"I almost died just now, it was really dangerous! It seems like the heavens are still looking out for me! I should burn more paper money for them when I have the time!" Ryuto sighed as he showered.
"I don't know why, but I'm really tired today. Finally, I can rest properly now!" Ryuto closed his eyes and relaxed in the bathtub, holding onto this rare opportunity for relaxation. He didn't know what would happen in the next moment, so he believed in seizing any chance to enjoy himself – that was Ryuto's creed.
"Click..." Suddenly, the sound of a door opening could be heard, followed by, "Lord Ryuto, you've worked hard. Let me wash your back for you!" Hiyori rushed into the bathtub, wearing a towel.
"Hey...what are you doing?" Ryuto couldn't help but shout, and then he quickly wrapped the towel around himself and rushed out of the bathtub, performing both actions almost simultaneously with unprecedented speed.
"Just now, I...Lord Ryuto had diarrhea, so I wanted to wash your back." "Oh, you don't have to do that. Please leave quickly," Ryuto waved his hands repeatedly. Just when he didn't know what to do, he noticed a change in the atmosphere.
Hiyori lowered her head and suddenly spoke in a tone that Ryuto had never heard before. "I really...can't do anything well." "Well..." Ryuto couldn't help but be surprised.
Hiyori ignored him and continued to speak in the same tone as before. "Actually, I have a younger sister. Although we are sisters, we are completely different. From childhood to now, she has always been more talented than me in anything she does. Everyone in the family praises her as a once-in-a-century genius of The Tsuchimikado Family. Because of this, everyone has great expectations for her, believing that she can make The Tsuchimikado Family even stronger. Father always teaches her special Yin-Yang techniques." Hiyori took a breath, choked up, her shoulders trembling slightly, and her tone becoming stronger.
"But I can't do anything well. Father often gives me tasks, but I often mess them up even after doing them multiple times, making things worse and burdening others. This time, I prepared diligently...I made so many preparations and worked so hard and yet I still failed in the end. It turns out that I, who am not a genius, am really useless...even though I'm her sister, even though I'm a member of The Tsuchimikado Family..."
While speaking, the sound of "water" dripping into the bathtub could be heard.
Hiyori, who always had a happy face, unexpectedly had this side to her. In Ryuto's eyes, this perfect and excellent Hiyori could also have worries, could also be sad, could also shed tears because of it. However, Ryuto wasn't too surprised, whether it was because he had expected it or something else.
Ryuto listened silently. After a moment, perhaps to change the atmosphere, he responded in a lighthearted tone.
"It seems like our situations are quite similar." "Huh...?" Hiyori was surprised by this sudden remark and looked up at Ryuto.
"In fact...I only have memories from the past two years." "How is that possible..." Hiyori was shocked and covered her mouth with her hand, showing an expression of disbelief.
"Because I have no memory of anything before those two years, I don't know what I was like when I was young. But looking at the past two years, our situations are indeed quite similar. It's really coincidental! Haha!" Ryuto laughed and rubbed the back of his head.
"In school, I'm often compared to Asuka as well. It's inevitable. On one hand, Asuka excels in everything, while on the other hand, I'm always at the bottom. Asuka is seen as a genius in everyone's eyes, but I am the opposite – a so-called fool. It's surprisingly similar, haha. But...our situations are completely different.""Oh...?" Hiyori didn't explicitly say "why," but it was easy to infer from her tone.
"It's because I am not bothered by it. On the contrary, I feel proud because of Asuka's excellence. I must be quite lucky to have such an outstanding sister," Ryuto replied.
"..." Hiyori remained silent, looking at Ryuto with an inexplicable gaze. Ryuto didn't pay attention.
"I haven't met your sister, nor do I know how amazing she is. Perhaps compared to her, you still have a ways to go. But I can see the effort you put in from your actions yesterday. Honestly, before coming here, I knew nothing about you. You came all the way to this place just to protect someone your father called a benefactor, and you tried your best to protect me. From this perspective, you are already quite remarkable, something that most people cannot achieve."
Ryuto paused for a moment and took a deep breath, showing an enigmatic gaze.
"Even geniuses have things they can't do, and fools can achieve things. The key is whether or not you put in the effort. In the game arcade, winning doesn't rely on the strength of the chosen character but rather on skill. This skill is not innate but rather the result of hard work. In many cases, people only see the surface brilliance but overlook the efforts behind it. In the end, they console themselves by dividing people into geniuses and fools. Indeed, sometimes people are often misled by the results, focusing too much on the outcome and neglecting other things. After people make an effort, if they eventually succeed, they naturally believe they have been rewarded, considering themselves geniuses. Conversely, they believe their previous efforts were in vain and think of themselves as fools. The practice of dividing people into geniuses based on results is inherently foolish. After all, no one can guarantee that success will come after effort. Therefore, whether someone is a genius becomes less important. In fact, the relationship between these two is very ambiguous. Moreover, for those who make efforts, success can also betray them, mercilessly crushing their efforts and giving them ruthless blows. However... in this world, there exists something that will never betray you. It is the existence that surpasses both success and genius."
"Um, Ryuto-sama, does such a thing really exist?" Hiyori's mood changed, as if the scene just now had never happened. She asked with excitement in her voice. Ryuto simply smiled in response.
"Of course. There will always be rewards and progress after effort. Even if you don't achieve success in one go, you will be one step closer to it. So... in this world, success may betray you, but effort will never betray you!"
Hiyori stared at Ryuto with wide-eyed silence, experiencing a newfound emotion that had never been experienced before, filling her entire body.
In response, Ryuto, who regained his composure, awkwardly laughed.
"Ah, I spoke so much nonsense. It really doesn't fit the demeanor of modern people, haha!"
Hiyori shook her head, laughing, and whispered with an unfamiliar emotion she had never felt before.
"It's not nonsense, Ryuto-sama!"
"Hiyori, what did you just say? I couldn't hear it, your voice was too soft."
Saying this, Ryuto turned his face to Hiyori and leaned his ear closer.
"...I didn't say anything!"
After saying that, somehow, Hiyori blushed and rushed out quickly. Her speed could only be described as teleportation. After that, the bathroom was left with a baffled Ryuto.
"She said it was nothing, but her face turned red after soaking in the bathtub for so long. Oh well, I should just go to sleep."
