So Many Geniuses in Omni-Anime! What's One More?

Most things could be built freely, but if you wanted to put up a mountain-sized castle in the sky... that wasn't allowed.

They couldn't let you ruin the world's overall atmosphere and skyline.

After marveling at it for a while, she followed him into the living room.

"Let's pick up where we left off at BAMBOO, Miss Sakayori." He settled comfortably onto the sofa and invited her to sit.

"Um..." Sakayori Iroha searched for the right words.

"The part where you're really short on money," he reminded her "helpfully."

"Ah, right." Slightly wounded, Sakayori Iroha rolled her eyes, then explained, "I have to earn my own tuition and living expenses, so yes, money's pretty tight. That's the short version."

"Why?"

"Some things happened. My mother and I had a disagreement, and I thought this would be better for both of us, so I moved to the capital on my own." She didn't want to go into detail, especially with someone who had only visited her workplace a few times.

"I see." He didn't press her. What child would enjoy being questioned about that? "Life really is cruel, huh?"

"Yeah. It really is." More than two years of firsthand experience lent Sakayori Iroha's agreement considerable weight.

"But is your current part-time job enough?"

"I got a school scholarship, so I can just about manage. I've kept myself fed for two years, haven't I? Though it's been pretty rough."

She was a high school girl in the prime of her youth, yet life had already worn away her edges—or had she never had many to begin with?

Even before she moved to the capital, her mother's lectures, day after day, had worn those edges smooth.

"I see. Then—" He snapped his fingers and smiled. "How about a couple of rounds? Battle!"

"Huh?"