MT - 22 Asuna

Roy wasn't someone who confused priorities, but having multiple exploits was like carrying multiple safety nets.

Besides, there wasn't much else to do with his spare time.

He couldn't just spend all day stuck at home gaming, could he?

Starting with C programming, he moved on to various other coding languages. To be honest, programming was complex, even for someone like him. It took him a solid month just to grasp the basics.

After all, in the 21st century, most of humanity's assets were online—social platforms, digital transactions, and the like.

The internet had become a vast stage, and the digitized era made almost everything accessible—as long as you knew what you were doing.

This was why his Fool self, Roy Kirigaya, was so intent on learning computer science.

He glanced at his phone. The date read Saturday, June 4, 2014, 6:00 a.m.

Looking out the window, the house was pitch black. The living room and hallway were silent. Roy's mother, Kirigaya Midori, was, by most accounts, a failure as a parent. Ever since discovering Roy's knack for cooking, she came home less and less, eventually only returning once a week, fully engrossed in her career.

The morning air was chilly, but Roy stepped outside in just a t-shirt and began his usual jog.

He stopped at a small breakfast shop, grabbed a bite, and then headed toward the Yuuki household.

Asuna typically left her house at seven, and if he timed it right, he could catch her on her way out.

The Yuuki residence was grand, a reflection of her family's stature. Asuna's mother, Yuuki Kyouko, was a university professor with a strict approach to her daughter's upbringing. Weekends and holidays were packed with supplemental lessons and extracurricular activities.

Today was no exception.

However, Asuna's attitude toward her mother's rigorous schedule had softened recently. A few weeks ago, she had met someone—an incredibly handsome boy.

Truly handsome. She had never seen anyone like him before.

The boy looked to be about ten, slightly shorter than her. He had striking golden hair, soft features still tinged with youthful innocence, and a pair of rare golden eyes. When his gaze fell on her, Asuna had felt a flutter of nervousness she couldn't quite explain.

Having attended an all-girls academy since childhood, her interactions with boys had been minimal. Seeing someone this good-looking naturally made her steal a few extra glances.

Those stolen glances didn't go unnoticed, though, and their first interaction was born from that fleeting moment.

Once they started talking, Asuna quickly realized that the boy was fascinating—funny, sharp, and unexpectedly thoughtful.

Although she rarely complained about her mother openly, the sight of her densely packed schedule had long left her yearning for someone to confide in. Her intense study regimen had also left her socially isolated at school, with no close friends to share her struggles.

In just a few minutes of conversation, she learned the boy's name was Roy Kirigaya. As their discussion drifted toward daily life, Asuna couldn't help but let her frustrations spill out.

"You have no idea how strict my mother is." She began, sounding more like a child than she usually allowed herself to be. "She never lets me have any hobbies. It's always 'grades, grades, grades,' nonstop!"

As she vented, the two soon arrived at her cram school.

Roy glanced at the building curiously. "Is this where you have your lessons, Asuna?" 

Asuna's face turned bright red. She stared at him, speechless, feeling utterly flustered.

"What's wrong?" Roy tilted his head in confusion.

"You don't just call someone by their first name when you've just met them!" she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

In Japan, addressing someone by their given name was a sign of deep familiarity, and Asuna had never been addressed that way by a boy before. In fact, even among her few female friends, such intimacy was rare.

Only her family called her that. Hearing it from someone new—a boy no less—made her heart race in a way she didn't quite understand.

Roy Kirigaya looked puzzled. "Do you not like me calling you that?" 

"It's not that I don't like it," Asuna replied, her tone light but a bit flustered. "It's just… we haven't known each other that long. It feels a little inappropriate."

She jogged ahead to the entrance of her cram school, waving goodbye as she turned back toward him. "I have an English class. I need to head up now, or I'll be late."

Roy nodded and watched her disappear into the building before heading off himself.

Over the next few days, their routine became somewhat predictable. Each morning, Roy would stop by to chat with Asuna on her way out, sharing casual stories and little bits of their lives.

Asuna, being simple and straightforward in her thoughts, didn't dwell too much on her earlier complaints about her strict household. Instead, she found herself listening with growing curiosity as Roy boasted—often with exaggerated flair—about his prowess in video games.

This morning was no different. Roy stood outside Asuna's house earlier than usual, holding two bottles of juice. When Asuna emerged, he waved cheerfully, but she quickly pulled him aside, whispering, "Keep it down! My mom's inside. If she finds out I'm talking to a boy, she'll be furious."

Roy tilted his head, considering her words, before a mischievous smile crept onto his face. "Actually, I have a way to make your mom completely okay with me being around. In fact, if it works, you won't even have to go to that cram school anymore."

"What?" Asuna blinked, tilting her head in disbelief. Suppressing a laugh, she tried to look serious. "Alright, genius, let's hear it."

Roy studied her expression, clearly noticing her skepticism.

"I could become your English tutor," He said confidently. "And not just English—French, and even German. But, of course, I'm best at English."

Asuna couldn't hold it in anymore. She burst out laughing, pointing first at Roy, who was shorter than her, then at herself. "You? My tutor? Seriously?"

She even reached out as if to pinch his cheek, but Roy sidestepped her attempt with a blank expression.

Without missing a beat, Roy began speaking in fluent English, seamlessly switching to French, and finally German. Asuna's jaw dropped, her disbelief giving way to astonishment.

"Wait… where do you go to school?" She finally asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and shock.

Roy shrugged nonchalantly. "School? I don't go to school for this stuff. I taught myself. Oh, and by the way, I've already passed the university bachelor's exams through self-study."

Asuna stood frozen for a moment, processing his words. Slowly, realization dawned.

No wonder this guy had so much time to play video games.

He'd already finished what everyone else was struggling to get through.

The thought made her want to cry. If she had even half of his talent, her mother would probably laugh herself awake in her dreams.

Clearing her throat, Asuna straightened up, her expression suddenly serious. "Alright, then. Tell me—how can I stop going to cram school?"

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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