After Reaching the Happy Ending, I Was Locked up by the Extremely Possessive Heroines I Had Conquered - Chapter 32: Cheating Man

Chapter 32: Cheating Man

—

The Four-Person Group System.

This ridiculous policy had completely transformed the island’s atmosphere.

At first, the entire island had been perplexed, and the islanders had fumbled along.

—

In sickness and in health, you must always act together.

This clause had been particularly problematic.

Its interpretation had been extremely difficult, and it had even led to the influential figures seeking clarification from the three great families.

In the end, just a few hours after the system’s implementation, an emergency island broadcast had taken place.

The explanation had come from one of the heads of the three great families—the Shiomine old lady.

To summarize its content, “always acting together” seemed to be an effort obligation. However, when venturing outside the island, it was different; the four had to act together without fail.

In other words, going outside the island alone had become practically impossible. Exceptions existed for unavoidable circumstances like certain jobs, caregiving, or illness, but otherwise, it was prohibited in principle.

Naturally, I had thought complaints would arise from the islanders.

However, surprisingly, there had been no opposition, and it had been accepted smoothly.

And on the surface, peaceful days had continued.

However, things had not gone so straightforwardly…,

—

Collective responsibility.

This mechanism had been the major issue.

If one person tried to leave the island, the remaining three would face punishment. It did not matter whether they were involved or not. Even if innocent, they would be equally guilty.

That terror had steadily eroded the islanders’ hearts.

They had begun to doubt each other, monitor each other, and bind each other.

Such scenes had become visible everywhere.

For example, look at that four-person group of men and women arguing near the shrine right now; it was a perfect example.

“Isn’t it a problem that you made eye contact with another woman? That’s cheating, right?”

“Temari-chan is right; it’s totally cheating.”

“It’s cheating.”

“That’s ridiculous! I just greeted the neighbor.”

“That’s what makes it cheating.”

In this way, the deranged islanders had been plunging into shuraba everywhere.

“I don’t even have a girlfriend, let alone cheating…”

A boy, sweating profusely on his forehead, was surrounded by three girls who resembled stereotypical game characters: a black-haired long-haired beauty, a blonde gal, and a loli.

He was certainly a classmate of mine… who was it again?

My memory was unclear, but I had seen his face before. He had been the type who belonged to the go-home club and was always alone, but perhaps he had built a harem during this summer break?

If so, he would be more suited to being the protagonist than I was. I had no choice but to admire his skills.

However, from what I could overhear of their conversation, the cause of his shuraba seemed to stem from the Four-Person Group System, making him more of a victim.

“We’re just childhood friends to begin with. Cheating is ridiculous.”

“It’s not ridiculous. Because we’re a four-person group, right? We have to spend the same time together, in sickness and in health. That’s the rule.”

“That rule is for outside the island! Inside the island, we’re free—that’s what the Shiomine family explained.”

“That’s a difference in interpretation. We took it to mean we should always act together.”

“That’s right. But don’t get the wrong idea. This is just because it’s an order from the three great families. We’re only going along with it reluctantly. So, no cheating—let’s hurry home?”

“Stop it. I don’t want to hole up at home… Whoa!”

Dragged by the three girls, the boy had been hauled away, tumbling down the shrine’s slope.

“………………………………………..”

What could I say… my condolences. Keep working hard as a rom-com protagonist from here on out.

I could not find any other words to offer. He was so quintessentially protagonist-like that no other thoughts came to mind.

“But somehow…”

…what was this difference?

Three girls against one boy.

The setup was exactly the same, yet why did they seem so full of youth over there? It puzzled me.

I was the one who had been made to wear diapers by my little sister…

I was the one whose mouth had been sealed with gum tape…

I was the one who had been made to sniff sock smells…

I was the one whose dignity had been shattered…

It felt utterly unfair.

What had I even done?

“Sigh…”

I could not stop sighing.

In any case, similar hells had been unfolding all over the island.

While new relationships formed on one hand, existing ones crumbled on the other. Quarrels arose in some cases, while others grew even closer.

Either way, there was no doubt the island had been swept into a vortex of chaos.

And at the center of that chaos was undoubtedly Satori.

“Excuse meee.”

A few minutes’ walk from the shrine. I had visited the Jindaiji family’s annex where Satori had been staying. It had become my daily routine by now.

However, the door remained firmly shut, and it did not budge even when I tried to open it.

“No luck today either.”

At first, Satori’s uncle had handled it.

But around the fifth day, they had started pretending no one was home.

That meant it had been over a week since Satori had run away from home, and we had not seen each other’s faces.

—

This was definitely strange.

Though I felt doubt, with the door firmly shut, I could not check.

“…Guess I’ll head back.”

I turned on my heel to go home. Then, midway, the sound of the door opening echoed from behind me.

“…Akira?”

When I turned at the sound of my name, there stood Satori. She was in shrine maiden attire, looking as if she was about to head to the shrine.

Upon spotting me, she pursed her lips and muttered.

“…Cheating man.”

“So, that was just due to circumstances—”

“It’s fine. I get your sincerity, Akira.”

“…Hm?”

Sincerity? What was that?

I had no recollection at all, but it seemed she had interpreted it in a way convenient for me.

It would be boorish to deny it on purpose, so I would just let it be.

“More importantly, why haven’t you come back home? I was getting pretty worried, you know.”

“‘Pretty’?”

“Very! I was very worried.”

Her gaze sharpened for an instant, so I immediately corrected myself.

“Because…”

Then Satori began to speak. She glanced at me intermittently, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment…

“Because when a husband cheats, it’s a wife’s duty to return to her family home. So I went back to my family home.”

“Huh?”

“And it’s a husband’s duty to chase after such a wife and visit every day until she forgives him. Every day…”

“Satori, you…”

I shot back at her faint smile.

“Have you been reading Aunt’s diary and getting influenced again?”

“No. The Shiomine grandma said it.”

“…The three great families again.”

Please stop implanting abnormal values in Satori. I was the one who suffered directly from it.

“But I’m glad. That you’re back to normal, Satori.”

I had thought she might have fallen ill or something. It was a relief to see her full of energy.

That aside…

“So, about the Four-Person Group—”

“—Akira!”

Just as I was about to get to the main topic, Satori overlapped her words perfectly, carrying a different shampoo scent from her usual one,

“Shall we go to the ferry terminal?”

She had suggested.