Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

" …Let's go, I'm done playing."

Staring at the Game Over screen, Shichen took a deep breath, fought the urge to slap the button, and decisively stood up, pulling Lala away.

"Huh? I could still clear it, you know."

"No more clears—time to win you a prize!" Shichen dragged her along, giving her no chance to refuse.

"Alright, then."

"Ha‑ha ~" Kotegawa Yui followed, finding the situation amusing.

"What's so funny?" Shichen turned and glared at her.

"Shichen-nii, I didn't expect your gaming skills to be that poor." Yui chuckled behind her hand.

"Nonsense!"

"It's not that I'm bad—Lala's just too good," Shichen retorted.

"R‑really?" Lala tilted her head in doubt.

"Yeah!  How did you train? You're amazing."

"I just, you know, picked it up…"

"As expected of you." Shichen rubbed her head.

With a brain that can invent gadgets on a whim—flaws aside—learning a game is child's play.

"Heh‑heh ~" Lala, oblivious, grinned like a fool under his head‑pats.

"Are we sure it isn't just that you're terrible, Shichen-nii?" Yui teased.

"Oh? You want to go head‑to‑head with me?"

"No way! You'd bully a newbie like me."

"So you admit you're a newbie? I'm actually awesome, y'know."

"But didn't Lala completely shut you down just now?"

"You talk too much!"

With a huff, Shichen rolled his eyes, grabbed Yui's hand and marched toward the crane‑machine section.

"Eh?"

"Less talk, just follow," he ordered.

Yui let herself be towed along, glanced at their joined hands, and shook her head with a smile.

He's clearly older than me, yet so childish…

Wait—come to think of it, she still didn't know his age. He looked about her age, but with those extraordinary abilities… maybe an ageless monster?

…

The prize‑machine area was sparsely populated, mostly by girls; the few boys present were tagging along with girlfriends. In short, couples—steeped in pink, sugary vibes and too wrapped up in themselves to notice Shichen's group.

The female friend‑groups, however, looked over instinctively—and then couldn't look away.

Shichen's looks shot an arrow straight into their little hearts; unfortunately, the two girls at his sides killed any urge to approach.

"Lala, see them? Looks like those girls have designs on me. Can't let them succeed."

"Shichen is mine! I won't let them steal him!" Lala hugged his arm tighter, squishing herself against him.

"Yui—"

"What?" Yui gave him side‑eye.

"Won't you help Lala out?"

"Yui, help me, pleeease ~" Lala chimed in.

"Lala, don't fall for it," Yui sighed.

"Hm? Fall for what?"

"Those girls are not coming over to hit on him."

"But their eyes were totally saying it!"

"Lala, can you read minds now?" Yui jumped.

"Nope—just a feeling."

"…Relax. While I'm here, they won't come."

"Really? Thanks, Yui!"

"Mmm…" Yui glared at Shichen, half fierce, half cute.

"Heh‑heh ~" Shichen only winked and squeezed her hand.

Yui darted her eyes around, nervous about being seen. She was clinging to him—what did that make her? His second girlfriend? With Shichen's looks, maybe that was plausible… but no!

Plus, outsiders didn't know he was an alien prince or whatever.

Wait—why am I acting like I've already accepted his future harem?

Late to realize, Yui felt she'd been sucked into his wicked grasp simply by befriending him—though she didn't regret the friendship.

"Lala, is there a plushie you like?" Shichen, oblivious to Yui's inner turmoil, asked.

"Mm~ They're all so cute; I think I like every one of them."

"How about I win one of each for you?" Shichen said grandly.

"Eh? Can you?"

"If you want them, of course I'll make it happen."

"Hee‑hee ~ Shichen's the best!"

"And you, Yui? Anything catch your eye?"

"Me? Anything's fine…" But her gaze drifted to a bunny plush.

"Got it—that bunny it is. Leave it to me."

"I didn't say that!" Yui denied, cheeks red.

"Okay, okay—let's say I want to win it for you, happy?"

At the machine, Shichen released their hands—returning their lingerie while he was at it.

"Keep these safe. You've worn them; can't let anyone snatch them."

"O‑oh…"

"Shichen-nii!" Yui squeaked, half mortified.

"Just speaking facts," Shichen laughed.

"Less talk, more plushies—you might miss, after all."

"Trying to provoke me? And if I don't miss?"

"There's no reward; you just get bragging rights."

"Bragging rights?"

Shichen's brow rose; his fighting spirit ignited. "Watch closely!"

He dropped a coin in and, just in case, covertly used a touch of magic—these arcade claws were definitely rigged.

"It's got it!"

"Almost there!"

Lala and Yui crowded in, eyes glued to the plush teetering in the claw. Shichen wasn't worried; even if the hook broke, magic would keep the toy aloft.

That's the confidence of a cheater.

Thunk—the plush landed squarely in the chute.

"You actually got it!"

"As expected of Shichen."

"Hmm‑hmm ~"

Not the least bit guilty, Shichen fished out the bunny and handed it to Yui. "So? Am I awesome or what?"

"Fine, you're awesome," Yui couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Here, for you." He placed it in her arms.

"Eh?" Yui blinked. "Really? What about Lala?"

"Everything after this is hers."

"Mhm! Yui, take it," Lala said, unconcerned.

"I‑is that so… well, okay." Yui pressed her lips together, hugged the bunny, and failed to hide her joy. Girls can't resist plushies.

"Like it that much?" Shichen grinned.

"Mm… n‑no, I don't!" Yui snapped to her senses, blushing furiously.

"Almost believed you."

"Shichen-nii, you're the worst!"

"Heh‑heh ~ enough teasing. Time to win the rest for Lala." He ruffled her hair and went back to work. This time Yui didn't resist at all.

"Lala, how about I grab you one of everything?"

"Can I really?"

"No problem—however many you want."

"Then I want them all!"

"Hold up—how do we carry that many?" Yui asked.

"Forgot I can teleport straight home?" Shichen reminded.

"Oh, right… then why not teleport our underwear home first?"

"Those are safer on me."

Barely ten minutes later, each of them was lugging an enormous pile of plushies out of the arcade. Onlookers—staff included—were slack‑jawed.

Are they restocking the store?

Feeling a tad guilty, they hurried off without looking back—the towers of toys made them conspicuous enough.

They skipped lunch altogether; Shichen teleported the two girls straight home.

"Whew… I'm embarrassed to show my face there again," Yui said, flopping onto the sofa—the space‑warp no longer fazed her.

"Why embarrassed?" La asked.

"Because of Shichen-nii—snagging so many prizes is embarrassing!"

"But didn't we win them fair and square?"

"Well, true, but…"

"We can just wait a while before going back," Lala said.

"That…would work, I guess."

"Yui, help me take these upstairs, okay? I want to store them properly—Shichen gave them to me; they're my treasures."

"Treasures… alright." Yui glanced at her own bunny plush.

The two girls shuttled upstairs twice and stored everything.

Shichen didn't lift a finger—he was making lunch.

"So hot…" Yui muttered, descending again.

"Perfect timing—want to take a bath together?" Lala asked.

"A bath?" Yui instinctively looked toward the kitchen.

"Yui, do you want to bathe with Shichen?"

"N‑no‑no‑no!"

"Should I go ask him?"

"No! Let's just bathe together, you and me!" Yui hastily herded Lala upstairs.

~~~

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