Iska, as bold as ever, declared she didn't care how many wives Akira had, so long as she was one of them. She'd been eyeing him for a long time, after all.
Asta, quiet as a shadow, glanced at Ryuu with an unreadable expression before her cheeks flushed for reasons unknown.
The eldest, Maryuu and Ryana, said nothing. Maryuu, the self-appointed caretaker of the familia, and Ryana, a mage with a deep love for magic, gave nothing away. But if Akira ever asked, Ryuu suspected they wouldn't say no.
Noin and Neze's reactions were almost normal. Noin doubted if Akira would like a plain girl like her. Neze questioned whether he'd want a werewolf wife. Almost normal.
Then there was Celty. Her flushed face and embarrassed silence were troubling.
'Embarrassed?! What is she imagining?!'
Ryuu sat in her corner, her emotions a tangled mess as she watched each girl's wildly different reaction.
And as for the three girls with a history of conspiring together, Ryuu refused to even think about them. How they were still considered senior members of the Justice Familia was beyond her.
No one mentioned the side effect that sleeping with Akira could increase one's stats.
Ryuu might be called a "wooden" or "stone" elf by her peers, but she wasn't oblivious. Those three were clearly plotting to spirit him away for a few days before announcing anything. She didn't even bother arguing.
Finally, her gaze turned to Astraea, seated at the back. Astraea simply smiled, her eyes serene, watching the chaos unfold as though she had foreseen it all.
Ryuu's heart rippled faintly. She could not read Astraea's role in this, nor the depth of her thoughts.
Finally, Ryuu couldn't suppress the doubts in her heart any longer. She lowered her gaze slightly, her voice soft yet carrying a faint tremor.
"Astraea-sama, what do you think about this matter?"
The idle chatter instantly died. Every gaze in the room converged on Astraea, and even the smallest rustle of clothing seemed deafening in the sudden silence.
Astraea, serene as always, raised a slender hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile. When she spoke, her voice was calm, almost tender, yet carried a penetrating weight that seemed to slip past the ears and settle directly in one's heart.
She began, her tone warm yet distant, "The children's feelings are pure. Emotions are unpredictable by nature. I only hope that no matter what decision you make, you will be honest with your heart and live without regrets."
It was a statement that sounded simple, almost ambiguous, yet those present couldn't shake the feeling that there was something hidden beneath her words.
The meeting ended soon after, but Ryuu's mind was left a storm of unanswered questions. That was why, late that night, she found herself knocking softly on Akira's door.
Her reason was simple. She wanted, no, needed, to know what Akira truly felt about her.
When the door opened, she hesitated for a heartbeat before speaking. "Akira… what do you think of me?"
Akira blinked, visibly stunned. It wasn't the kind of question one asked out of nowhere, and it clearly caught him off guard. Slowly, he sat up straight, his posture unconsciously becoming more formal. His eyes locked onto her face, searching it for clues, before he finally replied.
"I like Ryuu very much."
Ryuu's breath hitched at the sudden directness.
He continued with a faint smile tugging at his lips, "Although you might be a little too serious sometimes, I genuinely like the way you're full of ideals."
Then, with a softer, almost nostalgic tone, he added, "If it weren't for you supporting me, I might have, no, I definitely would have fallen into depravity in this world. When I first arrived here, everything was unfamiliar and uncertain. It was your companionship, your trust, that gave me the courage to find my path forward."
Ryuu's face flushed a vivid red. She forgot entirely to protest the "too serious" remark, her mind was far too caught up in the warmth spreading through her chest. She quickly turned her head, as if to hide her expression, though the faint smile tugging at her lips exposed her.
"Is that all?" She murmured, her voice as light as a breeze, carrying a note of shy expectation.
"Me too. I... like Akira too."
The air between them seemed to hum, the atmosphere rich with an unspoken warmth.
And then—
Knock knock knock!
The sound slammed into the moment like a sledgehammer, shattering the fragile sweetness.
Ryuu jolted, still caught between embarrassment and surprise. Her fingers twitched, then instinctively rose to smooth her hair, trying in vain to compose herself. But her pink-tinged cheeks and trembling fingertips exposed her inner panic.
Akira sighed, pushing himself to his feet to open the door. At this moment, Ryuu suddenly began scanning the room like a startled rabbit. Her gaze darted from corner to corner until—ah!
Her eyes landed on the wardrobe. She wasted no time, darting toward it, yanking the door open, and slipping inside as though she'd just found the last lifeboat on a sinking ship.
Akira, watching this, could only cover his face with one hand.
'Seriously? Hiding in there? You do know Alise and the others aren't blind, right?'
"Oh well…"
He thought with a silent shake of his head, 'Your choice. Don't come crying to me later if it backfires.'
Still, he was a little curious about what would happen next.
Composing himself, Akira reached for the door and opened it, only to be greeted by three "hulking" figures with exaggerated muscles and dramatic poses which, upon closer inspection, were in fact three very beautiful girls: Alise, Kaguya, and Lyra.
"Yo! Akira, we're here." Lyra wasted no time, launching herself at him and wrapping her legs around his waist like a mischievous koala.
Her grin was pure trouble. "Hey, are you excited?"
Akira staggered under the sudden weight, both hands instinctively holding her hips to keep her steady.
"Lyra, could you please not do this every single time?"
"Nope." Lyra tightened her hold, rubbing her head against his neck as if she intended to stay there forever.
Alise, watching the scene, chuckled and shook her head. "Alright, Lyra, stop teasing him."
She stepped inside with light, confident strides, her gaze sweeping the room curiously, it was her first visit here. That was when she noticed the two cups on the table, still faintly steaming.
Her brow lifted as she asked, "Hm? That's strange, was someone else here just now?"
Inside the wardrobe, Ryuu froze. Her breath paused, her heart pounding loud enough she was sure they could hear it. She clamped her hands over her mouth, willing herself to be still.
'Why… why did I hide?' She groaned internally.
'If they find me now, it's going to be so embarrassing.'
"…Yeah." Akira replied with feigned casualness, "Ryuu was here just now."
"Oh?" Alise's eyes brightened with curiosity. "And what did she talk to you about?"
Akira shrugged. "She asked what I think of her."
Lyra, still hanging from him, burst into laughter. "Haha! That's so Ryuu."
Neither she nor Alise seemed to suspect anything unusual, perhaps because Akira was standing right in front of them, or perhaps because the idea of Ryuu hiding in his room seemed absurd.
But in the corner, Kaguya's lips curved into a knowing smirk. She'd been quietly observing since they entered, her assassin's instincts noting every detail—the warmth of the water, the subtle shift in the cushions, the faintest trace of movement in the air. To her, the truth was obvious. Still, she said nothing.
Kaguya suddenly announced, "Alright, let's start Alise's instruction."
At once, everyone's attention shifted. Alise straightened, slipping back into her usual focused demeanor. Lyra reluctantly dropped down from Akira's waist, straightening her clothes.
With an eager spark in her eyes, Alise clasped her hands before her and puffed out her chest.
"Please take care of me."
(End of Chapter)
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