"I'm home."
Ran also returned home.
Seeing the shoes placed at the entrance, she immediately knew her mother was home today.
First, she sniffed the air to check for any strange smells. After confirming there weren't any, Ran walked further inside.
When she reached the living room, she saw her mother, dressed only in a bathrobe, sitting at the table, her eyes fixed on a stack of documents.
She was thirty-seven, but her figure and skin were so well-maintained that she looked no older than twenty-five.
Ran glanced at the coffee cup on the table and sighed softly.
"Mom, I've told you many times, your stomach is in bad shape because of coffee. You should drink less from now on."
The last time she had accompanied her mother to the gastroenterologist, the doctor had already warned her to cut down on caffeine and late nights, since both heavily affected her stomach and overall health.
Eri Kisaki reluctantly put down her documents, crossed her legs into another posture, rested one hand on her cheek, and looked at the coffee cup in front of her.
"Ran, this is my habit."
"I know~"
Ran stretched out her words as she approached the table, snatching the coffee cup her mother was about to reach for.
"But we agreed to cut down until your stomach recovers. It's because of your excessive caffeine that your stomach's been so bad, especially during your period."
"So, no more coffee at home from now on."
Watching her daughter take away her lifeline, Eri sighed helplessly.
She could now fully understand how much inconvenience having a caring daughter could bring.
When she lived alone before, she never had to think about such things. But ever since Ran moved in, she had realized just how unhealthy her lifestyle appeared in her daughter's eyes.
Now, her adorable yet overprotective daughter was helping her correct all her bad habits.
To be honest, it gave her quite the headache.
After pouring the coffee down the sink, Ran poured her mother a glass of milk.
"Mom, I need to talk to you."
Eri, holding the milk, looked up at her daughter with slight surprise.
The serious look on Ran's face told her this wasn't a casual chat.
Eri thought for a moment, then nodded, adopting a serious attitude herself.
"Hmm, what is it?"
"It's about something we discussed today..."
Ran briefly explained the topic from their club meeting at noon.
Listening carefully, Eri's face twitched several times. She almost couldn't keep a straight expression.
"So, the topic you discussed at noon was that you want to build a city called Tingen City from the story, using a TV series as the foundation? And you also want to develop that city into an independent city for your special group?"
Eri truly hadn't expected her daughter to get involved in something so ambitious.
Building a city based on a story wasn't the shocking part. What shocked her was that her daughter was participating in such a project and that it was being planned as a religious city, complete with gods and believers.
"Mm."
Ran nodded firmly.
Seeing her daughter's serious nod, Eri could only take a deep breath to suppress the feeling of being too stunned to complain.
"You children are not only bold in thought, but bold in action too."
They decided on building a city just like that, between casual conversations.
"How did your he react?"
"Well, Ren was clearly stunned."
Eri wasn't surprised at all by that answer.
Compared to these bold, ambitious girls, Ren God actually sounded more normal.
Who would so casually agree to build a city? He must have been caught off guard but later decided to go along with it.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be this conversation now.
"Ren was very surprised at first, but later he decided to act with us."
"Also, Ren said he could give us some support."
"So, I asked for a spot for Mom."
"...???"
The conversation, which had been somewhat normal up until now, suddenly veered into something she didn't quite understand.
"A spot for me?"
Eri suddenly felt she should tread carefully. Perhaps she had misheard.
"A spot for an extraordinary person."
Her daughter's words confirmed her suspicion.
"Ren also said the effect of the blessing has been greatly reduced by him, so it won't have much impact on the recipient. So, I helped Mom get a spot."
Now Eri fully understood.
The so-called spot was exactly what she had imagined. She really hadn't expected that at her age, she would still have the qualification to receive such a power.
"Before, Ren also gave Nagi's friend a power. It seemed to be related to law. I think Mom should be perfect for that."
Ran remembered clearly that the ability given to Katsura Hinagiku was tied to the concept of a lawyer. She had kept that detail in mind, believing no one was more suited for that power than her mother.
Eri was left with no room to refuse.
At the same time, Hayasaka Ai also returned home.
Her mother, Hayasaka Nao, who had been called back for once, immediately learned about the big plan from her daughter.
"I see."
Nao wasn't particularly surprised. She had long passed the age of showing shock easily.
"You and Miss Kaguya have come up with quite the grand idea."
"Now that Miss Kaguya has agreed, the future direction of the Shinomiya Conglomerate will have to change too."
There would need to be some reallocation of resources.
Just as her daughter had said, if they intended to build that city into their own, then the Shinomiya Conglomerate's main base would inevitably revolve around it. That would require significant adjustments.
"Mom, there's one more thing. I helped you get a qualification."
Nao, who had long mastered her composure, was briefly taken aback.
"Obtained from the god?"
Nao immediately connected the dots.
"Yes."
Receiving her daughter's confirmation, Nao hadn't expected Ai to be so daring.
"The direction of the power still needs to be decided, so, Mom, do you have time?"
Nao took a deep breath and tapped her daughter lightly on the forehead.
"How could I not have time?"
"Next time something like this happens, give me a heads-up first. And Ai, to think you actively asked the god for a qualification, you've grown bold."
Ai understood her mother's tone. She hadn't acted impulsively but had done it because she knew her role well.
"Mom, he's not that scary, and not really a god."
"Once you get to know him, you'll see, he's actually just an ordinary boy."
"Oh~?"
Nao raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued by her daughter's tone.
Her normally disciplined daughter, who always understood propriety and restraint, was starting to sound... less composed.
As a mother, she could only think one thing.
Her daughter was beginning to lean toward that boy's side.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)