321 A scene of carnage

Yikes Back out, back out. So this is what they call a scene of carnage huh.

What is unfolding in front of my eyes is a womens battle. Imouto-chan and Ooshima-kun are carrying out a full-on battle over a single man. The look in their eyes is freaky. That look is the intent to kill! Youve done it, Yamada-kun! You sure are popular! This is whats meant by to be flanked by two beautiful women! In addition, they both look like poisonous flowers.

On one hand is the crazy psycho yandere bro-con imouto. On the other hand is the cool and calculating gender-swapped girl who knows everything about being a man. Whoever you choose it seems problematic. Whoever you choose seems likely to dominate you too. Do your best Yamada-kun! Ill cheer for you! I wont do anything tangible though!

Or rather, before all that, what should I do about this feud?

Do your best Yamada-kun! Ill cheer for you! I wont do anything tangible though!

Hey, its not my fault you know? The cause of all this is imouto-chan anyway. I think its appropriate for her elder brother Yamada-kun to resolve this! So, I shall leave everything to him.

While I had been talking about the truth behind the bombing incident caused by the Hero from two generations ago and the previous generation Demon King, I was being pestered by this chronic complainer. The chronic complainer called imouto-chan. In short, I demand to meet onii-sama.

Ive always had one of my clones with imouto-chan, but then she started talking endlessly to it like she was invoking some kind of curse. I figured that since she had cooperated so far that I might as well grant her that wish. With a ghastly appearance on the edge of insanity, she had grabbed my clone and continuously spoke to it okay? So scary! Even if this is just via one of my clones, it felt like a never-ending horrific whisper. I might have nerves of steel, but there is still a limit to things!

Basically, thats why I decided to grant that broken imouto-chans wish. Well, just letting them meet is fine I guess. Thered been a time when I had actually thought that. Indeed. Its true that imouto-chan was currently acting a bit unusually. So let me make the excuse that I never would have expected her to try killing him the moment she met him. After all, normally itd be unthinkable for the onii-sama supremacist imouto-chan to actually try to kill her onii-sama, right? At least it was incomprehensible for me with my sensitivity of a rather normal person. Eh? What do you mean Youre not normal? Thats not the case at all. Or rather, if youre going to object to something surely it should be Youre not a person?

While escaping from reality like that, I watch over the battle becoming more heated up. Imouto-chans ice magic and Ooshima-kuns fire magic are clashing and cancelling each other out.

Both of you! Stop this!

When theres a pause Yamada-kun tries to intercede, but even that seems to fan the flames of war. Ack. Was it a mistake to bring Ooshima-kun I guess? Well, you know, I had thought that Ooshima-kun might be able to stop the rampaging imouto-chan, okay. When I saw imouto-chan rush in to attack Yamada-kun, I decided to also hurriedly bring over Ooshima-kun. I never expected that would actually make things more chaotic. Why is this happening? Its weird, right?

Is it okay for me to leave already? You know, Ill leave the rest to you youngsters and all. No good?

I wonder why its come to this. When I thought I could clear up the problem with the troublesome imouto-chan, it mysteriously became an even more troublesome situation. Dammit. Yamada-kun, since youre her elder brother, I wish you had kept a firm rein on such a dangerous imouto-chan! Just whos the person who first brought in this powderkeg imouto-chan and created the current situation? Eh? Me? No, no. That is whats called a false accusation. You see, thats something Natsume-kun did and has nothing to do with me. Eh? I was the one controlling Natsume-kun you say? LALALA! I cant hear you! I cant hear you!

Fine then. From a practical point of view, imouto-chan becoming so fired up was caused by me. Well, once she shot her own father through the head, she likely thought that there was no going back for herself now. Her onii-sama didnt have romantic feelings for her in the first place. Since she commited that act right in front of her onii-sama, her hopes would have become incredibly slim. Hmm. While already on the path to betraying the Kingdom she was plagued with feelings of guilt, so I had Natsume-kun brainwash her, creating an established fact where she was brainwashed so that it couldnt be helped what she did though. It seems like it was pretty meaningless to try that excuse huh. I guess she felt completely trapped and overenthusiastically took action huh.

This is why its hard for me to make use of others. In my case, I only take efficiency into account and whether they live or die. For my plans, I dont take into consideration what others might feel or think about it. I cant take such things into account. I dont understand such things anyway. So I just ignore them. Even if something inconvenient occurs because of that, so long as it doesnt become an obstacle to my plans then I dont care. At least, thats what I had thought.

The time when sensei collapsed with a pallid expression. The Demon Kings expression at the time when she found out that Sariels interference was behind the bombing incident caused by the Hero from two generations ago and the previous generation Demon King. I cant help recalling their expressions in the back of my mind. Theres no way that I had taken action because I had wanted to cause such expressions.

Sigh. Even if Im told about friends and such at such a late stage, just what do you expect someone like me to actually do? I dont know. I dont get such things. Besides, the project is reaching the finale. Its far too late to rely on such things as the power of friends anyway.

For now, I guess Ill do something about this mess. Yamada-kuns been getting the short end of the stick anyway. Ill stick my nose in, though I doubt whether Ill be able to sort things out peacefully though, but its surely better than doing nothing.

Listen to me!

However, before I do anything, the situation changes. A moment before imouto-chans and Ooshima-kuns blades meet, Yamada-kun physically inserts himself between them, stopping them both. By catching their blades in his body.

Eek!?

ah.

Imouto-chan and Ooshima-kun gasp. Imouto-chans sword has pierced Yamada-kuns stomach and Ooshima-kuns sword has cut into the shoulder and is buried up to the collarbone. On top of that, Yamada-kun grasps both of them in his arms, stopping them from moving.

Please. I beg you. Listen to me. I dont want to lose anyone else. So so

I stop myself before I could move. Listening to Yamada-kuns heartbroken voice. I have no right to approach him because I have stolen many things from him.

Translation notes:

A scene of carnage the word used for this () can sometimes be used a bit like catfight (ie women fighting over a man) and also crunch time (typically for an author trying to meet a deadline).

flanked by two beautiful women this is from the phrase which literally means a flower in each hand but is often used to mean flanked by two beautiful women (or, having a pretty girl on each arm) though can also mean two blessings at once.

with my sensitivity of a rather normal person essentially the joke here is that Shiro is neither normal nor a person (human) and shes saying that calling her out on being not a person makes more sense than calling her out on being not normal.

Why is this happening? Its weird, right? think of Shiro saying this in a spaced-out tone.

Ill leave the rest to you youngsters the cliche place to use this phrase would be at an omiai (arranged meeting with strong possibility of marriage), when the adults leave to give the possible couple some space.