Story 3-12:『Contradiction』
I have to make Katsuragi-kun fall in love with me.
Lily told me that was the requirement for the first trial.
『I searched through Shuri’s, Shield’s, and Fuuko’s memories to create this world. Speaking of which, when you say『Start』the trial will commence.』(Lily)
“… You can do that?” (Shuri)
『Yeah.』(Lily)
Lily answered with a short affirmation.
“Could you tell me conditions to succeed?” (Shuri)
『You have to make Hero-sama—Katsuragi Daichi fall in love with you in order to satisfy the conditions. However, confessing from the start will cause a restart. I’m sure you know more about this place than me. Is this your school? I’ve never seen it.』(Lily)
… I see.
Roughly putting it, this is like a dating sim… I guess?
I am the player and Katsuragi-kun is the capture target.
… What, that’s easy.
I just need to convey my feelings to Katsuragi-kun by keeping him company. That’s all.
This trial is nothing. Perhaps Lily thought it would be impossible to love Katsuragi-kun’s appearance from when we were at school.
If so, that was a big mistake.
『Also, take into consideration that you three are each in separate spaces. This trial will progress simultaneously. Of course, the contents are the same. Those who complete this trial will go on to the second trial. If you pass that safely I will recognize you. Sound good?』(Lily)
“… Yeah, I don’t mind.” (Shuri)
『Alright. If there’s no problem, shall you go?』(Lily)
“I accept your offer. Start!” (Shuri)
When I said the keyword, the screen emitted a light from my signal and a flash shot out and wrapped around me.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
“What is this…?” (Tamaki)
I was amazed. An image of Okinomiya Private Academy was depicted before me.
『I searched through Shuri’s, Shield’s, and Fuuko’s memories to create this world. Speaking of which, when you say『Start』the trial will commence.』(Lily)
“Another world, huh… So, will we be undertaking the trial inside this mirage?” (Tamaki)
『That’s right. Ah, it’s safe. You guys can’t die in there.』(Lily)
“So… how did you create this?” (Tamaki)
I mean, don’t freely look through my memories at your own convenience.
『This space is a combination of my Unique Ability『Beast Illusion』and the darkness magic『Labyrinth Corridor』.』(Lily)
“What kind of Unique Ability is it?” (Tamaki)
『… … … …』(Lily)
… Silence.
So she won’t tell me it so lightly… only an idiot would reveal their power as a Six Demon General.
“Anyway… I have no choice… will you explain the contents?” (Tamaki)
『You have to make Hero-sama—Katsuragi Daichi fall in love with you in order to satisfy the conditions. However, confessing from the start will cause a restart. I’m sure you know more about this place than me. Is this your school? I’ve never seen it.』(Lily)
“Is it possible to replay over and over from the beginning?” (Tamaki)
『… … … …』(Lily)
“I’ll take your silence as a yes.” (Tamaki)
『… … … …』(Lily)
… I got the feeling that the number of her silences had been abruptly increasing since a while ago.
Does she have the motivation for this…?
Weren’t the capture conditions half-hearted? The definition was vague as well.
“Hey, Lily-san. I’d be grateful for a seriously accurate explanation you know?” (Tamaki)
『You have to make Hero-sama—Katsuragi Daichi fall in love with you in order to satisfy the conditions. However, confessing from the start will cause a restart. I’m sure you know more about this place than me. Is this your school? I’ve never seen it.』(Lily)
“… I have the feeling you said that a moment ago?” (Tamaki)
Our conversation made me think that she was picking a fight with me. If that’s the case, I’ll flood her with complaints, as this no doubt gets the recognition of a so-called ‘crappy game’.
I wonder why those were the clear conditions?
Even so, that was a sudden change in attitude a while ago.
I was suspicious of the need for this trial in the first place.
To begin with, was there a meaning in making Katsuragi fall in love with me? Originally it was the opposite and we were the capture targets, so it doesn’t make sense that we have to have him fall in love with us…
“… … Hmm?” (Tamaki)
Wait a minute. What’s that, this uncomfortable feeling?
… That’s right. The love Lily-san speaks of is something we must hold.
And yet we have to make him fall in love with us?
That doesn’t add up.
Because we certainly love Katsuragi… as a prerequisite, that already included liking the Katsuragi from our original world.
If she understood that we already liked Katsuragi from our original world, she wouldn’t have bothered preparing a trial like this.
… In other words, this is…
“… A meaningless trial…” (Tamaki)
As they left my mouth, they sounded meaningless. Only, the difficulty was fairly high.
“… What is this for?” (Tamaki)
Think, Tamaki Yuina.
It’s a pity, but I can’t expect anything from those two in this. If I don’t break through this test…
Who would gain from such a thing? The answer is Lily-san.
… That’s right. Lily-san, right now, what are you doing? Are you monitoring us?
… No. I don’t think she’s watching.
However, perhaps… This may get me proof.
Stubbornly, I once again tried asking for an explanation.
“… I’m sorry, could I ask for it to be explained again because I don’t understand the meaning at all?” (Tamaki)
『You have to make Hero-sama—Katsuragi Daichi fall in love with you in order to satisfy the conditions. However, confessing from the start will cause a restart. I’m sure you know more about this place than me. Is this your school? I’ve never seen it.』(Lily)
… I knew it. A fixed response was given.
So, at least right now, Lily-san should be doing some other thing.
In that case, there was only one answer I could think of.
She was buying time.
The reason… I think that there are a lot packed together, but I feel like I somewhat understand.
『It’s the duty of a good woman to give her husband what he wishes for.』
If she locked us up separately with a realistic-sounding pretext and managed to go to her husband’s side… No, in that case, Leadred-san would stop her.
“Was her purpose to fight with Leadred-san…?” (Tamaki)
If that were the case she would have fought from the beginning without doing something like this. Lily-san wasn’t the type of person to use this roundabout method.
Then, what meaning was there in this trial?
… Huh? That’s interesting. I came to a contradiction. I confused myself by thinking too much.
Calm down, me. Calm down…
I organized the necessary information out loud.
“The capture conditions are to have Katsuragi fall in love with me. However, why Lily-san wants us to do this, I do not know. And yet she purposely gave us this trial. There must be a reason for this trial.” (Tamaki)
Putting these together… the capture was meaningless… the process must have some meaning… probably.
Yeah, that’s probably it. I’ll just assume that.
“… Anyway, if I didn’t go it would be bad.” (Tamaki)
Those two had probably already started. If I played I could take the lead.
“Start!” (Tamaki)
I threw myself into the light.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
“… It really is the school…” (Tamaki)
After being covered with light, I was at the Ogino Miya Academy. The desks, blackboard, even the clock, everything was perfectly consistent.
The after-school bell chimed to inform that it was four o’clock, I was sitting on a desk with my arms folded.
Near me were Shuri-chan and Nanami—they were looking down at Katsuragi who had been bullied.
“Uu…” (Tamaki)
Seeing the spectacle caused me to have feelings of guilt. I doubted the way I was.
“Katsuragi~. Because you are on cleaning duty hold the rag firmly!” (Samejima)
Samejima and his gang were bullying Katsuragi. The rag was in Katsuragi’s mouth, and his face was pressed against the floor.
… Why. Why was I remorselessly smiling while watching a scene like this?
Why did I ridicule him, why did I oppress him together with them?
… Ah, aren’t I an idiot?
I promptly tried to save him… I stopped myself. Since it would be dangerous if I moved awkwardly now.
Because this was a story reproduced by our memories.
Katsuragi had already suffered this humiliation.
… However, even with that.
Katsuragi’s smiling face popped into my head. The warmth from his hug.
Could I betray him?
Such a thing disgusted me.
So, I summoned the courage to call out his name.
—Katsuragi.
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