Reincarnated as the Sidekick in a Harem Game ～Chaos Unfolded When I Helped the Losing Heroines After the Protagonist Found His Happy Ending～ - Chapter 38: Nya-Nyan♡ with Cat-Eared Mama

Chapter 38: Nya-Nyan♡ with Cat-Eared Mama

In the bedroom, there were me and Mamako, donning cat ears and a tail (the calico cat Supporter).

Through the smartphone handed to me by the supporter, I was conversing with another “Charao Shibuya”.

“I am… going to die?”

A sudden declaration. What does it mean? The very fact that there’s another me is abnormal, but…

“The management does not approve of the current situation.”

“The current situation…”

“That you’re engaging in sexual acts with the heroines indiscriminately.”

…So the management took Mamako away for such a reason.

Anger started bubbling up within me.

“Don’t joke around.”

“I’m quite serious. Aren’t you the one joking around? And now, honestly, seeing you indulge in indecent acts, I even felt the desire to kill you.”

A deep, menacing voice came from the other end of the phone. Just listening to it sent shivers down my spine.

I could tell he was seriously furious.

“The current you is abnormal. Charao Shibuya isn’t the kind of man who sleeps with women carelessly without regard. It’s not like Charao Shibuya at all.”

“Cut it out. I don’t want to argue about what is or isn’t like Charao Shibuya. I have only one demand: return Mamako to me.”

“…Then die.”

“You keep saying ‘die,’ but what exactly do you intend to do? Kill me with a knife? Will you take my place in this position?”

“No. I am merely an imitation, not meant to live long. …When I say ‘die,’ it’s a metaphor. I will administer a correction program to you.”

“A correction program…?”

“Yes. I will rewrite the program and transform you back into the proper Charao Shibuya. You will lose all your current memories and start the game from scratch. ‘To die’ means the death of your current personality.”

…A game, a program…

So, this guy is the same. He also considers this world a game…

“That’s my only demand. Any objections?”

“Plenty!”

I yelled at the ridiculous person on the other end of the phone.

“What’s this about a game, a program! I’m alive…! In this world! Not in a game world, but in reality!”

“No, you’re wrong. This is a game. You understand, don’t you? You’ve been benefiting from skills. Skills, heroines, all these are symbols of a game. The anger you feel now is not human emotion, but merely the expression of an ‘anger’ status assigned to you, making your thought circuits display anger. It’s all fictional, both you and me.”

“It’s not fiction…! I am… We all are alive! The feelings I have for Mamako, the love I feel for everyone! It’s all real!”

A deep sigh could be heard from the other end of the phone.

“I wanted to resolve this amicably, if possible. That’s why I disguised Supporter-shi as Mom. The initial plan was to have Supporter-shi, posing as Mom, administer a sleeping drug to you and then inject the correction program.”

If the supporter hasn’t used the correction program, it means she doesn’t have the authority.

In other words, the program is set to only activate when used by the other Charao.

…They’re so contemptible.

“I’ll state my demand again. If you want your mother back, come alone to the designated place. Accept the program intake willingly. Then… return to the Charao you should be, my counterpart.”

—The Charao you should be.

I didn’t like the way he phrased it.

It felt like I was being forced to behave in a way fitting the character of Charao, and it was infuriating.

“…You were Charao too, weren’t you? Why did you change so much?”

“…It’s because, in the end, I am just an imitation created by the management. Once I became aware of that, the concept of ‘self’ ceased to exist for me. I understood that I am just a pawn of the management. You could say I understood my role.”

…Ah, it’s no use.

I… I hate this guy. Is this what they call self-loathing?

“I won’t comply with your demand. And I will take Mamako back.”

“…If you do that, I might as well dispose of Mamako Shibuya right here and now.”

“You can’t do that, you… something like that.”

“Why are you so sure?”

It’s obvious.

“Because you are me.”

It’s because we share memories with Mamako. But… he claims to care about Mamako while still referring to her as just a character.

“You care about Mamako too, don’t you?”

“…”

“You love her, right?”

“…Supporter knows the location. You have one hour. Use it to say your goodbyes to the heroines.”

The call abruptly cuts off. Redialing doesn’t work; perhaps the phone is switched off.

“…Finish saying my goodbyes, huh? Does he really believe I’ll choose death?”

Well, if I were still the “I” they wanted, I might have done as he said.

But… I am me.

Not just the character Charao Shibuya.

I am… I am me, even if my name is Charao Shibuya!

“Notice. Your smartphone has been updated with the location of Charao Shibuya β.”

“Who’s Charao Shibuyaβ?”

“Answer. A duplicate of the individual Charao Shibuya α.”

So, α is me, and β is that guy.

Ha, they’re all so contemptuous. The management, him, even this cat.

“Notice. 55 minutes remaining. Please hurry… fugu!”

I steal a kiss from the cat-eared supporter.

With a smooch, I move my tongue gently… activating one of the skills of the title “Eroge Protagonist”, “Ultimate Tongue Technique”.

In an instant, the cat-eared supporter’s strength drains away, and she collapses on the spot.

“Qu-quesion… Y-you… Charao Shibuya… α… what are you…?”

“Too overwhelmed to stand, right? That’s what feeling good is.”

I start to undress the supporter.

“N-Notice…! What are you…!”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Persuasion.”

“Wha!? I-I don’t understand. Why would you use Persuasion at this timing!?”

I flash a mischievous smile.

“A stepping stone… for all of us to reach a happy ending. Active Skill [Persuasion]! And while I’m at it, skill [Local Deity] activated! Take this…!”

“Nya, nyaaannnnn ♡.”

Well, wait for me, Charao Shibuya.

Let’s have a showdown, you fool.

TLN:
1. Skill “Guardian Spirit” changed to “Local Deity”.