NOVEL NEXT Chapter 330
“Yurie, is that you…?”
As I was too flustered to say anything in this incomprehensible situation, Yurie bowed respectfully and spoke to me.
“It’s been a while, Kayanoh-san.”
“Uh, hey… what’s going on right now?”
“I think it would be best to ask the Young Lady directly about that later.”
So the culprit is indeed Kurokami-senpai.
Yurie’s response shifted my suspicions to certainty.
Then what exactly am I going to experience now?
I can tell because I’ve known her for a long time.
I know how terrifying Kurokami-senpai’s house is.
I remember I asked out of curiosity once how much her kimono cost, and I found out the cheapest one was 3 million yen.
Kurokami-senpai has dozens of kimonos at her place, and the cheapest is 3 million yen!
Moreover, kimonos for going out often exceed 10 million yen.
Kurokami-senpai’s home.
The Shirazaki family was that kind of place.
My house is quite comfortable too, but comparing it to Kurokami-senpai’s would be an insult.
To be taken hostage like this by such a family.
What the heck are they planning to do with me…?
“Well then….”
“Gah?!”
Yurie slowly approached me.
I wanted to back away in fear from the unknown, but I couldn’t muster any strength in my body.
Considering I had just fallen asleep right after eating a macaroon, could it be that it was a sleeping pill?
Is its effect still lingering?
Ultimately unable to flee, I sat still as Yurie approached me.
“Kayanoh-san. If there’s anything uncomfortable, please let me know immediately.”
“Uh…?”
She started talking in a gentle atmosphere.
“If you need anything, just call my name. I may not always be available, but the staff will be waiting.”
“…Ah, okay.”
“You are free to go out as you wish, and if you need, a staff member will accompany you. Of course, if you don’t need anyone, you can go out alone. You have your own privacy too, Kayanoh-san.”
…What is this?
“If you want to call someone here, just give them this address. However, we would appreciate it if you could inform us beforehand. That way, we can prepare.”
What Yurie handed me seemed like the address of the place I was currently in.
“Uh, um, what about Kurokami-senpai…?”
“The Young Lady will be coming in about an hour. Please feel free to stay comfortable until then.”
After that, Yurie explained several additional things to me before leaving the room.
…Huh?
Wait, have I actually been kidnapped?
But if I can get what I need, go out freely, and even set appointments….
Can this really be called kidnapping?
It feels more like I’m being treated as a guest.
They didn’t even take my cellphone away….
What should I do from here…? As I pondered, the drowsiness from the macaroon began to return.
Alright then. Since I don’t know what’s going on, maybe I should just sleep and think about it….
★
“Ugh….”
“Oh my, you’re awake?”
“Wah?!”
[Hikari Kurokami (Shirazaki Shiro): 238
]
The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Kurokami-senpai’s smiling face.
In other words, that incident just now was proof that it was real.
“Uh, Kurokami-senpai…?”
“Yes?”
“Can you tell me what’s going on right now?”
To be honest, since I was forcibly put to sleep with a sleeping pill and dragged here, it could be considered kidnapping, but the atmosphere hardly feels that way.
Looking at senpai’s favorability alone, it’s clear that wouldn’t be the case.
…Unless she’s a yandere or something.
“Hmm… It might be easier to think of it as Izumi-chan will be living with me from now on.”
“…What about my will?”
“Is there anything uncomfortable for you? That wouldn’t be good… Ah, is it that you’re not in Izumi-chan’s room? If that’s the case, I could live at Izumi-chan’s place, but I think it would be much more convenient living here…”
…Suddenly I get asked about why I was kidnapped, and I received only strange answers in return.
It seems like in senpai’s mind, living together with me has already been decided.
“Uh, my mom will be worried…”
“I’ve already gotten permission from your mother, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Eh?”
Kurokami-senpai said this and turned on her phone, handing it to me.
There, I saw.
[Shirazaki Shiro: Mom. Is it alright to bring Mina to live at our house starting today?]
[Seonah Yeon: Is that the story you mentioned before?]
[Shirazaki Shiro: Yes. I’ll do my best to ensure Mina is comfortable!]
[Seonah Yeon: Yes, understood. Thank you for your help.]
The messages between my mom and Kurokami-senpai were displayed.
…Wait.
“My sister will be worried….”
“The decor of this room was done by Yuki.”
…Oh, I get it now.
I’ve been legally kidnapped.
“What… do I need to do?”
“Hmm? I just think it would be fine if Izumi-chan stays comfortably here. You can broadcast if you want, go out if you want, or if you want to meet someone, feel free to do so. I don’t intend to restrict you at all. Just spending the day with me would be enough.”
Kurokami-senpai was smiling sincerely without a hint of deception.
…Is that so?
Well, it’s probably fine. I don’t have anything particular I want to do right now, anyway.
My motivation was gradually fading anyway.
“Got it… well, please take care of me, Kurokami-senpai.”
“Yes, Izumi-chan!”
And so began my strange life of living together after being kidnapped by Kurokami-senpai.
★
Living with Kurokami-senpai after being kidnapped was truly comfortable.
“Yurie, please bring me macaroons….”
“Understood.”
Whatever I asked for, the waiting staff instantly brought it to me.
“Is this the house where Izumi is staying?”
“Yes….”
Meeting people posed no obstacle whatsoever.
“Today, I’d like to go to Akihabara….”
“Understood. Will you be going alone?”
“Yes….”
Yurie even handed me 100,000 yen every time I went out.
This must feel like what it’s like to be a “rich slacker,” the dream of everyone, I thought.
But there were downsides too.
“Hehe…”
My motivation started to fade more and more quickly.
It was only natural.
Right now, this place is a game world.
Eventually, everything will disappear when I return to reality.
Besides, if I can do anything I want here…
If Kurokami-senpai wanted, I could even hold my long-cherished concert at the Budokan right now…
At this point, it would be strange if I felt motivated.
Still, I’ve been consistently broadcasting somehow, but perhaps because I lack motivation like before?
[Mei-chan seems strange lately. She looks unmotivated.]
When I surfed the web, opinions like this were not hard to find.
“Sigh…”
I felt genuinely sorry.
No matter how much this world is a game, only I know that fact.
Others would think they were living normally in this reality…
What should I do?
★
Well, does it even matter anymore?
There’s almost no difference from reality.
I can enjoy everything I want.
In this situation, it’d actually be foolish to try hard.
I should just live as I please.
“Yurie, today I want to eat potato chips!”
“Understood.”
Roll around on the bed while watching manga. Eating potato chips.
Just those simple things bring joy and happiness.
Isn’t that the way to enjoy life?
★
[Hikari Kurokami (Shirazaki Shiro): 589]
“Mina-chan.”
“Welcome back, Shiro-nee?!”
“Yes. Did you have a good day today, Mina-chan?”
At Shiro-nee’s question, I nodded vigorously.
She smiled as if genuinely glad to hear that.
“I had a lot of fun today!”
“I’m glad to hear Mina-chan enjoyed herself.”
To anyone else, it might sound like scolding, but it was already a familiar conversation between us.
Shiro-nee always smiles and compliments me no matter what I do.
So today, I just rolled around in bed and watched anime all day.
“Now.”
Having changed out of her kimono into comfy pajamas, Shiro-nee flopped onto the bed and stretched her hands towards me.
It was a sign that we were both already used to.
Thus, without hesitation, I embraced Shiro-nee.
“Ugh!”
“Sigh… how can Mina-chan be so adorable just by looking at her….”
“I-I’m shy. Hehe….”
Honestly, I was a bit worried when Shiro-nee’s favorability crossed 300 for the first time.
What if she really tried to make a move on me?
I wouldn’t stand a chance against Shiro-nee.
But that never happened at all.
Now, half a year later, our life remained the same.
I simply enjoyed my life as a rich slacker, rolling around alone in my room.
Shiro-nee finished all her day’s work and returned to this room in the evening.
Then, we would quietly talk about what happened during our day while having dinner.
After that, I would hug Shiro-nee, and she would do the same to me as we fell asleep.
That was truly it.
“I heard you took a break from broadcasting today.”
“Yes. The anime was just too fun…”
“Mina-chan enjoyed an anime? Now I’m curious.”
It was a trivial exchange without any particular meaning, but I never got tired of it.
It wasn’t new, but it was always enjoyable.
Thanks to that, broadcasting began to feel fun again, just like before.
So this is why people dream of becoming rich slackers…
★
[…What I wanted wasn’t this, you know?]
“Well, whatever. You’re also enjoying it. Isn’t being a NEET more comfortable than you imagined?”
[…You have no intention of returning to reality? If you wanted to, right now, you could connect with anyone.]
“After all, isn’t playing with people’s hearts just that? And honestly speaking, I don’t even know how much different this world is from reality anymore….”
[But…!]
“Above all, it feels like I’ve already become more than just friends with Shiro-nee, so I don’t particularly want to date anyone else.”
[You haven’t even done anything couple-like together, though?]
“There’s a bond that can’t be expressed in words…”
[That’s not allowed. What I wanted wasn’t this.]
“I don’t care…. I’m gonna live forever as a rich slacker.”
[I don’t permit that. …But I can’t manipulate your feelings as I please.]
“Thought so? Then I’ll just live forever….”
[However, there is a way.]
“Hmm?”
[Let’s just consider it having cleared the game.]
“Eh?”
[It doesn’t matter if you choose not to have a partner. That too is one form of entertainment. But this situation… Just rolling around and playing without doing anything—isn’t that boring? If that’s the case, there’s no reason to continue this game. I didn’t do this to watch a pro NEET’s lifestyle.]
“Wait a minute?!”
[Time to return to reality.]
“Don’t take away my pro NEET timeaaa?!”
[Goodbye then. That’s it for now.]
[Game Clear(?)]
★
Huh?
“…I feel like I had a nice dream.”
Living life as a NEET forever… that happy dream…