Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

Just as Kaguya left the Prime Minister's residence, a figure darted toward her, startling her so much that she almost pushed them away.

Looking closely, Kaguya recognized the petite figure with a delicate appearance and a certain fullness.

"Mukuro Hoshimiya?" Kaguya asked, a bit puzzled. "What are you doing here?"

If Kaguya remembered correctly, she had instructed Mukuro to stay back at the apartment and rest. Why had she come all the way here?

"Because… I missed you," Mukuro replied softly, with an earnest look.

Kaguya suddenly recalled Mukuro's special ability, which could transport her over large distances by sensing and following a person's "aura." It wasn't exactly a full-on tracking ability but rather a unique sensitivity, something that could lead Mukuro to her despite the considerable distance.

"And how did you manage to find me here?" Kaguya asked with curiosity. "And where are Tohka and the others?"

"There was a faint trace of your presence here, so I just followed it until I found you," Mukuro answered with a gentle smile.

Her "presence" or "aura"?

Kaguya's mouth twitched at this. Was this girl part hound? To be able to track her scent across such a vast distance.

"Fine then," Kaguya sighed, reaching out to pat Mukuro's head. "Let's go back."

"Mhm." Mukuro nodded obediently, the hint of a smile playing on her face.

Regardless, Mukuro's ability to find her felt somewhat endearing to Kaguya.

Mukuro clung closely to Kaguya's arm as they walked, contentedly leaning against her as they returned. Her eyes held a sense of satisfaction, as if she could go on walking alongside Kaguya forever.

Seeing this, Tohka and Origami Tobichi felt a stab of jealousy from the sidelines. This stranger had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was now taking over what they felt was their rightful place by Kaguya's side. It was infuriating.

But Mukuro merely gave them a quiet, gentle look, as if to say that being next to Kaguya was exactly where she belonged, making her intent perfectly clear. For her, being with Kaguya was a matter of course.

Kaguya had already instructed the Prime Minister to arrange a villa, and she guessed it wouldn't take long before they could all move into a new, larger place. But for now, they would have to continue making do in the apartment for a while longer.

"Finally home again, thank goodness," Tohka said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Mhm," Yoshino murmured softly, echoing her relief. She had been quite worried about Kaguya since she left, so much so that she hadn't even felt like watching her favorite TV shows, which led to teasing from her puppet, Yoshinon.

"How did it go?" Origami approached, asking quietly. She was always the more rational among them.

"Not bad," Kaguya replied with a smile. "With any luck, you won't be hearing from DEM Corporation again."

After Kaguya's assault on the DEM headquarters, she used illusion techniques to control several high-ranking officials, gaining access to classified files, including one detailing DEM's numerous bases around the world. To Kaguya's surprise, the scope of the corporation's operations far exceeded her expectations. They had a presence in almost every country.

To destroy DEM entirely, Kaguya had used the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu. Although the clone technique diluted her power somewhat, it was more than enough to handle the task. With her clones, Kaguya had swept through all of DEM's regional bases and secret armories worldwide, even bringing down several smaller nations under DEM's influence.

Though the whole thing sounded lengthy, it hadn't taken much time. Thanks to her teleportation abilities, Kaguya hadn't needed to spend ages traveling between locations.

One mystery remained: she hadn't seen any sign of DEM's leader, Westcott, not even a body. Perhaps he had perished in an earlier battle?

Regardless, whether he had died or managed to flee, he was just another insignificant nuisance to Kaguya. Without the technology and resources of DEM Corporation, he was practically a nobody—a mere human with little skill, his combat power nowhere near that of even Ellen, one of DEM's top fighters.

"Are you saying…?" Origami's normally calm expression showed a rare hint of shock. "Did you wipe out DEM Corporation?"

"That's right," Kaguya replied with a smile. "Leaving an organization like that intact would only be a problem, so it's better to be rid of them."

Origami was both impressed and at a loss for words. She had regarded DEM as an enormous multinational power, yet it had been wiped out in an instant at Kaguya's hands. Still, having grown accustomed to such displays of strength, Origami took it in stride.

"Hmph. What's the big deal?" came a mutter from the side as Natsumi turned away, grumbling, "Look at her getting all pleased with herself. Acting so smug… What's there to be so smug about?"

Hearing Natsumi's mumbling, Kaguya turned and called out sternly, "Shouldn't you be getting dinner ready? Don't forget your role."

Natsumi scoffed but obediently headed toward the kitchen.

Just then, a thought struck Kaguya. She turned back to the group and asked, "By the way, where's Ellen?"

"Ellen?" Tohka looked confused. "Who's Ellen?"

Kaguya's mouth twitched. "She's the one I left in your care—the one you were supposed to keep an eye on."

"No, you didn't leave anyone with us," Tohka replied, looking puzzled. "No one was given to us to watch over."

Then Kaguya remembered: she had left Ellen with three high school students.

With the recent chaos finally behind her, Kaguya could at last find a moment to rest. However, she couldn't afford to relax entirely—her allotted time from the system was limited, and locating the remaining Spirits within this timeframe was no small feat.

Her focus was on finding Nia Honjo and the Yamai twins.

In truth, Kaguya's assault on DEM Corporation had not been merely about vengeance; her primary goal was to rescue Nia Honjo, whom DEM had imprisoned. However, after searching through the DEM bases, she hadn't found any sign of Nia nor sensed any Spirit energy. This raised her suspicions: could Westcott have hidden her in a secret facility?

It would make sense. DEM was an international corporation and one of the most powerful arms dealers. It was unlikely they would put such a critical asset under standard security or hand her over to just anyone in the company, even a high-ranking executive. Nia Honjo might well be hidden in a secret location that even Kaguya hadn't yet identified.

As for the Yamai twins, they could be anywhere. The world was vast, and locating two people across such a vast area was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Would she need to resort to Infinite Tsukuyomi?

If it came to that, Kaguya thought she might have to use this technique. She didn't have the time to comb through every possibility; the efficiency of such a search was far too low.

"Hey! Hey!"

As Kaguya was pondering her options, a clear but slightly reluctant voice called from behind. She turned to see Natsumi, the petite, green-haired girl.

"Is something wrong?" Kaguya asked, curious. She and Natsumi had always shared a somewhat strained relationship—especially since Kaguya had put her in charge of cooking and chores. If Natsumi's attitude could be quantified, it would probably be in the negatives by now.

Standing in the kitchen doorway, Natsumi poked her head out and motioned for Kaguya to come closer with one small, fair hand. Her usually youthful and innocent face unexpectedly took on a surprisingly mature allure.

Kaguya paused, briefly taken aback by Natsumi's gesture. This girl was beginning to show the grace of a young lady, and Kaguya found herself feeling a flutter of something close to admiration.

Could it be that she was…

As Kaguya's thoughts began to stray, Natsumi's cheeks reddened slightly. "I… I don't really know how to cook," she muttered.

Kaguya had told her before that she was only allowed to eat food she cooked herself, with no takeout allowed. Having no previous experience with cooking, her attempts had resulted in disasters. Though she'd improved over the past few days, her cooking was still barely palatable.

For the others, the food was passable, but Natsumi herself had a high standard. Due to her Spirit powers and frequent visits to the human world, she was accustomed to luxurious meals. She was used to delicacies—not necessarily the rarest dishes, but at least gourmet-level fare. Now, left to fend for herself, she was struggling.

Natsumi had weighed the humiliation of asking Kaguya for help against the discomfort of eating her own attempts at cooking and had finally chosen to give in.

Kaguya's expression flickered briefly with surprise, then she understood, feeling just slightly disappointed. But she pushed the thought aside. After all, she had already secured this little duckling—she wouldn't be able to fly away now.

With a small chuckle, Kaguya shrugged off her thoughts and followed Natsumi into the kitchen.

Inside, Natsumi was bustling at the stove, while Kaguya leaned against the doorframe, casually offering advice, "You're cutting the vegetables too thickly, and they need to be uniform. Pour the chicken in now, but don't let the oil get too hot. Hey, the soup's about to boil over; can't you move faster? That's salt, not sugar! Ah, honestly… Whoever said Spirits were naturally gifted? If you ask me—"

Natsumi, flustered from Kaguya's constant instructions, finally turned around and snapped, "Be quiet!"

Natsumi was wearing a plain apron and had her long hair tied up under a bandana. This style was unusual for her, but surprisingly, it gave her a certain contrasting charm.

Kaguya closed her mouth, obliging her request.

Natsumi, finally in peace, turned back to her cooking. She had several dishes going simultaneously: some were just starting, while others were nearly done. Both pots had something simmering, and a fish lay in the frying pan. Now without Kaguya's directions, Natsumi felt a brief moment of panic as she tried to manage it all.

Natsumi turned back to Kaguya, spatula in hand, and said, "Talk."

"About what?" Kaguya asked, amused.

"Just… say something. Anything," Natsumi replied, her teeth gritted in frustration.

"The fish is burning," Kaguya said with a shrug.

Natsumi immediately turned back to the pan, but a faint smell of char had already begun to fill the kitchen.

The fish, as it turned out, was indeed burnt.

At the dinner table, everyone exchanged glances. Tohka was adamant about not being the first to try it, while Origami sat calmly, sipping water and appearing uninterested. Mukuro glanced hesitantly at her plate. Yoshino was about to pick up her chopsticks when Natsumi quickly grabbed a piece from each dish and tried it herself, muttering through a mouthful, "Cowards."

Everyone else relaxed, and after taking a bite, they were all visibly surprised. The food today tasted worlds better than the previous days.

Tohka turned to her, "Did you make this?"

Kaguya shrugged, "I didn't lift a finger; she made everything herself."

She hadn't expected Natsumi to follow her instructions so precisely. Cooking relied on intuition as much as on following a recipe, yet somehow, Natsumi had managed to produce an impressive meal.

Natsumi herself took a bite, her face showing surprise. Had she really cooked this?

Natsumi's cooking not only astonished Kaguya, but Natsumi herself was equally surprised. Although the dishes only barely passed Kaguya's standards, for Natsumi, this was a remarkable improvement beyond her expectations.

Is this… really my cooking?

Unconsciously, Natsumi quickened her pace, eating heartily, and everyone else followed suit, relishing the meal. Even Mukuro Hoshimiya couldn't help but comment on the dish's quality, admiring the touch of expertise they could taste in every bite.

In the end, the dish that had the most takers was actually the slightly charred sweet and sour carp. Natsumi, patting her now-full belly, let out a satisfied burp—the fullest she'd felt in days. She looked at Kaguya with a softened gaze, realizing that maybe this person wasn't as awful as she'd originally thought.

But, as if noticing her gaze, Kaguya turned and said, "What are you looking at? Now, go wash the dishes, and don't even think of slacking."

Of course… she'd only imagined the change.

This person was just as terrible as ever.

With cheeks puffed in frustration, Natsumi nonetheless took the dishes to the kitchen. After all the chores she'd done these past few days, she'd gotten quite used to washing dishes—there were no longer any broken plates left in her wake.

After dinner, Origami, Tohka, Yoshino, and Mukuro nestled into the couch to watch TV together. Although there wasn't much of interest on, they seemed to enjoy the time spent lounging together. Only Natsumi was left to sit on a small stool off to the side. Already petite, she seemed even smaller compared to the others, and her expression became sullen, as if she were being purposely left out.

Natsumi fumed silently to herself. Once she escaped this awful person's grip, she'd turn all of them into little kids, make them sit on the ground, and refuse to give them any food. That would show them how it feels to treat her this way!

Oblivious to Natsumi's "evil" thoughts, Kaguya was instead enduring a different kind of torment. Though the couch was large, it wasn't made for five people squeezed close together. To make things worse, the girls all clung to her—whether deliberately or unintentionally—leaving her no room to shift around.

The most distracting of all was Tohka, who, again, whether consciously or unconsciously, was tightly hugging Kaguya's arm, pressing her soft chest against her. Kaguya couldn't help but swallow, thinking how this girl was becoming more and more enticing by the day.

On her other side, Origami wasn't to be outdone, pulling Kaguya's hand to rest on her lap. While her chest may not have quite matched Tohka's, her legs were smooth and toned from years of training, exuding a unique, youthful energy.

As for Mukuro, she nestled against Kaguya with a calm expression, holding her hand tightly. Mukuro didn't speak, simply leaning against Kaguya as if that alone was enough.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Kaguya suddenly stood up, saying, "I have a few things to take care of; I'll be back soon."

"What's the matter?" Origami asked, looking concerned.

"I'll go with you," Tohka said, hugging Kaguya's arm tightly.

Mukuro, though silent, cast a glance Kaguya's way, her eyes clearly signaling that she wasn't letting her go alone either.

With a glance around, Kaguya felt like a tree being clung to by a group of koalas, unable to move an inch. Luckily, Yoshino, always the considerate one, remained quietly seated and didn't join in.

Just as Kaguya thought to commend Yoshino for her good behavior, the little girl timidly reached out and grasped the sleeve of Kaguya's shirt.

Kaguya smiled wryly, thinking, What are you doing, little one?

"Relax, I'm only going out for a moment; I'll be right back," Kaguya said, unable to help the laugh that bubbled up.

"How do we know that?" Tohka asked, pouting.

"Why are you heading out so late?" Origami asked, her gaze sharp with concern. "Is there something you don't want to tell us?"

"Could it be…" Tohka trailed off, her eyes dimming slightly. Remembering the soap opera she'd watched earlier in the day, she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart as she murmured, "Have you grown tired of us already?"

At these words, the atmosphere grew tense. Yoshino, too, turned to look at Kaguya, a hint of worry flickering in her expression as she gripped her sleeve more tightly.

"What are you talking about?" Kaguya asked, completely baffled.

She struggled to grasp the imaginary melodrama unfolding in the minds of these girls.

"Because," Tohka began, her face reflecting genuine sadness, "you're tired of us and don't want to see us anymore. You don't want to live with us, so…" Her lips trembled slightly. "So you're leaving, aren't you? You're going to run away with some other woman, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Kaguya was utterly dumbfounded.

How in the world did they come up with such a ridiculous scenario? Tired of them? Leaving them? The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. After all, she hadn't even—well, it was just out of the question.

"Stop overthinking it," Kaguya said, flicking Tohka's forehead lightly. "How could I ever leave you all? You're letting your imagination run wild."

"Ow!"

Tohka cried out, rubbing her forehead, but then she quickly said, "You… you really won't leave us?"

Kaguya found all the girls staring at her, waiting for her answer.

"Relax, there's no way I'd leave you." Kaguya sighed, feeling amused and helpless at the same time.

It was, of course, heartwarming to be so adored, but at the same time, the overwhelming clinginess was more than a little exhausting.

Ah, having so many "girlfriends" could be such a headache.

Kaguya couldn't help but think this with a hint of self-satisfied shamelessness.

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