The Heroines All Regretted It

He did it…

He opened the golden chest!

Yoru dragged a chair over to the second-floor balcony connected to Eriri's room. He sat down in its shade, staring blankly ahead.

In front of him was a large, leafy tree. One thick branch extended almost to the balcony.

Maybe with a bit of agility, someone could use that tree to sneak into Eriri's private room through the balcony.

"Whew…"

Yoru blinked, exhaled slowly, and turned his gaze elsewhere.

It was Saturday, nearly afternoon.

Last night, he'd played the King's Game with Eriri and won every round—finally opening the golden chest.

He smiled.

The chest contained two incredible rewards:

[Minor Luck + Magic Buff] – Occasionally brings you good luck. But it's more than that: danger will be drawn away from you, and sometimes your wishes will come true—e.g., high fertility chances..,...In short, you'll gain small fortune and magical effects.

[Tenfold Reward for Effort Buff] – Any effort you put in will return tenfold—provided it's measurable!

Yoru let the breeze wash over him.

The first buff meant occasional strokes of luck and avoidance of danger. The "magical" part was… confusing.

Especially that vague line about "fertility"—high success rate. A bit awkward.

Still, it was the second one that excited him more.

Tenfold return on effort.

If he exercised to lose weight, his progress would multiply. If he studied, his gains would accelerate.

As long as the effort was quantifiable—he'd get results.

But abstract things—like dreaming of waking up as a slim genius with mind-control powers—wouldn't yield anything.

"One more week until finals. Then summer vacation."

"Can I slim down before that?"

Yoru looked at his chubby hands and smiled, already picturing his thinner self.

The culprit behind the incident—Eriri—was caught. Once she cleared things up with Kasumigaoka Utaha, he'd be free of suspicion and wouldn't have to worry about expulsion.

Two mountains lifted from his back.

Still, the fat had to go.

Did Yoru want to lose weight? Absolutely.

"…And then there's Kasumigaoka Utaha and Kaguya Shinomiya…"

Thoughts of the two who hurt him surfaced again.

Eriri was clearly worse, but if given the chance, he wanted revenge on them too.

"Kasumigaoka's always alert, paranoid, and carries defense gear. I can't do to her what I did to Sawamura."

"She's careful. Probably wouldn't do anything even if she knew Sawamura was the thief."

"As for Shinomiya Kaguya, she's a rich heiress… much more dangerous."

"My mind games with Sawamura ended in my win. I don't need to use my rewind ability there."

After a while in the breeze, Yoru returned to Eriri's room.

Eriri was awake.

"You bastard, disgusting pig, pervert, degenerate—get out of my house!"

She sat up groggily, eyes ringed with dark circles, her swollen face still aching.

Her body was sore all over from last night's exercises.

She glared and hurled a pillow at him.

Last night, Yoru had ordered her to do 100 push-ups and 100 squats…

[Thought it's rape huh? Well shit, the second this turned to those rape Revenge shit, I'm dropping it]

"I know, I'm leaving."

He picked up the pillow, tossed it back.

"Ugh… Rinri… I… I'll kill you… damn it…"

Seeing the creepy loser again made Eriri choke up and cry hoarsely.

"Heh…"

Yoru sneered and walked toward her bed.

"What are you doing?! Stay away!"

Eriri panicked, tossing more pillows his way.

No effect.

"Shut it. Cry again and I'll spank you till you can't sit straight."

Yoru sat down on the soft bed.

Last night, he had slept here—while Eriri lay freezing on the floor.

"Hiss… hiss…"

Hearing that threat, Eriri fell silent. She was terrified of him now.

"Don't forget how you acted as my servant. I showed you exactly what I could do."

"If you don't want to be a public laughingstock on social media, don't get carried away and try to retaliate."

"You should also know—at my age, even if I commit murder, I won't get more than fifteen years."

"If you're thinking about hiring someone to take me out, keep in mind: that timer might still be running."

Yoru glared at her and activated his mind-reading again.

With the lucky buff protecting him from danger, he felt emboldened.

But he wasn't stupid. He still needed to pressure Eriri just in case.

"…I won't," she sniffled.

[No way!]

As soon as she heard those words, Eriri immediately shifted—from a raging golden retriever barking non-stop, to a pitiful, frightened girl.

Yoru was reading her mind again.

He could clearly feel the fear and dread inside her.

And the deep anxiety.

She was afraid he would threaten her again, humiliate her again, and force her into another round of the King's Game.

The so-called King's Game allowed the winner—by any method of victory—to issue any command, which the loser couldn't refuse.

Agreeing to play meant agreeing to accept the outcome.

Yoru hadn't forced Eriri into it.

Last night, it was Eriri herself who insisted on betting with him—but she hadn't even understood the rules properly and lost over and over again…

"Why won't you just leave? Get out! Get out of my house… ugh… sob…"

"Ugh… sob… ha… sniff…"

Eriri was crying again, completely unable to control herself.

…

"Do you think this would have happened if you hadn't done what you did?"

Yoru responded coldly, his voice filled with disdain.

"You ruined me. You destroyed me!"

Eriri screamed with all her strength, her voice tearing through the silence.

"And didn't you ruin me too?"

Yoru smiled darkly. "Oh, and one more thing… dear, Sawamura Eriri…"

He leaned forward, placing one hand on the bed to steady himself as he brought his face closer to hers.

That cute, pale-skinned, blonde girl flinched in fear instinctively, curling up and retreating into the corner of the wall, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at Yoru.

"Relax. I just want you to remember…"

"Spend the rest of your life living in regret and pain."

"And don't even think about ending it all—if you try anything like suicide, I'll spread that video of you acting like a servant. Letting the whole world mock you."

Yoru's voice was calm, but the threat was razor-sharp.

"Get out… just get out of my house!"

"Go die! I hate you! I hate you so much!"

Eriri finally snapped, ignoring the pain in her body, lifting the blanket and throwing it at him.

Her shattered spirit burned with pure hatred and fear toward Yoru.

"Just leave! I never want to see you again!"

"And if you don't—if you ever dare lay a single finger on me again—I'll take you down with me. I'll kill you before I go."

Eriri bit down hard on her lip, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth, washing away the leftover bitterness.

She pulled herself together, forcing her emotions and her body into line. Her sapphire-blue eyes met Yoru's without wavering, filled with fierce determination.

"I've been waiting for you to say that."

Yoru stood up from the bed, thinking to himself.

This match—he'd won.

He had successfully taken revenge on Eriri, and now she didn't dare retaliate. That meant she'd swallowed the bitter pill quietly.

The emotions revealed by his mind-reading confirmed it.

"Well then, I'll be going. Goodbye, dear Sawamura Eriri."

Yoru picked up his bag, walked to the door, and turned back to flash her a smile.

"Go to hell! Bastard, just die already!"

Eriri, furious, tried to get up to throw a pillow at him—but as soon as she moved, a wave of agony surged through her.

The soreness and torn muscles from the forced workout kept her locked to the bed for the next few days.

Overexercising will do that to you.

Yoru gave her one last glance, then opened the door and left with his backpack.

From that moment on…

Eriri—the once proud, haughty little princess who always looked down on him—would never dare roll her eyes at him again.

After all, she'd been humiliated in front of him. Lost all face.

Now, just seeing him would be enough to make her flee in shame and fear.

Yoru closed the door behind him and walked downstairs.

His stomach growled.

"So hungry… all I had last night was some bread and milk from the fridge, and I burned through so many calories."

He muttered to himself and headed into the kitchen, opening the giant double-door fridge.

Eriri's parents wouldn't be back anytime soon, and Yoru felt no need to rush or worry.

"Let's see what we've got…"

He scanned the chilled section and flipped through a few containers.

He grabbed a fresh peach and took a bite—sweet juice bursting in his mouth.

Then he opened the freezer. Plenty of high-quality ingredients inside.

How about…

Making a simplified seafood rice dish?

He'd learned to make it while studying weight-loss recipes. The dish was good, though a bit elaborate and ingredient-heavy.

Back at his cramped apartment, he never had the space or equipment to try.

But Eriri's mansion? Everything in it was top-tier. The kitchen alone was massive.

From the fridge, he pulled out a white abalone, a bag of shrimp, a bag of mussels. Then he grabbed onions, bell peppers, and other sides.

He set down his backpack and happily began to work.

The seafood was all vacuum-packed and fresh—the kind of quality only rich families could afford.

He boiled water, added green onions, ginger, and cooking wine to remove fishiness, and started blanching the seafood.

He rinsed the rice and left it to soak.

This version of the dish was freestyle.

He prepped the veggies…

The chopping board echoed with the steady rhythm of the knife.

Meanwhile…

Upstairs, Eriri was still lying in bed, hands over her face, her crying finally subsiding. She thought about everything Yoru had just said to her.

"That bastard finally left…"

"I… I…"

"He even threatened me so I couldn't even die if I wanted to!"

Eriri lay flat on the bed, careful not to press down on her sore back.

She had, in fact, considered suicide.

But only as a fleeting thought.

She couldn't go through with it.

If she died, who would take care of Izumi Sagiri—her beloved little sister?

Eriri truly saw Sagiri as family. In her heart, the girl mattered just as much as her childhood friend Aki Tomoya.

Sometimes Tomoya even made her angry—but if forced to choose, she'd pick Sagiri without hesitation.

"If he dares break his word and tries to hurt me again, I'll fight him with everything I have!"

"Humph…!"

Eriri's eyes were full of steel.

She would never let that disgusting creep lay a hand on her again.

That was what she feared most right now.

The evidence of her servitude… the stolen stockings and underwear from Kasumigaoka Utaha… all in his hands. There was no peace of mind with that hanging over her.

Grrrrrr—

Her stomach growled loudly.

From yesterday afternoon until now, she hadn't eaten a single bite—just drank a bit of water.

And that disgusting creep—he'd made her squat while he sat there smugly, eating bread and drinking milk.

At the end, she thought he was finally showing her mercy by offering her some milk.

Turned out to be a cruel joke.

After just a sip or two, he poured the rest over her face—her hair and skin drenched in milk.

Then… he splashed it on her lower body and feet.

And demanded she lick it clean like a dog.

Of course… she didn't do it.

"That bastard…"

Eriri cursed bitterly, gritting her teeth, forcing herself to sit up despite the pain.

Over-exercising had torn her muscles; her whole body was sore.

She'd been run into the ground like a soldier in boot camp. Her body was done.

She'd be bedridden for days.

"At least… thank God… that pervert didn't go snooping around my room."

She lay back again, starving but too sore to move.

She needed to rest.

"If he'd found out I'm a doujin artist… that I'm Kashiwagi Eri… I'd be totally finished!"

Eriri comforted herself with that small mercy.

She lay there a bit longer, then tried again to get up—but the pain was so sharp, it felt like her body was falling apart.

Her heart twisted with hatred and fear toward Yoru.

She sank into silence again.

Her mind was a tangled ball of yarn, her thoughts drifting like driftwood on a stormy sea—swept in every direction with no control.

Fear… despair… regret… rage…

But no more guilt.

In her mind, she and Yoru were now even.

Her life had truly been shattered.

Not good enough for Tomoya anymore…

But who would ever know what poor Eriri was thinking deep inside?

…

Downstairs, in Eriri's kitchen—

Yoru stirred the golden rice in the premium maifan stone pot with a spatula.

He was starting to realize he had a real knack for cooking.

Just one attempt, and he'd managed to whip up a successful seafood rice dish.

The fragrant aroma of the rice had already filled the air. It wasn't exactly authentic, but it was definitely delicious.

"Time to add the seafood."

He first inserted mussels into the golden rice, placing them around the outer layer.

Next came the large shrimp.

And finally, slices of crystal-clear white abalone—so pale and tender they looked like they'd melt in your mouth.

Even though they weren't raw, the slices still glistened with moisture.

"Shame they aren't fresh enough to eat raw…"

Yoru thought. He was no exception to the stereotype—Japanese people loved sashimi.

With the seafood added, Yoru threw in a few small chrysanthemum blossoms for garnish.

He wasn't sure what variety they were, but they were almost identical in color to the abalone—soft pink, quite rare.

Seafood rice usually called for basil leaves to add fragrance and suppress fishiness. But Eriri's fridge didn't even have cilantro, only chrysanthemums—so he figured they'd work just as well.

"Just gotta wait for it to cook through."

Yoru clapped his hands, washed up, and grabbed a handful of cherries, popping them into his mouth.

There was plenty of tasty stuff in the fridge.

It was early July. Summer was already in full swing.

He tore open a milk-white popsicle and began licking it as he waited for the seafood rice to finish cooking.

Consider it a reward for a successful revenge~

Time slowly ticked by.

The aroma of the seafood rice drifted out from the kitchen, slipping under the gap of Eriri's bedroom door.

"Ow… damn that bastard…"

Eriri could handle hunger, but thirst? That was unbearable.

Her fingers trembled violently, veins bulging under her pale arms as she tried to push herself up from the floor.

She couldn't even crawl, let alone walk.

And just then, the delicious scent wafted in like a baited fishing hook, crafted by a master angler and dangled right under her nose.

The smell had an almost magical pull, strong enough to make her forget everything—

Even the pain in her body, and the torment in her mind.

A few seconds later, she collapsed back onto the bed, sniffing the air with her tiny upturned nose, wondering if she was hallucinating.

"It smells so good…"

"What is that incredible smell…?"

She drooled involuntarily, craving food more than anything.

But first… she wanted to brush her teeth thoroughly. Maybe even flush out her stomach if she could.

…

"It's just… too good… huff… huff…"

Back in the kitchen, Yoru scooped half the pot into a bowl and started eating nonstop.

Even though it burned his mouth, he still couldn't help taking bite after bite.

It's true what they say—when you're starving, everything tastes amazing.

But this seafood rice? It really was good.

There wasn't even a trace of fishiness. Instead, the umami exploded, blending with the aroma of the rice, abalone, and chrysanthemum.

Completely addictive.

Especially when he chewed the rice thoroughly—the floral fragrance of the chrysanthemum bloomed in his chest, clean and refreshing.

The abalone slices, while not fresh from the ocean, were still incredible.

Top-tier ingredients. Rare and precious.

"So good… so good…"

Yoru kept eating, occasionally digging out a mussel or two.

Within minutes, half the pot was gone.

He hadn't used much oil. The seafood was high-protein, perfect for a healthy Mediterranean-style diet.

The only cheat?

That popsicle.

"But popsicles are cold—cold means zero calories. Basically counts as zero."

Yoru comforted himself as he washed his hands clean.

Besides, he had that "Tenfold Reward for Effort Buff" skill anyway—losing weight would be a breeze. One popsicle wasn't going to ruin him.

Discipline and control were necessary, sure. But this didn't count.

It's fine!

"If I just work hard this summer… I can lose weight. And once I'm slimmer…"

"Maybe I won't look that bad."

He flicked the water from his hands and prepared to leave.

At this point, he still didn't know what kind of transformation awaited him after a focused summer of training and dieting.

He picked up his backpack, glanced at Eriri's bedroom door… then hesitated.

He set the bag back down.

Went back into the kitchen and scooped some seafood rice, picked up a bottle of milk, and headed upstairs again.

Cautious as ever, Yoru still wanted to test the waters.

To see how Eriri would react to a small act of goodwill.

After all, she couldn't get out of bed right now—and that was technically his fault.

Don't misunderstand…

It wasn't like she exercised regularly. He'd made her do a hundred push-ups and a hundred squats during her "training" last night. No wonder she couldn't move.

"So good…"

"I must be hallucinating…"

Gurgle gurgle

Eriri was sore all over, parched and starving. She even suspected she was suffering from rhabdomyolysis.

She'd been put through boot camp all night.

Fetching water, taking orders, running back and forth…

Normally pampered, used to being served hand and foot—Eriri was utterly spoiled.

Being ordered around by that disgusting fatty like a maid? If word got out, everyone at school would think that perverted creep had lost his mind.

Gross. Disgusting.

No one would ever believe that the cute and elegant Sawamura Eriri...

"Just five more minutes… then I'll crawl to get water…"

Her throat felt like it had been scraped by knives—too dry to speak.

The smell of seafood rice still hovered at her nose, refusing to dissipate.

Thump thump thump…

Footsteps echoed up the stairs.

Eriri, in terrible condition, was slow to react—but when she realized what it meant…

Her eyes shot open in panic.

Yoru hadn't left.

"What does he want now?!"

Her eyes widened in alarm, face pale with fear.

When the doorknob turned, her breathing hitched.

Suddenly, she wanted to fight back.

That disgusting creep—what more did he want?!

"Sawamura?"

Yoru pushed the door open confidently. The scent of seafood rice burst through like a ravenous tiger.

"You disgusting pervert! If you even touch me again, I swear I'll kill you!"

"I don't care if I lose face—I'll take you down with me!"

Eriri screamed, pointing at him furiously.

"I made seafood rice. Brought milk too."

Yoru didn't step inside. He activated his mind-reading and set the rice and milk at the door.

Eriri sniffed the air like a puppy, stunned by how good it smelled.

She looked at the disgusting fatty in disbelief.

"What… is he trying to butter me up? Then threaten me again? Make me give in and keep this twisted relationship going?"

"I'm not eating that. Disgusting. Dump it. Get out of my house!"

Eriri forced her parched throat to shout, pointing right at Yoru's nose.

"I just wanted to warn you—not to act recklessly. I'm scared too, you know."

"After all, I'm no match for the noble, high-born Sawamura Eriri."

Yoru gripped the doorknob again—and pulled the door shut.

Of course… Eriri was so cute. In the future, if there was a chance…

And he still had leverage…