Once Kuroka confirmed that Koneko had truly become Ethan's "cat," and that her strength was skyrocketing as a result—successfully awakening and controlling her bloodline without losing herself—her emotions became incredibly complex. She never again brought up the idea of taking Koneko away.
Though she gave up on kidnapping her sister, Kuroka didn't agree to Koneko's plea for her to stay. She believed that the blood of battle flowed through their veins, and only an organization like the Khaos Brigade was their true home. She feared that if they grew soft in peace, their power would eventually run wild, causing them to slaughter their friends and family—a regret one could never outrun.
But Koneko hadn't lost control. In fact, she had mastered a bloodline power even greater than Kuroka's own. Conflicted and heavy-hearted, Kuroka returned to the Khaos Brigade to continue their plan for capturing Fenrir. Of course, her smooth departure was only possible because the cat-eared loli didn't lift a finger to stop her.
Regardless of how Kuroka's mindset changed, Koneko had found closure. If Kuroka had stayed, they would have had to find a way to clear her name for that past incident, which would be a headache. Since she wanted to stay with Vali, so be it.
Ethan put the matter out of his mind. Three days later, while he was acting as a mascot in the Student Council room, Tsubaki found him.
"Ethan, the President wants to see you."
Word of Sona Sitri's injury hadn't spread. Aside from those present that day, not even Reya Kusaka or the other members of her peerage knew. Seeing Tsubaki appear, they asked curiously, "Vice-President, where is the President? She hasn't been to class for days."
"The President is still handling family matters at the estate. She's been quite busy lately."
Once they were out of earshot, Ethan asked, "Why the sudden summons? Has her condition worsened?"
"No, she's fully healed," Tsubaki shook her head. "Between healing magic and the Phoenix Tears we collected later, she made a full recovery yesterday."
Ethan was puzzled. "Then why..."
Tsubaki sighed. "You'll understand once you see her."
The two used a teleportation circle to reach the Sitri estate in the Underworld. The architecture was every bit as grand as the Gremory estate. Inside the main villa, the luxury, as well as the quantity and quality of the servants, was top-tier. Tsubaki led Ethan to Sona's bedroom door.
Knock, knock.
"President, Lady Serafall, he's here," Tsubaki said respectfully.
After receiving a response from inside, she bowed slightly to Ethan and retreated. Before leaving, she gave him a meaningful look. Ethan saw it, but he didn't quite get it. Wait, we have the Soul Network. If there's something up, why didn't she just DM me?
He didn't have much time to ponder. The door swung open, and Serafall—dressed in a cute outfit with twin tails but possessing an incredibly curvaceous body—grabbed him and pulled him inside.
"Ethan-chan! You're finally here!" Serafall blinked her large, watery eyes, looking pitiful. "Quick, help me talk some sense into little Sona! She worked so hard, right? The enemy was just too strong, how can she blame herself?"
"Huh?" Ethan was stunned. After a quick explanation, he finally understood.
To put it simply, Sona had a mental breakdown after the fight with Loki. Among the seven girls, she was the weakest. She felt she had dragged everyone down and eventually became the weak point that forced Ethan to break in, nearly triggering Ragnarök. In Sona's mind, if Ethan's one-shot strike had missed, the Three Realms would be in chaos right now.
Sona was currently huddled on her bed, hugging her knees and burying her face, completely unresponsive. Serafall had been trying to comfort her for ages, but Sona was stuck in a "stubborn horn"—a mental dead end.
Ethan tried a few words of comfort but soon realized they were useless. Someone as rational and cold-headed as Sona was a nightmare to deal with once she started hyper-fixating on her own perceived "uselessness."
"Serafall..."
"If you don't mind, you can call me 'Sister' like Sona does!" Serafall tried to maintain her cheerful persona, even though she was dying of worry inside.
"Alright, Sera-sister. I think the President is just depressed because her strength is low—specifically, lower than Rias and the others. Pure comfort won't work."
As Ethan spoke, Sona's shoulders visibly twitched. A large part of her spiral was due to the fact that they were all roughly equal before, but in a short time, even her own Queen, Tsubaki, had reached the Devil King level and completely surpassed her. If this continued, she wouldn't even be qualified to stand beside Rias.
Actually, Sona was incredibly strong for her age. Once she reached adulthood and entered the Rating Games, she'd easily be top ten. But comparison is the thief of joy. In the Loki fight, she was the only one who felt like a liability.
Serafall looked at her sister and realized Ethan was right, but she didn't know what to do. She could protect Sona, but she couldn't give Sona the sense of self-worth she craved. "Sona... you should rest. I'll come back tomorrow night."
Being a Devil King, Serafall couldn't stay forever. She left, and Ethan prepared to excuse himself as well. The sun was setting, and though they were master and servant, being alone in a bedroom felt... weighted. Mostly, Ethan was afraid he wouldn't be able to control himself.
"I'll be going then, President—"
Grab!
Before Ethan could finish, Sona was beside him, her hand gripping his wrist.
"President?" Ethan looked at the black-haired girl. Her eyes were red from crying, her lips were pressed thin, and her face was flushed. His heart skipped a beat. Is she really going to...?
Sona stared at him for a long time before slowly letting go. "Ethan... I am also your master, am I not?"
"You are..." Ethan looked at her slender body under her thin pajamas, trying his best not to peek down her neckline. She was emotionally unstable; misinterpreting her would be bad. But if it was what he thought...
Sona didn't hesitate for long. She wasn't an indecisive person. If Rias could do it, if Tsubaki could do it, if everyone else could do it, why couldn't she? She believed their feelings could be cultivated later. But if she didn't catch up now, her dream of a school for low-level devils would remain a fantasy, and she'd be left in the dust.
"Ethan, I command you as your master..." Sona sat back on the bed, her eyes sharp behind her glasses. "Dual-cultivate with me now. Help me increase my power."
Ethan smiled warmly. At a time like this, no more words were needed. "As you command, President."
With a flick of his wrist, the door locked and the curtains drew shut. The bedroom, filled with a young girl's sweet scent, became an isolated sanctuary. Sona, having zero experience with men, suddenly became paralyzed with tension. Her pale, pinkish toes curled tightly like silkworm cocoons, and her eyes darted away, unable to meet his gaze.
Ethan felt a surge of desire. Seeing the normally cold and composed President so vulnerable and cute made him want to tease her, but he restrained himself for her sake. He crawled onto the bed, looming over her like a predator over its prey.
His heat pressed against her thin pajamas. Through the loose collar, he could see her small, pert, snow-white breasts. They were like soft, firm puddings, trembling slightly with her nervous breaths.
Ethan reached out to peel away her pink pajamas. Sona kept her eyes shut, but her long, slender arms and shapely legs moved in perfect cooperation—lifting and parting for him. Without her clothes, her flawless, youthful body glowed like a gemstone under the lamplight.
Ethan's lust spiked. Simply kissing this face wasn't enough; his soul demanded he conquer her. Deep blue magical light flickered as "Little Ethan" was liberated. He gripped her small but firm breasts, watching them push together to form a tight, delicious cleavage before slowly sliding himself between them.
"Hah...!" Ethan hissed through his teeth, the friction of her soft skin against his cock nearly sending him over the edge instantly. He began to thrust his hips, rubbing himself against her chest with unrestrained lust. Sona's face flushed a deep crimson, and small, airy moans began to escape her lips.
Feeling the pleasure of her smooth breasts squeezing him, Ethan reached down with one hand to caress her "flower garden." Sona's body responded instinctively, secreting a thick, transparent nectar. Her soft, virgin petals clamped around Ethan's fingers, her internal heat even more intense than the air outside.
Ethan explored her depths, his practiced fingers finding her sensitive spots with ease. As he rubbed against a specific point on her vaginal wall, Sona let out a high-pitched, melodic cry. Her muscles tightened around his fingers, and a torrent of juices soaked the bedsheets beneath her.
Watching the normally stoic Sona in such a state of undress and arousal only fueled Ethan's fire. He straddled her, his movements becoming more primal and aggressive. He smashed his cock against her breasts, rubbing the sensitive head against her nipples as he panted heavily.
Guh... this is terrifying... I was the one who ordered this, but I feel like I'm being devoured whole... Sona thought, her mind swimming.
Unlike the "big breast" types, Sona's chest required more effort to squeeze together, creating a tighter, more intense stimulation. The pressure made Ethan's cock throb violently. He was seconds away from blowing.
"Ngh...!" With one final, forceful thrust against her chest, Ethan's body shuddered. A massive amount of life essence erupted, coating Sona's chest in thick, white cream.
He pulled back, watching the white liquid bridge the gap between her breasts, shivering with her heavy breathing. It was incredibly erotic. Ethan didn't even need a break; he was rock hard again instantly. He positioned himself at the entrance of her garden.
"President, I'm going to start helping you improve your strength now."
With a powerful thrust, he drove himself deep inside her.
The sensation was incredible. Sona's tight, warm passage gripped him with a ferocity that belied her cool exterior. It was as if a thousand tiny mouths were greedily sucking on him. Ethan bit his lip, trying to steady his heart. He looked at Sona—her brow was furrowed, her teeth were gritted. She was ready.
Ethan lunged forward, piercing the symbol of her purity and driving into the deepest reaches of her wet passage.
"Ah! It... it hurts... Did Rias and Tsubaki go through this much pain to get stronger?"
A few drops of bright red blood trickled from her garden, staining the white sheets like fallen plum blossoms. Despite the pain, she felt it was right. To gain power quickly, one always had to pay a price.