"Unbelievable, Senya—you actually made it onto a magazine cover!"
"Unbelievable is right. They've airbrushed my face so white I look like a ghost."
Mid-to-late May.
A weekend, about three weeks after the new school term had started.
It was just past nine in the morning.
Now in his second year of middle school, Minamoto Senya leaned back on the sofa beside Takanashi Rikka, both of them staring at the stack of glossy magazines on the coffee table, sighing in unison.
The magazines had been sent directly from Nishiyamado Press—a whole heavy bundle, so much that when Rikka signed for them she'd had to hug the stack to her chest, wobbling under its weight.
Several were duplicates, probably assuming Senya might want to keep some for himself or hand them out, saving him the trouble of buying them. Thoughtful, in its way.
"Still, you look pretty good in these," Rikka said, flipping each magazine open to the pages with Senya, spreading them neatly across the table, then snapping photos with her phone. "Once I post these, your popularity's going to skyrocket again."
She had planned this long ago. If her adoptive brother managed to win the Yulong Flag tournament, she'd set up an official fan account for him.
And she had followed through.
She used the ornamental katana gifted to Senya by Yukinoshita Yukino as the profile picture. After pestering him endlessly until he reluctantly gave in, she finally launched the account: 'Minamoto Senya Fan Support Group.'
Senya had assumed it would just be one of Rikka's passing whims, destined to fizzle out.
But he had underestimated how much buzz his recent appearances in the media had stirred up.
Under Rikka's management, the account's followers had grown steadily, day after day.
By now, the number had surpassed sixty thousand.
The analytics showed over seventy percent of them were female.
Every post Rikka made about Senya drew enthusiastic engagement.
The comment sections were flooded with lovestruck fans.
Words like "husband," "darling," and "I volunteer!" appeared far too often.
The flood of positive feedback only fueled Rikka's enthusiasm. She even submitted Senya's details to the platform, earning official verification.
His tournament titles and honors were now proudly displayed in the bio, officially endorsed.
She even enabled monetization. Now, every day, small tips trickled in.
Not much—but enough to prove she had really turned the account into something alive.
"Hey, don't post anything involving personal photos or private topics online,"
said Takanashi Touka, who was polishing the window panes nearby.
She hadn't been too cautious before. But recently, thanks to Senya's rising fame, strangers had started lurking outside their home with cameras, and reporters had approached her on the street with microphones. It had been exhausting.
Thankfully, after the police intervened, such incidents had lessened.
"I know, I know. Don't treat me like a little kid," Rikka muttered, hitting "post" before tossing her phone aside. Notifications of likes and comments immediately lit up her screen, and she giggled to herself. Being showered with attention felt good.
Then, glancing at Touka's back, she suddenly had an idea. She bounced over, smiling sweetly. "Hey, sis—want me to help you set up an account too? I can totally manage it for you~"
After all, her big sister had placed well in rhythmic gymnastics competitions. Maybe not as amazing as Senya, but still something.
But Touka refused without hesitation. "Forget it. Don't rope me into this."
She knew herself well. Just an ordinary person—none of Senya's terrifying dominance in kendo or prodigious gift for piano.
"But sis, you might be super popular! Wouldn't it feel nice to be admired?" Rikka pressed.
The next moment, Touka turned, eyes sharp as blades, glaring with such intensity that Rikka froze.
Instantly deflated, Rikka scurried back to sit beside Senya, mumbling, "What's her deal lately? She's always mad at me for no reason… I haven't even caused trouble. I did fine on the entrance exams too…"
Senya glanced at Rikka's locked phone, still buzzing with notifications. He had a faint idea of what was going on.
But he didn't say it out loud. He just felt quietly amused.
By noon, Senya and Touka prepared lunch together.
At twelve-thirty sharp, the doorbell rang—Yukinoshita Haruno had arrived, just as planned.
Not a coincidence. She had already arranged with Touka and Senya to come for lunch today.
And afterward, she would be taking them to tour some of her family company's properties.
After all, the Yukinoshita family's wealth came from construction and real estate.
The Minamotos happened to need a new home. Perfect alignment.
Originally, this had been entrusted to Yukinoshita's younger daughter, Yukino.
But since Yukino had gone abroad again to resume her studies, Haruno had stepped in.
It made little difference—Haruno was also on good terms with the Takanashi and Minamoto siblings.
"Mmm, delicious! Touka, your cooking's gotten even better!" Haruno praised between bites.
Touka quickly clarified. "Actually, Senya cooked lunch today. I only helped."
"Tch tch, athletic, artistic, and now domestic too? Where do I get a brother like this?" Haruno sighed dramatically.
Touka smiled. "Careful, Yukino would be jealous if she heard you."
"Hahaha, that's why I only say it when she's not here." Haruno turned, eyes sparkling at the so-called "treasure of a little brother."
"Senya, you're a celebrity now, you know. They're even selling little trinkets with your face. Look."
She pulled out her phone, showing them a photo of a tiny keychain figure: a palm-sized chibi Senya, wielding a wooden sword with a cocky grin.
Rikka's jaw dropped. "No way—you've got merch now?! Actual merch?!"
As fan club president, she was mortified she hadn't known this.
Senya remained calm. "Probably just Nishiyamado licensing out some limited items. It was in the contract… Anyway, can we not talk about me? It's embarrassing."
"You don't look embarrassed at all," Haruno teased.
"It's been weeks. My skin's gotten thick."
"Oooh, so you've finally got that celebrity aura, huh?"
After her teasing, Haruno got back to business. "So it's just us kids going to look at houses today? Your parents aren't coming?"
Buying a home was no small matter for any family.
Touka explained, "Dad's bar is too busy—closing even half a day means big losses. Mom's shop is the same."
"That's right, you mentioned they'd hired new staff recently."
"They had to. Business is booming."
"All thanks to the 'Empire's Twin Prodigies,' right?"
The two older girls looked at Senya, then both burst out laughing.
That chuuni nickname, coined by overdramatic reporters, made Senya want to crawl into a hole. Rikka, however, adored it—she had reposted the clip three times.
"Let's stay on topic," Senya muttered.
Haruno stifled her laughter. "Relax. Touka, just take plenty of photos and videos. You can show your parents tonight. Same effect."
"That's what I thought too. Thanks, Haruno."
"Don't be silly. If anything, I should thank you. Our company owes your family's business. Mom even said if this deal goes through, she'll bump my allowance as a sales bonus."
A joke, of course, to lighten Touka's politeness.
In truth, Haruno's mother had already decided: if the Minamotos chose one of their properties, she'd lower the price below market value—yielding some profit on purpose.
Not too much, though. The Minamotos weren't the type to accept blatant charity.
A light gesture of goodwill was enough. Anything heavier would feel transactional.
Subtlety made friendship last.
And Haruno's mother, raised among elites and later transforming her delinquent husband into a politician, understood such balances instinctively.
"By the way," Rikka piped up, "I also invited Eiri over. That's okay, right?"
"No problem. The more the merrier."
"Thanks, Haruno-nee!"
"Such a sweet talker—you've grown up so much, Rikka."
"Stop flattering her, she's grinning too hard already," Touka sighed.
After lunch, the Takanashi sisters tidied the kitchen.
Senya stayed in the living room, chatting with Haruno about Yukino's childhood stories.
At around one o'clock, Sawamura Eiri arrived.
Rikka met her at the door, hands on her hips. "Late! We said one o'clock sharp, and you're ten minutes behind!"
Eiri wiped sweat from her forehead. "Sorry! It's sweltering outside. I stopped to buy ice cream for everyone. Look."
"Ahhh, you even got my favorite cones!"
"And green popsicles too!"
"Eiri, I love you!"
"Your love is way too cheap…"
They devoured the ice cream, rested a while, then all headed out together.
Eriri's face flushed bright red. She quickly folded her arms across her chest, glaring in embarrassment and irritation."Rikka, yours isn't exactly huge either! You've got no right to talk!"
Rikka puffed up with pride, smirking."Hmph. Just wait and see my sister—then you'll understand. I'm still in my growth phase~ I'll get bigger later."
That shut Eriri up on the spot.
And once she recalled the comparison she'd unfortunately made while bathing with her mother not long ago, despair only deepened.
A few steps away, holding onto the train's strap, Minamoto Senya's mood was… complicated.
Honestly, he'd thought exchanges like that only happened in cliché harem fanservice anime. And yet, here it was, unfolding right before his eyes—in real life. Even worse, one of the girls involved was his foster sister.
Yes, they were whispering, their shoulders pressed together, trying to keep their voices low. Yes, this was just a crowded commuter train.
But Senya still heard everything crystal clear.
That was thanks to a new gift he had awakened just a few days earlier, during his usual visit to the Touma household. At the same time his Piano skill had risen to Level 6, another ability had quietly emerged alongside it:
[Perfect Pitch]: Your hearing becomes exceptionally sharp. Even without a reference, you can accurately identify any sound, whether from instruments or the environment.
This was his third innate talent—after Unusual Nature of a Transmigrant and Ghost Brain.
For music, it was practically invaluable.
For daily life… well, this train ride was already proving its worth.
With his enhanced hearing stacked on top of his God's-Eye perspective, Senya could be absolutely certain of one thing: there was no way he'd ever be taken by surprise by some shady drugged-cloth ambush from behind.
Once they stepped off the train, Haruno, who had already learned the general budget and requirements of Senya's family, led them to view four different properties.
The first was a low-rise condominium near the city center. Fourth floor—not too high, and the stairs wouldn't kill you if the elevator was ever out.
The apartment was bright and airy, with windows on both sides and plenty of sunlight streaming in through the balcony.
At over 180 square meters, with four bedrooms, a spacious living room, and two bathrooms, there was more than enough room for the family.
Even better, the neighborhood had everything—convenient transport links, and a shopping mall just down the block filled with all kinds of stores.
The second property was in a slightly more suburban area: a high-rise tower.
This one was on the twentieth floor, so yes, forget about stairs—the elevator was your lifeline.
But the view was spectacular, and the street noise that plagued the low-rise was nearly nonexistent here. The trade-off was a smaller overall floor space.
Still, the building had its perks: an in-house gym, swimming pool, library, and even a sky garden. All free for residents.
The last two options were detached houses.
One was a secondhand property sold by a family moving abroad. The other was a brand-new house, freshly built last year by Yukinoshita's family construction firm.
The secondhand home looked good on the surface—clean exterior, decent interior. But the little details gave it away. At the entryway, the wooden doorframe still had etched marks recording the growth of the former owners' children. In one bedroom, the wallpaper showed faint rectangular outlines—clearly the ghosts of posters or family photos once hung there.
The brand-new home, however, was something else entirely.
The moment Haruno led them up to it, Senya caught the sparkle in the Takanashi sisters' eyes—tiny stars of excitement.
Who could blame them? Even just from the outside, this house radiated grandeur.
Excluding the parking space and the yet-to-be-landscaped yard, the structure itself boasted more than 140 square meters of footprint. With two floors plus a rooftop terrace, the total living area nearly doubled—almost 280 square meters of space.
"Alright, let's not just stand out here. Let's go inside and have a proper look."
Haruno, seeing the sisters' expressions, smiled knowingly. She pulled out the keys and ushered everyone in.
The moment they stepped into the living room, even Eriri couldn't help but let out a small gasp."It's… gorgeous."
"Well, of course," Haruno replied with a satisfied grin. "Before construction even began, a professional designer was brought in to plan everything."
Her cheerful mood was obvious—watching everyone's delighted reactions validated the effort she had spent scouting these properties. And it reassured her that she hadn't let Yukino down, who had pressed this task onto her before leaving for England.
"The first floor," Haruno continued like a professional realtor, "has the living room, a dry-wet separated washroom and toilet, a full bath, and two bedrooms—one large, one smaller—plus a multipurpose room.
"Upstairs, you'll find a smaller shared lounge—perfect for beanbag sofas or a cozy reading nook. Along the corridor are three bedrooms side by side, plus two more multipurpose rooms that could be used as guest rooms or studies. There's also a second bathroom upstairs, so no one has to stumble down at night.
"And, of course, the long balcony out front—it connects to the bedrooms and could easily be filled with flowers and greenery. Very charming, don't you think?"
Her smooth sales pitch was so convincing that even Eriri, who wasn't the one house-hunting, was starting to imagine moving in.
Touka was drawn to the walk-in closet. Rikka grabbed Eriri by the hand and dragged her straight up to the rooftop terrace.
Meanwhile, Senya slid open the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor and stepped out onto the balcony. The view was excellent. But he also noticed something else—this balcony connected directly to the three largest bedrooms.
A setup straight out of a romance drama.
If they moved in, the sisters would basically be able to visit one another without ever leaving the balcony.
"…That could get interesting," he muttered.
"What do you think, oh Dragon of the Empire?"
As Senya pondered, Haruno sidled up and nudged his side with her elbow.
He turned to look at her. She was smiling like always, while Touka was still carefully inspecting the walk-in closet, and Rikka's excited voice drifted down from the terrace above.
"You knew we'd like this one best from the start, didn't you, Haruno-san?"
"Doesn't matter what I think. What matters is what you think, isn't it?"
Senya gave her a flat look. Then he cut straight to the point."How much?"
Haruno leaned closer, grin widening. "Including the permanent land rights—eighty million yen."
"…That cheap?"
Senya had done his research. Property this size, in Shinjuku, with a garden? By all rights, it should be well over a hundred million.
"My, my. Someone's making good money these days," Haruno teased. "Eighty million doesn't even make you blink, does it?"
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Oh? Then what did you mean?" she said innocently, eyes glinting with mischief.
Senya pressed his lips shut.
Haruno tilted her head. "Come on, Senya. Touka and Rikka clearly love this place. Touka in particular—she hasn't said it aloud, but she was practically glowing when she saw the walk-in closet."
Senya glanced back. Sure enough, Touka was snapping photos of the room, likely intending to show their parents later.
After a moment's thought, Senya exhaled and gave in to the Yukinoshita family's goodwill."…Thank you."
Haruno folded her arms and deliberately put on a mock-serious face. "Hey now, what are you thanking me for? I'm just acting on behalf of the Yukinoshita family business. Gratitude won't get you a discount, you know.
"But," her smirk returned, "since you're Yukino's childhood friend, and I get along so well with Touka, how about this: if you promise to treat us sometime—dinner, a trip, whatever you like—then I'll throw in all the custom furniture for free. Consider it a gift."
Beneath her playful mask, her gesture was closer to charity than business.
Senya thought back over the years since his arrival in this world. Again and again, he'd met people willing to lend him a hand at crucial moments. Truly, he'd been blessed with benefactors.
"…Thank you," he said again, softer this time, and with genuine sincerity.
Haruno's smile softened, too. "Don't thank me. Thank Yukino. Before she left for England, she must have reminded me five or six times to find you an affordable place."
Senya nodded firmly. "I will."
And not just with words. If Yukino ever needed his help in return, he would not hesitate.