ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!

The bathroom door creaked open, and a soft cloud of steam drifted into the hall. Hazuki stepped out, drying his hair with a towel slung around his neck. His shirt clung slightly to his skin, still damp from the shower, and he stretched with a long sigh.

"Finally… that feels better," he muttered, rolling his shoulders before spotting Ellyn at the kitchen counter.

She immediately straightened, her tail snapping upright.

"W-Welcome back!" she blurted, ears twitching.

Hazuki raised a brow. "Welcome back? I wasn't gone, you know. I just took a shower."

"Mou! Don't ruin it! It's… it's called manners!"

Ellyn pouted, crossing her arms before quickly turning back to the pan.

Hazuki calm eyes fixed on Ellyn as she stirred the pan.

"You cooking?" he asked, his tone flat but carrying a faint hint of curiosity.

"Yes~!" Ellyn replied quickly, her tail perking up as if to show proof of her determination.

"You can cook?"

Her ears snapped back, cheeks puffing in protest. "Mou! That's rude… of course I can cook!"

Hazuki tilted his head slightly, watching the unevenly cut vegetables soften in the pan, some already sticking a little at the edges. He raised a brow but didn't comment on it.

Ellyn eyes darted toward him, narrowing in mock offense. "W-What? You don't trust me?"

"Hm? No, I didn't say that," Hazuki replied calmly.

"Then go rest a bit in the living room. Once I'm done here, I'll serve the food and call you." Ellyn puffed her cheeks and shooed him away with the spatula.

"Alright," Hazuki said simply, shrugging as he headed toward the living room.

Once his footsteps faded, Ellyn smiled proudly, scooped a spoonful of the still-sizzling dish, blew on it quickly, and popped it into her mouth.

The next moment...

CRASH!

Hazuki sat upright on the couch, eyes narrowing. That came from the kitchen.

He rushed back, only to find Ellyn sprawled flat on the floor, her tail limp, her small body twitching slightly. Her golden eyes had turned into dizzy spirals, her mouth open as faint smoke drifted from her lips.

Hazuki froze for a moment, blinking at the sight. "…What the hell just happened?"

With another sigh, Hazuki walked over, bent down, and carefully scooped her up into his arms. She was light, almost too light, her head resting against his chest as her ears flicked weakly.

"Unbelievable…" Hazuki muttered, carrying her out of the smoky kitchen and back into the living room. He laid her down gently on the couch, brushing a few stray strands of her hair from her face.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked down at her sleeping expression. He leaned closer, his voice a quiet whisper only meant for her ears.

"You're still a kid… You don't need to cook or force yourself to prove anything." His hand lingered against her cheek, thumb brushing softly across her warm skin. "Why are you so eager to act like an adult?"

For a moment, the warmth of her small face against his palm made his chest tighten.

Then his eyes widened slightly.

Crap…

Inside his head, panic bubbled.

If Ridan saw this, he'd never shut up… he'd definitely call me Lolizuki again…

Hazuki exhaled, shaking his head as he looked back at Ellyn's peaceful face. Her faint smile, even in sleep, softened something inside him.

"…Don't worry too much, Ellyn," he whispered, his expression gentling.

"I can wait. Even if it's eight years… I'll wait."

He pulled the blanket from the side of the couch and draped it carefully over her small body before leaning back with a sigh.

Hazuki leaned back against the couch, his gaze drifting lazily up to the wooden beams of the ceiling. A soft chuckle escaped him as he let out a sigh.

"…Less than eight years now," he murmured under his breath.

Inside his mind, the thought lingered.

Of course, I'm a man. I do have desires.

His eyes shifted back down to Ellyn's sleeping face, her tail twitching faintly even in her slumber, ears relaxed and soft.

"When you're an adult, I'm going to marry you. No matter what anyone says."

It was such a simple dream, but to him… the most precious one.

For a man thrown into another world, isn't this the dream? To win over the girl of a different race? To have a life that isn't just about fighting or surviving, but actually… living?

His lips curved into a smirk as his mind wandered.

I bet if others got isekai'd here, they'd all have their own fantasies.

Some would go for elves, obviously. The whole pointy-ear, mystical beauty thing. Others… maybe a centaur girl. Though, uh, good luck figuring out the logistics there.

His brow furrowed playfully, and he snorted.

And mermaids… heh. What then? Do they… do it underwater? Or does she flop onto land like a fish out of water? Man, that's gotta be awkward…

Hazuki rubbed the back of his head, stifling another laugh, then looked back at Ellyn's face, his humor melting into something more tender.

But me? Yeah… my dream's always been clear. I want her. This stubborn, pouty, infuriating, adorable catgirl.

Hazuki leaned back deeper into the couch, resting his head against the cushion. His thoughts shifted from the faint rise and fall of Ellyn's breathing to the guild quests he still had lined up.

Chusi flower, done. Hidun grass, also done. Fire grun… yeah, just recently.

So that leaves Icy Leaf, Moonleaf, Streamflow, and… what was it again?

Right, Lilith Blood. Ugh. Sounds like trouble already.

His eyes slid back toward Ellyn's small figure curled up on the couch.

Guess I'll finish those after sending her back to her parents' place. She's safe, cared for, and I can keep moving on my own again…

He lingered a moment longer, watching her soft expression in sleep.

A sigh escaped silently.

Still… something bugs me. Why does it feel like half the world is after this kid? Merchants, nobles, weirdos… everyone has eyes on her. Seriously, what's with that? Don't tell me this world's crawling with closet pedos…

His brow furrowed faintly. He shook his head, dismissing the uncomfortable thought, but the unease remained.

Strange… way too strange.

Now that I think about it… the pinky promise really is absolute in this world.

If anyone tries to force themselves on her… they'll get cursed. No escape. That's how strong this oath is.

Just look at me. The moment I even oogled at another woman, boom..lightning straight from the sky. Divine punishment, no warning.

His mouth twisted into a half-smile, half-grimace. And brothel? Hah. Not even gonna try. I like living, thanks.

It's not even that I don't want to. I'm still a man. But this promise… it keeps me locked in place.

His gaze softened when it returned to Ellyn's face. Then again, maybe that's fine. At least I know… she's the only one I can ever reach for.

The rest of the world can go to hell.

( End Of Chapter )