Volume 4 Chapter 99: The Maidens’ Battle

“They’re not coming out.”

“Yeah.”

Tesea and I crouched at the edge of the desolate street, staring at My Garden.

It had been quite some time since I left the public restroom, yet there was no sign of the four emerging.

They couldn’t see outside from within, so they likely hadn’t noticed I had returned. Still, it was taking far too long.

The sunset dyed the surroundings in ominous hues, and soon, night would descend. What could they possibly be doing in there? Inside the bottle, the dots danced with erratic intensity.

Passersby occasionally shot us curious glances but quickly lost interest and walked on.

“I can’t get through to Alice either,” Tesea muttered, fiddling with the earring on her right ear.

She took a bite of the Horohoro fry skewer I’d bought. Almost immediately, her hand flew to her cheek, and she let out a delighted “Mmm!” It seemed to have won her over.

Horohoro fry is a simple dish: battered and fried fillets of Horohoro fish, a species native to Aria Lake. The dish is common in the capital, but its flavor is unexpectedly impressive.

Alive, the Horohoro is a firm, muscular fish prized by anglers for its tenacity. Its rugged, sharp-spined body and dark, almost menacing coloration make it seem wholly unappetizing at first glance.

Even preparing it is a challenge—its tough flesh, skin, and bones require a special magical tool, the Horo Cutter. Ordinary hooks can’t even snag it.

But once cooked, the Horohoro transforms entirely. Its meat, skin, and bones become so soft they almost crumble apart—hence the name Horohoro. Simple, yet fitting. Anyone who tastes it immediately understands why.

Its delicate, juicy white flesh is infused with just the right amount of clean, light fat, making it a prized specialty of the capital, built atop the vast Aria Lake.

…Now I wanted to go fishing.

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just leave this spot—not with a divine artifact sitting out in the open.

“They’re probably just busy. Once things calm down, I’m sure we’ll be able to talk to them,” I said to Tesea, keeping my thoughts on Alice.

She was undoubtedly locked in a fierce battle with a devil in the restroom, fighting with all her strength to avoid being consumed. Best to leave her be.

“I see,” Tesea said, nodding before taking a larger bite of her fry.

Around us, a small pile of trash—wrappers and skewers—had accumulated. Though neatly stacked, it testified to the amount of food we had eaten while waiting for the Manager and the others.

Tesea sure could eat.

To pass the time, I’d left her on watch while I scoured the area for snacks. Most of what I brought back, she devoured with a radiant smile, far exceeding what I would consider a reasonable limit.

Since my stomach wasn’t fully recovered, nearly everything went into hers.

It made sense, though. For someone like Tesea, who hadn’t had proper meals until recently, every flavor was probably new and exciting. She wanted to try everything, and I couldn’t blame her.

Her reactions were endearing, and I wanted to let her eat to her heart’s content. But where was she putting it all? Her slender frame betrayed no sign of her gluttony.

Even at the welcome party, her appetite was absurd. How could someone eat so much and be fine?

Siala, on the other hand, would be stuffed after eating maybe an eighth of what Tesea had. She’d let out a sweet little “Phew…” and stop.

But both of them were utterly charming in their own ways.

“Tesea, you’ve got something on your face,” I said, pointing to my mouth.

“Really? Here?” she asked, her voice muffled by the fry still in her mouth.

She reached out instinctively but froze midway.

For a moment, she chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed before tilting her head slightly and flashing me a shy smile.

“Hehe… Onii-chan, can you get it for me?”

How could she say that so casually? My heart skipped a beat.

“That’s way too cute,” I mumbled, reaching out to her without hesitation—

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the bottle of My Garden opened, and I was sucked inside.

◇

“Why…?!”

Inside the plains that unfolded within My Garden, I collapsed to my knees, momentarily forgetting to assess my surroundings, and slammed my fists against the ground.

The frustration was overwhelming, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

I just wanted a little more time. Just a little more time to enjoy the peaceful, happy moments I’d been sharing with Tesea.

In the chaos of my daily life, those moments had been healing my battered heart.

And yet, here I was, dragged into this undeniably troublesome space.

“How could this happen?!”

I struck the ground again with my fist. There was no way such tyranny should be allowed to stand.

I swore to myself—I would never forgive the Manager for this.

At that moment, as I lifted my face, my vision was filled with something unexpected.

A pair of breasts, clad in light blue lingerie adorned with delicate embroidery, appeared directly in front of me.

“Uh—”

“Senpai!!”

Before I could process it, my face was enveloped by an impossibly soft sensation.

Warm, slightly damp, and smooth skin pressed against me. My face was caught between two soft mounds, hugged tightly against them.

That absurd volume left no room for doubt—it was Fiona.

But I couldn’t breathe—this was bad, seriously bad…

“Mmm! Mmm!”

“Oh, I’m so glad, Senpai! Is your stomach okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

It hurt. I was suffocating.

I was about to die—suffocated by breasts.

“Mmmph!”

“Ahhn… Senpai, don’t struggle so much…!”

Finally, I managed to break free from the oppressive softness, gasping for air. I grabbed Fiona by the shoulders and pushed her back, creating some much-needed distance.

As I caught my breath and took a closer look at her, a question slipped from my lips:

“Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?”

Fiona was, for some reason, standing there in nothing but her underwear.

Her silver wings and the collar—Love Collar—added a strange accent to her appearance, making her exude an almost sinful allure.

It was… a lot to take in.

“Ah, that’s because—”

Before Fiona could finish, her body was abruptly flung out of sight.

She vanished in an instant, as if something had sent her flying.

“Wait, Fiona—”

I turned to follow the direction she’d been thrown, but before I could see, my face was suddenly held in someone’s hands.

They forcefully turned my head back around, and what filled my vision made my blood run cold.

It was Noel, her face twisted into a melting, almost euphoric smile.

“I’ve missed you so much.”

“N-Noel…? Uh, Fiona was just…”

Who was this?

Her face was undeniably Noel’s, but everything else—the aura, the atmosphere—it was all wrong.

Chills ran down my spine.

She wore a deep crimson dress, reminiscent of blood, and her hands slid around my back as I stood frozen in shock.

Then, leaning close to my ear, she whispered in a voice dripping with something dark and indecent:

“It’s okay… I just gave her a little pat… That’s all… Ahaha.”

“O-okay…”

A pat…?

Did she mean… that Noel had been the one to send Fiona flying? That couldn’t be right. Noel wasn’t capable of something like that.

Not only was it completely out of character for her, but she also didn’t have the combat ability to send Fiona flying like that.

Even if I’d been distracted, I hadn’t even seen her move.

That kind of speed—on par with Mina’s—was simply impossible.

What on earth had happened to Noel?

“Can I eat you instead?”

“Huh?”

“Thanks for the meal.”

Before I could process her words, Noel leaned in and bit into my neck.

“Ack—gah…!”

I felt a sharp pain for an instant, followed by the sensation of something being drained from my body.

The unfamiliar sensation forced a strained sound from my throat, but strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant.

In fact, it felt almost intoxicating, a sweetness coursing through my body.

What… what is this…?

“Don’t touch my brother!!”

A sharp voice rang out, cutting through the haze that had overtaken me.

“Guh…!”

Noel was torn away from me, and the strange, tingling pleasure in my body dissipated.

As I gasped for breath, my hand instinctively touched my neck, where I felt the warm stickiness of blood.

“…Why would you interrupt me like that?”

The sound of her voice snapped me out of my daze, and I looked up in alarm.

Noel stood there, blood smeared across her lips, glaring in irritation. Black chains wrapped tightly around her arms and legs, holding her in place.

Following the chains with my gaze, I saw their source—

“Sierra! Something’s wrong with Noel!”

“I know. Something’s always been wrong with her. She’s just dropped the act.”

Sierra, holding the black chains in her hands, fixed a sharp gaze on Noel.

“…Ahaha, not answering? Such a bad girl!”

“Damn it…!”

“She’s fast…!”

Noel charged at Sierra, her speed so incredible that my eyes struggled to track her movements.

It was on par with Mina’s, or worse.

“She absorbed blood. Her abilities have increased. Annoying.”

Despite Noel’s superhuman speed, Sierra remained calm.

With one hand, she held the chains that bound Noel, and with her other, she summoned Witch Hunter’s armored arm to block Noel’s brutal heel drop.

“But it’s still nowhere near the Bloodstained Waltz Original.”

“Hehe, you stopped me~.”

“Your Magis Gear is new. Before you master it—I’ll crush you.”

As Sierra spoke, the chains wrapped around Noel moved like serpents, yanking her leg with incredible force.

Thrown off balance, Noel staggered, and in that moment, the chains vanished.

Sierra’s free hand transformed into a massive, jet-black gauntlet, which slammed into Noel, sending her flying and tumbling across the ground.

“…That’s your punishment for drinking my brother’s blood.”

I stood frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening.

This wasn’t just troublesome—it was something far worse.

Sierra slowly walked toward me, stopping in front of me before spreading her arms.

“…You’ve done well. Time for your reward—a kiss.”

What? No, no. Hold on.

I needed a moment to process what was happening. This wasn’t the time for something like that.

I was worried about Fiona and Noel.

“Sierra, now’s not the—”

“Tch.”

“What?”

Sierra suddenly clicked her tongue, startling me.

But it wasn’t directed at me.

The instant she raised Witch Hunter’s armored arm defensively, the sharp sound of clashing metal echoed around us. Sparks of fire and lightning danced across her armor.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“…You should’ve stayed down.”

Following Sierra’s glare, I saw Fiona standing there, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Still in her underwear, she had donned a pair of goggles, clearly ready for battle. Her appearance was… incredibly improper, but undeniably combat-ready. Probably.

Sierra glanced at her armored arm, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“…Injured?”

Despite its legendary magical defense, Witch Hunter’s arm had been pierced by a small hole—proof that Fiona’s attack had managed to deal damage.

Wait a second. Why are they fighting?

I thought they were stopping Noel from going berserk.

But that’s not what’s happening at all, is it?

Then… why are they fighting?

“That stung a little~. Ahahahaha!”

Right. Noel, who had just been hit by Sierra’s massive punch, only found it amusing.

She laughed maniacally as she stood, and I couldn’t hide my shock.

“Attacking out of nowhere? You’re such a dirty woman.”

“Hehe, but Noel was in trouble, so I thought I’d clean things up~.”