'At least, at least take it a little slower, right? Step by step. Build some feelings first...'
"Thank you, Iino-san. I'm going to find Master."
"Oh, right. After you finish your disciplinary committee duty, please return to the dorm early. Lady Kaguya said she already discussed Sobu High's follow-up talent recruitment plan with Master this morning. However, some of the teachers and students being recruited may involve legal issues. Lady Kaguya has something she wants to discuss with you."
After hearing that Hachiman really was in the infirmary ahead, Hayasaka Ai politely thanked Iino Miko with a nod. She also passed along Shinomiya Kaguya's invitation, then headed straight for the infirmary without any hesitation.
She could tell that Iino Miko looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself.
But she chose not to listen any further.
Because she had seen every one of the girls sitting around President Hikigaya's seat in class at the Service Club. If President Hikigaya wasn't in his classroom playing with those girls, there was no need to think about it, he had definitely run off somewhere else to play.
Either another class's podium, or another club's activity room.
If he was in the infirmary, then it was obviously on a hospital bed.
However, Lady Kaguya had already lent her to President Hikigaya. Now President Hikigaya was her master.
As her master's personal maid, forget seeing him fooling around with girls. Even if her master wanted her to lie on the hospital bed together and play doctor, nurse, patient, or other roles, she would carry it out without hesitation.
"A legal matter?"
Iino Miko blankly watched Hayasaka Ai's graceful figure leave, unable to understand why Shinomiya Kaguya wanted to see her.
Shouldn't legal matters be discussed with her father?
She had only read a lot of law-related books. She wasn't an actual judge.
Could it be that under the excuse of legal consultation, they wanted her to come over for some so-called alliance?
She had heard that the Service Club had a lot of small groups. Fighting alone was completely impossible against the others. Everyone was trying to form alliances and expand their own circles.
Well... because of Hachiman's unique ability, whether demi-human or human, the ideal alliance partners were naturally people from families with many sisters. Family strength was actually secondary.
But there was no point recruiting her. There weren't any other children in her family. Otherwise they wouldn't have sent a child like her, whose appearance was far inferior to Senior Shinomiya and Senior Fujiwara, to fill a spot.
Forget it. No point thinking about that now. The most urgent thing was finding Ryuzaki, Asai-senpai and the others.
Lacking confidence in her appearance, Iino Miko never even considered that Shinomiya Kaguya's target might be her. She slapped her flushed cheeks with both hands, then immediately started looking around for Kotegawa Yui and the others, who had run off too quickly.
She hadn't expected to fall behind. Asai-senpai and Ryuzaki-senpai had seemed like nice people. Why hadn't they waited for her?
Did they think she was useless and were bullying her?
After all, her figure and looks were a bit lacking.
Iino Miko searched around for quite a while before finally spotting Kotegawa Yui and the others behind the club building. She hurried over.
"Ryuzaki-senpai! Asai-senpai! Kotegawa-san!"
"Shh! I'm explaining Hikigaya's situation to Kotegawa. Iino, you should listen too. If there's anything I got wrong, you can add to it."
Asai Saki raised a hand to stop Iino Miko from shouting and continued explaining Hachiman and Sobu High's situation to Kotegawa Yui.
"Kotegawa, do you know why so many people want to take turns bullying Hikigaya?"
"If you really want to protect Hikigaya, you have to understand the reason. Only then can you solve the problem at its root."
"Mm... then why?"
Kotegawa Yui looked at Asai Saki and nodded seriously.
She only knew that there had to be some extremely special benefit involved. Otherwise even elf princesses from another world wouldn't be participating. As for what the benefit actually was, she had no idea.
"Hikigaya's body produces a special substance. A substance called Awakening Essence."
"This substance can awaken the bloodline of female demi-humans and awaken the magical girl talent of human women."
Asai Saki wore an equally serious expression as she explained.
"It doesn't just awaken bloodlines and talents. It can also increase strength. The more Awakening Essence someone absorbs, the greater the increase in power."
"Of course, Awakening Essence probably has many other uses besides the ones I know about."
"Hikigaya is currently being raised at Sobu High by the major families. He can't casually leave places too far away. Every day and every night, he has to stay with all kinds of girls at Sobu High, helping them awaken and increasing their strength."
"Although Hikigaya's body is very tough, there are simply too many people who want to squeeze everything out of him. That's why they have no choice but to compromise with each other and stagger their schedules."
"Classes, meals, after school, bathing, sleeping, changing clothes. Any time, any place. Using every possible method to squeeze out every last bit of value from Hikigaya."
"Not everyone at Sobu High knows the secret behind Hikigaya, but some clues can still be noticed. A lot of people have already gotten involved."
After that, Asai Saki listed a large group of bullies.
The mermaid diva idols who wanted to hold better concerts.
Elf princesses such as Iris, Aegis, and Lumilia, who wanted to give birth to high elves.
Student council president Kaede and her younger sister Suzu. As childhood friends, they naturally had to squeeze him too.
After joining the Service Club and becoming vice president, Yukinoshita Yukino also rebelled against her superior. She even dragged along her college-age older sister Yukinoshita Haruno, and the sisters worked together to squeeze Hachiman.
Rurikawa Tsubaki, the young lady of the formerly declining Rurikawa family, became a magical girl by squeezing Hachiman, took over the assets of other families, and restored the Rurikawa family's glory.
The Ichinose family was even worse, with sisters joining together. Ichinose Ayano, Ichinose Honami, and one good sister after another kept appearing.
The seeded athletes and star members of sports clubs such as the girls' swimming team, track and field club, tennis club, and more.
"..."
Things were not even at their worst yet. Next week, even more girls from various factions would catch the scent and come to this school to squeeze Hachiman. Hachiman would have no rest twenty-four hours a day.
As for why Asai Saki knew so much, it was because she was enduring hardship and waiting for her chance. While tasting the sweetness of Awakening Essence in her mouth, what she felt in her heart was Hachiman's suffering.
Now that Kotegawa Yui had joined them, they could work together to find a way to save Hachiman.
However, they first needed to increase their strength. Otherwise they couldn't beat those rich and powerful young ladies, let alone the even stronger demi-humans.
"So... so this is the truth behind Hikigaya-kun being bullied..."
Listening to the hidden story of the largest and most brutal bullying case in Sobu High's history, Kotegawa Yui swallowed hard. Her hands clenched tightly together, and her body shook with anger.
Just hearing Asai Saki describe it made her feel as though she could sense Hikigaya's despair.
'Those evil capitalists simply have no humanity!'
No wonder he had been lying on the bed the whole time in the infirmary. Even when they barged in, he showed no reaction. He didn't say anything and simply allowed Amaki Lily and the others to humiliate him. He had probably already become numb from being squeezed dry.
"Uh..."
Looking at the utterly convincing Asai Saki, the justice-filled Kotegawa Yui, and Ryuzaki Hina, who silently looked away, Iino Miko suddenly fell silent.
After hearing Asai Saki's mixture of truth and lies and her complete twisting of black and white, even she started wondering whether they really were squeezing Hachiman.
Thinking carefully about it, helping so many people really did seem exhausting for Hachiman.
Although she hadn't personally participated, she seemed to be an accomplice who had stood by and watched.
While the disciplinary committee members were plotting something major, Nanasaki Ai finally relaxed after watching Kotegawa Yui, Iino Miko, and the others leave one after another.
Although she wanted to protect Yukariko and keep her from being troubled by her succubus transformation, it was true that they had let Hikigaya treat Yukariko in the school infirmary even though they knew Sobu High had strict discipline.
Unfortunately, in Yukariko's condition, she couldn't leave school and go home before receiving treatment. There was nothing else she could do.
Nanasaki Ai held no dislike toward Kotegawa Yui, who strictly carried out her disciplinary committee duties and couldn't tolerate rule-breaking. In fact, she thought Kotegawa Yui was doing a good job.
After all, she had no interest in bringing prohibited items to school. Nor did she alter her uniform, get fancy nails, or wear earrings. At most, members of the girls' swimming team sometimes wore competitive swimsuits under their uniforms for convenience during training. But things worn underneath couldn't be discovered through inspection. Even if they were found, nobody could really say she was doing anything wrong.
As long as possible, it was best not to conflict with disciplinary committee members like Kotegawa Yui. After Yukariko recovered, they would apologize together..
———
[Outside the Infirmary]
Nanasaki Ai, Tachibana Miya, and Nakata Sae were too embarrassed to stay inside and keep watching their friend Yukariko receiving "treatment" on the hospital bed in her succubus form while sweating heavily, like Mikado Ryoko did.
They only dared stand by the door and continue keeping watch.
However, not long after Kotegawa Yui and the others left, another student arrived.
The three of them secretly observed Hayasaka Ai, who stood quietly on the other side of the door, while exchanging glances.
After arriving at the infirmary entrance, the blonde girl had only asked whether Hikigaya was inside. Then she stood there without moving. There wasn't much expression on her face either.
Not anger. She simply showed no emotion beyond calmness.
How strange... They didn't remember seeing her at school. Was she another newly enrolled student?
Fortunately, she seemed reasonable. She merely waited outside with them for Hikigaya and wouldn't barge in and interrupt Yukariko's treatment.
The three quietly waited for Kumatsu Yukariko until the infirmary door finally opened.
"Master, thank you very much for your help. I'll head back with Ai-chan and the others now."
With purple twin-tails tied by black ribbons and delicate pale legs wrapped in black over-the-knee socks, Kumatsu Yukariko slowly walked out of the infirmary. She turned around and bowed again toward the room in thanks before looking at her friends.
When she saw them all staring at her, a trace of red returned to her face, which had only recently calmed down. However, she still forced herself to remain composed and tried her best to ignore their unusual gazes.
"Thank you for waiting so long. Let's leave first."
"Th-then let's go..."
Looking at Kumatsu Yukariko, they couldn't find anything unusual from her appearance. It was as if everything they had seen earlier had been an illusion. Even the black over-the-knee socks that should have been dirty and damp were clean and neat on her pale, straight legs.
After hesitating for a moment, Nanasaki Ai chose not to go inside and thank Hachiman personally. She nodded slowly to Nakata Sae and Tachibana Miya, glanced at Hayasaka Ai, who had entered the infirmary and closed the door, then left together with Kumatsu Yukariko and the others.
Logically, she should thank Hikigaya. After all, this was a request she had brought to the Service Club.
But they had already witnessed Kumatsu Yukariko's embarrassing state firsthand. The other two silver-haired succubi still hadn't come out.
If she dragged the fully dressed Yukariko and the others back inside to face Hikigaya, the situation would be unbearably awkward.
She would properly thank Hikigaya next time.
Yes, next time.
Today she already wanted to take leave and skip girls' swimming club practice. She didn't want to accidentally run into Hikigaya training the swimming team's star athletes again.
"Why... did you call Hikigaya-kun 'Master'?"
After the four of them had completely left the area around the infirmary, the quiet and reserved Nakata Sae felt that the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. She bit her lip, looked at Kumatsu Yukariko, and finally spoke first.
Wasn't it supposed to be treatment from Service Club president Hikigaya?
Although the treatment method had definitely exceeded her expectations, it still didn't seem like something that would make her call Hikigaya "Master."
"Well... I just got used to calling him that and haven't changed back yet. Amaki and the others all call Hikigaya-kun 'Master' too..."
Seeing Nakata Sae's confusion, Kumatsu Yukariko couldn't help recalling how she had felt on the hospital bed, as though bathed in sunlight. Heat immediately rose to her face again. She scratched her cheek with her slender fingers, looked away, and quietly explained.
She admitted that she hadn't felt embarrassed at all while on the bed. She had even been excited and thoroughly enjoyed being watched.
But now that she had left the bed and returned to reality beside her friends, all the embarrassment and awkwardness she had ignored earlier came rushing back.
She almost wished she could knock herself unconscious to escape the curious looks from Nakata Sae and the others.
Displaying such an extremely embarrassing appearance in the school infirmary and in front of her close friends, it would probably become a black history she would never forget for the rest of her life.
"Yukariko, what's your condition now? Will you keep turning into what you were this morning?"
Nanasaki Ai kept glancing at the area hidden by Kumatsu Yukariko's skirt and her long purple twin-tails, trying to find the succubus tail and pointed ears that Yukariko had hidden away.
She cared about the whole "Master" issue too, but after the shocking scene earlier, what someone called another person seemed secondary.
What concerned her most now was Yukariko's succubus transformation problem.
Although Hikigaya had sacrificed a lot, Yukariko had sacrificed plenty as well. Yukariko had never even dated anyone before. Yet her first time involved doing all that with a classmate she barely knew, and the treatment process had been so intense.
If that still hadn't solved the problem, she truly wouldn't know what to do.
"Mm... I've already completed the transformation and become a true succubus. But it seems I'm not from a pure succubus race, so I can switch between succubus form and human form. I don't have to worry about losing control of my body like before."
Seeing Nanasaki Ai's concern, Kumatsu Yukariko let out a small breath and became serious as well.
"Also, Master taught me a bit of magic. Things like cleaning magic, soundproofing magic to prevent eavesdropping, teleportation magic for quick movement, and so on."
"There are stronger spells I can learn too, but my strength isn't very high yet. Even if I learn powerful magic, I don't have enough magical power to use it."
"Actually, today's treatment could have ended much sooner. But Master said he's been busy lately, so he helped me for much longer and completely solved my succubus transformation problem in one go."
"Partway through, the two succubus sisters caught the scent that Master and I were giving off and came running over. Fortunately, their older sister didn't come too. Otherwise I still wouldn't be finished."
As she spoke, Kumatsu Yukariko couldn't help explaining why the treatment had taken so long.
She didn't want her friends to misunderstand and think she was that kind of woman.
Though in the face of the facts, the explanation might not be very convincing.
"Oh..."
After hearing her explanation, Nanasaki Ai, Tachibana Miya, and Nakata Sae finally understood.
No wonder the treatment had lasted so long. They had wanted to solve everything in a single session.
For this sort of thing, doing it all at once really was best. Otherwise, if Yukariko had to go ask Hikigaya for help a second time while fully conscious, it would be extremely, extremely embarrassing.
"Yukariko, does that kind of thing really feel that good? Just now you didn't even look at us once. You stared at Hikigaya the whole time with that expression. Doesn't it smell awful?"
Seeing that Kumatsu Yukariko was only embarrassed and didn't seem unwilling to discuss the topic, Tachibana Miya blinked and boldly continued asking questions.
She had always been curious about this sort of thing. Although she had no plans to date anyone for now, and there weren't many boys who liked someone as flat as her, she was really, really curious.
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