The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#246 - Everything is a choice in Steins;Gate

"Speaking of which, Zunzun is only 14 this year, right? I'm already 21. Don't you like someone older than you?"

"Huh?"

"Or are you into someone like Anastasia Hoshin or Felt? Considering you've been living with the Sword Saint family, you must be close to Felt. But then you publicly acted that way towards Priscilla... do you like older women?"

She started reasoning on her own, becoming dejected as she looked at her own chest, which, while shapely, was far from as ample as the arrogant woman's.

"That was a misunderstanding. I only lashed out because I was angry."

"Is that so."

Crusch seemed slightly relieved.

Zunzun twitched the corner of his mouth.

He knew she was a bit naive, but he didn't expect her to be this naive, worrying about whether her body could please him, even in front of him.

"But Miss Crusch is quite contradictory."

"Contradictory?"

"I remember you said at the royal selection ceremony that you questioned the kingdom's state and were determined to break free from the dragon's control and choose independence. Yet now you're actively seeking a marriage alliance with me... You're not interested in my looks or abilities, but in my status, right?"

He said it quite bluntly.

This almost labeled Crusch as greedy as Priscilla. If it were a normal noble, they would probably be angered and show their displeasure.

However—

"I admit that's true."

"Then..."

"If I were to obtain the throne, my policy would be as I said then. Although the Dragon Stone chose me as a candidate, whether it was the dragon's intention or the will of heaven's representative to choose me, who would sever the alliance with the dragon, either way, it was a sensible move. Don't you think so, Zunzun?"

Could it be said that her answer was skillful?

Originally, the dragon's intention might have been to have her firmly support him, but it was misinterpreted as wanting to break the alliance through her. Others would definitely not agree, but since the dragon chose her as a candidate, her words were very likely to be true.

"The choice of the Steins Gate?"

"What's that?"

"It doesn't have any special meaning, but when you do it and achieve it, it gains meaning."

"...Are you saying it represents the choice made, not whether the result after the choice is right or wrong?"

She understood quickly.

To put it mysteriously, everything is fate's arrangement, whether good or bad, can be answered with this sentence.

"Then, back to the main topic."

Crusch sat up straight and said seriously, "I have already clarified my thoughts. Zunzun, I do want to marry you. Not out of love, but out of benefit. But I can assure you that I will definitely fall in love with you later. Please believe me."

Get on the bus first and buy the ticket later?

This is a common idea among large families. The concept of love is extremely distorted, especially for the duchess at the apex of nobility.

And Zunzun, who had experienced this and hated it immensely, shook his head after a moment of silence.

"...I'm sorry."

"Is there something about me that you're not satisfied with? Looks, figure, family background? Not to boast, but I'm quite marketable. Or do you have a royal selection candidate you're fond of? I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry into your love life, but I must consider my next move. Of course, if you don't want to say, I won't force you."

Honestly, Crusch was too frank.

Zunzun slightly started to like her, but precisely because of this, he couldn't agree.

"No, Miss Crusch is undoubtedly an excellent woman. I admit that I may have some ambiguous behavior with other royal selection candidates in Miss Crusch's eyes, but I have not made any promises with any royal selection candidate. Ultimately, I have a fiancée, and I won't coerce others or seek benefits because of this."

"...You're not lying."

Crusch pricked up her ears as if listening, and quickly nodded in agreement.

—The Wind's Blessing.

The ability to discern the wind of human emotions.

Generally speaking, she can read the other party's superficial emotions without any obstacles, and rarely has the experience of being deceived. Crusch herself judged this blessing as a negotiation technique ineffective against those skilled at hiding.

"Then, the elders of the Sage Council probably thought of this point as well, which is why they didn't forcibly demand it."

Crusch smiled.

Different from the stern and heroic smile of a strong woman, but looking at Zunzun with an appreciative gaze, the way a woman looks at a man.

"So, the cat-eared man behind the door, don't radiate such strong hostility towards me. I don't have any thoughts about Miss Crusch."

"Ferris is just jealous. We've only met twice and you're already so close... and chatting so happily... I'm so jealous!"

Behind the opened door was Ferris, biting his lower lip and pretending to be unwilling. When he saw Crusch's moist eyes, he became even more sad.

"It's called love at first sight. Crusch and I are like Reinhard, we felt close as soon as we met."

"What about Ferris?"

"Ferris, for you... um, it would be after the Bowel Hunter."

"How could that be, such a big difference!"

The cat-eared man's tail drooped down, wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes with a pitiful look. This hypocritical pretense was the main reason why Zunzun disliked him in the first place.

But after encountering the Bowel Hunter, his perception of Ferris changed.

Crusch also smiled and said, "It's true that I enjoyed the blind date more than expected. It's rare to talk so much with someone. I didn't expect blind dates to be such a pleasant thing."

"That's only with me. Just like Miss Crusch is very popular in the blind date market, I'm also very popular."

"Zunzun, have you had many blind date experiences?"

"...This is my first time in this life."

Zunzun added the limiting word, after all, it would be too strange for a 14-year-old to have rich blind date experience.

"Isn't that the first time then?"

Ferris bit his teeth unwillingly and said jealously, "Damn it, Crusch-sama's first blind date... and dressed so unguarded, it's infuriating!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Zunzun rolled his eyes and retorted, "You were the one who picked out this outfit for Miss Crusch, why are you so hostile towards me?"

"It's different! No is no! It's okay when I'm with Ferris, but I can't be alone with this hungry beast man. All men are perverts, meow!"

"Don't be unreasonable and put labels on me, you're a man too!"

If Ferris dared to say that he was a man in body but a woman at heart, Zunzun would help him become her now and tear that thing off.

"Ferris wouldn't look at Crusch-sama with lewd eyes, so it's okay! But Zunzun is different, you love one every time you see one, and you were flirting with that widow at the royal selection ceremony, can you deny it!?"

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"That was...!"

Zunzun couldn't argue at all.

Damn it, that was just because he was angry and wanted to humiliate her in public, but he didn't expect it to turn into him being a pervert.

Although Crusch didn't say it explicitly, her eyes seemed to say that was indeed the case.

"And Felt-sama, I remember you lived under the same roof as her, right? You must see her youthful body from time to time, and then things happen that increase your affection for each other!"

"...Heh."

Zunzun sneered dismissively.

Ferris was stunned for a moment. It seemed that the man in front of him looked down on Felt's flat chest? Thinking of how he rubbed Priscilla's ample chest in public, he probably liked that type.

"Ferris, there's a limit to joking."

Crusch stopped him at the right time and said, "Zunzun doesn't have any thoughts about a woman like me who is neither cute nor big."

After speaking, she sought his agreement with her eyes.

Zunzun suddenly hesitated.

"Maybe... perhaps... possibly... almost?"

"What!? You actually dare to look down on Crusch-sama, I'll kill you oh!"

"What do you want me to do to be satisfied!?"

He felt helpless towards Ferris, who was like an angry wildcat.

"Wait." Crusch was also confused and said, "Why did you just reveal an aura of lies and hesitation? What's going on? Don't you like your fiancée, or are you more moved by Priscilla's type?"

"Your understanding is also very strange."

Zunzun twitched the corner of his mouth.

"So..."

"What's going on!?" X2

Gossip is human nature, even if one is a duchess who strives to be masculine, and the other is a cat-eared girl pretending to be a girl, especially when it comes to love, they are even more persistent.

"Yes, yes, yes, I surrender."

Zunzun raised his hands and explained helplessly, "Actually, it's about another childhood sweetheart of mine."

Makaba, Uxi Dishi.

"...I see. Because of a misunderstanding, you made a marriage agreement with one of your childhood sweethearts, but you didn't tell the other childhood sweetheart, or even your other friends, right? Do you like your fiancée?"

"I do."

"What about the other childhood sweetheart?"

"I like her too."

Facing Crusch and Ferris's consecutive questions, Zunzun answered without hesitation.

"Since you like them both, then what's the problem? Just marry them both, right?"

"You don't understand, Crusch-sama. Women have a very strong possessive desire. If the man they like is taken away by half, they will definitely go crazy with jealousy."

"I see, is that so."

"...Hey, haven't you two switched positions?"

It's unclear who is the woman, but now it seems that Ferris understands women's hearts better.

That's how it is.

Probably because of family reasons, Huihui has a very strong possessive desire. Zunzun had also casually pretended not to care and asked, but was met with the little loli angrily wanting to blast him with explosion magic.

"Headache."

"This youthful love... Ferris, bring out the red wine I've treasured in the cabinet."

"Okay meow!"

"Hey, don't use my affairs as a snack!"

The three of them started arguing.

But just as if this kind of happy atmosphere shouldn't exist, the door of the guest room was suddenly opened, the joyful laughter suddenly subsided, and appearing at the door was a terrified and distorted ugly face.

It was Natsuki Subaru, panting and sweating profusely.