Chapter 128: This Isn’t a Development Game!

  Under Alex’s persuasion, Rika finally pulled herself together. She agreed to cooperate with Alex to prevent the destru of Hinamizawa. Naturally, Rika alsht up issues regarding a few of her other friends. Alex readily agreed to help—though ever since he had that dream, he couldn’t shake the illusion that Rena might have already pleted a "double kill." But... that was just a dream, right?

  In truth, if time allowed, Alex would genuinely like to try breaking the L5 curse without relying on medication, purely through psychological seling. After all, in the anime, Rena maain her sanity through her own strength. She was, in fact, the only character among the main group to break through her limits without aernal aids.

  Unfortunately, time was not on their side.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  "e in."

  "Excuse me, Teacher."

  Speak of the devil.

  Seeing Rena walk in with a lunchbox in hand, Alex felt a mix of emotions. Every day at noon, Rena would bring him lunch, and he hadn’t thought much of it before. After all, Rena had said it was her way of thanking him for helping resolve her issues with her father.

  But ever sihat dream yesterday, Alex couldn’t help but feel… there might be something a little off about a young girl bringing him lunch every day.

  Moreover, approag the protagonist uhe pretense of gratitude to gradually build goodwill… wasn’t that a standard trope in many romaories?

  But I’m not the male lead!

  "Teacher, I made peony rice cakes today. Please give them a try."

  Seeing Rena smile warmly as she handed him the lunchbox, Alex hesitated. This really was a tricky situation! Rena’s reasoning was fwless—if Alex were to reject her ht, it would make him seem overly self-scious. After all, she was just bringing him food, not fessing her love. Plus, he was her teacher…

  Not to mention, it might hurt her feelings… Fine, in a normal world, that wouldn’t matter much. But in this world…

  Damn it, who knows if ime she’ll bring a "special" lunchbox!

  "Thank you."

  Suppressing his internal turmoil, Alex still accepted the lunchbox from Rena. After a moment of hesitation, he asked her, "By the way, where’s Keiichi? Why didn’t he show up today?"

  "Keiichi? He has some personal matters to attend to, so he couldn’t e to school today."

  Hearing Alex’s question, Rena replied cheerfully.

  But Alex’s movements froze momentarily when he heard her response.

  Because he had heard these exact words in his dream.

  Could it really be like in the dream—did Rena kill Shion and Keiichi?

  Alex’s heart raced, but he kept his face calm. In respoo Rena, he merely nodded slightly.

  As the saying goes oer: "Outwardly calm as an old dog, but panig like crazy inside."

  After p all night, Alex came to a single clusion: no matter whether Rena had truly killed Shion and Keiichi, he absolutely couldn’t reveal even the slightest bit of distrust toward ail he saw their corpses.

  Especially Rena Ryugu!

  If you asked Alex who the most dangerous person in the Higurashi world was, Rena Ryugu would undoubtedly top the list.

  Her thinking, logical reasoning, judgment, and observational skills were all first-css, and her bat ability was also top-tier. In Higurashi: When They Cry – Kai, Rena had wielded her hatchet and fought through waves of people with decisive and calm efficy. Holy, if such a person were an ally, she’d be the ultimate team member.

  But if she were an enemy, she’d be terrifying.

  To some extent, Rena Ryugu’s abilities in the Higurashi world were parable to famous detectives like Edogawa or Kindaichi Hajime. Once she found a single fw, every subsequent problem would unravel before her.

  Ianagashi chapter, Rena had deduced the perpetrator’s entire pn nearly perfectly from beginning to end. Her only mistake was being unaware of the "historical reason" for the sisters’ identity s. And this dedu came with barely any iion with Shion—just through her daily observations and minimal external clues from the case.

  From a certain perspective, this made her even scarier than famous detectives. and Kindaieeded to iigate crime ses and collect evidence. Rena, however, could deduce the culprit without even stepping foot on the crime se. Her observational aive skills were simply otherworldly.

  This was why Alex absolutely couldn’t show any signs of wavering in front of her. If she had really killed someone, she might deduce from his behavior that he had discovered her as. If she hadn’t, and she noticed Alex distang himself, she might be so hurt that she’d… snap and grab her hatchet.

  This world is such a headache.

  So, in front of Rena, Alex maintained his usual demeanor. After all, he was a corporate manager who had faumerous press ferences and coordinated work among various teams. He had some experien keeping his posure. As a leader, no matter how chaotic things were inside, he had to appear calm oside. Who knew what would happen otherwise?

  Fortunately, Rena didn’t seem to notiything unusual about Alex. She cheerfully expined what she had prepared for lund chatted about how her father, after finding a new job, was rarely at home these days. While she was happy he was moving forward, she felt he cared too little about her as his daughter.

  "Holy, Dad’s been w overtime a lot tely. I keep telling him to take better care of his health…"

  "Feeling lonely?"

  "A little."

  Faced with Alex’s question, Rena revealed a faint, bitter smile, but she quickly shook her head.

  "But seeing Dad pull himself together, Rena is already very satisfied. Besides… for Rena, it’s not that lonely after all…"

  "Hm?"

  Hearing this, Alex raised his head curiously to g Rena. To his surprise, she was already standing silently in front of him, gazing at him ily!

  "Teacher?"

  "What is it?"

  Startled by Rena’s sudden closeness, Alex set down the lunchbox and asked cautiously.

  "Teacher… what do you think of Rena?"

  What kind of clichéd romance-game dialogue is this?!

  "Uh… you’re a very cute, lively, and fun girl."

  Alex couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at his own response. He wao say something different, but—this was clearly a loaded question!

  "Then… does Teacher like Rena? Do you like me?"

  "Of course, how could I not like su adorable student? Not just you—Rika, Satoko, and Mion too—I like all of you."

  As Alex spoke, he mentally buried his fa his hands. This isn’t a romance game, so why am I even responding like this?

  If Alex were to be pletely ho, Rena was defihe type of girl he’d sider as a potential girlfriend. She was gentle, cheerful, kind, and adorable, with good looks and a great figure—aside from her occasional hatchet-wielding mania, there were almost no fws. However, Alex wasn’t a teenage boy like Keiichi, proo jumping at the ce just because a girl showed i.

  What’s more, to Alex, this was merely a sandbox world. He had no idea how long he could stay here or whether he could take anyone from this world back to his maio him, it seemed better firl like Rena to live a normal and peaceful life in this world rather than face the dangers of his main world, no matter how vibrant it was.

  In truth, Alex greatly admired characters like Rika Furude and Rena Ryugu in Higurashi. But his feelings were closer to appreciation than romantic affe. Even if Rena fessed to him, the risks far outweighed the bes in his eyes.

  "Humph…"

  Hearing Alex’s response, Rena pouted slightly in distent, her wide eyes staring unblinkingly at him.

  "Rena likes everyooo—little Mion, little Shion, Satoko, Rika, even Keiichi… But Rena’s feelings for Teacher are different from the way she feels about everyone else…"

  As she spoke, Rena slowly leaned closer to Alex. He watched the girl approag, all the while frantically thinking about how to hahis situation. In stories or ahis would be the perfeent for someoo kno the door and break the tension, preventing things from esg.

  But… maybe Alex hadn’t bribed the author enough. Because as Rena closed the distaween them, no sudden knock or interruption came. The school remained eerily silent, as if the entire world was holding its breath to see how Alex would hahis dilemma.

  "Teacher… Rena… likes you, you know?"

  Fixing her unwavering gaze on Alex, Rena finally said the words that should never have been spoken.

  "It’s different from how I feel about everyone else. Rena doesn’t fully uand this emotioher, but just seeing Teacher makes Rena so happy. When I ’t see Teacher, I feel lonely. If I could, I’d love to take Teacher home with me…"

  Girl, that’s a dangerous thought!

  Her once-bright eyes began to darken, the pupils narrowing into reptilian slits as if some primal transformation was taking pce.

  "…Teacher, do you like Rena? If you like, you take Rena home too. Rena just wants to stay with Teacher, always and forever… Rena likes everyone, but Teacher is different. You’re so cool, so gentle, and you’ve helped Rena solve so many troubles… Rena really likes you. So, Teacher, what do you think of Rena?"

  By this point, Rena ractically pressing against Alex. He could faintly feel the warmth radiating from her body.

  If it weren’t for the dull, lightless eyes staring at him, this se could have been sidered sweet and romantic.

  But…

  Alex knew all too well that one wrong answer here, and he’d plummet into a pit of urn!

  Wait a sed…

  A sudden thought crossed Alex’s mind, and his eyes widened as realization dawned.

  So that’s what’s going on!!

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