"Will you two please stop fighting while I'm still in one piece?!"
Kana's scream was nearly drowned out by the crashing of wood and shattering of glass as Irielle dodged another energy blast.
Sparks flew past Kana's hair as they landed on a table, skidded across it, and vaulted off the other end.
"You're going to get me killed!"
Kana clung to Irielle's shoulder with both hands, heart hammering.
"Relax!"
Irielle chirped mid-leap, as though they weren't in the middle of a full-blown magical brawl.
"You're too pretty to die."
"Not helping!"
From behind them, Lysera's voice thundered, cold and furious.
"Put the girl down, Irielle. You're under arrest for abduction and property damage."
"I will—as soon as she tells me she likes you better."
Irielle called back, twisting through another explosion and leaving scorch marks across the stone tiles.
Kana's eyes twitched.
System, she groaned inwardly.
'Is there anything I can do to stop this insanity?'
[System: Skill activation may prove effective in halting conflict.]
Kana gritted her teeth.
'Which skill?!'
[System: User is free to choose. All available skills are unlocked.]
'Then give me the best option!'
[System: Displaying top-ranked combat or influence skills based on user potential...]
A bright menu flashed before her eyes, listing dozens of skills with a swirl of sparkles and elegant fonts:
[Charm Lv. MAX] – Cause emotional attraction in all humanoid lifeforms.
[Adorable Appeal] – Induce a momentary distraction due to visual overload.
[Puppy Eyes] – Greatly lowers aggression from nearby targets (success chance varies).
[Seductive Aura] – Create tension in a 3-meter radius
[Disarm Hostility] – Ineffective against targets with higher base strength.
[Tearful Glance] – Causes minor guilt in those with functioning morals.
The list went on. And on. Most had the same note beside them:
"Ineffective due to difference in racial stats."
Kana gaped at the screen.
'This is a scam!'
[System: User possesses godly stats by human standards.]
'But I can't even move when these women pick me up like a sack of flour!'
[System: That is due to base human limitations. Humans are a low-tier species in this realm. You are strong—for a human.]
'Then what about Lysera? She's human too, and she's stronger than most monsters!'
There was a pause.
[System: Correction. Commanding Officer Lysera is not human.]
'…What?'
But before Kana could process that, the destruction finally slowed. Lysera and Irielle stood ten feet apart, crackling with energy, as Kana hung awkwardly from the elf's arms like a very annoyed cat.
Irielle smirked first.
"Let's be civil. Let the human girl choose. Who does she prefer? Me, or you?"
Lysera's response was instant.
"Ridiculous. She's a civilian—possibly a criminal. She doesn't have the authority to decide her own custody."
"Oh, that's a pity. Then I suppose I'll just keep her. I have taken a liking to her, after all."
Irielle sighed dramatically.
She looked down at Kana with an affectionate grin.
"Don't worry. I'll take very good care of you."
Kana felt her face heat up.
"I—I'm not an object, thank you very much!"
"Oh? Then I can't borrow you sometimes either? That's a shame. I would've shared—"
Irielle teased, eyes flicking to Lysera.
"I am not a piece of furniture to be passed around! I don't belong to anyone!"
Kana exploded, her voice cracking with rage and disbelief.
Both women blinked at her, startled.
The moment of silence lasted a beat too long.
Then Lysera moved.
Kana didn't see the buildup. One moment, Lysera was standing across the room—and the next, she was launching forward, fist pulled back and energy coiling around her arm.
Irielle's pupils shrank.
"Oh no you don't—!"
She shifted Kana behind her and began forming a magical shield with her other hand. But even as she did, Kana saw it—she wouldn't be fast enough.
'System! Do something!'
She screamed in her head.
[System Alert: "Divine Shield: Beloved Form" has activated.]
[All offensive actions targeting the user or anyone in direct contact with the user have been nullified.]
There was a flash.
Lysera's punch struck midair—just inches from Kana's cheek—and shattered against an invisible wall of light.
The shockwave rolled outward but was immediately swallowed by the barrier. Irielle yelped as the force bent around them like wind around stone.
Kana blinked. Her heart pounded. They were untouched.
Lysera froze, fist still suspended in place, staring directly at Kana.
"What was that?" Irielle whispered, arms still half-raised in protection.
Kana opened her mouth. Then closed it again. Then sighed.
"…That, apparently, was my special protection skill."
"Neat."
Irielle said, loosening her arms around Kana and adjusting her grip to something a bit less desperate.
"Very… shiny. Also, can you turn it off now? My hair's getting staticky."
Kana stepped back cautiously as the light slowly dimmed, her breath shaky.
Lysera lowered her arm, visibly suppressing the urge to lash out again. She looked at Kana with unreadable eyes. "Why didn't you activate that earlier?"
"Because I didn't know I had it!"
"You should've read your skill list more thoroughly."
"I was busy being kidnapped!"
Kana snapped, throwing her hands up.
Both women fell silent.
Then, annoyingly, Irielle started to laugh.
"Well, she's not wrong. You did keep her locked up without papers."
She said with a shrug.
"And you broke into my house and stole her!"
"Borrowed."
Lysera looked like she was about to snap again.
Kana sighed, long and deep.
"Can I go lie down now?"
The elf and the officer both looked at her, then at each other.
"…I'll take her home."
Lysera said.
"I'll walk her back."
"She's not your pet."
"She's not yours either."
Kana pressed her fingers to her temple.
"I swear… If either of you say the word 'mine' one more time, I'm going to scream so loud it'll unlock another skill."
Neither of them said a word after that.
But the tension crackled just the same.
"We'll head to my place. It's closer, and we can figure things out in peace."
Irielle said, brushing imaginary dust from her shoulder.
Kana looked between the two women.
"You mean... all of us?"
"Of course. Unless you'd rather stay alone in the woods. I'd personally prefer keeping you somewhere I can see you."
Irielle said with a wink.
She draped an arm around Kana's shoulder, far more casual than before. But something in her touch had changed—softer, slower, more thoughtful.
Her hand didn't linger the same way. Her glances, though still flirtatious, carried a subtle wariness.
Kana didn't miss it. She's suspicious now. Not that Kana blamed her. A random human girl summoning divine barriers wasn't exactly normal in this world.
Beside them, Lysera walked stiffly, her arms crossed and gaze sharp.
If Irielle was quietly suspicious, Lysera didn't bother hiding it. Her eyes barely left Kana for more than a second, as if trying to solve a puzzle she didn't like the answer to.
"…Fine. But once we get there, I'm reporting this incident."
Lysera said.
"Oh, by all means. Let's tell the higher-ups how you picked a fight in the middle of town over a girl."
Irielle replied sweetly.
Kana groaned and rubbed her face.
"Can we not talk about me like I'm an exotic fruit being fought over?"
The two ignored her.
Just as they turned toward the main path leading back to town, a rustle in the nearby bushes made all three of them stop.
Irielle raised a hand, her smile vanishing. Lysera immediately stepped in front of Kana.
The leaves parted.
Out stepped a raccoon, small and fluffy, blinking up at them with wide eyes. It waddled forward slowly, sniffed the air, and then walked straight to Kana.
Before she could react, it leaned against her shin, rubbing its face into her leg.
"…Uh…Cute?"
Kana muttered.
Irielle tilted her head.
"Odd."
Then more rustling came.
And more animals.
A squirrel hopped into view. Then another. Then a fox trotted out from the trees, followed by a handful of rabbits, birds, and even a deer that looked far too comfortable approaching humans.
Within a minute, Kana was surrounded by at least two dozen animals all staring at her like she was a campfire on a cold night.
Lysera's brow twitched.
"They're responding to her aura. I'll handle this."
She stepped forward and snapped her fingers, summoning a crackle of force that pushed the nearest animals back.
Some retreated. Most didn't. A bird perched on Kana's shoulder.
A moment later, a second deer poked its head through the brush. Then a bear.
Lysera froze.
"…Never mind. We're leaving."
"Agreed. Time to go. Swiftly."
Irielle said, now tugging Kana gently by the arm.
"Why are they all looking at me like that?"
Kana whispered.
Irielle smiled tightly.
"You're just… very likable."
"I think I hate it here."
Kana muttered as the trio began a quick retreat down the path, animal eyes watching them from every side.
As they hurried down the trail, a raccoon waddled after them, refusing to be left behind. Kana glanced over her shoulder and hissed.
"Stop following me!"
It didn't listen. Irielle chuckled under her breath.
"They really do love you. This is unnatural."
Lysera muttered.
Kana sighed.
"Welcome to my life."
__
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