A Dazzling Entrance

"That won't do. Absolutely not," Eri Nakamura declared, her voice syrupy but carrying a disturbing edge. "Confessing is meaningless because Kouki-kun is too kind. He won't ignore others, even if they're worthless trash. That's why I decided to make him mine alone—a puppet who can only see me."

Her face twisted into a sickly, deranged grin, a stark contrast to the Eri they once knew.

"And as for you, Shizuku, Kaori, and even Miss Aiko—you'll all make such obedient puppets. I'll present you as gifts to His Majesty, the King! Aren't you thrilled?"

"Damn you! Don't involve Kaori in this!" Shizuku Yaegashi's voice trembled with rage, her hand tightening around her sword.

Her own fate was insignificant, but she couldn't bear the thought of her dear friend falling into Eri's clutches.

"Ah, that won't do. You see, Kaori is a prime candidate for my puppets." Eri giggled, her tone light and mocking.

"Eri, what are you saying?!" Aiko Hatayama cried out in anguish. She knelt beside Reina Taniguchi, her trembling hands pressing down to staunch the bleeding. "This isn't you! You're a good, obedient child. Why are you acting like this?"

The other students looked on, their faces pale with horror and disbelief.

"Ah~ I'm so sorry, Miss Aiko," Eri replied, throwing her head back with a maniacal laugh. "But this is the real me! Isn't it wonderful? Being summoned to another world is the best thing that's ever happened to me. Do you know how hard it would've been to pull this off in Japan? Having to fake friendships with you trash every day made me sick to my stomach."

"…Eri…" Reina whispered weakly.

She remained slumped against Aiko, her vacant gaze fixed on her best friend's manic transformation.

Meanwhile, atop the throne, the golden-haired boy straightened his posture. Though his face was naturally handsome, it now bore a look of utter shock.

"This can't be…" he murmured, his thoughts racing.

The name "Eriri" that Shizuku had shouted rang a bell—one too specific to be coincidence.

Could it be…? The "Eiri Kashiwagi" worshipped across this world was…

"Could that really be the Eriri Spencer Sawamura from Saekano? The infamous golden-haired loser heroine?"

The mere possibility sent a chill down his spine. Rising abruptly, he descended from the throne and approached Eri, unable to contain his curiosity.

"You just mentioned someone named Eriri," he said urgently. "Is she… the goddess Eiri Kashiwagi?"

Shizuku frowned deeply. "How do you know that name?"

Her suspicion grew. No one outside their labyrinth raiding party should know Eriri's real name. The world knew her only as Eiri Kashiwagi, the goddess of their faith.

Unless Eri herself had leaked this information to the golden-haired boy, his question made no sense.

The boy ignored Shizuku's question, his gaze fixed on Eri. "What's her full name?" he demanded.

"Hmph. Why should I tell you?" Shizuku sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "And you're not worthy of uttering her name."

However, Eri, already a willing accomplice to the boy, answered without hesitation:

"Her full name is Eriri Spencer Sawamura. She introduced herself to us that way, and I remember it clearly."

The boy's four sycophantic lackeys chimed in eagerly:

"Yes, that's it! And she's gorgeous, Your Majesty. She'd be a perfect match for you!"

"Just as I thought…"

The boy's expression lit up with a mixture of excitement and greed.

His suspicions confirmed, he now pondered how someone from a mundane world like Saekano had managed to establish herself as a goddess here.

Through the memories of his host body, he recalled witnessing Eriri annihilate an entire imperial city with a single strike. Such power far surpassed his current capabilities.

Yet, in his arrogance, he saw it only as a challenge—a goal to surpass.

"Give me time," he thought smugly. "With enough reinforcement points, I'll crush her with ease."

The revelation also fueled his ambitions further. If this world was connected to Saekano, then there was a pathway to that world.

Eriri, Utaha Kasumigaoka, and Megumi Kato—he had already mentally claimed them as part of his future harem.

And the image of Eriri standing like a goddess, her divine beauty radiant, only intensified his desire.

On the ground, Shizuku's fury boiled over.

The sycophants' crude comments about Eriri struck a nerve, pushing her beyond her breaking point.

Without a word, she lunged, her sword slicing through the air toward one of the traitorous students.

Her blade's speed and precision caught everyone off guard, and before anyone could react, it had already closed in on its target—Yukitoshi Shimizu.

"Shizuku, stop!" Aiko's panicked voice rang out.

Her plea momentarily stayed Shizuku's hand, but her hatred for the traitors who had sullied Eriri's name burned too fiercely to heed reason.

The strike landed with brutal precision, carving a deep gash from Kiyori's shoulder to his ribs.

Blood spurted from the wound as Kiyori screamed in agony, his body crumpling to the ground.

"Shizuku!" Aiko rushed forward, her hands trembling as she knelt beside the bleeding boy.

"You can't do this! No matter what they've done, they're still your classmates!"

Shizuku's breathing was ragged, her eyes cold. "He deserved it," she spat.

"Eriri isn't here to defend herself," she muttered, "so I'll make sure no one tarnishes her name."

Unnoticed amidst the chaos, Eriri stood quietly in the shadows, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

So this is what happens when my name is brought up, huh? Interesting…

She remained silent, content to watch the scene unfold a little longer. After all, the climax was approaching.

The gruesome sight left Shizuku Yaegashi's hands trembling as she gripped her sword. Despite her recent ability to slay various monsters without flinching, this was her first time killing a fellow human.

"Don't… I don't want to die… It hurts… Help me…" Yukitoshi Shimizu whimpered. Clutching his grievous wound, he curled up on the ground, stretching a trembling hand toward the golden-haired boy, his tear-streaked face pleading for mercy.

The golden-haired boy, however, merely cast him a mocking glance. Not a shred of compassion flickered in his eyes.

The remaining three traitorous students cowered behind Eri Nakamura and the golden-haired boy, terror etched on their faces.

Before long, Yukitoshi Shimizu succumbed to his wounds, his lifeless body sprawled across the floor, his eyes wide with unfulfilled desperation.

Shizuku, struggling to suppress the urge to vomit, covered her mouth as she gazed at the corpse.

"Shizuku, are you okay?" Liliana asked gently, her hand gripping Shizuku's arm with concern. Though her enemy stood only meters away, she refrained from rashly charging at him.

"I'm fine now." Shizuku shook her head. Although her face remained pale, she managed to steady her nerves.

Watching her recover so quickly, the golden-haired boy frowned in discontent.

When he had taken his first life, he hadn't felt guilt, but the sight of the corpse had left him retching for hours. It took two days of rest to regain his composure.

For Shizuku to endure so much and bounce back so swiftly—it grated on him.

"Why… Why is this happening?" Aiko Hatayama muttered, tears streaming down her face as she knelt beside Reina Taniguchi. "Why have things turned out this way? Shimizu, Eri… even Shizuku… Just a little while ago, everyone was fine. How did it come to this?"

Aiko felt like she was trapped in a nightmare. As their teacher, she was powerless to stop her students from turning on one another.

Her assigned vocation, Farmer, had no combat applications. While it was invaluable for improving the world's agricultural systems, it was utterly useless in moments like these.

"Sensei, this isn't Japan anymore," Shizuku said firmly, despite the turbulence within her. "They turned their swords against us first. For traitors like them, you don't need to grieve."

"But…" Aiko's voice cracked. "No matter what, I vowed to stand by my students as their teacher. If only I could bring you all back home safely, every single one of you… But now… It's impossible. I've failed as a teacher."

"No, Sensei, you've done your best," Shizuku said, her voice resolute.

The golden-haired boy, who had been silently watching the exchange, interrupted with a smirk.

"My, my, sorry to disrupt your little drama session," he drawled mockingly. "But I'm done playing around. Let's settle this once and for all."

His words sent chills through the group, their faces paling as they braced for his next move.

"Don't worry, though," he sneered. "I'll make sure you don't feel a thing."

As Shizuku and the others steeled themselves for a desperate last stand, a new voice rang out from amidst the chaos.

"My, my, looks like we've seen enough of this little show. Time to wrap things up, don't you think?"

The moment the melodic voice echoed through the hall, everyone froze.

Shizuku's heart soared with hope, while Eri's face drained of all color.

"Eriri!"

Shizuku spun around toward the voice. Standing a mere five meters away were Eriri Spencer Sawamura, Aletheia, and the rabbit-eared Shea, whom she recognized from the broadcasted judgment of the empire.

Flanking them were three unfamiliar but equally stunning girls, as well as a petite winged girl clinging to Eriri's waist.

"Long time no see, Shizuku-chan," Eriri greeted warmly, opening her arms for a light embrace.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Shizuku's cheeks turned bright red as she stammered, her usual composed demeanor utterly shattered.

Although Shizuku stood over 170 cm tall and exuded a "cool big sister" aura in her class, she now resembled an adoring fangirl, her flustered expression endearing in its own right.

Eriri couldn't help but find the stark contrast amusing.

"Eriri…" Liliana S. B. Heiligh's voice trembled with relief as she watched the blonde-haired girl with a mixture of awe and joy.

The despair that had weighed on the room moments earlier lifted instantly. Those who recognized Eriri knew that their lives were no longer in danger.

On the other hand, Eri Nakamura's first instinct was to flee—not just from the palace but from the entirety of Heiligh Kingdom.

But then, memories of Eriri's divine interventions flashed through her mind. Running would be futile; no matter where she hid, Eriri would find her.

Gritting her teeth, Eri clung to the slim hope that Eriri would adopt the same neutral stance as during the previous scandal.

Meanwhile, the three male traitors cowered, their faces contorted with regret and despair. They knew their fate was sealed.

As for the golden-haired boy, his reaction was markedly different.

His gaze locked onto Eriri with obsessive fervor, utterly captivated by her otherworldly beauty.

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