If you're correct about Azuki falling down on her next "test" due to losing her ally in Remu (all but guaranteed; there's no way Remu's going to get to see her anymore after the way the latter half of this chapter went down), then Niji will be responsible for fucking up the lives of all four of the main characters.So Azuki resisted Meguru's temptation, but Meguru isn't so sure this is what she wanted anymore. It seems she wants Azuki's love, affection for her body, yet not her "lust". And Azuki, perhaps becoming normal, is seeing a degradation of her doll-making skills. She remembers Meguru's face, but remembering it is precisely why she can't make it.
And seems like Niji is gonna start some blackmail thing with Remu. Perhaps this is turning into a more overt toxic yuri.
I'm sure we all anticipated Azuki to get the most brain damage out of this situation, yet it seems like she's the one who came out the most normal at the end, on her positive character arc while everyone else ended up on a negative character arc. Meguru may be fine for now, but this frustration, her unclear desires, a mystery to herself, can't not lead to a disaster. Niji is on a spiral, getting more control on her life, and she's definitely gonna get power-hungry - she's a control freak in the making.
Remu is the most obvious, though, with her trauma resurfacing. Niji may very well prevent Remu from meeting with Azuki, and this is gonna only make things worse. However, perhaps this is where Azuki may start to get her psychic damage, losing her ally she has finally gained, possibly leading to her failing another one of Meguru's temptations later down the line, without a lifeline.
As usual, Usui Shio cooked HARD. This chapter is a masterpiece, just like the rest of them. As expected, and similarly as expected, better than expected. There's so much more than just the consequences, but it's evident that one plain read is not enough to properly appreciate Usui Shio's work.
Anyway, thanks for the translation! Eagerly awaiting next chapter!
Niji is already escalating, honestly. She sent the text, is meeting Remu in person, is forcing her into compliance with this blackmail situation - all of that is a huge leap from her merely writing fanfiction and silently fuming from afar whenever Remu "breaks character" from the image in her mind.Really concerned about the Niji situation. Remu doesn’t feel capable of standing up to her and Azuki isn’t good at that kind of thing either. If Meguru stands up to her then Niji will spill the beans (plus Meguru standing up would probably only happen if Niji crosses an obvious sexual line with Remu which I…hope won’t happen. Niji please keep your manipulation to having Remu perform “normal good girl Remu” and don’t get any ideas)
My read on it is that Meguru is an asexual homoromantic. She doesn't want Azuki to touch her, but she wants Azuki to want to touch her. She simultaneously wants to be the object of Azuki's desire while at the same time doesn't want to engage in sexual activities, and that contradiction is causing cognitive dissonance for her because she doesn't fully understand her own sexuality and just views lust as wrong while also understanding that most people experience it as a normal part of 'love'.I don’t think Meguru “wants” Azuki to touch her, I think she’s dissatisfied because she’s trying to play out her trauma with Azuki (which was also what she was doing the first time it happened).