Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort.

Isshiki Moe – Bitch.

Isshiki Moe’s POV.

The past few days had been tinged with a quiet gloom.

It wasn’t as if anyone had done anything directly to me. Yet it felt like the air around me was thick with malice.

Contemptuous glances. Whispered rumors that were just loud enough for me to catch.

To some people, it might have seemed trivial. If I were the type who could brush things off easily, I probably wouldn’t have felt this way. But I was weak. That was all there was to it.

“Haa…”

A sigh slipped out. Whenever I found myself in situations like this, my mind always drifted back to elementary school — to the days when I was being bullied.

***

If I traced my memories back, it started exactly like this.

Every time I talked to a boy, every time I answered the teacher’s question, every time I stood in front of the blackboard, every time I changed clothes during P.E. — the whispers would follow me from nowhere.

I already knew what they were saying. It was about my sweet, lisping voice. That was enough.

Annoying.

Around that time, my chest had grown rapidly, and the boys started teasing me more and more. “Cow.” “Have you gotten your period yet?” Stupid, childish taunts from elementary school boys. That hurt in its own way.

But those taunts eventually died down naturally once Minato-kun stepped in to protect me.

And then—

What came next was bullying from the girls.

My coquettish voice and way of speaking. My body that was beginning to change from a child’s into a woman’s. Because of those things, the boys started talking to me more often.

By then I had already become conscious of Minato-kun, and the other boys still looked like children to me, so I didn’t really pay them any attention. I only gave them light, dismissive responses.

But that turned out to be the wrong move.

The girls’ bullying happened where Minato-kun couldn’t see.

At first it was just rumors and ignoring me. No matter how much I spoke to them, none of the girls would respond. I think some of my things were hidden too, but the memories are hazy.

Then, once I had grown used to it and my reactions became lifeless, they must have found that boring. Gradually, it escalated into violence.

Even calling it violence feels exaggerated. It was just elementary school girls, after all. Looking back now, it didn’t even hurt that much.

Whenever I spoke with my lisp, they would call it a “punishment game” and slap me.

Every word I uttered was counted by all the girls in class. The number of times I lisped decided how many slaps I would receive in the girls’ bathroom during break. A simple, efficient form of bullying.

Even if I tried to speak normally, it was pointless. The right to judge belonged to every girl except me. I had no choice but to endure it.

Violence. Slaps. It didn’t hurt. It was basically just playing around. No different from a forehead flick or a finger flick. Just light enough not to leave marks on a girl’s face. Light enough that my parents wouldn’t notice. Light enough that no one could prove anything.

Degree, degree, degree. Don’t mess with me.

My dignity was left in tatters. Surrounded by a crowd of girls in the bathroom, receiving light slaps one after another. It didn’t hurt, yet I wanted to cry.

That continued for two years.

I hated violence. I hated being slapped. Even if it didn’t hurt, I hated it. No…

That was the reason I rejected violence. The reason I denied the idea of self-defense was probably because the me back then never fought back. Affirming self-defense felt like it would deny the girl who had endured all of that.

It was right in the middle of who I was before I met Ryuuji-kun — before that incident.

In fifth grade, when we ended up in the same class, I met Shii-chan and Matsuri-chan.

They saved me. They never raised a hand against me. They simply liked me and wanted to be friends. Those two became my treasures. Of course, Minato-kun, whom I loved so much, was also a treasure.

***

Whenever I watch wide shows on TV, I see reports of bullying far more insidious than what I went through. Whenever I open social media, I’m confronted with even more horrific cases.

Each time, I convince myself that what I experienced was trivial in comparison. See? There it is again.

Degree.

No scars were left. I cut ties with the bullies. I was able to attend school healthily.

I was probably lucky. After all, I was still alive.

I had wonderful parents and lived in a beautiful house. I had my beloved cat, Milk. I had two best friends. And above all, I had the version of myself that loved Ryuuji-kun.

But still… whenever something like this happened, the memories came flooding back.

The weak side of me that I couldn’t suppress rose to the surface. I realized I hadn’t truly overcome my past at all.

No good. I was getting sentimental.

Even in a situation like this, Shii-chan, Matsuri-chan, and Ryuuji-kun were all by my side.

They were calling me a bitch, it seemed. Well… they weren’t entirely wrong.

Toward Ryuuji-kun, I harbored desires that went far beyond simple romantic feelings. Sometimes, completely uncontrollable, perverse emotions surfaced when I thought about him.

There was nothing I could do about that part of myself. I had already given up and accepted it as an impulse.

It was a new side of me that had appeared after I fell for Ryuuji-kun. The old me had probably been an innocent, reserved girl.

Minato-kun still seemed to think I was that same girl, but the real me was far darker and muddier.

I harbored twisted, perverted desires toward Ryuuji-kun.

It was almost funny. Me — a lewd, slutty bitch?

That’s exactly right.

That was why I went to school again today. No matter how painful the situation, the me who had met Ryuuji-kun had become a much stronger lewd bitch than before. Telling myself that, I stepped out the front door.

***

I was on my way to school after meeting up with Ryuuji-kun and Shii-chan.

They told me about the discussion the three of them — including Matsuri-chan — had on Friday after school. They had learned the specific details of the rumor and even had an idea for how to stop it.

I had a feeling they were hiding some of the more concrete parts from me.

It wasn’t something worth getting angry over. I understood they were probably keeping it secret for my sake.

But I still couldn’t help but feel curious.

“Um… Ryuuji-kun.”

“Hm? What is it?”

He answered with that gentle face of his. Just that was enough to make my heart flutter.

“What exactly are people saying in the rumor?”

Ryuuji-kun exchanged a quick glance with Shii-chan, then told me with a slightly tense expression.

“Apparently someone saw me leaving your house together during summer break. That’s what started the cheating rumors.”

From my house? Hmm.

“I see… So it was when you were recovering at my place… I’m sorry for causing trouble…”

Someone saw him leaving my house. I wonder who?

“No, don’t worry about it, Moe. I’m actually grateful. If you apologize, it just makes me sad.”

There was only one person who could see my house while staying in his own room.

“Hehe, I’m glad.”

I immediately wrapped my arm around Ryuuji-kun’s left arm. There were still no other students heading to school around us. It should be fine to stay like this for a little longer.

“H-hey…”

Ryuuji-kun’s slightly flustered face was adorable. So precious.

I was sure that Ryuuji-kun, Shii-chan, and Matsuri-chan all thought I was heartbroken and depressed because of the rumor.

It was true that I had taken some emotional damage. Remembering that old trauma meant I hadn’t been in a normal state of mind.

But in reality, I wasn’t feeling that pessimistic.

As long as Ryuuji-kun and the others were with me, my heart remained steady. A mere rumor wasn’t enough to shake me anymore.

So, what was I thinking about right now?

It was simple, Ryuuji-kun.

I was thinking about how to throw away one of my treasures.

***

Today’s final class would end in five minutes.

All day long, the unpleasant stares and behind-the-back whispers had worn down my spirit little by little. While at school, because of the rumor, I had kept some distance from Ryuuji-kun.

Shii-chan and Matsuri-chan stayed with me, which helped me endure it, but the absence of Ryuuji-kun by my side was slowly grinding away at me.

And all of it was because of that guy spreading those stupid rumors. I wanted to make him see hell.

But—

The angel inside me said: That’s not a good thing. Violence isn’t just hitting and kicking. Violence is wrong, remember?

Um… why? Why was that again?

Oh, right. That’s what I felt when I was being bullied. Yeah, that makes sense. You shouldn’t do to others what you hated having done to you.

The devil inside me said: Are you really okay with that? That guy is getting in the way of you and Ryuuji-kun.

Getting in the way? That’s annoying.

Why? Why would he do that?

Why? Why? Why?

Did I ever do anything to you?

This is weird. I didn’t do anything, yet you’re trying to interfere with my life.