Kato chuckled before casually changing the subject. "Can't believe it's already June."
"Is June some special month?"
"You said the same thing last year." Kato sighed in exasperation. "It's your birthday, Akifumi. At least try to remember it?"
Oh, so that's what it was.
Akifumi chuckled. "Of course, I remember my own birthday. But it's not that big of a dealI don't think there's any need to make a fuss over it."
"Not a big deal?" Kato sighed again, feeling conflicted. "Then why did you get me such an expensive gift last year?"
"I'm still agonizing over what to get you in return."
"It was just a bag. Nothing that extravagant."
Akifumi waved his hand dismissively. "If you're really struggling, just do what you did for Christmasmake me a handmade gift."
"Well I guess that works." Kato nodded but couldn't help sighing again. "I'm not as rich as you, Akifumi. I can't afford anything fancy."
"Friendship is priceless, isn't it?"
Kato shook her head and dropped the subject.
After school, Mahiru, who had overheard Akifumi and Kato's conversation that morning, was visibly troubled.
After hesitating for a while, she finally spoke up.
"Mugiho-kun is there anything you want for your birthday?"
"Nope."
Mahiru sighed, looking as though she expected that answer.
Despite working hard every day and earning so much money, he hardly ever spent it. His hobbies were mostly limited to games and novels.
'What should I get him?'
'Could it be do I really have to go with Eriri's suggestion?'
The memory of Eriri whispering her bold idea into Mahiru's ear yesterday morning suddenly resurfaced.
Mahiru's cheeks instantly flushed pink.
She always seemed so composed, but who would've thought she could be so daring?!
[207] Could They Have Been Tricked into Going to Myanmar!?
Capita Sky Rower, Singapore
"Speaking of which, isn't Mugiho turning 18 soon?" A man spoke, his face bearing a striking resemblance to Mugiho's, though more mature and exuding a natural air of authority.
"Fifteen more days," replied an elegant woman with a graceful demeanor.
"It's been over a year since we last went back, yet that kid doesn't seem the least bit curious," Akifumi Ye sighed helplessly.
Akifumi Nakui also let out a soft sigh. "Got himself a girlfriend and forgot about his mother, huh?"
Despite her words, a gentle smile graced her lips.
"So, are we really not telling him the truth when he turns 18?" she asked after a brief pause.
After some thought, he shook his head. "Well let's just see."
"He's already expanding his own business over there, and he's doing something he genuinely enjoys. If we tell him the truth, he might just lose all motivation."
Mugiho had no idea that his parents were the masterminds behind a vast business empire spanning industries from machinery to agriculture across the globe.
Their influence stretched far and widesurpassing even the powerful Shinomiya family.
The reason the Mugiho family held such immense power was because his father were the founding members who established the Alan Institute.
The Alan Institute is a global organization dedicated to discovering struggling geniuses and providing them with free supportwhether in sports, literature, entertainment, medicine, or technology.
Many of the talents nurtured by the Alan Institute eventually collaborate with it to establish business ventures aligned with their individual skills.
Tokyo Animation Studio, DA, and Garden were just the tip of the iceberg of what the children of Alan had built.
However, this success came at a cost.
His family became a high-profile target, which is why Mugiho father took his wife Nakui's surname, adopting the name "Akifumi" to conceal their true identity from the world and only others some people who know it.
Publicly, they appeared only as successful scholars who constantly traveled abroad an image that helped hide their role in managing a global enterprise and explained why they were always so busy and rarely home.
All of this was done so that Akifumi could live a normal life.
For Mugiho, this revelation would forever change how he saw his family.
Nakui nodded. "You have a point."
"We'll tell him when he's a bit older."
"By the way, how's Yor doing over there? Has she been able to keep things under wraps from Mugiho?" Mugiho father suddenly inquired.
"I'm not sure if she's managed to keep things hidden, but she seems to be enjoying herself over there."
"That's good to hear." Mugiho father nodded approvingly.
After all, they had taken her in with her brother as a child.
Although, for some reason, as she grew older, she started developing in an... unexpected direction.
But as long as she was happy, that was all that mattered.
"Have you thought of an excuse this time?" Nakui asked.
"Can't you come up with one for a change?" Mugiho father replied, exasperated. "Every time I have to make something up, I feel like the kid is already getting suspicious."
"If I do it, we'll get exposed even faster."
"..." Akifumi Ye shook his head and dropped the topic.
"By the way, Mugiho's manga series are unexpectedly well-received on foreign country as well."
"In such a short time, each volume is already approaching a million sales."
"Well, of course! He's our son, after all!" Nakui said proudly.
'Wasn't this the same woman who was sobbing like a child when she got emotionally wrecked by those very same manga?'
Mugiho father wisely chose not to say this aloudunless he wanted to get beaten up.
Unaware of her husband's thoughts, Nakui sighed again. "I just wonder how long we'll have to wait before we get to hold a grandchild."
'That escalated quickly.' For once, Mugiho father found himself on the same page.
His eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Hopefully, not too long!"
"That way, even if Mugiho refuses to take over the family business, our grandchild can!"
"I'm still healthy and strongI can hold out until then."
Before Nakui could even respond, Akifumi Ye added, "Of course, it ultimately depends on their own interests."
"If they're not interested, we won't force them."
Having experienced a childhood devoid of freedom themselves, they didn't want their child to suffer the same fate.
Since they were already managing the conglomerate's affairs, there was no need to expose Mugiho with responsibilities and danger he didn't ask for.
A happy and carefree childhood was far more important.
The same would apply to their grandchildren.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to keep the truth from him, let alone send him off to Japan in the first place.
"I don't think we need to worry about that," Nakui said with a different perspective. "As long as he has more kids, at least one of them will probably be interested in the family business."
Akifumi Ye thought about it and nodded in agreement.
After all, he had always been with just Nakui and their only son, Mugiho.
But their son? He wasn't exactly the most reserved person.
From the information Mugiho father had gathered, there were plenty of girls interested in him.
They had only one son, and that made him a target. If they didn't hide the truth, others would hunt him down, seeking to exploit the family's wealth and power through him.
Worse yet, he would never know if a relationship was genuine or just another scheme for profit.
Inheriting the family businesses meant more than carrying on a legacyit meant a life of constant calculation, where every decision revolved around gains and losses.
For Mugiho's parents, shielding him from this reality was the only way to protect his future.
But with grandchildren? There would definitely be more than one, and then they could make their own choices.
"Well, let's just let things unfold naturally," Akifumi Ye concluded before frowning in frustration.
'Damn it. I've used almost every possible excuse already.'
'What the hell am I supposed to say this time to explain why we haven't gone back in a year without making him suspicious!?'
Meanwhile in Japan, Akifumi Mugiho had no idea his parents were fretting over him.
Just as they were thinking about him, he was also thinking about them.
"Honestly, after a year of living without their supervision, I have to admit it's been incredibly freeing..."
"But still, are those two really okay!?"
No matter how busy they were, it made no sense for them to be gone for an entire year without coming home even once.
The only possible explanation Akifumi could think of was that their freedom had been restricted.
His mind wandered to recent news about people getting lured into scams in Myanmar...
"Wait, did they get tricked and end up in that kind of place!?"
He recalled their kind and naive smiles.
"They do seem surprisingly easy to fool..."
Sighing, he shook his head.
Of course, if they had really been trafficked somewhere, they wouldn't have had the opportunity to contact him.
Yet they still called regularlysometimes once a week, at the longest, once every two weeks.
"I just don't get it." Shoving his thoughts aside, Akifumi stepped off the train.
Earlier, his novel editor Machida had called him about something important.
Most likely, it was related to that so-called "surprise" she had hinted at before.
At this point, he already had a solid guess about what it was.
Since it was just after 4 PM, the subway wasn't too crowded.
As he walked out of the station, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Akifumi-kun?"
"Kasumigaoka-senpai?"
He turned in surprise to find himself walking alongside a familiar girl.
She was dressed in a simple gray short-sleeve top and a matching gray plaid skirt.
Her legs, as always, were clad in sheer black stockings that carried an inexplicable allure.
The last time they had seen each other was back at school before spring break.
Back then, they had only exchanged a brief nod as a greeting.
Now, two months later, she had entered university, her subtle makeup adding a touch of elegance and maturity to her already striking features.
[208] What a Mess! [300 PS]
There was no denying itwhen someone was beautiful, they looked stunning no matter what they wore.
Akifumi withdrew his gaze and smiled. "It's been a while, Kasumigaoka-senpai."
Kasumigaoka Utaha snapped back to reality, returning his smile with a polite nod. "It has been."
"Congratulations on getting into the University of Tokyo. Everyone at school is so proud of you."
"I'll gladly accept the congratulations, but... are you sure that last part wasn't about yourself?" Utaha smirked playfully. After all, compared to being a University of Tokyo student, isn't 'Warrior of Love and Hope' sensei is a much more impressive title?"
"Not at all!" Akifumi replied without hesitation. "If you ever decide to enter politics, Senpai, I'm sure you'll shine just as brightly!"
"Compared to that, what I dojust drawing some silly mangabarely even counts as an achievement."
"If that's the case, then as a so-called 'mediocre novelist,' I should be even lower on the totem pole." Utaha sighed. "I've never once considered a career in politics."
Faced with her flawless rebuttal, Akifumi could only offer a wry smile before tactfully changing the subject.
"Are you meeting with Editor Machida today as well, Senpai?"
"Yeah, just the usualletting her review my manuscript."
Akifumi already knew who her editor was.
Not because he had any special insider knowledge from being a transmigrator, but because he had once run into Machida Sonoko after discussing WorldEnd with her.
"You've been refining this new work for so longI can't help but look forward to it."
Utaha let out a deep sigh. "Honestly, I just wish I could be like you. Publishing independently, without having to follow my editor's every whim."
Damn it!
Whoever said this woman was just a sharp-tongued tsundere clearly hadn't met her!
With flattery like that, even Akifumi was starting to feel a little self-conscious.
Their casual conversation continued as they arrived at the publishing company's headquarters.
Waiting at the entrance, Machida Sonoko caught sight of the two walking side by side and raised an eyebrow in surprise before greeting them with a teasing smile.
"Well, well, I never expected to see you two together like this."
Together?
Akifumi blinked and instinctively glanced at Utaha.
The moment she processed Machida's words, a faint blush spread across her pale cheeks.
"Is this really the vocabulary level of an editor-in-chiefthe one in charge of my work, no less?" Utaha grumbled.
Machida feigned innocence. "What? Did I say something wrong?"
"I'm suddenly feeling the urge to switch editors. Just a regular one will do."
Wisely deciding not to involve himself in their banter, Akifumi simply smiled and observed from the sidelines.
Machida coughed. "Now, now, don't be so dramatic, Shi-chan~" she said, motioning for them to follow her inside. "Come on, let's head up."
Once inside the company's guest lounge, Machida asked, "What would you like to drink?"
"Coffee," Utaha answered.
"Just water for me," Akifumi replied.
Machida chuckled. "You really are health-conscious, Akifumi-sensei. You always just get water when you come here."
At this, Utaha shot Akifumi a curious glance.
He merely offered a reserved smile in response.
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Utaha suddenly stood up. "I have something to take care ofI'll step out for a bit."
Of course, she didn't actually have anything urgent to do. She was just giving them space.
However
"If it's about why you called me here today, I think I already have an idea," Akifumi said casually.
"It's nothing major, so there's no need for Senpai to leave."
"Tch."
Clicking her tongue in mild annoyance at her failed escape, Machida sighed before nodding. "Yeah, it's not anything serious."
"Since Akifumi-sensei is fine with it, why don't you stay and listen too, Shi-chan?"
Utaha hesitated. As a normal person, of course she was curious.
But more than that, she knew how to be tactful.
Still, since they had both invited her to stay, she didn't insist on leaving.
Settling down in a seat, she watched them expectantly.
Machida sighed dramatically. "Akifumi-sensei, why is the light novel division so much slower compared to the other departments?"
Since this was an internal company matter, Akifumi wasn't about to comment recklessly.
He simply responded with an awkward yet polite smile.
