When Haruki and his group returned to the villa, it was already around eight in the evening.
After handing the piles of items the girls had bought to the waiting maids and instructing them to prepare dinner, Haruki, though exhausted from the day, didn't go back to his room to rest. Instead, he called the girls who had been with him into the living room.
Haruki had always kept them close, so it would be a lie to say he had no feelings for them. But he was the kind of person who had the desire but lacked the courage. Despite his immense strength, he couldn't shake the mindset of a loser and shut-in from his previous life. Combined with his near-zero experience in love, he didn't have the guts to confess to Nina and the others—who were far more stunning than the so-called "goddesses" of his past life.
Still, Haruki was deeply possessive. This was clear from how he forbade Tsukushi and Pony from drinking men's blood and didn't allow the girls to get close to any other men. There wasn't even a single male guard in the entire residence—only maids.
After what happened today—Feld flirting with Gin, and the security chief and his wife trying to force Nina into marrying him—Haruki finally had a moment of clarity.
Unlike in his past life, here he held overwhelming power, far surpassing even the Emperor. He had unmatched status and absolute authority. So why should he live in fear like before, always hesitating, always watching helplessly as the girl he liked ended up in someone else's arms?
For over a thousand years, even when facing massive armies or terrifying Super-Class Danger Beasts, Haruki had never wavered. But today's incident ignited a fury in him like never before—as if someone was trying to steal away someone he loved. It wasn't about strength. It was about how much he cared.
That was the moment he made up his mind. In this life, he would live boldly. If he liked someone, he would make her his. He would never again let someone slip away because of his own weakness. That's why he had declared in front of everyone today that Nina and the others were his women.
And now, the reason Haruki called them here was to confess—to finally tell them how he felt. He had already decided to keep them by his side, whether they agreed or not, which was why he had revealed his secret to them earlier. Of course, what he truly hoped for was that they'd choose to stay on their own. Haruki didn't like forcing anyone.
Now, Nina, Gin, Kurome, Tsukushi, and Pony sat across from him in the living room. Their expressions were a mix of confusion, nervousness, and shyness.
It was obvious that Haruki had something important to say tonight, and considering what he had said earlier in front of the security personnel—that they were his women—it wasn't hard to guess what was coming.
"Nina, Gin, Kurome, Tsukushi, Pony. I asked you all here tonight because there's something I want to say. You probably already have some idea. I'm not great at expressing my feelings, but I think you've noticed—I really like you. After what happened today, I'm even more certain of how important you are to me. So now, I want to know—how do you feel about me?"
Haruki looked at the girls as he spoke. Even though he had made up his mind, he was still incredibly nervous. After all, this was the first time he had ever confessed his feelings—in either of his lifetimes.
The girls' faces flushed even redder. They all lowered their heads in embarrassment, but at the same time, they felt a wave of relief. Haruki had always treated them well, but he had never openly expressed how he felt. They weren't young anymore, and their hearts had been anxious.
Seeing them all lower their heads without responding, Haruki began to panic...
"You guys, say something already!"
"I-I don't have a problem with it."
Nina, the most energetic of the group and the one who had been with Haruki the longest, was the first to respond shyly after a moment of silence.
"Of course I agree."
Gin, who had always had feelings for Haruki—and had even tried to awkwardly confess back when they were in the assassination unit, only to be brushed off by an embarrassed Haruki—responded without hesitation after hearing his confession.
"I'm fine with it, as long as you keep cooking for me, big brother."
Kurome answered in her usual adorable tone. True to her foodie nature, even when it came to a major life decision, she was thinking about food. Clearly, all these years of Haruki personally cooking for them hadn't been in vain—at least it won over this little glutton.
"We agree!"
Tsukushi and Pony responded in unison. The two had become incredibly close, to the point that they even made important decisions together. And being Haruki's blood kin, they already felt a deep, instinctive bond with him. There was no reason for them to turn him down.
"You're all okay with it? That's awesome! I'll cook tonight—let's celebrate!"
Seeing none of the girls object, Haruki grinned with joy. Honestly, when it came to romance, he was pretty dense. Anyone could see how the girls felt about him, but Haruki had never been sure himself.
"Yay! Today was so exhausting. Big brother, make sure you cook something delicious, okay?"
The girls beamed as they spoke to Haruki. Thankfully, in the feudal, polygamous society of Akame ga Kill, none of them found Haruki's multiple relationships strange. If anything, they saw it as completely normal.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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