Sakiko returned to her usual spot, sat down, and opened the chat group.
The group was still running a live text relay of Rin's conversation with the group owner.
She didn't jump in right away to interrupt. Instead, she quietly scrolled through older chat logs to get a feel for everyone—while also checking the "Otherworld Navigation" app on her phone.
When the relay finally reached a pause, Sakiko seized the opening and introduced herself.
After that, because everyone was worried she might have run into danger in the real world, she gave them a brief summary of what had just happened.
[Roasted Eggplant (Mash)]: Sakiko really is different from the rest of us… She might be the only one here who was just an ordinary person up until recently, and then suddenly discovered the truth of the world.
[Giant Daifuku (Tsunade)]: I see… but Sakiko, there's something I don't quite get. How exactly did you convince your grandfather not to force you back to the Toyokawa family? (scratches head, confused)
Sakiko paused, chose her words, and laid out the darkness of the Toyokawa family.
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: In simple terms: my grandfather, like my father, is also a "live-in son-in-law." With my grandmother and my mother dying one after another, and my father being driven out of the Toyokawa family, my grandfather's legitimacy as head of the Toyokawa family has been shaken. That's why he wants me to become "his daughter." (sigh)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: In fact, the news that I left the Toyokawa family to work part-time was probably suppressed by my grandfather behind the scenes. I only realized later—one reason I could gather the resources to form Ave Mujica was because those partners still believed I was the Toyokawa family's young lady. (helpless)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: Under those circumstances, I chose to keep resisting and made it clear I wouldn't go back. Since he needs to maintain appearances, my grandfather can only tolerate it for now.
[Giant Daifuku (Tsunade)]: Wow… so there really are worlds like that. This is opening my eyes. (stunned "subway grandpa" face)
At that moment, Rin's focus jumped to something else entirely.
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Wait—am I the only one who thinks this is ridiculous?! Little Sakiko's daily sign-in gave her 1,500 points! That's fifteen times Kafka's! (eyes wide)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: "Little Sakiko"…?
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Ah! Am I being too familiar? Sorry, sorry!
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: No, it's fine! Please call me that, Rin—um, Rin-senpai! Don't worry about it!
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Just call me Rin! And don't copy Mash calling everyone "senpai" every two seconds. I've told her so many times, but she never changes! (rubs forehead, exasperated)
[Roasted Eggplant (Mash)]: Because I'm an artificial human, when it comes to being "a person," everyone is my senpai! If Sakiko weren't so young—and if she didn't look so well-mannered that calling her "senpai" might trouble her—I'd want to call Sakiko "senpai" too. (serious)
Sakiko felt her scalp go numb and hurried to stop her.
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: Mash-senpai, please, absolutely do not do that!!! (panic)
At that point, Kafka—who had been calmly observing—joined the conversation.
[Purple Yam Taro (Kafka)]: When Sakiko signed in, was she in the middle of intense emotional turbulence? A severe mental shock might be why her points were abnormally high.
Kafka clearly didn't insist on the point, though. She shifted topics right after—because she'd only been making conversation.
Everyone knew the group owner—who supplied most of the group's "energy"—surely understood the truth. Since he didn't explain, the others treated it as idle chatter.
[Purple Yam Taro (Kafka)]: You watched the relay earlier, right? About Rin and the group owner rewinding time.
[Purple Yam Taro (Kafka)]: Based on what you went through, my guess is your world doesn't have world-class top-tier combat power capable of resisting that kind of rewind.
[Purple Yam Taro (Kafka)]: Do you want the group owner to rewind your world for you? Back to the point when your father was framed? (sips tea)
Aisen said nothing—quietly waiting for Sakiko's choice.
No matter what she decided, as the group owner, he would support it.
Sakiko stared at the suggestion, her fingers unconsciously tightening.
Rewinding time… changing the past?
After a moment of silence, her gaze steadied again, and she replied:
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: I'm sorry, Kafka-senpai, but I want to keep moving forward. (bows)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: I want to awaken the real version of my father—with my own strength. (determined)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: I have a feeling that if I rely too much on outside help, I won't be able to cross those four shackles. And… I don't want to give up the bonds I've built with them. After all, they've already entrusted their lives to me.
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Haha… "entrusted their lives," huh… (wipes sweat)
Seeing Rin's message, Sakiko's serious little face instantly turned flustered. If she said it like that, what would Rin—who had been preparing to rewind worlds—think?
She hurried to patch it up.
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: Ah—of course, I didn't mean rewinding time is wrong! (shakes head frantically)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: It's just that all of you are dealing with things like global crises or the survival of entire peoples. Mine is, at most, some family disputes and relationship problems—it doesn't warrant something as extreme as rewinding the world. (awkward)
Aisen, who had been silent, stepped in at the right moment—both to help Sakiko out and to set the tone.
[Group Owner (Aisen)]: Don't be nervous. Rin won't mind. @Classic Bento
[Group Owner (Aisen)]: Sakiko's current situation truly doesn't require a world rewind. Her choice—and her intuition—are reasonable. Facing your own predicament head-on is a key part of growth.
[Group Owner (Aisen)]: Of course, as Sakiko gradually encounters deeper layers of the supernatural world, she may eventually need a rewind or other forms of support. We can discuss it then.
[Group Owner (Aisen)]: Speaking of which—Sakiko probably learned your names from the earlier logs and relay, but it seems like everyone hasn't formally introduced themselves to her yet?
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Oh, right! (smacks forehead)
[Sporty Bento (Rin)]: Uh… but my situation—Sakiko probably got the gist from the relay, right? If I go into detail it might not feel real anyway, since a lot of it is stuff only people from our world would understand. Let's skip it. Honestly, I'm constantly lost about everyone else's worlds too! (shrugs)
[Classic Bento (Sakiko)]: Mm-hm, I basically understand your situation, Rin. To be honest… I feel like I already know too much. Like I'm speaking too deeply with people I barely know. (uneasy)
Aisen echoed Rin's point.
[Group Owner (Aisen)]: Yes, that's true. Just a brief introduction is enough for a first impression. Later, if we get the chance, we can all visit a world together for a meetup or something—then we can understand things properly in context.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 80)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 80)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 80)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter50)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter50)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter50)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter50)
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