"..."
Mitsuha didn't respond to Yotsuha right away. She slowly set her soup bowl down, her eyes drifting into space—locked on a point only she could see.
There, floating in the void, was a window only she could access—a private gateway to the "Trade Chat Group."
Last night, just before falling asleep...
She had stared at the chat like she was holding her breath, watching the messages scroll in one after another.
Terms straight out of myths and fantasy novels were being tossed around like casual small talk—like they were just chatting about the weather.
And along with those words came vivid, real-life snippets.
It all felt so real—so real that it shattered everything Mitsuha thought she knew about the world.
She had grown up in Itomori, a sleepy little town that worshipped a vague, probably fake deity...
Where ancient customs like braided cord rituals and rice-chewing ceremonies were still practiced.
She used to think that was the extent of the world.
But the people in that chat group had shown her something completely different.
Bigger. Wilder. More dazzling. More mind-blowing.
Different worlds.
Different rules.
Different lifeforms.
What did the sky look like in a place where dragons flew freely?
Where was the kingdom guarded by a Holy Sword?
And that group admin—Rei Ao—just what kind of being existed at his level?
"What are the other worlds really like?"
The thought dropped into her heart like a stone in a still pond, only instead of ripples—it stirred up a tidal wave.
And it hit her even harder than her dream of going to Tokyo.
This wasn't just curiosity—it was something deeper.
Something like a sacred calling. A need to explore.
Tokyo, in all its neon glory, suddenly felt... small.
Tiny, compared to a universe filled with magic, sword fights, and civilizations from other dimensions.
Her heart had already left this quiet little shrine dining room behind.
She had broken free from the mountains of Itomori, escaped Tokyo's gravity.
She was like a baby bird flapping its wings for the first time—
Clumsy, but filled with burning determination.
Drawn toward that vast, unknown universe the chat group had revealed to her.
She didn't even realize she'd clenched her chopsticks so tight her fingers had turned pale.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window, lighting up her youthful, wonder-filled face.
And in her clear, steady gaze...
The reflection wasn't of Itomori anymore.
But of countless unknown worlds.
"Sis?"
Yotsuha tilted her head, frowning.
Something was definitely off about her sister today.
Especially her eyes—like she was staring off into another dimension.
Is it because of Tokyo...?
…
Meanwhile, in a high-rise suite...
Thick blackout curtains shut out the morning light completely.
Only a few warm bedside lamps cast a soft, golden glow over the room.
The air still held the remnants of the night before—
The subtle sweetness of expensive champagne mixed with the fresh, clean scent of post-shower skin.
Rei Ao lounged shirtless against the plush headboard, lean and sculpted, radiating the kind of lazy satisfaction you'd expect from a lion after a feast.
Two delicate, pale arms wrapped around him—one on each side.
Kasumigaoka Utaha and Machida Sonoko clung to him like sleepy, affectionate cats.
Utaha's signature jet-black hair was a beautiful mess across Rei Ao's chest. She tilted her face slightly, wine-red eyes glowing with dreamy warmth.
One hand traced slow, featherlight circles along his abs, fingertips following every groove and ripple.
The heat beneath her touch sent shivers through her body.
Sonoko, meanwhile, rested her cheek on Rei Ao's other arm, her mature and seductive features still glowing with leftover warmth from the night before.
Her fingers explored with more curiosity—brushing, tracing, testing reactions with a quiet boldness.
Rei Ao pulled them both a little closer, arms tightening around their waists.
He turned his head slightly.
Planted a soft kiss on Utaha's forehead.
Then a quick peck on Sonoko's cheek.
"Time to get up," he said, his voice low and husky, still rough from the night—but calm, commanding, impossible to ignore.
"Mmm…"
Utaha pouted, letting out a small whimper.
Her red eyes misted over instantly, like a kitten that had been scolded.
She clawed him lightly in protest—only to be met with a pulse of heat under her touch.
She bit her lip and muttered in a sultry, half-joking tone, full of sass and mock accusation:
"Heh… men really are all the same."
"You were the one who couldn't get enough last night—like you were trying to tear me apart—and now we're suddenly in your way?"
Her words were unfiltered and bold. Not at all like the usual snarky-yet-cool Utaha-sensei persona.
Even Rei Ao was caught off guard by her bluntness.
He felt a metaphorical sweatdrop form at his temple.
"Ahem…"
He cleared his throat with an awkward chuckle.
"It's not that you're in the way. Someone's looking for me."
"Someone?" Sonoko perked up, brushing the haze from her eyes and slipping back into sharp professional mode.
"You mean one of the new members in the chat?"
"That ghoul girl—Kirishima Touka—or the shrine maiden, Miyamizu Mitsuha?"
As one of Rei Ao's earliest allies, and someone who knew about the group's secrets, she kept a close eye on every new member—even if she wasn't in the main group chat.
She already suspected the ghoul girl had a complicated past and unresolved baggage.
If it was her, reaching out for a deal wouldn't be surprising.
"It's neither of them," Rei Ao said calmly.
With a thought, a translucent private chat window floated up in front of him—visible only to his eyes.
Not the main group chat.
A direct message.
From someone named: Shin
Rei Ao's gaze lingered and a small, amused smile played on his lips.
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!