Cherreads

Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Midnight Renovations and The Thorny Rose

POV: 3rd Person

Location: NEXUS Corp Headquarters, Tokyo

"Sign here, here, and here. Read the NDA, or don't. If you leak company secrets, my boss will just erase the concept of your vocal cords."

Ignorance, Jay's clone, tossed a sleek metal briefcase onto the table in front of Utaha Kasumigaoka. The prime minister had already left to deal with the political fallout of the Ghoul incident, leaving the novelist alone with the tired, sarcastic clone.

Utaha opened the briefcase. Inside was a matte-black smartphone, an unlimited corporate credit card, and the silver memory nullifier Jay had used earlier.

"The phone is quantum-encrypted. It taps directly into the NEXUS satellite grid," Ignorance explained, rubbing his temples.

"If you see anything that violates the laws of physics, take a picture, send the coordinates, and flash any civilians with the nullifier. Do not engage. You are a writer, not a combatants."

Utaha picked up the black card, a sly smile on her lips. "And the patrol budget?"

"A hundred thousand yen a day. Spend it on whatever. Just keep the receipts for HR,"

Ignorance sighed, turning back to his holographic monitors.

"Welcome to the NSAA, Kasumigaoka. Now get out of my lab, I have an alien corpse to dissect."

Utaha smirked, snapping the briefcase shut. "I'm going to enjoy this job."

POV: Jay

The Yuuki Residence / Next Door

Late Night

I stepped out of the spatial rift, landing silently in the street right in front of Rito Yuuki's house. The neighborhood was dead quiet. Ygnisia stepped out behind me, stretching her arms and looking around at the ordinary suburban street.

"So this is your neighborhood," Ygnisia noted casually. She had taken on a physical manifestation that looked remarkably similar to a certain Demon King of the Sixth Heaven—long, brilliantly crimson hair flowing down her back, wearing a sleek, unbuttoned dark blazer over a casual shirt. She looked incredibly sharp and commanding, but the defining feature was her eyes: a piercing, draconic emerald green.

"Give it five seconds," I replied,

There was no loud explosion. No construction noise. Just a massive, localized distortion of space. The two aged houses directly adjacent to Rito's residence were instantly swallowed by a silent, conceptual warp. In less than a second, they were completely replaced.

Standing in their place was a sprawling, hyper-modern mega-estate. It was enclosed by a sleek, impenetrable obsidian wall. The architecture was flawless—a blend of modern minimalist design and subtle, magical conceptual barriers that hummed quietly in the night air.

Next door, the front door of the Yuuki residence slammed open.

Rito and Mikan ran out in their pajamas. Rito's jaw practically unhinged, while Mikan dropped the trash bag she was holding. They stared at the massive mansion that had literally materialized out of thin air in less than a heartbeat.

"J-Jay?!" Rito stammered, pointing a trembling finger at the estate.

"What... how... where did the Yamada and mutsuri family's house go?!"

"I bought them out. Paid them triple the market value in cash to vacate two hours ago," I said casually, walking toward my new gate.

"The mansion was pre-built in my pocket dimension. I just swapped the coordinates. I'm officially moving next door, Rito. Thanks for the sofa."

Mikan rubbed her eyes, looking entirely done with life.

"I am going back to sleep. If an alien spaceship lands on that roof tomorrow, I'm pretending I didn't see it."

I chuckled as the biometric gates parted smoothly for me. "Come on, Ygnisia Lala, mama. Let's go inside."

"Jay!" Lala cheered, her tail swishing rapidly as she flew up to hug me. "Wow! You really built a whole mansion in a second! It's so pretty!"

"Glad you like it," I smiled, patting her head. I turned to Mamako.

"Mama, I'm brought a guest."

Ygnisia stepped into the light. Despite her intensely striking appearance and the undeniably powerful aura she carried, she didn't act out of place. Thanks to our memory link, she was fully accustomed to Earth's common sense and modern social norms.

She offered a casual, polite wave.

"Hi. I'm Ygnisia. I'm a dragon from another dimension, and Jay's partner. Nice to meet you."

Lala immediately zoomed in, her eyes sparkling like stars as she hovered right in front of Ygnisia's face. "Wow! Are you an alien too?!"

Lala reached out, poking Ygnisia's cheek.

Ygnisia sighed, gently swatting the alien princess's hand away.

"Dragon, not alien. And please don't poke me, it's weird."

Mamako stood up. She didn't flinch at the fact that Ygnisia had just introduced herself as an interdimensional dragon. Instead, Mamako's eyes just radiated absolute, concentrated motherly warmth.

"Oh, welcome!" Mamako beamed, walking right up to Ygnisia.

"Jay-kun didn't tell me he was bringing a friend home. It's so nice to meet you, Ygnisia-chan. You must be tired from traveling. Have you eaten dinner yet?"

Ygnisia blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sheer normalcy of the greeting. "Uh... not yet, actually."

"Well, you can't go to sleep on an empty stomach," Mamako smiled gently, gesturing toward the kitchen.

"Come sit down at the dining table. I have some warm beef stew leftover, and I can quickly make some side dishes."

Ygnisia, a being capable of reducing pantheons to ash, found herself completely disarmed by the pure, unapologetic hospitality. She looked at me, giving a subtle nod of approval.

"That actually sounds really good. Thank you, Mrs. Oosuki," Ygnisia said, walking toward the dining area.

Lala happily floated after her. "Mamako's cooking is the best! You're gonna love it!"

Watching my mother effortlessly welcome a legendary dragon to the dinner table, I finally let out a genuine, relaxed sigh. This was why I did everything I did.

POV: 3rd Person

Deep Space - Deviluke Royal Flagship

Light-years away from Earth, the massive flagship of the Deviluke Empire cut smoothly through the cosmos.

Inside the royal chambers, Queen Sephie Michaela Deviluke stood elegantly by the viewport. She was a woman of breathtaking, angelic beauty, but right now, her face was pale, and her delicate wings trembled with a deep, visceral terror.

"Mother, you're pacing again," Momo Velia Deviluke said softly, sitting on a luxurious couch alongside her twin sister, Nana.

"How can I not pace, Momo?!" Sephie asked, her voice tight with panic as she turned around.

"Lala is officially engaged to *him*. To that human boy on Earth!"

"Is that really so bad?" Nana frowned, crossing her arms. "I mean, if aneue likes him..."

"You two don't understand!" Sephie shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Do you not remember what happened when those alien mercenaries foolishly tried to kidnap his mother? He didn't just kill the mercenaries. He tracked down every single one of Lala's prospective suitors who funded the hit. He slaughtered them all. Planetary leaders, galactic warlords... he wiped them out and *hung their severed heads in their own capitals*!"

Momo and Nana went dead silent, their eyes widening as they recalled the galactic news from just a day ago.

"Your father found it amusing, but this boy is a walking calamity!" Sephie stressed, her maternal instincts screaming at her.

"He is utterly ruthless! We are going to Earth immediately to bring Lala home before she gets caught in his crossfire."

"You worry too much, Sephie."

The voice was soft, melodious, and incredibly gentle.

Stepping gracefully into the room was Echinacea Michaela. She was Sephie's older sister, and the only other surviving Charmianian in the universe. She looked like a painting brought to life. Her long, vibrant pink hair cascaded down her back, and her soft purple eyes held a tranquil warmth. She wore an elegant, frilly lavender-and-white aristocratic dress adorned with roses and delicate ribbons, complete with a beautiful jeweled choker resting against her pale skin.

To anyone looking at her, Echinacea appeared as fragile and delicate as a blooming flower.

But across the galaxy, she was known by a title that struck fear into the hearts of entire armadas: The Thorny Rose. While Sephie possessed absolute Charm, Echinacea was a peerless, lethal swordswoman. When she drew her blade, the gentle maiden vanished, replaced by an unstoppable force of nature. Gid Lucione Deviluke himself had barely survived courting Sephie because he had to survive Echinacea's blade first.

"I am merely fulfilling my duty as a mother, sister," Sephie frowned, though she calmed down slightly in her sister's presence.

"And I am coming along to fulfill my duty to protect you and my nieces," Echinacea replied elegantly, her voice like chiming bells. She glanced toward the corner of the room with a polite, soft smile.

"Though I suppose you didn't fully trust me to do it alone, considering you hired her."

Standing silently in the shadows, reading a book and completely ignoring the royal family, was a young girl with long, golden blonde hair and dead, emotionless red eyes.

Golden Darkness. The most lethal assassin in the galaxy.

"Golden darkness is simply extra security for Momo and Nana," Sephie clarified, before looking at her sister.

"You cannot possibly think a man who decorates planets with severed heads is a good match for our Lala."

A soft, melodic chuckle escaped Echinacea's lips. She gracefully tapped a finger against her cheek, her purple eyes gleaming with a profound, predatory interest.

"A man who would go to such brutal lengths, who would declare war on the cosmos and butcher kings simply because someone dared to threaten his family..." Echinacea mused softly, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

"I find it incredibly romantic, actually."

Sephie stared at her sister in utter disbelief.

"I have been looking for a husband for quite some time, Sephie," Echinacea declared elegantly, her angelic smile returning.

"One who possesses the strength and the absolute ruthlessness to protect what is his. If this 'Jay Oosuki' is truly the monster you say he is... I simply must test his strength with my own two hands."

She closed her eyes, her smile remaining perfectly polite but carrying a razor-sharp edge.

"And if he disappoints... I suppose I will simply cut him down and bring our dear Lala home."

The flagship engaged its hyper-drive, tearing through the fabric of space, heading straight for the little blue planet.

A/N: If you wondering how she looks just search flowet that bears sword, echinacea roaz... well i tought she verry pretty so i add her hehe

POV: 3rd Person

While Mamako was busy doting on a bewildered, stew-eating Heavenly Dragon in the dining room, Jay stepped out onto the expansive, moonlit balcony of his newly materialized mansion. He needed a moment of quiet.

Before he could even lean against the obsidian railing, a unique, high-frequency hum vibrated from his pocket.

Jay pulled out a sleek, metallic communication device. It wasn't something from NEXUS Corp or Earth. It was the direct-line communicator Zastin had nervously handed to him a few days ago, right after Jay had effortlessly dismantled the Royal Guard captain and his subordinates in combat.

Jay tapped the device. A small beam of light shot upward, projecting a crisp hologram of a small, child-like man with spiky pink hair, an eye patch, and a mischievous, battle-hardened grin.

Gid Lucione Deviluke, the Emperor of the Universe.

"Yo! Son-in-law!" Gid greeted, his boisterous voice echoing slightly, accompanied by his signature hearty laugh.

"Gahahaha! Hope I'm not interrupting your honeymoon phase with Lala!"

"Lala is currently explaining Earth television to a dragon. I have time," Jay replied casually, leaning against the railing.

"What do you want, old man? The galactic council finally complaining about the mess I made?"

"Hah! The council is terrified of you, which is exactly how it should be!" Gid grinned, crossing his arms proudly.

"Personally, I loved the whole 'wiping out a dozen mercenary syndicates and hanging the severed heads of planetary leaders in their own capitals' thing. Very dominant! Very Deviluke! You definitely proved you have the fangs to protect my daughter."

Gid's grin faltered slightly, replaced by a weary, distinctly husband-like sigh.

"However... my wife did not find it as amusing. Sephie is practically having a panic attack. She thinks you're a walking calamity, and she's worried sick about Lala."

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So she's coming here?"

"Yep. Sephie packed up the flagship," Gid confirmed.

"She's bringing Nana and Momo with her to check on Lala. But that's not the bad news. I can handle Sephie being mad. The *real* problem is that her older sister tagged along."

Jay froze. His expression immediately went completely, utterly stiff.

His mind raced, rapidly sifting through his multiversal knowledge of this world's native timeline.

Wait a fucking minute, Jay thought, his internal voice deadpan but deeply confused.

Since when no Sephie never had an older sister in the original manga or the anime. Where the hell did a Charmianian aunt-in-law come from? Is this a massive butterfly effect from my interference, or are the Outer Gods just screwing with the plot again?

"Sister?" Jay asked aloud, his face an unreadable, stiff mask.

"You know, it's a nightmare," Gid shuddered, looking genuinely terrified for a fraction of a second.

"Echinacea Michaela. The Thorny Rose. The only other surviving Charmianian besides my wife."

Jay's expression didn't change. "And? What she has problem with me or?"

"She is a monster, Jay," Gid whispered, leaning closer to the holographic projector as if afraid she might hear him from light-years away.

"Sephie has absolute Charm, but Echinacea? She is a peerless swordswoman. A living weapon. Do you know how I got these scars? I tried to peep on her in the few years ago. She nearly decapitated me! I almost didn't get her blessing to marry Sephie because she thought I was too weak!"

Jay stared at the Emperor of the Universe, his face still absolutely rigid.

"You peeped on your own sister-in-law of course she mad you fucking idiot!"

"I was curious!" Gid defended himself loudly.

"Anyway, she's coming to Earth. And she specifically told Sephie that she wants to 'test' you. If she thinks you're weak, or if she just doesn't like your face, she will try to cut you to pieces."

"Good one more headache," Jay sighed, finally breaking his stiff expression to rub his temples.

"Send me a picture of her so I know who I'm looking out for."

Gid let out a nervous, barking laugh.

"A picture? Are you insane? Just like Sephie, Echinacea wears a Charm-sealing veil whenever she steps out into public. There are no public photos of her face. And if you think I'm going to try and sneak a picture of her while she's in the palace, you're out of your mind. I value my life! Last time a person did the entire family of intergallactic renowed family dead."

Jay ran a hand through his white hair.

"So I have an insanely violent galactic swordswoman heading to my house to test if I'm worthy of marrying her niece."

"Exactly!" Gid beamed, his mischievous grin returning in full force.

"Good luck, son-in-law! Hope you don't die! Gahahaha!"

The hologram fizzled and cut off, leaving Jay standing alone in the quiet night air.

Jay lowered the communicator, looking up at the starry sky with a perfectly flat expression. Any normal human—or even most gods—would be sweating bullets at the prospect of the universe's most lethal swordswoman hunting them down for a "test."

Jay just felt mildly annoyed that his quiet life was getting interrupted again.

He was an anomaly who had assimilated the absolute conceptual authorities of the most supreme beings in the multiverse. If a galactic swordswoman wanted to cross blades with him, she was going to be in for the rudest awakening of her.

"Another problem to deal with tomorrow," Jay muttered.

He pocketed the communicator, turned around, and walked back inside the mansion, much more interested in checking if his mother had managed to force Ygnisia to eat seconds.

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