Agung let out a breath so long and heavy it sounded like a deflating bouncy castle. He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his round face twitching with a mix of relief and lingering suspicion.
"Since when did you start calling them, Shioriko-chan?" Agung asked, squinting at the green-haired girl. "And please... tell me the truth. Do those five have any 'surprises' waiting for me too? Because my heart is already working overtime, and I haven't even had my own breakfast yet."
Shioriko just offered a calm, enigmatic smile—the kind that only a perfectly organized student council president could pull off.
Before she could answer, the speakerphone crackled back to life. The "Tokyo Five" had clearly heard the panic in his voice, and their collective response came through with a chorus of dry, slightly offended amusement.
> **"Relax, Darling,"** Karin's voice purred through the speaker, sounding far too relaxed. **"We aren't hiding any 'bonuses' like Ai-chi or Lanzhu. No hidden nurseries, no surprise toddlers waiting in the wings."
> **"Nope! We're safe!"** Setsuna chirped, her voice regaining its heroic energy. **"We didn't have any children back then, and we haven't had any since. We're coming to Numazu strictly to hold you accountable for your disappearance—and maybe to try this 'Magic Porridge' everyone is raving about."
> **"Zero children detected for this subgroup,"** Rina added, her voice sounding a bit more clinical. **"Rina-chan Board: 'Child-Free Zone.' But my energy levels are high. I expect to be part of the 'Marshmallow-Papa's' new world anyway."
> **"We're just coming for you, Agung,"** Emma added warmly, though there was a hint of steel in her tone. **"No extra mouths to feed, but we expect you to be just as present for us as you are for the others."
Agung slumped against the counter, his knees nearly giving out. He slid down until he was sitting on the floor, his Mikan apron bunching up around his round waist.
"Zero. None. Nichts," Agung whispered, looking up at the kitchen ceiling. "Nineteen wives... but 'only' fourteen children. I... I think I can actually handle that. That's a manageable number. It's practically a small football team with a very large bench."
He looked at Aoi and Hime, who were watching their father sit on the floor with tilted heads.
"Did you hear that, kids?" Agung chuckled weakly. "No more siblings. Just the fourteen of you. The school bus plan stays the same. I don't need to upgrade to a cruise ship just yet."
Umi looked down at him, her expression a mix of pity and lingering "Discipline Master" sternness. She reached out a hand to help the "Marshmallow" back to his feet.
"Get up, Agung," Umi said softly. "If they are on the Shinkansen, they will be here soon. You have an hour to prepare the 'Excluded' welcome committee. And since they don't have children of their own, you had better think of something very special to show them that you're back for *them* too."
Agung took Umi's hand and hauled his bulk back up, his eyes suddenly sparkling with a mischievous, magical light.
"No children, huh?" Agung smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Well, if they're coming all this way just for me, I guess I'll have to show them what 'Infinite Stamina' and 'Quadrillion Dollars' can really do. I'm not just going to buy a house. I'm going to manifest a **Sanctuary**."
He turned to the stove, his hands moving with a new, frantic energy.
"Shioriko! Tell them to get off at Mishima station! I'll have a fleet of black cars waiting. And someone tell Mari-chan to clear the Uchiura coastline—the Panda is about to do some serious real estate development!"