An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

"Why are you making such a strong noise? It's not like you're trying to lift a rock."

Miss Yue's fingers were trembling, her expression was very serious, and her whole body exuded the determination to not let a single eggshell fall to the ground.

She'd always used the Space Cut skill when beating eggs at home, and now she regretted her usual cheating. She didn't change even after being corrected by Xia. She really deserved it...

Of course, this look of hers only made Hajime think it was adorable, and her smile was very warm.

“…Hmm…shaking…”

The onsen egg finally fell into the paper cup. Yue lowered her head and examined it carefully. Then, her eyebrows suddenly raised, and she looked at Hajime. She seemed to judge that she had peeled it well and then began to peel Hajime's portion as well.

So, Yue challenged himself to peel the onsen egg once again. His attitude was even more cautious than before, and he began to tremble.

Of course, Hajime's face beamed even more.

"...Yeah, you peeled it very well."

"Thank you for providing such a beautiful scene."

Hajime and Yue, feeling a sense of accomplishment, exchanged a quiet smile and handed her a small spoon. Finally, it was time to eat.

"...So smooth and tender. So rich in flavor."

"Yeah. Considering the price, the ingredients used seem to be exceptionally good."

The portions weren't large, so they finished them in no time, throwing the paper cups and other items into the trash. Seeing Yue's satisfied look, Hajime also wore a satisfied expression, but at the same time, he noticed—

Seeing that Shi suddenly laughed, Yue tilted her head in confusion.

"There's still egg yolk on your lips."

“…How embarrassing.”

Yue blushed and was about to wipe the egg yolk from her lips. However, before she could do that, Hajime's index finger reached out and gently stroked Yue's lips.

"Hmm..." Yue made a somewhat charming sound for some reason, and then suddenly had an idea and put her mouth close to Shi's finger into her mouth.

The feeling of a warm, soft tongue flickering across his fingertips made Hajime's expression awkward. Then, Yue intensified her sucking, making a slurping sound. Hajime quickly withdrew his fingers.

“…Well, I’m still savoring the delicious food.”

"It also depends on choosing the right time and place. I don't want my wife to become a public molester in a public place on New Year's Eve."

Yue looked around in confusion. Then, everyone around him simultaneously averted their gazes. Not only the shop assistant, but even a family of tourists and a couple who happened to be passing by couldn't help but stop and stare.

It seems that even the "Charming Killer" cannot completely suppress the sexy charm of the adult version of the vampire princess.

In addition, the wife of the family tourist group covered her child's eyes with her hands and stared at her husband with her pupils constricted.

"……sorry."

No matter what, Yue had no choice but to agree with Hajime and sincerely apologized to his wife. His wife smiled bitterly and bowed, her polite expression as if to say, "It's okay, love is a good thing."

Yue felt a little ashamed, so she took Hajime's hand and quickly left the stall.

"...It's been so long since we've been on a date alone. I guess I got a little too excited."

The two continued to hold hands in their pockets. Yue looked a little shy and looked at Hajime with an apologetic look.

"Same here. I'm actually pretty excited too."

Hajime told her not to take it to heart and looked ahead at the bridge in the distance.

"Let's take a leisurely stroll over to that bridge. They seem to be launching New Year's fireworks by the river soon. They should be visible clearly from that bridge."

"...Hmm! Ah, but, on New Year's Eve, it's still—"

"You want the whole family to be together, right? I know."

If he canceled even the New Year's Eve, Shia and the others would definitely be angry. Besides, Hajime also wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve with his family.

"Then I can only take you everywhere until the countdown."

"...I'd love to follow you around♪"

The peerless beauty smiled intoxicatedly, and Hajime's smile was also very relaxed.

The two snuggled closer, enjoying their brief moment alone together.

Then they wandered around casually along the way.

Feed each other local specialties, take photos at photogenic spots, and relax in the foot baths...

While soaking her feet, Yue noticed Hajime staring at her while taking off her pantyhose, and she smiled and gave him a wink. That look was just too alluring, and perhaps because of that—

The "Charm Killer" finally cracked under the strain, and the people around him began to notice Yue's presence.

However, our "Charm Killer" remained resilient. While its lenses lacked anti-fog properties, they did have self-repair capabilities. It repaired itself and began functioning again, barely managing to once again seal Yue's alluring charm.

After this little incident, it is now less than thirty minutes until New Year's Eve.

The two of them arrived at a wooden bridge that looked quite historic and romantic. Yue nestled in Hajime's arms, her back pressed against his.

There were many other tourists around to see the fireworks, but since they were still visible from the hotels, the boulevard, and the riverbank, the crowds were dispersed, so the bridge wasn't as crowded as expected.

"...Shouldn't a barrier be necessary in this case?"

"Yeah. With so many people here, it's hard not to feel guilty."

The two had already agreed on a meeting place with Shia and the others. To help everyone secure a spot, Yue had deployed a barrier that interfered with perception. The interference was subtle, merely causing a vague sense of repulsion and a reluctance to approach. However, it seemed the barrier was no longer necessary. If the crowds got too crowded, the two planned to move to another location, but this seemed to be a safe bet.

Now their hands were clasped in Yue's pockets. They smiled at each other, their hands clasped repeatedly in their pockets.

"What do you think of life here?"

Hajime asked this in a calm tone. It was completely different from the attitude he had shown earlier when he had worried about Yue and the others not being able to survive here and had asked what Yue called a "silly question."

That was an attitude of simply wanting to know what Yue felt.

Therefore, Yue responded to him with an equally peaceful expression and tone.

"...As long as you're here, it's the best, the greatest. Is there any need to say more?"

"Uh, no, well, I'm glad you said that, but that's not what I meant..."

"...Haha, I'm just kidding. I know. There are still some things I don't understand and am confused about, but... nonetheless, this is a very personal experience."

"Feelings?"

"...Yes. I feel it firsthand. This truly is my place, my home."

Yue had only lived in the Nanyun family for three months. But even after just three months, she seemed to have such feelings.

For Hajime, nothing could make him happier than hearing these words. A very happy smile appeared on his face, and he hugged Yue tighter from behind. Yue also leaned closer to him.

"I'm so glad you said that. If there's anything that's stressing you out, please tell me. I'd change the world if I had to."

"...If we want to change the world, we need two of us to do it together."

The topic of the God-Slaying Demon King and the Vampire Princess is a bit scary. After all, they've already had a history, so it can't be treated as a joke. I can only pray that this world won't put these two under any pressure again.

A calm and leisurely silence lasted for a long time between the two of them.

There were no stars overhead, but instead, a steady stream of snow, a perfect embellishment to the darkness of the night. The gurgling sound of the river and the fresh air brought peace of mind.

The noise around them could not disturb them. They were completely immersed in their own world.

If a professional photographer or painter were present, they would have desperately tried to capture this moment between them, preserving it forever. In a sense, the world between them now was complete and whole. It was solemn and peaceful, sweet and warm. That was the world.

At this moment──

"Ms. Yue~! Mr. Hajime~!"

"Daddy~! Yue-nee~!"

Suddenly, a dramatic, overblown voice called out. It was a familiar voice, the tone like a police officer hunting down a certain Phantom Thief III. The two of them smiled naturally.

"It seems the time has come."

“…Hmm♪”

Shia and Myuu were running briskly down the path leading to the bridge. Behind them, Chou, Sumire, Tio, and the others were also leisurely approaching.

“…Hajime, look at Liliana’s expression. She’s so peaceful. It seems the hot springs have finally freed her from the imprisonment of work.”

"Really? He looks like he's about to ascend to heaven."

Seeing Liliana approaching with a cheerful expression, the two of them rejoiced from the bottom of their hearts. At this moment, Shia and Myuu arrived before them.

"I found you, Kaito Dad! Just surrender!"

Myuu bent down and said this, her left hand on her waist and her right hand pointing at her father. Hajime smiled at his daughter's dramatic performance and asked with his head tilted:

"You said I was a Phantom Thief Dad? What did I steal?"

Then, Shia spoke up. Like Myuu, she pointed at Hajime and accused him:

"Kaito Demon King, you stole something truly extraordinary. That is—my Lady Yue!"

"Yue, when did you become Shia's?"

"It started around 120 million years ago, right?"

"Thank you for taking the choke so well."

It seems that Yue and others have successfully integrated into the Nanyun family's otaku culture.

Anyway—

"You actually said I stole Yue. That's really slanderous. Don't you think Yue sneaked out with me on her own?"

Hajime said this in a silly way, deliberately looking aggrieved and wronged. At the same time, he felt Yue in his arms laugh softly.

However, what Xia said after being stunned for a moment actually made the two of them shudder.

"Eh? Mr. Hajime, didn't you just hide your voice, cast a cognitive barrier, and then jump out of the window holding Miss Yue?"

"...How do you even know the details?"

“Because I saw it all the way through.”

In other words, Shia noticed Hajime's completely concealed voice at that time, and was not affected by cognitive impairment, and was able to see his super-fast movement with the naked eye.

"I was clearly moving as fast as I could."

"It's fast, sure, but still not as fast as a railgun!"

Regardless of whether there is any hidden sound or any effect that hinders cognition, as long as the speed is slower than lightning, this self-proclaimed ordinary bunny-eared beauty can easily see it with the naked eye.

“What the hell… How terrifying…”

“…Hajime, have you forgotten? This girl is a born cheat. You’d better be prepared now. One day, she’ll say something like, ‘I’ve gotten used to the speed of lightning!’ and easily deal with all your actions.”

“What the hell… This is terrifying…”

Yue stroked Shi's head, comforting him in his loss, and kindly reminded him of the future that might be in the future.

Hearing her say this, Hajime imagined an even more incredible future. In the future, this cheat rabbit would not only be able to dodge railguns, but might even be able to catch them with its bare hands. Slowly opening its palm, the caught bullet would clang down. Then, with a defiant smile on its face, it would ask, "Did you just do something?"

"Mr. Hajime, are you imagining something strange?"

"Let's not talk about that for now! It's really unfair that only the two of you are together, Dad!"

Hajime quickly came to his senses. Miu Fei rushed over and Hajime quickly caught her, letting her sit on his arm.

"I'm so sorry for monopolizing Daddy." Yue stroked Myuu's cheek and said this to her, with a loving smile on her face.

Just at this moment, Sumire, Tio and others also arrived.

"Husband, look! Our filthy son is here. He secretly kidnapped Yue and what did he do? Hey, son, tell me. What did he do? Tell me!"

“Hajime, this is too much! Who’s more important, a father or a wife!?”

Hajime turned to look at Yue, his eyes saying, "I told you, it's so troublesome if they see me." Yue could only smile wryly. Caught between her in-laws and her husband, she couldn't say a word, feeling like she was in a difficult position.

"Master, Japan's hot springs are truly wonderful. I wish I could have one in my home as well."

"In that case, how about building one in the basement?"

"No, Master. An open-air bath is better."

"That's... indeed."

It's really difficult to build an open-air bath in a residential area. While there are many ways to hide it, hot springs are not just about their benefits; their appeal is also diminished without the atmosphere of bathing.

On the other hand, Yue observed Liliana for a while and couldn't help but whisper to Remia.

"...Remia. Is Lily really alright?"