80: Sacrificing Teammates, Mandatory Physical Examination

Seeing that Akira Sawamura was about to speak again, Amamiya Saya's expression suddenly turned fierce as she harshly scolded:

"Akira, shut up."

"This isn't your turn to speak."

"I'll be the bad guy here."

"You just sit back and watch."

Sakayanagi Alice, seeing this unfold, immediately suggested:

"My opinion is that we keep both doses."

"Let's do what Kaori did—try the leftover material first and see how it works."

"Great idea."

Everyone collectively sighed in relief and agreed in unison.

"Dr. Amamiya, your talent in medical research has exceeded my expectations."

"I also have something I want to ask you to research."

"What is it?"

"I don't know."

"It's a secret my grandfather left me."

"It's the flesh of a mysterious creature. My grandfather ate it."

"As a result, he spent his entire life suffering from severe rejection reactions."

"He had to inject massive amounts of anti-rejection medication every day."

"Through this intense battle within his body, that flesh permanently altered him."

"His physical capabilities became far beyond that of a normal person."

"The key part is—when he passed away, his appearance was exactly the same as when he was young."

Yakushiji Ryoko spoke with a sorrowful expression, revealing the biggest secret of the Yakushiji family.

"Wow! Another mysterious creature related to longevity?"

Amamiya Saya's eyes sparkled with excitement, her voice exaggerated with curiosity.

"This world really is full of unsolved mysteries."

"I was lucky to inherit part of my grandfather's bloodline, but I somehow avoided inheriting the rejection effects."

"If nothing goes wrong, my appearance should remain exactly as it is now, forever."

"To be honest, it's a little frustrating."

Yakushiji Ryoko casually tucked a stray lock of her tea-colored short hair behind her ear, feigning reluctance.

Everyone who heard her ultimate humblebrag nearly exploded with jealousy.

This cunning older sister was just too wicked.

"Tch! What's so great about that?"

"As far as I know, Lacus and Laura are the same as you—eternally youthful."

"Lacus' case is because—"

Before Amamiya Saya could finish, Akira's reflexes kicked in, and he immediately covered her mouth.

She instinctively struggled with all her might.

"Sayaka-nee, can't you keep that big mouth of yours shut?!"

"Just go back to your lab already!"

"Fine, if I can't talk about Lacus, at least let me mention Laura."

"Laura-nee is off-limits too."

"If they find out that Laura-nee's secret lies in the Yamatai Ruins—"

"Hahaha! Akira, you idiot."

"Look at you being all secretive, and yet you just spilled the beans yourself!"

Amamiya Saya burst out laughing, mocking him mercilessly.

"And whose fault do you think that is?!"

The girls weren't fools. They immediately pieced together that Laura must have obtained her eternal youth through her archaeology at the Yamatai Ruins.

"Akira Sawamura, do you even have a conscience?"

"You let a foreigner excavate Japan's ancient tombs?!"

"Let me explain! Back then, Laura-nee was only in her early twenties, just a fresh-faced university graduate!"

"That happened years ago."

"I only found out about it afterward."

"Laura-nee is nearly thirty now. Even if I wanted to stop her, I wouldn't have been able to!"

Akira raised his hands in surrender, smiling bitterly as he explained.

"Then have your dear Laura-nee tell you the exact location of the Yamatai Ruins."

"We'll organize an excavation ourselves."

Yakushiji Ryoko immediately changed her tune, completely ignoring her previous stance of 'not caring.'

"Ryoko-nee, weren't you just saying—"

"Don't you know that adaptability and shamelessness are talents every woman is born with?"

Yakushiji Ryoko's eyes glinted with a dangerous warning.

"I did ask, but Laura-nee refused to tell me."

"She said disturbing the ancestors' rest once was already bad enough."

"She absolutely won't let anyone desecrate their peace a second time."

"Right now, Laura-nee is the only person in the world who knows the exact location of the Yamatai Ruins."

"Because everyone who went with her on that expedition… died."

"And this isn't the first time something like that has happened."

"That's why I avoid going on adventures with Laura-nee unless absolutely necessary."

"I have a strong feeling she has a natural talent for sacrificing teammates."

"Way too dangerous."

Akira shrugged, looking utterly helpless.

"Shameless!"

"Absolutely disgraceful!"

"How can such a brazen foreign woman exist?!"

"She's even more shameless than my mom!"

Alice couldn't hold back her complaint.

"Agreed!"

Whimper!

Even Leonora, who was still tied up like a decorative mascot, protested tearfully.

How did she even get compared to Laura in the first place?!

"She gained so much from that excavation and still refuses to share!"

"That's Japan's historical treasure!"

"I really want to capture that foreign woman and interrogate her!"

Yakushiji Ryoko, seething with rage, had always thought of herself as a pretty shameless person.

But it turned out there was always a higher mountain.

"Didn't you say wherever she goes, ancient tombs don't survive?"

"How does she even have the face to say something like that?"

Seeing the girls looking ready to tear Laura apart, Akira could only continue explaining.

"Laura-nee says it's not her fault."

"She never intended to destroy any ancient tombs, but every time, unexpected events would cause the structures to collapse."

"She insists it's not her doing."

"That's why I call her a walking disaster."

"Shameless beyond belief!"

"Akira, it's up to you—use your charm and make that shameless woman reveal the location of the Yamatai Ruins."

Kujou Asuka shamelessly encouraged.

"Let's not."

"Post-investigation showed that Laura-nee's body underwent an unknown genetic mutation due to exposure to mysterious radiation at the ruins."

"A freak occurrence of 100% benign mutation."

"The odds of that happening are lower than winning the lottery."

"In reality, most genetic mutations are harmful."

"None of you have Laura-nee's ability to sacrifice teammates and opponents alike."

"It's best not to risk it."

Everyone: ...…

What the hell?! This foreign woman is actually that ridiculously lucky?!

"We wouldn't go ourselves. We'd send professionals in protective suits."

"Exactly. This kind of work should be left to the experts."

"Just get Laura-nee to spill the ruins' location."

"I can't even contact Laura-nee!"

"Her personal phone is almost always turned off."

"She spends most of her time running around the world doing archaeology."

Akira spread his hands in exasperation.

This answer made all the girls grind their teeth in frustration.

Running around the world for 'archaeology'? More like destroying ancient tombs across the globe!

At that moment, the door burst open, and the Miyazono couple rushed in, panting.

They interrupted the rising storm of female rage with their arrival.

"Sawamura-kun, we've brought Kaori's identification documents!"

"Shall we head out now?"

"Grandmother's butler has been waiting outside for a while."

"We'll be counting on you, Sawamura-kun."

"From now on, you're practically family, so just call me by my name."

"Akira-kun, you're too kind."

"Kaori, come over here."

Touma Kazusa grabbed the reluctant, slow-moving Kaori Miyazono and dragged her over to them.

She looked like she'd rather die than taint her 'pure' love.

Unfortunately, resistance was futile against overwhelming force.

"That expression! The thrill of stealing someone's lover is just too amazing."

Amamiya Saya grinned as she snapped dozens of pictures of Kaori's distressed, unwilling face.

"Sayaka-nee, can you at least act professional?"

"I'm her savior. I have the right to take some commemorative photos."

"Didn't your little blonde mutt of a sister become a doujin artist?"

"Let's have her turn this real-life drama into a doujinshi."

"I guarantee it'll sell like crazy."

"Sayaka-nee, you're an absolute genius."

Everything from Amamiya Saya's tone to her absurd suggestion made the whole room nearly spit out their drinks.

"Good idea. If Kaori doesn't behave, we'll publish the doujin under her real name."

Touma Kazusa's sinister tone sent shivers down Kaori's spine.

She immediately straightened up, not daring to resist anymore.

"Kazusa, you're the only one who can handle Kaori."

"As her parents, we don't have nearly as much influence as you."

"Akira-kun is a man destined for great things."

"From now on, we entrust Kaori to your care."

"Please, by all means, keep her as far away from Arima Kousei as possible."

The Miyazono couple earnestly pleaded with Kazusa, their posture so low they were practically kneeling.

"Don't worry, Uncle, Auntie, leave it to me."

"Uncle, Auntie, this isn't selling your daughter."

"If you ever want to see Kaori, she can still visit you."

"No need. Our hearts are already broken by this love-struck daughter of ours."

"Kaori, you only need to come home for the holidays."

"Your mother and I are still young enough—"

"We've decided to follow the Furukawa couple's example and have another child."

"If it's another daughter, we'll make sure she stays away from scumbags."

Miyazono Kaori: ...…

It's over. Her parents had completely given up on her.

They didn't want her anymore.

Pfft!

Hahaha!

The scene was just too entertaining.

Amamiya Saya took the opportunity to snap even more photos.

"Kazusa, don't you know Arima Kousei?"

"Make sure to tell him this great news next time."

"Sayaka-nee, you're an absolute genius."

Touma Kazusa turned and gave Amamiya Saya a big thumbs-up.

"Of course."

"I'll even record his reaction with a hidden camera for you."

"Kazusa, I knew you wouldn't let me down."

"We're perfectly in sync."

"Yeah… in committing morally questionable acts."

"Where's your dignity?!"

Akira Sawamura couldn't help but protest.

"Someone with negative dignity has no right to call us out…"

"Even if we're shameless, we're still better than you."

"A guy who sleeps with his childhood friend's mother should just go sleep on the streets."

Kazusa delivered the finishing blow.

Pfft!

"I'm going to handle the paperwork."

Having lost all face, Akira immediately fled.

"Don't disappear for three days again!"

His childhood friends shouted in unison behind him, making him stumble slightly mid-step.

Kazusa dragged Kaori along and followed after him.

The Miyazono couple silently pretended they hadn't heard anything and quickly followed suit.

As far as they were concerned, while Akira might be a womanizer, he was still a million times better than that bastard Arima Kousei.

At least their daughter would be safe with him for a lifetime.

"So you're the middle-aged lady who spent three days and nights with Akira?"

"You don't look like it at all!"

"And you're Alice's mother? Why are you tied up like a caterpillar?"

Amamiya Saya stroked her chin and circled around the restrained Leonora, scrutinizing her closely.

She even examined her skin, hair, and eyes up close, forcibly removing her mask and gag.

Leonora glared but was helpless.

Seeing this, Alice couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Sayaka-nee, you look so serious. My mom isn't suffering from some incurable disease, is she?"

Leonora nearly died from anger at her daughter's words.

She wanted nothing more than to grab the unfilial brat and smack her.

"Alice! You ungrateful child!"

"I'm perfectly healthy, but I might just die from sheer frustration because of you!"

"Sayaka-nee, your gaze is terrifying."

"I'm warning you—I am not some genetic experiment!"

"Neither am I!"

Amamiya Saya sighed in exasperation.

"Come with me. I need to give you a full-body examination."

"Inuzuka, carry her over. I can't lift her."

"And don't untie her—just in case she resists."

The tall, muscular red-haired nurse, who doubled as Amamiya Saya's bodyguard, swiftly picked up Leonora.

She let out a small gasp.

"Dr. Amamiya, Leonora-san is much heavier than an average woman."

"Exactly. She's definitely hiding some kind of secret."

"Now I'm really curious!"

"Aaaah! No way! I'm perfectly healthy!"

"That's exactly why I need to check."

"Your skin ages much slower than normal."

"Why not say the same about Asuka and Sayuri? They look young too!"

"They're different. They just take good care of themselves."

"But you… you're aging slowly at a genetic level."

"Alice, help your mother!"

"A mother like you should donate extra blood samples for research."

"Sayaka-nee, don't hold back on my mom."

Alice raised both hands in support of the examination.

"Ladies, it's your turn for checkups."

"Shinomiya, let's go get examined."

"Thank you, Tachibana, and all the nurses."

"Tachibana, who else needs a checkup?"

"Start with Alice and Yuki."

Busujima Saeko pushed Sakayanagi Alice and Yuki forward.

"This is Yuki, the new personal maid of my junior."

"Yuki-san looks adorable in a maid outfit."

"Thank you, Tachibana-san. Your nurse uniform looks great too."

"Mine's more of a mental issue. I need psychological evaluation."

"Chisato and I will go last."

"Heisong, Mochizuki, everyone's tea has gone cold."

"Go fetch some hot water."

"No need, Tachibana-san. We'll handle it ourselves."

The moment Mochizuki—the queen of clumsiness—moved to carry hot water, everyone panicked.

If she spilled it, someone's face was going to get scalded!

"Let Mochizuki and Heisong sit down and rest."

Shinguuji Kanade quickly stood up, pulling the disappointed-looking duo to sit beside her.

And then she started her usual trick—coaxing them into spilling information.

Everyone perked up their ears to eavesdrop.

Meanwhile, at the Family Court…

As the official document changed her name from Miyazono Kaori to Kujou Kaori, stamped with a government seal—

Everyone had different reactions.

Kaori's parents had relieved, happy smiles.

Their daughter's future was secured.

They no longer needed to cry over her mistakes.

A huge burden was lifted off their shoulders.

Kujou Kaori, on the other hand, looked utterly devastated.

There was no going back. She was trapped.

Touma Kazusa pulled out her phone and immediately took a photo of Kaori's miserable expression.

She prepared to take it back for Amamiya Saya to enjoy.