Nagi, who had been listening nearby, suddenly blushed.
Clearly, after being led astray by the conversation earlier, her thoughts had also veered in the wrong direction.
She had genuinely believed Maria's assumption was correct.
Who knew it would turn out to be something entirely different?
Simply put, the diary was like a fishing line, luring numerous fish to take the bait.
Once a fish took the bait, it would no longer think about letting go.
Over time, it would grow accustomed to the presence of the fisherman holding the line.
As for whether the fish would one day transform into a mermaid and stay by the fisherman's side or become something else entirely, that was up to fate.
Nagi had fully grasped the diary's mechanics.
The generous rewards were the bait.
Everything was based on free will.
Those willing to take the bait would come forward, while those unwilling would walk away.
But once someone took the bait, it wasn't a temporary deal, it was for life.
Now that she understood this, Nagi no longer hesitated.
"I've made up my mind."
She slowly approached Ren, her cheeks still tinged with red.
"If I didn't already know... I wouldn't have made this decision."
"So, your thoughts just now were also wrong?"
"A thirteen-year-old girl actually thinking about stuff like that...."
Hearing this, Nagi's face, which had only been slightly flushed before, instantly turned bright red.
Clearly, it was her own fault for overthinking things.
"There are some things you just have to accept yourself. It's all about personal choice."
With that, Ren took out his diary and proceeded to complete his entry for the day.
"You've read today's diary, right?"
"Then let's test something."
"Will what you desire most in your heart right now manifest?"
Nagi swallowed nervously.
She took out her diary.
Her daily draw had been unlocked.
She selected the lottery option.
[Obtained: Vision (Geo).]
A pendant materialized out of thin air, bearing an orange-yellow rock emblem.
However, the emblem remained gray, indicating that the Vision had yet to be activated.
But unlike the last time, this one didn't glow, the Geo symbol remained dim.
"Why isn't it reacting?"
"A person can only have one elemental attribute."
"You already have one."
"Then... this must be for someone else."
Nagi was momentarily stunned before glancing at Maria.
After reading the diary, she knew that Maria would eventually leave in the future.
That was something she didn't want to happen.
She wanted Maria to stay by her side.
So, was this what she truly desired at this moment?
Taking a deep breath, she tossed the Vision toward Maria.
"Maria, this is for you."
Caught off guard, Maria instinctively caught the Vision.
The moment she touched it, the dull gray emblem turned a brilliant gold.
A sudden surge of weighty power filled her body.
She stared blankly at the glowing Vision in her hand.
This sudden change left Maria completely bewildered.
She had no idea why Nagi had done this.
But the instant she accepted the Vision and activated it, she realized she had been tricked.
"Maria, you can't leave me."
Maria's face showed a trace of helplessness.
She shot a slightly resentful look at Ren.
"Mr. Amamiya, you've written too many future events into your diary."
She didn't need an explanation, Nagi must have made this choice after reading about her future.
Looking at the glowing Vision in her hand, Maria knew she could no longer follow the path she had seen in the diary.
She had been pulled into the game.
Now, there was no way Nagi would grow independently without her.
As he had said from the very beginning, this was entirely Nagi's choice.
"These are your own decisions."
"Maria, even if I didn't say anything, would you really leave Nagi alone to grow up in an unfamiliar and uncertain world?"
Maria had no rebuttal.
She couldn't bring herself to abandon Nagi in an unknown environment.
Especially when that world might be far more complicated and dangerous than she had imagined.
She looked down at the Vision in her hand and sighed.
At this point, even if she didn't want to make a choice, Nagi had already made it for her.
"I really can't leave Nagi-chan to face such an unknown future on her own."
She let go of any lingering doubts in her heart.
Ren quietly observed.
Come to think of it, a maid possessing the Geo element seemed fitting.
Steadfast, reliable—it suited Maria's role perfectly.
She was the first person close to him to benefit from this.
Would the same happen with Shinomiya next?
Or perhaps the second wave of diary holders was about to appear?
Even Ren himself wasn't entirely sure how the selection process worked.
The diary's choices seemed far too unpredictable.
Did the diary truly select holders based on their desires?
If so, then Sonoko's wish should be the strongest among them.
By that logic, she should be the first in the second wave of recipients.
But the specifics remained uncertain.
Only through further testing could he uncover the true rules behind the diary's selection process.
"Any other questions?"
Nagi shook her head slightly.
She had already received all the answers she wanted.
It was time. She had made her choice.
She refused to carry the regret of an unresolved argument.
One day, she would face her mother again and say what she needed to say.
Her mother was the person she loved most.
But she would not allow herself to live with regret.
This time, Nagi stood up straight and expressed her most formal gratitude to Ren.
"Thank you, Amamiya."
Perhaps the diary's selection process had not been Ren's decision.
But the benefits she had gained from it were all thanks to him.
And for that, she owed him a proper thank-you.
This was an opportunity she had unknowingly been given.
And it was far more precious than the power she had received.