Prologue
This happened one afternoon after school.
"God! Won't you let me join the light music club?!"
"turn down"
"You answered immediately!?"
Elsie the idiot started saying something crazy, so I immediately refused.
"My sacred game time is already being cut short because of these runaway soul hunts. I'm not interested in club activities!!"
"Let's go, don't say that!"
"I mean, hey, why are you in the light music club?"
"That's obvious. I watched the anime and thought it looked interesting!!"
"..."
"W-what's with that look on your face, like you're looking at some pitiful thing?!"
A 300-year-old demon who's inspired by anime to start a club activity, huh...
I'm really curious about the rate at which the demon's mental age develops.
"By the way, what anime have you watched?"
"Huh? Um, let's see..."
～～～～
"There's no doubt that Hirata is the culprit in this case!"
Because the owner of this Giitaro, which became the murder weapon, is Hirata!!
"That's wrong!! Traces can be faked any number of times! Just because there are traces doesn't mean it's the murder weapon!"
The real culprit had another guitar and used that to hit him!!
"So who do you think the real culprit who hit him is?!"
"...It's a Japanese kerria."
"What?! Are you serious?! He was one of the victims too!!"
"But this is the only possibility left."
There's no doubt he's the real culprit!!
～～～～
"I'm pretty sure it was something like this!!"
"...Does this really have anything to do with the light music club?"
"Yes, it's a scene typical of the light music club where someone smashes the cake we were planning to eat after school, and we have to find the culprit!!"
"Wasn't it a person who got punched!?"
"Huh? Yes. There's no way someone would get punched in the light music club, right?"
That's true. That's true, but...
It's annoying when Elsie says something so obvious with a smug look on her face.
"Well, that's fine. As long as it doesn't interfere with the soul hunting, I don't mind at all if you join a club."
But can you play any musical instruments?
"Yes! Castanets would be perfect!!"
"You're seriously underestimating the light music club!!"
"Why don't we just make it invisible or something and take a look around?"
I received this message from God, so I will put it into practice right away!!
...Wait, where does the light music club meet?
A normal demon would panic at this point.
But I'm a very capable demon!!
If you want to know where the light music club is, just listen carefully!!
Because the light music club is always playing instruments...
...Wait a minute? Now that I think about it, the light music club I saw in the anime always seemed to be eating snacks...?
No, no, they did play instruments in the anime sometimes! With my luck, I'm sure I can time it perfectly!
Yes, if you listen carefully...
I-I heard it! It's over there!!
I really was a brilliant demon after all!!
That classroom over there... that one!
I'll use Hagoromo's invisibility to sneak in and take a look!!
"Transparency complete! Unidirectional soundproofing barrier deployed! Now, let's go!"
When I entered the club room, there were lots of people playing various instruments!
The scale of this club is incomparable to the light music clubs I've seen in anime! There are also many instruments I've never seen before!
But I don't see any guitars or basses... They must be trying out some avant-garde light music!!
This is a huge school, and it's on an incredible scale! I guess I have no choice but to go in with my big brother!!
Now that that's decided, let's get straight to persuading my brother... No, since we're here, let's listen to him a little more.
Everyone's amazing! There are so many people here, and nobody's made a mistake!
...Hmm, wait? I can't find the vocalist. Hasn't anyone noticed?
Heh heh heh, I guess I have no choice but to be the vocalist, since I've even done stand-ins for active idols!!
As the little devil was slowly looking around the room, lost in thought, it reacted.
Slurp, s...
The runaway soul sensor signals the start of the conquest.
1 club activity
Slurp, s...
"Wattotto!"
Elsie hastily turned off the alarm.
"Phew, I'm glad I put up a soundproof barrier."
Um, the owner of the runaway soul is..."
When I held up the sensor and pointed it around, one girl reacted.
He's happily playing percussion instruments, holding drumsticks in both hands.
"I'll report this to the gods... but before that, Hagoromo-san!"
By using a feathered robe to see through a girl who possesses a runaway soul, her personal information is revealed.
This information will be automatically saved as long as there is enough capacity left on the Hagoromo, so even Elsie can rest assured.
"Okay... Let's head back for now!"
Elsie jumped out the open window and headed home.
"My name is Goido Yui, I'm a second-year student."
Height 160cm, weight 50kg, blood type AB, birthday October 10th.
That's all!!
"From now on, you're forbidden from taking sensors with you wherever you go."
"No way!! We might miss the runaway soul!!"
I already know that.
But that's five people, right? That's already the fifth person in the second year of high school alone!
I wonder if our high school is cursed or something.
"For now, I'll go with you tomorrow to see how things go..."
Elsie, what did it look like to you? Can you tell what an emotional void is?
"Huh? Well... he seemed to be having a lot of fun hitting something."
"Hitting? An instrument? So, drums?"
"No, I don't think it was the drums."
I feel like drums were the most common percussion instrument in light music... but I guess we'll see tomorrow.
...And the next day...
"...Hey, Elsie."
"Yes? What is it?"
"You went to observe the light music club, right?"
"yes!"
"...Did you come here to take a look around?"
"Of course!!"
"...This looks like the band club's practice room?"
"...fart?"
Just a quick peek from the entrance reveals a clear view of the woodwind and brass instrument performances. Of course, there are no string instruments like guitars.
The definition of "light music" is "music to be enjoyed casually," so even if the instruments are different, if the musicians insist it's light music, then technically it is light music...
...The fact that there's a sign that says "Brass Band Club" at the entrance is a major red flag. How could this bug-monger have overlooked something so obvious?
"Um, well... anyway! Yui is in here!!"
"Well, I guess so. Whether it's the light music club or the brass band club, what you have to do is the same."
"Y-yes, that's right!! As expected of a god! You understand!!"
Let's just ignore Elsie's stupidity for now, since it's nothing new...
First, we need to gather information. Is the problem related to club activities, or are there other contributing factors?
I was expecting the typical problems of a light music club, like differences in musical tastes among members, but... I guess there aren't any problems like that in a brass band club.
Perhaps because I was thinking that way, I was a little late in realizing it.
The first thing I heard was a rumbling sound, like something was running at an incredible speed.
What followed was a sound that gradually grew louder.
I thought it was annoying, but I also felt suspicious and turned around,
"Get out of the way!!"
Along with those words, I was pushed away with all my might, or rather, slammed to the floor.
Then, without even glancing at me, that person rushed into the brass band club room.
"Are you alright, God!?"
"Uh, I'm okay... Aaaaahhh!!"
"A-A God!?"
I checked the condition of my body and realized something.
To those that were brutally shattered...
"My, my PFP is gone!!!"
"...Well, it looks like it's okay."
"Damn it! Who the hell is that?! Elsie, check with your feathered robe!!"
"Huh? This is for viewing information about the target of the conquest..."
"Just do it!!"
PFP's resentment is incredibly heavy!
"Y-yes!!"
"...Um, Goido , born in '32... no, I mean '46 years old.' His height is..."
"Wait a minute, Goido?"
So that means..."
Putting aside my grudge against PFP for the moment, I went to check out what was going on in the club room.
Then the woman who had pushed me earlier started shouting something.
"Now, now, Yui, what on earth were you doing in a place like this? Today is the day for your tea ceremony and flower arrangement lessons, isn't it? I've invited a new teacher to start today just for you. I had to ask for a slight delay, so let's hurry. I'm sure you'll like this teacher since I found her myself. The previous teacher gave rather shabby lessons geared towards commoners, but this time the teacher has the style and elegance befitting the Goido family, so you can rest assured."
"M-Mother, um..."
"Excuse me, everyone in the brass band. Now, Yui, I have a car waiting outside, so let's hurry."
"...Excuse me."
The woman who appeared to be Yui's mother grabbed Yui's hand and went off somewhere.
So, it's a story about a well-bred young lady and her stereotypical mother, huh? What a classic setup.
"Yui herself is a good girl, but her mother is..."
"The amount of time we spend on club activities keeps getting shorter and shorter lately. At this rate, won't we be forced to quit?"
"We should do something about it before it affects things like the recital..."
...Isn't it almost certainly the pressure from that mother, or rather, from home, that's the cause of that emotional void?
It's a bit premature to jump to conclusions, but...
"For now, let's go after Yui and the others."
"Yes, understood!!"
My reaction when I drew the cards:
"There's no Light Music Club yet."
Well, the point of shuffling is to create situations that are impossible if you just follow the original story, so it's correct.
Also, in the original story, a Level 4 Runaway Soul appears after you complete her route, but it hasn't appeared in this game yet.
Not even a Level 3 has appeared.
As a background setting for Hagoromo's parameter scan, I've added a setting like, "You can find out the age, but not the grade level directly. So there's a function that automatically displays what grade level the character is in high school by working backward from their age and birthday." That's why, as in this case, if the character is clearly older, it will show a strange grade level.
Ignoring things like repeating a year, a second-year high school student is 16-17 years old, so the grade level would be "age - (14 or 15)".
02 Goido House
I follow Yui, who was taken away by her mother.
An expensive-looking car was waiting at the school gate, and Yui and her mother got in and drove off immediately. Fortunately, my Hagoromo is faster and can fly. There's no need to worry about them getting away.
After following the car for a while, it stopped in front of a stately-looking Japanese-style building.
They probably have instructors for either the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, or both.
"We're a little late, aren't we? Come on, let's hurry, Yui."
"...yes"
So, is it really necessary to follow them and observe the practice session...?
It's easy to tell from Yui's gloomy face that she's not enthusiastic about it.
To be honest, I think it would be fine to just go home now, but at the very least, I want to find out where they live.
I don't even know how long this lesson will take. What should I do?
"...Okay, I've decided. I'll go home for now."
"Huh? Is that okay?"
"The training that your mother is forcing on you probably has nothing to do with the main strategy of the game."
I thought about tracking him down to his address, but those guys are so proud of their family background. I'm sure it would come up easily with a quick internet search."
"Ah, I see!!"
"Okay, let's go home at full speed."
"Yes!!"
"Huh? Which way is home?"
"...From above, you should be able to spot some landmark buildings, like schools or something."
"I see! God is really smart after all!!"
This time the character setting is pretty standard, so it looks like it'll be easy to complete.
Even if some unexpected situations arise, I'll be able to handle them with improvisation.
The day after tomorrow... no, it might even be finished tomorrow if things go well.
...That night, at the Goido residence...
They live in this large house.
It's a very, very big house compared to everyone else who attends the same school.
But...
"Yui, you did a great job at your lesson. Your teacher was serious and thorough, wasn't she? She was completely different from your previous lax teacher, wasn't she? That teacher would make excuses about spreading Japanese culture more widely and try to teach completely incorrect etiquette."
"...Yes, that's right."
"With a new teacher, I can rest assured that Yui will be in good hands. Oh, and while you're at it, you should quit your club activities. There are definitely more meaningful ways for Yui to spend her time. I'll let her advisor know."
"...yes"
Despite being a large house, or perhaps because of it, it feels very cramped and uncomfortable.
As a member of the Goido family, I must behave in that manner.
You must listen carefully to what your mother says and never object to studying or taking lessons.
And also, giving up club activities, the only thing I can truly enjoy from the bottom of my heart...
I'll probably be stuck in this big yet cramped house forever.
...If I only wish for it, will my mother forgive me?
I want to be free.
It's a sacrilegious wish, as it would be like forgetting the kindness I received from being raised, but if it's just a wish...
...The next day, at school time, in front of the Katsuragi house...
As usual, I ate a quick breakfast and got ready to go to school.
And I'd like to say that I went to school as usual... but today seems a little different.
"It's been a long time since the three of us walked to school together."
"Hmm, when was the last time we walked to school together? Hey God!"
"...It was about three weeks ago, since that was the day I started trying to win over Yoshino Asami."
Usually, I go to school with Elsie, and sometimes Nakagawa instead of Elsie, but today both are here.
The reason is simple: Nakagawa has the day off from work.
And there's another change. Although, neither Elsie nor I would know about it.
"We had to part ways halfway through last time, but today we can go together the whole time!"
"Yeah, that's right."
"I'm using illusion magic number two that the director sent me!!"
Back when I first needed a disguise, all I had to do was look like Elsie, but now a lot of problems have started to surface.
I asked Elsie's boss, Director Dokuro, to arrange for me to disguise myself as a fictional character who is neither Nakagawa nor Elsie. Would this new persona be named "Nishihara Maron"?
Anyway, it's made things so much easier, and I'm really grateful.
"By the way, Keima, what's the progress on the strategy?"
"This will be a piece of cake. If all goes well, we'll be done by the end of today. That would save you from having to adjust your work schedule."
"You don't have to push yourself too hard, okay? Okada-san said that he's recently gotten used to forcing himself to take time off."
"Hey, is that really okay...?"
I have absolutely no intention of tailoring my strategy to Nakagawa's convenience, but it would be best if an unfamiliar manager didn't collapse from a stomach ache.
Let's try to complete it quickly.
It's lunchtime. I could wait until after school, but it would be better to make my move before that mother gets involved.
First...
"Elsie, go outside and buy some omelet soba sandwiches. Three servings."
"For three people? Got it!"
Depending on the situation, there might not be time to go buy lunch, so I'll send Elsie on an errand... to get some food.
At the same time, I sent an email to Nakagawa to let him know that he had prepared lunch for me.
Why bother worrying about something like this? There are several reasons.
First of all, she simply didn't bring a packed lunch today. She said she was too lazy to get up early and make a lunch on her day off, and that she wanted to try eating something she could buy at school for a change.
And one more thing. This is also for a simple reason.
Because there are so many people gathered in this classroom, it's a hassle to move around.
Why are so many people gathered here? Because Kanon Nakagawa is back at school after a long time.
Thanks to all that, even getting to 2-A where Yui is is quite a struggle. (Elsie found out which class Yui is in from Kosaka Chihiro.)
I managed to get through the crowd and check on what was happening in room 2-A.
If Yui is heading somewhere, I'll get ahead of her and bump into her or something to create an event. It's better for the encounter event to be impactful, even if it's a little forceful.
If he doesn't move at all, there's nothing we can do... but it's hard to imagine a character like that silently eating his lunch alone in the classroom. He's almost certainly going to leave the classroom.
...That's what I was thinking, but then I found the perfect event.
Yui was still in the classroom.
They seem to be trying to leave the classroom, but are overwhelmed by the crowd and unable to get out.
This should easily trigger an event. I should go ahead and ask them right away.
03 A typical event
Ugh... what should I do...?
It's lunchtime, and I want to leave the classroom to eat, but for some reason there's a huge crowd.
"Is it true that Kanon-chan is here!?"
"Yeah. Apparently, he was just there out of nowhere! He appeared like a ninja!"
"Was Kanon-san a ninja?"
"Aieee! No way!"
"Kanon-chan in a ninja costume... That's totally cool!!"
Everyone is talking about something...but what exactly are they talking about?
I want to go outside, but this crowd shows no sign of letting up. Ugh... Mother, what should I do?
It was at that moment, when I was still in a daze, that that person first spoke to me.
"Hey, are you alright?"
"...Huh? M-me?"
I was suddenly called out to from behind, and when I turned around, there was an unfamiliar male student wearing glasses.
"What's wrong? Do you want to leave the classroom?"
"Uh, yes. That's right."
"Hmm... excuse me."
The male student said that and then, with a natural movement, took my hand and started walking.
"Huh? Oh, um..."
"Excuse me! Let me through!"
Then, still holding my hand, he pushed his way through the crowd and led me to a place where I could move freely.
"Phew, I think we're safe now. See you later."
"Huh? Wait, just a moment!"
She let go of my hand and was about to walk away somewhere, so I hurriedly called out to her.
Letting him go without even offering a word of thanks is an unacceptable act for a daughter of the Goido family.
"Thank you for your help. If you don't mind, could you tell me your name?"
"Hmm... I'm not someone important enough to introduce myself. Well then, goodbye."
"Huh? Wait!"
After saying that, the male student left without giving me a chance to stop him.
Who exactly was that kind person...?
"Phew, now I'm all set for meeting someone."
She's a young lady, for better or for worse. A slightly cliché delivery of lines is just right.
If she hadn't been such a heartless person who so easily forgot her benefactor, she could have left a much stronger impression.
"Oh, God! So you were here all along!"
I bought an omelet soba bread!
"Hmm, that's helpful."
Elsie appeared out of nowhere and gave me an omelet soba bread, which I devoured.
The crowds in front of the classrooms look like they'll continue for a while, so let's just stay put for now.
"Oh, that's right. Make Nakagawa's bread invisible and put it on his desk. Don't hand it to him directly, okay?"
"Huh? Yes, I understand!"
But wow, there seem to be more people here than when Nakagawa came to school before. Is it simply because he's become more popular, or did he appear out of nowhere because he used some kind of illusion magic, which caused some kind of buzz...?
Oh well. Whatever.
Now, the next time I make my move on Yui will be after school today.
I'll pretend it was a chance encounter. It might seem too obvious, though.
...And then, after school...
As soon as homeroom is over, I'll quickly move to the area near 2-A.
People are gathering in our classroom again, but not as many as during lunchtime, perhaps because they were satisfied with their lunch break.
Observing what was happening in room 2-A, I saw that Yui had come out normally. It seems she was able to escape on her own this time.
I'll follow them without being noticed and wait for an opportunity to cause an incident.
After observing for a while, she went into the brass band club room, but came out after only a few minutes. I wonder what happened?
"Elsie, can you pick up the sounds from around there?"
"Just a moment, please. I'll do this... and there you have it!"
The feathered robe transformed into a shape resembling a small parabolic antenna.
"Please put this on. You should be able to hear."
Elsie hands me something that looks like earphones. When I put them in my ears, I can hear a conversation.
"Um, are you really going to quit the brass band?"
"Yes. I have more practice sessions after this. I'm truly sorry."
"Hmm... Yui's good at it, so I would have preferred not to stop her if possible. But I guess it can't be helped."
"...Excuse me."
Hmm, so practice is better than club activities.
I can't believe that's his opinion at all.
Is it pressure from home? It's easy to understand, which is very helpful to me, but...
"...Okay, Elsie. Do as you're told."
"What can I do for you? Leave it to me!"
I didn't want to quit.
That place was the only place where I could truly be myself.
But it's impossible. There's no way my mother would approve.
...I have practice again today. I have to hurry.
I need to go to my mother's side soon, but my legs feel heavy.
Even the simple act of going down stairs is incredibly difficult.
...Perhaps it was because I was walking around in that condition?
"Ah! Ah!"
I tripped over something and lost my balance.
My hands, which I moved to try and regain my balance, only swung through empty air, and my body continued to tumble down the stairs.
Thud "Guh!"
I fell all the way down the stairs, but I must have landed on something because I didn't feel any pain from hitting the floor.
It seems I've crushed something... no, someone... underneath it.
Realizing what had happened, I quickly stood up and offered my apologies.
"I'm so sorry! I was spacing out a bit..."
"I-I'm fine."
"Hmm? You are..."
"Huh? Oh, you are!"
The person who was there was the bespectacled male student who had helped me during lunchtime.
"Heh heh, we meet again. It seems we have some kind of strange connection."
"Y-yes... that's right."
It feels like something out of a story to be helped twice in one day.
(...Well, Elsie just tripped Yui.)
"? Did you say something?"
"N-no, it's nothing."
By the way, what's wrong? You're so distracted that you tripped down the stairs. Is there something seriously bothering you?
"Huh? ...No, I can't possibly cause you any more trouble..."
"There's no need to be reserved. We're friends, aren't we? Although, to be fair, we've only met twice by chance."
I couldn't help but laugh when I saw how strangely confident he seemed, even though we'd only met a couple of times.
"Hehe, only twice. Right."
"...Looks like he finally smiled."
"picture?"
"I've been worried about your gloomy expression ever since we first met. A smile suits you a hundred times better."
"Uh, no, that's not true..."
"If you don't mind, I'd love to see more of your smile... *cough*!!"
Just as he was about to say something, his mother suddenly appeared and gave him a flying kick.
"What are you doing to my daughter?! Are you prepared to lose your life if you're going to assault the beloved daughter of the Goido family?"
"Um, Mother..."
"Yui, are you alright? I clearly saw that beast attacking you. Let's call the police and a doctor right away. Honestly, that's why I said we should make it an all-girls school instead of a co-ed school. That headmistress was full of lies about 'providing the best possible environment.' I'm sure it was all just nonsense to get donations from the Goido family."
Here comes my mother's long story again. I have to somehow deny it, or this person who helped me will end up in police custody.
But stopping your mother...
"...If I keep quiet, you can say whatever you want."
"What did you say, you beast?"
"I just stopped your daughter because she almost fell down the stairs."
In response, you suddenly launched a flying kick at me.
If the police were competent, you'd be the one getting arrested even if you called them.
When I was unable to do anything, he stood up to his mother with a dignified attitude and refuted her.
"What kind of language is that?! Do you know I'm Goido and still try to be so rude?!"
"...Is that a threat to use power to distort the facts?"
"Hmph!! Let's go, Yui. We don't have time to deal with such a barbaric, uneducated troublemaker!!"
"Y-yes"
That's amazing! You've completely out-argued your mother.
Who exactly is he?
04 Switch
...First day of the walkthrough, night...
Keima said that "the match could be settled as early as today," and there are only a few hours left until "today" ends...
"Keima, what's with that outfit?"
For some reason, he was standing outside in a pure white tuxedo.
"This is a tuxedo made from Elsie's feather robe. I'm going to pick up Yui in this outfit."
"What? Now? Isn't that too hasty?"
"That's not true. It's better to press the issue while my impression is still strong."
The root cause of this emotional void is the inability to overcome the pressure from home. The solution is simply to introduce them to something appealing that will make them strongly feel they must overcome that pressure.
Yes, the ending is in sight!
He clutches his head and crouches down just before finishing his catchphrase.
"Are you... okay?"
"God, I really put my body on the line this time. I was pushed aside, pinned under Yui, and even got a flying kick."
"That mother kicked him way too hard."
But that all ends today! Let's go, Elsie!!"
"Yes! Leave it to me!!"
Hmm, would getting kicked in the head cause a headache? Or did you hit your head when you fell? If so, you should probably go to the hospital.
Before that, he looks like he's not feeling well. Maybe we should stop... but if we can just get through this, the strategy will be complete...
"What are you spacing out for? You should join me..."
Before he could finish speaking, Keima collapsed with a thud.
"K-Keima-kun!?"
"God!?"
I should definitely call an ambulance. I quickly take out my cell phone and try to dial 119.
However, just before I finished typing the numbers, Keima's voice stopped me in my tracks.
"...it's okay"
Just those few short words.
Those words struck me as intensely unsettling.
"...Huh? What?"
What followed were unformed, questioning words.
The way they speak is slightly odd, and it's also strange that they're confused when nothing has actually happened.
But more than anything, her demeanor and mannerisms were completely different, as if she were a different person.
No way...
"You! Tell me your name!!"
"Huh? Um... what?"
"My name! Quickly!!"
"Um, well... my name is Goido Yui..."
The person who looked like Keima definitely introduced himself as such.
If this isn't some elaborate prank, then it seems that Yui's personality has entered Keima's body.
So then...
[♪～♪♪～♪♪～♪♪♪～♪～ ♪～♪～♪～♪♪♪～♪～]
I suddenly received a phone call. It was from an unknown number, but I immediately pressed the answer button.
"Is Keima-kun alright!?"
"Ah, yes...it's a huge help that it saves me the trouble of explaining, but let me just clarify the situation for a moment."
A woman's voice came from the other end of the phone. It was probably Yui Goido's voice.
"Over here, Keima suddenly collapsed, and when we asked whoever woke up what he was, he said his name was Goido Yui."
"...So that's what it was. I was startled when I suddenly realized that Yui's mother was standing right in front of me."
"So... does this mean Keima and Yui have switched places?"
"Apparently so. He's currently at what appears to be the Goido family's mansion... Can you bring him here?"
"Got it! Elsie, let's go to the mansion! Take the people there with us!!"
"I don't really understand, but... I get it! Let's go!!"
"Huh? Um, more importantly, where am I...? I was supposed to be at the mansion."
"I'll explain later! Elsie, take her with you by force!"
"Y-yes!"
"Huh? Um, aaaaaah!!"
Elsie wrapped the three of us in her feathered robe and we flew away at high speed as usual.
"Where is Yui's house again!?"
"I've heard it's a big house, so you should be able to tell from above!"
"I got it!!"
And then a few minutes later...
I somehow managed to find what I believed to be Yui's house and hurried there.
A crater almost formed in the ground, but it seems to have been stopped just in time. The ground is only slightly indented, though...
At the grand entrance gate, Keima-kun, in the guise of a girl who appeared to be Yui-san, was waving.
"Hey, over here, over here!"
"You... you're a god, right?"
"Ah, if you doubt me, how about we try to beat all six levels of the game simultaneously right now?"
"N-no, it's alright."
Six screens simultaneously...? Are they going to play six games at the same time?
I feel like I'm saying something completely crazy, but it's scary because I think Keima could actually do it.
"Um, well... what exactly is going on?"
I was having dinner with my mother, but..."
Yui, who had dragged me along by force, began to speak. Now, where should I even begin explaining?
"Let's see... Nakagawa, do you have a hand mirror or anything like that?"
"Ah, I see. Yes. Here you go."
I always carry a folding hand mirror with me.
I spread out the mirror and turned it towards Yui.
"W-what is this!?"
"It seems that the contents of my body and yours have been swapped."
"So that means... you're the one who helped me today!"
But, but why did this happen!?
"...Well, I don't know. I have absolutely no idea."
Keima-kun said something so nonsensical, then moved us away from Yui-san and began speaking in a low voice.
(This is the effect of a runaway soul...right?)
(That's the only thing I can think of... but can runaway souls do things like this too?)
(Yes, I think it's not impossible.)
(...Elsie, didn't you say before that swapping souls was impossible?)
(Huh? Was that right?)
(I think he did say it was "difficult." It wasn't impossible, though.)
But more importantly, let's talk about our future plans.
(Oh, sorry. What should we do?)
(For now... I guess we just have to live with our bodies swapped.)
I'm leaving Yui's support to you.
(Leave it to us!!)
(You're what I'm most worried about...)
After finishing their discussion, Keima turns to face Yui.
"I need some time to think about what to do. For now, just continue living as me. I'll figure something out here."
"What?! Th-that's a problem!"
"There's nothing else we can do. Please, do something..."
"Yui! You were there!!"
"Waaah! This man!!"
While Yui was still fussing, her mother arrived. This is the first time I've seen her in person... This is going to be troublesome.
But contrary to my worries, things actually worked out conveniently for me.
"M-Mother. Motherrrrr!!"
Having apparently reached her limits in many ways, Yui tries to hug her mother.
However, that body belongs to Keima-kun...
"Get lost, you pest!!"
And so, he was easily defeated.
I was knocked down after being hit by my mother's fist, but this is convenient, so I'll just carry it away like this.
(Elsie, let's go.)
(Oh, yes!!)
Initially, I considered depicting the body swap from both Keima's and Yui's perspectives simultaneously, as in the original work, but I decided to go with Kanon's perspective instead.
And I assure you, it's not because I was too lazy to write Yui's mother's rapid-fire dialogue!!
In this work, we still haven't seen any clearly identifiable Level 2 runaway souls, so I'm quite skeptical that the body swaps are due to the runaway souls.
Although, Shiori is supposed to be affected by them.
05 The beginning of swapped lives
Just like when we came to the Goido family's mansion, the three of us went back to Keima's house.
We'll gather in the room I'm using to discuss future plans.
"Let me introduce myself first. I'm Nakagawa Kanon. This girl over here is... Katsuragi Elsie. The woman who was downstairs earlier is Keima's mother, Katsuragi Mari."
And the real owner of the body that Yui is inhabiting is Keima Katsuragi."
I considered trying to make up a name for myself, but...since they've already seen my face clearly, it's probably better not to try and cover it up.
If only the illusion magic had been active from the start... Wait, come to think of it, does illusion magic even work? Right now, Yui is in Keima's body, but...
It might be a good idea to check later.
"Um, excuse me, may I ask you something?"
"What? If there's anything you're curious about, just ask me anything."
"Yes. What is your relationship with Keima-sama, Nakagawa-sama? Your last names are different, so I was a little curious..."
"Ah... yeah. Um..."
I have nothing to be ashamed of about living here, so it should be okay to tell you everything without hiding anything... I think.
The worst thing that could happen here is if people mistakenly think that Keima and I are in a romantic relationship. That would have a significant negative impact on our strategy.
For now, I'll just confidently say I'm just a lodger. If they get suspicious, I'll add a twist like we're actually relatives.
"I'm staying here because of various circumstances. Oh, but I'd like you not to tell anyone about this. It'll just cause a lot of trouble."
"What does that mean?"
Yui looks genuinely bewildered.
Well, I can't believe it, but... you don't know me?
...I see, her parents probably forbade her from watching TV and things like that. They were exactly the kind of stubborn mothers you see in dramas!
Well, then it's understandable that they don't know me! It's all that mother's fault!!
"Mr. Nakagawa? What's the matter? You look rather frightened..."
"No, it's nothing. Anyway, it's a secret, okay? ♪"
"Ah, uh..."
It looks like Keima might have caused some trouble over there, so let's leave that alone for a while.
The top priority is to complete the objective. And to support Yui.
Just as I regained my composure, I heard Mari's voice from downstairs.
"Everyone, the bath is ready, so go ahead and get in!"
"So... will you come in, Yui?"
"I'll pass on taking a bath... Please, don't worry about me..."
That makes sense. I don't have the courage to suddenly transform into a man's body and take a bath.
...I wonder how Keima is doing? I have a feeling he'd just jump in without hesitation...
Meanwhile, at the Goido family's residence...
Th-this is a girl's body...
It's white, soft, smooth, and makes my heart race...
Me, me...
"...That's what they often say in games, but when you actually become one, it's much more normal than you'd expect, which is a bit anticlimactic."
My body feels different than usual, so there are a lot of things that feel strange, but that's about it.
"Hmm... It's often said in games, but big breasts are certainly heavy. You often hear busty characters say things like, 'My shoulders get stiff,' and I can see why."
Putting aside the speculation, I quickly took off my clothes and got into the bath.
As expected of a bathroom in such a needlessly large mansion, it's also needlessly spacious. It might even be bigger than your average public bathhouse. I wonder what the point of all that is.
But I never imagined things would turn out like this. Maybe I underestimated the power of runaway spirits.
We're taking a completely unexpected route, but it's not necessarily a bad thing.
To think they could create such a fantastical plot... It just goes to show that even in reality, it's possible if you put your mind to it.
~~
...Yeah, I'm sure Keima will be fine.
What I'm more worried about is school tomorrow.
I highly doubt the swap will be reversed overnight. I think it will stay that way until the game is completed.
Therefore, they will end up switching places and living their lives at school as well.
I'd love to go to school and help out too, but... I have work to do...
There's also the option of switching places with Elsie, but...
"Yui, were you able to remember our names properly?"
"Yes, that would be Ms. Nakagawa Kanon and Ms. Katsuragi Elsie."
"Could you tell me which is which, just to be sure?"
"Huh? Yes. That's Mr. Nakagawa, and this is Ms. Elsie, correct?"
And yet, despite us using illusion magic, they correctly identified the right answer.
In this situation, we can't use the body-switching trick in front of Yui. It's not impossible if we explain it properly, but...doing that would make things incredibly complicated.
Even if I took time off work to go to school, it would be nearly impossible for me to support Yui from my position. I guess I'll have to rely on Elsie to handle it, or at worst, just leave her alone.
...Wait a minute? If Keima and Yui each use illusion magic, wouldn't that solve the body-switching problem?
Hmm... Keima would probably even use this situation to his advantage, so it's probably best not to do anything reckless.
Let's talk to Elsie and at least secure a means to do it.
06 Each person's situation
...Second day of strategy...
"I thought about it overnight, but I couldn't come up with anything in particular, so I'll just continue living like this for a while."
"I-I never thought of that..."
I arrived at school early in the morning and met up with Yui and Elsie.
It's absurd to think of a way to resolve such an abnormal situation overnight, but for Yui, it must have been a desperate attempt to grasp at straws. Her despair is palpable.
"Well, the first time they switched places, it was sudden too. They'll probably switch back eventually."
"How irresponsible! I don't know anything about men's lives..."
I don't think it makes much difference whether you're a man or a woman, or rather, in reality, it doesn't make much difference.
Well, that might be a bit harsh on a young lady like her.
"Um, well... there's something I'd like to ask you..."
"Huh? What is it?"
"Um... well..."
...How do I use the restroom...?
"...teeth?"
...Staff restroom...
"You haven't done it since yesterday? Are you an idiot?!"
"B-but, the way you do it..."
"Men and women do things the same way!"
"But, but... if I take off my bottoms, it'll be visible..."
"You can't go to the toilet without taking your clothes off!"
Is it a toilet issue? That's a common trope when it comes to switching bodies.
When you actually encounter it...it's kind of irritating.
"Ugh...sniff, I want to go back."
I want to go home..."
...Yeah, I guess Yui is the one suffering the most.
We need to get rid of those runaway spirits quickly.
"It'll be alright, you'll definitely be able to come back."
"...I'm sorry. You're in the same position, too..."
I'll do my best too, until things return to normal."
"...ah"
And so, the two of them began their swapped school life!
Let's start by looking at Yui's side!
~~Side conclusion~~
I have to act like Keima-sama.
But I don't know much about Keima-sama. What should I do?
Hmm, since he's such a prince-like person, I'm sure he's a model student who's loved by everyone.
I must be careful not to make any careless mistakes that could tarnish their reputation...
"Now, if anyone understands the feelings of the man who is the main character on this page, tell me."
This question...is from the section I prepared for. Don't worry, I can answer it perfectly!
"Yes, teacher!"
Raise your hand and speak clearly.
"The word 'friend' in the protagonist's lines refers to a cat, and he's reflecting on how he's become decadent while keeping a cat that loves dorayaki!"
...Huh? Everyone in the classroom seems to be in a commotion. Could it be that I've made a mistake...?
No, no, this is definitely correct!
"So, what do you think!"
"Hmm, that's an excellent answer, Katsuragi."
Oh, that's good. It was correct.
"So, what exactly is this harassment about?"
"Agaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
For some reason, Professor Nikaido put me in a joint lock...
I was sure I got it right, so why...?
Hmm, it seems like Yui has a misunderstanding about God...
God isn't such a model student.
Huh? You're saying a competent demon should properly follow up in situations like this?
N-no, well... that's right, I haven't even shown my true strength yet!
Actually, that's all the fault of the god who's always playing video games! If the god were a good student, there wouldn't have been a problem!! For some reason, he always gets high scores on tests, so he should be able to become a good student if he put his mind to it!!
...So, next up is God. Although, to be fair, I didn't see it myself; this is what God told me afterward.
~~Keima's Side~~
So they'll pretend to be each other and live their lives like that... huh?
In games, you mostly do it that way because you have no other choice, but in reality, it's impossible to act perfectly.
The only real examples of a "seamless body swap" are the case where Nakagawa plays Elsie, or the case where the twins Yoshino Asami and Ikumi switch places.
The former is a case where they haven't been in the human world for long and are a goofy character, so any slight awkwardness can be overlooked. The latter is a case where they understand each other's characteristics well.
So, if Yui tries to play me, it's almost certainly going to fail. But that's not a problem. Even if Yui messes something up and I end up being treated like a troublemaker, my memory will probably be manipulated with some hellish technology anyway.
The purpose of having her act is twofold: to give Yui a purpose and to control her actions to a certain extent.
Having something to do would provide some reassurance, and as long as I'm acting, I won't do anything completely out of the ordinary.
So, what should I do...?
If you want to minimize the influence from home, it would be best to take actions that will disappoint them.
That said, I certainly wouldn't do anything criminal, would I? Just acting normally should be enough.
So, I'm just playing the game as usual, without any acting.
It looks like the girls from Yui's class are watching us from a distance and gossiping about something... but they'll probably manipulate our memories too. Let's just play the game to our heart's content.
...lunch break...
"Goido-san! P-please go out with me!!"
I was summoned to the rooftop by a strange letter, and when I went there, a guy who looked like a total nobody confessed his feelings to me... no, to Yui.
I don't remember seeing him the day before, and today was the first time I'd met him. Yui didn't say anything in particular either, so it's almost certain that this person, whom she'd just met, confessed to her without any preparation whatsoever.
How utterly foolish, truly foolish.
"That's complete nonsense."
"picture?"
"Are you underestimating what a confession of love is?"
Listen, depending on the game, a confession can be the most important event, you know? What good does it do to make it happen out of nowhere?
"Huh, what?"
"When it comes to things like this, you work backward from the confession date, starting with an impactful encounter, building up events, and only confessing when you're perfectly prepared."
"Y-yes..."
"Are you kidding me? You summon her with just a letter, and then confess your feelings to her in a cliché place like the rooftop with some bland lines?"
"Huh? No, well..."
"Not that all templates are inherently bad. But your confession lacks any creativity. You need to put in more effort..."
"I-I'm so sorry!!"
The man ran away with a frightened look on his face.
Hmph, so that's all you've got. What a weakling.
God is going all out...
Even manipulating memories in hell takes time and effort, so I wish they'd exercise a little restraint.
Also, God has been a troublemaker from the start!!