Lucas could tell exactly what was running through Jean's mind. Her usual cavalry uniform had a skirt that offered some cover—but this light, thin yukata left nothing to the imagination.
"Relax," Lucas said quietly. "It's dark out. No one's going to notice. Besides…"
His hand slipped around her back, smooth and deliberate, like a teasing serpent. "You should be proud of them, don't you think?"
"Mm…"
Anyone else trying something like that would've been on the receiving end of Jean's sword by now. But when she remembered everything that had happened between them before he left, that thought vanished—and something else, warm and dangerous, rose in its place.
Would she… get another chance with him during this trip?
That thought hit her so suddenly that she shook her head hard, scolding herself inwardly. What are you thinking? He's surrounded by beautiful women. Someone like me doesn't stand a chance.
"Captain Jean!"
Klee's cheerful voice yanked her straight out of her thoughts. The little girl was pointing excitedly at a street stall. "Klee wants yummy food!"
Rows of snack stalls lined the streets, one of the highlights of Inazuma's fireworks festival. In Mondstadt, people preferred taverns—drinking and listening to bards' songs. But here, it was all about simple pleasures: oden, candied apples, fried noodles—treats you'd almost never find back home.
"Dango Milk! Sweet and creamy Dango Milk—special recipe by Tomoki!" The vendor grinned when he spotted them. "Hey there, little lady, wanna give it a try?"
Dango Milk, as the name suggested, was a drink made with chewy, tender dango mixed into rich milk. Just looking at it could make any child's mouth water. Klee's eyes sparkled as she turned to Lucas. "Daddy, Klee wants that one!"
"Three cups, please," Lucas said, holding up three fingers.
"Huh? Oh, I—I don't need one," Jean said, hesitating. "A knight should practice restraint with—mmph!"
Before she could finish, Lucas popped a dango right into her mouth. The soft, sweet flavor melted across her tongue, and her expression instantly softened in bliss.
"You're on vacation," Lucas said with a grin, handing her a cup. "Forget about all that nonsense for once. It's okay to indulge a little."
Jean blinked, then nodded. "You're right." She took the cup and began sipping, her shoulders relaxing as she tasted the foreign sweetness.
The vendor—Tomoki, according to the sign—didn't seem to have much business, but he was in good spirits nonetheless. Chatting easily, he said, "Man, you're one lucky guy! A cute daughter and such a gorgeous wife—what a life!"
"Ah—!"
Jean nearly choked on the dango she'd just swallowed. Her cheeks flushed bright pink, but she didn't say anything to correct him.
"That's not it!" Klee piped up earnestly. "Daddy's my daddy, but Captain Jean's not Mommy. Mommy asked Captain Jean to take care of me before she left, because Mommy went somewhere really, really far away."
"Oh, I see…" Tomoki blinked, misunderstanding entirely. He assumed the child meant her mother had passed away and Jean was the stepmother. Deeply moved, he quickly poured another cup of Dango Milk and handed it to Klee. "Here, this one's on the house. Don't worry, your mom will come back someday."
"Thanks, mister!" Klee accepted it politely, beaming. "But Mommy already came back two months ago! Once she stops traveling, Klee, Daddy, Mommy, and Captain Jean can all live together!"
…Huh?
That was a lot of information to process all at once.
So—not what he thought at all. Was this… a two-wives-one-husband situation?
And if the kid was this cute, then her mom must be stunning too. Which meant—this guy had two beautiful women in his life, and they actually got along?
"Bro!" Tomoki gave Lucas a huge thumbs-up. "Respect!"
Lucas could only sigh and smile awkwardly. That expression said it all—Tomoki had definitely jumped to some wild conclusions.
Boom!
A sharp crack echoed through the night sky, followed by a dazzling burst of color. A single firework streaked upward and exploded overhead, scattering light like stars.
"It's… so beautiful," Jean whispered, awe softening her tone.
"Of course!" Tomoki said proudly. "That's definitely the work of Naganohara Fireworks. When it comes to pyrotechnics, no one in Inazuma can compare!"
He wasn't exaggerating. Fireworks weren't new to Jean—Mondstadt's festivals had them too—but compared to this, theirs seemed dull and small.
"Then let's enjoy the show," Lucas said, glancing at Jean's profile. Her face was lit with pure joy, her eyes reflecting the shimmering colors above. In that moment, she looked nothing like the calm, disciplined Acting Grand Master—just a radiant nineteen-year-old girl.
This was who Jean really was, beneath the weight of duty and legacy. Not the heir of the Gunnhildr family, not the pillar of the Knights of Favonius—just Jean.
Suddenly, Lucas felt a warmth against his palm. Jean had quietly slipped her hand into his. He smiled and intertwined their fingers in response.
Then he remembered—Klee.
He turned to take her hand, only to grab at empty air. Panic hit him instantly. He looked down—she was gone.
Jean noticed a second later, her voice rising in alarm. "Klee! Klee, where are you?!"
A cold dread settled in Lucas's chest. She must've wandered off while they were watching the fireworks.
Klee loved to explore—it wasn't unusual for her to run off. Back in Mondstadt, it wasn't a big deal; everyone knew her, and she knew her way around. But here, in a strange foreign city, a little girl running off alone could spell disaster.
"Wh-what do we do?" Jean's voice trembled as she searched the crowd. "I—I lost Klee!"
"Don't panic," Lucas said quickly. "She can't have gone far. Let's split up and find her—now!"
Jean's heart was pounding, but she forced herself to calm down and nodded. "That's right… I can use Elemental Sight. Inazuma's still enforcing the Vision Hunt Decree, so Klee's elemental particles should stand out more clearly than usual."
"Yeah. Let's search the area first," Lucas said, giving her shoulder a reassuring pat. "If we still can't find her… I'll ask the Yashiro Commission and the Tenryou Commission to send people to help."
That wasn't an exaggeration. With Lucas's current influence, getting official manpower wouldn't be difficult at all.
The two split up immediately. Lucas summoned Yotohime, the Hannya Mask, and the Scroll of the Hundred Ghosts' Night Parade, instructing them to aid in the search.
He didn't possess a Vision, but since he commanded elemental power himself, he could still activate Elemental Sight.
Elemental Sight worked like the "Eagle Vision" from Assassin's Creed—it allowed one to see traces of elemental energy left behind. Anyone with a Vision, or any creature capable of channeling elemental power, naturally released small elemental particles. And the stronger the elemental use, the more distinct the traces became.
However, even with Elemental Sight active, Lucas couldn't find any sign of Klee's pyro residue. For the first time, he wasn't sure where to even begin.
"Well, well. Isn't this our boss?"
A shadowed voice came from behind him. Lucas turned and saw over a dozen muscular men in black standing there. The crowd around them instinctively stepped aside, wary of their presence.
The one who'd spoken was none other than Watanabe Masaru—one of the lieutenants of the Inagawa-gumi.
After Hayama Genichirou had handed the leadership of the Inagawa-gumi over to Lucas, he'd left most daily operations to the lieutenants. Watanabe was ruthless by nature, but utterly loyal to his new boss.
Inazuma's underworld respected strength above all, and Lucas's near-demonic power had long since earned their submission.
"Watanabe?" Lucas's eyes lit up slightly. "Perfect timing. I need your help with something."
Watanabe and his men exchanged glances, then nodded in unison.
A moment later, the street filled with the sharp sound of blades being drawn. Shing! Shing!
Over a dozen swords flashed under the festival lights, sending nearby civilians fleeing in a panic.
"Two strokes across, one down—means kill. Two slashes and a force—means done!" Watanabe barked, eyes fierce. "Say the word, boss. Who do we take out?"
"Put those away!" Lucas groaned, half-laughing. "No one's getting cut. I need you to find someone."
"Find someone?" Watanabe raised an eyebrow. "Alive or dead?"
"Alive!" Lucas snapped. "If that girl so much as gets a scratch, I'll hold you all responsible!"
The men straightened immediately. Watanabe's expression even softened with something like admiration.
Helping the boss snatch a girl—now that's the kind of job that fits a proper yakuza!
"Got it, boss!" Watanabe nodded briskly. "You got a picture or description?"
"No photo, but she's easy to recognize," Lucas said, thinking. "Blond hair, red eyes—not an Inazuman look. Really cute. Oh, and her ears—like this…"
He raised a hand beside his head, mimicking Klee's pointed elf ears. "She's small, maybe… under ten years old."
"Under ten?" Watanabe froze, then frowned seriously. "Boss, come on. Even we've got standards. That's way too young. At least wait a few years before—"
Lucas blinked, then realized what the man was implying. "What the hell are you talking about?! She's my daughter! She wandered off!"
"Ah—well, that changes everything!" Watanabe laughed awkwardly and waved a hand. "You heard the boss! His daughter's the Inagawa-gumi's little princess now! Spread out and find her—turn the city upside down if you have to!"
"Yes, sir!"
The men dispersed immediately, vanishing into the crowd like trained hounds.
Lucas sighed. He didn't love the idea of stirring up this much chaos, but right now, time mattered more than appearances. With this many people searching, Klee would be found soon enough.
———
Meanwhile, the very girl causing all this panic had no idea how worried everyone was.
Klee had simply been drawn toward the dazzling fireworks, squeezing through the crowd for a closer look. Her tiny frame quickly disappeared into the sea of people—no wonder the others couldn't spot her.
"Wow!"
She found an open spot with a perfect view. The brilliant colors reflected in her red eyes as she whispered, "So pretty… so, so pretty!"
"Of course it is!" a bright, cheerful voice answered from behind her. "They're my handiwork, after all!"
Klee turned around and saw a beautiful blond young woman smiling at her. "You made those fireworks, miss?"
"That's right." The woman tapped her finger under her nose, proudly grinning. "As the future head of Naganohara Fireworks, I, Yoimiya, have full confidence in my craft!"
"So you're Yoimiya-san! I'm Klee!" Klee giggled, then suddenly frowned a little. "Wait—that one wasn't quite right."
"Oh?" Yoimiya tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"The last firework," Klee said seriously. "If you increased the gunpowder content by about… seven percent, I think it'd look even better!"
Yoimiya blinked, stunned. She'd been crafting fireworks for years, but even she'd noticed that last one wasn't perfect—and hadn't figured out why. Yet this tiny stranger not only spotted the flaw but even gave an exact adjustment ratio?
This… was a prodigy.
"You… know fireworks?" Yoimiya asked, almost breathless.
"Klee doesn't know much about fireworks," Klee said honestly, shaking her head. "But Klee knows bombs! Anything that goes boom—Klee knows all about it!"
"For real?!" Yoimiya's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Then, Teacher Klee, would you do me the honor of checking out a few of my unfinished ones?"
"T-Teacher Klee!"
The word teacher hit Klee like a thunderbolt. Combined with her bubbling curiosity about fireworks, she completely forgot about Jean and Lucas for the moment. Her little head bobbed up and down like a drum. "Klee wants to go!"
As for Yoimiya—well, she was practically the queen of kids. She often played with the neighborhood children and, seeing Klee for the first time, simply assumed she was a newcomer who'd moved nearby. Without a second thought, she grabbed Klee's hand with a grin. "Come on! We can make fireworks—and there's tons of snacks to eat too."
"Yay!"
———
Meanwhile, Lucas was still frantically searching.
When it came to fighting, he was confident. But searching for a missing child? That was an entirely different battlefield.
And the timing couldn't have been worse. The fireworks festival had reached its peak—streets packed shoulder to shoulder with people. Trying to find one tiny girl in that crowd was like fishing for a single spark in a sea of lanterns.
What do I do… what do I do…
It wasn't just worry for Klee's safety gnawing at him. If he couldn't find her, the blow to Jean's heart would be devastating.
No. No matter what it takes, I have to find her.
[Idiot. If there are too many people in your way, just get rid of the extras. Problem solved.]
That was System's voice in his head.
"Right…" Lucas muttered. "If I could clear the area, I'd have a much better view. But how…? I can't just… kill them all, can I?"
The thought flashed through his mind—and he crushed it instantly, horrified by himself. What the hell was that?
[Take a look at your talent pool, genius. The system gave you all those rewards—don't tell me you've just been letting them collect dust.]
"Oh…" Lucas's eyes lit up. "Right!"
He opened the system interface, scrolling quickly—until he found exactly what he needed.
[Sense of Pressure: Releases a powerful aura centered on the user. Weaker beings will faint instantly under its influence.]
When he'd first unlocked it, Lucas had written the ability off as useless. Now, it was the perfect tool.
Anyone with a Vision had enhanced physical resistance due to their connection with elemental energy. If he adjusted the output carefully, he could knock out normal civilians without harming those who possessed Visions. And since Inazuma's Vision Hunt Decree had drastically reduced that number, it would drastically narrow his search field.
It would definitely ruin the festival—but for Klee's safety, he had no other choice.
He could always fund a new fireworks show later to make up for it.
With that thought, Lucas didn't hesitate. He activated Sense of Pressure.
The effect was immediate—a wave of invisible force spread outward from him like a shockwave. It worked much like Conqueror's Haki from One Piece: anyone too weak to withstand it simply collapsed.
Lucas kept the power in check—enough to cause fainting, not harm.
The aura rolled across the streets. One by one, people began to sway, blink in confusion, then crumple to the ground.
One. Two. Five. Ten. A hundred.
Before most even realized something was happening, they were out cold.
"Boss! Another bowl of ramen!"
At a nearby stand, a tall man with two horns slammed his empty bowl down on the counter, laughing heartily. "You said if I eat ten, it's on the house—huh?"
Arataki Itto blinked. His table of Arataki Gang brothers had all suddenly slumped under the table.
"Hey! Come on, guys! You don't gotta fake a faint just to dodge the bill! Not cool! Hey, boss, you—huh?"
Before he could finish, the ramen vendor collapsed too.
Itto stood, bewildered, and looked around. Every stall, every customer—the entire street had dropped like dominoes.
Though his Vision had been confiscated by the Vision Hunt Decree, his oni body was far tougher than a human's. Even so, the overwhelming aura made his head spin, and the ten bowls of ramen in his gut weren't helping. Groaning, he staggered over to a tree and threw up violently.
All across the festival, other Vision holders who'd resisted the fainting found themselves staring in disbelief.
Kujou Sara, patrolling the streets, froze as civilians dropped around her like flies. Even the elite Tenryou Commission soldiers beside her didn't last long before collapsing.
Jean, who had been searching nearby, stopped short, eyes widening at the sudden sea of unconscious people.
After about five minutes, Lucas finally deactivated Sense of Pressure. Everything within sight was utterly still—not a single person left standing.
The longer the ability remained active, the wider its range spread. If he'd kept it up, he could've knocked out half of Inazuma.
"Klee! Klee!"
With the crowd gone, his view was clear—but still no sign of her.
He didn't know that Klee had already been "abducted" by Yoimiya.
"Huh?"
A calm, amused voice spoke from behind him. Lucas turned to see a slender young man standing there, his long crimson hair tied back, two tiny moles beneath his eyes.
"Well, if it isn't you again, Lucas," Shikanoin Heizou said, expression unreadable. "According to my deductions, anywhere you go, something interesting is bound to happen. This little 'mass fainting incident'—let me guess, you're involved?"
"Heizou!" Lucas groaned. "I don't have time to explain. I only did this to find someone."
"Find someone?" Heizou's eyes lit up, his detective instincts kicking in. "Now that's a case for me. Don't panic—just tell me everything you know."
The sight of Shikanoin Heizou was enough to ease Lucas's nerves a little. After all, this man was a professional detective—he had to have plenty of experience tracking down missing people.
Without wasting a second, Lucas quickly described Klee's appearance and personality in full detail. As usual, Heizou calmly picked out the key points and jotted them down in his little notebook.
"I see," Heizou nodded thoughtfully. "When a child that young goes missing, it's usually because they wandered off while playing. During every fireworks festival, we get a few similar cases—but they're all found safe and sound. No need to panic."
"Yeah, well... Klee's curiosity and playfulness are about ten times worse than an ordinary kid's," Lucas sighed helplessly.
"Anything else I should know?" Heizou asked. "Maybe something about what she likes to do?"
Lucas rubbed his chin awkwardly. "Explosives."
"...Come again?" Heizou frowned, as if he wasn't sure he'd heard right.
"I said she likes playing with explosives," Lucas repeated honestly. "Real bombs—not fireworks or toy firecrackers."
But instead of looking alarmed, Heizou just stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... fireworks are still technically a kind of bomb. If she's fascinated by explosives, she'd definitely be drawn to fireworks too. Which means our lead might be..."
A spark flashed in Lucas's eyes. The two of them spoke in unison:
"Yoimiya!"
Heizou smiled. "Seems your reasoning isn't any weaker than mine, Mr. Lucas. Yoimiya of Naganohara Fireworks does love hanging out with kids. And with their shared passion for blowing things up, I wouldn't be surprised if they hit it off."
"You're a damn genius!" Lucas clapped Heizou on the shoulder. "I'm heading there right now!"
"Then I'll head back to the Tenryou Commission and cover for you," Heizou said with a sigh, glancing around at the civilians sprawled unconscious across the ground. "You caused quite the scene here. I'll be writing reports for days."
"Thanks a ton!"
Without another word, Lucas took off toward Naganohara Fireworks. He'd never been there in person before, but during his time inside the Simulator, he'd spent plenty of days living and working in that very shop.
As Lucas disappeared into the distance, Heizou stood there, rubbing his chin again. "Still... to knock out that many people at once... just how did he pull that off?"
———
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom of the Naganohara Fireworks residence—
"Hold still, Klee! Let me get you nice and clean!"
In the wooden bathtub, Yoimiya was helping Klee wash off the soot and gunpowder covering her from head to toe. They'd been working on fireworks together all day, and both of them were a mess. Yoimiya had drawn a warm bath earlier—no way she was letting her little helper go home all dirty after such hard work.
"It's so quiet," Klee said, her head covered in a fluffy crown of bubbles. "Did the festival already end?"
"Yeah, it is kinda weird," Yoimiya frowned slightly, then shrugged it off. "Eh, who cares! Once they see our new fireworks next time, it'll be even livelier than before!"
"Y'know," Klee blinked her big red eyes, staring curiously at Yoimiya, "Klee just noticed... Yoimiya onee-chan's are really big."
If any other girl were told that, she'd probably blush to death. But Yoimiya wasn't the shy type—instead, she grinned proudly. "That's because I drink Musashino-brand milk every single day! If you drink it too, Klee, you'll grow up just like me."
The truth was, Yoimiya didn't even like milk that much—she was slightly lactose intolerant. Too much, and her stomach would start rumbling like crazy. But she put up with it anyway, determined to stay strong and healthy.
"Mhm! Klee wants to grow up like Yoimiya onee-chan," Klee said seriously. "If Klee gets as big as Mommy or Jean, that'd be way too heavy!"
In Inazuma, most women—especially humans—weren't exactly... well-endowed. By local standards, Yoimiya was already on the generous side. But hearing that Klee knew people even bigger than her somehow stung a little.
Still, she quickly bounced back, pumping a fist to herself. "No worries! I've still got room to grow. As long as I keep it up, they'll definitely get bigger!"
With that, Yoimiya suddenly leapt out of the tub, grabbed a bottle of milk from the nearby counter, and laughed. "Watch closely, Klee—Yoimiya onee-chan's gonna chug this whole thing in one go!"
"Wow! Go, Yoimiya onee-chan! You're amazing!"
Basking in Klee's enthusiastic cheers, Yoimiya tilted her head back and downed the entire bottle in one mighty gulp. When she finished, she put her hands on her hips and let out a long, satisfied sigh—radiating pure confidence.
And right at that exact moment—
BANG!
The wooden door flew open with a loud crack. Lucas burst in, panic written all over his face. "Klee! Are you here—?"
But the sight that greeted him froze him in place.
There, standing proudly in the middle of the bath, was a completely naked blonde girl—hands still on her hips, hair shimmering gold as the night breeze swept in through the open window.
"I'm so sorry!" Lucas blurted, mortified. "A guy from the Tenryou Commission told me Klee might be here, so I—"
Before he could even finish, another figure rushed in behind him—Jean, who'd followed after hearing the commotion. She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the same unbelievable scene.
The silence that followed was excruciating.
And then—
After chugging an entire bottle of milk and suddenly being caught in this kind of situation, Yoimiya's body betrayed her. Along with the lingering scent of milk came the loudest, most heroic belch Lucas had ever heard in his life.
"BUUUURP!!!"
———
Twenty minutes later.
Outside the room, Jean was giving Klee a stern "talk," while Klee sniffled pitifully in response.
Inside, Lucas bowed deeply before Yoimiya in the traditional Inazuman way. "I'm so, so sorry! This was entirely my fault—I was way too impulsive!"
Yoimiya's face was the picture of despair.
Being seen like that by the guy she actually liked… even for someone as carefree as her, the humiliation was unbearable. In that moment, Yoimiya wanted nothing more than to dig a hole in the ground and never come out again.
"I-It's fine… really…"
Yoimiya forced herself to swallow the wave of embarrassment rising in her chest, giving an awkward little laugh. "Honestly, it's my fault. I was way too careless—who just brings a random little girl home like that? It's only natural you'd be worried as her parents."
What stung even more, though, was the fact that the man she liked not only saw her at her absolute worst, but—apparently—was already married with a child.
That blonde woman from before looked exactly as Klee had described… and, much to Yoimiya's dismay, was even more well-endowed than she was. Especially there—the kind of figure that just screamed "fertile" and "motherly." It made Yoimiya want to crawl under a rock.
"Uh… you've got the wrong idea," Lucas said, rubbing the back of his head. "Jean's not my wife. And Klee… she's not actually my daughter."
He'd had to explain this so many times by now that it came out smooth as water.
"Oh—oh, I see!" Yoimiya let out a long breath of relief. "That's… good to know."
"Good? Why's that?" Lucas blinked.
"N-Never mind!" Yoimiya's face turned red. "Anyway, I'm just glad everything was a false alarm. But, um… I have one small request."
Lucas nodded. "Go ahead."
"Could you… maybe forget what you saw earlier?" Her face flushed deeper as she bit her lip. "I'm worried you'll get the wrong impression of me. I'm really not like that normally…"
She was trying, desperately, to piece back together what little dignity she had left.
"I don't think it's that big a deal," Lucas shrugged with a grin. "Actually, I kinda like how honest you are. Besides… that figure's not something a guy can just forget."
Yoimiya ducked her head, cheeks blazing red. "S-Stop talking…"
Before the air could get any thicker, there was a knock on the door. Jean entered, holding Klee's hand. The little girl's face was downcast, eyes watery.
"I'm sorry, Miss Yoimiya," Jean said apologetically. "Klee caused you a lot of trouble. I've already had a talk with her."
"I'm sorry too…" Klee mumbled, lowering her head. "Klee shouldn't have run off."
"It's fine, you didn't cause me any trouble," Yoimiya said quickly. "Just remember not to follow strangers next time, okay?"
Klee tilted her head. "Even if they're nice people like Yoimiya onee-chan?"
"No exceptions!"
For once, Lucas's tone turned serious. Sitting down on a chair, he patted his knee. "Klee, come here."
Klee froze. She'd never seen her "Dad" this stern before. A little scared, she shuffled over obediently.
"Lie across my lap," Lucas said.
Her eyes widened. She seemed to realize what was coming, her little face turning pale. "C-Can we not…"
"No," Lucas said firmly. "It's my job as your father to teach you."
Knowing there was no escape, Klee reluctantly bent over his knees. Lucas raised his hand—and brought it down without hesitation.
"Still think it's okay to run off?"
"Waaah! Klee won't do it again!"
"You better not! You scared everyone half to death!"
"Klee's sorry! Don't hit anymore!"
"Ten smacks, or you'll never learn!"
"Daddy, please! Klee won't ever do it again!"
———
Watching from the side, Jean's expression turned uneasy. "Isn't this… a bit much?" she murmured.
After all, Klee was the daughter of Alice—the legendary witch of the Hexenzirkel. Even as her acting guardian, Jean had never dared to punish her like this. The worst she'd ever done was give her a time-out.
But Yoimiya shook her head. "No. When a kid messes up, they need to be punished. Don't you think… this feels more like what a real parent would do?"
"A real… parent?" Jean repeated softly.
"Parents who discipline their kids are real parents," Yoimiya said seriously. "If you're always polite and gentle, you're not raising them—you're just some nice stranger. When I was little, I got into trouble all the time. My dad used to spank me too, but I knew… only family has the right to scold you like that."
Her words hit Jean harder than she expected.
Because of her parents' divorce, she'd been separated from her father, Simon Page, since childhood. As the bishop of the Church of Favonius, he'd always been gentle—so gentle that it felt distant. He never once raised his voice at her again.
And now, watching Klee crying in Lucas's lap, Jean felt an odd pang of envy.
For the first time, she realized: from this moment on, Lucas and Klee weren't just playing pretend anymore. They had truly become father and daughter.
———
Klee might've cried like the world was ending during her spanking, but her sunny personality bounced right back. Before long, she was giggling again, looking up at Lucas with that mischievous grin that melted any father's resolve.
And Lucas? He was helpless. How could he not spoil her?
When he noticed her eyelids drooping, he chuckled. "It's getting late. We should head back."
"Klee's… not sleepy yet…" she yawned mid-sentence, her little body swaying. "Next time… can Klee come play with Yoimiya onee-chan again? Make more fireworks together…?"
"Of course," Yoimiya said warmly. "Naganohara Fireworks will always welcome you." Then, as if remembering something, she pulled out a small firework shell and handed it to Klee. "Here, this one's the one we made together today. It's yours. But remember—light it from at least ten meters away, okay?"
"Klee has a present too!" the sleepy girl mumbled. She dug into her backpack and pulled out a round, doll-shaped bomb. "This is a Jumpy Dumpty. When you use it… stand thirty meters away…"
"Thirty meters?" Yoimiya blinked, amused as she accepted it. "That strong, huh?"
Lucas laid a firm hand on her shoulder, dead serious. "Don't underestimate her 'toys.' Make it fifty meters—just to be safe. Otherwise… someone will get hurt."
"Eh?" Yoimiya gulped, gripping the Jumpy Dumpty like it was a live grenade. "I-It's that powerful?!"
"Anyway, just think of it as a keepsake," Lucas said quickly, realizing his earlier words might've sounded a little too ominous. "If you actually set it off like a firework… the Tenryou Commission would probably come knocking."
"I-I get it!" Yoimiya carefully tucked the Jumpy Dumpty away.
Sure, the thing felt like a live grenade in her hands, but since it was a gift from Klee, she was determined to keep it safe no matter what.
"Alright, say goodbye to Yoimiya onee-chan," Lucas said, giving the little girl in his arms a gentle bounce—only to find her fast asleep, cheek pressed against his shoulder. He could only smile helplessly.
"Shh, don't wake her," Yoimiya whispered, pressing a finger to her lips. "Goodnight, little Klee."
When Lucas finally left Naganohara Fireworks with Jean and the sleeping Klee, the streets of Hanamizaka were slowly coming back to life. The townsfolk who'd collapsed under his Sense of Pressure were starting to stir, rubbing their heads in confusion, no idea what had just happened.
"Hey! You bastards again! You're behind this, aren't you?!"
The shout came from down the street. Lucas looked up to see two groups in a heated standoff—on one side, Watanabe Masaru and his Inagawa-gumi men; on the other, Kujou Sara leading a squad of Tenryou Commission soldiers.
The Inagawa-gumi and the Tenryou Commission had never been on friendly terms, and Sara, with her zero-tolerance attitude toward crime, despised them even more than the Arataki Gang. After all, the Arataki Gang were just rowdy slackers—the Inagawa-gumi were actual criminals.
It looked like Sara had pinned the blame for the "mass fainting incident" squarely on them.
Seeing the situation, Lucas hurriedly handed Klee to Jean and ran forward. "Miss Kujou, wait—it's all a misunderstanding!"
"You?" Sara blinked. "I'm on official duty. Don't get involved."
Lucas caught her sleeve, lowering his voice. "I swear on my life, they had nothing to do with it. Please, just this once—let them go."
Sara frowned. She didn't really have any solid evidence anyway, and after a brief pause, she nodded. Turning to her men, she said curtly, "We'll let you off this time. But watch yourselves. Move out."
The Inagawa-gumi members looked stunned. They'd been sure that ticking off this infamous "iron woman" meant at least three days in a cell. Yet a single word from their new boss had made her back down.
They'd thought Lucas was just strong. Now they realized he had powerful connections too—and their respect for him grew even deeper.
"Damn, boss! You even managed to calm that scary woman down!" Watanabe Masaru's scarred face split into a grin. "The boys were out looking for that kid, then all of a sudden we all passed out. When we came to, the Tenryou Commission was already on us! Said it was our fault!"
Lucas laughed awkwardly. Now that things had settled down, he realized how reckless he'd been. If his Sense of Pressure had spread any farther, he might've triggered a full-blown panic across Inazuma City.
He gestured toward Jean and Klee behind him. "It's fine. I found my daughter."
"Don't just stand there!" Watanabe barked to his men, instantly lining them up. The whole group bowed deeply to Jean in unison. "Good evening, sister-in-law!"
Jean's face turned scarlet in an instant. She had no idea how to respond, so she just nodded stiffly, silently accepting the title.
"Alright, enough of that," Lucas said, rubbing his temples. He pulled a money note from his pocket and handed it to Watanabe. "Masaru, thanks for helping out tonight. Take the boys out for a drink on me."
It wasn't about the money—what really lit up Watanabe's face was hearing Lucas call him "Masaru" instead of "Watanabe." Grinning ear to ear, he nodded. "If you insist, boss. We'll get out of your way now. Come on, boys—let's move."
As they walked off, one of the younger men leaned in curiously. "Uh, Masaru-aniki, didn't the boss already have a sister-in-law before? How come there's another one now?"
He was, of course, referring to Shenhe—the mysterious, terrifyingly strong woman who'd left a deep impression on everyone in the Inagawa-gumi.
Masaru smacked him lightly on the head. "Don't ask what you shouldn't. A man like the boss? It's normal for women to like him. Just don't mix them up next time, got it?"
And with that, the night's chaos finally came to a quiet end.
———
By morning, the authorities released a public statement about the "mass fainting incident."
According to the Tenryou Commission, the Raiden Shogun had accidentally released some divine energy while preparing for the upcoming Transmission of Heart martial arts tournament. The resulting surge caused mild discomfort among Inazuma's citizens.
Of course, it was just a cover story. But with the Shogun taking the blame, no one dared question it further. After a few days of gossip and speculation, the matter was dropped completely.
———
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit tavern tucked away on the outskirts of Inazuma—
A rowdy group of mercenaries in foreign garb were drinking and cheering around a table. Their clothes and accents marked them as Sumeru natives—members of the Eremites.
Specifically, they belonged to a unit known as the Blazing Beasts. They'd recently completed a caravan escort job to Inazuma, and now that their payment was secured, they were doing what mercenaries did best: celebrating hard.
Their feast wasn't tofu or grilled dango like the locals preferred. No—tonight's entertainment was a full-blown bar brawl that had started over someone bumping shoulders the wrong way.
Thud!
A burly man wielding a scythe crashed to the floor, teeth scattering across the wooden boards as his comrades roared with laughter.