"Big Sister, it's Rem. May I come in?"
Her sister's voice sounded from the door.
Ram glanced at her own entirely bare skin and couldn't help looking a little conflicted.
Hayashi Maki, on the other hand, was quite happily playing with Ram's long, slender leg. He was very curious how Ram would handle her little sister knocking at this time.
"Come in, Rem."
But Ram didn't hesitate for long—she simply allowed her sister to enter.
Click—
The door opened. Blue-haired Rem, in her black-and-white maid uniform, swept a quick glance over the man and woman in bed, then bowed politely.
"Elder Sister, Hayashi Maki-sama, it's morning. You should get up."
Her tone was calm, her eyes not wandering at all, but the faint blush behind her ears betrayed how complicated she felt.
"Alright, we're getting up."
Hayashi Maki chuckled, ruffled Ram's hair, and tossed back the covers to stand straight up.
Ram rolled her eyes at him.
This awful master was definitely going to corrupt her little sister one day.
Seeing Hayashi Maki standing there so brazenly, Rem steadied herself and silently took out a set of clean casual clothes for him. She helped him dress and even tied his belt neatly.
Hayashi Maki was taller than both maids. Even standing straight, Ram and Rem only reached his chest.
So when he opened his arms to enjoy being dressed, Rem's entire body basically pressed against his chest.
His eyes flicked, and he took the opportunity to give her a light hug.
Rem's body trembled, her face instantly turning bright red.
She glanced furtively at her sister's expression, and when she saw Ram wasn't angry, she quietly relaxed.
After quickly finishing dressing him, Rem stepped back, bowed, and then took out a set of underwear and a maid uniform to help her sister change.
Hayashi Maki watched her small movements with a slight smile, saying nothing more. He walked over, patted both Ram and Rem on the head, and left the room first.
He knew the sisters probably had a lot to talk about, so he wouldn't intrude.
Sure enough, the moment he left, Rem grabbed her sister's hand tightly.
"Elder Sister, are you alright? Do you feel any discomfort?"
Ram smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine. Ram feels great."
Now that the demonic horn, the source of her power, had been restored, she felt better than she had in her entire life.
As for the private things between her and that awful master, she was far too embarrassed to tell her sister.
Seeing her sister's healthy color and rosy cheeks, Rem exhaled in relief.
"That's good… Elder Sister, Rem is also his maid now. If you can't handle him alone, please, you must call Rem!"
"Rem… I…"
Ram was a little stunned. Her sister's plea was… a bit much.
She strongly suspected Rem had been eavesdropping outside the door last night.
"Elder Sister, Rem already knows. All this time, it's always been Ram protecting Rem. I've always carried your feelings deep in my heart, so please don't shut Rem out!"
"No matter what happens, Rem wants to face it together with you!"
The girl spoke firmly, then dove into her sister's arms, eyes full of reliance.
Even though, as a child, she had once been jealous of Ram's strength, Hayashi Maki was right: the most precious thing between them was their shared desire to protect each other.
In any case, she would never leave her sister.
Looking down at the determined light in Rem's eyes, Ram sighed softly and made up her mind.
"Ram understands, Rem. I won't exclude you—whatever happens, we face it together."
"For now, let me teach you how to get along with Hayashi Maki-sama. This man… he doesn't respond to force, only softness. If you soften up, he'll soften too and treat you very sincerely."
"But if you act tough, he'll just push even harder—and that's when you get 'punished'…"
Rem's eyes lit up. She nodded seriously and listened carefully.
While Ram was coaching her sister, Hayashi Maki was enduring Beatrice's tiny fists.
The reason? Last night he'd spent the whole time with Ram and never went to get her at all.
The clingy little spirit was not pleased. Her lips pouted so hard you could balance an oil bottle on them.
After taking a full round of her adorable punch-flurry, Hayashi Maki scooped her up and lifted her overhead.
"Ah! W-What do you think you're doing? Are you treating Betty like a child?!"
"I don't like this 'up you go' nonsense at all!"
Beatrice protested, flustered, letting out a classic tsundere "hmph."
"Sorry, I'm not treating Beatrice like a child," Hayashi Maki said, perfectly serious. "I just think you look even cuter from this angle."
He then sat her down on his lap again, gently stroked her hair, and slowly leaned in for a kiss.
"Don't be mad. It was my fault I didn't bring you along last night—but I saw you chatting with Puck and didn't want to interrupt. I can't keep you from talking to him, right?"
"…Even so, you still could've called for Betty at any time! Betty only has you now. Puck-nii is important, but you're the most important! Make sure you remember that… mmmph!"
She didn't get to finish her thought.
Her soft lips were once again sealed by his, the rest of her words swallowed up in his kiss.
Hearing her speak so sincerely, so full of dependence, how could Hayashi Maki possibly hold back?
He believed in using actions to show how he felt about a girl.
Beatrice's anger melted away.
Her small body softened completely.
Her pale little arms naturally wound around his neck as she responded to his kiss with growing enthusiasm.
In that moment, nothing more needed to be said.
Once he'd soothed Beatrice's ruffled feelings, Hayashi Maki took the little loli along to wake up Aqua.
The water goddess had zero sense of crisis.
When Hayashi Maki opened her door, she was still snoring away.
The blue-haired goddess was sprawled on the bed in her blue pajamas, the rise and fall of her chest lifting the blanket with every smooth, steady breath.
Seeing such a peacefully sleeping "beauty," Hayashi Maki decided to wake her the same way a prince does in fairy tales.
He leaned down and gently kissed her lips.
Aqua: "Mmm… mmph?!"
Feeling herself suffocating, Aqua jerked awake. When she realized it was him kissing her, her face turned completely red.
She might be airheaded and carefree, but she took romance seriously.
This awful man kissed her first thing in the morning—that was going too far, wasn't it?
And yet… even though he was so outrageous, she still felt a tiny spark of happiness.
…What was she supposed to do with that?