Frieren felt her cheeks growing warm.
Should I really go through with this experiment?
And yet, if I don't, the flow of mana within Fern's body will remain unstable, which could create a serious weakness in her future spellcasting.
Frieren glanced at Fern and Nozomi, who seemed naturally drawn to each other as they discarded their outer garments. A strange heat crept through her own body at the sight. She shook her head, trying to push aside the unnecessary thoughts and instead focused entirely on guiding the resonance of their magic.
But I didn't expect this…
A realization struck her.
I've also been baptized by it.
In other words…
The dragon's magic is flowing through my body as well.
The synchronization of their mana wasn't just affecting them—it was affecting her, too.
Frieren bit her lip, tightening her grip on her staff as she guided the constant waves of mana, forcing them into a balanced resonance. The cycle of energy continued, merging and shifting, and she struggled to maintain control.
Her legs trembled.
She fought the urge to move, to rub her thighs together in a desperate bid to steady herself, to push down the sensations that threatened to take over.
—
Meanwhile, back in the Yukinoshita household, the second daughter, Yukinoshita Yukino, was lying in her bed, hugging her stuffed tanuki tightly to her chest. Even after dinner and a long bath, her mind refused to settle.
What she had experienced today had left a profound impact on her.
It was as if her sister's words had been proven true.
She had been too sheltered. She didn't understand the true darkness of the world.
And today…
If Nozomi hadn't arrived in time, her Aikido skills and fragile physique wouldn't have been enough to fight off that disgusting man.
Even if she had called the police, they wouldn't have arrived in time.
But instead, the very person she had looked down on—the shameless playboy—had been the one to appear at the critical moment and save her.
And then…
She had witnessed something supernatural.
It was terrifying.
Yet, he had handled it so effortlessly.
He even told me to close my eyes… to protect me from seeing it.
That moment… the way he cared about my feelings…
Nozomi… he's actually a very kind person.
Even the way he tamed that cat—animals don't trust bad people, right?
Her mind was spinning with thoughts. She turned over, staring at the ceiling.
Nozomi was ranked second in the grade. His intelligence was undeniable. And apart from his… indiscriminate reputation, his overwhelming presence made him an ideal partner.
And that reputation… it wasn't his fault, right? His previous girlfriend simply hadn't been able to keep up with him.
The thought made Yukino's chest tighten slightly.
Was it possible that she had misunderstood her mother?
Perhaps… her mother had seen Nozomi's true value and believed he was the right person to protect her?
…Poor Yukino. If only she knew the truth—that it was actually her older sister, Haruno, who was engaged to him.
Tossing and turning, Yukino couldn't fall asleep. Her fingers traced the curve of her waist as she recalled the earlier moment when he had held her tightly.
That pervert…
He definitely did it on purpose.
And yet, back then, I was so scared… I didn't dare open my eyes. All I could do was cling to him, letting him support me.
A sudden realization struck her, sending a chill down her spine.
He's the only member of my club… which means…
We'll be alone together. Just the two of us. A boy and a girl.
Her heart pounded.
She had received love letters before. Plenty, in fact. But Nozomi was different.
Ignoring his advances wasn't an option.
After all, they were set to be engaged by the end of the month.
A notorious flirt like him… once they were engaged, there was no way he wouldn't make a move on her.
And could she really refuse her fiancé's advances?
Her breath hitched.
Flustered beyond belief, she grabbed her phone and hesitated before sending a message to the only person she could talk to.
Her sister.
She had no friends she could confide in.
Even though she didn't want Haruno to see through her feelings, her older sister—the one she had admired since childhood—was the only one she could turn to.
As for their mother? Yukino wasn't about to let her know about any of this.
She exhaled slowly, then typed out a message with trembling fingers.
"Sis, are you still awake?"
The reply came almost instantly.
Haruno: "Not yet~ Hehe, little Yukino is texting her onee-chan? This makes me so happy! Even if I were asleep, I'd wake up just to reply to you!"
Yukino's lips curled up slightly. Even through the screen, she could feel Haruno's warmth.
Yukino: "Sis… Nozomi and I encountered something supernatural today."
Haruno: "Oh? Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"
Yukino: "No… he told me to close my eyes, and by the time I opened them, it was over."
Haruno: "Fufu~ Now you understand just how capable Nozomi is, right? Still against the engagement?"
Yukino hesitated before finally replying.
Yukino: "…I'll try to get along with him."
.Seeing this, Haruno instinctively showed a happy smile. If her little sister was willing to recognize her future brother-in-law, then their family dynamics would surely become more harmonious.
Wait a second.
Something felt off.
Yukino actually took the initiative to say she would try to get along with a boy? Was she overthinking things? Yukino was likely just talking about trying to get along with her future brother-in-law.
While pondering this, Haruno quickly typed a reply:
"It's good that you don't object. After all, if it's the decision of my adorable little Yukino, of course, I have to respect it."
Yukino pouted at her phone screen.
"In the end, Mother is always like that. There's no way to resist, so I can only try to accept it."
Haruno's response came swiftly:
"Aww, little Yukino, you're so mean to Mother. She's not that hard to understand. She's just used to being in control of everything."
"Anyway, let's not dwell on unpleasant topics. I heard that Nozomi joined your club. How is he? He didn't do anything weird, did he?"
Yukino frowned slightly. "Even you assume he'd do something strange? Just what kind of image does he have in your mind?"
Haruno sent back a teasing reply:
"Probably the image of a responsible playboy. He's flirtatious, but he's never actually cheated on anyone."
"All the girls who stay by his side do so of their own will. Thinking about it, I'm kind of jealous. I don't get to see him often."
Reading this, Yukino felt something was off.
Would her sister want to see him more often?
Could it be that Haruno had feelings for him too?
Or was she paying attention to him because of Yukino herself?
Shaking her head, Yukino forced herself to stop overthinking. Instead, she continued typing:
"Sister, do you really think his playboy nature is acceptable?"
Haruno: "It's not the worst thing. At least he's honest about it. Do you know why Mother is so cold toward Father now? Why they sleep in separate rooms?"
Yukino's fingers hovered over the keyboard before she hesitantly responded: "Sister… are you saying Father… cheated?"
Haruno: "I figured it was better for you to know. Just don't tell anyone. Mother was heartbroken."
"You probably don't know much about their past, but listen carefully."
"Mother and Father were engaged since childhood, but Father was always unreliable. So, Mother kept him under strict discipline, training him to be a proper husband."
"Even after they graduated and got married, he still felt suffocated."
"Men… when they feel their wives are too strong, sometimes they look for someone gentler, someone who makes them feel needed. And then… you can guess the rest."
"Mother found out. I once saw her crying alone in her room. But the next day, she acted like nothing had happened."
"They started sleeping in separate rooms after that. And then, she poured all her energy into making sure Father advanced in his political career."
"By the way, do you know what she did the night you moved out on your own? She kept asking me questions, making sure you had the safest and best apartment possible."
Yukino stared at her screen in silence, her eyes damp.
There was no reason for Haruno to lie about this.
Her once-idealized image of their father crumbled.
So even a gentle father could betray his family…
Damn. Are all men this fickle?
Haruno: "Yukino, I'm telling you this because I want you to understand—gentle men aren't always good men. Look at Hayama. His so-called 'kindness' only made you an outcast."
"If you're going to be with someone, pick a man who can protect you and truly care about you."
Yukino: "I understand, Sister. Thank you for telling me this."
Haruno: "Of course. You're my precious little sister, after all. Can I crash at your place tomorrow night?"
Yukino: "Of course."
After ending the conversation, Yukino lay back on her bed, pressing a hand to her chest, her thoughts tangled.
"A man who can protect me and genuinely care about me…"
Unbidden, Nozomi's face surfaced in her mind.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Despite indulging in the moment, Nozomi kept his mind clear.
Though Frieren had been guiding the magic flow, he had begun grasping some techniques of resonance and control during the process.
Fern had completely exhausted herself, her body weak in his arms.
Then, as Nozomi turned his gaze to Frieren—panting, slumped on the ground—he instinctively reached out.
Pulling her into his embrace, he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.
Because he had seen it.
She, too, carried the hidden burden of unstable magic within her.
************************
No, they never had sex. i assumed they did the first time, had a full smut chapter written only to find out that they didn't.
They just made out....
I can try to write the make-out scenes if you guys comment under the chapter.