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Chapter 99: Yamada-san, Save Me!
🕑 Added 2025-02-09 05:59:35 +0000 UTC[In fact, she even thinks—if she and Takina were to marry the same man and become one family—it might actually be fun.]
Minami stared at this sentence.
Yes, he had already come to expect Chisato's wild imagination and eccentric personality.
But this?
This was on another level.
What the hell kind of chaotic mindset does this girl have?!
Minami considered himself a bit of a troublemaker too.
He enjoyed observing the drama from the safety of the simulation.
But Chisato?
She wasn't just watching.
She was fully immersed in the chaos.
And she was enjoying it.
And this girl was seriously confident.
Even though Takina's bond with Minami was getting stronger,
Chisato still firmly believed she'd win in the end.
She even planned out Takina's backup option—
"We'll just get married together!"
What kind of absurd thought process is that?!
Minami rubbed his temples, at a complete loss for words.
If Mika, the café owner who had raised Chisato Nishikigi all these years, had been present, maybe he could have reined in this reckless and unpredictable girl.
But whether in the simulation or reality, Mika—both the café manager and orphanage director—seemed to be constantly busy with something unrelated to Riko-Riko.
With a sigh, Minami shook his head in disbelief.
There was no denying it—Chisato Nishikigi was a girl who constantly surprised him.
Though, in this case, the "surprise" felt a lot more like a shock.
"Might as well keep reading."
Honestly, even with things turning out this way, Minami still didn't regret choosing Option Two.
He vaguely remembered hearing about a radio drama related to Lycoris Recoil in his previous life.
In it, there was a scene where Chisato Nishikigi and Inoue Takina worked as models, wearing wedding dresses.
At the time, Chisato hadn't resisted at all.
In fact, she seemed intrigued and excited about it.
Applying that to this world…
It wasn't all that surprising that Chisato could be this "open-minded."
With that in mind, Minami kept reading.
[The lively, golden-haired girl and the stoic, black-haired girl—one was your original target, while the other unexpectedly grew closer, becoming a companion and student.]
[You are neither dense nor oblivious, much less one of those unbearable, clueless light novel protagonists.]
[Naturally, you are fully aware of Inoue Takina's growing feelings toward you.]
[At the same time, you understand—no matter how much distance you put between yourself and Takina—this girl, who is outwardly cold yet fiercely persistent, will never waver in her affections.]
[And truthfully, you don't have the heart to coldly reject someone who is putting so much sincere effort into Riko-Riko.]
[Time continues to pass.]
[You continue helping at Riko-Riko in moderation while mentoring Inoue Takina.]
[Whenever you teach Takina, Chisato watches from the sidelines, grinning without a care in the world.]
[However, this time, whenever you feel tired, it is the ever-smiling Chisato who brings you coffee, and the normally reserved Takina who massages your shoulders.]
Minami blinked.
"Wait… even Takina is doing this now?"
Chisato was one thing—
But even the usually distant Takina was taking care of him?
That was a bit too much attention—even Kurumi and Mizuki were starting to take notice.
But… this peaceful routine didn't last long.
"Huh?"
Minami raised an eyebrow.
So this peaceful period had a deadline?
He had a feeling he knew why.
At the moment, the person requiring the most attention at Riko-Riko wasn't:
☒ Mizuki Nakahara
☒ Kurumi
☒ Chisato Nishikigi
☒ Inoue Takina
✔ It was Mika.
Minami took a sip of water and muttered:
"Could it be… Mika?"
Whether in reality or in the simulation, Mika had been conspicuously absent.
Now, it was time to find out why.
[This peaceful period does not last long.]
[Mika, who had been absent from Riko-Riko for extended periods, suddenly collapses from exhaustion.]
[After some frantic effort, you rush him to the hospital.]
[The doctor informs a worried Chisato and Takina that Mika's collapse is simply due to overwork, and that he will recover soon with proper rest.]
[While this news brings relief to everyone, it also raises questions in your mind.]
[What had Mika been so busy with that he worked himself to the point of collapse?]
[At your prompting, Mika—still lying in his hospital bed—finally reveals the truth.]
[It turns out that the orphanage's ongoing financial struggles had become a serious burden.]
[Mika had been traveling back and forth to Tokyo's Red Cross Society, desperately seeking financial aid.]
[However, the officials kept rejecting him with excuses—citing "incomplete paperwork" or "insufficient facilities."]
[Even after Mika painstakingly gathered all the necessary documents and met their every demand, they continued to push him away with further bureaucratic red tape.]
[No matter what he did, they refused to fund a struggling orphanage on the brink of closure.]
[The repeated denials, coupled with his already grueling workload, took a heavy toll on Mika—both physically and mentally.]
[Even someone as composed and patient as him eventually reached his limit.]
[The endless stress, physical exhaustion, and emotional strain finally overwhelmed him—causing him to collapse.]
Minami exhaled softly.
"So that's what happened."
Reading this explanation finally helped him understand why Mika had been absent—
It wasn't because he didn't care about Riko-Riko.
He had been constantly occupied with trying to secure funding for the orphanage.
But this raised a new question.
"If this was happening… then why didn't Mika collapse in the previous timeline?"
Minami brushed his bangs back, the slight sting on his forehead helping to sharpen his focus.
After a few seconds, he figured it out.
In the previous timeline, Minami had spent most of his time working at Riko-Riko himself.
Because of this, the café's revenue had increased significantly.
Mika had probably considered seeking help from the Tokyo Red Cross back then, too.
But since Minami was around, Riko-Riko was generating enough money, and Mika likely decided it wasn't necessary.
However, this time was different.
Since Minami had been focusing on training Takina, Riko-Riko's profits weren't as overwhelmingly high.
Mika naturally had to look for other financial solutions.
Thus, he pushed himself too hard…
And collapsed.
"So that's why he went to the Red Cross…"
With a nod, Minami pieced everything together.
It made sense.
From a business perspective, the Tokyo Red Cross wouldn't bother helping a small, unprofitable orphanage.
They wouldn't gain fame or financial benefits from funding Mika's institution—so they simply didn't care.
Now that he understood the situation,
Minami continued reading.
[It is now clear—Tokyo's Red Cross has no intention of helping.]
[Naturally, Chisato Nishikigi, Inoue Takina, and the other Riko-Riko members were deeply displeased.]
[However, they couldn't deny that if they could secure financial aid from the Tokyo Red Cross, it would significantly improve the orphanage's living conditions.]
[While they grumbled among themselves, you fell into deep thought.]
[After all, obtaining this nearly "free" money would greatly benefit the orphanage. You decided to—]
[Option 1: You heard that the current president of the Tokyo Red Cross is a woman in her 30s who has a thing for handsome young men. Perhaps, with a bit of your "incubus charm," you could easily take care of this issue.]
[Option 2: Tokyo's most beautiful young man will NEVER lower himself to a woman in her 30s! If he's going to be a freeloader, he'd rather live off Ijichi Sekai and PA-san at the club—ANYTHING but an older woman!]
[Option 3: Yamada-san, save me!]
[Option 4: Personally simulate.]
"...?"
Minami blinked at the choices and then fell into a long, long silence.
Somewhere along the way… this dating simulator had clearly gone off the rails.
By all means, he was a perfectly normal, physically and mentally healthy, upright, and morally sound young man.
And yet, this simulation…
Was shoving him onto the path of an incubus?!
What the hell was this?
Minami scoffed in disdain.
He had no interest in that kind of life.
His goal was a perfectly normal, happy, and wholesome future.
And yet, this "devious" simulator was clearly trying to drag his righteous, honest, and principled self down a very questionable path.
"Not happening."
Minami decisively dismissed the first two choices.
The first option was obviously asking him to flirt his way into securing funds from the Tokyo Red Cross president.
Given his looks and charisma, he had no doubt he could pull it off.
But the method?
Yeah. No thanks.
The second option wasn't any better.
It was essentially saying: "If you're going to be a freeloader, at least choose the rich, attractive club ladies instead!"
Sure, he had the ability to "mooch with dignity."
And honestly, the experience might not be bad.
But the orphanage's funding was a long-term issue, not a one-time cash grab.
Besides, both Ichiji Hoshika and PA-san had always treated him well.
He wasn't about to take advantage of them like that.
That left only one option.
With a deep sigh, Minami resigned himself to the inevitable.
He slowly turned his gaze toward the third option:
[Yamada-san, save me!]
Minami exhaled sharply, at a complete loss for words.
"Yamada-san… always reliable, huh?"
No matter the situation, her name always seemed to appear somewhere.
That said, this time, he did actually need her help.
For a simple reason—
Running a private hospital in Tokyo meant that Yamada's father naturally had incredible connections.
The Tokyo Red Cross frequently interacted with medical institutions, and a single favor from Yamada's father could easily unlock those funds.
Besides, Yamada-san had once mentioned that her father greatly appreciated Minami.
After all, it was Minami who helped diagnose his early-stage lung disease.
Asking for a small favor like this shouldn't be an issue.
"Being rich really does solve everything, huh?"
Minami couldn't help but reflect on Yamada's absurd wealth and connections as he selected Option 3.
[Selling your body to the Tokyo Red Cross president is out of the question.]
[Living off Seika-san and PA-san? That's just being a parasite—unacceptable.]
[You turn your gaze toward Yamada-san—the elegant, aloof, and ever-indebted blue-haired young lady.]
[If you could gain the support of her family, securing funding from the Tokyo Red Cross would be effortless.]
[Fortunately, you had already helped Yamada's father before, leaving him with a very positive impression of you.]
[Furthermore, Yamada Ryo herself seems quite interested in you.]
[With these two factors combined, asking her for help should be no problem.]
[To ensure success, you arrange a meeting with Yamada-san, preparing a meal so delicious that it would leave her speechless.]
[Faced with your gourmet offensive, Yamada Ryo doesn't last a single second before surrendering—immediately diving into the meal.]
[She has always adored your culinary skills, enjoys the atmosphere of being alone with you, and finds your witty remarks amusing enough to draw a rare smile from her usually cool and languid face.]
[So when you made your request, she didn't even hesitate before nodding in agreement.]
[However, in return, she proposed a condition.]
[She wanted a one-month unlimited meal voucher for Riko-Riko.]
[This wasn't a particularly difficult request, and after a moment of thought, you agreed.]
[Before leaving, she tilted her head slightly and held out her arms toward you.]
[You understood the message instantly. Though you hesitated for a moment, you still naturally reached out and embraced her slender frame.]
[Satisfied, she turned and left.]
"Man… the simulated me really has the potential to be a full-time freeloader off women, huh?"
Minami sighed as the simulated memories surfaced.
In his mind, he could clearly recall Yamada Ryo's face—her usual cool and emotionless expression subtly melting into amusement as she accepted the small gift he gave her.
This time, he had completely relied on Yamada to clear this financial hurdle.
If he hadn't met her earlier, he might have actually had to "sacrifice" himself a little to get those funds.
With a sigh, he walked over to a mirror, gazing at his own sharp, well-defined features under the soft lighting.
His brows furrowed as he harshly reprimanded himself:
"Minami, Minami! How could you let yourself become a man who lives off women?!"
The self-loathing was real.
But… considering that this was part of his "charm" stat, he reluctantly accepted it.
Sigh…
Good-looking people had their own troubles, too.
Even if he didn't actively seek a sugar mama, they still tried to force-feed him the soft life.
"What a pain…"
And then—
[Your "Narcissism" trait has slightly increased. Current level: LV3.]
"…?"
Minami blinked.
"Alright. That's enough nonsense."
Shaking his head, he ignored the notification.
After all, he was 100% sure that this simulator was malfunctioning—mixing up "confidence" and "narcissism" way too often.
For now, it was better to just focus on the simulation's progress.
He let his consciousness sink back into the flow of the simulated timeline.
[Everything that followed unfolded smoothly.]
[Yamada's father, who already had a favorable impression of you, found your request incredibly simple and agreed immediately.]
[With just a small show of interest from him, the Tokyo Red Cross immediately called Mika's phone and sent a confirmation text about the grant approval.]
[Seeing the incoming transaction notification so effortlessly secured, everyone was left in awe.]
[Mika had exhausted himself jumping through bureaucratic hoops, worn down his body, and still failed to secure the funds…]
[Yet, with a mere gesture from Yamada's father, the Tokyo Red Cross bent over backward to comply.]
[In the end, it only reinforced a bitter truth—this world is anything but fair.]
[Your continuous efforts to support Riko-Riko, your constant consideration for them… They had all noticed.]
[Mika, the 47-year-old head of Riko-Riko, openly wept for the first time in front of everyone.]
[With the Red Cross's financial aid secured, even if Riko-Riko struggled in the future and eventually closed, the children at the orphanage would still be well-fed, well-cared for, and safe.]
[But Mika wasn't the only one grateful.]
[Kurumi, who usually loved slacking off and playing games, never skipped work on days you were present.]
[Mizuki, who often drowned her frustrations in alcohol and complained about not finding a good man, began cutting back on drinking. Though she still enjoyed the occasional drink with friends, the destructive habits had faded.]
[As for Chisato… in her world, your place had already become irreplaceable. If you told her tomorrow that the sun rises from the west, she'd probably believe you without question.]
[Meanwhile, Takina's respect for you deepened with every lesson you gave her. More and more, the usually reserved girl began shyly asking questions like—"Do you prefer girls with black hair?"]
[Your bonds with them all grew stronger.]
[Gradually, you became a true "family member" of Riko-Riko.]
[Though the café continued running as usual, the stress and sense of urgency had completely vanished.]
[Without the orphanage's financial burden, Chisato and Takina could finally start thinking about their own futures.]
Minami exhaled in relief as he read through this portion of the simulation.
This was the right path.
After all, Riko-Riko wasn't originally created just to run a café.
Its real purpose was to generate funds for the orphanage.
But in reality, it had also become a cage that locked Chisato and Takina's futures in place.
Unlike the original Lycoris Recoil anime, where they were fully-fledged agents…
In this world, both of them had dropped out of school after their first year of high school to work at Riko-Riko full-time.
Now that the orphanage's financial struggles were resolved, and Riko-Riko was no longer in crisis,
it was time for them to think about their own futures.
Because at the end of the day—
A person's life shouldn't be shackled to a single café forever.
That applied to both Chisato and Takina.
Minami focused and continued reading further.
[For Takina and Chisato, words like "future," "dreams," and "tomorrow" had always felt like unattainable luxuries.]
[They had devoted themselves entirely to serving Riko-Riko. And because of Chisato's heart condition, they had never dared to think about the future—because they had never been able to see one.]
[More than once, they had imagined what life would have been like if they had never met you.]
[Perhaps Chisato would have succumbed to her heart disease, leaving Takina and the rest of Riko-Riko to struggle on, burdened by mounting bills and overwhelming pressure.]
[The orphanage they had fought so hard to protect would have likely shut down due to Riko-Riko's continuous financial losses.]
[In the end, they would have lost everything.]
[If they had never met you, that's probably how things would have turned out.]
[So now, as they stood at the crossroads of their future, they found themselves hesitating—unsure of what path to take.]
[Almost instinctively, their eyes turned to you.]
[Perhaps because women are naturally more emotional, or maybe because you had become the most important person in their lives, they both found themselves wanting to rely on you.]
[And not just that.]
[If they had to make a choice about their future, they would rather walk forward alongside you.]
[That night, as you were preparing to leave for home after your shift, they stopped you and invited you to their dorm.]
The simulated memory flashed through Minami's mind.
It was around 9:00 PM.
Finally finished with work, Minami was resting with his eyes closed, leaning back on a bench.
Not far away, Takina and Chisato hesitated, casting uncertain glances at him.
They weren't sure how to start.
They weren't sure what to say.
Just as they were struggling to find the words—
"Do you need something?"
"Uh..."
Hearing him take the initiative to speak, the two girls opened their mouths slightly, then sighed helplessly.
He really was impossible to keep secrets from.
They couldn't help but think—
"There's no one else who understands us as well as he does."
With that thought, they finally gathered their courage.
"Minami-kun, can you come to our dorm for a bit?"
"There's something really important we want to discuss with you."
Their tone was firm—unshakable.
[It's now 9:00 PM, and the two of them have invited you over. You hesitate.]
[After all, Riko-Riko's dormitory is strictly for women, with only two units per floor. No matter how you look at it, a guy entering their dorm at this hour doesn't seem appropriate.]
[However, this is the first time they've ever asked something of you. After a brief moment of thought, you nod and agree.]
[The walk from Riko-Riko to the dorm doesn't take long.]
[You enter, go up the stairs, and arrive at their second-floor apartment.]
[They turn on the lights, and you, unbothered by formalities, find a place to sit on the couch.]
[What you didn't expect was that, as soon as you sat down, Chisato and Takina immediately sat down as well—one on your left, one on your right.]
[Two distinct yet equally pleasant fragrances filled your senses.]
[It caught you off guard.]
[Frowning, you stood up and moved to a different seat.]
[But they didn't hesitate—when you changed seats, they followed, sitting beside you again.]
[This happened several times. Eventually, finding the whole process too tedious, the golden-haired girl let out a cheeky giggle and, without hesitation, grabbed your left hand.]
[Seeing her do this, the black-haired girl hesitated for a moment… but in the end, she also reached out and took your right hand.]
"You two better actually have something important to discuss with me."
Back in reality, Minami read this line and seriously questioned the true purpose of this "meeting."
It was 9:00 PM.
Two girls inviting a perfectly sane and rational guy to their dorm, claiming they wanted to "talk about something important."
Be honest.
It was just as suspicious as when guys in high school told girls,
"Hey, wanna come over to my place? I have a cat that can do backflips."
Everyone knew what that meant.
At this point, their intentions were as clear as day.
But...
Considering that Takina—who was normally so serious—was involved, Chisato probably wouldn't try anything weird in the simulation.
With that thought, Minami relaxed a little and continued reading.
[Held captive by two soft, delicate girls, you initially thought that, with your 7-point physical stat, escaping would be easy.]
[However, after several attempts, you realized that all of them had ended in failure.]
[It was only then that you noticed—not only did Chisato have an 8-point physical stat, but Takina's was also close to 7.]
[Realizing that escaping was pointless, you stopped struggling and simply looked at them.]
[At the same time, bright red eyes like flickering flames and quiet, violet-tinted irises stared back at you in silence.]
[You locked eyes with them, but despite the ambiguity of the situation, you trusted that neither girl would ever hurt you.]
In the simulation, the memory rippled like waves across an ocean.
Inside the Riko-Riko dorm, Minami sat calmly, his hands tightly held by the two girls.
On his left, Chisato's playful smile remained as mischievous as ever.
She even seemed to be testing her limits—subtly inching closer.
Meanwhile, on his right, Takina hesitated.
After a brief moment of indecision, her fingers lightly relaxed… and she let go.
Unlike Chisato, who was still grinning and clinging to him, Takina eventually backed down.
Seeing her behavior, Minami let out a small sigh of relief.
At least one of them was acting normal.
[He simply looked at them with concern and softly asked the reason they had called him over.]
[He could sense that, over the past few days, both Takina Inoue and Chisato Nishikigi had been feeling uneasy.]
[Takina, usually sharp and efficient at work, had been making small mistakes. Meanwhile, Chisato, always full of energy and smiles, would sometimes sit in a corner, resting her face in her hands, letting out soft sighs.]
[They would often glance at him from the side, as if wanting to say something—but in the end, they never spoke.]
[Hearing Minami Minami's steady voice, the two girls—who had just been quite assertive—began to soften.]
[After a moment of hesitation and contemplation, they finally told him the real reason they had called him over.]
[The issue that had been troubling them these past few days was actually quite simple.]
[Before resolving the financial crisis of the orphanage, they had never thought about what would happen after leaving Riko-Riko.]
[But now that the crisis had been successfully resolved, Riko-Riko's existence was no longer so crucial... and without Riko-Riko, what should they do with their futures?]
[They had no answer—only endless uncertainty.]
[Your sudden presence had been like a dam holding back a raging flood, giving them stability—but it also left them feeling lost about what came next.]
[And this time, just as you had always done, they hoped you would draw close to them, bring them warmth, help them figure things out, and make a decision on their behalf.]
[They would not doubt your judgment—nor would they oppose it.]
[Unknowingly, you had become an irreplaceable part of their world.]
[It was a truly remarkable thing—an experience unlike any other.]
[And even more astonishing was how much they trusted someone who had only recently entered their lives.]
[This is a decision with long-term consequences.]
"Oh?"
Reading this sentence, Minami Minami's real-world self suddenly became more attentive.
A decision with long-term consequences, huh...
