Light Novel Chapter 47

エンドルート (Endo Ruuto, lit: End Route) is the forty-seventh chapter of the light novel series of The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat.
==Plot==
Youto feels a sense of dizziness as the world shakes around him. When the dizziness passes, Youto finds himself together with Emi at a university gate, having just sent Tsukushi off to her entrance exam.
They spot Tsukiko in the distance and call out to her. However, she does not respond, and instead looks up at the sky and chants erratically. They walk up to her, but she does not speak a word. She firmly pushes Youto as she walks forward and disappears around the corner. Emi and Youto both give chase, but Youto falls, discovering a bundle of notebook scraps falling out, which Tsukiko had stuffed into his pocket.
A dandy, baritone voice comes from behind. It was Emi's father. He smiles as if hiding something, and suggests Youto to read the notes. The notes however are filled with a nonsensical barrage of words: "Cat cat cat cat cat cat pray pray pray pray pray at the right time no no no no no no no no no turn it back turn it back turn it back destroy cat destroy cat cat cat cat cat destroy destroy..."
Emi's father expresses concern for Tsukiko, suggesting to go after her. However, Youto sees right through his lies. Regardless, he turns around the corner, but finds Emi returning, having lost Tsukiko in the chase. Thus, they decide to split up and search for her.
Youto heads to the Tsutsukakushi household, where he discovers a loud banging sound coming from the storehouse. There, he also finds Emi's father, who has disregarded Youto's instruction for him to search the shrine. He provocatively comments on Tsukiko's extreme behavior and her memories "breaking." Seeing a resentful expression on Youto's face, he assures him that once "next time" comes around, he will have forgotten everything, but Youto declares that there won't be a next time.
When they enter the storehouse, they are greeted by the sight of Tsukiko swinging her bat repeatedly at the Cat God statue. Emi's father laughs, deeming her efforts futile, explaining that the time loop will always activate before the Cat God can be destroyed.
As Tsukiko drops the bat, Youto runs up to embrace her and comfort her with his words. Remarking sarcastically on the warmness of their love, Emi's father informs them of old news they've heard countless times — Tsukushi is suffering from a terminal illness, requiring Youto's sacrifice.
He reveals that bringing the wrong bag to Tsukushi's central exam and pushing him into becoming a hero were all part of his plan to ensure that Youto would sacrifice his life for Tsukushi's sake. He admits to being the one responsible for the time loop — he received something precious from the Cat God via the Tsutsukakushi family, so feeling indebted, he has taken it upon himself to ensure the happiness of the bloodline. However, each time Youto dies, Tsukiko falls into despair, prompting him to reset everything and try again by wishing to the Cat God, repeating the cycle endlessly in pursuit of the best possible future.
However, Youto stumps him by questioning how many loops they've been through. Though Emi's father has long stopped keeping track, Youto knows that they are currently in the 99th loop. Each time they ran out of time in a loop, he would have Emi deliver Tsukiko a letter before the loop resets containing everything he knew and felt. Tsukiko, retaining her memories via her notes, would talk to Youto at the start of the next loop, helping him regain his memories as well.
They reveal that as part of their final plan, they've orchestrated all the events leading up to this point in the loop in order to lure Emi's father into the storehouse. This includes the mental breakdown exhibited by Tsukiko, which is thanks to the acting skills that she had gained from the Children's Welfare Club.
Recognizing Tsukiko's notes as the source of his troubles, Emi's father calls for the Cat God to possess him and take them away. However, Youto immediately advances on the still traumatized Cat God for another kiss. As it begs for mercy, Youto suggests making a better choice this time — send them back to the past and allow them to take care of the root of the issue.
Though it tries to warn them of the consequences of altering the past, it has no choice but to agree under their combined pressure. As the Cat God's power activates, the world begins to distort and warp into darkness.
He reflects on how humans are solitary beings at their core, only able to see things from a subjective position, filtered by personal opinion; each person lives in their own world, and two worlds can never become one. Yet, within the darkness, Tsukiko calls out his name and reaches out her hands. As their hands meet, Youto feels the warmth of her blood flow, and a light illuminates the surrounding darkness.
Youto's reflection deepens — it is precisely because their worlds cannot become one that they reach for each other's hands, despite the differences in their worlds.
==Characters==
==Navigation==