12: Wait, Where Is My Wife?

No way!

If something's wrong, we should talk it out. Why did you run away? And you took our adorable daughter with you!

Suzumiya Chisato was at a loss with Kasumigaoka Utaha, who had become his wife in the life simulation and was now a full-fledged young mother.

At the same time, he was frustrated.

 How could his actions in the simulation be so clumsy? 

Why didn't he just get rid of that middle school yearbook? 

Why did he keep it only to have it blow up in his face at this critical moment?

Unwilling to doubt his own intelligence, he could only blame the system, secretly complaining that this was just a cheap trick to advance the plot—utterly shameless.

However, in a way, Kasumigaoka Utaha's reaction upon learning the truth was very much in line with her character.

If she hadn't reacted like that, she wouldn't be the proud and difficult Kasumigaoka Utaha that he knew.

Since the simulation hadn't ended yet, it meant he should still have a chance to bring back his runaway wife, right?

Holding onto a thread of hope, Suzumiya Chisato continued to watch the unfolding drama with bated breath.

[You began using your connections, spending money to hire detectives and even involving the underworld, hoping to find out where your wife and daughter had gone.]

[But three years passed, and you found nothing.]

[You lost the love of your life, and slowly, you fell into a downward spiral, picking up bad habits like smoking and drinking.]

[You quit your job and started drifting through life aimlessly.]

[Ten years passed, and suddenly, a girl who looked like a younger version of your wife knocked on your door.]

[Drunk, you recognized her almost instantly—it was your daughter, Chiyu!]

[Her delicate face was cold, eerily similar to Kasumigaoka Utaha's usual expression.]

[Overwhelmed with emotion, you pulled her into your arms.] 

[After the excitement passed, you eagerly asked her about your wife.] 

[But she remained silent, handing you a bank card and a letter instead.]

[Chiyu's face lacked the joy and innocence typical of someone her age. Her dark eyes held no light.]

[Realizing something, you opened the letter with trembling hands.]

To Suzumiya Chisato:

—Chisato, the love I once believed in was the kind where, if the right people met at the right time and place, the memories they created together, whether happy or painful, could be easily recalled when they encountered similar places or familiar things. 

But the prerequisite for this is that everything is built on a foundation of truth.

You might say that the past is the past and that what matters now is our true love. 

But the past is only time gone by. 

The events we lived through stand clear and unwavering when you look back. As I write this letter, I still cannot convince myself to turn a blind eye to it all.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

Chiyu is your daughter, and she is my legacy and continuation. 

She has cried countless times wanting to find her father, but I, being the troublesome and selfish woman that I am, always refused her. 

In the end, I got the punishment I deserved.

Please take good care of her, and take care of yourself too.

Lastly, I have never regretted meeting you.

—Kasumigaoka Utaha, xx Month xx Day]

"?"

Wait a minute, where's his wife?

His sweet, lovely wife is just… gone?

[Clutching the letter from your deceased wife, you collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.]

[Standing before you, Chiyu looked down at your broken figure with lowered eyes, her lips tightly pressed together.] 

[Slowly, she stepped forward and wrapped her slender arms around you.]

[With your daughter back at your side, you began to change.]

[You quit all your bad habits, picked up your old profession again, and became a freelance writer.]

[You worked hard and took care of Chiyu with great attention.]

[To outsiders, it seemed like you had found your purpose in life again and were on the road to recovery.]

[But only you knew that watching your daughter grow, looking more and more like your late wife every day, brought you increasing pain.]

[You kept all this hidden from everyone, working twice as hard to earn money.]

[On the day Chiyu graduated from college, she came home to find you lifeless in bed, with an empty bottle of sleeping pills on the nightstand.]

[Chiyu had vaguely sensed this day would come, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.]

[She buried her sorrow deep inside and, according to your will, cremated you and buried you alongside her mother.]

[At your final resting place, she planted African daisies, her mother's favorite flower. They bloomed brightly, always facing the sun, but hide their sadness in the shadows.]

[Simulation over.]

"..." This ending left Suzumiya Chisato speechless.

He let out a long sigh, feeling a mix of emotions. He couldn't even figure out how to define this ending.

Unable to come to any conclusion, he decided to check the system's evaluation.

[This Evaluation: A]

[Deception Index: 81]

[Overall Remarks: This time, your planning and execution were well-organized.]

[You successfully used various means, including deception, manipulation, and guidance, to win her love.] 

[You didn't just win her body, but also her heart.] 

[But in the process, you unexpectedly developed genuine feelings for her, leaving it unclear whether you were the one who manipulated her, or if she manipulated you.]

[Reward Settlement: Your skills in rhetoric, horseback riding, and eloquence have been slightly enhanced.]

"?"

Wait, he can understand the boost in eloquence, but what's up with horseback riding and rhetoric?

Ignoring Suzumiya Chisato's confusion, the system continued displaying text.

[Successfully captured Kasumigaoka Utaha and achieved an A-grade evaluation. You've earned an additional character talent gift box x1. Open it now?]

Open… open it.

[The talent list is spinning, randomly selecting…]

As Suzumiya Chisato watched the spinning wheel in front of him, he raised an eyebrow.

What was he seeing? An affinity for stockings, the silky smoothness of long black hair, unreasonably sharp wit…

What on earth? Were these supposed to be Kasumigaoka Utaha's talents?

Fortunately, things didn't go the way Suzumiya Chisato feared.

[Congratulations! You have acquired the "Kasumi's Tireless Penmanship" talent.] 

[Your writing skills have greatly improved, and you will more easily understand and absorb literary knowledge.]

[System Notice: The CG Recall feature has been unlocked. You can now revisit or experience any unlocked scenes at any time.]

Hey, this newly unlocked feature seems pretty interesting.