Help! I changed the gender of the male protagonist in the yandere game

"Timing? What timing..."

Nightstar asked, puzzled.

"It's difficult to explain."

Black Crag Mountain Mikado sighed, "Or rather, neither you nor Hyaku-kai... are qualified to approach the 'truth' yet."

"W-Why do you say that?"

Nightstar looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Because you lack the strength and the courage to face that 'truth'."

Black Crag Mountain Mikado shook her head.

"I also hate playing the riddle-teller, but this is an act to protect you... Hyaku-kai has not reached the point where he can understand his background, and you are too weak to challenge this situation."

"Th-That... I don't understand, but is his sudden collapse due to the effect of some kind of curse mark?"

"More or less, it's a curse mark applied when tampering with the brain's memory, a measure taken to prevent him from possibly recovering his memories."

Black Crag Mountain Mikado explained, "That curse mark is too complex, even our Black Crag Mountain clan cannot remove it. Mikado, and I, have also tried to study it, but unfortunately, with our wisdom, we have achieved nothing."

"W-Wait a minute... Are you saying that the one who placed this curse mark on Hyaku-kai's brain was not the head of the Black Crag Mountain clan, nor was it you, Master?"

Nightstar couldn't help but be surprised.

She had heard what Kudzu had said and thought that the person who caused all of this should be the former head of the Black Crag Mountain clan, as well as the current head, Mikado.

However, "Master" Mikado clearly denied it.

"Yes."

Mikado nodded.

"I don't need to deceive you, because you are an outsider to this matter... However, you have already obtained some information from Kudzu, so there is no point in hiding it. Of course, I can only say what 'I can let you know'; anything beyond that is off-limits."

"Could it be..."

As thoughts flashed through her mind, she couldn't help but blurt out, "What exactly happened to the destruction of the Ajisai clan? Why did the Black Crag Mountain family do that...?"

"That's a misunderstanding."

Mikado sighed, "The destruction of the Ajisai family is not directly related to Black Crag Mountain. Although there have been frictions and conflicts between our two families from time to time, we have never completely fallen out. On the day the Ajisai clan's annihilation occurred, both Mikado and I were quite surprised—"

Her eyes seemed to be lost in memories.

"In order to investigate the situation, we first sent shikigami to the Ajisai clan's territory to scout, but what we saw was already the ruined Ajisai family."

The sky turned red, as if burning.

The Ajisai clan's castle and territory were engulfed by giant hands of fire, and black smoke filled the air.

Mikado closed her eyes, ending this memory.

"After that, rumors spread. My daughter, Mikado, thought there was profit to be made, so she secretly allowed the rumor that 'the Ajisai clan angered the Imperial Court and was purged by the Black Crag Mountain family' to spread unchecked..."

"But, Miss Kudzu's version is—"

"Kudzu did not experience that event; the information she obtained was quite limited," Mikado said with a wry smile. "The experience she pieced together with her own strength can only be said to be full of errors... Of course, that child cannot be blamed. After the Ajisai clan incident, the Black Crag Mountain family didn't do very well either; it can't be said that she's wrong to have that kind of idea."

"Then," Nightstar asked without hesitation, "who exactly caused all of this? And who placed the memory-obstructing curse mark on Hyaku-kai?"

Black Crag Mountain Mikado was silent.

Indeed, this was a question that she also found difficult to answer.

Finally, she coldly dropped these words and turned to leave.

...

Ajisai Shiki.

Nightstar firmly memorized this name.

She didn't know who the other party was, but if she wanted to help Hyaku-kai remove the curse mark in his brain, she should only try to track down this clue.

Although "Master" Mikado reminded her not to try to find this person, Nightstar did not intend to give up this lead.

"You've worked hard."

She gently hugged his head.

"But I will help you properly... I will definitely be of help to you."

Nightstar looked at his sleeping face with affection.

—If I move my face a little closer, we'll touch.

Or, a little closer and our foreheads will touch.

Or, if I arch my back slightly, even his lips will touch.

However, that scene only remained in her imagination; Nightstar had no intention of putting it into practice.

She couldn't do that. She felt that it was too despicable—for him, for Kudzu, and for herself.

—But, this much is okay, right?

Just by holding him, Nightstar could immerse herself in a happy mood.

She didn't intend to use any crooked methods; instead, she wanted to achieve victory fairly and squarely.

"I will win against you, Miss Kudzu."

The girl murmured with confidence.

She believed that she was right.

Only her method could save him and build true love, a love that was intertwined between each other, not the kind that was just one-sided delusion.

"Not one-sided, not just one person's devotion."

She solidified her determination in her heart.

"From now on... you can also come to rely on me."

Not just alone, but a future created by two people.

She heartily envisioned the future, longing for and fantasizing about a future created by two people together—

...

"Is this Kasumi Castle?"

Ajisai Kaoru, riding on a horse, gazed at the huge cherry tree in the distance.

"...I heard that it was attacked by Impure Spirits before. I thought it would be somewhat damaged, but it seems to be fine now."

"However, the pure sacred energy of the Heavenly God Cherry Tree has been somewhat affected."

The one who said this was an old man dressed as a monk, wearing a deep sedge hat.

"Our Shell Serpent Troupe members have all undergone demonic arts and surgical modifications to some extent, so we are grateful to avoid the barrier of the Heavenly God Cherry Tree..."

As the old man spoke, the tin staff in his hand struck the ground with a "thud," and the tin rings also emitted a crisp ringing sound.

"Fortunately, now... the Heavenly God Cherry Tree should have experienced the previous 'Impure Spirit incident,' and its consumption is relatively large, and the power of its barrier has also weakened. With our resistance to spiritual power, we should be able to operate normally inside."

"We still need to avoid a direct conflict with the Dewa Province God Cherry Tree Headquarters and Kasumi Castle."

Ajisai Kaoru said with a smile, "Please don't forget, the head of the family gave us the task of only bringing back Tsukigakara Nightstar and the Chunin named Hyaku-kai. There's no need to make things too big."

"Miss Kudzu shouldn't let us take action easily, right?"

A female voice sounded from the side. It was a member of the Shell Serpent Troupe dressed as a servant, a mysterious woman wearing black clothes, black gloves, and a black veil.

"If we were to have a direct conflict with her, it wouldn't be a joke..."

"Lord Mikado seems to have arrived one step ahead. With her old self here, Miss Kudzu will probably restrain herself a bit."

The old man dressed as a monk said with a wry smile, "After all, this matter is the order of the head of the family. No matter what Miss Kudzu says, she won't directly tear up the relationship outside. Moreover, our task is only to bring people back, not to kill them. If this Second Miss has any opinions, she might as well go back to the main family and have a good talk with her mother."

"I'm more worried about the attitude of the eldest daughter, Kohagi. That young master of the Tsukigakara clan is her fiancé. We don't know what her plans are—"

The woman in black expressed her concerns.

"I haven't heard of any unusual movements from the eldest daughter," Ajisai Kaoru smiled slightly. "She's a smart person and shouldn't directly resist the head of the family. Everyone, don't worry. I'll take responsibility for anything that happens. Just act freely."

"We understand."

The old man dressed as a monk, the woman in black, and the other members of the Shell Serpent Troupe all nodded obediently.

Ajisai Kaoru sat on his horse, the corners of his mouth stretched into the shape of a crescent moon. The young man waved his hand exaggeratedly, signaling everyone to continue moving forward, while secretly thinking.

'Tsukigakara Nightstar... and that man named Hyaku-kai...'

He recalled the task he had secretly received.

—That person instructed him to find a way to bring these two people back to the Eight Blessings Association.

"It might be a little troublesome... But if it's you, Kaoru, I believe you can do it."

"He" smiled as always, saying lightly, "I don't care about the means, just find a way to bring these two people to me."

"However."

Ajisai Kaoru knelt down reverently.

"The head of the Black Crag Mountain family, Lord Mikado, also seems to be planning to use these two people to do something..."

"That ogre woman?"

"He" pressed his chin as if he was calculating something.

"She's a minor character... But we can't ignore her either. How about this, you pretend to listen to her instructions first, and then find a way to secretly get the people over here. Kaoru, I believe this shouldn't be difficult for you, right?!"

"Of course."

Ajisai Kaoru replied without hesitation, "As long as it is your order, I will do it even if it means going through fire and water."

"Good answer."

"He" chuckled, "I'll give you this sword as a gift."

"Th-This is?"

Ajisai Kaoru nervously accepted the short sword thrown by his lord.

"Th-This is too precious... Are you really planning to give me such a treasure?"

He remembered that this was one of the two treasured swords that "He" usually liked, and it seemed that its name was Mayowaou.

"Of course, you are my loyal right-hand man."

"He" laughed softly, "This little reward is not too much."

"I am truly honored and apprehensive."

Kaoru quickly kowtowed and saluted, his heart filled with joy.

"Oh, right... Lord Shiki, I also have a question. That target is also from the Ajisai clan. Could it be that he is your younger brother?"

"Younger brother?"

His lord frowned and sighed softly.

"I was being presumptuous."

Kaoru thought he had offended his lord and quickly apologized to him.

"No, it's not a big deal... He is indeed considered my younger brother."

"He" shook his head.

"However, I don't intend to give that guy any preferential treatment. Just act in your own way."

"I understand."

Kaoru respectfully saluted again.

At that time, he could feel that "He" seemed to be hiding something, but this was not important—Kaoru never had any doubts about this lord. It was more blind obedience than loyalty to the lord.

Kaoru firmly believed that he only needed to follow "Him." He was willing to walk with "Him," and he would rush to hell with "Him" as long as that lord wanted to go.

Sitting on the horse, Ajisai Kaoru also felt an unbearable heat surge in his heart.

'I will definitely carry out Lord's orders... Please wait a little longer, Lord Shiki.'