Chapter 333: Shelve Disputes, Joint Development!

When this scene unfolded—

“Ahh!! Onii-chan! No!! That’s something only his wife’s sister—me—should get to do!”

“Himekoji! Pervert! Pervert pervert pervert!”

Akiko and Nanami stared wide-eyed, screaming together.

Hang on, I hadn’t even done anything yet, so why was Nanami calling me a pervert again?!

That was the thought that suddenly popped into Himekoji’s muddled head.

…

[Ding!]

[Please choose!]

[A: Stick another grain of rice onto your face, tempting Mashiro to eat it!]

[B: Stick another grain of rice onto little HimeHime, tempting Mashiro to eat it!]

[Completion Reward: 5000 2D Points!]

Right as Himekoji was spaced out, the System barged in and snapped him back to reality.

Then, he took a look at the options—

He nearly spurted a nosebleed!

Because, he instinctively made some wild connections he couldn’t control…

The image from Option B clearly appeared in his mind, vivid and sharp…

I’m done for! Done for!

Himekoji shook his head hard. Only with great struggle did he manage to shove the picture away with sheer willpower, barely holding onto his sanity.

Don’t pick B! Absolutely not!

Picking B would kill him!

Not that picking A was a guaranteed living either…

After all, Akiko and Nanami were still right there, glaring fiercely, ready to pounce.

If Himekoji wasn’t so thick-skinned, he might’ve died ten thousand times over already under their murderous stares.

[Please choose!]

Just as Himekoji dithered, the System pressed him again.

“Hisss…”

A splitting headache tore through his skull.

“A! Choose A!”

Gritting his teeth, Himekoji decided to damn his fate, declaring silently in his mind.

Since he was doomed either way, might as well let Mashiro lick him one more time before dying!

Sure, death was death, but Option B was strictly forbidden!

…

“Nom nom nom~”

It was just a tiny grain of rice, but Mashiro still chewed it with meticulous care. Her cheeks puffed out, making absurdly adorable chewing sounds.

“Hmm, tasty, Akito.”

Normally, Himekoji would be loudly ranting by now to ease the awkwardness. But this was not normal!

“Is it tasty? Mmm… there’s more.”

Saying this, his face already burned scarlet.

Naturally, words alone weren’t enough.

Simultaneously, Himekoji sneakily stuck another grain onto his cheek, thinking he was being discreet—which was probably just deluding himself.

Akiko and Nanami were riveted on him. Any little move, no matter how cautious, stood zero chance against their joined surveillance.

“Onii-chan! What are you doing?!”

Akiko, of course, caught his offense instantly. She clutched her head, disbelief washing over her face,

“How dare you cheat publicly right under your proper wife’s nose?! Think you’ve gotten gutsy? Or is Akiko not good enough for you now? Wow, I get it! You’re mad I’ve been neglecting you these past days! Onii-chan, wake up! The one who should lick that rice from your cheek is me!”

Akiko spewed a stream of shameless words, but Nanami had no such nerve.

She only smacked the table, seething with jealousy and fury, leaping to her feet. Yet, she stood there gaping speechlessly, utterly lost for words.

In the end, all she managed was a weak, frustrated “Pervert.”

…

“Shiina, hurry!”

Best get this over with before more trouble arose. The System’s choice needed finishing. Himekoji urged Mashiro, who seemed busy savoring the taste.

“Stop! I’ll do it!”

Akiko was never one to sit around.

Fierce spirit and pure aggression—that was her whole selling point!

So without hesitating for a second, she kicked her stool aside and lunged straight at Himekoji.

Mashiro, caught in the middle, got shoved aside by the charging girl.

“Hey, wait!”

You’re not the one the System picked! It’s Mashiro!

Himekoji’s protest died in his throat as his Imouto tackled him hard. She slammed into him with such force, chair and all went tumbling—Himekoji landed flat on the floor.

A classic female-pin move!

Honestly, why’d you have to cause trouble?!

He’d just praised her for being well-behaved lately!

“Onii-chan, I’ll be the one eating it!”

Straddling Himekoji’s hips, Akiko seemed to declare something truly shocking.

Then, leaning down, surpassing Mashiro in both boldness and boundary-crossing, she stuck out her little tongue without shame and started lapping wildly at Himekoji’s face—Schlick! Schlick!

Absolutely terrifying!

As if announcing her absolute ownership.

Himekoji was nearly pushed into an Ahegao face, teetering on the edge of losing his mind!

I mean, seriously, Akiko’s licking skills were just way too good?!

Was all this drama necessary?! She was levels beyond Mashiro!

With Akiko going so wild, the rice grain was liable to get melted!

And really, Akiko, don’t you get it?!

Being too much of a Chikan?

Well, that might actually become super annoying!

So please, tone it down!

They might get disliked by the readers!

He didn’t actually have the nerve to voice these thoughts aloud. What Himekoji did say was—

“Shiina just licked that spot! Do you really like it that much?”

“Huh?”

His outburst seemed to work. Akiko suddenly froze, her smooth little tongue halting its work.

…

“How does it taste?”

Mashiro crouched beside Akiko, elbows resting on her knees, cheeks cradled in her palms. Tilted her head as she asked.

The girl’s features, refined and pretty like a spotless pure white paper, held not a single blemish.

“Taste of what?”

Akiko answered without thinking.

“Something after I’ve used it.”

Mashiro blinked. The blank expression on her face actually made her seem more confidently serene and unperturbed right then.

This was likely just a fleeting illusion in Akiko’s mind, though.

When Akiko shook her head clear and looked at Mashiro again, she was just Mashiro. Beautiful and cute. Delicate like a misty, unreal work of art carved from crystal. Not of this earthly world. Therefore, devoid of human emotions.

If it’s someone like her, she probably doesn’t even understand what “liking” someone means.

Not a threat.

Compared to the cautious wariness and seeing Nanami as a rival, Akiko held no mental defenses against Mashiro.

Because Mashiro was truly a girl who made it difficult for anyone to feel hostility towards.

The more time you spend around her, the more you believe that.

In the deepest parts of her mind, Akiko simply thought of Mashiro as a cute “pet girl.”

…

“Something I have used.”

But no matter what, whether intentional or not, when the other party said something so deliberately provocative, Akiko had to strike back.

This was the dignity befitting the official wife.

Even though the title “official wife” was entirely self-proclaimed by Akiko.

“You used it? Well, that’s a shame because you got the secondhand goods! Over ten years ago, Onii-chan was already something I used roughly, casually mistreated!”

“Hey! I’m asking you two here! Can you stop calling me ‘things’ and ‘goods’?! Am I a thing?!”

“Not a thing.”

Spoken unexpectedly in unison and perfect sync, Akiko and Mashiro declared it at the same time.

“Hah… what an outdated joke…”

Even as he complained about it, Himekoji didn’t forget to keep working on his task.

After all, leaving a task unfinished for even one minute was an intolerable unease.

Himekoji racked his brains frantically.

Got it!

With his left cheek held captive by Akiko, Himekoji suddenly had a clever idea: effectively utilize his neglected right cheek.

“Mashiro, over here!”

He pointed to his right cheek.

Surprisingly, Mashiro understood instantly.

They had never been this in sync before!

Mashiro picked up the rice bowl from the table.

Yes!

Just like this!

Pick a grain of rice from the bowl, stick it to my face, and then lick it off!

Himekoji cheered silently for Mashiro.

Pinned firmly under his sister, Himekoji couldn’t manage even these simple things by himself.

He could only put his hopes on Mashiro.

Mashiro glanced between the rice bowl and Himekoji’s face, seeming to hesitate.

No! Don’t hesitate!

Encouragingly, Himekoji nodded at Mashiro.

“Mmm.”

Mashiro nodded back at him.

Then, finally, she moved.

The understanding went without words!

Mashiro held the rice bowl high—

And then…

Eh? Why is she turning her wrist like that? Isn’t that going to…

Damn it, she really did!

Mashiro shoved the entire bowl of rice down onto Himekoji’s face…

Rice poured like rain during the downpour.

Smothering his whole face and head.

His eyes, nose, ears, mouth, even his hair…

Covered in sticky, white, gooey stuff.

Wait, this is not what was supposed to happen!

What happened to one grain?!

“Pah! Ugh! Bleh!”

Himekoji struggled, spitting out the grains that had rushed into his mouth.

Despair washed over him.

Seriously? And this is supposed to be good teamwork?

Non-existent!

Teamwork like that simply did not exist!

Himekoji finally understood. He should never have held any expectations for Mashiro.

He shouldn’t have had any expectations!

…

“Too much. Can’t finish.”

Contemplating the “basin” of white rice on this face, Mashiro also seemed troubled.

“One half… each?”

Suddenly, she turned her head to the side and said this to Akiko beside her.

Actually floating a brilliant new idea of great constructive potential –

Split it half and half! Set aside the dispute! Joint development!

“Half each?”

Sister Akiko pondered for a long moment. Maybe a nerve misfired somewhere, but she ended up clicking perfectly with Mashiro.

“Okay!”

“You take half, I take half. We are all good partners!”

Seemingly playing a childish game, the two of them raised their hands together.

Smack! They high-fived to seal the alliance!

Forgotten, perhaps intentionally, perhaps not, by them both, Nanami stood alone behind them. She watched the whole scene with wide eyes.

…

If Akiko didn’t see Mashiro as a rival, the reverse was also true.

Rita had said: Blood siblings cannot marry.

Mashiro remembered this firmly.

Therefore.

The enemy was—

Nanami.

If it’s this girl, then perhaps cooperation was possible…

Align with the same front line!

…