Chapter 165 Beast Mode
Those blissful days were also days of unbearable suffering.
Aaron Gale and Big Sister Fiona would come to the workshop together every day and often return home together.
Sometimes, they would overhear them having trivial conversations, flirting with each other in a playful way.
"――Aaron, didn't we run out of ingredients for the dinner we were supposed to make? What are we going to do for dinner today? I can make it if you'd like?"
"Wait! Don't rush, Fiona!!"
"――What do you mean?"
"Uh, no, don't get me wrong... um... you know... so, yeah! I think I'll be coming home late today, so let's just buy something on the way back! It's too much trouble to cook."
"Hmm... that's true. Let's do that. Then, shall we go shopping together on the way back?"
――and so on.
Aaron Gale would frequently have conversations like this with Big Sister Fiona, as if they were putting on a show for everyone to see.
(Aaron Gale...!! He's taking advantage of his position as Big Sister Fiona's mentor to force her to live with him, doing all sorts of disgusting things...!! He must have used some dirty tricks like drugs or hypnosis to make Big Sister Fiona fall for him...!!)
Even though they thought that, even though they were convinced of it, the maidens' brains would still get dazzled by such events.
One day, Big Sister Fiona came to the workshop, looking like she was in pain. The maidens, who had noticed her condition within 0.5 seconds of her entering their field of vision, tried to approach her――,
"Hey, are you okay, Fiona? Maybe you should take the day off today?"
Aaron's worried expression made them stop in their tracks and lean in to listen.
"Not that I'm tired or anything. Just a little worn out..."
"...I guess I did push myself too hard yesterday. Sorry about that."
"It's true that yesterday's mock battle was intense, but I'm the one who asked you to do it, so don't apologize."
"Yeah, I know, but I got a bit too heated up too."
"I already told you, didn't I? I'm the one who asked you to do it, and I've been doing it every day recently, so of course I'm tired. Plus, I had a discussion with you about creating a new technique..."
"That's true, but... should we take a break today?"
"Don't underestimate me. I'll keep going until I can master the new technique."
"...Alright. Got it. I'll stick with you."
"""..."""
The conversation that shattered the maidens' mental states, leaving them speechless.
She pushed herself too hard yesterday? He asked their sister to do it? They've been doing it every day recently? They had a discussion about creating something? What is going on? Continuing until she can do it?
The maidens covered their heads.
They held their heads and recovered their mental states.
"Lies, lies, lies, lies! We must have misheard! Big sister is definitely making a new bread or something, and she hurt her back from all the hard work, so she's going to treat us to it! Thank you so much, Big Sister!! This bread is so delicious, hehe!!"
The maidens' mental states, on the verge of collapse, were restored, and they smiled faintly, thanking the empty air.
――Anyway.
This is what happened a few days later.
During their daily fieldwork, the maidens stumbled upon information that their Sister had been learning cooking from her mother back at home. They came up with a clever plan to fulfill 2 wishes at once.
So, this is a method to fulfill 2 wishes at once: the wish to cook with their big sister, and the wish to eat their big sister's homemade cooking.
The maidens approached Fiona with enthusiasm.
"Big Sister Fionaaa!!"
"...What's going on?"
By the way, when it comes to calling Fiona "Big Sister", she has given up on correcting them. However, sometimes they mistakenly call her "Mama", which she strictly corrects.
"Hey, won't you cook with us this time?"
"What do you mean by cooking?"
"You know, everyone's eating lunch separately, right?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"So, if we can make lunch together, it'll be great, won't it?"
"...But, if we do that, you'll have less time for your tasks. We don't have time to make complicated dishes, either."
"It's okay, we can make something simple. It's the thought that counts!"
"Hmm, I see..."
Of course, the maidens didn't plan to give their big sister's cooking to their classmates or anything. They thought it was fine to let the others eat leftovers, and they were serious about it.
Anyway, as the maidens made their proposal with a bright, innocent-looking smile, Fiona started thinking that maybe it wouldn't be so bad to do something like that to strengthen their bond as a group... Just then,
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm against it! We don't need to go out of our way to cook for so many people!!"
Aaron, who happened to be listening to their conversation, rushed over with a pale face, looking flustered.
Naturally, the maidens reacted strongly against him.
"What's with you?! What right do you have to object?! We'll kill you!!"
"Don't be ridiculous!! Stop butting in!!"
"You're going overboard just because you're the Clan Master!! Die a miserable death!!"
"What the...!! Ugh, damn it!!"
At that time, Aaron was opposed to it with 100% good intentions. However, he couldn't explain the reason to the maiden squad in front of Fiona. Instead, he received intense opposition. It was frustrating to be opposed by the clan members he was trying to protect, and Aaron gritted his teeth.
If things continued like this, the clan members might die from food poisoning. As the Clan Master, he couldn't let such an incident happen.
What should I do...? Aaron thought hard, but Fiona asked him with a puzzled expression.
"We're not saying we have to make it every day, are we? But isn't it okay to do it occasionally?"
"Th, that's...!!"
Aaron couldn't come up with a convincing reason to oppose it.
He couldn't say, "Stop it because your cooking might kill our clan members," no matter how hard he tried.
Cornered, Aaron decided to appeal to emotions rather than logic.
"I, I hate it!!"
"――Huh?"
Suddenly, Fiona's sharp voice. Her narrowed eyes were filled with killing intent. From now on, he couldn't afford to make a wrong move.
"What do you hate...?"
"Uh, well..."
At that time, Aaron was thinking hard, searching for the right words to say. However, he couldn't come up with a convincing argument that would satisfy everyone.
Aaron instinctively set Fiona as the priority person to cook for. At that moment, words came out of his mouth without him thinking much.
"I don't want you to cook for other guys, okay!!"
"""―――!!"""
The first ones to be shocked were the maidens squad. Aaron's words, which came out without much thought, surprisingly turned out to be the optimal solution.
Oh no... This is a critical hit for big sister!! Thinking that, they turned their gaze to Fiona, and
"Uh...? Wh, wh, wh, what are you saying!?"
Fiona's face turned bright red as she panicked.
"I, I don't mind...!! B, but, it can't be just you, right...?!"
"Whaaat?! Why is that?!"
Aaron reflexively asked, as if he had been rejected by Fiona's words. Then...
"I-if our family grows, I'll have to make food for everyone..."
Fiona said, her face flushing bright red, her eyes moist, and her voice barely above a whisper.
"...? Oh, okay?"
Aaron, who didn't immediately understand the meaning of "our family growing," tilted his head in confusion, looking puzzled.
"""Gahhh!!"""
The Maidens Squad spat out blood.
"What's wrong with you guys?!"
"What's going on with you?!"
Fiona and Aaron rushed over, their faces pale. The maidens had vomited blood as a physical defense mechanism to prevent their identities from collapsing, but in the end, it might have been for the best.
If they had continued to watch the two of them, it might have become an irreparable situation for them....
Anyway...
Because of these numerous incidents, the Maidens Squad came to despise Aaron Gale.
Their murderous intent, their hatred, was exceptionally strong even among their clan.
Compared to Io, who tried to kill Aaron with a trap, or the pigs who openly declared they would crush him someday, the ≪White Lily Maiden≪ held an even stronger murderous intent and hatred.
That's why they were more serious, more dedicated, and more wholehearted than any other clan members when it came to killing Aaron, even during the monthly events.
As they endured the unbearable sight (of Fiona and Aaron's flirting) in the clan every day, they believed that if they could just kill him, Fiona would become their perfect big sister and mother figure.
So, they made an effort.
They polished their pure murderous intent and kept making an effort.
But despite that, they still couldn't kill the naked devil.
However, their effort wasn't in vain.
As they spent their days polishing their pure murderous intent, they eventually learned how to unlock their brain's limiter.
Through effort, experience, talent, and time――despite lacking in various factors――they managed to catch up with the abilities of top-tier clan members, including the ≪Iron Wall Alliance≫ and ≪Glen Squad≫, who were originally out of their league.
That's――[Beast Mode], they called it.
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