67 Chapter 66.

(POV Shina)

This place is so strange. Was everything really built just because of the whims of a little five year old girl?

What's even stranger is the person little Han calls "venerable master."

I really feel a strange connection to him that I can't quite explain. I even mistook him for my little brother when I first saw him. Although, when I looked closer I realized he wasn't my little brother though. It was really uncanny how similar they looked, but they still had slight differences.

My little brother had deep pitch black eyes, but this person had silver eyes. When I got closer to him during our first meeting, I inspected his eyes closely to see if there was any sign of colored contacts, but there really were none.

Little brother also had a birthmark on his neck, but this person didn't.

He wore the same strangely styled white robes little brother wore when he first showed up at home, but rather than white like little brother's and little Han's, his was black instead. I noticed the robes were slightly differently designed as well when I examined them closer. From far away I really thought they were identical.

My eyes must have been playing tricks on me when I thought they were white when I first saw him back in the truck.

However, although I initially blew it off as all just a coincidence and my eyes playing tricks on me, it was still really strange and over time I only grew more suspicious.

His expressions were all the same. His voice although it was a different pitch, he had the same speech habits.

As I followed behind him through the maze I realized even his antics and quirks were very similar to my little brother's.

For some reason I couldn't keep my eyes off of him.

This strange feeling of closeness was really too bizarre.

He answered a few childish questions that I naturally knew the answers to as well while we proceeded through the maze. When we reached to the final room, a bunch of people started fighting against some rip off robot. They were eventually forced back by the suicidal threat of detonation.

That so called venerable master was completely unfazed though and he casually walked over to the rip off robot and waved a hand before lighting struck down as he casually turned away from it.

When I looked directly into his eyes I felt my heart skip a beat. No no no. That definitely did not happen. That was just my imagination. Definitely.

I definitely do not have a brother complex like Aoi said. Besides, he may look like my little brother, but he isn't, right?

When I realized my own thoughts, a crack momentarily appeared on my expressionless face. I felt a slightly hot sensation from my cheeks and I knew I was definitely blushing at that moment as I stared directly at this person who looked like my little brother.

Ugh. I'm not the stereotypical girl who will fall for a guy acting cool by not looking at explosions. I'm really not. It's just because of the strange sense of familiarity with him, that was all it was.

After a short moment I regained my composure and my face returned to its usual expressionless state.

Although I appeared back to normal on the outside, my mind was in chaos and it continually wandered about to random stray thoughts. I even had delusions of what it would be like to dominate over him and have him call me big sister with a pitiable expression.

Yes, that's right, it's safe. He just looks like little brother, we're not related by blood or anything.

Isn't it fine if I develop a thing for him then?

No no no. Stop with the crazy delusions.

Those were some of the idiotic thoughts that ran through my mind when he caught me in his arms.

My heart definitely wasn't fluttering about in chaos right now.

It's not! It's absolutely not!

When he let me down and turned away he didn't even spare a second glance towards me though, like what he did was something insignificant.

His eyes were just locked on the door in front of us.

It seems he didn't even notice the dazed expression on my face when I stared at his back as he was about to walk forward and leave me behind.

I felt a slight emptiness and I unconsciously reached out and shyly grabbed the back of his robe while I said the only thing I could think of.

"Thank you."

I didn't know what else to say to him.

I've never been the type to chase after a guy after all.

I could tell my own eyes showed nothing but utter confusion right now, but I wanted to follow behind him for some inexplicable reason.

This was a big difference between my little brother and this person. It was always me dragging little brother around behind me everywhere. Right now I felt my role was somewhat reversed, but it didn't feel too bad following behind him.

When I looked at his back I somehow felt safe.

Really?! What's with me right now?! This makes no sense!

Am I some stupid heroine in a novel that easily falls for a main protagonist that looks like my little brother?!

I shook my head and let go of the back of his robe. When I did let go he thought I didn't notice since my eyes were lowered, but I did notice him take a sneak peek in my direction to confirm I wasn't hurt before he turned away.

I heard him mumble under his breath.

"It's good as long as you're not hurt."

Thump. Thuthump. Thuthump.

After I heard his mumble he didn't spare me another glance and walked away towards the door in front of us.

The only thing I heard after that was the beating of my heart.

There's no way I can fall for my little brother look alike so easily, right?

I honestly felt like that would be a decent story title if I ever wrote one.

(POV Megumi)

I think I just saw something I wasn't supposed to see.

Could it really be that way?

"Husband, did you get me to disguise you only from your big sister so you could flirt with her openly?"

"What?! Are you crazy?! I have no interest in such forbidden things, nor am I a masochist! I am a refined man with morals as high as the sky, how can you besmirch your husband's name like this?"

"Husband, you're not very convincing when you have that stupid smile on your face."

"This is the smile of having protected one's family member from hurting themselves."

"Hmmm. Really?"

"Then if your sister came onto you aggressively in the future, you would be able to turn her down without a hint of regret?"

"Come onto me? That would never happen."

Husband suddenly turned dead serious. There was not a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"My big sister definitely has no such feeling towards me."

Is my husband actually really dense when it comes to his sister?

No matter how I look at it, maiden flags have been raised left and right for a while now, right?

With how many times that expressionless mask has cracked I really couldn't understand how my husband hadn't noticed yet.

She only blushed for a few seconds, but it was still pretty noticeable, right? Am I really the only one that noticed it?

Didn't my husband want to hook his sister up with that stupid crown prince though?

"Husband, what makes you think your sister doesn't have such feelings towards you?"

"There are countless reasons."

"Like what?"

"Do I really have to say?"

"Of course."

"Well, after extensive research, that was the conclusion I came to after years of investigating."

"Research? How did you research that?"

"Anime, manga and light novels."

"... husband, really?"

"Yes."

Husband, can you please differentiate between reality and fiction?

When he saw my doubtful expression, he went on to explain.

"For example, when I was young, one day, mysteriously, my computer had a folder with sadistic big sister themed anime, manga and light novels. It was later on in life through researching this mysterious folder, that must have appeared thanks to a virus, that I came to the realization she definitely did not like me."

My husband is apparently a dense idiot. "Mysteriously appeared? Rather than a virus, are you sure your big sister didn't just plant that herself?"

"Absolutely not! My computer is always locked and the password is definitely something nobody in the world could have ever cracked back then. It was truly an ingenious password."

"Was it password?"

"Hah! You think I'd pick such an obvious password?" He said that and gave me a disdainful look like I said something stupid.

Of course my face twitched thanks to his blatant overconfidence, but I quickly covered it up and asked, "then what was it?"

"Well, since you're my wife, I suppose I can tell you. Do you really want to know? Hmmm? Do you? Do you?"

I was just about to slap that smug look off his face when he answered, "it was drowssapdrowssapdrowssap321."

"Husband, are you kidding me?"

"I'm dead serious. Owowow! Little wife can you stop pinching and stretching my cheeks like that? I have an appearance to maintain."

"Don't worry, no matter how much I bully you, to other people, it looks like you're just walking normally."

"So, you thought you were clever with such a stupid password?"

"Of course. No one would ever think that was the password, right?"

"I'm sure someone could have if they understood the type of person you were well enough."

"So, what of that research you spoke of?"

"Well, in the content on that forbidden folder there were a lot of clues."

"Like?"

"If my big sister really liked me, then she would definitely step on me every day like in those stories, right? She only stepped on me two or three times a week though."

No, husband, isn't something wrong there to begin with?

A normal sister doesn't step on you at all, even if she was sadistic. Are you really putting your faith into nonsensical things like what you saw in stories?

"A normal sadistic sister with a brother complex should stalk you without your knowledge, and turn scarily sadistic when you're with another girl, right? Not my big sister, she would openly drag me around everywhere. When I talked to another girl she would just stick closer to me, she didn't show her sadistic side at all when I talked to other girls in front of her and she even got friendly with them instead."

"She actually got the girl's phone numbers and befriended them."

"Husband, you mentioned there was a time when she was a lesbian, right?"

"Oh, now that you mention it, she did date some of the girls from back then."

"Are you sure she didn't just date those girls to prevent you from getting closer to them?"

"No way. That would never happen. My big sister would never take an interest in me."

"Husband, are you sure she got friendly with them and it wasn't just her training those girls to keep away from you?"

"By the way husband, do you have any ex girlfriends?"

"Me? Now that you mention it, I don't have any. I've never really thought about it, but it was either my big sister was always dragging me off somewhere, I was busy 'studying', or I was occupying myself with my hobbies. I never put any time towards getting into a relationship."

Phew. No past lovers. That's a relief. I'm not the only one without experience with the opposite sex.

I've only learned theory from master with those of the opposite sex. I've practiced with master before, but we were both women! Ugh. Stop remembering it.

My legs still tremble when I think about how vigorously skilled master was with her tongue.

This is really troubling though, my sister in law may be a real problem after all. Should I stop disguising husband?

"Oh right, back on track. My wife, another reason I'm certain my big sister doesn't like me is because of the following."

"When we were young we'd bathe together all the time. According to manga, when two siblings grow up, if the sister likes the brother she will still drag the little brother to take baths together. A sadistic big sister who likes their little brother will perform a drowning play though. My big sister on the other hand never enacted such a play when we grew up."

"Wait. You still take baths together?"

"Of course not. It's only when she drags me to hot springs where it's mixed bathing. She really enjoys hot springs, but she is secretly embarrassed to go alone, so she drags me along every time. She just gives me the cold shoulder when we're actually there though and doesn't say a single word to me."

Is my husband really this big of an idiot? Drowning play? Please don't confuse fiction and reality.

Besides that, there is definitely another side to that story, there must be.

"Oh another example was when I was in university, she would make out with other girls right in front of me. She didn't even send a single glance towards me when she did. Although she turned out to be straight in the end, it's a fact that she didn't care if I saw her together with other people."

Wasn't she just trying to make you jealous while keeping you away from those girls? Isn't that actually exactly what a sadistic sister in love with their little brother would do?

While we had this pointless discussion we had already passed through the hallway that was behind the exit to the poorly designed platform elevator and reached another door further in.

"This better be the last door" my husband complained.

I felt the urge to laugh and didn't want things to go as he wished so I snapped my fingers and set up a small prank.

When my husband opened the door there was now a majestic ornamented door right behind it.

He turned towards me and glared like he had seen through my actions.

"Little wife, this is actually your doing, isn't it?"

"Of course not. How can you blame your innocent little wife like that? Aren't you being unreasonable?"

"Then what was that snap you just did for?"

"I like snapping? Do you have a problem with it? It's called compulsive snapping disorder."

"You, one of the mightiest cultivators in existence has a disorder that can't be overcome by a wave of your hand?"

"That's discrimination. Even the strongest cultivators can have disorders. Gambling addictions, gaming addictions, drinking addictions, etc."

"But a snapping disorder? Really?"

"Naturally."

"You're pulling my leg, right?"

"Fufufu. Did you want me to pull it here? Aren't you a bit bold husband?"

I couldn't help myself so my hand, which was wrapped around his arm, that had a mind of its own, slid down his arm onto his leg before it came to a rest on his inner thigh.

"Eh? Little wife, isn't this a bit dangerous?"

"What is?"

Like I thought, his slightly flustered face is cute.

That was the flustered face of one whose leg was pulled and had fallen to the ground.

Did you think I'd really pull your third leg husband? Sorry, your wife isn't so easy.

"Little wife, wasn't that a bit mean? Just how badly do you want to tease me?! Isn't sticking your hand into the void and pulling my leg from behind too much? What will you do if you destroyed the realm by using too much force when you pulled?"

"Your wife would never make such an amateur mistake again."

"Again? Again?! You mean there was a first time?"

"Two."

Husband looked scared for some reason and had sweat rolling down his back and forehead.

"Little wife, no more pranks please. My fragile heart won't hold up at this rate."

After he voiced his concerns, husband's quest to open ninety nine more doors began.

While we proceeding forward everyone was quietly following behind husband who lead the way while I made it appear to others we were just walking down a straight path. Watching husband's raging face was too entertaining and I couldn't get enough of that look of despair everytime he hopefully opened another door just to find another door behind it.

"Little wife, how many doors are there?!"

"One hundred in total."

"Can you please stop playing games with your husband? What did I do to incur your wrath this time my wife?"

Do you really need to ask? Cozying up with your big sister in front of me, bragging about how much your big sister secretly likes you while you act the role of a block head who realizes nothing. Having me disguise you from your big sister so you can flirt more openly?

Tell me husband, can you really think of nothing you have done to irk your wife recently?

What about that little disciple of yours? What about when you were ogling that little girl little Han had a thing with?

Are you trying to tell me I have nothing to be wrathful about?

"Little wife, your eyes are a bit scary right now."

"Oh? Are they?"

"Husband, do you really need your eyes?"

"What?! Little wife, please don't joke, I need my eyes. I really need them to be able to worship your beauty."

You have such a beautiful wife, one proclaimed as one of the three most beautiful women across all realms and you still look at other women?!

I really felt my rage boiling by this point and I almost lost control of my strength. The moment I thought I was about flip a few tables, my husband said something that actually caught me off guard.

(POV Sanji)

"Little wife, I love you."

Holy mother up above, the amount of pressure my little wife emitted just now was truly boundless. I really thought I was about to be in the headlines as husband murdered by slightly irked wife.

The only thing I could think of to avert my crisis were the cheap, get out of jail free words I have never said to her.

"What was that?"

"Little wife, I love you."

She just looked at me coldly and said, "did you really think a few simple words would deceive your wife?"

"Megumi, I love you."

This time for the just the slightest moment I saw her blush before she quickly recovered.

"I'm not so easy that I will be tricked by your deception husband. You are just trying to get off scot free."

I really wanted to cry, what did I really do to incur her wrath?

If I really think about it though, aren't there actually a few good reasons? She did catch me ogling little Han's woman. She has also been asking me a lot about my big sister. Does she really think I have something going for my big sister?

I really don't though. How much do I have to emphasize it to make it clear to her that there are absolutely no such feelings between us?

With how women are, suspicious creatures, there really no way to prove that, is there?

Why does such a mighty woman like her need to be jealous anyways? Shouldn't she have long ago tossed aside such emotions on the path of cultivation?

That was when it hit me.

"Little wife, I have one question."

"Your last words?"

"Actually it's two questions."

"Are you done with your last words?"

"Are you actually jealous right now? Have you really never been in any sort of relationship with a man before?"

"I'm not jealous."

That pout she had was actually really cute.

"As for your second question. I've already mentioned it before, haven't I?"

No way. Really? I always thought she was just exaggerating. With how experienced she is when she teases me I always thought that was a lie.

"Husband, you're not telling me you thought I was actually lying before, are you?"

I felt if I let things go on any longer I would be on a path of disaster, so I did the only thing that was natural. I plopped my imaginary butt down on the ground and sat there in dogeza to beg for forgiveness.

Sorry, that was a lie.

What really happened was much more manly, I wrapped my arms around my wife and pulled her into a deep embrace and planted a strong kiss on her lips before I backed up.

"My wife, I love you."

My wife just said with a scary smile, "one more time."

I could only say in a daze, "my most beautiful wife, I love you."

Sorry I lied again, that scary smile really wasn't a scary smile at all. It was more mischievous and it really pulled at my heartstrings. I just wished that not even the heavens could gaze upon her smile that left me utterly dumbfounded.

"Consider us even, if you make me say it once, I'll make you say it five times more my husband."

"Eh? What? Was that all just an act to get back at me for my insignificant victory two days ago?"

She just kept her lovely triumphant smile plastered on her face, but she chose not to answer me.

Ugh. I feel like I just got schooled. How embarrassing, I was so cocky back then too. How could I only settle for her saying it once?

"Little wife, do you love me?"

She just kept smiling at me wordlessly.

Critical hit.

I felt like a gambler who had just lost everything.

How can she be so nonchalant and not answer me like that?

"Husband, you'll have to try harder if you want me to say that."

She placed her hands behind her back and walked a bit further away from me. She turned around lipped out three words.

When I read her lips it looked like she said "I really love you."

I felt a bit better and just as I was about to follow behind her, with her back facing me she said out loud, "I really love shoes."

Ugh. I felt my heart drop to the ground only seconds after from its slightly relieved state.

Is it fun to play games with your husband like this?

"Maybe if you get me some nice shoes I'd consider saying it a few times."

What are you? A gold digger?

Your husband is no rich man. I'll have you know, I was first class among the broke ass university students.

To me, cup ramen was the finest delicacy in the world. How do you expect me to buy shoes for a peak level existence like you?

Wouldn't these shoes need to have some sort of ridiculous ability like destroying a realm with a single step?

No no no. Who are we kidding? My wife can probably already do that.

Isn't the bar a bit too high this time?

When my wife saw my struggling expression it was like she read my mind.

She chuckled with half lidded eyes and said, "I'm not asking for anything ridiculous like you are probably imagining. As long as they look nice and it's something that you got for me, that's all that matters."

Is this the legendary beautiful frugal budget wife I've only heard of in legends?

Isn't she too perfect?

"Husband, you're not thinking anything rude are you?"

"No, I was just thinking about how perfect my wife is."

"Then stop ogling other women."

So it was that!

"..."