NOVEL NEXT Chapter 320
[Kogan Suzuha (Komachi Yuyika) : 189]
[Kurokami Hikari (Shirazaki Shiro) : 173]
[Aoba Kaguya (Fujiwara Azusa) : 156]
[Hatakawa Kaede (Shiina Momiji) : 150]
[Aki Nekoto (Higawara Ruka) : 139]
[Utsumi Ayaka (Utaka Ren) : 133]
[Rinze Yuzuki (Tsurumi Mai) : 131]
[Yukari Akabane (Akasaki Sakura) : 118]
…
[Amatsuka Hina (Hinatsuru Mikoto) : 98]
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 13]
It’s been a month since I got sucked into this mysterious game that I can’t even understand. And I still haven’t found any other way to escape this situation.
But at least I’m not as stressed as before.
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 13
]
It was all thanks to Natsune.
Since that day, we promised to steal moments here and there to eat together, and every time, I poured all my joys and troubles out to her.
Of course, I couldn’t talk about the fundamental issue—the affection points—but other than that, I effectively spilled everything to her.
Like how the supportive players during the broadcast played pranks on me, making it awkward. Or that I annihilated Nekoto in a game duel.
I shared even the trivial details, and Natsune listened with her warm and gentle smile every time.
She didn’t offer any solutions, but just that was enough to clear my mind.
Maybe it was because her affection points were rising at an incredibly slow pace.
It’s now been two months. The lowest affection point after Natsune, Amatsuka, is already 98, and Natsune is stuck at just 13.
The points have only increased by 6 since that day.
The other members are baffled about why their affection points keep increasing, so they constantly try to read the room when talking to each other.
But with Natsune, I could say whatever I wanted without worrying about the affection points.
That alone calmed my mind and lessened my burdens.
Thanks to that, I could act like my old self around the other members again.
…Well, because of that, the other members got their affection points drastically raised, which made things exhausting.
Still, when I was in that mood, I could clearly show rejection signs, so I didn’t run into any problems.
“Haa…”
Dinner again with Natsune tonight.
Is it really okay to have dinner with my favorite so often?
As the eighth star, I do feel a bit guilty about it.
“Ah, Mina! Right here, right here!”
But that guilt vanished the moment I saw Natsune’s smiling face welcoming me.
The title has changed from Mina-chan to just Mina?
Sorry, comrades of the eighth star.
I’ve become so close to Natsune again.
…But would it be foolish not to enjoy this moment?
You say you’ll support me?
Thanks!
★
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 35]
It’s now been half a year since I got sucked into this mysterious game.
Natsune’s affection point is now 35.
The affection point for an event to occur is 70, so I’ve reached half of that.
Of course, compared to the other members, it’s still a low score.
The affection points for the other members have already exceeded 250, with the highest being Suzuha and Kurokami.
Their affection points are 393 and 385, respectively.
At least, the good news is that their behavior hasn’t changed significantly?
Actually, they’re becoming more and more like how I knew them in the real world.
It makes me a bit anxious, but it’s comforting to see familiar behavior.
“But you always listen to my stories, doesn’t it bother you, Yoru?”
I’ve started to worry about that lately.
I’m usually the one who listens when I talk to someone, but these days, I often find myself initiating conversations with Natsune.
Of course, she always listens with a caring smile… but still, I worry.
Does she think my stories are boring?
Is she patiently putting up with me because of a promise she made in the past?
And… no. That’s not it.
It’s just a misunderstanding, right?
“Hmm? Not at all bothersome! I’m actually glad I can talk to Mina like this.”
With that reassuring smile in response to my concern, Natsune was, once again, an angel today.
★
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 65]
It’s been eight months since I was sucked into this bizarre game.
And now, Natsune’s affection level is 65.
Once it rises by 5 more, the event system will activate for Natsune too.
This means she’ll start getting the events that happen whenever I meet the other members.
“…I don’t want it.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
I mumbled to myself, and Natsune, who was laughing in front of me, looked puzzled.
…Right. This isn’t my fault.
It’s certainly not Natsune’s fault either.
In the first place, if I were to get a lover, I wanted a girl over anything else.
But my favorite is always here listening to my stories…
There must be times when she finds it tiring, but she never shows it and smiles instead…
How could I not like her?
How could I not fall for her?
So I felt uneasy.
I didn’t want Natsune’s affection to exceed 70 and start seeing events like the other members.
Then the feelings I’ve developed would seem like they came from the affection point system.
I never want to think that way.
…That’s why, I decided.
“Natsune… no, Yoru.”
“Hmm?”
“I like you.”
I can confess to Yoru.
[You can confess to someone once your affection level exceeds 100!]
Let’s shove that system down the garbage!
“I… like you, Yoru.”
The feeling I have for Yoru right now is absolutely no lie.
★
“Yoru.”
“Hmm?”
“I like you.”
At Izumi’s sudden declaration, Nanase’s heart raced.
They were currently at Nanase’s house.
Normally, they would have had dinner out again, but for some reason, Izumi insisted on wanting to eat the food Nanase made, leading to this.
Of course, dinner was already finished.
However, Izumi seemed to have no intention of leaving anytime soon, and Nanase didn’t particularly mind either.
Thanks to Hikari, she was used to this situation.
“I… like you, Yoru.”
However, this situation was far from familiar.
The two were sitting side by side on the bed, holding hands while talking.
Izumi’s hand was pleasantly warm, just enough to feel delightful, and Nanase was enjoying the moment of talking with her beloved little sister.
“W-well, I like you, too!”
“I’m not joking; I’m serious.”
In an instant, the atmosphere changed.
“And not Izumi, but Mina.”
“…Huh?”
Nanase instinctively pulled her hand back at the shift in mood.
But her body, surprised by the sudden change, lost its strength, causing her to topple back.
“Where are you going, Yoru?”
And Izumi didn’t miss the chance.
Quickly closing the distance again, she grabbed Nanase’s wrist and looked down at her while she was still on the floor.
“Come on, this is going too far, Izumi…”
“I said I’m serious.”
At her words, Nanase unintentionally held her breath.
The warm brown hair partially obscured those blue eyes.
Her half-blank stare was undeniably fixed on Nanase.
She looked completely different from usual.
Nanase thought that this version of her seemed far more handsome than her beloved Seona.
And realizing that made Nanase acutely aware of the heat creeping into her cheeks.
“I really like you, Yoru. I like this feeling. I can’t hold back anymore.”
Izumi, who always spoke politely, was using casual language.
Of course, while she used informal speech with her peers and junior members during broadcasts, she always spoke respectfully to her first-generation peers, including Nanase.
That was the image of Izumi that Nanase knew.
“Yoru, do you like me? I’m not asking if you like me as a junior, a fellow, or a younger sister. I want to know how you truly feel about me.”
But now, Izumi seemed to have resolved to expose all her real feelings, using casual speech.
And it caused Nanase’s heart to quicken once again.
“I… I like Izumi…”
“You comfort me when I’m down. You celebrate my joys. I like how you empathize with me, Yoru. I adore your always bright and cheerful demeanor. So please, can you stay by my side…?”
Izumi’s face had turned slightly pink from embarrassment.
But still, she didn’t stop confessing.
She poured out her feelings with all her might.
Seeing this made Nanase…
“…Okay. I understand.”
Finally, she quietly nodded.
★
“…Okay. I understand.”
The moment Nanase heard Yoru’s answer, all the strength left her body.
She flopped down and buried her face in the bed, ending up looking like she was pouncing on Yoru.
“Haa… thank goodness…”
“…Were you really that nervous?”
“Of course I was!”
When she sneakily averted her gaze, Yoru was wearing her usual gentle smile.
That smile would now belong to Nanase, making her want to burst into laughter.
“I didn’t expect Mina would look at me like that.”
“You can’t say things like that…”
“True. Looks like I’ve been seducing Mina without realizing it~.”
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 65]
As they exchanged those lines, Nanase glanced at Yoru’s affection point, still stuck at 65.
There was no indication of a successful confession or that they had become lovers.
But she had successfully confessed and become Yoru’s girlfriend.
For her, that was more than enough.
“Hehe…”
“Hmm? Why are you smiling?”
“Because I’m happy…”
…But wait a second.
Yoru only said she understood, but she never actually said she liked me!
Could it be that later on she’d say it was all a misunderstanding?
“…Yoru.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you like me?”
“W-well, I just answered that a moment ago.”
“Say you like me, clearly.”
Yoru’s face turned adorably red at her words.
And as her gaze slipped away, she slowly opened her mouth.
“I also… well, I like Mina. Is that okay?!”
“…”
“Huh? M-Mina?”
Kayanoh Mina.
“Minaaaaa?!”
Here, I die.
★
There are two reasons I can firmly say this world has become a yuri visual novel.
The first is obviously the existence of this [affection points] button.
And the second is…
“Hey, is there time? Let’s hang out.”
“Um, sorry, but I have plans…”
“Come on, don’t say that! It’d be a lot more fun hanging out with us.”
For some reason, every hunting target outside is female.
I could feel the enthusiasm of the [Game Master], who proclaimed, ‘I will never let you get involved with some male!’
Anyway, today is a date day with Yoru.
So while I was waiting at the promised meeting spot, three girls approached me to flirt.
Of course, I refused them in no uncertain terms, but for some reason, they weren’t leaving…
“Ughhhh…”
“Hmm? If you really don’t want to, how about just one hour? One hour would be okay, right?”
“I don’t want to….”
“Hey. What do you want with my girlfriend?”
“Ah, Yoru!”
As soon as Yoru arrived, I darted out from between them and leapt into Yoru’s arms.
“…Was there really a date? I-I’m sorry!”
Huh?
“You looked like you needed help, so I wanted to assist you, but I’m glad it was a misunderstanding.”
These people are actually nice!
“Have fun!”
Today’s lesson:
Not every hunter out there is a bad person.
“Shall we start by watching the movie we promised yesterday?”
“Yes!”
Anyway, leaving behind the little mishap, we began our date.
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) : 852]
Glancing sideways, I confirmed Yoru’s affection point, which stood at 852.
Naturally, it was the highest among the members.
Well, to be precise, after beginning to date Yoru, the affection points of the other members ceased to rise, while Yoru’s affection skyrocketed, leading to this number.
But that didn’t mean any event had occurred, nor did any strange options present themselves, and I didn’t receive any notifications about returning to reality.
…But if suddenly I was told I could go back to reality now, what would I do?
Every day spent with Yoru is delightful.
But the fact that this is a game implies that there’s always an end.
Even if I were to refuse, that ending would still eventually approach.
And all these memories would likely be forgotten.
Thinking that made me feel a bit sad.
…But for now, let’s smile.
What matters most is the memories with Yoru right now.
“You said you’d been looking forward to this since before the release, right?”
“Yeah. I really enjoyed the last series…”
Since starting to date Yoru, many thoughts have passed through my mind.
Even holding hands, which I took for granted, felt embarrassing.
We acted just like before we were together, yet we would both flush and look away.
It’s surprising how just a shift in our relationship alters our feelings.
Being in a romantic relationship with Yoru… I was truly happy.
★
Today, Mina decided to stay overnight at Yoru’s house.
There wasn’t any particular reason for it.
If anything, it was just that Yoru’s place was closer when the date ended.
“….”
When Mina comes to Yoru’s house, she usually reads a book, and Yoru enjoys quietly watching her.
She thought the atmosphere that would become indifferent and cold due to her deep concentration was really wonderful.
“Yoru.”
“Hmm?”
“When are you going to sleep?”
“Whenever Mina sleeps.”
“…I was just about to go to bed.”
When they were alone, Mina called Yoru just “Yoru.”
She no longer used the honorific or the older sister title.
It was Yoru’s wish to start calling her that; at first, Mina felt a bit awkward, but now she said it without a care.
Every time she did, Yoru’s heart raced.
“…So should we sleep soon?”
“Yeah.”
At Yoru’s words, Mina closed her book and glanced at the ceiling.
Seeing that, Yoru thought…
“…Huh?”
And quietly kissed Mina.
It was the sweet first kiss of the pair, just enough to make their hearts flutter.
“Yoru?! W-what was that all of a sudden?!”
“That was a gift for my boyfriend since we’ve been dating for a month!”
“But I’m a girl too?!”
Looking at the flustered Mina, Yoru chuckled as she turned off the lights and lay down on the bed.
Mina, who had been confused at first, eventually collected herself and quietly lay next to Yoru.
The warmth of their intertwined hands felt warmer than ever before.
★
I quietly opened my eyes to the sound of Yoru’s breathing as she slept.
Yoru was smiling in my embrace.
Despite being smaller than me, for some reason, Yoru always ended up nestled in my arms when we fell asleep together.
When sleeping with the other members, I was always the one getting cuddled, so Yoru wanting to get cuddled when I slept with her was…
A little ridiculous, but I cherished this atmosphere, so I gently stroked Yoru’s hair.
And in front of me,
[Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru) is your lover. You have satisfied the clearing conditions; therefore, you will return to reality.]
That message appeared.
…I had a feeling something like this would happen, but I never thought it would be actual.
[Ninth! Once you successfully confess and get a lover, you can choose whether to continue playing the game or return to reality!]
But according to the ninth rule, doesn’t that mean I’m supposed to get a choice?
As those questions arose, the [Game Master] answered as if it were obvious.
[That rule only applies under normal circumstances when clearing the game. Your actions have strayed from the game’s rules.]
…With that said, I had no retort.
I can’t deny I had a thought of ‘screw it’ while I was confessing.
[However… since you were also caught up in this as well, I’ll give you one last opportunity. One last chance to make a relationship with your lover Natsune Nanase (HatsuYuki Yoru).]
The [Game Master], who spoke with a hint of leniency, made me chuckle.
“Seriously.”
I don’t want to be swayed by that guy anymore.
It’s obvious that suggestion is meant to play with my mind till the very end.
Most importantly, if I agree to that, I’m sure I would genuinely feel like I don’t want to leave.
“No, thank you.”
That’s why I immediately rejected his suggestion.
[Game cleared. Congratulations.]
And as I looked at that final message, I quietly closed my eyes.
If Extra – I Became the Protagonist of a Yuri Visual Novel (Nanase Route) Finished