Munakata Nakoto asked, "What do you think my mother is like?"
"Madam Rurie?", Hikari thought for a moment before saying:
"Madam Rurie is a very good person. Beautiful, kind, and generous. Whether it was me, who got lost, or Tani, she was willing to take us in. She's really very kind-hearted."
"And her attitude is very gentle too. From beginning to end she treated us very well, always smiling."
"She also cares a lot about you, her daughter, and she treats Miss Ren, who is a maid, with a lot of respect."
"So no matter how you look at it, Madam Rurie is a very good person."
After hearing Hikari's evaluation, Munakata Nakoto suddenly let out a scornful laugh, then sneered.
"A good person? Heh, a good person?"
"Hikari-kun, you've been fooled by her!"
"She's not a good person at all. She has nothing to do with being a good person!"
"My mother… she's actually a lunatic!"
"Lunatic?"
Hikari frowned slightly as he looked at Munakata Nakoto, who was extremely emotional right now, her twin ponytails and chest shaking nonstop.
"You're saying your mother is a lunatic?", Hikari repeated to confirm.
"Yes!", Munakata Nakoto clenched her teeth and said firmly, "My mother is a lunatic!"
"Hikari-kun, I know you definitely don't believe me right now. But if you listen to everything I say, you'll understand."
"Many years ago, ever since my father died, my mother has kept me imprisoned in this mansion under the excuse of protecting me. She won't let me go out, and she won't let me attend school."
"No matter what I say I want to do, she won't let me leave this residence."
"Later on, I often heard her muttering scriptures and spells, and sometimes she would mumble to the air as if talking to someone. Her mental state looked very abnormal."
"In her room, I also found many strange things that looked like religious items. For example, blood-stained straw dolls, broken goat horns… So I suspect my mother has already been brainwashed by some kind of cult."
"Actually… even at that point, I wouldn't have called her a lunatic. What's truly insane is what came after."
At this point, Munakata Nakoto suddenly became even more agitated.
She lowered her voice, but it was still filled with intense anger.
"Not long ago, I accidentally overheard her muttering to the air again. At first I thought, like usual, that she was just chanting spells."
"But when I listened more carefully, I realized it was actually something related to me."
"Do you know what it was?"
"My mother actually said she wants me to get pregnant. And not sometime in the future. She wants me to get pregnant right now."
"She doesn't want me to get pregnant for the sake of continuing the family line or anything like that. It's for some kind of cult ritual. I'm part of that evil ritual, Hikari-kun. Do you understand how crazy that woman really is now?"
Looking at Munakata Nakoto, who was extremely emotional, clenching her fists tightly and even biting her lip until it bled slightly, Hikari felt a faint chill run down his spine.
Setting aside whether what she said was true or not, if he imagined things from her perspective, her father had died, and her mother had become a cult follower. Not only had she imprisoned her in the mansion, but she also wanted her to become pregnant for some ritual.
Just thinking about it really was terrifying.
As for Munakata Nakoto's words, Hikari believed that at least a large portion of them were probably true. That would explain why he had always felt something strange about this mansion from the very beginning, as if there was a gloomy atmosphere surrounding it.
And if that was the reason, it also explained why Munakata Nakoto had treated him poorly at first and even seemed somewhat hostile.
Sure enough, seeing the change in Hikari's expression, noticing that he seemed to be starting to believe her, Munakata Nakoto continued explaining.
"Hikari-kun, my mother has actually been trying to find an opportunity recently to make me pregnant so she can carry out her crazy plan."
"But the Munakata residence is located in a very remote place, so she hasn't found a suitable target, which is why she hasn't carried out the plan yet."
"But this time, whether by coincidence or not, the arrival of you two men happened to fulfill that crazy woman's wish."
"When she saw the two of you, she wanted to start implementing the plan. That's why she treated you so kindly. Because she's been plotting something against you all along, Hikari-kun."
"And at first I was worried that you might have been sent by my mother to harm me, so I stayed very guarded and treated you quite badly."
At this point, Munakata Nakoto finally explained in detail why her attitude toward Hikari had changed so drastically.
After hearing everything she said, although Hikari had basically understood the situation, looking at the hopeful expression on her face, even though he actually believed most of what she said, Hikari still asked, "Miss Nakoto, putting aside whether what you said is true or not, or whether Madam Rurie is really part of some cult."
"I have another question for you."
"That is, why did you suddenly decide to trust me so much?"
"After hearing your explanation, I understand why you were wary and hostile toward me at the beginning. But why did you suddenly tell me all these 'truths'? Aren't you afraid that I might go and tell Madam Rurie directly?"
Hearing his question, Munakata Nakoto explained, "It's simple. Because you just saved Sister Ren."
"Sister Ren isn't a bad person. She probably doesn't know about my mother's plan either. As for that guy Tani, anyone can tell he's not a good man. I never expected anything from him."
"But the feeling you give me, Hikari-kun, you seem like a good man. N-No, not because of your looks. It's more like your aura!"
"And from chatting with you before, that feeling was confirmed. Especially after you saved Sister Ren from Tani, I became even more certain."
"And besides… I don't really have many choices left," As she spoke, Munakata Nakoto let out a bitter smile.
"There's actually a bit of a gamble in my decision."
"I can't be 100 percent sure that you're a good person, Hikari-kun. And I can't be certain that you'll help me."
"But I really don't have any other way."
"Even if you don't follow my mother's plan to harm me and choose not to help her…"
"There's still another man in the house. That guy Tani clearly looks like someone who only cares about money."
"If my mother asks him to do something to me, he definitely won't show me any mercy. So I can only gamble. Gamble that you're a good man, Hikari-kun."
"Only if you're willing to help me is there a chance to stop my mother's plan. Only then might I escape from her control."
"Of course, I'm not asking you to take risks and help me for nothing. I'll give you an appropriate reward."
As if afraid that Hikari might think she was making empty promises, Munakata Nakoto quickly added, "After everything is done, I'll definitely repay you properly. You don't have to worry about me not having money. My father left behind a very large inheritance. When the time comes, I'm willing to give half of it to you as thanks for saving me."
Seeing the serious look on her face, Hikari tapped his fingers lightly on the desk and said, "If everything you said is true, then I'll help you."
"But whether it's your claim that Madam Rurie is a crazy cult follower, or that she wants her own daughter to become pregnant as part of some ritual… it's hard to believe."
"Words alone aren't enough. Miss Nakoto, how can you prove that what you said is true?"
Instead of being angry at his doubts, Munakata Nakoto seemed relieved.
After all, compared to someone who immediately promised everything without thinking, Hikari's cautious attitude seemed more sincere. It looked like he was truly considering helping her, and it also made him seem much more reliable than someone who recklessly agreed without thinking.
So instead of getting upset, Munakata Nakoto even said happily, "Hikari-kun, you just need to watch what my mother does later. Her behavior, and what she says to you."
"Before she reveals anything, you don't have to take any action. Just remember what I told you."
"But I'm almost certain my mother will reveal a flaw in front of you."
"Because you're far more outstanding than that guy Tani Ichiro. Based on what my mother muttered to herself before, the target for carrying out the plan to make me pregnant should be as excellent as possible."
"So my mother will definitely say something like that to you eventually. At that time, you'll know that everything I said is true."
Hearing her words, Hikari nodded, "Alright. I understand. I'll pay attention."
To be honest, although everything she said earlier was only her side of the story and couldn't be fully trusted, based on his previous observations, most of it could probably be confirmed as true.
For example, the black aura drifting around the house that he had seen earlier using his aura-observation technique. If it was connected to some cult activity, that would explain why the mansion felt so strange.
And perhaps Madam Rurie had ulterior motives toward them, which was why she treated them so kindly and agreed without hesitation to let the two of them stay.
Otherwise, for a noblewoman living alone in a mansion deep in the mountains, it would be hard to imagine her so casually taking in two men without any precautions, while maintaining such a friendly and kind attitude.
While Hikari was thinking about these things, Munakata Nakoto, who had been sitting on her pink bed, suddenly stood up.
She walked to the desk and sat down beside Hikari again.
This time she was just as close as before. In fact, even closer than when he had been tutoring her earlier.
"Hikari-kun, could you lean a little closer?", Munakata Nakoto suddenly said.
"Hmm," Hikari thought she had something secret to say, so he leaned his ear slightly toward her.
But instead, her pretty face suddenly moved closer, and her cherry-like lips quickly kissed his cheek.
"Miss Nakoto?", Hikari turned his head and looked at the shy-looking girl.
The twin-tailed young lady's face was slightly flushed as she said,
"Hikari-kun, you're the only person I can place my hope in right now. Please, you must believe me. Please help me."
"If you save Nakoto, I'll definitely repay you. I won't let you help me for nothing."
"Actually… not just half of my family's wealth. Even I… I can give myself to you as repayment, Hikari-kun."
As she said that, Munakata Nakoto suddenly leaned forward again and lightly pressed her lips against his.
The soft, moist sensation vanished in an instant.
Before Hikari could even react, Munakata Nakoto's whole body had already gone weak and tingly.
"Th-That was my first kiss!"
At that moment, nervous and shy, Munakata Nakoto lowered her head and pinched the corner of her skirt.
Seeing her face flushed red like an apple, with her neck and earlobes also turning pink, Hikari shook his head helplessly and said, "Don't worry. If things are really as you described, I'll help you."
"Mmm," Munakata Nakoto lowered her head and gently grabbed Hikari's hand, taking the initiative to place her soft hands into his palm.
The girl's hands, untouched by labor, felt like the finest soft jade. The sensation was so pleasant that it naturally made people want to play with them.
But Hikari didn't do much. He just looked at Munakata Nakoto, who was lowering her head slightly with a shy expression.
He clearly understood that maybe, just as she said, she didn't actually dislike him. She might even have a bit of affection for him.
But that amount of affection definitely wasn't enough for a pampered young lady like her to suddenly decide to offer herself so quickly.
From the books, homework, and her behavior earlier, Munakata Nakoto clearly wasn't stupid. On the contrary, she was quite smart.
Otherwise, someone who had been imprisoned in the mansion all this time wouldn't have been able to discover Madam Rurie's plans.
If it had been a slightly more foolish girl, she might have already been sacrificed in the ritual without even realizing what happened.
But Munakata Nakoto had clearly obtained a lot of information. Even though she described it casually, it was obvious that it hadn't been easy for her to gather it.
And the reason such a clever Munakata Nakoto was offering such generous rewards, even agreeing to offer herself, was probably because she was worried that even after learning the truth, Hikari might still refuse to help her.
Lightly rubbing the soft palm of the girl in his hand, Hikari wasn't sure why she seemed so worried.
Maybe Madam Rurie was very difficult to deal with.
Or maybe she was afraid Madam Rurie might use her even more charming and seductive appearance as a bargaining chip.
In any case, Munakata Nakoto currently looked extremely insecure, as if she desperately wanted to tie him to her side.
And seeing that even after she had placed her hand in his, Hikari didn't make any excessive moves and only gently rubbed the back of her hand a few times, appearing very reliable, Munakata Nakoto, who had been nervous inside, finally relaxed.
"Hikari-kun, let me tell you some more things I overheard from my mother before," Munakata Nakoto said.
"Alright," Hikari nodded.
Then the two of them continued talking about the Munakata residence and about Munakata Rurie over the years.
Munakata Nakoto had truly placed all her hopes on Hikari, so she wanted to tell him everything she knew.
And while she talked, she also gradually moved closer to him.
Eventually, intentionally or unintentionally, she sat on Hikari's lap.
Seeing the girl who had suddenly nestled into his arms while they were talking, Hikari lowered his head.
The beautiful young lady raised her head slightly as well. Her bright eyes looked misty, gazing at Hikari in a hazy way.
"H-Hikari-kun…"
The girl's jade-like arms slowly wrapped around Hikari's waist.
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