CH 253

As soon as I got outside.

“I was wrong after all.”

Kotaro, who had followed me, spat out the words as if grumbling.

He stared at me, gritting his teeth in frustration.

“There was a part of me that forgave Mary-san for a little bit. I subconsciously assumed that your past behavior was just a mistake, and that you, having reflected on it, were no longer capable of harm.”

But I guess Kotaro had misjudged the person called me.

“After all, Mary-san is not a person who can be trusted.”

“It’s sad to hear you say that.”

“I should have gone to … for the whitewash! I should have refused it from the beginning. All this time, Azusa was getting back on her feet, and now because of Mary-san’s toying with her,… she has to suffer again.”

Yes, that would be true.

After all, Azusa has once again remembered her feelings for Ryoma.

It was an old wound that had opened up, and there was no way she wouldn’t suffer.

“It’s my fault … damn!”

Kotaro is gritting his teeth, probably due to his regret at not being able to protect his stepsister.

I was not too happy to see him grimacing, but it was time to go, so I slowly started to walk away.

“Kotaro, if you just want to complain, let’s have you do it while we’re walking.”

“Hey… wait, I’m not done talking.”

He chased after me with a panicked look on his face.

“What is your goal? What do you want with Azusa? I won’t allow you to hurt Azusa any more than you already have, okay?”

Kotaro wants to know.

He knows what I am trying to do, what I intend to do, and he is trying to protect my adorable little stepsister just like a small animal.

But why can’t you understand that this is “overprotection”?

“Although she may be happy to be locked in a little cage, fed, and watched like a chirping little bird, it is not a bad thing.”

But let’s put it in perspective.

“Wouldn’t you say that little bird would be happier flying around in the … skies than protected and chirping?”

Even if there is danger from outside enemies.

Even if it is difficult to obtain food.

It is more beautiful to live on your own than to be kept in captivity.

I think so.

“If a girl of that caliber is satisfied with the modest happiness she finds in her boxed garden,… she would never have fallen in love with Ryoma in the first place.”

And at the same time, I thought to myself.

“Stories that make people happy with ordinary happiness are boring to me.”

This is already my pretext, but it’s my real intention.

I involved a girl named Azusa for my own pleasure and also for her… sake.

“Let it be black and white whether you like it or not, or Azusa will regret it for the rest of her life, okay?”

“… You don’t know that. How can you understand her feelings, Mary? Do you really understand that girl, who is so far from normal, who has common feelings?”

“I do understand…”

Unfortunately, I can understand Azusa’s feelings.

Because,

“Because I, too, am a defeated subheroine.”

I’m suffering, so there’s no way Azusa doesn’t regret it.

And I have already given up on … decent happiness because I am too twisted to be honest.

But honest Azusa can still get it back.

“Even if she’s one of the harem members, it’s okay to have a romantic comedy where … the subheroine is happy, isn’t it?”

I don’t think it’s evil to struggle for that.

Therefore, I could not approve of Kotaro being overprotective.

“Maybe it will end up hurting her more as a result. There is even a possibility that Azusa will hate and loathe Ryoma to the point of wanting to kill him. But that is the end of heartbreak and that is the end of love …, so I will tell you that it is not good for Azusa to continue in the current stagnation.”

–And that’s how I’m going to close on Azusa’s case.

That said, Kotaro … why are you still pretending to be an outsider?

“No, but, that’s…!”

I’m sorry to be arguing with you about something.

It’s time.

“…I know you have a lot to say, but I’ll ask you to keep it to yourself for now.”

I interrupted him forcefully and stopped him from speaking.

“She’s here.”

I told him this and urged him to look at the road ahead.

“Huh? What are you trying to say…?”

Kotaro did as he was urged and looked in the direction I indicated.

And the sight of her he saw left him speechless.

“… Here, Yuzuki.”

He grunted in disgust at the presence of this important character.

Now, Kotaro’s time out of the mosquito net is over.

“The girl you once loved is suffering. Can Kotaro really ignore her?”

It’s time for Kotaro and the subheroines’ to put their pasts behind them.