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The next morning, rain had begun to fall.
Not a storm fierce enough to rock the cruise ship, but a steady drizzle, soft and persistent.
From the window you could still see rays of sunlight breaking through the distant clouds.
The air was damp, fresh, and tinged with a faint briny scent.
Rosen stirred awake, trying to rise—only to find himself pinned down on both sides by warm, soft bodies.
"Is it morning already?"
Shizuka rubbed her sleepy eyes and pushed herself up, her bare figure unconcernedly revealed to the open air.
"Mmm, I slept so well last night…" she sighed with a content smile, then leaned over to hug Rosen's arm without a second thought.
Her movement roused Rika, who blinked awake. A chill hit her skin, and when the memory of last night returned, a faint blush colored her sun-kissed cheeks.
But Rika wasn't the type to sulk.
She'd come out on top in a man's world, so there was no way her personality was going to be timid or delicate.
In fact, when it came to dirty jokes, she was usually the one who left the guys behind blushing.
Rosen even recalled that in the original timeline, when a colleague tried asking her out, Rika didn't refuse directly. Instead, she'd smirked and said if he could beat her in a sniping contest, she'd accept.
Of course, as one of Japan's top five sharpshooters, no ordinary cop could touch her. Eventually, people just stopped trying.
Now, with her muscles still sore, she stretched and casually began dressing. She was about to light up a cigarette when Shizuka quickly snatched it from her.
"Nope. For your health, you shouldn't smoke anymore."
"Fine," Rika muttered, glancing at Rosen. Maybe not everyone enjoyed the smell of tobacco anyway.
Once she had her bra on, she turned to him.
"Now that Shizuka and I are yours… what about the others?"
Rosen tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb. You've noticed, haven't you? Aside from the students sticking with that teacher, the other girls—Saeko, and especially that one named Rei—have all been giving you that look. I even saw Rei hanging around last night."
So what was this?
Thrice invited, yet unentered?
Rosen chuckled softly.
"If a beautiful girl throws herself into my arms, as a normal man, of course I won't refuse."
"Figures. No man can turn down a harem, huh?" Rika sighed.
"I don't really mind. What about you, Shizuka?"
"Eh? It sounds like such a hassle. As long as Rosen's happy, I don't care."
She truly didn't. In her world, a strong man having multiple wives wasn't scandalous—it was expected.
And now that she belonged to Rosen, worrying about what-ifs would just be asking for heartbreak.
…
Once the talk was over, Rosen didn't dwell on other girls. Instead, he focused on turning Shizuka and Rika into his chosen servants.
That way, even if they ever went ashore again, they wouldn't need to fear the virus or a sniper's bullet from desperate survivors.
When they saw him summon the Spear of Light, both women gasped in awe.
Rika, a firm materialist until now, found it impossible to reconcile such an unscientific miracle.
Shizuka, on the other hand, couldn't resist poking at it with curious fingers.
It felt like warm metal, real and solid.
"So weird… but so fun! I bet this would make a perfect makeup lamp!"
Her brain really did run in strange loops—every other thought tied back to her daily life.
Rosen ignored her babbling and explained the process.
After hearing him out, Rika froze for a moment, then her heart surged with excitement.
Who would turn down the chance to gain supernatural power?
She even felt grateful for last night's decision—and for Shizuka's relentless pushing, without which she'd never have had this chance.
The thought of having the spear stabbed into her stomach made her nervous, but both women chose to trust Rosen completely.
The moment came—a swelling, brimming sensation filled their bodies, tinged with something strange and new.
Golden markings flared across their skin as divine power flowed into them.
And almost immediately, they could feel the change.
"..."
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