"Big sister, you wouldn't want your secret to get out, would you?"
Nijika's voice was low and haunting.
Though Nijika spoke softly, her words struck Seika's ears like a thunderclap; Seika's eyes widened instantly, and she nearly cried out in shock.
(Huh? Huh? Huh?!)
(What did Nijika just call me?)
(Big sister... why did she call me big sister?)
(I'm currently supposed to be Ryo, for crying out loud!)
"Ahem... what are you talking about, Nijika?" Seika took a deep breath, crossed her arms over her chest, and stammered, "Could it be that you miss the manager so much you're starting to hallucinate?"
As it turned out, Seika had absolutely no talent for lying; despite her verbal denial, her entire demeanor betrayed a visible panic—she might as well have had the word "guilty" written across her face.
"Stop being so stubborn, Big sister." Nijika sighed helplessly and raised her right hand to cover her forehead. "Since I called you out of the cave, it means I'd already confirmed your identity."
"It's not me, I didn't..."
Seika continued to deny it guiltily, determined to bluff her way through to the end.
Nijika bit her lower lip gently and lowered her voice:
"You and Ryo swapped bodies because of the band bracelet, didn't you?"
Seika: "..."
She'd named the secret of the bracelet right off the bat—could it be that Nijika wasn't just bluffing?
Nijika sighed softly, her tone wistful:
"I've swapped bodies with Ryo too—more than once—so there's really no need for you to keep up the act."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Seika realized there was no longer any room for wishful thinking. (It's undeniable now; there's no mistake. Nijika... she really had seen through the secret between me and Ryo all along...)
A wave of intense shame washed over her. Although Seika was the older sister, at this moment, she looked every bit the guilty younger sister—her expression a mix of remorse and sheepishness, tinged with the kind of despair that comes from thinking, "Oh well, the jig is up—might as well just own it."
"That's right... Ryo and I really did swap bodies.
...When did you figure it out, Nijika?"
"During second-period math class this morning."
Nijika answered softly:
"When Ryo is in math class, she either sleeps or sneaks around on her phone; she never actually pays attention to the lesson."
Of course, that alone was merely a suspicion—hardly proof that Ryo and Seika had swapped bodies—but as they spent more time together, Nijika noticed a multitude of other telltale signs.
Before meeting Kitahara, the people Nijika knew best were Ryo and Seika; she was intimately familiar with their little quirks and habits. Coupled with the fact that she had experienced body-swapping with Ryo before—more than once—it was only natural that her suspicions would turn to that possibility.
Seika: "..."
Well, would you look at that—turns out paying attention in class was the mistake all along?
If she'd known it would come to this, she should have just called in sick and stayed home!
Seika parted her lips, a flood of words welling up inside her—explanations about how she'd stumbled upon the bracelet by accident, the nature of her relationship with Kitahara, or how Ryo had threatened her into joining the "Real-Life Dream Adventure" game last night. Yet, when the words finally reached her lips, only three remained:
"I'm sorry..."
Seika closed her eyes, bracing herself for Nijika's "verdict."
No matter how many excuses she might offer, she couldn't hide the undeniable truth: she shared an intimacy with that lecherous brat that went far beyond the ordinary. As Nijika's older sister—no matter the extenuating circumstances—she shouldn't have engaged in such intimate contact with her sister's partner. So... even if she were to be scolded or loathed, she had no choice but to bear it in silence; it was entirely her own fault...
"It's not your fault, Sis."
Nijika's voice quietly broke the silence:
"This has nothing to do with you."
"Huh?"
Seika opened her eyes, looking bewildered.
"No matter how you look at it, Ryo is the one pulling the strings behind this," Nijika said with conviction. "If there's any fault to be found, it lies with Ryo... After all, it's not like you could have just conjured that bracelet out of thin air, right?"
Given Seika's extreme tsundere nature, there was no way she would ever bring herself to ask for the bracelet; Ryo was undoubtedly involved.
Proof?
There was no need for anything of the sort.
When it comes to a girl's intuition, that alone is enough.
Not to mention, Ryo was a classic mischief-maker... the type who loved nothing more than dragging innocent, upstanding women into her antics! "It has nothing to do with Ryo..."
She hadn't been scolded or hated by her younger sister; Seika felt a strange sense of being touched by this, yet she wasn't about to take the easy way out and let Ryo take the blame. Biting her lower lip, she explained:
"That night, my back was hurting, so Ryo offered to give me a massage. When she left, she accidentally dropped the bracelet next to my pillow. She even sent me a message specifically telling me not to put it on, but... I couldn't resist my curiosity..."
"I see."
Nijika nodded slightly upon hearing this:
"You got played by Ryo, Sis."
"Did I?"
Seika furrowed her brows, looking hesitant as she couldn't help but replay the events in her mind:
"Ryo didn't even know I'd worn the bracelet..."
Nijika cast a meaningful, knowing look her way:
"Those bracelets are special, mystical items that have to be used as a pair. You can only share senses—or even swap bodies—if both people are wearing them. Since you and Ryo swapped bodies, it goes without saying that Ryo must have borrowed a bracelet from Kita or Bocchi and put it on herself."
"Dropping the bracelet might have been an 'accident,' but actively borrowing one from someone else certainly can't be called an accident, can it?"
Seika: "..."
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her mind; Seika's entire body trembled slightly.
Various images swirled and collided in her thoughts, finally coalescing into the truth.
(D-damn it!)
(So, from start to finish, it wasn't an accident—it was a trap set by Ryo?)
(That's too much... Ryo went way too far—argh!)
Seeing the shifting expressions on her sister's face—finally settling into a look of murderous intent—Nijika knew Seika had realized the truth.
"Why would Ryo do something like that?"
Seika clenched her fists, gritting her teeth in anger. "I don't know," Nijika said, shaking her head slightly. "Let's ask Ryo to clarify things once we're back in the real world."
Although Ryo was a bit of a prankster who lived for amusement, she never caused trouble for others—aside from the whole "borrowing money and never paying it back" thing. Nijika was certain that Ryo wouldn't have "thrown her sister into the fire" without a legitimate, convincing reason beyond just her love for mischief.
Nijika pursed her lovely lips:
"I hadn't intended to expose this secret... but you were about to challenge the game space earlier, weren't you, Onee-chan?"
"That's right." Seika nodded slightly; as her mind calmed down, she grasped the implication behind Nijika's words. "Is that game disc dangerous?"
"The disc itself isn't dangerous," Nijika explained in a low voice. "But the way you enter the game isn't physical; everyone's souls go inside. If you were to enter, there's a high chance you'd revert to your original form."
"..."
Seika finally understood why Nijika had said something like, "You wouldn't want everyone to find out your secret, would you?"
Once her soul entered the game, she would be free from the constraints of her current body and revert to being Seika the shop manager. That would expose the secret of their body swap to everyone, and then... well, the sheer embarrassment would be enough to make her want to hold her breath until she died of shame!
"I really had no idea the disc was that dangerous." A look of lingering dread flashed in Seika's eyes. "Thank goodness you warned me, Nijika. Otherwise, I'd never be able to show my face again."
Meanwhile, Kitahara's voice drifted out from the cave:
"Nijika-senpai, Ryo-senpai—are you two done whispering? Come on in and take on the game challenge."
"We're coming."
Nijika replied and started walking toward the cave:
"Let's go back, Onee-chan."
"Right."
Seika hurriedly followed:
"I'll just insist that I'm not feeling well and skip the adventure inside the game."
As fun as the live-action adventure game might be, avoiding social suicide was definitely more important. Nijika didn't turn around; only her soft voice drifted back to the person behind her:
"It does bother me a little, sure, but my sister's happiness matters more—so there's no need to apologize."
She meant it.
She certainly minded a bit, but what else could be done now that things had reached this point?
Kitahara might be a lecher who fantasized about having a harem, but he never forced himself on anyone. So... her sister must have been a willing participant, right?
Seika: "..."
What did Nijika mean by that?
Was she tacitly accepting the relationship between her and that lecherous brat?
"This is the sort of thing that ought to be hard to accept, isn't it?"
Seika muttered the words, yet her heart betrayed her, racing uncontrollably.
Exhale...
A wave of relief washed over her; Seika felt as though an invisible burden had been lifted, leaving her entire body feeling much lighter.
At the same time, an indescribable joy quietly spread through her heart.
(D-damn it... why am I happy about something like this?)
Realizing how her emotions had shifted, Seika clenched her fists in a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
(If people found out about sisters sharing the same man... I'd be absolutely shamed and ostracized, wouldn't I?)
(So, even if Nijika says she doesn't mind, I can't agree to it!)
(That's right!)
(Sisters sharing a man—don't even think about it!)
Moments later, the two sisters walked into the cave, one following the other.
"Nijika-senpai, Ryo-senpai." Kitahara looked over and asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Did you run into anything strange?"
"It's nothing." Nijika shook her head gently, casting a wistful glance his way. "Ryo is just feeling a bit nauseous... so she won't be joining the game adventure."
"Then let's let Ryo-senpai get some rest." Kitahara agreed readily. "...Why is Nijika-senpai looking at me so strangely?"
"Hmph."
Nijika gave a soft hmph and turned her gaze away.
To think he'd managed to win over her older sister behind her back—it was just too much!
She only cared a little about the situation with her sister, but regarding Kitahara... she was absolutely furious. He'd better not think he could get away with bullying anyone else!
Nijika's cheeks puffed out slightly; though she couldn't openly reveal the secret of the body-swapping, she couldn't help but grumble inwardly:
"Kitahara-kun knows exactly what's going on."
Kitahara's expression remained composed; his skin was already thick enough to withstand a siege:
"Don't talk in riddles, Nijika-senpai. Just say what's on your mind."
"Hmph."
Nijika gave another soft hmph. "Hurry up and go challenge the slimes."
After her sister and Ryo swapped bodies, there were so many glaring differences in their behavior; the fact that Kitahara acted so normally was, in itself, the most abnormal thing of all!
So that meant... Kitahara had actually known the truth all along, which was why he hadn't been the least bit worried or concerned, right?
Taking that line of reasoning further, it was highly likely that Kitahara had been fully aware during the previous times everyone had swapped bodies, too—he had simply pretended not to know.
Unfortunately, even though Nijika had guessed the truth, she had no choice but to keep up the charade of unspoken understanding.
If the truth were actually exposed, it wasn't just her sister—Kita and Hitori would surely die of embarrassment on the spot.
The rest goes without saying.
As the girls' teamwork and coordination improved, they were soon able to clear the first level of Demon World Adventure with ease and consistency. "Excellent. I've secured the [Unyielding Will] ability."
Kitahara nodded with satisfaction and smiled.
"I've used the [Status Master] ability to lock the buff in place; this time, I can eat my fill of Eden Fruit."
After acquiring the [Status Master] ability a few days ago, Kitahara had experimented extensively with surprising results: the crowd-control immunity effect of [Unyielding Will] could be permanently locked on. Evidently, [Unyielding Will] was essentially a buff.
[Ability: Unyielding Will]
[Category: Active]
[Description: After activating this skill, you will be immune to all crowd control for a short duration, lasting five seconds]
In the past, Kitahara could only be a "real man" for five seconds; once the time limit expired, the Eden Tree would seize control of him. Now, however, there was no need to worry. Theoretically, under optimal conditions, he could remain a "real man" for twenty-four hours straight—transforming into a ruthless fruit-picking machine.
Of course, Kitahara wasn't that greedy; he wouldn't pick an excessive amount of Eden Fruit. The fruit had a shelf life of only twenty-four hours—once that limit passed, it transformed from a supreme delicacy into a deadly poison—so moderation was key.
"Yay!"
"Let's go pick Eden Fruit!"
"Let's go, let's go!"
"..."
The girls were overjoyed and filled with anticipation. Even Mutsumi—usually the stoic, expressionless type—had eyes sparkling with excitement; the exquisite flavor of Eden Fruit was something that, once tasted, became impossible to give up.
"Let's go."
Kitahara led the girls out of the cave, ready to harvest the Eden Fruit.
A short while later.
The group arrived at the spot where they had previously harvested the fruit. Kitahara prepared to put himself in harm's way; since his immunity to crowd control was no longer limited to a mere five seconds, there was no need to use the [Pet Collar] item in conjunction with the ability.
"Kitahara-kun, wait a moment."
Sakiko Togawa suddenly called out softly.
"What is it?"
Kitahara stopped and turned to look at her. "Let's use the collar after all." Sakiko Togawa's lovely face flushed slightly; her eyes were bright and her tone earnest. "To be safe, it's better if you wear the collar, Kitahara-kun. If something unexpected happens, we can pull you out of danger immediately—otherwise, I just wouldn't feel at ease."
"Exactly." Soyo Nagasaki nodded in agreement, her voice gentle. "Safety first; you can't afford to be careless, Kitahara-kun."
Tomori tilted her face up, gazing at him earnestly:
"Kitahara-kun, wear the collar."
Nijika also spoke softly:
"Safety first. Don't push yourself too hard."
"..."
Faced with the girls' concern, Kitahara naturally wouldn't insist on doing things his own way; he extended his right hand and said:
"Hand me the collar."
"Here."
Mutsumi was in charge of the backpack; seeing Kitahara reach out, she quickly handed it over.
Kitahara retrieved the pet collar from the bag, fastened it around his neck, and then began to undress right there in front of everyone.
(What is this lewd brat doing?)
Seika was startled; a sharp question nearly slipped out.
But before she could speak, Nijika quietly reached out and tugged at Seika's sleeve.
"Hm?"
Seika quickly caught on, swallowing the snarky comment that had risen to her lips, and stole a glance at the others.
Seeing that the other girls were merely blushing—with no one showing any sign of surprise—she quickly realized the situation...
Just how many times has this brat stripped in public for everyone to be so used to it?!
Seika clicked her tongue inwardly and quickly covered the beast-ear girl's eyes:
"Hana, don't look!"
"..."
Kitahara quickly finished his preparations and handed his clothes to Sakiko, who was standing closest to him:
"Sakiko, hold these for me."
When transforming into an animal, his clothes wouldn't change shape along with him; it would be a waste to let them just drop to the ground, so he had to take them off beforehand.
A flush spread across Sakiko's lovely face; she glanced away as she reached out to take the clothes.
It was, after all, embarrassing to do this right in front of everyone. The other girls were also blushing, their gazes darting about nervously; only Mutsumi remained unblinking and completely unabashed:
"Omori..."
Before she could finish, a hand shot out and quickly covered Mutsumi's mouth.
"Quiet, Mutsumi!" Soyo Nagasaki said, her face flushed as she couldn't help but retort, "Don't say weird things at a time like this!"
"I'll try walking back on my own first. If nothing goes wrong, there's no need to use the collar to summon me back."
Kitahara gave these instructions in a low voice.
Embarrassment?
After stripping down enough times, any sense of shame had long since been worn away.
"Understood."
"Kitahara-kun, please be careful; don't push yourself too hard."
"Safety first."
The girls nodded one after another, signaling their understanding.
"Wait for my return."
Kitahara
Exhaling softly and steadying his breathing and mindset, he strode toward the Tree of Eden.
As it turned out, the "Status Master" ability was incredibly useful; in a state of immunity to control effects, Kitahara could move freely without succumbing to the Tree of Eden's allure. Of course, he didn't venture too deep; he stopped at the edge of the giant tree and began harvesting the Eden Fruits.
Having escaped the embarrassing "Five-Second Man" predicament, Kitahara was now completely at ease. He didn't need to calculate the time precisely; he plucked ten Eden Fruits in one go before turning back.
"Kitahara-kun is coming back."
"It really doesn't look dangerous..."
"Still, we can't let our guard down..."
The girls whispered among themselves, their faces flushed as they watched Kitahara walking back—albeit with a slightly unsteady gait.
After all, an accident could happen at any moment on the return trip, so they couldn't look away; they kept their eyes fixed on his movements, ready to react should anything go wrong.