Chapter 199: Enthusiastic Classmates
Akeno wasn't sure what her feelings for Haruto really were. Initially approaching him with ulterior motives, she discovered he was quite interesting.
He might be lecherous, but surprisingly it didn't feel particularly repulsive.
During one ambiguous moment, she had almost given herself to him in the heat of the atmosphere. Afterward, she became more cautious. Combined with Haruto focusing on improving his strength and pursuing various other girls, their relationship hadn't progressed further.
After recent events, everyone in the Occult Research Club's fondness for Haruto had undoubtedly increased by one level, and Akeno was no exception.
If Grayfia hadn't later mentioned that dual cultivation required sufficient strength, they would have tried it themselves even before Rias suggested it.
Sighing softly, Akeno adjusted her mindset. Regardless, the outcome was still good.
As for her relationship with Haruto... she would let nature take its course.
After the commotion died down and class time approached, Rias lazily yawned and said: "Let's discuss the Three Factions meeting after school... Everyone go to class. I'll rest a bit more - I worked hard all night last night."
The Yuuma trio, being more experienced than Rias, showed no particular reaction, though their gazes toward Haruto grew more intense.
The reactions of the inexperienced members were more interesting.
Akeno narrowed her eyes with a dangerous smile, "Ara ara... This won't do, President. How can you skip class and set such an example~"
Koneko's face flushed slightly as she whispered: "Pervert..."
The most innocent Asia cupped her cheeks with both hands, looking at Rias with admiration and envy, "Ah, President... so bold."
Yuuto glanced down at his own flat chest, then looked sorrowfully at Haruto.
Haruto shivered unconsciously under his resentful gaze.
He quickly peeled Mittelt off himself, "President, I'll head to class first. After being absent for so many days, I kind of miss my classmates."
With that, he dashed off in a flash.
Watching Haruto's somewhat flustered figure, Yuuto Kiba sighed in disappointment, but she knew it wasn't his fault. Just by appearance alone, her current body was the epitome of a handsome blonde guy.
Anyone who wasn't gay would probably react the same way Haruto did.
"Alright, Yuuto. When you fully control your power and return to being Yuko-chan, Haruto-kun will likely be more proactive than you," Rias half-jokingly comforted Yuuto, then added, "Everyone, head to class now. We'll gather again after school."
"Yes~" ×N
Before leaving, Akeno deliberately turned back and said, "President, you need to go too."
"Yes, yes," Rias replied dismissively.
"One 'yes' is enough."
"Yeees—"
Rias could only sigh helplessly at Akeno's occasionally mischievous personality.
After Haruto woke up, the club atmosphere instantly became lighter. The group chatted and joked for a while before happily heading to class together.
...
When Haruto appeared in the classroom, Class 2-A immediately erupted in noise. All the female classmates with ambiguous relationships with him swarmed around him.
"Haruto, where have you been all this time?"
"Haru-kun, are you free tonight?"
"Haruto-kun, I've prepared notes for you from these past few days."
"Haruto..."
Except for the three women of the Takamine family, basically no one else knew that Haruto had been unconscious all this time.
Telling them wouldn't help and would only create unnecessary trouble.
So the official story was that Haruto had been away on business. With the cooperation of the Takamine mother and daughters, the other girls had their doubts but couldn't say much.
Moreover, most girls at Kuoh Academy knew about Rias's unusual identity. Those closer to Haruto, like Reina's gal trio, also knew that Haruto seemed to be Rias's subordinate.
Thanks to this excuse Rias provided, Haruto found it much easier to deal with the enthusiastic girls.
"What could have happened? I just went away on business, though the place was quite far and it took longer than expected."
"Where? Sorry, the president said it's confidential. I can't say."
"Alright, alright, don't worry. I'll make it up to you all for this absence. Here, let me give you a kiss first."
Surrounded by so many attractive beauties, Haruto's frightened young heart was instantly healed by Yuuto's earlier scare.
The girls around him kept changing, his handsome face soon covered with various lipstick marks.
This exaggerated scene made the remaining few girls both shy and secretly curious about what charm Haruto possessed that made their attractive classmates so infatuated with him.
It wasn't until the class bell rang that Haruto finally escaped the circle of girls. Under the disgusted gaze of the white-haired loli, he returned to his seat and began wiping the lipstick marks from his face.
Soon, a blue-haired beauty in a black suit dress with ultra-thin black stockings entered the classroom.
"Stand up, bow."
"Sit down, open your books to..."
Watching Kalawana who was becoming more and more like a proper teacher, Haruto obediently opened his textbook, though his mind had already wandered off somewhere else.
Next time, I should have Wana do it like this... and with the same attitude as during class...
As if sensing Haruto's impure thoughts, Kalawana glanced over slightly and said, "Haruto-kun, please read the next passage."
"Ah?" Haruto instinctively stood up.
Before he could say anything more, the blue-haired beauty sternly said with a serious expression, "What do you mean 'ah'? Daydreaming first thing in the morning class - go stand outside the door."
Glancing at the group of giggling beauties below, Haruto shrugged and obediently went to serve his punishment.
As he passed by the blue-haired beauty, he whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Warna, I hope you can keep this up tonight."
Kalawarna's fair face flushed red. Pretending not to hear Haruto's words, she walked to the other side of the podium and said, "Alright everyone, let's continue."
Aside from being deliberately teased by Kalawarna, Haruto's day passed relatively peacefully.
During break time, he used his fully charged phone to send group messages to the other girls who weren't at Kuoh Academy.
Although he didn't handle organizational matters, he was still the nominal leader.
The girls in the organization had gathered because of him, and if he never showed up, who knew what might happen.
After school, having declined invitations from numerous passionate beauties, Haruto found himself dragged to the club room with Koneko and Mittelt clinging to his arms on either side.
"Koneko, Mittelt, I'm not going to run away, there's no need for this..."
"No, Haruto is too lecherous. If we're not careful, he'll disappear," the white-haired loli said expressionlessly.
Mittelt laughed happily beside them, "That's right, that's right. It's been so long since I've been with Haruto too. We can't let those trash... ahem, those people get to him first."
It had been almost half a year since Yuuma and the other two had 'reformed', but after being fallen angels for so many years, some habits and attitudes hadn't changed yet.
Ordinary people and those with weak power basically weren't worth their attention.
Haruto didn't want to forcibly change their perspective, nor was it necessary to do so. Moreover, looking down on the weak was quite common - even among ordinary people, otherwise how would bullying exist?
As long as they didn't target their own people, being a bit mouthy wasn't a big problem.
Actually, aside from Mittelt occasionally misspeaking, the other two didn't have this issue at all.
"Mittelt, you literally sneaked a taste just a few days ago."
Koneko mercilessly exposed Mittelt's lie. "While Haruto was unconscious, you three were sneaking tastes every day. Don't think we didn't know."
"Ara ara, to think we were discovered~"
"Don't copy Akeno-senpai's speech habits," the white-haired loli continued her deadpan retort.
"We helped with his baths..."
Mittelt reverted to her true nature, tsunderely saying, "What's wrong with taking a little reward?"
Seeing the white-haired loli about to say something more, she quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Haruto, why aren't you surprised at all after hearing this?"
"About what?"
"About us sneaking tastes while you were unconscious, of course."
Haruto patted her fluffy golden-haired head and said helplessly, "Didn't you just admit to sneaking tastes yourself..."