"Yui, we've landed—you don't have to be scared anymore." Shichen couldn't turn his head to face the… sensation at his neck, so he could only remind her.
She'd been trembling against him in fear—the feeling was, uh, obvious—but nothing beat a front-row view, and a neck didn't exactly need that kind of perk. A sea-view mask would be a lot more fun.
"Eh? Ah—oh…" Prompted by Shichen, Yui froze a beat, then hopped down from his shoulders. She only breathed out in relief, not at all embarrassed—apparently she hadn't realized what she'd just done. Fair; she'd been spooked. Who notices details at a time like that?
"Shichen-nii… what do we do now?" Yui stared at the looming, sinister Demon King's castle in the distance, nerves creeping back in. She knew it was a game, that no one could die, that the Demon King was Magical Girl Kyoko—but the oppressive atmosphere still got to her.
"What else? We go straight in." Shichen shifted Frieren in his arms and started toward the castle.
"Eh? Just like that?"
"What, you came all this way to not go in?"
"But our levels aren't high enough, are they?"
"You follow rules too much. Forget what Yami and I can do?"
"I… kind of did… But didn't you say you wanted to enjoy the game?"
"That's for normal circumstances. This isn't one."
"…Alright."
Shichen carried Frieren in the lead; Yui and Yami followed. The castle had no visible guards; no random mobs spawned within. It was dead silent.
Shichen could feel several presences deeper inside—some familiar, some not. He guided them farther in.
"Stop!"
"Halt!"
On the second floor, blockers appeared—familiar faces as it happened.
"Momoka-san, Sawada-san?" Yui blinked at the two girls.
Risa Momoka and Mio Sawada—who were always hanging out with Lala's crowd—stepped forward.
"That's right—us!" They threw up defensive stances… in swimwear-adjacent outfits that left very little to the imagination—healthy, bright skin on full display.
"What are you two… doing?" Yui asked, dazed.
"Sorry, Principal. Sorry, Kotegawa," said Risa. "We're under the Demon King now. We're here to stop you."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because the Demon King said if we become her minions, we can leave this game," Mio said.
"So that's it!"
"So—surrender quietly!"
Risa lunged, fists up.
Mio charged after her.
"Pupu-ring."
plup—
A soft, incantation-like syllable, and the gear across their chests popped free. Four wide-eyed little bunnies bounced out—sturdy, healthy, deliciously… plump.
"Kyaa—!"
Both girls shrieked, crouching and folding their arms across their chests.
Too late; everyone here had seen.
"Frieren… you're awake…" Yui turned to her, suddenly afraid.
She'd been a victim of that spell herself earlier. Seeing the results from the outside now, she realized how shocking the scene really was—which also meant Shichen had gotten the full, unfiltered front-row view of her earlier.
So shameless!
"Mmm… this spell is fun," Frieren said, lips quirking as she eyed the squatting girls.
She knew other spells—fire, water, the usual—but this one was the most amusing by far.
"So naughty," Shichen said, giving her a light swat on the butt.
"Mm—" Frieren froze; she actually hadn't recovered yet, and that pat brought everything back at once.
"Put me down."
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"Put me down, now." Urgent, but even.
"Yeah, yeah." He didn't quite get it, but he lowered her to the floor.
Frieren exhaled imperceptibly. Being carried like that, she almost… leaked; getting caught would've been mortifying.
"Alright, let's keep moving." Legs a little weak, Frieren led them onward.
"Risa, Mio—bye," Shichen said, giving them a little wave and following after Frieren.
"Shichen-nii… we're not going to help them?" Yui asked as she caught up.
"They'll go home when we clear, same as us."
"…Okay."
Yami passed the two girls without so much as a glance. They didn't react—too mortified to face anyone.
The third floor was where the Demon King waited—but she wasn't there. Only a princess lay quietly on an enormous bed that filled most of the hall.
"It's Lala!"
The princess was indeed Lala—white gown, crystal tiara, eyes closed. A picture-book princess.
"So you came."
A fresh young voice echoed through the hall, and a witch on a broom glided in.
Final boss: the Demon King—Magical Girl Kyoko.
"Magical Girl Kyoko!" Yui squealed.
"It's really her," Frieren said, blinking.
"The real one," Yami agreed with a grave nod.
All three stared, eyes shining like fans meeting their idol.
They were fans—hooked by her TV series.
"Hehe~ hello," Kyoko noticed their looks and waved with a smile.
"Even cuter in person."
"Agreed."
"Indeed."
"…What are you three doing?" Shichen's brow twitched.
"Ahem." Yui coughed, flustered.
Frieren and Yami kept right on staring.
"Shichen-san, won't you reconsider?" Kyoko winked at him. "Break up with Princess Lala and be my boyfriend, and I'll let you all go~"
"Eh? What is that supposed to mean?" Yui gasped.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Kyoko smiled.
"Eh? Kyoko, you like Shichen-nii?"
"I kind of do~"
"How could…"
"Kyoko, give it up. I'm not breaking up with Lala," Shichen said at once.
"Why not?"
"Because I love her."
"…Oh."
"Shichen~" Lala suddenly sat up, smiling ear to ear at him.
"You were faking it," he said, grinning.
"Hehe~ I can't fool you, Shichen."
"Princess Lala, it's not your turn yet~"
Kyoko slipped between them on her broom and looked around the hall.
"Shichen-san, if you won't be my boyfriend, then defeat me. Otherwise, you're not leaving."
"Defeat Magical Girl Kyoko? Can we… do that?" Yui asked Shichen.
"We can't." He shook his head.
"Eh? Why? Don't tell me you're going soft!"
"It's not that. The Demon King's HP is infinite. No matter how much we hit, it won't die."
"What? That's cheating!"
"It is cheating."
"Then how do we get out of here?"
"Easy. We find whoever's behind it."
"The one behind…"
"You two done hiding?" Shichen asked, raising his voice toward the passage behind the bed.
"Oh my—he noticed~"
"How did he notice us?"
Two cloaked figures shuffled out to those familiar little voices.
"The ones behind this?" Yui snapped her gaze to them.
"That voice… could it be…" Lala's eyes lit with recognition.
"Hehe~ looks like we can't fool big sis~"
"Of course! There's no way big sis wouldn't recognize us."
They spoke and pulled down their hoods.
"Eh?" Yui blurted, first to react to their faces.
"I see," Frieren nodded.
"If they're Princess Lala's sisters, this all makes sense," said Yami.
"Knew it was you. What are you doing here?" Lala asked, delighted.
"Big Sister," the two chimed in unison, smiling.
Calling Lala "big sister," and with faces so like hers that anyone could guess—these two were her little sisters. Same pink hair as Lala: one with short hair tied in two tiny tufts, the other a bit longer in twin tails. Their faces were identical—clearly twins—and they shared ninety percent of Lala's features, just a shade more youthful.
Seeing them, a wave of nostalgia hit Shichen out of nowhere.
Finally, he thought.
His two little sisters-in-law.
~~~
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