The Villainous Uncle in the Adult Game Gets Unusually High Praise from the Heroines - Chapter 15

Reality was wonderful.

Its logical consistency was what made it so appealing.

It extended endlessly with its reality, governed by laws and rules, yet without a predetermined future, filled with boundless possibilities.

That was what I found the most attractive about reality.

Indeed, that was probably why my works tended to lean towards realism.

I considered it a rather shallow reason, even by my own standards.

Creating works as if to channel one’s desires—I often wondered if this might be a desecration of the creative process itself.

And yet, still.

I…

That was precisely why I found it regrettable that this world was endlessly real.

*****

“So, that’s why… I’d like you to make me lunch boxes.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Alright then. Starting tomorrow, I’ll make Sakurako-chan’s lunch box.”

Just like that, I easily obtained Take-san’s agreement to make my lunches starting from tomorrow. Even I thought this was quite something. If money was the concern, I should have been the one making them, but I ended up making such a selfish request simply because I wanted to eat more of Take-san’s cooking.

I really was such a child. An intense feeling of guilt welled up inside me.

But still…

“…It looks delicious.”

In the free space in front of the library.

I sat alone, opening my lunch box. This was my first time having this experience—opening a lunch box like this. 

Finely torn nori placed atop pure white rice. Kinpira gobo with a slight kick from the chili pepper. Were the cherry tomatoes perhaps added for color? Finally, lettuce laid beneath the meat seasoned with yakiniku sauce. 

What an appetizing lunch box. 

Having eaten Take-san’s cooking before, I knew better than anyone else that this would truly be delicious.

“Itadakimasu.”

Placing my hands together, I started with the nori rice. I took a mouthful of rice along with the nori.

The salty taste was probably soy sauce. It went perfectly with the nori’s flavor. What should I eat next?

The kinpira gobo?

The main dish of yakiniku?

Or maybe the cherry tomatoes?

I couldn’t decide. Still, lunch break was limited, so even though it felt wasteful, I needed to eat quickly. As I was thinking this, I noticed a high school girl coming to the free space near me.

I wasn’t sure if I should call her an acquaintance, but she was someone I knew.

“Oh, Yozuki-san?”

“…Tendo-senpai?”

She – Yozuki Kongo – noticed me and came over.

She was holding a book in her hand. Perhaps she had come to return it?

Then she tilted her head with a puzzled “Huh?” when she saw my lunch box.

“This is unusual, senpai having a lunch box. How should I put it… I had the impression you always bought food from the school cafeteria.”

“Is that so? Maybe you’re right. But more importantly, Yozuki-san, don’t you have club activities today?”

“Ah, yes. That’s true, but…” she spoke with a slightly bitter, somewhat lonely expression.

“My sister would probably be happier if I wasn’t there.”

“?”

“Anyway, senpai. Would it be alright if I sat next to you?”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

I thought it was unusual. I had always thought Yozuki-san was even more of a loner than I was.

“Senpai, somehow, your atmosphere has changed, hasn’t it?”

“Eh?”

“It’s like… compared to before, you seem less burdened somehow.”

“R-really?”

“Did something good happen?”

“…I wonder.”

I didn’t know.

No, I understood what she was trying to say, but I wasn’t sure if it was okay to consider it “good”.

Spending time with Take-san. The catalyst for that was something that definitely shouldn’t be considered good.

And yet, ah.

I could feel that I was changing, as if I’d been freed from something.

I was aware of it. And I felt somewhat guilty about that. About feeling a sense of security in my current situation, even though I shouldn’t.

“A-anyway…”

While trying to shake off these improper thoughts, I forcefully changed the subject and asked Yozuki-san, “Yozuki-san, do you… have any dreams?”

“Dreams? How should I put it… that’s rather sudden, isn’t it?”

“Ah, yeah. Maybe so. Sorry. It was a bit abrupt.”

“…Well, it’s fine. I’ll go along with this conversation.”

“Eh?”

This was unusual, for her to engage in such a light conversation. Something must have happened.

“Though there’s nothing really to talk about. I don’t have any dreams, and I thought senpai was the same.”

“Me?”

“Yes, I arbitrarily thought we were similar. Does senpai have dreams?”

“…Even I have dreams, but you say you’re different, Yozuki-san?”

“Because I don’t have the right to dream.”

“Do you need a right?”

“You do. At least, that’s what I think.”

Yozuki-san let out a decidedly gloomy sigh.

“There’s a saying that while people can’t choose where they’re born, they can choose how they live, but I disagree.”

“Kongo-san…”

“Where you’re born forces you to change how you live. Especially for people like us.”

“…”

“So, going back to the beginning. Did something happen to you, senpai? Or rather, something did happen, right?” Yozuki-san spoke with certainty. 

After hesitating a bit, I said, “Yozuki-san, do you… hate your home?”

“I don’t hate it, because my sister is there.”

“I see.”

“But… no, it’s nothing.”

Something had definitely happened, but did I have the right to ask about it? Me, who couldn’t even understand myself properly.

But I couldn’t just pretend not to notice what was going on with her.

“Um, Yozuki-san. Are you free after school today?”

“…Huh?”

Why did I invite Yozuki-san like that?