Part-1 Ch-01 Ep-03

The “Interesting woman” strategy is a tactic in which the heroine, precisely because she is the heroine, wins the affection of the capture targets by making full use of her own personal strengths.

(My own analysis)

For example, imagine a boy who is genuinely kind-hearted, yet avoided by those around him because of his brusque manner of speaking.

If the heroine approaches him without hesitation and says something like, “With the way you speak, people are bound to misunderstand you. But the real you is much kinder and more decent than that, isn’t it?” and then simply leaves the scene.

It naturally turns into, “Who does she think she is, saying something like that… Hmph… What an interesting girl.”

(My own analysis)

Or take another example. Suppose there is an incredibly handsome playboy, a notorious womanizer, who casually approaches her with something like, “Hey, want to hang out with me? I’ll treat you well.”

In a situation like that, if she coolly brushes him off and says, “I’m not playing around. Don’t assume you can toy with every girl you meet,”

It becomes, “A girl who doesn’t fall for me… What an interesting girl.”

(My own analysis)

All of these are, of course, exaggerated recollections drawn from the games I played in the past. After all, these are memories from more than sixteen years ago. Memories have a way of becoming embellished over time.

Rather than a specific skill, I think it is simply a matter of the heroine not losing sight of who she truly is, genuinely looking at the other person, and choosing her responses accordingly.

Even though there are no visible choices. Status screens do appear, however. That is why I have always told Maki, “Maki, stay just the way you are. Don’t lose sight of yourself. You, as you are, are the best.”

I believed that nurturing her self-esteem would somehow allow everything to fall into place.

I am no expert in cultivating talent or anything like that, so all I could do was stand beside her, more like a friend than a parent.

Whenever Maki seemed troubled or found herself facing a wall she could not overcome, I was always there by her side. And I kept telling her, “It’s fine to be Maki just as you are. I’ll always be right here to support you.”

Because of that, I believe she has grown into a dependable girl with a firm sense of her own values. Whether a heroine should be competent or a clumsy airhead is ultimately a matter of personal preference.

In games like these, the moment you make the other person think, “Heh, what an interesting girl,” you have already won.

Probably.

I think.

The current Maki should have all the favorable conditions neatly aligned for advancing the game. That is nothing more than hopeful speculation. Because this is, after all, the real world.

“Everyone, congratulations on your enrollment. Now, let’s begin with self-introductions.”

The homeroom teacher, who had entered the classroom where we were already seated and waiting, announced this without any preamble.

Yes, yes, yes.

Now the presence of the super-cute Maki is going to draw everyone’s attention. The capture targets will surely notice her as well.

As each student stood up and gave their self-introduction one after another, rather than worrying about my own turn, I was eagerly waiting for the moment Maki would rise from her seat.

“I’m Ichinose Maki . My hobby is making sweets. I’ve practiced judo since I was little. I hope to have a fun school life. Nice to meet you all.”

Simple and straightforward. And “I’ve practiced judo”… I was not expecting that kind of gap, but it is fine. I think it adds to her charm. Yes.

In fact, Maki is somehow incredibly strong.

Maki glanced back slightly and made eye contact with me, seated at the back of the classroom. Yes, cute. That faint smile on her face is adorable.

As she smiled in my direction, the students seated along the way visibly perked up, regardless of gender. At that moment, I noticed something else that was equally important.

The silhouette of a boy who twitched slightly during Maki’s self-introduction. A little while after Maki finished, that boy stood up.

“I’m Kagami Shin. This is originally my hometown, but I lived in America for ten years due to my parents’ circumstances. While I was there, I tried all sorts of things, sports, music, anything that caught my interest. If anyone shares the same hobbies, I’d like us to get along.”

He’s here.

The memories of the acorns and flowers we were never able to give him. The arrival of capture target number one, Shin Kagami, the boy who loved acorns, pinecones, and pill bugs.