As you look over the ingredients in the fridge, deciding what to make, a thought occurs to you. This would be a great opportunity to use one of the Catalog's Lures, Faerie Feast.
You didn't pick it up before because you had a very limited budget and you needed to prioritize what you spent your credits on. But now that Lala is here, about to eat food you make, it could be a massive help in making sure she wants to stick around, even if you dial it down to 'just' being the best food she's ever had.
The only real downsides to getting it are that it costs 10 credits when you only have 13 and that once they've had a taste, you'll be forced to continue cooking to keep your harem happy. The former isn't too big a deal, since a love confession from Lala will score you 160 credits and this will help massively to ensure you get that confession. And the latter is mitigated by the fact that you already cook dinner anyway, and by spending more credits on upgrades, you can eventually shift that responsibility onto a member of your retinue.
After thinking about it for a few moments you decide to get it, pulling out your phone to make the purchase. It's something you'd most likely get eventually, and your most important goal right now is to get Lala hooked. There's nothing else you can spend your credits on that will significantly help with that goal beyond Faerie Feast. Lala isn't particularly gluttonous, but there's no one who doesn't enjoy good food.
You don't feel any different after making the purchase, not immediately at least. No flood of knowledge enters your head or anything like that. Well, that's fine, you have a basic knowledge of cooking anyway. You grab the ingredients for mapo tofu and start preparing them. You have a vague memory of Lala enjoying spicy foods, and you have all the ingredients on hand for it already.
As you begin cooking, you feel something in the back of your head. It's almost like a dial, a sort of vague pressure that you instinctively know you can adjust to different levels. Right now it's set to the highest one. With a simple thought, you turn it down a few notches. The dial is definitely Faerie Feast, determining how good your food is.
You don't want the strongest level. Yes, you want to impress Lala and make her stick around. But at the highest level, Faerie Feast is literally addictive with how good it is. Even if you weren't cooking dinner for your mother as well, whom you have no interest in getting addicted to your food, having people that dependent on you for their food will just bring more trouble than it does benefits.
No, your only goal is to impress her, and you can stay within the realm of the mundane. You leave the Lure set high enough that it will still be by far the best thing you've ever cooked, but not so high that your mother starts insisting you cook breakfast as well.
You're not the most talented cook, only having started cooking dinners when you became a high schooler, but mapo tofu isn't complicated and it doesn't take you too long to finish cooking. You set the table and then call the girls in to eat.
"Ooh, that smells delicious," your mother comments as she enters the dining room with an expectant smile on her face. "We've been catching whiffs for the past ten minutes, it's been driving us crazy."
"I'm looking forward to my first meal on Earth!" Lala says, cheerfully as ever.
"Well, I hope you enjoy it," you say as you start serving them food. "I put some extra effort into this."
You watch as both of them scoop a spoonful of the mapo tofu into their mouths. Their eyes widen near simultaneously in surprise. "This is-" your mother starts before cutting herself off by taking another bite.
"So good!" Lala finishes, shoveling food into her mouth with machine-like precision.
Your mother keeps eating as well. She glances at you between bites, apparently trying to glare at you, but she keeps getting distracted by the food. "Where was this skill all the times you cooked before?" she asks, mostly teasing you but with a touch of actual curiosity.
"I happened to find a really good recipe," you lie. "And I spent my weekend watching some instructional cooking videos."
"So that's what you were doing all weekend," your mother mutters between bites of food.
Lala's too busy eating to say anything else, so you start digging into your own plate of food. You have to hold back a moan at your first bite. It's the most delicious food you've ever had, the spicy dish setting off fireworks of flavor across your entire tongue. It is by far the best mapo tofu you've ever had.
Dinner is quiet and quick as the three of you abandon talking, the air filled only with the noise of utensils scraping against dishes and both Lala and your mom asking for seconds. When you go for seconds of your own, you find the pot nearly empty and have to settle for a smaller serving.
Once your plates are empty the three of you lean back in your chairs and just take a moment to enjoy the post-meal bliss.
"That was delicious, Aki-kun," your mother praises you.
"Yeah!" Lala agrees. "It was so warm."
Your mother frowns, briefly glancing at Lala before looking at you. "In hindsight, you should have asked Lala about the kinds of food she ate." She looks back at Lala. "I hope that wasn't too spicy for you."
"Spicy? Was it?" Lala asks in genuine confusion. "No, that's not what I meant by warm."
"What did you mean, then?" your mom asks.
"Growing up, all my food had to be tested for poison," Lala explains, her mood a little more somber than her usual one. "So whenever it got to me, it was usually cold. I've never had a meal that was so warm before."
"Poison?" your mom asks, brows furrowing. "...Lala, who is your father?"
"Hmm? Oh, he's the Emperor of the galaxy," she answers casually.
Your mother freezes in surprise. "I see," she says, not letting her surprise leak into her words. "I wasn't aware our galaxy had an Emperor."
"Well, Earth isn't a space-faring civilization yet, and it didn't participate in the Great Galactic War, so I think technically you're not part of our Empire," Lala says. "And you're really far from anyone else."
"I see," your mother repeats, taking in this new information. "Then, your marriage candidates are…?"
"Oh, they'll be the new Emperor, yeah," Lala confirms. "And I'll be the Queen of Deviluke, like my Mama."
You tilt your head. "Queen? Not Empress?" you ask. The exact structure of the galactic government was never made very clear in the manga.
Lala shook her head. "My parents are the King and Queen of Deviluke, but there can only be one Emperor of the Galaxy, and that can only be passed down to men, which is why I have to get married. Though that's mostly just official titles. My Mama does most of the day-to-day stuff of ruling the Empire and has just as much political power as my father, even if she doesn't have a title to go along with it."
If you were to guess, it would be that her mother doesn't officially have that power, but is instead acting in Gid's place. Which means she effectively has almost the same amount of power, but it's something that Gid controls and could take away at any time. You doubt that's a worry for Sephie, but it paints a dire picture for Lala. Her suitors are not the kind of men to share their power.
Which only makes it more confusing that Gid is acting like this. Is he picking people he thinks will be good Emperors then? That doesn't seem likely, based on what you've seen and heard, but considering he accepted Rito, you're not entirely sure you trust Gid's judgment. Rito is a nice dude, but he's absolutely not Emperor material.
"Well then, it's even more important that your father understands that who you marry is very important to you and it shouldn't be a decision made lightly or rushed into," your mother says, her thoughts apparently somewhat lining up with your own.
"Yeah, I think so too!" Lala agrees.
"Why don't the two of us talk a bit more about what you're going to say to your father while Aki-kun washes the dishes, alright?"
"Okay!" Lala says. "Thanks a lot for dinner Aki-kun, it was the best I've ever had!"
"Of course," you reply with a smile. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
You start gathering the dishes as the two of them go back to the living room. You hear the sound of the TV being turned on but can't make out what's playing or what the two of them are saying, if they're even talking at all.
You put that out of your mind though and focus on cleaning the dishes as fast as you can. Dinner went well thanks to Faerie Feast, but your goal won't be reached until Lala says she loves you. Until then, you'll have to keep working towards that goal and not let a moment go to waste.
Surprisingly, a few minutes later, your mother enters the kitchen and sidles up next to you.
"Where's Lala?" you ask, eyes flicking to the door to the living room as you scrub a bowl clean.
"Oh, she's having fun watching Magical Kyouko," your mother explains as she leans against the counter next to the sink. She looks at you with a smile. "I just wanted a chance to talk to you about everything that's going on. Lala mentioned something interesting when we were talking before dinner. Something about a bath?"
You freeze. Shit. You had been hoping Lala wouldn't bring that up. But you force your hands to keep moving, trying to act casual. "Nothing happened, we just had a bath together. It was very innocent."
"Lala seemed to think so, at least," your mom says with a teasing grin. "But I'm sure it was a bit less innocent for a boy your age, right?" She shakes her head. "Don't worry, I'm not angry. It's obvious that it was Lala's idea, and that you didn't do anything untoward. You've always been a smart kid. Not just your grades, but you've always been mature and you understand things, so I trust your judgment."
"So you don't mind if I take more baths with her, right?" you joke, flashing her a grin.
She chuckles good-naturedly before giving you another look, analyzing your expression. "You've fallen for her, haven't you?"
For a moment you consider denying it but considering you plan on trying to get her to confess as soon as possible, that would be pointless. "I have," you admit. "I like her a lot."
She smiles again, but this time it's a little sad. "I figured. I've been worried, you know? You've never shown an interest in girls before. Or even guys- I would have been fine with that. But you never seemed interested. I've never even found a porn stash under your mattress or in your closet. But I guess you really are my son, destined to fall in love with a pink-haired alien who fell into your life."
You start to wonder how that works, considering that this is a reincarnation and a world fine-tuned by the Company. But that train of thought leads to things you'd rather not think about, so you put it out of your mind.
"I'm just a chip off the old block like that," you agree instead.
She hums in agreement. "Well, you have my approval. Lala's a great girl. Just don't rush her into anything, alright? Don't go asking her out while she's running away from engagements she doesn't want."
"Please, you know I'm not that insensitive," you protest. "I'm just here to help. And if I help her resolve things and she gets to stay, providing a chance for us to get closer? Well, that works out for me."
"Good boy," she says, patting you on the arm. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"Well, apparently, things you would do include knocking her up, but personally I think it's a little early for that-"
You're interrupted by her lightly slapping your arm. "Don't be a smart ass, you know what I meant," she scolds you without any heat. "Though I wouldn't mind a grandkid…"
"Now who's the one moving too fast?" you mutter, causing her to laugh.
"Here, let me finish the dishes," she says, gently pushing you away from the sink. "She might leave tomorrow, so you better spend tonight with her." She rolls up her sleeves and sticks her hands in the soapy water.
"Thanks, I'll do just that," you say, a smile on your face. You give your mother a quick hug from behind before heading for the living room. But before you leave, you hear your mother start humming cheerfully, her mood obviously lifted.
You enter the living room and sit next to Lala on the couch. You're not quite touching her, but you're still almost intimately close. She doesn't seem to mind though. "Enjoying the show?"
"Yeah!" Lala answers as Magical Kyouko shoots a gout of fire over her latest enemy. "It's so passionate!"
"You know, they film this here in town," you mention. "The park you landed is actually a spot they use often."
"Really?" Lala asks. "Then I could meet Kyouko-chan?"
"Probably, though they don't let anyone get too close during filming. But we could go watch if you stick around."
"Yeah, let's do that!" Lala agrees as the credits for the show start to roll.
"It's a date," you reply with a grin. Let's see. What's another good way to get closer to Lala? Your eyes spot the game console below the TV. "Hey, you wanna play some games?"
"Sure!"
You take a moment to set up the console. You don't play a lot of games yourself besides the occasional RPG. But sometimes, when the Yuuki's come over, all of you play a round of Mario Kart, because everyone loves Mario Kart.
And Lala is no exception to that. You win the first race as she figures out the controls, but you don't win a single one after that. She takes to the game like a fish to water, mastering the controls and using items extremely effectively. Despite trying your best, you can't get another win from her.
You'd be saltier about that if she wasn't having so much fun. And if she wasn't so cute when she celebrated winning. Peke had shifted her outfit into more casual clothes, and you certainly enjoy the way you can see her chest bounce every time she cheers.
Okay, so maybe you aren't trying too hard to win. Though you do feel like you've improved your gaming skills. There's nothing more educating than a tough opponent after all.
Still, it's a fun time, and one you don't want to end. But time trudges on, uncaring, and eventually, it's time to put away the games and go to bed.
As you pack things up and start turning off the lights, you realize that you didn't even notice when your mom left the kitchen. The water in the bathroom tub has been drained, and when you head upstairs you notice her door closed with only a faint light showing underneath.
You guess she really wanted to give the two of you some time alone to bond. You certainly appreciated it. And with her in bed…
You turn to Lala. "So, we've got a couple guest bedrooms you can sleep in for tonight. Here, this one is closest to my room." You open the door to the bedroom right next to yours. "Sheets are on the bed, the bathroom is right across the hall, and if you need me, I'm right next door. Feel free to wake me up and let me know if there's anything you need."
"Okay, will do!" Lala replies. "Thanks a lot, hope you sleep well!"
You say goodnight and go to your own room where you strip to your normal sleeping attire, just your underwear, and crawl into your own bed. As tempting as it was to ask Lala if she wanted to sleep with you, that would have been a bit too forward, especially since your mother was still awake. She might approve of you and Lala, but you don't want to push to see if she'd be cool with you inviting Lala into your bed so soon.
Besides, it would have been unnecessary. You keep yourself awake for a couple hours, mind busy with trying to figure out the mystery behind Gid's approach to picking suitors, and you are not at all surprised when your door creaks open and Lala slips into your room, completely naked.
"Lala?" you ask, propping yourself up.
"Could I sleep with you?" she asks, tone uncharacteristically uneasy and lacking much of its normal cheeriness. "I'm not used to sleeping alone."
"Sure, absolutely," you say, scooting over to make room for her and lifting the covers so she can slip under them. She flashes you a smile and crawls into bed with you. She doesn't press herself against you, but she does get quite close, laying on her side and looking at you as you share your pillow that is definitely not meant to house two heads. You can feel her breath tickle against you, but you have eyes only for her face, where she's watching you with a small smile on her face.
"Sorry for waking you up," Lala says, voice quiet. "I didn't mean to, I was just going to slip in next to you."
"It's alright, I was already awake," you reply equally quietly. "I was nervous, so I couldn't sleep."
She giggles. "Me too, actually. I don't know why though. It just feels like tomorrow will be important."
"I feel the same way. But we'll face it together, and I'm sure everything will work out."
"Yeah, you're right," Lala agrees. She relaxes slightly, and the two of you fall into a comfortable silence. Neither of you speaks or attempts to close your eyes to sleep and instead just stare into each other's eyes.
Your heart beats harshly in your chest, and all of a sudden you're convinced that you've succeeded. This is too intimate of a moment for someone who doesn't at least have a crush on you. Even if Lala hasn't fully realized it yet, you're sure of it. She loves you.
But before you can open your mouth to either confess yourself or try to get her to confess, she starts talking again.
"You know, I don't mind getting married and taking the throne," she says. "I would have less time for making things, but I've also been preparing for it my whole life. I'm not worried about that, especially since Mama and Papa will still be there to help. It's just…"
"The candidates," you guess after she trails off.
"Yeah," she agrees. "They're just no good. I don't want them near me, and I don't think they'd be very good rulers. I just don't get why Papa keeps suggesting people like that."
It's heartening to hear that you're not the only one mystified by Gid's actions, though that only makes it more confusing because it confirms that it's out of character for him. So why?
"It doesn't make much sense to me either," you admit.
"Hmm," Lala hums, closing her eyes. "I guess we'll just have to ask him tomorrow.""
"Yeah," you agree. You don't have enough information to figure it out. Your only chance will be to try to read him when you talk to him tomorrow and see if you can figure it out. "So if he suggests someone you like, you'd marry them?"
"Mm-hmm," she says. "So long as they're someone I can have fun with and like being around," she explains sleepily. Her breathing is evening out, and you can tell she's quickly falling asleep. "And maybe if they're like Mama. Papa's no good at talking to people, but Mama is, so she does that for him. I want someone like that… someone like you…"
You freeze. That isn't a confession, but it may as well be in terms of confirming her feelings for you. "Like me?" you ask, heart pounding.
But, to your chagrin and frustration, she doesn't answer, having fallen asleep with her last words. You sigh, but you can't get too annoyed. After all, that almost certainly didn't count as a confession as far as the Company is concerned, but it's confirmation that she views you as someone she'd like to marry. And that means a lot. That means you've practically succeeded. You just need to engineer a situation where she says it outright.
It takes a while for you to fall asleep after that, high as your emotions are on this minor victory. Having a naked Lala just inches from you but being unable to touch her also doesn't help. But the sound of Lala's breathing eventually lulls you to sleep.
You're woken up not by the sound of knocking on your door but instead by the feeling of sunlight on your face, sending a dull orange glow through your closed eyelids. As you slowly become conscious you also become aware of a pleasantly warm weight pressed against you, and the sound of someone else's breathing.
You open your eyes to see Lala halfway on top of you. You're laying on your back and she is on her side, her front pressed up against you. Her left arm is splayed across your abdomen, her elbow on your stomach, and her hand resting lightly on your chest. Her face is also resting on your chest, using you as a pillow, and one of her legs is thrown over yours, twining them together. Most surprising of all is that your arm is wrapped around her, your hand coming to rest on her side right below her boobs.
All in all, it's a very comfortable position, and you make no move to change that or wake her up. You glance at the clock on your bedside table though, noting that it's late enough that you'd be late for school if you planned on going. You have bigger fish to fry today, but it's not pressing, so you can spend a bit more time enjoying this.
You pull Lala a little closer to you, pressing her boobs more firmly into your chest, and close your eyes once more. Lala responds, still asleep, by snuggling closer to you. You're very aware of her soft and bare thighs pressed against your own, the heat of her skin just inches away from your erection straining against the elastic of your underwear.
You ignore your pent-up lust though, at least for now, and instead focus on the sensation of Lala against you, submerging yourself entirely in those feelings.
And then your phone rings, receiving a text. You curse whoever texted you as Lala stirs, slowly opening her eyes before lifting her head and looking around. When she sees your face her expression brightens. "Good morning Aki-kun!" she greets you with a radiant smile. She doesn't try to move.
"Good morning Lala," you reply with a smile of your own. "Sleep well?"
"Hmm, I think so," she says. "Thanks to you."
"Happy to be of service," you say truthfully. "We don't have to get up yet if you don't want to."
"Well…" she says, thinking about it. And then her stomach grumbles, causing her to giggle. "I'm a little hungry, actually."
Oh well, you'll have to accept that you can indulge in more naked Lala later, after you secure a confession. "Well, let's get up then. After I wash my face and wake up I'll make us some breakfast."
You pull the covers off the two of you, which only covers you from the waist down anyway. You have a moment of worry when you notice how obvious your morning wood is, even through your underwear. But Lala doesn't spare it so much as a glance as she sits up and gets out of bed. The same can't be said of you, as your eyes are practically glued to her as she stretches. Her tail flicks close to you, and you have to resist the urge to grab it.
"Peke!" Lala calls out as you get out of bed. A moment later, as you're looking through your drawers and picking out what you're going to wear today, the door opens and a sleepy-looking Peke floats into the room.
"Lala-sama, there you are," Peke says sleepily.
"Hehe, sorry, I was having trouble trying to sleep so I came to talk to Aki-kun and fell asleep with him. I'm ready to get dressed for the day though! My normal outfit please."
"Of course, Lala-sama," Peke says before settling on her head. Then there's a blur of motion before Lala is suddenly clothed in her skin-tight outfit with the large hat.
"You go ahead downstairs, I'll be there in a minute," you tell her as you start pulling on your clothes the old-fashioned way.
"Okay!" she says before skipping out of the room.
You shake your head in amusement before finishing getting dressed. Before you leave the room though, you pick up your phone and unlock it so you can learn who it was that ruined such a great moment and swear revenge against them.
Mom: What happened to going slow? Well, you two are cute, so it's fine.
Attached is a picture of the two of you in the same position you woke up in. It honestly looks pretty indecent due to both of you being topless and the covers making it unclear just how naked the two of you are.
You shake your head and close your phone- after you save the picture of course. Choosing to Extra into this world could have had annoying consequences, but it seems like your mother is fully supportive of you shacking up with Lala. Abnormally so, even. But you aren't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so you'll just go with the flow.
You head downstairs and start making breakfast, turning Faerie Feast down even further, just a few 'notches' above the lowest setting so it's merely "pretty good". You also decide to make pancakes as a special sweet treat.
"Breakfast is ready," you tell Lala, who's been sitting in the living room, tinkering with something. "What's that?"
"This is Hush-Hush Phone-Kun!" Lala explains. "I made him just now. This will let us talk to Papa without him being able to find us."
"That'll be useful," you comment. "We lose all our bargaining power if he finds us during the call. Well, we'll worry about that after breakfast. Come eat while it's still warm."
"Okay!" Lala agrees.
While the two of you eat, your mind is hard at work thinking about the coming conversation with Gid. You still have no idea what his motivations or plans are and are no closer to figuring it out. At this point, you'll have to rely on your ability to read people to figure it out during the conversation.
"Alright, let's get this over with," you say when you both finish eating. "No point in delaying things and just getting more stressed out about it."
Lala pauses, her cheerful mask cracking slightly as a hint of anxiety flickers across her face. You reach over and grab her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Her gaze meets yours as you keep your expression confident, and she smiles. "Yeah, let's do it," she agrees.
The two of you, still holding hands, make your way to the living room and sit down on the couch next to each other, facing the Hush-Hush Phone-kun.
"Remember, you're not going home until he agrees to stop forcing you to get married," you say. "He might get angry, but you're nearly an adult, and Emperor or not, he has no right to force you to marry some creep. You should be able to choose of your own free will."
Lala nods. "I won't back down!" she promises.
"I believe in you," you say. "You start things out. He won't have any reason to listen to me at first. I'll focus on supporting you," you squeeze her hand that you're still holding, "and I'll step in if I feel like there's something I can help with, but it will largely be you that has to talk to him."
"Okay," she replies seriously. She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths, steadying herself. When she opens them again her face is determined. With her free hand, she reaches for Phone-kun and hits a few keys. It projects a holographic screen above it displaying an icon of what looks like Peke's compact form bouncing up and down with text below it. Or what you assume is text- you can't read it at all.
Lala's hand squeezes your own, and the screen changes, showing a video feed. In it is a familiar figure- Gid Lucione Deviluke.
As expected, he's in his miniature form right now due to having expended so much of his power during the war. But even looking like a child, you know better than to underestimate him. You don't miss the massive metal throne he sits on or the glass of wine in his hand.
Or, as it flicks into view, the giant threatening trident attached to the tip of his tail.
You expected him to be angry, but as his eyes flicker to you before dismissing you and looking back at Lala, his expression turns smug.
"Have you finished with your temper tantrum, my dear daughter?" he asks, tone thick with condescension. "We found your ship, and we both know there's no way you're getting off the planet with it in that state. Zastin will gladly give you a ride, though it will be a one-way trip back home, with no detours."
"Something like that can't stop me!" Lala insists, a tinge of irritation in her voice.
"Oh I'm quite aware you can fix it up," Gid accedes. "Which is why Maul and Smutts are guarding it quite carefully." You don't recognize the names, but you can guess from the context that those are the two underlings of Zastin that help him protect Lala. "And you won't be able to get the parts you need to make your own- not before I find you."
"Well, you won't find me," Lala replies. "Not until you agree to stop pushing this marriage stuff on me. Or at least let me pick the suitors."
"Absolutely not," Gid denies immediately. "You're getting married to one of those men, and that's final."
You look for something in the way he says that, desperately searching for a sign. An odd tone, a twitch of an eye or finger, anything, but you find nothing. But your searching gaze doesn't go unnoticed, and Gid once more turns his eyes to you.
"And who are you?" he asks, a hint of malice in his voice. "Don't think I haven't noticed how closely you are sitting next to my daughter."
You're not intimidated though. "My name is Saito Akihito," you say clearly. "I saw Lala's ship come down yesterday and met Lala when I tried to help what I thought was a crashed ship. She explained her situation, and I offered her a place to hide. There was no way I was going to let her be forcefully married off-"
"I asked for your name, not your opinion," Gid interrupts you coldly. You snap your mouth shut. You over-extended, unused to dealing with people like Gid, and he turned it around on you to establish himself as above you.
Once again you try to pick up any clue of what game he's playing. It's obvious to you now that he's not just some idiot. He may not have the patience or tact required to play politics, but he's no stranger to a battleground of words either. So what is his plan?
But you pick up nothing, and he dismisses you once more. "Give up now, Lala," he says to her. "Once I tell Zastin the name of this boy, it will only be a matter of time before he tracks you down." You freeze, eyes widening as you realize what he means, and Gid's smile widens. "I'm sure a day or two of asking around the area you landed will be enough for him to find someone who knows where he lives."
You fucked up by giving him your name. No, by even appearing on the video call. A picture of you would accomplish the same thing. Your appearance is distinctive in the area and it would be easy to find someone who could put a name to your face.
"So why don't you just come home?" he continues. "Zastin is rather aggravated. Who knows what he might do to your new friend if he were forced to hunt you down like that."
Your heart leaps into your throat. In the show, Zastin was a joke. But the fact is that he's the best swordsman of Deviluke, and his loyalty is to Gid. If Gid ordered him to make an example of you…
Lala squeezes your hand. "I won't let him!" Lala insists. "I'll protect Aki-kun!"
It would be a lie to say that Lala's words are enough to calm you down completely. But they are enough to remind you that you're not alone, which stops the rising panic. And once that is stopped, you have a moment to think. And to once more observe Gid.
Gid is as unreadable as ever… but your gut insists that only means something is up. Your mind whirs through possibilities, shoving your emotions to the side and viewing the situation rationally.
The idea of being discovered through your identity definitely wasn't something you were prepared for, but even if you had realized it beforehand, you realize it wouldn't have changed anything. You appearing here, in front of Gid and at Lala's side, is important enough to risk that. You have at least a few hours after this conversation until he could realistically find you anyway, and you can hide at a hotel or manga cafe if you need to.
But that's the wrong way of thinking, isn't it? It doesn't matter if he can find you after this. Because you're going to solve things here, in this discussion. It's why you're here and what you've been training for. You just need to focus.
You steady your breathing and straighten your shoulders, giving Lala's hand a small squeeze back, letting her know you appreciate her and that you're okay now.
You think over what Gid just said- the way he threatened you. Something about it doesn't feel right. Gid isn't above threats, he threatened to destroy Earth if Rito failed to meet his standards in canon after all. But something about the way he said it doesn't seem right. You just can't put your finger on what.
You're close, you just need more information.
"Can I ask something?" you say, speaking up.
Gid shifts his focus back to you, eyes narrowing slightly. "If you insist," he begrudgingly allows.
"What's so important about Lala getting married right now?" you ask. "She's not even an adult yet, so I don't see the need to rush."
"That's easy," he answers, his tone unexpectedly casual. "It's because I'm tired of ruling the Galaxy, and I want to take it easy. Lala can't take the throne until she's married, so the sooner she's married, the sooner I can retire." He grins, showing his pointed teeth.
That's the reason he gives in canon, but even there it didn't really ring true, and neither do his words now. Something about the way he delivers them too is off. In fact, his attitude during this whole conversation hasn't at all matched what you expected. He isn't an angry father chastising a runaway daughter. Oh, he's been paying lip service to the role, but looking back on the conversation, it's clear to you now that hasn't been the case at all. It's been an act.
If he's not angry at Lala but is pretending he is, and if the men he's been pushing at her have all been as terrible as Lala described…
You go still once more as the pieces click into place, struggling to make sure it doesn't show on your face.
He doesn't want this marriage to happen at all, not to the men he chose at least. No, their purpose was simple. To drive Lala away. It's why he's been so smug since the beginning- everything is going according to plan for him.
The only part you haven't figured out is why.
"Jeez, you can't force me to marry for a reason like that!" Lala complains. "You and Mama are still young."
"We've put in enough work for three generations of rulers when we ended the war and united the Galaxy," Gid counters in a bored tone. A tone intended to irritate Lala, you now recognize. "We deserve an early retirement."
You only half pay attention to their conversation as it descends into bickering. Instead, you sit there and think, trying to piece the last few things together. Why would Gid want Lala to run away? Is Deviluke in danger? No, that doesn't fit. That never came up in canon, and Gid's the kind to face things head-on, and not trick his daughter into fleeing to safety.
Maybe Gid is dying then? No, once again that would have come up, and he'd be trying to find a good husband for her to take over the throne from him.
"If you want to retire early that's fine, I'll take the throne," Lala accedes. "But I refuse to marry anyone I don't love."
A flash of something passes over Gid's face, gone too quickly for you to identify. "Then why don't you find someone like that," he says dismissively. But now that you're looking for it, you notice it. The way he perks up slightly, the way his expression stills as he adopts a poker face that he hasn't bothered using the entire rest of the conversation. And once more, things click into place.
The story of how Gid met Sephie, Lala's mother, is a pretty simple one. They ran across each other by chance on a planet that Gid was training on when he saved Sephie from a group of men who had been driven wild by seeing her face, and he was unaffected.
And now, if your guess is correct, Gid wants that for his daughter. He's pushing her out of the nest, forcing her out into the universe on her own, so she can experience it and find love as he did. But he can't just tell her to go explore, she needs pressure, and she needs a goal to work towards as he did. By making that pressure related to marriage, he puts the idea of love in her head, making her think about it. By making her suitors terrible people, he encourages her to look for someone more to her tastes. By chasing her, he forces her to not just take the easy path, but to get creative and overcome challenges.
And it's not like he has to worry for her safety. Of the relatively limited selection of aliens you remember from canon, Lala is easily the third most powerful, only below Gid himself and Yami's Darkness mode. And Zastin and her bodyguards are always nearby, 'chasing' her. You wonder if they're in the know or not.
No, most likely not. Greatest swordsman or not, Zastin proves himself in canon to be incapable of detaining Momo and Nana, Lala's younger and significantly weaker sisters, much less Lala herself. Even if they did catch up to her, Lala can handle them easily.
But the biggest reason you're sure that you're right about this is Sephie herself. Whatever doubts you have about Gid's intelligence and judgment, you don't have for Sephie. And there's no way that this whole process is something she's unaware of, no matter how busy she is. No, she has to know what's going on, and she has to approve of it.
Forcing Lala into marriage with someone she doesn't love and would make a poor ruler? There's no way Sephie would allow that. But tricking her daughter into going on romantic adventures as she experienced in her own youth? Your read on Sephie is that she'd approve of that. She'd probably prefer a more direct method, but if Gid insisted she wouldn't fight it. And Gid would insist on this indirect method. The truth is, he's something of a tsundere when it comes to his daughters, struggling to convey his true feelings directly to them. There's no way he could admit his motivations are so sappy and heart-warming.
With Gid's plan figured out, you start charting a path forward, keeping your goals in mind. You could reveal the truth, but you don't think that will help you. It's the 'right' thing to do, but you don't care about that. Making Lala yours is the most important thing right now. Revealing the truth would mostly just serve to annoy Gid, and potentially make him escalate or change his plan. The latter is something you want to avoid because as long as you know what his plan is, you can make your own plans around them.
To do that while maximizing your chance to get not only Lala but the others as well… you can think of only one way to do that.
"Allow me to be a suitor then," you suddenly declare, interrupting their bickering.
Both of them turn to you in shock. "Excuse me?" Gid asks, eyes narrowing.
"I've only known your daughter for less than a day, but it only took me a few hours to fall completely in love with her," you confidently declare. "So if she has to get married, then fine. Let me marry her."
Such a declaration is bold, but not a gamble. After all, you've done everything you can to make Lala fall for you, and last night all but confirmed it. One look at Lala's face proves you right as the most radiant smile you've seen on her yet grows on it. She turns back to her father, full of excitement. "Yes! If it's Aki-kun, I'd be fine with that!"
Gid fixes you with a stare, and you straighten your shoulders and stare right back.
He hides it well, but you can see past his mask. There's a faint hint of approval there, for standing up to him you assume. Or perhaps earning the affection of his daughter. Either way, your actions have earned at least a small measure of respect from him. But you can also see that he won't give in that easily- it would go against the act he's selling.
"Oh?" he says with a sneer. "You? A nobody from a backwater planet that has barely begun to explore their own solar system, much less the stars beyond, would dare ask for the hand of the princess of the Galaxy?"
"I would," you insist. "Lala told me about her suitors, you know? I'm aware that the bar for entry isn't that high. And I'm not just some random Earthling. I'm a rare half-Charmian, born between a human mother and a Charmian father, who was an escaped slave. Considering the effort her Majesty is putting into restoring the Charmians, that alone puts me above at least three of her suitors- the ones from common races from insignificant families with no accomplishments to their names."
You notice a slight widening of his eyes as he looks at you in a new light, but you continue on without giving him a chance to comment on your heritage. "But more importantly than that, I've done something none of the others have. I've earned the approval of your daughter."
Gid stares at you, one of his hands idly tapping on the armrest of his throne as he thinks. You can tell you've surprised him and he's trying to figure out how this works for his plans.
Lala lets go of your hand and clutches your arm instead, pulling it to her chest and holding it tight. The message is clear. Lala likes you and has no intentions of letting this chance slip her by.
You notice his body shift slightly as he comes to a decision, and he lets out a low chuckle. That chuckle quickly grows in intensity as he starts laughing, sounding every bit like a cackling villain.
When he stops laughing, it's with a large and sinister-looking grin. But you recognize the pure excitement and intrigue in his eyes. "Very well! I can't deny your claims. But don't think I'll hand over my daughter just like that. No, I won't accept an engagement, not yet. But I will accept you as a suitor, and give you the chance to prove yourself worthy."
His words spit in the face of the reality he was presenting before, where he was, to all appearances, trying to shove her off to any random dude, qualified or not, but you can read between the lines. You've gained his notice and interest, and now he wants to test you.
Normally, you'd be nervous. You have very little in the way of personal strength or power, and there are a lot of things that Gid could throw at you that you won't be able to handle.
But you have Lala, and you have the Catalog. You may be lacking in options right now, but that would change very soon.
"I'm prepared to show my worth if it means I can be with Lala," you say with confidence.
Gid's grin widens. "I hope you mean those words. See, I'm willing to accept you as a suitor, but it wouldn't be fair if you were the only one to have a chance to convince Lala to marry them. Which is why I'll inform the others that Lala is there, on Earth, and they're free to try convincing her themselves. Whichever suitor is the last to give up I'll recognize as Lala's fiance."
You narrow your eyes slightly. On the surface, it looks like he's turning Lala's engagement into a battle royale, where the last man standing wins Lala's hand. But knowing what you do, you realize this is just part of your test. It's not only a test of your commitment, but how well you can perform under pressure, and how you deal with dangerous enemies. He's not just choosing a husband for his daughter, but a future ruler of the galaxy, and if you can't handle this much, you can't handle the whole Milky Way.
"Papa, you can't do that!" Lala protests. "You'll turn this town into a battleground!"
He waves his hand dismissively. "I'll set some ground rules so things don't get too out of hand," he accedes. "I can't let the galaxy run rampant on a planet so underdeveloped. Your mother would never let me hear the end of it if I did. But I will be letting the others know where you are. In exchange, I'll allow you to stay there, on Earth, with Saitou-san."
"It's fine, I'll accept that," you cut in before Lala can protest further.
She glances at you, worry on her face, but relaxes a bit when she sees your confidence. "Okay, I'll believe in you then," she says. She then turns to her father. "Fine, we'll do it that way."
"I'll be nice and give you a couple days before I let the others know," Gid says. Then he chuckles darkly. "Well, unless I get bored waiting. Still, I'll let Zastin know immediately, so feel free to contact him so he doesn't have to run around the city looking for you. Oh, and Saitou-san?" he gives you another tooth-filled grin. "Good luck."
The video connection cuts off with those final words, and you're left alone with Lala.
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This is the story-only edit of a Quest I run over on Questionable Questing! If you'd like to participate in the Quest and vote on decisions the character makes, head there!
