Extenron, who had been sprinting at full speed, suddenly stopped.
Sellir was pressed against a wall with her face nearly touching it.
Tap.
Tap.
Extenron patted Sellir’s shoulder to announce his presence.
She flinched violently.
Then, seeing him, the corners of her mouth lifted in relief.
Then she noticed me sitting quietly in his arms.
Her eyes instantly hardened.
“So that’s where you were……. You were with that human? Having fun? You certainly look like you’re enjoying yourself!”
Even while terrified, Sellir still says everything she wants.
Her bloodshot eyes glared at me.
I remembered perfectly well that she had swung a sword at me without hesitation.
Trying not to provoke her, I slowly hid my face against Extenron’s chest.
It didn’t help.
Unexpectedly—
Extenron firmly pressed the back of my head as though protecting me.
Then said to Sellir,
“Stop, Sellir……”
“Y-You, you—you’re saying that to me?!”
As betrayal trembled through Sellir’s voice—
Holloway grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Extenron.
“Don’t hug her without permission.”
“……Okay.”
Extenron became visibly dejected.
Exactly.
I’m not someone you can randomly kidnap.
I didn’t defend him.
Sellir watched the three of us and gave an incredulous laugh.
“What a beautiful sight!”
She’s complimenting us now?
Of course, even I had some social awareness.
I knew she was being sarcastic.
But here, the first one to get angry loses.
I cupped my cheeks and acted shy.
“Thank you. Did we really look that good together?”
“…….”
Sellir’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
[Holloway and Extenron think, ‘As expected, she has no social awareness.’]
Holloway leaned down and whispered beside my ear.
“Give the ribbon to Sellir.”
“Why are you helping?”
“Then don’t give it.”
“That isn’t what I meant. Are you sulking?”
Don’t sulk.
I won’t ask why.
I dug through my pocket and pulled out the ribbon.
Apparently the moment I touched it, Sellir had sensed it underground and come looking.
Each of these objects seemed to carry some personal story.
“That ribbon……”
“I found it by coincidence.”
Sellir clearly couldn’t say it belonged to her.
She pressed her lips tightly together and glared.
“Here. Take it.”
“It isn’t mine.”
“Really? Then maybe it belongs to Holloway.”
I gestured toward him.
Without saying anything, Holloway slightly bent at the waist.
I gathered one side of his hair, braided it, and tied the ribbon around it.
Sellir’s pupils shook violently as she watched.
Her trembling lips formed a word.
“You……”
You said the ribbon wasn’t yours first.
[Sellir feels as though she might cry.]
O-Over a ribbon?
I hurriedly untied it from Holloway’s hair.
Then forced it into Sellir’s hand.
“I was joking……”
One tear landed on the hand tightly clutching the ribbon.
[Looking at you and Holloway reminds Sellir of ‘that person.’]
She’s suddenly entering a flashback.
Sellir looked at me again.
[Sellir is shaken. Because of ‘that person,’ her heart temporarily softens.]
Who is this person?
How can they manipulate Sellir’s emotions so completely?
“Do you know what this ribbon is?”
“No.”
“If you saw Holloway’s true form, you’ve probably guessed what we are.”
“Ghosts bound to this island.”
“…….”
“I’ll stop joking.”
Sorry.
Stop glaring.
“……This ribbon was the final gift my older sister and brothers gave me. I thought it had disappeared……”
Sellir’s lips moved several times.
Then, in a tiny voice, she thanked me.
“Thank you.”
“Um……”
“Of course, this is only a momentary emotion. Payment for making me remember that person again after so long.”
Sellir wiped her tears.
And apparently the basement really was frightening her, because she clung tightly to Extenron.
This is when I should raise her favorability more.
But I had no idea how to do that with Sellir.
[Sellir personally revealed ‘The Secret Behind the Ribbon’!]
[As a result, Sellir’s story has been forcibly unlocked!]
It doesn’t even bother hiding whose story it is anymore.
Then again, at this point, what would be the point?
Ssssh……
Strength slowly drained from my body.
[Current Location: ‘Laboratory 8.’ There is no need to move. The story will automatically proceed!]
The three demons blurred.
My vision turned black.
[For smooth story progression, you will synchronize with the relevant person.]
[3 seconds until synchronization.]
[2 seconds.]
[1 second.]
[Beginning story.]
《XXX’s Personal Information》
【Girl’s characteristics: Surprisingly softhearted despite her appearance. Sharp personality. Easily hurt.
Does not enjoy crowds.
Has three older brothers and one older sister. No parents. All four siblings absolutely adore the girl.
Girl speaks harshly. As a result, she has no friends.
Believes she needs no one except her sister and brothers.
Magic: Highest grade.
Suitable for this experiment √
Note: Her family is in decline, so they are too busy earning money for vacations. Successfully lured them by telling them they had won an event.】
▶Conversation Log (Participants: Girl, Four Siblings)
‘Our little one, are you still sulking?’
‘This hotel is really famous! There’s tons of delicious food too. Stop being angry and have fun now, okay? Pleeease?’
‘Pfft……. Stop acting cute. It doesn’t suit you!’
‘Ah, she laughed!’
‘You’re even prettier when you smile, our little one!’
‘I’m going to eat a ton. Prepare yourselves.’
▶End Recording
《XXX’s Observation Log》
【The four siblings adore the subject.
Separating them will probably take some work.
Subject’s older sister recommends she make friends. Girl refuses.
Older sister recommends it again. Seems worried because subject has no friends due to her sharp personality.
Her personality would not be a problem if the family remained powerful, but the subject’s house is currently declining.】
《XXX’s Observation Log》
【Subject has made friends.
Unexpectedly, the new friends understand her sharp way of speaking.
Subject seems to have opened her heart to them.
Everyone accepts the girl as she is.
Subject is extremely happy.
Because these are her first friends, girl now focuses more on them than her family.
Summary: Subject has gained friends. Can probably use this to separate her naturally from family and abduct her.】
▶Conversation Log (Participants: Girl, Four Siblings)
‘Little one! Today, why don’t you come with us—’
‘I’m playing with the others today!’
‘What? You won’t play with us?’
‘You’re the ones who told me to make lots of friends!’
‘That’s true. We definitely told you to make friends, but why is our little one blushing? Is there someone you like?’
‘W-What are you talking about?! There isn’t! I’m leaving! Don’t look for me!’
▶End Recording
《XXX’s Observation Log》
【Today has been selected as the date.】
《XXX’s Experiment Log》
【Subject regrets her actions.
Repeatedly says, ‘I shouldn’t have done that. My final behavior shouldn’t have been like that.’
Apparently she regrets becoming angry that day.
State: Sharp. Defiant. Irritable. Increasingly difficult to conduct experiments.
Note: Subject’s irritability makes experimentation inconvenient.
Might be useful to let her meet her family one last time to break her spirit.】
▶Conversation Log (Girl, Four Siblings)
‘Sorry. We’re sorry, little one.’
‘We never should have brought you here……’
‘You, because of us……’
‘No……! It isn’t your fault! It isn’t!’
‘I’m sorry to leave like this……. We should at least save you. I’m sorry……’
‘We wanted…… to give you only better things……’
▶End Recording
《XXX’s Experiment Log》
【As expected, her spirit broke.
Even while dying inside the flames, the four siblings continuously apologized to the subject.
Even as their breathing stopped and smoke filled their lungs.
Terrible regret appeared across the girl’s face.
The sharp girl became quiet.
Instead, she began repeating something else.
‘That isn’t what I wanted……. That isn’t what I wanted.’
Her entire family is already dead, so none of them can hear her.】
《XXX’s Experiment Log》
【The ground shook.
I’ve decided to accept death.
But why—
even at a time like this—
can’t I stop thinking about that family?】
[Diary completed normally!]
[You will now hear the girl’s final feelings.]
The gag in the girl’s mouth prevented her desperate emotions from escaping.
The girl would rather they blamed her.
But the family she loved continued worrying about her until their final breath.
Their voices grew quieter inside the flames.
The girl broke.
The four people she loved most disappeared without leaving even a trace.
No matter how desperately she screamed and clung to them—
they never returned.
‘I shouldn’t have gotten angry……’
I should’ve spent more time with them.
I should’ve at least eaten dinner together.
Tears poured endlessly from the girl’s eyes.
[Everything was taken from the girl.]
Rage erupted.
Her insides twisted.
They slaughtered everyone precious to her merely to obtain her.
The girl could no longer stand how disgusting humans were.
The tears falling from her eyes turned red with blood.
‘I’ll never forgive them.’
The curse she spat while coughing blood felt so hot it seemed engraved into Evelyn’s heart.
[LOADING=͟͞(๑•̀д•́๑)…….]
[Completing ‘Sellir’s Past’=͟͞(๑•̀д•́๑)…….]
[‘Sellir’s Past’ story complete! (•̀ᴗ•́)و]
[Story Collection (4/7)]
***
[Synchronization released.]
“…….”
When I woke up, I was sprawled limply inside Holloway’s arms.
Tears streamed continuously from my eyes.
[The three demons watch you cry silently and have no idea what they are supposed to do.]
“I’ll do the crying, so all of you can just smile.”
The three demons’ expressions turned strange.
Sellir bit her lip and sharply turned her head away.
“How long are you going to keep crying?”
Holloway adjusted his hold on my limp body.
“Don’t know.”
It isn’t like the tears are listening to me.
Even after he fixed my posture, I still didn’t put any strength into my body.
I simply cried.
Holloway sighed.
Then placed one hand behind my head and pulled me closer.
Our faces approached.
I didn’t particularly care.
Something soft and warm touched the corner of my eye.
Then withdrew.
At the unexpected contact, my mouth opened and closed wordlessly.
Holloway remained perfectly calm—
as though asking what the problem was.
“We’ve held hands. Hugged. Slept together. I’ve even seen you showering. Why are you suddenly surprised now?”
Are those really the same thing?
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