Force your way through

"What is... happening to me...?"

Oh, hello back everyone! Your favorite protagonist (or so I hope) is back, now alongside a awake Susie in the middle of her existential crisis.

<"Alright, partner... what exactly are you planning...?">

Well, maybe you, just like Echidna, are wondering what I'm currently doing...

"...Mmm... Watch and learn, my dear Echidna..."

You see, knowing this woman's tragic situation through my plot knowledge and, in part, because Echidna took the trouble to describe the events to me in detail, I realized that despite having the physical body of a twenty-year-old, her mind was still that of a confused twelve-year-old girl with no memories of what had happened to her.

<"Oh, I see... So you've already mastered it.">

Because of that, to calm her down, there was no time to lose!

"Time to put my new techniques into practice!"

That's right. Thanks to constant off-screen training... I had already developed new spiritual techniques!

{"Dimensional Pocket Storage"}

The first one was based on the famous inventory system commonly seen in video games, which I managed to recreate with a few limitations.

<"Congratulations. Basically, you've managed to create an isolated space where items can be stored and retrieved easily whenever needed, without having to worry about physical volume.">

Indeed, now I had my very own unlimited storage!

<"...However... energy consumption, as always, leaves much to be desired...">

Though, for now, it seemed I could only access it using actual pockets, bags, or purses as a medium. Besides, according to Echidna, it consumes an outlandish amount of energy just to operate because it creates a separate dimensional space or something like that.

"...Ugh... I know... You don't have to rub it in my face!"

Still, a win is a win! So, thanks to this ability, I could carry all my straw dolls with me without dragging any weight around, among other things in case of an emergency.

"Alright... Here it is."

With that said, to comfort the disoriented Susie, I pulled a thick blanket and a thermos of warm milk directly from my pockets, trying to be as soothing as possible given the odd circumstances.

"...Ugh... Thank you..."

Alright! Next, it's time to use a variant of my massage techniques!

"Pardon my intrusion."

In that manner, I used the {"Art of Relaxing Massage"} to ease Susie's nervous tension, although...

"Sniff... W-Why...? Waaaaah!"

Unexpectedly, it seemed the relaxing effect worked a little too well, as she broke down into tears, letting out all the built-up pain she had been holding inside.

"Ughhhh... uaj... sniff... why... waaaaaa!!"

Okay... what am I supposed to do now?

<"From your expression, it's obvious you're confused... Haaah... In these kinds of cases, humans are supposed to support one another.">

Okay. For the moment, all I could do was listen to her and offer my support so she could recover. So, after giving Echidna a silent thumbs-up for the suggestion, I began to think that if I left this... girl? to her fate, what destiny held in store for her would be atrocious...

"...."

I mean, chances are the guards would find her, take her to a cell, and she would discover that another three years of her life had slipped away without her remembering a thing.

<"What worries you so much?">

If I did nothing, she would be homeless, parentless, alone, and legally an adult with no experience in a world she didn't truly understand.

"Echidna..."

Add to that severe insomnia driven by the paralyzing terror of losing consciousness every time she fell asleep... Ha... But that wasn't even the worst part.

<"Are you worried about this human...?">

If things stayed on that track, she would get possessed yet again. And this time, by a ruthless adult film producer of extreme content who would leave her body a complete wreck after so much "training."

"...Well, obviously. Besides, she has a name."

Seriously, this story is way too depressing... But... do you want to know what would happen to her next?

Spoiler: let me tell you... nothing good.

<"That's true... In that case... what do you plan to do with Susie...?">

If I leave her as she is, another guy will take over her body, and not for three or four years like the previous ones.

<"Abandoning her would be equivalent to condemning her.">

Sadly, Echidna is right... This time, the possession would last an absurd amount of time... Drumroll, please.

(Trrrrrrrrrrrrrr... bang!)

You know, I'm starting to love the straw dolls more and more—they can even read my intentions despite my trained poker face in progress... But leaving that aside!

The answer is... ten whole years!!

Yes, you heard that right.

"Even if you tell me that..."

For an entire decade, they would exploit her body as an adult actress under the stage name "Cherry," casting her aside only when her popularity began to drop.

<"...You know, partner... Given the situation... don't you think you should help her...?">

Experiencing that would already be enough to break anyone, but right after—as if fate were playing a sick joke—she would be possessed by another guy whose hobby was driving his victims insane in record time.

"...."

Afterward, she would be arrested again for public indecency.

<"At this point, you can still save her~">

With her mind completely shattered, she would be diagnosed with a severe mental illness and end up locked away for life in a psychiatric hospital...

"Mmm... Mmmgh... Aaaaahhh!"

Agh, that's enough! I am officially sick of this overwhelmingly gloomy atmosphere!

"ALRIGHT!"

If I already changed Sara's tragic destiny, why not do it for someone else?!

"I WILL CREATE A HAPPY ENDING FOR HER!!"