt like something out of a dream. How could something this good happen in reality?

"That sounds kind of awkward."

Ran probably understood what Ren was trying to say.

"But in the end, you'd still accept it if someone confessed to you, right?"

"...Yeah."

Ren hesitated but didn't deny it.

"It's just hard to imagine something like that actually happening."

"All of you are amazing girls, there's no need to say much about your looks, background, or personality. It just doesn't feel real that people like you would fall for someone like me."

"Like Shinomiya and Sonoko."

"They're both beautiful, have great personalities, and come from strong family backgrounds. Anyone would pursue girls like them."

"So why would they like me?"

Ren felt genuinely confused.

"If it were because of power or status, I could understand."

"But they're not acting that way at all."

"So I can't just brush it off with a half-hearted response."

Just like with Okino Yoko.

If she had simply seen through his special qualities and thought he could help her, Ren would've been able to accept that.

But that wasn't how she acted at all.

At first, it felt like she was simply repaying a debt of gratitude. But over time, they grew closer—like genuine friends.

And eventually, that relationship evolved again.

Was it sincere? Even if Ren didn't fully trust his own emotions, he still believed in his ability to read sincerity.

That was what made it all the more confusing, he didn't understand why these girls were being sincere with him.

But there was one thing he did understand.

Because their feelings were real, he couldn't respond carelessly.

"I get it now."

Ran's lips curled into a soft smile. Her hands were behind her back as she spoke. She understood what Ren was struggling with.

Aside from feeling awkward, the real issue was that he simply couldn't believe it.

And to be fair, she wouldn't believe it either if she were in his shoes.

But the good news was, it wasn't something he couldn't accept.

"Ren, I think you just need to treat this more seriously. At least, I think everyone else is serious about it."

"Yeah. I can feel that too."

"Also, Ren—you're the one who said we could pursue immortality together. How are we supposed to accept anyone casually with that mindset?"

"...Ah!"

Ren suddenly realized.

He did say something like that before. And anyone who obtained the diary would most likely gain immortality in the future. That did indeed set him apart from everyone else.

"Immortals walk together with immortals. Immortals pursue love with other immortals."

"Did you forget that, Ren?"

Ran kept pressing the point—this was key.

"Yeah... I guess I kinda forgot."

Hearing that, Ran rolled her eyes.

"Seriously. You're the one who reminded us to remember that, but you're also the one who forgot it."

"...Sorry."

The issue of longevity really had slipped his mind.

After all, he was only sixteen years old, and not yet truly an immortal. It was easy to forget he would eventually become one.

The values of immortals couldn't be measured by normal standards.

The lifespan of an immortal was simply too long.

"There's that... but there's also the issue of love."

"Everyone likes you sincerely."

Ran cut off Ren's spiraling thoughts before they could go off track again.

"I don't think girls would fall for someone just because they're immortal."

"If anything, after learning they'll live much longer in the future, they'd be even more careful, choosing someone they truly like. Otherwise, how could they spend eternity with them?"

"...You're right."

It was a valid and convincing argument.

Ren had no way to refute her point, because it was true.

For immortals, it wasn't just a matter of convenience.

Only by confirming their feelings would they be able to walk that long road together.

Ren gained a deeper understanding of the girls' feelings for him.

He realized that he needed to take their love more seriously.

"So, Ren, you can take your time to understand the girl's sincerity and why she loves you—then give your answer."

"But if it's Shinomiya, I think she's being genuine. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lost control when she confessed."

Ren carefully listened to Ran's advice.

Indeed, her words carried weight. Girls had better intuition when it came to matters of the heart.

And he agreed with her.

He would first understand why the other person liked him and only then respond accordingly.

It just meant his original plan might be delayed a bit.

But that wasn't a big issue. After all, advancing in the Apprentice Pathway wasn't easy either.

Maybe his diary would surprise him again.

So, instead of worrying about the future...

It was more important to deal with what was right in front of him.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 187: What Happened During the Fainting

It was evening.

Due to the incident earlier that afternoon, the three who had been inside the alternate dimension slept through most of the day before finally waking up.

"Ugh..."

"My head hurts..."

Kaguya sat up groggily from the bed, still feeling a sharp headache. The dizziness that followed made her nauseous and on the verge of throwing up.

She subconsciously glanced toward the window—outside, the sun was just setting over the ocean.

"I remember… ah—!"

Kaguya vaguely recalled that they were testing the alternate dimension. But the moment she tried to focus on those memories, a fresh wave of pain surged through her head.

"Hayasaka..."

"Where are you, Hayasaka?"

She instinctively called out to her maid.

"...Miss Kaguya?"

As she called, Hayasaka who was sleeping beside her slowly opened her eyes.

"Hayasaka?"

Still dazed, Kaguya looked around.

She noticed Hayasaka, who was sitting up in bed wearing only her underwear.

Unlike Kaguya, who preferred pure white undergarments, Hayasaka's taste leaned toward bolder styles—black and purple, more mature and elegant.

"Miss Kaguya?"

Hayasaka's eyes were still unfocused, but as a professional maid, she quickly adjusted her state. Within moments, the confusion in her gaze cleared, and she began observing the situation.

She glanced at the still-dazed Kaguya, who hadn't realized she was only in her underwear.

And of course, Hayasaka herself was also in the same state.

Her attention then turned to the bed.

Aside from her and Kaguya, someone else was lying there.

It was none other than Chika, the one who always found ways to defy expectations.

"Mmm~ I can't eat anymore~"

With puffed cheeks and a dreamy tone, Chika murmured in her sleep, clearly in the middle of a food fantasy.

It was obvious something had gone wrong during the test.

There was no need to further examine the room. Hayasaka already recognized it—it was the room she shared with Miss Kaguya.

She raised her hand and made a gesture to open a door in space.

A spatial door appeared.

But immediately, a sharp pain struck her head.

The moment she closed the spatial door, the pain subsided. That was enough for Hayasaka to confirm the issue:

Miss Kaguya's release had gone too far, causing the alternate dimension to surpass its limit and begin collapsing.

As expected, the dimension created by the Door-Door Fruit had its limitations.

Taking a deep breath, Hayasaka decisively got out of bed.

She passed by the still-dreaming Chika, walked to the closet, and retrieved an appropriate maid outfit to put on.

After quickly tidying herself up, she looked like her usual capable self. She then turned to the still-confused Kaguya and gave a slight bow.

"I'll go check on the situation first."

"But I suggest you pay attention to your appearance. If Amamiya comes in like this, he won't even know where to look."

"!?"

Kaguya instantly understood what Hayasaka meant.

She looked down and realized she was only in her underwear.

Panicking, she pulled the quilt up over herself.

"Morning… Hayasaka, what happened?"

"Miss Kaguya, we were brought back after we lost consciousness."

"Then, what about… our clothes?"

Looking at Kaguya's hopeful yet nervous expression, Hayasaka inwardly sighed at her wanting to have it both ways.

"Please don't expect too much, Miss Kaguya."

"Everyone here is a girl except for Amamiya. And he definitely wasn't the one who undressed us."

"Also, think about it, Miss Fujiwara and I were both sleeping in the same bed. Do you think Amamiya would've helped all three of us change clothes?"

"Is that what you want?"

Hayasaka's direct words immediately snapped Kaguya out of her shyness and nervous daydream.

While she had felt a little flutter at the thought of Ren seeing her, the idea of him undressing Hayasaka and Fujiwara was unacceptable.

"Did something go wrong during the test?"

Now that her mind had cleared, Kaguya quickly grasped the situation.

"Most likely, the dimension couldn't handle the full release of your power."

"We'll need to verify the specifics, but that should be the general cause."

Hayasaka agreed with this assessment.

"Miss Kaguya, I'll head outside to check on things first."

"Alright, I'll leave it to you, Hayasaka."

Hayasaka gave a polite bow, exited the room, and headed for the security room.

"Miss!"

The security personnel stationed there, all from the Hayasaka family immediately stood up and saluted respectfully upon seeing her.

"No need for all that."

"You all know the rules here. If you're aware of something, just keep it to yourselves."

The security captain quickly stepped forward.

"Of course, of course. We understand the rules, Miss."

Knowing a little could sometimes strengthen trust even more.

The future of the Hayasaka family was bright and Kaguya was its greatest support. This was something everyone present understood well.

Especially after witnessing that awe-inspiring scene earlier, they understood clearly, strength was everything. Wealth and status were secondary.

Their eldest daughter and Kaguya were destined to form a powerful alliance.

They didn't trust the rest of the Shinomiya family, but they absolutely believed in Shinomiya Kaguya.

Because she, like their eldest daughter, possessed supernatural powers.

Not just Shinomiya and Hayasaka, everyone who had traveled with them this time had such abilities.

Knowing that, they understood exactly what they had to do.

Hayasaka's gaze shifted toward the deck.

The cruise ship was slowly moving forward.

She frowned slightly.

"We've already set sail?"

"Yes."

The security captain responded immediately.

"That was Lord Amamiya's decision."

"He said, since you and Miss Kaguya fainted, this trip should end early."

"So we departed as instructed."

Hayasaka gave a small nod.

"That was the right call."

"If Amamiya made that decision, we follow it."

She suddenly became curious about what had happened after she and Kaguya lost consciousness.

"Did anything important happen after we fainted?"

"Yes."

The captain nodded right away.

"Shortly after we departed, we came across a cruise ship from the Hatamoto family. It had a mechanical failure and was stranded at sea."

"The Hatamoto family?"

Hayasaka frowned.

She remembered them, an extremely traditional and rigid old family. In fact, they were the original owners of the volcanic island, which had been purchased from them.

Lately, they'd been offloading assets and downsizing. That was the only reason the volcanic island had been sold for just 600,000 USD.

"Did we let them board?"

"Yes. At first, we refused."

"But then we found out Miss Mouri's father was aboard that ship, so we went to consult with her before proceeding."

Hearing that, Hayasaka relaxed.

"In that case, it's fine."

"Just maintain security, especially near Miss Kaguya's room. If anyone approaches, increase vigilance."

(To be continued.)