Twin-Goddess Elvina

When I was young, I met a goddess.

I don't mean goddess as in a stunningly beautiful woman, but a real goddess—a genuine, honest-to-goodness goddess.

Even when I tell people this story, hardly anyone believes me, but it's the absolute truth.

It happened when I was six years old. We were together for only seven days.

But for me, Shoma Sojo, it was such an intense experience that those seven days felt like a lifetime, and it was more than enough time to fall in love.

She had six gleaming wings on her back. That detail remains crystal clear in my memory.

Though even without such obvious proof, I wouldn't have doubted for a second that she was a goddess.

Her beauty was so far beyond human comprehension.

Let's go on a date!

Hand-in-hand with the older girl who smiled innocently, I walked through the light.

I can't remember where it was now, but a field of flowers became our private date spot.

The goddess was fascinated by the world humans lived in—she called it the Human Realm—and I eagerly told her everything I knew.

In return, she often told me about the land of gods—Heaven.

It was a world where many goddesses like herself lived—a world free of conflict, and full of peace and beauty.

When the time came for her to return to heaven, the goddess said with a smile:

When you grow up, Shoma, I'm sure we'll meet again.

When I was little, my strict nanny would often scold me for easily crying.

But then, for the first time, I was able to hold back my tears through sheer willpower. It was my first moment of masculine pride.

Watching her beautiful six wings disappear into the light, I made a promise.

Someday I'll become a man worthy of you and come to heaven to find you.

And with that—

My first love—for a goddess whose name I didn't even know—became the center of my entire life.

I had long been undergoing a strict education to inherit the mantle of the Sojo family—among the most powerful in the world. But more than that, I chose, of my own will, the path toward becoming a man worthy of a goddess.

I asked for more lessons—even the ones I used to dread. I even welcomed my nanny's increasingly strict training.

When I entered elementary school, I ran for class representative.

I was always at the top of my class on tests. Especially in math—I was probably one of the best students in the entire country.

In gym class, I was always the last one standing in dodgeball—tough and unyielding.

And so I kept pushing myself to improve, relentlessly.

All in hopes that my accumulated feelings and wishes finally reached her heaven.

Because suddenly, I found myself in a heavenly paradise.

Six years had passed since that moment of first love—and I had reached my twelfth birthday.

The very prime of boyhood—or so I believed.

This year, I felt certain I would finally reunite with the goddess. I wanted her to see how much stronger I'd become—right away. But then, it happened.

Water flowed through the air in gentle waterfalls beside fields of flowers, and forests were lined with upside-down trees rooted in the sky like mirror reflections.

In the crystal-clear blue sky, multiple Earths shone like stars against the night.

I gazed in awe at that breathtaking, otherworldly scene that was so quiet and serene.

Hah! Outta my way. Outta my way!

Die, you filthy pig with wings!

My, how barbaric! Do be sure to spill every last drop of blood and entrails, won't you?

Aah—I wanna rip someone to shreds!

I saw women with two—or even four—wings crowding the skies and earth, shouting curses and battle cries in unbelievable roars and curses.

If every winged woman counted as a goddess . . . then every single one I could see was a goddess.

To be fair, the goddess from my memories had mentioned something about it.

There are lots of goddesses in heaven.

She did say that. But isn't this just way too many?

For the first time, I recoiled in horror at a truly terrible sight.

It was just like the chaos of war I learned about in history class.

Goddesses were ruining their pure white robes with the muck as they sprinted across the battlefield.

One goddess held a spear-like weapon but chose to take out another goddess with a divine high kick.

Yet another goddess, eyes blazing with unholy fury, jumped a different goddess and pounded her with divine knuckles.

And finally, goddesses charged at each other with divine war cries, slamming their foreheads together without hesitation.

In any case, it was way too savage to ever be called divine.

Publishers of mythology books would probably be losing their minds.

Wait—seriously? This is what it's come to?

History books would have to be rewritten, or at leased revised—that's how thoroughly shattering this image of goddesses was.

I don't know if it's the right way to describe it, but it looked like a violent mob of goddesses.

Staggering through the nightmare, my eyes were drawn to one figure—a goddess floating in the sky, radiating a blinding light.

Her long, lustrous hair looked as if every shade of this world's sky had been woven into deep sapphire strands.

She had crimson eyes that sparkled like jewels and pale pink lips that embodied gentle warmth.

Her translucent porcelain skin was wrapped in an even purer white dress like untouched snow, untouched by any dirt.

This goddess had six wings on her back, just like the goddess I'd fallen in love with as a child.

The divine radiance, the heavenly beauty before my eyes began to merge with my childhood memories.

My emotions were beyond words—all I could manage were trembling breaths that came in rhythm with my shaking body.

I'd finally found her. This was the goddess.

I had finally been reunited with my first love.

Why don't I have wings? I want to fly up to the heavens right now and hold her close.

But when that goddess glanced back at me for just an instant, her eyes held the cold gleam of a warrior.

I'd been grinning with joy—only to freeze in place, as if time had stopped around me.

That goddess pulled out twin black pistols—and without the slightest hesitation, opened fire on the other goddesses.

It was absolute chaos. Every time the six-winged goddess pulled the trigger, the two- and four-winged goddesses around her were sent flying like scraps of paper.

Gah!

Aah!

I felt my emotion-filled eyes roll back again—leaving only the whites showing.

But no matter where I looked, I couldn't find another goddess with six wings.

The angry shouts, the curses, and the explosions swept my consciousness away.

When I was young, I met a goddess and fell in love for the first time.

In a way, I had fallen in love with and had come to admire the very existence of goddesses themselves.

But in reality, goddesses were something else entirely—transcendent beings beyond imagination, beyond human understanding.

Heaven—the land of goddesses—was being consumed by flames of war, sparked by an unnatural outbreak of divine beings. Those flames would soon spread to Earth, pushing our human world toward the brink of ruin. But at the time, I had no way of knowing any of that.

And on a less world-shattering scale compared to that, one goddess had problems of her own.

My first love—Shoma Sojo's very first love—was also about to face a crisis of destruction.

This story takes place before Shoma Sojo was even born.

Once, the world came dangerously close to collapse.

Not from the earth's surface turning into a sea of fire from massive weapons, or giant meteors falling from the sky, or unknown bacteria transforming humans into monsters—none of the disasters depicted in movies. No, this was an apocalypse unlike anything from a disaster movie—gentle, quiet, and completely without bloodshed.

People all over the world began losing their motivation one after another, for no reason at all.

Even when told about this strange disease, people would respond:

What are you talking about? They're just being lazy.

Most people just rolled their eyes. In fact, when the problem first began spreading, governments didn't take it seriously at all.

However, that initial response sealed their fate.

By the time anyone noticed, people across the globe had slipped into a hopeless lethargy.

Adults were hit the hardest—most of them simply gave up on working altogether.

Agriculture, manufacturing, retail—every industry that kept the world running ground to a halt.

And from there, the world began to quietly waste away.

After all, the people living in that broken world didn't even have the will to fix it.

From the window of his limousine heading to school, Shoma gazed at the massive structure towering high into the sky.

He wore a brand-new three-piece suit today, but with his youthful sixth-grader's face, he still looked like he was playing dress-up rather than wearing it naturally.

The Sefirot Shaft . . . looks like they've expanded it again. I wonder what kind of new features it has now.

From the spacious back seat, Shoma murmured to himself.

The Sefirot Shaft—the colossal tower symbolizing the world's rebirth.

It served as the energy management center of a new era.

When it was first completed, it became Japan's first structure to surpass 500 meters. But after countless expansions, people say no one really knows how tall it is anymore.

There were even rumors—true or not—that they plan to keep expanding it until it reaches outer space.

As new functions are added to the tower . . . Young Master Shoma will now begin learning about them firsthand.

The young man behind the wheel caught Shoma's murmuring and replied gently.

His brilliant silver hair complemented the charcoal tailcoat he wore flawlessly.

He was Shoma's personal butler, Rin Ikaruga.

Many people sensed coldness in his sharp eyes behind his glasses, but Shoma knew there was a deep, enveloping warmth hidden within them.

They first met when Shoma was young because of a particular incident, and through various circumstances, Rin now worked as a live-in employee for the Sojo family. He was one of the people Shoma trusted most.

Really, young master, you should have mastered all of this long ago—especially the affairs of the Sojo family.

Meanwhile, the elderly woman in the passenger seat chided him with polite firmness.

Her name was Risa Asai—elegantly styled waves in her hair, her dignified posture complemented by a classically designed black apron dress.

She's one of the Sojo family's veteran maids who served as Shoma's nanny, entrusted with raising him by his busy parents.

At the very least, you've memorized the basics of ELEM—yes?

ELEM is even covered in textbooks, so don't worry about it, Risa.

Then let us hear it. We still have about five minutes until we reach school.

Even during the ride to school, she'd seize any chance to make him study. Risa was strict.

Even when suddenly put on the spot like this, Shoma crossed his legs dramatically as if accepting the challenge.

ELEM.

Discovered during the world's steady decline, it was a next-generation universal substance—a dream resource that not only functioned as high-performance energy, but could also be easily processed and repurposed in countless ways.

ELEM's creation was inspired by a wild idea that human motivation could be artificially produced for world recovery.

As a result, that experiment succeeded.

The Sojo family was responsible for making that project a success.

ELEM didn't just revive the human spirit—it was transformed into a universal substance and became the spark of the next industrial revolution. Energy and momentum returned to a stagnant world.

Even the cityscape passing by Shoma's limousine window was a product of cutting-edge tech.

By now, humanity was so deeply entangled with ELEM that the two were inseparable.

Shinju City, where Shoma lives, is a newly developed metropolis transformed by ELEM-powered technology following its discovery.

Just six years ago, this place had symbolized the world's decline—a city frozen in abandonment, littered with skeletal steel frameworks of half-finished buildings.

But now, Shinju City had become the flagship of the recovering world.

The massive circular city centered around the Sefirot Shaft was divided into six districts.

There's an office district lined with orderly skyscrapers, a residential district where people relaxed and recharged, and a commercial district brimming with shops and entertainment.

A commercial district packed with entertainment and retail facilities. A coastal district with artificial beaches used for fisheries and swimming, and a natural park zone that balanced forestry and tourism.

One large undeveloped district remains, but it was only a matter of time before it too would be put to use.

The enormous elevated railway circling the city's edge evoked the image of an angel's halo.

While technology like freely flying cars and robots capable of human-level work that were once imagined for the distant future didn't exist yet, Shinju City was steadily building a grounded, achievable vision of the future.

And Shinju City's breathtaking transformation—all of it—was made possible by one thing: ELEM.

And that's how we got to where we are today.

Shoma spoke with confident pride—about ELEM, and about the city he called home.

Young master! Your explanation earns a passing grade, but that posture! I always tell you not to rest your chin on your hand!

Even from the passenger seat, Risa kept a close eye on Shoma's every move—not even missing the way he rested his elbow on the door's window frame.

Risa, I'm not resting my chin on my hand. I'm training my neck and arm muscles by pressing my head and palm together like this!

Though it might sound like an excuse, Shoma was actually performing this mysterious training. His leg-crossing position was also part of some mysterious lower body core strengthening exercise, apparently similar to an invisible chair workout.

Really, you don't learn proper etiquette, and you just keep getting cheekier!

While an ordinary person would cower at the sound of Risa's scolding, Shoma had grown completely accustomed to it and knew exactly how to handle her.

My body's getting stronger, too. I'm going to become a man worthy of a goddess!

At Shoma's energetic declaration, Risa pressed her fingers to her forehead as if nursing a headache.

I don't enjoy nagging, you know. But this goddess business—

Now, now, Chief Attendant Asai. Young Master Shoma has properly mastered etiquette—he's simply choosing to be casual now that he has the foundation.

Gently persuaded by Rin from the driver's seat, Risa sighed.

What worried her had nothing to do with etiquette. It was Shoma's obsessive admiration for goddesses.

He met a goddess. He fell in love with a goddess. He'll date a goddess.

He'll marry a goddess.

For the heir to a global mega-corporation to constantly make such declarations without reservation, the stress on those around him was immeasurable.

But from Shoma's perspective, he couldn't see what was wrong with any of it.

The son of a family that controlled the world. If he wanted to choose a goddess as his companion, they should celebrate it.

But today, you must behave properly. After school, you have an important conversation with your father and mother.

Just as Risa emphasized this point, the limousine quietly stopped near the gates of Shinju Academy Elementary Division, Shoma's school.

Alright, we're here! See you after school, Rin!

Understood. Have a good day, Young Master Shoma.

As soon as Risa got out of the car first and opened the back seat door, Shoma sprang from the car and raced toward the school gate.

See you later, Risa!

You're supposed to say, "I'm off now!" And stop walking backwards!

Shoma passed through the school gate with a spring in his step—though somewhere along the way, his face had turned solemn.

The calendar system had been reset to align with the world's restoration, and roughly ten years had passed since then.

Divine Era Calendar year 10, April 20th—on this day, Shoma Sojo turned twelve.

And within that new chapter of human history, he would take his first, unknown step.

* * *

As the devastated world underwent recovery, various social systems were restructured along the way.

For example, compulsory education now barely existed in any country.

Many schools had adopted credit systems starting at the elementary level, with integrated programs from elementary through university becoming the norm.

But even as the world's systems changed to suit adult needs, kids in elementary school remained as innocent as ever.

During breaks, innocent chatter filled every corner of the classroom.

Boys absorbed in discussions about hobbies and anime. Girls chatting about trendy fashion items from social media.

And in true elementary school fashion, many would share their troubles about which boy or girl they liked.

Shoma, you've got a birthday party today, right? If it's one where normal people are allowed, I'm in.

When the final class of the day ended, Shoma's friend Mamoru Yamakawa came over to his desk.

If I had a birthday party to look forward to, I wouldn't be tense all day, and of course I'd invite you, Mamoru.

Oh, really? Your suit is extra sharp today, so I figured . . . Anyway, happy birthday.

Apparently he'd thought Shoma's perfectly styled suit was because it was his birthday.

Thanks. Today's just family business, you know.

What, don't tell me it's an arranged marriage? Has the-man-who'll-marry-a-goddess, Shoma Sojo, finally decided to date a normal woman?

Like someone whose time had run out, Shoma gave a wry smile.

Sorry, but that dream still alive! . . . The business is about Mother's company.

Oh, right, you mentioned this was coming up.

Getting it now, Mamoru scratched his crew-cut head.

So you won't be coming to school as much from now on, huh? It'll be lonely without you.

That's why I got all my credits ahead of schedule. But I'll still show up sometimes.

As both the heir to a major corporation and a notorious goddess otaku, Shoma was difficult to approach, so he had few friends.

Mamoru was one of the few who accepted him as he was.

He was the ace who led the ping-pong club to second place in the national elementary tournament, defeating top players with his signature unorthodox spin—the Mamoru Tornado. But beyond that, he was just a regular kid. Somehow, he and Shoma just clicked.

After knowing him so long, Mamoru understood the heavy responsibilities Shoma carried.

He knew that Shoma would eventually have to inherit the mega-corporation that ruled at the pinnacle of the world.

Look who's talking about arranged marriages. What's going on with you today anyway? Lately whenever you had even a little free time, you head straight to Hanako's place.

Mamoru was dating a girl named Hanako Tanaka from the neighboring class.

Because club activities kept him busy and limited their time together, he'd make frequent trips to the neighboring class, making the most of every moment together—from lunch breaks to even short five-minute breaks like this one.

Hearing this, Mamoru shrugged and laughed awkwardly.

Um . . . Hanako and I . . . we broke up.

What? You broke up? But you two were so lovey-dovey just yesterday!

Hanako wasn't really serious about me. I kind of suspected it from the start. It seems she just wanted any athletic guy as her boyfriend.

Just yesterday, Shoma had listened to endless romantic stories from Mamoru. He'd found it endearing.

Watching his friend's romance, he'd thought to himself how nice love must be.

Even so, I tried my best to be a good boyfriend but it didn't work out. Actually, trying so hard probably just made me seem clingy.

Clingy?

Hanako probably wanted something more casual. I might have messed up.

Mamoru pulled his smartphone from his pocket and showed Shoma the screen.

The home screen wallpaper was a photo of him and Hanako together.

It appeared to be in Hanako's handwriting.

Three days together!

The text was decorated with colorful formatting.

Mamoru, don't you have any regrets?

I do, but once I realized that being with me was becoming bothersome for Hanako, I figured it was hopeless.

As he talked, Mamoru seemed to be making peace with it. He quietly changed his wallpaper back to the default setting—letting Shoma witness this clean, quiet goodbye.

I thought love would be more fun than this. I guess even at this age, I still had illusions about romance.

Mamoru . . .

Shoma felt more dejected listening to this than his friend who was actually going through the heartbreak.

Probably sensing this, Mamoru smiled with forced brightness.

C'mon, the end-of-day meeting's starting!

With a cheerful smile, he patted Shoma's back and returned to his own seat.

Watching his heartbroken friend, Shoma found himself thinking once again about the first love that still filled his heart.

His first love was a goddess, and he still held that feeling close. But when he spoke about it, few people responded with Mamoru's understanding. Most of his classmates just snickered.

But other people's opinions didn't matter. No matter what anyone said, no matter what he learned about his friend's heartbreak, Shoma's convictions wouldn't waver.

When you grow up, we'll meet again.

He would simply continue believing in that promise from the goddess.

And today, he'd take another step on the path to adulthood.

* * *

The Sojo Conglomerate, with around fifteen hundred subsidiaries worldwide, owns countless buildings across Shinju City.

Right after school, Shoma rode with Rin to one of them—a high-rise near the heart of Shinju City, not far from the Sefirot Shaft.

Sojo Shinju City Double Towers.

Sixty-five floors above ground, three hundred twenty meters tall. A truly impressive sight.

Two identical towers, joined near their top floors by a spherical central structure.

Stepping onto the top floor, Shoma was greeted by a scale model of Shinju City—with the Sefirot Shaft at its center.

Across that large model, which spanned several meters in each direction, Shoma faced his parents.

The atmosphere was a bit too tense to call this a cozy family gathering.

It was Shoma's father—Shoji Sojo—who broke the solemn silence.

His slicked-back hair was just starting to show streaks of gray—he looked every bit the seasoned businessman.

But there was no intimidating presence about him. His gentle personality was evident in his demeanor.

I know it hardly needs asking, but . . . you understand what we're going to talk about, don't you, Shoma?

Of course!

At his father's gentle question, Shoma nodded firmly.

Some people might say it's distant for a father to speak so formally to his son. But Shoma knew that his father only used such polite language with people he respected. So he actually felt proud to be addressed that way.

In return, Shoma addressed his parents as Father and Mother with formal respect. He had decided in his heart that someday, when he could stand as their equal, when they were no longer figures he had to look up to, he would call them Dad and Mom instead.

I really think we could just abandon this old custom, you know.

This gentle father looked genuinely pained by the conversation they were about to have.

I don't intend to force it either. I already miss seeing you—and the thought of even less time together makes me sad.

It was Shoma's mother, Naoka Sojo, who continued in a blunt tone.

Her graceful figure in a tailored deep crimson business suit was one that anyone living in this city would have seen at least once.

In fact, there was hardly anyone worldwide who wouldn't recognize her.

Genius of the century, modern messiah, unified global president—many titles described Shoma's mother. She was now known as the world's most famous female CEO.

Moreover, this genius scientist and current head of the Sojo family who discovered ELEM and led the world's recovery.

The Sojo family had become the world's hope. Shoma would eventually shoulder that enormous responsibility.

Yet as Shoma looked back at his parents, his eyes showed no sign of weakness that might crumble under such pressure.

Well, I also followed the Sojo Code when I was twelve. I'm not planning to stop you.

Though Naoka was worried, she was determined to respect Shoma's will above all else.

In the Sojo family, it was tradition that at age twelve, members left the Main Residence to live independently in a secondary estate.

They left their parents to stand on their own and build wealth with their own hands. It was part of their imperial education.

Shoma's father, Shoji, had married into the family. His mother, Naoka, was the true heir of the Sojo line.

This iron-willed CEO had also overcome the Sojo family trial when she was Shoma's age.

When you underwent the trial, Mother, did you also discuss it with your parents like this, and were you discouraged from doing it?

Heh . . . I've mellowed out a lot since you were born, but when your grandparents were in their prime? They were ridiculously strict. Honestly, I hated them. Leaving home was easy—because I wanted to rebel against them.

To follow the family code—and rise above it—out of sheer rebellion. What noble pride that was.

Hearing about his mother's past, Shoma let out a sigh of admiration.

Your father and I hope you don't hate us that much.

Naoka adopted a slightly anxious, playful tone.

Now then, what will you do, Shoma?

Shoma steeled his resolve and stepped forward. Standing before his parents, he looked up with eyes blazing with determination.

I will follow the Sojo Code as well. Of my own free will.

Compared to the ancient times when the code was created, the Sojo family has grown tremendously. In fact, following such customs in this era might seem nonsensical.

But Shoma had made up his mind: to catch up to—and one day surpass—his extraordinary mother, he would begin by facing the code head-on, just as she had.

I love you both, Father, Mother . . . Actually, because I love you, I want to step out from your protection and achieve something on my own. I want to become the greatest man in the world.

Shoji and Naoka exchanged gentle smiles and nodded.

Become the greatest man in the world and claim the goddess. That was your dream, wasn't it, Shoma?

To pull off a dream that big . . . you've got to clear this moldy old code in one giant leap.

Shoma had told his parents about meeting the goddess when he was young. The two didn't laugh at it as a fairy tale, but continued supporting their son as he strived toward the day he would reunite with the goddess.

Don't worry. If Shoma keeps expanding the Sojo family's reach, whether it's a country above the clouds or a fairy tale world, he'll eventually be able to go there. Definitely.

Despite talking about such absurd things, Naoka's words were strangely full of conviction. She must have that much confidence in her work.

That's why I want to ask now—while I still can. When you left home, Mother . . . what was the very first thing you did?

Naoka had left home over twenty years ago to face the trial and soon founded her own company. It would take another decade before she perfected ELEM technology and brought it to the world.

What Shoma wanted to know was that untold missing chapter in her story.

Naoka crossed her arms and gazed upward as if nostalgic for the past.

A little girl, barely more than a kid, leaving home with nothing but what she could carry . . . Not many ways to earn money, either.

Her voice gradually took on a solemn tone, and Shoma held his breath.

That's right—illustration.

She spoke with a fearless smirk about her first profession.

Illustration . . . that's your hobby, right? That was your first job?

I was already inventing stuff back then, but with no connections. Nothing sold. And the world was at rock bottom. In situations like that, entertainment thrives.

Naoka was a scientific prodigy—said to have propelled human civilization forward by a full century. Though she now held the title of CEO, her roots were in engineering and invention. That she had started out as an illustrator was something even Shoma had never known until now.

I started drawing for money when I was ten . . . It was rough, but within two years I could at least feed myself. Being able to draw better than most people—that was the only thing I had to my name when I turned twelve.

People often talk about starting from nothing, but the skills you acquire are valuable tools you can carry even when you have nothing else—irreplaceable assets. His mother was teaching her son this lesson.

I left the Main Residence. But heading straight to the secondary home felt too dull. So I grabbed a tent, my phone, and my graphics tablet—and decided to hole up in the mountains. Turns out the mountain was Sojo property too . . . but it was totally abandoned, so I figured I'd claim it as my own private castle.

Amazing.

Shoma was astounded, but Shoji, who had heard this heroic tale many times, smiled quietly to himself.

But being an untouched mountain, wild animals had naturally settled there in droves. The most troublesome were definitely—bears.

Bears come out on Sojo mountain? I'd like to see that sometime too.

It's life-threatening, you know? Even I couldn't take on wild animals with my bare hands. But the only thing I had that could be used as a weapon was my graphics tablet pen. I swung that thing desperately and deflected a bear's claws when it swiped at me.

That made sense. Naoka excelled in both academics and martial arts and was skilled at survival. Shoma had witnessed her strength and toughness once when they went camping together, just the two of them.

Even she had her hands full just protecting herself against a bear.

There was no elementary school girl in the world who could defeat a wild bear with her bare hands.

Naturally, fighting the bear wore down the pen tip. My spare pen tips were running low. Just when I thought this was it, strangely, the bear began to approach me peacefully. Moreover, when it sensed I was drawing, it would quietly watch from a distance.

Shoma pictured the scene in his mind.

There was his twelve-year-old mother, leaning against a tree trunk with a graphics tablet on her lap, drawing illustrations.

A wild bear watched over her from the shade of the trees.

Such a captivating scene!

That image alone could have been a masterpiece painting for the ages.

Then one day, that bear finally came up to me while I was drawing and gave me a handful of nuts. I was so happy. That was my first tip ever!

A tip. Not payment for work, but support.

The first one to give her that tangible form of support was a wild bear, her worthy opponent who became a supporter.

Forming bonds even with wild animals through one's work—that's what makes a true creator.

Shoma saw what it meant to be a true professional in his mother's life.

That gave me momentum—and from there, it all snowballed. I started taking on bigger projects, founded a company . . . made it grow. A bunch of things happened, and then I discovered ELEM. After that, the company got ridiculously huge. I even ended up absorbing my father's company!

What do you mean “various?”

You know . . . stuff.

Though she'd glossed over most of the details, he was at least able to learn how his mother had built up her current position.

By the way, the first person to apply for a job at Mom's company was me. Back then it was hard to find work, so I was pretty much willing to take anything, but look how things turned out. Life is unpredictable, isn't it?

Shoma’s father, who had been listening so happily up to that point, cheerfully shared his own memories.

What he meant by how things turned out was quite an understatement.

I'd never given men a second thought before, but the moment I saw your dad—bam, it hit me. Well, that's a first love for you.

He'd probably heard this story of how they met about four thousand times by now—but it always gave Shoma hope, knowing that his parents had married for love . . . and that his mother's very first love had come true.

That's precisely why even when his peers cynically denied love, or when friends were defeated by heartbreak, he alone could keep believing.

He could believe in his first love for the goddess he'd continued nurturing in his heart.

If you take your work seriously . . . the people around you will recognize it and follow. Nothing's changed for me—whether I was just a humble illustrator or now, running a thousand-company empire. Right, Shoji?

Naoka spoke sweetly and leaned gently against Shoji's shoulder. The two were incredibly affectionate, sometimes getting so lovey-dovey it was embarrassing for their son to watch.

If you give it everything you've got—like your life depends on it—you can get through anything. Education, experience, background—whatever you're missing, make up for it with pure grit.

Naoka had put this very philosophy to work, rapidly expanding her business and saving the world through ELEM.

When the woman who led the entire Sojo Conglomerate said this, no one could raise any objections.

So Shoma, I'm entrusting this place to you. Do your best.

Naoka encouraged him while gesturing toward the scale model of Shinju City.

But her gesture was vague, sweeping with her palm, so it was unclear which part of the city she was pointing to.

This place, you mean this building?

Shoma pointed to the Double Tower building reproduced in the model—the place where he currently was—but Naoka shook her head with a mischievous smile.

All of it.

With that, Naoka drew a large circle with her finger, encompassing everything in the miniature garden spanning several meters.

Research and Development City, Shinju City—all of it, I'm entrusting to you.

All of it?

Eventually, yes.

Seeing Shoma's astonishment, Shoji offered gentle support.

This city is just one model case of Sojo's world regeneration project—the Sefirot Project. Mom and I are doing the same thing all over the world. It's only natural to give our son a piece of it, right?

Naoka gently patted Shoma's shoulder and gave him encouragement with a hearty smile.

Don't worry about destroying a building or two—just do whatever you want to do!

Mother!

His mother's generous encouragement eased Shoma's tension.

You'll have Risa, Rin, and Shia with you, so don't worry.

At the sound of Shoji's gentle voice, Shoma turned around.

The servants entered the room at Shoji's signal—Rin Ikaruga, Risa Asai, and one more person, a girl in a maid outfit standing next to Risa. All three bowed in unison.

She was Shoma's personal maid, Shia Ekumo.

A lively girl with bright hair swept up in a stylish hairdo, she had been taking care of Shoma for as long as Rin had.

Now that Shoma was moving to the Sojo Secondary Residence, all three were allowed to accompany him.

Risa, Rin, Shia—I'm counting on you to look after Shoma.

Shoji addressed everyone by their first name, whether they were butlers or maids.

Accepting this responsibility, Risa and Rin bowed deeply.

Understood, sir.

I swear on my life, I'll protect him, no matter what.

Shia, on the other hand, answered characterteristically.

Understood, sir!

She responded with a playful modern gesture—a sideways peace sign and a wink.

The she was a personal servant like Rin, Shia was usually much more lighthearted, but when it came to her duties, she was completely professional.

The fact that Risa was grooming her as the next head maid was proof enough of her abilities.

Seeing the servants his parents were entrusting him with, Shoma clenched his fist and channeled his overwhelming motivation into words.

Father, Mother—I'll give it everything I've got as president! I'll make Shinju City bigger than ever!

That's what I like to hear! Now I can send you off without worry. Go become a great man!

You've got this, Shoma!

From parent to child, a legacy was passed. Their words lit a fire in Shoma's heart, and he renewed his resolve.

Before leaving the floor, Naoka called out to Risa.

Please take care of Shoma for me, Risa.

Please take care of yourself too, Naoka.

No, no, I should be telling you that. Seriously, live a long life. I want you to live peacefully from now on to make up for all the trouble I caused when I was a brat.

I'm fine. Thanks to your . . . thanks to ELEM, my health is much easier to manage. I'll take your advice and take it easy from now on.

There was something between them—even Shoma could feel it. A quiet bond built over years, too deep for him to step into.

Shoma smiled, hoping he could nurture such bonds with Rin and Shia as well.

After the discussion about Shoma's independence, a private family birthday party was held in the event hall of the same building.

The cake and feast, lovingly prepared by Risa, Rin, and Shia, brought color and warmth to the celebration.

His parents had urgent work waiting after, so the meal wasn't especially long, but what made Shoma happiest was how they never once showed it. They celebrated his twelfth birthday with all their heart—and that meant everything to him.

In that brief time, Shoma etched his parents' smiles deep into his memory.

So he'd always have them to remember when he felt alone.