The Witch Trial Begins with the OO Buckethead Zombie

[Ugh... I'm sorry]

Halfway through its sophistry, the system seemed to lose its composure and began to apologize, sobbing.

[I originally intended to keep my promise, and I was actually waiting for the host to die. Although, although it's not really right to ask a witch to kill you instead of trying to win her over, after all, I am the Love and Witch System, a system created to allow the host to enjoy a romance with a witch...]

[But, but since the host wants to die, and since the system has made this promise to the host, then if the host really dies at the hands of the witch, then it will definitely, definitely, definitely keep its promise...]

...But, well, how should I put it, how should I explain it?

In conclusion, the host is not dead...

Stammering and incoherently, the system, in explaining the concept of death, revealed a tacit understanding that Utsunomiya Hoshino had previously shared with it.

Looking back, to this day, Hoshino Utsunomiya has never actually confronted the system and said, "I'm not going to seduce the witch; I want the witch to kill me."

Even when the system detected that the witch was Ice Meluru last time, it was still pretending to say things like it was determined to try its best to conquer her this time.

Even though both of them knew that from the moment their bullying tactics failed to be tested, Utsunomiya Hoshino wasn't doing anything like a witch-conquering strategy.

But the tacit understanding remained.

But when Utsunomiya Hoshino truly sought death, even after a knife had been plunged into his chest...

No matter how tacitly understood they were, it couldn't continue any longer.

This is something that has to be said openly.

This is also one of the things the system is debating whether or not to mention first.

"...What does that mean?" However, more than the fact that this insignificant tacit understanding had been broken, Hoshino Utsunomiya was more concerned about this conclusion: "The knife was plunged in, blood spilled out, breathing stopped, heartbeat stopped, and then you're telling me I'm not dead?"

So, my race isn't actually human, but rather an undead species?

How could I possibly survive?

So tell me, what level of death do I need to reach? If stabbing my heart isn't enough, will I have to be beheaded? Will I be sent to the guillotine?

That's not what I meant...

The system's voice sounded conflicted and awkward.

[It's...it's a judgment, or more accurately, a verification issue...because the condition is set as 'death,' but the criteria for 'death' are actually quite varied...]

Death is death, cardiac arrest is death, and stopping breathing is death...

However, these are all possible staged deaths, or deaths that could be revived...

[What if the host wasn't actually dead? What if the witch could actually bring the host back to life? If such an unexpected event were to occur...]

The conclusion reached by the verification step set up in the program for this reason is...

[Host, you are not dead]

At least, you are still alive and well here, so you are not dead, host.

Consequentialism.

The more Hoshino Utsunomiya listened, the more it sounded like he was saying, "Because you are alive now, we have determined that you are not dead yet."

hiss......

What he said actually sounds quite right.

But what are you doing here?

...Then how the hell am I supposed to prove I died before?

"You mean..." As she listened, amidst her tense silence, Hoshino Utsunomiya couldn't help but detect another layer of meaning in the system's words: "Because there was no other way, so this matter just ended like this?"

What about the knife wound I received?

I'm so sorry!

The feeling of apologizing loudly is rather subtle, like Meruru on Ice.

But they are still quite different. The witch is more gentle, while the system simply apologizes because it knows it was wrong.

"This apology has absolutely no sincerity."

[Am I really sincere? Waaaaaah...]

Based on the system's experience, when humans face a mistake, they raise questions about the sincerity of the apology and express doubts about the attitude towards the apology itself.

Usually, what matters is no longer the mistake itself; the mistake can actually be easily overlooked.

At this point, the attitude and sincerity that the other party cares about are actually asking for something that is reasonable and acceptable from the perspective of face or benefits.

'compensate'

Whether it's immediate compensation or compensation promised afterward, it's acceptable.

A simpler approach would be to treat the other person to a meal or buy them a gift, promising not to repeat the same mistake and outlining the consequences if such a mistake were to occur.

The matter can then be dropped.

Then the problem is coming.

What kind of compensation is appropriate, satisfying the host while also being affordable for oneself?

...Artemisia?

bah bah bah.

I'm sorry, I can't do that.

What other compensation can it offer?

[Um... were you satisfied with the previous spell, host?]

"Be careful," the system suddenly said.

[Although the host hasn't managed to win over the witch this time, and although the host was directly rejected by the witch, please accept this 'magic to make the flower field bloom' once again if possible!!!]

The moment the words fell, the feeling that had once stirred within him returned to Hoshino Utsunomiya's hands.

That's right. Because time has been reversed, the current Hoshino Utsunomiya hasn't had much contact with Ice Meluru at all, and since the conditions for the strategy haven't been met, she can't obtain the magic that the system gave her before.

...Although he felt that the conditions for whether or not to pursue the target were quite casual.

After all, if holding hands, eating, and lying together were enough to constitute a successful conquest, then he would have already finished his conquest of Yukishiro long ago.

A subtle twitch shot through my chest, probably because I was reminded of the phantom pain from the knife Meruru had stabbed me in the chest not long ago, or perhaps because the thought of possibly being stabbed like that again made my body react instinctively.

Hoshino Utsunomiya didn't care about this, even though he wasn't actually used to the pain that quickly.

To put it bluntly, using a reward that has already been given out once as a compensation item is a very delicate matter.

However, considering that a magic spell capable of creating the right atmosphere might be necessary to win over Meruru on Ice, Hoshino Utsunomiya decided to put the matter aside for the time being.

...If he dies this time and it still doesn't work, then he should really settle accounts with Hakim.

I'm going to die eventually, even though I'm not entirely sure if I'm actually not dead as the system says. But I have to try dying once first.

If this death also triggers a regression...

"...Speaking of which, now that time has been reversed, you should be able to confirm once again whether the target is a witch, right?"

【OK!】

"...Then, let me confirm again, is Ice Meluru a witch?"

This is the issue that Hoshino Utsunomiya cares about most.

Now that everything has changed, Meluru on Ice reacted in a completely different way than before.

Will she still be a 'witch'?

......

py:

Chapter 87 Are you a witch?

cell.

Hiro Nikaido's cell.

Nikaido Hiro had no intention of defying the rules, but similarly, she had no intention of becoming close to Utsunomiya Hoshino and the other two.

He followed the three at a certain distance, watching them walk into their cells and hearing the cell doors click shut again.

She turned and walked into her own cell.

Sitting on the bed, Nikaido Hiro fell into deep thought.

She was reflecting on Hoshino Utsunomiya's actions just now.

Nikaido Hiro wasn't too bothered by his rejection. She didn't care much about such things. Rejection was simply his own choice, and logically and emotionally, he should indeed refuse. It wasn't unexpected.

Similarly, his rejection of Emma was also correct; it was the right thing to do. He couldn't give Emma any opportunity to take advantage of him. That stupid dog had that kind of personality—it was always trying to take advantage of him.

However, the only thing that surprised and puzzled her was that he had set his sights on Meruru on Ice.

What is it about this jellyfish that cries at the slightest touch, this nun who only knows how to apologize, that attracts him and makes him say such ambiguous things?

Face? If we're talking about looks, Nikaido Hiro thinks all the girls present are pretty good-looking.

Figure? Does that incredibly thick nun's habit even have any figure to speak of?

Personality? Is such a timid and tearful personality charming?

If you're just in heat and want to find someone to mate with, then Emma would definitely be the best choice.

There's no reason for them to leave Emma, ​​whom they could easily have, and instead use the excuse of not daring to mess with someone close to them to reach out to Meruru on the ice.

What? You're saying that he didn't initially seem to enjoy the feeling of Sakura Emma taking the initiative to hug his arm?

As I've already said, it's because the memories in my newly awakened mind were still from the day Xue died, which triggered post-traumatic stress disorder. This caused me to automatically block out my senses and act mechanically, which is why I was taken advantage of by the greedy dog.

Now he's directly rejected Emma's attempt to clarify their relationship, hasn't he?

Hiro Nikaido is surprisingly stubborn. Once she has made up her mind about a conclusion or something she once accepted, it will become solidified in her heart until an unimaginable shock completely overturns it.

I remember there was a saying that went something like this.

When faced with a decision you can't make up your mind about, flip a coin.

There's no need to choose between heads and tails; the moment the coin is tossed, you should already know the answer in your heart.