As gently as she could, Su Yuzu helped Sakura Mai into her clothes.
Sister Mai had prepared her clothes before coming to shower, so it wasn't much of a problem.
And among Sakura Mai's many Favorability Gifts, there was also a rather proper and normal kendo uniform.
The only issue was that—perhaps for ease of movement, or perhaps for ventilation—Sister Mai's Favorability Gift kendo uniform was just like the one Su Yuzu had seen back at the Sakura family home, with large slits on both sides that ran almost from the waist all the way down to the knees.
However... as she checked over Sister Mai's status, the hand Su Yuzu was using to swipe through the Material Inventory unconsciously came to a stop.
That [Sheath of Unknown Purpose] was actually a piece of equipment of quite high grade.
Much like in so many games, where the less you wear, the higher your defense.
The [Sheath of Unknown Purpose]'s mental resistance was nearly maxed out.
It also had quite decent defensive capability against ability attacks.
It was just that the style looked a little too lewd and gaudy—Su Yuzu really couldn't imagine what Sister Mai would look like equipped with it.
So weird, so weird.
Aside from that... Su Yuzu clenched her hand.
She sensed that Inherent Ability that had come from Sister Mai—[Lone Bravery.]
Perhaps it was because Sakura Mai was always walking together with Soga Yura.
Or perhaps... it was because Sakura Mai, being the only daughter of her family, had always been so Doting toward Yuzu.
After Sakura Mai's Favorability broke past the threshold of 60, it almost immediately shot up to 99 points.
And moreover, her attitude toward Yuzu was exactly the same Doting as Soga Yura's.
It was just a pity.
Su Yuzu had not obtained Sakura Mai's signature skill—the Sword of Will.
Instead, she had obtained Sakura Mai's somewhat unremarkable-looking Inherent Ability, [Lone Bravery].
In the game, [Lone Bravery] was an Inherent Ability that was very hard to make use of.
Operators always formed teams to fight collectively.
Then there was Sakura Mai's other Inherent Ability, [Morale Boost].
When Sakura Mai was deployed into combat, the entire team would gain a 12% attack power boost.
It completely contradicted [Lone Bravery], and was far more useful.
But... in reality, Su Yuzu felt she might have unearthed the true use of [Lone Bravery].
When single-handedly facing several enemies at once, both the recovery rates of stamina and mental power would likewise increase substantially.
This "enemy"... just how exactly was it determined?
Su Yuzu held Sakura Mai in her arms.
If~~~ she regarded Sister Mai and the Sword of Erasure both as enemies at once.
Or... if she regarded the little rabbit and Lyudmila both as enemies at once, would [Lone Bravery] still trigger, or else——
When Sister Mai faced both her and Yura at the same time, would there also be a few more chances for her to struggle free?
Aside from that——
Su Yuzu looked at Sakura Mai's Operator Index.
The chibi Sister Mai was curled up in her arms, and whenever she lightly poked her, she would even pitifully cling to the tip of her finger.
[Operator: Sakura Mai]
[☆☆☆☆☆☆]
[Level.33 - Sword of Will user]
[Talent: Sword Intent of Erasure: Ultimate Sublimation]
[Talent: Sword of Frenzy]
[Inherent Ability: Morale Boost]
[Inherent Ability: Lone Bravery]
[Favorability: 99 (Doting)]
[…]
The "Intermediate Combat Records," after all, were only Combat Records aimed at Second Sequence Espers.
Even though Su Yuzu had tirelessly never given up on Feeding Sakura Mai.
And even with Sakura Mai constantly and unceasingly training herself, Sakura Mai's abilities had still only risen by three levels.
The gap between her and Soga Yura seemed to grow ever wider.
But... the distance to Yuzu was growing ever closer.
Once Yuzu, too, broke through to the Third Sequence and obtained new Combat Records, she believed... that by then Sakura Mai would also be able to break through quickly.
Of course——
Provided she could withstand the Combat Records that would gorgeously upgrade once again.
Aside from that, Su Yuzu took a look at Sister Mai's Talent, [Sword Intent of Erasure: Ultimate Sublimation]—upgrading the Sword of Erasure would also bring an enormous boost to Sister Mai herself.
Perhaps~ in the future Sister Mai would also be able to draw the Sword of Erasure normally.
It wouldn't come to that rather awkward situation where Sakura Mai, as the host of the Sword of Erasure, had everyone but herself wielding the Sword of Erasure better than she could—where she was nothing but a human-shaped sheath.
"Ngh—" In the quiet changing room, a girl's adorable little whimper suddenly rang out.
Slumped against Su Yuzu's shoulder, Sakura Mai hazily half-opened her eyes.
Those emerald eyes, clear and lovely as a lake, now truly brimmed over with a lake-like misty moisture.
Sakura Mai unconsciously hugged the Yuzu in her arms tighter.
A Knight Princess's stamina was utterly different from that of a piece of trash like Soga Yura.
With the buff of [Lone Bravery], even without it fully triggering, Sakura Mai's stamina had already rapidly recovered by thirty to fifty percent.
It was just that her toes and arms still felt a little weak, so Sakura Mai hadn't yet propped herself up.
She breathed in the citrus fragrance that nearly filled her nostrils, filled the space all around her.
Her dazed vision gradually came into focus, and Sakura Mai looked at the two flung-open shower room doors.
The locks on both doors... had been violently torn apart.
Still somewhat muddled, Sakura Mai slowly recalled her memories.
Her memory... seemed to stop at the moment she tore open the neighboring door, where the "trembling," "pitiful" Sister Yuzu had looked at her with panicked, teary, watery eyes.
Before losing consciousness, Sakura Mai seemed to have filled in her memory in a rather subtle way.
Sakura Mai suddenly snapped fully awake.
She pressed down on Yuzu's shoulders to prop herself up, and caught sight of the slightly bashful expression on the girl before her.
Sakura Mai felt as though a bolt from the blue had gone off right behind her head.
"Yu... Sister Yuzu..." She gently steadied Yuzu's shoulders, her voice sounding a little dry and hoarse.
All sorts of unbearable images went drifting through Sakura Mai's head at once.
But without exception... they were all unbearable images of her having seemingly committed "bestial acts."
Endless remorse welled up in Sakura Mai's heart; her lips trembled so violently she couldn't even hold them still.
The moral integrity she had always upheld seemed to have been shattered by her own hands.
The harm this girl had suffered was all because she had failed to keep the Sword of Erasure under control.
That's right... the Sword of Erasure!!!
Sakura Mai sensed the Sword of Erasure at her chest.
The Sword of Erasure seemed to have eaten its fill and sunk into a quiet, deep slumber.
Sakura Mai could even feel that drawing the sword now would require paying no price whatsoever.
But... how could drawing the sword possibly require no price at all?
There was only one possibility for it requiring no price—she gazed at the girl before her with tenderness and repentance.
"Yuzu... has already paid it in my stead."
"The Sword of Erasure has wrung her stamina and spirit dry."
"Sister Mai, are you awake?" Yuzu looked at Sakura Mai as if pleasantly surprised, and obediently nuzzled against her as she held her close.
The girl's slightly languid movements, born of satisfaction, all looked to Sakura Mai like the very picture of drowsy exhaustion.
Sakura Mai suddenly gripped Yuzu by the shoulders to steady her.
It gave Su Yuzu quite a start.
"Sister Mai... is Sister Mai going to settle the score?"
"Forget it... I'll just own up to it."
"Set your mind at ease, Sister Yuzu——" Sakura Mai pulled Yuzu into an embrace.
Su Yuzu's heart suddenly lurched.
"I will take responsibility for you, Sister Yuzu!"
____
💖 Gift for Everyone: Once we hit 50 Powerstones, I'll release +1 bonus chapter to warm your hearts.
________________________________________
🚀 Community Reward: If we reach 20 supporting members, we'll have a +5 chapter marathon across all stories! The romance won't stop.
👻 Come to our secret corner: Search for GirlsLove on (P). You know that's where the magic happens... 😉