Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

"I know what you'll say, but that's not the kind of answer I'm looking for this time."

Herlica pursed her lips and released Yuuki Yuki's arms from her embrace.

Then, the girl shifted her body slightly, resting her back on the sofa back, and looked up at the ceiling, as if gazing at the starry sky she always looked at.

"It's Christmas Eve, right? In the story, as long as a good child hangs their stocking at the head of their bed, Santa Claus will arrive at midnight in his reindeer-drawn sleigh and hide gifts in the stocking as a reward for a good child's hard work throughout the year."

"That's what my family used to tell me. They would even secretly put my favorite things by my bedside while I was asleep. Thinking back, I was such a good kid back then. But why did I turn out like this?"

"Haha, whatever, anyway, every Christmas Eve they tell me to be a good child. I also think it's great to be a good child, everyone will like you and you'll get gifts."

"Later, I realized that being a good child is not easy, nor is treating the world with kindness. Even though I haven't done anything wrong, all sorts of unpleasant things keep happening to me. Is that why I've become the way I am now?"

"However, even though I am like this, even though there are very few people by my side, every time this happens, I will think of that time that was still pretty good, I will want to be an honest and good child, and I will want a Christmas present that is just for me."

Yuuki Yui listened quietly, watching as the girl beside her, who seemed to be lost in thought, turned her gaze back to her.

"Fate, the only gift I want right now is you."

Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Wicked Liquor-Filled Chocolates

"Fate, the only gift I want is you."

Herika's words, which sounded like a confession—no, a confession—were like a heavy shot fired into Yuuki Yukino's heart, exploding into a pink heart-shaped firework.

Yuuki Yukino couldn't explain exactly what was making her heart flutter, but she just couldn't help it!

Imagine your favorite player sitting next to you, saying such unfair things to you—it would be strange not to be tempted!

However, a chill ran through Yuuki Yuki immediately afterward.

How can I become a gift?

Wrapped in ribbons, curled up in a ball, and stuffed into a gift box...

No, no, no, it must be Baqi who corrupted me!

But the flame that was gradually igniting in Helica's eyes didn't seem fake at all.

This...this person really intends to devour me completely!

"Pfft. Pfft, hahaha!" Helica burst out laughing first, and the laughter grew louder and louder, making Yuuki Yuu even more confused about what she was laughing at.

Helica patted the sofa gently while laughing until tears streamed down her face, at which point she gradually stopped.

"Ha, ahaha, your expression, your expression is so funny, ha, ahahaha, really, why are you so wary of me!"

Helica wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and let out a long sigh: "If it were before, I would definitely have said the same things I just said, and then pounced on you on the sofa, right?"

No, you've already said it; you're just using laughter to cover up your embarrassment!

Helika wanted to get closer to herself, but she was also worried that she would be rejected. After seeing her own bewildered expression, she changed her mind at the last minute. That's exactly what Helika did!

Yuuki Yukari knew the truth, but she didn't intend to expose Helica's somewhat clumsy lie.

"Phew... Forget it, you actually figured it out, didn't you?" Helica exhaled more forcefully, her tone gradually becoming flat.

Yuuki Yui continued to feign ignorance: "What did you figure out?"

"I know everything! Actually, if I insist, Yuan isn't necessarily against doing...doing...ah, ahh! It's that...this...whatever...waaaaaaah!"

Helica wanted to continue to feign calm as before, but without that kind of "pride" as a shield, she simply couldn't bring herself to say those things properly.

But you can understand it intuitively, yes, you can understand it intuitively.

In the past, Helica was right; Yuuki Yuuki would not have refused Helica.

But today is different. Even if Helica insists, Yuuki Yuuki won't actually agree to her request.

It's true that Yuuki Yuki enjoys the atmosphere of being alone with the two of them, and she's also happy to be alone with Helica.

But there's still Inuyama Tomoe in my room! There's a time bomb buried in the room, how could I possibly do something like that without a care in the world?

Yuuki Yukina would worry that Helica would see her and Baki being intimate, and she would also worry that Baki would rush out of the room shouting when Helica and she were being intimate.

If that were to happen, Baqi would probably be rushing out with her gun blade.

Helica's shy screams lasted for a while before she awkwardly changed the subject: "Ah, ah, anyway, that's how it is! Let's not talk about this! Have you... have you eaten yet? Ah... this..."

As soon as Helica finished speaking, she noticed the unfinished sushi boxes and disposable plates on the coffee table and realized that her words were practically meaningless.

But for Yuuki Yuuki, what Helica said and saw served as a wake-up call.

Oh no! We haven't cleaned up the plates that Baqi and I just ate from!

Yuuki Yukino's nerves, which had just relaxed because of Helica's heartfelt confession, tensed up again in an instant.

Before Helica could notice anything amiss—before she could even realize how many plates there were—Yuki Yuuki swiftly grabbed all the plates and boxes on the table and threw them all into the trash can.

"I've already eaten. I'm home alone tonight, so I ordered some sushi. Ah, I forgot to clean up earlier. It's been sitting on the coffee table all this time, it looks so messy. Haha, I would have forgotten to clean up if Helica hadn't mentioned it. I'm a little embarrassed."

"Yes, you're right. I don't mind at all, haha."

Herlica was startled by Yuuki Yuuki's sudden action. Her brain went blank and she chuckled awkwardly. She seemed to want to say something, but after a long pause, she swallowed back the last words that Yuuki Yuuki didn't know what she wanted to say.

Half a day later, Helica changed the subject again.

"Oh, it's chocolate. So you have chocolate at home?"

"Ah, yes, someone gave it to me."

"It looks very high-end."

"Yes, yes."

so awkward!

The atmosphere now is no better than when Herika and Tianyin were having an awkward conversation.

Fortunately, Helica didn't ask who gave it to her, otherwise Yuuki Yuki really wouldn't have been able to continue her story.

If he says it was a gift from Ba Qi, it proves that Ba Qi has already been here. If he doesn't say so, he won't be able to explain the origin of this item.

While it's possible to pin the blame on someone like Sakuragawa Aiko, whom Herricka would likely never interact with, Yuuki Yukino doesn't know if Baqi is eavesdropping by the wall. Even if she isn't, she doesn't really want to attribute Baqi's feelings to someone else.

Helica was trying to change the subject, now it's Yuuki's turn to think of a way to rescue the two of them from this strange atmosphere.

It's easier said than done! After being tormented by Helica like this, Yuuki Yuuki's mind was practically a black hole.

Why is it a black hole? Because in the chaos, no matter what thoughts Yuuki Enishi throws into her mind, all that comes out is nothingness.

Helica thought for a moment, then pointed to the chocolates on the table: "Can I have one?"

How could Yuuki Yuuki refuse such a request?

"Of course, please go ahead."

The moment Yuuki Yukino finished speaking, she regretted it again.

Those are liqueur-filled chocolates!

After being tormented by Baqi for half a day and then terrified by Helica, Yuuki Yuuki belatedly realized the real reason why she had become dizzy earlier.

As expected, thinking becomes sluggish when you have something on your mind. For most of the time after Helica came in, Yuuki Yuen was thinking about Baqi. Yuuki Yuen hadn't thought about it at all until Helica mentioned that she wanted to eat a piece.

The strange look Helica gave him earlier was no joke. If eating a chocolate liqueur caused Helica to lose her sanity, he would really be in trouble!

"Wait a moment!"

Yuuki Yukino tried to stop Helica, but it was too late.

Herika had already stuffed the chocolate into her mouth and started chewing. When she heard Yuuki call her back, she swallowed the chocolate with a gulp before responding to Yuuki.

"what happened?"

"That... is a liqueur-filled chocolate." Yuuki Yui could only tell the truth.

"Mmm, I can taste it. It really does smell like alcohol." Helica nodded several times, licked her lips, and savored the taste of the chocolate. "It's okay, liqueur-filled chocolates won't make you drunk."

I really hope what Helica said is true.

But a few minutes later, Yuuki Yuki's hopes were completely dashed.

"Hehe, Yuuki, hehe." Helica straddled Yuuki's lap with a silly smile, wrapped her arms around Yuuki's neck, and hung all her weight on Yuuki's body.

As if that wasn't enough, Herika's body continued to rub restlessly against Yuuki Yuki's body, like a kitten trying to please someone or an kitten that was itchy somewhere.

Describing Helica as a kitten is perfectly fitting. Just as ordinary people can't fathom a kitten's thoughts, Yuuki Yukino simply can't tell whether Helica is trying to please him and enjoying the time spent close to him, or is simply taking advantage of him in this way.

One thing is certain: Helica won't be leaving anytime soon.

Even though Herika said she was fine and could leave alone, Yuuki Yuuki was still worried about Herika leaving in a daze.

Even if Yuuki Yukino wanted to lend her bed to Helica, there was still a living person in her room.

Otherwise, we can use my sister's room.

"Helika, Helica?"

Yuuki shook Helica's shoulder, causing Helica, who was buried in her chest, to lift her head with a dazed look in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Yuan? You called me? Did you miss me? I miss you too, I miss you so much, I think about you every single day, hehe."

Cute! Super cute! In short, extremely cute!

But that won't do! That's not the point right now!

"Would you like to go and rest for a while?"

Helica tilted her head as if she didn't understand: "Rest? What's rest?"

Yuuki Yukino has never drunk alcohol, but she still has memories of being with someone else in her past.

Either it turned into a pile of mud, or it was just watching a chaotic mess of demons; neither of them were good memories.

It seems we're about to have another negative impression of alcohol.

Yuuki Yui recalled those terrible experiences, yet she had to explain to Helica as if she were explaining a basic concept to a child: "It's just going to bed for a while, resting, and taking a nap, understand?"

"Ah, on the bed, on the bed..." Helica shook her head from side to side, lost in thought.

What's there to think about? A bed is a bed!

Is that liqueur-filled chocolate really that potent? How could it cause such a mental breakdown?

Even if someone has a low alcohol tolerance, it shouldn't be this exaggerated, right?

The problem is either with Helica or with Chocolate!