The man’s harassment continued without cease.
“Ouch, our Noah…”
“…”
“Why is your expression so bad? What happened? You look like a fool.”
While stroking his head, it suddenly—
Zzaak!
“QQQ…”
Striking the QQQ.
“Hey.”
“…”
“How long are you going to act like a kid?”
“…”
“You sound like a dog. How long are you going to keep acting cute? How long do you think the world will indulge your cuteness? Huh?”
Or forcing him down on his knees and delivering an unwanted lecture.
“Aunt… I don’t like it… Stop it…”
“Don’t like it? Huh? Because you don’t like it, you want me to stop?”
“Stop…”
“Coward.”
The man spat “Pfft!” and left.
“…”
It was agonizing.
Even though he knew it was just a dream, that it was fake, his chest tightened painfully.
“…”
All that came afterward was a sigh.
How much longer would he be trapped in this dream?
When he bowed his head deeply, he felt a hand tapping his shoulder.
Is it that man again?
“Why again?”
When Noah turned his head, he froze.
“Hey, Miss Noah. Are you watching carefully?”
There stood a blonde woman with tanned skin.
Her well-toned body, a smile bright as the sun, and her perfectly developed bust.
She was utterly enchanting—everything about her was the complete opposite of Noah.
And now, this woman…
“Aunt?”
“Hi, Noah. I’m Aunt’s girlfriend.”
Sticking right by the “uncle,” she smiled.
“Girl…friend…?”
“Yeah. Why, does it seem strange that Aunt has a girlfriend?”
“No…not really…”
In fact, it was only natural. There wasn’t a person who wouldn’t show interest in someone so cool.
That would be stranger, wouldn’t it?
Yeah, it’s natural.
I’m just a high school student after all. To adults, I’m probably just a little kid.
But…
But…
“Sniff…”
“Huh? Noah, what’s wrong?”
“No…congratulations…hehe…”
Why does my chest hurt so much?
“Thank you.”
“Thanks!”
They said those words and shared a deep kiss.
“Sniff…sniff…”
Overwhelmed by an indescribable emotion, Noah began to cry.
After some time…
“Noah.”
“…”
“Noah~”
“…What?”
The man’s face appeared again, smiling softly.
He was afraid.
What kind of words would he use to torment him this time?
What new way would he find to wound him?
Noah curled up tightly and closed his eyes.
The man looked at Noah and said,
“Noah, wake up.”
“Mmm…uhh…”
“…Is it not sinking in yet? Somehow, we need to get the rest of it all…”
What’s happening?
Noah still couldn’t fully grasp the situation.
Before she could even ask…
“Ughhh…”
A strange sensation covered her lips.
It was warm, soft like pudding.
Breathing became almost impossible due to the deep—
“Uuugh!?”
“Uhwa!”
“Aaaaaa…Uncle!?”
A kiss!?
“What…did I just kiss Uncle!?”
Hastily, she brought her hand to her lips.
She could still feel the warmth and the touch.
They had been kissing for quite a while.
Only now did Noah realize.
She had fallen asleep and received a kiss like a princess from a fairy tale.
“Hufff…”
Could it be…unlikely as it may…
“Noah.”
“Hmm?”
“You weirdo…”
“I haven’t heard that in a while. Though…I have nothing to say about it.”
I trusted him, I truly believed in him!
And then, my first kiss was stolen while I was asleep.
Clearly, I should be angry…no, I should report this as sexual assault to the police to feel any relief.
‘Why does it feel regretful?’
If only my lips hadn’t touched his, why does the sensation feel so shallow?
With such thoughts filling her mind, a sense of longing welled up, causing Noah to shake her head quickly.
“Noah.”
“…Weirdo.”
“Noah, Weirdo Aunt.”
“…Pervert violating youth protection laws. Criminal. Thief who kisses people while they’re asleep.”
“…Would it be okay if you weren’t asleep?”
“Of course not!”
Screaming, Noah ran toward Shin Hyun.
“It’s…really…my first kiss!”
“Kiss?”
“My first…first one ever…”
“So it’s still your first since the previous one doesn’t count.”
“What? Surely, you’re not saying that it doesn’t count unless it’s with someone you love?”
Then…this would be the first proper—
“Stop thinking weird things, Nanoah!!”
Why am I having these thoughts, and why does the earlier dream come to mind?
The other woman by Uncle’s side, their passionate kiss.
Was that a nightmare for me?
“…Ugh…stop it!”
Strange thoughts kept coming.
Blushing cheeks during the kiss, mingling breaths, sucking each other’s lips—
“Stop it already!!”
Shaking her head vigorously, an excuse reached her ears.
“Ah, well…technically, that was a medical procedure.”
“Medical procedure?”
“That’s what I’ll explain,” said QQQ.
“QQQ?”
QQQ flew onto Noah’s head and started explaining.
She fell asleep due to a demon attack and was at risk of dying from insufficient breathing during sleep.
So Uncle was forcibly giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?
“…You expect me to believe that?”
“But there’s no real reason for him to lie.”
“Criminals naturally lie!”
“Tch, you’re not buying it.”
Seeing him clicking his tongue, Noah was baffled.
Wondering what to say, it was the man who spoke first.
“Still, Noah, everything I’ve done is for you.”
“…”
“At least believe that much.”
Chill. Sending a glance.
“QQQ…QQQ! That’s right! Mr. Shin Hyun did all this for you, Miss Noah!”
“…Feels like I’m being tricked…”
“Never! We’re hurt. Do you not trust us!?”
“Yeah.”
…Suspicious though there’s no evidence.
Why is QQQ covering so insistently?
The only thing clear is…
“…What exactly is this noise, Uncle?”
A rumbling sound, “Kuuuung-Kuuuung,” could be heard.
“Oh? Yeah. It’s the sound of demons destroying the amusement park.”
The fact that demons were destroying the amusement park, right?
Ah—look, the Ferris wheel is breaking—
—Not that.
“If we stay here, it’s not good, right!? People…!”
“Your teammates are buying time.”
“Then I should go quickly too!”
“Seems so.”
Noah transformed into Iris right there. Not wasting even a second.
“There, Uncle! Do you see that road over there?”
“Hmm…oh, yeah, I see it.”
“Escape through there! This place is about to become a battlefield!”
Noah urged Shin Hyun to leave.
His presence would make fighting inconvenient anyway.
Once she confirmed his nod, Noah took off into the night sky.
Thinking about the kiss still made her cheeks burn.
“Ah…I wish he’d do it again…”
“…No! Focus!”
Right now, defeating that monster is the priority.
—
Watching Noah fly away into the distance, I sighed.
“Thanks, QQQ. That explanation worked.”
“…Don’t think this clears everything.”
“Of course not.”
“So, what do you plan to do now?”
What do I plan to do now? Isn’t that already decided?
“Eliminate that demon.”
“…But you’re a villain, aren’t you?”
“Not all villains are bad.”
“Even harder to understand.”
“Just know that everything I do is for Noah. That’s enough.”
Though QQQ didn’t hide his suspicious gaze, he shook his head, conceding there was nothing he could do.
After all, it was true that I had saved Noah just now.
“…Is there something specific going on?”
“Something like that.”
“…Try to quit the villain business as soon as possible.”
“I wish I could. But…the world won’t let me go.”
Even now, the world is designed such that if I don’t continue as a villain, trouble arises.
The pumpkin’s movements slowed momentarily but then resumed. Blocking its legs to restrict movement and delivering a fatal blow seems impossible with just Stella and Black Heart.
I’ll have to step in a bit.
“…Alright…since there’s no immediate solution…”
“Thanks. Can you keep this a secret from Noah?”
“…For now, I’ll listen to your story.”
That alone is a relief.
At least he isn’t interrogating me immediately.
“Well, I should get going too.”
“I won’t tell you to be careful.”
“Right, you just hide somewhere.”
After dismissing QQQ, I transformed again.
My target: where Athena was battling.
The fight was in full swing.
“Gasp…huff…I’m about to die…”
Stella, panting heavily.
“Sister, please heal me a little more…”
“I can’t! If I keep fighting, my body won’t hold up!”
Black Heart trying to fight despite everything, stopped by Natalia.
“Huff…”
And Iris continuing the battle alone.
The kid seemed stronger thanks to consuming Bag’s essence.
Swift attacks followed by powerful strikes.
Unpredictable movements dodging and counterattacking.
Indeed, Bag’s essence suited Noah perfectly for combat.
But even Iris struggled to deliver a fatal blow to the pumpkin.
It was enormous and kept regenerating.
Ghost dolls flying around healing its wounds.
Despite Stella firing arrows at every opening, it wasn’t enough.
To deliver a fatal blow, we’d need to immobilize it.
“…Huff…I’m back! Girls!”
I could feel everyone’s attention turning to me.
“Kraken!”
“Blue-haired magical girl.”
“Just call me Stella, will you?”
“…Stella, I’ve kept my promise. Iris is over there, and I’m here.”
Stella’s gaze shifted toward me.
Still distrustful, but somewhere in her eyes lay a complex mix of hope.
I willingly chose to respond to that hope.
“Alright, kids, scram. It’s time for the strong ones now.”
I loudly called out to Iris.
“Iris!”
“Wahh…!? Why is that crazy guy here again!?”
“Piteous sight indeed.”
“Hmph! If you know anything, lend a hand already. What good are all those tentacles if you just stand there?”
“Is that so?”
“Huh?”
Then…
“Iris, this is a temporary alliance, just this once.”
—
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