Chapter 116. Sirin: ??
"Why are you two up so early today?"
Yesterday, to satisfy the two sisters, Xander went to bed very late again, and when he woke up this morning he felt the emptiness at his side—Seele and Bronya had already gotten dressed and gone downstairs.
"We're not tired."
Fresh from a bit of figure training and then a shower, Bronya walked out of the bathroom, toweling her hair as she spoke.
Wearing only simple hot pants and a bra, her increasingly mature figure was shown to Xander without reservation.
Noticing Xander's gaze lingering on her, Bronya felt a little proud.
It wasn't for nothing that she carefully maintained this fine body that left Xander so enchanted every day.
She walked over and sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and her voice carried a tiny bit of spoiled sweetness: "Help me blow-dry my hair~"
"Mmph~"
With his face buried, Xander could only make a muffled sound.
At breakfast, Xander ate while watching his phone as one news item after another scrolled past on the screen.
At the same time, his ears were listening to Bronya, Seele, and Kaguya chirping away, and he would chime in with a word or two from time to time.
This was pretty much their daily routine for the past year.
When he saw the "mistake" by the staff of the St. Freya Mini-Game Festival, he raised his brows and said, "St. Freya handles things pretty fast.
We only discussed it yesterday, and today it's already out."
Hearing this, Bronya and Seele exchanged a glance and both snickered in secret.
Although they felt a bit sorry for Miss Elysia, sorry, they still remembered the grudge from that fireworks show back then!
With a bun still stuffed in her mouth, Bronya said indistinctly, "Didn't expect you'd agree to them freeloading off our company's hype."
"These are small things, really.
He borrows some of our heat, and we use their platform a bit too.
Mutual help—no need to fuss over it."
At that, Xander suddenly looked at Bronya and Kaguya with a smile, the corners of his mouth lifting: "Now that so many are entering the competition, don't end up not only losing to me, but also getting outclassed by others.
That would be embarrassing~"
"Hmph, the one who really needs to worry is you.
Careful you don't lose too much and end up curling up in my arms crying!"
Bronya and Kaguya were immediately displeased.
Bronya shot back, and Kaguya glared angrily at her husband.
"I can also let him curl up in Seele's arms!" Seele raised her hand to volunteer.
"You, scram."
"Oh."
Giving Seele a light pat on the head, Xander looked back at Bronya and Kaguya.
"You don't have to worry about that.
As for taking the championship this time, I have plenty of confidence."
If it was that game, he really couldn't imagine any possibility of his failure.
"Anyone can talk big.
I say we're the ones who'll take the championship!"
"Then we'll wait and see~"
After drinking the last sip of porridge, Xander wiped his mouth, stood up, and stretched lazily.
Glancing at Seele, who was gathering the dishes, he asked, "Did you book the tickets for the trip back?"
"Booked.
We should be home around this weekend."
"Good.
We've been away for so long.
I really miss that little home~"
A luxury apartment was nice, but living there always felt like something was missing.
Just then, Bronya, having finished her meal, walked to his side.
"Looks like we need to step it up these two days.
There are still a lot of bugs to fix."
"Don't take everything onto yourself.
Work never ends."
Rubbing Bronya's head, Xander lowered his head and kissed her on the cheek.
She immediately puffed up her cheeks, rubbed her face with her hand, and said angrily, "You just finished eating—smell!"
Then she grabbed Xander's clothes, trying to pull him down.
"You, lower your head and let me pay you back!"
"No!"
"That's not up to you.
Kaguya, hold him!"
"Okay!"
Tap—tap—tap—
Kaguya ran over, stood behind Xander, and with a "heave-ho" hung onto his neck.
"Sorry, husband, could you please not move?"
"You too, Kaguya?
Have you betrayed me?!"
"Heh-heh, take this!"
Bronya smiled triumphantly, then cupped his cheeks with both hands and moved in.
...
On the day before the Pokémon update, Xander and his group disembarked from the cruise ship bound for the Far East.
Everything had already been arranged.
He had fully entrusted the subsequent operations to Cocolia.
With family, Xander was very at ease—they wouldn't mess around.
With the route planned out, maintaining stable operations really wasn't difficult.
At Anti-Entropy, Pokémon had already become an excellent project nearly on par with Homu.
Who knows how many great positions the game's spin-offs would create for Anti-Entropy later.
Now that this asset was in Cocolia's hands, surpassing Welt Yang looked to be just around the corner.
After hearing the news, Cocolia was so happy that she even started asking Bronya and Seele when she could hold a granddaughter.
Outside the port, they could see Kiana from far away, hopping up and down happily, raising both hands high and waving so fast she almost left afterimages.
"Everyone, long time no see!"
As soon as they came out, Seele and Bronya were swept into a hug by Kiana.
Her excitement and joy instantly wiped away the bit of awkwardness that had settled between them after a year apart.
Noticing Kiana release Bronya and Seele, Xander opened his arms and said with a smile, "What about me, what about me?
Don't play favorites~"
"Bleh!"
Sticking out her tongue in disdain, Kiana pointed at Sirin, who for some reason was a little shy off to the side.
"Hug her.
I don't want to hug a stinky man!"
"Eh?!"
Sirin had been thinking about how to properly say hello, but Kiana's words made her freeze on the spot.
Especially when she saw Xander actually walking toward her, Sirin's brain overheated in an instant, turned into complete chaos, and her feet reflexively stepped back.
T-t-this was way too sudden!
Just as Sirin shut her eyes, tense yet expectant, Xander suddenly stopped, spread his hands helplessly, and said, "Forget it.
Look how scared Sirin is.
Do I look that terrifying?"
Then he turned his gaze to Mei, who was smiling gently to the side.
"Come, Mei.
Give me a hug to comfort me~"
Seeing this, Mei looked a little helpless, but she didn't refuse.
Smiling, she stepped up and gave him a light hug.
"As expected, Mei is the best.
Just now I was only giving Kiana some face.
She looks down on me?
I look down on her even more.
What if I get infected with idiot genes?"
"Hey, how can you talk like that?
Where am I dumb?!"
"Your head."
"Wah!
You jerk!
Seele, Bronya, Kaguya—can I beat him up?"
"As you like." *3
"Hya—take my Cat Punch!"
"..."
Watching the scene suddenly turn lively, Sirin opened her eyes.
She opened her mouth, but couldn't get a word out.
No—she never refused!!!
Regret echoed thickly in her heart, but Sirin didn't have the courage to say it aloud.
She could only lower her head and scold herself in silence for being so useless.
Enjoyed the story? Support me and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at: Patr*eon*.com/Resium
Free members can read 10+ chapters ahead of webnovel
Paid member can read 150+ chapters ahead of webnovel
Stories Available
Honkai? No, This Is Daily Life
Hogwarts Pet Master
Pokémon: Who Let Him Leave Pallet Town!
Scrolling Yu-Gi-Oh! Shorts