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Night had fallen by the time the girls returned from their shopping trip, and the Kamiyo household erupted back into its usual, lively chaos.
Elmenhilde was easy—she'd brought nearly everything she needed herself. But Valerie arrived with little more than the handful of clothes Tenra and Renare had bought for her. Yubelluna and the others took charge, outfitting her with every daily necessity she could want.
Everyone pitched in to help Valerie settle into her new room. Ophis, true to habit, claimed Tenra's lap as her throne, curling up contentedly as if his legs were royal property.
After tagging along for another round of feasting, Ophis was still gnawing on a skewer of grilled fish balls. Since moving in, her life had become absurdly comfortable—eat, play, sleep, repeat. She was the living embodiment of her own Ouroboros, caught in an endless loop of indulgence.
Tenra ruffled her hair, smirking. This little pet was thoroughly domesticated now. Once he brought Lilith home, he'd have a matching set.
With Valerie's room sorted, the group drifted back out into the hallway.
Tenra turned to Sona, an idea surfacing. "Sona, when we get to school tomorrow, can you help Elmenhilde and Valerie with their enrollment forms?"
"Elmenhilde should join Ravel and the others' class. Valerie can be with us."
Sona's sigh was the picture of exasperation. "Do you realize how many times you've asked me to handle enrollments now?"
Tenra scratched his cheek, sheepish. To be fair, it had happened more than a few times.
The household's numbers kept swelling, and their school-bound procession was getting downright ridiculous. Koneko and Ravel's class was still manageable, but Tenra and Rias's class was stuffed to the brim with all the transfers. Still, with Sona as Student Council President, shuffling a student or two was hardly an obstacle.
He shrugged. "Sorry, but I'm counting on you. Elmenhilde's fine on her own, but if Valerie isn't with us, I worry she'll get bullied."
He sighed, concern clear. Valerie was gentle to a fault—so soft-hearted it bordered on fragility, thanks to the scars of her past. Someday, living with everyone would help her grow stronger, and Tenra would teach her how to stand up for herself. But for now, she needed extra care.
Sona nodded. "Just bring her to class tomorrow. I'll have Tsubaki handle the paperwork."
The next morning, after breakfast, Tenra and the girls gathered for the trek to school.
Kuroka had shifted into a black cat, nestled in Koneko's arms. Ophis clung to Tenra like a plush toy.
"Let's roll."
At Tenra's signal, the group set off—grand, noisy, and impossible to ignore.
Calling them a "parade" was almost an understatement. Tenra's peerage—Yubelluna and company—numbered sixteen. Rias's group—Akeno and the rest—added eight more. Sona's peerage—Tsubaki and her squad—another eight. Toss in Ravel, Kunou, Le Fay, Ophis, the trio of fallen angels, plus the new arrivals Elmenhilde and Valerie, and the total came to a jaw-dropping forty-one.
And aside from Tenra, every single one was a woman—and not just any women, but beauties of every imaginable style.
There were lolis like Ile and Nel, regal queens like Yubelluna, noble and aloof types, pure-hearted girls, seductive vixens… Every archetype, every flavor.
Compared to their group, TV beauty pageants looked like amateur hour.
Wherever they went, heads turned and jaws dropped. Tenra's "harem parade" was a spectacle—drawing stares, whispers, and envy at every step.
Valerie shrank into herself, mortified by the attention. The rest—Tenra, Rias, and the other girls—were used to it by now, immune to the gawking.
Just as they approached the school gates, two figures stepped into their path.
Motohama and Matsuda—Issei Hyoudou's infamous partners-in-crime.
The two gawked at the endless line of women trailing Tenra, their envy written all over their faces.
How could the gap between people be so wide? Compared to this walking jackpot, their own lives felt like a cosmic joke.
Still, they knew better than to covet anyone in Tenra's orbit. They had something more pressing on their minds.
"Tenra-senpai."
"Motohama, Matsuda. What's up?" Tenra asked as they drew closer.
"Any news about Issei? He's been missing almost two months."
They tried to sound casual, but the worry was obvious. With Issei gone so long, hope was running thin. Still, seeing Tenra, they had to ask.
Tenra was a little surprised. He hadn't expected these two to still be concerned about Issei, given how often they'd set him up. Loyalty ran deeper than he thought.
"We just got some intel. Issei's alive. You can relax."
"Issei's alive?!"
"Told you! That idiot wouldn't go down that easy."
"That bastard, making his folks and us worry this whole time…"
Relief and excitement lit up their faces.
"Tenra-senpai, where is he? If he's alive, why hasn't he come back?"
Tenra shook his head. "We're not sure. Issei was grabbed by a devil named Rizevim. Rizevim's obsessed with the dragon energy inside Issei, so he's keeping him for research."
"Research? Obsessed with his energy?"
"Wait… Rizevim isn't some kind of pervert, is he?!"
Both went pale. Issei, kidnapped for "research"? The implications were horrifying.
Tenra's expression turned grim. "You guessed it. He's a twisted old freak. Issei's not in immediate danger, but…"
He left the rest unsaid, but Motohama and Matsuda's imaginations filled in the blanks.
Images flashed through their minds—Issei strapped to a lab table, poked and prodded, maybe even… violated in ways best left unspoken.
They exchanged a glance, shivering in shared dread.
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