Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Noah could no longer see Luna the same way.
Several days had passed since Luna rescued Noah from the room where Nozomi had tried to force him into marriage with her.
During that time, the Great Mother’s organization had not attacked him again, and Nozomi had not appeared either.
Yume and Luna continued their training sessions, although they now took more care to check their surroundings before starting. Luna had also placed several detection barriers around the area, while Yume insisted she could destroy anyone who tried to get close.
Noah appreciated the security measures, but the problem was that his mind was not focused on the organization’s threats, it was focused on Luna.
More specifically, on the kiss.
Noah lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
’Because I wanted to.’
That had been Luna’s explanation.
After kissing him and saying that phrase, Yume had returned to the spot and Luna had acted as if nothing had happened.
Noah still remembered how Yume had come running, asking if he was hurt and checking him from head to toe.
Luna, meanwhile, had simply explained how she had found him, but she never mentioned the marriage certificate, much less the kiss.
Since that moment, Luna had behaved with total normality.
She sent him messages, waited for him after class, brought him food on some occasions, and during training she protected him just like before.
She had not gotten too close again, nor had she tried to kiss him again, which only confused Noah even more.
’Is she really not going to say anything?’
He picked up the phone that was on the nightstand.
He had avoided checking a notification since the day of the rescue because the clover app showed a small red number.
Noah already imagined it could be a new ability related to Luna.
He had no desire to discover another defensive technique with a name that made it clear their bonds were still advancing, but he could not ignore it forever.
He opened the app and the screen went blank for a few seconds before the smiling face of the goddess appeared.
Noah frowned.
"Of course it had to be you."
The goddess’s image moved, since it was a recorded message.
"Hello, my dear stud."
Noah closed his eyes.
"Here we go."
The goddess continued speaking.
"I imagine you just received a kiss from a certain black-haired girl who has spent far too long pretending she only wants to be your friend."
Noah sat up.
"How do you know that!?"
The recording could not answer.
"Before you start complaining, I want to remind you of something very important."
The goddess raised a finger.
"You lost our bet."
Noah gripped the phone tighter, since he knew exactly what she was referring to.
He had bet that the magical girls would keep their original relationships and would not end up falling in love with him.
Yume had already become his girlfriend and Luna had just kissed him.
Even other girls who had barely appeared in the story were starting to get close to him.
The goddess smiled with satisfaction.
"Therefore, you must fulfill the agreement."
Noah felt a knot in his stomach.
"I hope you’re not going to say what I think."
The goddess said it.
"You will have to impregnate every magical girl until each one gives birth to, at minimum, one baby boy."
Noah lowered the phone, stayed silent for a moment, and then looked back at the screen.
The goddess kept smiling.
"Don’t make that face, you agreed to it."
"I agreed because I thought I had a chance."
"That doesn’t change the agreement."
Noah was not sure if it was only a recording, but he could not help responding.
"That includes way too many girls!"
The goddess raised both hands.
"You can take your time. I’m not a monster."
Noah gritted his teeth and the goddess continued.
"Besides, this world needs it, and magical girls have great magical compatibility while you possess certain advantages granted by me."
"That doesn’t make it easy."
"I never said it would be easy."
The goddess’s image leaned forward.
"Just remember that rejecting everyone and locking yourself away in fear is no longer an option."
Her smile disappeared for a moment.
"Don’t cause another catastrophe by trying to run from someone’s feelings."
Noah stayed still, remembering Yume covered in dark energy, the destroyed city, and how she had lost control when she thought he had died.
The goddess smiled again.
"Have fun and treat Luna well, she has waited long enough."
The message ended and the screen showed one final line.
[Reminder of the accepted agreement.]
Noah dropped the phone onto the bed.
’I can’t believe this is part of my life.’
He covered his face with both hands.
He did not want to think about impregnating all the magical girls, and on top of that he was barely learning how to have a normal relationship with Yume.
Adding Luna would complicate everything.
Noah lowered his hands.
’Adding Luna?’
He stayed still.
He had not said it out loud, but the thought had come far too easily.
Luna had not asked him for a relationship; she had only kissed him.
Maybe it had been an impulse because she had been too worried about the kidnapping, but now she regretted it and that was why she was acting normal.
Noah tried to accept that explanation, but he could not.
During the next day’s training, Luna once again behaved as if nothing had happened.
Yume practiced creating smaller energy spheres.
Noah stayed beside Luna, checking the results.
"The size is good."
Noah said and Luna nodded.
"The stability has improved too."
Yume smiled.
"So I did it perfectly?"
The sphere began to tremble and Luna raised a barrier.
The energy exploded, but the barrier contained the blast and kept it from reaching Noah.
Yume stared at the smoke.
"Almost perfect."
"Don’t fool yourself."
Luna replied while Noah shook some dust from his hair.
"At least no one got hurt."
Yume approached.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
Yume took his face and began checking for any burns, and Noah let her.
From the side, Luna watched the scene and her expression did not change.
Noah looked toward her and, for an instant, their eyes met, but Luna looked away.
Noah felt an immediate tension, although Yume did not seem to notice.
"We should rest for a moment."
Noah said.
"I agree."
Luna replied.
The three walked over to a bench that had not yet been destroyed.
Yume sat next to Noah and rested her head on his shoulder while Luna sat on the other side, leaving Noah in the middle.
Yume closed her eyes.
"I’m tired."
"You used too much energy."
Luna said.
"But I improved."
"Very little."
"Still counts."
Luna took a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to Noah.
He took it.
"Thanks."
Their fingers touched.
Luna did not react, but Noah pulled his hand back too quickly and nearly dropped the bottle.
Yume lifted her head.
"What happened?"
"N-Nothing."
"You seem nervous."
"I’m fine."
Luna looked straight ahead.
"You should drink some water."
Noah opened the bottle.
"Yeah."
Yume observed both of them.
"You two are being weird."
Noah coughed.
"Weird!?"
"Yes."
Luna answered without changing her expression.
"I don’t notice anything strange."
Yume frowned.
"That sounded weird."
Noah drank water so he would not have to answer.
Later, Yume tried to attack a moving target.
Noah was explaining the trajectory she should follow when Luna approached from behind to correct the position of his arm.
Her hand ended up on Noah’s wrist, and he tensed.
Luna spoke calmly.
"You’re pointing too far to the left."
Noah looked at the hand holding him.
"Ah, yeah."
Luna adjusted his arm.
"Like this."
"Thanks."
She let go and Noah tried to continue with the explanation, but he forgot what he had been saying.
Yume raised a hand.
"And then?"
Noah blinked.
"After what?"
"After aiming."
"You attack."
Yume looked at him.
"I already knew that."
Luna remained silent and Noah thought he caught a small smile on her face, but he was not sure.
When training ended, Yume said goodbye first because she had to get home early and, before leaving, she hugged Noah.
"I’ll text you when I get there."
"Alright."
Yume looked at Luna.
"Let me know when you get home too."
Luna nodded.
"I will."
Yume walked away.
Noah and Luna were left alone.
The silence became uncomfortable and Noah thought about taking the opportunity to ask her about the kiss.
Luna packed her things.
"See you tomorrow."
"Wait."
She looked at him. Noah opened his mouth, but he could not ask her.
"Don’t forget to let me know when you get home."
"Got it."
Luna left and Noah stayed watching her until she disappeared from sight.
’This is absurd.’
That night he received a message that completely surprised him.
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