I, a Lonely Otaku Was Surrounded by Some of the Most Beautiful Girls on Campus and Was Called Riajuu Before I Knew It - Episode 61

Translator: AJ1703

Editor: Matsu

(**Kaito POV**)

“Kaito is so kind, isn’t he?”

　While we were walking home after leaving Alice-san and the others, Kirara suddenly said something like that.

　She looked up at me with a happy smile on her face, as if she was still happy that we were holding hands.

　I was bewildered by her, but I was hesitant to let go of her hand, so I tried not to show my emotions.

“I’m kind?”

　I asked her with a frown, wondering at her words.

“Yes. Even if Alice-san hadn’t brought up the deal, you didn’t really want to do anything to Aria, did you?”

　I scratched my cheek with my finger at Kirara’s words.

　I hadn’t told Kirara that I had obtained evidence of Aria’s insider trading and that I was going to hunt her down.　

　I don’t know if it was because of the atmosphere or because of the way she saw me in general, but she knew I wouldn’t do anything decisive.

　But the reason why I didn’t want to end Aria’s life was not because of kindness.

　Besides, it would have been more kind of Kirara not to punish Aria in any way after what she had done to me.

“It wasn’t kindness that made me decide to let her go, you know?

“Eh? Then why?”

　There were multiple reasons why I didn’t want to end Aria’s life, but the biggest reason was because she was Alice-san’s sister.

　Alice-san was my benefactor, and she was also someone I cared about.

　That’s why, no matter how bad Aria was, as long as she was Alice-san’s sister, I wasn’t going to push her to the breaking point.

　Alice-san herself wanted Aria to change her mind, but she didn’t want her to disappear.

　But there was no way I could end Aria’s life.

　It would be a betrayal of Alice-san’s feelings.

　However, I wouldn’t be able to honestly tell Kirara about this.

　If I told her about Alice-san, I would probably have to tell her about our past as well.

　So I’ll give her a different reason.

“In the first place, the person I made a deal with this time is Alice-san.”

“Eh!?”

　When I told her about my deal with Alice, Kirara raised her voice in surprise.

　I suppose that’s true, too.

　After all, this means that Alice-san had betrayed her own sister.

　…Well, no matter what the circumstances were, she still betrayed her…

“Alice-san wanted to help you, and she wanted Aria to change her attitude after this game. That’s why she made the deal with me and gave me the information. Without that information, we wouldn’t have won, and we wouldn’t have gotten proof of Aria’s insider trading. And of course, since it was a deal, Alice-san had set some conditions for us. This is what I told Kirara beforehand, that I wanted to be flexible with my compensation. However, although she didn’t say it, she also included a minimum guarantee for Aria.”

“What’s that?”

　Kirara looked up at me with her head tilted, unsure of what the minimum guarantee was in her deal with Alice-san.

　I wondered how much I should tell her, but I told her the truth as best I could.

“This time, Alice-san knew everything except that I had obtained the evidence of Aria’s insider trading. She also has the evidence to prove our insider trading. So if I had ended Aria’s life, she would have ended mine as well.”

　Of course, the true evidence that Alice-san has is that she can prove that I am KAI.

　After all, she knows all the accounts and websites that KAI uses.

　I’ve made a way for KAI to be involved in the game itself, but not in the purchase of the stock, but that won’t matter if Alice-san gets serious.

　That’s why I’m going to be proven guilty of insider trading and charged with a crime.

　But that doesn’t include Kirara.

　I didn’t give her any information about Byodoin Systems, and Kirara doesn’t know that I’m KAI.

　In other words, even if they questioned Kirara about insider trading, they wouldn’t be able to find any conclusive evidence.

　And if it was proven that I did the insider trading, I was going to disclose the fact that I was the one who brought the story to Shirousagi.

　―However, I don’t think Alice-san will ever reveal that I’m KAI.

“The evidence Alice-san has is proof that Kaito is KAI, right? Is Kaito, KAI after all?” 

　The fact that Alice’s mere mention of having evidence would lead to that idea, I guess Kirara is very smart and perceptive.

“That’s not true. I’m not KAI.”

　But I couldn’t tell her that I was KAi, so I shook my head and faked it.

“I-I guess that’s true…”

　When I denied it, Kirara nodded with a wry smile on her face.

　Perhaps she still doubted it.

　She knows I’m familiar with the program because of the incident with SakiHime.

“Kirara, do you know how Aria was raised?”

　To change the subject, I decided to tell her another reason why I didn’t push Aria to the brink.

“No, I don’t know. I’ve known her since elementary school, but we’ve never been close…”

“I see. I heard from Alice-san that she was also raised in a very bad way. I felt sorry for her because of how she was raised and I also wanted to make her change her attitude. But if I ended her life there, she wouldn’t be able to start over, right?”

　Kirara nodded as if she agreed with my words.

　I had succeeded in making Aria feel the same despair and abandonment as Kirara.

　Even if she didn’t have to end her life, just a moment of serious despair would have been enough.　

　However, I originally planned to give her the punishment though…

　But since Kirara refused to do so, there was no way I was going to tell her.

　But from the looks of it, she probably hasn’t changed her mind.

　I’m supposed to talk to Alice-san again tomorrow, and I’ll check on Aria then.

　…Will Alice-san be angry with me for committing three acts that the world will not tolerate…?

　I definitely wanted to save Kirara this time.

　I’ve also decided to use my life for the people around me, so I don’t really care what happens to me.

　I’m all aware that what I’m doing is the worst thing a person can ever do, and I think that’s fine as long as I can protect the people I care about.

　But― is what I’m doing really the right thing to do…?

　What’s the point of going through all the troubles of helping your loved ones if you’re going to be charged with a crime?

“Kaito…?”

　When I was alone with my worries, Kirara looked into my face with a worried expression.

“Ah― no, it’s nothing.”

　I quickly denied it, and Kirara’s face clouded over for a moment, but then she quickly smiled brightly at me.

“Hey Kaito― let’s get married!”

　She said this with a smile and hugged me around my neck.

“Oh, hey! Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“It’s fine! We’ve fought a battle for our lives together, so we’re destined to be together!”

“I don’t know what you mean!”

“I won’t let you go until you say yes!”

　Kirara declared, squeezing my neck even tighter.

　Because of this, the people around us were looking at me in an indescribable way.

　More than anything, I couldn’t keep my composure with Kirara clinging to me.

　I’m sure that Kirara was concerned about something that was bothering me, and she was paying attention to it.

　However― if she was concerned about me, she should have done it in a more decent way…

　In the end, I forgot about what was bothering me and continued to be swept around by Kirara―.