They all have hidden attributes!

Just as he was thinking this, Hanakawa Kaori ran over from the side, stretched out her hands, and hugged him tightly.

She looked up and met Takahashi Makoto's gaze, a mischievous smile on her youthful face: "Brother, I've found a great place, wanna go?"

Seeing Hanakawa Kaori's cunning eyes, and despite guessing that she had ulterior motives and that it would damage his image in their eyes, Takahashi Makoto couldn't help but agree.

"Where?"

"Arcade! I want to sit on my brother's lap and play games!"

It's a perfectly normal request. It's a common scene in comics where siblings often appear. He's always wanted a younger sister, and Hanakawa Kaori also wants a older brother.

Finally, Makoto Takahashi had to admit that his recent thoughts had indeed become a bit too vulgar.

Chapter 259 Spring Night

[From: Faculty of Letters, University of Tokyo]

[Professor Atsuki was moved to tears after reading your new book, stating that his recollections of his deceased wife and the beautiful past were not due to coercion or threats.]

[Our lecturers also deeply resonate with this sentiment. Please, Professor Maya, don't underestimate yourself; the Japanese literary scene is often criticized for being too gloomy...]

Maya Uesugi sat in her chair, her slender fingers scrolling the mouse wheel as she carefully read the email line by line. After a moment's thought, she clicked "Reply" to thank the sender for their nomination and recommendation.

She closed her email, opened her browser, and was about to search for something when the browser's built-in news section caught her attention.

The first female professional shogi player, at the height of her fame, and a female shogi player who has graced countless magazine covers, jointly recommended a new book in a news interview, urging everyone to believe in [love].

That's so weird.

Well, winning the Nobel Prize in Literature this way isn't bad either.

Maya Uesugi gave up on the idea of ​​searching on her own, closed the browser, leaned back in her chair, and gradually relaxed.

If he were to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, he could easily become a lecturer at the Faculty of Letters at the University of Tokyo after graduating from Tsurumizawa.

Makoto Takahashi always says literature is boring, so he'll be forced to choose his own class, sit obediently under the podium, and call him "teacher" after class. If he wants to avoid doing homework, he'll have to beg him with polite language...

Thinking of this, Uesugi Maya's lips unconsciously turned up, and a smile bloomed on her delicate, fair face, as bright as the moonlight hanging high in the night sky outside the window.

After resting for a while, Uesugi Maya resumed her usual indifferent expression, stood up, straightened her black high-waisted long skirt, and stepped out of the study.

The brightly lit corridor was covered with a soft carpet, and photos, all by Hanakawa Kaori, were sparsely hung on both sides.

She said she wants to hang everyone's photos all over the hallway, which will probably take quite a while, so let's cooperate a little when the time comes.

As Uesugi Maya pondered this, she arrived at the spiral escalator, where a maid was cleaning. She stopped in her tracks, resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

Because she grew up in the Uesugi family and was cared for by only one close aunt, Uesugi Maya didn't really know how to get along with these maids, or rather, she wasn't good at getting along with anyone she didn't know.

She can neither take it for granted like Tachimi Yuki, nor get to know everyone as quickly as Hanakawa Kaori.

Thinking about it carefully, Kashima Reiko has always said that this is just a job.

The maids in the manor come from the Tachimi family, the Shiraishi family, and the maid academy under the Butler Association. They are all highly qualified, so there's no need to worry about scaring them.

The temperature on the spiral escalator suddenly dropped two degrees. The newly graduated maid shivered and looked up, only to be met with Maya Uesugi's terrifying gaze looking down at her. Instantly, she felt as if she were enveloped by a dreadful shadow.

"Greetings, Miss Uesugi." The maid greeted her with a forced smile, her voice trembling slightly.

"Hmm, where is Makoto?"

"In the arcade on the third floor, with Ms. Hanakawa."

"Thank you." Uesugi Maya nodded slightly, turned around and went up the stairs, finding the room number on the third floor.

She didn't have the habit of knocking, so she just pushed the door open and walked in. Makoto Takahashi was sitting on the plush carpet, playing a game with a controller and a monitor.

Hanakawa Kaori sat in his lap, shouting and swaying from side to side. Fortunately, Takahashi Makoto's arm stopped her from falling to the ground.

The scene looked quite harmonious; both were engrossed in the game and didn't notice Uesugi Maya's arrival.

"cough."

Maya Uesugi glanced at the ice cream in the porcelain bowl next to her, which had completely melted into soup, and coughed lightly to attract Makoto Takahashi's attention: "It's almost time for dinner."

"Right away, right away," Hanakawa Kaori replied, "Just five more minutes."

Upon hearing this answer, Uesugi Maya's face turned cold. She strode over, grabbed Hanakawa Kaori by the collar, and lifted her off Takahashi Makoto's lap: "Go now."

"I protest! This is clearly my brother's move, why does Maya-nee know it too?" Hanakawa Kaori lowered her head helplessly, and the controller fell onto the carpet.

"Notify the kitchen to prepare meals, hurry up."

After seeing Hanakawa Kaori off and closing the door, Uesugi Maya picked up the controller and sat down naturally.

Makoto Takahashi wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, the warm scent filling her nostrils: "Didn't we say we were going to have dinner?"

"Let them wait," Uesugi Maya replied without changing her expression.

“I happen to have something I’d like to discuss with you.” Makoto Takahashi smiled and said while operating the controller, “That band from the first year, they’ve changed their name to [Hydrangea]. I’m planning to start a company and sign them; they have a lot of potential.”

"Is that so?" Uesugi Maya's attitude was indifferent.

"I had no intention of taking advantage of them."

"Why should I explain when I didn't ask you? Are you admitting it without being asked?"

“Aya—” Takahashi Makoto looked helpless.

"Okay, I won't joke like that with you again. Let me hear it."

Maya Uesugi adjusted her position slightly, frowned, and said, "Don't press against me."

"There's nothing I can do about this."

Makoto Takahashi picked up his phone from the side, found the band's original song, and clicked play: "Help me out?"

"Don't move."

"This song has a very clear rhythm."

Are you deaf?

Fever Time

The echoes never cease, countless phrases.

......

After listening to several original songs by emerging bands, Maya Uesugi had to admit that they did indeed have great potential.

Wiping the melted ice cream from the corner of her mouth, she stood up, supporting herself on Makoto Takahashi's shoulder. She glared at him fiercely and said coldly, "I've told you many times, I hate this sticky, unpalatable stuff."

"It's all Hanori's fault," Takahashi Makoto said seriously.

"Tsk, die, you pest."

Meeting her disapproving look, Takahashi Makoto stood up and straightened his clothes: "I've already died several times in the game."

Maya Uesugi looked at the TV screen still displaying the game interface and said angrily, "What's so fun about this thing?"

Even if she didn't like it, she couldn't complain about Makoto Takahashi; all the innocent things around her would inevitably become targets of her attacks.

However, Makoto Takahashi didn't want to never be able to play games again, so he decided to help Maya Uesugi understand the fun of games.

"If you're asking where to go for fun, I just happen to have an idea recently."

Makoto Takahashi snapped his fingers, and a system panel popped up in the air in front of Maya Uesugi, displaying her personal numerical attributes.

"what is this?"

Maya Uesugi waved her hand, unable to reach the panel, then closed her eyes and reopened them: "Projected on the retina?"

She is the person who knows Takahashi Makoto's secret best, and is very accepting of such things.

"Pretty much. In short, it's a data panel like in a game. As long as you load the assistance card and act together, you can improve your attributes."

Makoto Takahashi immediately created his own assistance card and inserted it into her system: "Will this give you more motivation when facing work at the shrine in the future?"

“I’m helping you with the shrine work, not for any reward.” Uesugi Maya looked at him with a serious expression.

Makoto Takahashi immediately raised his hands slightly and apologized to her: "I know, I just thought it would be more fun this way. Want to play?"

He could certainly help Uesugi Maya max out her attributes, but that wouldn't be as fun as letting her figure it out herself.

"It's okay to play along with you."

With a cold, uninterested expression, Uesugi Maya turned and walked towards the door: "Go downstairs for dinner, they must be getting impatient."

“Okay.” Takahashi Makoto had a meaningful smile on his face. He didn’t believe that Uesugi Maya wouldn’t be interested.

Going downstairs to the dining room, everyone else was already seated at the table, with Miki sitting at the head of the table, as if to demonstrate who the true mistress of the house was.

Uesugi Maya had just received a new toy and wasn't in the mood to argue with her. She pulled Takahashi Makoto to sit down next to her, her mind completely focused on the entries for the assistance card.

[Constitution: Sapporo Night View - Winter]

[Bear: Increases physical fitness by 50% when training together]

[Unspoken: When training [Physical] specific skills together, experience gain rate is increased by 100%]

[Hidden Attribute: Night Wanderer (Please explore on your own)]

Sitting next to her, Makoto Takahashi took champagne from the ice bucket, pried off the bottle cap, and poured it into the glass next to Yuki Tachimi, looking very happy.

"Makoto-kun~ Aren't you going to say something?" Tachimi Yuki asked with a gentle smile, resting one hand on her cheek.

"I'm not very good at this kind of thing, so Lengzi always writes my speeches."

Makoto Takahashi turned his gaze to Reiko Kashima. She tilted her head slightly, thought for a moment, and then said with a serious expression, "I will manage the estate well and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"Hmm~~ I'm relieved." Hanakawa Kaori added fuel to the fire.

"There's no need to be so serious. To me, everyone is family."

Makoto Takahashi put down the champagne, took a can of cola from the ice bucket, and pulled the metal tab:

“Initially, it was Aya who invited me to join the band. At the time, I was actually quite perfunctory. Later, because of Sachi, I changed my mind. I know that it is painful to have nowhere to belong. If I can reduce everyone’s suffering, then everything I do will be meaningful.”

Shiraishi Junka stared at him intently, her charming face radiating happiness.

Cheers, everyone!

Hina Nekoya pulled the metal tab on her can of beer and touched her hand to the can of cola in Makoto Takahashi's hand.

The first dinner party in the new home began in a lively atmosphere.