plete stillness, without moving, or rather, everything almost crumbled and disappeared, especially with the depopution, as most of the people who lived in this area had already moved to the city as they had lost their opportunity in this small city, known as the Takayama City.

  This was the city where he lived and was also the inal city of the story of Hyouka.

  As he became Fukube Satoshi, he gained all his memories and naturally uood the ins and outs of this city, including those meanirivials that weren't needed in his life.

  Database.

  This was his title or even niame that he gave himself and agreed upon by the people around him.

  Still, while people might praise him for having such a title, which meant that he was knowledgeable about various things, it was a derogatory term for himself as instead of being able to know many trivial things, he wao bee a problem solver like Holmes, who he loved the most.

  Yes, uhe world of Kaguya, which ure romahe world of Hyouka was a slice-of-life story that was mixed with the mystery genre.

  As for why a slice of life instead of a romanbsp;

  Satoshi could only answer because the protagonist of this story was the young man before him, Oreki Houtari.

  "What's with those eyes? Are you looking down on me now? Or, rather, what's wrong with you, Satoshi?"

  "I think with your motto, you should just ignore me instead of questioning me, Houtaro."

  Smiling, Satoshi looked at Oreki, who was dumbfounded.

  Energy saver.

  This robably what Oreki described himself as.

  If he didn't have to do something, then he wouldn't do it, but if he had to do something, then he would do it effitly and as soon as possible.

  Still, Satoshi, who had lived as Ishigami previously, knew well that no matter how Oreki tried to beautify or make himself poeti the end, this guy was just zy.

  However, high school students are unique creatures, and they try to make themselves special and different from others, which makes them often imagihemselves as a special existehus, people also call such a creature "ibyou."

  Fortunately, Oreki's case was on the light side, and Satoshi also uood that if they could plete the work with just 10% of effort, then why should they give their everything, right?

  Energy saving.

  What a wonderful sentenbsp;

  Still, with his life as Ishigami before, Satoshi didn't think that he could do such a thing, especially when he had twest families before him, aiming for his life, which made him have to work harder.

  'There's also a pregnancy...'

  Watg the peaceful sery that was still filled with greenery, Satoshi closed his eyes as he could feel his lungs taking in the fresh air of the tryside.

  '2001...'

  What a strange year, Satoshi thought.

  Many believed Nostradamus predicted the end of the world in 1999, but as he was still alive in 2001, this predi was incorrebsp;

  Still, as he had arrived in this world, his mission was the same, and that was to date a girl, but frankly, it was easy for him since even though Satoshi was a shuy, he was only 160 cm tall, he had a girl that loved him, so if he wished to, he could plete the quest any moment, but somehow, he decided to enjoy his life in this new world for a while as it was a new experieo live in the tryside on 2001, he thought.

  While he could tell it would be b as the eai wasn't so advanced, he should probably be able to find his own fun.

  Still, Satoshi khat he had to handle Oreki, his close friend. "So, I guess I should be happy that I make you, the energy saver, worry about me. How cute~?"

  "Baka!"

  Oreka blushed, feeling embarrassed after being pyed by his "only" friend. 'What's happening?' He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried about his friend. After all, this friend of his had always been full of energy, lively, and like a husky, but somehow, a hint of mencholy appeared on his face, which was so different from his usual side.

  So—

  "...did you find out that you have a critical illness, Satoshi?"

  "Are you cursing me?"

  "You are weird!"

  "What's so weird? We're in our youth, so isn't it normal to think about our life?"

  "So, what is it you are worried about? Tell me."

  Satoshi looked at Oreki weirdly and asked, "You really going to help me?"

  "Somehow, when I thought about how I would be bothered by thinking of your problem, I thought it would be more effit if I knew your problem."

  As for whether he could fix Satoshi's problem or not, Oreki wasn't sure, but then again, if he knew, he could be Satoshi's support, and it would be great, he thought.

  "...."

  What a good guy, Satoshi thought.

  Sighing inwardly, Satoshi decided to humor Oreki sihis guy was so tradictory. Even if Oreki said that he wouldn't do anything that he didn't o, but to help his friends or those he cared about, he would do anythie how clumsy it was.

  So, at this moment, Satoshi thought that he should help Oreki so this story wouldn't be a slice of life but also have a romance geagged on it.

  Yes, Satoshi had made up his mind to help Oreki's romanbsp;

  "....." Everyone.

  Ign the readers' rea, Satoshi decided to py his role. "I guess... I am in love."

  "...." Oreki.

  "Ued?"

  "Ah, um, yeah, I thought that you would try to hide it well instead of fessing it directly to me." Oreki was embarrassed since he had hought that a love problem was the ohat haunted his friend. Still, while he cked experience, he had read many romaories, but then again, all of the romaories that he read ended up in a tragedy, which made him quite frustrated somehow.

  Still, regardless, he decided to ask first, so taking a deep breath, he asked, "Your crush... isn't a housewife, right?"

  "...." Satoshi.

  "...no."

  "Then, she doesn't have a boyfriend or a crush on others? Or rather, this isn't a triangle love, right?"

  "...why did you get all excited now?"

  "...sorry, I 't help it."

  Still, Satoshi smiled and asked, "So, I guess the energy-saving Houtaro is also ied in a romaoo?"

  "Don't be stupid!"

  Oreki directly spat Satoshi's clusion and said, "You should know my mottht? If I don't have to do something, then I won't do it, and romance is something that I don't have to do in my life.

  "More importantly, haven't you seen many writers die due to love?

  "For example, Osamu Dazai, that guy even itted a double suicide!

  "So, I definitely won't fall in love!"

  Folding his hands, Oreki appeared proud after he procimed himself.

  "..."

  Satoshi just gave this guy a dead-eyed fish before he looked around, w whether he could find heroines in Oreki's css, but unfortunately, he couldn't, yet whehought to give up, thinking about his life, especially how to increase his height to at least 170 cm, he discovered a heroine.

  "What's wrong?"

  Oreki saw that Satoshi was distracted all of a sudden and also followed Satoshi's gaze, which led him to see a slender girl eared to hold many books.

  The girl appeared a little gloomy, with bangs mostly c her features and even rustic as she tied her hair into a braid. Her body also hunched slightly, but instead of her posture, it robably because the books were too heavy, so she had to lean forward slightly to walk.

  Still, Oreki didn't have an i in such a girl and wao focus on Satoshi first, but—

  "Sorry, Houtaro, I will have to go first."

  "Huh? Really?"

  "Yes." Satoshi hen asked, "Are you going hht away?"

  "Er... I wait for you here."

  "Are you sure?"

  "Yeah, I am pretty curious."

  "..." Satoshi.

  Still, while Satoshi eechless since he felt that Oreki wasn't supposed to be the one who said that sentence, he stood up and approached the girl, eared in need of help.

  "Juumoji-sa me help you."

  Thus, this was his first iion with the heroine, who was used in the photo profile of this novel.

  Juumonji Kaho.