In the late afternoon, as the setting sun's glow slanted into the apartment, Ethan rested comfortably on Tsukino Yomizaki's soft lap.
Fuyuko Sakuramachi and Kanna Akizono finished clearing the dining table and pressed against Ethan, their eyes emitting a pink, loving glow.
"Hey, Aki-chan, you're not going home tonight, are you?"
Fuyuko Sakuramachi deliberately spoke in a sweet, seductive tone. "Tsukino-san can stay too, and the four of us can continue..."
Ethan waved his hand, interrupting her. "Don't worry, I'll fill you both up tonight until you can't hold another drop."
Tsukino Yomizaki's face turned beet red. The thought of their earlier wanton behavior in the bedroom made her wish she could crawl into a hole.
She was naturally shy. Sending the love letter had been a source of much internal struggle, only for her first date to be interrupted by two succubi.
If the shock of the supernatural world hadn't been even greater, Tsukino Yomizaki would have fled long ago.
Before she could continue her train of thought, Ethan spoke again. "But before that, I need you to help me with something."
"Aki-chan, your power is so great. What is there in the human world that you actually need our help with?"
Kanna Akizono didn't know much about Ethan and sat quietly on the side, listening.
She continuously studied Ethan with her large, wet eyes, silently resolving to have Fuyuko Sakuramachi explain everything later.
"Fuyuko, you are not suited for this cutesy act." Ethan tugged at Fuyuko Sakuramachi's flawless oval face. "Besides, I prefer your aloof, glasses-wearing, Ice Queen look over this image."
Fuyuko Sakuramachi instantly reverted to her usual demeanor. Aside from when she was in bed, she was typically expressionless; this was her true personality.
"Mhm, that's better." Ethan pinched her smooth, pale chin, forcefully pulling her in for a kiss.
Leaving aside that he disliked people performing for him, in terms of his fetishes, some men liked clingy kittens, but he preferred to conquer aloof, strong Older Sisters (Oneesan/Mature women).
The sense of accomplishment from seeing a normally dominant and beautiful woman unable to withstand his assault was always intoxicating to him.
After a bit of playful interaction, Ethan returned to the main topic.
"Fuyuko, are you aware that I organized a company to settle the girls?"
Fuyuko Sakuramachi nodded. Not only did she know about it, but she was also aware of the difference between the girls who didn't receive Ethan's favor and those who were properly settled.
As a succubus, she had a thorough understanding of male-female matters. Although she didn't necessarily agree with it, she understood the strange thoughts men could harbor.
Especially being in the Underworld, Ethan's sheer power meant she had no room for complaint.
Fuyuko Sakuramachi was very smart and quickly guessed Ethan's intention.
"You want me to help you watch over the women you've slept with but couldn't get a position (in the main company)?"
Essentially, those wanton girls were ordinary people. While some had decent talent, Ethan hadn't taught them how to extract magic power.
It might be a lot of work, but Fuyuko Sakuramachi could manage it alone.
"No."
Ethan shook his head. "It's better to guide than to block. I want you to take the lead and form a similar organization to uniformly manage those women who are addicted to..."
"Mhm, who are addicted to my body. Then, teach them magic, increase their power, and have them help me do certain tasks."
After a moment's thought, he added, "They can receive rewards for completing each mission. Weapons, potions, and other resources will all be provided by me."
"Of course, if they want repayment in kind from me, that's also fine. However, there's a prerequisite: once they decide to join, they cannot have relations with any other male. If they want to leave, all relevant memories must be completely wiped."
During that period of indulgence, Ethan had no idea how many wanton girls he had slept with. If they were attractive, or somewhat familiar, and willing, he simply got down to business.
Since he couldn't just abandon them, he might as well utilize their power.
Compared to the more innocent girls (in the main company), these women were bolder. On the flip side, they could be more effective in certain tasks.
Used well, they might produce unexpected results.
If nothing else, they were masters of Honey Traps (Seduction), especially Fuyuko Sakuramachi and Kanna Akizono, the two succubi.
They could make the target look, but not touch, let alone consume.
After making the target pay a heavy price, they could walk away unharmed, manipulating the target completely.
However, if it were a pure, innocent girl like Tsukino Yomizaki, forget seduction; she would likely be eaten clean without even gaining any valuable intelligence.
The more Ethan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. The girls led by Kasumi Takamine would take on missions and follow the path of a legitimate Troubleshooter organization.
Fuyuko Sakuramachi would lead this group, dealing with those unsavory characters, operating in the gray and even black sectors.
If successful, it would be highly beneficial for Ethan's control over Kuoh Town, Tokyo, and even the entirety of Japan.
Moreover, this would also prevent the possibility of internal conflict.
At least on the surface, everything appeared fair and balanced. Everyone would have the opportunity for Dual Cultivation with Ethan. The frequency would depend on their own efforts.
However, Ethan knew that as time passed and the women aged, the turnover rate of Fuyuko Sakuramachi's organization would be extremely fast. Coupled with his future careful management, the personnel would slowly decrease.
Eventually, he could transfer the highly capable and perceptive girls from Kasumi Takamine's side to take over, transforming this organization into one composed of his harem members as well.
In truth, Ethan had another idea. The side effects of the Dual Cultivation ability alone were not entirely foolproof. It would be better if he had a strong contract, especially one that was maintained through something similar to Dual Cultivation.
The combination of the two would be exponentially more effective. He couldn't say 100%, but it would guarantee the girls' loyalty with at least a 95% probability.
The most typical example would be the contract markings tattooed on the lower abdomen in hentai, often referred to as Lewd Markings (Yin Wen).
Unfortunately, after all this time, he hadn't found any trace of such things, let alone mastered their use.
After hearing Ethan's proposal, Fuyuko Sakuramachi folded her arms and propped her chin up, deep in thought.
"It's certainly an interesting idea, but what's my benefit in helping you with this?"
She analyzed the situation calmly. "While this sounds simple, its execution will definitely require a tremendous amount of effort, and I still have my schoolwork to balance..."
Ethan smiled and said, "Of course, I won't have you work for nothing. As the manager directly reporting to me, besides various cultivation resources, you can Dual Cultivate with me on a regular basis. Furthermore, you can find one trustworthy helper who can also enjoy the same benefits."
Entrusting this matter to Fuyuko Sakuramachi was a decision he had carefully considered.
First and foremost was loyalty. Aside from emotional ties, the only way to have a loyal subordinate was to offer a unique reward.
For a succubus, Ethan's existence was the most unique reward.
Discovering that Fuyuko Sakuramachi, despite her weakened state and stagnant power, refused to absorb other men's essence, made Ethan even more confident in her loyalty.
As long as he could provide unique, essential energy, Fuyuko Sakuramachi had virtually no chance of betrayal.
Ethan also knew that managing and developing an organization while balancing schoolwork would be tough for Fuyuko Sakuramachi, so he specifically offered her another spot, hoping she would find a reliable helper among her succubus acquaintances.
However, when he saw Kanna Akizono's beautiful eyes suddenly widen, he already knew who that helper would be.
Kanna Akizono didn't attend Kuoh Academy, but she was also a JK. Ethan actually preferred to find a full-time manager.
But compared to a succubus whose background he didn't know, Kanna Akizono, whom he was already familiar with in every sense, was the best candidate.
Predictably, Fuyuko Sakuramachi immediately agreed after hearing Ethan's conditions.
Love and all that...
Although she liked Ethan very much, she wasn't at the stage of "love," let alone being willing to do anything for him.
Ethan understood this. He was never meant to be a protagonist who satisfied love and righteousness; he was the Blackened Victim.
This kind of equivalent exchange based on mutual benefit made him feel more secure.