Chapitre 25: I’ll hold you to that, Masachika...
Rika raised her hand with a calm gesture, as if asking Masachika not to jump to conclusions. Her voice was firm but tinged with a melancholic tone:
"She gave me a chance, Masachika... A chance to one day see my friends freed from the tragic fate that surrounds them. And also the opportunity to fight against my own cruel destiny."
Masachika rested his chin on his hand, thoughtful, his eyes half-closed as he analyzed Rika's words.
"Ah? So you're saying she saved you by creating this time loop?" He closed his eyes for a moment, as if processing the information, before opening them and continuing with a slightly provocative tone.
"But why talk so darkly about your fate? Girl, you literally have control over time! What could be so complicated about it?" He gestured casually, as if the issue were simple.
Rika looked away, her face taking on a slight shade of embarrassment. Her voice dropped to a hesitant whisper.
"Well... about that... I..."
Masachika watched her closely, his relaxed posture hiding the analytical gaze that examined every nuance of Rika's expression. She continued, her fingers nervously gripping the hem of her dress.
"You must be wondering why I don't use what I know to prevent the disasters that are to come. And the answer is simple: it's not always possible to predict or stop everything. The worlds are different from each other, and... I..." Rika stopped, taking a deep breath before continuing.
"I also don't remember everything before I die."
Masachika raised his eyebrows, visibly surprised, before reclining on the sofa and crossing his arms.
"Seriously? So you're not exactly going back in time, but going to... another world? Damn, that complicates things a lot more. Now I get what Arona meant..."
Rika tilted her head, confused by the mention.
"Arona? Is she the girl who was with you earlier?"
Ryan shook his head, letting out a short laugh.
"No, that little pink-haired one from earlier is more like a rabid dog trying to bite my balls off. Arona-chan, on the other hand, is like a calm sun on a spring morning."
Rika blinked, even more confused, and tilted her head again.
"So... who is this Arona?"
"Arona is like... my personal system. Think of her as my Paimon, you know?" He spoke confidently, but quickly realized Rika's expression was even more confused.
"Your Paimon?"
Ryan sighed, realizing that explaining gacha games would be pointless.
"Alright, let's simplify: she's my super-intelligent personal assistant who organizes things for me."
Rika seemed about to ask another question, but Ryan raised his hand, interrupting her.
"Before you start the interrogation, I think it's me who should ask the questions. To help in any way, I need information. So, how about you start by telling me what you know about this loop, little Hatsune?"
Rika furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes.
"Hatsune? What do you mean by that?"
Ryan widened his eyes, surprised.
"Huh? You don't even get that? You're really a country girl..."
Rika looked away, visibly embarrassed.
"Don't blame me... I never had the chance to leave this quiet village."
Ryan stared at her for a moment, as if pondering something, before breaking into a playful smile.
"Here's the deal: you answer my questions, and when we figure this out, I'll take you for a little trip to Tokyo. Deal?"
Rika sighed, but a playful smile appeared on her face as she replied in the same tone.
"I'll hold you to that, Masachika... Nipaah~! >⩊< ♡"
Ryan felt a sudden surge of cuteness but quickly regained his composure, crossing his legs with a more serious expression.
"Anyway. I've got it. You can't handle the changes between worlds very well. The variables must be insane... and then there's the whole memory loss thing."
He leaned forward, focusing again on Rika.
"But... what exactly keeps you trapped in this loop? You mentioned a cruel destiny. What kind of dangers do you face?"
Rika was silent for a moment, her expression thoughtful as she seemed to organize her thoughts. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded hesitant:
"There are so many problems surrounding my destiny, Masachika... I don't even know where to start."
Ryan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a tired expression.
"Then do this: summarize the basics. Besides, in the end, you'll have to explain everything to Yuno."
Rika looked up at him, analyzing his relaxed posture, and then lowered her face. Her voice grew slightly darker, heavy with something that seemed to weigh on her.
"Masachika... Do you know Oyashiro-sama?"
Ryan tilted his head slightly, his expression turning serious as he responded directly.
"I've never heard of him."
Rika sighed before continuing, her voice taking on a slower, more grave tone.
"Oyashiro-sama is the guardian deity of Hinamizawa... That's what the people of the village believe. And while they're not entirely wrong, there's much more behind it. In fact, Oyashiro-sama... is the entity you can see."
Ryan narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on Rika, but he didn't interrupt. She slowly stood up, walking over to the window as she continued.
"A few years ago, there was a plan to build a dam that would end up flooding the village of Hinamizawa. The official story says that the village united to drive out the invaders. That's true... to a point. But during that time, many horrible things happened. Misunderstandings, betrayals, and cruelties born from the pride of old, stubborn people."
Ryan stayed silent, but his mind couldn't resist a bitter internal remark.
"Speak for the little hundred-year-old girl..."
Rika continued, now looking at the sky through the window, her silhouette outlined by the soft light of the stars.
"But there's something that wasn't told about that time. Something that remained hidden. It was when what became known as the dam murder happened."
Ryan leaned forward slightly, crossing his arms with interest as he listened. His previously casual expression had turned more attentive.
"Dam murder? What was that?"
Rika kept her eyes on the sky, as if the view of the stars helped her find the right words. Her voice, though calm, carried an undeniable weight.
"Some people killed and mutilated a man. His body was dismembered... and some parts were never found."
Ryan, still with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He gestured slightly with his hand, breaking the silence.
"And this dam... is the beginning of all this?"
Finally, Rika turned around, resting her back against the glass illuminated by the starry light. Her eyes met Masachika's, and she spoke in a drawn-out tone, almost as if she wanted him to absorb every word.
"Not exactly. But it's a good place to start."
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