On the 6th Playthrough of the Otome Game, the Auto-Mode Broke

Chapter 1: Good Afternoon, Baby

Obviously, the first round was surprising.

I don't think there's a person on this planet who could keep up with suddenly finding yourself at the opening ceremony in a gorgeous, but unfamiliar building on a campus that you've never heard the name before in your life. Suffice it to say, the internal confusion I felt pushed me past the human limits, and I went mad. Luckily, my expressions and actions didn't reflect my state of mind. I'm still glad about that for if I were able to act on my desires Mariabell Tempest would be known as a pervert rather than a villainous daughter. I hate the thought of that.

The second round went by in a blur as I spent most of my time crying and praying that this was just a horrible dream I'd soon wake up from. Even then, a deep part of me knew that my prayers would never be heard.

From the third round and forward, the situation had become serious.

No matter what I did or how much I protested, there was nothing that I could do to escape. After all, my body wouldn't move to my commands or say what I wanted to. This is the meaning of being in "auto-mode". I had obtained this fully automatic body before I realized what was going on. Still not happy about that.

And now, the fifth round is about to end.

Even though my eyes aren't closed, my vision goes dark, and I'm unable to hear anything. I know where I am going. In just a few seconds, I'll open my eyes and see that same old scene I started this journey with: the entrance cere—

"...?"

When I opened my eyes, I saw a pastel pink ceiling above me. This can't be possible. According to the past rounds, I should be at the entrance ceremony.

"My sweet Maria, have you woken up?"

"..."

What confuses me most is the voice I'm hearing as it isn't a cheeky male voice or a commanding female voice who speaks at the entrance ceremony. This feminine voice is lovely and gentle, and it's one I — or at the very least Mariabell — have known all my life.

A hand grabs onto the handrail near me. After gazing at her neatly trimmed nails, I look up to the woman. A pair of purple eyes gaze fondly back at me. Big, round eyes that give her a childish look. My eyes quickly dart up towards the shiny ornaments in her hair. As elaborate as they are, the accessories are a perfect fit for her plaited golden hair. In the 2D world with gorgeous people everywhere, her face is nothing special, but it is still much prettier than the average person.

But... who is she? I've never seen this person in any of the five rounds.

"Maria, I'll change your clothes when you get up."

"...!?"

As she says that, I realize that my hands are already raised upwards towards the women. She lifts me slowly, and I understand where I am.

Just as I imagined, the walls match the pastel pink ceiling. The window leading to the balcony has a roundness to them that screams cute. All the furniture in the room— or at least all furniture I could see is elegant and gives off a refined and high-class feeling. And then there's the most lavish piece of all, the crib with a canopy.

A "baby" crib with a canopy.

Of course, that's where I was picked up from.

"Uhhhhn!"

"Maria?"

"What is going on?!" I shout. However, what comes out of my mouth isn't a well-articulated cry of anguish. Instead, a wreck of hiragana tumbles out, and I can barely understand myself. Did I spend so much time not speaking during the five rounds that I have the language ability of an infant? That sucks!

"What happened? Are you hungry?"

The woman who is cradling me in her arms is probably Mariabell's mother. If I'm remembering right, Mariabell's parents divorced when she was five and was put into her father's custody. She never knew why this happened because she never found the courage to assert herself. I wish I could've helped find some information, but it's not like I could ask someone during the last five rounds.

"Wah! Uhmp."

"Wow, Maria! You're talking a lot today!"

At the very least, I know that this is my voice speaking. Somehow, the auto-mode function that has been making my life a living hell isn't working. Even though this has been my dream ever since the first round, I feel oddly disappointed. Why now? Why the sixth round? Is it because the other rounds were dedicated to the heroine capturing the hearts of the five romance targets and now that she's abandoned this game I get to have my autonomy? The "Congratulations on playing your part! Now, I'll let you live your life~!" kind of situation? That's crazy!

"Ahhhhhh....."

"Did you have a good dream last night?"

It's the exact opposite. Honestly, I wish I was dreaming.

I keep trying to speak to the woman, but not one bit of hiragana is spoken. Instead, all that comes out is gibberish.

The truth that I didn't want to accept dawns on me now. Sleeping in a crib, the ability to only speak gibberish, a body that a small woman can carry with ease?

Yep, I'm certain of it.

Mariabell Tempest's sixth round of life has started as the sweet, little baby Maria.