Chapter 341.2. Drowning In Self-Loathing

“Referring to yourself as ‘yo’ (余) is quite amusing, isn’t it?”
“At this age, being called ‘yo’ (余 is a bit much. Honestly, it’s embarrassing, so I’ll stick with ‘boku’ (僕). Besides, calling myself ‘boku’ (僕) shows a vulnerable side, and it exposes the weak points of those who underestimate me.”
“It really seems like things have returned to normal, which is great, Elder brother.”
Sena said with a cheerful smile. 
Nobunaga-kun looked at his sister with a puzzled expression. Sena, while looking in the direction of the day after tomorrow, sipped her coffee. It’s good to see the two of them getting along so well. Mii-chan also felt like she wanted to see Sora and Mai.
“Now, we owe Marrchioness Takano a debt we can’t repay. However, before presenting a reward, we must normalize the situation. Prime Minister, please call on Marquis Teijo and Duke Aguni immediately. Also, reach out to those who have left and bring them back.”
“Yes! As you command!”
Everyone happily left the room in a hurry, and Mii-chan diligently protected the untouched shortcakes. Why does no one touch food during meetings or gatherings? Mii-chan would manifest as a ghost saying it’s a waste.
Watching everyone leave, Nobunaga-kun turned to Mii-chan with a serious expression. The room was now cleared, leaving only the three of us.
It seemed like we’d have a serious conversation, so Mii-chan responded with a serious expression, wiping her face clean. It can’t be helped that this shortcake is the type with plenty of whipped cream and almost no sponge used.
“I’ll wait for you to wipe your face, okay?”
“Yes.”
I take your word for it and wipe my face to clean it up and straighten up my residence. I’ll take the rest of the shortcake as a souvenir for Sora and the others.
“Now, first things first, did you realize that I was under mental manipulation?”
“Speaking about it would be a crime of disrespect, so I hesitated to say it! But, I gathered the courage to come and inform you!”
“Was my sister also under mental manipulation?”
“Speaking about it would be a crime of disrespect, so I secretly fixed it!”
Impressively, I puffed out my chest. I shouldn’t be timid in situations like these. Even if I’m wrong, if I act confidently, I can deceive people about 30% of the time!
And Sena’s personality changed a bit, probably because she now belongs to Mii-chan’s world through the Platinum Threads. She got manipulated by fate as the main heroine.
In Mii-chan’s world, the predetermined future called ‘fate’ is never woven, and it’s a world of a fuzzy future called ‘freedom’ that nobody knows.
“Well, let’s leave it at that. Moreover, if things had continued like this, the Emperor’s power would have fallen, and some house would have become an overwhelming force.”
“The term ‘crime of disrespect’ is a very convenient term!”
“I’ve never seen someone use it this way before. However, since you’ve helped me, let’s stop any further investigation.”
While wearing a wry smile, Nobunaga-kun clasped his hands and narrowed his eyes.
“However, there’s one thing we must know. Marrchioness Takano, who is the mastermind behind the mental manipulation, is so cunningly done that it can’t get detected by magic. Who is it?”
“…Prepare yourself for a shock. The culprit is the former Empress. It seems she’s experimenting with immortality.”
Revealing the answer was painful. Without further ado, I responded plainly. I kept silent about Kanna Tsuki; it could complicate things.
However, the answer seemed to be shockingly impactful. Nobunaga-kun and Sena were astonished, both rising abruptly from the sofa.
“Mother?!”
“Our mother! That’s ridiculous!”
Leaning forward, they shouted. Okay, okay. If Mii-chan’s mama were the mastermind, it would have been a shock that could turn the world into nothingness.
“Her true identity is Spatial Witch. It seems she collaborated with the cult leader of Nidhogg and researched immortality.”
“Spatial Witch?! But, is there no connection between the research on immortality and weakening the power of the Royal Family!?”
It may indeed seem that way. However, before I could contemplate how to explain this, Sena interjected.
“…There must be some motives we don’t understand. Such things often appear unclear even from an external perspective. Repeated attempts at immortality…?”
Sorry, Sena. Even from an external perspective, it’s unclear. Immortality is both real and false. The true intention of Spatial Witch is terrifying.
But, this one thing I can’t reveal the truth about. It’s not something to be spoken aloud. But maybe I should secretly tell Sena later. I’ll think about it.
“…Anyway, if that’s true, there should be numerous sacrifices. Perhaps fearing that the act of sacrificing would get exposed, she tried to replace the Emperor. After all, the cult leader of Nidhogg was skilled in the use of [Sacrifice].”
“If the Emperor’s lineage got replaced, they could bury it in the confusion and darkness of history… I can’t believe my mother. I’ll immediately go with the palace guards to arrest her!”
Nobunaga-kun hurriedly left the room. It would be good if he could capture her, but it’s likely to be in vain.
[The main story has broken]
A window opened, displaying a dissatisfied log, and I chuckled.
[An obvious mastermind makes for an innovative story, don’t you think?]
We agreed not to progress like a game, right? Let’s enjoy this world as human.