She had held her many times—tightly.
Their chests pressed together, sometimes even tumbling to the ground.
Yet those moments were only born of emotion. Those embraces carried nothing more than affection, nothing else.
At the time, she hadn't thought of yuri at all, only treated her as a pure friend.
So Zeroy felt there was nothing wrong.
Even recalling it now, realizing how close they had been, she didn't regret it.
Her heart and actions were clear as a mirror!
Still, today's intimacy reminded her of her orientation—she even felt it physically.
Now she couldn't see Patchouli just as a friend.
Even memories of those past embraces came tinged with the remembered feel of skin-on-skin closeness.
Going forward, her thoughts would surely lean toward yuri when she was with Patchi…
Zeroy guessed so.
Because she truly desired Patchouli—her as a person, and her body as well.
Before, she could stay distracted by her busy life, ignore her orientation, ignore Patchouli's allure. Now, however…
Like a cat that had tasted meat, there was no going back.
So—it was time to come clean!
She decided: once this mission was over, back in Main God Space, she would confess.
Why not now? Zeroy hesitated, fearing a sudden confession might push her away.
She needed some groundwork first.
"Meow~"
A sharp, tempting cry split the silence, syrupy and deliberate.
Zeroy instinctively looked down at Kuroka on her lap. However, the black cat's ears were pricked, golden eyes staring at the window.
Following her gaze, Zeroy saw a snow-white kitten on the sill, its silver fur gleaming softly in sunlight, golden eyes bright with tentative hope.
"Shirone?" Zeroy's brows rose.
"Meow~"
The white cat answered softly, then leapt gracefully down, stepping lightly toward her.
Its posture elegant, tail arched with dignity, yet the trembling tip betrayed its anticipation.
"Why are you here? Looking for Kuroka?" Zeroy asked gently.
The white cat gave no reply, only padded forward.
She leapt onto the sofa, nudged her head against Zeroy's arm, affection restrained, then nestled into Zeroy's arms and began to purr.
Kuroka's golden eyes glinted slyly. A puff of smoke, and she was human again.
Lounging lazily on Zeroy's lap, her black ears twitched, tail swaying as violet eyes sparkled with pride. "I asked Shirone to come, meow."
"We said I still had lots to teach her, so I had her seek me out, meow." Her voice was sweet, tinged with boast.
She could have gone to Shirone herself, yet running off so soon after being taken in didn't sit well.
More importantly, every moment was a chance to raise Zeroy's favorability. Even just sitting quietly by her side built closeness.
Her gaze shifted to Shirone, lips curving in playful tease. "Though it looks like little Shirone didn't only come for me, meow."
Her tone stretched, deliberately taunting.
"So fond of Master? You'd abandon even your sister, not say a word to her?"
Kuroka sighed, feigning sorrow. Her tail drooped, ears sagged. "Really now, I might get jealous, meow."
"Master?"
Shirone, too, took human form, petite body half-leaning against Zeroy, fingers clutching her sleeve, eyes clouded with puzzlement and wary tone.
Kuroka's grin widened, ears perked, tail flicking. "That's right. Just accepted her as my keeper~"
She pressed closer to Zeroy, leaning toward Shirone with a tempting lilt.
"Want to join too?"
Shirone lowered her gaze, fingers tightening unconsciously on Zeroy's sleeve.
Silent a while, she finally shook her head, voice quiet yet firm. "No. I can't abandon Lady Rias."
Her words were calm, though a trace of hidden conflict lingered.
"I'm sorry, Lady Zeroy…"
Watching the two nekomata sisters, Zeroy's emerald eyes grew thoughtful.
Should she confess to them too?
They were getting awfully close—two bodies, one petite, one voluptuous, pressing against her from both sides.
She was literally being embraced left and right.
"Cough—"
Zeroy cleared her throat, fingers stroking Shirone's silver hair, rubbing Kuroka's black ears, her voice tinged with helplessness.
"Alright, enough. No need to force a choice. I have no quarrel with Rias. Shirone, you're free to stay wherever you wish."
She paused, tone softening. "If you want to visit, you're always welcome."
...
Following her astrology, Patchouli arrived in Kyoto.
Amid traditional architecture, she felt countless energies.
Barriers, seals, arrays, youki, spiritual power—all tangled together.
Unlike the towns she had seen before. Put simply, this place was lively, especially at night.
Here, the extraordinary gathered thick and active.
It was almost like Gensokyo's ancient days, where humans and youkai lived together.
"So this is the center of this country's extraordinary?"
Cautious, Patchouli scouted before stepping in.
Her astrology then guided her to one of Kyoto's great houses—the Hyakki.
"Honored guest, what brings you here?"
Her magic had cut through their barrier in an instant, placing her before a middle-aged man.
But shaken, he didn't attack. Instead, he stepped back, wary yet courteous.
A wise man—whatever means she used, to invade their core so easily meant she had to be treated with care.
Anger at intrusion, arrogance of status, the hardness of a clan head—all tucked away.
"I've come to reclaim something—a force that troubles you, that you cannot control."
...
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