Whose youth romance story begins with a witch's trial?!

Less than half an hour after the signing of the "Treaty of No Close Relationships," the first person to attempt to breach it appeared.

Watching helplessly as I once again became a member of the glorious West Coast (referring to my biological clock).

Thanks to Chenguang Moxin for the sudden, albeit seemingly insignificant, support! (Seriously saving money)

Thanks to Celine for the treat!

Volume 1: 284. Just keep accumulating the prize pool, you living dad!

"I have a small question—or rather, two small questions."

In the small dark room, Chang Rong, sitting in a chair, looked at the 'strange' pair in front of him with a pained expression. Popular idol Hasumi Ryoya and the former black-clad figure of Witch Island, Ice Maiden, asked in a seemingly casual manner.

"May I ask what is it, Lord Changrong? I will do my best to help you answer your questions...!"

On the ice, Meruru looked devout, her hands clasped together in a demure pose. Her light gray eyes shone as she looked at Chang Rong, like a believer encountering a miracle, or a traveler who had been starving for three days seeing a perfectly grilled, sizzling steak.

"First question... Where is this place?"

Chang Rong turned his head away to avoid Meruru's overly intense gaze, swallowing hard while observing his surroundings.

After several playthroughs, combined with his experience from his time as a veteran, Chang Rong wouldn't dare say he knew all the secrets of this witch's island, but he should at least be able to clear the map efficiently. However, he had no recollection of the strange little dark room he was in at the moment.

Because the only source of light in the surrounding area was Rhea's golden, kirakira eyes, Chang Rong couldn't even investigate the specifics of the small, dark room more thoroughly.

Could these two have deliberately created a basement on the spot just so they could knock me out and lock me in a dark room?

"Don't worry, Lord Changrong, this is an absolutely, absolutely hidden room that will never be discovered and will never be disturbed~ If you're here, even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come..."

Meruru smiled gently, responding softly as if to comfort her.

"Hehe, a Sigma man would never do something so shameful—help!!! There's a pervert here, waaaaah..."

Chang Rong sneered and then immediately let out a wail, but was immediately silenced by Meruru's equally fierce front armor.

Although Meruru's actions were a few seconds late, there was indeed nothing unusual after her wailing; she couldn't hear any hurried footsteps approaching. This forced Chang Rong to temporarily believe Meruru's words.

However, judging from the sound effects of the shouts, it seems that we are in a narrow terrain similar to a passage.

A narrow passage, a 'hidden room' known only to Meruru... Hmm? I feel like I vaguely remember there being such a place on Witch Island?

As Chang Rong was pressed into the chair, his brain raced, gradually uncovering the truth about the small, dark room, and a plan was born in his mind.

"Anyway, the second question, uh... what are you planning to do?"

Chang Rong looked at the two prospective witches, asking with a hint of helplessness. Even before she gained her powers of intelligence, Sherry could tell at a glance that a fierce clash was imminent, but what if? What if Rhea-sama just planned to hold a dark concert, and Meruru simply wanted to show off her fluorescent little dinosaur?

“Of course… we’ll pay the difference, Chang Rong!” Renjian Leia replied, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Buying a ticket—ah, I get it, you mean that concert before, right? No problem, no problem, I'll pay right now—"

"I wasn't talking about the concert...!" Renmi Ryoya leaned closer to Chang Rong, her handsome face no longer hiding her shyness and anticipation, and even her breathing became much heavier.

"But, but didn't we already do this and that in the gap realm back then...! You, Meruru, Miss, and Alice, this is the bond that binds us together! Even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness, you should also remember the sweet times we spent together, Rhea-sama!" Seeing that she couldn't fool her anymore, Chang Rong quickly took out the bond card to try to awaken Hasumi Rhea.

"That's what they say... but Chang Rong, you saw it in the meeting room before, didn't you? The brightness of the ceremonial sword clearly represents the distance of our intimate relationship, but I, with the brightest one, was smugly gloating like an idiot... In short, this has seriously affected my future acting career, and we must handle this crisis management!"

"No, that's right, Lord Changrong...! True miracles cannot be achieved by spiritual power alone; a material foundation and practical actions are necessary to reach the door of happiness...!"

Ryota Hasumi and Meruru worked together, spouting flowery words, but their only real thought was to start a party right now.

In order to throw a party, Leia, who calls herself "the only idol who belongs to you," brought out her "idol persona" that she had long forgotten. Meanwhile, Meruru, a nun, stopped reading the Bible and started studying physics.

"Ugh...!" Seeing the two of them like this, Chang Rong knew that if he didn't cause a death today, he would never be able to leave this dark room.

"Can't we wait a few more days!? We've already agreed to hold the summoning ritual together in a few days anyway, so it'll happen naturally then—"

“It’s different, Lord Changrong!” Meruru’s tone was incredibly firm. Although Meruru was no longer the silly jellyfish who would drop little pearls whenever she encountered anything after resolving her inner conflict in the Gap Domain, her firm and serious demeanor was still a rare sight for Changrong.

“That’s right, Chang Rong. You may not understand how important this ceremony is to us.” Ryota Hasumi, standing to the side, also shook her finger, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"As a qualified idol, performing on stage without being fully prepared is a great disrespect to the audience. In order to be in the best condition on the day of the performance, it is necessary to rehearse again and again - yes, that's right, so now is a good opportunity to rehearse!"

"First of all, there won't be any 'audience' for that ceremony, and secondly, there's no need to rehearse for something like this!" Chang Rong quickly retorted loudly.

"As the most loyal follower of the Great Mage... I cannot allow myself to fail in such an important ritual. Therefore, no matter the cost, I will continue the ritual, even if it means sacrificing this entire body to Lord Changrong—"

"Who is this 'Grand Magician'?! You've got the code name wrong! And if you don't want the ritual to go wrong, you shouldn't have been sneaking a bite before the official ritual started! What if there isn't enough witch factor when the resurrection ritual actually begins?!"

Chang Rong quickly retorted to Mei Lulu, which was also the main reason why he was so determined to protect his crotch at this moment, instead of just half-heartedly adding some fun before digging in as before.

After all, if the ceremony five days later fails to take place due to such absurd reasons, the government agencies that have remained silent may not be able to give them another chance.

Of course, there was another small reason: Chang Rong gradually realized that the prospective witches who hadn't defeated him were all harboring resentment. If he were to actually give Meruru and Leia a vote at this point, he would only have two more enemies at the ceremony who would want to squeeze him to death...

"Hmph, of course that's no problem, my top fan! As an idol and a prospective witch, I have complete confidence in my physique and will definitely be able to recover before the ceremony begins!" Leia said confidently, tossing her bangs and striking a cool pose.

“I’m fine with that too… Lord Changrong! I can use healing magic on myself to speed up my recovery, just like I did on Miss Noah Mag and the others…!” Ice Meluru quickly chimed in.

The two men spoke with conviction and their claims seemed plausible at first glance, but the problem lay in—

"Stop talking nonsense! You two were clearly in the gap in the consciousness space back then, along with the young lady and Alice, there were four of you, and you still died instantly! And after the magic was suppressed, how are you going to use healing magic, Meruru?"

“Um… this, this… by the power of love—” Meruru was asked a question by Chang Rong and she had to change the subject.

“Well, that’s because the lawn was too slippery back then…” Leia also hesitated for a moment.

The humiliating scene of four against one being killed in turn flashed through their minds, making them feel a little guilty about the boast they had just made.

However, after a brief moment of hesitation, Meruru finally made a snap decision and pounced on Chang Rong, knocking the white-haired boy to the ground.

"In short... Lord Changrong must grant us this small wish! Otherwise, otherwise..."

"Calm down, Meruru, take a deep breath and calm down—or what will happen?!" Chang Rong asked, trying to pull her head out of the face wash while secretly taking out her phone from her pocket to distract Meruru.

"Well... ah, to be honest, Chang Rong, we chatted a bit more after leaving the meeting room. Although we all tacitly avoided this topic before, we couldn't keep ignoring it. This ceremony was a good opportunity, so we made an agreement."

"An agreement?" Chang Rong, who originally just wanted to distract Meruru, became curious about the explanation given by Hasumi Ryoya, who was rubbing her hair.

"Yes... well, actually, everyone agreed that after the ceremony, if someone can successfully hold out until the end, or suppress you, Chang Rong, then that person... will become the 'protagonist,' that is... the main character (gong)."

"^q^Just..."

Hearing Leia's blushing and shy explanation, Chang Rong froze on the spot, letting Meruru keep dribbling and bumping into people.

Now I understand why the other aspiring witches were fighting so hard... It wasn't just for revenge, but also to secure the only 'spot to make it to shore'!?

Although he really wanted to complain about how these aspiring witches came up with such a ridiculous competition, before he could even do so, he saw Rhea untie her shoulder straps, take off her sword, and begin to take off her cool outfit.

"That's why I have a reason not to lose, no matter what. This 'rehearsal' is a must-win, Chang Rong...!"

"Hiro—there's someone here who's broken the contract!!"

The moment Leia undressed and lunged at him, Chang Rong pulled out his phone. The glaring light on the screen momentarily startled Meruru and Leia, who were used to dim lighting.

In that instant when he was being forcibly controlled by the flashlight, Chang Rong quickly struggled to break free. He skillfully squatted down and mocked, then put the phone to his ear and called out Xi Luo's name.

"Um—Lord Changrong! No, that's not right...Lord Changrong, you don't know the location of this hidden room, so even if you call Miss Hiro over, it won't help!"

Meruru was startled by Chang Rong's attempt to call for backup, but she quickly calmed down. Even if Chang Rong called for backup, Xiluo wouldn't be able to pinpoint her location. The advantage was in her hands!

However, just as Meruru was about to continue, Chang Rong slowly spoke—

“I’m in a hidden passage in the wall of the innermost bedroom of the underground cell. There should be a protruding stone on the wall; that’s the switch.”

"—Huh!?" "Eh...!!"

For a moment, Ryoua Hasumi and Meluru Ice showed expressions of disbelief. Chang Rong, on the other hand, revealed a wicked smile.

—We won the bet!

Chang Rong actually thought of a 'narrow passage' that was 'hidden' and 'known only to Meruru': the hidden path connecting Meruru's bedroom to the outside of the castle.

Chang Rong had walked this path before when he was being chased by the remnants after arriving at the Gap Realm. At that time, because it was too urgent, Chang Rong did not pay much attention to the environment. If it weren't for so many clues, Chang Rong really wouldn't have been able to recall it.

After thoroughly enjoying the defeated expressions of the two men, Chang Rong, the Sigma man, coughed twice and closed his phone.

"I didn't say your names just now, but it's only a matter of time before Hiro finds this place. What will happen to you two, Rhea-sama and Meruru, when you're caught?"

"Waaah... That, that kind of thing... Absolutely not...!" Ryota Hasumi's face turned ashen. She recalled the image of herself and her sister Nanoha Kaori squatting there so pathetically, an image that would be talked about for a lifetime.

However, if they were caught at this time, the punishment they would face would be even more cruel. Imagine a huge party with more than ten people, and you are the only one who can sit on the sidelines and watch the fun. When your name is called, they will drag away the unconscious and exhausted prospective witches, and in the end, you will have to take a taxi home alone... Just thinking about that scene makes the two of them shudder.

"Lord Changrong, Lord Changrong... Waaaaah..."

Meruru, who had gradually become stronger through growth, lost all her strength and abilities at this moment, and once again turned into that harmless, soft, leaky jellyfish that only sheds small pearls.

Unexpectedly, Chang Rong managed to turn the tables and defeat them. The two who had been forced to buy tickets with sacks immediately drooped their heads and reluctantly prepared to leave. Their backs looked like two puppies cruelly abandoned by their owner.

—Although we can get away with it this way for now, is it really a good idea?

Chang Rong didn't actually call Xi Luo. The situation just now only allowed him to unlock his phone screen, and he didn't have time to properly dial Xi Luo's number. Moreover, given Xi Luo's personality, it might not end well if he did call.

There's even a risk of a repeat of the Battle of Hulao Pass...! After all, that's Hero! That mysterious, hypocritical, and false-testifying woman!

Although the immediate risks have been temporarily averted, could this lead Rhea and Meruru to believe that there is no hope of getting ashore and thus become a desperate force?

At that time, during the ceremony, wouldn't these two defeated soldiers unleash an even more terrifying power (suppressive)...?

Thinking about this, Chang Rong swallowed hard. Letting the two go like this didn't seem right, but starting a new game on the spot would be putting the cart before the horse. So—

"Ahem, I was just thinking about it, and perhaps there's another compromise we could try?"

"……compromise?"

The two, who were about to leave with regret, stopped and looked at Chang Rong with some confusion.

“That’s right, a compromise, for example—well, you might not be able to do this for Rhea-sama, but you could do it for Meruru.”

Chang Rong glanced at Renmi Reiya's chest, shook his head, and then looked at Meruru.

"Chang Rong, you idiot...!!" "Ah, Lord Chang Rong...!"

Although their bodies belonged to Xiao Chunu, the two had at least experienced that thing in the gap domain. Following Chang Rong's gaze, the two prospective witches instantly realized what Chang Rong was referring to. Their cheeks flushed at the same time, but it was obvious that one was just a blush and the other was a warm red.

Ryota Hasumi, humiliated and betrayed by her top fan, immediately pounced on him, intending to personally kill the traitor. Meruru also pounced on him, intending to offer a selfless sacrifice to the holy child she believed in.

after a while……

"Hmph... I'm such a genius! This way, it won't affect the ceremony, nor will it disappoint Rhea-sama and Meruru, and it won't turn them into a group of vengeful spirits who will try to ambush me during the ceremony—I'm simply a genius...!"

Chang Rong lay on the bed in Meruru's cell, making no attempt to hide his cackling laughter.

However, since the ceremony is definitely going to be held... I guess I'll have to go see Milia after all.

Speaking of which, if Milia were to become my mother, could she also be like Meruru—no, no, no, what am I thinking? Let's get down to business, Chang Rong!

Chang Rong suddenly got out of bed, shook his head, and revealed a determined look in his eyes. He got up to find Saeki Miria.