It felt like a memory—hazy, disjointed, painful.
He remembered waking up… after saving her. The silver-haired girl whose name he had only just learned—after dying three times.
But when he opened his eyes again, he was somewhere new. Somewhere unfamiliar. Not the street. Not the slums. Somewhere… warm. He panicked, pressing a hand to his stomach where the wound should have been. Where the pain should still burn. But it was closed.
He hadn't died again.
Not this time.
Maybe—just maybe—he could finally live without relying on that cursed ability. After all, three chances was more than anyone should expect. Lucky, even… if morbid.
He wandered the halls. Quiet, ancient. Until he found a library—massive, lined with books that reached the ceiling. And in the middle, a little blonde girl perched on a stool, reading a tome larger than her.
She noticed him. Said nothing. Just placed her small hand on his stomach. That was when the pain came—white-hot and unbearable—and everything went black.
Again.
When he came to, it was different. Two maids hovered over him, teasing him, mocking him in gentle tones. Cute, but harsh. But he didn't care—not when she appeared. Emilia. The one he had risked everything for. Seeing her smile again filled the emptiness.
Then came the man of the mansion. A strange, eccentric clown of a figure… Roswaal. He offered him a Wish. He chose to work as a butler to stay near Emilia. He accepted, eager—though he had no talent for chores. On his first day, he cut himself repeatedly. By the end, his hands were wrapped in bandages.
On the second day, he visited the village. The children were loud, annoying, but something about them stirred a feeling—responsibility.
When he returned, Emilia promised him a date. A real one. He was so excited, so filled with hope. After years of wasting away, leeching off his parents, it felt like he had a future to walk toward.
He went to sleep with a smile.
But when he woke up… the bandages were gone. His hands were flawless. Pristine.
He felt the dread crawl in. The sickness in his stomach. No… not again.
And then came the fear—was it already too late? He didn't even remember dying. But if this was a new loop, he had no choice but to follow the same steps and wait.
He stayed up. Kept watch. Refused to sleep.
But the pain came anyway. His body ached. His stomach turned. He vomited. Poison. He staggered through the halls, trying to cry out—
Then he heard it. A sound behind him.
Snap.
He was flung across the corridor. Pain bloomed everywhere. Blood pooled beneath him.
He looked up. His arm… was hanging from the chandelier.
He tried to scream, but his voice was gone. And then came the whistling. The second strike.
Everything faded again.
Next time, he didn't pretend. He left the mansion early. Became a guest, not a butler. Tried to break the pattern. He hid—on a cliff overlooking the estate, hoping to catch the killer before they struck.
When night fell, he heard it—chains rattling.
Instinct took over.
He jumped.
Using a rope he had prepared, he landed safely. Ran toward the mansion—but the assassin was already on him.
He threw off his jacket, using it to absorb the impact of the incoming blow.
A mace. Heavy. Brutal.
He grabbed it and pulled—only to reveal someone he never expected.
Rem.
Betrayal pierced him deeper than the wound that followed.
He ran using his phones flash to disoriente her.
A wind blade cleaved through his leg. He collapsed, bleeding.
She came closer, healing him—not to save him, but to prolong his suffering. For answers. For suspicion. For the scent of the Witch.
She tortured him.
Then Ram killed him.
And again, he woke up.
To the face of his killers.
He didn't want to die anymore. He didn't want to feel pain. He cried out—but the only one who came was Emilia.
Why? he wondered. Why not just tell her everything?
He tried. He opened his mouth—only for his heart to be gripped by invisible fingers. The pain, the suffocation—it warned him.
He was alone.
He was alone.
The screams echoed in his head. Bones breaking. Blood splattering.
He just wanted to be safe.
He just wanted it to end.
***
Rem stepped outside to get some fresh air.
That's when she saw him—Toyota, asleep on the grassy hill. He'd been coming out here a lot lately. She had seen him practicing his meager magic, which, while refined in form, lacked the mana capacity to be used properly. Still, he persisted.
But today… something was different.
His body spasmed suddenly.
Was he okay? Did he have some underlying medical condition?
Watching him twist and tremble, she began to doubt the assumptions she once held. Maybe the Witch's Scent wasn't absolute proof of guilt. After meeting Subaru and Toyota, her suspicions had shifted. What if they weren't part of the Witch Cult—but survivors of it? That might explain the scent… and the way Subaru always seemed to battle nightmares, just like this boy.
He had dirty blonde hair and a youthful face that made him look younger than he likely was. His build was lean—like a runner's.
Deciding to help him, she moved closer.
"Mr. Toyota… Toyota, wake up. It's just a dream," she said gently.
She knelt down and reached for his shoulder.
His skin was cold to the touch, his body pale and soaked with sweat. Then, without warning—his eyes shot open.
He flinched violently, scrambling backward as if still trapped in whatever nightmare had gripped him. Fear clouded his gaze. He wasn't fully awake. Wasn't fully here.
Then he raised his hand.
"Minia!" he shouted.
A glowing pink projectile formed in front of his palm—larger than before. Rem's eyes widened. It was almost double the size it had been the last time she saw him use it.
Was he going to attack her?
She moved on instinct, pulling out her mace, preparing to defend herself.
But then—his gaze shifted. Madness turned inward. With trembling lips and wide eyes, he turned his palm toward himself.
Realization struck her like lightning.
She lunged.
Swinging her mace with precision, she shattered the glowing projectile an instant before it could make contact. The fragments of light scattered into the wind. Then she tackled him to the ground, pinning him.
But his eyes only grew more terrified.
Closing them tightly, he muttered again—"Murak!"
His hands latched onto her wrists and, with surprising force, pushed her upward. She felt her body lift—weightless—as gravity itself seemed to reject her. She was launched nearly six feet into the air before landing with a thud beside him.
From above, she watched him—chest heaving, breath ragged.
And then… something shifted.
His eyes cleared. His breathing slowed. The panic in his expression began to fade.
Sanity returned.
He realized where he was. What he had done.
And just like that, she dropped to the ground beside him—silently, cautiously watching.
He seemed to force himself to breathe slowly, avoiding her gaze.
"I'm sorry I've troubled you. It seems anytime I fall asleep, I'll need to be tied up now."
She stared at him in silence. What could he have saw to make him want to kill himself upon waking up? Was it a nightmare or an actual memory? It had only been a span of around 5 seconds in which all of that happened, but if she wasn't there—what if she was a bit later? Would she be finding his body?
Or another question gnawed at her—was she the reason why he went that far? While he was panicked, he didn't seem as fearful until he looked at her. She didn't know.
Toyota, now fully aware of his actions, felt multiple emotions. He was tortured and killed by the woman next to him, and she didn't remember. It was strange.
Why did he not start from the loop after he got stabbed by the 3 stooges?
The more memories he got, the more confused he became.
He no longer thought of Subaru Natsuki as a separate person—just as another him, that was younger and didn't know what would happen.
Even though he had only experienced a loop of 3 days, he felt he was already older than most people. After all, how many had died, been tortured and betrayed, and worked till their literal hands bled?
When it came to experiences, he was up there.
If there was 1 positive from the memory transfer, it was that he now knew how to do certain chores—and how not to do them—as he remembered getting injured because of them.
He personally could never forgive Rem for what she did to him, even if she didn't remember it.
Even if it was to the younger him.
He couldn't forgive.
And he couldn't forget.
The sound of his head squishing.
His bones getting smashed.
His throat slashed.
He heard all of the sounds echoing on a continuous loop in his head.
He had a choice—to keep his eyes on the one who did all of this to him…
Or to close them and visualize and remember:
His arm on the chandelier.
His leg in front of him in the long grass.
Blood pooling all around him.
And his body repeatedly smashed with her mace.
Still, he was almost able to leave from these 2 psychopath sisters.
He just needed to endure.
"I'm going to go lie down," he told her quietly before walking away.
After making it into his upstairs guest room, he shut the door slowly before finally, very calmly, calling out:
"System, if that's even what you are, get out of me right now."
Host, I think there's been some confusion.
"Cut the BS and get out of me."
…
"I figured out what you are. You aren't some robotic system like in novels. You are a parasite. You tried to alter the memories I received."
…
"You—That's right, stay silent like the little b**** you are. I was always suspicious of you, but I decided there was no point in showing my suspicions until you did anything. This was proof. I never received the resolution to the memories—the part that makes me sane. Only parts that make me feel pain, suffering, and rage.
"You almost got me to lash out and kill Rem.
"You are trying to change my mind and make me feel hate toward others.
"I don't know why, but you are evil."
I must complete my objective.
"Oh? And who programmed or created you?"
…
"That's right, stay silent, you little coward.
"The first time I realized a loophole in your words was with the titles—giving them to me and then saying you don't know their purpose.
"How naïve and stupid do you think I am?
"And the other thing—you have almost no power over me. I realized this when it showed all of the missions. They were already things I wanted to do.
"Which means this isn't you.
"This is my innate power.
"I still don't understand how abilities like the item shop work… but get out of my body, you leech.
"There was no point in fighting against someone who could read my every thought when I think—it's always watching—until now.
"What even is your objective?
To change me?
Or are you going to try and possess me?
Stop acting like a damn robot."
Well, it seems there's no point anymore, 001-7.
Or should I call you Toyota?
You are quite intelligent… but even if you are able to get rid of me, it won't change what will happen to you.
So why not let me prepare you?
Just give up, and there will be no pain and suffering.
Give up, and there won't have to be a struggle.
"Are you stupid? Who would actually give up after the crap you just pulled…
Ohh, 'crap' doesn't count as a swear word.
Crap, crap, crap, crap—"
Enough. Shut up.
"Now that I'm aware of you, I can stop whatever crap you pull, you piece of s***."
***
It was finally time to leave, as a few of the mansion's residents had gathered around the large dragon carriage at the entrance of the mansion. Although Toyota would have preferred Rem and Ram to stay inside, they came to see him off. On the carriage, there was a giant bipedal green and red lizard that looked like a mini dinosaur. He had seen a few similar things to it before, but it was still cool to look at. Turning back to Subaru, he had stars in his eyes—didn't he see a bunch of lizard people on his first day? What's so different? Greeting the old coachman that seemed to be hired from the village, Roswaal came back with a ring. It was inlaid with gold and had a crystallized emerald cut from it. Walking right up to Toyota, he smiled mischievously.
"Open your haaaaaaaaaaand."
In confusion, Toyota reached out, only for Roswaal to drop it into his hand.
"Is this for me?"
"Of coursssssssse. This is a spatial ring that I spent time enchanting. After all, if you were to get robbed due to suspicion of money, that would be disappointing and would not be able to show off allllllll of my gratitude."
Blinking slowly, Toyota felt very happy.
A portable inventory—this really is like a video game.
"Thank you very much."
He now felt quite regretful about what he was planning for the clown lord.
"How much can it hold?"
"It should be able to hold 30 pounds."
It wasn't one of the ridiculously OP ones, but still useful.
"So how do I activate it?"
"It's simple. Tap the emerald three times, then hold your finger on it."
As he was following the instructions, a bag full of coins landed on the top of his hand, causing it to be forced down and the coins to fall. Luckily, Roswaal caught it.
"I'm quite pleased you seem to think so highly of my magic. Perhaps if you come back, I could teach you a thing or two."
Toyota felt kinda sad—if only he could learn from the strongest magic user.
"Later, I would love to take you up on that offer."
Roswaal grinned as he grabbed Toyota's hand with the ring, put the bag of coins over it, and tapped the emerald three times. Then, with a glow that shone from the emerald like a green flashlight, it instantly sucked in the coins. Seeing this, Toyota felt awe—it was awesome.
After saying a brief farewell to everybody, he got inside. The interior was simple, with two long cushion seats with no backrest and a slideable window/door leading to the driver. He would have said a proper goodbye, but he had to treat everyone equally and couldn't bring himself to talk long to Ram and Rem.
The carriage started to rumble, but there were no jolts or bumps. Looking out the window on the side, he realized they were moving. He had been in driving simulators before and could tell that this was around 60 miles per hour—and with no bumps on an uneven road, something else was at play. Then he remembered: there was some divine protection that all ground dragons had—something that had to do with wind.
Feeling relaxed, he laid down on the seat but refused to fall asleep.
He wouldn't let that parasite manipulate him.
(AN: I really want to get to the capital and meet a certain redhead already. I have a lot of ideas for magic, and I can already tell that given time he's going to be absolutely OP.
I've set an official release schedule: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Although when I get bored, I add extra.
Bonus chapters will drop on Saturdays if my demands are met. 🔫
Trade deal:
You give me 70 power stones, and I give you a bonus chapter.
Sounds fair, right?)