Reyna-san shook her head. "We don't know when he'll wake up, and we're out of time. We need to have the canisters ready…"
"...!" Both princesses went pale.
They were clearly losing their minds. To go from a serious, emotional moment to this was a total "Serious Break." Being asked to be milked for the sake of the world is a lot to process.
"My, my," Akeno purred, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "In that case, we'd better hurry."
"Akeno?! What are you—"
"Don't worry, Rias. Since Issei-kun isn't here, I'll help you 'express' it myself."
"Rias-oneesama! Please, endure this!" Asia cried out with misplaced determination. "Your milk will save Issei-san!"
"Asia, not you too! Ah… hyah!"
Akeno locked Rias in place with practiced ease. She looked like she was having way too much fun. Meanwhile, Asia, having made some strange internal resolution, reached out toward Rias as well.
On the other side of the tub:
"Nina! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Sis, this is an emergency! Your boobs might literally save the world! We have to do this!"
"I'm the one in an emergency here! Xenovia! Irina! Why are you holding my arms?!"
"Stay calm, Alice," Xenovia said with a grim, warrior-like expression. "You can't be 'harvested' if you're thrashing around."
"Nina is right!" Irina added. "Your breasts are the world's last hope!"
"That doesn't even make sense! H-hey! Nina, not there! That's… nooo… ahhh!"
"AAHHHHHHHNNNNN!"
The high-pitched cries of the two Switch Princesses echoed through the basement bathhouse.
After drying off and getting dressed, I went to the front door to greet a certain visitor.
"I think this is the first time I've actually welcomed you at the door, isn't it? Even though you've been here a few times."
"I suppose so," came the clipped, cool response from the silver-haired youth, Vali.
"I went to the hospital," Vali said, looking around the entryway. "They told me he had been moved back home. I came to see his face."
He was right. We had moved my brother from the Underworld hospital back to the house. He still hasn't woken up, but he doesn't need life-support machinery. Given that there are "Gates" in the Underworld too, we decided it was safer to keep him here, away from potential enemy reach. He's currently sleeping in his own room.
I led Vali inside and took him up to the bedroom. My parents were there, sitting by the bed, my mother holding my brother's hand.
My father looked up and waved cheerfully at Vali. "Oh, hello, Vali-kun! Did you come to check on Issei?"
"Yes… something like that… sir."
"Fufu, no need to be so stiff!" my mother said warmly. "Let's be more casual. Here, come sit down. I'll go make some tea."
"Ah, no, please don't trouble yourself—"
"Oh, would you prefer coffee? Or maybe cocoa?"
"I… um… Cocoa, then. Please."
Even the "Strongest White Dragon Emperor" was no match for the overwhelming "parental energy" of the Hyoudou household. Honestly, my parents are amazing. Their ability to remain unfazed even when talking to the All-Father of the Norse is world-class. In a way, they might be the strongest people on the planet.
My mother returned with a steaming mug of cocoa and handed it to Vali with a brilliant smile.
"It makes me so happy to see you here. Issei will be thrilled to know his friend came to visit."
"Friend, huh…" Vali murmured, then slowly shook his head.
"I… I wanted to fight him," Vali confessed suddenly. "I told him I would kill his family. I told him that if he didn't want to lose them, he had to fight me with everything he had."
My heart skipped a beat. He's telling them now?!
Back when the Three Factions were discussing peace, Vali had said those things to provoke my brother into using his true power. I was one of the "family members" he had threatened to kill.
"But… you apologized to me for that, right?" I said quickly. "I'm not worried about it anymore."
Vali had indeed apologized to me a while back. I was surprised at the time, but it made me realize he wasn't actually a bad person.
But Vali looked at my parents. "Can you truly call a man like that your son's friend?"
My parents both went quiet, looking thoughtful. They stared directly into Vali's eyes for a long moment.
"Sure, why not?" they said simultaneously, their faces perfectly relaxed.
"Wait… what?" Vali blinked, completely caught off guard.
My father patted Vali on the shoulder. "Well, using words like 'kill' isn't great, but you apologized to Miu, right? And the fact that you feel bad enough to tell us proves you've reflected on it. Isn't that enough?"
"Exactly," my mother added. "Issei wouldn't hang out with you if you weren't a good boy deep down. Besides, I remember seeing you two having tea together in the living room a while back."
Oh, right. During the Loki incident. My mom really doesn't miss a thing.
My father smiled warmly. "Please keep being friends with our Issei. It would make us very happy."
Vali was speechless for a moment, but then a small, genuine smile touched his lips—the kind of expression a normal boy his age should have.
He looked over at my sleeping brother. "He promised to go out for ramen with me once this was over… fufu. If we're 'friends,' then I'll have to make sure he keeps his word. Issei Hyoudou, I should warn you—I'm very picky about my noodles."
For a while after that, Vali joined us in some mundane, everyday conversation.
"You eat nothing but instant cup noodles?! Vali-kun, that won't do!"
"None of my subordinates are particularly skilled at cooking," Vali explained awkwardly. "And we never really prioritized our diet…"
"Absolutely not! You can't grow big and strong without proper meals!"
"..."
Upon learning about Vali's terrible diet, my mother proceeded to give him a gentle lecture on health and nutrition. It looks like Vali might be invited over for dinner a lot more often from now on.
[Miu's POV - End]
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