The rigorous but joyful cultivation session finally came to an end. Before the old butler could knock on the door, Yuu Hoshimiya used magic to clean up the messy battlefield.
Akama, the butler, was perceptive. Since the room had been sealed by a barrier, he had sensibly occupied himself with other tasks, only starting dinner preparations when the barrier dissipated. As Akane's servant and assistant in magical matters, he knew enough about magic to understand what was happening, even if his own skills were rudimentary.
By dinner, Akane had used restoration magic to adjust her physical condition, returning to her persona as the aloof, mysterious witch. There was no trace of the fierce, day-long battle she had just endured, nor the depraved, pleasure-drunk state she had been reduced to.
This contrast between her public and private selves was incredibly arousing. If Yuu didn't have other matters to attend to, he would have dragged her back for another round—preferably with her on top. A dominant witch forcing herself on a "married man"... just thinking about it was stimulating.
Suppressing his lust, Yuu decided to handle business first. During their breaks in the long cultivation session, he and Akane had finalized the plans for the "Magical Girl Squad" (or rather, the Witch Squad) and other arrangements.
Akane was now inseparable from Yuu, and she had no desire to leave him. Setting aside physical and emotional needs, the dual-cultivation benefits alone were enough to make her stick to him like glue. No one on the path of the supernatural would refuse power. With enough strength, magic could achieve miracles like resurrection and eternal youth.
In this life, one must have pursuits. Even those who claim indifference to fame and fortune still crave peace. And regardless of the pursuit, power is the best guarantee. Without it, even a peaceful life is a luxury easily shattered by misfortune.
In the mana-starved world of Conan, Yuu was a treasure to Akane. He helped her cultivate, satisfied her body and emotions, and provided for her material needs. Akane wasn't poor, but earning money took time and effort. With the Suzuki family's backing, she could focus entirely on magic.
After experiencing the power of the contract, the "Magical Girl Squad"—no, the Witch Squad—was officially a go. At Akane's insistence, Yuu's chuunibyou name "Magical Girl Squad" was vetoed in favor of the more mysterious and concise "Witch Squad." Since they didn't know the ages of those with aptitude, "Witch" was more appropriate. Akane mostly just found "Magical Girl" too embarrassing.
Starting tomorrow, Akane would move into the Suzuki estate, becoming the third instructor alongside Maya Tachibana and Seiran Hoshi. She would also be the most important one.
As for her villa, she decided to leave it to Akama. Following Yuu's suggestion, Akama would be retired. At the Suzuki estate, Akane would have plenty of servants, and once the Witch Squad training began, she would have assistants.
After dinner, Akane discussed this with Akama. The conversation went smoothly; Akama gave his blessings to the couple. Though technically a servant, he was like an elder who had watched Akane grow up. Seeing her find someone to entrust her life to brought him great joy and relief. He was getting old and couldn't care for her forever. Now, he could enjoy his remaining years in peace. Akane gave him the deed to the house and a generous severance fund, ensuring he would never worry about money again.
The Next Day.
At 9:00 AM, Yuu and Akane woke up, rubbing their eyes. They had battled all night, sleeping only three or four hours. However, thanks to their high spirits and the restorative effects of dual cultivation, they were energetic rather than tired.
After half an hour of packing and a final breakfast prepared by Akama, Yuu took Akane to the black sedan waiting outside. The driver was a sexy female chauffeur under Yuu's "Chain of Fate," summoned specifically for this task.
Yuu had also notified Ran, Sonoko, and the others. As the only other known magician, Akane's status was special. Everyone needed to know about her and the Witch Squad to facilitate her future work.
The squad would be small—Yuu and Akane agreed on three to five members. Even so, they needed to test everyone under contract or chain. Aptitude was rare; even with nearly fifty women in the estate (including the unnamed beauties hired by the Suzukis), finding even one wasn't guaranteed. But one could dream. Aside from the hired staff, the women Yuu collected were exceptional, some even possessing "Destiny" traits, so the odds of finding three to five candidates were decent.
When they arrived at the underground training facility, most of Yuu's harem was present. Only the Miyano sisters (who couldn't risk exposure yet) and Eri Kisaki (who was in court) were absent.
To Yuu's surprise, Aoko Nakamori and Kazuha Toyama were there. Aoko was expected—she was a "Chosen Daughter" and would be his eventually. But Kazuha... they hadn't interacted much. Yuu hesitated, then decided to ask her to step out. If necessary, he would use magic to suggest it.
Fortunately, Kazuha was sensible. After a hint from Yuu, she obediently went to the lounge to play with her phone.
Her presence was accidental. After the castle trip, she hadn't returned to Osaka with Heiji. instead, she stayed in Tokyo to hang out with her new besties: Ran, Sonoko, and Aoko. The four girls got along so well they had been inseparable for the past two days, even sleeping over at the Suzuki estate. It was safe, convenient, and luxurious.
Living there meant bodyguards and drivers were always available, keeping away pests who might bother four beautiful high school girls. Though they didn't really need protection—Ran could shatter telephone poles, Kazuha was an Aikido master, and Aoko knew self-defense and had agility honed by dodging Kaito's pranks—Sonoko was the only "weak link." Still, having professionals handle trouble before it started was better for enjoying their time.
Once Kazuha left, Yuu formally introduced Akane and explained the Witch Squad and the training program. Since they had already witnessed Yuu's contracts and chains, the women weren't too shocked by the existence of magic, just curious. They were surprised another magician existed, and a young girl at that. If they knew she was a JK, they'd be even more shocked.
Two people, however, reacted strongly.
First was Seiran Hoshi. She had sacrificed everything—including her body—for magic. How could he just teach it to others so easily? But her indignation faded when Maya explained that everyone here was Yuu's woman, bound by contract or chain. Their price was the same as hers.
Seiran also learned she would be training these women. The Suzuki mother and daughters wouldn't join the main training but would incorporate it into their fitness routines. The training was voluntary; Yuu wouldn't force anyone. If someone had magical aptitude but just wanted a normal life, he would support that. Those who helped him would rise in status; those who just wanted to trade their bodies for luxury would remain mere tools for his pleasure—toys to be used when he felt like it and ignored when he didn't.
The second surprised person was Aoko. As Akane's classmate, learning she was a witch was shocking. But even more shocking was her relationship with Yuu. She knew they were close, but she hadn't realized they were intimate.
Thanks to two days of indoctrination by Sonoko and Ran, Aoko had accepted Yuu's polyamory. She and Kazuha had realized that powerful men often had mistresses; Sonoko just confirmed it. More importantly, their high affection for Yuu made them accept it easily. Aoko already considered herself his girlfriend in all but name. Knowing Akane was also involved brought a strange sense of relief—a feeling of "finding one's own kind."
So it's not just me... Aoko thought.
After the introduction, Yuu stepped back. The women would coordinate with Akane. Those uninterested would be passed over; those interested, like Seiran, would be tested. If no one had aptitude, the project would be shelved until new candidates appeared.
Maya and Seiran's physical training programs would have no shortage of participants. It was good for self-protection and fitness. Even the Suzuki ladies participated when free. A few hired beauties opted out, content to be servants and bedwarmers. Yuu didn't care; under the Chain's influence, they might eventually volunteer just to earn a night in his bed.
Seeing Tomoko organizing everything efficiently, Yuu took Aoko to find Kazuha.
It took nearly half an hour to explain everything. By the time they reached the lounge, Kazuha was rolling around on the bed out of boredom.
Since Aoko and Kazuha were the only ones present without a contract or chain, Yuu decided to explain everything to them together.
"Sensei, can you really use magic?" Aoko asked immediately upon his entry. Despite seeing Akane's demonstration earlier, years of Kaito's pranks made her skeptical.
Kazuha sat up, eyes sparkling with curiosity. The lounge wasn't soundproof, so she had heard snippets but nothing clear, which only made her more curious.
Yuu glanced at Kazuha. Before he could speak, the energetic beauty latched onto his arm, shaking it while her ponytail bobbed. "Sensei... please tell me too! I promise I won't tell anyone!"
Yuu laughed. A girl's coquetry was a natural weapon. Looking into her emerald eyes, he decided to come clean. He had planned to wait, but striking while the iron was hot might work better. He sensed Kazuha liked him, but wasn't sure how much. This would be a good test.
So, right there in the lounge, Yuu demonstrated magic for them: fireballs, water spheres, ice spikes, wind blades, lightning... and finally, flight.
Watching Yuu float in mid-air, the two girls gaped in disbelief. Kazuha even waved her hand under his feet to check for wires. This close-up, casual display was far more impactful than Akane's distant demonstration.
Yuu landed with a smile. "Believe me now?"
"I believe! I believe!" Kazuha nodded furiously. "Sensei, can I learn magic too?"
"Of course, but there's a condition."
Aoko's expression turned odd, guessing what was coming.
"Before that, I need to tell you..." Yuu explained that all the women present were his lovers and described the Destiny Contract and Chain of Fate.
The girls had suspected the harem part, so they weren't too shocked. But the "lewd magic" of the contracts made them blush.
"So, to learn magic, we have to... do that... cough, sign a contract first?" Kazuha asked shyly but eagerly. She was genuinely interested in magic.
"Yes. But the contract isn't just about sex." Yuu omitted the third condition (the wish) but mentioned the requirement of true love and the internal climax. "The Chain is simpler; verbal consent is enough, but the restrictions are looser."
Since both were students, the Chain was inconvenient. A Contract was better. Plus, contracting Aoko and Kazuha would grant him more slots.
Currently, Yuu had 12 contracted partners (counting the slots gained from the "buy one get two free" system upgrades):
Sonoko (+ Tomoko, Ayako)
Ran (+ Seimi, Hitomi)
Akemi (+ Driver, Maya)
Eri (+ Seiran, Empty)
Akane (+ Empty, Empty)
Plus the original 2 slots from Hitomi's first contract.
Total remaining slots: 5.
Yuu planned to contract many more: Yukiko Kudo, Vermouth, Kir, Mary Akai, Masumi Sera, Jodie... 5 slots wouldn't be enough, but as his power grew, the restrictions on contract slots would loosen or disappear. The Destiny Contract was now his ability, scaling with his strength. Eventually, he might be able to chain or contract at will without consent—a "board first, buy ticket later" scenario.
Thinking of a Crystal Palace where every member was contracted, capable of dual cultivation, and absolutely loyal... it was perfection.