Chapter 128

Episode 126: Fall into Sin

It was an unknown experience for Sougo.

The various scenes he witnessed while chasing after the person he admired still raced through his mind at an incredible speed.

Solciera, who touched his chest over his clothes.

Clam, who desperately loomed over Solciera, doing something.

Solciera stroked the head of that girl and showed no sign of resistance whatsoever.

At first glance, it seemed like she was being assaulted, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

(Oh, women together… but somehow…)

Inside Sougo, there was a seed.

It was a new seed planted unknowingly by someone, representing another door.

And today, it was about to bloom.

“Sougo-kun, is something wrong?”

“N-no, it’s nothing.”

“Haha, you’re just nervous because you’re surrounded by unfamiliar older sisters, right?”

Clam on one side, and Miuye on the other.

Sougo, sitting stiffly on the sofa, was completely hunched over.

After witnessing that scene, Sougo was captured by Clam and brought to Miuye’s lab.

Apparently, a costume change show featuring Kei, who had turned into a girl thanks to the mechanic’s invention, was about to take place.

(This person doesn’t know that Kei-nee is Solciera. This one knows…)

Based on the information taught by Clam, Sougo was in the process of memorizing each person’s name and face.

Sougo had already been roughly informed about this matter and was now among those entrusted with keeping the secret.

He appeared somewhat restless due to the tension, but it seemed to others that this was merely the tension of a first meeting.

“Please don’t worry, Sougo-kun! We are very kind people! Ah, shall we do some impressions? …Alright then, ‘a professor who trips over a small step and makes excuses even though no one is around’.”

“Don’t do it. That would be inappropriate for a professor meeting a child for the first time.”

Clam calmly pointed out the flaw to Hikari.

Looking up at her, Sougo thought:

—Didn’t this person attack Solciera just now?

Perhaps her calm demeanor indicated she was used to it.

Normally, she pretends to be a normal person when interacting with friends, but behind the scenes, she was with Solciera—

“!”

“What’s wrong, Sougo-kun?”

“N-nothing.”

The vivid image of what he had seen earlier was imprinted in Sougo’s mind, and he tried to shake it off by thinking about something else.

For example, the day they met, and at night, he was with Clam—

(I shouldn’t think about this! No, it’s rude to think such things.)

While scolding himself, Sougo waited for several minutes.

A slightly tired Sougo, a somewhat frustrated Clam who failed in her assault, and an excited Hikari stood before the open door of Miuye’s lab.

“—so, I’ve changed clothes.”

Standing in front of the door was a black-haired girl.

Dressed in a simple white dress, her plain appearance highlighted her beauty.

“…Uh, I’d like some feedback.”

Her face flushed, the girl tightly gripped the hem of her dress as she spoke.

Miuye was the first to regain her composure and hesitantly asked.

“Uh… who might you be…?”

“It’s Kei!? …Eh, you really didn’t recognize me?”

Kei pointed to her own face, trying desperately to convey that it was really her.

However, Miuye looked at her suspiciously and pointed to her hair.

“Why is it black?”

“This is a wig! According to Clam, this side is… more girlish…”

Perhaps feeling embarrassed as she said it, Kei muttered the last part so softly it was barely audible.

Few knew that this wig was a measure to distance herself from Solciera’s appearance.

“…Now that you mention it, that does seem true.”

Miuye nodded at Kei’s words and turned sideways to gauge the reactions of others.

“Cute!”

Hikari, having recovered from her mental freeze, bounced around enthusiastically.

She reacted so exaggeratedly that it made everyone watching feel happy too.

The problem lay with the remaining three.

“K-Kei-nee…”

“Cute…! Yeah, it’s cute! I-I have to send this to Miroku-chan and Mizuki-chan! Look here, Kei-kun! Smile, smile!”

“Kei… I… your… ”

At age ten, the boy’s brain had been fried, Toa had reached her limit, and Clam alone seemed to be seeing something else entirely.

Miuye immediately realized that things were about to get complicated.

But this was not a reason to stop Kei’s costume play.

“Kei-kun, how’s it going as a girl?”

“…Uh, it feels strange. A-and please don’t look too much.”

“!”

Miuye felt as if her brain had been shot through and leaned back in her chair, gazing at the ceiling.

Next to her, Sougo had also been thoroughly struck in the heart.

Previously, Kei had treated him kindly and acted like a composed older sister, but now she was blushing and flustered.

That sight was strikingly beautiful.

Sougo realized beauty here.

“That’s cute… I see. It’s the shyness that makes it cute, isn’t it?”

“Is it cute…? Uh, thank you, I think?”

Kei seemed uncomfortable and wandered with her gaze.

Meanwhile, the sound of Toa’s camera shutter wouldn’t stop ringing.

“It suits you incredibly well! The clothes fit perfectly too!”

Upon hearing Hikari’s words, Sougo noticed something.

(Ah, could it be that these are actually worn regularly…)

The clothes prepared under the guise of Clam’s might originally have been Kei’s.

If so, it explained why they fit so perfectly.

Sougo trembled at his perfect deduction.

“A-aah…”

Facing Kei, whose embarrassment prevented her from speaking clearly, Sougo realized there was an unfamiliar emotion within him.

(Why am I not upset even though I know that Kei-nee belongs to another woman…)

He couldn’t yet name this emotion.

However, later, Sougo would say, “Thinking back, that might have been love.”

■

Seeing Kei smiling shyly in front of him, Clam almost screamed.

It wasn’t due to overwhelming emotions.

Rather, it was because she understood how sinful her actions had been.

(I attacked Kei…)

Only now did Clam fully realize how despicable her actions were.

“Give us a peace sign, Kei-kun!”

“I-ie-ei!”

“Cute!”

“Let’s take a picture together!”

In the midst of the enthusiastic girls, Kei smiled.

Yes, it was Kei.

Not Solciera.

Just an ordinary girl with the right to be happy.

Clam deeply despised herself for attempting to defile such a girl for selfish reasons.

To Kei, all those actions were likely not provocations.

They were just casual physical interactions.

However, Clam perceived them differently…

(It’s a good thing it happened before it became irreparable.)

What would have happened if she had crossed that line?

Kei would probably never tell anyone.

And Clam herself wouldn’t have been able to stop.

All that awaited was destruction.

A girl carrying the mission of Solciera being betrayed and taken advantage of by the person she saved.

Such an unforgivable ending must not exist for her.

(I should properly apologize. Yes, and try to keep my distance as much as possible—)

At that moment, Clam’s hand was pulled.

Looking up, she saw Kei smiling as she held her hand.

“Eh?”

“Toa-chan insists on taking a group photo in this outfit.”

Saying this with a troubled smile, Kei appeared calmer than usual.

“W-well, me…”

“Come on, let’s go.”

Kei pulled her towards the already lined-up Toa and others.

The moment she stood her up, Kei whispered close to her ear.

“It’s alright; I’ll accept all of you.”

“!?”

Clam looked at Kei’s face.

She was smiling.

However, that smile seemed somewhat apocalyptic, as if beckoning her closer.

It was a devilish smile that saw through everything about her.

“…Ah, so that’s how it is.”

In that brief exchange of glances with Kei, Clam realized she had made a major misunderstanding.

(I see, Kei was the same. —This is what she desires.)

The twisted desire born within Kei while fighting alone as Solciera.

Clam could distinctly sense the alien presence rising within Kei.

(She has been luring me all along.)

Clam hadn’t tried to defile Kei.

It had been arranged for her to do so.

From the start, she had been in the palm of Kei’s hand.

How much relief did this realization bring to Clam?

And how much did it drive her mad?

(If that’s what you want, then fine. I’ll fall with you wherever it leads.)

Even if hell awaited them, Clam no longer hesitated.

“Alright, everyone smile! Especially Kei-kun, smile!”

“U-um, okay.”

As Kei came into view, Clam smiled toward the camera lens.

(…Only I can embrace the darkness of that child.)

Her smile seemed somewhat ecstatic.

And—

(Clara-nee and Kei-nee are really like that after all…!)

Sougo, who happened to catch Clam’s smile, swallowed hard.

Clara and Kei had carefully and thoroughly ended the life of a promising young man.

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