GHK DXD Chapter 17 The Tour Through Kuoh (Patreon)

Center Plaza, Kuoh

Kuoh’s center plaza glowed under the lowering evening sun, the sky streaked in orange and rose as the city slowly slipped into night. The air buzzed with the comfortable noise of life—chatter, footsteps, the occasional laugh, the whirr of passing cars, the distant hissing of a bus pulling away from the curb.

Issei led the way down the sidewalk, a simple shopping bag hanging from his hand… and an entire parade of otherworldly beauties following behind him.

He could feel it. Every stare and every whisper as a pair of high school boys stopped mid-conversation, jaws dropping. A group of university girls glanced over, giggling as they tried to guess which one was his girlfriend. An older couple blinked in disbelief.

‘Yup. Just like always.’ Issei thought wryly. But when he glanced back and saw the girls’ faces full of curiosity, fascination and was lit up with wonder, he couldn’t help but smile anyway. If they were happy, he could deal with the staring.

The wide brick plaza opened before them, bustling with activity. Families sat by the fountain, kids took pictures with their phones, and college students posed for selfies under a promotional banner. On one side of the plaza, multiple electronic stores displayed their products through huge front windows—rows of bright screens, speakers, consoles, and devices humming silently behind the glass.

The girls stopped almost simultaneously. It was like hitting an invisible wall of awe.

Lala, who had been wandering forward with a bored expression, lazily glancing around as if nothing impressed her until she suddenly froze as her eyes locked onto a specific screen.

On one of the large TVs, a dark anime was playing of a handsome high school boy with sharp eyes writing names into a notebook with a ghoulish figure behind him. The title flashed at the bottom: DEATH NOTE.

Lala’s bored look disappeared, her eyes going wide in interest. “Issei…” she said slowly, almost reverently. “What’s that?”

Issei followed her gaze. “…Ah. That’s Death Note. It’s an anime. Pretty famous, actually.”

Lala leaned closer to the glass, as if the show might notice her. “The art style is cool… But the name sounds ominous. Is this about killing people with a notebook?”

Every otaku within hearing distance would’ve turned on the spot to join the conversation.

Issei chuckled nervously. “Y-Yeah, something like that. I’ll explain later, Lala. It’s a long story.”

“I want to watch it,” she declared immediately. “All of it.”

‘Of course you do.’ Issei thought.

Henrietta stepped up next to her, eyes sparkling as she took in the entire wall of screens.

“Do these devices… really show images without magic?” She asked, voice tinged with wonder.

Issei nodded. “Pretty much. It uses electricity, circuits and full of science stuff.”

Henrietta pressed a hand lightly over her chest. “It feels like… seeing moving paintings.”

Not far from her, Priscilla had her face inches from the glass of another display. One of the TVs showed a nature documentary—trees swaying in the wind, birds in flight, a waterfall crashing down into a crystal pool.

“The picture is so clear…” she murmured. “As if you could step through the screen and be there.”

Shiraori, however, had a very different focus.

She smushed her face gently against the glass, red eyes narrowed, fixated on a commercial showing models in trendy outfits. Her gaze tracked every seam, every fold, every stitch of the clothing shown on screen. 

Her mind, already an endless web of calculations, hummed. ‘Fabric density… seam placement… design balance… possible thread combinations…’ She lightly tapped the glass. ‘New ideas,’ She whispered to herself.

Run elbowed Issei in the side, grinning.

“Darling, they’re all so amazed! You should show them more human culture!”

Issei scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed but also proud. “Uh… yeah. We can look later. There’s a lot more.”

Nyaruko tugged insistently at his sleeve. “Darling! Darling! That one has anime on the screens!! Oooh! We HAVE to come back! We have to buy ALL the anime!”

Issei stared at the price tags and felt his soul leave his body. “…Maybe not all of it…”

Kaguya watched the entire scene with her arms folded, expression mild and unimpressed. “Honestly,” she commented, “humans and their flashing boxes… You know they could be doing so many other things if they didn’t spend all their time staring at television.”

But then one of the displays changed. An elegant kimono fashion commercial began, slow pans over intricate patterns, silk shimmering in the light, models walking through a serene, lantern-lit garden.

Kaguya’s crimson eyes widened—just a little. “…Perhaps…” she conceded softly, “…not all their inventions are tasteless.”

Issei caught the shift immediately and smirked. “Thought so.”

Kaguya quickly hid half her face. “Silence, husband.” But he could see the faint, pleased curve of her lips behind the sleeve.

As they continued walking across the plaza, weaving between groups of people, a sudden burst of music cut through the ambient noise.

Furina stopped first with Run stopping next to her.

“OH!” Furina gasped, eyes sparkling like gemstones. “Issei, look! A performance!”

Near the center of the plaza, a small open area had been cleared. A group of college students were performing a choreographed dance to a catchy pop song. A portable speaker blared the music as they spun, jumped, and moved together almost flawlessly. A small crowd had formed around them, clapping along.

Run clasped her hands under her chin. “They’re so cool!”

Furina looked truly moved. “A PUBLIC STAGE!” she cried. “A GATHERING OF ADMIRATION! Ohhhh, I want this! I want to perform!”

Issei already felt a headache forming. He could practically see her charging into the center, hijacking their show to deliver a dramatic aria about herself. “Furina, PLEASE don’t jump in—”

Too late. She took a single, dramatic step forward, weight shifting like a performer ready to leap into the spotlight and Issei reacted on instinct.

He grabbed her wrist gently but firmly. “NO. Not today. Later. I promise.”

She turned back to him slowly, betrayal written all over her face. “…You swear there will be a stage?” She asked, voice trembling like a wounded starlet.

Issei met her eyes seriously. “Yes.”

For a heartbeat, she searched his expression.

Then she exhaled dramatically, turning away with a flick of her hair. “Very well. I shall wait for my debut,” she declared. “But know this, Issei—my radiance cannot be contained forever.”

Run giggled. “You’re so dramatic, Furina.”

Nyaruko puffed her cheeks. “HEY, I’m the original chaos idol here!”

Issei just sighed, watching the dancers with a small smile. ‘At this rate,’ he thought, ‘I’ll have to book an actual stage just to keep them from crashing a public event…’

Still…as he looked at them—all so different, all so alive and curious and loud—he felt something warm settle in his chest. This was his world and he wanted to show them everything.

—----------------------------------

Arcade

The arcade’s doors slid open with a soft chime and the group stepped into a world of noise and light.

Bright LEDs flashed from every direction. Game machines beeped, chimed, and roared. Pixelated characters leaped and danced across screens. Music from rhythm games blended into the metallic clatter of tokens and the distant ding of someone hitting a jackpot.

Issei grinned. ‘Yeah… this is perfect.’

The girls froze just inside the entrance.

Run’s eyes widened, reflecting the neon glow. “It’s… so pretty.”

To someone who’d lived in fantasy kingdoms, medieval towers, shrines, or alien worlds, this neon jungle of machines must’ve been completely surreal.

Asia clutched her hands to her chest. “So many lights…”

Henrietta turned slowly, taking in everything with quiet awe. “This many entertainment devices in one place… incredible…”

Yukina flinched at a loud sound from a racing game, then relaxed when she saw kids laughing at the machine.

Kaguya regarded the scene like a queen evaluating a barbarian festival. “It’s… chaotic as always.” But even she couldn’t deny there was energy here.

Nyaruko, of course, recovered fastest. Her gaze snapped to a VR shooter cabinet—plastic guns mounted to the front, a massive screen showing hordes of zombies swarming toward the player.

She zoomed forward. “BEHOLD!” she shouted, grabbing both guns. “DARLING, LET’S PLAY!”

A few nearby kids actually flinched.

Issei laughed, already used to this. “Sure! Everyone, try whatever catches your eye!” He called out to the others and then gave them coins to use. “Just… don’t break anything, okay?!” He wasn’t sure if he was talking to Nyaruko, Karura, or Furina specifically. Probably all three.

Furina spotted row after row of claw machines, each one filled with plushies, keychains, and assorted cute prizes. Her eyes locked onto a display where a tiny plush whale and a fancy-looking keychain dangled near the edge. “I WILL MASTER THIS TECHNOLOGY!!” she declared, marching up like she was challenging a divine trial.

She stuffed some coins in, grabbed the joystick, and stared with intense focus.

The claw descended, squeezed, lifted and wobbled with the plush slipped out at the last second and flopped back into the pile.

Furina stared at the empty chute. “…” She tried again. And again. And again. Each time, the prize slipped free like it was mocking her. Finally, she stepped back, absolutely betrayed. “This machine is rigged. RIGGED. A FRAUD AGAINST FATE.”

Issei patted her shoulder sympathetically. “Welcome to the reality of claw machines.”

Furina pointed dramatically at it. “Next time… I’ll win.”

—---------------------------

On the other side of the arcade, Priscilla’s gaze was drawn to a pair of big machines with colorful arrows and a large screen. Music blasted from them as two kids stomped on arrow panels beneath their feet in perfect rhythm.

Priscilla’s fingers twitched. If her tail was out it would have wanted to swish to the beat. She approached the dance pad curiously. “Issei… what is this?” She asked without taking her eyes off the flashing arrows.

“A rhythm game,” he explained. “You step on the arrows in sync with the music.”

Priscilla’s eyes narrowed. Her competitive instincts stirred. “…I will conquer it.” She slipped off her shoes, stepped onto the pad, and inserted coins. The screen flashed, music began, and the arrows flew upward.

Her first few steps were cautious. Then her body synced to the beat.

Tap, tap, slide. Up, left, right, down. Perfect. Great. Perfect. Perfect.

The machine registered a string of flawless hits.

Yukina and Asia watched with round eyes. “She’s… really good…” Yukina murmured.

Asia nodded, impressed. “S-She’s moving so fast…”

Henrietta clasped her hands. “It’s like dancing with orders…”

Priscilla’s expression remained calm, but inside she felt it—the thrill of being challenged, the joy of matching each beat, the satisfaction of mastering something new in a foreign world.

When the song ended, the screen flashed: RANK: A

Priscilla stepped off the pad gracefully. “That looks acceptable,” She said happily.

Issei blinked. “That was your first time.”

She glanced at the machine again, eyes gleaming. “It won’t be my last.”

Shiraori, after seeing Priscilla’s display decided to go next as before anyone could respond, the machine chimed. Shiraori had silently stepped onto the neighboring pad. She inserted coins, causing the machine to light up. She picked a song, without hesitation, without even reading the title.

Issei turned in time to see the first arrows rise on her screen.

Shiraori’s eyes narrowed slightly and the music began.

Immediately, her feet moved. There was no cautious start with her, no testing phase. Shiraori moved as if she had already calculated the entire chart in advance—precise, efficient with no wasted motion.

Tap-tap-tap-tap.

Her steps were light, almost eerie in their exactness.

Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.

The game didn’t even seem prepared for such ruthless accuracy.

A small crowd began to form around them—first a couple of nearby kids, then some teens, curious arcade-goers drawn by the sound of the rhythm machine running at high difficulty.

Yukina and Asia shifted so they could see both screens.

“Shiraori-san is… amazing too…” Asia breathed.

“She’s hitting all of them…” Yukina added.

Priscilla folded her arms, watching.

The more Shiraori played, the more the arrows intensified. But her expression never changed.

The rush at the end of the song was a blur of arrows and movement.

Then silence as the screen flashed. RANK: S. High score. The machine chimed. The text at the top changed to display her new record.

Shiraori stepped off the platform calmly, as if she had just finished walking down a hallway.

Priscilla’s eyes narrowed. She looked at Shiraori. Then at the high score. Then at her own machine. The dragon inside her bristled and her fingers curled slightly. ‘She did better than me.’

Without a word, she stepped onto the first pad again and slid in more coins.

The screens lit up. Music selected.

Shiraori, seeing this, blinked once… Then stepped back onto her platform. The tension between them was subtle but undeniable. A quiet, unspoken challenge hanging in the air.

A few kids noticed.

“Whoa, are they gonna battle?” One whispered.

“Look, look, they’re starting at the same time!”

Run’s eyes lit up instantly. “A dance battle! Oooh, I want in on this~”

Furina pushed forward, hands on the rail of Shiraori’s pad.

“Oh? A public contest of skill?” She said, practically vibrating with theatrical excitement. “I refuse to be left out! After they’re done, I’m taking a turn.”

The countdown began on both machines. 3… 2… 1… Two songs. Two pads. Two white-haired women.

The music hit.

Priscilla exploded into motion—confident, precise, now fully warmed up. Her feet moved slightly heavier, more forceful than Shiraori’s, guided by instinct and sheer will.

Shiraori’s steps were lighter and quieter. If Priscilla danced like a warrior, Shiraori danced like a machine with perfect timing.

The arrows flew. Both of them kept up.

Perfect. Perfect. Great. Perfect.

Onlookers murmured, impressed.

“Damn, they’re good…”

“Are they pros?”

“They’re foreigners, right? Why are they better than us?!”

Asia watched nervously, hands balled into little fists. “I-I hope they don’t fight for real over this…”

Henrietta giggled softly. “It’s… kind of cute. In a terrifying way.”

Yukina nodded helplessly. “They’re… very intense…”

Behind them, Furina clutched her chest dramatically. “I must prove my superiority after this… My performer’s soul demands it!”

Run squeezed Issei’s arm. “Darling, we should cheer for both, right?”

Issei chuckled. “Yeah. Definitely both.”

He looked between the screens, amazed. ‘They really don’t hold back… even in games.’

The song neared its final rush, and the arrows blurred into a stream of color.

Priscilla’s brows drew together in fierce concentration. Her steps grew sharper, filled with pride and a dragon’s refusal to lose.

Shiraori’s gaze sharpened, parallel minds focusing entirely on matching every arrow with clinical perfection.

The song ended. The screens flashed and the scores appeared side by side.

The crowd leaned in.

Priscilla’s rank: S  Shiraori’s rank: S

Shiraori’s score: slightly higher while Priscilla’s combo: slightly longer.

They stared at each other across the small gap between platforms.

A heartbeat passed.

Then “…Acceptable,” Priscilla said again. But there was a glimmer in her golden eyes now, a spark of genuine respect.

Shiraori blinked. ‘This was so much fun!’

Run pumped her fist. “That was awesome!”

Furina clapped her hands together, delighted. “Marvelous! Spectacular! Now it’s MY turn to shine!” She hopped onto the pad with flair.

—----------------------------

The chime of the nearby rhythm machines faded into the background as a softer, more relaxed sound caught Asia’s attention. Nearby, one of the puzzle game cabinets displayed falling, rotating blocks in bright colors. The screen was simple compared to the noisy fighters and flashy rhythm games, but somehow… calming.

A small boy hopped down from the seat with a triumphant grin, clearly proud of his score. He turned to leave and nearly bumped into Henrietta.

She stepped forward, hands folded neatly in front of her skirt. “Um… excuse me,” she said gently. The boy froze, startled. Henrietta bowed her head slightly, her smile polite and warm. “How do you play the one with the spinning blocks…?”

The boy stared at her for a moment, his eyes flicking to her clothes, her gentle face, the way she stood so properly. His cheeks turned faintly red.

“Ah—y-you just move them and match colors!” He stammered. “See, this button spins them, and this one moves them left or right…” He pointed at the joystick and buttons, demonstrating with small, careful motions.

Henrietta watched him with full attention, as if he were a royal scholar giving a lecture. “I see…” she nodded. “You organize them as they fall. Like fitting pieces of a puzzle.”

“Y-Yeah! The more lines you clear, the more points you get,” the boy added, gaining confidence as he explained. “If they reach the top, you lose.”

Henrietta smiled softly. “Thank you very much.” She gave him a little bow.

The boy nearly short-circuited from fluster and shuffled away quickly, but with a proud little smile on his face.

Asia and Yukina watched from behind. “She’s very good with children,” Yukina whispered, admiration in her eyes.

Karura, standing nearby with arms loosely folded, snorted lightly. “Of course. She’s a princess. She’s probably used to dealing with young nobles and nobles can be more unreasonable than any child.”

Henrietta moved to the seat and sat down gracefully, adjusting her skirt so it didn’t wrinkle too much. She placed her hands gently on the controls, took a breath, and pressed “Start.”

The music shifted to a simple, looping melody and the blocks began to fall. At first, her expression was peaceful—curious, tentative. Then her eyes sharpened. “…It’s like arranging troops on a battlefield,” she murmured, focused. “Position them, anticipate the future placements, leave no gaps. I understand.”

Her right hand moved to rotate the blocks. Her left guided them left and right. She began stacking them with surprising efficiency—creating clean horizontal rows, avoiding holes, planning ahead without yet fully understanding how much.

Every ding of a cleared line nudged her score higher.

Asia stepped closer, watching the screen. “She’s already doing so well…” she said softly.

Henrietta’s lips pressed together in a small line of concentration. Yet beneath the focus, there was a faint glimmer of enjoyment. ‘This feels oddly soothing,’ She thought. ‘No lives are at stake. No political pressure. Just… place the pieces correctly. Fix the mistakes before they pile too high.’

She cleared another line and another as slowly, her score climbed.

After a minute, Asia’s fingers began to itch. “I-I want to try…” she murmured.

Henrietta glanced back just as the current round ended. Her blocks had piled too high; the game flashed “GAME OVER,” but her points were respectable for a first attempt.

She turned in the seat, smiling. “Asia, Yukina, would you like to play?”

Asia stepped forward and nodded shyly. “Y-Yes… if that’s okay…”

Henrietta stood up. “Of course. I’ll explain what I learned.”

Asia slid into the seat, her posture a bit stiff with nervousness. Henrietta leaned over her shoulder, gesturing gently. “This rotates the block, this moves it, and they fall faster over time,” she said. “Try to make straight lines with no gaps. Think of it as… organizing a shelf neatly.”

Asia brightened at that. Organizing, stacking, making things neat—those, she understood. “O-Okay.”

She hit “Start.” and the first block fell. Her movements were clumsy at first, but careful. She stared intensely at the shapes, moving them slowly, rotating them three extra times when one rotation would have done.

Asia began to settle into a rhythm. Line by line, her field remained relatively clean.

“Y-You did it,” Yukina whispered, drawn over to watch as Asia cleared her first full line. “You’re doing great.”

Asia smiled, shoulders relaxing slightly. “T-Thank you…”

The blocks sped up. Asia panicked a little, misplacing one. Then another. “A-Ah…!” The neat order she’d built began to crumble as gaps appeared.

Henrietta quickly reassured her. “It’s all right. You can still fix it. Just focus on one side at a time.”

Asia tried, but eventually the blocks reached the top.

“GAME OVER.”

She sighed softly. “I-I lost…”

Henrietta shook her head. “You did very well for a first time.”

Encouraged, Yukina glanced at the second machine. “M-Maybe I could try too…?”

Asia tugged her sleeve shyly. “I-I’d like to continue as well…”

Henrietta slid on another machine. “Of course,” She said. “Let’s play together.”

The trio soon began as they made mistakes. The blocks stacked too high several times. But each time they laughed, reset, and tried again.

In the glowing corner of the arcade, surrounded by chimes and falling blocks, the three girls found a quiet, cozy kind of happiness sharing a simple puzzle game.

—------------------------

Karura and Kaguya wandered away from the louder cluster of games with identical expressions of mild disinterest and mild judgment.

Karura glanced at the rows of machines from racing games, crane machines, rhythm games with her arms folded. “I don’t see what’s so fun about pressing buttons and staring at lights,” She muttered.

Kaguya nodded, fanning herself lazily as she walked. “Humans truly will turn anything into a pastime,” she said. “Screaming at screens, mindlessly tapping… It all feels a bit childish.”

A pair of middle schoolers shrieked in victory at a nearby shooter cabinet.

Karura raised an eyebrow. “Case in point.”

They moved past a row of UFO catchers, a pinball machine, and a couple of music games—until something finally made Karura pause.

On a slightly elevated platform sat a cabinet with bold artwork splashed across the sides. Two fantasy warriors clashed on the screen—swords flashing, magic erupting, health bars shrinking as the announcer shouted, “KO!”

Karura stopped dead. Her golden eyes narrowed. “…A fighting game?” she said.

Kaguya followed her gaze, one elegant eyebrow lifting.

The attract mode restarted with two characters selected from a roster, their portraits facing each other as the stage loaded. Then, the battle began—punches, kicks, magic attacks.

“It appears so,” Kaguya replied. “You control warriors who battle each other with techniques and skills.”

Karura stepped a little closer.

A game about combat, clear rules, direct conflict with victory and defeat spelled out instantly. Now this was familiar.

“…I want to try it,” She decided. She glanced toward Kaguya, noting that the game clearly had two sets of controls. Her lips tugged into a sly smile. “It allows for two players,” Karura said. “Play with me.”

Kaguya scoffed quietly, as if above such things. “A childish brawling game?” she said. “Hardly befitting my grace.”

But then she saw the character selection screen again—armored knights, graceful swordswomen, robed sorcerers, and a regal queen-like character wielding a fan. Her pride whispered, ‘You cannot let others say you were afraid of a simple human toy. She walked closer to the game. “…But I suppose there is no harm in indulging you,” she said. “Just once.”

Karura smirked. “Just once, hmm?”

They both slid in coins.

The machine chimed, and the words “PLAYER 1 READY—PLAYER 2 READY” flashed on the screen.

Karura grabbed the left joystick and Kaguya took the right.

The character selection screen popped up.

Karura immediately went for a lightning-wielding martial artist with a wild grin.

Kaguya hovered over the roster, searching. She found the queen-like swordswoman with elegant clothing and a fan-like weapon.

“…This one,” Kaguya said.

“Figures,” Karura snorted. “You picked the one that looks like you.”

Kaguya smiled thinly. “And you picked the one that punches things without thinking. Also accurate.”

The stage loaded: a crumbling temple at sunset, stone tiles and floating petals.

ROUND 1 – FIGHT!

The girls stared at their controls for half a second. They pressed buttons experimentally.

Their characters jumped awkwardly. One punched into the air. The other whiffed a heavy kick miles away from the enemy. For the first few seconds, the “fight” looked more like two drunk puppets flailing near each other.

Karura frowned. “…How do you do special moves?”

Kaguya’s eyes narrowed at the small “Command List” graphic on the corner.

“Quarter-circle forward… plus punch?” she read.

Karura quickly tried it.

Her character suddenly leapt forward, fist crackling with lightning as it struck.

Kaguya’s character flew back, her health bar chunked.

Karura’s eyes lit. “Oh.”

Kaguya’s nostrils flared. “…You got that by accident.”

Karura grinned. “Still counts.”

The round continued, both of them mashing and experimenting—Karura a little more aggressively, Kaguya a little more cautiously. Karura began to figure out combos by feel.

Hit, hit, special. Strike, dash, uppercut.

Kaguya got a few hits in with long-range fan slashes, but her timing was off. After a flurry of blows—

K.O.

Karura’s character did a victory pose while lightning cracked behind her causing Karura to smirk. “I win.”

Kaguya’s eye twitched. “That was luck,” She said coolly.

Karura leaned an elbow on the cabinet. “Of course it was.”

Kaguya inhaled slowly. “…Another round.”

Karura’s grin widened. “Thought you said ‘just once’?”

“Silence.” Kaguya inserted more coins. “Again.”

The second match began. They picked the same characters—now more familiar with their moves. This time, Kaguya wasn’t as stiff. She jumped less and blocked more, using her character’s range to keep Karura’s brawler at bay.

Karura charged in and Kaguya backed away, fanning out projectiles. “You won’t hit me so easily this time,” Kaguya said.

Karura’s health dropped steadily. Her brows drew together. “Okay… you learned fast.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” Kaguya’s tone turned smug.

Karura gritted her teeth. She pushed in aggressively, but Kaguya had figured out anti-air moves. Every mistimed jump got punished. Every reckless dash got clipped.

Karura had to admit—she was impressed.

Kaguya’s fingers moved more confidently now, elegantly controlling the queen-like fighter on-screen. Finally, after a well-timed special that sent Karura’s brawler crashing to the ground, the screen flashed.

K.O.

Kaguya exhaled. Her character posed regally as the victory theme played. Kaguya tilted her chin slightly. “There,” she said. “Balance restored.”

Karura stared at the result for a moment. Then she crossed her arms. “…Another round.”

Kaguya blinked. “Excuse me?”

“You beat me. I can’t leave it like that,” Karura said. “Rematch.”

Kaguya’s smile twitched. Her pride was purring. Being asked for rematches was satisfying. “Very well,” she said. “I shall defeat you again so thoroughly that you lose interest.”

They slid in coins.

They fought again.

Karura adjusted. She began to block more. Started weaving around the projectiles instead of charging in. Found creative ways to close the distance and punish Kaguya’s whiffed specials.

Kaguya tried to keep her distance, but Karura’s pressure got better, tighter.

The first round went to Kaguya. The second went to Karura. The final was close. Both health bars blinked in the danger zone.

“Stay down already,” Kaguya muttered.

“You first,” Karura shot back.

Karura landed a lucky hit into a special.

K.O.

Victory pose. Lightning. Karura’s satisfied smile returned. “Now we’re even.” Kaguya’s hand trembled in fury “…Another round,” she said through gritted teeth.

Karura blinked, then grinned slowly.“Gladly.”

From there, it snowballed. A third match.  Then a fourth. And Fifth. At first they were clumsy. Then competent. Then genuinely good. Their conversation devolved into competitive banter.

“Stop spamming that move.”

“It’s called strategy.”

“You’re just running away.”

“I’m maintaining distance, you barbarian.”

“Coward.”

“Brainlet.”

Their fingers moved faster. Expressions sharpened. The world outside the cabinet faded, leaving only the glow of the screen and the thrill of one-upping the other. At some point, a small crowd of kids began to gather behind them.

“Whoa, they just parried that!”

“She just did a combo into super!”

“Are they pros?”

Issei, passing by with Nyaruko and a basket of tokens, slowed down.

He watched Kaguya slam Karura with a full combo and then Karura immediately adapt in the next match and crush her with a different character.

He blinked. “…How long have they been at it?”

Asia tilted her head. “Since we got here, I think…”

Run smiled. “They look like they’re having fun.”

Furina crossed her arms. “A rivalry built on petty fighting games… how very fitting for Karura but a surprise to find Kaguya so invested.”

Shiraori observed from afar.

By the time they finally stepped away from the cabinet, both Karura and Kaguya had a faint flush in their cheeks and sharp light in their eyes.

“We’re not done,” Karura said softly.

“We most certainly are not,” Kaguya agreed.

They turned away at the same time, pretending not to acknowledge they’d enjoyed themselves.

Issei just smiled. ‘Guess they found something fun after all.’

—--------

Then at the zombie shooter, things escalated… quickly. 

Nyaruko quickly shooted at they were being overwhelmed. “DARLING, RELOAD!!”

“I AM!” Issei yelled back. “WHY ARE THERE SO MANY ZOMBIES?!”

“BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T SHOOT FAST ENOUGH!”

“You’re the one switching targets just to style on them!”

The screen flashed with undead swarms closing in. Nyaruko and Issei fired wildly, leaning into the game like real combat.

Nyaruko cackled. “DARLING, AIM FOR THE HEAD! LIKE YOU AIM FOR OPPAI!”

“THAT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE!!”

They drew a crowd. Some kids watched with sparkling admiration.  Some teenagers recorded them on their phones.

The machine shook from how hard Nyaruko slammed the reload pump.

Finally, an employee walked over, sweating nervously. “U-Um, excuse me… you two are a bit too loud. Could you maybe… tone it down?”

Nyaruko turned with a bright smile. “Ah! Sorry! We got excited!”

Issei bowed quickly. “Sorry!”

The employee stared at them for a second. Then at the high score they managed to hit. “…Nice score, though,” he muttered before walking away.

—------------------------------------

Bookstore

The sun had already dipped lower by the time they reached the next stop on their tour. After the lights and shouting chaos of the arcade, the change in atmosphere was almost shocking. When Issei pushed open the glass door of the largest bookstore in Kuoh, a soft chime rang overhead.

Cool air washed over them, tinged with the comforting smell of paper, ink, and polished shelves. The noise of the street dimmed behind them, replaced by the gentle rustle of pages, the faint murmur of distant voices, and the subtle hum of background music. Rows and rows of books stretched out in every direction, forming neat corridors of stories and knowledge.

Henrietta stepped in… and stopped dead. Her eyes widened, shimmering in the warm indoor light. “So many… books…” she breathed. To a once-princess who grew up with private libraries and ancient tomes, this sight still seemed unbelievable, an entire store dedicated to literature of all kinds, open for anyone to browse.

Yukina inhaled carefully, shoulders relaxing. “It smells… nice and relaxing.” she whispered.

Asia drifted away from the entrance, fingertips hovering just above the spines of the nearest shelf. Long rows of books towered over her—genres she couldn’t read yet, titles she couldn’t understand.

Issei watched them fan out with small, fond pride. The group split almost naturally in search of genres of their choice.

Henrietta, Asia, Yukina, and Kaguya gravitated toward the sections labeled Literature and fiction Kaguya’s eyes were sharp, scanning labels as if they were coded court records.

She stopped in front of a section stacked with older editions, their covers more restrained and formal than the flashy newer ones. She plucked a book from the shelf, then gave a satisfied little nod. “At last,” she declared. “Something cultured.”

Henrietta leaned over to glance at the title, admiration in her gaze. “Japanese classical literature… I would like to read these someday.” Yukina and Asia nodded, even though the characters meant little to them yet.

Elsewhere, Furina walked slowly through another aisle, fingers trailing over book spines until she paused before a display of fantasy novels.

She picked one up and flipped it open, skimming the printed text with keen curiosity. “Is this how people here record their epics?” she murmured.

Run, Nyaruko, Priscilla, and Shiraori, however, stopped as if pulled by a magnet when they saw a certain section. Bright covers. Big eyes. Panels of black-and-white art.

MANGA.

Run sparkled instantly. “Issei!” she called, grabbing a volume from the shelf and hugging it to her chest. “They have romance manga!”

The cover showed a girl clinging to a boy’s arm under a rain of petals.

Run’s grin widened. “This… This is destiny.”

Priscilla slid a book from the shelf next to her—a fantasy action series with a fierce-looking warrior on the cover and dragons in the background. Her golden eyes lit up as she flipped through it.

“The artwork is beautiful…” she murmured, tracing a line above the page without touching it. The choreography, the poses, the way power and motion were drawn—she could almost feel the battles.

Shiraori didn’t say anything. She just systematically pulled three different manga volumes—different series, different genres—and hugged them to her chest like they were rare specimens that needed immediate study.

She stared at the covers with a smile. ‘I get to read manga again!’

Issei came up behind them with a basket.

“Okay, we can get a few books each,” he said. “Just don’t go too crazy or… or…”

He looked down. The small shopping basket he’d grabbed earlier was already half-full of manga, light novels, and a couple of fantasy paperbacks. Run had slipped in three volumes. Priscilla had added two. Shiraori had stacked hers quietly at the bottom.

His eye twitched. ‘…Oh crap, this is gonna drain my wallet…’ He could already see the numbers adding up in his head. Books weren’t cheap. And this was just today.

‘I really need to find a job… or some way to make money that doesn’t involve selling my organs…’ He sighed. Well. Future Issei problems.

After a while, he drifted to red the manga and light novel section again, intending to help them pick some good starter series.

That was when he noticed something else. Henrietta stood in front of a shelf, holding an elegant-looking novel in her hands. Asia had a small, pastel-colored paperback open. Furina had a fantasy book, brows furrowed.  Priscilla had a volume open halfway, unreadable text filling the speech bubbles. Lala was staring at the title of something that involves gore.

And all of them wore the exact same expression: “…Uh oh.”

Henrietta’s brows knit together delicately. “I can’t… read any of this,” she admitted quietly.

Asia looked miserable. “M-Me neither…”

Furina frowned, puffing her cheeks slightly. “Of course I can’t read it! This world’s written language isn’t something they taught in Fontaine. I can speak it now, but the letters…”

Henrietta nodded in agreement. “It’s the same for me. The way we understand you is thanks to that ‘system’, but…” She glanced down at the page again. “The characters themselves… are still foreign.”

Priscilla’s jaw tightened, frustration flickering briefly in her eyes as she stared at the incomprehensible text above the art.

Run sighed dramatically, hugging her manga like a child refused a treat. “I finally get to be in a world where romance manga exist… and I can’t even read them…”

Lala tilted her head. “The shapes are really cool-looking, but yeah, I have no idea what any of this says.”

Asia’s shoulders drooped. “I wanted to learn more about this country’s stories…” She whispered.

Nearby, Karura slid another book back onto the shelf, looking unbothered. “I can read it,” she said casually.

Nyaruko struck a ridiculous pose. “As a dignified being of chaos and an experienced foreigner, of course I can read Japanese!” she bragged. “Novels, manga, dirty magazines—Nyaruko-san reads it all!”

Kaguya flicked her book with refined annoyance. “I grew up here long enough to know the written language. It would be pathetic of me if I could not.”

Yukina raised her hand shyly. “Um… I can read it a bit too. Not super fast… but I can.”

Shiraori simply stared at the nearest shelf… then grabbed a manga and flipped it open, eyes scanning the pages with no difficulty whatsoever.

Karura. Nyaruko. Shiraori. Yukina and Kaguya were all perfectly fine. The others… not so much.

Nyaruko let out a small snicker and couldn’t resist. “Oho~ So the great girls from other worlds can’t even read Japanese?” she teased. “Isn’t the system supposed to help you?”

Furina snapped her head toward her, affronted. “IT IS NOT MY FAULT that this country uses three writing systems!” she defended. “Do you have any idea how many characters this language has?!”

Henrietta nodded quickly. “It’s true. I can recognize some shapes, but reading them as sentences is… difficult.”

Run hid half of her face behind her manga. “It’s humiliating…”

Priscilla set her book down gently, quietly annoyed at her own limitations.

Asia fidgeted. “I don’t… want to trouble anyone just to read simple books…”

Issei watched all of this, and something in his chest tugged. He could see it—the way their excitement dimmed a little. How Asia’s fingers tightened on the book. How Henrietta’s shoulders lowered. How Run looked like someone had just told her the last copy of her favorite item was sold out. How Priscilla’s gaze hardened, not at the book, but at herself.

Issei stepped forward.

“Hey.”

They looked up.

Issei rubbed his neck, a little embarrassed, but determined.

“The system lets you all speak Japanese, right?” he said. “That’s why we can talk without a problem. But…is reading and writing not automatic?”

Furina huffed. “Useless system…”

“Yeah, that part kinda sucks,” Issei agreed. “But…” He smiled. “I’ll teach you.”

They blinked.

“I-I mean,” he continued, scratching his cheek, “I’m no professional teacher or anything, but… I can at least help you learn to read. Hiragana, katakana, then kanji. We’ll go step by step. If you still want to, we’ll make time for it.” He shrugged, trying to sound casual. “I mean, it’s my world’s language. If you’re going to live here—and go to school—then it’s only fair I help, right?”

For a second, no one spoke.

Then Henrietta’s face bloomed into a warm, grateful smile. “I would be honored to learn,” she said. “Truly.”

Asia’s eyes shimmered. “R-Really? You’d… teach me…?”

Run lit up like someone had flipped a switch. “Reading romance manga with Darling as my tutor… That sounds like a dream route.”

Priscilla gave him a small, approving nod. “That would be… useful. I won’t remain illiterate in this world.”

Furina turned her head aside, cheeks faintly pink. “W-Well… since you insisted, I suppose I’ll allow you to instruct me. As your divine duty.”

Lala had a small smile. “Learning to read will help me, please teach me!”

Issei laughed softly. “All right, all right. It’s a promise then.”

Even Kaguya seemed moderately impressed. “Taking responsibility for your women’s education is… acceptable,” she said. “I approve.”

Nyaruko sighed theatrically. “Uuugh, now I have to compete by pretending I also need tutoring…”

Karura smirked. “You can’t even pretend to be bad at reading.”

Shiraori merely hugged her stack of manga tighter, as if already imagining reading them piled on her lap back at the castle. Despite still not being able to read Japanese yet, the girls clutched their chosen books with renewed excitement.

They weren’t just random objects anymore. They were goals. Something to look forward to. Something to share with Issei.

Done. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes. Like always this commission was brought to you by Deus Ex Mima. So be sure to thank him.