"A spaceship? Don't tell me—" Mikado Ryōko's face changed.
"Of course that's their ride. The real mastermind is sitting in there," Shichen said.
"What do we do?"
"Relax. Leave it to me. Didn't I say I hadn't finished being cool yet?" Shichen looked down at her and spoke easily.
"How are you going to do that?" Mikado asked, curious.
"Simple." Shichen smiled faintly, then raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap.
Boom—!
As the snap rang out, golden flames wrapped around the two of them in an instant.
"Fire—!"
"Don't panic. It doesn't hurt us."
"How could it not—wait, it really doesn't?!" Mikado realized she wasn't feeling any pain from the flames at all.
So this was… his ability?
He could control fire?
She did know of an alien race that could manipulate flames—but this wasn't that kind of fire.
And she knew Shichen wasn't one of that race.
Which meant this was… his own special power?
"You're getting surprised a bit too early," Shichen reminded her with a grin.
"What do you mean?"
"Look up."
"The sky… huh?" Mikado looked up—and froze at the sight.
Above them, a mass of rainbow-colored fire gathered like auspicious clouds, radiating a sacred pressure. The flames kept condensing into shape.
"That's…" Mikado murmured, dazed.
"Kiii—!"
A seven-colored divine bird revealed its true form.
"Ho-Oh, ram it," Shichen flicked his hand and gave a calm order.
"Kiii—!"
Ho-Oh beat its wings, its whole body bathed in seven-colored flames. The heat rolled outward, baking the air around them.
Mikado could feel the wave of fire on her face, her cheeks warm and flushed.
Shrouded in rainbow fire, Ho-Oh carried an unstoppable momentum as it shot toward the spaceship. The two collided in a blink.
Boom—!
Flames blossomed outward, a blast wave spreading as smoke swallowed both Ho-Oh and the ship.
"Shichen, that bird…" Mikado asked nervously.
As terrifying as Ho-Oh was, she knew it was connected to Shichen, which meant it was an ally.
"Don't worry." Shichen tightened his arm around her soft waist, reassuring her.
"Kiii—!"
Right as he finished speaking, Ho-Oh shot out of the smoke untouched, still shining in seven colors, resplendent and majestic.
"A-amazing…" Mikado stared wide-eyed at Ho-Oh, dazed with awe.
"Heh~ I'm pretty cool now, right?" Shichen withdrew Ho-Oh and asked with a smile.
"…What's that got to do with you?" Mikado snapped back to herself and glanced at him, puzzled.
"?"
"Wasn't it that divine bird that did all the work? What's it got to do with you?" Mikado chuckled lightly.
"Ho-Oh's mine, you know. I'm the one controlling it," Shichen protested.
"So it's called Ho-Oh? A phoenix? It really is incredible," Mikado sighed again.
"Hey hey hey, am I not incredible?" Shichen got anxious.
"Hmph~ Ho-Oh is amazing. Besides hugging me and copping a feel, what did you do?" Mikado huffed in a very girlish way.
"…If you're going to say that, I won't hold back," Shichen said, his tone turning dangerous.
"Not hold back?"
"You actually refused to say I was cool? I literally just helped you."
"I'm very grateful you helped me, but the one doing the heavy lifting was Ho-Oh," she said.
"You…" Shichen took a deep breath.
"What about me?" Mikado blinked at him playfully, secretly pleased.
Of course she knew all of this was because he was strong—but for some reason, she just didn't feel like praising him.
Seeing him frustrated like this felt… oddly satisfying.
"You asked for this. Now I can take my payment with a clear conscience," Shichen's lips curled upward.
"Payment… mmph!"
Before Mikado could finish, he cut her off, pressing his lips to hers. Her eyes flew wide as she stared at Shichen right in front of her.
She was being kissed—by force.
This was his "payment"?
That was her first kiss!
It wasn't even… well, okay, it was kind of romantic.
Hero saves beauty and all, floating in the sky, and the guy even matched her tastes aesthetically… it was just that she'd had zero time to prepare.
So he'd been eyeing her for a while now, hadn't he?
As expected of a womanizer.
Mikado tried to push him away, but his arm around her waist held her tight. She couldn't budge him.
…Forget it. She'd consider it repayment for rescuing her. At her age, still never having been kissed was a little pathetic anyway.
"Mmph—!"
Then she froze again.
Shichen deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing hers.
Okay, that was a bit much.
Mikado started struggling in earnest, but his other arm wrapped around her as well, locking her completely in place.
Bit by bit, her eyes went hazy and her strength drained away.
Under Shichen's practiced technique, she gave in quickly, limp in his arms as she let him do as he pleased.
After a long while, Mikado was nearly out of breath before Shichen finally let her go.
"Nice compensation," he said, licking his lips with a satisfied smile.
"You…" Mikado's cheeks were scarlet as she panted, too breathless to speak properly.
"That's what you get for not praising me. Regretting it now?"
"…," Mikado almost laughed from sheer exasperation.
All of this over a little praise?
Is he a kid?
If she'd known, she would've just complimented him. Though, honestly, she doubted she'd have escaped being kissed either way.
This man clearly had his eye on her.
Future ruler of the universe… As a man like that, he wasn't bad at all.
She was an alien. Having a man with multiple women didn't bother her.
And after watching him for so long, she knew he was a good man—and fiercely protective. With him around, she'd probably be safe from now on.
"Ryōko, I feel like I'm not quite satisfied yet," Shichen said, eyes burning into her.
"Don't… I can't breathe," Mikado said weakly.
"Then I'll wait until you recover?"
"…You really are something," she sighed.
"Heh~ can't help it. You're just too charming. After yesterday, your silhouette's been stuck in my head," he teased.
"Don't bring that up!" Mikado glared at him in embarrassment.
"If you insist… So, how's your breathing now?"
"…," Mikado rolled her eyes, but didn't object.
Truth be told, she wanted to feel that again. It had happened so suddenly before she hadn't even had time to enjoy it.
When she finally closed her eyes, Shichen didn't hold back—he leaned in and kissed her again.
This time, he was much gentler, and Mikado didn't resist at all.
The two of them drifted in midair as they tangled tongues, locked together.
…
Back in the infirmary, Shichen finished dealing with the four black-clad intruders and kicked them out. Then he was kicked out himself.
Mikado refused to let him stay.
She was afraid that if she stayed alone with him any longer, something irreversible would happen. Even if she was an adult, it still felt a little too soon.
He'd already gone for her chest while in midair; who knew how far he'd go next?
Better to take it slowly.
She was this old and still pure—that didn't happen by accident.
Shichen, of course, respected her wishes. Who doesn't like a conservative girl?
Back in his office, he sprawled in his chair again, absolutely idle. After all that, he'd lost the mood to drag Darkness over.
That urge he'd gotten from being all over Mikado wasn't something he could just vent on Yami.
He killed time until noon, when Lala and the others came to drag him home for lunch—this time bringing Muramasa Shizu along.
With that many guests, Shichen figured he might as well invite Mikado too.
"You want me to have lunch with you?"
In the infirmary, after Shichen explained, Mikado stared at him like she couldn't believe what she'd heard.
"Yup. Since Shizu's coming too, I thought I'd invite you as well."
"Is that so?" Mikado glanced at the girls at the door, waving eagerly at her.
"Is it really just that?"
"What else would it be?" Shichen looked honestly confused.
"Not, you know… some 'get along with them, build rapport as a… something' harmless scheme?" she asked bluntly.
"How would that even work…? I really did just come to ask you to eat," Shichen said helplessly.
"…Fine," Mikado nodded.
Since she'd already acknowledged him in her heart, going over for a meal wasn't something she needed to worry about.
Besides, she could finally try his cooking. Lala and the others wouldn't shut up about how good he was in the kitchen.
"Mikado-sensei, you said yes?" Lala asked, delighted, as she stepped into the room.
"Yeah. I realized I hadn't eaten yet either."
"Great!" Shizu practically bounced with joy.
"Why are you so happy?" Mikado asked, puzzled.
"Ah, um… I'm just glad I get to eat with you, Mikado-sensei," Shizu said quickly.
In truth, she was thrilled that Shichen and Mikado's relationship seemed to be progressing.
"Is that so?" Mikado didn't press it.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!