"Youyou!"
The real Nodoka pointed at the two cuddled together in bed, voice warping with shock.
"Ahhh!!!"
Her shriek cut sharply through the morning hush. Rei Ao was already wide awake, as were the rest, blinking drowsily.
"What?"
Maiinside Nodoka's bodytook in the sight of "herself" at the door, stifling a trace of embarrassment before regaining composure:
"Calm down, Nodoka."
She spoke in Nodoka's voice, but with Mai's steadiness.
"We didn't do anything."
"Nothing?!"
Nodoka, brandishing an accusing finger at their intimate posture, nearly squeaked:
"Then what'sthis supposed to be? My first!"
"I just happen to sleep this way."
Mai decisively cut off Nodoka's ambiguous words, offering her own explanation with total composure.
~~~
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Chapter 640: We're Even...
Vignette and Satania were also drawn over to the doorway, eyes round as saucers.
"What in the world is going on?"
Satania scratched at her messy red hair.
Seeing the chaos inside, Vignette's face grew pink.
"D-Don't ask. We better get going!"
Afraid she and Satania would see something they shouldn't, Vignette hastily grabbed Satania's hand and fled.
Meanwhile, Nodoka was on the verge of tears.
"Mai-sis how could you use my body with Rei Ao-senpai? If you two ended up"
"I said, nothing happened."
Mai heaved a sigh.
"She's telling the truth," Rei Ao interjected. "If you're really worried, you could ask Mai to let you check for yourself."
"What are you even saying?!"
Mai shot him an exasperated glare. Checking that kind of thing was beyond awkward.
"All right, enough. I'll go talk to Nodoka myself."
She stood up, walked over, and led Nodoka to the living room to carefully explain and apologize.
She really had no choice. This was, after all, her mistake. Having grown used to treating Rei Ao like a warm pillow, it was hard for her to change habits so suddenly.
After Mai's assurances, Nodoka believed her. Yet she still insisted gravely:
"Mai-sis, you mustn't do anything weird in my body!"
"Of course I won't."
Mai sighed.
"And let's not harp on what already happened, okay? Let's just say we're even."
"Even?"
Nodoka blinked.
What had she done wrong, exactly?
Mai's gaze turned distant.
"Rei Ao-kun told me about last night. The moment our souls got swapped, you were already in my body, and apparentlyyou might've cooperated a little too eagerly under the impression it was a dream."
"Eh?!"
Nodoka practically jolted upright, color flooding her cheeks until she had to lower her head in shame.
"I I'm sorry Itit felt so comfortable, and I thought I was dreaming uwu"
She could only mumble in embarrassment, practically wanting to vanish.
""
Mai, for her part, felt awkward as well. She was imagining what Nodoka must have witnessedthings that would mortify any normal relative.
She cleared her throat:
"Ahem. Anyway, let's stop talking about all this.
Classes start soon; you should get ready. Rei Ao-kun will go with you to school, and if there's any problem, you can ask him."
"Mm, okay"
Nodoka answered meekly but couldn't help asking:
"SoMai-sis, what'll you do? I mean, my bodyMom's got my audition schedule and all"
"I'll just erase my own presence so that no one notices I'm here, so there's no need to worry."
Mai blurted out. Then she realized Nodoka didn't know about her special situation with Rei Ao and the others.
"Uhh, in simpler terms, I have certain abilities. Enough questions. Hurry up and wash up, eat breakfast, then off to school!"
With that, Mai walked off, unwilling to elaborate.
"???"
Nodoka was left standing there, head spinning.
.
On the way to school
Nodoka saw a black-haired girl with a refined demeanor step out from next door, walking alongside Rei Ao. Trying her best to imitate Mai, Nodoka straightened her posture. Unexpectedly, that girlYukinoshita Yukinosuddenly spoke:
"Rei Ao-kun, so Mai's body is actually occupied by her cousin, correct?"
"???"
Nodoka froze. Did she see through me right away? Am I that bad at pretending?
She brimmed with self-doubt. Rei Ao calmly nodded:
"Yep, that's Toyohama Nodoka. She's going through something much like Yui didPuberty Syndrome."
"I knew it was like Yui's situation."
Yukino mused. She understood why Rei Ao wasn't fixing it yet, so without pressing the point, she tugged discreetly on his sleeve in mild reprimand.
"Um"
Nodoka noticed their subtle interactions and gleaned that Yukino and Rei Ao likely had an unusual relationship.
Rei Ao introduced them:
"She's Yukinoshita Yukino, my girlfriend. She already knows about you and Mai."
"Huh??"
Nodoka nearly staggered. Another girlfriend?
"Right," Rei Ao went on. "In Yukino's Service Club, there's a member named Yuigahama Yui, who also had a Puberty Syndrome incident like yours. Maybe chat with Yui sometimeyou might find it helpful."
"Eh?!"
The string of new info left Nodoka reeling all the way to the classroom. She was so overwhelmed, she just drifted around in a daze.
In fact, Nodoka's predicament had spread through the chat group to quite a few people in the same world, especially those who were close by or concerned about Mai.
In the "this-world chat group":
Eriri: "I heard Mai's in some trouble. Didn't that person named Toyohama Nodoka join the group?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "I took a look; the group membership doesn't show any 'Toyohama Nodoka.' But I do see someone new: Fujimiya Sumika."
Kobayashi: "Oh, indeed."
Kobayashi: "@Fujimiya Sumika, newbie, are you there? Care to say hi?"
Fujimiya Sumika: "Umh-hello, everyone, I'm Fujimiya Sumika!"
Sumika typed anxiously, unsure if the group would accept or reject her. Rei Ao joined in:
Rei Ao: "Let me introduce herSumika is my new girlfriend."
Michiru: "Whaaa?!"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "Uh? A-again?!"
In her seat, Kaguya practically gawked. Just how many are there now?
Kirisu Mafuyu: "Rei Ao-kun, this is going too far. You never even told us."
Hiratsuka Shizuku: "Hehe, maybe he just caught her a day or two ago."
Rei Ao: "Indeed, we got together just yesterdaywhen I visited Marcille's place. Right, Sumika?"
Fujimiya Sumika: "U-um, yes, I confessed to Rei Ao-kun. It's not his fault!"
Eiriri: "We're not blaming him."
Katou Megumi: "Yeah, we've kinda gotten used to it by now. Welcome, Sumika."
Furuhashi Fumino: "Already used to it?"
Seeing that message, Furuhashi Fumino's cheeks glowed, and she fell into a bit of a daydream. Not far away, Ogata Rizu silently cast a pondering glance at her.
~~~
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Chapter 641: No Fairness in Imanity...
Miura Yumiko: "Back to the main point, @Rei Ao, what's up with that 'younger sister' of Mai's?"
Rei Ao: "Simply put, it's Puberty Syndrome. She's swapped bodies with Mai. The 'Mai' you see at school is actually her younger sister, Toyohama Nodoka."
Kawasaki Saki: "Thatfeels oddly familiar."
Kobayashi: "It's exactly like Yui's case."
Yuigahama Yui: "Eh, it really is similar to what happened with me and my mom."
Yuigahama Yuiai just remained quiet, indicated by an ellipsis: "..."
Rei Ao: "Pretty much. If she goes looking for you, Yui, perhaps you could share some of your experience with her."
Yuigahama Yui: "Okay, got it!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Wait, that Toyohama Nodoka person hasn't been added to the group, so is she or isn't she your new girlfriend, Rei Ao?"
Rei Ao: "Not yet."
Machida Sonoko: "Not yet. Understood. Looks like she's another target for Rei Ao-kun."
Shinomiya Kaguya: "T-That seems rather improper, doesn't it?"
Hayasaka Ai: "Kaguya-sama, you have no authority to interfere in someone else's private matters."
Shinomiya Kaguya (flustered): "Ugh s-sorry!"
Under the afternoon sunlight streaming through the classroom windows, the entire empty space seemed warm and golden.
"Rei Ao-kun, aren't you eating?"
Katou Megumi asked him softly, clinging close by.
Rei Ao turned his head, looking at Megumi seated before him. Her short hair from before had grown out enough to tie into a simple ponytail, a few unruly strands falling around her ears, glimmering translucently in the sunlight. Tilting her head a little, she gazed at him with her trademark calm eyes.
"I've finished."
Rei Ao set aside his chopsticks and, with a mischievous smile, gave Megumi's cheek a gentle pinch.
"All right," said Megumi as she put away the bento box.
""
Sitting next to them, Michiru eyed their little show of affection with a complex expression. I shouldn't have stayed here to watch them feed each other dog food.
"Rei Ao, Megumiany thoughts on next week's sports festival?"
She was referring to the announcement that the homeroom teacher had made that morning about hosting the school's sports meet next week, hoping for active participation.
"Sports festival, huh?"
Rei Ao stretched lazily:
"Basically it's the energetic kids on the field, running around under the sun."
"Speaking of running,"
Hidou Michiru pulled out a chair next to Rei Ao and sat.
"Don't you break records every time we do physical exams? Want to sign up for a few events this time?"
Today Michiru wore her standard uniform jacket over a T-shirt, with an exaggerated set of headphones around her neck. She gave off an artistic vibe that was unlike typical high-school girls.
Rei Ao arched an eyebrow:
"Nah, not interested. If I joined regular events, it'd just be me bullying everyone else."
Michiru thought it over and gave a wry smile:
"True enough. You're way beyond a superhuman level; racing other students would be pure overkill."
Rei Ao's lips curved into an amused grin:
"I could join some casual games, keep it funlike that Borrowed Item Race, maybe that'd be interesting."
"Too bad for me,"
Michiru shrugged:
"I have zero interest in sports, so I'd only join for attendance credit. Honestly, I don't even feel like being a spectator."
Katou Megumi added quietly:
"Same here."
Michiru continued:
"Besides, I'm preparing for another live show, so I can't spare the energy."
"Live show?"
Rei Ao repeated the phrase. Now Michiru and Megumi started chatting about performance gigs and scheduling, leaving him feeling left out.
Indeed, sometimes girls had more to talk about with each other. With him, their time together was more about hugging, closeness, and you know.
Hence, he turned his attention to the group chat.
There, Couronne was seeking advice on how to save the human race in her world. Through her explanations, everyone had learned more about the sixteen different races and the plight of humans, especially how powerless the humans were.
Shiba Miyuki: "No magic, no abilities, backward technology, can't even feed themselves The human race over there"
Miyuki was practically speechless, imagining their harsh environment.
Misaka Mikoto: "I do pity them, but from what you've described, I don't see any hope at all."
Bibi Dong: "Yes, compared to other races, humans in that world can't even perform normal magic. How can they possibly stand against anyone else?"
Hiiragi Shinoa: "I don't really get it. That world obviously has races able to topple mountains and so forth. Why are humans so especially powerless?"
Busujima Saeko: "Honestly, they don't seem to have any reason to exist in that power balance."
Sui: "There's no such thing as fairness in that scenario."
Couronne: "Indeed there is no fairness."
Even Couronne herself, recalling how her brother Riku had recently lost companions to a single demon beast, felt that sense of helplessness surge through her once more.
At that moment, she saw a message from Frieren:
Frieren: "To be honest, in our chat group, we do have quite a few members strong enough to help you. But if none of them goes to your world in person, there's only so much we can do with words."
Akame: "You'll need Rei Ao."
Rei Ao: "I'm always ready for a trade if you want."
Couronne: "I'll think about it."
She still hadn't resolved her worries about whether forging a deal might drag her village into calamity, so she remained indecisive.
~~~
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Chapter 642: Iroha's Sport Festival Invitation, Three-legged Race!
As the afternoon's first bell rang to signal the end of class, Rei Ao was about to stand up when a familiar figure appeared at the classroom door.
"Rei Ao-senpai~"
Isshiki Iroha stood in the doorway, hands hidden behind her back, a sweet smile lighting up her face. Today she'd styled her brown hair into twin pigtails, which swayed gently as she tilted her headgiving her a bright, youthful aura.
Rei Ao stepped out of the classroom.
"Yo, Iroha-chan, what wind blew you here?"
Iroha, not caring about the curious stares from the surrounding students, rested her chin on her hands.
"Senpai, you know about the school's upcoming sports festival, right?"
"Heard about it from the sensei, yeah. Even chatted a bit about it with Megumi and the others earlier."
"Oh? So you've already discussed it with Katou-senpai, huh."
Iroha's eyes flickered briefly, but that smile returned as quickly as ever.
"So, have you decided what events to enter, Senpai?"
"Haven't decided anything. Not planning to join, actually."
He answered succinctly.
"Ehhh? Why not?!"
Iroha puffed her cheeks in protest.
"You're so good at sports, it'd be a shame not to participate!"
Rei Ao couldn't help but chuckle.
"Were you guys all in cahoots today? You're saying the same thing as Michiru earlier. But honestly, I'm just not interested. Those competitions are too simple for me."
At that, Iroha's eyes gleamed with an idea. She flashed a cunning grin.
"Then how about the pairs events? For example a three-legged race?"
Rei Ao paused and turned to her.
"A three-legged race?"
"Yes!"
Iroha hopped in place, clasping her hands in a pleading gesture.
"Will you do it with me, Senpai? I really want to try it, but I can't find the right partner in my class"
