CHAPTER 42: EPISODE NIGHT CHAOS: TEARS, KAIJU, AND CUDDLES

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The mansion had never felt so quiet... and yet so loud.

Quiet in words.

Loud in tension.

I wasn’t even sure when it started—but somewhere after breakfast, the air between the girls thickened like pudding. Eyes followed me everywhere. Not playful. Not casual.

Strategic.

I tried escaping to the courtyard.

Didn’t last five minutes before I found Mei trimming the hedges with a katana.

"You’re gardening... with a weapon."

She didn’t even look up. "They respond better to fear."

I backed away—slowly.

The hallway was worse. Ayame and Rin were sitting on the floor, backs to opposite walls, exchanging sharpened smiles as they "casually" peeled fruit with unnecessarily sharp knives.

"Oh, hey, Ren~" Rin called sweetly. "Want an apple? Freshly sliced."

"With love," Ayame added. "Possibly laced with betrayal."

"I’m good," I squeaked.

I ducked into the library.

Only to nearly trip over Sora, who was lying on her stomach, legs kicking in the air, flipping through a book called Subtle Ways to Get Even.

"Hey, Ren," she sang, not looking up. "Do you like surprises?"

"...No?"

She smiled. "Good. You’re learning."

I noped out of there so fast my feet barely touched the floor.

---

By midafternoon, I’d taken refuge in the greenhouse, surrounded by overgrown vines and sweet, muggy silence. I’d almost relaxed when—

"Ren."

I jolted. Elira stood at the entrance, arms folded beneath her chest, wearing a fitted blouse that looked way too formal for a plant visit.

"Uh. Hey?"

"Tonight," she said simply, "is mine."

"I—Yes. I know. It’s still scheduled."

She narrowed her eyes. "After this morning’s... incident with Rin, I wanted to make sure you’re clear on boundaries."

"I didn’t initiate that," I said quickly. "She—"

"I don’t care," she said smoothly. "Because Rin did. And what’s done is done. But understand this—" she stepped forward, close enough for her perfume to fog my brain, "—I’m not competing for scraps."

"I didn’t mean to make it look that way—"

"You didn’t. But perception matters. And I intend to reclaim mine tonight."

She turned to leave, then paused.

"Oh," she added casually. "Bring wine. I’ll provide the music."

I blinked. "Music?"

She glanced back with a smirk. "Yes. We’ll need something soft for slow dancing."

And then she was gone.

---

I slumped onto a nearby bench, heart pounding.

No one knew about the system—but their instincts were terrifyingly in sync with it. One kiss and the whole harem ecosystem had shifted. Everyone was jostling for position again. I was the prize. And the battlefield was emotional affection.

Still—what could I do?

I couldn’t show too much favoritism. Couldn’t kiss anyone else. Couldn’t even talk too long with one girl without setting off alarms in the others’ heads.

I was in emotional purgatory.

Even now, somewhere behind the leaves, I was sure Mei was spying.

---

Later, I tried hiding in my room.

That didn’t help either.

A knock came.

"Ren?" came a voice.

It was Sora.

I cracked the door. "Uh—yeah?"

She tilted her head, innocent as a fox in sheep’s clothing. "You okay?"

"I’m fine. Just... resting before tonight."

She nodded. "Elira’s night."

Her eyes drifted to the side.

"I’m not jealous," she added too fast. "Just... curious."

"Curious?"

"About whether you’ll actually make it through six nights alive."

I opened my mouth—but she tapped her chin.

"Maybe I should prepare a eulogy."

Then she turned and walked away.

---

Ten minutes later, another knock.

I braced for another dose of sarcasm.

Instead: Mei.

Holding a tray.

"I made snacks," she said quietly.

"Oh. That’s... thoughtful."

"I also fixed your robe. It was missing a button. And I re-sorted your scrolls. And I fluffed your pillows."

"Mei... did you reorganize my entire room?"

"I wanted you to be comfortable," she said, setting the tray down. "Tonight is Elira’s night. But that doesn’t mean I stop being useful."

Before I could respond, she gave me a short bow and left—leaving the scent of tea and rose oil behind.

I stared after her.

"...I’m going to die," I whispered.

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📍 SYSTEM: Internal Emotional Balance at 54%

Suggestion: Diversify casual interactions before emotional loyalty shifts.

Note: You are not allowed to die until all bond quests are complete.

---

The moment I walked into the lounge, I knew I’d lost control of the night.

Again.

"What is this?" I asked, eyeing the mountain of blankets, snacks, and limbs tangled in every direction.

"We’re watching Kaiju No. 8, dummy," Akane said, popping a rice cracker into her mouth like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Season 2, episode 3," Ayame added. "Freshly released. Spoiler-free zone. You leave, you lose your right to complain."

"And your kneecaps," Rin muttered.

"...Okay then," I said slowly. "But whose idea was this?"

Elira cleared her throat, sitting primly with a wine glass in hand. "Mine."

"You scheduled your night and chose to invite everyone?"

She gave a very diplomatic shrug. "They insisted."

Sora, curled up on the corner chaise with a bowl of spicy popcorn, didn’t even look up. "She’s lying. I invited myself."

"I brought the episode," Mei announced, already tapping through her tablet. A glowing projection screen lit up across the room as she cast it onto the lounge wall. "Crunchyroll just dropped it."

"...You’re actually streaming this legally?" I asked, blinking.

She gave me a side-eye. "I may be a rogue, but I have standards. Besides, Sora’s account is premium."

Sora didn’t even look up from her popcorn. "Four devices max. Don’t ruin the algorithm."

"I’m watching under ’Sora’s Little Sister,’" Ayame muttered.

"I knew my recs were getting weirder," Sora snapped.

---

They somehow pulled me into the pile of blankets like a human sacrifice. I’d just gotten comfortable when Akane plopped herself squarely onto my lap like it was a reserved throne.

"Warm," she declared. "Good. I stay."

I looked at her, then at the others.

No one said anything.

But Ayame narrowed her eyes. Elira sipped harder from her wine. Rin was glaring at the rice crackers like they had betrayed her.

Mei just adjusted her seat and pulled the blanket tighter.

Sora?

Sora was suspiciously silent.

---

📺 Kaiju No. 8 — Season 2, Episode 3

Runtime: 22 minutes

Mood: Cozy warzone

---

The opening began.

Blazing visuals. High-energy battles. Kafka’s voice rumbling through the speakers.

The room was—at first—quiet.

Then Akane made a noise.

"Mm. His transformation’s still not working."

"Better animation budget," Mei said, deadpan.

Ayame threw popcorn at the screen. "WHERE IS HOSHINA?! GIVE ME HOSHINA!"

"You’re obsessed," Elira muttered.

"Says the one who has a wine glass for a cartoon."

"It’s anime, peasant."

"Royal witch, say that again!"

"Shh," Sora whispered, eyes locked on the screen. "This is the episode."

I turned my head.

She was dead serious.

And... oddly pale.

---

Six minutes in—the tone changed.

The battle slowed. Kikoru’s mother was on screen.

Flashbacks. Memories. Music.

A haunting piano motif began to play.

And I heard it.

A sniffle.

I looked around, confused.

Another sniffle.

Then a full hiccup.

It was Sora.

Tears were silently streaming down her face as she hugged her knees, eyes wide and glimmering.

"She... she loved her so much," she whispered.

"Oh no," Rin muttered.

"She raised her to be strong," Sora continued, "and Kikoru wasn’t strong enough to save her."

Her lip quivered.

Akane turned in my lap to look at me. "Do something."

"Why me?!"

"You’re the emotional support pillow tonight!"

Sora curled into herself. "It’s fine. I’m okay. I just... need a minute."

Mei handed her a tissue. "Here."

Ayame handed her three more. "For backup."

Elira uncorked a second bottle of wine. "Who wants grief wine?"

---

I felt Akane shift in my lap again.

She glanced up at me. "Comfy?"

"I guess?"

She leaned back more deliberately, resting her full weight against my chest.

"Let me know if your legs go numb," she murmured. "I’m not moving."

"You weigh nothing."

"You’ll regret that comment later."

---

By the time the episode ended, the room was a mess—but this time, it wasn’t from tears.

The screen faded to black, lingering on Kafka standing victorious over Kaiju No. 9, battle-worn but alive.

Everyone exploded at once.

"LET’S GOOO!" Rin shouted, launching a pillow into the ceiling.

"He actually did it!" Elira gasped, eyes wide. "Kafka finally transformed in time!"

Ayame bounced in her seat. "Did you see that punch? That was not regulation physics!"

Akane had stars in her eyes. "I want to marry that transformation sequence."

Mei rewound it immediately. "We’re watching it again. We have to watch it again."

Even Sora, still curled in a pile of blankets, grinned through a mouthful of popcorn. "Okay, this? This was worth surviving today’s drama."

She reached out blindly. I took her hand without thinking.

"We have to wait a whole week for the next episode," she whined.

"You’ll survive," I teased. "Barely."

"And maybe get a hug?" she added, eyes hopeful.

"You’ll get a hug," I promised.

"And a celebratory cookie," Ayame added, already rummaging through the snack basket. "Victory demands sugar."

---

📡 SYSTEM STATUS: Emotional Sync Widened.

All harem members: Active empathy spike.

[Hidden Trait Unlocked: Shared Grief = Shared Bonding Potential]

Risk: Oversaturation. Suggest: One-on-One time immediately following.

---

Just as I was processing that, Elira stood.

She extended a hand to me.

"Lets go to bed."

I froze.

Sora gave my hand a squeeze before letting go.

Akane growled but slowly uncurled from my lap.

Mei nudged me with her foot. "Don’t mess it up."

Rin smirked. "Good luck surviving royalty."

Ayame offered me a kiss on the cheek—for protection, she said. Then whispered, "She’s probably going to break you. But you’ll enjoy it."

"...Why does that sound terrifying?"

"Because it is."

---

I stood, still mildly dazed, and took Elira’s hand.

The others watched us leave with a mix of longing, jealousy, and mild amusement.

As the lounge door shut behind us, Elira leaned in and whispered, "Now. Where were we?"

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