A few dozen minutes later.
Throne Room.
Seeing Aoko's group, numbering over a dozen people, who suddenly came looking for him, Naoki lightly rubbed his temple: "What are you all doing?"
"N-no, nothing. We just came to show you this."
Even though she was already an aunt over forty years old, Aoko couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. After all, wearing such a skimpy wedding dress in an empty room like this... her skin wasn't thick enough to stay calm in a situation like this.
"If you don't mind, could you tell us your impressions after seeing all our wedding dresses one by one?"
"I-I also beg you, Brother..."
"So why do Mash and I have to..."
"..."
Just like Aoko, basically everyone looked embarrassed with flushed cheeks, as they were challenging the limits of their shame. Only Artoria, Mordred, and Arcueid appeared normal.
After all, two of them were wearing men's suits, and Arcueid had changed her own clothes, so there was no bad humor from Merry on her.
"...."
Naoki truly didn't know what to say.
If it had to be said—actually, since earlier, he had already sensed waves of killing intent around him, and it was killing intent so strong that it seemed to want to pierce him to death.
"I say... Morgan."
"What's wrong?"
A voice as cold as an ice storm sounded in Naoki's ear.
It was clear that Morgan's mood right now was extremely bad—after all, she was now Naoki's one and only wife and lover. The two had been together as husband and wife for over two thousand years, without ever having any discord.
But now, these vixens from Proper Human History had come before her, wearing those inappropriate wedding dresses to seduce her own husband...
(How bold!)
Did they think because she hadn't shown too much majesty, they could openly provoke her as the First Wife? If so, Morgan felt the need to make these clueless little girls realize who the legitimate wife was.
As for Naoki...
"Beautiful?" Morgan asked seriously, "The style of the wedding dress seems like the one you like. Beautiful?"
"I think it's not as beautiful as the one you wore two thousand years ago."
Naoki looked into Morgan's eyes very seriously and answered.
These weren't sweet words spoken under the impulse of survival instinct, though there was a bit of reason, but more based on his feelings toward Morgan.
After all, they had been husband and wife for over two thousand years. He had to side with his wife in this matter. Moreover, he had passed the age where he would easily be swayed by women. Both his mental state and will were very firm.
So—
*SNAP!*
Accompanied by Naoki's finger snap, a towel appeared simultaneously on everyone's bodies, wrapping up those wearing wedding dresses one by one.
"Though I think you came to see me in clothes like this must have some other intention, unfortunately, whatever your intentions, using beauty to shake me is useless—let me guess, it was Merry who incited you to do this."
"Uh!"
"It's immediately obvious..."
"Sister Merry, where illusion Magecraft?"
Hearing Naoki directly name Merry, Aoko and the others showed a bit of helplessness.
Naoki smiled bitterly: "Even without reading minds, I can guess it was her who did it. After all, only she would do something like this—it's best not to do things like this again in the future. I'm no longer the person you love, and I won't marry you in the future, so..."
[Okay, everyone, attention! Right now, smash that bastard's mouth on the throne until it's shattered!]
Merry's loud shout suddenly cut off Naoki's words.
Immediately after, Arcueid took the lead, arriving right in front of the throne, and swung a fist toward Naoki!
*BAM!*
An invisible barrier blocked in front of Arcueid's fist.
Naoki pushed that space slightly, sending Arcueid back to her original position, then said: "No need to get this angry, and no need to feel dissatisfied. Wait until I erase your memories and send you back to Proper Human History, you can—"
"Merry, I think it's best not to use the beauty trap. How about we just smash him directly?" Aoko said, placing her hand at the edge of her wedding dress, ready to tear the skirt at any moment so she could move.
Even though she had heard it once before, hearing Naoki say he wanted to part with them again, Aoko still couldn't quite control herself.
In this regard, the others were the same.
But—
"Forget about the others... Seeing Arcueid defeated by me every day for the past two weeks, you should know the difference in strength. Even so, you still want to fight me?"
Naoki looked at everyone who was eager to try: "Well, if you want to fight, I won't refuse. Come on, all of you together—"
*BZZZZT!*
As Naoki was speaking halfway, a faint vibration sound suddenly came from the direction of the large platform at the deepest part of the Throne Room.
And as if sensing something, Naoki and Morgan's expressions immediately turned serious.
"Morgan, this feeling..."
"Invaded. No mistake. The barrier we set around the Great Hole has—"
At this point, Morgan immediately looked toward Aoko and the others in front, her brow furrowing for a moment before immediately turning cold: "So that's it... you came to stall for time—I'll settle with you later. Naoki."
"I know."
In the confusion of Aoko and the others, Naoki and Morgan held each other's hands. The throne beneath them slowly emitted a blinding pale golden light, transforming into a beam of light that shot straight up toward the Great Hole outside the city.
Then...
*BZZZZT!*
A magic circle large enough to cover the entire Great Hole spread out in the air. And immediately after, countless lights gathered in that magic circle, forming a massive golden-white light spear visible to the naked eye!
Light like the sun descended from above the Great Hole.
"Ritual activated."
"Spiritual Dress of the Closed Soul, Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, release anchor."
Naoki and Morgan declared so.
As their voices ended, that massive golden-white light spear descended from the sky! Directly striking into the Great Hole!
*BOOMMM!*