Chapter 42: Did You Two Elope!
"It's 'Yukari-nee'when you're in trouble, but'Old Hag Zi' when you're not, huh?"
Kaguya could only marvel at the spectacle. "Wow. What a guy."
Her gaze shifted to Haruto, who was pointing an accusing finger at the Gap and wailing with a look of utter despair. A subtle, knowing smile touched her lips. She was beginning to see it clearly now—they were both Boundary Youkai, cut from the very same cloth. It wasn't just their shared love for sleeping in; their shamelessness was practically identical.
Finally, Yagokoro Eirin lowered her bow and let out a long, weary sigh. The tension in the air eased, but her sharp gaze remained fixed on them.
"Tell me honestly," she said, her voice dangerously calm. "Where have you been taking the Princess all this time?"
Haruto froze mid-complaint, turning to stare at Kaguya, who was suddenly looking very guilty and avoiding eye contact.
Wait a minute.
So you freaking snuck out!
He spun Kaguya around to face him, his eyes wide with accusation. Didn't I tell you to let Eirin know? his expression screamed.
Kaguya shot back a helpless look of her own. And do you really think Eirin would have let me go if I told her?
A stampede of panicked thoughts trampled through Haruto's mind. A chilling dread washed over him, starting from the crown of his head and racing all the way down to the soles of his feet.
This was bad. Very, very bad.
He had just become an accomplice to a kidnapping.
Without a shred of hesitation, Haruto's knees gave out. He plopped onto the floor and threw himself forward, tightly hugging Yagokoro Eirin's leg as if it were a holy relic. Tears, genuine in their desperation, streamed down his face.
"Sister Eirin, this… this isn't my fault! And even if Kaguya didn't say anything, Yukari knows all about it! You can ask her!"
Yagokoro Eirin stared down at the boy clinging to her leg with a look of pure, unadulterated innocence. She then glanced over at Kaguya, who was quietly trying to inch her way toward the door. The entire situation clicked into place. She covered her face with one hand and sighed again, the sound heavy with exhaustion.
"I already asked her. Her response was that you kidnapped the Princess and eloped to a place we couldn't find."
Hearing that it was Yakumo Yukari again, Haruto's eyes blazed with indignation. While technically not entirely false, was that really the appropriate way to phrase it?!
"Princess."
Just those two simple words froze Kaguya in her tracks. She slowly turned, forcing a sheepish, placating smile onto her face.
"Eirin, let me explain, I… I…" Kaguya's eyes darted around the room, desperately searching for a lifeline before finally landing on Haruto. A spark of inspiration—or perhaps madness—lit up her face. "I… I have accepted Haruto's invitation! He said he would take me to travel to the ends of the earth with him from now on!"
"You're eloping?" Yagokoro Eirin's voice was laced with disbelief.
Seeing the blame so expertly shifted back onto him, Haruto was stunned for a solid second before his own formidable acting skills roared to life.
"Waaah! Sister Eirin, I'm innocent!" he cried, his voice cracking with theatrical despair. "You know me—how could I possibly elope with Kaguya? Even if I did, I would definitely bring you along! It's just that Kaguya forced me not to tell you! I tried to persuade her over and over, but you know I can't win a fight against her!"
With Haruto's desperate, tear-filled explanation, the ball of blame was successfully lobbed back into Kaguya's court. Not to be outdone, she promptly dropped to the floor and latched onto Yagokoro Eirin's other leg, her own tearful accusations beginning to flow.
And so, the two of them, each hugging one of Eirin's legs, proceeded to wipe their eyes and snot on her pristine clothes while arguing their cases. As their passionate debate continued, the blame somehow, inexplicably, began to circle back and land squarely on Yagokoro Eirin herself.
Suddenly, both felt their collars tighten as they were unceremoniously lifted into the air. Yagokoro Eirin, a thunderous expression on her face, held one in each hand and began marching toward her pharmacy.
"Since you both have so much energy," she said through gritted teeth, "I'll have to trouble the Princess and Haruto to help me test some new medicine."
This was bad!
A massive, glowing red "DANGER" sign materialized above both their heads.
Of course, that was just a joke. Yagokoro Eirin wasn't that cruel. She did make them test medicine, but it was an improved version of a new concoction. Specifically, the second-generation formula that Reisen had already tested for toxicity.
"Try this," Eirin said, her good humor partially restored. "It's a medicine developed based on that Vengeful Spirit Fruit you brought back. Its effect is to split off a Half-Spirit of yourself. The effect lasts for five minutes."
"A H-Half-Spirit?" Haruto wondered if he'd misheard. "Sister Eirin, you mean like Youmu's?"
"You can think of it that way," Yagokoro Eirin nodded, handing each of them a small vial.
Haruto didn't drink his immediately, choosing instead to watch Kaguya. She, on the other hand, downed it in one excited gulp. A moment later, wispy strands of white mist began to emerge from the top of her head, slowly coalescing into a fluffy, white mass that looked remarkably like cotton candy.
Seeing this, Haruto curiously drank his own medicine. A similar mist formed his own Half-Spirit, and he instinctively reached out to hug it. The sensation was bizarre, a disorienting tug that nearly pulled his soul from his body. He glanced over at Kaguya, who had done the same, and saw that she had already collapsed onto the ground, her eyes spinning.
"Eirin! Didn't you say you had Reisen test and improve this?!" Haruto yelped, staggering.
"It has been improved," Eirin replied calmly. "This is, in fact, the authentic sensation experienced by the half-human, half-phantom race."
As she spoke, she reached out to take Kaguya's Half-Spirit, which was floating placidly in the air. Kaguya, however, snatched it back in a panic.
"What are you trying to do! Eirin, you're definitely taking revenge under the guise of official duty!"
Haruto had already retreated to a safe distance with his own Half-Spirit, fully intending to bolt the second the five-minute duration was up.
Seeing she couldn't get her hands on the Princess's Half-Spirit, Yagokoro Eirin finally turned her inquisitive gaze to Haruto.
"What are you doing! I'm warning you… don't get handsy," he said, holding his phantom half protectively. "If you want to study something, study your Princess's. Don't stare at me—I'm not a member of Eientei!"
"Then, would you like to join Eientei?"
"...Huh?"
The sudden invitation left Haruto stunned. He blinked, eyeing Yagokoro Eirin with deep suspicion.
"Since the Princess has taken a liking to you," she explained, "and putting aside Yakumo Yukari's less-than-stellar influence, I'm actually quite satisfied with you. Why not join us?"
"No," Haruto refused firmly.
"I, Haruto, have one greatest virtue: loyalty!" he declared righteously. "Since I've already pledged myself to Lady Yukari, I am a member of the Yakumo household. I will not switch sides!"
He delivered this grand speech with an air of unwavering conviction, all while subtly slipping several extra vials of the Half-Spirit medicine into his pocket.
Yagokoro Eirin watched his nimble-fingered actions, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly, but she didn't stop him. Most of these experimental medicines were meant for him anyway.
Of course, Haruto wasn't that shameless. Before leaving, he discreetly left behind a mermaid pill as payment.
Haruto gapped all the way back to the Yakumo Residence, hoping to find Yakumo Ran for some much-needed comfort, but he found that neither she nor Yukari were home.
With the vast mansion feeling empty and silent, he had no choice but to take a bath alone and go to bed early. Given his current mastery over the Gap, he could at most use it as a glorified storage locker. He certainly couldn't use it to pop over to Hakugyokurou to find Youmu for kisses, hugs, and a shared bed.
The next day, Haruto woke up when he felt like it and was relieved to finally see Yakumo Ran. With her help, he soon arrived at Hakugyokurou.
Sure enough, Yakumo Yukari was there too, lounging about. Haruto pointedly ignored her and walked straight toward Youmu. Then, without warning, he pounced, wrapping his arms around her from behind and openly snuggling into her back without a shred of restraint.
"H-Haruto-sama..."
Youmu clearly hadn't expected him to be so bold in front of so many people. A deep blush instantly bloomed across her face, a shade of red that was usually reserved for when they were alone.
She froze in place, not daring to move, acutely aware of the gazes from all around them. She unconsciously lowered her head and leaned closer into Haruto's embrace, a shy gesture that, to any onlookers, looked more like she was eagerly responding to his affection.
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