Occult Research Club.
Rias sat in a chair, a chessboard laid out before her.
Though no opponent was present, the board displayed the remnants of an intense match.
"President, Haruto still hasn't given any indication of his stance," Akeno said, standing beside her. "Do you still plan to invest in him?"
"Akeno, it's not 'Haruto'—it's 'Haru-kun.'" Rias's smile didn't waver as she picked up the white rook. "I've done all I can. The rest is up to him."
"Do you really think that highly of him?"
In response to Akeno's question, Rias simply smiled without answering.
Akeno liked Haruto well enough, but it was more of a passing interest.
Mainly because his looks and demeanor happened to align with her preferences.
Rias was different. The more time she spent with Haruto, the fonder she grew.
Partly due to her own emotional nature, but mostly because she recognized that Haruto, too, valued deep connections.
Regardless of his potential, if she made him her servant, she knew he wouldn't betray her trust.
"Checkmate."
Placing the rook down, Rias concluded the game.
She stood and began undressing, starting with her uniform, then her undergarments, showing her voluptuous curves to Akeno without any reservation.
"Akeno, regardless of Haru-kun's potential or whether his special constitution is real..."
Naked, Rias walked toward the shower, her voice calm. "Just from Koneko's reports these past few days, at the very least, his combat awareness and perseverance are top-tier."
Akeno tilted her head, unfazed by Rias's flawless, bare figure.
It wasn't anything she hadn't seen before—she herself was no less impressive.
"But what if Haru-kun ultimately chooses Sona?"
Rias turned on the shower. Warm water cascaded over her crimson hair, flowing down her slender neck.
It traced the curves of her ample bosom, slipping into the deep valley between them.
Continuing downward, it glided over her smooth, flat stomach before reaching the crimson sanctuary below.
The "gates" remained shut, forcing the water to divert along her long, shapely legs.
After lingering briefly on her delicate feet, it reluctantly departed.
"He won't." Rias chuckled, her voice muffled by the steam. "Haru-kun... his ambitions might be greater than we imagine. Sona couldn't satisfy him. His hesitation stems from fear that becoming a servant would limit his growth."
Rias's intuition was sharp—her ability to read people was uncanny.
...
"Good afternoon, Akeno-senpai."
Haruto glanced around. "Huh? The president isn't here today?"
The Occult Research Club was practically Rias's second home. Aside from classes, Haruto could always find her here.
"The president is showering." Akeno bent to pick up discarded clothes. "More importantly, why are you back so early?"
"My, my, could it be you knew the president showers at this time every day? Hoping for an... accidental encounter?"
Akeno emphasized the word "accidental," covering her mouth in mock surprise.
Teasing of this level had no effect on Haruto.
His gaze remained fixed on the black fabric in Akeno's hands. "Hmm... does the president need custom orders for this size?"
Akeno lifted her chest slightly, her ample curves swaying. "No need. This size is perfectly standard."
Koneko: "..."
Glancing down at her own chest—or lack thereof—she wordlessly retreated to a corner, sinking into despair.
Akeno froze. She hadn't meant to attack an ally.
"Koneko, don't worry. You're only sixteen—younger than me and the president. You still have plenty of room to grow."
Haruto nodded. "Exactly! Besides, small breasts are cute too."
A busty loli was appealing, but a petite, delicate girl was just as enticing in her own way.
Koneko Toujou: "Small... small..."
The white-haired loli repeated the word endlessly, her resentment deepening.
Akeno shot Haruto a glare. 'You caused this—you fix it.'
Haruto shrugged. 'Not my fault.'
He would've gladly helped "massage" her to stimulate growth, but given the power gap, he'd just end up airborne again.
"Why are you and Koneko back so early today?" Akeno changed the subject, repeating her earlier question.
"Let me tell you—Koneko's a sore loser. She cheated..."
Haruto launched into an indignant rant about his grievances.
After days of getting beaten up, he'd finally seen a glimmer of hope—a chance to...
Ahem—a chance to get even. But Koneko had flipped the table, refusing to play anymore.
How infuriating was that?
After hearing him out, Akeno seemed surprised.
Tsubaki had only mentioned Haruto's talent for magic—not close combat.
She turned to the white-haired loli. "Koneko, you can't beat Haru-kun anymore?"
Haruto scratched his cheek. After being called "Haru-kun" so often, it didn't feel strange anymore.
Besides, thinking about it—both he and Koneko were first-years, both sixteen. So they were both "junior" members...
Yeah, that made sense.
Koneko reluctantly turned around, shooting Akeno's breasts a resentful glare.
"Yeah. Haru-kun's talent is incredible. With the same physical stats, he can fight me evenly now."
Haruto scoffed. 'If you hadn't cheated, I would've won today.'
Though framed as combat training, Koneko obviously wouldn't go all out.
Given her overwhelming strength, she could beat him within an inch of his life without actually killing him.
The training results were nothing short of impressive.
Akeno looked genuinely surprised this time.
"It's only been a week."
Haruto stood with his hands crossed in front of him, a smug expression on his face.
The credit for his rapid improvement in combat skills largely went to his Basic Body Mastery talent.
Basically, any move Koneko used once, Haruto could replicate.
For more complex techniques, a few extra beatings were all it took for him to grasp them roughly.
Of course, Haruto's own formidable combat instincts were also crucial.
He could effortlessly seize every fleeting opportunity in battle.
When it came to countering attacks, he barely needed to think.
Tetsuya Hakuta, as a half-blooded Yokai, had far more combat experience than Haruto, yet he was consistently outmatched in their one-on-one fights.
Aside from the Mirror Alice talent, another reason was that Haruto grew stronger the longer the fight dragged on.
Watching Haruto's smug little expression, Akeno couldn't help but chuckle—he really was kind of cute.
"Senpai, Koneko doesn't have much left to teach me. Shouldn't I switch to a new instructor now?"
After being knocked down by Koneko's sheer strength, Haruto considered bringing up learning magic with Rias.
If possible, he'd prefer it if Rias taught him personally—"hands-on."
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