Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

"Thoughts…"

Shichen gave Natsumi a weird look. "You're serious?"

So the transformation really changed her personality too? He understood exactly what she was doing—she was blatantly teasing him now. That bold? Really?

"Of course I'm serious." Natsumi swayed closer, pressing against him. "Don't overthink it. Just tell me—do you want to, or not? This is perfect timing. Everyone's asleep."

"If you're asking whether I want to… yeah, obviously." Shichen slid an arm around her waist and pulled her in. "But you're coming on so suddenly I can't help wondering if you shrank everyone on purpose."

"Nope. This was just… a spur-of-the-moment idea." Natsumi looped her arms around his neck, her warm breath brushing his cheek.

"A spur-of-the-moment idea? Then why drag Yoshino into it too?" Shichen pinched her cheek with a grin.

Natsumi mumbled something evasive. Yoshino's puppet immediately chimed in, "Oh my—Yoshino, Natsumi's talking about you."

"I-It's not like that!" Yoshino blurted, flustered.

Natsumi smiled knowingly. "Looks like she's basically admitted it."

"Don't put words in her mouth," Shichen said, squeezing Natsumi's cheek a little harder.

Natsumi's teasing made Shichen hesitate. He adored Yoshino, and that protectiveness made him cautious. But… it was a rare situation, and more importantly—Yoshino herself did seem to have feelings she was too shy to voice.

Shichen let go of Natsumi and walked over to Yoshino. He gently cupped her face.

"Yoshino," he asked softly, "what do you want to do?"

"M-Me?" Yoshino looked up, confused.

"I've… been convinced," Shichen admitted honestly. "And I'm thinking of taking your feelings seriously. So I need your answer."

Yoshino froze, cheeks blazing.

"Tell me clearly," Shichen continued, calm but firm. "If you don't want this, say so. If you don't refuse… I'll take that as consent."

Yoshino's eyes widened—he was basically cornering her shyness. And somehow, that "no escape" confidence made her heart race.

"…Then… I… agree," Yoshino whispered, nodding.

Shichen's expression softened. "Okay."

He bent down, lifted her carefully, and started toward his room.

"W-Wait for me!" Natsumi hurried after them.

"Natsumi?" Yoshino peeked over Shichen's shoulder, confused.

Natsumi flashed a mischievous smile. "Hey, I want this too."

Yoshino hesitated. "B-But…"

"It's fine," Natsumi said breezily. "Don't be scared. I'll be with you."

"…That's not what I meant…" Yoshino murmured.

Natsumi leaned closer and whispered, "You might not realize it yet, but I'm helping you. Shichen's… a lot. Do you really think you can handle him alone, especially your first time?"

Yoshino's face went red. She couldn't even argue—she'd heard enough about how intense things could get.

Shichen finally cut in, exasperated. "Natsumi, what are you even telling her?"

"Come on, Shichen. At this point, drop the gentleman act," Natsumi said, rolling her eyes.

Shichen didn't reply. He simply carried Yoshino into his room, shut the door, and set a privacy barrier.

He was being cautious for one reason: if the transformation suddenly broke mid-way, he didn't want anyone waking up or panicking. He also didn't trust himself to stop on a dime.

Natsumi climbed onto the bed, still teasing. "Yoshino, you're an adult right now—try to be a little braver."

Yoshino, flushed, asked in a tiny voice, "B-Braver… how?"

Natsumi pointed out Yoshino's uncomfortable outfit and suggested she get comfortable.

Yoshino hesitated—then looked to Shichen. When their eyes met, her chest tightened… but there was also excitement. She gathered her courage and changed into something more comfortable.

Natsumi followed suit, acting casual—though she was clearly nervous too.

Shichen stepped closer, voice gentle. "From here… leave it to me."

Yoshino nodded quickly. "O-Okay."

"And… be gentle," Natsumi added in a smaller voice than before.

Shichen smiled. "I will."

The room had a karaoke setup—so the three of them could "sing" together without anyone outside hearing.

At first, Natsumi was visibly embarrassed, but she gradually loosened up—until she was fully caught up in the moment. And when it was finally her turn to "sing," she stared with a fierce, shameless determination, like she meant to remember every detail.

Karma, truly, has perfect timing

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— This Fanfic is Completed in Patreon!