49 Shiraori

—

Despite being aware of who this girl was, I asked (?) since, D isn't aware that I know of her soul fragments and want to keep it this way, because I can't really trust her with this very valuable piece of information. Who knows what she's going to do with it.

"This girl…she looks like you, but with white hair.." I mentioned while looking at the Shiraori who is wandering around some sort of castle.

D grinned and replied. "Good eyes, this is Kumoko or rather Shiraori, honestly I don't care about what she calls herself now, but for the sake of identification, I'll call her Shiro."

I nodded, although I already knew about that, so this information didn't really surprise me that much and I let her continue explaining.

"As you said, she looks like me in white hair, because she's my soul fragment, a part of myself known as 'Wakaba Hiiro', a false identity that I made up, for fun. Isn't it funny this girl is the very same girl that everyone knew, shy, introverted, an otaku, and the unofficial queen of the class, Wakaba Hiiro in the flesh!" The way she mentioned her was filled with childish entertainment like she found an amazing toy to amuse herself with.

It's a bit similar to how she usually treats me. "You look like you're having fun with it."

"Well, duh because I am! Because honestly, I never expected this soul fragment to survive. It was very entertaining watching her watch struggling to survive, but of course, the generous me helped her a bit since she's a great source of entertainment and she's me, or at least a part of me." D nonchalantly replied.

Hearing that directly from her, I couldn't help but thought. 'If Shiraori is her soul fragment and she likes to watch her struggle, isn't that essential like watching herself struggling to survive? So she likes torturing herself?'

If that's the case, then she's really sick in the head, while I'm already aware of it, this is an entire league of its own, watching yourself struggling to survive and you find it entertaining?

Only you D, only you who could admit that you enjoy that.

"Since she's 'Wakaba Hiiro' it means that she remembers dating you!" D suddenly said while looking at me while grinning.

I swear I never snapped my neck as fast as I did now and quickly said. "Wait what?"

"You heard me, I said Shiraori remembers the time when we dated, including the memories of us having sexual interaction." D continued to smile as she mentioned that.

I tried to open my mouth and say something, but in the end, I didn't because this was D we're talking about, I should have expected this move from here, looks like she was serious about the harem plan she mentioned.

"... you're really keeping your word about getting me a harem huh.." I let out a resigned sigh.

"Of course, if there's one thing I'm good at, it is that I keep my word, but still why do you look resigned like that? It's like obtaining a harem is a bad thing, isn't that all men wanted? To have a group of women, who is exclusive to them?" D tilted her head as she mentioned that.

"I think you're mistaken about something D, while we may like a harem, that is in fact limited in a fictional world, where everything can be explained through the plot armor, and girls unconditionally agree with sharing the man, because honestly the chance of that happening, in reality, is lower than 1% unless the man is financially stable, good looking and had a tolerable personality, it could work, only because the man had the ability to support them, but what if he can't? The answer is simple."

I stared at her directly in the eyes and continued. "That harem plan would eventually crumble, what about true love? That shit can't feed you, that's why harem is only possible when the man is wealthy or a powerful man who has the ability to take care of his entire harem."

"Not to mention, the emotional baggage you take every single day, as I have no delusions of having a perfect 'love' life, because eventually there's a time when you and the girls would have a disagreement." 

My words seemed to make D ponder for a bit and replied. "What you said isn't entirely incorrect, because trust me there are rare cases of harem working out despite the man being weak and poor, there's such a thing as a powerful woman who is part of the man's harem, who provides everything, power, money, and moral support."

Listening to that I gave her a wry look. "You mean yourself right? The 'powerful' woman."

D, however, just smiled and answered. "Maybe, who knows but in my immortal life I've seen things that are far stranger than fiction itself, because sometimes reality is stranger than fiction, just because it sounds unbelievable it doesn't mean it didn't happen somewhere, after all some fiction is based in reality."

I stayed silent after hearing that. Honestly, I hate the fact that what she said actually makes sense, but there's nothing I could say to refute that.

D suddenly approached me, and pressed her wonderful body against mine, and whispered to my ears, like a devil tempting me. "You don't have to worry about failing because 'I' won't let that happen."

I frowned at that, at times like this I wish I could hear her thoughts because her actions and words are completely out of character.

"Right…" I wasn't entirely convinced about that harem plan, but if it's D, at least her words had some credibility.

Because as she said, she kept her word despite her chaotic personality, she takes promises seriously.

"Anyway, do you want to watch my clone?" D nonchalantly.

Hearing her blunt words, I couldn't help but sweat a bit and reply. "Isn't that just basically outright stalking?"

"No, it's not first she can't see us watching her, it won't be called 'stalking' if she isn't aware, it's called spying instead, second she's basically a part of me, and there's nothing wrong with watching myself and I gave you permission to watch my soul fragment too." D smiled as if there's nothing wrong with her statement.

More sweat started to appear behind my back and I started swearing internally. 'How does that make sense?! Besides, Shiraori isn't you technically, she's an entirely different person!'

"So, do you want to watch her?" D repeated the question.

"If I said 'no' would you let me be?" 

D's smile said it all and answered. "Nope."

'Thought so.' I said inside my mind.

"Alright, then let's watch her." 

"Good decision." 

"It's because you leave me no choice!"

"Spare the minor details!"

Hearing it made me roll my eyes and then after that, I started 'spying' Shiraori.

—

-Komuko/Shiraori-

Shiraori was looking at the moon at Ariel's castle; she found herself doing this occasionally when she's in deep thought.

It's been almost 16 years since she reincarnated in this world, looking at the moon in front of her, she can't help but wonder about her life back in Japan.

Well, technically it wasn't 'her' a fragment of soul that was injected into her by D, without it she wouldn't have gained awareness, as she wasn't 'Wakaba Hiiro' but a pet spider from the class, that what she truly is, she was never a 'person' to begin with, only thanks for D interference, she managed to become who is she today, although she wasn't sure whether she's grateful for it or not.

She let out a sigh and started thinking about the memories of D when she played as a student.

It wasn't anything special, however, it was also the reason she survived in this cruel world, struggling to reach the top, with the help of D, of course without her she wouldn't be able to last today.

Now, her mind went back to the conversation between the castle servants, they were talking about being in a relationship with the opposite gender.

And a memory that she was trying not to think about appeared once more, it was the memory of D, dating a man named Alexander Barthomeloi.

While she may not be that person who dated him, the fact that thinking about the things they did made her heart beat a bit faster than usual.

Especially when the memory of D having a sexual interaction with the man, causes her to turn red every time.

It was so vivid that sometimes, she thought that it was her who did all of those things, rather than her original soul fragment owner, D.

When she first reincarnated and I had to struggle to survive in that dungeon, she wouldn't say it out loud that Alexander was one of the major factors that kept her going as embarrassing as it is.

And when she found out that, it wasn't her who was his girlfriend and was nothing more than a clone of the original one, it was honestly a painful experience for her, to know the memory you have of a person that she considered precious is a fake, hurts more than words could ever express.

In her perspective, it's like she learned her boyfriend actually has another girlfriend and to find out you're the spare.

However, despite that she had no right to be jealous, because it was never her, to begin with, she was nothing more than a clone of the real thing.

But….even knowing that there was still a sense of longing inside of her, buried deep inside her.

Suddenly, she snapped out of her musing as a maid of Ariel's castle called her. "Shiro-sama, Ariel-sama called for your presence."

Shiraori nodded and thought. 'I supposed, it's enough for today's musing…'

—

A/N: Even in LN, she doesn't talk that much, she talks more inside her head rather than vocalizing it.

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