BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
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HAPPY READING!!!
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Back in the privacy of the family sitting room, the formidable mask of the Yukinoshita Madam finally slipped. She could no longer contain the storm of emotions she had held in check before her husband. Crystal-clear tears, silent and unbidden, traced paths down her impeccably composed cheeks.
Yukinoshita Haruno and her younger sister, Yukino, watched with hearts aching for their mother. This raw vulnerability was a sight they had rarely, if ever, witnessed.
"You see it now, don't you? Haruno, Yukino?" Her voice, usually so commanding, was now laced with a bitter, weary tremor. "It wasn't enough for him to secretly support a mistress on the outside. Now… now he even harbors the delusion that that woman could join the Yukinoshita family, bear our name, and stand as my equal." A harsh, mirthless laugh escaped her. "What does that make me, then? What have my decades of effort been for?"
The two sisters remained silent, words failing them. Instead, they moved as one, wrapping their arms around their mother in a rare, shared embrace, offering silent comfort.
"If he had been honest from the beginning," she continued, the words spilling out like a long-contained poison, "if he had come to me and stated his desires plainly, I might have… respected him more for it. All this sneaking around, these pathetic deceptions…" She shook her head, a fresh wave of contempt cutting through her grief. "Look at that boy, Hozuki Nozomi. Shameless, a flagrant philanderer, yes. But he had the audacity to stand before me and declare, to my face, that he intended to marry both of you. Because of that honesty, because of that sheer nerve, I was willing to grant him a chance. But your father… he never once considered my dignity. He never intended to be honest with me."
Yukino Yukinoshita listened, her own feelings a tangled knot. She didn't know how to respond. For so long, she had sided, in her heart, with her father's perspective—viewing her mother as an unfeeling tyrant, obsessed with control and oblivious to the pressure she exerted. But now, she saw the other side of the coin. Her mother's relentless drive, her seemingly cold calculations… they had all been in service to this family, to preserving its legacy. The weight of that responsibility suddenly felt immense.
Yukinoshita Haruno, ever the more socially adept of the two, gently patted her mother's back. "Mother… everything will be alright now," she murmured, her voice soft yet firm.
The Madam looked at the concern etched on her daughters' faces—her greatest creations, her ultimate pride—and a strange, self-deprecating smile touched her lips. "Yes. You're right. Everything will be alright." She drew a deep, steadying breath, wiping the tears away with a swift, decisive motion. The vulnerability vanished, replaced by a familiar, steely resolve. "Though I once gravely misjudged a man, we have not lost everything. We still hold our most vital trump card. No…" she corrected herself, a glint of something almost predatory entering her eyes, "I should say, we have acquired our ace."
"Mother," Yukino interjected hesitantly, "Hozuki Nozomi might be angry if he knew you referred to him that way."
A genuine, if small, smile finally appeared. "Silly girl. He wouldn't be angry. On the contrary, a man like him would be proud. To dare to ask for the hands of both Yukinoshita daughters simultaneously—how could he do so unless he possessed commensurate value? Besides," her gaze softened as it traveled between her two beautiful children, "didn't you both choose this yourselves? Don't think me entirely heartless. I agreed to this… unprecedented engagement precisely because it was what you wanted."
Hosting a joint engagement ceremony for both her daughters, to the same man—it was, by any societal standard, an absurdity. Yet, the Madam had also perceived something crucial. This boy, for all his flaws, held a clear preference for her second daughter, Yukino, but was unwilling to slight or discard her exceptional eldest, Haruno. So he had chosen the most brazen path of all: to claim them both. The sheer gall of it was almost impressive.
The stage was now set. The invitations had been sent. Tonight would be a test, a very public unveiling. She was curious, even eager, to see just how far this so-called "Divine Child" could go, what waves he could make, and what respect he could command.
The thought seemed to lift her spirits considerably. The corners of her mouth, so often set in a stern line, curved into a subtle, anticipatory smile.
Watching their mother's mood brighten at the thought of their fiancé, Yukinoshita Haruno and Yukino exchanged a brief, complicated glance. The feeling was… undeniably strange.
…
Meanwhile, on Hozuki Nozomi's side of the city, the day unfolded with a far more mundane agenda. The grand engagement banquet was an evening affair. His daylight hours were committed to a much more prosaic task: helping Miura Yumiko, Shiina Mahiru, and the others with a work experience shift at the Tamura-ya pastry shop.
Returning from his nocturnal visit to Eriri and slipping back into his room at Sakura Dormitory, he was greeted by an unexpected sight. Suigintou, the first Rozen Maiden, was just materializing out of the full-length mirror, her form solidifying from a swirl of silvered light.
A mischievous grin instantly spread across his face. Before she could fully orient herself, he darted forward, scooped her up, and planted a quick kiss on her cool, porcelain cheek.
"Suigintou! Out all night, were we? That's not very responsible behavior for a doll," he teased.
"Says the one who was also out all night!" she retorted, squirming in his grasp. She vigorously wiped her cheek with a gloved hand. "And who gave you permission to kiss me so casually, you… you lecherous human!"
True to form, her indignation manifested physically. Several inky black feathers materialized behind her and shot forward with pinpoint accuracy, perforating his fresh shirt with a series of precise thwips.
Having delivered her pointed rebuke, Suigintou huffed, wriggled free, and floated directly into her ornate box, closing the lid with a definitive click. She was going back to sleep. He was being ignored.
Nozomi shook his head with a mixture of exasperation and fondness, then went to change his shirt—again.
As he left his room, he nearly collided with Aoyama Nanami, who was just passing by in the hallway. The girl started, her eyes darting up to meet his for a fleeting second before skittering away, a blush already creeping up her neck.
"N-Nozomi-kun… g-good morning."
"Good morning, Nanami. Did you rest well yesterday?" he asked, his tone deliberately gentle.
"I… I was alright."
"Just 'alright'? What a shame. I was going to say if you had any lingering nightmares, my embrace is always available for comfort."
Aoyama Nanami's face flushed a brilliant scarlet. "I don't need to lean on you for comfort!" she stammered, her embarrassment giving way to a flustered irritation. "And you… you already have a girlfriend! You shouldn't say such things to other girls!"
"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right. My apologies, Nanami. Please find it in your heart to forgive my impertinence."
"You're not sincere at all!" she shot back, glaring at him before quickly scurrying away down the hall, her steps hurried.
Watching her retreat, Hozuki Nozomi's lips curved into a confident, determined smile. He muttered under his breath, "Just you wait. I'll win you over eventually."
…
In another part of the dormitory, Yusa Emi—the Hero Amelia Justina—sat slumped at the breakfast table, her demeanor utterly dejected. The events of the previous day had left her holy magic reserves completely depleted, and in this world, she had no natural means of replenishment. The feeling of powerlessness was a bitter pill for a seasoned Hero to swallow.
Seeking advice, she had finally swallowed her pride and approached Frieren and Fern. This time, the ancient elf mage did not obfuscate. She explained, bluntly, the nature of her and Fern's connection to Hozuki Nozomi and the source of their seemingly endless magical sustenance.
Yusa Emi had been rendered speechless, her eyes wide with shock for a full minute.
So that was how they managed it. Their magic was directly replenished by Hozuki Nozomi himself. Even the potions came from some mysterious "treasure chest" in his room. The implications were clear and deeply troubling for the chaste Hero.
Her duty was to defeat the Demon King. Submitting herself to become another member of Hozuki Nozomi's growing harem was utterly out of the question. Therefore, seeking "replenishment" from him was an impossible path.
And so, she was left with no viable means to restore her strength. This fundamental frustration was the root of her current gloom. She said nothing of her plight, of course, and no one thought to ask. It remained to be seen how long the proud Hero could endure living as a mere mortal, her divine power locked away.
…
After breakfast, Hozuki Nozomi met up with Shiina Mahiru and Ogiwara Sayu, and the trio made their way to the designated meeting point. They didn't have to wait long. Miura Yumiko arrived, accompanied by Yui Yuigahama and Ebina Hina. Hayama Hayato and Tobe Kakeru were also present, having tagged along.
Nozomi's gaze lingered on Hayama Hayato, who wore his usual, amiable smile. A flicker of something like pity crossed Nozomi's mind. Tonight is the engagement banquet. Does he still not know? I wonder what expression he'll wear when he finds out the Haruno-senpai he admires is being pledged to me.
Catching Nozomi's stare, Hayama offered a friendly smile and initiated conversation. "I heard the pastries at this shop are quite famous, Hozuki. Are you looking forward to trying them?"
"I am. I enjoy cooking myself, so I'm hoping to pick up a few techniques."
Beside him, Tobe Kakeru's eyes lit up. As expected of the Succubus King! he thought. That's a brilliant angle! He could let Hayato and Hozuki handle the heavy lifting while he seized the chance to get close to Ebina Hina, suggesting they learn to bake together! It was the perfect bonding opportunity.
He was, of course, wildly overestimating his own subtlety. With his brash and often clumsy personality, it would be a miracle if he didn't accidentally ruin the desserts. Ebina Hina was far more likely to partner with Yumiko or one of the other girls.
Furthermore, at that very moment, Ebina Hina's gaze was not on Tobe, but had drifted unconsciously toward Hozuki Nozomi's profile. Her fingers rose absently to touch her own lips, a faint, reminiscing blush coloring her cheeks as a shy, almost secretive smile touched her face.