As one of the settlement's de facto leaders, she had to find a wayhad to protect everyone.
But facing something so far beyond imagination what could she possibly do?
A name flashed through her mind like the lone candle in the dark
Rei Ao-sama.
"Right! There's still Rei Ao-sama!"
If anyone in this world could resolve the crisis before her, it could only be Rei Ao-sama!
Without the slightest hesitation, Couronne focused her mind, grabbing at the last straw and frantically calling up the interface of the chat group that bridged dimensions.
A blue screen appeared in the airvisible only to her.
Her fingers trembled violently with fear,
but she still typed at top speed:
Couronne: "@Rei Ao, Rei Ao-sama, are you there? We're in huge trouble!"
Couronne: "A terrifying Flgel has found usJibril and Schwi might not be able to hold her!"
Message sent, she stared at the screen, praying like mad that Rei Ao would see it.
Of course, Rei Ao wasn't in war-torn Disboard at this moment.
He'd spent a few peaceful, ordinary days after returning from Touka's world.
Now he was tucked away in a quiet corner of a modern city, sweet scents thick in the air.
Inside a warmly decorated, adorable dessert shop, Rei Ao sat across from a gentle, demure young woman with blue-violet hairMichiru.
Between them sat a petite young woman in a cute dress, white-haired with a little ahoge, cheeks adorably puffed like a hamster as she munched away
Kanna, eyes narrowing in bliss over a limited-edition deluxe parfait piled high with strawberries and whipped cream.
"I'm really sorry, Rei Ao," Michiru said, cheeks flushing, her tone full of apology and embarrassment. "It's the weekend and I even made you make a special trip"
~~~
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Chapter 934: Family of Three! Michiru, Kanna and Rei Ao family Photo...
The reason Rei Ao, Michiru, and Kanna ended up together was the kind that's equal parts funny and awkward.
It was the weekend. As usual, she'd taken Kannawho was staying at her placeout shopping. Passing a famous dessert shop, Kanna was instantly captivated by a window ad for the "Special Day Limited: Happy Family-of-Three ParentChild Dessert Set." She pressed up to the glass, ice-blue eyes shining with longing, unable to take a step away.
But the set was limited, and the rules clearly required an actual "family of three" to order. A single woman like Michiru, with someone whose background she couldn't exactly explain, didn't meet the criteria. She tried explaining to the staff, even offered to pay double, but the stubborn clerk insisted on the "event rules" and "creating a warm family atmosphere."
Watching Kanna's expression dim from sparkling excitement to disappointment, Michiru's heart softened and filled with guilt. In a pinch, the only person she could think ofstrong, seemingly free, and someone Kanna adoredwas Rei Ao.
So she pinged him in the chat group on a "might as well try" impulse. He agreed without fuss and arrived quickly.
And that's how this slightly odd trio came to be. Michiru played "Mom," Rei Ao played "Dad," and Kanna, of course, was the "daughter." The three of them successfully ordered the limited set as a happy family of three.
Seeing Kanna hugging the gigantic parfait, eating with her eyes curved into happy crescents, Michiru finally relaxed and felt genuinely relieved.
At the same time, though, a powerful, mortifying awkwardness washed over her. She was acting as Rei Ao's wife right now! Fake, surebut looking across at the absurdly handsome, otherworldly man, then hearing nearby customers whisper, "What a perfectly matched family~," Michiru couldn't help flushing as her heart started racing.
Rei Ao, by contrast, seemed completely at ease, as if this were nothing at all. He smiled gently, reached out, and lightly patted Kanna's head. "It's fine. Seeing Kanna this happy is all that matters."
Feeling the gentle touch, Kanna lifted her face, a smear of whipped cream at the corner of her mouth. She glanced at the two who hadn't really touched their desserts yet, blinked her clear eyes, and asked in a soft, lilting voice, "Rei Ao, Michiru, why aren't you eating?"
As she spoke, she scooped up a big spoonful of parfaitice cream, strawberries, and cakeand offered it first to Michiru beside her. "Ah mm thank you, Kanna." Michiru froze for a beat. Faced with Kanna's guileless gaze, she couldn't refuse; blushing, she leaned in and accepted the bite. "Mm i-it's really good."
And thenMichiru's face went scarlet in an instant, like a ripe apple. Kanna used that same spoon to scoop another bite and, quite naturally, held it out to Rei Ao across the table. "Rei Aoahhh"
"!!!" Wait! An indirect kiss! That's an indirect kiss!!!
Michiru's mind went blank. Her eyes behind her glasses flew wide; she froze, heart thundering in her chest. Rei Ao either didn't notice or simply didn't care. He leaned forward naturally, opened his mouth, took the bite Kanna offered, and smiled. "Mm. Very sweet. Tasty. Thanks, Kanna."
Kanna nodded, satisfied, and returned to tackling her parfait, leaving Michiru practically steaming from the head. He ate it he actually ate it!! She twisted her fingers together, so mortified she wanted to hide her face under the table.
Right then, a smiling shop assistant with a Polaroid camera walked over. "Hello to the three of you! Congratulations on ordering our limited family set! We're running a promotionevery family who orders the set gets a free commemorative 'happy photo.' Would you like one?"
"Eh? A p-photo?" Michiru still hadn't recovered from the indirect-kiss shock and grew even more flustered at that. "Sure," Rei Ao answered on her behalf with a pleasant smile.
"Wonderful! If you could move a little closerMom and Dad can put their arms around your precious daughter. Yes, just like thatbigger smilesperfect!"
Guided by the enthusiastic staffer, Rei Ao naturally slipped an arm around Michiru's shoulders, his other hand resting lightly on Kanna's head. Michiru went rigid as a board, cheeks red enough to drip. All she could manage was an extremely awkward, painfully shy smile. Kanna, still focused on her parfait, lifted her head just a touch in cooperation.
Click! The flash popped, fixing the "happy family of three" in a single moment. The photo slid out a moment later.
The staffer handed it to Michiru. "It came out great! Ma'am, you're so young and beautiful, sir is very handsome, and your daughter is super cute! What a happy family!"
"M-Ma'am" Michiru took the photo. Looking at the three of them pressed close togetherespecially her own on-the-verge-of-fainting expression next to Rei Ao's composed, gentle smileshe felt like her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg. Th-this is mortifying!
Just then, Rei Ao's brows twitched, as if sensing something. Deep in his mind, he received a frantic cry for help from another world.
Couronne: "@Rei Ao, Rei Ao-sama, are you there? We're in huge trouble! "
Chapter 935: How about a Family Trip?
Couronne's frantic SOS hit the group chat like a stone dropped into a still lake, shattering the calm at once.
But almost in the next second, a reply popped up from Rei Aocarrying that same unhurried composure as always.
Rei Ao: "Don't panic."
Just three simple words, yet they seemed to carry a strange power.
Far away in Disboard, Couronnewhose heart had been hammering in her chestsuddenly exhaled in relief.
Rei Ao: "With the power-ups I gave Jibril and Schwi, as long as an Old Deus isn't intervening personally, it shouldn't be a big problem."
Couronne: "!!!"
At that, half the weight crushing Couronne's heart lifted immediately.
She didn't fully grasp how "strong" strong was, but she trusted Rei Ao's judgment unconditionally.
If he said it wasn't a big problem, then it wasn't.
She hurried to report what she'd seen.
Couronne: "Rei Ao-sama! Jibril and Schwi are facing off against the new Flgel right now!"
Couronne: "Her name is Azril. Jibril looks very serious and tensethey seem to know each other!"
Azril
Seeing that name, a glint of understandingand interestflickered in Rei Ao's eyes.
Of course he remembered.
Among the mighty Flgel, Jibril is special.
She is the terminal unit, with potential nearly equal to the gods.
Azril is special as well.
In contrast to Jibril, she is the first unit.
She's also the Flgel Council Chair and can draw on the power of the Phantasma Avant Heim.
Her strength in that world is equally unfathomablein some respects even broader and more stable than Jibril's.
They're arguably the two most exceptional, top-tier Flgel.
Misaka Mikoto: "Azril? She's from Jibril's race, right? Sounds scary strong?"
Miko Yotsuya: "If they're the same race, why the hostility? Do they have a grudge?"
Frieren: "Ohoho, I suspect this is definitely Rei Ao's fault~"
Marcille: "Eh? What do you mean?"
Enju Aihara: "What's this got to do with big bro Rei Ao?"
Frieren: "I think we should let Rei Ao explain it himselfhe's probably already figured it out."
Rei Ao: "Mm. It's probably related to me."
Rei Ao: "Simply put, I took Jibril in. But she used to belong to the Flgel. If she's been missing this long, of course they'd notice."
Misaka Mikoto: "!!!"
Misaka Mikoto: "So the other one came to bring her back?"
Shinoa Hiiragi: "Naive. She's most likely here to evaluate whether Jibril is betraying them."
Couronne: "So that's it!"
Couronne: "No wonder that Flgel's aura suddenly felt so terrifying!"
Miyuki Shiba: "If she came alone, that means she's very strongand very confident, right?"
Rei Ao: "That's a fair read."
Rei Ao: "If Jibril is the Flgel's 'strongest spear,' all about ultimate destructive power and growth potential"
Rei Ao: "Then Azril is likely the 'strongest shield' and 'command tower,' with greater raw energy, broader abilities, and richer combat experience."
Rei Ao: "If the two of them actually fought"
He paused deliberately, then continued:
Rei Ao: "They'd probably plow that whole continent over again."
Couronne: "P-plow the continent?!"
Couronne's jaw dropped. That was far beyond anything she could imagine.
Once he had the gist, Rei Ao made up his mind.
He'd said it wasn't a big problembut letting two Flgel really go at it would cause massive collateral damage.
And he was, frankly, curious about that "first unit."
Rei Ao: "@Couronne, got it. I'll head over."
Seeing that, Couronne's heart leapt
then her cheeks flamed bright red.
She knew what "heading over" impliedshe'd have to cover the "travel fee."
Without much hesitationor rather, with no real choiceshe flushed and initiated a trade with her will.
Soon after
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trade Content]: Resolve the crisis facing the Humans.
[Trade Terms]: "Unlimited usage rights of my body."
The trade notice popped up in the chat and drew a brief wave of attention
but everyone seemed used to this by now.
Back at the dessert shop,
Rei Ao naturally saw the trade notice and Couronne's decisiveness.
He looked up at Michiru, whose cheeks were still pink from the photo and that "indirect kiss."
"Sorry, Michirusomething urgent just came up that I need to handle."
There was a tinge of apology in his voice. "As for Kanna"
Before he could finish, Michiru waved her hands in a hurry. "I-I don't mind! Go take care of your important business. I'll look after Kanna."
Even if she couldn't speak in the main chat, she was fully aware of everything happening there.
Kannaseated between them and scraping up the last of her parfaitsuddenly looked up.
She reached out with both small hands, taking one of Rei Ao's fingers and one of Michiru's.
Blinking those clear blue eyes, she spoke in her trademark, even but earnest voice:
"We are a family."
"?"
Michiru blinked, not quite following what Kanna meant.
But Rei Ao understood instantly.
The little one had really slipped into the family role-play and didn't want the "family" to disband so soon.
He couldn't help a soft chuckle.
Turning his hand to hold Kanna's, he said to Michiru, "Kanna's sayingsince we played at being a family today, why not extend the role a little?"
He paused, then offered an invitation.
"How about we take a little 'trip'? Consider it a family outing."
~~~
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Chapter 936: Heavenly Smite vs Heavenly Smite
"T-Travel?"
Michiru looked even more bewildered.
Rei Ao smiled, his gaze seeming to pierce space itself and land on that scorched-earth world. "I've got a little mess to take care ofand I'll show you all some different scenery while we're at it."
"Um" Michiru hesitated, worry written all over her face. "B-But I'm just an ordinary person. If I go with you, won't I just hold you back? And it sounds kind of dangerous"
"A burden?" Rei Ao gently shook his head. His tone was mild but carried an unquestionable confidence. "With me around, no one will lay a finger on any of you. Michiru, you can have a little more faith in my strength."
Kanna set down her spoon. She squared her small shoulders and thumped a fist lightly to her chest, playing the dependable grown-up as she told Michiru, very earnestly, "Don't worry, Michiru. I'll protect you too."
Seeing Kanna's adorable, serious, little-adult act, Michiru's heart melted on the spottouched and a little amused. Being told she'd be protected by someone who looked so young it was a strange feeling.
Under Rei Ao's absolute confidence and Kanna's pure-hearted promise, her hesitation and fear slowly ebbed away. In the end, Michiru took a deep breath, cheeks flushing, and gave a tiny nod, her voice barely above a whisper.
"O-Okay then I'll be in your and Kanna's care!"
Meanwhile, back in the world of Disboard, outside the human settlement, the air had turned to ice.
The carefree, angelic smile on Azril's face gradually faded, replaced by a heavy look probing, and tinged with a pain almost too faint to catch. Her blue-and-gold heterochromatic eyes locked onto Jibril. The teasing was gone; her voice dropped low.
"Jib-chan tell medid you really betray us?"
She wasn't here just to retrieve a wayward sister. The War God Artosh himself had told her Jibril's presence had vanished from his senses for a long timeand suspected there might be betrayal involved.
