"Lala-sama, who is that dull-looking earthling… and this beauty?" Peke asked bluntly, floating in the air with a tone that could only be described as sass-powered. She pointed at Haruno and Ryouko without an ounce of hesitation. It was clear this android had no filter.
"Ah, this is Haruno—the person who lives here! And he said he'd help us, right?" Lala answered with a bright smile, glancing over at Haruno with sparkling eyes full of expectation. Her cheeks were still tinted pink, and she looked like she was waiting for him to reaffirm his promise, just to hear it again.
"Yeah, of course. I'll happily help you both," Haruno replied, smiling softly. Lala practically lit up, her blush deepening to the point that one could imagine steam rising from her head. Ryouko, standing off to the side, simply sighed at the surreal energy surrounding them.
"Ehehe… right, and this here is Peke—she's an all-purpose costume robot I designed!" Lala said proudly, still clinging affectionately to her creation.
Peke stared at Haruno for a moment, scanning him like she had a built-in judgment protocol. "Hmph… you seem like you might actually be useful," she said, not quite impressed but not dismissive either.
"See? He's totally reliable," Lala beamed. "Ah, right—Peke, let's change clothes!"
Without an ounce of shame, Lala released Peke from her hug and let her towel drop to the floor, standing confidently in her full, blushing glory. It was a bold move, but after speaking with Haruno, it was clear—Lala was slowly getting used to this new fluttering feeling inside her chest.
With a cheerful gleam in her eyes, Lala lifted her arm and tapped the device on Peke's body. Instantly, a burst of dazzling pink light engulfed her, sparkles swirling around her like magic. As the glow faded, her towel had vanished, replaced by a snug and flamboyant outfit that seemed like it belonged more in a cosplay convention than everyday life. On her head sat a large, wide-brimmed hat adorned with small bat-like wings, and her form-fitting bodysuit clung tightly to her curves, accentuating every line of her figure.
A fluffy, layered skirt fluttered around her waist, but oddly enough, a section of the front was missing—either a bold fashion choice or a design flaw courtesy of Lala's chaotic creativity. She wore sleek gloves that reached past her elbows, adding an extra flair of dramatic elegance.
"Tadaa! This is one of my favorite looks!" Lala announced proudly, doing a cheerful spin. Haruno coughed and averted his gaze, his red ears betraying him. Ryouko folded her arms, lips pursed in silent judgment—or was it admiration?
"Well, that's… certainly something else," Haruno said, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "But, uh… it suits you. Personally."
Having read the manga, he was more or less used to Lala's eccentric wardrobe choices—though seeing them in real life was a whole different experience. Even so, his simple, offhand compliment hit Lala harder than he expected.
It was as if his words carried an invisible arrow that pierced straight into her heart.
"Hehehe… thank you, Haruno," Lala replied, her voice soft and eyes shimmering with warmth as she tucked a lock of pink hair behind her ear, a gentle smile blooming on her face.
Peke, floating beside her, cleared her throat. "So, Lala-sama, what's your plan now?"
Lala turned with a bright, mischievous grin. "Well, I've been thinking about it... and actually, I have one ultimate idea." Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked directly at Haruno.
But before she could elaborate, two figures suddenly stepped into the apartment through the open balcony.
Both men were dressed head-to-toe in black: suits, ties, gloves, and dark sunglasses—like over-the-top secret agents or movie villains. While they looked human at first glance, the identical Deviluke-style tails swaying behind them told a different story.
The one in front had short blonde hair, a jagged scar down his cheek, and an air of rough authority. His companion, slightly smaller, had short black hair and a more stoic demeanor.
"Tch. What a troublesome lady," the blonde muttered, glaring at Lala. "I knew we should've restrained you. We could've tied you up and dragged you off-planet, and saved ourselves the headache."
Haruno narrowed his eyes, his instincts flaring up as the blonde man spoke. Seriously? Who says something like that out loud? If someone overheard that line—"tie you up and drag you off-planet"—they'd think these guys were part of some intergalactic kidnapping ring, not royal emissaries.
Haruno already knew from the manga that these two were just overzealous subordinates acting on the orders of Lala's father, the king of Deviluke. But hearing those words spoken so bluntly in real life made it hit differently. They weren't actually bad guys, just… incredibly bad at communication. Still, in this situation, anyone with half a brain would see them as the villains.
Do they want people to misunderstand them? Or do all of Lala's dad's subordinates lack common sense? Haruno sighed internally.
"Peke…"
"Yes…"
"Didn't I specifically tell you to be careful about being followed…?"
"Yes…"
"Geez, you stupid robot! Now everything's gone completely down the drain!"
"…Sorry…"
Haruno and Ryouko exchanged glances as they silently observed the back-and-forth between Lala and her compact companion. The realization that Peke had accidentally led her pursuers to the apartment hung heavily in the air. Still, despite the ominous tone and the earlier line about tying Lala up, the two men hadn't made any real move yet. They seemed more annoyed than dangerous—though their approach certainly didn't help their image.
Haruno leaned closer to Ryouko and whispered under his breath, "Can you leave this to me?"
She gave a small nod. "Ah, okay…"
The moment felt like it was teetering on the edge of chaos—and it finally tipped when the blonde man stepped forward and grabbed Lala by the wrist with force. "Enough stalling. Let's go!"
"No! Let me go! I said I don't want to!" Lala shouted, struggling in his grasp.
As he tried to restrain her further, gripping both her arms and pulling her close, it genuinely looked like a kidnapping in progress. Haruno's jaw tightened. There was no way anyone watching this could see it as anything but two suspicious men forcefully abducting a girl.
In the end, Haruno felt he had no choice but to step in. Even though he knew these two men weren't truly villains, the way they acted was beyond suspicious—enough to make anyone misunderstand, just like Rito would have. He didn't have a super suit or martial arts training, but his body moved with surprising sharpness, instincts kicking in from the slime alien incident. In one swift motion, he grabbed the blonde man's arm, the one still clutching Lala.
"I don't know who you are," Haruno said, voice firm, "but I can't just stand by while you manhandle a guest in my home."
The blonde guy turned to him with a glare cold enough to freeze lava. "Hah? And who do you think you are?"
"I'm just an Earthling. And the owner of this apartment," Haruno replied coolly. "From your tail, I'm guessing you're from the same planet as Lala. So how about you calm down and let her go? Or are all Deviluke aliens just this rude when visiting someone else's home?"
The room tensed. Both men stared at Haruno, their expressions unreadable. Ryouko held her breath, and even Peke looked ready to launch lasers. For a few seconds, the silence stretched uncomfortably.
Then—without a word—the blonde man let go.
Lala immediately stepped behind Haruno like a little kid hiding behind an older sibling, then peeked out with a grin and stuck her tongue out at the two men. "Bleh~!"
"Yes, we apologize for our rudeness," the blonde man said, straightening up and speaking in a more composed tone. "We're subordinates of Lala-sama's father, King Gid, and were sent to retrieve her and prevent her from running away again."
The other man simply nodded silently beside him, his sunglasses still firmly in place.
"Running away?" Haruno tilted his head innocently, playing along despite already knowing the situation. "Lala, did you really run away from home?"
"Well, yeah!" Lala huffed, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms in defiance. "I don't care if I'm a successor or whatever! I'm tired of being introduced to a hundred different future husband candidates every day!"
"But Lala-sama…" the blonde man began, only to be cut off as Lala turned dramatically toward Haruno, her eyes sparkling with sudden determination.
"Besides, the search for a husband is over!" she announced proudly. "I've already found the one I want!"
Everyone in the room blinked.
Lala pointed directly at Haruno, who froze like a deer in headlights.
"This is Haruno Aizawa—and he will be my husband! Tell my father that!"
Ryouko nearly choked on air. Haruno's soul briefly left his body.
Author Note :
Another late post, I want to fix it fast, but my writing became slower for a moment.
You can read 10 chapter at patr*on.com/Iam_HaremLover123