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"Hiss—!"
Minato took a sharp breath and immediately figured out what Genova was trying to do.
Wolong Genova... you really live up to your name.
Every time, she managed to surprise him.
And since this was his follower's wish, of course, as her master, he had to fulfill it.
Minato adjusted his position a little, then calmly picked up the notebook on the table and kept flipping through it like nothing was going on.
But Genova kept sneaking glances at Minato!
There was a flicker of nervousness in her eyes.
Still, she inched closer.
As a Holy Sword user…
Cleaning and maintaining blades was a serious art form.
And every time, she gave it her all.
Even when she was tired, she never slacked off.
First it was gentle, then it got more intense.
The cloth she used to polish the weapon was soft and smooth—one of her most treasured possessions.
But honestly, compared to the value of the sword itself, it was nothing.
[Origin 1021][Origin 1035][Origin 1039][Origin 1]
Minato kept reading intently, but his breathing had definitely gotten heavier.
A hand gently stroked Genova's hair, like he was petting a kitten.
"Hmm?"
Minato suddenly twitched and looked toward the door.
Someone else had just shown up.
"My King, still reading?"
Erica walked in like a classy noblewoman. Her black stockings shimmered under the light.
Her steps were calm and elegant, but there was a hint of shyness in her eyes.
Offering herself up like this…
Was seriously embarrassing.
But luckily, it was just the two of them here.
At least, that's what she thought—until she heard a tiny sound.
Her brow furrowed as she tried to listen more carefully.
Then suddenly, her eyes widened in disbelief.
Who was that?
Wha-wha-WHAT… That's so shameless!
Without meaning to, her face went hot, and her thighs started shifting uncomfortably.
That perfect polite smile she'd practiced? Gone. Her face was completely flushed.
Minato gave a pat, then chuckled, "Erica, something you need from me~~?"
"N-no… not really. I just saw the lights were still on and figured I'd stop by to say hi to my Master."
Erica took a deep breath, trying to act casual.
"Yeah?" Minato smirked playfully, giving her a teasing look. "I thought maybe you came to remind me of my royal responsibilities."
Erica froze, voice trembling, "I-I really was just passing by…"
"Well then, good night, my King. I'll be going now!"
She gave a quick bow and fled like her life depended on it.
"Tsk, what a shame. Erica's still too shy..."
Minato sighed and tightened his fingers a bit. "But hey... we can take our time."
The next morning!
Minato walked out of the study.
Last night, he'd dived deep into sacred gear research and read through a pile of magic books.
Completely lost himself in the sea of knowledge.
But even today, he looked totally refreshed.
He couldn't help but admire his dual-body constitution—part God Slayer, part Demon.
Truly unbeatable.
He headed to the dining room. Erina Nakiri was already cooking breakfast.
These days...
She was pretty much the official chef of the apartment.
Unless something major came up, she'd always show up during mealtime using teleportation magic to cook for everyone.
And honestly...
She loved every minute of it.
Every meal was a chance to use rare ingredients she brought back from the Healing World.
"You're here, my King,"
Erica greeted him, though her expression looked a little off.
You could even see faint dark circles under her eyes.
Last night...
She'd had another bout of insomnia.
That tiny bit of courage she'd worked so hard to build up had been crushed in seconds.
Especially when Genova's voice had started echoing later on.
Even though Erica used magic to shut off her hearing, she still couldn't sleep.
Because, seriously—
This was so damn frustrating!
She hadn't even gotten to start her beginner-level battle…
And the expert had already swept in and taken the win.
"Morning," Minato waved at her meaningfully.
He sat down and waited for breakfast.
But inside, his mind was spinning.
If things kept going this way… how many more girls were gonna start throwing themselves at him?
That afternoon — Supernatural Research Club.
"The Committee for Historical Accuracy?"
Minato sipped the tea Akeno Himejima brought him and raised an eyebrow. "They want to meet me?"
"Well, technically, they said pay their respects."
Rias explained, "They're not sure what kind of temperament their new King has, so they didn't dare come to you directly."
"So they reached out to me instead, hoping I'd make the intro."
"Oh? My fiancée's doing favors for them?"
"Well, they are the only official jujutsu organization in this country,"
Rias replied seriously. "Even we devils sometimes have to deal with them."
"Of course, if you don't want to meet them, that's totally fine too."
Minato shook his head, "If my fiancée's already spoken for them, I can't just ignore it."
"When do they want to meet?"
"They're ready now. Been waiting all day."
"Then let's go see what this is about."
On the way there, Minato and Rias chatted.
Mostly about the current efforts toward establishing peace among the three great factions.
As expected, the news had caused a huge stir once it broke out.
But!
Surprisingly, there hadn't been any major backlash from extremist groups.
Which was... kind of strange.
Rias frowned. "That's exactly what worries me—it's too quiet."
"Yeah," Minato nodded. "Feels like someone's deliberately keeping it under wraps."
"And if they can get those fanatics to stand down… they must be someone pretty damn powerful."
"Man… why can't people just appreciate peace?"
Rias sighed. "Why do some folks always have to be so damn clingy to chaos?"
"If you can understand a madman," Minato laughed, "then you're probably mad yourself."
"But honestly, in a weird way… this might be a good thing."
"A good thing?"
"Sure."
Minato explained, "Whoever's behind this? They're gathering all the troublemakers in one place. Makes it easier to wipe them out in one go."
Rias: "..."
That actually… made a lot of sense.
She had no comeback for that.
But that's just how Minato was now—her fiancé.
Somehow, without even realizing it, he'd become someone powerful enough to shift the balance of the divine war...
"....."