As the heavy office door shut with a loud thud, Jun Hao seized the moment, stepping forward and pressing the girls back against the wall.
With a swift motion, he placed his hands on either side of them, performing a double kabedon that left Belfast and Akagi trapped together, staring directly at his attractive face.
The cold wall at their backs seemed to grow warmer, much like the heat rising to their cheeks.
Jun Hao leaned closer, catching the sweet scent coming from the two of them.
Belfast, being the Head Maid of the Royal Maid Corps, didn't have that cheap perfume smell. She smelled like fresh soap instead, with this gentle, classy vibe hidden in that clean scent.
In contrast, Akagi, known as the 'Red Fox' of the Sakura Empire, carried a hint of dangerous sweetness paired with the warm fragrance of some exotic incense.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The sound of a heartbeat echoed in the air, but it wasn't his alone. Jun Hao could hear the frantic pounding of two other hearts pressed close to his own.
Their three heartbeats rose and fell one after another, creating a strange harmony one might name 'Palpitations'.
Even when facing the deadly Sirens, Akagi and Belfast had never experienced such suffocating tension.
But this wasn't the kind of tension that came from facing death. It was mixed with embarrassment and a hint of eager expectation.
Jun Hao's fingers tightened slightly before he raised his hand with deliberate slowness.
He gently stroked Akagi's cheek, her skin smooth and delicate, almost like polished silk.
"Mm..."
A barely audible sound escaped from Akagi's lips. Her crimson eyes, typically ablaze with fervent adoration, now shimmered beneath a veil of hazy mist.
The fluffy fox ears on top of her head twitched the moment he touched her.
While Akagi was still lost in her own imagination, his other hand had already found its way to Belfast's face.
Unlike Akagi, Belfast's cheek felt completely different. If he needed to describe it in one word, it was supple.
Belfast had originally wanted to maintain her perfect image. As the Head Maid of the Royal Maid Corps, she should preserve an impeccable, elegant smile no matter the time or place.
She had planned to respond with her usual composed tone, maybe even teasing her beloved Master in return.
But as soon as Jun Hao's hand brushed her cheek, all of that fell apart.
Now, the only thought in her heart was that her Master's actions were simply too cunning.
He hadn't given her a single moment to prepare, tearing straight through the defense she called 'perfection'.
Faced with him at such an intimate distance, she had no choice but to abandon her resistance and concede defeat.
For Jun Hao, a quiet sense of pride swelled within his chest.
But while he was lost in the sensation, a memory simultaneously surfaced in the minds of Akagi and Belfast.
It was their most precious memory: the Oath Ceremony.
Back then, when the 'stickman' version of Jun Hao placed the Promise Ring on them, they'd been certain they'd reached the pinnacle of happiness.
But now, with that abstract 'Stickman Commander' replaced by the real Jun Hao standing before them, the happiness they once thought had reached its peak was magnified endlessly, a hundredfold, perhaps even a thousandfold.
The oath of the past now seemed like nothing more than a grand rehearsal. And right now, whatever was happening in this locked office felt like their actual 'wedding night'.
The weight of that realization sent their thoughts spiraling beyond control, racing toward a distant and radiant future.
They imagined their fingers intertwining with his, slowly tracing the lines in each other's palms.
They pictured themselves walking along the golden shores of the port, feeling the sea breeze before receiving a warm and real Oath's Kiss from him.
And naturally, as his wives, staying by the Commander's side all night felt completely right.
As those scenes replayed in their minds, the earlier tension dissolved completely, replaced by a tenderness that nearly overflowed.
Jun Hao observed every subtle change in their expressions.
He understood that in moments like this, a Commander's composure and control were his sharpest weapons and the perfect catalyst for raising the 'Harmony Level'.
With that thought in mind, Jun Hao let out a soft laugh. Though barely audible, it sounded surprisingly clear in the dense silence.
"Don't be so nervous. If you're both this stiff, how can we proceed to the next step?" he said with a playful tone.
"The next step?" Akagi and Belfast lifted their heads almost simultaneously.
Their wandering gazes gradually settled on Jun Hao's face. Though confusion still lingered in their eyes, it was now intertwined with an unmistakable trace of anticipation.
"You two are currently the only Ship Girls who have seen my 'true' form," Jun Hao said calmly. "Could it be... that you intend to remain in this fleeting atmosphere of shyness? As your Commander, I'll grant you a special privilege right now."
There was something dangerously alluring in his voice, enough to make both Akagi and Belfast freeze for a moment.
'That's right! The Commander/Master is right! How could I waste time on meaningless shyness? I should be more proactive! I have to prove to the Commander/Master that I'm the one who loves him most!'
The same thought crossed both Akagi's and Belfast's minds at once. No matter whether the next step led to heaven or the abyss, they were ready to follow.
"Commander..."
"Master..."
Their voices trembled faintly, yet beneath it lay unwavering resolve, as if they had already decided there was no turning back.
Moving in near-perfect sync, both women raised their hands and urgently pressed them against the backs of Jun Hao's palms resting on their cheeks.
"I, Akagi, am not afraid! As long as it's you, Commander... whatever the 'next step' may be, I am willing to entrust myself to you completely!"
Catching sight of Akagi's bold advance, Belfast felt her competitive spirit as a Royal Maid ignite.
"I will graciously let you lead for now, Miss Akagi. But as a maid devoted to perfection, I have no intention of falling behind."
What they failed to realize was that after their heartfelt declarations, the Port's Harmony Level began rising steadily.
[Harmony Level: 60/100... 62/100... 65/100... 68/100]
Although the numbers didn't rise quickly, the final value climbed to an astonishing '88', much to Jun Hao's satisfaction.
His words had worked better than expected, easing his concerns. Clearly, his approach was correct. With girls this passionate, always giving in wouldn't work.
He had to be firm and take the lead if he wanted real control.
Moreover, this wasn't merely about maintaining the Port's Harmony Level or gaining Bond Points. It was about establishing himself as the true commander of the port.
"Then, let me guess what you want me to do next~"
Right when things were getting really heated between the three of them, someone knocked on the door.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
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Novels Available:
-> Zenless Zone Zero: The Almighty Incubus of Sixth Street. (Translation)
-> Azur Lane: Don't Fight! You're All My Wives! (Translation)
-> Zenless Zone Zero: Death in White. (Original)
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