Beneath the town, in the lowest level of the guardhouse—converted into a stone interrogation chamber—Dimara and Chusi stood side by side before the bloodied remnants of what used to be the most defiant assassin in the bunch.
Chains rattled behind them as two more assassins were strapped to enchanted bindings, twitching and growling. But neither girl paid them any mind.
Their attention was fixed on the third—the one now unconscious and tied to the rune chair, his skin paler than it had been an hour ago.
"I told you he was about to go off," Chusi muttered, cracking her knuckles.
"I didn't think it'd be that kind of go off," Dimara replied, tilting her head. "Cursed self-detonation spells are banned even in the Demon Realm."
"Guess Daddy Dearest doesn't care about rules anymore."
It had happened seconds before the assassin opened his mouth. A dark red glow began crawling across his neck and jaw, veins lighting up with unstable mana. But Chusi had moved fast—very fast. One swift claw-strike across the shoulder had disrupted the formation just in time. The energy dissipated with a sharp scream, and the man passed out.
Now he breathed shallowly, still alive, but clearly marked for disposal.
"So," Chusi said, wiping her claws clean on a cloth, "the explosion curse was tied to the moment he said certain words."
"Which means there's something he wasn't supposed to reveal," Dimara said with an eager grin. "Like a plan."
A few minutes later, the two marched straight into Kujo's office, where he sat reviewing patrol schedules and regional zoning requests.
Chusi shoved the door open with her usual dramatic flair. "We got answers."
Dimara followed behind, humming a little tune. "Also almost got blown up. But we didn't~"
Kujo looked up immediately, concern flashing in his eyes. "What happened?"
"One of the assassins was cursed to detonate," Chusi explained. "The moment he started spilling too much."
"His orders were clear," Dimara added. "Don't talk. Die first."
Kujo frowned. "That bad?"
"Oh yeah," Chusi confirmed. "Turns out your father sent multiple groups. Not just one."
"Several," Dimara nodded. "Some are assassins. Others are soldiers in disguise. Spread across the region, looking for entry points."
Kujo stood up slowly. "He wants to burn this town down."
Chusi grinned. "Then let's make it fireproof."
That evening, Kujo called an emergency meeting. The girls gathered in the newly finished war room, surrounded by hand-drawn maps and barrier plans. Kujo outlined his next moves.
The town would be fortified.
Real defenses. Layered magical barriers, automated traps, and dedicated perimeter patrol rotations. Kyrie and Fiore would lead the high-mobility response teams. Chusi and her family would manage the outer wall reinforcements. Setara would coordinate logistics. Zafira would redirect construction resources.
Everyone took the news seriously. No one questioned him.
But once the planning was done, and Kujo was finally able to sink into the warm mineral bath behind his private chamber, he let himself relax.
Steam curled around the edges of the pool, scented with enchanted oils and glowing softly under the moonlight. He sank into the water, closing his eyes, letting the heat soothe the tension in his shoulders.
He didn't expect anyone to find him.
Which is why he flinched when something soft and warm suddenly pressed against his back.
"You didn't even say thanks," Chusi whispered in his ear.
Kujo jerked slightly. "Chusi?!"
Her arms wrapped around his chest, and he could feel her full, slick body slide against him as she straddled his lap from behind in the water. Her tail swished lazily in the bath.
"I stopped a bomb with my claws. Risked my life. I deserve a reward."
"Chusi, this is—"
"Relax," she purred, nipping his neck. "I'm just getting comfy."
She slid further onto his lap, pinning him under her again, this time wet, soft, and smelling faintly of bath oils and faint wild spice.
Then—
Splash.
"I want a reward too~" Dimara sang as she popped out from the opposite side of the bath and slipped onto Kujo's chest like an affectionate octopus.
"Dimara?!"
She giggled and licked his collarbone. "I helped interrogate them. I worked hard. Now I want snuggles in the bath~"
Chusi rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just don't hog him."
Kujo groaned, trapped between a pair of steamy, aggressive monster girls—again.
Chusi gently rocked her hips against him while holding his arms around her stomach. "You're enjoying this more than you let on."
Dimara kissed his jaw. "I can feel your pulse~"
He opened his mouth to speak—
BANG!
The bathhouse door slammed open.
"Enough."
Setara stood there with a towel draped over her shoulder and her clipboard in hand.
She walked straight up to the edge of the bath, stared down at all three of them, and narrowed her eyes.
"Do I need to start scheduling your affection like a resource chart?"
Dimara whimpered. "But we earned it…"
Chusi smirked. "Come on, secretary girl. Don't be jealous."
Setara's gaze didn't shift. "Kujo."
He blinked. "Y-Yes?"
She slowly raised a finger and pointed directly at his chest.
"You are banned from looking this good while I'm trying to focus on our food shortage crisis."
He stared.
She turned on her heel and stormed out.
"…Did she just flirt at me while yelling?" Kujo asked aloud.
"Yes," both girls replied in unison.
Kujo sighed and leaned back again, cheeks burning, heart pounding.
At this rate, he might need armor… just to survive bath time.