It was the sixteenth day of the Month of Light. I was visiting Lilliwood-san's castle in the Demon Realm.
I felt a bit guilty about bothering her while she was so busy, but there was something I wanted to propose. I had sent a Hummingbird in advance before making the trip.
I waited alone in the great hall where Lilliwood-san’s subordinates had led me. After a short while, the doors swung open and Lilliwood-san appeared.
"I apologize for the wait."
"Ah, no, it was my plea—sure?"
I turned toward the voice and saw Lilliwood-san. I could tell immediately that she was beyond exhausted.
There was no need to wonder why. She was "withered." Her hair—or rather, her leaves—gave it away.
Lilliwood-san’s hair, which usually consisted of layers upon layers of deep green leaves, had turned a dull brown.
While the brown hair actually suited her in its own way, she looked absolutely haggard beneath it.
"...Um, Lilliwood-san? Are you okay? I mean... you’re withered."
"Y-Yes, please excuse this unsightly appearance. When I reach a state of extreme fatigue, the color of my leaves changes as if they’ve dried out. They will return to normal once I’ve rested, but..."
"You must be incredibly tired."
"...Yes. I am exhausted."
Normally, she would have tried to maintain appearances with a polite "No, I'm fine," but it seemed she no longer had the energy for such pleasantries.
Seeing Lilliwood-san looking even more overwhelmed than I had imagined, the words I had prepared suddenly felt difficult to say.
Lilliwood-san eventually spoke up, as if offering me a lifeline.
"...You mentioned in your Hummingbird that you had something to discuss. Has something happened?"
"Ah, yes. Well, it wasn’t strictly necessary to see you in person, but... I had a proposal."
"A proposal?"
In truth, it was something I could have handled via Hummingbird, but I’d been worried about her state and decided to visit.
However, seeing her this fatigued made me feel terribly guilty. Maybe a letter would have been better after all. Still, I was already here; I needed to get to the point quickly.
"Um... for example, okay? If I were to invite Isis-san on a date for, say, a full day... and that gave Lilliwood-san a day of freedom, would that be helpful to you?"
"..."
"Ah! No, I’m not trying to trick Isis-san or anything! I truly do want to spend time with her... but I didn't want to cause any logistical problems, so I wanted to check with you first—"
"...Kaito-san."
"Ah, no, of course, I’m not trying to force the issue. It was just a suggestion."
After hearing about Lilliwood-san's current situation from Alice, I’d come up with a plan to lighten her workload by taking Isis-san off her hands for a day.
Granted, I also had my own desire to go on a date with Isis-san, so it wasn't exactly a hundred percent selfless act.
I would be happy to go on a date, Lilliwood-san would be happy to focus on her work, and if Isis-san had a good time, she would be happy too. It was a strategy meant to kill three birds with one stone.
However, upon hearing my proposal, Lilliwood-san looked down and began to tremble.
Thinking I might have overstepped or been meddlesome, I started to panic and tried to explain myself, but Lilliwood-san suddenly reached out. Both of her hands wrapped around the back of my head, and she pulled me into a fierce embrace.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! You are the only ally I have left!"
"Mgh!? L-Lilliwood-san, w-wait—!"
"Burying my face in her chest" wasn't a metaphor. My face was literally submerged.
Lilliwood-san’s incredibly bountiful breasts sandwiched my face, their soft shape shifting to seal every gap around my nose and mouth.
There was a marshmallow-like elasticity and a warm, comforting body temperature, but before I could appreciate my luck, the tragedy of suffocation struck.
"Uaaahhh, I was truly at my limit! I can tell Isis is trying so hard to help, so I can't bring myself to tell her she's in the way... and the other Six Kings just dump everything involving her onto me! I-I felt like I was all alone!"
"Wa... wai... suffo... breathe..."
I struggled desperately to escape that massive chest, but there was no way that I—someone Megiddo-san called "weaker than a slime"—could break free from Lilliwood-san's embrace.
There were breasts in front of me, to my right, and to my left. My entire face was being compressed, and I was starting to feel dizzy in more ways than one.
Unfortunately, my muffled voice didn't reach the emotional Lilliwood-san. Far from loosening her grip, she only hugged me tighter.
"If I have a single day without Isis, I can finish almost all of the pending work! Thank you! Truly, truly, thank you!"
"...Bre... breasts... drowning..."
"...Oh? Kaito-san?"
"..."
"Eh? Ah! I-I am so sorry! Kaito-san, please wake up! Kaito-san!!"
Soft, warm, and bountiful—an ocean of life. What awaited me after being swallowed by that great expanse was the pathetic fate of drowning in a bosom and losing consciousness.
As I faintly heard Lilliwood-san’s panicked voice calling my name, I let go of my awareness.
"...I am truly sorry for what happened."
"N-No, it’s... it’s fine."
Today, a new page was carved into the Black History of my heart.
Losing consciousness because my breathing was cut off by breasts... A large chest is truly a weapon. I mean it.
"...Regardless, this is a massive help. I don’t know how to thank you."
"Please, there’s no need for thanks. In the end, I’m just getting to go on a date with a woman I love."
"...I’m beginning to feel a little envious of Isis."
"...Eh?"
"No, it’s nothing. Kaito-san, may I ask one favor of you?"
"Eh? Yeah, sure."
Lilliwood-san offered a gentle smile as she spoke. I tilted my head in confusion but nodded anyway.
I wondered what it could be. Knowing her, it probably wouldn't be anything too strange.
"Regarding the Six Kings Festival... if you would be willing, would you like to walk around the festival with me on the day that I am hosting?"
"...Huh? Oh, um, yes. I don't mind at all."
"Thank you very much. Then I shall give you my proper thanks at that time."
"N-No, really, you don't need to—"
"No, I won't be satisfied otherwise. It may seem selfish of me, but please let me repay at least a little of the enormous debt of gratitude I have accumulated toward you."
"...Well, if you're okay with that, Lilliwood-san..."
"Yes. I look forward to it."
I remembered Alice saying that Lilliwood-san would probably be happy to walk around the festival with me if I agreed. I suppose she was just taking this opportunity to confirm it in her own dutiful way.
I thought it sounded like fun myself, so I gave her a prompt "yes."
Thus, on top of the schedule already being filled without my input, a date with Lilliwood-san was officially added to my Six Kings Festival plans.
Dear Mother, Father—I never imagined I would actually pass out because of a woman's chest. Thinking back on it now is starting to get pretty embarrassing. Truly, in more ways than one—huge breasts are weapons.
Serious-senpai: "I hate this... I hate these romantic dates... Just get to the Demon King Arc already..."