The World The Girls Also Knows: The Girls God Can Only Save
AU after Goddesses Arc. Keima has to keep the affection of the seven Goddess hosts and Chihiro at the same time. And he still has to exorcise loose souls from girls by making them fall in love with him. Miyako has a loose soul that needs to be exorcised, and the God of Conquests gets himself a new disciple in the game world named Aoba Fuse.
And I do not own The World God Only Knows.
And thank you to xellos540 for the beta!
Short summary of the previous chapter, Flag XXVIII
Keima spends time with Tsukiyo in the Astronomy Club. The school reacts to the events of the previous day. Chihiro makes a decision. Ayumi and Chihiro spend time with Keima. Asami learns more about Keima's hobby.
As for some characters:
Aoba Fuse, Ikumi Yoshino, and Asami Yoshino are light novel heroines. I took their characterizations both from the light novel and also from Wrathie Winsre's stories.
ARC III – THE DISCIPLE
Flag XXIX
Arrival for the Sleepover
Translation of Manga Terms that I use
Nii-sama = Big Brother, Exalted Brother, Beloved Brother
Kami-Nii-sama or Kama-Onii-Sama = Divine Brother
Kami-sama = Divine One, Godly One, God. Aoba Fuse calls Keima Kami-sama, so I use Divine One.
Kami = God
Sama = Lord or Lady so Kujo-Sama is Lady Kujo, or Tsukiyo Sama is Lady Tsukiyo
Otamegane or Otamega = Glasses Wearing Game Nerd or Game Nut. I left it mostly untranslated.
Sensei = Teacher. But in context, I use Mr. or Miss. So Kodoma-Sensei would be Mr. Kodoma.
Otome Games = Games for Girls. The female equivalent of male dating sims.
Ojou-sama = aristocratic lady or noble lady
Mai-Hime = Princess from Maijima, the title of Aoba Fuse in the Gaming Community
Senpai = Upperclassmen. I mostly left it untranslated. And for consistency's sake, I reversed the order. So instead of Fuse-senpai, I went with Senpai Fuse.
Part 311 – The Genius in Heaven
Saturday afternoon, about 4 pm...
Aoba Fuse was standing before the front door of the Katsuragi residence. She was carrying a large bag.
She briefly wondered if she should go through with it, but overcame her doubts and pressed the doorbell.
The door opened.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Katsuragi."
"Miss Fuse! You're quite early for the sleepover! Come in! Come in!"
"Am I the first?" asked the genius.
"Yes. Normally, you don't arrive much later, especially on a school day. Even half-day, I'd imagine you still need time to pack."
"I packed last night," she answered, "so I just grabbed my bag and went straight here."
"Oh, is that so? You can stay here while you wait for the other girls," Mrs. Katsuragi said, pointing to a couch in the living room. "I'll get you some tea and snacks."
"If it's alright with you, I need a favor."
"Favor?"
"I need to go to the Divine One's game library. I want to stay there."
"Divine One? Oh, you mean Keima!" Mrs. Katsuragi exclaimed, temporarily forgetting the girl's nickname for her son. "But why? Won't you be lonely cooped up in that dark place?"
"On the contrary! That room is heaven! I had been looking forward to coming back there!"
"I guess I can allow it. Keima did promise you that you can go to that room whenever you wished," Mari mused. "Don't worry. I'll tell the other girls."
"About that. Can you not tell them? Please?"
"Huh? Why not?"
"Well, the Master asked me not to talk with them until he had talked to them about me. Please don't ask why. It's something personal. And I don't think I can avoid speaking to the others if they know I'm here."
"You're hiding from the others?"
"Yes. Please. I need to do this. Otherwise, I can't be in this sleepover."
Mari sighed. Was she in some sort of lover's quarrel? She could not think of any other reason for her strange request. It was such an odd wish for such an odd girl.
"Does Keima know about this?"
"I asked him about this, and he suggested it. And I think it's a perfect idea," Aoba answered, showing her phone to Mari and letting the mother read her message with Keima on the topic. "Just tell the Divine One I'm here, and he'll take care of me."
"Take care of you?" Mari mused, raising an eyebrow. What are you two planning? Are you planning on making out in the library with the other girls none the wiser? No. My son is not like that. And you're like my son, Aoba.
"Okay. It's not my place to interfere in your affairs," Mari answered as she led the blue-haired girl to the library.
Aoba's eyes popped wide as she looked at all the lovely games on the shelves. It was better than she remembered it. She scanned the titles printed on the case spines, and she knew at that moment that she was in paradise.
"Mrs. Katsuragi, your son has impeccable taste in games! Thank you for leading him into this wonderful path in life," Aoba expressed, as she bowed in gratitude toward the woman who she wished would be her future mother-in-law.
"Um, yes," the mother answered, not having the heart to tell her that she opposed her son's otaku lifestyle. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"
"Oh, yes. May I ask where the electric socket is?"
Mari pointed out where it was, and Aoba plugged her game charger as well as retrieving three different versions of PFP from her bag.
"I'm going to spend all night playing games. Nothing could be better for me. Please tell only your son that I am here. And don't let any of the other girls in here."
"Don't worry. Whatever secrets you're hiding will be safe," Mari giggled, imagining what life would be if Keima married Aoba. It might be a match made in heaven, but she hoped that if that happened, they would have enough common sense to function in the real world.
"I'll make some snacks for you," the mother said before she left her alone.
As soon as Mari had left, Aoba wasted no time and picked on an old game that she never played before—Shana the Flame Haired Heroine version 4, and plugged it to an old PFP.
Part 312 –Chihiro Arrives
Later, at about five in the afternoon…
Chihiro Kosaka was deep in thought as she walked from her home to the Katsuragi residence. She knew she would face three things that night.
First was the upcoming interview and confession in front of Keima's mother. That was the most difficult thing to imagine. To be asked to confess to the mother of your crush! Ordinarily, she would refuse such a ridiculous request. But she was not in an ordinary situation. If she refuses, his mother, according to Elsie, will not hesitate to tell him to drop her in favor of the other girls.
Gah! Due to the competition for his heart, she had to do many things that she would not do otherwise! If only he were chasing her! Then she'd dictate the pace of their relationship! But no! Due to their situation, it was Mari Katsuragi who would control how the relationship moves!
She had no choice. And she cannot blame either Mari or Keima, for that matter. Because of the sheer number of girls after him, it would be natural to trim the candidates to a manageable level. She just hoped that she wouldn't be trimmed out of contention.
Then there is the matter of the Aoba Fuse vote. She already made up her mind—she would vote for her. Because she would not wish on her the hell of losing her memories—she did not want the other girl to relive what she herself had experienced before. But the real reason was the Student Council Presidency—Tsukiyo had made it clear that they needed the girl genius to make Katsuragi president. And by now, Chihiro dearly wanted him to ascend to the highest position in school—that's the only suitable reward for all his heroics.
Sure, it would add another rival, but with her plan, it would minimize Fuse's advantages over the other girls. The vote to make sure that games or gaming-related matters should not count as "valid reasons to spend time outside the schedule" should be the easiest thing to manage. The six other girls would jump on the opportunity to restrain their rival. Yes, Fuse would get a win, but it would be a pyrrhic victory for the girl gamer.
Chihiro knew that she would win after five years. Yet that does not mean that the path would be easy. Hopefully, Fuse would be nothing more than a pothole on her road to victory.
…
"Here's some tea and snacks," Mari cheerily greeted as she entered the game library, where she spotted Aoba sitting on the floor, her back resting on the wall, playing happily with her PFP.
"Oh, you don't have to sit on the floor," Mrs. Katsuragi said as Aoba paused her game. "Come here."
She led her to a corner where there was a small table and a chair. "You can play there," the mother said. "Could you hold this for a while?"
Aoba nodded as she took the tray of food off the mother, letting the other woman transfer the snacks to the table.
"Thank you for the food, Ma'am," the girl gamer said in gratitude as she eyed the food—a couple of sandwiches and a cup of tea.
"Just have fun, dear," Mari said as she smiled before she left the library and went downstairs. When she arrived at the café, she heard a knock, and she remembered that she had put a closed sign on the door. She opened the door to the café, and there was a girl with short brown, hair. She looked-normal, with nothing to distinguish her from other girls her age.
"Hello, Ma'am. I am Chihiro Kosaka," the girl greeted.
"Kosaka?" Mari wondered before a bright expression came over her eyes. "Yes, you are Elsie's friend, right? She's having a sleepover with a couple of her friends!"
"Yes, Ma'am. I am Elsie's friend!"
"Well, I'm Mari Katsuragi, Elsie's brother's mother!"
What a strange way to refer to your daughter, Chihiro thought. Oh, I get it! That's where the dweeb got his weirdness genes. Both of you are weirdoes.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Katsuragi. May I come in?"
"Yes, you can. You're the first girl to arrive," Mari greeted as Chihiro entered.
"Thank you, Ma'am," the normal girl answered as she entered the café.
Then Elsie arrived behind her.
"Chihiro!" the devil shouted as she entered and hugged her bandmate.
"Elly! What has gotten into you?" the bandleader shouted.
"You came! I was worried you'd skip!"
"I wouldn't miss this! I'm not planning on losing—" Chihiro stopped herself when she realized Mari was still there.
"Just wait here for a bit—I'm gonna put my stuff in my room," Elsie announced before running off to her room.
"Chihiro Kosaka, is it? Well, Miss Kosaka, can you tell me how you became friends with Elsie?" Mari asked, and they spent the next twenty minutes just chatting.
Part 313 – Tsukiyo Arrives
Tsukiyo Kujo sighed as she walked towards the Katsuragi residence. Getting permission from her parents was easy, considering that they did not care enough for her. She was carrying a large bag with her clothes in it. She was holding her doll, like always. Vulcan offered to fly her or to use her strength to assist, but the blonde girl preferred to walk, as she was not too eager to go there.
The moon-lover was thinking of the events of the past few days. Keima Katsuragi kissing Miyako was not a shock, as she already expected and knew about it, but Aoba Fuse regaining her memories, confessing and kissing him was shocking. But that was dwarfed by the shock of seeing an actual Weiss—that was terrifying and made her appreciate and love Keima even more.
She nearly decided to vote against the inclusion of Fuse, until Yui Goido, the day after, reminded her of their agreement beforehand—that Tsukiyo would help the heiress in working on getting Fuse in the schedule if the heiress was able to prove that Fuse was in love with Keima—but if she were honest with herself, she only agreed to it because she believed that Fuse was really not in love with Keima. The implications of her bet did not sink in until it stared her in the face.
So she had no choice. Because after seeing how heroic Keima really was, she fell even more deeply in love with the boy. And she wanted him to become School Council President as a reward—so much so that it was worth getting Fuse in the schedule so that she could make Keima President. Because the presidency would be the proper reward for his heroics. That's one reason she made that speech to the girls in the clubroom—to make them realize that making him President was a sacred duty if they loved him and that the way to do that was to make sure that Fuse retains her memories.
She will make sure all the other girls would vote the proper way.
Sure, she felt jealous and angry at Fuse, but that was nothing compared to her love for Keima. And since it was inevitable that Keima would choose her after five years, what's the harm in sharing him with Aoba Fuse in the meantime? After five years, he would be hers! And hers alone!
She finally arrived and stared at the café door for a minute. It was closed for the day, so she knocked. And the door opened.
"Yes?" Mari Katsuragi asked.
"Hello Ma'am. I am Tsukiyo Kujo. May I come in?"
"Tsukiyo Kujo? Hm. Oh yes! I remember you! You came to the café last Saturday, right? And you're one of Elsie's friends for the sleepover?"
"That is correct, Mrs. Katsuragi."
"Come in, come in!" the mother invited in as she eyed the latest arrival. The new girl had an aristocratic air about her as her uniform was more refined and frilly than the regular uniforms. Frankly, she was surprised the school allowed such alterations. And was that a doll she was carrying? And now that she think about it, the Kujo girl also had a doll-like vibe about her.
"Am I the first to arrive?" she asked.
"I'm afraid you're not," Mari apologetically answered.
Tsukiyo then noticed that Chihiro was already there, sitting on one of the chairs.
"Kosaka."
"Kujo."
The two teenagers exchanged pleasantries.
…
Part 314 – The Mother and Chihiro
"May I ask how you're going to vote?" asked Tsukiyo in a whisper when Mari was out of earshot.
"You already know that. I will vote for her," Chihiro answered back, "but in exchange, we should get something in return."
That piqued Tsukiyo's interest. "What do you mean, something in return?"
"I'll tell you when all the girls are here," the normal girl whispered back. She looked at Elsie, who had just joined them. "How about you, Elly? You got a vote too."
"Oh, I'll vote after all of you. I'll vote according to how you vote," the devil answered cheerily.
"Miss Kosaka, could I have a minute?" Mari suddenly called from the counter. The mother spoke in a courteous and friendly voice, yet Chihiro knew that she had no choice but to follow.
"Yes, Ma'am," Chihiro stood up and followed Mari out of the café into the living room.
The mother sat on the couch surrounding the center table and indicated to Chihiro that she should do the same, on the opposite side of the table.
A moment later, Elsie followed with a tray of snacks and a pot of tea.
"Please, help yourself, Miss Kosaka," Mari offered even as she poured tea into Chihiro's cup.
The bandleader nodded as she picked up a cookie from the tray and accepted the cup offered.
"Let's get straight to the point," Mari said as soon as Elsie left. "Do you like my son?"
And Chihiro nearly choked at that question. Her immediate instinct was to deny it but she remembered all that Elsie and Keima told her. If she messed up, she might lose him forever.
She blushed furiously as she nodded. Hopefully, that would satisfy her.
"How much? How much do you love Keima?"
"Very much," Chihiro whispered as she stared at the cup of tea.
"Would you be willing to do anything to be with him?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation. She was still nervous but just kept remembering the instructions she received. Especially the one about being honest with her feelings.
Mari shook her head. "Too bad. Keima is already spoken for."
"What? Who's the girl?" she blurted out.
"Girls. Kanon Nakagawa and Tenri Ayukawa."
And Chihiro internally sighed in relief. Everything was as Elsie and Keima mentioned.
"He has two girls?"
"Well, it's complicated. How do I explain it? I better start at the beginning."
And Mari told Chihiro about Keima's tale from her perspective, how it started when Keima helped Kanon with her problems, how Kanon fell in love with him, how the manager of Kanon, Miss Okada, manipulated Keima and Kanon so that Keima would give Kanon three hours of his time every week for the next five years, while publicly holding out that they are merely siblings to maintain Kanon's "pure" image, and allowing Keima to have other girls to maintain the ruse publicly.
Then Mari told her about the Tenri situation and how she ended up sharing Keima with identical terms to Kanon.
"But you already know that, right, Miss Kosaka? Elsie told you. You wanted to get the same terms as Kanon and Tenri, right?"
Chihiro just stared silently at the mother of the boy she's crushing on before saying, "Yes."
Mari sighed. "Are you sure? Because you would share my son with other girls for the next five years."
"To be honest, I'm not too thrilled with the situation. But I understand that he has no choice in the matter. It sucks, but what can I do? I want to be selfish, but I can't, so if I have to share, so be it."
"Why? Normal girls don't want to share with other girls," the mother asserted.
"Because I love him! And I won't give him up!" Chihiro asserted as she looked the mother in the eye. Elsie and Keima told her that his mother was suspicious that she was only trying to get close to Kanon through Keima. "I loved him for a long time—even before he got famous because of Kanon."
"You'll get jealous. It's easy to say that right now, but what if you see him with other girls?"
"I am jealous of Kanon and Ayukawa. But that's only because I love him. I understand that I'll probably get hurt. But it would hurt me more if I get denied the chance to win him for myself."
…
Mari sighed as she concluded that she was sincere in her love for her son. She was not trying to get closer to the famous idol. She was relieved. Chihiro seemed like a normal girl, unlike Kanon or Tenri. Still, she has one more test.
"You say you love my son?" Mari asked as she sent an email through her phone. "But why haven't you told him yet?"
"I didn't have the chance yet," she whispered.
"Well, if you want the same terms as Kanon and Tenri, my son will have to consent. And he'll only do it if he knows you love him," Mari declared.
"I'll tell him."
Part 315 – Confession to the Boy She Loves
Suddenly, they heard loud steps on the stairs. Keima Katsuragi entered the living room.
"Hello, Mom! Why did you—hey, Chihiro, what are you doing here?"
And so my son is on a first-name basis with her, Mari thought.
"Katsuragi! What are you doing here?"
But not the other way around, I see.
"I live here!"
"Well, I have been invited to a sleepover by your sister!" Chihiro asserted. She glanced at Mari.
Well, aren't you going to say something to my son? It's one thing to love him, but it's a different thing to confess. I won't allow you to have a chance if you can't even spit it out. I'm sorry for this, Chihiro, but things are not normal for my son right now.
"Katsuragi, I want the same chance as Kanon and Tenri. Elly told me all about it, and I want a piece of the action too."
And Keima looked at her dumbfoundedly. "But why?"
"Because dweeb, I like you! I want a chance to win you, and that's the only way."
"Y-y-y-y-you love me?" asked an astonished Keima.
"Yes. Don't make me say it twice. It's embarrassing enough with your Mother over here."
"But why? I'm just the Otamegane! I don't have anything that would make you love me."
"Does it matter? Love just is! There's no reason for it! I just love you."
"Still, in games, love needs something for it to bloom! You can't just say, I love you, without a reason!"
"Oh, stuff your games, doofus! I don't care what they say! So, what will it be?"
"I can't say I return your feelings. But if you want to have a chance to make me love you, then go ahead. But be aware that you'll have to share with Kanon and Tenri."
"I know. But you will choose me in the end, got it, mister?"
"That remains to be seen, Chihiro. But, as long as Kanon and Tenri agree to your inclusion, and if my mother approves too, then you can join. Mom?"
Mari nodded. "I approve of her," she stated. All her doubts about Chihiro were answered. So her son now has three girls for the next five years. "As long as Kanon and Tenri agree too."
Chihiro went and faced Mari. She bowed. "Thank you, Mrs. Katsuragi, for allowing me this chance. I'll do my best to show you that I can be the best daughter-in-law. And don't worry, I'm sure Kanon and Tenri will be okay with this."
Mari raised an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"
"I'm not. I'm just hopeful," the bandleader admitted.
Mari nodded and smiled. Keima told Chihiro not to mention to the others that he's at home since he was catching up to his game backlog, and he does not want to be bothered, then left.
Chihiro and Mari chatted for a few more minutes before Chihiro returned to the café.
"Oh, and Chihiro…" Mari called as the normal girl was about to walk out of the living room.
…
Chihiro's heart was pounding as she walked back to the café. The interview with Mari was one of the most nerve-wracking moments of her life. She was so afraid that the mother would disapprove of her, and thus, remove her from the schedule!
Oh, that doofus will pay for it! Just you wait when it's my turn again!
The worse thing was when she had to lie. She did not know how she did it, but she was able to lie through her teeth. But I was so sure that I would be found out! I guess all that lying to Miyako paid off. I feel bad, but this is a white lie. This is a harmless lie. No harm will come to anyone from this.
When she entered the café, she saw that Ayumi was already there, chatting with Tsukiyo and Elsie.
"Chihiro!" Ayumi shouted, waving her hand.
"So, how did it go?" Tsukiyo asked.
"Thankfully, nothing happened that wasn't expected. But be warned—it is not easy."
"Told you, you can do it!" Elsie exclaimed.
Chihiro looked at Tsukiyo. "And I nearly forgot, Kujo. You're next."
Tsukiyo gulped. "I'm next?"
"Yes," the normal girl answered. "Good luck!"
"Thanks. I'll need that."
…
Part 316 – Tsukiyo in the Lion's Den
Tsukiyo took her time to go to the living room. She was not particularly eager to talk to Mari, yet at the same time, she wanted the entire thing to be over with. She mentally prepared herself.
Just remember what Keima and Elsie told you, Tsukiyo. And just remember the ruses.
"Hello, Miss Kujo," Mari greeted when the moon-lover entered the living room.
"Mrs. Katsuragi," the moon-lover answered as she sat on the couch.
Mari looked at her with a smile and cheerful eyes. "I'm so glad to meet you. Elsie keeps talking about you."
The mother's happy demeanor, instead of reassuring Tsukiyo, just put her on edge. There's something about Mari that made her look like a mother cat playing with her prey before feeding it to her son.
"She does?"
"Oh, yes. She keeps telling me how wonderful your Astronomy Club is, about how it's like a room in a mansion rather than a club room in a High School! And she tells me that you have beautiful dolls and they live in beautiful houses!"
That made Tsukiyo smile. "She said that? Then your daughter has excellent perception. I'll thank her the next time I see her."
"So, it's true then?"
"Yes. My club is my home away from home, so I'd rather have something more than a drab room."
"Yes, your room has made quite the impression on Elsie. How about Keima? Has he seen your clubroom?"
"He has."
"Oh, so he's a member of your club?"
"No, no. He likes to visit once in a while."
"You like it when he visits, right?"
And Tsukiyo looked at Mari hard as her face blushed, and nodded.
"Tell me, why are you here?"
Was this a trick question? "Elsie invited me to a sleepover."
"And?"
Tsukiyo breathed hard. "I heard that Kei—I mean Katsuragi, has an arrangement with Kanon Nakagawa and Tenri Ayukawa where he can spend time with him, specifically three hours a week for the next five years. I want to ask permission for me to join."
"How did you know?"
"Your daughter told me."
"But why? Don't you think with Keima spoken for, it's better if you go after another boy instead?"
"If he is really spoken for, I wouldn't do this. But I know he's not. He's just giving those two girls a chance. I want the same chance."
"Are you saying that it's okay if Keima cheats on you with two other girls? Because that's what you're implying."
"It doesn't qualify as cheating if the other girls approve of me, or gave permission for Keima to date me. Because cheating implies that he's doing it behind their backs, but as I understand it, Kanon and Ayukawa are fully aware of each other."
"And what if they don't give you permission?"
"If they don't, then I don't have the right to go after Keima. They're first," Tsukiyo claimed. She wanted to grit her teeth saying that—as far as she's concerned, they're not first at anything—they're just in her way—she wanted to curse the cover story Keima and Elsie invented. If Tsukiyo had her way, the cover would be that she was Keima's first girl, and she was graciously giving permission to other girls out of the goodness of her heart because she knows Keima will choose her anyway. "But I know they will."
"How do you know that?"
Because they already did? "I don't, but I have faith. They have to say yes, because I love him that much it would crush me if I can't have the chance to win your son over. They will say yes because I am too beautiful to refuse. But I want to have your permission first before I could ask them."
"Oh, by the way, forgive me if this sounds out of left field, but are you a fan of the idol Kanon Nakagawa?" And once more, Tsukiyo thanked Keima and Elsie for preparing her for that question.
"Not really. I am not fond of idols in general. My musical taste is classical and romantic, and I don't normally care for modern popular music. I knew Miss Nakagawa solely as a schoolmate. And why should I be a fan? I am far more beautiful than her," Tsukiyo declared.
Mari nodded. "Very well. Normally, I would not like my son to have so many girls at the same time, but his situation is not normal. And if the others agree, you can be one of Keima's girls."
Tsukiyo blinked as she comprehended Mari's words. "Do you mean—?"
"Yes."
"You approve of me?"
"Yes. If Keima and the others say yes, then I don't have any problem with you joining."
Part 317 – Tsukiyo Confesses
Before Tsukiyo could say anything else, Keima Katsuragi entered the living room through the front door. "Yes, Mom? Did you call—what are you doing here, Kujo?"
Tsukiyo stood up and walked to Keima. "Katsuragi—" Tsukiyo was a bit irritated that they had to call each other by surname in front of Mari, but it's necessary, "I love you. Would you go out with me?"
And there was silence in the room.
"What?" Keima answered dumbly. "I wasn't listening—"
"Don't lie! I know you heard me!" the moon-lover snapped even as her face became even more crimson.
"I'm sorry, but I don't like you," he answered coldly.
"I know. You don't love Nakagawa and Ayukawa too, right?"
"I don't love any real girl."
"So why give them a chance to spend time with you if that is the case?"
"It's complicated."
"I know everything. Your sister told me."
"Damn that bug demon! I'm going to—"
"If those two can, why can't I? I don't know why I am so different from them. I will wait for five years because I know you'll choose me in the end. And before you ask, yes, I am willing to share you in the meantime."
Keima looked at her with wide eyes. He looked at his mother. "Are you hearing this, Mom? Tell her this is a crazy idea."
Mari shook her head. "I am fine with it. You already have two, what's one more?"
Keima looked at Tsukiyo as if she had lost her mind. "Kanon and Tenri will never approve of you."
"They haven't been asked yet. I know they will say yes."
"Fine. You can have the same privileges as those two if they approve," Keima nodded.
"I know you would see it my way. It's inevitable!" the doll-like girl asserted with confidence. "Mark my words—you will choose me in the end."
"That remains to be seen," Keima answered. "I'm going back to my room. I need to finish some quests. Don't disturb me."
Without waiting for Mari or Tsukiyo to answer, he ran back to his room.
"Well, that is surprising. I never expected him to agree," Mari commented. "Well, Miss Kujo, are you happy?
"I feel very beautiful," the blonde girl answered.
"Anyway, send another girl to me, okay?"
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"As long as it's not Kanon, Tenri, or Kosaka."
"And I know just the girl!" Tsukiyo declared before taking her leave and going back to the café.
Mari sighed. Of the two new girls, she liked Chihiro. Tsukiyo, not so much. But it was clear both girls really love her son, and they were not merely there to get close to Kanon Nakagawa.
If she had a choice, she would prefer Chihiro, but she would accept any of them. Chihiro seemed normal. And she was assertive. She would not be pushed around by her son, and would, therefore, ground him to reality. She would be the perfect fit for her darling offspring.
She was uncertain of Tsukiyo. She gave off the air of an aristocratic girl. Mari was worried that if she married her son, she would still insist on living like a rich girl. That would be fine if she were wealthy, like Yui Goido, but she was not so sure about Tsukiyo. A girl who's used to living like a Princess but had no wealth to back it up was the most worrying type of girl a man could marry. It might bankrupt the Katsuragi family unless Tsukiyo could show a more responsible side to her.
Still, Mari would not stand in her way if her son chose her.
…
Part 318 –In the Game Library
Meanwhile…
"Another heroine saved!" Keima smiled as he saw, in big letters,— 'GOOD END'—on the screen. "I would've finished earlier if Mom didn't constantly interrupt! Let's see. We've finished Tsukiyo and Chihiro. I'm glad both were able to pass. Who's next, I wonder? Who cares!"
He ejected the game from the PlayStation and put the disc in its plastic case. He went straight to his game library to archive the game. It was a good game, but it was not good enough to warrant replaying once he was done with all the routes, and he finished with his review.
The first thing he noticed was a faint light coming from the corner of the library. It was odd, as there was no window in that part of the room, and the lights were not on.
He walked to the source of the light, and saw his disciple, Aoba Fuse, sitting in a chair in front of a desk, playing her PFP.
"Aoba!" he exclaimed.
And she was so busy playing that she barely acknowledged him.
"Aoba!" he called louder.
"I'm in the middle of a game! Please don't disturb me!" she murmured.
Keima went closer to see what she was playing. It was an older game. One that he had played five years before.
"Why are you playing that?"
"Divine One, if you must know, I saw a review of this game on the internet. I got curious. But I couldn't find it anywhere. Until I came here," she said without even lifting her head.
"That's a classic."
"Yes. It was your review by the way."
Keima nodded. "That game's long out of print."
"I tried writing to the company, but they're not interested in re-releasing an old game that didn't make them much money. So I guess this library is my last resort."
"So how do you like this game? Does it justify my positive review?"
"When you wrote it, yeah. But from today's standpoint, maybe not."
"Explain."
"When this game came out, it was revolutionary. It changed the paradigm for dating sims. You noted how it was very original in how it approached games. It was very innovative. It was unique."
"That's true. So what changed?"
"Every other game imitated it. Sometimes, they just changed the names while otherwise being an identical copy. And some later games did it far better than this one. Every other game today is some cheap knock off of this original game. Looking at it from today, this is nothing special. I couldn't see the hype or see why it's so good if I didn't know the history. To me, playing it for the first time, it's good, but not that special. I'm unfortunate since I already played all those copycats first. This game is only saved by the clever writing."
Keima agreed. "That's the pitfall of innovative games. A thousand copycats later, it doesn't seem so special anymore."
"I know it's historically important. But I just can't feel how great this game is. It's fun, don't get me wrong, but—"
"I get you. If I played this game today for the first time, my review would be far different," Keima admitted. "It's the curse of the pioneers!"
Aoba nodded as she continued the game.
"I'm surprised the other girls didn't make a fuss about you holing up here!"
"They don't know I'm here."
"What?"
"I came here earlier than the others. Your mother knows I'm here, and she agreed to keep my presence a secret."
"But why?"
"Because you told me, Divine One, not to talk to the girls this week," Aoba answered.
Keima chuckled. "I didn't expect this! Well done, Aoba!" he said, patting her in the head and making her blush intensely and causing her to make a mistake in the game. "Makes my job way easier."
"Job?"
"Well, to tell you the truth, how should I say this? Well, it's a long story."
"I have the time. What are you up to?"
Keima looked around for a bit to make sure his mother won't hear him. "I am in a plot to make Mom accept that I have to have seven girls date me for the next five years. And I already succeeded in persuading her about Kanon, Tenri, Chihiro and Tsukiyo. So only Shiori, Ayumi, and Yui are left."
"Really? That's surprising! Usually, the mother of the player or the hero would accept no such thing in games. But it's not unknown. There are some mothers of players that encourage their son to go the harem route. An example would be the mother of Souji in the Twin Tails game. I guess Mrs. Katsuragi is like her?"
"Not at the beginning. I needed to set up a lot of things just to make this work. Tonight would be the culmination of all my efforts! And I can now do what I need to do without hiding it or lying to Mom."
"So what's your plan, Divine One? How did you manage it? I'm curious."
Keima told her his plan. It took him about twenty minutes to explain everything, including answering questions from Aoba.
"So your mother will be fully aware of the schedule, am I right? Are you sure about this?"
"Yes. More than anything I've ever thought about."
"I don't know. Right now, you have the freedom to do what you want, as long as the girls agree. If your Mom knows this, I'm pretty sure she'll insist on getting involved and may make decisions that you may not be too fond of."
"I know. It's a risk I'm willing to take for the girls. It's better than lying to her for the next five years. Mom and Dad will be fully involved, and I'll be able to operate in the open."
Aoba merely nodded.
Part 319 – Mari and Aoba
Before she could say anything else, the door opened, and Mari came in with a tray of food.
"Oh, am I interrupting something?" Mari teased as she giggled at seeing Mari and Keima so close together, even if the activity that drew them close was something as unromantic as a video game.
Keima shook his head. "No."
"Thank you for not telling the others I'm here, Mrs. Katsuragi."
"It's my pleasure. Keima, I understand that you requested that she hide from the other girls. I know that's not very nice, but I know you have a good reason for it. May I know what it is?"
"I have a good reason. Let's just say that it's the girls' business, and I can't tell you without earning their ire. Sorry."
"If you can't tell me right now, I understand," the mother said as she carefully put the tray on the floor. She went out for a while and came back with a small plastic table, put it beside Aoba, and put the drinks and food there.
Aoba paused her game and grabbed one of the sandwiches. "Thank you, Mrs. Katsuragi."
Keima himself grabbed a sandwich before taking his leave. "Well, I'm going now. I need to finish the other games."
He left, leaving Mari and Aoba alone in the dark game library.
"So, enjoying your stay here?" the mother asked as she sat on a plastic stool and sipped on a cup of hot tea.
"Yes, Ma'am," the girl gamer answered as she sipped her hot tea.
Then they talked, for a while, about mundane things, before Mari went to the reason she invited Aoba in the first place.
"Oh, I need to ask you before I forget, Miss Fuse, but do you like my son?"
That surprised Aoba. "Um, excuse me, could you repeat that? I didn't quite get it."
"Do you like my son?"
"Your son is a great gamer. I wish to be like him one day. I'd like to be able to be the Master of all games! I am but a speck in comparison to him. That's why I am his disciple. Because I like your son and I want to be like him. He's the very definition of a great gamer."
Hopefully, that will satisfy the mother.
"That's nice. But I'm not asking for that. Let me be blunt. You like Keima as a girl likes a boy."
There was no getting around it. "Yes, I do. And yes, your son knows it, and he does not like me back."
"Wait, did he—?"
"Yes, I was rejected. But not as a disciple! I follow him because he continues to be my Master, and I continue to be his disciple."
"Have you given up on him? Not as a disciple, but on winning his heart?"
"Yes. Not that I'm not confident in winning his heart if given the chance, but his circumstance at the present means that even if he falls head over heels for me, he cannot in good conscience choose me. I want what's best for him, and I will not make his life more difficult than it already is."
Mari immediately knew that the girl gamer knew what was really going on.
"Did Keima tell you about the situation?"
"Yes."
"If Keima wasn't in his predicament, would you give yourself a chance with him?"
"The other girls wouldn't stand a chance if that was the case."
"Confident now, aren't we? Why don't you try? You'll never know for sure until you do."
"Sadly, it's not in my hands. Nor the Divine One's. The other girls would have to say yes, and I know they won't."
"Well, to tell you the truth, five other girls are trying their luck today. Even if they're not sure that Kanon and Tenri will say yes, or if they'll tolerate each other, they're still trying."
"I'll wish them luck then," Aoba answered.
Part 319 – The Future Goddess?
"Still, I'm curious. Suppose that Keima does give you a chance, and suppose that after all this madness, he chooses you in the end. What kind of girlfriend will you be to my son? I'm guessing that you'll play games all day, right? Games will be your life day in and day out. And that will make you two perfectly happy."
And Aoba Fuse began to suspect that this was some kind of test. But should it matter to her? She has no chance, so why should she care how funny or weird the mother of Keima Katsuragi sees her?
"Not really. We already play games all the time. Don't tell him, but if that happens, I'll demand that he treat me as one of his heroines."
"Heroines?"
"Like a girlfriend in the real world. Both of us have the common sense to separate the real from the ideal, even if only to get the real world out of the way as fast as possible to enter into the ideal. Otherwise, your son wouldn't be the best student in school. Ditto for myself. Because even if the ideal is superior, it still needs a good foundation in the real. You cannot properly enjoy the ideal if the real isn't taken care of first. And if we do get together, I would make sure that we have a proper conventional relationship first, because only if we have that, can we conquer the ideal world of games."
"So, what do you mean by taking care of the real first?"
"Well, we would go on dates, we will have proper jobs, we will become rich and buy a big house, have children, basically live in the real world like how we want our heroes and heroines to live in our games. Because I believe that you can only properly give a happy end to your heroines if you can give yourself a happy ending too."
"But in that case, would you still have time to play games?"
"Of course. The sooner we get that perfect ending in the real world, the more time we would have to play games! Because only if we're rich could we afford to buy more and more games and build a proper place to play games. Only if we have enough money could we have more time to play. Only if we've done all our proper responsibilities in the real world could we play in peace without thinking of what we need to do."
"That's the right attitude, Miss Fuse! Still, what do you think of my son? I know you're in love with him, but how do you see him?
"As God."
"God? Even knowing him this long?"
"Yes. He's the Divine One! He's God!"
"Surely, you know what other people think of him. Are you going to accept that?"
"Of course not. I'm going to change how people think of him."
"So, you're going to change my son to make him more acceptable to the real world?"
"No. That would be insulting to your son. I would change the perception of the others without changing who Keima Katsuragi is. The world would learn to appreciate the Divine One, and they will worship him as I do. If not, then they would fear him."
"How will you do that?"
"Oh, it's simple. I'll put him into a position where those around him would not dare talk bad about him publicly. If they want to do so, they must do so behind closed doors, where it would not matter. Mrs. Katsuragi, we really can't control how people feel in their hearts, but we can try to control how people act in public."
Mari found herself nodding to the girl gamer as she listened. And she changed her mind. She does approve of Aoba Fuse for her son if he ever chooses her. She has enough sense of responsibility to be a proper wife for her son. She will pull him to the real world, even if that was not her real intention. She would protect him from those who would harm him. She was glad she invited her to the sleepover!
"Listen, if you ever decide to try to join the contest for my son, you can be sure that I will support you in getting in. Not in winning, because I can only support who my son chooses in the end, but only in making sure you're in the running. Don't give up."
"Thank you for the kind words, Ma'am."
And that made Aoba very happy. Even if she knew that it was only theoretical, she felt good to have Mari Katsuragi on her side.
"And one more thing, Aoba. I can call you that, right?"
"You can, Mrs. Katsuragi."
"And if my Keima does choose you, then what will you be?"
"What will I be? The happiest girl in the world."
"Yes. But you will be a Goddess too."
"Me, a Goddess?"
"The Goddess of Conquest, of course."
"Can I do so?"
"Yes. Don't think of yourself as inferior or under him. Think of yourself as his equal. If you think of him as Divine, I approve of it, as long as you think of yourself as Divine too."
"Me Divine? But I'm merely the Mai Hime. The Princess of Maijima!"
"Yes. And I believe that you can make yourself a Goddess too! Because a Princess can never be equal to a God. So maybe you can be the Goddess of Maijima. Don't sell yourself short, Aoba. Goddess of Conquests and Maijima. Doesn't that sound nice?"
"Me? A Goddess! Yes, I'll try to achieve that, Mrs. Katsuragi! Maybe he will choose me if that happens."
Mari smiled. One of her objections to Aoba was her worship of her son. He preferred that her son's future wife would see herself as an equal to him. Hopefully, her words would spur her in that direction.
Now Mari was sure Aoba was worthy of joining Kanon and Tenri in the competition for Keima's heart.
…
Part 320 – The Situation Appraisal
Keima was still wondering what was his mother's purpose in inviting Aoba Fuse to the sleepover. After all, the object of the sleepover, from her point of view, was to approve the five girls who wanted to spend time with him in the next five years.
Was her mother considering Aoba a candidate for his heart? That made sense. But why? The five girls openly expressed their interest in winning his heart, while Aoba had not. Aoba would not consent to share him with the other girls, thus immediately disqualifying her from contention.
The gamer shrugged. Maybe there was some other purpose he was not aware of? If that was the case, then it was none of his concern.
His more immediate concern was the process of Mari approving the girls. He was glad that Chihiro and Tsukiyo passed. He was worried about whether Tsukiyo could pull it off, but she did. And he was right to be confident about Chihiro, though he was sure that the normal girl would make him pay for what she went through.
So the remaining ones were Ayumi, Shiori, and Yui. The girl he was most anxious about would be Shiori. He hoped that his mother would go easy on the poor girl.
Not that he wasn't worried about Ayumi and Yui. Yui was Yui, and her antics might turn off his mother. Hopefully, Yui will follow the plan. As for Ayumi? He was much more confident with her than either Yui or Shiori, though she would have to make a convincing explanation why the athlete kept inflicting physical violence on him in the past.
And after all that, there was still the vote for Aoba. He already knew that Tenri, Ayumi, Tsukiyo, and Chihiro would surely vote for her. Shiori, most likely, would almost certainly vote for Aoba too. That leaves Kanon and Yui.
If there's one thing he would be sure of, it was that those two girls would surely never vote for Aoba. Kanon wanted him to dump the schedule so he would only spend time with her. He had to scold her to make the schedule work. Surely, the idol would not tolerate another girl.
As for Yui, that was one sure vote. He remembered that the heiress asked him about Aoba in the schedule before seeing Aoba kiss him in the duet. He was convinced that Yui was afraid of him making Aoba part of the schedule, and he had to repeatedly assure the crossdresser that she could easily vote against Aoba so she need not worry about the genius girl.
So that's two votes he was sure of. And even if those two girls failed him, there's still the Goddesses that will save Aoba Fuse's memories!
Perhaps if Aoba Fuse were willing to join the schedule, he wouldn't have to worry, but the girl genius made it clear that it was not an option.
Oh well! Everything's going according to plan.
End of Flag XXIX
Author Notes
Review Replies
To xellos540,
What Keima told Ayumi was she could talk to the other girls about Keima running for President, but she must not mention it to him again.
Tsukiyo wore a lovely dress!
Let's just say that Elsies' responsible for Haqua wearing a maid outfit, as mentioned later in the chapter.
Yup! It's only a ball for two people, so the Astronomy Club is adequate.
As for why the Goddesses are dressed as maids, its explained later in the chapter—they lost a second bet they made to get out of fulfilling the first bet that they also lost.
Yep! Tsukiyo is a hypocrite!
Yes, it was Elsie who dragged Haqua along. I'm sure Elsie has a lot of tricks up her sleeve that convinced the valedictorian to go along with her crazy scheme. And yes, Haqua has her own ulterior motives for joining the ball as a maid.
As for Tsukiyo voting for Aoba in the schedule, remember that it was Yui and Tsukiyo who conspired together to bring Aoba in, and it was Tsukiyo who made that little speech to the girls that Keima must become President, and only one girl could make him President. Of course, he can't say that to Keima's face, so she gave another reason to Keima.
What kind of favor? Well, look at what happened at the end of the dance? XD
They're not jealous for themselves upon seeing Keima kiss Tsukiyo in front of them (except Diana, of course). But they are possessive in regards to their hosts, and the jealousy that they felt is jealousy on behalf of their hosts, not for themselves.
And of course, they already assumed that such kisses happens, but to see it happen with their own eyes right in front of them—that is different than merely knowing about it. Their instinctive reaction would be jealousy on behalf of their hosts—like a child seeing their father kiss another woman not their mother, or a father seeing his son-in-law kissing another woman.
Imagine if Yui finds out what Tsukiyo did. I wonder what she'll do with Keima when it's her time! XD
Yep, Elsie does not like bullies.
Like true bullies, the trio are quick to fold when confronted by someone (who they believe is) stronger. And they're sucking up to him as he has the reputation of being even worse than a delinquent!
Keima is only popular with Middle schoolers. He's still unpopular with high schoolers, only that he's now feared among high-schoolers so they won't openly express their real opinions about Keima. But he's become popular among a small minority of high schoolers. He has a reputation for being worse than a delinquent right now.
Yep! The entire thing was deliberately designed by Keima to be subjective. That's what's so sneaky and great about the schedule from Keima's perspective.
The "talk with you all" happened later but won't be shown. The result will be shown by how the girls act in front of Mari in the sleepover.
Ayumi with bento is canon, kinda. I remember the start of the Heart of Jupiter arc in the alternate world where the girls are giving Keima bentos of all kinds!
Ayumi will use all the cards she could get her hands on to win Keima! xD
Ayumi is a Tsundere, I think. And yeah, she's acting like they're a married couple with her attitude!
Well, Keima just wanted to be left alone. But if he had to choose, groveling at his feet is far better than hurting him and insulting him daily. It's a welcome change to before.
I really don't think Chihiro is thinking about the ruses when she grabbed Keima's arm. She just wanted to one-up Ayumi. Of course, that would affect Keima's plans, so let's see how he will deal with it. And he does not care about the Presidency or the cool-strong-guy image—that's mainly Aoba Fuse's concern, so we'll see what happens.
True, though I imagine with the amount of games he played, the eye-candy has by now become repetitive, and he already had seen all the clothes before several times over.
Chihiro still calls Keima Otamegane, Dweeb and Doofus, though, by this time, it's more like an affectionate nickname than calling him names because of malice.
Aoba giving love advice to Asami makes sense because Aoba is convinced she has no chance anyway because she can't get in the schedule. She has effectively given up hope for herself. So why not help someone and, in the process, gain some advantage for her goal of making Keima president? Aoba is using the goal of getting together with Keima as an incentive for Asami to help in making Keima president. Because Aoba will only get Asami in the schedule if Keima wins. That's the context of Aoba giving Asami that promise.
Thanks for the review, xellos540!
To Red888, thanks for the review.
Yes, all the pieces are being laid out. And it would be a big event! As this chapter demonstrates! And we're not seen at the most important part of the plot yet! And we have Tsukiyo, Chihiro, and even Aoba express their feelings to Mari in this chapter!
As for the rankings, we'll see. But it's not the same, definitely.
Yep! We're just two weeks in. But there'll be a timeskip soon!
To StoryReiter, thank you and welcome to my story.
Chapter 18 review
I intentionally overdone it. The hero gushing is very important to the plot point, and understandable because of Keima's actions. Because Keima saved their lives, saved the world, and sacrificed so much for it! I think Keima is entitled to be gushed by those he saved. Especially as those he specifically saved are in love with him in the first place.
And I'm glad that Yui came across as best support and love interest! I intended that, and I'm pleased it came out that way.
As for the letter, Heart of Jupiter did not happen, so Keima did not have the opportunity to write that letter. But who knows? Maybe something else came up then?
And thank you very much for your kind comments!
Chapter 21 review
Diana's a dark horse! It would be a lovely pairing, imagining those two. Still, Tenri complicates the picture. Would Diana consider it a betrayal of Tenri if she accepts Keima's love if it came to it? She already feels guilty about feeling love for Keima as it is. Stealing Tenri's fiance' would be too much for the Goddess, I guess.