"…Seika-chan, please marry me!"
Kitahara declared with conviction.
Randomly picking up a lone elementary school student on the street would definitely not work, but if it was Seika, who had shrunk into an elementary school student, then there was no problem.
Let alone proposing loudly, even kissing, hugging, and lifting high could be done without any psychological burden!
"Huh?!"
Seika's eyes widened in shock, then her small face flushed with anger and embarrassment, and her two short legs began to kick wildly.
"Bastard! Put me down quickly!"
Little Seika was only wearing a simple summer short-sleeved shirt, but because of the 'shrinking' effect, the shirt, when worn, could clearly be used as a dress.
At this moment, her short legs were kicking wildly, and the hem of her shirt inevitably fluctuated with her movements. Kitahara's gaze subconsciously swept downwards.
"There's actually nothing…"
Thump!
Seika headbutted him, her voice filled with shame and anger, "Perverted brat! Shut up, ahhh!"
Her body had shrunk into an elementary school student, so besides the shirt barely fitting, she couldn't wear any other clothes!
"If you don't put me down, you're dead!"
"Yes, yes."
Kitahara put the elementary school student Seika down, then opened his task panel, and saw that daily task four showed as completed.
"That was easy…"
Kitahara smiled contentedly.
The task of proposing to an elementary school student had originally been abandoned, but unexpectedly, things took a turn, and it was successfully completed with ease, naturally making him happy.
Bang!
Seika raised her small foot and stepped on Kitahara's instep, glaring at him fiercely yet cutely.
"You're still smiling!"
Kitahara looked down speechlessly, "Seika-chan, do you believe that no one will come to save you even if you scream yourself hoarse?"
"Eh, I'll come out and save little Seika…"
A light, airy voice sounded behind them.
Seika was startled, her small face quickly turning red.
"Mom, when did you come out?"
Kitahara turned around, looking at Mrs. Ichiji floating over from behind him. He coughed twice, feeling a little guilty, and politely said, "Good afternoon, Auntie."
After eating the Eden Fruit last time, Mrs. Ichiji's body had clearly solidified a lot, but as a ghost, she rarely appeared during the day. He didn't expect to be caught red-handed now.
Mrs. Ichiji nodded lightly, her voice gentle, yet with the ethereal quality unique to ghosts: "Just when Makoto-kun proposed to Seika."
Hearing this, Seika's small face instantly turned beet red. She quickly denied it guiltily: "This perverted brat is talking nonsense! I have nothing to do with him!"
Mrs. Ichiji tilted her head and looked over: "Then what was that hugging and lifting just now?"
"How would I know?" Seika clenched her small fists, glaring at Kitahara in embarrassment and anger, "He just does things like that without a word, and even made me turn into an elementary schooler… Death penalty!"
Kitahara looked innocent: "Although I'm at fault, isn't the death penalty a bit too much?"
"Don't you say another word!"
Seika stomped on Kitahara's foot again, then looked at Mrs. Ichiji guiltily: "Mom, don't tell Nijika about what just happened, so Nijika doesn't misunderstand…"
Mrs. Ichiji said airily: "Is it really just a misunderstanding between you and Makoto-kun?"
"…"
Seika originally wanted to say it was completely innocent, but under Mrs. Ichiji's calm gaze, she ultimately fell silent, feeling guilty.
Because it was useless.
She had never been able to lie since she was a child; her mother would always see through her lies.
Kitahara coughed twice, stepped forward half a step to stand in front of Seika, and said sincerely: "Auntie, it's all my fault."
Mrs. Ichiji tilted her head and looked over: "Where is Makoto-kun at fault?"
Kitahara said seriously: "Actually, I forced Seika. If Auntie wants to scold someone, just scold me."
Thump!
Seika clenched her small fist and lightly punched Kitahara's knee, unable to help but whisper: "You can just stay quiet now…"
Mrs. Ichiji sighed softly, then suddenly said faintly: "I agree to your marriage."
"Huh?"
Seika looked over, both embarrassed and angry: "Mom, what are you talking about?!"
Mrs. Ichiji said softly: "Seika actually likes Makoto-kun, right?"
"No! Not at all!" Seika's gaze drifted, and she instinctively denied it in shame, "I'm already this old, I wouldn't like a high school brat!"
Mrs. Ichiji said airily: "But Seika always likes to pinch her thumb when she lies."
Seika: "…"
Kitahara heard this and looked down. Sure enough, Seika was pinching her thumb.
Mrs. Ichiji reached out her right hand and gently stroked Seika's small head, her gaze gentle: "Only after experiencing life and death do you realize that besides life and death, everything else is trivial. Life is like the morning dew; it vanishes in an instant when the sun rises."
"I've always been worried about Seika. You're already thirty, and you don't even have a boyfriend. You might end up alone in your old age…"
Seika immediately puffed out her cheeks and unhappily retorted: "Mom, you're wrong! I'm clearly only twenty-nine, okay?!"
"Ah, my apologies~ Seika, in my heart, you'll always be eighteen." Mrs. Ichiji's voice was gentle as she continued, "In my heart, I only have one wish for you and Nijika, and that is for you both to be forever happy."
Seika's eyelashes trembled slightly, her lips slightly parted, and she whispered: "But this guy is Nijika's boyfriend… Nijika will definitely be very angry if she knows, right?"
Mrs. Ichiji retorted: "Do you really think Nijika doesn't know anything about the secret between you and Makoto-kun?"
"Eh?"
Seika paused slightly, and a guilty expression immediately appeared on her small face.
Kitahara, on the other hand, looked as usual, not flustered in the slightest.
Nijika wasn't stupid, and with a girl's extremely keen sixth sense, she must have already noticed something. But as long as Nijika didn't say anything, then they would just pretend not to know.
"Whether you can convince Nijika is a matter for you two. Mom won't interfere," Mrs. Ichiji said airily. "But I don't object to what's happening between you and Makoto-kun."
Seika crossed her arms, unable to help but complain: "Shouldn't mom be very angry?"
"I've already become a ghost, so of course I won't be so prejudiced," Mrs. Ichiji said softly. "You two said before that the end of the world is coming, and no one knows what tomorrow will be like. Mom only hopes that Seika can be happy and fulfilled, and not leave too many regrets in life, that's all."
Seika: "…"
After the heart-to-heart talk between mother and daughter, Manager-san's mood was clearly quite complex.
(I'm cheating on Nijika behind her back, and the target is my sister's boyfriend. Mom not only isn't angry but even expresses support… Just scold me already!)
(But… Mom also has a point.)
(Tomorrow and accident, you never know which will come first. Not letting life be full of regrets is the most important thing. If Nijika accepts, then I…)
(Wait, wait a minute!)
(What am I thinking about? How could I let a high school brat have a rice bowl with me?!)
Seika quickly shook her head, chasing the messy thoughts out of her mind, then clenched her small fist and punched Kitahara's knee.
"Why are you hitting me?"
Kitahara looked down innocently.
"Call me Store Manager!" Seika crossed her arms, gritting her teeth, "Hurry up and come back to my room with me and remove this shrinking side effect!"
Kitahara nodded, greeted Mrs. Ichiji, and then followed Seika into the room.
"Let me be clear, Stripping is random and uncontrollable," Kitahara lied without changing his expression. "So, to be safe, Seika, do you want to take off your clothes first?"
"Take off what?" Seika glared at him in embarrassment and anger, "I'm only wearing one shirt, you know that."
Kitahara looked innocent:
"Actually, I didn't see clearly just now."
Seika looked at him with murderous intent:
"Then do you want me to show you again?"
"I'd be grateful…"
"Die!"
"…"
There's no need to elaborate on the process of removing the side effect. Since Seika had shrunk to the size of an elementary schooler, her height was the same as the dining table, and Kitahara really couldn't get interested, so he didn't push any limits and simply removed the side effect.
As the side effect was dealt with, Seika quickly felt her body itching, her size gradually increasing, and she quickly returned to her original appearance.
"Phew…"
After confirming she had returned to normal, Seika couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
She still had to open the store for business in the evening, and in her elementary schooler form, she couldn't possibly go out and meet people. Now, she was finally safe.
Kitahara stood by, openly admiring her.
The short-sleeved shirt could originally be worn as a dress, but now that Seika had returned to an adult, the shirt suddenly couldn't cover her anymore. Her two fair, slender legs looked exceptionally well-proportioned and firm, completely capable of being played with for years.
"Perverted brat, what are you looking at?"
Noticing Kitahara's gaze, Seika quickly grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it down hard, glaring at him in embarrassment and anger.
"Tsk~"
Kitahara let out a soft "tsk" and said righteously: "Auntie has already agreed to our marriage, so what's wrong with me looking?"
"Perverted brat, you really want a beating, don't you?"
Seika gritted her teeth in annoyance and subconsciously raised her leg, wanting to kick him.
However, with her leg halfway up, Seika suddenly remembered her current situation and quickly pulled her leg back, her face red.
Kitahara said regretfully: "Seika, why aren't you kicking me anymore?"
Kick you?
That would clearly be a reward for you!
"Perverted brat!" Seika's pretty face was crimson. "You can go back now, hurry up and leave!"
Kitahara stepped forward, his gaze burning as he said: "Seika, did you forget something?"
"What do you mean?"
Seika frowned slightly, looking at him warily.
Kitahara extended his finger and lowered his voice: "Seika just called me 'Perverted brat' three more times, so… it's time for the punishment segment again."
"Oh, no…!"
Seika's eyes instantly became flustered. Suddenly turning from an adult to a child, she had indeed forgotten the "three strikes and you're out" rule in her nervousness.
Seeing Kitahara pressing closer, Seika quickly looked around for an escape route. Unfortunately, the room was only so big, and there was nowhere to hide.
"Seika, give up struggling."
Kitahara opened his arms and pulled Seika into his embrace.
"Perverted brat, don't push your luck!"
Seika glared at him, putting on a brave front.
Kitahara, however, was not flustered in the slightest:
"Seika, you don't want Auntie to hear, do you?"
Seika: "…"
Mrs. Ichiji was guarding outside the door. To avoid being heard by her mother, Seika could only endure the humiliation and accept the punishment.
A moment later.
Pop~
With a soft sound, Kitahara, satisfied, let go of Manager-san, contentedly wiped the corners of his lips, and placed Seika, whose body was too soft to stand, onto the bed:
"Goodbye, Manager. I'm heading back first."
"Hoo... hoo..."
Seika's breathing was rapid, her eyes hazy. Despite her body having melted like ice cream, her mouth remained stubborn:
"If... if there's a next time... you're dead..."
"Is that so?"
Kitahara turned and walked back to the bed, looking down at her.
"You... what are you doing?"
Seika immediately tensed up.
Kitahara lightly clicked his tongue:
"Of course, I'm going for another round to see how the manager will make me regret it."
"..."
After the second kiss ended, Seika finally settled down completely, not daring to be stubborn anymore.
"Seika, thank you for the hospitality."
Kitahara waved goodbye, summoned Hana, and then took his leave.
The afternoon passed quickly.
Before he knew it, it was evening.
Kitahara quickly traveled to Sakiko's house, had dinner with Sakiko, and then the two went together to the Togawa residence for today's 'rejuvenation' business.
There's no need to elaborate on the business process; it only took half an hour to easily earn fifty million yen.
At the same time.
In the dark, cold, and blood-scented basement,
A branch of the Tree of Death quietly withered again.
"The fruit... has withered again..."
In the darkness, a hooded girl, hugging her knees, silently raised her head. Black hair covered one eye, and the other was filled with crimson. She tilted her head slightly, making a motion as if listening intently:
"The god's will... kill the pests..."
Kitahara was unaware that he had been targeted by the mastermind. After the business concluded, he and Sakiko bid farewell and left together, successfully unlocking Sakiko's twin-tailed form.
Before he knew it, it was 9:30 PM.
The girls gradually arrived to soak in the onsen. Kitahara looked at Tomori and softly said:
"Tomori, send a message to Taki and ask her to come over. Tell her it concerns Mutsumi-chan's safety."
He had thought that today's task would have to be abandoned, but unexpectedly, the task of proposing to the elementary school student was completed. Since that was the case, the task of bathing with Taki naturally couldn't be given up. He had to get the lottery chances if he could.
Tomori blinked, didn't ask further, and just nodded obediently:
"Okay."
A moment later.
A long-haired, black-haired, legal loli in pajamas walked out of the bathroom, her hands crossed over her chest, looking over in confusion:
"What's wrong with Mutsumi-chan?"