"...Manager, you wouldn't want Nijika to find out your secret, would you?"
Staring at the message popping up on her phone, Seika felt a mix of embarrassment, panic, and guilt—much like a child caught red-handed by an adult while sneaking out of bed for a midnight snack.
Wait, no.
Ryo is just a kid; I'm the adult here!
"Stay calm, don't panic!"
Seika took a deep breath, forcing herself to compose herself.
"It looks like Ryo hasn't sent the photo to Nijika yet, so there's still room to maneuver..."
"It's all that lewd brat's fault! She just had to do it in the hallway—otherwise, I never would've been snapped like that! Argh!"
Once she'd calmed down, Seika quickly typed a reply:
"What does Ryo want?"
Ryo: "It's simple. You just got a message from Nijika asking you to come join the 'Real-Life Adventure' game in the Dream World, right?"
Seika: "...I did."
Ryo: "If you agree to come play, I'll keep your secret safe."
Seika: "You guys go ahead. I have zero interest in games; I have absolutely no desire to go."
"Ryo" sent a leisurely reply:
"Manager, you wouldn't want Nijika to find out your secret, would you?"
Seika: "..."
Blackmail!
This was nothing short of blatant blackmail!
"...That's too much!"
Seika wanted to stand her ground and show she couldn't be swayed by threats or pleas, but when it came down to it, she ultimately chose to cave.
If Nijika saw that photo... if the secret of her illicit tryst with her little sister's boyfriend got out, she'd have no choice but to commit seppuku to atone for her sins!
"What exactly does Ryo want?"
Biting her lower lip in shame, Seika couldn't help but ask. "It's simple." Ryo didn't play coy; she stated her objective directly: "I want the manager to find happiness."
A question mark seemed to pop up over Seika's head: "Huh?"
Ryo said, "I don't want to watch the manager grow old all alone, so I have to play matchmaker for her."
Seika retorted, "Kids shouldn't meddle in adult matters!"
Ryo replied, "Kitahara is a year younger than me, so it wouldn't even be a problem if we kissed."
Seika: "..."
Ryo added, "Anyway, Manager, hurry up and accept Nijika's invitation so we can go on an adventure in the dream world together."
"Damn it..."
"So what if I grow old alone?"
"I lived a carefree, independent life when I was young; growing old alone is probably just what I deserve, right?"
Muttering to herself, Seika resignedly opened the chat window with Nijika and sent a message:
"Ahem... I am actually a bit interested. Since Nijika invited me, I guess I'll come over and join in."
"Eh?"
Nijika's eyes widened in surprise:
"Sis actually agreed?"
Ryo casually put down her phone and said with an innocent air:
"Like I said, the Manager is a gamer just like me—she just doesn't usually have the time to play."
Kitahara looked over speechlessly; the Manager only agreed to come because you were pulling strings behind the scenes, didn't you!
"Hehe~"
Noticing Kitahara's gaze, Ryo quietly raised her right hand and flashed a peace sign.
"That's right—it was me."
"..."
A short while later.
Seika emerged from the restroom wearing a black dress, carrying Hana in her arms.
"Sis, you're here?"
Nijika called out happily.
Although she was surprised her sister had actually agreed to come over and play, she was genuinely delighted. The sisters had an age gap of over a decade and different interests, so they rarely got to hang out together. "I didn't think the manager would come over to play," Kita said in a bright, clear voice. "I'm surprised you actually showed up. It seems Ryo-senpai was right—you really do love the new game, Dual-Shadow Wonderland."
Seika gave a faint, wry twitch of her lips and cast a resentful glance at that good-for-nothing Ryo:
"It was too boring on my own, so I wanted to see what this 'real-life adventure' experience was all about."
In truth, she was only the slightest bit interested; there was only one real reason she'd come: Ryo had threatened her!
Noticing Seika's gaze, Ryo clasped her hands in front of her chest and smiled:
"I can go on a dream adventure with the manager tonight—I can't wait!"
Seika: "..."
As they spoke, Kitahara introduced Seika to the other girls—after all, not everyone knew who she was.
"Taki, do you want to invite Maki-san over to play too?"
Kitahara suggested casually.
"No way!"
The "legal loli" with long, straight black hair flatly rejected the idea.
Her older sister already had a massive crush on a guy like him—inviting her over to play at night?
Don't even think about it!
She absolutely wouldn't give them a chance to get close!
Kitahara feigned a tone of regret: "It's been a while; I've actually missed Maki-san a bit."
Thump!
Taki clenched her small fist and punched Kitahara right in the knee:
"You need to know when to draw the line!"
"..."
"I'm going to get a drink..."
Seika used getting a drink as an excuse to slip quietly into the kitchen. Only then did she finally let out a breath of relief; her face felt stiff from smiling—she had smiled more today than she usually did in an entire week.
The girls had all been warm and welcoming—no one had given her the cold shoulder, and the atmosphere was lively—but Seika still found the situation uncomfortable; she felt a strange, guilty sense of furtiveness.
"Don't panic, Manager." Ryo followed her into the kitchen and offered a soft, reassuring word: "It's perfectly normal to feel nervous or experience a bit of pain the first time; you'll naturally get used to it after doing it a few more times."
Seika crossed her arms and furrowed her brows slightly. "Why do I feel like Ryo is talking about something really inappropriate?"
"That's just your imagination, Manager." Ryo's expression remained deadpan as she waved a hand dismissively. "I was clearly talking about how nervous you were visiting here for the first time... Unless, of course, this wasn't your first time?"
Seika blurted out a denial:
"Of course it's my first time!"
"Ahem..."
Seika quickly realized her words could be misinterpreted; a faint blush rose to her cheeks as she hurriedly corrected herself:
"I meant the first time visiting here—I've never been here before!"
Ryo kept a straight face as she said:
"It's only natural to feel nervous when visiting someone's home for the first time; you'll get used to it after a few more visits."
Seika gritted her teeth slightly and decisively changed the subject:
"Ryo, what was that photo all about?"
Ryo put on an innocent expression. "I had a stomach ache and was heading to the restroom when I suddenly heard a strange noise. Then I saw... wow. You really are something else, Manager."
Seika's face flushed hot. Her gaze darted away as she offered a guilty explanation:
"There was a reason for it... That brat couldn't possibly stay at the shop guarding it every single day. It would be a disaster if another monster showed up, so I had to get him to share his ability with me. That way, if a monster appeared, I'd be able to protect everyone."
"You don't need to explain so much, Manager," Ryo said softly. "As long as your conscience is clear, that's all that matters."
Seika: "..."
Conscience clear?
My conscience is anything but clear! With a resigned sigh, Seika turned to look out of the kitchen. Watching the girls in the living room—chatting idly while playing games—she couldn't help but ask:
"Are they... all like you and Nijika? Willing to date that brat?"
Ryo—that "scum-senpai"—didn't hide it; she gave a slight nod. "That's right."
"Having you and Nijika wasn't enough? There are so many other girls, too?" Seika couldn't help but retort. "Aren't you worried he'll ruin his kidneys?"
"Well..."
Ryo tilted her head in thought:
"You saw the video of Kitahara fighting a monster in the shopping district that day, right, Manager?"
Seika nodded. "I did."
Ryo drawled slowly, "Kitahara is actually a monster."
"Huh?"
Seika looked over in shock.
So that brat was actually a monster—which explained why he lacked human moral standards?
"I'm talking about physical stamina." Ryo held up a finger and wagged it gently. "Whether it's endurance or speed, Kitahara completely surpasses human limits; 'monster' is the only way to describe him... So, we're actually the ones who should be worried about breaking down."
Seika: "..."
The rest goes without saying: once Hitori arrived, Kitahara headed to the "Hot Spring Resort" with the girls for a pre-bedtime soak.
Since it was Manager Seika's first time visiting, she was inevitably a bit self-conscious. She hesitated and refused to join the pre-sleep bath, claiming she'd already bathed and wanted to stay outside to watch TV with Hana. It took Ryo—that "scum-senpai"—speaking up to finally convince her to join in.
A short while later.
At the hot spring resort.
Kitahara let out a contented sigh, sat down in his usual spot, and opened his mission panel.
Unsurprisingly, the daily mission to play games together was complete, and he had successfully secured the day's lottery points.
"Give me a draw."
As usual, Kitahara opted for a single pull, hoping for a miracle.
The ability roulette wheel spun silently in the air, and then... nothing happened.
"Tch."
Kitahara clicked his tongue in regret, though he wasn't particularly disappointed. Miracles from single pulls are rare; coming up empty-handed is the norm. In the end, he had only obtained a single ability fragment.
Just as Kitahara was about to close the ability panel, a notification box suddenly popped up before his eyes:
[Fusion-compatible ability fragments detected. Proceed with fusion?]
"A sudden turn for the better."
Kitahara's eyes lit up slightly; without hesitation, he chose to fuse them.
Several ability fragments quietly merged into a glowing orb of energy. Kitahara applied a bit of pressure with his fingertips, crushing the orb, and the fine starlight within silently seeped into his body.
He opened the ability panel, and a new ability appeared.
[Ability: Silent Domain]
[Category: Active]
[Description: Activating this domain requires continuous expenditure of mental energy. The range is adjustable; the larger the area, the higher the cost. While active, it randomly silences one of the enemy's abilities, and everything occurring within the domain is shielded from the outside.]
[Note: An essential ability for home life, travel, and—of course—murder and robbery.]
"Murder and robbery?"
Kitahara's lips curled slightly:
"I'm about to achieve financial freedom; who would bother with murder and robbery?"
That said, the ability was undeniably excellent. If he had obtained it sooner, he might not have ended up trending in global headlines.
"Let's test the domain's effects..."
Kitahara focused his mind and quietly activated the domain's power.
"Not bad; the energy drain isn't heavy."
He sensed the flow for a moment and nodded in satisfaction.
The rate of mental energy consumption was slow—barely noticeable—so it seemed he wouldn't be limited to a mere three-minute duration like an Ultra-being.
"Once the domain is active, everything inside is shielded... that includes sounds and movements, right?"
Kitahara mused for a moment, then stood up.
Splash.
Water sprayed outward.
He glanced at the girls nearby and saw they hadn't noticed a thing; under normal circumstances, the sound of him rising would have immediately drawn their attention. "People outside the domain can't observe what's happening inside—sounds and actions are completely blocked out—but what about those inside the domain?"
Kitahara decided to continue testing the ability's effects and gathering information.
"As for the target... it'll be you."
Kitahara shifted his gaze toward Seika, who was sitting on the opposite side of the hot spring pool.
Perhaps feeling a generational gap between herself and the younger girls, Seika hadn't sat with them despite agreeing to the hot spring outing. Instead, much like Kitahara, she had chosen to sit alone in a corner—specifically, the one directly across from him.
"Achoo!"
Seika sneezed, as if sensing an approaching threat; the sneeze snapped her instantly awake from her drowsy state.
Splash, splash.
Kitahara strode forward, keeping his domain contained within a two-meter radius around himself, and walked brazenly across the hot spring pool without anyone noticing.
Moments later, he arrived right in front of Seika. As he took one more step and brought her into the domain's range, her eyes suddenly widened, and her pretty face registered a look of shocked, flustered embarrassment.
"Good, information gathered... people sharing the same domain don't have their perception blocked."
Kitahara silently noted the information.
The effect was somewhat similar to the "Shadow Figure Bowtie" item, though far more versatile and convenient—for one thing, it didn't require stripping naked. Of course, the Shadow Bowtie didn't consume stamina; if this domain ability were shared with others, an ordinary person would likely suffer from exhaustion very quickly.
"You brat! What do you think you're doing?!"
Seika quickly turned her face away and hurriedly covered her chest with her hands, her voice a mix of embarrassment, anger, and nervousness.
The hot spring pool was huge, yet he had dared to walk right over in plain sight—how could he be so bold?
"Don't panic, Seika-san. This is an ability I just acquired..."
Kitahara sat down right next to Seika and began to explain in a low voice. "In short, as long as we don't leave the boundaries of my domain, nothing we do will be discovered."
Seika looked skeptical:
"Who knows if you're telling the truth or not?"
Kitahara raised an eyebrow slightly at her words:
"Since you're doubtful, Manager, why don't we put it to the test?"
"W-wait a minute..."
Noticing the 'dangerous' look on Kitahara's face, Seika panicked and hurriedly tried to save the situation.
But the very next moment, Kitahara scooped her right up out of the hot spring.
Splash!
Water went flying.
"Ngh..."
Overwhelmed by a sudden, intense wave of shame, Seika—clad in nothing but a towel—held her breath; she was so mortified that her toes curled tightly.
(Ahhhhh! You lecherous brat, you're done for! Not even Jesus could save you now!)