SpiderWeb

--- Ren's POV ---

I've had ample interactions with kids my own age, allowing me to seamlessly blend in and appear like one of them.

Since I was still a kid, attending school was part of the deal in this new life. While I didn't dedicate too much time to it, I made sure to study adequately, often landing within the top five ranks. Occasionally, I even clinched the top spot. Maintaining a slightly higher attendance than what was demanded of me was a strategic move.

Being conspicuously absent wasn't an option, as professors could easily make trouble for me over that. It's better to have them believe my busy schedule is the cause of my limited presence, rather than viewing school as a chore.

This isn't a novel idea or particularly ingenious on my part. Many kids, advised by their parents, follow the same playbook. Heck, even I was reminded to attend school as frequently as possible, and my parents are...well, you know by now.

As for the subjects, variations exist, but that's natural. Whether it was due to the body bestowed upon me by the Goddess or simply an innate aptitude, I could remember information with minimal effort, often requiring just one reading. Practical subjects demanded less practice compared to regular people.

Am I just innately intelligent? It doesn't matter much to me. School is a necessity, especially since I can't predict if I'll stick with the entertainment business for the entirety of my life. Who knows, perhaps inspiration might strike me one day, or a dream I'd want to chase.

Middle and high school serve as the foundations that will allow me to explore various paths. Currently, my sights are set on attending the same school Ruby and Aqua did, given its advantages for actors, but my immediate focus is elsewhere.

I gazed at the door to the room where I'd spent countless hours learning about acting, my lips curling into a smile.

Thirteen long years of waiting have led up to this point. I'm eager to put all these connections I've cultivated to good use against you, Hikaru. After all, I didn't go through all this effort for nothing.

"...We have a special guest today, someone I'm sure you'll like!"

Instructor Kei's cheerful words further brightened my smile. You can think of it as some Solo Leveling's reference to that one statue you all may have already recalled.

Anyway. Humans are inherently social creatures. Even the most introverted individual feels a bit better knowing someone genuinely sees them without any preconceived notions. I didn't come up with this; it's a simple physicological fact.

Combine that fact with a decent appearance and sincerity, and you've got a winning formula that resonates with many. If anyone doubts my authenticity, they're welcome to conduct background checks on me. They'll soon discover the regular aspects of my life that paint a clear picture of who I am, both privately and publicly.

All this sharing of information about me hasn't been in vain. Sometimes, I've even contributed to spreading false rumors just to gain attention and prove them wrong in the end, which only raised popular opinion.

This reputation is a valuable asset and I've always been doing my best to make it rise higher and higher now that I am still little and people don't think I'm really capable of doing any sort of hidden scheme.

Some even persistently attempted to follow me and "uncover" my secrets. Little did they know, they were just becoming pawns in my game, unwittingly aiding me in boosting my reputation.

A Pawn's pawn.

The term itself sounds amusing, yet that's exactly how it is.

I wonder, how skilled am I when it comes to dealing with master deceivers? If I ever met Katagiri Yuuichi¹, would we become fast friends? Would we go at each other's throats for no reason?

It's a thought I'd like to entertain.

No, initially, I'd probably like it more to cross paths with Light Yagami²... Just to hear him declare "I am Kira" in real life or something.

Would that declaration sound cheesy without the dramatic music and special effects on his eyes? Now that's a question worth pondering...

Turning the doorknob with deliberate caution, I silently wore the persona essential for today, the young but cheerful actor that genuinely cares about others.

A thought lingered in my mind—could I rely on my instinct that insisted he was here, or would my efforts turn out to be in vain? The answer to this question awaits us in the next chapter.

---

1: Katagiri Yuuichi, protagonist of Tomodachi Game, and more. I've always loved his character.

2: Light Yagami, a classic, protagonist of Death Note. I loved the way Kira developed through the series. It was an interesting watch.

Author's Note:

If you think it's weird for Ren to remember Anime and Manwha etc. from his previous world, remember what kind of world Oshi no Ko is. It's essentially Japan and history repeats itself, so of course the same anime etc. also exists in the new world. Did he have time to watch them all? Of course not, but he did have time to pick up some of the most popular things once again, so that's that. References will still arrive even in this one novel. As long as I'm writing fanfictions, I'm free to reference, and I'll enjoy it to the fullest before I decide to write an original.