With the boost from Learning Ability A, Akira, whose mind was exceptionally sharp, immediately thought of several ways to trick her and bring her home.
First, a dose of inspirational talk, then a spiritual massage, and finally, a triple combo of flattery and fawning, praising her to the heavens until she was so euphoric she forgot herself. Wouldn't it be easy to abduct her home then?
But... did he really want to do that?
If it was just a short-term collaboration, coaxing and tricking her into joining his ranks would be the best and fastest option.
However, if he wanted to cultivate a long-term meal ticket from scratch, trust between people was the most important thing.
Simply put, he needed to establish their positions.
If Akira interacted with her from a subordinate position, the black long straight hair girl, who knew her own excellent hardware, might not take Akira seriously.
At that time, if the rich woman he painstakingly cultivated became rich and then kicked him aside to keep other toy boys, he would become the clown king among cuckolds.
Akira did not want to experience the feeling of being stabbed in the back.
Therefore, a cooperative relationship had to be established on equal terms.
So, for a truly desired partner, there was clearly only one thing that needed to be offered.
That was, sincerity.
So here, he needed to use a serious rebuttal!
"Had enough looking?"
Just as Akira made his decision, the black long straight hair girl's cold, ethereal voice broke the silence.
Although she was only showing her palm, the girl, feeling a hint of shame for some reason, tried to maintain a poker face to hide that touch of shyness.
At the same time, her acting proficiency also increased.
Akira thought the black long straight hair girl was just impatient, so he quickly said,
"Yes, I've come to a conclusion. You can take your hand back now."
"Then speak."
It sounded like a command, an urging, indicating that she was eager to know what Akira's conclusion was.
'Do I have the qualifications to be favored by you?'
Indeed, she cooperated because of her self-esteem. She knew very well that she had that value, and Akira confirmed this once again.
"I'll tell you honestly, with your appearance, even without me, you would definitely become an entertainer and make a living from this industry. I estimate you've probably encountered many talent scouts before."
Akira first distanced himself, directly affirming her external value.
...Hm.
The girl nodded silently. She had never taken those fawning talent scouts seriously before, but now the roles were reversed, and her pitiful self-esteem was being ruthlessly trampled.
Just because she lost the protection called 'family,' she became so weak... insignificant.
Inferiority carved a wound in the girl's sensitive heart.
And Akira continued to sprinkle the spicy seasoning called reality onto her emotional wound.
"Even if you debut as an inexperienced amateur, your looks alone can get you many audition opportunities. If you're willing to pay a little physical price, you'll probably rise quickly in the entertainment industry."
...
"So, you do have the potential to be a star."
Of course, the downside of Akira saying this was also obvious: if he made the other party understand her true value, she would likely inflate her... bah, her worth.
However, that was a problem only to be considered if the black long straight hair girl was truly willing to make a contract with him.
And now, Akira saw the girl's bewildered expression and knew that she wasn't actually mentally prepared to enter the entertainment industry.
After all, she was just a student not long ago, at most a popular campus belle admired by everyone at school. Now, suddenly being asked to step into society, and even accept the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry, was too heavy for an immature High School girl.
That's why she seemed lost and dazed after Akira described the general future of becoming an artist to her.
She was probably not thinking 'Can I become an artist?' but rather 'Do I really want to become an artist?'
Akira saw through her and revealed the doubts in her heart.
"But there's a problem now: do you yourself want to walk this path?"
...I don't know.
"Then let me tell you, you are currently making this temporary decision to walk this path because you have no other choice, and I just happened to appear before your helpless self. Because your appearance is the most valuable thing about you, and you yourself have tacitly acknowledged this, thinking that you can only rely on your looks to make a living."
...
Perhaps it was true.
She hated her appearance the most, yet she ultimately believed that her most valuable asset was only this face...
The black long straight hair girl grew to despise her incompetent and unchangeable self even more.
"But actually, if you just want to support yourself, you don't necessarily have to go down the path of an entertainer. Like you said, you can also get a part-time job, it's just that it will be very hard."
I...
Could she endure hardship? Was she willing to endure hardship?
The girl believed she could.
But if she had to survive no matter what, why not use her greatest weapon?