The Villainous Uncle in the Adult Game Gets Unusually High Praise from the Heroines - Chapter 32

Holiday.

“Wow, I knew about this place, but it’s really something, huh?”

Looking around with wide eyes, Tomoe-chan made her comment. This place, Akihabara, truly was remarkable. Anime characters could be seen scattered everywhere, and in the distance, maids were doing something or other. It was what one might call the epicenter of subculture, the very heart of otaku culture. That was what Akihabara was to me. However, the reason we came here today wasn’t to immerse ourselves in this world.

“Alright, so where’s the place we’re headed at?”

“That way, Take-san,” Tomoe-chan replied, fiddling with her smartphone as she led the way. I trailed behind her, figuring it was best to stay quiet and follow her lead. After walking for a few minutes—maybe less than three—we arrived at our destination: a towering building. It was an electronics store.

As we entered, my gaze was momentarily caught by the display of gaming consoles near the entrance. Shaking it off, we stepped onto the escalator and rode up to our destination. Our target was the third floor. Once there, it didn’t take long to find what we were looking for.

“Wow. I knew about it, but LCD drawing tablets are really expensive, huh,” Tomoe-chan said, frowning as she looked at the tablets. 

The reason I was here today was to accompany her shopping trip. The goal was to purchase tools necessary for her illustration work. A new computer wasn’t part of the list since she had already ordered one online.

“Man, I already spent about 150,000 yen on the computer alone,” she remarked.

“Well, if you want a comfortable creative experience, that’s just the cost of entry,” I replied, recalling a conversation we’d had earlier.

In the end, it seemed she had managed to gain some level of understanding from her parents regarding her illustration work. The fact that she could come here to buy art supplies was evidence of that. However, the agreement came with stipulations: no help from her parents and maintaining her academic performance. But since she’d been doing that all along, it shouldn’t be an issue.

“Well, I’m not buying the LCD drawing tablet this time,” she admitted.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I’ve decided to settle for a pen tablet(without screen) for now. I’ll invest in one of these expensive LCD drawing tablets(with built-in screen) once I manage to achieve a bit more with my work.”

“But haven’t you been using a LCD drawing tablet until now? Won’t it be hard to adjust?”

“I’ll get used to it. Besides, money’s a bit tight right now.”

“Fair enough.”

If that was what she decided, then so be it. She picked out a medium-sized pen tablet and took it to the register. After purchasing it, we moved to another floor to buy illustration software.

“Which one are you getting, Sei or Christe?”

“Christe. It’s the go-to choice these days.”

“Got it.”

That seemed to settle the matter. 

With that, our main objective for the day was complete. The shopping trip was over. All that was left was to head home. 

“Since we’re here, want to grab something to eat?”

“Yeah, there’s this place I want to try.”

“Oh? What kind of place?”

It turned out to be a hot dog stand.

“Wait, we came all the way to Akiba, and you want to eat… hot dogs?”

“This place is supposedly famous for offering authentic American flavors.”

“…I see.”

I didn’t really get it, but hey, it was worth trying new things. We quickly entered the shop and bought the hot dogs she was so curious about.

“Ugh.”

Regret hit me immediately. My stomach felt unbearably heavy. An ultra-American hot dog was a bit much for my thirty-year-old body.

“Why on earth does it have three giant sausages crammed into the bun…?”

“Are you okay, Take-san?”

“I’m fine…”

I was barely hanging on. 

After that, we wandered aimlessly around the area, indulging in some window shopping. In Akihabara, window shopping mostly revolved around computer equipment or otaku merchandise.

Even so, we managed to enjoy ourselves. At least, Tomoe-chan seemed to be having a great time from start to finish. That made it all worth it. The spotlight belonged to her today. As long as she was happy, that was enough.

“Wow, the day’s already over, huh?”

Time flew by, as fun times usually did. We rode the train to the nearest station. Somehow, it felt nostalgic. This was the place where I’d first met her. The two of us ended up standing face-to-face in a deserted corner of the station plaza.

“So, what did you think, Tomoe-chan? Did you enjoy today?”

“Yeah, I had fun.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“What about you, Take-san?”

“Hm?”

“Did you have fun, Take-san?”

“…I did. It was enjoyable.”

“That’s great,” she said, smiling brightly.

Her cheerful expression filled me with relief. It was a genuine, carefree smile, free from worry or hesitation. Seeing her like this, I knew I had nothing to worry about.

“What will you do now, Tomoe-chan?”

“Now?”

“With your new computer, you don’t really have a reason to come to our place anymore, right?”

“That’s a mean thing to say.”

She puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance.

“I still want to come over. Of course, if you say no, I’ll listen. But if it’s okay, I’d like to visit.”

“As long as you balance your illustrations and schoolwork.”

“Of course.”

“Then it’s fine.”

“…Hey, Take-san,” she said, gazing into the distance.

“I’ve received so much from you. You’ve helped me so much.”

“I only did it because I felt like it.”

“Felt like it?”

“It’s selfishness on my part. I couldn’t just leave someone like you alone—it’s my meddlesome nature.”

“Yeah, that might be true. But you know, Take-san, because you’re like that, I—”

She stopped. 

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, she smiled brighter than ever before. 

Then, she spoke, “I’m truly grateful to you.”