Ch.204204. A Well-Ripened Peach.

“Vine. Was that why you ordered eel?”

“…You’re no better. You’re the more pathetic one.”

“Hmm… But I never thought about using a leash… And to even use a pee pad. Really, aren’t you just too, too, too pathetic? This big sis still loves you, Vine…! Even if you’re that pathetic, this big sis still loves you!”

“What are you talking about? I think I’m less pathetic than you…?”

“At least I wasn’t wearing a leash, you know?”

“I heard you drank a lot of sports drinks. Aren’t you full?”

“Th-that…! Elly forced me to drink them…! Being forced to drink is an exception, an exception…!”

“I didn’t choose to wear a leash either, you know…?”

“Ugh…! Then we can find out today!”

“Pardon…?”

“We can find out who’s more pathetic by testing it, right?”

“…We’re not even lovers yet.”

“Ah…”

Speaking of pathetic…

Who’s really the pathetic one here?

Aren’t you the truly pathetic one, silently swallowing that eel sushi?

Talking about “testing” when we’re not even lovers yet…

Surely, I haven’t been subjected to such things all week…

Ah, there’s Arin. So I must have had some days off.

Arin wouldn’t do such things.

Arin is still young after all…

“Yuri. Do you have something to do today?”

“…A confession?”

“…Did you have to put it that way… *sigh*.”

I looked at Yuri with a sigh.

But it seemed like that was her sincere answer.

“That’s too bad. Really… it would be nice if we could do it every day.”

“Ah, I’m not that kind of sex-crazed monster. You can rest easy, Yuri.”

“What are you talking about, Blanc…?”

“Right. Y-you too… E-Elly…”

“Well… nothing special, just saying hang in there.”

“Yeah, hang in there.”

Really…

My already aching back feels like it’s aching even more.

I wonder if the bruises on my knees from yesterday have faded.

…These magical girls act worse than villains.

Later, they might even strangle me.

After lunch, Yuri suggested we go for a short walk.

Meanwhile… telling Blanc and Elly to clean up the messy room.

Since they created the mess, it makes sense for them to clean it up.

Well, I haven’t seen Elly’s room, so I don’t know what state it’s in.

…But from what I’ve heard, I can imagine it’s as messy as my room.

So, we came out for a simple walk around the lake.

“Wow… the weather’s so nice. Don’t you think?”

“Yes, well… it is.”

“Where did you fall in?”

“Not on this side, but on the opposite walking path.”

“Aha. Don’t worry. This time, this big sis will absolutely make sure no one can touch you.”

“…Ha. Well, yes. Do as you please.”

…Now Yuri has Elly too.

Though I was told to let go of that sense of debt, and I have.

Still… I’m the one who corrupted this person.

I do think that without me, she wouldn’t have met Elly.

But if I think about it the other way, without me, she might not have had to endure such pain—that thought tries to fill my mind.

“I told you not to worry, but you’re still worrying about everything?”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s all over your face.”

“I-I was managing my expression… my expression…”

“Managing… Hmm. Well, I guess it would be hard for others to notice? Recently, even Arin barely manages to read you… Regular people probably can’t tell. No, it’s almost impossible for anyone except the people in our house.”

“What…?”

“Well, maybe not as much as Yunseul. But don’t keep saying that—I’m a woman who wants to be your lover, you bad girl.”

“Um… I am a bad person, but I think you’re using it in a different sense?”

“That’s right. You bad girl. How can you have so many women!”

“…That wasn’t my intention.”

“But you accepted them all willingly…”

“That was my… Yes, you’re right. I can’t deny that…”

“See? Even though you’re like that, this big sis will accept you. Yes, yes. My pathetic little Vine.”

“That doesn’t mean you should say such things in a public place where people are passing by.”

“Heh. Anyone who would notice already has.”

“…Yesterday?”

“Right? We were eating by the window. Vine, you’ve seen the internet, right?”

“I was looking at it… Yes. Until I was captured?”

“…Ah, y-yes. That’s right.”

“The same goes for you.”

“Th-that…”

“You’re pathetic enough to lose even to Elly.”

“…You’re the pathetic one.”

“Well, I can understand to some extent since she’s my nemesis… but wasn’t Elly not even a combat type?”

“…Elly was amazing behind the scenes. Even in Eden…”

“What on earth happened in Eden… to make you like this? Even though I… corrupted you.”

“That… I’ll tell you if you accept my confession?”

“How sharp of you.”

“Right? This big sis has a bit of a sharp side.”

“Elly should have had some of that sharpness too. Still, Elly is my precious family.”

“Heh… Family beyond a lover… This won’t be easy, will it? Then to this big sis, Vine is… a sister-in-law? Or a young lady? A young lady who’s also a lover… Hehe. Our relationship is quite strange, isn’t it?”

“You just said we’re not lovers yet.”

“Aw. Did I?”

“Just now, you said you were sharp, and yet.”

“Hehe. That and this are different things.”

“How are they different? Really, you do whatever you want—even a small child wouldn’t act like that.”

“Hmm… Really? Then I’ll be a baby too. Waa waa~”

“Ha.”

Taller than me, and those… body parts.

No, let’s be direct… with bigger breasts.

And then saying “waa” and claiming to be a baby—should I find it cute or funny?

…Wouldn’t finding it cute be the reaction of a couple blinded by love?

“Waa waa? Goo goo? Goo goo ga ga?”

“Pfft.”

“You laughed. Hehe.”

“Really, who wouldn’t laugh seeing something like that?”

“Is that so? Elly actually got scared. This cute laugh… well, it was a cute laugh… but more like, ‘Oh, she’s cute. Cute. Hehehe.’ That kind of laugh…?”

“Why are you telling me about you and Elly…?”

“Well… to be honest… it’s because I’m Elly’s…?”

“…Are you talking about another woman in front of the person you’re confessing to? And saying you already belong to her.”

“B-but… it’s the truth… Yes, I can’t beat Elly. Maybe not in combat, but in nighttime activities…”

“In broad daylight, really.”

“But… Elly did a lot to me… Ugh. How should I say this…”

“That’s enough. I’ve already understood roughly. *sigh*… When are you planning to confess?”

“…Aha.”

“Aha?”

“Um… Should I do it here?”

“…What? There are many people watching h—”

“I love you, Vine?”

“—ere.”

“I really, really love you. Actually, I was a bit troubled about two-timing with Elly. She’s my master, you know. Ah, I’ll tell you about the master thing later. I pretended not to know for a while, but it was as expected. People don’t really change. But, you know? Elly pushed me away. She told me to go find true love. She said she was sorry for everything she did and would repay it all physically.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that stupid? It’s really stupid. After training me like that, she tells me to give up my feelings for you because she developed feelings for you. I’m a greedy person who doesn’t want to give up either of you. Then she… yes. You know when she was bombing you with confessions? She took me away. Maybe I looked pathetic. Maybe my indecisiveness looked pathetic.”

“Ah…”

“She dragged me away that day, remember? I got scolded a lot. She said I’d broken free from corruption and could do well on my own, so why did I still need her? She told me to forget someone like her quickly. As if she wanted the influence she gave me to disappear like a mirage.”

“That’s…”

“Even taking me away after confessing… she said she thought about it a lot that day. She felt that if I couldn’t forget her, she couldn’t possibly give me to you. So, since I was hers, she would give me to you herself…”

“…Elly.”

“Yes. Elise… she’s a bit extreme, isn’t she?”

“…She does seem that way.”

“Hehe… Still, be good to Elly. She’s my master.”

“I think I should be good to you first…”

“Hm? I’m fine.”

“You said Elly did that because she saw you being indecisive. Shouldn’t we follow her intention then?”

“…Maybe so.”

“Not ‘maybe so’… *sigh*. Fine. I’ll accept you too. You. Now you’re my lover too. Conveniently, you have your senior Elly in front of you? In front of me, you’re both equal as my lovers, right?”

“…Vine.”

“Elly is my precious family. Family. Elly… *sigh*. Yes. My relationship with you won’t break that. Well… it’s strange to be talking about this, but. You. I want you to confess your feelings not because Elly pushed you, but of your own accord.”

“Vine.”

“Can you only say my name?”

“N-no…”

“Then, please confess to me? I might not accept if I wait too long. Not because of someone’s order or being pushed.”

“I like you, Vine. Please… go out with me too!”

“…Phew. Yes. That’s it.”

It seems like we’ve glossed over things.

…But this is right for Yuri.

Yuri is.

Yuri is… someone that I.

That Elly and I… need to take responsibility for.

Yes.

“From now on, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

“Y-yes… Hehe.”

“Then am I your master too?”

“N-no, that’s not it! I’m not more pathetic than you, Vine, so how could that be possible!”

“Hmm… Still talking about that? By the way, Yuri, can you have those kinds of feelings for me…”

“I can! I can win! Vine…! I’ll get revenge for that day in the room!”

“While calling Elly ‘master’?”

“U-ugh…! That’s different! Vine is Vine, and master is master! There’s only one master under heaven!”

“You’re quite unique. Always.”

“…Hehe.”

Her expression, like a smiling puppy, looked genuinely happy.

…Is being called “master” that joyful?

I should ask Elly and Blanc separately.

Was Blanc happy… when I called her master?