"Tap, tap, tap."
In the corridor paved with colorful pixels, Petite Sakuramiya sat happily atop Yan Huan's head.
She sat nestled in his black hair, like a child running into a wheat field to play during their childhood. She touched this strand of hair, then that one, seemingly unable to tear herself away.
Behind them, Mouse Sakuramiya, wearing a hood and lowering her head, remained completely silent. She only occasionally stole envious glances at Petite Sakuramiya, who was grasping Yan Huan's hair, as if secretly feeding on the residual happiness radiating from her.
Only Yan Huan suddenly realized a problem at this mont.
Strictly speaking, these erging Sakuramiya personas were all a part of the main body. Now that he had personally appeared inside such a fantastical barrier, he had clearly witnessed the truth of the Modifier.
He did not know if these Sakuramiya personas would react to this, nor did he know if Sakuramiya's main body would find out about this through the personas.
Moreover, at this mont, Yan Huan found that the conditions of this Modifier were not like An Le's.
'If she found out, would the Modifier explode?'
Right now, Yan Huan was extrely worried about this.
"..."
After pondering for a mont, he still put on his mask, planning to take things one step at a ti.
After all, the problem now lay inside Sakuramiya's Modifier. If he continued like before, he would have absolutely no chance to enter the barrier and operate within it...
But at the very least, he had to pretend this was his first ti realizing the existence of the Modifier.
Thus, he surveyed the colorful pixelated corridor around him and put on a bewildered expression.
"So it wasn't a prank before? There really are other Sakuramiyas... Am I dreaming?"
With that, he feigned ignorance, reaching up to poke Petite Sakuramiya's chubby, baby-fat cheeks, which were especially pronounced due to her chibi form.
Her cheek squished under his finger. Petite Sakuramiya reached out with both hands, hugging his finger as she whined softly.
"Why is the President poking my face to check if he's dreaming?!
"But, oh... right! This is the President's first ti knowing about the barrier!
"Um... how should I explain this... Wu..."
Petite Sakuramiya fluttered up into the air and hovered in front of Yan Huan, pondering the question with a headache.
After all, if not for the unforeseen incident with Sakuramiya Hitomi's main body, these personas should never have let Yan Huan know about this.
"..."
After speaking, Yan Huan kept a vigilant eye on the two Sakuramiyas and any changes in the barrier, afraid that pointing this out might cause the Modifier to mutate.
But it seed there were no obvious changes.
He could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"President..."
Right at that mont, a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz suddenly ca from behind him.
Yan Huan turned to look at the Sakuramiya following closely behind him, her body hidden beneath her hood.
As soon as she saw Yan Huan look back, her body could not help but tremble slightly.
"What is it, Sakuramiya?"
Seeing this, Yan Huan smiled faintly and asked.
Hearing Yan Huan's patient inquiry, her hood twitched, as if the ears hidden beneath it were jumping with uncontrollable joy.
"I-It's just, when the President ntioned... a prank from before, what did you an?"
Hmm?
It seed this Sakuramiya was far more sensitive than Petite Sakuramiya...
Yan Huan's earlier words had actually contained a hidden piece of information: he already had clues about the other Sakuramiyas.
Petite Sakuramiya had not noticed it at all, but this Sakuramiya had picked up on it.
This feeling struck Yan Huan as particularly novel.
Every Sakuramiya looked very similar, aside from a few strange physical traits, and their personalities had both commonalities and differences...
It was as if the Sakuramiya he knew had been split into countless identical multiples.
"Ah, it's like this. Earlier, when I went to the Equipnt Room to grab so sports gear, I picked this up..."
Thinking this, he took out the birth certificate he had obtained from Frail Sakuramiya from his arms and handed it to Mouse Sakuramiya.
Petite Sakuramiya also flew over and started reading it carefully.
"It's from Frail Sakuramiya!! The delivery room, huh? We can find Perfect Sakuramiya's barrier now!"
Just after finishing reading, Petite Sakuramiya's eyes lit up as she looked at Yan Huan.
"So, can soone explain what exactly is going on here? I'm starting to suspect I ate so toxic mushrooms. One mont I was in the mall, and now... I'm hanging out with two Sakuramiyas..."
"Uh, about that..."
Petite Sakuramiya was about to explain, but at that mont, they had already passed through the corridor and arrived in a spacious, circular flower room.
The flower room was planted with a multitude of pixelated flowers, and illusory birds chirped away on the branches.
Inside the spacious flower room, nurous round tables and chairs were set up for drinking tea.
Scattered across the chairs were about eight or nine Sakuramiya Hitomis, all in completely different styles!
There was a Sakuramiya wearing a maid outfit, gripping a broom and sweeping the floor.
There was a Sakuramiya with cat ears on her head and a fluffy black tail with a bell tied to the end.
There was a Sakuramiya wearing a baseball cap and headphones, her arms crossed and legs perched up, looking very cool...
But the mont Yan Huan entered the room, the sweeping Sakuramiya spotted him at a glance.
"President!!"
Seeing Yan Huan, her eyes widened. She tossed her broom aside and hurried over to him in a panic.
After her exclamation, the entire flower room seed to wake up to her alert.
"President?"
"Where is the President?"
"It really is the President!"
Following that, aside from the Sakuramiya wearing the baseball cap, all the other Sakuramiyas nearly burst into tears, throwing themselves aggrievedly toward Yan Huan...
"President, President~"
"President, why are you here?"
"Wu... President..."
Yan Huan blinked, subconsciously reaching out to catch the first Sakuramiya that flew at him.
But behind her, there was a second, a third...
"Thud!"
Yan Huan stumbled, tackled to the ground by the continuous wave of incoming Sakuramiyas.
He gasped in shock. When he lifted his head again, he saw three Sakuramiyas sprawled in his arms, all looking up at him with deep concern as they asked in unison,
"A-Are you okay, President?"
"..."
Before he could reply, another Sakuramiya behind him anxiously lifted his head off the hard floor and placed it gently onto her lap.
"President, does your head hurt?"
Imdiately after, his left and right hands were each tightly grasped by a Sakuramiya as they inspected him.
"What about your hands? Are you hurt?"
Yan Huan's eyes widened, thoroughly shocked for a mont.
When had he ever seen a scene like this!
Was this place...
...Heaven?
Lying in this fragrant and soft haven of comfort and pleasure, he felt the distinct illusion of an emperor refusing to attend morning court, entirely intoxicated by the embrace of beauties.
Wait, was this right?
Was this really the sa Modifier that had been tornting him?
"Alright, children!"
Just as Yan Huan was about to be overwheld by the Sakuramiyas' body fragrance and petite fras, a gentle voice suddenly rang out from behind them, cutting them off.
Upon hearing that voice, the surrounding Sakuramiyas could not help but turn their heads and mutter,
"Seriously, she's starting again..."
"Yeah..."
Hearing the voice, Yan Huan also wanted to see who had spoken, but resting squarely in his arms was Cat Sakuramiya.
As she turned around, the cat tail protruding from beneath her skirt near his lower abdon faced Yan Huan, swaying unconsciously in front of him.
"Jingle, jingle~"
That fluffy tail constantly swept across Yan Huan's chest, and the bell at its tip nearly blocked his entire field of vision.
"..."
Helpless, Yan Huan gently reached out and lightly grasped her tail, trying to stop her from acting like a windshield wiper obscuring his sight.
"Kya!!"
Unexpectedly, at this grab, Cat Sakuramiya suddenly blushed profusely. She let out a soft cry and imdiately covered her backside.
Then, she turned her delicate gaze back toward Yan Huan, who was still holding her tail, and puffed out her cheeks.
"S-Seriously, President, you can't touch there!"
"Ah, sorry..."
Yan Huan blinked, subconsciously releasing his grip and letting her pull her tail back.
However, seemingly afraid that Yan Huan would be upset by her words, she pursed her lips and softly added with a blushed face,
"If you want to touch... touching my ears and other places i-is okay, President..."
"..."
'Ah, maybe this place really is Heaven?'
Yan Huan's overwheld mind reasoned.
Fortunately, thanks to this little interruption, he was finally able to sit up.
Only after rising from the floor did he realize that almost all the Sakuramiyas were gathered around him.
The only ones missing were three particular Sakuramiyas.
One was Mouse Sakuramiya, wearing a hood and secretly watching him from a corner.
Another was Cool Sakuramiya, wearing the baseball cap and headphones, watching him with her arms crossed.
At this mont, when Yan Huan's gaze t hers, she furrowed her brows slightly, turned her head away, and softly harrumphed.
"Hmph."
"..."
Lastly, standing in the center of the flower room, was a Sakuramiya wearing an elegant dress, her cherry-black gradient hair tied in a ponytail draped over her shoulder.
Her face was filled with maternal affection. As she looked at Yan Huan, she offered a warm smile and curtsied elegantly.
"Hello, President. I am Mama Sakuramiya. Welco to my barrier~"
"I-I-I'm Cat Sakuramiya!"
"I'm Maid Sakuramiya!"
"I'm Flower-Arranging Sakuramiya..."
As a result of her introduction, all the other Sakuramiyas began introducing themselves of their own accord, chattering away like a flock of beautiful birds.
At this mont, Yan Huan genuinely understood a bit why Spencer saw other people as birds.
Still, he patiently morized the nas of all the Sakuramiyas.
Then, offering a helpless smile, he looked at the surrounding Sakuramiyas and brought the topic back to the main issue.
"So, can anyone explain what exactly the situation is right now?"
"Here, President, please have so black tea~"
"Ah, thank you."
Yan Huan reached out and accepted the black tea handed over by the one calling herself "Mama Sakuramiya." He took a gentle sip, then blinked.
The taste was incredibly familiar.
It was exactly like the one he always drank in the Student Council Office...
No, it wasn't exactly the sa.
It seed that after returning from Sakura Country, the tea Sakuramiya brewed was slightly more delicious.
But the flavor right now was the black tea he had drank for the longest ti and had thus grown completely accustod to.
Therefore, drinking it now, he found it to be exceptionally wonderful.
"Clink."
Thinking this, Yan Huan glanced at Mama Sakuramiya, who was pouring tea for the other Sakuramiyas beside him. He couldn't help but feel that her silhouette was gradually overlapping with the Sakuramiya who had poured tea in the Student Council Office on countless days.
"...I roughly understand the situation. So, the Sakuramiya I just saw in the mall holding a dagger is Perfect Sakuramiya... She's outside right now, is that okay?"
Yan Huan set down his teacup and asked Mama Sakuramiya.
She turned back and offered a gentle smile.
"It's alright, President. As long as I am here, this place is absolutely safe."
"I see..."
"Moreover, the President doesn't have to worry about anyone outside noticing your absence while you stay here. The flow of ti here is different from the outside. When you leave, only a few seconds will likely have passed out there." Just earlier, Yan Huan had fabricated an excuse about accidentally stumbling into the barrier.
He claid he had seen a Sakuramiya holding a dagger walk into the nursing room, beca worried, and followed her in.
"...Therefore, the top priority now is to find Perfect Sakuramiya's barrier."
"Exactly, Hitomi has definitely been hidden in her barrier! That villain seduced and deceived Hitomi. As long as we rescue Hitomi, everything will return to normal!"
In front of Yan Huan, Petite Sakuramiya sat cross-legged on the table, holding a teacup the size of a fingernail as she spoke.
Yan Huan had no idea how Mama Sakuramiya managed to pour the black tea into such a tiny cup, yet Petite Sakuramiya was drinking it with relish.
After she spoke, the other Sakuramiyas around them raised their hands in righteous indignation, showing their long-standing suffering under Perfect Sakuramiya's tyranny.
"Now that we have the intelligence on Frail Sakuramiya that the President brought, and with the President's help, we'll find her barrier in no ti..."
Petite Sakuramiya set down her teacup and rested her hands on her hips, looking as if victory was already within their grasp.
Beside her, however, Mama Sakuramiya spoke gently, interrupting her confidence.
"It's not that simple, child. First of all, the delivery room is very far from here. The mont you leave this place, you will no longer be safe, and Perfect Sakuramiya will continue to hunt you down."
"Urk... that's true..."
"Secondly, you should all understand that we cannot let Perfect Sakuramiya discover that the President knows about the barrier. Otherwise, she will beco even stronger. Therefore..."
"Doesn't that an the President can't go with us? He has to keep acting oblivious on the outside..."
Hearing this, Petite Sakuramiya's expression turned bitter, and she clenched her little fists.
anwhile, Yan Huan narrowed his eyes, catching onto sothing.
'Why does it feel...'
'...like Perfect Sakuramiya is acting more like the true host?'
'If she found out, the Modifier would still explode...'
'What was the underlying principle?'
'Was the principle the sa?'
With this thought, Yan Huan imdiately spoke up to verify his theory.
"Why can't she know? Speaking of which, Hitomi..."
He still wasn't quite used to calling Sakuramiya by her first na.
"When did she get this barrier? Has she... ever used the barrier on anyone else, including ?"
"No, no, no!"
The mont they heard this, the eyes of all the other Sakuramiyas present widened, and they all frantically shook their heads and waved their hands.
"Ahahaha, actually... actually, Hitomi hasn't had this ability for very long!"
"Yeah, and there are no other ability users either..."
"Why would she ever use it on the President..."
"Haha... hahaha..."
Seeing their reactions, Yan Huan was utterly speechless.
Wasn't this a textbook case of a guilty conscience giving itself away?
All the Sakuramiyas were laughing awkwardly to brush the topic aside. Only the baseball-cap-wearing Sakuramiya, who still had her arms crossed, sneered. She set down her teacup and declared,
"Heh, of course there was. She obviously—Mmph! Mmph!"
But just as she started speaking, Cat Sakuramiya beside her hastily covered her mouth, preventing her from saying another word.
"..."
'This Sakuramiya is a bit strange...'
Yan Huan pretended not to notice her; he already knew anyway.
However, from the looks of it, the principle behind triggering the Modifier's explosion was the sa.
Since that was the case...
Deep in thought, Yan Huan seed to realize sothing, and his brow furrowed.
"Um... that's... that's because all the Sakuramiyas really like the President, including Perfect Sakuramiya.
"If she finds out we dragged the President into this, she'll definitely fly into a rage and beco even more powerful!"
Petite Sakuramiya displayed a guilty expression as she raised a finger and explained.
"All the Sakuramiyas like ..."
Yan Huan murmured the phrase back, his mind involuntarily recalling the night he and Sakuramiya Hitomi sat together on the beach.
That night, he had desperately searched for this uncertain answer but hadn't dared to ask aloud.
As a result, he had chosen to use Devil's Mind-Reading.
"..."
The mont he spoke, the faces of all the other Sakuramiyas flushed slightly.
They coyly pursed their lips; so darted their eyes around nervously, while others lowered their heads to stare into their teacups.
Even Cat Sakuramiya, who was still muffling the baseball-cap-wearing Sakuramiya, had her tail standing straight up. Her hands grew weak and soft, allowing the dead-eyed baseball-cap Sakuramiya to elbow her and finally break free.
"Hmph!"
She harrumphed lightly, but did not blush out of embarrassnt like the other Sakuramiyas. She simply continued drinking her tea.
"Ahem..."
Behind them, even Mama Sakuramiya's cheeks were tinted with a watery blush.
She touched her cheek and let out a light cough before speaking.
"If the President directly enters the barrier like he did today, he definitely won't be able to go with you all.
"The flow of ti differs in each barrier; not all of them are as slow as mine. Therefore, if the President goes, even if his knowledge of the barrier isn't exposed inside, it will inevitably disrupt his daily life and expose him in reality...
"But there is another way—one that allows the President to help without alerting Perfect Sakuramiya."
Hearing this, Yan Huan turned his head to look at her.
He saw her smile warmly at him. As she refilled his black tea, she brought up a specific na.
"I know a very special Sakuramiya. Unlike the barriers of the other Sakuramiyas, which are anchored in reality, her barrier... is anchored in dreams."
"Dreams?"
Mama Sakuramiya nodded and continued explaining.
"Yes, her na is 'Dream Sakuramiya.'
"If we can enlist her help, not only can we directly enter the barrier from within a dream, but because it is his consciousness entering the barrier, the President's outward appearance will be entirely up to him to decide...
"This way, he can make any Sakuramiya he encounters open their doors for him, while simultaneously keeping Perfect Sakuramiya oblivious to his interference.
"Entering dreams at night also won't delay the President's daily life during the day. It perfectly resolves everything."
'This is just...'
'...too magical.'
Even Yan Huan had to marvel at the miraculous nature of the Modifier.
"Waku waku!"
Beside them, a... uh, Yurianna-esque Sakuramiya exclaid in excitent.
"Then, where can we find this Sakuramiya?"
Petite Sakuramiya asked. Mama Sakuramiya smiled faintly and looked at one of the Sakuramiyas present.
"As it happens, one of the Sakuramiyas here is a friend of Dream Sakuramiya. With her leading the way, and with the President's presence, she will definitely help."
"..."
Hearing this, Yan Huan followed Mama Sakuramiya's gaze.
At the end of that gaze was none other than the Sakuramiya wearing the baseball cap and headphones.
"Hmph..."
Sensing Yan Huan's stare, she crossed her arms, let out a soft harrumph, and turned her head away.
"Cool Sakuramiya, can you help us?"
"I can't."
Even after being outright rejected, Mama Sakuramiya still asked patiently.
"Why? Is it because you don't want to?"
"...Because Lazy Sakuramiya was killed."
Cool Sakuramiya turned her head back and stated helplessly,
"After she was killed, Hitomi's main body lost the ability to sleep, and naturally, she no longer dreams. Therefore, the location of Dream Sakuramiya's barrier has been completely cut off from us, separated by an insurmountable chasm."
"I see..."
Hearing this, everyone put on expressions of despair.
Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy and silent, Yan Huan narrowed his eyes, suddenly recalling his earlier hypothesis.
Thus, he suddenly spoke up.
"Based on what you all said earlier, I believe that when Perfect Sakuramiya kills her counterparts, they don't vanish completely. Instead, they are absorbed by her."
"Eh?"
"Because if they just disappeared, for instance, after Frail Sakuramiya died, she should have only eliminated her 'frailty.' At most, she would just beco a bit healthier. It's absolutely impossible for her to have beco as strong as a superhuman, right?"
Yan Huan smiled at all the Sakuramiyas and explained,
"It's more like... after absorbing the corresponding Sakuramiyas, she used her subjective consciousness to modify their forms of expression.
"Therefore, all we need to do is make her subjectively alter the expression of the absorbed Lazy Sakuramiya once more..."
Having said that, Yan Huan raised a finger and voiced his idea.
"What if I try to make Perfect Sakuramiya fall asleep in reality?"
"Ah, that just might actually work..."
"Yeah, yeah!"
Everyone instantly understood Yan Huan's aning, and the light of hope danced once again in their previously despairing eyes.
"So, if I manage to do that later, can I notify you imdiately, Cool Sakuramiya?"
Yan Huan looked at the baseball-cap-wearing Sakuramiya and asked.
eting Yan Huan's gaze, Cool Sakuramiya closed her eyes and turned her head away as she replied,
"...As long as this plan is viable, I will sense it instantly. My original barrier is very close to Dream Sakuramiya's barrier."
"Good."
Yan Huan smiled faintly, and Cool Sakuramiya secretly opened one eye to peek at him.
Upon seeing his smile, she closed her eye again and turned her head even further away.
"Hmph."
"Before I accomplish that, everyone should stay here. The mall is a bit far, so I won't be able to co here often. For now, we should try to discuss what cos next."
Yan Huan took out the birth certificate, pointed at the "delivery room" listed on it, and asked Mama Sakuramiya.
"Where exactly is this delivery room? Is there anything in particular I need to be careful of?"
Just a mont ago, she seed to be very familiar with the location, knowing that it was far away.
"Ah, although this place is called a delivery room, it isn't an actual delivery room.
"It's only called that because all of us Sakuramiyas were born there...
"Um, its true appearance is actually... hmm, more like Hitomi's 'brain command center'?
"There isn't anything particularly noteworthy. That barrier doesn't have a Sakuramiya of its own, and without this certificate, it's very difficult to enter..."
Yan Huan blinked, growing increasingly certain of his theory. He could not help but heave a sigh.
"I see, I understand."
Seeing the bitter expression on Yan Huan's face, Petite Sakuramiya could not help but show concern.
She fluttered over to Yan Huan's cheek, patted his skin, and comforted him,
"It's okay, President! Don't worry, we'll defeat Perfect Sakuramiya and rescue Hitomi in no ti!"
"..."
Looking at her, Yan Huan offered a resigned smile and could only say,
"I'm not worried about that. It's just... Sakuramiya..."
After a mont of hesitation, he finally spoke softly.
However, the mont he called out the na Sakuramiya, all the Sakuramiyas present responded simultaneously.
"President?"
"..."
Right, he had forgotten they were all Sakuramiyas.
Yan Huan was unable to help but laugh, and then continued asking.
"It's just, have you all ever considered one thing?"
"W-What is it, President?"
"You've always made it your goal to defeat Perfect Sakuramiya and save Hitomi, right?"
"Is that... wrong?"
Yan Huan shook his head and explained,
"Fundantally speaking, Perfect Sakuramiya is also one of Hitomi's personas. She is an absolutely real part of her, just like the rest of you...
"Since you are all Hitomi's personas, your connection to Hitomi should be equal.
"But based on what I just heard, I feel that her connection with Hitomi runs deeper than yours... No, not deeper...
"It sounds like her connection is the only normal one. By comparison... it seems like you guys have no connection with Hitomi at all..."
Having said this much, Yan Huan raised his tightly furrowed brow, looking at all the Sakuramiyas before him who were listening intently with wide eyes. He hesitated before finally stating,
"Therefore, I'm thinking, is it possible...
"That the one who truly wants to kill you isn't Perfect Sakuramiya at all...
"But rather... Hitomi herself."
The mont those words were spoken, the entire barrier instantly plunged into a dead silence.
All the Sakuramiyas stared blankly at Yan Huan, and for a long ti, not a single Sakuramiya uttered another word.
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