"It's more of mutual cooperation than a confrontation."
"Although we are different individuals, we share the same fate."
Kaguya did not object to this.
Indeed, they did share the same fate.
Since Nagi had the diary as well, Kaguya was certain that she too had received the power granted by it.
Nagi propped her chin up with both hands and said, "Your status within the Shinomiya family doesn't seem very good, does it?"
"What exactly does Miss Sanzenin mean by that?"
"Hee~ Do you want to control the Shinomiya family?"
As soon as these words left Nagi's mouth, Kaguya's hesitation from the day before vanished completely.
"I can control the Shinomiya family myself. As long as I master this power, I can use force to rule the entire Shinomiya family and bring it under my control."
"Oh~ So you've already thought about it."
"Of course I have. Because of my background, I've never been accepted by the Shinomiya family. I was merely a princess waiting to be married off. If I can escape that fate, naturally, I would think about how to take control."
"But force alone isn't enough. If you use sheer force, most members of your family will only view you as a special individual, rather than as someone who deserves to rule. They'll interfere with your life more than ever."
Indeed, even with overwhelming power, unless she could fully control the Shinomiya family's assets and structure, interference in her life would remain inevitable.
She could resolve this by ruthlessly eliminating anyone who disrespected her, but could she really do such a thing?
The answer was obvious—it was unlikely.
She had to admit that seizing the position of heir to the Shinomiya family would be nearly impossible on her own.
"So, is Miss Sanzenin offering this condition to me?"
"Yes. If you're willing, I can help you fully control the Shinomiya family and claim the position of heir."
This was no small statement.
If anyone else had said this, Kaguya would never have believed it.
But coming from Sanzenin Nagi, with the Sanzenin family's vast influence in both politics and business, such a claim carried real weight.
If Nagi wanted to, she could use the Sanzenin family's name to pressure the Shinomiya family, forcing them into submission.
Kaguya was certain that the Shinomiya family's empire, no matter how vast, would collapse instantly if Sanzenin turned against them.
To avoid total destruction, the Shinomiya family would have no choice but to surrender and submit.
After a moment of contemplation, Shinomiya Kaguya finally spoke.
"You're offering this because of the diary?"
"Yes. You should know by now, wealth is useless compared to power."
Nagi's blunt statement resonated deeply with Kaguya.
In the past, she might have misunderstood the meaning of those words. But now that she had tasted real power, she understood them completely.
Wealth and influence were fleeting. True power was the only thing that mattered.
"He revealed his name to test the diary's rules," Nagi continued.
"But since he's exposed both his name and the city he lives in, it would be inappropriate for us not to take the initiative to contact him."
"For him, us reaching out and giving him material for the diary is mutually beneficial."
Nagi's intentions were now crystal clear, and Kaguya understood them perfectly.
"So, I'll also be part of this test."
"Exactly. He doesn't know who has access to the diary yet, so we need you to confirm whether our theories are correct."
"The position of heir to the Shinomiya family feels cheap in comparison."
"On the contrary, it's incredibly valuable, it's a test for the diary's host."
Nagi's lighthearted retort momentarily broke Kaguya's icy demeanor, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Indeed. Comparing the heir to the Shinomiya family with that person is like comparing night and day."
Although that person's identity seemed ordinary, his hidden depth was unparalleled.
"By the way, Shinomiya, have you drawn your lottery reward for today?"
"Why don't we try it now? My guess is, we'll get nothing good today."
"I have the same feeling."
The two of them exchanged a glance before taking out their diaries. They spun the large roulette wheel, and soon the results appeared.
[Thank you for participating.]
Yes, the results were exactly as they had expected. Not only did they fail to obtain anything good, they didn't receive anything at all.
The sight of those four words made both of their faces twitch involuntarily.
They looked at each other and saw the shared helplessness in their eyes.
Nagi let out a long sigh.
"It seems the diary's rules for us are different from its rules for him."
"Yes. His rules are those of the host, the diary's owner, while ours are merely those of readers."
Kaguya had reached the same conclusion.
"We observed him yesterday, and he reminded us about the lottery, which is why we received good rewards."
"As the diary's owner, his connection to us or the increase in the number of people reading his diary—directly benefits him."
"As for us, we probably need to interact with him directly to improve our chances in the lottery."
"The key lies with him."
A large portion of their assumptions had been confirmed, but some aspects still needed further testing.
The thought of actively approaching such a special individual gave Kaguya a headache.
She was not someone who enjoyed initiating contact with strangers.
However, that wasn't the most pressing issue right now.
What truly mattered was her position as heir to the Shinomiya family.
"So, Miss Sanzenin, will you transfer schools to meet him?"
Nagi looked conflicted for a moment.
"If it's necessary, then yes. We'll make contact with him directly."
Kaguya nodded slightly.
"So, when does Miss Sanzenin plan to act?"
"Right now, of course."
With a sly grin, Nagi pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Old Geezer, I need you to do me a favor."
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