Ch 354: Breaking the shell

Lunch break started and Noah gathered his class books, putting them into his bag. He glanced toward Yukino and nodded at her when she looked back at him, biting her lower lip. With a sight, she too gathered her belongings.

On the side, Endou glared malevolently. He did a lot of that recently.

"It looks like you and Yukino-san will be absent this afternoon again." smiled Yumeko, sitting on his right.

"This is correct."

"It seems that you have taken quite a liking to her. But you shouldn't abuse the Housepet system. You never know when you might be the one wearing a choker, and some people might wish to treat you like you treat others."

Noah studied her expression for a few seconds before he smiled.

"I wonder if this is advice, a warning, or a threat. Are you suggesting that you may be interested in teaching me such a lesson, Yumeko?" asked Noah with a soft voice, and Yumeko's smile widened.

"I am considering it, yes."

"That's interesting. And if you wish to challenge me to a high-stakes bet, I might have the time for it in a week or two. But there are things you are not aware of, Yumeko, and what I do with Yukino is not simply a matter of indulging myself. She is the one who benefits the most from our relationship."

Noah glanced at Yukino. She was now waiting by the door, watching him with frowned eyebrows. Most of the students had already left the class.

"You may not have noticed..." said Noah with a low voice to be heard only by Yumeko. "…but Yukino is quite arrogant with those she sees as beneath her. She won't speak to a maid unless it is to issue orders. I am going to fix that."

"…I may have been hasty in judging you. But now I am really curious about what you do with her." replied Yumeko with a speculating gaze.

"You'll have to wait a while to learn more. But be careful, Yumeko. If you choose to get involved, you may end up with a choker adorning your throat." smiled Noah.

"Oh? Do you think I need to be fixed, too?" asked Yumeko with mock outage.

But Noah could see her anticipation. He knew the words "high-stakes bet" had her hooked.

"No. With you, that would be a hundred percent entertainment. But I shouldn't make her wait. See you tomorrow, Yumeko."

"Yes, see you tomorrow, Ren." nodded Yumeko.

"Sorry for making you wait, Yukino." softly said Noah as he left the classroom, and she followed.

"You could have spent the rest of the day with her for all I care." grumbled Yukino. "Are you going to get your hands on her too?"

"Maybe, maybe not." shrugged Noah. "Making a bet with Yumeko is more dangerous than making one with you. She's good at it, and if we do that, we won't just be betting money."

The climbed the stairs and reached the special classroom. At the moment, every student were to be found on the lower floors, especially around the cafeteria and casino areas, and no one saw them enter the room.

Katsuko was already waiting inside and nodded to them.

Near her was a piece of furniture made of black metal tubes and padded surfaces.

Yukino saw it and shivered.

"Hey, Katsuko-nee." said Noah with a raised eyebrow. "Is that a gynecological chair?"

"It is. This model is fairly lightweight and made to be easily disassembled and carried around in several suitcases." said Katsuko before grinning. "But it is still very sturdy and safe to use!"

"I see." nodded Noah.

"Now, Shirasaka-san, please remove your clothes and sit on the chair comfortably." smiled Katsuko.

"I… Can't we do it the normal way?"

"No can do, Shirasaka-san." immediately denied Katsuko. "You need to suffer some. This is our vengeance after all, and you already have grown comfortable with being embraced by Nagano-kun. There would be little point is this was only consensual sex."

"Huh…" complained Yukino with a sigh and a red face, but she started undressing.

Noah nodded and took on his smartphone, calling Grayfia.

"Hi, Grayfia. This is Ren Nagano." said Noah, slightly insisting on the fake name. "How are you doing?"

Yukino paused in her undressing, and she and Katsuko both looked at him.

"I am doing very well, Nagano-kun, thank you for asking." smoothly replied Grayfia. "How may I be of service?"

"I would like for you and say, Rias, Venelana and Elisabeth to wait for me in the main living room this evening, dressed in your formal maid outfits. I will bring along a few friends. I have a use for that pair of rooms in the basement, the one separated by the one-way mirror. It won't be for long, I think. And please replace the tables and computer equipment in the viewing room with a dozen chairs."

Yukino gasped in horror, no doubt assuming that she was going to be raped in front of an unknown number of strangers. She looked like she was about to protest when Katsuko gestured at her sharply.

"Understood, Nagano-kun. we will make sure it is tidied up. Should I ask the others to stay away?"

"I think it would be preferable." nodded Noah. "We can do proper introductions with everyone later. I will call you soon to give you the precise time of our arrival."

"Very well, Nagano-kun."

"Thank you, Grayfia. See you later." smiled Noah before hanging up.

"Grayfia is my Head Maid." explained Noah to Katsuko, who nodded.

"I see. We get to be invited to your main residence, if I understand correctly." smiled Katsuko.

"Yes. It was coming soon anyway, and this is a good opportunity for you to meet a few of your future sisters."

"Future sisters, is it?" softly laughed Katsuko. "I am looking forward to it."

"You're going to rape me in front of a dozen people?" angrily asked Yukino, unable to stay silent any longer.

"No. You will be among the ones watching. And why are you not naked already?"

"…Ah? What will we be watching, then?" asked Yukino as she resumed removing her clothes.

"I'm coming to that." said Noah as he called another number. As he did, the door was unlocked, and Minaho entered, holding a small black bag.

"Hi, Ruo Ruo. This is Ren." smiled Noah with a nod at Minaho. "I have a mission for you to do this evening."

"Of course, Sir. What is it?" replied Shuiruo.

"I am suspending your rules for this evening, and I want you to dress in your normal maid outfit. I will call you around… Sensei, would 20:00 be fine for what we discussed?"

"Yes." nodded Minaho.

"Around 20:00, then. When I call you, I will ask you to teleport to someone named Kyoko Messer, spelled K.Y.O.K.O, and M.E.S.S.E.R. She is the one having custody of that scum Sousuke Shirasaka in Australia."

Yukino froze again, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Kyoko should be expecting you." continued Noah. "Once you make contact with them, I would like you to teleport them both to me."

"I understand, Sir. I will be ready." replied Shuiruo.

"Thank you. See you soon, Ruo Ruo." smiled Noah as he ended the call.

"Ojou-sama, Nagano-kun is going to invite us into his main residence!" exclaimed Katsuko.

"I see. I am grateful for the opportunity." said Minaho with a slight smile to Noah. "Does that mean that you have a one-way mirror in your own home?"

"The second basement is designed to cater to a large variety of plays." shrugged Noah.

"You have more than one basement?" asked Minaho. In Japan, it was very rare for residential buildings to have more than one basement.

"Yes. The first is for storage, the second is for sex-related activities, and the third one is a large empty space for combat training." said Noah. He looked at Yukino, then pointed to the chair, and Yukino gulped before sitting on it, keeping her legs close to each other as she used her hands to cover her crotch and nipples.

"Lift your legs to the stirrups, please." requested Katsuko, with a tone that made clear that it wasn't a request.

With a mournful sigh, Yukino obeyed, and Katsuko wasted no time applying the Velcro straps. In less than a minute, Yukino was bound to the padded frame with straps around her ankles, above and below her knees, her waist, above and below her breasts, and her arms secured to the side of the device by three more straps each.

"Before you start, Nagano-kun, I want to do something." said Minaho as she opened her bag.

From it, she took a small glass bottle filled with a thick, dark green fluid, a brush, and a small, perforated sheet that Noah identified as a stencil. And he suddenly remembered that scene from the original novel.

Yukino was going to hate what was about to happen.

"What is this?" fearfully asked Yukino. She had learned to dread anything that Minaho did.

"You have been quite reticent to admit that you are Nagano-kun's sex slave, Shirasaka." coldly smiled Minaho. "This will help you remind you of your place. I am going to use this permanent ink to give you a tattoo."

She showed the stencil to Yukino, and she paled. The pattern on the stencil was made of only two kanji characters, which translated as Do and Rei. Dorei, in Japanese, meant 'Slave'.

"…No." breathed Yukino, squirming against her bonds.

Minaho's smiled widened as she handed the brush and the bottle to Noah, then carefully positioned the stencil on Yukino's shaved crotch, just above her clit.

"You know what to do, Nagano-kun. And stop struggling, Shirasaka. If it gets blotchy, I have more humiliating stencils I can use on other parts of your body. How about 'meat-toilet' or 'semen-bucket'?"

"…I hate you." said Yukino with gritted teeth, but she also relaxed her body, having given up on stopping it.

"That is expected." nodded Minaho. "If you didn't, it would only mean that I am not doing enough."

Noah opened the bottle, dipped the brush into the paint, and drew along the pattern. It took only ten seconds before he stepped back, and Minaho carefully removed the stencil. The characters on Yukino's skin were sharply defined, and she groaned as she looked down at the result once, then looked away, as if denying its existence would make the ink disappear.

"We will need to wait fifteen minutes for her skin to properly absorb the pigments." said Minaho. "After that, please rape her a lot, Nagano-kun."

"Yes, Sensei." nodded Noah.

…

Yukino was really tired when they returned from school.

"Aren't you excited, Shirasaka?" smiled Minaho when they entered the mansion. "You're about to see your father!"

"I am, but… You're going to torture him, right? And you'll make me watch!"

"No. I do not intend to torture that man in front of you. At least, not until Friday, when I will have Nagano-kun rape you in front of him. And after your role is over, we won't let you see what happens to him next."

"Then why? What are you going to do to him tonight?" desperately asked Yukino.

"Nothing much. I only want you and your sister to see him for who he truly is."

"My sister! Maika is here too?" gasped Yukino.

"Yes." smiled Minaho. "As I was saying, I want you to see him when he isn't putting up a front for his family. Soon after, I will ask Nagano-kun's friend to send him back to Australia until Friday… Nagano-kun, you've worked hard today. Feel free to take a break until 19h45."

"I will have you know, Sensei, that I work hard almost every day." chuckled Noah as he sat on a sofa. "But thank you, I'll go spend some time inside Mystic Moon."

…

Noah left Mystic moon when he felt the black bangle on his wrist vibrate and opened his eyes.

"Welcome back." smiled Nei. "We were about to shake you."

"Danna-sama!" exclaimed Misuzu with a radiant smile. Seeing him awake, she moved to sit on his right and glued her body to his.

"Hi, Misuzu. I am glad to see you." smiled Noah as he put an arm around her thin waist.

"Minaho-san told Nagisa-sama that you were taking them on a trip to your home, and I just couldn't resist! Please forgive Misuzu for her selfishness!" smiled Misuzu.

"I am fine with you coming along. In the not-so-distant future, this will also be your home." nodded Noah. "But this won't be all pleasant."

Noah looked around. Nagisa wasn't there, but Nei, Margo, Minaho and Katsuko were sitting around the nearby table, and Yukino and Maika were both sitting on another sofa opposing him. He noticed that they were as far apart as the sofa allowed. They were both looking at him.

"It is 19h50, Nagano-kun. I have informed Kyoko, and she is ready. We can start whenever you want." said Minaho.

Noah nodded and sent a quick message to Grayfia using his smartphone. He received the answer seconds later, then stood.

"They are waiting for us. In order for me to teleport you all with me, physical contact is necessary, so please grab my hands or arms."

They did, although he almost had to seize the hands of Yukino and Maika, as they were reluctant and scared about what was going to happen.

Noah focused on Grayfia, and activated his teleportation.

His surroundings changed, and everyone was now in his main palace's living room.

"Welcome back, Master Ren." smiled Grayfia with a perfect curtsy. Beside her were Elisabeth, Venelana and Rias, all dressed in black and white cotton maid outfit, and they added their own greetings.

"Thank you." smiled Noah. "Everyone, this is Grayfia Lucifuge, my Chief Maid, lover, and Chief Spy. Venelana Gremory, Head of House Gremory, and my lover. Rias Gremory, her daughter and Heiress of the same clan, also my lover. And Elisabeth Phenex, Acting Head of House Phenex, and you guessed it, my lover."

"Grayfia, Venelana, Rias, Elisabeth, here are my homeroom teacher, Minaho Yuzuki, my girlfriend Nei Natou, my friend Margo Starkweather, my pet Misuzu Kouzuki, my big sister Katsuko Takanishi, and finally, Yukino and Maika Shirasaka, my two sex-slaves-in-training."

Yukino and Maika both felt mortified by their introduction.

"We are happy to meet you all." smiled Venelana. "Master Ren told us that he is helping you get revenge on a rapist and kidnapper. You have our sympathy, and we wish to help you as much as circumstances allow."

"…Thank you." nodded Minaho. She wasn't very happy that Ren had told them about this, but it couldn't really be helped. "Forgive me for my ignorance, but I never heard of House Gremory and House Phenex."

"That is normal." nodded Noah. "I can't really say too much at this point. Bringing you here so soon is already pushing it. But in their respective areas of influence, House Gremory and House Phenex both wield more power and authority than House Kouzuki."

Misuzu blinked and straightened her posture slightly. She had been raised with the awareness that her behavior could have consequences for far more people than just herself, and being in the presence of women with more power than even her grandfather made her cautious, even if they seemed friendly.

"And the Heads of those Houses are dressed as your… maids?" asked Nei, confused, and careful with her words, as she didn't want to offend anyone.

But Venelana and Elizabeth only smiled fondly, and Rias chuckled.

"In this place, we all are equals, regardless of our social status. I assume most of you will end up joining our family once your business is settled. We look forward to having more sisters to spend time with."

"Sisters, is it?" muttered Maika with an uneasy voice. The way her eyes shifted from Rias to Venelana made what she meant clear.

"There are some special circumstances that you are not yet aware of." nodded Venelana. "Circumstances that make such considerations… trivial."

"And we're edging on something we should not speak about right now." said Noah. "Let's go to the basement, everyone. We should not make Shuiruo and Kyoko wait."

Noah slowly walked toward the door leading to the hallway, and they all followed him.

"Woah, Ren. This place is huge." exclaimed Nei as she looked down the wide hallway, seeing it was well over a hundred meters long.

"It is." nodded Noah as they kept walking. "What do you think of the furniture?"

"…Hum, I like it, I think." nodded Nei. "The navy blue carpets and curtains and white walls make a nice relaxing combination, and the carpet is nice and thick. And it looks brand new, too. I'd almost want to walk on it with my feet naked. It must be a nightmare to clean, though. Is it really okay for us to keep our shoes on?"

"Yes, it is fine." smiled Noah. "The carpet is enhanced with magic. If you were to drop a clump of dirt on it and observe it, you would see the clump fragment itself into ever smaller bits and disappear within minutes, and the carpet would be pristine again. Although that's a feature that can be turned off whenever someone feels like doing some manual work. It's the same with the maid uniforms."

"Indeed." smiled Grayfia. "Many of the tasks we would normally do to maintain this home can be automated. This give us time to perform more important work."

"What kind of work?" asked Margo.

"Work like what Shuiruo is doing in the various hospitals, healing people." said Noah.

"…I do not understand, Danna-sama." frowned Misuzu. "Why have we only heard of Shuiruo, then?"

Noah reached the stairs and slowly walked down, the others following him.

"…Misuzu, do you believe that each and every one of the still living Sacred Beasts are in places that you can pinpoint on a world map?"

"…Well, yes?" frowned Misuzu. "How could it be otherwise? Aside maybe from the ludicrous possibility of them living in the international space station, they have to be somewhere on Earth… am I wrong?"

"You are severely underestimating the wonders of the world, Misuzu." grinned Noah. "Long ago, when the Sacred Beasts came, some of them created what is nowadays called the Land of Dragons. The name comes from the fact that the evil Black Dragon, Nidhogg, was ruling it until he was killed."

"Imagine a cave just under the Earth's surface, but that cave is large enough to have its own ocean, and a landmass so large than it could only be called a continent. That cave has its own sky, too, because it's not really a cave in the first place, but rather some kind of permanent dimensional pocket, connected to the world you know by a few secret tunnels."

"Ah?" gasped Nei. "You mean that there's another whole human civilization somewhere, and no one on the surface knows about it?"

"More or less. The truth is a tad more complicated, but I'm trying to keep the explanation simple and to stay away from the things I can't talk about right now. I used the Land of Dragons as an example, but the place where House Phenex and House Gremory have their territories is a different one, called the Underworld… And here we are." said Noah before stopping in front of a specific door.

He opened it and gestured for the girls to enter.

"We changed the furniture, Noah-sama." said Grayfia. "Since you said that this man wasn't going to be tortured, we figured out that rearranging the room into an audience chamber would be more fitting."

"It's a good idea." smiled Noah, taking in the new furniture. The girls had installed a dais against the back wall, with a large armchair, no, a gilded throne, placed in the middle. While sitting on it, Noah would be at eye level with anyone standing.

On the left wall was the large one-way mirror taking two thirds of the wall, and Noah walked to it. He used a glamor to mask it. When he was done, it looked like the wall was featureless.

"Alright, now we'll go to the viewing room." nodded Noah.

They followed him outside, and Noah opened the door to the viewing room, where the bondage tables and the console had been removed, replaced with a dozen padded chairs. Speakers on the ceiling's corners would transmit sounds from the other room.

"Yukino, Maika, please sit in the front row. This show is mostly for your benefit." said Noah.

After a short second of hesitation, Maika nodded and sat in front. Yukino took one more second before taking the seat next to her.

"Sensei, do you wish to speak to Sousuke Shirasaka, or should I do it?"

"Do you have a plan to make him show his true nature?" asked Minaho.

"I do." nodded Noah as he consulted his smartphone to check the time.

"Then I will let you do as you wish. It will not be too late for me to step in if need be." replied Minaho. "I am sure that he will lose his mind if he sees me."

"Alright. Rias, Grayfia, Elisabeth, I'd like for you to stand beside the throne, close enough that he will understand at a glance that you are more than just maids. Let's make him horny and jealous. Making him admit his crimes will be easier if he can't think straight."

Noah walked out of the viewing room with Rias, Elisabeth and Grayfia. He sat on the throne, sent a message to Shuiruo, and shifted his position to look as arrogant as possible, sitting sideways with his left elbow on the left armrest, head resting on his left palm, and left ankle sitting on his right knee.

He looked every bit like a bored young master, or so he hoped.

Less than a minute later, three people appeared in front of the dais. Shuiruo, dressed in her maid outfit, a woman in her late twenties with black eyes and semi-long black hair gathered in her nape by a red ribbon, dressed in a butler outfit. The third one, kneeling on the ground, was a man in his late forties, with black eyes and short salt and pepper hair, wearing the shredded remains of what had once been a gray suit.

He hadn't shaven in days, and his hair were a shaggy mess. He also stank.

"Master, I brought them as you wished." smiled Shuiruo.

"Well done, Ruo Ruo." smiled Noah. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Messer. You do your reputation justice."

"Thank you." said Kyoko with a curt nod, studying him.

"Ruo Ruo, why don't you offer some refreshments to Miss Messer? I would like to speak with this man alone."

"Yes, Master." nodded Shuiruo. "Follow me, please."

Kyoko nodded, quickly glancing at the walls on the sides, but not finding any sign of a mirror. Had she not been informed about Ren's strange abilities before by Minaho, she would never have left Sousuke Shirasaka out of her sight. But she had been informed, and decided to trust that Minaho knew what she was doing.

She let herself be led out of the room.

As he stared at Sousuke Shirasaka with a dispassionate gaze, Noah used Promise, and saw Shuiruo bring Kyoko to the viewing room. Yukino was staring at her father, her eyes wide.

Sousuke started to stand, and Noah frowned.

"I do not remember allowing you to stand. Get your knees back on the ground, or I will have your legs broken." coldly said Noah.

Sousuke knelt again, but couldn't hide the brief flash of rage that broke through his calm expression.

"Who are you?" cautiously asked Sousuke.

"It is better if you don't know. But more important is what I may be able to do for you, if you can make it worth my while." said Noah as the door behind Sousuke opened, and Shuiruo returned. She took her place beside Rias on the left side of the throne, hands folded in her lap, all four girls stared at Sousuke with neutral expressions.

"I heard about you, Sousuke Shirasaka. You ran a brothel and you were successful for a while. But then, you lost control of it. And now, you are held in captivity by the very people you once made your toys. Truly, your incompetence is staggering."

"It wasn't my fault!" angrily retorted Sousuke. "That infertile bitch colluded with some of the customers behind my back! People too powerful for me to face head-on! if not for those ungrateful bastards forgetting who provided them with fresh pussy in the first place, I would still be in charge!"

"It is still your fault for your lack of vigilance. But this is water under the bridge, and for all your ineptitude, you still have some value. I can tell my maid to teleport you to your house, where you will be safe from Kuromori, and sponsor you from the shadows. Would you like that?"

"Aren't you on Kuromori's side?" frowned Sousuke.

"Only as much as was needed for them to bring you here. What would I stand to gain by siding with them on the long term?" asked Noah with a raised eyebrow. "I brought you here and asked to speak to you alone because I heard a rumor about you starting a new brothel soon. And brothels are profitable… as long as their manager have learned their lesson and do not get swindled again."

"…I understand." nodded Sousuke as he calmed down. He glanced at each of the girls standing by Noah's sides once, drawing conclusions about Noah's personality. "You want a cut."

"Close, but not quite." smiled Noah. "I already have more money than I could spend in twenty lifetimes. But to open a brothel, there is something you need."

"Ah, the bitches." nodded Sousuke.

"Indeed. And those bitches will help provide blackmail material on their customers, which could be more valuable than any amount of money. That, is what I am after. But the thing is, in your current situation, can you still gather enough pretty girls to run a brothel worthy of attracting high-class costumers? The blackmail material won't be worth much if you can only attract commoners."

"As long as you help me escape, that won't be a problem. I kept pictures and videos of the girls working in the old brothel. If you keep Shigetaka Kouzuki off my back, I can blackmail dozens of them to work for me again. And I still have some connections. And I have my eyes on a few prospects."

"Minaho Kuromori mentioned that you intended to turn one of your daughters into a prostitute, the one named Megumi." nodded Noah.

"Yes. She's a brat, but many customers like a rebellious bitch. And she's cute enough. Do you want her, perhaps? After I spend one night with her, I could give her to you, as a show of goodwill." said Sousuke with a perverted smile.

"Yes, I want her." smiled Noah as he slowly stood from his throne. "But I do not need your help for this."

He turned to Elisabeth.

"I will rely on your expertise, Elisabeth. Do not harm him, but extract any useful information from him. Where he keeps his blackmail material, and how to retrieve it safely. The names of any of his former customers or friends who were especially cruel to the girls. We will go after them later. Anything else you can think of."

"With pleasure, Master." smiled Elisabeth.

"You!" started Sousuke, furious, as he jumped to his feet, and Noah slapped him back to the ground.

"I told you to stay down." said Noah, looking down at him. Sousuke glared at him, the glanced at Elisabeth when she stepped closer to him.

"You will look at me while I deal with you, Sousuke Shirasaka." said Elisabeth with her peculiar cadence. She had started her hypnosis. She kept talking, and in mere seconds, Sousuke's face went slack as he kept staring into her eyes.

Noah gestured to Grayfia, Rias and Shuiruo, and they quietly left the room to join the others.

Yukino had her face in her hands, and she was sobbing loudly. Maika, her face pale, was patting her back, not knowing what to say.

Noah sighed, turned to Kyoko and nodded to her.

"I am sorry for the earlier introduction. It was rude of me. I am Ren Nagano. It is nice to meet you."

"It is fine." grinned Kyoko. "Has anyone ever told you that you make for a great villain? Aiming for blackmail material was a nice touch."

"I am a villain." nodded Noah. "I raped Yukino and Maika. A good person wouldn't do that."

"I guess so. But as long as you don't betray Kuromori, that's good enough for me." nodded Kyoko.

"What is Lady Phenex doing to him?" asked Minaho as she looked through the mirror. Sousuke was answering Elisabeth's questions.

"Some of us are able to use hypnosis. Not simply the psychological trick that only works on some people, but magic-powered hypnosis. And Elisabeth has elevated it into an art form. That man won't be able to keep any secret from her as long as she asks the right questions. Sensei, if you wish to suggest some to her, I am sure she won't mind asking him."

"Thank you." nodded Minaho. "We already retrieved and destroyed his cache of blackmail material. But it won't hurt to confirm that there are no copies hidden somewhere."

She left to speak with Elisabeth.

Noah walked to the Shirasaka sisters and sat beside Yukino. Maika looked at him with a conflicted expression before nodding at him.

"Yukino." softly said Noah.

She flinched, and the sobs stopped for an instant, but he kept her face in her hands.

"I am sorry, Yukino, for the pain this is causing you." sighed Noah as he put a hand on her shoulder. "But you had to know the truth."

"My father… He can't be… like this." said Yukino between heart-wrenching sobs as she looked up at Noah, her cheeks glistening with tears.

"Tell me this is an illusion." begged Yukino. "Tell me this is fake."

"This is real." replied Noah. "Do you want to go into that room and ask him yourself?"

Yukino shook her head in despair.

"I… I want to… make me forget. I can't take it. Make my mind go blank, please!"

Noah looked back and saw Katsuko standing nearby. She nodded.

"I will explain to Ojou-sama, and we will ask Lady Shuiruo or someone else to bring us back home."

"Thank you." nodded Noah.

Noah took Yukino's hand, and teleported with her to his home near Hyakkaou Academy.

As soon as she saw that they were alone in a bedroom, Yukino tore at her clothes as if they were on fire.

"Make me forget… Make me not think about anything else." pleaded Yukino.

"Yes. I am going to fuck you until you faint from exhaustion, Yukino." said Noah, and she nodded.

…

Noah kept his word, and he indeed made Yukino faint. Then, after ensuring she was comfortable, he entered her Soul Space.

The scenery was that of a park in a residential area, and Yukino sat on a bench, staring at the sunset.

Noah appeared near her and sat by her side. He softly grabbed her right hand, but didn't say anything. Yukino nodded to him once, then looked straight ahead. For a long time, none of them spoke as Yukino slowly came to terms with her father's real personality. She was just drawing comfort from his silent presence.

"…Thank you, Ren." finally muttered Yukino. "Thank you, for… helping me."

"That's a bit out of character for you, Yukino." replied Noah, and she nodded.

"This is just some weird dream, so I can be honest here, at least… I was thinking… if you hadn't been there… If I was stuck alone between Sensei and my …that man, I don't know what would have happened to me. If Sensei had found someone to rape me who didn't care, I would have gone mad. Or maybe she really would have sent me to Vietnam…"

"But I am here, and I will take care of you, Yukino." replied Noah, and she nodded.

"…I will bear your child." sighed Yukino as she finally looked to him. "I will be your sex slave, if that is what it takes to survive. In exchange, protect me and Maika, okay? For the rest of our lives."

"Okay." nodded Noah. "Maika will have to be my slave as well, but after tonight, I think she will agree. Your sister is smarter than you, Yukino."

Yukino frowned at his teasing smile, then sighed in exasperation.

"I know, but it doesn't feel good to hear you say it, so don't."

Noah nodded, and they both watched the sunset for some more time.

"Will you ask Sensei to treat me better, now that I agree to be your slave?"

"You were saying just earlier that this is a dream, remember?" smiled Noah.

"…I guess I'll have to tell you when I wake up, then." sighed Yukino.

"You won't have to, actually. I entered your dream. Another little ability of mine. But to answer your question, I do not think I will have to ask her. Sensei will go easier on you now that you aren't denying what happened to her."

"…Yes, I did that, I guess." said Yukino as she looked down. "I was so focused on refusing to believe my father could have done that to her, and to her little sister, that I didn't stop and think how denying that he did that to her would hurt her… I'll apologize to her tomorrow."

"Wow, did someone replace Yukino when I wasn't looking? Are you an alien wearing her skin?"

"Stop joking around! It's hard enough for me already!"

"Alright. But I want to see her face when you do." nodded Noah, and Yukino snorted.

"Yes, I guess she'll be surprised… Rias, Venelana and Elisabeth. Even Shuiruo. They are all beautiful. Even more than Nei."

"Are you feeling threatened?"

"…Maybe a little. Won't you get bored of me and Maika? Will you throw us away one day?"

"I won't. I am a greedy fellow, Yukino. Once I have sex with a girl, I am not letting go of her, ever. Well, not unless she wants out. And you, too, are beautiful, now more than ever."

"Because I agreed to be your slave?"

"No." replied Noah with a warm smile. "Because the current you can show kindness. And that's very appealing."

Yukino looked away, and fell into contemplation some more. Noah simply waited.

"…What about my mother?" asked Yukino after a while.

"Once Sensei's revenge is over by the end of the week, if you wish to visit her, I won't stop you. But I do not want her to live with you and me. She isn't a good person, Yukino. She knew her husband was doing something very wrong, and she probably guessed the gist of it, but she decided to look away so she could claim she didn't know if the police ever became involved."

"…What will Sensei do to her?"

"As far as I'm aware, nothing. But her career will fall off a cliff when her husband's crimes become a national scandal. It may already have started. She probably will have a hard time finding another job, and your family's assets might be seized to compensate the victims. Your whole family, at least the close relatives, is looking at financial ruin."

"It can't be helped." sighed Yukino.

…

The next morning, Noah teleported with Yukino back to Minaho's mansion. He found her in the living room, having breakfast with Katsuko, Nei, Maika and Margo.

"Welcome back." nodded Minaho. "Shuiruo was kind enough to help us return here, and Sousuke Shirasaka is back in Australia with Kyoko."

"Hi, everyone." smiled Noah. He turned to Yukino, and she gulped, then bowed to Minaho.

"Sensei, I want to apologize to you." declared Yukino.

The spoon escaped Maika's fingers and she stared with wide eyes.

"Who?"

Noah stifled a laugh.

"What are you apologizing for?" asked Minaho with a raised eyebrow.

"From the moment you showed me that scar, I kept denying that my father could be the culprit. I accused you of being a liar. I never thought about how my denials might hurt you. That accusing a victim of lying about it is like reopening their wounds. That is what I am apologizing for."

"Nagano-kun, did you use hypnosis on her?" asked Minaho. Yukino clenched her fists in irritation but didn't say anything.

"No. I do not use hypnosis in relationships. I want to surround myself with partners, not dolls. Dolls would become boring in a hurry."

"I see... It is good that you know not to use something that potent thoughtlessly... I accept your apologies, Yukino." nodded Minaho.

"Thank you, Sensei." replied Yukino, noticing that Minaho used her first name for once.

"Have you accepted Nagano-kun as your master, then?"

"Yes, Sensei." nodded Yukino. "As long as Ren can allow me and Maika to live in peace, I'll be his sex slave and bear his children."

"Ren, seriously, what did you do to her?" wondered Nei.

"I told you before that Yukino had a good core inside that shell of arrogance." replied Noah with a smug grin. "Yesterday's confrontation broke the shell open, and we had an honest conversation about the future. That's it."

"Do you agree to play the role we have in mind for you, Yukino? Friday evening, I want Nagano-kun to rape you, Maika and Megumi in front of your father. And when he is done, you three will kneel naked and collared in front of Nagano-kun and declare yourselves as Nagano-kun's sex slaves."

"Yes, I agree with this." nodded Yukino.

"And you, Maika?" asked Minaho.

Maika took a deep breath and nodded.

"I will do as you wish. I only feel disgust and fear towards my father, and if I do not become Onii-chan's slave, I can't realistically hope to have a decent life. Not with my last name."

Noah nodded to himself, feeling relieved. His lie detection ability hadn't triggered.

Minaho stared into Maika's eyes for long seconds and was apparently satisfied by what she found. She smiled and nodded.

"Good."

She gestured toward free seats at the table, and Noah and Yukino sat down.

"We already ate before coming." nodded Noah.

"We just sent the second batch of videos to the media, and some of them have started talking about the previous ones." said Minaho. "The journalists are careful for now, but the name Shirasaka is already circulating, and some of the victims they identified are giving statements. By noon, this should be the most discussed news in Japan."

Maika didn't react since Minaho had told her about it before, and Yukino only bit her lower lip for an instant before making a resigned nod.

"How did the rest of the Shirasaka family members react?" asked Noah.

"As we expected. They are denying any claim of wrongdoing and threatening everyone with libel charges." snorted Minaho. "But since things are like this now, Yukino, I won't mind if you skip school for the rest of the week and remain there with Maika."

"Why?" asked Yukino, surprised. "You told me before that you hate me, and I now understand why. I accept it. But shouldn't you look forward to seeing me being shunned?"

Minaho stared at her for a few seconds before answering.

"I hate the Yukino who blissfully lived her luxurious life bought on our suffering. The Yukino who treated others like trash if they weren't part of her privileged class… But the Yukino who experienced some of what we went through, the Yukino who is showing consideration to others and can properly apologize… I think I can get along with that person."

Yukino's mouth slowly opened, but no sounds came out for a while. She slowly lowered her head.

"Thank you, Sensei." muttered Yukino with a choked voice.

"Just make sure not to backslide." nodded Minaho.

"…Sensei, I don't know if you became our homeroom teacher simply to gain access to Yukino or because you like teaching students, but regardless, I think you're a great teacher." said Noah.

"…Thank you, Nagano-kun." nodded Minato.

Her reaction was muted, but he could tell that she really appreciated his heartfelt praise.

"…I will still go to school, at least today." sighed Yukino. "I will need to face my classmates at some point, and I can't just live as a hermit. And… I guess I'll have to apologize to Megumi as well."

"I will make sure you have an opportunity to apologize to her in private." replied Minaho. "And she will come with us after school. I do not want her to still be a virgin by the time Friday comes."

"Understood." nodded Noah. "Any news from Cesario Viola and his gang?"

"They started smuggling firearms in small shipments using various channels, mostly guns, but also some assault rifles and pieces of body armor. They have reserved plane tickets over a four days window. They won't travel as a single group that would draw attention. According to our contact, the last of them will land in Japan Saturday morning."

"This sounds very dangerous." frowned Yukino. "Who are those guys?"

"A bunch of criminals who want to kill Nei." shrugged Noah. "We will deal with them. But just in case they decide to strike early, should we relocate? My home near the Academy, for example? It is large enough."

"I doubt that would be necessary." frowned Minaho. "Our contact will warn us if they make a move… Still, you have a point. There is always the chance they will move suddenly or that some ambitious underling would take some initiative."

"There are other options, too. I can set up a perimeter around the outer walls using a few magic arrays. I can configure them to act only as silent alarms. If any human-sized being climbs over the walls or breaks the door, I will know immediately even if I'm sound asleep, and I will take care of the intruders."

"Will it cost you anything to set up that perimeter?"

"Only a few minutes of my time."

"Then please do so before we leave for school, Nagano-kun, and thank you."

"It's only a small matter. I'll be right back." shrugged Noah as he stood and walked out.

As he walked out of the mansion, he felt like humming a song. Yukino had changed faster and more completely than he dared hope when he suggested bringing in her father the day before.

In hindsight, the display of his power, exposing a glimpse of his actual influence and authority, might have been a significant factor in helping the Shirasaka sisters decide that being his sex slaves might not be so bad after all. They had only seen a small part of his home, but said small part was large enough that it could only belong to a palace or something equally unreasonable, and having two Heads of powerful families dressed as maids…

From their point of view, wasn't he basically implying that he was like some kind of godlike existence?

He hadn't really planned for this, only choosing Elisabeth for her hypnosis ability, and Rias and Venelana because calling Grayfia made him think of them, and they were both skilled at making friends.

But it all turned out for the best in the end, and Noah looked around the front yard, searching for the best places to start drawing a few magic arrays.