Mob Yandere

It felt to Kayo like a replay of a night long past. Almost theatrical, almost absurd. History, it seemed, repeated itself: the first time as tragedy, the second as comedy.

Before her stood the transformed, bloodied figure of the one she loved. Opposite him, the pink princess. And Kayo—she knelt at their feet like a mere extra. Utterly humiliating.

"Ah... ha... ha... ha ha ha..." Kayo's laughter came out dry, ragged. There was no other response possible. Nothing could have broken dignity so completely, she thought, and she tried to view it objectively. Escape into detachment.

For him, Kayo had been ready to give everything. To lose everything. To cast aside all that she had—wealth, morality, even family—if necessary. She had wrestled with her inner self countless times, debating, reflecting, steeling her resolve. And the conclusion she had reached...

This. This ruin. Nothing had changed. If anything, it was worse.

(All... according to plan...?)

She met the calm, confident gaze of the pink princess, a mixture of resignation and envy flickering in her eyes. Everything, it seemed, was under her control. Kayo realized she had been a foolish jester, a stepping stone, a supporting character—no, perhaps the villain.

(A fitting role...)

Despite knowing he did not wish it, and despite knowing her own limits, the woman who had sacrificed so much to steal the spotlight met a miserable fate befitting her ambitions.

"Now, what are you doing? This is your moment, isn't it? Step up and shine," the princess whispered, holding Kayo from behind, lifting her to her feet. Fingers intertwined, palms pressed together in a guiding gesture. Kayo's eyes fell on the object pressed into her hand.

"A pill...?" she whispered.

No, she realized, it wasn't a pill. Dried rope? Straw rope? A tightly wound bundle of cord? She didn't understand.

"Go on, Princess-sama," the pink princess encouraged, smiling. "I've given you a chance to have your moment, without that woman's help. Your one chance to shine. Show us."

Kayo looked at the rope again, then at him. He was a nightmare made flesh: flesh torn, jaw half gone, eyes full of anguish. Her chest tightened at the sight. Low growls escaped him. Kayo stepped forward, drawn as if by a flame.

'...!'

"Tomobe-san..." she whispered.

He took a cautious step back, larger than hers, creating space. His throat vibrated with a quiet warning. And then, Kayo began to speak, voice trembling:

"Tomobe-san... please... don't run... don't be afraid..."

Her voice shook with desperation. She knew her plea was impossible. His mind surely remembered her past cruelty, feared her next act. She knew this. But still—

"Please...! I just want to save you! I want you to be happy! That's why... no, it's true. I'm obsessed with you."

She begged, pleaded, stepping closer, only to be met with retreat. She sneered at her own failure, mocking herself. For him, she had made her desire a banner, but it wasn't just selfishness.

"But... I am... truly doing this for you! You may see it as annoying, unwanted, an intrusion... but it is real! It's really, really true!"

Her words came broken, not because of poor calculation but because her emotions overflowed, defying articulation. She struggled to put the raging torrent of feelings into language. Her usual eloquence deserted her.

"That's why... I...!"

Gone was the smooth tongue of the merchant, gone the strategic performance, gone the little-demon-like bravado. Only a frightened girl remained, stumbling over her words, incoherent, awkward.

"Please... don't hate me..."

Even the pill from the princess slipped from her mind as she whispered this. In his one remaining, multifaceted eye, her pathetic reflection stared back. Utterly humiliating.

Silence. Deep, quiet, oppressive silence. A low growl, almost a sigh.

"Ah..."

The stalemate ended. One step forward from the wreck of her beloved. His stride quick, bringing him close to Kayo, his breath brushing her hair, dampening it. He surveyed her with rolling, searching eyes, saliva dripping, mixing with blood on the floor.

His upper jaw gaped wide, revealing countless saw-like teeth. A writhing, worm-like tongue slithered. The stench was unbearable.

Yet the tongue, clumsy and uncertain, brushed her honey-colored cheek as if offering comfort.

"Tomobe-san...!"

Without hesitation, Kayo leaned in. She plunged her arms deep into his throat, even half into his mouth, willing to be bitten, desperate to reach him.

"Ah!!"

"How clever... quite different from me, aren't you?" the pink princess remarked with amusement.

Kayo felt the quivering, gagging reflex. He clamped down, then stopped just in time. Had he bitten fully, she would have been crushed. Behind her, Aoi laughed gleefully, recalling her own encounter—shallow but memorable. Yet, what he gave—pain or pleasure—became bliss for Kayo.

And in this moment, nothing else mattered.

"Tomobe-san...!"

She called his name, but he did not answer. He trembled, quivered, as if something inside him raged violently.

'...'

Then, finally, the moment came. Blood spewed with force, drenching Kayo head to toe. Her wedding gown, once white, now stained dark. Her honey-colored hair soaked. She was immersed in the same chaos as before, only now, she was the participant, not an observer. A shocking, baptism-like realization washed over her.

"Ah!!"

Instinctively, she braced herself, almost falling back, but the second princess held her steady. This time, she would receive him.

"Tomobe-san...!!"

The act alone moved her. She trembled, tears threatening to spill.

"I... I'm such a nuisance..."

Kayo gasped. Blood cascading around her, hands in her hair, eyes wide. There was no malice, no contempt—just helpless exasperation. And Kayo cried, overwhelmed.

"Tomobe-san...!!"

She called out, but no response came. She felt him sliding helplessly off Kayo's fragile frame. Panicked, she tried to hold him tighter, but the difference in their size, weight, and strength was insurmountable. Instead, they both tumbled to the floor. Kayo collapsed like a rug beneath him. The weight pressed down on her slender body. The pressure was immense—but none of that mattered. For a fleeting moment, there was bliss, swiftly followed by a wave of despair.

"Tomobe-san! Tomobe...san...!!?" Kayo cried, burying herself against him. She shook him, desperate for any response. Nothing. No reaction. No sound. The absence terrified her. She clutched him, begging for an answer, consumed by panic.

"...Attend to him. Quickly, okay?"

Aoi's command took Kayo a moment to process. It wasn't directed at her. He was lifted, supported, dragged away. For a moment, the two figures in protective suits were unrecognizable—but then Kayo realized it was Juuyaku's Human Copies.

Her mind knew she could do nothing. It was logical that these two should take over. But reason didn't ease the heart.

"No! Tomobe-saaan!!? No! No, nooo!!"

The sensation of losing him drove her nearly insane. She tried to rise, to scream and reclaim him—but a fan pressed to her forehead shoved her back onto the floor.

"Fufu," a cold laugh echoed.

"Ugh...uaaahhh...!"

Kayo's sobs only deepened at the Princess's sneering gaze. Pride, dignity, self-respect—everything was shredded.

She knew her helplessness marked her as defeated, irreparably so.

"Don't make that awful face. You make it seem as if I'm the villain, you know?" Aoi shrugged, looking down at the sullen, tear-streaked Kayo. Then she commanded,

"All of you, run the bath. Quickly get this girl into it. Even if it's his scent, let it wash away for now."

"...Yes," Kuzu replied, stepping forward as if representing everyone. The young noblewoman, stripped bare, bowed with all the dignity she could muster. The other women, newly reborn and equally unclothed, followed her example silently, obeying Aoi's order.

"Kayo-sama...together..." one whispered.

"No...Tomobe-san...no..." Kayo pleaded.

"It's alright. It's alright..." another soothed.

"Please, everyone, stay calm..."

Exhausted and broken, they carried Kayo from the room like specters, offering what comfort they could, skin pressed to skin as if to replace the warmth she longed for.

He was taken. The women with Yin Energy glanced on. Aoi exhaled and began her work with deliberate care, performing Simplified Rituals, organizing the room, and placing powerful purified salts to disinfect and tidy the devastation.

The room was a grotesque scene—filled with the scent of blood and flesh. Even a slaughterhouse would pale in comparison. The expelled mass of his body posed a problem: the flesh was too fine to discard easily. Simplified Rituals alone were insufficient.

"So this is why I have to do it?" A voice muttered.

The fallen flesh quivered. Something stirred inside. With a cracking, popping sound, a massive Shinki (Divine Energy) burst forth.

'(-∀・) IT'S ME! THE flower frog!!'

The gleaming wave of Shinki was paired with an absurdly childish telepathic voice.

Aoi blinked, unimpressed, justifying silently: she hadn't trained this creature—it was entirely his responsibility. Clearing her throat, she instructed,

"Hurry and consume it, or the Oni might steal it from you."

'(´ﾟдﾟ｀) Whattttt! (≧ヘ≦) Papa is mine! Hmph! (´･ω･) Slurp slurp...(＾ω＾) Delicious!'

The absurd telepathy aside, the Divine Spider plunged her fangs into the hollow shell of her "parent," sucking the fluids greedily. Terrifying for anyone watching, it was a creature of immense power, exuding Shinki while dissolving and consuming flesh.

'...!!'

'...!'

'(:ﾟ皿ﾟ) This is what I got from Papa! (. ･`з･) No sneaking bites, okay?!'

Ropes and tiny nails fought over scraps of prey, and Aoi raised an unimpressed eyebrow. The Divine Spider, normally dominant, squabbled like an equal with the inferior tools. The scene would have broken the heart of its predecessor.

(It has grown far larger than I expected.) Aoi thought, recalling the ropes she had entrusted to Kayo. They had rested inside him during his self-detonation in Juuyaku Territory, dormant, tightly bound, dried like preserved spiders.

It would have been possible to leave them sealed in this state indefinitely—but practicality dictated otherwise. Their vitality was limited. The spider was the most useful tool.

Aoi reminded herself: she needn't kill them, just restrain them.

"Still...troublesome, aren't they? At that size, they can't accompany him outside. I suppose they'll stay behind from now on."

'(´・ω・`)? ...Σ(´Д｀) Wha- what!?'

The spider looked up, puzzled and then startled, as if genuinely realizing the words.

"Really troublesome. How sad to not carry a cute girl on your back outside!"

'((( ；ﾟДﾟ))) Awawawawa! (≧ヘ≦) (≧ヘ≦) I'm not gonna make Papa sad!'

The Divine Spider panicked comically, then suddenly brightened as if she had a brilliant idea.

'( ﾟдﾟ) Ha! (-∀・) Pretty, lovely me just realized I've got the perfect partner!'

"Good for you," Aoi said dryly, hiding her irritation behind a composed exterior.

'( ・`д・´) Woo! Metamorphoze!!'

The creature glowed, then...nothing seemed to happen.

"I see. So that's it," Aoi murmured, observing the small spider breaking free from its dried shell, emerging from the back as if taking its seat.

'( ´,_ゝ`) Fuu!!'

On the discarded shell of her own body, the spider preened. It was concentrated, condensed. A molt to densify itself further. Growth. Fortification. Shrinking to the very limits that a bug cage could contain. It was an act equivalent to radically reshaping oneself from within... a kind of inner reality-alteration, one might say. Absurd behavior, certainly—but astonishing in its execution.

'(-∀・) Diet success! Now I can go on a date with Papa!' the spider chirped, flouncing with pride.

"That's good for you," Aoi replied, looking down at the boastful spider. She was tired of its shrill voice hitting her head every single time. Its connection to he and life, and the latent ability it possessed, made it all the more insufferable—but useful enough to be exploited while she could. Still...

"...We failed, didn't we? What should we do about this?" Aoi asked, sighing.

'(´・ω・`)?' the spider blinked in confusion.

"I mean your shell and his shell," Aoi clarified.

'Σ(´Д｀) Ah!'

Before the stunned spider and the exasperated Aoi lay not one, but now two large pieces of waste too unwieldy to dispose of carelessly...

* * *

I awoke to an unfamiliar ceiling. The hundred-and-first unfamiliar ceiling.

"This isn't... a reloop, is it?" I muttered to myself.

Sitting up and looking around in my bare torso, I confirmed it wasn't. Difficult to put into words... perhaps it was because, without realizing it, I had become an observer of the ritual. My instincts told me this was different.

"Of all things... why couldn't they have me sleep somewhere else?" I muttered, a shiver of unease running through me. Even if I had been here before, the feeling was unpleasant.

"First things first... what's going on here?" I groaned. I had to understand why I was here, the full story, the truth of it all. So I forced my aching, creaking body upright...

"Hmm?"

"Ah..."

A figure shifted beneath the futon, and our eyes met.

Nanban Girl, slender and delicate, had revealed her entire frame, hiding nothing beneath the blankets.

"U-uhhh!?" I yelled.

"W-wait...!?"

"Whoa!?"

Shock, shame, morality, reason—all of it collided as I scrambled to leap from the futon. Yet her hands gripped me, pulling me down, and I flopped helplessly atop Kayo.

I made sure not to crush her with my elbows—but everything else was disastrous. Lying over a young girl in her bed, fully naked. Totally out of bounds. And yet... considering the chaos of previous dreamlike loops, perhaps this was tame. It was what it was.

The fact that I landed squarely against her stomach was far beyond mere harassment.

"Uh... I'll move off now, okay!?" I stammered.

"Please wait!" Kayo shouted, stopping me as though I were a thief caught red-handed. The second time she did so, and her desperate cries finally made me freeze, trembling.

"Please... I beg of you, just stay. ...Let me talk. Is that not allowed?"

Endlessly earnest, endlessly sorrowful, endlessly submissive, utterly terrified... and above all, looking up at me with half-tears in her eyes. How could I possibly refuse?

* * *

To an outside observer, it might have seemed like the aftermath of intimacy between two lovers. But what Tachibana Kayo spoke was a confession, a self-reproach, a penance.

"That... is quite the misuse of money, isn't it?" I remarked, after hearing the bulk of her admissions. "You start with money? Not the gross feelings, or being mocked...?"

That's my nature. I've struggled with money—can't help but notice that first.

From the estate's servants, donations, equipment, conveniences, entertainment costs... she had poured what might equal centuries of my life's worth into me. I found her enthusiasm both alarming and strangely impressive. She seemed the type who, without family wealth or commercial acumen, might have ended up as a courtesan.

"I made sure... to keep it sustainable. Otherwise it wouldn't have continued," Kayo said.

"I wish you'd thought more carefully before choosing to give."

"...."

Kayo offered no defense or excuse, merely lowering her gaze. I was uncomfortably aware of how different this was from her usual mischievous, spirited self.

"...It's... flattering, in a way, that you care so much," I admitted.

"Was it too much? Did you dislike my method?"

"Both," I said.

Lavishing money, sacrificing others, forcing difficult choices—it was too much. I wanted simple honesty instead of complex devotion. But such matters were never simple—especially given our social statuses.

"And... I knew I couldn't win. Aoi-sama's love for Tomobe-san is too deep," Kayo admitted.

"I only recently learned of her feelings... and you already knew? Makes me feel blind."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, I'm not blaming you."

I had failed to notice, failed to understand until it was too late. As always. That failure had led to...

"That...?"

"Tomobe-san?"

"Nothing," I said, shrugging.

"Hmm..."

I let the question slide, instead ruffling her hair—a little roughly, scratching more than stroking—but she accepted it, eyes half-closed, sighing as if this moment were perfect.

A dangerous, enchanting performance, feeding a man's pride and desire...

"Were you calculating?" I asked.

"Huh...?"

"Forget I said anything," I added.

Kayo tilted her head with a dreamy expression, instinctively alluring. No scheming required; she could enrapture purely by being herself. From the first day, her natural charm had been honed and perfected.

"Truly... you've become a fine woman..." I murmured.

"Mm..."

My hands drifted from her head to her cheek, playing with her hair, touching her lips. Improper, possessive—yet her reactions were irresistible. She was perfect, in every way that mattered to me, too captivating to resist.

"Tomobe-san... I love you. Always have... since then... I love you so much..."

While my hands toyed with her, Kayo confessed. Her love, raw and unyielding, laid bare along with her wounded pride.

"I'm a foolish woman... selfish... self-centered... but... I love you... so much..."

"I know..." I whispered.

Relentless threads of atonement, confession, and supplication were woven. If I clearly rejected them, Kayo would plunge into an abyss of despair. Pushing her already shattered, tattered heart further felt akin to murder. Her spirit would die while still alive.

"Tomobe-san... Tomobe-saaan..." Kayo's voice trembled.

"I know. I know, it's okay... there, there..." I murmured soothingly.

I didn't hate her. I didn't resent her. There was undeniably a debt of gratitude. Though her misguided love had led to this disaster, the overall devotion she offered was an overwhelming boon I could not deny. Without her ritual, my body would not have healed. She had only added her ambitions and desires to the ritual she was meant to perform.

So... I would not answer her questions. I simply comforted her. Yet it was a failure.

"No... no... don't comfort me... it's scary, so scary... being treated gently, it's frightening... so frightening..." Kayo wept, her words broken by sobs.

Through tear-stained eyes, through convulsive cries, she allowed herself to be toyed with, comforted, indulged. A merchant's calculation seemed to govern her every action. Joy always demanded a price. Kayo feared some terrible cost in exchange for my comfort. She seemed terrified this might be their final exchange.

"I'm not cutting ties with you," I said firmly.

"No... don't throw me away... don't..."

Even as I reassured her, Kayo could only whimper. My words, intended to soothe, seemed only to frighten her.

"Kayo..."

"Lie... it's a lie... being gentle means you'll abandon me... I'm troublesome, annoying, selfish... stop... be cruel... hit me, ask for money... please, I beg you..."

Whether by a merchant's nature or her own, Kayo always approached relationships as a transaction. And with me, her standard was warped. In her eyes, I was above, she was below. Even when I treated her kindly, it was terrifying—she feared the price.

"I'll be useful... I'll be a convenient woman... don't run away... don't hate me..."

She wanted love in exchange for devotion. She wanted my attention in return for sacrifices. She wanted to be seen, even if treated harshly. This fear of being cared for, yet simultaneously overwhelmed by it, seemed to construct her delicate, contradictory psyche. She even seemed regressed, like a child.

...She is emotionally unstable.

"You are... troublesome, you know," I said quietly.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Her fear and despair were absolute. Her self-loathing palpable. It was heartbreaking to witness. Anyone ruthless enough could exploit her completely.

"Kayo," I said softly.

"Eh... ah..."

So I pulled her into my arms.

"T-Tomobe-sa...n!" she gasped.

"Shh. Don't speak. Just stay held."

I silenced her attempts at speech by pressing her face into my chest, stroking her head. It was more like crushing her gently than embracing.

It was a primitive expression of love: enveloping someone, drowning them in warmth, silencing them. Our lack of clothing made it all the more animalistic—direct, undeniable. It was more effective for Kayo than words could ever be. Fresh chapters posted on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱

"...!"

She ceased struggling, stopped speaking, and surrendered entirely. Wrapping her arms and legs around me, she accepted my affection as if a spider clutching its prey. Somehow, it was both disturbing and oddly comical.

...How long had we held each other? Perhaps an hour had passed. Without a single word, we exchanged warmth, heartbeats, and breaths.

"...Are you okay now?" I asked.

"...Yes. Thank you," she replied softly.

Nothing lasts forever. When I indicated the end, Kayo accepted it reluctantly but without complaint. She was not ignorant of beginnings and endings.

"It's odd to receive thanks for embracing you... but you're not resisting, are you? Lucky me," I teased.

"I'm the same. I... almost want you to hold me longer. Is that so wrong?"

"Not wrong, but... not continuously, okay? It's hard on the body."

"...Actually, I was thinking the same."

We spoke playfully, like companions rather than lovers. This exchange leaned more toward affection than lust.

I knew her transactional nature did not apply to everyone. With family and elders, she showed genuine indulgence. Observing Kayo cling to me evoked a fleeting envy—I wanted to demand that kind of devotion from her.

"...Shall we make a family?" I asked gently.

"You actually said that out loud?"

"Yes."

"How embarrassing."

"Adorable, really."

"...Tempting, aren't you?"

Her usual little-demon demeanor returned, yet she lightly pinched my cheek as if punishing me for revealing my feelings. Her soft, elastic cheeks stretched under my fingers, and she seemed strangely content, drooling slightly in a childlike way.

"What... ugh..." she murmured.

"There's no excuse for this. If anyone saw... even this scene alone would be a problem. And you think I'd come out of it unscathed?"

"Is... is it really okay if I don't...?"

"You're impossible... really."

I released her cheeks and tapped her playfully. My attempt at moral guidance only seemed to excite her further, each touch drawing exquisite shivers.

"Always flirting when there's a chance..." I muttered.

"Oh? Whispering sweet nothings alone? So sly."

"!!?"

Suddenly, a sweet scent, voice, and touch enveloped me from behind. I stiffened, startled by an unexpected presence.

"Ao-i...?" I whispered.

"Yes, Aoi. Or were you expecting someone else to hug you? I suppose there are many, yes?"

Turning cautiously, I saw the pink-haired princess smiling mischievously. Her hair framed me, filling the air with a rich fragrance.

But that was not the problem.

"Isn't... this a bit too close?" I asked.

"Too close? Not even close enough," she purred.

She was pressed against me entirely. Normally, even a fingertip touch would be forbidden, punishable. And now...

"...!? Why are you dressed like that!?"

Her naked form, unshielded, revealed all.

"Why? Because I just bathed. Smells good, doesn't it? I stayed in too long," she replied, cheeks flushed, hair damp.

Finally, I noticed the heat of her skin, the warmth radiating from her body. My shock, however, was not at her bathing alone.

"Wait, that's... nngh!?"

"Stop being so blunt. You're practically on top of a lady yourself. And... you already know how I feel, don't you?"

Her finger pressed to her lips. I could say nothing further. The charade was over.

From now on, only raw honesty remained.

"Aoi, I..."

"I am your tool. Your ambitions, your revenge, your goals... I am a convenient woman for them. Just like that Nanban Girl. Is that unsatisfactory?"

I anticipated her move, glanced at Kayo, then returned my gaze to her. Without any pretense, I stated my position directly, making clear the boundary between her and me.

"...Being declared to in the rain back then, I have to say, that's not like you—arrogant and imperious, no?" she said, eyes narrowing. "Cooperating for revenge is one thing, but to go that far... don't you have any self-respect left?"

"If it's self-respect you mean, I've given it all to you," I replied evenly. "Without you, I would have lost not just self-respect, but purity, innocence—everything."

"Maybe so. Since I went through all that trouble to protect you, you better value it," she muttered.

"That's exactly why I've been saving it for you," I said, tilting my head.

"Give me a break..." she groaned.

Our banter, always a battle of wit and desire, might even be called a form of yandere behavior. In the original, I had been more aggressive, more dominating—but now, everything had inverted. And my opponent happened to be her.

"Do you really have no eye for men? Kayo too... you're insatiably greedy," U remarked.

Using her as a pawn to enact revenge on my family or household? That I could understand. But this... this was devotion. Service. An attitude unthinkable for a mere servant.

"Don't you think it's wrong to disparage someone's romantic preferences? And to belittle yourself... that's an insult to women," she said sharply. "Even you should understand the discomfort of a woman mocking herself. Am I wrong?"

I couldn't deny it. I understood. But still... my perspective was inevitably tinted by our positions.

"To be loved by a woman like you—or Kayo—is the ultimate honor for a man," I said with a sly grin. "But when it seems too good to be true, one has to be wary."

"I have no choice but to earn your trust," she replied, stepping closer. "We don't have time to pile up patience. Our actions must speak for themselves."

She pressed her weight against me. Heavy, yes, but in the most pleasant way. The fullness of her against me... a sensation every man secretly craves.

"I'm acting like a courtesan for you," she whispered, tracing a hand along my chest. "Believe in my effort at least a little. Or do you think the proud Aoi you imagine would debase her body for scheming?"

She moved closer, brushing me with deliberate intimacy. My shallow exhale confirmed her effect; my excitement mirrored in her.

"Effort to believe, huh... And if I don't?" I asked cautiously.

"My mood will sour," she said, grin teasing. "I might do something inconvenient... just to catch your attention."

I shot her a sharp look, but she only laughed softly.

"...Scary face," she teased, curling against me.

She wanted to provoke me with her insolence, yet I couldn't strike her down. Every fiber of her being—every gesture, every smile—was designed to tempt, provoke, enthrall. Onitsuki Aoi... she was nothing short of intoxicating.

"Women in love do foolish things. Just like that girl there," she whispered, nodding at Kayo.

I frowned at her. "You... didn't you push her?"

"I won't deny it," she admitted. "But she had the potential, and you saw it too. Even I can't force a woman utterly unwilling to risk fortune or life. And through our connections, you understand why, don't you?"

Memories of the hundredfold dreams, of frenzies and revelries, lingered. The women she touched, dominated, and fulfilled—those impressions remained. Humans... could they truly surrender themselves, wholly, to another? Could they accept another's dominion, love intensely, and continue to love unconditionally? She had been made painfully aware of that.

"The devotion between me and you surpasses those other girls," she said, tracing my jaw. "That's why I built this yashiki estate."

Kayo's eyes lowered, her slender form folded into my arm. Her quiet nod spoke volumes—her feelings for me were painfully clear. No lies existed between us.

"I've been holding back a lot too," she admitted.

"Holding back?" I asked.

"Yes. More than you realize... I'm possessive, jealous. Honestly, I'd excise any other Onitsuki if I could. You and I alone," she said, voice low and fervent.

"That's..." I began, but she pressed on.

"And I can't stand you with other women. Talking, looking at them... it hurts. Seeing you think of anyone but me makes me sad, angry, frustrated," she whispered.

It wasn't petty jealousy—it was pure, undeniable truth. Onitsuki Aoi was nothing if not sincere in this.

"I wish I could lock us away. Naked, together, every day... every year. I want to merge with you like beasts, creating life, endlessly devouring each other's love," she confessed, breath trembling. "Ten, twenty... endlessly, until my body gives out. A new Onitsuki with you. Take the hated Onitsuki with your bloodline. Then, cut off the world, forever indulging in desire with you. Every woman who approaches you... slain. Insane, isn't it?"

"Yeah... completely," I chuckled.

"Am I not exciting you enough?" she teased, shrugging bare shoulders.

"To be loved to madness... it's a man's pride," I admitted, smirking.

"Your answer is so... iridescent," she murmured, self-deprecating.

"Surely, you can't forgive me for this," she asked.

"If the brat I saved ends up in hell, you bet I won't," I replied with mock sternness.

"Relax. I'm utterly yours, so I'll hold back," she purred, resting her head on my shoulder. youkai

"Anyway, I have common sense. I won't harm others recklessly. I promise," she said softly, conceding more than usual—restrained only because I was here, because I mattered.

"I'm just an external brake for you?" I asked.

"Maybe," she admitted. "So keep holding my hair. The braid is easier to grip?"

"That's a rein, not hair," I argued.

"Same thing," she whispered, giggling.

She chuckled, continuing. "But you're human too. You desire—women, fine food, wealth, power. Nothing is truly unnecessary. Especially power, right? So I test the balance: your sense, your desire, and mine, aligned?"

"That seems... unbalanced," I muttered.

"You can't abandon them, right? And you won't say it wasn't pleasurable... fufu. It was remarkable, wasn't it?"

I groaned. Ritual shame, fully exposed, yet impossible to deny.

"It's a blessing for me," she said. "Giving you these women lets you savor desire, but also saves them. A woman loved by the man she loves is never unhappy. Even more so with a man of power."

Saved by a man of power, protected, embraced—those without hope saw salvation, not misery. Kayo's group, just a fraction of countless suffering souls, proved it.

"Even if you don't value me, you understand wealth and power. They can achieve, they can save. You won't be depleted after revenge, will you?"

"Well, unlike a revenge story, life continues afterward... I hope it keeps going," he murmured.

"'Life'...?" she prompted, tilting her head.

"Could you not emphasize what I already know?" I replied, a touch of frustration in my tone.

I was genuinely struggling over this, though.

"Honestly," she said softly, "no matter what you become, neither I nor Tachibana-ojousama, nor the women who've enjoyed your company, will mind. If you stay hidden in this yashiki estate, it'll be safe. Once your tasks are done, licking each other's wounds endlessly isn't a bad option either."

"Against monsters?" I asked, incredulity lacing his words.

"You don't believe me?" she teased.

"...I'd hate to believe it."

The acts of insect-beast rituals were abominable—things even Buddha would fear. They trampled human dignity more than anything else, a profound filial impiety. Thinking back on all those past events... it was somehow imaginable.

"Fufufu... don't worry," she whispered. "I know you won't yield on this, so I'll cooperate. Just promise me—you won't commit suicide. Not over this, not ever."

"And if I break that promise?" I asked.

"Well... maybe half of me would follow afterward," she said casually, as if naming a trivial possibility.

Aoi could deliver the cruelest words with such ease. And it wasn't "make you do it," it was "I would do it."

"I suppose... that extreme is possible," I muttered, a shiver running down his spine.

Because of the memory and sensory impressions that had faded like a mirage, I could perceive it. Repeatedly, within this brief period, I felt its undeniable truth. It was persuasive beyond measure.

"...Wouldn't it help to find someone else?" I ventured.

"Better to give birth to a child, I think," she replied with calculated calm. "Your inner fallen god, you used that to persuade them, didn't you?"

"...You were watching?" I asked.

"Just a guess... but I also checked the bodies of the women reborn."

The collection of sacrificial souls through the Ritual, and then maintaining my human reasoning after the descent—I hadn't had the confidence to do it unprepared. That's why I needed to manipulate the divine essence parasitizing the fallen god.

"That idiot of her... well, it was quite the spectacle," I muttered with a dry laugh.

From the perspective of the god of fertility and reproduction, the environment constant reset would be unforgivable. Repeating an entire month endlessly—there'd be no chance to reproduce. Pointing that out, the god stared blankly, then slowly registered, finally a mental exclamation mark appearing above its head. And I pressed the point: whether I became divine or remained human, reproduction was possible. But for the sacrifices, once gone, the chance was gone forever. How pitiful they were.

The persuasion worked. I intervened in the Ritual, halting the cost of the Ritual. She helped maintain my reasoning and enthusiastically assisted in creating the vessel, as if making a clay figurine—only it was a flesh puppet.

"And the remaining half that wouldn't follow? Will they live in peace?" I asked.

"Maybe I'll resurrect them with a Forbidden Technique... like this time," she said casually.

"And you and Kayo?" I pressed.

"Do you really want to know?"

...That was, yeah. Same as this time, maybe worse.

"I don't plan on dying... but," I added cautiously.

"You can't be guaranteed safety, can you?" she said.

No one truly wants to die. And what I intended was far from a simple path. Empty promises were easy enough to toss out.

"Children... just to clarify, if there's one, will everyone raise them together?" I asked.

"Each gets one, or they'll fight. And anyone being treated as your daughter without reason? Excluded. Only from the mother's womb," she said firmly.

"Found out, huh..." I muttered.

It seemed my cleverness was futile. Then...

"With that number? It's not livestock breeding! And what about childcare costs?" I groaned.

"Oh... in that case, I'll cover expenses. So go ahead and make children freely," she said cheerfully.

Imagining the reality, I groaned. Kayo, pinned beneath me until now, added her commentary.

"Also, we'll arrange employment for them! Don't worry!" she chirped.

"That's not the issue..." I sighed.

This young lady, arranging costs and jobs for other people's children... what exactly was her aim?

"They're your children, obviously," she said. "And those women belong to you."

"Still... that's absurd," I protested.

"Then make children for 'her' too?"

"Marry you, Kayo? Are you okay with that, jealous Princess?" I teased.

"They'll be illegitimate, of course."

"Well... to avoid trouble... no need for recognition, no money needed..." she suggested.

"Beyond cruel... inhuman!"

This wasn't an erotic game anymore—it was a cruelty simulator. Replace the illustrations, and it becomes a livestock game. Kayo, your self-esteem is far too low!

"Stop making me look like a pathetic man... shall we set aside the children topic for now?" I groaned.

"Right. About those women we investigated—they're optimized for you. They probably can't conceive without your seed," she said matter-of-factly.

"Seriously?" I asked, stunned.

"And if they don't give birth during the grace period, their souls are claimed as a penalty."

"A god beyond evil, indeed!" I shouted.

That wretched god! Changing contracts on a whim, tricking me!

"Eh? Really? Seriously?" I sputtered.

Had things gotten this bad?

"Don't worry. You can do it," she encouraged.

"Yes! I can if I try!" I affirmed, though unconvinced.

"But hey! Are you really comforting me? That actually counts as comfort?" I asked.

I felt my head might actually explode. Problems piled atop problems, each worse than the last. I needed to write it all down in Fuumi's script to sort it out.

"Fufufu, a challenging future, perhaps?" she mused.

"Don't laugh just because it's someone else's problem," I said.

"I'm not mocking. I'm amazed you shoulder everything alone," she replied.

"I don't consider Tomobe-san an outsider... not at all," I said, pouting.

She and Kayo countered my complaints in tandem.

"Not outsiders. Family, then?"

"More accurately, they're good people," Kayo said.

"But those good people... may become sloppy in the lower half if left unchecked," I warned.

"Let them," she said. "They long for family, right? Make plenty."

"Not like the obsessive girls from before," I muttered.

"I told you, compromise is important," she said.

From behind, a pink-haired girl pressed her whole body into me, wrapping me in affection, cheek rubbing included.

"If it's your seed, I'll endure. I'll raise them as their mother. It's not bad for you, right?" she whispered.

"I... I don't even know what to think anymore," I muttered.

Her resolve, her twisted yet pure devotion... even a legitimate wife taking care of concubine's children seemed impossible. And yet, Aoi said it with conviction.

"You are my only family. My beloved. Don't worry about my feelings. Just use me," she whispered.

But Aoi continued.

"Remember, increasing your family means mine increases too. The women you keep, the children you father—they're all family to me. Sons, daughters. Wherever you are... without exaggeration, you are the center of my family. You are my home," she said, without hesitation.

She twisted and coiled, her confession a declaration of boundless love and devotion.

"Aoi..." I gasped.

I didn't know if I was stunned, overwhelmed, or in awe. And in that instant, Aoi seized her opportunity.

Her face was before mine. Sweet with a faint bitterness, her tongue entwined with mine. Water, suction, then a hard object pressed in—was it candy? Medicine? Transferred by mouth?

"And like this♪"

"Whoa!?" I exclaimed.

The world flipped. Up became down, down became up. Those above pulled up those below, leaving me flattened.

"This is right. This position is correct," she declared, satisfied. Lying next to Kayo, Aoi displayed her full, voluptuous body, unconcealed, and allowed me to behold it—not just for me, but as a demonstration.

"Mm..." I murmured.

"Fufu, look this way too," she said, teasing.

Aoi manipulated Kayo's body with skilled hands, exposing her bare form and her shameless state, flaunting it before me. And just as she had done to me, she leaned in close...

"What are you—hmm!?" I muttered, confused.

What was her aim? The pleasure came belatedly, and a scene flashed through my mind. This... could it be?

"Aoi, this candy...!?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Hehehe. Correct," she said, cutting me off before I could finish.

There was no need for further words. Between the three of us, everything was connected—sensations, pleasure, intent, memories shared through our bond. Yes, it was a recreation of that dreamlike revelry.

"You did this...!" I accused.

"And you... how can you endure this?" Aoi teased, her voice laced with challenge.

"To-mo-be-san..." Kayo whispered, her voice barely audible.

The sensation in my lower abdomen, stirred by Aoi and Kayo's passion, provoked my frustration. But Aoi fired back, her cheeks flushed, breath ragged, her body twisting. Kayo was worse—her state beyond words.

The two women before me were clear in their resolve. They were ready to accept everything, offering themselves entirely, eagerly awaiting.

"Just so you know... yours is a bit weaker, so it's us who're really taking the brunt of it, you know?" Aoi purred, her breath catching in a soft whine. Kayo, meanwhile, writhed uncontrollably, shaking her head violently as if to deny her own desires. Her eyes were unnaturally glazed, lost in intoxication.

"That's rich, coming from you!" I snapped, slamming my hands down on them. Aoi smirked provocatively, twisting Kayo's bud and kneading her own fruit, spreading her legs shamelessly. My gaze was drawn to her meticulously groomed garden, and her excitement fueled my desire, which in turn ignited hers. A perpetual cycle.

"You...! Do you want to be broken!? Is that it!?" I growled, my voice laced with threat.

In this moment, it felt possible—to shatter them both, to go beyond, to indulge in the fantasy of a thin book.

"Hehe... if we're both ruined, feel free to open any door you like," Aoi replied, her voice breathless, her beauty melting into desire. I understood her meaning. Onitsuki Aoi was ready.

The air was thick with anticipation. The scent of it permeated the room, the walls themselves seeming to hold their breath, the presence of countless others waiting just beyond. I couldn't help but hold my breath in expectation.

"I made sure everything was ready before we came... it's all set up. So happy you're looking forward to it," Aoi cooed, her words taunting.

My thoughts betrayed me, and her smug response made my blood boil. I grabbed her shoulder, her flesh soft like mochi. Her body shifted, her fruit jiggling as she flaunted it, stoking my desire. She squeezed one of her own, reveling in the pleasure.

"Hey, since we're at it... why not compare? Mine's still untouched, right? Let's see whose is the best," Aoi suggested, her words slurring with excitement. Kayo could only respond with whimpers and wet sounds.

"Idiot woman...!" I spat.

"Why, thank you... such high praise," Aoi mocked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Her words were absurd, her behavior beyond shameless. She was more depraved than any courtesan.

"You choose... what to do. But, you know... don't you think we should understand each other even more? In this moment..." Aoi whispered, her excuse as flimsy as it was enticing.

"Damn...!" I growled, closing in on her. One arm wrapped around Kayo, kneading her, while the other gripped Aoi's hip, claws digging in. And yet... damn it all! Don't look at me like that! Don't show me that affection! It's unfair!

Ah! Damn you both! Such shameless, lewd, adorable... bastards! How dare you be so giving, so carefree, so... damn it! Take care of yourselves, but... ah, what convenience! What a well-crafted woman, making me understand, making me... ah, together, soft, ah... damn it all! Sweet...! Ah...!! Damn...!!

Fan art:

- Tachibana Family Lady: <a href="https://www.pixiv.net/artworks/133439723" target="_blank">here</a><<br>- Granddaughter of the Matsuhige Family: <a href="https://www.pixiv.net/artworks/133722858" target="_blank">here</a><br>- This AI illustration of Blue Demon-sama is by Saku Shigarami: <a href="https://twitter.com/saku__shigarami/status/1951827524566302946" target="_blank">here</a><br>

Notes:

• Kuzu - A young girl from a former noble family who was sold into servitude. Tomobe, encounters her and other girls who have wandered into a dangerous underground area on the former Yakushiji family estate (Kayo's bought them later) in Chapter 150. In the loop, she is a head maid beside Amatsuru. Sharp-eyed, disciplined maid with a strong presence.

• Fuumi - One of the playful twin girls; energetic and sweet. Often paired with Shii in mischievous antics, she's reflective and emotionally tuned in, sharing a deep concern for their mother, Amatsuru.