—Guide 'Intelligence'
[Please specify the aspect for guidance.]
[Language / Mathematics / Foreign Language / Physics / Chemistry / Biology / History / Geography]
—Mathematics
Aoyama Osamu lost control again, grabbing the math textbook for the new semester—still unopened.
The knowledge inside felt familiar, echoes from his past-life memories.
Two hours later, he set the book down.
Unlike physical training, years of schooling let him gauge learning efficiency.
It was insanely high.
Knowledge absorption? Near 100%.
No need for two years. Even while enjoying youth, one year max, and Aoyama Osamu could master all three years of high school material, strong enough to pick any university.
'Intelligence' tested. Next, 'Special.'
'Appearance'? No need to try. A man caring about looks? As long as the person across from him could eat without gagging, good enough.
'Special' meant talents—calligraphy ranks, tea ceremony grades, or even garbage disposal certifications.
—Guide 'Special'
[Please specify the aspect for guidance.]
No options this time. Too many talents to list?
—Give me money
No response.
"As expected," he muttered.
Love money? No, this was a true man's never-give-up spirit.
"What talent should I train?" Aoyama Osamu pondered.
With a research mindset, he silently thought—Piano.
[Please prepare a piano.]
As expected, it required accessible conditions.
—Cleaning
Aoyama Osamu stood and started cleaning.
"Cleaning counts?!"
"Even stains fused with the floor come off?"
"This spot's filthy! Such a hidden corner. Women are useless—housework's mine from now on."
"Yep, the toilet should sparkle like that."
"Wait—this? Stop! A girl's underwear drawer never has dust—no need to clean… argh!"
Aoyama Osamu's back ached from exhaustion.
The reward? [Special: None] became [Special: Housekeeping E].
And a home transformed—literally like new.
When his sisters, Ono Mihana (older) and Ono Mizuki (younger), returned and stood at the entrance, their faces screamed, "Did we walk into the wrong house?"
"I cleaned," Aoyama Osamu said calmly, arms crossed inside the house.
"You?" Mihana asked, incredulous.
"Brother, is your head still messed up?" Mizuki worried.
They thought he was brain-damaged.
"I've been thinking a lot," mostly about his past life, "Life's full of surprises. Surviving this accident was pure luck. To live without regrets, I'll study hard and take life seriously."
"Stick with it for a month this time!" Mihana encouraged.
"Brother, sit and rest," Mizuki insisted, still convinced his head wasn't right.
Aoyama Osamu was about to retort when his stomach growled loudly—"Grrr!"
No big deal; he'd been hungry all day, growling nonstop.
"Let's eat," Mihana said, half-motherly despite being a high school senior.
The sisters entered, marveling at the cleanliness while heading to change.
By the time they returned, Aoyama Osamu had reheated the curry and served it on the table.
His portion? Double-sized, including lunch's share.
Mihana glanced at him occasionally.
Mizuki spoke up: "Brother, did you clean the whole house just to touch our underwear?"
Busted!
"Outrageous!" Aoyama Osamu roared, shoving curry in his mouth. "Even if we're not blood-related, I'd never do that!"
"Not so sure," Mizuki muttered. "Teen boys are half-human, half-beast."
"Exactly. Watch out for those male classmates—don't get fooled," Aoyama Osamu said.
"I won't let you fool me either," Mizuki shot back.
"The house was too dirty—I couldn't stand it, so I cleaned everything! Also, no more housework for you two. That's a man's privilege!"
"Really?!" Mizuki grinned. "Even if you're a perv, I forgive you!"
"I said I'm not!"
"Sure, sure. But housework? Nah, I'll take it. You can't work part-time anymore."
"…Fine," Aoyama Osamu nodded after a pause.
Dust was one thing; poverty was the real issue.
His dream? Clean house forever, no money worries.
"You gave in so easily? Typical guy, all talk!" Mizuki teased.
"I won't go easy on you," Aoyama Osamu said.
Mihana smiled, watching them banter.
Despite eating three-day-old curry, the house brimmed with joy.
The three weren't blood-related. Both came from single-parent families; their mothers met at a single-parent gathering and became best friends.
Aoyama Osamu and the Ono sisters had been close since kindergarten.
After a tragic accident claimed both mothers, Aoyama Osamu gave up his rented place, bringing his mom's appliances and furniture to the old Ono house.
They were family—past-life memories and a system wouldn't change that.
After dinner, Aoyama Osamu refused Mizuki's offer to wash dishes and headed to the kitchen.
Staring at the sink's dishes, he wore the look of a wizard casting Scourgify.
—System, wash the dishes
[Beginning Guidance]
Scrape scraps, soak oily dishes in 60°C+ water, wash low-oil ones first; After cleaning, boil for disinfection, dry, store.
"Wastes water, electricity, and detergent," Mizuki critiqued.
"Men's business—stay out," Aoyama Osamu replied, secretly agreeing but refusing to admit it.
Back in the living room, the three chatted casually. Mihana ironed Aoyama's school uniform shirt for tomorrow.
To anyone entering, they wouldn't seem poor—fridge, TV, all the basics present.
The trio laughed and talked, no trace of poor-kid inferiority.
"Osamu-kun," Mihana said softly, "You missed half a month of school. Falling behind is normal. If you don't get it, don't stress or give up. I'll tutor you at home."
"No part-time job now—I can study alone," Aoyama Osamu grinned. "Mihana-nee, focus on your stuff."
"Really?" Mihana looked at him.
"Wait for the end-of-month exam," he said.
"好," Mihana smiled. "Top 50 in your grade, I'll buy you new shoes."
"What if I hit top 50?" Mizuki jumped in.
"Top 20, and you get shoes too."
"Tch, unfair, but deal, Nee-chan!" Mizuki snuggled Mihana like a cute bunny to her big bunny sister.
Sprawled on the tatami, hands behind him, Aoyama Osamu watched the sisters and laughed.
This life was poor but manageable.
Study hard, make money, let the sisters live richly.
System testing done—time to stop fooling around and get serious: earn money to support the family.
Aoyama Osamu wanted money most.
Not for love of it, but because it could bring their family happiness—let senior-year Mihana focus on exams, not work, and let first-year Mizuki wear new skirts, not hand-me-downs.
No part-time job left him anxious.
Even if jobs paid little, they gave some stability. Now, banned by school.
Wait—writing novels? That's not a job, right? Writing's a talent.
Aoyama Osamu grabbed pen and paper from his bag.
—System, write a novel!