Iroha was unprepared for the question posed by Chisato.
Even in her opinion, it was correct and reasonable for the other party to ask such a question.
After all, she was the one who had been perfectly fine in the supermarket before impulsively hugging someone else's waist.
Since she wanted something from the other party, she knew she had to explain herself carefully.
"Actually... I had a dream."
Iroha carefully considered her words while studying Chisato's face.
"A dream?"
Chisato repeated her words, feeling a little clearer now. Iroha's situation seemed very different from Eriri and the others.
"Yes."
Seeing that Chisato's expression was not strange, Iroha continued with newfound confidence, adding more details.
"Actually, it's not entirely accurate to call it a dream. I've been having a very similar dream for about a week now."
What does this mean?
The previous conjecture was overturned in an instant.
It seemed that Iroha did not fit into the two situations they had previously considered; she had expanded into a new territory.
Chisato grew a little uneasy. Ever since he learned that Hitori was simulating a connection with him as the second player, he had sensed a troubling reality.
The term "Evil Path Simulator" felt misleading.
It seemed to indicate that the negativity wasn't solely directed at the simulated heroine but also considered his own tendencies.
In short, it harmed not only the simulated heroine but also the host himself.
This time, it appeared to be the case again.
"A very similar dream for a week?"
He emphasized the question for confirmation.
Iroha nodded obediently, then suddenly realized something. "...Don't you have similar experiences?"
In her subconscious, she had assumed that since they had no contact in reality, and since Chisato hadn't expressed confusion or resistance to her sudden behavior in the supermarket, he must know her and share similar experiences.
But now it seemed that the other party was full of doubts, which contradicted her assumptions.
Was my guess wrong?
If that were the case, how did he come to know me?
As Iroha's frown deepened, Chisato sensed her thoughts and quickly interjected, "My situation is a bit complicated, and I can't explain it clearly in just a few words."
"I thought I'd discuss your issue first and then share my situation."
"Understood."
Faced with an absolute information gap, Iroha found herself easily manipulated by Chisato. She no longer hesitated and detailed her situation.
She recounted when her strange dreams began and ended, explaining that during those days, she was drawn into a dream each time, forced to watch two episodes of a film and television drama starring herself and Chisato.
She described how she would be unable to leave until it finished, and began detailing the strange content broadcasted on the screen.
As she spoke, Chisato uneasily picked up the teacup from the coffee table and took a sip. He was evidently burned by the hot tea, causing him to cough repeatedly.
Iroha quickly paused her story, thoughtfully pulled out a tissue, and handed it to her. "Are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine. I'm used to drinking ice water. I didn't expect it to be so hot. I'm sorry to continue."
Chisato took the tissue, wiped his mouth, then smiled casually to mask his earlier gaffe.
He had truly been scared moments before, as he heard Iroha discussing how he viewed the simulated experiences from an omniscient perspective.
What does this mean?
It meant that the unspeakable, insidious things he had done, along with the entire process of his courtship that had gradually turned mad, were laid bare before her.
There was no reason for her to be so respectful and kind to him after witnessing all this.
Surely, she had come here to seek revenge, right?
But as soon as this thought surfaced, Chisato's reason quickly denied it. If that were the case,
Iroha wouldn't have been able to have a pleasant conversation with him here, nor would she have shown such concern when she was scalded by the tea.
So, does that mean there's a hidden secret I don't know about?
Arriving at this conclusion, he calmed himself and allowed his expression to reflect the attentive listening he had shown before.
"Well, I just talked about the content of that dream. What I saw on the TV screen, our lives... They are not the same as reality. We are still ourselves, but the surrounding circumstances are not ideal..."
"In short, like us in another world?"
"Yes! That's a very fitting statement. On the screen, I can see the story of our lives from different perspectives, just like watching a TV series, with you and me as the main characters."
"Sounds interesting."
"I thought so at first, but later I realized it was not the case."
Iroha lowered her head slightly, bringing her knees together and placing her hands gently in her lap, rubbing her fingertips against each other.
Chisato sensed something from her expression and continued to guide her, "What did you see?"
"...I... the character I played on the TV screen in my dream was actually an out-and-out bad woman!"
After Iroha gathered her courage to say this, she bravely raised her head, allowing her wavering, uneasy eyes to meet Chisato's gaze.
Chisato was momentarily at a loss for words.
He had learned quite a bit from Iroha's statement. She believed she was a bad woman. Why did she think this?
Initially, he had assumed she could accurately recount her story from the simulation—the news of her parents' and grandparents' deaths, as well as her experiences in the orphanage—leading him to believe she had achieved a god-like perspective.
But now it seemed that her "God's perspective" was a distorted or incomplete version.
After all, concerning Iroha's simulation, she had been an out-and-out victim, deceived into spending her entire life in a way that had ultimately betrayed her.
There is no greater tragedy in life than this.
Yet even in this situation, she still identified herself as an out-and-out bad woman.
The truth was apparent. There was only one truth, but conclusive evidence was lacking.
Tactically, Chisato leaned back slightly, adopting a solemn expression.
"Tell me more about it."
_______
25+ advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
_______
If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!