Chapter 119: Mystery
After breakfast, Renji Kamisaka informed Chihiro Sengoku that he might have a younger sister arriving. The warm scent of toast and freshly brewed coffee still lingered in the air of Sakurasou Dorm.
"Huh? You have a younger sister?" Chihiro Sengoku stared at him in astonishment, her eyebrows raised high, as if Renji had just uttered something extraordinary. "What's her name?"
"It seems to be Yuki Kamisaka," Renji replied, a hint of hesitation in his voice, as if the information itself was still surprising to him.
"What do you mean 'seems to be'? You're not even sure yourself?" Chihiro rolled her eyes, her tone a mix of amusement and disbelief. This wasn't something she often heard from the residents of Sakurasou.
"I just found out about it too," Renji shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips.
It was quite intriguing. This younger sister claimed to be his "child bride." His name was "Renji Kamisaka," and his sister's name was "Yuki Kamisaka." Shifting the words around... wasn't that Yuki Suou? But he truly couldn't recall having a younger sister. He was a time-traveler, so where did this sister come from? Was it a hidden arrangement from the No Game No Life system?
Speaking of the name "Yuki," Renji recalled a popular heroine from an anime in his previous life, "Yuki Suou." And in this world, there was indeed a noble family no less prominent than the Shinomiya and Yukinoshita families, which was the Suou family. A coincidence that piqued Renji's interest.
So, this suddenly appearing child bride... could she be Yuki Suou? This was Renji Kamisaka's speculation based on the available information. They would have to wait until this girl arrived at Sakurasou Dorm to find out the details. A new mystery, quite fascinating, Renji thought, running a hand through his slightly disheveled hair.
Meanwhile, in the living room of the Yukinoshita family, the atmosphere was calmer, formal, yet elegantly poised. Mrs. Yukinoshita, wearing a beautiful silk kimono, sat gracefully opposite her eldest daughter, Yukinoshita Haruno. The faint aroma of Japanese green tea wafted through the air, creating a peaceful aura that contrasted with Haruno's busy thoughts.
"Haruno, you seem very busy lately," Mrs. Yukinoshita began, her tone soft yet probing. "Ordering plane tickets and starting a company."
Faced with her mother's teasing, Yukinoshita Haruno offered a slight smile, her mysterious smile as usual. "I can't help it. I was born to work hard." She didn't elaborate on why she was so busy with all this. If her mother wanted to find out, she would do so herself. Haruno was confident her mother would, using every means at her disposal.
However, Mrs. Yukinoshita wasn't objecting, merely urging her on. "If you don't go and find him, don't cry if the engagement changes."
"Hey, are you more anxious than me, Mother? Clearly I'm the one who's engaged," Haruno chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "But I still don't understand why you're so optimistic about Renji?"
Mrs. Yukinoshita pursed her lips, a thin, satisfied smile gracing her face. "Because he is the rightful heir of the Suou family."
"Ah?!" Yukinoshita Haruno's mouth dropped open in shock, her teacup nearly slipping from her grasp.
Mrs. Yukinoshita uttered another sentence, her tone turning serious, deeper. "He was before." She paused for a moment, her gaze hinting at a long story. "Now he is an unrecognized abandoned child. But if the Suou family knew that the heir they abandoned possesses the power he has now, would they regret it?" Mrs. Yukinoshita looked at her daughter with a sharp gaze, testing her reaction. "Haruno, Renji follows Mother's nature."
"His real name should be Renji Suou, which aligns with the current heir of the Suou family, Yuki Suou."
"Now, his age is almost the same as Yukino's, and he is said to be very kind." Yukinoshita Haruno rolled her eyes, a cynical smile forming. "You might as well just say Yukino isn't as good as him." In terms of dealing with people, Yukino wasn't as adept as Yuki Suou. Yukino was aloof, a solitary flower on an iceberg, difficult to approach. Yuki Suou, however, was a woman of noble birth with an elegant and aristocratic temperament, captivating and easy to get along with. She was entirely different from Yukino in her interactions with people, and she had served as the student council president in middle school. Mrs. Yukinoshita continued, "It is said that the Suou family inherited a shrine, and Renji and Yuki Suou were originally God's Children raised at that shrine."
"But Renji had an accident when he was little, lost his status as a God's Child, and therefore lost his qualification as an heir, becoming an abandoned child of the Suou family."
This was the first time Yukinoshita Haruno had heard anything like this. An accident? Lost status? Mysterious power? "Could his mysterious power come from his identity as a God's Child?"
"Perhaps." Mrs. Yukinoshita looked at her eldest daughter with a gentle gaze, a faint smile. "No matter what his identity, he can only be my Yukinoshita family's son-in-law from now on." A statement that left no room for dispute.
Haruno smiled bitterly and said tentatively, "But, he's a bit fickle."
Mrs. Yukinoshita instructed, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. "Then you must find a way to settle him down, show your charm, and captivate him. No matter what methods you use, he must become my son-in-law, do you understand?"
"I understand," Yukinoshita Haruno agreed verbally, but she grumbled in her heart. What if he still wants Yukino-chan? Mother, would you agree to that too? The Yukinoshita sisters sharing a husband or something... It doesn't seem impossible.
Yukinoshita Haruno was a true "sister-complex." She really adored Yukinoshita Yukino-chan. If she could be with Yukino-chan in the future, she would naturally agree. It depended on whether the philandering fiancé had the ability to impress Yukino-chan. A fascinating challenge. Very interesting.
"Ah!"
On the other side of the city, in a distant place, Yukinoshita Yukino sneezed several times, feeling a strange sensation creep up her spine. She rubbed her nose, feeling a little chilly today. So she put on an extra layer of clothing, a faint premonition flickering in her mind, as if someone were talking about her.
Back to our protagonist, Renji Kamisaka. He knew nothing of his identity as a "God's Child," but that didn't matter to him. After sending Shiina Mashiro to a school near Sakurasou Dorm as usual, he boarded the train with Shiina Mahiru and Sumireko Sanshokuin. The morning train car was bustling with student chatter, yet a quiet space formed around them.
Coincidentally, he encountered the Hazuki Yasuo trio again. They exchanged greetings out of politeness, a slightly awkward smile plastered on their faces. No more words were spoken, a slightly tense silence filling the carriage, broken only by the sound of the train wheels and the faint chatter of other passengers.
Hazuki Yasuo wore a complicated expression, his brow furrowed in deep thought. He should have known that his senior, Momo Sakurabara, and his childhood sweetheart, Runa Kusami, liked him very much. They had even agreed to go out together on the weekend. But both girls behaved as they always had—friendly, kind, but without clear romance—which made him a little unsure if they had any intention of dating him. It was similar to Hayato Hayama's previous attitude towards Yumiko Miura: too kind, too generic, without a clear direction.
However, Hazuki Yasuo was also in an acute dilemma. He didn't want to lose his friendship with Momo Sakurabara and Runa Kusami, nor did he want to date them. After all, liking someone was like... you couldn't force it if you didn't like them, right? He had been a good guy since he was little, so he naturally wouldn't think of forcing others. Therefore, when facing Sumireko Sanshokuin, whom he liked and who had a boyfriend, he simply told Renji, her boyfriend, to compete fairly. A naive, yet sincere chivalry from a "good guy."
But the subsequent developments far exceeded his expectations. He heard from Renji, "I'm the type Sumireko hates the most?" And that he would make people suffer and despair? How could this be possible! He didn't believe it. The main reason was that Momo Sakurabara and Runa Kusami behaved too well and never had conflicts in front of him. They always treated him with a warm and friendly attitude, as if nothing was wrong in their world. He also couldn't believe it. Momo Sakurabara, who was so kind, and Runa Kusami, who was quiet and gentle, would confront him behind his back. Impossible. It must be a misunderstanding.
Renji Kamisaka noticed that Hazuki Yasuo was worried, but he didn't intend to talk to him. He had told him the truth. If Hazuki Yasuo still didn't know what was going on, there was nothing more to say. Renji simply didn't want to take action against a pure good guy, but that didn't mean he would let him entangle his woman. Sometimes, violence isn't necessary to hit someone. This was also a good way to make him self-aware.
However, seeing Hazuki Yasuo's hesitant demeanor, it seemed he would lose both Momo Sakurabara and Runa Kusami in the end. Being indecisive was always a taboo for male protagonists in light novels. It would only bring ruin to himself.
When he arrived in class, Hazuki Yasuo still handled the surrounding classmates with ease, a friendly and helpful smile plastered on his face. And he was more helpful than Hayato Hayama, more approachable and less complicated. He garnered support from his classmates. Who would hate such a good guy who would enthusiastically help when asked "please"? He was simply the most useful tool.
However, with Runa Kusami around, her cold and sharp aura was enough to make those who wanted to be lazy and take advantage of the good guy not dare to go too far. These young high school students were still afraid of the beautiful girl's striking aggression, intimidated by her sharp gaze.
During break, Renji Kamisaka didn't intend to take the initiative to speak, so he chatted with the little angel Shiina Mahiru from time to time, his voice soft and pleasant, often accompanied by Mahiru's sweet, light laughter.
Speaking of Mashiro's "cheating" topic, Renji's face suddenly turned awkward, and Shiina Mahiru rolled her eyes at him, yet there was a hidden amused smile on her lips. But Mahiru didn't mind. Seeing her cousin's expression, she was worried about leaving her to others. Letting her cousin stay with Renji was the best place for her. A decision she fully believed in, for Mashiro's own good.
Mashiro's irresponsible parents were as good as her own. For the sake of the family and to cultivate Mashiro's talent in painting, they had instead raised her into a useless person with no common sense. It was outrageous. Shiina Mahiru didn't mind Mashiro "stealing food" from her. On the contrary, she could relax a little with Mashiro around. Sometimes, this boyfriend was not human at all. How could a normal person be so powerful? Mahiru blushed when she thought about it, strange memories flashing in her mind, a secret known only to her and Renji.
Renji Kamisaka didn't take the initiative to speak, but Runa Kusami suddenly took advantage of the big break after the second class to walk towards him and look at him with watery eyes, a serious expression rarely seen on her. That gaze drew the attention of the entire class, and the whispers immediately subsided.
"Can you step outside with me for a moment, Classmate Kamisaka? I have something to say to you." Her voice was soft, yet firm, leaving no room for refusal.
Instantly, Renji Kamisaka was once again stared at by the boys in the class, looks filled with envy and shock. Whispers began to spread like wildfire, from one desk to another.
"Oh my God!" one student whispered, his tone frustrated. "I finally found a beautiful girl with big breasts, but she found Renji Kamisaka, the succubus?"
"Are you going to let me live?" another wailed, burying his head on his desk in resignation.
"It seems you've been secretly keeping that beautiful girl for a long time?" another whisper could be heard, full of suspicion and jealousy. Renji could only sigh, a faint smile on his lips. His daily life was never boring.
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