At this moment, Mrs. Sayuri finally noticed Arifureta, Shea, and Reina standing not far behind Eriri. The fact that they had returned to this world together with Eriri clearly indicated that these three were from another world and had a special relationship with her daughter.
As she looked at Arifureta, who was wearing the same Yumenosaki Academy uniform as Eriri, and noticed the occasional affectionate glances Arifureta sent toward Eriri, Mrs. Sayuri seemed to come to a realization. She couldn't help but take a closer look at the beautiful blonde girl standing before her.
When her eyes fell on Shea and Reina, they suddenly lit up, and without thinking, she blurted out, "Whoa, they're beast-eared girls!"
As a dedicated otaku, Mrs. Sayuri was naturally very interested in such adorable characters as beast girls. However, since she hadn't seen Eriri for five days, she was reluctant to let her go so quickly, so her urge to pet the beast ears was temporarily set aside.
Mrs. Sayuri then leaned her head over Eriri's shoulder and greeted Arifureta, Shea, and Reina with a bright smile, "Hello! I'm Eriri's mom, Sayuri Sawamura. Welcome to our world!"
Arifureta, under Mrs. Sayuri's scrutinizing gaze, began to feel a bit shy, while Shea and Reina found the term "beast-eared girls" rather novel, as it wasn't something they had encountered in Tortus.
The three of them watched as Mrs. Sayuri continued to cling tightly to Eriri, and they couldn't help but feel a bit envious of the strong bond between mother and daughter.
Arifureta smiled at Mrs. Sayuri and said, "Hello, Auntie Sayuri. My name is Arifureta, but you can call me Yue-chan. As you can see, we're from another world. Eriri has told us all about you, but I never imagined you'd be so young and beautiful—you look more like Eriri's sister than her mother."
To be honest, Arifureta truly meant what she said. Although she had learned a bit about Mrs. Sayuri in her previous life due to her deep admiration for Eriri, seeing her in person, Mrs. Sayuri appeared much younger and more beautiful than she had imagined.
"Yue-chan, you're so sweet! And you're absolutely gorgeous, too!" Mrs. Sayuri's eyes crinkled into a smile, delighted by the compliment. But what she said next caught Arifureta completely off guard.
"Yue-chan, between you and Eriri, who's the top and who's the bottom?"
"Uh…" Arifureta was stunned and froze in place. Although she hadn't intended to hide her relationship with Eriri, she hadn't expected Mrs. Sayuri to figure it out so quickly.
Eriri patted Mrs. Sayuri's back and proudly declared, "Obviously, I'm the top! No need to ask!"
"Yes, yes, you're the best," Mrs. Sayuri said, pinching Eriri's nose lightly, her face full of affection.
Seeing the interaction between mother and daughter, Arifureta couldn't help but show a peculiar expression. She hesitated before asking Mrs. Sayuri, "Um… Auntie Sayuri, you don't mind?"
"Mind what?"
"My relationship with Eriri…"
"Of course I don't mind. In fact, I'm thrilled!" Mrs. Sayuri said matter-of-factly. She had already expressed her support to Eriri a few days ago, so she had no objections now.
Her words made Arifureta extremely happy, as it meant there was no longer any obstacle between her and Eriri.
Nearby, Reina seemed a bit confused, not fully understanding what had just been said. Although she was quite mature for her age, she was still only six years old, and it would take some time before she could grasp such matters.
As for Shea, she shared the same joyful expression as Arifureta. When Mrs. Sayuri saw this, she couldn't help but marvel at Eriri's charm.
"As expected of Eriri, your charm is truly incredible."
"Well, of course!" Eriri responded, tilting her head up slightly with a proud and adorable expression, her eyes curving into little crescent moons.
Afterward, Shea and Reina introduced themselves to Mrs. Sayuri, though their voices betrayed a bit of nervousness.
"Auntie Sayuri, I'm Shea, a rabbitman from the Haulia tribe."
"Auntie Sayuri, I'm Reina, a foxman from the Tiyasu tribe."
"You don't need to be nervous. Since you've come home with Eriri, you can consider me family," Mrs. Sayuri said, her voice soft and her smile warm.
Soothed by her words and demeanor, Shea and Reina visibly relaxed, their smiles growing even brighter.
They all then moved to the sofa, but Mrs. Sayuri still refused to let go of Eriri. She decided to cuddle with her daughter on the sofa instead. Seeing no other option, Eriri had to comply, sitting obediently on Mrs. Sayuri's lap and leaning back against her mother's soft chest.
Mrs. Sayuri sat in the middle of the sofa, with Arifureta and Reina on either side of her, Eriri on her lap, and Shea sitting next to Reina. The scene was one of pure contentment, and fortunately, the sofa was large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.
"By the way, could you all tell me how you met Eriri?" Mrs. Sayuri asked, resting her hand on Eriri's flat stomach and her chin on Eriri's shoulder, her expression curious as she glanced at Arifureta, Shea, and Reina.
"Of course!"
The three of them then took turns recounting how they met Eriri, as well as sharing details about Tortus and the things Eriri had done there. Naturally, Arifureta left out the more intimate aspects of her relationship with Eriri and didn't mention her status as a reincarnator.
When Mrs. Sayuri heard about the hardships Arifureta, Shea, and Reina had endured, her maternal instincts kicked in, and she looked at the three of them with a pained expression. She reached out and gently patted each of their heads, saying softly, "Yue-chan, Reina-chan, Shea-chan, you can think of me as your mom from now on, too."
Mrs. Sayuri's motherly care deeply touched them, reminding them of their own mothers.
Of course, it would have been even better if Mrs. Sayuri hadn't kept one hand firmly on Eriri's stomach the entire time she was comforting them.