""
Yotsuba Maya's face was drawn and grim. In a hoarse voice, she spoke a cold but inevitable truth.
"Miyukiyour motherthere's nothing we can do for her now"
"How can that be?"
Shiba Miyuki shook her head in disbelief. "Just a few days ago, Mom was talking to me. She's just sick!" In her view, medical technology these days could handle most illnesses. But Yotsuba Maya shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Miyuki. Miya's condition isn't something ordinary medicine can cure. It's a complication caused by me."
When Maya was twelve, she served in something akin to an official envoy.
[Note: The following portion has been altered!]
Together with Saegusa Kouichiher fianc in a marriage arranged for political benefitand others, she attended an exchange event hosted by the Asian Branch of the International Magic Association. However, they were violently abducted by unknown persons and disappeared. Saegusa Hiroichi was severely injured, losing an eye, and Yotsuba Maya went missing.
Later, after the Yotsuba family conducted extensive searches, they found her at a women-only magical research facility. Following an organized raid, they successfully rescued her, but three days had already passed. In those three days, Yotsuba Maya had been subjected to human-modification experiments, including a "Artificial Magician Experiment."
When she was finally rescued, her mind was nearly destroyed. She was on the verge of mental collapse.
To save her, the head of the Yotsuba family at the timeYotsuba Genzouasked Yotsuba Miya (now Shiba Miya) to use mental magic to reconstruct Maya's mind, processing her memories. Because Miya's mental magic could interfere with a person's spirit but not erase memories, Genzou told her to convert all of Maya's recollectionsher "experiences"into "knowledge." Effectively, all of her personal memories were turned into data. That was how they pulled Yotsuba Maya back from the brink of complete mental death.
Yet because all of Yotsuba Maya's original memories had become mere data, it was essentially no different from "killing" the person she used to be. As a result, although Shiba Miya and Yotsuba Maya appeared to be sisters, there was always an invisible barrier between them.
After what had happened to Maya, Shiba Miya carried a profound guilt, as though she had killed her own sister with her own hands.
She repeatedly overused her mental interference magic as a form of self-punishment. Long before she was twenty, she had already spent ten years in and out of convalescent hospitals because of that overuse. Her body was now riddled with complications. Unless a miracle occurred, there was no saving her.
With a heavy heart, Yotsuba Maya recounted her history with her "older sister." It was the first time Shiba Miyuki had heard any of it, and she stood there, dazed.
Shiba Miya, for her part, gazed for a long time at this younger sister"another person's perfect copy," in her mindbefore finally looking away.
Even though she addressed Maya as her sister, even as she faced death, she couldn't truly see Maya that way in her heart. She believed she had already ended her real sister's life at the age of twelve. She had no desire to lift that barrier. Yotsuba Maya, for her part, simply treated her as a different person altogether.
~~~
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Chapter 325: Miyuki's Trade!
"Miyuki"
Shiba Miya slightly parted her dry lips and spoke weakly.
"Mom!"
"Miyuki Maya was right. I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of you anymore cough, cough"
Shiba Miya's eyes, filled with longing, watched Shiba Miyuki with deep affection and reluctance.
She reached out a trembling hand, wanting to touch Miyuki.
Miyuki hurriedly clasped her mother's hand and pressed it against her cheek, her voice choked with sobs.
"Mom, don't say that. You're just ill; you'll definitely get better!"
Her heart and body trembled.
Hearing the same words from both the family head and her own mother made her realizeit might be true.
Her mother was going to leave this world
Such a blow felt like a bolt from the blue to her.
Shiba Miya was still very happy to hear Miyuki's words of comfort.
But at this moment, she wanted more than anything to have a proper look at her daughterand also
She lifted a finger slightly to wipe away Miyuki's tears.
"Miyuki, before I go cough, cough there's something I've been hesitating to tell you cough, cough"
A violent fit of coughing caused blood to trickle from the corner of her mouth.
Her breath was faint, and her words were disjointed.
Miyuki felt a searing pain in her heart.
She pleaded, "Mom, please don't talk anymore. II'll take you to the hospital right now!"
Even if there was only a sliver of a chance, she had to try.
"It's useless."
Shiba Miya shook her head bitterly.
She understood her own condition too well.
Her body and mind were already riddled with wounds; staying alive to this point was a miracle in itself.
She dared not hope for more.
She was satisfied just to see Miyuki grow up healthy.
But there were still regretssuch as watching Miyuki marry and have children
""
Her gaze drifted naturally to Shiba Tatsuya, who stood straight not far away.
A faint darkness flickered in Shiba Miya's eyes.
She was terribly afraid that once she was gone, Miyuki would no longer be able to control her own destiny, even though even though the current head of the Yotsuba Family, Yotsuba Maya, had offered her assurances.
Shiba Miya's emotions were tangled, and Miyuki's were just as conflicted.
How could she stand by and watch her mother pass away?
Yet she realized in this moment that aside from offering comfort, she could do nothing else.
"Why why is this happening"
Miyuki's sobbing did not cease.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind.
She remembered the chat group's existence!
She jerked her head up.
"That's right, there's still a way!"
Shiba Miya heard her muttered words and assumed it was just Miyuki refusing to accept her imminent passing. She was about to soothe her daughter
But saw Miyuki's expression turn resolute as she said, "Mom, I will save you!"
"Rei Ao, were you guys enjoying yourselves just now?"
The tiny Ramiris flew to Rei Ao's ear as he was surrounded by the others.
She had been watching from the sidelines for a while, noticing that everyone who interacted with him seemed blissful yet somewhat embarrassed.
Even that ever-expressionless Luminous had shown the same look.
She was curiouswas it really that pleasant?
Rei Ao grabbed the towel on his shoulder and threw it at her, nearly knocking her into the water.
"Wah! Why are you doing that all of a sudden?"
Pouting, Ramiris pulled at the towel with an indignant glare.
"Haha, just saying you're so small. Even using you as a cup would be difficult. Hurry and get used to your other form, then you'll understand how comfortable it is once you experience it."
"Blah, you perv."
Realizing what Rei Ao was hinting at, Ramiris flew up to his face and made a silly face.
Rei Ao was about to pull his arm free from the grasp of Shuna and Shion, who were clinging on both sides, to grab Ramiris.
Even if she couldn't be a cup, maybe she could hold onto a pillar and lick it
[Ding! Shiba Miyuki has sent you a trade request.]
[Trade content: Save her mother!]
[Ding! Please set your trade conditions.]
"Huh?"
Rei Ao paused mid-motion.
"What's wrong?"
Shizue, who was leaning on him, noticed the slight change in his demeanor.
"Look at the group."
Rei Ao said briefly, then posted in the chat group:
Rei Ao: "@Shiba Miyuki, I've received your trade request."
Izawa Shizue: "Oh, so that's what's going on."
Stella: "What's happening?"
Mikoto Misaka: "@Shiba Miyuki, are you in trouble?"
Shiba Miyuki: "Rei Ao, please save my mother. She she's dying."
This was her last lifeline.
Rei Ao: ""
By all rights, Miyuki's mother should have passed away long ago, but things had clearly changed from what he knew.
Rei Ao: "I can see you're in a hurry, but I need to remind you of something."
Rei Ao: "All you can offer in trade are your psion-based magic, your CAD, and the rights to your body."
Rei Ao: "But I'm not interested in your psion magic or your CAD."
Frieren: "So that leaves only that option."
Miko Yotsuya: "Eh? Rei Ao isn't even interested in magic?"
Tohru: "He's powerful enough to bring about the end of the world with a wave of his hand. Why would he need ordinary magic?"
Miko Yotsuya: "Ah I see haha"
It was indeed a harsh reality.
Which meant, for Miyuki to secure Rei Ao's help, there was only one thing left to trade.
Shiba Miyuki: "I know exactly what I'm doing."
Her gaze was resolute.
In choosing to initiate the trade, she had already thought it through deeply.
She was seeing her mother, who raised her, so frail and exhausted for the first timepain filling her heart. She couldn't ignore those feelings; she wanted to do something for her mother.
Shiba Miyuki: "Rei Ao, I beg you, please save my mother!"
Rei Ao: "Since you insist"
He immediately set the trade conditions.
Just as Miyuki had said, she agreed in an instant, without any hesitation.
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trading with: Shiba Miyuki]
[Trade content: Save her mother!]
[Trade condition: "Rights to your body (once)"]
[Duration: 24 hours]
~~~
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Chapter 326: The Treatment is a bit painful, please bear with it... (Bonus Chapter)
Quietly, she knew he had things to do, so she moved away from him on her own.
"Splash!!!"
Rei Ao rose from the water in the pool.
That sound naturally caught the attention of the others, who lay around the hot spring, exhausted after the intense exercise.
"I might have to leave for a bit. As for what I'm going to dosee for yourselves."
He didn't intend to waste time explaining little by little. So he chose the quickest method.
[Ding! You have selected to grant access to the subgroup of the Trade Chat Group to targets: Shion, Shuna, Luminous!]
Almost everyone, whose eyes were tired from weariness, now widened them slightly at the surprising development.
Rei Ao then made his way to stand before Bibi Dong.
"..."
Looking at his lithe, perfect muscle tone and physique, Bibi Dong's face grew ever more flushed.
From start to finish, she had been on the sidelinesperhaps because she never agreed to Rei Ao's advances, he never made a move on her. Yet Bibi Dong knew she'd been thoroughly lost in confusion during this whole time.
Even when the hot spring water occasionally bumped her, her hands under the water did not stop making small movements.
She couldn't help it: Rei Ao and the others had stirred the entire hot spring into a highly charged atmosphere, and she couldn't avoid being swept up in it. So, now, being this close and feeling Rei Ao's presence, she lowered her head shyly.
That look, as if letting him do as he pleased, was very tempting.
But Rei Ao unfortunately had other matters to handle. The reason he came over to Bibi Dong was that she hadn't crossed the line like the others had. He was still unsure what would happen if he traveled from one world again to trade in another.
[Ding! Your confusion has been detected!]
[Hint: The Trade in this world is complete. Once you choose to initiate another trade in a third world, the trade in this current world will be considered finished. Any people who traveled here with you will be sent back to their original world!]
"Hmm, that's rather considerate."
That put his worries to rest.
"Dong'er, once I leave, you'll be sent back to your original world. Go get dressed."
"Mm."
Bibi Dong nodded obediently and quickly got dressed. Rei Ao confirmed he would travel to another world. Just then, about to depart, Bibi Dong suddenly rose up on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to Rei Ao's lips.
In a gentle voice, she said, "Rei Ao, next time we meet, Iwant to be yours."
"Oh?"
Rei Ao smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "You don't mind my extreme fickleness?"
"..."
She very much wanted to say that she did mind. After all, who doesn't have at least a little selfishness in them?
But not long ago, she had personally witnessed how crazy Rei Ao's power in battle could be, and she wasscared. She simply couldn't imagine what it would be like if she faced that intensity alone.
She might actually die from the pleasure.
Furthermore, the outcome was already settled.
Even beings strong enough to surpass Titled Douluoor even godshad bent the knee to Rei Ao, so what hope did a mere person who had yet to reach Titled Douluo level have of holding onto lofty ambitions?
Still, she had a small hope. "As long as when you look at me, I'm the only one in your eyesthat's enough."
A very modest wish. But Rei Ao shook his head in response. In an instant, Bibi Dong felt an icy chill in both body and heart. Was even that tiny wish impossible to grant?
Yet reality was otherwise. Rei Ao leaned into her ear, his lips moving to whisper something.
"!!!"
Bibi Dong's eyes widened at once. Then, the world spun, and she vanished from that world.
She reappeared back in the Supreme Pontiff's Palace at the very moment she had left.
"Dong-nee, you're back!"
Lan Fozi, who had been standing guard, came over at once.
"Mm?"
Suddenly, she twitched her nose and sniffed around Bibi Dong. "There are so many scentsand Rei Ao's too!"
"..."
She wasn't a dog, yet her sense of smell was sharper than a dog's. Bibi Dong, momentarily lost, came back to her senses. Lan Fozi stared at her in puzzlement for quite a while and asked, "Dong-nee, your knees and face are really reddid your spirit power go wrong?"
"No, I just finished soaking in a hot spring, so I'm still overheated."
Bibi Dong gave a perfunctory reply. Looking evasive, she said, "I'll go prepare for my coronation now," and hurried off, worried Lan Fozi would notice something. But in her ears, Rei Ao's rough, yet heart-thumping and utterly scandalous words kept echoing:
He had said, "Rather than 'when I look at you, I see only you,' I'd rather 'when I'm releasing into you, there's only you in my eyes.'"
In the Yotsuba Clan.
From a moment earlier, Shiba Miyuki had been frozen in place, absentminded, as if in a daze. Believing she was unable to accept the reality that she was about to die, Shiba Miya tried to speak comfortingly:
