"Wiping out humanity or wiping out vampires—it's all the same to me: easy and not worth caring about."
Those words made Sangu Aoi and the others turn pale. They realized that as long as Rei Ao could achieve the "peace" he promised Hiiragi Shinoa, he really didn't care how he got there.
And from the sound of it, he wasn't bluffing. In that instant, a chill swept through them.
For the first time, they sensed how genuinely powerful Rei Ao was—and how he regarded weaker beings, like ants, with complete indifference.
"Of course, since I've chosen you, you also get to shape how this world ends."
Rei Ao's cryptic comment caused Sangu Aoi and the others to tense up.
They'd been chosen!
All of a sudden, Yukimi Shigure stiffened. She recalled the little sub-group in the chat. The others caught on too. Even Jujo Mito figured it out quickly.
"Shinoa can trade… so does that mean we can trade too…?"
She left her words hanging, because trading means giving something in return—and what did they have to offer?
They glanced at Krul and Kimizuki Mirai, who were both slowly letting Rei Ao guide them into a particular "mindset."
That was probably the cost. Maybe that was why he kept these girls around as his "chosen"—to fulfill his desires.
"We…"
They exchanged looks, each seeing the other's complex emotions. As Imperial Demon Army soldiers, should they sacrifice themselves for humanity's future? The doubt in their hearts felt heavy and confusing.
"Sigh, Shinoa, I get the feeling you're all hiding something juicy from me."
Hiiragi Mahiru was quick to notice the strange shift in the room's atmosphere. From how they were talking, she guessed there was some secret that everyone else knew but wasn't telling her, and that was causing the awkward vibe.
Hiiragi Shinoa awkwardly tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"This is something only Rei Ao-kun can decide to reveal, Sis… Sorry…"
Mahiru didn't look upset or embarrassed. If anything, she seemed even more curious.
…
Meanwhile, the chat group was still deep in discussion about how to bring a relative peace to Shinoa's world. They went back and forth, tossing out one idea after another.
Mikoto Misaka: "Hold on a sec!"
Miko Yotsuya: "What's up?"
Mikoto Misaka: "We're here practically tearing our hair out over this, so what's Rei Ao doing? He's gone completely silent, and the stream's off."
Frieren: "Heh, do I even need to spell it out?"
Erica: "Hmph, a king deserves some R&R, obviously."
Sui: "I'm guessing he's, uh, 'occupied.' Even Shinoa's not saying anything."
Ai Hayasaka: "…"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "…"
Mai Sakurajima: "Ugh, so he's off having fun while we're stuck here brainstorming, and he doesn't even care about what we come up with?"
Shiba Miyuki: "I mean, maybe Rei Ao-kun's just enjoying some private time with Shinoa."
Ai Hayasaka: "Well, before the stream cut, I did see some girls left there with him. Could they be—"
Suddenly:
[Ding! A trade has begun!]
[Trade Target: Krul]
[Trade Content: Resurrect her older brother, Ashera.]
[Trade Condition]: "Progenitor vampire bloodline", "Unlimited usage rights for her body"
[Trade Target: Jujo Mito]
[Trade Content: Secure humanity's place in the new world.]
[Trade Condition]: "Unlimited usage rights for her body"
[Trade Target: Yukimi Shigure]
[Trade Content: Secure humanity's place in the new world.]
[Trade Condition]: "Unlimited usage rights for her body"
[Trade Target: Sangu Aoi]
[Trade Content: Secure humanity's place in the new world.]
[Trade Condition]: "Unlimited usage rights for her body"
A flood of trade notifications hit the chat. Then there were more for Sangu Aoi, Endo Yayoi, and others—basically the same deals.
Izawa Shizue: "Holy crap, what's going on?"
Yomogawa Ayame: "That's a whole bunch of trades all at once."
Bibi Dong: "They're all trying to make sure humanity survives in this new world. Looks like they're representatives for the human side in Shinoa's world."
Yatogami Tohka: "These must be the humans Rei Ao left alive toward the end of the stream."
Kasuga Hijiri: "Wow… I'm a little shocked."
Megumi Kato: "So basically, they're trading themselves for the sake of humanity?"
Saeko Busujima: "Looks that way. Hard to say how to feel, but… guess I respect their resolve."
Tohru: "Tch, what a bunch of fools. Risking yourselves for ungrateful people is never worth it."
Stella: "It's not about worthiness. I'm more curious what Rei Ao's doing. Is he throwing a party?"
Akame: "Leone calls that an 'imp-a.'"
"Imp… Imp-a?! Aaaah!"
Kaguya Shinomiya let out a high-pitched shriek that was almost impossible to describe.
"…"
Ai Hayasaka glanced over at Kaguya, who'd been staying in her room ever since she got freaked out by that monster (Abaddon) on stream. Too scared to sleep alone, Kaguya had bunked with her, joined in on the vampire-human debate, and even asked Ai Hayasaka to forward her ideas to the main chat.
But now, the mention of some kind of "forbidden" matter had overwhelmed Kaguya. She shrieked for a while, then wrapped herself in the blanket like a cocoon.
"Sigh…" Ai Hayasaka shook her head.
"Kaguya-sama, do you want to try getting some sleep?"
"…!"
For a moment, there was silence under the covers. Then Kaguya's muffled voice emerged:
"Y-yes, let's just go to sleep!"
"All right…" Ai Hayasaka flipped off the lights and lay down, pulling the blanket up. "Good night, Kaguya-sama."
She closed her eyes, hoping Kaguya would calm down. But that seemed doubtful—Kaguya's mind was spinning with the thought of that "r18" and all the embarrassing implications that came with it. Her body felt way too warm to sleep anytime soon.
~~~
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