Chapter 407: In The System’s Name, Decoding Love’s Distortion

There was no magic in this world capable of granting everyone a happy ending.

Himekoji possessed no such power.

Therefore—

[Ding!]

[At times like this, it’s necessary for someone with such power to make an entrance!]

The abrupt notification tone echoed within his mind.

No, it wasn’t just echoing anymore!

By the time Himekoji regained his focus, his consciousness had already been forcibly ejected from his own mind by The System…

That’s right—kicked out!

His perspective became bizarre.

High and wide.

Level with the ceiling, like a surveillance camera installed above, gazing down upon Nanami, Mashiro… and himself.

Exactly! Himekoji could see Himekoji!

To put it simply—

His first-person perspective had shifted to third person!

How could this happen?

The thought flashed as he instinctively tried to move his body.

Yet, there was no response.

His consciousness had lost its connection to his physical form.

In other words…

His body…

Had been hijacked by that damned System?

Was that even possible?!

After acting so well-behaved for so long, The System suddenly pulled this massive stunt on him?!

But timing was critical right now!

This was the very moment he was supposed to truthfully confess his feelings to Mashiro and Nanami!

That resolve, hard-won after agonizing inner turmoil and pain, just barely managed…

So! Give his body back!

Himekoji burned with frantic anxiety.

Himekoji fought fiercely!

Surging forward with furious flails of limbs, launching headlong downward from above, aiming to reclaim control in one decisive strike.

Failure.

He passed clean through his own body.

That wasn’t the end. Momentum carried his homeless consciousness further, piercing through the cold floor. The force was so great his spectral form plummeted right through the third floor into the underground parking garage below…

By the time a flustered Himekoji drifted back upstairs, The System had already spoken for him to Mashiro and Nanami—

“Shiina, Aoyama! Please become my wings!”

Its arms were raised high like declaration banners, its expression sparkling with palpable glee.

Himekoji had often wondered what a personified System might look like; now, he had a painfully clear mental image.

But why…

Why did it have to wear his handsome face?!

So damn mortifying!

He wanted to die right then and there!

And the dialogue was utterly thoughtless!

The reek of a two-timing scumbag practically fermented and stank right through the screen!

This wasn’t his resolve!

Though fantasies like this had crossed his mind in dreams…

But they belonged solely in dreams.

Fleeting reveries meant to be forgotten upon waking.

Because… this was simply how the world worked!

If everyone acted solely based on selfish desire, everything would descend into chaos!

Greedy people craving harems of thousands, slick manipulators juggling partners, rivals scheming and savagely eliminating each other in a mad scramble for affection, backups violently overthrowing their primaries…

If so, if so…

Everyone would inevitably become blinded by bloodlust for love!

The world would plunge into utter disorder!

Yet… it hadn’t.

It remained orderly, cyclical, bound by balance.

For every instance of happiness achieved, one must pay—be it one person, or an untold multitude.

This was the world’s most brutal truth—

Gentle, yet merciless.

So…

Just what was this idiotic System doing?

Making him look like an imbecile too!

“Goddammit, take that ridiculous line back right now!”

Himekoji’s voice, burning with rage from his usurper seat, reached no one.

…

“Huh?”

Even the shock of learning Himekoji harbored feelings for them both paled against this moment.

Nanami stared at Himekoji, utterly disbelieving.

Mashiro too seemed lost, blinking in bewildered daze.

“Oh, didn’t quite grasp that? My bad, my bad, I’ll repeat it then—”

“Please! Date me simultaneously!”

“I wish to make everyone happy together!”

Words etched with The System’s will, accompanied by its demeanor and tone, proved unexpectedly… and powerfully compelling.

Like sparkling light.

No deception at all, even though Himekoji’s body was currently controlled by the System.

Because, the desire to make everyone happy was genuine!

Himekoji thought so too.

He just couldn’t find a way.

Dating multiple people at once? Of course that was impossible!

It wouldn’t bring happiness; in fact, it would surely backfire.

So! The System controlling his body used his most perfect and handsome demeanor to utter the worst, most terrible words!

“Shut up! Idiot!”

“What are you even trying to do with my body?!”

“Give my body back right now!”

…

As Himekoji desperately tried to throw himself towards his own body, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nanami and Mashiro both slapping the System in his face.

It actually felt good? That felt good?

“Get him good! Beat this jerk! This isn’t just perverted… it’s scum! Deserves a slap!”

Put more effort into it! Use more strength!

If they could knock the System dizzy with one slap, he might even be able to seize back control of his body!

SMACK!

They didn’t disappoint Himekoji’s expectations.

The sounds of palms striking cheeks came almost simultaneously, equally loud.

Himekoji was all set to sneer coldly as he waited to see the System make a fool of itself.

But the instant he tried to twitch his lips…

“Ow, ow, ow, ow… ow!”

He nearly jumped up and screamed.

Wh-what was going on?

Blinking in shock, he realized the view before him had somehow snapped back to normal.

The familiar first-person perspective.

In front of him—

Mashiro and Nanami, after slapping him, both turned their heads away and walked off.

So… he was finally back in his body?

Why did it have to happen right when he was getting smacked?!

“You freaking dog!”

Unable to hold back, he cursed out loud.

Of course, it wasn’t just the cowardly timing of returning body control.

What Himekoji was more furious about was clearly what the System had done by using his body.

[Oh no, I… am probably God.]

“Huh?!”

Shock hit him instantly.

It wasn’t the cringe-worthy, over-the-top line full of angst that made him gasp – it was the voice of the System Himekoji heard for the first time.

Not its usual cold monotone, not its typical robotic stiffness, completely unlike the familiar synthesized metallic voice he was used to!

It carried a hint of mockery, a dash of laziness, and a sprinkle of delight…

For the very first time, he felt he could hear something like human emotion in the System’s voice.

It sounded like a human!

“Wh-wh-what did you say?”

Only when he spoke did he realize his own voice was trembling.

[I said, I am God. Mmm, in your human terms, that should be ‘God,’ right?]

[Ah~~ That nap lasted a bit longer than expected. Lucky I woke up just in time, didn’t miss a pretty interesting show.]

“I… I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

This… wasn’t that same System!

The feeling hit him so strongly.

Even though the original System sometimes talked to him, the sensation it gave him was totally different from now.

[Don’t understand? Well, that’s alright. Honestly, I don’t quite get you guys either. So strange… there are actually things in this world I can’t comprehend.]

“What? Wh-what?”

The impression this System gave Himekoji grew stranger and stranger, its words harder and harder to grasp.

[Say, you like those two just now, right?]

“So-soso what?”

Before this moment, Himekoji would never have dreamed in a million years that he’d end up discussing feelings of all things with the System.

[From what I know, they like you too. You like them, they like you… so just mate together! See? Simple things, why must you complicate them?]

“Huh? Huh?! M-MATE?! Wh-what are you saying?! So GROSS!!”

He couldn’t understand why his cheeks were burning while talking to a stupid System.

[See? Told you… weird.]

“You’re the weird one! Just what did you steal my body to do earlier?!”

[Helping you~~~]

“Helping me my behind?! You almost destroyed me! Only a real scumbag could voice that obvious desire to date two girls at once!”

[What’s wrong with dating two girls? Isn’t it good? That just proves your love for both of them is real!]

“No! Not good at all! Can that even be called love?”

What the heck did a stupid System know?!

Even if Himekoji was a rookie in love, he felt infinitely more knowledgeable on this topic than this box of bolts.

[No, no, no, I must correct you there. Dating two… that is surely true love!]

“Hah?”

Himekoji was utterly flabbergasted.

[The love for both must be genuine! If even one was fake, wouldn’t it be much simpler to just dump that one?]

“Ah?”

Himekoji felt he must be going crazy, listening to a System hold forth on the topic of love like this.

[Hold on a second, I need to quickly sort through your human data on ‘love’ – bit groggy after waking…]

[OK! Got it!]

[Right then. Looking at your dopey expression, anything too deep would probably fly right over your head. Let’s keep it simple and easy.]

“Who are you calling dopey?!”

It was aggravating enough listening to this nonsense, now he was being insulted too? Utter crap.

[Alright, alright, stop fussing. Pay attention!]

The System’s voice suddenly turned commanding. Without thinking, Himekoji clamped his mouth shut and sat up straight.

Realizing it a moment later, he blushed, embarrassed.

He got intimidated by some phony System?! Ridiculous!

[For you human beings, love isn’t actually singular. It’s more like… a ranking list.]

[Take you, for instance.]

[Maybe that girl named Shiina ranks first in your heart? Or that Aoyama? Though it could also be that teacher you mentioned earlier… but really, none of that matters. What matters is this: your list probably has several names on it, and you can’t bring yourself to scratch even one off.]

[Therefore, racking your brains over whether you like A more or B more? Meaningless! Worrying about who’s on top of the list, who’s number two? Useless! The thing that actually matters, the thing that has value, the sole task truly worth all your effort—is to figure out… how to bring them happiness.]

[Because—]

[Love isn’t that single, unique thing. Happiness? That is the one true thing worth pursuing.]

Finishing its speech, quite pleased with itself, His Majesty ‘God’ System closed its metaphorical lips, seemingly offering Himekoji some time to… have a sudden, deep realization.

“You… you… you…”

It took a long while before Himekoji could squeeze out an incoherent sound from his slack-jawed mouth.

[So? You get it now? Hmph, as expected. This is the difference in enlightenment between me, a God, and you mere mortals.]

“You… you… you… Me… me… me!”

“I… I always just thought you were a perverted system! But now… now…”

“I see! You’re actually a scumbag system too!”

“What kind of crappy scumbag logic is that?!”

“Get lost!”

…