They all have hidden attributes!

“Just follow me.” Tachimi Yuki winked at him playfully and strode into the depths of the art museum, her sophisticated golden short hair gleaming under the lights.

Makoto Takahashi followed behind her, through the winding exhibition area, into the elevator, and arrived at the heavily guarded area on the third floor.

Kashima-senpai and the driver disappeared behind him at some point. After entering a spacious, dimly lit room, only he and Tachimi Yuki remained.

The lights suddenly came on, illuminating the walls of the empty room, which was surrounded by oil paintings with strong contrasts of light and shadow and rich colors.

"The 'Life of Marie de' Medici' series of paintings by Rubens features rich, gorgeous colors and strong contrasts. In terms of atmosphere and grandeur, it is truly masterful and will definitely benefit you greatly," said Yuki Tachimi.

Makoto Takahashi nodded, stepped forward, and began to carefully admire the set of oil paintings.

He had at least learned about Queen Medici of France in his world history course.

"The content is boring."

"Huh? The contents?" Tachimi asked in surprise.

"No matter how beautified a marriage based on alliances and economic aid may be, it is nothing more than the oppression of fate," said Makoto Takahashi.

This series of oil paintings uses many images of Greek gods to mythologize the marriage between Henry IV and the Medici, giving it the meaning of "a match made in heaven," which he really couldn't like.

After understanding his point of view, Tachibana Yuki pondered for a moment and asked him, "Does the junior have any opinion on the matter of arranged marriage itself?"

"I am a warrior for pure love. I believe that marriage itself should be based on a deep emotional connection, rather than an arrangement driven by external interests."

When he said this, Makoto Takahashi's tone revealed an instinctive sense of rejection, as if he were saying something unforgivable.

Standing beside him, Tachibana Yuki looked up at the same oil painting and offered a different opinion: "Marriage can achieve complementary advantages and reach the strategic goal of 1+1>2. Haven't you considered that, junior?"

"That sounds even worse."

"Ok?"

"I never thought of becoming a hero, but if I really became the strongest creature on Earth, I would definitely save all the unfortunate girls who were forced into arranged marriages."

Makoto Takahashi's tone was very serious, revealing a sense of conviction that Yuki Tachibana could sense, but she found it difficult to understand his line of thinking.

She discovered that Makoto Takahashi was not quite what she had imagined.

Whether it's oil painting or archery, Makoto Takahashi has a way of completing his work with a serious attitude, even wholeheartedly, despite having no interest in it, and his skills far surpass those of many enthusiasts.

Such a person, whose heart should be as cold as mine, is now displaying an absurd altruistic sense of kindness.

"Hmm~ What do you plan to do?" A hint of displeasure flashed in Tachibana Yuki's azure eyes, and his voice softened slightly.

"We'll see. If we can reach the level of Kaido in the Straw Hat Pirates manga, I will deliver a devastating blow to everyone who forces a marriage, as a deterrent."

Hearing him say this, Tachibana Yuki was even more unable to understand why someone who had the leisure to save an unfortunate girl would use such a high-pressure method.

She turned her head to look at Makoto Takahashi's profile, thinking that this person must be the most incomprehensible person she had ever met in her life.

"Then why not just rule the world and ban intermarriage?"

"Because I am a pure love warrior, not a tyrant."

Noticing Tachimi Yuki's gaze, Takahashi Makoto turned to her and smiled, bringing up the topic she disliked again: "These past few days, I've occasionally wondered if Tachimi-senpai has absolutely no compassion."

Why do you think that?

"I guess you two grew up together, and you probably often played slave games, with Uesugi always losing."

“Yes, she has never won.” Tachimi Yuki nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"If my senior had gone a little easier, Uesugi wouldn't be so obsessive now, even thinking of ways to win me over by making me fall in love with her."

After admiring the oil paintings, Makoto Takahashi began to walk back along the path he had come from. Yuki Tachimi's wooden clogs clattered a few steps behind as he bowed his head and reflected on himself.

Once the two returned to the area open to the public, she caught up with them again, her eyes fixed straight ahead without any hesitation.

“Junior, I think you’re overthinking it. Since she wants to challenge me, of course I have to tell her who the older sister is.”

Hearing the sweet voice utter such heartless words, Makoto Takahashi smiled speechlessly and sighed, "No wonder you two get along so well."

If Uesugi Maya deliberately chose to live alone due to certain unforeseen circumstances, then Tachimi Yuki was simply born with [no mercy].

“Don’t many junior students also do many things they don’t like very well? For example, archery and oil painting, and the same goes for arranged marriages,” said Tachimi Yuki.

"In my opinion, archery is a manifestation of the spirit of contract. The academy specially recruited me for archery competitions. Even if I don't like it, I will keep my promise."

"What about oil paintings? I haven't felt any creative enthusiasm from my junior."

"An oil painting, let me think about it."

Makoto Takahashi certainly wouldn't mention the system assessment. After a moment's thought, he agreed with Yuki Tachimi's reasoning and began to speak with a resolute tone:

"I've decided to only draw things I like from now on, so that maybe my senior can feel my passion for creation."

This was clearly not the answer that Yukichi Ritsumi wanted to hear.

She realized that Makoto Takahashi and she were not the same kind of people at all.

The chilling melody was not faked, but he was more complex than he had imagined, his way of thinking was difficult to understand, contradictory and basically illogical.

Makoto Takahashi is a hundred times more incomprehensible than those foolish executives in the company.

Thinking of this, Tachibana Yuki suddenly felt relieved, because Takahashi Makoto couldn't possibly be a fool. Thinking about it this way, her mother was right; it was just that she was immature and too arrogant.

Silently walking out of the art museum, Tachibana Yukisa composed himself and put on a gentle smile again: "Junior, I'm becoming more and more interested in you."

"So, senior, are you going to take me home?" Takahashi Makoto asked.

The tram on a rainy day is not a pleasant experience. The streetcars he usually takes are fine, but the Tozai Line to Chiyoda is really crowded.

“Sure.” Tachikawa Yuki gestured with his eyes, and Kashima Reiko, who had appeared behind him at some point, immediately stepped forward and opened the car door for him.

"Do you know where I live, senior?" Takahashi Makoto got into the back seat of the car and moved to the other side to make room for him.

Tachikami Yuki followed closely behind: "I know."

"Then take me to the shopping street next to Tsurumizawa."

His main purpose in going out today was to pick up paints and new paintbrushes.

After Kashima Reiko got into the passenger seat, the driver started the engine, turned onto the ramp, and drove the vehicle towards Shinjuku Ward along the elevated road.

On the way, Makoto Takahashi asked Yuki Tatami, "Senpai, if Uesugi-kun cries, will you let him off the hook? I mean, when you guys used to hang out together."

"Of course not," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Because they're friends, they won't go easy on you?"

"No, I don't think the weak deserve sympathy."

Hearing this, Takahashi Makoto thought about many things, but the system panel still didn't trigger. Competitiveness, involution, ruthlessness, rationality, desire for control... none of these were actually Tachimi-senpai's hidden attributes.

As he got off the bus in the shopping street, before saying goodbye to Tachibana Yuki, he asked her, "Senior, don't your feet hurt when you wear wooden clogs?"

When he was in Yamanashi Prefecture, Makoto Takahashi often wore wooden clogs and hated the hard feeling under his feet.

"Yes, but I don't dislike pain," Tachimi Yuki replied with her usual gentle smile.

[You deeply realize that...]

A system panel popped up in front of him, and after seeing its contents, Makoto Takahashi froze on the spot.

Isn't this a bit strange?

No wonder senior Li Jian likes me.

He shut down the system with his mind, said goodbye to Tachibana Yuki, climbed out of the car, and strode towards the art supply store.

Once Makoto Takahashi's figure disappeared from sight, Yuki Tachibana stopped smiling. She closed her eyes, propped her head up with her left hand, frowned with a headache, and pondered her conversation with Makoto Takahashi.

People who would use the word "boring" to describe oil paintings are simply beyond her comprehension.

Kashima Reiko left the passenger seat and sat next to Tachimi Yuki, closing the car door behind her. She said, "I'm sorry, Miss, about the painting—"

Tachimi waved her hand, interrupting her: "It's alright, it's my fault for trusting you too much. Makoto-kun wasn't surprised at all when he saw you today."

“Young Miss, I…” Kashima Reiko didn’t know how to explain.

Was it his intuition, or did Uesugi Maya reveal it?

"drive."

On the return journey, the atmosphere inside the cramped train carriage was almost [solemn] ​​compared to when Makoto Takahashi was there.

Only after the vehicle was parked in the family's parking lot and the driver left did Tachibana Yuki slowly speak: "Reiko, do you know how I feel when I'm facing him?"

"I don't understand." Kashima Reiko shook her head.

Let me give you an example.

Tachibana Yuki opened her beautiful, deep blue eyes, raised her right hand to examine herself, and unconsciously smiled as she recalled her conversation with Takahashi Makoto: "What kind of response would a normal person give when faced with a confession?"

"The most common response to whether I agree or refuse is that I need time to consider it."

"After I confessed my feelings to him, he replied that he was currently allergic to the word 'love' and that's what it felt like."

"..."

Kashima Reiko was speechless, her mind simply unable to comprehend the meaning of such a response.

"Destroy those documents. I need to understand him better. He's so complex and fascinating, it's irresistible." Tachikami Yuki narrowed his eyes slightly, his smile gradually becoming infatuated.

Seeing her looking so intensely attracted and unable to resist, Kashima Reiko, at a loss, reported everything that had happened that afternoon to the head of the family after returning to the main household.

“That’s a good thing,” said Kotoha Tachimi. “If Koyuki can figure out this information on her own, she won’t be so arrogant as to think that the people below are too stupid.”

In her view, Tachimi Yuki desperately needs Takahashi Makoto.

A good boyfriend not only provides stable emotional support, but also offers enough companionship.

"Xiaoxing always ignores her own feelings. She needs someone who understands her."

“The young lady has absolutely no idea how to fall in love,” Kashima Reiko said.

Even she knew that when you like someone, the thing you should do is not to control them, but to get closer to them.

“It’s okay, as long as Sachi learns to waste time. Being too pragmatic isn’t a good thing,” said Tachimi Kotoha.

Chapter 30 The Beauty of Simple Numerical Values

[Charm: Abyss Party Invitation - Immediate Fortune]

[Young Miss: During the assessment, you can specify a skill for specialized upgrade, with a very small chance of a permanent improvement]