I have a life simulator.

"Did you forget anything?"

"Yes, I've got them all."

After confirming that nothing had been left behind, the two walked side by side back towards the hotel.

"This must be the first time we've gone to a hot spring together in recent years."

Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu walked along a road lined with hibiscus flowers, and spoke with some emotion.

"Yeah, first time."

Sakayanagi Arisu answered as she walked beside Kitagawa Ryo.

Naturally, utterly naturally, as if it had never changed.

It's obviously the first time.

"The play I saw this afternoon was also very interesting."

Sakayanagi Arisu was referring to the Shakespeare play "Oedipus Rex" that the two had watched together at the theater that afternoon.

What is the riddle of the Sphinx?

She tilted her head, her silvery-white hair swaying gently in the breeze.

"Is it that riddle where it walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and one leg in the evening?"

Kitagawa Ryo slowed his pace, the gentle evening breeze carrying a sense of leisure.

"Yes, in the play, Oedipus's answer is 'human'."

"The Sphinx is a monster, a monster with the body of a lion and the face of a woman; it represents fear and temptation."

"But after Oedipus Rex solved the riddle, it fell off a cliff and died. Despite being a monster that had devoured countless people, it died unexpectedly and casually."

Sakayanagi Arisu seems quite interested in this topic.

"I think what it means is that 'as long as people can understand themselves, they can overcome temptation and fear.'"

Kitagawa Ryo shared his opinion:

"Ancient Greek dramas often highlight human glory and greatness, praising human courage and will."

"But in the end, just like in the oracle, King Oedipus couldn't change anything. It was as if from birth, no matter how much he struggled, he would end up like in the oracle, killing his father and marrying his mother, falling into the final tragedy."

Sakayanagi Arisu sharply refuted Kitagawa Ryo's statement:

"Even if a person could understand everything about himself, it would be nothing but a futile struggle, which is why Oedipus ultimately blinded himself and chose to exile."

"Sometimes, not being able to see the truth and not being able to understand the current situation may be a blessing."

A slight smile played on her lips as she looked at Kitagawa Ryo's somewhat puzzled gaze. Sakayanagi Arisu smoothed her wind-blown hair, took two steps forward, then stopped, gracefully turning to face Kitagawa Ryo, leaning slightly forward.

"Right, brother?"

Kitagawa Ryo's breath hitched slightly, and he scratched his cheek somewhat embarrassedly:

"Didn't we agree to stop using this term?"

"You're lying."

Sakayanagi Arisu took a step closer to Kitagawa Ryo, and although she was shorter than him, she subtly gained the upper hand in terms of presence.

A hint of a smile played in her amethyst-like eyes as she slipped her right hand inside Kitagawa Ryo's shirt and placed it on his left chest, over his heart.

"Your heartbeat has clearly gotten faster."

"If Rusu thinks that your increased heart rate is due to lying rather than your action, then that's too subjective."

Sakayanagi Arisu seemed dissatisfied with Kitagawa Ryo's answer, and she pushed him back two steps with force.

"You've already made that face, are you still going to keep bluffing? If you're going to bluff, then at least bluff yourself first."

Sakayanagi Arisu's hand stroked Kitagawa Ryo's slightly disheveled black hair. She stood on tiptoe, leaning forward and pressing Kitagawa Ryo against the roadside railing. Their position was somewhat ambiguous, but fortunately, there were no other tourists on this road at the moment.

"In that case, you don't need to say anything. If you want to move, just say so clearly, and don't move."

Kitagawa Ryo had just tried to get out of this somewhat passive and awkward position, but was quickly forced back to where he was by a single sentence from Sakayanagi Arisu.

"Yeah……"

It wasn't just that his heart was racing; it was pounding wildly at the highest frequency. Kitagawa Ryo even felt like his heart was about to jump out of his throat.

"You want me to call you brother."

It was only then that Kitagawa Ryo belatedly realized the strange infatuation that Sakayanagi Arisu harbored for him. On one hand, she was his gentle and sickly younger sister, like a pet, and on the other hand, she was a god who ruthlessly controlled his thoughts and actions...?

Kitagawa Ryo arbitrarily defined her in this way.

Oedipus Rex's fate was an inescapable tragedy ordained by the gods, and Kitagawa Ryo's fate was also ordained by Sakayanagi Arisu; he had no way to escape it.

"Yes, I hope Arisu can always stay by my side."

Kitagawa Ryo only needed to look at Sakayanagi Arisu; he was easily captivated by her eyes and smile.

"Brother, I'm right here."

"Ah."

"So you don't need to go anywhere."

"Yes, I won't go anywhere. I will stay with Arisu."

Kitagawa Ryo kept telling himself that he was currently in a state of happiness.

"My brother actually managed to fulfill my wish and completely destroy Ayanokouji of the White House."

Sakayanagi Arisu placed her hand on Kitagawa Ryo's head:

"Here's a reward for you, firstly—"

She deliberately dragged out her voice, as if she were coaxing a child's preschool teacher.

"Pat your head, rub against it."

Kitagawa Ryosen gave the answer before Saka Yanagi Arisu could, and he nestled in her arms, drunkenly in the warmth.

"So many other people's flavors."

Sakayanagi Arisu rubbed her nose against his nose:

"My flavor is enough."

"And then—"

"Embrace."

Kitagawa Ryo reached out and wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders with a force that was almost as if he wanted to meld himself into her body, like a child hugging a long-desired toy.

He felt a strange sense of satisfaction, as if he were offering himself as a sacrifice to the gods.

In the six years that Kitagawa Ryo had memories of, Sakayanagi Arisu occupied every single moment. In every meticulously planned future, there was her figure. Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu's fates had long been intertwined, like a thorn stuck in their hearts.

"What's the last one?"

Sweet words still lingered in Kitagawa Ryo's ears:

"It was a kiss."

His lips pressed against Sakayanagi Arisu's lips, and then he kissed her.

-------------------------------------

On the last day of their vacation, Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu climbed the lighthouse by the sea. The white-haired girl placed her cane aside, leaned against the railing like a statue, and gazed intently at the entire sea and harbor.

"If the distance is far enough, even two parallel lines that never intersect will appear to overlap to the naked eye."

Kitagawa Ryo said this while looking at the sea that met the horizon in the distance.

"But in reality, no matter where it extends, the distance between them hasn't shortened."

He frowned as he looked at the deep blue sea, and a string of memories was suddenly plucked.

"What's wrong?"

Sakayanagi Arisu turned her head and stared at Kitagawa Ryo. Her deep purple pupils were a color that Kitagawa Ryo had become accustomed to over the years, but now they seemed a little out of place.

"nothing."

Kitagawa Ryo suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, because Sakayanagi Arisu's left hand had already grasped his right hand.

The tiny hand, which could easily slip into the palm of your hand, seemed to be damaged with the slightest force, melting away like freshly fallen snow.

"It can't get any worse, can it, Arisu?"

"……Um."

She took Kitagawa Ryo's left hand and gently tickled his palm with her little finger.

"In another month, Ryo will be entering Tokyo Advanced Nurturing Junior High School with me."

"Chairman Sakayanagi has already told me about this."

"Ah."

Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly revealed a sly smile:

"I heard it's under complete lockdown inside, for a full three years."

She took a step back, spreading her arms wide like a bird taking flight—as if she wanted to say something:

"I'm looking forward to it."

"cold."

Unrelated people do not exist here. The world that expands after completely eliminating someone's existence is the only truly happy ending.

Sakayanagi Arisu confirmed this.

Karuizawa Kei's Autumn Lies

Chapter 1: Karuizawa Megumi's Autumn Lies

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the achievement "One Heart, One Mind"! The final score for this chapter has increased by 10 points.]

[Single-minded: Throughout a simulation, he remained single-mindedly devoted to the heroine of this story.]

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the "Masterpiece" achievement and obtaining a permanent talent slot]

[Masterpiece: Defeating Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, a key character in the story, in a simulation]

[Permanent Talent Slot: Players gain one additional initial talent slot, currently allowing for the selection of seven initial talents.]

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the achievement "Two Girlfriends in One"! This achievement is now unlocked and no further rewards will be given.]

[Two Girlfriends in One: Gain the affection of two important female characters in a simulation]

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the achievement "Saving". Ichinose Honami's initial affection level has increased.]

[Salvation: Clear the first chapter "Ichinose Honami's Summer Reappearance" with the hidden ending "Salvation"]

[Congratulations to the player for achieving the "Ten Years of Pet Ownership" achievement! The "Pet Owner" talent quality has been upgraded to purple and will be automatically retained as a permanent talent.]

[The cat owner (purple): You have a well-behaved, intelligent, and human-like pet cat, but lately you've noticed something strange about the way it looks at you. (But it's still just a cat; perhaps you could call it 'Firefly'?]]

[Chapter 1 Completion Objective: Find and correct the turning point in Ichinose Honami's life. Completed. Final overall score: 90 + 10 = 100 points]

[Congratulations on clearing Chapter 1! We are currently drawing rewards based on your score.]

[Congratulations to the player who has obtained the reward item: Ichinose Honami's Self]

[Ichinose Honami's Self: Before each simulation begins, randomly upgrades three of her qualities (gold talents cannot be upgraded further, including initial and fixed talents)]

"I don't want Liang to walk ahead of me one day, nor do I want Liang to follow behind me one day. What I hope is that we can walk side by side."

[Current highest rating: 100 points]

[The first chapter has two remaining simulation attempts. The player's final score in this simulation is 100 points. Therefore, the remaining two simulations will be completed with a score of 100 points and the rewards will be issued accordingly. If this reward is retained until all chapters are completed, the mystery prize will be doubled.]

The player has chosen not to claim this reward at this time.

The player achieved a perfect completion in this simulation, retaining all talents.

[All talents have been fixed.]