“Alright, no time to waste… Let’s talk about what comes next. So? What’s your goal, Kenya and the others?”

The two had finished crying and calmed down a bit.

Kaguya sat down slowly and began discussing their future plans.

“To make Road the emperor. And end the war. I made a promise with him. So this war should be stoppable now.”

“…Road? The Earthguard emperor, right? Hard to believe. But… even if it’s true, that’s impossible.”

“Huh? Why?”

“If the emperor freed all the colonies and abandoned military power, maybe. But that’s not feasible. The hatred they’ve spread across the world can’t be stopped anymore.”

The Earthguard Empire controlled most of its territory through conquest.

And much of its national power came from slaves and the strength gained through invasion.

Letting that go would mean weakening themselves.

“It’s easy to imagine what would happen to our country without that deterrent force.”

“No way…”

What would happen to Earthguard without its military deterrent? It was like bullying.

They weren’t attacked only because their opponent was strong. Once they weakened, it was obvious how their former victims would react—it was clearer than day.

“Can you really do that?”

“…But we could at least try talking it out!”

“True. But anything beyond that is politics. We soldiers wouldn’t know.”

Kenya faltered there.

He had no idea how to make the world better.

So.

“I’ll ask Road. See what he plans next. I haven’t talked to him properly yet.”

“Right. Kenya, shall we head home now? To our place.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, Reina. Let’s go home for now, Kaguya. I’ll come see you again, so please stay out of the battlefield. I’ll protect you no matter what.”

“Kenya… That’s sweet. But hold on. What did you just say?”

Kaguya thought she’d heard something outrageous.

“I just said we’re going home.”

“No, before that.”

Seeing Kaguya flustered, Reina smugly informed her.

“It’s the house where we’re living together. Right, Kenya?”

“Hah?”

Her voice dropped to a terrifying low.

The smile Kaguya had worn moments ago vanished like a lie. The pressure she exuded pierced like needles—rivaling Osiris, maybe.

Sensing mortal danger, Kenya glanced at Reina, urging her to correct herself.

“R-Reina! Wait… that’s not…”

“What’s wrong, Kenya? You love me tons, right? That’s what you said.”

Reina egged her on further. Her eyes had a scary glint for some reason.

Her word choice dripped with malice, no doubt.

Wait, wasn’t this supposed to be a reconciliation?

“Uh, well… yeah, that’s true… Gweh!?”

The girl grabbed Kenya’s collar—like she could lift him with one hand.

Struggling to breathe, Kenya looked at her.

At the girl with a face like an oni.

“Hey, Kenya? What’s this? When you said we were alike earlier, did you mean this? What was that kiss back then? Huh? You said you loved me. Was it a lie?”

“N-No lie…”

“You kissed me too, Kenya. You said it made you so happy you could die… And it was a bit adult-like…”

“Hah?”

“Gweh! I’m dying!”

Her grip tightened on his neck.

He was fully off the ground now.

“Hey… Kenya. I trained hard. For half a year, I trained like crazy. What were you doing?”

“Th-That’s some strength, Kaguya… I-I spent the last half year—”

“We lived together for half a year, right? Let’s sleep together tonight too, Kenya. In the same bed.”

“Gweh! R-Reina, forgive me!!”

“Ke-Kenya’s… idiot!!!”

She hurled him full-force.

If this weren’t a comedy bit, he’d be dead—crashing into the wall with that momentum.

Seeing Kaguya in a rage, Reina looked a tad satisfied.

“Phew. I feel a little better now. That should fill in some of the gap. Dad’s gotta be happy too.”

(No, that definitely deepened the rift… Your son’s half-dead here…)

His fading consciousness shot a retort at Reina.

But Kaguya shook him, snapping him back awake.

“Now spill everything. Okay, Kenya? What you’ve been up to the last half year. Every last detail.”

“Y-Yes ma’am.”

Kenya could only nod under that pressure.

…

Kenya explained everything.

“I get that you were acting as siblings… A-And that led to living together… I can accept the necessity, at least.”

“So, then—”

“So… Kenya… Are you bored of me now? Gonna toss me aside…?”

Kaguya had been consumed by anger moments ago.

But calming down, she remembered they’d lived together half a year. If his heart had shifted, it was understandable.

She hated to admit it, but Reina was beautiful, and…

Kaguya glanced at Reina.

At the two prominent mounds on that silver-haired girl.

Damn it, they’re huge. They look so soft.

Spending half a year next to those would make anyone cheat…

“No!”

But Kenya vehemently denied it.

Bored? Toss aside? Impossible, he shouted loudly.

Grabbing both her shoulders firmly, Kenya declared with conviction.

“I love you. You’re my number one in the world, Kaguya. From the very start!”

“Kenya…”

“But.”

He turned to Reina.

“I love and treasure Reina just as much… And I fell for her at the same time as you. You and Reina both saved me. I can’t be without either, and I won’t lose either.”

His desperate words made Kaguya’s heart waver for a moment.

She didn’t know it, but she was surprisingly weak to persistence.

The ultra-devoted but romance-noob pushover she was.

“Wh-What kind of brazen cheating confession is that!!”

“I’ll make you both happy. I’ll stake my life on it—even if the whole world turns against me.”

Kenya gripped her shoulders, pressing closer.

He had that power, and those earnest eyes staring into hers made Kaguya…

“Y-Yes… No! I won’t fall for the mood! Wh-What about you, Reina!? Can you accept this!?”

“Earthguard allows polygamy, and if Kenya loves us both equally, I’ll allow it. Heroes love beauty, after all. Right, Kenya?”

“For real!?”

“Why do you sound a little happy about it!!”

(Earthguard has polygamy? News to me.)

Kenya saw a ray of hope in that revelation.

All he had to do now was convince Kaguya.

“No way? Kaguya?”

“N-No! I can’t accept that! Especially not with her of all people!”

“No matter what?”

“No matter what!! Can’t you do with just me? If it’s what you want, Kenya… I’ll do anything.”

“But there are things I can’t do, right? Huh, Kenya?”

Reina pressed her chest against his arm as hard as she could.

Practically flaunting it at Kaguya.

“You picking a fight? You said you wanted to be friends.”

“No, I’m just stating facts. Whether you can satisfy Kenya.”

“I-I can! Y-You don’t have that kind of experience either!! And you’re way too close! Back off!”

“Not moving. And I’ll study up. For Kenya, anything.”

“Th-Then I can too!”

The two heated up in this bizarre argument.

“Man, this is getting exciting.”

Watching their spat, Kenya blew away the serious mood, letting pink fantasies bloom as he gazed at the sky.

Zeke was probably laughing from up there too. Your daughter’s full of energy now. A bit naughty, though.

(Huh? For some reason, I feel like Zeke’s pissed.)

“Kenya! Which is it!?”

“Kenya! Who is it!?”

“Didn’t we do this kinda thing before?”

Kenya found both shoulders gripped—one by each girl.

Double flowers in hand, as they say. Except these flowers were…

(Too strong.)

Too mighty for mere flowers.

Columbus-style thinking: don’t choose.

Time for a tactical retreat.

“W-Well! My stomach hurts, so…”

“Running away?”

(Too strong.)

Shoulders clamped by Reina and Kaguya, no escape. Ow ow, seriously.

Half a year’s growth had made their grips strong enough to nearly dislocate before—but now they might rip right off.

Escape impossible, Kenya realized.

So.

“Hey, both of you, calm down and listen.”

He took a breath and began.

“Why I love you both, where I came from, what I want. I’ll tell you everything.”

Kenya decided to come clean.

To Reina and Kaguya—about everything Kenya.

It felt like the honest thing, and he wanted to share it all with them.

Everything, literally.

“About you, Kenya?”

“About you, Kenya?”

“Yeah, don’t freak out, but…”

And Kenya began. His opening line:

“I came from a different world.”