My 'System' Is Myself!?

The moment Kirari and Ririka entered Genichi's laboratory, Haruno received the news.

Her informants had been monitoring everything happening around the building.

She knew when the sisters passed through the entrance.

How long they stayed, when they emerged, even the expressions on their faces when they left. Every detail was reported to her.

"That woman…"

Haruno clenched her teeth and tightened her grip on her phone.

Of course she knew what Kirari was planning.

That woman never did anything without a purpose.

There was no chance she had brought Ririka to Genichi's laboratory in the middle of the night merely to drink tea and make conversation.

Haruno could guess what she wanted with her eyes closed.

Her mother sat on the sofa, calmly holding a cup of black tea.

After listening to Haruno's report, she remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"What are you going to do?"

Haruno drew a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

"We can't let her succeed. We've only just made progress with Genichi. I won't let her swoop in and steal our advantage."

Her mother set down her cup and frowned slightly.

"And what do you intend to do? Storm into the laboratory and throw them out?"

Haruno considered it for a moment before shaking her head.

"We can't do that. Genichi would think we were being reckless and childish."

"Then what do you propose?"

Haruno thought for a moment, and a cold gleam flashed through her eyes.

"We'll go there too. We won't drive them away. We'll simply have a little 'conversation' with them. Genichi enjoys watching women compete for his attention, so we might as well give him a show."

The corner of her mother's mouth lifted.

"You're becoming devious."

Haruno gave her a bitter smile.

"I've been spending too much time around bad influences."

Mother and daughter rose, straightened their clothes, and headed toward the laboratory.

Inside, Kirari stood before Genichi and reported on the Momobami clan's recent progress.

Ririka remained behind her with her head lowered and her fingers intertwined. A faint blush colored her cheeks.

Her gaze occasionally drifted toward Genichi, only to dart away again like a startled deer.

Genichi sat at the workbench with a pen in his hand, his eyes moving across a report.

His expression was calm and revealed nothing.

In truth, he wasn't particularly interested in the details of Kirari's report. The numbers, the lists of names, and the progress updates were all trivial to him.

He cared only about the results.

The success rate of creating Ghost Wielders.

His opportunity to advance to Demon King.

The door opened.

Haruno and her mother entered.

Haruno wore a brilliant, cheerful smile, the sort someone might offer an old friend.

But Kirari could see the coldness concealed beneath it.

"My, Kirari-san. You're here too."

Haruno's voice was bright and lively.

"Working this late must be exhausting."

Kirari turned toward her, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

"You're still awake at this hour as well, Haruno-san. We're all working for Genichi-sama's cause, so I could hardly call it exhausting."

Their gazes collided, practically sending sparks through the air.

Genichi raised his head and watched them, the corner of his mouth lifting.

He said nothing. He merely leaned back, crossed his arms, and prepared to enjoy the show.

Haruno's mother approached him and gently patted his shoulder.

The gesture was completely natural, like a wife standing beside her husband.

She left her hand resting on his shoulder, her fingertips moving gently against it.

"Genichi, don't push yourself too hard. You need to rest when you're tired."

Her voice was gentle and full of concern.

Genichi looked at her and nodded.

"I know."

Jealousy flashed through Kirari's eyes.

She stepped forward and took her place on Genichi's other side, resting her hand on his opposite shoulder.

"Genichi-sama, if you need to relax, the Momobami clan owns many entertainment establishments. Casinos, private clubs, hot springs. We can arrange anything you desire."

Her voice was soft and inviting.

Genichi looked to his left, then to his right, and couldn't help laughing.

These two women truly were fascinating.

Ririka stood off to the side, watching her sister and the Yukinoshita women maneuver against each other. Complicated emotions stirred within her.

She didn't know what to do or say. She merely stood there with her fingers twisted together, her cheeks growing redder by the second.

Haruno noticed her discomfort and walked over.

"Ririka, why don't we sit over there and let them discuss business?"

Ririka blinked in surprise, but Haruno took her by the hand and led her to a nearby sofa.

Haruno poured two cups of tea and handed one to her.

"Try to relax. Genichi doesn't like it when people become too nervous around him."

Ririka accepted the cup and took a small sip.

The tea's fragrance spread across her tongue, followed by a faint sweetness.

Her heartbeat gradually steadied, and her fingers stopped trembling.

"Haruno-san."

Her voice was quiet.

"Yes?"

"How did you meet Genichi-sama?"

Haruno paused before smiling.

"I used to support him financially. When he had nothing, I took care of him."

Ririka's eyes widened slightly.

"So he owes you a debt?"

Haruno shook her head.

"I wouldn't call it a debt. It was simply fate."

Ririka remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

"I want to become closer to Genichi-sama too, but I don't know what I should do."

A complicated expression flashed through Haruno's eyes.

She knew exactly what Ririka meant.

Ririka wanted to become Genichi's partner. She wanted his affection and a place beside him.

Haruno should have disliked her. She should have rejected her and done everything possible to stop her.

But when she looked at Ririka's shy expression and innocent eyes, she found herself unable to hate her.

"Just be yourself."

Haruno's voice was soft.

"Genichi doesn't like dishonest people. Let him see you for who you really are, and he'll notice you."

Ririka's eyes brightened.

"Really?"

Haruno nodded.

"Really."

On the other side of the laboratory, Genichi was reading through the report Kirari had delivered.

It listed the number of volunteers recently recruited by the Momobami clan, along with their backgrounds, physical conditions, and psychological evaluations.

Every number was clearly recorded. Every detail was meticulously documented.

"You've done well."

Genichi set down the report and looked at Kirari.

"Keep it up."

A smile appeared on her face.

It was the smile of someone who had received recognition, discovered her value, and proven she was useful.

"Thank you, Genichi-sama."

Haruno's mother watched from nearby, conflicting emotions stirring within her.

She knew Kirari's position in Genichi's eyes was steadily rising.

She knew the Momobami clan was beginning to replace the Yukinoshita family in certain areas.

She also knew that she and Haruno would have to work harder to maintain their advantage.

"Genichi."

Her voice was gentle.

"I'm already dealing with Yukino. I'll make sure she understands the situation, and I won't allow her to act recklessly again."

Genichi looked at her in silence for a moment before nodding.

"I trust you."

A smile appeared on her face.

She rose onto her toes and placed a light kiss on Genichi's cheek.

"Thank you."

Jealousy flashed through Kirari's eyes.

She knew Haruno's mother held a more important place in Genichi's heart than she did. She knew the Yukinoshita family still possessed advantages the Momobami clan lacked.

She would simply have to work harder to catch up.

But she wasn't afraid.

She was Kirari, head of the Momobami clan.

She was a madwoman, and she had never feared competition.

She only feared having no opportunity to compete.

Yukino's situation had become a serious source of frustration for Genichi.

The naive young woman was confined to a guest room in the Yukinoshita residence. When she wasn't eating or sleeping, she spent every waking moment trying to escape.

She tried picking the lock and climbing through the window. She even attempted to hide a dinner knife inside her sleeve so she could cut through her restraints.

The guards caught her every time, and every attempt gave Haruno another headache.

Once, Yukino actually managed to escape.

That night, during a guard shift change, she forced open the lock on her window and climbed down from the second floor.

Barefoot and dressed only in her pajamas, she ran through the darkness.

She crossed the garden, slipped beyond the outer wall, and stumbled through the streets.

Eventually, she found a public phone and called the police.

"I need to report a crime! Someone is being held against her will! They're conducting illegal human experiments! They've killed a lot of people!"

The dispatcher on the other end remained silent for a moment before asking a question that made Yukino's blood run cold.

"Do you have any evidence to support these claims?"

Yukino opened her mouth, but her mind went blank.

She had no evidence.

None at all.

The bodies had already been disposed of. The experimental records had been destroyed. Every volunteer had signed a contract.

She had nothing except her anger.

"I… I saw it myself…"

Her voice trembled.

"You saw it yourself? Are you certain you weren't dreaming or experiencing some form of hallucination?"

Tears spilled from Yukino's eyes.

She ended the call, crouched inside the phone booth, wrapped her arms around her knees, and wept soundlessly.

She knew calling the police was useless.

She knew the law couldn't help her.

She knew Genichi had been right. At most, his actions could be condemned on moral grounds.

Haruno found her still crying.

She crouched and gently wrapped her arms around her sister.

"Yukino, let's go home."

Yukino raised her head and looked at Haruno.

Her eyes burned with anger and frustration.

"Onee-san, why? Why are you helping him? He's a demon. He killed all those people…"

Haruno looked at her sister and remained silent for a moment.

"Because he can make us stronger. Because he can protect us."

She paused before finishing.

"Because he's the man I love."

Yukino cried even harder.

She couldn't understand.

Had her sister lost her mind?

How could Haruno love a demon?

Why was their mother willing to stand beside that demon?

Why was everyone taking his side?

Was Yukino the one who was wrong?

Could she truly be wrong?

Haruno brought her sister home and locked the door.

She didn't scold or punish Yukino. She merely told her to rest and stop doing anything reckless.

Yukino lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

She didn't sleep at all that night.

Genichi learned what had happened the following day.

He sat at the workbench with a pen in his hand. His expression remained calm, but Haruno could see the freezing fury in his eyes.

"Haruno, deal with your sister yourself."

His voice was perfectly even.

"If you can't handle it, I will."

Haruno shuddered.

She knew what Genichi meant by handling Yukino himself.

He would either kill her or send her somewhere so far away that she could never return.

Haruno couldn't accept either outcome.

"I'll handle it."

Her voice was firm.

Genichi studied her in silence for a moment before nodding.

"I trust you."

Haruno turned and left, making a silent vow.

She would make Yukino understand that Genichi wasn't a demon.

He was a savior.

Someone capable of changing the world and protecting all of them.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, stretching Haruno's shadow across the floor.

She drew a deep breath and headed toward Yukino's room.

She knew this would be the most difficult conversation of her life.

(End of Chapter)

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