The moment she heard this, the expression on Bronya's face froze.
In fact, before hearing that, Bronya never in a million years expected Leo Ash to actually come to her room.
Although Bronya held special feelings for Leo Ash, and she had indeed built up some resentment because of his previous actions, rationally speaking, Bronya truly felt she had to face a problem, which was...
—Leo Ash had never shown the same kind of romantic feelings for her as he had for Kiana and the others.
There was even one time when Bronya had been completely direct with her advances, but just when Bronya thought Leo Ash would do something to her...
Well, Leo Ash really did do something to her then.
But it wasn't what she had imagined! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
In that confined illusion with just the two of them, the atmosphere was perfect, yet he actually used a special method to make them enter an illusion and start talking about *work*, instead of doing *those things* to her like Bronya had imagined!!!
Although in Bronya's eyes, Leo Ash really was that kind of person, to actively throw herself into his arms only to get this result was a considerable blow to Bronya's heart.
Because of this, in the resentful girl's eyes, even if Leo Ash left Kiana's place, he should have gone to find Mei, Anna, or Fu Hua, not her.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing the slightly surprised Bronya, Leo Ash smiled and walked toward her.
"You seemed to hold a grudge against me before, so why have you gone quiet now that I'm here?"
"Hmm, if you've really crashed, then..."
Looking at the girl who had grown quite a bit taller and whose figure had clearly changed so much, Leo Ash forcefully pulled her into his arms and, using the simplest and most direct method, kissed the flustered girl in his embrace.
Bronya, who originally had the idea to resist, struggled symbolically in Leo Ash's arms a few times before finally giving up on thinking and choosing to submit to Leo Ash's actions.
As their lips parted, Bronya, who had already figured out certain things, now stared at Leo Ash's face, slightly annoyed.
Facing the girl's glare, Leo Ash said with a playful grin.
"After that crash, was that level of stimulation enough?"
Faced with Leo Ash's teasing, Bronya, who now completely understood certain things, finally realized today why Leo Ash had sought her out.
During the three-year period, because Bronya's age was the third youngest among her peers, her body hadn't reached the age for development.
And since her figure hadn't developed, no matter how rich her theoretical knowledge was, it was useless if she couldn't attract the person she wanted to attract.
If the hardware isn't up to par, no amount of theoretical knowledge matters.
And now, she completely understood the reason why Leo Ash had taken the initiative to find her today.
Her figure had gotten better.
And after Leo Ash returned, he had noticed the changes in Bronya, who was mixed in with the crowd.
It was precisely because she had guessed this correct answer that Bronya, while secretly delighted that [Big Brother Leo noticed me], also felt a flash of annoyance and embarrassment from the thought that [Big Brother Leo likes them big—he's such a colorghost!].
Although, in the end, the feeling of delight clearly overshadowed the annoyance, looking at the Leo Ash before her, who was clearly much more open in personality, Bronya still said 'fiercely' to Leo Ash.
"Big Brother Leo, you... you big jerk!"
"That's right, I've never been a good person—you all just see me through ridiculously thick rose-colored glasses. That's not a good sign."
Amidst the girl's cry of surprise, Leo Ash directly scooped Bronya up in a princess carry and roughly tossed her onto the large bed in the room.
"Today, I think you need to get to know me all over again, Bronya."
After Leo Ash's rough action, which was carried out with a gentle posture, Bronya looked at the man approaching her and felt only one thing...
—Ah, this is simply wonderful.
In the past, when she had told Leo Ash, 'You're under too much pressure, Bronya... it's okay,' she was genuinely worried that the immense pressure would drive Leo Ash insane from his own sense of responsibility.
But now, the Leo Ash before her was clearly no longer forcing himself to charge forward as he had in the past. Under these circumstances, aside from a slight annoyance, Bronya's heart was filled only with relief and excitement.
Of course, now that Finality had been defeated, she had no idea if there were any other enemies in this world that everyone needed to be wary of.
But she felt this wasn't her fault; if anyone was to blame, it was Leo Ash for the deep-seated stereotype he had given everyone!
Of course, in reality, even now, Bronya's thoughts were still a little off from the actual situation.
Leo Ash said he wanted to relax, but the reason he sought out Bronya first...
—Of course it wasn't because Bronya had turned into a "Big Duck," what are you thinking!
He said he wanted to relax, but after seeing that information, he still subconsciously felt he should find someone to talk to.
As a result, this subconscious thought led him to the room of Bronya, the Herrscher of Reason.
Originally, Leo Ash was considering whether to return the Authority of the Herrscher of Reason to Bronya, but as soon as he got here, he heard the girl's resentful words.
What was there to think about? It was all over now. At a time like this, faced with a girl he liked and who adored him, if he didn't Do it, what kind of man would he be!
"Get to know you again?"
Despite being thrown onto the bed by Leo Ash, a mysterious smile flickered in Bronya's eyes.
"Hmph hmph, Big Brother Leo, you already finished with Sister Kiana, didn't you."
"Sister Bianka also chased after you, I assume you took care of her too."
"The Kaslana family's stamina is astounding. After taking care of both of them..."
Suddenly sitting up and pulling Leo Ash onto the large bed, Bronya whispered by Leo Ash's ear.
"Is it really a good idea to provoke me, the king of theory?"
Wow, so stimulating.
Hearing Bronya's suggestive words, Leo Ash truly felt he hadn't misjudged her.
When he came to Bronya's room, Leo Ash had thought he was just overthinking it when he saw Bronya had replaced her bed with a super-sized one.
But now, after hearing what she said...
—This Lewd Duck, she really did prepare this bed just for today!
I can't let her stay this smug. I must strike back hard!
"The king of theory is, after all, just the king of theory. You just have experience playing certain roles—in reality, you're a total rookie.What are you pretending to be an old pro for?"
After pushing the girl down, Leo Ash looked at Bronya, whose eyes were filled with anticipation, and said to her.
"You've already provoked me to this extent, so it'd be wrong if I didn't win against you today."
"Play a game with me, Bronya. I can guarantee..."
"—This time, the winner definitely won't be you."
.....
Two hours later
After the battle ended, Leo Ash, who had lost count of how many showers he'd taken today, looked at the girl who was completely unconscious from exhaustion and truly felt that Bronya's willpower was incredibly firm.
It made sense. A girl who was a top soldier in her teens was bound to be mentally tough.
If Yuna, the victim who had killed her mother, hadn't appeared before her back then, it definitely would have been much harder for Leo Ash to break through her mental defenses in that Stigmata Space in Yae Village and make her realize just how heinous her actions were.
Honestly, he really didn't get this group of lovers of his. Why did they all fight so hard when it came time to Do it?
Normal couples should be cuddling after Do-ing it a few times, but every single one of them exhausted their stamina to the absolute limit every time, only passing out from exhaustion, disgruntled, at the very end.
After finishing his shower, Leo Ash suddenly heard Bronya utter a sleepy mumble in her unconscious state.
"Big Brother Leo... Seele... and everyone..."
"We have to stay together forever..."
"This idiot."
Hearing Bronya's sleepy mumble, Leo Ash walked over and crouched down in front of the girl, a helpless look on his face.
"I'm a huge player, you know. Even after realizing that, every one of you is still so..."
"Sigh, before loving others, you all should love yourselves more. You all have such a strong spirit of self-sacrifice; you're putting a lot of pressure on me, you know."
However, Leo Ash, who was saying these things, knew very well that if he were to stop doing certain things now, it would be truly nonsensical.
From the moment he chose to have a harem, there were some things he just had to do.
More than one girl had fallen for him for various reasons, and Leo Ash held corresponding feelings for them too.
Faced with those who didn't have such thoughts, Leo Ash certainly wouldn't just accept anyone who came along.
But faced with these girls who had feelings for him, and for whom he also had feelings, well, Leo Ash felt that...
—Since I'm already a harem-building scumbag, if I don't create a world where everyone is happy at this point, then I'm the worst kind of scumbag there is.
Geez, I just finished sleeping with one, and now my mind is already planning who's next.
Am I, right now, unleashing my instincts?
Looking at the girl who was still murmuring in her exhaustion, Leo Ash bent down and placed a light kiss on Bronya's forehead.
"Goodnight, Bronya."
Sigh, I'm not going to overthink it.
Finishing what needs to be done and shouldering the responsibilities I'm supposed to bear—that's much better than being wishy-washy here.
....
Schicksal HQ
In Seele's room, Seele Vollerei, whose body had also matured a lot, was feeling very conflicted.
Leo Ash had successfully defeated the Cocoon of Finality and returned to Schicksal HQ. Seele was, of course, overjoyed.
On a professional level, as a member of Schicksal and as a human being, Seele was naturally happy that humanity had overcome a calamity—one that should have required immense sacrifice—with almost no cost.
On a personal level—the man she adored had returned to them safe and sound. If Seele wasn't naturally such a reserved person, she definitely would have shown her feelings much more openly.
But right now, Seele's feelings, aside from happiness, also contained a faint trace of... regret.
Although she completely understood why Leo Ash had gone to find Kiana, his 'wife' in all but name, right after returning, Seele, who had watched him do it, certainly didn't feel good about it.
More than three years had passed. In that time, as Seele's body matured, her feelings for Leo Ash naturally grew more intense.
Although, looking back, Seele felt that when Leo Ash saved her, it was probably just because he wanted to save someone, with no other motive, but...
—To Seele, who was saved, Leo Ash was her hero.
Even knowing that if it had been anyone else by his side at that time, even Uncle Mike or the bartender uncle, Leo Ash would have saved them, but for a young girl in love, none of that mattered.
Seele, who hadn't wanted to disturb Leo Ash's work, had hoped to muster the courage to confess to Leo Ash after the great battle.
But now, she had the courage, but after seeing what Leo Ash did...
[I'm telling you, if you get discouraged over something like this, then all the courage you've been building up while worrying for the past three years is just a joke.]
That's easy for you to say, but...
[Besides, the fact that Leo Ash has something going on with all those women is pretty much an open secret at Schicksal.]
[You were already mentally prepared for it, but now you're wavering again just because you saw it happen directly?]
Even if you say that...
[You gotta have guts, Seele! If they can Sleep with Leo Ash, why can't you?!]
My other self—what, what are you saying!
[Stop messing around. Just tell me, do you want to Sleep with him or not?]
...I do.
[Heh, well there you go.]
[If you want something, you have to go for it. Three years ago, you just waited and waited, and ended up with nothing.]
[Now your chance is here. Tell me your answer, loud and clear—]
At that moment, in a room that should have been empty, Seele uncontrollably shouted words she would immediately regret.
"T-Today, I'm going to Sleep with him!"
[Very good... wait, no!]
[Th-Th-This—how can it be such a coincidence????]
Huh? My other self, what on earth are you talking about.
"Um, Seele."
Leo Ash, who had just teleported into Seele's room, thought it over and decided it was probably best for him to speak up.
"It's been a few years. Compared to the past..."
"—You seem to have gotten a lot bolder."
"Eh?"
Upon hearing that voice she had longed for day and night, Seele, who had just bravely declared her intentions, stiffly turned her head to look behind her.
Right behind her, Leo Ash, who had appeared here at some unknown time, was staring at Seele, who had just uttered that embarrassing phrase, with a slightly awkward expression.
Faced with this awkward situation, Seele, who had just made that bold declaration, now truly felt as if her brain had completely crashed.
And the other Seele, hiding inside Seele's body, didn't dare say a word now.
She had never dreamed that Leo Ash would appear in this place at this exact moment.
......