In truth, she wanted to hear that all of this was just a dream.
But reality, as it often is, was unforgiving.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Sakurajima, but noyou're not dreaming," Rei Ao said matter-of-factly.
He turned to Mai and gestured toward her. "Mai, why don't you show your mom the last resort you prepared?"
Mai nodded.
One second, she was sitting across from her mother.
The next, Mrs. Sakurajima blinkedand Mai was suddenly standing behind her.
"Mom, would you like some water?" Mai asked sweetly, holding out a glass of water from behind.
""
Mrs. Sakurajima hesitated but took the glass.
Before she could even process what had happened, Mai had returned to her seat beside Rei Aonow wearing a white dress that she had changed into in the blink of an eye.
Mrs. Sakurajima's hand trembled, her mind reeling as she tried to comprehend what she had just witnessed.
"What what's going on here?" she rasped, her throat dry and her voice hoarse.
Rei Ao explained calmly, "It's simpleMai has a superpower. She can erase people's perception of her, like a combination of invisibility and memory loss."
Mrs. Sakurajima was anything but calm.
She stared at Mai in disbelief. "But how? How could she have such an ability? I raised her from birth and never saw anything like this!"
"That's because her ability is something she developed later in life," Rei Ao said patiently.
"Do you remember the event that caused Mai the greatest psychological trauma?"
""
Mrs. Sakurajima froze.
"The time when she first threatened to end her life?"
"That wasn't the specific event, but it planted the seed," Rei Ao explained.
He then detailed the events surrounding Mai's disappearance, their fateful meeting, and how he helped her overcome her strugglescarefully omitting the existence of the chat group.
When he finished, Mrs. Sakurajima stared at her daughter in silence.
Seeing the calm but resolute expression on Mai's face made her chest tighten painfully.
She had never imagined that she had hurt her daughter so deeply.
She hadn't even known that Mai had vanished for a period of time. And now that she thought about it, her memory of that time was indeed hazyan indication of the very ability Mai was using.
"I had no idea Mai went through so much," she murmured.
"And you" Her gaze shifted to Rei Ao. "You helped her, didn't you?"
Mai nodded firmly.
"Yes. Rei Ao pulled me out of the darkness. He taught me to control my abilities and opened my eyes to a whole new world."
A world of dragons, angels, demons, and endless wonders.
Mrs. Sakurajima finally understood why Mai clung to Rei Ao so steadfastly.
He had been her lifeline in her darkest hour.
She clenched her fists, grappling with an overwhelming mix of guilt, regret, and helplessness.
Mai, sensing her mother's struggle, didn't flinch.
Instead, she took Rei Ao's hand in hers, holding it tightly as she looked her mother straight in the eye.
"I will never leave Rei Ao," she said firmly.
"If you still intend to separate us, Mom then please leave. I don't want to see you anymore."
Her voice was steady, but the pain behind it was unmistakable.
~~~
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Chapter 129: Two Little Demons came to visit to earn Money
Mai had already steeled herself to resist her mother's disapproval.
But things didn't turn out as bad as she had imagined.
"If that's your decision, I won't stop you Besides, I'm not in a position to stop you," Mrs. Sakurajima said, her voice tinged with bitterness.
Her lips curled into a faint, wry smile.
Not only had she shown her most embarrassing side to them, but she had also come to realize they lived in completely different worlds.
And beyond that
Mrs. Sakurajima had a secretone she couldn't reveal, a reason why she shouldn't interfere.
Staggering to her feet, she met Mai's uncertain gaze with a forced smile.
"I hope you two will be happy."
With that, she turned and walked away, the sound of her high heels clicking softly against the floor.
She knew her limits.
Dragons? Sentient swords?
These fantastical things didn't belong in her reality.
Curiosity might lure some people in, but Mrs. Sakurajima was a realist.
From what little she had learned, she understood there were things that were better left unknown.
Sometimes, knowing more doesn't improve your lifeit makes it worse.
And so, without fanfare or drama, she quietly left.
Click.
The sound of the door closing broke the silence.
Mai stood frozen, struggling to process what had just happened.
"She agreed to let us be together?"
Just like that? No conditions?
Still skeptical, Mai turned to Rei Ao for confirmation.
"You heard correctly," Rei Ao replied with a soft chuckle, pinching her nose affectionately. "Your mom gave us her blessing."
"That's amazing!"
Tears of joy welled up in Mai's eyes. She threw herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly as she pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
While he held her close, Rei Ao's mind lingered on Mrs. Sakurajima's final expression.
It felt as though she had left something unsaid.
The tender atmosphere between them began to deepen.
Moments like these had a way of quickly growing more intimateespecially between young lovers.
Mai, nestled in his arms, began to shift closer, her lips brushing
"Rei Ao Oniichan!"
The sword-girl suddenly popped up in front of them, her curious eyes fixed on the pair.
"What are you doing?"
Her innocent curiosity was like a splash of cold water.
"Uh"
The warm, romantic mood instantly dissipated. Mai blushed furiously, hurriedly pulling away from Rei Ao.
She smoothed out her wrinkled dress, trying to regain her composure.
"I'll I'll go reheat the food," she muttered, grabbing the plates and rushing into the kitchen.
Rei Ao, however, remained calm.
"Is something wrong?" he asked the sword-girl, his tone casual.
She fidgeted with her fingers before hesitantly replying, "Rei Ao Oniichan, I I don't have a name yet."
"You want me to give you a name?"
Her eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly, like a little chick pecking at grain.
Everyone else had a name, and she wanted one too.
Rei Ao ruffled her hair gently.
"Instead of me, why not let your mom give you a name?"
The girl's expression fell. "But Mommy doesn't seem to like me."
Her shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"It's not that," Rei Ao reassured her. "Kobayashi just needs time to adjust to your sudden appearance. Once she wakes up, I'll have a proper talk with her. Don't worry."
His words seemed to soothe her.
"Mm! I trust you, Rei Ao Oniichan! Thank you!"
"Bump~"
Before he could say more, Tohru nudged her head into his hand, her tail swishing expectantly.
Rei Ao immediately understood and used his other hand to pat her head.
"Mm~ Rei Ao's head pats are the best!"
Tohru closed her eyes, a blissful smile spreading across her face as she savored the moment.
That Night.
"..."
Mrs. Sakurajima lay on her bed in a sheer silk nightgown, gazing at the ceiling.
She replayed the events of the day in her mind, unable to describe them as anything but surreal.
She had arrived with the determination to separate Mai and Rei Ao.
But instead, she had exposed her most humiliating side and witnessed a world she never thought existed.
With everything that had happened, it seemed she no longer had the authority to control Mai's life.
In hindsight, she thought, maybe this was how it was meant to be.
At some point, she had stopped seeing Mai as her daughter and started treating her as a cash cow.
"This is fine maybe this is for the best"
"What's fine?"
"!!!"
Mrs. Sakurajima froze.
Rei Ao's face suddenly appeared in her view.
She bolted upright in bed, only for him to take a step back and casually wave at her.
"Good evening, Mother-in-law."
"It's you?" she stammered, baffled by his sudden appearance.
"How did you get in here?"
She glanced at the door and windows of her bedroom. All of them were tightly shut.
"Mother-in-law, there's no need to be surprised," Rei Ao said, sitting on a nearby chair. "You already know I'm not an ordinary person, don't you?"
"You"
"Rather than worrying about how I got in, let's talk about something else," he said, his words trailing off as his gaze dropped lower.
"Huh?"
At first, Mrs. Sakurajima was too stunned by his sudden appearance to notice anything.
But when she followed his line of sight, she remembered: she was wearing a sheer silk nightgown, and underneathnothing.
From Rei Ao's expression, it was clear he could see everything.
Flustered, she grabbed a nearby blanket to cover herself, her face and ears turning red with embarrassment.
Desperate to shift the awkward atmosphere, she quickly changed the topic.
"Rei Ao-kun, what brings you here at this hour?"
She hoped addressing business would bury her earlier embarrassment.
Rei Ao, of course, had a purpose for coming.
"Did you hide something from Mai before you left?"
"What are you talking about? I don't understand," she replied, shaking her head.
Her response seemed plausible.
But Rei Ao caught the subtle change in her expression and the wave of tension and fear emanating from her.
He smiled faintly. "Mother-in-law, I have the ability to tell when someone is lying."
"And you are lying."
"!!!"
Mrs. Sakurajima's face turned pale.
"Why do you have such an ability?"
"Haha, just kidding."
"That was merely a bluff. I only sensed the negative emotions you were emitting," Rei Ao explained casually.
The mere mention of supernatural powers had been enough to break her guard.
"Now that we're here, why not share your secret with me?"
"..."
Mrs. Sakurajima realized she had been outmaneuvered.
She lowered her shoulders in defeat, letting out a resigned sigh. "I suppose this secret wouldn't stay hidden for long anyway."
Straightening her posture, she adopted a rare serious expression.
"Rei Ao-kun, the truth is I'm not your mother-in-law."
Meanwhile
"Is Master not home?"
Just as Satania had mentioned earlier, she had come to visit Rei Ao for trainingdragging along a reluctant Vignette, who wanted to earn some money.
Despite having been through this before, Vignette was still shy and hesitant, even wanting to leave.
But Satania had already knocked on the door, and Mai answered.
Hearing that Rei Ao wasn't home, Vignette breathed a sigh of relief.
But the next moment
"Mai, is someone looking for me?"
Rei Ao's voice came from behind.
He had returned just in time to overhear Mai explaining his absence.
"Master!!! I've come for training!"
Satania excitedly pulled Vignette inside.
Facing Rei Ao, Vignette tugged at her skirt, her face slightly flushed.
"Sorry for disturbing you, Rei Ao-kun. If this isn't a good time, we can leave" she said, hoping to escape.
Satania grabbed her hand, tilting her head in confusion.
"Vigne, didn't you say you wanted to earn some money?"
"..."
That was the obstacle to her escape.
Mai was also unimpressed.
She knew their so-called training and money-making scheme involved eavesdropping, and after today, she was completely worn out.
So, when Rei Ao glanced at her for input, she raised her hands in a big "X."
However
Rei Ao smiled.
"Sure, but you'll have to stay in the living room tonight."
"Yay! I'll get the blankets!" Satania cheered, thrilled at the idea of getting stronger and surpassing Raphael and Gabriel.
"..."
Vignette looked like she was about to cry.
She had been trapped by Satania again.
"???"
Mai's eyes narrowed, questioning Rei Ao silently: You're not planning anything crazy, are you?
Rei Ao returned a reassuring look: Of course not.
Even if Mai wasn't available tonight, there was still a certain "stealthy dragon" in the house
The situation quickly became strange.
Kobayashi had taken over Tohru's room, while Tohru joined Rei Ao and Mai in the master bedroom.
On the couch in the living room, two little demons huddled together, trembling.
Tohru's dragon intensity was something to behold. Once she got started, her insatiable passion left even Mai stunned and self-conscious about her own limits.
~~~
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Chapter 130: Zelel and Damocles meet
Vignette and Satania left in a hurry, running off as soon as dawn broke.
Rei Ao gently pushed away Tohru, who was clutching his head in her arms.
He then retrieved something from Mai's mouth that had been "maintained" overnight.
Gently patting her cheeks, he called softly, "Mai, wake up. It's time for school."
It was Monday, the first day back after the break.
"..."
Mai opened her eyes, meeting Rei Ao's gaze with a look full of resentment.
Why did he go all out with Tohru, only to leave the aftermath for her to handle?
Couldn't Tohru herself deal with it? Yet he had thrust the responsibility onto her, leaving no room for negotiation.
Rei Ao noticed her sulking. He kissed her forehead lightly and pinched her nose with a playful smile.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Yesterday, it was you staring longingly with those 'I want to' eyes. Now you're blaming me?"
"???"
A massive question mark formed over Mai's head.
I wanted it in my mouth?
She vividly remembered wanting something entirely differentlower down.
Mai didn't believe Rei Ao hadn't understood her intentions. He was just teasing her in retaliation for her initial refusal by deliberately withholding what she wanted.
"I'm not going to school today," Mai said, glaring at him in embarrassment. She was still reeling from the previous day's events, her pride stung.
She had indeed envied Tohru, who had endured Rei Ao's wilder side with ease.
Mai sighed. She was too weak compared to Tohrua powerful dragon.
"Alright, you stay home. I'll head off by myself."
Rei Ao left the room, only to see Kobayashi and Vignette already up and about. He gave them a casual nod before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
"Mommy, are you sure it's okay for us to leave without saying goodbye?"
The sword spirit asked Kobayashi as she walked to work.
"..."
Kobayashi's lips twitched.
After catching a glimpse of what went on in the bedroom last night, what else could we do? Stay and spectate?
