(4/5)

  Today, the Amamiya household was unusually lively.

  Sihe diary holders had never formally gathered before, a proper meeting was arranged after school.

  Naturally, the Amamiya residence was chosen as the venue.

  As the diary's owner, it made sense for Ren's home to serve as the tral meeting point.

  This time, the group naturally split into three smaller fas based on familiarity:

  The first group sisted of Ran and Sonoko.

  The sed included Kaguya and Hayasaka.

  The third was posed of Nagi, Isumi, and Maria.

  Each fa sat in separate ses of the room, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense and quiet.

  ---

  Breaking the silence, Sonoko was the first to speak.

  "I was w why you, of all people, would go to an amusement park for no reason."

  Her gaze nded on Kaguya.

  "Whether it was you or that tsundere brat, you totally got caught that day."

  "My dad even picked up on some clues."

  Both Kaguya and Nagi reacted with surprise.

  "That frozen RV wasn't a big enough hint?"

  Kaguya hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly.

  "That was my mistake."

  "The power I obtaihat day caused a far greater rea than I expected during my initial test."

  "I had Hayasaka up the situation afterward."

  "I didn't think it would still attract attention."

  Sonoko rolled her eyes.

  "The amusement park's internal data was erased, but my dad started iigating from the outside."

  "I thought nothing would e of it."

  "But a low-resolution photo actually got captured."

  That was an ht.

  Kaguya uood immediately, it was her fault.

  She had instinctively used her newly acquired power without sidering the sequences.

  "I take responsibility."

  "I had just obtaihat ability, and my curiosity got the better of me. I didn't anticipate it would be that overwhelming."

  "No kidding."

  Hayasaka took the opportunity to pin.

  "The ice from Kaguya-sama's ability didn't just freeze the RV, it gave me frostbite ihe vehicle."

  At that moment, Ren studied Kaguya with his spiritual vision.

  His eyes locked onto something within her, her spiritual body had an unusual presence.

  Something was attached to her.

  A parasititity.

  Sensing dahe presence immediately went still.

  Ren quickly deduced what kind of puya had acquired.

  ---

  "A Devil Fruit."

  "And a powerful o that—the Ice-Ice Fruit."

  Re Kaguya's gaze.

  "A Logia-css ability like this tains terrifying power. It freeze anything in an instant even the o."

  "If used correctly, it permaly alter an isnd's climate and terrain."

  "!?"

  Kaguya's eyes widened slightly.

  She had never imagihat the inedible fruit she ed would grant her su extraordinary ability.

  "Of course," Ren tinued, "with great power es great risks."

  "This is something you o be aware of."

  Kaguya's expression turned serious.

  "I uand."

  "There's no such thing as power without sequences."

  She paused for a moment before rising from her seat.

  "Speaking of which, I haven't properly thanked you yet, Amamiya."

  "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gaihis ability."

  Ren shook his head slightly.

  "This is a power you obtained yourself."

  "No."

  Kaguya's voice was firm.

  "This power came from the diary."

  "If not for you, I would never have had this opportunity."

  She uood that perfectly.

  No, to be precise, she had uood it from the start.

  Growing up in the Shinomiya family, she was well aware of how opportunities were gained.

  ---

  "In addition," she tinued, "I also owe you an apology for testing you st time."

  "Testing me?"

  Ren g her thoughtfully before realization dawned.

  "…I see."

  "You wao see if I could use the diary to manipute you, if I had the power to force you to submit."

  Kaguya nodded slightly.

  That had been aest she had carried out i.

  "As rude as it was, I o know."

  Ren uood.

  A diary that could grant such powerful rewards was naturally something that invited suspi.

  And if the owner of such a diary harbored ulterior motives, the risks to its holders would be immeasurable.

  It was an ahat o be verified.

  Had he been in her position, he would have dohe same thing.

  "Don't worry about it."

  "If I were you, I'd probably reach the same clusion."

  "If the diary's influence was in the hands of someone dangerous, then the so-called gift wouldn't be worth having."

  "Thank you for uanding."

  Kaguya gave a small bow of appreciation.

  "Since we're on this topic," Ren said, "I'll repeat what I told Sanzenin."

  He proceeded to expin what he had discussed with Nagi.

  Everyone present grasped the implications.

  They also uood the price attached to the diary.

  Sonoko, however, had her own take on it.

  "It's not just about the diary's rewards."

  She tapped her in thought.

  "There's also the future knowledge that Amamiya has brought to us."

  "Maybe there's a gap between the diary's story and our actual future, but the information is still valuable."

  "We know the future, and we also know that it ge."

  "I'd say that's part of the cost too."

  She g Ren.

  "The diary forces us to stay ected to you."

  "In other words, our futures are bound to you in some unusual way."

  "Maybe we'll bee lovers, maybe we'll just be friends, or maybe we'll end up as partners."

  "But if it ever reaches that point, then it wouldn't be a cost at all."

  "Wouldn't it just be something both sides willingly accept?"

  ---

  "That's true."

  Kaguya nodded slightly.

  "The initial eay not have been our choice."

  "But the decision to maintain this e is ours to make."

  "If things develop further iure, it wouldn't be a price to pay."

  "It would simply be the natural course of events."

  Perhaps, at the beginning, it had felt like fate was being forced upon them.

  But ohat forced e turned voluntary…

  Then, from that moment on, it was no longer a burden—but a choice.