"You said your home was near here, didn't you?"
'Ah...'
"Riveria, save me!"
"Are you more afraid of [Silence], or me?"
"Aah..."
"Accept it. This is your own karma at work."
'Zeus... I finally understand what you meant now...'
Akumo trembled at the impending storm. However, the weight of Riveria's gaze behind him was equally intense, eventually forcing him to stand before his own front door.
"..."
"So this is the place where the two of you have been living..."
Glare—!
".....Haha."
"Open it."
"Yes..."
At Riveria's command, Akumo had no choice but to submissively knock on the door.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Alfia..."
Creeeak—!
Soon, the door swung open, and the woman with beautiful ash-silver hair, Alfia, emerged to greet Akumo.
"So you've finally returned, Akumo..."
"Fancy meeting you here, [Silence]."
"...Explain."
Grip—!!
"I'll explain everything, Alfia... Let's just go inside with Riveria first..."
Thud—!
"....."
"....."
An agonizingly cold atmosphere filled the room. Alfia slammed a glass of water onto the table and glared at Riveria without a word. Undaunted, Riveria met her gaze with a composed, leisurely look of her own.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't be?"
Their exchange turned the already frigid air within the house into ice. Caught in the middle, Akumo felt a cold sweat break out as he literally started to feel the chill.
"Entering a man's home so easily when he has a child... It's hard to believe you're an Elf."
"If you're referring to [Little Rookie], I have already heard that they aren't blood-related. Directly from his own mouth."
".....Akumo."
Glare—!!
"Are you blaming him? If you wanted to remain hidden so badly, there was always the option of complete isolation."
"...."
"I see you're still a woman after all."
Alfia's expression hardened at Riveria's continued provocations. However, she soon broke into a smirk and began to retort.
"Is there a problem with that? Spending a great deal of time with the man I want?"
"....!!"
"While you were hiding behind the title of 'friend' to have mere conversations, I was spending time alone with him in this house. Is that an issue?"
".....You bitch....!"
At Alfia's blatant provocation, a murderous aura began to shroud Riveria's face.
"Ha! Receiving his grace only to try and possess him—was [Silence] truly a member of the Hera Familia after all?"
"Are you not someone who received his grace as well?"
"You vulgar woman...!"
"Is this jealousy from someone of your years?"
Grind—!!
"You shameless hag...!"
Snap—!
"So you want to settle this right now...!"
Rumble—!!!!!!!
When the pressure they exerted reached a point where the entire house began to shake, Akumo was forced to intervene.
Grab—!
"Both of you, stop this."
""You stay out of th—""
Whoosh—!
"Girls?"
""Ugh...!?""
Akumo spoke up to stop them. He felt incredibly embarrassed, but he finally resorted to the 'special medicine' he knew worked best on them.
Squeeze—
"If you fight, it makes me sad."
"".....""
"So please, don't fight."
Placing his hands over Alfia and Riveria's hands and squeezing them tightly, Akumo looked at them with damp, pleading eyes.
That gaze was an expression of emotion they hadn't seen from Akumo before; combined with his face and the moist, beautiful emerald of his eyes, it became an irresistible psychological attack.
Softly—
"Riveria."
"....Aaah!"
Softly—
"Alfia."
"....Ahem!"
As they felt Akumo's fingers graze their hair and cheeks, Riveria and Alfia were left speechless by his touch and the sight of his face filling their vision.
Twitch—!
Grip—!
Riveria's pointed Elven ears twitched repeatedly in response, while Alfia could only curl her toes as she gripped her skirt tightly.
Unable to hide their blushing faces, they both struggled to calm their violently pounding hearts.
"....I, I understand..."
'Damn it... I should be angry in this situation, but...'
"...Very well..."
'That gaze of yours always...'
Finally softened by Akumo's 'persuasion,' Alfia and Riveria sat still, losing all desire to be angry as they simply took in the feeling of his touch and the sight of his face.
Cuddle—
"....Girls?"
Akumo found himself in a rather predicament.
"".....Do you dislike it?""
"No, I like it...."
'Alfia on one side, Riveria on the other... how could I possibly dislike it...'
Slide—
Alfia and Riveria had each taken one of Akumo's arms and were now leaning into his embrace. The anger they had felt was gone.
From the moment he had saved their hearts countless times, they already belonged to him. As if to carve that fact into reality, they sought his warmth themselves.
"You are the one who is bad..."
"So do not push me away."
'When you make a face like that...'
"....I understand....."
In this state, they would likely follow any choice he made, much like wives devoted to their husband.
Their formidable personas had been completely brought low by the pleasant warmth, their racing hearts, and the tingling sensations deep within them—proving the truth of their feelings more clearly than anything else.
"Fufu, so you were capable of making such an expression too."
"No... this is..."
"So I'm not the only one caught?"
Caress, caress—
"Ahaha...."
With their rage extinguished and replaced by love for the man before them, the two beauties enjoyed the warmth, gently stroking the arms they held.
"It is because you are bad..."
Squeeze—
"It cannot be helped."
Tight squeeze—
Ultimately, Akumo melted under their gazes and held Alfia and Riveria close, soaking in their warmth.
After some time had passed, Riveria finally calmed her heart enough to stand up.
Slide—
"Are you really that curious about the home he and I share?"
"I am merely concerned that you might have installed some strange devices."
"This is a home I decorated directly with him, so you need not worry about that."
Grind—!
"Fine. Then you wait here in this nice house. I will be the one taking care of him while he is outside."
Gnash—!
Once ignited, their competitive spirit didn't easily die down despite Akumo's intervention; they continued to snap and provoke each other.
On the surface, it looked like a total disaster, but at the same time, they were able to communicate their intentions through their common denominator: Akumo.
'The ones you've identified?'
'[Gale], [Scarlet Harnel], [Valsa], and [Cyclops].'
'....Should I just kill them once?'
'Since he is the man we chose, we'll have to handle it together.'
'Us handle him? Or him handle us?'
'Both.'
While exchanging information they had gathered about Akumo, they sent him a series of very meaningful looks.
Shudder—!
"....? What is it?"
'A sudden chill...'
"Oh my, did you lose your warmth just by letting go for a moment?"
"To think you had this side to you."
"Uh.... is that so?"
Akumo failed to see the look in their eyes as they naturally sat back down beside him.
If Zeus had seen those eyes, he would have sent Akumo a look that said, 'Now you feel it too!!!' If Loki had seen this scene, she would have called it a look so enchanting and seductive that his 'entire life was now held as collateral.'
"Hey~ Don't you think Mama Riveria's vibe has changed lately?"
"Yeah, definitely."
"It feels like she's become a bit... softer? I wonder if something good happened to Riveria-sama."
Inside Twilight Manor, Tiona, Ais, and Lefiya were discussing the change in Riveria's aura over the last few days. As they suspected, Riveria had been emitting a much gentler energy since the events on the 18th floor.
"Is something wrong, everyone?"
"It's nothing! Riveria-sama..."
"Hmm...?"
"It's nothing major. We just thought you seemed to be in a good mood lately."
"Ah, so that's what it was?"
As Riveria approached after noticing their gazes, Lefiya hurriedly hid her curiosity, but Ais asked with her usual blunt innocence.
"It's because I obtained something I've wanted for a long time."
"Something you wanted....?"
"You'll understand someday too."
'Once your hero appears.'
Pat, pat—
Riveria smiled warmly as she stroked the head of the puzzled Ais.
"Hehe~ So ye're finally becomin' a proper family, then?"
"Ahem! Keep those useless comments to yourself, Loki."
"Don't ye go losin' now, Riveria-tan!"
Only Loki understood the hidden meaning in Riveria's words, grinning like a conspirator as she teased her. Since Akumo was also Loki's 'child,' the fact that Alfia had a head start was something that concerned Loki in her own way.
"This won't do! Riveria-tan! Come with me!"
"Wait...! Where are you taking me!"
"I've got the perfect outfit for ye!"
Creeeak—!
"Look! If ye wear just this one thing, that lad's mind will go—"
Whack—!!!!
"How scandalous! Loki!!"
Unable to help herself, Loki had dragged Riveria to her wardrobe to recommend various seductive clothes intended to capture Akumo's attention. However, she was promptly retired by a swift blow to the head from Riveria's discipline.
".....Ahem!"
'I suppose I should... keep those in mind, just in case...'