How could she possibly compare to Mai Sakurajima?
No matter how hard she tried, she could never catch up to her sister.
It's so hard...
It's truly so hard...
Mother wouldn't understand. How could she possibly become as outstanding as her sister?
Nodoka Toyohama returned to her bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow. The overwhelming feeling of injustice brought tears to her eyes. She curled up into a tight ball, clutching the pillow.
If only... if only she could be like her sister...
...
Golden sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, painting a straight line across the bed.
Badr's fingers twitched as he woke up.
Ouch... my arms and legs are numb... like I've been electrocuted...
He grimaced, feeling the lingering numbness from being pinned under Mai Sakurajima all night. It was a painful yet pleasurable sensation.
Badr had spent the entire previous day with Mai Sakurajima. After their passionate moments, they had cooked together and enjoyed a rare day of uninterrupted alone time.
During that time, they couldn't help themselves. Badr and Mai Sakurajima had made love several more times. Finally, when Mai was utterly exhausted and pleaded for mercy, they embraced and drifted off to sleep.
Last night, Badr had skipped his usual practice. After the intense battle, he had decided to relax for a day or two. He knew that constantly pushing himself too hard would only lead to burnout.
Spending time with his girlfriend was the perfect way to unwind.
He held Mai Sakurajima's soft and fragrant body close. Mai stirred in her sleep, instinctively wrapping her arms around Badr's head.
Inhaling her intoxicating scent, Badr couldn't help but sigh. The land of tender affection was truly a captivating place...
Lost in thought, he playfully planted another strawberry mark on Mai's skin.
Her body was now adorned with numerous trophies of their passionate night...
After all, their teamwork had become increasingly skillful throughout the evening. Mai had been a willing participant, and Badr had guided her with expertise, their intimacy reaching new heights.
Badr felt Mai's grip tighten around his arm. His actions had evidently woken her up.
"Stop it, that tickles."
A sweet voice murmured. Mai Sakurajima whispered, her fingers interlaced with his hair, gently stroking them with affection.
Badr blinked, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Hmm... the left side of her chest didn't look like this last night, did it?
Where was that small mole?
Feeling a strange sense of unease, he gently disentangled himself from Mai's embrace and pulled back the covers, revealing their bodies.
In the next instant, his pupils constricted...
The woman in bed was...
...
Mai Sakurajima slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Badr, sitting up in bed. His bare upper body showcased well-defined muscles and flawless skin that would make any girl envious. His slightly messy black hair added a touch of languid charm.
Remembering the pleasure Badr had brought her last night, Mai Sakurajima couldn't help but blush.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
She spoke softly. Even though they had already shared intimate moments, being gazed at so intently by her lover still made her feel a little flustered.
Observing her expression, Badr tilted his head slightly, murmuring to himself, "...That expression... and these marks I left on your body... It's definitely my Mai, but why..."
"What? What strange things are you saying?"
Mai Sakurajima sat up as well, suddenly realizing she was completely naked. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly pulled the covers back up to hide her body.
Badr pursed his lips, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern. He said softly, "...You'd better take a look in the mirror."
Mai was puzzled. Her gaze fell upon a few strands of golden hair cascading over her shoulder, and her eyes widened in surprise.
She got up as instructed and walked over to the mirror on the wardrobe.
The next moment, her expression turned to shock.
The person reflected in the mirror was... Nodoka Toyohama!?
Her younger sister, Nodoka Toyohama!?
But... I'm Mai Sakurajima!
Mai Sakurajima thought in disbelief, finally understanding why Badr's expression had been so strange.
She looked at the girl's body in the mirror. There were still faint purplish-blue marks lingering on her skin, remnants of her passionate night with Badr...
But her appearance was undoubtedly that of Nodoka...
H-how could this be...?
This incomprehensible event threw Mai into turmoil, but she quickly regained her composure. She snatched some clothes from the wardrobe to cover herself and snapped at Badr, "Don't look!"
Badr: "..."
He shrugged and turned his head obediently, thinking to himself that it was probably a bit too late for that.
He had already seen and touched everything there was to see and touch...
What was going on?
Badr was just as clueless as Mai, utterly baffled by the situation.
The rustling of clothes filled the air as Mai Sakurajima quickly got dressed.
Perhaps due to her experiences with disappearing from people's perception and having a devil boyfriend like Badr, Mai had weathered her fair share of storms. She had quickly regained her composure.
However, the fact that she had inadvertently appeared naked before Badr in her sister's form still flustered her. Only after getting dressed did she manage to calm down somewhat.
What a mess...
She couldn't help but feel troubled.
Badr quickly got dressed as well. Compared to Mai, he had recovered from his initial shock much faster and was now back to his usual self.
"It seems only your outward appearance has changed. Everything else seems to be the same Mai"
His analysis, however, caused her expression to shift. She couldn't help but recall the marks Badr had left on her body.
She wouldn't have minded them on herself, but now that she had inexplicably transformed into her sister's form, it filled her with immense unease. She felt incredibly guilty towards her sister...
"Don't say another word!" she hissed softly, her displeasure evident.
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Chapter 95: Its Just a Contract. Not a Marriage Certificate!
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.....
Badr blinked, then said with a hint of exasperation,
"...I'm talking about a soul contract."
Since Mai Sakurajima had formed a devil contract with him, Badr could clearly sense her soul's fluctuations. He was certain that this was indeed Mai, just with a changed appearance.
His words offered Mai a sliver of comfort. If not only her body but also her soul had been swapped, she would have been truly devastated.
"What in the world is going on... Did you do something?"
She questioned, prompting Badr to wave his hands in denial.
"I don't have that kind of ability. I can't use illusion magic, and this isn't even within the realm of illusions."
He raised an eyebrow. "And even if I could, I wouldn't do such a thing. My girlfriend, Mai Sakurajima, is incredibly cute and beautiful. I absolutely adore her."
The implication was clear: even if he could change her, he wouldn't want to.
But then, feeling he hadn't been entirely clear, he added, "Of course, I adore Mai's inner self as well."
"...No need for a love confession right now."
Mai muttered, slightly exasperated. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, the familiar features, identical to her younger sister, Nodoka Toyohama. Every detail matched...
"Hmm, so you've become Nodoka. What about your actual sister, Nodoka? What's happened to her?"
Badr suddenly asked, and a shared sense of foreboding filled both their minds.
The next second, a piercing scream erupted from Nodoka's bedroom next door.
"Eh? Ehh? Ehhh, !!!???"
Whoa, those high decibels...
Badr instinctively turned his head away from the source of the noise, wincing slightly.
Just hearing that scream conveyed Nodoka's utter disbelief and shock...
But, this was a normal reaction, wasn't it?
Compared to Mai's composure, Nodoka's reaction was undeniably more typical.
As expected of you, Mai.
Ignoring Badr's slightly odd expression, Mai immediately pushed open the bedroom door and hurried out upon hearing Nodoka's scream.
Badr listened to the girl's hasty footsteps, then calmly followed, hands in his pockets.
In the living room, Nodoka burst out, her appearance now transformed into that of Mai Sakurajima.
She also saw Mai emerging from the bedroom. Upon seeing Mai with her own face, she let out another startled cry.
"Sis... Mai-san??!"
"...It's me. Nodoka, calm down."
Mai spoke softly. Though she herself was flustered by the series of events, she maintained her composure, gently soothing Nodoka.
Badr strolled out, hands still casually tucked in his pockets.
Nodoka's eyes widened upon seeing him. "What are you doing here?!"
Badr glanced at her, taking in her appearance as Mai. He sighed softly, then said calmly,
"...Relax. Let's sit down and talk."
"..."
...
The three of them sat around the table in the living room.
Badr observed the two sisters, their emotions still unsettled.
"What's going on? How did I become Mai-san?... Am I still dreaming?"
Nodoka, still in Mai's form, was bewildered. This unbelievable situation had left her deeply shaken.
Mai turned to Badr, her expression serious.
"I suspect this is similar to what happened to me."
"That's a possibility."
Badr nodded. Among ordinary humans, there was a chance of being bestowed with a Sacred Gear. Some individuals could also spontaneously awaken strange abilities. Such occurrences were rare but not unheard of.
He hadn't expected that, besides Mai, her sister would also experience something like this.
Nodoka stared blankly at Badr and Mai as they calmly discussed the situation.
"What... What are you talking about? I don't understand a thing!"
Nodoka was completely lost in their conversation. "How can you both be so calm?!"
"There are a lot of things you don't understand. Don't worry, it's not a big deal."
Nodoka: "..."
Not a big deal?
Encountering such a supernatural phenomenon wasn't a big deal?
What would constitute a big deal then? The end of the world?
Seeing her speechless expression, Badr grimaced slightly. Because of this incident, he had been deprived of Mai's good morning kiss and the delightful sight of her getting dressed. The thought alone was depressing.
However, watching Nodoka make various expressions with Mai's face wasn't so bad either.
After all, due to her personality and demeanor, Mai rarely showed a wide range of emotions. Most of the time, she was mature and composed, a consequence of her nature.
Badr suddenly grinned. "So, why don't you two swap clothes as well? Since your appearances have changed, wouldn't it be strange to keep wearing your own clothes?"
If they were going for a bizarre experience, they might as well go all the way.
Mai considered his suggestion and agreed. She pulled Nodoka towards the bedroom to exchange outfits.
Soon, they returned, each wearing a fresh set of clothes. The sight was much more pleasing to the eye.
"Do you have any clues?"
Mai asked Badr.
"Not yet," Badr shook his head. "But based on the current situation, we can rule out the possibility of a body or soul swap. It seems only your appearances have changed. Your bodies and souls are still your own."
"Why are you asking him? What does he know..." Nodoka's attitude towards Badr wasn't friendly. After all, he was her sister's boyfriend, a bad guy who came to steal her sister away...
"Badr definitely knows more than you do," Mai said calmly, silencing Nodoka.
Sigh, it's over. My sister has completely sided with her boyfriend...
"Why are you so sure?" Mai prompted Badr to elaborate.
"It's simple. I just remembered that a person's soul and body have a unique compatibility. If souls were swapped, there would be rejection between the soul and the new body, but that's not happening with you two."
According to a devil's understanding of souls, if the body was a vessel for the soul, and the soul was the water within, the soul and body could be separated but couldn't enter another person's body. Otherwise, it would become contaminated, resulting in rejection.
After hearing Badr's explanation, Mai visibly relaxed.
It was good that their bodies and souls were still their own...
Otherwise, she couldn't imagine how she would face Nodoka.
After all, if they had truly swapped, it would be as if she, the older sister, had let her boyfriend see her younger sister's body...
Though Badr had already seen everything that morning, it could be considered a form of fantasy. In reality, Nodoka hadn't been affected in any way.
Unaware of Mai's thoughts, Nodoka stared at Badr with wide eyes.
"What soul compatibility? What are you talking about? What exactly do you do?"
She couldn't help but question Badr's identity.
After all, her sister was so exceptional. Why would she fall for a guy like him?
Aside from being handsome...
But she had seen plenty of handsome guys!
Apart from his looks, he seemed utterly unremarkable!
Badr's eyes suddenly lit up.
He realized that Nodoka could also become his contractor.
Wasn't this a golden opportunity?
"...Hmm, how about we formally introduce ourselves?"
Having made up his mind, Badr said with a smile, "My name is Badr, and I'm a devil."
As he spoke, he stood up, his devil wings unfolding with a flourish.
Nodoka was stunned.
She watched as Badr, with his left hand casually in his pocket, raised his right hand. A silver sword materialized in his grasp, and an intricate silver shield appeared before him, hovering and rotating in the air.
His golden eyes gleamed, and his clothes fluttered as demonic power surged around him. The sight captivated Nodoka.
After proving his identity, Badr returned to his seat.
"So, that's the situation. Would you like to form a contract with me?"
"A... a contract?"
"Yes. In fact, Mai has also formed a contract with me."
Before Nodoka could respond, Mai interjected. "Wait, Badr, are you trying to form a contract with Nodoka...?"
