Chapter 574: Chapter 574: Sleeping Beauty is Awake!
The space beyond the stone door was simultaneously the place where Kurata Yui was sealed and also where she lived.
However, it wasn't some grimy, chain-filled dungeon cell. Instead, it was a bright room, decorated in a cute, pink, girly style—more like a cozy bedroom than a prison.
Lying on a pink bed was a quiet girl with long white hair, her body wrapped tightly in black magic power. She was Kurata Yui, one of the Trinity Seven. The shifting black aura around her was the source of her magic running amok.
Rei Ao didn't rush to calm down the runaway magic. Instead, he glanced at a nearby wall.
"Come out," he said coldly.
A brief moment of silence—
Suddenly, the pink wall rippled like water. Then, a shadowy black shape emerged.
"Grr…!"
The dark figure took the form of a giant dragon, emitting a series of low snarls toward Rei Ao. This was a Dragon-Form Phantom Beast, a mindless magical creature lacking gender or real intelligence. It had been placed here as a guardian to protect the seal on Kurata Yui and prevent any intruders from breaking it.
Despite its lack of intellect, it did have instincts. The immense power radiating from Rei Ao triggered its fear response. It tried to shrink back into hiding, but he'd already discovered it.
"Grr…"
Its draconic head bowed low, pressing against the floor in a gesture of submission.
"Oh? Surrender?" Rei Ao gave it a sidelong glance. "Alright, I'll let you off easy since you seem to know your place. Scram."
With a casual wave, he severed the magical link binding the dragon to Yui's seal, effectively freeing it. Though it couldn't understand words, the Dragon-Form Phantom Beast sensed it had been released.
"Grr…"
It rumbled once, then slipped back into the wall and was gone. No more obstacles remained.
Rei Ao approached the slumbering girl, and for a second he was reminded of the Sleeping Beauty story—where the prince's kiss wakes the princess from her enchanted sleep. But Kurata Yui's situation couldn't be fixed with just a kiss.
He lightly touched a fingertip to her forehead and, with a single thought, suppressed the violent magic raging around her. It immediately receded, flowing swiftly back into her body. As it withdrew, it revealed her petite form dressed only in pink-and-white, cutesy underwear.
"Mmh…~"
Kurata Yui let out a soft moan, her eyelashes fluttering. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Rei Ao's face, very close, wearing a gentle smile.
"Congratulations. You've turned into a boy," he said.
"???"
At those words, she snapped fully awake and bolted upright. Out of reflex, she glanced down at her own body—actually lifting up her underwear to check. And…there was nothing there. She realized she'd been tricked.
That's when she also noticed she was essentially exposed in front of Rei Ao. Mortification washed over her; her entire body flushed a deep, vivid red.
"Eeeeek!!!"
Kurata Yui's first words after waking were a shrill scream.
…
The scream cut right through the stone door.
"???"
Everyone outside exchanged looks.
Fudou Akio's eyes lit up.
"Oh my, Rei Ao must be taking some bold liberties with our sleeping beauty, huh?"
"Huh?"
"That's definitely not okay!"
Asami Lilith, picturing something indecent, immediately whipped out her sniper rifle. She took aim at the door and pulled the trigger in one fluid motion—Bang! A laser blast shot out and blew the stone door apart with a deafening boom. Dust and debris flew everywhere.
Once the door was destroyed, Lilith charged in, shouting:
"Let her go!!!"
"…"
As the dust cleared, Rei Ao stood calmly beside the bed, staring at her. Kurata Yui, in the process of getting dressed, stared blankly back at Lilith.
"Uh…"
Lilith realized that her imagined scenario hadn't happened at all. Clearly, she had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
"What's going on? Let me see!"
Akio and the others rushed in, either curious or covering their eyes.
"…"
Kurata Yui felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. She'd exposed herself again—and this time in front of everyone!
"Eeeeeek!!!"
She let out a second, even louder scream.
A magical veil of darkness now covered the ruined stone door. Kurata Yui, blushing furiously, had kicked everyone out.
Asami Lilith stood there awkwardly, her head hanging. She felt guilty that her rash actions had created such an embarrassing situation for Kurata Yui.
But…
"Hey," Lilith growled at Rei Ao, "what did you do to her? Why'd she scream like that?"
"If it weren't for that scream, I wouldn't have barged in."
Rei Ao shrugged.
"I didn't do anything. I just played a little prank on her."
"A prank?"
"Y'know, gently telling her, 'You turned into a boy,' as she woke up."
"…Huh?"
Everyone else, who had been eavesdropping, couldn't help imagining that scenario themselves.
"Eugh!"
Even aside from Yui, most of them would've freaked out if someone told them that upon waking.
"Rei Ao, you've got a weird sense of humor," said Akio, giving him a thumbs-up. "But I like it."
"What are you talking about?! This guy's awful!" Yamana Mira huffed, crossing her arms. It felt like nothing but chaos since she'd met him.
"Hahaha, oh, you just don't understand." Akio slung an arm around Mira's shoulder, still laughing. "A man with a twisted sense of humor, good looks, and crazy strength is in high demand."
"What twisted humor—he's just a plain creep!" Lilith spat.
Rei Ao merely spread his hands, not denying it. After all, his little prank had let him see something very nice. Kurata Yui was…well, quite cute.
Swish!
The magical veil lifted, revealing Kurata Yui stepping timidly out of the room. Now dressed in a small cocktail dress and black stockings, her outfit only served to highlight her sweet, youthful charm.
"I'm sorry, everyone. I've caused you a lot of trouble," she said with a deep bow.
"Yeah, it was a pretty big hassle."
Kazama Levi, leaning coolly against the stone wall, spoke bluntly. "But at least nobody got hurt in the end. We should be grateful it ended so well."
"Well, we mostly have my darling to thank for that," Kannazuki Arin chimed in. "Without him, we wouldn't have even made it close to you."
Her comment caught Yui's attention. Yui tilted her head curiously and asked Arin, "Your…darling?"
"Mhm." Arin nodded, then took two steps closer to Rei Ao. She hugged him from the front, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Rei Ao is my husband—my darling."
"Eh???"
Yui's mind went blank, and she let out her third scream of the day!
~~~
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