Otome game in a reality

Final route 6; Which one?

A/n; From this chapter, I'll start addressing Asuka as Ariana to avoid confusion.

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It's only natural for the little girl to be afraid after waking up in an unknown place.

"Stay away! Or else I'll scream for help!"

However Ariana still found herself annoyed by the girl's loud pitched voice and had the urge to put her back into sleep by force.

Her head was still bleeding. If it wasn't for L returning from grocery shopping just in time, the girl would've escaped somewhere.

'Calm down. She's the only chance for me to get home' she silently thought to herself before approaching the girl with a warm smile that looks obviously forced.

"Hey, calm down. Don't you know me? I'm the protagonist of the game you played before coming here"

The little girl paused for a moment as if trying to remember the charming big sister's face from somewhere but failed. "No, You're lying! Take me back to brother Saito! Or else I'll really scream!" the girl exclaimed and moved to the other side of the bed, almost ready to run.

'You've been screaming since you woke up!

With a bitter expression, Ariana tried to approach the girl who was acting like a wild kitten. She missed L who was taking a shower in like decades and wondered how the girl couldn't remember the main character of the game when she clearly knew who Saito was.

"Okay little miss, what's your name?" holding back her anger, Ariana gently asked.

"A-Asuka Yoshino" the girl replied. Only then Ariana realized that she's really the person who played the game. After all her name and the protagonist's name was the same, which means the girl has been playing from the protagonist's point of view. However Ariana couldn't find the right words to explain her identity. And the girl looked very frightened too.

"Ariana?"

She almost let out a sigh of relief when she heard L's voice behind her. The silver haired guy who had towel wrapped around his lower half of body literally looked like an angel that came to save her from this loud little demon.

"L, can you please take care of her?"

Ariana looked really exhausted so L immediately agreed.

With a sigh, Ariana went to the kitchen. She cooked three meals for each person.

'I can win her over with my great cooking skills'

It was the first time she ever tried to cook a food for someone, especially a child at that.

By the time she returned, the image she saw truly shocked her.

"...I-I was really scared! The ground was shaking and suddenly mom was gone.."

"Don't worry. I and that sister from before will protect you"

"R-really?"

"Of course"

The wild girl from before, who threw a freaking vase at her was now crying her eyes out in L's embrace.

'This little thing...'

Is it the attitude? Aura? Face? Or Gender?

Why is it that it's only her who's hated by kids?

"Guys, let's eat our breakfast"

Putting down the plates, Ariana started to eat silently, feeling like an scary old dude due to girl's intense glare.

"What're you looking at?"

"Hic!"

Ariana asked one question and the girl started hiccuping.

'Is it the difference between real person and a fictional character? The kids back in the orphanage would always stare at me with awe'

"Hic!"

The dining room was filled with silence. As their apartment is located underground in order to be not found by the dark angel, there was only a brim light to brighten up their solemn atmosphere.

"Hic!"

"L, so what's the next plan? Should we just make her wake up from her dream or something?"

"Hicc!"

Ariana thought that since it's all based on the little girl's imagination, everything would be over once they got the girl. But so far, L seems to be not rushing much, which makes her feel somewhat left out.

In her response, L shook his head. "Ariana, please try to use a nicer tone. You're scaring the kid"

"Hic!"

"But I can't stay here any longer with those lovesick psychos out there and an alien bastard who wants to eat me!" Ariana said with hint of urgency in her tone. "Let's just quickly proceed with whatever plan you've next and end this"

"Hic!"

"Ariana.." L spoke. "Truthfully.., there's no other plan"

"What?!"
"Hic!"

"GODDAMN IT! Just go and drink something already!!!" Ariana screamed towards the little girl.

"...."

The room was filled with silence again.

Fortunately it seems like the hiccuping stopped. Instead the noise was replaced by whimpers of the terrified little girl.

"Ariana, please calm down. You're scaring her"

L was actually doing a great job calming down the girl as he patted her back gently.

Ariana took a deep breath to calm herself down and actually not scare the girl again.

'To think a girl like her played this stupid dating game full of crazy psychos... Kids nowadays are really something'

"L, just explain why we needed her if there's no plan afterwards. I really want to end this as quickly as possible"

"If you're in that much hurry then there's an easy way out"

With a flick of his finger, L made the system window appear before her and himself.

"W-woah.. what's this? It looks so cool" The little girl mumbled, trying to touch the floating computer window in front of her but failed as her small fingers just went through it.

"Say <Account> and then press the small button on the right"

Without thinking further, Ariana did as L said and pressed the button.

[Player Account:                        Log out
Name: Asuka Yoshino
Routes cleared: 4
Good ending: 1           Bad ending: 3
Total points collected: 665]

'Strange, I've never seen this thing before'

[Log out]

"Now press it" L said.

"What'll happen if I press this?"

"You'll stop being a player and the real owner will take your place"

"And that owner is.."

"Yes, it's her" L pointed towards the girl, who hid behind him even further.

As much as dumping all the responsibilities to a stranger sounded nice, Ariana's conscious wouldn't let her press the button.

"Fine, let's just forget about it. Any other ways?"

"There is one, but it'll take some time. Also I can't provide you with any further explanation"

Ariana nodded in defeat.

At the same time it amazed her how he nonchalantly forced the kid he comforted with so much care, be the main character of this crazy-ass game.

'Which one is the real him?'

It'd be foolish of her if she were to trust such two faced person.