Chapter 451: Sapphire's Choice (Part 1)
By the late night, all four beautiful maidens had fallen into deep slumber. Haruto didn't force them awake, simply resting quietly with them under the same blanket until dawn.
When Celis, who had rested earliest, woke at first light, he immediately mounted her again while she was still drowsy. Thus the new day began with cultivation while the maiden remained half-conscious.
By the time Celis fully regained her senses and understood the situation, Haruto was already approaching his limit.
Only after adding another stroke to the righteous character on the brave maiden's body did the two clean up and leave Ravel's bedroom.
Whether due to yesterday's exhaustion or demonic habits, Ravel and the other two girls were still sound asleep.
This actually saved Haruto some time, as another morning session would have made them miss breakfast entirely.
In truth, unless special circumstances arose, Haruto typically slept until noon during non-school days.
Then he would return to bed right after dusk to begin cultivation again.
If not for the unique nature of his cultivation method, one might call his dedication commendable - the kind that would make him an exemplary model if known publicly.
Otherwise, his reputation would likely be labeled as decadent and promiscuous.
Of course, regardless of public opinion, Haruto paid no mind.
Whether seen as decadent or diligent, his power growth was undeniable.
The only slight drawback was his insufficient combat experience at the God-Level. At his current strength, ordinary sparring partners were no longer effective.
The Eternal Battlefield was the destination for those beyond God-Level, which partly explained why so few God-Level Experts remained in the Three Realms.
Not only was power progression slower there, prolonged stays could even weaken one's practical combat abilities.
Though Haruto's battle against the Child of Chaos lacked technical finesse, it remained his most beneficial experience for practical combat improvement.
However, compared to this minor flaw, the current stable environment of the Three Realms proved more advantageous for Haruto.
By diligently cultivating and raising his realm, improving combat skills would become twice as effective with half the effort.
Moreover, in terms of practical combat, although slightly inferior to the top-tier of his previous realm, he still maintained first-class proficiency.
Upon reaching the Eternal Battlefield, his dual cultivation ability was largely crippled, if not completely useless.
Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, Haruto had no intention of heading there.
Haruto and Celis walked into the first-floor living room, where Mio and the other girls were basking in the morning sun, leisurely enjoying their breakfast.
With the old fools from the Privy Council dealt with, the issues left behind by Wilbert had also dissipated. Lately, Mio, Maria, and their family had been in quite good spirits.
If not for the unresolved matters involving her aunt Sapphire and Toujou Basara, she would have been even more content.
She could even dream of returning to the blissful life of an ordinary high school beauty.
"Haruto, who is this?"
Seeing an unfamiliar golden-haired beauty accompanying Haruto, Mio set down her glass of milk and asked curiously.
Not only her, but Maria and the girls from the Occult Research Club also looked puzzled.
Aside from the Naruse Sisters, no one else recognized Celis. Even the maids who had seen her knew she was a guest but were unaware of her purpose or identity.
Haruto briefly introduced Celis. Given the precedent set by the Naruse Sisters, the girls quickly understood.
"Hello everyone, I'm Celis Reinhardt from the Vatican. I look forward to your guidance from now on."
After Haruto's introduction, Celis took the initiative to greet them.
The girls all responded in turn, offering brief self-introductions.
"Um, I'm a bit curious..."
The Succubus Loli blinked her large purple eyes as she watched Celis closely following Haruto like a little tail and asked, "Miss Celis, why are you wearing Ravel-chan's clothes?"
Celis stiffened, her fair face gradually flushing.
Her figure was much taller and fuller than Ravel's, so even the loosest outfit looked tight on her, making her recently nourished body appear even more alluring.
Maria was particularly sensitive to such matters and noticed the issue immediately.
"Uh..."
As Celis floundered, unsure how to explain, Yuki spoke up, "Celis came in a hurry yesterday and didn't bring a change of clothes."
"Oh~ I see~"
Yuki left it at that, but Maria understood nonetheless.
She began scrutinizing Celis with a suggestive smile, as if examining a freshly prepared dish.
To her, another beauty joining Haruto's circle was akin to adding a new flavor to the menu.
Everyone gathered here was among those closest to Haruto, bound by the Soul Contract.
Once Maria understood, the others naturally caught on as well.
The girls' attitudes toward Celis instantly grew much warmer, and their earlier confusion about why she was accompanying Haruto so early in the morning was resolved.
But lately, hadn't the number of golden-haired sisters been increasing?
Liala, Ravel, Celis...
Three new additions at once. Was Haruto particularly fond of blondes lately?
The same question about Haruto's preferences unconsciously surfaced in the girls' minds, with several considering whether they should find an opportunity to dye their hair.
Haruto naturally had no idea what they were thinking, otherwise he would have vehemently denied it.
When it came to hair color, he truly had no preference—whether it was white, pink, or any other color, he liked them all.
If he had to specify, he simply preferred long hair over short hair.
But as long as it looked good, short hair was acceptable too.
For instance, he really liked Xenovia's dashing short hair with its striking green highlights.
The matter with Celis was just a minor episode, and the women quickly grew accustomed to having this little follower around Haruto.
In reality, Haruto was often surrounded by many beauties, so adding Celis to the mix was hardly noticeable.
"Haruto, I had a new idea during a simulation yesterday. Come take a look and see if it's feasible."
"Alright, you go to the room first. I'll take Celis to familiarize herself with the surroundings and show her to her room, then I'll join you."
After breakfast, Liala eagerly pulled Haruto along to resume the research that had been interrupted the day before.
The study of communication magic was indeed important—it could even be described as the first step toward creating a magic-based mobile phone.
Though the women were frustrated that Haruto had been monopolized by Liala for most of his time lately, they could only swallow their irritation.
Fortunately, even though the two often ended up taking their "research" to the bed, the actual progress was still considerable.
If all went well, it would be completed in about a week.
"Okay, I'll wait for you then."
Liala, dressed in a white knit sweater and denim shorts, gracefully ascended the stairs, her long, fair legs gleaming like polished jade.
Under Haruto's influence, Liala had become increasingly alluring and captivating.
Thankfully, under Haruto's guidance, her style of dress had gradually become more normal lately.
Though still somewhat revealing, at least she wouldn't be stopped by the police for suspicious attire while walking down the street.
After Liala left, Sapphire exchanged a few words with Naruse Mio before rising to leave as well.
As time passed, she had grown accustomed to life here, but aside from her nieces Mio and Maria, she rarely spoke with anyone else.
Perhaps it was due to her years of seclusion—she had grown used to avoiding contact with others.
Coupled with the worries on her mind and the fact that Liala, the little sister she had raised, spent every day with Haruto, she couldn't help feeling somewhat vexed.
Upstairs, Haruto led Celis to a freshly tidied room and was explaining things when Sapphire's voluptuous figure suddenly appeared at the doorway.
"Sapphire, is something wrong?"
"When will Basara be back?"
Sapphire stared at Haruto's handsome face, particularly irritated by the faint, familiar scent she detected.
Lately, when she slept at night, Liala always carried a faint, sweetly pungent odor that refused to wash away.
She wasn't an ignorant young girl—of course, she knew what it meant.
It wasn't unpleasant; in fact, she had almost grown accustomed to it. But that didn't stop her from feeling annoyed with Haruto.
She wrinkled her delicate nose and snapped, "It's been so many days already. Why is there still no news?"
Haruto sensed Sapphire's irritation but didn't understand the reason. He replied honestly, "It should be soon. Toujou Jin is also at the god-level, so my people truly can't track his movements. But since the year is almost over, he'll probably bring Toujou Basara back for the New Year."
Although Haruto hadn't been attending school lately, he hadn't neglected his school affairs.
The second semester final exams were just around the corner. In Japan, New Year's Day is celebrated on January 1st.
Coincidentally, this year's winter vacation started on January 1st, meaning the winter break would begin right after final exams, aligning perfectly with the New Year.
After winter vacation, Rias and Akeno would only have one semester left.
By April, when Haruto and Koneko would advance to their third year, those two would need to report to Kuoh Academy's university division.
Although Kuoh Academy offered direct progression from high school to university, the campuses weren't located together.
That meant they wouldn't be able to have their intimate moments with the beloved club president in the activity room every day.
Speaking of which, Haruto and Rias had their first time in the Occult Research Club's activity room.
Besides Rias, almost all the other girls had also "trained" with Haruto in the Occult Research Club.
It wasn't until the mansion was built that the battlefield gradually shifted elsewhere.
The Occult Research Club's activity room remained a place filled with rosy-colored memories for Haruto.
"Alright, contact me when they return."
Sapphire brushed aside her crimson hair, her expression stern. "I'll move out immediately. I'll leave Liala in your care from now on."
"Eh?" Haruto was confused. "But everything's fine, why move out so suddenly?"
Sapphire wasn't actually foolish—she had just been willfully ignorant before.
But after seeing Celis get taken in by Haruto so quickly today, she couldn't stay even if she wanted to.
"Hah, if I don't move out, should I stay here being a third wheel every day?"
As for whether Haruto had any intentions toward her...
She thought he did, but she wasn't completely certain.
Moreover, Haruto's attitude toward her had been impeccable, making it impossible for her to voice such thoughts.
If her intuition turned out wrong, she'd want to dig a hole and hide in it forever.
Haruto chuckled lightly, half-joking, "That's simple. If you don't want to be a third wheel, you can just join us. I'd welcome that."
Haruto had keenly noticed the shift in Sapphire's attitude. His previous respect seemed to have backfired, so he decided to test the waters with a direct approach.
Sapphire immediately tensed up, though her expression grew even more severe, even revealing a hint of killing intent.
"Boy, only because you're Mio's man will I consider that a joke this time."
With that, Sapphire turned on her heel and prepared to leave.
Her long legs were slightly stiff, making her walk appear unusually seductive from behind.
Of course, Sapphire's act didn't frighten Haruto. Instead, her excessive tension—combined with her revealing Valkyrie armor that left large portions of her delicate skin exposed—betrayed her true feelings.
Haruto stroked his chin, revealing a thoughtful smile.
It seemed this Underworld Valkyrie was somewhat tsundere—unsurprising, given she was Mio's biological aunt who shared sixty to seventy percent resemblance with her.
His original plan had been to slowly win her over while helping resolve the matters concerning Toujou Basara and Raphaeline, gradually building affection before claiming Sapphire.
But now it appeared direct conquest might be more effective than that approach.
These strong-willed Valkyries seemed to harbor fantasies of being conquered to some extent.
However, until the situation with Toujou Basara was clarified, Sapphire probably still couldn't fully accept him as her "son's" friend.
Having roughly formed a plan, Haruto began considering the consequences of Sapphire moving out.
Indeed, no matter how he looked at it, letting her move out didn't seem like a good option.
Sapphire living here not only gave her the advantage of proximity but also provided allies like Liala and Mio Naruse.
But if she moved out, Haruto would likely have to expend several times more effort, with no guarantee of success.
A Valkyrie who had remained single for so many years, once returning to a reclusive lifestyle, would hardly experience significant emotional fluctuations again—especially after her inner turmoil had completely resolved.
Gazing at Sapphire's alluring figure, Haruto steeled his resolve.
Even if he had to use force, he would make sure to keep Sapphire here before Toujou Basara returned.
"Sis Sapphire, I wasn't joking earlier."
Haruto quickly caught up to Sapphire, grabbing her slender wrist as he spoke earnestly.
Sapphire paused, slowly turning back with a faint, ambiguous smile. "Oh? Are you saying you have feelings for me?"
"Of course. Someone as beautiful and powerful as you, Sis Sapphire—naturally, I want to have you."
"Heh, leaving aside that I'm Mio's aunt, just considering your relationship with Liala and all those other women, there's no way I'd agree."
Sapphire let out a cold laugh, her tone icy, yet she made no move to pull her hand away from Haruto's grasp.
Haruto could tell she was speaking the truth. Given her personality, she would never share a man with other women.
Back in the alternate dimension, when threatened by the ancient dragon, she'd rather die than compromise—that alone spoke volumes.
But Haruto also clearly sensed that Sapphire didn't dislike him.
Her unresisting hand was the best evidence.
"Then let me rephrase it: how about we cultivate together?"
Haruto shamelessly proposed, "You don't have to be like Mio and the others. Whenever you feel like it, you can come find me—just treat me as a human cultivation accelerator."
This tactic of retreating to advance essentially handed the initiative to Sapphire, with Haruto acting as an on-call tool.
The strong-willed Sapphire, or rather strong-willed women in general, would likely be tempted by this proposal.
Moreover, this also gave Sapphire a way to save face.
"Hmm, that's not a bad proposal. When I get tired of it or meet someone I like, I can just kick you to the curb."
Sapphire chuckled, deliberately teasing him.
Haruto ignored the sarcasm in her tone. "Never mind that. Just tell me if it works for you or not."
Leaving aside the additional effects of dual cultivation, given Sapphire's personality, it was impossible for her to seek other men after committing to him.
It was precisely because he had a firm grasp of this point that he dared to make such a proposal.
Sapphire understood this too, but Haruto's words genuinely pleased and tempted her.
Having been single for many years, she wouldn't call herself desperate, but she had long been curious about matters between men and women.
Now, being influenced daily in this environment, coupled with Haruto's innate advantage when it came to mature older women—a natural trait unrelated to any magic or ability—only heightened her interest.
After locking eyes for half a minute, Sapphire turned away, her cheeks slightly flushed, and whispered, "I... I'll think about it. Let go of my hand first..."
Of course, Sapphire wouldn't agree on the spot. Haruto had expected more back-and-forth, possibly even a confrontation of strength, but he hadn't anticipated her yielding so quickly.
A flicker of surprise crossed Haruto's face—this was going even smoother than he had imagined.
He didn't release her hand; now was the time to press his advantage.
"Alright, Sister Sapphire, take your time to consider it. But let's drop the talk about moving out."
Feeling Haruto not only refusing to let go but tightening his grip, Sapphire shot him a reproachful glance but ultimately nodded in agreement.
Only then did Haruto release her hand. He had considered seizing the moment to embrace or even kiss her, but Sapphire, glancing at Celis beside him, pushed him away.
After Sapphire left with a faint blush on her pretty face, Haruto glared irritably at Celis.
He had previously thought having an extra tagalong wouldn't matter, but he hadn't expected his plans to be disrupted so soon.
Celis blinked her innocent emerald eyes, still unaware of the complicated relationship between Sapphire and Haruto, let alone that she had interrupted anything.
Yet sometimes, the presence of just one extra person could prevent certain things from progressing further.
If Celis hadn't been there, Haruto might have been able to embrace and kiss Sapphire, perhaps even escort her back to his room.
But not getting carried away wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Waiting for Sapphire to think it through and make her own decision, then cultivating together, was far more stable than acting on impulse.
"Let's go. I'll show you the research that's about to shock the world."
Seeing Celis's innocent expression, Haruto had no outlet for his frustration. He flicked his index finger against her smooth forehead, eliciting a soft cry from the girl, then turned and headed toward Liala's room.
Celis covered her forehead and hurried after him with quick, small steps.
In her haste, her already tight clothes shifted slightly, and by the time they reached Liala's room, quite a bit of her spring light was exposed.
Upon seeing the alluring brave beauty, Liala, as if unwilling to be outdone, stripped off her own clothes as well.
Before Haruto could even speak, the two golden-haired, voluptuous women had already begun competing for attention.
"Alright, enough fooling around. Let's focus on the research first. We already wasted a whole day yesterday." After appreciating the scene for a while, just as the brave magical girl was about to be overwhelmed by the primal goddess, Haruto brought up serious matters.