Chapter 57
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Pillow Talk
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It's dark.
Nothing is there, nothing is visible, nothing can be felt.
In a place that felt like it had been ages since she'd last seen it, yet was so achingly familiar, Akane found herself.
'Ah. I ended up coming here again.'
Akane sighed.
She'd struggled so desperately not to come, but in the end, here she was.
The endless darkness had begun anew.
How long would it last this time?
Would the same chance come again as before?
'No... this time, it's really the end.'
Akane resigned herself.
A dead person wouldn't come back to life twice.
Even once was an impossibility, so expecting such a miracle twice was out of the question.
'I went that far to avoid coming here.'
Akane despaired.
She'd clung to Naibusu, whom she despised, just to stay alive. She'd even tried to reconcile with Yuuki by obeying and relying on him.
But nothing she'd wanted to achieve had come to pass. It had all ended so absurdly.
'From now on, am I just going to keep picturing Naibusu's face forever?'
Akane seethed with anger.
The fact that the last person she'd seen was Naibusu, the last one she'd embraced was Naibusu—it was unbearably unfair.
It pissed her off. She wanted to scream, why you and not Yuuki?
But... maybe that was a blessing in disguise.
At least she wouldn't have to dwell on Yuuki's final, cold rejection.
And if there was someone to hate, she wouldn't be bored.
'Yuuki...'
Akane just felt sad.
In the end, she couldn't reconcile with Yuuki. Couldn't earn forgiveness.
Yuuki had turned away from the rain-soaked, shivering Akane without a shred of warmth.
And the one who'd picked up that Akane was Naibusu.
Of all people, him.
'Why, Naibusu...'
Akane was puzzled.
Why had Naibusu reached out to her?
...Just because he needed a woman?
There must have been plenty of easy women around him.
And the Naibusu she knew wasn't that kind of guy.
He acted lighthearted and carefree, but surprisingly serious about women.
He hadn't even liked her getting too close in front of Yuuki.
Yet he'd done this to her.
'Naibusu...'
Naibusu remained an enigma.
He'd killed her without hesitation the first time, so why spare her the second?
She couldn't fathom why he'd raped her with such ruthless force.
Or why he'd experimented on her like that, searching for ways to infuse her with mana.
Naibusu's face now filled Akane's mind completely. She could think of nothing else.
It couldn't be helped. That loathsome man had taken her virginity, her first kiss, made her suck him off, fed her his semen, and even creampied her.
The intensely vivid final experiences of her life wouldn't fade from her memory.
'So... it's no wonder I'm only thinking of Naibusu right now.'
She could barely recall Yuuki's face from when he was a boy.
When she tried, only his girl-transformed face came to mind.
And the image of him coldly rejecting her tore her heart to shreds.
'Naibusu...'
Akane decided to quietly obsess over her hated enemy, Naibusu.
'Naibusu. Naibusu. Naibusu! Naibusu!'
She'd curse and resent him endlessly, hoping he'd appear in her dreams to torment her.
...But.
Those thoughts manifested in the exact opposite way.
"Huh? What's this?"
Someone was there.
In the endless darkness.
He glanced around.
Of course, nothing was visible. No sounds either.
Yet he was there.
Akane panicked.
"Why's it so dark in here? Hey, Akane. Where are you?"
He was calling her.
A familiar voice.
But Akane didn't respond.
She couldn't comprehend why this man was here.
She thought she was dead.
Thought she'd fallen into this hell for her sins.
...So why was Naibusu in her hell?
Had that hated man chased her all the way to hell?
Akane couldn't make sense of the situation at all.
-Snap.
The sound of fingers flicking.
The pitch-black darkness lit up brightly.
"What the hell? It's a kid?"
He looked down at himself in disbelief.
He'd reverted to his childhood form, around ten years old.
It was the image of Naibusu etched in Akane's mind from their first meeting.
"Hey, Akane, what're you doing?"
Akane was the same.
Around ten, maybe even younger.
The shrunken Akane was huddled up.
"Akane?"
Naibusu approached and spoke to her.
But Akane didn't reply.
"Jeez. Still acting like a kid, huh."
The young Naibusu shook his head.
That's right.
Akane had remained a child.
Since around age ten, when Yuuki was conscripted and left, her time had frozen.
She hadn't grown, hadn't changed—just waited.
Waited for Yuuki to return.
And Yuuki had returned.
But he hadn't.
The Yuuki who came back wasn't the Yuu she knew.
Yuuki had become someone else.
Standing beside the changed Yuuki was Naibusu.
Naibusu had altered her Yuu. Ruined him. Corrupted him.
Akane hated Naibusu.
"Akane, what're you doing? Let's go home."
She hated his casual attitude too.
He never took anything seriously.
Even when she was agonizing like this, he'd laugh and joke like it was nothing.
But worst of all was that this frivolous Naibusu had stolen her most precious thing.
"Huh? Come on, let's go."
Not content with that, he invaded even her heart without a care.
Akane hated Naibusu so much she didn't know what to do.
"Still sulking?"
His flippant tone made her snap.
'Who is!'
So, for the first time, she opened her mouth and yelled.
Even though she didn't want to speak to Naibusu at all.
Even though she thought speaking would mean defeat, she ended up doing it.
Naibusu grinned at her.
"Let's go."
And extended his hand.
'No.'
She didn't want to take Naibusu's hand.
She stubbornly refused to go unless Yuu came for her.
"You need to make up with Yuuki, right?"
But those words from Naibusu made her ears perk up.
She shouldn't listen, but she couldn't help being drawn to Yuuki's name.
"I'll apologize with you. So come on, let's go back."
The young Akane looked up, and the young Naibusu was holding out his hand to her.
'...Really...?'
Akane gazed up at Naibusu, on the verge of tears, her eyes innocently desperate—uncharacteristic for her.
Naibusu chuckled.
"Yeah."
He nodded readily.
Only then could Akane finally relax and smile.
'...Okay.'
Akane took Naibusu's hand.
"Phew..."
Akane, who'd been out cold and sleeping soundly after passing out, had started groaning in her sleep midway, as if having a nightmare.
I'd just connected to her mind and soothed her anxieties.
The mind manipulation had been a success.
Akane's breathing steadied, and she soon opened her eyes.
"Akane, sleep well?"
She blinked dazedly, staring at me.
Then her gaze dropped to the unfamiliar sensation on her body.
My hand was on the chest of the naked Akane.
"...Kyaa!"
-Slap!
Akane slapped me.
She's got some strength. The mana replenishment worked fine.
"That hurt."
"Pervert! Touching me while I'm asleep?!"
Akane hurriedly pulled the blanket up to cover her naked body.
"What do you mean, between us? We've done everything already."
"Ugh..."
Akane glared at me furiously.
Not scary at all, of course.
To calm her nightmare, skin contact was necessary.
And since we were already touching, a man's instinct is to grope her breasts.
Besides, we'd gone all the way, she was sleeping naked beside me, and I was her lifesaver, so breasts should be fair game.
So I'd accessed her mind through her breasts. There are studies saying breast touching calms the mind, so it definitely boosted mind manipulation efficiency.
"Pervert. Die."
As Akane hurled insults, I pondered our next steps.
Mana replenishment succeeded, but what now?
Best would be having her live with us, but would she go along?
What if she insists on staying at Yuuki's? Or goes back home?
Meeting up every time mana runs low to inject more sounds annoying. She might even ditch me for another guy since she hates doing it with me.
Hmm... I don't particularly like Akane, but that'd feel like getting NTR'd, which sucks.
"...You came inside, right, Naibusu."
Akane suddenly tossed out the comment.
"Yeah? Had to, to infuse mana."
Hidden by the blanket now, but pink semen mixed with blood had been leaking from Akane's pussy while she was out.
Akane gave a wistful smile and murmured,
"...If I get pregnant... will you take responsibility?"
"What? Are you an idiot?"
Her absurd question made me sound accusatory without thinking.
"Well, yeah, I guess..."
Akane sighed in resignation.
But I was the one wanting to sigh.
I explained clearly so even a fool like her could get it.
"It's obvious a man takes responsibility for taking a girl's virginity. Pregnancy's a separate issue."
"...Huh?"
"What do you mean, huh? Akane, what the hell do you think with? How much value do you think your virginity had? No wonder you went off with any guy—no thoughts at all."
"I didn't go with just any guy...!"
"Anyway, Akane, you're staying at my place for a while."
I cut off her outburst.
"I get you're desperate about Yuuki, but I'll talk to her when the time's right, so wait. Don't stir up trouble again. Got it?"
"...Got it."
Surprisingly compliant. Good.
"Wanna wash up here? Or at home?"
But instead of answering, she said something else.
"...Naibusu. Why are you doing all this for me?"
What the hell is she on about now?
Doing what? What have I even done?
"Reason? I told you, I do what I want. Your personality's trash, but your looks are fine."
"...That's really all?"
"Hmph. What else? What value does a corpse like you have? Shitty personality, no skills, just holes. Be grateful I'm picking up your scraps."
Akane shot me a sharp glare at my harsh words.
Then, oddly, she smirked.
That wasn't something to laugh at.
"Well, yeah. I'm Naibusu's first love, after all."
"Watch your mouth! Don't spout nonsense! First love my ass!"
Ridiculous accusation.
Akane grinned slyly as I jumped up.
"Not? Then whose Naibusu's first love?"
"Nobody's! Even if there was, I wouldn't tell you! None of your business!"
"Sure, sure. Can't say it, huh. Bet it's hard to admit."
"It's not you!"
The more vehemently I denied, the more convinced Akane became.
In her mind, 'Naibusu's first love = Akane' was already set in stone.
Damn it. All because the president blabbed useless crap.
My own doing, but karma hits hard.
So unfair.
"Looking forward to living together, Naibusu."
Akane smiled adorably, infuriatingly so.
All I could do was grit my teeth at her.