I woke up to a ceiling that seemed both unfamiliar and yet strangely familiar. The hundredth time I'd seen this ceiling, give or take.

I glared at the ceiling for a moment, sat up, and lazily looked around the room.

It was a luxurious bed and a luxurious bedroom. The kind of room I'd seen so many times it was almost sickening. A landscape I'd seen so many times, like the face of my parents. It was the same old, same old. The only difference was that this time, there was no one waiting in the room.

"...Master, are you awake?" came a polite voice.

The voice calling from beyond the sliding door was both familiar and yet, at the same time, felt like a long-lost echo.

"...Yeah. Come in, open," I said flatly.

There was a brief hesitation, then a response. The door slid open quickly. Kneeling and bowing low was Kuzu. Not some half-hearted cosplay princess. The real deal, head maid.

"Didn't see your face for a while... were you restrained?"

"Embarrassingly so."

"No, you've done enough."

Somehow, the head maid had been switched out, and I was now on the outs. Somewhere along the line, she must've been caught by Kayo for opposing the ceremony, and her role had been taken over. I can't even imagine what kind of awful stuff happened to her while I was being foolish. She probably wouldn't be happy talking about it either.

"...The young lady is waiting."

"Understood. Shall we meet?"

First things first, right? Gotta start with a little chat.

"Tomobe-san! Good morning! Please, take a seat!" she chirped.

In the large room, filled with plates of delicacies, the girl, the main ritual participant, invited me with all the sweetness of innocence. She acted as if she knew nothing of my past actions during the ritual cycles.

"...Ah. Should I excuse myself?" I muttered.

I sighed quietly, looked up at the sky, and when I gathered my resolve, sat down cross-legged as requested. Kuzu, the guide, took a few steps back and stood to the side.

"..."

As the mountain of food before me gave off its irresistible fragrance, I couldn't help but swallow a bit. But before I could think any more, the young lady quickly poured sake for me from a sake bottle.

"Hehehe. First, let's have a toast♪"

"Mm."

I didn't hesitate, raising my cup. The refreshing sake filled the cup, and I drank it down without a second thought. No hesitation whatsoever. As I did, Kayo seemed to test me, opening her mouth.

"...Didn't you need to taste for poison?"

"It's my dream, so it's harmless. I can make it safe with no problem. Sorry, but no underworld stove food for me."

"I see! So, you could dissolve this outfit too, if you wanted, right?"

"No, I'm not going to do that."

I answered quickly, shaking my head as Kayo twirled in her flamboyant kimono. Sighing, I realized this wasn't the time for prejudices. Anyway, it was just a conversation.

"...First things first, I'd like an explanation. Why this? Was it the princess's request?"

Given how excessive it all was, I asked the first thing that came to mind. Though, I wasn't holding out much hope.

"No. I admit there was cooperation from the second princess, but it was all my scheme, you see. I worked really hard, but it's a shame you didn't like it."

"I recognize the effort. The effort, you know."

Just thinking about the people and money spent on this makes me want to bury my head in my hands. Especially since it was directed at me.

"Why? What's the need for you to go this far?"

"Why, you ask? It's because I admire you, you know?"

"...You're being straightforward again, huh? Doesn't seem very merchant-like, does it?"

"At this point, there's no point in being evasive, right? Tomobe-san wouldn't be convinced anyway. Besides... the first move has already been made. I can't allow this auction to go through."

"Aoi, huh..."

Kayo's words bring to mind the image of pink princess-kun. A pitiful sight of a woman clinging to my legs in the rain, looking so pathetic...

"...I can still understand that one. There's also the lingering feelings towards the Onitsuki family."

Maybe there's a sense of camaraderie from the bridge effect. How many trustworthy men are there? Thinking about that, it's... well, possible. In the original work, she had a tendency to throw reason out the window when she went off the rails.

But this young lady...

"I'm surprised I were seen as such a handsome man. Not that I'm particularly good-looking or anything."

My face isn't particularly striking. I'm a mess all over, not appealing at all. More than anything, I'm broke, dangerous, and working in a filthy, lowly job... well, I graduated from that, but it's not like I'm in a position that would attract women.

They say a husband is better off being healthy and away, but... in any case, this young lady should have plenty of good options. A reverse catch is attractive, but there was no motivation to reach that point.

"Is a reason necessary for love?"

"Aren't you just in love with the idea of being in love?"

"That's harsh... but I like that side of you, Tomobe-san! Much more than those airheads who come crawling!"

"You have a masochistic side, don't you...?" I muttered.

It's hard to believe this aspect from the portrayal of a minor character in the original work... well, since it diverges from the original, it's completely unreliable as a reference. There are even those who have undergone TS. But, that can't be right? The parents would be sad, you know?

"That's rude. I'm not subservient to just anyone, you know? I just want to devote myself wholeheartedly to the person I love!"

Pouting and puffing her cheeks, Kayo shows off her cuteness. A gesture clearly calculated. A cunning girl.

"...Is the reasoning for love about dating?"

"Not reasoning, but the reason itself, you know?"

Without even a hint of embarrassment, the young lady boldly affirms her feelings of love. I thought she was a strong girl. I thought she was tough.

"You know, Tomobe-san? Powerful families have their own complexities. Many complexities. Honestly, if it weren't for you, I can only imagine how I would have been treated by that great-uncle of mine..."

"..."

"...Tomobe-san, you're the one saying that?"

Her words pierced me as if reading my thoughts. Lighthearted, but cold. Like she'd flipped a switch.

"Kayo...?"

"If it's Kayo-san you mean... I've done plenty of research. Her upbringing, how she was sold, what she did after being sold. Even now... your goal."

Her words were sweet, but felt sinister. As if she saw right through my shallow excuses.

"You lost someone you owed your life to, didn't you? Because of the Onitsuki family head. You've recovered that memory now, haven't you?"

"Kayo, stop talking. That's enough. Words can be dangerous."

What she was about to say was risky. For her, and for me. Some things are better left unsaid. The wise path is to see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil. That's why I warned her.

"I refuse."

She calmly rejected it. Then continued mercilessly.

"I heard everything from the second princess. You're plotting against the head, right? Pretending to be on bad terms? The princess is now your puppet. A doll. She'll do anything you ask... isn't that right?"

"Kayo, that's enough. You know where we are, don't you?"

This is my dream. My observed dream world. Which means—I'm all-powerful here. At least in this realm, I can do anything to her. She wasn't foolish enough not to know that.

"You think I won't lay a hand on you?"

"...Fufufu♪"

Her reply was a cold laugh. One of those mocking ones. It lit a fire in me. I exhaled, tried to cool off. Don't get heated. Don't let some brat push your buttons.

"Is that really the extent of your resolve? Even though this is revenge for someone you love? Ignoring the danger of a meddling little girl... Ahaha, what shallow love you must have."

"◼️◼️◼️◼️...!!!!"

Before I knew it, the plate had flipped. Its contents spilled everywhere. A roar I couldn't even understand shook the room. And then... I found myself pinning down the honey-haired girl, gripping her tight.

"Ah..."

"Nngh... gck... aha. You're strong. Really strong, aren't you? Hah, hah... aha♪ In other loops, you weren't this rough, you know?"

Immediately snapping back to reality, the blood drained from my face, my arms weakened by Kayo's pointed remark. Straddled, choking, cheeks flushed and teary-eyed, I wanted to believe it was from the pain. She smiled seductively, breathless, evaluating my debauchery. Her fingers caressed my thick, tough hands.

"Kayo, I..."

"Hmm? A cheeky brat spouting things I can't stand... Go ahead, tighten your grip as much as you want. Hit me, kick me, violate me, take me by force, please?" she whispers.

It was I who felt the dread in the face of the lady's cunning smile, the resolve. But my posture didn't change.

Because it was terrifying, I placed my oversized arms around her slender neck. Ready to squeeze the life out of her at any moment, I braced myself. I glared down at her, as if to intimidate.

"Hehe. This is... my love, you know? Do you understand? Or not? Even after all this, I still love you. No, rather, I'm so happy I can hardly contain it, you know?"

The sensation of having my life gripped by you is endearing. The reality of being dominated by you is endearing. The relationship of being oppressed by you is endearing.

"Kayo... I!!"

"Tomobe-san, you want revenge, don't you? You hate me, don't you? You want to clear your grudge, right? Then you need power, don't you?"

And... to gain power, a price must be paid. Tachibana Kayo has power. She is prepared to use it. Obtaining it is far too easy.

"I understand that your purpose takes precedence over playing in this utopia. Then, choose. Seek. Accept. Trample. Prioritize yourself."

--If you do that, you'll get significantly closer to your goal. It'll be far easier to achieve. To take revenge, then, there's no need to worry about morality anymore, right?

"Hey, isn't that right?" she asks, softly.

"Ugh...!!" I groan.

Provocation, acting cheeky. Anger boiling up. I know. I understand her aim.

"Trampling means... those guys too, right?"

Bitter words spun out. What floated in my mind were the pitiful she's who only escaped into pleasure. It was about accepting that treatment. The sacrifice of the she's offered to the ritual...

"I'd like to be grateful. Not only for keeping Tomobe-san alive but also for greatly empowering you," she says, smiling.

With a bright smile, her words were a roundabout accusation of my own weakness. It's because I'm weak. That's why I should accept it...

"Even after coming here, you're still trying to shake me up...?"

You want me to change my will... that's what you're implying. Then, could it be?

"...Kuzu, you can't be...?" I murmur.

"..."

"Kuzu-san, it's fine, right? Please, go ahead and talk," she urges.

"For the hundredth time of the hundred rituals, I am the last sacrifice," she says, flat.

"I knew it..."

It was a cruel and clever move. To place the final sacrifice of this ritual here, of all places. A jab at my guilt. As if to say, this ends because of me.

"You're a terrible woman, huh...? You're not even the one being sacrificed," I mutter.

"I'm not like the rest. I can only be useful to Tomobe-san by staying alive. Of course, if you dislike that, feel free to boil or roast me later—however you prefer," she replies, gently.

"...How much of that are you serious about?"

A snide insult, answered only with affection. I click my tongue. Eyes shut, head bowed, I try to calm the storm in my mind.

...Right. Nothing has changed. What I have to do remains the same. The only thing left is my relationship with the girl in front of me. My understanding of her. What to do—about her. That's what matters now.

"...You wanted me to see you that badly? Even after doing all this? Hurting me like this? You think I'm worth that much? It was all just a job, you know?"

Risking my life is nothing new. Coming close to death is nothing new. The same goes for my encounters with Tachibana Kayo—they're not special. I want her to understand that. I want her to know I'm not worth this kind of thing.

"...I understand. I know exactly what kind of fate I would've met if you hadn't been there," she says, steady.

"..."

Tachibana Kayo understands. She knew. No, she knows. She can see it all too clearly—what would've happened if her parents had been devoured that day. If she hadn't been saved. She sees the end she would've met. She is smart.

"Do you know how everyone saw me? Mixed blood, noble blood, beautiful, and on top of that, rich. Can you imagine?" she says, quietly.

Her loving parents aside, and maybe a few of the maids, the eyes of the majority were far from kind. Even as a child, she could feel it. Especially with the kind of business sense that lets you read hearts like cards.

"The reason I invited Tomobe-san to a playful rendezvous... is partly because you were the savior of my parents' lives. And also, I thought your fighting stance was cool. But... now that I think about it, I wonder if it was because you seemed to float above the mundane world."

"...Me?" I murmur.

It was surprising, yet at the same time, it struck a chord.

Reincarnation. Reincarnation into a game story. I have senses, emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure, and I know that everyone in front of me is alive. However... even if I understand it in my head, I can't say I was ever completely unaware of that consciousness. Even now. Setting aside the people around me, those I interact with, there was something instinctive, something latent that made it hard to truly acknowledge it in others. But, what is that...?

"Maybe that was what felt comfortable."

"Comfortable?"

"Like being seen as a beautiful painting? Ah, it feels like this person is invested in me and doesn't direct unpleasant feelings my way? Like they understand a joke as a joke. It's like business-like, you know!"

So I felt at ease. Grateful, sincere, yet not crazy or twisted toward myself. Able to cut ties cleanly, not lingering—just smoothly distancing themselves... For Tachibana Kayo, that was truly convenient. It was a fact that she was in love with love, and I seemed just right as a playful partner.

A secret love affair across class boundaries, enjoying it just for the thrill, saying goodbye with good memories as a reward—that was supposed to be Onitsuki's servant.

It was supposed to be a setup. Yet, the rendezvous was so much fun, and the situation with Ako's daughter was so unpleasant, and being kidnapped was so terrifying, and when I was saved, I felt so relieved, and my hardened heart felt so reassuring, and when that head burst, I was in despair... and yet, being thought of even in that grotesque state made me so happy.

...And then I was crushed. Despite all that, the existence of Tachibana Kayo was not special to the servant. She was still a being depicted in a beautiful painting. She was being looked at from much farther away than the gaze directed at Onitsuki's princess. The depths of my subconscious understood it. I was outside the mosquito net. Joy had flipped over.

"I was so frustrated, so frustrated, I couldn't stand it. Haha, a loser, a side character, a defeated one..."

She wants to be within me. She wants to be looked at with the eyes of a mundane person. She wants to be in the same world as me. She wants to become a being I am attached to. She wants to be recognized as a woman by me. She wants to be seen as someone I love.

At this rate, nothing will come true. I will someday leave her without looking back. And surely, I will disappear somewhere... that cannot be forgiven. There's no way she can forgive that.

"So... I did this!"

Ahahahaha! Kayo laughs. Cry-laughs. Madly laughs, madly cries.

To serve me.

To disgrace me.

To offer me tribute.

To anger me.

To be pitied by me.

To drag me down.

To be ruled by me.

To imprison me.

It's not just about kinks.

Let's strip it all away, face each other with everything bare, crash and collide like animals—and only then, finally, become a clear-cut individual to me. A woman. Mine. Able to live in my world, within my vision. Surely. Maybe.

Crazy? So what. If it gets her the one she loves, that's a small price, right?

"...You're way too far gone. Idiot."

"Ahaha! Aren't all women in love kind of like that?"

"You say that while cry-laughing..."

...How much of her understanding, values, feelings did I really get? Maybe just the surface. Maybe I only think I understood. But I get the weight of it. I get the desperation. And... even if it's twisted, it's true that she treasures me.

"The whole instant-gratification thing... I kinda get it," I admit.

Even so, there's a limit. There should be some consideration for others. In that sense, she really is a pampered girl from a sheltered household. ...Not that it's my place to condemn someone who benefitted from that.

"..."

"Tomobe-san..." she whispers.

When I let go of her tightly gripped hand, Kayo looks up at me, anxious.

"Stop. Don't look at me like that... don't look at me with such kind, pitying eyes. Don't see me," she pleads.

The madness fades, and with a trembling voice, Kayo's words emerge. It was fear. A premonition.

"I acknowledge how you feel. I get that you didn't mean harm. And... well, I'm human too. I wouldn't say it was completely unpleasant."

I can't say it wasn't good. That'd be a hollow lie. The truth is... I just couldn't compartmentalize it. I couldn't brush it off. I still had lingering attachments. That's why I'm going to throw away Kayo and the effort of the she-group.

"Tomobe...san?"

"I'm glad you're not the sacrifice. If this had gone wrong, it would've been irreversible. ...Kuzu, how are the others?"

I ignore Kayo's voice and ask Kuzu.

"Everyone is currently under house arrest in a separate room."

"House arrest, huh."

I already know who ordered it. What a pointless move.

"And their condition?"

"Calm. Quiet. They said they would accept their fate."

"They must be scared. ...Kuzu, sorry, but can I ask you to trust me?"

Even though she was likely restrained in the previous loop too and didn't share our emotional context, she responds with a respectful bow. I thank her and turn back.

"Tomobe-san, what are you planning to do...?"

"What else? Just fulfilling your second objective."

If I break this ritual, the wedge holding me will be undone by the dead sacrifices, and I'll descend as a god of the Everworld. Just as Kayo hoped, offering her power to make it happen. Fine. I'll accept it.

"Ah... Tomobe-san? Please tell me. What are you thinking? Are you... trying something reckless?"

When I pull away from her, she's left asking, full of regret, and even more full of anxiety.

"This is your punishment... okay?"

"...Haha, it's pointless, you know? Please give up. I'll serve you—for your goal, okay?"

With a tone like she was coaxing, teasing, gloating, or trying to act tough, the young lady sneers, her nose flaring. She looked like she was aiming to get slapped.

"Don't worry. I'll make you cry and understand it properly, okay?"

Then I, without realizing it, open the door in front of me. Just like the last time, this door interrupts the cycle midway. Since I created it, I open it without hesitation.

"Well then, see you soon, alright?"

Without hesitation, I move toward awakening. Stepping into the world of nothingness, my consciousness wakes as I fall. In the moment when the dream fades into darkness, I felt like something called out to me. A faint, almost inaudible whisper.

"Please don't go..."

...Probably, it was a word to hold me back.

Everything is pulled back into reality. Everything falls to the foundation. Everything converges back to this world. And the first thing Kayo witnesses is the countless bodies collapsed on the floor.

Their warmth still lingers, but they are undeniably lifeless masses of flesh—about a hundred of them. Sacrificial offerings. Their remains. Abandoned vessels. Kayo glances slowly at them, their bodies cooling, turning blue, and shrugs.

"...I told you so. It was already too late."

Even she has her limits. She can't save everything, nor is she obligated to. She warned, she explained. And this is the result...

"Well, I guess they're probably happy! They've become the foundation for you. They probably had a happy life!"

These were all people who would have perished if they hadn't been taken in the first place. Living comfortably here in this yashiki estate, deeply intertwined, becoming stepping stones for the glory of their beloved. Isn't that a kind of happiness? At least, that's probably what they believe, to some degree. Struggling to regain her composure, Tachibana Kayo mutters—convincing herself, forcing a cheerful façade.

Would she lament? No, that concern is gone now. She is no longer someone who cares about such small matters. Rather, preparations for the next sacrifice will need to be made. I must gather the next offering, and quickly.

...In the moment of returning to the floating world, I will forget the conversation I had with her. It must've been a bluff after all. This fate, it can't be changed. There's no way it can be changed. Because you can't defeat the principles of the world.

The last words I spoke, my weakness... I'll chase them out of my mind again.

* * *

"Hehehe. Now, come. Shed your wings. Become my god."

Walking, stepping on the flesh scattered across the floor, the delicate young girl with honey-colored hair walked proudly, her Shiromuku-like Nanban wedding attire swaying—the humiliating, disgraceful thing—on her as she moved toward it.

T/N: Shiromuku (白無垢) – a pure white traditional Japanese wedding kimono symbolizing maidenhood and new beginnings.

In the center of the yashiki estate's large room, which could still comfortably house over a hundred female figures, it sat. The surface, once slippery, had now dried, rough like an eggshell. The reddish-black hue had now turned a deep black.

Inside, its size was such that it could easily fit 3 or 4 cows, resembling a pillar that had pierced through, standing firm. The supports extending in all directions to the walls and ceiling were made of threads or bodily fluids that had hardened.

An egg. Or perhaps a pupa. Some scholars even say that larvae and pupae are simply eggs in motion. But the academic details don't really matter. What matters is what's inside.

"Ufuufu."

She lean against it, resting her cheek softly. Press her ear close. If she listens carefully, she should hear it—the gentle scratching, the faint rustling as it writhes inside its shell.

Ah. Such a beloved heartbeat. A pulse. It feels like euphoria, as if life itself is swelling within my own stomach. Satisfaction. The fruit of her love and effort, cradled within this fragile shell...

"Hehe. Happy birthday, maybe?" Kayo murmurs.

With a sharp crack, a fissure appeared at the top. Playfully, Kayo announced it, her eyes shining brightly—sparkling with a kind of intoxicated excitement, eagerly awaiting the moment. It was like unwrapping a gift on a Nanban Christmas, brimming with anticipation.

Witnessing the birth, the rebirth, the arrival...

'...!!'

The crack widened, the shell bursting apart in all directions. Something leapt out with force. Wrapped in freshly born wings, still sticky and soft beneath, like a newly molted insect. A divine body—the sacred form revealed itself.

Yet, still nothing was felt...

'...!!'

Then, those magnificent wings—bold and proud—unfurled.

Each wing, larger than an ox cart, four in total, etched with bizarre, intricate patterns that seemed to hold some mysterious power. But that was a minor detail.

"...!!!?" she gasped.

As the wings spread wide, an overwhelming surge of Shinki (Divine Energy) erupted—a torrent, a flood, an avalanche, a tsunami. Kayo was so stunned she nearly lost consciousness, wetting herself as she collapsed. Her legs gave way, staining her white garment.

"Haaaaah...!!" she moans.

An indescribable, inexpressible emotion shook her. Drool helplessly dripped from her mouth. A deep sigh of awe escaped. And she gazed upward, worshiping the grandeur of it.

Its entire body was black. The abdomen, like a tail, extended from a form that resembled a horse. Powerful, horse-like hind legs were planted firmly on the ground. In place of front legs, thick, strong arms stretched forward—more human in shape but far more robust. Like many insects, thin, jointed limbs jutted messily from its sides and belly. It resembled a thousand-armed Kannon.

T/N: The Thousand-Armed Kannon (観音) is a Buddhist deity of compassion; this visual reference suggests divine multiplicity, now rendered grotesque.

The gaze shifted upward to a head—not a human skull. A horse's head sprouted fine, insect-like hairs, forming a tunic-like covering. Its eyeballs were insectile—enormous compound eyes void of emotion. Around them, smaller, human-like single eyes bulged and squirmed. The mouth resembled a horse's, but its jaw split into four sections, like a flower blooming. T/N: The imagery blends human and animal features in a surreal, grotesque manner.

Truly, a monster. A god of aberration. This was a pillar meant only for her. In this moment, Kayo could even see a golden halo shimmering around the creature.

Before this blasphemous and mad newborn divinity, the maiden bowed her head—pure and innocent to the very end. Clasping her gloved hands together, she offered prayers to her great god.

"Haah... ah. God. My God. My only master!!!" she cried.

Elevating her beloved to a higher existence, transcending death, Kayo found endless relief in the power she had wielded. She reveled in becoming the first disciple of this great being, triumphant. Gazing up at the aberration, her tear-swollen face called out—joyful tears streaming.

"I am! I am indeed! Your first maid, your faithful servant!! I am your wife, your beast...!!"

Pure and clear, her eyes reflected the monster's image as the maiden shouted a blessing of faith and obedience. Breathing heavily, she paused to steady herself, yet her declaration did not end.

"This body, this soul... everything I possess is eternally yours. I dedicate it to you. I will serve you. Everything is for your grace. Let us protect and expand your being, your faith...!"

As a priestess, the maiden's confession was Shiro. It was a declaration of betrayal against the human world, a statement of falling into the lower path. To publicly declare a preference for horse intercourse was still far more moral. It was an astonishing statement.

T/N: The term "Shiro" (白) can imply purity or a blank slate, contrasting with the dark themes of the confession. The extreme comparison heightens the moral dissonance.

But then, he slashed his four wings. Then he pulled out twenty of the slender insect's double arms, one on the other, one on the other.

Seven of the eyeballs fitted around the compound eye were gouged out and tossed out 14 total on both sides. After that, the flesh on the sides was twisted further from the left and right.

The pectoral muscles were torn apart. The blocks were chopped over and over again, and the chunks were 8 total. As he moaned, he spread the four jaws through the two inner lower jaws and throw them away. His arms were thrust into the gouged chest. The first thing he had to do was the pancreas and kidneys.

He pulled out his 12 feet of small intestine, dividing it into ten exact Second-grade segments. The arms changed direction inside the abdomen, making cracking sounds. It was the sound of ribs breaking. The blood flowed onto the floor, spreading out...

"Stop it, pleaseee!?!" she shrieked.

Kayo almost hugged the thick arm that was half hidden in the abdomen. Her desperate plea was akin to a shriek. The carefully crafted white silk wedding gown was rapidly stained. It didn't matter. Everything was insignificant compared to the gruesome sight before her.

The sudden dissection began. It wasn't self-harm in the slightest. It was an excision. He was systematically tearing and splitting himself apart, like a lingchi execution. He was self-lingchining. There was no way he wouldn't go insane.

"Stop it! Please stop it!! Please, stop! Stop! Oh, oh, there's so much blood...!!"

She looked at the gaping abdomen, the hollow cavity within, and felt despair before even thinking of vomiting at the steamy, foul smell. She cried uncontrollably and begged frantically. To her, the rampage committed by the one she revered as a deity, who should have been unattainable, was desperate business.

"Stop...please, stop..." she whispered.

'...'

The deity stopped moving. He regarded the girl with his emotionless mult eyes, maintaining silence. Then, he lifted Kayo, who was beside him, with his empty hand and casually placed her on the floor beside him.

...And then he pulled out his rectum.

"Stoooooop!!!?"

She leaped up and hugged his arm again. The intestines, which had been protruding by half, jumped and further stained her white attire. The warm, fleshy sensation touched her skin. It didn't matter. She had to stop him.

"Please! Stop it!! I'll prepare a sacrifice! I'll find a replacement! Please don't do this! I beg you! Please...!!!!"

Her actions were beyond desperation, bordering on recklessness. She didn't care about the divine punishment that might befall her. If he could stop because of her, she wanted nothing else. She was willing to endure anything.

Kayo only wanted him. His life, his safety, his glory, his eternity. For that, she was willing to commit this outrageous act...

'...'

The deity ripped the arms embracing him off at the shoulders.

"Noooo!?"

Kayo clung to the arm that had been torn off, weeping and howling. She had completely lost her sanity. She didn't understand what was happening or why. Had she made a mistake? Had the ritual been incorrect? Was this some sort of revenge? This couldn't be...could it?

"Mas...ter?"

"Such a... ridiculous notion...?" the voice muttered.

The voice from behind gently pulled Kayo's chaotic, confused thoughts back into focus. A familiar tone. Instantly, reason and knowledge screamed that it was impossible—but cradling her trembling arm, Kayo turned around.

"Master... masterrr..."

Reborn from the fire that consumed everything, a woman lay collapsed—covered in blood and slime. Like a newborn, completely unclothed, writhing on the ground. Kayo knew who it was.

"Kuzu...san?" she whispered.

Without thinking, she dropped the arm she had been holding and whispered that name. It was impossible. Kuzu was the sacrifice of the ritual. And that corpse had vanished into his belly. How could it be here...?

"No, way...!?" she gasped.

Gradually, Kayo realized it. The blood and flesh that the god was shedding, dropping onto the floor, burning fiercely one after another. Only the flesh was being consumed, the transformed meat writhing and shaping itself into a human form. Exactly like that which should have vanished inside, yet without the wounds of its former life, and in its eyes, life was undeniably present.

"No way, no way!? That's...!!?" she cried.

She didn't grasp the intricate details, but Kayo understood the meaning behind the act. With that realization, she turned to the god who was still dismantling himself. Her despair deepened—beyond anything she had ever known.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it...!!!!"

Clinging to his remaining arm, she screamed desperately, like a hex. A heartfelt curse of supplication.

This wasn't supposed to be. She hadn't wished for this. She hadn't sought such suffering, such a nightmare, such a hell. Only, for him, for his sake, even if he didn't want it, for his own... and then, and then!! Yet, why!!?

'◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️!!!!'

"Huh!!?"

It was an overwhelming manifestation of Shinki (Divine Energy). The muscles trembling in fear from the pressure of Shinki (Divine Energy) relaxed, then were blown away by the force. The first reaction from the master was a frown of displeasure. A roar to drive away the obstructing presence. Kayo, thrown back, landed awkwardly on her backside.

"Master..., please... stop it..." she pleaded.

'...'

Blown away and lying on the floor, she still looked up pleadingly. Their gazes met—Kayo's tear-streaked, wretched face reflected in the compound eyes. It was pitiful. Then, finding such a sight unbearable, the god grasped one side of the compound eyes and tore it away.

With a ripping sound, the fibers stretched and snapped.

"Ah...!?"

Like a large ceramic dish, the mass of compound eyes was thrown to the floor. As it hit the ground, it writhed, ignited, and began to mutate—shaping itself into a human form. The birth of new life? No, it was the transformation of flesh and blood, reshaped to replace the life that had been taken. A process of containment.

...Halting the ritual's payment to the 'world,' and the proxy god's due. That was the simplest way to describe what was unfolding before my eyes. A soul sold off in pieces, replaced by a tiny monkey spirit. Such a transaction was too tempting for the 'world' to refuse—explaining the possibility of this act.

"To go that far...!?"

They're cutting the soul apart. No, for the divine, it's probably more than that—they're lopping off existence itself. It's beyond anything a mere race could comprehend. And all for the sake of countless offerings! It's madness! Abnormality beyond reason!

...Ah, it's just like that time. Just like them.

'◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️!!!!'

For the last offering, he tore himself apart and threw it away, roaring as if he had run out of strength. It was a death cry. From every wound on his body, it seemed like all bodily fluids were about to spill out, and he knelt down. A rough, white breath escaped—he was gasping for air.

And then she comes. She, as if unable to bear it, waiting, looking at them.

"Oh dear, what a naughty thing you've done? Look at this mess you've made," she said, almost singing.

With a voice like the sound of transparent bells, she appeared before Kayo, who was helplessly kneeling.

Dressed in a vivid, glossy sakura-colored kimono, her hair flowed even more beautifully. Her figure was fantastical, dreamlike, and the stark contrast with the blood-soaked, ugly aberration left a stronger impression on the viewer... above all, it was just like that moment.

"...Ahaha," Kayo laughed faintly.

Remembering the scene from that time, Tachibana Kayo was painfully reminded of how she lost the bet, how it was driven home to her...

By the way, the nonchalant appearance of Momogorilla-sama was due to underestimating the descent of the divine, and after desperately repairing the hidden barrier curse of the yashiki estate that was about to break under the torrent of Shinki (Divine Energy), she finally showed up. If the repair failed and Shinki (Divine Energy) leaked, the ritual would be exposed to the imperial court, and they would be outnumbered by exorcists, leading to a whole lot of trouble and ultimately a dead end.

Notes:

• Kuzu - A young girl from a former noble family who was sold into servitude. Tomobe, encounters her and other girls who have wandered into a dangerous underground area on the former Yakushiji family estate (Kayo's bought them later) in Chapter 150. In the loop, she is a head maid beside Amatsuru. Sharp-eyed, disciplined maid with a strong presence.

• Rei - Female. A character who is part of the group with Hana and Shino. Her appearance and personality are not extensively described, but she is involved in the 'medical treatment' scene, showing irritation and engaging in tense conversations.