Seeing right through Hayashi Maki's pervy nature, Ram flatly refused his suggestion.
There was no way she was going along with that. Ram had her own ideas about how to protect her little sister Rem.
What that lecherous master was really saying between the lines was: "Ram, help me get your little sister into my bed and dump her in my arms."
As if she'd ever agree to that.
With his proposal shot down, Hayashi Maki was genuinely disappointed.
Since Rem couldn't be touched for now—and he had to take Ram's feelings into account—Hayashi Maki decided to focus on deepening her trust first.
In this area, he was very experienced.
Under Beatrice's sulky stare, Hayashi Maki "taught" Ram a few more pieces of "advanced knowledge."
Even though Ram kept insisting she didn't believe in these weird "lessons," for Rem's sake she could only grit her teeth and study seriously.
No one knew how much time passed.
Ram was drenched in a sheen of fragrant sweat, completely wiped out. With teary pink eyes she stared miserably at the bastard master holding her.
"Spare me already, Hayashi Maki-sama… or I'm going to break…"
Hayashi Maki seriously patted her on the butt.
"Nonsense. You're the strongest oni of your clan. How could you break that easily?"
Ram's expression went completely dead. She shut her eyes and just went limp like a salted fish accepting her fate.
She'd just gotten another painful firsthand reminder of how ridiculous Hayashi Maki's stamina was.
Yesterday he'd definitely gone easy on her.
This time, Hayashi Maki didn't push things further. He just lowered his head and kissed her smooth forehead.
Then he gently took her white, slender hand and poured his magic into her.
That strengthened her mana while also helping to wake up and sprout the "magic seed" he'd planted.
Feeling his uncharacteristic gentleness, a faint smile tugged at Ram's lips.
Maybe… staying with him wasn't so bad after all.
She still didn't like how he had strong-armed and threatened Roswaal, but Ram was still a woman—a very emotional, very gentle woman.
So being on the receiving end of his plainly expressed affection and possessiveness… warmed her heart more than she wanted to admit.
Without even noticing, the distance between them shrank again.
Curled up in his arms, Ram drifted off with a sweet expression.
She no longer had to feel her life slowly draining away, no longer had to worry about Rem's future or safety. All the anxieties she'd carried for years seemed to melt away in that warm embrace.
Looking down at the sleeping Ram, Hayashi Maki smiled and couldn't help praising softly:
"Too cute."
He was already looking forward to the day he completely won over her heart.
Of course, the opportunity for that would have to be created by his favorite "tool man," Roswaal.
If Roswaal was going to die, he had to die usefully.
Having power really was intoxicating.
Especially that feeling of having everything—and everyone—right in the palm of your hand. It was way too addictive.
So, to keep that feeling going, Hayashi Maki knew he needed to become even stronger, and contract even more high-quality partners to expand his "demon" skill set.
He understood himself very well.
He was lustful. He loved beautiful girls.
He was also petty, insanely possessive, greedy—hungry for more beautiful things to call his own.
So, if he wanted more delicious experiences and an even better life, he'd have to keep working at it.
He was just thinking about other prime targets in this world he could contract—like Anastasia, or the queen-like Priscilla—when a small pale hand tugged at his sleeve.
Hayashi Maki looked down to see a petite golden twin-tailed spirit girl pouting up at him, cheeks puffed out.
"Betty's fine too," she muttered.
"Huh?"
"Uu… Whatever Ram can do, Betty can do too!"
Beatrice emphasized, then leaned forward and pecked his cheek. "Betty wants to learn that kind of knowledge too!"
Hayashi Maki looked at her adorable "legal loli" face.
He honestly wasn't a lolicon.
It was just that the people he liked happened to be in loli-sized bodies.
And in Beatrice's case, she was over 400 years old—very much within the "edible" category.
"…Alright then, Betty-chan. Let's give it a try."
Shameless as ever, Hayashi Maki let Ram sleep off to the side… and started teaching Beatrice things she had never experienced before.
Beatrice had thought she was going to break; tears streamed down her cheeks.
But very quickly, she realized why Ram had worn such dangerously alluring expressions before.
…
By dinnertime, now that Beatrice had been officially added as a contracted partner, Hayashi Maki gained yet another ability.
[Safehouse: Beatrice can't leave you, and she wishes to always stay by your side—to protect you, love you, and be with you forever. While Beatrice is nearby, anyone in physical contact with you is in an invulnerable state.]
Well then. That was a full-blown conceptual passive skill.
As long as Beatrice was with him, anyone he touched would become invincible—completely unharmed by anything.
He really couldn't let down that kind of devotion.
Sitting at the head of the table, Hayashi Maki looked at the delicious food in front of him and smiled.
"Alright then, let's dig in."
With Roswaal gone, he naturally took the main seat, acting every inch the new master of the mansion.
Ram and Rem stood behind him in silence, faithfully carrying out their maid duties.
Their maid discipline looked a lot like something they'd been drilled in by that gentle demi-human maid, Frederica.
Another talent Hayashi Maki fully intended to snatch later.
Poor Roswaal—his entire roster of subordinates was being targeted.
But who cared?
In Hayashi Maki's view, a madman like Roswaal, who didn't even value his own life, wasn't worthy of having these people.
So he'd accept them all with a smile.
Of course, he didn't deny Roswaal's dedication to reviving Echidna.
But Hayashi Maki wasn't stupid enough to "empathize" with him over it.
He had his hands full dealing with his own business.
After dinner, Hayashi Maki took Beatrice outside to enjoy the night air.
They strolled through the courtyard for a bit until they spotted a silver-haired half-elf in a white dress sitting quietly in a pavilion, eyes closed, bathed in a halo of flickering lights.
In the moonlight, Emilia was beautiful enough to look like a goddess descended to earth.
The tiny glowing motes dancing around her were micro-spirits—each with a faint awareness.
And every micro-spirit had the potential to grow into a full spirit, or even a great spirit.
Of course, that required them to accumulate magic over a very long time.
Right now, Emilia's own magic was resonating with the surrounding micro-spirits, enhancing their mana.
At the same time, it served as a way for her to hone her control.