I really don't want to be reborn.

She looked at the boy who was writing as if he were a fish, a fish with a fishy smell.

After all, meeting someone who is also a novelist of the same age is like one otaku meeting another otaku, or one fish meeting another fish. There is a very warm and happy feeling, and you will subconsciously think that the other person is a good guy.

From the start of high school until now, she has to admit that he is indeed a good guy.

Over the past year, the two of them have written quite a lot, either individually or together, but in any case, they can tolerate each other's style and the values ​​revealed between the lines.

This is Kousaka's first time writing a full-length novel. Kasumigaoka Utaha opened her eyes expectantly, her eyes glowing brightly red because of the faint light.

Kyosuke swung his wrist and complained, "This is a scene I painstakingly came up with. Even if it's not well-written, please be kind with your words."

"Oh, don't worry, my evaluation will ensure you won't die of shame."

The girl took the manuscript and glanced at it. The first sentence immediately caught her eye, full of a unique kind of humor.

"Demon King, you're so kind."

------

They actually told me I signed a contract; that was a complete surprise.

Chapter Eight: My Club Activities Really Have Big Problems

In the final chapter of the conquest and adventure, at the final destination.

As the protagonist, I had the following conversation with the final boss, the Demon King.

"Demon King, you're so kind."

"Huh? Oh! No, no, that's not true..."

Under the watchful eyes of numerous heroes, Demon King blushed deeply and waved her hands in denial with all her might.

Contrary to rumors, the Demon King is actually very gentle and a good person.

Therefore, I must make this clear.

"Hey, there's no need to worry about me. We've only had dinner together, right? Even if I knew who you were before, I'm still going to come here and seduce you anyway—there's absolutely no need for you to hold me back."

Even if it weren't for the amnesiac nature of the busty nanny, I would inevitably have ended up here by some twist of fate, amidst the various disastrous actions of my two incompetent teammates, and witnessed a truth—

The cat-eared, flat-chested loli I met by chance two years ago, the adorable girl I can't forget, the mysterious person who opened all sorts of back doors for me along the way, is actually the Demon King in his true form...

"I see... Hahaha..."

The Demon King forced a weak smile and lowered his head slightly.

I scratched my head to hide my anxiety.

"From now on, don't worry about it anymore. My reckless adventures on my own are ultimately my own fault, and have nothing to do with anyone else. There's no need to feel guilty... Stop being gentle out of pity for me and all that."

"Oh, it's not about sympathy or anything like that... really, it's not like that."

Her weak voice trembled slightly.

If the truth is cruel, then lies are absolutely gentle.

Therefore, gentleness is a lie.

The cat ears were twitching, and the demon loli's eyes were filled with tears as she stared sharply at me.

"……Fool."

After leaving those words behind, the Demon King dashed into the Demon King's Palace.

The heroes stood frozen in place, casting me glances that held different meanings.

I hate demon kings who act like princesses.

A gentle princess, how annoying.

I've experienced this countless times; I'm already so twisted, I won't fall for it again.

I faced the door and took heavy steps.

…………

……

(To be continued)

After reading the ending, Kasumigaoka Utaha fell into a long silence, her sharp gaze fixed on the "To be continued" at the end, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Kousaka Kyosuke sat opposite her, feeling the occasional spring breeze blowing in from the window, and had a little time to carefully observe the girl's appearance.

Tall.

full.

She has a great figure.

Her chin, supported by one hand, resembled a taut ice cream cone. Her long black hair was held in place by a white headband, preventing it from dancing in the wind, leaving only a lingering fragrance on her eyelashes.

Behind her eyelashes were her captivating eyes, indifferent, lively, bored, and aloof, like shimmering red wine in a glass, partially hidden by her wispy bangs.

The light from outside the window seemed to drape the girl in a thin white wedding dress; her eyes were half-closed, like a white bride who had just died.

"It's a beautiful scene," Kousaka Kyosuke thought. In one of his previous rebirths, he had hurt this girl and broken her heart. Now, he felt fortunate to have another chance.

Because if a girl's heart is broken, and she tries to piece it back together piece by piece patiently, it might take ten or eight years to put it all back together.

"How about it?"

"This 'to be continued' is infuriating! Didn't you say this was the ending? Where did this 'to be continued' come from?"

Kyosuke, having been through it all, began to share some experience: "You have to understand that if a story has a clear ending, its appeal will be greatly reduced, because readers will be satisfied."

Kasumigaoka was slightly taken aback, then suddenly realized.

Once those desires are satisfied, the desire to consume naturally decreases significantly.

"So if it's an open ending, it's best not to explicitly say that it's finished, because that way you can write some sequels or side stories when you want to earn some pocket money."

He suddenly stopped talking because the girl from Kasumigaoka was looking at him with a strange gaze, like a homeless wanderer looking at a stray cat on a bridge pier.

Why are you looking at me like that?

“I’m curious, you seem to know a lot about this industry? I remember just a week ago you knew nothing about publishing or business writing.”

Kyosuke Kosaka paused for a moment, then mumbled, "I'm smarter; you can find out about this by just searching online."

"is it?"

"Yes."

"...You mean I'm stupid? You really meant I'm stupid, didn't you? You were using a character from a novel to allude to me!"

This sentence sounds angry, but it sounds gentle. At least her expression when she speaks is like a white-lined peony, with a few strands of hair blown into shape like the flower stamens in the wind.

Kyosuke Kosaka helplessly spread his hands: "I didn't. If I were to allude to you, I would add the attribute of 'sharp tongue' to the emotionless and cunning female swordsman."

"..."

"..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I take back what I just said."

Kasumigaoka was silent for a moment: "So, in your eyes, I'm a scheming and sharp-tongued person? I see..."

Kyosuke Kosaka was having a bit of a headache. To be honest, he was rather clumsy with girls, which was quite a problem for him.

In particular, the girls he has feelings for.

This dialogue had to continue; they couldn't remain silent forever, because Kasumigaoka's gaze was growing increasingly sharp, and his eyes, as red as wine, were now unleashing a storm of bloodshed.

and many more!

Let me think of a solution!

If it were a visual novel dating sim, what options would you have in this situation?

……

Got it!

He lowered his head slightly: "Actually, this attribute isn't so bad. After all, everyone is different. No one stipulates that Kasumigaoka Utaha must not be cunning or sarcastic."

"Oh? Kousaka-kun made a disgusting face that said, 'I'll accept you no matter what you become.'"

"It's not disgusting—"

"How similar he is to the scumbag men in TV dramas!"

He smiled, tapping his fingers lightly on the surface of the screen: "Actually, I quite like being teased and criticized like this."

Kasumigaoka stared at him in shock.

Her cheeks were flushed with a beautiful blush, a sight both radiant and shy.

Kousaka calmly added a casual setting to himself: "After all, no one says that Kousaka Kyosuke can't be a pervert who likes to be teased and sarcastic by cute girls..."

"..."

He regretted it a little after saying that, since it revealed his feelings of "liking" someone.

The two men stared at each other for a long time.

Kyosuke picked up his water glass, calmly took a sip, and the gurgling sound of him drinking was like a cat chanting.

……

The unspoken words hung in mid-air like many pendulums.

Tick-tock at different speeds.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Chapter Nine: Greed, Anger, and Ignorance

As dusk approached, the sky was a dazzling display of colors.

Looking back at the sky from my doorstep, I can just make out the light, layered clouds.

If viewed through the lens of Kyosuke Kousaka's artistic sensibilities, it's like someone spilling a colorful cocktail high in the sky, the setting sun casting a soft glow in the west, resembling the heart of a duck egg.