New Mio (Part 1)

In an empty void space, a gray-haired girl lay sleeping on the ground.

(Who am I? I am the most beautiful girl in the world, Kamikoshi Mio Wiscott! But right now, I don’t fully control my body.)

That’s right! The voice speaking now is Mio’s, but it’s actually her original body that was repaired and possessed by Ria after Mio’s accident.

For some unknown reason, the body developed its own consciousness along with Mio’s original memories and personality.

“Did you hear that?”

From all directions in the void space, a gentle voice spoke—Ria’s.

“I heard you. Who are you? Why are you using my body? Is my little sister okay?”

“Shizuku and Rin are fine. Earlier you said you were Mio? But Mio’s soul has already gone to the world of Blade Dance of the Elementalers.”

“Nonsense! My mind is perfectly clear. I am Kamikoshi Mio Wiscott! But I do remember being hit by a car.”

“Well… never mind. I’ll give you the real Mio’s memories, take your time looking through them.”

After receiving the memories, the Mio in the void suddenly understood and dropped to her knees, crying.

“Uuuu… No! Uuuu… I don’t want to die…”

But Ria was speechless.

(As expected, she still broke down in despair.)

“You don’t even have a soul now, and we don’t even know if your consciousness is due to me possessing you.”

“I don’t want to disappear… please help me.”

“Alright, since you know Kurayue and the others, I’ll make a special soul for you to use your own body. But you’re a fake. I’ll let the real Mio and the others know about you.”

“That’s fine. I can be understanding. Though I feel weird not being the original me.”

“Let me ask a question first. Besides Kurayue and the others, do you have any friends?”

“No. But do classmates count?”

“Not really. So what kind of life did you plan to live? Under whose identity?”

“If possible, I still want to live as Kamikoshi Mio Wiscott. I believe I’m also the real one—like Magical Girl Illya and Kuro.”

“Alright then, I’ll be off to eat veggie rice now.”

“Hey… hey!”

Ria ran off, leaving Mio still in despair and unwilling to give in.

“…So unfair. Why am I the fake one? Is this Heaven punishing me?”

Meanwhile, in the Blade Dance world, Mio teleported with Kanon to visit Shinjin.

The two of them found him at a bakery, and Kanon ran up and hugged him tightly.

“Big brother!”

“Kanon… and Mio, what brings you two here?”

“I wanted to spend time with you, big brother. Also, I brought lunch for you and your friends. It’s being made right now.”

“Thanks for that.”

“What are you buying, Shinjin?”

“Jam bread. Est kept bugging me to get it.”

“By the way, I’m planning to hold the Elemental Blade Dance Festival soon. Want to do a one-on-one match?”

“Soon? Can it wait nine and a half months?”

“Whatever works for you.”

“Mio, can we turn the Blade Dance Festival into a Gourmet Festival instead? My brother’s friends could probably make great food.”

“That’s a good idea. Shinjin, how’s your cooking?”

“No need for me to join. I wouldn’t even make it past the preliminaries.”

“Sigh, then you and Kanon go have fun! I’ll go visit another king alone.”

Actually, Mio just wanted Kanon and Shinjin to bond more, since they hadn’t seen each other in so long.

After Mio left, Kanon smiled at Shinjin.

“Big brother, get me a jam bread too! I’m hungry.”

“Sure. By the way, Kanon, are you happy with your life right now?”

“Of course I am! And if not for Mio, you would’ve forgotten about me.”

(After all, I was born from nothing. I didn’t exist in the original story. But it doesn’t matter to me now.)

“Sorry…”

“It’s fine… Let’s not talk about that. Hurry and get me the jam bread!”

“Okay!”

Actually, Kanon wanted to observe Shinjin’s daily life—his personality and reaction speed.

An hour later, Eve and the others came back, bringing along another Mio. Everyone in the house was shocked. Shizuku stepped forward to take a look.

“Um… are you a clone?”

“Shizuku, I’m also real. Why not let Little Kurayue explain?”

Eve chuckled.

“Everyone knows my mom used Little Mio’s original body. But for some reason, it developed its own consciousness and Mio’s original memories and personality. So my mom made her a special soul.”

“How did you meet, Little Kurayue?”

“Met by chance at the veggie rice shop. Also, I used magic to place everyone’s lunch on the dining table. My mom took Little Mio and Kanon earlier, and I duplicated the lunch Kanon made for Shinjin and his friends.”

“Where did she take my sister?”

“No idea. But having two Mios is really fun.”

“So how do we tell them apart in the future?”

“Shizuku, do you remember my other nickname?”

“You mean… Yue Mio?”

“That’s right. As for appearances… Little Kurayue, can you change your eye color?”

“Sure.”

“Then I want purple eyes.”

(Though I liked my original look too.)

“Alright!”

“Thanks! Also, I live in our original world’s house. Please send me back after we’re done playing. I still have to clean it. Ria also said she’ll give you all a big house near mine—only 556 meters away. It’ll be easy to hang out. Shizuku, Rin, how’s that sound?”

“Having two sisters is nice. At least we gained another family member.”

“Same here! Now we’ve got one more gaming rival.”

“My sisters are the best. Ria said she’ll take care of my identity in the original world. She said it’ll be like Date A Live’s Tohka—setting up legal records is no issue. I’m thinking of calling myself Kamikoshi Akari Wiscott! But you can just call me Yue Mio.”

“Why not Akari?”

“I like the name Mio. Besides, I don’t admit to being a fake—just like Kuro in Magical Girl Illya!”

“To me, you’re both my sisters. But how strong are you?”

“Same as the other me. Ria made me that way, abilities and all. The only difference is I’m human.”

Kurayue quietly laughed on the side.

(Getting two Mios for the price of one is such a deal.)

“Well then… let’s not talk anymore. Let’s eat.”

Meanwhile, in the original world, Mio and Kanon were bathing with Ria in a large bathtub.

“This is my special bath. Do you like it?”

“Of course we do!”

“I love it!”

“That’s great. Although this is my villa bath, the one in your big house is even bigger.”

“Wow!”

“Can’t wait to see it!”

“No rush. I’ll have someone buy all the stuff for it first. But Mio, Kanon, I want to ask each of you for a favor.”

“Go ahead.”

Ria’s eyes turned serious.

“First, Mio, I want you to protect the other Mio. She’s not entirely like you—she’s a bit timid.”

“Fine. Watching over myself sounds fun. But it’s all your fault for casually using my body.”

“Sorry. I didn’t expect this to happen. Now, Kanon.”

“Yeah?”

“From Little Eve’s memories, I found out your potential is really high. I was shocked when we met earlier.”

“Does that mean I can become super powerful?”

“Exactly. I also know a secret only demon lords know. Want to hear it?”

“Yes!”

“The current Demon Lord is just a vessel for the Dark Factor—the energy and life source of the Dark Lord. When the factor finds a new host, a new Dark Lord is born. And I can make one for you.”

“That’s amazing…”

Kanon started fantasizing about becoming a queen. Mio had similar thoughts. The title Dark Lord sounded cooler than Spirit King.

“I want to be one too. But how do you know all this?”

“Because I, Dark Ria, was the second generation Demon Lord. Unfortunately, later rulers had corrupt hearts. I became ruler to promote peace among all worlds, but things fell apart after I abdicated.”

Ria looked sad. Mio tried to comfort her.

“It’s okay. We just have to beat the Demon Lord.”

“Heh… I’m strong enough now, but I still can’t beat them.”

“Why not?”

“That guy is immortal, and the seal is broken. The only way is to trap him in a dimensional rift—once you go in, you can’t get out. Luckily, the Demon Lord hasn’t fully revived yet. He’s still trapped in the Divine Mirror. Think of Warriors Orochi 2.”

“I have two questions. Why not toss the mirror into the rift? And do you really want Kanon to be the next Demon Lord?”

“The mirror’s whereabouts are unknown. Someone else will deal with the Demon Lord. As for Kanon, it’s her choice. I’m just using the Dark Factor to boost her to Dark Lord level.”

“What is the Dark Factor?”

“The energy source of the Dark Lord. Kanon, how about it?”

“Dark Lord Kanon sounds so cool. I’ll use it when fighting in the Blade Dance world.”

“When you come to your new home next time, I’ll give it to you. For now, let’s enjoy the bath. After that, I’ll show you the new house. Ask for any furniture—computers, anything, no problem.”

Mio didn’t make a fuss, knowing Shizuku handled their household budget. They always discussed expensive purchases.

“Can I bring my sisters? I’ve been with them since childhood.”

“Sure…”

Ria slowly stood up and split into two—Dark Ria smiled at them.

“Our fusion can be undone voluntarily. Want to learn how to fuse?”

“If so, we can teach you the basics.”

“Of course! I want to fuse with Shizuku first. We’re sisters with the same blood—it should make us super strong!”

“I’ll do it with Kanon. We’re like sisters too.”

“Okay! I’m done soaking. I’ll go pick up your sisters now.”

Ria stepped out of the tub. The water dried instantly. In the blink of an eye, she changed into a black dress and vanished.

“Um, Dark Ria, is it hard to change clothes with magic?”

“For ordinary people, it’s no problem if they know magic… I can even send you to magic school if you want.”

“Maybe later. I’m more excited for food and fun.”

“Humans are so interesting.”

(Too bad you didn’t realize a month of your childhood memories was sealed. Your observation skills are terrible—I checked your brain and you had no clue.)

But Kanon suddenly felt sleepy, and Mio yawned too.

“Why am I suddenly sleepy…?”

“Same here.”

Dark Ria smiled.

“The medicine’s kicking in. I added something to your drinks earlier.”

“D-drugged?”

Mio and Kanon looked confused.

“It’s just a stamina booster. The effect lasts five hours, with only 12 minutes of drowsiness.”

“Why give us that?”

“No matter how strong you are, you’re still girls. Picking out furniture could take ages. Money’s not a problem, so ask for anything.”

Kanon laughed through her drowsiness.

“Then I want to eat every food in this world. I’m a foodie.”

“Better eat first. Oh, Mio—just remembered. Did your parents ever mention witches before they died?”

“My mom did. Shizuku and I thought it was a joke.”

“What did she say?”

“She said after we were born, a witch from the Special Realm gave us a blessing. Something called the Yueming Divine Rite, I think.”

Dark Ria was shocked.

“The Special Realm and Yueming Divine Rite are real… but what kind of blessing?”

“She said it made our bodies resistant to illness. She said maybe we’ll meet her one day.”

“Wow, the witches from the Special World are seriously powerful. Even a low-ranked witch could wipe out the Celestial Realm of our world. The Yomyo Divine Technique can only be used by the top 5 witches.”

“How do you know that?”

“We had a meal together before. By the way, what kind of person was your mother?”

“She was a super gentle beauty… unfortunately, she passed away.”

Anya showed a sorrowful expression.

“I understand that feeling. Let’s not talk about it now. We’ll leave once Lier arrives.”

In less than 30 minutes, Lier brought Shizuku, Lin, and Yue Mio to the living room.

The two Mios looked at each other, and Mio noticed the other her had a different eye color.

“I…”

“Just call me Yue Mio. I asked Little An to change my eye color so people don’t confuse us.”

“Good idea! But we’re not sisters, so let’s just call each other by name!”

“OK! Mio!”

“Yue Mio it is.”

Then Lier clapped her hands.

“Anya, how about we head to the computer store first? Little An Yue, Little Ailu, and Little Eve said it’s a priority. Also, we need a 1000M network.”

“Sigh, kids really love computers. As for GPU and CPU, let’s go with a 3090 and a 10900k. I’ll choose the power supply, memory, and case.”

“Um, Anya, can we use air cooling?”

Mio suddenly asked.

“No liquid cooling?”

“I’m afraid of leaks! Shizuku and I suffered before and won’t use it again. Our PCs later used Assassin 3 fans and worked great.”

“What’s your build?”

“1070ti with 4790k, 16GB DDR3 1600 RAM, and a 650W PSU!”

“Same as my sister, but I had less money at the time, so I only got the 4790, not the K version.”

“Mine’s a 1060 6GB with an i5 4590, same DDR3 1600 16GB RAM, 550W PSU, and the same Assassin 3 fan.”

Anya smiled.

“Pretty solid mid-high end. Too bad DDR3 holds it back a bit.”

Yue Mio looked slightly annoyed.

(We have limited money, and 1080p max settings is already enough.)

“Budget matters. You guys go buy the stuff later. I’m going to the Zoubu game store for a bit.”

“Alright! I’ll call you telepathically later.”

Yue Mio left alone and arrived at the game store, where all she saw were rows of arcade machines.

She walked to the counter.

“Five play cards, please!”

“Sure, 500 yen.”

This arcade uses card slots, having long abandoned coin-operated machines.

The clerk handed her the cards, but also whispered:

“Miss, be careful of a short black-haired red-eyed girl in area 2. She’s wearing a black school uniform, easy to spot.”

“Why should I be careful?”

“She got expelled from school for constantly fighting. I remember her name is Knockel. If she causes trouble, try not to fight her. She hits hard.”

“Knockel… that name sounds familiar.”

Yue Mio walked to a Tekken 5 machine but kept thinking where she had heard the name Knockel before, and decided to go check out area 2.

She figured since her strength was about the same as Mio’s, even if she wasn’t a fighter, she probably wouldn’t lose.

Arriving at area 2, she saw only one person—just like the clerk said. It was Knockel, playing Metal Slug 5.

“Here to play?”

Knockel suddenly asked.

“More or less.”

Knockel turned and was suddenly shocked.

Yue Mio also recognized the girl—same age and build as Shizuku.

“You’re Mio?! Shizuku’s sister!”

“So it was you. No wonder the name Knockel sounded so familiar.”

Three years ago, Knockel used to bully Mio, but ended up getting her bones broken by Shizuku.

“Here to get revenge? If so, how about a one-on-one at an abandoned building?”

“I’m not into revenge, but I’d love a fight.”

“Interesting. But I want to fight your sister. We might be evenly matched now. Just not sure if she tears clothes during fights.”

“She doesn’t. Someone did that to you?”

“Of course not. But there was a fight in an abandoned building with girls like us, and someone’s clothes got ripped. Good thing it was all girls and no phones, or someone might’ve filmed or damaged it.”

“That’s a dirty way to fight. I could beat someone with one punch now.”

“By the way, I want to ask something.”

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you die in a car accident? I happened to see it and even checked out the scene.”

“Please keep your voice down. Someone helped bring me back. My body was repaired, and the purple eyes help people tell me apart.”

(Sounds like Liyame’s memory alteration wasn’t perfect. Maybe she missed some bystanders.)

“Can you tell me the full story? I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“Fine.”

Then Yue Mio explained everything.

“I see… Can you show me your powers?”

“I’m not sure, but let’s go to the restroom.”

“Alright.”

The two went to the restroom and locked the door.

“Put your hand on my shoulder.”

Then with a whoosh, Yue Mio teleported them both to Mio’s house.

“Wow! It’s real!”

“Of course! I also know where the other me is—they went to buy computers.”

“Let’s go find them together!”

“Sure!”

(So the skill was copied too… and my relationship with Knockel seems okay.)

Meanwhile, Mio wasn’t looking at PC specs, but browsing games.

“Wow, so many games came out lately. I want to try them all.”

Shizuku covered her face.

“Sis, pick PS4 games later, okay?”

“But…”

Anya grabbed both their hands.

“Each of you gets a PS4 Pro and a PS5. Choose freely.”

(I’ll be playing too anyway. I wonder what Dark Yue likes.)

“Thanks! Shizuku, what do you want to pick?”

“An SSD, but I don’t know which brand is good now.”

Nearby, Kami and Lin just watched silently—Mio and Shizuku usually picked quality stuff.

“Kami, want to go to my favorite burger joint sometime?”

“Sure! And show me around too.”

Just then, a girl walked in—and Mio and Shizuku immediately got on guard. It was Knockel.

“Long time no see, Mio… and Shizuku.”

Shizuku stepped forward, smirking.

“Your bones healed?”

“Long ago. I regret bullying your sister.”

“Glad you learned.”

“I ran into Yue Mio earlier. She told me everything. I came to see you guys.”

“Sis, you’re so gullible.”

“Hey, I’m right here.”

“Sorry, you’re both my sisters anyway.”

Mio looked at Knockel.

“Where is she?”

“Outside. Also, since I know your secret, can I join your group?”

“Lier, can you erase her memory?”

“Sure…”

“Wait, wait, wait! I really don’t mean harm!”

But Mio was just joking, and Lier understood.

“Don’t joke like that.”

Yue Mio entered from outside.

“No worries. How did you meet?”

“Coincidence at the game store. By the way, since you’re moving to a villa, what about your old PCs?”

“We’re keeping the hard drives. Shizuku and I stored lots of good stuff—you know that.”

Knockel grew curious.

“Mio, what were your old PC specs?”

“1070ti with 4790k, DDR3 1600 16GB RAM, 650W PSU, Assassin 3 fan. Shizuku has the same, except her CPU isn’t K.”

“Sell it to me! Name your price!”

“Then what will I use?”

Yue Mio was about to agree, but Anya spoke up.

“You have a share in the new PCs we’re buying. Knockel, do you want a 3090 and 10900k?”

Knockel got excited instantly.

“Yes!”

“Then help me out. Since Yue Mio told you about me, you probably know my identity, right?”

“If it’s within my power, I’ll do everything I can.”

“It’s not that hard…”

Anya leaned in and whispered in Knockel’s ear. Knockel nodded.

“Just 12 hours and memories.”

“Deal.”

“What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing. I’ll explain at the new house. Clerk! Add one more set of that computer spec.”

“Sure, but with such a generous order, you must be some rich lady?”

“Of course.”

After paying, they all left. The clerk was overjoyed.

“Rich people are amazing.”

Outside, Mio’s curiosity grew. She asked Anya:

“Anya, what did you say to Knockel earlier? I’m super curious.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you. Tonight at 7, I’ll possess her body for 12 hours. I copied her memories of you all. I’m using her body to visit a human friend.”

“Why not use your own body?”

“I don’t want to appear as myself, and I don’t want to disguise. Knockel and I will share all senses, but not memories.”

“Visiting a friend takes 12 hours?”

“Because I’m teaching her how to make takoyaki and egg waffles. For beginners, temperature and timing are tricky. Knockel will learn too.”

“Why do it at night? Will her body be okay?”

“I’m a god. Human bodies don’t tire when I use them. And with a 3090 and 10900k setup, she profits too. If you make up with her, it’ll be a win-win. Mio… you don’t mind, do you?”

“It’s all in the past. If you want a duel, I’m open to it.”

“But I want to see you fight Yue Mio. You two have identical stats and skills, just she lacks a spare body.”

Yue Mio rolled her eyes.

“I’d rather fight you instead.”

“You think you can beat me? Even Little Eve doesn’t know my full strength. Dark Yue doesn’t know Anya’s strength either.”

“But Dark Yue said you surpass their father.”

Anya chuckled.

“That’s true. No one in the Celestial Realm is stronger than her. But if I use my King powers, I can suppress her easily. Plus, she has a weakness.”

“A weakness?”

“When at full power, she burns stamina like crazy. That was her 160 years ago. I haven’t seen her fight seriously since. Who knows what level she’s at now?”

“Then why not fight and see how far she’s come?”

“Good idea. Let’s call a car and head to the villa.”

Meanwhile, in the Sword Dance World, Eve and Dark Yue were watching from a crystal ball on the bed.

“Mom is too naive. I’ve changed so much since 160 years ago. If we really fought, I’d win.”

“I don’t think I could beat my mom.”

Her powers were above theirs—and Eve didn’t even know what else she might be hiding.

“Then I’ll pick a day to fight her seriously. Let you see my true strength!”

“She just gave birth to your little sister, shouldn’t she be resting for a while?”

“I know that… Let’s get down to business now!”

“Okay!”

A moment later, Mio and everyone arrived at the front gate of a new villa, but only Noker was still stunned.

“So big!”

“Of course, it’s nice—it’s a gift from me. It’s 2650 square meters, with 50 square meter front and back yards. The backyard is indoors. There are three floors. The third floor has a swimming pool. I converted the basement storage room into a magic lab.”

“Wow, three floors… must cost hundreds of millions?”

“This is beyond what ordinary people can afford. Even winning the lottery wouldn’t be enough.”

Anya pushed open the yard gate, and everyone walked in together.

Both sides of the yard were grassy, and the middle pathway was paved with marble.

When they opened the front door, everyone saw the interior had marble flooring and light blue walls.

“Let me give you a quick rundown. I’ve renovated this villa before.
Now there are 34 rooms total.
On the first floor, there’s a large bathroom, dining room, living room, toilet, and kitchen—the kitchen is in the corner.
There are many staircases in the front and back of the villa for easy access.
The second floor has a big library for reading novels.
The second and third floors also have bathrooms.
I’ve already cleared and sold the old furniture and appliances, so you’ll need to visit furniture and department stores later.
Oh, and the new TV has HDMI 2.1 ports.
As for Noker, you can stay here too—but you have to follow my rules!”

“As long as it’s within my ability. My parents are away working all year, so staying here for a while isn’t a problem.”

“But be careful of my daughter, Anyue. You bullied Mio before, and she might play some petty tricks for revenge. While she won’t break your arm or anything…”

“I’ll stop her!”

“Me too!”

Both Yue Mio and Mio spoke up, but Anya just smiled.

“You two really don’t mind that she bullied you before?”

“Why hold a grudge over something like that?”

“Exactly! Shizuku nearly beat her half to death anyway.”

Noker was speechless.

(I still have trauma over it, but Mio doesn’t seem to know Shizuku’s a sis-con.)

“Enough of that. You guys go explore the villa! Lir, I’ll head to the underworld for about 15 minutes.”

“Okay.”

Then everyone wandered around the house.

Although it was empty, the floors, walls, bathrooms, and electricity were all set up.

Lir stood at the doorway, looking at the sky, thinking about her childhood living in a big house.

“Human kids really are adorable. Too bad people in this world know nothing about magic—all because that old fossil of a god didn’t teach it thousands of years ago.”

Meanwhile, Shizuku was watching Noker from the third floor. She walked over and tapped his shoulder.

“Hmm?”

“Is your arm okay now?”

“It healed long ago. That time my hand was probably already fractured, and you twisted it—I’ve still got psychological trauma.”

“You had it coming for bullying my sister. I admit I went overboard, but I won’t show mercy to anyone who bullies her. If I could, I would’ve finished you off.”

Noker felt a chill down his spine.

“Wait… when you grabbed my neck before, there was real killing intent. You really meant to…”

“That’s right. You chose a deserted building 500 meters from anyone. No cameras either. It was the perfect chance to get rid of you.”

“Phew… lucky you had a soft heart. That place was basically a hot spot for gang fights.”

“But I’m grateful you didn’t tell anyone. I thought you’d make me pay for your medical bills. I didn’t kill you because I didn’t want to cross that line.”

“A loss is a loss. Anyway, let’s just get along while we live here!”

Even though Noker said that, he just didn’t want to revisit the past and found an excuse not to talk about it.

“I’m fine with that, but don’t go stirring up trouble outside. If you provoke something beyond human, it’ll be a real pain.”

“Relax! I’m way more well-behaved than I used to be. But if there’s a chance, I’d still like to spar with you—go easy on me though.”

“Rather than fight, why not learn magic?”

“Magic? I can learn it?”

“Of course! My good friend El gave us a basic magic book for elementary use. It includes healing, flight, elemental generation, cleaning, telekinesis, and other daily magic. El is translating it now—should be ready tonight.”

Noker got excited. A normal human could learn magic?

“So, does it need chanting or not?”

“I don’t know yet. I don’t even know how much magic power I have. Learning from zero might be exhausting.”

“Starting from zero… healing and flight sound useful to me.”

“It’s good for ordinary people. For us, it’s just adding some magical knowledge. Like this.”

Shizuku made a small purple lightning ball appear on her fingertip.

“Whoa!”

Noker curiously touched it—and zap.

“Ouch!”

His whole hand went numb.

“Don’t touch things randomly, geez.”

Shizuku grabbed Noker’s hand and emitted green light. Noker felt his hand recover.

“Amazing!”

“Basic healing magic, that’s my specialty.”

Suddenly, Lir teleported back and grabbed Shizuku’s head.

“What now?”

“Eve telepathically called me to the Sword Dance world. I copied the memories of Alexander and Ren for Kami and your two sisters—and you too. Those two kings developed some techniques I found super useful.”

Shizuku’s head began to fill with Alexander’s and Ren’s memories. She found the new techniques powerful, but also burdensome.

“How is it?”

“Seems good… By the way, what’s An doing?”

“She and Anyue turned everyone into demigods—except El and Ai Ai didn’t want to.”

“Hey, Shizuku, can you tell me about the new technique?”

“It’s like Super Saiyan Blue—you seal power inside your body, so you can explode at full force without leaking energy. But from Little Alex and Little Ren’s memories, the strain is big.”

“Then you can train it. But what do your two sisters want to be called in public?”

“Big Sis or Sister is fine. Though their nicknames can be used, it feels awkward.”

“Lir…”

“It’s Lir, not Lear.”

“Sorry. Can I ask if you could copy Alexander’s and Ren’s memories for me too? I’m really curious.”

Lir smiled and put her hand on Noker’s head.

“Sure—but you’re just an ordinary human, so it won’t help you much! But humans can generate magic themselves. El is working on the translation, so don’t worry.”

“I got it.”

Suddenly, Lir received a telepathic message from Anya and stepped aside—then her expression froze.

Shizuku came up and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“One bad news and one good.”

“Bad first!”

“Anya’s husband, An Viter, lost this house in a gamble. She ran into him in the underworld, and he told her he gave you all the house—but then he admitted it was already lost in a bet.”

Shizuku and Noker were shocked. An Viter gambled away the villa—but quickly returned to normal. He was a god after all.

“So what now?”

“The good news? The house was too big, so the new owner didn’t want it! Said the utility bills were unbearable. But!”

“But?”

“An Viter also renovated the villa—now it has only 29 single rooms.”

“Shizuku!”

Yue Mio ran over.

“What’s up?”

“I checked the rooms on the first and second floors. There aren’t enough for everyone.”

“Then how about bunk beds for some? Like me and Restia, Sis and Est, Akame and Kurome, Aiha and Sarah, Uni and Kami, Sis and Lin, Little Alex and Little Ren, Nemesis and Edith, Yugutora and Mireia, Alesia and her Est.”

“As expected from my sister—good idea. El and Ai Ai sleep together anyway, so a double bed works. Since there are too many people per room, we’ll discuss it tonight.”

Lir clapped her hands.

“Nice. I’ll tell Anya telepathically and inform Eve.”

Afterward, Lir relayed Shizuku’s idea to Anya and Eve—both thought it was good.

A while later, Anya came back and brought everyone to a department store to buy furniture and TVs. Every room was getting a 60-inch TV, but beds had to be assembled. The living room’s 100-inch TV would arrive tomorrow. For Anya, that was nothing—a little magic would do.

She patted Yue Mio’s head.

“Today’s your birthday. Anything you wish for?”

“Not really. I just want to live peacefully with everyone. And I hope what happened to An doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

“I… think the same.”

“Why are you calling yourself ‘I’ again?”

“It’s still me. It feels weird seeing someone who looks exactly like me.”

“True…”

Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz…

Suddenly, Anya’s phone rang. She answered.

“Hello?”

“Long time no see.”

A girl’s voice came from the other end.

“This voice… you’re…”

“Just call me ‘you.’ I’m in Shanghai, China, staying at a hotel for half a month. Want me to bring some local xiaolongbao for An Yue?”

“She’ll buy them herself if she wants. But I thought you went back to your original world?”

“A new Demon King idiotically destroyed half the human world. Tons of people joined us old-school Demon Kings. I used that anime ‘That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime’ as a reference. Guess what I did?”

“Accepted humans and tried peaceful co-existence?”

“Bingo! But with conditions—eight human chefs must cook amazing meals for me once a month, just lunch and dinner. The menu is announced a day ahead.”

“Why are you in this world then?”

“Simple. I’ve been enslaved by this world’s culture. Without anime, computers, the internet, or games, I’d lose my mind. Also, you helped me set up an identity here. Thanks for that.”

“No big deal.”

“Anyway, I used a crystal ball and saw a few kids with great potential near you. Ask if they want to be Demon Kings—I’ll teach them personally.”

“You personally?!”

Anya was stunned.

“Told you—just call me ‘you.’ Being a Demon King is cool. You get to act all tough and flashy in front of humans, demons, and other races. Isn’t that fun?”

Anya looked at Mio, who gave an “OK” hand gesture.

Even though it wasn’t on speaker, everyone nearby heard the conversation.

“Alright.”

“Then that’s that. Ask your daughter if she wants to be a Demon King too. I taught you myself when you were young. Bye-bye.”

After hanging up, Anya was thrilled. Lir, having fused with Anya’s memories, understood the situation.

“Lir, do you want your daughter to become a Demon King?”

“I don’t mind. Ask her yourself. Mio, interested?”

“Yes! But what does a Demon King actually do?”

“Whatever you want—as long as you meet the ‘Demon King Crystal’ requirements. Even the weakest Demon King is 20 times stronger than a regular human.”

“That’s weak. Wouldn’t there be tons of Demon Kings then?”

“Idiot. The Crystal doesn’t care about strength—it chooses the right person. Only one in 600 million gets picked.”

“Exactly. My Demon King teacher is one of the top three—’Death Demon King’ Bineel. Even if you don’t qualify, she’ll teach you some Demon King techniques.”

Everyone was intrigued. Kami raised a hand.

“Will a Demon King get a stomachache from eating ice cream?”

“Nope. Eat as much as you want.”

“Wow, I’m totally in!”

“Good… we’ll see if you qualify later. For now, let’s go buy phones!”

Then everyone continued shopping for their supplies.