After a long-awaited reunion, Anna, Tina, and I, hand in hand, begins to find our way out of the damned lab.

''Oh, by the way.'' I utter, seizing the attention of the two.

''Hm?''

''What's wrong?''

''By any chance... You guys aren't fakes, right?''

I know. It might seem distrustful of me, but I'm so tired of looking at those mimics. I want none of them in my life. I'm tired of trying to decipher which one is the real one as well. That takes quite a lot of brain cells, which I don't have much.

However, the two immediately panic. They squirm around a bit, stuttering, as they try to find ways to prove their legitimacy to me.

''...In the first place, how are you two so sure that I'm real?'' I tilt my head.

''My instinct.''

''Her instinct.''

Oh, that.

''But how are you so sure that Anna is real?'' I ask Tina.

''It was actually a bit of luck.'' The red-haired princess sighs. ''By pure chance, I noticed that the fake Sylvia's heartbeats were inconsistent with yours while Anna's were normal. So it was a double-layer confirmation.''

Holy shit, my lovers are broken. Someone nerf them, please!

''In any case, please do confirm whatever you would like to know about us.'' Tina pleads.

''That's right! We're a hundred percent real!'' Anna nods repeatedly.

I mean, I doubt that they're fakes... Okay, there is a chance. I guess I'll have to do it.

Now, I can pretty easily check their bodies using a tad bit of divine energy since it is quite literally omnipotent, yet my reserve is nowhere near that level. Instead, I'll rely on the most reliable skill in my closet—making things go hard.

In reality, collecting their juice will be more definitive, but we don't have time, and this is not the place for that.

''Excuse me.''

Under the two's expectant eyes, I firmly thrust my hands inside their skirt and grab the relatively soft but unexpectedly huge bulges.

'''' !!! ''''

Merely seconds later, I already feel them growing in my palms. By observing this natural reaction—which I'm more than familiar with, I can determine if they're real or imitations.

''S-Sylvia?!''

''Here is a bit...!''

Okay, they're not fakes. That's a huge relief.

"Phew...'' I let out a sigh. ''That's enough. You guys are real.''

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Leaving behind two puzzled girls with their boners, I continue heading outside. As for why I know which way to go, it's because of Tina. She can release a special audio frequency that maps the surroundings, which she did a while ago. Stupidly broken stuff, I know.

Nevertheless, it appears that we're in some kind of underground level, and there are quite a few entrances that lead upward. Because we don't know which way is which, and Tina didn't detect a room similar to this one so that we can find the remaining three either, we're relying on Anna's instinct to navigate.

''Which way, Miss Prophet Cat Woman?''

At a three-way split, I turn around and ask Anna. She seems baffled by this nickname yet still giggles while taking the lead herself.

As I look at her long, swaying tail, I suddenly feel comforted. Healed. This is it. This is why I wooed her in the first place—her overwhelming cute charm.

''Oh.''

Perhaps sensing my infatuated gaze toward Anna, Tina decides to almost ram herself at me, circling my waist with her long, possessive arms as she leans on my shoulder. A whiff of her signature perfume, which is similar to that of peaches', enters my nose.

Tina has always been the one taking care of herself the most, so her whole impression inside me can be said to be 'fragrant.' Not to mention her godly boobs, which I rarely have the chance to feel... Damn it. I'm too greedy.

''By the way, do you think those three can overcome it?'' I voice my question.

Tina told me earlier that she and Anna got stabbed regardless of the fact that they were not close to the castle, so I don't think Liana and Sariel are out of the scope. As for Emy and my children... I honestly don't know. I'm worried.

For now, I hope that because the Mermaid Queen didn't kill me, she will spare them as well.

''I think Raeliana can definitely notice it,'' Anna replies. ''She knows about you the most, after all.''

I mean, yeah... Even if Emy has been with me for as long as Liana has, the latter seems always to want to know my deepest of deeps and share hers. It's very endearing.

''I'm not sure if they got ambushed in the first place.'' Tina says. ''That dragoness is quite formidable, after all.''

''Yeah, that's likely.''

So that leaves Emy... Shit. Please be alright, Emy.

After some minutes have passed, we finally emerge out of a path leading up. Carefully poking my head out, I am once again greeted with the sight of cold cobbles surrounding me. It's the prison Emy and I were in last time.

''...''

''Sylvia?''

However, that is not the important thing right now.

''You are finally here, esteemed Saint~''

''...Mermaid Queen.''

Somehow, that bitch Mermaid Queen has been waiting for us here all along. In an instant, we three simultaneously pull out our weapons and cast several buff spells on ourselves.

''Wait, wait~!'' The bitch waves her hands. ''I have no intention of fighting!''

''Yeah, no. I ain't believing that now.''

BANG—!

''Eek...!''

Give back four months of my life, fucking asshole.

As I'm about to dump the whole mag on the cowering woman, Anna suddenly taps my shoulder.

''I don't sense danger.'' She whispers.

''Really?'' I furrow my brows.

''It's weird, but there's no doubt.''

''...''

Turning to the Mermaid Queen again, I see she has already got down to her knees, raising both hands while smiling stupidly. Even if I concentrate my senses, I can't detect any traps.

Let's be careful for once.

After stacking a ton of defensive magic spells on myself and my lovers, I point my Desert Eagle, chambered in super AP rounds, at the mermaid's forehead.

''Explain.'' I order.

''Yes, yes, of course...!'' She replies, sweating. ''In short, it was something I was told to do.''

''By?''

''By the Divine Maiden.''

''Who?''

''The one who has comprehended the ways of the universe, able to predict, read, and sometimes alter predetermined fates.''

Okay, that sounds remarkably like a scammer. Technically, if someone were able to predict the actions of every atom in the universe, which is, again, technically possible, they would know every event that's going to happen. Yet that doesn't mean that that claim is entirely valid. Possible doesn't equal feasible.

I'm going off the track, but this sounds suspicious.

As if sensing my mood, Mermaid Queen hurriedly adds to her explanation. ''Look, she must have given you something, right? Like... A key, for example?''

''...?''

Wait, is she talking about the crystal?

''It seems so.'' Mermaid Queen sighs. ''Phew... Listen closely, esteemed Saint.''

''What?''

Suddenly, her playful face turns extremely serious. The once leisurely aura has now completely disappeared, leaving a place for a grimmer one.

''Atlas has been infiltrated by the demon army. Please help us, esteemed Saint. You are our only hope.''