Relaxing in a bath, washing away the fatigue of travel, she sipped wine and watched the live stream. Seeing Rei Ao so different from how he had been when fighting hermuch gentler nowshe smiled to herself, intrigued.
"Ah it's just because she's weak. He doesn't want to break his toys, huh?" she mused, finding Kajika fragile, even compared to her ordinary soldiers. Watching Rei Ao handle Kajika with care, she struggled to reconcile this with the man who had pushed her to her limits in battle.
"A different side of him"
Esdeath pondered, her thoughts drifting to another side of herself.
For instance
She found herself wanting to experience love.
Rei Ao was relatively gentle with Kajika. With Ayame present, there was no need to be too harsh on her.
He then said, "I will grant you my blessing."
With a tap of his finger on Kajika's body, a mark appeared on her right arm.
"Ah!" Kajika felt a surge of power flow through her.
[Name]: Kajika
[Level]: 1
[Abilities]: "Fire Dragon's Power," "Rei Ao's Blessing," "Inherent Device: Red Flame."
Unlike Ayame and the others, Kajika received the power of a fire dragon, granting her the strength of a mighty flame dragon.
Ayame, who stood nearby, immediately instructed Kajika, "Thank Rei Ao-sama."
"Thank you, Rei Ao-sama, for your blessing!" Kajika quickly snapped back to reality, filled with gratitude as she realized she was no longer an ordinary person.
With a slightly shy tone, she asked, "Rei Ao-sama, could you give me all of you in the end?"
Surprised by her boldness, Rei Ao raised an eyebrow. "You're not afraid?"
Blushing, Kajika nodded. "I'm ready, Rei Ao-sama. Can we...?"
With a sly smile, Rei Ao replied, "Since you're asking, of course."
As Ayame joined in, Rei Ao had to let them know what Anime Harem Stamina was.
In the final two hours, after confirming that there were no nearby towns or people for miles, Rei Ao froze the entire area in ice, quickly harvesting experience points from the dead creatures. However, after reaching level 40, relying on weak monsters like these to level up had become much more challenging. Even after freezing a large area, he only gained a single level.
Still, he wasn't too disappointed. Any gain was better than none.
Afterward, he took Kajika for combat training, helping her reach level 6. Along the way, they found the infected pregnant woman Kajika had been worried about. Rei Ao cured her, eliminating the 'Kabane' virus and ensuring both she and her baby would be safe. This miraculous feat once again led to people kneeling before him in awe, and Kajika became even more infatuated with Rei Ao.
After leaving that world, Yukina teasingly said to Kajika, "So, you've become Rei Ao-sama's servant too, huh?"
Yukina nudged Kajika and added playfully, "I didn't expect you to be so open-minded. Some of the things you did... even I haven't heard of them."
Blushing deeply, Kajika fiddled with her skirt and sheepishly replied, "It was Rei Ao-sama and Ayame-sama who taught me..."
"Are you thinking about becoming Rei Ao-sama's servant too?"
"What? Why would you ask that?"
Kajika blinked innocently. "Well, Ayame-sama and I alone don't seem to be enough to serve Rei Ao-sama."
She still didn't quite understand what "Anime Harem Stamina" meant, but she knew Rei Ao's stamina was exceptional, far beyond what she had expected. Kajika then turned her wide-eyed gaze toward Yukina and Mumei.
"What about you two? Any thoughts?"
Yukina, usually so confident, was a bit flustered. "I-I wouldn't mind, but I don't think Rei Ao-sama would be interested in someone like me."
Yukina, dressed in her mechanic outfit, didn't feel as ladylike as Ayame or Kajika, leading to some insecurity.
Kajika reassured her, "Maybe you should try. You never know."
"Let's see" Yukina wasn't sure how to feel about becoming a servant, but it was something to consider.
Turning to Mumei, Kajika asked, "What about you, Mumei? As a 'Kabane' hybrid, isn't your condition dangerous? Maybe Rei Ao-sama could turn you back into a human."
Mumei remained silent. She had always considered herself her brother's weapon, born to fight 'Kabane'. She had never desired to return to being human, believing it impossible. But after seeing what Rei Ao did for Ikoma, she was suddenly unsure.
Kajika and Yukina exchanged glances and decided not to press the matter.
Back home, Mai didn't say much, perhaps growing accustomed to Rei Ao's unpredictable nature. Rei Ao joked, "I should've brought you along earlier for some leveling up."
This earned him a playful glare from Mai. "You're not really talking about leveling up, are you? You're probably thinking about something else entirely."
Rei Ao feigned surprise. "Oh?"
"Ah-ha! I knew it!" Mai pouted. "You pervert!"
Rei Ao's amused expression shifted into a more mysterious smile. "You're still wrong."
"What?" Mai gave him a suspicious look.
"You forgot about Saeko."
"You jerk!" she shouted, throwing a couch cushion at him, sending it flying in a perfect arc.
~~~
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Chapter 74: Tomoya Aki's thing was crushed
While Rei Ao was still in the mood to joke and play around with Mai, Shizuka Hiratsuka was drowning in regret and guilt on her end.
"What on earth did I do?"
Using a hand that had been involved with something questionable just earlier, she now washed her undergarments with a sense of self-reproach.
"Ugh, I'm a disgrace!"
Just then, her phone chimed with a notification. Wiping her hands, she checked her phone, and it was a message from Haruno.
Haruno: "Shizuka~ How did the date go today? Did you get that young lamb? (laugh)"
Shizuka stared at the message, her eyelid twitching.
'Lamb?'
That guy was no lambhe was a wolf in sheep's clothing. And not just any wolf, but one with wild ambitions. A total womanizer.
Now, it wasn't even a question of an older woman dating a younger man. It felt more like the "tender grass" was aiming to seduce the "old cow!"
'Sigh'
With a heavy heart, Shizuka responded.
Shizuka: "Haruno, do you have any advice on how to turn him down?"
Haruno: "Turn him down? Why? (Curious)"
Haruno: "From what I saw, that young guy seemed pretty serious about you. Why not consider it? Besides, you'll both graduate in a year~"
Haruno genuinely thought Shizuka should give it a chance. Having seen so many people and encountered various attitudes, she believed her judgment was still sharp.
Haruno: "From what I can tell, Rei Ao looked sincere."
Shizuka couldn't help but scoff internally.
'How could he not be sincere?'
She muttered to herself, "He's after my body, like a predator going after prey!"
Of course, she wasn't going to tell Haruno this. She couldn't, especially because it involved Rei Ao's supernatural abilities.
But the nagging doubts remained.
Shizuka: "Haruno, do you think there are angels and demons in the world?"
Haruno was taken aback by the sudden question.
Haruno: "Haha, we're talking about something serious, Shizuka! Don't go off on a tangent now~"
Shizuka sighed: "Never mind. Forget I asked."
Haruno: "Seriously, if you want to reject him, just do it. Stop dragging things out. But make sure you're sure, because you might not get another chance with him."
Shizuka: "You seem to have a lot of faith in him after just one meeting."
Haruno: "Well when you've seen as many fake faces as I have, you start to appreciate the real ones."
Shizuka knew Haruno carried the weight of her family's expectations and responsibilities, and she could understand how Haruno had built up walls over time.
Shizuka: "Haruno, do you think a guy with supernatural powers could manage to have multiple wives?"
Haruno: "??? Shizuka, what's gotten into you today? You're really messing with me. Watch out next time we meet~"
Haruno didn't take her seriously, and Shizuka realized she probably wouldn't get the answers she sought from her.
She glanced at her right hand, feeling like she might truly be reaching the so-called "tiger-wolf age" of womanhood.
On the other side, Haruno tossed her phone aside, slightly annoyed.
"Shizuka, seriously I'm trying to help her, and she plays games with me."
She picked up her phone again, but this time to check an address. Her expression shifted into a playful smile.
"So Yukino has successfully moved in. I should go check on her soon."
Despite her teasing demeanor, Haruno was genuinely concerned about her younger sister. She knew Yukino's awkward personality better than anyone. If left unchecked, Yukino might take a wrong step and spiral into a problematic situation.
Haruno shuddered at the thought of her sister returning home one day, teary-eyed and confessing, "Sister, I'm pregnant with his child"
The mental image sent chills down her spine. As the ultimate sisterly protector, Haruno hatched a bold idea.
"Maybe I should install a hidden camera."
Already a woman of action, Haruno began browsing through online shopping apps. A regular camera wouldn't dothere was too much risk of it being hacked and exposing Yukino's private life.
But her eyes sparkled when she found a low-resolution thermal imaging camera that would only show basic human shapes.
"Perfect! Now, how do I install this in Yukino's apartment without her knowing?"
Haruno was deep in thought when an idea struck her. She found the ideal solution while scrolling through the app.
"Yes, this will work perfectly!"
The weekend had passed.
Rei Ao gently patted Mai to wake her up from his embrace.
"Mai, are you planning to go to school today?"
"Yes, I'm going!"
At the mention of school, Mai immediately sat up. She knew by now that Rei Ao had set his sights on all the girls in the chat group. There wasn't much she could do to stop him, and since they weren't from the same world, she had somewhat come to terms with it. After all, Rei Ao was too... powerful. Yesterday, she had almost felt like her body would break apart.
At that moment, she found herself wishing that Saeko and the others were there. Even though she couldn't stop him from winning over the girls in the chat, she was determined to protect the girls at school! There were quite a few well-known beauties at their school, and she was worried that if Rei Ao set his eyes on them, it would be game over.
So now, she was highly motivated to go to school.
"Then go get ready and freshen up."
After quickly freshening up and making a simple breakfast, the two of them left home together.
Coincidentally, they ran into Yukino as she was leaving.
When she saw the two of them holding hands, Yukino paused for a moment but maintained her composure and politely greeted them.
"Good morning, Rei Ao-kun. Good morning, Sakurajima-san."
"Good morning."
After they greeted her back, Rei Ao suggested, "Shall we walk together?"
"...Okay."
Yukino hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. What else could she do? They were headed in the same direction anyway.
The three of them walked in silence, creating an awkward atmosphere that lasted until they arrived at school and went their separate ways.
Before parting, Mai gave Rei Ao a playful warning. "I'm in the classroom right next to yours. I'll be watching you."
As soon as she said this, a familiar pink-haired girl popped up.
"Yahallo, Rei Ao-kun!"
"..."
The way she called him so affectionately made Mai shoot a questioning glance.
"Good morning, Yuigahama-san. Is there something you need this early?"
Yui fidgeted with her hands nervously. "I spent the weekend learning how to bake cookies. Can I bring them to the clubroom later during the break?"
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
She had given up her weekend to improve her baking skills and was hoping for a better review than last time.
"Of course."
Rei Ao nodded.
"Great, thanks, Rei Ao-kun! See you at break!"
She smiled brightly before turning to leave. Suddenly, she stopped and added, "Oh, and Rei Ao-kun, you can just call me Yui."
With a playful wink, she finally left.
Mai turned her gaze towards Rei Ao with an unspoken question.
Rei Ao shrugged. "Don't look at me like that. We've only met a few times. She's just naturally friendly."
"..."
Mai trusted Rei Ao and didn't press further, heading into her classroom.
Rei Ao returned to his seat as well.
"Rei Ao-kun, did you come to school with your girlfriend?" Kato Megumi appeared before him, asking casually.
"Yep. You know, Mai and I are still living together for now."
Rei Ao admitted openly, and Kato took it in stride. After all, she had seen far more intimate things during the live streams. Compared to that, the idea of a girlfriend was nothing.
She had seen things way beyond this, so the girlfriend topic was hardly a concern. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
Changing the subject, she said, "Rei Ao-kun, do you remember that boy, Tomoya Aki?"
"He's been bothering you again?"
Rei Ao narrowed his eyes at the mention of that unpleasant name. If Tomoya Aki was causing trouble, he wouldn't hesitate to deal with him.
Kato felt a bit happy at Rei Ao's concern but calmly explained, "He hasn't been bothering me. Do you remember the car accident last Friday?"
"I do."
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow. "You mean he got injured badly and hasn't come to school?"
But Kato shook her head. "It's more than that."
She leaned in closer to whisper softly in his ear, "I heard that a part of his body was run over by the car and now he's..."
She trailed off, but Rei Ao quickly understood what she was implying.
His expression turned odd. Did his interference end up making Tomoya Aki a eunuch?
How satisfying!
"Why do you look so happy, Rei Ao-kun?"
"Haha, just thinking he got what he deserved."
"How could this happen?"
Tomoya Aki, lying in his hospital bed, couldn't believe the medical report in his hands. He had sent his family out of the room, unable to bear their presence.
It was only because 'that part' of him... had been cut off.
Despite no injuries to his limbs, head, or body, his reproductive organs had been completely destroyed. The doctors said that they had been so severely crushed by the car that amputation was the only option to prevent them from rotting.
"What kind of sick joke is this?!"
He refused to accept it and rechecked the report over and over, confirming its authenticity. This was no dream. The reality hit him so hard that he nearly fainted.
