This Is the Last Time

"The Class A graduation system at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School is only cared about by two types of people: those who look down on others like Koenji, and those who are focused on themselves."

Sakayanagi Arisu repeated what she had just said:

"Education is a platform. Many students admitted each year don't actually have the opportunity to enjoy the educational resources of ANHS. ANHS's teaching staff, club level, and even the students in Class A are among the best in the country, not to mention accommodation and other aspects."

"Once you enter ANHS, there are only two kinds of people left there."

"They only have eyes for the people in Class A, and only for themselves."

At this point, Sakayanagi Arisu also sighed helplessly:

"What I find unsettling is that the atmosphere fostered at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School only increases the number of the former type of person."

Kitagawa Ryo said with interest:

"So that's why Arisu wants to take over as the Chairman of the ANHS?"

"It's probably just an idea."

Sakayanagi Arisu shook her head and asked:

"Liang? What are your plans after that? What will you choose?"

It sounds like a normal conversation about life, but in this context, it seems all the more ominous.

He had said before that it was too early for children to talk about Marriage Contract, but the day had actually come.

In this somewhat silent moment, Kitagawa Ryo's phone suddenly rang. It was a text message from Yuki:

[Class is over for today! Let's have dinner together tonight!]

Sakayanagi Arisu, Yuki, having stepped out of the shadows of the White Room, chose to return there to live her life.

Go and become a teacher in the [new] White Room.

A teacher is not a drill instructor.

"I hate the drill instructors, I hate the White Room, but I'm also scared."

"I'm afraid of seeing another child like Liang."

With Kitagawa Ryo's help, she finally got the job a few days ago and became a teacher there responsible for teaching three- and four-year-old children.

There is no fighting involved in the course, and the children can play and romp freely after class.

The course doesn't use VR; you can simply go outside and see whatever scenery you want with your own eyes—the sky, the land, the sea, or even a snowfall.

There were no Cloth Mother in the classes, because the teachers' Affinity smiles were the greatest encouragement for the children.

Kitagawa Ryo put away his phone.

He now roughly understands why Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly decided to take over as the chairman of the Chairman of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School these past two days.

It seems the "war" between the ANHS Faction and the White Room Faction will have to go on for another ten years.

Chapter 121: This is the last time.

"Whoa, why is Ryo here?"

As soon as Amasawa Ichika, dressed in a high school uniform and carrying a schoolbag, opened her front door, she caught a glimpse of Kitagawa Ryo lying on the sofa in her living room, looking utterly hopeless and idly flipping through channels with the remote control. She was startled.

She is almost a year younger than Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu, so she is currently a third-year high school student. The reason she did not choose Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School is that she did not want to be confined there for three whole years.

Amasawa Ichika now lives alone. The Amasawa Family and she dislike each other. At first, the Head of the Amasawa Family had some ulterior motives, but after realizing that the person in question, Kitagawa Ryo, didn't have those intentions, he gradually let go and basically adopted a laissez-faire management style towards Amasawa Ichika, although he still provides her with living expenses every month.

As for Amasawa Ichika herself, she was content to be alone and have some peace and quiet. Anyway, Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu would come to visit her from time to time Amasawa Ichika also still remembered the Chess she lost to Sakayanagi Arisu in the White Room back then. Every time the two met, they would play two or three more games. So, life wasn't boring.

However, this was the first time Kitagawa Ryo had come without prior notice, which surprised Amasawa Ichika.

With a light step, she kicked off her shoes and changed into indoor slippers. Amasawa Ichika casually tossed her bag onto the shoe cabinet in the entryway, then skipped up behind Kitagawa Ryo. Shaking the silent Kitagawa Ryo's shoulder, she looked up curiously at the television, asking, "..."

"Hey, hey, hey, Liang, say something! This is illegal trespassing!"

"How come I remember that it was you Ichika, who begged and pleaded to give me the spare key, saying that it wasn't safe for a minor to live alone, and that I should come every two days to check if your vital signs were healthy?"

Kitagawa Ryo felt like his shoulders were about to be shaken to pieces. Ichika's strength was truly immense. Although the White Room had disbanded, she had signed up for several martial arts courses. If it really came down to a fight, he felt that none of the girls he knew could beat her. He guessed that only Suzune could probably hold her off for a couple of moves.

"Alright, then I won't pursue this matter further. So, Liang, what brings you to my house today?"

Amasawa Ichika also stopped, put her arms on Kitagawa Ryo's shoulders, crossed her arms in front of Kitagawa Ryo's chest, leaned forward slightly, rested her head next to his head, and asked with a grin.

"I just wanted to find a place to calm down; these past two days have really driven me crazy."

Kitagawa Ryo was still mindlessly flipping through channels with the remote control, perhaps without any program he actually wanted to watch, simply repeating this monotonous action, watching the lights and shadows on the screen flicker and change.

"Does Ichika feel happier loving someone, or being loved by someone?"

"Ichika felt that being loved by someone you love was the greatest happiness."

"That's probably the least likely scenario."

Kitagawa Ryo couldn't help but shake his head, his ear brushing against the strands of hair beside Amasawa Ichika's ear, feeling a little itchy.

"But I roughly know what's bothering Ryo."

Amasawa Ichika was quite confident. She withdrew her hand, stood up, and said:

"It's just that Ryo doesn't know whether to choose Arisu or Yuki. If she likes them both, then she can like them both."

"You really have a childish way of thinking."

Kitagawa Ryo Amasawa Ichika, and then sighed, saying:

"That's what I think too."

"Ugh, what an obviously scumbag's statement."

Amasawa Ichika retorted without holding back.

"Isn't this the suggestion you just gave me?"

"I was just saying."

She stuck out her tongue sheepishly, but Amasawa Ichika quickly raised her arm again and said:

"But if that's really what Ryo thinks, I can help!"

As she spoke, she nodded with considerable pride, her twin ponytails swaying back and forth.

"If you joined, things would really get chaotic."

Kitagawa Ryo covered his face and commented that the past few years of getting along with him had given him a full understanding of Amasawa Ichika's personality; he was probably a chaotic evil, or perhaps a fun-loving person.

He clearly didn't teach it that way in the White Room.

"Alright, then I'll just be straightforward."

Amasawa Ichika stopped smiling, seemingly sensing that Kitagawa Ryo was indeed troubled by this matter, and changed her tone.

"The reason things have turned out this way is simply because everyone is waiting for the cold to arrive."

"You want to possess what you like; even a child knows that."

"But no one dared to show it first, because they felt that it would only push Liang to the other side."

"So even though Arisu has the pretext of Marriage Contract, she won't pressure Ryo too much."

At this point, Amasawa Ichika couldn't help but smile. As Bystander over the years, she naturally saw things clearly:

"The poison of jealousy and greed is inherent in everyone's blood; it's just that no one wants Ryo to see the ugly side of it."

Amasawa Ichika hesitated for a moment, but still offered a reminder from her own perspective:

"Especially... Arisu."

As if afraid that Kitagawa Ryo would misunderstand, Amasawa Ichika quickly added:

"But I didn't mean to say that Arisu's feelings are bad. On the contrary, as a girl, I can understand her feelings better. In any case, Arisu would never hurt... or that's not what I meant."

Feeling that she couldn't explain herself anymore, Amasawa Ichika frowned in annoyance.

These feelings are inherently inexpressible; they cannot be put into language, nor can they ever be put into language. Once they are put into language, they cease to be the same.

"So it's all Liang's fault; Liang shouldn't be nice to everyone."

"This kind of behavior is even worse than that of a scumbag."

Amasawa Ichika stomped her feet in a self-deprecating manner as she spoke.

In the end, Kitagawa Ryo didn't get any truly useful advice from Amasawa Ichika.

Of course, it's also because Amasawa Ichika has never been Bystander.

Then I'll have to find a second person to ask for help.

"Hey, Firefly!"

Kitagawa Ryo lay on the bed, holding the cat in his arms high. Even though ten years had passed in the simulator, Hotaru's size and appearance had not changed. Strangely, the Sakayanagi Family did not find anything wrong.

Hotaru blinked her big eyes, seemingly feeling uncomfortable with being held up with her limbs spread, and broke free from Kitagawa Ryo's grasp. She then unceremoniously placed her four feet on Kitagawa Ryo's abdomen, letting out a soft cry.

"Meow."

"Sigh, after so many simulations, I still haven't been able to find a talent that allows me to talk to animals."

Kitagawa Ryo reached out and touched Hotaru's little head. This simulation had almost convinced him that Hotaru was a being with her own thoughts and consciousness.

So let's assume for now that Hotaru can understand.

With this in mind, Kitagawa Ryo shared his concerns with Hotaru, concerns that he couldn't express to anyone else.

"The only reason I'm so conflicted is because this is a simulation."

"And it might be the final simulation to complete all chapters."

"I'm not sure what score I'll get in the end, but passing the level shouldn't be a problem."

The objective of completing Chapter 4, [Arisu Sakayanagi's Spring Wish], is to "find the twisted aspects of Sakayanagi Arisu's personality and correct them," a goal that Kitagawa Ryo is quite confident about.

The simulator's criteria for determining whether a character passes the game are quite procedural. In his second simulation with Ichinose Honami, he was accidentally killed by his opponent, but he was still judged to have passed with a score of 68 because he had indeed found and corrected the turning point in Ichinose Honami's life, although it eventually twisted in another direction.

In this simulation, Sakayanagi Arisu health. Kitagawa Ryo estimates that this alone is enough to clear the game. Half of the psychological problems are due to physiological problems; the physiological and psychological are inherently one.

"The reason I call this the last simulation is because... well, I don't want to continue."

"Even if I only get a low score like that time, I'll finish the game as long as I complete it."

Hotaru listened intently to Kitagawa Ryo's narration. At this moment, in this world, only she could understand Kitagawa Ryo's words, and only she was there to accompany Kitagawa Ryo.

Sakayanagi Arisu's two simulations were the two most painful simulations Kitagawa Ryo had ever undergone, both physically and mentally.

The golden talent [Persistence] is not a panacea; often, it merely serves to maintain Kitagawa Ryo's rationality at its last shred.

"Actually, I've been feeling really tired ever since I found out that the memories from the simulation would be inherited by the protagonist of the chapter when the game is completed."

"I not only have to consider their feelings in real life, but also in the simulation."

Unlike Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei's two simulations, Kitagawa Ryo abandoned the mindset of a gamer and instead seriously treated each simulation as a real life experience.

However, starting from Horikita Suzune's simulation, the three lives she has lived in the simulation are already much longer than the days she has lived in reality.

On one hand, you know it's fake, but on the other hand, you need to treat it as real.

"So, I want to go back to reality."

Unlike Karuizawa Kei's second simulation, this time Kitagawa Ryo was not troubled by his disorientation and the huge contrast between the virtual and real worlds, but rather made a decision after careful consideration.

"Instead of thinking about how to make girls happy in a simulation, I'd rather achieve it in reality."

"A solution has been found for Arisu's heart condition, and we've also gathered information about Ayanokoji Atsuomi and the White Room. We should be almost done."

"Actually, if I could do it again, I should be able to clear the game much more easily, just like in that simulation with Horikita Suzune, where I could easily achieve a good ending and a high score."

As Kitagawa Ryo spoke, he scratched Hotaru's chin, and said somewhat dejectedly:

"But I can't, because if I did, I would be sacrificing someone's future."

"That's why I'm determined to make this simulation the last one."

Simulators only possess the power to change reality the moment you complete a game.

Kitagawa Ryo cleared Horikita Suzune's simulation on his first try, thus manifesting his [Heir of the Wealthy Family] talent, which led to him being designated as the heir to the Kitagawa Family and drawing him into the conflict between two factions.

However, failed or abandoned simulations do not possess this function; they can only be transformed into memories.