(Chastity Reversed) The Legitimate Wife War: How I, a Harem-Hater, Ended Up Creating an Ultra-Eccentric Harem with a Villainess, a Sadistic Beauty Teacher, a Scheming Classmate... etc. - Chapter 145.2 - The Tachibana Family

Sayaka-san, Rio-san, and Kurokawa-san all worried about Tachibana-san like it was their own problem. I heard from Kazari-san that the three of them get along surprisingly well when I’m not around.

Since I contacted them earlier, they should be rushing this way in a panic right now.

“Yeah, I definitely plan to.”

Actually, there’s something else bothering me.

Since we have the chance, I’ll ask now.

“So… more than that, how did you get into my room today? I should have locked it.”

I have a pretty good idea, but I want to ask just in case.

“About that, when I asked Mother, she said [The door will be unlocked today], and when I stood in front of the room it really was open so I was surprised, but I just went in. After that I placed the aphrodisiac I was given and set up the camera. You know what happened from there, right?”

We slept together and I headbutted myself to forcibly regain consciousness.

Even I think the method I took was too brainless and crazy.

But as I thought.

“…If it was opened, it would be someone inside the house, right? I wonder if someone’s cooperating… I don’t want to suspect anyone, but.”

“…Yeah, that would be it.”

What she wanted to say back then was because she knew something like this would happen.

“But who would open Kyou-kun’s door, that means—”

“It’s fine—I already know who it is.”

Because I was told beforehand to [please trust me].

“Eh?”

“She surely has her own agenda.”

Her. Just from that word, Tachibana-san seemed to understand.

“…Is that okay? You might be betrayed. She belongs to that side, doesn’t she?”

Betrayal, huh.

I don’t think that’s the case. I find myself believing she wouldn’t ultimately do anything we’d dislike.

“I don’t think so. But… if she betrays me, then that can’t be helped. …I trust her that much, and even if I’m betrayed, I probably won’t regret it.”

At my words, Tachibana-san opened her eyes slightly.

“Can’t be helped… huh. Being able to say that is amazing somehow. But I won’t forgive it if she betrays you. Even if Kyou-kun doesn’t regret it, I will.”

Tachibana-san’s eyes showed determination.

Slightly lacking in highlights.

“I’m not amazing. If she actually betrayed me and left, I might be so shocked I’d come to the sea and brood… ah, brooding while looking at stars might be nice too.”

But perhaps unable to imagine me like that, Tachibana-san burst out laughing.

“Ahaha, I can’t imagine Kyou-kun doing something like that.”

“Really? I’m not such a great person, so I might surprisingly run away.”

“…If that happens… hmm, I’ll borrow Setsuna’s words, but then I’ll run away with you too~”

Tachibana-san’s tone had returned a little to normal.

“Thanks. I’ll ask you to accompany me when that time comes.”

“It’s best if that day never comes though~ …But somehow I feel a bit uneasy.”

“Uneasy? …Ah, yeah, there are things you can’t sort out emotionally, right? Like with your mother.”

I thought she was okay since she was talking normally, but of course that’s it.

Just today alone was a day where she expressed her own will and tried new challenges.

On top of that, she wouldn’t have room to accept her family’s hidden past.

“Ah, no. Honestly I don’t remember it, so not really.”

Oh, so that’s not it. Tachibana-san is surprisingly refreshed.

“It’s not that. I’m just envious that Kyou-kun has a girl he trusts that much.”

“Eh, ah, that’s it?”

I didn’t think Tachibana-san of all people would think something like that, so I didn’t consider it.

She doesn’t seem like she’d be jealous, and I don’t think she has feelings for me in the first place.

“Conversely, isn’t that the only thing? Because Kyou-kun is my—”

Saying that, she looked at me, and her smile froze.

…What? Is something behind me?

The moment I thought that and tried to turn around.

“—No, don’t!!”

With that voice, I was forcefully pushed away by Tachibana-san.

“Whoa!”

From the momentum of being pushed, I tumbled ungracefully on the ground.

When I hurriedly looked back, at the spot where I’d been sitting was Karen-san with a knife swung down.

It must have grazed her, as Tachibana-san was also holding her arm.

“Tachibana-san!!”

If Tachibana-san hadn’t pushed me away, I would have been stabbed. A chill ran down my spine.

Without me noticing, Karen-san had woken up and circled around while muffling her sounds.

I was so absorbed in conversation with Tachibana-san that I didn’t notice at all.

“Mizuri, doing something unnecessary!”

“Kyah!!”

With the hand not holding the knife, she slapped her, and Tachibana-san was blown away.

“Tachibana-san!”

I rushed to approach her, but my legs tangled and I stumbled.

“…Oh my?”

What? My vision blurred a little.

I needed to stand up but couldn’t stand up well.

Meanwhile, Karen-san was approaching.

“What’s wrong? Are your legs frozen and you can’t move?”

Seeing me like that, Karen-san laughed mockingly.

But even so, my body wouldn’t move as I wanted. Was this the effect of hitting my head earlier?

“Kyou-kun! Run!”

“There’s no need to run. If I kill you, Hirotaka-san can come back. That’s what that person said. …I’m sorry. I don’t particularly hold a grudge against you. But it’s necessary for the family to reunite. For the happiness that child left behind, that eldest daughter, we have to be happy!”

Saying that, Karen-san raised the knife.

“You just need to die, and everything will be resolved!!”

I wondered if she even had rationality anymore.

This person really intended to kill me.

Suddenly the scene in front of me seemed to move in slow motion, and I could see Karen-san’s eyes.

That face was insane.

…Ah, as I thought, this person is completely broken.

“No!! Mother!”

Tachibana-san covered me, turning her back to Karen-san.

This is bad, at this rate…

“Tachibana-san, don’t!”

I tried somehow to move Tachibana-san aside, but she wouldn’t budge. At this rate I won’t make it in time.

As if Karen-san couldn’t see Tachibana-san, the knife was already swung, and the trajectory couldn’t be stopped.

I had to do something.

The knife’s trajectory slowly approached… the knife was about to touch Tachibana-san, and before that, Karen-san was blown away.

“…Eh?”

Surprised by the impact that never came, Tachibana-san blinked her eyes.

“Please stop.”

The usual cool tone.

A woman in a maid uniform unsuited to this scene stood there.

“…What in the… eh?”

Karen-san glared at the person she’d kicked away, then opened her mouth dumbfounded.

What?

Looking at the maid-uniformed woman, Karen-san had a face as if she’d met a ghost.

“Wh-why? How? …N-no way. You’re supposed to be…”

Karen-san was so confused she couldn’t form words.

In the meantime, I managed to stand up by borrowing Tachibana-san’s shoulder.

“Are you alright… Master?”

Her voice that I’d heard after a long time.

“…More or less, I guess?”

“As always, you’re hopeless without me, Master.”

I couldn’t help but smile wryly at her way of speaking.

“Whose fault do you think this is…”

“…Well, you’re right about that.”

She admitted it without showing any remorse.

Really brazen or something.

“You seem well enough to have a conversation. Then please leave the rest to me, Kyoya-sama.”

She smiled awkwardly as if to reassure us.

Just from that, I thought everything would be okay now.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Kazari-san.”

She finally turned to face Karen-san then.

“Wh-why, why are you here?”

“You recognized me right away… Then with that understood, let me ask: what are you doing… Mother?”

Kazari-san said this clearly while quietly exuding anger.