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Becoming an S-rank grants the authority to allow players to withdraw from the Paradise, and even after withdrawing, the power they obtained will not be reclaimed by the Paradise.
Some companies aren't even this humane.
Becoming a player, gaining a huge profit, and then using a white letter to cancel the account... It sounds wonderful, but in reality, it means nothing to the ordinary players who need to leave the most.
Judging solely by the number of black letters, the number of white letters issued by S-ranks in a year is definitely limited.
As for S-rank, that status is achieved only by performing feats across three consecutive games that those of the same rank cannot accomplish.
For example, in Demon Slayer, how could Yukinoshita Yukino and Hachiman Hikigaya, who are the same rank as Kisaragi Rin at LV1, possibly kill Kibutsuji Muzan?
white letters are scarce, and S-ranks are even scarcer... So how many people need this white letter?
The answer is all players and all ordinary people in the Main World.
Including S-ranks, which player doesn't need to keep a white letter as a fallback for withdrawing from the Paradise?
And ordinary people?
If they are non-humans, it's fine, since sentient non-humans don't consider the uninitiated to be their own kind.
But players have their own lives. If your friends and family are suddenly invited away by the Paradise one day, wouldn't you need a white letter to help them leave the Paradise?
For the ordinary players who need to leave the Paradise the most, such a white letter is likely nothing more than a luxury.
"An S-rank's authority can issue 3 letters per year."
"Kisaragi-san, I need a white letter."
Shinomiya Kaguya finally set aside her concerns after a long while and stated her request.
Kisaragi Rin pondered for a moment and asked, "Is it Auntie Shimizu?"
Shimizu Nayatake, Shinomiya Kaguya's mother.
Judging solely by this name, you know the story behind it must be extraordinary.
After all, according to the tradition here in Japan, a wife needs to change her surname to her husband's.
Shinomiya Kaguya certainly didn't need the white letter for herself. Given her family background, Kisaragi could only think of this aunt who loved to joke around.
In the original plot of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Shimizu Nayatake was a top hostess at a Ginza nightclub. Shinomiya Kaguya's father, Shinomiya Gan'an, was completely infatuated with her. Later, to recuperate, Shimizu Nayatake quit her job and returned to the countryside. When she reappeared before Shinomiya Gan'an, she was already pregnant with Shinomiya Kaguya, and she passed away shortly after giving birth.
In the original work, it was never definitively mentioned whether Shinomiya Kaguya was Shinomiya Gan'an's daughter.
Because Shinomiya Gan'an insisted Shinomiya Kaguya was his daughter, and even after Shimizu Nayatake's death, he consistently refused to perform a paternity test with Shinomiya Kaguya.
Whether it was firm belief or fear, no one knew the truth.
In this extraordinary world, it was naturally impossible for the Shimizu Nayatake whom Shinomiya Gan'an loved to die so casually from congenital heart disease.
Or rather, how could a mere top hostess at a nightclub possibly gain Shinomiya Gan'an's affection?
This Shimizu Nayatake is a player.
The story that followed is common: the deceased Shimizu Nayatake naturally became the perfect past love you can't forget.
But if she hadn't died?
The relationship between Shinomiya Kaguya, Shimizu Nayatake, and Shinomiya Gan'an becomes much more complicated.
As the head of the Shinomiya family, Shinomiya Gan'an had his original wife, and in this extraordinary world, he had more than just one.
Fortunately, Shimizu Nayatake gave birth to a daughter. If it had been a son, there would likely have been numerous interest groups wanting to sink the mother and son into Tokyo Bay.
The newborn Shinomiya Kaguya was still taken in by Shinomiya Gan'an as his daughter. Kisaragi Rin wasn't entirely clear on the details, but in any case, Shimizu Nayatake, the mother, never gained the recognition of the Shinomiya Family.
If it were just a commercial empire, Shinomiya Gan'an could naturally control everything.
But this is ultimately an extraordinary world, and the internal structure of the Shinomiya Family is much more intricate.
For instance, the ancestors who are old but refuse to die.
Or, for example, the interest groups that are constantly vying for power and engaging in open strife and secret maneuvering.
Given Shimizu Nayatake's situation, it would likely be difficult for her to secure a white letter.
Seeing that Shinomiya Kaguya wanted to say something more, Kisaragi Rin raised his hand to stop her.
"I agree. If it's for Auntie Shimizu, there's no problem," Kisaragi Rin said casually.
Aside from telling Yukinoshita Yukino that he "refused Shinomiya Kaguya's invitation to be her butler," Kisaragi actually had more involvement with the Shinomiya Family.
"You agreed?"
Shinomiya Kaguya was somewhat taken aback. She believed Kisaragi Rin could see the preciousness of the "withdraw from the Paradise" authority and knew the value of such a white letter.
"I will repay this favor."
Shinomiya Kaguya said seriously, suddenly feeling much lighter.
What was she supposed to do if she couldn't apply for a white letter for her mother from the family? Originally, she had intended to become an S-rank herself.
However, the initial few levels were too difficult. According to the Shinomiya Family's research, achieving S-rank was only relatively easier during the LV5 to LV10 stages. Shinomiya Kaguya believed she would eventually become an S-rank Sequence, but she didn't know if Shimizu Nayatake could hold on until that moment.
"I know."
Kisaragi Rin remembered that the Shinomiya father's family motto dictated that favors must be repaid, and he still had faith in Shinomiya Kaguya's Ability.
"In that case, what about Hayasaka's situation?"
Kisaragi Rin looked toward Hayasaka Ai, who was standing behind Shinomiya Kaguya, acting as her representative.
In the Original Plot, the maid Hayasaka Ai had another identity: a spy sent by Shinomiya Kaguya's elder brother, Shinomiya Ouko, to monitor Shinomiya Kaguya.
When he was in elementary school, Kisaragi Rin was quite interested when he discovered this master-servant pair. After learning through various incidents that Hayasaka Ai was merely a pure maid, and that Shinomiya Kaguya's mother was still alive, Kisaragi found it a bit strange at the time, but he didn't dwell on it, simply treating it as a change caused by the merging world view.
"You don't need to worry about Hayasaka. Every head of the household has a maid who grows up alongside them."
"Hayasaka Ai and I, from the moment of choice, will only ever be a community of interest."
Shinomiya Kaguya understood Kisaragi Rin's meaning: it was best not to involve the Shinomiya Family in their current affairs.
Hearing Shinomiya Kaguya say this, Hayasaka Ai generously displayed a maid's courtesy.
Eh... when did she change into that maid outfit?
Kisaragi Rin sensed something was off, but Hayasaka Ai's maid's courtesy was indeed pleasing to the eye and impeccable.
At least it looked much better than the Spider Mother's pretense of etiquette.
Having reached this point, there was nothing more to discuss.
Since the decision had been made, neither Shinomiya Kaguya nor Kisaragi Rin were the type of people to waste further energy on this matter.
"I'll leave for a moment."
Kisaragi Rin said. He hadn't forgotten that Kiritsugu Emiya was still waiting in his Workshop.
Watching Kisaragi Rin leave from one side, Shinomiya Kaguya and Yukinoshita Yukino's gazes met.
"This person's smile is so fake."
Yukinoshita Yukino thought to herself.
Her older sister usually used this kind of smile to Disguise herself, but Yukinoshita Haruno disguised herself with sunshine, while Shinomiya Kaguya disguised herself with innocence.
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