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Chapter 367: Chapter 363 ~ Permission

Yuuji, Kallen, and Akane shared a warm, unhurried dinner together—one that felt far more meaningful than any lavish banquet.

For Akane, this simple act of cooking held a deeper significance than either of them could fully grasp.

Back in the Stadfeld household, she had rarely stepped into the kitchen. Her role there had never truly been that of a homemaker, but of a servant—one tasked with endless cleaning, polishing, and maintaining appearances. Cooking had never been expected of her, nor afforded to her.

She had been worked to exhaustion, day after day, her body pushed to its limits while enduring constant verbal and physical abuse from the lady of the house.

There had been no time. No energy. No space to breathe, much less to cook.

And even if she had found the will—what would have been the point, if her daughter couldnʼt share in it?

The only moments she had for herself were those fragile slivers of time just before sleep claimed her… and even then, she escaped not into rest, but into illusions—fleeting dreams of a kinder world, granted through Refrain.

A hollow comfort. A false peace.

It was only after she and Kallen came to live in Yuujiʼs mansion—freed from those suffocating shadows—that something within her began to heal.

And with that healing… came the desire to cook again.

Because now, she could. Now, she was free. Now, she was with her daughter. Now, there was someone to cook for.

She had only a few months to relearn what had once been familiar. The dishes she prepared werenʼt extravagant—simple, homely meals made with careful hands and quiet determination.

Objectively, they might have been considered ”just fine.”

But to Yuuji and Kallen, they were priceless.

Every bite carried warmth. Every flavor held meaning. Because this meal wasnʼt defined by skill, but by something far greater—

Love.

Deep, unwavering, overflowing love—for her daughter… and for the young man who would one day become her family.

And so to them, it was delicious.

Unforgettable.

But the food was only part of what made the evening special. The conversation flowed just as freely.

Akane, who had never truly had the chance to know Yuuji before, took this opportunity to gently ask about his life—his upbringing, his family, his experiences.

And Yuuji answered. Honestly.

He spoke of his stepmother, Mira, and his step-aunt, Aika. Of his twin step-sisters, Yuna and Nina. He spoke of the countless worlds he had visited, the existence of the Multiverse Group Chat, and the strange yet fateful way he had met Kallen.

And then… He spoke of his relationships.

Of all of them.

The truth was… difficult to say aloud.

Explaining to the woman who would one day be his mother-in-law that he had multiple partners—people he loved, people he intended to build a future with—was not something anyone would find easy.

But Yuuji chose honesty. Because he respected her. Because he loved Kallen.

Because he wanted no lies between them.

Kallen, with his permission, had already prepared her mother for this truth.

She had explained everything. The multiverse. The other girls. Their shared relationship.

Even so… hearing it directly from Yuuji carried a different weight.

A deeper sincerity.

And when he finished… Akane simply smiled.

A soft, gentle smile. 

”Thank you for being honest, Yuuji-kun. Iʼm glad.”

She said, her voice warm and steady.

She reached out and placed her hand over Kallenʼs, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Then she lifted her gaze to Yuuji, meeting his eyes with quiet certainty.

”Now… I can truly entrust my precious Kallen to you.”

”Mom…”

Kallenʼs voice trembled as her vision blurred, tears welling in her eyes. She clasped her motherʼs hand with both of hers, holding it tightly as if afraid it might slip away.

”Thank you very much, Akane-san.” 

Yuuji replied, his tone firm with conviction. 

”I swear I will make Kallen happy for the rest of her life. I will protect her… and take care of you as well, with everything I have.”

Akaneʼs expression softened even further.

”Mm. Then… Iʼll be in your care too, Yuuji-kun.”

That was all it took.

Kallen suddenly leaned forward, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother. Akane returned the embrace without hesitation, her hand gently stroking Kallenʼs back—just as she had done countless times in the past, when Kallen was still small enough to fit in her arms.

Comforting her. Protecting her. Loving her.

Even now… Even after everything, nothing had changed.

After a while, Kallen managed to calm down.

Though her eyes were still slightly red, and her cheeks carried a faint blush, she resumed eating quietly—keeping her gaze firmly fixed on her plate.

She had not expected to cry. And certainly not in front of Yuuji.

It was embarrassing enough already…

But things only got worse.

Because then, the conversation shifted. Toward her relationship.

”Yuuji-kun, when did you two start dating?” 

Akane asked casually, and Kallen stiffened.

That… was still fine..

But then—

”And who confessed first? Oh—and when was your first kiss?”

”Mom?! Why are you asking that?!”

”Ara~ isnʼt it fine? Iʼm just curious.”

”No, itʼs not fine! Thatʼs embarrassing!”

”I confessed first, Akane-san.” 

Yuuji answered calmly. 

”And we had our first kiss right after we started dating.”

”Yuuji! Shut up!”

”Ara~”

Yuuji, for his part, seemed completely unfazed.

If anything, he looked rather pleased.

To him, these werenʼt embarrassing details—they were cherished memories. Moments he was proud of. Stories he wanted to share, especially with someone as important as Kallenʼs mother.

But to Kallen— It was a disaster. She could already imagine all the teasing sheʼll get from her mother!

She tried, repeatedly, to stop him from revealing more, her protests growing more frantic with each passing second.

Yet Yuuji remained unbothered, answering with sincerity every time.

By the end of it—

”Haah… haah… haah…”

Kallen looked as though she had just survived a battle.

Meanwhile, Akane let out a soft, satisfied laugh.

”Ufufufu~ What a wonderful dinner. Iʼm full… in more ways than one. Thank you, Yuuji-kun.”

”Likewise, Akane-san. Thank you for the meal—and the conversation. Iʼd love to talk like this again sometime.”

”Of course. Iʼd be delighted.”

”…Please donʼt.”

Kallen covered her face, mortified.

She couldnʼt believe she had been subjected to that for the entire dinner.

”Yuuji-kun, youʼll be staying the night, wonʼt you?”

Akane continued, her tone light.

Yuuji blinked, caught off guard.

”If… itʼs alright with you and Kallen, then yes. Iʼd be happy to.”

”Fufu~ Of course it is. This is originally your home, after all.”

Then, with perfect composure, she added—

”You can take a bath first. And you may use Kallenʼs room. Iʼm sure you both have plenty to talk about.”

”E-Eh?! M-Mom?!”

”Akane-san?”

Both of them stared at her in shock, their minds racing toward the same implication.

Akane, however, remained entirely unfazed, her gentle smile never wavering.

”You can sleep together.” 

She said calmly. 

”But I would prefer to have my grandchild after Kallen graduates and the two of you are married.”

A pause.

”As long as you can promise me that, I have no objections.”

”…”

”M-Mom!”

Kallenʼs face turned a deeper shade of red than ever before.

Yuuji, for once, was completely speechless. And just like that—

Akane stood up as if nothing unusual had been said, gathering the dishes with practiced ease.

”Go ahead and take your bath~ Leave the cleanup to me. Fufufu~”

With that, she walked off toward the kitchen, her footsteps echoing softly against the marble floor.

Leaving behind—

A heavy, awkward silence.

”…I didnʼt expect her to be this supportive.” 

Yuuji muttered.

”Ughhh… J-Just go already! I need to talk to Mom!”

Kallen shot up from her seat, her embarrassment reaching its limit, and hurried after Akane without another word.

Watching her retreating figure, Yuuji let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as a faint blush crept onto his cheeks.

”…Well… that was unexpected.”

After a moment, he shook his head lightly.

”…Guess Iʼll take that bath.”

With that, he stood and made his way out of the dining area—his thoughts still lingering on everything that had just unfolded.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

Yuuji waited for Kallen on her bed.

Fresh from his bath, he had changed into simple nightwear—a loose t-shirt and a pair of short pants. The faint scent of soap still clung to him, and the warmth from the water lingered on his skin. He leaned back slightly against the headboard, relaxed but attentive.

Kallen hadnʼt returned yet.

He was aware of where she was, of course.

Even without actively focusing, his senses could grasp her presence—like a quiet thread connecting them. If danger so much as brushed against her, he would know before it could ever reach her.

But beyond that, he chose not to see.

Yuuji had never made a habit of using his full Elemental Sight outside of battle. To him, it felt… intrusive. To see everything, to know everything about someone—even those he loved—felt like crossing a line that shouldnʼt be crossed.

They deserved their privacy and space.

And more importantly, his trust.

So while he knew where she was, he didnʼt pry into what she was doing.

Still… he could make a reasonable guess.

She had lingered in the kitchen for a few minutes, likely speaking with her mother… and then moved to the bathroom.

So, he waited.

To pass the time, Alice, Aria, Est, and Ophis emerged, their presence lightening the quiet atmosphere. They gathered around him, chatting, playing, filling the room with a soft liveliness that made the wait feel shorter.

Time slipped by.

About half an hour later, he felt it—

Kallen was on the move again, heading back toward her room.

With a small smile, he sent the girls back into his [Kingʼs Treasury], letting them continue their play there.

And just as he settled back—

Click.

The door opened.

Yuuji turned, and for a brief moment, he forgot to breathe.

Kallen stood by the doorway, framed by the soft lighting of the room.

She wore a loose tank top, the thin fabric clinging lightly to her form, still slightly damp from the heat of her bath. It revealed the gentle contours of her toned midriff, her skin flushed a soft, rosy hue.

A white towel rested around her neck, its ends draped down over her chest, absorbing the lingering moisture from her hair.

Below, she wore a pair of short hot pants that left her long, slender legs and pale thighs exposed.

She was a soldier. Her body bore the results of that discipline—firm, toned, refined through training and battle.

And yet, there was still a softness to her.

A delicate femininity that no amount of hardship had taken away. Strength and grace, perfectly intertwined.

But what truly captivated Yuuji…

Was her expression.

Her cheeks were flushed a deep red, her gaze turned slightly away from him as if she couldnʼt quite bring herself to meet his eyes. Her lips—soft, pink, faintly parted—held a subtle tension, as though she were holding back words she couldnʼt say.

Or perhaps feelings she didnʼt yet know how to express.

She walked toward him, her steps just a little quicker than usual, carrying a faint hint of flustered determination—as if she were trying to act normal despite everything.

Yuuji watched her in silence, his gaze following her every movement.

Kallen sat down beside him on the bed.

But not quite looking at him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Yuuji slowly came back to himself, his heartbeat picking up as warmth spread through his chest.

”Kallen…”

”W-What…?”

Her voice wavered slightly.

And that was when he noticed it clearly—the nervousness beneath her embarrassment.

And in that instant, he understood.

He didnʼt move closer. Didnʼt tease her further.

Instead, he smiled. Softly.

”Youʼre really red. Almost as red as your hair. Were you boiling in the bath or something?”

He said gently.

Her head snapped toward him immediately, eyes wide, cheeks burning even brighter.

”I-Iʼm not! Iʼm not red!”

The way she protested—flustered, defensive, completely unconvincing—

It made his smile deepen.

”Alright, alright.” 

He said, his tone light and reassuring. 

”Come on… letʼs lie down.”

He slipped under the duvet and settled comfortably, leaving space beside him.

Kallen hesitated for a second. Then, slowly—carefully—she moved, slipping under the covers beside him.

Still a little stiff. Still a little shy. But she stayed.

”Hey, do you want me to take you to Ashford tomorrow?”

Yuuji spoke again after a moment, his tone casual, easing the tension. 

She blinked, surprised, turning to face him.

”Eh?”

”If you want, I can walk you there.”

Kallenʼs expression shifted, a hint of amusement breaking through her earlier embarrassment.

”…If you do that, you wonʼt be able to leave.” Milly would definitely trap you there.”

She pointed out. 

Yuuji let out a helpless chuckle.

”…Yeah. That sounds about right.”

He thought for a moment before offering another idea.

”Then how about I walk you part of the way? Or… We could fly.”

”Fly?” 

She echoed, eyes widening.

”Mm. I can make us invisible and take you there. Weʼll land near the dorms—no one will notice.”

For a moment, she just stared at him.

Then, her eyes lit up.

A bright, genuine excitement replacing the earlier nervousness.

”Letʼs do it!” Iʼve never flown without a Knightmare before. I want to try.”

She said quickly, a small smile forming.

”Alright, then weʼll fly together tomorrow.”

He replied, his voice warm. 

”Un.”

They shifted slightly, turning fully toward one another now. Their hands found each other naturally, fingers intertwining without thought.

And as they talked—about small things, trivial things, things that didnʼt matter to anyone else but meant everything to them.

The tension faded. The nervousness melted away.

Just comfort, warmth, and love.

Before she realized it, Kallen felt at ease again, her earlier embarrassment nothing more than a faint memory.

She looked at him. 

At the man who had changed her life. Who had given her and her mother a place to belong. Who stood beside her on the battlefield and within her home.

And somewhere along the quiet passage of time, their voices softened. Their movements stilled.

Their foreheads drew closer.

And then… their lips met once more.

A quiet, tender kiss, shared beneath the soft covers and dim light of the room.

The night deepened. And within that quiet, shared space, a thought gently surfaced in Kallenʼs heart.

Of a future. Of a life where she could stand beside him, not just as she was now, but as his wife.

His family.

And as she held onto his hand, feeling his warmth against her, hoping it will never fade. 

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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!! 

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Thank you~!