Passing the Three Trials, Striking at the Mastermind
"Hell yeah!"
"Effort! Struggle!"
"Nothing is impossible for a willing heart!"
"Keep grinding! As long as you aren't dead, grind yourself to death!"
"Good, good, good! I didn't expect to find someone in Japan of my own age, with the same ordinary family background, the same younger sister, and the same hardworking spirit! If Hikigaya hasn't transmigrated by the time this video ends, I will definitely go become sworn brothers and best friends with him!"
Shirogane Miyuki was in high spirits. As expected, the path he persisted on was the correct one—he even had a comrade!
"Brother, you're too noisy!"
With a sharp snap, Shirogane Miyuki froze in place, obediently and sheepishly sitting back down, finally ceasing to draw the unfriendly glares of his sister and father.
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「Setting aside his daily training, Hikigaya Hachiman occasionally followed the twin sisters, Rem and Ram, hitching a ride on their dragon carriage when they went out shopping to conduct field research on Roswaal's territory.」
「"I've discovered a very serious problem."」
「Upon his return, Hikigaya Hachiman spoke without the slightest hesitation: "In the past, the villagers of the villages in Roswaal's territory had quite a bit of contact with you, didn't they, Emilia? I heard you used to go to the villages when you were younger. However, they stubbornly insist on believing that you are a calamity, a sinister and terrifying figure—a source of bad luck."」
「"I've also done some tests. They aren't 'foolish masses' like those of ancient Europe; their horizons are decent, and their temperaments and values are normal—however, specifically regarding Emilia, they are utterly incorrigible."」
「"In theory, as long as they have more contact with you, the villagers—who aren't mindless sheep following the tide—should clearly see what a gentle person you are. But strangely, the vast majority of people..."」
「Seeing Hikigaya Hachiman approach her with such gravity, Emilia, thinking he had some major request, sat up straight. However, as his words reached her ears, her gentle smile gradually became strained.」
「Puck, like a guard dog protecting his food, slammed a paw onto Hachiman's shoulder, his entire face practically screaming the word 'murderous': "You're in a very dangerous spot right now, kid."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman paid no mind to the threat; however, the sight of a dejected Emilia, on the verge of tears, tugged at his heartstrings.」
「"I'm sorry. But I had to confirm this."」
「He took a deep breath, his quiet tone containing an unwavering will: "In the past, my friend and I were both very untruthful, which led to a mistaken outcome. As things stand now, I suppose I probably won't have another chance to apologize to her... So now, I hope to speak plainly. Even if it hurts you temporarily, Emilia, I will help you smooth over this worry."」
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Hikigaya Hachiman gave a breezy smile. His future self was actually able to be so open-minded. His past self, playing the role of a riddle-maker, really had been a complete and utter mistake.
"Fortunately, I still have a chance to make amends now."
He murmured to himself and turned his head. At this moment, Yukinoshita Yukino by his side was also on the verge of tears just like Emilia, staring at him blankly. The distance between their faces was less than five centimeters.
"I—Mmph!!!"
Hachiman's suave apology got stuck in his throat and was swallowed back down.
His dead-fish eyes widened in shock!
Like a fleeting glimpse of light, that soft pair of cherry lips, combined with the stunning shyness of the beautiful girl... Yukinoshita Yukino stood on her tiptoes, lip to lip, and gave him a gentle kiss!
This was his first kiss, and simultaneously, it was hers.
A shy flush spread across her face, like the scenery of a setting sun.
Yukinoshita Yukino snapped back like she'd touched an electric fence, withdrawing her hand that had been holding his. She brushed her lips with her palm, tasting the flavor that belonged to Hikigaya Hachiman.
"You don't need to apologize to me... I'm the one who should apologize."
In a sweet voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz, and trembling all over, Yukinoshita Yukino's entire fair and delicate body involuntarily did its best to interpret the meaning of "poorly concealed shyness."
All of her feelings were contained within this proactive first kiss.
However, she neither explicitly stated her feelings nor demanded that the man take responsibility for her.
Everything was understood without words; their eyes conveyed their emotions, their hearts in perfect sync.
She wasn't a very brave person—in romance, one might even say she was cowardly—so even though she had made progress, she was still scared to death by her own shyness.
Hachiman opened his mouth to speak, only to have the cowardly girl tug on his sleeve. With a pouting expression that said 'I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm too shy to have the courage to hear you speak right now,' she signaled him to ignore the kiss and just watch the video.
If it weren't for the perfect, all-purpose excuse of "doing business and watching the video," Yukinoshita believed that no matter how much she transformed, she wouldn't have been this proactive.
How impulsive. So impulsive it was unlike her... but since Hikigaya-kun chose to "speak plainly," Yukinoshita-san couldn't afford to fall behind!
"..." Hikigaya Hachiman froze, giving a slight, wry smile.
'I love Yukinoshita'—he truly, finally stopped avoiding this obvious feeling.
But Hachiman had one point of great worry: would his original future self fall in love with Emilia? If he fell in love with Emilia and did something out of line, what face would he have left to pursue a mutual love with Yukinoshita?
'I beg you, for the sake of the current me, you must stay celibate, future me!'
As for now, following the shy wishes of the girl beside him, he would refrain from completely breaking through that paper-thin windowpane for the time being.
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「The flames flickered. Under the candlelight, Hikigaya Hachiman and Roswaal stood on opposite sides.」
「Roswaal listened quietly as Hachiman, in a steady tone, synthesized all the information he had gathered and described it in full.」
「"Oh? You are indeed very devoted to Lady Emilia. But unfortunately, though I am the Lord and a Count, I cannot ignore the opinions of the villagers. This is a difficult problem that I cannot solve."」
「"No, you can."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman held up three fingers, his gaze extremely sharp.」
「"Your status, your power, your wisdom... your reach might be slightly limited elsewhere, but your own subjects? You say you can't do it? That kind of talk might fool Emilia, but please don't play dumb with me."」
「"Ho-ho, you truly think highly of me. Well then, Hikigaya-kun, do you wish to borrow my status, my power, or my wisdom?" Roswaal asked with great interest.」
「"None of them. In fact, if you could just do absolutely nothing, that would be the greatest help to me—and to Emilia."」
「At those words, Roswaal paused for a moment, then suddenly burst into loud laughter, clapping his hands.」
「"Splendid, splendid! To be able to see through to this layer is truly far from simple!"」
The Second Death
「"Why is it that in the region where rumors should be easiest to dispel, they are instead flourishing?"」
「"Why is it that you, who should be Emilia's greatest backer, can remain so indifferent to this?"」
「"Why is it that while you claim to support her Royal Selection bid, your actual actions are pitifully few?"」
「"Once you eliminate all impossibilities, there is only one obvious reason left—Roswaal, it's because helping Emilia win the Royal Selection isn't your goal at all!"」
Rumble!!!
A bolt from the blue struck down. Emilia's figure swayed; she felt her head spin and her vision blur.
A hundred insults from strangers could not hurt her nearly as much as the betrayal of someone she knew!
"Roswaal, Rem, Ram, Betty, Puck... How could it be..."
She only knew these few people—these close individuals she had known since she was young. To her, Roswaal was a kind elder and a pillar of support!
Puck felt his heart break: "Lia, don't worry about that fellow Roswaal. I'm here. I'm always by your side, and I will always give everything for you with all my heart."
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The midnight negotiation between Hikigaya Hachiman and Roswaal acted like a stone cast into a pool, the ripples instantly covering the entire nation.
"Ho ho ho... Emilia, Emilia. Ah, what a pitiable child. As expected, as expected—everything in heaven and earth is paving the way for My victory!"
The noblewoman Priscilla took it as a matter of course. What storms were brewing beneath the surface of the other Royal Selection camps? It was impossible for there to be none. After all, it seemed the entire world was conspiring to make her the ruler!
"Could it be that these aren't just rumors? Is the world itself targeting the 'Witch of Envy' because of her past deeds? Emilia, who shares the same appearance as the Witch, is being wrapped in a thick shroud of malice."
Crusch let out a heavy sigh. If possible, she would have preferred a fair and square duel to decide the victor.
But the light screen had exposed the inner workings of the Emilia camp.
Roswaal was a terrifying character with immense power, but since he didn't care whether Emilia won or not, Crusch didn't need to worry about how many trump cards he held.
If Hikigaya Hachiman's "Return by Death" had no limit on its uses, it was indeed a god-tier ability that could reverse any outcome—provided people didn't know about the skill. Though it felt despicable, Crusch admitted she had involuntarily entertained the thought of capturing Hachiman and imprisoning him.
'As long as he doesn't die, time won't rewind. This is something that can be exploited.'
"Originally, Emilia only had the support of Margrave Roswaal, making her the weakest of the four candidates. Then, with Hachiman joining, she seemed to leap forward. Now you're telling me she has no real support at all and is essentially alone?"
Anastasia's eyes widened in shock. She really...
"Pffft-hahahaha! I want to laugh so bad, hahahaha! What even is this? This is 'Hell Mode' difficulty, isn't it? Hahahaha!"
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「"I don't want to speculate about you with the utmost malice, nor do I shy away from it. Can you honestly tell me, Roswaal—the activity of these rumors among the villagers, do you have a hand in it?"」
「"To uncover such an earth-shattering secret and still dare to come confront me... Oh my, Hikigaya-kun, I'm truly curious. What exactly gave you such courage?"」
「Roswaal stood tall, using his height advantage to look down with an oppressive gaze. A mountain-toppling pressure, combined with the cruel yet amused curve of his lips, bore down on the young man opposite him.」
「"Surely you don't think that knowing the truth allows you to solve the problem? Will she trust you more, or will she prefer to believe in me?"」
「"Heh."」
「With a self-deprecating cold laugh, Hikigaya Hachiman shrugged. He was utterly dismissive of Roswaal's twisted counterattack: "Are you kidding? I never had such delusions. I can't expose the truth anyway. Even so, if you still want to kill me, take this rotten life if you want, but..."」
「A bet! A grand gamble!」
「Hikigaya Hachiman, lacking any sense of security, chose to go all-in!」
「Attack! Attack! Attack is the best form of defense!」
「"Your perspective isn't that small. That is my judgment, Roswaal."」
「"Interesting. You truly are an interesting man, Hikigaya Hachiman." Roswaal didn't hide it, showing his maximum praise for this arrogant yet cautious youth! Without any decoration, he was, for a moment, genuinely amused to the extreme!」
「"Since that's the case—mm—fine. If you want to handle the rumors, I won't interfere. Whether you succeed depends entirely on you. Such a small matter is inconsequential."」
「"Whew..." The heavy hammer striking his heart suddenly moved away, and the terrifying haze cleared. Roswaal's aura was like a bottomless abyss; Hachiman began to admire himself for holding out so long.」
「"Thank you for your cooperation. No, thank you for your generosity, Roswaal. I suppose I've picked up an extra life this time."」
「"Ho-ho, that's not quite the right way to put it, Hikigaya-kun." Watching the departing youth with a meaningful gaze, Roswaal looked every bit the riddle-maker. The clown spun a few times, speaking in an ambiguous tone, "That phrase 'picked up an extra life'... why don't you say it to me again tomorrow morning?"」
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"What does he mean? An assassination declaration in the middle of the night? Is he threatening Hikigaya Hachiman?"
Oreki Houtarou twisted a strand of hair, thinking left and right. But the information was too sparse; the video showed very little of Roswaal, making it impossible to understand what kind of person he really was.
Hikigaya Hachiman, of course, felt the same. He was purely gambling. Talking about "believing in Roswaal's magnanimity" was all nonsense—he was just flattering Roswaal, putting him on a pedestal to make it embarrassing for him to strike down a minor character.
If it came down to flattering or pleasing others, a serious Hachiman was more like a fish in water than veterans who had been in society for years.
"Could it be that something special happens tonight?"
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「"Is he hinting at me? Is there someone else who wants to kill me tonight? Tsk, he won't be clear. Riddle-makers are so annoying; I suddenly really hate my past self."」
「"Should I ask Emilia for help? No, Puck isn't around at night, and her combat power drops too much. I can't let her enter a dangerous situation first."」
「Knock, knock.」
「"Hmm?" The Roswaal who opened the door was stunned for a moment.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman wore a bizarre smile: "I've thought about it... Forgive my presumption, but would I have the honor of sharing a room for the night with the noble Margrave Roswaal?"」
「The ball that was kicked to him, Hachiman chose to kick right back!」
「Roswaal made a clicking sound of approval. He was truly generous and showed no airs, agreeing to the request.」
「"Alright, let me see then. If an enemy wants to... uh, how... I feel so sleepy... I'm going to... fall asleep, ah..."」
「His eyelids grew heavier. Having trained for days on end, the mentally exhausted Hachiman could not resist this externally applied sleepiness.」
「His sleeping body suddenly twitched twice. In his dreams, he looked as if he were drowning, his brow furrowed, his breathing rapid—and then, it abruptly weakened.」
「That night.」
「Under Roswaal's cold, indifferent gaze.」
「—Hikigaya Hachiman, died for the second time!」
The Flaws of a Mortal
「Whirrr!!!」
「Zzzt, crackle—」
「"I fell asleep!"」
「As Hikigaya Hachiman's upper body jerked upright, what met his eyes was the dazzling sun through the drawn curtains, the familiar room, and two people he knew.」
「'Did nothing happen? Or did Roswaal protect me and send me back here? Hmph, that mysterious Roswaal—let me go and say it to him again right now!'」
「With the vigor of a survivor, the haze shrouding him completely dispelled. Hikigaya Hachiman wore a rare, warm smile as he raised a hand in greeting: "Good morning, Rem, Ram."」
「Unexpectedly, the maid sisters—who had been quite familiar with him—simultaneously took two steps back. Their faces paled with shock, and a flash of brutal, violent aura flickered between them in unison. Though they maintained a facade of proper etiquette, their attitude was overtly much more guarded.」
「The next moment, as if something had suddenly occurred to him, the color drained from Hachiman's face. Pale-faced, he stumbled out of bed. "What day is it? What day is today? What's the date!"」
「Mysteries abounded. Outside, the weather was glorious, but inside Hachiman's heart, a violent storm was howling.」
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"Dead again? This is too ridiculous; this death was completely out of nowhere! What kind of ghost world is this other world? The survival difficulty is off the charts!"
If people like Tobe had a small amount of envy and jealousy before—after all, otherworldly beauties like Emilia, Rem, and Ram could really stimulate a man's hormones—now...
"Whoever wants to transmigrate can go ahead, I'm out!"
"Even if there's 'Return by Death,' the pain of dying isn't neutralized. Doing the same days over again is pure torture. He had ground the favorability of those two maids so high, and in an instant, it's back to zero. Who could stand doing that multiple times?"
Two gentle souls from different worlds, Hayama Hayato and Reinhard, couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pity and heartache for Hikigaya Hachiman.
"The death was very suspicious. Hikigaya Hachiman is afraid of death, but not so much that he'd have such a violent reaction. He's worried about the cause of death."
"If he can't find the cause, it's possible he'll die a second, third, or infinite number of times. At that point, 'Return by Death'—this life-saving ability—will become the culprit that traps him in a permanent cage. That is exactly what he's worried about."
Crusch and her knight, Ferris, both had quick minds and made the same judgment simultaneously: "This way of dying... it looks very much like a Curse!"
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「"A Curse?"」
「A worried Hikigaya Hachiman immediately pushed open a door to seek answers from the knowledgeable Beatrice.」
「"Correct. It puts one into a deep slumber and causes a painful death during sleep; ordinary magic cannot reach that level. However, activating a Curse has a rigid requirement: one must make direct contact with the victim. So, you don't need to be too paranoid about it."」
「"Additionally, once a Curse mark is placed, it can be dispelled before it activates."」
「Having hidden in the archives for so long, she was full of knowledge. Roswaal and Brother Puck possessed knowledge no less than hers; the twin sisters, Rem and Ram, had no interest in knowledge, and Emilia's focus wasn't on studying.」
「Suddenly, someone recognized by Emilia and Brother Puck appeared—someone with an overflowing thirst for knowledge who humbly asked for her guidance.」
「Betty's expression was calm, but in her heart, she was actually quite happy.」
「But the next moment, her mood soured.」
「Hachiman thought for a moment and actually reached a conclusion: "I understand. Thank you, Beatrice. I'll have to trouble you... For the next few days, can I come by once a day? Can you help me check if I have been marked with a Curse that day?"」
「"You fellow, what exactly do you understand? Curse users are very rare! Besides, this is that guy Roswaal's territory. Who would be so blind as to sneak an attack on his guest?"」
「Betty's nose flared with annoyance; she gave a very cute huff and directly swept Hikigaya Hachiman out.」
「Coincidentally, outside the door were the passing sisters, Rem and Ram.」
「"Sister, sister, this guest has made Lady Beatrice angry, hasn't he?"」
「"Rem, Rem, even if the guest's behavior is suspicious, we must provide proper hospitality."」
「Hachiman stood in place. After a long silence, he stopped them: "Rem, Ram, let's shake hands."」
「As he approached, for some reason, Rem suddenly knit her brows slightly. Her nose twitched twice, and she tilted her head in confusion. She sniffed the air carefully for a while, as if she had detected a very faint, subtle stench—fleeting and untraceable, leaving her bewildered.」
「Hachiman extended both hands, making physical contact with each of the sisters. To him, this was the way to solve a life-threatening mystery; he had no room to associate this with romance or sex, thus appearing very calm.」
「Not understanding what he was doing, the sisters did not refuse.」
「However, the moment Rem gripped Hachiman's hand, she suddenly raised her hand and—without any distaste—sniffed Hachiman's palm from an extremely close distance. Her face instantly turned stiff.」
「This was something that had never happened in the previous loop.」
「"The variables are too great... is there something on me?"」
「Hachiman suppressed his curiosity for the moment. His top priority now was to find the other truth; he had no time to leisurely build a relationship with these two sisters.」
「Afterward, Hachiman requested Puck to pat his chest, Emilia to touch his shoulder, and Roswaal to touch his back.」
「"I told you there's nothing!"」
「An impatient Betty shouted, "I can't be bothered with you," yet she still honestly checked him for any Curse traces before slamming the door on him again.」
「"Except for Roswaal, everyone in this mansion is a very good person."」
「Hachiman felt a sense of belonging and peace. Because of this, he was even more determined to find that Curse user—if the Curse user's target also included Emilia, Rem, Ram, or Betty, what then?」
「If they died first, even with the Return by Death ability, Hachiman found it hard to imagine himself going so far as to commit suicide.」
「"...To avoid falling into such a dilemma, let's work hard!"」
「Hachiman began to go to the village at set times every day, making physical contact with different villagers, then returning to open the door to Beatrice's library—repeating the cycle. Finally, he had ruled out the vast majority of people.」
「"If none of the villagers are the culprit, it's going to be very difficult."」
Reverse Homage to Jotaro
「Hikigaya Hachiman once again engaged in a long discussion with Roswaal—though, for Roswaal, this was the first time.」
「The process and the outcome of the negotiation left Hachiman utterly dissatisfied.」
「The sound of his argument with Roswaal was loud enough to leak out of the room, causing Ram's aura as she waited outside to veer toward fury. She was enraged that this mysterious guest, who was like a ticking time bomb, dared to use profanity against the "White Moonlight" of her heart!」
「Rem had no special feelings for Roswaal, but the fact that Hachiman caused her sister's anger was reason enough for her to be furious with him as well.」
「The two sisters stared intensely at the door, looking as though they wanted to pierce through the wood and kill Hachiman right then and there.」
「"I have an innate talent that's almost like a whim, similar to a Divine Protection. It hasn't been wrong once in seventeen years. Recently, I feel that a Curse user will act recklessly on your territory. If I'm wrong, I'll give you my head—even so, are you still unwilling to send troops to clean things up?"」
「"Without concrete evidence, that would be considered disturbing the peace. It would also make others mock me, Roswaal, as a coward with a persecution complex, Hikigaya-kun."」
「"Disturbing the peace? A coward? Tch. Does a Count who is bold enough to gallivant around in a clown outfit really care about such things?"」
「Hachiman slammed the table, unable to soothe his fluctuating emotions.」
「Roswaal ignored his provocation and instead, with a light chuckle, dropped a bombshell: "I have invitations for the next two days; I will be heading out then."」
「"You!!"」
「Hachiman ground his teeth so hard they creaked. He felt a bone-deep hatred for this clown, his fists clenched tight.」
「He knew Roswaal didn't care if Emilia won the Royal Selection, but he truly didn't expect Roswaal to care so little for Emilia's safety—no, even the safety of his own two maids. This clown was a pure hedonist; he was completely unreliable!」
「The negotiation was declared a failure. Hachiman drained the tea on the table in one gulp and stalked out gloomily. Behind him, Roswaal remained calm and composed, curiosity visible in his eyes.」
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"Sister." Rem frowned, tugging at the hem of her sister's skirt. Before her advice could be voiced, Ram placed a finger on her sister's lips.
"Don't say those things, Rem. Don't make it difficult for me. You and Lord Roswaal are both the reasons I live... No matter how Lord Roswaal treats me, I will be his most loyal maid. That will not waver."
The stubbornly obsessed Ram looked at the Roswaal in the video with undiminished loyalty.
"Hachiman-kun..." Emilia's brow was knit with worry as she offered a silent, anxious prayer. Her distressed tone was full of pity. "Because he's surrounded by enemies, and because he's worried about me and Rem and Ram, his rational and strong heart is beginning to fray..."
On the other side, Yukinoshita Yukino spoke half to herself and half as a warning: "Helping others is a virtue that should be encouraged, provided you don't hurt yourself in the process."
Hachiman really wanted to snap back: 'Yukinoshita-san, don't act like you haven't hurt yourself while helping others, okay?'
But the sensation of the girl's soft, fragrant lips still lingered in his heart. He remained silent and gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
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「As Hachiman paced through the courtyard, the sight of the beautiful flowers and trees did nothing to soothe his mood; instead, he grew increasingly irritable.」
「He wanted to empty his mind and practice swordsmanship all afternoon to vent his frustration.」
「"—CRACK!"」
「The wooden sword snapped mid-swing. Hachiman's face was contorted; both his hands were injured, and he was panting heavily. At the same time, most of his pent-up frustration had dissipated, yielding significant results.」
「Suddenly, a holy white light appeared, dulling his pain and healing the injuries on his wrists.」
「Emilia, in a white dress, appeared like a descending angel. She frowned slightly, pouting as if to scold Hachiman for not caring for his body. But seeing his wounds, the kind girl struggled for a moment before turning her scolding into care.」
「"Honestly, I don't object to you pursuing strength, though I don't understand why you're in such a rush... but you must protect yourself, Hachiman-kun."」
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Hachiman was lost in thought. Yukinoshita and Emilia—two equally beautiful and charming girls—shared the same gentle kindness. They even said the same thing to him: protect yourself first.
"What have I done... to deserve knowing both of you, Yukinoshita, Emilia..."
Whispering to himself, Hachiman felt a surge of joy in a daze.
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「"Sorry." Hachiman's eyes lowered. Suspicious by nature, he couldn't tell anyone about his trump card, "Return by Death," meaning he had to carry the irritation of knowing things only he knew after a loop.」
「"I'm not the one you should apologize to. You should apologize to yourself. Remember to say 'I'm sorry' to yourself, Hachiman-kun. As for now..."」
「Emilia's two slender, perfectly fair legs brushed together as she made up her mind. She took Hachiman's hand and pulled him toward the wide lawn.」
「Under the watchful gaze of Father Puck—who looked as if a wild boar were about to uproot his home-grown cabbage—」
「Emilia knelt gracefully on the grass in a formal seiza position. She patted her thighs, which were covered in white over-the-knee socks.」
「Hachiman was stunned. He swallowed hard, guessing what was happening but finding it hard to believe. "Huh?"」
「Puck grumbled: "What's with the 'huh'? Brat, can't you even understand this? Forget it then, Lia, let's go!"」
「"Puck." Emilia shook her head gently. "That... because Hachiman-kun mentioned lap pillows in his sleep. If this can make you feel better, please come try it. Don't be formal; you've been a huge help to me."」
「Emilia's face turned only slightly red.」
「But Hachiman, this inexperienced virgin, had a massive reaction. He stammered, glanced left and right, looked dizzy, and was blushing so hard he looked like a drunken crab.」
「He couldn't hear anything anymore; there was only the sound of his thumping heart, which felt like it would leap out of his chest, carrying a body that felt on the verge of sudden death from excitement.」
「In this moment, Hachiman finally looked like a seventeen-year-old high schooler.」
「"Eh? Ehhhh? Wait, oh, uh, umm, I—I—"」
「With a dry throat, he stomped his feet.」
「Hachiman turned around and ran away in a panic!」
So Embarrassing
"Hikigaya-kun... could he have some sort of hidden physical condition?"
Shirogane Miyuki slapped the table and stood up, utterly dumbfounded by this move.
"Let's be reasonable here—if Shinomiya gave me a proactive hint and we were lying on the same bed, I might act a bit pretentious at first, but in the end, I'd definitely end up naked under the covers with her."
"A new sister-in-law delivered right to your door, and you're such a big dummy, Brother! Idiot! Waaah!" Hikigaya Komachi stamped her feet and pounded her chest, distressed to the extreme, worrying herself to death over her brother's marriage prospects.
In the Game Development Club, Eriri, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Katou Megumi exchanged subtle looks: "He's truly like the most yasashii (gentle) version of a galgame protagonist—pure and conservative. This is true purity and conservatism."
By now, Kasumigaoka Utaha could no longer lie to herself. With such a glaring comparison, she had to face the bloody reality.
Aki Tomoya indeed showed no signs of being in a romantic relationship with her, yet when faced with the lap pillows, nudity, and intimate "fan service" she offered, he would accept parts of it before "suddenly realizing this seems a bit too intimate" and retreating. He didn't want to take responsibility, yet he wanted to enjoy the perks.
If Aki Tomoya were truly dense or pure regarding feelings, he should have been like Hikigaya Hachiman—keeping the "benefits" offered by the other party outside the door.
Since he couldn't even do that, yet used the excuse of "being dense about feelings" while "staring straight at a Senpai wearing only a towel that couldn't even cover her chest for a long time"...
Before, she could lie to herself, but now? When a "fake" meets a "real deal"—meeting a Hikigaya Hachiman who truly respects feelings and is worthy of a woman's trust—Aki Tomoya's true colors were instantly exposed on the table.
"I, as a woman who knew exactly what kind of person he was yet shamelessly kept throwing myself at him, am also at fault! However, things will be different from now on!"
Aki Tomoya, who was watching the video with interest, was suddenly bewildered. He noticed that at some point, the girls had all moved their seats a bit further away from him: "Utaha-senpai, what's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing." Utaha, looking as if a heavy burden had been lifted, scooted even further away with a radiant smile.
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"Pff-hahahahahaha!"
While everyone else was shocked or mocking Hachiman's innocence, at that moment, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka saw through the behavior to the essence. The corners of his mouth curled into a joyful arc, and he let out a low, manic laugh.
"I didn't expect it, Hikigaya Hachiman. I underestimated you after all. You aren't wrong; you really aren't wrong. You are a natural-born, unique, niche, and distinctive elite talent unlike anyone else!"
Horikita Suzune couldn't take it anymore. Knowing more or less how capable Ayanokouji was, she had heard him praise this man too many times, and a sense of imbalance grew in her heart:
"I could do that too!"
"That's why I say you understand absolutely nothing." Ayanokouji didn't even give her a contemptuous look; his deadpan tone made Horikita even more furious.
"This absolutely does not represent Hikigaya-kun being cowardly or lacking the courage to have intimate interactions with girls!"
Yukinoshita Yukino's brows danced with joy as she let out a soft "hmpf." "What this actually highlights is how strictly Hikigaya-kun demands and craves emotional closeness. It also inadvertently reflects that he currently lacks a sense of security, like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow."
Her volume was neither high nor low, just enough for the other whispering customers in the convenience store to hear.
Veins were practically popping out of Hikigaya Hachiman's forehead. Listening to Yukinoshita proudly perform "reading comprehension" on him made him feel so awkward he wanted to go live in a basement and never appear before anyone ever again!
Even if Yukinoshita's analysis was correct... 'I'm begging you, just stop talking, okay?!'
The scene of Emilia offering a lap pillow made many girls turn beet-red, imagining themselves in the female lead's place and their crush in the male lead's place. How embarrassing.
Among these shy girls, Emilia was not one of them.
"Lia, he ran away?" Puck giggled, covering his mouth. "We've seen a truly rare sight."
Emilia let out a deep sigh: "What a shame. I finally managed to do something to repay him, but in the end, I still couldn't give anything back to Hachiman-kun."
She hadn't thought about lust or romance in the slightest. If an average person's purity level was 10 and Hachiman's was 50, Emilia's was at least 80.
Looking at his daughter who clearly hadn't noticed the gravity of the situation, Puck slapped his forehead.
Suddenly, he felt that Hikigaya Hachiman and his Lia might actually be a pretty good match.
-
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「Hikigaya Hachiman stumbled along as if a demon lived in the mansion. He ran and ran, escaping quite a distance before finally letting out a long breath and slowing his pace.」
「Just now, the moment Emilia offered the lap pillow, memories of the cold attitudes from countless women he'd only met once since childhood, and the disastrous middle school confession that was broadcast to the whole school, all flooded back into his mind in an instant.」
「"Women are the most beautiful traps!"」
「"Right? How could a girl possibly be so nice to me? Hahaha, close call. That was really dangerous. If I had laid down just now, I definitely would have started being delusional again."」
「Wandering outside the mansion as the sun set and the twilight blurred into night, Hachiman looked up and spotted the faint trail of Roswaal flying off into the distance.」
「Hachiman's heart skipped a beat.」
「No matter how much he disliked Roswaal, the clown's immense power was a great deterrent. With him gone, this lonely territory seemed, in Hachiman's eyes, to have hidden dangers lurking in every direction.」
「"Better head back early. I feel uneasy for some reason."」
Suddenly, the screen cut. Hikigaya Hachiman was rushing back under a sky with dim stars and a dark, oppressive landscape. It was pitch black, and not even a single insect chirped.
Silence was louder than words here. There was no background music to set the mood; the metaphorical camera shots alone let many people know that bad news was about to happen.
"Hey, hey, stop setting flags!" Hachiman panicked. Watching yourself die over and over again was definitely not an enjoyable experience.
「Unfortunately, Hachiman's intuition was correct.」
「BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!」
「In the silence, a sudden Rumble erupted. A large area of trees was struck and snapped in half, crashing to the ground with heavy thuds. A sound of breaking air swept in like a storm, approaching from the distance.」
「The object making the sound was moving nearly as fast as the sound itself; the source of the attack was approaching the speed of sound!」
「The moment Hikigaya Hachiman heard the sound, the attack had already hit him!!」
The Third Death
「In the next second, Hikigaya Hachiman's body slammed into a foreign object, caught completely off guard—he was more fragile than a tattered rag. In an instant, he was sent flying back over ten meters, his cheeks, waist, back, and limbs grinding repeatedly against the ground.」
「He only stopped because he crashed into a rock over two meters high.」
「Hachiman's entire body could no longer move of its own accord; his strength had completely vanished. From his ice-cold hands and feet to his internal organs, everything was vibrating slightly. This uncontrollable, passive shaking was like a death god using a scythe to slowly slice him apart piece by piece.」
「He struggled, refusing to yield even in death, trying to crawl up, but...」
「"My... hand?"」
「Tattered, torn, and splattered with a massive amount of blood, an arm and a leg belonging to Hikigaya Hachiman lay lonely and severed on the blood-stained earth.」
「It had reached a point where "pain" was no longer an adequate description. Shaking violently, Hachiman opened his throat wide, instinctively wanting to release the dense, agonizing trauma permeating his body through screams and wails—but it was meaningless. He suppressed the instinct.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman had turned completely into a crimson man of blood, dying in a state of extreme agony.」
-
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"Don't look!" Hikigaya Hachiman's eyelids twitched violently. His first reaction was to reach out and cover the eyes of the girl beside him.
This desolate state of death was no exaggeration to say it rivaled the bloated corpses of drowning victims; the visual impact was more terrifying than watching a hundred horror movies.
Yukinoshita Yukino shook her head gently. Though her heart was pounding with fear, she gritted her teeth and said word by word, "I can't accept it, but I want to accept it. Hikigaya-kun, don't stop me."
The girl's eyes were misty with tears, her voice choking up. "If I can't accept you when you're at your lowest, when you're in pain, when you're unsightly—if I can't even stand to watch it—then
I have absolutely no right to stand by your side... You are the one who actually entered this hell, Hikigaya-kun..."
She was hating herself—hating her helpless, powerless self.
From the resolute Yukinoshita Yukino, Hachiman could not help but read such a message.
Only this time, looking at Yukinoshita, whose light makeup was ruined by tears, Hachiman could quietly confirm: this was definitely not him being delusional.
'A toad really can win the heart of a white swan. Reality is indeed more realistic and darker than a fairy tale, but it's also possible for it to be more beautiful and pure.'
Hachiman hesitantly reached out halfway, then forced himself to pull back. Until he was sure the video ended and he hadn't become entangled with other women, he'd better stay on his best behavior.
The next second, his body trembled.
Yukinoshita Yukino, her teeth clenched in resentment as if trying to kill the murderer with her gaze, leaned her entire fair, faintly fragrant body lightly against Hachiman's side.
The distance between them, at this moment, was separated only by two thin shirts.
Hachiman's throat bobbed. He held his breath, turning himself into a stone statue, while his peripheral vision was uncontrollably drawn to the poetic beauty of Yukinoshita's profile.
-
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「"Heh... heh..."」
Hachiman's gasping on screen interrupted the progress of the soul-bonding tryst between the real Hachiman and Yukinoshita.
「The sound of iron chains.」
「Stepping on grass, treading over branches, the murderer slowly emerged from the darkness.」
「"Re... Rem?"」
「The dying Hachiman was gripped by a very rare sense of confusion.」
「"I could... ugh... I could understand if it were Beatrice, or Puck, or Roswaal, but... why is it actually you, Rem!"」
「"Suspicion is the original sin. I cannot allow a dangerous person like you to get close to Lord Roswaal and Sister." Rem's footsteps were cold, her tone mixed with a sparse sense of gratification. "If you confess honestly, Rem can give you a quick death."」
「By now, feeling his body as ruined as a leaking balloon, Hachiman had no leisure to explain. He only wanted to pry as much information out of Rem's mouth as possible: "Confess?"」
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"Hey, hey, are you kidding me? Is Hikigaya Hachiman really still human? Is he really just an ordinary high schooler? Are we sure he isn't the son of a mercenary family or a mob boss?"
At the banquet, the tycoons who had been silent for a long time due to the sudden video were now stunned one by one.
"Carrying injuries like that and still being able to think, set traps, and solve puzzles like a precise machine—even battle-hardened veterans couldn't do that!"
"Indeed, a human can't do it." Yukinoshita Haruno felt a sense of loss. She knew that only when absolutely necessary would Hachiman truly go all out. That version of Hachiman was someone even she couldn't match.
"However, a monster can! This guy—is a 'Rational Monster'!"
-
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「"What exactly is your relationship with the Witch Cult?"」
「"Witch Cult?"」
「The moment he answered a question with a question, the iron chain swung the flail, kicking up clouds of dust and smashing into Hachiman's body without a shred of mercy. "Don't play dumb! Don't think you can gloss this over!!"」
「Rem's eyes were blood-red, her agitation visible to the naked eye. "Though it's faint—so faint it's almost easy to overlook—you showed your true colors… the stench of the Witch lingering on you; if you sniff carefully, you can still smell it!"」
-
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"So that's how it was."
Rem, who had been just as confused as the dying Hachiman, suddenly had a moment of clarity after hearing this explanation. "With the Witch's scent and such suspicious behavior, Rem would naturally strike to kill. Although I'm very sorry to the innocent guest..."
Ram looked at the heavily panting Hachiman with pity and pulled the listless Rem into her arms. "You can't do that in the future, Rem. Rem should stay safe and sound; it's safer and cuter not to start fights."
"Rem will do whatever Sister says."
The warm-hearted Rem nodded.
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「"I have the Witch's scent... I see, I see, ha-cough-cough-cough!" Hachiman coughed up blood, looking strangely delighted. His remaining hand used all its strength to grab Rem's sleeve. "Speak! Tell me! This Witch's scent on me—if you quantified it, how much is it? A bowl of rice? A basin? Or... vomit-cough, hahahahaha-cough-cough-cough!"」
「Rem's eyes widened.」
「She didn't understand. She didn't understand at all! Why was this man, who was at a total disadvantage and on the verge of death, so happy? Why was he questioning her in return? Who was beating whom here? How strange!」
「Inadvertently, Rem actually took a half-step back, frightened by this insignificant man who looked as crazed as a scientist who had just achieved a breakthrough in research.」
「Naturally, she wasn't going to answer that nonsensical question.」
「With half-realization and half-unresolved regret.」
「—Hikigaya Hachiman, died for the third time!」
The Transformed Ayanokouji
"He can still laugh? In a situation like this, after a death so full of wrongful accusations and extreme misery, he can actually still laugh? It's completely irrational! Hikigaya Hachiman is a madman!"
Horikita Suzune's face was twisted with a strange expression, her words fragmented. These petty perspectives—like beggars looking at an emperor—were the rustling opinions of almost everyone in the class.
Slap—Slap—Slap—!
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka suddenly clapped his hands and walked onto the podium with an expressionless face.
Starting from the first seat of the first row, he began to stroll down the aisles, methodically beating his classmates. At every seat he passed, a punch or a kick was thrown; the defenseless students were directly pummeled into a state where they couldn't fight back.
"What are you doing? Stop it right now, Ayanokouji!"
Hirata Yousuke moved to intervene, but his legs stayed rooted to the spot, uncontrollable. His body trembled from the inside out; when Ayanokouji cast a cold, emotionless glance over, Hirata felt like a mouse staring at a tiger.
He could only stand there blankly, watching as other students roared and rushed forward, only to be neutralized by Ayanokouji in an instant. They all collapsed to the ground, and wails of pain rose one after another.
"Those of us left untouched... are the ones who didn't insult Hikigaya Hachiman... Gulp..."
Her scalp tingling and covered in a cold sweat, Horikita Suzune noticed this detail. "Are you... standing up for a man you don't even know?"
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka glanced pityingly at this low-IQ fool who thought she had found the answer. "Standing up for him? As expected, you are a piece of rotten wood that cannot be carved, a useless person who cannot be propped up."
"Then why did you—"
A punch landed in the midsection of the rambling Horikita. She knelt down limply, letting out only a muffled groan without losing too much composure.
This seemed to slightly satisfy the methodical Ayanokouji.
"Listen well, Horikita. Every man—every man since ancient times—has a dream of being the best in the world. I am different. I was born at the summit of the world, and therefore I have no pursuits, no emotions. Bored to death, I even came to this school to play 'house' with you all for over half a year.
But the era has changed.
Putting aside that other world with its seemingly absurd power ceiling, I truly must thank this Hikigaya.
It was he who made me realize what 'superiority' feels like. My intelligence surpasses that of ordinary people, and I do not look down on you.
However, even after seeing so much of what Hikigaya Hachiman has done, Horikita, you still haven't unearthed his essence... Only I have seen what a treasure he is. This gives me a very rare sense of superiority.
This world isn't so boring after all. So—this game of playing house? I'm done playing!"
Deng-deng-dong!!!
Horikita Suzune, Sakura Airi, Karuizawa Kei, Sudou Ken, and the others all gaped in shock, their eyes wide and frozen like wooden chickens.
Koenji steadied himself. As someone so proud and conceited, even he had to slightly avert his gaze when facing Ayanokouji's fully unleashed aura. He bluffed without much confidence:
"Playing house? Heh. For someone who has truly ignited his fighting spirit and is going all out, indeed, perhaps even I am slightly inferior."
Ayanokouji remained expressionless. He wanted to watch the video properly and couldn't be bothered to expose Koenji's cheap "self-esteem."
-
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At the same time, Priscilla—who, if she were to meet Ayanokouji, would likely become an instant enemy due to his dismissive attitude—laughed behind her hand with the elegance of a scorching sun.
"How ridiculous. One camp, four sets of motives. It was already low enough that Roswaal isn't treating that half-elf with sincerity, but I didn't expect it to sink even lower.
The half-elf who thinks everyone is a comrade and friend; Roswaal, whose goals are unknown and who is full of lies; the maid who respects and serves Roswaal and her sister more than the half-elf and loves making executive decisions; and the poor man with all the information, trying single-mindedly to repay a debt but unable to speak.
We can set Roswaal aside for now... This Hikigaya Hachiman is definitely going to have a life-and-death struggle with that little maid, right? After all, he died so painfully!"
Priscilla made this prediction with absolute certainty, believing it couldn't be wrong. No matter how gentle or kind a person is, there is always a limit. A truly bottomless "Holy Mother" wouldn't survive this long.
The scene where Hachiman advised the Sword Saint Reinhard to execute the Bowel Hunter on the spot was still fresh in her mind. When cruelty was required, this was a decisive and ruthless man.
The next second.
"..." Priscilla froze!
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「"Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"」
「As if struck by lightning, Hikigaya Hachiman's voice rang out with ecstatic joy. His upper body snapped up as he performed a 'carp kick' to spring out of bed. In his line of sight, the twin maid sisters tilted their heads, treating him like a mental patient and backing away with a sense of detachment.」
「The image of Rem acting cute and the silhouette of her bloodthirstily killing under the moon blurred and overlapped.」
「Gak—」
「The hearty laughter that had erupted from uncovering the mystery came to a screeching halt.」
「After two seconds of brewing silence, the door opened and the beautiful girl rushed in.」
「"Good morning... your voice is too loud, Hachiman-kun. But, it's great to see you so energetic."」
「"Yeah. That's right."」
「Hachiman replied weakly and with great effort.」
「A familiar development, familiar positions, yet the people had returned to the distance of strangers.」
「"Emilia, could I ask these two, uh... maids? Can you two head out first? I need to get up and change."」
「"Sister, sister, this guest's mood swings are very strange."」
「"Rem, Rem, this guest's actual behavior is even stranger."」
「How could it not be strange? High highs followed by low lows. Even if he traded one death for a wealth of information, the thought of being tortured to death by Rem made it very hard for Hachiman to treat her with a calm heart.」
「Hachiman took a deep breath and closed his eyes.」
「"Intelligent creatures are fickle, untrustworthy, and extremely difficult to fathom... There's nothing to be sad about. If Rem's behavior toward me stayed consistent across different loops, that would be the anomaly."」
「"In that case, she would necessarily be the 'Genuine Article' among genuine articles... Ah, what kind of delusions am I having?"」
Hachiman's deep, tired eyes hid all sorts of emotions. There was wariness of the other world, hope for Emilia, disappointment in intelligent beings, and relief at his own deductions.
However, Priscilla searched but could not find one thing: she could not find any resentment toward Rem in this man.
"...How is that possible?!"
A Mortal's Perspective
「"Let's calculate just how many taboos I broke in the last loop."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman's fingers twitched, tracing a clearly ordered and logically rigorous pattern in the air, then branding it into his soul as the veins of thought gradually became clear and visible.」
「"First is being rash and impulsive. In order to seek help, I actually told Roswaal that I possessed precognitive abilities. Although it was a 'fishing' probe... unfortunately, I didn't catch a thing. I only discovered that Roswaal is an even more inscrutable person. But it was too dangerous; I can't do that again."」
Roswaal: "?"
'So, all this time I thought you were acting a bit abnormal because you trusted me, you were actually just fishing?
"Ho-ho—Hikigaya Hachiman. This young man's mind is so meticulous that if I truly encountered him, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to relax for a single moment."
「"Second... is the most unforgivable narrowness of vision!"」
「"If talking to Roswaal was a dangerous experiment I conducted—regardless of whether I could pull in help, it was at least a conscious, subjective setup on my part—then..."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman turned his hand into a blade and lightly chopped his own head.」
「"In order to track down the culprit, I moved non-stop, focusing single-mindedly on that task, while ignoring the most critical, major point that absolutely should not have been overlooked!"」
「"The 'Witch's Scent' was one of the factors, but Rem locking onto me as a total suspect happened, at its root, more because my behavior was far too bizarre."」
「Hikigaya Hachiman held up three fingers on his left hand, murmuring softly, his face filled with the chagrin of not being careful enough.」
「"Why was I so familiar with the layout the first time I arrived at Roswaal's mansion, as if nothing there was strange to me? Why, despite meeting Rem and Ram for the first time, did I act like old friends reunited, occasionally showing that I knew their personalities and habits like the back of my hand?"」
「"Furthermore, my process of searching for the Curse User, in the eyes of Rem and Ram, would obviously look like: [A spy has infiltrated this place, using his status as a guest to travel through Lord Roswaal's territory, recording the terrain and features of various places, the distribution of the villagers, and even secretly developing a network of spies and inciting people to defect while communicating with the villagers]."」
「"This isn't absurd. Because in the second loop, I was so busy looking for the Curse User that from the very beginning I had no time to communicate with the sisters; it reached a point where we only nodded when we saw each other every day before parting."」
「"This is yet another glaring piece of evidence. Fearing the maids would find a flaw, the spy didn't dare get close to them—Rem and Ram would definitely think that way."」
「"And all of this is because I subconsciously believed that we were already half-friends and that there was no need to build rapport from a distance; I subconsciously believed they wouldn't suspect me."」
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Hikigaya Hachiman's summary made things very clear.
Reinhard, who had already brought the lost princess Felt back to the royal palace, had a moment of sudden realization. "I see. This truly was a massive oversight."
"It's not that his mind isn't mature enough or his IQ isn't high enough, nor is it that his thoughts aren't delicate enough. It's just that it's his first time on the road; many things have to be figured out by himself. Before a problem arises, these are all blind spots in perspective."
Felt's face was full of question marks. To hide her lack of understanding, she flailed her arms around. "Huh? Ahh? What oversight? Are you and that guy both riddle-makers? Hey! Explain it clearly to me, you Sword Saint!" "..."
While the Sword Saint was explaining, a spirited Puck slapped his paw down in admiration. "Brilliant! 'Narrowness of vision.' Exactly, it's narrowness of vision!"
Although he had confidence in his daughter's intelligence, in order to shift her away from the shame of Rem hurting Hikigaya Hachiman, Puck lay on top of her head, swinging his cat tail in front of her eyes as he explained:
"Before obtaining the ability of 'Return by Death,' Hikigaya Hachiman was just an ordinary person.
With every Return by Death, the people he once knew regress to being strangers. But the things that happened are facts to him.
Hachiman can't help but use the 'distance of an acquaintance' to build relationships... Previously with you, Lia, he had just transmigrated and was in a state of stress, plus you are kind and unsuspicious, so this drawback didn't manifest.
But in reality, he hasn't yet managed to view the world and time not as an ordinary person, but as a guy with the ability to Return by Death—he hasn't yet changed his worldview and behavioral patterns.
That's why it happened; in his last loop, he didn't feel there was anything wrong with his response, yet he happened to provoke Rem, leading to the end where his corpse lay in the wilderness."
"That is to say—" Emilia paused, biting her lip bitterly. "Hachiman-kun... every time he loops, does he have to put on a hypocritical mask? Even though he knows them, he has to pretend to start from zero?"
For a person with a delicate heart, how horrific a wound is that? Over time, even if there was some sincere emotion at the start, after many repetitions, that pure, sincere heart will gradually be obliterated!
"This..."
"Hey, hey... I originally thought this was some kind of divine protection from heaven. If you look at it from this angle, isn't it just dragging a person into hell?"
"Sinking slowly, slowly... unable to escape..."
"And it's a hell where you can't even beg for death, only eternal torment!"
Following the explanations of some clever individuals, in the streets and alleys of the Kingdom of Lugunica, the envious and jealous glints in some people's eyes were extinguished, replaced by distortion and fear.
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「Could Hikigaya Hachiman fail to think of this side effect?」
「In any case, he didn't pay it any mind. He murmured to himself as if brainwashing himself: 'There are still a lot of troubles in reality that need to be dealt with.'」
「His self-criticism wasn't over.」
「"Finally, there's my selfishness—the previous mistakes didn't warrant death, but this point alone... I deserved to die for it. It's a pity I didn't die at Beatrice's hands."」
"Eh?" Beatrice was stunned. "How are you being selfish? And it has something to do with Betty? Did Betty miss something?"
「"Beatrice has a very impatient attitude toward humans. In order to find the Curse User, I troubled her all day and night. And because I was single-mindedly searching for the Curse
User and coming and going in a hurry, I frequently even forgot to say a word of sincere thanks!"
"..."
Beatrice blinked her eyes blankly. "After dying, the first thing he does upon reviving isn't seeking revenge on Rem, but self-reproach, and then... putting Betty in his heart?"
This, this guy... "Hm, hmmm... he's actually... got quite a conscience."
」
The Siscon's Grand Victory
「Having identified the flaws, Hikigaya Hachiman reacted. His acting was not as polished or professional as someone like Roswaal, but it was still enough to successfully deceive the twin sisters, Rem and Ram—he adopted the method from his very first loop at the mansion.」
「It was a shortcut he had discovered by accident, thanks to Emilia.」
「"Seeing you two reminds me of my little sister."」
「In the kitchen, Hikigaya Hachiman rested his chin on one hand, adopting the posture of someone 'baring his soul' out of boredom and a desire to chat, 'accidentally' leaking his background information.」
「The way Rem and Ram treated him—tepidly, as if he were invisible—changed in an instant.」
「The maid sisters glanced at each other, their movements in processing the ingredients slowing slightly as they spared a bit of focus to concentrate on Hikigaya Hachiman.」
「"Komachi is two years younger than me. But she's completely different from a useless piece of trash brother like me, okay? She's cute, and her looks are even a cut above Yuigahama's; her voice is sweet, and she knows how to take care of her waste of a brother. Ahh, she's practically an angel!"」
「"But it's strange; no matter how cute a little sister is, you can never develop those kinds of feelings for her. That's why I can't understand those 'incest' games at all; they're complete nonsense—ah, but I definitely am a siscon, ehe~"」
「As Hikigaya Hachiman poured out his genuine feelings, his face suddenly contorted into a terrifying expression, looking as if he wanted to subject someone to the death of a thousand cuts. His voice turned sinister: "I wonder what kind of punk will eventually marry Komachi. Hmph, let me state this in advance: I won't hand my sister over easily. At the very least, he'll have to pass five trials and slay six generals, proving his unwavering love for Komachi with eight years of steadfast devotion, right?"」
.
.
.
Kousaka Kyousuke's face turned pale: "Hey, this kind of 'lockdown' normal siscon is scarier than the pathological ones in eroge, okay? With a brother-in-law like that, who would dare marry your sister? Committing suicide would be more comfortable than falling into his hands."
On the other side, Komachi was moved to tears, which flowed freely as she covered her mouth, overcome with emotion. "Brother, you big dummy! You can barely save yourself, yet
you're so worried about Komachi? You're the stupidest idiot! Komachi is definitely deducting ten thousand points from you, waah!"
"My, my. Although you've never hidden being a siscon, I didn't think you'd be obsessed to this degree."
Hikigaya Hachiman proudly put his hands on his hips; whenever Komachi was mentioned, all other emotions took a back seat. "Hmph, you wouldn't understand, Yukinoshita. Little sisters are the cutest creatures in this world."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder—similar logic, I understand," Yukinoshita agreed. Then, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her voice, squeezed from her throat, sounded like chilling frost. "Speaking of which, after being transmigrated for so long, a certain Hikigaya-kun doesn't seem to have missed his Club President even once?"
Hachiman froze, his expression sheepish and humble as he whispered: "How about... we watch a bit more? Maybe it'll happen soon?"
.
.
.
「"I have understood quite clearly that the guest is a person worthy of praise."」
「Ram set down her work, washed her hands seriously, and extended her hand to shake the hand of the doting Hachiman with grave sincerity.」
「This was a historic moment!」
「The two great siscons of different worlds converged here. At this moment, Ram placed her absolute trust in this like-minded new comrade.」
「"To love a sister, to cherish a sister, to understand a sister's preciousness and cuteness—without a doubt, Guest, in this entire Kingdom of Lugunica, you are irreproachable, standing at the very top among millions!"」
「"However, I must refute one of your fallacies, Guest." Ram spoke like a scholar engaging in a philosophical debate, comparable to Socrates. Her eyes were bright, projecting fire and lightning!」
「"Indisputably, the cutest little sister in the world cannot be some over-hyped Hikigaya Komachi—the cutest, most unique, most charming, and most irreplaceable is obviously only Ram's sister, only Rem!"」
「BANG!!」
「The table let out a loud sound. Hachiman's palm bled slightly from the force. He displayed an unprecedented ferocity, looking like Confucius ready to slay and whip the corpse of an opponent after losing a debate.」
「"Ram, you've truly disappointed me! Yes, right, I admit Rem is nearly flawless, but that is no reason for you to marginalize Komachi and distort the facts!"」
「"Even as comrades on the path of the siscon, if Komachi is involved, I cannot show you any mercy, Ra—m—!"」
「Ram stood on her tiptoes, staring back at Hachiman fiercely without yielding an inch. "Hmm? I'm distorting the facts? It's more like the guest is mentally unstable, unable to see the basic reality that Rem is number one in the universe. How terrible! Truly wicked!"」
「On this explosive battlefield, Ram and Hachiman moved closer and closer, poised and ready. Their minds were filled with a wave of praises for their respective sisters. Right or wrong—let their tongues decide the victor!」
「"Sister, it is better not to trouble Lady Emilia's guest. And ultimately, Rem does not agree with the biased opinions of Sister and the guest."」
「In the eye hidden by blue hair, a flash of self-deprecating torment flickered.」
「"Rem does not believe there is anything to praise about a 'little sister.' Sister is the collection of all positive vocabulary in the world. Please, Sister and Guest, seriously consider Rem's opinion."」
「At this moment, Hikigaya Hachiman thought of that 'demon sister' of his who played all sorts of tricks on her own brother.」
「'Older sister is number one? Are you kidding? I'm gonna puke!'」
「He intended to say that, but looking down, he saw Ram, moved beyond measure, revealing a sweet and gentle smile as she pulled Rem into her embrace. Rem obediently closed her eyes, hugging her sister tighter in coordination. The heart-refreshing scents of the two sisters intertwined, weaving together the most harmonious of scenes.」
「Hikigaya Hachiman was healed.」
「The words of opposition could not be spoken. Dejectedly, he turned his head away in surrender and let out a soft sigh. "Whew... I lost."」
「"However, I didn't lose to your sisterly bond; I only lost because I am not by Komachi's side."」
「The guest's bravado was inconsequential; Rem and Ram were immersed in the beautiful world of having a sister.」
Yukinoshita Envy and the Scheming Man
「"..."」
On the grass outside Roswaal's mansion, the sisters looking up at the sky and gazing wholeheartedly at the light screen didn't feel a shred of embarrassment.
Ram wore a warm smile. Just like her future self, she held Rem in her arms, stroking her sister's hair and cheeks, a surge of tenderness pulsing through her heart.
She lightly nibbled her sister's earlobe. Because Rem's cuteness was being displayed before everyone in the world, she was so happy her little feet kicked slightly in excitement. "Please listen to me, Rem. Ram is the happiest older sister in the world."
Rem felt intoxicated, drowning in the joy of her sister's wonderful qualities being shown to everyone in the world. "Please listen to me, Sister. Rem is the happiest little sister in the world."
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「A lonely Hikigaya Hachiman watched the tender, affectionate pair of sisters, feeling incredibly bitter. He muttered to himself on the side, saying nonsense like, 'If Komachi were here, she'd definitely cut you two down.'」
「Even so, he waited until Rem and Ram had finished their display of affection and separated before knocking on the table, interrupting the sour stench of family love permeating the air.」
「"I heard from Emilia that Rem's tailoring skills are quite good... so, could you do me a favor?"」
「Rem nodded. Her attitude was far more respectful than in the previous two loops, her words filled with approval of Hikigaya Hachiman: "Please explain in detail, honored guest."」
「Hachiman took out a prepared pen and paper. With several quick, scrawled strokes, he sketched a fierce-looking panda biting a piece of bamboo, handing the drawing to the curious sisters.」
「"Can you make it? Help me sew a plush toy that looks like this. It doesn't need to be too big—just a few palms in size is fine. If it's too difficult or you're busy, just give me scissors and materials; I'll try it myself."」
「"You like this sort of thing? The guest's taste is truly strange." Rem paused. "It's very easy. I can finish it tonight by working through the night. Guest, please come pick it up tomorrow."」
「"Thank you so much."」
「Hachiman breathed a sigh of relief. "Also, stop calling me 'Guest.' It's too formal and a bit awkward. From now on, call me by my name... no, call me by my surname, Hikigaya-kun. Please."」
「"Hikigaya-kun? Understood."」
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"Actually looking down on Pan-san? It seems this pair of sisters has a taste completely different from mine."
Although Yukinoshita Yukino wasn't happy about her favorite being belittled, seeing Hachiman specifically commission someone to make a Pan-san made her overall mood very high.
This Pan-san—besides being used to commemorate the bits and pieces of time spent with her, Yukinoshita, back on Earth, and to soothe his longing for her—what else could it be for?
Hikigaya-kun is wonderful!
She cast a bashful, delighted glance at Hachiman. Weirdly, instead of accepting it, Hachiman swallowed hard and secretly shifted away, distancing himself slightly. His body was trembling a little, as if he were afraid of something.
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「"Is the guest perhaps a little girl? You need a special doll to hug while you sleep at night?" Ram felt it was a bit funny and probed deeper.」
「Hachiman immediately shook his head. "Though there is a person who likes this thing... I'm just 'offering borrowed flowers to Buddha.' I need Beatrice's help with something, but my hands are empty and I don't have a cent on me, so I could only come to you. So, thank you truly, Rem."」
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Snap—Boom!
"This guy!"
Beatrice ground her teeth in irritation, tucked her book under her arm, and let out a disgruntled huff.
"I thought you actually valued Betty that much, but it turns out even the gift used as a thank-you was part of your setup, with the groundwork being laid from here.
Using family relations to get close, taking the opportunity to make a request—killing two birds with one stone. He gets a gift for Betty and resolves the potential threat posed by the sisters, Rem and Ram... Hmph."
Beatrice was only a little indignant, but over on Earth, the light had completely vanished from Yukinoshita Yukino's face. She looked like a living corpse ready to devour someone. She finally understood why Hachiman was hiding far away.
"As expected of Hikigaya-kun. You really do know yourself best. You realized just now that you were going to give Pan-san to Beatrice instead of using it to remember a certain someone, didn't you?"
Each word sounded like a ghost's voice crawling out of the eighteenth level of hell after being tortured, making Hachiman shiver.
Fortunately, as annoyed as Yukinoshita was, she hadn't forgotten the suffering Hachiman endured in the other world. Naturally, she wouldn't actually do anything to him. It was just that... being able to openly express her dissatisfaction to someone was actually a sign of intimacy, and that wasn't something to be given up lightly.
''Is this... acting spoiled?'
Her cheeks turned red, and a honey-like sweetness bloomed in her heart. Yukinoshita stood on her tiptoes, experiencing a level of happiness similar to that of Rem and Ram.
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「"Asking Lady Beatrice for help?"」
「Ram blinked and continued to inquire. She and Rem indeed trusted and approved of Hachiman more now, but when it involved Lady Beatrice—who was powerful and knew many secrets—they couldn't just ignore it.」
「'Here it comes!'」
「The fish had taken the bait. Hachiman felt a surge of triumph in his heart, but on the outside, he put on a deeply troubled expression.」
「"Actually, it's something that has been bothering me quite a bit."」
「"I don't know why, but in the past, when people saw me, they'd curse and say I have the 'Witch's Scent.' They'd ask what my relationship is with the Witch Cult, then chase me, beat me, and even try to kill me—but how would I know anything about some nonsensical 'Witch Scent'? I've always washed myself perfectly clean!"」
「Hachiman sighed and said fortunately, "I'm lucky to have met Emilia and the knowledgeable Beatrice. I wanted to ask her what exactly this 'Witch Scent' is."」
「"The Witch's... scent?"」
「In a single instant, the expressions of Rem and Ram changed. Their eyes sharpened, the atmosphere became subtle, and they ground their teeth.」
「"Huh?" Hachiman feigned being startled, acting nervous. "What's wrong? Is it serious?"」
「The solemn Rem lunged forward and grabbed Hachiman's arm. "Excuse me."」
「Her nose, which was even more sensitive than her sister's, sniffed around Hachiman. Suddenly shocked, she turned to look at her sister.」
「"There really is... the Witch's Scent!!!"」