Because of the angle she was facing, Rin turned her head the moment Ryo approached. Surprise flashed across her face.
"Your Highness, weren't you supposed to rest for a while?"
She suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
Her eyes had fallen on the thin, soft glow covering Ryo's body. Her expression immediately changed to shock.
"Did you... successfully assimilate Pisces?"
At that, Ryo stopped walking.
He didn't bother explaining. He merely gave a rather aloof little nod, looking reserved and dignified.
That was the way Kalki tended to act. Even with Rin, someone who could practically be considered family, Kalki remained restrained and introverted, almost a little socially withdrawn.
And since Ryo had stolen his identity, he naturally stole his memories as well.
Of course, just as Ryo had expected, most of those memories were blurred.
He could basically tell that those were the work of a Two-Digit. Clearly, someone had put some sort of confidentiality measure in place.
Ryo had been prepared for that.
After all, before coming here, he had already made peace with the possibility of being watched by the Two-Digits from beginning to end, and had even arranged for the Forum to warn him whenever necessary.
If all they were doing was sealing away a few memories, that was hardly worth worrying about.
Still, the Forum never warned him that the Two-Digits were spying on me. Does that mean they haven't seen anything important enough to care about...?
Thinking that, Ryo nodded at Rin and slowly walked toward her.
Seeing 'Kalki' admit it, Rin first looked delighted. But almost immediately, that delight turned into concern.
"So that means Pisces will soon be handed over to that horrible Ryo Yagami, right?"
Ryo stopped in his tracks.
He gave Rin a strange look, his tone subtly changing. "Oh? Is he really that horrible? I don't think so."
Rin rolled her eyes at him and replied irritably, "Being kind is a good thing, Your Highness, but you're almost too kind for your own good."
"Don't defend that damn guy. He's not just horrible. He's... how should I put it..."
She struggled for a moment before finally finding the perfect comparison.
"If he were Zeus's son, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest! No, actually, even Zeus isn't as shameless as he is."
Ryo: "..."
Thanks. I really appreciate being told I'm worse than Zeus.
Naturally, after being 'insulted' to his face, Ryo couldn't just let that slide.
He was standing less than two meters away from Rin. He took two more steps forward, casually crossing the usual boundary of personal space between a man and a woman.
"Huh?"
The sudden approach caught Rin off guard. She looked at him in surprise.
"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly standing so close?"
Then she seemed to think of something. Her expression softened, becoming both amused and concerned. "Did you have another nightmare?"
With that, Rin chuckled and raised a hand, gently ruffling his hair. "But that won't work this time. There aren't any little lion plushies on Mars for you to hug while you sleep."
Looking at Rin, who was far more talkative and lively than she had been when facing him directly, Ryo suddenly felt that this was what a girl should be like.
Thinking about it, there really weren't many women like her in Little Garden.
Neither Kurousagi, who took self-sacrifice far too seriously, nor Leticia, who only relaxed and dropped her usual reserve when they were alone, had this kind of lively personality.
Then again, Kalki actually likes sleeping while hugging a lion plushie?
'Hah. He really is just a kid...'
Ryo chuckled inwardly.
Then, looking at the gentle smile on Rin's face, he decided to tease her. "Then can I sleep while hugging Rin instead?"
Rin froze.
She stared blankly at him for a moment before raising her fist and lightly bonking him on the head. "Your Highness, you're learning bad habits! Boys aren't supposed to sleep with their big sisters."
"Come to think of it, though, who taught you to say things like that?"
A puzzled look appeared on Rin's face as she mentally went through everyone who might have led Kalki astray.
But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed that everyone Kalki knew was pretty respectable.
Even Maxwell, despite being a pervert, was only perverted toward Willa. The rest of the time, he was just an ordinary scheming bastard. There was no way he would teach Kalki to say something like that.
So...
"It was Ryo, wasn't it?"
Rin's expression gradually darkened.
Ryo was dumbfounded.
Am I really that awful in your eyes?
Even when Kalki says something suggestive, you blame me for it?
Sure, I blatantly snatched one of your Sun Authorities, but did you really have to hold that against me this much? Now I'm getting blamed for everything, too?
At that moment, Rin noticed Ryo's stunned expression.
Her eyes narrowed, and her gaze became dangerously sharp. "Your Highness, honest children don't lie. A good boy should obediently tell his big sister the name of the bad person who taught him this, or they will be punished, okay?"
Hearing the threat from the girl who sincerely called him 'Your Highness', Ryo fell silent for a moment.
Then he nodded. "It was Ryo."
At that moment, Ryo clearly saw Rin pull a short khaki-colored wand from the jacket tied around her waist.
She casually tossed it onto the ground.
Clang.
The wand landed with a metallic sound, pointing directly at Ryo.
Rin nodded in sudden realization. "It's pointing at you, which means you're telling the truth!"
She then smiled, patted Ryo on the head, and cheerfully said, "Good boy, Your Highness~ Today is another day of being a good boy!"
Rin completely failed to notice the bewildered expression on the face of the 'Kalki' standing in front of her.
You're using divination for this?
And seriously, are you being a little too strict with Kalki? Even his own mother couldn't possibly be this strict.
Ryo silently complained about her behavior again and again.
Then, still wearing Kalki's face, he asked in the innocent voice of a child, "If that's the case, do I get a reward?"
Rin blinked, then smiled. "Of course. You like reading, don't you? What kind of book do you want? Just tell me, and I'll go buy it for you."
Ryo gazed at Rin with wide, innocent eyes.
"..."
Rin paused.
Then, looking slightly uncomfortable, she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Did you suddenly decide you don't want that reward anymore?"
Ryo continued staring at her in silence, not blinking once.
Rin was silent for a moment.
Then she let out a long sigh. "Honestly, what am I supposed to do with you..."
He hasn't even reached puberty yet... Could it really be because of the nightmares?
But why has His Highness recently been dreaming about himself, me, and all our other companions getting into danger?
Given His Highness's instincts, one nightmare could be dismissed as coincidence. But two or more...
That would be a revelation from fate.
Is something bad about to happen? And does it involve all of us?
Is that why His Highness wants to sleep together, just so he can feel safe?
With those thoughts in mind, Rin raised one finger.
A faint blush crept onto her face as she spoke somewhat shyly.
"Just this once, okay? And no matter who asks later, you can't tell them about it. Understand?"
Rin looked at Ryo with an exasperated, helpless smile.
After thinking it over for a moment, she hesitated, but eventually took Ryo by the hand and led him toward the bedroom.
As they walked, Ryo vaguely heard the girl muttering under her breath. "His Highness is still just a child. He doesn't count as a man yet, so it's fine. He's just feeling insecure."
"Mm. That's right. Exactly. So sleeping with a boy won't cause any problems."
Ryo nodded approvingly beside her.
Yep, yep, exactly.
I'm still just a kid, after all, so hugs, cuddles, and sleeping together are perfectly normal, right?
At least, Ryo himself thought his actions were perfectly normal. In fact, he even felt that he was doing a good deed.
He was strengthening the bond between Kalki and his future girlfriend.
Yeah, he wasn't just using his identity to protect Kalki. He was also taking care of Kalki's future love life.
Truly... a Saint.
.
.
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