[Thank you DEXTER, Ryan Lockhart, Bored, magnus, Revan009, Tek Gov, Raymond Hawk, maniac_008, Jason Knighton, SmokedOutBuddha, Qewin, Nathan Williams, and more for Joining the Patreon!
Joining the Patreon, even at the lowest $3 membership, gives you access to over 70+ Advanced Chapters! Join now and read Continuously!]
~~~
"Tohru, Kanna—let me introduce you. This is Yatogami Tohka and this is Yoshino. From today on, we're all one family."
"Shichen-dono, why did you bring home yet another girl…?" Tohru muttered, pouting.
"Hi!" Kanna greeted them enthusiastically, waving her tiny hand.
The soft, adorable voice and her cute appearance instantly melted everyone's heart; even Yatogami Tohka couldn't handle it.
"So… so cute!"
"We're finished, Yoshino—someone just stole your cuteness!" Yoshinon cried in panic.
"She's called Kanna? Is this the 'new friend' Shichen-nii promised to introduce me to?" Yoshino asked.
"Yep. Don't be fooled by how small she looks—she's actually been alive for thousands of years."
"What?" Tohka's jaw dropped.
"A‑amazing!" Yoshino stared at Kanna in disbelief.
"Kanna, would you like to make friends with Yoshino?" Shichen asked.
"I'd love to!"
Kanna nodded, hopped down from Shichen's arm, stopped in front of Yoshino and offered her little hand. "Hello, Yoshino. I'm Kanna."
"Hello, Kanna. I'm Yoshino—and this is Yoshinon." Yoshino shook her hand and introduced her puppet.
"Yoshinon? Got it. Nice to meet you, Yoshino and Yoshinon."
"Hi‑ya!" Yoshinon wiggled its body.
Looking at the two small silhouettes, Shichen felt his heart melt. They're so cute—cuddling them to sleep tonight will be paradise.
Tohka was also entranced, but quickly recovered and pointed at Tohru. "Shichen, who exactly is she?"
"I already told you—her name's Tohru. She's family now."
"So many family members?"
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"Well, yes, but…"
"I haven't asked who you are yet!" Tohru shot back, glaring at Tohka.
"Hmph." Tohka answered proudly.
"What? Shichen-dono named you? I'm so jealous! Shichen-dono, give me a name too!"
"…Come on—you already have a name."
"That's fine, I can change it."
"…All right, all right, stop fooling around."
"I'm serious."
"Really? Then if you can get along with Tohka, I'll think about it."
"Get along…?" Tohru glanced at Tohka, face twisted with conflict.
"Nothing I can do, then," Shichen shrugged.
"I‑I can do it!" Tohru gritted her teeth.
"Tohka?"
"I…" Tohka frowned at Tohru, equally conflicted.
"If you two play nicely, I'll make kinako pan for you every day~"
"Ugh… fine." Tohka caved in.
"All right—shake hands."
They walked up, stood face‑to‑face, glared, and finally stretched out their hands simultaneously and clasped them.
"Don't get the wrong idea! I'm only doing this because I want Shichen-dono to be happy."
"Same here—this is for Shichen!"
"…You two are such tsunderes," Shichen sighed.
"Tsundere? What's that?" they asked in unison.
"Nothing…" He shook his head, suspecting these two might actually get along well.
"Shichen-dono, I missed you so much!" Unable to hold back, Tohru threw herself into his arms.
"Me too!" Tohka jumped in as well.
Laughing, Shichen hugged them both. "I'll stay with you for quite a while this time."
"Only for a while?" Tohru pouted, gazing up pitifully.
"Can't be helped—I can't take you with me everywhere."
"Ugh… wait!"
A thought struck Tohru. She looked at Tohka. "Shichen-dono, how did she come along with you?"
"Shichen-dono can bring someone else now?" Tohru asked excitedly.
"…Tohka's a special case."
"What's so special about her?" Tohru eyed Tohka dismissively—she couldn't sense anything extraordinary.
"Call her 'Tohka.'" Shichen flicked her forehead.
"Fine. So what's so great about Tohka?"
"Tohka is amazing, but I'll explain tonight."
"Why wait till tonight?"
"Remember what time it is? Chisato and Takina need your help."
"Ah!"
Tohru snapped back to reality, bolted to the door, then turned around. "Shichen-dono—no doing anything R‑rated with Tohka!"
"I'm off to help!"
Thump‑thump‑thump! Her footsteps faded down the stairs.
"Shichen, what's up with Tohru?" Tohka asked, clinging to him.
"Tohru's a dragon~"
"A dragon? Seriously?"
"You saw her tail, didn't you?"
"So it's real?"
"Absolutely—and Tohru's stronger than I am," he said with a smile.
"What? Tohru's that strong?" Tohka gasped.
"Surprised?"
"Then Kanna's a dragon too?" Yoshinon asked.
"Right. Kanna's a Spirit Dragon—she's beautiful."
"Amazing!" Yoshino stared at Kanna, eyes sparkling.
"Mm. Yoshino, want to see?" Kanna asked.
"See what?"
"My true form," Kanna said solemnly.
"Can I?" Yoshino's eyes shone; dragons fascinated her.
Though she was a spirit, dragons were pure fantasy—creatures she'd never encountered.
"You can—"
"You can't," Shichen cut in.
"Eh? Why?" Kanna tilted her head.
"Ordinary people can't see it. When we have time you can show Yoshino—I'll help."
"No time now?"
"Right now…" Shichen glanced out the window and grinned. "I have to pick someone up."
"Is it Utaha?"
"Mm‑hmm."
"Utaha? Who's that?" Tohka blurted out.
"Another family member~"
"So many family members…" Tohka grumbled.
"The more the merrier~"
Shichen ruffled her hair. "You and Yoshino get used to the new house—I'll be right back."
"Okay~"
He kissed Tohka's forehead; when she smiled contentedly, he teleported away.
….
Toyogasaki Private Academy – after school
Shichen appeared silently beneath a tree at the front gate.
Someone spotted him at once.
"Isn't that…?"
"Ah! That's him!"
"He came again!"
"So Kasumigaoka‑senpai didn't break up with him?"
"I heard Sawamura's looking for him too…"
"They even fought over him before—must be because of him!"
"Damn, I'm jealous!"
Shichen listened to the chatter, utterly confused. Utaha and Eriri fought? Seriously? He recalled that Eriri knew him; he'd have to look into it later.
The gate grew noisier and, before long, a beautiful, mature figure strode out.
Summer uniform, white stockings, long, slender legs—youthful allure in every step.
Seeing Kasumigaoka Utaha, Shichen walked over.
"Utaha."
Utaha froze, then frowned and stormed toward him.
"So you do know how to come back!"
Ignoring decorum and the crowd, she smacked his shoulder—though it didn't hurt.
"Sorry—I got held up." Shichen caught her hand apologetically.
"It's been two months!" Utaha glared.
"I was afraid you hadn't made up your mind."
"Do I look like someone who agonizes that long?" she huffed.
"So… that means?"
"I want it now!"
"In that much of a hurry? All right, let's go home."
"Wait."
"What's wrong?"
"N‑not home." Utaha blushed.
"Huh?"
"I don't want Chisato and the others to see me like that."
"Feeling shy?"
"Just—no going home!"
"Fine. I'll take you somewhere else. Good chance to test a new power."
"New power?" Utaha blinked, puzzled.
"You'll see." Shichen winked, took her hand, and led her away.
The onlookers stared blankly until they vanished. Before anyone recovered, a golden‑haired girl dashed out, eyes full of expectation—only to find the person she sought was already gone.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 150+ Chapters Ahead of Others!