Inside the villa, Arthur refocused his gaze and chuckled lightly.
"After that video, I think everyone's gotten a pretty good idea of Ayaka's… comedic potential."
"Next, let's move on to the third Not-So-Serious Review."
"Not-So-Serious Review, Item Three — Yandere!"
He clicked his mouse, pulling up the next video he had already polished and edited.
Compared to the rough fan edits online, this one flowed smoothly with none of the usual jarring bits.
[Supernatural Chat Group]
Nahida: Yandere? What does that mean?
Paimon: Yeah! I've only heard of tsundere—like Keqing!
Keqing: I am NOT a yandere. I'm not even a tsundere!
Lumine (Luminary Girl): Hehe~ Twisted Emperor-Devotee~
Paimon: Ohhh~
Ganyu: (Good job.jpg)
Keqing: Ugh! Traveler, Paimon—no more beef hotpot for either of you!
Lumine (Lumine): Wuuu~ Keqing! I'm sorry, I was wrong~
Paimon: I was wrong toooo~
Keqing: …
After another familiar round of chaos, Alice finally spoke up.
Alice: Tsundere is out of fashion! Completely retired from the meta!
Alice: Hehe~ Yandere is way more fun.
Alice: Put simply—it's an "unhealthy attachment." A distorted kind of love: friendship, romance, even family affection. It becomes obsession. Extreme possessiveness, extreme thoughts, extreme actions.
Alice: They do things no normal person would understand.
Alice: Usually they fixate on one person or one phenomenon, and once the obsession forms—
Alice: They will do anything to keep it.
Alice: Of course, they're good at hiding it in daily life~
Mondstadt – Near Springvale
"Ehhh—!?"
"Yandere is THAT scary!?"
Paimon's tiny hands pressed against her mouth, her whole expression tense with fear.
If someone like that targeted her…
Just thinking about it made her feather-fluff stand on end.
She never imagined Ayaka of all people could be hiding something like that.
In a panic, Paimon leaned toward Lumine.
"Traveler! Even if it's a Not-So-Serious Review… just in case… if we ever go back to Inazuma, you need to be careful around Ayaka!"
Before, it was Ayato warning Ayaka about the Traveler.
Now it was Paimon warning the Traveler about Ayaka.
Truly, fate turns like a windmill.
Seeing Paimon's sincere worry, Lumine's heart warmed a little.
Hmph—
Even though this flying emergency-ration loves food, loves teasing her, and is a general menace…
She does care.
Fine. I won't boil her today.
As for "Yandere Ayaka"…
"Hehe… Paimon, you don't understand… Yandere is a blessing~"
Lumine waved casually, completely unfazed.
Back in the other world, she watched plenty of anime.
Yandere characters were always a top-tier guilty pleasure!
To think she'd meet one in Teyvat—
Ayaka, my future bestie… hehehe~
"Eh????"
Paimon stared, horrified.
This—
This is wrong.
This is VERY wrong.
Is the Traveler the insane one here!?
Or is she just too into this!?
[Supernatural Chat Group]
Keqing: Listening to Alice's explanation, this sounds terrifying…
Nilou: Yes! It's broad daylight but I feel chills… (scared.jpg)
Yoimiya: M-me too! My hands are shaking…!
Baizhu: Fascinating. A psychological condition that induces chills across distance. Very interesting…
Lumine: Eh? Why are you all scared? Yanderes are fun!
Keqing: …
Nilou: …
Yoimiya: …
Venti: Truly worthy of being the Executioner~
Furina: This attribute… most people can't handle it.
Xiangling: Can you guys stop making it sound so terrifying!? You're making it feel like Ayaka really IS one and will do something to us!
Kokomi: Yeah! It's a Not-So-Serious Review. It's probably another edited video, like the "comedy girl" clip.
Yae Miko: Hehe~ Not necessarily. Didn't Alice say yanderes hide it well? What if~?
Kirara: Hiiiiii! (scared cat.jpg)
Inazuma – Kamisato Estate
"Yandere?
Twisted love, extreme possessiveness, violent tendencies…?"
Ayaka frowned as she reread the messages.
…Was this describing her?
Absolutely impossible!
She was the well-mannered daughter of the Kamisato Clan.
Her feelings toward her family were respectful and warm.
She treasured future friendship with the Traveler.
As for romance…
Well… she had none, so she couldn't judge.
She ran through her own personality carefully—
Nothing about her seemed unhealthy.
Only then did she exhale in relief.
But then she remembered the "comedy girl" video from earlier,
and her confidence instantly cracked.
No way…
No way they would twist this too… right?
For the first time, Ayaka felt truly nervous.
She looked up at Ayato and Thoma—
And froze.
Two sets of eyes were staring straight at her.
"Kyah—!"
She jumped a little.
Seeing it was them, she relaxed, then puffed her cheeks slightly.
"Brother? Thoma? Why are you two staring at me like that?"
Ayato and Thoma exchanged a look.
Ayato immediately raised his cup.
"Hm. This wine is excellent."
And Thoma suddenly started looking around.
"Huh? What was I supposed to do this afternoon…?"
Ayaka: "???"
Then…
A suspicion hit her.
"You two… aren't secretly wondering whether I'm a yandere… right?"
Thoma coughed awkwardly.
"N-no, of course not! How could our beloved Miss Ayaka ever…
It's just… maybe… a tiny bit…"
Ayato followed calmly:
"Alice did say they hide it well.
So… we shouldn't rule it out completely."
"You—!"
Ayaka wanted to argue, but suddenly her voice dropped.
Because she thought of something.
She didn't obsess over family or friendship…
But romance?
She had no experience.
So—
She couldn't be 100% sure of her own reaction.
"No… could I really…?"
She fell into deep self-doubt.
Just then—
The video began playing.
Ayaka snapped her attention toward it immediately.
[Ayaka's Friendship] — The Yandere Edit Begins
An Inazuma-style room appeared first.
The moment the background music started playing—
A cold, eerie, horror-movie atmosphere spread instantly.
Even the lighting dimmed.
Everyone watching felt their hearts clench.
Something… unnatural was coming.
Even Lumine, who had been excited a moment earlier, suddenly felt uneasy.
Scene: Traveler's Room
Lumine sat at a low table, phone in hand.
"Sigh… another extension.
240 days, 3 hours, 47 minutes stuck in Inazuma."
"I miss eating hotpot with Keqing…"
"I miss dancing with Nilou…"
"I miss fireworks with Yoimiya—but she's gone traveling again."
"As for Ayaka…"
Her expression twisted awkwardly.
"Whenever I run into her, she wants to talk, but…
We've said the same things hundreds of times already.
It's just awkward now.
I don't hate her!
I just want to leave Inazuma already…"
Just then—
A soft voice behind her:
"Tra~ve~ler~"
Lumine froze.
"…Ayaka?"
"My door was locked… wasn't it?"
The music abruptly cut out.
The camera shifted—
Ayaka appeared.
Hands resting under her chin,
Eyes locked on Lumine,
A smile too gentle to be normal.
The eerie music returned, crawling into every viewer's spine.
"Lumine, did you see it?
Your stay in Inazuma has been extended…
by half a year~"
"That means…
No one will interrupt us."
"I'll protect you."
"Lumine's friend… Lumine's everything… can be just me~"
"Since we have so much precious time…
Let's talk… properly~"
She stood, walked behind Lumine,
Placed a delicate hand on her shoulder—
Leaned near her ear—
"Hmm~?"
"No need to look so scared~"
"You're my best friend.
I would never hurt you~"
Lumine swallowed hard.
Ayaka's breath brushed her ear.
"You don't have to talk to me."
"As long as I can see you… I'm happy~"
"Oh—right!
I've asked Mondstadt AND Liyue about you."
"Hehe~ I know so much now~"
"W-wait—!"
"Hm? Are you lying to me~?"
Ayaka's smile didn't change.
But her hand—
"AH—!"
Lumine's shoulder jolted with pain.
"Aww, Lumine is being dishonest again~"
"Lumine eats hotpot with Keqing…"
"Dances with Nilou…"
"Lights fireworks with Yoimiya…"
"But not with me."
"I felt soooo jealous~"
"But it's okay now."
"Because Lumine is here."
"And we have sooo long together~"
"N-no… Don't—!"
"It's fine if you refuse right now."
"We have so much time."
"Think about it slowly~"
"For now… let's rest."
"Best friends should sleep together~"
Ayaka's smile widened—
Eyes twisting with madness—
And the screen cut to black.
Silence. Real cold silence.
This time, the Not-So-Serious Review didn't make people laugh.
It didn't make them cringe.
It horrified them.
The combination of dim lighting, cold music, slow pacing,
and Ayaka's quietly deranged tone—
Everyone watching felt a real chill,
as if someone might breathe against their ear too.
Some even sweated through their palms without noticing.
More than a few genuinely feared:
"If the Traveler says the wrong thing, Ayaka will pull out a knife."
The fear was that real.
[Normal Chat Group]
Timmy: Ssss… Ayaka-sister is terrifying!! That's not the same lady as before!!
Hoffman: So THIS is yandere!? I'm horrified… (scared.jpg)
Master Mao: Even as an old man, my back feels cold.
Tian Tiezui: Didn't you see even the Traveler was about to cry?
Ogura Mio: From comedy to THIS!? I don't even know who the real Ayaka is anymore!
Nagamin Sachiko: It's the Not-So-Serious Review! Ayaka is gentle! She can't be like this!
Lumine'er: Am I the only one who thinks this is… kinda interesting? Shame it's "friendship yandere." Romance yandere would be even better~
Albert: Same! If only Miss Barbara had this attribute—
Sister Victoria: Even if she did, it wouldn't be for you.
Albert: …don't say that…
Mondstadt – Near Springvale
"Wuuuu—Ayaka was sooo scary!"
Paimon covered her eyes with her hands, peeking through the cracks.
Even just the music made her shiver nonstop.
Ayaka's smile would haunt her for weeks.
She glanced at the Traveler in fear.
"Lumine! I think we should be careful…"
"This is too scary!"
"What if Ayaka really is—"
"Okay."
"…Eh?"
"EH??"
Paimon blinked rapidly.
Just moments ago this girl was saying yandere was "fun."
Why did she agree SO FAST!?
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito