I have a small, elite force. I haven't had nearly enough time to make myself into an invulnerable Level 99 protagonist. I'm not a proper Isekai hero, I'm just a lolicon gentleman. There is just one-way forwards.

Kiku still looks bewildered as I flap her arm and down.

I let it go. Fortunately, my antics have gone mostly un-noticed or ignored this time; only Aria appears to be grinning at me.

"Sorry Kiku, what was it you were trying to say?"

"Eh... oh... um..." Her eyes swim and she gulps.

"It was just... Nee-chan is coming."

Or rather... Kako is right here again, escorting Melody, who looks rather exhausted. I guess she is doing a lot of running around right now.

I notice Aria has crept closer to me as well. I don't sense any impending doom right now, so I'd estimate its overly cautious of her, but who knows?

Melody walks up to us. Well... struts regally. It's not right to just call it a walk, really. I begin to bow like everyone else present except Aria and Seria, but Aria stops me with a sudden grab to the arm.

"Aria... you seem to be well." Melody says, eying me.

"I am." She responds.

There is a moment's silence. Well, this is awkward.

"Ahem. I don't think I... introduced myself before, your majesty. I am Elijah. I am... your sisters summon, and by her grace, also her lover."

I feel like I sweated a small stream whilst pushing that out, but it needed to be done. Even though Melody has a relaxed pose, her dead stare at me is really intimidating.

But I can't back down here. I keep a level expression and stare back into Aria's sisters’ eyes.

I have to say, while the blue of Aria's eyes feels like staring at beautiful, carefree summer sky, Melody's eyes are like unfathomable dark oceanic depths. A deeper, harder to read blue.

She looks to Aria.

"Aria, you're an idiot."

"Yes. I am." Aria smiles. Melody blinks.

...

"Aria, you're an idiot." Melody repeats.

"Yes, I am. Do you want me to say it three times to make it a curse, Mel?" She smiles, and takes my hand.

Melody sighs, and gazes back at me.

"Hah... I suppose I don't have any choice in the matter anymore." She turns away, taps Kako on the shoulder, and strides over to the mercenaries, who immediately bow.

Well... that’s not approval, but I'll take a small victory over nothing at all. I prevent myself from breathing out in relief.

I then notice Kako has a strange expression and hasn't followed her princess. She is appraising Kiku, it seems.

"Kiku... you have new swords. And you have really grown stronger, it seems." She suddenly says.

"Um... you're about to suggest a duel, aren't you, nee-chan?" Kiku says, and then she takes my other hand.

Kako nods wordlessly.

What? I feel like I missed a part of a conversation somewhere.

"Its as father predicted, then." Kako says. "It goes to show I have no womanly sense. But I can see you have been training him. He is now standing like one of the trainees, and has less openings. And he has your oldest sword. It is watching over him. I can see all of that." She suddenly gives me a long appraisal.

I shudder like I've been the target of my own Identify Other skill. I guess this is what it feels like? It’s similar to what we all felt with that old bat, Violet.

"He can use his spirit, right?" Kiku suddenly asks.

Huh?

"Of course." Kako nods.

Kiku scratches the small scar she has on her forehead, and twiddles with her fringe hair for a second. Then she turns to me, lets go of my hand and pats me on the shoulder.

"Ok... Try not to die, Nii. I do love you, after all."

Eh wot?

"Fufufufu... the boys’ perversions are catching up with him now." Seria cackles in the background.

"It was inevitable, yes?" Kaede adds.

Hold up! I gulp.

"K-K-Kiku... are you saying I need to fight..."

"I think you're getting off easy, actually. At least you don't have to fight father for my hand."

Kiku smiles sweetly. But I can only feel bile rising in my throat.

Wait. Wait. Wait.

"I'll have you know, ser etranger, I don't intend to be merciful to you. It is both the princesses order, my fathers will, and my own desire. You need not beat me, but you must meet a minimum requirement to have the hand of my cute little sister and her majesties cute little sister." Kako explains, leaving no further room for doubt.

'Uh oh. That Earth spirit is reeeeallly fired up, master-sama. It’s even making rumbling noises to me! Ew! Stop that! That's rude!' Aeris suddenly mumbles.

As Aeris says, though Kako's green eyes are unwavering, I swear a fire burns inside them. It seems I haven't yet won a victory after all. Or is it a pyrrhic victory?

Well shit.

So much for future plans. First, I need to survive today...