Rod looked at Goddess Amaterasu and instructed her.
"With the Shadow Army I left behind and the policies formulated in advance, the Far East Country will surely usher in prosperity."
"But at the same time, don't forget to train the priestesses I have contracted and bestowed Grace upon; there will be a time when they will be needed."
Goddess Amaterasu stepped forward with some reluctance and tidied Rod's clothes.
"I've remembered it, your will is now the will of the Far East~"
Tsukuyomi, meanwhile, smiled gently and teased him.
"It's really unfair, for you it's just an instant, but for us, it's ten years."
"But thankfully, we gods are rather oblivious to time, it's just a pity about that child..."
Kaguya, on the side, was not clear about the whole story.
She only knew that her master and her friend seemed to be leaving, and they wouldn't be able to meet again for a very, very long time.
That pretty face, which always carried a hint of aloofness, rarely showed a look of loneliness.
"...Master."
Rod smiled at Kaguya, secretly casting the Illusionary Spirit Codex.
"Go find your true home later, and then... we will meet again there."
Having done all this, Rod held the expectant Metria and, in his mind, gave an order to the system.
"System, take Metria and return to ten years later."
Just as they were about to be teleported away, Konohana Sakuyahime suddenly rushed forward.
In front of Metria's incredulous expression, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed Rod!
Goddess Amaterasu and Goddess Tsukuyomi behind her were both stunned.
After the deep kiss, Konohana Sakuyahime's face revealed a charming smile.
She whispered in Rod's ear.
"Oh, you're really skilled. But, at least your first kiss with a goddess was mine, Konohana Sakuyahime's!"
"Don't forget, waiting for you here are us, your lovely priestesses, and the Kaguya you like also has a younger sister hailed as a masterpiece... those are sisters, you know~"
"Wildflowers are fragrant, but remember to nurture the flowers at home too~"
The teleportation light curtain gradually swallowed Rod and Metria.
He vaguely heard the sound of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, exasperated, jointly beating Konohana Sakuyahime.
The goddess of beauty, who was exuding charm one moment, was crying out for mercy, clutching her head, the next.
Rod chuckled, shaking his head helplessly, and his figure completely disappeared from this era.
Ten years later.
Orario, Hearthfire Mansion.
The moment Rod appeared with Metria, everything that had been obscured by the Illusionary Spirit Codex was instantly unsealed.
Laila and Kaguya, who had been left behind in the Familia and were chatting with Goddess Astrea, simultaneously changed their expressions and froze in place.
Astrea shook her walnut-colored long hair, puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
Laila deeply lowered her head, clenching her small fists, desperately holding back the tears that were about to spill from the corners of her eyes.
"So... I actually forgot such an important thing..."
Kaguya, meanwhile, covered her forehead, her body trembling with excitement.
Her beautiful face glowed, but her smile carried a hint of chilling allure.
"Hehehehe... to think he just left like that back then...."
The next second, both of them spoke in unison.
""I'm going to find that scoundrel!""
As soon as their voices fell, the two instantly transformed into two afterimages, bursting out of the door at extreme speed, exuding an incomparably fierce aura!
At this moment, if any unlucky fellow dared to block their way, they would probably be mercilessly torn to shreds.
"Little one, don't come joining the fun at a time like this!"
"Miss Prissy, you're the one who shouldn't interrupt my... Rod's tender moment!"
"Huh? Are you looking for a fight?!"
"Ugh... I surrender."
"You... damn it, you actually dared to ambush me!!!"
Kaguya, who had a smoke bomb suddenly thrown at her by the Pallum, angrily brandished her scabbard.
However, Laila had already cunningly disappeared like a mouse.
"Bye-bye, this is valuable survival wisdom that a princess doesn't have~ Hee hee~"
Kaguya covered her face, which was red from the smoke, and bounced repeatedly off the walls, like a swallow, flipping onto the roof.
Flames of anger flickered in her crimson eyes.
"Don't think I'll let you get away with it that easily!"
Meanwhile, in the Hall of Stars, Astrea looked at the wide-open door, blinked, and a sly smile appeared on her face.
"Hehe~ I don't know what happened, but it must be interesting~"
After thinking for a moment, the goddess waved her small fist, deciding to quietly follow them to watch the fun.
And at this very moment, Rod's mind was receiving a massive flood of system notifications!
[Ten years of accumulated prayers are being calculated....]
[City of Sinners · Bergen accumulated prayer points: ...1.3 million points!]
[Far East Country accumulated prayer points: ...400,000 points!]
[A-rank Prayer · Rescuing Kaguya from Hell, completed.]
[Reward: Development Ability · Night Battle (H), and 5000 prayer points!]
[S-rank Prayer · Reforming the City of Sinners, completed.]
[Reward: Humanity's Final Trial · Anti-Utopian Spirit Rank, and 12000 prayer points!]
[Special Reward · Hera Familia's Contract, activated.]
[....]
Noisy yet pleasant sounds kept ringing and flooding his mind.
The number representing prayer points on the panel was changing wildly at a dazzling speed.
Finally, it settled on a number that made him ecstatic!
[Current Prayer Point Balance: 1,777,400 points!]
"Hahahahaha!"
Rod's mood instantly brightened, and he couldn't help but embrace Metria, who was still a bit bewildered in his arms, wrapping his arm around her slender waist that was too delicate to grasp, and kissing her fiercely!
The girl whose lips were stolen widened her beautiful blue eyes.
Gradually, the girl's somewhat stiff body softened.
Amidst her ragged breathing, Metria obediently closed her beautiful eyes, slowly stood on tiptoes, and wrapped her fair arms around Rod's neck.
Just as the girl couldn't help but follow her body's instinct and wanted to melt completely into Rod's embrace.
Two uninvited guests, one nimbly climbed in through the window, and the other, directly crashed down from the ceiling!
"Ugh... ah! You, you..."
Startled, Metria, as if she had done something wrong, quickly jumped out of Rod's arms, her pure and elegant face flushed crimson.
When she clearly saw the person in front of her, who was completely different from her cold, doll-like appearance when she was young, and had now grown into a graceful and gentle girl full of Yamato Nadeshiko charm, Metria's eyes instantly widened.
"Kaguya-chan! You're Kaguya-chan, aren't you?!"
She excitedly spread her arms and rushed towards the other person.
Kaguya pursed her lips tightly, a nostalgic look flashing in her eyes.
A gentle smile appeared on her face, and she extended her right hand.
"Long time no see, Metria."
"Wow, adult Kaguya is so cute too! I..."
Before Metria could finish her sentence, Kaguya, with a faint smile, delivered a clean and precise hand chop to Metria's back of the neck.
Metria, who had fainted, softly collapsed into Kaguya's arms, instantly becoming quiet.
Kaguya squinted slightly, revealing a look of satisfaction.
"Ah~ I feel much better, I've wanted to punch you for the past ten years..."
Rod watched as the beautiful scene of sisters reuniting instantly turned into a scene of love-hate, his expression becoming somewhat subtle.
Kaguya helped Metria to a nearby sofa, then turned to look at Rod, their eyes meeting.
Her almost divine beauty would amaze anyone who saw it; her exquisite features were not just pretty, but flawless.
Her beautiful, raven-black long hair, like the finest black silk, flowed smoothly down to her waist.
In her crimson eyes, a hint of tears shimmered, full of deep affection, as if containing a thousand words.
Rod felt inexplicably guilty and forced a stiff smile.
"Ah, long time no see, Kaguya."
Kaguya walked with elegant steps, approaching Rod one step at a time.
She wore a deep red kimono embroidered with cherry blossoms and butterflies, and a tangerine-yellow obi cinched her slender waist.
Her bare feet were clad in sharply defined wooden geta; the black lacquer of the geta and the red straps highlighted her fair, bare feet even more.
The distance between them was so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.
Kaguya took a deep breath, looked up to meet Rod's gaze, and a mysteriously meaningful smile played on her lips.
"Long time no see... Ma~ster~"
Rod couldn't help but shiver, and he quickly cleared his throat.
"Uh, just call me Rod, like before."
Rod's love naturally treated all members of his harem equally.
But it was undeniable that these girls, who had known Rod since his humble beginnings, held a special place for him.
Even if their statuses and strengths might now be vastly different, when Rod was with them, it was as if he returned to his initial stage of being a kept man.
Kaguya's right hand gently caressed Rhode's firm chest, and her soft, boneless body naturally leaned against him.
"Oh my~ You didn't say that ten years ago~"
"You saved me from that endless mire, gave me the most joyful and precious memories. Then, you irresponsibly left, and even those precious memories have been cruelly sealed until now..."
"Even when we met again, I only felt an inexplicable familiarity, and the person I missed most was right in front of me, yet I never touched them."
Rhode was a little helpless.
Don't describe me like a heartless scoundrel who runs off after getting what he wants...
Kaguya's breath was like orchids, and her eyes held a seductive charm.
"Master~ How will you compensate me~"
Just as the atmosphere turned rosy, Laila, who had been silent since entering the room, finally made her move.
She slowly walked to Rhode's side and gently tugged at his clothes.
Laila tilted her small head, and her moist, deer-like eyes cast a pitiful gaze.
"Daddy... your daughter missed you so much..."
Crack~
A clearly visible vein popped out on Kaguya's forehead.
She gave Laila a threatening look, smiling without warmth.
"Is someone so desperate for attention that she's disregarding ethics? Where is your sense of Justice!"
Laila immediately put on a timid, incredibly fragile appearance.
She tightly held one of Rhode's index fingers with her small hand, then hid behind him.
"After I was born, the first person to save me from hell and take care of me was Rhode."
"So, he's my dad, is there a problem?"
If I hadn't seen the triumphant glint of provocation in your eyes, I would have actually believed your nonsense!
And! Rhode, you scoundrel! Don't get excited at a time like this!
Kaguya glared fiercely at Laila, furious inside.
Laila, however, secretly cast a look of immense triumph at her.
Forget about Justice for now, her hometown was the ultimate hell where all the world's sins gathered!
All human madness and desires could find their most extreme and comprehensive examples there.
Before leaving the City of Sinners, she consulted Liu Lu, the master of theoretical papers, for techniques on how a Pallum could also gain favor, solely so it would be useful after finding Rhode.
Liu Lu not only didn't criticize Laila's rebellious idea but considered it perfectly natural.
The first night of all the girls in the entire City of Sinners should belong to their great Master!
Liu Lu excitedly pulled out a set of books, filled with some hard-to-describe short stories.
Forbidden secrets between a Fairy family tutor and a young male student with poor grades, a divorced Fairy Girl with a daughter meeting a kind human neighbor, a Fairy Girl who was someone else's childhood friend being seduced by a human boy who appeared out of nowhere...
These stories instantly opened the door to a new world for the still young Laila.
And the male protagonists in these stories were, without exception, all Rhode!
However, most of the 500 plot designs, Laila couldn't use.
Only one book, telling a touching story of a blonde, twin-tailed Fairy and her stepfather, could be perfectly stolen and put to good use!
Since she couldn't gain the upper hand through ability, she would use her limited wisdom!
This was the ultimate survival rule she had learned growing up in the City of Sinners!
Kaguya forcibly suppressed the urge to beat up the two people in front of her.
Heh, cunning Pallum! Do you think you can win against me with some crooked tricks?
Although, whenever she thought of the techniques that guy taught, she would recall that annoying face with a mischievous grin.
But in this war, comparable to a war of national defense, Kaguya no longer cared about her past modesty and principles!
Kaguya's face suddenly showed an incredibly shy and adorable smile.
She gently placed Rhode's right hand on her waist.
"Master~ Have you heard of the traditional culture popular in the Far East?"
"Uh, Madam, you don't want... this type?"
"...It's the evil magistrate game~"
Although Kaguya really wanted to complain about how Rhode could immediately associate it with that, she still traced Rhode's face with her fingertips, wearing a seductive smile.
"Do you want... to try it~"
The so-called evil magistrate game was a role-playing game between couples where they acted as a corrupt official bullying common people and a respectable woman, not much different from the plot Rhode imagined.
A common scenario was grabbing a girl's kimono sash and then sharply pulling it.
Or, playing games like, 'catch me if you can, and if you do, I'll let you...' and so on.
Rhode swallowed hard, indeed... he was a little tempted.
It could only be said that Kaguya was truly challenging his weakness.
Although he was a pure love enthusiast in relationships and didn't particularly like forced scenarios.
Especially after becoming the Shadow Monarch, he could freely mold any body.
After all, there were as many toys for release as he wanted; genuine affection was the rare thing.
But occasionally experiencing such scenarios with his beloved girls wasn't so bad...
Although Kaguya's actions and words were a bit clumsy, her effort to play the role to win him over was also very cute!
Noticing that Rhode's attention was drawn away again, Laila's small face immediately drooped, and she glared at Kaguya, pouting.
Kaguya was immensely proud.
Heh heh! Take that, Pallum, this is a secret technique taught by the Goddess of Beauty!
"So choose, Rhode, do you want the respectable woman, or the daughter~~"
Kaguya and Laila simultaneously stared at Rhode with threatening eyes.
Their gazes seemed to say, "If you dare choose her, you're dead."
Behind them, it was as if an alluring Goddess of Beauty and an excited Fairy were engaged in a fierce, invisible magical battle.
Though they weren't physically present, the sense of participation was at its peak.
Rhode was silent for a moment, then, amidst the two girls' exclamations, he threw them both onto the bed and smiled brightly.
"I choose... the respectable married woman and her daughter!"