Kobayashi's mind went blank.
"Am I dead?"
She vividly rembered the mont when a sudden sword pierced her forehead.
However, she wasn't dead.
The blade hadn't drawn a single drop of blood.
Instead, the mont it touched her forehead, the entire sword dissolved into radiant specks of light and rged into her body, leaving her unhard.
Now, Kobayashi stood motionless, her eyes glazed over.
But her consciousness wasn't entirely frozen.
"Where… am I?"
When she opened her eyes again, Kobayashi found herself floating in a vast expanse of whiteness.
"Did I die?"
Her last mory was of the sword striking her.
What a strange way to die.
She'd always thought she'd die from overwork or on her commute after pulling an all-nighter.
Living as a corporate slave, only to die as one—it would've been the ultimate poetic irony.
At least this is different, she mused.
Dying to sothing bizarre at least added a dash of variety to her otherwise monotonous existence.
If she'd died during work, her life would've truly been defined by corporate drudgery.
"You're not dead, Mommy."
"Who's there?!"
Kobayashi spun around, startled by the sudden voice.
It was familiar—the sa voice as the sword that had crashed through her window.
"Wait… that sword didn't follow to heaven, did it?"
She shivered, turning stiffly toward the source of the voice.
Thankfully, it wasn't a sword.
It was a young girl with long white hair tied in the middle, her bangs framing her face.
"Mommy."
The girl's large, crystal-clear eyes blinked as she called out to Kobayashi.
"???"
The word "Mommy" sent Kobayashi into a spiral of discomfort.
"I'm not your mom!"
Kobayashi frantically denied it.
She was still a virgin, for crying out loud—how could she possibly have a daughter?
This random girl calling her "Mommy" out of nowhere was too much to handle.
Besides, admitting she had a child would be the ultimate embarrassnt. How could she ever get married after that?
Wait… had she ever even had a boyfriend?
"Also, I'm already dead."
Kobayashi's shoulders slumped.
How pathetic is this? A lifeti of being single, and now I've died like this.
"You're not dead, Mommy."
The girl explained patiently, "This is your ntal world."
"ntal world?"
Kobayashi blinked in confusion, her disbelief evident.
She couldn't wrap her head around the concept. If this was supposed to be her "ntal world," it felt more like a trick.
The girl, realizing the need for clarity, opted for a direct demonstration.
She waved her hand.
The white space around them transford.
"This is…"
Kobayashi gasped as the scene shifted to sothing familiar.
It was the forest from that night—the one where she'd encountered Rei Ao and the dragon.
Scenes began to replay, showing her mories of that event.
"This is part of your mory," the girl explained, pointing at the holy sword embedded in Tohru's body.
"Mommy, that sword… that was ."
The girl's voice softened as she explained, "I was born from the residual energy of that sword, combined with a fragnt of your will. That's how I beca a sentient holy sword."
"Now, I've fully rged with your spirit and consciousness. You can use my power however you like."
Her eyes sparkled with excitent. "I can strengthen your body so you can continue slaying dragons!"
"…"
Kobayashi stared blankly, struggling to process everything she'd just heard.
After a long pause, her shoulders slumped.
"I don't want to slay dragons."
She sighed heavily. "Besides, I'm sure that guy—what's his na, Rei Ao—can handle it just fine."
The girl froze, her eyes wide with realization.
"That guy…" she murmured, her voice tinged with wonder.
"He was part of what brought into existence… doesn't that make him… my daddy?"
Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together.
"Mommy, let's go find Daddy!"
Kobayashi: "Huh?!"
…
Rei Ao pulled himself out of Mai's embrace, careful not to overdo it.
His actions were deliberate, ant to convey his stance clearly.
"Hah, seriously… you went way overboard."
Mai panted as she lightly patted his shoulder, her tone seemingly upset but carrying a hint of satisfaction.
Rei Ao helped her stand, pulling down her rumpled skirt.
"Want to go see your mom's reaction?"
"Ugh…"
Mai's cheeks flushed a deep red, hesitation written all over her face.
"Is… is that really okay?"
After all, they had just finished, and with the door left ajar, her mother would have definitely overheard everything.
"Heh, wasn't that the whole point?" Rei Ao smirked. "Let's go."
The two walked out into the living room.
Rei Ao fell silent.
Mai froze in shock.
Her mother, Mrs. Sakurajima, sat slumped in a chair, her disheveled appearance and dazed expression painting a picture of utter defeat.
"Mom!"
Mai rushed over, hastily fixing her mother's skirt and tidying her clothes.
"Tohru, what happened here?" Rei Ao asked, his brows furrowing.
He had only asked Tohru to keep an eye on Mrs. Sakurajima. How did things end up like this? Her dazed expression was reminiscent of soone entirely spent.
"Uh, it wasn't …" Tohru fidgeted with her fingers, her voice awkward.
"I… might've added so of my tail at to the food earlier, and, uh… she happened to eat it. So, this happened…"
"…"
Both Rei Ao and Mai understood instantly.
The situation was clear.
Rei Ao couldn't help but recall the sight he'd just witnessed—still vivid in his mind.
He admitted, it was… enticing.
Even though Mrs. Sakurajima didn't have a "tiger's allure," the subtle curves and the faint flush of her skin were undeniably captivating.
"Mom…"
Mai ignored the indecent mories of Rei Ao and focused on her mother, biting her lip as she tried to get her attention.
"…"
Mrs. Sakurajima gradually ca back to her senses.
When she saw the two of them, her previous haughty deanor was nowhere to be found.
Instead, sha overwheld her as she wished for the ground to swallow her whole.
She had done that near her daughter, and it was witnessed. How could she face them now?
After a long silence, she stood, intending to leave imdiately.
But then she noticed her skirt was damp, along with the chair beneath her.
Seeing Mai's peculiar gaze, Mrs. Sakurajima wanted to vanish.
The words of farewell she had planned to say were swallowed by her sha.
Rei Ao broke the awkward silence, pointing toward the bathroom.
"Mrs. Sakurajima, you can take a shower first.
"As for what just happened, it's connected to Tohru's cooking. I apologize on her behalf.
"If you'd like, I can explain everything to you later."
"…Alright."
This ti, Mrs. Sakurajima couldn't muster her usual stern attitude.
Her disgrace had been laid bare before them.
She walked toward the bathroom, her movents stiff and awkward.
Mai turned to glare at Tohru.
"I told you not to use your tail at for cooking!"
Tohru raised her chin defiantly, crossing her arms. "I only listen to Rei Ao, hmph."
"…"
Mai was at a loss for words.
If not for how obedient Tohru was around Rei Ao, she might've forgotten that this was a mighty dragon standing before her.
"Tohru, since this is your doing, clean up the ss," Rei Ao instructed, pointing to the disheveled chair and floor.
"Got it!"
Tohru imdiately cast a spell, cleaning up the stains in an instant.
Mai approached Rei Ao, staring into his eyes.
"What exactly did you see just now?"
"Everything you saw, I saw too. I'm not blind," Rei Ao replied with a shrug.
Mai frowned but couldn't argue.
However, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling in her heart.
The thought of her mother being seen in such a state was mortifying.
"Ugh…"
Sighing heavily, Mai slumped onto the sofa, resigning herself to the situation.
But seeing the faintly amused look on Rei Ao's face, she couldn't hold back her irritation.
"Hey, you're not seriously thinking anything weird, are you?"
She was genuinely worried about his tendency to accept anyone attractive.
If things escalated, how could she and her mother coexist?
The very idea gave her goosebumps.
"I just have one question," Rei Ao said, tilting his head curiously.
"Are you sure you're really her daughter?"
Mai frowned.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Well, you know I've t a lot of won. Your mom… doesn't look like soone who's had a kid."
Rei Ao pointed to his eyes, hinting at his ability to discern such things.
"…"
Mai felt like her brain had short-circuited.
What the hell are we doing here?
Critiquing whether her mom looked youthful or not?
"Stop saying weird things! And no funny ideas!"
She shot him a warning glare before puffing her cheeks and plopping onto the sofa.
anwhile, Rei Ao rubbed his chin thoughtfully, casting a glance toward the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom, Mrs. Sakurajima stood under the cool stream of water, finally calming her overheated body.
Staring at her hands, she found herself feeling foreign to her own body.
"How could I do sothing like that…?"
She thought of the humiliating scene Rei Ao and Mai had witnessed, and sha overtook her.
"Ah…"
She let out a long, weary sigh.
She felt she no longer had the right to separate them.
And besides… they'd already gone that far.
Even if Mai were to beco a star, this relationship could easily drag her down.
As a manager, she'd seen countless female stars whose careers were ruined by similar scandals, many of whom barely escaped with their lives.
Though she wanted her daughter to succeed as a star, she wasn't willing to risk her life over it.
Her thoughts wandered as she glanced at her fingers, her face flushing red.
Why was I fantasizing about Rei Ao earlier…?
She cursed herself. How shaless!
~~~
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