The apartment where Satomi Rentaro and Aihara Enju lived was not only shabby and old, but also only four tatami mats in size.
Suddenly, Rentaro was reminded of the anime Invaders of the Rokujouma!?, whose protagonist was named Satomi Koutarou. That guy's room was just three tatami mats, yet he lived with a bunch of cute girls—there was a ghost, a magical girl, an alien princess, even someone from beneath the earth.
Satomi Koutarou, Satomi Rentaro… Even their names sound really similar.
"Rentaro! Rentaro! Look! It's the legendary cream cake! It's huge!"
"Yes, yes, I can see it. My eyesight hasn't gotten that bad, has it?"
Being tugged excitedly by Enju on his sleeve, Rentaro responded half-heartedly, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"Sorry about that. You even had to bring such a huge gift…" Rentaro said as he carefully took the cake from Nursery Rhyme's hands.
Looking at this enormous cake, Rentaro couldn't help but imagine the bizarre scene of Nursery Rhyme running down the street holding it above her head… Somehow it felt oddly surreal.
"At times like these, you shouldn't say 'sorry,' but rather 'thank you,' right? Because we're friends!" Nursery Rhyme smiled sweetly, like the brightest star in the night sky. "Isn't it natural to share good things with friends? Anyway, I have lots of cake over there, so much that I can't possibly finish it all. Food shouldn't be wasted, after all…"
"Can't…can't possibly finish it all…?"
Rentaro's voice trembled slightly.
What should I do? She just casually said something I might never understand in my lifetime. How exactly am I supposed to react to that?
Thanks to the constant threat of Gastrea, humanity was trapped within Monoliths, confined to tiny territories. Although food wasn't exactly scarce, it was far from abundant. Rentaro found it hard to imagine just how rich Nursery Rhyme had to be to casually make a statement like that.
"Indeed, food shouldn't be wasted!" Enju nodded enthusiastically, hands on her hips as she declared, "So, Nursery Rhyme, next time you have cake you can't finish, just give it all to us. We'll help you get rid of it!"
"Mhm! Sure!" Nursery Rhyme smiled again, softly adding, "Cake is such a wonderful thing. It's sweet and can make people happy. If everyone in the world could have cake, surely people would get along much better, wouldn't they?"
Nursery Rhyme always said such innocent things.
Yet somehow, it was impossible to dislike her.
Rentaro felt anyone who could speak like that simply couldn't be a bad person.
For that reason, he hadn't reported Nursery Rhyme's appearance, even though he knew Seitenshi and the other higher-ups in the Tokyo Area were still searching for Nursery Rhyme and Scorpio.
Speaking of Scorpio…
"Nursery Rhyme, what about Scorpio? Didn't she come with you?" Rentaro asked curiously, drawing Nursery Rhyme's attention.
"Satomi-oniichan, do you want to see Scorpio very much?"
"Well…"
Just as Rentaro struggled to phrase his response, without warning, Enju suddenly leaped up and delivered a precise and brutal headbutt straight into Rentaro's stomach! He immediately clutched his abdomen and collapsed, doubled over like a boiled shrimp.
If Rosalia's headbutt was like a hit from an Emperor-class Honkai Beast, Enju's was comparable to the impact of a Stage III Gastrea.
"Rentaro! You've only met Scorpio-chan once, and you're already longing for her?! Here you have two universally ultimate invincible super-cute lolis right in front of you, and one of them is even your fiancée! Yet you're still thinking about other girls?"
Enju placed one hand indignantly on her hip, dramatically pointing at Rentaro with the other. Her small face puffed up in anger, her eyes slightly reddened as if genuinely playing the role of a pitiful wife abandoned by a heartless husband. Her voice was filled with accusation and grievance.
Rentaro was utterly speechless, wondering just what was happening.
What the hell is this all about? I was just curious about Scorpio and her connection to the Legacy of Seven Stars, okay? How did I end up being treated like a creepy lolicon?
"Satomi-oniichan, does it hurt?"
Nursery Rhyme squatted next to Rentaro, her delicate brows knitted gently in concern.
Seeing that adorable expression, Rentaro couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. It was as though making this little girl worry about him was something sinful. Lying curled up on the floor, Rentaro forced an awkward smile and stubbornly replied:
"Ah… It's nothing, really… My body is extremely sturdy… Such minor injuries…are nothing at all…"
If only he wasn't trembling on the floor clutching his stomach, his words might have sounded slightly more convincing.
Nursery Rhyme didn't indicate whether or not she believed him. She simply placed a small hand gently on his head, stroking softly as she spoke in a sweet, comforting tone:
"Good child~, good child~, let all the pain fly away~♪"
Rentaro's brain immediately crashed, and he forgot even to tremble.
Maybe it was his imagination, but when he recovered his senses, the pain actually seemed to have subsided considerably.
…Except it was unbelievably embarrassing!
Rentaro, whose skin was thin to begin with, instantly blushed deeply, overcome with the urge to dig a hole and bury himself.
"Satomi-oniichan, does your stomach still hurt?"
"Ah… Thank you, Nursery Rhyme. It doesn't hurt anymore…"
"If it doesn't hurt anymore, then have another kick! Rentaro, you big idiot!!"
Don't forget, Enju was a rabbit-type Initiator—the kind who kicked Gastrea around for fun. If she headbutted you, she was going easy; but if she used her foot, it meant she was genuinely angry. The fact Rentaro survived being kicked proved his body really was quite sturdy.
Gold Ship, who once received Mejiro McQueen's back-stepping service, approved wholeheartedly.
"The delicious smell is coming from here… What is this? Is it hotpot?" Nursery Rhyme pointed to the steaming pot on the small wooden table, then turned to Rentaro—whose face now wore a thoroughly miserable expression—to inquire innocently.
"This is sukiyaki," Rentaro replied instinctively, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Nursery Rhyme, you haven't seen this before?"
"Sukiyaki?" Nursery Rhyme tilted her head. "But isn't sukiyaki supposed to have lots of beef, tofu, mushrooms, noodles, and vegetables? Yours…"
She glanced back at the pot. Other than a pitifully small amount of beef, the pot held only crown daisies and a few mushrooms.
Nursery Rhyme turned back toward Rentaro, her voice completely innocent as she asked curiously:
"Satomi-oniichan, are you and Enju currently on a diet?"
"No, wait…" Nursery Rhyme shook her head, quickly dismissing her previous guess. "Enju-chan is still growing, and Onii-chan is a good person, so you wouldn't let her starve… Therefore, Onii-chan, you're just poor, aren't you?"
"…"
Those pure, shining eyes and innocent words were like sharp knives stabbing relentlessly into Satomi Rentaro's heart.
Lies usually couldn't break people's defenses—only the harsh truth could truly wound.
"It's strange, Onii-chan, you're obviously so capable. Why aren't you earning more money? Did your evil boss withhold your salary, or are you in debt to someone?"
"...You're just a little kid, how do you know so much?"
Rentaro sighed deeply, casting a complicated glance at Nursery Rhyme. "If that box hadn't ended up in your hands—if we had managed to bring it back to Tokyo Area—the reward would've at least allowed Enju and me to eat decently for a while… At least, until the repayment date."
"But, what was in that box belonged to Scorpio-chan in the first place." Nursery Rhyme's pink eyes blinked innocently, sparkling like stars in the night sky. "I was only returning it to its rightful owner. Scorpio-chan had been searching for it so anxiously she was almost crying… Onii-chan, would you really want to see Scorpio-chan shed tears?"
"Uh… well, forget it then."
Once Scorpio's name came up again, Rentaro couldn't help but recall what happened not long ago.
Before the mission started, Seitenshi had explicitly warned everyone never to open the box. Once opened, the Stage V Gastrea would sense its contents and immediately head toward Tokyo Area.
Yet, the box had indeed been opened—opened by Nursery Rhyme and Scorpio without hesitation.
But no Stage V appeared. Except for the nonexistent Cancer and the confirmed-dead Virgo and Taurus, none of the other nine Zodiac Gastrea showed any sign of heading toward Tokyo.
"Hey, Nursery Rhyme, exactly what's the relationship between Scorpio and the Legacy of Seven Stars—"
Rentaro's question remained unfinished.
A sudden, urgent ringing of the doorbell interrupted him.
Rentaro glanced towards the door, puzzled. What's going on today? Why are there so many visitors suddenly showing up at my miserable little shack?
He wanted to ignore it, but the doorbell continued ringing urgently, clearly indicating that whoever was outside wouldn't leave until he opened up.
At this rate, dinner would get cold… Reluctantly, Rentaro went to open the door.
"........"
Accompanied by ragged breathing, a beauty in a kimono barged into the apartment. She wore a large mask, her face flushed red as she coughed continuously.
Rentaro recognized this kimono-clad beauty, but the expression that briefly flashed across his face wasn't that of seeing a beautiful girl—instead, it was as if he'd seen some terrifying youkai. He involuntarily backed away several steps.
"M-Miori?! Why are you here?!"
The kimono girl reached into her shopping bag, pulled out cold medicine and an energy drink, handed them over to Rentaro, and pointed at herself pitifully.
"Take care… of me…"
As soon as she finished speaking, the kimono girl collapsed weakly at the entryway with a soft thud.
Rentaro stared, mouth slightly agape, unable to process what had just happened. But before he could recover, Nursery Rhyme tugged lightly at his sleeve from behind.
"Onii-chan, there seems to be another person outside."
"Another one?"
Nursery Rhyme's words quickly proved true. A few seconds later, Tendo Kisara staggered through the doorway, clutching her stomach, looking utterly drained.
"S-Satomi-kun… I know this is sudden, but…"
Kisara, practically on the verge of fainting from hunger, handed Rentaro a tray of beef marked with a half-price discount sticker—even cheaper than the special offer beef Rentaro had bought earlier.
"Make me… some sukiyaki… I'm… starving…"
As soon as she finished, Kisara fainted from hunger, collapsing onto Miori beneath her. The kimono girl beneath her emitted a weird "Kyuuun~" sound.
One sick person, one starved person—two beautiful girls had suddenly invaded Rentaro's tiny home without warning.
Yet Rentaro felt no joy at this scene; his expression was as grim as death itself.
"Nursery Rhyme, Enju, I'll pretend I saw nothing. Quickly pick one of them and throw her out!"
"Rentaro! Who's this woman?!" Enju exploded again. "Why is there another woman I don't know here? Kisara-san is one thing, but who's this kimono beauty?!"
"Oh oh! I know, I know! My friends have told me stories about this!" Nursery Rhyme eagerly raised her hand high like a good student answering questions in class. "This is what you call a 'Shuraba,' right? So, these two must be called Mistress Number Three and Mistress Number Four!"
"...Nursery Rhyme, 'Mistress Three' and 'Mistress Four' aren't names."
"Eh? Is that so?" Nursery Rhyme tilted her head innocently. "Then who are they?"
"They're… uh…"
Rentaro suddenly fell silent, glancing down at the two collapsed girls. Then, with a completely serious expression, he explained to Nursery Rhyme:
"They're my evil boss and my creditor."
In the end, Rentaro didn't throw out Kisara or Shiba Miori—the kimono-clad beauty was Sima Miori, heiress of Sima Heavy Industries, the world's largest weapons manufacturer.
While Rentaro waited for the two to regain consciousness, Nursery Rhyme suddenly furrowed her delicate brows slightly. Both Enju and Rentaro quickly noticed this subtle change.
"Nursery Rhyme-chan, what's wrong?"
"Um… it's about my home," Nursery Rhyme shook her head gently, looking a bit troubled. "It seems there are some unfamiliar people wandering around my house, acting all suspicious."
Nursery Rhyme's home?
Rentaro raised an eyebrow. How does Nursery Rhyme know what's happening at her house? I didn't see her using a phone or anything.
"Suspicious? Could it be thieves?" Enju looked worriedly at Nursery Rhyme. "Your family is probably really wealthy, right? Thieves must have targeted you!"
"Um… I wouldn't say wealthy?" Nursery Rhyme said with a slightly troubled expression. "But there should be quite a few valuable things there. Of course, even if those things are lost, it doesn't really matter. But there are many of my friends inside, and nothing can happen to them."
"In that case! There's no time to waste, I'll help you teach those thieves a lesson right now!" Enju stood up energetically, punching the air enthusiastically. "How dare they try stealing from my best friend's house—I'll knock them all down!"
"Thank you, Enju-chan, but it's fine."
Nursery Rhyme smiled gently, completely relaxed.
"I have many, very strong friends who are always guarding our home."
"Besides… another me has already gone back. Everything will be fine."