Chapter 4 (233): Part-2
Before Yukinoshita could even process what was happening, Hikigaya had already taken her hand and was leading her straight ahead.
Running away was useless.
Hikigaya had understood that truth long ago. Some people, some moments—if you didn't treasure them, they would slip right through your fingers.
So the emotion driving him forward now…
It had to be real.
Something worthy of being called genuine.
Just as Yukinoshita had said, he couldn't choose. He could never abandon anyone. That was precisely why he had dragged this heavy body forward day after day, why even after countless failures he still refused to give up on a single person.
Not in the past.
Not now.
Not ever.
Whether others called it obsession or something worse didn't matter.
This was Hikigaya Hikigaya's choice.
It was a long road.
But that was fine.
He had already walked paths far harsher than this. Whether they were mistaken decisions or choices beyond repair, he had never once regretted moving forward.
And now…
That hadn't changed.
Sitting inside the dragon carriage, night had fully fallen.
Throughout the long journey, Yukinoshita simply leaned against him, quietly savoring the unfamiliar sensation.
Strangely enough, despite the carriage's constant swaying, she felt no discomfort.
Instead, she found herself enjoying the warmth of resting in his arms.
By the time they arrived, the estate was silent beneath the night sky.
This was Yukinoshita's first time here.
She had seen castles in her own world before, but one built in the style of another world carried an entirely different impact.
Such craftsmanship…
Even with the most advanced technology, recreating something like this would be impossible.
Hikigaya gently took Yukinoshita's hand, guiding her through the courtyard and entrance.
They had finally returned to a place deeply familiar to him.
The moment he opened the door, he found Ram slacking off.
Ram: "Little Hachi? And Yukinoshita-sama."
Hikigaya: "Why does my name always come with that doubtful tone…"
Ram: "No reason. It's just surprising when you suddenly show up."
Hikigaya: "If anything, Yukinoshita's presence should be the surprising part."
Ram: "Not really. Every time Little Hachi returns, he brings a girl with him. Ram is used to it by now."
Hikigaya: "Hey, don't say things that'll get me killed."
Almost immediately, he felt a sharp glare stabbing into his back.
Ram merely sighed.
Ram: "Well then. Rem has been waiting for you. I'll take you there."
Hikigaya cautiously glanced at Yukinoshita.
Unexpectedly, she simply nodded, looking completely unconcerned.
Deep down, Yukinoshita understood something.
If not for Rem…
She might never have seen Hikigaya again.
Those repeated acts of self-sacrifice were not something just anyone could accomplish.
From the bottom of her heart, Yukinoshita respected her.
The moment they saw Rem, not yet noticing Yukinoshita behind him, Rem immediately stepped forward and gave Hikigaya a gentle hug.
"Ah… um… Yukinoshita-sama, hello…"
Yukinoshita responded with a warm, composed smile.
"It's alright. Let's all get along. There's no need to be nervous."
Rem: "N-no, that was improper of me. I'm only a servant…"
Ram sighed again from the side, clearly exhausted.
But Yukinoshita simply reached out and softly patted Rem's head.
"It's fine."
"Because Rem is very kind."
Feeling Yukinoshita's gentle touch, Rem soon revealed a shy smile.
Hikigaya: "Rem, where's Lia?"
Rem lightly tapped her chin, thinking.
"Emilia-sama should be resting in her room."
Hikigaya muttered quietly: "I wonder what form Puck is in at this hour…"
Ram, Rem, and even Yukinoshita tilted their heads in confusion.
Ram: "Little Hachi… what are you talking about?"
"Well… hypothetically speaking… is there a way to lure Puck out while he's sleeping?"
Rem: "Um… that would be difficult. Setting aside Puck's current state, getting past Emilia-sama alone would be troublesome."
Ram: "No, Rem, you're mistaken. If it's Little Hachi making the request, Emilia-sama would probably agree without much resistance."
She narrowed her eyes.
"But why are you suddenly so eager to see Puck?"
Hikigaya: "Ah… well… it's nothing important…"
There was absolutely no way he could say, that the girl beside him was a hopeless cat lover whose dream was to talk to a spirit cat.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita's face had already turned completely red.
Still…
Now that they were here, retreating felt like a waste.
"I'll handle it!"
Rem: "Ooh!!"
Ram: "This might be the first time I've seen Little Hachi act so confident."
Yukinoshita: "Thank you…"
Under everyone's watchful gaze, Hikigaya walked down the corridor until he finally reached Emilia's door.
He took a deep breath.
Truthfully, he still had no idea how to explain this to Emilia.
But lying to her?
That was something Hikigaya Hikigaya simply could not do.
Emilia was a kind girl.
A pure girl.
Yet if he told the truth that he came to see Emilia for Yukinoshita's sake.
That somehow felt even more dangerous.
"…All or nothing."
He knocked.
"Come in."
Hikigaya slowly opened the door, preparing to blurt everything out at once.
But…
"In the middle of the night, trespassing into Betty's Forbidden Library? According to your world's laws, I should be able to sue you!"
"…Eh?"
The timing was almost absurd.
"Betty… long time no see. I actually needed to talk to Emilia. How about we catch up later?"
He turned to leave.
Betty casually raised a hand.
Instantly, Hikigaya was dragged back inside.
"Hmph. After boasting so much back then, you barely even visit me anymore. I don't care what excuse you have. You're not leaving tonight."
…This was bad.
Previously, Betty would argue for a bit before throwing him out.
Now she didn't even bother with words.
She simply refused to let him go.
If Yukinoshita found out he was stuck here overnight, would she explode?
Honestly…
Very likely.
Left with no alternatives, Hikigaya decided negotiation was his only option.
Meanwhile, Emilia opened her door.
"…Eh? No one's here?"
She rubbed her eyes.
"…I must really miss him. I'm even hearing things now…"
With a small sigh, she yawned and returned to her room.
"When Hikigaya-kun comes back next time, I'll make sure he spends more time with me…"
She paused, scratching her head in confusion.
"…Though speaking of which, why don't we have children yet…"
Still puzzled, Emilia closed her door.
Back inside the library.
"H-Hey… Betty?"
"What?"
"You're not planning to imprison me all night, are you…?"
"And whose fault do you think that is?"
Betty crossed her arms.
"You made promises to Betty, yet your visits are painfully rare."
Hikigaya immediately felt compelled to defend himself.
He actually returned quite often.
However, the three worlds followed entirely different time flows.
A few days for him could mean years here.
To him, it felt like no time had passed.
To everyone else…
It had been ages.
"Betty, you've been to that world before. You know how it works. From my perspective, it's only been a day or two…"
"I don't care."
Betty turned away.
"Betty hasn't seen you for an entire year. Since you're back tonight, you're staying."
"…What if I take you with me?"
"No."
"That world doesn't even allow magic. Betty hates it."
Hikigaya sighed internally.
If magic worked there, reality itself would collapse.
Though Betty disliked it, Priscilla and Anastasia absolutely loved visiting.
Anastasia's reasons were obvious, modern commerce was a gold mine of opportunity.
Priscilla, however, remained an unsolvable mystery.
In that world, she shed her regal pride entirely, behaving like an ordinary girl.
Except for her overwhelming beauty.
Hikigaya still couldn't understand her motives.
Thanks to him, even Al had regained the ability to return home.
And because Al frequently traveled between worlds, Hikigaya could do the same.
Betty knew all of this.
Yet…
Judging by her expression, she truly had no intention of letting him go.
"…Actually, this might work."
Hikigaya: "Betty, can we make a deal?"
Betty: "Spit it out."
Hikigaya: "Do you happen to know what form Puck takes at this hour?"
Betty blinked.
Surprisingly intrigued, she slowly put down her book.
"…Betty is curious too."
"Right?! Then let's lure Puck out together. We can mess with him a little."
"…This feels like boarding a suspicious ship…"
Betty narrowed her eyes.
"…Fine."
"But Betty has one condition."
"Name it."
"You are absolutely not allowed to tell Brother that Betty helped lure Puck out."
"Deal."
After a lengthy discussion, Betty finally released him.
Standing once more before Emilia's door, Hikigaya inhaled deeply.
Knock.
"Emilia, it's me!"
"…Eh?"
From inside came a hesitant voice.
"…Am I hallucinating again…?"
Footsteps approached slowly.
The door creaked open.
And there he stood.
For a brief moment, Emilia froze.
Then, tears welled up uncontrollably.
"You're finally back… Hikigaya-kun…"
Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms.
Facing this pure, innocent girl, Hikigaya couldn't help feeling a faint trace of guilt.
Despite everything she had experienced…
Emilia's eyes remained as clear and bright as ever.
She lifted her head slightly, as if confirming he was truly real.
Hikigaya gently placed a hand on her head.
"I'm back."
"Mm…!"
Of course, Emilia understood.
Time flowed differently between worlds.
His home was elsewhere.
Sometimes, a few busy days for him meant years had passed here.
Yukinoshita, who still hadn't processed what was happening, was pulled forward by Hikigaya just like that.
Escaping was useless. Hikigaya had understood this truth long ago. Some people, some things—if you didn't cherish them, they would slip right through your fingers.
So the emotions driving him forward at this very moment were surely real. Surely they were something that could be called genuine.
That's right. Just as Yukinoshita had said, he couldn't choose, nor could he abandon anyone. That was why he had dragged this heavy shell of a body forward, day after day, until he reached this point. That was why, even after countless failures, he still refused to give up on anyone.
Not in the past. Not now. Not ever.
Whether this was called pathological or something equally unpleasant didn't matter. This was Hikigaya's choice.
It was a long road, but that was fine. He had once walked paths far more difficult. Whether they were mistaken choices or choices that could no longer be changed, he had never regretted making them.
And now was no different.
Seated on the dragon carriage, the sky had completely darkened. Throughout the long journey, Yukinoshita simply leaned against him, personally savoring the strange sensation.
Come to think of it, even though the ride was rough, Yukinoshita didn't mind at all. On the contrary, she rather enjoyed the warmth of resting in his arms.
Because it was already night, the mansion felt especially quiet. This was Yukinoshita's first time visiting this place. Though she had seen castles in her own world, a castle with such an otherworldly atmosphere still left her deeply impressed.
With this level of craftsmanship, even with the most advanced technology, her world could never hope to replicate it.
Hikigaya took Yukinoshita's hand, crossing the courtyard and entrance before finally returning to the familiar place.
The moment he opened the door, he saw Ram slacking off.
Ram: "Hachi? And Miss Yukinoshita."
Hikigaya: "Why do you sound so doubtful when you say my name…"
Ram: "Nothing. It just feels unbelievable that you suddenly came back."
Hikigaya: "Shouldn't Yukinoshita be the unbelievable part?"
Ram: "No. Every time Hachi comes here, he brings a girl with him. Ram is already used to it."
Hikigaya: "Hey, don't say things like that."
At the same time, Hikigaya felt a vicious glare from behind him.
Ram: "Well then, Rem has been waiting for Hachi for a long time. Ram will take you there."
Hikigaya cautiously glanced at Yukinoshita, but she nodded unusually calmly, as if she didn't mind at all.
Deep down, Yukinoshita knew that if not for Rem, she might never have seen Hikigaya again. Those repeated acts of self-sacrifice were not something just anyone could achieve. From the bottom of her heart, Yukinoshita truly respected her.
The moment Rem appeared, she seemed not to notice Yukinoshita behind him and stepped straight toward Hikigaya, gently embracing him.
"Ah, um… Miss Yukinoshita, hello…"
Yukinoshita revealed a gentle smile.
"It's alright. Let's get along peacefully. There's no need to be so nervous."
Rem: "B-but I'm only a maid. I shouldn't behave so casually…"
Ram sighed helplessly from the side.
Yukinoshita simply reached out and softly patted Rem's head.
"It's fine. Rem is very kind."
Feeling Yukinoshita's gentle touch, Rem quickly showed a shy smile.
Hikigaya: "Rem, where's Lia?"
Rem tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"If it's Lady Emilia, she should be resting in her room."
"So tell me, what form do you think Puck is in at this hour?"
Ram, Rem, and even Yukinoshita tilted their heads in confusion.
"Hachi, what do you mean?"
"Well… is there any way to lure Puck out while he's sleeping?"
Rem: "Uh… that would be difficult. Setting aside Puck's current form, getting past Lady Emilia alone would be troublesome."
Ram: "No, Rem, you're wrong. If Hachi were the one speaking to Lady Emilia, it would practically be effortless. But Hachi… why are you so eager to see Puck?"
Hikigaya: "Uh… well… it's nothing…"
He couldn't exactly say that the girl beside him was a hopeless cat lover whose dream was to speak with a cat.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita's face turned completely red as she lowered her head.
Still, since they had already come this far, not taking a step forward felt like a waste.
"Leave it to me!"
Rem: "Ohhh!!"
Ram: "This might be the first time Hachi has ever said something with such confidence."
Yukinoshita: "Thank you…"
Under everyone's watchful gazes, Hikigaya walked down the corridor and arrived at Emilia's door.
He took a deep breath. Honestly, he still had no idea how to explain this to Emilia. But if he had to lie to her, Hikigaya simply couldn't do it. Emilia was kind. Pure.
But…
If he told the truth, that he had come for Yukinoshita, somehow that felt like stepping on a landmine.
In the end, he knocked.
"Come in."
Hikigaya gently opened the door, preparing to blurt everything out at once.
But…
"Breaking into Betty's Forbidden Library in the middle of the night? By your world's laws, I could sue you!"
"Eh?"
Wasn't this a bit too coincidental…
"Betty, long time no see. I actually need to talk to Emilia. How about we catch up later?"
As he tried to leave, Beatrice raised her hand, and he was instantly dragged back inside.
"Hmph. You haven't visited me in ages. After all those bold promises you made… Honestly, I should just wipe you out. Either way, you're not leaving tonight."
This was bad…
Before, Beatrice would argue with him and then kick him out. Now she didn't even bother arguing.
If Yukinoshita found out he was sleeping here, would she explode?
Hard to say. Very hard to say.
Still, he decided to negotiate.
"Eh? Where did he go?"
Emilia opened the door, only to find no one outside.
"I must be missing him too much… I'm even hearing things now. Sigh… Next time Hikigaya-kun comes back, I'll make him spend more time with me."
"But really… why don't we have children yet…"
Emilia scratched her head in confusion, yawned, and returned to her room.
Meanwhile…
"S-so… Betty?"
"What do you want? Don't even think about sneaking out."
"Well… I finally come back, and you imprison me?"
"You have the nerve to complain? Remember what you promised Betty? Even knowing you have so many women outside, you barely find time to visit me."
Hikigaya absolutely had to deny that. He returned often. Very often.
It was just that time flowed differently across the three worlds. A day or two in one world could mean years in another.
From his perspective, barely any time had passed.
From theirs, it had been ages.
"Betty, you've been to that world before. You should understand. I was only gone for a day or two…"
"I don't care. Betty hasn't seen you for a year. You're staying with Betty tonight."
"Uh… want to come back with me?"
"No. That world has no magic. Betty hates it."
If magic worked there, the entire world would descend into chaos.
Though Beatrice disliked it, Priscilla and Anastasia adored it, constantly pestering Hikigaya to take them along.
Anastasia's reasons were obvious. She wanted to learn modern business and make a fortune here.
Priscilla, on the other hand, remained a mystery.
When following Hikigaya, she shed her queenly demeanor, becoming an ordinary girl—aside from her beauty.
Hikigaya still couldn't understand her motives.
Thanks to Hikigaya, Al could finally return home as well, though he frequently traveled back and forth.
Beatrice knew all of this.
Yet judging by her current mood, she had no intention of letting Hikigaya leave.
Still…
Hikigaya: "Betty, can we discuss something?"
Beatrice: "Spit it out."
Hikigaya: "Do you know what state Puck is in at this hour?"
Beatrice, intrigued, put down her book.
"Betty is curious too."
"Right? Then let's lure Puck out and tease him together."
"This feels like boarding a pirate ship… but fine! Betty has one condition!"
"Name it."
"You mustn't tell Brother that Betty tricked Puck out."
"Of course."
After explaining his plan, Beatrice nodded repeatedly.
Though admittedly…
This strategy was not very Hikigaya-like.
Still, there were no alternatives.
After lengthy negotiations, Beatrice finally released him.
Standing once more before Emilia's door, Hikigaya knocked again.
"Emilia, it's me!"
"Eh? Another hallucination…"
Hearing his voice, Emilia hesitantly approached the door.
When it opened.
He stood there.
Tears streamed down immediately.
"You're finally back, Hikigaya-kun…"
Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms.
Hikigaya gently placed a hand on her head.
"I'm back."
"Mm!"
Emilia understood.
Time flowed differently.
Sometimes days for him meant years for her.
But Hikigaya was never heartless.
Whenever he had time, he always returned.
One day there was a year here.
A year here was merely a day there.
Even spending half a year here over a weekend was only half a day for him.
"So why did you come back so suddenly? It's already late…"
A faint blush colored Emilia's cheeks.
"Actually… I came back for something very important!"
"If Hikigaya-kun considers it important, then I'll definitely help if I can!"
"That's great. Because only you can decide this!"
"W-what is it?"
…
By Chairman Hikigaya's arrangements, Advanced Nurturing High School once again demonstrated its overwhelming unity.
Before they realized it, the former first-years had already become third-years.
This was their final year.
Amid such tension, Chairman Hikigaya's sudden announcement of a school festival ignited the entire campus.
Everyone gathered once more.
Since the Nagumo incident, the school has grown far more humane.
Classes A through D had vanished.
Though merit still reigned supreme, development now flourished freely across multiple fields.
Talents of any kind could enroll through evaluation.
Naturally, this elevated ANHS's reputation across Tokyo.
The government not only maintained funding but strengthened oversight.
Many students even planned to remain as teachers after graduation.
Speaking of sensei, there was already one particularly famous example.
The beloved Asahina-senpai had chosen to stay and teach.
Yahiko's evaluation of this was simple: "To think that fool became a teacher. Unbelievable…"
Despite the sudden decision, the festival's quality did not decline.
If anything, such moments brought out students' full potential.
Like Sakura Airi, now a widely adored campus idol, singing and dancing on stage.
Beyond that…
Various unusual clubs had emerged.
Ryuen's No-Rules Combat Club.
Wasn't that basically gang recruitment?
Sakayanagi's Chess Club.
Though honestly, she could crush everyone single-handedly.
Of course, Sudo's Basketball Club remained normal.
But then…
What exactly was the "Aesthetic Club"?
Koenji, this had to be your doing.
And this "Theft Club"?
How was the school even approving these?
Kamuro, did you bribe the chairman…
Still, none of that was the real issue.
The real issue was satisfying the young lady beside him.
In his right hand was grilled squid.
In his left was a drink.
A lollipop in his mouth.
Despite the absence of magic here, one had to wonder whether she secretly possessed extra limbs.
Emilia, by contrast, behaved elegantly as ever.
A proper lady.
Adorably refined.
Meanwhile, Yukinoshita showed little appetite.
Perhaps street food simply didn't appeal to a refined young lady.
Or perhaps…
She was still wondering whether she might find a cat somewhere.
(End of this chapter)