They then went to the 340th meter floor, where there were gla.s.s floors just like Seiji had wanted. Standing up from several hundred meters high to look down was indeed a heart-pounding experience.

Chiaki immediately started shouting that her legs were going soft when she arrived. She kept clinging onto Seiji, and wouldn't let go. Seiji didn't know how if she was faking just to cling onto him or if she was really scared. Either way, he really enjoyed the intimate contact with her.

After seeing all the scenery from the tower, Seiji and Chiaki shopped at a large mall nearby the tower.

The two of them explored the mall and purchased some things before taking a taxi back to the Uehara apartments.

During the taxi ride, Chiaki leaned against Seiji's body and held his hand while closing her eyes and resting.

She felt quite safe while feeling his body's warmth.

Yukari, Hos.h.i.+, Mika, Kaede, and Kaho were training in Kazuko's Domain today.

Hisas.h.i.+ and Mayuzumi both had jobs as they were adults. It was impossible for them to come every day.

Since there were two less members compared to yesterday, Seiji drew up a new formation and strategy for everyone.

After the strategy conference, everyone finished their combat preparations and began battling in the Domain.

Seiji didn't have Kazuko lower the difficulty level of the monsters in her Domain. Everyone noticeably felt more pressure since Hisas.h.i.+ and Mayuzumi weren't there to help them.

They all knew why Seiji hadn't decreased the difficulty level of the training. Everyone did their best to make up for missing two members.

Apart from not decreasing the difficulty, Seiji also intentionally helped less than the last time. He wanted his knight order members to be pressured more.

It wasn't because he wanted his companions to be injured. He wanted to stimulate their growth. If he only protected them and never let them be injured, he felt that would be no different from raising delicate flowers.

Everyone understood this logic, so they had no complaints. They all gritted their teeth and did their best in battle.

The effects of this were even better than expected. Yukari, Hos.h.i.+, and Kaede all learned new defensive techniques! This greatly improved their defensive prowess.

Kaede's defensive technique was the best. Not only could her skill protect herself, she could also protect allies within a limited radius. Although, the drawback of this skill was that she would have to stay in place without moving.

Even with this type of limitation, it was still a nice skill to have. Besides, it was possible that her skill wouldn't have this restriction in the future once it was leveled up.

Seiji was quite happy that his companions were swiftly leveling up. He was also delighted with his harvest of Inner World Crystals.

He obtained twenty-nine crystals from ordinary Sakura samurais, seventeen crystals from General demons, one crystal from a King demon, and three crystals from tree demons… Although it wasn't as many as yesterday, it was still a nice harvest.

Just like yesterday, Seiji tried once more to sweep through all the demons by himself afterwards. As a result, he'd only obtained a single crystal from a General demon.

"It would seem that just like a mobile game's daily bonus, only the first sweep through the Domain per day will have more crystals." Seiji came to such a conclusion. "Will there be more crystals if we take a few days off? Or, will the crystals' quality or quant.i.ty increase if we increase the difficulty level of the monsters in your Domain?" Seiji asked Kazuko.

"I don't know… we can only know by experimenting." Kazuko adjusted her eyegla.s.ses while floating in midair.

"Please be a little more reliable, master of the Domain."

"I truly apologize for being so unreliable. Would you forgive me if I wrote 's.e.x slave' on my forehead?"

"Don't write something like that! I was just making a joke. I'm already happy that the monsters are dropping loot. I shouldn't be asking more from you."

"You can ask more of me, such as having me write 'Please use as you like' on my legs…"

"I wouldn't do something like that!"

Afterwards, Seiji took all the crystals into his room. He put them together with the remaining crystals from yesterday, and then opened up his system to spend the crystals on some [Furniture] options.

He purchased a floor, walls, and ceiling for his Spirit House… he decided to go with Sakura Island style for all the decorations.

For a source of light, he chose to purchase some lamps. Tables were a necessity, but he decided to skip on cus.h.i.+ons as tatami mats would suffice for the time being…

After purchasing all these basic goods for his Spirit House, he used up almost all the crystals.

It was so expensive to upgrade his Spirit House… but, the more important part was the income. As long as he received this many crystals every day, he would eventually upgrade everything in the Spirit House!

Later that night, Seiji drank alcohol together with Chiaki.

Chiaki had wanted to drink together in her room, but Seiji refused.

With their current relations.h.i.+p, it was highly likely that they would do something s.e.xual if they drank together alone in Chiaki's room. That was why Seiji insisted on drinking at his own place instead.

In order not to be a bad influence to the elementary school student, he asked Kaede to babysit Reo at her place.

Mika wouldn't be coming over tonight. s.h.i.+ka was staying in her own room. But if they did anything too noticeable, it was certain that she would appear.

"You're actually using Kagurchan to stop yourself, honestly."

"Although I feel bad about it, it needs to be like this. I don't have confidence that I'll be able to restrain myself after drinking."

"As long as you want to, you'll surely be able to restrain yourself, just like that time."

"Don't pretend to be an idiot. Things are already different. You know how it is."

"Heehee~"

Chiaki and Seiji raised their gla.s.ses.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers."

Their wine gla.s.ses clinked as the wine sloshed inside.

Imbibing wonderful wine and inhaling the scent was one of the joys in life.

"So wonderful~~" Chiaki sighed, sounding like a middle-aged alcoholic man.

"You sound like a middle-aged alcoholic man." Seiji directly told her this.

"That's so terrible! I'm an unparalleled young and beautiful maiden~"

"Unparalleled? That sounds so lonely."

"I'm a youthful and eternal beautiful maiden~"

"There is no eternity, child."

"I'm forever a seventeen-year-old beautiful maiden~"

"n.o.body can remain seventeen years old forever, but there will forever be someone seventeen years old on the planet."

"Paha~ Where did you get those quotes from?"

"I don't remember."

The two of them casually chatted, poured wine, drank wine, and chatted as they drank.

"Do you still feel that you're being spied on? Has there been any change?" Seiji asked after they polished off a bottle of wine.

"It's fine… there's no need to pay it any mind." Chiaki waved her hand.

"Your expression doesn't say that it's nothing at all." Seiji looked directly at her. "The situation hasn't changed, has it?"

"…Although it hasn't improved, the feeling of being spied on hasn't worsened, either. Maybe it will go away by itself after a while, such as when that Realm of Cherry Blossoms or whatever finally finishes." Chiaki slightly shook her wine gla.s.s.

"Its full name is Spirit World #1, Realm of Cherry Blossoms." Seiji paused for a moment. "It might be possible that you're coming under influence of the Realm of Cherry Blossoms. But, I feel like the abnormal feeling you're having occurred even before the cherry blossom phenomenon."

"It might really just be my mistaken impression."

"After feeling it for so long, I doubt that you have something like a mistaken impression… How about I take you to the Yoruhana Family's hospital for a mystical inspection?"

"That won't be necessary—"

"No, it's necessary." Seiji took a serious tone.

"Thank you." Something flashed in Chiaki's eyes.

"Why are you thanking me?"

"You're clearly preparing to deal with the threat against the city, but you're still taking the time to worry about my small matter…"

"This is no small matter. It's an important matter affecting my girlfriend!"

"I'm just one of your several girlfriends."

Seiji instantly glared at her after hearing this.

"I'm sorry…" Chiaki realized that she said something she shouldn't have as she lowered her head and apologized.

Seeing her like this, Seiji softened his glance and then pulled her into his arms, gently hugging her.

"I'm sorry," Chiaki apologized again.

"Don't say that. In the end, it's my fault," Seiji stated softly. "Indeed, you are one of several girlfriends. But please don't forget, I really care about you and am worried about you."

"Yeah…" Chiaki's eyes became watery as she rested in his arms, with a gentle expression like that of a kitten.

She felt so blissful because she succeeded in acting spoiled~

At this moment, Seiji recalled what he'd told her the last time they drank together, causing him to smile.

"Even if I'm busy with saving the world, I'll always make time for you. Come, cheers, to you… and to this world."