Chapter 103: Akira is a Lolicon?

The soft golden light of dawn filtered through the curtains, spilling warmth across the wooden floorboards. The morning sun had just risen above the eastern horizon, painting the sky with hues of rose and amber. Its rays gently bathed the quiet city of Orario, and in a certain room of the Astraea Familia's home, another day was beginning. The clock tower's long hand ticked slowly toward six. The bell had not yet rung, but within the room, a boy stirred. "..." Akira blinked open his eyes slowly, his vision still a little hazy. He groggily propped himself up with both arms, his body sluggish with leftover warmth from the bed. The moment he sat up, he instinctively reached to his side—only to find it empty. His hand touched only the cool sheet beside him. He squinted, temporarily blinded by the flood of light pouring through the window. His mind was foggy for a moment, but then clarity slowly returned. "She must have gotten up early again..." He murmured to himself, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Looks like Astraea-sama went to make breakfast." His tone was gentle, filled with a warmth that he didn't even try to hide. With a stretch and a yawn, he climbed out of bed. After hastily folding the quilt in a manner that could only be described as "functionally tidy," he walked over to the corner of the room to retrieve his equipment. Within a few minutes, he was fully dressed and had fastened his sword to his waist. By the time he stepped into the kitchen, the scene was already lively. The smell of fresh bread, eggs, and stew wafted through the air, and the members of the Astraea Familia were already seated around the table, chatting energetically. Today was the start of their expedition, so everyone had risen earlier than usual. "Good morning!" Akira greeted, sliding into his usual seat with a smile. "Morning, sleepyhead." Lyra said teasingly, handing him a bowl of stew. Akira tucked in immediately, chewing with delight as he glanced around. After a few spoonfuls, he casually asked, "Alise, I was wondering—can we bring one more person on this expedition?" The moment he spoke, the table stilled. Alise paused with a piece of bread halfway to her mouth. She slowly chewed, swallowed, then gave Akira a suspicious look. "Huh? What brought this on all of a sudden? Who are you trying to bring along? Someone from Loki Familia, perhaps?" Akira grinned. He grabbed two pieces of bread—one long and one short—and raised them like puppets in the air, forming an exaggerated "V" shape with his arms. "Bingo! You hit the mark in one go, Captain. She's from Loki Familia." Alise gave a mock sigh and rolled her eyes, her lips twitching upward. "Tch, as expected of me. Such trivial matters are nothing to a genius captain like me." At that moment, a palm smacked down on Akira's head with crisp precision. Bonk! Kaguya, with her usual stern expression, said coldly, "Stop playing with your food. Eat properly, and speak clearly." Lyra guessed, "So, who is it from Loki Familia? Don't tell me it's that blonde girl? In terms of strength, she's the only one who's comparable to us." Lyra leaned back in her chair, sipping her milk leisurely. When Ryuu who was sitting next to Akira heard this , a hint of sourness appeared on her face but she quickly concealed it. Then she agreed seriously, "Hmm... I wouldn't be surprised if it's her. Akira and she are pretty close. Weren't they exploring the dungeon together a lot recently?" She glanced sideways at Akira casually but pointedly with her blue eyes and blinked Everyone's eyes landed on Akira. Unfazed, he finished the last of his stew and let out a small burp of satisfaction. He dabbed his mouth with a napkin and replied simply, "It's Ais. She's not doing much lately since the Loki Familia doesn't have an active expedition plan, so I thought it'd be good to bring her along. She's strong and reliable. Plus... having more support never hurts." Akira paused before adding with a grin, "Besides, we'll inevitably have to work with Loki Familia more in the future. Might as well build rapport early." Noin leaned forward curiously, her eyes gleaming. "Ara~ When did you and Ais become so close, Akira? You sound like you're defending her." Lyra chuckled darkly and folded her arms. "Heh... I see what's going on. Our Morning Star's upgraded a few levels and now his heart's not satisfied staying in one familia anymore. He's trying to expand his harem." The table burst into laughter. Even Astraea, who had been listening quietly with a serene expression, covered her mouth and chuckled like a mischievous girl. Akira could only sit there, a stiff smile on his face, as dark lines slowly crept across his forehead. "W-Wait, you're misunderstanding—!" But no one paid him any mind. Ryana propped her cheek up with one hand, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Now that I think about it... isn't that little war girl only about nine years old mentally? Akira, are you really going to pursue someone like that?" Akira nearly spat out his tea. "It's not like that!" As if that wasn't enough, Iska dramatically pointed her finger in the air. "Ah! Isn't she the one... you know, the one that the gods said... the, uh—what was it again?" She froze, her face scrunching as she tried to recall. Before she could finish, both Kaguya and Lyra echoed loudly in perfect unison. "Lolita!" The entire dining room erupted again. The girls roared with laughter, some banging the table, others wiping tears from their eyes. Akira covered his face with both hands, now completely resigned. "I-It's not what you think." He murmured pitifully, but his voice was completely drowned out by the chaos. Indeed, he was the only male in the familia, surrounded by beautiful and powerful women. A blessing on the surface... but inside? It was a battlefield. The ratio had always been skewed, and when surrounded by such overwhelming female presence, the man's words held no power. Akira slumped over the table, his cheek pressed against the cool surface. His raised hand trembled before slowly falling limp to his side, defeated. As if on cue, Maryuu leaned over from behind and mischievously tickled his ear, causing him to flinch. Ignoring her antics, Akira sighed internally. I thought I had finally risen above them... that I wouldn't be the butt of the joke anymore. But now... I'm the one being teased by everyone... again. After what felt like an eternity of laughter, the room finally quieted down. Akira sat up, ruffled his hair, and asked with exaggerated seriousness, "So, Captain... do you agree to let Ais join us?" Alise smirked, her arms crossed. She then stood up, clapped her hands, and declared dramatically, "Since we've laughed so much this morning, I shall graciously forgive your decision to consult us after making the arrangement!" Then she raised a finger. "However! As punishment, and as compensation—everyone here gets to make Akira promise one thing!"