Arrogance and confidence. They go hand-in-hand most of the time but only one of them is always viewed in a negative light.

If you’re arrogant, people will frown upon you. Whether you have something to back that up or not, it doesn’t matter. People will find that arrogance distasteful.

However, if you’re confident, people will look for the reason why you are like that. And it’s only ever seen as a negative trait if it swelled up too much that it transformed into overconfidence.

And in that light, overconfidence and arrogance became synonymous with each other.

At the moment, I may have been exuding that trait but looking down at my feet, I still have them grounded. Pushed down by the responsibilities that I’m currently shouldering. Even if I wanted to shake those off, it’s impossible, or rather, those were pasted and stuck to me.

In other words, I could never be arrogant or overconfident. No matter the situation, I will be glancing back or down to remind myself of what I am carrying.

And so, as I faced the two people from a different world, I kept my confidence in check and did not overstep the boundaries I have set.

“Hah. Since you’re asking for it, don’t blame me for embarrassing you. Ane-san, shall I?”

This guy. I could’ve commended him but when he turned and looked for his companion’s approval as though he wouldn’t really go through with it without her giving the green light, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

True. Oftentimes, I also seek my girls’ approval over something. However, it’s always when it’s a situation that will concern both or all of us.

In this guy’s case, however, he’s like a trained dog who would move through Kyoka’s bidding.

I wonder... Instead of me being a puppet, Hassen seemed to be the one held up by a string.

“Go ahead. Wipe that smirk off that pretentious boy’s face. Hasegawa’s prodigy. If you think you can use us as a stepping stone for your partner’s entry into our world, you picked the wrong people.”

“Heh. I never thought you'd be this talkative Miss Kyoka.” Ignoring everything she blabbed, I faced her with the same smirk that she just pointed out. “Mizuki entrusted me with the task of advising you and that’s what I’m going to accomplish. It’s on you whether to take that advice or not. So, please. Can we just move on to the main part?”

Confidence. Little by little, one’s confidence can also crack down on another's. And Kyoka, upon seeing me not even being shaken at her declaration, had shown signs of frustration.

She’s expecting to cave in after figuring out that what I front was simply a pretentious act but little did she know, I always have a layer of that on whenever I am in front of someone other than the people I cared about.

After staring at me for a good few seconds, her mouth closed shut. She then turned her head to her cousin, giving him the confirmation he was waiting for.

As soon as that happened, Kyoka comfortably rested her back on her chair and crossed her arms in front of her as though she was wordlessly declaring, ‘Let me see what you’re made of.’

As a TV personality, she did have the looks and grace needed to draw gazes toward her. Some men from the other tables even kept on stealing glances in her direction. And obviously, Mizuki was also drawing such an effect.

“Have you heard about the term sunk cost fallacy? It’s about one’s tendency to continue in the endeavor of something you already spent time, effort, or even money on. This dinner is one such example. I have reserved a seat in this luxurious restaurant expecting to hear the advice of the prodigy of the Hasegawa Family. Yet, that seems to not going to happen anymore.” Hassen started while gently shaking the remaining wine on his glass.

His eyes alternated between me and Mizuki, perhaps expecting us to react. Unfortunately for him, the fallacy he’s saying isn’t really a foreign term to me or Mizuki. It’s even a very basic one and not worth discussing on this occasion.

But here he is, flaunting that little knowledge of his.

“Honestly, I should’ve canceled when she called in to add another name. However, as I already spent effort, time, and money to make this dinner happen by even keeping my schedule open just for this day, it will be my loss to do so.”

“So? Should we be thankful? You’re the one who invited us. Sunk cost fallacy or not, given your standing, it’s not difficult to fill in the schedule with other important meetings. You chose to be here.”

“Indeed. But here’s the thing. What I needed a piece of advice on is related to that fallacy. Let’s say I invested in a venture that is already on the decline. I have reached my ROI and earned a great chunk from it. However, as it’s the first business I invested in, I don’t want to simply close it now that I am in a better position. Take note, even cutting it off will not really hurt me at all. However, I want to reverse the decline and have it prosper until I get satisfied enough.”

I thought he was going to go roundabout again but finally, he started talking about the problem he was facing.

But really, is this guy an idiot? What he wanted to solve is so trivial he can ask his Ane-san for advice about it. It’s even too distant from what Mizuki prepared me for...

“Hold on.”

“Why? You can’t give me a piece of advice, can you?”

“Huh? When did I say that? I’m simply swallowing down the urge to call you out on your idiocy... Oops. I apologize for my words.”

“This little! Hey, that’s not how you talk to your client! Disrespectful mutt!”

“Miss Kyoka. If there’s something I can boast about. It’s my honest trait. I’m just being honest there. And I apologized for it. Anyway, if your problem is as simple as that... let me offer you this advice...”

Even if the woman was about to rebut my words, I made a dramatic pause there. Closing my mouth and holding my breath, Kyoka and 8000 were instantly influenced by it no matter how absurd it appeared.

And while they’re still in the process of recovering from it, I continued.

“That business you invested in. if it’s in decline and you want it to prosper, why not issue an innovation? And before you tell me that you already did that, the innovation that I’m talking about is not simply improving your services. Overhaul it from the ground up.”

“Is that the best that you got?” Hassen smirked and Kyoka scoffed at my answer. Both of them found it hilarious.

However, the words that came out of my mouth next once again put them at an impasse.

“Yes. That old bookstore chain. Turn them into libraries and offer different levels of memberships and exclusive sales.”

“Wait. How did you...?”

Having been the first one to recover, Hassen immediately raised that question. Of course, that’s to be expected.

He didn’t tell me about the nature of that business venture that he invested in. The reason that I know was because that’s part of the hint that Mizuki gave me.

She mentioned that even if he asked for a position in their company, the guy already owned a business even before graduating high school—a bookstore chain.

That’s why when he started talking about it, I immediately connected it to that. But really, for Mizuki to sniff that out even without meeting them... She’s the real deal.

“It doesn’t matter how I find out about it. It can be Mizuki or it can also be because I did my research on you. If you want it to prosper again, you have to dress it differently. It’s not the number one bookstore chain in the country, right? You’re being crushed by your competition. Hence, the decline. So? Why not dip out of that category and venture to a new one? It might not be the first establishment to offer the same thing but it will be the first chain establishment. What do you think?”

“That’s easy for you to say...” At this point, he already appeared half-convinced. However, perhaps for the sake of his pride, he swallowed his spit and tried to voice an objection.

My response. I copied Kyoka. I crossed my arms and fixed my non-prescription glasses to act a little pompous before saying, “Of course, it is. It’s not my business. I’m only offering my advice.”

At this point, Mizuki started shaking at my side. She’s holding back her laughter.

On the other side of the table. Kyoka’s eyebrows became furrowed as her narrowed gaze stabbed at me.

“Even so! I told you that I don’t want it to close down.” Hassen argued still.

And I naturally have my response, “You’re not closing it down. You’re repurposing your dust-covered books.”

It didn’t stop at that. He brought up a few more points that could be seen as problematic but in truth, that was just his desperation to prove me wrong.

A few minutes later, he retracted his aggressiveness, and like a lamb who had just returned to the herd, he looked at his dear cousin, “Ane-san... What do you think?”

Kyoka’s head remained unmoving. Without taking her eyes off me, she raised her first question,

“What’s your name again?”

This woman. So, she didn’t even try to register my name in her head. She most likely found it meaningless to do so when she already judged me as a pretentious bastard trying to step foot in their world.

But well, there’s no point in not answering that. That will only result in unnecessary arrogant behavior.

And so, while showing my genuine smile, I introduced myself again. “Onoda. Onoda Ruki.”