Chat Group: Anime Girls are Moist

"This villa is pretty nice."

"Rei, Saeko, I think you two could use it as a shelter."

Rei Ao had gone for a walk while Saya prepared herself, and upon returning, he felt that the villa's location was ideal.

"Yes, I think it's great too," Rei agreed, nodding.

The spacious, quiet house was perfect. As they explored, Saeko and Rei helped themselves to a few snacks, though they kept their composure, knowing they shouldn't interrupt Rei Ao and Saya's moment.

They didn't mind having more close friends on the team—all part of the same family. And they were sure that Rei Ao, with his… abundant experience, would have no trouble with Saya, who had none. They could already envision everyone together in the future.

Shizuka Marikawa came over and quietly pointed toward a room. "Saya's ready."

Rei Ao nodded. "I'll go to her now."

But Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly said, "I'd like to go for a walk."

Rei Ao glanced at her, understanding what she meant. She likely didn't want to witness the "unseemly" trade about to take place.

He respected her straightforwardness. "Go ahead."

"I'll go with her, just in case there are any stray undead outside," Saeko volunteered.

"Sounds good."

When Rei Ao entered the room, he was surprised to find not only Saya but also her mother, Yuriko.

Yuriko, dressed in a long red dress, stepped forward. "Rei Ao-san, may I take Saya's place to fulfill the trade payment?"

"No!"

It wasn't Rei Ao who answered, but… Saya herself.

"Saya!" Yuriko bit her lip, trying to silence her daughter.

But Saya removed her glasses, took off her jacket, and declared, "This was my own trade, and I'll pay for it myself."

She was fully prepared. In fact, there was a faint hint of anticipation she couldn't hide.

Rei Ao nodded. "This trade isn't something that can be settled with words alone."

He cast a glance at Yuriko, noting her beauty and poise after she had freshened up.

He then chose a reward for both Yuriko and Alice.

[Ding! You have chosen to grant Yuriko Takagi and Alice Maresato access to the sub-group of the chat network!]

Knowledge of the chat network flooded into Yuriko's mind, and she stood there, stunned.

Rei Ao, however, turned back to Saya and approached her.

Noticing Saya's shy expression, he teased, "You seemed pretty quick to turn down her offer, almost as if you were looking forward to this yourself."

"W-well…"

Saya's body tensed.

She had to admit—she was a little curious. Every time Saeko and Rei were around Rei Ao, they always seemed so happy, and it piqued her interest.

Of course, her interest was also because Rei Ao was, aside from his flirtatious ways, someone who was otherwise admirable, having saved them and shown powers she'd never imagined.

Her feelings didn't yet amount to love, but she certainly didn't find him unpleasant.

This matched Rei Ao's philosophy: he believed in the power of growing feelings over time.

Noticing a subtle change in her demeanor, he smiled, leaned in, and said, "In that case, let me take care of the rest."

"Mm…"

Saya closed her eyes, softly murmuring her assent.

…

Yuriko Takagi processed the knowledge flooding into her mind, quickly analyzing all the information about the chat group with her sharp intellect.

The conclusion she reached was utterly shocking.

No wonder Rei Ao possessed such supernatural abilities—they were powers from another world!

She also understood that Saya's trade was not merely a verbal agreement or simple contract. The chat group enforced trades through binding measures.

As she struggled to absorb this information, Saya's sudden sharp gasp pulled her back to the present.

Turning around quickly, Yuriko's eyes fell on a scene that left her speechless.

The trade payment had already begun, and… she couldn't stop it.

...

Outside the villa, Yukino Yukinoshita gazed at the ruined cityscape, unable to calm herself.

This was a city in the throes of an apocalypse.

'Whoosh!'

Behind her, Saeko's sword flashed as she slashed down an approaching undead. After sheathing her blade, Saeko suddenly turned to Yukino.

"You seem uncomfortable, or perhaps even disturbed, by Rei Ao's trades," she observed. "Or… do you simply dislike him?"

"…"

Yukino's expression grew complicated.

Did she dislike Rei Ao? In fact, no. Her initial impression of him had been good, especially because of her friend Yui. But learning later about his… "player" nature did stir feelings of disapproval, especially considering his involvement with both her teacher, Shizuka-sensei, and her friend Yui.

But since joining the chat group, she had witnessed things she'd never imagined or understood before. She began to realize… they weren't exactly people from the same world.

Her judgments of Rei Ao were based on the worldview of an ordinary person. But Rei Ao could travel between worlds and wielded tremendous power. He was not a regular person.

So, was it even fair to view him through her own moral lens?

After a moment of silence, Yukino didn't answer Saeko's question directly. Instead, she asked, "What about you? How do you view these trades… and him?"

Saeko smiled calmly.

"I have no regrets."

Indeed, she had never once regretted her choice.

"If it weren't for Rei Ao, I, along with Rei and the others, would've died under the undead's onslaught long ago. Without the trade, I wouldn't be here, standing next to you, talking."

Saeko held Yukino's gaze and said, "No matter how you view these 'dirty' trades, if you ever choose to make one, just don't regret it."

"The moment a trade begins, Rei Ao will make sure you receive exactly what you wish for. And you, in return, should fulfill your side of the bargain."

"…"

For the first time, Yukino heard the perspective of someone directly involved in a trade she had judged as "dirty." When she thought it over, she found she couldn't easily refute it.

She didn't know everything Saeko and the others had experienced. But Saya's recent trade was something she had witnessed firsthand. If Rei Ao hadn't arrived due to the trade, Yuriko Takagi would have died at the hands of the undead. And without his ability to cure infection, she would have turned into one herself.

For some, a seemingly unequal trade was simply their last, desperate hope.

And Rei Ao? He had become the one who could grant these wishes.

Yukino couldn't help but imagine herself in Saya's position. What if her sister or mother had been Yuriko? What would she do in that situation?

"…"

Yukino clenched her fists, her throat tight with emotion. Just putting herself in Saya's shoes was enough to feel a sense of helplessness that nearly choked her. She realized her choice likely would have been the same.

Seeing that her words had stirred deep reflection in Yukino, Saeko's lips curved in a faint smile. She had a feeling that this seemingly upright, cool-headed girl might soon find herself lying alongside her under Rei Ao.

Yukino suddenly raised her head.

"Busujima-san, would you mind protecting me for a while?"

"Protect you? Why, what do you intend to do?" Saeko asked, intrigued.

"I want to try… taking down an undead myself."

This thought had surfaced as her understanding of the world shifted.

Despite being an ordinary person, she didn't want to end up like Tomoya Aki, helpless and unable to fight back. She needed to face these threats with courage.

"Alright."

Saeko agreed without hesitation. She was thinking ahead for Rei Ao's sake.

She didn't want their future companion to be a mere bystander.

…

Meanwhile, everything was going smoothly for Rei Ao and Yukino Yukinoshita, but back in their original world, Yukino's sister, Haruno Yukinoshita, was anything but calm.

"Where did Yukino go?"

At work, Haruno had heard about the death at the Academy and tried calling Yukino, only to get an "out of service area" message. But how could that be possible?

Where could Yukino have gone?

She opened the thermal imaging feed, waiting for nearly half an hour with no sign of Yukino.

Abandoning that plan, Haruno went straight to Yukino's apartment, using her key to search every room, but her sister was nowhere to be found.

Frowning, she headed next door and rang Rei Ao's doorbell.

She wanted to ask him if he had seen Yukino, but when the door opened, it was a girl who answered.

Mai looked at her curiously. "Can I help you with something?"

Haruno was surprised to see her, vaguely recognizing her, but Yukino's situation was more pressing. "Is Rei Ao home?"

"I'm sorry, but he's out right now," Mai replied with a shake of her head.

"I see…"

Not wanting to give up, Haruno pressed further, "By any chance, have you seen the girl from next door?"

Next door?

Mai recalled that Yukino lived next door, so she quickly tagged her in the chat group.

Mai Sakurajima: "@Yukino Yukinoshita, there's someone here who looks a lot like you, asking about you. What should I say?"

Mai Sakurajima: "[Image]"

Yukino Yukinoshita: "My sister!"

Mai Sakurajima: "No wonder you look alike; so, she's your sister."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "Yes… she's my sister, Haruno Yukinoshita."

Yukino Yukinoshita: "I'll be back from the trade in under two hours. Just tell her you haven't seen me."

Mai Sakurajima: "Got it."

Taking Yukino's cue, Mai turned back to Haruno and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yukinoshita-san, I haven't seen her."

"I see, sorry to bother you."

Despite her disappointment, Haruno managed a polite smile before heading back to Yukino's apartment. Yet something still felt off—a strange sense of unease nagged at her.

She mentally replayed her conversation with Mai, dissecting each line. Suddenly, a realization struck her.

'The name!'

It was the name!

Haruno was certain she hadn't introduced herself to Mai. So, how did Mai know her name was Yukinoshita?

Haruno's eyes narrowed.

"Could… Yukino's disappearance have something to do with her?"

The "out of service" message conjured all kinds of scenarios in her mind, though she didn't want to raise an alarm just yet.

"I'll wait a bit longer, but if…"

If Yukino still didn't show up, she'd have no choice but to report her missing.

...

"Haruno, is it?" Rei Ao noticed Mai's message. He guessed that Haruno's sudden concern was likely due to worry over Yukino, but he wasn't inclined to pay it much attention. Right now, Saya Takagi was the priority.

Still, her endurance left a lot to be desired. It was one thing to not be as trained as Saeko, but she couldn't even keep up with Rei.

She was already muttering that she couldn't go on, looking as if she might collapse any second.

Rei Ao felt a bit helpless; they hadn't even completed a round yet, and already…?

With a sigh, he considered calling Rei in for a turn. After all, his patience had limits.

Just then, he noticed someone else in the room.

"You're still here?"

Standing not far off was Yuriko Takagi.

"…"

Yuriko's heart ached as she watched her daughter's weary expression, but her eyes couldn't help but stray back to Rei Ao. His flawless physique, and… well, his impressive build.

Looking at Saya's exhaustion, it all made sense.

Biting her lip, Yuriko made a 'difficult' decision.

[Ding! Yuriko Takagi has initiated a trade request!]

[Trade Request]: Allow her to take Saya's place as payment for the trade.]

[Ding! Please select the trade condition!]

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— Currently You can Read 50 Chapters Ahead of Others!