A/N: Yeah!!!!!! I'm on roll this week~ I made allot of writing progress today. ~(-3-)~
Aside for this new chapter and the rewrite of chapter 24, I'm also almost done with rewrite of chapter 25 then I can write for chapter 25 as well!! seems like I can also post a chapter tomorrow! Please look forward for it!
then without further ado here is Chapter 74 of Volume 2 and along with Chapter 24 rewrite.
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After several turns passed, Sona's eyes stayed on Hajime rather than the pieces. Her desire to know more about them became stronger as they continued to talk about the crew.
"I've been wondering, Nagumo-san. Among all of you, who do you consider the strongest? How would you rank your companions?"
That wasn't just idle curiosity. Hajime caught the hidden intention of Sona immediately, the twinkle in her eyes giving her away. There was a mix of curiosity and something tactical behind her question. His lips curved into a smirk.
"Trying to figure out how crazy we really are?" he said, voice relaxed but teasing.
Sona didn't deny it. Instead, she offered a dry smile. "Let's just say… I'm curious about the kind of companions of someone who casually makes black holes."
Hajime let out a groan, one hand dragging down his face. "...Seriously, I'll never hear the end of that huh."
"Well, can you blame us?," she shrugged, tapping her chin, "it did kinda involve an apocalyptic like event, so it tends to leave an impression."
Hajime sighed and shot Sona a flat look.
"...Anyway, ranking everyone's strength isn't exactly easy. Give me a moment to think."
Renya leaned in and whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear, "He totally changed the subject, didn't he?"
"Yeah, that was textbook deflection," Momo said with a small grin.
"Awawa~ Senpai's squirming," Ruruko added, swaying her twin tails with a grin.
"Waaahhh... such an obvious way to change the subject," Saji muttered, shaking his head.
Tsubaki tried to keep a straight face but gave up halfway, hiding a smirk behind her hand. Tsubasa and Tomoe didn't even try to hide it, they burst out laughing.
Hajime's cheek twitched as the group continued their commentary.
"If we're going by raw strength, Kiana probably takes the top spot," Hajime said after a beat. "Her flames don't just burn enemies, they burn despair too. Everytime she fights, it's like she's telling the world, 'Don't give up, not yet.'"
He gave a small chuckle, his eyes were a little distant, remembering the feelings he once felt whenever he saw Kiana's ever vibrant flames.
"She's our Ace for a reason. Noah often calls her the Radiant Flame. She's the kind of person who makes you believe that every setback still leads somewhere better."
Sona and her peerage could almost picture it clearly from his words, a girl wrapped in fire, standing tall with a smile that refused to falter, cutting through doubt like it meant nothing.
"Then there's our Captain, Noah. He's the kind of guy who dives into a mess and makes it look like a grocery errand. Always calm. Always smiling, even when things look like they're falling apart."
Hajime hesitated then, his expression stiffen, as if a strange memory had just ambushed him.
"...Nagumo-san?" Sona tilted her head, noticing the pause.
"Sorry... I just remembered how Noah acts around enemies," Hajime said, dragging a hand over his face.
"Hmm?" Sona blinked, confused, while the rest of her peerage glanced at each other.
"Is something wrong? From how you described him earlier, 'Noah'-san sounds like a great leader," Sona asked.
"He is. No doubt about that," Hajime replied with a tired sigh. "But every time he fights… we can't help but feel sorry for the other side."
"Huh?" Sona and her peerage baffled unison.
"It's the way he talks," Hajime said, shaking his head. "He's too honest. Combine that with his natural obliviousness, and suddenly even the most serious battle starts feeling... weirdly casual."
"That doesn't sound bad?" Tsubaki murmured.
"It's not, but the way he says things, it comes off like he's looking down on his enemies, even though he's not trying to." Hajime gave a helpless chuckle. "That's why there's this long-running joke in the crew: it's not his sword that defeats enemies, it's his sass and brutal honesty that does the finishing blow."
Sona and her peerage looked at each other, clearly struggling to reconcile the dignified image they had formed of Noah with the mental picture Hajime had just shared.
Hajime cleared his throat with a mock cough to draw their attention back. "Then there's Elysia, the heart of the crew."
He leaned back, his tone softer. "Her real strength? It's how she brings out the best in everyone. Doesn't matter who or even what you are. If you're near her, you'll find yourself trying harder. Reaching further. She has that effect on people."
Then a crooked grin crept across his face. "Though, fair warning, do not be fooled by her pretty face. Her punch would knock the moon off its orbit if she wanted. Not that she will admit it. She likes to act like a spoiled princess around Noah, but we all know it's an act."
Sona let out a quiet chuckle, and Tsubaki actually smiled. Even Momo looked slightly baffaled, trying to picture it. The idea of a glittering, elegant girl casually punching space rocks was just too much.
Sona murmured, "So... she's the dangerous kind of charming, huh?"
Hajime smirked. "You have no idea."
He then glanced up, his eyes with thought. "Then Lumine, our compass. She's the one who reminds us who we are and our purpose. Like a star shining in the night sky, she points us back to ourselves… and back to the crew."
He smiled fondly, clearly amused by the next memory that surfaced. "Also, she's kind of our unofficial treasure detector. If there's a chest within a hundred meters, she'll find it. Doesn't matter how well it's hidden. She'll flip every stone, solve every puzzle and every riddle just for the chance of grabbing it."
Sona blinked, startled by the image. "...She really flips over rocks?"
"Like, aggressively," Hajime said with a snort.
Ruruko let out a giggle, Momo covered her mouth to hide a laugh, and even Reya couldn't resist chuckling.
Hajime grinned at their reaction, clearly pleased. "Yeah. It's weirdly endearing until she drags you into it too. 'One more puzzle,' she says. Next thing you know, it's been two hours and you're waist-deep in a ruin."
"Next would be Sirin, Kiana's older sister and our resident magical girl and self-declared Queen of the Void," Hajime said, voice a bit more cautious. "Her story's... not exactly simple."
At the word "magical girl" Sona's cheeks twitched. Tsubaki's glasses gleamed suspiciously. The rest of the peerage tried to keep their expression serene. Imagining a certain Magical girl cosplaying Sis-con Maou.
Hajime, unaware of the reaction, continued on casually. "She used to be the enemy of an entire world. Brought destruction and caused millions of deaths."
Sona and the others gasped, understandably shocked.
"Such... Such a person is part of your crew?" Sona asked, stunned.
"Yes," Hajime replied without hesitation. "Sirin chose to move forward. She didn't run from her past so she faced and accepted it. Every step she takes now is her own way to say and show the world, 'I did wrong. But I won't let that be all I am.'"
He looked down for a second, then back up. "She still struggles. But she's trying. And we will accompany her until the very end."
That declaration lingered in the air. Sona rested her hand on the table, deep in thought.
"And lastly Alice and Anis, my constant companions in madness," Hajime said with a chuckle.
He let a small, genuine smile tug at his lips. "Alice is a magical prodigy and our crew's official ambassador. She carries herself with this calm, graceful presence and somehow combines that with elegance and charm in a way that makes negotiations feel like a performance. Thanks to her, we've gotten out of tight spots more times than I can count."
He paused briefly, his tone softening. "She was my first companion. The one who started it all for me. She's not just someone I trust, she is my most important person. When things spin out of control, it's her who pulls me back."
There was a short silence.
Then Hajime's tone is lighter now, more amused. "And Anis… she's a storm. No better way to say it. Born from royal blood, big ideas, endless energy. She laughs in the face of convention and rewrites the rulebook just because it's boring."
He let out a snort. "Give her a blueprint, a forge, and a couple hours, and she'll hand you a miracle. Something that shouldn't exist, but now does, because she felt like it."
He exhaled, a mix of pride and affection in his voice. "They're two very different kinds of chaos but they've stayed beside me through everything. I wouldn't trade that for the world."
As they returned to the game, Sona studied the board carefully. Her pieces were dwindling, and the end was clearly in sight. Still, she kept her expression composed, fingers gently resting near a bishop like nothing was wrong.
"Nagumo-san," she said casually, though her eyes were sharp, "what exactly is your relationship with Alice-san and Anisphia-san?"
The question made Hajime stop mid-move, fingers frozen over the rook.
Across the room, the rest of Sona's peerage leaned in clearly invested.
He blinked once, then lowered his hand with a quiet chuckle. "That came out of nowhere."
Sona tilted her head just a little. "I thought it was a fair question."
Hajime let out a chuckle, his smile turning a little gentler. "They are not just my teammates or companions. Alice Louise and Anisphia Wynn... they're the ones I chose, and who chose me back. They're my fiancées. My home is between the two of them. And I won't let anyone take that from us. Not even the gods."
His words struck with such clarity that the girls of Sona's peerage couldn't help but feel his feelings towards Alice and Anishphia, turning their cheeks warm in sync. Even Tsubaki's cool composure cracked for a moment.
Saji, the only guy among them, muttered under his breath, "Seriously... how does he make that sound so damn cool?"
Hajime continued, voice softer now. "They're both a lot to handle in their own way, Alice with her adventurer spirit, Anis with her sudden bursts of chaos. But that's just who they are. And I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Sona blinked, clearly caught off guard. Her gaze drifted downward, trying to collect herself, before she exhaled slowly.
"...Then what about me, Nagumo-san?" Sona asked, trying to maintain composure. But the slight uptick in her voice gave away what she really felt at that moment. "What do you think of me?"
Hajime blinked, clearly caught off guard. He looked up from the board, trying to gauge if he heard her right. "...Huh? Where did that come from?"
Sona looked away, the tips of her ears tinged pink. "Just for reference," she murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
The table practically trembled.
Tsubaki snapped her head toward Sona, eyes wide.
Momo let out a surprised squeak.
Saji clutched his chest. "No way... Kaicho just—?!"
Even Ruruko froze mid-motion.
Hajime scratched the back of his neck, blinking between Sona and her flustered peerage. "Uhh... wait, you're serious?"
Sona didn't meet his gaze, but her voice was firm. "I am. So please... just answer seriously."
"Okay..." Hajime let out a slow breath, then offered her a small, gentle smile. His tone softened, honest and steady.
"I think you're sharp, honest, and fair. You hold yourself with real discipline. But..."
He paused for a bit, his eyes still on hers.
"You can be a little too rigid. You stick to your plans, and when things don't go the way you expected... you hesitate. It's like your mind freezes up for a moment, and you can't respond fast enough."
Sona winced but she didn't argue. Because deep down, she knew he wasn't wrong.
Saji started to speak up, but Tsubaki placed a hand on his arm, stopping him without a word.
Hajime continued after a beat, voice gentler now. "That said... I do admire you. Your sense of responsibility, the way you try to make the world better for others, to give people a chance to be something more. That's a rare quality for someone in your position. And it's not just admirable. It's inspiring."
His sincerity lingered in the air like warmth after a long winter.
Sona blinked once, her usual composure gone as the pinkish blush crept across her cheeks. "I didn't expect such a kind answer..."
"You asked for it," Hajime replied with a light shrug. "So I gave a serious answer."
The stunned silence shattered as Saji slumped face-first onto his desk with a muffled, tragic groan. "It's over… It's over.... my love was cut before it even begun…"
Sona cleared her throat quietly, trying to compose herself before she made what she knew was her final move. Hajime tilted his head, scanned the board, confirmed there were no traps left then placed his rook with a definitive click.
"Checkmate," he announced.
The reaction was instant.
Tsubasa's eyes widened in disbelief. Momo clutched her chest like she'd just watched a dramatic romance twist. Reya's jaw actually dropped, Tomoe shot up from her seat in disbelief, and Ruruko let out a shriek.
Tsubaki sighed as if she'd seen it coming.
Sona inhaled deeply, pulled out her phone, and snapped a picture of the board.
Hajime blinked. "Uh… what are you doing?"
She rose to her feet, dusted off her skirt, and turned to face him with the serene grace of someone who had already made up her mind.
"I will be in your care… from now on."
The room finally exploded.
Saji practically screamed into the table, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
The girls of her peerage all let out a synchronized, "Kyaaaaa~!!" like they'd just witnessed a real-life confession scene.
Tsubaki adjusted her glasses without comment, though the slight quirk in her brow betrayed her surprise. Tomoe leaned over to Momo, whispering, "Is this really happening?!"
Momo nodded furiously, eyes sparkling with drama. "Mm-hmm!! This is totally happening! Like, a full-blown confession scene!"
Sona walked over to the window, opened it slightly, and let the breeze drift in. Her cheeks were still full red, but her posture remained composed, as much as she can at least.
Hajime blinked at the rising noise around him, clearly lost. He looked from the peerage's barely-contained chaos to Sona's shy expression.
"Okay… seriously, what is going on?"
Sona didn't face him. Her gaze stayed fixed on the view outside.
"It's simple. Years ago, I made a personal vow. I told my father I wouldn't marry anyone unless they were my equal or superior intellectually. So, we made an agreement: if I ever lost a formal game of chess... I would marry that person."
Even though Sona's peerage had long known about their King's promise, actually watching it unfold in real time sent their emotions spiraling. They weren't just observers now, they were full-on gossiping girls in the middle of a real-life drama.
Tsubaki removed her glasses and wiped them, trying to look composed but the faint redness of her ears gave away. Momo and Reya clutched each other, hands trembling. Tsubasa and Tomoe stood frozen, as if time itself paused when Sona declared the meaning of her loss to Hajime.
Ruruko couldn't stop bouncing on her feet, her face red as she squealed under her breath.
And then there was Saji, slumped in his chair, complete white, as if his soul had just escaped his body.
Though they'd often joked or speculated about it, none of them had truly expected to witness the moment where Sona Shitori, No! Sona Sitri herself, saying those words aloud to someone.
"Like you said, I'm honest and responsible," Sona said, glancing back over her shoulder with a faint smile. "And I keep my word."
Hajime blinked, utterly blindsided. "Wait… wait—what?!"
I'm soooo dead…! Alice and Anis are absolutely going to kill me…!
Saji slumped in his seat again, voice cracking with disbelief. "The Godslaying Devil King stole Kaicho's with rooks and pawns..."