Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

So he lowered his head, thought for a moment, then looked up at the girl in front of him and slowly opened his mouth:

"Who am I... well, let me think. A sunny and handsome young man? An excellent new player? These words may sound a bit narcissistic, but I don't think it's a big problem. Of course, I probably wouldn't be considered a good person. Although I get upset when I see bad things, like when I learned about what happened at the Shirakawa Apartment, I wanted to kill those two beasts and I would be sincerely grateful to Xusheng. But if it were that family I met back then, I probably wouldn't have bothered. I can't do that kind of thing, and I can't become a noble person. I am very self-aware of that."

"For me, those who help me and are good to me deserve the same trust and help in return. Those who can cooperate well with me and provide assistance, I will also reciprocate in kind, in a conditional manner. As for those who are completely useless, I can only say that I cannot consider them in an emergency. As for those who only cause trouble, I will consider whether to punch them. Perhaps my thinking and actions are different from those of ordinary people. After all, normal people don't usually think about killing someone just because they don't get along with them, but that's really who I am."

"As for my opinion on how to deal with your family, well, maybe I'm misunderstanding, but from the tone and attitude you use when talking about your family, I can't see much affection. When you talk about your brother and your father, it's more like you're talking about a few blood relatives who are strangers. And the curfew and various rules for going out that you have to endure, to put it bluntly, are like raising small animals. If I were in your situation, as long as I had the ability to resist, I would absolutely not tolerate this kind of restraint."

As Gao Hai spoke, he observed the girl's reaction.

No matter what he was saying, Kaguya maintained her expressionless face, always hiding her true feelings behind her mask and refusing to reveal them at all.

Only after he finished speaking and the room quieted down did Kaguya speak again:

"You are indeed very honest, very straightforward, and also very narcissistic."

When Gao Hai said those words, he seemed to sense a hint of contempt in the girl's gaze.

"How should I put it... you are indeed a very special person. I feel that among all the people I have ever met, you are probably the most special one. So special that my common sense doesn't really work for you."

Then, the girl sighed softly and continued speaking, her voice gradually taking on a hint of helplessness.

"Regarding my family matters... I will handle them myself. After becoming a player, I am indeed different from before. I think that one day, I will confront my family and leave the cage they have set up for me. I will carefully consider your advice. Thank you, Gao Jun. I think your presence has indeed broadened my horizons and thinking."

Standing up and bowing her head, the girl slightly bent over to Gao Hai.

Unexpectedly, Kaguya acted so solemnly that Takahashi could no longer remain seated and had to stand up, somewhat uncomfortably accepting her greeting.

"I'll feel really embarrassed if you do that."

Feeling a little embarrassed, Gao Hai scratched his face.

"Oh, so this guy who can steal kisses from girls without batting an eye can actually be shy?"

Kaguya's gaze sharpened.

"Ahem, after all, I thought I was going to send it back then, and being a bit frivolous is my nature, but I'm still very concerned about saving face when it comes to things other than being frivolous."

Gao Hai coughed lightly and answered Kaguya with great embarrassment (?).

"...I really couldn't tell that from you. To be honest, you're the most shameless person I've ever met."

Kaguya carefully considered her words before speaking, and to be honest, after learning about Takami's near-pushing of Maki, she found it difficult to look at the man in front of her with a serious eye, and even wondered if he was the embodiment of desire or something.

"Haha, thank you for the compliment. Anyway, if there's nothing else, I need to go find Zhenfei. After all, that child seems to have misunderstood something, and I still need to explain it to her properly."

Seeing that Kaguya didn't seem to have any intention of saying anything more, Takami turned around and prepared to leave.

However, just as he was about to reach the door, Kaguya, who had been quiet and silent, suddenly spoke again.

“Gao Jun…”

Turning his head, Gao Hai saw a somewhat hesitant expression on the other person's face.

"To be honest, I still don't quite understand. You've only known Maki for a few days. Is it really worth it for you to be so deeply in love with her in such a short time?"

The girl asked very seriously.

After the conversation in the small house, the cold mask seemed to crack a little.

Therefore, she finally asked Gao Hai this question, a question she had always been very curious about and wanted to get an answer to.

in love.

They invest their emotions in each other, like each other, and are intimate with each other.

Kaguya found this kind of thing utterly boring and meaningless.

Do not rely on others, only use them; do not accept favors from others, only plunder them; do not fall in love with others, there is no other way.

Growing up under these three extremely twisted family precepts of the Shinomiya family, the girl had always struggled to understand why Shijou Maki, also a daughter of a wealthy family like herself, could treat others with kindness, and she couldn't comprehend the affectionate interactions between couples at school. The idea that a person's existence is solely for utility, and everything else is insignificant, was instilled in her from a young age. Today, she finally expressed her doubts, posing a question to someone she couldn't even describe, someone who seemed to belong to another world to her.

"I did it because I wanted to."

Takahashi simply answered Kaguya's question calmly.

"Why so many whys? So what if it's short-lived? I like girls like her, and she doesn't dislike me, so I'll find a way to be with her. That's my idea, just do it. Trying to assign meaning to every person and every thing is pointless to me. If you like something and want it, you should take the initiative and grab it. Besides, didn't you say I'm the most shameless person you've ever met? That's my persona, of course I have to stick to it, right?"

Gao Hai chuckled and answered casually as he reached out and opened the door.

"Because of her personality? Her appearance? Or something else?"

Kaguya, seemingly dissatisfied with the answer, continued to press for more information.

"Well, I love her personality, of course. She's both proud and adorable, which is really fun, and she's also incredibly caring, like a little angel. Who wouldn't like a girl like that? Her looks are definitely a plus, in fact, a pretty and cute girl like that is definitely my dream girl. Of course, cough cough, her figure is also something to talk about. Her skin has a great texture, a delicate, slender feel that you could wrap your hand around, and cough cough, I can't really tell you about that. Anyway, being petite has its advantages. For me, a girl I can easily pick up and hold in my arms is really great!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Hai walked out the door and reached out to press his hand on Zhenfei's head, who was hiding behind the door trying to eavesdrop.

The noise at the doorway was slightly chaotic for a moment. Amidst Maki's embarrassed and angry struggles, the two walked away. Kaguya, who was sitting blankly in the chair, took a long time to come back to her senses and then took a deep breath.

The look in that man's eyes when he mentioned Maki's figure at the end was truly terrifying, like that of a carnivore.

Kaguya couldn't help but think of the time he tricked her into kissing him in the ruins.

Do we have to take the initiative to get what we want?

And do you also like the type that you can pick up and hold in your arms?

His target is only Princess Zhenfei, right? He wouldn't be targeting other women of the same type, would he?

Kaguya, suddenly realizing that she was similar to Maki in height, weight, and build, became inexplicably nervous, yet she didn't know where this nervousness came from.

Interlude 1-20: The Dream and the Moment of Arrival Before the Dungeon Opens

tick-

Water droplets fell on my shoulder, bringing a distinct chill.

I had the same dream again.

I dreamt of reaching out my hand.

I dreamt that I was in complete darkness, in a bottomless cave, crawling forward little by little.

He didn't know how to describe that feeling.

If he were to draw an analogy, he might recall his childhood experiences.

Back then, when he fell asleep at night, he would deliberately turn over and let the blanket cover him up.

It felt like being tightly wrapped up.

But unlike other rock formations, the surrounding rock layers are hard and cold.

Every moment, you can feel the friction between your skin and these stones, and you can hear the friction as your body moves forward little by little inside the cave.

It was as if the stones were screaming.

tick-

There was no way to tell where the sound of water was coming from.

Only the chill that permeated the cave rose little by little.

huh... huh...

I could hear my own breathing becoming more and more rapid.

Continue moving forward with difficulty, and then move on again.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at this moment.

He didn't know how long he had been walking in the darkness.

He didn't know what lay ahead in the darkness, or when he would reach the end of it.

huh... huh...

But he could hear breathing.

The sound came from behind me, from the back of this cave where I couldn't even turn around and could only crawl forward with difficulty.

tick-

Amidst the crisp sound of water once again, Gao Hai heard something crawling behind him, and the sound of his skin rubbing against the rocks.

The sound gradually approached, drawing ever closer.

It was right behind me.

With difficulty, he swung his arms, grabbed the rocks on both sides, and continued to crawl forward for a distance.

He couldn't even pull his hands back; he had to keep them outstretched to barely crawl through the narrow cave.

There was no way to look up.

Even though he was lying on the ground with his head turned to the side, his ears were already touching the top of the rock wall.

With each rubbing, his ear was already a bloody mess, and even the pain had begun to subside.

Nothing can be seen.

In the pitch-black cave, devoid of any light source, he could only smell the sand and earth.

call……

The breathing behind me seemed to be getting closer and closer.

But he still couldn't see anything.

They could only move forward slowly, inch by inch, continuing their journey through this narrow, suffocatingly dark cave.

tick-

Then I heard the sound of water droplets falling.

Gao Hai slowly stopped crawling forward.

He could no longer hear the breathing and friction sounds behind him.

In this silent darkness, it seemed that he was all alone again, or rather, he had always been alone from the beginning.

call……

Shortly after this thought crossed his mind, he heard new breathing.

It wasn't coming from behind him, but from in front of him, accompanied by the sound of something wriggling and crawling, and the sound of breathing that was getting closer little by little.