"Rin! Charolina! Help him!" Miss Yurin's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding.
"On it!" they chirped in unison.
Rin lunged forward, catching my right arm, while Charolina mirrored her on the left, hauling me steady. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Thanks, guys. I owe you one."
"Don't mention it," Charolina said with a playful wink. "We're friends, aren't we?"
The relief was short-lived. Without warning, Rin snapped her head toward mine and delivered a resounding headbutt straight to my forehead.
"GAH! Why?!" I yelled, clutching my face as the others stared in shock.
"He—he accidentally put his hand inside my bra!" she shrieked, her face turning a shade of crimson that rivaled a sunset.
"But you just said it was an accident!" I argued, my voice cracking. "So why the headbutt?!"
"I... I don't know! Just put your hand away!" she stammered. I quickly folded my arms across my chest, determined to keep my limbs to myself.
The Mansion of AI
A few minutes later, we managed to shake off the lingering tension and the last of the slow-moving zombies. We ascended the riverbank, the sound of rushing water fading behind us.
"Let's head toward the river flow," Miss Yurin suggested, leading the way.
As we walked, Ame and Kagatani caught up to me, their expressions sheepish. "Sorry about earlier," Ame whispered. "We were just... frustrated that Rin and Charolina got to help you first."
"It's okay," I replied, trying to be the bigger person.
Suddenly, one of the four new girls turned to Ame with stars in her eyes. "Wait... are you Kirie? The popstar?!"
Ame blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes... that's me."
"Oh my god! Please, give us your autograph!" they squealed.
"I—I don't have a pen," Ame said softly, looking genuinely disappointed. The girls' faces fell instantly, a heavy gloom settling over the group until Nami broke the silence.
"Where exactly are we going?"
"To the mansion," Miss Yurin replied, pointing ahead.
"Mansion?" they echoed, eyes widening as we rounded a bend.
"The Mansion of AI," Tsukiko added with a proud smirk. "We remember this place well."
We reached the opposite side of our previous harem cave and stood before the towering gates of the estate. The new girls gasped. "Wow! It's huge!"
"Tonight, it's just us and a few zombies," Charolina noted, her hand on her hip. "Easy enough."
We slipped into the mansion without hesitation, the slow-moan of distant zombies the only reminder of the world we'd left outside.
The Harem Bath
The interior of the mansion was eerie but grand. Tsukiko turned to the group, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Let's take a bath. That day was way too stressful."
"Yeah... I need to wash the world off me," Rin agreed.
"And you!" Tsukiko pointed at the new girls. "Who among you is going to bathe with Ahiro and the three of us?"
"Wh-what?!" Yuzuki stammered, her face heating up. "Ahiro bathes with three girls at once?"
"Yes," Ai informed them matter-of-factly. "With Ame, Charolina, and Kagatani."
The four newcomers exchanged looks of pure disbelief. "Seven girls with one boy?" Rin shocked them further by adding, "Hah! You think that's something? Wait until you hear about Yuzuki! She's basically his wife now!"
"Mom! Stop!" Yuzuki yelled, but Tsukiko just laughed. "I'm going in with him too!"
The bathroom erupted into chaos. After a long, confusing "What?!" from everyone involved, Yuzuki ended up pulling me into the steam.
"Ha? Ahiro is married at his age?" Ayase asked, baffled.
"No, Tsukiko-san just wants Ahiro as her daughter's husband," Sayaka explained.
"Ooh! She's a unique parent!" the others whispered.
The Ranking
Inside the steaming bath, things didn't get any calmer. My nose began to bleed almost instantly.
"What the heck are you doing?!" Ame shouted, splashing water at the four new girls. "Have you no shame? Ame, you're a popstar, but... oh gosh." She turned away, grabbing a bottle of shampoo to hide her face.
I tried to control myself, but after a few "accidental" looks, I couldn't help but rank the chaos in my head:
Charolina (The undisputed champion)
Hoshizora Ame
Yuzuki Kageyori
Horikita Ayase
Homura Kagatani
Minamoto Kirie
Itadori Nami (The smallest, much to her vocal dismay)
"You ranked me last?!" Nami wailed. "I'll grow! Just you wait!"
Suddenly, Ame let out a sharp scream. "Aah! It's sensitive! I can feel your gaze like a fan, but these are my sensitive parts! Don't look at the nipples!"
We scrambled backward, splashing and shouting, until the "horrible harem bathroom" incident finally came to an end.
The Arrival of the Princess
Later that evening, we were lounging on the sofas, the smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen where Kagatani, Ai, and Miss Yurin were cooking.
The conversation was just getting deep when a sound like two trucks colliding shook the entire mansion. We sprinted outside, only to find a massive, ancient-looking castle had manifested right next to our mansion.
"Is that... from the Taisho era?" Rin asked, staring at the lanterns illuminating the stone walls.
"Let's check it out," Miss Yurin said, her voice low.
We approached the heavy wooden doors. Just as we reached them, the gate creaked open. A girl stepped out, her beauty so ethereal it felt like she was glowing. She wore intricate, traditional clothing we didn't recognize.
She stopped, looking at our modern clothes with a mix of confusion and disdain.
"Civilians? Where am I?" she demanded. "And who are you, wearing such strange garments?"
Rin stepped forward. "Who—who are you?"
The girl straightened her back, her gaze icy. "I am the 7th Princess of the Kurose Clan. My name is Sachiko. Come inside. We have much to discuss."
We stood there, utterly astonished. "We?"
TO BE CONTINUED...