"Yue, why? Why are you doing this?! What is your grudge against her?!"

“… Hajime has been acting a bit strange lately. He needs some discipline—ahem, some education.”

Hajime's recent romantic tendencies have been exceeding expectations, and while it's possible this is due to a bottleneck in his forging skills, if we don't pull him back now, he might actually go to "that side (the chuuni world)" and never return. Feeling sad or angry over the maid dolls, and fiercely protesting, at this point, it's already considered the end of his life.

Being told "you are weird" by an important girl in front of him was a huge blow to Hajime. When his mind gradually returned to normal, he saw Yue picking up a piece of women's clothing from the many clothes in the room, turning around gorgeously, then looking at Hajime, licking her lips, and a sexy breath suddenly burst out.

"...I'll make your body understand that a living maid is better than that, Master."

"..."

Shi said nothing, a cold sweat running down his cheek.

After that, needless to say, a cry of "Ah────!!" echoed from the bottom of the abyss. And just like that, with his lover's attentive care, Hajime safely returned from the abyss of chuunibyou, which is also self-evident.

◆Dream of the Abyss Night

In a huge space as solemn as a temple, two beings confront each other.

One of them was wearing a shining silver robe, with long flowing silver hair, and holding a silver sword in his hand; the other was wearing black clothes, wearing an eye mask, with strange hands on his body, and holding a revolver in his hand.

"I'm so glad you found this place. I want to praise you, the Mad King of Destruction of Red Lotus and White Fang. No, it would be better to call you Pojun Qihuo."

"Hmph, call me whatever you want. It's just a name given to me by someone of no importance. However, I will bring you a disaster worthy of your name. Today will be your end. The God of Creation, no, the Dark Demon God of Creation and Chaos!"

──What a shameful name! Please stop shouting...

The man in black took off his blindfold, his eyes shining like the sky, and shouted loudly: "Awaken, my left hand of steel and magic!"

At the same time, silver wings spread out from the silver man's back, shining with silver light, and the silver sword also flashed with silver light. He shouted loudly: "Very good, madman who rebels against God, watch me engrave infinite pain into your soul!"

──These two guys are too sick.

In the ensuing battle, the black-clad man shouted, "Red Flash, obey my command, devour the enemy—'Red Lotus's Crying Resonance'!" The silver-clad man responded with a cry, "Hmph, naive! Destroy everything—'The Principle of Eternity and Infinity'!" The two exchanged blows, a truly brutal altercation unprecedented in history.

—My spirit has reached its limit. ※Patrachio... (Translator's note: The dog in the fairy tale "The Dog of Flanders" by British author Vida.)

Finally, the silver man's "third transformation" and the black man's "true power" awaken, and each uses their "ultimate move" as their "trump card"...

The battle ended with the victory of the man in black.

Despite being covered in wounds, the man in black still wore a proud smile...

"Hmph, since you let me beat you to my heart's content, I'll tell you my real name, so you can die with peace of mind. My name is Red Flame White Demon—"

—My health has dropped to zero, stop talking aa ...

“Stop talking aa ...

"!? ...Hajime? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

In the bedroom of the Abyss's hidden abode, Hajime threw back his blankets and jumped up, breathing heavily. Yue, who was sleeping beside him, sat up in panic and hugged Hajime tightly to comfort him.

"I, I had a terrible dream... Yue, I have a request."

"……Um?"

"If you see me about to fall into the 'Chuuni World (that side)', use your highest-level magic, whether it's Azure Sky or Sky Scorch, to wake me up."

Seeing Hajime's pleading look, Yue realized that the situation was unusual, so she nodded vigorously in agreement.

“…Well, leave it to me. I won’t let Hajime turn into someone like that ‘cold-blooded monster (that side)’.”

There was a subtle misunderstanding between the two, but neither of them noticed...

Hajime felt relieved and fell asleep again while holding Yue.

As long as Yue was there, Hajime would definitely not fall to "that side"... probably.

◆The Valkyrie descends to the Holy Land

This shop, with its dazzling array of goods, gives off a small impression. Inside, the latest anime songs play at a quiet volume that's not too loud. This shop specializes in subculture goods like games and manga, and is a well-known establishment with branches across Japan.

Of course, the shop is filled with people who call themselves "gentlemen" or "warriors," like believers gathering at a holy place. Some come with friends, and they chat earnestly with each other, making this a space full of enthusiasm and vitality.

However, even in a store like this, there is still a quiet place. It is a special area in the back of the store, separated by a huge curtain. The sign on the curtain reads "18+". Yes, it is the adult area.

In a space like that, even the most battle-hardened warriors would unconsciously become silent and aware of the gazes of those around them. Even the anime songs played seemed to be restrained and sounded exceptionally low. It was such a quiet place.

The unique atmosphere was suddenly broken.

"Hey, hey, Kaori, where do you want to go in?!"

"Uh... B-but, Shizuku-chan..."

A girl's voice echoed around them. The soldiers were startled by the gentle sound, "like the sound of a bell," and peeked from behind the bookshelf. At the edge of the curtain, they could see slender, white fingers, clearly belonging to a girl.

They thought to themselves, "Is she planning to come in? Damn! Our escape route is cut off!", but there was only one entrance, so there was nothing they could do.

"No buts. Since the regular edition is sold out, you can just give up."

"But... that's a game released by Nagumo-san's father's company, right? Maybe Nagumo-san is also playing... the H-H version."

"I-I'm telling you, you came here to buy the game just to have something to talk about with Nagumo-san, right? Are you planning on chatting with Nagumo-san about H-games in the classroom? I can imagine Nagumo-san getting scared when asked about that topic. That would be even more pathetic."

Today, Kaori went to buy a game from the game company run by her father, Nagumo Hajime, hoping to find something to talk about with her class crush. However, because it was a bestseller, the regular edition was sold out at every store, leaving only the "18+ edition," which had just been delivered yesterday. While her age meant she couldn't buy it, Kaori, a fearless young woman in many ways, was about to enter the 18+ realm.

"Mmm, even so... don't stop me, Shizuku-chan! Even women have times when they have to do something even if they know it's wrong!"

"At least now isn't the time for that! Hey, ah, don't go, wait a minute!"

The soldiers held their breath and focused on the other side of the curtain. The next moment, they saw the girl rushing in. They were so surprised that they couldn't speak. They thought to themselves, "This must be a lie. This is impossible. Such a beautiful girl..."

As Kaori rushed in, she saw a poster of a cute girl in disheveled clothes, and her face flushed. Then, noticing the speechless gazes of the male customers, she lowered her head. Then, realizing Shizuku, also blushing, pulled her hand from behind, Kaori thought to herself, "I, I can't lose!" With this misguided determination, she took a step forward.

Shizuku desperately tried to pull at her hand, but she was completely powerless due to the various objects surrounding her that were stimulating her sense of shame. As a result, she became like a child lost in another world, following Kaori obediently.

"Ah! Shizuku-chan! I found it!"

"W-what? Where are you taking me?!"

Kaori pulled Shizuku, who was on the verge of tears from embarrassment, and picked up the product she was looking for. Upon seeing the box, she couldn't help but let out a cry of "Uwaa!" or "Eeh!" The reason, of course, was the beeping illustrations of the characters on the box.

As Shizuku desperately turned her face away, Kaori squinted her eyes and peeked at the back of the box, then said something shocking:

"Huh? This girl looks a lot like Shizuku-chan..."

"What!? No, don't be silly! I'm not lying on the ground with my butt sticking up like this!"

Shizuku, who had already carefully examined the image, retorted with a blushing face. However, her voice seemed a little too loud, and at that moment, a "Puff!" sound came from behind the shelf, and at the same time, a "Thump!" sounded as if something fell to the ground. "—! Don't die! Damn it, the blood won't stop flowing!" Someone else said, as if she had accidentally imagined something.

"B-And, if that's the case, the girl here also looks like Kaori."

"Hey! I, I won't wear something so shameful and sit astride a boy."

Behind the shelf on the opposite side, a bright red flower seemed to bloom, and "Medic, Medic!" only such a mournful cry was heard.

At this moment, the savior appeared in front of the soldiers who were facing despair.

"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, but we have age-restricted items here. Could you please comply with the regulations?"

That's right, the store manager had arrived. He judged that if things continued like this, his castle would be emptied of the bodies of countless soldiers. He figured if a man in his thirties said a word, they would probably feel embarrassed and leave on their own.

However, the opponent was a formidable foe. Although Shizuku bowed and apologized desperately, almost crying with embarrassment, and tried to take Kaori out, Kaori did something unexpected. Despite blushing, Kaori still handed the porn game to the store manager with both hands...

"I, I want to buy this!"

Even with his cheeks twitching, the store manager was still ready to refuse due to age restrictions...

"I, I bought this for Dad!"

Everyone present was thinking, "How could there be a father like that?" Kaori, perhaps realizing her excuse was far-fetched, continued with excuses like "I'm giving it to my father as a birthday present" and "We need to play together," only to further confuse the situation. Beside her, Shizuku finally overwhelmed with shame and crouched down, covering her face with her hands. Just as Kaori asked, "Isn't it okay?" with a pitiful look in her eyes, the store manager finally reached his limit.

"Excuse me for a moment."

Just as the store manager left these words and disappeared behind the shelf, a bright red fountain spurted out with a "Puff!"

He's also a fan of subculture. "Manager!?" The soldiers' cries echoed.

After that, it goes without saying that the bodies of soldiers and shop assistants continue to be mass-produced, as Kaori still tries to get the game.

Dreaming about family

The aroma of grilled meat and soy sauce wafted through the air. Standing in front of the modern kitchen was a woman in her forties, wearing a chic apron and her shoulder-length black hair tied back.

That woman—Nagumo Sumire—put the food on the plate with expert movements, then raised her gaze to the ceiling and shouted:

"Hana~husband~it's time to feed you."

After a pause, the sound of two people walking down the stairs was heard.

"...Mom, don't talk about feeding."

A young man with dark circles under his eyes and a gentle expression, Nagumo Hajime, walked into the kitchen with a wry smile. He helped serve the dishes, and his eyes lit up when he saw the food.

Someone popped his head out from behind Hajime.

"We're having hamburger steaks today, no wonder they smell so good."

A man with short, upturned hair and a thin figure—he was Shi's father, Nan Yunchou. Like his son, he had slightly dark circles under his eyes.

The father and son sat down at the table, and after the call to eat, they left Sumire behind and began to devour their dinner, stuffing their mouths with hamburger steaks and rice, chewing frantically.

Seeing them eating, Sumire smiled softly and said, "Feeding men is enough after all."

"And then? You two, father and son, are working together to debug the new game. Can you keep up with the schedule?"

“…Hmm, yeah, I managed to make it. That game is really fun.”

"Hmmmm... Of course. It's a new game that the entire company put into it, and it cost a fortune. If it wasn't fun, Dad would quit his job and spend all day playing video games at home to learn how to make them."

"Dad, they're just ordinary NEETs."

Despite his son's sharp criticism, Chou remained unmoved, even insisting, "They're not NEETs, they're otakus. Those who can stay home and earn their own money are the winners in life." His mother agreed with his peculiar stance. As expected of a gaming company representative and a popular shojo manga artist, their perspectives were truly unconventional.

After all, when they learned that for some reason, Hajime had become the object of jealousy, ridicule, and contempt at school, and had been mistreated by almost all the students, they had simply said, "It doesn't matter if you want to choose to transfer schools, fight, or stay home from school. You can also drop out early and come to work in my company. Don't worry, whether you drop out or not, those who end up making a lot of money are the winners in life." This is really not the advice a parent should give (?).

Instead, it was Shi who said, "Life needs insurance and a way out, and education is very important." He persuaded his parents who intentionally or unintentionally wanted Shi to work in his company.

(But thanks to my dad and the others who didn’t take it seriously at all, I was able to face it with ease and accept it. I’m very grateful to them…)

Just as Hajime was thinking this, Shuu and Sumire started talking about things like, "Maybe Hajime has a tendency towards lolicon," "Is it because he likes lolita characters?" These were dangerous topics that went against Hajime's will. Hajime quickly regained consciousness and protested to his parents with his eyes.

"Don't stare. It's true that you love using blonde lolita magicians in this new work, right?"

"What does this have to do with lolicon? Reality and games are different, right?"

"That's true. Hajime also likes girls with animal ears, especially girls with bunny ears. What a playboy son."

Seeing his parents smiling so proudly, Hajime began to feel angry and sullen. His parents would sometimes team up to bully their son like this.

"If Hajime were summoned to another world, he'd definitely chase after lolita-type characters. Please, don't commit crimes, okay? Even in another world, moral values ​​are universal, right? Even games are strict about that these days."

"Let's end this stupid hypothetical topic. No, I should say stop treating me like a lolita."

Hajime sighed deeply, looking annoyed. His father kept apologizing, saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"But any man would surely yearn for a world of swords and sorcery, right? Become an adventurer, have a romantic relationship with a lovely heroine, defeat the devil or god, and become a hero who saves the world."

"That's a story boys would like, and the summoning and reincarnation themes are pretty popular. But I don't want my son to encounter that kind of thing. What if he goes there and can't come back?"

Sumire thought about it seriously, frowning. Perhaps it was a professional hazard, but both she and Sou had overly vivid imaginations. Hajime smiled troubledly at the thought of having such parents.

"I don't look like someone who can save the world."

Hearing his son's weak words, Shuu felt dissatisfied. He thought, "At least in my imagination, I can imagine myself as the strongest." Hajime's smile became even more troubled, but he asserted in a very clear tone:

"The most I can do is definitely go home. If there's someone important with me, I'll come back with her. If it's for the purpose of going home, I think I can do my best."

“…”

Hearing their son's words, Shuu and Sumire exchanged bewildered glances. As if trying to conceal his embarrassment, Hajime said, "Besides, I can't stand a world without games and books," and shrugged.

As for their son, who was trying to hide his embarrassment, Chou and Sumire didn't tease him in any particular way. Instead, they nodded with a very gentle expression and said:

"Yes, your safety is more important than the world itself. And if you can save the world, why not? Well, let's make another work with the protagonist standing in this position..."

"Well, why not? Killing the Demon King and the God on the way home would be fun."

In the end, they talked about their love for creating works. Although he felt speechless about his parents' minds being filled with interests and work, Hajime realized that he was undoubtedly their child, so he took the initiative to brainstorm with his parents.

This is the usual reunion scene and daily life of the Nanyun family.

In the dormitory where moonlight shone through the window, Chou woke up after groaning a few times.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Sumi... I dreamed of Hajime. Shortly before he disappeared, we were joking about what would happen if he went to another world."

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