Dragon Across the Multiverse (Si-WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 17: Yacht of the Dead

Several Hours Later

It was time.

The last several hours had been spent securing our supplies, guarding our gear from some overly curious goons, relaxing, and checking in with the girls one by one.

I wasn’t surprised when Shizuka, Rei, Saeko, and Yuuki each pulled me aside for a little quickie. Nor was I shocked when Momo, Fumiko, Misuzu, and Toshimi told me they were staying behind. I’d already overheard them earlier, so I’d seen it coming.

Saya, however, had been suspiciously absent since the duel between Ciel and her father—and especially since I’d announced we’d be departing today. When I went to find her, a servant informed me that she was “busy” and would meet with me later.

I wasn’t too bothered. Saya’s feelings hadn’t changed, and her emotional state was calm and centered—if a little flustered. Still, I noted with curiosity that her mother had been in the room with her at the time. Odd. But I let it go.

Thinking about the future and for when Saya eventually found out about what I could do and decided to nag me over “doing the bare minimum,” I sent a parallel self to quietly secure the Takagi Estate. A few barriers now surrounded the perimeter having enough mana to last for a few years, turning any undead that wandered too close into ash. I reinforced the local power plant so it wouldn’t get fried when the government inevitably triggered a country-wide EMP. Oh, and I created an absurd stockpile of ammunition in a nearby warehouse, enough to arm a militia twice over.

I didn’t care much for her dad, but Saya was important. And if there was one thing I hated more than selfish bastards, it was making my girls cry when I could’ve done something about it.

Now with my conscience clear, I waited by the Humvee with Alice and Zeke already settled in.

“Where are we going next, Onii-chan?” Alice asked as she leaned her head out the passenger window, Zeke curled on her head like some kind of fluffy hat.

“We’ll be looking for Sensei’s friend Rika and then searching for Rei’s parents,” I replied with a small smile. Honestly, I was proud of how well she was doing. Most adults would’ve fallen apart after losing their father the way she did. She was even more well-adjusted than some of the adults taking shelter here.

“Oh! So, we’re helping Shizuka-onee-chan and Rei-onee-chan? I want to help too~!” Alice said brightly, throwing her hands in the air.

“Wuff!” Zeke barked in agreement.

Chuckling, I reached over and ruffled her hair, making her pout cutely. “You’re already helping more than you know. Just keep that smile going, and I promise it’ll be enough to lift all our spirits.”

“Mm! I will!” she nodded, puffing up her cheeks in an attempt to look serious. It was adorable.

“Sorry for the delay, Akari-kun. Yuriko-san wouldn’t let us leave without making sure we had enough proper outfits for the road.”

Saeko’s voice drew my attention and I turned to find all the girls approaching in freshly changed clothes. Yuriko was with them, for some reason but I paid it no mind.

“How do we look, Akari-kun?” Shizuka asked with a sultry smile, hugging her arms under her chest and making it very clear she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“You all look amazing,” I replied with a warm grin, my eyes drifting over to Ciel last. She was blushing prettily and trying (and failing) not to look flustered by my attention.

“So, is everyone ready to go?” I asked the group, and got nods from everyone—everyone except Saya and Yuriko.

That’s when the other girls, without needing a word, subtly gave us space. Saya fidgeted nervously, shifting from foot to foot, while her mother looked on with a knowing, amused smile.

“A-Akari…” Saya murmured, eyes downcast, clearly unsure of how to start.

I decided to help her out. Smiling softly, I extended a hand to her. “Are you ready, Saya?”

She was here with a travel bag slung over her shoulder. I didn’t need to ask if she was coming—her answer was obvious. What surprised me more was Yuriko, who also had a travel bag with her.

At my words, Saya’s head snapped up. Seeing my smile, one spread across her face too — though hers came with a deep blush.

“Y-Yeah, all set~” she said quickly, then stepped into my space and leaned up to plant a soft but meaningful kiss on my lips before pulling away and rushing to help the others, doing everything she could to avoid meeting our eyes.

I chuckled at her antics, then noticed Yuriko beside me, hand daintily covering her mouth as she tried (and failed) to stifle a laugh.

“It seems you’ve completely captured my daughter’s heart. I only wish times were different — I’d tease her more,” Yuriko said fondly, watching Saya try to act like she hadn’t just kissed me.

“Saya’s an honest girl once you break through that prickly exterior,” I replied, still smiling as I waved teasingly at the red-faced teen when she sneaked a peek in our direction. “It wasn’t hard to fall for her either.”

Yuriko suddenly smiled teasingly and held her bag a little closer. “Good thing then, that I won’t be missing out~”

Raising an eyebrow, I turned my full attention to her. “Hoh? So, you’re coming with us?”

I was honestly a bit surprised. Aside from a few brief interactions—and her witnessing my spat with her husband—we hadn’t spoken much.

‘Could my Lures... or especially the Only Man in Town perk have played a role in this?’ I wondered. That perk, in particular, made anyone I was sexually attracted to significantly more receptive to me—while simultaneously making others, even their partners, seem... less appealing. Basically, the more I wanted someone, the less anyone else stood a chance.

‘Well... not complaining.’ I shrugged mentally and pushed the thought aside. ‘This works in my favor.’

“I am,” Yuriko confirmed, her voice warm, her smile just a touch flirtatious. “If you’ll have me, of course~ You’ve got room after all, thanks to those four girls choosing to stay behind.”

Shaking my head in amusement at the bold woman, I extended a hand for a handshake. “Of course, we’ll have you. As if I could say no to Saya’s mother—she’d have my head if I tried.”

Yuriko chuckled knowingly as she took my hand. “True enough. But then again... my Saya isn’t the only girl you need to worry about keeping happy, hmm?” She nodded toward the girls—everyone except Alice—who were currently climbing into the Humvee.

I shrugged, not bothering to deny it. With my perks, harems were seen as normal instead of fantasy. At least for me.

“Each one of them holds a special place in my heart… Well, except maybe Yuuki. Too soon to tell with her. And your husband?” I asked changing the subject.

Yuriko seemed pleased by my honesty. Then she surprised me.

“Ex-husband, actually,” she said casually, her smile soft. “We stayed together mostly for Saya, but it's been a few years since we separated. So no need to worry—Souichiro won't be coming after you in a jealous rage.”

“Good to know,” I replied with a chuckle. Then I shifted gears, my tone turning more serious. “So. You ready?”

She gave me a single confident nod, patting the bag slung over her back. “Got everything I need right here.”

My gaze dropped briefly to the slit in her dress—where I spotted a compact custom pistol strapped to her thigh. Practical and stylish. Looking back up, I caught her amused expression, but she didn’t say anything. Just smirked.

“Right,” I said, giving a respectful nod. “Glad to have you aboard, Yuriko-san.”

“Fufufu~ Don’t worry,” she replied with a sultry little smile as she sauntered past me, hips swaying with practiced ease. “It’s my absolute pleasure, Akari-kun~”

‘Hah… another Christmas Cake, huh? Works for me.’ I thought with a smirk as I climbed into the Humvee behind her.

=====

Several Hours Later

With everyone on board, it didn’t take long before we were back on the road — this time with me behind the wheel, since we were heading in a specific direction.

The parallel versions of Ciel and me were already en route to that private island featured in the OVA’s extra episode. They were clearing out the remaining undead and making sure everything was ready for our arrival. Most importantly, they’d left behind a yacht docked at the pier — fully fueled, fully stocked, and big enough to fit our Humvee.

That it happened to be one of the largest and most luxurious yachts in the world? Pure bonus. Parallel-me had gone a little wild requisitioning supplies and entertainment. We weren’t just talking food and medicine. I’m talking every video game console ever made, a few gaming PCs with top-tier parts, and enough spare components for anyone to build their own.

Oh, and games. Pool, poker, ping pong, darts — if it belonged in a modern entertainment center, we had it.

Did I go overboard with the games? Possibly.

All I knew was that Veldora was going to have a field day with the haul.

Back in the present, Shizuka had just conveniently finished a call with her friend Rika — and the news was nothing short of amazing. Rika had found a safe place where we could meet up, and to top it off, she was accompanied by Rei’s mom and a few others.

When Shizuka relayed the message, the girls practically erupted in cheers. With that, we finally had a destination — and both Rei and Shizuka had gotten closure knowing their friend and family were safe.

“This is amazing~ All we have to do now is reach the pier!” Shizuka exclaimed excitedly. Sitting in the passenger seat with Alice and Zeke nestled in her lap, she leaned sideways and pulled my head straight into her chest.

“Shizuka-sensei! Please let go of Akari! Can’t you see he’s driving!? We might crash!” Saya shouted from the backseat in a mix of embarrassment and panic. Her voice was quickly joined by the rest of the girls in protest.

Of course, there was zero chance of that happening. The moment I extended my senses, everything around us slowed down to a crawl — like driving through molasses in bullet time. Still, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the ditzy nurse’s antics.

A moment later, I was released from my soft, pillowy prison and focused back on the road as Shizuka pouted and muttered about everyone being meanies.

“Alright, now that we have a direction, the rest of you should get some rest,” I said, glancing at the rearview mirror. “If anything happens, I’ll wake you. But for now, everything seems quiet. Use the time while you have it.”

“I’ll stay awake with Akari-kun,” Saeko offered immediately, which earned her a slightly annoyed glance from Ciel — not that she voiced it. I could feel her emotions through our link, and while she let it go, she clearly wasn’t planning on sleeping either.

My Ciel could be a little overprotective sometimes. It was cute.

A faint, embarrassed huff echoed in my mind. I smiled.

Before long, everyone else had dozed off, leaving only me, Saeko, and Ciel awake as we drove through the dark. Occasionally, we ran over an unlucky undead that wandered onto the road — nothing worth slowing down for.

‘Only a few more hours before we leave this world behind,’ I thought, my gaze fixed ahead as the moonlit road stretched into the distance.

And I was definitely looking forward to the next one.

A world full of kemonomimi girls… and more importantly, Erofus.

Or for the uneducated… elves.

=====

2:00 a.m. — The Pier

We arrived without incident. No ambushes, no roadblocks — just the quiet hum of the Humvee’s engine and the sound of the waves as the pier came into view.

Finding our ride wasn’t exactly difficult. The yacht my parallel self had left behind stood out like a giant among toy boats, utterly dwarfing everything else docked there.

“I think that’s our ride,” I said with a grin as I parked the Humvee near the ramp leading into the back of the ship.

“Whoa~ It’s huge!” Rei breathed, eyes wide as she stepped out of the passenger side.

“We’re going to ride that, Onii-chan?” Alice asked, cupping her hands over her eyes to get a better look at the ship’s upper decks.

Saya, stepping out next, frowned slightly. “Can we even drive that thing? It looks like it needs an entire crew.”

Laughing, I slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a sideways hug that made her blush instantly. “Don’t sweat it, Saya. Don’t you want to travel in style while we can? I’m betting it’s a full luxury cruise ship inside, meaning plenty of entertainment for the trip.”

“I–I never said I didn’t want to ride it, idiot!” she shot back, cheeks turning redder. She ducked her head into my chest just in time to catch her mother watching us with amused eyes.

“And stop doing… these kinds of things while my mom is right here,” she whispered, low enough that only Ciel and I could hear.

I chuckled softly, leaning down to murmur in her ear, “Oh? These kinds of things, huh? So that means I can do them when it’s just the two of us?”

Saya’s blush spread to her ears, and she resorted to lightly hitting my chest while calling me a baka.

Everyone else simply laughed, the mood still light from the good news earlier.

It took about thirty minutes to get the Humvee secured inside the yacht. Once everyone began exploring their new luxury playground, Ciel and I headed straight for the engine room.

“Another world wrapped up, huh?” I asked casually as we walked.

“This was a weak one,” Ciel replied without a hint of concern.

I’d expected that answer. Pulling her into a side hug, I smiled. “Did you at least have fun?”

She snuggled into my side, her arm slipping around my waist. “I did. Thank you for letting me spend so much time in my own body, Master. It was… interesting, and I loved every second of it.”

Smiling at her sincerity, I kissed the top of her head. “You’re literally my other half, Ciel. You don’t need to thank me for something so simple. Anytime you feel like being out here instead of inside my soul, just do it. You don’t need my permission.”

She was quiet for a moment, but her emotions — warm and happy — flowed clearly through our link. “…Maybe someday. For now, I prefer being part of you.”

“Alright,” I said lightly. “Just remember what I said.”

She nodded against my chest.

Moments later, we found the engine room, and between the two of us, it didn’t take long to figure out the controls. Soon, the engines roared to life, and the yacht began gliding out into the open sea.

=====

Later — The Island (Parallel Self)

“Are you sure they’ll be arriving soon?” a woman’s voice asked from behind me, skeptical but curious.

I turned to face her. She was tanned, purple-haired, red-eyed, about Shizuka’s age, and dressed in a black combat suit with a white sports bra underneath.

“Have I lied to you yet, Rika?” I asked with a teasing grin.

Rika rolled her eyes but smiled.

We’d found her at Tokonosu Airport, stuck on a mission. Ciel and I had handled the undead there with extreme prejudice before freeing her up to leave. From there, we’d hit the mall, rescued Nakaoka Asami and Miyamoto Kiriko (Rei’s mom — her dad was already gone), and secured transport to this private island.

At first, she’d been wary — we did look like a pair of teens — but it didn’t take long for her to realize we were on a completely different level when we killed a few dozen undead without breaking a sweat. Now? She trusted me enough to let me guard her back… and had even invited me into her bed.

Multiple times.

Right now, Asami, and Rei’s mom were asleep in a temporary shelter Ciel had secured while Rika and I were keeping watch on the shore.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” she said, bumping her shoulder into mine.

“Then just trust me,” I said with a grin… one that quickly turned more seductive as I leaned close to whisper in her ear. “Besides… I think we’ve got enough time for a quickie. What do you say?”

Rika shivered but still gave me another roll of her eyes. Then, with a smirk, she began unzipping her vest, giving me a teasing glimpse of her cleavage. “Perv.”

That was the only warning I got before we both gave in — for the sixth time today.