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"Tw-Twins?!"
Yukinoshita Yukino's dark hair trembled slightly, her beautiful eyes wide, and she subconsciously covered her lower abdomen.
She had also noticed her belly was a bit round before, but hadn't paid it any mind, thinking, like Kaguya, that she had simply eaten too much... It turned out she was pregnant?
Not only pregnant, but with twins?
Even Nekonoshita, who was always calm and rational, couldn't help but lose her composure upon hearing this bombshell news.
She didn't even have a boyfriend, so how could she be pregnant?
"H-How could this be..."
Standing beside her, Shimiya Kaguya didn't fare much better than Yukino upon hearing the news.
(So it wasn't that I ate too much, but that I was pregnant with a baby?)
(The father of the child is...)
Shimiya Kaguya subconsciously turned her head to look at Amamiya Natsuki.
(If it's the President's child, then there's no problem... Wait, there's a huge problem! Unmarried pregnancy is super embarrassing!)
Even Amamiya Natsuki was a bit dazed.
He accidentally became the father of three children... The pressure suddenly hit him.
Seeing Kaguya and Yukino's bewildered expressions, both silent, the nurse thought they were simply overwhelmed with joy and smiled, "Your prenatal check-up reports are at the nurse's station. Come with me, and I'll get them for you."
"Wh-What should we do?"
Shimiya Kaguya's eyes questioned.
Amamiya Natsuki whispered, "There's no choice, we can only go get them."
After all, they had taken on someone else's identity. If they didn't go, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.
Fujiwara Chika was even more excited, saying, "We definitely have to get them! I want to see Kaguya-chan and Yukino-chan's babies!"
Shimiya Kaguya's pretty face flushed crimson, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Those aren't my babies!"
Yukinoshita Yukino had already calmed down by now. She let out a soft breath, placed her right hand on her lower abdomen, and said in a low voice, "It's just a transformation; there's no need to take it seriously."
Following the nurse, the group arrived at the nurse's station and quickly received the prenatal check-up reports.
The two reports had photos attached, which indeed were of the twins Kaguya and Yukino had transformed into.
The nurse instructed, "Your babies are already over four months old. The next period is very important. Strenuous exercise is prohibited, and marital life should also be appropriate..."
Hey, hey, there's no marital life at all!
The nurse finally finished explaining the precautions, then curiously asked, "Oh, by the way, why didn't the younger sister's husband come?"
"Stare—"
Upon hearing this, Kaguya and Yukino simultaneously looked at Amamiya Natsuki.
According to Amamiya Natsuki's earlier statement, the father of the twin sisters' children was likely the same person.
"Eh?"
The nurse was startled, and her gaze towards Amamiya Natsuki became suspicious.
Amamiya Natsuki said seriously, "You mean Naoki-kun, right? He's on a business trip out of town, so I could only accompany them."
"I see." The nurse dropped her suspicion.
Amamiya Natsuki seized the opportunity to change the subject, "Excuse me, where is the Director's office?"
The nurse casually replied, "It's the innermost room at the end of the second floor. Just go upstairs and walk all the way in, and you'll see it."
"..."
Having obtained the information, the group quickly left the nurse's station and went to an unoccupied corner.
"How amazing!" Fujiwara Chika's eyes sparkled. "Kaguya is actually pregnant with a baby! Let me touch it quickly!"
"No, go away," Shimiya Kaguya subconsciously covered her lower abdomen, unable to help but retort, "We're just transformed into someone else's appearance, so it can't be a baby, right?"
"I haven't transformed into a pregnant woman before, so I'm not very clear," Hayasaka Ai hugged her left arm to her chest and propped her chin with her right hand. "But it's hard to say. Skills don't follow science, so maybe there really is a baby."
Yukinoshita Yukino's voice was calm as she said, "No need to worry, the transformation time will be over soon anyway."
"Eh, wait a minute!" Fujiwara Chika's eyes widened upon hearing this, and she raised her hand, saying, "If Kaguya and Yukino-chan really have babies inside their bellies, will the babies die after the transformation ends?"
"..."
This question successfully brought silence to the air.
Amamiya Natsuki slowly spoke, "Then give birth to them..."
"Give birth to what?!" Shimiya Kaguya gritted her teeth. "You three are enough!"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry."
"We were wrong."
Amamiya Natsuki, Chika, and Hayasaka all apologized in unison.
Yukinoshita Yukino covered her forehead with her right hand and said, "Don't waste time, let's hurry to the Director's office."
There weren't many indigenous people on the Island, so there were very few patients in the Hospital. Compared to the large Hospitals in Tokyo, this place seemed quite quiet.
Walking on the way to the Director's office, Fujiwara Chika occasionally curiously observed Kaguya and Yukino, raising her hand to cover her mouth and softly saying, "Strange, even though Yukino-chan is carrying twins, why does Kaguya's belly look bigger?"
Amamiya Natsuki casually said, "Because we don't know who is the older sister and who is the younger sister. What Yukino just said was her own statement, so..."
Hayasaka Ai took over the conversation, "So it's also possible that Kaguya is carrying twins?"
Shimiya Kaguya subconsciously covered her lower abdomen: "Could I be carrying twin babies?"
"Let's stop this topic here. Don't talk about it anymore."
Yukinoshita Yukino's pretty face stiffened.
The next second.
Her phone vibrated gently.
Nekonoshita looked down and saw a message from Haruno: "What? Yukino is actually pregnant with twins? I'm going to be a grand-aunt so soon, I'm so happy~"
Yukinoshita Yukino held up her phone, turned to look at Amamiya Natsuki, and bit her lip, saying, "...You sent a message to my sister?"
Amamiya Natsuki's expression became serious: "I didn't. Don't slander my innocence."
"I'm sorry, Yukino," Fujiwara Chika clasped her hands together and sincerely apologized, "When I was chatting with Haruno just now, I accidentally let it slip. I am truly sorry."
"..."
Shimiya Kaguya softly reminded, "The Director's office... We're here."
With serious business at hand, the group quickly became serious.
"Knock, knock."
Amamiya Natsuki stepped forward and knocked on the door.
Hayasaka had suggested earlier that they could sneak in by climbing through a second-story window, but after careful discussion, the group decided to enter through the main entrance. The more openly they approached the target, the less likely they were to arouse suspicion, otherwise, their whereabouts might be exposed. After all, according to their deduction, the director of Rhombus Hospital was very likely a Shadow Clone, who could escape by disappearing into shadows.
"Come in."
A low voice came from the office.
Amamiya Natsuki pushed the door open and entered, looking at the middle-aged man with glasses behind the desk. He calmly said, "Director, sorry to disturb you."
Good luck.
The man in the office was precisely the director of Rhombus Hospital, Hishigata Bronze.
Hishigata Bronze, thinking the person knocking was a nurse, looked surprised when Amamiya Natsuki and the others walked in. He pushed up his glasses and asked, "Did you perhaps enter the wrong room? The infusion room is next door…"
Once Hayasaka entered last, Amamiya Natsuki closed the door behind her and said, "We shouldn't have made a mistake… You are Director Hishigata, correct?"
The middle-aged man nodded: "That's me."
Amamiya Natsuki stepped closer: "Good, we came to ask Director a few questions."
The middle-aged man put down the signing pen in his hand and said in a low voice, "Is there something you need?"
"Of course…," Fujiwara Chika pointed a finger, "Don, the Outlaw, that's you!"
Facing such an evil existence, the most correct approach was naturally to control the opponent immediately.
Amamiya Natsuki had expected the other party to dodge and resist, but to his surprise, Director reacted like an ordinary person, with surprise and confusion in his eyes, and was barely able to lean back before Amamiya Natsuki grabbed his shoulder, achieving a state of apprehension.
Realizing that his body had suddenly lost the ability to move, Hishigata Bronze was clearly flustered and bewildered, and couldn't help but say, "Who are you people?"
"We are…" Amamiya Natsuki thought for a moment and said, "It's about time, let's end the transformation. It'll be good for Director to see for himself."
"Okay."
The girls all nodded, ending their transformed states.
Watching the people in the office undergo drastic changes in both appearance and physique, the middle-aged Director widened his eyes in disbelief, both shocked and puzzled, saying, "You are Shadows? Why? Why are you attacking me?"
Evidently, Hishigata Bronze had mistaken the transformation ability for a Shadow's Imitation, thus revealing a truth…
Shimiya Kaguya furrowed her delicate brows and suddenly said, "He is not a Shadow."
"Eh?" Fujiwara Chika turned her head to look, "Why not?"
"Shadows can sense and confirm each other's identities," Shimiya Kaguya said softly, with her arms crossed, "yet he suspects we are Shadows."
Fujiwara Chika quickly understood, realizing with a sudden enlightenment:
"If he were a Shadow, he wouldn't have misunderstood our abilities at all."
Amamiya Natsuki turned to look at Yukinoshita, and said softly, "Yukinoshita, open the curtains."
"Mhm."
Yukinoshita Yukino softly responded, walked to the window, and reached out to pull open the curtains.
Bright sunlight immediately streamed in, casting the shadows of several people on the ground.
Amamiya Natsuki lifted his right leg and, with a 'thud', stepped on the middle-aged man's shadow. The shadow showed no reaction, and he calmly said, "I didn't expect Director to be human."
Hayasaka Ai lightly tutted: "We actually misjudged him, we always thought Director was a Shadow."
Hishigata Bronze also reacted at this point, saying nervously, "Who are you people? Or rather… not human?"
The world is vast and full of wonders.
Since Shadow creatures exist, it's normal for other supernatural beings to exist as well. In Hishigata Bronze's view, these few people in front of him were definitely not human.
Amamiya Natsuki didn't waste words explaining, getting straight to the point:
"Director should know a lot of information related to Shadows, correct? Please tell us in detail."
Hishigata Bronze closed his eyes, and said silently, "I don't know what you are talking about, please leave quickly."
"It seems Director is unwilling to cooperate." Hayasaka Ai said, tilting her head with her arms crossed, "Should we resort to torture?"
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's eyelids visibly trembled.
Shadows were not afraid of the pain of torture, but he was. At the end of the day, he was just an ordinary human, and his willpower wouldn't be that strong. If these people really resorted to torture, like poking toothpicks under his fingernails…
"That's too cruel." Amamiya Natsuki shook his head and said, "Since Director is human, we should respect his human rights and not use physical violence."
Hayasaka Ai blinked: "President makes a good point."
"Phew…"
Hishigata Bronze secretly let out a sigh of relief, but the next second, his heart suddenly tightened.
He heard Amamiya Natsuki say unhurriedly, "There are many photos on Director's desk."
"And they are all family photos," Fujiwara Chika said softly, with her hands on her hips, joining the interrogation team, "It seems Director must love his family very much, right?"
Hayasaka Ai reached into Director's pocket, took out his phone, and then smiled, "Director's daughter is very cute, and his wife is also very beautiful. Would you like to make a call and ask them to come to the Hospital?"
"…"
In the art of war, attacking the mind is superior, attacking cities is inferior; psychological warfare is superior, military warfare is inferior.
Tormenting someone's body is too crude. The correct way to interrogate, of course, is to target the people they cherish most.
The muscles on Hishigata Bronze's face twitched uncontrollably, and he finally couldn't help but open his eyes, pleading, "They don't know anything! Just ask me what you want to know!"
"Oh, too bad." Fujiwara Chika's tone was regretful, feeling it wasn't exciting enough, "Director confessed so quickly, it's no fun at all."
Shimiya Kaguya: "…"
So, are we the evil villains here?
Amamiya Natsuki glanced at Kaguya, then said, "First question… What is the origin of Hiruko no Kami?"
Shimiya Kaguya nodded slightly, took out the truth mirror, and held it in front of the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged Director was silent for a few seconds, then said in a low voice, "Three hundred years ago, the Island experienced a great hunger, and many people starved to death. It was then that a huge whale suddenly drifted ashore by the Sea, stranded on the beach. That was the first appearance of Hiruko no Kami…"
Yukinoshita Yukino took out her notebook and recorded the information beside her.
It was still unclear if they could clear this loop, and if not, this information would be the most valuable thing left for the next loop.
Amamiya Natsuki nodded:
"Very good, Director did not lie. Next is the second question… What is the relationship between Hiruko no Kami and Rhombus Hospital?"
The middle-aged Director continued in a low voice, "After the giant whale was stranded on the beach, it was first discovered by a fisherman's daughter named Bodo. That woman curiously touched the whale, and then was replicated and devoured by Hiruko no Kami… You also know, when Shadows replicate others, they copy emotions and memories as well. That fisherman's daughter liked the ancestor of the Hishigata family, and Hiruko no Kami inherited this emotion, becoming particularly dependent on the Hishigata family's ancestor."
So that's it.
The group suddenly understood.
Before, they didn't understand the relationship between Hiruko no Kami and the Hishigata family, and even guessed that Hiruko no Kami had chosen the Hishigata family as its puppet spokesperson. They didn't expect it to be an emotional entanglement, and inexplicably felt a bit disappointed.
Shimiya Kaguya said softly, "Director, since you know so many things, you should also know Yote, right?"
The middle-aged man shook his head: "I don't know…"
Before he finished speaking, under the effect of the truth mirror, the middle-aged Director felt his mouth uncontrollably utter another sentence:
"I know!"
After saying this, the middle-aged Director looked at the small mirror in front of him in shock, saying in disbelief, "Just now was… this mirror?"
Even Hiruko no Kami did not possess such power. These humans… no, these beings with human appearances, what exactly are their identities?
"This is the truth mirror." Fujiwara Chika's voice was clear as she explained, "As long as you look at this mirror, you can only speak the truth, so Director, lying is useless."
Amamiya Natsuki continued to ask, "Director, who is Yote's true identity?"
The middle-aged Director closed his eyes to avoid being affected by the truth mirror: "I don't know who Yote is, I only know that he has always been by Hiruko no Kami's side."
"Tsk~"
Hayasaka Ai lightly tutted, then said as if nothing had happened, "Answering with your eyes closed, it seems Director is unwilling to cooperate. In that case, there's nothing we can do… Hmm, let me see, Director's phone wallpaper is his wife, right?"
"Perhaps we really should call his wife over for questioning…"
"She doesn't know anything!" The middle-aged Director's facial muscles twitched, and he opened his eyes again, gritting his teeth, "Don't hurt her!"
Amamiya Natsuki repeated the previous question, then said, "If you don't want your wife to be harmed, please open your eyes and answer the question."
The middle-aged Director was completely powerless to resist. For the sake of his wife's safety, he could only compromise and say, "I… know Yote's identity. He is the ancestor of the Hishigata family, the founder of Rhombus Hospital, and the person Hiruko no Kami loved, Hishigata Kakehiko."
"Eh?" Fujiwara Chika was stunned, and asked in surprise, "Rhombus Hospital was established three hundred years ago. How could that person still be alive now?"
"Hiruko no Kami is inherently a supernatural being." Shimiya Kaguya said softly, "It's not strange for it to have some ability to extend human life."
The middle-aged Director's eyes were red as he said, "You promise not to go after my family again. They don't know anything, and only then will I tell you the truth."
Amamiya Natsuki assured him, "Director, please rest assured. Our targets are Yote and Hiruko no Kami. We are not interested in your family."
The middle-aged Director gritted his teeth and said, "I don't trust you. Say what you just said again, facing the mirror."
"…"
I didn't realize you were quite adaptable.
"I'll go first."
Amamiya Natsuki turned the mirror, aiming the truth mirror at himself, and repeated what he had just said.
Then it was Chika, Kaguya, Hayasaka, and Yukinoshita, in turn. Everyone passed the truth mirror's test, confirming that once they got the information they wanted, they indeed had no interest in the middle-aged Director's family.
Seeing this, the middle-aged Director finally relaxed and began to reveal Yote's secret identity.
That ancestor of the Hishigata family had personally witnessed Hiruko no Kami's abilities, and then, relying on Hiruko no Kami's love for him, they had many children together. From these children, he would select an exact replica of himself, and then have Hiruko no Kami transfer and overwrite his information onto the offspring, thereby achieving reincarnation.
"Eh eh eh?" Fujiwara Chika raised her hand to cover her mouth, her eyes wide, "Doesn't that mean Hiruko no Kami is both a mother and a wife? That's too perverted!"
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