Making Three Girls Cry / Ayase, Let's Talk About Our Child ...

After a while, the door opened again, and the Kuro Neko, now dressed in her previous gorgeous black lace gothic gothic lolita dress, looked at everyone and said, "Ahem, what brings you here, brother?"

"You've already been exposed. It's no use pretending now." Kirino looked at the Kuro Neko and said mercilessly.

"Huh? What are you saying? I don't understand at all," the Kuro Neko said, turning its head away.

"Ruri, I happen to have something I'd like to discuss with you and Kirino. May we come in?" Shirou asked with a smile.

"What, you're too scared?" Kirino asked the Kuro Neko provocatively with her eyes from behind.

"Of course, there's no problem with that." The Kuro Neko frowned, glared back with sharp eyes, took two steps back, and made way for Shirou and the girls to come in.

The Kuro Neko's room was similar to Shirou's, but since she was a girl, she brought quite a bit of luggage with her when she came in. She had already decorated the room to her liking.

On the table sat a crystal ball for divination, next to a thick book with a glossy black cover adorned with skulls and dragons, antique-style fur paper, a quill pen with black feathers, decorations like crosses, and colorful herbs in a glass bottle. It certainly looked like something Kuro Neko would like.

"Welcome to my temporary workshop, please have a seat." The Kuro Neko spread his hands with an air of authority and said to everyone.

"Thank you." Shirou and the others walked in and sat down on the sofa in the room.

"Heh heh, I'll treat you to some newly acquired potions as drinks." The Kuro Neko walked to the table, picked up the glass bottles, and said with a mysterious laugh.

"Ah, I know this. It's a new herbal tea imported from Brexit Britain, right? Kirino, look, we saw it when we were shopping together last week. I've been wanting to try it for a while now," Ayase said with a smile as she saw the bottles.

It actually contains various dried flower teas. Don't be fooled by their purple and green color; they are all flowers that are good for your health and can be steeped in water to make tea.

"Ah, now that you mention it, these things look familiar. They seem to be products from there." Kirino suddenly realized, looking around at the furnishings in Kuro Neko's room. The crystal ball was just a transparent round glass ball, and the fur paper, black quill pen, and cross were all sets of products from the store aimed at people like Kuro Neko.

Kirino stepped forward and picked up the black grimoire.

"Stop! Don't touch that thing!" the Kuro Neko suddenly cried out in alarm, its expression changing.

"It's no big deal, let me take a look and I'll give it back to you." Kirino said, and directly opened the book. The book looked thick, but the last hundred pages were actually blank. It was actually a diary. She flipped forward and saw the words written with a quill pen.

"Oh, it's a diary. I didn't know you had such a hobby," Kirino said with some surprise.

"Stop! Shut up! You rude woman!" The Kuro Neko put down the water bottle and ran towards Kirino, trying to snatch the diary back. She said nervously because it was filled with her delusions.

"It's just a diary. If you don't want it to be found out, then you should have hidden it. Now that it's been discovered, you're just accepting your fate!" Kirino hid behind Shirou and read the words inside with a mischievous grin.

Chapter 713 made the three girls cry.

"He has appeared, the one I have been waiting for for a thousand years! In a distant past life, there was a legend of the world's destruction. There was a pair of lovers who were known as the strongest demon kings in history who defeated all the enemies in their way, whether they were heroes or gods who tried to manipulate everything."

He is the Dragon Knight, and I am the Dragon Witch. Although my memories are blurred due to reincarnation, the bond built through countless cycles of reincarnation thousands of years ago still tightly binds us together."

"In this life, the Dragon Knight became my blood brother. It's truly a cruel twist of fate. That wretched god of destiny, out of fear of our immense power and jealousy of our feelings, has cast a curse upon us."

But I will not yield. It's just the blood of one generation. Even if we can only be siblings and not husband and wife, it cannot change our bond. In the next life, and the life after that, I will appear by his side. Because I love him, Shirou ..."

Kirino held the diary, her voice growing softer and softer as she read; she began to regret snatching the diary from her.

The Kuro Neko crossed its arms and turned its head away, its face flushed red, its temperature rising until it reached its limit. It then exploded, "Yeah! So what! Is that a problem?! I just like Shirou! Don't think I don't know! You liked Shirou before too! What right do you have to say that to me?!"

"Hmm!" Kirino blushed and exclaimed, her secret thoughts exposed.

"Ruri, Kirino..." Shirou looked at the girls, unsure of what to say.

"Why can't you speak? Is this the kind of woman you are?" The Kuro Neko wasn't going to let Kirino off the hook, pressing her for an answer.

When Kirino was asked the question, she retreated repeatedly, her face turning pale. Finally, in despair, she shouted, "Yeah! Once you fall in love, there's nothing you can do! It's not something I can control! I liked him before, and I still like him now! I don't want to give him to another woman in the future!"

Kirino a mischievous and willful child, but to live in the circle of aristocratic children, she wears a near-perfect disguise. However, her true nature is that of a more straightforward, open, and freedom-loving girl. Everyone likes her behind the facade, but only with Shirou can she freely reveal her true self without any worries... To say she doesn't like him would be a lie...

Kirino cried out, her voice trembling with tears, "But what good is it? It's impossible now! What are you trying to hold onto with your delusions?!"

"It's not wishful thinking! That's exactly what I believe! It's none of your business!" the Kuro Neko shouted angrily.

Kuro Neko was a very sensible child to her mother, who ran a tailor shop. She understood how difficult it was for someone without a title to live in the noble quarter, so she helped the family without complaint whenever she could.

However, in her spare time, she also pursues her own interests, even if those interests are rather unique, namely the study of black True Magic.

Others didn't understand her, but Shirou accepted everything about her and was willing to listen to her thoughts, so she inadvertently fell in love with Shirou. However, reality destroyed her love completely.

The two women, who were arguing, had tears welling up in their eyes. It turned out that they were both under pressure and resentful of reality, yet powerless to change it. They could only pretend to be strong so as not to expose their vulnerable hearts.

However, during this argument, both of them finally voiced the emotions they had been suppressing.

"Shirou- nii-san..." Ayase glanced at Shirou, then sadly lowered her head again.

Shirou reached out and gently patted the back of her hand in a gesture of comfort. The situation was far too complicated; the mistake had been made, but no one was to blame. Even the protagonist in the story was completely unaware of it, so he couldn't be blamed, much less the girl.

Unfortunately, there's not much he can do anymore.

"Was I wrong? Or was there something wrong with the very act of me being born?" Ayase sobbed in a low voice.

"No, that's not it at all. I'm sorry I couldn't give you the happiness you wanted most, but I'm so glad I met you." Shirou stroked the girl's head and said softly.

Ayase could no longer hold back and began to sob softly. She was so suppressing her emotions that she was on the verge of collapse if she didn't let it out.

Shirou gently stroked the girls' heads, allowing them to release their inner turmoil. The dark energy surrounding them visibly diminished little by little.

After a long while, the three girls finally stopped crying.

Shirou spoke first, breaking the silence, and spoke his mind, saying, "It's true... hard to accept. How should I put it? Actually, I was very nervous when I came to this castle. My father suddenly passed away, and suddenly I became a nobleman with all sorts of rules to follow. I have a bunch of relatives I've never even heard of before, but they want to control everything, and then everyone's relationships become a mess."

"Hey, are you trying to provoke me? If you want to show off, can you go find someone else, big brother?" the Kuro Neko said, its gaze turning cold.

"Ha! You're a man, aren't you? This is nothing, you can just grit your teeth and get through it. Besides, you're the eldest son, you inherited the most family property and a title, so you don't have to worry about leaving here. What do you have to complain about?" Kirino angrily glared at Shirou and scolded him.

"But this isn't what I want. If possible, I'd much rather everyone stay in the city and get along like before." Shirou looked at the girls, met their eyes, and said sincerely.

Looking into Shirou's sincere eyes, Kirino's heart softened, and she said, "Well... how should I put it? Actually, ever since I entered this castle, I've been incredibly irritable, and I often can't control my temper. What kind of Earl's castle is this? It's practically a ghost town!"

"Me too... I had no interest in any of this to begin with, but they dragged me into it. They left me and my mother aside and now they suddenly appear, saying that only one of us can stay in the city! Who do they think they are!" the Kuro Neko said angrily.

"Well, it seems we've basically reached an agreement. Oh, right, Ruri, there's one more thing I wanted to ask you," Shirou said, nodding.

"What's wrong?" The Kuro Neko looked at Shirou with a puzzled expression.

Shirou came here not only to help her reconcile with Kirino, but also to find out what the black mist was all about. Perhaps the Kuro Neko, who likes black Magecraft, would know something about it.

"About that strange, ominous fog surrounding this castle," Shirou began.

Chapter 714 Ayase, Let's Talk About Our Children

"Black mist?"

"What is that?" The girls looked at Shirou in confusion. They clearly hadn't seen the black wall blocking the outside world, and therefore didn't understand the strangeness of the castle.

Shirou looked at the girls and said, "You've mentioned it before, haven't you? You've felt uncomfortable since coming here. While that's partly true, I think it's more than that. There's something unpleasant here affecting our emotions."

"Huh? No way? Really?" Kirino was skeptical, but after thinking about it carefully, she realized something was off.

"But Uncle Roswaal is indeed a very famous Grand Mage. Among the dark wizards I know, they speak of him with a mixture of respect and fear," the Kuro Neko said.

"And... we were indeed forbidden from leaving here," Ayase said, raising her hand.

"Ruri, can you tell me if there are any curses with similar effects?" Shirou asked the Kuro Neko.

The Kuro Neko, as if encountering a like-minded newcomer, revealed a delighted smile and said, "Hmph, since you've all become interested in black Magecraft, then I'll mercifully tell you."

Normally, such dangerous secret arts shouldn't be known to laymen. But as an exception, I'll tell you the trick here. To curse someone and make them lose their mind, the necessary materials are iron ore and mercury, mandrake, the blood of two chickens, and the eyeballs of three Kuro Neko ..."

"Have you tried this curse? What were the specific effects?" Kirino asked.

The Kuro Neko said irritably:

"Huh? How could I possibly kill so many small animals to cast a curse? Putting aside whether it's even possible, exchanging the lives of several adorable little animals for the life of a filthy human isn't worth it at all."

Although the Kuro Neko had learned some black Magecraft from the wizards who came to the shop, she had never cursed anyone who got in her way.

"Pfft! In short, you're just too useless. You can't curse anyone at all, right? I actually knew that from the beginning. You're just all talk." Kirino couldn't help but laugh, shrugging as she looked at the girl.

"What?! I'm the woman who volunteered to become a Grand Dark Mage! You fallen angel, Kuro Neko! One day I'll curse you and make you have diarrhea for three days straight!" Kuro Neko's face flushed red with embarrassment and anger as she glared at Kirino and cursed.

"Hmph! If you dare do that, I'll make sure you can't eat for three days! If I get diarrhea, it'll be your fault! Just you wait and see!" Kirino said fiercely, glaring at the Kuro Neko.

Wherever the two touched, lightning flashed and sparks crackled. Strangely, however, nothing remained on their bodies at this moment.

"Hmph, then tell me, what curses do you know that can actually be used? Curses that can be used!?" Kirino repeated herself twice.

"Of course!" the Kuro Neko retorted angrily.

"Anyway... why don't you demonstrate the curse so we can see it?" Shirou said, looking at the Kuro Neko with a puzzled expression.

"Ahem, well, let me introduce my most proficient curse," the Kuro Neko coughed, standing up as she spoke. In fact, this was the only curse she had ever used on a human—the curse of love.

The Kuro Neko straightened its clothes, smoothing out the wrinkles with a devout and attentive expression. Seeing this, Shirou and the others couldn't help but take it seriously, anticipating what kind of amazing performance the Kuro Neko would deliver.

"First, pick the flower that you see as soon as you walk 1,111 steps before leaving the house, and then pick it."

To use this flower for divination of one's love life, tear off the first petal and chant the incantation: 'He loves me! He doesn't love me... He loves me! He doesn't love me... He loves me!' and so on.

When the last petal is left, that's the result of the divination.

Ultimately, it depends on your own actions. Sincerity is key; if you approach it with skepticism, the divination results will be inaccurate. However, I suggest that when divining about yourself, begin with "love," and when divining about others, begin with "lack of love."

The Kuro Neko raised a finger and began to speak eloquently.

"Miss Ruri ..." Ayase looked at the Kuro Neko with concern.

"Okay... that's enough..." Kirino said, covering her face. So all that bluster she used to say she was going to curse someone was actually just these kinds of things...

"Kirino, do you understand?" Shirou asked, pressing down on the girl's shoulder.

"I know, I know. I'm so sorry for calling you a wicked witch before." Kirino stood up, faced the Kuro Neko, bowed her head, and apologized.

"Wait! Why apologize?!" the Kuro Neko exclaimed, looking puzzled. Although Kirino had bowed her head to her, there was nothing to be happy about now; rather, it seemed as if her research had been completely rejected.

In the end, the black Magecraft that the Kuro Neko had studied turned out to be nothing more than a superficial interest, completely useless, but at least it resolved the conflict between the two. Realizing there were no clues here, Shirou also took his leave.

After leaving the Kuro Neko's room, Kirino and Ayase were about to return to their own place when Shirou grabbed Ayase's hand, preventing her from leaving.

"Kirino, I have something I'd like to talk to Ayase about alone, is that alright?" Shirou said, looking at the girl.

"Hmph..." Kirino sized up Shirou, then looked at Ayase, and said, "Ayase! If he dares to bully you, just tell me, and I'll definitely kill him!"

'You've already killed him once,' Shirou thought to himself, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Yes, thank you, Kirino," Ayase said, looking at the girl with gratitude.

'Why don't you object?' Shirou thought to himself helplessly.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to hurt Ayase, just like I would with you, Kirino," Shirou assured Kirino.

"Hmph! Remember what you said." Kirino turned and left on her own.

Shirou took Ayase's hand and quietly walked to the other side. The castle was very large, but there were very few people. There were only the two of them on the long corridor.

"Brother? Where are we going?" Ayase asked softly, her face flushed, as she was being led by the hand.

Shirou stopped, and the surroundings fell silent. Shirou took a deep breath, slowly turned his head, placed his hands on the girl's shoulders, and looked earnestly at Ayase, saying:

"Ayase... I want to talk about our child."

Chapter 715 German orthopedic, Fearless to Death

"Shirou- nii... you know all about it?" Ayase's face turned pale as she looked at Shirou and stammered.

When Ayase first learned that she and Shirou were actually half-siblings, she felt like the sky had fallen. From that moment on, she felt extremely panicked every day because she was pregnant with Shirou's child.

Although it was her family who initially sent her to get close to Shirou, and the good deeds she and Shirou did were tacitly approved by her family. After all, they were a family of politicians, Shirou, as a relative of the Earl, was naturally a worthy investment target.

However, precisely because they are a family of politicians, they would not allow her relationship with her half-brother to be exposed, thus ruining the family's reputation, not to mention that she was pregnant.

Ayase was worried about her family finding out, but what she felt even more desperate was Shirou's reaction after finding out, which would force her to abort the child.

Before knowing this fact, she had always held the idea that she wanted to give birth to this child no matter what.

But after learning the truth, she was plunged into confusion and panic, feeling lost and helpless every morning. She dared not let anyone know she was pregnant, but as time went on, her belly grew bigger and bigger, and it was impossible to hide it for much longer.

If she loses her child, she doesn't want to live anymore.

However, if she gave birth to a child but was left without a father and without anyone's blessings, she would feel incredibly heartbroken.

What should I do?

What could she, a woman, do?

Pregnant women are already more sensitive, and the young girl's heart was gradually shrouded in an ominous atmosphere.

Despite being an incurable woman, Ayase deeply loves her brother Shirou, so she would never do anything to hurt him. If she had to hurt Shirou, she would rather kill herself.

But this time, Shirou won't let that happen again.

"Ayase!" Shirou took Ayase's hand, pulled her towards him, and embraced her tightly.

Whether in a story or not, if a man has already gotten a woman pregnant, it's really unacceptable for him not to take responsibility.