[Shogun...?]
"..."
[...Shogun?]
"...?"
A gentle, tender voice continued calling to her, surfacing again and again within her mind. Upon this dim and lightless road, it brought with it a sliver of brilliance like golden radiance. Not only that, the voice was accompanied by a trace of warmth.
...Who is it?
Why are they calling me?
How do they know my name?
[...Shogun? Baby... will you open your eyes?]
...Baby?
Why call me that? Open my eyes?
She was utterly confused. She did not even know what state she was in. Her consciousness felt as though it were drifting outside her body, unable to sense any physical form, like an illusory dream.
Speaking of which... that voice sounds like... Ei.
But... would Ei speak in that tone?
I don't know...
My head hurts... I can't see anything, can't touch anything. Where am I?
[Shogun... it's time to wake up.]
In the next second, the voice sounded again, carrying a faint ethereal quality. Her consciousness gradually drifted away, enveloped by that warm glow.
"...?"
Feeling a warm touch brushing against her cheek, the unconscious Shogun slowly opened her hazy violet eyes. What entered her vision was a blurred wash of cherry blossom pink, petals drifting gently through the air, and above her, a purple figure. The silhouette felt familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time, leaving her momentarily dazed.
Though she had only just opened her eyes, she lay beneath a cherry blossom tree. Wrapped in shade, she did not find the sunlight dazzling. Instead, it felt pleasantly warm. A faint fragrance lingered in the air, not only the scent of falling sakura, but also that of the person beside her.
Still in a haze, she narrowed her eyes like a kitten and surveyed her surroundings before finally letting her gaze settle upon the gradually clarifying outline of the woman before her.
"Shogun... did you sleep well?"
Meeting her eyes, the woman smiled gently and asked with maternal concern.
The woman possessed long, smooth violet hair strikingly similar to her own. It cascaded down her back like a waterfall, the ends resting softly upon the ground. A matching folding-fan hair ornament adorned the side of her head. She wore a short kimono patterned in purple over a white base.
Her features were as exquisite as the Shogun's—perhaps resembling Ei's—but lacking Ei's innate sharpness. Instead, she radiated a distinct gentleness and grace. The corners of her eyes were soft, her gaze bright and clear, her lips curved naturally in a tender smile. She was the kind of woman who made others instinctively lower their guard.
Or rather... a gentler version of Ei? No... Ei is gentle too. Mm... she silently corrected herself.
"Pfft... what are you thinking about?"
Seeing her adorable, absentminded stare, the woman covered her mouth and laughed softly. Her voice was as clear as silver bells, carrying both nobility and warmth.
"...///"
Teased like that, she flushed instinctively. Yet she lifted her gaze again, studying this stranger who felt both foreign and familiar.
"Hehe... your face is all red. You've been staring this whole time. Is Mom really that pretty? Hmm~?"
Makoto teased gently, even reaching out to pinch her daughter's cheek.
...Mom?
She froze.
"...? Ei?"
She asked instinctively.
"...As expected, I really do resemble Ei. It's no wonder you'd mistake me for her."
Though Makoto had long prepared herself for this, hearing her daughter call her sister's name first still brought a trace of disappointment to her heart. Even so, she smiled gently as she spoke.
"You... aren't Ei?"
She asked blankly.
"...No, I'm not her. But... just like her, I am your mother."
Makoto shook her head.
"My mother...—!"
The Shogun's eyes widened slightly in realization. Gazing at the face so similar to Ei's, could this be—
"Makoto...?"
She asked slowly.
"...Mm, that's right."
Seeing that she had finally recognized her, Makoto nodded in relief.
"..."
The Shogun stared at her silently. Perhaps because she was lying on her lap, the angle was somewhat awkward, yet even so, it did nothing to diminish the woman's beauty. But that was not the point. The point was that she had no idea what to say. It was all too sudden.
"I know this feels strange to you. You've spent so long with Ei. For me to appear like this must feel unnatural. But... to see you up close, to touch you, to feel your warmth—I am already satisfied."
Makoto gently brushed her cheek and tucked a strand of hair aside as she spoke.
Her eyes were filled entirely with love for her daughter. Seeing the young woman now fully grown and breathtakingly beautiful, a deep sense of fulfillment welled within her. This child truly combined both her and Ei's features. Just as she once imagined, she had grown into an exquisite beauty. She and Ei had truly "given birth" to a wonderful child.
"I didn't think that... I was only a little... dazed. Sometimes I see you in my memories. Sometimes in dreams. Sometimes within Ei's recollections."
The Shogun shook her head hurriedly, her gaze turning complicated as she looked aside.
"I know you don't want me to feel sad. It's all right. I've always known. I've always been watching over you. Hehe... the way you and her get along is even more interesting than I imagined."
Makoto covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"Mm..."
The Shogun puffed her cheeks adorably.
"Pfft~ you're so cute, my baby."
Unable to resist, Makoto pinched her cheek again. Truly, having a daughter was the happiest thing in the world. Especially when that daughter acted spoiled toward you. It was something she had never experienced while alive. After all, her rigid little sister had never once acted spoiled toward her.
"But... haa... even so, hearing you call Ei's name first when you saw me... I still felt a little... disappointed. Mm..."
Looking at the daughter resting on her lap, Makoto deliberately lowered her gaze and pursed her beautiful lips in a pitiful expression. A faint shimmer gathered in her violet eyes, as though on the verge of tears. Strands of hair slid gently from her shoulder with the movement, making her look like a painting of exquisite sorrow.
"...!"
The Shogun immediately took the bait. She forced her still-weak body upright, leveling her gaze with the slightly pouting beauty before her. When Makoto noticed her sitting up, she deliberately glanced at her from the corner of her eye before looking away again, as though waiting to be comforted.
"Makoto... I..."
Seeing this, her chest tightened. She wanted to explain...
"Mm... I'm going to cry, you know."
Makoto reminded her softly, even pretending to sniffle.
"Eh? Don't cry."
The Shogun panicked.
"Then call me 'Mom,' and I won't cry."
Makoto "threatened" her.
"...Mom, please don't cry."
The Shogun obediently said.
"Pfft... mm, Mom is here."
Makoto immediately revealed a triumphant smile and responded gently. But in the next instant—
Haa haa~
The Shogun suddenly threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around her. Rather than an embrace, it was almost a tackle. Her soft body pressed against Makoto as she buried her face in her hair and neck.
"..."
Makoto paused briefly before smiling with tender affection. She raised her arms and embraced her in return, gently stroking her daughter's hair.
"Baby, Mom has always wanted to see you. Even just once. To hold you like this."
She whispered into her daughter's ear, her voice trembling faintly.
"Me too... Even if only in memories, I've always wanted to see you with my own eyes."
The Shogun's eyes reddened. The urge to cry surged uncontrollably from the depths of her heart. She did not know whether it was Ei's emotions resonating within her or her own feelings. But no matter whose they were, she did not care. Because she knew this emotion would not deceive her. After all, her heart was the other woman's soul.
...
"How do you feel? Better now?"
Hearing the woman above her speak, she slowly opened her eyes and nodded.
At this moment, she was lying obediently upon the other's lap pillow while fingertips pressed lightly against her temples. A faint violet glow of elemental power flowed continuously from those fingers into her mind. Unlike the previous erosion from the laws, the sensation now felt incredibly comforting, as though she were soaking within a warm ocean. It made her subconsciously want to drift peacefully into sleep.
Perhaps this was the nature of her other mother—Makoto's power.
Warmth and gentleness.
"Mm... much better."
She answered softly.
Then she instinctively tried turning her head, only for the woman's fingertips to gently guide her back into place.
"Don't move around~"
The woman reminded her warmly.
Hearing that, she subconsciously tried lifting her eyes to look at her.
"Don't move~ You're so restless~ Pfft... just like a little kitten..."
Seeing her behavior, Makoto's tone carried a trace of helpless complaint. Yet even so, the overwhelming affection in her voice remained unchanged. She even lovingly pinched her cheek.
"Mm..."
The Shogun puffed up her cheeks unhappily.
"Hehe... do you really want to look at me that badly?"
Makoto asked teasingly while continuing to channel restorative elemental power through her hands.
"Not exactly. I'm just... curious. After all, I rarely saw you. No... I've never truly seen you before."
She explained.
"Is that so... Mm—then later, I'll let you look all you want. For now~ just lie still obediently for Mom, okay?"
Makoto smiled gently, speaking to her as though coaxing a child.
"...Makoto, I'm not a child—"
"To me, you are~ Still trying to act tough, hmm~?"
Makoto pinched her cheeks again with both hands.
"..."
She fell silent.
Why did those words sound so familiar?
Ei had once said the exact same thing.
As expected of sisters.
Thinking this, she absentmindedly gazed toward the sky hidden beneath layers of cherry blossom branches. The sunlight was blocked overhead, leaving only patterned shadows scattered across their bodies and the grass.
"Close your eyes and rest for a while..."
Feeling the woman's soft palm gently cover her eyes, she instinctively shut them. Darkness filled her vision once more, yet that warm touch made her feel inexplicably safe.
Like resting in a mother's embrace.
Speaking of which...
Why was she here?
Where was everyone else?
The questions within her heart intensified until finally she spoke.
"Makoto—"
"Call me Mom~"
Makoto interrupted her correction.
"M-Mom..."
The Shogun paused briefly before obediently correcting herself.
Her voice was already gentle and pleasant to hear, and combined with the meaning behind that title, Makoto felt her heart melt instantly.
"...Mm?"
Makoto nodded in satisfaction and responded with a soft nasal hum, signaling for her to continue.
"Why... am I here? What place is this?"
Though her eyes remained covered by Makoto's hand, the Shogun made no move to remove it. She simply maintained the position and continued speaking.
While talking, she opened her eyes slightly beneath the palm and blinked a little. Her beautiful eyelashes brushed repeatedly against Makoto's hand, tickling softly.
"This is the place where I've always stayed. You could call it my inner world. It's a space that only preserves consciousness. Very small... but within it, I can shape the surroundings according to my own thoughts."
Makoto glanced at the peaceful scenery around them and smiled.
"...You... didn't truly die?"
The Shogun asked in confusion.
"How could that be? I am gone. But my consciousness remains within your heart. Do you remember? Back then, Ei placed my soul inside your chest and used it as your 'heart.' It became the source that powers you and granted you new life."
"..."
Slowly, the Shogun raised a hand and covered Makoto's hand resting over her eyes.
"You... live inside my heart?"
She asked according to her own understanding.
"Mm. Simply put, yes."
Makoto nodded.
"...No wonder."
The Shogun relaxed slightly and revealed a faint smile.
"Mm? What's wrong, Shogun?"
Seeing her daughter smile left Makoto somewhat puzzled.
"Sometimes I feel warmth in my chest. It feels unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time. Very comforting. That's because of you, right?"
She asked.
"...Pfft. Mm... probably so."
Makoto froze briefly at her words before smiling fondly and answering.
"You've always been watching me?"
The Shogun asked.
"Not exactly watching all the time. It's more like an emotional connection. I can sense your actions outside. You could call it a mutual understanding of hearts."
After all, she truly was her daughter's heart.
"I see... Then right now I..."
"Right now, you're in a state of consciousness. Your real body is still lying inside the Plane of Euthymia, being cared for by Ei and your little girlfriends~"
Makoto laughed softly.
"L-Little girlf—That's not... it's not what you think! Don't say strange things like that...///"
Hearing Makoto's teasing tone filled with amusement, the Shogun instantly blushed and hurriedly refuted her.
Girlfriends...? Seriously...
How embarrassing.
"All right, all right~ not girlfriends, not girlfriends~"
Makoto humored her lovingly.
Though it was clearly just perfunctory agreement, leaving the Shogun feeling utterly helpless.
"Still, baby..."
"Mm?"
The Shogun looked toward Makoto's face.
The smile upon it suddenly became mysterious.
"At this rate, you're not going to be able to handle it, you know~?"
Makoto teased meaningfully.
"...Not be able to hand—! Makoto~! What are you talking about? ///"
The Shogun took a moment to process it before finally understanding the implication behind those words. Her face immediately flushed red again as she puffed up her cheeks in embarrassment.
"Hehe..."
Makoto could not help laughing.
In her eyes, with her daughter's passive personality, there was a high chance those two girls would eat her alive someday.
Just imagining it was amusing.
Those two looked honest enough on the surface, but each had more hidden thoughts than the other.
Her daughter, meanwhile, was genuinely innocent.
".../// Stop teasing me. You're awful."
The Shogun rolled over gloomily, lying sideways across Makoto's thighs. She reached up and pinched the back of Makoto's hand while quietly complaining.
"..."
Makoto gazed lovingly at the Shogun's back-facing figure. She gently stroked the long, silky violet hair cascading down from her daughter, so similar to her own.
Feeling her consciousness stabilize somewhat, Makoto increased the flow of elemental energy once more.
"Mm~!"
The sudden increase in restorative power caused the Shogun to let out a soft moan instinctively.
"Did it hurt?"
Makoto immediately asked with concern.
"No... it just felt like something poked my head."
The Shogun shook her head.
"You're very sensitive, Shogun..."
Makoto sighed softly while caressing her cheek.
"...Is that bad?"
The Shogun asked blankly.
"Mm—there are advantages and disadvantages, I suppose. The advantage is... um... in certain situations, you'll feel very 'comfortable.' The disadvantage is... you might feel a little too comfortable. In some matters, that could put you at quite a disadvantage."
Makoto explained vaguely.
"...I shouldn't have asked."
Hearing that, the Shogun immediately buried her face against Makoto's thigh, hiding the redness of her ears as she muttered a quiet complaint.
"Hehe~ I was just joking."
Makoto teased.
The Shogun's sensitivity could actually be adjusted freely.
Which meant—
Makoto opened her system interface and checked the physiological settings. There was indeed a sensitivity slider.
But the moment she saw it, she froze.
The current default setting was already nearly at the bottom.
In other words, her daughter was currently at the absolute minimum sensitivity...
"..."
Makoto's gaze turned complicated as she looked at the adorable daughter lying across her lap.
She genuinely could not imagine what the Shogun would become like if the setting were turned all the way up.
No wonder Ei occasionally threatened her with, "Keep acting up and I'll max out your sensitivity!"
Because that would truly be terrifying.
"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Sensing her prolonged silence, the Shogun turned her head in confusion, her crystalline violet eyes meeting Makoto's gaze.
"...It's nothing. I was merely daydreaming."
Makoto smiled softly.
Haa... thinking about it this way, my precious daughter is going to be quite 'blessed' in the future.