Aunt seemed unable to adjust to her suddenly matured figure. Her cheeks flushed as she grasped the [Raging Heart] at her chest with both hands, examining her body with a bewildered expression.
She'd always seemed as if she'd never grow, so this sudden maturity was bound to feel strange.
But with her current body, that action came across as rather lascivious.
I wasn't all that surprised, since this grown form matched what she looked like the last time she matured.
However, I was surprised at how well her white-and-blue [Barrier Jacket] suited her.
The [Barrier Jacket] was identical to the one Nanoha had worn after her own growth.
Her bust had grown, so she'd removed the ribbon and left the front open.
As for her hairstyle, it wasn't side-tails but matched her previous look exactly, except that the tied portion now featured a blue ribbon.
"I've become an adult. Right?"
"Yes, that's correct, although it is a side effect."
At my answer, Aunt looked on the verge of tears as she spoke to me.
"So does this mean I can get married now?"
"…Excuse me?"
"This means we can say goodbye to a life where I had bizarre tastes in partners—and, because I looked too young, couldn't even go on a proper matchmaking date, right?!"
…Aunt.
A wave of sympathy washed over me.
I thought she'd given up and stopped worrying, but I never guessed she was harboring thoughts like that.
But now, even if it's a side effect, having grown like this, perhaps her emotional anguish has finally come to an end?
"No, that's not it."
"Nagamitsu?"
"I've concluded that the Bishop's physique has adapted and grown to accommodate the vast magical power of the [Jewel Seed]s."
"…Indeed, I felt something shattering as it happened."
That feeling of something breaking inside.
To be honest, the [Link Core] shattered, which nearly left her a wreck—but since it turned out positively, I guess we can count it as a blessing in disguise.
"Then what would happen if she were to engage in relations with an average person in her current state?"
"Huh? Relations...? You mean that thing married couples do every night?"
"Yes, that's the one."
"…Can't you just do it normally? She no longer has a child's physique, so her husband wouldn't get reported or be accused of some abnormal lust."
Uh, well… that does make sense, I guess?
Even if Aunt married within [Cheonmyeong], it wouldn't seem odd, but the rest of the world would struggle to accept it.
If she'd remained an Eternal 20-something like Otto Apocalypse, there'd be no issue—but Aunt's body remained that of an Eternal loli.
"No, Bishop, I'm afraid it's impossible."
"Impossible...? Why not?"
"As I mentioned, her body didn't merely age and grow normally."
It's true her growth wasn't a simple matter of aging, but does that really make relations impossible?
I mean, a normal adult male would find her pre-growth body even more awkward for relations—so why is it impossible? Wait, what exactly did Nagamitsu say?
He did say what would happen if she engaged in relations with an ordinary person in her current state.
And just now he said her growth wasn't an ordinary aging process.
In other words, Aunt's body isn't simply that of an adult… Ah, that's it.
It wasn't just me who reached that conclusion; Aunt's expression also darkened.
"…Could you explain it in simpler terms?"
But no, it wasn't just her expression darkening; she seemed to be in denial.
In the stands below, those quick on the uptake seemed to realize what was going on... Particularly Cecilia, who was like a sister to Aunt, looked on with even more sympathy.
Nagamitsu didn't pick up on it, but he pressed on, as if determined to make Aunt face reality.
"In her current state, if she were to have relations with an average man, in the worst case she'd be literally squeezed—rather than metaphorically—and could die as a result. If not that—"
"If not that...?"
"She may be crushed by the magical power the Bishop is emitting even before any relations can occur."
"Either way, she'd still end up dead, wouldn't she!?"
"Didn't I tell you earlier that relations are impossible?"
Nagamitsu shook his head, wearing an expression as if he'd just witnessed a tragic figure from an old drama. Aunt struck an OTL pose in midair and, voice brimming with grievance, shouted:
"Why can't I be happy!?"
"…Well, it's not that there's no solution."
"You should have said that sooner!"
Aunt's eyes sparkled with hope, even as she snapped at Nagamitsu.
Nagamitsu adjusted his glasses and, wearing a kind smile, elaborated on the method.
"Once the Bishop becomes comfortable in her current body and adapts to handling her magic, she could get married immediately."
"Oh, so that's it…" "No, that's not it! You're saying we have no idea when I'll get married!?"
"That's right. But at least, compared to your [Eternal loli] phase, you can now hold onto the hope of a normal marriage."
"Well, that's true… but still!"
It was a fair point, but seeing her grown form had reignited Aunt's half-forgotten hopes—hopes she'd nearly surrendered to because of her child-like body—so her patience was all but exhausted.
"Is there another way? Is there absolutely no other way!?"
"…I wish I could say 'there's none,' but fortunately—or unfortunately—in our current situation there is one."
"What is it!?"
…What? It felt like, for a moment, Nagamitsu's gaze drifted toward me.
At that moment, a chill and intuition screamed at me: I had to shut that mouth immediately.
"We should just marry a man who can withstand your current condition, right?"
"A man who can withstand my current state? Is there such a man—"
"Yes, there is! Siegfried Kaslana!"
At that, I immediately threw Siegfried Kaslana under the bus.
As I watched Nagamitsu click his tongue lightly at that, I couldn't help but think I'm glad I trusted my intuition.
This guy… seriously, he even tried to shove her onto me, of all people—when I'm already stuck with nearly half a dozen forced matchups!
"Hey, wait, Captain! Who decided to sell me off like that!?"
"An adult male of similar age who could withstand her… Obviously, it has to be Siegfried Kaslana!"
"I'm not saying someone just of similar age—I'm saying someone who can actually withstand her! Why are you throwing in weird requirements on your own!?"
"That's right, and even if it's Siegfried, I don't like him. I have the right to choose, you know?"
At Aunt folding her arms and nodding, a vein popped on Siegfried Kaslana's forehead.
"Who said I'd like him!? Do you think I could stand such an ignorant gorilla in the first place!? I have the right to choose, I'm saying that!"
"What? Ignorant gorilla!? What part of this delicate female body screams 'gorilla'!?"
"Ha, that's precisely why you can't get married."
Ah, this time a vein popped on Aunt's forehead.
"…Ha, as a henpecked husband who's the captive of his wife, you have no room to talk."
"Hey, what do you mean by that, Theresa!?"
"Have you gotten so senile that you can't even understand simple words now, you idiot Zeke?"
"…What in the world is this Eternal loli granny who's only just become an adult, babbling on as though she can't handle her new body?"
"What? Eternal loli granny!? Have you lost your mind!?"
"I've said it all! Why, you got a problem with that!?"
Aunt ground her teeth at that, then fell into a moment of thought.
Then she frowned at Siegfried's triumphant smirk and delivered an uppercut.
"You pervy old man who groped every Valkyrie's behind on board!"
"Hey, hey! Bring up ancient history like that? It was just rumors someone started spreading!"
"Ha, would smoke billow from a chimney that's had its fire removed? If you'd behaved yourself, would rumors like that even start?"
"Oh, this is so unfair! If someone really groped them all, I'd feel less unjust…"
"Siegfried?"
"Ah."
Good grief.
Thus, with an action beam, Siegfried Kaslana met his fate.
With Aunt's wry smile declaring her victory as planned, not only the fight but also the pointless spar came to an end—
"Ugh, I'm completely wrecked."
Tch, this is why Aunt's so sharp—