On Wednesday morning, in a forest deep within Saitama Prefecture, an isolated cliffside villa was gradually welcoming guests one by one.
"Inhale... Exhale..."
A fashionably dressed short-haired woman took a deep breath. Staring at the suspension bridge in front of her, she felt as nervous as if she were about to ride a roller coaster.
"Chikako, you have to seize this opportunity. This really is your last chance."
As a screenwriter, she understood all too well how many chances she'd missed in the past two years. Those two years had nearly drained all the prestige she'd gained. She didn't even have the luxury of making another mistake.
This time, asking an old classmate for help was her final chance. If she failed to grasp it, there would be no more doors left to knock on.
After psyching herself up, Chikako Ikeda stepped onto the suspension bridge that would decide her fate.
Inside the villa, Suzuki Ayako and Suzuki Sonoko had already been waiting for some time.
At this moment, even Ayako was feeling a bit tense. There was nothing wrong with attending a college reunion, but this time, it involved a decision about her own future—possibly even her destiny. That made things more complicated.
Sonoko could easily tell her sister was nervous, and tried to comfort her.
"Sis, you don't have to be so uptight. Ren isn't that scary of a person."
Seeing her sister's carefree expression, Ayako didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
"You can say that because you know him and you're dating him. But I've never met him before, so of course I'm nervous."
Being able to interact so casually with someone who was leading her sister down a path that could potentially end in godhood—how could that be considered normal?
Only someone with a personality like her sister could face something so calmly.
"Oh, don't worry so much. Ren's personality is actually really good. He just doesn't talk much when he's around strangers. But after spending more time with him, he opens up a lot."
Sonoko knew exactly why her sister was so on edge, but what else could she do?
Since yesterday, she'd been trying to calm Ayako down. But the moment this situation actually arrived, her sister just couldn't relax.
That was understandable though. Even Sonoko had been overwhelmed on the day she received her own powers.
Even though her power was classified as supportive, the ability to meet anyone without needing an appointment was downright abnormal.
She might not have direct combat strength like Ran, but that didn't mean she would never acquire such power in the future.
The knock at the door interrupted their conversation.
When the door opened, they saw Chikako Ikeda standing there, a travel bag slung over her shoulder. She still looked presentable, but no longer had the bright energy she once did during college.
"Long time no see, Chikako."
"You too, long time no see, Ayako."
Compared to Ayako's calm and gentle greeting, Chikako Ikeda seemed noticeably reserved. She even held Ayako's offered hand with both of hers.
Ayako wasn't surprised in the slightest.
After two years of struggling in society, people who once thought highly of themselves were often worn down by reality. How could someone like that still put on a prideful front in front of someone who might help them?
Only a complete fool would do that.
"Come on in. We can talk inside."
Ayako didn't make things difficult for her former classmate and instead welcomed her inside.
Chikako Ikeda stepped into the villa with a bit of nervousness.
In the living room, she saw a younger Sonoko waiting.
Chikako naturally recognized Suzuki Sonoko, Ayako's younger sister. Back during their university club days, Ayako had occasionally brought Sonoko along.
"Long time no see, Chikako."
Sonoko greeted her with a friendly smile from where she sat.
"It's been a while, Sonoko."
Chikako gave a polite bow in return.
Seeing this, Sonoko's lips curled slightly. It wasn't easy to tell, but the proud attitude Chikako once had had been completely worn down.
Still, the fact that she could lower her head and come ask her sister for help showed she understood her current situation and who could offer her a lifeline.
Of course, even then, all Ayako was offering was a chance.
"Chikako, it's rare for you to ask my sister for help. But I'm curious—did you really write Blue Kingdom back then?"
Chikako, who had just sat down, suddenly froze. Looking at Sonoko's innocent curiosity, she forced a bitter smile.
"That... wasn't actually written by me."
Sonoko didn't look the least bit surprised. It was clear the once-proud screenwriter had finally realized how important actual ability was, and had stopped trying to hide things.
"That story was actually written by another girl from our drama club. She asked me to share it. I thought the fantasy world she created was rich and interesting, so I wanted to buy the rights."
Ayako's gaze instantly sharpened.
"Chikako... you didn't steal Atsuko story and drive her to suicide, did you?"
Chikako's expression changed immediately as she waved her hands in denial.
"Ayako, you know me. I was a little full of myself back in school, but I was just a regular student who got some results in the drama club. I wouldn't dare do something like stealing someone's work and pushing them to that point."
Hearing that, Ayako's expression softened a bit.
Indeed, after years as classmates, Ayako knew Chikako's character well. She could be arrogant and sharp-tongued, but she had never bullied anyone. At most, she had a bit of an attitude.
Chikako let out a small sigh, though her expression remained somber. She couldn't help but recall her friends suicide.
"Atsuko and I were never enemies. Back in the drama club, I wrote the scripts for most of the plays. You both should remember, the scripts I wrote weren't bad. Atsuko also liked writing stories, but she preferred fantasy rather than stage scripts."
"Her stories weren't really suited for stage performances, so we never used her scripts."
"Even though I knew she wrote something really good, I simply wanted to buy it. At that time, she was just a quiet member of the club, and I was the main scriptwriter. Why would I risk everything by doing something so shameless?"
"And besides, if I really had taken someone else's work, once it was discovered, I would've been ruined. I wouldn't have risked that kind of scandal."
Listening to Chikako's explanation, Ayako and Sonoko both nodded slightly.
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