Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  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 didn't know about how these two "strong individuals" had just lost control of themselves in embarrassment, only barely managing to calm down now…


  "How are things, Mika?" Seiji asked when he saw the twintailed girl return.

  "Grandpa Zhao said that he indeed gave those spiritual artifacts to my father. Apparently, he made them back in the day when he was bored."

  'They really turned out to be things he made when he was bored after all!'

  "Did he say what that board game was, and how to specifically use it?" Natsuya inquired.

  "He said that he forgot."

  "What?"

  "Grandpa Zhao said that he made many spiritual artifacts back at that time and couldn't remember the details anymore due to forgetfulness in old age." Mika smiled wryly.

  Seiji and Natsuya were rendered speechless.

  "Will even a powerful Spiritual Ability user become forgetful in old age?" Seiji looked towards Natsuya.

  "…I'm not sure." Natsuya had a subtle expression.

  'What a reason, forgetfulness in old age. It's impossible to even retort,' Seiji commented in his mind.

  "Then… was the relationship between Grandpa Zhao and your father simply that of friends irrespective of age?" He asked another question.

  "No." Mika shook her head. "He said that there was a secret connection between him and my father. In the past, he intentionally came searching for my father, it wasn't a coincidental meeting. He said he'd hesitated about whether or not to tell my father the truth, but he didn't do so in the end. He doesn't 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."

  A moment of silence fell between them.

  "Indeed, there are some things in this world that are better left unsaid." Seiji sighed. "Since he doesn't wish to say, then we should let it go."

  "Yeah…" Mika nodded slightly.

  "What else did you guys discuss?"

  "Grandpa Zhao asked me how I became a spiritual ability user, how I'm doing in my life, and what I want to do in my future… He encouraged me and worried about me like an elder." Mika began to smile. "Just as if he was my real grandfather."

  'He really might be your real grandfather… or even great-grandfather,' Seiji thought to himself.

  Since the elderly man didn't intend to say, perhaps this would forever remain a secret.

  "He also said that he would help me, but he didn't say anything specific… I was wondering a bit about that."

  "Perhaps he'll give you some presents, just like how he gave your father spiritual artifacts," Natsuya said.

  "Very likely… Perhaps he'll mail you something incredible all the way from Huaxia." Seiji rubbed his chin. "If 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 it'll be a full set of spiritual artifacts that you can wear and transform yourself with."

  Mika was rendered speechless.

  "From now on, I'm going to call you 'Spiritual Artifact Girl Mika!'" Seiji had a flash of inspiration.

  "Don't treat me like some sort of magical girl!"

  "Then how about 'The Immortal Spiritual Artifact User Uehara?'"

  "Don't treat me like a cultivator from Huaxia!"

  "Mika, the Spiritual Artifact Heroine.'"

  "I'm not a hero who's going to save the world!" the twintailed girl retorted energetically.

  "Cough… 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?"

  "…No."

  "Then, that's all for this incident." Seiji came to this conclusion. "Although we now know the origin of your father's collection of items, due to the creator's forgetfulness in old age, we still don't 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 it's sufficient, right?"

  Mika nodded.

  "About those three spiritual artifacts in working condition, now that you know where they came from, do you want to sell them or keep them?" Seiji looked towards her.

  "I don't want to sell them, but I don't know how to use them either if I keep them…"

  "In that case, continue renting them out to Natsuya." Seiji turned to look at the president. "Are you willing to continue renting them?"

  "Of course, I'd be more than happy to. All three are high-level spiritual artifacts and have their uses," Natsuya said.

  "Thank you, president."

  "No need to be polite. It's a trade, after all."

  "Finally, we have to figure out how to explain things to the landlord…"

  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.

  "Mika, are you able to communicate better with Mashiro-chan yet?" After a long silence, Seiji decided to start a conversation.

  Mika shook her head.

  "It seems like it won't be that easy… but there's no rush, so take things slowly."

  "Yeah…"

  "Mashiro-chan is so amazing already, so once you can have her properly understand your commands, you'll become a powerful Spiritual Ability user as well." Seiji smiled. "By the way, did you mention Mashiro-chan to Zhao-san?"

  "Yes, but I didn't go into the details. I only told him about Mashiro-chan's origins as well as the fact that she'll use some strong powers if I'm in danger…" Mika told Seiji.

  "I see… I think that's an appropriate way to describe things." Seiji nodded.

  Mashiro-chan's powers were still a mystery, and saying too much about it probably wasn't 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 viewers' 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.

  'Is this your way of spreading salt on my wound, system of mine?'

  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 didn't 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 "I'll Die If I Don't Become Handsome", 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 Izawa's character cosplay photographs and videos!

  The topic's title was:

  "The highest quality cosplay from this year's winter doujinshi convention! A real life version of a swordfight that's just like a movie!! It's incredible!!!"