Luckily, Zoe had already gathered enough data today. According to her, she would soon be able to develop robots capable of erasing the rifts, and even spread them out for use.
That way, once the rifts in Rivet Town disappeared, there'd also be a proper explanation to the outside world.
"Vera, are you sure absorbing rifts won't harm your body?"
Emiya frowned. He still had some fear of rift energy. After all, it was something created by the Destruction Aeon to wipe out the world.
"Don't you dare hurt your body just to raise your strength. I'll gradually raise my own combat power so I won't need you to fight anymore."
"Don't worry, I would never lie to you." Vera rubbed her sleepy eyes, a hint of pride flashing across her small face. "Forget rifts, even if it's Stellaron energy, or creations of other Aeons, I can make them mine."
"Mm, that's good." Emiya didn't press further. He sighed lightly, planning to go for a walk outside, maybe find some blind fool of a thug to punch a few times and relax.
But as he passed by Acheron, she suddenly grabbed him and pulled him onto her lap.
"The only one who's exhausted today isn't Zoe. You didn't get us to sleep either, so where do you think you're going?"
"Uh..." Seeing Acheron, calm-faced at this close distance without the slightest blush or breathlessness, a bead of sweat formed on Emiya's forehead. He felt exactly like a little lamb facing a big bad wolf.
"Indeed, Lord Emiya was far too biased today." Vera downed the last of her cola in one gulp. Her little face flushed red as she leapt straight from the sofa into his arms.
Emiya caught her steadily and, almost without thinking, gave her earlobe a squeeze. That simple action made her already rosy face burst into hot steam.
After so many years together, even if Emiya hadn't meant to study it, he more or less knew Vera's sensitive spots. Just a light touch there and she instantly lost her composure.
Seizing back a little initiative, Emiya didn't press his advantage further. Instead, he chose to apologize honestly. "It's my fault. So, should I take you one at a time, or all together?"
"Lord Emiya, we're not numbers. We're individual people. Never forget that." Vera's words carried unusual seriousness, and Acheron's face grew cold as well.
"Mm. I'll always remember." Emiya nodded solemnly, and Vera jumped down from his arms at just the right moment.
"I'm going upstairs to grab a snack. Let the boss go first!"
As Vera left, the atmosphere in the room heated up. Only then did Acheron realize how bold she had been. Feeling the warmth of his breath so close, her toes curled tight with nervousness.
Emiya wasn't much better. His hand was still resting on her thigh. He wanted to pull away quickly, but his body betrayed him, rather than letting go, he gave it a squeeze.
'As expected of a body honed by training... the feel is incredible...'
Dry-mouthed, he swallowed hard, his rough breathing uncontrolled. His hands climbed upward on their own, gripping her slim waist.
"Ah..." Feeling his rough palms caress her soft skin, Acheron couldn't hold back a breathy moan.
Emiya's head was now completely flushed with blood. He didn't even hear her voice, nor think to use magecraft to suppress his breath and heartbeat. Guided only by instinct, he was about to climb further.
"No!"
Bang!
At the last instant, Acheron snapped awake. She punched Emiya straight into the wall, then ran into the bedroom at her fastest speed and slammed the door shut. Only then did her trembling, angry voice float out.
"Not before marriage. Absolutely not!"
"Tsk, tsk. Lord Emiya really is a scumbag!" Vera poked her head out from the stairs.
Seeing Emiya lying flat on the ground contemplating life, she shook her head in disdain. "Wanting it, but not wanting to take responsibility, you've let me down."
"It's not that I don't want responsibility... I'm afraid I can't bear it." Emiya brushed dirt off his face and sat against the broken wall.
But the wall was already unstable. It collapsed under his weight, burying him in rubble like a mud man.
"Ah!" Through dust-blurred eyes, he looked up at the rocky sky of the lower district and let out a heavy sigh. The view was a perfect reflection of his current situation.
Every time he reached for happiness, he couldn't stop thinking, 'Do I really have the strength to break through this heavy rocky sky, to drive away the endless snow, and let sunlight fall on them?'
"Huff... huff..." Vera gently blew away the dust from his face, wiped him clean with a warm towel, and kissed his furrowed brow.
"Lord Emiya, we are not helpless weak girls. We are your strong support. Please remember that."
"Just wait a little longer. At least until I've found the road forward, until I've seen true hope."
Emiya lifted his filthy hand and rubbed Vera's little head hard, staining her white hair with gray-black dust. "We're a family, and we'll always be together forever. There's no need to rush."
He paused for a long moment, then wrapped his words in magecraft so they carried clearly into the ears of the two eavesdropping girls.
"I promise you, when I marry, Acheron will definitely be the first wife, Vera the second, Zoe the third.
"I'll learn to accept this situation and take the responsibility of being the bridge that holds this family together. But you three are always the most important in my heart, the most important in this home. Never wrong yourselves.
"Always remember, what makes humans human is not being ruled by desire. This desire exists only because of you three. Never turn things upside down."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that." Vera suddenly cut in, dousing all the emotion Emiya had built up. "Watching you push down all sorts of different girls, that's just my personal hobby. It's not really for your sake."
"Tsk, looks like you're begging for a beating!"
Emiya cracked his fists, ready to teach this cocky brat a lesson. But before he could move, Acheron and Zoe, who had been silently watching, jumped out to stir things up too.
"I want Seele! She's cute. Hugging her at night would feel amazing!"
"I still say Cocolia and Bronya, mother and daughter..."
"Ugh..." Emiya rubbed his throbbing forehead, staring bitterly at the three chattering with excitement.
Worrying about them being taken advantage of, he now realized he was the real idiot. These three were already completely in cahoots. The only one in danger from now on was himself.
'The next companion I recruit, I'll raise personally. No way I'm letting her be corrupted by these three lewd monsters.'
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