Chapter 198: Lovers?
Glancing at the time, Haruto abandoned the idea of another morning session.
It was almost seven o'clock. Some diligent students had likely already arrived at school, preparing for club morning practice or other activities.
Though ordinary people couldn't enter the Occult Research Club room, Akeno Himejima would probably arrive soon without any issues.
After cuddling with Rias for a while and waiting for her breathing to steady, Haruto carried her to the bathroom in a princess carry.
This time, Haruto didn't mess around anymore. Even though the weak and exhausted devil beauty was tempting, and little Haruto protested repeatedly, he still restrained himself.
Just after the two had finished washing up, before they could change into clean, fresh clothes, the voices of Akeno and Yuuma conversing could already be heard in the activity room.
"I wonder if the President did it yesterday~" Yuuma said while peeking toward the rest area.
Akeno put down the breakfast she had brought from the villa, her mood rather complicated as she followed Yuuma's gaze.
"Probably... not..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Haruto, hearing the noise, poked his head out from the bathroom.
Wiping the water droplets from his hair, half of his bare upper body exposed, he called out: "Akeno-senpai, and Yuuma too, perfect timing. Where are Rias's underwear?"
Seeing that familiar handsome face and hearing that somewhat unrestrained tone, Yuuma blinked at Akeno and whispered: "Akeno, it seems you don't know our President well enough~~"
Akeno opened her small mouth slightly, taking two excited steps forward, the exaggerated curves on her chest swaying with the movement.
"Haruto-kun..."
As she approached, she vaguely saw Rias resting half-leaning against Haruto and quickly stopped.
"The President's underwear? I'll go get them for you."
Akeno's fair, gentle face flushed slightly red, though no one knew what images crossed her mind. She promptly turned and walked toward where the clothes were stored, leaving Haruto with only her enchanting, slender silhouette.
Over ten minutes later, Haruto and Rias were dressed neatly, snuggled together while eating the breakfast Akeno had brought.
Like a newlywed couple, the atmosphere was sickeningly sweet. The usually spirited Rias occasionally showed a shy expression, accepting food from Haruto's hand.
The playboy Haruto was also unusually focused, paying no attention to the other beauties and interacting solely with Rias.
Sitting on the sofa not far away, Yuuma and Akeno felt extremely uncomfortable watching them, which gradually turned into jealousy and envy over time.
When Koneko, Asia, and others arrived one after another, they were equally shocked by the overly affectionate pair.
"Akeno-senpai... what's going on with the President and Haruto?"
Even forgetting to ask about Haruto waking up, the little blonde nun pinched the hem of her clothes, puffing her cheeks angrily as she watched the two take nearly an hour to finish breakfast.
Akeno shrugged helplessly. "Don't ask me, I don't know either. I only arrived a little earlier than you."
The girls exchanged silent glances, ultimately having to quietly wait for Haruto and Rias to finish their intimate moment.
Haruto: "Rias, have a sip of milk."
All the beauties: Staring...
Rias leaned in with her small mouth, first taking a sip, then kissing Haruto's lips and transferring the milk from her mouth to his.
All the beauties: [?_?]...
When the last mouthful of milk entered Haruto's stomach, breakfast was finally over. Rias picked up a handkerchief and elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth.
"Ahem, everyone, good morning."
She returned to her usual brisk and efficient self, as if she hadn't been the one doing all those mushy things earlier.
"With Haruto-kun awake, we need to prepare for the three clans next..."
"President..."
The silver-haired loli interrupted Rias expressionlessly, "Before discussing anything else, shouldn't you first explain what exactly happened last night?"
Rias feigned composure and replied calmly, "What else? We followed Grayfia's method and successfully awakened Haruto..."
"So, President, are you and Haruto lovers now?"
Koneko asked the question everyone present wanted to ask. Both Haruto and Rias were acting too strangely.
Leaving Haruto aside for now, Rias' every move seemed to be declaring sovereignty.
Rias glanced at Haruto, hesitated for a moment, then gave her answer.
"Not for now."
Last night, the two hadn't just focused on Dual Cultivation - they had discussed many different matters.
Such as the difficulties facing Rias' family, the forced marriage situation, Haruto's missing parents, the replication effects of Dual Cultivation ability, the cuckold halo... and the matter of transmigration.
After truly feeling Rias' passionate emotions, Haruto held nothing back.
He wasn't the type to be deeply scheming by nature. Having been in this world for over a year without anyone he could completely confide in had long made him feel suffocated.
To his surprise, Rias wasn't particularly shocked. Instead, she suggested another possibility to him.
"I didn't detect any mismatch between your soul and body. Your situation doesn't seem like possession, but more like awakened past life wisdom."
These were Rias' exact words. The so-called awakened past life wisdom meant awakening memories from previous lives.
Here, previous lives didn't refer to just the immediately preceding lifetime, but any of the previous reincarnations his soul might have experienced.
Although Rias had never witnessed it personally, she knew how terrifying this world's top powerhouses could be. Mysterious souls and reincarnation were as simple as eating and drinking to them, and there were even bold beings who had contemplated tampering with 'time' itself.
There had been numerous cases of awakened past life wisdom in this world - rare, but not something particularly shameful.
However, those who awakened past life wisdom had all been people from this world in their previous lives. Someone like Haruto's situation was something Rias had never heard of before.
Haruto still felt he had transmigrated, otherwise how could he explain the many familiar characters and events in this world?
But Rias also made sense. In the end, they left the question unresolved. After all, regardless of which scenario it was, he was still himself.
After confessing everything to Rias, Haruto felt much more relaxed, especially since Rias' reaction had alleviated many of his long-standing worries.
Understanding Haruto's concerns, Rias agreed they could temporarily not define their relationship, waiting until he became powerful enough to resolve the Cuckold Protagonist Template.
In return, Haruto decisively declared that the position of main wife would belong to Rias, and no one could take it from her.
This earned him an eye-roll from Rias at the time, though she understood that Haruto couldn't remain devoted to just one person forever - both due to the requirements of his Dual Cultivation ability and because of his personality.
Haruto had always admired Issei Hyoudou precisely because neither of them concealed their inner desires. Yet while following their desires, they wouldn't resort to any means necessary, maintaining a low but barely acceptable moral baseline.
Having confessed all his secrets and with Rias clearly feeling Haruto's emotions toward her, after some playful, coquettish banter, the matter was settled like this.
She and Haruto had been all lovey-dovey since morning, partly because they were still in the "newlywed" phase, and partly to assert her claim over him.
But the girls were sharp, especially the white-haired loli with the Nekomata Bloodline, who pinpointed the crucial question with surgical precision.
"President, are you sure you and Haruto aren't a couple?"
Even though Rias had already answered, Kalawarna, the blue-haired beauty, repeated it again.
"Well... for now!! We're not."
Rias knew exactly what these sneaky cats were thinking, so she deliberately emphasized the words "for now."
The girls exchanged thoughtful glances, selectively ignoring the deeper implications in Rias' words.
"In that case..."
Mittelt leaped into Haruto's arms, "I won't hold back then."
She narrowed her eyes, revealing her cute fangs, hugged Haruto's head and rubbed her modest chest against his face in a "face wash" gesture, chirping cheerfully: "Ah... it's Haruto's scent..."
"Tch."
Koneko quietly retracted her half-extended foot and muttered discontentedly: "She beat me to it..."
Having been intimate with Haruto many times, Mittelt had no reservations in her affection.
The white-haired loli hadn't even kissed Haruto yet, and her slight hesitation cost her the opportunity.
"Ah, how wonderful..."
Asia watched Mittelt enviously and said: "Asia wants to hug Haruto too, to smell Haruto's scent."
Akeno glanced at the three lolis, a faint trace of envy flashing in her eyes.
How nice it must be to express feelings so openly~
She had almost crossed the final line with Haruto once, and now watching Rias overtake her, her feelings were too complex for words.