Chapter 351: Mother-in-law's Assist

Jhin and Pecorine's appetites terrified the couple. If they had to feed the two of them at home for a few days, selling the very house they lived in probably wouldn't cover the grocery bill.

"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, don't worry. I'll be supplying all the ingredients while we're here." 1yFu0

"Father-in-law?" Hyoizaburoo froze. Before he could get another word out, he pitched forward and hit the floor face-first.

"Oh my, Hyoizaburoo, really—eats and then falls right asleep, not a shred of dignity. You all take your time and rest, I'll get him back to our room first." Yuiyui grabbed her husband by the collar, still smiling sweetly. "Megumin, the bath water's hot. Go wash up."

"Okay." Megumin was clearly immune to scenes like this; she didn't even blink. Once her parents had left the living room, she planted one small foot in its black stocking on Jhin's thigh and demanded, "What exactly did you say to Dad and Mom while I was asleep?"

"?" He looked back at her, puzzled. He very much wanted to grab that little foot and play with it, but Komekko was right there, so he let it go. "Just ordinary small talk."

"Then—then why are you suddenly calling them Father-in-law and Mother-in-law?" 1yFu0

"Am I not allowed to?"

The blunt question set Megumin's face on fire. Of course she was thrilled that her parents had accepted their relationship so quickly (Hyoizaburoo: ?), but it also meant she was one step closer to that particular thing. Sweetness and terror tangled together until she couldn't get a single sentence out, and in the end she simply fled.

"I—I'm going to take my bath!"

Komekko walked over to Jhin and tugged at his sleeve, calling out uncertainly, "Brother… in-law?" 1yFu0

"Komekko's such a good girl. Did you eat enough?"

"Mm! The meat was really good. Brother-in-law and Pecorine are amazing, eating that much!"

Jhin pinched his adorable little sister-in-law's plump cheek, then turned to the rest of his companions. "There's nothing urgent going on with Megumin's family, so let's stay in the Crimson Demon Village a while longer. It works out—I want to study Teleportation Magic, and we can see the local scenery while we're at it."

"No problem! Komekko, let's go gather cherry blossoms tomorrow. I'll make you flower cakes!" 1yFu0

"Yay! I love Pecorine best!"

"Master, congratulations on taking your relationship with Megumin one step further."

"I'll be meeting all of your families sooner or later, too."

"Then you only need to meet theirs. I don't have anything like parents anyway."

The moment Kyaru finished saying it, Jhin's hand was on her head. He leaned close to her ear and murmured, "Then let's find a day to go out somewhere, just the two of us."

"If—if you're the one inviting me… then… then I suppose it's fine. You invited me, it's not like I wanted to go!" Her cat tail was always more honest than her mouth; it wound itself firmly around her lover's arm and refused to let go.

A while later Yuiyui came into the living room and sent Jhin off to bathe. By the time he came out, he and his mother-in-law were the only two people in the entire house still awake. 1yFu0

"Um… Mother-in-law, what exactly are you planning?"

Yuiyui answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world: "Arranging for the two of you to do what lovers love doing, of course!"

The next moment she shoved him bodily into a room, and as the sliding door banged shut behind him, no amount of force would budge it.

His mother-in-law's gentle voice came through the wood. "It's no use, dear. I made a point of using Door-Locking Magic. You won't get that door open no matter what you try, so be a good boy and 00 with my good-for-nothing daughter." 1yFu0

Jhin turned helplessly and looked at Megumin, sprawled in the middle of the room, sleeping like a log. He badly wanted to shout through the door at Yuiyui: Mother-in-law, I don't have a fetish for girls who are dead asleep!

Worst case, he'd just sleep until morning. They'd have to let him out eventually.

With that settled, Jhin expertly lifted the covers, pulled Megumin into his arms, and lay down to sleep.

Outside, Yuiyui heard the rustle of blankets and got excited for a moment—only to realize that the clatter of abacus beads she'd been picturing never started. That puzzled her.

Was the foreplay really taking this long?

Even so, there ought to be some kind of sound.

Leaving the mother-in-law outside to her wild imaginings—Megumin, tucked against Jhin's chest, woke from the Sleep Magic before long. She blinked eyes that were still hazy, apparently trying to recall what she'd been doing before she dropped off.

Finding herself held by her boyfriend, she squirmed a couple of times on instinct to settle into a more comfortable position. Then, before her eyes closed again, it hit her.

How did I end up sleeping next to Jhin right after my bath? 1yFu0

Did Mom use Sleep Magic on me?

Remembering exactly how unreliable her own mother was, Megumin patted herself all over in a panic, and only relaxed once she'd confirmed not a single article of clothing was missing.

Thank goodness Mom didn't strip me naked and stuff me under the covers. 1yFu0

Her fidgeting woke Jhin. He cracked open his left eye lazily, looked her over, and kissed her temple. "Go back to sleep."

"Sleep, my foot! Did you bribe my mother into dumping me in your bed?" Megumin reached up, seized his cheeks, and pulled hard. 1yFu0

"If I told you your mother locked me in this room of her own accord, would you believe me?"

"…"

"Looks like you believe me."

"You—you didn't do anything while I was asleep, did you?"

Jhin yawned. "It's not like you don't know me. As long as you're not in the mood for it, how could I ever do something you didn't want?"

Megumin narrowed her eyes, her voice dripping with scorn. "Sure. The way you strong-armed me into agreeing to that diet plan of yours." 1yFu0

"Ahem… that was to help you lose weight, wasn't it?"

"And the so-called toe flexibility training?"

"A coach deserves some kind of reward."

"Then… do you want a reward right now?" 1yFu0

The girl's slender fingers skimmed over Jhin's face like a dragonfly touching water, tracing from his chin up to his mouth, finally settling on his lips and stroking back and forth. The faint scent of lily of the valley drifted off her, and the serene smile she wore made her look like a completely different person from the girl of the daytime.

Only in moments alone like this did Megumin shed the outer layers of chuunibyou and Explosion-magic fanatic and let her quiet side show. That gap between day and night got under Jhin's skin far too easily.

He kissed her forehead a few times to redirect his own attention. "In a situation like this, you're really not afraid I'll lose control?" 1yFu0

"It's precisely because I know how much you're suffering that I said it." This kind of mutual torment was Megumin's favorite game with him, and she never tired of it, even though she lost far more often than she won.

"Tch." Jhin's face soured, and then he let go of her with his left arm.

A pair of pajama pants came flying out from under the covers. Megumin's smug grin froze on her face.

"Um, Jhin, what are you doing?"

"Exactly what it looks like." The words had barely landed before a pajama top went sailing out too.

"Mister Jhin… you need to be reasonable about this!"

"Reasonable? What am I supposed to be reasonable with!" 1yFu0

A pair of underwear drifted lightly to the floor. 96854

"I—I'm not ready yet!" Megumin's voice warped with fright. She scrambled out of his arms using both hands and feet, threw open the room's only window, and fled through it. "The cabinet moved—I'm not playing anymore!" 1yFu0

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