*Chapter 7: The Landlady Resembles a Snow Woman*

Hearing that the person outside was a woman, Yūzuru Namikaze, hiding in the closet, was a bit dumbfounded.

Could this senior, Oda Shingo, be some kind of magnet for women?

In the short time I've been hiding in the closet, two women have already come looking for him.

While she was astonished, Oda Shingo found himself quite embarrassed.

When he heard the landlady’s voice, Oda Shingo instinctively touched his phone.

He knew that after purchasing furniture and art supplies earlier, his remaining balance was only 26,000 yen.

He still owed three months' rent, a total of 75,000 yen.

Even though the rent was incredibly cheap, it still wasn't enough to cover what he owed. Plus, he needed the remaining money for living expenses.

In Japan, the majority of rental agreements involve a guarantor company, so landlords don’t usually worry about rent collection.

It was rare for a landlady like this one to rent directly and even come in person to collect payments.

This was the very reason Oda Shingo had managed to avoid paying rent for so long without being blacklisted. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even been able to keep his part-time job at the anime company.

But regardless of the need to survive or his dream of gathering a team to create manga, Oda Shingo quickly made a decision: the back rent couldn’t be paid right now!

“I’m coming,” Oda Shingo stood up, quickly tidied his appearance in the cracked mirror, and then went to open the door.

When he opened the door, he bowed slightly with a polite smile in typical Japanese fashion.

“Hello, landlady. Thank you for looking after me all this time.”

His 30-degree bow was impeccably respectful, the small details executed with precision.

Yukino Fuyuto was caught off guard.

She had already considered what might happen before coming over.

After all, this wasn’t her first time collecting rent.

First, he pretended to be sick, then he pretended not to be home, and then he acted hostile...

But this time, Oda Shingo greeted her with a smile and opened the door right away.

Could this be some kind of tactic? Yukino Fuyuto wondered to herself.

“Hello, Oda-san.” Despite her thoughts, Yukino Fuyuto remained polite, bowing in return, and they exchanged pleasantries at the door.

While speaking, Yukino Fuyuto started to question whether she had come to the right place.

Was this the same unkempt young man with a scruffy beard she had seen before?

His attire was neat, and he spoke with courtesy.

Even if you didn’t consider that, his whole demeanor had changed!

Could this be the same person?

Yukino Fuyuto, who prided herself on being a good judge of character, secretly scrutinized the young man before her again.

“The wind’s been strong these past few days. I’m sorry for troubling you to come all the way here,” Oda Shingo said courteously.

In Japan, especially in Tokyo, it’s traditional to engage in long pleasantries before discussing important matters unless it’s an urgent situation.

It’s said that in Kyoto, it’s even more extreme—two people could chat cheerfully for half an hour before getting to the point, only to then feel like they’d want to kill each other…

Oda Shingo also began to size up the landlady.

In this day and age, it was rare to see someone dressed in a full kimono.

She was a beautiful woman—no, rather, she was incredibly refined.

Her skin was fair, her figure delicate, and her demeanor gave off the air of someone from a traditional, well-bred family.

“I assume you’ve come about the rent?” Oda Shingo quickly got serious.

From his memory, her late husband seemed to have been an influential figure in some prominent family…

Oda Shingo had no doubt that if this landlady got angry, the least that could happen would be getting thrown out onto the street.

Being dumped in the bottom of Tokyo’s Meguro River wasn’t out of the question either…

“Well, since you’ve brought it up, Oda-san, let’s talk about it,” Yukino Fuyuto said, her beautiful eyes widening slightly. “Is there something wrong with the apartment? Are you uncomfortable living here?”

In truth, she wasn’t short on money, but collecting rent was part of her duties.

Oda Shingo could tell she was being polite.

Despite owing her three months’ rent, 99% of Japanese landlords would drop the pretense and start scolding him harshly, with some even throwing his belongings out on the street without a second thought.

Japan may appear to be a very polite society, but underneath it all, it’s more ruthlessly pragmatic than any other country.

You could say they worship the strong and despise the weak—that’s the law of the jungle.

Being late on rent marks you as a loser. The typical scene is the tenant begging on their knees for a rent extension.

Landlords hurling abuse at tenants who fall behind on rent, or even throwing their belongings into the street, is not uncommon.

“Madam, the apartment is quite adequate and suits my budget,” Oda Shingo stood straight and said seriously. “I don’t want to make any excuses…”

As he spoke, Oda Shingo closely watched the landlady’s face.

But the grim expression he expected didn’t come. Yukino Fuyuto just tilted her head slightly, showing no signs of reprimanding him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“I truly regret having to say this, but I’m afraid I need to continue delaying the rent.”

Yukino Fuyuto looked at Oda Shingo, still smiling. After a few seconds, she said slowly, “Since Oda-san is so candid, I will need a reason.”

In fact, today was her last planned visit.

If she had been treated like before, she was ready to hand the matter over to her associates…

But this time, Oda-san seemed a little different.

“...” Oda Shingo didn’t immediately give a reason.

He quickly analyzed the landlady’s appearance and behavior in his mind.

Although she wore a small seasonal kimono, it was clearly made from luxurious materials, and the craftsmanship was undoubtedly expensive.

Her jewelry was minimal, her makeup light but clearly high-end, and her hairstyle was perfectly groomed, with a faint fragrance hinting at expensive hair products.

Her manners were impeccable, and her tone and posture were flawless, suggesting she came from a well-educated family.

So, this landlady wasn’t short on money!

It’s even possible that collecting rent was just a hobby for her!

“Landlady, to be honest, I’ve recently earned a little money from part-time work…” Oda Shingo admitted.

As he spoke, he continued to observe her.

Yukino Fuyuto still had a smile on her face, listening quietly.

If she were a friend, she would definitely be a great listener for anyone’s troubles. That was the feeling she gave Oda Shingo.

This lady was one of those high-class women, wasn’t she? Oda Shingo remembered an article he had read in a past life about women.

A refined woman might not be overwhelmingly beautiful, but there’s something undeniably attractive about her.

But this lady also had a high level of beauty and a great figure. If her hair were dyed white, she might resemble a famous snow woman.

With a respectful demeanor, he continued to explain, “I’m planning to start creating manga soon, and I really need the funds to get started. So, I’m sorry, but I can’t pay the overdue rent right now.”

He bowed at a 90-degree angle, the deepest level of apology.

Yukino Fuyuto asked calmly, “Manga? Specifically, what are you working on?”

“I’ve come up with a concept and am preparing to submit it,” Oda Shingo quickly explained.

“The market is oversaturated with harem stories, and isekai (other-world) themed anime is the current mainstream, but there’s a lack of true innovation…”

“Publishers are rushing to release new works, and production companies are getting anxious, ignoring the fact that readers are gradually losing interest…”

Using his extensive experience from his past life and his research on the anime market, Oda Shingo began analyzing the current anime industry in this world.

What he was saying… Yukino Fuyuto was surprised.

She had some knowledge of the anime industry but had never analyzed market trends before.

Listening to him now, it seemed like this young man had given serious thought to the anime market.

She reassessed Oda Shingo.

His simple, inexpensive clothing, clean but somewhat delicate features, gave off a vibe that made older sisters feel a strange urge to tease him.

Yet his manner of speaking was calm, without the impatience typical of young people. Combined with his posture and the confidence in his gaze, he seemed more like a seasoned professional than a newcomer.

What an odd feeling…

In her time collecting rent, Yukino Fuyuto had encountered all sorts of people, but this was the first time she had met a young man who was so hard to read.

“I understand. I’m honored that you’ve shared so many of your thoughts with me,” Yukino Fuyuto said, looking directly at Oda Shingo before sharing her own request. “Before I decide whether to accept your request for more time, may I see your apartment?”

Hearing this, Oda Shingo froze for a moment, his mind suddenly flooded with countless familiar storylines…

Like the ones about plumbers visiting homes, private tutors, or deliverymen entering the house…

(End of Chapter)