Marianne's Secret Training
"Hmm... Princess Marianne, you say?"
"Yeah. It's just my guess, but I'm about ninety-nine percent sure I'm right."
The next morning, I tore into my bread at the table and recounted yesterday's events in detail. Since today's breakfast crowd consisted of Unicor and Agnes, there was no need to go out of my way to find Agnes separately.
"Is that so... So the princess finally made her move."
"Even that terrifying woman couldn't hold out against Artin in the end and fell for him..."
"...You two actually predicted this? Really?"
When I questioned them, Unicor and Agnes both set down their utensils and stared at me as if I were an idiot.
"You thought Marianne would be fine even though you've been charming women left and right after spending just one month together? After years of being with her?"
"Artin, even this one agrees with Agnes on this... Your harem is already approaching ten members, is it not?"
"...No, I really didn't have any special relationship with Marianne noona."
"You saved the kingdom and spent three years training together as master and disciple. Even if you felt nothing, Princess Marianne was bound to develop feelings."
...Now that I thought about it, they had a point. In the third cycle, humanity's internal conflicts had spawned rebellions and secret societies in every nation—nasty events galore.
"So, what do you want to do, Artin? Are you planning to add that terrifying woman to your harem as well?"
"...I don't know. I do want to have a serious talk with her first, though. Why do you keep calling her 'terrifying,' Unicor?"
"You think getting beaten to a pulp like that would just slip my mind?!"
At Unicor's words, the memory of that training session resurfaced. Come to think of it, I had deliberately let Unicor take a few hits back then...
"I... I'm grateful to her, and I do find her attractive. But Marianne noona's feelings might not be romantic. Besides, if I brought her into the harem, it might make things awkward for Agnes too."
"Hmm~ I didn't know Artin cared about me that much."
Damn it. Agnes's mischievous smile left me speechless. Actually, lately whenever I talked about this sort of thing with my lovers, I always ended up at a loss for words...
"Well, like I said last time, I'm fine with it. If anything, having Princess Marianne join the harem might actually make things easier for me."
"...Really?"
"Yes. I still haven't had a proper conversation with Professor Senia, but if Princess Marianne becomes my senior, I think we could get a lot of help with both harem matters and supporting you, Artin."
Agnes spoke to me with a gentle smile as she sliced her steak, looking completely unbothered. That gentle smile was somehow more terrifying than anything else.
"This one has no particular objections either. After all, the only woman truly connected to Artin by soul is this one. It matters not who else comes."
"Since nothing's been confirmed yet, it wouldn't hurt for Artin to talk things through with her. At the very least, there's no bad blood between you."
Whether they'd held a meeting in my absence or not, their reactions were surprisingly calm. Agnes had already discussed it with me before, but I hadn't expected Unicor to act so mature about it.
"By the way, Unicor."
"Hm? What is it? Do you want carrot steak as well?"
"No, that's not it... Your hair looks a bit darker. Is it just my imagination?"
I pointed at Unicor's hair with my fork, where black had begun creeping into the previously white strands while I wasn't looking. Actually, now that I thought about it, even last night her unicorn form had still been pure white...
"Ah, this? I've been summoning Sirca and Al-Miraj every day to practice handling demonic energy. I suppose I'll have to visit the church again soon."
"...Unicor, you're really living seriously. You don't seem like the Unicor I know."
The Unicor I knew wasn't the type to put in this kind of effort. Even in the second cycle, she'd throw tantrums about training and get bonked on the head by me on a daily basis...
"Hmph! Did you think this one would remain a child forever? You have no idea how hard this one has been training to protect you!"
"...You've really grown up, Unicor."
Seeing her like this filled me with pride, so I gently patted her head. Maybe even the Heavenly Demon could one day become a proper adult like Unicor.
"Unicor, now that you've grown up, will you stop climbing onto the bed to eat snacks every time? The maids keep complaining about having to clean up after you."
"...Did you really have to bring that up right now?! This is supposed to be the moment this one shows her growth!"
"Also, I've been hearing complaints that you've been hitting on virgin girls you meet at the café, asking if they've considered becoming priests. The student council keeps receiving reports."
"H-hitting on them?! This one is merely trying to recruit promising young talent into our order!"
"At the very least, you shouldn't be doing that to girls wearing priest robes or crosses around their necks, right?"
"..."
My eyes, which had been filled with emotion moments ago, slowly cooled. So Unicor was still Unicor after all...
"W-why did you stop patting my head, Artin...? I-I really have been working hard lately...!"
"That was good. I'm heading off to morning training. I'll see you both this evening."
"Yes, study hard today too! Artin, fighting!"
"Why are you ignoring this one and creating such a heartwarming atmosphere?!"
Unicor was still Unicor, it seemed. Realizing that somehow made me feel relieved.
*
Fortunately, the Heavenly Demon didn't tag along today, so we were able to enjoy a very pleasant class.
"I'm so glad...! If it had been like yesterday, I really might have cried, orabeoni...!"
"Don't worry, I talked to her properly yesterday. You can trust your orabeoni, okay?"
"Orabeoni..!"
After comforting the teary-eyed Shao Mei, who was moved to tears, I finished lunch and left the cafeteria, heading toward the training grounds.
'Come to think of it... I haven't seen Kaien at all today. Did something happen?'
If he tried to follow me to training again today, I'd planned to turn him down since I needed to talk with noona. But after parting ways at morning assembly, I hadn't run into the guy even once.
...Whenever Kaien disappeared, something weird always happened. It wouldn't happen again this time, would it?
"Whatever. I'm not his babysitter. I can't keep worrying about him forever. He'll be fine on his own."
As I approached the private training room, I pushed Kaien out of my mind as much as possible. I was busy enough trying to get stronger—I couldn't afford to worry about him every single time. I already had my hands full taking care of my women.
"Anyway, what is noona planning to teach me today that she called me here for? More wrestling?"
The events of our last private training session slowly resurfaced in my memory. What had possessed me to grope my instructor's chest and rear like that...? Just thinking about it again made me feel like an idiot.
'...Today, no perverted stuff. I'm going to learn seriously!'
One incident like what happened with Professor Senia was more than enough. With that thought, I opened the door to the training room.
"Oh! You're earlier than I expected! I like it! One point to the shop!"
"...M-Marianne noona? Why are you dressed like that?"
I froze at the sight of Marianne noona greeting me with a bright smile from inside the training room.
"Hm? Is my outfit strange? I brought it specifically for today's lesson. There's one for you too, Artin."
"...No, that outfit is obviously not for martial arts, is it?"
I swallowed hard without realizing it. And for good reason—the clothes noona was wearing were tight-fitting garments that closely resembled the yoga outfits worn by yoga instructors back in the real world.
Unlike the regular cadet uniforms she usually wore or the form-fitting wrestling outfits used for hand-to-hand combat training, the yoga clothes accentuated Marianne noona's figure. The tank top, pulled tight across her ample chest as if it might burst at any moment, and the tights that blatantly revealed the curves of her slim waist, toned thighs, and full hips. Honestly, it was so provocative and revealing that it was a miracle I wasn't already aroused.
After glancing at my reaction, noona approached with a suggestive smile and slung an arm around my shoulders.
"What are you talking about? I never said we were doing martial arts today."
"Huh? Then what are we doing today...?"
My voice trembled without my permission. Because of the arm around my shoulders, noona's large breasts were pressing firmly against my arm. And she clearly knew it—her face slightly flushed, she grinned like a predator that had found its prey.
"Today, we're going to do yoga. It's the best for improving flexibility and range of motion."
"...W-why yoga all of a sudden? I thought we were going to do swordsmanship or hand-to-hand combat today."
"Hm? I just thought of it while watching you train yesterday... What, you don't want to do yoga with noona?"
"..Yoga with you, noona?"
"Yeah. There are poses where we have to hold each other... You don't seem interested?"
Yoga with noona. From the explanation, it sounded suspiciously like couple's yoga.
'Me doing couple's yoga with Marianne noona? Get a grip, Artin—you came here to have a serious conversation!'
My mind was spinning from the sudden turn of events, but I squeezed my eyes shut and steadied myself. I had come here today to seriously discuss memories with noona!
"N-noona, but today I really need to have a serious talk... Mmph!?"
Just as I tried to voice my refusal, noona suddenly pulled my head into her embrace, burying my face between her ample breasts. This soft, elastic sensation was definitely... not wearing a bra.
'..N-now that I think about it, I didn't see any panty lines earlier either...?'
My mind began to fill with impure thoughts. Couple's yoga. Bodies pressed close together with noona. And everything that would follow...
"Do you really not want to do yoga with me, Artin?"
"....Mmph mmph."
Without realizing it, I shook my head. I had surrendered to noona's physical beauty and her shamelessly aggressive advances.
"Reeeally~? Then shall we start yoga under noona's guidance? Just the two of us?"
I could clearly feel it—the smile of a top-tier predator licking her lips. But I was someone who didn't fear even death. If this was the temptation... I could walk into a lion's den on my own two feet.
"Doing yoga with you, noona, has been my lifelong dream."
From today onward, my dream would be couple's yoga play with my lovers. Remember that.