Evening.

In the kitchen, two long-haired girls were elegantly preparing dinner. They sliced vegetables, stirred the pot, and simultaneously fried fishlets in a pan.

Given the family's size, it was best to have two cooks instead of one. That's why Mayuri and Marina volunteered for the task. As for Rio, she was engrossed in playing house with her collection of dolls in the living room. Although she longed to spend time with her father, she refrained from calling him over due to—

—Shido being surrounded by eleven beautiful girls from all sides!

"Shido! I've missed you so much!"

"Shido-san... Thank goodness you're alright."

"Ara ara, surrounded by so many cuties, Shido-san is truly a harem protagonist."

"Silly big brother, you really worried me."

"Kukuku, what a sinful man! You'll need a sacred pool of tears for repentance!"

"Exposure. Kaguya isn't so holy herself, considering she was dreaming about a... ahem... let's not go there!"

"Am I in heaven? Darling and everyone are together again! Don't you agree, Natsumi-chan?"

"EEEEEK! Don't touch my butt, you Oppai Planeteer!"

"Shido, let's make love after dinner."

"..."

"Nushi-sama, what might be your concern?"

They had been like this for a while, but Shido hadn't said a word, his lips trembling as if struggling to form a proper sentence. Realizing his unusual state, the girls stopped horsing around and looked at him in concern.

"You girls..."

To everyone's surprise, tears streamed down Shido's cheeks, and he finally spoke.

"I MISSED YOU TOO!"

He had been flabbergasted earlier, unable to move his arms when the girls embraced him from all sides. But now, he regained control and pulled Tohka into his arms.

"Tohka, your hair smells so lovely, and your body feels so soft."

He then let go of Tohka and hugged Yoshino, making the petite girl squeal in surprise.

"Yoshino, you feel so delicate, yet so soothing."

Next, he moved to Kurumi.

"Kurumi, you—"

But before he could touch her, someone chopped the back of his neck with a hand shaped like a knife.

"Stop your flirting at once!"

The purple-haired girl he had embraced earlier was responsible.

Everyone was shocked, including the two chefs in the kitchen. However, they soon understood why when they saw the change in her eyes.

"Aw! Tenka…"

Shido groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck. Tohka had switched bodies with Tenka, who decided to teach him a lesson for whatever reason.

"But I miss everyone."

He smiled and hugged Kurumi, feeling her seductive body pressing against him.

And just like that, he hugged the rest of the Spirits, who waited patiently for their turn, surprisingly docile.

When he was finally done, he sneaked behind Tenka.

"And I miss you too, Tenka!"

He suddenly hugged the cold Tsundere from behind, who was shocked by the firmness of his arms. She tried to resist at first but stopped when she felt his hot breath against her slender neck. She blushed and closed her eyes, not knowing how to react.

Slowly, he turned her around and embraced her completely, burying her face in his chest while rubbing her silky smooth hair. Her hair was just like Tohka's, considering they shared the same body, but Tenka's hair felt more polished than glossy.

Now that he was done, he could sit down and talk with everyone. However, several girls started asking him random questions and talking over each other, a familiar scene reminding Shido of the old days.

Mayuri silently sighed when she saw the guy surrounded by so many girls.

"Want a taste?" Marina asked, spoon pointing to her.

"Yes," Mayuri replied.

Mayuri tasted the soup, but before she could comment on the aroma, another girl seized the spoon and put it in her mouth.

"Mm~ this delicacy is so tasty~" Miku giggled, her beautiful voice filling the kitchen. Mayuri wasn't amused.

"If you're not helping, you're in the way."

She shooed the idol out of the kitchen, but a few more girls snuck in. This time, it seemed like they wanted to help, but Mayuri and Marina still politely asked them to leave. It turned out to be Origami, Kaguya, and Yuzuru; no wonder the chefs were hesitant to let them near the food.

"May Muku help?" Mukuro walked into the kitchen and asked for permission meekly.

Mayuri looked at the innocent eyes of the petite but voluptuous girl and sighed in defeat. She smiled and allowed the newcomer to enter.

...

At the dinner table, Shido and the Spirit girls gathered together. Tohka (Tenka), Kotori, Yoshino, Origami, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Miku, Natsumi, Nia, and Mukuro—these were just the main 11 Spirits, with Rinne, Mayuri, Marina, and Rio joining for dinner as well.

The dining room and living room were crowded for an average family, feeling more like a party. However, today wasn't anyone's birthday or a special event; it was just an everyday occurrence in the Itsuka household, something they hadn't experienced for over a year.

Shido cherished this family dinner time. Although preparing meals for everyone was hard work, eating with them was a pleasure. When they praised the delicious food he had prepared, it made him happy. Mayuri, Marina, and Mukuro felt the same.

"Itadakimasu!"

After making sure everyone was seated, they began their meal. The traditional pasta with a tomato base brought out the umami and light sourness, tantalizing their appetites.

Looking left, Shido saw Origami scooping up pasta; looking right, he saw Tohka picking a fried fishlet. They shared a meaningful glance as they ate.

Something was amiss, and Shido couldn't help but ask, "What did you girls do at home before we came back?"

Hearing the question, all the girls smirked, leaving Shido even more puzzled, until Marina pulled up a screen and started explaining everything:

...A few hours earlier...

Back at Fraxinus, while the Itsuka family of three was relaxing outside, Mayuri playfully knocked Marina on the head and summoned her sister, Maria. After Maria arrived, she requested that they create more Nervegears. These devices would be essential for additional members to log into Marina's virtual reality world. Having only Miku wouldn't suffice; they needed more Spirits to improve their odds. Speaking of which, they also needed to pay a visit to a certain loli commander.

So, Mayuri crossed her fingers and vanished into particles of light, demonstrating that hitting herself on the head was not necessary for teleportation.

Meanwhile...

"Marina, let me see the data you acquired from those old bastards."

Seated in the commander's chair, Kotori, her long red hair tied with black ribbons, was anxiously biting her lollipop. The candy itself seemed to be suffering inside her mouth.

"Are you sure you want to see it? It's not pleasant."

A female voice emanated from the giant screen's radio, and a beautiful black-clad nun floated within it.

"That's precisely why," Kotori bit off the candy and chewed on it vigorously. "I can't believe I was kept in the dark all these years."

"Very well, just make sure not to scream like a little girl... EEEEEK!"

With a smirk, Marina opened her arms, about to release the footage. However, she herself screamed like a little girl when a blond Spirit appeared suddenly.

"Sorry for not coming back the past few days; things have been really crazy," Mayuri apologized with clasped hands and a wink. "I promise not to do that... Aw, aw, aw, aw, aw!"

But before she could finish her sentence, Kotori charged at her, grabbing her cheeks.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The furious commander continued to pull on Mayuri's cheeks, stretching them surprisingly long. Despite the pain, Mayuri's tears made her look even cuter.

After this, Kotori let go of Mayuri's now somewhat swollen cheeks and sat back down in her chair. At that moment, the door opened, and a stoic girl with short white hair entered the room.

"Origami-san," Mayuri greeted her with a nod, which Origami returned.

"So, how are things with Shido?" Origami asked the most critical question.

"Let me show you."

With a devilish smile, Mayuri approached Origami and raised her hand, preparing to give her a playful chop on the head. But to her shock, Origami grabbed her hand midair and swiftly grappled her to the ground.

"Awwww... I yield, I yield," Mayuri cried out in pain as she tapped the ground, tears in her eyes.

"Why is hitting me necessary?" Origami asked, finally releasing Mayuri.

Unfazed by the commotion, Kurumi entered the room quickly and found the scene rather amusing.

"Ara, ara, Origami strikes another pervert stalker," she remarked.

"It's not," Mayuri pouted.

She then proceeded to brief them all on the situation, showing Marina's video footage that she had captured earlier. With the new information, they all understood the gravity of the situation. It turned out they were correct in staying in the office, which was solitary and free from cameras or bugs, making it safe for discussing secretive operations.

The topic at hand was a battle plan, and with Rinne revealing the secret of the neighboring world, everyone realized that the one-Spirit-per-day rule had been her doing. As long as she wished to lift it, they could summon all the Spirits there and combine their powers to confront the twice-escaped villainess named Ren.

However, they still had no knowledge of Ren's whereabouts. She had been cunning, hiding her existence from Marina's cameras and drones. Plus, the Angel Rasiel remained sealed by her, rendering it powerless in the current situation. As long as Ren remained hidden, they had no way to retrieve her from her pocket dimension.

Therefore, they decided to target the lesser but more accessible objective: the Elites of Ratatoskr. These individuals were dissatisfied with Kotori's potential inheritance of Elliott Woodman's substantial shares in Asgard Electronics Inc., and they were plotting something related to Ren, though the details were still unknown.

Kurumi, Origami, and Kotori, all brilliant strategists, were entrusted with the main operation of the mission. With this plan in place, Mayuri summoned herself back to the neighboring world.

Upon her arrival, she encountered an unexpected sight: Miku was clinging to Maria's body, blissfully sniffing her hair.

"Is she ever not lusting for girls?" Mayuri sighed as she separated the ecstatic idol from the blank-faced Maria. Although this AI girl had been "pampered" quite a bit, she had managed to complete the new Nervegears. Thanking her, Mayuri playfully flicked Miku's forehead, prompting her to cry out in pain. Then, she sent Maria back to Fraxinus with a gentle chop to the head.

In a few moments, the girl's hair turned black, indicating that she became Marina.

"Will you take Maria's place and have fun with me?" Miku asked with a gleeful tone.

"Sure, we're going to have so much fun training together," Marina replied, grabbing Miku's hand. Miku was surprised and pleased, but she became nervous when she noticed her smug expression.

One minute later...

"Why am I back here again?" Miku shrieked at the top of her lungs, her beautiful voice echoing through the atmosphere. Mayuri had forced her to dive back into the virtual world.

"Prepare yourself for the worst possible fate here," Marina said in a deeper, more sinister voice.

"No, Darling will save me. He will never leave a Spirit like me in distress," Miku retorted with confidence. They stared at each other until both burst into uncontrollable laughter.

However, their laughter was interrupted when eleven lights suddenly materialized in the scenery. Origami, Nia, Kurumi, Yoshino, Kotori, Mukuro, Natsumi, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Tohka, and Mayuri had all entered the virtual world. The NerveGears created by Maria had made this possible.

"Now that we're here, let's have a combat simulation," Marina declared. She summoned an electrical screen and displayed it in front of everyone. Kotori and Origami had contributed to its development.

"First, we locate the old farts. Second, we cut off their communication. Third, we..."

Marina explained the steps outlined on the screen.

"Any questions?" she asked.

Origami raised her hand. "What do these old elites look like?"

This was a crucial question, as recognizing the enemy was essential to their mission's success. Marina summoned three photos of handsome young men and placed them on the table with a disdainful expression.

"Wait, who are these guys?" Kotori asked.

"The Round Table Elites. Weren't you paying attention during your meeting with them?" Marina rolled her eyes.

"No, I heard they were over 50 years old. There's no way they could look this young," Kotori expressed her disbelief.

"Did you forget about Issac Westcott and Ellen Mathers already?" Marina asked, her arms crossed and her tone mocking. "These guys have used the same technique that those wizards used to remain youthful, as part of the deal Woodman made with them."

"They are greedy," Mayuri added, "and they have manipulated you, Kotori, even trying to kill your beloved onii-chan. If you can't help them succeed in life, you're in the way. They don't care about you guys at all."

Human nature was such that power often led to corruption, and these three directors of the Round Table were no exception. Their fate was sealed.

...

...Back to the present...

"What do you think, Shido?" Marina asked the main operative of the Ratatoskr. "Will you forgive those guys?"

"I never said I forgave them," Shido said, turning to Miku with concern. "What do you say, Miku?"

Miku's powers were crucial to their mission.

"I've always despised men like those. I won't show them any mercy," Miku declared, standing up.

"Very well, let's assemble," Shido declared, placing his hand on the table.

The other girls followed his lead, placing their hands on top of his one by one.

"Let our battle begin!"

A/N:

This is it! Time to go on the offense! Why wait for the enemy to strike when you can sabotage them first?