There's a small fleet of ships setting sail in this chapter.


Tio liked to think she was a good multitasker.

She was proving it that very moment after all- kissing Haru, hugging Haru, loving Haru, and praying to Rhea that she wouldn't squish Haru while doing the other things!

Her head was all fuzzy and her senses were on overdrive, but weirdly enough, control of her body remained secure.

It felt almost like there was a 'lock' on her muscles, where holding Haru firmly was easy, but she kinda felt like she'd have to try seriously hard to squeeze him too tight, even though she shouldn't need nearly all her strength to do so.

And since she didn't want to squeeze Haru too tight, Tio decided to take it as her prayers being answered, and neither overthink things nor get careless.

If her thoughts had been less Haru-centric, Tio may have realized that her prayers being answered was far from strange- the Great Mother was fond of her children finding romance, after all, and less than fond of things that got in the way of that romance.

Like accidental cripplings.

But mostly Tio was thinking about how she really liked how Haru's bold side was showing up more and more often, and it was really hot when it was brought out for the purpose of making the two of them feel good together.

She was sitting on the bed with her feet on the floor, and Haru was taking advantage of how long her legs were to kneel on the bed between them, giving him a good angle to kiss her dizzy.

For no real reason at all, a delighted giggle escaped the adorable blonde, and another as the first sound came out slurred, which had made her imagine that the sound had gotten tangled up in their tongues.

Then her tongue found its way into Haru's mouth, but it wasn't a sign of her taking control of the kiss- rather, it was a sign for Tio's blissful dizziness to grow both in strength and sweetness as Haru sucked on her tongue, prompting the bizarre yet happy fantasy that she was a drink being enjoyed by him.

A solid, but comparatively slight weight pressed against her more insistently, squishing her boobs out in every direction, and, without knowing how it happened, Tio felt her back against the bed.

Haru broke the kiss and rose, kneeling but now straddling her bare stomach, his naked torso rising and falling lightly as he caught his breath.

Despite being less than half her weight and less than half her physical strength, somehow it felt like she wouldn't be able to get Haru off of her even if she wanted to, which suited Tio just fine because she definitely didn't want to.

Doing that would ruin the view, and given that she couldn't see the towel past her breasts, it kinda made Tio feel like her breasts were the only thing 'covering' Haru's body from view.

Which was kinda funny since her boobs weren't covered by anything, since she hadn't tucked them back in her clothes after Yukio had tugged her yukata open before leaving, having gotten them both successfully in the mood.

Speaking of clothes, it was kind of impressive that the towel around Haru's waist was staying there-

As if it had only been waiting for her to pay attention to it, Tio felt the damp towel fall onto her body, as the only garment covering Haru's body apparently took it upon itself to end its appointed task.

Tio went red because as she abruptly realized the boy she loved was naked and on top of her, Haruhiro went red because his erection made itself proudly known, thrusting forward enough that if he slid forward, he'd be poking Tio's cleavage with it.

Still red in the cheeks, Tio flashed a mischievous smile up at him.

Reaching her hands up slowly, she pressed them firmly on top of her massive breasts, and slowly pulled them apart, widening the valley of her bust just enough so that she could peer through and catch a glimpse of Haru's manhood.

"Bet it'd feel really, really good if you stuck it in there, huh~?" Tio purred enticingly, jiggling her tits slightly for emphasis.

Haruhiro gulped audibly at the seductive expression Tio was gazing up at him with. As if in a trance, he shuffled forward, enough that his cock was between, but not touching Tio's breasts.

With a coo, Tio gently closed her tits around his shaft, enveloping his length in silken warmth. A groan escaped Haruhiro's mouth as his waist slowly lost strength. sinking down until he was seated properly on Tio's abdomen, his cock was left even more fully smothered than before.

Tio giggled joyfully, seeming to enjoy his reaction, though in fact she was screaming at herself internally because her instinct had outpaced her reason.

… Having Haru's… d-d-d-dick between her boobs felt kinda comfy, even if it was hard, and hot, and kinda made her want to squirm.

Embarrassment aside, making Haru feel good really did make her feel happy, and that thought quickly helped her regain control of her actions.

Also, this was the first time she'd been grateful for getting a little sweaty when she was nervous, because it had made her cleavage slippery and reduced friction (which Cerea had taught her about).

Then Haru seemed to get an idea, and despite having his cock between her tits (even thinking that made her feel a good kind of funny), suddenly, Tio wasn't in control of the situation once again.

Getting back up on his knees, Haru put his hands on top of her breasts, so that her nipples were gently rubbing against his palms, and began to lightly rock his hips back and forward.

The heat in her cheeks rose violently as Tio realized that Haru was basically having sex with her boobs.

… And she liked it.

She liked it a lot.

Keeping her boobs pressed together, but not too tight, Tio squirmed happily as Haru thrust into her cleavage, the springy globes ripple every time his hips hit. It was kinda ticklish but felt amazing, and somehow Haru smiling down at her just made it feel all the better.

Her thighs rubbed, or rather slid together, and Tio noted with a bit of a shock how turned on she really was.

Did it make her a dirty girl that Haru having sex with her boobs made her wet?

… Maybe, but she was pretty sure that made her Haru's dirty girl, so-

Haruhiro blinked in a bit of surprise as Tio suddenly giggled, but it was such a joyful sound that his expression softened immediately.

"You really are a joy to be around no matter what, huh?"

"I dunno if that line counts as kinky or not when you've got your dick between my boobs." Tio admitted back with a confused expression.

They both laughed a little at that, and for some reason, Haruhiro found his eyes drawn to the soft and tempting curve of her lips.

He'd figured out pretty fast that he preferred to give pleasure back to his partner whenever possible, and with their height difference, he was fairly certain he could-

Tio's cute features scrunched up in confusion as Haru's hands left her breasts, only to be replaced by his upper body as he leaned down on top of them.

Then her cheeks flushed rapidly as she realized how close their faces were, and Haru's hands slipped beneath her head to lift it up closer for a better angle-

"MMmph!?" Ruby eyes widened and shapely brown legs quivered as Tio suddenly found herself being kissed by Haru, while Haru still had his erection tucked between her cleavage.

In that very moment, Tio decided that, rather than being something to worry about, having a smaller partner was the best thing ever.

And she didn't feel any shame at all in that she'd had a little orgasm of her own before Haru exploded between her tits.


Tio humming blissfully as she used a towel to clean his cum off her breasts was probably one of the cutest lewd things Haru had ever seen, and given that he was rock hard already, it seemed the rest of his body agreed with him.

He pretended not to look when Tio surreptitiously gave the towel a little sniff, though he could easily admit that the way her cheeks when red and her eyes grew lidded was incredibly hot.

Tio seemed to jerk out of the trance she had found herself in, giving him a bit of a guilty look, and puffing her cheeks out cutely when she saw him averting his gaze but grinning wide.

"Meanie."

"Cutie."

"Yep!" Tio chirped back, poutiness forgotten in an instant.

Naked and cheerful, Tio sauntered back over to the bed, bending at the waist and tucking a lock of hair behind a pointed ear as she leaned down for a kiss, mindful of her horn.

Haruhiro smiled at her as Tio withdrew, and the Ogress, eyes bright, softly whispered "love you~"

"Yeah. I. Love. You. Too." Haruhiro rolled his eyes as Tio giggled- the stilted nature of his reply had been due to how Tio pecked him on the lips between every word.

Tio shivered as Haruhiro's deep brown eyes twinkled, anticipation rising as she wondered what inspiration had struck, and if it was going to be something lewd.

Haru tapped on her side, and she shifted to the side so that he could slide off the bed.

"Tio, stand up straight but put your hands on the bed."

"Mmkay," Tio obeyed without really thinking about it. Because of her height, she had to bend more than double to place her hands on the bed, and shuffled to make it more comfortable.

"Good, just like that." That was about the point where her curiosity slowed down its efforts to sweep her along with the mood, and Tio realized that not only did it look like she was presenting her bare butt to the room, and Haru, but with her thighs open she was showing off a little more than-

"Kya! H-H-Haru!?"

Unrepentant of how he'd flustered the blonde, Haruhiro licked her again before leaning around her thick thigh to look at her beet red face with an expression of innocent curiosity.

"What is it, Tio?"

"D-d-d-did you just l-l-lick my…?"

"Pussy?" Tio whimpered when he finished her sentence for her. "Yes. Didn't like it?"

"N-no, you just ummm… startled me a little."

"More fun that way." Haruhiro admitted without shame.

Tio puffed out her cheeks, and Haruhiro met her pout with an innocent smile, and a long drag of his finger that had Tio clamping one hand over her mouth in the wake of a throaty moan that filled the room.

Haruhiro flashed her a wink, and vanished back onto the other side of her thigh.

Tio bit her back another moan as Haru went on to not only prove once more that their height difference was an opportunity, and not an obstacle, but that his skill in kissing had wide ranging applications too.

Haruhiro had Tio quivering at the knees within moments of when he'd started eating her out.

It didn't surprise him at all that Tio was responsive, and while that was enough of a discovery on its own, another was unintentionally revealed.

Tio's vagina was very tight, and pushing his tongue inside her took effort, even with the way her body seemed to welcome the intrusion.

It wasn't as if he'd expected her not to be (somehow that seemed like a terrible thing to think about a woman), but a concern he'd dealt with before had reared its head- Tio was an Ogre, and Haruhiro was not an Ogre.

Would a human's 'size' be able to make her feel pleasure at all?

Well, now he had multiple reasons to believe they could make actual sex work.

Which was important, because he felt like Tio probably wouldn't have the heart to tell him if he didn't make her feel good, and even the thought of it made him want to find an out of the way location where he could die of shame without getting in anyone's way.

There was a plaintive, shakey little moan, and, with the sound of something heavy yet soft collapsing onto the mattress, Tio's trembling lower body pushed back briefly against his face, snapping Haruhiro out of his musings.

Musings that hadn't offered any meaningful interference to the cunnilingus being performed.

Though her knees were nearly bumping together, it was Tio's upper body that had given way first, and the colossal pair of tits that had acted like kinky cushions were bulging out in every direction. Bulging out in every direction, and currently having drool dripped onto them by their owner.

"H-Haruu~"

"You okay over there?"

"Now I know what Yukio means when she says she melted, my hips got all mushy for a sec there~" Tio's slightly loopy voice confirmed, her twisting her head to flash him a dewy-eyed smile. She couldn't be cross with Haru for not stopping when he'd made her cum, because he'd drawn out her orgasm farther than she thought possible, and it felt soo good~

Some womanly instinct suggested that she'd been what was distracting him anyways, so if anything it just made her love burn a bit brighter.

Gesturing for Haruhiro to back up, Tio let her quivering legs slowly give way, sinking fully onto the bed and into a pose that was only mildly less lascivious than before.

Rolling onto her back, Tio lay there with arms spread out, breasts jiggling languidly with the rise and fall of her chest as she caught her breath.

Feeling playful, Tio tapped her hands down on her thighs, making just enough sound to draw Haru's eyes. And then she slowly slid her hands up her body, feeling a little thrill as those deep eyes followed her fingertips on their journey to map out her curves.

Even putting aside her height, in proportion to her body, Tio's legs were very long, and though her thighs were thick, they were smooth, showing little muscle tone but having very little give to them.

Her butt however, definitely had jiggle to it, but in a springy way, well-supported by the wide curve of her hips.

Her stomach was trim, but not to the point where one could believe she'd had blunt objects broken over her abs more than a few times with little more than faint bruising. The tightness of Tio's waist seemed, to Haruhiro's appreciative gaze, like it was sculpted in such a way to maximize the visual impact of her breasts and butt.

That the biggest breasts in a party of women that bottomed out at F-cup didn't sag at all under their great weight seemed like a small miracle in and of itself, at times, but Haruhiro tried not to forget that the muscle supporting it was proof of Tio's devotion to being a shield for those she loved.

The way that warm and earnest love shone through everything about Tio was probably the reason.

… Probably the reason that when Tio had exposed her entire body to his gaze and touch, the thing Haruhiro loved about her the most was still…

"Yeah, it's definitely the smile."

Tio, whose trailing hands had just finished their journey after being used to accentuate blowing Haru a kiss, used those same hands to cover the luminous blush that had bloomed across her face.

"When did Haru get so good at being romantic?" Came the muffled whine that managed to not seem unhappy in the least.

"Maybe when he decided to do his best to make the people he loved happy?" Haruhiro suggested back with a wry grin. "No, maybe I should be more specific here- I can talk to you like that because I love you, and want to make sure you know it, Tio."

A cute but slightly incoherent high-pitched noise leaked past Tio's hands as her body rocked, as if it had just taken an impact.

"And there's that 'lub lub' feeling I keep hearing about." Tio murmured, peeking at him through her slender fingers.

That she once again could barely make eye contact with her bare boobs in the way was strangely adorable.

It was also strangely adorable when Tio lifted her legs straight up into the air, toes pointed to the ceiling, at his prompting, and used her legs to hide her blushing red face, even though most would think she was exposing a lot more embarrassing places to him.

"H-Haru, are y-you gonna stare or are you gonna-?"

Haruhiro stepped up to the edge of the bed, and gently took hold of her legs, spreading them apart so that they could see each other face to face.

Ruby eyes gazed up at him with a demure sort of eagerness, and their gazes remained locked together as he pushed his hips forward to make them one.


Tio had been a little worried that she'd be too big to make Haru feel good when they actually had sex.

Even being a little above average in size for a human didn't let Haru reach deeply, but the fit was snug, and…

Well, either she was just really sensitive, or just lucky that she hadn't tried losing her virginity with one of her own people.

Haru had pried open her legs and had an arm around each, both making it more comfortable for her to keep them up, and allowing eye contact.

… Tio really wished she was shorter, then they could kiss at the same time and she bet that would have felt amazing.

Haru made her moan when he shifted angles without warning, and that naughty little smirk of his made her heart throb.

Actually, being the height she was was just fine.

Though she didn't think she'd like 'rough sex' (whatever that was), being a lot bigger and stronger than Haru somehow made him being in control of her body incredibly exciting.

Maybe because love and trust were way more important to her than size or strength.

Love, and trust, and…

"H-hey Haru, I feel kinda funny, I t-think I'm about to-"

Haru grunted "yeah, me too," and picked up the pace.

Love and trust were important.

… But shared orgasms were pretty amazing too.


Naked cuddles were even better than regular cuddles.

… Probably only counted when you liked who you were cuddling with, but probably counted even more when you loved who you were cuddling with.

Haru had fallen asleep first, and getting to watch him sleep made Tio strangely happy, maybe 'cause she was part of the reason he was sleeping so soundly.

Also, she maybe hadn't really been convinced when Cerea told them that stamina in bed was apparently different from stamina on the battlefield, but Haru had gone two rounds of sex with her after he'd had sex with Yukio, and left them both feeling super loved and satisfied.

Not that she'd ever thought otherwise, but Haru was amazing.

And… well, she'd tell the girls, but maybe not tell Haru that she'd blacked out for a sec the second time he made her cum while he was inside of her.

Or that 'being dommed by your smaller partner' was now 100% a fetish of hers.

… Maybe she wouldn't tell Rachnera that.

But she was getting sleepy, and despite being the 'big spoon' (was it still spooning if you were face to face?) Tio was feeling very safe and protected.

And loved.

Yuki had been right.

Haru had freely offered her the love and trust she was afraid to want, and gently driven away her misgivings.

"Hah… I really do love you, Haru," Tio murmured softly, sleepy eyes sparkling with fondness.

Planting a kiss on his forehead, Tio snuggled in a little closer, and shut her eyes.


Waking up in the arms of a beautiful woman was a special privilege that Haruhiro felt incredibly blessed to have.

Thus, he wasn't frustrated, or angry, or anything like that.

Just terribly, terribly embarrassed.

"... Aren't you getting up, Haru?"

"I'd love to, but… I may have… overdone it?"

"Lemme rephrase that, can you get up, Haru?"

"No, no I cannot, Tio."

… They could hear Tio giggling all the way in the inn, and though she teased him on the way there, she didn't tell a soul that she'd carried Haruhiro part of the way to the main building.

Haruhiro had an inside day, which Yukio took shameless advantage of to play host for the morning and pamper him, enlisting Shu'ni as her assistant.

Also embarrassing, but they were being cute and happy so Haruhiro found it hard to mind.


… She could admit she was getting just a little impatient.

Belonging to the half of the group who hadn't slept with Haru was less than fun, even if no one rubbed her face in it, but she was also one of two women in the group who wasn't a virgin before he entered the equation, and she hadn't minded deferring to those less confident in their desires.

… It was just as true that even if she was a patient woman, that patience couldn't compare to that of someone who was essentially an immortal, like Iormu, or someone who just didn't have a lifespan, like Shu'ni.

Hell, she didn't even know what her lifespan was, Arachne didn't exactly die of old age very often, as far as she knew. Iormu had told her that Jorogumo were likely ahead of the curve, being as they had just a little Spirit in them, but had assured her that Arachne should at least live as long as Humans, likely longer.

Strange that she knew more about Jorogumo than her own breed- the ladies at the shop were chatty, nosy, but ultimately kind and considerate, so when she didn't have much to tell then they'd told her much instead.

But deep down, she truly did believe that if she could love Haru, and Haru could love her, then they could find a way to make things work for them.

Or rather, they were going to make things work, success was non-optional as long as Haru remained willing.

It was just that Rachnera was definitely more of a realist than an idealist.

Which is why she was working hard to gain the confidence that she wouldn't flay the skin off the man she loved when she took him for a ride.

… Having the self-discipline to wait and enjoying the wait were entirely different things.

But who knew, Haru had gotten a little more assertive, in the days following when he'd taken two girls' virginities in one night (was it weird she was proud of him?), and he definitely hadn't forgotten about her.

So she had reason to be optimistic about the future, and plenty of things to look forward to, it seemed, because their Thief was apparently good with more than just his hands-

"Oh, there you are."

Rachnera turned her head, a languid smirk on her face, and then stiffened up as she found her cheeks cradled between calloused palms, and-

"- thought that respecting your choices, and leaving you out, aren't the same thing, so that's my solution."

Haruhiro, feeling a bit self-conscious all of a sudden at the lack of reaction, took a big step back, fidgeting awkwardly.

The distance vanished as Rachnera looped her arms around his shoulders, carefully, and licked her lips, before returning the kiss with interest.

As she tasted Haru on her tongue, Rachnera concluded that while she was going to stay the course, that 'road' might have had a little more room to maneuver than anticipated.


They'd taken a few days break, after Yukio's rescue and awakening- they weren't really sure how she was able to tell, but dear Sayaka had been confident that they'd made more than enough 'progress' in the Dungeon that it would be appeased, and unlikely to cause trouble for the village.

… But they also hadn't challenged the Dungeon as a party, and were unified in their desire to test themselves with a serious attempt.

… And 'squash the big meanie that bullied Yukio', as Tionishia had quite aptly put it.

Such a darling.

Her precious companions were displaying in full the hot-blooded drive that her kind so adored to witness in the younger races, and Iormu couldn't have been happier to accompany them.

That happiness made it easier to conceal the maidenly giddiness that had kindled in her breast, as Haruhiro's assertive side gained confidence born of success.

… And she did not just mean how he had taught Centorea, Yukio, and Tionishia the joys of being a woman.

Not entirely, at least- somehow, the 'transgression' Haruhiro had committed within the Dungeon (what the current era referred to the Trials as) had given that quiet soul wings, which she was aware was something she should have found eerie.

Should have, but did not.

To punish those who violated taboos was not the duty of the Jormungand, and thus the only judgment she was beholden to was her own.

… Iormu may have forgotten that something that was in a Jormungand's nature was to be shamelessly biased in favor of the mortals they favored.

Nevertheless, Iormu's 'judgment' was that if Haruhiro was going to 'violate' anything else, it may as well be her.

Haruhiro did not stop being himself simply because she had come to comprehend more of the truth of his nature.

Thus, the man she was not alone in loving was still there, and she had no intention of being left out when it came to cherishing the time shared with him.

She had her own reasons for being 'patient' about certain things, and had guided the topic away from it more than once.

That did not mean that everything was off-limits, and an ancient serpent who was still young at heart was left blushing dreamily, and giggling blissfully, as she recalled Haruhiro's reaction to kissing one whose tongue was capable of truly coiling.


If one chanced upon Shu'ni in the hall, they would see a maid dutifully attending to one of the many tasks required to keep the Twilight Manor spotless.

… If one stayed and watched awhile, the minutes would creep on, and they would perhaps begin to wonder why it was that one particular patch of window needed such a thorough and repetitive cleaning.

And then they might look closer, and notice that Shu'ni was neither paying attention to her task, nor blinking.

The former being vastly more strange than the latter.

"Hey Shu'ni, can we talk if you have a moment?"

"Of course, Master Haru, I would be more than happy to accompany you. Shall I pour us some tea?"

They'd sat together, in the study, just the two of them.

And… and…

"So I've realized that I haven't been very fair to the women in my life. I didn't mean to string any of you along, but that's kinda what I ended up doing."

Shu'ni felt the hand holding her cup shake ever so slightly, but could not understand why.

"I see, Master Haru." She replied. "Forgive me for being presumptuous, but am I correct to believe that steps to rectify the situation have been proceeding smoothly?"

Master Haru blinked, and then chuckled shyly, rubbing the back of his head, oblivious to how the sound made her heartbeat quicken.

"Yeah, things have been… going well," he said softly. "I'm trying my best to properly face each of you, and part of me still feels like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to, but if I can make everyone happy then I don't have any reason to hold back, I think."

"I agree, Master Haru," Shu'ni smiled, even as something twisted inside of her. "You have all been through so very much, and if you can find happiness together, then I believe there is not a soul who may criticize the method."

"Heh, yeah, hard to argue with that," Master Haru smiled. "And I know the 'resonance' you keep talking about is going smoothly, and it shouldn't be too long before you can leave the Manor, but… why wait?"

Shu'ni stilled, realizing that she must have missed something, even though she had been listening so attentively.

Just when had the conversation shifted to involve her?

"So yeah, I'm gonna stop overthinking it." Master Haru continued on, oblivious to her confusion. "We haven't needed to leave the Manor to enjoy ourselves before, so why should that hold us back now? Let's go on a picnic or something."

. W-w-what?

No, surely her mind was playing tricks on her, but…

"Oh, dear me Master Haru," Shu'ni tittered. "If you speak like that, it almost sounds like you're inviting your humble maid out on a d-date! Haha-ha~"

"That's exactly what I'm doing, so it would be a problem if it sounded like something else."

Hm?

When had Master Haru gotten above her?

No, for that manner, why was she laying down in the presence of her master, how embarrassing for-

"Had me worried there for a second," Master Haru sighed softly.

"Pardon me, Master Haru, I am unsure what has just occurred?" But keenly, exquisitely certain that her head was resting upon his lap, could they stay that way forever, if it wasn't too much trouble?

"You fainted when I asked you out." Master Haru said with a wry smile.

"Eep."

"I thought the same thing." Master Haru nodded. "Though it was pretty awesome how you still managed to catch your teacup and put it on the table without spilling anything."

"I-I-I do not understand, Master Haru," Shu'ni confessed. "Why would you… for what reason c-could you possibly desire to c-court me? I am… not like the others, Master Haru. I am… I am just a maid."

Shu'ni felt her senses spin as her master gave her an unimpressed look, raising one eyebrow, yet the Shoggoth was too out of sorts to take note of how he hadn't shown the slightest intention of removing her head from his lap.

"You're also 'just' one of the most important people in my life, and 'just' the reason the word 'home' has any meaning to me."

"..."

She felt the strange urge to cry when his expression turned gentle.

"Look, I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, I'm just saying that if I don't have to be afraid of saying what I want, you shouldn't have to be either."

"... I understand, Master Haru." She whispered back, after what felt like a long while. "Then, if you would accompany me, then I could not be happier."

His smile had brightened, and-

Shu'ni's recollection was cut short by a loud and somewhat high-pitched shriek, a girlish sound that echoed off the dusky walls.

It sounded something like 'kyaaa'.

Despite there being no one else in the hallway, naturally, the sound had not originated from her, she would insist if asked.

Shu'ni was a proper maid, and a proper maid did not shriek.


Their 'break' had not been spent in idle, both herself and Yukine had worked to help Yukio acclimate to her newfound strength.

Truthfully, she would not have objected had Yukio's mother wished to oversee her daughter's training alone, but as the one in charge of the group's training, Centorea being involved did have merit.

None the least of which was satisfying Yukine's desire to grow better acquainted with her daughter's companions.

But they had both been of the same mind to keep sparring to a minimum, both in the interests of time spent and reducing Yukio's mental burden.

And thus, the party had ventured as one into the Dungeon of Fallen Leaves for the first time.

… After the impromptu fashion show, of course.

Yukio was sexier and more confident than ever, and there was no way in hell Rachnera wasn't going to ensure her wardrobe reflected that.


"... How does… it look?" Yukio was just being coy, she didn't actually care how it looked since it had taken seconds to determine the most important characteristic of her new combat outfit.

Haru's appreciation, that was.

Oh, and it was very comfortable and easy to move in, which she supposed was important as well.

While it may have looked like one at first, the main piece of Yukio's outfit was less of a kimono and more of a slitted dress inspired by one- it only opened to just above her navel, though the thin, glossy dark obi concealed that, while emphasizing the narrow width of her waist. The collar was as open as it could go, baring her smooth shoulders and plump bust, with the voluminous sleeves Yukio preferred.

What emerged from beneath the obi to cover Yukio's lower body blurred the line between slitted skirt and loincloth, covering none of her hip's curvature and falling just barely to mid thigh in length.

Rachnera had chosen an icy blue, a shade darker than Yukio's skin tone, for the main color of the dress, decorating it with white snowflakes, while the hems, interior and obi were all a dark blue.

Yukio's legs that had grown longer and more shapely than ever before were sheathed in thigh high blue stockings, matching the darker parts of her kimono dress, tucked into white, heeled tabi boots.

Yukio had chosen to stick with her usual high ponytail, fastening it with a solid piece of ice that resembled an ominous snowflake.

Aside from how ridiculously sexy Yukio looked, Haruhiro and the rest could agree that it perfectly suited the changes in their reticent companion- more dangerous and powerful than ever, yet more free and confident as well.

The icicle woman preened proudly under the attention without managing to seem undignified, blushing happily when Haruhiro complimented her.

But, naturally, she didn't forget one more vital piece of information to pass onto the man she loved.

"If you think it's… fun for you to look at…" Yukio whispered in Haruhiro's ear, smoothly embracing him and pressing her womanly figure close. "Just imagine how much fun it will be… to watch it come off~"


… Originally, the idea had been to have Yukio hang back if they fought a group, and then have her take over when she could fight one on one, get a handle on her new abilities.

She had readily agreed with the plan, agreeing that it was the prudent choice.

She had readily agreed, and the whole plan had gone out the window the moment she laid eyes upon their foes.

She kept the enemy within her peripherals, but Centorea's head jerked sharply towards the Tsurara-Onna as Yukio inhaled sharply, stiffening up.

Her own breath caught as she took in Yukio's expression.

Blue eyes with no pupils, usually cold as ice, were practically aflame with eagerness, and her delicate cheeks were flushed pink.

"Ah… I needed this." Yukio murmured with a trembling, seductive sigh.

Slowly, Yukio sauntered her way to the front of their formation, and everyone took their time to watch her walk.

"It was… a good plan," Yukio smiled over her shoulder as the air about her began to shimmer. "But… unneeded. All I ask is… do not look away."

They couldn't even if they wanted to, and so they witnessed with bated breath the way a Tsurara-Onna waged war.


The small swarm of Yokai that crawled out of the trees were seemingly just skin and bones.

Which wouldn't have sounded all that frightening if it were less literal- the monsters had the appearance of skeletons covered with a thin layer of skin and nothing else. No one could tell if the groaning and creaking were vocalizations, or just the sound of the Yokai's limbs moving.

Adding to their surreal appearance was the thin layer of steam leaking off of them, swathing spindly forms in a strange haze.

When Yukio calmly advanced, they came alive with strange hisses and shrieks, dropping to all fours to charge her way.

Yukio just smiled over her shoulder once more.

"[Icicle]" There was a brief shimmer, and the leading two Yokai were flung back, broken and skewered, those on their heels tripping over the bodies. The icicles protruding from the fallen were so thin, and clear, that only the sunlight glinting against their surfaces gave them away at a distance.

One of the Yokai put on a burst of speed and pounced, and the party winced a little as it slammed head first into a pillar of ice with a hollow crunch.

Yukio, poised upon her icy vantage point, gave a brief smirk before flipping off the pillar, sweeping out her arm to sweep out another volley of pointed, near invisible ice.

There was another crunch as Yukio landed daintily, gracefully… on a thin Yokai spine.

The next attacker was brought down in another elegant motion that led to brutal results- a long leg snapped out in a long arc that ended with a wooden heel pointed to the sky, and the Yokai launched far higher than its leap allowed.

Yukio let her leg fall and took a large step forward, leaving a wintry stalagmite to greet its fall.

This brought her within reach of a pair of thin, grasping claws, but Yukio's hands were not empty.

As elusive as a cold winter wind, Yukio stepped right between those racing arms and slammed a pair of icicles into each burning eye. Then her hands slipped to the creature's shoulders, and she bent back sharply, so that her bouncing bust was the highest point on her body.

The embedded icicles shot out of the Yokai's eyes and became a floating disc of ice, blocking the raking overhead slash of the attacker at Yukio's back.

Yukio twirled out from underneath, tossing the corpse in her hands behind her at her last remaining attacker, collapsing it to all fours.

… Beneath the mirror of ice.

Slim blue arm outstretched, Yukio extended her index finger and pointed sharply downwards.

The mirror tilted perpendicular to the ground, and extended like a guillotine of ice towards the exposed neck beneath its thin edge.

Yukio turned back to face the party, hands clasped in front of her. Radiating satisfaction in place of excitement, the daughter of winter took a bow as a severed head hit the dirt, and the first battle of a newly born Tsurara-Onna came to a decisive end.

Sighing softly in relief, Centorea, who had stood vigilant off to one side, loosened her grip on her bow, and returned the unneeded arrow to its quiver.


The challengers had returned, it was certain.

The final guardian of the Dungeon knew that much, even if it did not wonder at all if the challenger's that had stood against it once before had returned to face it again.

The Gashadokuro was not mindless, but neither was it introspective.

It was simply aware of each and every death that occurred within those mystic woods, for every kill left behind a 'corpse'.

And every corpse became its 'bones'.

Every monster slain by the challengers would become the Gashadokuro's strength.

And its strength grew with each passing hour, as the living graveyard stacked high.

High enough that if left uncontested, one day, the dead would reach high enough to claw with bony fingers at the sky itself, and drag down the moon and stars to crush the living.


On some level, they couldn't quite shake their unease at Yukio having returned to the Dungeon, even if they were all together and she was taking to it better than anyone, including herself, had expected. It did help somewhat that they'd been assured that the boss always had a 'territory' it would not leave, but the unease remained.

And thus, they were still taking things somewhat slowly, since it had been a few days for more than just Yukio, and it was on one of many breaks that certain concerns were given voice.

"Um… Yuki, are you sure you're… okay?" Tio asked hesitantly. "Ya know, with being in here after… y'know."

"... Ah." Iormu hid her smile behind her hand as she took note of Yukio's seeming nonchalance.

"I appreciate it, but there is no need for concern…Tio-chan," Yukio assured softly. "I believe you're… forgetting something more… important that occurred within this place."

"I am?"

Yukio nodded, and like ice sparkling with sunlight, an enchanting shimmer crept into her glacial blue eyes as her placid smile turned coy.

"In fact, I am… fond of this place." Yukio said, as her gaze left Tio to fall intently upon Haruhiro. "After all, this is the place where… for the very first time… I was blessed with the words…"

Slowly, she raised a slender arm with one finger pointed, slowly shaken to and fro as if to punctuate every syllable.

"I. Love. You."


If you see an opportunity for a Monogatari reference, you take the opportunity, that's just how it is.

So… yeah, anyways, a whole fleet of ships setting sail, and though it varied, Haru is now making progress with all the girls.

His humble eldritch maid included.

It was a good opportunity for a bunch of that stuff, so I went with it.

Also got a Tsurara-Onna showcase- Yukio's much more mobile and aggressive now, a subtle shift from 'casting ice spells' to 'using ice as weapons'. Partially used Sypha from Castlevania as a reference, she has some of the best choreographed spell casting out there, imo.

The other inspiration were kunoichi, which is reflected in her outfit as well somewhat (it's more or less the MGE Tsurara-Onna outfit, which has a definite ninja theme).

Next chapter will lead into our epic rematch with the giga-skelly, and the clearing of the Dungeon of Fallen Leaves.