Chapter 56

Disclaimer : 

The characters, scenarios, locations, and images used in this fanfic are the property of their respective creators and/or rights holders. 

This fanfic is a non-profit work created solely for entertainment purposes, with no intention of infringing any copyright.

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— World: Draconic Deus 

Earth, Japan, Tokyo: 

Avalon Residence — 

The next day. 

Aiden slowly opened his eyes, letting the soft morning light filtering through the window help him wake up. 

He blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness that illuminated the room with warm and peaceful tones. 

He remained in bed for a moment, feeling the comfortable warmth of the sheets and wondering how long he had slept. 

He lazily turned his head, and his gaze landed on the small blue-haired girl sleeping peacefully on his arm. 

Her delicate breaths were rhythmic and calm, her expression completely relaxed, as if she were dreaming of something beautiful. 

/Yawn/ 

He yawned, stretching his muscles slightly, still numb from the long rest, and gently brushed aside a strand of Yoshino's silky blue hair, feeling its texture between his fingers. 

He observed her for a few moments while she slept, admiring the tenderness of her expression. 

Her cheeks had a slight blush, and her lips curved faintly into a small smile. 

She was adorable. 

Although, at the same time, a question crossed his mind: 

When exactly had she entered his room…? 

Well, he didn't dwell on the matter too much. 

After all, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. 

He shifted his gaze to Yoshinon, the rabbit-eared puppet resting in Yoshino's left hand. 

Apparently, it was also "asleep," or at least motionless, with its characteristic painted smile on its plush face. 

'What time is it?' Aiden thought, moving with extreme care to avoid waking the sweet Yoshino. 

He slowly extended his arm to reach for his phone on the bedside table and, without moving too much, turned on the screen. 

[1:32 p.m.]

'Did I sleep that long!?' he screamed in his mind, shocked. 

He tried to process the information. He remembered that the night before, he had gone to bed around 11 p.m., which meant he had slept… more than 13 hours. 

'Well, that makes sense… I hadn't slept for 240 days…' 

He sighed in resignation. 

As absurd as it sounded, his body definitely needed that rest. 

With nothing else to do at that moment, he unlocked his phone and started playing for a while, passing the time in silence while still feeling the light weight of Yoshino resting on his arm. 

After a while, he felt a slight movement beside him. 

Yoshino began to wake up, stretching gently like a kitten before slowly opening her eyes. 

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly before revealing her deep, expressive blue eyes. 

The first thing she saw was Aiden's face watching her with a calm smile. 

Her mind went blank for a few seconds, still trapped in the drowsiness of sleep, but soon she remembered what had happened: Yoshinon had snuck into Aiden's room in the middle of the night. 

Without thinking much about it, she simply murmured in a sleepy voice: 

"Good morning…" 

And, as naturally as breathing, she leaned in slightly and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. 

Aiden blinked a couple of times, momentarily surprised before smiling. 

"Good morning," he replied calmly, returning the gesture with another kiss on her cheek. 

Although, for a fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind: 

'Would this land me in jail if someone saw it…?' 

After all, Yoshino was in her Loli mode right now, and if a third party misinterpreted the scene…

He shook his head, pushing those thoughts away before they could take root. 

"My little Yoshino is so bold…" he commented with a playful smile. 

"Breaking into my room in the middle of the night." 

Yoshino shuddered immediately and, almost by reflex, buried her face in her arm, trying to hide her expression. 

Her flushed face contrasted with the whiteness of her skin, and her trembling voice barely managed to form words. 

"I-It was… Yoshinon… She took control of my body yesterday and sneaked in while you were sleeping… Then, it seems she gave it back to me…" she murmured, her voice growing weaker at the end of the sentence. 

Aiden smiled in amusement. 

The scene was simply adorable. 

Although, once again, he couldn't help but wonder if a third party seeing him "intimidating" Yoshino would send him straight to prison. 

He shook his head again, completely dismissing those absurd thoughts, and simply decided to enjoy the moment. 

He spent some time joking with her, enjoying the lighthearted conversation and the warmth of the morning. 

Eventually, Yoshinon also woke up, slightly moving her small puppet body before letting out her characteristic playful laugh. 

After that, both of them went down to the living room together. 

Feeling the need to clear his head after such a long sleep, Aiden headed to the bathroom for a refreshing shower. 

The hot water helped relax his body, washing away any lingering heaviness in his muscles. 

Meanwhile, Yoshino went to look for Mukuro, hoping she would brush her hair as she did every morning. 

… 

— Living Room — 

"Hmm~ hmm~" 

Mukuro hummed softly, letting the melody float through the air with a serene and soothing rhythm as she ran the comb through Yoshino's hair. 

Each movement was delicate, almost reverent, allowing the silky blue strands to fall gently into place. 

"Thank you as always… Mukuro-san…" Yoshino murmured with her soft voice, sitting quietly on a plush cushion, her small hands resting on her lap. 

The feeling of Mukuro's fingers carefully combing her hair was comforting, almost hypnotic. 

Mukuro smiled at her words, never ceasing to skillfully glide the comb through Yoshino's strands. 

"It's nothing… Besides, you don't need to use honorifics with Muku. Call me big sister," she said with a gentle smile, her voice as warm as the touch of her hands. 

Yoshino blinked, surprised by the suggestion, and lowered her gaze slightly, as if processing the idea. 

A few seconds later, she lifted her eyes and gave a small but sincere smile. 

"Onee-chan…" she murmured tenderly, letting the word slip shyly from her lips. 

/Direct hit!/ 

Mukuro felt a sharp impact straight to her heart, as if an invisible arrow had pierced her on the spot. 

She wasn't the only one. 

Yuzuru, who was present, experienced exactly the same thing. 

And Nia and Miku… were no exception either. 

All of them felt a sudden and intense need to protect little Yoshino, as if a primal instinct had awakened deep within their souls. 

'My little sister is too cute! We have to protect that smile!' 

That very thought flooded the minds of everyone in the room… including Yoshinon, who, from Yoshino's hand, nodded to herself with absolute conviction.

Mukuro finished brushing Yoshino's hair, adding the final touches with a satisfied air before admiring her work. 

She decided to change things up a little and left her with two adorable pigtails, making sure they were perfectly symmetrical. 

"Fuhaha~. Now then, Yoshino, you look even more adorable than usual," Mukuro commented with a pleased smile, gently adjusting the small ribbon on one of her pigtails. 

Yoshino blushed slightly but still nodded in gratitude. 

After that, Mukuro got to work and began preparing lunch. 

She moved with elegance and precision, as if every movement in the kitchen was perfectly calculated. 

Soon, the delicious aromas began to fill the air, drawing everyone to the table. 

When the meal was ready, Aiden sat with them to eat, though deep down, he had only one thing on his mind: sneaking away as soon as possible to continue working on the [Soul Separation Spell: Harmonious Division]. 

However, Natsumi, who had already noticed his intentions for a while now, didn't allow it. 

With a mischievous smile and a playful glint in her eyes, she revealed to everyone that Aiden had gone no less than 240 days without sleeping, resting, or eating properly. 

The effect was immediate. 

Needless to say, the scolding was unanimous. 

Aiden didn't even get the chance to defend himself. 

The voices of Mukuro, Sylphide, Nia, Kurumi, Miku, Tohka, Kaguya, Yuzuru, Origami, and Kotori all rose at the same time, unleashing a storm of reprimands that he couldn't escape. 

Aiden sighed internally. 

'Well… this was inevitable.' 

Resigned to his fate, he accepted the scolding without many options. 

… 

"Kakakaka, it seems your authority in this house is even lower than I imagined, Ein-Sof." 

Salamander, watching the scene with amusement, let out a mocking laugh, convinced that Aiden was completely at the mercy of his women. 

Beside him, Leo Pemptos and Aries Prote observed the scene without showing much emotion on their faces. 

To them, it was clear that Salamander was still annoyed that Aiden had defeated him so easily and turned him into a [Sacred Gear]. 

Or maybe… 

What truly bothered him was something even more humiliating: the fact that Aiden planned to gift him as an "engagement present." 

The Great Spirit of Fire… reduced to a mere gift. 

"Pffft!" 

Leo Pemptos let out an involuntary laugh, his mane of lightning crackling and shifting with the movement. 

Salamander, noticing his companion's reaction, frowned and narrowed his eyes in irritation. 

"What the hell are you laughing at?" Salamander growled, his fiery face twisting with annoyance. 

Leo waved one of his claws with feigned disinterest, pretending it was nothing important. 

"Nothing, nothing, don't worry." 

However, his eyes gleamed with poorly contained amusement. 

"It's not like I'm laughing at you for being just an engagement gift for that Phenex girl… you know, the one who shows up every now and then looking for Aiden." 

Needless to say, the moment Leo Pemptos uttered those words, the little fire dragon didn't think twice before throwing a punch at him. 

Of course, the little golden lion wasn't one to back down and immediately returned the blow. 

In the end, Aries Prote had to step in to separate them, seriously wondering if these spirits were really as ancient as they claimed. 

Because honestly, they acted like a pair of children.

…

— World: Draconic Deus

Earth, Japan, Kyoto — 

"Do you like it?" Aiden asked, watching Yoshino attentively as she savored the ice cream he had bought her. 

The three of them (Aiden, Yoshino, and Yoshinon) had gone out for a stroll through the bustling streets of Kyoto, where the air was filled with the sweet aroma of food stalls, and the murmur of tourists blended with the summer breeze. 

Though, to be precise, it was more of an order than a choice. 

All the women who ruled the house had decreed with absolute authority that Aiden needed a break from so much work. 

He could only laugh ironically while being scolded, though deep down, he was thinking about Natsumi—the traitor who had sold him out without a shred of mercy. 

He would find a way to get back at her. 

However, when he shifted his gaze to Yoshino, who was calmly walking beside him while enjoying her ice cream cone with a serene expression, his thoughts about work simply faded away like mist under the sun. 

"Unn." Yoshino nodded with a slight smile, savoring the sweetness of her ice cream while the puppet Yoshinon moved slightly on her arm. 

She was in her "big sister" mode, which meant that, for once, she had no intention of making people mistake Aiden for a lolicon. 

Her outfit was charming: a pastel yellow dress with a simple yet beautiful design, featuring delicate white lace details at the neckline and hem, giving it an elegant and feminine touch. 

She also wore a delicate necklace with a green gemstone pendant that shimmered faintly under the sunlight. 

To complete the look, she had a straw hat with a large white ribbon that swayed slightly in the breeze, giving her a summery and relaxed air. 

Wherever they passed, they attracted attention. 

Not only because of Yoshino's natural beauty and serene presence but also because of the peculiar puppet she carried in her left hand. 

In any other context, it might have been an odd detail, but on her, it seemed to fit perfectly. 

However, they didn't mind. 

They continued enjoying their stroll through Kyoto, immersed in the city's harmony. 

Along the way, they saw many types of Youkai trying to disguise themselves as ordinary humans. 

Trying. 

To their eyes, those disguises were useless—nothing more than a mere attempt to blend into modern society. 

But they could see their true forms without any difficulty. 

Many Youkai greeted Yoshino as they passed, their gestures carrying a mix of respect and affection. 

"Good afternoon, Yoshino-sama." 

A Tengu, in his human form, greeted her respectfully. 

His eyes briefly shifted to Aiden, analyzing him with curiosity before continuing on his patrol. 

"Have a good day." 

A Kitsune woman, who was tending a food stall, gave them a kind smile and, in a generous gesture, offered them a small gift wrapped in rice paper. 

"Thank you for protecting our princess from those terrorists." 

An elderly woman, with a warm and grateful expression, spoke to Yoshino with deep sincerity, her eyes reflecting the profound admiration she felt for her. 

It was evident that she was deeply loved in the community, whether because of her natural kindness or because of how much she had helped the Youkai faction in recent times. 

Her information about the cults of Tamamo-no-Mae and Yamata-no-Orochi had been crucial in preventing tragedies, and her bravery in protecting Kunou during the kidnapping attempt had only reinforced the respect they had for her.

Aiden smiled upon seeing how Yoshino was surrounded by affectionate gestures and kind words. 

"It's clear that they hold you in high regard around here," he commented with an amused air, observing the warmth with which they treated her. 

"Well, they're very grateful to us~," Yoshinon replied telepathically, her playful tone accompanied by a hint of pride. 

"Kunou-chan has been attacked several times while we were out walking, but Yoshino and I always take care of those guys~." 

The Tamamo-No-Mae cult had a clear and terrifying goal: to use Kunou as a vessel to extract Tamamo's soul from Yomi and possess her body. 

Being a nine-tailed fox, just like Tamamo, Kunou was the perfect target, which put her in constant danger and turned every outing into a potential battle. 

Yoshino nodded seriously, her gaze filled with concern for her friend. 

"Kunou-san has been attacked too many times… Now she can hardly go out without a bunch of guards, me, or Yasaka-san…" 

She had already lost count of how many of those terrorists Yoshinon had defeated or captured during their outings with Kunou. 

"Though the attacks have calmed down quite a bit~," Yoshinon added telepathically, her tone light but satisfied, as if she were enjoying the results of a job well done. 

"Thanks to the information Aiden gave us and that we passed on to Yasaka, she has been able to handle the situation better~." 

Yoshino listened in silence, nodding slightly as she savored the last traces of her ice cream. 

Although she didn't show it openly, she felt relieved that the pressure on Kunou and the Youkai faction had lessened. 

"Hmm… The problem is that these guys are too elusive. Their attacks seem completely random," Aiden responded telepathically, his tone thoughtful. 

He crossed his arms and furrowed his brow slightly, analyzing the situation in his mind. 

"If they had a base somewhere outside the Dimensional Gap, [Rasiel] could track them, and we could take them down immediately. But as long as they keep hiding there, there's not much we can do… Though it's not like they have infinite pawns either." 

Yoshino and Yoshinon nodded silently. 

After a while, they arrived at a small park and decided to stop there. 

The cool breeze gently stirred the leaves of the trees, and the distant sound of water from a fountain added a sense of tranquility to the atmosphere. 

They sat quietly on one of the wooden benches under the shade of a blooming cherry tree and began enjoying all the food Yoshino had received from the various Youkai stalls. 

Stuffed rice balls, takoyaki covered in sweet sauce and mayonnaise, brightly colored dango skewered on bamboo sticks, and even a small warm taiyaki filled with cream. 

Each bite was a reminder of the Youkai community's hospitality. 

Between bites, they chatted while admiring the scenery. 

"Speaking of problems…" Aiden paused to take a bite of a rice ball, chewed slowly, and then continued: 

"Have you already passed on the information to Yasaka about the Chaos Brigade's plan to free Izanami-no-Mikoto from Yomi?" 

The question hung in the air for a moment. 

"U-Unn." Yoshino nodded slightly, discreetly wiping herself with a napkin before responding. 

"Yep, we gave it to her!" Yoshinon exclaimed in her playful tone, moving slightly on Yoshino's arm.

"Yasaka-san passed it on to Amaterasu, but after that… who knows~ We haven't been with the Youkai faction much lately. We were all in Elicia, busy with the whole Phrases invasion thing…" Yoshinon explained. 

Aiden nodded, lost in thought. 

Without rushing, they continued their picnic, enjoying their time together without worries. 

The sun slowly began to set on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. 

The city lights gradually started to turn on, creating a nostalgic and relaxing atmosphere. 

Then, their walk took them to many places: ancient temples with majestic torii gates, where the scent of incense floated in the air; narrow shopping streets filled with red lanterns and traditional stores; and even an arcade, because Yoshino became fixated on a plush toy she saw in a machine. 

Obviously, Aiden won it for her. 

After several attempts, with Yoshino watching intently and Yoshinon making comments from her owner's arm, Aiden finally managed to grab the plush with the claw machine and pulled it out with a precise movement. 

Yoshino received it with a small smile of satisfaction, gently hugging it against her chest. 

At the end of the day, their journey ended at a motel. 

"…" 

"…" 

"…" 

Don't ask why. 

… 

.. 

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A/N:

Here are some images:

[Image]

As always, thank you for reading my fanfic.

It really means a lot to me.

I love you, dear reader.

Peace out.

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