The ink-black night sky swallowed all outlines of houses and trees. Above, the clouds loomed like mountain peaks, like crouching beasts—dark, massive, and unnerving.
I stumbled back home. Wait... had I forgotten something?
Right! Association method! Linking one thing to another through imagination—connecting similar shapes, related concepts, or shared traits.
I scanned my surroundings. A car... car... Tsurumi Misuzu!
Ah! I’d left Tsurumi Misuzu and the others in the car!
I sprinted toward the vehicle. This was private property, so parking here with windows cracked was fine. But thieves? What if someone spotted these flower-like girls? Or worse—what if the window gap was too small? Stale air, trapped CO2... suffocation!
My pace quickened. If all eight died, I’d mourn for ages. Maybe... read detective novels first? Study murder methods? Stage it as an accident?
I skidded to a halt beside the car, fumbled for my keys, and yanked the door open. Phew—all present. But with so many bodies, a quick count was safer.
“One, two, three, four... eight!”
Perfect. No extra goddesses. No missing ones. No drunk time-travelers in the mix. Good.
I scrambled into the driver’s seat. Misuzu sat beside me. Remembering my grim “what-ifs,” I jabbed fingers under her nose.
Breath! Warm, steady breath. No need to dig graves in my spacious backyard.
But I couldn’t test just one! What if she was the sole survivor? I’d be doomed. Dig a pit right here—bury the car, the girls, act natural... study criminal psychology!
No. Officer Reiji saw me on the road. She’s Misuzu’s friend. Cameras everywhere. Vanishing girls and a car? They’d trace it back to me. Impossible.
Focus. Check if they’re alive. No movement for so long...
I leaped out, flung open the rear door. The seven “golden flowers” lay exactly as I’d left them. My chest tightened. Eyes wide, I reached for the nearest girl—Sakurano Sakū. Fingers under her nose. Breath! Two safe.
One by one, I checked the rest. All breathing. The knot in my chest unraveled. I exhaled, long and slow.
Alive. Now to get them inside.
I dashed to the gate, swung it wide. No prying eyes here—no hotel-style stealth needed. Time was money. I’d carry four at once. Twice. Done.
I hoisted the nearest four—Sakurano Sakū, my class rep, Lin Chuxia, Watanabe Sachiko, and Takagi Megumi—like bundles of bedding. Most couldn’t manage four, but my strength held. (Could I lift all eight? No space to test.)
Strange... their limp arms suddenly coiled around my neck as I lifted them. My hands sank into soft warmth.
Trouble. High-stakes temptation. Skin-to-skin contact with goddesses sent a mysterious shiver through me.
No time for weakness! I hurried through the garden, foyer, hall—straight to the guest room.
My two-story villa had spacious guest quarters. Ten could sleep on the wooden floor—carpeted, clean, no risk of catching cold. Gratitude was the least they owed me.
I dumped the four on the floor and raced back.
This time, only three fit. Shimatani Chiyo’s tall frame took too much space. A choice: leave Misuzu or Chiyo behind.
Obvious. Abandon Misuzu first.
Who forced me to drink today? Her. Who lost the drinking contest? Her. Who made me overspend? Her. Who got me driving without a license? Her. Who let me... enjoy perks? Well. That part wasn’t so bad. Skip it.
