In truth, the story of Kaguya. and Shirogane Miyuki is a good one, especially the early parts. The back-and-forth testing and battle of wits between the protagonists make for a highly entertaining dynamic.
Ren remembered enjoying the initial chapters immensely when he first read them.
However, since the real Kaguya had already made her decision, there was no need to dwell on the topic further.
He chose his words carefully.
"Amamiya!"
Hayasaka suddenly raised her hand, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"What happens between Miss Kaguya and the male protagonist in the original story?"
"Hayasaka!"
Kaguya shot her a sharp glare, her tone icy with warning.
Yet Hayasaka's curiosity refused to be quelled.
Ren shook his head slightly, a small sigh escaping him.
"There's no conclusion. Shinomiya-san just said she didn't want to be controlled by the narrative."
"Her decisions and actions altered the trajectory of her future."
"But if you ask me, I think her upbringing, her family education was the real reason for the divergence from the original story."
"Oh? And why is that?" Hayasaka tilted her head, intrigued.
"Strict family education. A mindset that prioritizes the family's benefit above all else. A lack of freedom. Those factors shaped Shinomiya-san into someone who can calmly evaluate both herself and others."
"Although the original story was quite entertaining, with the male and female protagonists constantly engaging in amusing antics, it's important to note…"
Ren paused before continuing, "In comedic stories, there are always so-called 'clowns.'"
With that, he stopped talking, leaving his point implied but unsaid.
Kaguya didn't need him to elaborate further. She understood what he meant.
In comedic stories, the protagonists are often portrayed as "clowns" whose exaggerated actions are designed to amuse the audience.
"'Clowns' naturally behave in a way that provokes laughter from their audience. Otherwise, how would the story remain entertaining?"
"Hey~ So Miss Kaguya was the clown of the story?" Hayasaka's curiosity only grew stronger.
"Amamiya, could you explain that part in more detail?"
Ren glanced at Kaguya, whose expression had darkened considerably.
He couldn't help but think Hayasaka's curiosity might land her in trouble later.
"Miss Kaguya, isn't this a good opportunity to understand what you might have become if you had chosen differently?" Hayasaka teased, unfazed by her employer's growing irritation.
"Besides, isn't Miss Kaguya at least a little curious?"
"…Hayasaka, we'll discuss this when we get home," Kaguya said through clenched teeth, her fists trembling in restraint.
At that moment, she truly wished she could freeze Hayasaka into an ice sculpture.
But as much as she tried to suppress it, her curiosity about her own story was undeniable.
No matter how much she claimed she wouldn't follow someone else's narrative, the desire to know what had been planned for her lingered in the back of her mind.
Taking a deep breath, she finally gave in.
"Amamiya-san, I admit… I'm a little curious about the story."
"Could you tell me about it?"
"Of course."
"But I feel like you're walking straight into the fire," Amamiya thought.
Still, there was a certain amusement in watching someone actively seek out details they knew would embarrass them.
"Well then," he began. "I'll try to summarize your trajectory in the original story."
"First, there's the version of you known as 'Ice Kaguya.'"
"In that state, you're guarded against anyone who isn't part of your inner circle. You're like a hedgehog bristling with sharp needles, keeping everyone at a distance."
"Then, something happens—you realize your feelings for the male protagonist. That leads to the second phase: 'Love-Brained Kaguya.'"
"In this phase, your thoughts revolve around one thing, getting the male protagonist to confess his feelings for you."
"Why? Because, in your mind, 'love is war.'"
"In a war, the first person to confess is the one who loses. That belief becomes your guiding principle, and you make it your mission to manipulate the situation so that the male protagonist confesses first."
Ren's tone remained calm, but his words carried an undeniable sense of irony.
"Of course, the male protagonist holds the same belief. He sees himself as inferior and believes that in order to maintain his dignity in love, you must confess to him instead."
"So, the two of you engage in a prolonged battle of wits, each determined not to be the first to admit your feelings."
"It's absurd and convoluted, but that's exactly what makes the story so funny."
"Ice Kaguya… Love-Brained Kaguya…"
Kaguya's face turned red with embarrassment as she dug her toes into the ground, trying to process everything Ren was saying.
Even the concept of "love as war" sounded uncomfortably like something she might have thought of.
"It's too idealistic," Kaguya finally muttered, her embarrassment giving way to a more critical perspective.
"The story doesn't account for the pressures of the Shinomiya family."
"If I acted so self-centeredly, it would only be a matter of time before the Shinomiya family intervened. And when they did, I doubt the protagonists in the story would end up with a happy ending."
"According to the story, though, it does have a happy ending, doesn't it?"
"To reach that ending, there must have been upheaval within the Shinomiya family, right?"
"That's correct," Amamiya confirmed. "The Shijo family made a move, which destabilized the Shinomiya family."
"…I thought as much," Kaguya said with a sigh.
She wasn't surprised by this revelation.
The Shijo family had long been eager to weaken the Shinomiya family, so it was only natural for them to seize any opportunity to attack.
In reality, Kaguya had already uncovered significant internal corruption within her family's ranks. She had no doubt that the Shijo family had been gathering similar information for years, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"I can imagine how it would play out," Kaguya said.
"With the Shinomiya family in turmoil, my eldest brother would see me as a tool to stabilize the situation, likely by arranging a political marriage with the Shijo family."
"You're absolutely correct."
Hearing this, Kaguya could only shake her head.
"What a reckless scenario. The idea of fighting the Shinomiya family head-on while also trying to rescue me? It's the kind of thing that only works in fiction."
"In real life, the male protagonist wouldn't stand a chance. If my brother called the police, he'd be arrested immediately."
"Stories like that only succeed because they're stories."
"Then what about your friends?" Ren asked.
"My friends…?"
"Fujiwara Chika, for instance. Or the maid beside you," he added, glancing at Hayasaka.
"To give you an example," he said with a smirk, "after the story ended, Fujiwara Chika ended up running for office in a political election and she won by a landslide."
"…" That's ridiculous," Kaguya said, her voice flat.
She wanted to laugh, but the thought of Chika holding a political position was too unsettling to be amusing.
It might sound like a joke, but something about it felt eerily plausible and that made it even harder to process.
***
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