Reincarnated as the Sidekick in a Harem Game ～Chaos Unfolded When I Helped the Losing Heroines After the Protagonist Found His Happy Ending～ - Chapter 11: The Former Protagonist Disappears into Darkness, The Spotlight Turns to the New Protagonist (End of Vol. 01)

Chapter 11: The Former Protagonist Disappears into Darkness, The Spotlight Turns to the New Protagonist

★ Minato’s Perspective

“Damn it! Damn it! This is the worst…!”

Having stabbed Charao with a knife, I was alone under the elevated area by the riverbank.

“Hah… Hah…! What is this!? What’s going on with this crappy development! I’m the protagonist, you know!”

Even so, this treatment is too much!

“Where did he go?” “ILook over there?”

“Hiii…!”

Cops were prowling nearby. Are… are they looking for me…?

No… no, that’s wrong! I… I didn’t do anything wrong! He stabbed himself with that knife! It wasn’t me who did anything wrong!

“Hey! He’s over there!”

“Why is this happening to me!?”

Why? Why was it so inconveniently, or rather inconveniently terrible, that the police found me?

This isn’t something a protagonist would experience!

“Minato is the protagonist! Miracles should conveniently happen! Women should fall for me without me lifting a finger! I should be a beloved existence in this world!”

The police officers started rushing toward me.

I tried to run away but… slipped and fell.

“Gah! Gahhhhhhh…!”

I tried to swim!

But why!? Why won’t my body move!?

Ah, that’s right… I can’t swim…

…I can’t swim? What’s that about? There wasn’t such a setting!

But what is this? For some unknown reason, it’s now set that I can’t swim! The events have been rewritten…

“Gu-guh… Ah… S-someone… H-help me…”

I gulped down the river water. My consciousness… was fading.

“Najimi… anyone… I don’t care who… save me… I’m the protagonist, I shouldn’t be in a pinch like this…”

Just as I was about to lose consciousness, I remembered Charao’s words. That’s right… I’m already…

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★ Charao’s Perspective

A lot happened after that. The police arrived and took my statement. They said it was too late for a detailed discussion and that we would continue tomorrow.

“Charao… aren’t you going home?”

In Najimi’s room, I was sitting on her bed.

“I can’t leave you alone when you look like that.”

“Charao…”

Najimi hugged me tightly, shedding tears. She must have been scared. Her boyfriend’s sudden change, the appearance of a knife; it would be strange if she weren’t terrified.

“You know… Charao… I like you. I really do…”

…I wasn’t surprised by those words. Nor did they bring me much joy.

“I’m glad you feel that way, Najimi.”

“Then… why aren’t you happy?”

My reflection in the window glass wore a rather sorrowful expression, but that’s how it was.

“Najimi, you’re under a spell.”

“A spell?”

“Yes, it’s called protagonist privilege.”

I clearly heard it during my showdown with Minato. A voice from the heavens, so to speak, said it was taking away Minato’s protagonist privilege and transferring it to me.

I don’t know the true identity of that heavenly voice. But what I do know is that all these convenient events occurring for me are thanks to “Compulsion.”

“Najimi, remember how I said I had stuffed a magazine in my shirt earlier?”

That’s how I managed to avoid a fatal wound from the knife.

“But the truth is, I didn’t put any magazines in there.”

“Huh? But there was a magazine in your shirt, wasn’t there?”

“Exactly, that’s the thing. I didn’t actually stuff a magazine in my shirt myself, yet the situation has been overwritten as if I did.”

Isn’t that strange? Because otherwise, it’s just too convenient. If I hadn’t anticipated a showdown with Minato, I would never have thought to stuff my shirt with magazines.

This “Compulsion,” or plot convenience, worked in favor of me, the new protagonist. And so… the situation and even my memories had been rewritten.

“Um, I don’t really get all this complicated stuff…”

“…In other words, this ‘heavenly voice’ can even alter a character’s memories.”

“Alter… memories?”

“Yes, that’s why, Najimi. The affection you feel for me is ultimately an illusion. The simple fact that I am the protagonist is what’s casting a spell of love on you.”

I don’t know what the heavenly voice is, but if it can rewrite events so easily, then altering people’s feelings should be simple.

In other words… Najimi has been manipulated into loving Charao Shibuya, the protagonist, not me. It’s the protagonist’s privilage doing its work…

“That’s not true!”

Najimi clearly said so.

“It’s not true! I love Charao! I love who you are now! I really love you!”

She hugged me, tears streaming down her face.

“But the me you like isn’t really… me.”

“I love you! I’ve liked you even before I was with Minato!”

…Silly. That wasn’t written in the original story. There was no such development.

“When I was dating Minato, it certainly felt like I was under a spell. But now it’s different! I love who you are now!”

She brought her face close to mine and kissed me. It was a sweet kiss, as if she was entrusting her body and soul to me.

I was merely bewildered by the sudden kiss. But… I didn’t feel apologetic like before.

“Charao… I really love you.”

“Najimi…”

She smiled and kissed me again. Whether this feeling is love, or some kind of magical “Compulsion,” I don’t know.

But… I do find her dear to me. I can only hope that this feeling is not due to some magic.

[Harem Ending A Cleared]

[Najimi has joined the Harem]

[Acquired the Title “From Childhood Friend to Lover”]

[Skills Implemented]

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★ ????’s Perspective

※ “To all members, transmission.”

※ “An irregularity has occurred in the individual named: Najimi Ota”

※ “It has been identified that the ‘Protagonist Privilage’ skill is not contributing to Najimi’s favorability parameter”

※ “It’s unbelievable, but we must conclude that despite the correction, the individual: Najimi is in love with the individual: Charao.”

※ “This is an irregularity. However, the current situation is to be positively acknowledged as a good change.”

※ “Continue to pay attention to the individual named: Charao Shibuya.”

※ “As for the individual: Minato Minato—”

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Dear Readers…

This concludes the first volume. The second volume will follow.

If you like it, I’d be happy if you could give it a star. It would be a great motivation to continue this work.