Vita Magicis (HP SI-WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 27: Moments Like These

It wasn’t until the sun began to set that we finally emerged from Rin’s workshop, greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of a feast that Ilulu had clearly poured her heart into. She couldn’t meet our eyes without a blush lighting up her cheeks, while Bella sat at the table throwing dagger-like glares—not at me, but at the girls on either side of me.

Especially Sakura, who hadn’t left my side once.

She was practically glued to my arm, her expression distant, dreamy almost. She didn’t seem aware of anything except me, barely touching her food but smiling every few seconds as she sneaked glances at me.

We ate in silence for a while, the quiet broken only by the soft clinking of silverware. Rin, sitting across from me, had mostly managed to reassemble her cool, aloof persona—though the faint pink hue on her cheeks betrayed her.

“Hey, Rin,” I said, breaking the silence. She paused mid-bite, immediately giving me her attention. “Is there anything you want to stock up on while we’re still in this world?”

That got Sakura’s attention. She blinked and turned toward me, finally pulling her gaze away from the plate she’d been absentmindedly poking at. Her expression was curious, but softer now—far more at peace than the girl I’d found on the streets just hours ago.

“Hm. Besides stocking up on gems and some better clothes?” Rin tapped her chin. “Not really.”

Sakura’s lips parted slightly as she tilted her head. “This world?” she repeated, her voice quiet but filled with wonder. Her eyes searched mine with gentle interest—no suspicion, just open curiosity.

Turning to Sakura, I offered her a gentle smile. She immediately brightened in response, her eyes lighting up with genuine happiness at the simple gesture.

“Correct, Sakura,” I began softly. “I have the ability to travel to different worlds—worlds that aren’t tied to the Root. In fact, all of us here—Ilulu, Bella, and Asako who you’ll meet later—we’ve come from one of those worlds.”

Sakura blinked in shock and turned toward her sister. Rin, catching the look, blushed faintly and glanced away before sighing and nodding.

“It’s true,” she admitted. “Akari here is absurdly powerful. He uses magic that completely breaks the foundations of magecraft.” There was a bit of bitterness in her tone—still salty about how easily I’d overturned everything she thought she understood.

“I see…” Sakura whispered, slowly returning her gaze to me. But something had changed—there was a strange intensity in her eyes now, a mixture of awe, reverence… and something bordering on obsession. “And… you’re taking us with you, Senpai?”

“Of course,” I said with a smile that only made her cheeks flush further.

Turning to the others, I continued. “Speaking of which—Bella, Ilulu. This is a good opportunity to go out shopping. We’re eight years ahead of our usual timeline here, so there might be tech, fashion, or anything else you want to grab while we’re in this world.”

I gave Rin and Sakura a meaningful look. “That offer goes for you two as well. And don’t worry about money—we won’t be running out anytime soon. Ever, actually.”

The memory of the Philosopher’s Stone Asako had… liberated for us during my first year at Hogwarts crossed my mind, and I smirked.

Rin's eyes narrowed with laser focus. “Hoh? Are you sure about that?”

I laughed, already knowing how much she loved money—especially with how expensive her brand of magecraft could get. “Positive. Get whatever you want.”

“Fufufufu~ I think we’re going to get along splendidly, Akari-kun~” Rin purred, eyes practically sparkling with joy as she rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

‘We already have.’ I thought in amusement, vividly recalling her cries of pleasure earlier. Rin truly was a closet pervert and I was totally fine with that.

With the mood no longer awkward around the table, we all dug into our meal with renewed vigor. Conversation flowed more naturally now, laughter filling the room in between bites and casual chatter.

Well—Sakura was the only exception.

She remained mostly quiet, only answering questions when they were directed at her. But whenever I spoke to her, she would light up like the sun had personally smiled down on her. Her responses became animated, her voice more lively—like she was clinging to every word and moment I gave her.

Dinner eventually came to an end, and that’s when I decided to casually reveal yet another one of my abilities—one that immediately earned me a death glare from Rin.

“You mean,” she said slowly, voice flat, “you have an infinite storage space… that you call an ‘inventory’… where time doesn’t move, and you can access it instantly—whenever you want?”

Her tone was dangerously blank.

You see, I’d offered to store everything she owned—except the house itself—so she wouldn’t have to worry about leaving anything behind. I thought I was being helpful. Apparently, I underestimated how insufferable I sounded to a traditional magus.

“Yup!” I chirped cheerfully, grinning and giving her an exaggerated thumbs-up. “So there’s no need to stress, I’ve got everything covered~!”

I didn’t even get a chance to blink before a Gandr shot past my head with deadly precision. I had to twist out of the way on reflex, the curse bolting into the wall behind me with a sharp crackle of energy.

“Oi!” I called out as Rin turned on her heel and stomped upstairs, muttering something very unladylike under her breath.

“I’m helping, you know!”

No answer. Just more angry mumbling as she disappeared from view.

Bella snorted while Ilulu giggled into her hands. Sakura… simply stared at me like I hung the moon.

Once Rin had finally calmed down, we all got to work. Everyone helped pack up the lower floor, bringing things to me one by one as I stored them effortlessly into my inventory. Every time something disappeared without a trace, both Sakura and Rin looked on in awe. The surreal ease of it never failed to draw a quiet gasp or wide eyes from them.

It took a few hours, but eventually we had cleared out everything on the lower floor—minus the food for now. Afterward, we made our way upstairs to the rooms Rin had generously let us use.

And that’s when a small, predictable issue arose.

Rin, naturally, had her own room. Bella and Asako shared another. Ilulu and I took the third. But with Sakura now added to the group, she outright refused to sleep anywhere that wasn’t right beside me.

Cue Bella’s jealousy.

The sharp looks, the passive-aggressive muttering—it all spiraled into a brief but heated argument between the two girls. I had to step in before it escalated.

Considering Sakura’s recent trauma and her sudden dependence on me, it would’ve been cruel—inhuman—to send her away. Right now, I was the only place she felt safe. I promised Bella a wish once we returned to our world, something special just for her. After a bit of grumbling, she accepted the compromise.

So here I was now—laying in bed, with one soft, sleepy Sakura hugging my side and using my chest as a pillow, and Ilulu curled up on the other side like a cat guarding her territory.

And I waited.

Waited for a signal only I could feel.

Moments later, it came.

“Asako,” I whispered through our shared link, voice barely audible in the quiet room, “is it done?”

No one answered aloud—but a ripple passed through the shadows at the foot of the bed. A kneeling figure revealed herself, purple-haired and cloaked in the stillness of night. My faithful Servant.

“Yes, Master. The one known as Shinji Matou has been stamped and captured,” came Asako’s quiet, efficient response.

“Good.” I let my eyes close, the tension slipping from my shoulders. “Get some rest, Asako. With Sakura safe, it’s time to begin phase two: rescuing Illya.”

“I live to serve, Master,” she murmured—and vanished into shadow once again.

“Good news?” Ilulu asked softly from my right, cracking open one emerald eye. Her voice was sleepy, husky. She wore a nightgown that left little to the imagination, her curves accentuated by the way the moonlight slipped through the window.

I leaned in and kissed her forehead, earning a pleased little hum in return. “Yeah. Things are going smoothly.”

Then, with a smirk, I lowered my voice. “Now sleep, you little pervert. I saw you peeking at us earlier. I’ll have to punish you later~”

I brushed my lips against her pointed ear, and her whole body shivered in delight.

“Mmn… o-okay, Master,” Ilulu squeaked back, clearly flustered—especially since Sakura, though seemingly asleep, had been glaring at her earlier with quiet intensity.

I chuckled and let my eyes drift closed once more.

Next up on our agenda, save Illya.

=====

The Next Morning

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains in soft golden rays, gently warming the room. I stirred slightly, the comforting weight of someone still holding onto me grounding me in place.

Sakura.

Her breathing was calm now, slow and steady, but when I looked down, I found her already awake—eyes wide, staring at me like I might vanish at any moment.

“…Senpai?” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

I smiled softly. “Morning, Sakura.”

Her lips quivered before she abruptly sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest. “It… wasn’t a dream,” she said, blinking slowly as a smile bloomed across her face. “It was real…”

“It was.” I nodded, sitting up beside her and leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut at the contact, and she sighed dreamily.

“Take your time adjusting,” I murmured, brushing a hand against her cheek. “We’re not going anywhere without you.”

“…Yes,” she breathed, leaning into my touch. The look in her eyes deepened—devotion, awe, maybe even worship wrapped in longing. “Thank you… for not discarding me, Senpai. Even though my body… isn’t pure.”

“Don’t ever think like that,” I said gently, but firmly, watching her eyes widen slightly at my serious tone. “I don’t see you as impure. But if it really bothers you… I could just make you a new body. One that’s truly your own. It wouldn’t be difficult with what I can do now.”

She blinked, stunned. “You… can really do that?”

“Of course,” I reassured her with a small smile. “And I’m not talking about a homunculus either. I mean a genuine, living body your soul can inhabit—crafted just for you.”

Sakura stared at me, speechless for a long moment before her voice came out in a whisper. “This… this really isn’t a dream, is it?”

Tears gathered in her eyes, slipping down her cheeks. I gently wiped them away with my thumb, then leaned in for another kiss—this one soft and full of unspoken promise.

“That felt real, didn’t it?” I asked when I pulled back.

She gave a shaky nod, sniffling as she slowly nestled into the crook of my neck, hugging me tightly.

I held her close, fingers combing gently through her long hair as her breathing calmed. The peace between us was warm and silent… until a soft yawn broke the stillness.

“Mmnh… good morning, Master~ I’ll start breakfast in a minute,” Ilulu mumbled sleepily, hugging me from behind. I found myself, as usual, sandwiched between two girls—one elf maid, one former vessel of corruption.

“C-Can I help too?” Sakura asked suddenly, pulling back slightly to look up at me with a hopeful gaze. “I want to be helpful.”

“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for, Sakura,” I said gently. “But if you want to, then of course. And if you enjoy it, I could teach you how to cook.”

“Really?” Her eyes lit up with excitement. Seeing me nod, her smile widened. “Then… please teach me, Senpai. I want to be useful to you.”

‘Still thinking she has to be useful to be wanted…’ I thought, a small frown flickering inside. But I didn’t say anything. It was too soon to expect her to let go of that belief—not yet.

Instead, I just smiled and gave her a reassuring nod.

“Alright then. Let’s start with breakfast.”

=====

Breakfast

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains in soft, golden beams, illuminating the kitchen with a warm glow. The scent of freshly baked bread and sizzling bacon drifted through the air as Ilulu moved gracefully between stove and table.

Her silvery‑blonde hair was tied back in a loose braid, and her emerald eyes shone with gentle pride as she arranged fluffy scrambled eggs on a platter. She hummed a lilting tune—one of her favorites—while setting down fresh fruit and steaming mugs of tea.

At the counter, Sakura stood with a small paring knife in hand, carefully peeling an apple, her brow furrowed in concentration.

“Like this?” she asked hesitantly, glancing over her shoulder.

I stepped forward and guided her fingers. “Perfect. Just a gentle touch and keep your hands steady. You’ll have this down in no time.”

Sakura’s cheeks flushed pink. “Thank you, Senpai. I really appreciate your help.”

I smiled wider and ruffled her hair. “Of course—I did promise.”

Comforted, Sakura returned to her work, peeling the apple with newfound confidence.

I leaned against the doorway, arms folded, taking in the peaceful scene. Moments like this—simple, quiet—felt almost surreal after yesterday’s turmoil.

The bell above the door chimed as Bella strolled in, tucking a lock of black hair behind her ear. She gave Sakura a curt nod, then turned to me with a half‑smile.

“Smells amazing, Master,” she said, sliding onto a stool at the table. “Mind if I join?”

“Please do,” I replied, returning her smile.

At the far end of the room, shadows shifted, and Asako appeared with silent grace. She knelt briefly in respect, then rose and offered Sakura a gentle nod.

“Sakura Matou,” Asako said quietly. “I’m Asako, Master’s Servant. It’s an honor to meet you.”

Sakura blinked, then curtsied. “N‑nice to meet you, Asako‑san.”

“I only wish we’d met sooner,” Asako added with calm sincerity.

Ilulu set the final dish on the table—a basket of warm, buttered rolls—and took her place beside me. “Breakfast is ready.”

We each took a seat: Ilulu to my right, Sakura to my left, Bella opposite Sakura, and Asako at the far end. Hands clasped briefly in a silent gesture of thanks before we began.

Sakura’s eyes widened as she tasted her eggs. “This is incredible…”

Ilulu beamed. “I’m so glad you like it!”

I grinned and tousled Sakura’s hair. “Pretty soon, you’ll be making this yourself.”

Sakura’s face lit up. “Thank you, Senpai~”

A contented hum spread around the table. Just then, Rin appeared in the doorway, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Morning,” she muttered, half‑asleep, before taking a seat and digging in alongside us.

Once most of us were nearly done, I cleared my throat to catch everyone’s attention. “After breakfast, we’ll finish packing up everything Rin owns. Then—Rin, I’d like a private word with you.”

Rin gave me a thumbs‑up, too busy sipping her coffee to speak.

I continued, eyes on the group. “Once we’re packed, we need to leave the city immediately. We’ll head to Tokyo—shopping first, as promised.”

Faces lit up—none more so than Rin’s, money‑signs practically dancing in her eyes.

“And after that… there’s something else I need to discuss with all of you.”

Curious looks circled the table, but I waved them off, my thoughts already on Illya and the next steps of our journey.

=====

A Few Hours Later

I found myself alone in Rin’s now-empty room, the last box now inside my inventory. She stood in front of me, arms crossed, expression composed—at least to the average eye.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Akari?” Rin asked, her eyes closed and tone level.

But I could see the truth.

Her fingers fidgeted ever so slightly. Her ears were flushed red, and her thighs shifted subtly, betraying her nerves.

As I stepped closer, those little tells only became more apparent. Rin opened her eyes, cheeks now tinged with pink.

“W-what is it?” she asked, voice softer now.

I smiled, mischief sparking in my gaze as I closed the distance between us. My hand came up to gently cup her cheek, and that was all it took—her face turned beet red.

“What do you think I want, Rin?” I whispered against her ear.

She shivered, biting her lip. “W-we can’t. The other girls… and Sakura might hear us,” she murmured, yet made no move to pull away. In fact, she tilted her head slightly, granting me more access to the side of her neck.

I chuckled, amused and fond. Then, I pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. She let out a soft, involuntary moan, grabbing the front of my shirt and tugging me closer.

Her actions left no room for doubt.

I leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss that was sweet and full of heat. She responded immediately, arms wrapping around my neck as mine encircled her waist.

“Mmn… Akari~” she breathed between kisses, eyes half-lidded with desire.

When I finally pulled back, a thread of saliva still connected our lips. She licked her lips slowly, deliberately, eyes smoldering.

“Hey, Rin…” I said gently, cupping her cheek again.

“Yeah?” she murmured, her voice softer than before.

“How would you like to have the powers of a Mesopotamian goddess, my little pervert~?” I asked, flashing her a teasing grin.

“…Hah?”