Even after leaving Kamo Clan, Akemi Aki still kept many habits from her time there. Akira was different, as habits from his previous life took priority. The contrast between them showed clearly in moments like this.
"Be careful, or Little Sha might dislike you," Akemi Aki said, using her nickname for Gardevoir.
"Would you dislike me?" Akira asked Gardevoir.
She shook her head hard, even adding an extra sound compared to usual. "Sha~ Sha~"
"Good girl, good girl, good girl," Akira said, deliberately dragging out the sounds as he rubbed Gardevoir's head. Her eyes narrowed into crescent shapes under his touch.
"Why does it feel like making you sleep in separate rooms only made you closer?" Akemi Aki muttered softly.
"It's like a spring. When there's no pressure, you don't notice it, but once it's pressed down, the rebound is stronger," Akira replied.
He could feel that Gardevoir had become more attached to him than before, probably because they now spent eight to ten fewer hours together each day. If the system had not labeled her personality as "reserved," calling her "afraid of being lonely" would not have felt out of place. He even briefly thought about giving her a name, before dismissing it.
"As long as you're happy," Akemi Aki could only say that much.
If this were before they left Kamo Clan, she would have talked about traditional etiquette and rules. Now, she no longer held onto those things and only hoped that her child would live well. To her, Akira, Noritoshi Kamo, and even Gardevoir were all family, and she had always raised Gardevoir as a daughter.
So Akira once again shouted, "Mom is the best," while Gardevoir obediently leaned her head forward. Akemi Aki stroked her head just as skillfully and smiled. "Little Sha is such a good girl. Don't worry, I won't interfere with your normal interactions. From now on, I'll be going out to work during the day."
"Why would you think that?" Akira asked, feeling slightly puzzled.
Kamo Clan had given them a severance payment that ensured they would not lack food or clothing. His mother had not worked for eight years, spending her days tending flowers, practicing calligraphy, and enjoying tea. Her life had been calm and comfortable.
"Because this is Tokyo, not the countryside in Shikoku," Akemi Aki explained briefly.
With that, Akira understood. Living in Tokyo had never been easy, whether in ancient times or today. It was a true capital and an international metropolis, with high prices and an equally high cost of living.
In the mountains of Shikoku, the Ake Clan family lived in a two-story house with plenty of space. In Tokyo, they could only afford a three-bedroom apartment. This single expense alone used up most of the severance money.
A lifetime of comfort was a standard that applied to the countryside, not to Tokyo. It was not that Kamo Clan could not afford more, but rather a subtle restraint and warning. It was a way of saying they should stay in the countryside and grow old there.
For the sake of living, working was unavoidable.
"Akira, don't worry about me. I have a Kyoto University diploma, so finding a job won't be hard," Akemi Aki said.
"Mom, weren't you a graduate of Jujutsu technical college? When did you go to Kyoto University?" Akira asked in surprise.
Kyoto University was one of the top institutions in Japan, on par with Tokyo University and famous even worldwide. He had never heard his mother mention such an impressive past.
"That was a byproduct of graduating from the Jujutsu technical college," Akemi Aki explained. "To make public activities easier and to provide security after retirement due to injury or other reasons, graduates are assigned academic credentials. Kyoto technical college defaults to Kyoto University, and Tokyo technical college defaults to Tokyo University. You can also request other diplomas, and it's usually not a problem."
Hearing this, Akira's hand shook slightly as he picked up food, and a piece of tempura slipped off. Fortunately, Gardevoir reacted instantly, catching it with Psychic Power and placing it neatly into his bowl. Akira then picked up a piece for her as well and sighed. "That kind of support really isn't bad. Looks like the higher-ups aren't all useless."
Giving out top-level diplomas sounded exaggerated at first, but thinking about it carefully, it made sense. Jujutsu practitioners were always in short supply, and it was a dangerous profession with frequent injuries and deaths. Without attractive pay and benefits, no one would be willing to do it.
Although Akemi Aki looked gentle and calm, who knew how wild she might have been when she was younger. It was said that Jujutsu practitioners were all a bit unhinged, and that was not just talk. Akira was curious what his Yamato Nadeshiko-style mother would be like when she went all out, but as a son, he hoped he would never find out.
"With a Kyoto University diploma, finding a job is easy. But Mom, you don't need to push yourself so hard. You can keep growing flowers, practicing calligraphy, and drinking tea. I'll handle making money. That's what a man should do, and I promised to support you for life," Akira said.
As he said this, he was somewhat glad they were in Japan, where the atmosphere around housewives was strong. Saying that men should work and women should handle the home sounded natural here, especially since they came from one of the Three Great Clans. In other places, the reaction would have been very different.
His sincerity moved Akemi Aki, but she still shook her head. "I understand how you feel, but you're only sixteen. You can support me after you become an adult."
"It's not too late, but since I have the ability, sooner is better," Akira replied. "I've already arranged how to make money. Little Sha, help me bring the laptop."
"Sha~"
With a flick of her finger, the laptop floated into the air. Akira skillfully opened the browser, switched to the MF web novel site, and clicked on the highly ranked Infinite Stratos.
"This is a light novel I wrote. Based on its popularity, a print release won't be a problem. I've already finished drafts for the first ten volumes, enough to last until I'm an adult and still have extra."
Akemi Aki stopped eating and stared at the screen. After confirming the site, the Author account, and the work itself, she was certain it really was written by her own son.
"When did you do all this?" she asked.
"Back in Shikoku. I had nothing but time."
True endurance was not about forcing yourself to suffer pointlessly. It was about keeping your tools hidden and waiting for the right moment. During those eight years in the countryside, and even earlier when he was still Noritsuna Kamo, Akira had been planning quietly, with a complete plan already in place. The light novel was only a small part of it.
What is the most valuable asset of a transmigrator?
There are many answers: System, Cheat Ability, External Boost, and the advantage of knowing the future. These things are indeed useful and precious, but in Akira's view, the most valuable one was something many people ignored: "Optimization Method".
How a person observes the world and handles problems is the real measure of maturity. As long as one's "Optimization Method" is correct, no matter which world they are in or how bad the starting point is, they will not end up doing too poorly.