Chapter 27

Aria was shocked to know the truth about the world. She was excited to learn that she would have the ability to wield some sort of superpower.

"I know that expression," Theresa said, looking at the girl who had an excited expression. "Don't think of wielding that power to play around. It would slowly corrupt you and turn you into a corrupted being. It's either you would turn into a zombie or a beast."

When she heard that it was dangerous to wield those powers because they would slowly corrupt her and turn her into a zombie, her excitement turned into horror.

"For now, you need to learn how to protect yourself," Himeko chimed in. "You will learn everything about the truth of history once you enroll in Saint Freya. Also, you don't need to worry too much about the entrance exam for your transfer. Remember the girl with white hair?"

Hearing Himeko's question, she nodded her head. Who would forget such a beautiful girl as Kiana?

"You see, that idiot failed all of the written exams during the entrance exam, but she has great physical attributes, and her fighting adaptability was exceptional, so she passed the exam," Himeko explained, making Aria wonder if entering Saint Freya was easy.

"For now...you're lucky that we can protect you for the whole month during our stay, but now the whole Philippines is in danger," Theresa said, her expression is grave.

Her grandpa had just sent her details about the Honkai energy gathering around the Philippines, and she thought their timing for a vacation here was unfortunate.

"What do you mean?" Aria asked, confused by Theresa's words.

"Honkai energy was detected gathering around the city of Manila, and a horde of Honkai beasts were sighted in the area. It's concluded that in about two or more months, a Honkai Eruption will occur," Theresa explained. Aria still didn't understand what Honkai was and what a Honkai Eruption meant.

Although she wanted to question what Honkai corruption was and what Honkai beasts were, Mei showed her a video footage of Nagazora, where a horde of Honkai beasts was roaming around the area.

Seeing a giant white monster attacking Mei and the others within the video, Aria came to understand that Honkai beasts were a threat to all humans in their sight.

"But why can't they send this news to the public?" Aria asked, her concern for her family growing.

"Forget about announcing it because it would only cause chaos within the country, if not the whole world," Theresa explained. It was clear that they preferred to keep the truth hidden to prevent widespread panic.

"By the way, how much pay does Aron give you?" Himeko asked out of curiosity.

"It's around 700 Homu coins a week," Aria replied.

"What?!" Himeko was shocked to find out that Aria's paycheck was substantial. "If you convert it into Philippine peso, then you would get 39,256."

"Eh?" Aria was surprised that Himeko had calculated that in a short amount of time.

Understanding Aria's look of surprise, Himeko couldn't help but get annoyed but still explained.

"Although I might not look like it, I majored in Aerospace and Space Engineering in college," Himeko said with a gentle smile, revealing an unexpected side of her. She giggled as she remembered choosing that course to see an alien, but her path had changed after her father's death, leading her to join Schicksal as a Valkyrie.

"Oh? Mei, I've been searching for you," Aron said as he walked in their direction. "You should talk in the living room, not in the hallway. By the way, Mei, would you like to tag along? I'm going to buy some ingredients at the market."

"Sure," Mei agreed, knowing that she had nothing else to do, and followed him, leaving the others behind.

Watching the backs of the two, Aria was confused and couldn't help but comment. "Shouldn't Aron have asked his girlfriend to tag along instead of Miss Mei?" She assumed that Aron and Himeko were dating.

"I agree with that," Himeko replied, also misunderstanding Aria's intention and thinking that Aron and Seele were dating.

Theresa was already groggy from dinner and tired from the trip. "Aria, where's my room?"

Aria pointed at one room that she had finished cleaning, and Theresa walked inside.

"Bronya-Onee-Chan, we should take a nap in the garden," Seele suggested, and Bronya, along with Kiana, joined her. The three of them looked tired, and Seele was holding Bronya's hand as they walked outside.

"No wonder Aron asked Mei," Himeko noted, realizing that the other children were exhausted from playing games.

_ _ _

Walking down the unfamiliar place, Mei looked around with curiosity because this was her first time visiting the Philippines, and she wasn't used to the surroundings. But for now, she didn't know what to do with the swarm of cute girls gathering in front of Aron and why they were getting along as if they had known each other for a long time.

"Hey, big brother?" a cute girl asked, tilting her head while looking at Mei. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Hearing her question, Aron smiled gently and glanced at Mei with a smirk before saying, "Meiiii~ are you my girlfriend~"

Hearing his teasing tone, Mei blushed and looked away. But a sudden idea came to her mind – would they leave him alone if they found out that he has a girlfriend?

Mei looked at Aron and suddenly wondered about their relationship. They had kissed, held hands, but it didn't define their relationship. She wasn't sure if he loved her or liked her.

Seeing her confused expression, Aron patted her head, and Mei looked up at his face. Suddenly, he blushed and stammered, "I-I think I like – no, I love you, I love Bronya, Kiana, Himeko, Theresa."

"Eh? Big brother is a playboy~" the girl inquired about his relationship, commenting on the unfolding drama.

"Shut it," her friend remarked, watching with interest.

"I feel the same," Mei replied with a smile.

"But I don't feel the same," her other self said in anger because she only wanted Kiana, not someone like him who butted into their relationship.

"Meh," Aron replied, answering the Herrscher ego of Mei, which annoyed her.

"That's a bad move," the girl said, hearing Aron's uninterested remark. However, when they looked at Mei, they saw her giggling in amusement.

Ever since Mei had met Aron, he had helped her work through things with her alternate ego, assisting her in confronting her nightmares and helping her grow.

As the group of girls continued to watch the exchange between Mei and Aron, Mei couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. She had been through so much with everyone, and her relationship had always been a bit complicated with Aron.

But as she looked into his eyes, she realized that maybe it was time to address their feelings.

"Aron," Mei began, her voice soft and earnest. "I've been wondering about us too. All of us have been through a lot, and you've always been there for us. But I need to know... what are we to each other?"

Aron's playful smirk faded as he met her gaze, his eyes reflecting sincerity. "Mei, I care about you deeply. It's true that I love Bronya, Kiana, Himeko, and Theresa, but it's also true that I hold a special place in my heart for all of you. I can't quite define our relationship, but I want all of us to be together."

Mei felt a warmth spreading in her chest, and a smile graced her lips. "Aron, I think I feel the same way."

The other self within her, the Herrscher ego, sighed in frustration, but Mei was focused on her newfound clarity.

Aron and Mei both blushed, their connection deepening as they shared their feelings. The cute girls could see that there was something genuine between them, and the atmosphere shifted from curiosity to acceptance.

"Looks like we have our answer," one of the girls said, breaking the tension. "They're a couple... I think?" The uncertainty in her voice was evident as she glanced at Mei and Aron.

"Uwah!?" One of the girls who was with the group of cute girls exclaimed loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Our mom's looking for us, we should get home now."

"What! Let's go!" One of the girls shouted and started running in the same direction from which Aron and Mei had come.

Watching their hasty departure, Aron chuckled. "I didn't expect that I would get hit on by my own cousin." He looked at them with a mixture of amusement and sadness because they were so similar to his cousin despite coming from different bubble universes.

"Eh?" Mei got shocked upon learning that they were Aron's cousins. It explained their close interaction, but it raised another question. "Uhm... Aron, why didn't they recognize you if they're your cousins?"

Aron smiled sadly and answered, "I almost forgot to tell you, I'm from another Bubble universe, and the girl you met in the house is my counterpart."

"Eh?" Mei was surprised to learn that Aron came from another Bubble universe, but what surprised her even more was the revelation that Aria was his counterpart.

"Another Bubble universe?" Mei asked, her curiosity piqued. "So, does that mean that there are different versions of you and all of us in different universes?"

Aron nodded his expression a mix of nostalgia and melancholy. "Yes, that's right. There are countless universes out there, each with its own variations of people and events. I happened to cross paths with you in this one."

"I haven't dwelled on it much, nor have I wanted to peek into the future of my other selves."

"Well, no need to bother those place because their problem is their own problem not ours." Aron said making Mei nodded her head she's matured enough to not ack like a saint to save everyone.