[The Ramen couple who adopted you had an accident.]
[The insurance company and welfare agency representatives held a simple funeral for your adoptive father. Soon, the problem arose—what would happen to you, a child so young?]
[The Ramen couple had no direct relatives left.]
[There were a few distant ones, but they lived far away. Not only did they not attend the funeral, but expecting them to adopt you was clearly unrealistic.]
[The relevant personnel, worried and concerned, discussed your situation. After a while, the head of the orphanage came forward and asked for your opinion.]
[You replied…]
[1. Director, I want to go back to the orphanage.]
[2. Will anyone else be willing to adopt me?]
[3. I want to stay in this home and do my best to care for my adoptive mother, who is now in a vegetative state.]
Chisato glanced over the three options. The choice was obvious.
The third one.
[In response to the orphanage director's inquiry, kneeling before your adoptive father's shrine, you expressed your wish to stay in this broken home.]
[It was your adoptive parents who brought you out of the orphanage and gave you a new family.]
[Now that this family was shattered, and your adoptive mother lay unconscious in the hospital, you couldn't bear to leave her.]
[You couldn't imagine abandoning her, only for her to one day wake up, helpless and alone, and find out everything that had happened. How devastated would she be?]
[As you spoke, tears flowed uncontrollably, your voice growing increasingly sorrowful. Everyone present was moved by your "filial piety."]
[Seeing the moment was right, you begged the director to help find a way for you to stay, to remain by your adoptive mother's side.]
[Even though she was unconscious, even though you were only nine years old, you wanted to do everything within your power to care for her.]
[Seeing your small, sorrowful figure kneeling, the orphanage director's eyes welled up with tears.]
[At that moment, Mrs. Isshiki, the head of the local residential committee, dressed in black, approached with her daughter, Iroha, holding her hand.]
[With red eyes, she gently took your hand and helped you to your feet.]
[After stroking your head and calling you a "good child," she passed your hand to Iroha, who led you away from the stifling atmosphere of the room.]
[After you left, Mrs. Isshiki wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and softly asked the director about your situation. The director sighed and began to recount your tragic experiences.]
[You had a good impression of the adorable Iroha and didn't mind holding her hand.]
[But despite that, you still wanted to return inside because the adults there were deciding your fate for the next several years.]
[It was precisely because you didn't want to leave her that you had to let go of her hand at this moment.]
[But Iroha didn't think that much. She quickly grabbed your hand again, holding it tightly with both hands, refusing to let you leave.]
[She only knew that something terrible had happened to you and that you needed a friend by your side.]
[Besides, her mother had already told her to be extra kind to Chisato-oniichan these days and to do her best to make him happy.]
[Unsure how to make you happy, she directly asked you.]
[Looking at Iroha's adorable, pink cheeks and her clear, innocent eyes that resembled a small animal, you answered, the way to make you happy…]
[1. Let me punch you. Just one punch, and if you cry, I'll feel better.]
[2. A kiss... If Iroha-chan kisses me, maybe I'll feel a little better.]
[3. Can you give me a hug?]
"Iroha-chan is just a child, and she's so cute. How could I think of hitting her?"
Wait, I'm a child too.
"But that doesn't mean I can do whatever I want!"
Except for special circumstances where you could disregard a girl's cries, you should never use violence in normal situations.
Chisato dismissed the first option. The second one also felt odd and inappropriate at this moment.
Even if he could feign sadness and trick Isshiki into giving him a kiss, it felt pointless. Besides, if an adult accidentally witnessed that scene, it would cause a lot of trouble.
Chisato loved watching other people's misfortunes but didn't enjoy becoming the center of attention himself.
The third option, then.
[You calmly replied to Iroha's question, "Could you give me a hug?"]
[Iroha seemed confused. Was a hug really all it took? She did as you asked, throwing her small body into your arms.]
[You felt her warmth as you rested your chin on her shoulder, pretending to be exhausted as you slowly close your eyes.]
[No matter how softly she called your name after that, you didn't open them again.]
[When Mrs. Isshiki came out of the house, she saw Iroha sitting on the edge of the porch with you curled up next to her, exhausted and fast asleep.]
[She looked at you, still showing such painful expressions even in sleep.]
[Thinking back to what the director had told her about your past, her heart overflowed with compassion, and her maternal instincts surged.]
"Did I not choose any acting-related talent at the start of this simulation?"
Chisato began to question himself. Given his current performance, the simulated version of him seemed incredibly adept at acting, pulling off one scheme after another.
Judging by his intelligence and how things were unfolding, he certainly didn't seem like a regular nine-year-old.
Or maybe, it was his perfectly executed choices that led to this reversal of fate.
Feeling a bit smug, Chisato continued reading.
[That night, after returning home, Mrs. Isshiki talked with her husband for over three hours.]
[Afterward, she entered Iroha's room, waking up her already-asleep daughter, and asked her thoughts about you.]
[Still groggy from being woken up, Iroha didn't understand why her mother was asking such questions in the middle of the night.]
[But under her mother's persistent urging, she quickly responded in a positive light.]
[She liked you, her older brother by a few years. You were smart, resourceful, and always played all kinds of games with her.]
[After hearing this, Mrs. Isshiki exhaled slowly, her resolve quietly strengthening.]
[The next day, the orphanage director and Mrs. Isshiki called you to the courtyard. With gentle tones, they expressed their thoughts.]
[In short, Mrs. Isshiki hoped you could live with their family from now on.]
[Happiness came so suddenly and unexpectedly. Your response was…]
[1. Sure! (Instant agreement).]
[2. I don't want to trouble you. I still wish to stay in this home and take care of my adoptive mother (sincere response).]
[3. I'm sorry, my mind is a mess right now. I don't know what to do (hesitant and uncertain).]
Chisato squinted at the three options in front of him. His gut told him this choice could be significant.
He immediately discarded the first option.
Responding too eagerly would seem out of character and at odds with the "dutiful child" persona he had built, making his intentions too obvious.
At this critical moment, it was dangerous to appear too opportunistic.
The second option fit with the image he had portrayed so far.
But would rejecting the offer outright be a mistake? What if his refusal made Mrs. Isshiki reconsider her decision to take him in?
It was like when relatives offer you a red envelope during the New Year—you say you don't want it out of courtesy, but if they actually don't give it to you, it would be a disaster.
Typically, things don't unfold that way, but with this unreliable simulation, anything could happen. If that worst-case scenario did occur, all his earlier efforts would be wasted.
After much thought, Chisato settled on the third option.
It left room for future decisions and was the most believable reaction from a nine-year-old, whose mind wasn't fully mature yet.
This was the safest choice!
___
20+ advanced chapters on patreon.com/SenatusTheta
___
If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!
I'll fix it as soon as I can.
Upload rate: 2 chapters a day
Don't forget to check out my other translations!