Chapter 234: Missing Puzzle Piece

*Gulp

Quickly drinking water, Kurumi hoped that this would alleviate the knot in her throat.

After all, she now regretted letting Yuki go.

It would be a lie to say that this didn't affect her.

She took her relationship with Yuki very seriously.

Not for the benefits it brought, but deep within her, she wanted to be by his side.

She didn't know if it was because of Zafkiel or something else, but her feelings were genuine.

If it weren't for her being his third girlfriend, Kurumi would have taken absolute possession of him. After all, she, like Inori, and although she didn't know Tsugumi, fell victim to his charm.

Having too much in common, both in animal preferences and tastes in drinks and food, they were simply copies of each other. They understood each other without using words; one expression was enough to know exactly what the other wanted. That's why Kurumi hoped to monopolize him if he were alone, but unfortunately, she had to share him. This was something she accepted, as Inori wouldn't give him up, and neither would she.

However, an increase in the number of girls was something Kurumi hoped to avoid.

That's why, upon arriving in this world, Kurumi scattered her clones throughout the city and used the Fifth Bullet to see beyond his future. Learning about her boyfriend's antics, she hoped to put a stop to it, tying him to the mansion.

But that bastard was clever; no matter what method she used, he always escaped, leaving her defenseless. Even when she used the Fifth Bullet, he used Genjutsu to show a different future.

So, Kurumi gave up; she couldn't stop him. She made a tough decision to let him go, but like Inori, she ended up accepting the woman he would bring home.

She accidentally discovered her when she had her little encounter with Yuki on the day of her summoning. Yuki had been careless, having a clone in Haruhime's shadow back then. With Kurumi's clones in the sky at that moment, he was instantly discovered.

Of course, she made sure to investigate her thoroughly. She was barely passable, but while she was at it, she also found out a thing or two about the 'Dream Club.'

(I'll visit that club later.)

Remembering another prank by her boyfriend, Kurumi decided that she needed to give the womanizer a little lesson.

"Love is very terrifying; it makes people stupid and blind... Don't you think so? 'Me'..."

Pulling out of her thoughts, a mocking voice spoke to her. Looking towards the source, Kurumi smiled; in front of her was her clone, arms crossed, looking at her mockingly.

"Ah~ you're right; love is very troublesome. It's a terrible poison but also very pleasurable."

"Wow~ is that so? And to think I'll be so naive. How regrettable."

"I hate to break it to you, 'Me'... But that's who we are. No matter how much we change, we'll always be women."

Closing her eyes, Kurumi was aware of her 'past self's' reproaches. After all, she sacrificed a lot for her revenge, and love was something she couldn't afford.

"Women, huh? Good point. However, your thinking is too mediocre. Being women is an absolute advantage; we can seduce whoever we want. Men are all the same, always seeking pleasure... I don't understand how I could fall in love with a boy."

She was right; Kurumi had done it in the past, seducing men and then taking her time. It was always the same; they sought pleasure from her body, but unfortunately, they remained unable to reach the forbidden fruit, becoming 'food' for her.

And for her past 'self,' Yuki was the same. Even if they shared more than a relationship, Yuki was still the typical man seeking more women, a man influenced by pleasure...

A complete bastard.

And Kurumi agreed with her past 'self'; Yuki is a bastard...

But he was her bastard.

"I guess you're right... We have the absolute advantage."

"Then why do you keep wagging your tail for him? Am I that stupid? I don't remember being so foolish to let myself be seduced. He's just another one, not perfect."

Dropping these harsh words, her clone stared at her, hoping her original would wake up from that sweet dream, open her eyes, and face reality.

But...

"No, you're very wrong... I won't deny that I'm a fool, but he's definitely not 'just another one.' You know it well; you feel it too. Yuki-san can't be compared to another man... After all, we are so similar, so alike, but at the same time, so different. He is a part of me..."

Clenching her fist and with a steady gaze at her clone, Kurumi spoke her true thoughts.

"He will always be there for me; I know it. We need each other; we complement each other. We are the missing pieces of the puzzle... 'Me,' have you ever thought about it? Men and women for generations have been looking for their missing piece... And 'Me,' I've found it, and I don't want to give up my 'piece.'"

With each word, Kurumi felt the knot in her heart easing.

"There's no perfect man in the world, and if there were, he wouldn't be my partner... Men are beautiful in their imperfections. Every mistake, every bad decision, every stumble, even if their physique isn't pleasant, they are our missing piece... Because with every imperfect man, there is a woman who will be with him, supporting him, helping him. Even if we are so 'similar,' we are and will always be each other's complement; this is our nature."

Remembering her world and her friend, whom she had killed, Kurumi finally understood what she meant. With being in love, it's a wonderful feeling, but it hurts a lot. This is life, where loving hurts, a life where you will experience many things, a life full of adventures in the world you have to explore.

"If what we seek is a 'perfect' man, then we are wasting our 'Time.' A perfect man doesn't need us; they are complete. We are not useful; they are perfect. I won't be important to him. I want to be needed, loved, and important. I need to know that I am that missing piece, that I belong to a home, that even if we are separated, that person misses me as much as I miss him, that person accepts me as I am, takes my hand, and shares with him half of my sins."

How many had died at her hands?

Kurumi stopped counting after 100, but according to AST, she had killed more than 10,000, a terrifying number.

Even if she killed trash humans, she was stained with blood. Her aura reeked of blood, and she knew it. That's why half of the adventurers in this city avoided her like the plague; even her Goddess made a face when they met.

But Yuki was completely different. He greeted her with a smile and a look full of desire.

A look that yearned to be with her for eternity.

And, as she had said, although they were so similar, Yuki was her counterpart. Unlike her, he possessed a warm and unstained aura.

He was the light...

And Kurumi wanted to be part of that light. She needed that warm aura where she felt her sins had been taken by her boyfriend. That's why Kurumi knew he was her other half, the missing piece in her puzzle called life.

"Yuki-san may not be the man I was looking for, but he is definitely the man I need, and that's more than enough."

Many people search for their counterpart as someone they desire, without realizing that they should look for the person they need.

"I've fallen so low as to justify his actions, how pitiful I've become."

Frowning, her clone shook her head. Her original had completely lost her main goal; she had lost the reason she accepted being summoned.

"Hee~ I'm truly pathetic indeed, but I don't regret it because I know I'm not wrong. So don't worry, 'Me,' I haven't lost my way; my goals are clear, and even with this love, I haven't given up on my fight. Now, more than ever, I want to be able to, and with Yuki-san by my side, my chances have increased."

"... I see. I hope you're not mistaken."

"And I won't be."

Seeing that fiery look of revenge and determination, her clone vanished. This clone was a contingency measure that Kurumi herself created as a precaution when her emotions became unstable, and she either gave up or tried to create a normal life, forgetting her past.

This clone was for her to remember her crimes, as well as the reason she fought, a clone that reminded her of all her ugliness, as well as her greatest desires. This clone is her shadow from the past.

But now, she no longer needs it. She is moving forward, and her goal is clearer than ever.

This wasn't just her fight anymore; it was both of theirs, as a couple.

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Author's Note: Kurumi is love... Kurumi is life...

TN: Real