As a transmigrator, Kazama Haru had always felt his cheat—the System—arrived fashionably late to the party.
This cruel twist of fate had forced him to endure an absurdly difficult starting arc.
When he was ten, Kazama Haru's parents had tragically perished in an accident, leaving behind nothing but an empty detached house and an inheritance that was neither generous nor pitiful.
Even with the government's survivor benefits factored in, it was barely enough to keep him from starving.
Luxurious revelry? Living it up like some isekai protagonist blessed by the gods?
Completely out of the question.
Truly a disgrace for a transmigrator.
This made Kazama Haru feel incredibly frustrated at one point—so much so that he nearly considered hitting the reset button on this whole life thing.
Fortunately, this world itself proved interesting enough to abandon such dark thoughts.
Here, there existed many beings Kazama Haru had been intimately familiar with in his previous life.
All manner of two-dimensional girls.
Characters who had only existed on screens and manga pages back then had appeared before him in flesh and blood more than once.
However, most of Kazama Haru's time before awakening had been consumed by the endless grind of survival.
Aside from his childhood friend who'd grown up alongside him, he simply had no bandwidth to interact with other girls.
It wasn't until roughly three months ago that the cheat known as the [Maidens' Wish System] suddenly descended into his mundane existence.
Only then did the gears of Kazama Haru's fate quietly begin to turn.
As the name suggested, this was a positive-reinforcement system that rewarded him for helping maidens fulfill their wishes and forging bonds with them.
Money. Skill proficiency. Enhancement of base stats…
Everything could be exchanged using the wish points earned from completing quests.
Fulfilling his own desires by fulfilling the desires of beautiful girls—a setup that benefited everyone involved.
Sasuga, cheat System. *As expected of a,
And the catalyst for his System's awakening? That was directly connected to his coworker, Togawa Sakiko.
That day, Kazama Haru had simply been looking for a part-time gig at a coffee shop to scrape together some living expenses.
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect the other interviewee to be none other than the famous young lady of the Togawa Group—former heiress to a corporate empire.
The moment their eyes met, with a crystalline ding, the System officially activated.
However, after establishing contact through their shared shifts, the perpetually cautious Kazama Haru didn't act rashly. Nor did he grovel at her feet like some desperate protagonist who'd never seen a girl before.
His actions tonight were simply because he'd noticed the fatigue and barely-contained bitterness threatening to overflow from Togawa Sakiko's eyes. Remembering that her hellish circumstances weren't so different from his own, he'd prepared her favorite black tea.
Unexpectedly, the effect was remarkable—even completing a quest and netting him 1000 wish points in the process.
1000 wish points. If he recalled correctly, that could be exchanged for a skill at minimum LV3 (Professional) level, or converted into a monetary reward of 500,000 yen.
And this was merely from completing a minor side quest.
If he successfully established milestone bonds with beautiful girls, resolved their inner turmoil, or fulfilled their deepest wishes, he would receive even more generous rewards.
This gave Kazama Haru considerable motivation.
In a world where even backbreaking effort didn't guarantee results, being able to clearly identify quest objectives and receive immediate positive reinforcement…
He absolutely would not waste such an opportunity.
Even purely for his own sake, he would dedicate his full attention to solving the girls' troubles.
Lost in thought, Kazama Haru found himself already standing before his residence.
A typical detached house in Suginami Ward—a modest unit of roughly 100 square meters spread across two floors, complete with a miniature courtyard that could barely squeeze in a single compact car.
From outside, the living room light glowed warmly through the curtains.
But Kazama Haru wasn't the least bit surprised.
The moment he pushed open the door and removed his shoes at the genkan, Sena Ajisai greeted him with a smile sweet enough to cause cavities.
"Okaerinasai, Haru-kun." *Welcome home
Kazama Haru rolled his aching shoulders and looked up.
Her slightly wavy flaxen hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders, and a pair of light brown eyes gazed unblinkingly at the boy before her—radiating a tenderness that made his heart skip several beats.
Angel-tier beauty.
No longer in her school uniform, she wore an elegant, gentle milky-white slip dress instead.
The soft fabric at her chest rose in an almost exaggerated curve, quietly emanating a blood-pumping allure that she herself seemed utterly oblivious to.
Thin, breathable pure white ankle socks hugged her long, straight legs.
Kazama Haru's gaze lingered—entirely against his will—on the generous expanse of her fair arms and the soft roundness of her thighs.
Yabai. *Damn/appreciative whistle
Not only did she possess an angelic appearance, but just one look at her could make someone instantly rediscover the meaning of life.
Beyond her devastating looks, Sena Ajisai also radiated a maternal warmth that was equally impressive.
It was a shame, really.
Despite Sena Ajisai welcoming Kazama Haru home in a manner indistinguishable from a newlywed wife…
In reality, the two were not married.
Sena Ajisai was Kazama Haru's childhood friend.
They'd grown up together, and their families had been so close that they'd even exchanged house keys.
Which explained her presence here at this hour.
"Tadaima. Don't your younger brothers need looking after?" Kazama Haru shrugged off his spacious trench coat, and Sena Ajisai naturally received it, helping him hang it on the coat rack.
*I'm home
"They're already asleep." Sena Ajisai seemed a touch drowsy herself, raising a delicate hand to stifle a yawn as she followed Kazama Haru into the main living room.
"After dinner, I noticed the lights weren't on at Haru-kun's house, so I wanted to come check on you."
"Did you go to work again? You must be absolutely starving."
Her brow furrowed with genuine concern, and as if performing some kind of magic trick, she produced a stainless steel insulated lunchbox onto the dining table.
"We made hambāgu today, and knowing it's your absolute favorite, Haru-kun, I specially saved my portion for you."
"I'm not that hungry, but Ajisai—are you sure it's okay for you to skip a serving?"
Warmth flooded Kazama Haru's chest. This was already far beyond what an ordinary childhood friend would do.
More like a devoted wife, honestly.
"I'm fine! I've been trying to slim down lately anyway." Sena Ajisai flashed a smile sweet enough to make flowers bloom in winter.
Kazama Haru didn't refuse further. He pulled out a dining chair and settled in.
Opening the lunchbox, a rich, savory aroma wafted up to greet his nostrils, making his mouth water instantly.
A Japanese-style hamburg steak—a mixture of beef and pork mince, pan-fried to golden perfection and drizzled with glossy, rich gravy. Alongside it sat finely shredded cabbage, creamy mashed potatoes, and an assortment of lightly boiled seasonal vegetables.
It seemed Sena Ajisai had worried Kazama Haru wouldn't be satisfied, because she'd thoughtfully added a generous layer of fluffy white rice underneath.
"Itadakimasu." *Thanks for the food
With that single word, Kazama Haru buried himself in the lunchbox and began devouring its contents.
This hearty dish—the kind typically prepared to celebrate a child's exam success or to elevate an ordinary weekend into something special—was a rare luxury for someone like him.
To honor the Angel's intentions, Kazama Haru ate with exceptional focus, not missing a single grain of rice. He practically licked the container clean.
Sitting across from him, Sena Ajisai rested her chin atop her interlaced fingers, a serene smile gracing her features as she quietly watched Kazama Haru consume the meal she'd prepared, bite by precious bite.
As if merely watching him eat brought her happiness.
"Oh, sou da—" *By the way
Licking the final grain of rice from the corner of his mouth, Kazama Haru pulled out a napkin to wipe away the traces of grease on his lips. As if suddenly remembering something, he asked:
"Ajisai, do you have any wishes?"