Vol. 5 Chapter 3 – The Pressing Crisis

The Pignaut family mansion that they were brought to by Lisara and the others was considerably smaller compared to the grandeur that could only be described as Restall’s castle, but the towering gate and the distance to the entrance alone were at an absurdly luxurious mansion level from the perspective of an ordinary commoner.

In the wide, well maintained garden, trees were planted so densely that it could be mistaken for a forest, and in front of the main building stretched a lush, vividly green lawn. Stone paved paths connected them, and at the center a fountain adorned with carvings of dragons and the like coolly sprayed water into the air.

Ryousuke looked around such a garden and building.

Perhaps Mina’s figure might come into view by chance, he could not abandon that expectation.

“Cough.”

Lisara lightly cleared her throat and shot Ryousuke a glance. Do not look around so much! It was a reproachful gaze.

Indeed, this was already a guest room in the Pignaut family mansion. If he did not properly act as a maid, it would all be for nothing. Ryousuke straightened his back with a snap and looked only forward.

In the guest room, Almeia and Lisara sank into the sofa and drank the prepared tea.

Ryousuke, who had come as a maid, and Kyuru in her glasses stood behind the two, waiting. Naturally, tea or anything like that was not served to the maids.

Meanwhile, water had been served to Caesar, who was sleeping at Kyuru’s feet. He somehow felt a sense of disparity, but since the setting was that Almeia had recently been doting on a pet brought from the human world, perhaps it could not be helped.

And everyone except Caesar and Ryousuke wore earrings into which a technique that detects human souls had been woven. It had reacted to Ryousuke as well, but apparently that had already been turned off.

‘Still, do not keep us waiting…’

Wanting to quickly seize a chance to go search for Mina, that impatience made Ryousuke curse inwardly. Just then, the door opened and a slender, handsome man, Raifan, entered, accompanied by a busty maid and a maid wearing glasses. That maid, though it may be rude to say, was as flat chested as Lisara….

“…………”

For a brief instant, Raifan stared at Ryousuke and twisted his mouth.

“?”

By the time he looked back, wondering what that was about, Raifan had already composed himself and was respectfully bowing to Lisara and Almeia.

“Even though I was the one who invited you, I have kept you waiting.”

His height was in the mid one hundred sixty centimeter range, small enough to be called petite. His limbs were slender, and he did not give the impression of being muscular. He was dressed formally, but without a jacket, wearing only a white shirt and vest.

“I have met Almeia-sama several times, but this should be my first time meeting Ojou-sama Lisara. After all, it has not been long since I succeeded this household. I am Raifan Pignaut, the head of this family.”

He approached with a beaming smile.

“It is an honor to meet you. I am Lisara Restall.”

Lisara stood and politely bowed to Raifan.

Today, Lisara was dressed in a sexy gown with her back considerably exposed. She even wore a tiara in her hair. She truly looked like a princess.

Naturally, Ryousuke’s eyes were drawn to that boldly exposed back.

‘Hmm, her back, huh. The line running along her spine looks this alluring in a dress. When it comes to backs, my eyes always go to bras showing through shirts, but shoulder blades are, how should I put it, quite splendid as well. Ah, along that spine I want to…’

“I want to run my finger along it and make her say『ah』! Fungiyaa!”

Kyuru stepped on his toes…. Once again, Ryousuke sealed away his eros and refocused himself as a maid.

Unrelated to the exchange between Ryousuke and Kyuru, the pleasant conversation among Lisara and the others seemed to be going smoothly.

“Lisara-chan has come back temporarily from the human world. Since we had the chance, we thought we should go around and offer our greetings here and there.”

At Almeia’s explanation, Raifan nodded and addressed Lisara.

“I hear you are staying in the human world to research old techniques?”

“Yes. There has long been interaction between the Shinigami world and the human world, and there are fugitives from time to time, are there not? Because of that, there are surprisingly various traces left behind.”

In truth, Lisara had never searched for such things. It had originally been nothing more than a pretext to find the Singular One, so that was only natural, but Ryousuke could not help being impressed at how smoothly she could rattle off such fabrications.

“Fugitives… ah yes, there were rumors that even the king’s descendants fled to the human world, were there not?”

“Eh… y, yes.”

Lisara was visibly flustered. At that, Almeia smiled and offered a lifeline.

“It is a rumor closer to gossip, you know.”

“Well, the streets are overflowing with rumors after all.”

Raifan nodded repeatedly. To such a man, Almeia very naturally shifted the topic.

“Raifan-san, your garden is as wonderful as ever.”

“Yes, it is my pride and joy.”

“How about it, there is still time before dinner, is there not? If you would be so kind, would you show us around the mansion?”

It was a perfectly natural excuse to walk freely through the estate.

“Yes, of course. Not just the garden, there are various things I would like to show you.”

At those words, Ryousuke and Kyuru could not help exchanging glances.

‘Is this not a little too convenient?’

‘But it is certainly a perfect opportunity.’

Through eye contact, they somehow conveyed their intentions to each other.

It was indeed the perfect chance to find Mina. Though feeling slightly suspicious, Ryousuke followed Raifan’s guided tour of the mansion.

※ ※ ※

“This relief commemorates the occasion when the previous previous head of the family, Raifan-sama’s great grandfather, was appointed to the Seventy Third Stanza.”

The busty maid who had been walking ahead of Lisara and Raifan stopped and began explaining the relief carved across the entire wall.

Despite being indoors, the room had a large fountain installed, and on all four surrounding walls were reliefs. They were apparently crafted with meticulous attention to minute detail, but honestly Ryousuke could not quite grasp their value.

‘Galdabroeg was the Sixty Ninth Stanza, right. They are bragging about it, but that means he is below that guy.’

That was about the extent of his impression.

“You do not seem interested?”

“Hieeh!?”

Being suddenly addressed, Ryousuke nearly jumped.

After taking two small breaths and regaining his composed expression, he slowly turned toward the speaker.

“Not at all. I think it is a splendid relief that represents the glorious history of the Pignaut family.”

“Ahahaha, you do not have to force yourself.”

Raifan whispered while looking at the backs of Lisara, Almeia, and Kyuru as they listened to the maid’s explanation.

“It is the same as that dog. Normally, no one is interested, right?”

Just as Raifan said, Caesar was lying down, letting out a bored yawn.

“Well, it is only natural. Every house wants to brag about itself like that. There is no way listening to bragging is fun. And besides, it is nothing more than a history of being used by humans.”

“…………”

Ryousuke’s eyebrow twitched. The way he said that somehow reminded him of Galdabroeg. Bracing himself inwardly, Ryousuke waited for the next words. However, the words that came from Raifan next were, in complete contrast, spoken in a light, frivolous tone.

“And, on top of that.”

Moreover, he subtly leaned his body closer. Yes, closer to Ryousuke, who was currently in his beautiful girl maid version.

“You see, I much prefer talking with girls over those stiff stories like that. Especially girls like you who have such rich and beautiful breasts, fufufu, I simply cannot resist.”

It was not just his imagination. He was definitely leaning in.

By now, their shoulders were almost touching.

“U, um, Raifan-sama. I believe you are standing a little too close.”

With a stiff smile on his face, he gently tried to refuse.

“Is that so?”

Raifan feigned ignorance.

“Yes, it is.”

Maintaining his professional maid smile, Ryousuke quietly stepped away.

‘This is no joking matter. I love skinship with girls, but there is no way I ever want to be touched by a man.’

His mind was close to being filled with curses directed at Raifan.

After all, think about it. Being touched on the butt by a girl is a reward. Ryousuke might be different, but his classmate Ohira even had a dream of being spanked by a girl.

For boys, being touched by a girl, no matter where, is a reward. And for Ryousuke, being touched by a man is nothing but suffering!

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, no, it is nothing.”

Faced with a puzzled expression, he hurriedly patched things up.

“Fufu, that is good then. For a cute girl like you, I want you to look only at me.”

Ryousuke spread his nerves through his entire body and took a guarded stance. He was completely being targeted!

At the same time, however, he had confidence. After all, his opponent was a man. His『I Hate Men Absolute Defense Net』should detect any intrusion from any direction.

Yes, no matter from what angle or at what speed Raifan reached out his hand, Ryousuke was confident he could predict it and evade it.

Just imagining a man stroking his butt was enough to make goosebumps rise on his skin. That very sense of disgust was what constructed his absolute defense net.

Holding onto that absolute confidence, Ryousuke forced a somewhat stiff smile.

“Raifan-sama, I still believe you are too close.”

He wanted to punch him and run, but right now they were in the middle of searching for Mina. He could not afford to cause trouble here. Enduring desperately, Ryousuke continued to wear the mask of a maid.

“Still too close? Ahahaha, you are silly. Being truly close means pressing skin against skin.”

As he said that, his arm slipped around to Ryousuke’s waist.

For an instant, Ryousuke’s reaction was delayed. For some reason, just for a split second, he had thought, ah, maybe I would not mind being touched by this hand. Because of that, Raifan’s arm wrapped around his waist and he was firmly seized.

“──!”

As Ryousuke showed a startled expression, Raifan returned a smile that was unmistakably that of a womanizer.

‘So this is… the different gender from me, an『ikemen』. Is this what they call that ikemen aura that can break through even the vigilance of someone like me, who has the heart of a man, in a single instant…?’

For the time being, he grabbed Raifan’s wrist with one hand to prevent any further advances.

And then he thought about how to break out of this situation…

‘As I thought, I will have to ask Lisara and the others for help…’

Considering they were searching for Mina, he did not want to stir up too much trouble… but if it was Lisara and the others, they would surely manage to smooth things over skillfully.

It was the moment he decided that.

Raifan made a move Ryousuke had not anticipated at all.

──Fuuuuu.

Raifan blew softly into Ryousuke’s ear.

“Fuaaan <3”

An involuntarily sweet sigh slipped from Ryousuke’s lips.

“Hehe, you make quite a cute voice, do you not?”

Raifan smiled happily.

“P-please stop.”

Even as he said that, Ryousuke was in total confusion over his own body’s reaction. Yes, the body of the feminized Ryousuke was more honest than he expected, and was reacting with a slight trace of pleasure….

“Hm, what should I do to you next, I wonder.”

“W, wait, please, have mercy, any more than this…”

“Nope.”

Raifan’s free hand boldly reached toward Ryousuke’s chest. The movement appeared in slow motion before Ryousuke’s eyes.

If that hand were to grope him, then it would be over… the instant Ryousuke’s resolve wavered,

‘Partner, are you really okay with this? Seriously, spare me, I am the one who hates this!!’

《Broken Sword Gram》cried out in anguish.

At the same time──snap.

Something inside Ryousuke broke.

Throwing away his maid’s mask, he shouted. He thrashed about, trying to knock away the approaching hand.

“Fungyaaaaaaaaaa! Of course I hate men too─────!”

“Uwaaa!?”

Splash.

The two of them together fell backward into the fountain behind them….

※ ※ ※

“I sincerely apologize. It seems our maid has caused a dreadful blunder.”

Ryousuke could hear Almeia apologizing to the soaking wet Raifan.

“Honestly, what are you even doing…”

Looking down at Ryousuke, who had been pulled out of the fountain, Lisara wore an exasperated expression.

“My deepest apologies… well, various things were done to me, and I could no longer endure it.”

Still dripping wet, Ryousuke bowed deeply. Once again, he firmly put on his mask as a maid. Seeing that, Lisara spoke in concern.

“Were you attacked?”

“…………”

If he answered clearly and turned it into an incident, they would no longer be able to search for Mina. Judging that, Ryousuke remained silent.

“That bastard.”

Lisara shot a sharp glare at Raifan. But the man remained completely composed. There was not a trace of remorse on his face.

“No, no, everyone makes one or two mistakes. I am not so narrow minded as to make a fuss over a maid’s clumsiness.”

Raifan calmly declared that Ryousuke had been clumsy. Then he called to the maid standing behind him.

“Ah, that is right, you there, flat chested maid. Please take that poor big breasted girl who fell into the fountain to the guest room prepared for the Restall family. Let her use the bath.”

Ryousuke clearly saw the summoned maid’s mouth twitch for a moment. No, not just the maid. Lisara’s lips were twitching as well.

“W, what is with that Raifan guy? F-flat chested maid? At least call her properly by her name. Does he only distinguish girls by the size of their breasts?”

“Calm down, Onee-sama.”

Kyuru gave a wry smile as she soothed Lisara and whispered into her ear.

“This simply means an even greater opportunity has come.”

“What do you mean?”

“Kyuru will accompany Ryousuke-san to the bath. That alone splits the search into two groups. And if we manage to draw the maid’s attention away somewhere, we will be able to search more freely.”

“…I see.”

Lisara nodded. Then, with a pleasant smile, she bowed to Raifan.

“Thank you very much. In that case, we shall gratefully accept your kindness. However, it may be unsettling for her to go alone. Would it be acceptable to have one more maid accompany her?”

“Ah, is that all? Yes, of course, that is fine.”

Raifan readily accepted the proposal.

“This way, please.”

The flat chested maid began to walk.

“…………”

If they could somehow deal with this maid’s watchful eyes, they would be able to search for Mina. Thinking that, Ryousuke tilted his head slightly. He felt as though he had heard this maid’s voice somewhere before….

Beside him, Kyuru too was staring at the flat chested maid’s back, deep in thought.

“Well then, my apologies, but I am soaked as well, so I shall take a shower and change.”

Raifan bowed to Almeia and Lisara.

“This maid will attend to the two of you.”

At those words, the busty maid who had been designated bowed deeply.

“Yes, that is quite fine. We look forward to your care.”

Almeia nodded magnanimously.

※ ※ ※

The changing room attached to the Pignaut family’s guest quarters had a very different atmosphere compared to the one in the Restall household.

First of all, it was spacious. Even larger than the one at the Restall residence. In addition, several large mirrors hung upon the walls. For some reason, there was even a sofa large enough to lie down on. Perhaps it was meant for resting after a bath….

“Well, whatever.”

Ryousuke began removing the maid uniform that clung wetly to his body.

He slowly peeled off his stockings and removed the garter belt.

“…………”

Placing one leg on the sofa, he stretched out his toes and gradually slid the stocking down.

It was exactly the way he believed a girl ideally should remove her stockings, and that made him feel a little hollow….

Once in only his underwear, he avoided looking at his own reflection in the mirror and carefully unfastened his bra.

Somehow, he could not help thinking what a sexy scene it was, even to himself. A drenched haired, soaked underwear clad beautiful girl undoing the hook behind her back and removing her bra. If that was not sexy, then what was?

Even though he was really a man….

Covering his ample chest with his left arm, he used only his right hand to remove his shorts.

Rather than removing them, it was more like slipping his legs free.

“Fuu~”

At last, having finished taking off his shorts, Ryousuke felt a sense of liberation from the bottom of his heart.

Bras were unexpectedly constricting.

And above all else… it was the shorts.

Truthfully, he had wanted to skip the bath entirely and immediately go search for Mina. However, he felt too uncomfortable to do that.

What was uncomfortable? The shorts.

Even after transforming into a female body, his son was still there, and the small piece of fabric clinging to it felt disgusting beyond words. Walking around in wet men’s underwear already felt unpleasant enough, but shorts were more than ten times worse.

“I will take a quick shower and then immediately go look for Mina.”

Renewing his resolve, Ryousuke entered the bathroom. Of course, he had firmly wrapped a bath towel around his chest.

He wanted to see it. Even though it was his own, he really wanted to look at these ideal, bare breasts.

But if he looked, his elephant would surely go paoon.

And in that state, there was no way he could put on the prepared women’s underwear again, in other words, more shorts. Or perhaps he could, but they would not fit properly. He absolutely hated the idea of walking around the mansion like that.

“…Right, endure it. I have to endure it here.”

Avoiding looking at his reflection in the mirror, Ryousuke carefully removed the bath towel.

“Uh, it should be around here.”

Without looking at the mirror, he guessed and grabbed the shower handle, twisting the faucet.

“Cold!”

It was water.

In the end, after struggling quite a bit, it took him about ten minutes to finally finish showering. Afterwards, he wrapped the bath towel he had kept dry around his body and left the bathroom.

He stepped out and then stopped in his tracks.

“So, what exactly are you doing?”

Kyuru was sitting on the sofa in the spacious changing room. And for some reason, she too had a bath towel wrapped around her body.

“Can you not tell?”

Kyuru slowly rose from the sofa. Despite her loli type appearance, her movements were strangely alluring.

“I do not know, or rather, I do not want to know… more importantly, do you even understand the situation we are in!”

Pointing at her as he said that, Ryousuke stepped backward and thud, his back hit the entrance to the bathroom.

“Of course Kyuru understands the situation.”

Ryousuke found that very hard to believe.

“I have no intention of forcing your first time here.”

Kyuru puffed out her lips as if offended.

“Then what is it!”

“Ryousuke-san’s soul contains 《Fafnir》, does it not?”

“M, maybe it does.”

“Forming a contract with someone like that would surely be welcomed greatly by the Zeria family as well.”

“E-even so, wait. Right now searching for Mina comes first!”

“I know that! That is why it will be over quickly!”

“Over quickly? What will?”

“What do you mean what… well, that, a contract and such!”

For some reason, Kyuru faltered halfway through her words.

“You, were you planning to use seduction to make me form a Shinigami contract with you?”

“…W-would that be so wrong!”

“No, but even I would not fall for seduction so easily when I am searching for Mina right now!”

“I cannot believe this!”

A complete denial. Or rather, she clearly had no intention of giving up.

“No, I mean, first of all, about the contract, I am already teamed up with Lisara through 《Broken Sword Gram》. That is, you know, it would be like a double contract, and that would not be good!”

“…………”

Muu, Kyuru glared at Ryousuke.

She thought for a moment, then her face turned red. Slowly, Kyuru brought her hand to the center of her chest, to the point where the ends of the bath towel overlapped and secured it around her body.

“H-hey, what are you planning to do!”

“Did I not say before? That someday I will end up marrying the person my family chooses.”

“I heard that, but that has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening right now!”

Ignoring his words, Kyuru stared at him and slowly called his name.

“Ryousuke-san, if you dislike a double contract… then I will become equal to Onee-sama in a different way.”

Ryousuke had no idea what she was talking about. He truly did not understand, yet before he realized it, Kyuru’s eyes had grown moist. Under that gaze, his body stiffened.

“You kissed Lisara Onee-sama… did you not?”

“Y-yeah.”

It had been almost entirely accidental, but a kiss was a kiss.

“Then Kyuru also wants to stand in the same position as Onee-sama… and compete for you, Ryousuke-san.”

“W, what are you saying──”

Kyuru pressed her index finger against Ryousuke’s lips. The warmth of her fingertip made him flustered, stealing his words.

“Once we find Mina-san, it will surely become another fierce battle. So… so before that… I want proof that I stood in the same place as Onee-sama.”

“…………”

“Hey, Ryousuke-san.”

Kyuru stepped even closer.

“Will you… do it with Kyuru as well?”

As she said that, Kyuru let the bath towel slip from her body with a soft rustle.

The bath towel slowly slipped down to the floor, and naturally, little by little, Kyuru’s bare skin came into view.

“U-uoooooh!?”

Without thinking, Ryousuke leaned forward,

“N-no, this is bad!”

He covered his face with both hands,

“…………”

But in the end, he could not help peeking through the gaps between his fingers.

It was a figure far too stimulating.

For someone of Kyuru’s age, her chest was surprisingly well developed, and because it was tightly gathered toward the center, a deep cleavage stood out clearly.

Yes, it was one of those push up bras!

Moreover, the pattern of the bra was white floral lace, and through it, the faint skin of Kyuru’s breasts could be seen slightly.

‘Damn, this is bad. This is way too stimulating. Way too much, way too much… ahh, I cannot look away. No, any guy who can look away is not a man!’

Little by little, he spread the gaps between his fingers wider. Of course, it was to confirm the panties.

“Kuuh!?”

Ryousuke swayed unsteadily and leaned back against the wall.

“Kyuru, w, when did you raise your game this much…”

He groaned.

Her panties were white. White was fine. The same kind of floral lace as the bra was, well, fine too.

The problem was… beyond that.

The stockings and the garter belt.

The maid outfits they were wearing came with stockings and garter belts.

But when the bra, the panties, and the stockings were all wrapped in pure white…

The combination suited Kyuru so well that it almost seemed as though the lingerie had been made for her.

It was pure, and yet undeniably sensual.

Her waist was not as slender as Lisara’s or Iria’s. Her hips were not yet that developed either, and from waist to hips there was not much curve, one might even call it somewhat straight.

And yet her chest had grown generously. On top of that, with the push up bra drawing them together, her cleavage stood out vividly.

That unbalanced body, where childishness and allure coexisted, was wrapped in chaste white lingerie. And the owner of that lingerie was gazing at Ryousuke with moist eyes.

Before he could fully process his confusion, Kyuru’s face drew closer and closer to his.

“Ryousuke-san, like you did with Lisara Onee-sama… with Kyuru as well…”

Once, Kyuru shyly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were even more damp. On her flushed red face, her red lips, apparently brushed with rouge, parted slowly as she spoke.

“Will you… kiss me?”

Kyuru closed her eyes.

It was almost like hypnosis. Naturally, his face moved closer to hers.

The destination was her lips.

For some reason, Lisara’s angry face suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Even so, he could not stop.

Though his movements were slow, he gradually drew closer to her lips──

“《Hrímfaxi, the Horse that Draws the Night》, grant this one a night of peaceful rest.”

A third party’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Eh, ah──”

All at once, strength left Kyuru’s body, and she collapsed.

“Eh… h, hey, Kyuru!?”

“Do not worry. She has merely fallen into a deep, deep sleep.”

Before he knew it, Raifan was standing there, leaning against the door to the changing room. He watched Ryousuke with a smirk.

At his feet, just as Raifan said, Kyuru was breathing softly in sleep.

“Well now, I never expected you to be cut from the same cloth as me.”

“W, what… nng… what do you mean?”

He hurriedly corrected his tone from masculine to feminine.

“Hmm, I do not think I said anything that complicated.”

Raifan approached with quick steps.

Ryousuke clutched his bath towel tightly to keep it from slipping. In his mind, alarms warning of a chastity crisis were blaring nonstop.

And yet, he could not simply abandon Kyuru, who lay sleeping at his feet, and flee.

Even if Ryousuke alone managed to escape by some stroke of luck, this woman loving man, no, this pervert who actually laid hands on girls, might sink his fangs into Kyuru.

Judging by his mocking attitude toward the flat chested maid, perhaps Lisara, who was of a similar level, might not interest him, but Kyuru was far too dangerous. With Kyuru’s chest, Raifan might very well make a move.

‘Damn it. I just want to hurry and search for Mina, so why do these obstacles keep appearing? Guh… but there is no way I can leave Kyuru behind and run alone. Kyuru, please, wake up!’

Ryousuke lightly nudged Kyuru with the tip of his foot, but there was absolutely no sign of her waking.

“Ahahaha, useless, useless. Even so, I am a first class Shinigami, you know.”

As he approached Ryousuke, Raifan slowly began unbuttoning his jacket.

“W-why are you taking that off?”

“Obviously, to get cozy with you and those rich breasts of yours.”

Without hesitation or embarrassment, Raifan declared it.

“No worries, I will wake that girl up later. Yes, in the end, I will have flowers in both hands!”

Raifan clenched his fist tightly.

“Damn it, he really is a dangerous pervert.”

At Ryousuke’s mutter, Raifan clasped his own chest as if deeply wounded.

“Pervert is such a cruel thing to say. But you see, it is all your fault. Yes, your breasts. Even with something important ahead, they are driving me mad!”

After saying that, he let out a sigh. “Aaah.”

“Well, since that man has not come out of cowardice, it is fine, right? Even if I am led astray and confused by your breasts, it should not matter.”

Though he was saying strange things, Raifan’s gaze never left Ryousuke’s chest.

“Your breasts… fufu, they are quite close to my ideal, like that little bunny. Their size, firmness, shape… ah, every aspect should be enough to satisfy me. Now then, accept it and jump into my arms!”

“Nooooo! I-I want girls!”

“Then there is no problem!”

With a swift motion, Raifan threw off his jacket.

…He was wearing a bra.

That said, it was not as though there were breasts beneath it. No matter how one looked at it, it was clearly a man’s flat chest.

“Now you understand, right?”

“Yeah, I understand. So you really are a pervert!”

“Why would you jump to that conclusion! Unfortunately, I am… completely a girl!”

At Raifan’s declaration, Ryousuke’s eyes went blank. No matter how anyone looked at it, that chest was a man’s.

“You do not believe me? Well, that is understandable. But you see, this bra has the technique《Giant of Illusions, Utgarza Loki》woven into it. Yes, if I remove this, then I will reveal the breasts that I proudly call the finest in the world──”

“W-wait.”

As Raifan reached for the hook of the bra at his back, Ryousuke stopped him.

“What is it?”

Raifan looked at him with a puzzled expression. With that face, he might actually look surprisingly cute.

“I would like to organize the situation, if that is okay.”

“…Well, I suppose that is fine.”

“So, that man’s chest is just an illusion created by a special bra, and in reality you are a girl dressed as a man?”

At Ryousuke’s remark, Raifan nodded. “Yes.”

“Hold on. But I heard from Shigeil that the head of the house was a man, you know.”

Ryousuke clearly remembered Shigeil Zeria reporting that to Almeia. His fleeting hope that it might be a beautiful girl had been immediately crushed.

“Ah, that. You know how it goes. When a household has only daughters, sometimes one is raised as a boy. Thanks to that, I have been treated as a man since I was little.”

“I-I see. So that means you are a man at heart too?”

“Of course not. I am fully aware that I am a girl.”

“…………Then why are you trying to attack me when I am a girl?”

“Attack is not quite the right word. I want to be lovey dovey, get all cozy, do some yuri yuri… ahh, but saying I want to have sex is the most beautiful way to put it, is it not?”

With one hand still hooked at the clasp of the bra on her back, Raifan tilted her head a few times as she answered.

“That is exactly what that means! So you are a lesbian!”

That at least made sense. The reason she had been able to slip past his “I Hate Men Absolute Defense Net” and touch his body was not because of some mysterious ikemen power that nullified his defenses, but simply because his instincts had recognized the other person as a girl. The reason he had not felt that much disgust when touched was surely because of that too.

“A lesbian, hmm. I suppose you could say that. But I would rather be called a pursuer of beauty. An artist who admires flowers, loves flowers, and plucks flowers. That sounds much more lovely, does it not?”

Raifan nodded to herself in satisfaction. Hearing that muttering, Ryousuke bowed his head from the bottom of his heart in apology.

“I am sorry. My flower has a stamen too.”

“………………I have no idea what you are talking about.”

After staring at Ryousuke for several seconds, Raifan tilted her head so far it nearly touched her right shoulder.

Even so, there was no way he could clearly say, I have that thing attached! It was still too embarrassing.

As Ryousuke was wondering how to explain it, Raifan suddenly stepped closer and thrust her hand into the bath towel.

“I messed up! Now that I know you are a girl, I completely let my guard down! Wait, hold on a second! Not there, that is no good!”

“So that you cannot say incomprehensible things, I will properly check the flower──hm?”

Raifan tilted her head slightly.

“Hm?”

As she groped between Ryousuke’s legs, she tilted her head again and again.

“What is this?”

“…………It is an elephant.”

As he said it, Ryousuke covered his flushed cheeks with both hands.

“An elephant?”

“Right now it is a baby elephant. If this keeps up, it looks like it might turn into a full grown elephant.”

“…………”

Raifan’s face shifted from a flushed excitement to a normal color.

“…………”

From normal, it rapidly drained to pale blue. Then, with tremendous speed, Raifan yanked her hand back──

“Ginyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

She let out an ear splitting scream.

“No───────! Stop it─────! The baby elephant was starting to paoooon!!”

Being touched by someone he knew was a girl, it was unavoidable that Ryousuke’s thing reacted that way. Yes, unavoidable.

“Filthy! Disgusting! H-how could you make me touch something so unbeautiful!”

“What do you mean filthy! I literally just washed it, it is super clean!”

Ryousuke declared indignantly. He had washed thoroughly and properly.

“S-shut up-shut up-shut up! Filthy is filthy! I hate elephants!!”

Raifan shouted while crying.

“Eh, no, you do not have to cry… um, well…”

Ryousuke found himself flustered. Even if she might be an enemy, she was still a girl. Having a girl cry in front of him was deeply troubling. Ryousuke was the type who wanted girls to smile.

“Um, well… first, wipe your tears.”

He held out a nearby towel to Raifan. Raifan’s body jerked in surprise.

“L-ook, I am not going to attack you or anything, okay?”

Resigned, Ryousuke slowly wiped Raifan’s tears while trying to present himself as harmless.

It was at that moment.

“…What exactly are you doing?”

Lisara’s voice echoed through the room.

“H-hello, Lisara.”

When Ryousuke turned around, Lisara was standing at the entrance.

With her arms crossed, tapping the floor with the tip of her foot, she stared intently at them. Beside her, Almeia wore a carefree “oh my” expression.

Caesar had a『here we go again』look and let out a yawn.

“Would you mind explaining this situation?”

“Well, um, I was attacked by this Raifan—”

From any angle, however, it looked like Ryousuke was the one doing the attacking.

“Then what about Kyuru over there, sleeping so contentedly in her underwear?”

“T, that is not my fault! To begin with, I just wanted to hurry and search for Mina. It was these two who—!”

That was as far as Ryousuke got.

“Munya munya, my first time with Ryousuke-san… munya… ehehe, I have received Ryousuke-san’s first time.”

As if it were perfectly timed on purpose, Kyuru muttered the worst possible sleep talk.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.”

Lisara’s gaze turned ice cold, to the level of absolute zero.

“Well now, do not be so angry, Lisara-chan. Young boys are more or less all little beasts.”

Almeia approached and pulled Raifan away from Ryousuke.

“U, um, that might be going a bit too far…”

“Oh my, but not only did he lay his hands on a girl like Kyuru-chan, he even made a move on a handsome beauty like Raifan-san. That makes him quite the beast, does it not?”

Almeia said something terrible with a bright smile.

“To begin with, I did not lay a hand on either of them!”

Ryousuke desperately appealed for his innocence.

“How shameless.”

“Lisara, that hurts! I am wounded here!”

“What now, all of a sudden?”

Lisara glared at him with the same cold gaze.

“I may be a pervert. I may be dirty minded and lecherous. But you of all people should know that I would never do something a girl dislikes. Lisara, I believe that you understand Kaga Ryousuke!”

“Understand… well, if you put it that way, it is true that Ryousuke does treat girls carefully.”

Still wearing a sulky expression, Lisara muttered.

“Right? As expected of Lisara!”

“Listen, it is just a little, only a little. I mean, if you live together, you start to understand some things.”

As Ryousuke cried out in relief, Lisara answered while scratching her cheek.

Watching the two of them, Almeia clapped her hands once with a delighted expression.

“Oh my, oh my, so the two of you really do understand each other that well already.”

“Haa!? W-what nonsense are you saying, Mother!”

Lisara bristled and moved toward Almeia in protest. Almeia gently poked Lisara’s cheek with her fingertip, pressing it with a soft squish.

“Ngh!”

“Fufu, Lisara-chan, your cheeks are red, you know?”

“T, that is… well, I am just angry!”

“Angry because Ryousuke-san was doing various things with Raifan-san?”

“Of course!”

Lisara shouted with a bright red face, but Almeia only smiled even more happily.

“My, my, you really are not honest.”

“I am honest!”

“Oh my, pushing yourself like that. Ufufu, if it is like this, shall we just have you two get married?”

“M, m, m-mar-mar-mar-mar-mar-mar-mar-marriage─────!?”

Shrieking, Lisara staggered back a few steps and stumbled.

“Kyah!?”

“Hey, careful.”

Ryousuke hurriedly supported Lisara from behind by her shoulders.

“R, Ryousuke!”

Lisara quickly pulled away. Ryousuke could not help giving a wry smile at her reaction as he spoke to her.

“Hey, what has Almeia-san been talking about this whole time?”

“W, what do you mean, well, that, um… m, marriage talk.”

Lisara answered while looking down and fidgeting. Ryousuke had absolutely no idea what she meant. Left with no choice, he looked at Raifan as if seeking help.

But even Raifan seemed not to understand, merely shaking her head.

“W-what about you, Ryousuke?”

Lisara stared straight at him.

“What about me…”

“W, would you hate it, or… would you?”

It was an uncharacteristically uncertain look for Lisara, as if she were cautiously probing. But even faced with that expression, Ryousuke still had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

“No, no, hold on. I seriously have no clue what you mean.”

At his words, Lisara blinked with a puzzled『You do not understand?』for a moment, then somehow seemed to reach her own conclusion.

“Oh, I see. A Shinigami and a human are forbidden, after all. That is right, even I do not know how we would clear that obstacle…”

“Uh, what exactly are you talking about?”

But Lisara was not listening to him at all. For some reason, her eyes were sparkling.

“Ryousuke, to think you were considering that much… th, that, um… ah, ahaha…”

She even began fidgeting happily. Ryousuke was completely lost.

“Well, I suppose it cannot be helped. When there is such a beautiful and kind girl making lunch for you and doing all sorts of things, well, it cannot be helped, right.”

“Hey, wait a second?”

“But still, there is the matter of sorting out our feelings, and we are both still young… maybe it is a bit too soon after all.”

Turning her face away and covering both cheeks with her hands, Lisara began muttering to herself in a low voice that Ryousuke could barely catch.

He did not understand at all why the topic of marriage had suddenly appeared.

At that moment, Raifan, wearing a similarly dubious expression, addressed Ryousuke.

“What are those two doing over there?”

“Do not ask me. I have absolutely no idea.”

“Honestly… aside from the chest, they really are a similar mother and daughter.”

Raifan cast a faintly contemptuous glance at Lisara’s chest. Seeing that look, something in Ryousuke snapped.

“You are flat right now too. And honestly, it is suspicious whether yours are really that big.”

“Me? Can you not tell? You should be able to estimate from my waist and hips.”

“Eh…”

Told that, Ryousuke hurriedly looked Raifan’s body over. In the battle hardened simulator inside Ryousuke’s brain, which had observed countless naked girls through videos and photo collections, numbers began calculating.

No, not just numbers.

Like the latest CG compositing, Raifan’s figure reverted to her original form within Ryousuke’s field of vision.

“…………Eighty eight, no, maybe a bit more, no way, over ninety!?”

“Fufu, fufufufufu, splendid. Ah, truly splendid. Indeed, my bust is originally over ninety.”

Drip…

A nosebleed trailed down.

Humanity’s dream, a ninety bust. A young, firm ninety bust. And on top of that, crossdressing.

He could not look away.

From the image of Raifan restored in his mind, Ryousuke could not tear his eyes away.

Suddenly, someone poked his shoulder. The instant he turned,

“Ryousukeeeeee……”

Lisara called his name in a low, resentment filled voice that seemed to echo from the depths of hell.

“E, uh, what?”

“Ryousuke, after thinking about marriage and everything… how exactly do you explain having your eyes stolen by that man-woman over there?”

“No, this is pure academic curiosity, and besides, what is this marriage thing anyway!”

“No excuses. It was my fault for even thinking for a moment that maybe it would not be so bad. Yes, Ryousuke is just Ryousuke after all!”

Lisara pressed her hand against Ryousuke’s chest.

“Wait, no, I seriously have no idea what you are talking about──”

He started to protest, then swallowed his words. Lisara’s eyes had turned red. She looked deeply hurt.

“Um… well…”

With a half resigned expression, Ryousuke glanced at Caesar. There he was, wearing a look that clearly said, you get it, right?

‘So accepting a girl’s selfishness is part of a man’s duty, huh…’

Ryousuke quietly closed his eyes. At the same time, Lisara shouted.

“《Broken Sword Gram》, awaken in the name of Lisara Restall. Honestly, hurry up and drain Ryousuke’s life force!”

From 《Broken Sword Gram》, life force began to be siphoned into Lisara. And not just a little, but massively.

Seeing that sight, Raifan murmured softly,

“…I see. So this child is…”

※ ※ ※

“I see. Even though he has been transformed into a female body, it seems the effects of the illusion do not extend to the soul.”

Watching the monitor, Galdabroeg shifted the hand resting against his chin slightly.

“More importantly, thanks to this, it appears that Raifan has finally noticed the existence of Kaga Ryousuke.”

There was no one else in the room where Galdabroeg stood. There was only a single large mirror.

“Well then, I could step out now… hm, perhaps I shall observe a little longer.”

Galdabroeg took a sip of wine.

“The one who will obtain the power of 《Fafnir》 is I. I will become a Shinigami who possesses spiritual power, rule the world, and bring about our ideal.”

With that muttered declaration, Galdabroeg continued watching the monitor with an amused expression.