Chapter 12 Another Regretful Lifetime Plan
After school.
As Zuo was packing up, Suzuki struck up a conversation.
“To thank you for covering for everyone today, you can take that treasure home tonight and enjoy it!” Suzuki said proudly. “But remember to return it to me tomorrow!”
“Ah, I almost forgot about it without you mentioning it.”
Hearing this, Zuo suddenly recalled what had happened that morning.
“I don’t need it; you can take it back now.”
Zuo said as she opened her backpack.
But…
It wasn’t there.
The book that should have been here, with its flesh-colored cover, was missing.
Zuo turned around to rummage through the drawers.
Still, there was no trace of the strange book.
Suddenly, a chill spread from Zuo’s spine throughout her body.
Could it be—
When she came to her senses, Zuo had already rushed out of the classroom, heading straight for Class 2-A where Nagi was.
Leaving Suzuki behind, who was shouting in confusion, “Tsukimi, what’s going on?”
Upon arriving at Class 2-A’s classroom.
Through the back door of the classroom.
She saw an unforgettable scene.
It was Nagi sitting at her desk.
She was blushing fiercely, flipping through a certain book that was tucked in her notebook.
…..
…..
At the very beginning of planning the “Regretful Lifetime” plan.
A summons beast of Nagi had once proposed this plan.
This plan could be said to be the predecessor of what is now the “Regretful Lifetime” plan in every aspect.
Every stage aligned perfectly, except for the final step.
For example, becoming the childhood sweetheart of another protagonist from a young age.
Then maintaining a good relationship with him, gradually becoming the girl he loves the most in his heart.
Once he becomes unable to live without her.
The most critical step is—
To arouse the despair in another protagonist’s heart by being taken by a yellow-haired beast.
It must be admitted.
This plan has a strong impact in creating despair.
But for various subjective and objective reasons, several major problems exist, leading to its abandonment.
The main issue is:
Considering what she needs is a protagonist who will save the world.
Not a final boss who will destroy it.
This is the greatest shortcoming of this plan.
When the protagonist’s beloved childhood sweetheart is killed by a monster, he vows to take revenge for her and resolves not to repeat the same mistakes, determined to protect the world she once loved.
From motivation or action, it satisfies the desired outcome.
But if the protagonist’s beloved childhood sweetheart is taken by a yellow-haired beast… even if he awakens his powers, he would only kill the yellow-haired beast; instead of wanting to protect the world, he is more likely to want to destroy it.
Love is something that absolutely cannot be betrayed.
It is the protagonist’s future pillar of spirit.
This plan would destroy the most important love, bond, and justice.
Thus, it was discarded.
But at least for now.
Some steps of this plan can be borrowed a little.
To let Zuo experience the fear of almost losing his cherished beautiful childhood sweetheart.
To stir the unease in his heart
And take this opportunity to bring him back to the right path.
So here.
Let her maintain the character she has always portrayed, playing the role of a truly naive and unguarded childhood sweetheart.
Upon realizing that her secretly admired childhood sweetheart likes this kind of material.
“If it’s for his happiness, I’m willing to do anything~” Thinking foolishly like this, she steps onto the irreversible path.
A very classic trope.
Through her somewhat suspicious actions, with a sprinkle of details.
To make Zuo understand that he is in a situation where he could lose his cherished beautiful childhood sweetheart at any moment.
To prevent him from being unaware of this classic trope.
Nagi needs to pretend to show a “I understand you, everyone has the freedom to like what they like” expression after he discovers her looking at the small book, and then return the small book to him.
In doing so, he will surely curiously flip through it.
Is it regret?
Or is it indulgence?
Even if Zuo’s feelings are stirred to the point of bursting.
She currently also has a very appropriate excuse to soothe his heart and make him understand the benefits of pure love.
…..
…..
Time rewinds to when Zuo and Ling arrived at the café.
After Ling listened to Zuo’s brief explanation.
He took a sip of his already cold coffee.
“Are you an idiot?”
“I’ve deeply reflected on it.” Zuo lowered his head heavily.
The development of events was just as Ling had comforted Zuo earlier.
Nagi indeed forgave Zuo on the spot and expressed her understanding that “people have various kinds of preferences.”
But the prerequisite is—
It can’t be this type of material!
Zuo truly couldn’t forget how Nagi blushed while apologizing and returning the book to her.
Facing his own explanation.
Nagi had a face that said, “I understand, no matter what you like is your freedom, Zuo-kun.”
At that time, he was still moved by Nagi’s understanding.
Until he nonchalantly flipped through a few pages of the small book in his hand—
Zuo felt like he wanted to die right there.
He wished that Nagi could just yell at him then and there, even if it meant giving him a few slaps.
He was about to be misunderstood as a strange person by Nagi!!!
Facing a downcast Zuo.
Ling took the source of all evil from his hands, looked around to ensure no one was present, and casually flipped through it.
Soon his expression grew more serious…
After Ling finished reading the content inside, his worries were different from Zuo’s—
Because the content and plot in the small book were very similar to Zuo’s current situation.
“When a wife discovered her husband’s certain fetish, out of her spirit of dedication, she actively sought her husband’s friend to discuss the matter…”
Although Ling wanted to convince himself that no one in reality would be foolish enough to imitate such a small book.
But upon thinking about it, if it were Nagi…
Zuo also noticed that Ling’s expression was off.
He originally just wanted to come out to vent his frustrations to Ling and conveniently ask how to restore his image in Nagi’s heart.
Now it seemed something was wrong.
After thinking for a while, Ling also decided to no longer hide and voiced the worries in his heart to Zuo.
Both had read the small book in front of them and understood Nagi’s character.
So when Ling pointed out what he was worried about.
Silence permeated the space between them.
“I, I’m going to explain it to Nagi again right now!” Zuo snapped back to reality, extremely anxious.
—Now is not the time to worry about his own pride.
—If Nagi really took the initiative to embrace those bad men because of his mistake…
“Zuo-kun, that’s someone else’s boyfriend~” Nagi, who had dyed her hair blonde and tanned, was intimately clinging to the arm of some unfamiliar muscular blonde man, coaxingly flattering him.
Just thinking about it made Zuo’s stomach twist in pain, his whole body felt cold and his limbs went numb.
And if all of this was caused by his own hand—
His stomach surged.
“Wait, Zuo, I understand your feelings, but be careful; it might have the opposite effect!”
At this moment, a still relatively calm Ling spoke up to stop Zuo.
Because in the small book, it also developed this way.
The husband who was always clarifying to his wife was actually urging her to cheat.
He could not make the same mistake here.
“So I’ll take care of this; after school tomorrow, I’ll subtly explain it to Nagi for you!”
“Ling—!” Zuo was touched upon hearing this.
But just then.
Ling’s phone on the table received a message.
The vibration and lit-up screen attracted both Zuo and Ling’s attention.
It was a private message from Nagi to Ling.
“Um, Ling-kun, do you have time later? I’d like to consult you about Zuo-kun, I’m not sure what I should do…”
The two simultaneously saw what Nagi had sent.
Then they very tacitly shifted their gazes to the small book still lying on the table.
Conveniently, it was open to this page.
It was the kind of message a wife would send to a husband’s friend.
Realizing this, both quietly raised their heads, looking at each other.
“……”
“……”
“Ling, are you planning to—”
“Mistaken! It’s definitely a misunderstanding! You know I absolutely don’t like girls! So scary! Your current gaze is really frightening, Zuo!”
Ling felt a chill run down his spine under Zuo’s intense stare.
“By the way, if you’re really that worried, why not just confess to Nagi?”
Unexpectedly, this time Zuo did not retort stubbornly.
“……Alright.” After contemplating for a while, Zuo seemed to have made up his mind.
“Eh?” Now it was Ling’s turn to be stunned.
“Tomorrow, I’ll confess to Nagi—”
No longer hesitating like this.
Even if it might really fail, he had to take this step.
If Nagi truly gets deceived by those bad men…
A dark flame surged deep within his heart.
After Zuo made up his mind.
The two bade farewell at the café.
Ling next needed to go calm down Nagi’s emotions to prevent this naive and pure beautiful girl from doing something foolish.
“Then next—” As Zuo took out his backpack, preparing to leave.
Suddenly a voice called out to him from the side.
“Good day, Tsukimi-senpai~ What a coincidence~”
Zuo turned his head at the sound.
Standing there was Amano Tenju, dressed in a uniform, her elegant and beautiful face adorned with a gentle smile.
“Do you have a moment? I would like to discuss something with you, Tsukimi-senpai.”
