Mob Yandere
Chapter 208

'Oh my, you came from the boy again, didn't you? I'm so happy, so happy I can't stand it, seeing you so often lately!'

The woman laughed sweetly, voice bubbling with twisted joy, like a mother proud of her favorite child.

'Now, now, what is it this time? What lesson are you bringing to your dear mother?' she asked, tilting her head.

'How to judge the quality of meat bags? Maybe tips on keeping multiple unused pets? The technique for five hundred continuous shots overnight? Or could it be... the six-hole gouging position secret!?'

Her grin widened, teasing.

'Ohh, wait—don't tell me. You're aiming for the forbidden sevenfold excessive conception, aren't you!?'

She paused.

'...No? Aww, that's too bad,' she said, deflating like a child denied candy.

'Talking about that again?' she whined. 'Mother's bored~. I've answered that question so many times already. The answer's obvious, isn't it? Me!'

'Was it cute? Cheeky? Maybe looked like some half-broken mascot? Creepy, even?' she said with a sigh. 'Kids these days really are hard to read. Hm? Don't change the subject? I'm not changing anything, you know?'

Her voice turned low and serious.

'Yes. No good. Absolutely not. That kind of thing's impossible. Pointless. Meaningless. A complete waste. I really don't recommend it—trust me, it's for your own good.'

A pause.

'...Nothing more to be done. I'm telling you this from my heart, alright?' she said, folding her hands on her lap. 'There are high-quality ones out there, sure... but isn't it easy for you now to raise one of those on your own?'

She leaned forward with a teasing chuckle.

'Because... oh? Hehehe. Too bad. Looks like time's up, doesn't it?'

She stood.

'Well then, that's all for today.'

She waved cheerfully.

'Don't push yourself, okay? If you're planning to accept your mother entirely, then that's fine... but you're not, right?' she said knowingly.

'Then you'd best know when to walk away. A wise man avoids danger—that's how it is♪'

'Ah! Of course, mother is always ready with open arms,' she said sweetly. 'Come visit anytime. I'm so looking forward to seeing what you'll become~!'

She turned, whispering the final line like a lullaby.

'Well then, good morning. And good night, my cute, cute boy...'

* * *

Lure. Abduct. Capture. Feed. Subdue. Repeat.

Lure. Abduct. Capture. Feed. Subdue. Repeat.

Lure. Abduct. Capture. Feed. Subdue.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Somehow, the number had already reached dozens.

Dozens of daughters enslaved.

Dozens of women drugged.

"...Ugh. When I look at it now, this whole thing... it's like a crime scene with Fuumi's smug face plastered on it," I muttered, rubbing my temple.

"Huh? Good morning, stepbrother! Did you say something?" Kaya called out cheerfully.

"◼️◼️◼️◼️!!? ◼️◼️!? ◼️◼️...! ..."

I panicked.

"...No. Nothing."

Kaya looked over her shoulder, smiling calmly as she stuffed pills into yet another girl's mouth, casually drugging them while the daughters next to her swayed in a half-conscious state.

Hana, who had been thrashing just moments ago, was now slumped over, drained.

The air had the flavor of "post-incident."

Not that I could complain. I'd given the order myself.

Still... waking up to this was just plain awful.

"Master..." Fuumi's soft voice called to me.

"Return to the position I gave earlier," I replied flatly.

"Yes..."

She obeyed immediately, standing up and shuffling a few steps away. Then she knelt down in a pose like a disciplined little girl. Head bowed slightly, but her eyes stared straight at me—hungry.

I knew that look. She wanted something. But I had no plans to give it.

...Seriously, were you planning to jump me the second I nodded off? Even though I left you on standby, you're still wiggling inch by inch. What's that? Some kind of insect-seducer tech?

"Seriously... none of them ever relax," I sighed.

Not just Fuumi—all the girls here were like that. One by one, I drugged and controlled the maids. Prioritized the ones who would become sacrifices if I hesitated. Even so, the safe ones were only about thirty percent of the total. The others? Constantly watching for gaps in my orders, like wolves.

Even with all the medicine I used, I still couldn't drop my guard.

"That said... they're obedient. Completely loyal to my commands. With this many pawns under control, interrupting the final ritual should be easy."

"The final ritual, huh..." Hana muttered.

I winced. Just hearing it made my gut twist.

Yeah, I knew what she meant. But that night—what they called Tsukimi—it wasn't some poetic moon-watching.

It was a monster's debut party.

A ritual of lust and frenzy, where sacrifices were made like coins tossed into a wishing well.

That night awakened the true monster in me.

That night was the hardest of them all.

I lost track of how many times I had to kill myself to force a reset.

The moment someone died? Restart.

And in the runs where I somehow kept everyone alive through trust alone...

Well, I failed.

Ruined it.

Now, unless I drug them into obedience, no one even tries to help me anymore.

"...This time, I'll keep everyone alive. I have to."

"Do you have a plan?" Hana asked, glancing sideways.

I gave her a lopsided grin.

"That's why I've been meditating lately, right?"

"...I thought you were just napping."

"That's cold," I replied.

Yeah, I get it. From the outside, it probably looked like I was just dozing off.

But this 'now'—this moment—isn't normal. It's a time-space blur created by technique. Both dream and real. A half-awake kind of world.

Here, I could talk with the monster that lives inside me.

The one carved in—the fallen Earth Mother.

The 'factor.'

My fake second personality, born from divine contamination.

This place—between dream and real—lets me dive deep. To try and understand her. To fix her. To stop her from demanding more lives.

It's the best chance I've got.

"...No progress?" Kaya asked, stepping in as she finished giving orders to the other girls.

One of the maids had collapsed—completely drugged.

The rest were gathering around her in a twisted show of sisterhood, helping her with empty smiles.

"I even told her—I'll trade ten, twenty years of my life, if she just stops killing and lets me heal properly."

Even if I didn't eat people, I could survive with meat from monsters. Aoi or Kayo could get it for me. There were options. There were ways.

We tried.

We begged.

We offered everything.

But the answer from the one inside was clear—

No.

"She's always interfering in useless stuff... but when it really matters, she get all stubborn. Is she a toxic parent or something?"

Not that she's actually my parent. But seriously—what kind of mindset is that?

(...Still, it wasn't all for nothing.)

I didn't win her over. But a hypothesis I had was now locked in. Confirmed.

This might just work...

"Damn spider... You still haven't found the divine body?" I asked.

"Well... ahaha. We are looking, you know?" Kaya replied, wincing.

"This ritual needs the god to observe it, right? So it has to be nearby. Somewhere."

Kaya's tone twisted into something hard to define. Even now, they still hadn't identified the deity. That damned spider.

So then...

"...Mind if I ask a few questions? You know, as your uneducated stepbrother?"

I was just a former servant. I didn't understand the ritual that deeply.

But my stepsister? They were clever.

"Of course! Don't hold back! Hit me right in the chest!" Kaya declared, puffing up proudly.

"I'll open my heart and accept anything!" Hana added, grinning.

"...I'll take your answers literally, and apply common sense, okay?"

With that awkward little preface, I started talking.

I asked all the questions I'd been keeping in my head.

Now then...

Let's see if my theory holds water.

* * *

"...Already this late? Time really flies," I muttered to myself.

While half-keeping an eye on the maids to make sure they weren't up to anything dumb, I'd ended up spending more time than expected chatting and doing weird back-and-forths with my stepsister. By the time I glanced outside, it was already past evening. That gentle twilight painted everything in a sleepy, dreamlike glow.

"Alright, time to get out," I said, waving my hand vaguely. "But first, I need to give you proper instructions. You—go first."

Before the poison in the drug fully sank its teeth into them, I made each girl stand before me, gave them a cold stare, and issued precise orders. I made sure to word things so nothing seemed suspicious, even if repeated. My goal: don't let them confess, even by accident.

"Tear your underwear and throw it away. Do it where no one can hear or see," I instructed flatly. "From now on, only bathe with the people here. And don't go around flashing your skin. If you look like you're just relaxing, it's bad. Just keep your legs trembling."

To outsiders, it'd seem like I was punishing them hard. If someone asked what I'd done, they'd just say, "He scolded me like I wasn't human," or something like that. I made sure they wouldn't let anything slip. I even told them to lure in the next prey. Like a rat nest... This really is how the number of victims grows, huh?

"That should do," I said with a sigh. "Alright, now get lost. Keep dawdling and I'll smack your butt."

"...Do you like bigger butts?" one of them asked absentmindedly.

"It depends on time, place, and mood," I replied without looking back.

I didn't even check who asked. The answer wasn't kindness. Not teasing. Just empty hypocrisy. The ones who drugged, the ones drugged. The ones who ate, and the ones eaten. The ones who served, and the ones served. All messed up relationships. No compatibility. Just escape.

...Even so, after barely managing to clear things up, the thought of how they'd look at me when they woke up made my chest heavy.

"In the end, just quietly munching without lingering issues is the best, huh?" said Kaya, her tone relaxed.

"Being drugged's one way too," Hana added like it was nothing.

"Stop," I said with a grimace. "You two sound like some yokai boss and exorcist chief."

The only family left in the room—my two little stepsister—looked way too chill. I sighed again. Botan or Aoi would've said the same thing. Even when tricking someone, they'd leave casual evidence on purpose.

"...Should I make your meal? You need your medicine, right?" Kaya asked sweetly, tilting her head.

"Yes, yes! If it's medicinal porridge, I've got it ready!" Hana chimed in, already pulling out a pot.

Kaya, somehow ready in advance, proudly brought over a pot of porridge. A soft white mixture of boiled rice, greens, roots, and eggs. A sharp, bitter herbal scent punched me in the face the moment she opened the lid.

It was their handmade Juuyaku medicinal porridge. Loaded with spiritual herbs. Effects: healing, suppressing appetite and... other urges, and most importantly—memory enhancement.

That last one mattered the most.

See, I'm not the ritual's main subject. So every time I loop, my shallow memories reset. But like when I first got my memories back through the Proust effect, the strong taste of this porridge helped anchor my soul's memories and drag them into the next cycle.

...Let me be real. It's disgusting. There's a limit to how bitter "good medicine" should be. That beautiful rice, wasted. Even the egg flavor couldn't hide the punch of bitterness.

"Slurp... ughhh," I groaned, barely able to swallow.

"Hey! What's with that reaction to your cute little stepsister's cooking?" Kaya cried, puffing her cheeks. "Nya haha, it's gross, isn't it?"

"It's more suited for pig food..." I muttered under my breath.

The three of us sat around the pot. Was this a normal family dinner? Mocking the taste while spooning up medicine. I mean, did I even need to eat this stuff?

"Such a rare chance to eat with my dear big brother... What a waste if we didn't!" Hana said with a laugh.

"Family time is important," Kaya added with a smile.

"Yeah... Thanks, I guess," I replied, unsure how to feel.

Even now, it still felt strange. I was glad they were helping me, but...

(No—it's not just helping. It's because we're family.)

That's right. Because we're family, they put aside their own gains and decided to support me. I can't return to the Juuyaku household anymore. The only family left for them... is me. That's why they're risking everything for me. Compared to that, this awful porridge is nothing.

"Not all medicinal food is nasty, right?" I asked, trying to sound casual. "Remember the porridge from when you kept me locked up? Or was that stuff just as bad?"

"No, no, no!" Kaya cried, waving her hands. "That aroma! It was totally delicious, right? I even made it addictive!"

"...Addictive?" I repeated slowly.

"Nya haha~," Kaya laughed, totally unbothered.

Right... that was the food they brought when they tried to get me to sign that sketchy contract. Were they even okay after eating something that suspicious?

"We were given a certain level of resistance to poisons and medicine during... manufacturing," Hana said, expression blank.

"...Ah, makes sense," I nodded slowly.

If it's these girls... they might actually try fugu or red Tengu mushrooms just for fun. That dumb thought flickers through my brain like static.

"Ah, if it's just that level of poison, it's fine, you know?" Kaya said, grinning confidently.

"I can even concentrate it. Use it as a base for some medicine," Hana added, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"You're... really high-functioning, huh..." I muttered, still trying to process that.

Wait. How do you even concentrate and refine poison?

"How do you... like, do it? From here?" I asked, my curiosity outweighing my common sense.

"It works great as a trap too, especially when you're caught by a youkai," Hana replied smoothly, no hesitation in her tone.

"I-I see..." I nodded stiffly.

Kaya, while pointing at her lower stomach with her knees turned inward awkwardly, glanced away with a slight blush. Meanwhile, Hana just kept explaining, cool as ever. I had no words. For those youkai, yeah, that'd be a pretty fatal trap.

...Wait.

What are we even talking about while eating?

"Nyahaha! Isn't this just the kind of vulgar talk that happens when you're family?" Kaya laughed, kicking her feet under the table. "You can't talk about this kind of stuff with outsiders!"

"I don't think it's the kind of thing you talk about even with siblings, though..." I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"It's fine since we're step-siblings," Hana said, as if that explained everything.

"What exactly makes that fine?" I asked, but no one gave me a real answer.

While tossing out that half-hearted jab, I scooped a spoonful of medicinal porridge into my mouth. Blegh. It tasted like straight-up liquid regret. Just bitter medicine and sadness.

"...I'll mention the plan for if this round fails now, okay?" I said quietly.

I reached for a second helping of the porridge, but before the spoon hit my mouth, I froze, organizing my thoughts. Now wasn't the time to whine about food. This was the worst-case scenario plan.

"If we fail this round," I began, "the girls who've been drugged will carry over their memories into the next loop. But their physical condition will reset—any drug effects vanish. And since it's already clear I'm the one whose memory returns to everyone next time, there's a good chance I'll get locked up right away."

I took a breath, then continued.

"The two of you—my step-sisters—need to hide as soon as the reset starts. There should be enough hiding spots in this estate. The maids shouldn't be a threat... but if things go bad, wait for a chance and help me out."

I was planning on making a break for it the moment I woke up... but who knew how that would turn out. Kaya and Hana were basically my only backup plan.

"Got it," Kaya said with a nod. "But... do you have any plan for after that?"

"If we fail this time, there are only two more tries left," Hana said, shaking my head. "After that, it's game over."

Neither of the girls objected to the idea of ditching their step-brother, even temporarily. Cold-hearted? Maybe. But honestly, they were just being realistic. What came after was clearly more important to them.

"About that... I've been thinking," I said slowly, looking between them. "I have a way to check the maids."

Both girls leaned in as I spoke.

"That ritual—the one where Mari's visiting a hundred shrines—it only works if a god observes it, right? So that means someone is watching her right now. But the spider, who's the strongest candidate, isn't here... Why do you think that is?"

Kaya and Hana exchanged glances, frowns forming on their faces.

"So the one observing her... isn't the spider?" Hana asked.

"Then... wait, don't tell me—!" Kaya gasped.

I nodded. Their reactions told me they were catching on.

"Yeah. I've got a divine factor inside me," I said, tapping my chest. "Or maybe it's that monster—Youbo—that's the real observer. Either way, it's like that saying... the lighthouse is darkest under the light."

If I—or the youkai mother inside me—am the one being prayed to in this hundred-shrine ritual, then of course no one would find the observer. Maybe that's why the maids keep scrambling every time I die. If the observer dies, fate can't be finalized.

"Here's the kicker," I continued. "They say the ritual has a limit—one hundred tries. So... what happens if the observer dies on the hundredth attempt?"

"That is..." Kaya hesitated.

"I don't know..." Hana said quietly.

They both looked uncertain. No one could say for sure. Does the ritual succeed on the hundredth attempt no matter what? Does it fail if no one's left to witness it? Or does the whole ritual collapse entirely?

It's a forbidden technique. No way to tell unless we go all the way.

"That's why, Mari... this uncertainty is my trump card," I said, voice low. "It's a threat that can flip the whole game board. And considering how many times I've killed myself already, it's no bluff."

"S-So, um!" Kaya stammered. "What about stepbrother, then?"

"If we don't know how the ritual ends, that means your life is..."

"Well, yeah," I said softly. "But that's exactly what makes it powerful as blackmail."

This wasn't about actually dying. It was about threatening to die. The maids couldn't read my mind, and with my death record, they couldn't ignore the possibility. That was what made it effective.

"If I can meditate... and convince that monster inside me to cooperate, that'd be ideal," I said. "I'm thinking it over. But this is the best I've got."

Two loops left. Two months, at most. That was all the time I had. Could I pull something off? Maybe... if I dug deep into my own mind. Even now, getting out of meditation felt like clawing up from the abyss.

"Hm... I understand your idea," Kaya said, using the coded term we made for 'plan.'

"For now, I'll also start mixing up all kinds of medicines," Hana added, nodding.

The girls were on board, even if they didn't love it. This whole plan was shaky, built on guesses and unknowns. Not to mention, I was still the most unstable piece on the board.

Even so... they didn't say no. Maybe that's what being family really means.

"...You two," I muttered, almost like a prayer, "I'm counting on you."

Then, without another word, I went back to my porridge.

Hah... it's still awful.

* * *

No matter what happens, time never stops. The new month was already slipping away.

One by one, they took their medicine—different kinds, in desperation—and dove into meditation. Again and again. It was all becoming routine. Little by little, the time for rest and peace was being shaved away, like wood scraped with a rasp.

Inside the yashiki estate, preparations for the Tsukimi had begun once more, just as they had countless times before. The maids, same as always, chatted brightly while working in the kitchen, and soon the entire place was alive with the rhythm of ritual. Everyone had a task.

Everyone except me.

"Really, there's nothing for me to do?" I asked, peering out through the shouji door into the bustling garden.

Behind me, the usual head maid was massaging my shoulders. "Hmm, heh... ah," she giggled softly. "Please don't worry, Master. The preparations are a maid's duty. You need not lift a finger."

"I see... Is that so?" I muttered, not hiding my discontent.

"Yes," she replied gently. "Master's enjoyment is our greatest reward. If you smile, we smile. So please, simply accept what we've prepared for you and enjoy the moment."

Her voice was soft, innocent, as if reciting a well-rehearsed line. And I suppose that's what it was. A fabricated setting—one designed to soothe me, the so-called 'Master' who had lost his memory. In this cycle, it was always like this. They played the part of devoted servants offering gentle hospitality. No danger. No pressure. Just peaceful waiting for the ritual.

Just as they wanted. An equal exchange, they said.

Even their impudent behavior before Tsukimi was considered forgivable... or so they claimed.

It was irritating. Too much of it felt fake—like I was the only one who didn't get the joke.

"Rather, that is the secret to the success of the ritual," she added, kneading my shoulders more firmly now. "That alone will reward our efforts."

Her words, sugar-sweet, twisted something inside me. Mercy, pity, conscience, values—everything warped to make room for her fantasy. A gentle coercion, hidden behind smiles.

"..."

"Now, here we go! Here we go!" she cheered.

"Hmm...!? Ugh, hha..." I winced as her elbow dug deep into the muscle.

"Hehe. Hmm, ah! Is it here? This is the spot, isn't it?" she asked with a knowing smirk.

"Guu, fuu, kuh... This is quite something, eh?" I groaned, half from pain, half from relief.

"I'm glad to hear you're satisfied," she purred. "Master's face is all melty~ Hehe, it's so cute."

Her teasing tone stung a little, but she wasn't wrong. Her hands were disturbingly skilled, and with every round, she only got better.

"Ugh... Ahh!?"

A jolt shot through me like lightning. My eyes snapped open. Something cold and soft had snaked around my waist from behind—her hand.

"Hey... What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, trying to twist away.

"It's part of the massage," she said, not missing a beat. "Master's body must be so tired from all his work... Let me take care of everything~"

I shot her a glare, but she only smiled, unfazed, and casually started massaging even lower.

"Ugh, uhhh!?"

"Hehe," she hummed, "I've heard from the other girls just how much you enjoy our hospitality. And as the head maid, I simply must offer my finest service. ...My, my, how robust you are, Master~"

A shiver ran down my spine. Her small hands couldn't even fully wrap around me, but they still moved with eerie precision. She caressed me with such care, like she was handling something precious.

This... This was messed up. But inside this yashiki, it was normal. Too normal. I'd been trying to avoid this ever since my memories came back. And now? Total ambush.

"Massaging, petting~ Good boy, good~" she whispered.

"Kuh... Fuu...!?" I gritted my teeth, trying to endure.

"And this part... Hehe. So full and heavy, isn't it~?" she giggled again.

"Augh!?"

Her hands scooped from underneath, and I twitched. The kneading was too real, too detailed. The sensation overwhelmed my brain. My whole body flinched with heat.

"Alright, that's—hey, cut it out!?" I protested, heart racing.

"I'm not fooling around," she said innocently, leaning closer. "This is real service. Ah, it's so warm... And adorable..."

Her breath tickled my skin, voice sweet and low, almost childlike. My whole back tensed from the rush of sensation. I knew it was wrong, but my body refused to resist. It wanted more.

This wasn't about self-control anymore.

With all these women around me—always whispering, always tempting—things just piled up. And when they did, it didn't take much. Just one spark.

"...Master♪" she purred.

"...!!"

I spun around on instinct, glaring down at her like a beast about to pounce. Her smug little smirk deepened. She tilted her head and looked up at me with mocking affection. It snapped something in me.

I raised my hand—not to slap, but something more primal, more forceful. I didn't want to punish her. I wanted to strip her bare.

But—

"Master~! I found you♪ It's medicine time~!" came a bubbly voice.

My wrist was grabbed mid-swing. The cheerful tone broke the spell like ice water on my head.

I turned, scowling. Kaya. My little sister.

I pulled away from the head maid's grasp and stood up.

"...Tch. I see. Let's go," I muttered coldly.

The head maid reached out. "Ah, Master. May I accompany you—"

"Get lost, you hungry bitch!!" I barked, not looking back.

I stormed out, fast and sharp. Not because I was mad—but because I was scared she'd see it. The heat in my face. The flickers of memory. The fact that it was working on me.

"...Sorry. You saved me," I murmured as I stepped onto the veranda, voice quiet enough to only reach Kaya.

"No, no, no, I'm just happy I could help!" she beamed, though her brow furrowed slightly. "But yeah, that was close, huh? You were pretty far gone in there."

That much was obvious. If Mari hadn't been stopped, she wouldn't have just teased me. She would've devoured me. Killed or consumed—either way, it'd have ended in a reset. That close.

"...Damn. Is it the Tsukimi? Am I boiling over 'cause the Moon God's ritual is near...?"

It felt like my instincts were waking up because of the Nanban ceremony tied to the moon god. They say it's done along with the hundred visits ritual. The closer the full moon got, the more my blood started boiling—like some tide pulling me in, familiar and wild.

Meditating to call out to those fallen gods inside? Totally useless. No wonder they lost faith and fell. What a load of crap.

"The ceremony's tomorrow, huh... No matter how many meds I take, it won't calm this down," I said, rubbing my temple. "Maybe the best way is just to let it all out?"

Kaya shrugged and replied, "Statistically, the best time was when you went on a crazy drug binge just before the main event. Burning out your energy somehow cools your instincts." She smirked. "Or maybe it's the earth mother god getting her weird satisfaction from it... Though, she's probably the one who's dead now."

"I can hold back way more than she can, you know?" I said, glancing sideways.

Kaya gave me a sharp look.

"Not doing it. Not with my stepsister." I scoffed. "Sure, the exclusive tool—or since the reproductive system got upgraded, the durability must be insane too—but there's no way I'm doing that with my stepsister. Not a chance. My instincts have been dodging them until now, right? It's definitely not me being prudish or anything. Besides, you guys go crazy when you get riled up, right? ...I don't want to lose my head."

"As long as you keep yourself still and don't let you bite our throat, it's fine, right?" she joked back.

"Don't try to get your freaky fetishes out on a person!" I snapped.

Kaya smirked "By the way, Hana's into water torture and double penetration. She explains that like it's nothing."

"You almost got a lesson on Earth Mother's desires during meditation, didn't you? ...Anyway, I'll try to calm her with meditation. Maybe if I get enlightened, I can control this," I muttered, dry laughter escaping me.

Still, in the original game, if you often listened to Priest Hayashi Gen's sermons, you'd get mental resistance buffs and better stat growth, right? Should've paid more attention? What about other stats? Ha, forget it!"

If you go that route, this one won't grow at all. Life's such a pain—never goes as planned.

"Well, whether we're even human is kinda questionable, huh?"

"Believing you are human is what really matters, isn't it?" Kaya replied, eyes glinting.

"You're saying the spirit's everything?" I asked.

"Can't argue with that..." she nodded.

Her words shut me up. That girl's a genius—pharmacology nerd through and through. I can't compete with that as a manual laborer.

"..."

"..."

"...Hey, can we switch the topic for a sec?" I said, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Kaya answered, surprised.

We walked the veranda silently for a while. Near the bathroom, Kaya suddenly stopped and spoke up.

"Uh, I dunno, it's kinda weird doing it with your stepsister," she said, fidgeting. "Should we just, like, handle it before we go back to the room?"

"..." I stayed quiet.

She pointed casually. "You know, mas*bation. You go first, I'll wait."

I looked down, sighed, and nodded. "I'm gonna stop by the bathroom. You go ahead without me."

For my stepsister's sake, I rejected Kaya's offer.

After quickly taking care of business—twice—I met up with Kaya, who was waiting, and headed back to the room.

* * *

"Was it Sara and Kuroe this time?" I asked as soon as I entered the medicinal stepsister's workroom.

It was that weird size—not too big, not too small—and there she was, a new face among the drug-addicted maids. Today's victim. After some fake excuse, I dragged her in, and the addicts who were waiting held her down and made her one of their own. The scene? Terrible as always.

"Move aside, move aside..." I said, pushing through the crowd. "Hey, is that Dango?"

"Kibi Dango, drugged," Hana answered without looking up.

"Ah, got it," I nodded.

Fresh Kibi Dango sat on a dish carelessly left in the room. The plan was probably to drug them all at once during the ceremony.

"Some of you are heading to the kitchen, right? Switch these with the real ones so no one notices later." I commanded.

"Yes," several maids responded respectfully.

The maids answered my criminal order calmly. Nothing new here. I nodded and started looking for Kaya.

"Where's Kaya? I told her to go ahead," I asked Hana.

"She had some stuff to do and went out," Hana replied.

"Stuff to do, huh... Hopefully nothing unnecessary." I frowned.

Even though she's playful and carefree, Kaya still takes her role seriously. I tend to trust Hana more since she's less pushy.

"You have the medicine I asked for?" I inquired.

"Mm." Hana handed me a glass bottle fast. It was supposed to be a powerful sleeping drug... or so I heard.

"This one..." I muttered.

Meditation and wandering near death let you dive deep into your subconscious. A nearly lethal sleeping drug would leave only a short time—maybe the only way to sink even deeper.

"...Hana." I called out quietly.

She nodded and began handing out daggers—tantos—to everyone. The girls took them silently, eyes flickering with confusion.

"This is an order. If I change, stab me. Stab me over and over. Got it?"

If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back. That command wasn't just words—it was my lifeline. To stop the darkness from swallowing me during meditation, to stop the monster from rising, and to reset this cursed loop. Everyone held their breath.

"Master, that's..." Hana started.

"Silence. It's an order. Obey." I cut her off sharply.

Then I swallowed the drug and crossed my legs, uniting my spirit and tightening my body.

"Ugh...!?" A sharp headache hit me hard—like my skull was being squeezed tight. The drug was strong, dull pain crawling through my mind, making focus impossible.

"Master..." A few maids' voices trembled. "Please stop. It's too dangerous."

Seeing my grimace, they hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes.

"Enough. I don't want opinions. Just shut up and watch the doors."

The pounding headache and fading concentration made me snap. "But, Master!" "You should rest first—your face looks awful!" "Shut up! If you think that, then don't speak. It's ringing in my head..."

Then it hit me.

"Hey, why are you all talking when I ordered silence?"

Silence. But not the usual kind. The air shifted. I could feel it—everyone's gazes changed, cold and sharp like blades.

"...!!"

I rose, ready to fight. I wrapped myself in spiritual power, boosting my body.

A sudden sharp pain stabbed my back—deep and unrelenting.

"Hahaha, this is bad." I turned to see the shouji door pushed open. There she was—Kaya, her face full of regret, but in her hand, a real sword plunged into my back. Deep, so deep.

Behind her stood the head maid—or rather, the mask slipped off. Her true form was clear now. How had I missed it before? The radiant, pure smile of Tachibana Kayo bloomed like a flower—calm, serene, no malice, only cold intent.

Damn it. All of this was in my hands.

"K-Kayo... you... guhh!?"

A new pain stabbed through my stomach from the front. Hana's dagger. Seppuku—piercing me from both sides, sisters sandwiching me to death. I remembered now—this was the third time I'd been betrayed like this. First time was at the Juuyaku household.

"Guh, huh...!?"

Warm blood flooded my mouth—iron tasting bitter. I looked at my stepsister, at the maids surrounding me, then at Kayo.

Well, that's it. Yeah.

"How could you deceive me like this, aaahhh!!! You deceived me, didn't you, aaahhh!!!"

My scream shattered the room—a howl far beyond human. Kneeling, half-falling, hands digging into the floor, my rage echoed like thunder. Even the estate trembled under its weight.

"...!!"

The shock made everyone back away. The maids, wild and crazy before, now trembled with fear—rationality flickering behind their eyes. Kaya and Hana stepped back quickly.

But one voice cut through.

"What are you doing!? Enclose him! Trap him! What's wrong with you all!?"

A scolding. Then the maids' eyes flashed with bloodlust once more. They swarmed me from all sides—pretty faces, deadly intent. I knew this scene all too well.

Half-monster, if I just waved my hand now, how many would fall? It'd be lucky if only a few. The chance I'd regain sanity here was slim, and for them, some sacrifice was expected. Blood would flood, and I'd slip deeper into the beast.

And with the sword in me, the drug's headache pounding harder—my mind melting away—I had to make a choice.

This had to be it. The only way to threaten them.

"Ah... Well, goodbye."

I pulled the blade from my stomach, then plunged it into my throat, twisting sharply to sever my head. My vision blurred as I collapsed, pale maid faces surrounding me, stepsisters gasping...

(Ah, so you make that face...)

Death was no stranger anymore. My last thought, light and calm.

And then—the next loop began.

* * *

"...!! Kah!?"

I woke up like reborn—jumped up to brace myself—and then collapsed. Head pounding like an avalanche inside my skull. Nausea, a sharp crush of pain.

"W-what is this...!!?"

A headache like no other. Too severe to move. This never happened before in previous loops. Only one answer:

"Ugh, s-something...!!"

Memory-enhancing drugs exist—engraving memories into your soul. But there are others too, ones that carry over effects. It had to be the sword or the drug I took before meditation causing this split pain. I was helpless.

Already, they were closing in.

"...."

Like ghosts, the maids crept into the bedroom, disheveled, some barely dressed, surrounding me. I had no chance to resist.

"It hurts, doesn't it? Of course. Memories flooding your mind like an avalanche."

She cradled my head in her lap, voice soft, tender. The honey-haired lady swayed gently.

"W-what...!!"

I glared, burning with anger, but she didn't flinch. Her smile was calm, warm, no malice—just gentle comfort.

"I'm sorry, but I expected this. I knew Tomobe-san might cling this much. It's a bit cruel, but I prepared. I moved first. You're already checkmated. Now I'll teach you properly."

Sadly joyful, she cupped my cheeks and leaned close.

"Choose one of two. Will you fall here with us forever? Or will you seize the moment and transform? Gain true freedom and control—at the cost of everyone?"

"W-what...?"

Her words echoed, breaking in my pain-filled mind. What was she saying?

"Hehehe. That's right. Metamorphosis. Your freedom can only come with sacrifice. Everyone's salvation only through your corruption."

She smiled like a youkai—soft, seductive, but not cruel.

"So please, fall with us. For your sake, for ours. Within this infinite circle environment—let me serve you forever and ever. Our... no, my only eternal deity?"

And so, the game of fate was about to begin...

Ako Murasaki-hime. On one hand, I want to feature her more, but on the other hand, if she appears, the probability of her dying exponentially seems to increase -> Here

Notes:

• 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.

• Mari - Energetic and affectionate girl who leads the younger group. Bold during play, but shows a tender, bashful side in emotional moments.

• Kuroe - A sulky maid who calls for breakfast; gets emotional when left out. Appear on the beginning of loops.

• Sara - A precise maid who shaves the Master with care.. Appear on the beginning of loops.