[Simulation complete.]
Toru felt just as conflicted.
The result this time was far beyond what he had expected.
It was his fault that he had not left his wife something to hold on to.
The first time he chose to date Kita, he had left behind a song after his death, along with a duet, a thread meant to guide her forward and give her the strength to keep living.
This time, because they had a daughter, Toru unconsciously overlooked that. He assumed their daughter could take his place and become the emotional support Kita needed.
He never imagined that…
After their daughter became independent, that foolish Kita would take her own life without permission.
What he found even harder to accept was this.
After her mother's death, lacking affection from family, and having lost the last elders in her life, their daughter fell deeper and deeper into grief and chose to end her life at the brightest age of all.
"Eight simulations, and this is the first time I've seen a total wipeout."
Kita, should I say this is exactly like you? Every time you manage to create something new for me.
Toru shut off the simulator, lay back on the sofa, and held the panda plush that Kitahara Shio had given him. The sorrow of losing one daughter had to be soothed by another.
Once his mood settled, he continued with the settlement.
[Game over!]
[The person is gone, yet the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze.]
[Your life was far from perfect. Your wife died, your daughter passed young, leaving endless regrets.]
[Simulation evaluation EX++ (after a 1150 percent bonus, original rating C)]
[Given the player's excellent performance, you may choose six of the eight rewards below.]
[1. Eye of the Succubus (can charm any creature whose physical abilities do not exceed the player's, forcing obedience. Duration depends on mental strength. Repeated use causes spiritual fatigue. Note: once charmed, a special mark called Succubus tattoo will appear on the target's abdomen and cannot be removed.)]
[2. Trait: Elegance (in all future simulations, this trait will be granted. Effect: initial affection from the opposite sex increases by ten points.)]
[3. Kita's final letter (her last confession of love written at the moment of her death.)]
[4. The love letter Kitahara Amane wrote to her father (her father complex was not just for show.)]
[5. Kitahara Amane's suicide letter (written in deeply expressive prose describing her despair. You will not want to read it.)]
[6. Mental power doubled (a powerful will that can break stone. Note: this is a rare option, appearing only with an EX++ evaluation.)]
[7. Ten billion yen (the power of overwhelming wealth.)]
[8. Physical strength doubled (the foundation of revolution.)]
So hard to choose.
There were too many things he wanted.
The Eye of the Succubus was his first encounter with a supernatural ability.
The effect was good.
Combined with the body strength soon to be 128 times the norm, the future looked promising.
Second.
A rare trait for free, tempting indeed.
Ten points of affection was no small boost.
And the next option…
His wife's final letter.
Toru felt the urge to pick it.
Even though he had not achieved a perfect ending this time, Kita's affection toward him had risen considerably in his heart.
After all, she was a foolish woman who would die for him without hesitation.
So foolish it was almost pitiful.
Forget it, he would think about that later.
Time to look at the other rewards.
Mental power doubled, a new and tempting child of an option, and the simulator had clearly marked it as rare. Hard not to choose.
He had never given up on doubling his physical strength.
Money…
Worthless as dirt, not worth discussing.
So now came the real issue.
His wife's final letter, or his daughter's final letter. Which should he choose?
A cruel choice where both answers were wrong.
Toru had no idea what to do.
Give up the daughter's love letter instead?
Choosing pain over sweetness, that would mean something was wrong with his head.
After thinking it through.
"One, two, four, five, six, eight."
This weekend, he would take Miss Kita out on a date, to make up for the regret of the simulation.
Toru nodded to himself.
Then he sent a message through Line.
A few minutes later.
"Ha, why was I rejected?" Toru frowned.
What was that woman doing now?
Playing hard to get?
———
The next day.
Early morning.
Toru stepped outside and went to the street to test out his Eye of the Succubus.
He had tried it several times last night and discovered that it didn't work on mosquitoes.
Strange, really.
It was nearly October, yet their numbers were not decreasing at all.
"When will mosquitoes finally go extinct?" Toru muttered as he looked around for a target.
Just then, a small black cat passed by him and caught his attention.
Alright, you'll do.
Toru activated the Eye of the Succubus. A red heart appeared in his right eye.
One second later.
The black cat stopped walking, then turned and approached the hem of his pants.
Rubbing against him.
"Come on, show me your stomach." Toru crouched down and tried giving the command.
Even though it was human speech, the black cat understood.
It rolled over, revealing its soft belly.
"...So strange."
A mark shaped like a heart appeared on the cat's stomach.
Toru rubbed the soft fur on its belly.
He figured he would probably never use this ability on a girl.
A few seconds later.
He tried lifting the charm.
The heart in his eye faded.
The black cat, once submissive, instantly grew wary again.
For the record, the tattoo on its belly didn't disappear, it simply dimmed for the moment.
"Meow!" The cat fluffed up, taking several steps back.
This weird human had actually touched its belly. Such a pervert.
It had met hundreds of humans, but this was the first time someone had handled it so forcefully.
"What's wrong, not satisfied?" Toru smirked and activated the Eye again.
The cat's gaze went hazy and it once more revealed its vulnerable belly.
Toru rubbed it a few more times, then canceled the charm again.
"Meow!"
The cat puffed up again.
Activate.
"Meow~"
Cancel.
"Meow!"
Activate.
"Meow~"
Cancel.
"Meow!!"
A few minutes later.
The black cat lay on the ground, the little female completely worn out.
This human was too strong.
She was going to end up molded into his shape.
"Hm?"
Toru noticed a bell around the cat's neck.
A sin indeed…
He could only hope its owner would not get strange ideas after seeing the tattoo on its stomach.
"What's your name?" Toru lifted the cat gently, his tone soft.
"Meow?"
The cat kicked its little legs.
This man definitely had something wrong with him.
"Shouki? Nyanko Sansan? Doraemon? Or maybe Shihouin Yoruichi?"
The black cat began to struggle and quickly broke free from Toru's hands.
She darted off the street.
Toru watched her fleeing silhouette and let out a small laugh.
The bad mood lingering from yesterday's simulation cleared up quite a bit.