章 156: I Just Want a Single Ending [156]
[Because I've always liked you.]
[Because I trust you completely.]
[Because I'm your fan.]
[Because you're worth it.]
As soon as Togawa Sakiko asked her question, the system options appeared.
Sigh...
Kamigawa Saku let out a quiet sigh in his heart.
So she'd figured it out after all. Looks like Togawa Sakiko wasn't playing the oblivious "rich girl" stereotype.
At the very least, she was sharper than he'd given her credit for.
Even with little knowledge of the industry, combined with his exaggerated praise, she'd managed to catch on pretty quickly.
The news article certainly played a big role, though.
Still, the fact that she'd pieced it together and came directly to ask him about it… that was impressive.
She wasn't one to just quietly accept things.
Not bad for a young woman from a once-wealthy family who'd taken up part-time jobs after everything changed.
But her perceptiveness was a hassle for him.
At this point, he needed to decide on his answer.
Kamigawa looked over the four options the system offered.
The first one was out of the question. Confessing to her? No way.
He was determined to reach the single-player ending—he'd have to be crazy to choose that.
The second was equally impossible.
After all, this was only their third time meeting. And he'd offered her the contract on their very first encounter.
Claiming he "trusted" her would sound completely fake; she'd never believe it.
The third was barely acceptable.
As a self-proclaimed "superfan" of CRYCHIC, it wouldn't be completely out of character for him to give generous compensation to a former member like Sakiko.
After all, fans spending money on their idols is a common enough thing, right?
But even if he said that, Sakiko would probably refuse.
To her, accepting a large sum of money without reason would be an affront to her pride.
So, that left him with the fourth option.
That one actually worked—it aligned with the explanation he'd originally had in mind.
He just needed to convince Sakiko that she was worth the salary he'd offered.
However, this meant he'd have to switch into "money-driven mode."
No helping it—he'd already set himself up as a greedy opportunist in her eyes. Time to follow through.
Unseal!
With his decision made, Kamigawa flashed his usual smile.
"First off, before I answer that, shouldn't we establish something?"
"What is it?"
Sakiko's response was reflexive, intrigued.
"I'm under no obligation to answer your question, am I?" Kamigawa tilted his head slightly, sounding genuinely confused. "What's in it for me?"
"…"
Sakiko didn't respond right away, just watched him closely.
She'd thought that after meeting face-to-face and talking this much, he'd have no reason to dodge her question.
But he was really refusing to answer.
Was he avoiding the issue?
Or…?
"What gave you the impression that just because you ask, I have to answer?" Kamigawa's gaze shifted as he took a small sip of his coffee. "Is this requirement written into the contract, like your 50% ad revenue?"
"No, it's not in the contract," Sakiko admitted, "but I believe it would be in your best interest to answer."
After arranging today's meeting, she'd prepared herself for various outcomes.
So, even with his refusal, she was ready to respond.
"Go on, then," he gestured, inviting her to continue.
"First—"
Sakiko had barely begun when he cut her off.
"Keep it short. I'm not interested in a long-winded report. Summarize it in the simplest terms, and drop the honorifics; they're grating."
In this short conversation alone, he'd already heard "please" and "sir" from her more times than he cared to count.
"Alright."
Since it was his request as her "boss," Sakiko, currently his assistant, complied. She kept her response succinct:
"Answering my question will increase my efficiency and help me focus more on my work."
"Sounds nice, but that's hardly meaningful enough for me," he said, setting down his cup with a disinterested look.
"In that case, I don't have anything else to say."
As she spoke, Sakiko opened her bag and started searching through it.
He was free to choose not to answer; that was his right.
But she was equally free to leave the job.
There was no reason for her to continue working under such bizarre circumstances.
"This is my resignation letter."
Sakiko placed two envelopes on the table in front of him.
One was her resignation letter; the other was the salary he'd given her.
"You're sure you want to quit?" Kamigawa appeared genuinely surprised, warning her, "You won't find many jobs as easy and well-paying as this one."
"So what?" Sakiko shot back, meeting his gaze without backing down. "If you won't answer my question, I have no reason to keep working for you."
She might need the money, but she didn't need money that felt so strange.
"As you wish. I'll answer."
Kamigawa saw her determination.
If he didn't give her a satisfactory response, she would really walk away.
Now he understood her personality a bit better.
Worth all that probing he'd done, after all.
"Then please, go ahead."
Sakiko felt she'd gained the upper hand.
Kamigawa shifted his tone slightly. "But if you're going to question me, it's only fair I get to ask a few questions of my own, don't you think?"
"Fine by me."
Sakiko was willing to meet him halfway on that.
"Simple. In my eyes, you're worth it."
Finally, he gave her the answer he'd decided on.
System Reward: Learning Card (One Hour)
During use, rapidly consumes stamina while greatly enhancing learning ability.
Learning card!
The moment he saw the reward, Kamigawa celebrated inwardly.
He knew exactly how powerful the learning card was; it was practically miraculous.
It had been ages since he'd last gotten one—he'd almost given up hope.
Even if this one only lasted an hour, it was still a learning card!
Today had definitely paid off big time!
---
T/N: released Genshin Impact: Strength Through Bonds
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