Chapter 326: Yoshino (Part 2)
"Hmm—" Kurumi pressed her temples, rubbing her aching head from the intense thinking. "So, to train her main personality, you want me to steal her rabbit doll?"
"That's right."
"Aren't you afraid she'll explode?" Kurumi squinted her eyes. "A rabbit can bite when it's desperate, let alone this little rabbit who is an angel-powered spirit."
"So this plan will take a few days to implement. We need to make sure that Yoshino trusts the people here first."
"Does it really have to be that complicated?" Esdeath rested her chin on the back of her hand. "Just take her to my interrogation room…"
"After a while, I'll have the Heart Pirates return to the North Sea. Bepo is almost becoming your personal toy!" Eric muttered, "If you don't want to participate in the plan, don't interrupt."
Esdeath fell silent.
Kurumi gave her a "you deserve it" look. "I'll steal her doll from the shadows, so what happens next?"
"Hmhm~" Clearing his throat, Eric gently caressed his chest with his left hand and raised his right arm toward the upper diagonal, Speaking the next step: "Then, it'll be time for His Highness, the Prince, to make his entrance!"
…
The room immediately fell silent.
"…" The other women's gazes made Eric, who was striking a pose, flush with embarrassment.
"Hahaha…" A pure, bright smile spread across Miku's face as she squeezed over and wrapped her arms tightly around Eric's arm. "Darling, you're my prince charming~ You saved your Miku~"
"R-really…?" Eric's tone rose as he watched her flawless, well-maintained skin up close, the intimate contact, and the fresh lavender scent that sped up his male hormones.
The others' eyes were all focused on Eric.
"Please, you two should wait until you're alone to get all mushy…" Kurumi suppressed her discomfort.
"Mm-hmm." Akame nodded seriously. "And… Eric, your heart is beating so fast."
"My body's fine." Eric interrupted, not wanting Akame to continue with any more shocking statements.
"So, what happens next?" Kurumi brought the conversation back to Yoshino. "Next, you'll take Yoshino around to search for her doll?"
"Not bad, Kurumi, you guessed my plan right away." Eric gave her a thumbs up.
"When Yoshino is feeling weak and helpless inside, Eric-, you'll step in and enter her heart?"
"C-Kurumi-sama…?"
"You'll raise her favorability to the highest, and then that night, like investigating her body, you'll carefully lick every inch of her, savoring her taste…"
"No, no, no…" Eric shook his head in denial. "How could you think that?"
"Darling… you're so bold!" Miku covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide open.
"Miku, you fell for Kurumi's trick!"
"I think Kurumi's right."
"Even… even Akame too… Is my reputation that bad?" Eric lowered his head in disappointment.
"Just kidding~" Kurumi giggled. "You don't have the guts to do that…"
Eric bitterly smiled. "Is this a compliment or an insult…"
Everyone laughed together.
"Clearly, even though I'm this ripe fruit, hanging alone on the tree for so long…"
"Hmph~" Esdeath huffed. "The public grain belongs to me."
The atmosphere immediately turned tense.
Kurumi glared at Esdeath, while Esdeath wore a victorious expression, her gaze gliding over her bust, smiling down at Kurumi.
"Alright, alright!" Eric intervened, Breaking the eye contact between them. "I'll take Yoshino to look for the doll and talk to her to help build her courage for her main personality."
"I understand, after that, I'll hide the doll in Yoshino's wardrobe. Remember to find it." Kurumi sighed deeply. "Helping the man I like pursue other women is such a complicated feeling."
"Mm-hmm." Akame nodded along.
Miku turned her head to look at the two of them, tightening her arms around Eric's.
"Esdeath, remember to speak gently to Yoshino. She's one of us."
"I understand." Although Esdeath looked down on weakness, she was friendly toward her companions.
◇
"Huh? Yoshino, what are you looking for?" Baby-5, wearing a maid outfit, was cleaning when she accidentally bumped into Yoshino, who was frantically searching for her doll.
Baby-5's voice caused Yoshino's body to tremble significantly, and Yoshino nervously started to back away.
"Huh?" Completely unlike her usual lively self, Yoshino now looked like a frightened little animal, and Baby-5 furrowed her brow.
Yoshino's beauty, combined with Yoshino's lively personality, had earned her quite a lot of popularity among the women on the ship.
After Eric corrected Baby-5's overly twisted sense of devotion, she retained her helpful personality and wanted to assist this child who seemed to need care.
"Wuwu…" Yoshino jumped and ran away.
"Wuwu…" Baby-5 stood in place, feeling hurt. "D-did she hate me?"
"No." Eric arrived a step too late and saw a green shadow vanish around the corner.
Baby-5 stood straight. "Captain Eric!"
"She's just too timid. She doesn't hate you." Eric's voice reassured Baby-5. "Now, we need to fill her with courage."
"The rest is up to me." Eric patted Baby-5 on the shoulder.
"Got it."
A small green figure was rapidly darting through the corridors of the Without Fear ship.
"Bang."
Two similarly small bodies collided.
"Ah…" One of them let out a soft cry.
Wendy quickly scrambled to her feet and asked urgently, "Are you alright?!"
Wendy's voice made Yoshino's body shrink even more.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Wendy immediately used her healing magic, a bluish-green aura appearing around her hands.
The petite figure emitted a clicking sound, like teeth clashing, and began to tremble all over.
Yoshino's originally pale face turned even more so, and in a panic, she got up and fled the scene once again.
"Eh?" Wendy was left standing in place, helpless.
"Aiya." Eric's voice came from nearby. "This really is a case of one mistake leading to another."
"Brother Eric!" Wendy looked at Yoshino's direction, her face full of concern. "What happened to Yoshino? Is she okay?"
Eric slapped his chest. "Don't worry, I'll watch over her. She won't get hurt."
"Phew~" Wendy exhaled softly. "Then I'll leave it to you, Brother Eric. You must help Yoshino."
"Leave it to me!"
In a dark dead-end alley, Yoshino curled her body into a ball, hiding there, softly murmuring, "Yoshinon…"
Yoshino's game of hide-and-seek couldn't escape Eric, whose Mind Net was fully open. The soft footsteps approached her, causing Yoshino's body to tremble once more.
Eric softly called out, "Yoshino?"
Yoshino, with a pale face, finally stopped running, revealing an expression on the verge of tears, raising her right hand high.
'Is she going to summon an angel…?' Eric realized that Yoshino was about to explode.
"Wait!" Eric tilted to the right and lay down on the ground. "I surrender! I surrender!"
Yoshino, about to lower her hand, froze and slowly slowed her movement.
Then, in a trembling manner, she placed her right hand back in its original position and peeked at Eric from under her hood.
The few people hiding in the shadows sighed in relief.
"Didn't expect Darling to lie on the ground."
"Finally, no big trouble."
"Ah, next time, let him clean my floor with his body."
Eric remained lying on the ground, slowly raising his head. "Don't rush."
"…"
Yoshino didn't speak, keeping her guard firmly on Eric.
"I see your expression… are you looking for something?" Eric got straight to the point.
"…!"
From Kurumi's shadow, someone let out a small cry:
"Stupid, asking questions so bluntly!"
"Are you, by any chance, looking for your doll?"
"…!" The moment Eric finished Speaking, Yoshino's eyes widened in surprise.
Then, she rushed toward Eric, grabbing his head and shaking it as if interrogating him.
"That… that hurts… can you stop?"
Yoshino finally released Eric's hair.
Eric stared directly into Yoshino's eyes. "Did you lose your doll?"
"Tch, you already know the answer, why ask? Scumbag." Eric thought he heard Kurumi say this.
Yoshino nodded firmly, looking anxiously at Eric with eyes that seemed to ask, "Where's my doll?"
For a moment, Eric wanted to tell her the answer but held back.
"Sorry, I don't know where it is…"
Hearing Eric's words, Yoshino's face turned into one of despair, crouching down and beginning to sob, "Wuwu…"
"She made the little girl cry, what a jerk!"
(END CHAPTER)
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