"Um, Makoto-kun... what about Katsura-san?"
Yotsuba suddenly remembered her classmate, Katsura Kotonoha, whom she had met in the real world.
Seeing her standing there alone, looking at a loss, Yotsuba felt a pang of sympathy.
As Makoto's gaze fell on her, Kotonoha's heart tightened. She quickly looked down, not daring to meet his eyes.
Her long, slender lashes trembled slightly, like a startled rabbit.
Makoto scratched his chin and asked casually: "Do you want to stay with your boyfriend?"
"I, I... I don't have a boyfriend!"
Kotonoha lifted her head abruptly, her voice soft but her eyes holding an undeniable determination.
At that moment, Ito Makotou's expression was like that of a guy who goes to a concert with a girl only to be told she came alone.
"Kotonoha, you... ahhh!"
Ito Makotou tried to question her, but the movement pulled at his groin wound, and he let out another heart-wrenching scream.
Mr. Spencer, who had changed Tomoya's bandages several times the day before, looked utterly exasperated.
'Can't you guys with your injuries just stay quiet?'
It took a while for Ito Makotou to recover. Breathing heavily, he said: "Kotonoha, aren't we boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Kotonoha half-turned her head, thought for a moment, then said: "Ito-kun, I feel like I don't actually like you. I was just pushed into it by Sekai's influence..."
Kotonoha's situation, to use a phrase from Makoto's previous life, was like being forced into something she wasn't ready for.
She had always had trouble saying no, and since Sekai was practically her only friend at the time, when Sekai kept playing matchmaker for her and Ito Makotou, Kotonoha had reluctantly gone along with it.
Now, they had been in a cold war for a while, and after she transferred from Class A to Class F-
Kotonoha had come into contact with more people, not only Makoto but also Megumi, Yui, and the others.
Through the introduction of her younger sister Kokoro, she had gotten along quite well with Makoto's female companions.
Enlightened, Kotonoha increasingly felt that she had no romantic feelings for Ito Makotou.
Ito Makotou saw that Kotonoha, who was usually so weak-willed, now had an unprecedented determination in her eyes.
For a moment, he forgot the pain from his groin, and his chest began to heave violently.
"B-By what right? You agreed to be with me back then! Have you fallen for someone else?"
Hearing this question, Kotonoha, who had been relatively calm, finally showed a hint of unease on her face. "N-No..."
Ito Makotou looked at Makoto, who was grinning as he watched the drama unfold from behind, and barely stopped himself from yelling, "Was it him?"
But maybe because he no longer had his balls, his brain was working a bit better now, and he used his last shred of reason to suppress his anger.
"So, aren't you going to kill him?"
Makoto suddenly asked.
Kotonoha was a bit speechless. She recalled their first conversation.
'So you're still hoping for something like that?'
Kotonoha began to doubt herself, 'Did I really look like the type of person who would kill someone?'
Ito Makotou and Sekai were so scared they nearly wet themselves.
'We hadn't done anything to offend him!'
'Why was he so evil!?'
"Senpai, should I do it?"
Yu asked expectantly. He hadn't managed to kill Yukino, and he hadn't managed to kill Ito Makotou either.
After killing Eizan, it had been a long time since he had accomplished anything.
"Forget it. You killing him wouldn't be fun. It would only be interesting if she did it."
Makoto shook his head, pointing at Kotonoha.
Kotonoha: "…"
Sekai: "…"
Ito Makotou: "…"
Makoto thought for a moment and decided: "You'll be in a group with Hayasaka and the dumpling girls."
Although the Maid Quartet was relatively weak, they only had Mrs. Yuigahama as a parent figure, making them easier to protect.
Having two more roommates shouldn't be a problem, especially since these two also had decent combat abilities.
"This guy... is truly an embodiment of evil."
Shinichi gritted his teeth. Having lost both legs, he was now sitting in a wheelchair that Yukiko had procured from somewhere.
"Shinichi, keep your voice down."
Yukiko quickly covered her son's mouth, then looked at Eri, clasping her hands together with a smile: "Eri, of course our two families will stick together, right?"
Since they were children, whenever she needed something from Eri, she would make this face, and Eri had never refused her.
The news that Ran had defeated that crab monster in the real world had been reported. Yukiko felt that with her future daughter-in-law's protection, surviving ten years shouldn't be a problem.
However, when she saw Eri's expression, Yukiko froze. This was the first time she had seen such a cold look in her best friend's eyes.
"I don't think so, Yukiko."
Eri said solemnly.
Ran was startled: "Mother?"
"Don't speak."
Eri, who usually doted on Ran, gave her daughter a look, her tone brooking no argument.
"Yukiko, we mother and daughter are just ordinary people. We don't have much of a sense of justice. We just want to live a peaceful life."
As she spoke, Eri glanced at Shinichi, who had lost both legs but still had an unyielding look in his eyes.
Having handled countless lawsuits and seen all kinds of people, Eri could see through Shinichi's thoughts at a glance.
"That kid is definitely still thinking of going against Makoto. He's going to get himself killed sooner or later."
"Eri, how can you..."
Seeing the disappointed look in Yukiko's eyes, Kogoro felt a bit sorry for her.
After all, she was a world-famous actress… her ability to play pitiful was undeniably effective.
"If you want to be buried with him, go ahead. Just don't drag us into it."
With that, Eri ignored her daughter's pleading gaze and pulled her away.
Kogoro scratched his head but ultimately followed his wife and daughter. No matter how good his relationship with Yusaku and Yukiko was, he wasn't willing to die with them.
Suddenly, the Kudo Family of three was at a loss. This left them with no superhuman protection whatsoever.
Oh, no, there was one other family.
"Um, Nishikawa-kun, what about us?"
Alice looked at Makoto expectantly.
Oh, right, the Nakiri Family hadn't found a backer yet.
Even though her cousin had done that with Makoto, Erina was still quite reserved and embarrassed to ask.
Makoto looked at Alice, who was equally youthful and beautiful but had a completely different style from Erina: "Who do you want to be with?"
Alice's gaze swept over the Aizono sisters, Utaha, Yui, and the others.
She was caught in a dilemma.
Although she had tried to build relationships with these people during this time, it was too short. She wasn't particularly close to any specific person.
"Can we stay with you, Nishikawa-sama?"
Just then, Mana spoke up.
"Huh?"
Makoto raised an eyebrow.
"Makoto-sensei just said he was going to act alone to deal with the Control Devil. Are you deaf?"
Utaha couldn't help but retort.
Even she, who had just given him her first time, couldn't stay with Makoto. This old lady was thinking a bit too well.
Ignoring the hostility from the surrounding girls, Mana explained: "Nishikawa-sama, as you know, Erina and I can't eat normally because of the God Tongue. It's unlikely we'll find IV drips in this era. Without you, we won't be able to eat."
Hearing this, Erina also suddenly realized.
That's right. They had the God Tongue. Although they had survived this time thanks to Makoto's Genjutsu, what were they going to do for the next ten years or so in this world once he left?
"The chances of getting killed are high if you stay with me."
Makoto stated the fact.
He was going to deal with Makima, and using hostages to threaten targets was her standard tactic. Once she discovered he had these two with him, that evil woman would definitely exploit that.
"It's, it's okay!"
Mana gritted her teeth.
Even if Makoto said that, they had no other choice.
After all, staying with Makoto meant they could be killed by a Devil at any moment.
But if they left him, they would starve to death immediately.
"Alright, alright."
Makoto shrugged.
Since she had put it that way, what else could he do?
"Makoto, are you really going to take them with you?"
Airi protested.
Why? Her own family had grown up with Makoto, yet they couldn't act with him. What right did these women who popped out of nowhere have to such treatment?
"Don't fuss. There will be plenty of time to be together once we're back in the real world. In this world, it's too dangerous for you to stay with me."
Makoto patted her head. The warm sensation made Airi lean into him, whispering, "I, I get it. You have to make it up to me when we get back."
Yu also expressed his approval: "I think it's a good idea. Senpai would have no one to attend to him otherwise. It's good to have someone around. Besides, Senpai isn't close to this family anyway. It wouldn't be a loss if they died."
Mana: "…"
Erina: "…"
'What do you mean, 'wouldn't be a loss'!?'
They really wanted to sew that blue-haired guy's mouth shut.
Even Makoto found it hard to keep a straight face.
The original Yu was already incredibly blunt, always managing to get on Chika's nerves.
It seemed that despite his personality change, this trait had remained.