Maybe it was because birds of a feather flock together, or because of discipline issues, but none of the friends around her had any experience with dating, let alone experience with that kind of thing.
Well, self-service didn't count. Things one person could do alone were definitely different from things that could only be done by two lovers.
"Uh... I don't know about everyone else. I can only say that being with Master felt really good."
Seeing that the surprisingly mature-for-her-age Tachibana Miya had actually brought up such an embarrassing topic on her own, Kumatsu Yukariko really didn't want to talk about these shameful feelings. But thinking about how much they cared about her, and how they had even argued with the disciplinary committee members for her sake, she could only explain in a low voice with a burning face.
"Maybe it's because Master's body is special. I didn't think it smelled bad. I actually thought it smelled nice. Especially that empathy bracelet Master gave me. I could even experience what the Amaki sisters were feeling. They're the real succubi. They cling to Master and won't let go..."
"Mmm... let's stop here! You'll understand yourselves in the future. I can't explain it properly right now!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help recalling that "bad" yet stimulating experience. She quickly pressed her legs together and put an end to this unspeakable topic among close friends.
There was one thing she hadn't mentioned. Although she could now switch between her succubus form and human form, she had still become a succubus. Especially a succubus who had already been favored by her master. Her succubus instincts could no longer be restrained.
Just like how the Amaki sisters had shown up uninvited today, she would definitely keep looking for Master in the future. The difference was that she wouldn't be looking for treatment anymore. She would be going to him as a succubus asking for food.
Of course, she couldn't tell her friends about that. She didn't want them to worry or misunderstand.
Anyway, all she needed to do was occasionally go to Master's Service Club at night for a meal. During the day, she would still be the same at school. Her friends would never know what she and Master were doing in private.
"What about you, Ai-chan? How far have things gone between you and Hikigaya-kun?"
Seeing that Yukariko was too embarrassed to continue, Tachibana Miya blinked and turned toward Nanasaki Ai, who was also familiar with Hachiman.
"Huh? Nowhere at all. Didn't I tell you before? There's nothing between Hikigaya-kun and me."
Nanasaki Ai froze for a moment, then quickly waved her hands and denied it.
"Eh? Really nothing at all? I know Hikigaya-kun is working as a temporary manager for the girls' swimming club and is responsible for training all of you regular and reserve members."
Tachibana Miya still looked unconvinced and stared suspiciously at the cool and handsome-looking Nanasaki Ai.
"You're also one of the promising newcomers in the girls' swimming club. I heard all the other promising newcomers training with you improved dramatically under Hikigaya-kun's guidance."
Actually, she shouldn't be doubting Ai-chan. Ai-chan was so serious and even a little cool. How could she have an improper close relationship with the supposedly flirtatious Hikigaya-kun?
But Yukariko was lively and tsundere too. She often argued with boys. If Miya hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she never would have imagined Yukariko lowering her head so willingly and serving a boy, together with two other girls. There wasn't a trace of her usual spoiled attitude.
"I'm really not lying to you. I've told you before. Hikigaya-kun's training methods are a little... special. I can train with everyone and improve my results too, but I didn't accept it. That's why no matter how hard I train now, my results are still far behind Shiromachi-san and the others."
Seeing that she couldn't hide it anymore, Nanasaki Ai explained with a faint blush.
She didn't want to reveal Hikigaya-kun's training methods because that would expose the special relationships between Sakurai Rihoko, Hayase Saki, and Hikigaya-kun.
But after seeing Yukariko's "treatment" today, even if she didn't say anything, they would probably figure out sooner or later why she refused the training.
"A little special, huh... So the girls' swimming club used this kind of 'cheating' method. No wonder their results improved so much. A lot of sports clubs want Hikigaya-kun to go train their members too."
Tachibana Miya nodded while rubbing her chin, looking like she had figured everything out.
Ai-chan trained very hard. Ordinary harsh training would never make her give up.
What kind of training could make Ai-chan back away and even find it hard to talk about?
Obviously, it had to be something similar to Yukariko's treatment today. Only then would Ai-chan be unable to explain it to them.
"Cheating, huh..."
After hearing the conversation, Nakata Sae and Kumatsu Yukariko exchanged glances.
Only now did they understand why Nanasaki Ai knew so much about how amazing Hachiman was.
It turned out she had known about Hachiman's special ability for a long time.
She had simply resisted the temptation. It was only after learning that Yukariko had encountered a problem she couldn't solve that she finally had to ask Hachiman for help.
"Miya, are you still at school? Want to come with us?"
"Hina-neesan? Rui-neesan? I'm coming too!"
Tachibana Miya was still thinking about how enjoyable Hachiman's special training and special treatment might be when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
She immediately snapped out of it and saw a young female teacher and a beautiful female student waving at her from nearby. She instantly remembered something and hurriedly said goodbye to Nanasaki Ai, Kumatsu Yukariko, and Nakata Sae.
"Bye, Ai-chan. Bye, Yukariko. Bye, Sae. A lot of relatives came to my house today, so I need to go back early."
"They're not all staying at my house, but we're having dinner together tonight."
"Okay, we know. Bye, Miya. If you have family matters, don't wait for us."
Seeing that Tachibana Miya still remembered to explain things before leaving despite always being so energetic, Nanasaki Ai, Kumatsu Yukariko, and Nakata Sae quickly said goodbye as well.
They had already heard from Miya that many relatives from the Tachibana family had come here, so it wasn't surprising.
They had just forgotten about it because Yukariko's situation had been too shocking.
"Hina-neesan! Rui-neesan! I'm here!"
Miya ran all the way over. When she got close to the teacher-and-student pair, she pushed off the ground with her strong, well-proportioned legs and jumped in front of them with a grin.
Hina was a new teacher at Sobu High. She was lively, cheerful, and full of energy. Like the other beautiful new teachers, she was very popular with students.
And because of Hina, Rui had also transferred into Sobu High not long ago.
However, Rui was a second-year student. Not only were they not in the same class, they weren't even in the same grade, so they didn't get many chances to meet. Miya only knew that Rui had a rather cold personality and seemed similar to Ai. She wondered whether she would discover something new once they became more familiar.
"Aunt Kyouka and Yuka and Koharu have already arrived, but there's no need to rush. We can take our time getting there."
Tachibana Hina, with brown hair, green eyes, long hair draped over her shoulders, a beautiful face, and a perfect figure, carried a bag over one shoulder. Beneath her knee-length skirt, her long straight legs were wrapped in skin-colored stockings.
Seeing Miya jump over so recklessly, she quickly reached out to steady her shoulders and smiled helplessly.
"Later tonight, I'm meeting Senior Hiratsuka, Senior Kirisu, and the others. I might have to leave halfway through. After dinner, can you and Rui go back together?"
"No problem! She can even stay at my house. We're off tomorrow anyway, so we can play games all night."
Miya immediately patted her chest and warmly welcomed Tachibana Rui to visit her home.
"Good. After dinner, you two can decide whose house to go to. Just send me a message after you've decided."
Hina rubbed Miya's bobbed hair and led her two younger sisters, Miya and Rui, toward the Tachibana family gathering.
"Okay."
With blue hair, red eyes, and an expressionless face like a poker face, Tachibana Rui silently looked at the energetic Miya, then at her sister, who was about to leave her behind to attend a private gathering.
She said nothing and simply watched them.
It was called a teachers' gathering, but it was probably just a drinking party.
At home, her sister usually drank until she was completely wasted and fell asleep on the couch with her clothes in disarray, forcing Rui to drag her back to her room.
Still, her sister had said that tonight's gathering would mostly be young female teachers, with only a few older unmarried teachers.
There was probably no need to worry about appearances.
———
"Ai-san, do you know why you've been brought here?"
Inside the infirmary, Hachiman gently laid the limp Amaki sisters onto the bed after spending a long time helping them. He let out a long breath and turned toward the blonde beauty standing beside the bed.
"Yes. Lady Kaguya already explained it to me. Head Maid Shion is busy with the affairs of the Rurikawa family and can't take care of school matters as well. For now, I'll be handling your miscellaneous affairs at school, Master, including managing your personal maids and dealing with requests from certain families that wish to visit you."
"It is an honor that you recognize my abilities."
Seeing that Hachiman had finally finished helping Amaki Lamy and Amaki Lily, Hayasaka Ai had been about to step forward and perform her duties as a maid.
However, even though the silver-haired succubus sisters were covered in sweat and too weak to move properly, with strands of white hair sticking to the corners of their mouths, they still hadn't forgotten to satisfy their appetites and continued competing to serve Hachiman.
After a brief silence, she acted as though she had seen nothing. She gave a respectful bow and lowered her head.
"Although Sobu High's expansion plan will take place over the weekend and official enrollment begins next Monday, many families that have good relationships with you, Master, have already formed alliances or used their connections to people around you and chosen to move to this city early."
"For example, the Asagami family, which was once an exorcist family, and the Tachibana family, whose main house is in Kyushu."
"Would you like information about these families and the representatives they've sent to approach you?"
"Also, should we exclude the daughters sent by these wealthy families from the selection process for your personal maids?"
Lady Kaguya was an illegitimate daughter and wasn't valued by the Shinomiya family. Even though she had been sent to approach Master as the Shinomiya family's representative, she wasn't given much authority. Still, the Shinomiya family could provide support with this kind of non-confidential information.
Of course, many families weren't hiding their representatives' movements in the first place. Too many people were watching Master. Appearing beside him couldn't be concealed anyway. Some families that had disappeared for a long time even wanted to reveal their presence early so others could seek alliances with them.
The Kyushu Tachibana family?
The exorcist Asagami family?
Hearing the two surnames mentioned by Hayasaka Ai, Hachiman immediately thought of certain impressions.
'Is the Kyushu Tachibana family the same Tachibana family as Tachibana Marika from Nisekoi?'
'And the Asagami family is the same Asagami family as Asagami Fujino from The Garden of Sinners?'
'Well...'
There wasn't really anything surprising about that.
In a world with supernatural powers, the police superintendent from the Tachibana family wasn't that important. Their influence wasn't especially large either. They couldn't possibly compare to the Shinomiya family, the Saegusa family, or the Yotsuba family.
As for the Asagami family, which had once been an exorcist family, it probably only had the name left. Otherwise, Hayasaka Ai wouldn't have specifically emphasized the word "once."
Still, the Tohsaka family and the Asagami family had appeared. He had even heard about the Einzbern family from Tohsaka Toka and the others.
He felt that families like the Ryougi family, the Tohno family, and the Kuonji family from the same setting might appear too. Perhaps even the magician Aozaki Aoko and the True Ancestor Princess Arcueid.
Of course, he meant people with the same names. Ordinary people without special abilities, like the three Tohsaka sisters.
This world was different from others.
Although supernatural powers existed, magical energy wasn't spread everywhere like air. Many demi-human races suffered from incomplete bloodline awakenings due to a lack of magic. Even a mermaid princess couldn't walk on two legs because her bloodline hadn't awakened. Humans were practically insulated from magic altogether.
Exorcist shrine maidens used cursed power.
Magical girls relied on love.
Even many evil organizations increased their power by committing evil acts and converting evil desires into magical energy.
Basically, not a single supernatural faction had a reliable method for increasing magical power.
Arcueid might still be a True Ancestor.
Aozaki Aoko might exist through some extraordinary talent.
But without a foundation of magical energy, organizations like the Mage's Association, the Clock Tower, and the Holy Grail War probably didn't exist.
Of course, that was probably one reason Earth remained safe despite being connected to so many other worlds.
Invading this world and occupying territory was already difficult. Staying too long would only result in a constant loss of power. Invaders would have to return to their original worlds again and again to replenish magic. Once they exhausted their power in battle, they couldn't recover it in time and would be trapped. They might not even be able to escape.
The risks were high and the rewards were low.
Most legitimate factions hadn't even unified their own worlds yet, so naturally they had no interest in claiming land here.
Only organizations obsessed with causing trouble would keep trying.
"Those matters aren't urgent. I'd rather talk about how you feel first."
Thoughts raced through Hachiman's mind.
Looking at Hayasaka Ai's calm face, he raised a hand and gently pinched her cheek.
"Ai, you should understand this. You say you're only being lent to me temporarily for maid duties, but once you're lent to me, you become my girl."
If she were just an ordinary maid doing chores, there would be no need to worry about such things. But an ordinary maid wouldn't need to be borrowed from Shinomiya Kaguya in the first place.
He didn't actually need Hayasaka Ai attending him from morning until night.
But whenever necessary, she had to be there to serve him.
An ordinary maid couldn't manage all the large and small affairs around him.
Nor could she simply be lent around whenever someone wanted.
"Since Lady Kaguya sent me to serve you, Master, I belong to you. Even Lady Kaguya can no longer command me."
Hayasaka Ai lowered her head even further, her posture becoming more respectful.
Her soft and delicate face lightly rubbed against Hachiman's palm.
"You don't need to worry that I'll use my position as a maid to seek benefits for Lady Kaguya."
"I can't prove my loyalty with words, but please believe me. Being loyal to you is my inevitable choice."
"As long as I serve you wholeheartedly, Master, you'll naturally treat Lady Kaguya well because of your past relationship with her. I don't need to do anything extra for her."
"It seems my judgment really was good."
Seeing that Hayasaka Ai didn't hide her feelings toward Shinomiya Kaguya but clearly understood her own position, Hachiman pulled her into his arms and kissed her flawless white cheek.
While watching her expression as she sat in his embrace, he smiled.
"Don't worry. Since I dared to bring you here directly, I trust that you won't do anything foolish."
"There are just a few things I need to make clear beforehand so you don't have any unnecessary thoughts."
In the original story, Hayasaka Ai was an all-purpose maid who could switch between different personalities depending on the situation.
Gyaru, maid, young lady, butler...
She could play any role effortlessly.
Her acting skills were excellent.
But he didn't need to analyze her acting.
After obtaining the new ability from Yukinoshita Yukino, the ability to see through tsundere behavior, that kind of persona was useless in front of him.
No matter how much someone claimed to dislike him, their body would honestly reveal whether they liked him.
And the opposite was true as well.
No matter how much someone claimed to love him, if they truly disliked him, their body would honestly reveal it.
Hayasaka Ai might not like him very much.
But her body showed no instinctive rejection toward him.
That meant she at least accepted this role as his personal maid and would obey his orders.
"Master, Lady Kaguya told me that you didn't let her serve you today."
Seeing that Hachiman, who had exhausted her yesterday, had only kissed her once and neither asked her to serve alongside the silver-haired succubus sisters nor slipped his hand into her clothes, Hayasaka Ai hesitated briefly before offering a suggestion.
"If you're tired of black-haired beauties with long hair, perhaps you could consider Lady Kaguya's friend, Fujiwara Chika."
"Miss Fujiwara Chika has a good figure and a lively personality. She's also the second daughter among the three Fujiwara sisters. The eldest is Fujiwara Toyomi, and the youngest is Fujiwara Moeha."
"Fujiwara Moeha has already transferred to your sister's school. If necessary, you can have Fujiwara Moeha visit your home together with Miss Fujiwara Chika."
Although Lady Kaguya was somewhat cold, Yukinoshita Yukino from the Yukinoshita family was also cold and flat.
And in front of Master, Lady Kaguya would certainly never act arrogant.
The only reason Lady Kaguya hadn't been chosen this morning was probably because Master was temporarily tired of her type.
After all, three top-tier beauties of the same level had visited him together with Lady Kaguya this morning.
If Lady Kaguya had hesitated while the other three were more proactive, then after enjoying the service of three black-haired beauties, Master naturally wouldn't spend additional effort on Lady Kaguya.
Still, Lady Kaguya probably needed a little time.
Her best friend could go first.
Master didn't just like black-haired beauties.
He liked sisters too.
The three Fujiwara sisters would definitely be extremely appealing to him.
"Ai, now that you've become my maid, you'll have plenty of chances to serve me in the future. There's no need to rush."
Looking at Hayasaka Ai, who had immediately adapted to her role and sold out Fujiwara Chika without hesitation the moment she arrived, Hachiman gave her another firm kiss on her pink cheek and pushed her away by the hips.
"Kaguya has three older brothers, right? And she doesn't have inheritance rights in the family."
"Still, since you've been Kaguya's personal maid since childhood, your relationship with her should be very deep. If the Shinomiya family ever wants you to act against Kaguya, you can ask me for help. All those magical girls in the club aren't there for decoration."