novelThe Most Fantastic Thing
| ← Ch.323 | Ch.325 → |
Translator: Reflet
Editor: ryunakama
"Sakura? Who's that?"
Akiha was just as expressionless as Youran, but for a different reason. She was the only person out of everyone here who didn't have a direct connection with Sakura.
"Oh yeah huh, Akiha doesn't know about Sakura."
"Aoba, you know her?"
"I...yeah."
Aoba made a slightly complicated expression. She had been deeply involved in the Juunishima affair and had ended up letting one of her mother's get hurt. Although she hadn't spoken directly with her, she knew quite a bit about Sakura.
"Umm..."
Aoba tried to explain, but faltered when she looked at Youran.
"She's my little sister from another mother."
"Oh, didn't know those sorts of things happened. So fantastic!"
"And there's another one, also from a different mother."
"Fantastic! So what's up? Hey, what're you trying to say?"
"Well, let's leave that to discuss at a more leisurely time..."
Taiyou cut off Akiha's pursuit.
"Anyhow, what you all have on are rings that Sakura brought over."
"Hm, if the Sakura lady is the one who brought them over, I doubt that they are mere rings, ja."
"..."
Taiyou grimaced.
It wasn't like he couldn't say it. He didn't regret doing what he did either, but in a sense, it was a bit difficult to give it to them straight, because it was embarrassing.
"""Taiyou-san?"""
"Master, shall I explain on your behalf?"
"No, I'll do it. Even if you did, nothing would change if I just stay here."
"Well that's true too."
Youran nodded.
Taiyou took a deep breath, turning back to his brides and speaking.
"It turns out that those rings are a product of 'Blood Soul'."
"Blood Soul?"
"Don't worry Akiha, I'll explain later."
Aoba said to Akiha.
"And the last time I recall running into Blood Soul, it took the form of a magic sword that sucked the blood and soul out of you. Sakura mentioned that same technology was used to produce these rings."
"So they'll eat our blood and souls, lad?"
"No, not exactly, but...mmm..."
Taiyou faltered.
He couldn't exactly say why. He had said plenty of difficult things prior to this, in addition to embarrassing things. Compared to those things, the current matter wasn't even that big of a deal, but for some reason it was just difficult to say.
However, he strengthened his resolve, deciding that he couldn't just keep putting this off.
"It sucks out your feelings. The more you love me, the more defense the rings give me, apparently."
Taiyou blurted everything out at once.
Their feelings were his power.
That fact was tremendously embarrassing to say out loud, and he couldn't help but look away. He could tell that he was red all the way up to his ears.
Silence drifted over the place. Unable to say anything further, Taiyou looked at his brides. The three sisters and Kohaku were staring intently at their rings. Youran already knew about this, but she was still lovingly stroking her ring.
"Fantastic!"
Akiha said. She hadn't received any ring because of her rejection, but now she spoke with such vigor.
"Akiha?"
"Seriously? Is that actually true?"
"Eh, well uhh...I think so, yeah."
"Yes, it's true. At least from the experiments I conducted."
Youran said.
"I see! That is amazing, ja."
"""Definitely!"""
"Alright, so that's what it is. C'mon, you need to say things like this earlier."
Akiha said, pursing her lips.
"Well you see, it's just..."
"Embarrassing to say?"
Aoba asked.
"Well yeah. I had originally intended to keep their functions a secret from you. After all, it's not like you knowing would change anything or make anything convenient."
Taiyou declared, convinced that this was something that had to be spelled out.
"Nothing would change if I told you, and there wouldn't be any issue with not telling you. But if I said something like that, I'd feel embarrassed. So—-that's why I kept it hush-hush."
Akiha frequently nodded, saying "Mhm, mhm."
"Then, okay!"
Akiha lifted up the palm of her hand, thrusting it in front of Taiyou.
"Eh?"
"I'll have that ring of yours."
"I thought you didn't want it."
"At the time, yeah, but now that I know how fantastic it is, I just gotta have it!"
"Is that how it works?"
"Sure it does, so gimme!"
Akiha thrust out her palm as if asking him to quickly hand it over. Taiyou grimaced. Quickly adapting to change was one thing, but he wasn't so sure about her straightforward response there. It seemed that Aoba was of a similar opinion.
"Akiha, that's no good."
"How come?"
"I mean, you sure that's fantastic? Trying to get the ring like that."
"Mmm, then what should I do?"
"How about this..."
Aoba grabbed Akiha's wrist and moved it up along with the back of her left hand, holding both of them out to Taiyou.
Taiyou saw both of their hands held out. This meant that they wanted him to put the rings on them.
All the wives who saw this smiled jovially, as if affirming their decision.
Akiha quietly nodded, seemingly understanding what Aoba was saying and felt that she was right.
Taiyou took out two ring cases, then took out the rings. He took both of their hands and was about to put both of them on when he suddenly realized something.
"Why don't we do something more fantastic?"
""Something more fantastic?""
Akiha and Aoba were puzzled.
Taiyou flipped their hands over, putting the rings in their palms. He put Aoba's ring in Akiha's hand, and Akiha's in Aoba's. Then, grabbing both of their shoulders, he had them face each other.
"Okay, go ahead."
"Eh?"
"Is this...?"
Akiha and Aoba looked at one another. They were initially perplexed, but soon seemed to understand.
So then, with everyone watching...
Like a newlywed couple, they put each other's rings on.
| ← Ch. 323 | Ch. 325 → |