"So, what do you mean by that… Prince Onii-chan?" Eriri looked at Shichen, confused.
"Kashiwagi Eri," Shichen replied with a slight smile.
"Wha—?!"
Eriri froze, wide-eyed. She stammered in disbelief, "H-how do you know that name?!"
"Because you're standing right in front of me."
"No way…"
Her pale cheeks flushed bright red in an instant.
She hadn't expected this to be revealed—especially not to him. Her whole body tensed with embarrassment. She crouched on the floor, covering her face.
"What's wrong?" Shichen walked over to her.
"Wuu… How did you find out?" Her voice was shaking.
Shichen chuckled and gently patted her head, "It's no big deal. I'm not judging."
"R-really?" she looked up with watery eyes.
"I mean it. I don't mind if you draw... those kinds of doujinshi."
"Wuu…" Eriri covered her face again, starting to cry.
"Wait, why are you crying?" Shichen crouched beside her.
"I-it's not that… I just feel relieved," she sniffled.
Her tear-streaked face looked so delicate that it tugged at Shichen's heart.
"Just because of that?"
"Mmhm…" Shichen smiled. "It's just doujin. No need to freak out. But if you were that worried about it, why'd you draw it?"
"I… I didn't have a choice..."
"Didn't have a choice, huh? But from what I've seen, you actually kinda enjoy it."
"Ugh… It started that way, but… yeah, I got into it…" she murmured.
"Why start at all?"
"My parents were into that stuff. I guess I picked it up from them…"
"You got dragged into it by your parents, huh."
"It's true!"
"Alright, alright. I believe you."
"Thanks, Prince Onii-chan…"
"So now that we're being honest… can I take a look?"
"Huh?" Eriri froze.
"What's the big deal? It's just the humiliation genre, right? I don't mind."
"You really know everything, huh…" She looked defeated.
"Heh~" Shichen smiled, brushing the tears from her cheeks. Her face was still hot.
"Fine… If you really want to see it, go ahead."
"See? Nothing to be ashamed of."
Shichen stood and offered her his hand. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet.
"Besides, I haven't seen your room yet."
"You might be disappointed… it's not very girly."
"Doesn't matter. As long as you're a girl, that's good enough for me."
"Ugh… Prince Onii-chan…" Eriri's heartbeat quickened.
"Hey, who's that?"
"Huh?"
She followed his gaze and saw her mom peeking through the doorway.
"Mom!"
"Auntie?"
"Oops~ Busted!" her mom, Sayuri, laughed and waved.
"Ugh…" Eriri groaned.
"You don't get along with your mom?" Shichen asked.
"Not really… she's just super nosy."
"That's nothing."
"Yeah, I know…"
They reached Sayuri.
"Wow~ Up close, you really do look like a prince," Sayuri said, staring openly.
"Mom! That's rude!"
"Come on~ It's just Prince Onii-chan~" she said, smiling slyly.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Shichen," he said politely.
Sayuri looked quite young—barely older than her daughter.
"Got it. Come on in." She smiled and quietly glanced at their clasped hands.
Shichen followed Eriri inside.
The living room was luxurious—her dad was a diplomat, after all.
"Shichen-kun, come sit~" Sayuri waved cheerfully from the couch.
"No thanks! He's coming to my room!" Eriri yanked him along.
"Oho? So eager?"
"Don't pretend like I don't know what you want to ask!"
"Tsk, don't be so stingy~"
"Leave Shichen alone!"
"Alright, alright… but why drop 'Prince Onii-chan'? Isn't it still fitting?"
"Mom, you're impossible!"
"Ah~ my daughter's all grown up. Don't forget to close the door—or else I might hear things I shouldn't."
"MOM! What are you saying?!"
"Shichen-kun, be gentle, okay? Eriri's still young."
"H-haha… Auntie, I think you've misunderstood," Shichen said awkwardly.
"It's fine~ I'm open-minded. I won't eavesdrop."
"MOM!!"
Eriri pouted and pulled Shichen away.
He followed her, noticing how red her ears were from behind.
They entered her room, and she locked the door.
"Don't get the wrong idea! Mom's totally going to interrupt us if I don't."
"Wrong idea about what?" he teased.
"Stop messing with me!"
"Okay, okay. Now let me see your doujinshi."
"You seem a little too excited, Prince Onii-chan…"
"Not at all." He said it like a gentleman.
"Ugh… follow me then."
Her room had two parts—an outer studio full of art supplies and drafts.
The inner room was her bedroom. A large bed sat beside a low table covered in sketches.
"T-that's it," she pointed nervously.
"That's quite a stack."
"Yeah… take your time. I'm gonna go work."
"You're not drawing in here?"
"M-my tools are outside."
"Bring them in."
"N-no thanks. I'll leave you to it."
"Alright. Just a peek then."
"Okay…" she stepped out, gently closing the door behind her.
Shichen casually sat down, grabbed a couple of books, and lounged on her bed to read.
Her art was amazing—characters lively and attractive.
But the plot? Weak. She jumped into fight scenes before establishing much of anything.
And those fight scenes… were very intense. Clearly from the BDSM category.
Still curious, he read the whole pile. Not much plot—just endless action scenes.
"That's probably why she's so popular as Eromanga-sensei," he thought.
If she just worked on her stories more, she'd be unstoppable.
He had ideas—but now wasn't the time. He planned to let her and Kasumigaoka Utaha meet and maybe collaborate.
Two birds with one stone.
After finishing the last one, Shichen leaned back on her bed, feeling oddly satisfied.
These were more exciting than I expected…
Just then, Eriri peeked in.
"Prince Onii-chan?"
"Hm? What's up?"
"It's dinnertime."
"Yeah?"
"So, should we…"
"Eriri, come here for a sec." He sat up and beckoned her closer.
~~~
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