"Where is this?"
"This world is…"
"There's absolutely no mana…"
"No spirits either…"
"Is everyone here just ordinary people?"
"More or less, for this era."
"I'll take you to my place first—we'll have plenty of time to admire this world," Shichen said. With Nagisa at his side, he strolled toward the café.
The others were all inside him.
He never returned straight to the café when he came back; since he always brought people along, he preferred to let them get a feel for this world first.
"Sensei's home? I'm really curious! Oh—are your family there too? We're so many—will it be okay? Are we going to be a bother?" Nagisa fired off several good questions in one breath. She was a little excited; she hadn't expected the teacher to be from another world. Good thing she'd come along—or she'd have fallen even further behind.
Her only regret was that the teacher still hadn't drunk her blood. She wanted to go inside the teacher and feel what that was like, too.
"I do have family… Don't worry about rooms—there's enough for everyone."
"Really? That's good~"
"Did Sensei just pause a second?"
Inside him, Yukina immediately noticed something odd in his tone.
"He's probably hiding something—maybe he has other girls stashed at home," Sayaka said, unable to hold back.
"Hehe~ In that case we're the latecomers. Looks like we'll need to get along with them," La Folia said cheerfully.
"Onii-chan, is that alright?" Kanon asked softly.
"Shichen, will they dislike us?" Aurora began to fret.
"So that's how it is? No wonder Sensei's such a flirt—turns out someone's been indulging him… Minamiya-sensei, what do you think?" Asagi asked Natsuki, who'd been silent.
"…"
Natsuki still said nothing; in her mind the scenes of Shichen teasing her played on loop. Even after a week, she couldn't forget; they popped up unbidden now and then.
…
For the past few days, she hadn't dared look at Shichen. Fortunately he hadn't teased her either—too busy with his own affairs. The Fifth Primogenitor's full exposure had put him on the stage, truly the master of Itogami.
The world's fourth Night Empire. Small, perhaps—but with the Fourth Primogenitor present too, it wasn't wrong to call it the strongest empire. She knew that with him alone, it was enough.
Ordinary people didn't know his full strength; to them, a Primogenitor was a Primogenitor. But having two of them lent more weight. With a Primogenitor as their backer who didn't meddle, the upper echelons were overjoyed—what they'd once feared, they needn't fear anymore, and they could attempt bolder things. "Bolder" meaning: as an empire, they had to expand and grow stronger. Ambition everywhere.
Shichen didn't police them; they could do as they pleased—so long as they didn't cross ethical lines. In any case, when the city prospered, he profited.
He didn't answer Yukina and company's questions. He and Nagisa walked for over twenty minutes before reaching the café.
"'Time Café', huh?" Nagisa couldn't help appraising it. From outside, it didn't look especially big—certainly not big enough for all of them to live in, unless they crammed together. But she knew Shichen could use space magic—reshaping the interior was easy.
"Come in, don't be nervous—make yourself at home," Shichen said, taking her small hand and leading her in.
"Mm…" Nagisa still couldn't help tensing up.
Ding-ling~
"Welcome back, Shichen~"
As the doorbell chimed, Nishikigi Chisato's voice rang out. Naturally, she'd sensed Shichen return.
"Chisato, I'm back." Seeing her grinning face, Shichen smiled too. After so long, one look at her and his heart eased.
"Shichen!"
Chisato didn't hesitate—she set her tray to the side and leapt at him. Shichen let go of Nagisa's hand and opened his arms to catch her.
Smooch~
Chisato clung to him like an octopus—arms around his neck, legs around his waist—and pecked him on the lips.
"Chisato… there are customers," Inoue Takina reminded her helplessly from nearby.
"What's the big deal~" Chisato said, coquettish and unconcerned, hugging Shichen tighter, her smile dazzling.
"Sigh. And what about the person Shichen brought?" Takina added.
"Ah~"
Chisato finally noticed shy Nagisa. "Hi there."
"H-hello, I'm Akatsuki Nagisa," Nagisa said, self-conscious.
"Nagisa, is it? Cute name. I'm Nishikigi Chisato, and that's Inoue Takina."
"Hello," Takina said with a polite nod.
"H-hello."
"No need to be so tense," Shichen said, freeing one hand to ruffle her hair.
"Mm…"
"Haha~ Did Shichen only bring one little girl back this time?" Chisato asked in surprise.
"…Is that really how you see me?" Shichen gave her a light swat between the shoulders. He'd meant to tap her bottom but the customers were watching. It was mid-afternoon—only a few patrons—and the place was fairly quiet.
"Isn't it true? You brought back several last time."
"Fine. It's several this time too," he admitted.
"Eh? So where are they?"
"Get down first. I need to take them upstairs and sort out rooms."
"Oh~" Chisato slid reluctantly to the floor.
"Where are Tohru and Iri?" Shichen asked; he hadn't sensed Tohru in the kitchen. The café seemed to be just these two.
"They went out to buy ingredients together," Takina replied.
"Frieren and Aqua are with them too?" Shichen asked incredulously.
"Mm. Iri dragged them along."
"That explains it… I'm heading up; we'll talk tonight."
"Okay."
"Eeh~ Shichen, you're not staying with us?" Chisato pouted, tugging his hand.
"I told you—I'm setting up new rooms. I'll keep you company after, okay?"
"You promise."
"Mm." He pinched her pert nose fondly, then led the tongue-tied Nagisa upstairs.
Nagisa glanced back at Chisato and Takina—both extremely cute. Were they both the teacher's girlfriends? And those other obviously female names they'd mentioned…
Upstairs, Shichen reached his room and released everyone—Natsuki's group spilling out. Nineteen people at once; the room was instantly full. If he hadn't expanded the space, the original size wouldn't have held them.
"This is my room. I'll get yours set up in a bit—same as before?" he asked with a smile as everyone looked around curiously.
"Mm," Tritos's group had no objections.
"Do whatever you think is best, Sensei. I don't have any special requests," Asagi said.
"I want to room with Yukina."
"Then I'll room with Kanon."
Sayaka and La Folia were just as easygoing.
"What about me?" Nagisa asked quickly.
"You can room alone if you like," Shichen said.
"Really?"
"Really. After a while, once you get to know everyone, we can reshuffle."
"Got it."
"What about you, Natsuki?" Shichen finally asked the still-avoiding Nangong Natsuki.
"I… the same as before," she said calmly.
"Damn, I don't know what your room looked like. Come with me later and tell me how it used to be."
"…"
"If you don't say, I'll take that as agreement."
"…Do as you like," Natsuki said, a faint quiver in her voice. She was worried he'd try something. Not exactly the most suitable environment!
"That's settled," Shichen said, smiling at her slight back. After all that avoidance, time to face it.
"Sensei, I have a question," Yukina suddenly said just as Shichen was making plans.
"What is it?"
"Those two girls downstairs… are they both your women?"
~~~
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