I Became the Final Subjugation Target of That Era’s Light Novel

I sent away the gathered Yakuza-dressed uncles first and entered the house.

Haaak!?

When we opened the door, Kuro, who was right in front of it, was startled and made a hak sound.

…Why is she here again?

Kuro… well, she doesn’t dislike human speech, but she’s not the type to be overly friendly like the so-called “cat-ninjas” commonly depicted in media.

You could say she’s rather annoying. She’s just your average cat that enjoys lounging around and being lazy, often depicted as finding anything troublesome.

It’s not like she would come to the entrance to wait for her owner when we went out.

“…Ah.”

She had scratched the wooden door like crazy.

…Oh, is that so?

Kuro had seen through Koko’s identity last time. Of course, it might just be that she heard something strange crawling from above, but if she could see the “something” beyond the door…

Yuka had mentioned something like that too.

“Kuro, let’s go inside.”

I said this and gently set Kuro down near the door.

“Meow.”

As if asking when she had made the hak sound, Kuro lightly meowed and settled down on the blanket.

…It’s a good thing my school uniform is black. Otherwise, I would’ve been in real trouble when the vacation ended and I had to go to school.

“Kuro!”

It seemed Koko also wanted to know when Kuro had made that hak sound, as she placed a Kuro doll in front of her. Of course, Kuro just glanced at it and didn’t bother to respond.

For now, I was trying to do something about the swelteringly hot room, so I headed to the window and opened it.

The heat didn’t escape immediately, but a faint breeze came in, and it did make it feel a bit better.

I silently sat down.

I hadn’t spread out a table or brought anything to drink or eat. But Kagami didn’t seem to complain about it.

I took a moment to organize my thoughts.

I had a lot of questions running through my head.

…Alright.

Let’s start with the first question that came to mind, and also the most important one.

“…I have something to ask.”

“Yes, please ask.”

Kagami said this without showing any fluctuations in her emotions.

Was it because she had already accepted the situation?

“That person from earlier looked a bit like you.”

“Right? I thought so too.”

Hah, Kagami sighed.

“Even though we’re sisters, I wonder if it’s necessary to look that much alike.”

“…”

I quietly stared at Kagami before speaking.

“…Are you twins?”

“Did we look that similar?”

Kagami tilted her head and asked.

“We’re three years apart.”

Hmm.

Maybe it was because I saw them from a distance, or maybe it was because Kagami was dressed up in a way that made her look that way, but they looked almost identical to me.

I ended up calling out Kagami’s name without realizing it after seeing her for the first time.

Rather than saying Kagami looked younger, that person seemed less aged. Or perhaps they were just hiding their face with makeup?

“You met Yamashita just once, right?”

“If you’re talking about that Yuu Yamashita, then yes, we met at the police station last time.”

“What about before that?”

“I saw his face, but I doubt he remembers me. I saw him when I was very young.”

Yamashita let out another deep sigh.

“My sister didn’t really like me getting involved in her personal affairs.”

It seems all the women around are jealous.

“If you’ve got a face that resembles him, then why wasn’t Yamashita surprised upon seeing you?”

“Hmm.”

Kagami momentarily fell into thought.

Seeing her like that reassured me a little.

The reason I felt relieved before hearing her answer was simple. It was proof that Kagami didn’t do anything mischievous in front of Yamashita.

So, for example, that she didn’t try to make Yamashita feel strange by evoking images of their mother.

Looking back, even if Kagami acted like she knew Yamashita, she didn’t seem to care too much about him.

If I really said I was Kagami’s daughter, then that would make me and Yamashita cousins. If there was some reason for me to deviate from the bounds of being human within that context, and if it had to do with the “Kurosawa,” then Yamashita would have the same reason coming up too.

I didn’t want that.

I’ve always thought it was a bit sad when characters in light novels get caught up in incidents and die.

It’s not that I have an extraordinary capacity for empathy or that I’m a good person. It’s just clear that if I was in that novel, my role would be one of those who get caught up to die.

What percentage of the world’s population dies? A nameless passerby gets stabbed and dies?

For someone like me, who had to carry or walk around people like that, it wasn’t exactly a funny description.

…My family also died like that, helplessly.

“Perhaps it was because the impression was different.”

“Impression?”

“Don’t you remember what I was wearing at that time?”

No, I remember.

I remember far too vividly, in fact.

The shoulders were exposed, the neckline was low, and the skirt was so short it might reveal everything with just a slight movement. The outfit was adorned with intricate patterns, making it impossible to find any trace of elegance.

No matter how you looked at it, it screamed “party girl,” and at its worst, it could very well portray me as a “hooker.”

Though it did seem like it had become a charm point for Fukuda’s father, I still thought it was just a little too revealing for my tastes.

“Moreover, I was heavily made up at that time.”

“…”

I silently stared at Kagami’s face.

She had a pretty face. Her eyes were somewhat narrow, but they curled in a way that made it hard to believe she had evil intentions at first glance.

Yet, characters with narrow eyes in these types of works often turn out to be the villain.

…

Ah, right.

Thinking back, Kagami had even opened her eyes wide then. That alone drastically changes the impression.

“If someone doesn’t know me, they might find it hard to recognize me, especially since I even greeted Yamashita as ‘President.’ I wonder if Yamashita ever thought of me as her mother?”

“…No possibility.”

You could say she might have thought that I resembled someone. Even if it didn’t show through facial expressions.

Or maybe I just didn’t realize it since I was too focused on Kagami. Regardless, seeing Kagami say this makes me feel like Yamashita probably isn’t heavily involved in this matter right now. That was a relief.

“And considering the appearance Yamashita saw at the time, it’s understandable that she wouldn’t connect it to me.”

“…What was it like?”

“Just think of an exceptionally well-behaved young lady.”

Kagami made a snort sound.

It seems our “Kurosawa” family is quite far from being “well-behaved.”

“When she was at home, she would wear kimonos every day, and whenever she sat, she would always sit properly. In front of men, she was quiet and demure.”

…

Saying that really sounds strange, but I could easily imagine her in such a way.

It seems Kagami could pull off a similar appearance if told to sit with her mouth shut in such attire.

“Her hair was always tied up, and her voice was always gentle. Yamashita said that she always spoke politely to her daughter.”

I see.

I can understand why she wouldn’t connect Kagami’s appearance to her, and also why she would still miss her mother if she thought of her as such.

…I think I understand, but.

“However, why the divorce…?”

Exactly.

No matter how strange a religion she might have had in the background, isn’t she a good mother and a good wife?

Well, thinking from my perspective as someone who isn’t Japanese, it seemed a bit odd. If a woman in Korea lived in a huge mansion wearing hanbok, served her husband, and spoke honorifics to her children, that would be… more of a ghost story than fantasy, right?

Yet, considering that people like Kagami and that sister exist simply because this world is a light novel setting, I shouldn’t think too seriously. After all, even in Japan, you’d only see such people in period dramas.

Moreover, if the partner was a crazy person from the start, it becomes even more persuasive.

“There are people with strong pride but low self-esteem. What kind of person would they become if their self-consciousness is inflated?”

“…”

“What if a person in a group always thinks they must be at the top? They believe they can. If they have the delusion that all the people around them look up to them and expect things from them?”

That…

What is it? Isn’t it a bit harsh to evaluate her like that just because she’s your sister?

But thinking it through, I wonder how Kagami acted when she was with people who are lower than her.

When you spend a long time together, there can be a lot of built-up resentment.

“If I objectively acknowledge it, my sister is indeed outstanding. All the accomplishments you know from our generation come from her head. However, it wasn’t to the extent of her expectations.”

It seems I understand a little.

I slowly nodded my head.

“Yamashita could not endure it. The Yamashita you know is a solemn and gloomy person in front of you and me, but she had a hearty side when having fun.”

That’s what she did when she greeted Fukuda at the police station.

“Moreover… with her profession, isn’t it? She goes around various places all the time for work. While she didn’t cheat, who knows what might have happened in her mind.”

Kagami spoke with a somewhat dazed expression, staring at the ceiling.

“And as she tried to become the perfect wife and perfect mother, the noise with the people around her became even worse. Just because someone uses honorifics doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily polite, right?”

“…”

Once she began talking, it was like a floodgate had opened; Kagami poured out her feelings.

I just remained quiet.

I wasn’t no longer uninterested. Rather, it was somewhat surprising.

Kagami had shown me an odd sense of familiarity until now. Of course, there had been times when she acted a bit closed off, and there were parts she deliberately didn’t share.

Perhaps because the story of her sister had crept in. Or perhaps it’s because it was something she couldn’t share with anyone else until now.

“Divorce was the first fracture my sister experienced. Not a small one, but a monumental split.”

“…”

“No one knows how she heard the news that Yamashita might remarry, but she knew what she did to that person, right? I wonder if that was the first time?”

Huh.

“I didn’t know back then. There wasn’t even proper evidence left.”

“This time there is evidence.”

“Now they must be thinking they don’t have to hide it anymore. It’s a warning of sorts.”

Is it like a mafia leaving a body in plain sight after killing someone?

“That’s how my sister got divorced, about five years ago. Even after the divorce, she continued various collaborations with us because we were the same cult. But then, about a year ago, she suddenly disappeared.”

If she made my body fifteen years ago, perhaps during that time, she waited for me to wake up. Koko was sealed away as a complete failure.

But this situation could either disprove all those predictions or reinforce them.

It’s wrong, yet it’s also right.

If the order were reversed, Kagami probably would have found her confidence and self-esteem, but the issue is that the “wrong” part came first, and now all that blame falls back onto Kagami, sitting at the top of the cult.

From her perspective, it must be a maddening situation.

“I think my sister must be rather overwhelmed by it all.”

“…It seems so.”

Indeed, her voice and tone conveyed a relaxed air as if warning that she could obliterate everyone who was there at that time.

But if that were the case, she wouldn’t need to come here.

Especially not as the leader herself.

And she even tried to crush Koko and me, whom she had created through her own efforts.

…That said, I also think she didn’t fully recognize Koko’s existence back then.

“What in the world could the situation be, and how is it evolving? She likely wanted to confirm it with her own eyes.”

And Kagami, upon arriving, ignored all of that.

…

Wait a minute.

“That person looked like you.”

“…”

Kagami’s gaze went back up again.

Her expression was somewhat dazed.

“My sister… I don’t really know either, at this point.”

“…”

I thought for a moment before shifting to another question.

“What do you think she’s doing out there?”

“I think she might have formed a cult that’s tightly wrapped around herself as the leader, but with others around her more obsessed than ever. Given how quickly results or something similar is coming out.”

“Same God?”

“Probably not.”

“…But they say they’ll risk their lives for the God.”

“Is that really true? I’m not quite sure anymore.”

She’s incomprehensible.

Even with Kagami, who shares the same blood, she’s reacting like this.

I’m not sure if there was a time I understood her, either.

“…”

“Do you have more questions?”

Kagami asked politely.

She’s always like this. If I ask, she’ll answer, but she won’t openly reveal what she knows first.

People can lie at any time. I don’t completely trust Kagami. I already know about her acting skills.

But it’s also true that this is the only information I can trust in this situation.

The highest person I know in the “cult” is Kagami.

To be more precise, she’s the only person I know within that cult. Koko, if she’s considered one of them, would change the discussion, but…

“…I mentioned that I was in a foolish state.”

“…”

While I hadn’t spoken much during Kagami’s explanation, this time it was her turn to be silent.

“How did I even get into school?”

And another thing.

“…How is the tuition covered?”

“……”

Kagami stayed silent.

However, it didn’t feel like she was withholding information out of desire to keep secrets.

Rather—

She was looking at me oddly.

“Actually, I want to ask you that. …Isn’t it related to that person?”

“…”

Ah.

That’s right; I remember now.

The body I’m using was referred to as a vessel.

Jjapgurasu clearly called it an avatar.

Given that…

“The tuition fees are being covered on our side. But to give you a false impression, I’m the one supposedly receiving government subsidies as the parent. So you don’t need to worry too much. …Oh, did you perhaps lose track of the story from the beginning?”

The notion of using the money collected from offerings for my life,

…

Well, even if that’s the case, the initial funds I had must have come from there.

“It’s quite intriguing, isn’t it?”

Kagami stared at me, her expression blank, which was a little scary.

“It’s strange to find someone who has common sense. If only that person had come down… You couldn’t possibly be like that.”

Kagami leaned slightly toward me.

Her face came closer.

Right, that’s true.

Kagami has been using honorifics with me, always answering when asked, and appearing to help when necessary, but Kagami is the person sitting at the top of this cult.

Even if it’s toned down, she’s fundamentally in a position similar to that sister.

But Kagami couldn’t quite approach me directly.

A few strands of black thread danced around us.

At first glance, it looked like it was flapping in the wind. The fan wasn’t on, but since I kept the window open to let in a breeze, it might have flown in because of that.

…No.

The breeze I felt was incredibly weak. It wouldn’t even lift my hair.

So this is—

“Koko.”

I turned my gaze toward Koko and spoke.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t?”

The fluttering hair settled down.

…This hair is the kind used when attacking that mass of flesh. Of course, it would easily pierce through human skin or bone. It would be perfectly suited for slicing.

I still believe that the people from the Kurosawa family are not ordinary humans.

I think that the possibility of my misunderstanding Kagami being Ni’ala Toyop is increasing, but until I can trust Kagami one hundred percent, it’s wise to remain cautious.

This is a world where all sorts of nonsensical things happen. It wouldn’t be strange at all if there’s someone capable of distorting human memories.

“I’m so scared that I can’t even ask questions.”

Instead, isn’t Koko the one being cautious of you?

Whether Koko survived that time or not is a mystery, but for now, Koko hasn’t shown any intent to kill Kagami.

More importantly, I have no idea where Koko’s “intent to kill” comes from. If she was being murderous toward humans, wouldn’t she have had the opportunity to kill me when I sat on her and wielded my kitchen knife earlier?

Is it possible that the amount of strength she’s capable of exerting depends on her size?

Ants can lift weights several times their own, but that doesn’t apply to humans.

…I really don’t know. Maybe it’s something she learned afterward. I had watched TV or played games in front of Koko, after all.

“So, is that all the questions?”

“…Yeah.”

When I said that, Kagami stood up.

“From now on… things are going to get busy. I’ll do my best to help, but since I can’t pinpoint exactly what plans my sister has, you should prepare yourself going forward.”

“…I know.”

I replied in a somewhat deflated voice.

Can’t we just live peacefully?

“Then.”

Kagami bowed her head to me and got ready to leave the room.

After watching Kagami’s back turn as she tried to exit the room, I realized I had forgotten the most important thing.

“Wait a moment.”

Kagami stopped in her tracks at my words.

Turning toward her, I asked,

“What’s your sister’s name?”

“…Kozuzu. Kurosawa Kozuzu.”

Kagami said, turning to face me.

“It’s a name quite fitting for my sister, I think. It means ‘little bell’ (小鈴), so it’s a tool for calling upon the God, right?”

After Kagami left, I pondered over that name.

I see. A tool to call God.

…From a young age, had she been raised for such a purpose?

I can’t imagine what kind of life that would entail, but I doubt it was a smooth one.

I let out a long sigh before standing up.

I should get ready to wash up and go to bed.

…I’m completely exhausted.

Tonight, I think I’ll definitely be able to sleep deeply without any dreams.

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