Although Sasaki didn't know Sakashiro Kurumi's actual age, it was clear from her knowledge that she was quite old and knew a lot.
And since she knew about the little succubus's identity...
Sasaki took this opportunity to ask her some questions that might affect the little succubus's safety.
Like, are there onmyoji in this world?
What's their attitude toward magical beings, and so on?
Hmm... the answers he got were rather strange.
This world does have onmyoji, as well as monks, shrine maidens, and other exorcist-type beings.
But most of them are actually magical beings from the "Inner World" themselves... for example, Sakashiro Kurumi personally knew a great shrine maiden of the Oni clan who worked at a shrine, doing exorcisms and blessings.
Problems caused by magical beings were resolved by magical beings.
Hmm... using magic to fight magic—makes sense.
Now that Sasaki knew this world was quite friendly toward visitors from the "Inner World", he didn't have to worry about the little succubus's safety for now.
As long as they didn't actively harm ordinary people, no one would come after them.
With his doubts cleared up... Sasaki now had to face his own problem.
It was already 8 o'clock... and his pants still weren't washed.
He'd arrived at Hyodou's house around 5:50.
Since then, the two had been tangled up together.
From the entryway to the living room, to the bedroom... clothes had been flung everywhere, one by one, and somehow, he never remembered to wash any of them.
Shaking his head and regretting his lust-clouded mind, Sasaki bent over and began picking up clothes, retracing their trail of intimacy.
Socks, bras, stockings, shirts...
While he carried the food he'd bought from the entryway into the living room, Sakashiro Kurumi sat cross-legged on the sofa, watching Sasaki pick up clothes with a gloomy face, she blinked and asked:
"You trying to do laundry?"
"Yeah."
Looking up at the woman, who was just about to pop open a beer can, Sasaki suddenly remembered...
He knew a succubus who could use magic, why the hell was he using a washing machine?
Wouldn't a finger snap and a 'cleanse' spell be much faster?
With that in mind, Sasaki hugged the clothes, walked back to the sofa, and leaned in beside Sakashiro Kurumi.
"Kurumi~"
Seeing him finally remember that she could help, the latter squinted and smiled, "I can help you~ But my magic power consumption...I need..some.."
Although he knew she was joking, Sasaki still felt a bit displeased.
Clearly it was something mutual, something where hearts could connect and love could grow… so why did she have to phrase it like a sex-for-profit model?
Just sex…well, maybe other men wouldn't care… but the thought that something that should belong to him might be touched by someone else made Sasaki deeply uncomfortable.
Even though she wasn't his in the first place, but since he took her first time, he included her in his harem.
Even if she said he was special… special didn't mean unique.
If their relationship was defined by an exchange of benefits, then what if someone like him showed up, could she just find another person?
Sasaki might not like her that much...no, it might not even be called like..after all, at this moment, the only thing he liked about her was her beautiful face and sexy body… but love is something that often grows through actions.
They're not cold-blooded animals, after all.
Call it possessiveness if you will, or call it whatever else, it didn't matter.
What mattered was that Sasaki didn't want their relationship to be defined as a trade of interests.
Now that he had fucked her and her pussy is moulded into the shape of his cock, her heart and soul should also follow.
Thinking about it, he snatched the beer from her hand and set it down on the coffee table.
Then he shoved the clothes in his arms into her hands, and without warning, pulled her soft and curvy body into his embrace.
After that, he firmly lifted her chin and lowered his head.
"Mm!"
Her sea-blue eyes were like the midsummer ocean, moist, gleaming, and full of flickering tides that seemed to rise and fall beneath a blazing sun.
Just looking into them made his heart burn, making his gaze even more forceful.
Kurumi didn't understand what had suddenly gotten into Sasaki… but succubi never rejected the desires of men they had accepted.
So when faced with Sasaki's hunger, she was very cooperative.
But just before they could go any further, the boy pulled back.
!!!
Feeling his actions, her little hands, her tail, and even her feet tried to stop him as she hung onto his like a koala, asking anxiously and confusedly.
"What is it? What could possibly be more important than this?"
Sasaki was very pleased with her reaction, which confirmed that she indeed have some fondeness towards him.
But it was just her physical impulse, so, he sighed and said with pretend disappointment:
"I want to… but when I think about what Kurumi said just now, I get sad. And when I get sad, I just lose all motivation."
Sakashiro Kurumi, feeling like she was being roasted on a spit with rising panic, tried to recall what she had said earlier… She couldn't figure out what upset him so much that he'd punish her like this, and quickly said:
"I'm sorry, if I said something wrong, I'm sorry, I apologize~"
Like dangling a bone in front of a puppy, Sasaki made a show of being on the verge of relenting, then sighed again:
"Still feeling pretty hurt… Maybe we should just forget it..."
Sakashiro Kurumi wasn't some naïve little girl.
She'd been in the human world for quite a while, and this wasn't the first time she'd seen or heard of something like this.
She already understood what Sasaki was doing but she didn't hate it…
Succubi weren't bothered by this kind of game, because whether they were leading or being led, neither was a bad thing to them.
After all, it's all about eating,
So, it doesn't matter whether you fed yourself or someone else fed you, it's all the same.
So, Sakashiro Kurumi obediently said:
"Don't, please don't. Just tell me what will make you happy, and I'll do it."
That was exactly what Sasaki wanted to hear.
Leaning in close against her body, he whispered next to her ruby-carved ear. "I want Kurumi to become my Kurumi."
"Your Kurumi…"
Understanding what he meant by those words… and recalling his sudden change in behavior, Sakashiro Kurumi put herself in his shoes and finally realized what was driving him.
So that's what this was, it wasn't just about lust. He was insecure… jealous.
"Hehe."
Thinking about it, she squinted her eyes and chuckled softly, tightening her arms already wrapped around his neck, just a little more, and spoke with a teasing smile.
"You had me once and now you want to keep me all to yourself… what a greedy little boy you are~"
That wasn't the answer Sasaki wanted to hear.
Knowing where a succubus's weakness lay, he reached out and grasped that black little tail, which was like a shy girl's hand and had been teasing him all this time.
A smooth, skin-like texture so soft and fine came through his fingertips, making him unconsciously rub it a bit.
It was delicate, sleek as if just loosening his grip a little, the little tail would slip right through his fingers.
He tightened his hold slightly, and with his thumb, traced the shallow groove that ran down the center, like the vein of a leaf, toward the tip of the tail.
"Yeah~ I'm very greedy. So what's Kurumi's answer?"
She had already answered, actually.
For a succubus, letting someone hold their tail like that was already the clearest response.
A succubus's tail doesn't lie.
But Sasaki still wanted to hear her say it herself.
Feeling his palm over her sensitive tail, Kurumi's ocean-blue eyes became dazed like mist.
At this moment, she felt like her soul was being unraveled right along with her tail, making her dizzy
How could she possibly form words in a moment like this… and yet he insisted on a reply.
With no choice, Sakashiro Kurumi leaned her neck back and forced out the words, one syllable at a time.
"Please… spare… your Kurumi~"
Satisfied with her answer, Sasaki narrowed his eyes and leaned in to kiss her raised, snow-white neck, her delicate and sensual collarbones, and then…
…
…
…
Later, as she lay limp on the sofa, occasionally twitching like she'd been electrocuted, Kurumi mustered just enough strength to cast a cleansing spell on her freshly dressed self.
Sasaki patted his dry, spotless pants and then sniffed his shoulders, making sure, there was no scent left before heading toward the master bedroom.
Inside, Tomoe was still in the same position Sasaki had left her, lying face-down on the pillow without moving at all.
There was no time to help her clean up, so, he simply kissed her cheek and whispered softly in her ear:
"I'm going home. If I get back too late, people will start talking."
"…"
No response.
Just the calm, rhythmic breathing of someone in deep sleep.
Sasaki wasn't surprised.
After all, he'd been fucking her nonstop since noon…and she wasn't some superhuman, who could handle him for hours nonstop.
He adjusted her body a bit to help her sleep more comfortably, then gave her a final kiss on the forehead and left the bedroom.
In the living room, Sakashiro Kurumi, who still bubbling with residual tremors, wasn't doing much better.
Sasaki must've overstimulated her by messing with her tail…
She'll recover soon.
So, there was no need to carry her to the bedroom.
With that thought, Sasaki just draped a blanket over her.
Then he walked to the entrance, put on his shoes, and left.
With the spare keys Tomoe had given him in the car, he locked the door behind him and left the apartment building.
By the time he got home via taxi, it was already past nine.
Way later than he usually returned from part-time work.
Even though he had told everyone ahead of time that the convenience store would be busy and he'd be late… this was the first time he came back this late.
Sister Yuka definitely wouldn't let him off easy.
Mentally preparing for her scolding, Sasaki turned the doorknob and, while changing shoes at the entrance, called out into the house:
"I'm home."
"Welcome back~"
Kyouka hadn't returned yet.
In the house, aside from Sister Yuka, everyone else was technically "his."
But since things hadn't been made official yet, Otome didn't dare greet him openly under the eyes of her sisters.
Rinka, being the youngest, didn't care… but she was mindful of Otome's gaze, so she didn't come out either.
Sister Yuka was bossy by nature and liked to order people around… not to mention, as the eldest sister, she wouldn't bother coming to the door.
So the one who walked up to Sasaki and gently helped him remove his coat was, naturally, the most innocent and pure-hearted of them all, Sister Koharu.
No one could see the entrance from the rest of the house, so he could afford to be just a little bit bolder there.
Koharu, of course, had no idea what kind of thoughts were forming in his mind.
Koharu stood behind him, helping him take off his coat while asking with concern:
"Your part-time job must be tiring, right?"
As his arms slipped free of the sleeves, Sasaki turned around and wrapped his arms around Koharu's soft waist, burying his face in her broad, gentle collar and murmured:
"It's fine, but... while I was working, I kept thinking about you, Koharu. I just wanted time to go faster, so I could hurry home and hold you sooner..."
His warm breath tickled her.
Not just on her skin, but as if his breath could penetrate straight through her chest, reaching her very heart, making the tiny person who lived there feel all tingly and soft.
It was impossible to describe clearly—that hot, sweet, numbing and melting feeling.
Koharu couldn't help but let out a soft gasp, her eyes turning hazy as she shifted her body's weight fully onto Sasaki.
"It's so strange… my body… has no strength~" Knowing how responsive Koharu's body was, Sasaki straightened up a bit, lightly biting her reddening little ear and whispered:
"Can you come see me tonight? After everyone's gone to sleep."
"…"
Since childhood, Koharu had never refused his requests, and she didn't refuse this one either.
"Mm~"
Having secured that promise, Sasaki knew they couldn't keep getting too close here.
Otherwise, if Yuka-nee or Otome came asking, it would be hard to explain.
What, changing your shoes takes five or six minutes?
With a final peck on her lips, Sasaki fanned some cool air over Koharu's flushed cheeks, then walked into the living room with a smile.
Otome was serving rice in the kitchen.
Rinka and Yuka were sitting on the sofa watching a variety show.
As Sasaki came toward the sofa,
Tachibana Yuka glanced at the clock on the TV and subconsciously frowned:
"Why are you back so late?"
"I had to deal with the leftover stock from last week, no choice." Sasaki sat on the sofa, face perfectly calm as he lied.
He really didn't like lying to them unless absolutely necessary… but if he told the truth, they'd all stare at him together and he'd explode for sure.
Never expecting her airheaded little brother to lie to her, Yuka just nodded and didn't press further.
Compared to little things like that… she was more focused on waiting for the adults to return so she could ask about the marriage engagement.
Her well-shaped, pale legs, exposed in the open, crossed elegantly like white pythons.
Yuka crossed her legs and shifted her gaze from the TV slightly toward Sasaki.
'Does he know about the engagement?'
'He probably doesn't… otherwise, how could he…'
'And what about Otome? If the engagement is real, then Otome won't have a chance at all.'
'Would she accept that?'
As she thought about it, Yuka's gaze shifted a bit toward the kitchen, and her delicate brows knit together faintly.
Although she and Sakuragi Otome didn't exactly see eye to eye, they'd grown up together and liked the same person, so there was still some mutual sympathy between them.
Now that her airheaded little brother was about to get engaged to her… Otome would definitely be unwilling if she knew, right?
If it were herself… she'd probably be furious too… but what could she do?
"That's just what it means to look after a big household from now on…"
Suddenly, Yuka recalled what that airheaded little brother had once said, and her gaze shifted from the kitchen back to Sasaki's face.
"There are already so many of them… adding Otome wouldn't matter… but do you even have the guts to do that?"
Back in middle school he'd been obsessed with manga and games, then in high school he'd gone through a huge upheaval.
He'd never had a relationship before, not a single experience, someone needed to guide him…
"Fuyumi, no… Ri…"
"Kyouka, I love you..."
Just as she was hesitating about whether to give him a hint, those bold words he'd spoken suddenly echoed in her mind, making Yuka instantly tear up.
He didn't need any hint at all!
He was plenty capable already!
That damn wolf in sheep's clothing!!!
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