When Mika walked out of the guest room and returned to the living room, she saw that Seiji and Natsuya were silently sitting there while sipping tea.
Both of them seemed strong to her⊠they were cool, beautiful, resolute, and powerful.
She wanted to become like them.
Mika who was now more resolute than ever didnât know about how these two âstrong individualsâ had just lost control of themselves in embarrassment, only barely managing to calm down nowâŠ
âHow are things, Mika?â Seiji asked when he saw the twintailed girl return.
âGrandpa Zhao said that he indeed gave those spiritual artifacts to my father. Apparently, he made them back in the day when he was bored.â
âThey really turned out to be things he made when he was bored after all!â
âDid he say what that board game was, and how to specifically use it?â Natsuya inquired.
âHe said that he forgot.â
âWhat?â
âGrandpa Zhao said that he made many spiritual artifacts back at that time and couldnât remember the details anymore due to forgetfulness in old age.â Mika smiled wryly.
Seiji and Natsuya were rendered speechless.
âWill even a powerful Spiritual Ability user become forgetful in old age?â Seiji looked towards Natsuya.
ââŠIâm not sure.â Natsuya had a subtle expression.
âWhat a reason, forgetfulness in old age. Itâs impossible to even retort,â Seiji commented in his mind.
âThen⊠was the relationship between Grandpa Zhao and your father simply that of friends irrespective of age?â He asked another question.
âNo.â Mika shook her head. âHe said that there was a secret connection between him and my father. In the past, he intentionally came searching for my father, it wasnât a coincidental meeting. He said heâd hesitated about whether or not to tell my father the truth, but he didnât do so in the end. He doesnât want to tell me about it, either, because he said that it would only add to my frustrations so he might as well not say it.â
A moment of silence fell between them.
âIndeed, there are some things in this world that are better left unsaid.â Seiji sighed. âSince he doesnât wish to say, then we should let it go.â
âYeahâŠâ Mika nodded slightly.
âWhat else did you guys discuss?â
âGrandpa Zhao asked me how I became a spiritual ability user, how Iâm doing in my life, and what I want to do in my future⊠He encouraged me and worried about me like an elder.â Mika began to smile. âJust as if he was my real grandfather.â
âHe really might be your real grandfather⊠or even great-grandfather,â Seiji thought to himself.
Since the elderly man didnât intend to say, perhaps this would forever remain a secret.
âHe also said that he would help me, but he didnât say anything specific⊠I was wondering a bit about that.â
âPerhaps heâll give you some presents, just like how he gave your father spiritual artifacts,â Natsuya said.
âVery likely⊠Perhaps heâll mail you something incredible all the way from Huaxia.â Seiji rubbed his chin. âIf the spiritual artifacts that Zhao-san casually made when he was bored were at such a high level already, if he seriously made one as a gift for someone⊠it would probably be incredible. Perhaps itâll be a full set of spiritual artifacts that you can wear and transform yourself with.â
Mika was rendered speechless.
âFrom now on, Iâm going to call you âSpiritual Artifact Girl Mika!'â Seiji had a flash of inspiration.
âDonât treat me like some sort of magical girl!â
âThen how about âThe Immortal Spiritual Artifact User Uehara?'â
âDonât treat me like a cultivator from Huaxia!â
âMika, the Spiritual Artifact Heroine.'â
âIâm not a hero whoâs going to save the world!â the twintailed girl retorted energetically.
âCough⊠on a serious note, no matter what Zhao-san gives you, go ahead and properly accept and give him your gratitude. Is there anything else that he said?â
ââŠNo.â
âThen, thatâs all for this incident.â Seiji came to this conclusion. âAlthough we now know the origin of your fatherâs collection of items, due to the creatorâs forgetfulness in old age, we still donât know the specific methods to use that board game, wooden sword, and kendama, nor do we know the true nature of the relationship between Zhao-san and Mr. Uehara. The answer is incomplete⊠but itâs sufficient, right?â
Mika nodded.
âAbout those three spiritual artifacts in working condition, now that you know where they came from, do you want to sell them or keep them?â Seiji looked towards her.
âI donât want to sell them, but I donât know how to use them either if I keep themâŠâ
âIn that case, continue renting them out to Natsuya.â Seiji turned to look at the president. âAre you willing to continue renting them?â
âOf course, Iâd be more than happy to. All three are high-level spiritual artifacts and have their uses,â Natsuya said.
âThank you, president.â
âNo need to be polite. Itâs a trade, after all.â
âFinally, we have to figure out how to explain things to the landlordâŠâ
Seiji and Mika discussed what they should tell Nozomi.
And so, the matter of the Uehara Family spiritual artifacts collection came to somewhat of a close.
After saying goodbye to Natsuya, Seiji and Mika returned home together.
Then two of them walked side by side for a while with neither saying anything.
âMika, are you able to communicate better with Mashiro-chan yet?â After a long silence, Seiji decided to start a conversation.
Mika shook her head.
âIt seems like it wonât be that easy⊠but thereâs no rush, so take things slowly.â
âYeahâŠâ
âMashiro-chan is so amazing already, so once you can have her properly understand your commands, youâll become a powerful Spiritual Ability user as well.â Seiji smiled. âBy the way, did you mention Mashiro-chan to Zhao-san?â
âYes, but I didnât go into the details. I only told him about Mashiro-chanâs origins as well as the fact that sheâll use some strong powers if Iâm in dangerâŠâ Mika told Seiji.
âI see⊠I think thatâs an appropriate way to describe things.â Seiji nodded.
Mashiro-chanâs powers were still a mystery, and saying too much about it probably wasnât a good thing even if the other party was that elderly man Zhao Guanlou.
The two of them chatted about Mashiro-chan for a while.
Then, they arrived at the Uehara apartments.
When they returned home, Seiji suddenly heard a notification from his system, with words appearing before him:
[Your cosplay photographs and video of your performance have been truly appreciated and liked by many viewers on the internet. Your [Rewards] option now has reward points from the viewersâ appreciation and like.]
Seiji was rendered speechless.
Even his cosplay photographs and videos could reward him just like his novels!? He was astonished to find out about this.
âIs this your way of spreading salt on my wound, system of mine?â
He was already finished with his bout of embarrassment from earlier, and he no longer felt like clutching his head and shouting out loudly. He merely felt like he didnât know whether to laugh or cry at this unexpected reward.
Seiji went to his study and turned on his computer. While he waited for it to load, he opened up his [Rewards] option in his dating sim system.
He saw that apart from the previous reward points obtained from his short novel âIâll Die If I Donât Become Handsomeâ, there were now new rewards from his cosplay photographs and videos!
He saw his reward points increase by 3⊠by another 4⊠there was a steady stream of income.
After checking the rewards out, Seiji closed his system and went online with his computer.
Then, he discovered that in the largest message forum for Sakura Island, in the otaku section where people were discussing the doujinshi convention and cosplay, the topic ranked number one was a topic about his and Izawaâs character cosplay photographs and videos!
The topicâs title was:
âThe highest quality cosplay from this yearâs winter doujinshi convention! A real life version of a swordfight thatâs just like a movie!! Itâs incredible!!!â