I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Taking her back to her room for a nap was enough, but not enough for him to say goodbye to this world—to bid farewell to this beautiful world that he and she both loved.

After tonight, he will enter a world where he and she are strangers, and perhaps, like the previous two times, he will forget this feeling of regret and loss.

"It's really cold, listen to me."

Yuu Tenkuji stopped thinking about it and simply pulled Masuzu Natsukawa back into his arms, not letting her see the expression on his face.

Natsukawa Masaki had no suspicions, only assuming that he wanted to be intimate with her again, so she obediently pressed her body against his, letting the temperature rise in the cold November wind.

next moment……

"If you live alone, you need to learn to cook well, at least stop living on jelly; that's really not healthy."

The voice was clear and gentle, as if it were going to resonate directly into the heart, carrying a wonderful power to still one's thoughts.

"Telling Bullet"—that's what Yuu Tenkuji calls it.

Chapter 149 The Glass Slipper Says Goodbye to Cinderella

Natsukawa Masaki was stunned for a moment, then reflexively tried to raise her head.

"Why……"

His movements were suppressed in a way that did not cause him pain. Several acupoints on his body sent a tingling, numb, and weak sensation through him, leaving him with no strength to struggle.

"Forgive me, this is the last time, it's really cold."

The words, which left no room for doubt, fell.

"Listen to me quietly."

As if her vocal cords were being choked, Natsukawa Masuzu could only listen to the gentle yet cruel voice piercing her heart word by word through her eardrums.

"Always be confident and proud. Even causing trouble for others is part of your charm. Go find the right friends for you."

"You also have family members who care about you. Try to get to know her better, and don't let your awkward personality hold you back."

"You don't have to believe in love, but please believe in your own heart, and don't take the long way around again."

"Also, girls should be careful. Besides remembering to wear safety shorts, they shouldn't let any male friends who aren't their boyfriends into their homes."

"Stop looking for fake boyfriends. There's no one else in this world as gentle as me, someone who would never want to take your virginity."

As Tenkuji Yu spoke slowly, it was like the hands of a clock gradually moving towards midnight.

He knew how panicked Natsukawa Masuzu was at that moment, and he also knew that her heart, which should have been filled with happiness, was already filled with anxiety.

The movements in his arms grew louder and louder, and faint, mournful gasps could be heard, but they were all suppressed within his cold embrace.

Even so, in that final minute, Yuu Tenkuji decided to hurt her.

This is a one-time exception; there will be no next time.

He went on to say:

"I hope that one day you will be strong enough that you won't need anyone's protection and will no longer cry."

"I hope you learn to be gentle and treat everyone with a smile."

"I hope you can take a detached view of gains and losses and stop dwelling on them excessively."

"I hope you learn to be brave and stop being afraid."

"May you eventually spread your wings and fly high, free from worry."

"I hope you have a peaceful and happy life ahead, even if..."

lonely.

Sky Temple Yu shook his head with a smile; he didn't want her to be lonely.

That feeling was unbearable even to herself, so how could the fragile Zhenliang possibly find peace and happiness?

He took a deep breath and looked up at the full moon in the night sky.

The moonlight couldn't reach her or enter her eyes; only the vast darkness filled her somewhat blurry vision, creating a fleeting double image.

Yuu Tenkuji gritted his teeth, his cheeks trembling.

"This is the third time already, why can't I get used to it... In the very end, I absolutely can't be this lame!"

Tenkuji Yu told himself.

In front of important people, even if I can only pretend, I will become their hero.

He is the most perfect and mature hero, capable of even deceiving himself.

—"A heart as clear as a mirror and as still as water".

The boiling emotions receded like the tide.

A smile returned to Tenkuji Yu's lips as he lowered his head and released her body.

The moment her strength returned, Natsukawa Masuzu pushed him away forcefully, her reddened eyes lifting in disbelief, her lips parted as she bit them until they bled.

"Ayu—"

"I'm not here."

Before the words had completely faded, Yuu Tenkuji revealed his brightest and gentlest smile, looked into her eyes, and softly spoke:

"So, you need to take good care of yourself."

11月11日，晚上11点59分59秒。

At the moment the hour and minute hands coincide, Cinderella will take off her glass slipper, and the magic of happiness will cease to exist.

His gaze returned to calm as he silently recited a prayer.

'System, process the settlement task.'

The next moment.

She and her tears were frozen in the gray world, as if the night was falling from above, trying to completely engulf him.

As darkness rapidly enveloped the edges of her vision, Yuu Tenkuji simply closed her eyes, refusing to see the world disappear or to look at that face so close yet causing a sharp pain in her chest.

...And that's how it all ended.

Before her consciousness faded, Yuu Tenkuji unconsciously murmured:

"I'm so glad I could like you. Thank you for the wonderful memories you gave me."

She can't hear me, can she?

Well, it doesn't matter.

Because that last minute, no matter how you look at it, can hardly be considered a pleasant memory.

……

With his eyes closed, Yuu Tenkuji didn't notice that in this completely still world, only one thing flew out of his bathrobe.

The pale green amulet floated in mid-air, as if an invisible flame was burning below it. It gradually turned black from the bottom up, and then turned into charred fragments that drifted away until they disappeared into the boundless void.

Only the bright red character "厄" (evil) flashed with a dazzling red light until the very end, illuminating the face of Yuu Tenkuji, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, and also illuminating the lifeless eyes of Masaki Natsukawa.

It might be a second, or it might be longer.

As time began to change, the 'Amulet of Misfortune' vanished from the world as if it had never existed.

△

"...The familiar sky."

Slowly opening her eyes, Tenkuji Yu lay on the cold ground, letting out a weak moan.

How many times have I come to this world?

Because it was a meaningless question, he was too lazy to count. He only knew that he was very familiar with this place, yet it also had a different feel to it, as he hadn't seen it before.

Looking up, Yuu Tenkuji gazed at the two 'suns,' the light was abundant and bright, yet she felt no stinging sensation.

In this world where there is nothing, there exists something called "Radiant Jade".

They dispelled the desolation of the gray sky, sprinkling warm light and rain upon the empty and indifferent ruins. Compared to the past, this place is indeed much more vibrant.

The "Radiant Jewel" was a gift from Yukino Yukinoshita, which filled the world with brilliant sunshine.

"Rain of Light" is Yuuki Asuna's heartfelt wish, filling the world with gentle drizzle.

"Should I come back to visit more often...?"

The thought suddenly popped into his head, and even he found it funny.

It's not like it's his child with those two. This thing, which is similar to the Dragon Ball, can just be left here and ignored. Why would he have to give up his one-time skill when he comes back? What a waste.

Thinking this, Yuu Tenkuji felt a strange sense of relief.

It's like having been away from home for a long time, and then someone greets you at the entrance as soon as you open the door. As you look at them, your tired and heavy face gradually turns into a smile.

After all, this is proof of his past efforts.

"...But it must be my imagination, right?"

Even though the sunlight and rain were converging and warm sun showers were falling, for some reason, Tenkuji Yu felt that the two orbs of light at the top were vying for power, as if they were fighting to divide the entire sky in two, which made him tremble twice.

What's there to fight over? You are all my rewards. We should all live in harmony, share the burdens of this difficult time, and contribute to the beauty of this desolate world!

It's not like I'm stealing a man!

With a strange expression, Yuu Tenkuji looked down and saw the screen not far away.

"..."

After a moment of stunned silence, his relaxed expression vanished completely. He didn't say a word, but simply hugged his left leg quietly, pressing his forehead tightly against his knee.

The shoulders slumped, the sunlight unable to penetrate the shadows on the face.

"Task settlement begins."

Ignoring Yu's evasive behavior, the system's gentle yet cold mechanical voice sounded as if it had chosen the perfect moment.

"Mission objective: Become Natsukawa Masuzu's fake boyfriend, use your charm to fill the void in her heart."

"Mission complete."