Ch.4 First Arrival in Tokyo, Heart Ablaze

Tokyo, Taitō Ward, in an ordinary, unremarkable three-bedroom apartment.

The three members of the Minami family—Hayami Minami, Akira, and Gardevoir—sat around the oak dining table, raising their glasses together.

"To our new home and our new life, cheers."

It had been about half a month since Akira's late-night conversation with his mother. Although they had decided to move to Tokyo, they had lived in the countryside for eight years, so planning the move, finding a new place, and handling all the necessary procedures took careful research.

Thankfully, with the advancement of the internet, the process only took half a month instead of a month or longer.

After finally finding an ideal apartment and settling in, of course, it was time to celebrate. The three members of the Minami family worked together to throw a small housewarming party.

Hayami Minami took charge of cooking, Akira handled the prep work, and Gardevoir took care of everything else.

It must be said that Psychic is an excellent skill—not only useful in battle, but also for everyday life.

Take washing vegetables, for example. Gardevoir could easily manipulate the water flow with her Psychic powers, ensuring everything was washed perfectly clean while also honing her control.

Akira's "Pokémon Trainer System" could show Gardevoir's level, but reality wasn't like a game. In games, you just select moves and fight, but in real life, many other factors come into play.

For instance, the same kitchen knife in the hands of a professional chef and an amateur is used entirely differently.

So, from the moment Ralts was born, Akira had been training his partner's precision and control skills.

Of course, part of the reason was that in the countryside, there weren't many wild Pokémon to battle, so self-training was necessary.

Now, Gardevoir was definitely the kind of partner who could excel in the living room, the kitchen, and the battlefield.

Three glasses clinked together with a crisp sound.

Hayami Minami took a gentle sip, Gardevoir tapped her glass and took a small sip, while Akira, with no regard for decorum, gulped down half his drink and let out a loud burp.

Seeing this, Hayami Minami frowned slightly. "Watch your manners; you're not a child anymore."

"There's no one else around, just us." Akira laughed, not taking it seriously.

Even though she had left the Kamo family, Hayami Minami had retained many of the habits she learned there. Akira, on the other hand, was more influenced by the habits he had developed in his previous life.

"Be careful, or Little Sa might look down on you." "Little Sa" was Hayami Minami's nickname for Gardevoir.

"Would you ever look down on me?" Akira asked Gardevoir, who shook her head vigorously and even added an extra syllable to her usual response.

"Gar~ Gar~"

"Yoshi yoshi yoshi yoshi~" Akira added extra syllables as well, skillfully patting Gardevoir on the head, making her eyes squint in pleasure.

"How does it feel like you two have grown even closer since you started sleeping in separate rooms?" Hayami Minami muttered softly.

"It's like a spring—when you relax, it's not noticeable, but when pressure is applied, the rebound is even stronger."

Akira could feel that Gardevoir was sticking to him even more than before, probably because they now spent 8-10 fewer hours together every day.

If it weren't for the system labeling Gardevoir's personality as "reserved," it would have been easy to believe she was "afraid of being lonely." He joked internally about giving her the name "Lena," though that name seemed more suited to Kirlia's other evolutionary path, Gallade.

"As long as you're happy." Hayami Minami could only say this.

In the past, when they were still part of the Kamo family, she might have brought up traditional etiquette, but now, she had let go of those rigid rules, just hoping her children could live well.

Akira, Kamo Kenji, and even Gardevoir—she had always treated Gardevoir like her own daughter.

Once again, Akira shouted, "Mom, you're the best!" as Gardevoir obediently leaned her head toward Hayami Minami, who patted her gently and smiled. "Little Sa is so well-behaved… Don't worry, I won't interfere with your normal interactions. I'll be working during the day anyway."

"Why are you thinking about working?" Akira asked, slightly surprised.

The Kamo family had given them a severance package that guaranteed they would be well-off for life. Hayami Minami hadn't worked in eight years, spending her days tending to flowers, practicing calligraphy, or engaging in tea ceremonies, cultivating a peaceful life.

"Because this is Tokyo, not the countryside in Shikoku."

With just a little explanation, Akira understood.

As the saying goes: "Living in Tokyo is no easy task."

In ancient times, "Tokyo" referred to Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, but the phrase applied just as well to modern-day Tokyo.

Whether ancient or modern, Tokyo was a true capital, an international metropolis.

Big city, big crowds, and big expenses—everything cost more, and the cost of living was high.

In Shikoku, the Minami family had lived in a spacious two-story house, but in Tokyo, they could only afford a three-bedroom apartment.

This single expense had eaten up most of their severance package.

A lifetime of being well-off was possible in the countryside, but not in Tokyo.

It wasn't that the Kamo family couldn't afford more; this was a subtle way of keeping them in check, a veiled warning: "You're meant to live out your days in the countryside."

To survive, finding work was a must.

"Akira, don't worry about me. With my degree from Kyoto University, finding a job won't be difficult."

"Wait, Mom, didn't you graduate from Jujutsu Tech? When did you go to Kyoto University?"

Kyoto University is one of the top schools in Japan, on par with the University of Tokyo, and globally recognized. It was the dream of countless students, yet Hayami Minami had never mentioned such a prestigious past.

"That's a side benefit of graduating from Jujutsu Tech. To make life easier for retired sorcerers, especially for those injured or retiring for other reasons, graduates are provided with educational certifications. Kyoto Jujutsu Tech graduates are automatically given Kyoto University degrees, and the same applies for Tokyo Jujutsu Tech and the University of Tokyo. If you want another degree, you can request it, and it's usually granted."

Hearing this, Akira's hand trembled as he picked up a piece of tempura, causing it to slip. Luckily, Gardevoir used her Psychic to catch it and place it back on Akira's plate.

Akira returned the favor by giving Gardevoir a piece of food, and couldn't help but sigh, "That's a pretty solid system. Looks like the higher-ups aren't all useless."

Providing top-tier degrees might seem extravagant, but thinking about it carefully, it made perfect sense.

Jujutsu sorcerers were always in short supply, and since it was a combat profession, the risks were high. Injuries and death were common. Without enticing compensation and benefits, who would want to take on the job?

Though Hayami Minami looked gentle, who knew how wild she might have been in her youth.

The saying that all jujutsu sorcerers were crazy wasn't just for show.

While Akira was curious about what his traditionally elegant mother would have been like in her crazier days, as her son, he hoped he would never have to find out.

"With a degree from Kyoto University, finding a job won't be hard. But Mom, you don't need to work so hard. Keep tending to your flowers, writing calligraphy, drinking tea. I'll take care of making money; that's a man's responsibility. I promised to take care of you for the rest of your life."

As Akira said this, he couldn't help but feel grateful that he lived in Japan, where the idea of housewives was deeply ingrained. Saying something like "it's a man's duty to work while women take care of the home" came with a built-in sense of righteousness, especially given their background as part of one of the Three Great Families.

In other places? Three words—angry, trembling, cold.

Hayami Minami was moved by her son's words, but she still shook her head.

"I understand your feelings, but you're only sixteen. You can take care of me when you're an adult."

"It's not too late, but if I have the ability, I might as well start now. I already have a plan for making money. Gar-chan, could you get my laptop?"

"Gar~"

Gardevoir flicked her fingers, and the laptop floated over.

Akira opened the browser skillfully, switching to the web version of MF Bunko and pulling up the top-ranked light novel Infinite Stratos.

"This is the light novel I wrote. Based on its popularity, getting it published as a physical series shouldn't be a problem. I've already finished the manuscripts for the first ten volumes, which should be enough to support me until I'm an adult."

Hayami Minami stopped eating, staring at the screen to confirm the site, the author's account, and the works were all real—it was indeed her son.

"When did you do all this?"

"Back in Shikoku. I had nothing but time."

Unlike the so-called patience of the "dragon kings,"1 which was more about torturing oneself out of boredom, true patience was about hiding one's strengths and waiting for the right moment to act.

During the eight years in the countryside, even when he was still Kamo Noritsuna, Akira had been planning in secret, developing a full strategy.

The light novel was just the tip of the iceberg.

PS: Actually, "Lena" should be "Ryner," the main character from The Legend of the Legendary Heroes, who had the "Lonely Demon" within him, a fitting name for a character like this.