Netori: I Shall Steal All Of My Enemies' Women For Revenge!

Zenzai glanced at her sister, who was still breathing heavily, her flushed face evidence of her earlier defeat.

She placed a hand on Shiruko's back, rubbing it gently to help her recover. "Let's wait for my sister to catch her breath. When she's ready, we'll introduce ourselves properly," she said, her tone suddenly shifting into something more measured and formal.

Haruto raised a brow, leaning back slightly as his arms rested on the tatami.

"Why the sudden change of tone? Are you two spies or something?"

He chuckled, half-joking as he tried to lighten the mood, but he noticed Zenzai's smile stiffen into something more composed.

"It's not that," Zenzai replied, shaking her head with a soft laugh.

"In our family, introductions are treated as significant events. It's not something we do casually. It's about dignity."

Shiruko groaned, sitting up and straightening her posture begrudgingly. "Not like my oh-so-wise and elegant sister, though. I hate formalities." She adjusted herself into a proper seiza position, resting her hands on her lap.

Zenzai offered her sister a sidelong glance but continued. "Sharing our names isn't just a formality for us. It's revealing something deeply personal—allowing you to see the real us." She smiled softly, her posture perfectly poised.

Haruto blinked, confused by the sudden gravity of the moment. "Wait, wait. Does this mean you're going to stop acting like... this?"

He gestured vaguely between them, referring to their playful and provocative behavior.
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"You know, being perverted and teasing me all the time?"

Both twins burst into laughter, their laughter echoing through the room as they covered their mouths in a show of politeness.

"Of course not!" they said in unison, their eyes twinkling with mischief.

Shiruko—or rather, Ai—shrugged with a smirk, leaning forward slightly. "We'll still be ourselves, don't worry. Just... maybe don't barge into our house unannounced," she teased, her eyes narrowing playfully.

Zenzai nodded, her composure unwavering. "Well then, I'll go first. My name is Mai, the eldest daughter of the Minamoto family." She bowed gracefully, her hands resting on her knees.

"And I'm her twin sister, Ai, the second daughter of the Minamoto family. Though now, I go by Ai Yamada," Shiruko—or Ai—added, mimicking her sister's polite bow before letting out a dramatic sigh.

"Ahhh, sitting like this always makes my legs ache."

"Don't be so ungracious, sister," Mai said, her tone carrying a gentle reprimand as she stifled a laugh.

"You're only going to confuse Haruto more."

Haruto couldn't deny it—he was confused. He'd assumed Ai was the refined, elegant one and Mai the free-spirited tease.

But now, it seemed the reality was the complete opposite.

"Uh, right... I'm Haruto Hayase," he said awkwardly, bowing his head slightly.

Something about their formal demeanor made him tense, almost as if he were in the presence of royalty.

The twins couldn't hold back their laughter, breaking into another fit as they clutched their stomachs.

"Oh, I can't take this!"

Mai gasped, reaching out to grab Haruto's shoulder for support as she tried to catch her breath.

"Why are you acting so stiff all of a sudden?"

"I don't know!" Haruto admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

"Something about the way you two are acting now just makes me... nervous."

"Well, relax already," Ai teased, rolling her eyes.

She leaned back on her hands, letting her casual nature take over once more.

Haruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully, something finally clicking in his mind. "Wait... Minamoto? That name sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."

"Of course you have!" Mai declared proudly, puffing out her chest.

"Minamoto Corporation is our family's company. Most of the ryokan around here belong to us!"

Ai, however, scoffed, shaking her head dismissively. "That's just our father's work," she muttered, crossing her arms.

"We're nothing more than decorative 'good wives' to some rich businessmen." Her tone carried a hint of bitterness as she rolled her eyes.

Mai turned to her sister, her expression incredulous. "What's wrong with being proud of our lineage? It's our family legacy!"

Haruto sat there in stunned silence, his gaze shifting between the two of them as they argued.

'Is it just me, or does everyone I meet come from some ridiculously wealthy family?'

He sighed heavily, slumping slightly in his seat as a sense of defeat washed over him.

'Arataki, Erika, Asuka, and now these twins too? Am I the only one who's just a normal guy from a no-name family?'

Letting out a low groan, he rubbed his temples.

'Wait, this isn't the time to be complaining. I can use this chance to ask Ai about her family.'

Haruto cleared his throat, straightening his posture as he shifted his focus.

"By the way, I heard Akane has two brothers. Are you close to both of them?" Haruto asked casually, though there was a subtle edge of curiosity in his tone.

The twins paused their banter, their attention snapping to him. Ai tilted her head, a sly smile creeping onto her lips.

"Why are you suddenly asking about them? Are you planning to ask for Akane's hand and want to get their approval first?" she teased, her tone dripping with mischief.

"Of course not! It's way too soon for that," Haruto protested, his ears burning red as he waved his hand defensively.

"Besides, Akane is still in middle school! I was just curious because your second brother happens to be my high school friend."

The words felt heavy on his tongue as he forced them out, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard.

Daiki as his friend? He would rather die.

Ai's expression shifted into one of exasperation as she let out a long sigh. "Ah, that enigmatic boy…" she muttered, shaking her head.

"Honestly, he's a pain in the ass."

"Sister! Language!" Mai exclaimed, lightly smacking Ai's arm in admonishment.

"What? I'm just telling the truth," Ai replied unapologetically, crossing her arms.

"He's always causing trouble—constantly stirring up problems and creating chaos that makes me roll my eyes."

"He even stole one of my jewelry pieces once. And he's got absolutely no respect for his father or his grandparents." She sighed again, this time with a deeper frustration, her gaze turning distant.

"And yet, that damned old woman blames me for his antics.She should blame his dead mother instead."

Her tone was sharp as she huffed angrily, clearly still bitter about the subject.

Haruto had expected a candid response, but Ai's bluntness caught him off guard.

No matter how much time he spent around her, he still struggled to adjust to her unpredictable nature.

Mai, on the other hand, simply shook her head and offered Haruto a reassuring smile. "Don't mind her. That's just how she is."

"But honestly…" Mai continued, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "I think he might actually be trying to get your attention, sister."

Ai frowned, sitting up straighter. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's the way he looks at you," Mai said, her voice growing softer as she tried to find the right words.

"It's not the way a son usually looks at his mother. There's something… off about it. His eyes are filled with resentment, but there's also this strange longing." She scrunched her nose, her expression puzzled.

"Longing?" Haruto murmured under his breath, his brow furrowing as he processed her words.

His gaze drifted to Ai, taking in her features.

Her long white hair reminded him of Haruka in some ways.

There was an aloofness in Ai's demeanor that mirrored Haruka's around others. While Haruka had been sweet and clingy with him, she was sharp-tongued and distant toward most people.

It wasn't hard to see how Ai's personality might evoke similar feelings in someone else.

'Don't tell me… he likes Ai?' Haruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully, the idea forming in his mind. 'Something might happen in my first life that I still didn't know.'

'Well, it's possible. I'll need to observe their interactions to be sure.'

"Hah! Stop saying nonsense, sister!" Ai suddenly exclaimed, her defensive tone snapping Haruto out of his thoughts.

"There's no way that brat likes me. That's not how a man behaves toward a woman he likes."

"Eh? But you know some men like to tease or even bully the women they're attracted to," Mai countered, her tone light and teasing.

Ai visibly shuddered, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "No way! That brat scares me sometimes, so don't even try to put weird ideas in my head!"

Mai smirked, her teasing intensifying. "Hoho, why are you so flustered? Isn't the whole 'stepmother and stepson' trope popular in certain stories?"

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Ai exclaimed, slapping Mai's thigh in annoyance.

"Ladies, please," Haruto interjected, stepping in between them with a placating smile. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Who cares if he likes you or not, Ai? The important thing is whether or not he crosses any lines, right?"

Ai sighed, her shoulders relaxing under Haruto's touch. "You're right, Azuki," she admitted, her tone softer.

"He might give me strange stares sometimes, but that's about it. Nothing worth worrying over." She shrugged before lying down, resting her head comfortably on Haruto's lap.

The three of them continued chatting for a while, their conversation gradually shifting to lighter topics. The tension eased, replaced by a comfortable camaraderie.

Eventually, both women drifted off to sleep, their breaths soft and even in the quiet room.

Haruto remained awake, staring at the system notification that flickered in front of him, his thoughts deep and focused as he looked at the update.

Smiling as he was finally at level 40 and got an interesting feature and new skill!

[Congratulations!]

[You have successfully completed the quest: Mysterious Twin.]

[Rewards are now available in your mailbox.]

[Host Status Update.]

[Level 39 -> Level 40]

[New feature opened: Target Attribute Substitution.]

[New Skill Acquired: Mask Of Doppelganger.]