"Ryuya, you're really good to Yukino, huh? I'm so envious of your sibling bond."
In the familiar shopping street, watching Eriri struggling to reach a drink, Ryuya once again helped her get it.
"Yukino-c... that's just how she is. I need to take good care of her."
Slightly altering his address from before, Ryuya clearly remembered experiencing this exact situation yesterday, 'But why... was it happening again today?'
'A time loop? A world reset? What was the trigger?'
His mind raced. Currently, it seemed Ryuya was the only one unaffected by the reset, or perhaps the only person in the world retaining his memories.
'System, any ideas?'
[100 points required to exchange for current information.]
'As expected, the system knew something.'
Although he didn't mind spending each day shopping with Yukino and Eriri, being stuck in the same day on a loop wasn't Ryuya's preference. He directly spent 100 points. The answer he received was... Rule.
'Someone used the power of a Rule?'
[Yes.]
According to the Life Simulator System, Rules are the fundamental laws that constitute the world. This far transcends the realm of magecraft, even surpassing things like True Magic.
The conditions for triggering and using a Rule are extremely stringent. Something must have happened to someone, causing the world to reset.
'Can you find out who did it?'
[Difficult, but the scope can be narrowed.]
"Ryuya... why did you suddenly call me 'Yuki-chan'?"
"Is that not okay? Yuki-chan."
Third loop.
Seeing Yukino calling him for breakfast again, Ryuya patted the girl's head.
Then, timing it perfectly, he opened the door just before Eriri knocked.
Unlike the first reset time, the second reset triggered while he, Eriri, and Yukino were petting cats in the café.
Clearly, the person who used the Rule encountered some accident, causing the reset time to move earlier.
'System, help me find where the person who triggered the Rule is.'
He didn't know who triggered the world reset, or even how many people were involved. But the existence of 'Rule' was clearly a system unfamiliar to the current Ryuya.
Different from basic parameters like Magical Energy, Strength, or Agility, Rules are the most fundamental components that make up the world.
For example, the Marble Phantasm in the Tsukihime World is a Rule. The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are a Rule. Ryuya's own ability to glimpse the path of 'Life' is also a Rule.
Rules have no inherent strength or weakness. They are like a piece of code, a constituent proton… not meant to be altered.
While shopping with Yukino and Eriri, he spent 500 points to locate the trigger person. Surprisingly, the person who triggered the Rule was living right here in Tokyo.
This city where he lived.
'The person is right around us?'
Looking up in surprise at the bustling shopping street, Ryuya found the real world more intriguing than ever.
Just as he attempted to expand his perception, searching the entire city for significant magical energy fluctuations...
"Ryuya, time to get up. I made you breakfast."
The world reset again. And the intervals were getting shorter.
A gasping sound, like someone drowning, echoed.
Opening her crimson eyes, Kaguya had returned once more.
Checking the time: 7:28 AM, same as before.
"Ojou-sama, your physical condition doesn't seem well. Should I call a doctor for you?"
About two minutes later, the maid named Hayasaka Ai opened the office door.
Looking at the maid who, in previous loops, had unhesitatingly lost her life protecting her, Kaguya decided not to tell her about the crisis this time.
"I'm fine, Hayasaka. Could you go downstairs and buy me some breakfast? I'd like some steamed buns."
"Understood, Ojou-sama."
Naturally agreeing to Kaguya's request, Hayasaka turned and went downstairs.
'Damn Gaiuslink, damn Clock Tower.'
Unclear why she possessed this ability to loop time and reset the world, Kaguya had only used it three times so far.
The first time, completely unaware, she was kidnapped and taken to the hotel where Gaiuslink was staying.
Seeing the undisguised greed in the eyes of the mage named Clue, Kaguya decisively jumped out the window.
Even though it was the 28th floor, she was resolute. She believed she had no chance of enduring torture at the hands of a mage.
Moreover, if the other party dared to kidnap her, they must have prepared for the worst.
In other words, her death was sealed the moment Clue kidnapped her. If that was the case, she might as well choose a quick end for herself.
While falling, watching the shattered glass and the mage's surprised expression, Kaguya realized for the first time how beautiful Tokyo's night sky was. A pity she wouldn't get another chance to see it carefully.
However...
The expected death didn't come. Accompanied by excruciating pain, Kaguya felt all the bones in her body being crushed.
When she opened her eyes again, she was back at 7:28 AM this morning, already in her branch office, preparing work documents.
"Hayasaka, there's a traitor in the company. The Gaiuslink's people want to kidnap me."
She immediately told Hayasaka what she knew. Although concepts like time reset were hard to believe, facing the maid who had been with her since childhood, who is practically a sister, Kaguya deeply believed she would never betray her.
"A traitor? Understood. Should we contact the President?"
Just as Kaguya expected, Hayasaka showed no sign of doubt, offering strategies for Kaguya as always.
"It's pointless. Without evidence against Gaiuslink now, Father wouldn't believe me. And my status in the family..."
Due to Shinomiya Family's preference for males over females and emphasis on the legitimate eldest son while neglecting others, Kaguya, being a girl and also a child from a secondary wife, naturally held little status. Even her bodyguards were merely well-trained ordinary people.
Precisely because of this, Clue could kidnap Kaguya so easily. To counter this, she needed to achieve significant results to make her father, Shinomiya Gan'an, see her as an excellent successor, not just a decorative piece.
Well aware that calling her father in the current situation wouldn't bring help and might even earn her a scolding as a 'fool', Kaguya understood she could only rely on Hayasaka and herself.
"The President... I understand. I'll arrange bodyguards for you immediately to leave this place."
Without wasting words, Hayasaka promptly made a call.
Moments later... the door opened.
Bang!
Gunshots rang.
Although Hayasaka's combat skills were quite good, she was no match for sudden gunfire, especially from people who were company-hired employees.
Watching the maid fall, blood spreading across the floor, Kaguya saw the telltale signs of a mage's hypnotic suggestion in the bodyguards' eyes.
'These bastards... they've gone this far?'
Without hesitation, Kaguya jumped from the building again. She didn't know why she could return, or if dying again would activate the world-reset ability. But she didn't want to lose Hayasaka, her most important sister.
So...
Reset, begins once more.