Chapter 665 - 665: [665] : She Lays Her Cards on the Table

Keystone Gate's clothing shopping center was quite massive, divided into men's and women's sections.

For safety reasons, men typically couldn't enter the women's section freely—unless accompanied by a female companion.

Like Bokue right now.

However, perhaps because it was a weekday morning, even as Itogami Island's largest commercial center, the clothing store felt rather empty this early.

Especially when Bokue and the others entered—looking around the spacious women's section, there was only a single cashier sitting behind the register. Racks of various women's clothing stretched in rows behind her. Not a single customer in sight.

"Auntie and the others can go browse the clothes. I'll just find somewhere to sit."

Bokue was self-aware. He picked a public bench at a crossroads in the women's section walkway—a fairly visible and easy-to-spot location—and sat down.

If this were a normal outing with Rias and the other girls, they'd definitely drag him to sit right outside the fitting rooms so they could come out after changing and have him critique their outfits.

But today he was here with Venelana, Runeas, and Chysis.

He couldn't exactly have Venelana, Runeas, and Chysis come out in new outfits for his "evaluation" like Rias and the others did, right?

Well, Venelana would—but with two other elders present today, that sort of thing clearly wasn't going to fly.

And so, as Bokue sat down, the three women with him dove headfirst into the sea of pretty clothes.

However, before Bokue had been sitting for even five minutes, a familiar crimson silhouette approached with a faint fragrance and sat down beside him.

Hm?

Bokue had been idly scrolling through his phone—a rare moment of leisure. Noticing someone sit beside him, he couldn't help but turn to look.

And met a pair of beautiful emerald eyes.

"Chysis-san... uh..."

Before Bokue could finish speaking, a slender finger gently pressed against his lips, stopping him.

Chysis smiled as she withdrew her finger, holding it up before her own lips and shaking it gently. Her voice was soft and coaxing.

"Did you forget? What did we agree you'd call me?"

"Uh... nee... nee-san?"

Bokue's mouth twitched.

He had to admit this felt really strange.

Sure, he called Yasaka "nee-san" too—and Yasaka looked far more mature than Chysis. But that nickname had been established since childhood.

Because he'd called her "nee-san" from the very beginning, even knowing later that Yasaka was literally hundreds of times his age didn't feel that weird.

But Chysis was different.

For Bokue, Chysis had been positioned as an "elder" from the moment they met—Rias's grandmother.

Calling her "San" was to show respect while minimizing his own cognitive dissonance. But calling her "nee-san" directly was a bit...

"Mm-hmm~ 'Nee-san' really does sound so much nicer."

Though the "nee-san" from the young man's lips sounded rather stiff, it still made Chysis beam with delight.

She shifted closer to Bokue's side and tilted her face up slightly. As her lips parted, she—whether intentionally or not—let her warm breath brush against the young man's ear.

"Young people really do have such good stamina. I thought Bokue might doze off sitting here alone. You must have stayed up quite late last night, didn't you?"

"...?"

Bokue formed a question mark out of thin air.

Stayed up late last night... okay, it wasn't exactly early, but how would she know about that?

"Well~ who can say? Maybe it's just a guess?"

As if seeing through the young man's confusion, Chysis smiled softly.

"After all, I figured since Bokue has so many girlfriends, yet clearly isn't the domineering tyrant type—you'll even accompany them shopping for clothes and such."

"With a personality like that, yet able to keep so many girls content and happy without any drama—you must be giving them plenty of 'attention' every day, right?"

When she mentioned "attention," Chysis deliberately emphasized the word, as if afraid Bokue might miss her underlying meaning.

Of course, she wasn't wrong. Bokue did give everyone plenty of "attention" every day.

Overflowing amounts, in fact.

"So isn't Chysis... er... nee-san going to look at some clothes?"

Bokue glanced around but didn't see Venelana or Runeas anywhere. He couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Me? I'll pass~"

Chysis smiled and shook her head.

"I'm not as interested in Human World clothes as Lady Runeas. Coming along this time was really just to keep Lady Runeas company. As for buying clothes... I'll leave that to Lady Runeas and Venelana-chan."

"After all, Venelana-chan really has had it hard these years."

Mentioning Venelana seemed to open a floodgate for Chysis.

"Bokue, since you've been to the Gremory estate, you must know about Rias's father—my own son—passing away young."

"I know."

Though he'd heard all this from Venelana and Rias before, since an elder was bringing it up again, Bokue could only listen patiently.

Chysis let out a soft sigh.

"Actually, the reason Venelana-chan has had such a hard time these years is partly my fault. Zeoticus's passing dealt me a devastating blow."

"My original husband passed away quite early—around the same age as Zeoticus when he died."

"After He passed, I should have resumed my duties as the former head of the Gremory family and managed everything. But because I was in such a daze at the time, I ended up forcing responsibilities that should have been mine onto Venelana-chan."

"Venelana-chan... she could have chosen to remarry long ago."

Chysis paused slightly at this point.

"And I still feel the same way now. If Venelana-chan truly found someone else she genuinely loves, as her mother-in-law, I wouldn't object."

"..."

If before this could still be considered "reading between the lines," then this was practically spelling it out!

Bokue hesitated for a moment.

"So what exactly is Chysis-nee trying to say?"

"Me..."

Chysis thought for a moment, then pursed her lips in a cute little pout.

"Nothing much, really. Just wanted to let Bokue know—I have absolutely no objections to whatever's going on between you and Venelana-chan."

"Oh, and one more thing. If possible, please don't tell Venelana-chan that I've given my blessing on your relationship~"

"...Why not?"

"Secret~♪"

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