Chapter 39: A New Housemate

The moment Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima took a bite, their expressions changed.

"This taste…"

An explosion of flavor overwhelmed their senses.

Every dish was rich, deep, and perfectly balanced. The textures melted in their mouths, and an addictive sensation spread through their bodies.

A light blush crept onto their faces as they unconsciously picked up the pace, their chopsticks moving faster.

Across from them, Koneko Toujou ate calmly, her expression neutral—yet her movements were quick and precise.

It was clear.

She had done this before.

Watching their reactions, Kenji smirked.

This was expected.

After all, his cooking wasn't just ordinary—it was a skill granted by the Golden Egg, passed down from the legendary chef Yukihira Jouichirou himself.

A true master of the culinary arts.

Ten minutes later, the three girls leaned back, breathing heavily.

Their bodies were warm, a light sheen of sweat covering their skin.

It was as if they had just gone through a battle.

Akeno exhaled slowly, her voice playful but sultry.

"I didn't expect Kenji-kun to have this kind of skill… I think I like you even more now."

Her eyes glowed with amusement—the gaze of a hunter eyeing her prey.

Kenji ignored it.

"Are you done?" he asked.

Akeno chuckled. "For now~."

---

After an hour of casual conversation, Rias and Akeno decided to leave.

The night had been enjoyable, but it was getting late.

However—

As Kenji saw them off, Koneko remained seated.

He blinked.

"Hm? Not leaving?"

Koneko looked at him, her golden eyes calm but firm.

"I'm staying."

Kenji stared at her.

"…What?"

Koneko repeated, "I'm living here."

Kenji felt a headache coming on.

This had to be Rias' idea.

A way to keep an eye on him.

Most likely, Rias still wanted him in her peerage—and she wasn't willing to give up yet.

Using Koneko to build an emotional connection… it was exactly the kind of tactic Rias would use.

Kenji sighed.

"Let me guess—Rias put you up to this?"

Koneko nodded. She wasn't the type to lie.

Kenji rubbed his temples.

"Figures."

Still, he wasn't against it.

Having a cute girl as a housemate wasn't exactly a bad thing.

"Fine," Kenji said, shrugging. "There's an empty room. I'll grab some blankets—"

"No need," Koneko interrupted.

She raised her hand and summoned a magic circle.

A bright flash filled the room—

And suddenly, several large suitcases appeared in the center.

Kenji's eyebrow twitched.

"You were really prepared for this, huh?"

Koneko simply nodded.

Kenji sighed again.

With no other choice, he started helping her set up her room.

Thirty minutes later, everything was organized.

The second-floor bedroom was now Koneko's personal space.

Kenji stretched.

"Alright. It's late. Get some rest—we'll talk tomorrow."

Koneko gave a small nod before disappearing into her room.

Kenji shook his head as he returned to his own.

Just as Kenji was about to lie down, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Little Master… are you sure you're not a lolicon?"

Kenji froze.

The voice belonged to Medusa (Rider)—his Heroic Spirit.

"You seem to collect a lot of 'small' girls," she teased. "Liliruca, Hestia, now Koneko…"

Kenji groaned.

"Rider, what the hell are you even talking about?"

Medusa chuckled softly. "Oh? So you're saying you prefer mature women?"

Kenji rolled his eyes.

"If I had to choose, I'd go for balanced proportions."

A brief silence.

Then, Medusa let out a small sigh of relief.

"Good. That means I still have a chance."

Kenji blinked.

"Wait, what?"

But Medusa didn't answer.

Kenji shook his head.

This woman was too confusing.

Deciding to ignore it, he changed into his pajamas and collapsed onto the bed.

He hadn't realized it until now—

But his mind was exhausted.

The battle against Apollo had taken a toll on him.

Even though the Sun God had been restricted by divine rules, defeating him had still been mentally draining.

And since then, Kenji hadn't properly rested.

Tonight, he would sleep deeply.

---

As Kenji slept, Medusa stood beside his bed.

Her violet eyes softened as she gazed at him.

She had fallen for him.

Despite living through the Age of Gods, despite all the pain she had endured—Kenji had charmed her in a way no one else ever had.

His confidence. His kindness. His ability to bring people together.

Slowly, she leaned down—

And carefully lay beside him.

Kenji didn't wake.

But Medusa smiled softly.

Tonight, she would be his guardian.

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