After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Picking up her phone again, Chihaya Aine decided to reply to Nagasaki Sase, asking her to come pick her up.

Even after hesitating and agonizing for so long, she still couldn't ignore the possibility that Toyokawa Yuu might actually still be alive.

However, before she could open the contact named Nagasaki Sase again, a message was sent to her email.

Ruoye Mutsu/Mortis: [The place where Youyu lived ten years ago when he was his manager.]

It was a blank message, containing only the name and the disciple, but even just the sender's name was enough to make Chihaya Aine take it seriously.

Not long ago, the sender was crying her heart out outside the fire, and it took a lot of effort for him to pull her away from rushing into the fire.

She must have been picked up by her mother, who had indicated that she should keep this a secret from her and shouldn't find out about it so quickly, so...

Chihaya Aine: [Are you really Wakaba Mutsumi or Mortis, or are you Minami-san?]

Chihaya Aine couldn't think of any other possibility, only this one.

If that beautiful woman who was crying her heart out outside the fire this morning really knew that Toyokawa Yuu was alive and knew his exact location, she shouldn't have come to me to say such nonsense.

If I were her, I would have rushed to Toyokawa Yuu's side in a panic.

Looking at her phone screen, Chihaya Aine lowered her eyes slightly, but no reply came from beginning to end.

After closing her eyes and remaining silent for a moment, the pink-haired beauty finally exhaled a breath of stale air; she probably already guessed what had happened.

Instead of trying to contact Nagasaki Sōse again, Chihaya Aine clicked on the name of [Hachiman Kairin] in her contacts.

Even now, he has not replied to the collaboration invitation extended by the woman in the suit.

Instead of sending a text message, I dialed the number directly to ensure that the person on the other end of the line was indeed me and that I was the only one on the other end.

【Aiyin, now that things have come to this, is there anything you need from me?】

The voice of Hachiman Kairin came from the other end of the phone, sounding somewhat reproachful, as if questioning what the point of contacting her now that it was too late.

However, the blame was not obvious; the person on the other end of the phone remained quite rational and did not appear as heartbroken as Wakaba Mutsu and Mortis.

This further confirmed Chihaya Aine's suspicions.

She knew very well that this woman in a suit, who had almost single-handedly helped Yuu Toyokawa rise to power, was no less possessive of Yuu Toyokawa than Mutsu Wakaba was.

Hachiman Kairin knew that Toyokawa Yuu was not dead, and she found out from Nagasaki Sase. It's very likely that the other party still wants her to do something, otherwise there would be no need for such...reserved attitude towards her.

Frankly blaming or questioning her, angrily rebuking herself for not trusting her and causing such a tragedy, is the kind of personality she should have.

"You know that Yuu is still alive, right? And it was Soyo who told you."

【...I don't know what you're talking about?】

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and in the end, all that could be given was this ambiguous answer, but upon closer examination, it was no different from an admission.

“I can roughly guess what deal Soyo made with Youyu, but if you really want him, then I suggest you take my advice.”

After saying that, Chihaya Aine held up her phone and waited for a long time.

Yawata Kairin, on the other end of the phone, neither refused nor hung up.

After a long time, Hachiman Kairin still faintly voiced a question, filled with incomprehensible confusion.

[Aine, I don't understand. Since you care so much about Yuu, why were you unwilling to cooperate with me before, and now you don't want me to cooperate with Soyo... Our goals should be aligned.]

"Hailin, you're wrong. Our goals have never been aligned. Whether it's you, me, Soyo, Xiaomu, Mortis, or the others, although we've all come back to Yuyu for our own reasons, what we want has never been the same thing."

.................................................. ................

Regardless of the undercurrents that have begun to stir outside, the atmosphere inside the urn hut where Toyokawa Yuu is currently staying is extremely tense.

Yuu Toyokawa had already sat up from the bed, her eyes fixed on Hatsune Toyokawa not far away, or more accurately, on the dagger that Hatsune was clutching tightly to her chest.

Toyokawa Hatsune huddled in the corner, not daring to look into Toyokawa Yuu's eyes, and just tightly hugged the fruit knife that was already sheathed in her arms.

With her face turned to the side and her eyes slightly lowered, she seemed to be able to do whatever Toyokawa Yuu wanted, but she couldn't take this knife away from her.

It wasn't because the knife held any significant sentimental value; it was just an ordinary fruit knife. The reason Toyokawa Hatsune guarded it so fiercely was simply because...

"Hatsune, come here."

When Toyokawa Yuu spoke, his tone was unusually forceful and commanding, as if the person standing in front of him was not the blonde beauty whom Toyokawa Shoko had personally acknowledged and brought back to the family, and who could theoretically even be considered half of the main family's eldest daughter, but rather someone like a villa manager, or a servant.

"No...you can't."

A hint of struggle surfaced in her purple eyes.

Looking at the man with the tough attitude in front of her, Toyokawa Hatsune was full of confusion, and even a little envy flashed in her eyes.

It is precisely out of this envy that she is now so stubbornly disobeying Toyokawa Yuu's orders.

"Lord Youyu, why did you forbid me from staying in the sea of ​​fire before, but you insisted on leaving with Xiaoxiang no matter what, even though there are so many people who care about you?"

Biting her lip, Toyokawa Hatsune looked exactly like a servant being bullied by a domineering head of the household, trying her best to persuade Toyokawa Yuu to give up her stubborn ideas.

"Xiao Mu, Mortis, Hai Ling, and Aine, they all care about you so much. Even though Xiao Xiang has left and your power is in a predicament, they will definitely help you... The Lady You Yu I know is not the kind of person who would choose to give up her life and run away because of temporary adversity."

Hearing the touching concern and earnest words from Toyokawa Hatsune, Toyokawa Yuu was slightly taken aback, and then couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

Laughing angrily.

He couldn't understand how Toyokawa Hatsune, who had only caused trouble from beginning to end and even when she was courting death, could say such high-sounding words.

If it weren't for her, I wouldn't even be stuck here in such a sorry state, feeling lost and confused about what to do next.

Her plans had been completely disrupted by her. Even if she died right now, Toyokawa Yuu couldn't be sure whether she would be back in this era in the time before she set the fire, or in this small house that resembled an urn and, in some ways, was quite suitable for her final resting place.

Moreover, to misinterpret your previous actions, which seemed like a suicide pact, as an escape from the predicament... do you even deserve to say such things?

Feeling exhausted... This was almost the first time Toyokawa Yuu had felt this way since she came into this world.

Looking back at this trump card that she relied on the most and had always tried to hide in various ways, it was disrupted by Toyokawa Hatsune in such an absurd way. She wondered what kind of situation she would face when she returned next time.

At this moment, besides feeling mentally exhausted, Toyokawa Yuu didn't know what other feelings she could have.

He hadn't expected that Toyokawa Hatsune would be so capable, managing to escape with him amidst the flames. He just wanted to quietly return to ten years ago on his own, and there was no need to owe anyone anything because of something he had already decided.

Thinking about it carefully, why did I bother caring about Toyokawa Hatsune's life or death before? If she wanted to be buried alive with someone, then let her be burned together. It wasn't my request. As long as I harden my heart, I can still treat her the same as before...

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Toyokawa Yuu couldn't help but chuckle again.

If I really make that decision, can I really do it?

Mortis, who had also killed him once, now left him unsure of how to treat her.

Therefore, although her unnecessary actions in the funeral hall had prevented her from dying and left her in an awkward predicament, Toyokawa Yuu did not regret her previous behavior.

It's so good that I don't feel indebted to or soft-hearted towards Toyokawa Hatsune because of her actions.

Somewhat dejected, Yuu Toyokawa leaned against the headboard and beckoned to Hatsune Toyokawa. Her attitude was no longer as forceful as before, but rather casual, like calling a pet.

"Hatsune, come here."

Sensing that Yuu Toyokawa's attitude seemed to have softened, Hatsune Toyokawa also became somewhat hesitant.

She could sense that Toyokawa Yuu in front of her seemed to have given up on some idea, but she still wasn't sure.

Slowly crouching down, placing the fruit knife in her arms in the corner furthest from Toyokawa Yuu, Toyokawa Hatsune slowly approached.

There was no extreme reaction to Toyokawa Hatsune's approach. Toyokawa Yuu placed her hand on the top of her head, as if comforting the blonde beauty who was somewhat frightened by her previous request for the other party to kill her. Her thoughts seemed to have moved away from the current situation.

Thinking about it carefully, things aren't actually that pessimistic; I still have one last chance to turn things around.

If I can ensure that Toyokawa Shoko survives in my next time travel, then these current predicaments will naturally disappear.

Alternatively, taking a step back and preventing Toyokawa Shoko from seizing power as she had done before would at least create a real possibility of turning the tables.

But regardless of the reason, he needs to develop a very deep friendship with Toyokawa Shoko, and their current relationship...

We still need to start with what we already know. Judging from Toyokawa Kiyoko's notes, his relationship with Toyokawa Shoko is no longer so strained this time, and the real turning point when feelings developed was...

"When your identity was exposed, it was Hai Ling who did it, wasn't it?"

By deliberately bringing up a topic that was absolutely taboo for Toyokawa Hatsune, Toyokawa Yuu could clearly feel the beautiful woman whose head she was stroking like a pet stiffen.

Ignoring her odd behavior, Toyokawa Yuu continued speaking.

"Why didn't you tell me back then that Hailing was the one who did this?"

"...Xiao Xiang told me not to say anything. She said that Hai Ling was someone you promoted, and perhaps besides her and Ai Yin, she is the person you trust the most. Even if she did that kind of thing, as long as this matter is not exposed between you, she will still be useful to you."

After a moment of silence, Toyokawa Hatsune finally revealed why she had remained silent during that incident, simply hiding behind Toyokawa Shoko and Toyokawa Yuu.

So, it was Toyokawa Shoko's request...?

"That's really in line with her personality. As long as it works, she's willing to compromise herself... Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked you guys, who have so many problems, to form Ave Mujica in the first place."

"Lady Youyu, please don't blame Xiaoxiang for this. She was only trying to..."

While enjoying Yuu Toyokawa's caresses, Hatsune Toyokawa heard the man's somewhat complicated tone and instinctively wanted to defend Shoko Toyokawa.

“If I would blame her, I wouldn’t want to leave with her.”

He casually came up with a reason that would leave Toyokawa Yuu speechless, and after a brief introduction, Toyokawa Yuu got straight to the point.

"When did Hailing find out about this?"

"On the very night that Xiao Xiang announced he had convinced Ms. Minami that he could take Xiao Mu out, and you, Lord Youyu, immediately decided that everyone would go to Soyo's mother's company to film a promotional video that weekend, Hai Ling came to me, asking me to help her get closer to you..."

I'm reluctant to recall that night that arguably changed the course of my life.

Toyokawa Hatsune had also wondered if things would have been completely different if Hachiman Kairin hadn't used that kind of thing to blackmail her, or if she hadn't succumbed to her blackmail and done a lot of things to help her have more contact with Toyokawa Yuu.

But Toyokawa Hatsune knew that this was a fait accompli and there was nothing she could do to change it. Now that Toyokawa Yuu seemed to be planning to settle scores later, she could only tell the truth.

"Back then... No wonder Hailing offered to take me home that night. So she had this idea from that time on?"

Upon hearing Toyokawa Hatsune's explanation, Toyokawa Yuu was slightly taken aback, and then became even more puzzled.

He hadn't expected that Hachiman Kairin had feelings for him so early on, but... was it really necessary? At the time, he was just a powerless and helpless child bride, and he couldn't see what about him that Hachiman Kairin could possibly want.

So, one last question.

The conversation had already begun, and Yuu Toyokawa, seeing Hatsune Toyokawa seemingly immersed in a sense of regret, began the probing she truly wanted to do.

"Hatsune, I'm so happy that you haven't given up on me even now. To be honest, I should be grateful to you."

The movements of stroking the blonde beauty fan became increasingly gentle. Toyokawa Yuu didn't actually have much experience in comforting people; this technique was purely something she had learned from pet grooming in the past.

But it seemed to work particularly well for Toyokawa Hatsune; at least Toyokawa Yuu could feel that her tense body in her hands was gradually relaxing.

“But I really don’t want to involve you right now. If you leave here, those people who are splitting up the family shouldn’t make things too difficult for you. Xiangzi acknowledges your identity, so you still have value to them.”

"Lady Yuyu, there's no need to say anything more. I will not leave you."

Without even a moment's hesitation, Toyokawa Hatsune raised her head and looked at Toyokawa Yuu, who was gently stroking her head, her purple eyes revealing determination.

This attitude slightly eased Toyokawa Yuu's initially depressed mood.

"Don't be so rigid. I haven't really done anything that truly considers your best interests. Most of what I did was at Xiangzi's request. You don't need to get yourself into danger for my sake anymore."

"But no matter what, I still want to give everything for Xiaoxiang... I decided a long time ago that I would dedicate my entire life to her."

"...I see. It seems you're the kind of person who doesn't know how to live without Xiangzi."

Toyokawa Hatsune's reply made Toyokawa Yuu pause in her actions.

The other hand, instead of stroking the blonde's head, was hidden under the covers and clenched tightly without her realizing it.

Chapter 151 Everyone is Lying (5k)

"Does this really work?"

Holding her phone, Hachiman Kairin hesitated as she listened to Chihaya Ayane's voice on the other end.

She admitted that Chihaya Aine was a very important person to Toyokawa Yuu, perhaps even more important than herself, who could provide him with tangible assistance.

In terms of understanding Toyokawa Yuu, Chihaya Aine might even surpass herself, who had waited for him for ten years.

However, Hachiman Kairin still had some doubts.

According to Chihaya Aine's plan, it might indeed be feasible to take Toyokawa Yuu out of Tokyo alive.

But if I really do as she says... will I really be able to get Toyokawa Yuu?

Nagasaki Sase didn't care about Toyokawa Yuu as much as he did, at least not as much as he did for Chihaya Aine.

Even Hachiman Kairin was well aware of this; otherwise, the condition Nagasaki Souse had asked her to cooperate in sending Toyokawa Yuu away wouldn't have been for her to help deceive Chihaya Aine.

However, if we bring back Wakaba Mutsumi, who is currently kept in the dark and has been temporarily sidelined, we could...

Yawata Kairin had to admit that if she brought Wakaba Mutsumi into the picture, the chances of success would be much greater.