Ethan looked up at the time and abandoned his plan for another morning workout.
It was almost seven o'clock, and some diligent students were likely already at school, preparing for club practices or other activities.
While most people couldn't enter the Occult Research Club room, Akeno Himejima was expected to arrive soon.
He held Rias tenderly for a while. Once her breathing stabilized, Ethan carried her to the bathroom in a princess carry.
This time, Ethan refrained from any further mischief. Even though the soft, powerless Devil beauty was highly tempting, and the little Akira protested repeatedly, he controlled himself.
Just as the two finished washing up and before they could change into clean, fresh clothes, the sound of Akeno Himejima and Yuma Amano talking echoed in the club room.
"I wonder if the President did it last night," Yuma Amano said while glancing toward the lounge.
Akeno Himejima set down the breakfast she had brought from the villa and, with a complex expression, followed Yuma Amano's line of sight.
"Probably... not..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Ethan, who heard the commotion, poked his head out of the bathroom.
He was wiping the water droplets from his hair, his bare upper body exposed. "Akeno-senpai, and Yuma! You came at the right time. Where are Rias's clothes?"
Looking at his familiar handsome face and hearing his somewhat unrestrained tone, Yuma Amano winked at Akeno Himejima, whispering, "Akeno, it seems you don't know enough about our President, teehee~~"
Akeno Himejima's small mouth gaped open. She excitedly took two steps forward, the exaggerated curves of her chest swaying.
"Akira..."
As she got closer, she vaguely saw Rias leaning against Ethan, resting, and quickly halted.
"The President's clothes? I'll get them for you."
Akeno Himejima's fair, composed little face flushed slightly. Unsure what image flashed through her mind, she quickly turned and walked toward the area where the clothes were kept, leaving Ethan with a captivatingly graceful back view.
Ten minutes later, Ethan and Rias were fully dressed, leaning against each other while eating the breakfast Akeno Himejima had brought.
The atmosphere between the two was sickly sweet, like a newly married couple. The usually composed Rias occasionally flashed a shy little expression as she accepted Ethan's feeding.
The Playboy Ethan was also surprisingly focused, interacting only with Rias, not paying attention to the other beautiful girls.
Yuma Amano and Akeno Himejima, sitting on a nearby sofa, felt increasingly awkward, which gradually turned into jealousy and envy as time passed.
When Koneko Toujou, Asia, and the others arrived sequentially, they were equally shocked by the clingy couple.
"Akeno-senpai... what happened to the President and Akira?"
The blonde little nun, ignoring the question of Ethan's awakening, clutched the hem of her clothes, looking irritably at the pair who had been eating breakfast for nearly an hour.
Akeno Himejima spread her hands, helpless. "Don't ask me. I don't know either. I only arrived a little before you."
The girls exchanged silent glances, finally resigning themselves to waiting for Ethan and Rias to finish their sweet moment.
Ethan: "Rias, have some milk."
The beautiful girls: Staring...
Rias pursed her small lips, first taking a sip, then kissing Ethan's mouth, passing the milk from her mouth to his.
The beautiful girls: [?_?]...
When the last drop of milk entered Ethan's stomach, the breakfast finally ended. Rias picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth.
"Ahem, good morning, everyone."
She instantly reverted to her usual sharp demeanor, acting as if she hadn't been the one performing those cheesy acts moments ago.
"Now that Akira is awake, we need to prepare for the Three Factions..."
"President..."
The white-haired LOLI interrupted Rias's speech with a blank expression. "Before discussing anything else, shouldn't you explain to us what exactly happened last night?"
Rias feigned calmness, speaking indifferently. "What else? We followed Grayfia's suggestion, and successfully woke Akira..."
"So, are the President and Akira lovers now?"
Koneko Toujou asked the question on everyone's mind. The behavior of both Ethan and Rias was too strange.
Setting Ethan aside, Rias's every action seemed like a declaration of ownership.
Rias glanced at Ethan, hesitated for a moment, and gave an answer.
"Not yet."
Last night, the two didn't just spend the time Dual Cultivating; they discussed many things.
For example, Rias's family predicament, the forced marriage, Ethan's missing parents, the replication effect of the Dual Cultivation ability, the Cuckold Halo... and the matter of his transmigration.
After genuinely feeling Rias's burning affection, Ethan held nothing back.
He wasn't someone with an extremely complex nature. After more than a year in this world without anyone to fully open up to, he had been struggling with pent-up feelings.
To his surprise, Rias wasn't particularly shocked. Instead, she offered him an alternative possibility.
"I didn't detect any soul-body mismatch on you. Your situation doesn't look like soul possession; it looks more like Past-Life Memory Awakening."
This was Rias's exact wording. Past-Life Memory Awakening means awakening the memories of a previous incarnation.
This past life could be any one of his soul's previous reincarnations, not just the one immediately preceding this life.
Although Rias hadn't seen it, she knew how terrifying the top powerhouses of this world were. Mysterious concepts like soul and reincarnation were as simple as eating and drinking to them. Some daring beings had even attempted to manipulate 'time.'
Past-Life Memory Awakening had occurred several times in this world. It was rare, but not something utterly shameful.
However, those who awakened past-life memories were still from this world in their previous lives. Rias had never heard of a situation like Ethan's.
Ethan still felt he had transmigrated; otherwise, the familiar people and events in this world made no sense.
But Rias's argument also had merit. Ultimately, the question was left unresolved. Regardless of the scenario, he was still him.
After being honest with Rias, Ethan felt much lighter. Rias's reaction, in particular, alleviated many of his long-held worries.
Knowing Ethan's concerns, Rias was understanding and agreed to temporarily postpone defining their relationship until the day his power was strong enough to resolve the Cuckold Template issue.
In return, Ethan firmly declared that the position of Harem Master belonged to Rias, and no one could take it from her.
That drew a roll of the eyes from Rias, but she also knew that Ethan couldn't remain exclusively monogamous, not only due to the necessity of his Dual Cultivation ability but also because of his personality.
Ethan admired Issei Hyoudou because neither of them hid their desires. However, while following their desires, they didn't resort to extreme measures, adhering to a very low, yet barely acceptable, moral baseline.
Ethan revealed all his secrets, and Rias clearly felt Ethan's affection for her. After a playful, loving bout, the matter was settled.
She and Ethan had been intimately involved since morning, not only because they were in a 'newly-wed' state but also partly due to Rias's intention to declare her ownership.
However, girls were very perceptive, especially the white-haired LOLI with Nekomata blood, who got straight to the crucial point.
"President, are you and Akira really not lovers?"
Even though Rias had answered, Kalawarner, the blue-haired mature beauty, repeated the question.
"Yes... we are temporarily not."
Rias knew exactly what these sly women were thinking, purposefully emphasizing the word 'temporarily.'
The girls exchanged meaningful glances, choosing to selectively ignore the deeper meaning in Rias's words.
"In that case..."
Mittelt leaped into Ethan's arms. "Then I won't be polite."
She narrowed her eyes, revealing her cute canine teeth, hugged Ethan's head, and rubbed her small chest against his face, exclaiming joyfully, "Ah... it's Akira's scent..."
"Tch."
Koneko Toujou subtly withdrew the small foot she was about to step forward with, grumbling, "She got ahead of me..."
Mittelt had been intimate with Ethan many times and had no reservations about being affectionate.
The white-haired LOLI hadn't even kissed Ethan. Her momentary hesitation caused her to lose the opportunity.
"Oh, that looks so nice..."
Asia looked at Mittelt with envy. "Asia wants to hug Akira-san too, and smell Akira-san's scent."
Akeno Himejima glanced at the three little girls, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes.
It was wonderful to be able to express one's feelings so honestly.
She had been on the verge of taking the final step with Ethan once. Now, watching Rias bypass her, her feelings were complicated and difficult to articulate.