Sayanomiya family, ancestral home—
"Sayanomiya Kaoru pays respects to the head of the family and the elders."
Facing the white-haired elder at the head of the room and the family elders on both sides, Miss Kaoru, dressed in men's clothing, bowed properly and spoke.
Feeling the intense and unusual gazes from her grandfather and the elders, Kaoru frowned slightly. Combining recent events, she guessed the reason for her summons and sighed silently.
"Hehehe, Kaoru, you don't need to use such formalities anymore. Just call me Grandpa."
Patting his graying beard, Sayanomiya Hondo, the white-haired elder and Kaoru's grandfather, looked at her with a loving and gentle expression, as if she were a precious treasure.
"Yes, yes, Kaoru is getting more capable. Just call me Second Grandpa."
"Right, right, I've always thought this girl would become the pillar of the family. Elders are too formal, just call me Third Grandpa."
"Kaoru, come over here to Fourth Grandma. Hehehe, you're getting more handsome every day!"
Seeing these normally stern and rigid family heads and elders acting so warm, gentle, and infinitely loving towards her, Miss Kaoru couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth and emotion in her heart.
However, compared to that slight warmth and emotion, there were far more goosebumps!
"Grandpa, Grandma..."
Her eyelid twitched. Although it felt horribly cheesy, Miss Kaoru had no choice but to bite the bullet and call out.
"No good deed goes unpunished." Or, "No flattery without ulterior motive." While she felt this description wasn't quite suitable, that's exactly how Miss Kaoru felt at that moment!
" Kaoru, take a look at these intelligence reports first."
Handing over a stack of intelligence documents, Sayanomiya Hondo smiled gently. This powerful Sayanomiya family head now seemed like a kind old grandfather from next door, giving off an incredibly amiable and approachable feeling.
Taking the documents and glancing at them, Miss Kaoru didn't show much surprise. It was all information about that guy Sora, including the recent intelligence of his victory over the Heretic God Metis.
Although her power within the family wasn't great, as the president of the Tokyo Branch of the History Compilation Committee, Miss Kaoru had actually seen all of this long ago. However, even if it was just for show, Miss Kaoru had to dutifully read it all again.
To be honest, even though she hated that guy with gnashing teeth, Miss Kaoru had to admire Sora. Whether it was a Heretic God or a Demon King, he always managed to defeat his opponents and create one miracle after another, almost leaving people numb.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, turning to the last page, she seemed to see something incredible. Even Miss Kaoru couldn't help but reveal a look of astonishment.
Sending Ena over was one thing, but those guys from the Seishuuin family actually sent all their family's heirs to that scoundrel!
Even though she had already given up all hope for that scoundrel, the thought of him having so many more women around him filled Miss Kaoru's heart with annoyance and an incredibly sour feeling.
Taking in the changes in Miss Kaoru's expression, Sayanomiya Hondo exchanged glances with the other elders, a peculiar smile appearing in their eyes.
"Grand... Grandpa, I don't know what you all are trying to..."
Snapping back to reality, Miss Kaoru saw her so-called grandpas and grandmas all staring at her with that strange smile. Her heart tightened, and an ominous feeling rose within her. She took a step back and spoke with a hint of vigilance.
"Hehehe, Kaoru, you're 18 this year, aren't you?"
Sayanomiya Hondo didn't answer Miss Kaoru's question but instead asked with a kindly expression.
"Ah? Ha..."
Her uneasiness intensified, but Miss Kaoru still nodded blankly in response.
" Kaoru, you're not young anymore. It's time for you to find a partner."
Find a partner... find a partner... find a partner...
Her grandfather Sayanomiya Hondo's words echoed repeatedly in her mind. Miss Kaoru felt a boom explode in her head, and her entire being went completely numb!
"That's right, that's right, Kaoru. Although you are the family's heir, don't forget your own happiness for the sake of the family!"
"This is a major life event, Kaoru, you must hurry up! We grandpas are still hoping to hold grandchildren."
"Kaoru, don't wear men's clothes anymore in the future. You're such a pretty girl. Grandma will send you some beautiful dresses in a couple of days!"
...
Stunned, Miss Kaoru could no longer hear any sound. A possibility instantly flashed in her mind: these old folks couldn't possibly be trying to make her go...
Kusanagi Household—
"Onii-chan, can you explain what's going on?!"
With a dark expression, Shizuka-chan said coldly, looking at Sora, who was sitting opposite her, blissfully rubbing the faces of two identical loli girls.
Having slept for a day and a night, she had just woken up to this scene. Knowing her hopelessly scoundrel older brother perfectly well, Shizuka-chan already knew what had happened without needing to ask!
"Oh, you're awake, kid!"
"Our family has a new member. This is Metis; you should already know her. You'll have to take good care of her from now on."
Sora glanced at the little girl, seemingly completely oblivious to Shizuka-chan's dark, man-eating expression. He picked up Metis, dangled her in front of the little girl, and said heartlessly.
"Human, for Master's sake, I shall look after you from now on."
Although extremely attached and affectionate towards Sora, Metis had no such patience for anyone else, her expression cool and indifferent.
Though her past memories had been erased, her true nature remained unchanged; Metis was still that proud and uninhibited goddess. Apart from her Master, everyone else in her eyes was an expendable, ant-like existence.
"Shizuka, don't mistake that woman for me."
There was no difference in appearance, and seemingly worried that Shizuka-chan might mistake Metis for herself, Athena on the side also stated plainly.
Looking at Metis for a moment, then at Athena, completely unable to distinguish one from the other, Shizuka-chan's little head was utterly confused.
However, seeing Sora sitting in the middle, holding the two loli goddesses with a smug expression—
"Boo hoo hoo... Sister Erica, Sister Liliana, please save my hopelessly scoundrel Onii-chan!"
She instantly threw herself into the arms of Erica and Liliana, her face pitiful and pleading.
"Hehehe, don't worry, Shizuka-chan, the mission to save the King is entrusted to me, Erica Blandelli!"
Patting Shizuka-chan's little head, Erica readily agreed with a chuckle.
"I... I, Liliana Kranjcar, will also try my best..."
Although she felt somewhat guilty saying such comforting words to the little girl, Liliana had no choice but to brace herself and speak, so as not to lose to that hateful woman, Erica.
Save the King, indeed. They themselves had already been "ruined" by him. What "saving" was there left to do?!
"Little Shizuka, what about me? Such a fun thing as saving the little demon brother, of course, should be left to your big sister!"
Rubbing Shizuka-chan's little head with a mischievous expression, a certain unscrupulous Great Witch self-recommended.
Shizuka-chan glanced at the unscrupulous Great Witch, pursed her little lips, and said nothing.
You, a woman even more incorrigible than my scoundrel older brother, I'd thank the heavens if you didn't make him even more evil and worse!
"Huh? Where are Sister Ena and the others? Why don't I see them?"
Apart from Erica and the other girls in the living room and the two maid sisters in the kitchen, Shizuka-chan suddenly realized she hadn't seen Ena and the nine Secret Sword Maidens at all. She immediately asked with a worried expression.
After such a big battle earlier, surely Sister Ena and the others weren't injured, were they? The kind and innocent little girl couldn't help but worry.
"Hehehe, you're asking about Ena and Ichibe, are you?"
"No, they're still in the room. They probably won't be able to get out of bed for a while."
Erica, pointing at Sora's room, answered with a smile, surprised that Shizuka suddenly asked about Ena and the others.
"What?! Are Sister Ena and the others really injured? Is it serious?"
Upon hearing Erica's reply, Shizuka-chan immediately asked, her face filled with worry.
"Hehehe, Lily, why don't you tell Shizuka?"
With a twinkle in her beautiful eyes, Erica suddenly passed the buck to Liliana, who was standing beside them.
"That's right, that's right, Lily-chan, aren't you the clearest on this? Quickly tell little Shizuka!"
With a wicked smirk, the Great Witch on the side also chimed in, stirring up trouble.
"I... I..."
Seeing Erica and Zola, these shameless women, push such an embarrassing and shameful question onto her, Liliana was furious, feeling an urge to strike them down with a single blow!
"Sister Liliana, please tell me quickly."
Shizuka-chan, unaware of Liliana's predicament, urged her anxiously.
"Uh... they did get a little hurt, but it should be nothing serious, Shizuka, don't worry."
As if remembering something, Liliana felt her cheeks burn intensely as she spoke those words.
However, she hadn't exactly lied to Shizuka; those few were all first-timers, and last night, the wicked King had bullied them so badly under the guise of "rewards and punishments"...
"I'll go see Sister Ena and the others!"
Too lazy to ask any more questions, Shizuka-chan decided to go see for herself. She said this and then ran towards Sora's room.
"Wait..."
Both Liliana, Erica, and Zola's expressions changed. They wanted to call out to Shizuka-chan, but it was already too late!
Pushing open the door to Sora's room, Shizuka-chan ran in with a worried expression.
However, before she could even utter words of concern or inquiry, upon seeing the bodies of the girls sprawled naked all over the big bed in the room, the little girl froze entirely—
"Ah!!!!!"
The next moment, piercing through the clouds, Shizuka-chan's scream of endless shame and indignation echoed throughout the entire Kusanagi household...