Now that they had seen the existence of magical girls and demonkind, they knew they needed to change their strategy.
Although the maid corps of the Rurikawa family still needed to recruit people, and the beautiful girls at school also needed to be pulled over to their side as much as possible so they wouldn't all get taken by Iris, magical girls, demonkind, and demi-humans were not quite the same.
They did not belong to the same faction, nor did they feel much sense of belonging toward demi-humans. If they could pull magical girls and demonkind over to their side, then they would have the ability to defeat this group of demi-humans.
Of course, to avoid the situation where the guests overshadowed the hosts, they couldn't just pull in every magical girl or demon they saw. They had to consider the other party's strength and personality.
That said, Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria looked fairly sensible. Since these two sisters were homeless, they could let Hachiman give them a home. Once they became family, Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria would naturally stand on the side of their family, listening to them and joining together to oppose the evil demi-human alliance led by the elves.
As for the remaining goddess angel Suzune Rione, Majima Yuuri, and the evil organization's female executive Hiiragi Utena, those would be even easier to deal with.
Suzune Rione had already been taken down by Hachiman. They could step in, reason with her emotionally and logically, and then slowly pull Majima Yuuri in as well.
Hiiragi Utena was Komachi's classmate, so they could send Komachi and Shion to bring her over. As for Hanabishi Haruka and the others, that might be a bit troublesome, because those magical girls were also idols under the mermaid princess Meroune's idol agency, making them easier for Iris and the others to pull over.
Anyway, Hiiragi Utena and Hanabishi Haruka, Mizukami Sayo, and Tenkawa Kaoruko belonged to two different factions. Judging from Hiiragi Utena's performance after transforming into an evil executive, she should be able to handle one-versus-three without much trouble. If that still wasn't enough, they could see if there was anyone else in the evil organization who could be pulled in.
There were three magical girls already. The evil organization couldn't possibly have only Hiiragi Utena alone, right?
"Everyone, please pay attention. The club president is bringing people back. If there's anything to discuss, let's go back later and talk it over slowly. Anyone who doesn't want to stay up all night having remedial lessons with the president can go back and rest tonight."
Seeing that after tonight's binge-watching, everyone had plenty of thoughts on their minds, and that aside from Kaede and her group there were also many small groups stirred up by the existence of magical girls and demonkind, Iris smiled, stood up again, and clapped her hands, signaling everyone to keep tonight's viewing confidential.
"Those who want to stay, remember not to push yourselves tonight. Otherwise, it's easy to get mentally foggy and lose control of what you say, you know~"
In fact, they hadn't been staring at the scenes on the president's side the entire time tonight.
Whenever something was about to happen that wasn't suitable for Tohsaka Sakura, Tohsaka Rin, or Yukinoshita Yukino to watch, Gabriel and Vignette would turn off the projection.
Those who had empathy wristbands and empathy collars could only activate their shared senses themselves, silently experiencing what was happening on the president's side.
Later on, after quite a while, they noticed demonic energy appear again where the president was. Only then did Gabriel project the scene again so the girls who stayed behind to play could continue watching.
"Then I'll head back first. See you all tomorrow!"
Hearing Iris say that Hachiman would tutor those who stayed until dawn, Kitagawa Marin, who knew full well that the "tutoring" Iris referred to was definitely not simple, immediately stood up and said goodbye.
Although tonight's experience had been great, everyone sitting together and watching the big screen like a movie to understand what was happening around Hikigaya, the goddess angel, demonkind, magical girls, and evil organization female executives.
All these settings felt really suitable for cosplay.
Unfortunately, with the way they were following the show, any cosplay could only be done inside the Service Club.
After all, ordinary people didn't know about the existence of goddess angels or magical girls. Randomly exposing their situation wouldn't be good.
Still, if other cosplay-loving friends joined the Service Club, they could hold a private cosplay convention themselves. She remembered Lumilia really liked this sort of thing. Maybe she could ask Lumilia what she thought.
After Kitagawa Marin left, the gyaru older sisters who had been sitting with her didn't leave. None of the girls on the other sofas left either.
Hanabishi Haruka, Mizukami Sayo, and Tenkawa Kaoruko, dressed in their home pajamas, looked at one another, unsure whether the three of them should follow Kitagawa Marin and leave immediately or wait for Hiiragi Utena to come back and ask her about the evil organization.
In fact, it was already past midnight, several hours after dinner time. They had long since eaten with Komachi and Shion and returned home.
But just as they were about to go to bed, they sensed the appearance of demonic energy again. They immediately used the Service Club's teleportation privileges to teleport to the club, thinking that since they had this convenient teleportation ability, they might as well gather at the Service Club first.
They hadn't expected that after teleporting over, they'd find that many older sisters still hadn't left the Service Club and were still eating, drinking, and having fun there. On the screen were the images of Hachimanand Hiiragi Utena, who had been gone for several hours.
At first, Hanabishi Haruka and the others couldn't recognize Hiiragi Utena's face. Even after changing into a black-and-white maid outfit, Hiiragi Utena was still an evil executive, still subject to cognitive interference and not easily noticed.
But they could hear what Hachiman called Hiiragi Utena, and they immediately understood where Hachiman and Hiiragi Utena, who had disappeared for several hours at the same time, had gone.
Originally, they had been angry that this enemy, Hiiragi Utena, had already infiltrated their ranks and was hiding among them in daily life. But after hearing what Hachiman said to Naruse Mio, they couldn't help feeling a bit hesitant.
Thinking about it carefully, Hiiragi Utena's usual behavior really didn't resemble that of a villain from an evil faction. Plus, the first time they met her, she didn't seem to actively attack them, but instead wanted to explain something.
Perhaps Hiiragi Utena also had her own difficulties.
"Haruka, Sayo, Kaoruko, do you want to stay and play with us?"
Seeing that Hanabishi Haruka, Mizukami Sayo, and Tenkawa Kaoruko didn't seem to be leaving, Iris slowly looked toward them and invited them with a gentle smile.
She understood Kaede and the others' little schemes. But once Kaede and Tsubaki pulled Hiiragi Utena over, these three magical girls would also have to join their side to help oppose Hiiragi Utena of the evil organization.
Just like how she knew Ursula was looking everywhere for help, she didn't need to compete directly. She just needed to wait for Ursula to bring people to her doorstep and, depending on the situation, turn some of those opponents into her own people.
Compared to the greedy and lazy dragon clan, the reputation of their elf clan was much better. The helpers Ursula found would surely, like Elio and the other mermaids, be more inclined to join her side.
"N-no, thank you!"
"Thank you, Sister Iris!"
"We'll head off first! Goodbye, sisters! See you tomorrow, Komachi, Shion, Sakura!"
Looking at the kind and friendly smile on Iris's face, the three girls felt their hearts jump. Not daring to wait any longer for Hiiragi Utena to return, they quickly said goodbye and teleported back to their respective homes.
That elf big sister was very cute and had great presence, but with their keen senses, they still instinctively felt afraid.
"I-I'll head back too. There's an exam tomorrow!"
Seeing the magical girls leave, Majima Yuuri also hurriedly said goodbye and left the Service Club in a fluster.
Although she, like Hanabishi Haruka and the others, hadn't seen anything inappropriate, she knew that over these past few hours, Teacher Suzune and Hiiragi Utena had very likely been together with Hachiman, this boy.
And then, thinking carefully about how Teacher Suzune's voice had been halting when she asked about the Service Club.
She didn't even know how to face Teacher Suzune anymore. Better to hide for now.
After a while, Hachiman added the names of Naruse Mio, Naruse Maria, Hiiragi Utena, and Suzune Rione to the Service Club member list, then teleported back to the Service Club together with them.
"These are Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria, who will be staying here for the time being. This is our school's teacher, Suzune Rione. Maid Shion, please take Mio and Maria to get clothes, help them wash up, and arrange rooms for them to stay in."
Hachiman brought the four of them to the living room, introduced them to everyone, then instructed the maid Maid Shion.
He knew about the livestreaming. Gabriel and Vignette had only broadcast his side after getting his permission.
Anyway, Gabriel and Vignette didn't dare project any inappropriate scenes. Everyone had played together plenty of times before, so being watched was just being watched.
This method actually made him feel it was something they could try often. After all, many times they didn't reach a sufficient frequency, and the so-called shared empathy never reached the point of sharing vision and hearing.
Later, he could ask Lala and Gabriel and Vignette to see if there was some way to make a VR-style empathy wristband or empathy collar, truly allowing people to binge-watch remotely without leaving home and experience the heroine's sensations firsthand.
"Yes, Master. Miss Mio, Miss Maria, I'm Maid Shion, currently in charge of miscellaneous tasks in the club."
Maid Shion bowed slightly and stepped forward, preparing to lead Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria to the cloakroom to choose clothes to change into.
"Please follow me this way. We'll first get clean clothes, then go wash up in the large bath. I'll also take the opportunity to introduce the club's situation to you."
"No need to be so formal. Just call me Maria."
Seeing Maid Shion bow to them, Naruse Maria also bowed back and hurriedly said so.
Maid Shion was just an ordinary human maid. As a nightmare with considerable strength, she didn't really need to be so polite. But Maid Shion was Lord Hikigaya's maid. How could she treat her like an ordinary maid?
They had just arrived here and were unfamiliar with the place. They might even be living here long-term under Lord Hikigaya's protection. She needed to build good relationships with the people here.
"..."
Standing beside Naruse Maria, Naruse Mio watched Maria's humble attitude. Her pink, glossy cherry lips moved slightly, and she felt a bit like calling Maria to leave with her.
She felt that many people present were looking at her with strange expressions, though she couldn't quite describe what kind of look it was.
"Miss Mio, hello. I'm Rurikawa Tsubaki. You can just call me Tsubaki. You don't need to be nervous or polite. Treat this place like your own home. Hachiman is a very good person."
Rurikawa Tsubaki proactively stepped forward, took Naruse Mio's hand, and gently encouraged her to fit in with them.
"No matter what worries you have, there's no need to be afraid. As long as you trust Hachiman and are willing to be honest with him, Hachiman will help you resolve everything."
Although she didn't often talk about such things, she too had lost both her parents. Otherwise, the Rurikawa family wouldn't have had her juggling her studies while managing the family business.
She just didn't usually show it. When it came to family circumstances, she was actually more similar to Naruse Mio, who had once had a wealthy family but now was alone and dependent on no one.
"Teacher Suzune, we have something we'd like to discuss with you."
Kaede and Suzu also smiled as they walked over to Suzune Rione, stopping her just as she was about to look for Majima Yuuri.
"Utena, could you come with us for a moment?"
Komachi and Shion also pulled Hiiragi Utena, who had reverted to her timid, withdrawn, invisible self, off to the side.
Regarding Hanabishi Haruka and Hiiragi Utena, who secretly held the identities of magical girl and evil executive, Komachi felt quite speechless.
Among these classmates and friends, she was probably the one with the most ordinary experiences.
Still, now she understood why her brother hadn't only asked her to bring Hanabishi Haruka and the others back to their home to play, but had also brought back the seemingly unremarkable Hiiragi Utena.
So Hiiragi Utena was completely different after transforming from her usual self. She even dared to wear such bold outfits, and her figure became completely different as well.
She needed to properly ask Hiiragi Utena how she became an evil organization executive and why she had become enemies with Hanabishi Haruka and the others.
Iris didn't bring Lumilia and the others to compete with Kaede, Rurikawa Tsubaki, and Shion for people. Instead, she leaned in close to Gabriel and Vignette, whispering quietly. Very soon, they blushed and pushed Iris away.
The mermaid princess Meroune looked at the elf princess Iris, who on the surface was a goodwill ambassador promoting cultural exchange between demi-humans and humans, but in reality was intensifying competition between them. Then she looked at the mermaid songstresses Elio, Elusi, and Ayla, who lacked power and connections and found it hard to recruit people. She blinked, recalling the promising talents recently found at the idol agency.
She had no intention of participating in the competition. Whether being favored by Lord Hachiman or watching others be favored by him, she thought it was all quite nice. But she was, after all, a princess of the merfolk.
Elio and the other three were both idol songstresses and demi-humans. With their overwhelming popularity, extraordinary voices, and pretty faces, they were bound to have a place. But that alone wasn't enough. Since everyone else was working hard, she had to help Elio and the others too.
She had no way to help on the demi-human side. She herself hadn't awakened her bloodline, and without sufficient strength, she couldn't recruit demi-humans like Iris or Ursula did.
But on the idol side, she could let the kids in the agency join the Service Club to help Elio and the others.
At present, the only idols in the club seemed to be Elio and her group, and Hanabishi Haruka's group.
Elio and her group were mermaids, and Hanabishi Haruka's trio were also idols under her. She needed to make use of this unique advantage.
Taking advantage of the idol boom sparked by Elio and the others, she could recruit more cute idols. Lord Hachiman would probably like that.
Hachiman didn't pay attention to the small-group struggles among them. After confirming that Naruse Mio and Naruse Maria didn't show any resistance toward the many girls in the club, he walked over to Tohsaka Touka and Yukinoshita Haruno.
The eldest sisters of the Tohsaka and Yukinoshita families were still here, but their younger sisters were no longer around.
"It's a bit late now. Touka escorted little Rin and little Sakura back to sleep before teleporting over. As for little Yukino, she waited for a long time and still didn't see you return, and since there's an exam at school tomorrow, she went back to rest too."
Seeing that Hachiman didn't go looking for anyone after returning and instead immediately came over to sit beside her and Touka, Yukinoshita Haruno thought he might be unhappy that her sister Yukino hadn't waited for him. She quickly explained.
"I'm not blaming you. It really is quite late now. If anything, it's my fault for saying I'd eat with you and then suddenly running off for so long."
Hachiman shook his head and smiled at Yukinoshita Haruno and Tohsaka Touka, whose attitudes had grown more restrained the more they knew.
"I'm just a bit surprised that Sister Haruno and Sister Touka are still here waiting for me. You don't need to be so cautious. Just interact with me the way you usually do. There's no need to deliberately accommodate me."
Compared to the emotionally clueless Yukinoshita Yukino, Yukinoshita Haruno's attitude could be said to be very humble and respectful. She didn't abuse the authority granted by their close relationship.
However, Haruno being this sensible instead made things lose a bit of fun.
It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Haruno acting this way. From her perspective, being cautious around someone like him, who controlled many connections and forces, wasn't wrong. Managing a family business meant she couldn't afford to be willful and make enemies.
It was just that, for him, this kind of Haruno wasn't even fun to tease.
Facing the emotionally clueless Yukinoshita Yukino, he could dangle the position of club president in front of her, make bets with her, and after she lost, lift her skirt while she looked disgusted, her body soft and her mouth stubborn, convinced in her heart but unwilling to admit it.
But with the mature Yukinoshita Haruno in that situation, she would definitely suppress her inner feelings. Instead of putting on a cold face like Yukino, she would smile and proactively try to please him.
But was that kind of insincere pleasing really what he wanted?
"Um… President, you haven't had dinner yet, right?"
Yukinoshita Haruno keenly sensed that Hachiman didn't seem to like her expression just now. She paused slightly, looked at her close friend Tohsaka Touka beside her, and gently nudged her.
"How about you go soak in the bath with Touka first, President? I'll go check what food the maids have prepared in the kitchen."
"Touka, didn't you say you wanted to properly thank the president for his help?"
Pushed by Yukinoshita Haruno into Hachiman, Tohsaka Touka's cool and pretty face flushed red. She slowly reached out and hugged Hachiman's arm, pressing it tightly against her full, soft chest. Her eyes lowered as she gently bit her pink cherry lips.
"Um… Hachiman, would you like to soak in the bath together and have some late-night snacks?"
"I want to… thank you properly together with Haruno…"
Tohsaka Touka and Yukinoshita Haruno thanking him properly together?
It seemed like he had only triggered the Tohsaka family household task, not the Yukinoshita family one.
For her mother and for her sister, Tohsaka Touka was willing to do anything.
But what about Yukinoshita Haruno?
Hachiman looked toward Yukinoshita Haruno, who had clearly heard Tohsaka Touka's words but acted as if she hadn't, turning around and heading to the kitchen to check on the late-night snacks.
The Yukinoshita family's situation wasn't as bad as the declining Tohsaka family's. He had never done anything to coerce the Yukinoshita family, and even when he made Yukinoshita Haruno the vice president of the Service Club, he hadn't made any demands. There was no reason for Haruno to offer herself to him for the sake of the Yukinoshita family.
Although in this world with extraordinary abilities, the situation of the Yukinoshita family is no different from that of the Tousaka family, and they are also in danger when facing evil forces such as evil spirits, monsters, and demons.
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