"So I'm the first one here, huh."
That was the first thing Evan said when he arrived in front of Arslan's mansion that morning. He didn't need much to pack — a few sets of clothes, textbooks, stationery, and a handful of small gadgets. That was basically everything he owned. The school — or rather the Headmaster himself — had provided all of it. It all fit neatly into two travel bags.
A moment later the girls began arriving.
Callisa came first, dragging a brand-name rolling suitcase. She wore a short dress and a cropped top. Evan found it… distracting. Very distracting.
Right after her came Frida with a backpack. She wore jeans and a black T-shirt with some rock band logo on it. A couple of chains hung from her belt. It fit her perfectly — rebellious, sharp, dangerous.
Then the last two arrived.
Aiko was dressed in simple pants and a shirt with a print of some pretty anime boy. Her bag was covered in pins.
Next to her walked Morona. Her outfit wasn't too different from their gothic academy uniforms — but decorated with more lace, plus added black and red accents. In her claws she carried a suitcase.
Once everyone was gathered, the Headmaster stepped out of the mansion.
His eyes were slightly shadowed, like he hadn't slept much.
Nobody dared comment on it.
"Follow me," he said.
They thought he would lead them deeper into his residence — instead, he walked along the street until he stopped in front of a gothic-looking house. The moment Evan saw it, he thought of the Addams Family mansion. It looked like something straight out of a gothic romance or a horror story.
"This is your new dormitory."
Everyone's jaw dropped.
The girls' ears, tails and antennae shot straight up.
Arslan didn't react.
"Well then. Let's go inside."
They followed him in silence and began the tour.
The house was large — very large — and unexpectedly comfortable. The spacious living room held a massive TV, soft armchairs and a huge sofa. It looked like the perfect place to relax or hang out as roommates. On one side there was a kitchen and dining room; on the other, a door leading to the garden.
The kitchen was absurdly modern — fully professional.
One thing in particular grabbed Evan's attention:
A massive oven.
Large enough to fit him inside whole.
Callisa was absolutely enchanted by the kitchen. A true professional setup, everything she could ever dream of. The other girls seemed equally delighted.
Evan too — though the size of the oven made his skin crawl after last night's "romantic dinner."
In one corner was a tiled room with a drain in the floor and a hose on the wall. The explanation for this was obvious:
A solid butcher's table stood at the center, surrounded by a frankly terrifying collection of butcher knives. Aiko, of course, commented on how excellent they were. Above the table hung a meat-processing hoist, and beside the knives were iron shackles and hooks. The wall held a door to a sizable walk-in freezer.
A big chopping block sat in the corner with an axe leaning against it.
Frida picked up the axe, swung it a few times, and then slammed it into the block.
Evan flinched at the sound.
Outside, the garden had a terrace — and was dominated by a huge brick grill. The firepit was so large that you could roast something enormous on it. Especially with the two metal stands meant for a heavy spit.
Frida said it would be perfect for parties.
Morona murmured something poetic about "the potential of blooming spaces."
Upstairs were five student rooms. They agreed to assign them later.
In the basement, besides the laundry room and storage, was another space…
A BDSM studio.
A huge bed, a St. Andrew's cross, stocks, and an impressive collection of adult toys.
The girls' eyes all lit up.
Frida cracked a whip; the sharp whssht echoed through the room.
Aiko inspected the oversized dildos like she was evaluating ingredients.
Callisa held up a strap-on to her crotch, testing the size.
Morona murmured something about "possessing another's destiny."
All four of them gave Evan a very meaningful look.
He had a sudden, uncomfortable certainty about which side of the equipment he would be on.
At last they returned to the living room. Nobody knew what to say — not after everything that had happened yesterday.
Finally, Aiko broke the silence.
"Headmaster… are you sure it's a good idea for us to live here together with Evan? Especially after… yesterday?"
The other girls nodded subtly.
For Evan… living alone with four furry, beautiful girls would have been a dream come true, if not for one tiny detail:
At any moment he could end up back on a plate.
"To be honest," Aiko added, "this looks like someone is throwing Evan to us like… like a sacrifice."
"Very good observation, Miss Vollmond."
Everyone's brains collectively crashed.
Arslan took advantage of the moment.
"There is an old legend," he began. "A lion throws its cubs off a steep cliff. Those who climb back up will live. Those who cannot… perish."
Aiko timidly raised her hand.
"Sir… you know that's just a myth, right…?"
"A very wise myth," Arslan said calmly.
He turned his gaze to the entire group — then fixed his eyes on Evan.
"Listen carefully.
All of you.
Especially you, Evan."
Silence fell like a stone.
"Here, everyone grows up knowing they might end up as someone's dinner. From childhood they learn how to move, how to behave, how to survive. Evan has none of that knowledge. Which makes him easy prey."
The girls nodded automatically.
"That is why he needs an intensive survival course."
The next words echoed like war drums:
"Here are the rules.
Evan will live with you until graduation.
During that time, he must avoid anything that could be interpreted as consent to being eaten. If such an event occurs… you will have full legal right to consume him."
They all stared at Arslan.
Evan stared in horror.
The girls stared at Evan and then at Arslan.
"If you can survive here," Arslan said, "you can survive anywhere. Good luck."
He handed them the keys — and an envelope — then walked out, leaving them alone.
After everything that had happened, Evan wondered if he would survive until graduation.
But when he felt all four girls press against him affectionately…
…smiling at him with predatory sweetness…
…he began to wonder whether he would survive until tomorrow.