Even with the huge mask between them, Youmi could practically feel the string of question marks covering Eldlich the Golden Lord's face. From behind the mask came a low, muffled voice.
"Just what is wrong with your onee-san today?" He squatted down and poked the foam-mouthed House Dragonmaid, then looked toward Youmi, who was hiding behind the sofa. "I merely wished to borrow Laundry Dragonmaid for a moment. Why did she react as though she'd seen some kind of demon?"
Youmi slowly peeked out from behind the sofa and held up three fingers at Eldlich.
"One: I'm not her little sister. I don't know about Chamber Dragonmaid, but I'm definitely not. I'm Youmi, a temporary guest here at best."
Though he didn't fully understand, Eldlich nodded anyway.
"Two: who's going to believe an undead when he says he's not a demon?"
Eldlich froze, raised a hand as if wanting to remove his mask, then let it fall in defeat.
"…Fair enough. Go on."
With each point, Youmi lowered one finger. Now she folded the last one back.
"And three… you lolicon, what are you doing looking for our little Blue? Don't tell me you want to drag her off to your Golden Land to make her work overtime?"
Youmi stared at him as though looking at living garbage.
Eldlich shuddered under that gaze, his shoulders trembling.
The eyes on his mask glowed red, and golden light began to shine across his armor. Stepping right over House Dragonmaid—who let out a weak "Ugghh"—he loomed over Youmi.
"I am no lolicon. Laundry Dragonmaid is simply… adorable. My feelings toward her are nothing more than the pure admiration between friends."
"I get it, I get it. 'Admiration between friends,' 'pure feelings,' all that. Isn't that exactly what lolicons say?"
Even though Eldlich stood over her in a threatening posture as if ready to crush her, Youmi was far more focused on another part of what he'd said.
"And besides, doesn't that mean you're not denying that you want to drag Laundry Dragonmaid off to do unpaid labor for you? You're really bold, Mr. Eldlich, poaching from our household?"
"I…!" Eldlich jerked violently, taking two steps back in fright. "I…! Do I look like the sort who would shamelessly drag people from another faction into my domain?! If no wages are paid, it's not labor! I merely found a human who resonates with me, and wished to borrow Laundry Dragonmaid—Laundry Dragonmaid-sama—to offer assistance!"
Before Youmi could retort, Kitchen Dragonmaid arrived, having finished her task. She pointed at where she guessed Eldlich's nose would be.
"Not paying wages makes it worse than exploitation, you know?!"
"Guh!" Eldlich shrank back like a scolded animal, unaware he was stepping on House Dragonmaid again.
"I only…! I only wanted to get along with Laundry Dragonmaid! And besides, I'm an immortal undead! Of course, I wouldn't have any impure thoughts toward someone so much younger! As for wages, I can at least provide food and clothing!"
Nurse Dragonmaid, who had just finished bandaging Laundry and led her into the living room, hurriedly pulled the girl behind her.
"See? This is why you shouldn't get close to suspicious adults like him."
Yet, Laundry slipped out of her grasp and ran to Eldlich.
"Eh? But Eldlich-ojisan is nice to me… he even gives me candy…"
Hearing a certain keyword, Parlor's gossiping spirit ignited. She practically teleported to Blue's side.
"Candy… could it be deoxyribose?"
"For the last time! It's not like that!!" Eldlich stomped hard, releasing a shockwave that sent Parlor flying. He grabbed Youmi in one hand and Laundry in the other, glaring at Youmi. "This is all your fault, you foolish dragon! You're coming with me too!"
Before Youmi could react, Eldlich bolted out of the mansion with both of them under his arms.
Parlor took a couple of steps in the direction the trio disappeared, then looked back at her sisters.
"Hey, Gold Shiny just ran off with Blue and our guest! And uh… where did House-onee-san go?"
"House-onee-san is under your feet right now, and as for the others…"
Chamber had appeared without anyone noticing. Watching the direction Eldlich ran, she placed a hand on her chest. "I trust Eldlich. You were all joking far too much. Besides…"
A faint light flashed in her eyes.
"I can feel the bond between us and the guest—no, with our master."
Underfoot, the newly awakened (or stepped-on-awakened) House rasped weakly:
"You two… get off me… or I'll show you what Ascension Fist really feels like…"
….
Meanwhile, in the bizarre landscape of the Spirit World, Eldlich sprinted with both arms full—Laundry Dragonmaid tucked safely under one arm, while Youmi… was not nearly as comfortably carried.
"Hey, you're squeezing way too hard. And you said you resonated with some human… who exactly? And where are you taking me?"
Eldlich did not answer her directly, perhaps scared of Youmi's venomous tongue.
"He is an outstanding individual. I can sense light traces of his presence on you. It seems you know him as well. Good. If you come with me, surely you'll be willing to help him fulfill his wish."
Just as an image of a certain person appeared in Youmi's mind, Eldlich suddenly stopped walking.
"Taking her away? Giving her to someone else? Making her admire someone assisting him?"
Standing in front of Eldlich was Blazing Cartesia—shrouded in a red-and-black aura, her eyes hollow.
No. Something about her felt off. This was not the Cartesia Youmi recognized. Even with how little lore Konami had provided, the intensity of the obsession before her felt wrong.
For a moment, Youmi even considered the possibility that Cartesia was the real transmigrator.
"Cartesia-sama, the last gathering wasn't that long ago. What business do you have with me now?"
Eldlich had no way of knowing how deeply Cartesia had fixated on Youmi. He assumed she was simply muttering irrelevant matters on her way to see him.
A Duel Disk formed on Cartesia's right arm out of red-black light. She snapped out of her dazed state and glared directly at Eldlich.
"Eldlich. Though we are allies for now, I advise you to hand her over. Otherwise… heh, I don't mind changing allies. And I doubt he would mind either."
"Oh? You're interested in this foolish dragon?"
Eldlich at once dropped Youmi, letting her fall to the ground. A golden Duel Disk materialized on his left wrist. "I might have given her to you before, but since you choose to threaten me, you had better be prepared to face a king's wrath."
Cartesia did not reply to Eldlich. Instead, she turned to Youmi, smiling.
"How wonderful… This might be the first time you've truly looked at me. Don't worry, once I deal with him, I'll take you away. To the place that belongs to us~"
Youmi stared into Cartesia's red eyes and slowly pushed herself up.
"You know me… but I don't remember ever meeting you." She kicked Eldlich away, raised her right arm, and a dragon-wing-shaped Duel Disk appeared. "If you need help, I'll gladly assist. But if you're only here to make others miserable—then I'll stop you just the same."
The teal gleam inherited from Chamber Dragonmaid flashed sharply through her eyes.
"It's just that our goals… might differ."
"Youmi-sama, please use our strength."
Without a draconic form of her own, Chamber Dragonmaid rode atop House Dragonmaid's dragon form, Sheou, and arrived beside Youmi. She leapt down gracefully and handed over a Deck. "I don't know why, but I feel a strong bond with you… as though we once fought side by side."
Youmi wanted to say she really had used the Dragonmaid Deck before; regardless, the Dragonmaids of this GX world were clearly different from those of the Silver Castle. They were not counterparts of her worldline. So in the end, she simply said:
"Maybe~"
She smiled at the Dragonmaids who came to help. Without glancing at Eldlich, who was rolling on the ground seeing stars while clutching Blue, she inserted the Deck into her Duel Disk and looked at Blazing Cartesia.
"This really isn't the situation I wanted. You're always like this; always forming bonds, always shining so brightly you warm others. Though you… why do you never…"
Cartesia's voice sharpened abruptly… then cut off.
"Never mind. We have plenty of time."
She snapped her fingers, and a Deck appeared on her Duel Disk.
"If you're going to use a new bond, then I'll use the new power I've gained as well. I'll show you that in your eyes… I alone am enough."
Youmi shook her head.
"I don't want to get too involved with a yandere-type character. That said… if there's truly something you need from me, I might consider it."
"No… I already know what you're like. You never change. I know you far too well…"
Cartesia sighed deeply. The glimmer in her eyes, born of anger, slowly faded.
"DUEL…"
"DUEL!"
...
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