Setting up Nana's room was pretty easy. Other than demanding that the furniture layout be the same as Momo's, she didn't need Shichen's help with much else.
Of course, she also didn't need him helping organize any of her clothes.
Once the room was done, she basically kicked him out, and yanked Momo in to help instead—partly so he wouldn't be alone with her.
By the time the two of them were finally finished with their rooms, Lala and the others were about done with classes.
Shichen went back to his office, waited a bit, then warped over to pick them up together.
It was only Monday, so Kotegawa Yui couldn't stay the night, but she could at least join for a family-style dinner before heading home.
Shichen cooked a big feast for dinner; everyone ate until they were stuffed while watching Magical Girl Kyoko.
Momo and Nana instantly got into the show too—they knew Kyouko Kirisaki in person, after all.
"Come to think of it, we haven't seen Kyoko in person since that time, have we?" Momo asked.
"Mm…" Lala nodded, a look of longing on her face.
"Big sis really misses her."
"Kyoko is so awesome~" Lala praised without holding back.
She herself was way stronger than Kyouko Kirisaki, but since she'd never dealt with TV before, she absolutely adored Kyoko's on-screen performance.
Frieren and Yami were just pure magical girl fans at this point.
"If you like her that much, you could invite her over to hang out," Momo suggested.
"Can I? How would I do that?" Lala asked, unable to hide her eagerness.
"Have Brother-in-law help," Momo said with a sweet little smile.
"Me?" Shichen raised an eyebrow.
"Shichen~ pleaseeee?" Lala immediately begged, her tail swishing behind her.
"Uh… can I really just call her up? It's not like I know her that well," Shichen said helplessly.
"Ehh—" Lala made a disappointed noise.
"Don't rush it, Sis. You have to believe in Brother-in-law. Did you forget how interested Kyoko was in him back then?"
"Oh, that's right~ Shichen~ you can definitely do it!"
"…I'll give it a try," Shichen said, shaking his head.
"Yay! Shichen, good luck!" Lala was so excited she dove into his arms and hugged him, pressing all her softness against him.
"Don't get that worked up. Finish your food first," he laughed, giving her perky butt a pat.
Round and springy.
"Mm!" Lala obediently sat back down.
Bringing Kyouko Kirisaki over wasn't exactly a difficult task. As the principal, he could just send an official invitation for her to visit the school.
It just depended on whether she accepted.
Judging from that last encounter, it probably wouldn't be too hard.
"Your eyes are about to pop out," Nana muttered, elbowing Momo and whispering a reminder.
Momo had been staring at Shichen and Lala's interaction, unable to hide the jealousy in her gaze.
"Mind your own business," Momo snapped, yanking her gaze back.
"Tch, I don't want to mind it. If everyone weren't here, I'd be afraid it'd be obvious and embarrassing."
"Embarrassing how?"
"We're sisters. If everyone realizes the little sister is trying to steal her sister's fiancé, isn't that super awkward?"
"Everyone already knows though."
"…"
"And besides, it's not like you haven't done anything," Momo said, giving Nana a look.
Nana flushed scarlet, overcome with shame. She knew exactly what Momo meant: the things that had happened while they'd switched bodies.
"This is all your fault!"
"What does it have to do with me? You agreed yourself—and you sure looked like you were enjoying it…"
"I did not enjoy it!" Nana yelled, face burning.
"Mm? Nana, enjoy what?" Lala looked over.
"N-nothing…" Nana instantly calmed down.
Momo covered her mouth to keep from laughing.
Nana was furious, but she couldn't do anything. She was afraid if she spoke too much, Momo would really spill everything—and that would be even more humiliating.
After dinner, Shichen took Kotegawa Yui home. It delayed him for about ten minutes.
What with a goodbye kiss and a little "growth checkup" on the side, ten minutes was honestly a bit rushed.
When he came back, everyone was still in the living room; nobody had left yet.
"All right, time for baths. Anyone want to go with me?" Shichen asked.
He was met with silence. Frieren and Yami didn't even look at him.
"Me!" Lala shot her hand up.
"Big sis, can I bathe with you?" Momo asked.
"Of course. Then Shichen, I can't keep you company tonight."
"Eh?" Momo froze.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing…" She shook her head.
What she meant was bathing together with Sis and Brother-in-law, but Lala clearly hadn't thought that far.
And Momo wasn't ready to come clean to her sister about her feelings yet.
"Hehe~" Nana snickered. She could see at a glance that Momo's plan had failed.
"Nana, let's bathe together too," Lala invited.
"Okay."
The three sisters went upstairs hand-in-hand.
The living room immediately quieted down. Shichen looked over at Murasame Shizu.
"Um… I can't bathe with you," Shizu blurted, blushing.
"…I didn't say that," Shichen said, mouth twitching.
"Oh." Shizu exhaled in relief.
"Ryoko, any thoughts?" Shichen turned to Mikado.
"No," she replied, eyes on her book, not even lifting her head.
"Eh? We've never bathed together, you know. Want to try it once?"
"I'm afraid once I do, I won't be myself afterward."
"How could that be? I'm not that kind of guy. I wouldn't force you."
"I know your routine—the whole 'just rubbing against you, nothing more', right?" Ryoko glanced at him.
"…Bathing alone is kinda lame, you know? Forget it. Frieren, come with me later."
"Eh—why?" Frieren protested.
"You're still too small. I'm afraid you won't wash properly by yourself. I'll help."
"…If you want to help me bathe, just say so. You don't have to make up excuses," Frieren rolled her eyes at him.
"Am I that kind of person? I really am worried you won't wash properly… Oh, right, Yami, you too."
"Why am I included?" Yami demanded.
"I'm afraid you'll wash badly too."
"How is that possible? I'm not a child."
"You don't get to refuse. If you say no, I'll make Frieren watch while I bully you later."
"…" Yami shut up.
Even so, she still ended up getting bullied—with Frieren watching.
Of course, she switched into her Darkness form; otherwise she'd die of embarrassment.
The bathroom roared with waves and muffled "singing", but nothing at all could be heard from outside.
Shichen hadn't planned to tease Yami, but really, who could endure being in a bath with two tiny, soft, porcelain-skinned girls? If he could hold back, he wouldn't be a normal man.
Yup. Definitely not his fault.
After the bath, Shichen carried a drowsy Yami out, Frieren following behind with a flat expression.
Elves were pretty calm about this kind of thing. Even watching it with her own eyes didn't faze her much—she only really reacted when Shichen was "examining" her body.
No matter what she said, the body tells the truth, and Shichen's hands were very practiced.
As they left the bathroom, they happened to run into Momo. Shichen looked at her and smiled. "Momo, what are you doing here?"
"Ah, um… just passing by," she said quickly.
"Okay, let's walk together then."
"O-okay…" Momo glanced at Yami's blazing red face and felt an itch in her heart.
She'd been lurking by the bathroom door the whole time, but for some reason the door wouldn't open even a crack, and she couldn't hear anything at all.
She definitely didn't believe nothing had happened—especially now, seeing Yami in that state.
It had to be Brother-in-law's doing!
He actually wouldn't let her watch. Fine—she'd just experience it herself instead someday!
Shichen knew she'd been outside trying to peek and listen—that's why he'd set up the barrier. He had no interest in being watched.
Plus, him standing there holding Yami front-to-front was not a scene he wanted Momo to see; might scare her off.
After everyone had bathed, it was bedtime. Shichen still slept together with Lala and the others.
Ryoko didn't join, and of course Momo and Nana wouldn't either.
He'd just had an intense session with Yami; he fell asleep quickly.
To his mild surprise, Momo didn't sneak in for a night raid this time.
The next morning, when he caught her glaring at Nana over breakfast, he more or less figured out why.
After breakfast, Shichen took Lala and the others to school. He didn't bring Momo and Nana; their enrollment still wasn't settled.
Since they were free, they could wander around the planet a bit.
Shichen, on the other hand, immediately handled their admission paperwork so they could start school the next day.
So on Wednesday, Momo and Nana put on school uniforms and officially became students.
They were a year below Lala's group—first-years, in the same class.
They didn't know anyone else there yet, so they could only rely on each other. Even so, the moment they walked into the classroom, the whole class welcomed them warmly.
After all, they'd already toured the school a week earlier, and everyone had liked them from the start.