Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World-Chapter 235:「The Spectator」 Takes the Initiative

"Hmm~"

The soft, oversized bed made Chika feel completely at ease as she awoke with a contented stretch and opened her eyes. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

She immediately sat up in bed, her sleepy eyes scanning her surroundings.

"I'm back... or did I never go there in the first place?"

Tilting her head, Chika pondered for a while, then suddenly lifted her pajamas and took a sniff.

"Yep, I went there after all. I can still smell Amamiya's shower gel on me."

It wasn't anything fancy, just a cheap supermarket brand. But the scent of that slightly low-grade shower gel, mixed with Ren's natural body smell, somehow formed a fragrance that made her feel unconsciously at peace.

"Hmm~ As expected, I can only sleep soundly next to Amamiya."

Her foggy memories gradually became clearer as Chika recalled everything from yesterday. Only part of her memories remained fuzzy, but she clearly remembered the guiding presence of Ren, the aura of the Spectator leading her consciousness.

And in those hazy memories, there was a particularly important detail—it had all been recorded in her mind.

She had been clinging tightly to Ren, at least until she'd completely fallen asleep.

Thinking about that, she couldn't help but feel a sudden longing.

"It was so warm~"

In that dreamy state, the comfort and calm she felt became a part of her most cherished memories.

That warm embrace had the power to dispel her deepest fears and coldest memories, giving her the courage to move forward once more.

And that got her thinking.

"Hmm~ Should I pretend to be scared again today and go bother Hayasaka?"

"I heard that, Miss Fujiwara."

"!?"

An air door opened right in front of her, and the person standing on the other side was none other than Hayasaka—the very person she'd just thought about teasing.

"Ahahaha~ Hayasaka, up so early this morning?"

"Thanks for the concern. Amamiya and I just brought you back. I've only just changed out of my pajamas into my school uniform."

Hayasaka responded to Chika's playful tone with her usual flat expression.

Her assessment of this woman remained accurate. From the moment she woke up, she could tell Chika was not far from a full emotional fall.

"Also, there's no point trying to fool me. Amamiya has already identified your situation and confirmed that you'll likely experience similar episodes every night for a while. He estimates it will take about a week for you to adjust, so I'll come pick you up every day to take you to Amamiya's place."

"I understand your feelings for Amamiya are evolving, but I still hope you'll refrain from wearing overly revealing pajamas during your nights there."

"I-I don't have anything like that!"

Chika blushed furiously and protested.

"I'm just giving you a heads-up. After all, Amamiya isn't a saint. He's a normal guy. If you keep tempting him like that, things might end up out of control."

After being reminded, Chika's face turned even redder. She instantly understood what Hayasaka was implying.

She often watched anime and read novels in secret, and she actually knew more about this stuff than Kaguya, who was raised sheltered.

Though her family's education avoided gender-related topics, her natural curiosity was strong. As with most children, the more something was restricted, the more intrigued she became.

Chika was the kind of girl who acted on her curiosity. So, she had learned about male-female relationships and the specifics of how they worked way too early.

"Judging by your reaction, you clearly know what I'm talking about."

Under Hayasaka's expectant gaze, Chika had no comeback.

Looking at the now visibly flustered Chika, Hayasaka deliberately sighed.

"If it were Miss Kaguya, I wouldn't need to worry like this. But you're more emotionally mature than her. To avoid any mishaps, I'll need to keep a close eye on you during your adjustment period."

Chika immediately lowered her head, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Hayasaka."

But after apologizing, she suddenly looked up, fixing Hayasaka with a sharp, knowing gaze.

"So, did you say all that on purpose? To make me think you're not involved in this?"

"? "

Hayasaka's expression twitched slightly, but she maintained her composure.

"Hehe~ As expected, that's what you were thinking."

Chika laughed smugly. Her abilities as a Spectator made it easy to read others' inner thoughts, especially through their expressions, actions, and subtle cues.

Though Hayasaka kept a straight face, her words and body language told a different story.

"You're secretly happy, aren't you?"

"You weren't actually annoyed about my situation. You're even hoping it drags out longer. Because that means you'll also have a reason to go to Amamiya's house."

"!?"

Hayasaka stiffened, gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.

"Hehe~ I got it right, didn't I?"

The grin on Chika's face widened. She looked like a cat who had just caught a sneaky little mouse by the tail.

She pressed her hands against the bed, stepping barefoot onto the soft carpet as she slowly approached the well-dressed Hayasaka.

Hayasaka quickly lowered her head, but that only encouraged Fujiwara Chika to move closer.

"I always knew Kaguya wasn't the only one who liked Amamiya. You too, Hayasaka."

"You were assigned to Kaguya by her brother, but once Amamiya liberated her, it was also a liberation for you."

"You've liked Amamiya since the very beginning."

"And just like with Kaguya, when she still didn't realize her own feelings, you were already aware of yours."

Those words cornered Hayasaka completely. She looked at Chika with a trace of fear, her thoughts laid bare.

"Is this what you've been observing?"

Chika smirked and made a confident gesture as if putting on an invisible detective's hat.

"Don't underestimate me, the love detective Fujiwara Chika. I may not have been that good before, but with the power of a Spectator, my observation skills are top-tier now. There's no way Kaguya could like the student council president without me knowing."

With a triumphant expression, Chika leaned in with a grin.

"So, Hayasaka, I'm guessing you don't want Kaguya to find out that you've... betrayed her again, right?"

(To be continued.)

***

For every 200 PS = 1 extra Chapter. Support me on patreon to read 30+ advanced Chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.