Chapter 206: A Conversation Under the Moon - I Wanted a 2D Harem Isekai, Got a Rule-Horror Game

Drip—drip—

She washed off the grime clinging to her body, changed out of the dirty bathrobe, and put on a spare bathrobe from Takumi's room.

Maki took a deep breath, then walked out of the bathroom and looked toward Takumi, who was sitting out on the balcony outside the room.

At this moment, Takumi had his head lowered, seemingly thinking about something, so absorbed in his thoughts that he did not notice Maki's appearance. It had to be admitted that when this man quieted down and seriously contemplated something, he was rather handsome. At least in this state, Maki did not have the constant sense that she might be devoured at any moment.

This guy clearly can look properly handsome when he wants to, yet most of the time he behaves so improperly. Mm. Although that improper personality isn't particularly detestable… still, she wished he could be a bit more serious.

Originally, Maki had thought that once she stepped out of the bathroom she might be pushed to the ground. She quietly let out a sigh of relief, then walked toward Takumi.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

The girl called out to Takumi from a distance.

"I was just spacing out, waiting for you to come out. By the way, the moonlight is beautiful tonight. Would you like to admire it together?"

Hearing Maki's voice, Takumi lifted his head and smiled at her. As he spoke, he patted the seat beside him.

"Wha… mm, it's not impossible, I suppose. But you actually have a hobby of admiring the moon?"

Startled by the phrase "the moonlight is beautiful," Maki's face flushed slightly, thinking for a moment that Takumi was confessing to her.

Forget it. Better not expect this guy to make any romantic gestures.

Thinking this to herself, Maki casually responded to Takumi and walked step by step to his side. She sat down next to him and looked up at the sky.

Hanging in the sky was a crescent moon, its light not especially bright, unable to conceal the scattered stars around it.

This hot spring hotel had been built along the mountain. The balcony on the second floor was in fact constructed against the rocky mountainside, which was why, despite being on the second floor, it still had natural hot spring facilities. The same applied to the first floor below and the third and fourth floors above.

And at this moment, the two of them sat quietly on the wooden chairs on the balcony, looking up at the sky together.

"The edge of the universe has already stretched for tens of billions of light-years, yet its end still hasn't been seen. Meanwhile, a person's entire life is confined to a single planet, unable to transcend it no matter the joy or sorrow. It always feels like something rather ironic and cruel."

Takumi spoke softly in reflection.

"Mm, are you planning to switch careers and become a poet?"

Maki blinked somewhat in confusion.

"I've always been able to write. It's just that what I used to write was mostly rather vulgar stuff. That doesn't mean I don't have a heart that pursues elegance."

Takumi said this righteously.

"Pursuing elegance all the way to kissing Chika-san in the corridor?"

Maki's tone grew slightly colder.

"Young and graceful lady, a gentleman delights in her pursuit—this indeed is a kind of elegance. If you don't believe it, we can kiss right now, and then you'll know whether it's elegant or not."

Takumi's expression did not change; he remained as righteous and solemn as ever.

"…So that's to say, you really are shameless. If it weren't for the existence of the Sacrifice Game, scum like you would have been stabbed to death."

Maki, somewhat at a loss with Takumi, reached out and poked his cheek.

"Mm, that's certainly true. If I hadn't encountered these Aberration games, I wouldn't possibly possess the power I have now. I wouldn't have met you all. I wouldn't have had such encounters and experiences. I would probably still be an unknown nobody, continuing to live ordinary and unremarkable days in silence, and until the day I died, my life wouldn't have stirred the slightest ripple."

Takumi was very frank about this and admitted it straightforwardly.

"But you were chosen to participate in this game, and you even possess such powerful strength. You're able to stay together with so many high-ranking girls like us and obtain our loyalty. Don't you feel quite proud? If it were you, wouldn't you even want to thank the Sacrifice Game?"

Maki had not expected Takumi to say something like that, but since he had spoken that way, she simply continued along the same line.

This time, after her words fell, Takumi remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking again.

"Thank… it? Thank the Sacrifice Game for something like this?"

"…Ha, that's a bit hard to say. Although I did gain many benefits, to be honest, I also suffered quite a lot because of it. Those countless times of death and torment, those experiences—I truly don't want to recall a single one of them. I don't want to experience any of them again. For me, there is nothing more terrifying than that."

"But perhaps I really should offer some thanks. Not for the benefits I obtained, nor for the hardships I endured, but simply for being able to meet you. For me, being able to meet girls as good as you is what I should be most grateful for. After all, for someone like me, the entire world is unbearably dull. Your appearance and your companionship are the greatest comfort to me. If I were merely struggling on just to 'stay alive,' simply because I didn't want to die, I think I might not have been able to make it this far."

Takumi spoke very seriously, very sincerely.

Maki knew that this man was opening his heart to her.

She could feel his trust, could feel the warmth of that trust filling the depths of her heart.

However, when she thought of how he had said "we," she still could not suppress a faint sourness rising within her, and the corner of her mouth unconsciously drooped.

"Would you say these things to Chika-san as well?"

Maki did not look up at Takumi. She merely muttered softly, asking on purpose as if she wanted to act a little spoiled.

"…I really haven't. I've only ever said words like this to you."

Unexpectedly, Takumi actually lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then shook his head and gave a negative answer.

"Really? A playboy like you would be that honest?"

The corner of Maki's mouth had already lifted unconsciously, yet she still pretended to be reserved as she continued to ask.

"No, I can be certain. I've only ever said these words to you. After all, to me, you're the first person I got to know, and the one I'm most willing to trust. So words like this—I think I would only say them for you to hear. I wouldn't say them to anyone else."

Takumi simply shook his head and continued speaking earnestly to the girl.

"…Is that so?"

Maki parted her lips. She had originally had many things she wanted to say, but in the end she only spoke that single sentence.

"That's how it is."

Takumi's reply remained the same; neither his voice nor his expression changed in the slightest.

So that's how it is.

'To him, I'm the first person who walked into his heart, and the one who has truly seen his vulnerable and gentle side.'

'So I'm special—different from everyone else?'

'What is this? Just now you were being intimate with that woman, and now you can say things like this to me—and you still claim you're not a playboy. You're clearly quite skilled at making people happy. Do you think I can't see through things like that? Do you think words like this are enough to win me over?'

What a… fool…

After letting out a soft sigh, the girl turned her head and leaned against Takumi.

"You really are something. Sometimes I don't even know what to say about you. But anyway, I've already fallen for you, so there's nothing I can do now."

She could feel the slight stiffness in Takumi's body. She knew her closeness had made him a little excited. It wasn't difficult for her to figure that out. After all, he had gotten handsy with her so many times before; she more or less understood his condition. And not long ago he had been intimate with that Chika, only to be interrupted by her. Right now, he was probably even more easily stirred, more easily teased.

"Maki, you…"

Takumi frowned. He had already caught the faint fragrance in the girl's hair beside him—a cool floral scent, different from Chika's.

"Mm. Let's change the topic for what comes next."

The girl beside him spoke softly.

"Change it to what?"

Takumi kept his breathing steady as he asked.

"Change it to—"

Drawing out her voice on purpose, Maki's hand gently clasped Takumi's.

Smooth skin, the warmth of the girl's body transmitted through those slender fingers.

Then, just as Takumi was becoming slightly distracted by this small interaction, he heard Maki's somewhat mischievous voice.

"Let's talk about the rules of the Alice Game. How about discussing the twelve opening hints at Fujihana Middle School? This is only one quarter of the known area of an Instance, yet there are already so many opening hints. There might be quite a few important things hidden inside."

"…"

Takumi had to admit that this sudden sharp turn was rather deflating.

However, considering she was definitely doing it on purpose, Takumi decided to keep it in mind and settle accounts with her later.

"Talking about work during a break—you really know how to pile on the pressure. So you've already looked through all twelve hints, right?"

Therefore, Takumi let out a sigh and, following Maki's lead, continued the discussion.

"Of course I've read them. Eight of them appeared when this Instance was still at the Red Moon-level. So among those, four are false clues that guide players toward a Dead End. The other four appeared after the Instance was downgraded to the Dark Night-level, so among those there will be one false clue. Some of the false clues have already been confirmed, but there are still some whose truth or falsity hasn't been verified. That's rather troublesome."

Maki nodded. Judging by her expression, she had probably memorized all twelve hints thoroughly.

[Red Moon-level Game Hints — First Version:]

[1. Everyone has a side unknown to others.]

(Passed players generally believe this to be true. The specific reason cannot be explained due to rule-based restrictions.)

[2. Choosing a lie might be better than choosing the truth.]

(Passed players were unable to determine whether this information is true or false and found no related clues.)

[3. People are still waiting for a truly fair trial.]

(Same as Hint 2; truth or falsity undetermined.)

[4. Bad Kids are actually more popular than good children.]

(Passed players generally believe this to be false and think this hint will bring fatal danger.)

[Red Moon-level Game Hints — Second Version:]

[1. Only those who win the game can leave alive.]

(Passed players are unable to judge the truth of this information due to rule-based restrictions.)

[2. Once you put on a mask, it cannot be easily taken off.]