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Main World
At the City Lord's Estate
Kira's morning was like any other: training, meditation, study.
A steady rhythm—simple, disciplined, familiar.
His aunt's strict guidance over the years had worn away the rough edges of his old impatience.
Even with all his strange "cheat" abilities, he'd learned that raw power meant nothing without focus.
By noon, he'd wrapped up his morning regimen and just returned to his room when he sensed it—a request for "authorization" flickering through the dimensional link, his Anime Gate.
"Approve," he murmured, and with a thought, he opened the passage.
Three figures emerged from the rift.
Saeko was first, perfectly composed, her long hair still damp as if she'd just showered. She bowed slightly, her hand resting on the purple yokai blade.
"City Lord," she said softly, "mission accomplished. I've brought them back."
"Well done, Saeko," Kira replied with a small smile. "I'm glad that you are safe."
"umm... Kira-kun."
Saeko's tone softened, posture elegant again—graceful, gentle, the perfect wife material.
Rika Minami, standing behind her, stared in disbelief. Seriously?
Is this the same woman who went berserk cutting through zombies like a demon just hours ago?
What the hell—does she have a split personality or something?
Kira's gaze moved past Saeko to the two women who followed her.
One wore a tactical outfit—tanned skin, fit and strong. The other, dressed in a professional suit, was big, curvy, and very obviously "soft" in all the right places.
Rika Minami and Shizuka Marikawa.
Rika's build was firm and athletic, while Shizuka's was plush and—well, generous enough to make gravity jealous.
Kira couldn't help the thought that slipped through his mind.
No wonder this world was called Fanservice world.
Just look at them — that striking duo, one sun-kissed, one pale as snow. One sharp, the other soft. Anyone would lose focus if they stared too long.
"Father," said Kaguya, gliding into the room.
Saeko turned, offering her the sheathed yokai blade. "Kaguya-hime, thank you again."
Kaguya smiled her composed, noble smile. "It's nothing. I'm glad it served you well."
Then she turned her attention to the newcomers, eyes glimmering with curiosity. She looked them up and down—carefully, appraisingly—like her gaze could pierce through their souls.
Rika stiffened. The scrutiny made her feel stripped bare, like a lamb under a wolf's stare.
Kaguya didn't seem to notice, or maybe she didn't care. "Saeko," she said pleasantly, "your friends are lovely."
Saeko nodded with a helpless smile. By now, she'd already figured out that this "princess" had a very… playful personality.
"..."
Rika stayed standing, thoughtful. "So… you're Kira, the 'City Lord,' right?"
"You can just call me Kira if you like," he said lightly. "Titles aren't that important here."
"Then I'll stick with 'City Lord.' Feels more proper," Rika said, flashing a wry grin. "Saeko told me a bit, but your world… it's really like this?"
"Pretty much," Kira nodded. "What she described should be close enough—a world of spirits and monsters, gods long gone but never truly dead. A place where humans and demons coexist under the remnants of divinity."
A few words, but they painted the truth well enough.
"Hard to believe," Rika muttered.
As a trained soldier, she'd never been one to believe in myths or monsters.
But the moment she looked outside and saw a group of rabbit-eared attendants hopping through the courtyard—ears twitching under her gaze—she went completely quiet.
"Waaah!" Shizuka squealed, her eyes sparkling. "Rabbit ears! So cute! Are those all… yokai?"
Saeko sighed and gently pulled her teacher back. "Sensei, please don't touch them."
Rika cleared her throat. "Anyway… City Lord. Be honest. Our world—is it beyond saving?"
Kira paused. "Hard to say."
"Or rather…"
He frowned thoughtfully. "Even I don't know for sure."
He leaned back. "From what I can tell, fixing your world shouldn't be that difficult. But Eirin—ah, right, you wouldn't know that name. You might know her by another—Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto?"
Rika's eyes widened. "The goddess of wisdom and intelligence?"
"Exactly." Kira nodded. "Yesterday, I brought Saeko back from your world—what I've decided to call the Apocalypse World. I wanted Eirin to study the zombie virus."
"But her response…"
He exhaled softly. "She said she's coming here in person tonight. And she warned me not to go back there again for now."
Among the gods of Takamagahara: Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were the undisputed first tier.
But right behind them—at the top of the second—stood Ame no Yagokoro Omoikane no Mikoto. At her worst, she was still a solid top-three contender.
Rika Minami stayed silent, brows furrowing, her face shadowed with frustration and grief.
Unlike Saeko's warrior bloodlust or Shizuka's innocent cluelessness, Rika was the one who truly felt the weight of it all.
She'd always been trained to analyze, to stay rational. And if that goddess herself had spoken… then it basically confirmed what she already feared.
Their world was doomed.
Science couldn't save it. Mysticism had already given up.
"…Damn."
After a long silence, Rika sighed softly, took a moment to steady herself, then raised her head to meet Kira's eyes.
"City Lord," she asked quietly, "what do you think will happen to me and Shizuka… now that we're here?"
Kira thought for a moment, glancing toward Kaguya.
Kaguya immediately understood and gave a tiny nod.
"Rika," Kira began, "if I wanted to sound nice, I could give you two or three comforting options."
He paused. "But I don't do that."
"..."
Rika smirked. "Ha. Fair enough. I prefer it straight anyway. Things are what they are—no point dressing it up."
She knew the score.
Her world was gone, a lost cause. And now? She had a new boss. One with power, influence, and resources beyond imagination.
Fine. She'd adapt. Follow the strong—it was what survivors did.
"I can train you and Shizuka to control spirit energy," Kira said. "If you can learn it, then…"
He smiled faintly. "You'll become part of my city. You'll follow my orders, earn your keep, and live on."
A fair offer.
Rika nodded easily. "Reasonable. And if we can't?"
Kira didn't hesitate.
"Then it's simple. If you can't wield spirit energy, you can stay here in the estate as my… pampered canaries. Fed, sheltered, protected—but you should know why."
"As for leaving?" His tone stayed calm. "I'm afraid that won't be an option. At best, I'd send you back to your world."
Blunt. Uncomfortable. But honest.
Two choices. That was the reality.
"Fair deal," Rika said, crossing her arms and resting one hand under her chin. She didn't seem upset at all.
In her mind, it made perfect sense. No one gives you shelter out of charity. Every kindness costs something.
Option one: loyalty. Option two: body.
She could live with either.
"…" Rika turned to glance at Saeko. "You chose this willingly? It's clear you already did that."
Saeko smiled serenely. "Of course. I offered my body on my own. Kira-kun is worth everything I've given."
"I see."
Rika understood immediately. She didn't need much time around Saeko to know she was the type to make a choice and never look back.
"Alright then." Rika grinned confidently. "City Lord, I'll be in your care. We will try option one first."
She was satisfied with both options. So if one failed, her body would do its job.
In this world, purity was mostly a joke anyway. Real life was never that clean.
She was bold, decisive, pragmatic—and had nothing but disdain for cowards and fakes.
As for Shizuka…If Rika hadn't spent years protecting that ditzy woman, who knew how many times she'd already have been "taken advantage of."
Honestly, if it weren't for Rika's constant guarding, Shizuka would've turned into a bus long ago—open to everyone on the track.
Thanks to Rika, she'd stayed "new."
So, becoming a "private ride" later didn't sound so bad.
"Alright," Kira said at last. "Kaguya, arrange rooms for them. Let them rest here until the city repairs are finished. Once everything's ready, they can move out."
"As you wish, Father," Kaguya said with a graceful bow. "I'll see to it."
Soon, a few moon rabbits appeared to escort Rika and Shizuka away.
Along the way, Shizuka was predictably loud and excited, reaching out to touch their long white ears—only to have them dodge with practiced agility every time.
When they had gone, Kaguya turned back, her tone thoughtful.
"Father," she said softly, "Saeko, Rika, Shizuka… all three have unusually strong talent. Too strong, almost unnaturally so. Doesn't that seem odd to you?"
She was right.
From the perspective of someone like her, the sheer potential radiating from those three women was beyond what should've been possible.
Almost suspiciously perfect.
.
.
.