As the first light of dawn broke, Ethan gently pushed aside Yubelluna and Minami, who were clinging to him in their sleep. After a quick shower, he left the western villa and headed back toward the main Phoenix mansion.
Even though he was up early, many servants were already beginning their duties. Along the way, several cute maids bowed and greeted him, and Ethan nodded back with a smile. The Underworld was always a bit dimmer than the Human World; even at dawn, the sunlight felt somewhat muted. Thankfully, it was mid-July, and the summer sun provided enough warmth to keep him comfortable.
Demons generally preferred darker environments, but Ethan wasn't just a Demon.
He spent the entire morning wandering the gardens with Ravel. After lunch, they took a nap together under the shade of a tree prepared by the servants.
"Ethan, did the 'treatment' go well last night?"
Ravel was becoming increasingly natural around him. Although she was the youngest daughter of the Phoenix family, she was the only one. Beneath her occasionally sharp-tongued and tsundere exterior, she possessed the grace and aura of a true noble. She reminded him a bit of a younger Rias Gremory—not just in temperament, but in her figure as well.
Ravel was already quite well-developed for her age, though she still had a way to go to catch up to the likes of Rias or Akeno. Ethan actually preferred Ravel this way; it made being with her feel more relaxed. There was a saying: "Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding." If Ravel always looked at him with starry-eyed worship, it would be hard to truly connect.
"It went very well. Tonight, I'll treat Karamine and Siris. After that, only Xuelan and Isabella will be left."
Xuelan and Isabella were former "Rooks," meaning their physical constitutions were the strongest among the girls. Combined with Xuelan's traditional personality as a "China-girl," Ethan had saved them for last.
Ravel nodded, then hesitated before asking, "Ethan, have you thought about taking Xuelan and the others as your own Peerage?"
"I did, but then I decided against it."
Ethan had indeed considered it, especially with girls like Xuelan. Her martial arts skills and her figure were top-tier, and her heritage was a bonus in his eyes. Then there was Yubelluna, who was famous enough to be a rival to Akeno Himejima—she was more than qualified to be a Bishop. Siris and Karamine were also excellent candidates.
However, he didn't have enough slots for all fourteen of them. Picking only a few while leaving the others behind felt too cruel. While the world was harsh and cold, Ethan didn't want to be the one to make it worse for them. If he didn't pick any, they could stay together as a group. With their bond and the boost from his "treatment," they would be able to thrive as long as there was no outside interference.
Ravel agreed with his reasoning. "True. If possible, I'd like them to stay together..." She trailed off as a thought occurred to her. Her eyes widened. "Ethan, now that I've reached the level of a Middle-class Devil and I'm close to becoming High-class, I'll be entitled to my own set of Evil Pieces soon."
Ethan understood immediately. Ravel was currently Rank A, equivalent to a Middle-class Devil, but she was on the verge of breaking through to Rank S. As a daughter of the four Great Pure-blood families, she—like Rias—would be granted her own Peerage once she reached High-class status.
Ravel had never cared much about building a Peerage or even about her own training before meeting Ethan, so she hadn't thought of it until now.
"That's a great idea. I approve," Ethan said. "Even though you'll be missing one Bishop, with the Phoenix family's talent and the teamwork Yubelluna and the others already have, you'll have a formidable force right away."
In fact, she could easily take over Raiser's old position in the Rating Games. If she found one more strong Bishop, she might even surpass Raiser's peak.
"Good! It's decided then." As Ethan's Queen, Ravel felt this was the best path. It solved a problem that had been bothering her and provided her King with a powerful auxiliary force... and a group of "bed-warming" maids.
Ravel was a kind person, but given the nature of their world, she wouldn't treat Yubelluna and the others as equals. They had been servants and pieces under Raiser, and they would be under her as well. Her goals had changed, but her treatment of her subordinates remained largely the same.
"Just remember to find a beautiful girl for that last Bishop slot," Ethan said bluntly. "I'd feel awkward if there were a guy in the mix."
Ravel rolled her eyes. "I know. I'll bring her for you to 'inspect' before I reincarnate her."
"Perfect." Ethan chuckled. That Bishop would eventually become one of his women anyway, so he might as well pick someone who fit his tastes.
As the sun began to set, the two returned to the mansion. Spending the day with Ravel felt like the start of a "pure love" relationship, which felt strange to Ethan. He was used to more... aggressive methods. Thinking about his "NTR/Cuckold" template that had been quiet for a while, he felt a bit restless. So, after dinner, he hurried back to the western villa for a new round of "treatment" to get back in touch with his roots.
...
In a bedroom lit by golden chandeliers and filled with the sweet scent of girls, two beautifully dressed young women stood nervously before Ethan.
Karamine, with her brownish short hair, wore a sexy one-piece lingerie set paired with intricate black and red stockings that hugged her long, shapely legs. Her green eyes were shy, and her pale face was flushed.
Beside her was Siris, who usually remained expressionless. Her sharp, somewhat fierce eyes had softened, making her already high-level beauty even more striking. She wore a dark, midnight-black gown adorned with gold specks that looked like stars in the night sky.
Ethan looked at Siris's hair, which was tied up high with a long, thin braid at the end, and frowned slightly. He had always hated that hairstyle. It was okay with casual clothes, but with this dress, it was a total buzzkill.
"Siris, let your hair down."
"Huh?" The tall Knight girl blinked. She didn't understand why, but she obediently undid the ties, letting her hair spill out.
Ethan looked at her again. As her dark blue hair flowed down like a waterfall, he was stunned. She looked incredible. In any world, a hairstyle can make or break a person's beauty, and Siris was the perfect example.
"Keep it like that from now on," Ethan declared. "I don't want to see you with that old style again."
"But Lord Ethan... it makes fighting very difficult..." Siris protested weakly. As a Knight, waist-length hair was a major liability in combat.