Little Sister Shirogane's Request (Continued)

"If you need anything, take it out on me!"

Shirogane's Father said with his hands pressed together.

Hmm...

That made Oreki fall silent, too.

Just as expected.

He really couldn't expect anything from Shirogane's Father.

What did he mean, come to him if he needed anything?

If he really did need something and went to him, that would be terrifying, okay?

Though he thought that, Oreki still noticed that when Shirogane's Father said all this ridiculous nonsense, his attention had been fixed on him the whole time.

Or rather...

Was Shirogane's Father actually testing his reaction?

Hmm...

That made sense.

Kei Shirogane was very innocent, but her father had been running around outside all this time, so his inner growth must have been considerable.

In other words...

Kei Shirogane had probably already told him about Oreki under her father's masterful verbal techniques.

In that case...

This Shirogane's Father was probably wondering whether he had deliberately approached his daughter.

That was why he wanted to test him like this.

And faced with this kind of questioning from Shirogane's Father...

If he had a guilty conscience, he would indeed be at a disadvantage.

He might even be utterly defeated in front of Kei Shirogane.

So he had to answer properly.

However.

The people in this world were very smart, but this world was also very realistic.

Oreki looked at Shirogane's Father without changing expression.

"That is indeed the case."

"I used your daughter."

"But."

"As the price, the problem with your work is about to be solved."

"And Kei gained the [comfort] of helping me. At the same time, in the process of helping me, her relationship with her classmates became closer."

"It raised her classmates' opinion of her."

"And once the problem with your work is solved, your income will rise."