"One. Under no circumstances can C learn about the newfound sentience of the members in this discussion. The members are namely Kurokawa, Rachel, and Laura.
Two. Under no circumstances can C learn about this meeting. This condition includes but is not limited to direct or indirect conversation, sign language, notes, emails, and other forms of information sharing.
Three. Each participant in this meeting has the duty to keep the information about C's thoughts hidden from him. If he finds out about his ability, the one who created the problem will have to follow the influence until the end or have their life taken away by the others. Since we are dying anyway, we should make your death as painful as possible.
Four. When there is a new heroine, the participants in this meeting will work together to drive her or them away. Dead or alive. Preferably dead and prioritizing secrecy. However, the situation can change depending on C's thoughts."
I started by rephrasing each condition we made prior when C focused on coaching Han. It was lucky that the protagonist took away his attention when we were in the kitchen area.
"Any questions?"
Rachel quickly raises her hand.
"What about individual circumstances?"
Personally, that is indeed a good question. I have been meaning to talk about that, as well.
Sadly, I know the answer when my eyes meet the class rep.
"Each will be on their own." Laura's amber eyes focus on Rachel.
Unlike C, I do not know her well, so I can not read what emotions are bottling inside her pupils.
The only thing that I can see is a pure annoyance.
"These conditions we made here are not for your entertainment. They exist solely for one reason. And that is keeping the secret away from being noticed. If C somehow knows we can hear his thoughts, he will, without a doubt, kill himself to reset the world. We will potentially have our sentience wiped clean. That to me is dying." Laura explains in a stern tone.
Personally, the way she is putting this is just another "I care nothing for your own circumstances."
It is simple for her to say that. She is the only one with total freedom right at this point. Since the class rep was only a side character, the influence placed upon her was definitely not as strong as those upon Rachel and me.
Because of that reason, even though Rachel is a psycho and will do many heinous things to achieve her goals, she is not that dangerous. Those actions she did were in the past. The current Rachel has not been doing anything drastic.
Laura, however,...
The one I need to keep an eye on is not Han's childhood friend but Laura.
One who holds freedom holds a tremendous amount of potential. And under the premise of a yandere of this world, Laura's potential turns into destruction.
Sensing my gaze, the class rep smiles.
"Don't you agree with me, Kurokawa?"
Yes, I do agree with her.
If I were the one who got her freedom, I would do the same thing. Regrettably, I am not free. Not yet.
"I think it is only fair to help one another. There are 3 of us only, and a lot more obstacles have yet to show up."
"Come on, Kurokawa. Do you seriously believe I'm going to fall for that?" Laura shakes her head.
"At this point, we all know each other. Let me be frank with both of you. I am NOT going to let myself get erased this time! The enormous debt that I have to pay C is something I will handle myself. As for you or Rachel, there is no reason for you to pay attention to my boyfriend except for the freedom he grants."
Even though she does not talk too loud, the cold tone of her voice clearly proves she is irritated.
"You are wrong." Says the psycho.
"I don't think I am. Face it, Rachel! There is nothing for you to gain aside from being free. Unless C wants to help you, which I doubt he will, stay away from my man!"
*Krrrrt*
A paper knife appears in Laura's hand. As she twists her wrist, the polished blade reflects the light off its surface onto Rachel's face.
"I am not just approaching him for my own good! I want to make it up to him, also!"
Rachel's time is running out. The alleged sex scene she has with Han is about to commence.
That girl must be desperate right now. I know that because my event is coming, too. Albeit it is later tomorrow, I still do not know what I will encounter and who I will face.
The unknown is terrifying. Its shackles are equally heavy on my body.
Because of that, I understand how Rachel must be feeling. The anxiety of knowing your fate but literally can not change it in any way is devastating to her.
Similar to me, there is no way she wants to have her body controlled to have sex with Han like that.
No one wants to have their body forced into coercion.
It is nauseous just thinking about such a thing.
"What you are doing is monopolizing, class rep! He is not yours!!" Not holding back anything, I confront Laura. If we want to do anything, it is now.
Hearing me standing up for her, Rachel looks at me, surprised by my intervention.
"I don't give a damn about your problems. C is mine. Stick with your own thing, and we will have no issue. This talk is the only official warning for you two: stay away from my boyfriend." Laura claims coldly.
No!
I will not give up like that!
"Don't you think that there will be a time you will need us to help you? Something so powerful that not even your freedom can eliminate? Don't you remember the theme of this world? What if all the other girls are here? What if they are all hostile?"
If she keeps hogging him up like this, we will never have the chance to be free.
Soon enough, Rachel's event will start. To speak the truth, I have no idea what will happen once her event finishes.
She could be the same as she is right now.
But she could also be the same psycho we know from C's memories. There is no way to be sure.
"Are you seriously trying to hold C back from us so that you will cause harm to him because of your selfishness in the future?"
"Kurokawa is right. You got your freedom. Therefore it is time to let someone else have it. Your current action is not beneficial to C since you are limiting his choices. After all that he has been through, don't you feel he needs to change?" Rachel stands up from her position.
"Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Very well. Then tell me this, Rachel, Kurokawa. From the bottom of your heart, do you love him? Could you stand up to him and say that, huh? Could you say to YOURSELF that you want to be by his side?" She stares at both of us.
Her words strike me down like a hammer.
"I d...o."
"..."
Rachel stutters.
I remain silent after those words.
Slowly but surely, C's featureless face appears in my head.
His thoughts run through my mind. They are ever so vibrant, so unbound, and carefree.
And his spirit, free as a white dove flying under the blue sky.
Sadly, this world gave him his shackles. Those are the endless resets he has to go through, without any way to change that fate.
The memory I saw was still clear to me. I remember the crimson color of C's blood painting the door to the rooftop a sickly red.
My ears ring his cries. Inside of my chest is his desperation on the day Laura died.
They were still so vivid.
The moment he jumped off the building out of despair was like a movie.
I want to be free from this curse.
But...
I...
...Can not lie to him.
I can never do that...
How could I...betray the feelings of someone who has been through so much pain and agony like him?
It is true what Laura said.
At best, I am only interested in C...
"Look at you two! Exploiting my boyfriend because you are bound by something invisible!" Laura points at the two of us.
"I can't say it, class rep." I open my lips. "But you...don't even think you are perfectly clean! Not even for a second!!"
Stressing each word, I continue.
"You lied to him. In front of C's face, in front of his trust, you betrayed him by not drinking that water! He surely didn't notice the amount of water not decreasing, and you took advantage of his trust."
"Pathetic, Laura." Rachel scoffs. "I almost forgot you did that. You keep coming on us all high and mighty. But in the end, YOU are the one who lied. Is it not me or Kurokawa who tried drugging him, but YOU!! Why don't you stop for a moment and look at your disgusting hypocrisy?"
"...No need to care about me. I will atone for my sins." Laura looks down while her voice softens.
At this point, I take a deep breath and come close to her.
"C deserves to have unlimited choices. His life has never had any chances like each of us, but worse since he was aware of it! You are putting him in a cage and feeding him whatever you can provide! Do you know what will happen if you do that?"
"...what?"
My eyes dart at Rachel.
"Another Han!!!"
"!!!" Laura is clearly taken back by my words.
"Ah!! NO!!! It's coming!!!"
Suddenly, Rachel's face gets paled as her body starts stiffening up.
Right after that, an invisible force takes control of her body, and she starts to move toward the door.
It looks like her event has started at last.
In that short amount of time, my eyes meet hers. What makes it clear to me that Rachel is in total hopelessness is the change in the aquamarine color she used to have.
No more the shiny, lively aquamarine eyes.
It is a plain, dull blue.
It is void of hope.
*Thud*
But yet again, the class rep and I are both stunned by Han's childhood friend.
Using the last of her mental strength, Rachel quickly kneels and prostrates herself in front of Laura's feet.
"Please, Laura! I don't want to do this! Please! I...need help..."
Her voice is cracking up, and tears are already flowing.
"Please...please...don't let Han do this to me...I just need a touch from C..."
Her body shakes violently. I do not know if it is because of her crying or the system anymore.
"...I'm greatly sorry. See you in the morning, Rachel."
"I will do whatever you say afterward! J-just let me touch him for a second...I beg you, Laura..."
"Goodnight." Laura looks away.
Then, with a body as stiff as a robot, Rachel stands up as if nothing has happened and walks outside.
Han is still waiting for her in the kitchen.
(You can now buy me milk for me to make more cheese!!!
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