The grand drawing-room of the Takakura mansion, usually a place of quiet elegance, was now charged with an almost palpable tension. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, illuminating the fine porcelain tea set, the delicate pastries, and the three most sought-after girls of Kuoh Academy, each radiating a unique brand of beauty and an equally potent aura of unspoken rivalry.
Rin, seemingly oblivious, sipped his Earl Grey with an air of relaxed amusement. Ai, ever the perfect attendant, refilled his cup with a silent grace, her expression unreadable.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy, broken only by the clinking of china. Finally, Rin set his cup down. "Thank you all for visiting today," he said, his smile easy and disarming. "It's a pleasant surprise."
A chorus of "You're welcome, Takakura-kun/Rin-kun" followed, a little too quickly, a little too brightly.
"So," Rin continued, his gaze sweeping over them, "to what do I owe the honor of this collective visit?"
Rias, Akeno, and Sona simultaneously felt a blush creep up their necks. Their carefully constructed reasons for visiting – a desire to discuss school matters, to offer welcoming advice, to simply check in – suddenly felt flimsy and transparent. They exchanged fleeting, almost imperceptible glances. He knows, Sona thought, her composure wavering. He can see right through us. Rin, indeed, could hear the frantic scramble of their thoughts, the desperate search for a plausible excuse.
He decided to let them squirm a little, enjoying the subtle power dynamic. The tea party continued, the conversation stilted at first, then gradually picking up as each girl subtly vied for his attention. Rias spoke of her club activities, her voice cultured and confident, her eyes frequently locking with Rin's. Akeno, with her playful charm, interjected with witty remarks and suggestive smiles, her laughter like wind chimes. Sona, more reserved, discussed school policies and upcoming events, but her gaze kept returning to Rin, a soft, almost yearning light in her usually stern eyes. It was a verbal battlefield, each word a carefully aimed thrust, each smile a parry, all under the guise of polite conversation.
Meanwhile, Rin idly checked their status windows.
Rias Gremory:
* Romantic Love: 85/100 (+)
* Sexual Interest: 70/100 (+)
Akeno Himejima:
* Romantic Love: 90/100 (++)
* Sexual Interest: 80/100 (++)
Sona Sitri:
* Romantic Love: 85/100 (+)
* Sexual Interest: 65/100 (+)
He blinked. Their affection levels had climbed again, without him actively trying to influence them. Akeno's, in particular, had taken a significant leap. It seemed genuine emotional development could also fuel the system's numbers. Interesting.
Ai observed the three visitors with a keen, analytical eye. Rias and Akeno, with their voluptuous figures, were undeniably stunning. A pang of something akin to jealousy, quickly suppressed, flickered within her. Even she had to admit their physical endowments were… impressive. But her thoughts quickly shifted to a more practical perspective. Rin-sama's nightly demands were becoming a delightful, exhausting challenge. These girls, with their evident vitality and, well, assets, might just be able to keep pace with him. Perhaps even… help her. The idea of a harem, once a fleeting, almost whimsical thought, began to solidify into a strategic necessity. She loved Rin-sama, truly, deeply. And if sharing him meant his happiness and her own continued sanity (and a bit more sleep), then so be it. She wouldn't even mind not being the "main wife"; her devotion was absolute.
"Excuse me for a moment," Rin said, rising. "Nature calls."
As the door clicked shut behind him, Ai seized the opportunity. She turned to the three girls, her professional demeanor softening slightly. "If I may be so bold as to ask, Rias-sama, Akeno-sama, Sona-sama… do you harbor feelings for Rin-sama?"
The question hung in the air. Three distinct shades of crimson bloomed on their cheeks. They looked at each other, the unspoken rivalry momentarily forgotten, replaced by a shared, dawning realization. They hadn't voiced it, not even to themselves fully, but Ai's directness had stripped away all pretense. It was love. A sudden, overwhelming, love-at-first-sight kind of love that had only deepened with each passing day, with every stolen glance and brief conversation.
Unseen by Rin, their status windows flickered again, the numbers nudging even higher.
With faces burning, they each gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Yes," Sona admitted first, her voice barely a whisper. Rias and Akeno followed suit with equally quiet affirmations.
Ai let out a soft sigh, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "My master is rather charming, isn't he?" Then, her expression became more serious. "You should know… Rin-sama and I… we share a very intimate relationship."
The world seemed to tilt for Rias, Akeno, and Sona. Their hearts plummeted. Ai is his girlfriend? We're too late! Tears pricked at their eyes. The societal norm, especially for a human like Rin, was one partner. The dream they had unknowingly nurtured felt like it was shattering.
As if sensing their despair, Ai quickly added, "However, I am not his girlfriend in the way you might think."
Hope, fragile but insistent, flickered back to life.
"Rin-sama is… exceptionally vigorous," Ai continued, a delicate blush now gracing her own cheeks. "And while I am devoted to serving his every need, I believe… he would benefit from more companions. And frankly," she gave a wry, almost conspiratorial smile, "so would I."
The three devils stared at her, momentarily speechless. Devils were generally open to polygamous relationships, especially for powerful males. But Rin was human. And for Ai, his closest confidante, to propose a harem…
"I wish for Rin-sama's happiness above all else," Ai stated, her voice firm with conviction. "I am content to be his servant, his attendant. In truth," her voice dropped, "I would gladly be his slave, but he dislikes such notions." She looked at them directly. "He needs strong, devoted women by his side. Women like you. Would you consider… sharing him?"
The offer hung in the air, audacious and unbelievably tempting. To be with Rin, even if it meant sharing… it was more than they had dared to hope for moments ago.
"We… we will think about it," Rias managed, trying to maintain a shred of dignity, though her heart hammered in her chest. Akeno and Sona nodded in agreement, their eyes shining with a mixture of shock, hope, and excitement. They couldn't appear too eager, after all.
Just then, Rin returned, a questioning look on his face. "Is everything alright? The atmosphere feels a little… different." He scanned their minds, but Ai had expertly shielded the specifics of their conversation, her thoughts a placid surface. He only picked up on the residual emotional turmoil and, to his surprise, another slight uptick in their affection scores towards him. What on earth happened while I was gone?
The tea party continued for another hour, the earlier tension replaced by a strange, almost giddy undercurrent. When the girls finally took their leave, their goodbyes were filled with a newfound warmth.
"May we visit again, Rin-kun?" Akeno asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Of course," Rin replied with a genuine smile. "Anytime."
As they walked down the driveway, their hearts soared. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time, it felt wide open.