The day was a Sunday. I was in a café, a place I wouldn't normally be at.
With me were 2 girls, Lizel-senpai and Miyabi. They're the reason I'm at this café, honestly. We were waiting for Reina.
Naturally, with today being a weekend, both me and the girls were wearing casual clothes. I wasn't wearing anything special, but the girls seemed really stunning, maybe because I often saw them wearing Ginsei Academy's uniform.
Miyabi wore ripped jeans shorts and a purple jacket that showed a lot of cleavage and stomach. Her uniform already looked pretty erotic, but today she's just… if not for our little afterparty from the Unveiling, I might not be able to keep my eyes off her… not that I'm having much success now.
A-anyway, as for Lizel-senpai, she's dressed exactly as you would expect from a young lady of a noble house. She wore a monotone dress that, combined with her accessories, gave her a chic look. She was currently on the phone with Reina.
"Reina said she should arrive soon."
"Great. Then, I probably have time for another parfait."
Miyabi ordered another parfait. Yes, another. I think this is the 3rd or 4th.
I mean… it is lunchtime, even I'm pretty hungry. But I also understand we have a little objective to fulfill before we go eat lunch.
Lizel-senpai told me we would be doing even more intensive training during summer. So our objective here today was to try on some swimsuits for that occasion. That's why we were waiting on Reina so we could all go to the shopping mall nearby.
Also, Lizel-senpai told me that, even though the training itself is already decided, the details such as where we're going and what exactly we'll be training will be adjusted later. It'll be based on my development until then.
"Miyabi, maybe you don't know this, but you shouldn't overeat so casually. It's easy to gain weight, but it's almost impossible to lose it. There is no such thing as a miracle diet like many places advertise. Winning the Devil King War on your own would be an easier challenge."
There might have been some exaggeration there, but I didn't dare question it with how serious Lizel-senpai looked. Was it just my impression or could I hear some resentment in her voice?
"No, no, I get it. My breasts and butt are the parts that get fatter first, then I think they're too big and go dieting only for my face to get thinner. It's really troublesome."
*crack* What was that sound? D-did Lizel-senpai just put down her cup with so much strength that it broke the saucer?
Miyabi, not noticing the demon that I'm pretty sure was materializing behind Lizel-senpai, asked a question.
"How about senpai? Does senpai have the same problem, or is it some other part that gets fatter first?"
"I hate my upper arm and calf, I mean, I have no such thing. I'm not worried about my figure. Are you listening, Yuuto?"
"W-what? I-I don't think Lizel-senpai needs to worry about your figure. As far as I'm concerned, Lizel-senpai is as beautiful as the greatest model."
"Oh my~ fufufu, that's right. Thank you for the compliment, Yuuto."
I had tried to escape death by pretending to not be paying attention, but that was no longer possible when Lizel-senpai called out to me directly. In that case, I'd just have to defuse the situation myself.
Luckily, it's already been over half a month since I've met Lizel-senpai and the others. Over the course of that time, I've learned that Lizel-senpai is unexpectedly easy, I mean an honest person. In short, complimenting her is probably the best way to escape her wrath.
I breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the worst had been avoided.
"By the way, senpai, I noticed a new lamp in Yuuto's room last time I slept there. Is senpai still scared of the dark?"
Lizel-senpai froze, as if time had stopped.
To be honest, I also noticed that lamp. It showed up after Lizel-senpai got my home fixed after Haida's attack. She not only fixed my home, but also added a few things, like a protective barrier, she expanded my room and added a closet for her clothes, as well as Miyabi and Reina's. The lamp was also an addition.
Even as a child, I was never really afraid of the dark or anything, so I never had a lamp in my room. Because of that, the thing bothered my sleep when it was left on at night. And I noticed that only happened when Lizel-senpai stayed over.
But to think the reason is actually this… it's actually a little cute.
"N-no! I just got Yuuto that lamp because it's convenient. Maybe he wants a glass of water or to go to the toilet at night. Don't you think it's convenient, Yuuto?"
"Y-yeah, sure, it's convenient."
"Nn, then how about horror movies? Can you watch one now?"
"O-of course. I just don't like the genre."
"I see I see."
I tried signaling Miyabi to stop teasing Lizel-senpai. She laughed to herself a bit, but seemed to stop after that.
Thank God, I don't know if my heart could take much more of that.
"Miss Miyabi?"
"Hmm? Oh, Rebecca."
A girl who wore her hair in a ponytail came to talk with Miyabi. I didn't know who she was, but it seemed Miyabi knew her.
"This is a good chance, I was going to go to miss Miyabi's house later. I've found out about Maki's whereabouts, I'm thinking of going and bringing her back, if miss Miyabi allows me."
"That's… there's nobody to go along with you. Please don't act rashly, I just… need some more time."
"But miss Miyabi! … No, I understand, I apologize. Also, pardon my rudeness, but is this…?"
"Aah, that's Yuuto, Lovers' Candidate."
"I see. Thank you for taking care of miss Miyabi, Yuuto. I apologize for not joining before, but Maki and I have been… dealing with some problems."
"O-oh, no problem?"
I didn't know what to say, so I let out a strange answer. Rebecca gave a short bow and then left the café.
"Miyabi, who was that?"
"Ah, I forgot to introduce her. She's Rebecca Carlsson, one of my house's subordinates. The girl she mentioned, Maki, is also a subordinate."
"You forgot to say they were also supposed to join as Yuuto's Cards, but you said they were doing some other job so they couldn't yet. Is there something wrong, Miyabi?"
"N-no, nothing's wrong. I'd say things are even going better by the day."
"… Well, it's fine if that's the case."
There seemed to be some deeper meaning between their words, something I'm guessing they don't want me to know about, since they're being so cryptic about it.
For now, I'll trust Miyabi and Lizel-senpai. But there is something I want to ask about.
"Lizel-senpai, you said they were supposed to become my Cards. Does that mean more people will be joining us soon?"
"Yes. It's impossible for Yuuto to win the Devil King War with just the 3 of us, so we'll keep an eye out for promising talents. Though Yuuto has to consider not only strength, but also the 'conditions' for Healing Lovers before turning someone into a Card."
Ah, right. Lust is needed for Healing Lovers. Considering I don't feel like doing it with a man, nor do I have an interest in watching the girls with another man, I can automatically rule out any male candidates. Not that there are any candidates at the moment.
Few minutes pass until I see a familiar silhouette running by the café's windows. Reina wore a simple but adorable dress, and had a huge katana on her back. Seems like Reina isn't used to coordinating accessories like Lizel-senpai.
"Sorry, Reina's late desu-! Waaa!"
Reina's sword got caught on the doorframe, so Reina fell spectacularly on her butt. I was going to go to her, but she immediately got up saying "Reina's fine desu."
She soon sat with the rest of us. From how hard she was breathing, I had to guess she ran all the way to here.
"Reina, why don't you store your sword?"
"It would be better to already have it out if there was an attack desu. Not to mention, Pon-chan would get lonely."
I'd been told there was a certain magic called Storage to store things in your own dimensional space. I hadn't learned it yet, but Reina knew how to use it, so I wondered why she didn't store her katana there.
Also, is its name Pon-chan? Why can I imagine Reina giving it this name?
"Let's let Reina rest a bit, then we'll go. But Reina, if your sword gets stuck again, you have to store it properly, alright?"
"Yes desu!"
Reina agreed to Lizel-senpai's compromise. She got stuck again when we were going to leave, so she had to immediately make good on her promise.
We walked for a few minutes until we reached the shopping mall. Our objective was a store that specializes in swimsuits. Of course, as we walked, Miyabi pointed out a number of stores that were selling food.
Is she still hungry? I know I am, but I haven't eaten anything. I wonder if it's true that girls have a separate stomach for sweets, it's the only explanation I can think of.
Anyway, we soon arrived. I had already been warned I'll be picking the swimsuits, so I knew I couldn't escape to the men's section. That didn't make the women's glares any less tough to deal with though.
"We'll try on a few swimsuits now, Yuuto. We'll call for your opinion when we're ready."
"R-right."
There was nothing I could do but sit down and wait. That's what I thought at least, but soon I heard Miyabi calling for me.
"Yuuto, come here."
Miyabi wasn't showing her swimsuit, but rather telling me to come closer to the changing room. I wonder if there was some kind of problem.
When I got close enough, Miyabi pulled me in. I almost asked her what she was doing, but then she put her finger over my lips to keep me silent.
"'Shii' Reina and senpai are close by, so they might hear Yuuto if you're too loud."
"B-but why are you pulling me in anyway?"
"Hehe, I thought Yuuto would like this."
I'd just noticed Miyabi's bikini. It was pink with high exposure. All of Miyabi's butt as well as the side and lower breasts were visible.
It certainly looked erotic. Even after the micro-bikini the girls wore at the afterparty, something like this was still a little much for me.
Miyabi did a few poses, trying to show me the swimsuit. Of course, it all looked erotic, but I also couldn't deny Miyabi's beauty. She was certainly a treat for the eyes.
I would be lying if I said I didn't like seeing Miyabi in that swimsuit, but there was a chance we would be going someone with other people, rather than somewhere private. In that case, I really don't want other people looking at Miyabi like this.
"Maybe you should… pick a different one."
"Is Yuuto jealous? Do you not want other people to see my body?"
"… Yes. I know it's your body, but I still…"
"No, no, rather, I'm happy. Makes me feel wanted, you know. I think senpai and Reina would also enjoy hearing Yuuto say that. Hehe, I'm actually so happy I think Yuuto deserves a reward."
Miyabi started rubbing her butt on my crotch. Since the swimsuit covered so little, it was almost like she was naked.
I was obviously still wearing my clothes, but I still thought things would turn out bad if Miyabi continued for too long.
"M-Miyabi, stop."
"Nope. You enjoyed it with Reina, now you'll enjoy it with me. Don't worry about leaving a mess, we'll deal with it, somehow."
Rather than stopping, Miyabi sped up. I had to get away, but my body just wouldn't move.
Then, the changing room's curtain was opened. I thought it might have been a guard or something, but it was actually Lizel-senpai.
By the way, she was wearing a black bikini. The swimsuit itself didn't seem to have much of anything special, but on Lizel-senpai, it looked like one of the greatest articles of clothing ever known to men.
"What's this, Miyabi?"
"Senpai, listen to this. Yuuto said he doesn't want me wearing this swimsuit because he wants only him to be able to look at me."
"… Is that so, Yuuto? Do you want to monopolize us?"
"T-that… yes. I know it's not a pretty feeling to have, but it's as Lizel-senpai said."
Surely, she'd be mad at me. It hasn't even been a full month since we met yet and here I am saying I want not just her, but also Miyabi and Reina to be just mine.
Miyabi is playful, so she took it as a joke. But Lizel-senpai is serious, she'll probably get really mad.
"I see. Fufufu, finally. I was about to start getting worried, Yuuto."
"Eh? B-but, I thought-"
"That we wouldn't like it? That would have been the case if Yuuto wanted us just for our power or our bodies, but we know Yuuto cares for us regardless of that. A Card dedicates their whole self to their master, and that's especially true of Lovers. We already chose to be Yuuto's, so to hear Yuuto say he wants us feels fulfilling."
Is that how it is? In that case, I guess I should have been open about it from the get go.
"However, Miyabi, please refrain from 'working up' Yuuto. We don't want to cause a mess in the store. Let's save it for later. I'm sure Reina would also like to join."
"Finee, I'll let Yuuto off the hook for now."
Miyabi finally stopped rubbing against my crotch. Just in time, a little more and it would have been embarrassing like the afterparty all over again.
"Why is everyone together desu?"
Reina came out of her changing room. Her swimsuit was a blue one-piece, so it showed the least skin out of everyone here… yet it was the most erotic.
Did this thing have no supporters?! I-I could clearly see the shape of everything!
"Reina, you…"
"Aah! That's unfair Reina!"
"Eeh? W-what did Reina do?"
Luckily, I managed to avoid the embarrassing scenario where I dirty my underwear at the mere sight of Reina. But such a close call can't be good for my heart.
What followed was a quick lesson about a swimwear's supporters and why they were important. Reina quickly noticed the problem and got embarrassed and went to change.
After the girls went through a few sets of swimsuits, I pointed out a few ones that I liked and the girls chose some from there. Once that was done, we went to the men's section, but things went much faster and less eventful there.
Rather than buying the chosen swimwear, Lizel-senpai only took photos of them. Apparently, these would serve as a base for something she'd asked to be made.
After that, we went to grab lunch. My stomach was nearly killing me at this point. I wasn't even surprised when Miyabi wolfed down just as much as I did.
Maybe she really does have multiple stomachs. Or maybe it really does all go to her breasts and butt. I had the impression that, rather than her belly, it was those who had swollen a little after eating.
Since we were there already, the girls figured this would be a good chance to do some shopping. Of course, this meant I'd have to carry their stuff, but I was happy to just spend time with them.
"I'll take Reina home. Yuuto and senpai also take care of yourselves."
"Thanks for taking Reina shopping today desu."
When the sun started to set, we decided we had had enough for one day. Miyabi would accompany Reina home, which left me and Lizel-senpai together.
"I'll call for my car to pick us…"
Just as Lizel-senpai grabbed her phone, it started ringing. I couldn't see who was calling her, but Lizel-senpai asked me to wait for a minute while she answered.
I entered a nearby bookstore to kill some time. I see there's some new volumes of some mangas I've been reading. Maybe I could buy them while I wait?
"What's this? You like that one, Yuuto?"
Someone came up beside me. It was hard to figure out who it was, between the hat, the face mask and the dark glasses, but I had an idea due to the voice.
And sure enough, once she took off the glasses and mask, it was none other than Star's Candidate, Stella.
I imagine I would be feeling pretty afraid if I suddenly met another Candidate like this, but Stella was an exception. It's not that I'm underestimating her, but since she's a good friend of Lizel-senpai's, I can't imagine she would just come to kill me out of the blue.
"Yeah, I actually have the other volumes back in my room. What are you doing here?"
I knew better than to say Stella's name out loud in public. I'd read enough manga with a famous character in it.
"Oh, I'd just come to check how my new photo album is doing. Thank you for your patronage by the way. I also noticed Yuuto here so it seemed like a good chance to talk to you."
Stella pushed one of her albums to my arms. I wasn't planning on buying it… but I suppose I have no choice now.
Defeated, I bought Stella's album. The cashier was having some trouble getting the system to read the barcode, but it eventually worked and I paid for it. Then, I went outside and Stella followed me.
"Just so Yuuto knows, I brought this album just for you. Hehe, I can't wait until Lizel finds it. Anyway, onto what I came to talk to you for."
Wait, what? Is that way the product wasn't reading? Why didn't she just give it to me then?! Why did she make me pay for it?!
"I'll be blunt with you, Yuuto. You drew the short stick by getting Lovers' Arcana, and what's more you're a human. To say your situation is hopeless would be an understatement. But you're not out of luck just yet, because I think you're fun and I really like you. So I'm here to cut you a deal."
Stella gave me something. It was a stone, no, some kind of crystal. It was really pretty, but what's up with it?
"I made this magic crystal for Yuuto. If you break it, it'll teleport you to me, it doesn't even consume any mana. So, if you're ever in a situation you think you're going to die, just break it and come to me. I promise to protect you. Of course, I'll want Yuuto to give me all your Cards then, but you won't have to worry about being harmed anymore."
That… of course, I'm not planning to use such a thing. But I can't deny it seems useful. But instead of using it to run away, I'd rather give it to one of the girls, in case of an emergency. That's the only reason I'll accept this gift.
However, I'll feel bad to just take something like this from Stella. I suppose I can make her an offer for it.
"Thank you, but I can't just accept this for free. Can you create another one of these, one that'll bring Stella to me? That way, if you ever need help, you can come to me."
"… Hahahaha! You're funny, Yuuto. Do you even realize what you said? Haah, you really are funny. Alright, just a second… here. Okay, now, whoever breaks their crystal is teleported to the other. Whoever needs help pays the other with everything they have. That sounds good, Yuuto?"
"I don't think we need that payment part. I was just thinking we were agreeing to help each other in a moment of necessity."
"You really are something else, you know that?"
I know how this sounded, coming from someone as weak as me. But I really hoped Stella would use it when the time came. Not that I wanted her to be in danger, but if it ever happened I'd like to help her.
I sat down on a bench. I no longer had any money leftover after buying Stella's album, so I couldn't buy the manga I'd been looking at.
Anyway, Lizel-senpai probably wouldn't take too much longer. It had already been quite a while.
"By the way, what's Yuuto waiting for?"
"Oh, Lizel-senpai had to take a call. I'm just waiting for her to come back."
"Hm? But I saw Lizel leave, that's why I decided to approach Yuuto."
No way. Why would Lizel-senpai leave? Stella was probably just pulling my leg.
I waited. Minutes became an hour, the sky darkened. Eventually, I had to accept Stella was right, Lizel-senpai had left, and for some reason wasn't coming back.
