Three days later...
"Darling! Darling! You're here! It's been so long! Ugh! I've missed you so much!"
"Yeah, yeah. Before that, stop banging your head against the glass like an idiot. You can't come out of the pool right now, can you?"
"What a shame. I am an idiot, hehe. I'm an idiot, and it feels so good when you scold me. But don't hit me, okay? Ahaha."
In a pool several times larger than Mihama's, the Siren Queen, Laila, was dancing gracefully, her beautiful tail swaying in the water as she tried to get closer to Haruya through the glass.
For Laila, being able to see Haruya again was like 'defeating the final boss and getting a 0.1% drop-rate item'.
Well, that was just Haruya's way of describing it…
Nearby, Plum was weaving a spell to allow Laila to move around in a floating water ball, just like Mihama.
In fact, there was a simpler method, creating a water film around the Siren's body using magic. It was much easier, though it was also more fragile.
"Plum, I kind of hope your spell fails."
"My spells never fail. I'm quite interested in the Queen's and your daily life and interactions, though." Plum stuck out his tongue, speaking as if it were none of his business.
"Mama, Mama! Here, take this."
"What is it, Mihama?"
"Papa made… cookies."
With that, Mihama tossed the not-so-delicious cookies Haruya had haphazardly made into Laila's pool.
Like a goldfish being fed, Laila swam to the surface and swallowed the cookies in one gulp, her face filled with happiness.
"The soggy cookies are so delicious!"
"Thanks for the compliment, I guess." Haruya didn't know what to say, so he just responded like that, letting Laila bask in her happiness for a while.
Before long, Laila was able to move freely within the floating water ball...
The first thing she did was, "My love!"
"Whoa! Gurgle, gurgle…"
Since Laila was inside the water ball, her sudden embrace pulled Haruya into the water ball as well, their faces rubbing against each other.
Under normal circumstances, Haruya could tolerate it, but he had no interest in intimate skin-to-skin contact underwater.
And he was running out of air…
Haruya reached out to grab Laila. If she kept hugging him like this, he'd soon be embracing Hades, the god of the underworld.
Haruya didn't want to use 'Save Scumming' in this situation. It would be utterly meaningless.
As he flailed his arms, Laila, who was hugging Haruya tightly, let out a… "Ahhh~ Mmm, there, th-that's… ahhh~~~~"
Laila's face turned bright red, and she released Haruya.
"Cough! Huff, huff!" Once Haruya was out of the water ball, he gasped for air, "I just grabbed your tail, that's all."
"No, no, Haruya-sama, my husband. For us Siren women, our tails are something only our lovers can touch. Darling, is your tail the one in front?"
"That's not a tail!" Haruya retorted.
"Right, it's too small to be a tail."
"Don't say it's small! It's just in standby mode."
Haruya didn't continue the banter.
Now that Laila had arrived, it was time to set off.
Three days ago, Izuna had informed Haruya about the three-way game, and the Werebeasts' sole representative would also participate.
Although Haruya had the right to object, since the challenge was initiated by his side, it was reasonable for the Werebeasts to propose the game.
Besides, Haruya thought it was better for the Werebeasts to propose the game than for Sora and Shiro to withdraw…
Today was the opening ceremony, not the official start of the game.
Entering the embassy's first-floor hallway through a special passage, Laila asked Haruya,
"Is there anything I need to do for this game?"
"Not really. But since we're wagering the Race Piece, it's necessary for you as the Queen to be here."
"No problem. I'll sit in the audience with Mihama and eat popcorn while watching you, darling."
"This isn't a movie."
"No, Mama." Mihama added, as the mother-daughter pair floated together in the same water ball.
"What about me? I'd like to join the game too…"
Plum's goal probably wasn't to participate in the game but to understand the essence of the Werebeasts' games…
Haruya didn't object. After all, Plum, as a Dhampir, could still be useful.
Reaching the end of the hallway, the light became dazzling.
Stepping out of the hallway onto the grand stage, Hatsuse Ino, holding a microphone, saw the group.
"We've been waiting for you." he said.
Ino didn't look too happy. Beside him stood the quiet Izuna and a golden-haired, golden-eared, two-tailed fox wearing a shrine maiden outfit woven with white, red, and black.
She was a glasses-wearing beauty and the Werebeasts' Priestess, their sole representative.
"So, the Siren Queen and… the King, huh?" The Priestess paused, narrowing her eyes slightly and smiling.
Her presence was overwhelming, exuding both authority and allure.
"Stop staring at her." Laila splashed water on Haruya, complaining unhappily.
On the other side, Sora, Shiro, and their group had already arrived.
Their eyes were fixed on Laila and Mihama in the water ball, clearly intrigued by the mermaid mother-daughter pair.
"Shiro, it's not just the little mermaid, there's a big mermaid too. I didn't expect Haruya to become so impressive."
"Nii-san… calm down… I'm confiscating your H-books."
"No, don't! I was just fantasizing about having a Siren girlfriend!"
Steph, standing behind them, put her hands on her hips, "Sora! So this is what you do while I'm working?!"
"That's just how Master is, Steph. Don't bother arguing with a virgin."
Suddenly, the place became lively.
The audience consisted of a few Immanity representatives and some Werebeasts, as this wasn't the official start of the game.
"Now that everyone's here, let's…" Ino tried to start the formal discussion.
"Nii… H…" But Sora and Shiro interrupted.
The elderly Werebeast tried to continue, "Let's…"
"Ahhh! Darling, scold me!" Laila's voice cut in again.
"Let's…"
"You're a married couple? What an odd combination... a Siren and an Immanity." The Priestess chimed in.
"I said…"
"Grandpa seems to want to say something, desu." Izuna stole the spotlight.
Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Ino glanced at his granddaughter.
He wiped the sweat from his brow and continued, "Let's– damn it, let's just chat..."