I Was Reincarnated as a Nameless Combatant in a Japanese-style Fantasy Depressive Erotic Game, but the Women Around Me Are All Dangerous, and I Have a Bad Feeling about It

t.
It could lead to torture or being drawn by a saw.
Seriously, how could this guy managed to survive in the original work…
or perhaps he didn't have much interaction in the original work?

　”Hahaha, Hina-sama has indeed become quite impressive.”

　Kurou lets out a small laugh and shows a complex expression.
Since the commotion from back then, it seems that Kurou hasn't had a frank conversation with Hina, even after returning to the Onitsuki clan.

　”Is there still a grudges? I do talk to her a bit during her sword training.
After that commotion, I subtly defended you a few times, but…”

　It's understandable that Sarujirou's words become hesitant towards the end.
Since that commotion, Hina's position has changed significantly.
Although Sarujirou's position didn't change like mine and Kurou's, he probably couldn't casually meet with Hina anymore.
They must have been forcibly estranged.
Even if they occasionally bumped into each other, they couldn't have deep conversations.

　”No, it's fine.
It's inevitable for me to be resented by her.
…I suppose even if it angered her and got me burned to ashes, it wouldn't make a difference.”

　”Absolutely not.
Hina-sama wouldn't do something like that…
She wouldn't be so devastated, right? I'm sure Hina-sama would forgive you.”

　”…”

　Kurou silently gazes at me.
It's a look that seems to imply he's thinking something.
Sarujirou alternates his gaze between me and Kurou.
What's going on here?

　”…Enough of this gloomy talk.
Let's stop it.
We gathered together for a reason, and the atmosphere shouldn't turn dark! Alright, let's move on to the next game.
Yun-shoku, how much of that sweet sake is left?”

　”About two or three cups' worth, I guess?”

　However, both Kurou and I have only had a few cups.
Most of it disappeared into Sarujirou's belly.
We brought the low-alcohol, sweet sake as a souvenir since it's daytime…
but it's as good as the same thing.

　”Perfect.
For the next game, whoever has the lowest score will prepare the next round of drinks.
By the way, all I have is cheap sake!”

　”I don't even have any in my room to begin with…”

　”Don't worry, Hayama boy.
Yun-shoku there has quite a stockpile.
After all, he seems to have made a good impression on the wealthy merchant's daughter.
His room's cellar is overflowing with imported high-quality liquor.
…We'll work together to drain it.”

　”Hey, it's two against one!?”

　It was a sudden declaration of war.
And without mercy, the next round of the game begins.
From the start, all three of us have been cheating.
Moreover, I'm no match for Sarujirou when it comes to cheating, and being targeted by two against one ensures the outcome is already decided.

　…Well, that's how it goes.
I think it was quite a pathetic way to lose.

　”So, we'll have your good stuff, right?”

　”D*mn it! Ah, d*mn it! Fine, I get it!”

　With a click of the tongue, I put my mask and leave the workplace of the Curse-Tool Yunshoku.
Not as an escape but to secure the requested item.
…It's not what I wanted, but the truth is I've been heavily reliant on Sarujirou when it comes to tools.
I can't disregard the debt of gratitude and I didn't want to engage in an ugly conflict in front of Kurou either.

　”After all, this may be our final farewell.”

　With an uncertain lifespan, I didn't want to part ways with regrets…

　”I understand your sentiment, but I can't accept the current situation, Hayama boy.”

　As Yun-shoku (允職), his old friend, left the room, Kuga Sarujirou, munching on pickled vegetables, offered a cautionary remark.
Onitsuki Kurou nodded with a lowered gaze.

　”Although I heard about it from the esteemed advisor, it seems to be true.
Our memories are being manipulated.”

　The exact details remain unknown, and the reason behind it is unclear.
However, this is simply too appalling and cruel, isn't it?

　”What does Hina-sama think about this?”

　”Who knows? She refuses to discuss it, even in the slightest.
Perhaps her memories have been twisted differently from ours?”

　”That can't be…
Our Lord, manipulating Hina-sama's memories?”

　Onitsuki Yuusei, the current head of the Onitsuki family, is well-known for his excessive doting on the first princess.
Although he now conceals it, his favoritism before he became a vegetable was truly extraordinary.
It was marked by an intense and fanatical obsession.
That is why it is unimaginable that he would do something to Hina.

　”…But let me tell you, don't say it out loud.
If there's even a chance our memories are being manipulated, it could drive us insane.”

　If one were to suspect memory manipulation, it could lead to a lack of trust in everything.
People might fall into a state of paranoia, doubting even their closest relationships.
It would be unimaginable if someone were to go mad and take their own life.

　”Well, there's a possibility that our memories have been tampered with…
but that seems unlikely.”

　Manipulating and altering memories is not a foolproof technique.
Brainwashing dozens of individuals is not an easy task.
Even if brainwashing were possible, complex manipulations would be difficult to achieve.
There are numerous ways to gather evidence.
In that regard, Sarujirou had great confidence in his own memories.

　”…But why would something like this happen?”

　Kurou muttered with a grave expression.
If it was just about punishing the servant's fall, it would have been more than sufficient.
No, it would have been better to go as far as maximum punishment.
No need to go through the trouble of falsifying memories and then depraving the servant…
it's just troublesome.

　”Stop, stop.
Don't get too involved.
Especially you, it's not your place to get deeply involved.”

　Sarujirou warned Kurou.
The Hayama clan of Onitsuki clan were settled with the head clan's deaths.
However, it does not seem that Kurou has relaxed the vigilance of the head of the family and his faction.
Rather, it should be seen as strengthened due to the awakening of the Onitsuki clan's head, who had been in a coma for many years.

　”Are you going to throw away the position you worked so hard to attain? Besides, you'll also take care of the Renge (Hasuka) princess, won't you?”

　”Yes…”

　The inheritance of the Renge (Hasuka) family, devastated by the kappa incident, is still in dispute.