"It's just that recharging the Pandora's Box is a bit troublesome…"
Kitahara Makoto raised a finger and gently pressed his brow.
After returning from Yamada Ryo's home in the afternoon, Kitahara Makoto used his daily question opportunity to ask about methods for recharging the Kessoku Band.
The answer was as expected: it requires obtaining subjective power from humans.
When human emotions fluctuate, subjective energy dissipates, but the subjective energy dissipated in a normal state is too weak. To improve the Kessoku Band's charging efficiency, there must be sufficiently strong emotional fluctuations.
So, the first method is to create a strange tale entity incident.
When humans face unknown terror, the emotions of fear and despair are most intense.
With Hana's ability, Kitahara Makoto could completely stir up anomalous incidents to quickly recharge the Pandora's Box.
However, Kitahara Makoto did not hesitate and decisively gave up.
The bottom line is something intangible, but it exists in everyone's heart, and once the bottom line is crossed, it is impossible to stop, until one falls into the abyss.
Although he coveted the rewards in the Pandora's Box, there was really no need to go down an evil path.
The System was his greatest confidence.
Secondly, when one walks by the river, how can one not get wet?
If he really caused anomalous incidents in reality, the more times he did it, the greater the risk of exposure.
Although Kitahara Makoto was very confident in his combat strength, he never thought he could do whatever he wanted.
"So, I can only use a clumsy method…"
Kitahara Makoto took out his phone and sent a message to Soyo.
"Soyo, are you free tomorrow morning? Want to go to the amusement park together?"
Now that Hitori, Nijika, Ryo, and Kita's protective domains have been successfully established, and he had asked Hana earlier and still had energy remaining in his body, it was naturally Soyo's turn next.
The message quickly showed as read.
Soyo: "Eh, what are we going to the amusement park for?"
Kitahara Makoto: "To have a date at the Haunted House."
Soyo: "…"
Idiot, who would choose a Haunted House as a date location?!
Might as well go directly to a Love Hotel for a date!
"A few days ago, when I eliminated a strange tale entity at the subway station, I obtained a Pandora's Box…"
Kitahara Makoto briefly explained the reason for the Haunted House date.
After much thought, the only option was to take the Pandora's Box to the Haunted House for recharging.
Although the efficiency was relatively low, it was stable.
Besides that, there was another reason.
Kitahara Makoto: "The Haunted House was where Soyo and I had our first date, so I want to revisit it tomorrow."
Soyo: "…"
That wasn't a date at all back then!
When she went to the amusement park with Kitahara Makoto, she just wanted to catch him cheating so that Sakiko would be disappointed and leave.
She just didn't expect that not only did she fail to save Sakiko, but she also fell into the fire pit herself.
Now, her entire being, from body to soul, had become Kitahara Makoto's shape…
Recalling the bits and pieces that happened at the amusement park, Soyo pursed her lips:
"Alright then… nine o'clock tomorrow morning, meet at the amusement park entrance?"
Kitahara Makoto: "See you later."
Soyo: "Meow?"
Kitahara Makoto: "I really miss my dear Soyo-sama right now."
"What the… "
Looking at the message on her phone, Soyo's pretty face flushed:
"It's already past ten o'clock at night, Kitahara-kun, don't be silly. Besides, Mom is home, and it's not like we don't have time to rest tomorrow~"
As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy.
It's normal to go to an amusement park for a date and then rest at a Love Hotel, right?
Soyo no longer resisted going to a Love Hotel, and even had a faint sense of anticipation.
Of course, she would never say it out loud. As a girl, she had to maintain her composure, at most giving Kitahara Makoto a subtle hint.
Kitahara Makoto: "Actually, Hana has successfully evolved and can help activate the protective domain to prevent kaidan from invading homes."
Seeing the message on her phone, Soyo quickly sat up straight. A protective domain that could protect her home from kaidan invasions, of course, the sooner it was activated, the better.
Soyo: "So fast… Mom is still working in the living room, Kitahara-kun, don't rush upstairs for now, wait for my message."
Kitahara Makoto: "No need for so much trouble, Hana and I can go through the mirror."
Soyo only needed to silently call Hana's name in her heart, and Hana would be able to descend through the mirror, then directly bring Kitahara Makoto over.
Once Soyo's home's aura was recorded in the future, she wouldn't even need to silently call in her heart; he could descend through the mirror anytime, anywhere.
He put away his phone.
Kitahara Makoto turned to Mutsumi:
"Mutsumi, let's go to sleep."
Before going to Soyo's home, he naturally had to coax the severely insomniac Mutsumi to sleep first.
After not helping with insomnia for several days, Mutsumi had developed dark circles under her eyes.
He had just eaten Mutsumi's cucumber and imported cloves, so he certainly couldn't just pull up his pants and pretend not to know her.
"Okay."
Mutsumi agreed and silently got up to go upstairs with Kitahara Makoto.
The two returned to the room.
Mutsumi showed no hesitation, clinging to Kitahara Makoto's embrace like a cat lacking a sense of security.
"It's Makoto-kun's scent…"
Mutsumi rubbed against Kitahara Makoto like a cat, quickly found a comfortable sleeping position, then yawned:
"Makoto-kun, good night."
"Good night."
…
Of course, it wouldn't be good night.
Kitahara Makoto lay quietly for a while, and after confirming that Mutsumi was asleep, he quietly got up, went to the living room, and then went to the bathroom with Hana.
"Soyo, you can call out Hana's name now."
Kitahara Makoto took out his phone and sent a message to Soyo.
The message quickly showed as read.
Hana extended her right hand, quietly submerging it into the mirror, then turned and pulled Kitahara Makoto into the mirror together.
Bang.
Kitahara Makoto gently landed on the ground, the landing spot surprisingly being Soyo's room.
"You really came out of such a small mirror." Soyo was quite surprised, "Taki was stuck before, why isn't she stuck now?"
"Because Hana has completely mastered the ability of the mirror space." Kitahara Makoto explained, "From now on, if Soyo can't sleep at night, she can come find me through the mirror anytime."
"No way."
Soyo's pretty face flushed slightly, and her bright eyes glared at him:
"I sleep very well every night, and I've never had insomnia."
Kitahara Makoto rubbed Hana's small head:
"Hana, you can activate the protective domain now."
"Hana, you've worked hard." Soyo said softly, "I'll buy you a cupcake tomorrow."
"I'm the one who worked hard." Kitahara Makoto opened his arms, "My dear Soyo-sama, quickly help me replenish my energy."
Having not seen Kitahara Makoto for two or three days, Soyo also missed him dearly. Coupled with the fact that her body and soul had already become Kitahara Makoto's shape, she naturally wouldn't tsundere-ly say no. Instead, her pretty face flushed slightly, and she allowed Kitahara Makoto to embrace her.
However, after a short while, Soyo gently furrowed her delicate brows.
"Sniff, sniff~"
Soyo wrinkled her delicate nose and sniffed Kitahara Makoto, quickly puffing out her cheeks:
"Kitahara-kun, why do you smell like Mutsumi?"
"Because I was just sleeping with Mutsumi-chan…"
"What?!"
"Soyo, calm down. I was just helping with insomnia, I didn't take advantage of Mutsumi." Kitahara Makoto hugged Soyo tightly, "You know, Mutsumi's insomnia is very severe. I was just helping her fall asleep, just like a professional mortician."
Thump.
Soyo clenched her pink fist and gently tapped Kitahara Makoto's chest, saying crossly:
"You mean a professional co-sleeper, right?"
Kitahara Makoto's expression was innocent: "Soyo-sama, when you get angry, you scare me so much I become incoherent."
"Ptooey~"
Despite her complaints, Soyo was still somewhat skeptical:
"You really didn't take advantage of Mutsumi?"
"Absolutely not."
Kitahara Makoto answered righteously.
Because it had always been Mutsumi who actively gave herself away for free.
As they spoke, Hana's voice rang out:
"It's done."
"Thank you, Hana." Soyo first thanked Hana softly, then looked up at Kitahara Makoto, her pretty face flushed as she said softly, "Kitahara-kun, hurry back."
"The night is long, and I have no desire to sleep. I want to enjoy the moon with Soyo tonight."
Kitahara Makoto's gaze was burning, not hiding his intentions at all.
"No, let's talk about it tomorrow." Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she said softly, "Mom is still working outside, the sound will be too loud and she'll hear."
"Then Soyo can come to my house." Kitahara Makoto said softly, "Soyo hasn't experienced mirror travel yet, have you?"
"Eh…"
Soyo blinked, indeed feeling a little tempted.
Having not seen him for several days, she really didn't want to part with Kitahara Makoto just like that.
"But Mutsumi is at your house, right?" Soyo pursed her lips, her pretty face flushed, "Will it disturb Mutsumi's rest?"
"Don't worry, once Mutsumi falls asleep, she can sleep until morning." Kitahara Makoto guaranteed, "There will definitely be no problem."
"Then tomorrow morning, let Hana send me back early." Soyo's gaze drifted, and she said shyly in a low voice, "I still have to prepare breakfast for Mom tomorrow morning."
Although he didn't promise anything, it was as if he had promised everything.
Kitahara Makoto was naturally not a fool, and immediately promised:
"Tomorrow morning at seven o'clock, I'll be ready to send Soyo back."
"Seven o'clock is too late..."
"Then six-thirty?"
"Okay."
Soyo agreed with a blushing face.
"Hana-chan." Kitahara Makoto turned his head and said, "Let's go back."
"Okay."
Hana looked up, first drill into the mirror, then pulled Kitahara Makoto and Soyo into the mirror space one after another.
A moment later.
Kitahara Makoto and Soyo successfully appeared in the bathroom.
"Hana-chan, you go back to your room and rest first." Kitahara Makoto looked intently at Soyo, "I'll call you tomorrow morning."
Hana held out her small hand: "Cupcake."
Kitahara Makoto waved his hand: "It's in the refrigerator, get it yourself."
"..."
After Hana went upstairs to her room, Kitahara Makoto no longer concealed the heat in his eyes:
"Soyo-chan, you dropped something."
"Eh?" Soyo blinked, confused, "What did I drop?"
"Wait a moment."
Kitahara Makoto turned and went upstairs, and after a short while, came down with two pieces of clothing in his hands:
"My dear Soyo-chan, did you drop this maid outfit, or this female ninja uniform?"
Soyo: "..."
She thought she had really dropped something, but it turned out he just wanted to tease her.
"I didn't drop anything." Soyo covered her chest with both hands, her cheeks slightly puffed out, "I don't have clothes like that."
"Correct answer, honest children get a reward." Kitahara Makoto smiled and handed over the two uniforms, "So, both of these uniforms are for Soyo-chan."
Soyo: "..."
Knowing that she couldn't escape tonight, Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she took the uniform with puffed cheeks:
"Kitahara-kun is indeed a perverted uniform fetishist."
Kitahara Makoto said seriously:
"Pervert is pervert, uniform fetishist is uniform fetishist, please don't confuse them."
"Ptooey~"
Soyo hugged the uniform in her arms and whispered:
"You go take a bath quickly."
Kitahara Makoto's eyes burned: "I want to bathe with Soyo."
"No." Soyo turned her pretty face away, "I've already showered, and I don't want to waste water resources with you... I'm going back to my room first."
Kitahara Makoto reminded her: "Mutsumi is in the master bedroom, Soyo-chan go to the guest room and wait for me."
"Got it~"
"..."
A moment later.
Kitahara Makoto, clean and refreshed, changed into a clean shirt, hurried upstairs, pushed open the door and walked into the guest room, his eyes immediately lit up.
"It's actually Miss Female Ninja?"
He had thought Soyo would change into the maid outfit first, but he didn't expect her to put on the female ninja uniform first.
However, on second thought, it was unexpected but reasonable.
Gentle as water was just Soyo's superficial personality; her cunning young lady side was her underlying personality, so she naturally wouldn't be as conventional as she appeared.
Soyo tightened her pretty face, holding a shuriken in her hand:
"Evil guy, I'll take your life!"
"Here, take it all." Kitahara Makoto opened his arms, a wicked smile on his face, "But Miss Ninja had better not use force, otherwise something very terrible will happen."
"Hmph." Soyo snorted lightly, her voice charming, "Don't look down on people."
"A suggestion for Miss Ninja." Kitahara Makoto said seriously, "Miss Ninja can first use other methods to make my head dizzy, my whole body sore and weak, my eyes teary, and sweat profusely, and then easily subdue me."
"Ptooey~"
Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she couldn't help but spit lightly.
These descriptions were clearly how she looked after being taken advantage of, so excessive!
"Miss Ninja, do you choose active or passive?"
Kitahara Makoto's eyes burned as he asked for her opinion.
Soyo naturally knew very well what active and passive meant. Her pretty face flushed, and her eyes drifted, saying:
"As a ninja, of course I have to keep the initiative in my own hands."
"Understood." Kitahara Makoto opened his arms, "Miss Ninja, feel free to play with me."
"..."
Who knows how long passed.
Miss Ninja was ultimately defeated.
Just as Soyo was dazed and letting herself be taken advantage of, she suddenly sensed a peeking gaze.
"Eh..."
Soyo barely gathered her last bit of consciousness and looked towards the source of the peeking sensation. Through her teary eyes, she saw that the door had somehow opened a crack.
A girl with long hair reaching her waist stood outside the door, her eyes wide open, staring intently.
"M-Mutsumi...?!"
Soyo's body suddenly tensed, and she quickly raised her hand to cover her lips.
(Why is Mutsumi outside the door?)
(Was the sound too loud, disturbing Mutsumi?)
(Why... why didn't I lock the door?!)
If it were an ordinary person caught peeking, they would surely flee in shame.
Unfortunately, Mutsumi was not an ordinary person.
As Soyo called out her name, Mutsumi actually pushed the door open and walked in expressionlessly:
"Soyo, did you call me?"
Soyo: "..."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
Terrifying to such an extent.
A girl lacking emotions was truly too frightening!
If Hitori had been caught peeking, she would definitely have scrambled back to her room, then squatted in a cardboard box with her hands over her head, and absolutely would not have walked in with such a composed expression!
"Phew..."
As the game was paused, Soyo immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said in shame:
"Mutsumi, I didn't call you just now, you go first..."
Then, before she could finish speaking, Kitahara Makoto pressed the start game button again.
"Ugh—!!!"
Soyo's slender neck suddenly arched backward, her sense of shame exploding instantly.
(Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot!!!)
(Actually, in front of Mutsumi...)
(Quick, quickly stop!!!)
Unfortunately, when the words reached her lips, only intermittent whimpers remained, unable to form a complete sentence. An unparalleled sense of shame swept through her entire body. Soyo's eyes welled up with tears, and she felt as if her whole being was about to break down.
"Soyo, why aren't you speaking?"
Mutsumi tilted her head and asked.
"..."
Soyo tightly covered her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes filled with misty tears.
(It's already like this, how could I possibly have the strength to speak?!)
"Mutsumi... you..." Soyo was so ashamed she wanted to die, "Don't look...Wahhh..."
"I can't hear what Soyo is saying."
Mutsumi took two more steps forward, her eyes wide, studying intently. On her usually expressionless pretty face, there was now a clear blush and shyness intertwined.
Soyo: "..."
(I'm tired, let it be destroyed... let this world be destroyed quickly!)
"Mutsumi, you go back to sleep first."
Even Kitahara Makoto couldn't take it anymore and finally told Mutsumi to go back, otherwise he was worried he wouldn't be able to resist forcibly pulling Mutsumi over to play a duo game with Soyo.
"I can't sleep." Mutsumi's face flushed, "Soyo's voice is too noisy."
Soyo: "..."
So sorry my voice is so noisy!
An unprecedented intense feeling of shame swept through her entire body, finally exceeding Soyo's tolerance threshold. The cunning young lady felt her mind go blank, and then she finally fainted.
Who knows how long passed.
Soyo vaguely woke up, and a gentle voice quickly sounded in her ears:
"Soyo, you're awake?"
"Mmm..."
Soyo blinked, and said pitifully in a low voice:
"I'm so thirsty..."
"Here."
Kitahara Makoto handed over a cup of warm water from the bedside table.
Gulp gulp~
Soyo held the cup with both hands, drank half a cup of water in one go, then let out a satisfied breath:
"Last night I had a terrible dream. While we were playing a game, Mutsumi actually pushed the door open and walked in..."
"..."
Kitahara Makoto sat beside her, silent.
"Eh?" Soyo looked over in confusion, "Kitahara-kun, why aren't you speaking?"
Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice and said, "I didn't dare to speak."
"Why didn't you dare..." Halfway through her sentence, Soyo's beautiful eyes suddenly widened, and her hazy consciousness finally cleared completely.
"Wait--"
"That wasn't a dream!"
"Mutsumi really pushed the door open last night, and Kitahara-kun even in front of Mutsumi..."
Recalling what happened last night, Soyo's pretty face turned explosively red at a visible speed. She hugged Kitahara Makoto's arm and then bit Kitahara Makoto's wrist with an 'ah-Wahhh'.
"You already knew Mutsumi was outside the room, didn't you?!"
"Ow, ow, ow, Soyo, let go quickly."
Kitahara Makoto quickly begged for mercy.
"Excessive! Too excessive!" Soyo was utterly ashamed. "If I could notice Mutsumi, you must have noticed her even earlier."
"Alright, I did notice," Kitahara Makoto said with an innocent expression. "But I was busy at the time and didn't have time to close the door... It's all because of Soyo that Mutsumi pushed the door open."
"It's still my fault?" Soyo bit him again with an 'ah-wahhh', "It's clearly because Kitahara-kun didn't lock the door properly!"
Kitahara Makoto was very innocent:
"No criminal would remember to lock the door after pushing it open and seeing a Miss Investigator in the room, right?"
"It's all Kitahara-kun's fault!"
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault."
...
Soyo released her mouth, her voice full of grievance: "I'll never have the face to see Mutsumi again."
"Mutsumi didn't mind at all..." Kitahara Makoto comforted her softly, "And just consider it as practice in advance."
"Eh?"
"Isn't Soyo's wish to double queue with Sakiko? It's just a good time to get used to it in advance."
"...My wish has already been thrown into the trash can!"
Soyo was both ashamed and angry, and couldn't help but bite Kitahara Makoto again, warning him:
"By the way, after I fell asleep, did you take advantage of Mutsumi?"
To be honest, you didn't fall asleep, you passed out.
"Of course not." Kitahara Makoto showed no trace of guilt. "After we finished, I told Mutsumi to go back to her room to rest."
Soyo's eyes were suspicious: "...You actually endured it?"
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
It was naturally very hard to endure.
But with Sakiko's previous words, he had to endure it.
After a good while, Kitahara Makoto finally managed to soothe the explosively ashamed Soyo-chan.
"By the way, it's almost 6:30 AM," Kitahara Makoto said, changing the subject. "Soyo, do you want to go back after washing up, or go back now?"
"It's already that late." Soyo quickly got up. "Go back, go back now!"
"The meal has already been prepared for Soyo," Kitahara Makoto said softly. "We'll go downstairs together later, and I'll give it to Soyo."
Hearing that the meal was ready, Soyo breathed a sigh of relief, covering her chest with her right hand and saying, "Kitahara-kun, please go out first, I need to get dressed."
...
Soyo got dressed, quietly pushed open the door, confirmed that Mutsumi was not in the hallway, and then tiptoed downstairs.
As soon as she reached the living room, she saw Mutsumi sitting on the sofa, watching the morning program with Hana.
"Soyo, good morning."
Mutsumi turned her head to look over and greeted her as if nothing had happened.
"Ah... M-Mutsumi, good morning."
Soyo lowered her head in shame, looking at her toes, stammered a reply, and then hurried into the bathroom.
So ashamed, so ashamed, so ashamed, so ashamed, so ashamed...
There's no way I can face Mutsumi!
I actually wanted to double queue with Sakiko... I'm sorry, I overestimated myself.