"Hmm, hmm~" Humming a cheerful little tune, Megumin dragged the unconscious Jhin into her bedroom. Since she'd need his help for what came after, the dose of sleeping powder in the food hadn't been very strong — he'd wake up again in another ten-odd minutes.
Until then, he was entirely at her mercy.
That's plenty of time... Good! Here I go! Megumin slapped her own flushed cheeks hard, shut the door, then walked over and crouched down beside him.
"Ow!" A sharp sting in his palm made Jhin's eyes fly open. He stared blankly at the familiar ceiling above him, and tilting his head back a little, found Megumin playing the part of a valiant knight.
Except this particular knight was biting his hand with tears welling in her eyes — not a trace of heroic bearing to be found anywhere.
"Isn't this a bit much, even for you?"
"What, you're not happy about it?"
"Of course I'm happy. It's just... complicated feelings, you know?"
"I don't know. What I know is it hurts." Seeing him awake, Megumin let go of his hand, then stiffly pressed herself into his arms. "Hurry up and think of some way to comfort me."
Jhin patted her smooth, silky back with his left hand, while his right curled loosely and summoned a Blade of Resurrection into his grip. "How about... I hit you with a bit of healing magic?"
"That thing doesn't even stop pain, does it?"
"True."
"Then hurry up and think of something else... mm — hey! You, you wouldn't..." Megumin trailed off, never quite finishing the thought, just staring at him with wide, glistening eyes in disbelief.
Jhin's face turned red. After a long, strained pause he finally blurted out, "Sorry, buddy. I couldn't hold back."
With that, he raised a hand and wove a wind element barrier around the room. Outside the door, Yuiyui — who'd been eavesdropping — felt a small pang of disappointment, though the corners of her mouth kept curling up despite her best efforts. She rose and headed out to buy groceries with a spring in her step. "We're eating well tonight!"
At the dinner table, Komekko cradled her rice bowl and innocently asked her mother, "Mom, where did Sis and Brother-in-law go?"
"Oh, those two... they're busy doing something very important, so they won't be joining us for dinner."
Komekko nodded as though she understood, though not quite, and pressed on. "Then where's Dad?"
"He's off researching a new magic item. I'll bring his supper over to him in a bit."
Once Hyoizaburoo learned that his prized future son-in-law had officially been claimed by his eldest daughter, he rushed excitedly straight to his workshop, eager to craft the two of them a congratulatory magic item.
Now he wouldn't have to worry about running short on funds for his research!
It wasn't until the following afternoon that Komekko finally saw her sister emerge from the bedroom, looking rather languid. She ran up and stood in front of her, puzzled, chewing on her own finger.
Megumin patted her adorable little sister on the head. "Komekko, what's wrong? Need something from me?"
"Sis, you look kind of different from before, but I can't figure out what it is."
"Really? I don't feel any different." She glanced herself over, head down. Under the healing effect of the Blade of Resurrection, there shouldn't be anything unusual about her at all.
Komekko racked her brain for a long while before finally landing on the right word. "Mature! Sis looks more mature now!"
"Is — is it really that big a change?" This was the first time Megumin had ever heard such a word out of her little sister's mouth. She touched her cheeks nervously, a nagging thought stirring inside her.
I don't remember Kyaru changing much at all back then. Why is the difference so obvious with me?
"Don't overthink it — that kind of change only shows to family, or to people who know you very well." Jhin ran a hand over the top of Megumin's head, then caught Komekko as she came barreling at him, chirping "Brother-in-law!" in her bright little voice.
"I see. Then I feel relieved."
"Komekko, where's everyone else?"
"Dad's still working on his magic item, Mom went out and isn't back yet, and the other sisters are in the living room!"
"I see. Then I'm off to brush my teeth — go play with your sisters."
"Okay."
Megumin had meant to go wash up together with Jhin as well, but the moment she reached the living room doorway, a small hand grabbed her by the collar and yanked her inside. Seeing it was Kyaru and Kokkoro, she thrust her chin up at them proudly.
"One day was nothing! I could go three more!"
Kyaru knew perfectly well she was bluffing — if not for the Blade of Resurrection, Megumin would probably be lying in bed right now like a broken rag doll, filthy from head to toe and unable to move an inch, let alone come strutting out here putting on such airs.
Kokkoro cleared her throat. "Well then, shall we begin the official exchange of intelligence?"
"No objections here."
The three of them huddled together, whispering, punctuated now and then by Kokkoro's gasps of surprise and Megumin's smug little laugh. All manner of scandalous words kept tumbling out of Megumin's mouth. Not far off, Pecorine listened until her face went red to the ears.
She had good reason to suspect the three of them were doing this on purpose, loud enough for her to hear — and any hope of slipping out of the living room was completely blocked by exactly where they'd chosen to sit.
"And then I gritted my teeth, steeled my nerve, and just sat right down on it!" Megumin narrated with wildly exaggerated tone and expression, her two small hands gesturing away, until someone gave her head a knock — not too hard, not too soft. Only then did she stop, turning around with a thoroughly annoyed look. "What was that for?"
Jhin pointed at Komekko, who'd come running over with her hands clamped over her ears to report on them, and surveyed the three culprits with a flat expression. "I've received a complaint. Would the three of you happen to be operating without a license in here?"
"I — I wasn't doing anything!" Caught red-handed, Megumin still refused to confess.
"Save the excuses. You're coming with me. Detective Komekko — well done. I'm placing these three ringleaders in your custody!"
Komekko threw both hands up joyfully. "Yay! I'll complete the mission, Brother-in-law!"
"Excellent."
Singled out by Jhin, Pecorine hurried after him at a trot into the kitchen, her flushed little face rosy as an apple, tempting enough to make you want to take a bite.
"Thank you, Jhin."
"Er — no need to thank me. Some of the blame for what just happened to you falls on me too."
Pecorine wasn't stupid. Jhin's words were already, in their roundabout way, telling her what was on his mind — because if he'd felt nothing for her at all, Kokkoro would never have taken the initiative to team up with Kyaru and Megumin to pull something like this.
As she'd told herself before, she really did like how carefully he managed the distance between them. For someone like her, living under a false name and a false identity, he was about as perfect a partner as she could ask for.
I'm sorry... I still can't give you an answer.
After silently apologizing in her heart, Pecorine changed the subject. "Did you call me in here to make flower pastries?"
"Yeah, the cherry-blossom preserve's been curing almost a month now — right about the perfect time to bring it out and make some flower pastries." Seeing she still wasn't going to answer him, Jhin let the matter drop.
Pecorine clearly had some hidden circumstance she couldn't talk about, and until it got resolved, there was no way anyone was getting an answer out of her.
Might as well spend the time cooking something good together with her instead — after all, watching her happily dig into a meal was a lovely sight all its own.
____
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🔥 New history: DanMachi: Inheriting the Legacy of Alternate Versions — posted on The_Mikudayo