Under the pressure of Natsuki Yuu's presence, Mashiro Shiina did not dare resist.
She lowered herself slowly, humiliatingly, inch by inch.
How could she be doing something like this?
And yet, at the same time, a strange feeling was born deep inside her.
Carefully, she stretched out her arm, and after some effort, finally picked up the chicken leg that had been tossed onto the floor.
Natsuki Yuu let out a short laugh.
As expected of Mashiro-chan.
She adapted frighteningly fast.
He watched as her dependence value rose.
And above Mashiro's head, three words appeared.
[Developing.]
That was the effect of Mashiro's [Awaiting Development] trait.
The higher the development, the higher the dependence.
It looked like everything after this would depend on that development value.
Natsuki Yuu found himself looking forward to the rewards that would come after pushing it further.
While he was still thinking, Mashiro cupped the chicken leg with both hands and ate quickly, almost desperately.
Ding!
[Congratulations, Host. You obtained: Roast Chicken x100.]
Natsuki Yuu's eyes lit up.
Just earlier, he had used the Rebate Card on Mashiro.
A hundredfold rebate.
"She only ate one piece, and I got a full hundred roast chickens."
How could he not be thrilled?
This was pure profit.
"Mashiro-chan, you did well."
Natsuki Yuu tossed another drumstick.
"This time, eat it while staying down."
His warning was calm, but unmistakable.
"I understand."
Mashiro nodded and complied, eating the second drumstick the same way.
Her dependence value rose again.
Natsuki Yuu was satisfied.
He softened slightly and patted her head.
Something strange surged in Mashiro's heart. Her cheeks flushed, and her breathing turned unsteady.
Why am I like this?
The realization hit her like a shock.
She did not hate it.
She did not even feel the shame the way she should.
Could it be that she…
She refused to believe she had that kind of body, that kind of nature.
But reality was nothing like what she imagined.
A craving was forming inside her.
Growing.
Strong.
The memory of tonight's "treatment" flooded back.
The faint soreness still lingering in her body.
The heat that would not go away.
"Mm…"
Mashiro's eyes widened.
Natsuki Yuu's hand caught her chin, forcing her to lift her face.
The rest was overwhelming, leaving no space for thought.
When it finally ended, she was gasping, eyes wet, chest rising and falling too fast.
Natsuki Yuu licked his lips lightly.
"The rest of the chicken is your reward."
Then he stood, tapped her cheek as if she were a pet, and spoke casually.
"Finish eating, clean yourself up, then come to my room."
He was not worried about Mashiro running.
With dependence over eighty percent, she was already tightly bound to him in a way she could not even explain.
Natsuki Yuu returned to his room and began thinking about what came next.
There were still four heroines in the building.
The system had warned him about Blood Corpses appearing twelve hours after contamination.
Now there were only two hours left.
Food was still plentiful.
And Mashiro could still be developed for more rewards.
"What I'm missing right now is weapons and abilities."
He understood the truth.
Without those two things, surviving in the apocalypse would be hard.
Especially if he planned to keep multiple heroines with him.
"For now, I'll squeeze more value out of Mashiro… and Tsukino-sensei."
"If I reach 100% dependence and kill Tsukino-sensei, I can gain an ability."
But how to kill Tsukino-sensei was its own headache.
As he analyzed, he opened the building group chat again.
It had not quieted down at all.
Everyone was still talking about the blood rain.
Many people had been soaked, and no matter how they scrubbed, they could not clean it off.
"Could this be some kind of virus? Or toxic substance? The government won't just ignore us, right?"
"I've been washing for ages. Not only is it not coming off, it's spreading more. What do I do?"
"I feel wrong. I'm getting really irritable."
"I don't know how long the blood rain will last. My husband is still outside."
"The building is sealed. People outside can't enter. People inside can't leave."
Property manager Tarou Kameda: "For everyone's safety, please cooperate. I promise the blood rain will stop soon."
…
Only Natsuki Yuu, the one with the system, knew the truth.
The blood rain was just the beginning.
What came next would only get worse.
"I wonder if they'll still be this calm when the Blood Corpses show up."
He was not a saint.
He had no intention of saving anyone.
Other than heroines, he did not care.
Thinking that, his gaze drifted to his door, and the memory of Mashiro's presence returned with an unpleasant sweetness.
Delicious.
Time passed, second by second.
After bathing, Mashiro only wrapped herself in a towel and came to Natsuki Yuu's door.
She was tense, afraid, embarrassed.
And yet, buried under it all, there was a tiny spark of anticipation she refused to acknowledge.
She raised her hand and knocked softly.
The blood stains on her skin were already gone, and her complexion had returned, pale and flawless.
"Come in."
After hearing his voice, Mashiro slowly pushed the door open and slipped inside.
The moment Natsuki Yuu saw her, his eyes gleamed.
Her figure and beauty were undeniable.
A petite body, perfectly formed, violet hair framing a youthful face that looked too delicate for this world.
She stood awkwardly, arms tight across her chest, fists clenched.
Even so, she could not truly hide herself.
Her head was lowered, bangs shadowing her large, watery eyes, but she kept glancing at him from the corner of her vision.
Her lips pressed together.
"Um… Natsuki-kun… I…"
"Come here."
"Huh?"
Mashiro froze.
"I said come here."
His tone left no room for negotiation.
"Yes…"
Mashiro walked over slowly and lay down beside him.
Natsuki Yuu pulled her into his arms.
A clean, faint scent drifted up.
He breathed it in deeply.
Mashiro stayed still, not daring to move.
"Mashiro-chan. Do you know why it rained blood?"
Natsuki Yuu spoke suddenly.
Mashiro shook her head.
"Because the apocalypse has begun."
"The apocalypse?"
Mashiro repeated, confused.
Natsuki Yuu chuckled, voice low.
"Give it one more hour. Then you'll see. Anyone who wasn't treated will turn into a Blood Corpse."
He showed her the time.
Mashiro's heart tightened.
She had been treated. She should be safe.
"You were supposed to become one, too."
Natsuki Yuu's voice was calm, almost casual.
"But I decided you'd make a good 'toy,' so I treated you."
"In this apocalypse, I'm the only one with a cure."
"And you need daily treatment."
He looked down at her.
"You understand what that means, don't you?"
"But… didn't you already treat me today?"
Mashiro asked without thinking.
"Yes."
Natsuki Yuu smiled.
"So?"
Mashiro froze.
Then she understood.
And at the same time, something inside her was stirred awake.
Boom!
Thunder exploded outside.
Inside the room, lightning flashed against the window, and strange sounds began to rise again.