"Huh? What? A daughter?"
Yuu looked at the little vampire sitting next to him. With a completely serious expression and slightly flushed cheeks, she uttered the following words.
"Nn... I want a daughter with Yuu. I saw how you acted with Alice... Yuu really looked like a father at that moment... I thought about you and me having a daughter. Seeing that side of you... That's why I also want to start a family with Yuu."
After witnessing Yuu's paternal and protective side, it was natural that Yue, who loved him so much that words couldn't describe it and numbers couldn't quantify it, would feel the desire to have that experience with him.
The other girls froze.
"W-What?! Yue, you can't just say that! A daughter... that's..."
Yue turned a genuinely confused face toward Saya.
"Why not? It's what I want."
Painted a deep red, Rei's cheeks softened before showing a shy smile.
"I... I want a daughter with Yuu too..."
Jin-ah covered her face with her hands.
"A-a daughter with Yuu-oppa... Eh! That's wrong!"
'Uhh... I haven't even kissed him yet'.
Even Saeko was smiling with amusement.
"Having Yuu-sama's daughter would be a great honor for me."
Shizuka laughed dreamily.
"It would be nice to have Kami-sama's daughter!"
"You guys..."
Saya looked at the girls speechlessly. It wasn't that she was against having children with Yuu, but...
"We're in the middle of an apocalypse, do you realize that? If it were just the zombies, we could probably handle it, but with the mutants and that dark monster, who knows what other monsters we'll run into later on."
She paused as she took a deep breath.
"It would be stupid to have children now. Besides, we have to be strong to keep up with Yuu!"
They listened carefully to what Saya was saying, and although they didn't like the fact that they couldn't have children with Yuu now, what she said was true.
"That's right." Saeko nodded with a smile. "We have plenty of time."
"Nn... So eventually..."
"Eventually. When we're strong, we can talk about having children."
Rei nodded and continued Yue's words.
Jin-ah nodded and said in a more cheerful tone.
"Then we'll focus on getting stronger first."
"Uuuh... That's too bad."
Only Shizuka seemed mortified.
While they were talking, Yuu had remained silent as he thought.
Raising children required emotional stability that he did not yet possess.
He didn't want to be that kind of father. A father who was cold and indifferent to his own daughters.
Meanwhile, Ouroboros got underway at the same time that Yuu decided it was best to move the conversation into safer territory.
"So, to Takagi Estate, right?"
Saya sighed as she nodded.
"Y-yes. We should arrive in a few hours if there are no major interruptions."
"Good."
She spoke from the sofa as she tenderly stroked Alice's head. The little girl was still sleeping peacefully, probably due to the relaxing effect of the air freshener Shizuka had put on earlier.
"When we get to Takagi Estate... you'll meet my parents."
She sounded nervous about it, so Yuu smiled at her.
"It's okay."
"My father is intimidating. And my mother is very critical. And they'll probably interrogate you about your intentions with their daughter and..."
She paused when Yue spoke with amusement, though her expression remained flat.
"Are you nervous about introducing Yuu to your family? Fufu~ Saya, I didn't think you were so shy."
"I-I'm not!"
"Yes, you are."
Jin-ah and Rei spoke at the same time. Even Saeko joined the two of them.
"It's adorable, Saya."
"Shut up, everyone!"
As Ouroboros drove through the shattered streets, with Alice sleeping peacefully on the sofa, the girls chatting softly, Yue curling up against him...
Having forgotten the emotions of when he was still human and had a family...
Yuu wondered if this was what it felt like to have a family.
Not in the biological sense, of course. But in the sense of people who care for each other. Who support each other. Who cry together and laugh together.
A chosen family.
This family would probably grow a lot in the future.
And Yuu wanted to make sure that everyone was happy and felt safe.
'So that's my responsibility now?'
×××
Inside Aegis...
As Rias wiped the sweat from her brow with a towel after another brutal training session, a question escaped her lips.
"What is Yuu doing now?"
It had been over a day since he left, and he still hadn't shown up.
Akeno, who was practicing her lightning elemental magic nearby, spoke in a thoughtful voice.
"Ara... Yuu-kun seems to be very far away."
Rias was aware of that too. Through the Pathstrider connection, she could sense his presence alongside Yue and other girls. He was very far away.
"I wonder what senpai's up to..." Koneko said as she stretched her body.
She was the one who carried the most gravity on her shoulders.
At that moment, the connection Rias felt with Yuu was briefly cut off. Or rather, it disappeared completely from her perception.
As if he had ceased to exist for a second.
Then...
"Boo!"
Hearing someone suddenly appear behind her made Rias act instinctively. She turned around and attacked with her Power of Destruction. Without any magic circles, a highly concentrated crimson energy ball materialized in front of her palm before being launched directly at that person's face.
'Umu. Excellent reflexes'.
'Ah, I probably should have greeted her from further away'.
Rias realized what she had done a second too late.
"Yuu!"
Her scream came out in horror.
In her panic, she had forgotten that she could End her power, or deflect it with her new skill to manipulate her Power of Destruction as she wished.
'Panic makes you forget your options.'
She still lacked practice with her new powers under pressure.
The ball of destructive energy was approaching his face at considerable speed.
He opened his mouth and ate it.
The Power of Destruction disappeared down his throat with a small gulp!
"Mm. It's delicious. If I added cinnamon and cherry, it would be perfect."
×××
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