As I enjoyed a relaxed barbecue with Nebula, the argument seemed to have finally blown over. There hadn’t been any actual tremors or physical impacts—to the point where I wasn’t even sure if they had really been fighting—but the aftermath told a clear story. Tiana stood there as if nothing had happened, while Canalis and Electrone were slumped on the ground in a dejected heap, hands and knees in the dirt.
"Outputting Feelings towards Unreasonableness... 'I hate this. This gorilla is way too strong. Is an overwhelming powerhouse allowed to do whatever they want? This is so unfair... it’s just too much.' ...Currently feeling pessimistic about the rampant state of foul play."
"What’s truly terrible," Canalis added, "is how she brushed us off without even bothering to counter-attack, even though Electrone and I were coming at her together. She treated us like she was just scolding a couple of unruly kids. Even though she’s quick enough to punch me out of pure jealousy..."
"N-No, I mean, I get how you both feel. I just thought it would be wrong to hit you back... but that doesn’t mean I want to get hit on purpose, so I defended and dodged a bit..."
It seemed Tiana had effortlessly handled the two-on-one offensive. Apparently, she was so strong that even two individuals of the Almighty Class were no match for her. Canalis and Electrone looked thoroughly frustrated.
Then again, the whole thing had started because I let Tiana feed me that meat.
"Hey," I spoke up, "if I fed the three of you instead, would that help you make up?"
All three of them froze instantly.
I figured if Canalis and Electrone were complaining about Tiana’s actions being unfair, then doing the same for them would level the playing field. Being the one being fed was embarrassing, but I didn't mind being the one doing the feeding. It was a total spur-of-the-moment suggestion, and I had made sure to include Tiana so no one felt left out. The reaction, however, was far more intense than I’d expected. Even though I’d basically mumbled it from a distance, all three of them whipped around to face me with terrifying speed.
"I'm sorry, Canalis, Electrone," Tiana said softly. "My actions were thoughtless."
"Outputting Reflection... 'No. I'm the one who got weirdly worked up, I'm sorry.' ...Conflict births nothing."
"I suppose I wasn't in full control of my emotions either," Canalis admitted. "My apologies."
They made up with incredible speed, shaking hands before turning toward me with expectant glints in their eyes. I gave a small nod.
"Very well," Nebula announced. "Please line up in order so as not to cause trouble for Master."
"Yes!" the three of them chirped in unison.
Following Nebula's lead, they formed a neat queue. Nebula handed me a small plate with three bite-sized pieces of bacon on it.
I felt like I’d stumbled into a bizarre situation, but if it stopped the fighting, I guess it was fine.
"H-Here, Tiana-san. Go ahead."
"Thank you! Mmm, it’s delicious! I’m so glad I came today."
Tiana wore a look of pure bliss as she ate, then stepped to the side to let Electrone-san take her place. I had my doubts about whether the act of being fed held any actual significance for a being who ate via electronic information transformation, but I held out the bacon regardless.
"Here."
"Outputting Blissful Thoughts... 'Haaah... eating bacon made by Nebula-san, hand-fed to me by Kaito-sama! It’s a super precious collaboration between my oshi and my oshi! This overflowing happiness... it is, truly, a memory!!' ...Expressing my greatest gratitude."
The sheer variance in her excitement was as jarring as ever, but I was starting to get used to it. When she got worked up, she basically turned into a hardcore idol otaku.
Electrone-san stepped aside, and finally, I fed the bacon to Canalis.
"Here you go, Canalis-san."
"Thank you very much! Tahaa... to put it mildly, this is the absolute best. Truly, I’m sorry you had to witness such an unbecoming sight, Kaito-sama. I'm still quite immature! However, if it leads to a state full of happiness like this, I feel like things turned out for the better. Oh, and don't worry—I won't start fights on purpose just to get fed in the future!"
Despite her expressionless face, Canalis sounded genuinely thrilled. Being treated like a literal idol was a bit bewildering, but the fighting had stopped, so I decided to call it a win.
Suddenly, I had a thought. I cut another small piece of bacon and turned toward Nebula.
"...Um, Nebula, would you like a bite too?"
Nebula blinked in surprise before a bright smile spread across her face. "I have no physical need for such things, but... Master's kindness makes me very happy. I shall partake."
She ate the bacon from my hand with a dainty little bite. Watching her adorable gesture put me at ease, and after that, we all enjoyed the rest of the barbecue in peace.
Serious-senpai: "And so, right after this, they’re going to get pummeled by the rest of the fan club... though I suspect Tiana alone might be the only one to fight them off and win."