Although he had taught his little senpai a thorough lesson, she still hadn't moved in with Kaoru.
The reason she gave afterward was too justified: she needed to properly say goodbye to her classmates and friends.
Kaoru didn't interfere with her social circle.
He couldn't expect her to cut off all contact with others just because they were together.
However, perhaps because they were about to part, Akane had been clinging to Kaoru constantly, resulting in her little belly being full even before she attended her gatherings.
Every time, Akane would pat her slightly rounded stomach.
She seemed especially expectant, as if she had agreed without hesitation earlier—she didn't resist this at all. Instead, she found Kaoru's presence comforting and safe, and she quite liked it.
Kaoru didn't know if accidents would happen, so he decided to let nature take its course.
At worst, he would take responsibility himself.
The day after the graduation ceremony was the closing ceremony.
Like the previous two closing ceremonies, this one also had nothing particularly noteworthy.
Thus, as soon as the morning closing ceremony ended, the first-year students' Spring Break officially began.
Kushida Kikyo planned to hold a celebration party, originally intended only for Class D of the first year.
However, it seemed that after hearing Ichinose Honami would also attend, students from other classes became equally interested.
Before she knew it, the celebration party for her own class had transformed into a celebration party for the entire first year.
With two angels present, how could it not be popular?
Kaoru naturally followed along, and the scene was indeed impressive. Someone with good social skills could thrive anywhere, especially someone like Ichinose Honami.
However, this time everyone's attention was more focused on him.
Because this time, he didn't even bother pretending—with a little angel on his left and a great angel on his right, he didn't even spare Karuizawa Kei, essentially acknowledging that he had formed a harem.
Apart from a few boys like Sudo Ken who complained a bit, everyone else was already numb to it and didn't find it surprising anymore.
If they were to find out that Kaoru even took the time to stroke Amikura Mako's thigh, they might become even more desensitized.
The nickname "Harem Overlord" was now unshakable.
...
"It seems they're being pestered by others."
By the time the celebration party ended, Kaoru had already returned to the dormitory with Ichinose Honami, and only the two of them were there.
"Now everyone is calling you the Harem Overlord."
Ichinose Honami suppressed a laugh and showed him her phone. "Kikyo and Kei are in trouble, they probably won't come over tonight."
Not long ago, Kushida Kikyo and Karuizawa Kei had just cleared themselves of suspicions of colluding with Kaoru, only to end up becoming his girlfriends.
Their friend circles were likely in an uproar.
Gossip is human nature, especially among their friends, which is why Ichinose Honami said they were being pestered.
"Aren't you angry about being called a harem?"
Kaoru felt a bit strange inside.
He normally wouldn't care about such rumors, nor would he care about her feelings.
At this point, it was hard to say who had tamed whom.
"If I got angry over something like this, wouldn't I be angry every day?"
Ichinose Honami put away her phone and playfully bumped his shoulder. "Instead, I'd like to interview the Harem Overlord and ask how he's feeling right now."
"Like I'm living in constant fear and anxiety." Kaoru sighed.
"Why do you say that?"
Ichinose Honami sat on the bed, tilting her head to look at him. "I think most guys would be happy to have so many girls like them."
"Honami, sometimes I find it hard to say the words 'I like you' to any of you."
Kaoru said, "It feels like I'm knowingly telling a lie but have no choice but to lie to you."
Ichinose Honami's gaze sharpened instantly: "A lie? Do you dislike us?"
"That's not what I mean. It's just that I feel like I'm saying the same thing to each of you, and it makes me feel a bit hypocritical, like a fraud."
In the past, Kaoru would never have had such worries.
No—perhaps he had foreseen this and that's why he chose to hang himself with purple sand.
"Do you like me?" Ichinose Honami asked.
"I do."
Kaoru replied, "I can't let go of you anymore."
Ichinose Honami smiled: "That's enough, why overthink it? I like you, and I like everyone else too. So even if you're the Harem Overlord, I don't really mind. As long as everyone is happy, I'm satisfied."
Kaoru looked at her for a moment, then took her small hand in his.
"No wonder everyone says you're the gentle great angel. You care too much about my feelings—I almost wish you'd scold me instead."
Ichinose Honami shot him an annoyed glare. Why reject kind words and insist on hearing something unpleasant?
"Kei, Kikyo, Suzune, Arisu, Masumi, Mako, Airi, Nazuna-senpai, Akane..."
Kaoru suddenly rattled off their names like reciting a menu, leaving Ichinose Honami utterly stunned.
"Counting carefully, the number has already exceeded double digits. Calling you a stud wouldn't be an exaggeration."
"Ugh, what stud."
Ichinose Honami knew this term—a stallion responsible for breeding mares—and found it unpleasant.
"Although it's a bit exaggerated and shocked me, I only have one requirement: don't force girls. Kaoru has managed that, so it's fine."
"Force?"
Kaoru reminded her, "Don't forget how I initially treated you. Would that count as forcing?"
Ichinose Honami put on a stern face: "No, Kaoru was just joking and wouldn't do anything to me."
It seemed her filter for her boyfriend was particularly strong.
Kaoru didn't believe his past self was joking, though in hindsight, Ichinose Honami only felt he was trying to scare her.
After some thought, Kaoru decided to break her filter.
"As agreed, Arisu has become my maid."
Ichinose Honami remained unmoved, even looking at him with a hint of confusion.
"However, she seems a bit unwilling."
Kaoru said, "So I plan to condition her a little. Do you want to watch from the side?"
"Huh?"
Ichinose Honami's brain short-circuited for a moment. "Me watching from the side?"
"With you there, it'll probably shatter her self-esteem and make it easier for me to condition her."
A little maid who resents her master isn't a good maid."
Sakayanagi Arisu was somewhat proud; without giving her a taste of hardship, she'd likely try to dominate Kaoru.
To condition her, the first step was to crush her self-importance and make her understand she wasn't all that special.
What could be more humiliating than having an audience while losing face?
Ichinose Honami initially wanted to persuade with a word or two, but she thought if she watched from the side, she could intervene immediately if anything went wrong, so she dismissed the idea of persuading.
"Don't go too far, okay?"
Ichinose Honami was utterly naive, still unaware that her boyfriend was trying to kill two birds with one stone—shattering her special filter of him.
However, her innocence made Kaoru wonder if he was overreacting.
Kaoru quickly reaffirmed his decision; without doing this, he didn't know how to tell Ichinose Honami about his past.
For now, Sakayanagi Arisu would have to endure a little grievance.