Chapter 465: The Seven Brides and Levelling Up  

Reflet

Editor: ryunakama

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Nighttime in the park, Taiyou and Hera were alone together.

Taiyou was riding on one of those seesaws you could find anywhere. His weight pressing down on one side, it lowered onto the tire in the ground with a thump.

He got off the seesaw and walked to the other side, getting on again. His weight pressing down on that side, it lowered onto the tire in the ground with a thump.

Then he hopped off and got back on the first side. His weight pressing down on that side, it lowered onto the tire in the ground with a thump.

He got up on one side, and got off.

He got up on the other side, and got off.

A meaningless action, also known as a task of repetition.

As Hera tagged along watching, Taiyou was levelling up.

“It’s almost been a year since we first met, huh?”

“Yes indeed.”

“Man, I was really surprised to suddenly see a fairy like the kind you find in one of those phone games from way back appear out of nowhere. I totally thought I was going mad.”

“You also doubted my existence, I remember.”

“Well duh, I think it’d be an issue if I just started believing in fairies out of nowhere.”

Taiyou made small talk with Hera as he got on and off.

“When did you start believing in my existence?”

“Let’s see…”

Taiyou recalled that time.

“Yeah, I think it was in this exact park. You came to let me know I levelled up, and even when the policeman was there he still didn’t see you, so I began to realize ‘ahh she’s the real deal’.”

“I see, indeed.”

“But wow, one year, huh?”

Taiyou murmured wistfully as he got off and on.

A lot had happened.

That was the main thing Taiyou thought right now.

Suddenly, a light illuminated him.

The source was from a flashlight near the park entrance.

Please don’t tell me it’s that policeman again…Taiyou thought, but then he heard:

“””There he is! Taiyou-san was over here, everyone!”””

“Ye didn’t show up to the house, so we looked around for ye, ja.”

“Nene, Kohaku-san…everyone.”

It wasn’t the policeman who had appeared, but his brides.

Nene.

Kohaku.

Aoba.

Youran.

Akiha.

Ruri.

Sakura.

The seven brides made their way into the park one by one.

As Taiyou continued getting on and off, he asked a question, puzzled.

“What’s the matter? Didn’t you all have things to do today?”

As Taiyou said, today was supposed to be a busy day.

Lately, the brides had been swamped with work.

The three sisters were taking on an increasing amount of juniors and other students wanting to be their apprentices in addition to taking part in another competition, causing them to be busy.

Kohaku had taken on the position of the Permanent Lady Association, so she was busy.

Aoba had been helping out her family and said she was studying for her future, so she was busy.

Youran and Sakura were getting along quite well, quarreling on the surface but cooperating in Juunishima-related work.

Ruri and Akiha were fighting in numerous battles here and there.

Everyone had their own business to attend to. Today just so happened to be a break in all of their schedules, so they had set it aside to be out of the house.

“Yeah, that’s how it was for a bit, but then I hear that no one’s here today and that you were all alone, Master.”

“So…we came back.”

“Seems like we all had the same idea, jana.”

Apparently everyone had cancelled their plans and coincidentally returned at the same time.

“Everyone…”

Taiyou’s chest felt warm. He wanted to just embrace all of them right now.

“Nene, could you bring some things over here? Let us all watch Danna-sama level up.”

“””Okay! We will have everything ready soon.”””

“All right, we’re going to have you bring a blue sheet this way.”

“And put it…right here.”

“That’s amazing, Master! You just swept the grass clean in one draw of your sword!”

As his brides began clamoring excitedly, Taiyou found himself taking in the sight.

They weren’t going to impede his progress, instead they were waiting until he was done.

Taiyou could tell that was what they were implying.

And so the seven brides were hanging around, having fun together.

Taiyou could feel his heart fill up with satisfaction.

“It’s totally different from that time, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Taiyou-chan, are you happy?”

“I sure am.”

He answered Hera immediately.

“That’s great. If you’re happy, then I’m happy as well, indeed!”

“Gotcha.”

Hera beamed at him.

Taiyou had at one point held feelings for her. Even now, they hadn’t entirely gone away.

“I’ll be with you until death, so I want you to always be happy, Taiyou-chan.”

“Right. In that case, it looks like I gotta keep smiling.”

“I’m sure everything will be alright as long as everyone’s here.”

“…And I have you here too.”

“Indeed, of course!”

“Is it really of course?”

That was the phrase the seven brides had cultivated amongst themselves, a casual way of reassuring someone.

And Hera completely ignored that.

She ignored it so well that he almost felt like grimacing.

But it didn’t feel bad.

What Hera kept saying about being with him until death…

That was definitely the truth, the truth and nothing but.

Surely he would approach that time together with Hera.

He just had that feeling.

And the seven brides.

“Shingetsu-sama, the list in question is now complete. Please look it over.”

“I already saw it, so show it to everyone else.”

“This is…’A List of Ladies’?”

“””Oh, it’s a list of girls for Taiyou-san to make love with.”””

“This many? How fantastic.”

The seven brides all got along well. Sometimes they got along a little too well and would team up to ask the impossible of him, but even that was enjoyable.

Because they were all happy when they did that, Taiyou, too, was happy.

“I…might just be able to always have a smile on my face.”

“That is only to be expected!”

“Right you are.”

With confidence in his heart, Taiyou continued to climb up and down the seesaw.

Until at last…

“Te re re te te teee! ? Taiyou-chan has levelled up!”

Hera swerved around and around in the air in a dance.